Chapter 41: Murder

The three little ones were playing like crazy and refused to come back with Erdan Shao. Erdan Shao had no choice but to activate child-catching mode, while the three tykes darted away like lightning!

Erdan Shao only had two hands. Right after he grabbed Big Tiger and Second Tiger, Little Tiger slipped away.

The moment he caught Little Tiger and brought him back, Big Tiger ran off.

Just as he tucked Big Tiger under his arm, Second Tiger stuck out his tongue and scuttled away with a cheeky taunt.

Erdan Shao was flustered and scrambling frantically.

The villagers, who had just finished watching the father-in-law and son-in-law make fools of themselves on the field ridge, were now blessed with the spectacle of the Shao family's youngest bully being spun in circles by three little tots.

"Oh my goodness... Hahaha..."

The villagers laughed so hard their stomachs ached.

When had Erdan Shao, who always strutted behind his biological father acting like a tyrant, ever been in such a pathetic state?

How adorably foolish!

Hahahaha!

Shao Diandian was entirely unaware of the chaotic farce between Erdan Shao and the three tykes. After Wei Ting finished reading the inventory list to her, he suddenly lost his temper for reasons unknown and retreated into the room with a cold face.

"You're just spoiled rotten." Shao Diandian curled her lips and huffed, heading to the kitchen to fetch the vegetables and wash them.

Firewood was running low, so she decided to head to the back mountain to gather some twigs.

The morning sky had been dim, so she usually took the main road. Now that the light was ample, she simply took the small path behind the kitchen, skirting around the back of the old Shao household to get to the mountain.

Shao Jinniang had already returned home and was sitting in the backyard plucking vegetables. From inside the kitchen came the voices of her mother Madam Fang, Second Aunt Madam Yang, and Madam Zhou.

Madam Zhou lived right next door to the old Shao family and would often drop by for a chat, regardless of whether she had business or not.

"Sister Fang, which family does Jinniang plan to marry into? Has it been settled yet?"

It was Madam Zhou's voice.

Madam Fang replied, "Not yet."

Madam Zhou wondered aloud, "Why hasn't it been settled yet? Jinniang is already sixteen!"

In the countryside, girls reached womanhood at fifteen, and quite a few married off at fourteen or fifteen. It was rare for a girl of sixteen to still be unbetrothed.

Second Aunt Madam Yang chimed in, "No need to rush. It's not like Jinniang can't find a husband."

"No matter how good a girl is, if she lingers until she's an old maid, she'll be hard to marry off!" Madam Zhou said. "Don't tell me you're being too picky and ended up delaying Jinniang."

Madam Fang smiled.

Madam Zhou gossiped, "There must be quite a few suitors asking for her hand, right? I see matchmakers sneaking into your house every single day. Who are they? Big Pillar from old Luo's family! He's definitely among them!"

Big Pillar, the village chief's nephew, was a steady and hardworking young man. If Madam Zhou's own daughter weren't still so young, she would have wanted Big Pillar as her own son-in-law.

"Are there any from town? The family that sells wine in Yangliu Village—their daughter married right into town! Compared to Jinniang, she falls far short, yet she still managed to marry into town. As for Jinniang—"

Before Madam Zhou could finish, Madam Fang interrupted coldly, "With that sort of behavior of hers, our Jinniang could never learn it! Jinniang has always been proper and would never go around seducing a man who is already betrothed!"

The junior district official's son originally had a fiancée, but the match had been ruined by the wine-seller's hussy.

Madam Fang added, "There have been suitors from town as well, but Jinniang's grandfather wants to pick a scholar for his granddaughter's husband."

Madam Zhou chuckled, "True, Jinniang ought to marry a scholar! Unlike chubby Shao Diandian, who found a handsome husband—so what if he is handsome? He doesn't know a single character and is currently learning how to farm from old Li's family!"

Shao Jinniang recalled the scene of Wei Ting reading the letter to Shao Diandian. That man... clearly knew how to read.

--

Madam Zhou gossiped a little longer before leaving. Shao Jinniang washed the plucked vegetables and carried them into the kitchen.

"Is it starting to snow? Jinniang, close the door." Madam Fang, who was busy stir-frying, said to Shao Jinniang.

Shao Jinniang silently went to close the kitchen's back door, bumping straight into Shao Diandian, who was passing by at that moment.

Shao Jinniang's gaze lingered on Shao Diandian's brightly colored, mismatched padded cotton jacket before she coldly shut the door.

Shao Diandian looked down at her own outfit.

Oh well, she had forgotten to buy new clothes.

Light snowflakes began to drift down. Not walking too far, Shao Diandian quickly gathered a bundle of firewood and hurried back.

Erdan Shao finally managed to drag the three little ones back, successfully exhausting himself into the likeness of a Husky.

Bursting with boundless energy, the three tykes scampered straight into the kitchen to find their mother.

"Mom, Big Tiger is hungry."

"Second Tiger is hungry too."

"Little Tiger, Little Tiger is the hungriest!"

Little Tiger lifted up his shirt and patted his dry (round) and plump (roly-poly) little belly.

Shao Diandian gently poked his watermelon-like little belly: "Oh my, you really are starved to death!"

Little Tiger nodded: "Uh-huh!"

Shao Diandian burst out laughing.

Big Tiger and Second Tiger wanted their bellies poked too. Left with no other choice, Shao Diandian poked them one by one, showing no favoritism.

Shao Diandian prepared a corn and pork-rib broth hot pot for dinner tonight. The base broth was non-spicy, while the dipping sauces included chili.

She clapped her hands together: "Mission accomplished!"

Just at that moment, a series of heavy knocks pounded against the front gate.

"Chubby Shao! Get out here!"

"What is it? What are you yelling for!"

Shao Kang pulled the wooden bolt with a cold face. The wind and snow outside rushed in, pouring straight down the back of Shao Kang's neck.

Shao Kang hurriedly pulled up his collar.

Madam Wang, standing at the threshold, saw the door open, raised her fist, and lunged forward.

Shao Kang sidestepped, and she lunged into empty air.

"Mom!"

Madam Wang's daughter-in-law cried out in alarm. Glancing at the village bully Shao Kang and seeing that he had no intention of striking her, she mustered the courage to enter the house and help Madam Wang, who had fallen to the ground, back up.

"Mom, are you alright?" she asked anxiously.

Madam Wang yelled loudly, "Where is chubby Shao? Make her come out! Make her come out!"

Shao Kang frowned and asked, "What are you looking for my daughter for?"

"Dad."

Shao Diandian emerged from the kitchen.

The moment Madam Wang laid eyes on her, she became like a rabid beast, shoving aside her daughter-in-law who was supporting her, grabbed a stool off the floor, and smashed it straight toward Shao Diandian!

Shao Kang was behind Madam Wang, but it was already too late to snatch the stool away.

One of Shao Diandian's feet had just crossed the threshold, and right behind her were the three little tots; she could not dodge.

Because she was carrying the hot pot in her hands, she had no way to use her arms to catch or block the blow.

Just as the stool was about to strike her, the door of the small east room suddenly flew open. Wei Ting flashed outward and delivered a swift, powerful palm strike.

Shao Diandian: "The stool costs money!"

Wei Ting choked back a breath, abruptly changing his move to catch the stool firmly with his hands instead.

Shao Diandian breathed a long sigh of relief: "Good, good. Stools are very expensive."

Wei Ting: "..."

"You surnamed Wang! What is wrong with you!" Shao Kang strode forward in a single bound, blocking in front of Madam Wang, and said viciously, "Are you out of your damn mind?! How dare you pull a fast one on my daughter! Don't think I won't hit you just because you're a woman?!"

"Mom! Mom!"

Madam Wang's daughter-in-law hurriedly pulled her mother-in-law to the side.

The commotion was so loud that the villagers came running over to watch the spectacle once again.

"What's going on here?"

"No idea."

"Who's in the house?"

"Old Wang the scoundrel's mother and his wife."

Old Wang the scoundrel was the man who had been handsy with young Madam Wu on the ox cart that day, only to be kicked off the cart by Shao Diandian.

Seeing that all the villagers had arrived, Madam Wang scrambled outside, collapsed crookedly onto the ground, beat her chest, and wailed tearfully: "Son—my poor son—damn the Shao family—return my son's life to me—"

Old Wang the scoundrel's wife also began to cry sorrowfully.

Madam He asked, "What do you mean by returning your son's life? Auntie Wang, explain things clearly to everyone."

Madam Wang wept aloud: "Chubby Shao killed my son—"