Fu Yucheng paused in washing his hands, shaking off the water droplets: "There really is something. Zhou Desheng's wife gave birth to a big, healthy boy. Every household in the team is going to give a gift."
Yun Tangyin's eyes lit up: "Really? Congratulations! We'll pick out two feet of floral fabric tomorrow and send it over to make a little jacket for the child."
“That’s what I think too.” Fu Yucheng wiped his hands and sat down next to her. “Today in the fields, I heard Aunt Wang say that Xu Rong went to Jiang Zhicheng’s house and made a scene all afternoon, trying to stop him from getting a divorce, but Jiang Zhicheng chased her out with a broom.”
Jiang Jianhua came out carrying the shoe soles he had just finished sewing. Hearing this, he couldn't help but laugh: "Xu Rong is shameless. When she was forcing people to give her dowry, why didn't she think about today?"
Fu Yuanshan squatted in the yard chopping wood, the sound of the axe falling paused: "Jiang Zhicheng said he'll go and complete the formalities this Sunday."
"It's good that it's done, so we won't have to make a fuss every day." Yun Tangyin smoothed out the pillowcase. "By the way, the quilt cover is almost finished. I'll ask my sister-in-law to help with the hem tomorrow."
During dinner, Song Yushuang looked at the stir-fried vegetables on the table and suddenly said, "Your eldest uncle sent a message the other day saying that the old hen at home has started laying eggs and asked you to go and get some when you have time."
"I'll go." Fu Yucheng put a piece of sweet potato into Yun Tangyin's bowl. "I'll also bring two catties of brown sugar for my uncle tomorrow."
Yun Tangyin nodded: "Take a jar of our pickled kimchi with you too."
At night, the two sat under the lamp and continued embroidering pillowcases. Fu Yucheng's stitches were still crooked, but they had improved a lot compared to the afternoon.
Yun Tangyin looked at the sweat on his forehead and handed him a handkerchief: "Take a rest, you look exhausted."
"I'm not tired." Fu Yucheng said without looking up. "I need to learn quickly, otherwise you'll always laugh at me."
Yun Tangyin was amused by him and picked up the piece of cloth he was embroidering: "Actually, it's already pretty good. Look at these bamboo leaves, they're much straighter than the ones you embroidered this morning."
Fu Yucheng's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'll embroider two more stitches."
Just then, there was a knock at the gate. Jiang Jianhua went to open the door and came back with a cloth bag in his hand: "Yinyin, Xu Runli brought this for you."
Yun Tangyin held the cloth bag by the drawstring without moving, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes.
Fu Yucheng took it first, weighed it in his hand, and put it on the table. The cloth bag made a dull thud, as if it contained something hard.
"She still has the nerve to come here?" Fu Yucheng sneered, reaching out to tear it apart.
"I'll do it." Yun Tangyin pressed his hand down, her fingertips untying the cloth rope.
Inside, a broken earthenware jar was exposed, its mouth stuffed with rags. When the lid was lifted, a foul smell wafted out, revealing that it was half a jar of moldy dried sweet potatoes.
"What does this mean?" Jiang Jianhua covered his nose. "Sending moldy stuff here, is it to deliberately disgust people?"
“Intentionally disgusting people is secondary,” Yun Tangyin picked up the earthenware pot and slammed it on the steps. The rim of the pot immediately cracked open wider, and moldy dried sweet potatoes rolled out, covered with a layer of green mold. “They’re trying to curse me so I won’t be able to eat.”
Xu Rong's spitting voice came from outside the courtyard gate: "Yun Tangyin, don't be so shameless! My Runli kindly brought you food, and you not only don't appreciate it, but you also dare to throw things?"
Xu Runli was pushed forward, and she timidly raised her eyes, looking aggrieved, but her eyes were full of defiance: "My mom didn't mean that, it's just... it's just that we really don't have anything good left at home..."
"Nothing good?" Yun Tangyin bent down, picked up a piece of dried sweet potato, and held it up to the moonlight. "What? You eat candy, but I have to eat moldy sweet potatoes?"
Xu Rong jumped up and down, yelling, "What nonsense are you spouting! What's it to you?!"
“It doesn’t matter,” Yun Tangyin threw the dried sweet potato on the ground, “but it does matter if you bring moldy stuff to my house. Xu Rong, do you think my Fu family is a junkyard? Or do you think I, Yun Tangyin, can’t live without you? Are you being pathetic?”
"You should have repaid us!" Xu Rong suddenly raised her voice. "If it weren't for me back then, you would have been sold off to who knows where! Now that you're successful, you turn your back on us. Have you lost all your conscience?"
Yun Tangyin seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, "If I remember correctly, I have always been the eldest daughter of the Yun family."
She took a step closer, her voice clear enough to pierce the night: "The gold bracelet my mother left me, you melted it down to make a lock for Xu Runli. How much did Xu Runli steal from me? Do you want me to settle these scores with you now?"
Xu Runli's face turned pale instantly, and she grabbed Xu Rong's arm: "Mom, let's go..."
"Where are you going!" Xu Rong shook off her hand. "Today I'm going to make her repay the debt of raising me! Yun Tangyin, you either give me twenty yuan, or you have Fu Yucheng pull strings to find Runli a good new husband, or I'll die here and make sure you never hold your head up again!"
"The debt of raising me?" Fu Yucheng picked up a carrying pole from the woodshed and slammed it on the ground, making Xu Rong shrink back. "The suffering my wife endured in your house is more than ten gold bars could repay. You dare to mention the word 'raising'?"
"You still have the nerve to ask for a husband's family?" Jiang Jianhua sneered. "Who doesn't know about Runli's situation? What decent family would dare to take her in?"
Xu Runli burst into tears, shrinking behind Xu Rong as always: "I didn't! You're lying!"
"Am I talking nonsense?" Jiang Jianhua pointed to the west corner of the wall. "There's a rock over there. Why don't you do what Dou E did and smash your head against it to death and see if it snows?"
Xu Rong's arrogance immediately diminished, but she still stubbornly insisted: "If Yun Tangyin hadn't taken a good marriage with the Fu family, would Runli be in such a hurry to find a man?"
"Bullshit!" Fu Yuanshan appeared at the doorway unnoticed, clutching a freshly sharpened sickle, its blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight. "Who I marry is none of your business! If you dare spout any more nonsense, I'll cut your tongue out and feed it to the dogs!"
Xu Rong was so frightened by his fierce appearance that her legs went weak and she almost sat down on the ground.
The noise attracted the neighbors, and Aunt Zhang peeked through the door and shouted, "Xu Rong, stop acting like this! The neighbors are all watching, and you still have the nerve to come to our door asking for money?"
"I think she's just jealous that Yinyin married well!"
The whispers pierced Xu Rong's ears like needles. Suddenly, she lunged at Yun Tangyin, trying to scratch her face: "I'll show you how smug you are! I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"
Fu Yucheng was prepared and blocked Xu Rong's attack. Xu Rong missed and fell hard to the ground, her mouth full of mud.
Fu Yucheng stepped forward and placed his foot on her hand, which she was about to support herself with: "Try touching my wife again."
Xu Rong screamed in pain. Xu Runli tried to pull her away, but Fu Yuanshan shooed her away 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 push things to the extreme. But if you insist on walking into the line of fire, then don't blame me for being ruthless."
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