Chapter 18:
This Zhao Li Village has a large population, and the households are not far apart.
Outside the yard, many villagers were already craning their necks to watch the excitement at her house…
“What’s going on?”
Zhao Shumao’s wife narrowed her eyes and asked.
Zhao Shumao and the ox cart driver Zhao Maogen were also two brothers!
“The two young wives from my eldest sister-in-law’s house, Xiao Zhou Shi and Chen Shi, these two sisters-in-law got into a fight!”
This old woman named Zhao Xiaomei was cracking sunflower seeds while spittle flew everywhere.
“She lives next door to them, watching the show every day, disturbing people’s ears! Heads ache too!”
She was the wife of Old Man Li’s own second brother Li Zheng Sen, winking and blinking, pursing her lips while speaking.
“Hehe, then you’re not bored…”
“Exactly!”
Silently cursing, well fought, brilliantly fought!
She, Zhao Xiaomei, just loved watching the excitement at Zhou Meizhen’s house…
Hearing her curse every day, although it annoyed her ears.
But her heart was extremely pleased, showing that she wasn’t doing as well as they pretended…
These were direct relatives; Old Man Li’s real name was Li Depei, and there were three siblings in total!
His own younger brother Li Zheng Sen, and there was also a younger sister named Li Dan Gui. When young, the family was poor and sold her to others as a maid; later she went missing, and anyway, no news could be found.
Li Depei and Li Zheng Sen’s families had been at odds for years.
That Zhou Shi had fallen out with her family since she was young, and back then with Zhao Xiaomei, they had also fought over trivial matters!
Later, the two elders passed away, they split the family and built houses, and then fought over land boundaries, with blood flowing from cracked heads…
Last time when building a new house, they caused trouble again…
Not as good as strangers; strangers wouldn’t hope for your downfall.
These sisters-in-law hated each other, wishing the other’s family would quarrel every day, in chaos, unable to find peace.
Li Zheng Sen’s family had three daughters first, quite looked down upon by the previous Old Lady Li.
This Zhou Shi always tripped her up, badmouthed her, saying she was a hen that wouldn’t lay eggs.
And because she could give birth, one after another adding sons to the Old Li Family, four boys, and the only daughter was also the Old Lady Li’s favorite.
Only her family’s daughters were like weeds; she had suffered a lot and endured much hardship, so this hatred was naturally pinned on Zhao Xiaomei’s head…
Later, she finally had a son in old age, named Li Wei, and held her head high!
This child was also promising, went to the town restaurant kitchen as an apprentice, later became head chef, and even built up the old house.
Built a small blue brick tile house, which made Zhou Shi unhappy.
Often picking faults, saying her house blocked their sunshine, obstructed the view and such; she knew she was jealous of her…
Let her be jealous, scratch at her heart and liver…
Sure enough, not long after being happy, Li Gui passed the tong sheng exam, which made her upset for a long time.
Fortunately, she only had one child; her son and daughter-in-law got married, and there were no young sisters-in-law quarreling with them.
The three daughters also married off, so no chaos at home.
The village was all about so-and-so’s family matters…
When idle, she would watch the excitement on this side of the wall, and by the way, spread their scandals…
Li Depei and Li Zheng Sen, these two brothers, still kept up appearances, attending banquets at each other’s homes or stepping out for any celebrations in the Li family.
Who knows if that’s really how they felt inside!
The two families lived not far apart, equivalent to next-door neighbors; on the sides facing each other, not only was a ditch dug for separation, but Li Zheng Sen’s family also had a tall fence separating them.
Everyone knew this Aunt Mei couldn’t stand to see their family doing well.
“Yo. Weren’t they wearing the same pants before, badmouthing that silly fat third wife?”
“Exactly…”
“Heard it was over a mouthful of corn grits…”
“No way?”
“This, Aunt Mei, your oldest brother’s house looks pretty prosperous, how come they’re eating pig feed like this, and crucially, fighting over something like pig feed?”
“Who knows, my uncle loves saving face, this time he won’t even be able to hide his head in his pants crotch; just thinking about it is satisfying, haha!”
“Ah? How can you say that? I’m not messing around with you anymore, or they’ll say it was me who said it.”
Zhao Shumao’s wife quickly ran away; village gossip spreads fast, and if they said it was her spreading it, that would be bad…
Zhao Xiaomei turned back and saw there were still quite a few people around:
There was the young wife from Zhao Yun’s house, A Cao, pretending to have picked vegetables from the field and passing by with them in hand!
Other villagers…
She continued: “Their family is dirt poor, corn grits every day; the oldest brother’s family eats well and is lazy, the second brother is like a live-in son-in-law, away from home all year.”
“All the housework is done by that third wife, relying on the third brother hunting.”
“Even growing some crops all goes to Li Gui; Li Gui is probably just tong sheng material, comes home and does nothing, with meals even delivered to his hands…”
“That’s true, never seen him work in the fields…”
“What do you know? He’s a future official master, does he need to do rough labor?”
“Then does he not eat, wear clothes, or shit?”
“Hahaha!”
…
Meanwhile, Luo Zhi’er’s attention was on the children; she also served herself and Li Sanmao some soup.
She called Li Sanmao over, letting them bicker there!
Li Sanmao saw a full bowl of pig lung soup, took a deep breath, “So fragrant!” couldn’t help taking a sip, “Really good, wife, this pig lung can really taste this good!”
“Eat quickly, and I’ll serve more from the pot after.”
She was afraid it wouldn’t keep!
“Okay!”
She glanced at the table over there; after all, they were kids, once they started eating, they forgot the earlier incident and began playing again…
Chen Shi and Xiao Zhou Shi were finally tired too, sprawled on the ground, stopped!
Chen Shi, disheveled and wailing dryly: “Li Daqiang, you’ve got guts; with my man not home, you team up with your wife to bully me.”
“Just wait, I’ll definitely tell your second brother Li Lei, make your Old Li Family give my Chen Family an explanation!”
Li Daqiang quickly apologized; the second brother was struggling in town, dependent on others.
If he caused trouble this time, coming back probably no good end.
Moreover, involving the Old Li Family, his father would definitely jump in rage, “Second sister-in-law, you misunderstood me; I was just trying to break it up, and besides, you hit my wife first!”
“You’re lying, you did it on purpose!”
Xiao Zhou Shi wasn’t much better off, sneering, looking at him with venomous eyes,
“Heh, Li Daqiang, tell me, do you have something going on with this Chen woman? You dared to pull me so she could hit me?”
“Ah?”
Li Daqiang felt faint, rubbed his forehead; how come in the end, it was all his fault.
Wife hated him to death, displeasing both sides; better not to have tried breaking it up!
“Wife, how can you say that? I didn’t, how could I…”
Chen Shi glanced outside the yard, villagers covering mouths, face red with rage, shouted her full name, “Zhou Hanjuan, you’re something, ruining my reputation; I, Chen Manhe, will never coexist with you!”
Just this one sentence, and by afternoon, the village was abuzz with rumors.
Several versions: saying Li Daqiang had something with second brother’s wife Chen Shi, Xiao Zhou Shi so angry she beat Chen Shi, cursing Li Daqiang…
Also saying the Old Li Family was so poor from supporting Li Gui’s studies they couldn’t uncover the pot, the family fighting bloody over a mouthful of corn grits…
Third version: Li Daqiang admired Chen Shi, seeing her back scooped extra corn grits into her bowl, got pointed nose and cursed by his wife…
And so on…
During the fight, Li Gui hid in the room and never came out.
Countryside women and old women were just troublesome, disgusting, loose-tongued, quick to curse, throw tantrums, rolling on ground, fighting bloody over food…
His future wife must be beautiful as a flower, cultured and refined, gentle and elegant, understanding romance.
Not losing composure over mere food or a bit of silver…
His main attention was drawn by the pig lungs stewing in the pot outside, not sure what else, anyway very fragrant smell.
Sniffed the aroma, somewhat satisfied.
Peeked head from window, saw Luo Zhi’er serving pig lung soup to Li Sanmao and those brats.
Really wants to eat, heart itching like cat scratching…
This third sister-in-law has no eyes; he’s going to be an official master in the future, shouldn’t she serve him better, curry favor a bit…
Looks just like her, really rigid.
That’s their family’s stuff, why serve so much to those useless brats, not sure if any left in the pot?
No mood to study, mind on how to get third sister-in-law to send him a bowl without losing face…
Really couldn’t hold back, suddenly stood up, went out the door!
Luo Zhi’er saw this Li Gui, for some reason standing at the doorway gloomily watching her drink soup.
Then he went to the latrine a couple times, passing by here on the way…
Anyway, ignored him.
After Luo Zhi’er finished eating, she found the largest bowl at home, left a full bowl for Old Man Li, put the remaining pig lungs and radish in her own room…
Then the stewed sausage was also about done, all carried to her own room.
Li Gui, sitting by the window with brows furrowed high, saw her bustling about and finally entering her own room!
Suddenly very angry, crumpled a sheet of rough paper into a ball and viciously threw it to the ground…
