Chapter 22: Fury

  "...such a large half of a rabbit is worth at least several hundred coins, why give it away?" Helping Zhang Zhi put the large half of the rabbit on the wooden frame, Zhen Shi Niang repeatedly declined, "I'll just keep one hind leg, and the rest can be taken by Brother Zhang to sell at the market. It's just in time for the merchants to collect mountain goods, good timing, Brother Zhang can still get a high price."

  Zhen Shi Niang turned around and was about to enter the house to fetch a knife while speaking.

  "We're neighbors, don't be polite, Miss Jian!" Zhang Zhi stopped her, "I'm not a professional hunter, I just happened to run into this while hunting for mountain goods. My mother said that the meat of the serow warms the spleen and stomach, it's best for your body...". He rubbed his hands awkwardly, "Just eat, Miss Jian, we still have half a one at home."

  Zhang Zhi is the neighbor of Zhen Shiniang, and at home, it's just the two women who depend on each other for survival. Zhang's mother is over 40 years old, but due to many years of asthma, every year when winter comes, she can't breathe and can't even cook, looking like a 50 or 60-year-old old lady.

  Zhen Shiniang couldn't bear to see this, so she stir-fried the dried earthworms until they were yellow and ground them into a powder. She told her to take it with sugar water. At first, Zhang's mother didn't believe her either. This illness of hers had been treated by countless doctors and she had taken so many medicinal soups, yet it couldn't be cured. How could this packet of non-medicinal fine powder possibly work?

  But then Zhen Shiniang also sincerely thought that eating a little wouldn't kill anyone, so she tried eating a few packages, but unexpectedly even the roots were all gone.

  Mrs. Zhang's gratitude can be imagined, and she also appreciated that Zhen Shi Niang was a gentle and magnanimous person who usually stayed at home and never interfered with the neighborhood disputes. Seeing her as a widow with an only son, she often let Zhang Zhi come over to help with some chores, treating him like her own son, and whenever there were good things, she would not forget to ask Zhang Zhi to bring some back, just like one family.

  "...I know Zhang's family still has some, I told you to take it and sell it, not to bring it back for eating." Zhen Shiniang smiled and said, "It's too hot today, the meat won't keep, I couldn't finish it all and it would go bad."

  The Zhang family also relied on two acres of thin fields to make a living, and everyone's life was equally hard.

  "Mother said that if you can't eat it, dry the meat or preserve it and it will keep. Zhang Zhi was dull-witted and not good at speaking, seeing Zhen Shi Niang refused to take it even in death, he unconsciously turned red with anger, stretching out his arm to block her from entering the house to get a knife. "My mother said that this raccoon dog meat is the most nourishing for the body."

  She saw that he was stubborn, so Zhen Shining let out a sigh and thought to herself, "Aunt is also being kind, if I insist on not accepting it would be ungrateful of me. It's getting close to winter, just the right time for nourishment, tomorrow I'll send her some donkey hide gelatine too." Thinking this way, she smiled and nodded, "Alright, I accept, Zhang Da Ge please go inside and have a drink..." Just as she finished speaking, she suddenly remembered that Shen Zhong Shuai was still sleeping in the house, her voice came to an abrupt halt.

  A widow's door is often besieged by gossip, and it would be unseemly for him to catch Shen Zhongjie sleeping in her house.

  How can this be good?

  She suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, Zhen Shiniang had completely forgotten that she wasn't a widow. The man inside was her son's legitimate father and her own rightful husband, there was nothing to be afraid of.

  Right and wrong were at a loss, Autumn Chrysanthemum dragged in a large bundle of firewood.

  Zhang Zhi saw it and walked forward, lifting it up with one hand and placing it on top of the firewood pile in the west of the courtyard.

  "I'm exhausted!" Qiu Ju was sweating profusely, wiping her forehead with her sleeve while smiling at Zhang Zhi, "Thanks, Uncle Zhang."

  They couldn't bear to buy it, and the firewood at home was all collected by Xīquè and Qiūjú going up the mountain. When Xīquè became pregnant, they were afraid that there wouldn't be enough firewood for the winter, so Qiūjú went alone to collect nearly twice as much firewood. At first, she could still carry it on her shoulders when she came down from the mountain, but later she couldn't carry it anymore and had to drag it. As she walked in front, a trail of smoke and dust rose up behind her, like she was dragging a big-tailed wolf.

  She saw her covered in dust, with streaks on her face from wiping it with her sleeves, looking like a flower-faced cat. Zhen Shiniang burst out laughing and patted her gently, "Don't carry so much again next time, you'll exhaust yourself... Hurry inside to wash up, rest for a bit, and then we'll have dinner."

  "Ah!" Qiujie responded lightly and stepped into the house.

  "Don't let her carry firewood again, it's exhausting for the child." Looking at Qiuju's thin and small figure in the distance, Zhang Zhi felt a pang of sadness. "After harvesting, I'll help with the threshing for a few days, that will be enough for you to burn through winter."

  Zhen Shiniang sighed, "This year has been nothing but trouble for Brother Zhang." She asked again, "When will Brother Zhang harvest? I'll have Qiujie go help out." They owed too much to the Zhang family, and the only labor they could lend was Qiujie.

  She and magpie both have weak bodies, one is pregnant, neither of them can work in the fields.

  "When the time comes, let her help me take care of it for two days...” Zhang Zhiren was worried that no one would take care of it, and at harvest time, he couldn't handle it alone. After hearing this, he nodded, looked at the time, and bid farewell, "Miss Jian is busy, I'll go back first, my mother is waiting for me to have breakfast."

  "I've made some egg and chive pancakes, Zhang Dage just happened to bring a few for Auntie to try the freshness, so you won't have to start a fire in the morning." Mentioning eating, Zhen Shiniang remembered the stuffed buns she had just made, and she turned around and went back into the house.

  Zhen Shiniang's culinary skills were excellent, and eating her cooking was like celebrating the New Year. Seeing her bring out several pancakes, Zhang Zhi beamed with joy, his teeth gleaming with a smile.

  Seeing off Zhang Zhi, thinking of Jian Wu and Jian Wen seeing that there was meat to eat and would be excited to shout and jump, Zhen Shi Niang's mood was exceptionally good, and she hummed a little tune. Turning her head back, she was startled to see Shen Zhongjie standing behind her with a dark face.

  How can this person walk without making any sound?

  Don't you know that frightening people can be fatal?

  In her heart, Zhen Shining only dared not to show it on her face. She seemed to casually close the door and slightly bowed to Shen Zhongge, "...... Has the general gotten up?" Absolutely cannot let the neighbors see a big man standing in her yard early in the morning.

  As he saw the smile on her face disappear in an instant when she saw him, Shen Zhongge's expression became even more gloomy.

  She was used to his taciturnity, so when she saw him not speaking, Zhen Shiniang didn't think much of it and quickened her pace towards the house. "General, have you washed up? Breakfast will be ready soon." Jian Wujianwen must have been hungry early, Shen Zhongjie had woken up, so she hurriedly stir-fried the dishes.

  After walking a few steps, Zhen Shi Niang thought of the rabbit meat sent by Zhang Zhi and turned back to the frame, poking at the half rabbit with her finger, pondering whether to add more meat dishes in the morning.

  Few people can remain so calm in the face of his rage, Shen Zhongge slowly turned around, quietly gazing at her back, his eyes slightly dazed.

  Those who know him well understand that he is furious.

  Unfortunately, Zhen Shining had been staring at his face that could freeze people to death since she saw him, and she didn't think about getting involved with him anyway. She didn't notice the subtle changes in him at all, and instead turned the rabbit over, pondering which piece of meat was good, whether it should be braised or stir-fried.

  The rabbit meat is lean and fat-free, making it perfect for making dumplings. However, since breakfast was rushed, she thought that after the poisonous-tongued man left in the afternoon, she could make a pot of dumplings to satisfy everyone's cravings. Just as she was thinking this, a huge black shadow suddenly blocked her line of sight. "When did you change your surname?" The voice wasn't loud, but it was like ice in the twelfth lunar month, making Zhen Shiniang shiver.

  Change surname?

  When did she change her surname?

  Zhen Shining looked at Shen Zhongge with some confusion.

  "He just called you Xiao Jie!" Shen Zhongge's voice was laced with a hint of forcibly suppressed rage.

  Zhen Shining heard this and secretly thought: "Oh no, how did he hear that!"