Once Wufu became immersed in carving jade, he’d neglect everything else, apart from the necessary physiological needs. When truly engrossed, he wouldn’t even care about eating or drinking.
Madam Zhou, who was entrusted with the significant task, was taking Liu Jin to the village to discuss house building with the so-called Zhang Facai brothers she mentioned.
Madam Zhou, with Liu Jin in tow, made her way through the village quite conspicuously, which naturally caught many people’s attention. With a little inquiry, it was learned they planned to add on to their house, and immediately the gazes directed at them carried a different sort of speculation.
Day by day, since May, the changes to the once inconspicuous little house by the mountainside were obvious to all. Regardless of the reason, their lives were seemingly becoming more prosperous, and now they even had the means to expand their house.
And the small house’s inhabitants were just a few orphans and a widow, without even a responsible man among them; thus, this capability for change was truly baffling to many.
"Zhou Dajun, has that secret lover of your auntie sneaked back? I see their days are quite lush," someone joked casually, nudging Zhou Dajun’s arm and nodding towards the retreating figure of Madam Zhou, speaking with the sourness of hundred-year-old vinegar.
Zhou Dajun’s face darkened, and he coldly said, "Hei Niu, are you asking for a beating?" He was most annoyed when people spoke about his aunt’s matters—it irked him to no end, bringing bad luck.
The young man known as Hei Niu exclaimed dramatically, "Yo, Zhou Dajun is getting angry! Could it be that I’ve hit a nerve and he’s lashing out in embarrassment?"
"Shut up, or I’ll beat you to death!" Zhou Dajun swung his fists, threatening with a fierce glare.
"Zhou Dajun, then tell us, what treasure did their family come upon? I’ve heard they’re eating meat every day!" Another person squeezed over to contribute, "I think your auntie’s looking younger and prettier than before, too."
This comment had an ill-mannered implication; it was clearly a form of teasing.
"Right, right, both the grown-ups and kids seem to be well off," Hei Niu chuckled sleazily, ignoring Zhou Dajun’s fierce gaze as he draped an arm over his shoulder chummily, "Zhou Dajun, your cousin Wufu has also grown up quite pretty, hasn’t she? Girls change so much when they come of age; they only get more beautiful. I’d say you should just marry her; it’ll save on the betrothal gifts, and you might even get a hefty dowry."
"Yeah, right, that would be a bargain for you, lad. After all, it’s just between cousins—first cousins sharing the bed, ha ha!"
Flushed with embarrassment by the teasing, Zhou Dajun exclaimed, "Who would marry her, that tigress?"
"Even a tigress has her charm; who knows, she might be spicy in bed and full of surprises," Hei Niu said with a lewd laugh, "In their den, with all the little ones, you might get ’buy one, get three free’!"
With each added sentence carrying an insinuated meaning, the remarks grew increasingly indecent and vulgar. Zhou Dajun’s face darkened considerably as he finally said with a scoff, "Do you dare say that in front of the tigress herself?"
The faces of Hei Niu and the others changed as the image of Wufu beating Bao Tou flashed before their eyes.
It was a joke; who would dare to say such things in her presence without asking for a beating?
Sensing he had intimidated them with a single remark, Zhou Dajun felt inward satisfaction, "Scared, huh? If you dare provoke the authority of the tigress, huh."
No matter how pretty Wufu might become or how substantial her dowry, he wouldn’t dream of marrying her. He preferred gentle girls, those who spoke softly, sweetly to the ear.
As for Wufu? He really wondered how she came to be; although his aunt was quite mild-mannered, she somehow gave birth to a tigress, huh.