Chapter 12: Handling a Shrew

Chapter 12: Handling a Shrew

Ye Xiaoxiao opened her eyes wide, wondering how there could be such a sarcastic person in the world!

"I'm not looking up words, I'm reading a book."

"Oh... whatever."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..." So annoying.

Grandpa soon finished his tasks. After reading for a while, Ye Xiaoxiao and the others helped with wrapping dumplings and boiling water once the dough and filling were ready.

Ye Xiaoxiao was really bad at wrapping dumplings. While others' dumplings stood neatly, hers were all over the place.

Grandpa Miao laughed and showed Ye Xiaoxiao how to wrap them properly.

By the end, she could actually wrap dumplings that looked like little ingots (a symbol of wealth in Chinese culture).

Ye Xiaoxiao felt satisfied. At home, a nanny always did the cooking, and her family members were all workaholics who never cooked.

This was a new experience for her.

The water in the large pot came to a boil, and Miao Fengshan added the dumplings. When they floated to the top, they were nearly ready.

Miao Fengshan served them up in bowls and plates, along with some homemade pickles.

In the countryside, dumplings didn't need many side dishes, and with only one large pot at Grandpa's place, it was a hassle to stir-fry after boiling the dumplings.

Everyone was already satisfied.

Having dumplings was enough; who needed a bicycle? (A Chinese saying meaning "don't ask for more when you already have enough.")

The four of them sat around the kang table (a traditional heated bed used as a table in northern China), eating cabbage and pork dumplings, feeling happy.

After dinner, it was pitch dark.

With nothing else to do, everyone usually turned in early.

But today, the family was more excited. Ye Changsheng read by kerosene lamp light.

Ye Xiaoxiao didn't read and instead said to Ye Changsheng, "You're going to ruin your eyes like this."

"Everyone studies this way."

Ye Changsheng knew it was bad for his eyes, but what could he do?

Their teaching standards were already behind, and compared to national college entrance exam candidates, they had no competitiveness, so they needed to work even harder.

"Let's go to the post office sometime. I want to see if there's any mail for me."

Calculating the time, Duan Lei should have gotten the study materials by now.

It's been a month. Even if Uncle Duan had him confined, it should be over by now.

Ye Changsheng: "Okay."

"Miao Fengshan! Come out!!"

A shrill voice suddenly called from outside, breaking the tranquility of the small courtyard.

The voice was filled with anger, sounding like someone coming to stir up trouble.

Unfortunately, it was too dark to see who had arrived.

Miao Fengshan was equally confused.

He opened the door and walked out, wanting to see who was visiting at such a late hour.

Ye Xiaoxiao and the others quickly got off the kang, fearing that their grandfather might get the short end of the stick.

At the entrance of the yard, Li He was trying to restrain a furious woman, "Enough, this matter has nothing to do with Uncle Fengshan, don't make a scene."

The woman shook off Li He, "How is it unrelated? It was their family who started this trend, and now they just walk away from it, leaving us to suffer..."

Miao Fengshan came out with a flashlight and realized that the visitors were Li He and his wife, Zhang Guimei.

"It's you two, what's going on... is there a problem with today's wages?"

Li He blushed in the dark, mumbling, "Uncle, the wages are fine..."

Miao Fengshan eyed them, "Then what is this about?"

Zhang Guimei pushed Li He aside and stepped forward, "Uncle, here's the deal. Wasn't it your family who started the trend of selling melon seeds at the movies? Now that your family has made money and left, we're stuck with all these melon seeds.

Well? Shouldn't your family take responsibility for this? Shouldn't you be held accountable!"

As soon as Ye Xiaoxiao stepped out, she heard these words and was immediately shocked by how shameless they were.

Worried that Miao Fengshan might actually give in, Ye Xiaoxiao spoke up first, "Auntie, it's a waste of resources that the country didn't use your face to develop bulletproof vests."

Ye Changsheng couldn't help but chuckle, "Pfft..."

Zhang Guimei snapped, "What are you getting at?"

Ye Xiaoxiao's gaze fell behind Zhang Guimei, stopping at the mule cart at the entrance, which was loaded with several large sacks, likely packed with melon seeds.

Yikes! Looks like they bought a lot. No wonder they're so desperate.

She spread her hands, looking innocent, "What I mean is, you copying our melon seed selling has nothing to do with us. If you really want to pursue this, Auntie, you should pay us for the idea first."

"You... if you don't help us get rid of these melon seeds today, I... I won't leave."

Zhang Guimei, who usually loved to make a scene and exploit others, was quite unlike her honest and decent husband, Li He.

Seeing her acting so shamelessly, Miao Fengshan's expression hardened.

"Li He, do you agree with this?"

"Uncle Fengshan, I'm really sorry, I'll get her out of here."

Li He knew better, but he couldn't control Zhang Guimei.

Before Li He could pull her away, Zhang Guimei started screaming her head off, "There's no justice! My own husband is helping outsiders bully me! I wonder if he's been bewitched by some little vixen outside."

In the quiet of the night, the sporadic barking of a dog could be heard from beyond the wall.

Zhang Guimei's loud cries almost roused the neighbors.

"What are you blabbering about!" Ye Changyuan was already furious, and hearing the rumors, he lunged forward to hit her.

But in front of outsiders, Li He still had to protect his wife and quickly stopped Ye Changyuan.

"Changyuan, don’t be angry. Uncle’s got this—I’ll take your aunt home now."

He managed to stop Ye Changyuan, but Ye Xiaoxiao was another story.

When Zhang Guimei started spreading malicious rumors, Ye Xiaoxiao rushed forward, grabbed her hair, and slapped her.

It was Ye Xiaoxiao’s first fight, and she threw herself into it with all her strength. She swung her arm with all her might.

"Auntie, you came to our house just to stir up trouble and extort money, right? Let’s go to the police station and see how the police handle this. I’m warning you, slander and insulting others can lead to a prison sentence!"

Ye Xiaoxiao was still holding Zhang Guimei’s hair. She was taller than this short woman, and she had the upper hand.

Zhang Guimei let out a sharp scream, "Ah!!! Li He... Li He, are you just going to watch someone mess with your wife?"

Li He was still stunned. He was busy stopping Ye Changyuan, and this young man had a lot of strength.

But he had known Ye Xiaoxiao for a month, and she was just a dainty little thing, probably not even doing any work, with no calluses on her hands.

His wife, who only knew how to be tough at home, was actually being beaten and screaming for mercy by a young girl.

Shameful! How embarrassing!

Ye Changsheng walked over to pull Ye Xiaoxiao, seizing the chance to step on Zhang Guimei several times.

Miao Fengshan: "Get out!! Get out of our house, and if you make a scene again, we will definitely call the police!"

Li He quickly pulled his wife away.

Only when the sound of the donkey cart disappeared down the road did the four generations in the yard look at each other and smile.

Ye Changyuan: "Xiao Xiao, I didn’t expect you to be so feisty, actually rushing forward to hit someone."

Ye Xiaoxiao was embarrassed, "It was my first time doing something like that. I guess I just snapped."

Miao Fengshan’s tone was concerned, "Were you hurt just now? That woman is a handful. Stay away from her when you go out in the future."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Grandpa, I’m fine, but will she give you grief in the future?"

Miao Fengshan: "Grandpa is not afraid of her. If she starts something again, Grandpa has plenty of ways to deal with her."

Miao Fengshan had taught in Songlin Town for many years and had connections, so he wasn’t afraid of Zhang Guimei.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Grandpa is really something else!"

Miao Fengshan: "Hahahaha..."

A burst of uproarious laughter came from the yard.

Ye Changsheng shook his head, wondering why Grandpa had also become fond of mischief.

But he didn’t dislike the current atmosphere.

After this incident, it felt like everyone’s relationships had tightened up.