The meal was ready, and Lady Zhu went out to call Pei Erlang and Pei Sanlang, who had run off to play, back home.
Dalang Pei Wenli was studying at the town school and lived with his wife at the Yue family. He would only return home every two days for a break.
The eldest daughter of the main room, Pei Wenlee Si Ya, was afraid of being favored by Qian Dog's family during the match-making process and was sent to her mother's home by Lady Chen.
Pei Laoda was a carpenter and had also gone to another village for work, so he wouldn't be back for the next two days.
Therefore, only Old Pei, his wife Lady Zhu, Lady Chen, and her son Erlang Pei Wenbo, along with Madam Fang, five in all, were there for the meal.
Erlang Pei Wenbo and Sanlang Pei Wendong returned covered in dirt from playing, with Pei Wenbo holding a dead pigeon, excitedly rushing home, "Grandpa! Grandma! Mom, look, I found a pigeon on the mountain! We can cook it and have meat to eat!"
Lady Zhu exclaimed in delight, praising with a smile, "Er Lang is truly amazing! This pigeon must have been shot down by someone else, and they couldn't find it when it fell on the mountain, allowing our Er Lang to find it!"
Pei Wenbo proudly smiled and glanced at Pei Wendong with a warning in his eyes.
Pei Wendong was picking at his fingernails, watching from the side, not uttering a word.
Pei Qin was carrying the meal into the house when she noticed the little movements of the two, she glanced sideways at Pei Wenbo and called Pei Wendong, "The pigeon was found by you!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Wendong immediately grew nervous, muttering softly, "Eldest sister..."
"You lying wench! The pigeon was found by me! If you have no father, does that mean you have to act shameless, claiming that the pigeon I brought back was found by you!?" Pei Wenbo suddenly jumped up, angrily pointing at Pei Qin.
"No father?" Pei Qin threw the basket of buns onto the table and grabbed hold of Pei Wenbo, "Who the hell taught you to be so ill-mannered!? Pointing and cursing at me, your big sister, and you have both a father and a mother, yet no one taught you manners!?"
Lady Chen screamed angrily, "What are you, a little bitch, cursing at!? What do you want? After beating me, you still want to beat my son!?"
Lady Zhu also jumped up. Even if Pei Qin was indeed the seed of Old Pei's second son, she was nothing more than a pawn, just a girl, and Er Lang was the true grandson of Old Pei's House. She raised her hand to slap Pei Qin.
Pei Qin turned and dodged, then grabbed Pei Wenbo by the collar and dragged him over to her side.
"You're the one without a father! You little wretch, having no father! And you dare to steal my pigeon! I'll beat you to death! Beat you to death!" Pei Wenbo shrieked and cursed, his hands and feet flying as he tried to hit Pei Qin.
Just as he was about to hit her, Pei Qin fiercely pushed him away, throwing him out of the main room and onto the ground.
Pei Wenbo cried out loudly in pain.
"This is terrible! Terrible!" Lady Chen shouted as she rushed over to help Pei Wenbo.
Madam Fang and San Ya and Si Ya all turned pale with fright.
Pei Wendong sobbed quietly, not daring to cry loudly.
Pei Qin's gaze was fierce as she looked at Lady Zhu, who had tried to hit her. She grabbed Pei Wendong and said, "Liars will get sores on their butts from Guanyin Bodhisattva. Tell me, who really found the pigeon?" She remembered how Pei Wendong had a sore on his butt two years ago. It hurt so much that he often cried. The family wouldn't get medicine for it, and Madam Fang picked wild herbs from the mountain to treat him. It took a long time to heal, and scars remained.
Pei Wendong subconsciously touched his butt, looked at Pei Wenbo and Lady Chen, then at Old Pei and Lady Zhu, unable to speak.
"Speak!" Pei Qin frowned in displeasure, a boy who couldn't even speak up. How could the second room expect him to uphold the family in the future?
Pei Wendong's tears fell in big drops, "It was... it was... me who found it." He sounded as if he had committed a grave sin.