The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 589 - 587: Return to Apologize

Chapter 589: Chapter 587: Return to Apologize

They wanted silver and food in the past, and they got their fill, so now they demand a beating, it must be satisfied too!

Without further pursuit of whipping Wang Yongan, she turned around and aimed a stick that was about to hit Lady Qian’s back.

Lady Qian hadn’t even been struck by the bamboo stick yet, but she was already so frightened that she went limp and collapsed to the ground.

Jinchai screamed in terror, "Mother——"

Old Granny Zhang said irritably, "What are you shouting for, I haven’t even started whipping——"

No matter how angry she was, Old Granny Zhang still had some restraint; after all, that little beast Wang Laoer had crawled out of her own womb, if he died it was his own fault.

But Lady Qian was from another family, and she was not to be struck.

So it was just a threatening gesture.

Who would have thought, Lady Qian was so useless, she got scared like that without even being hit.

As for Wang Laozhu, these days he just ate his meals and went to the old house to teach the skill of carpentry to Mutou.

Every day Wang Yongzhen and Mutou would have plain tea and simple meals, with Wang Yongzhen drinking porridge and Mutou eating some steamed buns with pickled vegetables.

Luckily, in the vegetable garden behind the old house, they still had cabbages, radishes, and garlic shoots, among others.

Time and again, after Wang Laozhu had breakfast or lunch, he couldn’t help but feel heartache seeing his eldest daughter and grandson eat such meager meals, while the Wang Family’s table now always had meat or eggs for every meal.

He couldn’t help expressing his concern, "Don’t you have meat? Why not cook some? Mutou is a big lad; he should eat some meat to gain strength."

Wang Yongzhen felt especially embarrassed, "Dad, the grains and vegetables we’re eating now are provided by the family. We’re already very content with what we have. Besides, it’s much better than before at the Sun Family, where being able to eat our fill each day is enough. I’m saving the meat for the New Year. If we eat it now, what will we have for then?"

Looking around the room, Wang Laozhu had taken some time over the last few days to make a couple of chests and a table for his daughter and grandson.

Besides the bedding on the kang and a chest, the room was virtually empty.

It left a sour taste in his heart.

But if he took anything more from the family house now, he feared his son and daughter-in-law might have objections.

After some thought, he simply made the excuse of needing to teach Mutou carpentry skills, arguing that it was uncomfortable to walk around in cold weather after eating and get a belly full of cold air.

He requested that from now on, each morning after breakfast, he would bring some meat or a couple of eggs to the old house to share meals.

Who couldn’t see that Wang Laozhu was doing this to favor his eldest daughter?

Lady Lin did mutter a few words, but Wang Laozhu insisted it was for his own consumption. He even questioned whether, now that they had divided the household, a father couldn’t even eat a few eggs and some meat?

What could be done? The Wang Family wasn’t lacking in these things, so they just let him be.

Wang Laozhu still had some dignity, he only took enough for one person to eat each day.

Then he would have lunch at the old house, which was a way to provide some nourishing food for his daughter and grandson.

Thus, Wang Laozhu actually didn’t know Wang Yongan had returned. The Wang Family had momentarily forgotten to inform him, or it might be said that those with aligned interests deliberately chose not to notify him.

On the other hand, Wang Yongzhen’s health had improved slightly over the past few days. Seeing that it was about time, she went to the backyard to pull some radishes for dinner.

But as she reached the backyard, she heard children’s voices near the courtyard wall, vaguely mentioning that Wang Family’s Second Child, the Scholar Master, had returned!

Wang Yongzhen was immediately startled and, forgetting about the radishes, she ran back inside in great haste, "Dad, Dad, I heard the Second Child has returned?"

Wang Laozhu’s planer dropped to the ground, "What did you say? That beast Wang Laoer has come back?"

Speaking of the Second Child, Wang Yongan, as Wang Laozhu mentioned him at this moment, he was naturally filled with anger. Does he even have the face to come back?

With that thought, he flung his arms and hurried towards home.

Wang Yongzhen also busily followed him, and Sun Mutou, having no other choice, locked the door and hastened after them.

When Wang Laozhu arrived, it happened to be the moment when Old Granny Zhang was trying to frighten Lady Qian.

He hurriedly shouted, "Old woman, you can’t beat her——" His own son and daughter might be fair game for chastisement, but you can’t just hit someone else’s daughter.

As soon as these words came out, he saw that everyone present turned their gazes towards Wang Laozhu.

The spot chosen by the Wang Family this time was a bit secluded, with no nearby residents, so even if there was commotion, only vaguely discernable figures lurked nearby, not approaching.

Wang Laozhu approached with a stern face, without saying anything yet.

The nearby coachman couldn’t hold back anymore, "I say, Scholar Master, ladies and gentlemen, whether you wish to argue or fight, take a moment to pause. I’ve brought you here; should we not settle the fare for the carriage? It’s also getting late; please unload your things quickly, as I need to head back."

Lady Qian then climbed up, "Alright, we will immediately unload our belongings."

While attempting to climb onto the coach, her legs were trembling, and she couldn’t get up.

The coachman, unable to stand aside, moved the luggage of Wang Yongan’s family, two large trunks, down from the cart.

Then, Lady Qian took out some money and settled the account; the coachman swiftly turned the coach around and left.

Wang Laozhu then said, "Why have you even come back? At first, for the sake of your future, you secretly sold all our land, indifferent to the life and death of your own parents. We already considered you dead, as if we never had a son like you! What are you doing coming back now?"

As he said this, he couldn’t help but look at Wang Yongan.

It had been half a year since he last saw him, and he looked the same, but what he wore was different from before.

The clothes on his body were surely of silk, and around his waist hung a jade pendant. Most notably, his bearing was different from the past, carrying the aura of an Officials Master.

Not to mention Lady Qian and Jinchai. Although they were crying on the side, they too wore silk and had gold and silver in their hair, undeniably mimicking the demeanor of official’s wives and daughters.

They appeared even more lavish than those wealthy families in town that Wang Laozhu had seen.

He couldn’t help but wonder inside, could it be that the Second Child actually made a name for himself with the family’s money he took?

With this thought, his expression softened with the cool breeze.

When Wang Yongan saw Wang Laozhu arrive, he didn’t say a word and knelt down with tears in his eyes.

"Father, Mother! Your son has been unfilial! An unfilial son has come back to apologize to you!"

Having said that, he kowtowed three loud kowtows in succession.

Since Wang Yongan became a Scholar, Wang Laozhu had never seen his son perform such a grand gesture of respect, and he was immediately taken aback.

Old Granny Zhang spat out, "I don’t have a son like you! Don’t bother me anymore; go as far away as you can! If you don’t leave, be careful, or I’ll beat you with the sole of my shoe!"

Wang Yongan’s eyes shifted, and he realized that Old Granny Zhang, his birth mother, hated him so much she could kill him, whereas his father, Old Wang’s expressions seemed relatively calm.

Immediately getting an idea, he crawled on his knees a few steps, hugged Old Wang’s leg, and began to sob his woes.

First, he cursed himself as inhuman, a beast! Unfilial, heartless, having taken the family’s money and leaving his parents and family without care, ungrateful and mad.

Being a Scholar, he cursed himself in a multitude of refined ways for a good while, profoundly expressing the fact that he was worthless.