034 – Daughter-in-law PK[1] Mother-in-law
“So powerful!” Qin Mian walked quickly to Lei Tie and grasped his hand excitedly. “I’ll study hard in the future. When you teach me, I’ll put my heart and soul into it.”
Lei Tie looked at the hand tightly grabbed on his, not batting an eyelid. It was small and still thin. “Depend on your performance.”
Qin Mian said: “No problem! If I’m right, you really like me——really like my cooking, don’t you? You can eat more now than you used to in that old house. I’ll make you more delicious food later, alright?”
Lei Tie was surprised that the wife seemed to have misunderstood him. His words “depend on your performance” referred to the aptitude of the wife to practice martial arts. However, he didn’t plan to rectify it, and a smile swept past the corner of his lips.“En. The dew is dense on the mountain, go back.”
Their shoes and trouser legs were wet with dew from the vegetation.
They went down the mountain hand in hand. Qin Mian habitually looked at the scenery in the forest, so he was unaware of it.
Back at home, Qin Mian immediately started to run around the house.
Lei Tie hesitated for a moment and didn’t hurry out to the farmland. He took out his toolbox, sat at the door, and seized the time to complete the last procedure of the wooden cart. Every time the little wife gallantly passed in front of him, he looked up.
After Qin Mian ran for five laps, he was sweating and panting. He was fully aware that going beyond the limit was as bad as falling short. He went to make breakfast after washing his face.
The wooden cart was soon finished. Lei Tie was only going to make an ordinary flat cart to pull goods. At Qin Mian’s suggestion, he added compartments. The compartments were made into detachable type. If the cart was loaded with firewood and other things, the compartments could be removed to increase its capacity; if it was for carrying people, the compartments could be installed to give shelter from the wind and rain.It took a total of two days for Lei Tie to plant two mu of farmland by himself; half a mu of vegetables and half a mu of wheat. Paddy field and dry farmland were basically used universally, so after a mu of paddy field was meticulously sorted out, it was planted with wheat.
After the work in the farmland was finished, Lei Tie went to Zhang Dashuan to inquire about the purchase of building materials and later went to the town to make a purchase. He only had to wait for the other people in the village to be done with the busy farming season before the construction could start.
Soon, everyone in the village knew that Lei Tie was going to build a new house. The Green Mountain Village was neither big nor small that even a trivial matter could be spread in a hubbub. There would admiration, jealousy, and also many sour[2] words.
People in the old house definitely had heard the news. Qin Mian was always on guard against them coming to find fault. Even if when going to the vegetable garden to pick vegetables, he either let Lei Tie go or try to stagger the time.
Even so, he still couldn’t avoid it.
That day, when Qin Mian was cooking in the kitchen, he heard a sharp female voice in the distance and the corner of his mouth involuntarily rose.
“Eldest brother is feeding the ox ah.”
Du Shi, Zhao Shi, and Qian Shi came together as a group. Zhao Shi greeted while smiling happily and Qian Shi also had a smile on.
Only Du Shi was stone-faced. Her eyebrows were slender, her cheekbones were protruding and her mouth was thin, which when pursed tightly, the corners of the mouth unconsciously flicked down, seeming exceptionally vitriolic.
Lei Tie’s action of shaking apart the straw didn’t change in the slightest. He looked back and asked dully: “Is there anything?”
Qian Shi was a little afraid of this brother-in-law. When she came into contact with his cold eyes that one was unable to perceive any emotion, she felt timid and seamlessly retreated back to fall behind Du Shi and Zhao Shi. This was a favorable position that if there was a loss, Du Shi and Zhao Shi would suffer; if there was a small advantage, she would take. Nevertheless, her pair of eyes spun around and when she saw the compartment under the eaves, her eyes brightened.
“What are you saying? You’re our eldest brother, can’t we come even if there isn’t anything? Mother and we especially came to see you guys today. Eldest brother’s words are mean.” Zhao Shi said in a rebuking manner with a touch of intimacy tone, as if the relationship between their families were very good.
But it was a pity that she came across was Lei Tie, this kind of fashion was useless against him. Lei Tie didn’t make a sound, as though he didn’t hear her.
Du Shi used to “fight” with Lei Tie many times before. Knowing that he was not easy to deal with, she didn’t bother to argue needlessly with him, and without outsiders here, she didn’t hide her dislike for Lei Tie anymore. She said coldly: “Now that you are grown and become independent, you don’t take me and your father seriously. How could I dare to offend you again? Since you have the money to buy an ox and afford a house, then give that 100 Wen.”
Qian Shi’s delicate brows creased as she secretly gave her a look of dissatisfaction. The old lady made a mistake today. No matter how one looked at it, Qin Mian was easier to deal with than Lei Tie. Why did the old lady directly attack Lei Tie? Thinking of such, she still disinclined to raise her head.
Zhao Shi clicked her tongue, “Eldest brother, this is your fault. Since you have money, take the initiative. You bought ox and stuff, people in the village all have noticed it. Now, who doesn’t know you are liberal with money? If they know you haven’t given that money yet, who knows how many bad things they will say about you behind your back! But why should it? Eldest brother, do you think this one is right?”
Lei Tie turned and went inside the house.
Qin Mian had been peeping through the window crack in the kitchen. Seeing this, he was sure they came to ask him money. He rolled his eyes with a smile and put down the spatula before going out.
Lei Tie caught sight of him and opened his mouth, about to speak.
Qin Mian hinted at him and walked to stand in front of him. His intention of not letting Lei Tie speak was obvious.
“Mother, second younger brother’s wife, and third younger brother’s wife, why are you all here? Pardon me, the stir-frying echoed, so I didn’t hear you. Please take a seat.”
Seeing that Qin Mian had other plans, Lei Tie kept silent as he wished and watched him served cold water.
Du Shi gave Qin Mian a cold look and sat down at the table.
Zhao Shi and Du Shi dawdled. When they entered the hall, they stealth a few glances into the bedroom through the half-closed door. The furniture in the room was still those same pieces, which made them a little disappointed.
Du Shi didn’t look at Qin Mian. “We have agreed for 100 Wen every month, Eldest shouldn’t have to forget it? Since you have promised, you should be more conscious and don’t make others urge you, or people who don’t know would think that as a mother, I extort from you.”
Lei Tie said: “My wife manages the money.”
All of a sudden, three pairs of eyes full of surprise and shock looked at Qin Mian.
Qian Shi exclaimed in a fuss: “That’s what happened? Eldest brother, eldest sister-in-law is still young and has no parents’ home to look after him; isn’t it inappropriate for him to manage money?”
Qin Mian’s face darkened as soon as he heard it. Who couldn’t tell her meaning was that he came from other places, afraid that he would take the money and ran away.
Zhao Shi also chimed in malicious intentions, “Third younger brother’s wife is right. Eldest brother, you still need to be careful with your wife, don’t end up losing both the person and money. Oh, look at my mouth. I mean, if something goes wrong, isn’t it you who is going to be heart-broken? Eldest sister-in-law, don’t think that I speak badly, I only speak frankly.”
Qin Mian didn’t get angry but smiled a little and took a sip from the teacup, then unhurriedly said: “Second younger brother’s wife and third younger brother’s wife, we have already separated [from the family], isn’t it inappropriate of you to extend your hand[3] to your brother-in-law’s family? If this gets out, it’ll hurt your reputation.” Acting like this is your family!
Lei Tie was indifferent and silent, as though his speech right was given to Qin Mian.
Zhao Shi and Qian Shi were even more shocked and looked at each other. It would be bad for them to talk about it and if words got out, it wouldn’t be pleasant to hear. But if it was Du Shi who spoke, she would be unimpeded. They both looked at Du Shi.
Du Shi was not a fool. Before the separation, she didn’t get any money from Lei Tie and now she couldn’t count on it anymore. She glared at Zhao Shi and Qian Shi, looked at Qin Mian, and said impatiently, “Fine, give the money quickly. I don’t have an effort to debate with you.”
“Mother, don’t be in a hurry.” Qin Mian went to the kitchen to serve them a pile of fragrant fried peanuts. He said enthusiastically, “This had just been out of the wok. It’s very fragrant. Taste it.”
Lei Tie took a look at Qin Mian. He hadn’t thought that the little wife wanted to foster cordial relations with the old house, but he still didn’t speak out.
“The peanuts are well fried, fragrant, and not scorched at all. Eldest sister-in-law is very skilled!” Zhao Shi praised, smiled at Qin Mian, and immediately reached for a handful of peanuts. Immediately, a plate of peanuts was a quarter less.
Qian Shi was unwilling to fall behind and immediately reached out. Having something to eat, she no longer wanted to talk and quickly stuffed the peanuts into her mouth.
Qin Mian reddened with shame for them. Seeing Du Shi’s face was not good, he quickly put the plate in front of Du Shi’s and said with a smile: “Mother, second younger brother’s wife, and third younger brother’s wife, even if you guys don’t come today, I was going to visit you.”
Thinking that he was going to offer money, Du Shi’s face eased up a little.
Zhao Shi and Qian Shi also thought the same.
But Qin Mian said: “Well, to tell you the truth, Brother Tie did have some money in hands at the beginning of separation. It’s also not proper for the husband to have money in hands. Second younger brother’s wife and third younger brother’s wife, don’t you think so? In particular, the beloved child, second brother. I saw him buy a tasty vegetarian pastry for Dabao two days ago…”
Tasty vegetarian pastry? Why didn’t she know about it? Du Shi gave Zhao Shi a fierce look. Even if she was an old biddy, she often heard the villagers said that the tasty vegetarian pastry was good and also expensive, which people generally wouldn’t want to buy it. Where did the second [child] get the money? It must be his private saving.
Zhao Shi trembled as she opened her mouth to explain but Qin Mian didn’t give her a chance at all. As if he didn’t notice it, his glib talk was especially quick-witted, “But Brother Tie can’t hold money at all. You see, not long since we’ve been living here, he bought an ox, bought land, and build another house! I told him these things don’t need to rush, but he wouldn’t listen…”
The corner of Lei Tie’s mouth twitched a little.
Note:
[1] PK as in the game player-killing (PK)
[2] Sour = jealous
[3] Extend one’s hand can mean interfere
