The thick porridge made from white rice was steaming hot.
The people around him drooled.
Zhao Zheng said with a cold face: "Didn't you say you didn't have it?"
"Uncle Zhao, I was wrong. Please accept it." Zheng Chunmei's heart was bleeding. He was clearly blackmailing her, but she still asked him to accept it. His heart was too dark.
She couldn't help but feel from the bottom of her heart. If her husband hadn't died, she wouldn't have to live so hard.
Xu Youde also advised, "Forget it. Since she's brought it out, let's not make a big deal out of it. Just consider it a favor to Uncle Youde, okay?"
Zhao Zheng's expression brightened slightly. "Okay, then I'll give Uncle Youde a favor."
Seeing Zhao Zheng's gesture of respect, Xu Youde's face grew a little brighter. Turning to Zheng Chunmei, he said, "Given your family's behavior, I've decided to impose a small punishment. Zhao Zheng's foot is injured, so he can't fetch water for the next few days. Until his foot heals, have your son, Erdan, fill his water tank. If you try to be sneaky, I'll punish you!"
Zheng Chunmei nodded tearfully, "Yes, I'll listen to the village elders."
"Zhao Di, Xiao E, take the things!"
The two women were overjoyed to see the lost food restored.
They had never imagined that their father-in-law would actually have the Li family's mother-in-law and her family so completely subjugated.
The two women exchanged glances, each seeing surprise in their eyes.
After thanking the three village elders and everyone else once again, Zhao Zheng limped back home.
By the time Li Erdan got home, he'd already carried the firewood back.
Just as he was about to leave, Zhao Zheng stopped him, saying, "Go fetch some water! I'm telling you, if you dare spit or pee in the water, I'll tell the village elders."
Li Erdan clenched his fists, furious. He'd actually thought so, but he'd just been severely lectured by his mother, so he didn't dare talk back. He simply whispered, "Wait, Ma Dabai will teach you a lesson!"
With that, he picked up the wooden bucket and went to fetch water.
"Father-in-law, isn't this... too much?" Yang Zhaodi felt a pity for Li Erdan's frail body.
Zhao Zheng said very seriously: "Zhao Di, Xiao E, in this world, only bad people can live well. Sometimes, we must make ourselves look hard to bully so that others will be afraid of us."
"Your kindness may not be appreciated by others. Since you have already fallen out, just scare them this time. If they want to bully you or trip you up in the future, they will think twice. Do you understand?"
Yang Zhaodi thought for a moment, "Father-in-law, we understand."
Zhao Zheng smiled, then picked up the axe and backpack and prepared to go out.
"Father-in-law, are you still going to chop wood?"
"Go out and take a look." Zhao Zheng said: "When the boy finishes carrying water, let him drink it first. If he doesn't drink, he must have put in something."
"Got it." Yang Zhaodi nodded, but didn't say anything. After all, how could she not know whether her father-in-law's foot was injured?
Watching Zhao Zheng limp away, Zhang Xiao'e said, "Sister-in-law, I don't fully understand what my father-in-law just said."
Yang Zhaodi nodded her head. "It's okay if you don't understand. Just listen to my father-in-law."
Zhang Xiao'e said, "Oh," and then whispered, "Sister-in-law, I think my father-in-law is bad... No, he's not good or bad, he just feels different from before."
Yang Zhaodi said, "My father-in-law is not bad. He only acts this way to protect us. In my eyes, my father-in-law is very good!"
"Yes, yes, that's what I mean!" Zhang Xiao'e said.
"My father-in-law has changed. Isn't that good?"
"Yes, I can't believe he's become like this, but I'm so scared!" Zhang Xiao'e hugged Yang Zhaodi.
"I'm afraid it's all a dream, and I'll be back to the way I was when I wake up."
Yang Zhaodi hugged her. "No, don't be afraid..."
In fact, wasn't she also afraid that this was all a dream?
Zhao Zheng limped out of the village, only returning to his usual composure when he reached a deserted area.
He'd set three traps yesterday; he had to go check them out.
Hunting still holds more promise than chopping wood.
If only he could catch a couple of weasels today.
Two hours later, Zhao Zheng arrived near Jinji Mountain. After observing for a while, making sure no one was around, he ran over.
This time, he'd learned his lesson. He used a stick to probe the path through dense weeds; who knew if there might be other traps?
He didn't want to fall for it.
He went to the first spot, but missed.
The second spot, also missed.
Zhao Zheng was stumped.
He'd come all this way; he wouldn't return empty-handed, had he?
He reached the third spot, but there was no one. A palm-sized gray rat was caught in a trap.
"Rat?"
Zhao Zheng's face fell.
Damn, all this way to catch a rat?
[Ding, captured wild mountain rat, weighing one pound, worth forty wen, for storage/sale?]
Holy crap.
This rat only weighed about a pound, yet it was so expensive?
Converted to something, it was almost as expensive as a weasel of the same size.
Are modern people so perverted, eating mountain rats?
He glanced at the description and discovered that this thing was actually a top-notch tonic.
He couldn't understand.
"For Sale!"
[Ding, balance of forty wen credited!]
Zhao Zheng felt much better; at least his trip wasn't in vain.
He steeled himself and bought another trap. After setting it, he sprinkled some rice inside, then nodded with satisfaction.
He checked the time and decided to chop some more wood for storage.
He bought an axe from the mall.
"This thing is much more effective for both attacking and felling trees."
Zhao Zheng headed towards the interior of Jinji Mountain.
He had stockpiled another hundred pounds of firewood.
This firewood was perfect for selling in an emergency, cooking, or heating.
However, chopping wood was still too much trouble; burning coal was more durable than burning firewood.
Just then, he chopped down a piece of firewood about the thickness of his arm.
[Ding, 40 jin of diamond wood felled, worth 200 wen. Want to store/sell?]
Diamond wood?
Zhao Zheng's eyes lit up. He said, "Why does this tree look familiar?" It turned out to be a 'turtle bone' tree, a species unique to the north.
It grows slowly, reaching about the thickness of an arm, and it must have grown for at least 30 to 50 years.
In modern times, trees this large are almost completely gone. It's a valuable collectible, and was extremely popular for a while.
Zhao Zheng happened to have read about it before. Is this thing really that expensive?
Five wen per jin, one tree is worth ten ordinary trees.
It's just that the wood is so hard, it makes my hands numb from the vibration.
"Sell!"
[Ding, 200 wen deposited!]
Zhao Zheng grinned. This thing is valuable in modern times, but not here. Many people are reluctant to cut it because it's too hard and too small, fearing it will damage their hatchets.
But Zhao Zheng had no such concerns.
He glanced around and saw that there were still several trees left.
His enthusiasm was instantly high. A hoe was more effective for dealing with this kind of hardwood. He bought another hoe.
[Ding, 45 jin of diamond wood felled, worth 225 coins...]
[Ding, 50 jin of diamond wood felled, worth 250 coins...]
Zhao Zhengle was overjoyed, "This wave is rich!"
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