Thus, the two dragged on like this, neither taking the final step, and before they knew it, ten years had passed, and Mrs. Ruan found herself endowed with a "memorial archway for chastity" (by standards, being widowed for ten years might not qualify one for such an honor, but the local officials pandered to Cao Gang by seizing the opportunity to go through with it).
This, what kind of archway is this? It's nothing but yokes and shackles, the kind that one can never unshackle even until death.
How could Mrs. Ruan not harbour hatred in her heart? She had always believed that the entire responsibility for their situation lay with Di Bujuan, and now, so many years after his brother's death, he still called her "sister-in-law" without daring to overstep his bounds by half a step - wasn't that torturing me?
Well then, you torture me, I'll torture you - after all, the children are grown and I've got nothing but time on my hands.
