Chapter 194: Reborn in the 90s: The Tyrant Flower Chapter 195 Volunteering Oneself

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

"Dad, calm down." Chai Chunfang swept the floor with a broom while comforting Chai Zhongxiao: "Sun Yuguang and I won't eat at home; we're leaving in a bit."

"Leave? Run at the first sign of trouble? How are you acting like an older sister?" Chai Zhongxiao said angrily: "Your brother is like this, can't even get a meal, and you're fine, just turning around to leave?"

Chai Chunfang looked dazed: If I stay, will I get to eat?

Chai Zhongxiao's old face flushed; though somewhat ashamed, he borrowed his angry state to say: "The family has no money, can't eat. You give some money; after the autumn harvest, I'll return it to you."

Chai Chunfang instantly understood: So Chai Zhongxiao called her home to borrow money...

"Dad, I'd like to lend to you, but I don't have any." Chai Chunfang started crying poor: "What money do we two have? The kid's grown, expenses are big. And look, these two years everything's shooting up in price; we don't have money either."

"It's not like I won't pay back." Chai Zhongxiao hemmed and hawed for a long time before saying.

This was the first time Chai Zhongxiao had opened his mouth to borrow money from Chai Chunfang; he never expected to be rejected.

Chai Chunfang also became evasive, shifting the topic: "Big Brother wasn't home just now, went out to buy fertilizer. I reckon he should be back; I'll go check. Big Brother's a good man; regarding what Dad just said, I don't think he'll necessarily press that hard."

Chai Zhongxiao had just told Chai Chunfang that Chai Mi required the remaining two thousand-plus yuan owed to be repaid within these two days.

Chai Zhongxiao naturally had no money, so he thought to borrow from Chai Chunfang.

Chai Chunfang didn't want to lend, so she made an excuse to go talk to Chai Youqing.

Chai Zhongxiao momentarily lost face completely.

This home where he once covered the sky with one hand seemed to show signs of falling apart, which made him very uncomfortable.

But Chai Chunfang didn't give Chai Zhongxiao much time to react; pulling Sun Yuguang, she walked outward, saying: "Dad, just watch. I guarantee I'll get Big Brother to loosen up, won't let him keep chasing you for this bit of famine debt."

Before Chai Zhongxiao could say anything, Chai Chunfang had already pulled Sun Yuguang out.

Sun Yuguang was baffled; once outside the courtyard, he broke free of Chai Chunfang's arm and complained: "What are you doing? Taking on everything — what's it got to do with you? Is Old Master short on repaying famine debt? Old Master has no money for food. If he doesn't pay Big Brother that money, I'd say it's scorching enough to eat. Look, we've been at your natal home for two or three hours, haven't had a sip of hot water or a bite of rice. To put it broadly, they don't put me, this son-in-law, in their eyes..."

"Cut the useless talk. My parents are bad, so yours are good? Your mom even drove your dad to hang himself..." Chai Chunfang retorted.

Sun Yuguang's face instantly turned iron-green, wanting to explode.

Sun Yuguang's father really did commit suicide by hanging.

The Sun family's two brothers; Sun Yuguang's mother and father lived with Sun Yuguang's younger brother. Two years ago Sun Yuguang's father hanged himself.

Ask and it's: the old man had a hurdle in his fate...

Ask further and it's: Sun Yuguang's father couldn't think it through.

If you keep asking, it's that Sun Yuguang's mother was rather mean, plus Sun Yuguang's father was rather petty. The two quarreled because they went to work the fields, came back late, both old couple exhausted, neither cooked.

Maybe the old man said: "You want to starve me to death!"

The old lady said: "A useless waste like you alive is no use either."

So that very night Sun Yuguang's father hanged himself from the beam, ending the "waste's" life of integrity.

Anyway everyone says Sun Yuguang's father "had integrity", "was a real man"...

After all, without integrity, who the hell could get so angry over a sentence they'd hang themselves? Who the hell has that courage?!

Of course, this is all the big fellows saying it in a mocking, entertainment tone. Anyway in Sanjiacun Sun Yuguang has only two households: one is Sun Yuguang, one is Sun Yuguang's brother.

Sun Yuguang's father was a live-in son-in-law recruited by Sun Yuguang's mother, naturally very low status; people didn't take him seriously, so they spoke in jest.

Sun Yuguang also had quite a bit of his father's integrity back then; hearing Chai Chunfang mock him like this, he instantly flared up: "Your family's great. So poor you have to borrow from me, this son-in-law; your parents really have capability. When they had money they didn't think of me, this son-in-law; now they're broke, they remember me."

"Then you're better than Dad and Mom..."

Sun Yuguang and Chai Chunfang instantly went at each other hammer and tongs.

So-called wine with a bosom friend a thousand cups few, words not matching half a sentence too many. The two grew more heated, each seizing on the other's parents' flaws and opening full fire.

One said your dad is Sanjiacun's shame, one said your dad is Sanjiacun's "model".

Thus the war of words instantly turned into physical conflict.

Under everyone's dumbstruck gazes, Sun Yuguang and Chai Chunfang fought at Chai Zhongxiao's doorway.

Chai Zhongxiao was already on a rage; seeing these two's performance, he immediately flew into a cursing rage.

He rushed out in a fury, grabbed Sun Yuguang, and gave him two dabaoli...

(Dabaoli means a big slap even more severe than a big slap.)

With no one pulling a fight, this brawl, though fierce, lacked an audience; because Chai Zhongxiao and Wang Huirong later joined in, it became one-sided.

Sun Yuguang might dare tussle with Chai Chunfang, but he dared not lay a hand on Chai Zhongxiao and Wang Huirong.

Those were, after all, Sun Yuguang's old father-in-law and old mother-in-law.

Sun Yuguang's family was originally a live-in son-in-law father with no status, and Sun Yuguang also fell out unhappily with his brother over some property.

In Sanjiacun, Sun Yuguang is a lone household.

Though Sun Yuguang isn't as lowly as a live-in son-in-law, he's not much better off. If Sun Yuguang had money and power, Chai Zhongxiao, no matter how angry, wouldn't have watched his daughter and son-in-law fight and then come up and give Sun Yuguang a few dabaoli.

Wang Huirong also grabbed Sun Yuguang's hair, screaming shrilly.

Sun Yuguang saw he could neither fight back nor take a beating for nothing; with a dodge and scramble, he crawled out, then ran for it, shouting as he ran: "Chai Chunfang, if you've got guts, don't go home."

Chai Chunfang didn't back down either: "Afraid of you?"

Then Chai Chunfang also pushed her bicycle and left.

Chai Zhongxiao asked Chai Chunfang where she was going.

Chai Chunfang didn't know where to go either; one side her father pressing her to borrow money, the other side just fought with her husband — Chai Chunfang was a bit dazed right now.

Though normally Chai Chunfang didn't fight less with Sun Yuguang.

One, because Chai Chunfang's build was good, Sun Yuguang couldn't beat her. So Chai Chunfang didn't fear fighting Sun Yuguang.

Second, both were sharp-tongued types who often came to blows over the slightest disagreement.

Sun Yuguang and Chai Chunfang fighting was nothing unusual. Chai Chunfang hadn't taken it seriously, but since her father Chai Zhongxiao had asked, she said she would go to her eldest brother's house to take a look.

Chai Chunfang: I'm full of anger, isn't it because of Chai Youqing? If Chai Youqing hadn't gone to the old house to clear the chimney, causing us to have nothing to eat, none of the subsequent problems would have happened.

Chai Chunfang pushed her bicycle straight toward Chai Mi's house.

The road wasn't far, just a few steps. But this bicycle was Chai Chunfang's treasure.

Chai Chunfang was narrow-minded and had many concerns. Two years ago she and Sun Yuguang bought this bicycle together. Although bicycles were no longer anything rare in this rural era, to Chai Chunfang it was her family's treasure.

Although bicycles didn't burn oil or use electricity, riding one made it wear out faster, didn't it?

So Chai Chunfang and her husband wouldn't ride if they could avoid it.

Even today when visiting her mother's family, Chai Chunfang didn't ride her bicycle, but pushed it instead...

So although her bicycle was several years old, it was still brand new.

Chai Chunfang pushed her bicycle and stopped at Chai Mi's doorstep.

Chai Youqing hadn't returned yet. Chai Chunfang looked at the courtyard and waited two minutes, but there was not a sound.

So Chai Chunfang shouted: "Is Chai Mi home?"

Chai Mi, who had been napping in the room, was already sleeping poorly because of the hot weather. Suddenly she heard that gong-like voice and said impatiently: "What is Chai Chunfang up to again? She's just looking for trouble."

Chai Mi didn't want to deal with Chai Chunfang, so she told Chai Xiu: "Xiu'er, go tell her I've gone out too."

Chai Xiu nodded, put away that East Mongolia Folk Tales Complete Collection, then went out barefoot wearing sandals.

"Aunt, my sister isn't home. If you have something, come another day."

"Nonsense. I clearly just saw Chai Mi raise her head and look outside from the house. I'm not blind, hurry and call Chai Mi out." Chai Chunfang said sternly.

Chai Xiu was frightened into a shiver and was suddenly at a loss.

Chai Xiu was never good at lying. Now that she was exposed, she immediately felt embarrassed. She fiddled with her clothes hem and stammered, unable to speak.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry and call your sister out." Chai Chunfang said impatiently.

She already had a temper, and just now she had personally seen Chai Mi in the west house.

She immediately concluded that Chai Mi was deliberately avoiding her.

The less Chai Mi came out, the more overbearing Chai Chunfang became: "I am your aunt, don't you want to listen? Besides... Chai Xiu, you're so young and already learning badly, learning to lie. What will become of you later? Telling small lies as a child, you'll cause big trouble when you grow up."

Chai Xiu kept her head down under Chai Chunfang's scolding and dared not talk back.

Chai Xiu was naturally introverted; only when with Chai Mi did she rely on her sister's naturally strong demeanor to hold herself up.

Once Chai Mi wasn't around, Chai Xiu immediately wilted.

Besides, Chai Xiu was after all a child, a child of only seven years. Chai Chunfang was still her aunt, and Chai Xiu truly didn't know what to do right now.

Chai Xiu nervously turned back to look at the house, hoping her sister could help her out.

The next second, Chai Xiu saw Chai Mi stretch lazily, looking somewhat listless, walk out of the house.

Chai Mi was now not only sleepy-eyed but also full of morning grumpiness. She glanced at Chai Xiu, saw her sister's wronged and timid expression, and said softly: "Xiu'er, go back to sleep."

Chai Xiu felt greatly relieved and then ran back into the house.

Chai Mi then glanced at Chai Chunfang pushing her bicycle and said: "Who did I think it was? So it's Aunt. Heh heh, Aunt, don't come to my house lecturing about principles. At Xiu'er's full-month celebration, you pretended to be busy and didn't come home to give gift money. And I'm eighteen this year, but this is your first visit... If I were you, I definitely wouldn't come."

Chai Chunfang was left speechless by Chai Mi's retort and could only say: "So-called blood is thicker than water. I really am too busy, so I haven't come to your house much. Besides, Grandfather and Grandmother are still around. When I return to my mother's family, naturally I go to the old courtyard..."

Chai Mi said with a smile: "Then continue to the old courtyard. I'm terribly sleepy and need to sleep. If you have nothing, just go. If you have something, I have no time to listen to you."

Saying this, Chai Mi turned and walked away.

Chai Mi's impression of her three aunts was all about the same.

To sum it up in one sentence: the three aunts were all trash.

And one was worse than the other.

Eldest Aunt Chai Chunfang was trash, Second Aunt Chai Chunhua was big trash, Third Aunt Chai Chunwei couldn't be treated as a person.

This wasn't a matter of giving face or not, it was a matter of principle.

The only person in the Old Chai Family that Chai Mi thought wasn't too bad was Chai You Fu's wife Song Qiuping.

Song Qiuping wasn't very scheming. Although she loved showing off, loved being extravagant, and loved primping, at least she still had human decency.

The remaining three brothers and three sisters of the Chai Family were not a single decent one.

Including Chai Mi's own father Chai Youqing.

Chai Mi just sometimes turned a blind eye. Fortunately, Chai Youqing's recent behavior was acceptable, at least not so bizarre, so Chai Mi couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

But Chai Mi also understood. After all, with a father like Chai Zhongxiao who was full of Confucian and Mencian principles but whose mind was all about the Art of War, and a mother Wang Huirong who regarded shamelessness as honor and called thick-skinned a talent, it was only normal that no decent person could be born or raised.

Chai Mi's eldest aunt Chai Chunfang—Chai Mi truly couldn't be bothered to deal with her.

As a blood aunt, since Chai Mi could remember, she had never eaten a single meal at Chai Chunfang's house. She didn't even know where Chai Chunfang lived... Chai Mi seemed to remember Chai Youqing mentioning it, but she really had never been there.

As for Chai Chunfang, she had never come to Chai Mi's house.

At least over ten years, she hadn't come.

Chai Chunfang only asked Chai Youqing to go when giving gift money; basically she wouldn't entertain her own eldest brother.

She liked Chai Mi and Chai Xiu even less.

Of course, Chai Mi knew Chai Chunfang was just like that. Chai Chunfang didn't even like Chai You Fu's daughter Chai Min.

Anyway, Chai Chunfang came to the house for help when she had something, but the family couldn't go to her.

Coming home to mooch food and drink, she was there. When there was something, Chai Chunfang immediately ran away.

Chai Chunfang was naturally shameless like her mother Wang Huirong. The problem was Chai Chunfang was even more...

They say a dragon has nine sons, each different.

The biggest difference between Chai Chunfang and the others was that Chai Chunfang meddled in everything. She wanted to manage everything, and she also put on a false show of justice.

This was very offensive to Chai Mi.