Chapter 169 Poisonous Salted Vegetables

Aunt Yang was so angry she turned red in the face and jumped up, yelling, "Fine, I'll leave! Who wants your lousy jobs! Wait till your business falls through, then you'll be begging me for a job!"

People around her looked at her as if she were crazy.

With the pickled vegetable business so booming, how could it possibly go out of business so easily? Even if it did, no one would beg this shrew for help.

Liu Zhixia and Zhang Xiuying exchanged a glance, understanding each other perfectly.

Yang was waiting for the "poisonous pickled vegetables" to take effect.

Liu Zhixia lowered her voice: "Mother, hasn't Grandma Yang realized that what was stolen was a poison jar? Or did she not tell Yang Shi?"

Zhang Xiuying was also puzzled: "I guess the old woman is keeping it a secret, afraid that Yang will find out."

Just then, a villager nearby asked curiously, "By the way, Xia, did you find that jar of pickled vegetables that you lost last time?"

Liu Zhixia shook her head: "No. But it's okay. Luckily, my mother and I made extra, so we can still treat everyone to a meal during the New Year."

Yang, who had been eavesdropping, suddenly became nervous and interrupted, asking, "Where did you throw away your pickled vegetables? Was it in your room, in that jar?"

Everyone looked at her strangely after she said that.

Yang wasn't present when the thief was caught that day, so how did she know that the theft was from Liu Zhixia's room?

Liu Zhixia didn't point it out, and nodded, saying, "Yes."

Madam Yang's expression changed slightly, and she pressed further, "The best jar?"

Liu Zhixia shook her head: "No, the best things are in my mother's room. My door lock broke that day, and I was afraid of losing them, so I moved the good things to my mother's room."

Zhang Xiuying chimed in, "That's right! The lock broke that day, and the thief showed up right away. That thief was amazing, like he'd scouted the place beforehand."

The villagers cursed the thief for being despicable, and Yang's face turned pale and then red with anger.

She knew perfectly well that the thief was definitely her own mother-in-law! When the villagers cursed the thief, they were cursing her!

Thinking of the bombshell she had revealed that day, Yang couldn't help but probe again, "I heard you specially made a fine jar for the leader? That jar wasn't lost, was it?"

Liu Zhixia looked at her with a half-smile: "Oh, Aunt Yang is quite well-informed. Don't worry, something so important definitely won't get lost."

A huge weight was lifted from Yang's shoulders. As long as that jar of "poisonous pickled vegetables" hadn't been lost, the real show was yet to come!

She instantly gained confidence, pointing at the crowd and sneering, "That's good! I think this thief was blind; he stole a worthless jar. Alright, I'm leaving! You snobs will get your comeuppance sooner or later!"

After saying that, she flicked her sleeve, raised her head, and walked away.

Just as the villagers were about to get angry, Zhang Xiuying stopped them with a smile: "Alright, let her have her say. We can't let her get involved in this business no matter what."

The villager sat down dejectedly: "I felt sorry for her because her son was disabled, and I thought I'd let her do some work to earn some money, but your eldest son absolutely refused. To be honest, I felt a little bad about it. But now it seems this family deserves it! If she really ruins this business, not only will everyone go hungry, but your eldest son will also be dragged down. We really shouldn't sympathize with such an ungrateful wretch!"

Zhang Xiuying smiled meaningfully: "Yes. Our family suffered so many losses before we understood this principle. Never pity ungrateful bastards."

Everyone understood immediately and naturally thought of the mess that had happened with the Shen family.

One villager couldn't resist gossiping, "I have a relative in the next brigade who came over yesterday and mentioned the Shen family. That family is really in a sorry state now, they're destitute and can't even afford to eat. Those two old bastards beat their second daughter-in-law away, and she took her child and went back to her parents' home. Those two shameless old men actually chased after her to the Chen family and insisted on staying there, but they were beaten out by the Chen family with sticks!"

Liu Zhixia asked in surprise, "We can't last more than a few days without food, can we?"

"I heard the old couple are now going up the mountain every day to dig for wild vegetables to fill their stomachs. Who would sympathize with the despicable things they've done? Every household is locking up their grain tightly, afraid that these two thieves will steal it!"

Zhang Xiuying snorted coldly, feeling both relieved and heartbroken: "Back when the eldest son got divorced, he gave them enough food for half a year! And they've squandered it all in such a short time? Serves them right!"

Everyone sighed in dismay.

Although they felt a pang of pity, considering the Shen family's actions, no one had any extra sympathy. Everyone knew in their hearts that those two old folks probably wouldn't make it through the winter.

When Aunt Yang returned home, she caught Grandma Yang drooling over a jar of unknown origin in the cellar.

"You old hag, tell the truth, did you steal this jar from the Liu family?"

Grandma Yang immediately flew into a rage: "Nonsense! I picked this up outside!"

Aunt Yang was both amused and annoyed: "Found it? Would someone just throw away something this good? Can't you at least think before you lie?"

Grandma Yang, enraged, kicked him, saying, "I said I picked it up, that's what I said! How would I know why someone threw it away? Anyway, you won't get to eat this good stuff! Stop being so sarcastic!"

She was so hungry that she took a bowl and scooped out a little more than half a bowl.

Aunt Yang's eyes widened: "It's only been pickled for a few days? Is it safe to eat?"

"Why can't I eat it? How could perfectly good vegetables be poisonous? Hurry up and cook some food, or I'll beat you up if you starve my precious grandson!"

Aunt Yang pursed her lips, glared at the old woman, and went to the kitchen to hastily prepare a meal.

At the dinner table, looking at the unappetizing food prepared by Aunt Yang, Xiao Yang disdainfully took out the jar of pickled vegetables that the Liu family had given him earlier.

Grandma Yang grabbed his hand and pushed the small bowl towards him like a precious treasure: "My dear grandson, don't eat that, try this new one! It's good stuff!"

Looking at the strangely colored pickled vegetables in the bowl, Xiao Yang hesitated.

Aunt Yang was extremely anxious. Although she felt that this jar was most likely not the one that had been poisoned, she didn't dare let her son take the risk.

"Never mind, Mother, there's nothing here. This is fine for me."

Grandma Yang glared at her: "What do you know! This is made with top-quality Chinese medicinal herbs, it's very nourishing! It'll be good for my dear grandson's leg injury!"

Upon hearing that it would be good for his leg injury, Xiao Yang's eyes lit up, and without saying a word, he picked up a piece and stuffed it into his mouth.

He had only chewed a couple of times when his face instantly contorted into a bitter grimace, and he spat it out onto the ground with a "pui!"

"Grandma! This is so bitter! It's even worse than taking medicine!"

Grandma Yang was overjoyed: "Bitter is good! Good medicine tastes bitter! The more bitter, the more nourishing! Don't spit it out, eat it quickly, it's all good stuff!"

Xiao Yang pushed the bowl away with disgust: "The one the Liu family sent was also made of Chinese medicine, how come it's not bitter at all? I won't eat this stuff, it's disgusting!"

As he spoke, he opened the jar that the Liu family had given him and ate it with relish.

Grandma Yang was embarrassed.

Why is there such a big difference between the same pickled Chinese herbs from the Liu family?

Unconvinced, she picked up a piece with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth, instantly turning up in pain as her brows furrowed and her facial features contorted.

But this was a "treasure" she risked everything to steal back; how could she throw it away?

She forced herself to swallow it, comforting herself: "It must be because this jar of herbs was used more than enough that it's more effective!"