Chapter 38

The chicken was divided evenly, and each person was given a bowl of potatoes. The family then began to eat.

Because they were short on time, they couldn’t even manage to have two meals with one chicken. However, Zhao Guifen had already set aside the chicken bones, planning to use them to make soup tomorrow.

The family ate the rare, non-unpalatable meat in silence. After they finished eating, Zhao Guifen said in a bad tone: “In our family, we don’t allow anyone to be a traitor. If anyone messes up our family’s income, I’ll never let them off the hook.”

“No one can threaten me with this!”

Bai Xiuxiu, who had been ready to leave after eating her fill, raised her eyebrows upon hearing this. A smile appeared on her delicate face: “As it happens, my things are mine. No one can touch them. Anyone who has any ulterior motives will no longer be considered family. If it comes down to it, we can go down together. Don’t try to intimidate me.”

After saying that, she got up and left.

Zhao Guifen had just wanted to assert her authority, but she was immediately defeated. She was about to start scolding when Wang Qinghe, carrying the two children, followed his wife.

Zhao Guifen was so angry that she slammed her chopsticks down: “You course, what a course!”

“Alright, stop saying things like that. You’re so petty about her things? Once the second and fifth sons are successful, what will her little things even matter?” Wang Shoucheng couldn’t stand his wife’s attitude of causing trouble over every little thing.

Zhao Guifen wanted to say something else, but after being rebuked, she quieted down.

“I’m not… I’m doing this for the family.”

“If you really care about the family, then be quiet now! Everyone disperse, those who need to work tomorrow should go work.”

Zhou Jiaojiao, who had thought that her mother-in-law would fight with Bai Xiuxiu, felt disappointed when she saw this.

However, she made up her mind. She would go back to her parents’ house!

Some difficult matters should be left to her family to solve. After all, they had benefited from her for so many years.

Early morning.

The whole family got up early.

Breakfast was corn porridge with wild vegetable chaff flatbread, which was quite dry.

After eating, the family split into three groups.

Some stayed home to work, some went to the mountain, and some went to the county.

Wang Qinghe was going to the mountain today, and it was dangerous, so the two children couldn’t go with him. Bai Xiuxiu simply took them with her to the county!

Bai Xiuxiu, Zhou Jiaojiao, and Zhao Guifen were all unusually quiet on the way.

However, when they arrived at the commune, they had a disagreement.

Zhao Guifen looked at Bai Xiuxiu with a dark face: “You spendthrift, how much money does our family have for you to squander? You’re perfectly fine, with all your limbs, but you have to take a bus to the city? What? Are you more precious than anyone else?”

Zhou Jiaojiao was delighted to see Bai Xiuxiu being scolded.

She slightly suppressed the corners of her mouth and said softly, “Sister-in-law, Mom’s actually right. Why do we have to take the bus? Think about it, if we walk, we can save money and buy Mom a steamed bun at the state-owned restaurant.

Mom is so old, Sister-in-law, why don’t we just walk? I’ll carry your two children. You can use the money you save to buy Mom and Dad a couple of steamed buns.”

Her voice wasn’t low, and she looked understanding.

People around them immediately looked over.

Bai Xiuxiu sneered: “You’re calculating, your abacus beads are flying in my face! I pay the money, you do the favors, and buy Mom and Dad steamed buns? Since you can save money on the way, why don’t you use the money you save to buy steamed buns?

Doctor Zhang from our village said that my illness can’t handle fatigue. If I get tired, I might die. It seems like you’re trying to get rid of me. How can you be so cruel?”

Her voice wasn’t low either, and everyone could hear her clearly.

Zhou Jiaojiao’s face turned red. Her hatred for Bai Xiuxiu intensified: “You! I’m doing this for your own good! Why do you have to argue with Mom, Sister-in-law?”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her reddened eyes made her look a little pitiful.

Zhao Guifen was very moved: “Fifth son’s wife, you’re so considerate.”

She then swept her gaze over Bai Xiuxiu: “Can’t you be more mindful? What? Is it going to kill you to be filial to me, your mother-in-law? Do you absolutely have to take the bus?”

Bai Xiuxiu glanced at Zhao Guifen, then at the bus that was now right in front of them, and smiled harmlessly: “If I walk too much, I might die, but I don’t know about you two. You two can walk, but I have to take the bus. I’ll wait for you at the rehabilitation pharmacy in the city.”

After saying that, she got on the bus without even giving them a glance.

Walking was out of the question!

There were plenty of opportunities to test Zhou Jiaojiao’s luck in the county!

She absolutely couldn’t be made to suffer.

After Bai Xiuxiu got on the bus, she was soon out of sight.

Zhou Jiaojiao was left behind, choking on exhaust fumes.

Zhao Guifen also had a dark face, furious: “What a thing! What a thing!”

“Mom, let’s go.” Zhou Jiaojiao said with a dark face. She also wanted to take the bus!

But Bai Xiuxiu just got on the bus and left. Even though she was scolded, it seemed like she didn’t lose anything.

Why was Bai Xiuxiu so free?

Why?

The two of them grumbled behind her.

After Bai Xiuxiu arrived in the county, she went to the state-owned restaurant first and bought eight steamed buns. She gave two to each child, ate two herself, and saved two to take home for Wang Qinghe!

Don’t think she didn’t know! That black-hearted Zhao Guifen would occasionally give eggs to her other sons, letting them take them home for a rare treat.

She and her husband never got anything.

On the surface, they all ate chaff and vegetables together!

“Mommy, Grandma was so angry just now, will she beat us?” Yueyue frowned, looking worried.

Mommy was so beautiful and didn’t look scary at all. Could she beat the scary Grandma?

Compared to Yueyue, the silent Mingming was still quiet, but his eyes were fixed on Bai Xiuxiu. He was also worried about what Yueyue asked.

Bai Xiuxiu looked at her two children and smiled: “She won’t dare, don’t be afraid.”

Bai Xiuxiu and her two children finished their steamed buns, and they even went around and bought a lot of snacks to put away.

The other two finally arrived.

Bai Xiuxiu and her two children were sitting at the entrance of the rehabilitation pharmacy. When she saw Zhao Guifen, covered in dust and with a torn shirt, she was stunned.

“Could she be unlucky even on the road?”

Although Zhao Guifen was covered in dust, her excitement was undeniable.

Although she had tripped and fallen into a ditch on the road, … her fifth son’s wife was truly blessed!

While helping her up, she accidentally kicked over a wooden board that was pressing down on a lot of debris.

Underneath the board, there was over seventy yuan!

That was over seventy yuan!

This fall was truly worth it!

Zhou Jiaojiao’s face wasn’t looking good. The money she found was taken by her mother-in-law.

Bai Xiuxiu hadn’t been unlucky on the road…

Looking at Bai Xiuxiu, who was looking radiant, she felt even worse.

However, thinking that the money might be of dubious origin, Zhou Jiaojiao smiled and greeted Bai Xiuxiu: “Sister-in-law, you didn’t walk with us, and we suffered a loss. I saw a big package on the side of the road, and it looked like it had a lot of scraps of cloth inside.

But Mom and I were carrying a lot of things, so we hid it somewhere. We have to go back quickly to get the scraps of cloth. If someone steals them, we’ll be at a big loss!”

Bai Xiuxiu looked at Zhou Jiaojiao’s clumsy acting and fell into contemplation for the first time: Did she look like a fool?