Chapter 522 - 52: Beating

"Old Zhang’s wife, watch your mouth. Be careful that when Hongmei comes back and finds out it was you spreading these rumors, her son and daughter might come to settle the score with you."

"I’m her aunt by marriage, what’s she going to do to me?" Old Zhang’s wife replied defiantly.

"You’ve long lost contact with them. What kind of aunt by marriage are you? Are you trying to cozy up to them now that they’re well-off? But you’re going about it the wrong way," said someone from the village with a laugh.

"Who cares about their family? She’s a woman of such age behaving shamelessly outside. We can’t afford to lose face like that. Besides, it wasn’t me who said it. I just heard it from someone else."

"Who did you hear it from?"

"Liang Weixiang and her younger daughter both said so. Her younger daughter worked at Liang Hongmei’s store before New Year. They saw it with their own eyes. How could it be fake?"

Ye Qing silently listened to the villagers gossiping and then followed her mother towards the town.

Qiu Hualan couldn’t converse much with these people in the village. Before getting married, her past affairs became the talk of the village, and after marriage, hoping things would get better, she found out her husband was useless and frequently faced domestic violence.

The villagers take no small amusement in her misfortune.

"Mom, how did Liang Weixiang’s younger daughter end up in S City?" Ye Qing had seen Liang Weixiang and her elder daughter but not her younger daughter. She had some memories from when they were small but didn’t know what she looked like now, all grown up. It would be good to know her.

Liang Weixiang usually didn’t get along with Liang Hongmei, so her daughter’s comments probably didn’t bode well for their relationship either.

"She went there before New Year. I heard she ran off by herself after her mom’s persuasion. She quit high school and went to work. However, when she came back for New Year, she dressed pretty fashionably. It seems Hongmei took good care of her there. Who knows what got into her to speak ill of her cousin behind her back."

Ye Qing saw her mom speaking in favor of Liang Hongmei and immediately relaxed her face, "Mom, maybe it’s true. The mindset in big cities is much more open than ours. She’s a single woman; isn’t there a saying about women being like tigers at forty? She probably couldn’t resist the loneliness. Having someone around is normal."

"Where did you learn these things at such a young age? You shouldn’t say this in front of others."

"I know," Ye Qing said sheepishly.

Qiu Hualan took Ye Qing to the town to buy four sets of bedclothes for her son. She initially planned to buy two sets but thought that would be too stingy. Afraid the bride’s family might object, she finally decided to buy four sets.

Ye Weijun’s money was so tight they had to split each penny to spend it.

Since private business allowed it, Qiu Hualan had learned to bargain tirelessly for every purchase.

Every time, she would haggle until the penny was in her hand.

No matter what, the items she bought were always the cheapest available. Ye Qing felt her mom had prepared too much for her brother, but Qiu Hualan wouldn’t listen.

Ye Qing felt somewhat unbalanced. In her life, she didn’t even need to think about marriage because Ye Weijun wouldn’t give her a dime for a dowry.

Her mom might help, but she didn’t have any money. She had the intention but lacked the capability.

Ye Qing silently helped Qiu Hualan prepare the wedding these days, feeling like ants on a hot pan. She worried about Hua Hua at home, whether he was eating well, whether the nanny was attentive.

Before leaving, she’d only given the nanny one bag of formula. There were still three or four bags at home, all sent by Mei Langchi.

She was afraid her child would suffer.

After the New Year, the two planned to formalize their relationship in winter.

Then she could legitimately appear by Mei Langchi’s side as his rightful wife.

The day before the wedding, the bride’s family showed up.

Somehow, they found out Qiu Hualan was going to work away, and they opposed the new bride coming into the family while the mother-in-law was about to leave.

"In-law, I’ve raised these kids alone for years. Although it’s been hard, I’ve never let them suffer. They lost their mom young, and they don’t know how to deal with elders. I worry if you’re gone, the kids might upset Brother Ye and harm the family’s harmony. When my elder daughter got married, they immediately separated. I thought I’d let my younger daughter start a new life too."

"How can that work? Our Ah Ron is the only son and must live together even after marriage. We’re counting on them for our retirement," Qiu Hualan didn’t know how to respond. But Ye Weijun immediately interjected, saying his wife left, and the son and daughter-in-law didn’t serve him, should he starve?

Ye Qing glanced at Fang Qiao’s family and thought: Fang Quezi is a cunning one. Although they asked whether she was going out for work, they openly said such things, which clearly indicated their disagreement. Or maybe they aimed to separate the family from the beginning and just found an excuse now.

Fang Quezi smiled and said, "Once a couple gets married, separation is an ancient tradition. Moreover, it’s not like they won’t care for Brother Ye. Isn’t the old house next door to yours? I heard Ye Rong say he repaired it some time ago. I suggest having the new couple live in the old house. You can open a small door between the two courtyards. It’s no different from being one family. When the mother-in-law isn’t around, certainly their daily meals will be delivered to you. And when she returns, you’ll continue eating together. Right, Ah Qiao?"

"Got it, Dad," Fang Qiao replied with a shy smile.

The father and daughter harmonized perfectly, implying if they didn’t agree, the marriage would be called off.

Ye Qing turned her eyes and, hearing that her brother repaired the old house, thought: no doubt Fang Qiao must have started planning since she met her brother.

Qiu Hualan sat silently on the side, afraid to voice any opinions. Ye Weijun thought this was a good deal: his bothersome wife would go out to earn money, and the son and daughter-in-law would live separately. He wouldn’t have to worry about the fields, pigs, chickens, and ducks at home.

Later, he could take the thirteen yuan his wife sent each month, go to town, and drink all day without anyone bothering him.

Life seemed good to him.

Ye Weijun wasn’t foolish. He smoked a couple of pipes and said, "Right now, we’re arranging the marriage, leaving us knee-deep in debt. There’s no money to give them if we separate. The grain at home will suffice; there’s no need to split it. We’ll just share the meals. Ah Ron is our only child, and the land won’t be divided - it’s all theirs in the future. Just give us a few sacks of grain each year, enough for us to eat and drink."

Ye Weijun liked efficiency. As long as there was food and drink, he was content.

Fang Quezi smiled and nodded in agreement on behalf of Fang Qiao. He had originally valued Ye Rong’s diligence. He wasn’t the kind to mess around.

But he didn’t think much of this father. Who in the nearby villages didn’t know about Ye Jiu Gui?

He would beat people when drunk, a fact known in their village. He agreed to let his daughter marry in but wouldn’t allow them to live together.

Mindful of filial piety, they didn’t mention it initially. Once hearing about it from his daughter yesterday, he immediately came up with a plan.

Early this morning, he brought his daughter and two brothers from the clan over.

He knew the Ye family was financially stretched; even the wedding expenses were borrowed by Ye Rong. He wasn’t short-sighted.

Ye Rong now worked for others, earning twenty yuan a month. With the couple working hard for a couple of years, their life wouldn’t be bad.

After settling things, Ye Rong cheerfully went to the old house to set up the new room for himself.

Ye Qing watched her brother attend to his tasks alone, feeling frustrated inside.

Her mom was about to go out and work as a domestic helper, and he hadn’t even asked about it. Instead, he reported to his fiancée, instigating separation.

It seemed like the bride’s family wanted separation, but maybe her brother was the most eager one.

On Ye Rong’s wedding day, Ye Weijun’s drinking buddies showed up in force. His drinking buddies occupied two tables.

While at other weddings the father is busy directing affairs, he just sat down to drink with his friends once the meal started.

The whole village, even the children, knew he acted wildly when drunk.

Grandpa noticed Ye Weijun’s unruly behavior and walked over, his face cold. Without saying much, Ye Weijun skulked away.

Ye Weijun was tough at home, complaining to Grandpa without reserve. But when facing him, he became docile.

By preventing Ye Weijun from drinking, the wedding banquet was finally conducted smoothly.

When Ye Qing brought lunch to the new Saozi, she noticed how scant the dowry was. The bride’s family provided nothing but a large box containing two wedding quilts and some family-related clothing.

There was nothing else.

Ye Qing secretly scoffed, looking down on this newly arrived Saozi.

After the banquet was over, Ye Qing breathed a sigh of relief, urging Qiu Hualan to pack quickly. They were set to leave early the next morning.