The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family

Pei Wenbo let out a howl and, crying and cursing, lunged forward to hit someone.

Lady Chen and Lady Zhu shot up and hurried over.

But they were already too late, Wenbo had tumbled out of the kitchen, with Pei Qin holding onto a pigeon that was missing a good chunk of meat in one hand, and chopsticks in the other. One foot was planted on the ground, the other still lifted in mid-air, yet to be pulled back.

Wenbo let out a loud cry, tearing up and sobbing louder than a pig being slaughtered.

Lady Chen couldn't hold back anymore and, pointing at Pei Qin, she started yelling, "You damned bastard! You conniving little wretch, you're rebelling! If I don't beat you to death today, then my name isn't Chen!" and she charged forward with her hand outstretched.

Pei Qin shifted her not so nimble leg around, "Come at me if you dare!"

Having been thrown over the shoulder by her before and still feeling the pain in her back, Lady Chen hesitated to approach directly.

Lady Zhu also angrily pointed at Pei Qin, "Do you have a death wish?"

"The hell I do! So what?" If dying could take her back, she'd have to be crazy to want to stay here.

Seeing how serious she was, Lady Zhu was left speechless, her face turning a ghastly shade of green.

Lady Chen kept yelling, "You conniving little wretch, go on and die then! If you have the guts, die! If you dare, you wouldn't still be here stealing pigeon meat! You foul-mouthed wretch…"

"Who found the pigeon? Who cleaned it? Who cooked it? I'm eating it fair and square, what stealing? Who's I am stealing from?!" Pei Qin stood with one foot on a small stool.

Lady Fang felt her eldest daughter suddenly erupt like an unstoppable flood and panicked, "Qinqin…"

"It was my pigeon that was stolen! It was mine! All of you shameless, conniving brats, stealing my pigeon meat!" Wenbo stomped his foot, crying and cursing.

Furious, Pei Qin threw the pigeon onto the ground with a bang and flung the chopsticks away, then turned to leave.

Lady Fang, terrified, rushed to hold her, "Qinqin! Qinqin! Don't go! If you leave, what am I supposed to do?"

"Let the little wretch go! Go! I want to see if she has the guts to!" Lady Chen howled, "She's not leaving; she wants to elope with some man! And dares to hit an elder, what's with that throwing? Indeed, the dogs that bark don't bite, but the ones who bite don't bark!"

Fuck! Pei Qin was enraged, "Who the hell are you trying to pin this shit on!? Don't know how your own daughter is getting by out there, yet you dare slander who?"

Lady Chen, furiously, "You conniving wench dare to curse me?"

"Everyone shut up!" Old Pei arrived, shouting angrily.

Lady Chen turned her head, "Dad…"

"Shut your mouth!" Old Pei bellowed.

Chen pursed her lips, resentfully glaring at Pei Qin.

"Just eat and go to sleep! One after another, what's all this nonsense? If you don't want to live a peaceful life, what do you want?" Old Pei didn't bother determining who was right or wrong, his aim was to cover up the matter and squash everything there and then.

Lady Zhu understood his intentions and was fuming inside. Seeing Wenbo crying rivers of tears and catching Old Pei's mood, she picked up the remaining half of the pigeon meat and consoled Wenbo, "Er Lang, be good! Stop crying! Your face is all messed up! There's still plenty of pigeon meat left, grandma will cook it just for you! Nobody else will get any! Ah! Please, stop crying! Come here, grandma will cook you pigeon meat!"

Wenbo's cries wouldn't be soothed. The more Lady Zhu consoled him, the more he fussed, demanding that Pei Qin and Wendong, both, compensate him for his pigeon meat, and also that Pei Qin had hit him, "...and kicked me!"

In his ear, Lady Zhu whispered softly, "Grandma will cook you a chicken egg to eat!"