Originally, they thought this was no big deal, but no one expected such a huge mistake to happen.
Erdan’s mother was completely stunned.
There really was such an official document? Then… then what did her earlier behavior make her?
Did it make her stupid?
Erdan also burst into loud tears.
“Sister Yu doesn’t want me anymore! Waaaah—I like learning the violin—ahhh!”
This child had actually rushed forward more than once to protect Sister Yu during his mother’s confrontation with her, but he was pushed aside every time. Now he was dirty, his face covered in tears and snot as he sobbed loudly. Meng Yu found it disgusting to even look at him.
“Ugh—”
The spoiled young lady from a capitalist family showed her disgust without any restraint.
“How dare you look down on my son! Why are you looking down on my son!”
Erdan’s mother immediately exploded in anger upon seeing this.
“What gives you the right!”
“Enough!”
The village chief immediately shouted, and Erdan’s mother quieted down.
But her expression was still full of resentment.
“Why? Tell me why! She can teach your son that thing—”
“It’s… sob… it’s the violin,” Erdan cried, hiccupping as he corrected her.
The village chief nodded.
“Yes, she can teach your son the violin, so she can also look down on your son.”
Erdan’s mother’s face turned red, wanting to retort but unable to say a word.
Everyone turned to look at Meng Yu.
Since this was all a misunderstanding, then… it had already been explained, so…
The villagers looked at Meng Yu, whose expression remained cold, then at Zhou Sinian.
They hadn’t expected the Zhou family’s eldest daughter-in-law to have such ability.
Now that the state had issued directives to restore cultural and artistic activities, people who knew these skills were becoming valuable.
By logic, Erdan was actually very lucky.
But because of how Erdan’s mother had caused trouble…
“Sinian’s wife,” the village chief began carefully, “you see, they’re just rural women with little ability or knowledge, so…”
“Village chief, are you asking me whether I should repay kindness with kindness?”
The question was too direct, making the village chief feel a bit awkward.
But under everyone’s expectant gaze, Meng Yu smiled and shook her head.
“No.”
She then looked at Erdan.
“He has talent, and I already told his mother that. But at the same time, there are many people with talent.”
So she was not lacking someone to guide.
“Waaah—”
Erdan cried even harder.
His mother could only coax and scold him, but nothing worked.
In the end, she had no choice but to drag him home, cursing all the way.
From beginning to end, Meng Yu remained calm.
After everything was settled, she even looked at Zhou Sinian and raised her eyebrow slightly.
Although her expression was still calm, a hint of pride could still be seen in her eyes.
Zhou Sinian raised his brows.
She really was interesting.
“Let’s go home.”
“Wait!”
Someone stopped them.
Zhou Sinian frowned and turned around—it was Gouhua’s mother.
She was a very typical rural woman, her face dark like fertile soil, wearing an awkward smile.
“Um… Sinian’s wife, my Gouhua has also been playing with you at the village entrance. Since Erdan has talent, then my Gouhua…”
She rubbed her hands together, clearly embarrassed.
Gouhua didn’t understand what the adults were thinking, but she liked playing with Sister Yu, so she looked at her eagerly.
Meng Yu thought for a moment.
“Gouhua has some talent, but she needs to work hard. Also, learning the violin is expensive. Can your family afford it?”
Gouhua’s mother’s expression changed immediately.
“Uh… this…”
They were all rural people—where would they get the money?
She originally thought the Zhou family’s eldest daughter-in-law would cover everything, but she didn’t expect her to say this.
If she wasn’t going to take full responsibility, then why was she letting her daughter play at the village entrance?
“Let’s go home! Stop wandering around outside! There’s so much work to do at home!”
She then dragged Gouhua away.
Meng Yu frowned.
She didn’t really understand.
In her worldview, if a child had interest, then they should pursue it—wasn’t that a win-win situation?
“In the countryside, even three-year-old children already learn to help with farm work. The countryside doesn’t raise idle people,” Zhou Sinian said calmly, as if he had read her thoughts.
Meng Yu turned to look at him.
“So I’m idle?”
Zhou Sinian hadn’t expected her to respond like that.
She really caused trouble everywhere.
But he also had a sharp tongue.
“Aren’t you idle?”
So idle that she could teach violin at the village entrance and stir up such a big commotion.
Meng Yu rolled her eyes at him and turned to walk home.
Shan Cuixiang looked at her back, still confused.
“Sinian, your wife knows how to play that fancy instrument?”
She had never heard of it.
“The Meng family never mentioned it,” she added.
If they had known, the bride price wouldn’t have been just 36 yuan.
Zhou Sinian also shook his head.
“I don’t know either. Let’s go home first.”
There were too many secrets about Meng Yu. He felt he needed to have a proper talk with her.
When the whole family gathered, Meng Yu became the center of attention.
“What?”
She looked confused.
Why was everyone staring at her?
Shan Cuixiang opened her mouth but didn’t know how to ask.
She looked at Zhou Sinian, hoping her son would ask.
Zhou Sinian looked at Meng Yu with doubt.
“You know how to play the violin?”
Meng Yu raised an eyebrow.
“You know what a violin is?”
“I do. During military performances, I saw people from the cultural troupe play it,” he replied.
Oh.
She hadn’t expected someone in such a remote rural place to know about the violin.
“Was it nice?”
A random, unrelated question.
Zhou Sinian frowned and thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“I didn’t really pay attention.” He paused. “The instrument was small.”
At the time, all he noticed was the small instrument held under the performer’s chin. He hadn’t paid attention to the person.
So whether it was beautiful, he really had no impression.
And since this woman always spoke in traps, he had to be careful.
Meng Yu didn’t expect him to be so cautious, but she had only asked casually.
“You still haven’t told me—why can you play the violin?”
This instrument was Western music. Back when that cultural troupe member played it, many people criticized it.
Of course, that was when the directive had just been issued, and not everyone had accepted it yet.
Now, compared to before, things were naturally much more relaxed.