Chapter 248: A Crooked Beam Is A Crooked Beam
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
After obtaining something, the people from the gambling house were not so aggressive. They said a few harsh words and left.
It was mainly because the smell of blood and long silence in the room was not easy to ignore. They were unreasonable, but they did not have the courage to disregard human lives.
After sending these troublemakers away, Old Madam Ning kicked open the door of the second branch.
Second Uncle Ning covered his head with the blanket. Hearing the commotion, he had no intention to get out of bed.
Old Madam Ning was furious. She grabbed the wooden stool in the room and threw it at the blanket.
As long as Second Uncle Ning didn’t want to be smashed to death, he had to come out obediently. However, his tone was also very arrogant. “Mother, what are you doing? Are you planning to take my life?”
Old Madam Ning roared, “You’re the one who wants your mother’s life, right? Why don’t you rob someone for 300 taels?”
Second Uncle Ning was still in the mood to talk back. “Sell all the books and ink in Little Brother’s house. You’ll be able to gather most of them.”
Old Madam Ning slapped him again. “Bullsh*t! Third Brother’s things are all for studying. How can he be an official if you sell them? Are you going to let him be like you, useless for the rest of his life, and expect the family to support you? You’re inferior to your oldest brother. You don’t know how to study or farm or learn how to do business. In the end, you can’t earn as much as others can with a finger. You even pushed us into a fire pit! Let me tell you, you’re a joke!”
Second Uncle Ning narrowed his eyes. The combination of old and new grudges also made him speak without thinking.
“Official? With his half-baked standards, I think he’ll be still waiting for death at home when Big Brother’s eldest son becomes an official.”
“Mother, now that you know how good Big Brother is, why didn’t you chase him out back then? Why? Do you think of Father’s first wife and what you did?”
Old Madam Ning slapped him, but Second Uncle Ning was not as honest as her step-son, Ning Fengnian. Not only did he not let her hit him obediently, but he also pushed her to the ground.
“Mother, don’t blame me for not reminding you. You have to take out these 300 taels. Otherwise, I’ll tell Big Brother everything you’ve done all these years! Let him know that you got together with my father long before his mother passed away and was discovered by his first wife. His biological mother was angered to death by the two of you adulterers!”
Old Madam Ning was about to break down. “How did I raise such a thing like you? You actually threatened your biological mother!”
Second Uncle Ning smiled insincerely. “As the saying goes, if the upper beam isn’t straight, the lower beam will be crooked. You can use Dad’s deceased wife’s matter to threaten Dad to listen to you in everything, so why can’t I follow suit?”
“I’m at my wits’ end anyway. Either you settle it for me, or I’ll go to Big Brother and tell him everything.”
Old Madam Ning looked at her son’s bloodshot eyes and her throat trembled. “Fengcai, I’m your mother!”
Second Uncle Ning spat. “Now you know. You’ve been biased towards Little Brother all these years. You let him do nothing at home, but you let me go out to suffer. Why didn’t you think that I’m also your son?”
However, he forgot that he was not the one who had been working hard for many years.
The mother and son were speechless. They both felt extremely disappointed.
Second Uncle Ning was the first to speak. “Mother, tell me. Don’t blame me for not reminding you if you can’t take out the silver. Big Brother and his family know the county magistrate. With your crime, it’s not too much to be beheaded, right?”
Old Madam Ning clenched her fists and the corners of her lips curled up stiffly. “Look at what you’re saying. I’m your mother. Can I not care about you? Even if I have to take out my coffin money, I have to help you pass this stage, right? But don’t gamble anymore in the future, okay?”
Second Uncle Ning clicked his tongue. “When I win the money back, I definitely won’t go again! By the way, Mother, where is our title deed?”
Old Madam Ning’s mind snapped.
Second Aunt Ning felt that she had slept for a long time. When she opened her eyes, there was only a woman who usually liked to talk nonsense with her left by the bed. She was wiping her body.
Her lower body was painful, numb, and covered in blood. She definitely did not have the strength to clean herself up. However, if she did not clean it up in the summer, she would probably have some infection in the future.
Seeing that she had woken up, the woman put down the handkerchief.
“Since we know each other, I can only help you to this extent.”
That old woman and Little Aunt from the Ning Family could not be counted on. Although they did not have a deep relationship, they had quarreled with others and pulled their hair together.
Second Aunt Ning was not in the mood to be touched now. She asked in a trembling voice, “I gave birth? Is it a boy?”
After saying that, she changed her words. “A girl is fine too. Where’s the child?”
The woman’s expression froze. She didn’t know what to say. Second Aunt Ning was extremely anxious. She stood up abruptly and her vision immediately darkened. “What’s wrong? What happened? Did they sell my child?”
“It’s good if they sell it…” The woman sighed. She had no choice but to tell her the truth. “You and that child might not be fated.”
Second Aunt Ning had given birth to a stillbirth. It was said that it could not breathe or move after it was born. It was covered in bruises and looked strange. Old Madam Ning felt unlucky. Before Second Aunt Ning could wake up and take a look, she wrapped it in rags and threw it in the mountain.
Second Aunt Ning endured the pain and limped over. She only saw torn pieces of cloth with dark bloodstains and a few pieces of flesh that she couldn’t tell what they were.
It was ironic that this was the place where they wanted Ning Xiaoxiao to be gnawed by wild beasts back then. The difference was that when Ning Xiaoxiao was abandoned by them here, the wild beasts were all sleeping in winter, and now was the time when they were active.
Second Aunt Ning covered her mouth and couldn’t control her desire to vomit at all. She cried as she vomited. Her tears and stomach acid stained her hands, but she wasn’t even in the mood to wipe them.
She had been pregnant with her child for 10 months and regarded it as everything!
It was that damn old woman. It was the old Ning Family who caused its death! It was them, these animals!
Second Aunt Ning slapped herself hard and pulled away the groggy feeling. She then went to the river to wash her face. Looking at her ugly expression in the river, she laughed like a lunatic.
When she returned to the village again, she was expressionless and seemed to have returned to normal. After walking into the old residence, she even called out to Old Madam Ning, “Mother.”
Old Madam Ning almost dropped her bowl. “What are you shouting for? Are you shouting for your soul?”
After cursing, she realized that something was wrong. She coughed again and pretended that she did not say anything. She reached out her hand. “Here, I made chicken soup for you. Drink it quickly.”
When did Old Madam Ning, who had never treated her as a human, become so considerate and caring?
In the past, she would be scolded even if she wanted to eat a bowl of noodles with more oil, let alone kill a chicken.
Could it be that she was remorseful because of her dead grandchild?
Chapter 248: A Crooked Beam Is A Crooked Beam
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
After obtaining something, the people from the gambling house were not so aggressive. They said a few harsh words and left.
It was mainly because the smell of blood and long silence in the room was not easy to ignore. They were unreasonable, but they did not have the courage to disregard human lives.
After sending these troublemakers away, Old Madam Ning kicked open the door of the second branch.
Second Uncle Ning covered his head with the blanket. Hearing the commotion, he had no intention to get out of bed.
Old Madam Ning was furious. She grabbed the wooden stool in the room and threw it at the blanket.
As long as Second Uncle Ning didn’t want to be smashed to death, he had to come out obediently. However, his tone was also very arrogant. “Mother, what are you doing? Are you planning to take my life?”
Old Madam Ning roared, “You’re the one who wants your mother’s life, right? Why don’t you rob someone for 300 taels?”
Second Uncle Ning was still in the mood to talk back. “Sell all the books and ink in Little Brother’s house. You’ll be able to gather most of them.”
Old Madam Ning slapped him again. “Bullsh*t! Third Brother’s things are all for studying. How can he be an official if you sell them? Are you going to let him be like you, useless for the rest of his life, and expect the family to support you? You’re inferior to your oldest brother. You don’t know how to study or farm or learn how to do business. In the end, you can’t earn as much as others can with a finger. You even pushed us into a fire pit! Let me tell you, you’re a joke!”
Second Uncle Ning narrowed his eyes. The combination of old and new grudges also made him speak without thinking.
“Official? With his half-baked standards, I think he’ll be still waiting for death at home when Big Brother’s eldest son becomes an official.”
“Mother, now that you know how good Big Brother is, why didn’t you chase him out back then? Why? Do you think of Father’s first wife and what you did?”
Old Madam Ning slapped him, but Second Uncle Ning was not as honest as her step-son, Ning Fengnian. Not only did he not let her hit him obediently, but he also pushed her to the ground.
“Mother, don’t blame me for not reminding you. You have to take out these 300 taels. Otherwise, I’ll tell Big Brother everything you’ve done all these years! Let him know that you got together with my father long before his mother passed away and was discovered by his first wife. His biological mother was angered to death by the two of you adulterers!”
Old Madam Ning was about to break down. “How did I raise such a thing like you? You actually threatened your biological mother!”
Second Uncle Ning smiled insincerely. “As the saying goes, if the upper beam isn’t straight, the lower beam will be crooked. You can use Dad’s deceased wife’s matter to threaten Dad to listen to you in everything, so why can’t I follow suit?”
“I’m at my wits’ end anyway. Either you settle it for me, or I’ll go to Big Brother and tell him everything.”
Old Madam Ning looked at her son’s bloodshot eyes and her throat trembled. “Fengcai, I’m your mother!”
Second Uncle Ning spat. “Now you know. You’ve been biased towards Little Brother all these years. You let him do nothing at home, but you let me go out to suffer. Why didn’t you think that I’m also your son?”
However, he forgot that he was not the one who had been working hard for many years.
The mother and son were speechless. They both felt extremely disappointed.
Second Uncle Ning was the first to speak. “Mother, tell me. Don’t blame me for not reminding you if you can’t take out the silver. Big Brother and his family know the county magistrate. With your crime, it’s not too much to be beheaded, right?”
Old Madam Ning clenched her fists and the corners of her lips curled up stiffly. “Look at what you’re saying. I’m your mother. Can I not care about you? Even if I have to take out my coffin money, I have to help you pass this stage, right? But don’t gamble anymore in the future, okay?”
Second Uncle Ning clicked his tongue. “When I win the money back, I definitely won’t go again! By the way, Mother, where is our title deed?”
Old Madam Ning’s mind snapped.
Second Aunt Ning felt that she had slept for a long time. When she opened her eyes, there was only a woman who usually liked to talk nonsense with her left by the bed. She was wiping her body.
Her lower body was painful, numb, and covered in blood. She definitely did not have the strength to clean herself up. However, if she did not clean it up in the summer, she would probably have some infection in the future.
Seeing that she had woken up, the woman put down the handkerchief.
“Since we know each other, I can only help you to this extent.”
That old woman and Little Aunt from the Ning Family could not be counted on. Although they did not have a deep relationship, they had quarreled with others and pulled their hair together.
Second Aunt Ning was not in the mood to be touched now. She asked in a trembling voice, “I gave birth? Is it a boy?”
After saying that, she changed her words. “A girl is fine too. Where’s the child?”
The woman’s expression froze. She didn’t know what to say. Second Aunt Ning was extremely anxious. She stood up abruptly and her vision immediately darkened. “What’s wrong? What happened? Did they sell my child?”
“It’s good if they sell it…” The woman sighed. She had no choice but to tell her the truth. “You and that child might not be fated.”
Second Aunt Ning had given birth to a stillbirth. It was said that it could not breathe or move after it was born. It was covered in bruises and looked strange. Old Madam Ning felt unlucky. Before Second Aunt Ning could wake up and take a look, she wrapped it in rags and threw it in the mountain.
Second Aunt Ning endured the pain and limped over. She only saw torn pieces of cloth with dark bloodstains and a few pieces of flesh that she couldn’t tell what they were.
It was ironic that this was the place where they wanted Ning Xiaoxiao to be gnawed by wild beasts back then. The difference was that when Ning Xiaoxiao was abandoned by them here, the wild beasts were all sleeping in winter, and now was the time when they were active.
Second Aunt Ning covered her mouth and couldn’t control her desire to vomit at all. She cried as she vomited. Her tears and stomach acid stained her hands, but she wasn’t even in the mood to wipe them.
She had been pregnant with her child for 10 months and regarded it as everything!
It was that damn old woman. It was the old Ning Family who caused its death! It was them, these animals!
Second Aunt Ning slapped herself hard and pulled away the groggy feeling. She then went to the river to wash her face. Looking at her ugly expression in the river, she laughed like a lunatic.
When she returned to the village again, she was expressionless and seemed to have returned to normal. After walking into the old residence, she even called out to Old Madam Ning, “Mother.”
Old Madam Ning almost dropped her bowl. “What are you shouting for? Are you shouting for your soul?”
After cursing, she realized that something was wrong. She coughed again and pretended that she did not say anything. She reached out her hand. “Here, I made chicken soup for you. Drink it quickly.”
When did Old Madam Ning, who had never treated her as a human, become so considerate and caring?
In the past, she would be scolded even if she wanted to eat a bowl of noodles with more oil, let alone kill a chicken.
Could it be that she was remorseful because of her dead grandchild?
