"Bah! Dasar pengecut tak berguna, kalau Yu Liulang sukses, apa untungnya buatmu? Dia kan nggak bakal urus anak atau istrimu? Nanti tua, bukankah aku yang nyodok teh dan air buatmu, bodoh!" Nyonya Li memarahi Yu Erlang.
"Kamu cuma tau nyalahin aku, selain itu bisa apa? Kebun teh itu milik ibu bapak. Mau dikasih ke siapa, itu hak mereka.
Kamu sendiri bilang, ibu bapak bilang, kalau istri Lao Liu sudah melahirkan, kebun teh dikasih ke dia.
Kalau mereka mau punya anak, bisa kamu cegah? Bisa kamu atur siapa yang mau dikasih kebun teh oleh ibu bapak?" Yu Erlang membalas, lehernya memerah karena marah.
"Siapa bilang nggak ada cara?" Nyonya Li mendengus dingin, lanjut, "Di rumah ini, selama aku ada, Yu Liulang bisa mimpi soal kebun teh. Aku punya caranya mengurus dia, biar dia nggak bisa punya anak."
"Juhua, tadi kamu bilang apa? Kamu nggak lakukan kejahatan, kan?"
Yu Erlang tercengang. Dia kenal banget istri dia kayak apa.
Kalau dia gila, nggak ada yang nggak dilakukin.
"Urusin aja apa yang kulakukan, ingat aja Yu Liulang nggak layak warisi kebun teh kita." Nyonya Li bilang percaya diri dan bangun dari ranjang kang.
Sudah siang, waktunya dia cobain masakan ipar perempuannya.
Waktu makan siang di Keluarga Yu Tua mengumpulkan semua orang di meja.
Masakannya disiapin Mu Shuangshuang, Yu Si Niang, dan Feng Xiaohua bareng.
Cukup mewah, Yu Dalang pagi itu gali umbi teratai dari kolam, nambah iga babi rebus teratai buat makan siang.
Lihat meja penuh hidangan, Tuan Yu dan Nyonya Tua Yu nggak henti tersenyum.
"Jarang Si Niang dan Da Shan mampir, Keluarga Yu Tua kita nggak pernah sehidup ini lama. Hari ini laki-laki minum sedikit arak, perempuan makan banyak, semua capek, hari ini kita senang aja di Keluarga Yu Tua."
Semua ikut tertawa, termasuk bibi sakit Mu Shuangshuang.
Cuma Nyonya Li muka masam, kayak dunia ini ngehutang dia.
Apa pun yang Tuan Yu bilang, dia rolling mata kayak nggak setuju sama sekali.
Ketidaksukaan halus itu kepepet Feng Xiaohua. Dia berdiri dan bilang ke Nyonya Li, "Adik menantu kedua, mau sup nggak? Iga teratai ini buatan Shuangshuang, enak banget, hampir kaya koki di kota."
"Berani aku disodori sup? Lao Liu itu pencuri nyawa, nggak denger dia bilang apa pas kamu masuk?
Sebagai adik menantu kedua, aku malas, mager seharian, nggak bantu cuci baju pun.
Cuma dua potong baju, kalau aku disodori sup, nggak kamu kutuk aku kehilangan tangan kaki?" Kata Nyonya Li penuh sindiran, bikin semua orang di situ tidak nyaman.
Lu Yuanfeng melirik Mu Shuangshuang, pengen lihat dia marah atau nggak.
Tapi nggak; Mu Shuangshuang kelihatan tenang banget. Dia dengan santai ambil mangkuk sup buat diri sendiri, terus satu lagi buat Lu Yuanfeng, diam-diam isyarat dia cicip.
Jelas dia nggak mau campur.
Lu Yuanfeng juga berhenti perhatikan urusan di meja, berdua makan dengan harmonis.
"Adik menantu kedua, dua potong baju itu beneran? Bak mandi segede itu, kalau nggak adik ipar keempat bantu, seharian nggak kelar!" Yu Liulang membantah.
"Bak mandi segede itu kenapa? Dulu aku jadi menantu di Keluarga Yu Tua juga cuci baju. Musim dingin cuci baju buat Keluarga Yu Tua, kenapa kamu nggak kasihan sama aku?
Istri kamu manusia, aku bukan? Dengarkan, Yu Liulang, semua orang lihat dengan mata terbuka, seluruh desa tau keji kamu.
Kamu doang yang pede pamer cinta di sini; hati-hati, malam minggu terlalu sering keluar bisa kena hantu."
Nyonya Li benar-benar nggak punya malu, curhat frustrasi tanpa peduli apa yang dia ucapkan.
Suasana yang awalnya bagus hampir hancur total.
Tuan Yu campur menghentikan, "Menantu kedua, kalau ada apa-apa bilang langsung, jangan sindiran."
"Ay, aku udah bilang jelas banget. Cuma suruh Lao Liu jangan pengawasin aku terus. Aku bukan kriminal yang harus diawasi tiap hari." Li Juhua bilang.
"Cukup, kalian semua berhenti. Jarang Si Niang dan Da Shan mampir makan; kalau mau debat, keluar saja." Nyonya Tua Yu juga menghentikan.
Muka Nyonya Li merah marah.
Dia bilang, "Baik, berarti satu keluarga ini sepakat ngejar aku, ya? Baiklah, aku udahan, aku pergi, jangan menyesal."
Ucap itu, Li Juhua ngelempar sumpit ke meja dan pergi marah.
Yu Tiancai, anak dari rumah kedua, melirik Nyonya Li dan mau ikut keluar, tapi dihentikan Tuan Yu.
"Tiancai, ibumu mungkin nggak makan, tapi kita iya. Makan, Kakek buatkan gasing buatmu."
Gasing salah satu mainan langka buat anak desa.
Sepotong kayu diukir jadi kerucut dan silinder, paku dicocok di ujung kerucut.
Lalu, pake tali rami buat ngepuk gasing terus-menerus, dia mulai berputar.
Denger ada mainan, Yu Tiancai mood bagus, tertawa terbahak-bahak.
Anak lain juga ikut minta, dan suasana yang dihancurin Nyonya Li pulih penuh.
Semua nikmati makan dengan gembira, ngobrol sambil makan.
Keluarga Yu Tua beda sama Keluarga Mu Tua; dewasa dan anak makan di meja yang sama, meja bundar gede, orang numpuk kalau penuh.
Di Keluarga Yu Tua, suasana makan jauh lebih enak dari Keluarga Mu Tua.
Anak mau daging, dan bukan cuma Nyonya Yu nggak pukul tangan mereka pake sumpit, dia malah aktif kasih makan.
Nggak ada terlalu banyak aturan di meja makan juga.
"Ay, Bu, Luo Xiu'er hari ini datang cari aku, tanya kalau keluarga kita bisa ke rumah dia makan malam. Dia bilang dia mau pindah dari Desa Keluarga Yu." Feng Xiaohua bilang.
Karena Nyonya Li tadi omongin Luo Xiu'er, Feng Xiaohua sebut lagi bikin suasana agak canggung.
Terutama pasangan tua, keluarga belum jelasin kejadian ke mereka, tapi sikap mereka cukup konsisten.
Mereka nggak mau ngerugiin Feng Xiaohua.
Tuan Yu dan Nyonya Tua Yu sempat diskasih kasih uang ke Luo Xiu'er, tapi belum eksekusi, sekarang Luo Xiu'er bilang mau pergi.
Tuan Yu dan Nyonya Tua Yu bingung mau bilang apa.
"Xiaohua, kita... lebih baik jangan pergi. Kamu tau pendirian ayah dan ibu. Sejak awal kita pilih kamu jadi menantu, itu nggak bakal berubah."
Nyonya Tua Yu bilang tulus, Feng Xiaohua tersentuh.
"Ay, Bu, terima kasih atas kebaikan kalian ke Xiaohua. Xiaha ingat semua, nanti aku baktiin kalian berdua bareng Liu Lang."
Tuan Yu dan Nyonya Tua Yu senyum bilang, "Bagus, anak yang baik banget. Kalau urusan ini lewat, kamu bisa ikut ipar perempuan kelola kebun teh, belajar dari dia cara urusin situ."
"Bah! You useless wretch, if Yu Liulang is doing well, what benefit do you get? Will he take care of your son or your wife? When you get old, won’t it be me bringing you tea and water, you fool!" Mrs. Li scolded Yu Erlang.
"All you know is to scold me, what else can you do? The tea garden belongs to mom and dad. Whoever they want to give it to, they will.
You yourself said mom and dad said, once Lao Liu’s wife has a baby, the tea garden will be given to her.
If they want to have a baby, can you stop it? Can you control who mom and dad want to give the tea garden to?" Yu Erlang retorted, his neck flushed with anger.
"Who says there’s no way?" Mrs. Li snorted coldly, continuing, "In this house, as long as I’m here, Yu Liulang can forget about getting the tea garden. I have ways to deal with him, make sure he can’t have a baby."
"Juhua, what did you just say? You didn’t do something bad, did you?"
Yu Erlang was stunned. He knew very well what his wife was like.
When she goes crazy, there’s nothing she won’t do.
"Don’t mind what I’ve done, just remember that Yu Liulang is not qualified to inherit our tea garden." Mrs. Li said confidently and got up from the kang bed.
Noon had come, and it was time for her to try the meal made by her sister-in-law.
The lunchtime at the Old Yu Family gathered everyone around the table.
The dishes were prepared by Mu Shuangshuang, Yu Si Niang, and Feng Xiaohua together.
It was quite sumptuous, with Yu Dalang having dug some lotus roots from the pond in the morning, adding pork ribs stewed with lotus roots to the lunch.
Seeing the large table of dishes, Mr. Yu and Old Mrs. Yu couldn’t stop smiling.
"It’s rare for Si Niang and Da Shan to come over, our Old Yu Family hasn’t been this lively in a long time. Today, the men should drink some wine, the women should eat more, everyone has worked hard, let’s be happy today in our Old Yu Family."
Everyone laughed along, even Mu Shuangshuang’s sick aunt.
Only Mrs. Li kept a stern face, as if the whole world owed her money.
Whatever Mr. Yu said, she would roll her eyes as if she didn’t agree at all.
This subtle unhappiness was noticed by Feng Xiaohua. She stood up and said to Mrs. Li, "Second sister-in-law, would you like some soup? The pork ribs and lotus root were made by Shuangshuang, the taste is really good, almost as good as the chefs in town."
"How dare I let you serve me soup? Lao Liu is a life-taker, didn’t you hear what he said when you came in?
As your second sister-in-law, I’m lazy, lying around all day, not even helping with washing clothes.
Just two pieces of clothing, if I let you serve soup, wouldn’t you curse me to lose my hands and feet?" Mrs. Li’s words were full of sarcasm, making everyone present uncomfortable.
Lu Yuanfeng glanced at Mu Shuangshuang, wanting to see if she was angry.
But she wasn’t; Mu Shuangshuang appeared very composed. She calmly served herself a bowl of soup, then another for Lu Yuanfeng, quietly gesturing for him to taste it.
Clearly, she didn’t want to get involved.
Lu Yuanfeng also stopped paying attention to the issues at the table, the two of them eating their food in harmony.
"Second sister-in-law, are you really calling that two pieces of clothing? Such a big washbasin, if it weren’t for my fourth sister helping, it couldn’t have been finished in a day!" Yu Liulang retorted.
"What’s wrong with such a big basin? Didn’t I also wash clothes when I became a daughter-in-law? When I washed clothes for your Old Yu Family in the cold winter, why didn’t you feel sorry for me?
Your wife is human, and I’m not? Let me tell you, Yu Liulang, everyone’s watching with their eyes open, everyone in the village knows your dirty deeds.
You’re the only one with the nerve to show off your love here; be careful, traveling at night too much might get you haunted."
Mrs. Li was utterly shameless, venting her frustrations without caring what she was saying.
The originally good atmosphere had almost been completely ruined.
Mr. Yu intervened to stop her, "Second daughter-in-law, if you have something to say, just say it directly, don’t be passive-aggressive."
"Dad, I already said it very clearly. Just tell Lao Liu not to keep an eye on me all the time. I’m not a criminal that he has to watch every day." Li Juhua said.
"Enough, all of you stop. It’s rare for Si Niang and Da Shan to come over for a meal; if you want to argue, go outside." Old Mrs. Yu also stopped them.
Mrs. Li’s face turned red with anger.
She said, "Fine, so the whole family is ganging up on me, right? Well, I’m done with this, I’m leaving, don’t regret it."
After saying that, Li Juhua threw down her chopsticks onto the table and stormed out.
Yu Tiancai, the child from the second household, glanced at Mrs. Li and was about to follow her out, but was stopped by Mr. Yu.
"Tiancai, your mom may not eat, but we will. Eat up, and Grandpa will make you a spinning top."
A spinning top is one of the few toys for rural children.
A piece of wood carved into a cone and cylinder combination, with a nail hammered into the cone end.
Then, using a hemp string to continuously whip the top, it begins to spin.
Hearing there was a toy, Yu Tiancai was in a good mood, laughing out loud.
The other children also clamored for one, and the atmosphere that Mrs. Li had destroyed was fully restored.
Everyone joyfully enjoyed their meal, chatting and eating.
The Old Yu Family is different from the Old Mu Family; adults and children eat at the same table, a large round table, where people squeeze in if it’s crowded.
In the Old Yu Family, the dining atmosphere is much better than in the Old Mu Family.
The children wanted meat, and not only would Mrs. Yu not hit their hands with chopsticks, but she would also actively give them food.
There weren’t so many rules at the dining table either.
"Dad, Mom, Luo Xiu’er came to find me today, asking if our whole family could go over to their place for a meal. She said she’s about to leave Yu Family Village." Feng Xiaohua said.
Since Mrs. Li had just talked about Luo Xiu’er, Feng Xiaohua mentioning it again made people feel a bit awkward.
Especially the elderly couple, the family hadn’t explained the events to them, but they were quite consistent.
They didn’t want to harm Feng Xiaohua.
Mr. Yu and Old Mrs. Yu had discussed giving Luo Xiu’er some money, but they hadn’t taken any steps yet, and now Luo Xiu’er was saying she was leaving.
Mr. Yu and Old Mrs. Yu found themselves unsure of what to say.
"Xiaohua, we... we better not go. You know our stance, your dad and mine. Since we initially chose you to be our daughter-in-law, that won’t change."
Old Mrs. Yu spoke sincerely, and Feng Xiaohua felt touched.
"Dad, Mom, thank you for your kindness to Xiaohua. Xiaohua remembers everything, and I will honor you both with Liu Lang in the future."
Mr. Yu and Old Mrs. Yu smiled and said, "Good, what a good child you are. If this situation passes, you can go with your sister-in-law to manage the tea garden, learn from her how to handle things there."
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