Chapter 147

It’s a delightful Mid-Autumn Festival; the moon and people reunite harmoniously. The Wang family’s main house has merged two eight immortals tables and filled them with a bounty of delicacies, the enticing aroma whetting everyone’s appetite.

Because it’s a holiday, Wang Er has also brought a pot of strong, fragrant wine, and Grandpa Wang’s face now carries a bit more cheer.

Wang Yuan’er leads her sisters to sit by the table and takes a quick glance—almost everyone is present except for Wang Min’er.

“Aunt, why is Min’er not here?” Wang Yuan’er asks with a smile.

Madam Zhang looks around and indeed doesn’t see her daughter. She notices Grandma Wang’s face darkening and quickly explains with a smile, “That girl has had some stomach troubles these past few days. She might be feeling unwell now.” Then she orders her youngest son, “Fuduo, call your sister to come for dinner.”

Before Fuduo leaves his seat, Wang Min’er appears at the door, yawning and lazily walking in.

Wang Yuan’er saw clearly, her eyes nearly spitting fire as she stared at her stomach, one hand already clenched into a fist. This fool, dull as a pig, clearly doesn’t know she’s caused a big mess!

Wang Chun’er saw this and tugged at her sleeve, whispering, “Eldest sister.”

Wang Yuan’er forced a smile, patted a spot beside her, and said, “Min’er, why are you just getting here? There’s still a spot for you!”

Wang Min’er was taken aback and snorted. She didn’t want to sit next to her, so she pushed Fuduo to sit next to Wang Yuan’er and took his spot.

Wang Yuan’er didn’t mind; she had plenty of ways to test her.

However, Grandma Wang was annoyed and glared at Wang Min’er, saying, “You’re already a grown girl, getting lazier by the day, making everyone wait for you to eat. Don’t you have any manners?”

Wang Min’er didn’t dare talk back, and Madam Zhang nudged Wang Er, who smiled and said, “Mother, it’s a festive day, let’s have another drink. Leave the scolding for later, huh?”

He filled her cup with wine as he spoke.

Grandpa Wang also chimed in, “Alright, everyone’s here, let’s start eating.”

Grandma Wang glared one more time before saying, “Let’s eat!” and picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks.

With that, everyone began to eat. Wang Fuquan, ever the greedy one, immediately reached for the chicken leg, but one was already in Fuduo’s bowl, courtesy of Madam Zhang.

There’s always chicken during holidays, and country families often leave the drumsticks for the kids. The Wang family was no exception.

Among them, only Baolai was still nursing, so the youngest ones were Fuduo and Wang Lan’er. Now, Fuduo was gnawing on a drumstick while Wang Lan’er looked at the other one longingly.

Wang Qing’er noticed and reached for the drumstick, earning a glare from Wang Fuquan. She said, “You’re almost getting married and still fighting with kids for food. Aren’t you ashamed?”

Wang Fuquan blushed for a moment but stubbornly said, “I got it first.”

“Fine, you want to fight with kids. When you get married, I’ll tell your wife you fought with kids over a chicken leg. Let’s see if she laughs at you!” Wang Qing’er forcefully grabbed the chicken leg.

“You…” Wang Fuquan’s face turned redder.

“Your sister Qing’er is right. You’re almost at the age to get married, so fighting over a chicken leg is embarrassing. Let Lan’er have it,” Grandpa Wang said with a hearty laugh, raising his wine glass.

With the old man saying so, Grandma Wang looked at Madam Zhang, who quickly handed Wang Fuquan a large piece of chicken wing, grumbling internally that the old folks were getting more and more biased towards the main branch.

Reluctantly, Wang Fuquan put down his chopsticks and glared at Wang Qing’er.

Wang Qing’er triumphantly placed the chicken leg in Wang Lan’er’s bowl, saying, “Little sister, you eat.”

“Thank you, sister!” Wang Lan’er smiled, revealing two big gaps where her front teeth used to be. She had recently started losing her front teeth, so she rarely smiled. Wang Fuquan, seeing her smile, teased, “Toothless granny!”

Wang Lan’er immediately closed her mouth, feeling wronged.

“You’re still a brat!” Wang Qing’er angrily retorted.

“Even with food in your mouths, you can’t keep quiet!” Grandma Wang scolded. Wang Qing’er pouted, and Wang Fuquan didn’t dare say more, reluctantly eating his rice.

Wang Er flicked Wang Fuquan’s forehead, saying, “You brat, you’re in your teens and still not mature. Tomorrow, you’re coming with me to the river office.”

Grandpa Wang joined in, emphasizing the need for Wang Fuquan to grow up, as the eldest grandson of the main branch couldn’t continue acting foolishly.

Wang Yuan’er, however, wasn’t concerned with Wang Fuquan’s behavior. She kept glaring at Wang Min’er, growing more and more alarmed.

In the past, Wang Min’er loved stir-fried pork kidneys but didn’t touch them now. Previously, she hated the smell of pig intestines, but now she ate them bite after bite. They say a pregnant woman’s appetite changes. Isn’t this exactly what’s happening?

“Why are you staring at me? Did flowers grow on my face?” Wang Min’er finally couldn’t bear Wang Yuan’er’s intense gaze and asked irritably. She had noticed Wang Yuaner staring since she sat down, but she hadn’t provoked her.

Wang Yuan’er’s mouth twitched, her eyes landing on the steamed grass carp in front of Grandma Wang. An idea struck her, and she placed a large portion of fish into Wang Min’er’s bowl. “This fish is far away. I noticed you haven’t taken any, so I got some for you.”

Wang Min’er was startled. Before she could speak, the fish’s unique fishy smell hit her nose, making her stomach churn. She dropped her chopsticks with a clatter, covered her mouth, and rushed out. Moments later, the sound of vomiting could be heard.

Madam Zhang was startled and hurried after her.

Wang Yuan’er’s face turned ashen. If she still had doubts now, she would be a fool.

Wang Chun’er looked at her eldest sister in panic.

Wang Qing’er was confused, glancing between her two sisters. What was going on?

Meanwhile, Wang Lan’er, her mouth greasy from gnawing on the chicken leg, innocently said to Wang Qing’er, “When Mother was pregnant with Little brother, she also vomited like this. Mother said she had eaten something bad. Third sister, did Min’er eat something bad?”

“Silly girl, Mother wasn’t sick; she was pregnant. Your sister Min’er isn’t even married…” Wang Qing’er’s voice trailed off, glancing at her eldest sister and then at Grandma Wang.

Grandma Wang’s face was darker than ever. She looked at Wang Yuan’er, whose face was ashen. Her eyelids twitched, and her heart pounded.

“Stop talking nonsense and eat,” she snapped at Wang Qing’er, glancing towards the door, trying to stay calm.

Wang Yuan’er, however, noticed that her grandmother’s hand holding the chopsticks was trembling slightly.

Madam Zhang returned, muttering, “That girl, who knows what she ate wrong!” She noticed everyone staring at her and paused. “What’s going on?”

Grandma Wang opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. Wang Er, clueless, asked, “Where’s Min’er?”

“She said she was tired and went to rest,” Madam Zhang replied, picking up her chopsticks again.

Grandma Wang slammed her chopsticks on the table, glaring at her.

“Mother, what’s wrong?” Madam Zhang asked, startled.

“Grandmother, after dinner, let’s celebrate the moon and pray to the Moon Goddess,” Wang Yuan’er quickly changed the subject, aware of the children present.

Grandma Wang took a deep breath and picked up her chopsticks again.

Madam Zhang noticed but felt uneasy, sensing something significant was happening.

The meal, which should have been a joyous reunion, tasted like wax. After dinner, the men continued drinking, but Grandma Wang couldn’t hold back any longer. She hurriedly pulled Wang Yuan’er into the east room for a talk.

Wang Yuan’er sent her younger sisters to the main room and nervously shared her and Wang Chun’er’s suspicions and discoveries.

Under the lamplight, Grandma Wang’s face turned pale. Her frail body staggered, nearly collapsing.

“Grandmother!” Wang Chun’er quickly supported her.

Grandma Wang gripped her arm tightly, her strength surprising for such a frail old woman. Wang Chun’er didn’t dare cry out in pain.

“Is what you said true?” Grandma Wang asked through gritted teeth.

Wang Chun’er nodded, her face filled with fear.

Grandma Wang’s heart twisted, and she clutched her chest, trembling.

Seeing this, Wang Yuan’er and Wang Chun’er quickly helped her to sit on the kang and gave her a bowl of hot water.

“Go, call your second aunt,” Grandma Wang ordered, pushing the bowl away.

Madam Zhang soon entered, muttering, “Mother, what’s the matter…”

Slap!

Grandma Wang, with unexpected strength, stepped forward and slapped her before she could finish speaking. “You useless thing, you can’t even raise a daughter properly. You will ruin our Wang family, you worthless scum,” Grandma Wang cursed, spitting in Madam Zhang’s face.

Madam Zhang was stunned by the slap. It took her a moment to react, covering her burning face and crying out, “Mother, what’s wrong? Why hit your daughter-in-law? What did I do wrong?”

Once, twice, and now in front of her nieces—how could she have any dignity left?

“You cry, you still dare to cry, you dare to cry! Save your tears; there will be plenty of time for that. Just you wait, you…” Grandma Wang trembled with anger, pointing at her and repeating “you” several times.

Wang Yuan’er quickly handed her some water. “Grandmother, your health is important. This family still needs you to take charge. You mustn’t get too upset.”

Madam Zhang, hearing this, understood immediately and shrieked, “It’s you; it must be you two, stirring up trouble in front of your grandmother again. What nonsense are you up to now?”

“Aunt, save it. Do we need to stir up any nonsense?” Wang Yuan’er sneered. “You just said Min’er vomited because she ate something bad, right? Hasn’t she been vomiting these past few days?”

Madam Zhang was stunned. What did this have to do with Min’er? She suddenly felt uneasy, and when Wang Yuan’er spoke again, she was completely bewildered.

“Aunt, do you know how long it’s been since Min’er had her period?”