The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 548 - 546: Falling Down

Chapter 548: Chapter 546: Falling Down

Sun Laoer’s Wife, gritting her teeth and rubbing her arm, had just been struck by a stone, causing a sharp pain, "Mother, is the Wang Family really not wanting our elder sister-in-law anymore?"

Although she usually looked down on her sister-in-law, if the Wang Family really did not want the elder sister-in-law, how could they go to the Wang Family to seek favors?

Shitou’s Wife also looked at Old Lady Sun, "Granny, these people from the Wang Family are so unreasonable. We went there to congratulate them and they actually drove us out! Is it just because we ate one meal at their place? They even said they’ve become rich, and yet they are so stingy!"

"Exactly! It’s always said that the stingier one becomes, the richer one gets, and the richer one is, the stingier he becomes. The Wang Family used to be much more generous before they made their fortune."

"Enough, shut your mouths! Is being driven out something to be proud of?" Shitou roared furiously.

He had never been so humiliated in his life.

Shitou actually knew that his family had a bad reputation in the village, and villagers were somewhat reluctant to provoke them: on one hand, they were all from the Sun Family and besides, his Granny could be quite a scene-maker, stirring up trouble over the smallest issues.

On the other hand, it was because his mother was a daughter of the Wang Family, and the presence of a Scholar in that family not only elevated the Wang Family but allowed their own Sun Family to bask in reflected glory.

As for his own mother, Shitou had not an ounce of respect for her. She was always gloomy, a sight that simply brought bad luck. She couldn’t speak sweetly to win others over, nor could she coax and cajole.

Look at his second aunt-in-law; she didn’t have to do anything and yet could always make his Granny happy and she favored his uncle’s household with any tasty treats.

When he was young, he used to rely on his mother, but as he grew older, he realized that his mother was unreliable.

He then set out to please his Granny. To win her favor, he even got on good terms with Yuzhen, and surely enough, Granny treated him much better afterward. Not long after, his status stood just behind his uncle’s.

Shitou thus respected his mother even less, feeling that she was nothing but a drag. If it weren’t for her ability to bring back some Silver, food, and fabric from the Wang Family, she would be utterly useless.

Today, having suffered such a disgrace at the Wang Family, it was all because of his mother—far too useless, unable even to keep the Wang Family appeased.

He looked at the members of the Wang Family, each dressed in brand new clothes, living in such big new houses, enjoying good food.

She was from the Wang Family too, yet each time she could only bring back a few taels of Silver, a few pieces of fabric, and a little bit of food.

It all came down to her uselessness, unable to win her mother-in-law’s favor at her marital home, nor her parents’ favor in her own home.

Otherwise, as a daughter of the Wang Family, why couldn’t she bring back more money, allowing the Sun Family to live as well as the Wang Family?

Listening now to his wife and second aunt-in-law speak of the Wang Family, Shitou found it grating to his ears.

Meanwhile, Old Lady Sun wore a grim expression, "Enough, what’s the use of talking? Let’s go back! We’ll talk when we get back!"

The family dared not say another word, trailing behind Old Lady Sun dejectedly.

It was nearly dark, and with two drunk men and a heavily pregnant woman, they stumbled and bumbled along the way, everyone utterly exhausted.

They were almost at Sun Family Village when Old Lady Sun breathed a sigh of relief. But in a moment of inattention, her foot slipped, and she, holding onto Sun Daming, tugged him as she fell.

Sun Daming, already intoxicated, was weak and when she pulled, he pitched forward, hitting his head on a protruding round stone, and without a sound, passed out cold.

By the time Old Lady Sun climbed back to her feet and checked on Sun Daming, she found him lying motionless on the ground.

In that instant, she felt as though she had lost two of her three souls from fright but quickly checking his nose and finding breath, her heart settled a bit.

On their journey, with two inebriated men and a pregnant woman, they made many stops, causing much delay.

Wang Yongzhen, after getting the silver, felt anxious. Her feet seemingly grew wings as she nearly ran all the way there.

She barely arrived at the outskirts of Sun Family Village when she saw the scene and felt her heart almost leap out of her throat.

She hurried over in a few quick steps, "Head of the household, head of the household, what’s wrong with you?"

Sun Daming was held in Wang Yongzhen’s arms, allowing her to rock him back and forth as he lay limp like a noodle, unresponsive.

"Mom, mom, what’s happened to the head of the household?" Wang Yongzhen, fearful, turned to Old Lady Sun.

Old Lady Sun felt the back of Sun Daming’s head. It was soft without even a bump forming, and she immediately breathed a sigh of relief, rolling her eyes, "What’s all this wailing for? Is it not just a bump? Not even the skin is broken, let alone a bump forming. What’s there to fuss about? Probably just faint from drinking too much! Now, help your man back to lie down, will you?"

Wang Yongzhen wiped a tear and tried to lift Sun Daming up, but he remained limp and unable to stand.

With no other choice, Wang Yongzhen had Sun Shitou help get Sun Daming onto her back to carry him home.

Luckily, the Sun family lived not far from the entrance of the village. As they entered, someone asked, "Has the Great Ming family returned from their visit home for a feast? Is Great Ming drunk?"

Without thinking too much, Wang Yongzhen replied, "Yes, auntie, our head of the household had some drink. He just fell over at the entrance of the village."

The old lady quickly asked, "Is it serious, do you need to seek a doctor to have a look?"

Old Lady Sun caught up from behind, spitting, "Stop your nonsense. Which man hasn’t fallen over from drinking too much and needed a doctor? Which man in the village hasn’t taken a tumble after drinking too much?"

At the same time, she scolded Wang Yongzhen, "Your man is drunk, and you still don’t hurry to carry him home, finding time to chat idly with others?"

Wang Yongzhen dared not speak and carried Sun Daming back home to place him on the kang bed.

She had rushed for half the day and carried an adult man back. She was utterly exhausted, sitting at the edge of the kang bed, gasping for breath.

Following behind, the Sun family also gradually entered the home, each finding a spot to sit and rest.

Sun Laoer was dragged into the house by his wife and thrown onto the kang to lie down.

It was getting dark, and after walking all the way back on a cold winter day, they were sweaty, tired, and hungry.

Catching her breath, Old Lady Sun called out, "Eldest brother’s wife, aren’t you going to cook? What, you’re going to lie there, dead to the world? The whole family is waiting to eat!"

Wang Yongzhen wiped her sweat and walked out of the room, starting to cook in haste.

By the time she finished, the sky had already darkened. Old Lady Sun, feeling sorry, lit an oil lamp, and everyone finally ate.

But having eaten so well at the Wang Family that noon, they now had only some vegetable porridge and two hard sorghum flour pancakes.

It was hard for everyone to swallow.

Sun Chutou and Sun Zhentou started crying and shouting, "We want to eat meat, the meat from noon!"

Sun Laoer’s Wife grabbed the children and gave them a slap on the back, "Eat your mother’s meat! If you want meat, go ask your aunt, have her take you to the Wang Family to eat!"

The two children then threw themselves at Wang Yongzhen, "We want to eat meat, go to the Wang Family to eat meat!"

Wang Yongzhen was pushed and shoved by the two children before she finally spoke up, "I’m no longer a person from the Wang Family in the future—"