Daily Life of Raising Kids and Running a Stall - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Stirring Trouble

Qiu Yuruo could overlook the poor food and clothing back when she lived with the Qiu family. She could also disregard Old Lady Zhou’s sharp tongue and unfair treatment, because in this era, the fact that she grew up safely was thanks to their shelter.

But to be treated as if her life didn’t matter, to be forced into a corner with no choice is something that she could never forgive. She had to get her revenge!

Third Uncle Qiu fell into deep thought after hearing her words. The more he thought, the more tempted he became. He decided to discuss it with his wife after returning home and figure out a proper plan.

The time was about right, so the two of them stopped talking about what they had just discussed. Third Uncle Qiu went to turn the ox cart around, while Qiu Yuruo returned to the inner room to help Su Yunting turn over in bed. She softly said, “Stay well at home. I’ll be back after lunch.”

In his consciousness, Su Yunting replied, “Alright.”

Before she left, Qiu Yuruo gave instructions to Su Jingshu, “Shut the door tightly. Don’t go out. Take good care of your brother. I’ve already prepared lunch; you just need to reheat it.”

Su Jingshu responded to everything one by one, and only then did Qiu Yuruo take Yunche and her younger sister to get on the ox cart, and leave with Third Uncle Qiu.

As soon as the ox cart entered Qianqiao Village, it attracted the attention of the villagers.

When they saw that Qiu Yuruo didn’t have a trace of unwillingness on her face, they couldn’t help but come up to chat.

The uncle and niece exchanged a glance, and Qiu Yuruo immediately launched into praising her third uncle’s kindness and righteousness all along the way.

By the time they arrived home, a large crowd had already gathered to watch, and the whole family had come out to the doorway to welcome them.

Qiu Yuruo thought: It looks like they’re giving me face, but it’s really just Old Man Qiu fishing for praise from others.

Ever since Old Man Qiu agreed to send a granddaughter to marry into the Su family, he used the excuse of “honor and integrity” to avoid being labeled a coward.

And since Qiu Yuruo hadn’t cried or caused a fuss when she left to marry, the villagers, regardless of their private thoughts, had nothing but compliments to offer.

Old Man Qiu had thoroughly enjoyed being praised and flattered these past two days.

When someone ran to tell him that Qiu Yuruo had returned, he had Old Lady Zhou call everyone in the family to come out and greet her.

Acting, huh? Qiu Yuruo had become very good at that over the past couple days.

She got off the cart and immediately greeted Old Man Qiu respectfully, showing no hint of resentment on her face.

Old Man Qiu was in great spirits, thinking his ten taels of silver had been spent well.

Qiu Yuruo then turned to Old Lady Zhou and said, “When I was still at home, Grandmother was strict with me. Back then, I couldn’t understand why. But now that I’m married, I realize it was all for my own good.”

Old Lady Zhou’s expression shifted when she heard her bring up the past harsh treatment. But remembering what Old Man Qiu had instructed, she could only take it as a compliment.

With a stiff face, she said, “You lost your parents early so someone had to teach you. I wasn’t afraid of you resenting me.”

Qiu Yuruo didn’t argue back. She just smiled slightly and then walked past Eldest Uncle’s family and headed straight toward Third Aunt, hugging her warmly without saying a word.

Third Aunt Guo still had lingering unease about Qiu Yuruo, remembering how she had been threatened before. Caught off guard by this sudden show of affection, she froze for a moment, then quickly returned the hug and said, “I’ve been looking forward to your return all morning. Finally, you’re home.”

Qiu Yuruo let go of her and said with a grin, “Uncle said you even made breakfast earlier than usual so he could leave early to pick me up.”

Madam Guo chuckled and then turned to her three children. “Didn’t you all say you were looking forward to Second Sister coming back? Now that she’s here, why aren’t you saying anything?”

The three kids greeted her in unison, “Second Sister.”

Among cousins living in the same courtyard, they were ranked by age and addressed accordingly.

Qiu Yuruo reached out and patted the youngest cousin Sanliang on the head, smiling sweetly as she said to the three, “From now on, just call me ‘Sister’ or ‘Sister Ah-ruo.’ Don’t call me Second Sister anymore.”

As soon as she said that, the courtyard fell silent.

Eldest Uncle Qiu, already annoyed that she had ignored his presence, was even more irritated now that she refused to share ranks with his daughter. He flung his sleeve and stormed off.

His son gave Qiu Yuruo a glare before following suit.

Their reaction made Qiu Yuruo want to applaud them. But on the surface, she switched to a look of grief and indignation. Her acting wasn’t great—she couldn’t even squeeze out a tear. So she looked over at Third Uncle, then hugged Madam Guo again and said, “Third Aunt, from now on, you’re the only real family I have left.”

Third Uncle Qiu met her gaze and remembered what she had said earlier: “Opportunities are fleeting. If you seize them, even the impossible can become possible.”

Clenching his jaw, he suddenly stepped forward and shouted into the courtyard, “Eldest Brother! I’ve put up with you long enough. You were already in the wrong with what you did to Yuruo. You’ve ruined that child’s life and now you won’t even allow anyone to feel upset about it?

“You’re the eldest son. You enjoyed all the family’s support. But as an uncle, you’ve been anything but kind. Think about it, can you truly say you’ve done right to our second brother?”

Third Uncle Qiu’s outburst finally gave the gathered crowd exactly the drama they’d been hoping for.

The onlookers immediately began whispering to each other. His words ripped off Eldest Uncle Qiu’s veneer of respectability, and now they could freely gossip about someone they had once viewed as untouchable.

Hearing her third son speak to his elder brother that way, Old Lady Zhou couldn’t take it anymore. She raised her hand and slapped him. “How dare you talk to your Eldest Brother like that? Your eldest brother worked so hard for this family all these years, and you dare question his conscience? I think it’s your conscience that’s been eaten by dogs!”

Third Uncle Qiu had always known his mother was biased, but being slapped in the face like this in front of everyone still stung.

He had always been clever enough to know that when a son argues with his mother, even if he’s right, it’s still considered unfilial.

So instead of arguing back, he knelt before her and said, “Ever since I was old enough to remember, most of the family’s money went toward Eldest Brother’s schooling. When Second Brother and I were out working the fields, he was in the academy. When we were eating coarse grain and husks, he was eating fine rice and wheat. Yes, Eldest Brother studied hard. But does that mean Second Brother and I didn’t do anything for this family?”

“Other families with a single scholar make sure every boy knows how to read. My Eldest Brother studied for years, but he never taught Second Brother or me a single character. Now look at the next generation. When we asked him to teach our children to read, he only taught his own sons. Said my boy ‘wasn’t scholar material.’ I never asked him to make my son a scholar. I just wanted to teach him basic literacy. Mom, why don’t you ask him yourself: how many characters has he taught my son?”

After finishing his speech to Old Lady Zhou, he turned toward the courtyard and shouted, “Qiu Qishan! I can swear on my conscience that I’ve done right for this family and for Second Brother! But can you say the same?”

That outburst ruined all of Old Man Qiu’s proud mood. Third Son wasn’t even calling his brother “Eldest Brother” anymore—just calling him by name. Old Lady Zhou was about to start scolding again when Old Man Qiu kicked Third Son and shouted, “You’ve had a few drops of wine and now you’re spewing nonsense. Get back home!”

Taking the cue, Old Lady Zhou dropped the scolding and yanked her son’s arm. “Drinking so early in the morning, no wonder you’re talking nonsense. Go home and sleep it off!”

Third Uncle Qiu insisted he hadn’t been drinking, but the old couple was dead set on pretending he was drunk.

Madam Guo was usually a capable woman, but after being under her in-laws’ thumb for so long, she’d grown timid when confronting them directly.

Qiu Yuruo couldn’t allow them to drag Third Uncle away, so she whispered to Third Aunt, “Don’t let them take him. Go call the clan elder.”

Madam Guo instantly grasped the importance of that. She turned her body to block everyone’s view and told her son Ersheng, “Run and call the clan elder! Tell him Grandpa is going to beat your father to death!”

Ersheng was ten years old, just old enough to understand some things and be terrified by others. Hearing that, he panicked and darted off through the crowd toward the clan elder’s house.

Meanwhile, Madam Guo knelt beside her husband and cried out, “Mom! We all had the same breakfast this morning. He only ate two coarse grain flatbreads and drank a bowl of porridge. He had to pick up Yuruo today—how could he have been drinking?”

Old Lady Zhou turned and glared at Qiu Yuruo. “It’s that jinx! She’s the one who got him drunk!”

Qiu Yuruo wasn’t afraid of going head-to-head with her, but before she could even open her mouth, Yunche suddenly stepped forward and shouted, “My sister-in-law is not a jinx! She didn’t make Third Uncle drink!”

Being defended like that warmed Qiu Yuruo’s heart. She decided to be even better to Su Yunting’s siblings in the future.

Though Su Yunche was young, he was still family and represented her husband’s family. The other villagers watching couldn’t stay silent.

Someone turned to Old Lady Zhou and said, “Yuruo didn’t do anything wrong. Old Sister, your words are too harsh!”

Everyone in the village knew Old Lady Zhou had always been hard on Qiu Yuruo. They’d gossiped plenty behind her back, but since Old Lady Zhou was an elder and Qiu Yuruo was an orphan, people had looked the other way so long as she was fed and clothed.

But now the situation was different. Qiu Yuruo was married. If Old Lady Zhou kept scolding her like before, and her in-laws objected, then the clan would have to step in.

Once one person spoke up, others followed suit, all siding with Qiu Yuruo.

Qiu Yuruo had originally planned to let them argue among themselves, but since it had escalated to involve her, it was time to speak.

She turned to the crowd and said, “Thank you, everyone, for speaking on my behalf. I really didn’t give Third Uncle any wine. We don’t even have wine at home. The two jin of wine I bought for the return visit are still sealed in the ox cart. I had no way to give him anything to drink.”

Everyone around her now felt she was an honest, sincere girl. They knew full well Third Uncle Qiu hadn’t been drinking, he didn’t smell of alcohol and was speaking clearly.

One older woman who didn’t get along with Old Lady Zhou said, “This child’s honest. We all know it’s just that old woman venting her anger.”

With that fair statement from an outsider, Qiu Yuruo didn’t say anything else. Since it had nothing to do with her, whatever happened next would have even less to do with her.

Old Lady Zhou, who was used to bullying her family but not outsiders, couldn’t lash out at everyone. So she turned to her daughter-in-law and slapped her again. “What are you still doing here making a fool of yourself? Get home, now!”

Madam Guo had knelt there specifically to stall for time. She didn’t react to the slap, just stayed where she was and cried.