Chapter 21: The Real Show Begins
Su Guilan pushed open Su Yaoguang’s door. With a bang, the door swung open forcefully. A group of people stood in the doorway, peering inside.
Su Yaoguang was lying on the bed resting. Hearing the noise, she sat up and said angrily, “What are you doing? Who barges into a young lady’s room without knocking?”
Su Guilan looked at the bulge beside Su Yaoguang, a sly grin flashing in her eyes.
She cleared her throat lightly and said loudly, “Yaoguang, have you seen Mutou?”
Su Yaoguang looked at Su Guilan in surprise: “Aunt, I’m not feeling well today and was resting in my room. I didn’t know you and Cousin Mutou had returned to Anning Village. Why would you come to my home looking for Cousin Mutou?”
“I saw him come in. Don’t hide it from me.” Su Guilan walked into the room as she spoke. “Your Cousin Mutou is just childlike. He’s definitely hiding somewhere playing with us!”
With that, she yanked off the quilt beside Su Yaoguang, only to find an old quilt there—no sign of the two-hundred-jin Big Fool.
“Aunt, I haven’t married yet. Isn’t it too much for you to pull off my quilt in front of others?” Su Yaoguang got out of bed furiously, her eyes full of anger.
“How could that be… impossible…” Su Guilan scanned the room. The only thing left that could hide Mutou’s body was that rundown wardrobe.
She wanted to open the wardrobe, but it was locked.
Su Guilan was certain Mutou was in the room. He wasn’t on the bed, so the wardrobe was the most suspicious spot.
“Did you hide Mutou? I’m telling you, Mutou is afraid of the dark. If you hid him here and he gets scared, you’ll pay for it.”
“Aunt, you’re really acting strange. I was just resting at home, and you bring people barging in, insisting on looking for Cousin Mutou from me. I’m not feeling well today, totally weak. If you hadn’t burst in, I would’ve been sleeping soundly!”
“Just have someone open this wardrobe, and we’ll know. If you have nothing to hide, then open it.”
The villagers were still standing in the doorway.
Hearing Mutou was in the room, they weren’t fools. They knew Su Guilan wanted to catch Zhaodi’s girl red-handed while Zhaodi was away.
As long as Mutou was in Su Yaoguang’s room, given the situation, Su Yaoguang’s reputation would be ruined. If Su Guilan made more fuss, the matter would be sealed.
“This is a wardrobe for a single girl like me, with my personal clothing inside. If you make me open it, aren’t you deliberately humiliating me and trying to drive me to death?” Su Yaoguang cried. “I know you all look down on our family for having no sons. But if my dad hadn’t gone to the army, I’d have a younger brother to help out. Aren’t you afraid of bullying an orphan and widow like this? Won’t my dad settle the score with you? Wuwu, you’re really going too far. I can’t even rest at home without your bullying.”
“Mutou’s mom, isn’t this a misunderstanding? I didn’t see Mutou. Why don’t you look elsewhere?” Auntie Li couldn’t stand it anymore and tried to persuade.
“Impossible. My Mutou did come in.” Su Guilan said, “If you don’t give me the key, I’ll smash it! My Mutou is afraid of the dark. If you locked him inside and he gets scared, you’ll pay for it.”
“If he’s not here, what will you say?” Su Yaoguang asked, her eyes red, staring stubbornly at Su Guilan.
“If he’s not inside, I’ll apologize to you.” Su Guilan said. “If he is inside, you’ll pay for it.”
“What’s the use of an apology? A couple of light words do nothing for me. You have to compensate me with fifty copper coins. This concerns my reputation; you must make compensation.”
“Have you gone mad for money?” Su Guilan looked at her like she was an idiot.
“If you give it, I’ll hand over the key. If not, don’t even think about getting it. Today I want to see who dares smash my lock. If you smash it without my permission, I’ll report to the authorities.”
“Fine, you want money? Here, take it, and see what excuse you can make now.” Su Guilan didn’t want to give it, of course, but she was sure Su Yaoguang was using this trick to stop her. She needed to find Mutou first and leave her speechless. Then see what excuses she could make.
Su Guilan had no money on her, so she borrowed from the villagers. The onlookers pooled together and finally scraped up fifty copper coins.
Su Yaoguang took the money and handed over the key.
Su Guilan excitedly unlocked it and pulled open the wardrobe, finding only clothes and old bedding inside—no one.
“Do you believe me now? I told you, I haven’t seen Cousin Mutou.” Su Yaoguang said angrily. “Can you leave my room now?”
Zhou Wangshu squeezed in and saw so many people in the room.
He stood in front of Su Yaoguang, glaring at the crowd: “What do you want? Breaking into a private home—is this robbery?”
“Wangshu…” Su Yaoguang hugged Zhou Wangshu’s arm, crying uncontrollably. “I’m not feeling well today and was resting in my room when my aunt brought people barging in. I’m an unmarried young lady, and she comes to my room looking for her son. Isn’t this trying to ruin my reputation? Wangshu, report to the authorities right now.”
“Don’t cry. Be careful not to hurt your health. I’ll go into the city right now to report to the authorities and ask the upright master to uphold justice for us.” As Zhou Wangshu spoke, a shocked voice came from outside.
“Come quick! Mutou passed out asleep in the manure pit.”
Hearing this, Su Guilan hurried to the manure pit.
There was Mutou sprawled on the manure pit, covered in manure—even his face wasn’t spared.
Worst of all, the corners of his mouth were full of manure.
“Urgh…”
“Too disgusting. God, I probably won’t be able to eat dinner tonight.”
“This Mutou won’t have eaten his fill, will he?”
“Urgh…”
Su Guilan screamed, reaching out to push Mutou but unable to bring herself to do it.
“Help me lift Mutou out.”
“Carry your own son yourself.”
“Your son is so fat; we can’t lift him. Besides, why should we?”
“Oh god…” Su Yaoguang covered her mouth, shocked at the scene. “We don’t even have enough manure water for our vegetables, and Cousin Mutou ate so much. He’s eaten all ours—how are we supposed to grow vegetables now?”
Everyone: “…”
Su Guilan roared in fury: “Su Yaoguang, what did you do to Mutou?”
“I never even saw Cousin Mutou. What could I do to him? Aunt, Cousin Mutou sneaked into our home to steal and eat manure water. Aren’t we the ones suffering a loss?”
“Wangshu, if there’s not enough manure water, our vegetables won’t grow well. That means we won’t have enough to eat. But who let him be my cousin? We’ll just have to eat this loss. Aunt, give me another three hundred copper coins, and I won’t make Cousin Mutou compensate for the manure water he ate.”
Zhou Wangshu said, “Yaoguang, you have such a kind heart.”
