The Family Had Split, Why Should I Care if They Go Broke? - Chapter 11

Zeng Xiaoyan thought so too — whether it was drinking brown sugar water or eating little snacks, it was always done behind people’s backs.

But in the end, they were all one family, living together for the long haul. Eventually, people would find out.

Her eldest brother and sister-in-law didn’t mind much. After all, it was her own money she was spending, and once in a while she’d share a handful of melon seeds or a couple of preserved plums with her nieces and nephews to taste. What adult would be shameless enough to keep an eye on her small treats?

The second sister-in-law, Lady Zhao, however, was resentful. She sniped at her in a sarcastic tone, accusing her of eating alone without sharing. Then she quarreled with her own husband, saying their parents-in-law were unfair — why should the third sister-in-law get to eat well and laze around every day?

At first, Chief’s Wife couldn’t be bothered to respond. But when Lady Zhao brought the matter directly to her, she lost her patience and said, “Those were all bought with her own money. If you also bought things with your own money, you could do the same. No matter what the third daughter-in-law is like, your two children have eaten and received plenty from her over time. What more do you want?”

Lady Zhao, who was good with her hands and often embroidered handkerchiefs to sell, retorted that in that case, from now on, she would keep all the money she earned from selling embroidery for herself, and not hand over a single coin to the household fund.

Chief’s Wife grew even more annoyed and sneered, “Don’t you know your third sister-in-law has already contributed six mu of good farmland to the family? As for the money from your embroidery, I’ve only been taking seventy percent — the other thirty I’ve left to you. I’ve never taken it all. If you dare to keep things to yourself, then we’ll split the family. You and the second son can go live separately!”

Lady Zhao was furious but didn’t dare make a scene again.

Only a fool would agree to split the household.

With just the little she earned from embroidery, what could she manage? Her two children were still young, and raising them cost money.

Although she no longer openly complained, Lady Zhao still held a grudge in private, and she especially couldn’t get along with Zeng Xiaoyan.

Zeng Xiaoyan, for her part, had a very simple temperament—she disliked people she disliked, and she liked the people she liked to death.

She considered Xu Zhichun a kindred spirit. Knowing that Zhichun had lost a lot of bl00d and that brown sugar was good for replenishing it, she looked at the half-jin of brown sugar she had left and decided to take all of it to her. It would be just enough for her to recover.

Half a jin wasn’t much, but not little either. Wrapped in yellow paper, it was impossible to hide it away.

When Zeng Xiaoyan left the house with the sugar, she ran straight into Lady Zhao.

The two of them had never liked each other, and whenever they met, it was normal to exchange a glare or a snort. A few sharp-tongued remarks wouldn’t have been unusual either.

But today, Zeng Xiaoyan was in a hurry to go eat chicken and enjoy the food made from lantern fruits. She didn’t want to waste her time on Lady Zhao, so she ignored her.

Lady Zhao didn’t want to talk to her either, but her gaze was irresistibly drawn to the wrapped half-package of brown sugar.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

She didn’t really care where Zeng Xiaoyan was going—she wanted to know where such a large bundle of brown sugar was headed.

“None of your business,” Zeng Xiaoyan replied without looking back.

Lady Zhao stiffened in anger, cursed under her breath, and quietly followed her.

She wanted to see exactly what Zeng Xiaoyan planned to do with that much sugar.

From a distance, she saw Zeng Xiaoyan enter Xu Zhichun’s yard. Lady Zhao let out a cold laugh and turned back home.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

Her third sister-in-law hoarded food, unwilling to share even with her own family, yet she’d eagerly take a big bundle of sugar to give to an outsider?

Such a large package of brown sugar, too! How generous of her to the wrong people. What a fool, turning her elbows outward.

Was Xu Zhichun, who had failed in her attempt to follow her husband in death, really that worthy? Did she deserve someone running over to gift her brown sugar like that?

The more Lady Zhao dwelled on it, the more her dislike for Xu Zhichun grew as well.

She originally thought of telling her mother-in-law about it, but remembering how biased the old woman was toward her youngest son and his wife, she lost heart. If she said anything, her mother-in-law would probably just act generous and say, “It’s her own stuff, she can do with it as she likes. Pah!”

That only made her angrier.

So Lady Zhao didn’t say a word in front of Aunt Liang. Instead, she went to sow discord with her eldest sister-in-law, Lady Liu.

Lady Liu was helpless—she knew her second sister-in-law’s old habit was acting up again.

She trusted their mother-in-law’s words: A person can only carry the size of a bowl they’re capable of holding. Why keep staring at what’s in someone else’s bowl? Whatever they have or don’t have, it’s theirs. The important thing is to live your own life well.

Besides, no matter what, the third sister-in-law never stirred up trouble first. Just the six mu of good farmland she had brought into the family meant they could now eat white rice almost every day, only occasionally making mixed grain meals. The saved grain could be sold for money to go into the household fund. Wasn’t that enough?

Her own money was hers to spend—why begrudge it?

These days, the second sister-in-law’s temperament was growing more and more petty. She always wanted to keep the third sister-in-law under her thumb, but why would the latter ever agree?

When she couldn’t control her, she grew resentful. What could anyone say to that?

Although Lady Liu inwardly disapproved of Lady Zhao, she couldn’t rebuke her outright.

After all, their mother-in-law already kept a tight rein on Lady Zhao; if not, who knew how far she’d take her quarrels? If the mother-in-law played the stern role, then Lady Liu had to play the gentle one—otherwise, the household would fall into chaos.

So she tried to soothe Lady Zhao with kind words.

But Lady Zhao wasn’t looking for comfort. She wanted an ally. Someone to stand with her in condemning Zeng Xiaoyan, someone who shared her grudge.

When Lady Liu spoke a few gentle phrases, Lady Zhao quickly lost patience. Her face darkened, and she snapped back at Lady Liu before storming off.

Lady Liu froze for a moment, then gave a faint, cold laugh and muttered under her breath, “Ungrateful thing. Father and Mother are far too lenient. One day, she’s going to take a nasty fall.”

Meanwhile, Zeng Xiaoyan’s large bundle of brown sugar startled both Xu Zhichun and Aunt Zhu’er.

Xu Zhichun quickly said, “Why did you bring so much? Just a little to make some sugar water is enough. You should take the rest back.”

“Take it back for what? I brought it especially for you, Sister-in-law Zhichun, to help you recover. Brown sugar water replenishes bl00d—have two bowls a day and build yourself back up.”

“This—”

“Sister-in-law Zhichun, don’t be formal with me. I’m not short on this. If you refuse, you’re treating me like an outsider.”

With no choice, Xu Zhichun smiled and thanked her, making three bowls on the spot so each of them could have one.

After drinking the sugar water, Zeng Xiaoyan joined in removing the seeds from the lantern fruits. They only needed the seeds, and in no time, they had about a jin, more than enough.

Xu Zhichun took two pieces of muslin, wrapped the seeds inside, washed her hands, fetched a clean basin, poured in spring water, and began rubbing the bundle gently. Before long, a gelatinous substance began to seep out.

“See that? Just keep rubbing like this until the gelatin comes out. Once it’s gone, we can move to the next step.”

Zeng Xiaoyan and Aunt Zhu’er each tried it once and were delighted.

“There really is something coming out! It’s slippery.”

“Exactly! Who would’ve thought the seeds of a little lantern fruit could make something like this? Amazing. Zhichun, how did you know?”

Zeng Xiaoyan also looked at her curiously.

Xu Zhichun was prepared, smiling calmly. “It’s a snack from my hometown.”

Zeng Xiaoyan suddenly understood and said offhandedly, “So you’ve made it before?”