Chapter 51
Awkward... The entire courtyard fell silent with only Zhao Guifen's groans of pain breaking the stillness!
In the neighboring courtyard, Old Lady Feng came out to pour some water and, seeing the Wangs bustling again for reasons unknown, curiously glanced over. That glance infuriated Zhao Guifen.
She covered her buttocks and cursed, "What are you looking at? Why don't you mind your own business?"
"Pah! Who would want to look at you? I was just checking if you were bullying your son and daughter-in-law again. What is there to see in you, wicked woman? Don't think that no one knows about what happened back then!" Old Lady Feng spat in disdain before turning away.
Back then?
Bai Xiuxiu's gaze shifted to Old Lady Feng.
She took note of it.
Zhao Guifen felt a pang of panic at her words and her tone turned nastier. "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and borrow a cart from the brigade for me! You want me to die without taking me to the hospital? Ouch... my leg! What have I done to deserve this!"
Zhao Guifen's bitten leg had swollen up, rivaling the wild boar's leg from the other day!
"What hospital? Third, go find Old Zhang first and have him take a look at the leg. If it doesn't need a hospital visit, we'll treat it at home," Wang Shoucheng said, his face darkening as he looked at his wife.
How much would a hospital trip cost?
She really didn't know how to manage their finances!
"What are you waiting for? Go quickly!" Zhao Guifen, losing her composure due to the pain, didn't care who they sought help from as long as she got treated.
"You three, carry your mother into the house."
As Wang Shoucheng directed his sons, his gaze fell on the bag. "Old Fifth's wife, is that snake in the bag?"
Still stunned by her father-in-law's attitude toward her mother-in-law, Zhou Jiaojiao nodded blankly when he asked about her bag. "Ah... yes! It's the snake."
"Have Old Zhang identify it later. See what kind of venomous snake it is and whether it can be sold." Wang Shoucheng recalled what his wife told him last night about his youngest daughter-in-law's good luck. He finally believed it now.
Whenever his youngest daughter-in-law went up the mountain, she seemed to come back with something.
But why didn't she say anything sooner?
If she had, would they have agreed to split the extra income evenly?
Right, Eldest!
"Qinghe, where's your catch?" Wang Shoucheng stared at Wang Qinghe.
At his words, Wang Qinghe calmly set down the basket. "Dad, I didn't see even a single rabbit in the mountains today. They must be spooked after these few days."
Wang Shoucheng's smile vanished instantly.
What? Nothing? They lost two eggs this morning! All of them ended up in Eldest's family's stomach!
Before Wang Shoucheng could get angry, Wang Qinghe started painting a rosy picture. "Dad, I probably won't be able to catch any small game. I plan to start staking out for bigger prey tomorrow."
Wang Shoucheng's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Those small creatures wouldn't fetch much money. Only big game could bring in a decent share.
But... if his youngest daughter-in-law's luck persisted for another half month and he couldn't squeeze any more money out of Eldest, he'd kick Eldest out of the family.
He couldn't let Eldest benefit from the family.
Without guessing, Wang Qinghe knew what Wang Shoucheng was thinking. He nodded. "Yes, Dad. I'm going back to my room. It's been a tiring day..."
With that, he followed his wife inside.
Ever since he returned, Xiuxiu had been staring at him with bright eyes, probably because of some good news.
Compared to watching the people he disliked in the courtyard, he preferred returning to his room to see Xiuxiu and their children.
The moment they entered the room, Bai Xiuxiu pulled him down to sit. "I have some good news to tell you!"
"I also have some good news for you."
As Wang Qinghe spoke, he took out three glass jars. They were the size of regular canned food jars. He had sewn large pockets inside his clothes, which, coupled with his bulky attire for the mountains, allowed him to sneak them into the room unnoticed.
"I found a beehive a few days ago. Today, I extracted the honey.
There's enough for you to last through winter."
Wang Qinghe gazed at his wife, his tone gentle as if afraid of startling her.
Bai Xiuxiu couldn't hide the corners of her mouth lifting at the sight of the honey. Who wouldn't like something sweet!
She hugged him and kissed him hard. "Let me tell you about my good news."
Bai Xiuxiu recounted everything that happened with Chen Jinhua, the captain's wife, earlier that day.
"How about that? Good news, right?" Bai Xiuxiu's face radiated joy. Most importantly, with this job, she could easily control the Wangs.
"That's great! You won't have to work in the fields anymore." Wang Qinghe was even happier than Bai Xiuxiu!
He held her hand tenderly. "Even though I helped you before, you still had to work in the fields. When you married me, I promised not to make you do anything you disliked. Yet..."
"What's the point of talking about that?" Bai Xiuxiu felt as sweet as the honey in her heart.
In her previous life, Wang Qinghe was good to her, and she thought it was just his personality. But after drifting behind him, she realized that he wasn't usually so kind; he was simply good to her.
She didn't know if it was love or not, but no one would reject such unique treatment!
"Right, about the pot, Uncle Wu asked around and found one for eight yuan without a ticket. It's not large, just the size of a small stir-fry pan. There's only this one available, and I've already reserved it. We'll have Chen Chengcai bring it over for us tomorrow.
If they ask, just say it's a parcel sent through mail."
Wang Qinghe then took out another roll of money—sixty yuan in total. This morning, I sold the Astragalus, which should have fetched sixty-five yuan, but I traded the five yuan for fifteen bath tickets from him.
Here are the supplementary food tickets, industrial goods tickets, and daily necessities supply tickets.
They said that more people exchange tickets towards the end of the year, so these are all we could get right now.
Wang Qinghe handed Bai Xiuxiu the items listed on today's shopping list, one by one.
Bai Xiuxiu put away these tickets; she couldn't do without them!
Back at her mother's house, her mother had raised her and her older sister together, and she was accustomed to this kind of life. During the few years she had been married to Wang Qinghe, he had never fallen short in providing her with these necessities!
"Old Zhang, you can't leave! Who will save my old woman if you go?" Outside, Wang Shoucheng held onto Old Zhang, who had been invited over to see his wife.
Old Zhang was determined to leave, grumbling, "Are you asking me to save someone or to harm them? Your Aunt Guifen's leg is swollen like a pig's leg! If you don't take her to the hospital soon, you might lose the leg entirely!
Instead of stopping me, hurry up and save her!"
With that, Old Zhang used a burst of strength to free his sleeve and quickly left the Wang residence.
"Dad, what do we do now?" Wang Qingfu, the second son, was also panicking, somewhat reluctant to spend the money. His mother really was something else—she didn't bring back the bird eggs but ate them herself, and now she got bitten by a snake because of it.
How old is she, doing something like this?
Chapter 52
Inside the house, Bai Xiuxiu, listening to the commotion outside, nudged her husband. "Hurry up and go watch the spectacle."
"Shoes, Xiuxiu, you haven't put on your shoes! Or your outer robe!" Wang Qinghe chased after her as she went out.
Outside, Wang Shoucheng looked at his flustered son, feeling even more depressed.
What could he do?
How was he supposed to know what to do? Wang Shoucheng shot a glance at his second son, pondered over the situation, and made a decision with gritted teeth. He sighed in frustration. "Second Son, go borrow the cart from the team. Second Daughter-in-law, you and your husband will accompany your mother to the city for treatment! Eldest Daughter-in-law... Never mind, Third Daughter-in-law, hurry up and prepare dinner. Everyone's still hungry."
Wang Shoucheng had initially planned to order Bai Xiuxiu to cook, but remembering how she and his eldest son had been acting lately, he quickly dismissed the idea.
They couldn't afford any more trouble!
If things continued like this, he would lose control of the household.
Upon hearing that she was expected to be busy again, Liu Xiaoe felt unhappy. However, when she spoke up, she found herself at a disadvantage. She resisted softly, "Dad, my leg hasn't healed yet, and my husband is busy expanding our home. Why does everything fall on us two?
With my leg, it's not convenient to run around.
Why don't we let Third Daughter-in-law do it?"
Zhao Guifen, who had just been helped out by her youngest son, heard Liu Xiaoe's words and glared at her. "What? Is it an injustice for you to take care of me?"
Liu Xiaoe feared her mother-in-law the most and shivered in fright. "No, I just..."
"Go with him if he tells you to. When has Dad ever been wrong?" Wang Qingfu scolded his wife. What did this woman know?
If the trip to the city fell into his hands, there might be some benefits. She didn't seem to understand good from bad.
"Dad, I'll go borrow the cart now." Wang Qingfu then ran out of the door.
Liu Xiaoe, scolded and with her head down, couldn't help but resent Bai Xiuxiu. She secretly glanced at Bai Xiuxiu, who stood at the door watching the commotion with Wang Qinghe, and gnashed her teeth in anger.
It should be the eldest brother and sister-in-law doing all the running around!
If it weren't for the eldest sister-in-law being greedy, lazy, and faking illness, Bai Xiuxiu would have been responsible for cooking, chores, and going out!
She had been harmed by Bai Xiuxiu!
"What are you all standing in the yard for? Making fun of me? Get back inside, all of you, or I won't spare you." Zhao Guifen, in pain and delirious, looked at everyone in the courtyard and cursed.
"Third Daughter-in-law, why did you bring your mother out here? Hurry up and take her back inside!"
Seeing his wife's face turning purple, Wang Shoucheng felt both fear and disgust, not wanting to look at her any longer.
Zhou Jiaojiao felt her scalp tingle! She didn't want to take care of her mother-in-law in the house either; she had never met anyone with a worse temper than her mother-in-law... Oh, wait, there was Bai Xiuxiu!
Her mother-in-law was verbally abusive, but Bai Xiuxiu was disgusting just to look at.
Right! Bai Xiuxiu!
Zhou Jiaojiao immediately turned her gaze towards Bai Xiuxiu. "Elder Sister, you're part of this family too. You can't just stand there while Mother needs help, can you? At least give us a hand?"
Wang Qinghe furrowed his brows. "Xiuxiu..."
"Sure." Bai Xiuxiu, unexpectedly, agreed without hesitation.
Everyone in the courtyard stared at her as if they had seen a ghost!
Who was Bai Xiuxiu? If their usual impression of her was someone who was lazy and gluttonous, these past few days, she had become an upgraded version of that!
And she was also verbally abusive!
She was the most malicious person in the family.
There was no way she would do any work!
And yet, today, she was willing to take care of the elderly lady?
"Xiuxiu?" Not only others, but Wang Qinghe was also puzzled, though mainly disapproving. How could Xiuxiu take care of others? Usually, he took care of her daily life. Why didn't he just do it himself?
Bai Xiuxiu, upon hearing this, turned and smiled at him before taking over.
Zhou Jiaojiao handed Zhao Guifen over to Bai Xiuxiu as if she were a burden.
However, before Zhou Jiaojiao could leave, Bai Xiuxiu had barely taken hold of Zhao Guifen when the latter suddenly fell flat on the ground.
"Ahh!"
A pig-like scream echoed through the courtyard, scaring away the sparrows nearby.
"Mother!" Wang Qingqi, who was nearby, hurried over to support her, and Zhou Jiaojiao pretended to come to her aid as well.
Bai Xiuxiu didn't wait for them to come over; she reached out again to support Zhao Guifen: "Mom, I'm weak and don't have much strength, so I'm sorry I couldn't hold you up. Come on, let me help you up again."
As she spoke, she reached out once more. By this point, Zhao Guifen was nearly fainting from the pain.
After Bai Xiuxiu had helped her up, she looked at Zhou Jiaojiao and Wang Qingqi, the married couple behind her, and subtly applied force backward with her hand.
Zhao Guifen immediately fell toward them again. The intense pain in her leg made it impossible for her to stand steadily, and she cursed angrily, "You black-hearted wretch, Bai Xiuxiu!"
"Quick, get out of the way!" Zhou Jiaojiao screamed, calling out to her husband as she tried to run away.
"Fifth Sister-in-Law, you can't dodge. If Mom falls again, who knows what might happen. Sorry, but my hands just aren't strong enough. Should I try helping her up again?"
As Bai Xiuxiu finished speaking, Zhou Jiaojiao, who had been about to dodge, was firmly struck by Zhao Guifen.
Wang Qingqi, standing nearby, was also hit.
Despite the fact that everyone wasn't eating well these days, Zhao Guifen was definitely not thin!
Both of them grunted from the impact.
This scene caused chaos at the entrance.
Zhao Cuihua, who had been preparing to cook in the kitchen, watched in amazement. Indeed, her eldest sister-in-law's unusual attitude earlier hadn't been out of good intentions!
Wang Shoucheng glared at the three people lying on the ground, fuming: "Eldest daughter-in-law! You..."
"Father, didn't Uncle Zhang say that Xiuxiu isn't well? Besides, Mom isn't exactly thin—how could Xiuxiu lift her? There are so many of you here; you could have asked anyone else. You could have even asked me, instead of making things difficult for Xiuxiu." Wang Qinghe interrupted Wang Shoucheng.
He pulled Bai Xiuxiu from the doorway to his side.
On the ground, Zhou Jiaojiao struggled to push her mother-in-law off, cursing the old woman's weight.
Hearing Wang Qinghe's words, her eyes widened in disbelief.
Was he blind? Couldn't he see the malicious expression on Bai Xiuxiu's face?
Wang Shoucheng was also enraged by Wang Qinghe's words, losing his composure as he shouted at him: "What do you mean? Your wife is the one being wronged now? Whose fault is this?"
"It's certainly not my wife's fault," Wang Qinghe stated firmly.
"Father, I've borrowed the ox cart," Wang Qingfu said hurriedly as he entered the house, only to find the commotion inside.
The team leader had accompanied him and was startled by the situation in the Wang household: "What happened? Were three people bitten by snakes in your family? Why are they all lying there?"
Chapter 53
The squad leader's gaze toward this family became complicated.
Had the Wang family been a bit too lively recently? He had been hearing his wife talk about them often.
Upon seeing the squad leader arrive, Wang Shoucheng could no longer remain a bystander. He quickly ran over to where the three people had fallen and helped his wife, Zhao Guifen, up.
Zhou Jiaojiao and Wang Qingqi got up as well. The three of them, especially Zhao Guifen who had fallen twice, were in a sorry state.
Wang Shoucheng turned around and gave an awkward smile to the squad leader. "Squad Leader, it's nothing. Only my wife was bitten by a snake. These two kids were supporting her when they accidentally fell. Our kids are just very filial."
"What happened?" The squad leader looked at their family and his expression changed when he saw Zhao Guifen's leg. "How did it get so bad? What kind of snake bit you?
Is the snake dead?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Shoucheng remained silent.
Bai Xiuxiu watched this family coldly from beside Wang Qinghe, wanting to laugh inside.
Zhao Guifen was already like this, yet they were still worried that the squad leader would take the snake and distribute it among the squad?
Zhao Guifen was feeling dizzy now. Hearing the squad leader ask, she didn't have the strength to shout and shakily pointed at the bag that hadn't been put away yet.
Lao Si, Wang Qingzheng, subconsciously blocked the view.
The squad leader cursed angrily, "What time is it now, and you're still doing this? When has our squad ever cared about the small game you catch in the mountains? I want you to bring the snake so we can take it to the hospital! If you've been poisoned, don't you need an antidote?
Hurry up and bring the snake along. Wang Laoer, quickly help your mother onto the ox cart.
I'll take you to the hospital."
Hearing this, Wang Shoucheng was relieved and began pretending to scold his son. "Lao Si, what are you standing there for? Why aren't you moving? You ungrateful child, which is more important, your mother or the snake?"
Then, he assured the squad leader, "Squad Leader, don't be angry. I know better than anyone else. You have a good heart and are upright. When have you ever taken our game? My son is just stubborn-minded, please don't be angry.
All of you, hurry up and help your mother onto the ox cart."
While directing his sons, Wang Shoucheng spoke kindly to the squad leader.
The squad leader's expression improved. "This is a matter of life and death, I don't have the energy to argue with you. I'll go with your son to send your wife to the hospital. We might be able to sell the snake at the hospital, and then you'll have money for your wife's treatment.
We can discuss other matters later."
They managed to get Zhao Guifen onto the ox cart, and Liu Xiaoe followed reluctantly with her head down.
After the ox cart left, Wang Shoucheng's face darkened completely.
"Lao San, earlier, I just wanted you to put the snake away. This thing is very nourishing; if we sold it to someone, we might get a higher price. All of you, go do what you should be doing! Lao San's wife, start cooking."
Wang Shoucheng couldn't help feeling heartache when he thought about how the snake wasn't used to its full potential.
After Wang Shoucheng went inside, everyone went back to their own tasks.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother went to the hospital with Mother, so could you help him with his work first? We can't delay the house expansion." Lao Si, Wang Qingzheng, looked at his eldest brother standing at the door watching the commotion with his eldest sister-in-law and hurriedly asked for his help.
Before Wang Qinghe could go over, Bai Xiuxiu held his hand.
Bai Xiuxiu glanced at Wang Laosi. "How exhausted is your eldest brother after running around in the mountains all day? Even our squad's donkey gets a few hours of rest every day. When we were building our house, only he worked alone.
And now you remember him?"
Wang Qingzheng was speechless.
How long ago was that? Why was his eldest sister-in-law holding a grudge? Back then, it was Mother who didn't let them help, and Eldest Brother was so strong.
"Eldest Brother?" Wang Qingzheng felt that he needed to ask his eldest brother about this.
However, looking at his eldest brother's expressionless face, Wang Qingzheng felt that he probably already knew the answer.
Wang Qinghe glanced at him.
Without saying a word, he followed Bai Xiuxiu back inside.
Wang Qingzheng was even more speechless. His eldest brother not speaking was more infuriating than if he had spoken!
That look clearly said: I'm listening to your sister-in-law!
"Lao Si, stop standing there and come help!" Wang Qingliang was exhausted. Seeing his younger brother and eldest brother talking and causing his eldest brother to return inside, he shouted at them.
His wife had told him not to offend his eldest brother and sister-in-law, something their small family must remember for the next while.
In the eastern room of the Wang family's house.
As soon as Zhou Jiaojiao entered the room, her face turned cold, and everything annoyed her.
Wang Qingqi felt annoyed inside upon seeing this, but his recent days had been comfortable, and his wife had just married into the family, so he still had patience.
He tried to flatter her. "What's wrong, Jiaojiao? Who upset you?"
Zhou Jiaojiao sneered. "I've really opened my eyes. Your family is planning to suck my blood, aren't they?"
"What are you talking about? That sounds terrible. Who's sucking your blood?" Wang Qingqi was unhappy. Ever since Zhou Jiaojiao married into their family, they had all treated her well.
Oh, except for his eldest brother and sister-in-law. Those two were simply not like the rest of the Wang family!
"Who? Your whole family! They relied on my luck to find good things, yet I have to share the money with them. The most despicable one is my eldest sister-in-law. Look at her, staying at home all day without doing anything, and I have to support her?
Today, Eldest Brother didn't even bring back a single piece of game.
If this goes on, won't we be supporting the two of them?"
Zhou Jiaojiao was still angry thinking about how Wang Qinghe had protected Bai Xiuxiu today.
Those two were simply despicable! Who would see such intimacy between a man and woman who have been married for so many years?
Tsk!
That Bai Xiuxiu is nothing but a vixen.
Wang Qingqi didn't know what Zhou Jiaojiao was thinking, but after she said that, he also felt it was an issue: "You're right. I'll talk to Dad about it. Don't worry, there's no way Big Brother will get the upper hand in this family!"
"Good enough. Do you think Mom's leg can be saved? If her leg can't be saved, when we divide the household later, I'm not going to support them." Zhou Jiaojiao frowned.
Wang Qingqi was also worried about this matter: "Who knows? Don't worry, I won't let us suffer any loss. What's most important for you now is to give me a son as soon as possible, then our days will be more enjoyable."
Zhou Jiaojiao blushed: "In broad daylight..."
In the evening, after the family had dinner, before they could even rest, Zhao Guifen had already been brought back home.
The squad leader came along with her.
The commotion from their return even reached Bai Xiuxiu, who was just about to sleep in the room.
She was full of curiosity.
Seeing her like this, Wang Qinghe found her adorable: "I'm going out to fetch water. Xiuxiu, why don't you come with me to take a look?"
Chapter 54
Bai Xiuxiu dressed quickly, and as the two of them left, they saw Zhao Guifen being helped off the ox cart, limping.
Her complexion had returned to normal by then.
"Dad, we've brought Mom back. The doctor in town said that we arrived just in time. She received an antidote serum and will be fine. The big flower snake wasn't very venomous; she just needs to rest for about ten days."
Wang Qingfu, with Liu Xiaoe and Zhao Cuifen, entered the courtyard. Upon arrival, he promptly updated everyone on the situation.
Hearing this, Wang Shoucheng sighed in relief. "That's good! That's good!"
He then looked keenly at the team leader who was behind them. "Team Leader, thank you so much for accompanying us on this trip. How about... coming in for a drink of water?"
"Enough, what time is it? I still need to take the ox back to the team. It has to haul manure tomorrow. You must be more careful when going into the mountains from now on. First the wild boar, then the snake. Our mountain is getting too dangerous. I need to discuss this with the team."
The team leader declined Wang Shoucheng's offer dismissively.
He had realized that his wife's suggestion for the eldest son's wife to work for the Women's Federation in the village was a serious matter!
During the journey to the hospital, he heard Zhao Guifen berate her eldest son and daughter-in-law quite a bit.
Everything seemed to involve the young couple.
Wang Laoer and his wife agreed with Zhao Guifen. Especially Wang Laoer, who, as a younger brother, spoke ill of Wang Qinghe and Bai Xiuxiu in front of him, the team leader.
If he acted like this in front of him, who knew how much worse it would be behind his back.
Having Bai Xiuxiu work at the Women's Federation would at least reduce the amount of abuse she suffered!
The team leader flicked his whip and drove the ox cart away.
"Third daughter-in-law, bring me some food quickly. I'm starving after all this time. Everyone else should go back and rest. I'll be lying down for over a dozen days, so starting tomorrow, I'll arrange who will take care of me!" Zhao Guifen raised her voice as soon as she entered the house.
Seeing this, Bai Xiuxiu led her husband inside.
Inside, the two children were awake, groggy and clearly woken up by the noise.
"How did you both wake up? Go back to sleep." Bai Xiuxiu tried to soothe the children.
Wang Qinghe was even more adept, holding one child in each arm and comforting them until they fell asleep again.
Watching him, Bai Xiuxiu felt a softening in her heart. This was right! When she floated behind him in the past, he didn't even look at the children, which was really infuriating!
"The weather is getting colder. I'll weave our hats and scarves these next few days. Your old ones are worn out," Bai Xiuxiu said as she climbed back under the covers.
Wang Qinghe put the children down and followed her. "Do you need help?"
In previous years, whenever Xiuxiu couldn't keep up with weaving, he would help her!
As he spoke, he also grabbed Bai Xiuxiu's hand, which turned cold as soon as the weather cooled down. "Let me warm you up..."
"Warm me up if you must, but don't get handsy!" Bai Xiuxiu whispered a warning as he pressed closer. She had already been exhausted these past few days!
"By the way, judging by their attitude today, if you don't bring home any more game, they'll be demanding a division of the household within half a month. I'm not planning on giving them anything from the household, so you better not be soft-hearted!"
Bai Xiuxiu brought up the matter with Wang Qinghe.
In her previous life, before she died, Wang Qinghe had worked like a donkey for this family. Apart from blood ties, she couldn't think of any other reason for him to do so!
Thinking of blood ties, Bai Xiuxiu couldn't help recalling Old Lady Feng's words earlier that day.
Just as she was about to mention it to Wang Qinghe,
he kissed her and murmured softly, "I won't be soft-hearted. They mean nothing to me... as long as you, Xiuxiu, don't like them, I won't be soft-hearted towards anyone."
Bai Xiuxiu laughed at his coaxing. Why had this man become so smooth-talking recently?
They fooled around for a while longer. The next morning,
at the dining table.
Sitting at the table, Bai Xiuxiu was still a little sleepy. Seeing that the food had been served but not distributed yet, she guessed that Zhao Guifen was up to something.
"Mom, everyone is waiting to eat and go to work. If you have something to say, just say it. Don't make us wait," Wang Zhengliang, who was hungry, urged impatiently.
"Hmph! If you aren't hungry, how would you know how important I am as the one who serves the food?" With that, she began to distribute the food with a large ladle.
"My legs are immobile, so someone will have to take care of me for the next dozen or so days. Don't pretend to be sick. If you can't take care of me, give me money instead! Did you hear that, eldest daughter-in-law?" Zhao Guifen glanced at Bai Xiuxiu as she spoke.
Bai Xiuxiu smiled. "Mom, don't worry. Even if I'm seriously ill, I'll still fulfill my filial duties. By the way, why don't I take care of you alone?"
At that moment, Zhao Guifen remembered the despair of falling twice!
She refused decisively. "I don't need you!"
"If not me, that won't do. Mom, you said that if someone can't take care of you, they have to pay. I think I'm very good at taking care of people!" Bai Xiuxiu's sincere expression made Zhao Guifen want to curse.
Was she shameless?
How could she say she was good at taking care of people?
Zhao Guifen's face darkened. Thinking of what her husband had said last night—watch for another dozen days, and if the eldest son still doesn't contribute, kick him out first—she decided to find a way to make Bai Xiuxiu divorce the eldest son or... die.
This way, without a wife and with two children, the eldest son would naturally beg to move back.
Now that they all live in the same courtyard, they hardly have a good opportunity to scheme against Bai Xiuxiu.
For now, just ignore her and let her be arrogant!
Thinking about it, Zhao Guifen felt much better. She glanced at Bai Xiuxiu and snorted coldly. "I don't need you; if I were to have you serve me, everyone in the team would say that I, as a mother-in-law, am bullying my daughter-in-law again.
You can rest up.
Oh, right, we sold that venomous snake yesterday, but the money went towards my medical expenses. Whatever's left will be used for nutritional supplements.
At my age, suffering like this, this money is not to be divided by anyone. Consider it your filial duty to me."
Zhao Guifen's words immediately soured the faces of everyone except the second son and Old Fifth's family.
"Mom, how many nutritional supplements do you need?" Zhao Cuihua couldn't help but retort. How big was that snake? How valuable was it?
"What? Did you find the snake? If I hadn't been bitten, could you have seen it? Now that I'm like this, can't I eat something nice? Do you even have a conscience?"
Zhao Guifen berated them.
She and Wang Shoucheng had planned this out early. Now, Wang Shoucheng feigned seriousness. "Alright, that's settled then. You should show some concern for your mother."
Bai Xiuxiu watched the old couple's performance and saw Zhao Cuihua look at her with pleading eyes.
She smiled at her and remained silent.
This money would eventually be hers.
After breakfast, everyone went about their business. Bai Xiuxiu also took the two children out, under the pretense of going to see a doctor!
"Mommy, where are we going? Grandpa Zhang's house isn't this way." Yueyue, holding Bai Xiuxiu's hand, looked puzzled.
In response, Bai Xiuxiu gave her an orange candy. "Mommy is taking you somewhere else to play."
If she remembered correctly, Old Lady Feng would forage for wild vegetables near the foot of the mountain every day.
She was here to meet someone!
Chapter 55
Though, given the Wang family's temperament, there was absolutely no way they would raise someone else's child. Even if it were a case of entrusting an orphan to them, it was likely that they would have long since betrayed their word and abandoned the child.
However, their attitude towards Wang Qinghe did not seem like that of parents towards their son, but more like enemies.
Old Lady Feng's words made her suspicions arise once again.
This old lady disliked the Wang family. Perhaps by asking carefully, she might uncover something.
Bai Xiuxiu led one child in each hand as she headed towards the foot of the mountain where Old Lady Feng usually went.
Compared to Yueyue's confusion, Mingming seemed more excited, thinking this looked like the path up the mountain.
Was Mother taking him and his sister up the mountain to play?
Soon, they arrived at the foot of the mountain. Bai Xiuxiu found a tree stump to sit on. Old Lady Feng did not like interacting with others, so she chose a secluded spot at the foot of the mountain to dig for wild vegetables.
Bai Xiuxiu knew this because she had met the old lady twice in her previous life.
"Mingming, Yueyue, you two play here and don't go into the mountains," Bai Xiuxiu pointed to the open area in front of her.
Upon hearing that they couldn't go up the mountain, both children looked a little disappointed.
However, they were used to obeying orders and quietly played nearby, drawing pictures.
Bai Xiuxiu didn't have to wait long before Old Lady Feng appeared, carrying a small basket. Upon seeing someone, she turned to leave.
Bai Xiuxiu quickly called out, "Aunt Feng, wait!"
"Are you the Wang family's eldest daughter-in-law?" Old Lady Feng sized up Bai Xiuxiu, surprised!
She did not get along with the Wang family. Why was the eldest daughter-in-law blocking her path?
"Yes, I came here specifically to wait for you. I remembered that you always come here, so I thought I might be lucky enough to meet you."
As Bai Xiuxiu spoke, she helped her over.
"Xiuxiu, what do you want to talk about?" Old Lady Feng followed Bai Xiuxiu to the foot of the mountain and nodded when she saw Bai Xiuxiu bring the two children along. "These are your Mingming and Yueyue, right? It's good to bring them along when you go out... it's good..."
Bai Xiuxiu helped Old Lady Feng sit down on the tree stump she had just occupied.
Her gaze fell on her own children as she sighed helplessly. "There's no other choice. My mother-in-law doesn't like my husband or me. She treats our two children like stray cats and dogs. If I left them at home, who knows what might happen to them by the time I return."
Bai Xiuxiu sounded pitiful, pondering how to extract information from the old lady.
Old Lady Feng was startled. "Could Zhao Guifen be that cruel?"
Hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu recalled all the injustices she had suffered in this life, her eyes reddening. "I'm not afraid to admit it. It's not that I'm disrespectful or speaking ill of her outside, but she really is capable of such things!
When I first married into the family, I was perfectly healthy. Now, every time I work in the fields, I fall ill.
Even Uncle Zhang said that I can't work anymore."
"Xiuxiu, is there anything I can do to help you?" Old Lady Feng felt sorry for her but also wondered why this girl, who had no connection to her, suddenly sought her out. Was there something she wanted to ask?
"Aunt Feng, whenever my mother-in-law favored someone and bullied my husband, you were always willing to speak up for us. Yesterday, you mentioned something from the past... I saw her get scared. What happened back then?" Bai Xiuxiu stared at the old lady, asking.
Old Lady Feng's expression changed, her eyes looking flustered. "What past events? You must have misunderstood, child."
"How could I misunderstand? Aunt Feng, you look like a just person and have never hesitated to speak up for my husband and me. The way my mother-in-law has treated my husband all these years—she wouldn't treat even an adopted child so poorly.
You don't know... yesterday, my husband didn't bring back any game and was forced by my in-laws to hunt large beasts in the mountains alone.
Isn't that tantamount to sending him to his death?
And I'm not well. If something happens to him, I won't be able to live either. Our two children...
Aunt Feng, I won't beat around the bush. I've been wondering if my husband is truly my mother-in-law's biological child. He's a simple man who has been treated like a donkey by this family because they're related.
Yesterday, your words made me think that this might be the case.
If he is truly her biological son, we'll accept it. But if not, if you know anything, please tell me. That would save our lives."
Tears welled up in Bai Xiuxiu's eyes as she thought of her long-unseen mother, putting on a convincing act.
"How could they be so heartless?" Old Lady Feng couldn't help scolding them, looking at Bai Xiuxiu's aggrieved appearance and then at the two children.
She sighed heavily. "It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I don't know the full story. All I know is that after your mother-in-law married your father-in-law, they didn't have any children for several years. Back then, times were chaotic, and many people from our village fled. Your in-laws also left the village.
However, they returned after only five months.
When they came back, they were holding a child.
Everyone in the village was surprised. Your mother-in-law claimed that she became pregnant while fleeing. https/
At the time, she was so hungry that her belly was flat, and it wasn't noticeable.
Later, she gave birth prematurely."
Bai Xiuxiu frowned as she listened.
If that was the case, then the possibility was fifty-fifty?
"After your in-laws returned from fleeing, they suddenly had money and built this house. However, by the end of that year, they had another child. It was quite strange how these two children were born so close together; they were often laughed at in the village." Old Lady Feng looked at Bai Xiuxiu and continued, "However, I found them odd.
Others didn't know, as they lived far away, but I lived next door to your family.
From when the children were young, your mother-in-law favored the second child.
There was a year when the Wang family's eldest son, your husband, he must have been around eight years old, caught a rabbit. Wang Laoer cried and begged for it, but your husband stubbornly refused to give it up.
Your mother-in-law came out of the house without even asking what was going on, beat your husband first, then gave the rabbit to Wang Laoer.
She even said, "You're just a wild bastard eating our food."
I happened to pass by and overheard that. Your mother-in-law's face changed when she saw me."
Old Lady Feng couldn't help but get angry as she recounted this.
Upon hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu felt that this must be what had happened.
"The hometown of your mother-in-law and me is in the provincial capital. However, after all these years, it would be hard to find our way back. Moreover, who knows if what your mother-in-law said was true or not. You shouldn't take this too seriously.
In recent years, I've been bothered by how your mother-in-law always bullies you, so I hinted at her about it.
I thought that if she was really that scared, she might feel guilty if he wasn't her biological son.
As for anything else, I truly don't know."
Old Lady Feng told everything she knew.
The provincial capital?
At the mention of the provincial capital, Bai Xiuxiu furrowed her brow, recalling something.
Chapter 56
Within three years after her death, the Wang family developed in the village through Zhou Jiaojiao and then moved to the county.
In the county, Zhou Jiaojiao's black market connection was tricked by Wang Qinghe, leading to the destruction of their black market operation.
Zhou Jiaojiao temporarily lost her source of income.
The Wang family, accustomed to extravagance and idleness in the city, soon began quarreling among themselves.
Moreover, Zhou Jiaojiao and Wang Qingqi had grown ambitious and no longer wanted to remain in such a small place or have their entire family leech off them.
To find new opportunities, they went to the provincial capital, claiming they were looking for new prospects.
Soon after returning, they brought with them a relative, said to be an official who helped them considerably.
Their ability to secure jobs in the provincial capital and start anew was due not only to Zhou Jiaojiao's luck and the theft of her bracelet but also to this relative.
However, Wang Qinghe did not know the specifics about this relative.
At that time, the Wang family closely guarded information from Wang Qinghe, preventing him from knowing anything about the family's affairs.
Even after the division of the household, they forced him to live with his parents, watching him closely out of fear he might do something detrimental to the family.
It was after this incident that her two children nearly got abducted.
There seemed to be some unknown connection between these events.
Bai Xiuxiu felt she needed to discuss this matter thoroughly with Wang Qinghe when she returned home.
"Xiuxiu, this is all I know. While I can't be certain, you and your husband mustn't blindly obey your in-laws. Always remember that you two come first." Old Lady Feng looked at Bai Xiuxiu, who was frowning deeply, and offered her advice with concern.
Bai Xiuxiu expressed her gratitude to the old lady: "Thank you, Aunt Feng. By the way, I didn't bring much from home, but here are some sweets I usually keep for my kids. You have many children at home, so please take them back and give them to the younger ones on my behalf. My husband and I will remember your kindness today."
"You child..." Old Lady Feng accepted the sweets without refusal.
She might have declined if it were something else, but her grandchildren rarely had the chance to eat sweets, and she wanted to do what she could for them.
Bai Xiuxiu received the answers she sought, though they differed slightly from what she expected. However, it wasn't a significant issue.
"Aunt Feng, thank you again today. I'll take my children back now and visit you another day." Bai Xiuxiu bid farewell to the old lady and left with her two children.
When Bai Xiuxiu returned to the Wang residence, the family was working together in the courtyard, laughing and chatting.
Looking at them, Bai Xiuxiu felt a sense of disgust.
When she married into the family, her husband was already close to twenty. She had no idea what kind of life Wang Qinghe led as a child; she only knew that as an adult, he worked hard for the family, was quiet, and not favored by his parents.
As someone who joined the family later, she found their behavior repulsive.
How did Wang Qinghe feel?
"Sister-in-law, you're back just in time. Can you help me? Please bring over that basket filled with soil." As soon as Bai Xiuxiu entered, Old Fifth, Wang Qingqi, who was helping with the work, called out to her.
Bai Xiuxiu glanced at the basket by the entrance and pointed: "This one?"
"Yes, yes, please tip it over. I need the soil for mixing cement."
Wang Qingqi spoke while sitting on a stool, drinking water with his three brothers after working for half the day. They needed a break. Today, Second Sister-in-law prepared ginger water for them at home.
Second Sister-in-law was capable, unlike Elder Sister-in-law, who would starve them.
"Yueyue, you two go inside first." Bai Xiuxiu released her children and waited until they entered the house before carrying the basket of soil toward the bricklayers.
She skillfully and accurately scattered the soil onto the four brothers gathered together.
Wang Qingqi jumped up immediately: "Sister-in-law, what are you doing?"
"Sister-in-law, if you don't like us, just say so. Why are you doing this?" Wang Laoer was also furious.
Bai Xiuxiu responded in confusion: "Didn't you say you needed to mix cement? How can you mix it without spilling it on yourselves?"
Wang Qingqi was taken aback by Bai Xiuxiu's confident response: "Who said we needed to mix it on ourselves? Are you crazy?"
"Hmph! Everyone in the village knows I'm crazy, don't you? If you didn't want me to smear cement on you, why did you call me over? The cement is there. Can't you lift it yourself? Do you not have hands, or did Mother chop them off to make pig trotter stew?"
Bai Xiuxiu sneered at him and delivered a mocking retort.
Seeing them drinking water at home while Wang Qinghe had to go to the mountains made her irritable!
"You! If you didn't want to help, you could have refused. Why did you have to mess with us? We're family, aren't we?" Wang Qingqi brushed the dirt off his clothes, his face contorted with anger.
Jiaojiao was right; Elder Sister-in-law was a wicked, short-lived ghost!
"Do you acknowledge we're family? When I work, I get sick, and when I get sick, I might die. Why are you drinking tea and asking me to carry soil for you? Do you want me dead?" Bai Xiuxiu asked him sincerely.
Wang Qingqi turned red with embarrassment.
He... He simply couldn't stand how idle Elder Sister-in-law was while his wife had to go to the mountains.
"Don't look at me, blame Old Fifth. It's his fault for wanting to kill me. Oh, and I won't be coming out for lunch. Carrying that basket of soil has worn me out. Have Second Sister-in-law bring my meal to my room, or I'll report you to the Women's Federation for mistreating women."
With that, Bai Xiuxiu turned and went inside.
This family wouldn't confront her over such trivial matters. Before the division of the household, she would continue to torment them.
Wang Qingqi couldn't believe it; how could this person be so unreasonable?
"Old Fifth, tomorrow, take some things with you and go to the city to see your uncle... Why do all of you look so disheveled? You're grown men, still playing in the dirt?" Wang Shoucheng came out of the house, but before he could finish his sentence, he was stunned by the sight of his four sons looking so bedraggled.
"It's not that, we were covered in dirt by Eldest Sister-in-Law." Wang Qingqi kept brushing off the dust.
"Dad, can't you do something about Eldest Sister-in-Law? She's gone too far."
Wang Qingfu also voiced his dissatisfaction.
Wang Shoucheng looked at his sons, his eyes turning cold.
He glanced at the window of the western room and snorted. "There's plenty of time. All of you, get back to work."
As soon as Bai Xiuxiu returned inside, she saw the two children sitting in a row, waiting for their candy!
"Mama!" Yueyue looked at her with eager eyes.
Bai Xiuxiu couldn't resist and gave each child a piece of candy.
These sweets—perhaps I should let Qinghe take them later! She simply couldn't withstand the children's pleading.
"You two play on the kang by yourselves while Mama rests a bit." Bai Xiuxiu said this as she drew the curtain on the kang, so the children couldn't see her side.
Then, she opened the bracelet space.
The water screen appeared.
At this moment, the water screen read: "Astragalus is growing, Ginseng has matured into an annual ginseng (Ginseng is a high-grade herb and can be harvested individually.)"
Following this were two options for harvesting: one for harvesting a single plant and another for harvesting all.
Bai Xiuxiu remembered the extraction of spirit energy from the space and its potential upgrade, thinking it might be worth trying to see how much spirit energy a single ginseng plant could extract for the space and whether it would facilitate an upgrade. If the space upgraded, would there be more changes?
So, she selected the option for harvesting a single plant.
Chapter 57
After Bai Xiuxiu tapped the screen, changes quickly appeared on the water curtain.
It displayed: Harvest of Ginseng (Fresh Ginseng) successful. One percent of its spirit energy has been automatically extracted. 19,000 points of spirit energy required for the next level.
So much?
Looking at the ginseng that had materialized before her, this single plant could contribute 1,000 points of spirit energy to this space?
Without hesitation, Bai Xiuxiu tapped the harvest button nineteen more times.
On the nineteenth tap, the water curtain changed. On the far right, it read: Space Level 2 (Max Level 10)
The water curtain didn't change much after that, but beneath the box where herb seeds could be placed, something resembling a cabinet door appeared.
Beside it was written: Storage Room (No living creatures allowed. Approximately 30 cubic meters.)
Bai Xiuxiu tried opening it, and it opened.
Inside was pitch black. She tossed the ginseng in there.
After closing the door and the space, she reopened it to confirm that the items were still inside.
After this test, Bai Xiuxiu's face lit up with joy. This thing was incredibly useful.
The text in the middle of the water curtain detailed the rules of the space: Level 2 permissions have been unlocked. Requires 50,000 spirit energy to unlock Level 3 space.
A maximum of 1,000 plants can be grown at once within the space (Currently, 367 Huangqi and 56 Ginseng). The more valuable the herbs, the slower they grow.
Level 2 permissions allow use of the small storage cabinet.
Under Level 2 permissions, herbs grow slightly faster.
After reading this, Bai Xiuxiu attempted to harvest another ginseng.
The text on the water curtain changed: Single ginseng harvested. Spirit energy automatically extracted for space upgrade. Requires 49,999 points of spirit energy to unlock Level 3 permissions.
There wasn't much spirit energy left from the fresh ginseng!
Continuing to harvest them wouldn't be worth it. Such a large quantity of fresh ginseng would fetch a low price and be difficult to sell.
Bai Xiuxiu stopped.
She moved the chest from the children's side over here.
She transferred all the valuable items and her private savings into the space's small storage cabinet.
In the chest, she left some candy and a portion of her snacks for the near future, then returned the chest to its original spot.
Both children were already asleep. Young children fell asleep quickly, and they had accompanied her on a trip around the mountain earlier, so they were exhausted by the time they returned.
Bai Xiuxiu adjusted their positions and covered them with blankets. Then, she poured herself a cup of sugared water and pondered her situation with Wang Qinghe.
She made a decision.
"Big Sister-in-Law, it's time to eat. Open the door quickly…" Outside, Liu Xiaoe pounded on the door impatiently.
Bai Xiuxiu gathered the curtains and got off the bed to open the door.
Liu Xiaoe carried two bowls. One contained half a bowl of boiled cabbage soup, while the other held three vegetable pancakes made from cornmeal.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu, Liu Xiaoe grew irate. "Big Sister-in-Law, you're supposed to be a daughter-in-law. It's been years! Why are you always so lazy? You've been getting worse lately, even making me bring your meals to you.
I'm not saying this to criticize you, but aren't you afraid of retribution?"
As Liu Xiaoe spoke, she noticed Bai Xiuxiu's two children.
How could such a lazy and mean person have sons? Why couldn't she have any?
Upon entering the room, Liu Xiaoe began venting her frustrations, causing Bai Xiuxiu's gaze to turn colder. Hearing her mention retribution, Bai Xiuxiu laughed. "Retribution? Let's talk about this. Hasn't our family relied on my husband hunting in the mountains these past few winters to have meat to eat?
And he's been doing most of the work around here.
If there's going to be retribution, it should be for leeches like you."
"Aren't we family?" Liu Xiaoe wasn't very brave. Bai Xiuxiu's retort diminished her confidence by half.
"Yes, we are family. So what if I'm not feeling well and ask you to bring me food? What's this? When there's work to be done, we're family, but when there isn't, I deserve retribution? If bringing me a meal brings retribution, then you all must be destined for a thousand cuts and childlessness."
Bai Xiuxiu snatched the bowls from her and opened the door. "What are you still doing here? Waiting for an invitation?"
Liu Xiaoe clenched her teeth. "You! You!"
Before Liu Xiaoe could finish, Bai Xiuxiu slammed the door shut.
Indeed, seeing the Wang family brought out her annoyance! Yunjiu Novels
In her previous life, she hadn't liked these sisters-in-law, so she avoided contact with them. Even if they confronted her, she ignored them without engaging.
After setting down the food, Bai Xiuxiu looked at her sleeping children and ate first.
They could eat when they woke up.
Later that evening.
The outer door creaked, and Bai Xiuxiu peeked through the window. Sure enough, the entire Wang family had returned.
With sharp eyes, she spotted Wang Qinghe trailing behind. She immediately rose to go out.
"Mom, I want to go pick up Dad too!" Yueyue had been drawing on a homemade sandbox with Mingming when she saw her mother preparing to leave. She promptly dropped her toy and rushed after her.
Bai Xiuxiu kissed the child's cheeks twice. "It's awfully cold outside. Stay inside and be good, and I'll bring you something tasty in a bit."
After setting the child down, Bai Xiuxiu headed out.
Once in the courtyard, she couldn't help but feel surprised inwardly. Oh boy, what a lively family!
In the courtyard, Chen Fang and Zhao Cuihua looked disheveled, their faces covered in small cuts and their hair drenched.
Their clothes were also wet, and their faces pale, as if they were water ghosts that had just crawled ashore.
Following behind them, Zhou Jiaojiao's clothes were dirty today, but she didn't have any injuries and hadn't gotten wet either.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, Zhao Cuihua couldn't hold back her complaints. "Mother, Old Fifth's wife is a jinx! Look at us? We followed her into the mountains and ended up like this?"
Inside the house, Zhao Guifen couldn't come out. She crawled to the window and opened it to yell. "What do you know? How is Jiaojiao a jinx? What does her accident have to do with anyone else?"
Then, Zhao Guifen looked at Zhou Jiaojiao with a strained gentleness in her eyes. "Jiaojiao, how was your trip to the mountains today? Did you get hurt?"
Zhou Jiaojiao glanced discontentedly at her third sister-in-law, Zhao Cuihua, before replying to Zhao Guifen. "Mom, I'm fine. We found plenty of wolfberries and wild peaches in the mountains. While picking wild peaches on the other side of the hill, Third Sister-in-Law fell into the water."
But our troubles weren't for nothing; there were lots of fish in that water. However, because Third Sister-in-Law called for help, others from the village came over, and we only managed to catch six fish."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Guifen was displeased. "Third Sister-in-Law? How many times have I told you not to shout for help? Why did you call out? Is your life so precious? Are you more important than the fish?"
Chapter 58
Zhao Cuihua was stunned. Did this wretched mother-in-law even listen to what she was saying? What was this? A living person wasn't as important as a few fish now? Had this family gone mad?
"How about this? You're not convinced? Fish can at least provide some nutrition for the family. Look at what you can do? And you have the nerve to call Jiaojiao a jinx? I think you're the real jinx. Why are you standing there? Go help your second sister-in-law cook. If you keep talking nonsense, you won't get any extra income from the household!"
Zhao Guifen grew more and more spirited in her scolding, venting all the frustration she had endured over the past few days onto Zhao Cuihua.
The moment Zhao Cuihua heard "money," she dared not be angry anymore.
Forget it. She wouldn't argue with this wretched mother-in-law. Getting the money was most important.
Zhao Cuihua ran off quickly.
"Fourth daughter-in-law, bring me those fish. I want to see what kind of fish they are." Zhao Guifen's eyes were fixed on the basket.
Chen Fang didn't say a word when her mother-in-law asked to see the fish. She brought them over.
She didn't want to be scolded like Zhao Cuihua.
Seeing the six catfish in the basket, Zhao Guifen felt a little hungry.
"Alright, what's so special about these fish? They aren't worth much. Stew one, and let the second son and Old Fifth take the other five to their uncle tomorrow. Important matters come first." Wang Shoucheng had been watching closely since early morning because his eldest son hadn't brought anything back yesterday.
Wang Qinghe didn't look like he'd brought back a big catch, so Wang Shoucheng immediately arranged for the fish to be distributed. He wouldn't let the eldest son's family benefit! Come to think of it, he would also benefit by drinking the fish soup.
Bai Xiuxiu could tell what he was thinking. She never had any expectations of the Wang family!
She would take advantage of even a single fish scale!
Instead of just thinking about it, Bai Xiuxiu spoke up before they agreed: "Dad, no matter how many fish there are, they should be considered additional income for the family, right? Since it's additional income, shouldn't it be evenly divided among the families?"
"How can we divide these fish? How much can they sell for?"
Wang Shoucheng looked at his daughter-in-law disapprovingly.
This eldest daughter-in-law always caused trouble.
Bai Xiuxiu wasn't afraid of his gaze: "Previously, when Qinghe caught a rabbit, it was small and couldn't fetch a high price, so everyone didn't hand over half to the household and just divided it directly. This time, I think we should do the same with the fish. There are six fish, so one for each family, isn't that perfect?
Whoever wants to give theirs away can do so, but we're not giving ours away. I'm going to stew it."
"Dad, I'm not giving my fish away either." Fourth son Wang Qingzheng was unhappy when he heard that the fish were to be given to Second Brother and Old Fifth as gifts.
Now that Bai Xiuxiu had spoken up, he wouldn't miss this opportunity.
This wasn't about the fish; it was about their parents' favoritism.
Only Second Brother and Old Fifth could work outside, while they had to farm at home. In the future, their children would be city dwellers, while their own children might not even have enough food.
And wouldn't they still need to spend the household's money then?
In the kitchen, Zhao Cuihua rushed out upon hearing the commotion: "Dad, Third Sister-in-Law and I won't be giving our fish away either. If anyone is giving theirs away, let them do it themselves!"
Suddenly, the courtyard fell silent.
Wang Shoucheng really wanted to hit his sons.
These good-for-nothings were all part of the same family. Why did they have to be so clear-cut?
"Dad, how can we give away two fish? Why don't we brothers buy them?" Wang Qingqi was embarrassed when he heard that only two fish—one for him and one for Second Brother—were to be given to their uncle.
Wasn't this embarrassing?
"I'm not selling mine. It's not easy to get a fish to eat." Bai Xiuxiu was straightforward.
That was his wife's catch! Wang Qingqi was angry when he saw his eldest sister-in-law. Why had she suddenly gone crazy? No, she had always been sharp-tongued. But at least she didn't fight over food before, and she occasionally shared some of the things her sister sent her.
Although she didn't share much, she did share.
Now, she wasn't sharing at all.
And she was eating their food.
"Eldest Brother, we're still family. Can't you control your wife?" Wang Qingqi couldn't resist asking Wang Qinghe for help.
Wang Qinghe glanced at him and silently stood beside his wife. His tone was somewhat doubtful: "My wife and I are a family."
Wang Qingqi wished he could slap himself. Why had he asked his eldest brother?
"My fish isn't for sale either. My son hasn't eaten fish since he stopped breastfeeding. I'm going to give this fish to my son." Zhao Cuihua chimed in. Indeed, it took someone like Eldest Sister-in-Law to speak her mind so boldly.
Seeing that none of them were selling their fish, Wang Qingzheng followed suit: "I'm not selling mine either."
Wang Shoucheng's heart ached: "You bunch of good-for-nothings. Second Son, Old Fifth, your mother and I's fish, you take them together. Three fish can still make a pot."
Wang Qingqi didn't want to give them away at all. Three fish weren't as impressive as five.
But for the sake of work, he had to go.
Bai Xiuxiu glanced at them and turned to Zhao Cuihua: "Third Sister-in-Law, I'm going to stew my fish tonight. I didn't prepare to share the soup with the whole family, so please set aside a portion for me."
Wang Shoucheng's liver ached now. He looked at his eldest son, who was standing beside his wife: "Eldest Son, where's today's catch?"
Wang Qinghe was calm and honest: "What can I do if the prey doesn't show up? I don't know where they live."
"You!" Wang Shoucheng picked up a shovel in anger, ready to hit him.
"Brother Wang, Sister Xiuxiu, your package." Chen Chengcai rode his bicycle through the gate, and his voice made Wang Shoucheng put down the shovel.
Wang Qinghe went up to fetch the parcel.
"Thank you, Little Chen," Bai Xiuxiu said on Wang Qinghe's behalf.
Hearing it was a parcel, the family couldn't help but stare at Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe.
Bai Xiuxiu smiled at their gaze. "What are you looking at? My sister isn't some game from the mountains, and what she sent me isn't extra income."
Then she and Wang Qinghe returned inside.
Back in the house, Wang Qinghe swiftly opened the parcel, revealing the pot that Bai Xiuxiu had been longing for.
With the pot, they could now secretly prepare meals. After separating households, they wouldn't need to buy another one.
"Xiuxiu, today I took a detour through the county town and sold the ginseng. The buyer needed it urgently and paid three hundred yuan, as well as fabric coupons, supplementary food coupons, and two cans of preserved food." Wang Qinghe handed over the items and money to Bai Xiuxiu.
Bai Xiuxiu's eyes lit up at the sight of the canned goods.
The market price for ginseng was one hundred yuan for a ten-year root; theirs was around twenty to thirty years old, but its condition wasn't great, or it would have fetched a higher price.
However, the money would be shared with Zhao Cuihua, while she kept these additional items for herself.
After all, the price of ginseng was fixed, and the other items were extras.
She shifted her gaze from the cans and looked at her husband, ready to show him the space. She feigned mystery. "I'll show you a magic trick!"
With that, she pulled Wang Qinghe toward the curtain.
Wang Qinghe followed her in surprise, torn between obedience and concern. "Xiuxiu, we haven't eaten yet, and the children aren't asleep..."
Chapter 59
"What are you thinking?" Seeing that Bai Xiuxiu had misunderstood him, she pulled him onto the bed.
Then, right in front of him, she put both of their quilts into the storage cabinet within her spatial realm.
The items disappearing out of thin air left Wang Qinghe stunned.
"This..."
He was utterly shocked.
Seeing his reaction, Bai Xiuxiu smiled smugly at him. "What do you think? Impressive, isn't it?"
As she spoke, she retrieved the items from thin air once more.
Wang Qinghe, seeing his wife's actions, snapped out of his shock. "Xiuxiu, this is also part of your spatial realm?"
"Mm." Bai Xiuxiu recounted the process of upgrading her spatial realm today and explained the precautions he needed to take with the storage cabinet.
Wang Qinghe looked at the bracelet on his wife's wrist, becoming increasingly wary of it.
Such a powerful object was beyond comprehension, whether seen firsthand or heard about.
Herbal medicines were life-saving substances. With this object, while it might not make precious herbs as common as street trash, it could still accumulate unimaginable wealth.
Similarly, it could also bring unpredictable dangers.
Seeing his wife smile without any burden or fear, Wang Qinghe felt a chill run down his spine and made up his mind.
He had to separate from the Wang family as soon as possible. No wall was entirely soundproof; if Xiuxiu's treasure became known to others...
Wang Qinghe dared not imagine the consequences.
"Xiuxiu, let's use your spatial realm less frequently for now. We can reconsider after we've separated from the family, alright?" Wang Qinghe discussed with Bai Xiuxiu.
Bai Xiuxiu, seeing his concern, guessed what he was thinking.
After all, she had been lingering behind him as Wandering Spirit for so long. Even if they weren't completely in sync, she knew some of his thoughts.
"Don't worry, I'll listen to you." Bai Xiuxiu did not refuse Wang Qinghe's request. After all, her money was still sufficient, and ginseng required time to grow.
In a small place like theirs, frequent sales of herbal medicines would draw unwanted attention.
They should wait until they had left Xiahe Village, or even this county, before the bracelet spatial realm could be put to greater use.
Seeing that his wife had no other concerns, Wang Qinghe felt somewhat relieved. He held her hand and spoke to her solemnly yet gently. "Xiuxiu, can I help you plan its usage?"
"Why not? I told you about it because I trust you," Bai Xiuxiu agreed immediately.
If it were her previous life, she would never have agreed. Her things belonged to her alone. Even after being married to Wang Qinghe for several years, she would not have trusted him. To her, she always came first, followed by her two children.
However, she had returned from her past life and observed this man for decades. Over those decades, even an iceberg would have melted under the intensity of his feelings for her.
Even in death, this man would never betray her.
After all, that was precisely what he had done in her previous life.
A person who had given his life for her and possessed great abilities, and was also the father of her two children—why wouldn't she trust him?
Bai Xiuxiu didn't say anything overly emotional, but just this one sentence moved Wang Qinghe immensely.
This was the first time Xiuxiu had shown such trust in him.
Xiuxiu had been educated and had insight. She understood how valuable this object was. Yet, she still trusted him. Indeed, although Xiuxiu didn't often express it, she must have feelings for him.
Thinking about this filled Wang Qinghe's heart with sweetness.
"There's something more important than this object that I need to discuss with you. Come sit properly on the bed. Isn't it tiring to have your feet dangling?" Bai Xiuxiu said, moving further into the bed.
Wang Qinghe obediently climbed onto the bed. "Xiuxiu, go ahead."
He couldn't think of anything more important than this matter.
"Do you remember what Aunt Feng said previously?" Bai Xiuxiu asked him.
Wang Qinghe nodded. "I remember. Aunt Feng mentioned quite a few things."
"Yes, every time Aunt Feng says something about not being too harsh, our parents don't dare bully you as much. I always suspected that she had some leverage over them, especially after what she said about the past." Bai Xiuxiu paused, noticing her husband's attentive expression.
She softened her tone and continued gently, "I always felt that our parents treated you differently from their other sons, as if you were adopted. You were the only one doing all the hard work, and when there were benefits, the whole family shared them.
But they never shared anything with you.
Since we got married, I've never seen them consider your well-being or act in your best interest.
So I guessed that you might not really be their biological son.
Today, I went to see Aunt Feng."
Bai Xiuxiu repeated everything Aunt Feng had told her to Wang Qinghe.
However, to her surprise, Wang Qinghe wasn't saddened by the revelation.
She had prepared herself to comfort him.
After all, human hearts were made of flesh, and he would feel hurt.
Seeing his wife stop speaking, Wang Qinghe spoke softly. "I had a hunch."
"Did you guess? You knew and still let them bully you!" Bai Xiuxiu became even angrier. How could her man be so foolish?
Wang Qinghe's eyes were clear and honest.
Seeing this, Bai Xiuxiu involuntarily calmed down.
Wang Qinghe felt a bit cold, holding his wife close as he continued to pour out his heart: "I didn't know why they would raise me instead of leaving me in the mountains for the wolves.
When I was young, their disdain was unhidden in their eyes.
I knew I was different from my other brothers.
They weren't my biological parents, unrelated by blood, yet they raised me.
So, I decided early on to repay their kindness. I was born with more strength than others, so work doesn't tire me.
The amount of food they gave me can be converted into money. The life they saved, I also valued in money.
I started working in the fields at ten to earn points, and by now, I've almost repaid them.
However, if they raised me for another reason, if the debt I repaid wasn't theirs to take, then I will make them pay back a hundredfold."
Wang Qinghe wasn't one for many words, and he always spoke slowly.
But his voice was pleasant, and he was handsome, so Bai Xiuxiu loved listening and looking at him!
It was rare for him to speak so much at once!
As Bai Xiuxiu was musing, she saw him take out a small ledger.
"You didn't keep accounts for them in this, did you?" Bai Xiuxiu had thought that keeping accounts was done mentally, not on paper.
"Sorry..." Wang Qinghe suddenly said.
"What are you apologizing to me for?" Bai Xiuxiu looked puzzled.
Wang Qinghe held her tightly, filled with guilt: "I should have told you earlier, so you wouldn't treat them like real in-laws. I promised you when we married that I wouldn't hide anything from you, but I still kept this secret.
But I didn't want you to know that I was someone abandoned."
Bai Xiuxiu truly hadn't expected his reason for hiding this from her!
But soon, Bai Xiuxiu thought of something else.
After she died in her previous life, did Wang Qinghe blame her death on his failure to tell her about this?
Bai Xiuxiu felt a pang of sympathy: "Wang Qinghe, I have a question."
Chapter 60
Qinghe nodded, though he had no idea what his wife was about to ask. However, judging from her demeanor, she didn't seem angry.
This put him at ease.
He had intended to tell her about this matter right after their marriage. But she was so good, having married someone like him who might not even have biological parents, and whose biological parents might have abandoned him.
He knew how ridiculous these thoughts were, but looking at her beautiful face that made his heart race, he had buried all his secrets in the depths of his humility.
Now that Xiuxiu wasn't angry, everything was fine.
Xiuxiu thought that a normal person wouldn't blame themselves for this situation.
But... her husband's thoughts were truly unique.
"Wang Qinghe, what if you hadn't told me about this and I hadn't been on guard against this family? What if one day they suddenly decided they disliked me and wanted me dead? If I was careless and didn't prepare, and ended up dying, what would you do?"
Xiuxiu asked casually, afraid that he would overthink it.
The color drained from Qinghe's face, and his mind went blank.
The scene from his dream and her question made him feel as if such an event could really happen.
"No, why are you crying?" Xiuxiu was stunned. How could he be crying?
"Sorry..."
Qinghe's voice was hoarse.
"I was just asking out of curiosity. Why are you crying? You're a father now! How old are you!"
Xiuxiu felt a chill run down her spine. Although Qinghe didn't look bad when he cried, why was he crying?
"If I really caused your death, I probably wouldn't want to live either, and neither should they!"
Qinghe couldn't believe Xiuxiu would think of such a terrifying question!
Before meeting Xiuxiu, he hadn't wanted to get married. A man like him, abandoned by his biological parents and disliked by the parents who raised him, had planned to repay the family for raising him and stay with them for a few more years.
He didn't want to marry and burden someone else with his misfortunes.
But from the moment he saw Xiuxiu, he fell head over heels in love. He was desperate to marry her, and without her, life seemed meaningless.
His feelings overpowered his reason, and he decided that regardless of his debt to the Wang family, if Xiuxiu married him, he would never let her suffer or endure hardship in this home.
If she died, what was the point of living?
Xiuxiu didn't know what Qinghe was thinking, but his response matched exactly what he had done in his previous life.
He had tried every means possible to die alongside the Wang family, but failed each time.
In reality, she had never considered the other members of the Wang family as family. Her death had been because of Zhou Jiaojiao. Regardless of whether Qinghe revealed the truth or not, that woman would become displeased with anyone who didn't cater to her whims.
Over time, her resentment grew.
So, in his previous life, Qinghe had lived with suffocating guilt and his love for her, torturing himself?
Xiuxiu did not comprehend those for whom love was paramount, yet she couldn't resist feeling a deep sense of compassion and heartache for him.
"I was just giving a hypothetical example. Don't take it seriously. Rest assured, I won't go anywhere dangerous. Once we separate from the family, we'll live well together. How could anything happen to me?
Also, what kind of thoughts are those? It doesn't matter if you're not their biological child. No matter who your parents are or whether anyone wants you, we're married, and I won't look down on you. This isn't your fault." Seeing Qinghe's dejected mood, Xiuxiu tried to reassure him.
"Really, you won't look down on me?" Qinghe looked at her.
Xiuxiu had no choice but to kiss him.
"Really!"
She said.
Only then did Qinghe cheer up.
"Let's talk business. Don't you want to know who your biological parents are? I always feel that Wang Shoucheng and Zhao Guifen aren't capable of any charitable deeds; there must be some benefit for them! Also, we don't owe them anything.
I'll follow your advice regarding my bracelet, but you need to listen to me about separating from the Wang family."
Xiuxiu's expression was stern. This ledger was incredibly useful. What saving grace? The two elders of the Wang family wouldn't have that kind of enlightenment.
Aside from the money for Qinghe's meals when he was young, everything else would be returned to her.
"Alright, I'll listen to you." Qinghe forgot all his plans upon seeing his wife's concern for him.
In the evening, at dinnertime.
The Wang family sat around the dinner table, and the atmosphere was polarized!
On one side, Xiuxiu's family and the third and fourth sons' families each had a large bowl of fish soup with a catfish for each person.
On the other side, Guifen and her husband, along with the second and fifth sons, only had boiled cabbage without any oil.
Normally, they could tolerate sharing a single fish.
However, the stark contrast at the table made those without fish crave it even more.
Guifen's eyes turned green as she looked at the fish. "Lao Da, you didn't bring back much game today. Aren't you ashamed to drink that fish soup alone? Your father helped your brothers expand their houses and is exhausted. He's still your father. Can't you share some of the soup with him before drinking it yourself?
"Don't you know that being filial to your parents is paramount?"
Wang Qinghe always listened to their words without responding.
Bai Xiuxiu glanced at the two of them. "Yes, being filial to your parents is paramount, but only if they're your real parents."
"What do you mean? How so? Am I not his mother?" Zhao Guifen felt guilty and her tone became anxious.
Bai Xiuxiu looked puzzled. "Whose mother keeps her fish for the second and youngest sons, then asks the eldest son for a share of his food? If you hadn't asked, I would have thought my husband was picked up by you."
"What did you say?" Zhao Guifen now felt even more guilty, her voice rising in pitch.
"Enough, what are you arguing about? Isn't our daughter-in-law right? You care about Old Second and Old Fifth, but you should also care about the Eldest. The rules are set by us; they can eat theirs." Wang Shoucheng didn't want any more commotion in the house.
Especially not about the Eldest not being their biological child.
What they did back then was done, and they would never admit it for the rest of their lives!
The Eldest was part of their family, and that was final.
Zhao Guifen lowered her head, not daring to make a fuss.
Bai Xiuxiu found the old couple even more peculiar. These two were very afraid of people discovering that Wang Qinghe wasn't their biological son?
"Xiuxiu? Xiuxiu, are you home? I've brought good news."
The voice of the captain's wife drifted into the room, and Bai Xiuxiu recognized it as the matter discussed the other day. She quickly got up to greet her.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu, Chen Jinhua clapped her hands in delight. "Xiuxiu, you're in. You're joining our village Women's Federation."