Chapter 33

Huo Miaomiao pouted and hurried over to Yao Guizhi. “Grandma, the meat is gone, all the meat in the wooden basin is gone!”

“What?” Yao Guizhi reacted strongly, her voice rising several notches. She looked at Huo Miaomiao, then raised her eyes to Zhong Cuitao and Lan Yun’er, asking, “What’s going on? How could Miaomiao say the meat is gone?”

She walked towards the stove room, “Wasn’t all the meat in the wooden basin? I was afraid of rats eating it, so I even covered it with a sieve. How could it be gone?”

Lan Yun’er raised an eyebrow. She quickly stood up from the low stool and followed toward the stove room. “Mom, the meat is really gone, not a single bit left.”

Yao Guizhi couldn’t believe it. So much meat, how could it just disappear unless someone took it! When they entered the stove room, sure enough, the wooden basin was empty. Yao Guizhi’s eyes widened, and her forehead flushed with anger. She pointed at the empty basin and asked, “What’s going on? Where did the meat go? Who took it?”

Lan Yun’er said, “Mom, it was taken by Eldest Sister-in-law’s family. Those people from her side took the meat. Second Sister-in-law tried to stop them, but there were too many of them…”

“Cao Yunxia! So it was her family!” Yao Guizhi was furious. “Where is Cao Yunxia? Where is she?”

Yao Guizhi grabbed the broom beside the door, clearly wanting to hit someone. Lan Yun’er sighed. “Maybe Eldest Sister-in-law was afraid that you would come back and question her, so she went back with her family and took Tianbao and Tianhe with her.”

Yao Guizhi was so angry she almost spat blood. She threw the broom to the ground, then picked up a shoulder pole in the yard, her brows tightly furrowed as she gritted her teeth and said, “Those shameless people, daring to steal my meat. I will make them spit it out!”

Huo Jianzhang stood in the yard, his face dark. He wanted to calm the situation down, but he felt this matter could not be smoothed over. He walked over to Yao Guizhi and said, “I’ll go with you.”

Lan Yun’er and Zhong Cuitao quickly said, “We’ll go too.” However, before they left, Lan Yun’er went back to the house to get something. After retrieving it, they all went to Cao Yunxia’s family.

Cao Yunxia’s family was in Luoyun Village, which was a bit far, at least an hour’s walk. By the time they arrived, it was already after 4 o’clock.

The Cao family was preparing dinner, likely because they had stolen meat from the Huo family and were celebrating. The sound of laughter and chatter from the yard could be heard by Yao Guizhi as they approached. She was so angry her teeth were itching, and she strode forward, using the shoulder pole to force open the half-closed yard door.

She walked into the yard and shouted angrily, “Cao Yunxia, come out! Get out here!”

In the yard, Cao Yunxia’s older brothers, Cao Guangji and Cao Guangwei, were sitting on chairs chatting, waiting for the women in the stove room to finish cooking. When they saw Yao Guizhi burst in, both were stunned, but Cao Guangji quickly stood up and said, “Oh, it’s Aunt Yao. What brings you here?”

After greeting Yao Guizhi, he noticed Lan Yun’er following behind. Seeing her exceptionally beautiful and fair face, he was momentarily stunned, a trace of admiration flashing in his eyes. He had seen her once at Huo Jinchen’s wedding, but seeing her again, he was still amazed. How could a guy like Huo Jinchen, such a brat, marry a woman this beautiful? Why couldn’t he marry such a stunning woman?

Cao Guangji looked at Lan Yun’er for a couple of seconds, then continued, “Aunt Yao, please have a seat, please sit in the chair I was sitting in.”

Yao Guizhi snorted coldly. “Who wants to sit in your chair? I’m afraid I’ll get sores sitting on your filthy chair!”

Cao Guangji: “…”

This woman was such a foul-mouthed one!

Yao Guizhi stomped the shoulder pole on the ground, making a loud “thump.” She gritted her teeth and said angrily, “You took things from my house when no one was around. You’d better hand it over, or don’t blame me for being rude!”

They were supposed to be family, but over the years, the Cao family had done so many things that made people furious. Cao Yunxia had often taken things from the Huo family, and every time her family came, they would steal something. The previous times, it was nothing major, but this time, they took the whole half pig without leaving a single bit! Meat was a precious commodity in this era, and they took it all, thinking the Huo family was easy to bully.

Yao Guizhi was determined to get it back today! Otherwise, if they thought the Huo family was an easy target, they would steal again and again in the future.

When Yao Guizhi and the others arrived, many villagers from Luoyun Village had seen them and followed behind, thinking they were going to fight. As they heard Yao Guizhi’s words, many people started to gossip.

Earlier, they had seen Cao Guangji and Cao Guangwei going to the Huo family, and when they came back, Cao Guangji had a big bundle on his back, which they thought was a gift from the Huo family. But now, it seemed that they had stolen it from the Huo family? The Cao family was really shameless!

Cao Guangji’s face sank when he heard Yao Guizhi’s words, and he quickly tried to explain, “Aunt Yao, don’t say such things. We didn’t steal anything, those things were given to us by you.”

Yao Guizhi: “…”

She had never met anyone so shameless!

Standing behind her, Lan Yun’er smiled disdainfully and cast a cold glance at Cao Guangji. So this was Cao Yunxia’s older brother, Cao Guangji? He was 37 years old this year, so he should be a more mature person, but instead, he was idle and lazy, just like a thug in the village.

Cao Guangji had married once, but his wife couldn’t stand his laziness and ran away. Later, when he tried to remarry, no one was willing to marry him. After all, which woman would want to marry a man like him, who was good for nothing?

As Lan Yun’er noticed his lecherous gaze, her eyes narrowed with cold light. This man, Cao Guangji, was so bold to be eyeing her? She would make sure he understood why iron pots are hard!

At that moment, Cao Yunxia came out of the stove room. When she saw Yao Guizhi, she felt a bit afraid, but seeing that they were at her family’s house, she gained some courage and greeted them with a forced smile. “Mom, what brings you here? You’re just in time, we’re making dinner. Why don’t you stay and have dinner with us?”

Lan Yun’er couldn’t help but sneer. She mockingly glanced at Cao Yunxia and said scornfully, “Eldest Sister-in-law, your family stole things from us. And now you’re inviting us to stay for dinner? Are you hoping that after we eat the things you stole, we should thank you?”

Cao Yunxia: “…”

This hateful woman, why was she everywhere?

“I didn’t ask you to stay for dinner, don’t get carried away. And who do you think you are, talking here?” A woman suddenly rushed out of the stove room. She was about the same age as Lan Yun’er but looked far less attractive. She was Cao Yunxia’s younger sister, Cao Yunshu.

Cao Yunshu glared at Lan Yun’er, her jealousy toward her completely apparent. Yes, she was jealous of Lan Yun’er’s beauty, of her family’s wealth, and her whole being. She couldn’t stand seeing someone like Lan Yun’er.

Lan Yun’er looked at Cao Yunshu’s coat and laughed, “That coat you’re wearing, is it the one your sister stole from me? Tsk tsk, how bold of you to wear it and come in front of me, acting all arrogant!”

Cao Yunxia had previously taken quite a few things from the original owner, including two expensive coats, one of which she gave to Cao Yunshu.

Cao Yunshu frowned and said, “What do you mean, stole it? This is something I bought myself when I went to the county town!”

“Bought it?” Lan Yun’er sneered, “With your family’s situation, do you think I don’t know? With the way your family is, you really think you could buy such a coat?”

The villagers outside the yard, seeing Cao Yunshu’s coat, had originally thought it was nice and fashionable. But now, they realized it was stolen? The Cao family, how could they be so shameless?

Cao Yunshu’s face turned red with anger, and she raised her hand to slap Lan Yun’er. “I bought it with my own money! Even though my family is poor, I can still save up to buy clothes. Lan Yun’er, stop slandering me!”

Just as her slap was about to land, Yao Guizhi and Huo Jianzhang tensed up and were ready to step forward and protect Lan Yun’er. But Lan Yun’er, with a cold glint in her eyes, swiftly dodged to the side, kicking a small stone toward Cao Yunshu’s feet.

Cao Yunshu stepped on the stone and stumbled, falling hard to the ground. “Ow, that hurts!”

She was in so much pain that her face twisted.

Cao Yunxia and Cao Guangji rushed to help her up.

Lan Yun’er crossed her arms and said lazily, “Cao Yunshu, you say you bought it? Then you must have a receipt, right? If you don’t, then you’ll be going with the police today.”

The police? Cao Yunxia and Cao Guangji were stunned. What did Lan Yun’er mean? Had she already called the police?

Seeing their shocked and fearful expressions, Lan Yun’er smiled. “Yes, I’ve already called the police. They should be here soon.”