Xiao Cui hasn't had an easy time in recent years either. He's been struggling to make ends meet, barely having enough to eat or wear. The daily grind of life has made him resemble Xianglin's wife.
Her face was withered, sallow, and covered in soot, with a hint of meanness. She couldn't understand why, even in Qi Zhifang's state, her mother still secretly gave her special treatment, making sure her porridge was thick and creamy, and practically separating the yolk from an egg for Qi Zhifang. What was the point of raising such a spendthrift daughter? Just to hear the neighbors call her a slut? Was the family's values corrupt?
That morning, she went to the main room ten minutes early and caught Qi Zhifang red-handed. Qi Zhifang was drinking the bowl of porridge that had been specially served and eating a small bowl of stir-fried cabbage hearts with pickled mustard greens.
When the mother and daughter saw Xiao Cui come in, Qi Zhifang smiled awkwardly and said, "Sister-in-law is here, come and eat!"
Qi's mother was also very embarrassed, and quickly ladled out a bowl of porridge, saying, "Little Cui! Hurry up and eat!"
Xiao Cui smiled slightly, "With your family's financial situation so good, can you only eat bok choy now?" As she spoke, she turned her head and called out, "Qi Zhijun, come out here for a moment!"
Qi Zhijun walked in with a smile, wiping his face with a towel. "Wife, what's wrong?"
Xiao Cui pointed at the dishes and porridge on Qi Zhifang's table and clicked her tongue a few times. "Qi Zhijun, I've been married into your family for so many years, and I never knew your family was so well-off that you could eat only bok choy and drink thick porridge. But this kind of food isn't something everyone can afford. Every day, the whole family has to cook two different dishes. No wonder Mom always says it's hard work. It's really not easy. If your family had raised some kind of great person who would bring honor to the family, I could tolerate it, but what is this? Hasn't she ruined the whole family enough?"
Qi's mother opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing. She sighed, turned her head away, and remained silent. Qi Zhifang's face was gloomy as she glared angrily at Xiao Cui.
Qi Zhijun chuckled and said, "Little Cui, what's wrong with you today? Why are you arguing about this? When did you start arguing over food and drink? Isn't it all the same food? What's with all this talk about bok choy? Alright, alright, let's eat!"
As she walked over and picked up her chopsticks, just as she was about to eat, Xiao Cui, with red eyes and a choked voice, said, "I can't afford the Qi family's expensive food. From today onwards, we'll each eat our own food!"
Qi Zhijun nodded and said softly, "Okay, then starting today, how about we eat separately? You can cook and do laundry after get off work, and we'll pay for the utilities ourselves. That way, Mom won't have to worry about anything! It'll be so much easier cooking for two fewer people! What do you think?"
Xiao Cui smiled and said, "Okay, it's settled then. It'll save Mom the trouble of cooking two dishes. You can give us the living expenses for the next half month, and we'll cook for ourselves!"
Qi Zhifang, unable to bear it any longer, slammed her hand on the table and stood up angrily, saying, "Sister-in-law, what do you mean? So you're saying I'm eating some porridge and a bite of vegetables and you're going to mind? And what kind of person am I? What have I done to you! Who gave you the right to talk to me like that?"
Xiao Cui nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, yes, I don't need to say anything, because the general public knows what kind of person you are. You're someone the neighborhood committee and the police are always looking at. You're so heroic and famous! That's all. How can I praise you? Praise your strength, for daring to go against the grain, to go against the wind, to do the opposite? People who don't know better would think you've done something to bring glory to your ancestors!"
Qi Zhifang's eyes were bloodshot with rage as she screamed like a madwoman, "Say that again? What did I do wrong? Is it wrong for me to pursue my own feelings? What crime have I committed!" She lunged forward to strike, but was stopped by her mother and Qi Zhijun. "Fangzi, what are you doing!" "Fangzi, stop!"
Protected behind Qi Zhijun, Xiao Cui chuckled, "Feelings? You dare insult the word 'feelings'! Mutual affection is called feelings, animal attraction is called rutting! The biggest difference between humans and beasts is that humans have a sense of shame..."
"Ah!" Qi Zhijun shoved Qi Zhifang back several steps, only managing to be supported by her mother. Qi Zhijun roared, "Enough! Xiao Cui, you're supposed to be an intellectual, how can you say such things!"
Xiao Cui wiped away her tears and said, "I've had enough of your family..."
Qi Zhifang yelled back, "I've had enough of you too! I thought you were a little better than Wei Shuqing, but look at you now, you're not even as good as Wei Shuqing! At least Wei Shuqing can send 36 yuan home every month, look at you!"
Xiao Cui sneered, "That's why people can't eat too much. It's because Wei Shuqing pays 36 yuan a month and feeds you all too much that you've caused so many troubles!"
Qi Zhifang retorted defiantly, "That's still better than you! I didn't eat yours either!! You don't even have enough for ten yuan yourself, you're destined to eat cabbage scraps, I ate my brother's..."
Qi's mother slammed her hand on the table and shouted, "Enough! Stop talking! You two argue every day, you've driven your father away..."
Xiao Cui said angrily, "Don't keep bringing up Dad. Did we drive him away? He was literally driven to his death by Qi Zhifang..."
"Slap, slap." Qi Zhijun went up and slapped Xiao Cui twice, her eyes bloodshot and panting heavily, as if she could strangle Xiao Cui if she said another word.
Xiao Cui's mouth was bleeding from the beating. "Did I say something wrong? Qi Zhijun, you're a person who can't distinguish right from wrong, a foolish and cowardly son of a dubious father!" With that, he turned and ran away. Qi's mother clutched her chest and cried, "It's my fault, I'm guilty!"
Qi Zhijun frantically shoved all the bowls off the table onto the floor, roaring, "Enough! Mom, I don't understand why you have to be so particular about the heart and the stalk of the cabbage. Is the stalk really that hard to eat? Is the heart of the cabbage such a delicacy? When are you going to stop this fuss? When will this family finally have some peace and quiet? I've had enough!"
Tears streamed down Qi Zhifang's face. "Brother, I just want to eat a bite of food..."
Qi Zhijun sneered, "Eat whatever you want, do whatever you want!"
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