Chapter 16: Father and Son Confronted

Gaoshi Village.

Several aunties were sitting under a tree gossiping when Qiao Jiuwang approached, hoe in hand, and they immediately perked up.

Everyone visibly craned their necks and straightened their backs.

“Oh, Old Qiao, back from the fields?

You’re so old, you should rest.

Leave the farm work to the children. We’ve toiled our whole lives, it’s time for the younger generation to take over.”

Another woman quickly added, “Exactly, Uncle Jiuwang, you spoil Jianhua and Jianguo too much. Youfu and Youcai started working at six or seven. Your fourth son is almost twenty and still chasing chickens and dogs.  He doesn’t care about his elders.”

A young woman chimed in, “Right, during the harvest, even the children and pregnant women are working. Your third son is only a few li away, yet he’s at his in-laws’ place. You spoiled him rotten!

They say you can tell a person’s character at three.  You can’t rely on your third and fourth sons. Be kinder to Youfu and Youcai.”

“Oh, Xicui, you don’t understand. The third and fourth sons are Old Qiao’s treasures. They’re incomparable to Youfu and Youcai.

Even if Old Qiao wanted to, Sister Honghua wouldn’t agree. Don’t end up with Old Qiao’s face scratched.”

After Aunt Niu finished, the women burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha.”

“Hahaha~”

This blatant teasing made Qiao Jiuwang’s face darken. “Women are so talkative, gossiping all day. Did you clean the kang? Did you cook?  Do you have time to meddle in other people’s business?”

Aunt Niu, from the same village as the deceased Yang Mei, responded sarcastically to Qiao Jiuwang’s irritated tone.

“Do we need to spread rumors about your family’s mess? We can’t stand it and are speaking up for Youfu and Youcai, and for Yang Mei.

Humph, it’s like a play, you only hear the laughter of the newcomers, not the cries of the old. Youfu and Youcai are unlucky, their mother died young, and they have a father like you.  Yang Mei must be crying her eyes out in the underworld!”

Liu Xicui excitedly added, “Yes, Uncle Jiuwang, Youfu and Youcai, though not from the same mother as your third and fourth sons, are still your flesh and blood. You shouldn’t favor one over the other. They’re your sons!  You shouldn’t cut off your children’s future.

Tigers don’t even eat their cubs.  Aren’t you afraid that Yang Mei will come find you in the middle of the night?”

Qiao Jiuwang’s face flushed red, “Nonsense!  If you talk nonsense again, I’ll tell Wu Wu!”

Wu Wu was Liu Xicui’s father-in-law. Liu Xicui fell silent.

Aunt Niu retorted, “You did it, so don’t blame people for talking. You only show your teeth at us. Show your teeth to Lei Honghua! Everyone in Gaoshi Village knows you’re preventing Youfu and Youcai from splitting up, so they can serve your younger sons!

You still have the face to show your teeth at us? You’re preventing Youfu from marrying and having children. Youcai’s wife is finally pregnant, and Lei Honghua wants to get rid of the baby so your third and fourth sons can raise it, right?”

“Yes, Uncle Jiuwang, what you did was despicable.”

…

Qiao Jiuwang left home in a rage in the morning and returned even angrier after being berated by the women. He kicked open the door and saw Qiao Youcai squatting in the yard, sharpening a hoe.

Furious, Qiao Jiuwang kicked him, “You beast! I’m still working in the fields at my age, and I didn’t even have a sip of water this morning, while you’re lazing around at home!!!”

The hoe was facing Qiao Youcai.  Qiao Jiuwang’s kick sent it flying towards him.  Seeing the sharp hoe about to hit him, Qiao Youcai quickly threw himself forward, his feet firmly planted, his abdomen raised high, narrowly avoiding the hoe.

Liu Afang, carrying a basin, screamed.

“Husband, husband, are you alright?”

Qiao Jiuwang noticed Qiao Youcai almost got hit by the hoe. His expression hardened as he saw Qiao Youcai get up and glare at him.

His anger flared again, burning away any lingering guilt.

“What’s that look? I’m your father!!!”

“I can’t teach you, can I? Where’s the eldest?  There’s so much work in the fields, and you’ve been lying around all morning? Don’t you need to eat?”

Lei Honghua, hearing the shouting from inside the house, stumbled out, her cries preceding her.

“The world is upside down!  This life is unbearable!  Those two ungrateful sons killed all the chickens and ate them, even the hen used for brooding and the rooster! Woo woo woo”

“I only said a few words, and they beat me and Fourth Son! Old man, they beat me, but they hate you, they’re disgracing you!”

Qiao Jiuwang turned and glared at Qiao Youcai, “Did you hit your mother?”

Qiao Youcai protected Liu Afang, assuming a defensive stance, “Since you believe everything she says, why are you asking me?

For so many years, my brother and I have been here, you don’t know what kind of people we are, but you’ve always ignored what they’ve done.”

Qiao Youcai’s wrist was burning. He looked down, a patch of skin was gone, and bright red blood welled up. Seeing his father looking at him like an enemy, his nose twitched, and his voice trembled.

“Haven’t my brother and I done enough?  Aren’t we obedient enough? For so many years, we’ve done everything you said, have we ever spoken back? What do you want us to do before you’re satisfied?”

Qiao Jiuwang didn’t dare meet his son’s gaze, but he was the head of the family, and his authority couldn’t be challenged.  He threw the hoe behind him, making a loud clang.

Seeing that Qiao Jiuwang didn’t hit him, Lei Honghua jumped up in anger, “It was them! They hit me today, tomorrow they’ll hit you! Woo woo woo, my chickens! Four chickens! They’ve destroyed them in two days! This life is unbearable!”

Thinking of the four chickens, Lei Honghua’s heart ached. She sat on the ground, crying and slapping the ground.

For her, a laying hen dying was like a person dying.  She didn’t even see the bodies of her four chickens.