"Why did it take you so long to buy a block of tofu? What are you showing off with that little jinx?" Mrs. Cao came out of the kitchen wearing an apron, her voice sharp as she spoke to Yu Ziyi, "Hurry and give me the tofu, I'm still waiting to stew it!"
Yu Ziyi finished showing off the tofu in front of Yu Xiaolian, pouted and said to Mrs. Cao, "Mom, ever since we got home, what have we been eating? Can't you stew some meat for me? If I had known we were going to eat this every day, I wouldn't have dropped out."
Mrs. Cao glared at Yu Ziyi, "How can the food at home compare to the school? Even this tofu, I had to use my private stash of money to buy it. If we counted on your grandma, she wouldn't even be willing to give a single coin."
Yu Ziyi complained, "Just this one piece of tofu for so many people, I say whoever didn't chip in shouldn't eat."
Mrs. Cao shushed him, "You dare say such a thing, aren't you afraid your grandma will hear?"
"Afraid of what? My grandma is obviously biased towards my third uncle; she'll definitely live with him in the future. I think we should learn from my second uncle and separate early, so we don't work for free for my third uncle."
"Stop saying that." Mrs. Cao hit Yu Ziyi, "Do you really envy your second uncle? Was that a normal family split? He got kicked out by your grandma.
If we split, not a single penny or plot of land should be missing, your dad has worked the hardest over the years.
However, your dad listens to your grandma the most, he definitely won't agree to split."
Mrs. Cao pointed to the stove, telling Yu Ziyi to start the fire for her.
With reluctance, Yu Ziyi went over, ignited the fire with flint, and said, "Every time my third uncle comes back, my grandma either stews chicken or meat for him, and gives him silver coins. My dad works himself to death farming, but my grandma won't give us a single coin, it's too unfair."
Hearing her son's words, Mrs. Cao also sighed, "Who's to blame that your third uncle is a scholar, while your dad was born to do hard labor?"
"At most, my third uncle is just a scholar. He's flunked the exams to become a degree-holder twice. Grandma should save that money for my brother's studies or give me a bit to start a small business."
Yu Ziyi added another piece of wood, "I don't care, if in a few days my grandma wants me to gather firewood on the mountain, then I'll ask her for wages. I'm not working for free."
Mrs. Cao's mind turned, she whispered a few words to Yu Ziyi.
After listening, Yu Ziyi's eyes lit up, nodding repeatedly.
Yu Changhe moved the woven basket into the small storeroom. Looking at the pile of willow baskets, he smiled with satisfaction, thinking that once they were sold, there would be some extra income for the family.
Suddenly, there were sounds of banging and crashing from the Zhao family next door, Yu Changhe stood on tiptoe to peek, concerned, "What's going on? Why are the couple suddenly fighting?"
As Feng's crying grew louder, Yu Changhe was about to open the courtyard door to go over and mediate. Yu Xiaolian quickly followed Yu Changhe, eager to watch the spectacle.
Coincidentally, Mrs. Sun also returned from repaying silver to other families, so the three went over to the Zhao family.
As soon as they entered the Zhao family's courtyard, Feng came out of the house with her face covered, chased by the aggressive Zhao Kuo.
Even though Yu Changhe had a limp, he was still strong, he firmly stopped the intoxicated and furious Zhao Kuo, while Mrs. Sun shielded Feng.
Yu Changhe spotted the injuries on Zhao Kuo's face, "What happened here? Who hit you?"
Surely it wasn't Feng who beat Zhao Kuo like this.
The alcoholic Zhao Kuo, stopped by Yu Changhe, roared, "This damn woman, I've been beaten like this, and she's still making snide remarks, deserved a beating!"
"Why drink like this? Who hit you, after all?" Yu Changhe tried to help Zhao Kuo into the house.
At this point, the old couple who let their son hit their daughter-in-law quickly came out when they saw Yu Changhe and the others, trying to explain, "Zhao Kuo was already upset, and his wife just had to mock him with words. What man can stand that? I think my son wasn't wrong to hit her."
Feng cried out, "I only asked him why he came back so late today. Who hit him, I didn't say anything else!"
Old Lady Zhao pointed at Feng, "What else do you want to ask? My son works as a government official in town, supporting a family, and you feel entitled to meddle? If he doesn't want to say, why pressure him?"
Feng cried sorrowfully. Usually, she did the laundry, cooked meals, fed ducks, took care of things inside and outside the house diligently, was attentive to her husband, and respectful to her in-laws. She never expected that after Zhao Kuo got drunk and hit her, her in-laws would not only fail to intervene but even egg Zhao Kuo on.
"Didn't Uncle Zhao go to Jiang the Hunter's to buy a pheasant? Why does he have injuries all over? Could it be Jiang the Hunter who beat him?"
Since Zhao Kuo didn't want others to know how he got those injuries, Yu Xiaolian decided to expose it, letting her father see what kind of person his old friend really was.
"What? Jiang the Hunter beat him?"
Old Lady Zhao raised her voice, instantly directing her anger towards Jiang the Hunter. Zhao Kuo was tall, robust, and skillful. To beat her son like this, the only one in the village capable would be someone as skilled in martial arts as Jiang the Hunter.
"Why would Jiang the Hunter beat my son? Our family buys more of his hunted game than anyone else, how ungrateful! No way, I must go confront him. I don't believe a grown man would dare lay hands on me, an old lady?"
When Zhao Kuo heard his mother wanted to go confront Jiang the Hunter, he seemed to sober up a bit, yelling at Old Lady Zhao, "Don't go!"
Old Lady Zhao insisted, "No way, no one can hit my son, I must confront him!"
Zhao Kuo shouted in anger, "Master Tong hit me, go ahead and confront him!"
Old Lady Zhao froze, "Master Tong? From the Pan Family?"
Yu Xiaolian mentally exclaimed, apparently this old lady knew quite a bit, even about the Pan Family.
Zhao Kuo hung his head, "Yes, him!"
Old Lady Zhao immediately deflated, no longer boastful, with a hint of worries creeping into her heart.
What if her son offended the Pan Family? What would they do if, like Yu Changhe, he were crippled by the Pan Family and lost his job? Their good days would certainly be over!
Thinking of this, Old Lady Zhao was deeply worried, rushing to Zhao Kuo's side, "Son, don't you have connections with the young master of the Pan Family? Why did he send someone to beat you? You're not going to lose your job, are you?"
Zhao Kuo has connections with the young master of the Pan Family?
Yu Changhe's eyes fixed on Zhao Kuo when he heard the old lady say this, "Since when did you have connections with Pan Jinrong?"
Zhao Kuo waved his hand frantically, "Don't listen to my mother's nonsense. What connections could I possibly have with Pan Jinrong? If I had any, Master Tong wouldn't have hit me."
Yu Changhe asked again, "Then why did the Pan Family beat you?"
Zhao Kuo staggered a few steps, pretending to be deeply drunk.
Seeing his son about to fall, Old Man Zhao hurriedly caught Zhao Kuo, who then conveniently 'fainted.'
Perfect timing to faint!
Yu Xiaolian looked at Yu Changhe, "Dad, Uncle Zhao was fine before he went to the Jiang Family. It's strange he was beaten by people from the Pan Family at Jiang's place."
Yu Changhe glanced at the still-crying Feng, said to Mrs. Sun, "Why don't you take her to our home for a while? I'll go to the Jiang Family."
Mrs. Sun nodded, and as she was about to take Feng away, Old Lady Zhao harshly said, "Your husband is drunk, and you won't stay home to care for him? Where are you planning to go? If you don't want to live here anymore, pack your things and get out. My son earns three taels of silver a month, he's not afraid of finding another wife!"
Feng wiped her tears and said to Mrs. Sun, "I won't go, you go home, don't worry about me."
Mrs. Sun comforted, "Zhao Kuo is passed out, he shouldn't hit you anymore. It'll be better when he sobers up."