Chapter 164: Complaint Session

Everyone was amused by her and burst into laughter.

Only Zheng Lao Jiu silently moistened his eyes.

He had always treated this niece as his own daughter, and he didn't know how long he had hoped for this day to finally arrive.

Her face was finally healed, and she had married into a good family; there really couldn't be anything better.

Amidst the laughter and talk, Chun Hua had already finished breakfast.

She was a clever little girl; without Zheng Shi reminding her, she had added extra portions for the Zheng family.

At the dining table, Zheng Lao Jiu brought up the purpose of their visit today. "Aman is building a Zhai Zi, and as her maternal family, we can't afford much gift money. So, since it's not a busy farming season, I brought the whole family here to help with the work; consider it our support."

"It's fine, Uncle, we aren't outsiders, the gift doesn't matter."

Du Ruo felt warm inside, but she couldn't bear to let them suffer. "Besides, I've already hired enough manpower, and we will definitely be able to move in before the end of the year."

Zheng Lao Jiu waved his hand. "You hiring people is your business, us working is our business. Anyway, it's decided."

Du Ruo couldn't sway him, and knowing this was the Zheng family's heartfelt intention, she had no choice but to agree.

"By the way, there is one more thing." Zheng Lao Jiu reminded her, "When we came just now, many people saw us. Your aunt and I need to go see that grandmother of yours first, so as not to let others find fault."

Du Ruo wasn't very willing.

Based on her understanding of Yan Pozi, she certainly wouldn't give Zheng Lao Jiu a good look. Since that was the case, why bother going up to be humiliated?

But Zheng Lao Jiu's words also made sense. After all, she was a generation higher in seniority; if they didn't go, it might invite gossip that the Zheng family didn't know their manners.

"Alright then, I'll go with Uncle and Aunt in a while."

With her there, at least they wouldn't suffer any losses.

After the meal, Zheng Lao Jiu had his sons go to the construction site to move bricks, and his two daughters-in-law went to help with the cooking and chores.

Shitou and Suo'er stayed at home, looked after by Zheng Shi.

He himself, along with Zheng Jiumu, took an old hen, a dozen eggs, and a piece of cloth several feet long, and followed behind Du Ruo toward the old house.

On the way, Du Ruo gave a rough account of the grievances between the two branches so that her uncle and aunt would have a bottom line.

Actually, the couple already knew these things; Zheng Qinghe had mentioned them at home.

It just wasn't as detailed.

Just as the three of them reached outside the courtyard of the old house, they heard Cao Shi's loud voice coming from inside.

"You're as lazy as a pig! The sun is already hitting your backside and you're still not up! You don't cook, you don't wash your face, and you don't serve tea. Is this a daughter-in-law? It's like we brought home an ancestor to wait on!"

As soon as Du Ruo heard it, she knew who Cao Shi was scolding, and felt a bit of schadenfreude.

Sure enough, evil people need evil people to grind them down. Hao Jinzhi wasn't Qin Shi; she wouldn't be submissive.

Let's see which of this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair is stronger; it would be best if they fought until one of them died.

Du Ruo was just about to lift her foot to go in when Zheng Jiumu pulled her back. "Aman, you wait outside; your uncle and I can just go in."

Du Ruo blinked. "Why?"

If only the two of them went in, she wouldn't be at ease.

"You are the younger generation; facing them, you'll only be on the receiving end of the abuse." Zheng Jiumu's rough face was as expressionless as ever, but her tone was very gentle. "I'm different from your uncle; we are guests, they will have to show some consideration."

Zheng Lao Jiu also nodded in agreement. "That's the logic, and we're just going in to say hello and fulfill the etiquette, we'll be out soon."

Du Ruo had no choice but to say "Oh" and obediently stand behind the tree to wait.

Zheng Lao Jiu carried the pile of things into the courtyard, with Zheng Jiumu following closely behind.

Cao Shi was standing with her hands on her hips, pointing at the sky and cursing the earth, when she suddenly saw two strangers enter her house, and her cursing stopped abruptly in her throat.

She looked the couple up and down. "Who are you two? Did you go to the wrong door?"

Zheng Lao Jiu called out, "Aunt-in-law."

Zheng Jiumu introduced herself with a stern face, "We are Du Ruo's uncle and aunt, here to pay our respects to the grandmother."

Cao Shi suddenly realized and slapped her thigh hard. "So it's you!"

Then she turned and shouted into the house, "Mother, come out quickly, Du Shi's maternal family is here!"

Yan Pozi walked out of the main room, leaning on her stick.

As soon as both sides met, they made a preliminary assessment of each other in their hearts.

Zheng Lao Jiu and Zheng Jiumu thought, sure enough, not a good old woman, her face is truly mean.

Yan Pozi also frowned.

Sure enough, what kind of beast raises what kind of cub; the look in these two people's eyes shows they aren't kind people. Du Shi grew up in her uncle's house, so her nature naturally follows the Zheng family.

No wonder she's sharp-tongued and full of bad water.

"Greetings, Grandmother." Zheng Jiumu broke the silence first.

Yan Pozi smiled. "Come in and sit."

Cao Shi's eyes, however, were nailed to the old hen. She couldn't wait to step forward and take all the gifts, then revealed a mouth full of big yellow teeth. "Oh my, you shouldn't have, bringing all these things, it's too much expense."

Zheng Lao Jiu and Zheng Jiumu entered the room and sat down at the table.

Yan Pozi sat with them.

Jiang Lian'er poked half her head out from the west wing room, then quickly retracted it.

Zheng Lao Jiu opened his mouth: "Since our Aman married into the Jiang family, her days have been getting better and better, all thanks to the grandmother's blessing."

"I don't deserve it." Yan Pozi said coldly, "It's all your family's good upbringing that raised a talent like Du Shi. Everything she has today is all her own credit; this old woman doesn't dare to claim any credit."

The couple looked at each other, both hearing the thorns in Yan Pozi's words.

It seemed that they were not on the same page, so there was nothing more to say.

Zheng Lao Jiu stood up. "We still have things to do, so we won't disturb you anymore, we'll come to visit another day."

After saying this, the two prepared to leave.

Cao Shi, however, grabbed Zheng Jiumu, pressed her back onto the stool, and began her complaint session.

"It's not that I'm complaining, Aunt-in-law, but your niece is really not a good thing. Unfilial to her grandmother, disrespectful to her elders, talking back ten times for every one word, selfish and cold-blooded! My son got married, and she didn't even give me one tael of silver! And she's the daughter of an official's family, pfft, she's not even as good as a beggar woman..."

Zheng Lao Jiu's face immediately darkened.

Zheng Jiumu, however, smiled. "Oh? Is that so? Aman is that unreasonable?" ===== CHAPTER 165 =====