Madam Lu returned home with a face full of panic and as she entered, she bumped into grandma Old Lady Zhou who was about to feed the chickens with chicken feed, scattering it all over the ground.
"Have you lost your mind, charging around like that? Is there a ghost chasing you from behind?" Old Lady Zhou scolded angrily.
Madam Lu shrank her neck but quickly grabbed Old Lady Zhou's arm, saying, "It's just like seeing a ghost. Mother, that vile Wufu has gone mad."
As soon as Old Lady Zhou heard that name, her face darkened, "You went over to their place again?"
Madam Lu's heart skipped a beat, having forgotten how much her mother-in-law disliked Ying Mei and her daughter, and with an embarrassed smile she offered, "I just couldn't ignore it, could I? Our Xiuxiu, such a good girl and still paying respects to you, was hurt by that hussy, so I went over to teach her a lesson..."
Old Lady Zhou's face turned even darker, and Madam Lu's words seemed to fade away.
Under the ominous gaze of her mother-in-law, Madam Lu pursed her lips and continued, "But Mother, do you know? That vile Wufu, she had a bamboo stick, sharpened it like a knife, she looked as if she wanted to kill me! Oh dear, you didn't see how vicious she was, more ruthless than Butcher Zhu in town who slaughters pigs, really scared me to death!"
Old Lady Zhou sneered, "If someone came around as often as you do trying to take advantage, you'd be as vicious as Butcher Zhang, ready to kill."
Madam Lu felt her face heat up.
"You've come back just in time, hurry up and feed the chickens. Do I have to take care of the younger ones at my age? Everyone's being lazy and shirking their duties, eating without working!" Old Lady Zhou kicked the wooden bucket on the ground and turned to go inside, adding, "Hurry up and prepare dinner, the men will be home soon."
"Oh." Watching her mother-in-law return to the house, she spat out, "Pfft, putting on airs as if somebody else!"
While she grumbled under her breath, she dared not rebel and called for Zhou Xiuer, "Xiuxiu, Xiuxiu?"
"What is it?" Zhou Xiuer walked out from the room, leaning against the door with impatience, lifting her hand to admire her nails freshly dyed with phlox flower juice, so pretty.
"What are you hiding in the room for? Hurry up and cook, your father will be back soon!" Madam Lu glared at her.
Zhou Xiuer pouted and said, "Always bossing me around, I'm not your maid, and besides, I just finished dyeing my nails."
"So you shouldn't work because you've dyed your nails? Hurry up!" Madam Lu glared at her.
Zhou Xiuer wore a look of reluctance. Just as she was about to head to the kitchen, remembering that Madam Lu had gone to see that vile wench, she quickly came over, smiling and hugging her arm, asking, "Mother, did you get anything nice from Auntie? And touch her own hair, she puckered her lips and said, "I'm already thirteen years old this year, and all I'm missing is a golden hairpin. Mother, won't you dress me up?"
Madam Lu responded irritably, "Get anything nice? I nearly lost my life, and you're talking about getting things. Off you go, don't just stand there, or grandma will have another outburst. Hurry up and cook!"
"Mother, you're not hiding it, are you?" Zhou Xiuer looked doubtful, even reaching into her mother's embrace.
Slap!
Madam Lu pushed her hand away, angrily saying, "If I had something, wouldn't I give it to you?"
Zhou Xiuer pursed her lips and finally twisted her slender waist toward the kitchen.
Watching her daughter's figure beginning to blossom and noticing the flower in her hair, Madam Lu sighed with frustration. She, too, wished to adorn her daughter, to attract a wealthy suitor, yet the reality of their household situation was there to contend with!
Thinking again of the fearsome aspect of that wretched Wufu, those chilling eyes, she shivered with a jolt and gritted her teeth, vowing to make that little hussy pay.