Chapter 18: Don’t You Like to Eat?

As dusk approached, the villagers gradually finished their work and returned home.

Jiang Yuman took the food from her space and placed it on the table. Soon, the Fu family returned.

Her culinary skills were undeniable. Both dishes were delicious, and the family, accompanied by cornmeal steamed buns, ate with exceptional satisfaction.

Even Fu Wangshan secretly marveled at his daughter-in-law’s cooking skills, which had impressed him.

This food was no different from what they had in the capital before.

After a long day’s work, Fu Haitang, savoring the delicious food, stealthily glanced at Jiang Yuman seated opposite her. The prejudice she harbored slowly began to dissipate.

She opened her mouth, intending to say something.

Before she could speak, a heart-wrenching cry came from their doorstep:

“I won’t eat this disgusting pancake! I don’t want to eat it. I want to eat meat!”

The boy’s cry was shrill and loud, making people feel inexplicably irritated.

Following the cry was Zhou Yun’s voice, “There’s no meat for you to eat. Get up quickly!”

“I don’t want to, I don’t want to!” The boy rolled around on the ground at the doorstep, crying and making a fuss. “Mom, I smell meat here. Ask them for some!”

The mother and son were in a frenzy, the boy bumping into the Fu family’s door several times.

The door was already fragile, and if it was hit a few more times, it might break.

With a “bang,” Jiang Yuman put down her chopsticks, opened the door, and coldly looked at the little boy covered in dust rolling around in front of her house.

“If you want to eat meat, tell your mom to go back and make some for you. Why are you banging on my door?”

This child had been spoiled by Zhou Yun and her family, lacking any manners. He had made a lot of noise on the train, no difference from the annoying brats of last generations.

It was no wonder that Jiang Yuman disliked him.

Zhou Yun’s face immediately fell. “My Tianci is not well-behaved. Why are you being so harsh?”

As she spoke, she glanced at Jiang Yuman with her eyes, seemingly trying to see what they were eating.

Jiang Yuman saw her intention and took a step forward, blocking her line of sight.

Over here, Yang Tianci, sensing his mother’s protection, rolled his eyes and charged into the house like a little cannonball.

Seeing the leftover ribs on the table, his eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab them.

Before he could succeed, Fu Jingchen picked him up and carried him outside.

Seeing the ribs he was about to grab disappear, he cried and made a fuss, collapsing on the ground like a limp noodle.

“There are ribs inside, my ribs! Mom, I want to eat ribs!”

He cried and rolled around, making such a commotion that he disturbed the other educated youths in the educated youth point.

“What’s going on? Why is the child crying so loudly?”

“Is that Zhou Jie’s son? Why is he lying at the Fu family’s doorstep crying so miserably?”

“He said he wants to eat ribs. Oh dear, the production team only distributes meat once in a while. It’s really hard on the child…”

The educated youths discussed among themselves.

“What are you doing!” Seeing her son being carried out, Zhou Yun jumped up like a mother tiger protecting her cub.

“Is this how you bully people? You’re even picking on such a young child!”

As she spoke, she hugged Yang Tianci, looking heartbroken.

Yang Tianci cried in his mother’s arms, as if knowing he had someone backing him up. The more he was coaxed, the louder he cried.

“What’s going on?” Other educated youths rushed over. “Talk things out, don’t bully the child.”

“Yes, our Tianci is so young and doesn’t understand things. Why are you being so harsh on such a small child?” Zhou Yun felt emboldened with so many people around.

Yang Tianci’s thunder was loud, but his rain was light. From Jiang Yuman’s perspective, he was just opening his mouth and making a racket, his eyelashes weren’t even wet.

Old Lady Cai, who had rushed out seeing her grandson cry so hard, was instantly enraged: “You people are truly heartless, bullying my grandson. Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

Fu Haitang’s eyebrows shot up, and she stood with her hips akimbo, saying, “If there’s retribution, it’s you, old hag, who will face it. We haven’t done anything wrong!”

Old Lady Cai was so angry that she almost choked to death. But seeing the entire family behind her, she dared not make a move.

As for Zhou Yun’s husband, he could only stand there with his hands rubbing together, not daring to even speak.

At this moment, Jiang Yuman surveyed the crowd and said, “Everyone, judge for yourselves. Our family was eating dinner inside, and their child was crying and yelling outside our door, demanding some meat.

“I went out and told her to make some meat for the child, and he rushed into our house. My husband carried him out, and he started acting like this. Who’s wrong?”

She spoke with reason and composure, and many people had heard the commotion made by Zhou Yun and her son earlier.

Suddenly, many people believed her.

“Zhou Jie, you’re in the wrong this time. You should take care of your own child. They haven’t done anything wrong.” Someone spoke up for justice.

“My child was craving meat, and he smelled meat from their house, so he just wanted to take a look. They carried him out like that, and the child was scared. Who should I complain to?”

Turning her head, Zhou Yun spat a mouthful of saliva at the person.

The onlookers immediately shut their mouths.

Zhou Yun remembered what her son had said, and she was gnashing her teeth in anger.

He said there were ribs in their house, so the smell of meat they had smelled at noon must have been left by this family.

They were all sent down to the countryside for reform together. Why did they have meat and ribs to eat, while they could only eat sorghum pancakes that scratched their throats?

She was extremely unbalanced!

Meat?

Hearing this, the educated youths exchanged glances and swallowed their saliva.

They hadn’t tasted meat for a long time. How could this whole family have meat to eat?

“We have meat because my husband is worried about my pregnancy and brought it from the city.”

“Your family also came from the city. Why didn’t you bring any meat? Don’t you like to eat?”

Jiang Yuman’s tone was cold. She really felt like it was a waste of breath talking to this kind of person.