She continued grumbling,
“I heard they caught two huge rabbits, yet they only sent over this little bit. It isn’t even enough for you father and son to get a proper taste! Your parents are so biased! They don’t care about their eldest grandson at all.”
Xie Fusheng frowned.
“Having meat still isn’t enough to shut your mouth.”
“You’re always counting every little thing.”
Truthfully, even he felt Granny Tian favored the eldest branch of the family.
He simply disliked hearing his wife criticize his parents so openly.
If Jinxiu had known Zhang Yuying thought the rabbit meat was too little…
She probably would have rolled her eyes.
If you think it’s too little, then don’t eat it.
Return the bowl untouched.
The second branch had only received a few pieces less than the third branch.
Their bowl had still been filled to the brim.
What Zhang Yuying didn’t know was…
If she learned the third branch often sent food and supplies to the eldest branch in ordinary times…
She would probably make an even bigger fuss.
Even after sending portions to the other households…
More than half the rabbit remained.
A large basin of richly braised rabbit sat in the center of the table.
The savory aroma filled the room.
Grandfather Xie and the others stared at it with shining eyes.
Eryong swallowed hard.
“I’m not seeing things, am I?”
Ever since Father injured his leg and Mother became paralyzed…
The family hadn’t enjoyed such a lavish meal.
Even New Year’s feasts hadn’t been this good.
Little Xiaoyu gripped her chopsticks eagerly.
“Grandma!”
“I want rabbit!”
Rabbits are so cute…
They must taste delicious!
Granny Tian smiled.
“Eat.”
The instant permission was given…
Everyone reached for the food.
There wasn’t enough rice to satisfy everyone…
But there was plenty of rabbit.
Along with a plate of stir-fried spring bamboo shoots, the entire family finally ate their fill.
Jinxiu still wasn’t used to coarse brown rice.
She quietly scooped half of hers into Xie Jinnan’s bowl.
“I can’t finish this much.”
“You eat it.”
There was a hint of coquettishness in her voice.
A smile tugged at Jinnan’s lips.
“Eat more meat.”
He placed a rabbit leg into her bowl.
Jinxiu’s eyes curved into crescents.
“Thank you, Husband.”
Granny Tian watched the interaction with growing delight.
At this rate…
It won’t be long before I have a great-grandchild to hold.
Xie Changsheng never forgot about his wife.
Almost every evening he was the first to finish eating.
He immediately went to the kitchen to prepare Li Xiuhong’s dinner.
Xie Jinnan followed to help feed his mother.
Meanwhile…
Jinxiu cleaned up the table.
By the end of the meal…
The enormous basin of rabbit meat had been picked clean.
Only a little stir-fried bamboo shoot remained.
She carefully put it away.
It would go well with porridge the next morning.
Xiaoyu rubbed her round little belly and let out a loud burp.
“The little bunny really was delicious!”
Eryong shot her a sidelong glance.
“Bunnies are so cute.”
“And you still ate so much.”
“Little Sister…”
“You’re not cute anymore.”
Xiaoyu puffed out her cheeks.
“You ate even more!”
“Both my hands together couldn’t grab food as fast as one of your pig hooves!”
“Pig hooves again?”
Eryong reached over with his good hand and stretched her chubby cheek.
“B-Bad… egg…”
Her words came out garbled.
Drool trickled down the corner of her mouth.
Without hesitation, she grabbed his sleeve and wiped her mouth on it.
Eryong recoiled in disgust.
“Drool Monster.”
“Hmph!”
Xiaoyu ran away.
“I’m telling Mom!”
“You bullied me!”
Watching his little sister run off, Eryong scratched his head with one hand.
Then he wandered toward the courtyard gate.
Looking out at the distant mountains…
He gradually fell into a daze.
The nearest mountain to Dali Village was Bamboo Ridge.
Crossing over it from the eastern side led directly to He Village.
He Qinglian carried a bundle of firewood home.
The setting sun stretched her thin shadow across the ground.
Before she even reached the gate…
She heard her grandmother’s shrill voice.
“What time is it already?”
“The rice isn’t even cooked yet!”
“My son must’ve been blind to marry such a lazy woman!”
“And that useless girl!”
“Always looking for excuses to slack off!”
“If I don’t beat her for three days, she’ll start climbing onto the roof!”
“The three of you are nothing but debt collectors!”
Inside the kitchen…
Mrs. Wu worked without stopping for even a moment.
Little Xiaocao, skinny as a stick, crouched by the stove feeding firewood into the flames.
Listening to the relentless abuse…
Qinglian lowered her eyes.
Her grandmother didn’t sound like family.
She sounded like an enemy.
Cooking.
Cleaning.
Laundry.
Hauling water.
Feeding livestock.
Working the fields.
Gathering firewood.
She, her younger sister, and their mother did nearly everything.
They slept later than pigs.
Rose earlier than chickens.
Yet they were still called lazy.
Mrs. Wu had given birth to three children:
Old Madam He herself had given birth to three daughters before finally having one precious son—Qinglian’s father.
Because of that, she’d endured endless scorn from her own mother-in-law.
After becoming a mother-in-law herself…
She expected Mrs. Wu to produce many sons and restore the family’s pride.
Instead…
Mrs. Wu’s health was ruined giving birth to Xiaocao.
She could never have children again.
The He family line now depended entirely on a single grandson.
Old Madam He had always been harsh toward her daughter-in-law.
After learning Mrs. Wu could no longer bear children…
She treated both mother and youngest daughter almost like sworn enemies.
Qinglian’s father, He Fugui, lazily sat beneath the eaves with one leg crossed over the other.
Every now and then he tossed a peanut into his mouth.
He spoke casually.
“Mother.”
“If you dislike Qinglian so much…”
“Then marry her off sooner.”
“But why did you tell Matchmaker Lu that the village head’s family had to pay fifteen taels of silver?”
“Aren’t you just making things difficult for yourself?”
Among ordinary farming families…
Even during good harvest years, bride prices usually ranged between four and five taels.
During the recent famine…
Many families survived only by selling children.
Some bride prices had dropped as low as half a tael or a single tael.
Fifteen taels?
That was an outrageous amount.
Old Madam He plopped down opposite her son.
“What do you know?”
“I’ve fed and clothed that girl all these years.”
“You think she can marry for less than ten taels?”
“Dream on.”
“Besides…”
“If she leaves…”
“Who’s going to do all the work?”
“Me?”
“You expect that lazy Wu woman?”
“You might as well eat dirt.”
He Fugui considered it.
That actually made some sense.
“But…”
“What if Village Head Zhang refuses?”
“Then won’t she end up impossible to marry?”
Old Madam He lifted her chin confidently.
“You haven’t seen the way Zhang Dawei looks at that little hussy.”
“The village head dotes on his son.”
“There’s a good chance he’ll agree.”
“And even if that marriage falls through…”
“With Qinglian’s looks…”
“I’m not worried.”
“She’ll still fetch a good price.”
He Fugui nodded proudly.
His crossed leg bounced even higher.
“Of course.”
“Our Qinglian could easily be called the prettiest girl in the whole village.”
The He family’s courtyard wall was made of packed earth.
Outside the wall…
Qinglian had heard every word.
At first, hearing the marriage negotiations had failed brought her a small sense of relief.
But the next sentence…
Her grandmother talking about selling her…
Made her entire body tense.
Knowing Old Madam He’s greed…
As long as someone offered enough silver…
She could easily be sold to:
Compared with those fates…
Marrying Zhang Dawei suddenly seemed almost merciful.
What right do I still have to complain?
She quietly wiped away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
Holding the bundle of firewood tightly, she stepped into the courtyard.
Immediately—
“There you are, you shameless little slut!”
“Where have you been lazing around until now?”
“If you don’t work…”
“Don’t even think about eating!”
As though she hadn’t even noticed the heavy bundle of firewood in Qinglian’s arms…
Old Madam He began cursing the moment she saw her.
Qinglian ignored her and headed straight toward the kitchen.
Just as Old Madam He was about to erupt again…
He Fugui suddenly interrupted.
“Oh?”
“Look who’s here.”
A tall, powerfully built man stepped into the courtyard.
In his hand…
He carried a freshly caught wild pheasant.