Li Jiaojiao really couldn’t stand watching any longer. Wang shi couldn’t even lift her head from what Li Chengcai had said, so Li Jiaojiao stepped forward at once and pulled Wang shi behind her. “Watery and tasteless, is it? Then let’s ask our good grandmother about that, two scoops of flour. Grandmother, let me ask you, for a family of fourteen or fifteen people, two scoops of flour, were you expecting us to count out flour grains to fill everyone’s stomachs?”
Deng shi flew into a rage hearing this. Old Man Li, having lived long enough to see through everything, knew perfectly well this was all Deng shi’s doing, so he simply ignored the women arguing and sat straight down, scooping up a mouthful with his chopsticks. The instant it hit his mouth, he froze, and in disbelief stirred the dough drops in his bowl.
“Second Daughter-in-law, did I give you two scoops of flour?”
Deng shi pointed at Wang shi’s face. Wang shi trembled with fright, glancing carefully at Li Jiaojiao, then at Deng shi’s darkened face, and for a long while said nothing at all.
Li Jiaojiao was truly furious, with a mother this much of a pushover, what was she supposed to do!
“Whether it was two scoops or not, Grandmother, you know perfectly well yourself!” Li Jiaojiao kept a stern face. “Now I’ve made this whole big pot, and Grandmother, without even tasting it, you’re already calling it watery and tasteless and not filling, isn’t that a bit too hasty a judgment? It looks more like you’re trying to convict my mother on the spot!”
Old Man Li sighed inwardly and said to Deng shi, “Sit down and have a taste. Second Daughter-in-law worked hard to make this, try it before you say anything!” After a pause, he added to the rest of the family, “All of you, sit down too!”
Once Old Man Li had spoken, whether it was Deng shi or anyone else, all they could do was sit down.
Li Jiaojiao felt a flash of anger, clearly, everyone in the family knew exactly what was going on, yet they all stayed silent, watching Deng shi bully Wang shi without a word.
Deng shi took just one bite, and the flavor was excellent, the soup was thick, the scallions fragrant, and beyond the salt there was a hint of Sichuan pepper, with finely chopped vegetables mixed throughout. She couldn’t help taking a second bite.
Li Qiaoqiao quickly said to Zhao shi, “Mother, this actually tastes pretty good!”
Zhao shi nodded slightly, glancing at Wang shi, after all these years as sisters-in-law, she’d had no idea Wang shi could cook this well!
Li Juanjuan held her bowl and finished it in no time, then held the bowl out to Li Jiaojiao. “I want more!”
Li Jiaojiao gave her a sidelong glance and didn’t move. Wang shi hurried to take it. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it!”
Li Jiaojiao tugged at Wang shi’s sleeve, but Wang shi pulled free, took the bowl, got up, and ladled Li Juanjuan another bowlful.
With Li Juanjuan setting the example, Deng shi and Hu shi also held out their bowls next.
Hu shi said with a beaming smile, “Mother, I never expected Second Sister-in-law’s cooking to be this good, let’s have her cook again next time!”
Deng shi said nothing. Wang shi’s face flushed, and by the time she finally sat down to eat her own bowl of dough-drop soup, the pot was already empty. Li Jiaojiao urged her, “Eat quickly!”
Only then did Wang shi start eating. By the time Deng shi and the others had finished, she stood up, wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, and said to Wang shi, “Once you’re done, clean up the bowls and chopsticks, and wash all the clothes outside! Feed the chickens and pigs at sundown this evening, and also cut pig fodder and go up the mountain for firewood!”
Hearing Deng shi’s list, Li Jiaojiao’s heart clenched, that much work for Wang shi to finish in a single afternoon, she’d have to run nonstop and still might not manage it.
Li Jiaojiao hurriedly tugged at Wang shi’s sleeve and said to Deng shi, “Grandmother, seeing everyone out working the fields, how could my mother and I feel right enjoying an easy time at home? Mother and I will go out to the fields with everyone else in a bit, more hands means we can finish planting the wheat sooner! We can all come back together this evening and cook dinner as a group!”
Wang shi nodded hurriedly. Li Qiao ran over happily and hugged Wang shi. “Mother, let’s go work the fields together!”
Old Man Li glanced at Deng shi and nodded. “Looking at the sky, the weather may not hold for the next couple of days. If it rains, it might keep raining for a long stretch after that, let’s all go work the fields together and finish sooner, so we can rest sooner too!”
Once the wheat planting was done, the day for the autumn tax would also arrive, and then Old Man Li and the men of the family would all have to go into town to pay it!
And so, Wang shi, Li Jiaojiao, and the rest all went out to work the fields together.
Before leaving, Li Jiaojiao took the rehmannia out of the space and brought it into her own room, carefully locking the door before heading up the mountain to work with everyone else!
By evening, Li Jiaojiao dragged her exhausted body back home. After staying up all night before and not getting a single moment’s rest all day, she was worn out, on the way down the mountain, she’d nearly fallen asleep on her feet, and the instant she stepped into the room, she collapsed at once.
Wang shi ached with worry for her. Wiping away her own sweat, she said to Li Jiaojiao, “Rest for a while, Mother will go do the work outside. I’ll tell Qiaoqiao, if anyone comes in, I’ll have him wake you.”
Eyes already closed, Li Jiaojiao nodded, and had no idea at all when Wang shi left.
Drifting in a half-asleep daze, Li Jiaojiao heard Hu shi’s delighted voice coming from outside. “Jiaojiao, get up quick, look who’s come to see you! You’ve really gained some face, it’s a good thing Chen Xuan’s wife isn’t holding a grudge against you. Come on out!”
Li Jiaojiao’s head felt fuzzy and heavy, still feeling like she hadn’t gotten enough sleep at all, and the loud knocking on the door rang through her head.
Li Jiaojiao pulled her clothes on, and before she could even open the door, Li Qiao burst in, standing protectively in the doorway like a guarding cub. “Nobody’s allowed in, nobody!”
Li Jiaojiao quickly waved Li Qiao over. Li Qiao shut the door, bolted it, and ran up to Li Jiaojiao. “Sis, don’t go out there, Chen Xuan and his wife are here! I don’t think they mean well, saying something about compensating you properly, and that woman, I saw… anyway, just don’t go out!”
Li Qiao was still young and couldn’t explain many things clearly, so Li Jiaojiao only caught it in a hazy sort of way.
She didn’t rush out. Instead, she stood by the door and listened carefully for a good while, and only then understood what Li Qiao had just meant!
Chen Xuan and his newlywed wife had come to their house, saying they wanted to properly compensate Li Jiaojiao. Wan Yuxiu tearfully told the Li family she’d had no idea Chen Xuan had already been engaged, that otherwise she’d never have married him, and things along those lines.
Li Jiaojiao scoffed at this. She put her arm around Li Qiao’s shoulder and whispered a few words into his ear. Li Qiao glanced at her, then opened the door.
In the courtyard, Wan Yuxiu and Chen Xuan were being warmly entertained by the Li family. Hu shi looked exactly like a maidservant to Wan Yuxiu, standing respectfully off to the side. Even Deng shi, usually so high and mighty, now stood properly to one side as well. Even Old Man Li, the head of the family, wore an unusually fawning smile on his face, speaking quietly to Chen Xuan about something.
What disgusted Li Jiaojiao most was Li Chengcai, the original body’s father, his face now full of flattery, saying to Chen Xuan again and again, “She’s just a village girl, how could she stand in the way of your future? Besides, haven’t you already given compensation? Why would you need to come apologize in person? Brother Xuan, and you even brought your wife along, that’s such an honor for her!”
The moment Chen Xuan laid eyes on Li Jiaojiao, his gaze went fixed. He stared blankly at her, unable to come back to himself for a long while.