When they returned home, Tang An knocked at her uncle’s door.
Madam Wu opened the door and her face darkened when she saw Tang An standing there.
She was about to close the door when she saw Liu Dalang behind Tang An. His expression was dark. Madam Wu said angrily, “Didn’t you say that you wanted to cut ties with us? Why are you here then?”
Tang An said calmly, “Of course, I’m here to get the grain. Uncle and Aunt occupied two acres of the land that belongs to me and agreed to give us 20% of the yield. You’ve never given us any grain in the past, but this year, I won’t let you get away with it.”
Madam Wu was furious. “Tang An, you’re getting bold, aren’t you?”
Tang An looked at Madam Wu coldly. “Yes, I’m getting bold. I don’t care about anything now. Not only will you have to give me the grain, but from next year on, we’ll take back the land as well. In the future, our family will have nothing to do with yours.”
Madam Wu looked at Tang An and could not believe that she was the one who said that. She was extremely unwilling. Tang Maosheng also came out of the house and looked at Tang An with a dark expression.
Tang Maosheng said, “An, I’m your uncle. If you do this, you’ll disappoint me.”
Tang An looked at Tang Maosheng. “Uncle, you said that I will disappoint you. What about you? Before my father died, he entrusted you to take care of me and Yuan for the sake of kinship. What have you done? How much grain have you given us in the past few years?”
Tang Maosheng couldn’t restrain his anger. “How can you talk to me like that? Did I starve you to death? Tang An, Tang An, is your heart black now? You siblings can’t handle so much land, so I helped you out of kindness, but you accused me like this. ”
Tang An said sarcastically, “Thank you for your ‘help’ all these years. From now on, we won’t burden you anymore.”
With a forced smile,Tang Maosheng said, “An, that’s not what I meant. I’m just worried that you and Yuan won’t be able to take care of so much land.”
Tang Yuan looked up at Liu Dalang and said loudly, “You don’t have to worry about that. My brother-in-law will help us.”
Tang Maosheng looked at the tall figure and did not know what to say. Standing behind the two siblings, Liu Dalang was like a mountain.
Madam Wu muttered unhappily. “He’s an outsider after all. It’s hard to say if he’ll turn against you after marriage.”
The yield of two acres of land could be sold for a few taels of silver a year. At the thought of this, Madam Wu felt indignant. If she really returned it, it was no different from tearing a piece of flesh from her body.
Tang Maosheng looked at Liu Dalang and said, “There’s no hurry. It’s not spring yet.”
After the new year, he would immediately seize the time to plant crops. They couldn’t possibly ask him to dig out all the crops, right?
At the thought of this, Tang Maosheng smiled. “An, Yuan, the land is yours. As your uncle, I naturally won’t take up your land for nothing. If you want grains, I can give that to you now. When spring comes, you can take the land back.”
Tang An looked at Tang Maosheng. “We naturally have to plant the crops after spring.”
Tang An could not believe that her uncle was willing to give back the land so easily.
After putting their portion of the grain into the sack, Liu Dalang carried it and they went back.
Tang An went to cook, and Liu Dalang stayed for lunch.
During lunch, Tang An said with a smile, “Yuan, let’s grind the artichokes later and make some pastries with it.”
Tang Yuan nodded. “Okay, Sister.”
Liu Dalang smiled. “Where is the land? Plow it before the new year so that it can be ready to be planted after the new year.”
Tang Yuan felt that the food in his mouth was extremely delicious. The feeling of living under someone’s grip was suddenly swept away. He smiled until his eyes narrowed into slits. “Brother-in-law, I’ll take you there for a look later.”
Liu Dalang nodded.
Tang Yuan and Tang An did not think too much about why their uncle was suddenly so easy to talk to. They felt that he probably still treated them as his family.
At night, Liu Dalang returned home. When it was time for dinner, before Madam Wei and the others could ask, Liu Dalang said eagerly, “It’s settled. They didn’t make a fuss. When it is the time to plant the crops next year, I’ll have to trouble Erlang and father.”
Liu Erlang waved his hand. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I will work like a dog as long as Mother can make me delicious food.”
Madam Wei hit Liu Erlang with her chopsticks. “You haven’t finished what’s in your bowl yet, but you are already thinking about what you want to eat tomorrow.”
Liu Erlang chuckled. “I’m still growing. I need to eat a lot of food.”
He wanted to eat more and get big so that he could scare away those who were looking for trouble just with a glare.
Madam Wei put a meatball into Liu Erlang’s bowl. “Eat it. Let’s see if you can grow vertically or horizontally.”
Madam Wei picked up some food for Liu Sanniang and Liu Dalang too. Liu Dalang and Liu Sanniang ate in silence.
The weather had become especially cold these past few days. When Liu Sanniang woke up, she could see frost on the ground. The basin in the backyard would freeze too.
Only the water from the well was not that cold.
Liu Sanniang washed some vegetables and prepared to marinate them to make pickled vegetables. When the time came, she would cook a pot of fish with them.
Madam Wei came over with Chu Yan. She specially got off work early to get Chu Yan to come with her. Ever since Liu Dalang was engaged, Chu Yan had stopped coming over and Liu Sanniang stopped going out. It wasn’t a good thing that the two of them didn’t get to see each other.
Madam Wei looked at the basket in the courtyard and smiled at Chu Yan. “Yan, go to the backyard and see what Sanniang is doing.”
Chu Yan nodded and walked towards the backyard.
When Liu Sanniang heard footsteps, she turned around and saw Chu Yan walking towards her in black. His expression was gentle like that of a summer breeze.
Liu Sanniang felt like she suddenly lost all her words. She stammered. “You, why are you here?”
Chu Yan walked to Liu Sanniang and squatted down. “Auntie Wei called me over to eat.”
He pushed up his sleeves and reached out to help Liu Sanniang wash the vegetables. She looked at his slender hands and felt ill at ease with him around. She quickly said, “It’s alright, leave it to me. I’ll do it.”
When they returned home, Tang An knocked at her uncle’s door.
Madam Wu opened the door and her face darkened when she saw Tang An standing there.
She was about to close the door when she saw Liu Dalang behind Tang An. His expression was dark. Madam Wu said angrily, “Didn’t you say that you wanted to cut ties with us? Why are you here then?”
Tang An said calmly, “Of course, I’m here to get the grain. Uncle and Aunt occupied two acres of the land that belongs to me and agreed to give us 20% of the yield. You’ve never given us any grain in the past, but this year, I won’t let you get away with it.”
Madam Wu was furious. “Tang An, you’re getting bold, aren’t you?”
Tang An looked at Madam Wu coldly. “Yes, I’m getting bold. I don’t care about anything now. Not only will you have to give me the grain, but from next year on, we’ll take back the land as well. In the future, our family will have nothing to do with yours.”
Madam Wu looked at Tang An and could not believe that she was the one who said that. She was extremely unwilling. Tang Maosheng also came out of the house and looked at Tang An with a dark expression.
Tang Maosheng said, “An, I’m your uncle. If you do this, you’ll disappoint me.”
Tang An looked at Tang Maosheng. “Uncle, you said that I will disappoint you. What about you? Before my father died, he entrusted you to take care of me and Yuan for the sake of kinship. What have you done? How much grain have you given us in the past few years?”
Tang Maosheng couldn’t restrain his anger. “How can you talk to me like that? Did I starve you to death? Tang An, Tang An, is your heart black now? You siblings can’t handle so much land, so I helped you out of kindness, but you accused me like this. ”
Tang An said sarcastically, “Thank you for your ‘help’ all these years. From now on, we won’t burden you anymore.”
With a forced smile,Tang Maosheng said, “An, that’s not what I meant. I’m just worried that you and Yuan won’t be able to take care of so much land.”
Tang Yuan looked up at Liu Dalang and said loudly, “You don’t have to worry about that. My brother-in-law will help us.”
Tang Maosheng looked at the tall figure and did not know what to say. Standing behind the two siblings, Liu Dalang was like a mountain.
Madam Wu muttered unhappily. “He’s an outsider after all. It’s hard to say if he’ll turn against you after marriage.”
The yield of two acres of land could be sold for a few taels of silver a year. At the thought of this, Madam Wu felt indignant. If she really returned it, it was no different from tearing a piece of flesh from her body.
Tang Maosheng looked at Liu Dalang and said, “There’s no hurry. It’s not spring yet.”
After the new year, he would immediately seize the time to plant crops. They couldn’t possibly ask him to dig out all the crops, right?
At the thought of this, Tang Maosheng smiled. “An, Yuan, the land is yours. As your uncle, I naturally won’t take up your land for nothing. If you want grains, I can give that to you now. When spring comes, you can take the land back.”
Tang An looked at Tang Maosheng. “We naturally have to plant the crops after spring.”
Tang An could not believe that her uncle was willing to give back the land so easily.
After putting their portion of the grain into the sack, Liu Dalang carried it and they went back.
Tang An went to cook, and Liu Dalang stayed for lunch.
During lunch, Tang An said with a smile, “Yuan, let’s grind the artichokes later and make some pastries with it.”
Tang Yuan nodded. “Okay, Sister.”
Liu Dalang smiled. “Where is the land? Plow it before the new year so that it can be ready to be planted after the new year.”
Tang Yuan felt that the food in his mouth was extremely delicious. The feeling of living under someone’s grip was suddenly swept away. He smiled until his eyes narrowed into slits. “Brother-in-law, I’ll take you there for a look later.”
Liu Dalang nodded.
Tang Yuan and Tang An did not think too much about why their uncle was suddenly so easy to talk to. They felt that he probably still treated them as his family.
At night, Liu Dalang returned home. When it was time for dinner, before Madam Wei and the others could ask, Liu Dalang said eagerly, “It’s settled. They didn’t make a fuss. When it is the time to plant the crops next year, I’ll have to trouble Erlang and father.”
Liu Erlang waved his hand. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I will work like a dog as long as Mother can make me delicious food.”
Madam Wei hit Liu Erlang with her chopsticks. “You haven’t finished what’s in your bowl yet, but you are already thinking about what you want to eat tomorrow.”
Liu Erlang chuckled. “I’m still growing. I need to eat a lot of food.”
He wanted to eat more and get big so that he could scare away those who were looking for trouble just with a glare.
Madam Wei put a meatball into Liu Erlang’s bowl. “Eat it. Let’s see if you can grow vertically or horizontally.”
Madam Wei picked up some food for Liu Sanniang and Liu Dalang too. Liu Dalang and Liu Sanniang ate in silence.
The weather had become especially cold these past few days. When Liu Sanniang woke up, she could see frost on the ground. The basin in the backyard would freeze too.
Only the water from the well was not that cold.
Liu Sanniang washed some vegetables and prepared to marinate them to make pickled vegetables. When the time came, she would cook a pot of fish with them.
Madam Wei came over with Chu Yan. She specially got off work early to get Chu Yan to come with her. Ever since Liu Dalang was engaged, Chu Yan had stopped coming over and Liu Sanniang stopped going out. It wasn’t a good thing that the two of them didn’t get to see each other.
Madam Wei looked at the basket in the courtyard and smiled at Chu Yan. “Yan, go to the backyard and see what Sanniang is doing.”
Chu Yan nodded and walked towards the backyard.
When Liu Sanniang heard footsteps, she turned around and saw Chu Yan walking towards her in black. His expression was gentle like that of a summer breeze.
Liu Sanniang felt like she suddenly lost all her words. She stammered. “You, why are you here?”
Chu Yan walked to Liu Sanniang and squatted down. “Auntie Wei called me over to eat.”
He pushed up his sleeves and reached out to help Liu Sanniang wash the vegetables. She looked at his slender hands and felt ill at ease with him around. She quickly said, “It’s alright, leave it to me. I’ll do it.”
