Chapter 59: Don’t Argue with Fools

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Don’t Argue with Fools

At first glance, her words seemed to absolve Widow Xie, but every syllable was crafted to sling mud at Ji Huan.

And yet, she put on an act of being worried for Ji Huan, as if she were afraid the girl was being deceived.

Gou Sheng’s wife slapped her thigh. "I knew it! That girl couldn’t learn anything good from Widow Xie! Just look at her! She’s so young and already bringing men home... And here I thought Widow Xie wanted Ji Huan to marry Hu Liang. Who would have thought..."

Because Tian Jiao had meddled in someone else’s relationship, the villagers didn’t have a very good impression of her.

But people are forgetful.

She and Jiang Wu were a proper married couple now, and they were doing quite well. Tian Jiao had a smile for everyone she met and a silver tongue, so her less-than-honorable past was gradually forgotten.

Seeing her apparent concern for Ji Huan, people felt more and more that you couldn’t blame her and Jiang Wu. With a reputation as a jinx like Ji Huan’s, who would dare marry her?

’Besides, that Ji Huan has no self-respect,’ they thought. ’Gou Sheng’s wife is right. She’s so young and already bringing men home...’

As their lively gossip session at the mouth of the alley was in full swing, they suddenly caught sight of someone coming out of the Hu Family’s home.

"Hey, Aunt Gao! Over here, come on over!" Gou Sheng’s wife waved frantically in her direction.

Aunt Gao wanted to ignore her, but with other people around, she couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen her.

"Aunt Gao, what are you so busy with all day? Come on, tell us. If we can help, we will."

Aunt Gao wasn’t falling for it. "If you want to help, go talk to Old Xie yourself. Why are you asking me?"

"Look at you... Why do you have to be so blunt? I was just asking."

Seeing she couldn’t get anything out of her, Gou Sheng’s wife turned her attention to Second Sister-in-law Xu. "Second Sister-in-law Xu, you’re over at their place every single day. Doesn’t your mother-in-law have anything to say about that?"

There was a reason for her question.

Second Sister-in-law Xu came from a poor family and was the least favored among all the daughters-in-law. Her mother-in-law worked her so hard she was constantly run off her feet, and she’d get an earful just for stepping out to visit a neighbor.

So how was it that she was running around outside every day lately, and her mother-in-law hadn’t come out screaming at her?

What she didn’t know was that more than half of Second Sister-in-law Xu’s wages went straight into her mother-in-law’s pocket. Naturally, her mother-in-law wouldn’t say a word; she even covered for her in front of the other sisters-in-law.

But she couldn’t say that out loud. Second Sister-in-law Xu knew what she was dealing with; Gou Sheng’s wife was no saint and was probably stirring up trouble.

She was getting paid by the Hu Family, so she couldn’t cause them any trouble. Besides, Widow Xie had specifically told them not to say a word about what happened inside the courtyard once they left.

She gave a vague smile. "My mother-in-law treats me like her own daughter. She’s not an unreasonable person, so why would she scold me? Auntie Xie always used to help out when my family needed it, so it’s only right that I lend her a hand now."

Gou Sheng’s wife immediately pressed, "So what kind of help are you giving?"

Second Sister-in-law Xu was a bit too soft-spoken. She didn’t expect the woman to keep prying after that, and she stammered, "Just... washing and chopping vegetables, nothing much..."

Aunt Gao pulled her back and stepped in front, facing Gou Sheng’s wife. "You all saw the Hu Family buying vegetables, didn’t you? What’s there to ask? Have you never seen cabbage? Or spinach?"

Gou Sheng’s wife pursed her lips. "Of course I know what vegetables look like. I just want to know why they bought so many."

"You’re nosier than the village chief. What business is it of yours how much they buy?"

"You..."

Seeing the two were about to start a real argument, the others nearby hurried to break it up.

One of the women, who was on better terms with her, said, "Aunt Gao, we’re all just curious, that’s all. Vegetables don’t last long, even in a cellar. Aren’t they afraid it’ll all go to waste?"

Aunt Gao might give Gou Sheng’s wife the cold shoulder, but she couldn’t do the same to everyone else. "We’re just here to lend a hand," she said. "It’s not our place to ask about their business."

Not to be deterred, Gou Sheng’s wife’s eyes darted around and landed on Aunt Lu, who hadn’t said a word. She was the most timid of the bunch and the easiest to pressure.

"Aunt Lu, Aunt Gao might not know, but you must, right? It won’t kill you to tell us. You can’t just stop talking to your neighbors forever, can you?"

Aunt Lu was a simple, honest woman and couldn’t stand up to the taunting. "Maybe... maybe they’re making pickled vegetables," she stammered. "I really don’t know anything else..."

Aunt Gao gave her a tug, and the three of them made their excuses about needing to go home and cook, then left.

"Pickled vegetables?" Gou Sheng’s wife froze for a second, then burst out cackling. "Oh, for heaven’s sake! A whole den of fools, the lot of them!"

"Exactly! Vegetables are cheap, which makes pickled vegetables even more worthless. Who doesn’t have a few jars of their own at home? It’ll be a miracle if they can sell any of it."

"If you ask me, they’ve been driven mad by poverty..."

"Just wait. A time will come when they’ll be crying their eyes out..."

Tian Jiao had been a little worried that Ji Huan was about to turn her fortunes around. But hearing that this massive operation was just for making pickled vegetables, she scoffed. This wasn’t a comeback; it was an act of pure desperation.

She stopped worrying about it. But just like everyone else, she craned her neck, waiting eagerly to watch Ji Huan and the Hu Family make fools of themselves.

Ji Huan heard the idle gossip floating around the village, but it went in one ear and out the other. She paid it no mind.

She was just too busy!

For the earlier stages of the process, Aunt Gao and the others could take turns, but the dehydration step could only be done by her. She had offered to teach Widow Xie, but the widow had flatly refused, saying that a money-making skill couldn’t be taught to others and that she couldn’t take advantage of Ji Huan like that.

Ji Huan wanted to cry but had no tears. She, too, had become a woman who spent her days tied to a stove. The thought was darkly humorous.

Widow Xie had also been run off her feet lately. When she finally heard that the villagers were not only gossiping about her family but had also dragged Ji Huan into it—saying the most awful things—she was so furious her lungs could have burst. She was ready to march right out and settle the score.

Ji Huan had to physically restrain her.

"Aunt Xie, so many people are talking. Who are you going to confront? Are you going to pick a fight with the entire village? In the time that would take, we could get a lot of our product ready."

Widow Xie was still fuming. "But we can’t just let them say whatever they want! It’s one thing if they talk about me, but how can they say things like that about you? You’re a young, unmarried girl! Are they even human? They’re deliberately trying to ruin your reputation! If I find out who started these rumors, I’ll tear their mouth to shreds!"

"I don’t have much of a reputation for them to ruin anyway." ’I’m already in this situation,’ she thought. ’What’s the point of caring about my reputation? It’s not like you can eat it.’

But even if she didn’t care, someone else did.

Seeing Widow Xie about to glare, Ji Huan quickly tried to placate her. "I’m sorry, I was wrong. My reputation is very important. How could they possibly tarnish it! But we don’t have to rush. Just wait. I’ll make them eat their words."

Widow Xie rolled up her sleeves. "Just tell me whose face you want slapped, and I’ll do it!"

Ji Huan stared for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Oh, Aunt Xie, you’re really something else..."

She laughed until tears welled in her eyes. Wiping them away, she said, "Don’t argue with fools. If we go confront them now, we’ll be outnumbered. Besides, it’s just our word against theirs. We won’t be able to argue our case clearly, and they’ll just slap a label on us. The worst way to deal with people like that is to get into a shouting match or a physical fight. That might be exactly what they want. If it blows up, we’ll be the ones who look like we’re in the wrong."

Past experience told Widow Xie that Ji Huan was right.

But it was a bitter pill to swallow!

"Then what’s the alternative?"

"Oh, there are better ways. For example... we can make them so envious they can’t eat, so jealous they can’t sleep, so full of regret they want to bang their heads against a wall..."

Ji Huan winked at her. "When the time comes, you’ll see the ultimate way to put them in their place."