CHAPTER 141: CHAPTER 141 EXPLOSIVE NEWS (3)

"Yes, that’s what Dad said," Er Niu replied.

Li Yuzhu said, "Let’s do it this way, Da Niu, you can stay at my house for a few days."

The Great Princess was worried that Da Niu might not think clearly and was very supportive, "You stay at my house so my second sister doesn’t have to travel far to find you. Here, she can ask you to teach her how to make flatbread anytime, right, second sister?"

The Great Princess pinched the Second Princess’s fleshy arm.

The Second Princess blankly uttered an "Oh."

Da Niu frowned, "How can that be? Your house isn’t spacious, it’s such a bother." Then she blamed her father, "My dad is really something, how could he bother others?"

"My house isn’t just any house, our house was built by your family. We couldn’t find anyone to help, and it was thanks to your grandfather, your father, and your second uncle." Li Yuzhu said, "You all helped us out so much, allowing you to stay for a few days is nothing."

The Great Princess also repeatedly insisted and reminded the Second Princess that her flatbread was running low; she needed to learn quickly and couldn’t let Da Niu leave.

So, the Second Princess also tried to persuade Da Niu.

Everyone was urging her, and with such kindness, Da Niu had to agree.

"Then I’ll be troubling you," she said shyly.

"It’s no trouble at all," the Great Princess replied with a smile.

Prince Luling knew his daughters had brought back Liu the bricklayer’s eldest granddaughter to stay for a few days and didn’t oppose it; he only said to entertain her well.

Liu the bricklayer knew the Li Family’s situation was difficult, so he brought over a quilt and other items for Da Niu to use by evening.

There weren’t enough beds, so Li Yuzhu found some wooden planks in the storeroom, placed them on the long bench, and spread the quilt Liu’s family sent over, turning it into a bed.

Fortunately, the room for the three sisters was large, so adding another bed wasn’t too cramped.

The evening passed by peacefully.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Da Niu stayed in the kitchen with the Second Princess to learn how to make flatbread.

How to leaven the dough, how to knead the dough, Da Niu taught very carefully.

Although she only had her right arm working, the dough she kneaded was surprisingly good.

There wasn’t an oven in the house, but Da Niu was resourceful; she found Li’s family’s small stove and placed a small iron pan on top.

Once the iron pan was hot, she drizzled a little oil around the edge and placed a circle of dough along the rim.

Cover it with a lid, and steam it on low heat.

After a while, she lifted the lid and flipped the dough, which was puffed and one side golden brown.

The flatbread was soft in the middle and crispy on both sides; taking a bite revealed the salty pickle filling inside, crispy and delicious.

The Second Princess didn’t care about the heat and ate four in a row.

Li Jing smelled the aroma and ran to the kitchen.

Afraid of the heat, he wrapped it in his robe and puffed up his cheeks to blow on it.

This made the Second Princess burst into laughter.

Da Niu sighed inwardly, thinking when would she have a child like this?

.

That day, Hu Shuangcheng went to the Liu Family again, he went quietly, of course, without encountering Da Niu.

He asked the second branch of the Liu Family and inquired at village neighbors’ homes but didn’t get any answers.

Some wanted to speak ill of the Liu Family, to tell him something, but no one knew Da Niu’s whereabouts.

Hu Shuangcheng returned home disappointed.

Returning home, he was sure to face another round of scolding from Hu Niangzi.

Usually, cooking, washing, and cleaning were all done by Da Niu.

Because Hu Shuangcheng’s sister had many children, she often left the younger two at her mother’s house.

Hu Niangzi wouldn’t care for the children and would throw them to Da Niu.

Da Niu cared for her two nephews while washing clothes and cooking.

She was diligent at her own home and did these tasks at her husband’s home without complaint, managing everything neatly.

Her departure caused the well-ordered Hu Family to fall into chaos.

Hu Shuangcheng’s two nephews, both under five, made a mess of the house, and Hu Niangzi didn’t have any free time to cook and wash clothes.

Now a big child was crying, then a small child was fussing.

Hu Niangzi burned the food, ran to soothe the children, and the firewood fell from the stove, nearly causing a fire.

She was so angry she kept cursing Da Niu.

"Son, go to the Liu Family. If Da Niu doesn’t return by nightfall, take the divorce papers! How can a woman who can’t have children act up?" Hu Niangzi was so busy she hadn’t even had time to comb her hair, with a head of unkempt hair, holding a grandson, she complained to Hu Shuangcheng.

Hu Shuangcheng was quite annoyed but said nothing.

Hu Niangzi got angry, "Fine, fine, if you won’t write it, I will!"

She really went to have a divorce letter written.

Before nightfall, she had already thrown the divorce letter, along with some of Liu Da Niu’s dowry, like old worthless quilts, back to Liu’s house.

Lady Liu was terribly scared, wanting to go up and speak kindly, but Liu Laoda pushed her into the bedroom.

Pointing at Hu Niangzi, he cursed, "That’s just fine, my Da Niu won’t be going back. Our two families will each go their own way! The main road leads to the sky, each path going its own way!"

"That’s wonderful, keep the hen that won’t lay eggs for your own use," Hu Niangzi happily returned.

When Hu Shuangcheng heard about this, he took a shirt and left, and did not return by lunchtime.

Hu Niangzi had to take care of two children while doing housework, sweating profusely, inevitably cursing her son again.

.

Liu Da Niu taught the Second Princess to make cakes, stuffing them not only with pickled vegetables and minced meat but also with wild chive scrambled egg filling.

Everyone loved the taste of this filling.

However, there weren’t many wild chives dug by Li Yuzhu and them, and they ran out after using them on five dough balls.

Li Yuzhu wanted to go dig some, but Liu Da Niu laughed and said, "Let me go, I’m idle anyway."

Li Yuzhu said, "How are you going to dig with that arm?"

"Digging wild chives doesn’t require both arms, one spade down, and the wild chives are dug up," Liu Da Niu insisted on going herself.

Li Yuzhu nodded, "Then don’t go too far, there are plenty of wild chives near my bamboo house."

"Got it," Liu Da Niu said, then went out with a small basket and spade.

On both sides of the Li family’s bamboo house, there were wastelands, where wild chives could be seen everywhere.

Liu Da Niu squatted alone in the grass digging wild chives when someone came over with a smile, "Da Niu, what are you doing here?"

Liu Da Niu turned around and saw it was a hooligan from Qingshui River Village approaching, with a big bag on his shoulder and holding a stick.

This person didn’t have a proper job and lived by stealing.

He had a bad reputation and was in his thirties, yet without a wife.

Liu Da Niu gave him a cold glance and said nothing, thinking that he wouldn’t dare to hit her near the Li family, right?

She continued digging the wild chives.

Unexpectedly, although she ignored the hooligan, he kept pestering her and didn’t leave.

The hooligan squatted down beside her with a smile, "I say, Da Niu, your man is not capable, you really got a bad deal marrying him, sigh, you’re still a maiden..."

Liu Da Niu was so frightened she stood up, continuously stepping back, "You, you, you... what nonsense are you spouting? Go away!"

"Hey, what are you avoiding for? There’s no one here, let’s get it on, shall we? Your man can’t, but I can," the hooligan said with a smile, suddenly reaching for Liu Da Niu.

"Ah—, go away!" Liu Da Niu screamed and fled.

"In broad daylight, asking for a beating, daring to harass a woman! You’re so bold!" Li Yuzhu’s angry voice sounded.

In the next moment, a spade swung at the back of the hooligan’s head.

Frightened, the man held his head and ran, not daring to see who hit him, fleeing without looking back.

Liu Da Niu’s face was pale, trembling in place non-stop.

The one who swung the spade was Mu Yuanxiu.

He was chasing a weasel daring to steal rabbits from his house when he ran into Li Yuzhu digging medicinal herbs here.

Li Yuzhu stopped him, asking about the catch in the fish baskets in the marsh, when they suddenly heard screams from the front of the grass.

They immediately ran over to see, just in time to witness a hooligan attacking Liu Da Niu.

Mu Yuanxiu picked up the spade Liu Da Niu dropped on the ground and hit hard.

The hooligan, afraid of pain, ran off.

Mu Yuanxiu glanced at Li Yuzhu and Liu Da Niu, "You two go back first, I’ll go find that man."

He pushed aside the wild grass and chased after him.

Li Yuzhu came up, holding Liu Da Niu’s hand, "Da Niu? Are you alright?"

After taking a deep breath, Liu Da Niu managed to smile, "I’m fine, you came just in time, drove away that villain."

Thinking about what the man said earlier, Li Yuzhu quietly asked Liu Da Niu, "Da Niu, after you married Hu’s eldest son, have you... never really consummated the marriage? Are you still a maiden?"

The two were talking amongst the wild grass, and she heard it.

Initially, she thought it was Liu Da Niu’s boyfriend, but after hearing a few sentences she walked away, not expecting it to be a scoundrel.

Indeed, how could someone as honest as Liu Da Niu have an affair within marriage?

Liu Da Niu blushed, "You, you... you little girl, why are you asking this?"

Li Yuzhu looked at her seriously, "I’m studying medicine, in my eyes, there are only two kinds of people, those who are healthy, and those who are sick, no distinction between men and women. Da Niu, tell me quickly, is it true or not?? What does what he said mean?"