Chapter 407: 407 Fame
The young wife of the Zhou Family not only gets physical at the drop of a hat, but she's also got a really slick tongue. Wow, if you were thin-skinned and got talked to like this, you'd probably want to die.
Zhou Yongbing really felt it was inappropriate to laugh at that moment, but it was just too funny. So, he couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
"Xiao Li, let's go home now. You cook the bone soup this time; I'm afraid you won't want to drink it if I make it."
"Alright. Sorry for giving you ladies, aunts, and sisters-in-law a laugh. I really apologize."
You can't hit someone with a smiling face, and the young wife of the Zhou Family spoke well. Everyone nodded with smiles and then headed home.
Watching everyone leave, there was also Liang Lanqing, sitting on the ground crying.
"Xiao Bing, let's go back. In the future, stay away from those with issues. What if it spreads? I've heard that being dumb is a kind of illness that can spread too."
If she's not dumb, then what is she? A young girl's reputation is so disregarded now? This scene only made what little reputation she had even worse.
Everyone is not far away, and rumors spread incredibly fast, especially this kind of gossip that everyone loves to hear.
Liang Lanqing looked at the door closing in front of her and cried even more heartbrokenly.
But who would care? Now she hated Chen Xiaoguang to the core. If it weren't for him, how would she end up like this?
If he hadn't given her the chance from the start, how could she have had other thoughts?
She just sat at the Zhou Family's doorstep and cried. Zhao Yanli could still hear the sobbing from outside as she went inside. She picked up a basin and headed out.
When she opened the door, she dumped a basin of dirty water beside Liang Lanqing, but some splash did get on her.
"Get lost quickly, don't bring bad luck to my doorstep. If you don't leave, the next basin will land right on your head, shameless one."
Liang Lanqing was stunned by Zhao Yanli's action. She had seen fierce women before; a woman next door was particularly fierce, loud, and strong. Everyone in her family feared her.
She was also quite afraid of her. Now looking at Zhao Yanli, she felt like two shrews were merging into one. So, she got up and turned to leave.
Zhao Yanli went back inside and saw Zhou Yongbing chopping on the beef marrow bones, which truly had no meat on them.
"You still know to chop it up?"
"Do you think I wouldn't know that?" Zhou Yongbing said with a laugh.
Zhao Yanli went to prepare ginger, not adding anything else, just a few slices of fresh ginger, and slowly stewed it on the stove.
"Wife, I bought some noodles. Shall we have noodles for lunch?"
"Sure, if someone's making food for me, I'll eat anything." She said as she went inside with a smile to continue studying.
Zhao Yanli knew she couldn't be angry with her husband. Moreover, she already had her venting moment earlier.
Zhou Yongbing felt a wave of relief seeing no change in his wife's mood.
He actually felt very wronged too. Fortunately, his wife was sensible.
He cooked while laughing, knowing that from now on, the neighbors wouldn't dare provoke his wife. Wow, that was to make an example of the others. From the looks of it, not many would dare to stir up trouble with his wife's fighting spirit.
After two days, when the weekend came, the Zhou couple stayed home to rest and made some tofu.
The neighbor came over to exchange for tofu and shared a vivid recounting of what Zhao Yanli had said that day and how she had kicked Liang Lanqing several times with the couple.
"Sister-in-law, Xiao Li from your family is truly something."
"My daughter-in-law is good-hearted, just a bit quick-tempered." Mrs. Zhou was delighted. After a lifetime of keeping the peace, Mrs. Zhou and Mr. Zhou were very angry at what Liang Lanqing did, but they had never had a face-off with anyone, just stewing silently.
This daughter-in-law is great; she directly helped them vent their anger.
Zhao Yanli came back to bring tofu to her elder sister's home and saw the old couple exceptionally happy.
"Xiao Li, go read your books. Your dad and I will make dumplings."
"Mom, let me help you."
"No need, just study. Highlight anything you don't understand, and ask your brother-in-law in the afternoon."
"Alright, I got it."
Since the old couples didn't need her help, there was no need to persist. It was better to go inside and study.
There were only ten days to the wedding feast. So the old couple started preparing bit by bit. They had quite a few plates and bowls at home. Mrs. Zhou worked at a porcelain factory and would bring home usable but defective ones. Having accumulated over time, they had enough to serve ten tables at the wedding feast.
The couple were clean people, so they began washing all the plates and bowls that afternoon.
Zhao Yanli wanted to help but was refused.
"Mom, I'll start collecting them too in the future. When they deliver fertilizer, I'll bring some for my elder brother's family back home as well, since they can use them too."
"Sure. We'll do it together when the time comes. Even though we might not have as many as we do at home, give more to your in-law's family. We'll prepare slowly here."
The old couple was exceptionally satisfied with Zhao Yanli. Liang Lanqing hated when Mrs. Zhou brought home defective items and had even argued with Zhou Yongbing over a chipped dish.
This was great; knowing how to live without vanity, down-to-earth.
The days flew by, and just two days before the wedding feast, the three members of the Zhou Family took leave from work. It was easy to clean the house, but they had to prepare tofu, tofu sheets, and had already cleaned and frozen the offal for the cook to prepare the next day.
"Dad, you make the tofu sheets taste amazing."
"Tasty, right? When you're fully on the job, I'll just make tofu sheets at home. Even if we can't sell them ourselves, we can sell them to the supply and marketing cooperative." Mrs. Zhou said with a smile.
"Mom, you're still in such good health; why not work a few more years? I can stay home to make tofu and tofu sheets?"
"No need, when one reaches a certain age, it's time to step down. Just go to work with peace of mind."
Actually, Mrs. Zhou was thinking that with how close the couple was, maybe they'd soon have kids. Then, she could stay home and take care of the children and cook. Just thinking about it made her happy.
However, she didn't say that out loud, worried if she wasn't pregnant, it would make her daughter-in-law uncomfortable.
Mr. Zhou and his son were setting up stoves in the yard, needing to prepare at least four.
Zhao Yanli wanted to help, but was declined.
The family of four prepared all the necessary items in advance, soaking fifteen pounds of soybeans—both tofu and tofu sheets were on the agenda.
The day before the wedding feast, the hired cook arrived. First, he stewed the offal, then the meat.
Zhao Yanping and her husband, along with the Zhou sisters and families, also came over.
Mr. Zhou was busy roasting sunflower seeds and soybeans. The family was bustling about, not having a moment to rest.
The cook looked on admiringly at the quantity of meat they had.
"Xiao Bing, I heard from your dad the meat came from the farm. When you go there at the end of the year, could you get me a pig?"
"Uncle, if possible, I'll definitely get you a pig, but a live one is impossible. It's really just about the lack of pig blood."
"No problem, that's fine. It makes it even easier for me if it's already killed."