Chapter 212: Rebirth in the 1990s: Overbearing Flower Chapter 213: The Storm is Coming

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Eating should be lively; the more people, the livelier.

After Lao Liutou drank three cups of wine, he began to blame Chai You De for coming.

After all, among those at this table, besides the women, Lao Liutou could only scold Chai You De...

"Third Brother, what are your father and mother doing? Why haven't they come over? Our Old Chai Family is holding a wedding, and they're just pretending to be dead at home? I saw your Second Sister-in-law just came over pretending to help, where is your wife? Isn't your wife on summer vacation? Why isn't she coming?"

Lao Liutou's rapid-fire words left Chai You De unable to respond for a while.

Chai You De's word didn't count at home; he came purely because he wanted to drink.

As for Che Lianyun, he definitely wouldn't come. If he could come tomorrow to give a gift, that would be good enough.

Che Lianyun kept saying Chai Mi had beaten him up and he'd lost a thousand yuan to a bear, losing all face, so he refused to come no matter what.

As for Chai Zhongxiao and his wife, they had originally planned to come.

Chai You De knew this; the old couple had said a few days ago they would come. As a result, they found out they'd been lied to... Chai Mi hadn't told her several aunts at all.

So, the money Chai Zhongxiao had wanted to take out last time was actually, in essence, swindled by Chai Mi.

Among the three Chai sisters, the third made excuses about being busy, the second made excuses about her mother-in-law dying and needing to attend the funeral, asking Chai Zhongxiao to front some money.

As for Chai Zhongxiao's eldest daughter Chai Chunfang...

Chai Chunfang had just been beaten by Chai Mi, and she was going around making false accusations. First she went to the village and no one paid attention, then she went to the township, going for four or five days straight, pushing her bicycle every day, but never saw the Township Head.

Chai Chunfang also went back to her mother's family in the middle, and complained to Chai Zhongxiao, saying: "My aunt was pushed down by my niece... I've never fallen so hard in my life, my lips are cracked and bleeding, I have to stand up to Chai Mi no matter what."

Chai You De understood perfectly well, and at the time had comforted Chai Chunfang: "Eldest Sister, don't make a fuss. In our family, only the old man and old woman haven't been beaten by Chai Mi... everyone else has been beaten. My leg was broken and I didn't say anything, you just have a split lip, what are you babbling about?! Accept the loss, otherwise Chai Mi might beat you so badly your own mother won't recognize you..."

As a result, Chai You De was criticized by Chai Zhongxiao and his wife and Chai Chunfang.

It wasn't over until Chai You De was crying his heart out.

So how could those few possibly come...

"I can't control my father and them... we've separated households. My father seems... uh... I don't really know." Chai You De began to speak vaguely. "My wife... is... coaxing the child. It's been hot these past two days, Erwei got heatstroke, so she didn't come."

Lao Liutou was clearly very dissatisfied with Chai You De's answer, and scolded him in a tone of an elder brother educating a younger brother, looking down on him: "Go back and tell your father. Don't be so thin-skinned. He doesn't even look up to his own son, won't let his son come to give him face—doesn't he have a day when he's old? Your father can still move around now. In a few years, when your father can't move at all, there will be a time when he's in a tight spot, and your father will have a day of regret."

Chai You De just lowered his head in agreement, not daring to say anything.

After all, as long as Chai You De could drink, that was fine.

Leave the rest to others.

The wine tasted good, and in the end everyone got dead drunk.

Just as they were about finished eating, Zhou Fang stood up to take his leave: "Auntie, I have other business over there, I'll leave first. I'll come again tomorrow."

Su Wan had a good impression of Zhou Fang, who spoke little and was very polite. There was nothing good to send at home, so she prepared to pack a few plates of dishes to send to Zhou Fang, but Zhou Fang refused.

Su Wan felt a bit embarrassed, after all, when Zhou Fang came in the morning, he had brought a lot of rice and white flour.

But Chai Mi didn't care about Zhou Fang's affectation. After all, those few were still drinking and hadn't eaten. Although Chai Mi had finished eating herself, she didn't feel good about leaving. Taking advantage of Zhou Fang saying he was leaving, she also stood up, pretending to see him off, while distancing herself from those few drunkards.

The two walked to the door, and Chai Mi looked at Zhou Fang somewhat suspiciously, then said: "I don't appreciate the rice and flour you sent. Don't just because you have a little money now, you know how to squander it. Go back early this afternoon, you have nothing to do. If you have time for dinner, come over to eat. Anyway... I feel like you've been running to the village a lot lately."

Chai Mi suspected this guy was always thinking of making money through speculation and profiteering, which she very much disliked. So before leaving, she advised: "When you do business, just be honest. Don't always think about relying on relatives and friends to introduce you. In the countryside, this is simple... if you have capital, buy eggs at a slightly higher price than others, and use a fair scale, this business will gradually get better. Don't shortchange on weight, that won't last long."

Zhou Fang nodded, then said: "I remember. But I am indeed helping someone, I won't do it after a few days. Wait a couple of days, I plan to... open a factory, doing some purple clay teapot business."

Chai Mi didn't take it in, said a few simple words, and then sent Zhou Fang away.

And Liu Zhijing in the courtyard was looking and looking, couldn't help but feel a bit... sour.

He just picked up a bottle of beer on his own and drank it down.

Back in the courtyard, Song Qiushui went into the house and called her father Chai Youqing out to eat, then instructed: "Your brother drank too much again. Fortunately he didn't say anything nonsense... Later, Dad, after you finish eating, go pretend to send Chai You De home. Don't let him die at our house. With his behavior, he'll drink himself to death sooner or later."

Chai Youqing agreed.

Chai Mi then sat on the edge of the kang, looking at the little sister.

"Hehe. Looking white and tender, like a little white-eyed wolf's appearance."

"Talking nonsense all day." Mother Su Wan's dissatisfied voice came from outside the house: "You see your little sister, and it's little white-eyed wolf, little white-eyed wolf... how can an older sister talk about her younger sister like that."

Chai Mi lowered her head and shook her head: I'm stating the actual situation, this girl in her previous life was a thorough white-eyed wolf.

But Chai Mi couldn't say it out.

Although Chai Mi sometimes felt that this child might be better off with verbal instruction and example, if the little sister raised herself, maybe she could become a more normal person.

But this matter wasn't settled, future things were uncertain. However, combining the little sister Chai Xin's actions in her previous life, she was a white-eyed wolf.

"Chai Mi, today you see this... someone sent rice and flour, someone even sent two pigs. This... these are all famine..." Su Wan sighed.

In Su Wan's world, these things that came for nothing were human relations.

Owing people human relations was the most fatal.

But Su Wan obviously didn't know that these few people were actually coming to repay human relations.

Whether it was the Xiangli Chief's family or Song Qiushui's family, they were people Chai Mi had shown kindness to. Some clear, some hidden.

The Xiangli Chief's wife coming back was Chai Mi's merit.

And Song Qiushui... actually Song Qiushui knew clearly in her heart. Although this girl was usually crazy, after Chai Mi persuaded her that time, Song Qiushui gave up the idea of puppy love with Chai Dajun, and from then on her life became extremely happy.

This kind of ruthless situation, only the parties involved knew. Su Wan as an outsider naturally couldn't see it.

As for the rice and flour Zhou Fang sent...

Chai Mi was also a bit confused.

But Zhou Fang even invited the whole village to watch shadow play, sending some flour wasn't excessive.

After all, people who aren't mentally well — whatever they do, you can't measure it with regular thinking.

"Alright Mom, if you're tired then rest a bit. Don't wait until your head hurts again later." Chai Mi said, "Don't overthink things every day. It's not like we went asking for it — they brought it themselves. No need to feel indebted... just go rest already."

Chai Mi went out for a stroll; by past noon, the vast majority of hardworking people had already gone home to rest.

After all, it was too hot at noon — everyone just came to show face and pretend to do a bit of work on the side, then eat a meal. Who with nothing better to do would bake in the sun?

As for why Chai Mi kept saying everyone was "pretending" to work — it was because they truly hadn't done much work at all.

Helping out and hiring workers are completely different concepts. The essence of helping out is just freeloading food and drink.

Back in the production team days, when everyone worked together, most people slacked off.

Actually, helping out is the same nature.

Hiring workers — if the worker doesn't work hard, doesn't genuinely play the ox and horse, the wages will be very hard to collect. Conversely, hardworking people — even if they come just to sleep — still get meals at noon and night.

Chai Mi had seen many people in later generations say how peaceful and good the old years were, how when one family had an event every household went to help — using this to express how human relations in the 80s and 90s were so much better than later generations.

Actually, if you look at it logically, social progress is definitely survival of the fittest. The development of eras also definitely heads toward simpler, more effective ways. Can't deny that helping out or hardworking mutual aid can indeed solve some small problems. But in reality, the cost paid is probably even more.

Of course, for happy occasions like this, the more people the better.

Lots of people means good connections.

Chai Mi's connections were very good.

Chai Mi had just finished a stroll when she saw Zhou Fang drive back in a hurry...

Chai Mi frowned.

Zhou Fang got out of the car and said, "Chai Mi, just now when I drove past your grandparents' doorway, I saw your Old Aunt..."

Mm-hmm, Zhou Fang can already tell clearly now who the people at odds with Chai Mi are.

"I saw them making a racket inside, mentioning your name many times. I reckon they're targeting you — you be careful."

Chai Mi thought a moment — it should be that time she had Father Chai Youqing go to the Laozhai, and those "old masters" brainwashed her loyal-to-a-fault dad again.

However, Chai Mi was certain the probability of her dad being brainwashed was very low.

After all, their brainwashing skills absolutely aren't as strong as Chai Mi's.

Chai Mi and Zhou Fang were just talking when they saw Chai Chunfang wearing a crying face, arriving at Chai Mi's doorway together with Sun Yuguang.

And behind them followed Father Chai Youqing as well as Chai Zhongxiao and his wife.

"Chai Mi!" Chai Chunfang gritted her teeth: "The matter of you hitting me the other day — today there must be an explanation."

Chai Mi froze: "Old Aunt, look at what you're saying... who hit you? You're something else — speaking requires evidence... you say I hit you, where's the evidence?"

Chai Chunfang only had some superficial injuries — they'd healed days ago.

"The evidence is you hit me..."

"Don't make trouble. My family's preparing a happy event — as Old Aunt, how can you have the nerve to come make trouble?" Chai Mi said, looking past Chai Chunfang at Chai Zhongxiao and Wang Huirong behind her, coldly asking: "Yo, Grandpa Grandma, long time no see. My Old Aunt coming at this hour — wouldn't be you two instigating behind the scenes, would it?! What, targeting me?"

Chai Zhongxiao's expression right now was extremely complex — he both hoped Chai Chunfang could help him vent, yet vaguely felt Chai Chunfang might lose...

Chai Zhongxiao simply flicked his sleeve and said: "Chai Mi, no matter how you put it. You hitting your Old Aunt — this after all isn't a good thing. Your Old Aunt is still your Old Aunt — even if she has a thousand faults, you hitting her is still wrong."

The matter of Chai Mi hitting Chai Chunfang had already blown up big.

Very certain the whole village knows Chai Mi beat Chai Chunfang up — but the vast majority all pretend not to know.

"Fine." Chai Mi spread her hands: "Since Grandpa says so, Old Aunt, let's each take a step back. I admit — that day I really did hit you. You — just go home."

Chai Chunfang froze directly: You call this each taking a step back?

Chai Zhongxiao was also a bit dumbfounded: "Uh..."

"What more do you want?" Chai Mi saw several people not moving, immediately looking at them with cold eyes: "You pressured me to admit it, I admitted it — yeah, I was indeed wrong. Shouldn't this be over then? Grandpa, by your logic, me hitting my Old Aunt was wrong, I should reflect. I've truly reflected now — indeed I was wrong. So next, shouldn't it be my Old Aunt's turn to reflect?"

Several people's heads simultaneously weren't quite enough to process.

Chai Mi's tone carried not a shred of reflection — only aggressive pressure...

"I reflect? Reflect on what? You hit me, and I should reflect? Reflect that you didn't hit hard enough?" Chai Chunfang was so angry she gritted her teeth.

"Look at what you're saying... Old Aunt, you say you're already a person with one foot in the grave, what are you haggling with me for? Just be the bigger person and let this go. This thing — why be so petty? You went to the village, went to the Xiang to file false accusations — my reputation was damaged. Now I've admitted I was wrong, you're also wrong. You have to apologize to me." Chai Mi said it lightly, like clouds and wind.

Then Chai Mi pushed Zhou Fang: "Stay away from me, in case blood splatters on you in a bit."

"Old Aunt, apologizing today or not? If you don't apologize, I'm getting angry." Chai Mi stepped forward, staring at Chai Chunfang: "Come on, apologize. Today if you don't apologize to me, don't blame me for not showing face."

Chai Chunfang felt like she must have walked onto the wrong set — she clearly came to find trouble with Chai Mi, to teach Chai Mi a lesson. Result: Chai Mi says three or eight sentences and it becomes her having to apologize?

Chai Chunfang: I fucking got beaten, and I still have to apologize?

Is this world this absurd?

Chai Zhongxiao was also a bit confused — this situation changing had him a bit bewildered, but it seems... what Chai Mi said isn't wrong.

Chai Zhongxiao currently owes Chai Mi two thousand yuan not to mention, he also doesn't want things too ugly.

Family ugliness shouldn't be spread outside...