Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Chapter 76 The Thief Who Never Existed

With Zhao Xiulan setting the precedent, Zhang Kaiju found it much easier to lie.

"It's been stolen? What are we going to do? Wu Ni is waiting to see it!"

Zhang Changyao leaned back, his head slamming against the wall with a thud.

He sighed repeatedly, unable to convince himself to accept the fact.

"Changyao, don't get upset. Your dad was worried that we wouldn't have any livestock to farm, so he bought a donkey."

Don't think that just because your dad and I paid for this donkey, you can use it however you want.

"Your eldest brother and I, the three families, each have two donkeys and one harness, so it won't interfere with our farming."

Zhao Xiulan sounded like she was advising Zhang Changyao, but she was actually explaining the ownership of the newly purchased donkey.

"Dad, Aunt Xiulan, I'm going back now." Zhang Changyao walked out the door with his head down.

His heart ached the whole way, and combined with what Zhai Qingming had said, he felt that this matter was not so simple.

He didn't go home; he went directly to Zhai Qingming's house to ask him for clarification.

He knew that since Zhai Qingming had reminded him, he wouldn't hide it from him.

"Changyao, what's wrong? You look so down. Haven't eaten yet?"

Zhai Qingming was feeding the pigs in the yard when he saw Zhang Changyao come in, so he quickly put down the corn husks he was holding.

Pigs don't like to drink the water used to wash the pot; you have to sprinkle a layer of corn husks on top to coax them in.

"Hmm!" Zhang Changyao didn't look up, squatting by the pig trough watching the pigs drink swill.

"Changyao, come inside, I'll have Fengying heat up some food for you."

Zhai Qingming patted his hands clean, grabbed Zhang Changyao, and pulled him into the house.

"Wife, heat up the food, Changyao hasn't eaten yet." Zhai Qingming came into the house and picked up Mendun'er.

Liu Fengying didn't say anything, put on her shoes, got out of bed, and went to heat up the food. Soon the food was served.

It wasn't anything particularly delicious: two large sorghum flour pancakes and a piece of scrambled eggs with pickled vegetables.

Zhang Changyao ate silently with his head down, and after finishing, he leaned against the wall without saying a word.

"Changyao, I know why you came to see me. Actually, I'm not quite sure what's going on either."

I knew that after you and Wu Ni left, your father and Zhao Xiulan drove off in a carriage before dawn the next day.

They didn't return until after sunset.

Your chestnut horse and foal haven't returned.

Then I saw that the three-wheeled cart was being pulled by two donkeys.

Later, Zhao Xiulan spread the word throughout the village that your chestnut horse and foal had been stolen.

This caused everyone in the village to want to raise puppies to guard their homes.

Also, your sister-in-law is like Yumi, spending all her time at your father's house.

Those two families were so close they were practically inseparable, except for one extra head and one extra butt.

Fengying and I were talking at home, saying that your father and your older brother's family must have taken advantage of the fact that you and Wuni were not at home to scheme against you.

The chestnut horse and the foal are the apple of your wife's eye.

If she knew this, you two would probably never be able to live together again.

You'd better think carefully about what to say to her when you go back. Don't end up ruining your own life before you even get to help her.

Zhai Qingming pondered for a while before telling Zhang Changyao everything he had seen.

"Qingming, you're right, I can't tell Yang Wuni."

If she knew what was going on, she would have dared to tear down my dad's and my sister-in-law's houses.

Let's just keep it a secret for as long as we can't hide it anymore, and then we'll talk about it.

Zhang Changyao breathed a sigh of relief and got up to walk home.

Zhai Qingming patted Zhang Changyao's shoulder helplessly, expressing his sympathy.

"Zhang Changyao, why did you come back by yourself? Where are the chestnut horse and the foal?"

Yang Wuni felt uneasy lying down, so she sat at the door waiting for Zhang Changyao to come back.

Seeing him return empty-handed, I anxiously looked behind him.

"Wu Ni, while we were away from home, the chestnut horse and the foal were stolen."

Father and Aunt Xiulan have been searching, but they haven't found it.

The two elderly people were very anxious, so I didn't have the heart to say anything to them.

Dad and Aunt Xiulan felt bad for us, so they used the money to buy a donkey.

In that case, we'll have to team up with my older brother's family to farm.

Zhang Changyao squatted down next to Yang Wuni and told her what he had prepared in advance.

"How dare anyone steal livestock? Our chestnut horse is so old it's practically toothless, how could they do such a thing?"

"Zhang Changyao, the horse thief wouldn't have killed the chestnut horse, would he?"

Yang Wuni did not blame Zhang Kaiju and Zhao Xiulan; she was deceived by Zhang Changyao's words and felt sorry for them.

"Wu Ni, don't worry about that. There's no way the chestnut horse will be killed."

Our foal simply couldn't survive without chestnut milk.

Zhang Changyao understood Yang Wuni; as long as the chestnut horse and the foal were still alive, she wouldn't be so heartbroken.

"These bastards are a plague, utterly immoral, and their babies are born without an anus. Don't let me catch them."

As soon as I catch them, I use a sickle to cut off their hands and claws to feed the pigs.

Or just break their arms and stick them up their asses.

"What kind of skill is it to steal from poor people? If you're so good, go steal from rich people."

Yang Wuni jumped up and down cursing, unleashing every swear word she could think of at a thief who didn't even exist.

"Wu Ni, come inside! Let's take your medicine. I'll heat up some steamed buns and boil some eggs for you."

Seeing that Yang Wuni had run out of words to curse, Zhang Changyao put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her onto the kang (a heated brick bed) in the room.

"Zhang Changyao, I've already prepared the food. You can eat; I'm not hungry."

Yang Wuni took off her shoes, climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), grabbed a quilt, hid herself under the quilt, and started crying loudly.

Zhang Changyao also took off his shoes and climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), hugging Yang Wuni, along with the quilt, into his arms.

He had no more tears left; he had already cried on the way back.

It is said that men do not easily shed tears, but the betrayal and scheming of the closest people is a heart-wrenching pain.

Every blow could kill you; how could you not cry?

"Wu Ni, after I finish planting, I'll go ask Lin Qiu to help me find some work."

I need to save money quickly to build a house; I want a home for you and me.

I've had enough of this kind of life. If I don't leave this courtyard soon, I'll go crazy.

Zhang Changyao patted the blanket to comfort Yang Wuni, and Yang Wuni's crying gradually stopped.

"Zhang Changyao, I'll listen to you. As long as you're here, this is my home."

"I'd be willing to live in the open air, let alone build a house."

Yang Wuni pulled back the covers, revealing her head. Tears welled in her reddened eyes. She wasn't lying; these were her true feelings.

"Wu Ni, when we have children in the future, we must treat them well."

"We shouldn't be like my father, it breaks our children's hearts too much."

Zhang Changyao couldn't control his emotions, and tears fell onto the blanket.

"Okay! I'll do whatever you say. I can't read, but I'll cook delicious food for them."

Yang Wuni wiped away her tears with her sleeve, got up, put the table down, and served the food.

Knowing that Zhang Changyao had already eaten at Zhai Qingming's house, he drank several bowls of porridge without any hesitation.

"Wu Ni, is Chang Yao asleep? Your sister-in-law brought some salted donkey meat, I'll hang it on your door."