Qian shi was the first to come knocking.
Given the extravagant display by the Shen family yesterday, how could she possibly let it go?
At first, she didn't know, thinking as the villagers said that it was the village head buying the bitter buckwheat.
After all, he was the county magistrate’s father-in-law, and could afford dozens of strings of cash.
But early this morning, Zhao Hai’e and Zhao Xiao Hua, the two sisters from the village head's household, ran over to tell her that it was Shen Yun and Su Xiao Qi who had mobilized the entire village to harvest bitter buckwheat on Yuan Bao Mountain yesterday.
Qian shi clapped her hands in sudden realization:
"No wonder, no wonder. I saw the couple sitting there helping, and I thought it was because the village head knew they could read."
"Alas, I originally thought my elder uncle was ordered by the county magistrate to collect it.
But Hai’e said they gave my elder uncle over a string of cash when they left.
They also said they would pay one wen a day for using their courtyard," Zhao Xiao Hua revealed most of the information, and continued enviously,
"Sister-in-law Shen is indeed from the city, so wealthy."
Qian shi looked at the two sisters, never once considering why they were being so kind as to tell her this.
At this moment, her heart was completely stunned by this news.
At the same time, she began to ponder.
For so many years, what did the Shen family have that she didn't have a share in?
But ever since Su Xiao Qi entered the household, she had watched with her own eyes as their family ate white rice, wore fine cotton cloth, and ate sweet cakes and pastries…
Although they would occasionally send some to their family.
But even with her toes, she knew.
The lion's share was definitely consumed by their own family.
What they sent to their family was just a small portion they didn't eat, not worth mentioning at all.
Just like this bitter buckwheat harvest.
How many copper coins did their entire family get from slaving away on the mountain?
But they, who had done nothing, casually gave the village head over a string of cash.
"Such an ungrateful wretch, I'll go find her," Qian shi thought, growing increasingly angry, feeling as if Su Xiao Qi was spending her family's money.
She jumped up, rolled up her sleeves, and rushed to the Shen family next door.
Zhao Xiao Hua quickly followed to persuade her not to be impulsive.
Zhao Hai’e's reaction was more direct; she followed behind the two, covering her mouth and smiling with schadenfreude.
Su Xiao Qi, after giving Zhao Shi her medicine and coming out, heard their courtyard gate being kicked open.
She turned her head and saw the furious Qian shi storming in.
Without a word, she grabbed Su Xiao Qi's sleeve, pointed at her forehead, and cursed:
"You ungrateful bitch, you've got shit in your brain, blinded by darkness without any sense…"
Qian shi's lips moved lightly, and a string of local curses poured out.
Su Xiao Qi listened blankly.
She couldn't understand the specifics, but she grasped the general meaning.
Qian shi was likely calling her ungrateful.
But she couldn't understand why she was ungrateful.
"May your eyes be blinded, you don't know who is kin and who is distant.
You give so much benefit money to others, why don't you think of your own relatives…"
Under Qian shi's furious onslaught, Su Xiao Qi finally understood.
It turned out Qian shi had come to confront her about buying buckwheat grains yesterday and paying one wen for renting the village head's courtyard.
She narrowed her eyes, suddenly shook off Qian shi's hand, and took a step back onto the steps.
She looked down at the slightly plump and greasy Qian shi.
People say that one's appearance reflects their heart, and Su Xiao Qi used to not believe it.
Seeing Qian shi, she felt it was true.
Qian shi was fat, which should have meant she was broad-minded and well-fed.
But unfortunately, she had a pair of slanted, triangular eyes that seemed to stab people with an awl when she looked at them.
It made people very uncomfortable.
Not to mention her mouth, which spewed such unpleasant and vulgar words.
Su Xiao Qi frowned tightly, her displeasure accumulating on her face. She cleared her throat and responded faintly:
"So early in the morning, I wondered who it was, turns out it's Auntie.
Perhaps your family ran out of water today and you didn't even brush your teeth and wash your face before coming out."
This was clearly calling her mouth unclean.
Qian shi didn't react to the words for a moment.
It wasn't until Zhao Xiao Hua reminded her that she reacted.
Seeing Su Xiao Qi subtly curse, she was stunned, and then quickly put her hands on her hips, her shrewish nature surfacing.
She spewed saliva at Su Xiao Qi, greeting her and all her ancestors with another round of insults.
Su Xiao Qi stood there and watched her coldly, saying nothing.
Arguing back with Qian shi would only waste her breath and lower her status.
Even if she won, she would just be seen as a shrew, which was pointless.
It was better to wait and see, and when he wasn't there, then...
Su Xiao Qi could endure it, but Shen Er Dan, who was beside her, was impulsive.
He rushed towards Qian shi, saying, "You, you bad woman, don't bully my sister-in-law."
Qian shi stumbled as Shen Er Dan suddenly charged at her.
She had come to cause trouble in the first place, but Su Xiao Qi had only said that one light remark and said nothing more.
This left her with a belly full of tricks that she couldn't implement, so she could only curse loudly.
Now that Shen Er Dan bumped into her, it was perfect.
She grabbed Shen Er Dan by the collar, held him firmly, and was about to slap him across the face.
"Er Dan," Su Xiao Qi called out. The silver needle she had prepared in her hand had already flown out, pricking Qian shi's wrist.
She cried out and let go of Er Dan.
Su Xiao Qi quickly reached out to catch him.
This prevented him from falling to the ground.
However, Shen Er Dan was still so scared that he wailed and burrowed into Su Xiao Qi's arms.
Su Xiao Qi soothed him and handed him to Shen Xiao Mei, who was standing behind her.
This time, she decided not to tolerate it. She stepped forward coldly and snorted,
"Auntie, you are truly heartless. How could you be so cruel to your own nephew."
"Bah, this mongrel, he doesn't deserve to be my nephew.
He's a wild bastard picked up from some hidden corner."
This was the truth, but Qian shi saying it at this moment was too malicious.
Moreover, she said it in front of Shen Er Dan.
Su Xiao Qi's eyebrows furrowed tightly, "So what? My mother-in-law treats him as her own son, and my husband, myself, and Xiao Mei also treat him as our own brother."
"Hmph, bah, I'm not going to argue with you about these messy things.
You let Shen Yun come out. If he's not here, then call Zhao San Niang out.
Call them to tell me why they treat outsiders better than their own maternal uncle's family."
Qian shi had made a scene, and her anger had subsided. She began to remember the real reason for her visit.
Su Xiao Qi glanced imperceptibly at the villagers gathered outside the courtyard. They had gone from a few people watching the excitement to more and more.
Her heart turned cold, and she suddenly walked towards Qian shi.
Qian shi thought she, like Shen Er Dan, was going to ambush her.
Without thinking, she pushed her away with her hand.
"Ah…" Su Xiao Qi cried out and stumbled backward, falling to the ground.
Then, in front of everyone, she pursed her lips, her eyes welled up, and tears began to flow.
As she wiped away tears with her sleeve, she cried:
"What are you saying, Auntie?
You clearly know my husband is studying at the county school.
My mother-in-law... is ill and has just taken her medicine and fallen asleep.
And you insist on looking for them, aren't you making things difficult?"
Su Xiao Qi's tears made those who were purely watching the excitement feel a bit uncomfortable.
They had expected another shouting match like a shrew's street brawl.
That would be entertaining, with back-and-forth exchanges of the nastiest words.
It sounded thrilling.
But seeing that it seemed to be over before it even began, it was not very engaging.