Chapter 32: Moving Out

Zhou Huaishan lowered his head, took a deep breath, and weakly said, "Daughter, why don't you hit me a few times to vent your anger?"

Zhou Qing rolled her eyes in frustration.

Hitting her father in public?

After a group of parents finished beating their kids, they realized something amidst the children's crying.

Their own children were lured here by Zhou Huaishan and Zhou Ping.

So, their kids weren't actually disobedient troublemakers.

Everyone glared angrily at Zhou Ping.

Zhou Ping had just received a beating, and now facing these angry gazes, his legs trembled, involuntarily shrinking back. "Why is everyone looking at me?"

The clan leader glared at Zhou Ping. "The village has emphasized many times not to play in the mountain. Why did you come here? If it weren't for you and your second uncle, could they have followed? Do you know how dangerous it is!"

Zhou Ping...

He always remembered that playing on the back mountain was forbidden.

But from the moment he left home, his second uncle kept talking about delicious food, and the aroma of roasted chicken and pork knuckles in the bamboo basket was enticing his nose and eyes.

That aroma not only reached his nose but probably went straight to his brain. How could he pay attention to where he was going?

Besides!

Why blame me, a child, and not the adult accompanying me!

I am just a child!

Zhou Huailin kicked Zhou Ping's buttocks. "You're not allowed to come to the mountain again."

Zhou Ping nodded grievously and looked at Zhou Huaishan.

Zhou Huaishan...

"Um, Lin, don't hit him anymore, it was all my idea to come here."

With Zhou Huaishan's honest face and sincere tone, who would believe him!

Clearly, he was trying to exonerate Zhou Ping.

"Second brother, don't cover for him. The back mountain is dangerous. If we don't teach him a lesson and let him know how serious it is, it will be too late when the wolves take him away."

Zhou Huailin raised his hand and smacked Zhou Ping on the back of the neck.

Zhou Huaishan's eyelid twitched. He hurriedly grabbed Zhou Huailin. "It really was my idea. I felt stifled at home and asked Ping take me out for a walk. Please don't hit the child."

A real man takes responsibility for his actions, and even a scoundrel values loyalty.

But hearing this from the honest Zhou Huaishan only made everyone more sympathetic towards him.

Zhou Huaishan, a man as dull as wood, how could he feel stifled at home?

It must be that he was bullied so much by Wang and Sun that he couldn't stay.

That bamboo basket full of food was the evidence.

So, the real reason the kids came to the mountain to play was because of Sun and Wang.

A group of people returned to the village in a grand manner, heading straight for Old Zhou's house.

At Old Zhou's house.

After driving the cart back, Shen Li, concerned about Zhou Qing, parked the cart and came out.

Zhou Yao carried the red paper bought by Zhou Qing down from the cart and was about to go to the second room when Sun kicked her from behind, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.

Her knee was scraped and bleeding. Zhou Yao was in pain, tears streaming down her face. However, despite this, she held tightly to the roll of red paper to prevent it from falling to the ground.

"Grandma, what are you doing!"

Zhou Yao got up with one hand holding the paper and the other supporting herself on the ground.

Sun spat at her, "You ungrateful little brat, enjoying things alone without knowing how to respect your elders. Give me what you're holding."

The morning's meat noodle soup were a thorn in her heart that she couldn't get past.

Since she couldn't hit Zhou Qing, hitting Zhou Yao was also a way to vent her anger.

While Sun was talking, Wang brought down a big basket from the cart.

"Mother, this basket contains flour and meat."

With the basket on the ground, Wang dragged it towards the main room.

With so much meat, when Yuan returns, it could really nourish the child well.

Zhou Yao hurried to stop her.

"Aunt, this belongs to big sister. We've already split the family. What are you doing!"

Zhou Yao reached out to grab the basket, but Sun grabbed her hair from behind. "I am your grandma. So what if it's your big sister's? She hasn't married yet, so her things belong to Old Zhou's family!"

Zhou Yao winced in pain, hurriedly protecting her hair, causing the roll of red paper she was holding to fall to the ground.

Sun kicked the paper away with her foot.

Seeing the red paper scattered and damaged, Sun felt a bit of relief.

After letting go of Zhou Yao, she turned and walked towards the mule cart.

There were still a few big baskets on the cart. She didn't care what they were, she'd move them to the main room first.

She didn't expect those ungrateful bastards to be filial, so she might as well do it herself.

Zhou Yao felt sorry for the paper and anxious about the basket being taken away by Wang. As soon as Sun let go, she rushed over to pick up the paper and chased after Wang.

Wang was stout. How could Zhou Yao, a small girl, stop her? Wang pushed her away, causing Zhou Yao to fall again.

"Mind your own business. You said it yourself, this belongs to big sister, not you!" Wang glared at Zhou Yao and dragged the basket away.

Seeing Sun again unloading a big basket from the cart, Zhou Yao cried out in distress.

"Grandma, Aunt, that's big sister's stuff, big sister's stuff."

However, Sun and Wang ignored her.

Zhou Yao, seeing that she couldn't stop them, ran out crying.

As soon as she went out, she saw torches approaching from a distance and ran towards them while wiping her tears.

Zhao, walking in the crowd with Zhou Ping, wanting to ask how Zhou Hailin's sales were going, but there were too many people around, and she couldn't find an opportunity.

As she walked, she saw a figure stumbling towards her. Zhao's heart skipped a beat.

A mother knows her daughter.

Even from a distance, she recognized her.

It was her Yao.

Letting go of Zhou Ping's hand, Zhao immediately ran out of the crowd. "Yao? Yao, what happened?"

Her sudden movement caught the crowd's attention.

The members from Zhou's family quickly followed Zhao and ran towards Zhou Yao.

Zhou Yao was out of breath.

"Sister, something bad happened. The things you brought home were taken away by grandma and aunt."

Everyone...

Just as expected!

Zhou Huaishan really couldn't stay at home and went to the back mountain!

The crowd angrily headed towards Old Zhou's house.

By the time the clan leader and the crowd arrived at Old Zhou's house, Sun and Wang had already emptied the things on the cart. The two were holding a piece of pork belly, preparing to make pork noodle soup.

"Mother, even if Qing makes a fuss later, don't worry. Haven't you heard that no children eating meat while the parents eat scraps? Even if we've split the family, she's still in the wrong!" Wang chatted while kneading dough. "She should be filial to you."

Hearing the commotion outside, Sun said, "Go see if your father-in-law and Hai have come back and fetch water for them to wash."

Today, after Zhou Qing and Zhou Huailin left, Zhou Bingde and Zhou Hai went to town.

One was to ask when Zhou Yuan's school would be on break, and the other was to prepare Mid-Autumn Festival gifts for Zhou Yuan's teacher.

It's cheaper to prepare earlier.

Wang responded, put down the dough, and went out. As soon as she left the kitchen, she saw a large crowd standing in the courtyard.

Standing in front were the second and third branches of Zhou's family.

The moment she stepped out, Zhou Qing's gaze shifted from the mule cart to her.

Wang...

The corner of her eye twitched. "Mother."

Wang's voice trembled as she called out, making Sun think something had happened and hurried out, "What is..."

Before she finished her words, her voice was cut off by the sight in front of her.

"Where are the things on my cart?" Zhou Qing stood in front, staring at Sun and Wang.

Wang...

Sun...