Xia Qiumei told Xia Dengshi that ever since Tian Cuiya started making clothes for her family, her sister had secretly given Tian Cuiya and her daughter three eggs every day. Now that Zhaodi was bringing her family pine needles every day, her sister was giving them an extra egg every two days!
“From the time you started making clothes, it’s been about a month. If you make three a day, you’ll make thirty in ten days, and in a month you’ll make…” Mrs. Niu started counting on her fingers in surprise.
"Ninety eggs a month! We have three hens that lay eggs, and I've counted them—a full ninety a month!" Xia Dengshi was furious. She picked up a mallet and slammed it into Tian Cuiya and her three daughters. "Ninety eggs can be exchanged for three catties of oil, enough for the whole family to eat for half a year! And you just waste them like that? I'll beat you to death, you spendthrift woman!"
"ah……"
"Waaaaah..."
Xia Dengshi was furious and showed no mercy. Tian Cuiya and her three daughters were beaten until they screamed in pain.
"Mother, it's not like that, it's not like that, please stop hitting them, please stop hitting them." Tian Cuiya knelt in front of Xia Dengshi and hugged her three children tightly in her arms.
"You barren hen! You've squandered ninety eggs, and you're still hoarding them all! Today I'm not only going to beat you to death, but I'm also going to make my son divorce you!"
After saying that, Xia Dengshi rained blows on Tian Cuiya with the mallet in her hand, so hard that she couldn't even stand up.
"stop!"
Upon hearing the news, Xia Chunmei rushed over without even washing her face, grabbed the mallet from Xia Dengshi's hand, and threw it on the ground.
"Chunmei, you've come at the right time. We were just about to look for you. Why did you secretly give them eggs to eat?" Madam Niu said, looking like she was accusing someone.
"It's my egg, I can give it to whomever I want, it's none of your business."
“They’re worthless and don’t deserve to eat eggs. The eggs are Tian Cuiya’s reward, so you should give them to my mother!” Niu Shi shouted. “She taught Dongmei her skills, so what other things did you promise her in private? Bring them to my mother right now!”
"Who told you that was her payment? I already paid her! I can give my eggs to whomever I want, do I need your permission? If you don't want her to teach my sister how to cook, give the cloth back to me!"
"Chunmei, stop playing tricks on me. Qiumei told me everything. You gave them half of the payment on the surface, but secretly fed them the other half!" Just thinking about how they ate ninety eggs made Xia Dengshi feel extremely distressed, and she also had a lot of complaints about Xia Chunmei.
Xia Chunmei stared directly at Xia Qiumei: "That's what you told them?"
At this moment, Xia Qiumei saw the fear in Xia Chunmei's eyes, and seeing how badly Tian Cuiya and the others had been beaten, she also felt guilty and stammered, "I...didn't you tell me that the eggs you gave them were the fruits of their labor?"
"Did you hear that? Did you all hear that? The fruits of their labor!!!" Xia Deng jumped up and down excitedly. "I knew it! How could that slut only be worth one or two taels of silver when she taught Dongmei her skills? So you were secretly supplementing their income all along! Ninety eggs! My God..."
Xia Dengshi became increasingly angry and rushed over to beat Tian Cuiya.
The neighbors quickly pulled them apart. Xia Chunmei was furious and went up to Xia Qiumei, slapping her hard across the face, leaving a handprint immediately.
Xia Chunmei angrily rebuked, "Since you know that's the fruit of their labor, why did you come to report them? You don't learn anything else but gossip and spread rumors, doing things that harm others and don't benefit yourself. You learn so quickly! Now you're happy to see them being beaten?"
Xia Qiumei burst into tears.
"I'll deal with you later!"
Seeing the pitiful state of Tian Cuiya and her daughters, Xia Chunmei blamed herself for being soft-hearted and helping them in this way; otherwise, they wouldn't have been beaten so badly.
"I gave them food because I felt sorry for them. It wasn't any reward at all!" Xia Chunmei insisted, "On the other hand, I was thinking that Sister Tian could be more dedicated to teaching my sister."
“Chunmei’s words make sense. Although Cuiya has agreed to teach Dongmei the craft, if she doesn’t teach her properly, Dongmei may not be able to learn it even after several years.”
"You ate the eggs, so what? Besides, Chunmei gave them willingly. Don't take it out on them. You'll have to spend money to treat them if you hurt them," the neighbor advised.
"This good-for-nothing spendthrift, just kill her! What's the point of treating her?!" Xia Dengshi said angrily, hands on her hips. "Our Gouwa is truly cursed for eight lifetimes to have married such a jinx!"
In Xia Dengshi's opinion, even if the eggs Xia Chunmei gave them weren't payment, they should have taken them home and not eaten them alone.
While Xia Qiumei's complaint was certainly hateful, Xia Dengshi's ruthless attack on her daughter-in-law and young granddaughter over eggs was equally despicable.
“Aunt Deng, if you think I shouldn’t have given them eggs, then you should compensate me for the cost of the cloth. I don’t want her to teach my sister anymore, so that if I give them something to eat one day, you won’t beat her up again.”
"This slut has started teaching Dongmei, how can I give you a refund?" Upon hearing that she wanted a refund, Xia Dengshi naturally refused.
"Since you won't refund the money, then I'm making this clear today: if I ever give them anything to eat in the future, don't jump to conclusions and beat them up. Otherwise, I won't let her teach me anymore, and I'll make you pay me back!"
Xia Dengshi was speechless.
Xia Chunmei wanted Tian Cuiya to teach Dongmei wholeheartedly, so she occasionally gave some eggs to the children. This was only natural, and no one could find fault with it.
Madam Niu added, "Those worthless girls don't deserve to eat eggs, Chunmei. Give those things to my son. If Tian Cuiya doesn't teach her properly, I'll have my mother-in-law deal with her!"
Upon hearing this, Xia Dengshi immediately chimed in, "That's right! They don't deserve to eat. You bring the food to my grandson! If this jinx isn't properly disciplined, you tell me, and I'll beat her to death!"
"Someone like your son, ha, it would be a waste to eat him."
"What do you mean?" Niu was furious, rolling up her sleeves as if she was about to fight.
"Your son's celestial court is collapsed and tilted, with a pit in the center and the sun and moon angles leaning. Do you know what this means?"
Aunt Pear Blossom asked curiously, "What does it represent?"
Xia Chunmei did not answer, but said, "Zhao Di is grateful and hardworking. Moreover, her nose is round and her house palace is broad, which means she can bring good fortune to her husband. Her future wealth will not be bad either. Although she is suffering now, she will have a happy and fulfilling life in the future, with no worries about food and clothing."
"How is that possible?"
Upon hearing Xia Chunmei's words, everyone turned to stare at Zhao Di. Zhao Di forgot to cry and timidly hid behind her mother.
Tian Cuiya knew Xia Chunmei's abilities, and was immediately overjoyed. Suddenly, she felt that her suffering was no longer so bitter.
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