CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 43: ZHAO ER GOU

The door opened, and Zhao Ergou appeared with an anxious look on his face: "Aunt Dafu, something bad has happened, a big disaster!"

Cui Hua couldn’t muster a friendly expression towards this man; she asked coldly, "What happened this time?"

What’s going on today? Why doesn’t Cui Hua seem worried at all? Usually, at times like this, she gets extremely nervous, fearing that something terrible might happen to Dafu.

Could it be that she’s in a bad mood today or that something happened at home?

Zhao Ergou glanced around the courtyard and saw Meili enthusiastically cracking sunflower seeds, making him think he had guessed correctly.

It must be that Meili has embarrassed Cui Hua again! Well, it’s understandable; Cui Hua’s brain is so ridiculous anyone would find it laughable.

Zhao Ergou looked down on Cui Hua quite a bit; he thought she was too foolish, not just because she was easily deceived, but because she valued Dafu so much.

What could a useless brat possibly do? His parents are dead, probably cursed to death by his own bad luck! And he can’t even speak; even if sold, he wouldn’t fetch a good price! Yet Cui Hua treats him like a treasure. Hmph, little does she know where the boy is now—probably mining coal somewhere!

No matter what Zhao Ergou thought, he kept a particularly anxious look on his face: "Aunt Dafu, something terrible has happened, Dafu, he... alas!"

He intentionally paused to heighten Cui Hua’s curiosity, a trick that never failed!

However, being a simple rural woman, Cui Hua couldn’t play along with his act. She felt increasingly angry looking at him, using quite a bit of restraint not to go up and hit him.

Fortunately, this emotional restraint made Cui Hua seem to be holding back intensely.

Zhao Ergou waited a long time but got no response from Cui Hua. Seeing her look, he guessed it must be because her family had reprimanded her, making her afraid to ask what happened, fearing she couldn’t produce any money!

"Aunt Dafu, Dafu hit the village kids badly, and their family said if we don’t pay up, they’ll break Dafu’s legs!" Zhao Ergou said dramatically, "Breaking his legs would be horrible; he’d end up crippled and unable to marry in the future!"

Laughable—get married, really? Even if not sold and they keep him, does Dafu look like someone who could marry? Even the ugliest girl in the village would likely reject him!

Cui Hua held back her urge to curse him and asked, "Oh? Then why did Dafu hit other kids? Dafu has always been very obedient."

Zhao Ergou had already planned his answer. He sighed theatrically, "Wasn’t it that kid saying Dafu was a motherless child, cursed to kill his own parents? How could Dafu just let it go?"

"I see, you’re the one who wants to say this, aren’t you?" Cui Hua finally couldn’t hold back and threw a slap. Having struggled through life for many years, would Zhao Ergou be hit by a meek village woman like her? He immediately caught Cui Hua’s hand, glaring fiercely:

"You dare hit me? You vile woman! I’ve been raising that brat for your sister, and you repay kindness with ingratitude!"

As he spoke, he applied more force, making Cui Hua cry out in pain.

"You’ve been raising me for my mother?!" Dafu finally couldn’t hold back and rushed out, "Let her go!"

Zhao Ergou, seeing Dafu, rubbed his eyes in disbelief: "How are you here?"

Then he chuckled, "Did they fail to sell you, and that wretch had to buy you back? Perfect! Now that everyone knows, I don’t have to pretend anymore. Come on, head home with me; you are, after all, a seed of our Zhao Family."

"You plan to sell me again, don’t you?" Dafu said in a deep voice.