Chapter 17: Grandpa, Are You the Head of the Shen Family?

Shen Baozhi stared at Shen Mingxi, who was standing at the door in a daze, and suddenly a strange smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. She reached out and scattered the wheat grains from the bowl onto the ground. She looked at Shen Mingxi but cooed, "Grandma, I accidentally knocked over the bowl..."

Old Lady Shen was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly ran over. Upon seeing Shen Mingxi, she glared at her fiercely and cursed venomously, "You jinx, what are you standing there like an idiot for? Aren't you capable? Wait and see how I deal with you later."

After saying that, she gave her a hateful glare before rushing to the windowsill where Shen Baozhi was sitting, anxiously asking, "My precious girl, is the bowl broken? Did it cut your hand? Let grandma see..."

She was extremely distressed.

"Grandma, the bowl isn't broken, but I knocked it over, and there were wheat grains in it..." Shen Baozhi suppressed her disgust, subtly avoiding the old lady's hand, and said coquettishly.

"It's okay, those wheat grains are just right for feeding the chickens. If you want to eat, I'll have your auntie cook some more for you."

"Grandma, there aren't many wheat ears left..."

"Don't worry, tomorrow I'll have Gou Dan and Yaya pick some wheat ears, and we'll roast them for snacks at noon..."

"But I don't want to eat wheat grains anymore." Shen Baozhi glanced at Shen Mingxi and provocatively cooed to Old Lady Shen.

"What does my precious girl want to eat? Grandma will make it for you."

Shen Baozhi thought for a moment, "Then have auntie make me some fried dough cakes."

She made her request as if it were a matter of course.

Shen Mingxi clenched her hand but slowly relaxed it.

Having experienced much, she naturally knew that most of what her cousin did was for her to see.

Just like now!

She turned and left.

Shen Baozhi's mouth curled into a triumphant smile.

The yard was in chaos, with the children from Second Uncle's and Third Uncle's families running around everywhere. Second Uncle wasn't seen, while Third Uncle Shen Jun was smoking in a corner. The eldest brother was busy chopping vegetables to feed the pigs, the second brother was sweating profusely chopping firewood by the woodshed, and Gou Dan and Yaya were carefully catching bugs in the vegetable garden.

Without looking, she knew that her mother, Chen Li, was cooking in the kitchen.

In this big family, except for Shen Yu, whose health was deteriorating, everyone else in their branch was working.

And she should be washing the clothes that the people in the main house had changed out of this morning.

Shen Mingxi looked up with a cold expression. The sky was getting dark, and swarms of midges were flying in the air. She turned her head, glanced at the basin of clothes soaking, then looked away. She went inside, poured a glass of water for Shen Yu, and then sat on the edge of the kang, looking out the window.

Tonight's dinner was ready.

It was thick porridge, without any steamed buns. Old Lady Shen had Chen Li prepare to steam some in the morning.

For dinner, they had stewed green beans and potatoes, very fragrant, with lard added.

Chen Li also made a cold dish with dried tofu, coriander, and cucumber that Old Lady Shen had exchanged for with soybeans at noon.

Chen Li's cooking was good; the aroma of the green beans and potatoes could be smelled even in the woodshed.

Shen Yu on the kang seemed to be asleep.

His face was sallow, and he hadn't coughed for once.

And Shen Mingxi sat motionless, looking out the window.

She heard Old Lady Shen's scolding, "...No vegetables for dinner, a house full of debtors, and your Jinx is not allowed to eat. If she dares to defy me, she's just asking for trouble. Starve her for a few meals, and she'll behave. And you, if you dare to give her food, see how I deal with you. Hurry back to your room, finish up, and then prepare the pig feed. Our Shen Family owes you all, raising a house full of ungrateful wolves..."

Shen Mingxi heard Chen Li's timid rebuttal, but the voice was too soft to be clear.

Shen Mingxi remained motionless, waiting until Chen Li came out of the kitchen with a small basin of something that looked like dishwater. Chen Li was holding the basin in a daze when Shen Mingxi moved.

She walked out of the woodshed, quickly approached Chen Li, took the wooden basin, and headed towards the main house.

By then, there was no one from the main house in the yard.

Chen Li looked at her empty hands, momentarily at a loss.

Shen Jiawen and Shen Qingshan happened to see this and were both stunned. They exchanged a glance, didn't have time to say anything to Chen Li, and quickly followed.

The main house was quite large, housing three families.

It was also kept quite clean.

After all, Shen Baozhi lived there.

Shen Mingxi rarely came to the main house, and when she did, it was to take out and wash the bedding of Old Man Shen and Old Lady Shen.

At this moment, the house wasn't lit, but it was still quite bright inside.

She stepped over the threshold and entered the West Room with the wooden basin.

On the kang was a table with Old Man Shen, Shen Hai, Shen Jun, and three boys sitting around it.

They were Zhenye from Second Uncle's family, Zhenxing and Zhenxue from Third Uncle's family.

All were young boys, wolfing down their food.

A long table was set up in the open space of the West Room, with Old Lady Shen, Ji Daju, Wu Zhaodi, and two Little Aunts sitting on the long benches.

Shen Baozhi sat next to Old Lady Shen, with three plates in front of her.

One with potatoes and green beans, one with cucumber cold dish, and another plate with half a pancake.

Except for Shen Zhentao from Little Aunt's family in the county town, all twelve members of the three families were eating.

When Shen Mingxi placed the wooden basin by the kang, everyone looked up in surprise.

Especially Shen Baozhi, whose eyes flashed with surprise and something else.

Old Lady Shen didn't even react at first.

When she did, Shen Mingxi spoke up, her clear voice echoing in the West Room, "Grandpa, are you the head of the Shen Family? If you are, there are a few things I don't understand and would like to ask you."

Old Lady Shen let out a howl and rushed towards Shen Mingxi, cursing and swinging her chopsticks at her.

But she was stopped by Shen Jiawen and Shen Qingshan, who had followed in.

The two brothers didn't know what their sister Little Xi was up to, but they couldn't let their grandmother hit her.

Without pausing, Shen Mingxi raised her voice, "Grandpa, if you can't explain these things today, I'll go ask the Village Leader. If the Village Leader can't explain, I'll go to the Commune, to the province. I believe there must be someone who can explain..."

Old Man Shen looked at Shen Mingxi, who seemed like a different person, with shock and anger. He slammed his chopsticks down, glanced at the wooden basin, then pointed at Shen Mingxi, his face dark, "What are you making a fuss about? Can't you see everyone's tired after a long day? You're so grown up, yet you don't understand anything. I don't know how your mother raised you. Jiawen, Green Mountain, take your sister out..."

"Grandpa, think carefully. If you don't answer me, I'll go ask the Village Leader, Third Grandpa. I believe Third Grandpa will tell me..."

"You..." Old Man Shen's face changed instantly. He knew well that the Village Leader favored Shen Mingxi and had subtly warned him several times.

(The end of this chapter)