"I was so angry that I didn't care about my pregnancy and lunged at Niu Dajiao. I missed, and ended up staying in bed for half a month to rest and recover." Liang Maimiao said, slapping her leg hard as she spoke, blaming herself for not being good at fighting.
Liang Maimiao laughed again, "When my mother-in-law found out, she went to Niu Dajiao's house and gave him a good beating. Da Mai also caught Ma Xiaokou and gave him a beating."
Liang Maimiao was grateful for her in-laws' protection. But she was very angry about being slandered, especially about matters between men and women.
I was so happy to see Niu Dajiao beaten black and blue, with a bald patch on his scalp.
Seeing that Liang Maimiao's mouth was dry, Ye Yunniang said, "Sister-in-law Maimiao, have some water."
"Okay, drink some water." Liang Maimiao took a big gulp.
“Niu Dajiao has spread rumors about me more than once. I’m okay, my in-laws didn’t blame me, and they even felt sorry for me being wronged.”
The young wife of the Gao family in Chaoxia Lane was in a bad situation. She was slandered by Niu Dajiao. Her husband, however, believed him completely, saying, "Flies don't land on eggs without cracks. Why are you being singled out and not others? It must be something you did wrong."
Three meals a day.
The young wife endured constant gossip and beatings from her husband. Unable to bear it any longer, she hanged herself.
"Dead!" Ye Yunniang couldn't believe it; a life was gone just like that.
"Yes, she's dead. Even that Niu Dajiao said that Gao's young wife must have cheated on her husband. Otherwise, why would she die? She must have been guilty and afraid of being divorced and drowned."
Actually, it was Gao who had another woman and deliberately pushed him to the brink.
Liang Maimiao's words reminded Ye Yunniang of what Cai Damei had said before: the woman who had remarried into the No. 8 courtyard in the front yard after her husband died.
"Is it the widow from number 8?"
"Yunniang, you're so clever," Liang Maimiao praised, having thought of it as soon as she mentioned it.
"I just thought it was something random. Is it true?"
“It’s true. They were introduced by Wang Qiang.” Liang Maimiao said, glancing at the children playing.
“Yunniang, you have to be careful of that Wang Qiang. He's always so effeminate and doesn't act like a real man. He talks really badly to us women. And to men…” Liang Maimiao said, shaking her head in disgust.
"Who is Wang Qiang?" Ye Yunniang recalled the family in Wanxia Lane that Cai Damei had introduced, but she had never heard of anyone named Wang Qiang.
"From courtyard number 7."
The door creaked open.
Cai Damei walked in carrying a jar in her arms and two jars in a basket on her back.
Ye Yunniang got up and stepped forward to unload the basket from Cai Damei's back.
Cai Damei is back. Liang Maimiao sees it's getting late and takes Dalei and Erlei home.
"What are you talking about?" Cai Damei noticed that Liang Maimiao looked guilty for a moment.
Ye Yunniang did not hide anything and told Liang Maimiao what she had said.
"Well done. Niu Dajiao deserved to be beaten. Yunniang, you are gentle and kind to people. But let me teach you something: when you encounter rumors like this, don't be afraid or hide. Just rush up and fight."
When you're hitting someone, be careful not to use your hands, as it will hurt your hands and make you vulnerable.
They picked up bricks, stones, sticks, and other debris from the ground and hit her in the face. They beat her hard enough to subdue her, and she didn't dare say anything more." Ye Yunniang sensed something was wrong with Cai Damei's tone.
“Mother, Niu Dajiao also said something about you.”
"Um."
When Cai Damei first moved in, Niu Dajiao came over a few times, chatting enthusiastically.
Following the principle of being kind to others, Cai Damei chatted with her.
After several encounters, I realized that Niu Dajiao was not a good person, so I reduced my contact with her.
Niu Dajiao turned around and spread rumors outside about Cai Damei. She said Cai Damei was a jinx to her husband and children, and that she couldn't make it outside anymore. So she came to steal her brother-in-law, and so on...
Cai Damei was usually busy taking care of Pan'er and didn't know any of this. It was Aunt Xu next door who overheard and reminded Cai Damei.
Enraged, Cai Damei picked up a brick from the ground and slammed it into Niu Dajiao's mouth.
One brick knocked out two of Cai Damei's teeth.
From then on, Niu Dajiao dared not speak ill of Cai Damei behind her back. Seeing her was like a mouse seeing a cat.
"Niu Dajiao is a bully who picks on the weak and fears the strong. There's no use reasoning with this kind of person. You have to beat her into submission."
"Yes, Mother, I understand."
Looking at the obedient and well-behaved Ye Yunniang, Cai Damei sighed inwardly.
There are no men in the Li family. Yunniang is gentle by nature. She has to be strong and assertive. Otherwise, everyone will want to take a bite out of them.
“We need to be wary of men too, not just women,” Cai Damei said to Ye Yunniang, “When fighting with a man, it’s best not to go head-to-head. We women are no match for his strength. We should show weakness first and then strike his weakest point when he’s not paying attention.”
"The weakest point, the eyes?" Ye Yunniang thought, not being very tall, she probably couldn't hit the eyes. She'd have to prepare some chili powder or something.
“Not the eyes, it’s there.” Cai Damei swept her leg.
Ye Yunniang understood what it meant, and her face turned bright red.
"Don't be shy, it's crucial for your life in a critical moment," Cai Damei reminded Ye Yunniang.
Ye Yunniang suppressed her shyness and listened attentively to her mother's teachings.
***
Two days after Zhang Pozi took the vegetables back home, she brought people to courtyard number 4.
Granny Zhang acted as the middleman, making the introduction.
The visitor was Sun Yulan, the female owner of the noodle shop.
After some discussion, a contract was signed. Zhu's Noodle Shop would need 30 catties of side dishes every month, at a price of 14 wen per catty.
Earning 420 coins a month, after deducting the cost of vegetables and ingredients, one can earn about 300 coins, enough to support a family.
Cai Damei was very satisfied and didn't need Ye Yunniang to persuade her anymore. She took the initiative to communicate with the Xu family and rented a small corner of the Xu family's noodle stall for 100 coins a month, where she would put her cart and sell her homemade pickled vegetables.
They sell for half a day in the morning. The earnings range from a few dozen to ten coins, which is much more than sewing insoles.
Cai Damei had to set up her stall every day, so many household chores fell to Ye Yunniang.
She had to look after the children, embroider handkerchiefs and screens, and also help Cai Damei pickle vegetables.
The family didn't have enough jars, so Ye Yunniang went to the general store and bought 30 jars.
I paid and arranged a delivery time with the grocery store.
Ye Yunniang went to the pharmacy to buy some ingredients for pickling vegetables. Carrying several medicine packets, she hurried home.
Halfway there, Ye Yunniang's path was blocked.
"Ye Yunniang." Wan Guiyong looked Ye Yunniang up and down; the young lady was quite pretty.
Ye Yunniang took two steps back. "You've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not Ye Yunniang."
"I'm here to stop you so I won't mistake you. Ye Yunniang stepped on my sister to get into the Jiang family as a wet nurse. She made a lot of money." Ye Yunniang knew who the man who stopped her was. Wan Guiying's scoundrel brother, Wan Guiyong.
"It's money I earned through my own abilities." Ye Yunniang looked around, searching for a way out.
Ye Yunniang regretted that she had planned to prepare chili powder, but was delayed because she was busy.
"Bullshit! You wouldn't be able to make money without my sister. Ye Yunniang, I'm not going to waste my breath on you. Deliver 200 taels of silver to the Zhang family tomorrow."
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