Chapter 143 Being a widow is great!
In the following days, Yao Shisan stayed by Xiao Pangxi's side without leaving him for a moment.
Shuang'er and Xiulian were still busy with everything at the grain depot.
Because Chunniang was introduced by Sister Zhang, she now feels guilty and ashamed of herself after this incident.
"Madam Yao, I really didn't expect Chunniang to do this. She's been beaten so many times, and she still hasn't learned her lesson!"
"If you're still angry, you can resign without any complaints!"
Sister Zhang has known Chunniang since the first year she moved to the alley. In all the time she's known Chunniang, she's only ever seen Chunniang being beaten.
So when the landlady said she wanted to bring a wet nurse to Ding County, the first person she thought of was Chunniang, who had just given birth six months ago.
She thought Chunniang would come to her senses after leaving the alley.
Who would have thought that this would cause such a huge disaster!
How could Sister Zhang possibly face Madam Yao now?
Yao Shisan supported Xiao Pangxi without looking at Zhang Saozi.
It was Sister Zhang who assured her that Chunniang was the gentlest person imaginable and the most suitable person to take care of children, which is why she trusted Chunniang completely and hired her.
Chunniang was indeed very gentle; she never worried about Pangxi's affairs.
She also has a problem: she trusts a stranger too much.
"What Chunniang did has nothing to do with you, and I will not hold a grudge against you."
"But this matter won't end so easily. I'm afraid you and Chunniang won't be friends anymore in the future."
Sister Zhang immediately looked up and said, "Chunniang is too weak, so weak that she has already endangered the people around her."
"You're better off without a friend like that!"
Chunniang is now disregarding a child who is not even a year old. What if she encounters other threats in the future and betrays them all?
Yao Shisan glanced at her and said, "Sister Zhang, my unwillingness to treat anyone harshly does not mean I am a stubborn person."
Sister Zhang nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I know. You also come from a poor background, which is why you are so kind to us."
"They take your pity for weakness; they are ungrateful."
She looked at the chubby little boy who was now laughing happily, and couldn't help but wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Thankfully, the child is alright.
Yao Shisan helped Pang Xi, who was trying to take a step but was still unsteady on his feet.
A cold glint flashed in her eyes. Luckily, Pang Xi was alright. If anything had happened to him, she would have been willing to die with him, and she would still be filled with hatred!
"You still have the nerve to show your face?!"
Shuang'er's angry voice came from the doorway.
Then came Little Bone's barking.
Yao Shisan picked up the little chubby boy and walked toward the door with a sullen face.
Little Bone was baring his teeth and growling at Chunniang's husband.
Chunniang stood at the bottom of the steps with her head down, while her husband Tao Dayong shouted in front of her.
“Our Chunniang has only one month’s wages that she hasn’t received!”
Shuang'er picked up the heavy door bolt and smashed it down on him.
"You dare come asking for money again! I'll beat you shameless bastards to death!"
Tao Dayong was not tall, so he dodged the incoming door bolt by turning to the side.
"You won't pay, and now you want to hit me?!"
Chunniang was so ashamed and angry that her face turned red and her ears burned. She lowered her head and tried to leave.
But Tao Dayong grabbed him, saying, "Why are you leaving? We're husband and wife, we should do whatever we're supposed to do!"
"But if we do the work and don't get paid, we're in the right even if we sue the Emperor himself!"
Chunniang didn't dare to look up. "Forget it, I've earned almost two years' worth of money in the past few months working for the master."
Tao Dayong persisted, "That's because you're worth so much money. You don't even care about your own daughter and come to her family to breastfeed their child. That's an act of kindness!"
"In wealthy families, the wet nurse is expected to be cared for in her old age!"
"And now they're refusing to pay!"
Yao Shisan: "Shuang'er, unleash the dogs!"
The thought of Little Fatty crying so hard he couldn't breathe filled her with such hatred that she wanted to devour his flesh and drink his blood!
These days, Wei Xun has been teaching Xiao Gutou how to pounce on people. Shuang'er immediately gave a command, and Xiao Gutou leaped up to the height of an adult and tackled Tao Dayong to the ground!
"Ahhh!!—"
Tao Dayong was tackled by a large dog, its sharp teeth almost touching him. He was so frightened that he wet his pants!
"Dayong!"
Chunniang finally raised her head, and only then did everyone notice that her face, chin, and collar were covered in bruises!
She was beaten by Tao Dayong.
Yao Shisan frowned slightly, then looked away.
She has compassion, but she doesn't pity everyone.
Some people are willing to stay stuck in the mud and never get out, so why should she meddle in their business?
Chunniang looked at the big dog pressing down on her husband, fearing it would bite off his neck.
"Madam Yao, we know we were wrong, we'll leave now!"
Shuang'er couldn't help but frown and ask her, "You still want to protect him?"
She had already heard about Chunniang's ordeal.
She didn't keep a single penny of her monthly wages; she had everyone else send it back to her home in Yuzhou.
He endured the pain of missing his daughter and stayed in Ding County, just to earn more money for her.
"If he were a good person, he wouldn't have done such a shameless thing in his employer's house!"
"Have you ever thought about where your daughter is now that your husband has come to Dingxian?"
Chunniang seemed to only just realize what was happening.
“Where is my daughter? You said her mother-in-law would take care of her for two days. Her mother-in-law dislikes her so much. She wouldn’t even look at her twice before. Why would she help take care of the child now?”
Tao Dayong didn't dare to move. The dog's gaping mouth was right in front of him, as if it could bite him to death at any moment!
"Spring, Spring Mother, save me! I don't want the money anymore!"
"Where is my daughter!" Chunniang felt as if a piece of her heart had been ripped out.
Her mother-in-law disliked that she gave birth to a daughter, and didn't even visit her once during her postpartum period, so why would she help take care of the child now?
Tao Dayong no longer dared to tell the truth, "My mother brought..."
Chunniang's child died of illness in the winter during her second month of working at this house.
It's a girl, not a boy, so it's not worth spending that much money on treatment.
Chunniang was soft-hearted to begin with, and he was afraid that she would worry about the child and stop working. Where could one find such a high-paying job these days?
This time, he came to find Chunniang for two reasons: first, he wanted Chunniang to have another son; second, he was out of money and wanted to see if Chunniang had any left.
Yao Shisan doesn't want to get involved in their family's affairs now; he just wants to get justice for his own child.
"Shuang'er, tie her up with a rope!"
Tao Dayong turned pale with fright. "Chunniang! Chunniang, save me! Remember, our daughter is waiting for us to come back!"
Chunniang wiped away her tears and kowtowed to Yao Shisan, "Madam Yao, it was our fault. We accept the beating and punishment. Please spare his life."
"Let's just consider it as accumulating good fortune for Fatty Xi and Fu'er..."
"Fortune? We can't afford such fortune." Yao Shisan's voice was indifferent as Little Fatty Xi slept peacefully on her shoulder.
"Little Bone," Shuang'er called out.
"Woof woof!!" Little Bone jumped down, pressing down on Tao Dayong with its front paws.
Tao Dayong suddenly felt as if his sternum was about to break, "Chunniang!"
Shuang'er snorted coldly, "What use is a man like that!"
"This man is now living off you! And you've been beaten like this by him."
Without glancing at the two of them again, she quickly tied Tao Dayong up tightly.
Chunniang knew that Yao Niangzi was the most agreeable person in the entire house, and only if Yao Niangzi punished her could her husband escape disaster.
If they fall into Lord Zhou's hands, they'll probably lose half their lives even if they don't die!
Thinking of this, she dared not plead any further.
Seeing that Chunniang was silent, Tao Dayong assumed she didn't want to help him anymore. "Hu Chunniang! I'm your husband! If you don't save me, you'll be a widow! You'll be talked about behind your back wherever you go!"
Shuang'er kicked him, "Being a widow is great! It saves me from being skinned alive by someone like you!"
"Hu Chunniang!" Tao Dayong looked at Chunniang, whose body was covered in bruises from the beating he had given her while drunk, his neck red.
"Even if I die, I'll haunt you as a ghost! Our family of three can be reunited in front of the King of Hell!"
The family of three was reunited before the King of Hell.
Chunniang's mind went blank for a moment.
Shuang'er suddenly looked at Tao Dayong. She had seen their youngest daughter before. When Zhang Saozi introduced her to them in the alley of Yuzhou, the six-month-old girl had been cleaned up and looked beautiful by Chunniang.
At that time, I was drawn to Chunniang's diligence and patience.
Tao Dayong meant, "Is the child gone?"
"Shuang'er!" Wei Xun dismounted.
He could tell from Chunniang's presence that she had done something disgusting, or that she had caused Pangxi's fall.
He kicked Tao Dayong far away.
"ah!--"
Tao Dayong slid six feet across the ground!
He felt as if his internal organs were about to burst out, and that he would see the King of Hell the moment he opened his eyes!
He coughed up blood, his eyes filled with stars, and shouted, "I'm going to sue you for disregarding human life!"
Shuang'er quickly grabbed him, "Don't kill him, it'll be a terrible sin."
Wei Xun said, "I am merely acting on behalf of Heaven. People like this are responsible for countless deaths."
Chunniang ran over, her face pale, and grabbed his collar, crying, "What have you done to my daughter!"
"Didn't you say your mother-in-law was watching over her? What do you mean by saying the three of you are going to meet the King of Hell?"
Tao Dayong winced in pain, "What...what do you mean? What do you mean?"
"She died of illness! Because her mother went to breastfeed someone else, she had no food or water and died!"
Chunniang looked at him with red eyes.
"How could he have died of illness! Madam Yao specially arranged for two months' worth of milk to be delivered to our door every day! How could he have no food or drink!"
“I send money home every month, so why don’t you see a doctor when you’re sick!”
The chubby little boy in Yao Shisan's arms had woken up. He raised his head and looked at the people at the door, babbling incoherently.
From afar, he saw Chunniang's back.
Her small, lotus-root-like hands stretched out towards her, as if she wanted a hug.
Chunniang did a good job taking care of Xiaopangxi, and Xiaopangxi liked her very much.
Little Fatty can't speak yet, but he already has his own thoughts and is very clear about who he likes and dislikes.
He liked Chunniang, his sister, Shuang'er, Xiuzhou, and his mother had to be ranked last.
Wei Xun and Zhou Congxian would cry if they were hugged, and Jiang Xingyao could be hugged, but not for long.
As if sensing something, Chunniang turned around with tears streaming down her face.
When Little Fatty saw her face, he immediately started waving his arms and legs excitedly.
Looking at the child's appearance, Yao Shisan decided she wouldn't use Chunniang anymore. Better a short pain than a long one. Now that Wei Xun was here, she didn't care how that person dealt with her anymore. She turned around and took the child back home.
Once they passed the screen wall, Chunniang was no longer visible. Little Fatty's lips trembled with joy, and he immediately burst into tears.
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