Village trivial matters.

 

On the 28th, make noodles; on the 29th, steam steamed buns.

The rural households have no spare time, let alone it’s the Chinese New Year. Busy and quickly approaching the last day of the month and the end of the year.

 

On this day, the Jing family members still work together, busy yet happy.

 

Early in the morning, they start sweeping and dusting, making sure everything is clean and tidy inside and outside the house. Since there is a tradition in the northern regions not to sweep the dust on the first day of the lunar year, every household on the 30th does a small cleaning.

 

After tidying up inside and outside the house, it’s just after 10 o’clock in the morning. Jing’s father, Jing Yi, along with Jing An and Jing Shu, start pasting couplets, good luck phrases, and window decorations. They also hang a pair of red lanterns on both sides of the courtyard gate.

 

The lanterns are hung securely because they need to be taken down and brought back into the house at night. These expensive items are also susceptible to being stolen.

 

Jing’s mother is preparing lunch in the kitchen, keeping it simple. The main dishes are for the New Year’s Eve dinner in the afternoon and dumplings for the night.

 

As soon as the lanterns are hung, snowflakes start falling from the sky. There hasn’t been much snow this winter, and this is only the second snowfall near the end of the year.

 

As the saying goes, auspicious snow brings a bountiful year. The snow falls gently today, and it brings a sense of comfort to people’s hearts.

 

Jing’s father is particularly happy. Being an experienced farmer, he has some knowledge of weather patterns. Although the snowfall is not heavy, it seems to be lasting for a while. Now he doesn’t have to worry about the winter wheat in the field.

 

In fact, in Dayuan Dynasty’s northern regions, very few farmers cultivate winter wheat. The yield of winter wheat here is very low, barely enough to make ends meet after working hard throughout the winter. So even if the government doesn’t tax this part, it’s mostly poor families or exceptionally diligent families who grow it. For example, Jing Yi’s family doesn’t grow it, and neither does Jing’s third uncle’s family. However, in the past couple of years, they have had many financial obligations and decided to grow it.

 

After having lunch, everyone takes a nap. They need to rest well to stay up late for the New Year’s Eve. In the afternoon, something happened in the village.

 

The snow had diminished a little, and Jing’s mother took Jing Yi to the tofu shop in the village to buy tofu. They planned to buy a whole board and leave it outside to freeze. It wouldn’t spoil even in the cold weather.

 

The tofu shop belongs to a family surnamed Dou and is located southeast of the village, quite far from Jing’s house.

But when they were about to reach the shop, they heard a loud commotion ahead.

 

“That’s our chicken. You poor wretch, quickly give the chicken back to me! It’s the New Year, I’m telling you, don’t ruin it for yourself!” An older woman shouted angrily, raising her hand to hit a young man on the other side.

 

The young man was not tall, almost the same height as the woman, but he looked thin and weak. Being scolded by the woman, he cowered and didn’t dare to argue back loudly. He tightly held a chicken in his arms and silently repeated, “This is my chicken.”

 

“If you don’t let go, I’ll teach you a lesson!” As she said that, she slapped the young man’s shoulder. Fortunately, he dodged it, or he would have been slapped right in the face.

 

Terrified, the young man’s face turned red, and his body trembled slightly. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he still didn’t let go of the chicken.

 

“Hey, hey, stop! Don’t fight!” The people around, some watching the spectacle and some genuinely trying to mediate, quickly intervened and separated the two.

 

The place where the two were arguing was the path that Jing’s mother and Jing Yi had to pass. From a distance, Jing’s mother could clearly see who those two were.

 

With an imposing air, she walked forward while whispering to Jing Yi, “Eldest son, that unreasonable woman is Sigouzi’s mother, and the young man is your cousin Xiao Wei’s husband, whom he married in September last year. We should help him.”

 

Jing Yi had heard of Xiao Wei’s husband, named Luo Wei, who was one of the strong men who went to the town to help when Jing’s father had an accident.

 

At that time, it was difficult to find people, and many thought that the Jing family had offended the wealthy families in the town and were afraid to help. Jing’s mother was anxious and in tears.

 

Luo Wei happened to return from the field and saw Jing’s mother and Jing’s third uncle going from house to house asking for help. Without saying a word, he put down his hoe and came to help.

 

During that winter, when both Jing’s father and Jing Yi were unwell, Luo Wei even helped chop firewood and delivered it. Jing’s mother wanted to pay him, but he refused to accept any money.

 

Although his own family was poor, it didn’t stop him from being a warm-hearted and responsible man.However, sometimes he was too honest.

 

By the time Jing’s mother and Jing Yi approached, the situation had escalated. The malicious onlookers were mocking Xiao Wei’s husband and telling him to return the chicken to Sigouzi’s mother.

Other people who didn’t like Sigouzi’s mother’s character wanted to argue on behalf of Xiao Wei’s husband but were met with foul-mouthed insults from Sigouzi’s mother.

 

Finally, only the owner of the tofu shop’s wife, who had some connections with Luo Wei’s family, gently embraced the young husband, telling him not to be afraid. However, she didn’t dare to confront Sigouzi’s mother directly because she couldn’t out-insult her.

 

“What’s going on? Why are you blocking the way?”Jing’s mother quickly took a few steps forward and shouted.

 

She wasn’t afraid of offending Sigouzi’s mother! The Jing family repaid kindness, and besides, times had changed. Now it wasn’t the time to buy land; having money gave them confidence. She had such a capable son standing beside her, and she wasn’t afraid of that old woman!

 

Every honest family in Xiwan Village had been taken advantage of by that old woman, and in addition to Wang Shitou’s previous confrontation with her son, she had been spreading rumors about their family in the village, claiming their money was ill-gotten. Did she think they were unaware of it in the town?

 

With new grudges and old grievances, and with this incident involving someone who owed them a favor, she had already made up her mind.

 

When Sigouzi’s mother saw that it was Liu Caiyun, and the Jing family was currently in the limelight, she didn’t want to provoke them. So, she spoke in a harsh tone but with a hollow threat, “It’s none of your business, mind your own business.”

 

Little did she know that Jing’s mother completely ignored her and went straight to Xiao Wei’s husband, speaking kindly, “Auntie remembers that your name is Xiao Tao, right? Stop crying, tell Auntie what happened, don’t be afraid.”

 

“Liu Caiyun, why do you meddle in other people’s affairs!” Sigouzi’s mother said, intending to go forward and grab Jing’s mother.

 

Jing Yi stepped forward and stood in front of Jing’s mother, expressionless, staring directly at Sigouzi’s mother.

 

In the past half year, Jing Yi had been eating well and growing rapidly. He was about 1.8 meters tall now, and standing here, he looked down on everyone.

 

Sigouzi’s mother was used to bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Seeing Jing Yi’s tall and imposing figure staring at her, she quickly put her hand down and stood aside, embarrassed.

 

Xiao Tao wiped away his tears and looked at Jing’s mother with a loving and caring gaze. A sense of bitterness and grievance welled up in his heart, and his tears flowed even more.

 

He choked and said, “Aun… Auntie, I forgot to close the courtyard gate when I was cooking lunch today, and this chicken ran out and came all the way here. But this aunt insists that the chicken belongs to her. It… it really belongs to my family.”

 

As he spoke, he burst into tears again. Xiao Tao was already young and petite, with a small face full of tear streaks.

 

Knowing that his family was also poor and often went hungry, Jing’s mother couldn’t help but feel very sorry for him.

 

At the same time, she was extremely angry. This Wang Shitou family always bullies the poor and honest people. They are truly despicable.

 

“Hey hey hey! You little liar! This clearly just ran out of my house! Why else would it be at my doorstep?” Sigouzi’s mother couldn’t lay a hand on Xiao Tao, so she started shouting.

 

“You say it’s your chicken, so it’s your chicken? Does it respond when you call it? I also say it’s mine!” Jing’s mother retorted loudly.

 

This time, the aunties who had never liked Sigouzi’s mother finally found their backbone. They all asked Sigouzi’s mother to call the chicken and see if it would respond.

 

“You’re all bullying me! Help! Is there anyone who will intervene?” Sigouzi’s mother saw that the situation was turning against her, so she quickly sat on the ground and started crying, making a scene. But most of the people around were women and their husbands, and they weren’t fooled by her act.

 

They watched the spectacle unfold, occasionally a few men remained silent. When one move failed, she tried another.

 

She jumped up and intended to go and hit Xiao Tao, choosing an easy target to bully. “Alright! You little liar, as long as you cry, everyone will help you, right? How can you prove that the chicken is yours?!” Naturally, Xiao Tao couldn’t prove it.

 

Jing Yi, seeing Sigouzi’s mother’s exaggerated mannerisms and her wandering eyes, knew she was thinking of doing something bad.If they didn’t resolve this matter quickly, when the village chief arrived, it would surely become a mess.

 

“It’s simple to know whose chicken it is, I know how to differentiate!” Jing Yi spoke up, and not only the onlookers but even Xiao Tao looked at him with teary eyes, hoping for a fair outcome.

 

“Boy, don’t speak nonsense! Aren’t you afraid of choking on your words!” Sigouzi’s mother heard this and exploded, knowing clearly in her heart that the chicken didn’t belong to her.

 

“What’s the matter, auntie, are you scared? Are you scared of admitting that this chicken belongs to Xiao Wei’s family?” Jing Yi straightened his sleeves and calmly questioned.

 

“Who… who’s scared! Then tell me, how do we differentiate?” Sigouzi’s mother put her hands on her waist and said loudly.

 

Jing Yi heard that everyone agreed, so he ignored Sigouzi’s mother and asked everyone to wait for a moment. He asked Xiao Tao’s mother to bring the chicken over and called two other familiar aunties to go to the tofu shop owner’s house ahead.

 

Before long, Jing Yi came out carrying a tightly woven chicken cage. It was difficult to see inside, only a rough color could be vaguely seen.

 

“My method is the simplest and dumbest way. Your own chickens are definitely recognizable. Both of you, come and describe what your chickens look like, and whoever says it right will be the owner,” Jing Yi said with a smile while holding the chicken cage.

 

“And for fairness and justice, both of the involved parties should avoid each other. One will stay here and talk to me while the other stays away. Other uncles, aunties, brothers, and sisters, let’s not just watch the show, let’s all be witnesses, okay?”

 

“One chicken, two owners, can we settle this mysterious case today together?”