Madam Liu looked as if she had just heard the world's greatest joke, "Are you now telling me who the head of the household is? Liu Yuanming, do you even have the shame to mention the phrase 'head of the household'? If we really let you take charge, our mother and children might as well not live at all! Just now, father was so angry; everyone in the house knows that the youngest brother's financial prospects are the sky to this household—whoever dares to take his financial future lightly is treading on father's bottom line. Yet you still insisted on siding with your mother, finding yourself a scolding for nothing and, not only making father unhappy, you've also offended the youngest brother. Are you seeking your own suffering?"
Qiao Yuanming let out a cold harrumph, "What you say sounds nicer than singing, always claiming it's for my good. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You've always disliked my mother, and now you must be secretly thrilled to see her in a bad spot! 'Filial piety takes precedence over all other virtues.' As a son, to stand by and do nothing while my mother is being beaten—is this what you call being smart?"
"Ha! Indeed, I despise your mother, haven't you always known that? If you're so filial, why don't you just divorce me earlier and save me from being the unfilial daughter-in-law that disgusts you?" Madam Liu truly didn't know what else to say—she felt that marrying such a brainless husband was the greatest tragedy of her life!
"Liu Cuiliu, don't push your luck..."
"Dad, Mom, it's time for dinner," a child's innocent voice interrupted Qiao Yuanming's words. The children stood timidly at the door. Although their parents' arguing was commonplace to them, the talk of divorce that had just come from their mother's mouth frightened them. They feared that in a fit of anger, their father would pen a divorce letter, prompting them to come out and interrupt.
Qiao Yuanming glanced at his children, his heart filled with a surge of pity, and he no longer wanted to argue. With one stern look at Madam Liu, he snorted disdainfully and, flicking his sleeve, left the house.
The children hurried into the room, hugging Madam Liu tightly: "Mom." Compared to their foolishly filial father, the children were still closer to their mother after all.
A tear welled up in the corner of Madam Liu's eye. If not for these children, why would she be willing to continue staying and enduring all this?
Although there was constant quarreling in the eldest brother's household, when it came to matters of interest, the couple could always immediately join forces. But Qiao Yuanming was stubbornly filial and not only inflexible in his ways, but he also often engaged in thankless tasks. Completely under the thumb of the old lady, Madam Liu didn't even dare let him know about her private stash of money, for fear that he might hand it over to the old lady one day.
Madam Liu wiped her tears, managing not to cry, and led the children out saying, "Let's go eat, or there won't be any dishes left."
Muniang thought about making a fish stew for Mrs. Lin to replenish her body and thus took a fish spear to the river to catch fish herself, with Erliang naturally following her. That man stuck to her like a lump of glue, unable to leave Muniang's side even for a moment. Sometimes Muniang couldn't help but wonder, did he consider her his wife or his mother?
Erliang's tall, burly figure was carrying a delicate little basket on his back, creating a comical image. The basket was one that Muniang used to use. Since there was no larger basket at home, they had to make do with this one. Erliang didn't mind it though; even though it was tight, as a man, he must carry the basket for his wife!
The village had only one Clear Water River running through the entire settlement. The land next to the river was very fertile, so the households often settled near the riverbanks. However, for a poor family like Muniang's, they naturally lived in the most remote and arid parts of the village. It took her a long while to reach the riverside.
She took off her shoes and socks in a couple of movements and rolled up the legs of her trousers, preparing to enter the water, but Erliang hurried to stop her, "Wife, let me accompany you down."
Muniang made Erliang sit down on the ground, "You have wounds on your body, which will get inflamed if they're soaked. Just sit here obediently and wait for me. Watch my shoes and basket for me, and make sure no one steals them!" Muniang deliberately said this to give him a task; otherwise, with his child-like nature, he would certainly insist on going into the water with her.
Indeed, Erliang nodded with a smile, "I will definitely take good care of Madam, you can go with peace of mind."
Muniang rubbed his head, "Good." Fools have their advantages, easy to deceive!
As Muniang, carrying a fish spear, was about to enter the water, Old Man Xue, an elderly villager passing by, saw her. Tupo Village wasn't large, and most villagers knew each other; naturally, he was aware of Muniang's situation. Knowing she had nothing to eat and had come to the river to try her luck, he shouted, "Girl, don't waste your effort. Spearing fish is a skillful task, not so easy to do. The weather is quite chilly; don't just freeze yourself for nothing."
Muniang had already entered the water and turned back to glance at the old man. After searching her memory, she knew he was Old Man Xue, the professional fisherman of the village. Seeing his well-meaning reminder, she naturally responded with a smile, "It's okay; I'm idle anyway, just giving it a try." With that, she turned and walked into the water.
Mr. Xue shook his head helplessly. This young girl was really asking for trouble. The fish in the river were not only sensitive but also the accuracy of most people was far from meeting the standard. As a novice like her, it would be difficult to catch a fish without practicing for ten days to half a month.
Muniang knew what Mr. Xue was worried about, but she was not a typical person from the past. As a modern woman from the twenty-first century, she was aware of the refraction caused by light entering the water, which makes the "fish" you see actually an illusion. The real location of the fish is at an angle deviated from where it appears.
And she was able to quickly use the refraction formula to calculate the angle in her mind and thus determine the true location of the fish.
Suddenly, she saw a large fish in front of her to the right, leisurely swimming along, its tail wagging. A radiant smile curved on Muniang's lips; she quietly approached with spear in hand and with a swift, accurate, and ruthless motion, a crimson trail of blood spread in the water. Muniang lifted the fish spear, joyfully shouting to Erliang, "Look, our fish, such a big one!"
Erliang yelled out in jubilation, "Madam is so impressive, you speared a big fish on your first try!"
Old Man Xue at the side was dumbfounded. He was about to persuade Muniang to give up her stubbornness, never expecting her to spear a fish on her first attempt. Fishing for so many years, he had never been this lucky. This was simply... too embarrassing!
Muniang walked to the shore with the fish spear, handed the fish to the cheering Erliang, "You hold this, I'll try again."
Old Man Xue moved closer as well, looking at the fish in Muniang's hand, he couldn't help but exclaim, "You really did spear it!"
Muniang couldn't help but laugh at Old Man Xue's reaction, scratching her head, "Maybe Heaven felt sorry for me having no food, so it granted me such good luck."
Old Man Xue naturally believed her, nodding repeatedly, "This luck is indeed good, you got it in one go."
Admiration for Muniang instantly filled Erliang's eyes. Eager to try it himself, Muniang saw his restless heart and rubbed his head, "When your wound is healed, I'll bring you here to fish, alright?"