The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 106

 

| TBBOTOF | 106

After a sumptuous lunch, everyone's mouths were full of oil, Wei Dong and Tang Xu were the only ones who ate only half full.

Tang Xu didn't eat much because the dishes were a bit salty, though they tasted good. He drank water to alleviate the discomfort in his bloated stomach and stopped eating more.

Wei Dong, on the other hand, restrained himself from eating too much for fear that if he did, there wouldn't be enough food for everyone else.

Wei Xi managed to eat his fill, and as they were leaving, Tang Xu playfully poked his stomach, which felt firm.

"Good thing we walked here," Tang Xu remarked.

Eating so much without walking around might cause indigestion if they just stay indoors..

Tang Xu seriously advised Wei Xi, "Next time, don't eat so much. You might end up with a stomach ache."

"Oh, I understand," Wei Xi nodded obediently, licking his lips. Unable to resist, he added, "But that stewed chicken was really delicious! The meat was so tender!"

Tang Xu agreed, noting that the fatty chicken braised with soy sauce on low heat was exceptionally tender and flavorful. He also asked Wei Zhonghong how she raised the chicken so well.

Wei Zhonghong said they were just free-ranging in the vegetable garden every day, fed twice in the morning and afternoon, and left to find their own food.

"When we get back, let's release the chickens to free-range with the ducks and geese. In the future, when you and Ah Yang have nothing to do, you can go around the mountains and pick eggs. It's good exercise." Tang Xu rubbed Wei Xi's head. 

Wei Xi nodded, "Okay, we'll definitely collect them all!"

As they chatted on their way back, something happened at Old Wu's Family.

After dinner, as they cleaned up the dishes, Tang Xu offered to help, but Wei Zhonghong firmly sent him out the door. When she turned back to the kitchen, she saw Liu Shi lounging around, rubbing her swollen belly, saying, "Mom, sister-in-law, my stomach doesn't feel quite right. Sorry I can’t help out." 

Wei Zhonghong couldn't pretend not to know her nature, rolled her eyes, and ignored her. She went straight past her into the house, glanced at the remaining vegetables, and said, "Just put them together. We'll reheat it all in a pot tonight, and steam some buns in a steamer." 

Wei Shi nodded in agreement, scooped hot water from the big pot into a basin, and glanced at Liu Shi, who had already pulled back the curtain and gone out. 

Wei Shi felt uncomfortable, and said, "Eldest sister-in-law has been feeling unwell recently. I'm afraid there might be something wrong with the baby in her belly. Why not ask my brother to take her to see a doctor?" 

"What's the use? She eats every meal, but whenever there's work to be done, her stomach hurts and her bottom itches. It's not the baby that's sick; it's her laziness acting up." Wei Zhonghong's face was cold and unsympathetic, and Wei Shi was embarrassed by her mother-in-law's words. 

Although she was also pregnant, she had a different temperament and dared not really slack off. 

However, she also understood that although her mother-in-law's mouth was harsh, she had also helped with many things and hadn't really pressed them to do heavy or tiring work. After washing the dishes, Wei Zhonghong wiped her hands, feeling upset..

She threw the dishcloth aside and said to the second daughter-in-law who was wiping the oil stains on the stove, "You continue cleaning up; I'll go take a look."

What is she looking for?

Of course, she’s checking what mischief Liu Shi is up to again.

During dinner just now, what did she say? She kept hinting to Xu Ge’er about helping her make some money after the spring harvest. She even pretended to be poor, saying there was no money to raise the child. Everyone in the room looked at Liu, but she was so thick-skinned that she didn't notice it and just kept pretending to cry for a long time.

The more Wei Zhonghong thought about it, the angrier she became. She almost lost face just now.

If Old Wu hadn't intervened and pulled her back into the house, she would have ruined the whole meal.

At this moment, Wu Shouye sat on the kang, angrily watching his wife gesture with a piece of pink cloth. He grinned sarcastically, "Are you full from eating? Why did you say those things to Xu Ge’er!"

Wu Shouye shouted at her, causing her to freeze in the middle of handling the fabric. She responded casually, "So what? Mom earned so much money this summer, aren't you jealous?" 

Wu Shouye's face tightened. He had just had some sorghum wine, and though not drunk, his face flushed with anger.

He glared at her fiercely and rebuked, "You're never satisfied with eating and drinking; now you're eyeing Mother's purse! Why did I marry such a disaster like you?" 

"Who are you calling a disaster, Wu Shouye!" Liu Shi retorted, tossing the fabric in her hand aside and glaring back, her eyes red. "If it weren't for your son, would I need to ask? Do you even care?" 

After shouting, she sat on the edge of the kang, covering her face and sobbing. It was precisely at this moment that Wei Zhonghong lifted the door curtain and entered.

Wei Zhonghong didn’t bother to ask further, Wei Zhonghong coldly glanced over and noticed the fabric on the kang had been cut.

 Her anger surged immediately. "Liu Shi! Who allowed you to cut this fabric to make clothes for yourself?"

 It was such a large piece of fabric and it was already cut into a shape, and Wei Zhonghong wasn't blind; she could tell this was meant for herself. 

Liu Shi was startled by the scolding, hastily dropped the fabric, and tried to justify herself, "Mom, I didn't... I was planning to cut it for the child." 

"Stop talking nonsense! Do you think I'm blind?" Wei Zhonghong angrily retorted, grabbing the fabric tossed on the kang and shaking it in front of her. "Can your child wear such a large piece like this? You were so shameless today, this fabric wasn’t specifically for you to use!"

"If it’s not specifically for me. Didn't you say I could make clothes for the child? What's there to be angry about if I cut a piece for myself?" Liu Shi shrugged, clearly aware of how inappropriate her actions were. 

But being pregnant with the eldest grandson of the Wu family, she was unfazed and argued confidently, "How quickly do you think the child will grow? It would be such a waste to have such good fabric worn out by a child. I'll wear a short jacket for now, and it'll be perfect for the child when it's old enough."

Wei Zhonghong was left speechless by her reasoning.

She's not wrong. In the countryside, people always wear hand-me-downs, altering clothes from big to small through generations. 

But there's a catch—it's supposed to be fabric you bought yourself, or in this case, fabric explicitly gifted for the child to wear. 

Moreover, it wasn't just for your child; there's another child coming in the second family. Plainly put, this fabric was meant to add joy to the newborns.

And what happened?

The selfish mother took this joy for herself, and not only that, she took two-thirds of the fabric that should have been shared equally.

No matter where you put it,

it's just not fair.

Wei Zhonghong didn't argue with her anymore. She turned around to find scissors, spread out the fabric, and with a snap, she cut off a third directly from the piece Liu had already marked. 

Then, holding this third and the remaining piece, she coldly snorted and said to the stunned Liu Shi, "This is fair. You can do whatever you want with your half, I can't control that. As for the rest, the second daughter-in-law can do whatever she wants with it. Don't be so possessive over other people's things!" Her last sentence carried a double meaning.

Wei Zhonghong rolled her eyes at her, grabbed the fabric, and left.

With a bang of the door, Liu Shi sighed deeply and burst into tears.

After pretending to cry twice that day, she finally cried for real.

Wu Shouye didn't say a word, glancing at the scissors thrown onto the kang by his mother, he kicked them with his foot, sending them clattering to the floor.

Liu Shi cried and wiped her tears while angrily venting at Wu Shouye, making the room lively with their quarrels.

Meanwhile, Wei Shi had just finished cleaning the kitchen, washed her hands, poured a bowl of hot water, and was about to take it to her husband.

During dinner, Wu Shouxin couldn't handle himself after drinking a glass of sorghum wine and was now napping in the room.

She pulled back the curtain and walked outside, while Wei Zhonghong opened the door and walked in, narrowly avoiding a collision.

"Mom, what are you..."

"Here, take it. Do whatever you want with it." Wei Zhonghong stuffed the fabric into her arms.

Wei Shi was taken aback, looking down at the fabric in her arms. She asked with confusion and concern, "It’s such good fabric, it's such a pity to cut it into pieces."

"If I hadn't cut it, you wouldn't have gotten any of it," Wei Zhonghong said impatiently, "Liu Shi cut off most of it to make clothes for herself. Luckily I checked on it, otherwise she would've cut it all!"

Wei Shi frowned as she saw the markings on the fabric. She went back into the room, spread out both pieces of fabric, and said, "We can still make three small shirts and patch together the leftover scraps for two little pockets."

Wei Zhonghong nodded solemnly, "Do as you see fit. Don't waste it. She's caused enough trouble with this good fabric. It would be a shame to waste it."

Wei Shi felt uneasy inside, knowing that arguing now wouldn't change anything. Making a scene would only embarrass them further in front of others.

Taking a deep breath, she comforted Wei Zhonghong, saying, "Mom, don't be upset with your eldest daughter-in-law. Getting worked up over this will only harm your health."

"Let her get worked up. It'll shave a few years off her life!" Wei Zhonghong glanced at the second daughter-in-law, thought for a moment, and continued, "You have suffered a loss in this matter. After the New Year, I'll give you some money. You can buy another piece of fabric in town and make yourself a new outfit. Make it big enough to wear comfortably, especially as your belly grows bigger."

Wei Shi quickly shook her head, "There's no need for a new outfit. Even if I make it bigger, I'll only wear it for a few months. After giving birth, I won't be able to wear it anymore." 

Wei Zhonghong understood her intentions well but didn't press further, simply saying, "If you want to make it, go ahead. Alright, go rest in the room." She brushed past the curtain and left.

Wei Shi couldn't help but smile slightly, quickly suppressing it, and then carried the fabric in one hand and the water bowl in the other as she followed outside.

Back in the room, she saw that Wu Shouxin had already woken up, sitting on the kang with his eyes half-open and shaking his head.

"Are you feeling better, husband?" She handed him the water bowl.

Wu Shouxin drank the water, shook his head, and said, "I’m feeling better, just dizzy."

He noticed the fabric Wei Shi was holding and asked curiously, "Where did you get this fabric from? Did Mom give it to you?"

"Sort of, but not really," Wei Shi handed him the fabric and explained, "When Xu Ge’er came, he took a large piece of fabric and said it was for me and the unborn child of the eldest daughter-in-law. Mom was busy cooking at the time, so she asked the eldest daughter-in-law to keep the fabric. 

But just now, Mom went over to her and found out she had cut a big piece claiming she wanted to make herself a garment. Mom got angry and cut the fabric, leaving me with this."

She finished speaking and looked at Wu Shouxin, sitting beside him and whispered, "Mom said I got the short end of the stick in this matter. After the New Year, she'll give me money to buy new fabric for a larger garment."

Wu Shouxin looked at her and chuckled, "So, you don't want to make it?"

Wei Shi licked her lips but didn't say anything. However, her expression clearly showed she did want to.

Wu Shouxin hugged her gently, sighed, and said, "Just do as Mom says. Don't argue with her. Our mom won't let you lose out. She's not that kind of mean mother-in-law."

Wei Shi nodded. "I know. Mom is very kind."

Wu Shouxin fell silent, his eyes fixed on the two pieces of fabric, his mind starting to form some thoughts.

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