Chapter 19: I’m Really in a Hurry

When Granny Fan heard this, she couldn’t contain her anger. “I’ve never seen someone as ungrateful as you! When you moved out of the Wang family, I spoke up for you and helped you!”

“Helped me?”

Yu Tingwan didn’t believe a single word.

“I remember and am grateful for those who truly helped me, but do you think I don’t know what your real intentions were? You had a grudge against my aunt and couldn’t stand to see her doing well. You were just eager to see us fight.”

If she had gotten along with Madam Wang, Granny Fan would have treated her as an eyesore anyway.

Yu Tingwan’s lips curved into a slight smirk.

She wasn’t a difficult person by nature and rarely looked for trouble. But when pushed too far, for every word others spoke, she could fire back tenfold.

“Sister Gu was traumatized back then, which is why she’s now mentally impaired.”

“If I recall correctly, before her misfortune, many sought her hand in marriage. Didn’t you even try to match her with your nephews?”

“Her mother cursed you for your evil intentions and drove you out, didn’t she?”

“That must’ve left you stewing in resentment for a long time.”

“That mother and daughter relied on each other and already had it hard enough. I don’t expect you to empathize, but at least have the decency to act like a proper person! Do you really think it’s impressive to rub salt into someone’s wounds?”

“Sister Gu may be mentally impaired, but those who take advantage of her vulnerability are truly despicable. And you, gossiping behind her back—aren’t you just the same?”

After delivering these sharp words, Yu Tingwan didn’t bother to look at Granny Fan’s darkened face before turning to leave.

The women nearby exchanged uneasy glances, thoroughly intimidated by her fierce demeanor.

Yet they couldn’t help but feel that Yu Tingwan’s words rang true.

After all, Granny Fan had indeed spoken with malice, driven by her own selfish grudges.

Just then, Yu Tingwan paused in her steps.

Just when the onlookers thought she had more cutting remarks to deliver, she calmly raised the mushrooms she was holding and asked if they were poisonous.

After receiving a definitive answer, she returned to her old house, boiled some water to warm her frostbitten hands, and carefully applied medicinal ointment.

Her diligence in applying the ointment these past few days had paid off—the chilblains were improving and no longer oozing pus.

Having adapted to the countryside custom of skipping lunch, Yu Tingwan often found herself especially drowsy lately, as if her body was trying to make up for years of lost sleep.

She wrapped herself tightly in her thin quilt and lay down on the small bed.

Someday, when she had enough money, she’d buy a thick, warm quilt.

Just like the one Wei Shen had today! Then she wouldn’t wake up freezing in the middle of the night.

Though the Wei family’s second branch was poor, they spared no expense for their son. If her parents were still alive, surely they would have…

Yu Tingwan let out a heavy sigh.

She needed to figure out ways to earn money.

As she pondered this, her breathing grew steady, and she drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

The aroma wafting from next door awakened her just before dusk.

She took a deep breath.

It was the smell of stewed chicken. The fragrant aroma permeated the air, wrapping around her nose.

Hui Niang was an excellent cook. Previously, when the village chief’s grandson got married, she had been hired to prepare the feast and earned some money. This could have been a steady source of income.

But in this impoverished area, few could afford to hire a cook.

Although the two branches of the Wei family lived separately, they hadn’t formally split their household.

Any money Hui Niang earned barely warmed her hands before the Wei matriarch seized it.

Even simple vegetables became delicious under Hui Niang’s skilled hands, let alone meat dishes.

Yu Tingwan couldn’t even remember when she’d last eaten meat.

The steamed buns from Aunt Wu were long gone.

She washed some wild vegetables and boiled them with mushrooms in her battered pot.

Without oil or salt for seasoning, the taste was naturally bland. But she wasn’t picky.

The Wei family had stewed chicken.

Yu Tingwan ate wild vegetables and mushrooms.

The next day, the Wei family had roasted fish.

Yu Tingwan ate wild vegetables and mushrooms.

On the third day, the village chief chose an auspicious time to slaughter the pig bought from Butcher Wu.

Half the village turned out to watch. Those with money prepared to buy some pork—the fattier the better, hoping for some oil in their diet.

Hui Niang also queued at the village chief’s house.

Though they needed to be frugal, she couldn’t bear to skimp on food for her second son.

She arrived late, and all the good fatty cuts had been taken.

Clutching her copper coins, her eyes involuntarily fell on the pig intestines discarded in the corner, meant to be chopped up for chicken feed.

In those days, few people ate pig intestines—they were difficult to clean, considered unlucky, and their strong smell made them hard to stomach.

Yu Tingwan, having nothing better to do, also joined the commotion.

She couldn’t afford meat, but she had her own purpose.

Li Lian was cleaning bloodstains in the courtyard when Yu Tingwan approached her.

“Auntie.”

Seeing her, Li Lian immediately sensed trouble.

Sure enough..

Yu Tingwan sighed softly, “It’s been two days already.”

Li Lian: …

Why such impatience!

Yu Tingwan looked genuinely distressed: “I’m really in a hurry.”

Li Lian: …

She could see that.

Half-amused and half-annoyed, she was about to respond when a sharp voice cut through the air.

“Well, if it isn’t my sister-in-law! You can afford to buy meat now?”

A sharp-featured woman blocked Hui Niang’s path, her superiority evident in every gesture.

Her voice was loud and deliberately unrestrained.

“Look what you and your husband are doing! Insisting on treating your son’s illness, even stealing Mother’s money purse.”

“Mother’s been so upset she can’t eat and has lost weight. Meanwhile, you’re here living it up!”

Yu Tingwan: …

From what she’d observed, Old Madam Wei seemed perfectly healthy.

Coming to Hui Niang’s door every day to make snide remarks—loud enough for everyone to hear!

Years of suppression by Zhuang Mei had left Hui Niang timid. “Elder sister-in-law, don’t make false accusations. What do you mean Mother’s money? That was rightfully meant for our branch.”

“The Wei family hasn’t formally split yet. What do you mean your branch’s money!”

Hui Niang couldn’t meet Zhuang Mei’s gaze as she quietly replied, “Though we haven’t officially divided the family, you drove us out back then, claiming there weren’t enough rooms. We’ve lived separately all these years.”

Property division required formal documentation, but Old Madam Wei was biased and lived with the first branch, reluctant to divide the assets. Her elder son Wei Shoucai was sweet-talking but lazy, while Wei Shouzhong was honest and hardworking.

During each spring plowing, Wei Shouzhong alone cultivated more land than all of the first branch’s children combined.

The Wei family needed such a laborer.

While the Wei matriarch kept the money from harvests, secretly supplementing the first branch, the second branch only received grain from the fields.

She didn’t skimp too much on the grain—after all, even a rabbit would bite when cornered.

This led to the first branch prospering while Zhuang Mei grew increasingly arrogant.

But now!! The second branch had dared to rebel.

Seeing Hui Niang’s defiance, Zhuang Mei’s fury erupted.

“How dare you! Now that your son is back and standing tall, you dare to talk back!”

Hui Niang pressed her lips together, lowered her head to avoid confrontation, and tried to leave.

How could Zhuang Mei let her have her way?

She shoved Hui Niang roughly: “Did I say you could leave?!”

“What if Wei Shen is back? What are you so proud of? Can that little beast even get up to defend you?”