The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 478 - 467: Considerate (Extra updates thanking the book friend "Imperial Guard: Rong Rong" for their reward)

Chapter 478: Chapter 467: Considerate (Extra updates thanking the book friend "Imperial Guard: Rong Rong" for their reward)

Manbao nodded in agreement, "I hate them."

How dared they insult her mother? Throughout her life, nobody had ever dared to say such things about her mother.

Aunt Lai told her with a smile, "Back then, it didn’t exist. Don’t be fooled by how tough it was when your mother first got married, she wasn’t one to suffer losses. She had a fiery temper, and in terms of quarrels and fights, there wasn’t a daughter-in-law in the village more formidable than her."

Manbao propped her chin and listened to stories all afternoon until her legs were numb and the sunset was about to descend. Only when Junior Ms. Qian couldn’t find any trace of the children in the courtyard did she realize they were still under the banyan tree listening to stories.

Junior Ms. Qian then stood at the door, hands on hips, and shouted in the direction of the banyan tree, "Wulang, Liulang, Manbao, time to eat—hurry and bring the kids back."

Only then did everyone realize the sun was setting, and they scattered at once. Manbao waved goodbye to Uncle Lai and Aunt Lai and rushed home with her brothers and nieces and nephews in tow, all of them chattering loudly.

Junior Ms. Qian pulled Manbao aside and looked with disgust at Zhou Wulang and Datou, asking, "What have you been up to? Rolling in the mud? Look at how dirty you are. Go wash your hands and face quickly; we’re going to eat soon."

She took Manbao’s hand, checked it, and seeing that it wasn’t red, she nodded, "Alright, you go wash your hands too."

After washing her hands, Manbao went straight to Ms. Qian and took her hand earnestly, "Mom, I’ll definitely be good to you in the future, and I won’t let Dad bully you."

Old Zhou, who was leisurely smoking nearby: ...

What did he do?

After Manbao had reassured Ms. Qian, she grabbed Old Zhou’s hand earnestly, "Dad, you need to listen to Mom more in the future. Don’t be lazy. Isn’t it you who said ’A lazy person even despises his own waste’? We can’t be lazy people."

Old Zhou became furious and roared, "Did you go listen to Aunt Lai’s stories? Don’t listen to her. What if you turn out like Zhou Sanqi—a gossip, oh, no, a gossiping man... Anyway, just don’t listen to that nonsense."

Datou, seeing this, immediately wiped the water off his face and ran to grab his father’s hand, just as earnestly saying, "Dad, don’t worry, I’ll slap mosquitoes for you in the future, and you won’t get bitten anymore."

Daya and the other children, not wanting to fall behind, also gathered around and grabbed their father’s other hand, each expressing their sincere intentions.

Zhou Dalang had no idea what they were talking about, but he was happy, so he said cheerfully, "Alright then, tonight you all should slap the mosquitoes for me before going to bed."

The three of them immediately nodded, indicating it was no problem at all.

Zhou Dalang didn’t know why they said that, but Old Zhou did!

He knew instantly why the three children had said that because over the past twenty years, the story had been repeated countless times by Aunt Lai ever since the moment Zhou Dalang was tied to a tree.

Old Zhou had heard it himself and from others.

Heaven knows his son was tied up only that once, and it just so happened that Aunt Lai saw it.

Zhou Jin’s memory was equally vivid because it was that one time when his wife carried Dalang on her back to her parent’s home that he got beaten up by his brother-in-law for the first time.

Seven years ago, Zhou Yin was a frequent topic in Aunt Lai’s stories, but for some reason, she had rarely mentioned anything about Zhou Yin in these past seven years.

But now, to his son, the "taboo" seemed to no longer exist, and he could guess even without thinking how Aunt Lai would speak of him.

Old Zhou was so angry that his hands shook. It was all slander, and stale, trivial matters were being brought up...

Old Zhou felt somewhat lacking in confidence.

However, Ms. Qian pulled Manbao to her side and tapped her forehead, saying, "You, don’t take every story you hear as the truth. Aunt Lai likes me and doesn’t like your dad, so her words are somewhat biased. Just listen for fun."

Manbao asked, "Then what is Dad really like?"

"Haven’t you seen with your own eyes what your dad is like?" Ms. Qian softly said, "What you see should be truer than what you hear, right? And you live with him; could others possibly know him better than you do?"

Feeling ashamed, Manbao said, "That’s what the teacher means by ’Partial hearing leads to obscurity, while extensive hearing leads to clarity,’ isn’t it?"

Manbao ran over to Old Zhou and took his hand, her face full of apology, "Dad, I’m sorry to you."

"What? What obscurity, what clarity?"

"Partial hearing leads to obscurity, while extensive hearing leads to clarity."

Old Zhou said quite straightforwardly, "Didn’t understand a word, just remember, whatever Aunt Lai says is wrong, and that’s correct."

With her mouth agape, Manbao asked, "Isn’t that still partial hearing?"

"What’s this about partial and not partial hearing? Let me ask you, do you listen to your dad?"

Manbao nodded.

"Then that’s settled. You don’t need to listen to those things Aunt Lai said. And you all too," Old Zhou pointed to Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang who had just run back with them, "you’re of marriageable age and still wandering around outside, what does that look like?"

After speaking, Old Zhou looked disdainfully at Zhou Wulang, "Wulang, you should cut back on running outside lately. Look at your head, your face, your neck, you’re all sunburned. I’ve already started asking around to arrange a marriage for you. You might start meeting prospects after the summer and autumn harvests. How can you meet people when you’re this tan?"

Zhou Wulang’s eyes widened, "But, but I still need to work the fields during the summer and autumn harvests."

His eyes shimmering, he asked tentatively, "Dad, could I, like Sister Dahua next door, not have to work the fields before meeting prospects?"

"You wish," Old Zhou dismissed without a second thought, "You’re a boy, not a girl, what do you need to stay pale for?"

"...Didn’t you just say that yourself?"

"I mean that when you’re not working, don’t hang around outside too much. You’re grown-up now. You need to set a good example for your younger brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews, understand?"

Old Zhou skillfully glossed over his own past embarrassments. That night, as they prepared to sleep, he couldn’t help but complain to Ms. Qian, "Aunt Lai I swear, the older she gets, the more she talks. She wasn’t like this before."

"Then why don’t you argue with her?"

Old Zhou muttered under his breath, neither daring to confront her nor willing to let it go, "There are so many children, and the grandchildren are getting older too. What kind of impression does it give them to hear those kinds of things?"

"Alright, I know what to do. Let’s go to sleep now."

Telling stories to the kids? She could do that too.

Being diligent and eager to learn from childhood is a good reputation, and even a prodigal who reforms earns a good name, doesn’t he?

Ms. Qian did not regret her decision. Sure, the first few years had been hard, but which family’s life was easy from the start?

Living one’s life is like drinking water; only the drinker knows whether it’s cold or warm. Everyone said her in-laws were not kind and her husband was lazy, but they had moments of thoughtfulness too, which outsiders simply couldn’t see.

Moreover, other than Zhou Yin’s death, her life had been quite fulfilling.