Chapter 7: 90: A Family by the Spring Chapter 7: A Hen That Doesn't Lay Eggs

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt had drunk traditional Chinese medicine and hadn't had time to wash the clay pot when someone called her to the telephone booth.

After that person finished the call, several more people came to buy newspapers and cigarettes; once busy, she forgot all about the clay pot.

It happened to be the weekend, and Zhang Da Fen wasn't working; she carried a basin to the only public pool in the yard to wash clothes.

She saw a black, dirty old clay pot in the pool, picked it up disdainfully, and threw it on the ground.

The clay pot couldn't withstand a fall; it hit the ground and cracked.

When Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt came home at noon to cook and saw the cracked clay pot, she was instantly furious.

Not many neighbors could do such a despicable thing; without thinking, Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt grabbed the broken clay pot and rushed to Zhang Da Fen's home.

Zhang Da Fen was unreasonable; not only did she not apologize, she instead complained that Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt occupied the public pool and delayed her laundry.

Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt naturally wouldn't let it go and argued her case.

The more they argued, the more heated it got; Zhang Da Fen was sharp-tongued and sarcastic, mocking Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt as a hen that doesn't lay eggs.

Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt most hated others bringing up her childlessness; hearing this, she exploded, grabbed Zhang Da Fen's hair, and they started fighting.

The two women made too much noise, alarming Huang Daye, who was in poor health and rarely went out; he pushed open the window and poked his head out to look toward the pool.

Lin Xiyu's maternal grandmother was also old; she wanted to break up the fight but had no strength, and in anger clutched her chest and sat down heavily on the ground.

Zhang Da Fen's sister-in-law had long disliked her sister-in-law; she hid inside the house to watch the excitement and didn't come out.

Finally Wang Daye couldn't stand it anymore; he and his son each grabbed one person and forcibly separated the two.

Both women were injured.

Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt was short, and Zhang Da Fen scratched her face.

Zhang Da Fen's wrist was scraped.

Face is more important than hand; all things considered, Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt suffered the loss.

——

When Lin Xiyu got home, she saw two clear scratches on Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt's face, blood seeping out. Lin Xiyu's maternal grandmother clutched her chest, face deathly pale, sitting on the steps of her own doorstep, trembling with anger.

Zhang Da Fen was acting crazy in the yard, making a scene and cursing, forcing Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt to apologize, and threatening to have her partner come over.

After the fight, Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt calmed down and got scared.

Thinking that her partner was a cadre at the Provincial Government, all her fighting spirit vanished; she shrank her head and didn't dare make a sound.

Lin Xiyu heard the gist of it, turned around and ran out, calling Lin Xiyu's uncle and Aunt Da at the public telephone booth.

Aunt Da's family had many people, including her husband and cousins.

Lin Xiyu's maternal aunt had been beaten, Lin Xiyu's maternal grandmother had been angered into sickness, and she was still being threatened; this couldn't just be let go; someone had to speak up, to back her own family.

——

Aunt Da's family came very quickly, arriving in less than an hour.

Zhang Da Fen's partner also came; at first he was extremely arrogant, threatening that medical expenses must be compensated, or he'd have the police come arrest people.

Lin Xiyu's uncle went to Zhang family's west room to reason with him, but his voice was completely suppressed, almost inaudible.

The cousin came, said nothing, pulled a fire hook from the kitchen stove, and rushed into the west room.

The west room instantly went quiet.

Zhang Da Fen's partner made no more sound.

——

Lin Xiyu and her female cousin hid under the pomegranate tree in the yard eavesdropping; hearing the sounds from the west room, their own side gradually gained the upper hand; she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Tsk, if it weren't for Lin Xiyu's maternal grandmother not letting me go, I would definitely have scratched her face."

The female cousin felt she hadn't contributed and was aggrieved: "I was ready to fight; I specially changed out of my skirt and came wearing pants."

"Pfft."

Lin Xiyu was amused by her female cousin's fierce tone and couldn't help but laugh out loud.