When the mother-in-law heard this, she realized there was truth to it. Right then and there, she didn't dare scold Madam Su any further. The villagers thought the same—they understood that if they wanted to rely on their daughter-in-law and son-in-law to get by, they'd have to humble themselves, treat them like their own flesh and blood, and never act the way they used to.
When Madam Su learned of this, she immediately straightened her back. Before, when her mother-in-law beat and cursed her, she hadn't fought back—afraid of being thrown out, and afraid that rumors would spread and people would brand her as unfilial. Back then, she worked the Old Su family's fields and ate their food, so no matter how she was treated, she had no choice but to endure it.