LW chapter 14

 

Chen Qing had lived at home for five years and never met any of his relatives. All this time, it had just been him and Aunt Sun. So, when a man who seemed to be a relative of Aunt Sun suddenly appeared, Chen Qing was stunned.

“What are you doing here today?” Aunt Sun didn’t sound pleased. She called Chen Qing to her side. “This is my eldest brother from my mother’s side. Ah Qing, you can call him Uncle.”

Chen Qing looked at the man in front of him. He wore an indigo robe and was of medium height. His face slightly resembled a monkey’s. It was obvious he had a bad temper. Chen Qing glanced at Aunt Sun and saw that they didn’t look alike at all.

Seeing her displeasure, he only gave Sun Kang a slight nod and said, “Uncle.”

“Is this the husband you bought for Meng Tao with three taels of silver?” Sun Kang stared at Chen Qing with a harsh gaze. Chen Qing had experienced stares like that five years ago when he was treated like a thing, not a person.

“Yes, his name is Chen Qing.” Aunt Sun blocked Sun Kang’s view of Chen Qing. “Why are you here?”

Sun Kang asked.
“Can’t I come see you unless there’s a problem?”

Aunt Sun gave a cold laugh. “I remember when I wanted to attend Meng Dali’s funeral, you told my sister-in-law and mother that you’d cut ties with me if I insisted on observing mourning. You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”

“That was years ago. Why are you still holding a grudge?” Sun Kang looked a bit embarrassed. “Aren’t married women supposed to rely on their birth families for support?”

Aunt Sun straightened her back. “Meng Dali has been dead for over twenty years. I raised Meng Tao alone for the last twenty years. I never relied on any help from my family. I don’t know what gives you the right to say that.”

Sun Kang felt guilty, so he shifted his frustration to Chen Qing. “What kind of husband are you? When an elder visits, you don’t even know how to pour a glass of water?”

Chen Qing widened his eyes, and Aunt Sun pulled him back. “There’s no need to put on a show for the younger generation. Just tell us why you came.”

“Well then.” Sun Kang had initially wanted to play the family card, but, seeing Aunt Sun’s attitude, he dropped it. “I heard Meng Tao died in battle, and the court granted a pension of ten taels.”

Aunt Sun wasn’t surprised at all. Her mother’s side of the family only ever did things if it benefited them. However, she hadn’t expected them to be so shameless as to set their sights on Meng Tao’s death compensation.

“Yes, so what?”

Sun Kang finally got to the point. “You know my son, Sun Wei, has reached marrying age this year, and he’s found a wife. All he needs is ten taels of silver for the bride price. You know how tight things are for our family…”

“Using a dead man’s pension money to fund a wedding—do you think Sun Wei will dream of my son dying on the battlefield on his wedding night, leaving him heartless for the rest of his life?”

Hearing Aunt Sun say that, Chen Qing’s heart broke. He tugged on her sleeve and said, “Mom, don’t be mad.”

“You—how could you say something so cruel?” Sun Kang pointed a finger at Aunt Sun. “How could you curse your own nephew like that?”

“Don’t blame others for cruel words when you’re doing wicked things!” Aunt Sun was so angry that her whole body trembled. “Get out! Get out of my house!”

“Sun Cui! Don’t forget: Broken bones are still tied by flesh. We’re family!”

“Go back to your ‘family.’ Get out. You’re not welcome here.” Aunt Sun grabbed a nearby broom and raised it threateningly.

Chen Qing quickly stopped her, afraid they would really hurt each other. Sun Kang jumped away in a hurry.

What Chen Qing didn’t expect was how shameless Sun Kang was. Instead of leaving, he walked over to the pack they had just brought down from the mountain and picked up the chicken. “You’ve been unfilial to your mother for years—this chicken is compensation for her.”

With that, he turned and tried to run away with the chicken. Without thinking, Chen Qing chased after him. He and Aunt Sun hadn’t slaughtered a chicken in years—how could he let someone his mother disliked take it away?

Sun Kang didn’t expect the bought husband to actually dare to stop him. Though not tall, Sun Kang worked the fields all year and was strong. Chen Qing, small as he was, was easily shoved aside.

But Chen Qing chased him again, and they struggled until they reached Zhou Yuan’s front door.

Sun Kang was irritated by Chen Qing clinging to him. He thought, “Just a bought husband—a prostitute—and yet he’s this petty?” Sun Kang stopped and raised his hand, planning to slap Chen Qing in the face.

But before he could, someone grabbed his wrist tightly. The man was much taller, and his grip was like an iron clamp. Sun Kang couldn’t move at all.

Chen Qing took the chicken and ran behind Zhou Yuan. He was still gasping for breath and his face was flushed red from the exertion. Chen Qing’s skin wasn’t pale; he had tanned from working outside. In contrast, the back of his neck was quite fair, with faint blue veins showing. Zhou Yuan turned his head away and asked, “You okay?”

Chen Qing shook his head. “I’m fine.”

Zhou Yuan looked at the middle-aged man still in his grip. “Stealing in broad daylight—who do you think you are?”

“Nonsense! What’s wrong with taking a chicken from my sister’s house? Who are you to tell me what to do? Let go of me!” Sun Kang struggled, but he couldn’t break free. The man’s grip was stronger than an ox’s.

Humiliated, Sun Kang started swearing. Zhou Yuan lost patience. He grabbed a fistful of dirt and stuffed it into Sun Kang’s mouth.

Chen Qing: …

Aunt Sun was furious, too, and shouted from the yard, “I told you, Sun Kang! Don’t even think about taking anything from my house!”

She hit him with a stick. “Get lost!”

Zhou Yuan threw him to the ground. Seeing how tall and strong Zhou Yuan was, Sun Kang ran off without even spitting out the dirt in his mouth.

Chen Qing helped Aunt Sun up. “Mom, are you all right?”

Aunt Sun nodded and patted his hand. “I’m fine.”

Zhou Yuan supported her other arm and helped her back into the yard. Chen Qing was still holding the chicken. He quickly put the chicken down and brought Aunt Sun a cup of water. He watched her drink it and let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m fine,” Aunt Sun said, taking a deep breath.

She didn’t say anything more about her family. To marry Sun Kang off, her family took no dowry and accepted two taels of silver from Meng Dali in exchange for her hand in marriage to a man from Luohe Village. It wasn’t really a marriage—she felt like her family had sold her for two taels of silver.

Thankfully, Meng Dali was an honest and kind man, and his parents were good to her. Unfortunately, they died early. While she was pregnant with Meng Tao, her in-laws passed away one after another, leaving just the three of them.

When Meng Tao turned five, Meng Dali had a fatal accident. She was widowed with a five-year-old son and had to grit her teeth to survive. Then her family came and told her to leave Luohe Village. They said they had found her another husband who would pay two taels of silver.

Aunt Sun refused. She insisted on wearing mourning clothes for Meng Dali. Her family threatened to disown her.

She endured even through the toughest years. However, when Meng Tao fell seriously ill at age ten, their savings were depleted. Desperate for money to save him, she thought that maybe five years had passed and her family had calmed down, so she went to ask for help.

She would never forget that day. It rained heavily, and her family mocked, insulted, and kicked her out of the Sun household. She was left drenched and humiliated.

No matter how hard life got, she survived. For the past ten years, she hadn’t had any contact with the Sun family. Today, Sun Kang had the nerve to come to her door and ask for Meng Tao’s pension money.

“Mom, will they come back to cause more trouble?” Chen Qing asked, watching Sun Kang leave, worried. He was nervous that their peaceful life might be shattered.

“What are you afraid of? They won’t kill anyone,” Aunt Sun stood up. “Thank you, Zhou Yuan. Will you stay for dinner tonight?”

Zhou Yuan shook his head. “It’s fine. I’ll pass. I’m afraid someone might ask me for money.”

“Huh?” Aunt Sun looked confused and glanced at Chen Qing.

Chen Qing quickly waved his hand. “It wasn’t me.”

Zhou Yuan said slowly, “I brought him back last time, and he gave me money. The other day, I accidentally ate his steamed bun, and he paid me for it. I think he’s the type who likes to settle scores, so I don’t dare take advantage of him—not even for a bowl of rice. What do you think?”

Aunt Sun: “Huh?”

Chen Qing: …

In the end, Zhou Yuan didn’t stay for dinner, but Aunt Sun delivered his meal after Chen Qing had eaten.

Chen Qing divided the whole chicken into four parts and salted the rest for preservation. It was too hot out, and salt could only slow down spoilage, so it still needed to be eaten soon.

That night, a quarter of the chicken and the large drumstick were cut up and stir-fried by Chen Qing in rendered chicken fat. He added fermented soybean paste, which every household had, along with some spices, and simmered everything in water. While it stewed, he washed some potatoes and picked a handful of green beans from the garden. He added the beans to the pot.

The potatoes turned soft, the beans aromatic, and the chicken chewy. Even the broth was thick and rich.

Aunt Sun broke off some young corn, ground it up, mixed it with flour to make a paste, and stuck it around the edge of the pot.

Chen Qing’s stomach rumbled. Tonight’s meal was more luxurious than anything they had for New Year’s.

Aunt Sun brought a bowl of chicken to Zhou Yuan’s house. Even with a few buns on top, the large drumstick was still visible in the large bowl.

Zhou Yuan came out to meet her. Aunt Sun said, “Ah Qing’s personality can be hard to read. He can be kind but also stubborn. Don’t take it to heart.”

Zhou Yuan held the bowl, which was the same as last time. He remembered that this was the second time Aunt Sun had told him that.

“I just feel settled in this village. Our families are neighbors. As the saying goes, ‘distant relatives aren’t as good as nearby neighbors,’ so I don’t think it’s necessary to be so calculating.”

Aunt Sun smiled. “That’s true. But Aqing is quiet and careful. He always avoids suspicion. You know how it is with widows—there’s always gossip, and our house has two.”

At that, Aunt Sun looked a little sad again. “After the one-year mourning period is over, I want to find a good match for Ah Qing. When the time comes, help me find a good family for him.”

Zhou Yuan: …

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