Chapter 16: Beat Out
The villagers didn’t speak up for Zhong Lanhua, and Zhang Zhaodi’s mother and daughter wouldn’t give an inch, which made Zhong Lanhua lose a lot of face.
She was unwilling to just leave like this. Crying and making a fuss didn’t work, so she could only vent her anger on Xiao Yanci.
She swung her hand viciously and slapped Xiao Yanci across the face.
With a slap, five finger marks were left on Xiao Yanci’s face.
He stared blankly at Zhong Lanhua, his eyes full of rage.
Zhong Lanhua pointed at him and cursed: “You’re really useless. You’re so tall and strong for nothing, not even as good as a little girl. She can kill a wild boar, so why can’t you?”
Su Yaoguang was originally very unhappy, but now seeing Xiao Yanci get slapped in public, she suddenly wasn’t in a hurry to drive out Zhong Lanhua, this troublesome person.
Zhou Wangshu noticed that Su Yaoguang was in a good mood. He looked at Su Yaoguang, then at Xiao Yanci, rubbing his chin in thought.
Could it be that these two had some grudge?
Su Yaoguang seemed to particularly dislike this Mr. Xiao, the outsider.
Although Zhou Wangshu and Xiao Yanci had been in the hands of a human trafficker together, he had escaped time and again, only to be caught again and beaten until bloodied and mangled. He and this Xiao Yanci had only briefly seen each other a few times, without even exchanging a word. He didn’t know what kind of person he was, but he felt a bit relieved that Su Yaoguang hadn’t chosen him.
If Su Yaoguang had chosen him, he didn’t know whose hands he would have fallen into. He was certain there wouldn’t be a better buyer than Su Yaoguang.
“If you want to beat or scold your own servant, go home to do it. This isn’t a place for you to act arrogantly. Get out, get out, get out! Get out right now.” Zhang Zhaodi picked up the broom nearby and swung it over.
Zhong Lanhua hurriedly dodged, cursing while dodging: “Your whole family is black-hearted. You’ve taken such a big advantage from our family and won’t admit it. Bah, you’ll get rotten guts from eating.”
“Fellow villagers, did you hear that? She cursed us with rotten guts. If this troublemaker doesn’t leave today, we won’t sell our pork.”
“Yihuan’s Mother, why bother? If it were me, I wouldn’t give it to you either! Your family has two big men right there, who clearly have more ability to kill a wild boar than Yaoguang girl, but they were cowardly and didn’t act! Is that knife made of gold, more important than two lives? Hurry up and go, don’t delay us buying meat.”
“Exactly. Wanting to rob the pig just for using the knife a bit, that’s really funny. My son is still waiting for the pork to go into the pot. Can you not delay our matters?”
“For this bit of meat, you’re actually helping their family people go against your conscience.” Zhong Lanhua said unwillingly.
“Yihuan’s Mother, can you be reasonable? Forget it, no need to argue with her, just drive her out! If she keeps making noise like this, it’ll be dark and we still won’t get meat.”
Zhang Zhaodi was no longer polite and swung the broom at Zhong Lanhua’s face.
Zhong Lanhua screamed and ran out.
She didn’t know about others, but that bitch Zhang Zhaodi definitely dared to ruin her face.
Zhong Lanhua had always valued this well-maintained face of hers, so of course she didn’t dare to take the risk.
Zhang Zhaodi turned back to look at Xiao Yanci.
The latter strode away.
Zhang Zhaodi closed the courtyard gate and said to Su Yaoguang: “Daughter, continue dividing the meat.”
It was finally quiet.
From outside came Zhong Lanhua cursing Xiao Yanci. The villagers couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for that Mr. Xiao.
“That Mr. Xiao really has a hard life! If Yaoguang had bought him back then, the one standing by Yaoguang’s side now would be him. Yaoguang girl is so good to this little husband!”
“That depends on whether Yaoguang girl likes him. Yaoguang girl chose a husband, while the Jiang family chose a servant. One is master, one is servant—can the treatment be the same?”
Zhou Wangshu looked at Su Yaoguang’s figure.
She was very ordinary-looking, not even as pretty as the girl who used to sweep the courtyard for him before. She was also rough and sloppy—look, her body was covered in blood, where was there any sign of a young lady?
However, she made him feel very at ease.
This place was temporarily safe.
“Yaoguang’s little husband, what are you spacing out for?” Auntie Wang waved her hand. “Quickly calculate how much mine costs?”
Zhou Wangshu came back to his senses, glanced, and said: “Thirty-five copper coins.”
“Yaoguang, your little husband was staring at you in a daze. Looks like your feelings are pretty good! When do you plan to hold the banquet?” The villagers teased.
“Our stove is cold and our pockets are empty now, so wait a bit longer, until we have a little more money on hand,” Su Yaoguang said. “Anyway, we’re still young!”
Slap slap slap! Slap slap slap! Someone pounded hard on the door.
Su Yaoguang thought to herself ‘here it comes’ and sped up the meat dividing.
“Zhang Zhaodi, Su Yaoguang, come out for this old lady.” Grandma Su’s voice came from outside. “You wretched thing, you got a wild boar for free and don’t even think to honor your elders. My son is dead, so you don’t care about us old couple’s survival anymore? Come out, come out right now for this old lady.”
“Yaoguang, your grandma is here. She’ll definitely make a scene later. Take a jin of meat to her to avoid her making too much of a spectacle.”
“Auntie, you take yours first. I’ll handle the family matters.” Su Yaoguang sold the last piece of meat.
She had sold those ribs and pork head cheaply. Wild boar meat wasn’t that tasty, so she only kept the lard, pig liver, pig trotters, pig large intestine, and two jin of wild boar meat.
She had Zhang Zhaodi and Zhou Wangshu carry the remaining things into the room to store away. Of course, the copper coins were stored away with those things.
At this time, the last batch of villagers hadn’t left yet. Su Yaoguang had them wait a moment. When the pounding on the door sounded again from outside, she opened the door. Grandma Su tumbled into the courtyard.
“Ouch… my waist… ouch…” Grandma Su cried out in pain.
“Grandma, are you okay?” Su Yaoguang exclaimed in surprise, lifting Grandma Su up.
“Ah… it hurts hurts hurts… my waist…” Grandma Su screamed.
Su Yaoguang ‘flusteredly’ supported Grandma Su, but Grandma Su fell to the ground again.
“Ah… you little bitch…” Grandma Su was pale with pain, but her cursing voice was full of vigor.
“Grandma, how did you end up like this? Grandma…” Su Yaoguang wiped the blood from her hands onto Grandma Su’s body.
Grandma Su saw her newly changed clothes become like this, her eyes widened, she couldn’t catch her breath, and directly fell into a coma.
“Auntie Wang, my grandma fainted. It’s not convenient for me to send her back here. Trouble you to take her home. This one copper coin is thanks.” Su Yaoguang said to the fat auntie nearby.
“Sure sure, leave it to me.” Auntie Wang was happy to watch the drama and earn money, so she hoisted Grandma Su onto her back.
Send off the customers, drive away the uninvited guest, close the door.
Su Yaoguang turned around and saw Zhang Zhaodi standing stunned under the eaves, Zhou Wangshu looking at her with admiring eyes.
“It’s settled. Let’s clean up the courtyard, then change our clothes!”
