Chapter 6: Mother, Who Must Avenge Grudges on the Same Day
“Yellow earth, green grass grows, my baby girl is fat and round, fat and round…”
Listening to Mother’s soft, long-drawn-out tune.
Unsurprisingly, Jiang Mianmian fell asleep again.
When she woke up again.
It was already dark.
She was in her familiar wooden basin.
She was a bit hungry.
She slowly put her finger into her mouth and started sucking on it; there was spiritual spring water, but it was also a bit salty…
After sucking for a while, she felt the urge to poop. Her face flushed red, and she wanted to cry out as a warning, but her throat and her bottom exerted force at the same time… It was incredibly smooth.
“Aowu aowu aowu!”
She used her crying to cover up the sound of her pooping.
Her elder sister, Jiang Yu, was nearby, covering her nose and saying, “Isn’t it said that babies’ poop doesn’t smell? Why does Little Sister’s poop smell so bad!”
Although she was disgusted, she still skillfully changed the diaper.
Jiang Mianmian looked innocent, though she was also a bit dazed by the smell.
Jiang Mianmian felt her legs being lifted. Her sister was very careful and wiped much more gently than Mother.
After wiping, her bottom didn’t feel sticky, so it must have been cleaned very well.
Once wiped dry, little Mianmian sucked on her finger again for a while. Was her finger even saltier now? Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!
Mother finally appeared. She contentedly grabbed her food source; there was plenty of food today (she even pooped more), which made her happy again. After eating, she couldn’t help but grin.
She couldn’t control her expressions and just smiled foolishly.
She had gone out to get some fresh air and see the world today, so she was a bit more energetic now. She wanted to hear more gossip from her parents about what happened with the lost medicinal herbs, but she waited and waited until she fell asleep without hearing anything.
She had another bowel movement—so smooth—and another day passed.
Early in the morning, someone knocked on the door.
“Feng’s Mother, are you home?”
An older woman, holding a bunch of wild vegetables, leaned against the doorway.
Mother, holding her, also leaned against the doorway.
Jiang Mianmian, in Mother’s arms, also found a comfortable position.
“Have you heard? Sixth Auntie went to the outhouse last night and broke her leg. I don’t know which mischievous brat dug a big pit in the path.”
Jiang Mianmian heard Mother ask with a look of astonishment, “Didn’t Sixth Auntie say her chamber pot was made of old sandalwood? Why did she have to go out to use the outhouse?”
“Who’s to say? And the most amazing part is, Sixth Auntie didn’t go to her own outhouse, but to Old Liu’s outhouse. Isn’t that strange?”
Then she saw Mother’s round face light up. Mother widened her eyes and whispered, “What happened? Sister, tell me the details. I have plenty of time…”
“A-Cuis Mother heard from someone that being a maid for a master in the Prefecture City paid eighty taels of silver, but Sixth Auntie only offered ten taels, trying to pocket seventy taels. She went over to confront her. You know how A-Cuis Mother’s mouth is; she cursed so horribly. They caused a scene at Sixth Auntie’s house all afternoon. Then, in the evening, Sixth Auntie broke her leg, and she had herself carried to A-Cuis Mother’s house, and they’ve been arguing incessantly…”
Jiang Mianmian’s body swayed along with the rhythm of Mother’s nodding.
Both Mother and daughter listened to the gossip with serious expressions.
Jiang Mianmian was satisfied with what she heard, but she was hungry and wanted milk, so she started wailing.
After two days of full feedings, she felt she had plenty of energy.
“This girl has such a bright cry. You go feed the baby first. I just came by to pick some vegetables on my way, and I still have to go back to cook.” The older woman took her vegetables and left, satisfied after sharing the gossip.
Jiang Mianmian stuck out her bottom, preparing to put effort into eating.
…
In the evening, the family members gathered.
It was clear that everyone had heard about today’s gossip.
While eating, her elder sister Jiang Yu said happily, “A-Cuis Mother went and made a scene, insisting that the master in the Prefecture City gave eighty taels, and demanding that Sixth Auntie compensate her for those seventy taels. Sixth Auntie said she didn’t have it. Because of the money, A-Cui isn’t going to the Prefecture City anymore.”
Her elder brother, Jiang Feng, asked curiously, “Wasn’t it fifty taels? Eighty taels—even if you killed Sixth Auntie, she wouldn’t give it.”
Jiang Mianmian couldn’t help but chime in, “Yiya, yiya, eighty, eighty.” (Mother said it, Mother said it, eighty taels, eighty taels.)
“Who cares? Anyway, it’s just evil getting its due. Whoever the good person was that dug that pit—I heard Sixth Auntie’s leg is broken solid. Even if she lies in bed for a hundred days, it won’t get better. Let’s see if she can go out and cause trouble for people in the future.” Jiang Yu was so happy that even the bitter greens tasted delicious.
Jiang Mianmian also chimed in, “Yiya, yiya, dig, dig, dig.” (Mother dug it, Mother dug it, dig, dig, dig.)
Then her little cheek was pinched by her elder brother.
“Mother, why do I feel like Little Sister can understand what we’re saying? It’s like she’s talking.”
“Use a lighter touch. What could she possibly understand? She’s just happy because you all are happy.” Qin Luoxia said this while feeding little Mianmian a spoonful of vegetable soup.
It was bitter. Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey.
Jiang Mianmian’s whole face scrunched up. It wasn’t tasty. Her mouth pouted, looking like she was about to cry.
When Mother offered the spoon again, she kept her mouth tightly shut and wouldn’t open it again. It tasted bad; she refused.
Qin Luoxia and Jiang Changtian both laughed when they saw this.
This baby is too clever.
Late at night.
Jiang Mianmian heard Mother speaking groggily, “Father of the children, do you think anyone will suspect that I dug the pit?”
“No. Sixth Auntie is usually careless in her dealings, and many people don’t like her. If she hadn’t gone to Old Liu’s house, she wouldn’t have broken her leg. It’s all self-inflicted. Go to sleep.”
Jiang Mianmian fell asleep peacefully and soon began to snore softly.
Even in her dreams, she was digging a pit: dig, dig, dig…
