The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 181: Bringing Back

"I, I was also thinking, if he really becomes an official, our family’s life would be easier, right? At home now, the old are old, the young are young, we’ve put in money, maybe in the future he could protect you all a bit—" Wang Laozhu still wanted to explain.

"Dad, you don’t need to say anything; we all know. But seeing how Second Brother is, harboring resentment against the family for a long time, once he becomes an official, and it’s in a different place, who will remember us then? When our home has neither house nor land, how will the family get by? Could it be that we’ll go to Second Brother for refuge? His wife’s parents spent real silver, can they give up their place for our family? Moreover, we are just from a peasant background, even if Second Brother was willing to take us in, we wouldn’t understand the ways of the official circles, and if by chance we said the wrong thing, made a mistake, and offended a Noble Patron, and implicated Second Brother, we might not even know how we died! It’s still better to stay honest in Qilidun, to have enough to eat and to be warm, which is better than anything!" Wang Yongzhu laid out the consequences directly in front of Wang Laozhu and everyone else without any courtesy.

Wang Laozhu sighed and did not speak again, turning over and lying down on the kang.

It seems that although he had accepted it rationally, emotionally he still felt it was a pity.

Wang Yongzhu did not bother with him. Wang Laozhu, in fact, was also afraid and worried inside; otherwise, when he woke up from his drunken stupor, if he had really made up his mind to support Wang Yongan, he would not have hesitated at home and would have gone after him already. It was just that he couldn’t get over the emotional hurdle.

He would understand if he thought it through by himself.

So she took Old Granny Zhang and left the room.

Lady Jiang had already prepared breakfast, spreading out the pancakes filled with fresh green onions, and also made a small pot of noodle soup with tiny dumplings, sprinkled with a layer of chopped green vegetable leaves on top, made especially for Wang Yongfu.

When the breakfast was brought to the table, seeing Old Granny Zhang sit down ready to eat, they dared not sit down. Wang Laozhu had not come out yet, and they could only stand.

It was Wang Yongzhu who took a pancake, nibbling on it while comforting, "Just leave two for Dad; he drank a lot last night and definitely won’t have an appetite this morning. Didn’t you see he’s still not feeling well and lying down? He’ll be better after he recovers. Let’s eat first!"

Just then, they saw Wang Yongzhu having pushed Wang Laozhu back to lie down on the kang, not daring to lose his temper with his daughter, so the rest of them, where would they dare go against Wang Yongzhu’s words? They all obediently sat down at the table, with each picking at their pancakes even more delicately.

Inside the room, Wang Laozhu heard all the noises from outside, so angry he pounded on the kang!

Not a single person in this family had filial piety! Whatever that damn maid says goes?

And not even one of them came to ask how he was feeling!

The old woman was right, sons are all debt collectors; it was a waste raising them to this age!

As Wang Laozhu pounded on the kang in the room, the others outside ate very carefully, not even daring to make loud swallowing noises.

A perfectly good breakfast was eaten as if they were undergoing a punishment.

Finding it had been an ordeal to finish, everyone immediately scattered.

Wang Yongzhu sighed in the courtyard, touching her own arm, then lifting her leg, thinking, hm, having superior physical strength is really awesome!

The Wang Family members, hiding in the shadows and watching Wang Yongzhu, each touched their own necks, feeling that their lives were indeed very important. In the future, they must never ever offend the old maid!

Because of Wang Yongzhu’s physical intimidation, Wang Laozhu’s airs only held until the evening, then he couldn’t persist any longer. Those conscienceless brats had left him on the kang to starve for a whole day; if he didn’t come out by himself, he probably wouldn’t have dinner either.

From that day on, no one dared to mention Wang Yongan again, as if he had never returned, nor had he made that request for silver, as if there had been no rupture with the family.

For several days in a row, the house was especially calm and quiet.

Not until they saw that Wang Yongzhu was still the same as before, embroidering when she was supposed to, learning to tailor clothes with Lady Jiang, planning to make clothes for the elders herself, and in her free time, she would go out with Jinhua to pick some herbs and flowers, not knowing what they were assembling.

Everyone slowly began to relax.

And with that relaxation, Jindou and Jinhu found themselves in trouble.

In the past few days, since Wang Yongfu started taking the medicine from the Divine Doctor, his condition improved day by day, and he could eat on his own, which was indeed heartening. The Wang Family was also very happy.

Especially Jindou and Jinhu, they felt even more hopeful that their father’s leg might indeed be saved.

Normally, the two half-grown boys took turns working in the fields and did not go anywhere else, dedicating their time to looking after their father.

But as Wang Yongfu gradually got better and there appeared to be hope, he suddenly remembered something seemed to be missing at home.

His wife and Jinguan had gone to her parental home and hadn’t come back for several days; they probably didn’t know the good news about his recovery yet?

Wang Yongfu was eager to share the news with Lady Lin and Jinguan and wanted them to be happy too.

But several days had passed, why hadn’t his wife and child returned? Could her mother have passed away? But the Lin Family hadn’t sent any message of mourning?

Concerned, Wang Yongfu urged Jindou to go to the Lin Family and bring Lady Lin and Jinguan back.

It wasn’t that his sons weren’t attentive in their care, but they were, after all, men—clumsy and not as comfortable to rely on as Lady Lin.

Upon hearing this, Jindou didn’t think too much. These past few days, due to the sternness of Old Granny Zhang, he hadn’t dared to speak more than necessary, let alone think too much. But now that his father had mentioned it, he remembered indeed that now, women didn’t stay long at their parental homes during ordinary times without a festival, and staying even one day was quite unusual.

His mother and younger brother had been there for several days; it was time for them to come back.

He promptly agreed and went to inform Wang Laozhu and Old Granny Zhang.

Old Granny Zhang just hmphed, while Wang Laozhu gave a few words of caution, telling him to be careful on the way and to come back quickly after picking them up.

Jindou, now grown up, knew he shouldn’t go to his maternal uncle’s house empty-handed, so he reluctantly asked Old Granny Zhang.

Old Granny Zhang wished Lady Lin would just stay at her parental home forever; these past few days without Lady Lin at home were incredibly comfortable for her.

To give something to take to the Lin Family from her own belongings? In her dreams.

Her face darkened immediately, "You know the situation at home, don’t you? Where would we find extra silver to prepare a gift? No gift, if you insist on bringing something, go to the vegetable patch and pick a bunch of greens, or two bitter gourds, wouldn’t that be enough? That’s your maternal uncle’s house; you are their close nephew, would they really fuss over such matters?"

Jindou felt a blush creep onto his face at her words, but then he thought that his maternal family surely wouldn’t nitpick over the gift. Each time they visited, his uncle was so warm and hospitable; he figured they wouldn’t get angry over this.

So he honestly went to the vegetable garden, picked two bitter gourds and a few eggplants, and even secretly tucked a few tomatoes under the basket to sweeten the mouths of his cousins.

Then, bearing the basket, he set off on his journey.

Old Granny Zhang still muttered that her vegetables would probably end up feeding the dogs.

Jindou left early in the morning, and if all went well, he was supposed to have lunch at the Lin Family and return by the afternoon. Even if they moved slowly with Jinguan in tow, they should have been home by dusk.

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