The Village Belle is Trying to Cause Trouble Again

Chapter 8: Pinching Milksop’s Face
 

“Wretched girl, are you asking for a beating? Why did you spit out the porridge? If you don't want to eat it, put it down and get out!” Mrs. Su-Qian seized the opportunity to scold Su Tao.

Su Tao, “...”

She glanced at the others, but their reactions were normal. Obviously, this wasn’t the first time they had eaten spoilt porridge.

This was no different from a famine.

She explained in a soft voice, “I choked on it.”

“Do you have a narrow throat? You choked on porridge, but I don’t see you choke on meat,” Mrs. Su-Qian said sarcastically.

Su Tao, “...”

This wretched old woman was trying to find fault with her. She could tell that Mrs. Su-Qian favored boys over girls.

Su Tao ignored her. She endured the sour smell and took a sip of the porridge. She swallowed it quickly, then stuffed a mouthful of vegetables to suppress the smell.

Her days were really miserable...

She thought of the days in the past when she could eat as much as she wanted...

She couldn’t dwell on it. The more she thought about it, the more she freaked out.

After Lin Sanzhu finished feeding the pigs, the porridge and vegetables were completely gone. She was used to it. It would be unusual instead if there were leftovers.

At that moment, Su Tao gave her the bowl from the side. “Here.”
 

Lin Sanzhu was stunned for a moment. It turned out that bowl was reserved for her. In the past, her daughter wouldn’t have left food for her. She muttered softly, “Wretched girl, I didn’t know you have a conscience.”

“Don't fumble around next time!”

Seeing that Lin Sanzhu didn't let her cut the ragweed and go hungry just now, Su Tao didn't say a word.

Mrs. Su-Qian found everyone in her younger son’s family an eyesore. “Su Fu’s wife, hurry up and clear the table!”

“I’m coming.” Lin Sanzhu was startled. She hurriedly ate the porridge as she walked, and finished it in a few steps.
 

Su Tao didn't follow Lin Sanzhu. Otherwise, that wretched old woman would definitely get her to do some other tasks. She quickly shrank back to her room to hide.

However, it didn't take long before Lin Sanzhu called her to pull the weeds in the field. Even the four-year-old Su Zhi wasn’t spared the chore.

This was too darned miserable.

Soon, she found out that Su Dou had also come with them, but he didn't have to work.
 

Lin Sanzhu carried Su Dou on her back and held a hoe in her hand. Then, she looked at Su Tao and Su Zhi, and said fiercely, “Go and carry the basket on your back.”

Su Tao subconsciously gave Su Zhi a push. Su Zhi gave her an aggrieved look and quickly went to get the basket obediently.

Lin Sanzhu naturally saw Su Tao’s movements, but she didn't say anything. She quickly left the yard. Otherwise, her mother-in-law would yell again later.

Su Zhi dragged the big basket out, but Su Tao didn't let him carry it. It would probably be dragged on the floor if he carried it.

Everyone in the Su family went to the field. Su Tao almost fainted when she saw the large plot of field. It would probably take her all day to pull the weeds.
 

Soon, Su Dagui gave her another "fatal" blow. “Su He’s family will pull the weeds in that area, while Su Fu’s family will pull the weeds in the area next to the river, then pull the weeds over at the slope in the afternoon.”

Su Tao was dumbfounded when she heard that. How could it be possible to finish pulling the weeds in such a large plot of field in one morning?

She was dispirited.

However, why was the Su family so poor when they had so many acres of land?

“You and your brother will go and pull the weeds at the side. Move it, or you won't get to eat."

Lin Sanzhu said the last sentence in a very soft voice, probably because she was afraid that her mother-in-law might hear it.

When Su Tao heard that she wouldn't get to eat, she resigned herself to pulling the weeds. She deliberately avoided the vegetables in the middle, not knowing what they were.

“Sister, what are you pulling out the eggplant seedlings?” Su Zhi finally whispered timidly after looking at Su Tao repeatedly.

Su Tao was stunned for a moment. Then, she looked at the "weeds" in her hands and quickly stuffed them back into the ground. After digging up the soil quickly to cover them, she warned Su Zhi, “Don't say anything, or I’ll beat you up!”

She was a little depressed. Why didn’t she have any memory? She didn't know which were vegetable seedlings and was afraid that she would suffer a lot of beatings in the future.

Frightened by her, Su Zhi took a step back and nodded timidly.
 

The sun was getting bigger and Su Tao's back was completely wet. She took a look at the field where only one-third of the weeds were pulled out and she felt like crying.

She didn't want to live this kind of life even for a day longer.

No, not even for a second longer.

Su Zhi next to her had already started to slack off. After a long time, he was still pulling the weeds in front. Feeling frustrated, Su Tao took a few steps back. “Hurry, pull the weeds, or I’ll beat you.”
 

“Sister, my hands hurt.” An aggrieved Su Zhi stretched out his hands to show her. They were indeed red and sore.

The condition of Su Tao’s hands wasn’t any better. She suppressed her frustration and finally just left Su Zhi alone. It was indeed a bit cruel to ask a four-year-old child to pull weeds.

Back in those days, she still had a nanny to wait on her and her regular meals were served in the house...

Xie Yuntang, just kill me...

Argh...

Su Fu and Lin Sanzhu weren’t lazy people. They were quick with their hands and finished pulling the weeds before noon.
 

Su Tao thought that she could finally take a breather. However, before she could sit down, she heard Mrs. Su-Jin’s voice, “Brother and sister-in-law, come over after you finish pulling the weeds. We still have a lot of weeds here.”

Su Tao looked over. For the area which Su He’s family had to pull the weeds, one-third of it was still full of weeds. Su Tao felt as though her brain exploded. She wished she could strangle this woman on the spot.

This woman was lazy and bullying the honest!

Before Su Tao could pray that Lin Sanzhu and Su Fu wouldn’t respond, Su Fu honestly agreed to help. “We’ll be there right away.”

Su Tao, “...”

For an instant, Su Tao wished she could knock some sense into him.

This father of hers must be a fool...

Lin Sanzhu probably saw that Su Tao didn’t want to pull weeds anymore, so she pointed to the edge of the field solemnly. “You and your brother will go pull out the weeds on the ridge." After saying that, she took the hoe and went to another field.

Su Tao looked at Mrs. Su-Qian and the others. No one was paying attention to this side. She sat down on the ground, only to stand up quickly again.

It was scorching hot.
 

At this time, the school not far away was dismissed and a group of boys ran off like horses running wild. After a while, Su Tao saw Xie Yuntang walking over step by step with a cloth bag on his shoulder.

His fair and tender face was a little dazzling under the sun. Su Tao looked down at her tanned and sallow hands. She was a little jealous of him.

He went to school every day and was well-provided for, whereas she was either beaten or cutting ragweed on the slope.

The expression on her sallow face turned a little ugly...

When Xie Yuntang saw Su Tao, he paused in his tracks before walking around her obediently.
 

Obviously, he had been intimidated by her lately.

Su Tao wouldn't let go of this opportunity to bully Milksop. She could only survive and go home by bullying Milksop.

She picked up the soft mud on the ground and threw it at him in a mischievous manner. Immediately, Xie Yuntang was hit hard on the back. He turned his head and looked over, a little confused.

His innocent look could soften people’s hearts.
 

Su Tao felt a little guilty. However, she quickly shook her head. She couldn't sympathize with him. Sympathizing with him would only make things difficult for herself.

She stuck out her tongue. Xie Yuntang, come on, hate me. It’d be best if you can hate me so much that you stab me to death.

She thought that Xie Yuntang would be angry, but he didn't. He left after patting his clothes seriously.

This wouldn’t do. Even if he didn’t stab her to death, he should at least be angry.
 

Feeling frustrated, Su Tao chased after him annoyingly. Under his gaze, she pinched his face hard and pretended to be fierce. “Call me Sister when you see me in the future, okay?”

Xie Yuntang was actually a month older than her.

Xie Yuntang, who had never had his face pinched by anyone, was frightened. He stood rooted for a while, then walked around her and ran away quickly.

Su Tao: “...”

Milksop was really a pushover. He didn’t even get angry at her actions.

Argh...

It's really difficult.