Chapter Fifty-One: Killing the Chicken

  "The voice was so faint and small, shouting all night, only leaving when it was almost dawn. 'The Beast Queen of the Future'... Lin Xiang'er continued, 'How pitiful, I wanted to go open the door for him, but couldn't move at all. Sister, didn't you hear?"

  "Second sister, I also heard it." Xiaowu leaned against Lianmeng's body, "I saw it too, such a small ball, I wanted to hug him, his body was all bloody..."

  "You two stop talking nonsense." Zhou Shi scolded with a pale face.

  "Mom, I'm not making it up, it's true. Later he left, seeming both sad and angry, and I don't know where he went. Mom, didn't you hear anything? Did he come knock on your door?" Lian Man'er asked innocently.

  Zhou's lips were trembling slightly, and Lian Xiu'er beside him also thought of something, with a look of horror on her face.

  "What's wrong with you, Old Auntie?" Lian Man'er pretended to have just noticed Lian Xiu'er's unusual appearance. "Old Auntie, why is there a footprint on your face."

  Lian Wan'er pointed at the purplish-green mark on Lian Xiuer's face. Lian Xiuer's wound had been simply treated, and the shape of the injury could be vaguely seen.

  "Such small feet, as if they were trodden by a little doll." Lian Man'er looked at them for a while and then said, "Old aunt, isn't that child looking for you?"

  Lian Xiuer was so scared that she started crying again.

  "Mother, mother save me, I didn't mean to."

  "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, nothing will happen, I'm here." Madam Zhou hurriedly comforted Lian Xiu'er.

  Villagers are very superstitious, and they take the attitude of "it's better to believe in the existence of gods and ghosts than not". Zhou Shi originally suspected that it was Lian Man Er and a few other children who did it, but there was no evidence, and even Lian Xiu Er said she didn't see anyone, and didn't know how many people were involved, and no one made a sound during the process. To say that the wealthy families are poisonous, and the evil bosses are even more so. Lian Man Er and the others are just children, it's impossible for them to do something so flawless.

  Zhou Shi and Lian Xiuer were both frightened. After hearing what Lian Man'er had to say, they already believed that it was the vengeful spirit of the miscarried child who refused to leave and wanted revenge on them.

  Lian Xiuer and Zhou Shi didn't eat breakfast, but Lian Man'er and several others ate very well.

  After having breakfast, Lao Laozi put his tobacco pouch in his pocket and prepared to go down to the fields.

  Lian Wan'er hastily ran over and tugged on Lian Shouxin's sleeve.

  "Dad, don't you have something to discuss with Grandpa?"

  "Alright." Lian Shou nodded and said, "Dad, I want to discuss something with you."

  "What's up?"

  "Man'er's mother lost a lot of blood this time and almost lost her life. Shi Taifu instructed that she should take good care of herself this month. As for food, we can't let her lose out. Father, why don't we let the kids take turns to keep an eye on her? Can you see if it's possible to buy some rice, flour, and eggs?" Lian Shouxin said to Lian Laoyezi.

  This is the result of Lian Man'er and Lian Shouxin's discussion last night.

  Even Lao Yezi listened and nodded after a moment of contemplation.

  "Go, you go with your mother. Just say I told you." said Lao Yezi.

  "Dad, we're all going down. Mom still has things to do, I'm afraid she won't be able to take care of it. Just leave the little kid at home to watch her, she's young and doesn't understand much, if she accidentally makes mom angry it wouldn't be good." Lian Shou Xin said.

  Lian Shouxin spoke in a roundabout way, but Lao Yezi understood his meaning, which was that he didn't trust Zhou Shi and was afraid she would secretly embezzle or give Zhang Shi attitude.

  Zhang's miscarriage almost resulted in two deaths, it was Zhou's and Lian Xiuer's fault.

  "Alright, let's settle on one jin of fine grain per day. And as for the eggs at home, she can have them all. If there's anything else, we'll discuss it later." said Lao Yezi.

  Zhou overheard and immediately disagreed.

  "Old man, what's going on at our place? We're having a pound of fine grains every day, not like we're made of gold..."

  Lao Lao glared at Zhou Shi and said, "Don't mention that useless thing, quickly get the money for the child..."

  Mr. Zhou said he had no money, but finally slowly counted out a pile of copper coins from his purse.

  "These fifty copper coins were saved from selling eggs, and I was keeping them for you to add some dishes during the autumn harvest..."

  "If you're out of money, first pawn the jewelry that belongs to you and Xiuer. No matter what, we must ensure that Fourth Brother's wife recovers her health." Old Master said.

  He knew in his heart that Zhou Shi had more than just this money, but he didn't expose it. Instead, he let Zhou Shi and Xiuer treat it as their own. His intention was to let Zhou Shi and Lian Xiuer take the opportunity to mend their relationship with Zhang Shi and the fourth house.

  However, Zhou did not understand Lian's good intentions.

  "I'm her mother-in-law, but she doesn't show me respect and instead wants to take advantage of me?" Zhou Shi was annoyed, "She's her sister-in-law, yet she's still trying to get the better of Xiu Er..."

  "Stop being so arrogant, don't think you've got the upper hand again." The old master scolded Zhou Shi, then lowered his voice, "Don't think I don't know, last time Eldest Brother's wife was showing off her hairpin to Man Er and you were fine, but insisted on buying that Nourishing Glory Pill..."

  "That's also what she was willing to buy for me, and it just so happens that I haven't finished eating yet, so I'll give it back to her," said Zhou Shi.

  Even the old man's beard was standing on end with rage. "Doesn't what I say count in this house? I told you to take the money, so just take it."

  Finally, Mr. Zhou was unwilling to do so, but he couldn't outdo Lian Laoye, and had to take out all the money bags. Lian Laoye then took three strings of 300 copper coins and gave them to Lian Shouxin.

  "Just buy some rice and flour, we have everything else at home, so don't buy anything else." Zhou Shi hurriedly reminded Lian Shou Xin, but couldn't help complaining in a low voice, "Why are you being so extravagant..."

  Lian Shouxin was about to leave when he handed over the money to Lian Man'er.

  With the three hundred wen, Lian Piao immediately went to town with Wu Lang. She first went to the grain store and bought twenty catties of the best japonica rice at ten cents per catty, and then bought ten catties of white flour at nine cents per catty. This left only ten cents, but since their chicken laid eggs every day, Lian Piao decided not to buy eggs. She went to a sundry store and weighed out one catty of brown sugar, then went to the butcher's shop and bought two large bones with meat on them. Such big bones had marrow inside, which was very nourishing when simmered in soup. The ten cents were naturally insufficient, so Lian Piao made up the difference from her own private savings. She had wanted to buy other things, but since she didn't want to attract attention with the money given by Old Master Lian, she only bought these for now.

  Two people came back with baskets and didn't let Mrs. Zhou see them. They took the things they bought into the west wing room, then started a small fire for Mrs. Zhang.

  First, wash the big bones and leave one to be salted for next meal. Take another one and scald it with boiling water, then chop it into small pieces with an axe and put them into a pot. Add some green onions, ginger slices and water to start stewing. After the soup becomes thick and white, Lian Man scooped out some flour and started making hand-pulled noodles. Wu Lang went downstairs. Xiao Qi came back instead. Lian Man asked Xiao Qi to pick up eggs and pluck some small white vegetables.

  The aroma of bone soup wafted through the entire courtyard.

  "Man Er, what's going on?" Zhou Shi came over and asked.

  "Make hand-pulled noodles," said Lian Mian'er.

  Zhou's wife lifted the lid of the pot and took a look inside. Then she looked at Lian Mian'er, who was rolling out dough in her hands, "Take a bowl for your aunt."

  "Good."

  Lian Man'er agreed very readily, and Zhou Shi turned around and left.

  The big bone soup is done. Lian Man'er then put the rolled-out noodles into it, and waited for the soup to start boiling again before putting in the washed small bok choy, finally cracking two eggs into the soup as well.

  Half a catty of noodles, gave Xiaoqi a small bowl to eat, and the rest were all given to Zhangshi.

  Zhang was holding a bowl of noodles. She asked Lian Mian'er, "Did you bring some for your aunt?" Zhou had said this earlier. She heard it from inside the house.

  "Daughter, you still miss her at this time?"

  "I'm not thinking of her. Your mother has spoken, if you don't bring her along, she'll definitely get angry and find fault with something." Zhang said, she also knew Zhou's temper quite well.

  "Girl, you just want to seek peace and stability, but the result is that you keep retreating step by step until there's no way out. Look at me, as long as we stand firm, don't give in to her, she'll have no choice."

  As expected, Zhou waited for a long time, but didn't see Lian Mian'er send noodles over, so he came over. Tianjin Net

  Lian Wan'er closed the door of the west wing, took a small stool and sat in front of it, holding a broken vegetable knife to chop vegetables for the chicken. Zhang Shi needed eggs to nourish her body, so Lian Wan'er would bring back enough wild vegetables every day without being told, as well as the grasshoppers caught by Xiao Qi, which were also chopped into the vegetables and fed to the chickens to make them lay more eggs.

  Zhou's family arrived, but even the gatekeeper wouldn't let her in, saying that Zhang's wife needed to rest.

  "What about the bowl of noodles you brought for your aunt?" asked Mrs. Zhou.

  "Milk, didn't you bring noodles either?" Lian Man'er had already thought of an excuse.

  "Isn't that what you just bought?"

  "That was specially given to my mother for Xiaoyuezi, it's not enough, and if there isn't any left, where can we get more? Grandfather didn't say that after Old Sister's injury, she should eat something light?" Lian Man'er said with a straight face.

  Lian Lao Ye only said one sentence about the incident of Lian Xiu Er being beaten: "It's also a way to atone for some of her sins." After that, he didn't say anything else. Zhou Shi felt guilty and could only drop the matter when she saw Lian Lao Ye like this.

  But now, seeing Lian Meng'er like this, Zhou immediately became angry and started scolding.

  "Go ahead and scold me louder, anyway there are still people who don't know what kind of person my mother is." Lian Man'er said.

  Zhou immediately lost his voice. The young aunt pushed her sister to have a miscarriage, and it's not good to spread this out. When others asked in detail, they knew the inside story, and who would dare to marry their family's Lianxiu again?

  Zhou's family encountered a snag with Lian Man Er, and could only swallow their anger and return home to make small stoves for Lian Xiu Er instead.

  Although it was said that several children took turns to take care of Zhang, it was always Lian Man'er who stayed at home. Although Lian Zhier was more careful and more familiar with household chores, everyone knew that as long as Lian Man'er was at home, Zhang would not be bullied and could eat well, so they all tacitly agreed that she was the best person to take care of Zhang.

  Xiao Qi wasn't getting a free ride either. For example, right now, that fluffy chicken was clucking and jumping down from the haystack. Xiao Qi quickly ran over, scrambled up the haystack, and held up a still-warm egg in her hand, grinning at Lian Mian'er. As for Zhou Shi, she could only stand by and seethe with anger. Even though she could touch the chicken's butt to judge which one would lay eggs, she didn't have Xiao Qi's free time or sharp eyesight, couldn't outrun Xiao Qi, and couldn't climb the haystack like Xiao Qi did, treating the wall as flat ground. All she could do was watch as egg after egg fell into Xiao Qi's hands.

  Zhou would not let it go so easily, but Lian Man had words waiting for her.

  "My grandfather said that all the eggs laid by our chickens at home can be eaten by my mother."

  After several times, Zhou always bumped into a nail and couldn't get a good deal, so he didn't come to provoke Lian Man'er much. He just vented his anger by himself, shouting "liver pain". Lian Man'er smiled and thought that every day was like this, with chickens flying and dogs jumping around, it had a different kind of interest.

  The big bones were not many to begin with, and they couldn't be kept for too long. They would be eaten in just a couple of days. Lianpang was thinking about what oil or water she could add to Zhang's share. She turned her gaze towards the chicken coop.

  "Milk, people all say that sitting in the moon needs to drink chicken soup, let's kill a chicken for my mother to simmer soup." Lian Man'er then found Zhou Shi to discuss.

  "What!" Zhou Shi almost jumped off the bed, as if Lian Man was going to take her life.

  "Don't kill the ones that lay eggs, aren't there also those that don't lay eggs?" Lian Man'er hastily said.

  "You can't kill the chicken even if it doesn't lay eggs. You little girl, you're getting bolder and bolder, with such a big mouth, and you still want to drink chicken soup? You should take a good look at yourself..."

  Lian Man'er didn't stay in the house to listen to Madame Zhou scold, and turned around to leave immediately.

  Mrs. Zhou scolded from inside the house for a while, then followed out to scold, but didn't dare to scold too much. She scolded for half a day, seeing Lian Mian'er not making a sound, and thought that Lian Mian'er had given up on this idea. Seeing it was almost time for lunch, Mrs. Zhou went to the backyard garden to pick vegetables.

  Lian Shouxin brought back a cart of peanuts with Lian Zhier and Wu Lang.

  "Dad, you kill this chicken, I won't kill the chicken." Lian Man'er and Xiao Qi held an old hen and handed it to Lian Shouxin, "Kill it and make a soup for mother to drink."

  "Does your mother know?" What Lian Shouxin meant was whether or not Madam Zhou had agreed.

  Lian Man'er nodded definitely, "I know." She had already talked to Zhou Shi about it, and Zhou Shi certainly knew, but hadn't responded yet.

  Lian Shouxin thought that Zhou Shi had agreed, so he took a kitchen knife and squatted beside the melon rack in the front yard, killing the chicken.

  "Dad, you go back quickly and let sister stay to help me." Lian Man Er urged Lian Shou Xin to hurry up.

  When Zhou's wife rushed over from the backyard, Lian Shouxin had already pushed the cart away. Zhou's wife saw that the old hen was dead and being thrown into a basin of boiling water by Lian Zhier and Lian Maner to scald its feathers.

  Zhou immediately cried out to heaven and earth.

  "You little rascal, you've eaten the gallbladder of a male leopard, have you?"

  Lian'ers are useless, Lian Shouren and Lian Jizong have gone out to meet friends, Jiang's wife doesn't know where she is hiding, Lian Xiu'er is injured and scared out of her wits, can't come to help. Zhou's wife is also fainting, can only roll around on the ground. But Zhang's wife in the west wing room is silent, several children are doing their own thing, Zhou's wife has no choice but to be helpless.

  When Lao Laiye returned, Zhou Shi reported everything to him.

  "...There's no king's law anymore, they just kill chickens and eat them behind my back."

  Lian Shouxin was startled and suddenly realized something, but he didn't say anything.

  "Who killed the chicken?" asked Lao Yezi.

  "It's me, Father." Lian Shouxin replied.

  This chapter is written quite happily.

  A very fat chapter, asking for pink powder.