When Liu Xiuying saw Su Xiaoqin, she immediately remembered that this good-for-nothing had instigated her to go to the eldest branch of the family.
It was this good-for-nothing who said she saw Su Lao San bringing back a whole basket of good things, which was why she went.
But where were the good things in the Su family's eldest branch? There were only two rags, and on the table, there was a small half-bag of cornmeal. What was so good about that?
Although the cloth came from the city, it couldn't be eaten or worn, so what was it worth?
The cornmeal was hard on the stomach, and she had plenty of it at home; it wouldn't all be eaten by autumn.
This was also why she returned with nothing.
Having suffered a loss at Grandma Su's hands, she had to vent her anger.
With her brows furrowed, she glanced around, grabbed the broom nearby, and swung it down at Su Xiaoqin.
Liu Xiuying hitting Su Xiaoqin was not like Grandma Su hitting her grandson, raising the broom high and bringing it down lightly.
This woman, who was kind to her grandsons, treated her granddaughters like enemies. The broom hit Su Xiaoqin with real force.
"You good-for-nothing, what did you see? What did you see? Why didn't I see anything? Were your eyes smeared with shit?..."
Su Xiaoqin was beaten all over her body and didn't dare to cry.
Based on past experience, if she cried, she would be beaten even more.
She didn't dare to have any complaints against Liu Xiuying, so she took all her grievances and humiliation out on Su Xiao Tian.
Su Xiao Tian didn't care what Su Xiaoqin was thinking. She was happily cooking with Grandma Su in the kitchen.
Su Lao San had not only bought meat today but also three catties of pork lard, which was good for rendering oil.
Grandma Su was afraid that her daughters-in-law, being young, might ruin the oil while rendering it, so she personally rendered the oil in the kitchen.
Su Xiao Tian sat obediently on a small stool nearby, helping to pluck the chives.
"Good girl, Grandma will make you chive pockets tonight, with rendered pork fat. They taste so delicious," Grandma Su said with a smile, stirring the lard in the pot and speaking to Su Xiao Tian.
Rendered pork fat was the leftover part after the lard was rendered. It was fragrant when chopped and used to fill buns or chive pockets.
"Grandma, let's make more, so everyone can eat!"
Hearing her granddaughter's words, Grandma Su hesitated. If the whole family ate chive pockets, wouldn't that consume a lot of grain?
"Grandma, we have ration coupons," Su Xiao Tian quickly added.
Grandma Su gave a wry smile. It was good that her granddaughter could get ration coupons, but with ration coupons, one still needed money to buy grain.
In the past few years, the family had been saving diligently and had accumulated a little money, but that money had to be used for essential needs.
Her grandsons were all growing up, and whether it was for their studies or for getting married in the future, it would cost a lot of money, which couldn't be easily touched.
But her granddaughter had good intentions, and she couldn't refuse.
"Alright, we'll all have chive pockets tonight. Later, we'll make some pumpkin porridge to go with it. Our hen laid an extra egg today, so we'll add an egg to it, and it will be very flavorful," Grandma Su muttered.
Su Xiao Tian was very happy to hear that the hen had laid an extra egg. She rushed out of the kitchen to look at the earthworms being raised in the corner.
If they could get an extra egg today, they should be able to get more eggs in the future. Even with only six chickens, it was enough.
Su Lao San had gone to the county town today and was sweating profusely. Now that the sun had set, he told Liang Xiu and went to the small river to bathe.
Humming "The East is Red," Su Lao San happily arrived at the bank of the small river, took off his clothes, and plunged into the clear water.
The slightly warm water flowed over his body, feeling very comfortable, and Su Lao San closed his eyes contentedly.
He had intended to soak for a while longer, but remembering that dinner was being prepared at home, Su Lao San quickly scrubbed the dirt off his body.
After her husband left, Liang Xiu realized that he hadn't taken any clean clothes with him.
"What a scatterbrain, everything was prepared for him, and he still didn't take it!" Liang Xiu shook her head helplessly.
Thinking that her husband would have to wear dirty clothes after bathing, Liang Xiu informed Grandma Su and went to deliver clothes to Su Lao San.
However, not long after Liang Xiu left, she saw a figure. Upon closer inspection, it was Kang Yiye.
None of the women in the village liked Kang Yiye, the educated youth, including Liang Xiu.
It was simply because this woman was too shameless. As an unmarried girl, in the two years she had been in the village, how many people had she hooked up with?
Was it worth it for just a bite or two of food?
Having such a troublemaker in the village made all the women uneasy.
It was also because the village head was too easygoing. Such a person, in other villages, would have long been dragged out for criticism.
Suddenly, Liang Xiu became alert. Kang Yiye was walking towards the small river. What was she going to the small river for at this time?
The women in the village would go to the small river in the morning or at noon to wash clothes and do other things. In the evening, the men would go to the small river to bathe.
Kang Yiye wasn't new to the village, couldn't she know this?
If she didn't know, it meant she had a purpose.
Could it be that she had arranged to meet someone's husband by the small river for illicit activities?
Her own husband was going to the small river, and if they were caught, it would be awkward. What should she do?
Liang Xiu's mind raced, and she thought of taking a shortcut to the river.
Kang Yiye didn't know that Liang Xiu had already seen her. She was happily thinking that when Su Lao San came ashore clean, she would go over.
She was much better looking than Su Lao San's sallow-faced wife, and she didn't believe Su Lao San wouldn't be tempted.
As long as Su Lao San had impure thoughts, and as long as she succeeded, she would definitely make Su Lao San divorce his sallow-faced wife and marry her.
The Su family's conditions were a bit poor, but if someone sent them things once, there would definitely be a second time.
Kang Yiye was daydreaming, unaware that Liang Xiu had already reached the riverbank.
Liang Xiu didn't want to cause more trouble, so she quietly called out to her husband, told him that the clothes were placed on the rocks by the riverbank, and urged him to quickly get ashore and put on his clothes.
Su Lao San didn't understand why, but he still planned to follow his wife's instructions and hurry to get ashore and dress. Just then, he heard someone else approaching.
Upon closer inspection, it was Li Zhuzi, the bald-headed one.
Li Zhuzi, because he was born bald, which affected his appearance, and coupled with his poor family background, he was already in his late twenties and still hadn't married.
Men were like this; without a woman to help manage things, they looked utterly unkempt. Li Zhuzi looked particularly messy.
When Liang Xiu saw Li Zhuzi appear by the small river, she was extremely surprised.
After all, while other people in the village might go to the small river to bathe, it was really unlikely that Li Zhuzi would go to bathe.
Could it be that Kang Yiye had arranged to meet Li Zhuzi?
Was this girl really indiscriminate? Even the girls in the village didn't fancy someone like a bald-headed man, and she, coming from the city, could fancy him?
However, thinking that Li Zhuzi would definitely go into the water, she felt her face burn and quickly moved away, hiding in the small grove by the river to wait for her husband.
Su Lao San didn't know why his wife had come to call him home so hurriedly, but he quickly emerged from the river.
Just as Su Lao San emerged, Li Zhuzi also entered the water not far away.