Chapter Thirteen: Zhaodi and Xiao’e Were Terrified!

“Still picky?” Liu Tieniu’s face fell. Did he really think he was a bull?

“Yeah, the house is drafty, I’ll gather some stones to patch it up.” Zhao Zheng knew all too well that this scoundrel’s ill intentions toward his daughter-in-law hadn’t died down.

“Father-in-law, I’ll go with you,” Yang Zhaodi said.

Zhang Xiao’e also chimed in, “Father-in-law, we can help too.”

Seeing this, Liu Tieniu thought, isn’t this the perfect chance to show off?

He hurriedly said, “This kind of rough work, you can’t have the two sisters-in-law do it. I’ll carry the stones!”

He thumped his chest loudly. “Uncle Zhao, since the two brothers who carried stones are gone, just treat me like your son. My mother said, distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. If you ever need anything, just call me.”

Zhao Zheng smiled faintly and nodded, then glanced ahead to see a suspicious head peeking around the corner.

Who else could it be but Liu Laosi?

“Tieniu, Uncle Zhao hasn’t mistaken you. Don’t worry, if you put in the effort, I won’t treat you unfairly,” Zhao Zheng patted his shoulder.

Liu Tieniu was thrilled; he didn’t expect Zhao Zheng to be so easy to fool.

Yang Zhaodi, however, felt Liu Tieniu had ill intentions and wanted to warn her father-in-law, but since he was lending a helping hand out of goodwill, if she nitpicked, others might think she didn’t appreciate the kindness.

Watching her father-in-law leave with Liu Tieniu, Zhang Xiao’e frowned. “Sister-in-law, hasn’t the Liu family had conflicts with ours before? Why is Liu Tieniu helping father-in-law now?”

Yang Zhaodi shook her head. “I don’t know. We’ll ask father-in-law later.”

With a helper at hand, Zhao Zheng was relaxed. He would have only carried half a basket himself, but now the entire basket was piled full.

“That’s enough for now, we’ll get more later,” Zhao Zheng said with a smile.

Liu Tieniu cursed inwardly but had already agreed; he couldn’t back out now. Gritting his teeth, he carried the load toward Zhao Zheng’s house.

“Wow, so strong! Tieniu, you must be the strongest man in our little mountain village!”

“Liu Laosi is damn lucky to have a son like you!”

Along the way, Zhao Zheng kept chatting nonstop, making Liu Tieniu feel great inside, though he kept modestly saying, “My father says I’m dumb. Uncle Zhao, don’t praise me so much, I’m embarrassed!”

After a few trips, the stones in the yard piled into a small hill.

Zhao Zheng nodded in satisfaction. “That’s enough for now, Tieniu, have some water!”

He handed over a cup of cold water.

—

Liu Tieniu was tired and hungry. He thought, after all this work, Old Zhao would surely invite him to eat, right?

He still had several pounds of corn at home and figured Zhao wouldn’t be so stingy.

Thinking of the sweet corn, he swallowed hard.

Most importantly, it was a chance to get closer to the two younger sisters-in-law.

“Tieniu, here’s a cake for you. Thanks for your hard work,” Zhao Zheng said, handing over half a wild vegetable cake he’d extorted from Liu Laosi. He didn’t wait for Liu Tieniu to refuse politely. “This is your payment. No refusing, or I’ll get angry!”

Liu Tieniu laughed bitterly. After carrying so many stones, all he got was a wild vegetable cake?

That was seriously stingy.

“Uncle Zhao, this…”

“Don’t be shy. This is the rations I saved. I’m old; eating less doesn’t matter. You’re young; you need to eat more.”

Saying this, he stuffed the dry cake into Liu Tieniu’s mouth, his face showing a pained expression.

Hearing this, Liu Tieniu felt embarrassed to ask for corn. He had volunteered to help; how could he demand a proper meal?

At times like this, everyone split every grain of rice two ways.

For Uncle Zhao to give even half a dry cake was generous enough and would fill him for one meal.

“Well, thanks, Uncle Zhao,” Liu Tieniu said, oddly pleased, feeling he had gained something from the Zhao family. “This is a good start. After half a cake, how long until I can claim the land and daughter-in-law of the Zhao family?”

With that thought, he happily headed back.

Looking at the cake in his hand, he was puzzled. “Why does this cake look so familiar?”

He took a bite. “The taste… it’s so familiar, exactly like what my mother makes…”

He didn’t overthink it—wild vegetable cakes all taste the same—and devoured it.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zheng used a wooden stick to outline the stove and bed positions.

Yang Zhaodi helped from the side. After a while, she said, “Father-in-law, Liu Tieniu is not a good man!”

“I know.”

“Then why…”

“Zhaodi, Liu Tieniu has always had feelings for you. I’m clear on that. He’s after you.”

Yang Zhaodi’s face changed. “Father-in-law, I’ve never thought that way.”

—

Zhao Zheng waved his hand. “You and Xiao’e are still young. You have a long road ahead. Neither of you have children tying you down. You can still find good husbands.”

“If you ever have those thoughts, don’t be afraid of my anger. Tell me, and I’ll gladly see you off with a happy heart.”

Yang Zhaodi’s waxen face turned pale, tears streaming as she knelt. “Father-in-law, your daughter-in-law has no intention of remarriage. I only want to stay by your side, serve you, fulfill my duty to Brother Lei, and care for you in your old age.”

Zhang Xiao’e was also terrified, crying out, “Father-in-law, do you want to drive us away? I promise I’ll work even harder. I’ll eat only one meal a day, no, half a cake. I absolutely won’t eat more. Please don’t send me away!”

Zhao Zheng didn’t think much. These two daughters-in-law were young—just about high school graduates in today’s terms.

They married his son but had never consummated the marriage, nor had children.

They couldn’t be expected to spend their entire lives with their father-in-law.

Besides, they were young now. How would they feel in the future?

Zheng Chunmei’s husband had just died recently, and she was already involved with the hunter Ma. She even had a mother-in-law and three children.

These were real issues.

Physically and mentally, they needed support.

Rather than letting them secretly hook up with others behind his back, it was better to be upfront.

“I’m not driving you away. When you’re older, you won’t think this way,” Zhao Zheng said.

“I’d rather die than leave the Zhao family!” Yang Zhaodi declared resolutely. “If you drive me away, I’ll just bang my head and die right now.”

“Me too!” Zhang Xiao’e said firmly.

A daughter married off is like water spilled.

Now they were Zhao family members.

Their husbands were dead, so they should obey their father-in-law, be filial, and care for him.

If they abandoned him, wouldn’t people curse them to death?

Zhao Zheng felt a slight stirring of emotion.

In modern times, such loyalty and filial piety were rare.

Seeing their determined faces, he said, “Don’t worry, I won’t drive you away. You’re Zhao family, my kin. From now on, the three of us will live well together—that’s more important than anything.”

The two women breathed a sigh of relief and wept with joy again. “Thank you, father-in-law!”