Li Juan & Gao Le: … Oh, so that’s what she meant.

With bandages still on her forehead, Song Wei once again found herself assigned to yesterday’s task of removing corn kernels from the cobs. Today, however, there was a new face in the gossip group—a sour-faced woman whose gaze screamed disapproval.

The moment Song Wei arrived, the woman began her tirade.

“A young city girl coming to compete with us older women for corn-shucking work? Shameless! Those city Zhiqing girls don’t know how to work. All they’re good for is showing off their pretty faces, trying to charm folks around here. I’m warning you all, keep an eye on the young men in your homes. We can’t afford to take in some spoiled city girl as a daughter-in-law!”

Her loud chattering made the other women around her look a bit uncomfortable—many of them had gossiped together yesterday and were too embarrassed to join in now.

“Absolutely right, Auntie Niu!”

Everyone expected Song Wei to snap back, as she usually did, but she surprised them by smiling and agreeing. Without a trace of shame, she sat beside Auntie Niu and started shucking corn quickly.

Thinking Song Wei was intimidated, Auntie Niu smiled smugly—until Song Wei spoke again.

“True enough! But laziness doesn’t just apply to women; men can be lazy too. If a young woman is a little lazy, she can still marry into a good family and make do. But a lazy man? Now that’s a disaster. A family’s livelihood depends on him. If he’s lazy, the whole family’s doomed.

“So ladies, if you have daughters of marriageable age, keep your eyes open. Marrying off your girl to a lazy man is practically sending her to the fire. She’ll end up doing all the work inside and out, plus dealing with a mean mother-in-law. Who would want that?”

Though Song Wei didn’t name names, everyone knew who she meant. Auntie Niu’s son and grandson were notoriously lazy and undependable. The fact that Auntie Niu’s son also had a wandering eye was well-known in the village. Everyone knew her family’s reputation.

Auntie Niu’s face flushed, turning an alarming shade of purple.

“You shameless Zhiqing! Who do you think you’re calling lazy? Who’s an evil mother-in-law?”

Song Wei looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. “Oh, Auntie Niu, why are you so upset? I didn’t mean you. I was just speaking generally. If lazy girls exist, lazy men must exist too. And we all know a lazy man can bring down a whole household.”

Auntie Niu, who was not known for her patience, leaped toward Song Wei, hands outstretched.

Song Wei feigned a frightened dodge and managed to discreetly place a cob under Auntie Niu’s foot, causing her to stumble and fall right into the pile of corn. The cobs tumbled down on top of her, and her shrieks filled the air.

Corn cobs are hard; they hurt whether you’re being hit by one or falling onto them. But despite her weathered appearance, Auntie Niu was still strong—at only forty-something, her rough life had simply made her look older.

As Auntie Niu moaned and groaned, Song Wei acted the part, rushing with the others to “help” her out of the corn pile.

Coincidentally, the Team leader happened to be passing by and hurried over with a frown. “What’s all this racket? Do you want to lose work points over this?”

Auntie Niu clutched her waist, her face contorted in pain as she pointed at Song Wei, looking for sympathy. “Team Leader, it was her! That Zhiqing girl pushed me into the corn pile. I hurt all over, I need to see a doctor. She has to pay for it!”

The team leader looked at Song Wei, exasperated. This girl had just come back from the hospital and now she was causing trouble again?

Song Wei responded innocently. “Team Leader, I didn’t push her. Auntie Niu tried to hit me, but she tripped on her own. I just moved away to avoid getting hit! I wasn’t even close enough to touch her. The others saw everything.”

“I saw it,” one woman piped up. “Auntie Niu fell all on her own.”

“Haha! She looked like a toad on its belly—so funny!” a young boy chimed in.

The kids, who had come along to the field with their grandmothers, started imitating Auntie Niu’s exaggerated moans and groans, clutching their backs and hopping on one leg.

“Get lost, you rude little rascals!” Auntie Niu shouted, her face twisted with anger.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” one of the grandmothers shot back. “My Er Gou was only saying what he saw. I saw it too; the Zhiqing didn’t lay a finger on you.”

Another joined in, “Exactly. The girl didn’t say anything rude until you started shouting.”

The team leader turned to Song Wei. “So, what exactly did you say?”

Without waiting for anyone else, Song Wei took the opportunity to “explain” in her best impression of Auntie Niu’s voice, imitating both her tone and gestures.

“So that’s how it was, Team Leader,” Song Wei concluded, standing primly beside him with the most innocent expression she could muster.

The team leader sighed. She hadn’t directly accused Auntie Niu’s family of being lazy, but her insinuations were crystal clear. But since Auntie Niu was the one who first lunged, and Song Wei hadn’t actually laid a finger on her, there wasn’t much he could do.

“Everyone, let’s leave it at that. Get back to work.”

But Auntie Niu wasn’t finished. “It’s her fault! I only tripped because of what she said! She has to pay for my doctor’s bill!”

The team leader scowled. “Tell me, what am I supposed to do for you here? The Zhiqing girl didn’t insult you; you just admitted that you think your family fits that description. You attacked her first, and you’re responsible for your own fall. You want her to pay? This isn’t some bandit hideout.”