Chapter Fifty-One: Turning Against One’s Own

The village chief had always been a man who loved to gossip; otherwise, the villagers would never have let him hold the position. It was precisely his penchant for meddling in others’ affairs that earned him the title of village chief. If he hadn’t enjoyed poking his nose into every corner, the villagers would have been unwilling to let him lead them!

There had been a chief before who minded no one’s business but his own—he simply enjoyed the title. Whenever neighbors had disputes and asked him to mediate, he would refuse.

“Chengjin’s wife, I think you should stop making a fuss and try to live a decent life. Tomorrow is the day for opening new fields—you all ought to get some rest and try to clear a few good plots this year.”

Opportunities to cultivate new land did not come often; years would pass before another chance arose. Other families in the village owned plenty of land. Only the Chengjin family had precious little. Chu Chengjin would head down the mountain every now and then, sometimes disappearing for days on end.

Madam Liu, left with her two sons, was unwilling to work at all. Some neighbors, unable to stand by and watch them starve, would offer kind advice, but the family never appreciated it.

“What business is it of yours? So we have little land—so what? As long as we don’t starve, that’s enough. If you really think we’re so pitiful, why don’t you ask the village to help us out?”

Madam Liu spoke with righteous indignation, boldly demanding the chief’s assistance. How could they possibly manage the exhausting labor of clearing new fields themselves?

“You really aren’t afraid of starving, are you? Chengjin has a wife now—once he starts earning money, it’ll go to her. If you keep acting like this, I reckon you’ll be splitting the household before long.”

The chief cast a sidelong glance at Madam Liu, his words making her leap up in fury.

“What do you mean, splitting the family? There won’t be any splitting as long as I’m alive! Don’t stir up trouble here—go, go, go! Even after taking our meat, you still can’t keep that mouth of yours shut!”

The mention of dividing the household sent Madam Liu into such a rage she nearly lunged to hit him. She pushed the chief towards the door, insisting he leave and stop his prattling.

Chu Qingbai sidled over, a worried frown creasing his brow as he spoke.

“Mother, do you think eldest brother is really planning to split the family? If that happens, wouldn’t we all starve?”

He knew his own abilities—or lack thereof—perfectly well. He couldn’t support himself, so the prospect of dividing the household filled him with dread.

In the kitchen, the siblings squatted together and, after scouring the iron pot clean, Gu Xiaoyao rolled up her sleeves and began to cook.

Once all the meat was chopped, Gu Xiaoyao first prepared a dish of braised pork. As the sauce thickened, the aroma wafted through the house, making everyone’s mouth water.

“Big sister, can mother and I really stay here? I think brother-in-law’s mother seems very angry.”

Gu Xiaoshu’s mouth watered as the scent of meat drifted from the pot; his eyes never left the simmering pork.

“I’ve found an old abandoned house. Once it’s tidied up, you and mother can move in. It’s not far from here, so I can bring my things and stay with you.”

Though the old house wasn’t too distant, Gu Xiaoyao still felt uneasy about leaving them there alone. Once the braised pork was ready, she scooped several large pieces into a bowl and handed them to her little brother.

“Eat a few pieces to fill your stomach—the rest of the dishes will be ready soon.”

Braised pig’s trotters needed time to stew, so she left them simmering in a small pot. The meatball soup could be made immediately. Gu Xiaoyao then roasted some spare ribs, and the rice in the pot was done. She lifted the lid and stirred—the crispy golden crust at the bottom smelled delightful.