Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 11998

Just as Xiu Hong was gently massaging her lower back, a figure flashed past the doorway, followed by a woman's loud, hoarse voice: "Fourth brother's wife, what are you doing?"

Xiu Hong looked up and saw that it was Sixi's mother coming over. Xiu Hong quickly put down the teacup in her hand, came to the door and said respectfully, "Mother, I'm tidying up the teacups. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Where is Sixi?" Sixi's mother asked, her gaze fixed on Xiuhong's back.

"Sixi drank too much and is sleeping. Is there something you need from him, Mother?" Xiuhong asked again, stepping aside slightly so that Sixi's mother could enter the room directly.

Sixi's mother's gaze swept over Sixi, who was lying on the bed. She hadn't taken off her shoes or clothes, and had just pulled a corner of the quilt over her stomach.

Such a brand-new and beautiful quilt, what a waste to cover this boy with it! Si Xi's mother muttered to herself, but she looked away and said to Xiu Hong, "I'm asking you, have you distributed all those wedding cakes you brought?"

"We haven't finished distributing them; there's still a little left. Mother, would you like to eat some?" Xiu Hong asked hurriedly.

Xiu Hongniang waved her hand, "It's not that I want to eat them, I'm not greedy at all. I just came to ask how many you have left?"

Xiu Hong thought for a moment and deliberately lied about the number: "Four or five, that's not many."

"Huh? Only four or five left?" Si Xi Niang looked a little troubled when she heard this number.

"Mother, what's wrong? What do you need this wedding cake for?" Xiu Hong asked again.

Si Xi Niang said, "How about this, you give me the remaining four or five pieces of wedding cake."

"What does Mother want the wedding cake for?" Xiu Hong asked with a smile, her hands still gently patting her lower back, but she didn't move her feet or open the box.

Xiu Hongniang said, "Is that even a question? When visiting relatives during the Lunar New Year, your cakes are of good quality. You can take them to your two uncles' homes to pay your respects. It'll make you look good!"

Xiu Hong understood; they were going to use her dowry to visit relatives to save money.

Xiu Hong remembers that when her father ordered these wedding cakes, they cost nearly 10 coins per cake on average, which was not cheap. The quality was also really good, and they were certainly presentable when visiting relatives and friends.

"Mother, when my two uncles visit for the New Year, one cake per family should be enough, right? I'll give you two." Xiu Hong couldn't possibly refuse to give them any, after all, it was just two cakes, and it wasn't worth having a direct conflict with her mother-in-law over two cakes on the very day she married into the family.

When Sixi's mother heard that she only wanted two, her face fell: "Two are enough? Are you trying to fob me off like a beggar! Two for each family, and one for our family's pastry box on New Year's Eve. Just give me five!"

Good heavens! Xiu Hong's eyebrows twitched slightly. She had just said there were only four or five left, and now they were going to take all five away.

This mother-in-law really doesn't stand on ceremony with me!
"Mother, I can't take that. I'll be going back to my parents' home to pay New Year's visits during the first month of the lunar year, and I'll be bringing cakes with me. I can only give you three at most, two for New Year's visits and one for display on New Year's Eve. I can't give you any more."

"What do you mean by this, Fourth Brother's wife? We've only just entered the house, and you're already unhappy about me asking you for a few pieces of wedding cake? Why are you so stingy?" Fourth Brother's mother didn't start cursing, but instead frowned and looked at Xiu Hong with disdain.

“You’re decked out in gold and silver from head to toe. When you go back to your parents’ home for the New Year, you can just buy a couple of cakes at the last minute. This is the first time I’ve asked you for a meal, and you’re already showing me no respect. Do you not respect me as your mother-in-law? Or do you not respect your husband?”

"Mother, let's talk, can you please not drag Sixi into this?" Xiu Hong still had a smile on her face, but her tone and attitude showed no intention of backing down.

Are you kidding me? Even if you're the mother-in-law and I'm the daughter-in-law, I didn't marry into this family to be at your beck and call.

I have my family backing me. I will respect you, but there are limits.

This is what my mother, my aunts, and my great-grandmother personally instructed me to do before I got married.

“As your mother-in-law, I asked you for five pieces of wedding cake, and you’re haggling with me. What do you mean by that?” Sixi’s mother asked.

Her voice attracted the attention of Da Xi's wife and San happy's wife, who were working in the kitchen not far away.

"What's wrong? Mother, Fourth Sister-in-law, what are you talking about?" Sanxi's wife asked.

Da Xi's wife then helped Si Xi's mother up, saying, "Mother, who made you angry? Calm down, today is the big day for Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law."

Sixi's mother glanced at Xiuhong beside her and said irritably, "Who else could it be? It's naturally you, Fourth Sister-in-law, who just entered the family and hasn't even warmed your feet yet!"

Da Xi's wife looked at Xiu Hong with surprise and disbelief. "Fourth sister-in-law, what's going on? Mother has been busy with all the arrangements for your wedding. All her old ailments have flared up, and she's covered in plasters! You're the younger generation, please show her some consideration!"

Xiu Hong looked at her sister-in-law and said, "What are you saying, sister-in-law? If Sixi had married someone else instead of me, would your mother-in-law have been spared the trouble and pain?"

Da Xi's wife was speechless. She had heard that Xiu Hong was sharp-tongued before, but she had never experienced it firsthand. Now she had.

She had barely entered the house, and her brother-in-law had just left when she, a newlywed, dared to disobey her mother's wishes. She was incredibly bold... It was truly enviable!

"Listen to this! She's only been here for half a day and she's already trying to ride on my neck!" Sixi's mother was also furious. She lost control of her voice and started yelling at Xiuhong's nose.

"Mother, Fourth Sister-in-law didn't mean it that way. Let's keep our voices down and talk things over. Let's not let others laugh at us." Sanxi's wife quickly persuaded Sixi's mother, while glancing towards the kitchen, where several aunts and sisters-in-law from the clan were gathered.

Da Xi's wife obviously didn't want to make a big deal out of it, since Da Xi had been implicated and imprisoned last time, so she also helped persuade Sixi's mother.

Meanwhile, Sixi, who was catching up on sleep in bed, was also disturbed by the noise. She turned over, looking like she was about to wake up.

Da Xi's wife and San happy's wife quickly coaxed and persuaded Si Xi's mother to leave. Before leaving, San happy's wife gave Xiu Hong a look that told her not to worry, and that she would help persuade her mother-in-law.

Xiu Hong nodded slightly to Sanxi's wife. She knew that her third brother and Sixi had a good relationship, so she appreciated her sister-in-law's kindness.

Xiu Hong turned and went into the house, suddenly realizing how absurd it was for these women to be arguing.

From the moment her mother-in-law started making a scene here until she was taken away by her two sisters-in-law, the two sisters-in-law probably still didn't understand what their mother-in-law was arguing about! After Xiu Hong returned to her room, she deliberately left the door slightly ajar for peace and quiet, so that no one else would keep peeking into the room.

At this moment, Sixi, who was on the bed, also woke up and sat up. He yawned and asked Xiuhong, who was standing by the table with her cheeks puffed out and her brows furrowed, "What's wrong? I think I heard Mother's voice earlier. Did she come by?"

Xiu Hong was originally very brave and strong-willed when facing her mother-in-law's deliberate provocation. But when Sixi woke up and sat on the bed yawning and asked her what happened, Xiu Hong suddenly felt a lump in her throat and her eyes suddenly became wet. The sudden grievance made her lower her eyelids, turn to the side, and not even want to talk to Sixi.

Si Xi slept for a while, and the effects of the alcohol wore off somewhat. When he saw Xiu Hong's appearance, he immediately understood that she was unhappy.

Sixi quickly threw off the covers and got out of bed. She went to the table, held Xiuhong's shoulders, and turned her around. "What happened? Who wronged you? Tell me."

Xiu Hong forcefully shook off his hand that was on her shoulder. Si Xi lost his balance and stumbled, but luckily he managed to grab the table next to him in time.

The basin of water and the teacups on the table trembled a few times. When Sixi saw this, she hurriedly said, "Why are you still working? Put them down quickly, you're the bride today!"

Xiu Hong snorted, "Before, a bunch of aunties, older women and sisters-in-law came to my room, and I poured tea for them all."

"No one has come to clean up these teacups. I can't just stand here and let them pile up on the table, can I? What can I do if I don't wash them?"

Sixi immediately sensed Xiuhong's dissatisfaction from her words. "Those aunties and sisters-in-law who are helping out are probably still busy with kitchen work and haven't had a chance to help out in our room yet. I'll go and tell them to come over and tidy up. Just don't lift a finger."

"Hmph, you'd better not go and say anything. I've already offended your mother and your sister-in-law, and now I'll offend other people too!" Xiu Hong turned around and said angrily.

"If you really care about me, don't put me in the spotlight. Don't make me make enemies of everyone the moment I walk in the door!"

"Alright, alright, I won't say anything. Don't get agitated. Come on, sit down and catch your breath." Sixi held Xiuhong's shoulders again and pressed her down on the stool. Then, he rolled up his sleeves and went to the basin to start washing the teacups.

Seeing Sixi take over the work she hadn't finished and paint with great skill, Xiuhong's grievances and nameless anger gradually subsided.

"Wife, calm down now and tell me what happened earlier, okay?" Sixi asked while washing.

"When I was asleep earlier, I vaguely heard you and Mother talking. Did Mother come to cause you trouble?" Sixi asked again.

Upon hearing this, Xiu Hong felt a little aggrieved. She gestured with her chin toward the wooden box and said, "After you wash the teacups, take all the cakes inside to your mother!"

"Why? Is she still eating so much cake? Why don't you just give her half a piece to satisfy her craving?" Sixi said.

Xiu Hong was quite satisfied with Sixi's answer. If Sixi had actually agreed to deliver it, Xiu Hong would probably have jumped up right now.

This isn't just about a few pieces of cake; it's about a man's preference between his wife and his mother!

Fortunately, Sixi didn't make a mistake.

“Your mother came over earlier and asked me to bring her five cakes. She said she would give two to each of your two uncles when she visited them during the first month of the lunar year, and save one for arranging on New Year’s Eve.”

"Really? I remember in previous years when our family went to my uncle's house to pay New Year's respects, we would bring a piece of cake, which was only this long." Sixi raised two fingers to show that it was about half the length of a chopstick.

The wedding cakes from the embroidered red dowry are as long as a chopstick, wide like a brick, and look substantial, of high quality, and even better packaged.

“I don’t care what kind of New Year’s cake your family used to give in previous years. Even if I marry into this family this year and ask me for auspicious cakes to give as New Year’s greetings, my auspicious cakes are so big, one is enough, right? Your mother won’t listen and insists on giving two to each family. If I don’t take them, she says I’m stingy, that I don’t respect her as my mother-in-law, and that I don’t respect you as my husband!”

Xiu Hong sat on the stool with her arms crossed, frowning and looking very angry.

Si Xi understood. He thought it was something serious, but it turned out it was about this!
"Don't be angry, wife. No matter what, I'll stand by you and be of one mind with you," Sixi promised on the spot.

He dared not promise Xiu Hong that he would go to his mother to explain things later, because Sixi understood the status and importance of his youngest son in his mother's heart.

Even if you go to find them, it will only lead to another argument, and you won't get anything out of it.

Sixi's statement made Xiuhong feel a little better, as her biggest fear was that her husband would not be on her side.

The room returned to silence, with only the sound of Sixi washing the teacups. Xiuhong sat for a while, her anger subsiding somewhat, and then she said to Sixi, "Take three cakes to Mother later, one for each of your two uncles' families when you visit them for the New Year, and one for the New Year's Eve feast at home. That's the most I can give."

"We don't have any more, but if you think it's too little, just take it back. We'll use it a lot ourselves. We'll need it when we go back to my parents' house to pay New Year's visits!"

Si Xi nodded repeatedly: "Okay, I'll deliver it as soon as I'm done washing. I'll do everything according to your wishes, my wife."

Although Si Xi Niang was persuaded to go back to her room by her eldest daughter-in-law and third daughter-in-law, her anger still hadn't subsided.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl of honey and brown sugar water brought over by her eldest daughter-in-law, she didn't even bother to drink it before sitting down and starting to scold Xiu Hong to her two daughters-in-law.

"They've only just entered the house today, and they already don't respect me, their mother-in-law. I'm afraid they'll start taking advantage of us all in the future."

Hearing Sixi's mother's words, Daxi's wife's face also turned ugly. In the backyard of this family, besides the mother-in-law, the second most powerful person should be her, the eldest sister-in-law. Before her fourth sister-in-law married in, her second and third sister-in-laws did not dare to talk back to their mother-in-law like this, and they respected her, the eldest sister-in-law, very much.

Today, my fourth sister-in-law, who just joined the family, dared to talk back to her mother-in-law like this. As the eldest sister-in-law, I feel a sense of shared fate and can't smile at all.

In contrast, Sanxi's wife felt an indescribable sense of wonderful joy.

She's only been married into the family for a short time, only a year and a half, but she sees many things clearly.

My mother-in-law and sister-in-law are aunt and niece by blood. My mother-in-law also favors her eldest son the most. So in this family, my parents-in-law are the most biased towards my eldest brother and sister-in-law.

The second brother and sister-in-law are good at flattering their parents-in-law, using sweet words to win them over. As a result, their status in the family is second only to the eldest brother and sister-in-law. In particular, the second sister-in-law is pregnant and about to give birth, so she has become the focus of care in the family.