My husband asked me to attend our daughter's parent-teacher meeting.

"Didn't you always go to these before?" I nervously clutched my apron stained with oil, "Will it be embarrassing for Qianqian if I go?"

My husband looked disgusted, "The unit suddenly notified me to attend the meeting. As a mother, it's unacceptable for you to never attend these parent-teacher meetings."

"Don't blame me, Shen Lin. You stay at home all day doing nothing, never bothering to tidy up. How can I take you out looking like this?"

I looked at him in disbelief, but he continued relentlessly.

"During the recent class reunion, I was too embarrassed to take you along."

"I really don't understand how I fell for you back then!"

His shouting left me stunned in place.

I then lowered my head to look at my appearance.

The white shoes were coming apart at the soles, the old pajamas I hadn't changed in three years had holes, and the moldy apron was covered in oil stains.

I looked at the tired woman in the mirror, realizing for the first time how much time had passed.

The dissatisfaction in my husband's tone made me feel bitter, but I couldn't find any words to retort.

After our daughter was born, I resigned and became a housewife for seven years.

My husband's salary was not much, and he gave me even less. I managed this household as if I had to split a coin in half to make ends meet.

The endless housework left me breathless, cleaning, laundry, cooking, keeping me so busy that I had no time or money to dress up.

Feeling embarrassed, I touched my face, only to feel the rough calluses hurting my skin.

After a while, I suppressed my sadness and quietly said, "Understood."

I turned around and went back into the house.