Chapter 116: Play Within A Play
Hexagonal Alley, a certain remote small courtyard.
Zhaodi knocked on the door. The door opened, and a middle-aged woman with a gentle and kind appearance welcomed her inside.
“There were so many things at the shop today, I came a bit late. You didn’t get impatient waiting, did you?” Zhaodi asked the woman.
Jiang Shi said softly, “I’m idle anyway, what’s the big deal about waiting a little longer? If you’re busy, go ahead with your business. My door here is always open for you.”
“Jiang sister, your temperament is just too good.” Zhaodi held her hand and said movedly, “Are there other customers today? How did you make so much food?”
“My maternal family elder brother came too.” Jiang Shi said, “So I made a few extra dishes for the men to go with their drinks.”
“Since you have guests, I’ll come see you another day.” Zhaodi turned to leave upon hearing this.
“Sister, don’t go. Hey, we’re all family, what’s the big deal?” Jiang Shi said, then shouted inside, “Elder brother, husband, come out quick. Zhang sister says she’s leaving!”
Jiang Shi’s husband, the man who had helped Zhaodi before, came out with another slender and tall man. The former had a proper appearance, the latter was refined and elegant. Neither man was bad-looking.
“Big sister, we’re all family here. It’s just a casual meal, no need to be so formal.” Jiang Shi’s husband Tong Chunlai said with a hearty laugh.
Jiang Shi’s elder brother Jiang Fang chimed in: “Exactly. Sister talks about you, her sworn sister, all the time. If my uninvited arrival ruins your sisters’ fun, then the one who should leave is me.”
“Alright then, I’ll impose on you.” Zhaodi said, “I came today also to let you know that business at the shop has been too good lately. I’m afraid I won’t be able to visit for a while.”
Jiang Shi and Tong Chunlai exchanged a glance.
Tong Chunlai patted his forehead: “Oh man, look at me, my brain. We don’t have enough wine at home. I need to go buy some. You all eat first, I’ll be right back.”
“We’ll drink first.” Jiang Shi poured a cup of wine for Zhaodi.
Zhaodi sat next to Jiang Fang.
Zhaodi felt a bit uncomfortable sitting so close to this unfamiliar man she didn’t know well.
Jiang Shi noticed and kept finding topics to talk about, helping Zhaodi relax both mentally and physically.
“Here, this wine is very good, have a taste.” Jiang Shi refilled Zhaodi’s cup.
“Jiang sister, all these years, you’re still the first friend I’ve made.” Zhaodi filled cups for Jiang Shi and Jiang Fang. “That day I encountered robbers. Thanks to elder brother helping, I got my money bag back. Elder brother got injured saving me, I felt so guilty. I took him to the clinic, then sent him home, and that’s how I met you. We sisters hit it off right away, and these past few days we’ve gotten along very well.”
Hearing Zhaodi chatter on, Jiang Shi smiled and said, “Exactly. I don’t have many friends either. Luckily I met you, someone to talk to. My man always loves to right wrongs, it’s what he should do. He even joked that by helping me, he picked up a sister for me.”
Tong Chunlai returned carrying a wine pot.
“Wine’s here.”
“We were just waiting for you, come drink.” Jiang Shi filled his cup.
Night had deepened, moonless tonight, perhaps the moon was drunk too and unwilling to show its face.
“It’s right here.” A woman pointed at the gate in front of her, leading Su Yaoguang, and said, “I got news that your mother is here seducing my man.”
Behind Su Yaoguang was Zhou Wangshu, and behind Zhou Wangshu were the Zhang sisters. As for Jia Chunni, Jiang Jing, and Wang Huanzhi, they were left at the shop to mind the store and hadn’t come.
When that woman dragged Su Yaoguang to this rundown little house, Grandma Su, Grandpa Su, and Second Uncle Su’s family hurriedly arrived. They ran into each other outside the door.
“Why are you here?” Su Yaoguang looked sharply at Grandpa Su, Grandma Su, and the others in front of her.
Grandpa Su was always timid and cowardly. Upon hearing Su Yaoguang’s questioning, his first reaction wasn’t to refute, but to look guiltily at Grandma Su.
Grandma Su felt this money-losing good was getting more and more imposing. In that moment facing her, she instinctively trembled, just like seeing her eldest son who had been temperamental since childhood.
“Someone tipped us off, saying your unvirtuous mother is here committing adultery. We came to catch her in the act. Even though your father is gone, she can’t bring shame on him.”
“Who tipped you off? Where’s the tipster?”
“Don’t stall for time.” Second Aunt Su said, “You’re deliberately stalling here so your mother inside can hear the noise and escape, right?”
“Right, don’t think you can fool us.”
Grandma Su shoved the door open hard.
The woman who had brought Su Yaoguang also followed closely behind them.
Zhou Wangshu said calmly, “Talk is cheap, let’s go in and see.”
The group rushed angrily into the room.
The room door was only slightly closed, not locked from inside. They pushed it open easily.
It was very dark in the room.
Before they could light the candle, shameless sounds of a man and woman making love came from inside.
Hearing this, that woman rushed in like mad, grabbing a feather duster and viciously beating the shadows on the bed.
“Shameless, shameless… Heavens, I’ll kill you, you heartless thing… And you, you wretch, daring to seduce my man…”
“Heavens…” Second Aunt Su said exaggeratedly, “Eldest sister-in-law is too wanton! Even if she wants a man, she could just remarry properly. Committing adultery without matchmaker or betrothal, not afraid of tarnishing Yaoguang’s reputation.”
Zhou Wangshu said calmly, “You haven’t even seen the people and you’re sure it’s my mother? Unless you’re cats who can see in the dark?”
“Yaoguang, Wangshu, you two go out first.” Pandi said.
“They can’t leave. Her mother is committing adultery here. If she leaves, who will handle this matter?” Grandma Su said, “Light the candle properly so they can see clearly how shameless their mother is.”
Second Uncle Su volunteered: “I’ll do it.”
His tone was very excited, clearly delighted by this situation.
Second Uncle Su lit the fire starter and ignited the candle in the room.
However, it still wasn’t enough—the light was too dim.
The two on the bed had already stopped. They huddled under the quilt, trembling, not daring to show their faces.
That woman was fierce. She directly found a torch in the courtyard, lit it, and rushed into the room.
As soon as the torch appeared, the entire room was lit up clearly.
That woman yanked the quilt, but the people inside gripped it too tightly and it didn’t come off.
Second Aunt Su grinned: “I’ll help you.”
Grandpa Su and Grandma Su were full of anger: “Truly shameless.”
Pandi and Yingdi stood in front of Su Yaoguang: “Yaoguang, you’re still a young lady. This kind of thing…”
Don’t look, it’ll dirty your eyes.
However, when Pandi and Yingdi saw the two people revealed the moment the quilt was pulled open, they didn’t finish their words and just stood there stunned.
