Cao Pozi screamed and chased after her, the two of them scolded one and ran wildly, and they made a fuss around the village, which provoked the men, women and children who sat out after dinner to laugh and look lively. Later, it was the old man Cao who heard the news and rushed over, and with a black face, he decided to cut the fat meat in half of the family.

Although Dong Ping didn't know that the Cao family was making jokes all over the village for a piece of meat, he was also very aware of his stepmother's temperament, for fear that she wouldn't even care about her face and leave all the rituals together, so when he entered the village, he went directly to Wang's house first.

Aunt Cao heard that Dong Ping was sending a gift for her sister, but she refused to accept it at first, and complained that Dong Rong was wasting money, and it would be good if she had spare money to add two pieces of clothes and jewelry to herself.

Dong Ping's heart warmed when he heard this, and he hurriedly told his sister about inviting his cousin and sister-in-law to work and earn wages. The young and old of the Wang family are really happy, their family is diligent, and the work in the fields has long been busy, it is the time when they are idle, if they can earn some pocket money, it is a good thing. So, Aunt Cao smiled and accepted the festival gift, and said that she would let her son and daughter-in-law report in the small courtyard tomorrow, even if she didn't make money and only helped her nephews and nephews.

Dong Ping was moved by the warmth and kindness of the Wang family, and returned to his house with a smile on his face, but unfortunately as soon as he entered the courtyard, the Niu family only coldly flicked two eye knives and sent him directly from midsummer to winter. He sighed secretly, stepped forward to salute his father and mother, and then gave japonica rice and other things.

The Niu family suffered a loss when they fought with the mother and daughter of the Cao family, and finally ran back to their house to ask the man to come out, and he didn't want Dong Xiucai to love face very much, how could this kind of quarrel with the family be done, so no matter how the Niu family spilled, he refused to come out.

The Niu family has nowhere to vent his evil anger, so naturally he will not give Dong Ping a good look. A basket of rice grains and other things were turned upside down by her, and for a while she thought that the japonica rice was not good, and then said that the tea was a shoddy product, in short, none of them were good.

Dong Ping remembered that these objects were bought by his sister with hard money, but he was so disgusted, and he was very angry, but he was full of sage books and told him that he couldn't refute the elders, so he simply didn't eat dinner, and hid back in his room under the pretext of being tired. Leaving Dong Xiucai also impatient to listen to Niu's nagging and turned away, Niu was so angry that he wanted to kick the basket but was reluctant, and finally muttered and cursed and carried him to the ear room.

That night, Dong Ping waited until the middle of the night, repeatedly made sure that his family was asleep, and then he had the courage to jump into his back garden again. With the experience of being a thief last time, this time he first bribed the old yellow dog with half a steamed bun, and then buried the silver back in the jar along with him.

Xu went to a heart, and Dong Ping slept very sweetly in the second half of the night. When the family got up early for dinner, he said to Dong Xiucai, "Dad, my sister has been working in the city these days and earning some wages, and she plans to send me back to the academy to study." ”

Dong Xiucai was stretching out his chopsticks to pick pickles, he was stunned when he heard this, and said with some hesitation, "Your sister has married into the Cao family, and she gives you money for studying, can the Cao family agree?" ”

Dong Ping was about to praise his sister for how assertive she has become now, she is completely the master, and she will no longer be constrained by the Cao family, but after thinking about it, she was afraid that her stepmother would take the opportunity to make trouble, so she lowered her head and only looked at the rice soup in the bowl that could see the human figure in a daze, and refused to respond more.

Dong Xiucai has never visited Cao's house since she married her daughter, so she naturally doesn't know how much her daughter has changed. Seeing his son's expression like this again, he thought that his daughter was suffering humiliation in the Cao family, and she had to send her younger brother to study even if she was punished and beaten. On the other hand, he is a father, just because his wife is noisy, he allows her to detain his son who is studying hard at home every day to do work, which is really a bit ashamed of being a father.

Thinking like this, he said, "Your sister's life is not easy, so let your second mother take a few taels of silver to make you two sets of new clothes!" ”

"What? Which promised you to pay the money! Niu Shi originally took half a plate of pancakes and eavesdropped outside the door, but at this time, he couldn't help but jump in, smashed the pancakes on the square table with a bang, and scolded, "Dong Wenyuan, are you crazy?" The family has only saved a few pennies in total, and they all use it to make new clothes for him, how can we live? Brother Yi doesn't buy pen and ink anymore? Sister Juan doesn't buy a dowry? ”

Dong Xiucai looked at the two sons and one daughter at the dinner table, and felt that his face was swept up by his wife, so he was also a little annoyed, and retorted, "You know how to cry poor all day long, how much money there is in the family, I know in my heart!" This matter is so decided, tomorrow you will take two taels of silver and hand it over to Brother Ping! It's a good thing that he wants to study, and if he comes back from the exam, your face as a mother will also shine! ”

"Two taels of silver! You're such a toad yawning, what a big breath! In the school, he only received two taels of silver for a season, and he took it to him, what to eat and drink at home! Niu pinched his waist, and his voice was higher, and he really didn't give an inch.

Dong Xiucai was sprayed with spit all over his face, and he habitually wanted to shrink his neck, but when he turned his head to look at Da'er's rough hands and thin back, he finally stood up with courage and said in a hard voice, "I am the head of the family, I have the final say in this matter!" If you don't take it, the school will immediately collect the summer shackles, which is enough to buy clothes for Brother Ping. ”

After speaking, he flicked his sleeves and went to the front school, leaving Niu so angry that he picked up the rice spoon and waved it wildly, cursing loudly.

Dong Ping silently pulled the somewhat wrinkled coarse cloth sleeves, and the taste in his heart was complicated and indescribable. From the time he and his sister were born to the present, for seventeen years, his father never protected them, let them starve and be scolded at the hands of his stepmother, and even allowed his sister to be sold to a fool as a daughter-in-law. Now that they have grown up, his sister has made money, and he wants to continue to study and become famous, and he no longer needs his protection, but his conscience suddenly finds out. He should be grateful, but why is his heart so sour, so wanting to cry so much...

Niu quickly calculated the weight between a quarter of a bundle and two taels of silver, the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he felt, turned his head to look at the eldest son who was like a thorn in his eye, and was about to find an excuse to scold and get angry, but he didn't want to see him get up and walk out quickly.

Niu's eyes widened in annoyance, and he waved his hand and threw the spoon out. The spoon smashed heavily on Dong Ping's back impartially, but he didn't seem to feel any pain, and still strode out of the courtyard gate, and soon disappeared.

Dong Rong got up early and made ten boxes of ice with the pillar, and then looked up to see a large cloud accumulation in the western sky, guessing that there must be a good rain today. And when the rain is cooler, there will naturally be fewer sales of your own ice cubes. Fortunately, she is not a greedy person, but happy and rarely idle. There was still half a cup of hot water in the cauldron between the stoves, and the wisps of white mist were overflowing outward, and when she saw it, she simply rolled up her sleeves and washed the pillar's hair.

In the early morning, a slightly cool breeze swirls around the small courtyard, occasionally bringing a few crisp birdsongs and the creaking of cars and horses rushing into the city. The warm sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves, and sprinkled on the half-lying silly pillar, causing him to squint, and subconsciously reached out to grab the air, as if he wanted to hold this warmth in his hands forever.

Dong Rong has eaten a lot of meat these days, and she has been doing business every day, and her originally thin figure has gradually become plump, her complexion has become much fairer, and even her withered yellow hair has become much darker and brighter. But it's still far from the stupid pillar's long black and thick hair. She scooped half a scoop of warm water and sprinkled it gently, seeing that the long hair in her hand became more and more black and shiny after being soaked, so she praised with envy, "Zhu, your hair is so good, those black sesame candies are not eaten in vain." When we make more money in the future, I will buy you a golden crown to wear, and keep you even more chic and handsome than the most handsome boy in the city! ”

The pillar laughed twice, turned his head and wanted to speak, but he didn't want to splash the water stains on Dong Rong's skirt because of too much movement. Dong Rong was so disgusted that she flicked twice on his head and splashed a full scoop of water, which made him laugh even more happily.

The two of them were laughing like this, and suddenly saw Dong Ping push open the courtyard door and come in, Dong Rong greeted with a smile, "Brother Ping, why did you come back so early, have you eaten?" ”

Dong Ping didn't respond, walked up to him and reached out and hugged his sister's arm. Dong Rong frowned suspiciously, this child is usually very introverted, and rarely takes the initiative to get close to her like this, today is really a bit abnormal. She remembered her stepmother's meanness, immediately threw down the scoop, glared at her and asked, "Brother Ping, you told your sister, did the Niu family beat and scolded you again?" She said that she was about to lift her brother's shirt and inspect it.

Dong Ping struggled to refuse, and finally was silent for a long time before he choked up and said, "Sister, our father wants Erniang to take the silver to make me new clothes..."

Dong Rong was stunned, and her mind subconsciously began to check the memories received from the original owner of this body, and soon she found the crux of the problem. This stupid boy became a little confused because his father, who had always existed in name only, suddenly gave a little love.

"Alright, alright." Dong Rong sighed, wiped her tears for her younger brother with pity, and comforted, "Don't think too much, he will suffer if he feels sorry for you, and if he doesn't feel sorry for you, he will still study and live a good life, and there is a sister here." ”

Dong Ping wiped his eyes vigorously and nodded heavily, "Sister, I know, I will study hard." ”

Dong Rong smiled and scratched his face, jokingly, "How old are you, it's a shame to still fall on my shoulder and shed tears like when I was a child." ”

Dong Ping blushed, and hurriedly excused himself to go back to the house to change his clothes and dodge. Dong Rong smiled when she saw her younger brother enter the wing, and her face quickly turned cold. Although the younger brother was reluctant to say it, she was not blind, and the complete spoon mark on the back of his shirt would never be plain.

Originally, she regretted a little last night that she shouldn't have exchanged Niu's silver, but now it seems that she is still too light...

Soon, Sister-in-law Liu and others also rushed to work. Sister-in-law Liu felt that she didn't suppress her anger last night and delayed inquiring about the Cao family for Dong Rong, so she said vaguely that the Cao and Dong families were not noisy, please rest assured that Dong Rong was at ease, and finally talked loudly about the Cao mother-in-law's mother and daughter competing for fat.

The little daughters-in-law next to them also laughed when they remembered the farce last night, and chattered while busy. After everyone was happy, they remembered that Dong Rong was the daughter-in-law of the Cao family, and they laughed at Mrs. Cao and Sister Cao in front of her like this, which was somewhat unkind, so they all accepted the conversation with a sneering expression. ZM