With motorized tricycles, it only takes less than half an hour to get from Gouzi Village to Dashi Village.
"This speed is truly extraordinary."
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the village entrance. As Fang Jie got off the tricycle, he thought it was incredibly useful.
During the half-day he spent with Fang Yan, Fang Jie realized for the first time that having money really makes things much more convenient.
"You finally decided to come back. I thought you two had died out there."
Before the person even stepped into the Fang family's gate, a bald broom flew out from inside.
Along with the broom came the old woman's loud and furious curses.
Fang Jie often faced this situation. He reacted very quickly, pulling Fang Yan along and nimbly dodging the oncoming broom.
Fang Yan bent down to pick up the broom and threw it back at him.
Over the years, Old Mrs. Fang has become accustomed to acting as a tyrant and bullying the Fang family.
Zhu Xiuhua and Fang Jie were both the type to never talk back or fight back when insulted or hit. So when they suddenly encountered someone who resisted, Old Mrs. Fang didn't know how to react.
This time, however, Uncle Fang, who was sitting next to her, acted like a cowardly fool, not even bothering to get up and help his mother block the broom.
Fearing he would be hit by the broom, Uncle Fang even moved back a little, trying his best to avoid being touched by the broom.
There's a saying in this area—if you get hit by a broom, you'll have three years of bad luck.
"Help! Everyone come quick! This married-out good-for-nothing is going back to her parents' home to kill someone!"
Grandma Fang roared fiercely, trying to run to the side as she did so.
As a result, she moved too quickly and tripped over the small stool, forcing her to lie on the ground and scramble out in a disheveled state.
Fang Yan carefully controlled the force of the broom she threw back, ensuring it wouldn't hit the old lady even if she remained seated.
The broom fell about a step away from where Grandma Fang had originally stood.
Fang Yan walked over, kicked the broom in front of Uncle Fang, and asked Grandma Fang, "Oh, so you mean you don't want me to come? Then I'll leave now."
She turned around, making it clear that she was determined to leave.
"stop!"
Fearing that Fang Yan might really leave again, Old Mrs. Fang quickly stopped her again, "You stop right there!"
Fang Yan continued walking out without stopping.
Grandma Fang got anxious, "If you walk any further out, your mother won't get another sip of water today."
When faced with Fang Jie and Fang Yan, they used Zhu Xiuhua to threaten them;
When facing Zhu Xiuhua, they used Fang Jie and Fang Yan to threaten her.
Grandma Fang has used this method for many years with great skill and has never failed.
Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, she saw Fang Yan stop.
Grandma Fang raised her plump old face triumphantly, intending to go see Fang Yan again while she was being tyrannical towards her. She turned on her tiptoes and went to the kitchen.
Sure enough, Zhu Xiuhua was kneeling there, facing the Kitchen God.
"Mom, get up!" Fang Yan went over and tried to help her up.
Zhu Xiuhua desperately pulled her hand back, crying, "Yanyan, you can't get up, you can't get up."
"Why?" Fang Yan asked, puzzled.
Zhu Xiuhua was timid and hesitant, saying, "I swear, if I don't kneel for three hours, you and your brother will suffer a terrible death."
Oh, these words gave Fang Yan a hint, prompting her to dig out another method that Old Madam Fang liked to use to control Zhu Xiuhua from the original owner's memories—always forcing her to make a poisonous oath before the gods.
For example, if you fail to do this or that, your child will die a tragic death.
Zhu Xiuhua was illiterate and superstitious. Even though she knew that Old Mrs. Fang was abusing her and was afraid that something would happen to the children, she still willingly accepted the abuse.
Fang Yan knelt down beside her and bowed three times to the Kitchen God. Then she put her hands together in front of her chest and murmured, "Kitchen God, you have been in my family for so many years. You have eyes that see who is kind and who is wicked. My mother looks like she is about to faint. She can't kneel down anymore. I will kowtow to you again. If she has committed any sins, you can go and find the person who deceived and abused my mother."
After saying that, she kowtowed three more times to the Kitchen God with nimble movements, then put her hands together, looked up, and gazed at the incense burner on the chimney with utmost piety. "If you don't say anything, I'll take that as your agreement."
After saying that, she stood up from the ground and helped Zhu Xiuhua up as well. "Mom, the Kitchen God has agreed. Get up."
Zhu Xiuhua was completely dumbfounded. Could this really be happening?
"I've already discussed it with the Kitchen God. If you don't get up, he'll think I'm ignoring him. What if he punishes me?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiuhua immediately shuddered and, with Fang Yan's help, stood up, repeatedly bowing to the Kitchen God, "Please, Kitchen God, have mercy. The child is ignorant and will not blame the child."
After muttering a few more words, just as she was about to take a step, she felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground.
Fang Yan quickly helped her up and made her sit on a small stool next to her. After searching the kitchen, she finally found a small half-jar of brown sugar. Using spring water that she had prepared at home in advance, she mixed it with half of the Fang family's boiled water and made her a bowl of brown sugar water. "Mom, drink some brown sugar water first."
Zhu Xiuhua's lips were dry, her face was thin and emaciated, her eyes were sunken, and she looked like a dried-up corpse.
"Mom, how long has it been since you drank water or ate anything?"
Fang Yan adjusted the temperature of the brown sugar water to be just right. Zhu Xiuhua held the bowl and gulped it down, finishing it off in a few mouthfuls. "I don't know, but someone from your village came looking for your grandma last night, and then she wouldn't let your brother and me eat anything."
So, Fang Jie, who had been starving since last night, had walked all the way from Dashi Village to the county town to find her, despite his injured foot?
No wonder he looked so unsteady when she saw him.
He didn't say a single word.
"Yan Yan, why did it take you so long to get back?"
After drinking a bowl of brown sugar water mixed with spring water, Zhu Xiuhua felt a little better. She stared longingly at the bowl, wanting to drink another bowl, but dared not ask for one.
One bowl of brown sugar water was enough, but Fang Yan poured her another bowl of spring water. "My business in the county town doesn't close until noon. My brother's feet were so badly rotten. I took him to the hospital for treatment. The doctor said that if he waited any longer, all the wounds would fester and my brother's feet would have to be amputated."
To provoke Zhu Xiuhua and pave the way for the discussion about dividing the family property later, Fang Yan deliberately made her words sound more serious.
"Ah!" Zhu Xiuhua was so startled by her words that she almost dropped the water in her hand. "How could it be so serious?"
As he spoke...
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