Chapter 6:
Luo Zhi’er put down the bowl, “Miaomiao, you eat first, Mom’s going out to check!”
“Got it, Mom!”
Luo Zhi’er put down the bowl and ran out, outside people were scrambling!
Li Zhenzhu saw her come out, her eyes rolled around, and she immediately mocked her:
“Third Sister-in-law, you’re something else, why didn’t you make more of this snake meat? I saw that snake earlier was so big, how come there’s only this much, did you and Miaomiao sneak some?”
“Zhenzhu, you’re really wronging me, Miaomiao and I haven’t even started eating yet, Eldest Sister-in-law came in and scooped a bowl, then Mom served it all out…”
“I remember you both said you weren’t eating it earlier!”
The air was awkward for a moment, everyone lowered their heads to eat, no one paid her any mind.
Luo Zhi’er looked aggrieved… “Look, Uncle’s bowl is piled high too!”
She gave a meaningful look at Li Gui, whose bowl still had several snake segments piled up.
Besides Old Man Li, his bowl had the most…
Hah! She knew it…
Li Gui was eating it with relish, oil all over his mouth, he didn’t expect Third Sister-in-law to run out and direct the trouble at him.
Suddenly he remembered scorning her snake meat that morning, calling it filthy and disgusting, and felt a bit embarrassed…
“Uncle, is this snake segment tasty?”
“Uh, this, this stuff is just so-so, Mom served it out and I couldn’t not eat it…”
Li Gui dodged around, still making excuses for his face!
He felt a bit annoyed that she said it out loud in public, not sure if it was intentional, or if she really had no manners and didn’t know to respect people.
Third Sister-in-law was ugly, fat, no manners, no background, couldn’t make money, in his eyes such a woman was worthless!
Luo Zhi’er usually despised this kind of man the most… wanting the best for himself but still protecting his face, not daring to admit cowardly behavior!
Zhou Shi quickly said, “Exactly, this stuff can barely be swallowed, we ate it to give you face…”
Xiao Zhou Shi and Chen Shi heard it and chimed in too, though they also somewhat looked down on Uncle’s behavior, going to school still required their men to earn silver.
But they had scorned it before too, and didn’t want Luo Zhi’er to win!
They wanted face too…
Luo Zhi’er looked dumb, shook her round head as if suddenly realizing, and said,
“Oh? I thought it was tasty, was thinking of catching another one tomorrow to make salt and pepper for you all, then forget it!”
“Ah, this…”
“Hehe, sister-in-law, everyone was just joking!”
Xiao Zhou Shi said awkwardly.
For a moment everyone regretted it deeply, faces turning pale then green, how didn’t they think of that…
“Uncle, since it’s not tasty, I see the little kids eating it happily, how about you give it to Liuliu, and Yunliang, Muxin and them!”
“What?”
“This… wouldn’t be appropriate!”
Li Gui hesitated, how could he bear to, finally seeing some meaty food, and so delicious!
He looked to his mom for help, Zhou Shi immediately shouted,
“What are you saying, Gui Wa’s eaten stuff can’t be given to the little kids!”
Luo Zhi’er pouted, “Alright then!”, obediently ran to Old Man Li,
“Dad, how’s the snake soup?”
Old Man Li smiled, “Not bad, really didn’t expect this stuff could be eaten like this, pretty fragrant.”
“Dad, then wife will make it for you again tomorrow!”
“Hey!” This Third Wife was pretty good, the other two wives never made anything for him…
“But… snakes are poisonous, earlier in the village Li Erdan was bitten by a snake, his leg swelled so much he couldn’t wear pants, nearly died, you gotta be careful!”
“Dad, don’t worry, the ones I catch have no poison, it’ll be fine!”
“Hehe, that’s good!”
Before dark in the afternoon, Li Sanmao carried a wild boar back to the village.
A crowd of onlookers chased after his butt, including little kids, shouting: “Killing a pig! Li Sanmao hunted another wild boar!”
Some villagers saw him hunt such a big wild boar, green with envy.
Who knew how much silver it would sell for, and this wild boar meat was tastier than the domestic pork sold outside!
All hoping he’d slaughter the wild boar and they could chop some meat to take home for a treat!
Old Man Li really raised some good sons, Oldest Brother was top-notch at work, Second Brother helped his wife’s maternal family do business in town, Third Child was good at hunting, Fifth Brother studied and even passed Tong Sheng.
Li Erdan followed too, saw Old Man Li helping scrape pig hair, flattered: “Brother Li, your family’s living so prosperously, really makes people envious, look at these sons, all promising!”
Old Li Tou heard it, felt delighted inside, see? Finally someone recognized his family’s good.
He chuckled happily, “Hehe! Brother Erdan is joking…”
“No way, brother, I’m speaking the truth!”
“Hahaha!”
Earlier just thinking of Zhao Er’s words that morning felt like a knife gouging his heart.
Now he finally felt relieved…
Zhao Er came too, hoping to get some scraps,
“Brother Li, look at this wild boar so big, could you give little brother some extra pig tail, pig ears or scraps, take back for the kids at home to satisfy their craving!”
“Hehe, Old Er, look this wild boar is just this big, tomorrow Sanmao still has to haul it to town to sell, this tail can sell for ten or twenty cash!”
Zhao Er’s face turned pale then green.
Joke, as if there was such a good thing, would you Zhao Er give me twenty cash for nothing? Old Li Tou sent him off!
