Witty Wife, Better Life-Chapter 61 - 59 Where is my old hen

“Wife, come out and catch the chickens for Yunfang,” Uncle Shen shouted into the house.

“Alright, I’m coming,” Auntie Shen responded reluctantly and shuffled out. “Hehe, Yunfang is here.”

“Hey, Auntie, I’m just here for the chickens. You’ve had quite the trouble these days. When the wild greens come out, I’ll dig some extra for you,” Yunfang felt embarrassed to let someone help with her chickens for free.

“No need, we’re not just raising chickens for you. We have our own chickens too; feeding them all together is no trouble at all,” Uncle Shen didn’t believe in taking advantage of the younger generation.

“What are you standing around for? Go catch the chickens for Yunfang, quick.”

“Alright, alright, just wait, I’ll catch them for you,” Auntie Shen said with a slightly disgruntled expression.

At that moment, Yunxiu quietly slipped back into the house.

Yunfang stood at the entrance and chatted with Shen Yeqing. It didn’t take long before they saw Auntie Shen approaching with two old hens whose feet were tied, one in each hand.

Yunfang naturally reached out and took the chickens.

“Go get Yunfang some eggs,” Uncle Shen instructed.

“Alright, I’ll get them now,” Auntie Shen said, and quickly went back inside after handing the chickens to Yunfang.

Uncle Shen watched his wife with a bit of surprise, wondering if she had taken the wrong medicine for being so agreeable today.

He was still mulling over saying a few more words.

“Yunfang, take a few eggs home and nourish yourself well, and don’t you think it’s too little,” Auntie Shen said, bringing out six eggs in a small bamboo basket.

“Auntie, these chickens seem a bit off,” Yunfang said, looking down at the four chickens she was holding upside down. She then put the chickens on the ground and inspected them closely with some uncertainty.

Auntie Shen stood by, appearing somewhat uncomfortable.

“Big sister, didn’t you get the wrong one for me? My family has four hens, but you caught a rooster.” Shen Yunfang finally spotted what was amiss; her family had four hens, yet the big sister had snagged three hens and one rooster for her. The three hens, she could tell at a glance, belonged to her family, but that rooster definitely did not. It’s impossible that it changed its sex in just a month.

“Oh dear, look at me, I was just about to tell you.” Big Sister Shen’s face was somewhat sheepish, as she explained under the stern gaze of Big Brother Shen and Shen Yunfang’s watch: “Old man, here’s what happened; a couple of days ago, when Yunxiu’s grandma came by, I thought, the old lady doesn’t visit often, so when she finally does, as her daughter, I ought to make her something delicious to eat. I told you I wanted to kill a chicken, and you agreed, didn’t you?”

Shen Yeqing also remembered this incident, but what did it have to do with Yunfang’s chickens? “Let’s stick to the point.”

“Hehe, as soon as I mentioned killing a chicken, that darn kid Yunxiu got so excited and insisted on killing the chicken for her grandma. Ah, can’t really blame the kid, barely gets to eat meat the whole year, the moment she hears there’s meat, she’s over the moon. I got tied up in the kitchen for a bit, and by the time that rascal had already wrung the chicken’s neck in the backyard. When I took a look at it in the front, only then did I realize Yunxiu accidentally grabbed the wrong chicken. She killed one of Yunfang’s old hens, thinking it was one of ours; what a mix-up.” Big Sister Shen looked quite embarrassed.

Shen Yunfang kept quiet. No matter how you sliced it, it just meant they’d killed and eaten her family’s hen.

“It’s all because you spoilt her. She can’t even recognize her own chickens, what else can she do?” Nowadays, people are sharp-eyed; with a flock of hens walking together, one can easily tell which belongs to their own family. No one doesn’t recognize their own chickens.

“Oh dear, I’ve scolded her already, but the chicken’s already killed; beating her up won’t change anything now, would it? So I thought about just giving you one of our chickens to make it up to you.” Big Sister Shen looked apologetically at Shen Yunfang, “Yunfang, your sister Yunxiu was in the wrong, but you two are sisterly kin. You can’t be mad at your sister.”

That’s not the point at all, Shen Yunfang thought, quite amused. No wonder she had so readily given away the eggs; she had been lying in wait for her.

Actually, she did fancy having a rooster. If you want to grow the chicken business, just having hens won’t do—you must have a rooster to have little chicks, right? However, to be calculated against so unconsciously, why did it have to be so frustrating?

She didn’t speak up, choosing to wait and see what big brother would say.

“Yeah, compensating Yunfang with a chicken is the right thing to do. Raising a chicken isn’t easy for any family; we all rely on those chickens’ tails to save a bit of money.”

“Compensate me with a rooster for a hen?” Shen Yunfang muttered to herself, her voice not loud, but clear enough for the other two present to hear clearly.

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Only then did Big Brother Shen realize the mistake, “You silly woman, why are you compensating Yunfang with a rooster? Go on, fetch over a hen from this year’s brood.”

Big Sister Shen felt so heartbroken at this; last spring she’d just raised some young hens, and they were just about to start laying eggs this spring. Giving one away now would break her heart.

Big Brother Shen noticed Big Sister Shen dragging her feet and felt his anger rising. Wasn’t this just losing face in front of his niece?

“Didn’t you hear me speak?”

“Ah, big brother, don’t be mad, I don’t need a young hen. My place is actually missing a rooster to crow,” Shen Yunfang quickly intervened to stop Big Brother Shen.

“You stay out of this. I said I’d take care of your chickens, and I can’t let one go missing. Can a rooster and a hen be the same? You silly woman, go quickly, or I’ll grab a shoe to whack you with,” Big Brother Shen threatened Big Sister Shen sternly.

Back then in the villages, it was common for men to beat their wives. The Shen Family was actually one of the better ones, usually Big Sister Shen called the shots, but sometimes she’d get hit too.

Big Sister Shen cringed a bit, but thinking of her young hens, she stood her ground resolutely without moving.

“Dad, why are you hitting mom? It was my mistake; if you have to hit someone, hit me.” Shen Yunxiu, who had been eavesdropping all the while inside the house, couldn’t help but rush out and threw herself onto her mom, crying uncontrollably.

“Dad, let’s talk this over nicely,” Shen Zhiwen also came out to intervene.

As for Shen Zhijie and his wife, their figures were nowhere to be seen.

“I’m not done with you yet. Such a big girl, but can’t get anything right, eats everything but leaves nothing…” Big Brother Shen lifted his hand as he spoke.

“Happy now, huh? It’s all because of you. Let me tell you, if I get beaten today, you’re not getting off easily either,” Shen Yunxiu glared at Shen Yunfang hatefully.

Shen Yunfang’s eyelid drooped to the side, and the hand she intended to use to intervene lowered back down. Why bother, since nothing she did would help? Better not to waste the effort.