By the time Dazhuang returned from planting. Seeds
Sun hwa had already set a few dishes on the table
Xiao Xia's cheeks blushed crimson watching her son happily nibbling on a piece of chicken leg sun hwa had given him
"Brother Dazhuang you've worked hard, it's just a simple meal please take a sit" at her words Dazhuang blushed even redder than his wife
His face down to his neck was as red as a tomato "sister hwa we'll eat just the soup you need the chicken to nourish your health and the baby" Xiao Xia managed to say
The chicken soup had a few pieces of meat enough for each person to have two pieces each but meat was precious
Some family's didn't even have the privilege to eat chicken meat all year round plus hwa was pregnant
"I'll join for a bit of soup and rice but fifth wife, fragrant white rice is too luxurious a meal
I don't know how to repay you" Dazhuang managed to say as he took his seat swallowing hard at the delicious aroma
"If you want to repay me eat well and have sister Xiao keep me company every once in a while
A lone woman like me living in such a large house" she sighed softly making the couple sigh feeling helpless as they watched her pile their bowls with fragrant white rice and two pieces of chicken each
"Sister hwa" before Xiao Xia could complain sun hwa had picked up her bowl and begun to eat silently
This bit of food was nothing to her but for honest folks like them
It was a big deal
A warm smile graced her lips as she watched them pick up the bowls and begun to eat slowly
Even with their conflicted expressions they both ate well
Including the little one
After the meal Xiao Xia handed their baby to Dazhuang and insisted on doing the dishes
Thinking about how she'd have to bend to do the dishes till her back ached
Sun hwa didn't decline the favor
Though she wasn't showing yet
She wasn't used to bending so low to do dishes
In her apartment she had a sink and a dish washer which made work easier even for washing clothes she had her washing machine
She only had to toss her clothes in pour in the detergent and that was all
Thinking about the small moutain of laundry she had to do
Her heart ached even more, maybe she could ask dazhuang to find someone to make a high table where she could easily do things without having to bend so much
After Xiao Xia finished doing the dishes, she saw the family off and proceeded into the main room to gather her laundry which amounted to a small mountain both quilts, beddings and clothes that needed to be washed
Left with no choice she picked up the wooden stool from the kitchen picked a washbasin and begun to wash the clothes with water and soap powder
She washed the clothes three times consecutively, only then she feel satisfied with the cleaned clothes, then she rinsed,wrung it all out and hung it out in the rope lines to dry
Having done so much work she drank a bowl of cold water and went in to lay down
The world could burn down but she needed to rest
~
Meanwhile
The Wang family courtyard wasn't as peaceful as the fifth house
Matriarch Deng stared at the bickering households with a tight frown on her face
She missed her younger days when she was a formidable mother-in-law
Yet now with her advanced age, everyone had minds of their own treating her words like fart
"Are you done being shameless!" Matriarch Deng stomped her cane on the ground hard startling the bickering women who halted and froze in shock seeing her hardened expression.
"All you all have done is bring shame to the Wang family since this old lady retired from household affairs
Our Wang family is now the source of entertainment for idle gossip
I Deng Jiaying would not allow you old farts trample on the last dignity of the Wang family!" Matriarch Deng snapped angrily, seeing them bicker over a small room made her age overnight
She could almost feel her blood pressure spiking high
"Mother" Madam Lin Hong hua stepped forward to meditate but matriarch Deng scoffed unwilling to listen to whatever she had to say
"There's only this few rooms in this old house!
You all move out!" Matriarch Deng's words made the women all gasp In shock
"Mother" they all fell on their knees but matriarch Deng wasn't bothered with how much they knocked their foreheads on the ground kowtowing till her skin tore and bled
"The room is reserved for cousin Si, if you can't handle that
Then you all might as well move out" matriarch Deng stomped her cane making their hearts skip a bit
"And if you keep disgracing this Wang family don't think, I can't have my sons and grandsons divorce you " matriarch Deng pointed her withered finger at their faces
The third household couldn't help snickering over their lunch
They weren't concerned with the small room already having 3 rooms was already enough. For them
It was no one's fault the other households had to be so big
" Mother since fifth's house already has 3 rooms how about, we borrow three rooms till the fifth is back?" Madam fang yatou voiced out earning glares from both Madam Lin hong hua of the second household and Madam Li cui hua of the first household
"Why should my fifth's son's house be occupied by your family?" Matriarch Deng raised a brow, her piercing black orbs glared daggers at Fang yatou whose face was smeared with her own blood making her look like a ghost
"There's enough rooms to spare, our fourth household has 3 sons, space is tight" Fang yatou was betting on how favored she was in the old Matriach's eyes
However matriarch Deng's eyes darkened even further
"Your Chen hao is the same age as my fifth son! Instead of working hard to earn work points and help in the fields
He lazies around feigning a running stomach every now and then to shirk work!
Your chen hao, Li wei and Zhao yun are as useless as their mother" matriarch Deng cursed without restraint
She was truly angered by this shameless woman eyeing her son's things
Even she as his mother didn't care about this things yet this shameless woman had the neve to set her sights so high
Fang yatou could only clamp her mouth shut while silently enduring matriarch Deng's berating
She was quite fortunate cause when the matriarch was younger and more agile
It wouldn't have been just words
She would have surely been hit
Though the one who suffered the most was Zhou Chunhua who had only one son
But they all still got punished every now and then
The matriarch's hits were never light and could leave one in pain in bed for a few days
"Mother calm your anger " Li cuihua rushed forward to help the old lady pour a bowl of water but matriarch Deng slapped her hands away
Having lived so long she could tell who was bad and who was good
She could thoroughly tell black from white
And Lu cuihua of the first household was a shameless fox spirit
"Mother…." Li cuihua's voice trembled like she was about to cry yet she held back creating a pitiful sight
It was no doubt Li cuihua was beautiful though with a white lotus temperament
She was a sight to behold compared to Lin hong hua who was the typical 80's beauty standards wide hips, thick waist and strong legs which was believed to be able to produce more sons
And Lin hong hua indeed had four sons amongst which her second son was a factory worker living in the big city with his wife and children
She could only see him during holdidays
Some of which he didn't even bother to show up but would instead stay over at his wife's family as they were more connected and of a better status
Lin Hong hua's look was equally average, with dark skin compared to Li cuihua who looked tanned but delicate
"I've said my piece whatever you all do does not concern this old woman
The small room is reserved for cousin Si and his family! If you have any problems you might as well move out" matriarch Deng scoffed and hurriedly headed to her room
She feared if she stayed a second longer she'd surely die of an heart attack before seeing her fifth's son!
This lousy group of women
She scoffed disdainfully as she closed her eyes to rest
"Fang yatou, a toad craving swan meat" Lin Hong hua mocked then turned to Li cuihua who still had her red rimmed eyes lowered looking pitiful with her two daughter-in-law's by her side supporting her frail form
"Don't bully my mother-in-law second madam, if you want to hit you can hit me instead" Guang Juan spoke with a hint log defiance as she stood protectively in front of Li cuihua
"You do have a lot of courage going against second Madam, you'll only end up beaten to death" Qiongju scoffed and walked off
Whatever happened had no business with her
She didn't want the small room either
She only wanted to watch the show
And now it was time to sneak some good things to eat
A/N.~
I'd appreciate some encouraging words
If there's anything that needs changes
Feel free to bring it to my notice
Thank you^~^