“Laosan, remember, you are not allowed to go if she asks you for help next time.”

Niu Laosan didn’t speak, and instead went to the kitchen to wash his hands.

Aunt He agreed with Niu Laosan’s wife, “I think Shen is stingy and won’t do business with people.”

Aunt He said, “The butcher on the market will ask for 200 copper coins to slaughter a pig at someone’s home.”

“This is a neighborly thing, I don’t think you two will take advantage of her 200 copper coins. Just giving her 150 copper coins is enough.”

“After all, Niu Laosan did carry the pig down from the mountain, the road is so bad, how easy is it to walk? So she should give him the money for slaughtering the pig.”

Niu Laosan’s wife agreed with Aunt He’s words, “Elder, you are wise to understand the situation.”

Aunt He “humbly” said, “I just couldn’t bear it.”

Niu Laosan’s wife leaned in close to Aunt He and whispered, “I had faked refusing her money from her before, and now I didn’t think she would really not give me money.”

“But I didn’t expect Shen to really not give us any money.”

“I won’t go and ask Shen for money myself, please go and remind her that she should give us money,” Niu Laosan’s wife asked Aunt He.

“If she sends the money to our house, I’ll give you a bowl of rabbit meat as a thank-you gift next time you come to our house.”

As soon as Aunt He heard the words “rabbit meat”, her two eyes sparkled, “This is a good idea, but just a matter of speaking.”

Niu Laosan’s wife immediately laughed, “Then please help me, Aunt He.”

She also told her, “Aunt He, when you go to her house, don’t mention my name.”

Aunt He promised, “I won’t mention your name, you can rest assured.”

…

The Lu family’s old house.

Some villagers asked Shen Xuezhu where the pig meat on the ground came from.

Shen Xuezhu told them the story.

This villager sympathized with Shen Xuezhu and said, “This wild boar meat wasn’t easy to get, and you almost got hit by it.”

Shen Xuezhu joked, “It’s nothing, no harm done, next time I won’t go to the deep forest, that’s all.”

Aunt He joined in the conversation, “Next time, you should go visit Brother Niu San’s house, okay?”

Shen Xuezhu didn’t understand what Aunt He meant, so she asked, “Aunt He, what do you mean?”

The villagers were all curious about what Aunt He meant.

“Aunt He, please be direct and say what you want to say. Don’t beat around the bush anymore.”

Aunt He “dug a hole” and said another one, and another one.

Someone got impatient and said, “Just say it already!”

Aunt He “found trouble” for herself and said, “You don’t know that this pig is what Brother Niu San brought back from the back mountain and slaughtered?”

Shen Xuezhu replied, “This wild boar is what Brother Niu San and Double Pillar brought back from the back mountain, and Brother Niu San slaughtered it.”

The villagers understood now.

“Ah, I see! That’s right!”

Aunt He continued, “That’s why I reminded Xiaoshan’s wife to go to Brother Niu San’s house, because Brother Niu San helped her slaughter this boar, and she didn’t give him any money.”

As Shen Xuezhu listened to these words, her face immediately changed color, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t give Brother Niu San any money, he himself said he didn’t need any money, and then he left.”

“I was busy comforting my little one just then, and I thought I’d give them money later.”

Shen Xuezhu raised an eyebrow at Aunt He, “Aunt He, you specially came to my house just to say this much, is it because you think I don’t want to give money to Brother Niu San?”