Chapter 43: There’s No Shortage of Weirdos Anywhere

Zhou Shitou was so angry that he threw the broom he was halfway through making, unable to hold back any longer, he stood up and scolded, “Can you stop with your little schemes? Do you think no one can see through you? You know that Doctor Jiang is a capable person, and she’s a girl from the city. She’s always clean and tidy, while we’re always covered in dust. We’re clearly not from the same world. Do you have any relatives who are good enough for her?”

The commotion over here alarmed the village chief and his wife in the main room. They thought the couple was fighting and hurried out to stop them. “What are you yelling about? Is your leg not hurting anymore?”

The village chief asked them with a cold face, “What are you arguing about? Are you bored with your lives? Or are you annoyed by us two old geezers?”

Shiliu felt even more embarrassed. “Nothing, I was just talking nonsense. He just scolded me a bit. It’s my fault.”

She didn’t dare let her father-in-law know what she was thinking.

But Zhou Shitou felt that she had impure thoughts, and if this continued, something would go wrong sooner or later. He didn’t hold back and laid out the situation.

The village chief immediately gave a stern warning, “What? Are you unhappy with your life at home? Didn’t you get to eat meat every day?”

Shiliu was so scolded that she didn’t dare say a word. She was not only Zhou Shitou’s wife, but also the adopted daughter of the Zhou family.

In the past, when times were bad, she was a girl, and her family kicked her out to fend for herself. She was only twelve years old then, she couldn’t even beg for food, and she almost starved to death.

The village chief saw how pitiful she was and took her in to give her food. He raised her for a few years and then gave her to Zhou Shitou as his wife. So, when the village chief scolded her, it was no different from scolding his own child. Shiliu didn’t dare say a word in rebuttal.

Compared to other girls who starved to death, she was lucky. The village chief and his wife gave her a second life.

After they went back, the village chief told his wife, “Keep an eye on Shiliu, do some ideological work with her. When she’s free, take good care of the children at home, do more work, and cause less trouble.”

“I know, don’t worry. She’s just a bit gossipy, but she’s very timid and won’t dare to do anything.”

“It’s better to be safe than sorry. Besides, I think Director Yan seems to be very fond of Jiang Nian. I don’t know if I’m overthinking it.”

“You must be overthinking it. I heard that Director Yan has a wife he raised from childhood, they just haven’t had the wedding yet. How could he…”

“You said they haven’t had the wedding yet. How old is Director Yan?” The village chief shook his head with a smile. “He’s been able to delay getting married until this age, I think Director Yan might not be willing to marry that little wife of his. It’s all the family’s idea. Director Yan doesn’t seem like the kind of person who can be controlled by his family. He’s probably in a stalemate with his family. Anyway, it’s better to be safe than sorry. You should also find a chance to talk to Jiang Nian. Even though she’s a capable girl, she’s easily deceived. Even if she likes him, she should make Director Yan clear up the mess at home before anything else. Don’t ruin her reputation. In the end, women are the ones who suffer.”

Besides, the way Yan Jin looked at Jiang Nian, he had been young too, how could he not tell?

His eyes were practically glued to her.

When it comes to understanding, men understand men best.

But it’s true, Jiang Nian’s appearance, let alone the surrounding villages, even in the entire Jianglin City, it would be hard to find someone as outstanding as her. She’s also a skilled doctor. There are many young men who are interested in her. Many have come to ask him about her, but they were clearly not a good match, and the village chief persuaded them to leave. He didn’t mention it to Jiang Nian, not wanting to seem like he didn’t know what was good for him.

The aroma was already wafting from Jiang Nian’s place.

The two of them were in the kitchen, surrounding the pot. There was a fire burning underneath, and the pot was filled with fragrant mutton soup. They ladled out half of the clear soup and mutton. It was cold now, so it wouldn’t go bad. The other half was added with chili peppers and red oil, along with radishes and cabbage. They cooked and ate it at the same time.

Ye Zhiqiu had already told Jiang Nian about Yan Jin. She couldn’t figure out what kind of business a cooperative director could have that he had to meet her in person to discuss?

But Ye Zhiqiu did a good job, she didn’t change her planned itinerary just because he was the director.

Li Rui was like a dog with a keen sense of smell. As soon as he picked up his bowl, he smelled the aroma and came over.

He was quite tall, making the kitchen seem a bit short. He had to bend over to get in.

“I knew it, your food is amazing.” He glanced at the tabby cat eating meat beside him and sighed. “You two shouldn’t keep a cat, you should keep me. I’m definitely better at guarding the house than it, and I’m easier to keep, just give me some food.”

He was eating husks and swallowing vegetables all day, he wasn’t even as good as a cat.

“You’re such a busy man, I wouldn’t dare let you guard the house.” Li Rui was busy running around with the women’s federation people all day, he hadn’t been here much lately.

Ye Zhiqiu glanced at Jiang Nian, seeing that she didn’t refuse Li Rui’s obvious intention to mooch a meal, she quickly got him a bowl and chopsticks.

“Brother Rui, eat quickly. There are fresh steamed buns in the basket, take some yourself.”

It’s not that she was enthusiastic towards Li Rui, it’s because he was close to Jiang Nian, and Ye Zhiqiu was most familiar with him. She usually asked him about her textbooks.

Li Rui didn’t stand on ceremony, he picked up his bowl and started eating, and even asked Jiang Nian to move over a bit.

Actually, he didn’t come to mooch meals often, because he was embarrassed. Today, he accidentally burned the pot dry while frying vegetables, so he came here in a fit of anger.

He didn’t eat for free, he also brought some duck eggs.

After they finished eating, he complained, “It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t asked me to write that article, I wouldn’t be in this situation. You guys don’t know, yesterday in that village to the north, I almost got beaten to death by a man.”

“What happened? Are you injured?” Ye Zhiqiu asked anxiously.

“No, I was pulled away by someone else, he didn’t even touch me.” Speaking of the danger yesterday, Li Rui was still a little scared. “That man wasn’t a good person either, he was the kind that Jiang Nian said… right, the kind of man who looks down on women deep down. I was giving a speech on stage, and he suddenly rushed up, saying that I was talking nonsense, saying that a wife who is beaten down is a dough that is kneaded down, women shouldn’t be pampered, and he also said that the better you treat them, the more they’ll get arrogant. You guys don’t know, the faces of the women’s federation members turned black…”

Ye Zhiqiu’s face also turned black as ink. “What kind of bullshit is that? He can actually say such things, and he looks down on women? Wasn’t he born from a woman’s womb? He’s a forgetful dog, his mother should have drowned him in the chamber pot when he was born!”

Li Rui didn’t expect her to be so excited, he cleared his throat and reminded her, “You’re a girl, you should be more civilized.”

Jiang Nian remained calm. “There’s no shortage of weirdos anywhere. You’ll know when you encounter more of them. It’s actually the men who are less capable who look down on women the most, because they can only show their little bit of strength by suppressing women. That’s why I asked you to read more and learn more knowledge. The more you see, the more you know, and the more open-minded you’ll be. Books are currently your only way to get information from the outside world, and they will be very helpful for your future growth.”