Chapter 180 World 8 (Part 3)
In an instant, Baoshan had already made her decision. Her current situation was unavoidable. Only by leaving this place with Shen Liushi could she find peace. But in just a few moments of conversation, Baoshan had discerned Shen Liushi's nature—loving her son and prioritizing herself. If Baoshan had shown a pitiful expression and softly begged Shen Liushi to help her escape her current predicament, Shen Liushi would likely have lost even a shred of sympathy. Instead, she would have worried that Baoshan was a nuisance and refused to take her with her.
Bao Shan filled the teapot with tea and surveyed the scene outside with her charming eyes. A look of admiration filled her face. "Since my parents left, I haven't had many relatives come to visit me. Since you're here, Aunt, why don't you stay home and try my cooking?"
Hearing this, Shen Liushi, who always looked down on others, felt a little guilty in her heart.
The other relatives avoided Baoshan because they had heard about her current situation and were afraid of being harassed by an orphan like Baoshan, so they never interacted with her.
After seeing Baoshan, Shen Liushi also thought of using money to cut off the relationship between the two families. However, the frail Baoshan in front of her was completely unaware of this and even showed a look of joy because it was a rare occasion for relatives to visit.
Watching Bao Shan stand up softly, Shen Liushi opened and closed her lips, and finally agreed to stay for dinner, but she warned: "But you and I are alone, don't put too much rice."
Baoshan responded softly and turned into the simple kitchen.
She looked up at the sunset, thinking to herself.
Baoshan took out two sweet potatoes, cut them into small pieces, mixed them with some old grains, and put them on the fire to boil.
The porridge in the iron pot seemed bland, but Baoshan was not worried that Shen Liu would dislike the simplicity of the porridge, because this rice was definitely not worthy of being served on the table.
Before the porridge was even cooked, someone pushed open the door with such rage that they threatened to tear the thatched roof apart. Their face flushed crimson. It was Baoshan's aunt. Baoshan seemed startled by the noise. Without even putting down the wooden spoon, she timidly walked out of the kitchen, her tone full of confusion: "Aunt, why are you here?"
Looking at Baoshan's delicate and pitiful face, and her fragile and willow-like figure, Zhou Wang's eyes flashed with fire, and she wished she could rush forward and grab the beautiful face of the woman in front of her.
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have seen the two sons in the family fighting over the precious fan, their words full of contradictions, without any sign of brotherly love or respect.
How could Zhou Wangshi dare to believe that Bao Shan, who was always so submissive in front of her, was secretly seducing her two sons? Even... even those past things that Zhou Wangshi had done to embarrass Bao Shan were just nitpicking and tormenting her.
At that time, Zhou Wangshi looked at Baoshan's pale face and thought that she had worn out Baoshan's character.
But he never thought that all those chores were done with the help of his two stupid sons.
Cook porridge with morning dew, fill the water jar every day, chop firewood thicker than my arms...
Even when Zhou Wangshi wanted to marry the precious fan to a widower in exchange for some money, she was stopped by her two sons.
It was only under the coercion of the two of them that Baoshan was given a separate household and allocated this thatched hut.
Zhou Wangshi tried to convince her two sons that Baoshan was a vixen who must have used some cunning tricks to manipulate them.
Unexpectedly, the two sons who were fighting each other stopped arguing after hearing this and looked at Zhou Wangshi with disapproval on their faces.
"Mom, you shouldn't say that about my cousin, she's kind-hearted.
Even if you treat her badly, she never says a word of blame.
My cousin Bao Shan also advised me that you have a sharp tongue but a soft heart, and you didn’t mean to embarrass her…”
"Yes, mother, I did those jobs willingly. My cousin Baoshan is already weak, and her hands have become red from doing those rough jobs. I couldn't bear it, so I had to help her do it!"
Looking at the two good sons she raised, Zhou Wangshi almost fainted from anger.
Baoshan was extremely delicate. She was a naturally rough peasant woman. She worked hard all day long, but her two sons never offered any help.
Moreover, she wanted to marry Baoshan to the widower, not for the sake of the two of them.
The other party offered such a high betrothal gift, and they would be able to find a good marriage for their two sons.
But now, Baoshan has established an independent household, and the marriage can no longer be controlled by Zhou Wangshi.
But how could Zhou Wangshi swallow this humiliation? She had to deal with the precious fan.
Zhou Wang pinched her waist and said viciously: "I am your aunt, I have no right to come to your shabby yard!"
Bao Shan's eyes were red, and she said in a soft voice, "Of course not. Aunt, if you want to come, then come. It's just that we have guests at home, so I can't take good care of you."
Zhou Wang glanced at the thick smoke in the kitchen, walked into the kitchen in three or two steps, overturned the porridge that was being cooked to the ground, and smashed the pots and pans around it, making crackling sounds.
When Shen Liushi walked out of the house, all she saw was the mess on the ground.
Seeing that Zhou Wangshi was not satisfied with smashing the kitchen, she pushed the precious fan in her hand.
Shen Liushi quickly reached out to catch it, and the treasure fan did not fall on the hard ground.
Zhou Wang looked at her hand that had not yet touched the treasure fan, and then looked at the treasure fan that was about to cry. Her voice was cold and said, "Well, you little vixen, you've plotted against me!"
Zhou Wang raised her hand and was about to strike. She was used to farm work, and her hands had a brute strength.
If it really hits, Baoshan's frail body will definitely not be able to withstand it.
Shen Liushi’s eyes were stern, and she was about to explode.
A deep voice shouted from outside the door: "Nonsense!"
Zhou Wangshi looked at the head of the village who had arrived at some point in time, and her raised hand could only stand there in a daze.
Only when she saw her husband, Zhou Fu, did Zhou Wangshi withdraw her hand. She opened her mouth to defend herself: "It was this little vixen who seduced me, so I..."
The child hiding behind the village head, revealing his innocent face, wrinkled his nose and retorted, "Sister Baoshan is not a vixen. She is beautiful and kind-hearted. She even gave me candy. You are talking nonsense!"
Zhou Wang's eyes widened and she cursed, "What do you know..."
The village head spoke disapprovingly, but not to Mrs. Zhou Wang, but to Zhou's father: "If you are unwilling to keep the precious fan, tell me earlier, and I will not send her to your home.
Since you have raised the precious fan, you want to marry her to a widower, and you are slandering her reputation outside. Is this how you manage a household?"
In all his life, this was the first time Zhou's father had been reprimanded so harshly. He felt quite embarrassed and looked at Zhou Wang with an extremely ugly expression: "You shameful thing, get out of here and go home!"
Seeing Zhou's father's red eyes, Zhou Wangshi fell silent and hurried back home.
The village head pointed at the sweet potato pieces and millet on the ground and sighed, "Bao Shan was already having a hard time, and now... it's all ruined."
Father Zhou fished out a copper coin from his bosom and stuffed it into Baoshan's hand, saying in a muffled voice, "Your aunt is too impulsive. Buy some more bowls and chopsticks."
Bao Shan shook her head softly and refused softly, "Uncle, I don't need these..."
Shen Liushi took it, shook the weight of the copper coin, and sneered: "This little money is only enough to buy bowls and chopsticks."
The broken iron pots and stoves are no longer usable.
Baoshan gently pulled Shen Liushi’s sleeve and called softly, “Aunt, no need…”
Shen Liu glared at Baoshan lightly, and placed her open palm in front of Zhou's father. The meaning behind it was obvious - these copper coins were not enough.
Father Zhou’s face flushed red, and he simply gave all the copper coins on him to Shen Liushi.
Shen Liushi was satisfied, but before Father Zhou left, she exclaimed again: “Ouch, how could he be injured so badly!”
Everyone looked at that and saw that there was a horrifying red mark on Bao Shan's wrist, which was originally as white as snow. It was caused by Zhou Wangshi pushing her and hitting the ground.
Father Zhou was speechless: "I don't have any money on me."
The head of the village frowned and looked at Baoshan's timid appearance. If he didn't speak up, she would have to suffer this injustice.
"Don't you have a hen at home? Bring it to Baoshan to nourish him."
Father Zhou's heart skipped a beat; he couldn't bear to part with the fat hen.
But in front of everyone, he had no choice but to admit it, after all, it was his wife who damaged the precious fan.
If this matter cannot be resolved, the reputation of their Zhou family bullying the younger generation and Zhou Wang's abuse of orphan girls will spread, and how can the two sons get married?
When Zhou's father returned home, he ran straight to the chicken coop and grabbed the flapping hen in his hands. Mrs. Zhou Wang immediately burst into tears and cried, "That's our family's egg-laying hen. Where are you taking it?"
"Give the fan as an apology."
Mrs. Zhou Wang tried to stop her father and spat softly, "How can she be worthy of eating such a delicious thing!"
Father Zhou's expression turned cold: "If you hadn't pushed her to the ground, how could you have lost a hen?
Get out of the way now, or our family's reputation will be ruined and our son won't even be able to find a wife!"
Hearing this, Zhou Wangshi angrily stepped aside and explained, "You were all deceived by that little vixen...that orphan girl. I didn't touch her at all. She framed me!"
Zhou's father naturally didn't believe these words. When Bao Shan was raised in their home, Zhou Wang had been torturing Bao Shan in every way, and now she was even more abusive, even going so far as to cause trouble at Bao Shan's home.
If it weren't for Zhou Wang's mischief, he wouldn't have to pay so much and have to bow his head in front of the younger generation.
Father Zhou was in a bad mood and didn't speak kindly to Zhou Wangshi: "Bao Shan is so soft-hearted, how could she possibly frame you? Wangshi, if you lie again, go back to your parents' home and stop leading your two sons astray."
Zhou Wangshi stood there in a daze, muttering to herself, "Why don't you believe me? She's the one who slandered me..."
Seeing that Zhou's father had brought the hens as promised, the village head and villagers dispersed.
Shen Liushi handed the copper coin to Baoshan.
Baoshan counted the copper coins carefully and divided them into two parts, each containing only five or six copper coins.
Shen Liushi thought that Baoshan wanted to give her the five or six copper coins to thank her for what happened today.
But she never expected that Baoshan would stuff the heavy pile of copper coins into Shen Liushi's hands, and her slender and thick eyelashes trembled slightly.
"I'm already very happy that Auntie can come to see me. Today... I made a fool of myself and didn't even have a meal."
There was a flicker of light in Baoshan's beautiful eyes. "No one has ever protected me like this before. Aunt, these copper coins are not much. But my cousin is studying in the academy, and the expenses must be quite high.
I have no savings, so I can only do my best, and this——"
Baoshan pointed at the hen on the ground.
"I am alone and cannot afford to eat such good food. Aunt, please take it back and make soup for my cousin."
Shen Liushi only felt the copper coin in her palm getting hot. Looking at Baoshan's considerate look, the guilt in her heart suddenly overwhelmed her.
Shen Liushi said in a difficult voice: "Baoshan, are you willing to come with me?"
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