Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Chapter 38 Pretending to be asleep

Zhao Xiulan handed a pillow to Zhang Changyao, who was already restless beside her, so he could rest.

"Aunt Xiulan, you can't lie down after drinking too much. You'll vomit all over the bed and it'll seep into the surface and you won't be able to clean it up."

Yang Wuni completely panicked and crawled over on her knees to pull Zhang Changyao up.

"Wu Ni, go back to your room first. I'll have your father take Chang Yao back when he feels a little better."

Zhao Xiulan pushed Yang Wuni's hand away with a cold face, and then glanced at Zhang Kaiju.

"Wu Ni, you're too pregnant to handle this baby. I'll take him back in a bit."

Zhang Kaiju was also unhappy, but he didn't dare to contradict Zhao Xiulan. He went along with her and told Yang Wuni to go back inside first.

Having no other choice, Yang Wuni shuffled along the wall of the kang (a heated brick bed) to the floor, put on her shoes, and returned to her room.

Zhang Changyao was in a daze. The diluted liquor was making him feel dizzy and burning his chest. He was so uncomfortable that he rolled around on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Kaiju, this child really can't hold his liquor. Clean up the kang (heated brick bed) and cover the child with a blanket."

Let the child sleep in our room tonight, so you can take care of him.

His wife's belly is so big; if he pulls it open again, she might miscarry, which would be a real problem.

Zhao Xiulan waved her hand, signaling Zhang Kaiju to do as she said.

Zhang Kaiju looked reluctant, but became obedient after being glared at by Zhao Xiulan.

Obediently, I followed Zhao Xiulan's instructions, tidied the table, and covered myself with the blanket.

Zhang Kaiju helped Zhang Changyao take off his outer clothes and covered him with a blanket.

Zhao Xiulan sat next to Zhang Changyao, staring intently at his face.

"Xiulan, your youngest son is hot. Give him this ladle of cool water to drink."

In order to help Zhang Changyao wake up quickly, Zhang Kaiju fetched half a ladle of cold water from the water vat.

"Kaiju, tell me, our family's son, Zhang Yao, is so handsome."

I took a liking to this child when he was shouting and writing letters and couplets in Nantun.

This child is evident in both his appearance and his writing of letters and couplets.

That dedication is exactly the same as Peng Sheng's father's.

"Kaiju, tell me, are all educated people like this?"

Zhao Xiulan looked at Zhang Changyao's face and a faint smile appeared on her face, a smile that contained the bitterness of the past.

"Xiulan, if your ex-husband was like my youngest son, he wouldn't be bad-looking either."

Why doesn't your son, Ma Pengsheng, look like his father at all?

Is it because you're dishonest, having an affair with someone else, and having a child in a stable?

Zhang Kaiju curled his lip, disbelieving that a man from a stable could look exactly like Zhang Changyao.

"Zhang Kaiju, you old bastard, who are you trying to insult? I was a chaste and virtuous woman when I was young."

If it weren't for Peng Sheng's biological father, that plague-stricken man would have vanished overnight.

If they had abandoned me while I was pregnant, I wouldn't be in this predicament today.

Zhao Xiulan leaned against the wall, tilting her head back to keep her tears from falling.

"Xiulan, go to sleep! I'll take Changyao back in a bit."

Zhang Kaiju helped Zhao Xiulan pull the quilt aside, wanting her to get into bed by herself.

"Kaiju, let me take care of his child for a while, and then I'll send him back."

The child is feeling unwell right now, and Wu Ni is just a little girl; how could she possibly take care of someone?

Taking advantage of Zhao Xiulan turning over, Zhang Kaiju pulled Zhang Changyao out of his own blanket.

Regardless of whether Zhang Changyao was wearing shoes or not, they put their arms around his arm and escorted him back to the front of the hut.

"Dad, put the bed at the end of the kang (heated brick bed). I thought Zhang Changyao wasn't coming back to sleep."

Hearing footsteps, Yang Wuni put on her clothes, got out of bed, and pushed open the door.

Without uttering a sound, Zhang Kaiju angrily pushed Zhang Changyao onto the kang (a heated brick bed) and stormed off.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to kick the wooden door that wasn't closed properly.

"Zhang Changyao, you really can't tell the difference between superior and inferior."

If I were your father, I would leave you outside to freeze all night.

Let's see if you dare to linger in someone else's new house again.

Yang Wuni helped Zhang Changyao clean the yellow dirt off the soles of his feet.

She then covered him with the blanket she had warmed herself, afraid that he would catch a cold.

"Wu Ni, you scared me to death just now! I thought I was going to have to stay in bed all night!"

Zhang Changyao suddenly opened his eyes, hugged Yang Wuni, and pulled her into his arms.

"Zhang Changyao, are you pretending to be drunk, or are you sober?"

"You didn't walk back yourself, but made your old father carry you on his back. You're really filial."

Yang Wuni pushed Zhang Changyao away and angrily slapped him on the chest.

"Wu Ni, I was drunk at first, but then my mouth felt so dry that I needed to drink water."

Just as I opened my eyes and was about to speak, guess what I saw and heard?

Zhang Changyao sat up abruptly, peeking mysteriously out the door.

"What else can you hear? I know the answer even with my own feet."

Your dad and Aunt Xiulan were criticizing you, and you overheard them, didn't you?"

Yang Wuni covered her mouth, her expression suggesting she had guessed correctly.

"No...no, it's not that serious. If it were, I wouldn't dare to wake up all night."

Zhang Changyao was displeased by what Yang Wuni said, and he explained with a furrowed brow.

He then turned around, looked at Yang Wuni, and wanted to be very close to her.

"Zhang Changyao, you haven't finished speaking yet? If you don't finish your sentence, your tongue will rot."

Yang Wuni twisted her body and squeezed out from the gap in Zhang Changyao's body.

Zhang Changyao flicked Yang Wuni's nose, blaming her for not listening to him.

"As long as they don't make us move back and share a bed with them, it doesn't matter what other reasons we have."

That Zhao Xiulan is clearly no pushover; even you two combined aren't as cunning as her.

Yang Wuni clung to Zhang Changyao's arm, pondering what Zhang Changyao hadn't said earlier, and she felt afraid.

"Wu Ni, don't think nonsense. Aunt Xiulan said I look like the father who gave birth to her in the stable."

It is also said that her father, who gave birth in the stable, got her pregnant and then ran away.

My dad even laughed at her and got scolded by her. Do you think I could open my eyes?

Besides, what my dad said isn't wrong, is it? That's how horses grow.

He's exactly the same as that Ma Hai.

She acted as if she were blind and couldn't see it, claiming that Ma Pengsheng was her own son.

If Ma Pengsheng's father looked like me, Zhao Xiulan wouldn't be considered ugly.

How could a horse with a pointed mouth, monkey cheeks, and cross-eyed be born through a genetic mutation and become a little hyena?

Even if Zhao Xiulan were to send the stable back to the furnace and remake it, the newcomer still wouldn't look like Ma Hai.

When Zhang Changyao gets into gossip, he's incredibly knowledgeable, chattering away like a long-tongued old woman.

"Zhang Changyao, according to you, Ma Pengsheng is not Zhao Xiulan's son."

Or perhaps Zhao Xiulan is having an affair with her brother-in-law, Ma Hai.

Oh dear! This is going to be a mess. Your dad will have to be careful.

Our two houses are separated by only one road. If we want to do something, it's just a matter of minutes.

No, I have to go and listen in tomorrow, just in case your dad finds out and something really happens, so we'll be prepared.

"Wu Ni, let's not talk about them, let's get back to our own business."