Chapter Nineteen He Understands

After Xiong Zixiang and his sister and Zhang Liuyi had a thorough talk in the old house, they all understood each other's situation.

After Zhang Liuyi took his leave, Xiong Zixiang took a deep breath and, with his sister Xiong Zijuan and Xiaobao, returned to the small courtyard where they now lived, which was slightly better than the old house.

After formally confronting her parents, Old Man Xiong and Mrs. Song, Xiong Zijuan was determined to divorce them and would take her child back to her parents' home to live permanently.

The two elders were struck dumb by the news!

"What? Divorce? And coming back with the baby?"

Old Man Xiong was so startled that he almost dropped his pipe, his eyes wide with shock.

"Juan'er, this...this is no joke! Will the Sun family agree to this? What will the villagers think?"

Madam Song's heart tightened, and she pulled her daughter over, looking her up and down, her voice changing.

"Juan'er...did...did that guy surnamed Sun...bully you again?"

She keenly noticed the sorrow in her daughter's eyes.

Xiong Zixiang knew he couldn't hide it anymore, and there was no need to hide it any longer.

His face was grim, his voice suppressing his anger: "Father, Mother, this isn't just bullying, it's beating you to death!"

He pointed at his sister.

“Before the Lunar New Year, my sister was beaten so badly she couldn’t get out of bed and was bedridden for more than half a month. Look at her arms and back... they’re covered in injuries, and the bruises haven’t faded yet. That beast almost hurt Xiaobao too!”

"My God!"

Song's vision went black, and she almost fainted. She tightly gripped Xiong Zijuan's arm, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

"My poor son... why didn't you tell me sooner! My heart... my heart is breaking!"

Her hands trembled as she tried to touch her daughter's wound, but she was afraid of hurting her, so she could only hold her daughter's arm tightly, as if her daughter would disappear if she let go.

Little Bao, who was on the kang (a heated brick bed), was frightened by his grandmother's crying and started to cry as well.

"You son of a bitch!"

Old Man Xiong jumped up, veins bulging on his forehead, eyes bloodshot, grabbed the door bar standing behind the door, and was about to rush out.

"I'm going to Willow Village right now and smash up that Sun family's place! I'll break that bastard's legs! How dare he hit my daughter! I'll fight him to the death!"

"Father, Father! Please calm down!"

Xiong Zixiang rushed forward and hugged his furious father tightly, preventing the door bar from being swung.

"Now is not the time to attack and fight to the death!"

Old Man Xiong was blocked by his son's iron-like arm, and he was so angry that he trembled all over and roared with his neck stiff.

"If now isn't the right time, when is? My daughter is being beaten to death!"

"Xiao Bao almost got caught too! How can I swallow this insult? If you're a man, come with me and we'll storm their door!"

"Father! You have to swallow this even if you can't!"

"The most important thing now is to get the divorce papers! We need to get Xiao Bao's custody in black and white, so he can stay with my sister! That's the right thing to do! We have to be in the right, so we can't let them have any leverage and say that our family started the fight! If that guy surnamed Sun turns around and sues us in the county government, we'll lose our case! And it will end up hurting my sister and Xiao Bao!"

He stared intently at his father.

“That guy surnamed Sun, he can’t escape! Once this matter is settled, I will find an opportunity and use my own methods to personally teach him a lesson! I will make him pay back double for hitting my sister.”

"But now, we have to endure it! For my sister's and Xiaobao's future, we must endure it!"

As Old Man Xiong listened to his son's reasonable words, his anger still surged, but his reckless determination to fight to the death was eventually suppressed.

He slammed the door bar heavily on the ground with a dull thud, panting heavily.

His eyes were fixed on the direction of Liushutun outside the door, and he squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth.

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you! Let's get down to business first! But this isn't over yet! That beast, I'll skin him alive sooner or later!"

Song gradually stopped her heart-wrenching sobs, hugged her daughter and Xiaobao, and looked at her son while sobbing.

Xiong Zixiang's calm and reliable demeanor gave her a sense of security and support.

She recalled Zhang Xiaoyi's attitude earlier, and the turmoil of pain and fear in her heart was slowly replaced by a mixture of bitterness and immense relief.

She wiped away her tears, her voice tinged with joy.

"Zixiang...then...then keep an eye on the girl...she...she knows? She...didn't mind? No..."

She dared not ask any further, fearing a negative answer.

Looking into his mother's worried yet hopeful eyes, Xiong Zixiang's tense expression softened, and his tone became more certain.

“Mother, don’t worry. Keep an eye on the girl… She’s a sensible, kind-hearted, and responsible person. I’ve explained everything to her. She… she supports my sister coming back and said we should work together to make a better life.”

He revealed to Mrs. Song some details about setting up stalls at the market and also some words of comfort to her sister.

Upon hearing this, Old Man Xiong and Mrs. Song finally felt relieved, and their immense joy and relief instantly dispelled the gloom that had hung over them.

This future daughter-in-law was not scared away by this unpleasant situation; on the contrary, she was so reasonable, responsible, and willing to share hardships.

It's truly a blessing from their ancestors that they found such a good wife for their son.

Moreover, although the family has gained a burden, it has also gained a new member and more life. It will be so lively with the little one running and jumping around. The elderly couple looked at each other and saw the same feelings of gratitude and relief in each other's eyes.

"Good! Good! What a good girl!"

Old Man Xiong said "good" three times in a row, his anger replaced by relief.

"Our family... has turned misfortune into blessing. It's good that Juan'er and Xiaobao are back. It's also good that the young lady is so understanding."

"From now on... let's be a family, united as one, and live a good life together!"

After leaving the Xiong family's old house and returning home with ice, Zhang Liuyi told his father, Zhang Dashan, who was tending the fire in front of the stove and preparing to cook the braising sauce, about Xiong Zijuan's ordeal and the Xiong family's decision to divorce and accept her and her son.

After listening, Zhang Dashan stopped fiddling with the firewood.

The flickering firelight in the stove illuminated his weathered face. He remained silent for a long time, and the only sound in the house was the soft crackling of the firewood.

Zhang Yi didn't urge them and waited quietly.

Finally, Zhang Dashan let out a long sigh of relief, his voice low but carrying a heavy sense of approval.

“My son… is a decisive person.”

He looked up at his daughter with a complex mix of emotions in his eyes: heartache, worry, but above all, pride.

“It’s good that you think and act this way. It’s good. We don’t cause trouble, but when trouble comes, we need to have a sense of right and wrong, and know what we should do and what we shouldn’t tolerate. You… are like your mother.”

He spoke the last three words very softly, with a deep sense of longing.

"That's good. In the future... after I marry into that family, I won't be bullied and I'll be able to stand on my own two feet."

Zhang Liuli listened to her father's words, and her nose tingled slightly.

She knew that her father was affirming her attitude and stance in the face of the changes in the Xiong family.

She walked to the stove, squatted down, and added a piece of firewood to it.

"Dad, don't worry. Life is something we make. Brother Xiong is a good man, and Sister Zijuan is hardworking. If we work together, we'll definitely make it better."

Zhang Dashan looked at his daughter's calm and resolute profile, which appeared exceptionally clear in the light of the stove fire.

His wife died early, and he, a grown man, raised his daughter alone. His biggest fear was that she would be bullied because of her gentle nature.

Seeing my daughter's decisiveness, ability to distinguish right from wrong, and willingness to take responsibility fills the void I felt before her impending marriage with immense joy.

She has really grown up, just like her mother, with a tenacious spirit in her bones.

"Yes, Dad believes you."

Zhang Dashan nodded, a smile spreading across his face. He picked up the fire tongs and stirred the fire in the stove until it burned even brighter.

"Come on, let Dad watch the fire for you. This braising liquid will only smell good when it's cooked right!"

The father and daughter said no more. One added firewood and tended the fire, while the other processed the spices. The familiar aroma of braising spices filled the kitchen, warm and comforting.

The next day, Zhang Dashan took on a pig-slaughtering job in a neighboring village and left early in the morning.

Zhang Liuyi pushed his wheelbarrow alone, carrying a clay pot of braised pork offal, and once again set up his stall at the West Market.

Perhaps it's because word of mouth has spread over the past few days. Yesterday, even though I didn't set up my stall, I was thinking about this dish. Today, without much promotion, several familiar faces came over and bought half a pound of pig heart or pig intestines.

Zhang Yili quickly and efficiently greeted them, feeling much more relaxed.

Around noon, a middle-aged man wearing a worn cotton robe and a greasy apron approached the stall, introducing himself as surnamed Wang, and saying he sold sesame cakes at the next street corner.

"Girl, your braised pork offal smells delicious."

Mr. Wang rubbed his hands together, a smile plastered on his face.

“I was thinking, if we could put it inside a sesame seed cake and sell it, it would definitely sell well. You see… could we team up? I’ll get some braised pork offal from you every day, chop it up, put it in the cake, save you the trouble of buying bowls, and I can have an extra source of income. As for the price… we can discuss it!”

He looked shrewd.

Zhang listened carefully and thought the idea was indeed good.

Pork offal sandwiches are hot and filling, sure to be popular with people going to the market, and you can save the trouble and money of buying and cleaning earthenware bowls.

She considered it for a moment, thought it was feasible, and readily nodded.

"Okay, Mr. Wang, that's a good idea. How much do you want? I'll chop it up and pack it for you."

The two immediately agreed that Mr. Wang would order three catties of chopped braised pork offal, at fourteen coins per catty, for a total of forty-two coins. Zhang carefully packed it up for him.

Sure enough, Mr. Wang arrived with the money just before closing time in the afternoon.

He handed a small string of copper coins to Zhang Liuyi with a grin.

"Girl, keep your money safe, you can count it!"

Zhang Liuyi took the money, habitually weighed it in his hand, and quickly counted it again. There were only twenty-eight coins! A full fourteen coins short!

"Boss Wang."

Zhang Liuyi's smile faded as he held the money out of his palm.

"This number is not right, is it? Three catties, fourteen coins a catty, it should be forty-two coins. You... only have twenty-eight coins."

Mr. Wang's smile froze for a moment, then he put on a fake surprise.

"Oh dear! Miss, are you sure you're not mistaken? I got the chopped kind, not that much! And I see you only packed two pounds... I'm giving you a fair price based on the weight!"

He was trying to confuse the concepts.

Zhang Liuyi sneered inwardly.

She was perfectly clear about the quantity she sold.

She weighed it before chopping it up, and it was exactly the right weight! This is clearly an attempt to renege on the debt!

"Boss Wang."

Zhang Liuyi's voice turned cold, and she looked at him sharply.

“I know exactly how much weight came out of my earthenware jar. It weighed exactly the same before it was chopped up, and it won’t be less after it’s chopped up either. The money you gave me is fourteen coins short, that’s not a fair price.”

When Boss Wang realized he couldn't fool him, his expression changed, and he adopted a roguish look.

"Hey! Little girl, why are you being so serious? What's the value of a few bits of waste? Fourteen coins? Why don't you just rob someone? Alright, alright, consider it my bad luck, consider it your hard-earned money!"

After saying that, he actually tried to turn around and leave!

"stop!"

Zhang Liuyi felt a surge of anger.

Fourteen coins might be enough for a peasant family to buy salt and lamp oil for several days.

She painstakingly prepared the braising liquid; why should anyone cheat her like this?

Seeing that Mr. Wang was about to slip away, she grabbed the thick-backed knife used for cutting pork offal from the cutting board in a moment of panic.

The blade was gleaming, exuding a chilling aura.

"You think you can leave without paying enough?"

Zhang Liu stepped forward and held the blade horizontally in front of Boss Wang. Although he didn't point it at him, his imposing manner was enough to intimidate him.

"Make up the fourteen coins you're short!"

This caused quite a commotion! Nearby vendors and passersby were all drawn over and started discussing it.

"Hey! Why are they using knives now?"

"This girl selling braised offal looks so quiet and gentle, how come she has such a fiery temper?"

"It seems the pancake seller is trying to renege on his debt..."

"Tsk tsk, are you bullying this little girl?"

Mr. Wang was startled by the gleaming knife and the stares of those around him. His face flushed red and then turned pale, and he tried to argue his way out of it.

"You...you're spouting nonsense! Who's defaulting on their debt?"

Just then, two constables patrolling nearby heard the commotion and quickly came over.

"What's going on? Holding a weapon in the street, what do you want?"

Upon seeing the constable, Zhang Yili immediately put down his knife, but still stood in front of Boss Wang.

He briefly explained the whole story to the constable.

After listening to Zhang Xiaoyi's account, the constable questioned several vendors and passersby who had witnessed the entire incident, and their accounts were largely confirmed.

They looked at Boss Wang with stern faces.

"Wang Laowu, it's you again! You haven't even warmed the money you were fined for shortchanging people last time, have you? Hurry up and make up the fourteen coins you owe. If you keep arguing, come with us to the yamen!"

Under the pressure of the constables and the disdainful gazes of those around him, Boss Wang completely wilted. He sheepishly pulled out a dozen or so copper coins, threw them on Zhang Yi's chopping board, and ran away through the crowd without looking back.

The constable gave Zhang a few more words of advice.

"If you have any problems, find the yamen runners; don't try to use your own weapons."

Only then did he leave.

Zhang Yili put away the few copper coins, but instead of feeling the joy of victory, he felt a heavy weight in his heart.

In this world, you really can't trust others too easily.

She quietly packed up her stall, her face burning as she thought about how she had grabbed the knife earlier.

Just then, a familiar, tall figure parted the crowd and walked to the stall.

It's Xiong Zixiang.

He had obviously heard about the commotion earlier and rushed over.

He was wearing a constable's uniform. His gaze first swept over the thick-backed knife on the chopping board, then landed on Zhang Xiaoli's slightly flushed cheeks and somewhat evasive eyes.

Zhang Yili felt her ear tips instantly burning hot. Oh no! He must have seen her acting like a shrew just now!

Would he think she was too fierce and unreasonable? Her heart was pounding, and she lowered her head in a panic, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her apron as she tried to explain in a low voice.

"Brother Xiong... I... I'm not usually like this... I just got angry for a moment..."

"That's good."

Xiong Zixiang's deep and steady voice clearly reached her ears, interrupting her unfinished explanation.

Zhang Liuyi suddenly raised her head and met Xiong Zixiang's deep eyes.

There was no blame or surprise in it as she had expected, but rather a sense of acceptance?

Xiong Zixiang looked at her, his tone full of approval.

"We can't just tolerate others all the time. When we encounter unfair bullying, we should stand up for ourselves. Protecting ourselves reasonably so that others don't dare to look down on us or take advantage of us is not being aggressive."

He paused, then added clearly, word by word.

"That's called having rules and regulations."

Zhang Yili was stunned.

He understands!

He didn't find her shrewish at all; on the contrary, he thought she did the right thing!

An indescribable warmth and excitement surged into her heart, making her cheeks burn even hotter and her heart pound like a drum.

She hurriedly avoided Xiong Zixiang's gaze, feeling as if her ears were burning hot.

"Then...then I'll head back now!"

She uttered those words almost incoherently, frantically stuffing the last few items into the wheelbarrow, almost forgetting even to take the money box.

She pushed her cart and rushed out of the crowd as if fleeing, hurrying towards home, wanting only to escape the scene that was making her heart race.

Behind him, Xiong Zixiang watched her hurried figure, and the corners of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly upwards before he regained his usual composure.