Anning did actually recognize the girl she was talking to.
It was Yue Zhong’s wife, a daughter of the Wang family.
Anning sized up Miss Wang: "You do look very familiar to , I just can’t quite rember where we’ve t."
Miss Wang smiled amiably: "Perhaps we have t. I am a daughter of the Wang family, my na is Wang Chunhua."
"So it’s Miss Wang."
Anning acted as if she had just realized: "Maybe I saw you when I went out visiting with Aunt Xu, are you out taking a stroll?"
Upon hearing that Anning had seen her before, Wang Chunhua also beca chummy: "Yes, just strolling. It’s too suffocating at ho, so I ca out to relax a bit."
At that mont, Xiao Yuan whispered sothing to Anning and walked away.
Anning walked shoulder to shoulder with Wang Chunhua.
Wang Chunhua asked that question again.
Anning replied: "Mama’s boy, it’s quite simple. It’s when a mother raises her son like a treasure, not letting him do anything, keeping tight control of him, and when the child grows up, he listens to his mother alone. Whatever she says goes. In short, soone with little to no capability, always listens to his mother, never defies her, upon marriage, even expects his wife to tolerate his mother’s ways."
Wang Chunhua listened with a face of speechlessness: "Mama’s boy, your description is damn accurate, truly a mama’s boy indeed."
After saying that, she chuckled twice and patted Anning’s shoulder: "You’re quite an amusing person, your descriptions of the sister-in-law monster and mama’s boy are really vivid. I’m happy to make your friendship. Rember to seek out if you ever need anything."
Anning smiled and bowed her hands like a man: "Thank you."
Wang Chunhua waved her hand generously: "It’s nothing, I’m bored too, it’s good to have a friend to talk to. You don’t know, those Misses with their riches, the supposedly gentle and dignified ladies, each carrying themselves ooh so high, their voices barely more than a mosquito’s buzz – insufferable. I can’t stand it. You seem straightforward and to the point, I like your style."
Having gotten familiar with Anning, Wang Chunhua whispered to ask: "Was that your husband just now?"
Anning nodded: "Yes, it was."
"His face seems alright, just a bit on the slender side."
Wang Chunhua comnted: "Is your husband a mama’s boy?"
Anning chuckled: "No, my husband is quite determined."
Then, Anning thought to herself that Xiao Yuan indeed was not a mama’s boy, but rather a wife’s treasure.
Still, she wouldn’t ntion this to Wang Chunhua.
Wang Chunhua gave Anning an envious look: "Then you’re quite fortunate. You have no idea, the one I married is really just like the mama’s boy you described. Never doing any proper work, just following his mother’s nitpicking. In the beginning, his mother wouldn’t even let him share a room with , angering to the point I tore their door off its hinges, dragged him out of his study, and gave him a solid scolding. Took a few tis, but eventually, I subdued him."
"Big sister is truly formidable."
Anning gave Wang Chunhua a thumbs-up: "No other word for it, simply admirable –" with a capital A."
Wang Chunhua laughed heartily and insisted on inviting Anning to a al, but Anning quickly declined: "No, my husband is waiting for , maybe another ti. After my husband passes the Prefecture Exam, I’ll invite big sister over to my house as a guest."
"That’ll do."
Wang Chunhua patted Anning’s shoulder again: "You better rember that."
After agreeing, off went Wang Chunhua, sauntering away leisurely.
Anning went off to find Xiao Yuan and they headed ho together.
anwhile, Wu Ping had departed from Qingyuan County and was hurrying on his way ho.
His ho wasn’t actually far from the county, residing just about ten miles away from the county in Jingtai Village.
It had been several years since Wu Ping left ho, in the previous years his family was poor, and to provide for his son and daughter, he had followed a Trading House to make money.
He did very well in the Trading House, earning the boss’s trust and favor. In the past two years, he even accompanied the boss’s fleet on a trip to the Western seas. This ti, he returned with so silver he had earned and procured so light yet precious Western goods. As soon as the ship docked, he took these items to the Capital and made a fortune from selling them.
It was during his ti in the Capital that he received a letter from the Trading House, informing him that his daughter had been betrothed.
Wu Ping imdiately sold his goods and hastened back ho.
His daughter was about to marry; as a father, he surely had to be ho for that.
Yet, when he reached Qingyuan County, he heard sothing alarming.
He learned that the marriage arrangent his daughter was entering was a pit of fire, and if she were to marry into it, she might even lose her life.
Anxious and enraged, he hurried on his journey back ho.
It didn’t take long before Wu Ping arrived at Jingtai Village. Instead of going ho, he went straight to his cousin Wu Shun’s.
Wu Ping was the only child in his family; his parents had passed away early, and his uncle and aunt took good care of him. He and his cousin Wu Shun got along very well, almost like blood brothers. During the years he was away, it was Wu Shun who looked after his family affairs.
Carrying so pastries and fabrics he bought in the county, he entered Wu Shun’s house calling out, "Shunzi, Shunzi, are you at ho?"
"Who is it?"
Wu Shun ca out from inside the house and instantly saw Wu Ping standing in the yard.
He was overjoyed, rushing over and embracing Wu Ping excitedly: "Brother, you’re finally back."
Wu Ping smiled: "I just got back to the village, haven’t even been ho yet, just ca to see you first."
Wu Shun also smiled: "Then you should go ho first to see your elder sister-in-law and the kids."
Wu Ping waved his hand: "Anyway, I’m back now, there’s no rush for this mont."
Wu Shun didn’t press any further, taking Wu Ping into the house. Once inside, he had his wife pour two cups of tea and brought out so food for Wu Ping: "Brother, you’ve co back just in ti. Your niece has got a marriage arrangent. Now you’ve got to wait for your niece to be married off before you leave."
ntion of the marriage made Wu Ping’s expression darken.
"Shunzi, tell , who arranged Ni’er’s marriage?"
Wu Shun was taken aback: "It was arranged by Ni’er’s maternal uncle. They say it’s a wealthy family in the county, supposedly a very good match."
Wu Ping clenched his teeth: "In these years, how have your sister-in-law and them been doing? Shunzi, give a straight talk."
"It’s alright, I guess."
Wu Shun, being a man, surely couldn’t visit Wu Ping’s house every other day.
After all, he needed to be mindful of his reputation, so he wasn’t too familiar with Wu Ping’s family situation.
He only helped out when Wu Ping’s wife was really struggling, not ddling much in other matters.
After all, Wu Ping’s wife was the children’s biological mother, and he felt assured about the care of his nephew and niece.
It was Wu Shun’s wife who ca in with the food who overheard Wu Ping’s words and couldn’t help interrupting: "Big brother, it’s not about stirring up trouble, but your elder sister-in-law has really gone too far. Over the years, you must have sent quite a bit of money ho, right?"
Wu Ping nodded: "Yes, in the earlier years when I was at sea, I saved a sum of money and had soone deliver a considerable amount to your sister-in-law. Later on, I kept so money in the Trading House and had people send so to her intermittently. After that, I went to the South Ocean and made so profit from gemstones and spices..."
Wu Ping enurating the money he had sent ho.
Wu Shun’s wife couldn’t help but curl her lip: "You should go back and see for yourself. These days everyone in our village is fairly well off, but even though you’ve sent so much money back, your house is falling apart, looking terrible. Your nephew and niece lack clothing and have little to eat. They wear patched clothes every day, famished with pale and haggard cheeks..."
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