After Mrs. Zhou's words fell, the room was silent for a moment. The first person to respond was Mei Shi. "No, of course I am looking for silver. So why are we talking about that?"
"As we're talking about this, let me ask you another question!" Mrs. Zhou looked at her. "Since you got married, who has been keeping all your silver?"
Mei Shi dropped her head. Elder Brother Zhou frowned slightly. "Mother, don't..."
Mrs. Zhou was not polite when she said, "I am your mother, can't I ask?"
"I keep the silver. It's not like I can't do that. I have to use the silver to buy beans, and then again, I am worried that they will lose the silver. Haven't they done that already?" Old Lady Liu looked righteous as she spoke.
Mrs. Zhou snorted. "Actually, I do not like Mei Hua. If there was a slight chance, I would not have agreed to this marriage."
Mei Shi's face turned pale; Mrs. Zhou glanced at her. "I don't like you, but it's not because of you. Remarrying is not easy for women in this world. Although I have been following this rule for years, I won't judge anyone who remarries. I dislike you because you can't handle things properly. When you get involved with your ex-mother-in-law, how can you lead a fulfilling life?"
"What do you mean by that?" Old Lady Liu was dissatisfied. "At the time of the marriage negotiations, it was agreed that if Mei Hua remarried, I would be entitled to a pension.”
"That's right, I promised to give you a pension. But to give and let you keep all the silver they earned, that's not so fair, is it? You're in my son's home. Did you ever ask me what I think?" Mrs. Zhou was also annoyed when she talked about it. "Could it be that when I'm lying in bed unable to get up, my son has to go and beg you for silver to hire a doctor?"
Elder Brother Zhou lowered his head.
Mei Shi's complexion changed slightly. She usually did not think so, but what kind of son would ask for silver to hire a doctor for his mother?
"If it is Mei Hua's mother, then I can accept it, but you're a former mother-in-law. So why do you want the silver my son earned?" she asked.
Old Lady Liu sneered. "I can tell there is no thief in this family. It's obvious you took Mei Hua's silver and deliberately let us cause trouble. Wasn't that your goal then?"
"I may be poor but I am not poor enough to become a thief. Plus, it's my son's silver. If I ask for it, can't he give it to me?" Mrs. Zhou's tone was serious. "Why would I have to steal?!"
Her voice had such a righteous tone that when one considered it, it seemed true. Moreover, if Mrs. Zhou had really wanted silver, she could have simply asked Elder Brother Zhou to give some. Could he not give her?
"Today, in front of the family, I will say it again. If you want to move back to Liujia Village, I won't stop it. But if you want to take my son and daughter-in-law, it's impossible!"
Old lady Liu was about to speak when Mrs. Zhou raised her hand and said, "You also should not speak about returning in two years to build a house. I do not believe it. I understand your thinking very well. The boss is poor, isn't he? You are interested in the eldest child because he is poor? You are treating him as a long-term employee for whom no payment is required, so you can use him as you please. Even if he agrees, I can't let it happen!"
"Mother, it's not like this." Elder Brother Zhou said urgently.
"What's it like then?" Mrs. Zhou looked at him. "You're over 20 years old, Mei Hua isn't too young, and you've never had children. Why did you not have children for a year?"
"Children depend on fate." Elder Brother Zhou was a little guilty when he said that.
Mrs. Zhou was annoyed. "What fate? You are busy earning silver, aren't you?"
The room was quiet. Initially, Li Qinghe thought Mrs. Zhou was worked up because of the lost silver, but she didn't expect her to have so many things in her heart.
Old Lady Lui usually had a very low sense of presence in the Zhou family. As soon as she entered the house, Li Qinghe separated from them, and they didn't eat together. Li Qinghe even forgot that there was a person at home sometimes.
It did seem excessive to collect all the silver earned by the husband and wife. In any case, it was not a good idea for anyone to complain about their affairs except for Mrs. Zhou.
Old lady Liu frowned. "Speaking of silver, we are still looking for it."
"We can't find it," Mrs. Zhou said with a serious face. "Apart from my house, all the other houses have more silver. And even if you couldn't find so many copper plates, you will still say it's buried in the yard. You may also say they took it away. This silver will definitely not be found. I know your purpose. Isn't it just to move out?"
"I want to find the silver," Old Lady Liu gritted her teeth, "If I can't find it, I will move out of your house. It's in your Zhou house anyway. Unless, you want to pay me."
Mrs. Zhou sneered. "Pay for it? What a beautiful dream you have. Why do you need to talk about moving away when you can just search for the silver? Or just move out alone. If you collected the silver earned by the eldest child and his wife, I will let the villagers decide what to do with it. It's been a year since they got married, and my son has been working every day. He hasn't even been able to help his brother build the house, and he hasn't even left anything behind for him."
Old lady Liu's complexion turned pale. Mrs. Zhou looked at Mei Shi. "You know in your heart how we've treated you this year. If you want to move, our family will not have you as a daughter-in-law. You can follow your mother-in-law back to Liujia Village."
Mei Shi's tears fell in an instant as she said, "I don't want to go back to the Liu's house."
Mrs. Zhou looked at the bright sky outside. "Don't cause trouble then. I’m still saying that you should put the silver away by yourself. It's your business if you lose it. Don't talk about thieves, it's too embarrassing."
As the day dawned, Zhang Haiyao yawned. "There is no thief in this house. Who cares about the silver? It is a waste of sleep." After saying that, she covered her stomach and walked out.
She was right. Who would try to steal that silver? To put it bluntly, if someone really wanted to steal it, they would go steal Zhang Haiyao's or Li Qinghe's, who have more silver than Mei Shi.
Li Qinghe and Zhou Chengkang did not sleep again. They went straight to the pond to feed the fish. Autumn had already set in, and the mornings and evenings were a little chilly. Standing in the courtyard of the new house, Zhou Chengkang asked, "Why don't we move out?"
They would have to move sooner or later. Besides, Li Qinghe had wanted to move for a long time. "Let's move in a few days." These couple days were too precarious to move.
After feeding the fish, the two went to the top of the mountain together, chopped firewood, and hunted along the way. It was still early when they returned.
As soon as they arrived at the entrance of the village, they saw Yu Yan running quickly. "Qinghe, I heard you went up the mountain. Fortunately, you came back soon. Your father and your aunt are fighting."
Li Fu is willing to fight Qian?
When Li Qinghe hurried home, she was speechless when she saw the situation in the yard. At the table under the tree in the courtyard, Mrs. Qian was crying while Li Fu was sitting near the door of the kitchen holding his head in his hands. There was a big bag on his forehead. He looked a bit pitiful.
When Yu Yan saw this situation, she was also a little embarrassed. "When I went to find you, they were fighting. I was afraid something might happen."
Li Qinghe thanked her, opened the door, and stepped into the yard. The crying Mrs. Qian looked up and saw her. "You shit-stirrer, what nonsense are you talking about? Wanwan's father came back to ask me about Wanwan's current situation. Do you have to make me fight with your father before you are satisfied? You don't want to see me well."
What's this all about?
"I said that if father asks, I will not hide it from him," Li Qinghe frowned. "Moreover, he won't listen to me."
"If not you, who else could it be?" Mrs. Qian was furious, and her voice was very loud.
"Do you think all the neighbors around us are blind?" Li Qinghe asked rhetorically, staring at the furious Mrs. Qian. "Since you say I am sowing discord, I can't be wronged by you."
Then she turned to look at Li Fu at the kitchen door. "Father, I saw her and Wanwan's father on the path toward the river one day when Wanwan and the Hu family were talking about marriage."
"You are talking nonsense," Mrs. Qian screamed.
Li Fu looked at her; his eyes red. "This is not the first time you've met him, is it?"
"I didn't," Mrs. Qian's tone was determined. "She can't see me living well, so she is making stuff up!"
Li Fu looked at his daughter with an inquiring gaze.
This was what Li Qinghe expected. Between Mrs. Qian and her, Li Fu generally trusted Mrs. Qian. Li Qinghe shrugged. "If you really want to find out, there were so many people who saw it. Just ask them."
What kind of words are these?
The face on Li Fu's face darkened instantly. If he tried to inquire about if his wife had been with Zhao Tianfu, he was afraid that there would be nothing left to ask.
Mrs. Qian's eyes glared fiercely. "Did you see it?"
Li Qinghe looked into her eyes. "I saw it with my own eyes. Plus, I did not know him at the time. You said that I couldn't see you living comfortably? Actually, I really want both you and my father to live a good life. As you can see, I didn't even mention this matter."
Mrs. Qian bowed her head and wiped her tears. In a trembling voice, she said, "Brother Fu, I am dealing with him for the sake of Wanwan. Without him, the Hu family would have wanted to cancel Wanwan's marriage, and the union would have been dissolved."
Hearing this, Li Fu frowned. "Didn't I say that if the Hu family's relatives fail to achieve anything, then Hu Yanxi will not take any responsibility at all. This marriage is not very good at all, so why did you insist on forcing it?" He hated the iron for not becoming steel[1]. He suddenly thought of something and asked, "So, the five taels of dowry that the Hu family said they needed is not really that much?"
Mrs. Qian stammered. "You didn't give five taels either?"
“Why did the Hu family not tell me that both you, mother and daughter, lied to me together?"
Then, he remembered something else; his face was ugly. "Qinghe and Chengkang helped our family with the autumn harvest. I asked you to buy meat, and you said the silver was lost. Did you really lost the silver?"
There was silence in the courtyard; Mrs. Qian took a long time to respond. "Wanwan went to the county town. There has been no news for some time. I was not at ease, but I dare not go. I asked her father to go and have a look, but I did not entangle with him..."
"So the silver was given to him then?" Although he was asking, his tone indicated that he already knew the answer.
"You are very good!" Li Fu nodded. "Didn't you say yesterday that you didn't feel comfortable with your father living alone? So you’ll go back to be with him."
At that, Mrs. Qian's face changed. "What do you mean?"
"Literally." Li Fu got up; his spine curving a lot. "I just want to be alone."
When he entered the house, Mrs. Qian looked at Li Qinghe and asked with a sneer, "Are you satisfied?"
"What am I satisfied with?" Li Qinghe asked. "I haven't wronged you. When you do these things, you should think of my father. If he knew, would he accept it?"
"There is nothing between Wanwan's father and me. We share a child, so how can no communication be possible?" Mrs. Qian was in tears. "I knew it would be difficult to remarry since it's easy for people to misunderstand. I wasn't expecting your father to be the same as the men under this sky, not trusting his wife but trusting a long-tongued[2] woman from outside!"
She did not deliberately suppress these words, and even raised her voice, causing Li Qinghe, the neighbors to the left and right, and Li Fu to hear her.
Li Fu came out again and stood under the eaves looking at her with an ugly look on his face.
1. Hated the iron for not becoming steel - To feel resentful towards sb for failing to meet expectations.
2. Long-tongued - Talking too much or too openly, especially of private or confidential matters; chattering; gossipy.