She said to the frightened Xiao Yao'er beside her in a steady voice: "Yao'er, take these two and go to the river to wash them. Be careful."

Xiao Yaoer agreed obediently, picked up the sparrow on the ground and went.

Wang snorted coquettishly and was about to turn around.

Tang Shiyue watched Xiao Yaoer run out the door, then raised her hand expressionlessly, and two branches under the stove jumped onto Wang's head with fire.

Wang was caught off guard, she screamed, and jumped away suddenly, her hair still slowly burning with fire. Wang frantically tried to fight off the fire, completely losing her composure.

Until she finished beating him and sat on the ground panting, Tang Shiyue looked down at her and said coldly: "Mother, why are you so careless? It's okay to hurt your hair this time, but it will be bad if you hurt your face or body next time."

She emphasized every word, and her voice was cold and chilling. Wang shuddered with fear: "You...you dare!"

"What did I do?" Tang Shiyue smiled faintly, "I am a fool. I have been a fool for so many years. It is normal for me to be a fool for a while. As a fool, it is not surprising to kill people. It doesn't matter what I do... You can drive me away! If you drive me away, you can go back to the Tang family and kneel down and cry. See if the old lady of the Tang family will let you go back?"

Wang's eyes widened, and after a long while she shrieked, "You are not Yue'er! Where did you come from, a wandering ghost, and you took over my Yue'er's body!"

"If I'm not Yue'er, then who am I?" Tang Shiyue smiled and said, "You, as a mother, can't recognize me. I'm stupid, but I still remember you, mother! I remember you pinched me and twisted me, and I also remember you used the quilt..."

...

...

Wang suddenly held her head with both hands and screamed hysterically. While screaming, she climbed up like a fly, stumbled into the room, and closed the broken door.

Tang Shiyue sneered.

She finally understood that Wang was worthy of being someone's personal maid. In front of Grandma Sun, she behaved like a maid, taking beatings and scolding without fighting back. In front of her children, she behaved like a master, taking the initiative in everything and feeling justified. Any little bit of money that slipped through her fingers was considered a reward.

Tang Shirong endured this without regrets because he was filial, but she couldn't bear it! Don't say that he occupied the original owner's body, the original owner was already dead! Besides, it wasn't her intention to come here! Anyway, no matter where she went, she would never suffer a loss!

…………

This area is full of mountains and rivers. There is a small river flowing through the village. It is only two feet wide and one foot deep. It disappears during droughts. It is very convenient for washing and rinsing. If you need water, you still have to go to the well to fetch it. There is no danger. But she waited for a long time before Xiao Yaoer came back alone, and the sparrows were gone.

Tang Shiyue asked her: "What's wrong?"

Xiao Yaoer cried, "Sparrow, Sparrow was snatched away by Brother Yin'er."

Tang Shiyue frowned, and she immediately comforted her: "It's okay, just take it away, we have enough to eat anyway."

She closed the gate, took Xiaoyao'er's hand and wiped her tears, then gave her the sparrow: "Don't cry, eat quickly."

Xiao Yaoer asked, "Where's my mother?"

Tang Shiyue said calmly, "She is not feeling well and has gone to lie down. There is more on the fire, so just eat it."

Xiao Yaoer then began to eat with big mouthfuls. The two sisters drank a bowl of bean porridge each and ate two or three sparrows. Their bellies were full and Xiao Yaoer's face was flushed. She said happily, "Sister, I'm so full! It's so delicious!"

"Well," Tang Shiyue said, "From now on, you will listen to me and I will make sure you have enough to eat every meal."

Xiao Yaoer nodded without hesitation: "Yaoer listens to sister!"

Tang Shiyue smiled and nodded, and then there was a creaking sound. Wang finally couldn't help but pushed open the door and came out, sitting aside angrily.

Xiao Yaoer turned around and said, "Mother!" She didn't dare to get close to her, she just said, "Mother, eat."

Wang sat upright and responded without looking at anyone. Tang Shiyue stood up, served her a bowl of bean porridge, and gave her the last two sparrows on the fire.

Wang took a look at the fire, held her breath, took another bite of the sparrow, held her breath again, and raised her eyes in an unbearable state: "This is so tasteless! How can I eat it?"

"Mother, you can't blame me for this." Tang Shiyue pointed to the ground with a smile: "Mother spilled the salt, there's nothing we can do about it."

Wang said angrily, "You guys eat so tasteless?"

Tang Shiyue said slowly, "I don't know about that. We eat them right after we roast them, leaving some fresh for Mother."

In fact, of course, she deliberately gave her the tasteless ones, which were burnt, and the bean porridge she served was the thinnest... She originally wanted to keep the two that fell on the ground for her, but they were snatched away by Tang Shiyin.

Yes, she is so vindictive!

Seeing Wang's angry face, Tang Shiyue said, "This is my first time making this, so my cooking skills are not good. If you don't like it, don't force it. I'll save it for tomorrow morning."

Wang gritted her teeth, said nothing more, and finished her meal in silence.

The next day, they had stewed sparrows, with thick porridge made of beans and wild vegetables. On the third day, Tang Shiyue felt a little better, so she walked around and caught a nest of fat field mice. Field mice are edible these days, and they are really good meat, but she didn't dare to kill them. She took them out and asked Uncle Tang Si, who was from the same clan as the neighboring wine shop, to help kill them. Both families had a good meal.

The villagers never imagined that this family of orphans and widows, with Mrs. Wang unable to make it on their own and seemingly failing, could actually rise again with the help of a stupid daughter.

Uncle Tang's wife, Madam Zhou, was a very considerate person and she specially sent over a plate of steamed buns.

Tang Shiyue accepted it with a smile.

Seeing Wang sitting by the window and crying again, Madam Zhou kindly comforted her: "You have to look forward to the future. Your mother-in-law is unlikely to change her mind. Fortunately, the children are all good. Your Rong'er is studious and your girl Yue is also capable. You will soon have a good year after all the hardships. You can be the master of the family. Isn't it better than being controlled by your mother-in-law at home?"

"What's the use!" Wang didn't even look at her, she just said coldly: "If they were really capable, we wouldn't be kicked out of the house!"

Madam Zhou was choked and couldn't speak for a long time.

Tang Shiyue felt that Wang was challenging her nerves every day.

Was she also so dumb and unable to read expressions when she was a maid? Or was she simply spoiled by her stepfather? You are just a farmer's wife, a widow... do you want to do this?

She sent Madam Zhou out and said softly, "Aunt Zhou, I understand your good intentions. Thank you for your patience in persuading me. But my mother is a fool. Please don't bother with her."

Madam Zhou sighed and rubbed her back: "It's hard for you." She asked her: "What are your plans for the future?"

What's the plan? Debt collection, of course.

After sending Madam Zhou away, she packed up and prepared to go to the Tang family mansion.