Chapter Forty-Nine: We Have Not Yet Divided the Family

Madam Liu leaned against the window, watching the wild boar meat dwindle. Clutching the front of her blouse, she drew several ragged breaths before forcing down her frustration.

She had once thought Gu Xiaoyao was timid and incapable of great deeds. Marrying her to the eldest son would, she believed, help restrain him a bit. That way, the Chu family would fall under her sway, and she would no longer have to watch the eldest son get his way in everything.

But now it seemed she had only shot herself in the foot. This eldest son’s wife was even more ruthless than her husband. What kind of new bride would, at the slightest disagreement, tie up her mother-in-law and hang her brother-in-law from a beam? This was a fierce woman indeed!

“Eldest daughter-in-law, hurry and put that meat in the kitchen. We can’t keep cutting pieces off for others; we need to eat too,” Madam Liu called out as she stepped outside, beckoning Chu Qingbai to help her move the meat to the kitchen.

The Chu family actually had two kitchens: a large one and a small one. The small kitchen was inside Chu Chengjin’s courtyard.

Gu Xiaoyao pressed down on their hands as they tried to move the meat, then pointed at the small kitchen in the courtyard. Her meaning was clear.

“All of this wild boar was hunted by me. It’s for my mother and little brother to recover their strength, and for Chu Chengjin to eat well too. Mother-in-law, you all look quite healthy to me—you hardly need to build yourselves up.”

“As for the rest of the meat, I need to take it to the market and sell it. I’m afraid I can’t spare any more. The villagers already traded a lot of things for some. If there’s anything you’d like, have a look at what they brought in exchange.”

Gu Xiaoyao hadn’t even finished settling the scores from yesterday. If they wanted to eat meat, that was simply out of the question. In this entire household, perhaps only Chu Chengjin had any sense. As for Madam Liu and Chu Qingsong, these two troublemakers must be plotting something already.

“What?! You mean all this meat is for your mother and brother to eat? Gu Xiaoyao, you’ve married into the Chu family—what exactly are you trying to do?!”

“A daughter married off is like spilled water! Are you just planning to spoil that sickly mother of yours?”

“She looks like she’s on death’s door. What’s the use of feeding her? You’d be better off giving that meat to us!”

Standing behind Gu Xiaoyao, Gu Xiaoshu could not bear to hear his mother being cursed for dead. Furious, he charged at Madam Liu, ramming his head into her belly.

Caught off guard, Madam Liu was sent sprawling, landing hard on her backside, groaning and grimacing in pain, unable to get up.

“Oh heavens, somebody help! The new daughter-in-law is going to kill me! Oh, dear heavens, why don’t you do something about these wicked people?”

“Strike them down with lightning! Why keep such villains in the world? They’re nothing but trouble! Just wait, I’ll have the village chief come and throw you all out!”

Sitting on the ground like a madwoman, Madam Liu wriggled and flailed, flinging pebbles and clumps of earth at Gu Xiaoyao, genuinely wishing a bolt of lightning would strike them all dead.

Gu Xiaoshu had acted out of rage when he charged. Now, sobered by the aftermath, he watched Madam Liu rant and rave, shrinking back two steps in fear.

Seeing her brother so frightened, Gu Xiaoyao reached out and steadied him, lending him strength so he would not be afraid.

“If I’m a villain, then you are a monster in human form. What happened last night is far from over. Since you dared to do what you did, you should know I won’t let you off so easily.”

Gu Xiaoyao ignored Madam Liu’s curses, knowing full well her words would not cost her a single piece of meat. Right now, it was her turn to eat.