The man standing behind the two women looked somewhat displeased as he saw the mother and daughter blocking the doorway for a long time without moving.
"Queue? What queue? This is my son-in-law's shop. I can stand wherever I want. It's none of your business!" Wang Chenshi said angrily, hands on her hips and glaring at the man.
But the man was no pushover either.
He raised his voice three or four times, shouting into the shop, "Shopkeeper, shopkeeper! Do you even want to keep this shop open? Do you think I have to get yelled at like this by your mother-in-law just for buying some pastries? Come out here right now! If this isn't resolved, I'll never set foot in your shop again!"
He was a regular customer at Yan's Pastry Shop.
Naturally, he was full of confidence.
The shouting and cursing caused everyone in the shop who was buying pastries to stop what they were doing and look towards the door, including Deng Qiuzhi, who was having lunch in the backyard.
"Oh dear, what's wrong, Master Zhang? Are you buying the usual three dishes again today?" Deng Qiuzhi came over as soon as he put down his chopsticks.
“What are you buying? Your mother-in-law is pointing her finger at me and yelling at me. What, I’m patronizing your business, and I have to put up with your rudeness?” Zhang Kui’s ancestors were pig butchers. They owned hundreds of acres of land and didn’t have to do anything. They could make a living just by collecting rent.
His only hobby is eating.
Therefore, he was very tall and strong.
A roar startled Deng Qiuzhi, making his hair stand on end. He turned his head and saw Wang Chenshi and her daughter standing by the door.
"Excuse me, sir, this isn't my mother-in-law. She's here to cause trouble. Here's what we'll do: I'll waive the money for your usual three items today as an apology. I'll handle this, don't worry. Xinbao, pack up the pastries for Mr. Zhang—"
"Yes, Master—"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Kui's angry brows relaxed.
"I knew it! Manager Deng, you're such a kind person, how could you be so blind as to marry into such a family? I suggest you report it to the authorities. The more soft-hearted you are, the more they'll bully you, you know?"
"Yes, yes, you're right. Here, take the pastries. Take care. I'm so sorry about today." Xinbao packed the pastries quickly. Deng Qiuzhi took the pastries, handed them to Zhang Kui, and apologized again.
"Alright, alright, let's leave it at that. I'm going back now."
Zhang Kui's anger completely dissipated, and he leisurely carried the pastries away.
This bag of pastries is worth one and a half taels of silver; Manager Deng is truly generous.
No wonder business is so good.
What are you doing here?
After watching Zhang Kui leave.
Deng Qiuzhi's smile vanished as he looked at the mother and daughter, his eyes filled with impatience.
"Son-in-law, your shop is doing really well. I was wrong before; I was so worried about Guangyao that I lost my mind. Please don't take offense. Fang'er knows she was wrong. You two are both getting on in years, so stop arguing. Your children are all grown up. Zhong'er should be back soon. Before he knows about this, you two should make up quickly and stop fighting. Forget about divorce; just pretend it never happened. Fang'er misses you and cries every day. Sigh, this old woman of mine is still getting confused in her old age. If you want to blame someone, blame me, not Fang'er..."
Wang Chenshi was a skilled actress, but Deng Qiuzhi wasn't buying it at all.
"Stop! Please leave immediately, or I'll report you to the authorities. If you spread rumors about my customers again, you and your daughter will be in jail. I'm only giving you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. If you're still blocking my shop's entrance, I'll immediately have Xinbao call the police. Don't come crying to me then."
After saying that, he tossed his long robe aside and walked into the backyard, ignoring the two of them.
"Mother, see? I told you, he won't forgive me. Let's go."
Wang Shufang's expression remained indifferent.
Unlike Wang Chenshi, whose eyes turned red with anger.
"Why are you leaving? I can't swallow this insult. Did you see that bag of cakes? It only costs half a tael of silver. In just a short time, they've sold seven or eight bags. They must earn several hundred taels a month. Even if we share half, we won't have to worry about food and drink. My daughter, I know you heard what I said to your sister-in-law this morning. Don't worry, I was just trying to appease her. She keeps whispering in my ear that you're freeloading at my house. So I made up an excuse to say I'd found you a good match. But it's all a lie. How could I bear to marry you off to such a family? My good Fang'er deserves to enjoy life. Listen to me, I have a plan."
When Wang Shufang left in the morning, she bumped into the gate, and the noise startled Wang Chenshi. She looked out and saw her daughter's back. Combined with the fact that her daughter was being difficult and refusing to cook, she immediately guessed that her daughter had overheard their conversation.
"Mom, I was so scared! I thought you were really going to marry me off to an old man who's about to die."
"Silly girl, you're my own flesh and blood. How could I ever harm you? Do you know why I make you do so much work? I'm afraid that some people will become ignorant and disown you. If you die alone, I'll be heartbroken. Take good care of your brother's family. When they have a son, that will be your support, understand? We're family. Look at this beast! You bore him children and toiled your whole life. In other families, you'd be treated like royalty. But how did he treat you? He made a little money and then turned his back on us. He even wanted to report us to the authorities! That damned beast! Ugh, spit on him!"
Wang Chenshi spat a mouthful of phlegm at the shop, then pulled her daughter along as they walked, talking.
“Let’s go home first. I won’t let him get away with this. Why should he live a life of luxury and comfort after the divorce? He should support our family for the rest of his life! I have a plan in mind. Are you willing to listen to me?”
Wang Shufang was already slow-witted, and her mother easily coaxed her.
That clear mind began to cloud again.
“Listen, Mother, I’ll listen to whatever you say.”
“That’s my good daughter. Come on, let’s go back and make two bowls of lard noodles. Isn’t that your favorite? While your sister-in-law isn’t home, let’s have a good meal together. I was just scolding you because I was worried about you, afraid you’d run off and run into bad people. Look at me, I haven’t eaten either. Come on, let’s go back.”
With just a few words, Wang Chenshi shifted the blame onto her daughter-in-law.
The mother and daughter reconciled.
On the way back, they held hands and were incredibly affectionate.
As night fell, the moon climbed above the treetops, casting its bright light upon the earth, as if illuminating the world.
Jin was driving his carriage home, the two lanterns reflecting the moonlight, making everything clearly visible within fifty meters.
"Are you sleepy? Go inside and rest for a while, I'll drive the carriage." Yan Xia got out of the carriage, and because she had drunk strong tea, she wasn't sleepy at all, even though it was night.
"It's okay, I'm not sleepy. Xia, you can go inside and get some sleep. I'll tell you when we get home."
The carriage had entered a winding mountain road, and the surroundings were no longer flat. There was no telling if thieves were lurking in the woods. If they saw that it was a woman driving the carriage, they might rob her.
At that point, robbing them of their money is a small matter; robbing them of their virtue is...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
