Chapter 92: All Are Suffering Souls, Who Would Look Down on Whom?

Chapter 92: All Are Suffering Souls, Who Would Look Down on Whom?

"My sister-in-law from my mother's side lives next to Wang Sufen's house. The fence is so low that my sister-in-law could often hear the young couple chatting in their courtyard when she was still at her parents' home. They say that in the past, Wang Sufen and her husband were quite affectionate, with a very good relationship..."

The villager's eyes sparkled as they gossiped, saliva flying.

Wei Pozi listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with a few words to encourage the villager to continue.

"... Later, the harvest was bad, and there was a drought. The crops in the fields decreased. Wang Sufen's husband would go down to the river to catch fish for her to nourish her body... But later, the river almost dried up, and he couldn't catch any more fish. Their life became incredibly hard."

"At that time, Wang Sufen gave birth to a child. My sister-in-law told me that both mother and child were so weak that they could be blown over by the wind. To make matters worse, during a time when they couldn't even get enough food, the child fell seriously ill."

"Wang Sufen's husband was also anxious, borrowing money everywhere. But his parents had passed away, and his brothers were not doing well either. In a famine year, who would have extra money to lend?"

"Later one day, no one knows how Wang Sufen's husband suddenly got some money, but by then, it was too late to save the child..."

"It was tragic. We later found out that Wang Sufen's husband had borrowed money from the town's gambling den... What a fool, how easy is it to borrow money from a gambling den?"

"After that, it was said that Wang Sufen's husband used the last bit of silver left in the family to try his luck at gambling to pay off the debt. What a fool, how easy is it to enter a gambling den?... A few days ago, I heard that Wang Sufen's husband struggled for two years, and the debt only grew larger. In the end, unable to repay, he jumped into the river. Tsk tsk, they say the house was taken by the gambling den, what a tragedy."

Hearing this, Wei Pozi's eyes darkened.

Anyone who gets involved with a gambling den will suffer greatly.

But Wang Sufen's husband didn't do it for himself; he did it for his family.

It can only be called a tragedy.

Wei Pozi sighed along with the villager.

"... Wang Sufen is a capable woman," the villager recalled, "very nimble and skilled at managing household affairs. Your brother will be fortunate to have her."

Suddenly, the villager leaned in close to Wei Pozi and whispered, "... But, Wang Sufen has some weakness in bearing children. However, I remember your brother has a son, so you don't need to worry too much..."

Wei Pozi knew that once the villager started talking about how Wang Sufen's figure suggested she couldn't bear sons, she wouldn't get much more useful information.

She chatted a bit more with the villager and then returned home.

Words like 'can't bear sons' meant nothing to Wei Pozi.

Her brother had already lost two wives, and the woman named Sufen was about to become the third. No one blamed her brother for being a wife-killer, so what did it matter if she could or couldn't bear sons?

Wei Pozi sighed silently.

All are suffering souls, who would look down on whom?

...

It rained for two days.

Xingxing and Ju Geer couldn't go out, so they stayed under the eaves, watching the rain pour down.

Because of the rain, the village school was closed, and the Yu family boys didn't go out.

However, the teacher had assigned homework, and the boys were gathered around the dining table, discussing their assignments.

Li Chunhua, half troubled and half proud, said to Wei Pozi while doing needlework, "Mother, we're running out of paper and ink again. We'll have to buy more from the county... Other families struggle to supply one boy with enough materials for studying, but we have to supply four at once..."

Wei Pozi's hands flew with the needle, without raising her eyebrows, "What's the problem? In the past, we had to survive first. Now, things are getting better, and we have some extra money. If the children want to study, we should support them!"

Bai Xiaofeng was even more animated, "If our family can produce a scholar, we can hold our heads high when we go out!"

Li Chunhua clicked her tongue, "A scholar, you dare to dream..."

As they talked, Xingxing suddenly ran back from under the eaves, "Grandma, someone's in the yard! They're looking for Third Brother."

Liu Geer, who was teaching his youngest brother Gui Geer, looked up, "Looking for me?"

He got up and went out to see. It was a classmate, wearing a straw raincoat, who had braved the rain to ask him about the meaning of a few sentences in their homework.

Feeling that his raincoat was wet, the classmate didn't enter the house but waited under the eaves. Liu Geer went out and explained a few things to him.

The classmate's face lit up with understanding, thanked Liu Geer excitedly, and then ran back into the rain.

Li Chunhua watched through the window, amazed, "Our Liu Geer is so capable? People are willing to brave the rain just to ask him about their homework..."

Bai Xiaofeng was extremely proud, covering her mouth and smiling, "Not bad! He's been top of the class in the last few exams."

Li Chunhua was envious, but then she thought about how her own children were also doing well. Moreover, when Liu Geer succeeded, the entire Yu family would benefit.

Thinking this, she felt less distressed.

She quickly let it go.

Wei Pozi glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law, seeing no jealousy on her face, and felt very relieved.

"Speaking of which..." Bai Xiaofeng whispered to Wei Pozi and Li Chunhua, "Didn't Zhou Wuniang always openly and secretly praise her son Wang Qianan's studies? I secretly asked Gui Geer, and he told me that he can't compare to his third brother..."

Wei Pozi gave Bai Xiaofeng a disapproving look, warning her, "Don't ask such questions of the children in the future. They should focus on their studies. Asking these questions will only foster a sense of competition among them."

Seeing her mother-in-law's stern expression, Bai Xiaofeng hurriedly agreed.

Rainy days were mostly rest days for farmers.

The Yu family's able-bodied men rarely had a day off.

The rain continued until the afternoon before gradually stopping. But shortly after it stopped, a villager came to inform the Yu family, asking if anyone was available. There had been a landslide on the hill behind the village, and it seemed someone was buried. The village was looking for people to help clear the area.

A landslide was a serious matter, and none of the Yu family's able-bodied men hesitated. They immediately followed the villager to the site.

Huai Geer, being strong, followed them out.

Xingxing had never seen a landslide before and was quite curious, but seeing the solemn expressions of Wei Pozi and the other aunts and uncles at home, she did not go to join the commotion.