Chapter 103:
“Got a wife, forgot your mother!” Li Sanmao glanced faintly over her with his eyes.
Zhou Shi felt a bit creeped out. She just couldn’t help muttering that one sentence.
Then she raised her voice and asked: “By the way, Luo Zhi’er, did Shopkeeper Zhu give you any reward money today?”
“No!”
“But Shopkeeper Zhu gave it to Miaomiao. I bought a pair of shoes for her!”
These shoes were for Miaomiao to wear when she got back. Luo Zhi’er had already thought up the excuse on the road!
“What? You spendthrift woman, who allowed you to buy shoes?”
With a howl, he charged two steps wanting to hit her, but suddenly remembered something and braked midway.
He looked at Luo Zhi’er, his fist clenched creaking, his leg raised high, his face showing that same expression from last time when he was about to kick someone!
Li Sanmao’s face was even more terrifying!
She had said it, letting this woman go make deliveries, she would have other ideas. See, without permission she spent the silver recklessly!
“Is there any left! Hand it all over!”
Luo Zhi’er coldly replied, “No!”
“What about the shoes?”
Tomorrow Li Sanmao was going to sell deer meat, and she was going too. She planned to take them back to the shoe shop and return them!
“They’re on her feet. We walked back, they’re dirty!”
Xiao Zhou Shi heard the commotion and came out from the room. She saw that Miaomiao was wearing a pair of pretty new shoes on her feet, and felt extremely uncomfortable inside!
Looking at the little family of three getting along so well, she couldn’t help saying a couple of sour words: “Mother, all the silver that Daqiang earns is handed over to the family, but their third household earned silver and the first thing they do is spend it on their own daughter!”
“This isn’t too fair, is it!”
Last time they still knew to buy some things for Muqing Yunliang, but this time they only cared about lavishing it on their own daughter…
Zhou Shi’s face changed a few times. She thought, finally she found an excuse!
Li Sanmao shot Xiao Zhou Shi a sharp glance,
“Eldest Sister-in-law, Oldest Brother’s earnings are all handed over to the family. Aren’t my earnings handed over to the family too?”
“Besides, if we really compare, it’s Oldest Brother who earns more, or is it me, Li Sanmao, who earns more?”
This was naturally Li Sanmao. Sometimes he hunted large animals like wild boar, selling for several taels of silver at once, and the family could eat meat…
Xiao Zhou Shi’s face looked embarrassed.
“Exactly. This is the livelihood I found, adding fifteen taels to the family. You’re even jealous of the few bits of reward money that Shopkeeper Zhu gave to my daughter?”
Luo Zhi’er wasn’t going to be a pushover. If people were bullying her right to her face, staying silent would be her own fault!
“Hmph! Eldest Sister-in-law, believe it or not, if you added some income to the family, not much, just one tael of silver, and if people gave reward money to Liuliu, I absolutely wouldn’t be jealous…”
“You!”
These words meant she herself had no value, and on top of that, she was petty and jealous of others.
Zhou Shi saw that Xiao Zhou Shi was lazy and gluttonous, adding no income to the family, and got even angrier. Hearing the sisters-in-law going back and forth, she was helpless against Luo Zhi’er too.
She even felt Luo Zhi’er looked a bit more pleasing than Xiao Zhou Shi. She had no choice but to say:
“Forget it, Luo Zhi’er, cough… you woman, next time you get reward money, remember to hand it over to the family!”
Luo Zhi’er ignored her and carried the bamboo basket into the backyard and set it down.
“Did you hear me?”
“Mother, I just ask you, Miaomiao’s shoes were broken like a chicken coop, should I not buy new ones and let her go barefoot?”
These previous shoes, who knows whose worn-out shoes they picked up.
It was exactly the time when she was growing, her little feet were even a bit deformed.
She figured they were Li Zhenzhu’s from when she was little, or maybe some neighbor’s that they didn’t want… Both Miaomiao and Liuliu wore them… and some woven from grass…
Occasionally, Xiao Zhou Shi would make shoes, for Muqing Yunliang. Luo Zhi’er didn’t know needlework, and almost never when family members made them for Miaomiao.
“Buy what? Make a pair from hemp grass and that’s it! Wasting money on a girl, sooner or later she’ll be someone else’s in their household! I’d rather you bought for Muqing Yunliang!”
Xiao Zhou Shi heard this in the yard and felt a bit relieved inside.
Earning silver was nothing. She had added two grandsons to the Old Li Family, and could hold her head high in the village!
“Mother, this reward money was originally given by Shopkeeper Zhu to Miaomiao, meant for buying snacks for her to eat!”
“If you took it, would you buy the things Miaomiao needs?”
“You! Sanmao, look at this disobedient wife of yours. Give her a good beating in private for Mother!”
Zhou Shi was left speechless by the retorts. Seeing Luo Zhi’er not listening to her, she tried a few times but didn’t dare hit her! She could only vent verbally!
Li Sanmao’s face was ashen. Zhou Shi thought of how the third son had just carried back a deer, adding more to the family’s livelihood…
Seeing how he protected his wife, she muttered complaints and went out!
At this moment Old Li Tou came in from outside. Today he worked extra in the field, got up early and came back late, mainly not wanting people to see the injury on his face, so he came back late with Li Daqiang.
He had just gotten home, set down the hoe outside, saw Zhou Shi complaining, and with his face dark, pretended to see air, not even wanting to eat dinner!
On the road he ran into Li Zhengxin. He didn’t even dare lift his head, who notified him to gather in a bit at the open space by the ancestral hall in the village for the village meeting!
Said there was something to announce!
“His Father! I’m going too!”
Zhou Shi perked up hearing there was excitement to hear. She really wanted to go.
“This matter, they sent the men in charge of the household to listen. Women, old women, and little kids shouldn’t come out!”
Old Li Tou refused.
He really didn’t want to go out with this old hag. Today his mind had been full of that woman who sold tea leaves that day…
He tossed down his belongings and first ran into the room to lovingly touch his tea set.
Confirmed it was intact, took it out and wiped off the dust, planning to brew some tea when he got back later before sleeping!
Zhou Shi saw him like this and got angry. In the morning before dawn he sat under the big tree starting to brew tea, sipping it leisurely.
Showing off, and he didn’t even smoke anymore!
When leaving, his eyes bulged wide, not letting her touch anything, even directing her to remember to boil a pot of water in the evening…
Coming back this evening acting like touching a treasure, first thing going back to look at it!
This old fart, she was his wife!
He looked at her like an enemy!
Looking back, Zhou Shi was like Zhang Fei, hating him!
Thinking of last night’s beating, he bared his teeth and cursed,
“What? You old hag, glowering all day watching me. If I really do something, can you control it?”
“There’s a water jar at home, when you’re free take a look at yourself. Scary or not? Can people’s mood be good seeing you?”
“If you have this free time, can you tidy yourself up?”
After speaking, he left behind a dazed Zhou Shi, wrapped his head tightly, and went to the ancestral hall in the village…
Taking advantage of Old Li Tou being back, Luo Zhi’er went into the room and found a place to hide Miaomiao’s shoes…
She talked with Li Sanmao about the matter with Li Zhenzhu.
She told him truthfully what she had heard. Li Sanmao was shocked, and after the shock was deep worry!
He planned tomorrow to go to town to sell deer meat, and inquire about Zeng Manor on Xi Shui Street. His father really couldn’t withstand Second Brother’s persuasion, signing the marriage certificate too quickly, catching people off guard…
Of course, she also told him about Li Gui’s matter!
Li Sanmao needed to know about this, to have it in mind!
The two stayed in the room for over half a shichen, then came out, ate something, and Old Li Tou came back!
He was supported back by Li Erdan.
Everyone was puzzled, it hadn’t even been a short time, Old Li Tou had just left looking spirited, how was he being supported back now?
Li Erdan was also baffled. He just said that while listening beside, the village chief explained the reason Li Ergou got beaten, warning them to watch out recently for the tea-selling women scamming rural old men everywhere.
If they just swindle silver it’s fine, but this is a gang committing the crimes!
Later those fierce-looking people come to the door to threaten, saying they bullied an honest woman, if no money is given they’ll beat you crippled. Old Li Tou’s legs suddenly went soft, couldn’t stand no matter what…
Li Ergou had been wandering in town recently and ran into this!
But the village chief reassured them, lust is a knife above the head! As long as they don’t get lustful ideas, there won’t be trouble!
That’s why he had to help him back.
“Old man, what’s wrong with you? Are you okay? You mustn’t leave me behind and die!”
Zhou Shi wailed!
“Father, Father, are you okay?”
Old Li Tou sat in the chair, the cloth piece wrapped on his face uncovered, the hat on his head also off. By candlelight it let Li Erdan see his face clearly!
Scared him into trembling. Didn’t Brother Li say his face was stung by bees? Then what’s with the hair on his head?
He swallowed, didn’t dare ask, figured he got beaten!
Luo Zhi’er poured him a cup of water to drink. Zhou Shi’s wailing was annoying him endlessly!
Old Li Tou opened his eyes,
“Make your mother shut up, I haven’t died yet!”
He felt extremely frustrated inside. What to do if this gang comes to surround and beat him?
Seeing Old Li Tou was fine, Li Erdan went back. Now in the evening no one dared wander or linger in the village!
Before leaving, he even got a deer tail!
