Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Chapter 244 Frozen eggplant buns in early spring won't harden.

Zhang Changyao knew he wasn't cut out for stirring things up.

Let Guo Erluzi talk to Yang Wuni, who is picking potatoes in the outer room.

What he didn't expect was that Liao Zhi's words included him as well.

"Auntie, I'll help you pick out some potatoes. Could you go talk to Carpenter Zhang for me?"

Guo Erluzi, being quite obedient, went to the basement of the outer room to find Yang Wuni.

"Huh? Those five hens really were given to you by your mother, and you didn't steal them?"

Yang Wuni's attention was still on the chickens outside, and she didn't notice what Guo Erluzi was saying.

"Auntie, this time it's for real. If you don't believe me, I'll have my mother testify."

Guo Erluzi helped Yang Wuni carry the thawed potatoes outside to freeze again.

The good potatoes were piled up on the floor of Liao Zhi's house.

"Alright, as long as the chicken is a gift from your mother, I'll accept it."

Consider this my reward for telling you that the daughter of the carpenter Zhang is fond of you.

As for proposing marriage and acting as matchmaker, I can't let you run errands for nothing. You have to give me something, just like you would with Wang the matchmaker.

I don't help people for free. If you want me to do something for you, you have to pay me or give me something.

Yang Wuni took the opportunity to block Guo Erluzi, emphasizing that power unused is invalid.

"Auntie, that's a must. How can you expect someone to just talk to you without giving you free rein?"

"Once this goes through, you'll receive all the dues owed to the matchmaker."

Guo Erluzi didn't hesitate and agreed without hesitation.

After helping to divide the potatoes and covering the dough balls with corn stalks, Guo Erluzi still showed no sign of leaving.

"What's wrong, you idiot? You think you can freeload a meal at my place in the middle of the night?"

Yang Wuni brushed the dirt off her body and washed the mud off her hands before issuing an order to leave.

"I don't want to eat... I don't want to eat... I just want to straighten my back and go home." Guo Erluzi blushed as he was told this and got up to leave.

"Wu Ni, you really know how to treat people differently. Er Lu Zi is begging us."

"After you've helped them, you should at least give them a hot meal, right?"

Zhang Changyao, who was writing the manuscript with Liao Zhi, looked up and said, "Yang Wuni."

"Erluzi, I'll stew some braised pork, cabbage, and potatoes for you right now."

Go help me heat the kang (heated brick bed) and the stove, and turn the sand on the kang over.

"Once you've dried all the sand, my meal will be ready."

Yang Wuni can be bossed around as she pleases, but if you want to eat her food, you have to work in exchange.

Guo Erluzi didn't utter a single complaint. He lit the stove and started heating the kang (a heated brick bed).

The sandpaper laid on the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room was quickly dried out by the kang.

"Brother Changyao, you and Sister-in-law Wuni come to my house for dinner tomorrow morning."

My mother said, "Tomorrow you'll have to take me to Ganggang Village for the betrothal ceremony."

The stable boy, who hadn't even touched the kang (heated brick bed), went in and spoke, then left.

"Erluzi, look at how rich the stable boy's family is."

"The conversation had barely ended, and they've already raised enough money to go on the betrothal ceremony?"

Yang Wuni brought the food to the table and invited Guo Erluzi to sit on the kang (heated brick bed) and eat.

Yang Deshan was engrossed in examining Liao Zhi's toes, and waved his hand to signal Guo Erluzi to eat first.

Yang Wuni had no choice but to scoop out half of the food, place it on the pot fork, and put the pot lid back on.

"Uncle, you're really lucky. It's thanks to your ancestors that you didn't marry Zheng Meizhi."

Look at Hou Da Yanjing and Ma Pengsheng now, those two old men, one kicked and crippled, the other castrated.

"It's like a frozen eggplant bun in early spring; it can't get firm even if you try." Guo Erluzi said without any politeness, as he started drinking his wine.

"Erluzi, you live close to Hou Dayanjing, tell me about it."

What happened to Hou Da Yanjing and Zheng Jingren afterwards?

When Zhang Changyao heard Guo Erluzi mention this, he immediately perked up, put down his pen and paper, and began to inquire.

What else can we do?

Hou Waibo had the veterinarian Zhang treat the area around Hou Da's eyes, and he's now resting at home recovering.

Zheng Jingren was arrested by the police station. I heard from the villagers that he seems to be mentally ill and cannot be prosecuted.

Hou Wai Bozi has been taking care of Hou Da Yanjing at Hou Da Yanjing's house these past few days.

Zheng Meizhi didn't dare to stay in confinement after childbirth, and Hou Waibo wouldn't let her leave.

I suspect that Hou the Crooked-Neck wants to replace Hou the Big-Eyed and monopolize Zheng Meizhi.

Guo Erluzi ate until the rice was soaked in the vegetable soup before finally putting down his chopsticks.

He picked at his teeth with his fingernails, leaned against the wall of the kang (a heated brick bed), and burped contentedly.

"Isn't Hou Waibozi Hou Da Yanjing's brother? How come he can take his sister-in-law?"

"Didn't Zheng Meizhi just give birth? Doesn't she need to observe the postpartum confinement period?"

Yang Wuni quickly cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, then sat down and asked Guo Erluzi.

"Hou Da's eyes have already been castrated by Zheng Jingren, so he can only worry about getting a wife and can't do anything about it."

Hou Wai-bozi wouldn't refuse a woman he got for free; he's not stupid.

Zheng Meizhi didn't even bother with postpartum care; she held her baby so tightly she didn't dare let go for a moment.

Even when I sleep at night, I keep one eye open and one eye closed, for fear that Hou Waibo will take the child away and throw him away.

Moreover, her father is still in the police station, and it's unclear whether he will be sentenced or sent to a mental hospital.

I heard from my mother that several people from Hou Da Yanjing's family take turns watching over Zheng Meizhi, afraid that she will run home.

Furthermore, Zheng Meizhi doesn't even get a decent meal every day.

"The baby doesn't have any breast milk either, I reckon the baby will starve to death sooner or later," Guo Erluzi said with certainty.

"Zhang Changyao, you and Liao Zhi quickly think of a solution. Zheng Meizhi is dead, but the child cannot die."

That little thing is so chubby, it would be such a waste for it to starve to death.

When Yang Wuni heard that the child would starve to death, she immediately lost her composure and grabbed Zhang Changyao, anxiously asking him to come up with a solution.

"Wu Ni, don't worry, I'll have Hou Jiu go find Miao Yu tomorrow morning."

She's in charge of family planning; women's affairs should be her responsibility.

As long as the township government intervenes, Hou Da Yanjing's family won't dare to do anything to Zheng Meizhi and her children.

Hou Liping happened to be there too, so we asked her to talk to Hou Da Yanjing's parents.

If the child really dies, there's no way their family can keep Zheng Meizhi safe.

I believe that once their family understands the principle of children being tied to their mothers, they will not be harsh on the child.

Zhang Changyao patted Yang Wuni on the back to calm her down.

"Zhang Changyao, you, Wu Ni, and Ma Pengsheng will go to Ganggangtun tomorrow morning to run some errands."

Leave this family matter to me. I'll have Uncle go find Hou Jiu and her sister.

Liao Zhi has been able to move his hands again these past few days, and he's in an incredibly good mood.

He wanted to help Zhang Changyao and Yang Wuni with anything he could.

"Okay, Liao Zhi, I trust you to handle things. I have to get up early tomorrow to deliver popcorn, so I really don't have much time."

"Teacher Zhang, in my opinion, you should be the women's director of our village."

"These old women, they'll come to you for advice on anything." Guo Erluzi joked before getting out of bed and going home.

Before dawn, Yang Wuni and Zhang Changyao had already prepared the popcorn.

Zhang Changyao went to deliver popcorn, and Yang Wuni went to find Du Qiu.

"Wu Ni, should I go home? You know my words don't carry any weight."

Du Qiu was still lying in bed, scratching his head, looking unwilling.

"Brother Du Qiu, you have to go back. Just tell them that you accidentally tripped and fell while you were working at the noodle shop."

Now my legs and feet are not strong enough, and I can't take care of myself.

I'm sending you back today so your mother can take care of you.