Chapter 85: The Head of the Zhou Clan

Chapter 85: The Head of the Zhou Clan

There was a commotion in Zhou Village, even the clan leader was alarmed. However, before he arrived, Mancang had already welcomed Zhao Sufen into their courtyard. The curious villagers lingering outside refused to disperse, so Mancang, feeling uneasy, closed the gate to block their prying gazes.

Zhao Sufen stood in the yard, surveying her surroundings just as Taohua had done years ago when she first returned to Zhou Village. Mother and daughter shared the same feelings – the courtyard had aged significantly, yet it felt strangely familiar. After all these years, not even the water jar had been moved from its original spot. The uneven patches in the yard remained untouched, everything was as they once were. The bench sitting in the yard was still the same one, save for its missing leg – nothing else had changed.

Mancang seemed to grasp the situation. Without asking how his mother and brother-in-law Dogzi had come, he promptly led them to the main house – the very room where his mother and father used to live. It faced the sun, allowing sunlight to stream in during the day, providing ample light.

Zhao SuFen stood in the room, scanning her surroundings. Everything was just as she remembered: the wardrobe still stood there, its door unable to close properly and needing a prop to keep it shut. That wardrobe had been the only new piece of furniture acquired when she married Mancang's father, but its faulty construction, with doors that wouldn't close, seemed to foreshadow the imperfection of her second marriage.

The wardrobe now bore the marks of age, yet it was dust-free. Evidently, Mancang had been diligently cleaning it, keeping the place tidy. Beside his mother, Mancang watched as she examined the wardrobe before reaching out to touch the bed frame. He hadn't mentioned to her that since returning from his sister's and brother-in-law's home, he'd spent days cleaning the house inside and out. The wardrobe and bed frame were freshly wiped, and even the tables and chairs in the main hall had undergone a thorough scrubbing, drying just yesterday.

Deep down, he had felt that his mother would return, and he wanted the house to be presentable, to reassure her that he had been thriving and taking good care of their home and himself. Whenever she chose to come back, everything would be clean and orderly.

Sure enough, Mother had returned, accompanied by Dog. Seeing that his mother didn't need assistance, Mancang led Dog to the main hall for some hawthorn berries. "Here, Brother saved these for you." Grasping a handful from a basket in the hall, he offered them to Dog, affectionately patting his head with a smile.

Dog had been unusually quiet these past few days, lacking his usual vitality. Uncomplaining, he followed his mother wherever she went, behaving obediently without a fuss. He knew she would never abandon him. He understood that he could no longer return to the Qian family – with Mother and his two elder brothers splitting the household, he no longer belonged there. On their journey, he had expected they would head to his sister and brother-in-law's place, but to his surprise, Mother had brought him to Brother Mancang's home.

Is he going to live here from now on?

Dogzi took the hawthorn but didn't put it in his mouth. Instead, he offered it to Mancang: "Brother, you eat it first."

"Mancang, it's for you. Eat it," Mancang noticed Dogzi's cautiousness and felt uneasy. Seeing his brother-in-law tending to the half of the pork in the yard, he lifted Dogzi onto a stool, crouched down in front of him, and looked into his eyes, softly asking, "Dogzi, will you live with Mother and me, alright?"

Dogzi fiddled with the hawthorn. He was just a five-year-old boy. After the great upheaval in his family, he had turned from a child with a father into an orphan without a home. Though he was worried and scared, with Mother and Sister by his side, he had suppressed those emotions. Now that both were absent, his two older brothers who had always been together were hastily pushing him out. Yet, this brother who had only spent two days with him was gently seeking his consent. The tears that Dogzi had held back for days suddenly streamed down.

He didn't cry loudly, instead biting his lower lip and wiping away his tears persistently. Neither Zhao SuFen, busy arranging the bedding inside, nor Wei Dahu, who had exceptional hearing, noticed his weeping.

Mancang's heart ached at the sight. He took the nearly ruined hawthorn from Dogzi's hand, peeled it, and fed it to him. The sweet fruit filled his mouth, and through his sobs, Dogzi's tears turned into a smile as he started eating it himself. Through sniffles, he said, "Brother, you...you're really nice."

He wasn't being troublesome at all and was easy to please. Mancang cherished him even more: "So, do you want to? The three of us, Mother and sons, can live together."

After crying, Dogzi felt less distressed. Chewing on the hawthorn, he swung his short legs in mid-air since the stool was high. Looking at his elder brother, he declared, "I'm willing. Brother, I'll help you fight the village kids. If anyone dares to throw stones at you again, I'll crack their skulls open!" With a fierce expression, his mood was as unpredictable as July weather. Even though teardrops still lingered on his eyelashes, he was now grinning widely, "We have hens at home! Brother, let's catch bugs in the vegetable field to feed them!"

"Sure, tomorrow we'll catch bugs for the chickens. When the hens lay eggs, I'll ask Mother to steam you an egg custard," Mancang replied with a smile.

"We'll eat together," Dogzi offered his hand. Mancang then lifted him down. Dogzi rushed into the house, clinging to his mother's legs, begging to stay here and sleep with his brother. He also mentioned that his brother had promised to go to the vegetable field with him tomorrow to catch bugs for the hens.

Zhao SuFen observed his reddened eyes and understood everything. She looked up at her eldest son standing by the door, her own eyes also misting over. How mature he was, how considerate Mancang had become...

Wei Dahu was unaware of the emotional exchange inside the house. He had already separated half a pig's head, arranging the pork - including the head, tail, ribs, hocks, and belly meat - neatly in a bamboo basket, creating a scene filled with the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

When the Zhou family patriarch arrived with his entourage, Wei Dahu still held a bloodied cleaver in his hand. Hearing the knock on the door, he didn't wait for Mancang to come out before opening it himself.

The Zhou patriarch was an elderly man with gray hair. Wei Dahu couldn't quite guess his age; he seemed old, but not as weathered as those who spent their days laboring in the fields. His hair was white, but his hands lacked calluses, suggesting he hadn't lived a hard life. He had learned from a fellow clansman that the fair-skinned woman, Zhao, had returned with her husband and child, carrying numerous bags as if they were struggling to survive outside and had come back to rely on her eldest son.

Upon hearing this, he felt a headache coming on. From the beginning, he had known she wasn't suited for domestic life. How could a proper woman bring another man home immediately after her first husband's death? Who would believe she wasn't unfaithful? While that foolish Li might be oblivious, he knew Zhao well. She had cunning intentions; barely had her first husband been buried when she secretly sold all her property to a village family with many sons. How could he tolerate such a woman? After Mancang's father died, he had instructed someone to keep an eye on her, fearing she might remarry and sell off the Zhou family's land to outsiders, taking the money and her daughter to find another home!

In the Zhou patriarch's eyes, Mancang's father was a simpleton. Back then, he had rejected the match they had arranged for him, and instead chose a widow, allowing her to raise another man's child!

Arriving with his clan in a menacing manner, he had prepared a scolding no matter who opened the door. Adopting his most stern expression, he was about to speak when the tall, muscular figure greeted him with a smile, "Guests are always welcome. Please come in and let's talk."

One doesn't hit a smiling face, so the clan members were taken aback by his polite demeanor. The words they had intended to say got stuck in their throats as they swallowed them back. With the door wide open, indicating hospitality, the patriarch threw back his sleeves and stepped inside. He wanted to see what game they were playing!

If that fair-skinned woman tried to involve Mancang in some scheme, they would need the consent of the Zhou family!

Everyone inside had heard the knock. Upon seeing the patriarch, Mancang showed no sign of panic. Instead, he invited the patriarch to take a seat in the main room and asked the other clansmen to sit as well. These were all elders, uncles and elders by relation.

When everyone was seated, he wanted to go to the kitchen to pour them water, but his fellow villagers stopped him. They all understood his situation; why would they need water when they came to visit? The village chief had a hidden agenda, mainly due to the seating arrangement. He knew that Mancang was just a young and inexperienced boy, yet he invited him to sit in the prominent seat. However, he reserved the lower position for that fair-skinned woman, Lady Zhou from the Zhou family.

His attitude was not lost on those in the main hall; he was practically handing over the family to her!

In less than an hour of her arrival, she had already convinced Mancang to give her control over the household? This woman was indeed a formidable figure, and he was now on high alert.

How could Zhao Sufen not understand her son's intentions? She glanced at Mancang. The main hall was packed with members of the Zhou family, leaving no space for Mancang. So, he fetched a small stool and sat by the door. Seeing his mother's gaze, he nodded gently. Now that his mother was back, it was only natural for her to take charge of the family. She would handle the household affairs and greet the guests.

Relieved that her son had paved the way, Zhao Sufen felt confident. Gazing at the village chief, she smiled warmly, "It's been so long since I last saw you, and you're still in such good health. That's great, truly great. Our Zhou Village has such nourishing surroundings, producing strong men, harmonious women, and long-lived elders. Life here is comfortable."

"So, you've returned?" The village chief's aged eyes studied her. After leaving Zhou Village, she remarried into the Qian family in Apricot Flower Village. These were no secrets in the neighboring villages where marriages were interconnected. It wasn't something hidden. His disdain for Zhao stemmed not only from her quick remarriage after her first husband's death, selling off their assets and taking her daughter with her, but also because she left Zhou Village without any hesitation and was promptly taken in by Chef Qian.

How did a housebound woman like her get to know Chef Qian from Apricot Flower Village? The village chief sneered inwardly. Perhaps it was during the year he celebrated his sixtieth birthday when Chef Qian prepared a feast at his home, and she, being one of the guests, had an affair with him!

Now, right after Chef Qian's death, she had returned to Zhou Village with her child born outside of the marriage. Was it not enough that Mancang's father took responsibility once? Did Mancang have to do it again?

Did he really think the Zhou family had no one else!?

"Author's Note"

"Bug fixing later"