Chapter 33.1

Translated by Aviana

Lin Qingwan and Yao-shi pushed the two tables close to each other before taking all the crockery items to wash them.

After washing all the plates and cups, and arranging them back in their respective places in the kitchen, they again went back to the main room to wipe the tables clean. They then disassembled the children’s table and placed it in the corner.

All the people in the main room have dispersed, leaving He-shi, who had pulled elder sister Yang onto the kang to have a chat, and Yang laoyezi, who was also sitting on kang smoking tobacco with heavy air around him.

老爷子 (lǎoyézi): old father, an appellation used for an elderly male.

After finishing cleaning, Lin Qingwan was about to leave when elder sister Yang called her.

“Second dimei, come here quickly, let elder sister take a look at you. This elder sister hasn’t seen you yet.”

弟妹 (dìmèi): younger brother’s wife/younger sister-in-law

While leaving, Yao-shi looked worriedly at Lin Qingwan. Lin Qingwan’s face stiffened. However, she still walked to her.

Elder sister Yang took Lin Qingwan’s hand without a tinge of unfamiliarity and exclaimed in admiration, “Our second dimei is truly good-looking. Isn’t she, mother?” She turned her head and asked He-shi.

He-shi lowered her eyes and curled her lips, declining to comment.

Lin Qingwan lowered her head, seemingly shy, and whispered, “Thank you for your compliment, elder sister.”

“Are you still feeling shy? Our family’s Tiezhu is truly fortunate…” With a smile on her face, elder sister teased before she pulled Lin Qingwan to explain.

“Second dimei, you have to forgive your elder sister. Initially, I was planning to come to Yang Tiezhu’s marriage, but unexpectedly my mother-in-law became sick and had to wait by her side. As such, I couldn’t come. By all means, you must not blame me in your heart.”

Her face was full of remorse and uneasiness as if she was truly worried that Lin Qingwan might blame her.

“Sigh…us women are born under ill star; all our importance should be given to our husband’s family first. Else the days in your life wouldn’t be good…second dimei, you won’t blame me, right?” Wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, she performed singing, talking, acting, and fighting, all these sets of movements in one go, making it unable for people to deny her.

唱念做打 (chàng niàn zuò dǎ): these four characters means to sing, talk, act, and fight respectively. Any aspiring opera in china must learn all four arts, sing, talk, act, and fight. (I presume the author meant to say that elder sister Yang staged a play perfectly, making others unable to say no to her and hate her. If I am wrong, please do correct me.)

If it weren’t for Wang-shi’s ‘example’ when they met in the noon, Lin Qingwan would genuinely have believed in elder sister Yang’s words, but now….

Hehe…no one is a fool here!

Anyhow, elder sister Yang not coming to her marriage, she didn’t feel it was some significant issue. If you came, I would have treated cordially; if you didn’t come, I will just turn a blind eye. At best, you know yourself in your heart as to what kind of person you are.

Feelings ought to be given, and face(honour) must be earned by oneself. You don’t want to bleed but want to have a face, still pretentiously wishing to worm her way into being friends with her. Does she possibly give an impression of being an idiot? Or is elder sister Yang doing it just superficially for Yang laoyezi and He-shi to see so that if she embarrassed her and made it difficult for her, she would be the one who would be blamed?

Lin Qingwan chuckled in her heart in annoyance…

It seems that for this kind of person, only Wang-shi can make her eat loss because she also never feels embarrassed and has thick skin. As for ones like her, who have thin skin and ‘find it embarrassing,’ it’s better for them to be open and genuine and go through the motions. Why make this big? Anyway they won’t get any silver from this!

“Elder sister, you don’t have to mention this. How can your younger sister-in-law blame elder sister for this matter?!” She looked at eldest sister Yang with her eyes full of sincerity, “Elder sister’s difficulties, this younger sister-in-law can understand. As such, I won’t at all take this matter to my heart.”

You see, I give so much of face. So, you better let me go quickly, my family’s man is waiting for me.

“Then it’s good. It’s good that dimei didn’t take any offense.” Elder sister patted Lin Qingwan’s hands and once again emotionally began to wipe her tears.

Lin Qingwan truly couldn’t bear it anymore and felt goosebumps rising on her whole body. She gave a smile to Elder sister Yang, He-shi, and Yang laoyezi, before saying, “Elder sister, you see I am not done with cleaning kitchen yet, I will go and get myself busy.”

“Then you quickly go.” Elder sister Yang let her hand free.

Lin Qingwan rushed out of the main room and walked to the kitchen.

After entering the kitchen, she found that Yao-shi had taken care of all the work and finished everything – the fire in the stove was put off, the kitchen platform was also wiped clean, and all other things were also put back in the kitchen their places. She remained still in the dark kitchen. After a moment, she turned around, walked out of the kitchen, and closed the door.

After returning to the room, Yang Tiezhu walked to her and welcomed her and pulled her to the small cubicle as if showing her some treasure. In the small cubicle, water was boiling on the stove with the fire in the firepit below.

Yang Tiezhu used a firepit poker stick to pull out two black mud dumplings out of the stove. Wrapping them in big tree leaves, he had brought from outside, and he carried them to the table.

Although Lin Qingwan was a bit puzzled, she still bolted the door first.

Yang Tiezhu smashed the mud dumpling open with his fist and pushed it aside a bit. To her astonishment, inside was steaming hot pheasant meat wrapped up in tree leaves. The bird’s meat was nicely cooked to insipid yellow color, with a mouth-watering aroma assailing the nostrils.

Her eyes widened. Is this perhaps what she is thinking, the legendary beggar’s chicken?

People of ancient times were truly knowledgeable, truly worthy of the greatest admiration!

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