In the ruined temple outside the city, the big man finished his work and turned around. He saw that there was only a bundle of rope left on the ground, and the other woman had run away. He clicked his tongue twice and said pityingly to the woman lying motionless on the ground, "Your mother doesn't love you either. It's better for me to love you."
As he said this, he took out a bunch of copper coins from his arms, about twenty cents, and stuffed them into her arms along with his bundle of firewood. Then he tightened his trousers and left with a satisfied look on his face.
Liniang looked at these disgusting things in her arms and wanted to throw them away but was reluctant to part with them. She was instantly heartbroken, clutching her chest and clothes, and burst into tears. It’s so shameful to feel useless and cowardly!
The mixture of various thoughts made her head swell, as if it was about to burst.
I don't know how long it took, but a gust of cold wind blew her awake. She numbly buttoned and tied her pants. He put his torn coat on his body, held the firewood in his hands, and walked into the city step by step.
There were many lost people on the road, as numb as walking zombies, which didn't seem to make her special.
Liniang walked and walked with firewood in her arms, and found that she had actually walked back to her parents' home. Her mother-in-law's family has a modest income, and they usually do small business to make ends meet and live in the outer city.
The wall is dilapidated, but it also blocks the view from the outside. She bit her lip and stared at the tall door, but did not dare to walk over and knock on the door.
She didn't know how her family would react when they saw her.
My mother said that when she got married and took her husband's surname, she became a member of another family and would rarely return to her natal family in the future.
My mother said that a woman should learn the three obediences and the four virtues, and take her husband as the key and the heaven in everything.
My mother also said that when she feels wronged, she should swallow it in her stomach and stop complaining mindlessly all day long, as no one will help her...
Day after day, her mother taught her this since she was a child. Therefore, after she married into the Wang family, she was willing to serve her husband and her mother-in-law, and she did not return home once in two years.
Suddenly, the door in front of me opened, and a skinny little mother-in-law came out. That was her mother. After two years of not seeing each other, her mother has become even thinner.
When her mother saw her for the first time, her expression was stiff, surprised, and confused, but she was not happy.
It wasn't until he saw the firewood in her hand that he came over with a smile.
"Liniang, I haven't seen you for a long time. Are you having a good time? I see that your face is very red. Wang Xiucai's family has been designated. Oh, this firewood is specially brought to your mother's family? Thank you for your hard work. No need. You’re so polite, come and play often in the future.”
Her mother talked to herself and snatched the firewood from her arms. She didn't even glance at the frostbite on her hands. She didn't care that her clothes were messy, and she didn't intend to let her in for a sip of hot water. .
With a "bang", the door closed tightly.
Liniang lowered her head and looked at her empty hands, which were only cold.
"Ha-ha-ha-" She couldn't help but laugh, the corners of her eyes were hot, and her heart was full of sadness.
She wandered around the city until her legs became stiff, like a wandering soul without emotions, not knowing where she was going or where she could go.
Finally, he returned to Wang's house.
Wang Xiucai and Mrs. Liu were sitting in the main room, one with an angry face and the other with a guilty face. Seeing her come in, they both seemed to want to say something.
Liniang didn't care, she didn't glance at them from the corner of her eye, she just used the remaining firewood to melt the snow water, then went into the house and scrubbed for an hour.
When Mrs. Wang came back with her people, she saw that there was no firewood and no water. She stared and was about to shout.
Wang Xiucai had a sullen face, suddenly snatched the grain bag from her hand, and shouted, "This is my home! My Wang Wen's home! You guys are like beggars! Just stay in my house and don't leave. What are you trying to do here? If you piss me off, I will sue the officials and arrest all of you silverfish!"
He usually has a gentle appearance and speaks in a soft voice, but suddenly he burst out, frightening everyone to the point where their legs weakened and they suddenly did not dare to say a word.
They don’t know if a scholar who sues an official will be favored by the government, or if the family is separated and he doesn’t have to bear the obligation to support him. They don’t know if a scholar who sues an elder will be accused of being unfilial. They just hear the word suing an official. Just afraid...
——Jiang family——
Jiang Yue put on a mask for Jiang Nian and touched the side of his face, "Still it smells bad?"
Jiang Nian frowned and nodded.
I don’t know what happened to the Wang family next door, but it became more and more smelly! This smell doesn't smell like poultry, but like human feces and urine.
It snowed heavily and it was covered and frozen. When the door is closed, ordinary people can hardly smell it. But Jiang Nian's sense of smell was so good that his head started to hurt when the wind blew.
Jiang Yue had no choice but to move the two of them to another room to sleep in, away from the Wang family.
Jiang Nian took a bath with soap and felt better after his body smelled fragrant.
"Don't they find it smelly? Living in a house like that every day, I'm afraid the smell is all over them, right?"
"Zi, today the teacher will teach you another literate word. You can stay in a house of orchids for a long time without smelling its fragrance. You can stay in a house with abalone for a long time without smelling its smell."
"What's the meaning?"
"Although these two sentences are used to describe the principle of making friends with red people who are close to ink, but their original meaning is probably that you will not feel fragrant after staying in a fragrant environment for a long time. At the same time, Li, you won't feel the smell even if you stay in a smelly place for a long time. The Wang family next door has already picked up the smell, but they don't know it..."
Who says it's not the case? Today, five or six of them rushed to the yamen gate to collect food. The old lady wanted to cut in line. The people behind were not happy at first, but the old lady put her hands on her hips and opened her mouth to curse, and the smell on her body was off-putting. No more. He quickly gave in and said to let her lead them away first.
She was still complacent, thinking that others were afraid of her.
She had to go even further and asked for a share of the grain between the two households. The yamen official responsible for dividing the grain had the right household registration. He didn't even want to say anything and didn't want anyone to get entangled here, so he quickly gave the person a liter of grain and sent him away.
He was holding his breath until he almost lost it. Do these people really not know that they stink? Five or six people surrounded him, and he almost lost his breath!
