Chapter 9: Oh… My Chicken!

Shen Huaixu and Pang Yunli came and left in a hurry.

But in this era, a car alone would attract a crowd, let alone a military jeep. Even though it was night, many people in Qingshan Village heard the car and came out to watch the excitement.

“Jianshe, was that car for your family?  That direction only leads to your house.”

Hearing someone ask, Tang Jianshe stammered without answering.

Tang Xiaorou smiled and said, “Auntie Liu, it was for our family. My husband’s comrade came to take him to the army.”

“What… your husband? When did you get married?”

“Auntie, today. I just got my marriage certificate with my husband today.  Before we could even have a wedding banquet, he has to go on a mission.  Ah… soldiers have no choice; everything is for the people.”  In the end, she saluted.

Seeing Tang Xiaorou like this, everyone was solemn.

“Soldiers protect our country and are our strong backing. We definitely support their work. Xiaorou, you should also understand your husband.” 

This was Village Chief Wang Yougen. He knew about Tang Xiaorou and Qin Xueqiong’s life in the Tang family, so he was very curious about Tang Xiaorou’s husband.

“But Xiaorou, where is your husband from? Why haven’t we heard of you having a boyfriend before?”

“Yes, Xiaorou, you didn’t have a boyfriend before, how did you suddenly get married?” This time it was Zhao, the neighbor. She had heard that Grandma Tang planned to marry Tang Xiaorou to Yang Erzhu from the next village to get money for her grandson’s wedding. 

But Tang Xiaorou silently got married, and to a soldier! When did Tang Erya become so capable? She directly outsmarted Grandma Tang.

Before Tang Xiaorou could speak, Qin Xueqiong explained, “Auntie, I introduced Xiaorou to a blind date. She went on a blind date today, saw that the man was good, and directly got her marriage certificate with him.

After all, if Xiaorou didn’t get married early, she would have been sold to Yang Erzhu by her family.”

“Whoa…”

Hearing this, the people around were in an uproar. Some, like Auntie Zhao, knew about Grandma Tang’s plan, while others didn’t. Everyone was discussing it, looking curiously at the Tang family.

Grandpa Tang felt his old face was burning with shame. He glared at Qin Xueqiong and said in a deep voice, “Old Second’s wife, you can’t just say anything. When did we ever want to sell Erya? Isn’t she already married?”

“I knew about your plan beforehand, otherwise, my daughter would have been sold by you.”

Qin Xueqiong clearly explained the whole incident, finally saying, “Everyone, judge for yourselves. Tang Xiangdong wants to marry a wife, so he should let his own sister marry someone. Why should it be Xiaorou? No family does this.” She looked at Wang Yougen and asked, “Village Chief, what do you think?”

Wang Yougen and the people around stared at Qin Xueqiong in disbelief. They couldn’t believe that the woman in front of them was the timid Qin Xueqiong who wouldn’t say a word. Was this still the Old Second’s wife they knew? She was like a completely different person.

Tang Xiaorou also looked at her mother in surprise, then smiled.

Wang Yougen, as the village chief, couldn’t be biased in front of the villagers. He could only nod and say, “Yes, that’s not right. But Old Second’s wife, was there a misunderstanding?”

“There’s no misunderstanding. They targeted my mother and me, willing to sell their granddaughter for their grandson.”

Seeing Qin Xueqiong’s persistence, everyone was even more surprised. But they could understand. After all, Tang Erya was everything to Qin Xueqiong. Now that the Tang family wanted to sell Tang Erya, Qin Xueqiong’s personality had changed.

Grandpa Tang felt ashamed. The other members of the Tang family glared at Qin Xueqiong. Didn’t she know that family matters shouldn’t be made public? How could she spread family secrets? Tang Rufang quickly changed the subject, saying, “Second Aunt, you misunderstood.

How could the family sell Erya? The family just wanted to find her a partner. We didn’t expect her to get married so quickly. But why did your brother-in-law bring two children? Who are they?”

Hearing this, everyone’s attention turned to Little Liang and Little Yan. Seeing so many people, the two children instinctively hid behind Tang Xiaorou.

Everyone looked curiously at them. A sharp-tongued middle-aged woman asked, “Erya, who are these two children? Are they your new husband’s? Are you going to be a stepmother right after getting married?”

Tang Xiaorou looked at the woman who spoke.

“Auntie Li, watch your words. These children’s father was a martyr. My husband was their father’s comrade. After their father’s death, seeing that they had no one to take care of them, he adopted them. They are not someone you can slander casually.”

Hearing this, no one dared to speak casually.

Wang Yougen said in a timely manner, “Alright everyone, it’s getting late. Let’s go.”

After everyone left, Tang Xiaorou and Qin Xueqiong took Little Liang and Little Yan inside.

Grandma Tang wanted to ask a few questions, but when she saw Tang Xiaorou, she instinctively shrank her neck and didn’t ask.

But Li Cuilan couldn’t help herself.

“Tang Erya, you said you got married, but why are you still living at home? Now you’ve brought two children back. Do you know that the family’s food rations are limited?  Two more children will make it insufficient.”

Hearing this, Tang Xiaorou coldly looked at Li Cuilan. “My mother and I earn enough work points to eat. Even with two more children, it’s enough. If it weren’t for your family being lazy and slacking off, why wouldn’t there be enough food?”

Thinking of the life she and her mother had in the Tang family, Tang Xiaorou felt like they were treated like livestock eating less than chickens and working more than oxen.

“Hmph… My mother and I earn full work points every day, but you are lazy and don’t work. Now you dare to talk about us?  Speaking of which, the chickens in the house are raised by us.”  In the end, Tang Xiaorou went to the chicken coop in the backyard aggressively.

Seeing this, Qin Xueqiong quickly took the two children with her.

Li Cuilan didn’t react at first, but when she recalled Tang Xiaorou’s words, she quickly followed. Grandma Tang also reacted. “Tang Erya, stop!”

But it was too late. Tang Xiaorou had already chopped off the head of one of the chickens.

“Ah… my chicken!”

Grandma Tang clutched her chest, feeling like she couldn’t breathe.

Tang Xiaorou, holding a chicken, smiled at Qin Xueqiong and the two children. “We’ll have chicken for dinner.”