Chapter 58: Cats and Dogs

Li Zhen’s accusations against Hu Yao, claiming she would be abandoned by Jiang Han, spread quickly.

Some people with dark thoughts might agree, but no one dared to say it to her face. Hu Yao could easily make trouble if she wanted to.

Li Zhen didn’t care about the two copper coins she earned, but the Liu family did. They were no longer as kind to her as before. Soon after she left with the tea, the Liu family found out and immediately scolded her, demanding she apologize to Hu Yao and beg for her job back.

Li Zhen was unwilling to do something so humiliating, but Liu Jie also pressured her, warning her not to make Jiang Han dislike them.

After the incident with Li Zhuangzhi, Liu Jie felt unbalanced. Why was Jiang Han so good to Li Zhuangzhi, but not to him? He had even gone out of his way to find someone to deal with Xu Guangliang!

Liu Jie thought about it and concluded that it was probably because of their past actions that had displeased Jiang Han. But they were brothers after all, and any conflict would soon pass. He believed Jiang Han would still benefit him in the future.

Li Zhen was the same! These women were troublemakers! Couldn’t they just behave? They were always causing him problems!

Liu Jie blamed Li Zhen in his heart.

Under the pressure of the Liu family, Li Zhen gritted her teeth and reluctantly went to apologize to Hu Yao.

Liu Jie stood beside her, flattering Hu Yao and bringing up Jiang Han, emphasizing their brotherhood and asking Hu Yao not to hold a grudge. He then insisted on Li Zhen returning to pick tea.

…

“What did that woman say to you?” Jiang Han came back and learned about the incident. Pulling Hu Yao, who was preparing dinner, he asked.

Hu Yao glanced at him and spoke calmly, her voice light: “She said you would leave me for another woman and I would become trash.”

The foul language that came out of her mouth didn’t sound malicious at all, but rather, light and airy.

Jiang Han frowned: “That woman with her foul mouth, what kind of trash talk is that!”

He would often scold Hu Yao, but not everyone could insult her! To call his wife trash in front of so many people, that was asking for trouble!

“And you, weren’t you very arrogant before? You’re the one paying wages, and you’re being scolded by the worker? Are you a coward or not!” He was furious with her, pinching her face.

“From now on, if you see someone you don’t like, you give them a good slap! Understand?”

His words were somewhat domineering, as if he were teaching Hu Yao to be tyrannical.

“You should learn from Jiang Fuchao, let him teach you. When is he not walking with his head held high outside? Who dares to touch him?”

“…”

Hu Yao remained silent for a moment, pursed her lips, and looked up at him: “But aren’t they your brothers?”

Liu Jie always brought up Jiang Han, and they had been brothers for so long. Hu Yao couldn’t figure out how much those brothers meant to him, especially since she didn’t know many things about him. If she caused him trouble, he would get angry and yell at her.

“There are countless people who call me brother. Brothers? Did I specifically tell you? Any cat or dog is my brother?” Jiang Han scoffed.

Hu Yao paused, not knowing what to say. His words made her realize that Liu Jie and Li Zhen’s brother were not considered brothers in his eyes.

“Look, those two.”

“Cat.”

“Dog.”

Just then, Song Sikai and Tang Haofei came to visit him. Jiang Han lightly pointed his chin at them.

Song Sikai: “…”

Tang Haofei: “…”

He suddenly felt annoyed with Song Sikai and Tang Haofei again. Hu Yao didn’t comment, it was almost dinner time, she pulled away from his hand and went to the kitchen to cook.

Song Sikai and Tang Haofei clicked their tongues in displeasure, arguing with Jiang Han, saying things about how they were not cats and dogs.

They came at the right time, with the intention  to eat at someone else’s expense. Hu Yao cooked their meals together.

After dinner, Jiang Han went out with them. Before leaving, he told Hu Yao that it was good to keep Li Zhen picking tea, and let her treat her like a cow, do whatever she wanted to vent her anger…

How could you treat someone like a cow by picking tea? Hu Yao glanced at his departing figure and served another bowl of soup for Jiang Xiaochao, who hadn’t eaten enough.

“Mom, my cow hasn’t been bought yet.” Jiang Xiaochao didn’t know what they were talking about earlier, but when he heard Jiang Han mention cows, he remembered that he had promised to buy him a cow to raise.

Hu Yao smiled, wiping a grain of rice from his cheek: “Soon.”

Jiang Han had actually said he would buy him a cow to raise, because Jiang Xiaochao was always running around and playing, without any “serious business” to do.

Li Zhen came back to pick tea in the afternoon. Everyone saw her and started to make sarcastic remarks.

Her face was extremely ugly, and it became even worse when Hu Yao deducted her wages and deliberately made her run back and forth between the two tea fields. She cursed countless times in her heart.

But now, without her family to support her, she didn’t have the same confidence. Any grievances she had, she could only swallow.

Hu Yao was unhappy about her previous sarcastic and nasty words, and with Jiang Han’s permission, she had vented her anger. After a few days, seeing that Li Zhen was slowly becoming obedient, she didn’t bother her anymore.

On the sixth day of picking autumn tea, Jiang Xiaochao’s little cow was bought. Jiang Han really did want him to raise a cow.

He was very happy. On the first day the little cow arrived, he jumped around excitedly, circling it. That day, he took it to the foot of the mountain to eat grass.

After only a day together, Jiang Xiaochao and his little cow had already developed a strong bond. He shared half of his milk with it, and even wanted to sleep with it.

Jiang Han beat him up.

Not because he wanted to sleep with the cow.

He didn’t care if he slept with the cow or not. It was because Jiang Xiaochao took his cup and made milk for the cow to drink, and after the cow finished, he took it back and drank it himself.

At first, he didn’t know, and thought it was strange that he was suddenly so filial. Seeing that it was his son, he didn’t think much of it and accepted his kindness and drank it.

He confessed after finishing the drink, not feeling any remorse.

Of course, his butt was swollen from being beaten by Jiang Han.

Hu Yao wasn’t home at the moment. He went to complain to Xiao Niu about his father’s bad behavior.

“Jiang Fuchao, take your cow and get out!”

“Humph!”

…

Hu Yao was unaware of this little episode. She went to town today.

She meant it when she said she would repay Jiang Han. Recently, she had been doing some odd jobs, earning a little bit here and there. It was a drop in the bucket compared to what she owed him, but it was better than nothing.

Lin Zhaodi said she would repay the money, but she and Xiaoya’s father couldn’t afford to pay it back all at once. They would just have to pay it back little by little.

Hu Yao was skilled with her hands. She could weave small things, and she did it beautifully. Back when she was a girl, she made a little extra money by doing these things.

In addition to that, she went to the market to sell dried bamboo shoots. Surprisingly, the business was better than selling watermelons before.

However, she couldn’t sell for long before Jiang Han caught her and dragged her home with a dark face.