The next day, when Mr. Xu appeared in front of the villagers of Water Spirit Village, he was using the crutches.
Hence, without Mr. Xu so much as uttering a word, everyone in the village became aware that he had injured his back, and quite severely too.
When the men from the county came to discuss the roads, Mr. Xu went with his crutches and successfully escaped from the situation. He even managed to act as the 'good guy', giving the job to Guan Laoqi instead.
As the project started, all the peculiar things that had happened to the Xu family were soon forgotten.
Both elder Xu brothers would go to the woods everyday and hunt for chickens and rabbits. Although they would get a little more than the other villagers, it was not to the point that it caught everyone's attention.
However, the truth was that both of them would always cook a huge pot of meat before silently carrying it home.
It was already half a month's time when the roads were about halfway done.
The third daughter-in-law of the Xu family did not get her menses.
Mrs. Xu was extremely delighted by the news.
When the other two wives of the Xu brothers learned that their sister-in-law was pregnant, they were also gratified. It had already been three years since the youngest couple got married—it was about time they had children of their own.
Wang, who was originally very fussy, became even more finicky.
Previously, she would still help her sisters-in-law with the house chores, but now, she took herself as a spoiled maiden that was yet to be married. She treated both of them like her servants.
As for Zhou and Li, they thought to themselves that since this was Wang's first child and she was a girl from the county, it was normal for her to act up.
However, Mrs. Xu, who observed all of this, could no longer keep quiet about it.
"Wife of the eldest, get your youngest sister-in-law here. I want to talk to her."
Zhou looked at her mother-in-law and replied in a timid voice, "Mother, she said she wasn't feeling well and was hoping to rest."
"Just do as you're told!" Mrs. Xu glared at Zhou, whom she was disappointed in.
Amongst her three daughters-in-law, the eldest had the softest personality while the second one was the most honest and kept to herself. As for the youngest, she was all over the place.
Mrs. Xu had thought that she would be more mature once she became pregnant. Who knew that this woman would act up all because she was now pregnant with a child?
If it weren't for Mrs. Xu's own pregnancy, Wang would have ordered her mother-in-law like a servant too.
After being glared at by her mother-in-law, Zhou quickly turned around and went calling for Wang.
Wang, who was now comfortably laying on her bed, did not bother when she heard Zhou screaming for her. Instead, she pretended not to hear her and did not respond to her.
"Third sister-in-law, quick! Wake up! Mother is asking for you!"
Zhou had no other choice but to open the door herself and walk into the room.
Wang was just about to get up when she became stunned at the sight of Zhou walking into her room. In a confused voice, she said, "Big sister-in-law, why are you here? Is it because I've been sleeping too much?"
Zhou had a smile on her face as she replied to her with a gentle tone, "Third sister-in-law, Mother is asking for you."
"Mother is asking for me? Oh, big sister-in-law, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Wang quickly got up, walked by Zhou, and headed to the other room.
As Zhou watched Wang's figure hastily pace away, a bittersweet smile couldn't help making its way onto her face.
...
Wang quickly arrived, smiling sweetly. "Mother, you wanted to see me?"
"Wife of my third son!" Mrs. Xu's face immediately turned dark when she saw Wang, who had a huge smile.