With such a commotion in the courtyard, and people deliberately asking if anyone was home, Zhao Guihua put down her work and her face darkened. What was the Zhou family up to now?
Their family has been quite cautious and low-key lately. They caught pheasants and bamboo rats in the mountains without letting outsiders know. Why is the Zhou family coming to their door now?
Zhao Guihua's gaze swept over the cloth and cotton in the basket, and she suddenly realized that the Zhou family had come for this pound of cotton. How did these parasites in the Zhou family find out about the cotton she had just exchanged?
Forget it, no matter how they found out, they're not taking a single hair from me today.
Zhao Guihua took the cotton and cloth into the house, then thought for a moment and locked them in the cabinet.
“The third and fourth brothers must have brought their parents to ask for something. Otherwise, they should just pretend they’re not here and not open the door.” The eldest son of the Zhou family can get up and walk now, but he can’t walk for too long, otherwise his legs will hurt badly, so he still rests in bed most of the time.
“The child was making a fuss for ages, yelling and laughing. Everyone outside heard it. If we pretended no one was home and refused to open the door, how angry would his parents be?” Zhao Guihua secretly observed her husband’s expression, trying to make sure he was serious.
After a moment of silence, Zhou Laoda said decisively, "When will our parents not be angry with us? If they come in, it's not right to give them anything or not. If a fight breaks out, you'll definitely suffer. Our daughter is counting on this cotton to get through the winter. How can we let them take it away? Listen to me, don't open the door."
He had seen through it all, and felt a chill in his heart. A month ago, he was so badly injured that if it weren't for his daughter going up the mountain to collect herbs to treat him, he might have already gone to report to the King of Hell.
As a result, none of his parents or brothers came to care or even glance at him. Even when his second brother asked his wife to bring over four bird eggs, they had to do it secretly. These so-called relatives were worse than strangers.
He's not fully recovered from his injuries yet, and he's already thinking of taking advantage of me? Dream on! He doesn't want to give me anything, not even if his parents come in person.
With the man speaking, Zhao Guihua felt more confident. She calmly took out the cloth and cotton that she had just locked in the closet, and then took them under the eaves to start making cotton clothes.
"Don't make a sound, let the people outside shout. If the door opens, our things will be taken away. We can't let them in," Zhao Guihua said in a low voice, looking at her children.
Xingxing tiptoed up to her and whispered, "Mom, let's not say anything. Let them think no one's home and no one's opening the door, and they'll leave." "They" referred to the Zhou family.
“Xingxing is so smart, that’s exactly it. The Zhou family must be here to steal your little darling. Those people are wicked.” Zhao Guihua grabbed a small wooden stool for her daughter to sit on.
"Do they want Xingxing to freeze and get sick so they'll be happy?" Xingxing glared at them, then continued to huff and puff, "You big bad guys, they're just as bad as my in-laws, Xingxing hates them."
Zhao Guihua: "..." Daughter, you've been tricked by your five brothers. Not all in-laws are this bad.
However, Zhou Sanfu interrupted at this moment, saying, "Xingxing, the Zhou family is your mother's in-laws. Now you know how terrible your in-laws can be, right?"
Xingxing gasped, "My in-laws are all rotten; there's not a single good person among them."
Zhao Guihua: "..." She was speechless.
"Eldest brother, eldest brother's wife, come open the door quickly! I heard noises inside. Don't play dead! You ignored your parents when they came. You're quite the filial sons!"
"Come and see, everyone! This is my precious son whom I raised with so much care, and my eldest daughter-in-law—she's a troublemaker! Seeing that my eldest son is bedridden and can't get up, she won't open the door for us old folks. If God has eyes, he should strike her down with lightning!"
"They know their boss is bedridden and can't get up, yet they still have the nerve to come and ask for things. If anyone's going to be struck by lightning, it'll be them first." Zhao Guihua was furious, but she didn't want to open the door, so she kept her voice down even when she retorted.
“Mother is right. Lightning only strikes bad people. The Zhou family always tries to steal our things, and they’ll get struck by lightning one day.” Xingxing also looked indignant, secretly helping the fight in a low voice.
"Brother, sister-in-law, open the door quickly! Dad is about to collapse! Are you just going to stand by and watch him faint at your doorstep?" Zhou Laosan kept shouting.
Zhao Guihua spat on the ground, "She was roaring like a tiger just now, and she fainted in the blink of an eye. If she really did faint, she brought it on herself and deserved it."
“He’s definitely faking it, Mother, don’t believe him,” Zhou Dafu warned.
"Mother knows, but no matter what happens outside today, we absolutely will not open the door," Zhao Guihua announced.
"Your in-laws are definitely lying to you. Even the stars know they're lying. Zhou Laosan is the worst villain. Mother, please don't fall for it." The little girl still holds a grudge. Back then, Zhou Laosan and his wife didn't care whether she lived or died. They kicked her out of the house in the middle of the night. It was so dark that it almost scared her to tears.
“Xingxing is right. Zhou Laosan is the worst, Zhou Laosi is the second worst, and Zhang Cui and Zhong Mailian are no good either.” Zhou Sanfu muttered curses in a low voice.
The Zhou family's skin was thicker than a city wall; they stood outside making a racket for almost half an hour without leaving, driving Zhao Guihua and the others crazy.
Xingxing fell asleep right away in Zhou Dafu's arms. Zhou Erfu and the other four brothers cleaned their ears and went to the backyard to water the sweet potatoes. They were too lazy to listen to the Zhou family cursing. No matter how much they cursed, they didn't want to go inside today.
"Father, Mother, my elder brother went too far today. He wouldn't even let us in the door. Let's find the village chief and the elders of the clan to judge this matter and see if my brother and his wife can face the world again!" Zhou Laosan angrily kicked the courtyard gate and turned to call the village chief over.
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