Chapter 57: Taken Away

When the waiter packed up the leftovers for Zhou Huaishan, he secretly sprinkled some castor bean powder^[1] into a plate of mushroom chicken chunks.

Let’s not discuss how Zhao Dacheng left the scene amidst the crowd's reproachful comments.

Zhou Qing and the others rode home in a mule cart, while Zhou Huaishan proudly boasted about himself along the way.

"Fighting with me, Zhou Huaishan? He’s still so green!^[2] The tricks he's playing now, I haven’t touched since I was twenty, pathetic!"

There are levels even among dandies.

Zhou Qing watched Zhou Huaishan’s smug expression and couldn’t help but smile, not reminding him for the first time to be mindful of his public image.

Let him enjoy himself.

After all, starting tomorrow, Zhou Huaishan would be entering the devilish phase of pre-exam cramming.

The mule cart rattled straight towards Qingyang Village.

The news that Zhou Huaihai and his wife were taken away by the county officials early in the morning had stirred the entire Qingyang Village.

And now, Zhou Huaihai and his wife still hadn’t returned.

Sun and Old Zhou were anxiously waiting at the village entrance, constantly gazing in the direction of the road.

As they were waiting, Zhou Qing’s mule cart came into view.

Sun’s face suddenly turned ashen.

Old Zhou’s expression was no better.

If Zhou Huaishan hadn’t suddenly decided to study, would the Old Zhou family have ended up like this?

Perhaps Old Zhou once felt guilty towards Zhou Huaishan, but now, he resented him.

Yesterday, in public, when they pressed their handprints, Sun wanted to lash out but didn't dare, glaring as the mule cart passed by.

Then...

The cart left, but the aroma of the food lingered.

Even though Sun’s face was dark, her mouth couldn’t help but salivate.

"Look, dear, they’re hauling half a cart of cooked food!" Sun’s eyes were fixed on the mule cart.

Old Zhou, despite his hatred for Zhou Huaishan, he couldn’t resist his body’s natural reaction to delicious food.

Gulp, he swallowed.

With that gulp, Old Zhou felt even more humiliated.

If the Old Zhou family hadn’t split up, would he be in this situation, being ignored by his own son and granddaughter, only able to swallow his saliva while smelling the aroma of someone else’s food?

"No way, why should they enjoy delicious food while we, as the parents, are left here in the wind, smelling the aroma?"

Sun slapped her thigh and started walking.

Old Zhou immediately grabbed her.

"What are you doing? Isn’t it embarrassing enough these days?"

Recently, the Old Zhou family had become the village’s laughingstock.

Sun said, "They’re enjoying delicious food while the eldest son and his wife are in an uncertain situation. Can you stand it? Don’t worry, I won’t cause trouble."

Old Zhou hesitated.

That aroma was really enticing.

In his lifetime, Old Zhou had never smelled such a delicious aroma.

In that moment of hesitation, Sun seized the chance to leave.

Old Zhou watched Sun running off with large and small steps, clenched his fist, and sighed heavily.

In front of Shen Li’s house.

As soon as the mule cart arrived, Zhou Ping was the first to jump out.

"Second Uncle, Senior Brother, I missed you so much!"

Last time, the little rascal clearly said he missed her!

As soon as he jumped out, Zhou Ping was hit by the overwhelming aroma of the food.

"Wow!"

His mouth watered instantly.

Without even glancing at Shen Li and Zhou Huaishan, he hopped straight onto the mule cart.

Alright, balance restored.

Zhou Ping kept swallowing saliva, "Second Uncle, why did you buy so much delicious food?"

Zhou Huaishan patted Zhou Ping on the head, "Are you happy?"

Zhou Ping nodded vigorously, "Second Uncle is really my dear Second Uncle!"

As they were speaking, Zhou Huaishan and his wife came out of the house.

Zhou Huaishan raised his hand and called, "Lin, come and get the peaches, I bought your favorite peaches."

Zhou Qing couldn’t help but laugh, "Father, are you trying to show off?"

Just as they were talking, Sun came over with a basket.

The lively atmosphere was suddenly doused by Sun’s presence.

Standing on the mule cart, Zhou Ping looked at Sun warily,  "Grandma, what do you want?"

Suppressing her irritation, Sun managed a smile and approached Zhou Qing.

"Qing, I was wrong before. Please accept these eggs as an apology."

Sun said as she took eggs from the basket and tried to stuff them into Zhou Qing’s arms.

Zhou Qing immediately stepped back, avoiding her.

She didn’t believe Sun was here to apologize.

"There’s no need for the eggs; you can take them back." Zhou Qing said coldly.

Sun’s face still wore a smile as she placed the eggs back onto the mule cart.

"Oh, Qing, you’re quite capable indeed, buying so much cooked food. I haven’t eaten yet, do you mind if I take some?"

As she spoke, Sun quickly grabbed a box and put it in her basket.

Packing food in ancient times wasn’t as convenient as it is today.

The food boxes were small wooden boxes lined with grease-proof paper.

The boxes were heavy, and Sun’s basket could only hold two boxes at most.

Without giving anyone a chance to react, Sun swiftly grabbed one box, took another, and ran off.

"I won’t delay your meal."

Watching Sun run off with the food, Zhou Qing was speechless.

What kind of grandmother behaves like this?

Had she completely lost all sense of shame?

It was just two boxes of food, she didn’t want to make a fuss over this minor incident and let it affect her mood.

Zhou Ping pouted in frustration, "What’s this about? How can Grandma act like this at her age!"

Zhou Huailin looked at Sun’s retreating figure with a mixed expression.

If it weren’t for the endless troubles caused by his parents and their schemes against Qing, would it have come to this?

Zhou Huaishan took a peach from the basket, wiped it on his clothes, and took a bite, "Hey, it’s really sweet! Lin, this peach tastes good, have one!"

Sun’s appearance didn’t affect everyone’s mood much.

The food was unloaded, and it was already sunset.

Shen Li had lit a fire in the courtyard and set up tables and chairs.

Zhao heated some of the dishes and set a table full of food.

There was still some wine left from Mid-Autumn Festival, and the family toasted to the moon with food and drink.

At the Old Zhou family’s house.

When the moon was high in the sky, Zhou Huaihai and Wang finally returned.

Wang Qiang’s parents had swindled them out of twenty taels of silver at Fushun Restaurant.

The plan to frame Zhou Qing was Zhou Huaihai's idea, no matter how upset he was, he couldn’t take it out on Wang.

Seeing the eldest son and his wife return with dark expressions, Sun hurried to meet them.

"Are you alright?"

Wang shook her head, "It’s fine, mother, Wang Qiang isn’t dead, the officials took him away to repair the roads."

Hearing this, Sun breathed a sigh of relief, "Mother saved some good food for you. Wash up and come eat."

After Zhou Huaihai and Wang washed up, the family of four gathered in the kitchen.

"Mushroom chicken chunks?"

"Salt-fried pork?"

Seeing the dishes in front of them, Zhou Huaihai and Wang were both surprised.

These were the exact dishes they had ordered at Fushun Restaurant today.

Wang Qiang’s parents hadn’t given them a bite!

"Mother, where did these dishes come from?" Zhou Huaihai asked, taking a piece of mushroom chicken while eating.

Sun vaguely said, "The second son brought them back from the city, I saved some for you."

_____

Footnotes:

[1] Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are expected after ingestion of crushed/chewed castor beans.

[2] This phrase "you are too green" is used to describe someone who is inexperienced, naive, or lacking in knowledge or competence in a particular area.