Chapter 34: Satisfaction
"Sister, what did that physician say to you in the house?"
On the way back, Su Ergou asked Su Xiaoxiao.
Su Xiaoxiao panted. "Before answering your question, I think we need to find an ox cart."
She had walked too much today, and her chubby legs could no longer move.
Su Ergou hurriedly said, "Sister, wait for me here. I'll hire an ox cart from the market!"
This was the only way. Her chubby body really could not take it anymore.
Su Ergou went to the market. Old Li did not come to town today. It was an ox cart from another village.
Thankfully, Su Ergou forgot about the topic just now.
It was already afternoon when the two of them returned to the village.
At the entrance of the village, a few villagers were drawing water around the ancient well. When they saw Fat Lass Su and Su Ergou return from outside the village, they didn't make a fuss.
This family seemed to have suddenly changed, especially Fat Lass Su. The villagers had seen her go to the mountain to pick firewood and wash clothes by the river. She even left early and returned late. It was said that she had gone to town to do business.
"I saw her riding Old Li's ox cart last time. She paid Old Li!" Auntie Wu said.
"I saw it too!" The wife of the Sun family said.
Auntie Wu continued, "Hey, what do you think… What's going on? Why did Fat Lass Su suddenly change into a different person? Is she possessed?"
"Nonsense! Have you seen a ghost like this?"
The person who spoke was Madam Zhou. She was in her early thirties and looked to be in her forties.
Auntie Wu: "Then why did she…"
Madam Zhou snorted. "What else can it be? She found a good husband! If I had such a handsome husband, I wouldn't be so lazy!"
The villagers roared with laughter.
Although they were laughing at the Su family, Fatty Su's husband was really handsome. Just looking at him made one's heart melt.
The wife of the Sun family said, "Why is Fatty Su so lucky?"
Madam Zhou said, "What's the use of having a good life? A fresh flower is stuck in cow dung! It's a pity about that young man."
Everyone agreed deeply.
"I won't allow you to say that about my husband."
Fatty Su's sinister voice suddenly sounded from behind everyone. She looked up at the sky and sighed.
"If my husband is cow dung, then what are your men? Crap pits?"
Everyone was speechless.
Su Xiaoxiao, who had successfully rebuked the villagers, left in a good mood.
Su Jinniang walked over with a basket.
She greeted the aunties and aunties. Seeing their gloomy faces, she couldn't help but ask, "Did something happen?"
Madam Zhou looked at Fatty Su's departing back and rolled her eyes coldly. "Fatty Su!"
"What happened with Daya?" Su Jinniang asked.
The Su family was a cultured family. Su Jinniang never called her Fatty Su like the others in the village. She always called her Daya.
Madam Zhou cursed, "She doesn't understand human language. She's clearly a piece of cow dung, but she still thinks she's a flower! I wonder how much money she spent to buy such a live-in son-in-law! Doesn't she know that she's worthy of him?"
The wife of the Sun family teased her. "If she's not worthy, is your daughter worthy?"
The villagers roared with laughter again.
Madam Zhou's reputation in the village was not very good either. She loved to stir up trouble, but women also liked to listen to gossip. They despised Madam Zhou but always talked to her.
She spat. "Pfft! How old is my daughter?"
Auntie Wu smiled and said, "She's 14 years old. She can be matchmade. I'm just afraid that the young man won't like your daughter!"
Madam Zhou chuckled and said, "If you don't think highly of me, do you think that I'm interested in your family? In my opinion, let's not fight anymore. In all the villages, only Jinniang is worthy of that young man!"
Su Jinniang blushed. "Auntie Zhou, stop joking. He's Daya's husband. It won't sound good if word gets out."
Auntie Wu seized the opportunity to retort, "That's right. You're thick-skinned and don't watch your mouth. Don't implicate Jinniang! Jinniang is being matchmade as we speak! Yes, Jin Niang?"
"…Yes," Su Jinniang replied vaguely.
—-
At noon, the three children ate another meal of Daddy Su's dark cuisine. When they saw Su Xiaoxiao return, they pounced into her arms, feeling extremely aggrieved.
"Eh? Where's Grandpa?" she asked.
"Farming," Dahu said.
"Daddy, farm too," Erhu added.
"Yes!" Xiaohu added.
Su Xiaoxiao and Su Ergou did not have lunch.
"Ergou, go to the kitchen and start the fire. I'll go back to the house to change my clothes first."
She was drenched in sweat.
"Alright!"
Su Ergou quickly went to the kitchen to start a fire.
Su Xiaoxiao opened the closet and started to look for clothes. She found that there weren't many sets of clothes to wear. They were either too plain or too beautiful.
It wasn't easy for her to find a suitable size. Just after she changed into it, she bumped into Su Jinniang, who was passing by.
She looked at Su Jinniang in shock, and Su Jinniang happened to be looking at her.
A sentence automatically floated into Su Xiaoxiao's mind—It's not scary to wear the same clothes. Whoever is ugly is the one feeling awkward.
Neither of them spoke.
Su Jinniang left with a cold expression.
Su Ergou came to the central room with a roasted sweet potato. "Sister, Little Wu sent roasted sweet potatoes over. Do you want to fill your stomach first?"
After saying that, he saw Su Xiaoxiao looking at the door.
"Oh, it's Su Jinniang."
Su Xiaoxiao was puzzled. "Why am I wearing the same clothes as her?"
Su Ergou's expression was indescribable. "Sister, have you forgotten that your clothes were made according to Su Jinniang's?"
"Er… yes?"
She had not inherited this memory.
Su Ergou snorted. "If Su Jinniang wears red, you will also wear red. If Su Jinniang wears green, you will also buy green. You even imitate Su Jinniang's walking posture a hundred times!"
Su Xiaoxiao held her forehead. No wonder Su Jinniang looked at her like that.
Su Ergou said weakly, "Sister, don't emulate her in the future."
"I won't." Su Xiaoxiao looked down at her outfit.
However, she did not have any other clothes to wear. This set of clothes… would have to do for now.
Su Xiaoxiao ate half a sweet potato and went to the kitchen to cook.
She cut the sweet potato into slices and wrapped them in the salted batter with green onions. She threw them into the oil pot and fried them until they were golden. The sweetness of the sweet potato and the salty taste of the batter perfectly fused together. The outside was crispy and the inside was tender. The green onion was fragrant and oily.
There was a lot of batter. She fried another plate of crispy meat.
The three little ones stayed by the stove.
Su Xiaoxiao fried it while they ate. Their hands and mouths were busy.
To the children, this was probably the most satisfying moment of the day.