A Good Country Wife

Chunxi arrived at the old Zhao Family house, and in the house, she was secretly plotting something with Auntie Zhao. Li Xiaomei originally wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation and report back to Lin Yue, but unfortunately, Zhao Lingxiang was quite vigilant. In the middle of their talk, she actually sent a little maid out to keep watch, so Li Xiaomei had no choice but to sneak away. However, what she had overheard before leaving was enough for her to digest: it turned out that the method for sprouting beans was leaked by Chunxi. This woman is truly a white-eyed wolf. How Erhu’s sister-in-law treated her, and yet she could do such a thing.

"Zhao Cheng, you still defend Chunxi, saying the woman is pitiable, bullied miserably by Zhao Jingui and the woman brought back by him from the You Family. But look at what she’s doing now, how Erhu’s sister-in-law helped her. Even if everyone says I’m harsh and sarcastic, I’ve never done anything like this," Li Xiaomei, as soon as she returned to her room, nagged Zhao Quan incessantly.

Zhao Cheng was lying back with his head on his arm when he saw Li Xiaomei come in and sat up to listen to his wife speak. "Indeed, it’s unexpected, but why did you go eavesdrop again? If you were caught by mother, she would definitely scold you."

"What’s there to be afraid of! If they hadn’t done anything guilty, why would they fear being overheard? If your mother really catches me, I have my own words for her. She can’t bully me, or else I’ll just go back to my parents’ house and call them over. Let’s see if she dares to admit her misdeeds in front of everyone. At worst, it’s a case of ’fish die and the net splits’—who’s afraid of whom?" Li Xiaomei said nonchalantly. Her visit to Erhu’s house was dignified and seen by everyone, what of it? The Wei Family really has no way to deal with her now. In any case, if she gets through it, she gets through; if not, they should divide the family.

Zhao Cheng shook his head, helpless with his own wife. He was also worried that she would be at a disadvantage against his mother, who was a formidable woman. It was only because she was up against Li Xiaomei, who could be stubborn and reckless to the point of ignoring heaven and earth, that she met her match. Otherwise, not many could gain an advantage from his mother—of course, except for Lin Yue, Erhu’s wife, a woman as formidable as a female general.

"You know, being so busy all the time must be tiring. After all, she’s still my biological mother, so let’s not go too far. Let other families handle their own business; let them make their own fuss," Zhao Cheng felt that supporting either side was not the right choice and decided that remaining neutral was best.

"You may consider her as your biological mother, but does she regard you as her own son? I’ve never seen such blatant favoritism. Zhao Quan and Zhao Xing get meat, and you don’t even get to sip the soup. Even if you don’t care about yourself, can you bear to see your wife and children suffer like this? Besides, Erhu and his wife have always been good to us, we can’t be so heartless, acting like your third brother and fifth brother, turning against their own blood brothers like this..."

"Fine, fine, you win. Do as you please, but don’t be too ostentatious. It’s not good if people gossip about you behind your back because they have something on you. If you run into something you can’t handle, don’t try to be a hero. Come straight back to me," Zhao Cheng was even more worried about Li Xiaomei now. He had come to realize that his wife was the closest person to him in this life. Though she had her faults, she was the best to him and genuinely wholehearted in looking after him, doing everything with the family’s best interest in mind.

"That’s more like it. Zhao Cheng, I find myself liking you more and more. Mm-hmm." Li Xiaomei, a bit proud of his concession, suddenly stood up. "No, I must immediately tell this to my sister-in-law. If she falls for those two women’s trickery... I’m off first. There’s no fun for you alone in the room, go out to the main room and keep an eye out for me, see if you can find out anything else."