On the way home, Zheng Chunmei was very conflicted.
But she was stopped by Ma Dazhu halfway. She said speechlessly, "Dazhu, why are you here again?"
"I heard from Erdan that that stingy Zhao is bullying us again?" In the darkness, Ma Dazhu's voice was filled with fatigue and anger.
"The child is ignorant, don't listen to his nonsense."
Zheng Chunmei doesn't want to have too much to do with Ma Dazhu now.
His father was injured but not dead. However, he could no longer go into the mountains to hunt and became half disabled.
His brother is in the same situation, with one leg lame. The entire Ma family depends on Ma Dazhu alone. How can he support the family?
The people in Xiaomiao Village still want to cause trouble for him, and Zhao Wei's brother also wants to cause trouble for him. It's quite despairing just thinking about it.
"Don't be afraid. If Zhao Laokou really bullies you, I won't let him off." Ma Dazhu said coldly.
"You should solve your own problems first. I can solve my own problems myself." Zheng Chunmei said and left.
Ma Dazhu opened his mouth, but in the end he could only punch the tree angrily, but what could he do even if he was angry?
The only way now is to marry my sister off, maybe it can help the family get through this difficult time!
The next day, Zheng Chunmei woke up hungry before dawn. After feeding Sanya her rations, she endured her fatigue and weakness and put the child next to the old woman. "Mom, I'm going to Jinji Mountain to chop firewood today."
Mrs. Li was very impatient to be woken up. After hearing what her daughter-in-law said, she took her granddaughter and said, "Chop more firewood and come back early!"
"Mom, can I take some vegetable cake with me?"
"One dollar? Half a dollar at most! I told you not to take a bath, but you refused to listen. If you want to go, go quickly and don't disturb me while I'm sleeping." The old lady of the Li family cursed unhappily, still brooding over her daughter-in-law's decision to boil water for a bath.
Zheng Chunmei took half a piece of wild vegetable cake and drank it with cold water. With a little food in her stomach, she didn't feel anxious anymore.
Immediately, he took the hatchet from home, put his backpack on his back and walked out of the house.
In the early morning of December, the cold wind was biting and penetrated her neck. She turned blue in the face and shivered uncontrollably all over.
After waiting at the village entrance for a while, more and more people came out of the village, but there was still no sign of Zhao Zheng. If it was completely light, she would feel embarrassed to go the same way with Zhao Zheng.
"Damn Zhao Laosan, why hasn't he come yet!"
"You're not going to play a trick on me, are you?"
Zheng Chunmei put her hands to her mouth and blew on them, stomping her numb feet from time to time. Fortunately, she had a piece of coarse cloth tied around her head, otherwise, her head would definitely hurt from the cold.
At this moment, she heard a man coughing muffledly from behind. She turned around suddenly and saw a tall figure walking out of the fog.
When he got closer, she finally let go of her worries, "Uncle Zhao, you're here!"
"You're here quite early." Zhao Zheng didn't expect that Zheng Chunmei would actually be waiting for him at the village entrance so early, and judging from her appearance, she had been waiting for a while.
Zheng Chunmei was very nervous, and this was her first time walking alone with Zhao Zheng, so her heart was beating very fast.
Seeing her lowering her head, Zhao Zheng didn't say anything and walked forward.
Zheng Chunmei chased after him, and soon her legs felt weak. "Uncle, slow down! I can't walk fast enough!"
Zhao Zheng then slowed down and said, "At your current speed, it will be difficult for you to reach Jinji Mountain by noon."
"Uncle, there are blind bears in Jinji Mountain. Do you really want to take me there?" Zheng Chunmei was a little scared.
"If we don't go to Jinji Mountain, then where should we go?" Zhao Zheng looked at her with a smile.
Zheng Chunmei felt a little embarrassed and didn't know how to answer for a moment.
It was already daybreak, and Zheng Chunmei could see all of Zhao Zheng's expressions clearly, including his teasing expression, which made her feel ashamed and angry.
What to pretend?
We can't let her speak, right?
But on second thought, it is a well-known fact that Zhao Laosan is not good enough. The most he can do is talk and do things with his hands.
It's because he's not good enough that he does so many tricks.
Immediately she said, "Where you go, I go!"
"really?"
"Of course it's true."
"good!"
Zhao Zheng nodded. He was not a kind-hearted person. He just wanted to teach Zheng Chunmei a lesson, but she fell into the trap and insisted on being brought to his door.
Last night was his final warning, but he didn't expect her to walk into the trap.
Then you can't blame yourself.
After walking for about an hour, Zheng Chunmei was really exhausted and sat down on the grass, "Uncle, I really can't walk anymore, let's take a rest."
Seeing that she was exhausted and haggard, Zhao Zheng asked, "Have you had breakfast?"
"I only ate half a wild vegetable cake." Zheng Chunmei felt aggrieved when talking about this.
"What's for lunch?"
"I'm hungry." Zheng Chunmei turned the bamboo basket upside down with red eyes. There was nothing inside except a hatchet, a water bag and a hemp rope.
"Your old woman is not afraid that you will starve to death outside." Zhao Zheng shook his head. Zheng Chunmei was so weak, what was the use of half a piece of wild vegetable cake? She collapsed before even reaching Jinji Mountain.
"Her? She treats me like a cow and doesn't care whether I live or die." Zheng Chunmei said, "You are the best. Zhaodi and Xiao'e are lucky to have you as their father-in-law. If I had a father-in-law like you, I would wake up laughing in my dreams."
"Am I that good?"
"Of course, you are not only caring but also generous. You are willing to give all the good things to your daughter-in-law!" Zheng Chunmei said this sincerely. After working in the Zhao family for two days, she knew very well what the situation of Yang Zhaodi and Zhang Xiaoe was.
It was not like what the villagers said. Zhao Laosan did not treat his two daughters-in-law harshly at all. Instead, he loved them like his own daughters.
"Your little mouth is quite sweet." Zhao Zheng glanced at Zheng Chunmei's lips, which were bright red. "Oh, did you put on rouge?"
Zheng Chunmei blushed and turned her head away involuntarily, saying shyly, "I bought this when I married my husband. I haven't used it much in all these years. I can't bear to use it..."
"No wonder her face is so red and she smells so good!"
Zhao Zheng looked at Zheng Chunmei and felt a little distracted. Perhaps it was because her husband did not allow her to work in the fields when he was alive, so her skin was not as rough as that of ordinary village women, but quite fair.
If it weren't for the bad years, my skin would definitely be white and clear.
Even though she has given birth to three children, she still has a good figure, with a curvy figure, which is one of the best in the small mountain village.
No wonder those old sisters-in-law privately said that Zheng Chunmei's husband died because she sucked all his energy away.
With her man's skinny body, how could he drive such a big car!
The two of them were close, and the scent of powder was mixed with a hint of soap and the scent of motherhood...
Zhao Zheng looked around. This place was deserted and a sheltered place. Ordinary people would not come here. He calmly took out a piece of cloth from the bamboo basket and spread it on the ground. He said, "The ground is prickly. You must be tired. Lie down here for a while!"