Wang Jieshi already had a fire burning in his belly, and after Wang Haichao's instigation, his anger blazed even fiercer, making his chest feel so tight he could barely breathe.
Around noon, Chuntao and Wang Xiaohong returned from the fields carrying hoes. He was still sitting on the small stool in the main room, his face as gloomy as an impending storm. Wang Xiaohong could tell at a glance that something was wrong with him.
"Brother, what's wrong? Who provoked you?" She quickly put down her hoe and went into the main room to ask.
"Nothing!" Wang Jieshi stiffened his neck and tried to stand up leaning on his stick, but the stool was too low, and he struggled for a good while without managing to get up.
Seeing this, Wang Xiaohong went over and helped him up.
Leaning on his stick, he shuffled to the kitchen door and saw the old rooster frolicking with a few hens at the base of the wall.
Without a word, he swung his stick and hurled it at them.
The flock of chickens scattered in a flurry of panic, and the old rooster flapped its wings, fleeing up onto the woodshed on the west side.
Not only did he miss the chicken, but because he used too much force, he lost his balance and nearly fell over. He quickly grabbed the kitchen wall to steady himself, panting heavily.
"Stupid bird!"
Chuntao, who was in the kitchen preparing to cook, was startled by his sudden outburst, almost dropping the pot lid in her hand.
She glanced up at his livid face but didn't dare make a sound, lowering her head to continue with her chores.
Wang Xiaohong, however, got anxious. She stomped her foot and shouted, "Brother! What's wrong with you? That's Granny Zhou's breeding rooster! What if you killed it?
Our family doesn't have an old rooster. If we want to hatch chicks next year, how can we do it without fertilized eggs!"
Wang Xiaohong's words were like adding oil to the fire. He turned around, glared at her, and abruptly raised his voice, "Shut your mouth! It's not your place to speak here!"
Wang Xiaohong was never one to swallow her anger. Being yelled at like this, her temper flared up too. "What are you getting mad for? I was kindly advising you, and now I'm talking out of turn?
I work myself to the bone every day, and I can't even say a word?"
Wang Xiaohong didn't know the reason for his anger, but Chuntao knew all too well. Wang Jieshi's fury was directed at her.
She pretended not to hear the siblings arguing, picked up the water buckets by the wall, and left carrying them on a shoulder pole.
As she passed by Huang Meili's door, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Zhou Zhaodi whispering something into Huang Meili's ear. Chuntao's heart tightened, and she quickened her pace.
Chuntao's greatest fear was running into people when she went out. She didn't want to hear gossip, whether it was about her or anyone else; she simply didn't want to hear it.
But the water well at the south end of the village had always been a gathering spot for the villagers. Right now, four or five people were huddled around, chattering away about Zhou Ergan and his wife, the southern woman.
A month ago, when Zhou Ergan was returning from the market, he picked up an unconscious young woman on the way. After carrying her back to the village, he asked the village doctor, Zhao Qingjiang, to give her an acupuncture needle treatment before she finally woke up.
The woman said she came from Sichuan to seek refuge with her sister, but she couldn't give her sister's address at all.
Zhou Ergan was desperate for a woman and refused to let her leave. But the woman would rather die than submit, and she ran away when he wasn't paying attention.
That day, Zhou Ergan took people to the East Ditch to search—they were looking for the southern woman. In the end, they found her in the reed marshes at Biepalian.
Chuntao hurriedly drew water, hoisted the buckets on her shoulder pole, and walked away.
A woman suddenly called out to her, teasing, "Your Jieshi was gone for four years and now he's back. He must be making it up to you real good, right?"
Chuntao didn't even dare to lift her head. Carrying the water buckets, she hurried forward as if fleeing, while a burst of mocking laughter from the women echoed behind her.
"Wang Jieshi's legs are crippled; he's probably useless in bed! It's a pity for Li Chuntao, she's so tender and juicy..."
"Who would hang themselves on one tree? Maybe she's already..."
Chuntao's heart ached as if pricked by needles. In the past, when others gossiped, her conscience was clear. She knew that a straight foot has no fear of a crooked shoe, and she just let them talk.
But it was different now. Zhou Zhijun had taken her; she was no longer a pure woman.
Thinking of Zhou Zhijun made Chuntao's mind even more chaotic.
Wang Jieshi must be suspecting them. Throwing the stick at the old rooster just now was clearly meant for her to see, a way to vent the anger in his heart.
Wang Xiaohong's advice had only made him fly into a humiliated rage. The thought of his flushed, angry face sent shivers down Chuntao's spine.
When she came, Huang Meili and Zhou Zhaodi were standing in the yard talking. On her way back, the two were still standing there, as if waiting specifically for her.
Seeing Chuntao approaching with the water buckets, Zhou Zhaodi suddenly raised her voice. "Oh my, some people really know how to put on an act nowadays!
In public, they look as innocent as a little white flower, but behind people's backs, they do filthy things that I can't even bring myself to say!
Sister-in-law Meili, you don't know yet, do you? That day, when my second uncle and the others went to the East Ditch to look for the southern woman, they bumped into someone having an illicit affair right there in the ditch!"
As she spoke, her small eyes stared intently at Chuntao. Her gaze was like a knife, as if trying to pierce right through her.
Although Zhou Zhijun had managed to fool Zhou Ergan that day, the fact that she was wearing Zhou Zhijun's clothes the next day had still spread through the village.
It was then that Zhou Ergan and the others suddenly realized the truth, concluding that Zhou Zhijun was having an affair with Chuntao in the ditch that day.
When Zhou Zhaodi found out, she complained to Zhou Ergan, "Second Uncle, you shouldn't have listened to Zhou Zhijun back then! You should have gone down to search! You definitely would have dragged that slut Li Chuntao out!"
Zhou Ergan was both angry and regretful. "That brat Zhou Zhijun put on too good of an act. I was bluffed by him!
With this kind of thing, if there's a first time, there will be a second. I'll catch him sooner or later!"
Zhou Zhaodi liked Zhou Zhijun, but Zhou Zhijun couldn't even be bothered to look at her. She didn't blame Zhou Zhijun; instead, she hated Chuntao, convinced that this vixen had stolen Zhou Zhijun's heart.
What's more, Aunt Zhou had even taken Chuntao as her goddaughter, treating her better than her own daughter-in-law, Huang Meili. This left both Zhou Zhaodi and Huang Meili seething with resentment.
The enemy of an enemy is a friend. The two of them had become very close lately. Whether they were herding cows, cutting grass, or hoeing the fields, they stuck together, taking every opportunity to ruin Chuntao's reputation whenever they met.
Zhou Zhaodi's words were clearly aimed at her, and Chuntao felt incredibly wronged.
She had nowhere to voice her bitterness. If Zhou Zhaodi wanted to pick a fight, she should go find Zhou Zhijun. Why did she have to target her at every turn?
She stopped abruptly and slowly raised her head. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit her lip hard to keep them from falling.
"Zhou Zhaodi, you've picked on me time and time again. What exactly do you want?"
Zhou Zhaodi was taken aback for a moment, then let out a cold sneer. She leaned closer to Huang Meili, her voice as shrill as a squawking hen.
"What do I want? I just can't stand someone being a dog in the manger, guarding a crippled husband while hooking up with other men. Have you no shame!"
Huang Meili also chimed in to add fuel to the fire, crossing her arms as she looked at Chuntao. "Zhaodi is right. Who in the village doesn't know what you're up to?
The old lady even took you as her goddaughter. Sooner or later, she's going to regret it!"
"She's nothing but a jinx. Anyone who touches her gets bad luck!"
With that, Zhou Zhaodi twisted her plump body and walked away. Huang Meili spat a wad of yellow phlegm and went into the house.
Chuntao's face instantly turned pale, the blood in her body feeling as if it had frozen.
Her small frame swayed, and water from the buckets splashed onto her trouser legs, the coldness piercing her to the bone.
The hardships of life were like a giant net, trapping her tightly within it.
She sniffled, swallowing the tears she didn't dare let fall. She didn't know what would be waiting for her tomorrow.
Suddenly, the sound of Zhou Zhimin swearing came from behind.
"Son of a bitch, they're even going at it in the haystack!"
Chuntao's whole body stiffened. The carrying pole on her shoulder creaked and nearly slipped off.
