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Chapter 136: Chapter 130 Easing
Just two days later, Xing Zhonghua really did get a small dog for Shen Yunfang. Barely a month old, the dog was pitch-black all over except for some white spots on its front paws, which made it quite a sight when it ran.
Shen Yunfang was extremely delighted and named it Taxue. This little creature was at its most mischievous, so during this time, one could often hear from the courtyard, "Taxue, you can’t go causing trouble in the chicken coop, the hens will stop laying eggs." "Taxue, you mustn’t cause damage." "Taxue..."
A month later, Shen Yunfang’s chickens suddenly fell ill overnight, causing a sensation throughout Gaijiatun. When people came to look, they saw the backyard’s warm shed littered with convulsing chickens and ducks—a shocking scene. Barely ten healthy ones remained, huddled in a corner, trembling.
Shen Yunfang, eyes red with grief, received wave upon wave of villagers who came to console her but were actually there to watch the spectacle. Once the crowd had seen enough, she closed the courtyard gate and began to cull the chickens. Last year, she had a total of fifty-three chickens left, fifty-one hens and two roosters. This year, with the arrival of spring, she had another brood, and Dashuan’s wife gave her thirty more, bringing the count to fifty-three chicks, including thirty-five roosters and eighteen hens.
After calling back the hens she had hidden away, Shen Yunfang culled thirty-three chickens, both the old hens and the young roosters from the previous year. The young hens from the same year had already started laying eggs, and she really couldn’t bear to part with them. After all, everyone already knew about the epidemic that had wiped out most of her chickens, and she figured it would be a while before anyone would set their sights on her again.
She couldn’t bear to slaughter the ducks and geese either; they were too small, so she decided to wait until after the New Year for them to put on more weight.
The villagers, seeing the heavy losses suffered by Shen Yunfang, went from a mix of envy and resentment to pure sympathy. Anyone who lost so many chickens in one go would be heartbroken, and for some, it might take several years to recover from such a blow.
Many people visited just to comfort Shen Yunfang, telling her not to be too upset and to chalk it up to illness this year. They suggested she could raise more chickens next year to recoup her losses.
Funny enough, Shen Yunfang’s previously lackluster popularity greatly improved after this incident—an unexpected silver lining, perhaps.
Of course, there were those who gloated behind her back, saying it served her right; she wouldn’t have suffered such losses if she hadn’t been so idle every day.
On this day of the Solar Calendar year, Old Shen hosted guests at his home, aiming to resolve the conflict between Shen Yunfang and his second sister. As the main focus of the gathering, Shen Yunfang had to attend despite her poor mood.
"Auntie, I’m here; is there anything else that needs doing?" The moment Shen Yunfang entered, she saw that it was always Old Shen’s wife who did the cooking unchanged.
This wasn’t to blame on the eldest and second sisters-in-law. They also wanted to help, but Old Shen’s wife had a deep attachment to her kitchen that no one could infringe upon, so she ended up shouldering all the work herself in the Shen household.
"No need, no need; please come in, go have a chat with your Old Shen," said Old Shen’s wife, wiping sweat from her brow.
Shen Yunfang, not standing on ceremony, pushed the door open and entered.
Wow, the room was really crowded, not only was Old Shen there, but also her usually hidden eldest brother and his family, second brother and his family, and of course, Shen Yunxiu with her bulging belly and Fang Chengjian, along with the couple of the second uncle, and the second aunt’s couple.
When Yunxiu got married, the Old Shen family had split up. However, neither son’s new house was finished, so they all still lived at home. Yet, whenever Yunxiu visited, the two sisters-in-law rarely showed up, feeling ashamed. If they absolutely couldn’t avoid it, they would inevitably throw a few barbed words at her.
This caused the Shen family atmosphere to be quite tense over the past few months, making today’s full house a first.
"Yunfang, you’re here," said Old Shen as he saw Shen Yunfang come in and greeted her.
"Yes, Old Uncle, Second Uncle, Second Aunt," she politely greeted the elders, deliberately leaving out the second aunt’s family.
The second aunt looked emotionless, but Zhao Fusheng appeared shame-faced.
Old Shen saw the situation wasn’t looking good, but hoped that during the meal when everyone mixed together, the aunt and niece might exchange a few words and unwind their knot of tension.
Soon, it was time to eat, still with men at one table and women at another.
Shen Yunfang just focused on eating, responding noncommittally to whoever spoke to her, trying her best not to engage in conversation.
Seeing this, Old Shen sighed and said, "Yunfang, let bygones be bygones. You can’t write two ’Shen’ characters with one stroke. We, the Old Shen family, only have these few truly close and reliable people. We can’t hold grudges." He was also upset with the second aunt, but no matter what, she was his own sister. When he saw her miserable state, he softened again.
Upon hearing her elder brother’s words, Shen Fuzhen started wiping away tears, clearly aggrieved.
Shen Yunfang was somewhat speechless, "Uncle, you shouldn’t be saying this to me. ’The Shen family’s name cannot be represented twice,’ so why, when no one else is saying anything, must my own family be so keen on framing me, without considering what would happen to me if I were truly wronged?"
"Boo hoo, but you’re fine, aren’t you?" Shen Fuzhen started to cry.
"You find this funny, do you? If you manage to pin the blame on me and it sticks, would you really not know what would become of me? The person sitting here crying now is me, just because I’m not in trouble, does that mean this incident can be treated as if it never happened? My heart isn’t that big, really, it’s still bleeding from the wounds inflicted by my own family," Shen Yunfang pointed at her chest.
"Ah, Yunfang, your uncle knows you’ve been wronged. Your second aunt also knows she made a mistake. She has suffered quite a bit this time. I know you’re a good child, so please forgive your second aunt this once," Grandaunt Shen sighed, realizing that family quarrels are the hardest to settle.
"Uncle, just say what you want to say," Shen Yunfang put down her chopsticks.
She had figured it out; today’s meal wasn’t going to be that enjoyable. There was obviously something they needed her to do.
"Humph, I told you she’s heartless. Second Aunt’s family is on the brink of ruin, and she’s still being petty," Shen Yunxiu blurted out.
Fang Chengjian, who was sitting beside her, tugged at her clothes to signal her to stop talking.
"What’s the matter? I can’t speak in my own house?" Shen Yunxiu pulled at her clothes and lifted her chin defiantly.
This rendered Fang Chengjian somewhat embarrassed.
"Yunfang, don’t stoop to your cousin’s level. She’s pregnant and on edge, behaving like this with everybody," Fang Chengjian quickly explained to Shen Yunfang.
Ever since he arrived in Gaijiatun, he had gradually been hearing bits and pieces about this cousin from Shen Yunxiu’s mouth. It was not until a recent meeting, where everyone discussed how many pigs and chickens her family had, and how much money she could make, that he really started to take notice of this cousin. She was not simple.
Even though her family’s poultry had recently died from disease, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; this cousin was surely still holding something back.
"What are you saying? Do you fancy her or something? Ah, I knew it! You little hussy, even seducing your own cousin’s husband," Shen Yunxiu stretched out her hand to reach across the table to Shen Yunfang.
"Enough! Shut your mouth. Say one more word, and you can get out," Grandaunt Shen snapped and slammed his chopsticks down.
"Boo hoo, mother..." Shen Yunxiu started to sob on Grandmother Shen’s shoulder, acting as if she had been greatly wronged.
"Hurry up and take her to the other room," Grandaunt Shen was exhausted by his daughter’s constant drama.
"But the child has hardly eaten a few bites," Grandmother Shen was still sympathetic to her daughter.
"Eat? Does she look like she wants to eat properly?" Grandaunt Shen scolded.
Not wanting to upset the old man, Grandmother Shen had no choice but to take her reluctant daughter to eat outside.
With the troublemaker gone, the room quieted down. The eldest cousin and his family all minded their own business, continuing to eat without uttering a word.
"Yunfang, one has to have some human touch in dealing with others. You’re a girl, and when you get married, you’ll need your parental home to back you up, so your in-laws will respect you," the second aunt said melodramatically. "Your second aunt was wrong this time, but she has suffered enough punishment. Mercy to others is mercy to oneself."
Shen Yunfang ignored her and directly asked Grandaunt Shen, "Uncle, what is it really about? Stop beating around the bush and just tell me."
Grandaunt Shen glanced at the tearful Second Aunt Shen, sighed, and said, "I don’t know how it happened, but your second aunt’s affair has reached the commune. Today I received a notice saying that they want to make an example of your second aunt and I should bring her to the commune."
Shen Yunfang felt no sympathy for her. Suffering? She deserved it. If it hadn’t been for Xing Zhonghua’s help, it would be her, Shen Yunfang, who would be suffering now.
"It seems you’re acquainted with the comrade from the armed forces. Could you talk to them and maybe they won’t have to take your second aunt to the commune?" Grandaunt Shen finally revealed his purpose.
