"Sneak out at night, in the middle of the night. Take whatever you can from the kitchen, including bedding and clothes. Once the shrew wakes up, you won't be able to take a single piece of firewood."
"Okay, I'll try to bring as much as I can."
"Stay at the inn for a few days after you leave, and head to the county town later. If we run into each other on the road, you might be in big trouble."
"Yes, I will listen to Master."
Zhao Dawen took out all his belongings from the cabinet on the kang (heated brick bed), leaving himself not a single penny.
"Take all this silver with you; it's all my worldly possessions. Take all the books on the table with you; you should know how valuable they are."
Xiao Cui carefully wrapped the silver and books, along with the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Zhao Dawen sighed, "What a pity. My eldest son still has some books. If only Xiao Cui could take them with her."
Fortunately, most of the books are in his room, since his son comes to him for help with anything he doesn't understand.
“Master, Xiao Cui will miss you.”
Zhao Dawen touched the girl's smooth face. "Me too. Wait for me in the county town. I'll come find you."
Xiao Cui was different from Xiao Hong; she had never been to such a dirty place and was very pure of heart. He was the only one in her heart; she considered him her everything.
With her, Zhao Dawen felt needed, a real man with a sense of being in charge. He liked her even more because being with her made him feel like he had become many years younger.
Wang, oh, that old woman's face was full of wrinkles and her skin was very rough. Because she raised pigs and chickens at home, she always had a smell of manure on her body. She was not as clean as she was in the county town. Her fingernails were full of black spots. How could he be interested in her?
If it weren't for the fact that the children were grown up, the family wasn't poor, and Wang was too fierce, he would have wanted to change wives long ago.
It's not like we can't afford to replace him; Zhao Dawen is capable of doing it!
The two were reluctant to part, so deeply in love that they didn't sleep all night.
At the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), she said, "My dear husband, you must take good care of yourself. Xiao Cui is leaving now."
Zhao Dawen waved his hand, "Hurry up and go. Don't worry, I would never tell them you're hiding in the inn. Be careful with all that stuff you're carrying."
Xiao Hong secretly stole all his silver before, unlike Xiao Cui, who gave it to him voluntarily.
No matter what Wang does to him tomorrow, or what crazy things she does, he won't reveal a single word.
Xiao Cui's eyes flickered slightly. An inn? She wouldn't go there; she'd rent a mule cart and leave the city in a moment. It was too easy to get caught here.
She's going to live in a county town not far from the prefectural city for a while, where she'll rent a small courtyard. As for whether or not she'll go see Zhao Dawen, she'll decide after the New Year.
She probably won't go. With Wang Shi around, her going would be suicide.
She couldn't even go back to her own family home; if she did, all her money and possessions would be gone, like throwing meat buns to a dog.
We'll deal with the future later; let's escape first.
As dawn approached, a figure darted into the kitchen of the small courtyard where Zhao Dawen rented a room. A long time later, a person who had almost been buried under a bundle quietly left the courtyard.
Wang barely slept all night, only managing to drift off to sleep a little as dawn approached, before suddenly waking up again.
She couldn't sleep in the house where Zhao Dawen and that slut were having an affair.
Zhao Dawen didn't sleep either, worried that Xiao Cui might get into trouble if she went out, so he didn't dare to sleep at all.
"Zhao Dawen!"
Wang's shout startled Zhao Dawen so much that he almost rolled off the kang (a heated brick bed).
"What are you doing so early in the morning? Can't you keep your voice down?"
Unlike his Xiao Cui, who, although also from a peasant background, spoke softly and gently, her voice was incredibly pleasant to hear.
Wang scoffed, "So, this bastard is actually looking down on me?"
"Give me the money." Wang was too lazy to waste a single word on him and simply reached out her hand.
Zhao Dawen's eyes darted around, but luckily he had anticipated Wang's move and let Xiao Cui escape a step earlier.
"What silver? I don't know what you're talking about!"
Wang couldn't stand his pathetic state, so she grabbed his face and slapped Zhao Dawen twice across the face. "Stop arguing with me! Where's the money? Hand it over!"
Zhao Dawen's wails were so loud that when his two sons came in, they saw their mother beating their father, her mouth twitching at the same time. It seemed that their mother had gotten used to beating her father.
How will Dad live after this?
"Mom, what's wrong so early in the morning? Dad is already badly injured, can't you just calm down for a bit?"
Wang paused, realizing this was the good son she had raised with countless sums of money.
It's definitely better to be close to money; at least I won't be heartbroken.
Ignoring her unfilial son, Wang said, "Zhao Dawen, hand over the money, or believe me, I'll beat you to death."
Phew, I thought it was something serious, turns out it's about money. It's normal that Mom doesn't let him manage the money since Dad did this.
"Father, hurry up and give me the money. Do you want to get even more hurt?"
Zhao Dawen gritted his teeth and refused to open his mouth, even if it meant his death.
If that old hag finds out the money is gone, she'll probably chase after Xiao Cui, and who knows how far she'll get. He needs to hold out a little longer so she can escape.
Wang was furious. She scratched Zhao Dawen's face until it was unrecognizable, but still couldn't find out where the money was. So she just started looking for it herself.
They searched the entire house but couldn't find any silver.
"You bastard, don't tell me you spent the money. Where is the cash?" Wang roared.
The two sons stood trembling at the door, neither daring to intervene. They both thought their father was courting death; how could he dare to offend his mother at a time like this?
"No, I'm out of money, I've spent it all!"
Wang raised her hand and slapped Zhao Dawen twice more, causing his mouth to bleed.
When Zhao Dashu's family arrived, they saw it. Wow, they had already started beating their sister-in-law so early in the morning. She's really fierce.
What's wrong with them? Why are they fighting so early in the morning?
Old Master Qian's eyes widened. Da Shu pulled him outside, saying there was a show to watch. He didn't expect there would be a show as soon as he entered the door.
"Brother and sister-in-law, have you eaten yet? What are you doing so early in the morning?"
Wang, panting heavily, threw Zhao Dawen aside. "I advise you not to force me. If you do, I'll chop two ounces of your flesh off with a knife!"
All the men in the room shuddered and instinctively squeezed their legs together.
Wang turned her head and asked, "Why are you here so early? How did you get in?"
She didn't hear the knocking; if she had, she definitely wouldn't have knocked on Zhao Dashu's door.
"The door was open, so I came to see how you and your brother were doing. What, sister-in-law, you're not welcome?"
The door wasn't closed?
They were fighting last night and didn't even close the door before going to sleep?
"You didn't close the door?"
"It's off. I turned it off last night."
Why is that door open?
Wang came to find fault with Zhao Dawen as soon as she woke up, but she always felt that something was wrong at home.
I just can't remember what's wrong with it for the moment?
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