Chapter 184:
They went to Dongli Residence, the place selling furniture, and let Miaomiao pick out a small bed herself.
This bed was made of peach kernel wood, hand-carved with patterns of magpies on plum blossoms, pure natural solid wood with no chemical pollution, so there was no need to worry about excessive formaldehyde…
After leaving Dongli Residence, Li Sanmao carefully carried it on his shoulder and went huffing and puffing to the mule cart, while the mother and daughter went to the vegetable market to buy vegetables first.
Li Sanmao put the bed down, shouldered the bamboo basket, and went back to the vegetable market to meet up with Luo Zhi’er and her daughter…
They first bought some beef for Bill, then pork and beef, vegetables, rice flour and oil, bread-making materials, and so on; this time they did a super big shopping.
The three of them happened to pass by the food street and walked in…
The pedestrian street here sold all kinds of specialty snacks, from small stalls set up along the street!
Because they burned firewood, there was a bit of smoky haze, giving a fairy-like misty feeling.
They sold porridge, pancakes, dumplings, wonton, noodles, fried rice, and such…
Before setting off on the road home, they unanimously decided to eat something first, so they wouldn’t cook dinner when they got back in the evening.
Countryside people who came to town for market day would all come here to eat; they had a big meal at noon and just made do with something in the afternoon!
Li Sanmao weaved through the crowd with the towering bamboo basket on his back, Luo Zhi’er held Miaomiao tightly, and the three of them passed through the crowd to the inside.
Before the market ended, this was the liveliest place, with noisy voices everywhere!
At Qinghua Dumplings, each ordered a portion of pork and cabbage dumplings, then bought three pancakes from another stall, as well as meat buns and drinks, before sitting down to eat…
“No way, Grandmother, I still want to eat dumplings…”
On the street not far away, a sturdy little countryside boy was rolling on the ground, throwing a tantrum to eat something delicious.
It drew attention from passersby.
“Zhuang Zhuang, stand up! Today we bought you shoes and clothes; it hasn’t been long since you ate, and we already bought you sugar cake and candied hawthorn; we won’t buy meat buns or dumplings anymore—next time!”
Luo Xihai said sternly.
“No way, Grandmother!”
“Old man, it’s just a bowl of dumplings; Zhuang Zhuang wants to eat it, so just buy it for him.”
The old woman saw Zhuang Zhuang hugging her leg and said with heartache in her eyes.
“Did you buy anything for Da Ya and Er Ya at home?”
What to say about this trip back?
“Hey! You old thing, if you don’t say it, would they know? Girls will eventually belong to someone else’s family… How could it be the same as for Zhuang Zhuang?”
Second Aunt Qian Shi winked at Luo Xihai as she spoke; she had bought two cheap hair clips for those two girls, one each to fob them off.
Luo Xihai tacitly agreed and didn’t make a sound.
At that moment, Qian Shi turned and saw the three people sitting at the dumpling stall, especially Luo Zhi’er who was fat beyond recognition.
How come there’s such a handsome man by her side? She rubbed her eyes in disbelief—was this Li Sanmao? When did he get out?
The three were dressed clean and neat, their clothes looking new, especially Li Sanmao who used to be unkempt like a bear; now cleaned up, he looked reborn, just like a little boss?
There was a large bamboo basket stuffed full beside him…
While Luo Zhi’er was eating, someone suddenly stood in front of them.
She screeched, “Zhuang Zhuang, look, isn’t that your aunt and uncle? Call your aunt to buy you a bowl of dumplings!”
Luo Zhi’er looked up and said, “Second Aunt?”
Luo Family Second Uncle was standing not far away, with Second Aunt leading Second Brother’s son Zhuang Zhuang; by seniority, he called Luo Zhi’er aunt.
“…Aunt!”
Zhuang Zhuang had no impression of this aunt; neither Oldest Brother Luo Leicheng nor Second Brother Luo Cha Cheng had invited Luo Zhi’er to their weddings, and they also had a daughter named Luo Xiaolian who had just gotten married.
Oldest Brother had given her two granddaughters, while Second Brother so far only had this one son, whom they feared losing if tied to the waist and melting if held in the mouth…
When Zhuang Zhuang was born, they held a grand banquet in the village; naturally, they didn’t invite Luo Zhi’er to his full moon celebration either.
First, they feared she would come back to claim land; Second Aunt had wanted to collect some gift money, but thinking she lived worse than a dog at Old Li Tou’s house, it was better not to invite her.
They even thought it best to cut ties, so why bring trouble on themselves?
What if Old Li Tou’s family divorced her and she came back as a huge burden!
Luo Zhi’er saw the sturdy little boy in front of her, about four or five years old, holding a candied hawthorn in one hand and gnawing a meat bun in the other; it took her a moment to remember who he was.
Zhuang Zhuang took a bite of the meat bun and looked impatiently at the unfamiliar woman in front of him.
Seeing the little girl Miaomiao watching him from the side, he immediately hid the food in his hand behind his back. “Hmph! This is mine; I’m not giving you any!”
He was only interested in street food; Grandmother said this aunt would give him delicious dumplings, so he called her.
“Hehe, it’s Zhuang Zhuang. You came to market with Grandpa and Grandmother too?”
“Yeah, fatty, I want dumplings; Grandmother said you’re my aunt, so you must buy them for me!” The boy bossed her around without politeness.
Luo Zhi’er thought buying him a bowl of dumplings was no big deal, but his attitude and tone made her a bit unhappy!
It was because of the adults at home!
Luo Zhi’er squatted down and said seriously, “Zhuang Zhuang, if you want dumplings, Aunt can buy them for you, but Aunt doesn’t like you speaking with that attitude!”
Zhuang Zhuang thought in his head whether to change his attitude…
But Second Aunt couldn’t hold back anymore and started scolding her indirectly, her voice like silver needles piercing, hard to endure.
“Luo Zhi’er, you little wench, your arm has gotten strong; your dad and second uncle picked you up from Mahuang Gully and raised you from diapers with shit and piss—was that easy?”
“Now you’ve prospered; though your dad is dead, your second uncle’s whole family is still here!”
“We were still worried you weren’t doing well, but here you are eating well and living well; you’re not even willing to buy a bowl of dumplings for your nephew?”
“And besides, is it for an outsider like you to criticize our Luo Family treasure?”
Seeing everyone looking over, “She’s picked up, right?”
They gossiped.
Qian Shi plopped down on the ground and started yelling,
“Ungrateful wolf! Look, you’ve bought so many things your bamboo basket can’t hold them all; Luo Zhi’er, you’ve been married out for seven or eight years and never once came back to visit your uncles and aunts—you’re truly heartless!”
“Your dad and us really raised an ungrateful wolf like you for nothing!”
There was a bang as Li Sanmao’s big palm slapped the table. “Second Aunt, I’ve held back for Zhi’er’s sake and not argued with you, but you’re going too far; she didn’t go back because you deliberately cut ties and drove her away, right?”
He remembered when Luo Leicheng got married, she didn’t even know; she heard about it a week early from villagers.
She waited eagerly for a long time, but no one came to invite her; later, against family pressure, she sneaked back to her maternal family to help and was chased away.
She cried for a long time.
Second Brother’s wedding didn’t invite her either; fearing being chased away again, she endured her parents’ scolding and secretly sent little baby shoes, socks, hats, and such…
Then they were publicly thrown into the big river, mocking that Old Luo Family had no such daughter; it seemed Old Luo Tou had kept some gift money, they took the money but publicly said not to bring shoes and socks to belittle people, if sincere, bring silver…
“You picked her up and raised her? From what I know, Father-in-law brought her home alone; she couldn’t even step over your doorstep since childhood?”
“Now you see her buying things and get jealous; how much is a bowl of dumplings worth? Did Zhi’er just say she wouldn’t buy it for him?”
“If you bully her again or curse her without reason, with me as her husband, that won’t do!”
The man’s calm tone emitted a terrifying atmosphere!
“Li, Li Sanmao, you dare…”
“Second Aunt, if you dare, so do I…”
With that, Li Sanmao crushed the drinking cup in his hand…
Second Aunt was furious; Li Sanmao was a brute whom reason couldn’t suppress, and she had always been wary of him, but she figured he probably didn’t like Luo Zhi’er much!
As a woman, she knew well—who would like someone so ugly and fat?
It was just Old Luo Tou’s dying entrustment; previously he had stayed silent, now why was he standing up for her?
She couldn’t figure it out; why did his wolf-cub-like eyes make her shiver!
It must be from his usual hunting and dealing with wild game, giving a bloodthirsty, reckless feeling.
Seeing people around pointing and sneering, she sat on the ground and shouted loudly,
“This is outrageous—nephew and niece threatening to hit their aunt and uncle!”
Dining guests saw her howling about hitting people and such; some left the stall.
The boss lady hurried over: “Auntie, are you eating dumplings or not? If not, please leave our place so you don’t affect others eating!”
Qian Shi’s face turned awkward.
A dining guest pulled his child, preparing to leave, when the little boy suddenly chimed in,
“That auntie just now didn’t say she wouldn’t give your kid any, just that he called her fatty and it made her a bit unhappy!”
Then to Zhuang Zhuang who looked smug,
“Little kids can’t be impolite to elders; didn’t your grandmother teach you?”
“Xiao Gang, shut up! Eat your food!”
His mother quickly stopped him!
At this time, Second Uncle Luo Xihai walked over, looking coldly at Luo Zhi’er: “Luo Zhi’er! Hehe! You’re something; our Old Luo Family has no unfilial, disloyal, unrighteous descendants like you! Grandmother, stand up; let’s go!”
“No way! Old man, look at their bamboo basket.”
“Not embarrassed to be so conspicuous!”
Second Aunt unwillingly stood up, pulled Zhuang Zhuang, and left.
This stubborn old man deliberately couldn’t see clearly?
Depressed, she hadn’t gotten anything from the bamboo basket yet, and Zhuang Zhuang hadn’t eaten dumplings…
After eating, they paid the stall owner for the cup; as the sun set in the west, they set off on the road home.
Li Sanmao didn’t mention the matter at all to avoid upsetting his wife.
Luo Zhi’er held Miaomiao and played with her!
Just after leaving the city gate, they ran into Li Shi and Li Daniu mother and son…
Li Daniu used a bamboo basket to carry Li Shi back to the village in a hurry.
Li Daniu was panting from exhaustion; in the morning they had walked over ten li, queued at the town clinic, he handled getting the medicine, hadn’t eaten a bite yet, and still had to walk over ten li back.
Why not take the ox cart? Zhao Maogen wouldn’t take them, saying villagers feared catching her illness!
Li Daniu’s current headache was that seeing the doctor cost silver, and his mother at home said they had no silver left!
The doctor had wanted her to stay at the clinic for continuous treatment for a month or so, but without money, they could only carry her there and back these past few days.
Li Shi saw it was Luo Zhi’er’s family passing by with the mule cart; as Miaomiao laughed happily, a flash of hatred passed through her eyes.
