Chapter 17: The Secret of Zhang Weihong
Little Lingxiao played until he was covered in sweat, his little face flushed. His uncle put him down, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he ran towards his mother.
Cheng Cheng suppressed her dissatisfaction with Cheng Xiangming, squatted down, took out a handkerchief from her pocket, and wiped the sweat from the little guy's face.
He glanced at Cheng Xiangming and said, "There's a grass carp in the bucket. Go and clean it. Remember to make a few cuts on its back. We'll make braised fish later."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiangming strode into the kitchen and soon came out carrying a cleaver and a cutting board.
He skillfully scaled and pounded the fish, and once he finished, Cheng Cheng took the fish from him.
Cheng Xiangming held onto the basin tightly, his peach blossom eyes, similar to hers, scrutinizing her from head to toe: "I heard from my older sister that you've become a kitchen expert?"
His tone revealed obvious disbelief, and his expression also showed a hint of amusement.
Cheng Cheng snorted and glared back: "Haven't you heard the saying, 'A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days of separation'?"
"Oh~ I didn't realize you hadn't studied this either. I forgot you get sleepy as soon as you see a book, you must not have been paying attention in class!"
Cheng Cheng retorted arrogantly, raising her chin slightly.
Cheng Xiangming laughed in exasperation, pressing his tongue against his cheek, and let go. "Fine, fine, I want to see how good our family's high school student's cooking is."
"I'm afraid some people like to brag, Xiaoxiao, let me tell you something!"
Cheng Xiangming patted his niece's head and said, "There are two cows flying above your mother's head, did you see them?"
Cheng Cheng: "..."
I'm not deaf! Thank you!
Little Lingxiao looked up at his mother, his eyes filled with seriousness. After staring at her for a moment, he shook his head at his uncle, his eyes full of doubt, and asked his second uncle, "Can cows fly?"
"Hahahaha..."
Cheng Xiangming laughed heartily, ruffled her hair, and nodded, saying, "Yes! Only the cow on your mother's head can fly!"
Cheng Cheng said coldly, "Xiaoxiao, your second uncle just killed a fish and touched your head without washing his hands."
Of course, I washed my hands, just rinsed off the blood with water, but my hands, which had been scaled, must have smelled fishy, so I had to wash them with soap!
Xiao Lingxiao pursed his lips and glanced up at his uncle.
Cheng Xiangming laughed awkwardly, his large hand frozen in mid-air, and then his niece pouted and moved three steps away from him.
Now, it was Cheng Cheng's turn to beam with pride, as if she had won a battle, and she strode into the kitchen.
You can still hear Cheng Xiangming coaxing the little guy outside.
"Xiaoxiao, your uncle didn't mean it. Look, isn't it clean and tidy? It's all your mother's nonsense. Don't listen to her!"
"Smile, your little lips are so pouty, you could hang an oil bottle on them..."
Cheng Cheng smiled helplessly, marinated the fish with rice wine, salt, and ginger slices, rubbed it all over, and gave it a spa treatment.
While waiting, I picked the amaranth and took it out to wash.
It was almost lunchtime, and her cousin Cheng Weihong hadn't arrived yet. Cheng Cheng suspected that her second brother had misheard, and that perhaps the cousin hadn't even planned to come and rest.
Cheng Cheng, holding the vegetable bowl, shoved it directly into Cheng Xiangming's hands and gestured with her lips, "You wash it, I'll fry the fish."
"Come on, Xiaoxiao! Uncle will teach you how to wash vegetables!"
Cheng Cheng turned around and went back to the kitchen. She heated the oil and put the marinated fish into the pot. Instantly, it crackled and popped like firecrackers.
The fire wasn't too big, so she slowly pan-fried the fish until both sides were golden brown. Then she added ginger, garlic, and chili peppers to sauté until fragrant. Without any MSG or oyster sauce, she only added a little soy sauce and a few spoonfuls of rice wine. Finally, she poured in half a bowl of water, covered the pot, and simmered it.
"Mmm, it smells so good!"
Cheng Xiangming sniffed, walked over to take a look, and the suspicion on his face immediately faded a lot. Could it be that the older sister really didn't have a filter for the younger sister, or that she was just lying through her teeth?
Cheng Cheng glanced at him, knowing without a doubt what he was thinking. She raised her wrist, checked the time, and asked, "Is Cheng Weihong coming or not? Or did you mishear?"
"How could that be! Your brother's hearing is fine. Let's wait a bit longer. If she hasn't arrived by the time all the dishes are cooked, then we'll eat!"
What's going on? She hasn't shown up even when it's mealtime. Are they all supposed to wait for her? Dream on!
"What a big face!" Cheng Xiangming thought to himself, not taking it to heart. In any case, apart from the women in his family, Cheng Xiangming didn't have much patience for anyone else!
She's not even a blood sister; they live in different rooms and have even separated their households.
Cheng Cheng nodded her chin casually, estimated the time, and opened the pot lid. Instantly, a rich aroma of fish wafted out.
Cheng Xiangming took a deep breath, his eyes showing surprise. He hadn't expected his sister to be such a culinary expert!
The broth thickened, and Cheng Cheng sprinkled on the prepared chopped green onions. It was ready to serve!
Just then, a commotion came from outside.
A girl wearing a floral print polyester shirt and with her hair in two braids walked in through the door.
Cheng Weihong's gaze swept across the courtyard, and her past resentment dissipated like smoke, replaced by a look of melancholy and emotion.
When she saw her proud and arrogant cousin again, she thought she would feel sorry for her, but instead she saw the other girl standing there gracefully, just as beautiful and radiant as she remembered!
Cheng Weihong had to admit that she still felt a little jealous and resentful!
But then she thought about it again and Cheng Weihong couldn't think of any other emotions. Although God had given her a beautiful face and a good marriage, it was a pity that her brain wasn't working well and she couldn't seize even the best opportunities!
Having ruined herself and her family, Cheng Weihong looked at the other person with a mixture of superiority and pity, vividly recalling the events of her past life.
"Wei Hong, what are you spacing out for? I asked you a question, didn't you hear me?!"
Cheng Xiangming frowned as he looked at her. She seemed so strange and silly, staring at Xiao Cheng the moment she came in.
What's wrong? It's not like we don't know each other.
"What?"
Cheng Weihong was stunned for a moment, then immediately came to her senses. "Brother Xiangming, what did you just ask me?"
"Hey, where did you go? Why are you so late? I thought you weren't coming, so we started eating."
Cheng Xiangming had no choice but to repeat it again, his face showing a hint of impatience!
Cheng Weihong naturally saw it. She twitched the corners of her mouth, her face somewhat embarrassed. She had been thinking about whether to find an opportunity to save Xiang Ming, but now it seemed that everything had been foreshadowed!
With Ming's impulsive and easily angered personality, it's no wonder that in his past life, when he found out that Chang Wenbin had lied to his sister and seduced the beautiful but brainless Cheng Cheng into having an affair, causing Cheng Cheng to disappear, he beat someone up severely and ended up in jail.
However, the final trigger that led to the destruction of her uncle's family was Cheng Cheng, whom they cherished. Thinking about it this way, Cheng Weihong no longer felt embarrassed.
He smiled and said, "I just strolled around the county town and for a while I lost track of time."
Ever since Cheng Weihong appeared, Cheng Cheng had been secretly observing her, not missing a single change in her expression.
When she first looked at her, the surprise, indignation, and jealousy in her eyes seemed to be mixed with an indescribable emotion that Cheng Cheng couldn't quite put her finger on. It was somewhat like the feeling of seeing an old friend after a long time apart and realizing that things have changed.
But for some reason, when the other person's gaze swept over Xiaoxiao, the emotions in their eyes became extremely complicated.
Finally, the gaze directed at her became condescending again. Although the other person concealed it well, he immediately composed himself when she met his gaze.
But she vaguely sensed arrogance and disdain from her cousin.
Her sixth sense was always right; her cousin must have a secret!
He showed no outward expression, and true to his nature, he ordered, "Cheng Weihong, you cook the last dish."
After saying that, he put down the spatula, as if to say that he was already being kind by giving you a bite to eat, and that you shouldn't expect to do nothing but wait to be fed!
Cheng Weihong: "..."
She couldn't help but roll her eyes. No wonder Cheng Cheng suffered such a tragic end in her past life. In her opinion, Cheng Cheng deserved it and brought it on herself!
Even her best friend betrayed her, yet she was foolish enough to trust them. She was sold out and still helped them count the money. What a fool!
There's no point in arguing with idiots; it only lowers your own standards!
"What! You're not convinced?"
Cheng Cheng glared at him, her face darkening. "Don't think I didn't see it! I saw you roll your eyes at me just now!"
"You're mistaken. I got some dust in my eye, I just blinked."
Cheng Weihong naturally denied it, but she still went over, rolled up her sleeves, and then heard Cheng Cheng instruct her: "Take the pot outside to wash it first, then cook the vegetables."
Cheng Cheng had just finished cooking the braised fish and hadn't even had time to wash the pot when Cheng Weihong arrived, and Cheng Cheng's face showed an expression of taking it all for granted.
You can't just come to her house, eat for free, and not do any work, can you?
Besides, she even cooked fish for her today, though it was just a side thing. And their relationship isn't that great; they're just ordinary relatives, and they've even had some disagreements.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Weihong endured the humiliation and went out with the pot.
Cheng Xiangming asked her, "What's wrong? You act like you've swallowed gunpowder whenever you see Wei Hong?"
"What? Are we close?" Cheng Cheng asked him back.
"Oh, no, not at all."
My cousin Weihong and my sister are not much different in age, but they have never gotten along since they were little. Later, because of my sister's husband, they couldn't get along at all.
Cheng Xiangming ignored it all, plopped down, and stared intently at the braised fish on the table. To be honest, it looked really good!
Cheng Cheng picked up Xiao Xiao, put her on a stool, turned around and patted Cheng Xiangming on the shoulder, ordering him to wash the dishes.
Cheng Weihong returned carrying a pot, just as Cheng Xiangming came out carrying bowls and chopsticks.
Cheng Weihong: ...
My mood suddenly calmed down a bit. I pursed my lips and went in, asking, "Where's the oil?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng pointed to the covered enamel plate next to her and casually added, "Remember to add garlic and cook it a little longer."
Amaranth tastes best when cooked with water and garlic until it's soft and tender!
Cheng Weihong didn't say anything, lifted the lid, scooped out a spoonful of oil, and was scolded again, with someone saying, "Do you think my oil is free?"
Cheng Cheng couldn't resist. Although she knew that cooking vegetables required a lot of oil to make them taste better, she couldn't help but have her mouth act on its own and become uncontrollable when she saw Cheng Weihong.
Perhaps she and Cheng Weihong were just naturally incompatible.
Cheng Weihong glanced at her, and then quickly and decisively poured the spoonful of oil into the pot right in front of her.
Cheng Cheng glared at the other person, and when she saw Cheng Xiangming return after washing the dishes, she took a bowl, filled it with rice, and told Xiao Xiao to eat first.
"Watch out for the bones. Eat fish slowly, okay?"
"Mmm~"
Xiao Lingxiao nodded at his mother. Cheng Cheng's gaze softened, and she smiled gently: "Eat up, Mom will pick out the fish bones for you, but you have to be careful when you eat, don't let your guard down."
Cheng Cheng sat next to the little guy, took chopsticks, and scraped off the fish meat around the belly of the fish, put it into the soup, and used the chopsticks to break it up, so that the fish meat could fully absorb the soup and remove the bones.
The little one ate slowly, her cheeks bulging. One was responsible for feeding, and the other for eating. The mother and daughter worked together seamlessly, creating a heartwarming scene.
At this moment, Cheng Xiangming truly believed his older sister's words; his younger sister had really grown up and become sensible.
Cheng Weihong was somewhat surprised and kept glancing over. When her gaze swept over the plate of braised fish, she couldn't help but swallow several times.
After a few hasty stirs, I was ready to take it out of the pan and plate it.
Cheng Cheng: "Didn't I tell you to cook it longer, to soften the amaranth roots? What's the rush? It's not even cooked yet!"
Cheng Weihong's face fell, and she had no choice but to put down the pot, muttering, "Cheng Cheng, are you an eighty-year-old woman?"
It's not like I've lost all my teeth and can't chew anymore, why are you being so particular!
Cheng Cheng didn't even lift her eyelids. She picked out the fish and put it into Xiao Xiao's bowl, saying calmly, "Yes, I don't mind if you call me grandma."
Cheng Weihong: ...
Cheng Xiangming chuckled to himself. When did his little sister's tongue improve so much? However, his authority as the older brother made him straighten his expression immediately and say to her, "Grandma is still at home, and you can't even keep your mouth shut. What are you saying!"
They share the same mother and the same father!
Cheng Cheng replied, "Then it's not impossible for me to be best friends with Grandma!"
...
Finally, the last dish was cooked and served. Cheng Weihong plopped down and picked up her chopsticks to eat the braised fish.
Cheng Cheng and her second brother were flipping the fish over so she could get the meat from the belly side for Xiao Xiao to eat. Just then, a pair of chopsticks reached over and, coincidentally, went straight for the fish's belly.
Cheng Cheng, her face cold, slapped Cheng Weihong's chopsticks away and glanced at her sideways: "How dare you? How old are you?"
Cheng Weihong was thick-skinned, so he pretended not to hear it. Being scolded a few times wouldn't hurt him much; what mattered was what he got!
In her past life, she just didn't understand this principle. She gave all the good things to her husband and mother-in-law, and later to her children and grandchildren, but she didn't get anything good in return.
She worked herself into a madman, grew old and useless, and was even despised by them. Now that she's been given a second chance at life, she's seen through everything and realizes that nothing is more important than herself!
The most important thing is to eat what you want, spend the money on yourself, and keep the good things for yourself!
Cheng Weihong didn't care about Cheng Cheng's expression. She just wanted to annoy her. It seemed that scientific research showed that getting angry too much was bad for a woman's health. She didn't care about harming her body, she just wanted to make Cheng Cheng ugly!
He reached for the fish gills with his chopsticks, but the chopsticks were slapped away the next second.
Cheng Cheng was speechless and glared at her coldly: "This place also belongs to Xiao Xiao, you should eat somewhere else."
There are relatively few bones in the fish meat near the belly and gills. Her cousin really knows how to eat, and she's really shameless. It's not that she's stingy and doesn't want her to eat fish, but she should at least act like an elder!
Cheng Xiangming served the food, walked over, glanced at it briefly, and guessed what had happened. He then sat down with an air of authority.
She put down the bowl, the bottom of which tapped softly on the table. She glared at her and said, "Wei Hong, you're an aunt, how can you compete with a child for food? Aren't you ashamed? How can you be so shameless?"
“Your second uncle’s family has never been short of food. Luckily, this is our own home. If you went to someone else’s house in the future, they would think that your family didn’t raise you well. How wronged would my second uncle and aunt be!”
Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng couldn't help but smile involuntarily.
He really won her heart!
Cheng Weihong didn't say anything, but turned her chopsticks around to pick up the meat from the back of the fish. This time, no one stopped her.
Cheng Xiangming served rice to his younger sister and reached for the plate of braised fish with his chopsticks. If there's meat, why not eat it first? Wouldn't that be foolish? Didn't you see someone next to you working hard? If you don't hurry, this plate of braised fish might end up in their stomach in no time.
Cheng Cheng glanced at it and thought to herself, "Damn, this situation is really bad for her!"
He quickly picked up the pieces of fish, first scraping off all the meat from the belly and placing it on the side of the plate to soak in the broth. Then he worked on the meat near the gills, picked up two pieces of fish for himself, dipped them in the broth, and put them in his bowl to eat later.
Continue removing fish bones for the little one. Eating more fish can supplement high-quality protein, promote the little one's development, and fish is good for the brain, which the little one needs.
Cheng Xiangming's eyes widened immediately upon tasting the first bite. He quickly shoveled down a mouthful of rice and mumbled, "It's so delicious! If I had known you were so talented in cooking, I think I should have had Mom and your sisters-in-law teach you to cook earlier when you were at home."
Cheng Cheng glanced at him and said, "Thank you."
Smiling face (jpg).
She could easily choose between cooking for two people and cooking for the whole family, even if she didn't know the answer.
Cooking is her hobby. She loves to eat, loves delicious food, and enjoys making food herself. But that doesn't mean she likes to work hard and stay in the kitchen all the time.
That would be putting the cart before the horse, absolutely not!
Cheng Weihong looked up at Cheng Cheng. What Xiang Ming said was what she wanted to say too. She didn't expect Cheng Cheng's cooking skills to be so good, almost the same as the level of the banquets she had eaten at high-end five-star hotels in her previous life.
In her opinion, her aunt should have trained her cousin from a young age and let her cook. Back then, before they separated their households, she could have enjoyed her cooking every day.
Cheng Weihong silently sped up her pace. Xiang Ming was eating even faster than her, and she couldn't let him finish all the fish.
After the storm had passed, Cheng Cheng was once again grateful for her foresight in saving Xiao Xiao's fish and putting two pieces of fish in her own bowl; otherwise, she might not have been able to eat a single piece of fish!
All disks are empty!!!
Not a drop of soup was left in the loofah dish; her second brother had used a bowl to mix it with rice and ate it all up. Of course, it's also possible that he couldn't win Cheng Weihong's heart, so he settled for the loofah soup bowl and used it to soak his rice instead.
Her cousin ate the most and was the most ruthless. She ate half of the braised fish, and then grabbed the plate that held the fish, poured the rice from her bowl into it, and ate two bowls of rice while stirring the broth.
Cheng Cheng was stunned. She glanced at the other person and slightly raised her chin: "You wash the dishes and pots!"
"On what grounds?"
Cheng Weihong was indignant. Why should she wash the dishes? She was a guest!
"I'm a guest!"
"You ate the most!"
"What about him? Why didn't you ask Xiang Ming to wash the dishes? You're just bullying me!"
Cheng Cheng looked at her speechlessly, her face expressionless, and said, "He's my own brother, you—"
"Go wash the dishes and pots! Stop talking nonsense, no one in my family eats for free!"
Cheng Weihong was so angry that she immediately stood up, "I'm still your cousin!"
"Yes, he's a cousin, he's a blood relative."
Cheng Weihong choked, unable to breathe properly!
Her chest heaved with anger as she began to clear away the bowls and chopsticks. When she reached Cheng Xiangming, she said irritably, "Move aside!"
"Pfft..."
Cheng Xiangming grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth. Hey, for the first time in his life, he was actually protected by his own sister! Hahaha, this felt even better than when he ate the fish earlier!
While wiping Xiaoxiao's mouth, Cheng Cheng reminded her, "Be gentle! My bowls have never done anything to you! Be careful! If you break one, it'll cost you a dollar!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Weihong was so angry she almost had a heart attack!
She rolled her eyes at him. "Why don't you just go out and rob someone?!"
Cheng Cheng calmly gave an "oh" and looked at her as if she were an idiot, "Robbery is illegal."
Cheng Weihong: ...
She gripped the bowl tightly, wanting to smash them all on the ground. But she couldn't be angry; getting angry would make her look ugly. She had to be elegant and not argue with idiots!
Cheng Weihong carried the pots and pans out, her back view seemingly filled with anger.
Cheng Cheng patted the little guy, "Go inside and listen to the radio for a while, then take a nap."
Only Cheng Cheng and Cheng Xiangming remained in the kitchen. She looked towards the door to make sure Cheng Weihong couldn't hear her, and whispered to her second brother if he knew any scoundrels.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiangming frowned and stared at her: "Why are you looking for them?"
"I need their help with something. Second brother, if you know someone, could you introduce me to someone who is tight-lipped and agile? If you don't, then forget it."
Cheng Xiangming understood her unspoken meaning. What did she mean? He didn't know her, so she was going to go find that bastard herself?
"Tell me first what you need them for."
Cheng Cheng didn't say anything, only saying, "I'll tell you after things are resolved."
The reason for seeking out her second brother was because Cheng Xiangming had connections and knew many people. To deal with Ding Manman and Chang Wenbin, these two ticking time bombs, he certainly couldn't use ordinary methods.
Although regulations are strict now, street hustlers still exist in the city. No matter the era, people who walk the line have never disappeared. They exist in every city, region, and corner.
"Rotten brat" refers to this type of person. The term "rotten brat" carries a stronger negative connotation than "street hustler." In addition to being idle, it also carries the attributes of "being brave and aggressive, and liking to cause trouble," and being able to do "tough things."
Cheng Cheng only wanted to pay them a small favor, to get leverage over Chang Wenbin and Ding Manman; it wasn't about murder or arson.
Cheng Xiangming frowned deeply, his eyes filled with warning as he glared at her: "You're not allowed to go to them on your own. Wait here first."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng knew that things were going well, and she smiled broadly, readily agreeing, "Okay, I'll definitely listen to you."
Cheng Xiangming glared at her, "Don't do anything reckless!"
"Can't you really tell me now?"
Cheng Cheng nodded, then shook her head, and kept her mouth shut.
When Cheng Weihong returned after washing the dishes, she noticed that the atmosphere between the brother and sister seemed strange. Could they have had a falling out?
Cheng Xiangming left without saying a word, striding away.
Cheng Cheng watched his retreating figure until it disappeared through the door, then glanced at her cousin and asked, "When are you leaving?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Weihong didn't rush to answer. Instead, she walked over and poured herself a glass of water.
He calmly finished his glass of water before looking up at the other person and asking, "Why should I leave?"
Cheng Cheng was completely baffled!
It seems that, in my memory, her cousin wasn't this shameless!
Then, Cheng Cheng saw the other person stack several benches, carry two under each arm, move them into the main room, put the four benches together in pairs, and lie down on them.
Cheng Cheng: ...
Fine, she turned and went back to her bedroom, deciding not to care anymore.
I'm too lazy to entertain her, and actually, she doesn't need to entertain me anyway; her cousin is quite carefree.
In the room, Xiaoxiao was already asleep in bed. Cheng Cheng took off her shoes, got into bed, and lay down next to the little one.
Outside the door, Cheng Weihong lay on a hard bench, tossing and turning. Even though her body was extremely tired, her mind was unusually active, constantly reviewing the events of her past life and what had happened today.
She had already visited several black market locations today, and her legs almost gave out from running so much, but she was exhausted!
Fortunately, it wasn't all for naught. Cheng Weihong turned over, looked at the ceiling, and placed her hands on her stomach.
Frowning in thought, he wondered where to look for He Sinian.
After thinking for a long time, she still had no clue and began to regret that she was too stupid in her previous life, only focusing on the stove and taking care of her family, while knowing very little about the outside world.
Right now, I don't even know where to look for him. The big shot probably hasn't made his fortune yet. Judging from his past life's trajectory, he's probably down on his luck right now. This is the perfect time to offer him help!
But she couldn't find anyone, and even if she had a solution, she had nowhere to use it. Cheng Weihong was extremely worried, feeling as if ants were crawling all over her body.
"Knock knock knock—"
"Comrade Cheng, are you home?"
There was a knock on the door, and Cheng Weihong sat up abruptly. The next second, her cousin pushed the door open and came out of the room. She glared at her and went straight out to open the door.
Cheng Weihong was already annoyed and immediately asked, "Cheng Cheng, why are you glaring at me again?! What did I do to you?"
Cheng Cheng turned her head and said irritably, "Do you have lice or something? You keep tossing and turning, making the chair creak and making it impossible for me to sleep!"
"Oh, so that's what it was about." Cheng Weihong shut her mouth and muttered, "You're so good at hearing things! You can't sleep and you're blaming me?"
Cheng Cheng didn't have time to argue with her. She quickly went out, unlatched the door, and looked at the newcomer with some doubt: "Sister Xiao Juan?"
"Xiao Cheng, let's go inside and talk."
Luo Xiaojuan smiled as she walked in, but when her gaze fell on another person in the courtyard, her expression showed some surprise and hesitation. "Xiao Cheng, who is this?"
At this moment, Cheng Weihong stared in disbelief at the newcomer, Luo Xiaojuan.
"Sister Xiaojuan, this is Cheng Weihong, my cousin."
Upon hearing this, the hesitation on Luo Xiaojuan's face immediately disappeared.
He asked her cheerfully, "Xiao Cheng, I have a batch of defective fabric, do you want it?"
He paused for a moment, then immediately added, "No cloth coupons!"
Cheng Cheng's eyes lit up, and she was about to speak when Cheng Weihong beat her to it!
Cheng Weihong's desire to make money overcame her awkwardness, and she asked anxiously, "How much do you have? I want it all!"
Cheng Cheng's gaze immediately fell upon her, a look of suspicion on her face. What was Cheng Weihong up to?!
Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed into my mind: speculation and profiteering!
Damn it, if you want to court death, don't drag her down with you. She glared at her with a warning look in her eyes, then walked over and blocked Comrade Luo's view.
"Yes, Sister Xiaojuan, this is wonderful! I was just thinking of buying some fabric to make some summer clothes for my Xiaoxiao, but I'm out of fabric coupons. Sister Xiaojuan, you're a lifesaver!"
Cheng Cheng smiled brightly, her expression delighted, which made Luo Xiaojuan's smile deepen. Luo Xiaojuan, unconcerned, said, "What's the big deal? As long as it's useful! I knew you'd want this flawed fabric!"
"Alright, let's go, let's go to my house to choose!"
Luo Xiaojuan pulled her away, but then suddenly remembered something and turned to another woman, "You want some flawed fabric too? Come on, but I don't have that many flawed fabrics on hand, so I can't give them all to you."
"It's alright, it's alright, I don't mind if it's not enough!"
Cheng Weihong quickly said, not caring about her awkwardness at this moment. The past is the past, and what matters is the present and the future!
However, she will not let any of those who deserve revenge get away with it!
Especially that old hag, if you ask me, Luo Xiaojuan should be kept alive and allowed to live well. Someone as shrewish as Luo Xiaojuan is just right to deal with that old hag!
No, she had to find a way to keep Luo Xiaojuan alive.
But she couldn't quite remember when Luo Xiaojuan died. She decided to wait and see. Cheng Weihong followed behind them without saying a word.
Cheng Cheng found it strange and glanced back at her cousin. There was definitely something odd about her, and sure enough, she saw the complicated expression on the other woman's face.
When most people visit a place for the first time, they can't help but be curious and look around. But her cousin didn't. Instead, she kept her eyes straight ahead, and you could vaguely sense that Cheng Weihong seemed to have a deep-seated aversion to this place, a hatred that emanated from her very bones.
What could have caused Cheng Weihong to show such emotions? Could it be... that she has some connection with the Zhuang family?
The moment that thought popped into her head, Cheng Cheng dismissed it immediately. Impossible!
She was quite certain that this was Cheng Weihong's first time visiting the Zhuang family, and Xiao Juan didn't know her either. She was a little confused, which made her even more curious about the secrets Cheng Weihong was hiding.
Out of the corner of my eye, I secretly observed Cheng Weihong's every move. I saw that her gaze fell on the old bicycle in the yard. She stared at it for a while with a serious expression, and I wondered what she was thinking.
Cheng Cheng secretly kept this in mind, planning to find an opportunity to test her when she got back.
The Zhuang family's yard was obviously much larger than hers, with more houses. However, the yard was filled with clutter. Cheng Cheng glanced at it casually and saw withered branches and leaves, broken bricks and stones, mud pots, and two or three bulging snakeskin bags, but she couldn't tell what was inside.
A row of scallions and greens were planted under the courtyard wall, growing very well and lush and green. Cheng Cheng stared at them for a moment, then exclaimed, "Sister Xiao Juan, the vegetables you grow are growing so well! This method is great too. I'll buy some scallion seeds and plant them under my courtyard wall sometime."
As soon as she finished speaking, Old Lady Zhuang rushed out of the house, acting like she was protecting her food, her small triangular eyes glaring warily at Cheng Cheng.
As soon as the other party appeared, Cheng Weihong's expression suddenly changed, her eyes filled with anger. As if she realized that her emotions were too volatile and she was afraid of revealing something, she lowered her eyes to hide the hatred in them.
Cheng Cheng seemed to be deep in thought. Her cousin seemed to have a deep-seated hatred for Old Lady Zhuang, and seemed to know her very well. She was not surprised at all by Old Lady Zhuang's petty behavior, and a disdainful look appeared on her lips.
Cheng Cheng glanced at Old Lady Zhuang again. The other woman clearly didn't recognize her, which made things interesting.
"Mom, what kind of behavior is this! We have guests over, and instead of welcoming them, you're acting like you're guarding against thieves. Who are you trying to annoy?
Luo Xiaojuan frowned, turned her head and said, "Ignore her, let's go to my room."
"Luo Xiaojuan, what are you doing taking them to your room? Let me tell you, every single thing in this house belongs to Zhifeng. I won't even mention your usual extravagance—"
"Smack—"
Grandma Zhuang wanted to follow her into the room, but the door suddenly closed from the inside, almost hitting her in the face, which startled her so much that she fell to the ground.
Luo Xiaojuan locked the door; her room was always locked, and she never let her mother-in-law in.
Outside the door, Old Mrs. Zhuang sat on the ground wailing, "That damned Juan! What a tragedy! How could our Zhuang family have married such a thing? She's been married into our family for seven or eight years and hasn't laid a single egg! My son, Zhifeng, you're so unlucky to have such a wife..."
Cheng Cheng looked at Sister Xiao Juan with concern. Luo Xiao Juan smiled at her and said, "I'm fine. The old woman has been cursing me for years. She keeps saying the same things over and over. She's not tired of it. I'm so tired of hearing it. I don't care anymore."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Weihong felt a deep respect for her!
Witnessing Luo Xiaojuan's interaction with the old woman, she was shocked. It turned out that the old woman who had bullied and suppressed her so badly was no match for Sister Luo. She could only sit on the ground crying and making a scene, and she couldn't do anything about Sister Luo.
The anger that Cheng Weihong had been holding in gradually dissipated, and her gaze towards Luo Xiaojuan was filled with admiration.
Luo Xiaojuan remained calm and composed, seemingly ignoring her mother-in-law's insults outside. She took out her key, unlocked the cabinet, and opened it.
Cheng Cheng glanced at her cousin's expression out of the corner of her eye, her gaze growing increasingly strange and thoughtful.
"Come and see which one you like, pick one you prefer."
"Okay, Sister Xiaojuan!"
Although it's described as defective fabric, it's actually fully functional and no different from ordinary fabric. It's just that the coloring of the fabric appears uneven, and some pieces feel a bit rough to the touch.
Cheng Cheng selected three horses: one green, and the other two gray and dark blue. They felt relatively smooth to the touch and should soften after washing a few times.
As Cheng Weihong touched the flawed cloth, an idea suddenly popped into her mind, but with Cheng Cheng present, she didn't know whether to speak up.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke up: "Sister Luo, where did you get this flawed cloth? I don't mean anything by it, I just wanted to ask if you can get any more, I'd like to take them all!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Xiaojuan looked somewhat surprised. She sized up Comrade Cheng's cousin. She wasn't an ignorant woman who knew nothing, and she had a guess in her mind. She said with difficulty, "A friend of mine has two pieces of flawed cloth. If you want them, I'll go to her and get them for you."
"Yes, yes, yes! That's wonderful, Sister Luo, thank you!"
Cheng Weihong's expression brightened, and she came over affectionately to take her arm.
If she remembered correctly, this Sister Luo seemed to be a saleswoman at the supply and marketing cooperative, and her family had some connections. The old woman never said a good word about Sister Luo, but there was one thing that she could never compare to: she didn't have a job in the city, and her family couldn't provide any help.
Although her father was the production team leader, he could only exert some influence within the team and had a little power. He had no real influence in the county and often had to ask Zhuang Zhifeng for help, even if it meant she had to beg her family for support.
Luo Xiaojuan glanced down, feeling a little uncomfortable. Wasn't Comrade Cheng's cousin a bit too outgoing?
Outside the door, Old Lady Zhuang was wailing and banging on the door while cursing.
"Wait for me inside for a while, I'll go out and drag the old woman away."
Cheng Cheng hurriedly stopped her and asked, "Sister Xiaojuan, isn't Comrade Zhuang home?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Xiaojuan spat and a complicated expression appeared on her face. "He's here, of course he's here! He's in the study!"
"Girl, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart: when looking for a man, you can't just look at his face or how good he is to you—that's completely useless!"
"The key is to look at his family and whether you get along with them. Take my mother-in-law for example. I spend more time with her than with my husband. He's a complete shirker. He eats breakfast and then goes to work. When he gets home, he eats dinner and goes straight to sleep. He's useless!"
As soon as Luo Xiaojuan finished speaking, she suddenly slapped her forehead and laughed awkwardly, "Oh dear, look at me, I was so angry I forgot that you're already married, Xiao Cheng. I don't see your husband and in-laws often, I almost forgot about that."
Luo Xiaojuan patted her hand with a smile and sighed, "You're luckier than me. Your husband's family lives far away in Beijing, so you don't have to live with your mother-in-law. Let me tell you, not living with your parents-in-law reduces life's troubles by half!"
"No, it's more than half!"
Luo Xiaojuan made the final decision, then added, "Wait for me for a while, don't come out."
After saying that, she opened the door aggressively, grabbed Old Lady Zhuang's arm, and pulled the door shut, blocking the view from inside and outside.
Although her mother-in-law had long since made her lose face and dignity, Luo Xiaojuan didn't want them to see that embarrassing side of her.
Outside the door came the sounds of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law arguing and shouting. Luo Xiaojuan retaliated without hesitation. She was strong and dragged the old woman into the study, yelling at the man in a loud voice, "Are you deaf or dead? Zhuang Zhifeng, how could I have married such a useless man like you!"
“…”
Inside the room, Cheng Cheng and Cheng Weihong looked at each other in bewilderment.
Cheng Cheng observed the other person's expression and tentatively said, "Comrade Zhuang looks very handsome and talented. I heard that he is highly valued by his superiors at work and has a bright future. I didn't expect him to be such a person, doing nothing at home."
Cheng Weihong sneered, "That just shows how little you know! Let me tell you, a man like that is a coward! A shrinking turtle! Exquisite—"
Cheng Weihong suddenly realized something was wrong and swallowed back the words "egoism." Actually, she wanted to call Zhuang Zhifeng a mama's boy!
But since these terms haven't appeared yet, she couldn't say them aloud.
She spent her whole life, only realizing the true nature of her husband when she was dying. Zhuang Zhifeng was a complete scoundrel and a sophisticated egoist!
As long as it doesn't bother him or affect him, he can turn a blind eye to whatever happens at home, pretend it didn't happen, whitewash the situation, and remain deaf and dumb for the rest of his life.
"Exquisite what?" Cheng Cheng asked, feigning confusion.
Cheng Weihong immediately realized what she meant and said, "I misspoke. What I meant was that such men are all show and no substance, all looks and no substance, just superficially refined."
It's rotten and horrible inside; it eats people! It especially eats women!
Cheng Cheng pretended to suddenly realize something and agreed, "You're right. Comrade Zhuang is indeed very handsome, but I didn't expect him to be all looks and no substance!"
"Huh..."
Cheng Cheng crossed her arms over her chest, feigning surprise as she looked Cheng Weihong up and down.
"W-what's wrong?"
A hint of panic flashed across Cheng Weihong's face, but she forced herself to remain calm and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Cheng Cheng remained silent, staring intently at her as if trying to see her out of her wits. After a long while, she finally said, "I didn't expect you to have such insight."
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Author's Note: There will be a random shower of red envelopes in this chapter. Goodnight, my darlings~ The update will still be at midnight tomorrow.
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