Chapter 77 A Disgrace

The stove and pots at home are cold, clothes are piled up like mountains, the floor is not swept, and no food is cooked.

It's all thanks to her mother-in-law that things are going well.

If this continues, her old bones will eventually break in front of the stove.

Shen Cuifen is now in a daze, and her house is a mess with no one taking care of it.

She, as the mother-in-law, does the laundry and cooking every day.

I have to get up before dawn every day to boil water, feed the pigs, wash rice, and cook vegetables. I'm so busy I barely have time to rest.

And what about Shen Cuifen?

He would either sit under the eaves in a daze or wander around the yard with a chicken in his arms, muttering to himself as if he were possessed.

She didn't want to live like this for even a day longer.

If we could get rid of Shen Cuifen and marry Zhou Wenjuan, wouldn't life be much smoother?

Zhou Wenjuan is diligent, capable, good at managing a household, and speaks gently.

The key is that she has a past relationship with the Lu family. As long as Lu Weidong agrees, the deal is likely to go through.

There will be a proper housewife in the house then.

She can finally relax for a few years and enjoy her retirement in peace.

Furthermore, the Cao family's courtyard could also be attributed to the Lu family!

The Cao family is Zhou Wenjuan's maternal family.

Although it's not big, it has three brick houses, a small courtyard, and an old well.

If Zhou Wenjuan remarries into the family, the courtyard will eventually be divided among Lu Weidong's children.

As Li Fangfang pondered, a smug smile crept onto her face.

She had already mentally included that yard in her own territory.

A few days ago, Zhou Wenjuan even took the initiative to wash Lu Daqiang's quilt for her, which is much better than Shen Cuifen!

That day, when she was hanging out the quilt to dry, Zhou Wenjuan happened to pass by and, without saying a word, helped her soak the thick quilt in water, sprinkled some alkali on it, and scrubbed it clean.

But Lu Weidong didn't come back all night, and Shen Cuifen made some strange remarks.

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, feeling that Lu Weidong was likely in grave danger.

Last night, when Lu Weidong went out, he was wearing that faded blue cloth shirt and old rubber shoes, and he didn't even bring a flashlight.

The mountain roads are difficult to travel, and stray dogs roam at night; what if something happens...?

The more she thought about it, the more panicked she became, and her initial calculations turned into worries.

In addition, Shen Cuifen muttered before dawn, "He won't be coming back," and "It's all blood red."

Hearing this sent chills down her spine, and she broke out in a cold sweat.

"Eat, eat, all you ever think about is eating! If you want to eat, go find your mom!"

Li Fangfang stomped her feet in anger, her face turning red.

She stood in the courtyard, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at Lu Zhonghe.

She was so angry that her lips trembled and the veins on her neck bulged.

That grandson is so inconsiderate! Instead of helping to find the person, he's only thinking about food. He's utterly heartless!

The two glanced at Shen Cuifen, who was sitting under the eaves in a daze, and curled their lips.

Lu Zhonghe and Lu Zhongping exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with disdain.

Shen Cuifen was wearing an old cotton-padded jacket with a frayed collar, and her hair was disheveled.

She sat on a small stool, staring blankly at the dirt road outside the courtyard gate.

He was holding a handful of chicken feed in his hand, scattering a pinch every now and then to feed the clucking hens at his feet.

"How dare we order her around!"

Lu Zhonghe said in a sarcastic tone.

He dragged out his words, his tone full of sarcasm, and deliberately emphasized the word "order" especially.

When Shen Cuifen heard this, she found it laughable.

She tilted her head slightly, glancing at Lu Zhonghe's oily face out of the corner of her eye, and a cold smile crept into her mind.

She knew they disliked her, but she didn't care.

These people have never treated her like family, so why should she bother trying to please them?

She looked down at the chicken feed in her hand and gently sprinkled a handful.

Lu Guizhen also had a dark expression and didn't want to pay any attention to them.

She sat by the woodpile at the other end, rubbing a kitchen knife against the whetstone.

Her brows were furrowed, her face was gloomy, and she didn't say a word.

But everyone could feel that suppressed anger.

Her sharpening motions became increasingly forceful.

"You can't order others around, so you come to order me around? I'm not your servant! You two little brats, are you going to go find your father or not!"

Li Fangfang's neck turned red from shouting, and her veins bulged.

What do they take her for?

Is he a servant?

Her mind was in turmoil, and a surge of anger rushed to her head.

She has served this family for decades.

From a young age, she worked from dawn till dusk, doing laundry, cooking, raising children, and taking care of her in-laws, without ever taking a day off.

Now that I'm old, I'm being looked down upon by two younger generations.

They won't even let me say a word, it's truly disheartening!

"What are you ordering around!"

Lu Zhonghe and Lu Zhongping saw their grandmother lose her temper.

They exchanged a glance, and neither dared to say another word.

They knew things had escalated, and if they continued to be stubborn, they would likely face dire consequences.

So the two of them reluctantly stood up and slowly followed Li Fangfang out the door.

As soon as the person left, the room became quiet.

Lu Guizhen sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), head down, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes. Her lips moved, and finally she mustered up her courage and whispered to Shen Cuifen, "Mom, I want to get some rice for Grandpa. He hasn't eaten all day, and I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on."

Shen Cuifen raised her head and looked at Lu Daqiang, who was curled up in the corner.

The old man's eyes were cloudy and his face was sallow.

He looked as if all his muscles and bones had been removed, and he leaned against the corner of the wall, motionless.

A pang of sadness welled up in her heart, her eyes welled up slightly, and she nodded silently.

"That bowl of rice in the cupboard was left for him. It's better for him to eat it than for him to get cold. You can take it and feed him."

Lu Guizhen breathed a sigh of relief, quickly got up, and walked slowly to the cabinet.

Lift the coarse cloth covering the bowl and take out the bowl of white rice that had gone cold.

She stirred it gently with a spoon, then added a little hot water and mixed it well.

He carefully walked up to Lu Daqiang with the bowl in his hand, squatted down, and said softly, "Grandpa, come, have some food to warm yourself up."

Shen Cuifen continued to sew shoes with her head down, her fingers threading through the eye of the needle.

The wind outside seeped in through the window cracks, causing the oil lamp to flicker.

Li Fangfang, with her two grandsons, wandered around the village again and again.

They first went to the threshing ground at the village entrance, then to the old locust tree by the river, and even searched the abandoned brick kiln at the east end of the village.

No matter how hard they searched, they couldn't find Lu Weidong.

As darkness fell, twilight enveloped the village.

Having no other choice, she had to grit her teeth and slowly make her way to Zhou Wenjuan's house at the west end of the village.

She usually avoids that place like the plague, but now she has no choice but to visit it in person.

As she walked, she gritted her teeth and muttered, "If I catch you, I'll skin you alive!"

"Knock knock knock!"

She stood at the Zhou family's door and pounded on the dilapidated wooden door.

The door opened a crack, and Cao Xiaohua peeked out. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were swollen, clearly indicating that she had just been crying.

When she saw that it was Li Fangfang, her brows immediately furrowed.

"Mistress, is something the matter?"

There was no smile on his face, and his eyes even carried a hint of hostility.

Indeed, ever since the story of Lu Weidong and Zhou Wenjuan spread throughout the village.

These past few days, Cao Xiaohua and her sister Cao Xiaoli have been constantly gossiped about behind their backs when they go out.