Shi da niang started shouting right away before Cheng Xiao Xiao could get a word in.
Cheng Xiao Xiao didn’t know how to respond upon hearing her words. She had no idea what she meant by that but before she could talk, another village woman started shouting at her, “Yeah, Xiao Xiao, exactly what Shi da niang said. Are you looking down on us? Yeah, our February Flower is a bit on the young side, but she’s very good at doing chores. Like this vegetable picking you are doing right now, she’d learned to do that long time ago. Why did you send her out? Are you trying to tell us something? What has our family ever did to you? You take all the other maidens but not our February Flower!”
“Xiao Xiao, aunty Huang said what was on my mind too. Go ahead and say it, what is wrong with my little Ling. She’s an obedient kid! Why didn’t you take her? If you have any concerns you can just tell us. But you can’t just send them back home!”
“Yeah, yeah, Xiao Xiao, that’s exactly what we wanted to say. You better explain yourself to us. We have been counting on you to feed little Spring Flower!”
Talking one after another, all their meaning more or less the same. Cheng Xiao Xiao felt a bit helpless. She figured the kids went home and couldn’t really express clearly what had transpired, which had caused these village women to come to their house.
Cheng Xiao Xiao walked over from the vegetable field to where the woman were. With an apologetic smile, she said, “Shi da niang, Shui da niang, aunty Huang, there must have been some misunderstanding!”
“What misunderstanding? Xiao Xiao, our girls clear stated that you’ve sent them back! Xiao Xiao, are you still holding grudges toward An Hung niang? Let me tell you something, it was because of you that made it such a hassle for our villages to leave the village. You better be feeding our girls. Otherwise, I am going to go talk to the patriarch!” said An Hung niang rudely, as though the Cheng’s were overdue on money that they owe her!
Her words had displeased Cheng Xiao Xiao. Surely it had been more of a hassle for them to leave a village, but that’s not the reason why they were responsible to feed their entire family!
Shi da niang, standing nearby, realized that An Hung niang, had taken it a bit too far so she tugged at her elbow. An Hung niang stopped talking and turned away, still looking displeased nonetheless.
Cheng Xiao Xiao ignored An Hung niang and said to the other village women, “Da niang, aunty, Xiao Xiao never said she wouldn’t take them. I merely clarified with them that once they stepped foot into the Cheng’s, they have to listen to us from that point forward. They will need to obey to all our orders, even if that means not obeying to orders from their family!”
“WHAT?!” shrieked An Hung niang Pointing at Cheng Xiao Xiao in disbelief, she shouted, “What do you mean by that, huh? Did you think we were selling you our daughters? What does that even mean they can only listen to the Cheng’s in the future and not us? Cheng Xiao Xiao, don’t you think you are going too far? Let me get this straight, we are not selling our daughters to you! We just want you to raise them and it’s okay if they have to help out with some household chores on the side, but we will be marrying them off in the future. They are not spending the rest of their lives as your servants! You got that?!”
Morons! We were morons!
Even though she had already figured as much, she was still unhappy hearing these words.
Surely these are issues that could be resolved in the future. But if that’s everybody’s plan, then there was no reason to set any sort of rules. They just come by everyday to be fed, help out with whatever chores. Raised them for a few years and they could be married off!