Chapter 62 – An Injured In the Deep Mountain (1)

　　Mrs. Gu was already in a bad mood. She picked the child up smacked him a couple of times on his bottom and said, “What meat? It’s not new year or any festival, where do you think we will get meat form, huh? Do you want your mom to cut off some meat from her body to feed to you?”

　　“Your meat stinks! They won’t taste good! I want good-smelling meat!” Xiao Zhuang had no meat to eat and got smacked a couple of times. He started bawling immediately. He bawled and scratched Mrs. Gu at the same time while saying that, “I want to become Fifth Grandpa’s grandson! I want to eat meat!”

　　His words made Mrs. Gu lift her arm up high. But looking at the frowny little face of her son, she couldn’t bring herself to hit him. She turned and looked Da Zhuang, who was shoving biscuit into his mouth and took her anger out on him, “Da Zhuang, were you the one who taught him that? Your brother is so young, that was no way he could know that by himself. Say it, was it you who told him that?”

　　After she was done talking she reached out to try and grab Da Zhuang. Da Zhuang finished the last sip of porridge, wiped his mouth, and agilely avoided her hand as he was screaming, “Mom! What do I have to do with Xiao Zhuang being gluttonous?”

　　“If you weren’t my son? I would have tossed and drowned you in the urine pail! Not leaving you in front of me to make me angry!” Mrs. Gu picked up a rod and chased after Da Zhuang in the yard. Suddenly, the crying of Xiao Zhuang, the screaming of Da Zhaung, the scolding of Mrs. Gu all formed into a cacophony of sound. All the ruckus going on in the courtyard made it very lively.

　　Gu Qiao was so mad he slammed down his chopsticks and shouted, “Can’t I at least eat in peace?” The noises in the courtyard died down right away. Gu Qiao had been in a bad mood the last few days and blew up easily. Even Xiao Zhuang was afraid of him.

　　Wave after wave of wager continued to flare up inside of him. Gu Qiao had no one to take it out on. He stood up, kicked down the stool and walked outside with heavy steps.

　　Everybody in the village were talking about how stupid he was to have booted out the god of wealth when he knocked on his door. After seeing Gu Xiao “bought” a horse and treating all the workers who helped out with the construction of his new house with sumptuous meals, he felt even worse. If only that old man didn’t fake to be poor to trick him, all these money should have been his!

　　Without knowing, he had arrived half way up the mountain. Gu Xiao’s house’s constructions have already been completed. The tall stone walls blocked his sight; and the cheerful laughter from the inside seemed so distant to him.

　　With a chick leg in his hand, the youngest grandson of the head of the village tried a few times to climb over the threshold of the door but failed. He frowned his little face anxiously. His son appeared inside the door and picked up the little guy and put him on the other side of the threshold. The little guy sat on the threshold, chewing on the chicken leg, and smiled like a fool.

　　If only he did not have his eldest son took his place in the adoption, he would be the one sitting there greeting the guests. And this boy sitting here with the chicken leg would be his youngest son who was crying at home wanting to eat meat. Thinking about this, Gu Qiao felt even worse than he was before and he left in heavy steps.

　　Gu Ming looked up and saw the back of his dad walking away. He frowned but quickly returned to normal. It was him who gave up on him and his sister, from now on their paths would no longer cross. It would be each person for themselves.

　　The dinner at Gu Xiao’s house lasted all the way until the moon was up above everyone’s heads. The women from the village stayed till the very end and made sure all the clean up tasks were done before taking off.

　　Gu Xiao patted his grandson and granddaughter on their heads and smiled, “Just a few more days. Once the houses are completed dried, the three of us will move in!”

　　Ninth Aunty walked over to them and said, “Why don’t we have Ming-er and Ye-er stayed over at my house the next few days. Li-er just came over and said Mrs. Gu is stirring up things again at home. I worry that if these two go back tonight, she will take it out on them.