Chapter 66: Flames of Jealousy
"She’s already separated from her grandparents. Would she still listen to them?" Chen Danou found that unlikely.
"Let’s just give it a try. What if it works?" Liang Fushan wasn’t ready to give up on Su Qing. He was desperate to get a factory job in the city. After trying for so long without even getting a foot in the door, Su Qing was now his only hope.
Seeing the serious look on Liang Fushan’s face, Chen Danou knew her son had truly set his heart on marrying Su Qing. She thought for a moment, then said, "All right, then. I’ll talk it over with your father and we’ll figure out how to approach the Old Su Family."
"Thanks, Mom! I knew you were the best to me." Liang Fushan grinned, laying on the flattery.
Chen Danou shot him a smiling glare. "You’re all sweet talk."
Despite her words, her face was alight with pleasure. It was clear his flattery had delighted her.
As mother and son were talking, they suddenly heard the CLANG of a basin hitting the floor in the kitchen. Chen Danou’s expression immediately soured. She stood up and marched to the kitchen. When she saw her eldest daughter-in-law, Zeng Hui, picking up scattered wild vegetables from the ground, she started cursing, "It’s been this long and you still can’t even cook a proper meal? Tell me, what was the point of you marrying into this family? You’re useless at everything, yet you eat like there’s no tomorrow. You’re dumber than a pig! You might as well be dead for all the good you do. If you mess this up again, you’re not eating today."
Zeng Hui lowered her head, fighting back tears. "Mom, I’ll have it ready soon."
"Hurry up! The men of the house are waiting to eat." Chen Danou shot Zeng Hui one last glare before returning to her room. She had to discuss this with her husband right away. Her younger son had set his heart on marrying that Su Qing, and they needed to figure out how to approach the Old Su Family.
The news that Auntie Qian had visited Su Qing’s house that morning to propose a match on behalf of the Liang Family spread throughout Lihua Village before noon.
Tan Qingjuan overheard some of the aunties nearby gossiping that the Liang Family had sent a matchmaker to Su Qing. She froze for a second, then turned and asked, "Which Liang Family sent a matchmaker for Su Qing?"
"The Liang Family from Fengshui Village, I hear," one of the aunties said with a chuckle. "No idea what their son sees in Su Qing."
"Ah, that Su Qing girl is actually very pretty, if not for that scar on her face. Have you forgotten how adorable she was as a child?"
"That’s true. Sigh, it’s such a shame about that scar on her face. A real tragedy."
"Isn’t it though? I heard that Su Tao girl accidentally scalded her with boiling water. Sigh, what a shame."
"You don’t think that Su Tao girl did it on purpose, do you? After all, Su Qing is much prettier than Su Tao."
"Probably. I’d bet on it."
...
As the aunties chattered on, their conversation drifted to the story behind the scar on Su Qing’s face. Tan Qingjuan, however, had completely tuned them out. She clutched a potato in her hand, staring blankly into space.
’The Liang Family from Fengshui Village... isn’t that Liang Fushan’s family?’
’Liang Fushan only has one brother, and his big brother is already married. The only unmarried one in the family is Liang Fushan. In that case, the Liang Family must be arranging this marriage for him, right?’
Tan Qingjuan then recalled the time Liang Fushan had asked her about Su Qing. A fire of jealousy instantly ignited in her heart.
’That’s it. It has to be Su Qing. She must have seduced Liang Fushan behind my back! Otherwise, why would he have anything to do with her? Why would he send a matchmaker to propose marriage?’
The more Tan Qingjuan thought about it, the angrier she became, nearly grinding her molars to dust.
"Oh my, Tan Zhiqing, what are you doing? You’re about to crush that potato to bits!" The words from a nearby auntie snapped Tan Qingjuan back to her senses. She glanced at the woman, then at the mangled potato in her hand. With a sudden jolt, she shot to her feet and spun around, storming toward the part of the field where Su Qing was working.
"Whoa, what’s gotten into Tan Zhiqing?" The auntie who had spoken was bewildered by her actions. She quickly turned to Yu Xiaomin, who was nearby. "Yu Zhiqing, what’s wrong with her?"
Yu Xiaomin was just as baffled. "I have no idea."
"Oh, we should go see! It looks like she’s heading straight for Su Qing," one of the aunties exclaimed, pointing in the direction Tan Qingjuan was going.
"What!"
The group of aunties forgot all about digging potatoes and hurried after her. Yu Xiaomin hesitated for a moment, then decided not to follow. Her relationship with Tan Qingjuan was mediocre at best. Now that the housing for the educated youth was more spacious, they each had their own room and rarely communicated. She always felt there was a gloomy, sullen air about Tan Qingjuan and preferred not to interact with her much. Outside of their shared work, the two of them hardly ever spoke.
’No wonder I haven’t been able to find Liang Fushan lately! Su Qing must have lured him away. That time Su Qing stayed in the county overnight... was that because she had a secret meeting arranged with him?’
The more she considered it, the more certain she became. Spotting Su Qing squatting in the field digging potatoes, she hatefully hurled the mangled potato in her hand straight at her.
Su Qing’s reflexes were lightning-fast. Sensing a faint whoosh of air behind her, she dodged in a flash, just in time to see a ruined potato SPLAT onto the spot where she had been squatting.
Su Qing frowned. She turned around to see Tan Qingjuan storming furiously toward her.
"Tan Zhiqing, what are you doing?" Aunt Cuihua, who was working next to Su Qing, had also seen the potato go flying. Noticing Tan Qingjuan’s strange expression, she quickly stood up and shielded Su Qing. "Why are you throwing things at people? Are you crazy?"
Tan Qingjuan completely ignored Aunt Cuihua. She glared at Su Qing with such fury that Su Qing was utterly baffled. She had no idea why Tan Qingjuan had suddenly flipped out and attacked her.
"Tan Zhiqing, I’d like an explanation," Su Qing said, her expression turning cold.
"You slut!" Tan Qingjuan snarled through gritted teeth as she lunged at Su Qing, intending to slap her. In Tan Qingjuan’s eyes, Su Qing was now the homewrecker who had come between her and Liang Fushan.
"Hey, Tan Zhiqing, you—" Aunt Cuihua saw what was happening and moved to intercept her.
But Su Qing was faster. Seeing Tan Qingjuan charge at her, she took two quick steps forward. With one hand, she caught Tan Qingjuan’s raised arm, and with the other, she delivered two sharp slaps across her face. Then, she sent Tan Qingjuan sprawling to the ground with a kick. "Watch your mouth."
Tan Qingjuan never imagined that not only would she fail to hit Su Qing, but she’d get slapped twice and kicked in return. The humiliation made her even more furious. Ignoring the stinging pain on her face, she scrambled to her feet and charged at Su Qing again. "Su Qing, you ugly hag! I’ll kill you! Are you that desperate for a man that you have to be a homewrecker? You shameless hussy!"
"Tan Zhiqing, are you out of your mind? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Before Su Qing could even react to Tan Qingjuan’s words, Aunt Cuihua was already livid.
Su Qing’s eyes narrowed. She was just about to give Tan Qingjuan another couple of slaps when someone grabbed Tan Qingjuan’s hair from behind.