Chapter 70:
Li Ergou limped along the roadside outside the village, wandering all the way to the riverside, and finally found what he wanted…
He saw that the corn in the field next to Zhao Er’s house by the riverside was huge, so he quickly pulled out the bag from his pocket, broke off some, and put it inside.
He was hiding in the cornfield, slyly breaking off the second corn cob, when he heard a burst of footsteps.
Scared, he ducked down and saw through the gap that it was Li Sanmao with his father and oldest brother, looking hurried as they passed by the fork in the road beside him.
The group turned back along the same path they had come and went up the mountain.
It looked like everyone was carrying a bamboo basket, holding a stick, or carrying a fork, with a sickle tucked in their waist.
“What are they up to?” His eyes flashed, hum! He knew Li Sanmao hadn’t told the truth.
He quickly hid the corn in the grass by the riverside and followed behind them, trailing them all the way up the mountain.
Luo Zhi’er hadn’t eaten dinner. She went to the kitchen to check, lifted the pot lid, and saw the blackened corn paste stuck to the bottom of the pot again…
There was only dry sour soup left, not even willing to give her and Miaomiao a couple more pieces of pickled mustard greens, let alone any oily flowers…
She lost her appetite just looking at it, scooped out the stuff from the pot, got a wooden basin, boiled some hot water in the kitchen, and washed herself and Miaomiao clean—they had been running around all day and were soaked in sweat.
She could even smell the odd odor on herself.
She washed her own hair and Miaomiao’s too. After washing, she changed into clean clothes, went out, sat on a small stool in one corner of the courtyard to comb her hair, and enjoy the evening breeze.
The yard was rundown, but at this moment, sitting here to rest for a bit, smelling the fragrance of orchids, felt incredibly comfortable…
Luo Zhi’er was afraid Miaomiao would catch a chill, so she got a towel to dry Miaomiao’s hair and saw it was full of holes, almost like threads…
She thought to herself that next time she must change to a different towel. Miaomiao, enjoying it, squinted her eyes, “Mother, it feels so good!”
She affectionately rubbed against her mother in her arms. She was really tired today, and her mother’s body gave her a very comfortable feeling—she didn’t want to get up.
Luo Zhi’er saw her acting coquettish and smiled lightly, “Of course, people naturally feel comfortable when they keep clean.”
“Miaomiao, you must not let yourself get all dirty in the future…”
Zhou Shi, with her triangular eyes glaring, couldn’t hold back anymore and started scolding from the doorway of the main hall.
She had held back for a bit because Luo Zhi’er had brought home a black bear.
But… she couldn’t stand seeing the mother and daughter looking so content and comfortable…
Shouldn’t they be whining about not having dinner when they got back? Now seeing the mother and daughter smiling happily, without begging her, it felt like needles in her triangular eyes.
“Wash, wash, wash—does that mean the firewood doesn’t need picking and the water doesn’t need carrying? The whole vat of water is almost empty. Even if you wash clean, you’re still all fatty meat. Do you think you can become immortal or something…”
Luo Zhi’er stood up and glanced at her, “Mother, this water was carried by Sanmao this morning anyway, and I’ve picked firewood with Sanmao before. Isn’t it reasonable for Miaomiao and me to use a little?”
“Reasonable? This is still water carried by my son! The firewood I picked is for me to manage. What right do you have to enjoy it?”
She cursed inwardly: This damned fat hoof, why didn’t the black bear eat you? Even licking you once would be good, but you came back to anger me.
Looking at Miaomiao again, white and clean—it was extremely unpleasant. The mother and daughter were the same, just knowing how to enjoy comfort!
“He is my man, Miaomiao’s father. We mother and daughter ran around all day and come back to use some of the water he carried—is that enjoying?”
“Of course not!”
“Fine, since you say we can’t use it, then come with me to the village chief’s house in the village to talk reason!”
“You, go where? Who’s going with you!” Zhou Shi was choked speechless and could only glare dryly.
She turned and went into the room, “Bang!” slamming the door to the room where she slept!
Luo Zhi’er didn’t want to take advantage of her anyway, mainly didn’t want to stay with her or listen to her talk. She stood up, used a hair clip to tie Miaomiao’s hair neatly, and ran to the kitchen to carry out the water bucket.
“Let’s go, Miaomiao, go carry water with Mother!” She took Miaomiao to carry water, just right to lose some weight…
Halfway there, they ran into Xiao Zhou Shi bringing back Yunliang and Muqing. Xiao Zhou Shi’s face was sallow yellow, and she was stunned to see Luo Zhi’er.
She didn’t know why she had hostility toward Luo Zhi’er from the start, and plus she had often stirred things up in front of Zhou Shi before, making trouble for her…
Seeing her now, she felt a bit awkward. Thinking of the ink and paper Li Daqiang had brought into the house last night, and Liuliu’s hair clip, there was an indescribable taste.
She knew she should say thanks, but couldn’t get it out. Moreover, she had managed to earn silver under these conditions, while she hadn’t.
In the future, surviving in this family would be harder for her, because of her—unclear if it was gratitude, resentment, or jealousy.
Looking at her, still in coarse hemp cloth, with a fat and bloated figure, unclear what was different, but exuding a strong confidence from her bones.
What she envied was that no matter what she looked like, Li Sanmao always protected her.
And Miaomiao beside her, who had clearly been like Liuliu before, now had bright sparkling eyes, clean and neat, with a pink little flower in her hair, looking like a pure innocent child.
“Aunt, are you feeling better?”
Miaomiao greeted her, but she still didn’t speak as usual…
She looked at Liuliu beside her, still stiff, low-spirited, lifeless.
Although she wouldn’t admit it in front of others or herself, she was indeed jealous and envious.
Xiao Zhou Shi didn’t greet her, just looked at Luo Zhi’er coldly from the side, but Muqing unexpectedly greeted her: “Third Aunt, are you and little sister Miaomiao going to carry water?”
“Yes, Muqing, Yunliang, where did you go to play?”
“Did Liuliu go too?”
Liuliu shrank her neck and hid behind Xiao Zhou Shi.
“To the grinding stone in the village.”
Muqing picked up the notebook and pen in his hand and showed them to her, deliberately showing off.
Yunliang hid the drawn ink paper behind him, looking at her with a dirty face.
Luo Zhi’er saw their little actions. Little children get things and can’t help showing off—the eager desire to study was understandable…
Miaomiao was still holding the water ladle in her hand and said crisply: “Liuliu, today I went collecting mushrooms with Mother. Do you want to go tomorrow?”
Liuliu really wanted to go, but Father said Mother wasn’t feeling well and she needed to stay home these few days to watch Muqing and Yunliang, and take care of Mother.
Although Liuliu was the little sister, she was more sensible than the two boys. She looked at her mother.
Xiao Zhou Shi’s face darkened a bit: “What are you looking at me for? If you want to go, then go!”
After saying that, she walked past her.
Liuliu hurried after her without a word, and Muqing and Yunliang too.
“Third Aunt, goodbye!”
Muqing walked a few steps and turned back to greet her!
Muqing this kid, last time when his mother was beaten, he ran to shout for the village chief to save her—she had thought this child was pretty smart.
Xiao Zhou Shi was right about letting them study; with proper nurturing, they shouldn’t be bad.
She didn’t take Xiao Zhou Shi’s attitude to heart. Could you expect someone like her to have a conscience and be grateful to you?
Who knows when she’d stab you in the back. She preferred her being cold like this. She supported Muqing and Yunliang studying, not to curry favor with her.
Currying favor with her brought no benefits.
