Chapter 147

147 Changing Hearts

Li Yu stood under the eaves and looked up at the green mountain opposite her under the cover of the snow. The originally verdant forest had turned into a vast expanse of white.

Li Yu sighed. She felt that many things had changed as time passed. On second thoughts, she felt that many things had not changed. What had changed was the human heart.

A few days later, the news of the Chen family going to Li Yu’s house to buy rice seeds spread in the village.

When Chen Yaohui found out, he said angrily to Madam Li, “I told them not to buy rice from Xiaoyu, but they still went. Go and ask Chen Xiuqing which women went?”

Madam Li glanced at Chen Yaohui and felt a little annoyed. “Ah Hui, I know Xiaoyu’s temper. If she was willing to give it to you, she would have done so long ago. If she wasn’t willing, she wouldn’t have agreed even if you put a knife to her neck. I think Xiaoyu is just too good toward them. The last time Cuixiang wanted to secretly take the wool thread in the workshop home, I found out about it and scolded her. Do you know what she said? She said that Xiaoyu’s workshop earns so much money in a year. She only took a bundle of yarn. It’s not like Xiaoyu can’t afford to lose money. I was furious at that time.”

Chen Yaohui frowned and looked at Madam Li. “Did you tell Xiaoyu about this?”

Madam Li nodded. “I told Brother Ruyi who deducted her salary for a month. He said that if this happens again, she shouldn’t go to work.”

Madam Chen looked at Chen Yaohui. “Ah Hui, I think several families in the village are different from before. They’re privately discussing how it’s easy for Xiaoyu’s family to earn money. It’s not worth it for them to earn some hard money. I’m worried that something will happen sooner or later. They’re just greedy! Ah Hui, at this rate, how are we different from Zhang Defa?”

Chen Yaohui was furious when he heard that. “They’re getting more and more ambitious after living a good life. Go and find out which families these women came from.”

Madam Li nodded. “I’ll ask Xiuqing.”

Madam Li found Chen Xiuqing’s house and told her the purpose of her visit. Liu Gu shouted at Madam Chen, “You guys don’t know what’s good for you! How can you be so greedy when we’re having such good days? Why don’t you think about the days in your hometown? You can’t even fill your stomachs with two meals a day with coarse rice and mixed grains. Now, you guys have three meals a day with white rice and meat. You’ll only be satisfied if your good days are gone.”

Madam Chen regretted it so much that her intestines turned green. “I didn’t want to go. Cuixiang said to ask and nothing else. I thought I’d just ask and followed.”

Madam Li looked at Madam Chen. “Xiuqing, think before doing in the future. Tell me about the others!”

Madam Chen said in a low voice, “The second daughter-in-law of the granny’s family, Madam Jin, Cuixiang, and the wives of Chen Changsheng, Chen Changjiu, and Chen Changyin.”

Madam Li wrote it down and went home to tell Chen Yaohui who went to the few houses angrily.

Chen Yaohui called Liu Chang and the men from the Chen family together and said to them with a livid expression, “What are you all thinking? Do you all think that Xiaoyu should sell us the rice seeds?”

Chen Changsheng looked at Chen Yaohui unhappily. “Who said that Xiaoyu should sell things to us? I never said that.”

Chen Yaohui turned to look at Chen Changsheng. “Then did you know that your wife’s salary was deducted for stealing wool from Xiaoyu’s workshop?”

Chen Changsheng looked at Chen Yaohui in confusion. “When she came back, she said that her salary was deducted for a month because she ruined the yarn. She didn’t tell me that she was deducted for stealing the yarn.”

“You don’t know? Don’t you know what kind of person your wife was in the village in the past? You’re not busy these days. Go outside and take a look! See what kind of days those people who fled here had?”

When Chen Changjiu heard this, he whispered, “Those who can’t survive have just escaped, right?”

With a bang, Chen Yaohui threw the teacup at Chen Changjiu’s feet. “Did you just flee here? How did we manage to live in the village? I think you’ve forgotten, haven’t you? Go to Tongzhou City and ask around. Without Xiaoyu and Mr. Zhou’s protection, do you think you can live in peace in this area? You really don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth.”

When the few of them heard this, they fell silent. Chen Yaohui panted and said, “Tell me! Do you also feel that it is unfair that Xiaoyu’s family earns more than you? Do you all think that Xiaoyu should give you some money? Let you sit and earn money?”

Liu Gu looked up at them. “I think we are already very lucky to have such a life. I still want to be like before. When I’m not busy with farming and have nothing to do, I’ll go to Xiaoyu’s workshop to work and earn some money. In a year, I’ll earn more than what I earned from working hard at home for a few years. When I go back, I’ll let Xiuqing kneel in the ancestral hall. You can discuss what you think.”

When Liu Chang said this, the others echoed, “Village Chief, let’s get our wives to kneel in the ancestral hall when we get back.”

Chen Yaohui stood up and looked at them. “The women will kneel in the ancestral hall. After you go back and eat, go out with me and see how the people outside of our village are doing.”

Liu Chang took the lead and replied, “Got it, Village Chief.” The others could only agree.

When Madam Jin returned home after work, she saw Granny Chen standing at the door of the central room. She frowned at her angrily. Madam Jin stepped forward uneasily. “Mother, it’s cold. Why are you standing here?”

Seeing Madam Jin’s uneasy expression, Granny Chen sighed. ” Did you and Cuixiang go to buy rice seeds from Xiaoyu?”

Madam Jin looked at Granny Chen and lowered her head. “Mother, that was a few days ago. I know that I was wrong. I shouldn’t have gone to look for Xiaoyu.”

“You’re good at everything, but your ears are too soft. You don’t have your own opinions when you encounter problems.” Granny Chen patted Madam Jin and sighed. “Ah Hui said that the few of you who have gone to look for Xiaoyu should kneel at the entrance of the ancestral hall. You should go too!”

“Yes.” Madam Jin wiped her tears and walked towards the ancestral hall. When she arrived, she saw that Madam Chen, Cuixiang, and the others were already kneeling in front of the ancestral hall. Madam Jin walked over and knelt silently.

Chen Yaohui drove the ox cart against the cold wind and led Liu Chang, Chen Changjiu, and the others out of the village towards Tongzhou.

Li Mei learned about what had happened in the village from Liu Changmin. She instructed Laidi and Zhaodi, “Don’t tell your cousin about these terrible things, lest she gets upset.”

Laidi said to Li Mei in a clear voice, “Mother, I’ve long disliked Chen Changsheng’s Cuixiang. Last time, Aunt Li caught her stealing wool from home, and she even quibbled. In my opinion, Ruyi should have chased her out of the workshop.”

Li Mei knocked on Laidi. “You girl, you’re already a big girl, but you’re still so rude.”

Laidi touched her head and looked at Li Mei aggrievedly. “Mother, they don’t know what’s good for them. The women and girls in Hu Village are so serious about their work. The things they weave are well-proportioned and stacked neatly in the bamboo basket. However, Cuixiang and the other two have had to redo their work several times this month. They wasted a few catties of wool, and every time, they just put their clothes in the basket.”

Li Mei panicked when she heard that. “Alright, I understand. I’ll go take a look later. If that’s really the case, tell them not to come to work. I’m not afraid of offending them. They really think my Yu’er is running a charity.”