Chapter 19: The Song Family Farce

"Tang Zhiying, Tang Zhiying!"

Tang Banxia had just sat down and hadn’t even taken a sip of water.

"I’m coming."

Song Yu was anxiously stomping her feet outside the door. Hearing the sound of it opening, she grabbed Tang Banxia without another word and ran.

"Hey, wait." Tang Banxia caught her hand. "What’s happened?"

Song Yu’s eyes brimmed with tears. "My grandma, no matter how I call her, she won’t wake up."

"Tang sister, they say you know medicine. Please, come see my grandma."

Tang Banxia grinned. "Alright."

With that, she scooped up Song Yu and hurried toward the Song family’s house.

What a day—so many things happening?

When she arrived, Song Old Lady lay unconscious on the bed, eyes tightly shut. There was no time to ask questions; Tang Banxia set Song Yu aside and quickly took the old lady’s pulse.

She found: a rush of anger had struck.

She glanced at Song Yu, who was wiping tears from her cheeks. "Did you upset your grandma?"

"Ah?" Song Yu blinked.

Tang Banxia studied her pale, delicate face. "Your grandma was overwhelmed with anger and fainted. Did someone in your family make her angry?"

Song Yu shook her head in confusion. "I—I just heard grandma cry out, and when I went in, she was already lying on the floor."

Alright then.

Tang Banxia didn’t expect a seven-year-old to provide useful information. "Where do you keep your needles?"

"I know." Song Yu hurried to fetch them.

Tang Banxia took the needles, disinfected them with the oil lamp, and inserted one into the Shen Ting point of the old lady.

After waiting and seeing no response, she pricked the Bai Hui point.

Finally, Song Old Lady stirred faintly. Song Yu leapt onto the bed with joy. "Grandma, grandma, you’re awake! You scared me so badly, grandma!"

Song Old Lady was dazed for a moment before she came to her senses. She gently soothed her precious granddaughter. "Liyu, be good. Grandma is alright, just tired and needed to lie down for a bit."

Only then did she have time to thank Tang Banxia. "Tang Zhiying, thank you for your trouble."

Tang Banxia waved it off and helped her onto the kang.

"Aunt Song, you just fainted from a burst of emotion. People of your age should avoid extremes, whether sorrow or joy. Take care. Your health is good, so you don’t need medicine. Just eat something to clear the heat."

"I understand, little Tang Zhiying."

After reminding Song Old Lady, Tang Banxia took the chance to pinch Song Yu’s cheek while she wasn’t paying attention, then turned to leave.

As for the reason Song Old Lady was struck with anger, Tang Banxia was curious, but she had principles and wouldn’t pry into other people’s family matters.

Still, even without asking, she learned the reason—not from the Songs, but from Sister Sun, the neighbor.

That afternoon was idle and sunlit. Sister Sun brought shoe soles over to spend time with Tang Banxia.

Tang Banxia was drying herbs while listening to gossip.

"Little Tang, who do you think took the Song family’s money?"

"It must’ve been someone in the family. Aunt Song hid her money so well—only the family could know where it was kept." Tang Banxia turned the herbs.

She had collected quite a few over the past few days, all prepared and ready to take to the pharmacy soon.

"That’s true." Sister Sun rubbed her needle against the shoe sole. "Song Old Lady is something else, hiding the money in her husband’s memorial tablet. No outsider would ever guess."

"The Song family finally managed to save some money over the years, and now it’s all gone. No wonder Song Old Lady fainted from anger." Sister Sun suddenly felt sorry for her.

If it had happened to her, she’d have fainted too.

Tang Banxia asked, "They haven’t found the money yet?"

"It’s not so easy." Sister Sun lowered her voice mysteriously. "I’ve heard there was over two hundred yuan. Once someone gets it, who’d give it back?"

"Wow," Tang Banxia played along, "The Song family is so wealthy?"

"That’s right." Sister Sun looked around before whispering, "You know Song Yu from their family?"

"Mm-hmm."

"That child is a little strange, incredibly lucky. Whenever she heads up the mountain, the Song family always comes back with something. Just what I know—they’ve gotten a wild goat, a wild boar, and plenty of wild chickens and rabbits besides. I haven’t even counted those."

There was envy in Sister Sun’s tone, but it was only envy; she wasn’t the sort to harm others.

"The Song family used to barely have enough to eat, but now everyone’s rosy-cheeked, all thanks to Song Yu."

"She’s really something," Tang Banxia provided some emotional support.

Song Yu—she was the very embodiment of the lucky carp; it made perfect sense.

The conversation drifted, and soon they were talking about the villagers.

Guyue Village lay at the foot of the mountain. Most villagers bore the surname Hu, all from a single lineage. Some others had settled here after fleeing hardship.

These outsiders mostly lived at the far end of the village; Sister Sun’s husband’s family had also come as refugees.

But they’d arrived early, before the founding of the nation, and were now deeply rooted here.

Thanks to Sister Sun’s stories, Tang Banxia gained a deeper understanding of the villagers.

"And that Widow Hu, Little Tang, you don’t know how satisfying your actions were the other day," Sister Sun said. "Widow Hu, relying on the brigade leader, always takes advantage, stealing chickens and dogs. And her son isn’t any better—constantly making rude remarks to the village girls and wives, it’s disgusting."

"I didn’t see the brigade leader protecting them," Tang Banxia remarked.

He’d left in a hurry that day.

"Little Tang, you’re still young." Sister Sun sighed. "Of course, the brigade leader can’t do anything openly, but in secret—he’s the brigade leader. If he wants to make trouble for us, it’s as easy as flipping his palm."

"He doesn't seem like that kind of person," Tang Banxia replied.

"Even if he isn’t, they’re all Hus, all family. If he sees his kin being bullied, would he be happy?" Sister Sun retorted.

Tang Banxia smiled, knowing she couldn’t change Sister Sun’s mind, so she switched topics. "Sister Sun, let’s go up the mountain tomorrow. Little White says there’s a persimmon tree."

Sister Sun was immediately distracted. "Yes, yes, let’s!"

"Little Tang, I knew you’re straightforward."

Tang Banxia smiled, reciprocating kindness.

Give a peach, return a plum.

"Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong! Qing girl is about to be beaten to death by Song Old Lady!"

What on earth!

Tang Banxia and Sister Sun reacted instantly, rushing out of the courtyard toward the Song house.

Sister Sun was quick-witted. When they arrived, she pulled Tang Banxia to her own home, claiming the advantageous spot.

Each household had bamboo fences, not too high. From Sister Sun’s yard, they could see right into the Song family’s courtyard.

Song Old Lady was gripping Song Qing like a chicken with one hand, and with the other, swinging a thick wooden stick at her with furious strength.

Song Qing kept her lips pressed tight, silent, not shedding a single tear.

Song Qing’s mother was covering her face and sobbing; her father looked pained and helpless. Her older sister weakly tried to intervene, while her younger sister hid behind their mother, wailing. The whole family looked pitiful.

Song Old Lady ignored everyone’s attempts to intervene, swinging her arm round and round, each blow landing hard, making the onlookers wince in fear.

"Song Old Lady, that’s enough. Qing girl is still so young."

"Even if she made trouble, you don’t need to be so harsh."

"Aunt Song, Song Qing is just a child. This is child abuse—you could be reported to the Women’s Federation!" Wang Siyun stepped forward with a furious expression. "If you have something to say, say it properly. How can you beat a child?"

"Get out of my way!" Song Old Lady was so enraged she’d kick a stray dog if it crossed her path, let alone Wang Siyun, who was provoking her further.

Back in Sister Sun’s yard, Tang Banxia munched on a tomato Sister Sun had picked, curiously asking, "Why aren’t you intervening?"

Sister Sun blushed. "What’s the point? I won’t meddle in other people’s affairs."

Tang Banxia thought to herself—after all, it wasn’t her place to stand up for Song Qing.