Chapter 21 – Sister-in-law
The closest market to Shennugou was in Songfeng Town. To get to Songfeng Town, you had to go up and down two mountains, then walk a thousand meters. When they got through one mountain, Li Man was still in high spirits. By the time they reached the top of the second mountain, Li Man was dragging her feet. In the last thousand meters, she really couldn’t walk another step, so Li Shu had her sitting down in the cart.
Looking at Li Shu, who was drenched in sweat, Li Man felt very bad about adding her weight to the cart. Two buckets full of fish wasn’t light to begin with, and Li Shu had already pushed the cart over two mountains. She tried to get off the cart several times, but Li Shu wouldn’t agree.
Later on, Li Hua also helped in pushing the cart, and she felt even worse. Xiaowu was younger than her, but he was still walking. Even if she had to crawl to the market, it would still be a less shameful option.
However, Li Hua wrote out that they knew she couldn’t walk anymore. It would be more bothersome for them if she ended up fainting from overexerting herself.
Thinking it over, Li Man agreed. She didn’t have any better alternative than complying.
However, as soon as they arrived at Songfeng Town, Li Man hurriedly came down from the cart. Looking at Li Shu’s forehead that was covered in sweat, she felt apologetic and grateful. Her heart felt moved. “You worked really hard.”
Li Shu laughed, which revealed his very clean teeth. He took off his outer garment and used it to wipe his forehead.
“Hey, so this is oldest sister-in-law, huh? She’s so weak and delicate, ah.”
Pulling Qiqiao along with her, Chunni caught up to them again. She stared at Li Man with an uncharitable gaze.
Li Man looked at this teenage girl with a confused gaze. Was she speaking to her? Why did it feel sort of hostile?
Li Shu glared at Chunni. “She’s your third sister-in-law too.” Remembering that Li Hua was next to him, he added, “She might be your fourth sister-in-law too. Anyways, she’s your sister-in-law.”
Chunni and Qiqiao were stunned into silence.
Li Hua was worried that they would say something else, so he said to Li Man and Xiaowu, “Go over there to sit down and rest.”
“Oh.” Li Man could feel that these two teenage girls didn’t have any goodwill towards her, so she followed Xiaowu to a corner of a building to rest.
Once Li Man left, Chunni immediately reacted. Tugging on Li Hua’s sleeve, she asked in surprise, “Older brother Hua, never mind about their decisions. You’re a scholar. You’ll have a wonderful future. Are you really going to follow them and marry that woman too?”
Li Hua unhappily pulled his sleeve from her grasp. Looking at her, he lightly said, “Chunqiao, stop standing here and blocking our way. We’re going to sell fish here.”
Hearing the words “Chunqiao”, Chunni was a bit flabbergasted. “I’m Chunni.”
“Chunni?” Li Hua looked at his third brother, Li Shu, in confusion.
Lu Shu shrugged. Nodding his head, he said, “She’s called Chunni.”
Li Hua turned his head back to look at Chunni again.
Chunni had already been angered to point that her face was flushed. “Older brother Hua, do you still not remember my name?”
Li Hua resisted his temper and patiently asked, “Chunni? Did you come over here for a reason?”
Chunni was dumbfounded. “Older brother Hua?” She had liked him since they were children. Did he really not notice?
“Qiqiao.” Chunni didn’t feel comfortable saying her own feelings aloud, so she pulled forward Qiqiao, who had been silently feeling broken-hearted. She pointed at Li Shu, who was getting ready to sell fish by taking out a scale. “Third brother, Qiqiao has always liked you. How can you marry another woman?”
Li Shu froze in surprise. Soon after, he faked smiled. “Little girl, don’t joke about this type of thing with your third brother. My wife is sitting right over there.”
“Third brother…”
“Selling fish here! Fat and big fish, very fresh, hurry over and buy some..” Li Shu didn’t pay any more attention to her. He wasn’t interested in Qiqiao. Even if he was interested in her, it wouldn’t matter. In their village, every family wanted to marry their daughter to a family that was outside the village. Moreover, Qiqiao’s parents were hoping that they would be able to exchange their daughter for extra wedding money (i.e. money that a couple gets during their wedding from relatives) in order to find wives for their two sons.
Chunni turned to look at Li Hua again. “Older brother Hua, as long as you…”
Li Hua didn’t even wait for her to finish speaking before apologetically saying, “I’m busy.” He walked to Li Shu’s side and started helping him with collecting money and making change.
Seeing that Li Hua was ignoring her, she angrily stamped her feet. When she turned her head back and saw Qiqiao stealthily wiping tears from her face, she gritted her teeth and said, “Older sister Qiqiao, you’re so useless.”