Chapter 25: A Woman of Principle

"Uncle Wang, is this piece of cured meat you gave to Xiaocao?"

Zhou Jinju looked at the piece of cured meat in her hand, and instantly froze; there was a special mark on it, so she could recognize it as Wang Lin's cured meat. After realizing, she apologetically said:

"Uncle Wang, I know you're a good person, but this matter is a mistake made by our family's Xiaocao, so don't cover up for that dead girl!"

Cured meat.

It is one of the most important sources of meat for rural households; throughout the year, one only gets to eat it during festivals and holidays. She had smelled the aroma of cured meat since she was little, but only in the year she married did she first eat cured meat.

Who let her paternal uncle's family treat her so badly? From childhood, she was ordered around by her paternal uncle's family, and she ate only the leftovers from their meals.

For such an important ingredient as cured meat, her paternal uncle's family didn't even have enough for themselves—how could they give any to her?

The Wang Lin family are all good people, which she knows; they have helped her several times before. She would believe it if Wang Lin gave her some vegetables, but no matter what, she could not believe that Wang Lin would give her a piece of cured meat.

Let alone her having no relatives; even if they were relatives, it would still be unlikely.

This matter.

She has deep personal experience of this!

"Jinju, you misunderstood; this piece of cured meat is not me giving it to—no, I can also say I gave it to your family!"

Wang Lin wore a strange expression; the truth of the matter, even his wife wouldn't believe. If he spoke it out, Zhou Jinju would surely not believe him; but if he didn't speak, it would surely make her misunderstand Xiaocao. He said solemnly:

"Xiaocao, do you still remember the black cat that saved you not long ago?"

"Grandfather Wang, I certainly remember; that was Xiaocao's lifesaver..."

Xiaocao nodded, her words not yet finished, when she saw a black shadow leisurely crawling into the hall. Looking closely, it was a black cat—the very black cat that had saved her, the cat catcher. She exclaimed delightedly:

"Mother, look, it's that black cat, the very black cat that saved me!"

"Is there really a black cat that saves lives?"

Zhou Jinju's face was full of suspicion; she glanced at the black cat that had crawled into the hall, now leisurely lying beside Wang Ping'an's cradle, resting, then glanced at Wang Lin, and said in astonishment:

"Uncle Wang, what on earth is going on?"

Not long ago.

Xiaocao returned home covered in dust; she felt heartbroken and wiped the dust off Xiaocao's body while listening to Xiaocao recount the story of how she was saved by a black cat.

At that time, she merely echoed a few words, but didn't take them to heart, thinking Xiaocao was still young and liked to indulge in wild fantasies.

Thinking back, when she was young, she too had fantasized about someone standing up for her when she was bullied.

Who would have known.

Now it seems, it doesn't look like a joke!

"I..."

Wang Lin was about to speak, intending to repeat in detail what he had just said, but thinking of his own situation, if he laid out the circumstances, Zhou Jinju might not believe him and suspect he was an old fool.

The words on Wang Lin's tip of the tongue were swallowed back, and he changed his tone: "Little Daoist, why don't you explain the whole situation in detail?"

"Shall I say it?"

Yuan Liang stared, seeing Wang Lin nod, then continued speaking: "This female benefactor, actually it's like this..."

Not long after, Yuan Liang explained the whole incident in detail; seeing Zhou Jinju appear stunned, he couldn't help but ask: "Madam Zhou, did you hear everything I said clearly?"

"I, I, I..."

Zhou Jinju wore a bewildered expression, opened her mouth, very much wanting to say she had heard everything clearly, but for some reason, the words on her lips just wouldn't come out.

Who made Yuan Liang say something so outrageous, she found it hard to believe...

Yuan Liang frowned and said: "Madam Zhou, shall I say it again?"

"No need, no need!" Zhou Jinju shook her head, lowered her head to glance at the cured meat in her hand, swallowed, and said:

"Little Daoist, you mean the black cat from Uncle Wang's family—no, it's the spirit cat that saved our family's Xiaocao, seeing our family's Xiaocao's wild vegetables trampled by those bad kids, and then took a piece of cured meat from home and delivered it to our family?"

Yuan Liang nodded.

"Jinju, do you understand now? You wronged Xiaocao; this piece of cured meat was sent by my family's spirit cat to you—just take it back!"

Wang Lin said solemnly.

"Xiaocao, it's Mother who wronged you; Mother here apologizes to you!"

Zhou Jinju looked at Xiaocao, her face full of grievance; as these words fell, tears welled up in her eyes like a breached river.

Xiaocao wailed loudly: "Mother, you've told me since I was little not to steal others' things; I have never stolen anything!"

"It's Mother's fault, it's Mother's fault!"

Zhou Jinju felt as if her heart were being cut by a knife; she enfolded Xiaocao in her arms to comfort her. As Xiaocao gradually stopped crying, she then returned the cured meat in her hand and said:

"Uncle Wang, I appreciate the kindness of your family's spirit cat, but I cannot take this cured meat no matter what; it's too precious—please take it back!"

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Zhang Guihua said: "Jinju..."

Zhou Jinju interrupted: "Aunt, I know your family are all good people, but the cured meat is too precious; please take it back!"

Zhang Guihua looked toward Wang Lin.

Wang Lin, helpless, could only take the cured meat Zhou Jinju handed over and said: "All right then!"

"Uncle Wang, I still have matters at home; I'll be leaving first!"

Zhou Jinju rose, holding Xiaocao, preparing to leave, when Wang Lin hurriedly shouted: "Jinju, wait a moment!"

"Uncle Wang, what else do you have?"

Zhou Jinju said.

"Guihua, bring some vegetables from home!"

Wang Lin gave an order; seeing Zhou Jinju open her mouth, knowing she wanted to refuse, he quickly interjected: "You don't want the cured meat, but you absolutely must not refuse these vegetables—this is the heartfelt intention of me and your aunt!"

"Thank you, Uncle Wang!"

Zhou Jinju's face was full of gratitude.

Later.

Wang Lin gave Zhang Guihua a look.

Not long after, Zhang Guihua went and returned, holding a bamboo basket filled with fresh seasonal vegetables, which she handed to Zhou Jinju.

Zhou Jinju put down the grass, took the basket, and said gratefully, "Aunt, thank you!"

Ding! You arranged for the constable captain to send a piece of cured meat to Zhou Jinju, but Zhou Jinju refused, and her character infected you; congratulations on gaining the talent: Indomitable Perseverance 【Entry Level】!

A mechanical, cold voice echoed in Wang Ping'an's mind, startling the sleeping Wang Ping'an awake; he looked in surprise at Zhou Jinju leaving with the bamboo basket, his expression somewhat complex, his eyes full of admiration.

"Such a principled woman, yet she is a widow; although she has relatives, it would be better if she had none—she will surely endure endless hardships ahead. Indeed, the saying that good people don't live long while misfortune lasts a thousand years is true!"

Wang Ping'an sighed softly, inwardly reflecting: "Perhaps Heaven let me come to this world in order to help people like her!"

(End of chapter)