Chapter 107 Xu Rong, Please Stop It

Fu Yucheng paused in washing his hands and shook off the water droplets on them. "There's something really going on. Zhou Desheng's wife gave birth to a big fat boy, and every household in the team is going to give gifts."

Yun Tangyin's eyes lit up. "Really? Then we must congratulate you sincerely. Let's pick out two feet of floral fabric and send it over tomorrow. It will be perfect for making a small jacket for the child."

"I thought so too." Fu Yucheng wiped his hands and sat down next to her. "I heard Aunt Wang say in the fields today that Xu Rong went to Jiang Zhicheng's house and made a scene all afternoon, trying to stop him from getting a divorce. In the end, Jiang Zhicheng chased her out with a broom."

Jiang Jianhua came out carrying a freshly sewn shoe sole. He couldn't help laughing when he heard this: "Xu Rong is so shameless. Why didn't she think about today when she forced me to pay the betrothal gift?"

Fu Yuanshan was squatting in the yard chopping wood. The sound of the axe falling paused. "Jiang Zhicheng said he would go to handle the formalities this Sunday."

"It's better to do it now, so we don't have to make a fuss every day." Yun Tangyin smoothed out the pillowcase. "By the way, our quilt cover is almost done. I can ask my sister-in-law to help sew the edges tomorrow."

During dinner, Song Yushuang looked at the stir-fried vegetables on the table and suddenly said, "Your uncle sent a message the other day saying that the old hens at home have started laying eggs and asked you to pick some up when you have time."

"I'll go." Fu Yucheng put a piece of sweet potato into Yun Tangyin's bowl, "Bring two kilograms of brown sugar for uncle tomorrow."

Yun Tangyin nodded: "And bring a jar of our pickled kimchi."

At night, the two of them sat under the lamp and continued to embroider pillowcases. Fu Yucheng's stitches were still crooked, but it was a lot better than in the afternoon.

Yun Tangyin looked at the sweat on his forehead and handed him a handkerchief: "Take a break, you look tired."

"Not tired." Fu Yucheng didn't even raise his head. "I have to learn quickly, otherwise I will always be laughed at by you."

Yun Tangyin was amused by him and picked up the piece of cloth he was embroidering. "It's actually pretty good. Look at the bamboo leaves. They're much straighter than the ones I embroidered this morning."

Fu Yucheng's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'll embroider two more stitches."

As he was speaking, there was a sudden knock at the gate. Jiang Jianhua went to open the door and came back with a cloth bag in his hand: "Yinyin, this is from Xu Runli. She said it's for you."

Yun Tangyin held the string of the cloth bag without moving, a hint of coldness flashed across her eyes.

Fu Yucheng took it first, weighed it and put it on the table. The cloth bag made a dull "bang" sound, as if it was wrapped in something hard.

"She still has the nerve to come here?" Fu Yucheng sneered and reached out to tear it apart.

"Let me do it." Yun Tangyin held his hand and used her fingertips to loosen the cloth rope.

There was a cracked earthenware jar inside, with a rag stuffed in the mouth. When it was opened, a sour smell hit the face. It turned out to be half a jar of moldy dried sweet potatoes.

"What does this mean?" Jiang Jianhua covered his nose. "Sending moldy things here is intentionally disgusting?"

"Deliberately disgusting me is secondary." Yun Tangyin picked up the clay pot and knocked it against the steps. The crack on the edge of the pot suddenly opened wider, and moldy dried sweet potatoes rolled out, covered with a layer of green hair. "You want to curse me to not have food to eat."

Xu Rong's voice could be heard from outside the courtyard gate: "Yun Tangyin, don't be so shameless! My Runli kindly sent you food, and not only are you ungrateful, you even dared to throw things?"

Xu Runli was pushed forward by her, and raised her eyes timidly, looking aggrieved, but in fact her eyes were full of provocation: "My mother didn't mean that, it's... it's just that there are no good people at home..."

"No good stuff?" Yun Tangyin bent down, picked up a piece of dried sweet potato, and held it up to the moonlight. "Why? You eat candy, and I should eat moldy sweet potatoes?"

Xu Rong jumped up and down and cursed, "What nonsense are you talking about! It has nothing to do with you!"

"It's okay," Yun Tangyin threw the dried sweet potatoes to the ground, "but it's a problem when you bring moldy things to my house. Xu Rong, do you think my Fu family is a rag collector? Or do you think I, Yun Tangyin, can't live without you? You're cheap, aren't you?"

"You should have repaid us!" Xu Rong suddenly raised her voice. "If it weren't for me back then, you would have been sold to who knows where! Now that you're rich, you've turned your back on us. Have you lost your conscience?"

Yun Tangyin felt like she had just heard a huge joke. "If I remember correctly, I have always been the eldest daughter of the Yun family."

She took a step forward, her voice clear enough to pierce the night: "You melted down the gold bracelet my mother left me to make a lock for Xu Runli. How much did Xu Runli steal from me? Do you want me to settle these accounts with you now?"

Xu Runli's face turned pale instantly, and she pulled Xu Rong's arm: "Mom, let's go..."

"Why are you leaving?" Xu Rong shook her hand off. "Today I'm going to make her repay me for raising me! Yun Tangyin, either give me twenty yuan, or ask Fu Yucheng to use his connections to find a good husband for Runli. Otherwise, I'll die here and you'll never be able to hold your head up again in this life!"

"The grace of raising me?" Fu Yucheng took out a shoulder pole from the woodshed and slammed it to the ground, shocking Xu Rong so much that she shrank back. "Ten gold bars couldn't compensate for the suffering my wife endured in your house. How dare you mention the word 'raising me'?"

"You still have the nerve to ask for a husband?" Jiang Jianhua sneered, "Everyone knows about your Runli's situation. Which good family would dare to marry her?"

Xu Runli burst into tears and huddled behind Xu Rong as usual: "I didn't! You're talking nonsense!"

"Am I talking nonsense?" Jiang Jianhua pointed to the west corner. "There's a rock there. How about you imitate Dou E and hit your head against it and see if it snows?"

Xu Rong's arrogance immediately waned, but she still insisted: "If Yun Tangyin hadn't taken advantage of the Fu family's good marriage, would Runli be so anxious to find a man?"

"Bullshit!" Fu Yuanshan stood at the doorway without anyone noticing, still clutching a freshly sharpened sickle. The moonlight shone coldly on the blade. "Who should I marry? Who are you to tell me what to do? If you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll cut off your tongue and feed it to the dogs!"

Xu Rong was so frightened by his ferocious look that her legs went weak and she almost fell to the ground.

The noise attracted the neighbors. Aunt Zhang pried through the crack in the door and shouted, "Xu Rong, please stop it! The neighbors are watching us. How dare you come here and ask for money?"

"I think she's just jealous that Yinyin got married well!"

The chatter pierced Xu Rong's ears like needles. She suddenly lunged at Yun Tangyin, trying to scratch her face. "I'll make you proud! I'll teach you a lesson!"

Fu Yucheng was prepared and blocked Xu Rong's attack with his side. She missed and fell heavily to the ground with her mouth full of mud.

Fu Yucheng took a step forward and stepped on her hand as she was about to raise it: "Try to touch my wife again."

Xu Rong screamed in pain, and Xu Runli wanted to pull it out, but Fu Yuanshan forced her back with a look.

Yun Tangyin squatted down, looking at Xu Rong rolling on the ground, her voice as cold as ice: "Xu Rong, I didn't want to do anything extreme. But if you insist on running into the gun, don't blame me for being ruthless."