Chapter 99: Chapter 95: Not Putting Up With It Anymore

Wang Zemin hesitated for a moment, then counted out twenty for her.

His third sister also came forward and borrowed twenty, followed by Eldest Aunt Wang. In total, eighty yuan was split perfectly among the four siblings, twenty for each.

The three sisters took the money, helped clear the dishes from the table, tossed them into the pot, and then left.

Wang Zemin stared at the remaining twenty yuan in his hand and sat in a daze for a while. He glanced at the tables and stools in the courtyard, then wearily got up, picked up a stool, and headed toward the main hall.

On the way, Wang Zhixue told his mother and aunt the reason for the argument.

It turned out Eldest Aunt Wang’s grandson hadn’t been satisfied with the zongzi and pastries from Lin Lan and had thrown a tantrum, rolling on the ground and demanding more.

Eldest Aunt Wang complained that Lin Lan had sent too few zongzi, calling her stingy.

Wang Zhilin had retorted that the “stingy” person at least brought festival gifts, while the supposedly generous ones showed up empty-handed every year.

Wang Zeming then slapped him and said Yang Liqun hadn’t raised her children well, after which the three sisters began to gang up on her.

The third son, Zhidong, said his dad and aunts were being unreasonable, and he too got a slap on the head from his uncle.

Yang Liying looked at Yang Liqun with exasperation. “Sis, can’t you be a little tougher! Look, Zhixue and the boys are all grown up, but Wang Lianxiang and her sisters still come to torment you every festival. Have you ever wondered why they don’t dare go to Second Brother Wang’s house and boss people around?”

Wang Zhilin pursed his lips. “Auntie, they’re meek as lambs at Second Uncle’s house. If they dared to cause a scene, my Second Aunt would grab the big broom and chase them right out.”

Wang Zhidong said quietly, “Mom, that money Aunt Lin Lan gave back to us… when we get home, our aunts will probably ’borrow’ it all again.”

“Borrow? When have they ever paid back a single thing they’ve ’borrowed’!” Yang Liqun said through gritted teeth. “I’m not putting up with it anymore. If it comes to it, we’ll go our separate ways.”

It was rare to see her sister so resolute, and Yang Liying quickly voiced her approval. “Sis, I support you!”

When they arrived at Lin Lan’s house and greeted Lin Yuezhen, Yang Liqun looked around at the courtyard full of vegetables and the ramie plants growing along the base of the wall. “Everything looks so full of life!” she said happily.

Yang Liying smiled too. “Sis, go check out the bamboo grove in the backyard. She’s raising over thirty chickens back there!”

“I’ll go see.” Yang Liqun started toward the backyard.

Wang Zhilin looked at Lin Lan with a pitiful expression. “Aunt Lin Lan, is there anything to eat? I’m starving.”

Lin Lan smiled and nodded. “Yes. Zhixue, go get some zongzi from your aunt to eat. I’ll toss some pig’s head meat for you all and heat up the leftovers so you can fill your bellies.”

Yang Liying stopped her with a smile. “I’ll do it. You’ve been working hard for days, you should rest.”

Wang Zhidong blushed and said, “Auntie, I’ll help you with the fire.”

Yang Liying waved him off with a smile. “No need. Your Aunt Lin Lan uses coal, so all I have to do is stir the embers.”

After Yang Liqun and her sons had eaten, the matriarch arrived with Little Douzi and Dandan. Seeing the state Yang Liqun was in, she gave her another lecture.

Yang Liqun promised she wouldn’t swallow her anger and stay silent when she returned home this time.

That afternoon, Yang Liying prepared a big meal with drinks at her house and had everyone over for a lively gathering.

After dark, the mother and her sons stayed the night at Lin Lan’s house.

Wang Zemin waited until dark, but Yang Liqun and the boys still hadn’t returned. The chickens in the yard were CLUCKING insistently, demanding food, and the pig was SQUEALING in its pen.

He went to check the kitchen; the dishes from lunch were still sitting in the pot. By the time he had fed the chickens, washed the dishes, and chopped up some hardy greens to cook the pig feed, the night had fallen silent.

Rubbing his empty stomach, he scraped the last bit of cold rice from the steamer, heated it, and ate. He lay on the bed, still fully clothed, thinking, ’Yang Liqun will probably be back tomorrow.’

＊＊＊＊

When Lin Lan got up in the morning, Little Douzi was already waiting. “Mama, Brother Dandan is waiting!”

Lin Lan paused for a second, just then remembering she had promised before the Dragon Boat Festival to take him and Dandan to buy picture books and see a movie. She smiled and nodded. “Alright, we’ll go right after breakfast.”

When Yang Liqun heard Lin Lan was taking the boys to a movie, she smiled and said, “You go on ahead. I saw some old rags in that other room yesterday. I’ll stay here and paste together some fabric soles to make new shoes for you and Little Douzi.”

“Okay.” Lin Lan nodded, then looked toward Lin Yuezhen. “Sis, do you want to come with us?”

Lin Yuezhen shook her head again and again, gesturing that she would stay home and help make the fabric soles.

So, Lin Lan took Little Douzi to the matriarch’s house to pick up Dandan, and the three of them headed for the movie theater.

The movie was *The Seventh-Rank Sesame Official*. It told the story of a county magistrate named Tang Cheng who stood up for the common people and brought down a corrupt aristocrat. The plot was lively and the performances were witty.

The two children giggled nonstop as they watched.

After the movie, Lin Lan took the boys to the Xinhua Bookstore, where each picked out two new picture books. As they left, they passed a repair shop and saw a wooden crate outside filled with more picture books. A sign was propped up on the crate that read: “Used Picture Books: Fifteen for one yuan.”

“Little Douzi, Dandan!” Lin Lan called out to the two children, who were skipping ahead of her. “Come over here and look! There are so many picture books.”

“Ooh!”

The two children ran back. The shop’s repairman moved the sign aside and smiled. “Go on, take your pick! I’ve got the complete *Generals of the Yang Family* series, *Tunnel Warfare*…”

The two boys picked out the ones they liked and put them in a pile. Lin Lan chose some more, buying five yuan worth in total. The owner was so pleased he threw in a few extra to round the number up to an even eighty books, then found a large paper bag for her to carry them in.

Lin Lan carried the bag of books and led the two happily skipping children home.

Lin Lan figured that since the Dragon Boat Festival had just ended, every household would be full of zongzi, so she reduced her production of bean rolls and orchid beans by ten percent.

When she went to set up her stall that afternoon, there were indeed fewer people at the black market. For the first time, she had some pea rolls and pea cakes left over.

****

Wang Zemin waited at home until dark, but no one returned. The next afternoon, the house was still empty. When he came back from work to a cold stove and an empty pot, with the chickens and pig still needing to be fed, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He locked up and headed toward the First Production Team’s area.

Arriving at Lin Lan’s house, he found the courtyard gate open and saw Yang Liqun with another woman he didn’t recognize. They were in the yard, tearing up old, ragged clothes to make fabric soles.

Seeing that Lin Lan and the others weren’t around, Wang Zemin felt much more at ease. He stood at the entrance to the yard and said, “Liqun, the pig at home is getting thin from hunger.”

Without turning her head, Yang Liqun replied, “You can go back first. I’ll return after Zhixue and Zhilin get here.”

“Oh!” Wang Zemin turned and left, pleased.

When Lin Lan and Yang Liying returned from their stall, Yang Liqun told them about Wang Zemin’s visit. “I’m going to head back once Zhixue and the boys get here.”

Lin Lan knew that staying away for even a few days was the most her sister-in-law could manage. She smiled and nodded. “Alright. Come visit again when you have time.”

Yang Liqun smiled and nodded. “I will. Thanks to you and Liying, I’ve actually had a few peaceful days.”

“Zhixue and the boys are so sensible and obedient. Your peaceful days are still ahead of you!” Yang Liying said. Thinking of her painfully proud brother-in-law, she frowned. “Sis, if you go back now, that money Lin Lan paid you back is probably long gone.”

Yang Liqun froze for a moment, then gritted her teeth. “We’ve been married for so many years, and we’re both hardworking. Why have we only managed to save a few dozen yuan? It’s because of those sisters of his, always ’borrowing’ two yuan one day and three the next.”

“If he really gave them that money, I’m separating our household finances the moment I get back. If I don’t, as soon as they find out Zhixue is earning money, there’s no telling who that money will end up belonging to!”

Yang Liying nodded. “You should discuss it with Zhixue and Zhilin. If that’s what’s happening, you should separate the households and manage your own finances.”

“Go back, see how things are, and talk it over. If you decide to separate the households, we’ll support you,” Lin Lan said.

A short while later, Wang Zhixue and his brothers returned, and Yang Liqun led her sons on the journey home.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep