"Seriously, I haven't even gone to see your mother when she gave birth. How can I ask for your family's food? I'm too ashamed to accept your help!" Wu Zhaodi lowered her head, her eyes red.
"What are you talking about? Aren't you helping my mother make clothes for my younger siblings?"
"Mom, don't give Grandma any more food when she comes over and borrows more stuff in the future. We're almost out of food, so why are you still taking care of her?" Bai Rumei had a similar personality as Bai Ruxue. She was straightforward and feisty.
"Big Sis, do you call that borrowing? That's robbery. Do you think Mom will ever win?" Bai Ruyue retorted.
"Second Aunt, did Grandma come over?" Bai Xue could tell that Old Madam Bai had her eyes on Second Uncle's family since she could not squeeze any food supplies from their family.
"She came over yesterday and said that Big Brother snatched all the food at home. They have no food to cook anymore, and the family was about to starve to death. She took away all five catties of corn flour we had left at home!" Wu Zhaodi said.
"Bai Ruying and Bai Rusheng eat so much that they are chubby and fair. They don't look hungry at all. How could she be so biased?" Bai Rumei added.
"Second Aunt, if you run out of food at home, look for me. I'll think of a way!" Bai Xue could not say anything more.
"Xue, just take good care of your parents. Don't worry about us. If I really have to, I can borrow food supplies from my family. Your father is injured, and your mother is in confinement. Fortunately, you're a little older. Otherwise, what's going to happen to your family?"
"Don't worry, Second Aunt!"
When Bai Xue left Bai Dajiang's house, she was holding five eggs in her hand. Wu Zhaodi insisted that she take them. She wanted to save ten eggs for them and send them over once the hens laid them. However, the old hen had not laid eggs for the past few days.
Usually, she could not even bear to eat these eggs. She would save them to barter for oil and salt for the family.
Not long after she walked out of Second Uncle's courtyard, she bumped into her grandmother.
Old Madam Bai was rushing over.
She wanted to avoid the woman, but she could not avoid it and bumped into her grandmother head-on.
"Wretched girl, what are you doing here? What are you holding in your hands?" When she saw Bai Xue coming out of the Jiang family's house, she questioned her coldly.
"Grandma, this isn't your house. Is it any of your business?" Bai Xue retorted.
"I'm telling you! Hurry up and hand over what you're holding in your arms! Don't make me get it myself!" Old Madam Bai was about to go forward and snatch it.
At this moment, Wu Zhaodi, who had sent Bai Xue out, heard the commotion and ran over.
"Mom, Xue is holding the eggs I've given her. Sister-in-Law needs nourishment so that she can have breast milk! You can't snatch them!"
"What? Eggs? How could you give it to them? Rusheng is sick and doesn't have any appetite, so I came here for some eggs. Why did you give it to this wretched girl? Bai Ruxue, hand them over this instant! Don't make me snatch them by force!" Old Madam Bai shouted after hearing that it was eggs.
"Didn't you hear what Second Aunt said? Second Aunt gave these eggs to my mother!" Bai Xue took a step back and winked at Wu Zhaodi.
After watching for a while, Wu Zhaodi understood what Bai Xue meant. She wanted her to go back and put away the food and cloth! She quickly turned around and whispered to Bai Rumei beside her.
Bai Rumei sneaked back while Old Madam Bai's attention was on Bai Xue.
"Do I look like I care? Does your mother think she's a royal consort and wants eggs? Rusheng is sick, do you hear me? Hurry up and give them to me!" Old Madam Bai said as she walked forward to snatch them from Bai Xue's hand.
Bai Xue dodged to the side, and Old Madam Bai missed. Coincidentally, the snow under her feet was very slippery. She was unable to stop the momentum and fell on her butt.
"Oh my… My granddaughter just hit me. Help!" Old Madam Bai's butt hurt from the fall. She supported herself with her hands and wailed.
Bai Xue realized that this old woman, who was used to making a scene, did not have much combat strength.
"Mom, are you okay? Let me help you up!" Wu Zhaodi was afraid that she would attract her neighbors over, so she quickly went forward to help her up. She even gave Bai Xue a look to tell her to leave quickly.
Bai Xue shook her head. She could not leave now. She was afraid that this old woman would follow her to the house to cause trouble. Her mother could not even rest in peace during her confinement period.
"Get your hands off of me! Look at this unfilial descendant. She's hitting her grandmother! Come see for yourself!" Old Madam Bai sat in the snow and refused to get up, crying.
However, Bai Dajiang's family lived near the side, so they could not attract people so quickly. Bai Xue stood at the side and watched.
"Mom, the ground is cold. Let me help you up! Stop shouting!" Wu Zhaodi went to help her up again.
"You b*tch, are you doing this on purpose? I just came to borrow some food yesterday and you gave the eggs to this wretched girl. Are you afraid that I'll come to borrow eggs again? How could the Bai family have a daughter-in-law like you? We're really unlucky! Sigh. My life is so hard!" Old Madam Bai wailed even louder.
"Grandma, what do you mean? Did you come yesterday to borrow food? Didn't you always snatch it away every time you came over? No matter if we have enough to eat, you snatch it away! When did you ever return the food supplies?" Bai Rumei hid the things and ran out. She happened to hear her grandmother scolding her mother and could not help but speak up.
"You good-for-nothing, I'll beat you to death…" Old Madam Bai wanted to stand, but her butt hurt so much that she could not stand up for a moment. Her tailbone was probably hurt.
"Your father is my son. Isn't it only right for me to come to my son's house to get some food? Who are you to talk to me?" She refused to give up and shifted her attention to Bai Rumei.
"But…"
"Alright, Mei, stop talking!" Bai Rumei wanted to retort but was stopped by Wu Zhaodi.
"Grandma, don't forget that you're living with your third son! Moreover, my father and second uncle give you food all the time every year! There's no reason to plunder us every day to support your third son!" Bai Xue did not care so much! She had to say whatever she had to say.
At this moment, there were already people coming over to watch the commotion. She could not continue talking nonsense with this old woman. She had to end the battle quickly.
"If you continue to snatch like this, I'm going to make a trip to the Disciplinary Department! Someone like you should be made to parade the streets and made an example of! Not only do you suppress your daughters-in-law and grandchildren, but you also squeeze them of their rations and want to snatch them! Do you know how bad your behavior is?"
"Don't use the Disciplinary Department to scare me. This is a family matter! The Disciplinary Department can't interfere! I'm just here to borrow a few eggs. What's wrong with that?" Old Madam Bai could not stand up and sat on the ground shouting.
"Mom, I was the one who gave her the eggs. If you want to eat them, I can save more for you. Hurry up and get up! There are so many people watching!" Wu Zhaodi whispered.
"What's going on?" Bai Dajiang and Bai Ruyang returned with firewood on their backs. When they saw so many people surrounding their door, they hurried over.
"Dajiang, you came at the right time! Your wife joined forces with these two stupid girls to beat your mother! I can't even get up! Save me!" When Old Madam Bai saw Bai Dajiang return, her cries became even louder.
Bai Dajiang knew his mother's character and did not believe a word she said. However, he walked over to put down the firewood and helped Old Madam Bai up.
She cried out in pain. It seemed like she really had quite the fall.
"Mom, I went to gather firewood and brought back two sparrows. Take them back and share them with Dad!" He stuffed the birds he had brought back today into her hand.
"Just two? There are three children at home. How is this enough?" Old Madam Bai looked at Bai Dajiang's pocket and asked.
"I only managed to catch two!" Bai Dajiang showed her his pocket.
At the side, Wu Zhaodi and her daughter were so angry that their eyes turned red. Bai Xue wanted to say something, but there were too many people here. It would not be beneficial for her to continue arguing with her grandmother. She could only quietly say to Wu Zhaodi, "Second Aunt, in the future, watch over the things at home. If Grandmother causes a huge commotion, go directly to the captain or the Disciplinary Department!"
"I get it!" Wu Zhaodi nodded as she looked at the sparrows in Old Madam Bai's hands! She was filled with hatred! She also had three children at home to feed, but they could not eat the sparrows that her husband had caught. Instead, they had to be given to Third Brother's children. It was not easy to get their hands on meat, but her children could only watch from the side without having a bite.