Chapter 7: The Most Feisty Grandmother in the Village
The village chief lives on the westernmost edge, with only two houses separating him from the wealthiest family in the village, the three Yang brothers. They were hardworking and efficient. Their houses were all made of red bricks, which surpassed all other households in the village.
To go to the village chief’s house, one had to pass the three houses of the Yang brothers. As they were about to pass by the Yang’s, Yu Jingting’s ears perked up.
Suizi heard it too.
A rhythm of drum mingled with wailing singing sounded from the Yang’s second courtyard. It was a ritualistic song, recounting tales of shifting spirits. What was happening was a common cultural activity in northern rural villages.
Commonly referred to as, "Summoning the God."
The one who made a scene in the courtyard, bounding around while drumming and singing, was her mother-in-law, Wang Cuihua.
In her past life, Suizi was not only afraid of the ruffian Yu Jingting but also her mother-in-law.
Wang Cuihua was a unique woman from the Wang family. Being a widow at an early age, she single-handedly raised her two children.
After losing her husband, she was neglected by her in-laws. To survive during those years with her young children, she had to remarry. Yet, for some reason, Wang Cuihua never remarried.
In the village, women without men were like unclaimed treasures by the roadside, prone to the advances of opportunists.
At that time, Yu Jingting was just ten years old, not as formidable as he is now, but a mere ruffian boy. Wang Cuihua, pregnant with Jiaojiao, was often disturbed by men with ill intentions knocking on her door in the middle of the night. She bolted her door with several locks and always kept a wooden stick by her side, fearing their intrusion.