As the crowd continued to gather, Old Liu seemed emboldened by the growing audience, raising her voice even louder.
In contrast, Xu Lao Nian’er’s brow furrowed more and more deeply. If there had been flies in this harsh winter, his knitted brows could have crushed them to death.
Seeing the crowd closing in, Old Liu shot Xu Lao Nian’er a triumphant glance, snorting through her nose with the smug expression of a petty villain who had gotten her way. She quickly masked her glee, replacing it with an exaggerated look of agony as she moaned, “Oh, heavens above!”
While groaning, Old Liu mentally rehearsed her false accusation that Xu Lao Nian’er had run into her.
Before she could speak, a bystander beat her to it—but not in the way she had hoped. Instead of condemning Xu Lao Nian’er, the person directed sarcastic remarks at her, still seated on the ground.
“Hey, Old Liu, you’re really going all out with this scam, rolling around in the snow in your cotton-padded clothes. Tsk, tsk! Once that cotton soaks through, it won’t keep you warm anymore!”
The comment froze Liu Shi mid-action as she was about to slap her thigh, and her prepared cries stuck in her throat. Before her mind could catch up, her body had already scrambled to its feet. By the time she regained her senses, she was frantically brushing the snow off her clothes in circles.
Unfortunately, she had sat on the ground for too long, and the snow on her back and rear had melted, soaking through a large patch of her clothing. She reached back and felt the dampness, her heart aching at the loss. How could she have forgotten she was wearing her cotton-padded clothes today? Now they were drenched, and drying them would waste a bundle of firewood.
This reminded her of her original purpose for coming—to wheedle some firewood from Xu Lao Nian’er. Now, because of him, her clothes were ruined. A few bundles of firewood wouldn’t suffice anymore; he’d have to compensate her with the entire cartload!
Having made up her mind, and since her clothes were already wet, Old Liu plopped right back down under the wheel of Xu Lao Nian’er’s cart.
“Oww, he’s killing me! Lao Xu Jia is killing someone!”
Her brazen antics were too much not only for Xu Lao Nian’er but even for the onlookers. The same elderly man who had mocked her earlier spoke up again.
“You’re just scamming him! Killing you? More like killing the cart! I’ve never seen anyone willingly dive under a cart wheel before!”
“Aunt Liu, we all live in the same village and usually let it slide when you beg for food or supplies. But this blatant extortion is going too far!” This came from a young man around the same age as Xu Dazhu, who would address Old Liu as “Auntie.”
Hearing this, Old Liu immediately bristled. “Who’s begging? You think I’m some beggar scrounging everywhere? I borrowed those things! Borrowed!”
As she was protesting, the young man’s wife muttered under her breath, “Borrowed, my foot. You say you borrow, but we never see you return anything! In the end, you just weasel out of it!”
The young woman’s voice was soft, heard only by those standing nearby.
She thought Old Liu couldn’t hear her, but the old woman had sharp ears. Though she didn’t catch everything, she distinctly heard the word “scoundrel” at that moment.
Pointing a finger at the young woman, she snapped, “You little hussy! Calling me a scoundrel? You’ve got a bear’s heart and leopard’s gall to speak to your elder like that!”
Her words turned the young woman pale as a sheet, and even the young man’s face flashed with panic.
It wasn’t that the two were afraid of Old Liu herself—it was that the dynasty placed utmost importance on “filial piety.” Anyone branded with the crime of “defying their elders” could be beaten to death without anyone crying injustice.
The two youngsters were so frightened they became flustered, while other younger onlookers fell silent. Xu Lao Nian’er couldn’t stand it any longer and stepped forward, looking down at Old Liu.
“What exactly do you want?”
Old Liu had been arrogant toward the young couple, but that approach wouldn’t work with Xu Lao Nian’er. Seeing him show signs of backing down, she felt satisfied and didn’t press the two youngsters further.
“Brother Xu, look—you bumped into me, the firewood crushed my foot, and my padded coat is soaked. This coat was just stuffed with new cotton this year…”
Old Liu rattled on like pouring beans, relentlessly listing all her grievances.
Knowing she just wanted to extort more, Xu Lao Nian’er didn’t want to hear her prattle and cut her off. “What do you actually want?”
His voice had turned icy by now—so cold that Old Liu, sitting on the ground, shivered. But she didn’t connect it to Xu Lao Nian’er, blaming it instead on her wet clothes.
Rubbing her nose, Old Liu figured she’d better achieve her goal quickly and hurry home for some hot water to warm up.
“You have to deliver this cartload of firewood to our house today, and you owe us three more cartloads in the future.”
Whoa!
The moment Old Liu spoke, everyone was stunned by her shameless demand. Especially Xu Lao Nian’er—his face darkened like a soot-blackened pot.
“Impossible!” Xu Lao Nian’er replied firmly. With that, he pushed his flatbed cart to leave.
This old hag really thought he was a fool!
Seeing his resolute refusal, Old Liu clung to the cart wheel, refusing to let go. She was determined to take this cartload of firewood home today.
“Old Liu, that’s enough. Grab two bundles of pine branches and go home!” The elderly man who’d spoken earlier tried to pull Old Liu up from the ground.
But before his hand could touch her clothes, she howled, “Aiyo! My leg! My leg’s broken! Stay away from me, or if it gets worse, you’ll have to pay my medical bills!”
At her words, no one dared touch her—not only the old man but even the onlookers stepped back, afraid she’d extort them too.
Helpless against this shrew, Xu Lao Nian’er couldn’t very well lay hands on a woman. He could only suppress his rising anger.
“Fine, if I can’t reason with you, I’ll talk to your husband!”
Old Liu pursed her lips, still clinging to the wheel, unconcerned by Xu Lao Nian’er’s threat.
Hah, let him go find Old Liu if he wanted—if he succeeded, she’d eat her words!
Every time she took advantage of others outside and they came looking for him, that old dodger would hide far away.
They had long established this tacit understanding.
In fact, when Old Liu started making a scene, someone had already gone to the village to look for Old Liu, but just as she predicted, there was no one at their home.
“Liu Qi Shi, I’m asking you one last time—will you move or not?”
Xu Lao Nian’er’s eyebrows were raised, his eyes slightly red—clearly seething with rage.
Judging by Xu Lao Nian’er’s expression, it seemed if she didn’t get up, he would truly resort to force.
But Old Liu remained completely unruffled; she was even somewhat anticipating it.
She had indeed been extorting Xu Lao Nian’er earlier, but if he dared lay a finger on her, it would no longer be mere extortion.
By then, not only would she claim these cartloads of firewood, but even the two stacks of firewood in Lao Xu Jia’s yard would have to be hauled to her home!
Seeing Old Liu stubbornly craning her neck, Xu Lao Nian’er clenched his fists.
Just as he was about to step forward and forcibly drag Old Liu out from under the cartwheel, a sudden cry of alarm reached everyone’s ears, drawing the gaze of all present.