Nowadays, during the slack season, every household in the village eats two meals a day, at around ten in the morning and around four in the afternoon. Anyway, they don’t go to the fields to work, so the meals they eat are watery grain porridge, sweet potato rice, and pickles. Those with better conditions can only have an egg every ten days or half a month, which is considered meat.

　　At noon, the smell of meat wafted from Gu Si’s^[1]Si = 4th kitchen, and the greedy children next door drooled and cried for meat.

　　Who can provide meat every day?

　　”There’s no meat! If you keep crying, I’ll rip your ears off and fry them for you to eat.”

　　The child covered his ears in fear, but was extremely greedy, his saliva dripping like a string. He stood in the corner of the courtyard, facing Hutou’s house, and took a few more sips.

　　Seeing how useless he was, his mother couldn’t scold him, but it was impossible for her to give him meat.

　　After a while, Gu Da’s wife came out.

　　My uncle’s wife’s surname is Zhu and her hometown is Shili Village.

　　Zhu was holding a large rough bowl in her hand. She looked over at the person next door and saw a bowl full of meat and vegetables. She greeted at the door with a frown and said, “Li Guihua is so happy today that she can give you such a big bowl of food.”

　　Everyone knows that Li Guihua is a stingy person.

　　Zhu smiled and said, “My fourth brother asked me to take it back to honor my mother-in-law.” She didn’t mean it was for her to eat, and then she left.

　　Zhu carried the bowl of meat dish to her home and saw her mother-in-law as soon as she entered the yard. Old Mrs. Gu saw the dish Zhu brought and said, “You are the eldest sister-in-law, you just went to help cook, why did you bring back a bowl?”

　　Zhu knew that her mother-in-law favored the youngest son and was afraid that she would bring more food back and the youngest son would eat less, so she immediately said, “How could I accept it? It was my fourth brother who insisted that I bring it back to honor you.”

　　Old Mrs. Gu looked happy, but she said, “It’s good enough if you have the intention. His life is not easy either, he has two children, and Li Guihua is a lazy person…”

　　Zhu was no longer angry, she couldn’t get angry anymore. Her mother-in-law was partial, what could she do? Fourth brother was treated as a treasure even if she was given a needle during festivals, and their family served her well but sometimes they didn’t get any good treatment.

　　”Mom, I’ve put the food in the kitchen. Just call me to heat it up whenever you want to eat.” Zhu said.

　　Old Mrs. Gu stopped complaining and nodded to let Zhu put it back.

　　”You just brought this bowl of food back? You didn’t even say you could put it in a basket. It’s so ugly to show it around everywhere.”

　　Zhu had put the dishes away and asked the girl to return the bowls later. When she heard what her mother-in-law said, she quickly explained, “My fourth brother’s wife said there were no other bowls and the basket was occupied, so she asked me to bring it back.”

　　The fourth room has a couple, one is good at talking, the other is lazy and stingy. If you take advantage of her, everyone in the village will know and remember it. Do you think this bowl of food is delicious? Zhu didn’t want it, but she took it back. Why not make Li Guihua feel bad?

　　Anyway, it is natural for a son to respect his mother.

　　Their eldest wife didn’t owe Li Guihua anything.

　　Old Mrs. Gu understood, her face darkened, she cursed her for being stingy, glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law, and then said slowly, “Before we divided the house, the old man was here too. At that time, he favored your fourth brother. He was weak and young, and there were many people at home to help with farm work, so you and he helped.”

　　”Or are you the only one who remembers why Zhao’er was sent to school? The situation in the house is better now. The children are all over the age. Only Tiewa from the third room is about the same age as Zhao’er. They were sent to the scholar together. But you know what happened. After a few days, Tiewa said he didn’t want to study anymore and refused to go no matter how much he was beaten…”

　　Old Mrs. Gu lives with her eldest son now. Although she protects her younger son in her heart, she cannot disappoint her eldest son and his wife, so she brings up the past and makes things clear today.

　　Zhu gave birth to two sons and two daughters. At first, she was unable to support them due to poor conditions. By the time they were old enough to recognize a few words, they were too old to be suitable.

　　”I didn’t spend much money to buy food for my family. I just felt sorry for Zhao’er who lost his mother at such a young age, so I took care of him.” Old Lady Gu patted the dust off her hands and finally said, “Zhao’er is a member of the Li family now. He can’t get a roof over Xiao Si’s head. Li Guihua is not interested, and it doesn’t affect her two sons. The Li family still has people in the prefecture and county. Who knows if they can be of use in the future?”

　　The last few words were a curse on Li Guihua, but also a warning to the eldest daughter-in-law.

　　The family has been divided. Although we are all relatives, we are connected by bones and tendons. If the relationship is good, brothers can help each other when they have difficulties in the future. Don’t be like Li Guihua, who had to offend everyone.

　　Zhu Shi also thought so and said, “Mother is right, but I think Zhao’er may not come to our house much from now on.”