The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl

Chapter 88

Li Mingwei went forward and propped up the broom, peered inside, heard a voice, and went in with Aunt Cui.

Old Lady Wang was inside wiping away tears as she told Wang Chunhua about the time she had gone to Liu's house to ask for money and been chased away: "I didn't even know how he could say it. Hongsheng gave him the money right in front of me, and said we were all brothers, and money was nothing. "

"After Liu Yizhu passed the county exam, he came to my door with gifts, with his nose in the air. I chased him out too. He knew I didn't like him, so he had his wife come talk to me instead. She was honest, so I didn't want to be too harsh on her."

Old Lady Wang sighed. Other than leaving all these useless, vexing relatives, her husband hadn't left anything for her. And before, she had hurt her son's heart for his sake. Thinking back now, he wasn't worth it at all!

She stroked her hand. "Let's not talk about it anymore. It's embarrassing."

Wang Chunhua took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to her: "What's there to be embarrassed about? Every family has some troubles."

Old Lady Wang used the handkerchief to wipe her face and nodded with a smile. Looking down, she could see the embroidered pattern on the handkerchief, and gently stroked it, knowing it was done by Li Mingwei.

She often took odd jobs around town, so she was quite knowledgeable about things.

"Sister, brother-in-law, you're here too?"

Hearing her sister's voice, Wang Chunhua hurriedly looked outside to see Li Mingwei walking in from the yard: "Oh, I came with your brother-in-law to visit. Aunt Cui?"

Aunt Cui was embarrassed to say she had come to watch the excitement, so she just tugged Li Mingwei's sleeve. Li Mingwei smiled and said, "I heard there was a commotion here, so Aunt Cui came with me to take a look."

"It's fine now. They were just bored and making trouble. Your brother-in-law has chased them off already."

Old Lady Wang stood up: "School's out?"

Li Mingwei nodded: "Yes, it let out a while ago."

"Then I'll go make dinner. Brother Dong helped so much today, you should stay and eat before heading back."

Li Mingwei was about to decline, but Wang Chunhua jumped in first with a smile: "It wasn't that big of a deal. How could we impose? You have children waiting at home."

"What's there to impose about? We'll be one family soon. I haven't even started cooking yet. Brother Dong can go bring the kids over, there's time."

After speaking, Old Lady Wang headed to the kitchen when she saw Wang Chunhua didn't seem to object. Li Mingwei tried to stop her, but Wang Chunhua slapped her hand away.

She complained: "Sister~"

With an outsider present, Wang Chunhua didn't want to speak plainly. She just glared at Li Mingwei. Aunt Cui also understood it was time to tactfully take her leave. She wasn't helping anyway, and wasn't part of their family. How could she stay? She asked Wang Chunhua to convey her regards to Old Lady Wang before leaving on her own.

After she left, Wang Chunhua told Dong Shan to go back and bring Dong Lei and Xiao Yan over, then started lecturing Li Mingwei: "What's wrong with staying for a meal? Think about how few days a year scholar Liu gets to spend at home. It's boring for her to be home alone. Having a meal and chatting would be nice for her."

"After you marry over, when scholar Liu is away studying, it'll just be the two of you at home. You wouldn't go a whole day without saying a word to each other, right?"

Li Mingwei stayed silent. What would she have to chat about with Old Lady Wang?

"Give it some good thought yourself."

Leaving her with those words, Wang Chunhua went to help Old Lady Wang in the back.

Old Lady Wang didn't need her help at all. She cooked for over twenty children every day, and her hands worked deftly. Wang Chunhua only managed to snatch the task of tending the fire.

With rice cooking in the pot, Wang Chunhua added two sticks of firewood to the stove to keep the fire going, then went to the yard to help Old Lady Wang wash vegetables.

Li Mingwei stuck her head out from the main hall: "Need any help?"

"No, no! Other than causing trouble, what else can you do!" Wang Chunhua shooed her back inside to sit. Then she smiled at Old Lady Wang, "My sister has her good points, but she's hopeless in the kitchen. Don't let her go in, she'll just make a mess."

She stared into Old Lady Wang's eyes, "You see how skinny she is, and she has to work every day. We have to make sure she eats her fill, right?"

Old Lady Wang didn't like how much Wang Chunhua doted on Li Mingwei, even remembering exactly how much she ate per meal. Hearing Wang Chunhua ask her that, she quickly nodded in agreement.

Seeing her attitude was still good, Wang Chunhua nodded satisfactorily and thought for a moment before continuing, "Also, she doesn't have much strength and can't lift heavy things. In winter when she washes clothes, she'll probably need your help. That's all, you can boss her around however you like."

Can't even lift clothes, what else could Old Lady Wang expect her to do?

She forced a smile. "It's so cold in winter, how could I let her wash clothes herself? When scholar Liu is home in winter, he can do the washing."

Wang Chunhua was even more satisfied. Still, she politely said, "Scholar Liu is a scholar, he has to use his hands to write. Being chilled wouldn't be good, would it?"

So your meaning is, since I don't write, I should be the one to help out?

Barely suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Old Lady Wang seethed with injustice. Let him insist on marrying an ancestor. She wouldn't wait on her, he could come back and do it himself!

After this whole exchange, Wang Chunhua was relatively satisfied with Old Lady Wang's attitude, while Old Lady Wang had been angered though she had to restrain herself for now.

With their divergent thoughts, the two finished making the meal. They set the dishes on the table and ate happily, as if they truly were one family.

On the way back, Li Mingwei couldn't help glancing several more times at Wang Chunhua, having no idea when she had gotten so close with Old Lady Wang. They had chatted and laughed the whole time at dinner.

Wang Chunhua glared at her. "Why do you keep looking at me?"

Li Mingwei shook her head without answering. She just hooked arms with her and smiled. Wang Chunhua patted her arm, a hint of melancholy on her face. "After you marry over there, at least she'll have company. I'll just have little Xiao Yan left again."

"Sister..."

"Hm?"

"Do you not have legs, or do I not have legs?" Wang Chunhua immediately understood her meaning and laughed, patting her again. "You girl, you just don't know how to speak properly. If you keep this up after marrying over, see if your mother-in-law doesn't teach you a lesson."

"She wouldn't dare! My family has so many people." Li Mingwei huffed. She didn't believe Old Lady Wang would dare bully her once in the capital.

Only then did Wang Chunhua remember that after her sister married, she would be bringing her mother back home. She asked, "How long will you be gone when you go back?"

"Not sure yet."

It would depend on whether Mother was satisfied with Liu Yizhu. If things didn't go too terribly, she probably wouldn't come back.

Thinking of going back, Li Mingwei felt a bit gloomy. She actually preferred life in Qingshi Town. If she could, she would happily stay here forever, but she couldn't leave her grandfather.

He was so old. She couldn't make him travel so far. If something happened along the way, she would feel guilty forever. She had to go back.

Li Mingwei hugged Wang Chunhua tightly. Once she left, who knew if the sisters would ever see each other again in this life?