Cu Lao’er looked left and right, then suddenly kicked Qian-shi’s backside and frantically signaled to her.
“Qian-shi, where do you get the right to speak in this family? Hurry up and apologize to Mother! If Mother doesn’t forgive you, then go back to your maternal family!”
This fool—what was she making trouble for at a time like this? If she pushed it too far, Mother might refuse to give them chicken later.
Qian-shi was unwilling, but under Cu Lao’er’s constant signaling, she finally gave in.
She got up with a forced smile and went to Old Madam Cu, then slapped herself twice.
“Mother, you know me—I have a loose mouth and don’t know how to speak properly. Please be magnanimous and treat me like I’m just a fart and let it go.”
She really was able to bend and stretch herself; those two slaps were hard enough that her face turned red.
Cu Lao’er quickly stepped forward.
“Mother, if you’re still angry, you can hit her a few more times. I guarantee she won’t dodge. You are the backbone of our Cu family—who in the whole village doesn’t say you’re generous? Don’t lower yourself to her level. If you get angry and hurt your body, your son will feel heartache.”
Cu Yuan watched the two of them switch faces faster than changing weather and was completely impressed.
The Cu Lao’er family really was talented—just for a bite of food, they didn’t even want their dignity anymore. Others might not notice, but Cu Yuan clearly saw Cu Lao’er constantly glancing at the wild chicken on the ground.
After both Cu Lao’er and Qian-shi backed down, Old Madam Cu did not pursue it further. She scolded Qian-shi again, then opened the cupboard and let Cu Lao-san’s wife prepare the meal.
Among the three daughters-in-law, Cu Lao-san’s wife cooked best. Usually they rotated cooking duties, but whenever meat was involved, the Old Madam only let her handle it.
Cu Lao-san picked up one chicken from the ground.
“Mother, I’ll go kill the chicken.”
“Go.”
Then she picked up the other chicken and returned to her room to store it.
With the Old Madam leaving, the farce finally ended.
At the back of the crowd, Cu Er Ya (Cu Liu) looked a little disappointed. She hadn’t gotten to see a good show.
She had never forgotten the Old Madam Cu hitting her before. She was injured now and couldn’t act, so seeing someone else scold the Old Madam would have been satisfying—but Qian-shi turned out to be useless and got easily suppressed.
Cu Lao’er was also no good—he didn’t even help his own wife.
Cu Liu had no good feelings toward the Cu family. She had already decided that once she recovered, she would take revenge and then leave the Cu family forever.
She dropped her arms and prepared to leave. No one in the Cu family cared about her anyway.
But as she was about to leave, she suddenly turned her head and looked at Cu Yuan.
Cu Yuan was talking with Cu Lao-san’s wife, and the glance landed on her fair wrist.
Cu Liu’s eyes narrowed. She suddenly rushed over and grabbed Cu Yuan’s wrist.
“Where is the bracelet?”
Even she didn’t know why she asked this. Logically, she knew the bracelet was Old Madam Cu’s dowry and belonged to Cu Yuan—but deep inside, another voice told her it should be hers.
Cu Lao-da’s face darkened. He grabbed Cu Liu’s hair and slapped her.
“Do you itch for a beating every day? That bracelet belongs to your little aunt! Who taught you to covet other people’s things?”
Cu Lao-da was extremely afraid that Old Madam Cu would use this as an excuse to kick their branch out of the family. If that happened, they would get nothing.
Compared to Cu Lao-san, Cu Lao-da was even more ruthless in beating Cu Liu. Most of her injuries came from him, all to appease the Old Madam.
Cu Yuan’s wrist was grabbed hard, leaving a red mark.
Looking at it, Cu Yuan’s temper flared.
She said slowly:
“Er Ya, you’ve changed. You’re not the same as before. Why? Why do you feel… different now?”
She then looked at Cu Lao-da.
“Big brother, maybe you should take Er Ya to a temple tomorrow. She’s acting strange—I feel uneasy.”
Cu Lao-da’s expression changed.
He didn’t think much at first, but the more he thought, the more uneasy he became. Especially when it came to the “big brother and sister-in-law” line.
In this era, superstition was common. Cu Lao-da and his wife were especially superstitious. Hearing this, they became even more suspicious.
Cu Lao-da said:
“No need to go to a temple. There’s a very effective old shaman in the next village. Tomorrow noon, let your sister-in-law take her there.”
Cu Yuan was simply trying to make Cu Liu uncomfortable and distract her from herself.
Cu Nanfeng quietly ran over.
“Little aunt, it’s dark already. Are we still going?”
Cu Yuan nodded.
“Yes, we’re going.”
She went to tell Old Madam Cu.
Old Madam Cu was worried.
“It’s already dark outside. Don’t go. Let Nanfeng go catch them.”
But Cu Yuan insisted. Eventually, the Old Madam gave in, warning them repeatedly and even giving her a small jar for cicadas.
At night, Cu Yuan and the children went out.
Cu Spring Rain said excitedly, “Little aunt, I got fire from my mother. She scolded me at first, but when I said you were going too, she even gave me two sticks!”
Cu Nanfeng confidently said, “Tonight the forest is ours!”
They soon reached a small patch of trees.
【Ding! Detected wild cicada nymphs, 40 copper coins per jin. Sell?】
Cu Yuan chose not to sell.
She was now “rich” and no longer cared about small coins.
They quickly caught dozens.
On the way back, Cu Lao-san met them.
“The chicken soup is ready, Mother asked me to call you.”
The whole family gathered, lit a rare oil lamp, and divided the chicken.
Cu Yuan got the best parts.
Cu Liu and Cu San Ya had nothing but resentment.
Cu San Ya immediately grabbed food from her sister, while the adults pretended not to see.
Only Cu Yuan silently gave her own meat to Cu Da Ya.
For the first time, someone gave Cu Da Ya meat. She froze.
“Eat it,” Cu Yuan said.
Tears welled up in Cu Da Ya’s eyes as she whispered:
“Thank you, little aunt.”
At the table, only silence and unevenness remained—some eating meat, some eating nothing, and some already beginning to show their true intentions.