Chapter 55:
Li Sanmao looked at his wife; it was pretty good if he could let her have a beautiful dream.
At least it could alleviate her pain…
However, the moment his wife collapsed just now, he felt like his sky was about to collapse, like he was about to lose her immediately!
What exactly was wrong with her?
Was it really heatstroke?
On her lips, she agreed, “Mm, then husband, put in more effort to let you and Miaomiao sit on the horse carriage!”
She sighed; relying on his hunting, perhaps one day in the future he could, but how could the whole Old Li Family possibly?
Luo Zhi’er silently listened to him painting big pies, and seeing his brows slightly furrow, she just smiled…
On the road, ox carts occasionally passed by, walking through fields with floral fragrance, frog croaks, crickets chirping… the moon hid in the tree branch, stars twinkling…
The two supported and leaned on each other all the way home, and by the time they arrived, the moon was already high in the sky.
From afar, they faintly heard someone wailing at the door, heavens, earth’s wail…
Luo Zhi’er puzzledly looked at Li Sanmao, somewhat worried about Miaomiao; Li Sanmao also anxiously looked in that direction…
They quickened their pace; it seemed like his mother—what happened this time?
The two hurried a few steps to about twenty meters from the yard’s main gate, and sure enough, there was a small black figure squatting on the ground, curled into a ball, trembling.
Gazing toward the direction where they were returning from afar…
Seeing a familiar figure returning, she immediately rushed over and hugged Luo Zhi’er.
“Mother, father, you’re finally back. Why did you return so late? Miaomiao missed you so much.”
Miaomiao aggrievedly sniffled, holding back her tears.
She thought her parents didn’t want her anymore…
Luo Zhi’er crouched down with full eyes of heartache, looking at her, “Miaomiao, it’s so late, why are you waiting here?”
She touched her hands and feet, which were ice-cold… This young maid, though it was summer, the rural area got cool at night, with mosquitoes, snakes, and ants…
“Miaomiao? Why are you still crying? Mother told you, in the future if father and mother haven’t returned, you need to go to bed by yourself, don’t stay outside alone…”
Luo Zhi’er hugged her; she was still just a few-year-old young maid, she really shouldn’t have left her at home.
“Mother, why did you come back so late? Miaomiao thought you didn’t want Miaomiao anymore. I missed you so much…”
Miaomiao buried herself in her embrace and suddenly couldn’t hold back her grievance, bursting into loud cries…
“Miaomiao, did you eat today? Why is your hair all messy like this? Didn’t you comb it this morning?”
There were even a few pig feeds stuck in it; she hadn’t had time to tie her hair this morning when leaving, but she could have combed it herself…
“Didn’t mother tell you father and mother went to town to sell things?”
Luo Zhi’er felt Miaomiao’s emotions were off; it absolutely wasn’t just about fearing they didn’t want her.
She straightened her head, borrowing the moonlight to look; there seemed to be injury on Miaomiao’s face…
She parted the messy hair scattered on her face; her cheek was red and a bit swollen, and other places on her face were full of red marks from bamboo strips.
Luo Zhi’er pulled her up and checked carefully; she had them on her neck too, rolled up her sleeve, and on her exposed ankle, streaks on her leg with red marks seeping blood…
Miaomiao was beaten?
Damn it, who dared to beat her precious daughter? And beat her like this?
Recalling how Liuliu was beaten last time, this young maid probably was too today…
Luo Zhi’er looked at the two deep strip marks on her face, furious beyond measure.
What if it disfigures her? Miaomiao winced in pain… “Mother…”
Seeing this, Luo Zhi’er’s anger surged; she narrowed her eyes and cursed angrily, “Damn it, dare to beat my daughter? Don’t want to survive?”
“Wife, don’t be anxious…”
Li Sanmao feared Luo Zhi’er would get so angry she’d collapse again…
She herself couldn’t bear to touch their daughter with a finger; Miaomiao was so sensible, endearing, obedient—she feared she hadn’t given her enough…
“Not anxious? You’re not anxious? Li Sanmao? Someone beat your daughter!”
Li Sanmao was scolded right in the face, of course he was angry too, but rendered speechless by the question.
“Miaomiao, who beat you?”
“Mother… Miaomiao was wrong. Grandmother made Miaomiao gather pig feed to feed the pig… The pig died… Grandmother got angry, grandfather got angry too…”
Miaomiao sobbed as she spoke; she feared mother would quarrel with grandparents because of her…
“Sorry… Mother… Miaomiao didn’t mean to…”
“The pig died?”
“Wife…”
“Why call me? The pig died, what does it have to do with Miaomiao? A few days ago I noticed that pig wasn’t eating much food; even if Miaomiao didn’t feed it, it would have died. They beat her for that?”
“Besides, the pig is dead already; why beat her? To vent anger?”
Luo Zhi’er’s protective behavior toward her child was top-notch; Li Sanmao was very angry too, just not showing it as strongly…
Puzzled, his wife used to be quite indifferent toward Miaomiao; this young maid was almost entirely raised by him during her nighttime cries.
“But it was Miaomiao who gathered the pig feed to feed it… Mother, what to do? Grandmother cursed all afternoon and hasn’t calmed down; she’ll definitely curse you and father later. It’s Miaomiao’s fault!”
Miaomiao was extremely self-blaming; because of her, her parents would get scolded! Because of her, the family lost a large sum of silver!
Li Sanmao had a gloomy face, clenching his fist.
Miaomiao was his bottom line; they ran their legs off today, all to earn silver for this home, but what about them?
So many people at home, yet they made such a small child gather pig feed and even beat her?
“Mother, grandmother and fifth uncle said when you return, you have to compensate for the pig.”
“Miaomiao was very scared; Miaomiao didn’t want you to come back, but also feared you’d abandon Miaomiao and leave, not wanting Miaomiao anymore.”
Pigs were expensive after all; some families couldn’t afford one in a year. In this young maid’s understanding, her parents surely didn’t have that silver and would run away, blaming her.
It was rare for this young maid to say so much; she truly saw her as the closest person to confide in.
In the past, when aggrieved, she’d hide away; at most she’d say a few words to Li Sanmao.
“Miaomiao don’t be afraid; father and mother won’t abandon you. You’re father and mother’s life. Isn’t it just a dead pig? Mother isn’t afraid, Miaomiao don’t be afraid either!”
Luo Zhi’er began to put hands on waist and curse, evil people need to be dealt with by evil people.
Bringing out the stance of rural women she’d seen before, fierce and forceful,
“Damn it, what broken thing grandparents, stinking dog fart! Pig died, acting all high and mighty thinking they’re old, bullying a small child, dare to vent anger on my precious baby?”
“Probably just looking for a sucker, deliberately finding fault to make our Sanmao compensate for the pig!”
These words weren’t even finished when Zhou Shi let out a howl and rushed over from the yard…
Probably eavesdropping somewhere!
“You fat hoof, fooling around in town until the middle of the night to come home, taught your daughter to be just like you. Miaomiao, you dead young maid, wait for this old woman!”
She turned to grab the bamboo strips again…
“Damn it, my Luo Zhi’er’s daughter—who dares to try hitting her? This Luo Zhi’er will fight her to the death today!!!”
Miaomiao stood behind Luo Zhi’er, eyes showing fear; Luo Zhi’er rolled up her sleeve, Li Sanmao quickly shielded in front of Luo Zhi’er.
Zhou Shi stomped her feet upon seeing this,
“You this fool Third Child, your child dares to badmouth her grandparents behind their back, your wife Luo Zhi’er curses her in-laws, and you still protect?”
“Don’t know what bewitching drug you ate! Luo Zhi’er, you fat hoof, now you’re smug huh. Heaven watches three feet above; why aren’t you afraid of lightning striking you dead!”
Miaomiao was so scared she burst into loud cries…
“Lightning won’t strike me; if it strikes, it’ll strike those guilty thieves hiding dirty thoughts, the bad old women who beat and curse my daughter.”
“Uh… wife…”
Li Sanmao turned sideways, swallowed, watching his wife curse—this… this was too… scary. After all, it was his mother…
“You! You this jinx, who is the bad old woman? I want your cheap mouth! Won’t beat you to death, you cheap goods!”
Li Sanmao furrowed his brows…
At that moment, a black lump bounced in the yard.
Suddenly bending at the waist, its head shot like an arrow, bringing its body rolling fiercely toward her waist…
Luo Zhi’er was quick-minded, spotted it fast, and immediately glanced behind her.
Good grief, if it really hit this time, it wouldn’t end well.
With her tonnage, one backward fall would send her into that gully behind; that river bank was quite high, full of large and small stones below, nearly two meters drop…
Luo Zhi’er contemptuously curled her lips, easily shifted a few steps, dodging.
Cold snort!
If anyone’s falling, it’s you thief old woman!
Huh, something’s off?
Zhou Shi was old but sharp-eyed… While running, a flash of astonishment in her eyes… When did this fat hoof get so agile?
No, eyes widened, oh no, she was about to rush down the field ridge… Couldn’t brake in time.
Her hands flailed in the air, barely grabbing a nearby clump of thorny vines covered over, stopping her from falling…
She grabbed it, but unfortunately her hand hurt so much…
“Ah!”
It hurt her to death; she looked at her hand, couldn’t see clearly, but it seemed punctured like a honeycomb, secretly regretting…
How did she forget there was a clump of thorny vines here? Furious, she cursed loudly, jumping in rage,
“Good you insidious Luo Fatty stinky poison woman, knowing there’s a clump of thorns here and still dare dodge? My hand is ruined, you’ll pay!”
“This is you deliberately trying to pit your mother-in-law to death! In the clan, this behavior means sit on Chun Deng…”
“How did Old Li Family marry such a fat poison woman like you? Sure enough, free ones are no good… Li Sanmao, divorce her for me!”
The shrill piercing voice echoed through the nearby mountains, wilderness, pastoral…
“Old man, shame you always protect this Third Child of yours… Look at him standing by like a big dumb bear!”
“Just silently watching his old mother fall, get pricked by thorns, not even thinking to stop it!”
