Chapter 9 Lin Cuihua fainted. I understand! I understand!

For a moment, Qiu Xuan didn't know whether to look at the fish or Zong Xiao.

This man's actions yesterday made her really confused about what he was thinking. But no matter what he was thinking, she was the one who benefited now.

After all, she now not only has a temporary place to stay, but also has food to eat.

"Uncle, how do you want to eat fish today?" Zong Huaixue poked the still-throbbing fish with her hand and took a sip. "Stew or roast?"

Zong Huaixue likes to eat roasted fish, but her mother never lets her eat too much, for fear that the fish bones will get stuck in her.

Hearing her ask this deliberately today, Zong Xiao knew what she was planning without having to guess.

He didn't answer her directly. Instead, he looked up at Qiu Yun and said suddenly, "What about you? How do you want to eat?"

Qiu Xuan was a little surprised, but since she was asked, she naturally couldn't waste the opportunity. She said, "Let's grill it."

When Zong Huaixue heard this, she happily threw herself on Qiu Xuan, her little mouth as sweet as honey, and she called out sweetly, "Second Aunt, you are so kind."

Qiu Xuan felt a little embarrassed by being called out. The reason she had just said she wanted to eat grilled fish wasn't because she had realized what Zong Huaixue liked. She simply felt that the world didn't have so many seasonings, and stewed fish might have a fishy smell. Grilled fish, on the other hand, wouldn't have that smell; as long as it was charred, it would be very fragrant.

The three of them entered the yard together. In order to have grilled fish for lunch, Zong Huaixue went straight to the kitchen to tell his mother.

Unfortunately, I was a step too late. The lunch was almost ready, and all that was left was to stir-fry some vegetables.

"Grandma, my second uncle brought back several fish and said he wanted to make grilled fish for my second aunt." The little girl said cleverly.

"Hey, the meal is ready. Go talk to your second uncle and ask if we can have it tonight."

In the yard, Zong Xiao put the six fish in a basin. He took out the sticky board and knife for killing the fish and was about to deal with them one by one.

"Uncle, grandma said we can eat it in the evening." The little girl came over and rescued the fish from Zong Xiao's hands.

"Is lunch ready?" Zong Xiao put down the knife and put the fish back into the basin.

Zong Huaixue nodded, "Everything is fine."

Lunch is ready, so we can only eat this fish in the evening.

Grilled fish are always eaten right after being killed, so that the fish meat is tender. Zong Xiao was afraid that they wouldn't make it through the night, so he poured another bucket of water into the basin.

The water splashed all over him. He was about to go back to the house to change clothes when he turned his head and saw the man sitting quietly on the wooden bench in front of the door.

Their eyes met, and Zong Xiao subconsciously turned his head, with only the right half of his face facing her.

Although he had already married her, Zong Xiao felt bitter when he thought that she was afraid of the scar on his face.

He was in the wrong and felt that he had wronged the girl.

He simply didn't dare let her see the scarred half of his face.

Under the eaves, Qiu Xuan was lazily basking in the sun.

She didn't have to work in the kitchen or prepare fish, and it took her a while to get used to such a leisurely and comfortable life.

But she herself didn't know how long this kind of life could last. After all, this Zongjia Erlang was strange. After meeting her gaze, he quickly turned his head away, as if he was afraid to see her.

Could it be that he has a hidden illness and doesn't really want to marry her?

The more Qiu Xuan thought about it, the more it made sense. After all, this man had gone to the Qiu family specifically before the marriage, and the two of them had exchanged a few words through the door.

He asked her if she knew his situation and whether she was willing to marry him.

Adding to yesterday's and today's actions, everything actually makes sense when put together.

Qiu Xuan felt that she had realized it!

It turned out that the eldest son of the family, Jilang, had a hidden illness that he didn't want anyone to know about, so he was forced to marry her. This was also the reason why they didn't consummate the marriage on their wedding night.

So it is! So it is!

-

On the other side, the Qiu family was in chaos.

Qiu Jian got married yesterday, but the villagers were unaware of the situation and only thought that the Qiu family received three or two taels of betrothal gifts for marrying off their daughter.

In addition, Lin Cuihua was usually arrogant in public, saying that if her son got married, as long as the girl was good, she would be willing to give any betrothal gift.

As a result, a matchmaker came to propose marriage this morning. The girl was from the next village. She was pretty and three years older than Hu Zi. Although she was only fourteen, she was a capable person at home and could easily do laundry and cooking.

Although he was three years older, as the saying goes, a woman three years her senior brings gold bricks. The matchmaker said that as long as the Qiu family agreed, the girl's family could marry her off immediately.

The betrothal gift was not much, just three taels of silver.

When Lin Cuihua heard this, she knew that it was an outsider who knew that they were getting their daughter married yesterday. She thought that they must have money and could afford the betrothal gift of three taels.

But when Qiu Xuan got married, they didn't earn a penny...

Lin Cuihua was somewhat reluctant, but she was too embarrassed to reject the matchmaker in person for the sake of her reputation, so she said that she had to discuss the matter with her family and also ask Hu Zi's opinion.

After all, Hu Zi is only eleven years old now, so it’s a bit too early to get married.

The matchmaker didn't think much of it and just told them to hurry up and give her a reply the day after tomorrow if they were willing. After all, they were anxious to marry off their daughter.

As soon as Lin Cuihua sent the man out of the hospital, Hu Zi poked his head out of the house.

He didn't go out today and was just staying at home. He heard everything Lin Cuihua and the matchmaker said.

Originally he didn't want to get married so early, but he just heard the matchmaker say that the girl was pretty and could work. If he married her home, would he have someone to serve him in the future?

Hu Zi often hangs out in the village, and those who are married often show off in front of him and talk nonsense.

He thought about it and felt that the time was right for marriage, so he said, "Mom, I want to get married."

Lin Cuihua was startled by him, and then she said in a low voice: "Why marry? You are so young, you know what to marry."

Hu Zi said dissatisfiedly: "Why don't I understand? If I get married, there will be one more person at home to serve you and dad."

Lin Cuihua was about to refute him and ask him to stop thinking about it.

But when she heard someone was serving her, she was instantly moved.

Once Qiu Xuan got married, there was no one to do the housework. Now all the work fell on her shoulders. She not only had to cook but also had to cut grass and feed the chickens and ducks.

Thinking about it this way, it would be a good thing to find a wife for Hu Zi. Lin Cuihua hurried back to the house and told Qiu Shitou about it.

"Hu Zi is so young, it's too early." Qiu Shitou lay on the kang, waving his hands with a look of disapproval.

"It's not that I ask you to work every day, but you are tired." Lin Cuihua didn't bother to pay attention to him. She lay on the ground and started to reach the purse in the stove.

She has saved a lot of silver over the years, at least seventeen or eighteen taels.

Lin Cui struggled to reach it, but when she got it in her hand, it was obvious that the weight of the bag was not right. Why was it so light?

Lin Cuihua quickly opened it, and when she saw the amount of money inside, she almost fainted from anger.

"Qiu Shitou!" she cursed, "Where did the money go?"

Qiu Shitou glanced at her and said, "What money? All our money is in your hands."

Lin Cuihua threw the purse to Qiu Shitou and asked him to take a closer look.

"There are at least seventeen taels in here, how come it has become eight taels now?" Lin Cuihua was so angry that she wanted to hit him.

Only the two of them knew that the purse was hidden here. If the money was missing, who else could have taken it if not Qiu Shitou?

"I didn't touch the money. If you don't believe me, go ahead and search." Qiu Shitou was also angry. He rolled his eyes and pointed at Lin Cuihua and asked, "Did you secretly use it to support your parents, and now you're blaming me for it?"

The two men's curses became more and more severe, and they even threw everything on the kang onto the ground, and were about to start a fight.

"If I took it, I'll have no descendants!" Qiu Shitou swore to the heavens, then looked at Lin Cuihua, "What about you? Do you dare?"

Lin Cuihua had nothing to be afraid of. She had never taken the money to her parents' home.

She said angrily, "Okay, okay, if I took it, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death."

Having said that, the two finally figured out something was wrong.

If the money really wasn't taken by the couple, who else could it be?

Qiu Xuan? Lin Cuihua thought of her but quickly dismissed it. It wasn't that she looked down on that girl, but how could she possibly steal their money with such audacity?

Huzi? He's their own son, they give him pocket money every month, how could that be possible?

Could it be my parents? That shouldn't be the case. Lin Cuihua has been the housekeeper for so many years, and the old lady of the Qiu family has never asked about money.

"Search! How could so much money suddenly disappear? Our house is so small. Search every room."

Lin Cuihua stormed out of the house and bumped into Hu Zi, who looked guilty.

"What are you doing in the middle of the day?"

Hu Zi held the slingshot in his hand. He swallowed hard and said guiltily, "I'll go find... Sandan."

"I knew you were wild." Lin Cuihua was about to let him go, but at this moment she saw the slingshot in his hand.

Considering that Hu Zi brought back some food from outside from time to time these days.

A fire surged in Lin Cuihua's heart.

She snatched the slingshot from Hu Zi's hand and asked sternly, "Did you steal the money from home?"

Hu Zi was already frightened out of his wits. He stood there in a daze and even forgot to argue.

"Tell me, is it true?" Lin Cuihua yelled at him.

"Mom...I...I was wrong." Hu Zi jumped up and knelt in front of her.

Lin Cuihua's eyes went dark, her ears buzzed, and the next moment she fainted.