Chapter 152 - 144: Catching Adulterers

Chapter 152: Chapter 144: Catching Adulterers

Thinking of Bai Zhi’s sharp tongue, her viciousness when she swung a club, and her cold, heartless calm during the family separation, he completely believed what Ms. Zhang said. "I believe you."

Bai Erzhu sighed. "Then what are we eating tonight?"

Ms. Zhang shook her head. "Why ask me? I’m not the one in charge of this family. You should be asking your mother. Last time we sold the grain, I told her to trade some for rice, but she refused. She’d rather borrow rice from others than buy it, acting as if she’ll never have to pay it back. Well, look at this. The price of rice has already doubled. Who knows what it’ll be tomorrow. Let’s just see what she does now."

Bai Erzhu looked troubled. He tugged on his wife’s sleeve and whispered, "How about you go borrow some from your brother? I saw him at the village entrance the other day, and he was bringing back two sacks of rice. That should last them a long time. If you ask him, he’ll definitely lend you some."

Ms. Zhang’s brow furrowed in anger. "Don’t even think about it! We still haven’t paid back the rice we borrowed from my brother last year. I swear, you Bai Family people never planned on returning it. Do you take my brother for a sucker? He farms the land all by himself to raise three kids. Is his life easy? I’ve been eating his food and living under his roof these past few days, and has it once crossed your mind to send any rice over for me?"

Bai Erzhu flinched. Seeing his wife was angry, he quickly whispered, "Forget I said anything. Just... forget I said anything, okay?"

Ms. Zhang scoffed. "I’m not the only one here with family. Doesn’t Mother have brothers? Doesn’t Eldest Sister-in-law have brothers? How come you never see them running to their families to borrow rice and oil? Why is it always me you want to send back to my family to borrow things?"

"Borrowing is one thing. As the saying goes, repay your debts, and you’ll have no trouble borrowing again. But you people? All you think about is borrowing, never paying it back. Do you think everyone else is a fool? Why would anyone lend to you a second time?"

Dejected, Bai Erzhu climbed onto the bed, his stomach growling loudly from hunger. He’d only had rice water for lunch and had been hoping for a proper dinner, but now it seemed there wasn’t even rice water left.

「The Hu Family Home」

Old Mrs. Bai and Liu arrived outside the wooden hut where Zhao Lan and Bai Zhi lived. When they saw the door was locked, they figured the two must be in the main house of the Hu Family, so they went over.

The courtyard was empty. The main gate was open, but the hall seemed to be empty as well.

The two women called out softly a few times. When no one answered, they decided to just let themselves in.

Inside the hall, they saw that the doors to the two rooms were both closed.

Liu muttered, "Why are the doors shut in the middle of the day? Could they be up to something shameful in there?"

Hu Changlin and Zhao Lan had both been widowed for many years. Now that Zhao Lan was free, it was a case of dry tinder meeting a blazing fire; it would be more surprising if nothing happened.

Old Mrs. Bai’s face was grim, her thoughts unreadable. Liu whispered urgently, "Mother, let’s burst in and catch them red-handed! Then we’ll have something to hold over their heads. After that, whether we want rice or money, it’ll be whatever we say, right?"

Old Mrs. Bai’s eyes lit up. ’What a brilliant idea!’ She nodded at once. "Let’s do it."

And so, working themselves up, the pair shoved open one of the doors and rushed in.

They had expected to see two pale, bare asses tangled up on the bed, but to their surprise, the room was empty. There wasn’t a soul in sight.

Liu said quickly, "This must be Hu Feng’s room. They’re definitely in the other one!"

So, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law rushed to the other door, pushed their way in, and fixed their eyes on the bed, looking for any sign of movement.

But alas, there was no movement whatsoever. The room was completely empty.