After uttering those words, Old Lady Hua pushed Yang Lichun aside. By this time, Yang Dayong and the others were carrying Ye Zi’an into the yard.
Yang Lichun turned her head and touched her cheek. She suddenly saw Ye Zi’an lying on the wooden board, his face a bit pale but still quite handsome. Yang Lichun’s heart gave a leap, and she unexpectedly blushed.
However, Yang Chuxia didn’t notice this. She has arranged for Ye Zi’an to be carried into the room of Yang Qingrui, which was also shared by her. The room was divided into two parts by a cloth, one side for Yang Chuxia and Yang Xiayun, the other for the Yang Qingrui brothers, while Yang Dachuan and his wife have moved to an outside room.
In fact, it was Yang Chuxia’s demand after her arrival to divide it this way. Previously, they all squeezed into one room.
Once Ye Zi’an was settled down, Yang Chuxia gave the cart driver a copper coin and let him leave. However, Land Officer Yang and others remained at the Yang Family, chatting with Ye Zi’an and Yang Dachuan.
Then Land Officer’s wife brought some brown sugar and red dates from home. Following her, Auntie Li, Uncle Old Gen, rich Aunt from the village, Aunt Qiu and others also came with various items from their homes to visit Ye Zi’an.
Normally, these things would be sent to Brother An’s own home, but since Brother An was recuperating at Yang Chuxia’s house, the items were left at the Yang’s residence. This made Ms. Liu, who watched people coming and going, jealous.
Then she cleared her throat and said, "My goodness, I have been ill for so long and no one has come to see me. Yet a cripple gains such importance. This Third Son and his wife are so disobedient. In my opinion..."
The people inside the room mutually looked at each other hearing Ms. Liu’s voice, and they saw mockery in each other’s eyes.
Yang Chuxia naturally heard the voice too and before Liu could finish, she stood at the door, looking at Ms. Liu with a half-smiling face. Ms. Liu immediately silenced.
Then Old Lady Hua’s voice came, "You’re asking for it, do you want to be beaten? Always cursing me, am I ill? Are you just waiting for me to die?"
The sudden reprimanding from Old Lady Hua caused everyone in the room to burst out laughing. Upon hearing the laughter from the third branch of the family, Ms. Liu returned dejectedly to her room.
With visitors coming to see Brother An, who happened to be staying at Yang’s, it was natural that food be prepared for them. Therefore, Yang Dachuan borrowed Land Officer Yang’s cart and went to the town to buy some vegetables and black fish for their guest, Ye Zi’an, who was healing. Black fish helps the fresh wound not to itch, it’s said.
After serving all the guests, the family quieted down and discussed the events and expenses of the past few days in detail.
Yang Chuxia calculated, they obtained one tael and nine hundred wen from Old Lady Hua, two taels from selling fish, and almost all of Yang Dachuan’s earnings from carrying sacks were taken for daily expenses. Apart from five hundred wen spent on land, nine hundred and fifty wen spent on buying a pottery jar, wine and other condiments, along with medical expenses, official fees and other charges in these last two days, they were left with only three hundred and fifty wen.
This was much like revisiting the conditions of the old days. It seems she had to hope those jars of drunken crab will be loved by the tavern owner. Otherwise, when they go to the county court, they would not have any money left.
Ye Zi’an, overhearing Yang Chuxia’s worries over money in the room, attempted to give his money to Qingrui for her, but stubborn Yang Chuxia flatly refused.