Chapter 845: Trouble Brought Home Again

Xiao Mu had originally wanted to say a few words on Chunxiao's behalf, feeling that no matter how wrong she was, she shouldn't have been hit, but thinking of her recent changes, she said: "Whether you forgot or deliberately didn't say it, you know in your heart—this slap you took is not unjust."

Chunxiao hadn't expected that even after being hit, her own mother didn't stand up for her: "Mom, how can you treat me like this?"

Xiao Mu's face also went cold: "The moment you came back, I mentioned your second sister to you, but what did you do? I don't believe you could have forgotten everything just walking in from the alley entrance."

Chunxiao, hearing her own mother's words, felt her face burning; for a long while she didn't dare make another sound.

Seeing her calm down, Xiao Mu said: "Apologize to your sister."

Still too young, probably feeling it was too embarrassing: "I'm sorry."

After saying that, she covered her face and ran back to her own room.

Watching her run off, Liu Chuxue only then entered the main room: "Mom, don't blame me for hitting her today. With a temper like hers, if we don't rein her in, who knows what trouble she'll bring home one day."

Though Xiao Mu still didn't quite agree with using hands to teach a lesson, she knew Liu Chuxue was right.

She nodded lightly: "She is a grown Miss after all, from now on we mustn't hit her in the face again."

Liu Chuxue didn't argue, gave a soft "Mm," and then carried the thermos back to her own room.

But before this matter was even over, Chunxiao had brought trouble home again.

Xiao Mu looked at the neighbors who had come asking: "No, Sister Cao, who told you I have cotton here?"

Sister Cao's eyes were full of calculation: "Sister Liu, your Chunxiao said so. She said your second girl got quite a bit of cotton back, and that your second Miss has connections—it's just a word from her."

Xiao Mu put on a face to deal with the visiting neighbors, but in her heart thought: That day Liu Chuxue still hit Chunxiao too lightly.

Liu Chuxue came back and saw there were guests at home; once she entered the room she realized they were all neighbors from nearby: "Greetings to all you aunties."

The neighbor surnamed Cao said with a smile: "We heard you have connections and can get cotton, so we were wondering if you could help us get some back?"

Liu Chuxue glanced at her own mother, and said casually: "I won't hide it from everyone—I did get some cotton through connections, but it's definitely not as exaggerated as Chunxiao made it sound. You all know my family just moved to the city, and the cotton jackets we had back in the old hometown had the cotton batting all clumped up inside, so I wanted to add some more.

I also understand how everyone feels—after all, the weather is already getting cold, and no household has it easy. Since Chunxiao has a kind heart, she must be willing to help others."

After a light cough, she went to the next room and brought out three jin of cotton: "There's no more—this is Chunxiao's share, I'm splitting it evenly among your three families."

They had only come to ask on a trial basis, and hadn't expected such a big surprise; the few of them thanked Liu Chuxue in unison.

Then they heard Liu Chuxue say: "If you want to thank someone, thank Chunxiao. What you're getting is the cotton that was meant to go toward thickening her cotton clothes, cotton trousers, and bedding—you ought to thank her."

The few people who got the cotton were very happy.

Of course, the price was set at the black-market rate, but instead of taking money, she had them exchange with coupons. Liu Chuxue neither wanted to play the benefactor nor leave a handle for others, but she did want to teach Chunxiao a lesson, so she did it this way.

Getting even one jin was good; those few people almost ran home to fetch their coupons.

Xiao Mu started to speak several times, but in the end didn't interrupt her second daughter.

After those people brought the coupons, took the cotton, and left, she finally spoke: "Liu Chuxue, refusing them would have been fine—why did you even trade the cotton away? When the time comes, the family might not have enough to go around."