Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 566 - 527: Come Again Next Time (2)

The sturdy, middle-aged woman was Hu Shuangcheng’s mother, also Liu Da Niu’s mother-in-law.

The other, younger woman was Hu Shuangcheng’s sister.

Aunt Hu had been arguing since the end of the year because Liu Da Niu had given birth to a son, and now at the end of the lunar month, she wanted to take Da Niu’s son away.

However, the Liu family had never let her see the child.

Aunt Hu then sought out her son, Hu Shuangcheng, to argue, demanding that the grandson be taken back to the Hu family to be raised.

Hu Shuangcheng said, the child will grow no matter which family he’s in, why should he specifically go back to the Hu family?

Aunt Hu threw a few fits and was driven away by the Liu family working together.

Some neighbors advised Aunt Hu that the Liu family was raising her grandson for her, so why not be happy? If she really brought the grandson back, with three other grandchildren and the grandson, could she manage?

Aunt Hu thought about it and realized she still had to look after her daughter’s three children who were crawling all over the place, which was already overwhelming.

She figured she could wait until the child was older to take him back.

But early today, she heard people in the village saying that her son intended to put the grandson on the Liu family’s genealogical record, with the timing set for a few days later, on the child’s full moon celebration.

She did not agree to that.

Why should her family’s grandson be recorded on the wife’s family’s genealogical record?

No way!

Aunt Hu, unable to contain her anger, entrusted her three grandchildren to a neighboring family to watch, and took her daughter to the Liu house.

Today she was determined to take her grandson back.

Aunt Hu and her daughter, Hu Da Ni, hurried their steps towards the Liu family, unaware that someone was following them.

Upon entering Taohua River Village, Aunt Hu and her daughter headed straight to Liu Laoda’s house.

Today, Liu’s house was very lively; the second daughter and third daughter had returned from the Prefecture, bringing many items and foods not seen in the countryside.

The eldest son of the second branch, who also went to the Prefecture, was at the Liu house.

Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu had come to check on Liu Da Niu and her child, and they stayed at Liu’s house as well.

Neighbors, upon hearing that Liu Laoda’s daughters had returned, also came to join the fun.

The house and courtyard of Liu’s house were filled with people either standing or sitting.

Everyone was listening to Er Niu, San Niu, and Liu Jinbao talk about the fresh happenings from the Prefecture.

The neighbors listened intently, occasionally praising Er Niu, San Niu, and Liu Jinbao.

Liu Laoda and Liu the bricklayer sat at the door, chuckling.

In Liu Laoda’s secondary bedroom, Liu Da Niu sat on the bed holding the child, listening to the laughter outside, and smiled occasionally.

Li Yuzhu sat accompanying nearby.

Liu Da Niu was carrying a big fetus; although not a breech birth, the amniotic fluid was low, and she passed the due date, with the child’s fetal movement not as strong as before. Li Yuzhu worried there might be issues and performed a C-section before the New Year.

Liu Da Niu had always been healthy, but after the C-section, she experienced amniotic fluid embolism.

At that time, Li Yuzhu was so frightened her face turned white, and her hands trembled.

Luckily she had her space to help, deploying all the equipment to stop the bleeding.

After stopping the bleeding, Li Yuzhu sat weakly in a chair, unable to catch her breath for a long while.

What if she didn’t have the space to help?

Li Yuzhu was concerned about Liu Da Niu’s post-surgical reactions, so aside from eating dinner at home on New Year’s Eve and staying for an hour on the morning of the first, from the 28th of the twelfth lunar month to the fifth of the first lunar month, she stayed and ate at Liu Da Niu’s house.

After the fifth, when Liu Da Niu was able to walk, she finally felt relieved to return home, but still visited Liu Da Niu every other day.

Now, as the child’s full moon approached, and Liu Da Niu had fully recovered, she switched to visiting the Liu family every two days, checking on both Liu Da Niu and the child.

She discovered that the Liu family’s childcare practices were very old-fashioned.

It was only natural to treasure the grandchild, but did they need to hold the child all day long? Wouldn’t the child grow up to be clingy?

Moreover, the Liu family refused to bathe the child, saying that bathing during the confinement would make the child sick, and they didn’t allow Liu Da Niu to bathe either.

Da Niu’s head was infested with lice, yet they wouldn’t let her wash it. What if it spread to the child?

Li Yuzhu insisted that Da Niu wash her hair every three days. She offered guarantees, saying she would be responsible if Da Niu became ill, and she set up a bed in Da Niu’s room to dress unobstructed and care for her.

Only then did the Liu family agree to let Da Niu wash her hair.

Da Niu used Li Yuzhu’s medicinal shampoo, and the lice were washed away, her hair was smooth, and she did not get sick.

Moreover, the child, after bathing and washing hair, did not get sick either.

Only then did the Liu family stop questioning.

Hu Shuangcheng sat on the doorstep, glancing back at his wife and son before looking at everyone in the main house and joining in the smiles.

The main room of the Liu Family was bustling like it was New Year’s.

But just then, someone in the courtyard started cursing loudly.

"Liu Family, you shameless people, snatching someone’s grandson, get out here!"

When Liu Da Niu heard the voice, her face immediately changed, and Hu Shuangcheng gestured to Liu Da Niu, "Da Niu, don’t be afraid. Keep hold of the child, I’ll go see what’s going on."

"Alright." Liu Da Niu glanced worriedly at the child in her arms.

Li Yuzhu also comforted her, "There are so many people in the house, she won’t be able to snatch the child away."

But Liu Da Niu’s face still showed concern, "You don’t know, my mother-in-law is overbearing and sly. I’m worried..."

Li Yuzhu said, "If she really dares to snatch him, your father and grandfather would surely break her legs."

Liu Da Niu looked at her and gently nodded.

Li Yuzhu patted her shoulder, "I’ll go outside and have a look."

"Okay." Liu Da Niu forced a smile.

Li Yuzhu walked out boldly, and the neighbors who came to watch the excitement also looked toward the courtyard.

Mu Yuanxiu held Li Yuzhu’s hand, "Don’t go up close. That woman is unreasonable."

Li Yuzhu smiled sweetly, "I won’t go up close, I’ll just watch from afar."

Mu Yuanxiu held onto Li Yuzhu, standing at the doorway watching.

In the middle of the courtyard, Liu Laoda, Lady Liu, Liu the bricklayer, and Liu Jinbao had already surrounded Aunt Hu and her daughters.

"Wow, ganging up on me, huh? The Liu Family is shameless, eh? Spit!" Aunt Hu cursed with her hands on her hips.

Lady Liu angrily retorted, "When my daughter married into your family, didn’t you also gang up on her? You even broke her arm and refused to treat it—and tossed the divorce papers into my house. You have the nerve to come here?"

"Exactly, writing the divorce papers and still coming for my daughter, you’re downright shameless!"

"Go, go, go, our house doesn’t welcome you."

"Get lost, or be careful not to get hit."

Hu Shuangcheng didn’t curse Aunt Hu, but his expression was also unpleasant.

He said coldly, "You should leave, Mother, we don’t want to see you."

Seeing that she couldn’t win, Aunt Hu flopped to the ground, clapping her hands and crying, "Oh heavens, oh the world’s killing me, my hard-earned son doesn’t recognize his real mother but a wicked one, and even gives away my grandson, oh I want to die."

But no matter how much she cried, Hu Shuangcheng simply ignored her.

"If you want to die, what does it matter to me? Didn’t you chase Shuangcheng away back then? Why cry now? Get lost, get lost!" Liu Laoda picked up a broom and swung it towards Aunt Hu’s head.

Liu Jinbao dragged Aunt Hu out.

Lady Liu pushed Hu Shuangcheng’s sister.

The Liu Family joined in, forcing Hu Shuangcheng’s mother out of the courtyard.

Liu Laoda and Liu Jinbao each wielded a broom, chasing them over a mile away before returning.

Aunt Hu’s hair was tousled like a bird’s nest, her face flushed from running, she flopped to the ground, gasping for breath.

Hu Shuangcheng’s sister wasn’t much better, her hair pulled loose and clothes torn.

"Mother, there are people at the Liu’s today, we came at a bad time," Hu Shuangcheng’s sister gasped.

"We can’t let this go so easily," Aunt Hu gritted her teeth.

"What does Mother propose then?"

Aunt Hu looked hatefully at the Liu Family, and with clenched teeth, said, "Come again tomorrow, come every day, I don’t believe we won’t find a chance!" She simply didn’t believe that Liu Da Niu and the child would stay indoors forever! "After the full month, Da Niu will have to take the child out, seize the opportunity then."

Hu Shuangcheng’s sister nodded, "Mother, I understand."

The mother and daughter agreed this was a good plan and shifted to return home.

On the road near Liu’s house, a bullock cart was stationed, with One Tuft of Hair chewing on a straw stalk, watching Liu’s house.

After Aunt Hu and her daughters departed, One Tuft of Hair pulled over a villager who had walked out from the Liu’s and asked, "What happened at that house? Why did they fight?"

The Liu Family’s affairs weren’t exactly a secret.

Villagers loved to chat and spread news, so seeing someone ask, explained the Liu Family’s affairs.

One Tuft of Hair squinted; with such snatching, it seemed he might have a chance to intervene?

He watched the excitement for a while longer before driving off in the bullock cart.

As they got a fair distance from the Liu Family, the sharp-faced woman in the cart sneered, "With so many people in that family, how do we make a move?"

One Tuft of Hair snorted coldly, "Find an opportunity. A hundred taels of silver! Where to find such a generous buyer? That lady distinctly wants a newborn boy, heaven truly favors us, letting us run into this." He turned to the woman in the cart and said, "Those two foolish women will surely try again to snatch him, we’ll swoop in and take him halfway—what do you think?"