A Good Country Wife
Chapter 195 This matter caused a stir_1

Chapter 195: Chapter 195 This matter caused a stir_1

Lin Yue’s expression was neutral; she didn’t seem unwelcoming, but she was far from enthusiastic. With a questioning look, she asked Zhao Erhu, wasn’t he just supposed to deliver the festival gifts? She hadn’t invited Zhao Yunxiang over for a meal, so why had he brought her back, and without giving her a heads-up? Was this man asking for a beating? Did he think she wouldn’t be angry? Now that the guests had arrived, she couldn’t very well send them away, especially in front of the children. She would settle the score with Zhao Erhu later.

Zhao Erhu had only been polite when he said they should come over for lunch if they had time. He thought that given the distance between their two homes, they wouldn’t actually come. Besides, he’d said such things before, and no one had taken him seriously. He hadn’t expected Zhao Yunxiang’s family to really come over for a meal. What was he supposed to say now? There was no need for such politeness! Zhao Erhu thought to himself, but now that they were here, he had no choice but to play host. He just hoped his little wife wouldn’t be too angry.

The eldest sister had had issues with his wife not just once or twice. His wife held a grudge against the eldest sister in her heart, so how could she be in a good mood seeing the eldest sister’s family come over? He had wanted his little wife to enjoy a happy Dragon Boat Festival. Didn’t he know Niuniu too well? Look at her, clearly upset. Zhao Erhu looked at his little wife with embarrassment and apology, hoping she would calm her anger.

"Sister-in-law/Auntie," Zhao Yunxiang greeted Lin Yue with an all-smiles attitude this time. Zhao Yunxiang’s three children all sweetly called out, improving Lin Yue’s mood somewhat. However, she remained vigilant inside; Zhao Yunxiang was not an easy person to deal with. She was only more amiable when she needed something from others. Who knew what she was plotting now?

"Eldest sister, brother-in-law, you’re here. This is my first time seeing the three children; they all look quite neat. Come inside, there are treats in the house. Let your uncle get some for you," Lin Yue said as she returned to the kitchen. She should have been prepared to greet the children since it was their first meeting, and in the past, she had indeed given gifts to Zhao Dahuo’s children. But this time, she let it be. As for Zhao Yunxiang’s children, she couldn’t be bothered.

Seeing Lin Yue’s lukewarm attitude, Zhao Yunxiang cursed her in her heart for not recognizing kindness. She had already lowered her stance, yet the Lin Family didn’t know to flatter her. What kind of woman had her brother married? She had no tact at all!

Forget it, she wouldn’t stoop to Lin Yue’s level. She had come today because her brother’s house had good food. After eating a few meals here, she knew that Lin Yue was generous with her cooking, and since it was Dragon Boat Festival, the food would definitely be even better. Free food shouldn’t go to waste; better to benefit from it than let others have it. It was her own brother’s house after all. If her brother indulged this woman in wasting Silver Coin, she might as well bring her children to eat well at his expense.

She also wanted to borrow another thirty taels of silver from Zhao Erhu. The fifteen taels he had given her previously were meant for buying land from the village chief. However, she was dissatisfied with the two plots he showed her, and fifteen taels could only buy one of those two. She had her eye on a better piece of land.

It was several plots of prime farmland, connected together and quite close to their house—eight acres in total, costing forty taels of silver. The seller insisted on selling them all together, and she couldn’t persuade the seller to let her buy just two or three acres. With no other option, she turned to Zhao Erhu to borrow the silver. She had heard that her brother made a tidy sum selling rice dumplings this time, so he would certainly be able to lend her thirty taels of silver.

After sitting in the house for a short while, Zhao Yunxiang dispatched her husband and children outside. "Genfa, I see you’re not busy with anything, why not help chop some firewood in the yard? We’ve been eating and drinking here; it wouldn’t be right not to help out. I see the elder brother and sister-in-law are busy helping outside too," she said.

"There’s no need for that, eldest sister and brother-in-law. You’ve come from so far away; just rest inside. I can handle these things myself."

"Erhu, why stand on ceremony with your brother-in-law? I’m not one to sit around idly anyway. I might as well get some work done in the yard." Lin Genfa wanted to offer help to Zhao Yunxiang in the past, but she refused. Now, given what Zhao Yunxiang had said, he immediately rolled up his sleeves and went to start working in the courtyard.

"Brother-in-law, I’ll come with you." Seeing that he couldn’t stop Lin Genfa, Zhao Erhu followed, but Zhao Yunxiang called out to him.

"Erhu, wait a moment. Let your brother-in-law go. Sister has something to tell you."

Zhao Yunxiang deliberately sent Lin Genfa away. She was planning this without her husband’s knowledge. Her mother-in-law and husband were not ambitious; they were content just having land to farm and did not disdain the two poor plots of land, despite the inconvenience of distance and water carrying. They always said Erhu had already helped their family enough and that it was important not to be overly greedy.

But she thought differently. If there was a choice of better farmland, why settle for one of those two inferior plots? It was just a matter of a few extra silver coins. If they got those eight acres of land, the family’s grain production would surely increase, and their life would definitely get better. As for the borrowed silver coins, they could always repay them once they had the money.

Zhao Yunxiang thought it was easy, just a matter of a few extra silver coins. But that "few" was actually thirty taels of silver. In the village, save for the more prosperous families with substantial assets, many would likely never see such a large sum in their lifetimes. Zhao Yunxiang only had such thoughts because the fifteen taels of silver that Erhu gave her last time had come too easily. Plus, she had heard somewhere about Erhu making a fortune selling rice dumplings, which made her think thirty taels was a trivial amount to ask to borrow from him.

"Sis, just tell me what it is." Zhao Erhu saw that Zhao Yunxiang had found an excuse to send Lin Genfa away and was unsure what scheme his sister was concocting. Regardless of what it was, he had made it clear when he gave those fifteen taels of silver last time that he would not help Zhao Yunxiang for nothing again. It was a notification to Zhao Yunxiang and a promise to his wife, hoping that Zhao Yunxiang would remember his words. Otherwise, things might become unpleasant.

"You kids go outside and play with your brothers and sisters. Don’t stay in the room." With serious matters to discuss with Zhao Erhu, it was not convenient to have the children around, so Zhao Yunxiang sent them out, not forgetting to tell her son to take a plate of pastries with them to eat.

"Wah, I want this one; give it to me!" Lin Youjin said spoiltly and stubbornly, not caring to whom the treats belonged, intending to snatch them away.

"Why should you? These are made by my big brother for Alin. If you dare to take them, I’ll beat you up." Sanlang, ever since Lin Yue asked him to take good care of Zhao Lin, and seeing that Zhao Lin was as young as his brother but very well-behaved and sensible, included the little cousin under his protection. He wouldn’t allow anyone to bully him, especially not from a family that lived far from Zhao Yunxiang’s. They were not close to her children and found the crybaby and arrogant youngster truly annoying.

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