Chapter 281 - 273: Mrs. Li of the Wang Family
Chapter 281: Chapter 273: Mrs. Li of the Wang Family
Ru’er’s fever had broken, though she still had a bit of a cough. Bai Zhi got a few doses of medicine for her from Doctor Lu, then gathered half a sack of yams and over half a sack of rice and flour. She had A Wu take everything to the village chief’s house to prevent his daughter-in-law from making any sour remarks when she saw them. Bringing a gift could at least partially shut her up.
A Wu’s family didn’t have much luggage—just a few articles of clothing, the two old quilts Zhao Lan had given them, and the yams, rice, and flour that Bai Zhi had them bring.
They had just finished unloading their things from the carriage when the village chief’s wife, Old Mrs. An, announced that dinner was ready. She called the family over. "Come and eat first. You don’t have much to unpack, so you can do it later. The room’s already been cleaned for you, so don’t you worry."
Zhao Su’e quickly pulled her daughter into the kitchen to help serve the meal and tidy up.
Old Mrs. An was getting on in years, after all, and even daily chores were a strain. Today was the first time A Wu’s family was eating at her home, so she had made two extra dishes, bustling about the kitchen all by herself. She was only just now catching her breath and was truly exhausted. Seeing that Zhao Su’e was diligent and sensible, a faint smile finally appeared on her weary face.
The large family had just sat down at the table and had yet to take a single bite when the voice of the eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Li, drifted in from outside.
"My, what a lovely smell! You must be having braised pork!" Mrs. Li’s words were spoken with a laugh, but they were sour enough to set one’s teeth on edge.
Beside Mrs. Li, Wang Shugen nudged his wife’s arm. "Keep your voice down. Don’t let Mom and Dad hear you."
Mrs. Li rolled her eyes. "So what if they hear? I *want* them to hear."
Wang Shugen was well-known in the village for being afraid of his wife. If Mrs. Li pointed east, he wouldn’t dare go west. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lived apart from his parents for so many years, not even daring to send a single sack of rice their way.
Old Mrs. An’s brows knitted together instantly. She slammed her chopsticks down on the table. The look on her face and in her eyes made it perfectly clear how much she despised this daughter-in-law.
The village chief turned to a bewildered A Wu. "That’s my eldest son and his wife. It’s nothing, you all eat first. I’ll go see what’s going on."
After hearing such acidic words, who could possibly eat? Worried that the village chief would be put in a difficult position, A Wu followed him outside as well.
When Mrs. Li saw the village chief emerge, followed by a man in his early thirties, a look of disgust immediately spread across her harsh face. She was just about to open her mouth.
The village chief spoke quickly, beating her to it. "Ah, you’re here. I was just about to tell you. This is A Wu. He and his family are renting a room from me, so they’ll be staying here for a while."
Renting?
Mrs. Li’s expression flickered. ’Renting? How can that be? That’s not what Liu Guihua said. She said this A Wu was a refugee, that Bai Zhi and Zhao Lan wanted to keep his family around to work for free. But since the new house isn’t built yet, they just dumped them on that old softy, the village chief, to freeload off him.’
Liu Guihua had been very clear: they were freeloading, not renting!
Beside Mrs. Li, Wang Shugen heaved a huge sigh of relief. "See? I told you it was a rental. Dad’s house has been empty for years, but I’ve never seen him let anyone live in it for free."
Mrs. Li sized up A Wu. ’A coarse cloth shirt with who knows how many patches, and that ugly scar on his face... He looks like a pathetic, poor refugee. Where would he get the money for rent? And if he had money, why come to a place like Huangtuo Village to scrape by? Couldn’t he make a living anywhere else?’