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墨書 Inktalez
In the courtyard, Qi Chong leaned on his crutch, exercising despite his clothes being soaked with sweat. He was aware of his injuries, but he needed to keep moving; lying around every day and getting worse was not an option.
Since Yu Chunmiao went up the mountain, Chen Ruolan had been unable to relax, her heart in her throat. Around five in the afternoon, she peeked out from the courtyard gate. When she saw Uncle and Aunt chatting and laughing as they walked down the road, she turned around with a smile and went back inside to prepare dinner.
Qi Chong knew that this meant his younger brother was back, which also meant that foolish sister-in-law had returned. He turned back to the house with a hint of annoyance.
As Yu Chunmiao entered the courtyard, she caught a glimpse of Qi Chong's profile as he walked away. He appeared to be at least six feet tall and had a decent build. "Qi Chong!" she called out, wanting to see what her new husband looked like. However, Qi Chong did not turn around; he simply went inside and slammed the door shut. This was the first hint of coldness she felt since coming to this family.
Her older brother was like this; he had leg pain and wasn't in a good mood. Qi Rong, being the younger brother, hurriedly explained that he was actually a good person.
Bending down, Yu Chunmiao quietly asked him, "What happened to your brother's leg? Is it serious?"
Qi Rong thought that Yu Chunmiao might be disdainful of his brother's condition, so he waved his hands dismissively and said, "It's fine! It just costs money. If we have cash, it can be treated." He worried that if Yu Chunmiao found out his brother's leg was beyond help, she might leave him. After all, in their village, there was a woman who left her husband because he couldn't move after being bedridden.
Yu Chunmiao understood; it seemed she needed to speed up her plans to earn money.
In the backyard, they dumped wild vegetables into a large wooden basin. As an adult, Yu Chunmiao snatched the bucket from her brother-in-law's hands and drew water from the well. Qi Rong carefully began washing the vegetables.
Yu Chunmiao then brought over two smaller wooden basins to clean apple snails and clams separately, keeping them alive in water.
While Chen Ruolan fetched water from the backyard, she glanced at a basin of apple snails and shared an expression of disdain with Qi Rong. "What are these for? They're slimy and soft."
Truly a mother and son; they spoke alike.
Yu Chunmiao chuckled and said, "Mother, they're edible! I've eaten them before; don't worry."
Chen Ruolan thought that if it came down to wasting some firewood, it would be fine. If Yu Chunmiao didn't eat them this time, she wouldn't bother bringing them again. She looked again at Yu Chunmiao as she washed the wild vegetables with nimble movements and confirmed that she wasn't foolish after all.
Weren't people saying she couldn't speak or laugh? Everyone in Old Pine Village claimed she wouldn't fight back or argue but worked hard without complaint. This didn't seem right! Had there been a mix-up? But her father had personally brought her here!
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She turned back and asked, "Yu Chunmiao, you’re from Old Pine Village, right? Your father is Yu Daman? Who else is in your family?"
Yu Chunmiao immediately understood what Chen Ruolan was getting at and replied as if reciting from a family tree: "Yes! My family is from Old Pine Village; we belong to the Yu family of West End Village. My father is Yu Daman; he's a terrible gambler. My brother is Yu Qingshan; my sister-in-law is Liu Xiuzhen; my nephew is Yu Wenjie—he's three years old now."
She felt the need for an explanation for her own changes and blurted out: "Mother, my father hit me with a stick. I passed out and when I woke up, I was like this—I don't know why. Maybe getting hit opened my eyes."
Yu Chunmiao quickly came up with a reasonable and heartfelt excuse. The moment I saw my mother, I was reminded of my own dear mother. I just wanted to feel closer to her, so I ended up talking more. Please don’t think poorly of me.
Perhaps some people prefer those who are quiet and reserved? Should I try to change that in the future?
"Oh dear!" Chen Ruolan said, wrapping her arms around her. "My girl, I’m actually delighted by this! How could I ever think poorly of you? Qi Chong is a bit of a dullard; you need to talk more!"
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