"Hey, wait?"
"Come here right now. I'm asking you, was it you who gave those eggs to that educated youth? I was wondering why those eggs that were specially saved couldn't be found. Wow, this is a case of a thief in the family!"
"mom!"
"What do you mean, 'Mom'? You think you're all grown up now? You're already taking things from your own home and giving them away. You're not even married yet, and you're already supporting outsiders. If you get married, won't you give them all your family's wealth?"
"Auntie, don't make false accusations. Slander and spreading rumors are illegal."
"What, you want to call the police? Go ahead and report me. I also want to ask, is it illegal for someone to seduce my son into stealing eggs from our home?"
"Did I take your things for free? Explain yourself clearly, what did I take? I know what I'm talking about!"
"Don't you know what you took? So many people are watching. My son just gave you these eggs. Do you think I'm blind?"
“Wang Zhiqing, if you really want to date this comrade, just say so. I don’t think the old lady is unreasonable. Why are you being so secretive?”
Jian Dan, Wei Shujuan, and Tan Yajun, who had just joined in, exchanged glances.
"Ha, listen to what they're saying, they're forcing Wang Hongmei to admit it,"
"That's true, with that mouth, he deserved the beating."
While they were talking, they started fighting again. Wang Jiancheng, Su Hong, Tang Cui, and three female educated youths who were with Liu Xiaoyun—Fang Xiaotong, Chen Xiuying, and Hu Xiuli—all went to break up the fight. The surrounding villagers watched the commotion with great interest.
After finally managing to pull them apart, Wang Hongmei and her companions had suffered numerous bruises. Wang Hongmei glared fiercely at Liu Xiaoyun and her group, then glanced at the smug old woman opposite them, surveyed the surrounding crowd, wiped her face with the back of her hand, and looked at the meek man to the side.
"Comrade Liu, are you going to stay silent forever? Do you want to tell everyone what's going on with these eggs?"
Did I not pay you?
"Why can't I take what's offered in an equivalent exchange?"
"What do you mean by equivalence? You've taken advantage of our family. My son was fooled by you. Let me tell you, I'm not stupid. Hurry up and return everything you ate from our family, or don't blame me for being impolite."
Wang Hongmei was also furious.
"You're welcome? Sure, how do you want me to be?"
"Come on, hit me here! Come on, let's see if you dare to hit me!"
The man next to him clenched his fists, veins bulging in his neck, and shouted.
"mom!"
There was a moment of silence. The old woman's eyes widened, and she was about to explode.
"Mom! Can't you listen to me?"
I told you I didn't give it to her; someone else swapped it with me, we swapped it!
"You unfilial spendthrift son, replace him, replace him, replace him! What do you have at home that you can replace?"
Stop protecting her, you little vixen, you've stolen my son's heart.
"I'm telling you, if you don't return this today, we're not done."
The man's face flushed red. The gazes from the opposite side and the various scrutinizing eyes of the villagers were fixed on his body and face, making his skin burn. For a moment, even opening his eyes required immense courage.
"Enough!"
The old lady was stunned. Was this her son?
Ignoring his mother's gaze, he took a deep breath, pulled something from his pocket, walked a few steps to Wang Hongmei, and handed it to her with both hands.
"Wang Zhiqing, I'm so sorry for causing you so much trouble. I apologize on behalf of my mother."
"These are the cloth coupons I just exchanged with you. I think you don't need them anymore."
The voice was bitter, but unwavering in its certainty.
Seeing his expression, Wang Hongmei softened a little, but she didn't refuse. It was all because of exchanging such a small thing that this trouble had arisen. She casually handed back the three eggs she had just received.
"Keep this safe and leave. But whatever you do, don't let anyone come after me later. I won't take responsibility for it."
Liu Weimin glanced at the old woman, who had regained her senses but was still somewhat hesitant, and gave a soft snort.
"Liberation, tell me what happened,"
The old lady roughly understood, and looked at Liu Weimin with a pleading expression.
“Weimin,”
"Village chief, my mother wants to make clothes for my nephew, but we don't have any cloth at home, so she's forcing me to find a way."
I could only ask around. Guoqiang's younger brother and sister-in-law helped me ask the educated youth, who said that Wang, an educated youth, had a few feet of cloth coupons that I could exchange for.
I didn't want to approach her privately, so I figured it wasn't something to do secretly with all these people around. I figured it was better to do it openly and honestly in front of everyone, so I wouldn't have to worry about what anyone would say.
Who knows?
I don't know what someone said to my mom, but she just... sigh!
There's no need to elaborate on what's left unsaid. People at the scene saw it and rushed over to start a fight, even getting yelled at. If it weren't for the educated youth's clear explanation, anyone who was bad at talking would have been wronged.
Seeing that everything was alright, he turned around and walked back, as he hadn't finished his work yet.
"What's the conflict between Liu Xiaoyun and Wang Hongmei that makes her so malicious towards her?"
Only Wei Shujuan and Tan Yajun have the right to speak on this.
"I guess it's jealousy?"
I was slightly surprised.
"What is there about Wang Hongmei that they should be jealous of?"
"Are you lazy, or is your mouth as loose as a cotton waistband?"
It's not that she simply looks down on people; it's just that this was the impression Wang Hongmei left on everyone during her first year.
Wei Shujuan thought for a moment and then spoke a fair word.
"How should I put it? In the past year or so, Wang Hongmei seems to have changed a lot. She's not so aloof anymore, she's settled down. That's the feeling I get. She's much more practical. Every day when she goes to work or up the mountain, she's also much more peaceful with us. Like before, when she was all that gun-wielding and thorny stuff, she seems to have calmed down."
Following her words, Tan Yajun also thought about it for a moment.
"It seems that's true. They've become more low-key and less flamboyant. They're also much more calm and collected when talking to us and handling matters."
That's simple, but also very puzzling.
"Are they jealous of this?"
"Where? I guess they don't like the way we've become harmonious."
I didn't tell you, but ever since they came here, they've been causing trouble. They haven't caused any major problems, but they've been making a lot of noise every day. They hardly have any contact with us, at most just exchanging greetings.
Don't you know Ling Weidong and Chen Jing? They're not exactly known for their good tempers.
"With them causing trouble every day, it's no wonder they're always giving me the cold shoulder."
Wei Shujuan suddenly remembered something.
"It might not just be because of that. Do you remember the last two male educated youths who came, the two who came with Xiaoqin, Chen Guofeng and Li Wenjun?"
"Oh, I don't remember it well. How come it's related to them?"
"I can't really say whether it counts or not, but anyway, during the period after the New Year, Wang Hongmei got quite close to them, and I saw them chatting and laughing together several times."
But before the Lunar New Year, they always appeared to be together with Liu Xiaoyun and her group, and they usually ate together. It seems that after the Lunar New Year, they broke up their group and started eating with Wang Hongmei and her group.
Could this be related?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
