Upon hearing this, Yang Huamei was so shocked that the hoe's legs were shaking, and the pork hanging on the hoe handle almost shook to the ground.
"You guys just take a walk, there's nothing interesting to see."
She swatted away the old ladies with pouty mouths like flies, and angrily rushed into the house amidst the screams of the old ladies.
In the main room, Dabai and Xiaohei glared at each other like two fighting cocks. Hongmei was caught in the middle and stretched out her hand to ward off the two brothers.
On the ground, there were kicked-over mats and broken tea bowls.
"What's going on? How did it happen like this? It's only been two days since the peaceful days and you're already in trouble, aren't you?"
Yang Huamei slammed the hoe on the ground and scolded her two sons.
Xiao Hei clenched his fists with both hands, arched his back, puffed out his cheeks, and glared at Dabai hatefully with his white eyes, as if he might jump up at any time and hit Dabai on the head with his fist.
Yang Huamei's outburst made him calm down a little.
Faced with Yang Huamei's questioning, Xiao Hei felt a little aggrieved. He pointed at Dabai opposite and complained angrily to Yang Huamei.
"It's not me who is guilty, it's my brother who bullies honest people!"
"What do you mean?" Yang Huamei asked again.
Xiao Hei pointed at the bundle rolled under his feet and the few stones scattered around the bundle, and almost cried.
"I picked him up like a fool, and he used a few rocks to fool people. This is not bullying an honest person!"
Yang Huamei glanced at the things on the ground and was confused.
"Dabai, what's going on? Why did you come all the way back carrying a few stones?"
Facing Yang Huamei's questioning, Dabai was not as angry and aggrieved as Xiaohei showed. He just smiled bitterly.
Yang Huamei then said to Xiao Heina: "Your brother didn't bring much money with him when he went out this time. He was starving and freezing outside. Don't be so ignorant as a child."
Xiao Hei shouted unconvinced: "You can't fool me, the baggage is so heavy, it's just fun to take advantage of others!"
Yang Huamei recalled how happy Xiao Hei was when he took Da Bai's bundle at the edge of the field, and couldn't help but frown.
She turned around and said to Dabai with a bit of blame: "Your brother went to pick you up. You should understand what he is thinking."
"Mom, I don't expect you to bring anything back. As long as your people are in good condition, that's fine. But you shouldn't be fooling him with a few stones, right?"
Dabai still smiled bitterly.
Hongmei was caught in the middle and wanted to help explain, but was stopped by Dabai.
"Mom, this is my fault. My brother and I admit our mistake and promise not to do this again next time."
Xiao Hei became more and more confident after listening to Yang Huamei's words, stamping his feet and humming in his nostrils.
"Is it useful to admit my mistake? It makes me happy in vain, huh!"
"Xiao Hei, you're almost done!" Yang Huamei's face dropped.
"How old are you? Aren't you that three-year-old kid who made such a fuss over a bite to eat? Aren't you afraid of people laughing at you?"
Xiao Hei lowered his head and blushed in frustration.
Yang Ruoqing handed the pork belly to Hongmei: "Take it and burn it. This matter has been exposed and no further trouble is allowed."
Hongmei took the pork belly and immediately took it to the kitchen to clean up.
When Xiao Hei saw the pork belly, it was as if he had seen a treasure, and all the previous frustrations were gone.
"Wow, you want to eat meat for lunch? That's great, that's great. Sister-in-law, I want the braised one without potatoes..."
He shouted after Hongmei, but before he could finish shouting, Yang Huamei was slapped on the forehead.
"It's just two kilograms of pork belly. How many bites can you eat without potatoes? Do you really think that you are a rich young man who can eat meat as much as you want?"
Xiao Hei rubbed his head and laughed. As long as he had meat to eat, what would it matter if he got beaten and scolded a few more times? That's nothing!
"Then I'll get the potatoes and I'll help my sister-in-law!"
Xiao Hei Saya ran away. Looking at the cheerful back of her youngest son, Yang Huamei was so angry and funny that it finally turned into a distressed sigh.
When she turned around, she found Dabai, who had been scolded by her earlier, lamely collecting things on the floor.
He lifted up the stools one by one and put them back into their original positions. He picked up the stones one by one and put them in the corner. He patted the dust off with an empty handkerchief and folded them neatly on the table.
Seeing such an understanding, Yang Huamei couldn't bear to say any more harsh words.
"Mom, come and clean up. You go back to the house and rest for a while. I'll call you during dinner."
"Mom, everything is almost done. Sit down. My son has something to show you."
Dabai sat Yang Huamei on the stool, then went over to close the door of the hall, then took out something wrapped several layers from his pocket and put it in Yang Huamei's hand.
"This is...silver? Where did you get the silver?"
Yang Huamei looked at the broken silver mixed with a few copper plates in her hand, and was shocked.
Dabai smiled and said, "I earned it outside during this period. For ten days or so, the total is two taels of silver and ten wen. I gave it to my mother for safekeeping."
When Yang Huamei heard this, her pupils opened wider.
She held the money in her hand tightly, her face twisted in surprise.
In the past, Wang Shuanzi worked in the school and only had nearly two taels of silver in a month.
Dabai went out and made two taels of silver in just ten days. He is very capable, very capable.
"I was afraid of being spotted by pickpockets, so I deliberately picked up a few stones and put them in my bag."
Dabai explained the reason for the stone to Yang Huamei again, proving that he did not deliberately play tricks on his younger brother Xiaohei.
Yang Huamei had long been shocked by her eldest son's ability. Now that she heard his hard work, she was even more moved and her eyes were red.
She handed the money back to Dabai, and nodded repeatedly with red eyes, "Mom wrongly blamed you. You keep the money for yourself. Mom doesn't want it."
This was her son's hard-earned money, how could she bear to take it?
However, Dabai insisted on putting the money into Yang Huamei's pocket.
"You are my mother. No matter how much money I earn, I must leave it to my mother for safekeeping. Don't be too little for me."
Yang Huamei was so happy that she burst into tears. She shook her head repeatedly, "How can I? Mom just loves you."
"You can take this money. You will need money later when you go out to do business..."
"Mom, please keep this money for me. If I need money later when I go out to do business, I will tell my mother how much money I need, and she will just give it to me."
"That's fine, but will Hongmei have any objections?"
Yang Huamei knew that Hongmei used to be a master of accounting in the shop.
Dabai smiled and said, "Don't worry, mother, this is what she meant. Our mother has the final say, and everything is decided by her."
Dabai's sonorous words, regardless of whether they were based on filial piety or vanity, greatly satisfied Yang Huamei.
"Sure, then Mom will keep it for you."
"By the way, son, what kind of business are you doing outside? How can you make so much money in just ten days?"
Feeling relieved, she couldn't help but curiously asked again.
