The woman was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, her hair gathered up at the back of her head into a bun and wrapped in a flowery cloth. Dressed in simple coarse clothes, she was a bit sturdily built for a woman, with hints of crowâs feet at the corners of her eyes, single eyelids, and tightly pressed lips beneath her high nose bridge, giving her a somewhat mean appearance.
A typical village woman.
Su Qingyue had never seen her before, but in the village of over a hundred households, although she had gradually learned and recognized the vast majority of people through daily routine, there were some who lived further away or who had gone to work in the town, who she hadnât met and did not recognize.
As Su Qingyue was sizing her up, the woman was also staring intently at her. When she saw Su Qingyueâs face, which was covered in scabs, she frowned in disgust. Passing her glance briefly over her body, she focused on the horse that Qingyue was leading, her eyes lighting up.
âAre you the wife my second brother bought?â the woman asked coldly.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Hearing her words, Qingyue immediately realized, âBig sister?â Of course, this big sister was her husbandâs sister.
âHmm.â Xiao Ailiu gave a slight nod, seemingly acknowledging the relationship.
Su Qingyue led the horse to the firewood shed outside the kitchen, which was an open shed with four pillars and a thatched roof.
The shed was originally filled with firewood, but half had been burned off during this period.
She tied the horseâs reins to a pillar of the shed.
There was still a lot of grass on the ground from yesterday, which the horse lowered its head to eat.
Xiao Qinghe came out of the kitchen on a wheelchair, âWife⦠Qingyue, youâre back.â
âFourth brother is cooking dinner.â She smiled and nodded, looking around the yard and not seeing Yishan and Chuan through the open door of the master bedroom, she asked, âWhere are second brother and third brother?â
âWife, youâre in a rush to find me as soon as you get back!â Xiao Yuchuan came around from the backyard, using a straight, long firewood stick as a crutch. âI went to the backyard outhouse. Without you holding my butt, I almost fell into the pitâ¦â
Su Qingyue, grimacing, said, âWhy didnât you fall in?â
âI couldnât bear the thought of you washing clothes for me.â He replied.
She raised her eyebrows, âDid your hand get cut off?â
He looked at one of his hands, then at the other holding the crutch, âNo, it hasnâtâ¦â
âYour hand isnât cut off, yet you fell into the pit and still expect me to help you wash clothes, who do you think you are?â Su Qingyueâs face turned cold.
Xiao Yuchuan grinned, âIsnât it obvious? Of course, Iâm your husband.â
âHuh!â Xiao Ailiu coughed like a lady of high society, reminding them of her presence.
Xiao Yuchuan glanced at her, âBig sister, what are you coughing for?â
Xiao Ailiuâs face darkened, âThird brother, look at you, why are you being so polite to Su Qingyue? She was just bought!â
Xiao Yuchuan became unhappy, âSo what if she was bought? Sheâs still my wife!â
âYou canât pamper a woman too much, or sheâll get spoiled in an instant.â Xiao Ailiu said from experience, âLook at the way you talk. Big sister is trying to do you a favor, and youâre giving me attitude?â
âDo you deserve to be my big sister?â Xiao Yuchuan scoffed.
âYouâ¦â Xiao Ailiu was angry. She hadnât visited the Xiao family in many years since her marriage. At last, she came back, and none of her three younger brothers acknowledged her â they didnât even greet her when she came into the yard. She had to take a chair outside to sit by herself.
Seeing Chuanâs displeased face, she stood up and softened her tone, âChuan, I know I havenât been back these past few years, and youâ¦â