Qiu Yinong was cracking sunflower seeds when Yuan Yi’s son climbed up the tree trunk and handed her some. She hadn’t expected this farcical wedding commotion to eventually drag her into the center of it.
Seeing everyone turn to look at her, making her the focus of attention, she still lounged lazily against the tree without the slightest intention of climbing down.
Her gaze drifted lightly toward Old Madam Huang, her voice calm and cold, but her attitude unmistakably firm.
“Grandma Huang, my surname is Qiu, not Huang. My marriage is none of your business. And let me make one thing clear again—I’m not freeloading off your family. I’m eating at my aunt’s house. A niece visiting her aunt and having meals there is perfectly natural.”
“Your aunt is a daughter-in-law of the Huang family. If you eat at her house, then you’re eating the Huang family’s food!” Old Madam Huang’s voice shot up sharply.
“Fine. I’ll follow your logic.”
Qiu Yinong didn’t argue angrily. Instead, she calmly reasoned things out.
“My aunt and uncle stayed at the Qiu family home for a whole week, eating, drinking, and living there. I never asked them for a single cent, nor did I accuse them of freeloading. Now I’m here for one week, simply eating back the food my family provided.”
“Y-your uncle went there to help your family with matters. Of course you should’ve hosted him!” Old Madam Huang hadn’t expected her to be so sharp-tongued.
“I never called or wrote asking him to come, nor did I tell them about the family situation. He showed up on his own. I didn’t even want to come here in the first place—it was he who insisted I come live with them. All those promises and guarantees were made voluntarily by him.”
“My family has land and a house. Even if the elders are gone, I can still support myself. They were the ones who insisted on bringing me here.”
“And yet after I’ve only stayed one night and eaten two meals, you’re already looking down on me and even trying to sell me off for bride price money. Could it be this was the Huang family’s plan all along, worked out together with my uncle?”
“If that’s the case, then I should head to the Public Security Bureau right now and report a case of deception and human trafficking.”
Qiu Yinong had grown up in a rural village and had dealt countless times with old women skilled in throwing tantrums and making scenes. She simply didn’t take such people seriously. Over the years she had honed her verbal combat skills to perfection and had never once lost an argument against women like them.
Old Madam Huang said one sentence, and Qiu Yinong fired back an entire speech, easily overwhelming her.
“You’re already of marriageable age. I’m finding you a good match. Third son of the Cheng family grew up right under my eyes. He’s a military officer with limitless prospects. He’s more than good enough for you.”
“And yet you don’t appreciate my kindness. Truly, a good heart treated like donkey liver and lungs.”
Old Madam Huang’s voice was so loud it hurt the ears. Qiu Yinong rubbed one ear and rolled her eyes at her.
“Grandma Huang, your abacus is clacking so loudly the beads are practically smacking me in the face.”
“The Cheng family is offering a thousand-yuan bride price. If you marry over there, half my family’s debts can immediately be repaid. Such a good opportunity—if I hadn’t spoken up for you, would it ever have fallen into your lap?”
Old Madam Huang raised her voice even higher, her face stretched long.
“Your Qiu family comes from some poor mountain ditch, scratching food out of the dirt. Could your family even earn a thousand yuan in a lifetime? In your village, marrying off a daughter probably doesn’t even bring fifty yuan in bride price. But the Cheng family is offering one thousand yuan plus thirty-two legs’ worth of furniture—you couldn’t dream of such a thing even in your sleep.”
Hearing that, Qiu Yinong smiled.
Her smile was pure and elegant like jasmine flowers, and her voice was neither loud nor soft, but clear enough for everyone to hear.
“Grandma Huang, yes, the Qiu family comes from the mountains. But did you ever ask my aunt how much my grandaunt and great-uncle spent on their house in Shihai County? And how much money my grandparents contributed?”
“And who pulled strings to arrange my aunt’s job?”
“And as for my uncle—your son—whose family connections helped him secure his current job?”
Old Madam Huang answered without even thinking:
“My son got that job through his own ability.”
The moment those words left her mouth, the expressions around her turned disdainful. Everyone in the village knew the Huang family’s background. Huang Dachao’s job had obviously been arranged by his wife’s parents before they died, yet according to this old woman, he had supposedly earned it himself.
Qiu Yinong noticed the contempt in everyone’s eyes and smiled again, this time with added mockery.
“Before marrying my aunt, your son was digging in the fields and fishing at sea. After marrying her, he suddenly ended up with an official job. And now you’re saying he relied purely on his own talent to enter a government office? That lie sounds so real it’s practically laughable.”
“My son—”
Old Madam Huang was about to continue shouting when Old Man Huang beside her stopped her.
“Shut up. Stop babbling nonsense. Talk about the important matter.”
Only then did Old Madam Huang come back to her senses and steer the topic back.
“I don’t care whether you marry or not. You can stay at my son’s house for one week at most. After seven days, you’d better get out, or don’t blame me for beating people with a broom. And the money you owe my son’s family must be repaid with interest as soon as possible.”
“Old Madam Huang sure knows how to make introductions. A country bumpkin with parents who gave birth to her but didn’t raise her is a perfect match for a cripple,” Mother Yao sneered again after resting for a while, finally regaining enough energy to start insulting people once more.
Hearing her insult her son again, Mother Cheng—who had just recovered her breath—charged forward and slapped her hard across the face again.
“Li Guihua, you filthy woman! That rotten mouth of yours really needs fixing. Wasn’t the earlier beating enough for you?”
The two women immediately tangled together again. Mother Cheng completely overpowered her in another one-sided beating. The Yao family tried to rush forward to help, but the Cheng family men blocked them all.
While they were fighting, Qiu Yinong jumped down from the tree, pushed through the crowd, and strode toward the courtyard gate.
“Enough already! Pull them apart! All of you, separate them!”
The brigade leader had no choice but to step in again. He glared at Mother Yao in disgust.
“Li Guihua, can’t you shut that foul mouth of yours for once?”
Mother Cheng was incredibly strong and hadn’t held back at all while beating her. This round had loosened Mother Yao’s teeth, and blood now seeped from the corner of her mouth. She rolled on the ground wailing and throwing another tantrum from the pain.
“You’re crying like someone died. What, did your husband die? Or your children?” Qiu Yinong suddenly spoke, looking down at her from above.
The moment her voice reached her ears, Mother Yao instantly stopped crying theatrically. She stared straight at Qiu Yinong, her voice sharp as a saw blade.
“Say that again!”
“Did your husband die, or did your children die? You’re crying so miserably—are you mourning them and sending off their souls?”
Qiu Yinong was an obedient person. Since she was asked to repeat herself, she repeated it exactly, with the same calm tone and expression as before.
Her words were vicious enough to make Mother Yao’s face alternate between purple and green with rage. Pointing at her, she roared:
“You’re courting death!”
“Whether I die or not is none of your concern. But you provoked me just now, and now it’s time for you to fulfill the bet.”