At first, old Mrs. Meng was totally against buying the shop and forest land, calling it a "waste of money" and nagging for days on end. Finally, she was silenced when Hua Xiaomai retorted, "Even Yuhuai says it's a good thing; surely, Mother, you don't want to persist in opposing him?" She quieted down but was still somewhat reluctant.
However, over the past few days, everyone in the village has been chattering about it, some expressing how fortunate she was, and others cloaking their jealousy with backhanded comments. This eventually made her quite smug, and from dawn till dusk, she wore a look of self-satisfaction. She would invariably grab anyone she knew to talk about it, and at times, she would stand at her doorstep and shout towards the Guan Family's yard next door.
