Seeing that Xiao Zhengde was about to speak again, and fearing that the village chief would disperse if she spoke too slowly, Old Mrs. Xiao quickly made a request before Xiao Zhengde could speak.
“Village chief, it’s one thing that you don’t care about Xiao Dayong smashing up our house, but now he and Li Shi, as our son and daughter-in-law, won’t even cook for us. Tell me, is this how it works?”
Am I, who's practically fallen from the sky, supposed to have to serve them?
Seeing that Old Madam Xiao was relentless and refused to acknowledge his mistakes, showing no remorse whatsoever, Xiao Zhengde frowned deeply and said...
"I've said it so many times! You reap what you sow, and this applies to children as well!"
Parents being kind and children being filial—is it the same thing to do it voluntarily or to ask for it?
The punishments that needed to be meted out have been meted out, and the fines that needed to be imposed have been imposed. The rest is up to you two to figure out how to get along. You are my own son and daughter-in-law, I can't be at your house every single moment to watch how you live your lives!
Besides, you all have hands and feet, so Xiao Yan and Lao Si's wife should also fulfill your filial duties! You have to support your own household and make a living. How can you do it if you don't know anything?
Spoiling children has its limits. As the old saying goes, "Spoiling a child is like killing a child." They also need discipline!
These words were practically accusing Old Mrs. Xiao of being muddle-headed and Xiao Yan and Xie Yujiao of being lazy!
After Xiao Zhengde finished speaking, he ignored what Old Madam Xiao was rambling on about and waved his hand dismissively.
"That's all for today. Let's all take this as a warning. Alright, everyone go home and get on with your business!"
After saying that, he darted away and disappeared in a few steps!
Everyone watched the spectacle unfold, and the punishment seemed fair. Seeing Old Mrs. Xiao's fate, some even made sarcastic remarks about her family, such as...
"Some people are biased and favor their own side!"
"That's great! The loyal servant is disheartened; it's hard to say whether he'll ever have such comfortable days again!"
Or gloating, for example
"We don't spoil our daughters and daughters-in-law like that! They have no respect for elders, are lazy and greedy, and bring shame to the family when they go out!"
One after another, they made the whole family so embarrassed that they didn't dare to lift their heads.
The Li family was unaffected; on the contrary, they were elated!
Grandma Xiao's demands were not met at all, and she was even beaten. She was furious and fell ill when she got home!
Despite the old lady Xiao's nagging and shouting on the kang, Li was determined not to care. She would cook for her own family on time, bring the food inside to eat, and wash the dishes afterward. She would cook whatever was delicious!
After finishing his meal, he didn't forget to find some snacks for Peach Blossom. He would make clothes and shoes for his family whenever he had free time, and he even asked someone to act as a matchmaker for Green Pine!
To prevent the woman from knowing the character of Old Man Xiao and Old Woman Xiao and refusing to marry her daughter to them, Madam Li specifically said that she would build a separate house for Qingsong and Qingbai so that they would not live together in the future!
As soon as this news spread, things quickly became clear. A matchmaker had already found a girl she liked and said she would bring the two boys to meet in a few days!
These past few days, Mrs. Li has been beaming with joy, and she's walking with a spring in her step!
Old Man Xiao, Xie Yujiao, and Xiao Yan took turns asking her to cook, but she always refused with a single sentence.
"Whatever, we've already eaten. If you want more, go make it yourselves!" That's how they were dismissed.
Xiao Yan and her group wanted to act arrogantly?
Not only did Xiao Dayong disagree, but even Qingsong and Qingbai stared at them with wide eyes, and Li Shi rolled up her sleeves before saying a few words!
In the past, Li had been patient and thought they were easy to bully, but when it came to a real fight, Li's physique, built up from years of hard work, made it easy for her to beat the two of them. For a while, the two of them really couldn't do anything to her!
When Li, who was used to accepting losses, suddenly refused to accept them anymore, the family conflict immediately erupted!
The day she returned from the ancestral hall, Old Madam Xiao fell ill. She was so angry that she had a headache, and her heart, liver, and lungs all ached. She lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) groaning and refused to get up!
Her illness was partly due to genuine anger causing pain in her heart, liver, and lungs, and partly an act to put on a show for Li Shi, hoping to make Li Shi submit!
But Li pretended not to see it and didn't respond at all!
In the afternoon, the group was so hungry that they couldn't stand it anymore. Old Man Xiao angrily yelled at Xiao Yan and Xie Yujiao to cook!
The two pushed and shoved each other, but were met with a rebuff at Li's place, until Old Man Xiao finally cursed...
"If you're not going to cook, get out of here!"
The two reluctantly went to the kitchen. Xie Yujiao, relying on the baby in her belly, refused to start a fire and only agreed to wash rice and vegetables. Although Xiao Yan had a good husband who made her feel superior, she still planned to rely on Xiao Yuanhang to support her in the future, so she didn't dare to really offend Xie Yujiao. She had no choice but to squat in the stove and start a fire herself!
Now we can see that this person isn't completely clueless! They know exactly how to treat themselves well!
After the meal, the two of them were choking and their eyes and noses were running, and the food was still half-cooked!
Xie Yujiao's mixed vegetables were barely edible, but they were cut very roughly, far inferior to Li's cooking skills!
Old Xiao almost vomited after just one bite, especially the rice, which was neither porridge nor rice, and had a burnt and undercooked taste!
He had no idea that millet seeds could taste so awful!
Grandma Xiao was so angry that she cursed loudly, feeling sorry for them wasting food!
But everyone was so hungry they were dizzy and weak. What could they do if they didn't eat?
This is such a precious grain, and it's millet! We can't just throw it away!
I had no choice but to eat it, even though it hurt my heart!
They were all almost sick of eating.
Xiao Yan and Xie Yujiao, in particular, were almost in tears from eating!
However, this was just the beginning. Because they had eaten lunch in the afternoon, they skipped dinner.
There were simply too many people who didn't want to cook, and too many who really didn't want to eat, so they all went to bed early that night!
The next day, before dawn, several people woke up from the cold and shivered in their blankets!
In the dead of winter, they didn't eat or heat the kang (heated brick bed) last night, and it got cold before dawn!
The warmth in the blankets was about to dissipate! The group could only wrap themselves in the blankets and shiver on the kang (heated brick bed)!
In the past, Li would get up early to heat the kang (a heated brick bed) for them, even boiling water for washing their faces. By the time they got up, the kang would be warm and the room would be cozy. But now, their little faces were all pale with cold! They cursed Li for being heartless and inhuman while lying on the kang!
Li didn't care about any of that and was still sleeping soundly in her warm bed!
Since the falling out, Li's life has become increasingly comfortable!
Under Li's meticulous care, Tao Hua's injury has healed considerably!
The old lady Xiao and her companions huddled under the covers, shivering. They intended to hold out until dawn before calling Xiao Yan and Xie Yujiao to start a fire. Of course, Xiao Yan and Xie Yujiao thought the same thing, figuring that since the old lady Xiao woke up early, she would definitely go and start a fire if she couldn't stand it anymore, and then she would probably burn down her own kang (heated brick bed) too!
But they were all overthinking it!
Grandma Xiao and Grandpa Xiao really couldn't take it anymore, but neither of them was willing to get up and heat the kang (a heated brick bed). After all, it was the dead of winter, and who would want to brave the freezing northwest wind and the pitch-black sky to go out and heat the kang?
So, once again, the lazy one started bossing the lazy one around! The lazy one could only stare helplessly!
Xie Yujiao lives in the next courtyard. Old Mrs. Xiao is not even willing to leave her house, so she certainly wouldn't go to the next courtyard to greet Xie Yujiao. She could only call out to Xiao Yan through the door. When Xiao Yan heard that she was being called to heat the kang (a heated brick bed), she didn't say a word and pretended not to hear!
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