Facing the domineering Old Madam Chen, Liu Fengjiao felt a pounding headache that nearly split her skull.
In past years, whenever she returned to the countryside, she always used “taking care of Chen Zhancai’s studies” as an excuse — that way, she didn’t have to wait on her in-laws, cook, or feed the chickens and ducks.
Those chores were always left to Lin-shi and Sun-shi to take turns doing.
But who could have expected that this year the old matriarch would suddenly lose her mind — not only splitting the household and sending away the most capable eldest branch but even writing a severance letter to cut family ties!
And now, she actually wanted her and that rough woman Sun-shi to take turns doing housework every other day. It was enough to make Liu Fengjiao furious.
Back in town, while accompanying Zhancai in his studies, life might not have been luxurious, but they could still afford an old servant woman to handle housework.
She had been pampered — her delicate fingers had never so much as touched cold water.
Now her soft hands were turning rough, and her face was tanned dark.
She no longer had even a trace of the refined air of a future scholar’s wife.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
She rubbed her temples and sat sulking on the edge of the kang bed.
On the bed, Chen Ruolan idly tossed a thimble from a sewing basket. Suddenly, the thimble rolled off and hit the floor.
She frowned and said petulantly, “Mother, when are we going back to town? We’ve been eating coarse rice every day — it’s scratching my throat raw. I don’t ever want to eat that stuff again!”
Already in a foul mood, Liu Fengjiao snapped impatiently,“What’s the rush? Just bear with it a bit longer. Once your father’s academy reopens, we’ll move back to town.”
“Bear with it, bear with it — how long do we have to bear it? What if the academy never opens? Are we supposed to live in this godforsaken place forever? Back in town, we had meat every day! And now? We’ve been eating coarse rice for more than ten days — my stomach is turning sour! I’ve had enough of this miserable life!”
Liu Fengjiao sighed. “Child, yes, the food here isn’t as good, but it’s not like you’re starving. Doesn’t your grandmother cook something extra for you every day? You get all the eggs in the house — can’t you be a bit more grateful?”
Though she tried to soothe her daughter, inwardly she was already seething.
The ground was covered in chicken droppings, flies buzzed everywhere, and the air stank — it was nauseating.
If they had even a bit of money, who would choose to stay in this dump?
But right now, they didn’t even have a single coin. Renting a house or eating in town cost money.
All of this, she thought bitterly, was that damned girl’s fault. If not for her refusal to marry, their family might already be living comfortably in town.
She even had the urge to strangle Chen Qingqing, never realizing that she herself and her family were the truly greedy ones.
Ruolan pouted, full of disdain. “Mother, do you still think those stupid eggs are a treat? I’m so sick of them that even the burps smell like chicken droppings! I feel sick just looking at eggs now. I want polished rice, white steamed buns, and the stir-fries and stews from the restaurants in town!”
Chen Zhancai slammed his book down on the kang and shouted,“Enough! Shut your mouth! You’re getting more and more outrageous. You’re even complaining about eggs now? Do you know what times we’re living in? In all of Nanshan Village, only our family can afford to eat eggs. Everyone else saves them to sell for money, and you dare say they’re disgusting? You don’t know how lucky you are!”
Tears welled up in Ruolan’s eyes. “But, Father, when you were on break before, didn’t we always live in town? Why do we have to stay in this godforsaken village this year? There’s nothing here! I just want to go back to town.”
Zhancai’s heart softened at the sight of her crying. “Alright, alright, don’t cry. It’s my fault — I shouldn’t have scolded you. But you have to understand — times are hard. We have no grain to sell, and your grandparents can’t give us money. If we don’t stay here, what do you want to do? Wander the streets and beg?”
“I don’t want that,” Ruolan said, shaking her head quickly. “But, Father, Grandma still has fifty taels of silver! She’ll have to give them to you sooner or later. Just ask her for it now — then we can go back to town!”
Liu Fengjiao eagerly nodded in agreement. “Zhancai, Ruolan is right. I’m sick of this life too. You two have it easy — you just eat what’s cooked. But I have to take turns doing chores with Second Sister-in-law and serve the whole household! Look at my hands — they’re rough already!”
Seeing the pitiful expressions on his wife and daughter’s faces, Zhancai felt a wave of frustration. He spoke in a conciliatory tone:
“I know life in town is better — good food, nice housing — but we just don’t have the silver right now. Be patient. Once your elder brother’s family can’t survive on their own anymore, they’ll come crawling back to beg Mother to take them in. When that happens, as soon as that wretched girl is married off to the butcher Li, we’ll go back to town and live comfortably again. How about that?”
A sharp light flashed in Liu Fengjiao’s eyes. “Zhancai, I think we shouldn’t wait too long — the sooner, the better.”
“What do you mean by that?” Zhancai looked puzzled.
“You idiot, can’t you see? Mother still has those fifty taels of silver — the money from selling that girl! But your mother is getting senile. She’s already split the family and written a severance letter. Mark my words — that marriage won’t last. Once it falls through, she’ll have to return the silver to the Li family. That’s why you need to get the money now, before it’s too late!”
Zhancai waved a hand dismissively, chuckling. “Fengjiao, you’re overthinking. Mother’s as shrewd as they come. She wouldn’t have driven the eldest family out unless she was absolutely sure she could do it. In times like these, with barely a half-sack of bran to live on, how long do you think the eldest branch can last? Don’t worry — those fifty taels will be ours sooner or later.”
At first, Liu Fengjiao had believed the same. But ever since the eldest branch had moved out, she’d had an uneasy feeling.
What if Chen Zhanshan was stubborn enough to refuse marrying off that girl to the butcher? Then all that silver would go to waste!
She stomped her foot angrily. “You fool! You’ve read yourself stupid! Think for once! What if they’d rather starve than bow their heads to Mother again? Or what if your brother takes his family and runs away to beg elsewhere? Then not only would we lose the silver, you wouldn’t even be able to go back to the academy!”
Zhancai slapped his thigh, suddenly enlightened. “You’re right — why didn’t I think of that?”
She lifted her chin proudly. “Of course you didn’t. You bury your head in those books all day — how could you understand these things? It takes a wise wife like me to think of everything.”
Zhancai nodded gravely. “We really can’t delay too long. If the money gets returned, we’re finished… but how should I bring this up to Mother?”