Chapter Forty-Five: All of These Belong to My Family

When Madam Liu heard this, her eyes widened even further—so it was that wretched Gu Xiaoyao who had brought back the wild boar. How could she be so formidable? No, she ought to be this formidable; after all, this little wretch had managed to tie both her and her son to a tree.

“My wild boar, and what are you all gathering here for? Eldest daughter-in-law, you truly are something. If you had such skills, why didn’t you say so earlier!” Madam Liu, ever flexible and quick-witted, saw the massive wild boar and immediately suppressed any sign of anger. She went up with a smile on her face and inquired.

The villagers surrounding the scene grew a bit uneasy upon hearing Madam Liu’s words—they had come hoping to barter for some pork. If Madam Liu refused, would Chengjin’s wife be willing to exchange wild boar meat?

“Madam Chengjin, we just want to trade some things for wild boar meat,” someone explained.

“That’s right! I’ve already sent my boy to fetch a winnowing basket of rice. Rest assured, it’s premium white rice, not a single grain is moldy,” another woman declared, patting her chest with a loud thump. She knew well how precious meat was and wouldn’t dare try to fob off anything inferior.

Hearing they wanted to trade for wild boar meat, Madam Liu immediately scowled and scolded them. “Trade? Absolutely not! All this wild boar meat will be taken to the market for sale—there’s no way you’ll get any by bartering. Besides, we’re all from the same village—what could you possibly offer in exchange?”

Every household in Lotus Village was desperately poor; where would they find anything worthwhile to trade for meat? If this wild boar meat were sold at the market, the earnings would be substantial—how much could these villagers’ offerings really be worth?

“You’re not the one to decide here. I hunted this wild boar. If you have anything at home you wish to trade, go fetch it now. I’m about to butcher the pig,” Gu Xiaoyao interrupted Madam Liu’s posturing without hesitation.

When she entered the village, she had already promised the people she’d trade meat, and naturally she couldn’t break her word.

Madam Liu’s eyes flashed with resentment as Gu Xiaoyao cut her off and overturned her words in front of everyone, but she still forced a smile.

“Chengjin’s wife, you know our family’s situation. We’re so poor there’s nothing left but the pot lid. We should keep the meat for ourselves! What could the villagers possibly have to exchange? This meat is the best thing of all. If we can’t finish it, we can cure it and make smoked pork!”

Staring at the two hundred or so pounds of wild boar meat on the ground, she’d already devised how to process it. With so much meat, they could eat well for months. Just the thought of having meat every day made Madam Liu’s mouth water.

Gu Xiaoyao, seeing the calculations in her eyes, rejected her flatly: “I hunted this wild boar in the mountains; naturally, it’s my decision. You’d best not overthink it.”

Hearing that she wasn’t going back on her word, the villagers bustled off in small steps to fetch things from home for the exchange.

Madam Liu stamped her foot in frustration. This little wretch was really turning the world upside down, truly thinking herself someone important, flapping her tongue without a care. The family hadn’t even divided yet, and she dared to keep these things for herself! So what if she caught the wild boar—what then?

“What do you mean it’s your decision? Chengjin’s wife, you really don’t respect me as your mother-in-law at all! This is the Chu family, not the Gu family. Now that you’ve married here, you must follow the Chu family’s rules. I am your mother-in-law—that makes me your second heaven.

“If you don’t listen to me, believe it or not, I’ll have Chengjin divorce you for your disobedience!”

Chu Chengjin, who had been lying inside, heard the commotion outside. Supporting himself, he came out, only to see Madam Liu clamoring about divorcing Gu Xiaoyao.