Chapter 46: Demanding Food Expenses

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Demanding Food Expenses

"Will I really not become a burden to you?" Lin Qiu asked chokingly.

Lin Xue hugged Lin Qiu tightly. "With you, I have the motivation to strive hard. I’m not working hard for anyone else, just for you. I can’t disappoint your expectations. Without you, my life has no meaning."

Upon hearing Lin Xue’s words, Lin Qiu held her sister and cried bitterly.

"Then let’s leave! Brother, grab our things, we’re going." Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at the sisters. Better cry later; right now, escaping this den of wolves is the most urgent.

"You can’t leave; we’ve fed her for so many years. Pay the meal money, then you can go!" Old Mrs. Liu suddenly realized letting them go this easily seemed too cheap, pointing at Lin Qiu to demand her living expenses.

"Sure! Let’s settle accounts then!" Fu Xiaoxiao curved her lips into a smile at Old Mrs. Liu.

"Five hundred." Old Mrs. Liu held up five fingers, asking greedily.

"Five hundred? You might as well go steal!" Lin Xue, furious, rolled up her sleeves, ready to argue with Old Mrs. Liu.

"Five hundred is not the issue. Now let’s calculate how much Lin Qiu should be paid for working like an ox or a horse for your Liu Family these years!" Fu Xiaoxiao stopped Lin Xue, lazily stretched out her fingers, and chuckled.

"Laundry, mopping, sweeping, cooking, dishwashing, also collecting grass, feeding chickens and ducks, oh, and serving your feudal-like ’Grand Empress Dowager.’ Let’s say half a yuan a day, not much, right?" Fu Xiaoxiao counted item by item.

"Half a yuan a day, fifteen yuan a month, one hundred eighty yuan a year. Lin Qiu worked for ten years, which is one thousand eight hundred yuan. Deduct her meal expenses of five hundred, then that’s one thousand three hundred yuan. Please pay it."

Upon this calculation, Old Mrs. Liu’s eyes widened. "You’re robbing! How ridiculous to charge half a yuan a day! Out, out, just hurry up and get out!"

"Weren’t you the one who wanted to settle financially? We’re doing just that! Don’t later claim it’s unclear and messy; should we call your village chief to witness?" Fu Xiaoxiao flicked her fingers, mocking.

"Do you think we want to stay here? Sis, let’s go!" Lin Xue spat at the Liu Family, pulling Lin Qiu along.

"Lin Qiu, if you dare leave, don’t think you can ever come back to this family again." Liu Qiang suddenly spoke as he saw Lin Qiu about to leave with Lin Xue.

Lin Qiu turned back to look at Liu Qiang. Lin Xue wanted to speak in worry but was stopped by Fu Xiaoxiao, who shook her head.

This was something Lin Qiu had to say herself.

"Liu Qiang, I owe you nothing! You lied to me for half my life; I should hate you! But I don’t anymore; I regard those years as feeding a dog. I never want to see you again." Lin Qiu looked at Liu Qiang with eyes devoid of sadness or joy, as if seeing a stranger.

"Lin Qiu!" Liu Qiang rushed forward trying to grab Lin Qiu’s hand, but barely approached before Wang Lu kicked him back to his original spot.

"Scram." Wang Lu coldly said, had it not been for the clothes he wore, he would’ve beaten him to a pulp.

Upon leaving the Liu Family, Fu Xiaoxiao saw outside that a group of nosy village women had already gathered. As they saw Fu Xiaoxiao and the others emerge, each turned away, some pretended to be chatting, others pretended to pass by, some squatted down suddenly to pluck wild grass.

"By the way, where’s your household registration?" Fu Xiaoxiao remembered something, turned around to ask Lin Qiu.

"I have it." Lin Qiu took the bundle handed by Wang Lu, and pulled out her household registration book.

"They never let Liu Qiang get a marriage certificate with me back then, just casually set a table in the village, invited a few elders to attend the pretense. Now it saves that trouble." Lin Qiu looked at her household registration book, showing herself and Lin Xue, since there were no elders at home, the village allowed her to establish a single female household.

Suddenly, she felt grateful for the Liu Family’s indifference. Because they looked down on her, knowing she had nowhere to go, they didn’t even bother getting a certificate.

She was even more thankful for the child she once lost in her belly, not having to leave them to suffer.

"Hey, Liu family’s little daughter-in-law, where are you going?" Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao and others taking Lin Qiu away, someone couldn’t resist asking.

"My sister is no longer the Liu family’s daughter-in-law; don’t call her that anymore." Lin Xue snorted coldly, shouting.

"Ah? How did things end up kicking you out of the house?" Upon hearing Lin Xue’s words, everyone unanimously assumed Lin Qiu was expelled.

"You..." Lin Xue was furious and wanted to curse but was interrupted by Fu Xiaoxiao.

"It’s true! Lin Qiu was a drudge at the Liu Family all these years, after all, not having any grandchildren’s worth!"

"No wonder, I guessed it was because she couldn’t bear children that she was kicked out." An old woman scrutinized Lin Qiu’s frail frame, confirmed by the observation.

"Mom, didn’t that man say it’s because Widow Zhang at the village entrance got pregnant with his child that Aunt Qiu was kicked out?" Lu Chen suddenly spoke, and all eyes turned to Lu Chen as the little child spoke.

Fu Xiaoxiao quickly pretended to be angry, covering Lu Chen’s mouth.

"Oh, children talk nonsense, don’t believe it!" Fu Xiaoxiao shook her head, denying Lu Chen’s words.

"Kids don’t lie. No wonder I kept seeing Liu Qiang heading to the village entrance; it’s because of this!"

"I said that woman is a seductress, improper all day long, enticing passing men."

"Exactly, all day in flowery clothes wandering the village, never setting foot on the ground. How come she’s not starving? Certainly, some man is supporting her!"

"..."

Several old women and aunties began speculating, Fu Xiaoxiao pretended to fail to conceal, shook her head, leaned over and told them.

"Zhang the Widow’s belly has Liu Qiang’s spawn; Lin Qiu didn’t have the blessing of bearing his child, so she voluntarily stepped aside!" Fu Xiaoxiao whispered to the gossiping village women.

"Hiss... Are they having an affair?" Upon hearing Fu Xiaoxiao, everyone gasped in surprise.

"Don’t say it like that, Xiaoqiu stepped aside, so Liu Qiang’s now a bachelor, it doesn’t count, it doesn’t count. Do not spread it too! Once out there, it’ll be tricky." Fu Xiaoxiao said mysteriously, told them not to spread the gossip.

"Yes, yes, we definitely won’t spread it, our mouths are sealed tight." Several old women and aunties nodded, exchanging glances.

Having reached her goal, Fu Xiaoxiao took Lu Chen ahead, gesturing Lin Qiu and others to follow swiftly and leave.

On the way to the village entrance, Lin Xue’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. "You’re amazing! The Liu family won’t have any peace now!"

"How could we let their family off so easily! They bullied your sister for ten years; they must pay." Fu Xiaoxiao smiled at Lin Xue. "Just watch, this will make them suffer greatly."

"Thank you." Lin Qiu’s eyes reddened, initially thinking Fu Xiaoxiao would be difficult to get along with, but unexpectedly... she helped her like this.