"Second Sister-in-law!" Zhao Guihua called out.
What was wrong with this person?
The family didn't lack for food or clothing, but Liu Cuirong was never content or at peace, always looking to stir up trouble...
"You little brat, you really don't know what's good for you. Today, I'll discipline you on behalf of Mother!"
Liu Cuirong, like a tigress, rushed at Hu Xier and started tearing at her.
Seeing this, Jin Huaihua quickly stepped forward to break them up.
Unexpectedly, Liu Cuirong scratched her in return, and blood flowed from her wrist...
Xiao Jinheng's two maids, Ruyue and Ruhua, heard the commotion and hurried over.
What was going on?
How could the usually harmonious Old Yun family be fighting?
"Hurry and call the village chief!" Zhao Guihua said.
If they kept fighting like this, Hu Xier would be beaten to death.
Ruyue responded, and holding up her skirt, she ran out...
"I'll teach you to talk back, I'll teach you to talk back!"
"Slap, slap!"
Slaps rained down on Hu Xier's face like raindrops, even causing her nose to bleed.
Jin Huaihua was so scared she cried, pulling at Liu Cuirong as she wept.
"Please, stop hitting her. Xier knows she was wrong..."
"Second Sister-in-law, if you don't stop, I'll have you tied up!" Zhao Guihua shouted angrily.
Liu Cuirong acted as if she hadn't heard, continuing to beat Hu Xier.
A moment later, the village chief, along with Fu Daqiang and Du Laosan, came running to the Yun family's home.
"Oh dear, what's going on? Daqiang, quickly pull her away..." the village chief sighed.
This second son's wife was truly unbearable.
Taking advantage of the old couple's absence, she beat the maid to this state.
No matter what Hu Xier had done wrong, she shouldn't be beaten like this!
Fu Daqiang and Du Laosan worked together to pull Liu Cuirong aside. Jin Huaihua also helped Hu Xier up, using a handkerchief to wipe her bloody nose...
Liu Cuirong panted with anger, as if she were the one who had been wronged.
"Second son's wife, why are you hitting someone?" the village chief asked with a stern face.
He usually disliked meddling in other people's affairs, but Liu Cuirong was too much today.
When Old Man Yun returned, he would have to reprimand her properly...
Liu Cuirong spat and glared at Hu Xier, "Ask her yourself. She has no manners and puts on airs for everyone every day!"
"I am the mistress, and you are the maid. Your contract is still with my family, yet you dare to be defiant. Who do you think you are, what makes you so special, huh?"
The village chief: "..."
It takes two to tango. Don't you know what kind of person you are?
Just then, Zhao Guihua let out a sharp "hiss" and suddenly squatted on the ground, clutching her stomach, sweat beading on her forehead.
The village chief immediately panicked, "Da... Da Man's wife, are you... did you pull something?"
"It hurts, my stomach hurts, hiss!" Zhao Guihua never faked illness; if it hurt, it hurt.
The maid Ruyue stamped her foot, "Oh dear, is Big Sister-in-law going into labor?"
Her belly was so big, and she was breaking up fights and getting into scuffles. Could she be alright?
Fu Daqiang said, "Why don't... why don't I go call Suzhen over to take a look at her?"
Du Laosan also said, "Yes, there's no one at home now. What if Sister Guihua has an accident!"
It's really something. The Old Yun family didn't go into the mountains early or late, but chose to go collect mountain goods precisely when Zhao Guihua was about to give birth...
"Carry her into the house first. Daqiang, go call Aunt Zhang; she knows how to deliver babies. Laosan, hurry up the mountain and see if you can find the family members. Quickly, quickly..."
The village chief, having been through it before, wasn't as flustered.
"Understood, Village Chief!"
After Du Laosan and Fu Daqiang carried Zhao Guihua into the house, they each ran out.
The sudden turn of events left Liu Cuirong unsure of what to do.
"What's all the fuss about? It's not like she hasn't given birth before..." Liu Cuirong muttered.
The village chief glared at her, "Second son's wife, I'm telling you, if anything happens to this child, you will be held fully responsible!"
When the tiger is away, the monkeys rule.
Look at how capable you've become.
When Sister-in-law Gu returns, we'll see how she deals with you.
"Village Chief, why are you yelling at me? If it weren't for her..."
"Enough, stop your babbling!" The village chief frowned, wishing he could just give her a good beating.
Having such a daughter-in-law in the Old Yun family was truly a misfortune.
Liu Cuirong snorted and went to the storeroom alone.
Soon, there would be many people at home. Could they help her hang the plaque?
The sooner it was hung, the more impressive it would be, and others would look up to her...
A moment later, Aunt Zhang, Wang Suzhen, and others hurried to the Yun family's home.
Seeing Zhao Guihua in so much pain that she was about to faint, Aunt Zhang quickly sent the men out to prepare for the delivery.
Du Laosan ran breathlessly and disappeared into the mountains.
Camel Peak Mountain was vast, and he didn't know if he could find the Yun family.
He had no choice but to shout, "Old Man Yun, Sister-in-law Gu, Da Man's wife is about to give birth..."
Echoes drifted through the forest, but there was no response.
Meanwhile, the Yun family's small group had passed through Camel Peak Mountain and arrived in a pine forest in a mountain hollow.
"It's been so long since we walked, climbing a mountain unexpectedly is quite tiring!"
Old Man Yun sat under a pine tree, supporting Gu Shi, and took a puff from his pipe.
"Daddy, you can't smoke in the mountains..." Little Xi Tian reminded him.
What if the forest caught fire?
Old Man Yun pursed his lips and smiled, "Okay, okay, Daddy won't smoke!"
The family had walked this far. They hadn't collected any monkey head mushrooms or wood ear mushrooms, but they had dug up quite a bit of wild vegetables, almost half a sack...
Wild celery, fiddleheads, dandelion greens, wild chives, sow thistle, and so on, enough for their family to eat for a week.
Yun Jinshan and Yun Jinhe had just raided a hornet's nest and had swollen foreheads from stings.
Chen Xiaoran covered her mouth and giggled.
"Dad, all the mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms in the mountains have been picked clean. I haven't even seen a single puffball after walking all morning..."
Yun Daman sat on the ground dejectedly, unsealed his water bottle, and took a few gulps.
Gu Shi smiled slightly, "Perhaps we haven't found the right spot. Mushrooms don't grow everywhere; some places have them in clusters. Let's search more carefully later. If we don't find any, we'll head back!"
Little Xi Tian couldn't help but chuckle after hearing this.
None?
What a joke...
She would show them what an abundance of mushrooms looked like in a moment.
The reason they had come so far was to avoid the villagers seeing them and to avoid explaining it later.
Last year, the wild apple trees were stripped bare. Wouldn't they need to go further?
"Daddy, Mommy, that flower is so pretty. I'm going to pick it..."
Little Xi Tian skipped away.
"Daughter, don't run too far. There are wolves in these mountains!" Old Man Yun called out.
"I know, Daddy!"
Little Xi Tian ran to a clearing and closed her eyes tightly.
Here it comes...