Jun Jiuli just stepped out of the courtyard when she saw a little sprout less than a meter tall, carrying a large bamboo basket, running towards her.
“Run slower.”
“Brother, I dug up a lot of Jiji vegetables today.”
She smiled brilliantly and, as if presenting a treasure, handed the bamboo basket to Jun Jiuli to look at. She happily shared with Jun Jiuli how lucky she was today.
Jun Jiuli took her large bamboo basket, and she happily walked ahead. Seeing Old Mrs. Zhao lying in the courtyard, her expression instantly turned to stone.
“Brother, what happened to Grandma?”
She was a bit flustered, staring blankly at Jun Jiuli, not knowing what to do next.
“Don’t worry about it, Grandma feels the ground is cool and wants to lie down for a while longer.”
She smiled again, “Okay, are Sister and Mother back?”
“They’re back, go into the house and play with your sister.”
She had a head full of question marks, “Aren’t you going to call Sister out to wash vegetables with me?”
“No need, our eldest branch doesn’t have to cook today.”
“Great!”
She happily ran into the house, and Jun Jiuli put the vegetable basket in the kitchen and left it at that.
The two sisters chatted and gossiped, while Xu Dahua stared blankly, lost in thought.
A moment later, a group of people who had been working in the fields returned. Li Shi looked at her mother-in-law lying on the ground. She put down her farming tools and rushed to help her up. Zhang Shi quickly came forward to pinch her philtrum. Seeing that she had woken up, she then began to wail.
Li Shi: “Heavens above, thank the living Bodhisattva for your protection. It’s good that she’s okay, it’s good that she’s okay. Where did everyone in the family go? Didn’t you see Mother lying on the ground?”
Old Mrs. Zhao took a while to realize she wasn’t dead, and that she was still in her own yard. Hearing her second daughter-in-law’s raspy voice, she felt a bit displeased.
“Shut up. If you have that filial piety, hurry up and help me back to the room. My back hurts so much, and my butt is killing me.”
“Oh, okay… okay.”
The two daughters-in-law helped her into the room, one on each side. At this moment, the door couldn’t be pushed open. Li Shi was a bit confused and turned to ask Old Mrs. Zhao.
“Mother, why is the door locked? Is Little Sister inside? I’ll call her to open the door.”
“You know and you still ask, hurry up!”
Li Shi looked displeased and muttered, “She doesn’t even come out to help her own mother when she falls, and she locks herself in the room to sleep. What kind of person is this?”
Old Mrs. Zhao’s face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
The door was banged loudly, “Little Sister, Little Sister, are you inside? Hurry and open the door.”
Because she had been too scared just now, Zhao Jiaojiao had hidden under the bedding. Hearing her second sister-in-law’s loud voice, she poked her head out from under the covers, rubbed her eyes, and only dared to respond after hearing clearly.
Her heart finally settled. With everyone at home, there was nothing to be afraid of. She quickly got out of bed to open the door.
She put on a smiling face, about to say something, when Zhang Shi pushed her aside and helped Old Mrs. Zhao inside.
“Little Sister, Mother is feeling unwell. Don’t block the way, we can talk about anything later.”
Zhao Jiaojiao pouted, looking like she was about to cry, and looked pitifully at Old Mrs. Zhao.
Old Mrs. Zhao did not want to see her face at this moment. The feeling of being abandoned by her without hesitation was still stuck in her heart.
“What are you doing? Your third sister-in-law didn’t do anything to you. You’re always crying with a long face, and no one owes you anything. Get out quickly, go help your eldest sister-in-law with some work.”
Everyone in the room was a bit surprised. Old Mrs. Zhao told her darling to go help her eldest sister-in-law, whom she usually looked down upon.
“What are you standing around for? Why are you all guarding me? Your old mother isn’t going to die yet. Get out, get out, all of you get out.”
The three of them quickly went out of the room.
Zhang Shi: “Who angered Mother today? Her temper is so bad.”
Li Shi: “Who knows.”
The sisters-in-law chatted as they went to the kitchen. They usually liked to slack off there. They found a small stool and sat down to chat, letting Xu Dahua do the work.
As soon as they entered the kitchen, both of them froze. They did not see Xu Dahua busy working, there was no prepared dough on the wooden table, and a basket of vegetables was still placed there dirty.
The two exchanged glances and then headed towards the eldest branch’s room. Before they even arrived, they started shouting.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, Eldest Sister-in-law, are you feeling unwell today? Why haven’t you prepared dinner so late? The whole family has worked hard all day. If you’re sick, you should have said so earlier. When will we get to eat?”
Jun Jiuli stopped the two of them, “The meals here are usually made by my mother, and it’s time for you two aunts to show your skills.”
“Great nephew, what are you saying? Your mother did this willingly. Besides, how can your family with only your mother support you three siblings? Aren’t we all relying on the second and third branches for support? It’s only right that your mother does more.”
“We three siblings have never had a moment of idleness. My mother does the most work at home and in the fields. If you two aunts feel it’s unfair, then let’s divide the family.”
The eyes of the two lit up. No daughter-in-law wanted to work under her mother-in-law for a lifetime.
Old Mrs. Zhao was still so healthy, and they didn’t know how long they would have to wait for it to end.
After the two of them discussed it, they went to Old Mrs. Zhao and told her what had just happened. Old Mrs. Zhao was so angry that she grabbed the clothes next to her and threw them at the two of them.
“As long as I’m alive, don’t even think about dividing this family. Two lazy things, Xiao Wei is right. From now on, the housework will be divided between you two, don’t think about finding excuses to be lazy.”
The two were scolded and couldn’t raise their heads, lowering them to stare at their toes.
“What are you standing around for? Hurry up and cook.”
“Oh, okay, okay.”
The two prepared the meal and set out the bowls and chopsticks, and the family sat down together. A pot of soup and pancakes was served by Old Mrs. Zhao into each person’s bowl.
A wooden basin of boiled wild vegetables, containing dandelion and Jiji vegetables, with no seasoned chili dip.
Jun Jiuli took a bite. Apart from bitterness, there was the taste of grass. She found it very strange and couldn’t get used to it.
The pancakes in the soup were made from pounded wheat. This technique was still somewhat backward. The wheat was a bit rough and very difficult to swallow.
The dinner didn’t even have salt. Jun Jiuli divided the remaining pancakes to Xiao Hong and Xiao Chun. The two children, after being cared for by her, ate very happily.
Jun Jiuli couldn’t help but complain to Shui Wa that under such conditions, Zhao Jiaojiao could still grow into a great beauty, which was really amazing.
Shui Wa: “Hahaha~ This is called innate beauty that is hard to abandon. Old Mr. Zhao and Old Mrs. Zhao are also amazing. To live to 60 and still be able to have children.”
“Admire, admire.”