"Go!" Mrs. Ding said angrily, "I won't give you a single coin, so I'll see where you go! If you leave tomorrow, our Luo family won't have you!"
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were quarreling. They kept their voices low at first, but then the voice got louder and louder, and the neighbors heard it.
The people in the village respect the Luo family very much, and they usually help whenever they can. When they heard something going on here, they all came over in a hurry. But they couldn't go in by themselves, so they just stood outside the fenced courtyard. Someone asked: "Auntie, what's going on?"
What happened?"
"We are all a family. If you have something to say, talk it over. Don't argue. Don't argue!"
"Qiao Niang, you can't do this to your elders..."
Chu Yunli ignored the people outside: "You don't want me anymore? I have brought you Gu Man, who is less than one year old, since I got married. Your family married me and asked me to take care of your child, right? Two months after entering the house, Luo Shengming
Once you leave, you will never come back. When you come back, it will be like visiting relatives. If you don’t live in the same house with me, is your family looking for a daughter-in-law? Your family is looking for long-term workers! Or the kind that doesn’t pay wages!”
Seeing more and more people outside, Chu Yunli became more and more excited: "You blame me for not giving birth to a son! If Luo Shengming doesn't come back, he will be eight feet away from me when he comes back. How can I give birth to a child as a woman? Even if I give birth to a son, you Luo Shengming
Do you dare to recognize me?"
Ding: "..."
This time she really choked.
People outside stopped trying to persuade me and started talking in low voices.
Chu Yunli continued: "Am I married to a man? I have been a widow for more than ten years. If you don't want me, I don't want to live this life anymore!"
Nowadays, people pay attention to filial piety, but the restrictions on women are not so strict. In prosperous and wealthy places, martial arts are respected, and women with strong martial arts are equally respected.
Noisy, noisy!
In the past, Qi Qiaoniang was filial and people outside would not say anything, but now it is understandable that Qi Qiaoniang wants to cause trouble because her man is not at home all year round.
The noise was so fierce that Luo Zhaonan turned pale with fright and grabbed Chu Yunli's sleeve: "Mom, I'm afraid."
Ever since Luo Shengduan came back from studying martial arts, Ms. Ding has always been respected by people. Over the years, she took her daughter-in-law and raised her grandchildren to support Luo Shengming's martial arts training. Everyone mentioned her and praised her. She has never been laughed at.
There were more and more people outside the fence courtyard. Mrs. Ding was very angry about her daughter-in-law's trouble today and shouted: "It's too much. If you can't handle it, get out! Our Luo family can't tolerate such a disobedient person. I don't think you can survive after you leave."
What a good day?"
Chu Yunli asked: "Why should I get out? I left because I wanted to leave, not because of you! How can I be sorry for your Luo family?" She looked at the audience outside: "Everyone commented, since
I entered the Luo family, how could I feel sorry for the Luo family?"
"You deserve it, you deserve it!" the village chief's wife hurriedly advised: "We all see how hard you have worked so hard. Don't argue. You are a junior. If you really make a fuss, outsiders will say you are ignored. You have worked so hard and let outsiders talk about it. What a waste.
Not worth it.”
These words were considered kind-hearted. Chu Yunli softened his expression and softened his tone, and explained: "Today I said that I wanted to see the child's father, but my mother was not happy and said that it would be a waste of money and time for me to go there.
.”
Seeing that someone agreed, she immediately said: "I have worked hard for so many years, why can't I even see where the child's father lives? Should I just be a cow and keep working hard?"
Everyone outside the fence courtyard looked at each other.
It is indeed expensive and time-consuming to make a trip, but Qi Qiaoniang has been here for many years, worked hard to raise two children, and works like a man to support Luo Shengming. It seems reasonable to want to go out and see her man.
Besides, it's still winter, so the fields aren't busy at all.
Ding retorted, "What you're saying is that there is a woman outside Shengming! You're here to catch someone raped!"
Everyone: "..." What big news!
Qi Qiaoniang nodded directly and admitted: "Yes, Luo Shengming has a woman outside. How many times has he come back in the past ten years? He is still eight feet away from me when he comes back. Who would believe that he doesn't have a woman? I have worked hard to support him.
If he has another family outside, shouldn't I catch him?"
Ding frowned: "He is studying abroad, how could he have such fancy thoughts?"
Chu Yunli immediately said: "If there is any, just go and see and you will know!"
Ding: "..."
She became more and more angry. Her daughter-in-law, who had always been taciturn and never argued with her, suddenly became sharp-tongued. She was not used to it: "Why can't you make sense? Wait until next month. Shengming will definitely come back."
next month?
Do you want to wait until next month for someone to catch you?
Chu Yunli's tone was firm: "Someone told me that he won't come back this year!"
Ding frowned: "Impossible! He promised me that he would come back every year. Besides, I haven't heard of it. Where did you get the news?"
The quarrel between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law gradually became less intense than before, and the onlookers outside could not persuade them, so they just watched quietly.
"Anyway, someone told me." Chu Yunli looked serious: "I'm going to have a look. If he really has a woman outside, you, the Luo family, will all be sorry for me!"
It was getting late and the night was hazy.
Regardless of what people outside thought, Chu Yunli pulled Luo Zhaonan into the house. The mother and daughter had been living together for these years. The quilt was thin, so it was warmer to sleep together in winter.
In the evening, Chu Yunli lit a candle, and when Mrs. Ding saw it outside, she was talking about "wasting oil" again.
She was too lazy to take care of it and started to open several boxes. They were all filled with tattered clothes. The quilts and boxes were all Qi Qiaoniang's dowry. Over the years, she hadn't purchased anything.
Luo Zhaonan sat by the bed, a little at a loss: "Mom, do we really want to leave?"
Chu Yunli's tone was serious: "Yes, let's go find your father! We have worked so hard to support him. If he has a woman outside, how can he be worthy of me? How can he be worthy of you?"
Hearing this, Luo Zhaonan was a little worried: "Dad, really..."
"You go to bed early." Chu Yunli ordered: "We don't want any of these things. We have to get up early tomorrow morning. Let's take a look and find out what's going on with your father."
Qi Qiaoniang's private money is only a dozen copper coins, which she earns from picking wild fruits that can be used as medicinal materials with others in her spare time. Usually she is reluctant to spend even one coin.
Luo Zhaonan was lying on the bed, watching his mother counting the coins, and was a little worried: "Mom, we can't get to daddy with just these coins!"
Chu Yunli looked at the wall. Next door was Ding's house. Thinking of something, she smiled and blew out the candle, "Sleep!"
Chu Yunli really didn't discuss it with the old lady and just left.
The next morning, she put on the best clothes of the original owner, took Luo Zhaonan and went out before dawn.
After arriving in the town, we rented a carriage and headed directly to the county seat.
When Mrs. Ding woke up and called her daughter-in-law to get up and cook as usual, she found that no one answered. Suddenly she remembered what her daughter-in-law said yesterday and went over to open the door of the wing. Where was there anyone else inside?
How can she leave without money?
She had a bad premonition in her heart and immediately went back to her room to look under the quilt. The small box where she usually kept her silver was missing.
Ms. Ding was shocked. Those were the money she had saved for a year and were her son's expenses for next year. They were four taels in total. In panic, she took off all the quilts on the bed. When she couldn't find them, she shook the quilts vigorously.
Shaking, I touched it carefully. Still the familiar little box was missing.
Ding shouted: "There is a thief! Catch the thief!"
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding neighbors gathered faster than yesterday.
In every village, the most annoying thing is people who steal chickens and dogs.
After asking around, I found no one went to the Luo family yesterday, and no one saw anyone entering the village. The daughter-in-law of the Luo family left in the morning. It was obvious that she was a domestic thief.
It's a bit wrong to say that. Qi Qiaoniang has worked hard for many years. It's normal to go find her man and bring her family's money with her. Besides, didn't she say that Luo Shengming won't come back this year?
It's normal to take the money with you, but...she shouldn't steal it.
Chu Yunli didn't care whether he stole it or not.
Qi Qiaoniang has worked hard for many years, and she feels no regrets in leaving with this little money.
Besides, given how difficult Ding is, she wouldn’t be able to get it if she didn’t steal it!
The carriage traveled day and night, and arrived at the county town three days later. The mother and daughter were dressed in shabby clothes. After entering the city, they found an inn to stay.
The waiter at the inn peeked at them several times and said tentatively: "The quilts in our inn are changed every day, and the room rate is more expensive. One night's stay costs thirty copper coins, and hot water and meals are extra."
Chu Yunli did not embarrass him, and directly gave him a handful of copper coins, more than fifty in total: "Send us two buckets of hot water."
After getting the money, the clerk immediately relaxed and took the two of them upstairs briskly, "You two came early. The west room faces the sun. It's not cold even in winter. You go and stay first. The hot water will be available soon."
After taking a look at the house, Chu Yunli took Luo Zhaonan to a clothing store not far from the inn, and bought a pair of clothes for the mother and daughter. When they returned to the inn, hot water was ready.
Along the way, Luo Zhaonan hesitated several times. After closing the outer door and only mother and daughter were left in the small room, she asked in a low voice: "Mom, where did you get the money?"
Chu Yunli said calmly: "It's from our family."
Luo Zhaonan: "..." It sounded so true that she almost believed it.
She just looks like a child, but she is actually eleven years old. She really is not a child who doesn't understand anything.
When did the family's money fall into the hands of mother and daughter? Every year, isn't the food and money from part-time work collected by the nurse and taken away by the father during the New Year?