"You are all spineless, can't stand a day without serving someone?"
"What's so great about her? Constantly having to fetch her food and drink, and even her waste!"
"Your brother is her man, and he's gotten benefits from her. It's understandable to serve her, but why you? Is she your mother? Put it down, and let him handle it himself from now on!"
Fang Fang, berated, had no choice but to place the basin by the door.
Zhan Jingchun heard Peng Ma's curses clearly and snorted coldly in her heart.
I just won't put it down. At worst, I'll relieve myself in the room. If you can stand it, then so be it. I don't care anyway! It's not like I wanted to marry into your family. If you can't stand me, then let me leave!
That night, Zhan Jingchun held it in and didn't go to the toilet.
The next day, although there was still no breakfast and no water to drink, she couldn't hold it much longer and needed to change her pads.
She had thought about relieving herself in the room, but she had to stay there 24 hours a day. Soiling the room would do her no good, and she really couldn't bring herself to do it. She could only knock on the door again.
"I need to use the toilet, open the door!"
Peng Ma swayed over, her tone sarcastic.
"Who are you talking to? Without a name. Am I your housekeeper?"
Zhan Jingchun had no desire to call her mother; the words wouldn't come out.
"You won't open it, right? You won't give me food, right? Then I'll just starve. If my body breaks down later and I can't have children, don't blame me!"
"You!"
"I know, at worst, you can save up money again to find another wife for Peng Fei. Fine, you have money, then just wait for her to call you mother!"
Peng Ma was momentarily stunned by her words. Considering the money and the future grandson, she reluctantly opened the door.
Zhan Jingchun bravely went to the yard to use the toilet and returned to wash her hands with the basin.
Peng Ma stood opposite, watching her.
"If you want to eat, you can. Starting today, you'll cook for yourself. Peng Fei isn't home, and all the farm work is mine alone. If you don't get to the fields early, I'll work myself to death and still won't finish. You've been lying around at home all day, you should have had enough. I don't expect you to do a great job, but at least I can have a hot meal when I get back."
It wasn't that Zhan Jingchun didn't want to do it; she had genuinely never entered a kitchen in her life.
Especially not one that required starting a fire.
"Hmph, if you're not afraid of me burning your house down, I'll do it."
Peng Ma was once again rendered speechless.
As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were arguing in the room, Aunt Wang from next door came to borrow something.
Peng Ma turned to get it for her from inside the house, and the two women took the opportunity to complain to each other in the room.
Peng Ma recounted Zhan Jingchun's every action since she arrived, then lamented her own misfortune.
"Spent so much money, and found a jinx who turns the house upside down every day, causing chaos. What a sin!"
Although Aunt Wang wasn't under their bed, she had heard quite a bit from village gossip.
Knowing that Zhan Jingchun not only couldn't be kept but also expected everything to be done for her at home, she felt Peng Ma's situation was unfair.
"Looking at her appearance, she doesn't look like someone who can manage a household. Honestly, you shouldn't have bought someone like that in the first place!"
"Your Peng Fei is such a good young man. Everyone for miles around praises him for being spirited. Tsk tsk, it's a shame he married her."
With Aunt Wang's support, Peng Ma became even more animated.
"Exactly! Alas, what kind of fate is this? To spend a lifetime with someone like this, won't it drag the family down? I didn't even check our horoscopes before letting her in. I've failed my son!"
Hearing her say that, Aunt Wang's eyes lit up.
"I say, Auntie, why are you so simple-minded? If a woman like this doesn't want to live properly, can't we just get rid of her?"
"Since there are no children yet, and Peng Fei is still young, and you are so capable, we can find someone else. Find someone steady and capable, and life will be prosperous again, won't it? Why worry about her every day?"
Did she think Peng Ma hadn't considered this?
But she lacked the means.
If she had money, she would definitely buy a new wife for Peng Fei.
Aunt Wang gave her more advice.
"Even if you find a new wife for Peng Fei, you have to send her away first, right? Haven't you thought about where to send her?"
Send her away?
Peng Ma's mind was suddenly enlightened: "Auntie, what do you mean?"
Aunt Wang said, "I actually have a suitable candidate to tell you about. My niece-in-law from my maternal family had her second child a while ago. When I went back to give gifts, I heard that Old Li, the butcher from my maternal village, lost his wife before the New Year and is now looking for a wife."
"With his butchering skills, Old Li bought a house in town a few years ago and later opened a butcher shop there. His business is booming, and he's now a well-known rich man in my maternal village!"
"Someone as capable as him, with his wife gone, wouldn't be single. He wants to find a young and beautiful woman to accompany him. His children are grown and he doesn't expect his new wife to have more children. In my opinion, this jinx would be quite suitable for him."
Peng Ma never expected such a turn of events to be so close at hand, with such a suitable candidate waiting.
She immediately begged Aunt Wang not to work that afternoon and to go to Old Li's house on her behalf to discuss it, promising future rewards.
Aunt Wang acted immediately. She went that afternoon and praised Zhan Jingchun's beauty to the skies.
Old Li was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately followed her to the Peng family's home.
Everyone winked and peered through the cracks in the door to observe Zhan Jingchun. Old Li was very satisfied.
He was willing to take her, but not at the original price.
Eighteen thousand yuan, that would do. He would come to pick her up tomorrow.
Although it meant losing a few thousand yuan, getting rid of this jinx and having money for another bride was considered worthwhile.
Peng Ma was overjoyed and immediately agreed.
Old Li stated that he would arrange a car to pick her up tomorrow and bring the money. He also gave Aunt Wang one hundred yuan for her efforts. Everyone was happy.
That evening, Peng Fei, in an unprecedented move, reheated the remaining half chicken and personally brought it to Zhan Jingchun.
He also found a set of clothes that his daughter had worn before she was married and wanted her to change into.
"Daughter, you always say you're from a big city and don't like staying in our village. If you're unhappy, I won't force you to stay either. You and Peng Fei have no destiny, alas."
"I had someone calculate it today. Your horoscopes clash. If this continues, one of you will end up bedridden. You are young, and I don't want anything to happen to you, so I asked a master for a solution to resolve it."
"The master said there's a Mr. Li in our town who owns a prosperous shop. He doesn't mind that you're divorced, so I agreed on your behalf."
"From now on, you belong to him. Live in a good house with him and eat good food..."
Zhan Jingchun's hair stood on end.
What did she mean?
This was definitely not Peng Fei's intention!
While Peng Fei was away, this woman was actually going to sell her off to someone else?
This was allowed?!
"Oh, don't look at me like that, it's creepy."
"This is a good thing, don't be ungrateful. How many pure young girls in the surrounding villages want to marry, and they aren't even wanted. Only you."
"I've already agreed. Tomorrow, you'll belong to him. I don't want you to leave too disgracefully, so wash yourself properly, change your clothes, and leave with dignity."