Thinking that every day the Sun family cooks porridge, once the rice is cooked, you can't see its original form.
So, Yu Xiaolian decided to cook the porridge every day before the Sun family started making meals, trying her best not to let the Sun family touch the rice bag.
In the evening, Yu Xiaolian went through the herbs, and before the Sun family returned, she cooked the porridge, as well as three duck eggs and all the quail eggs.
When Yu Xiaolian finished cooking and returned to the front yard, she saw Yu Changfu politely inviting the fortune teller Madame Hao into their room.
Why did Madame Hao come? Yu Xiaolian was curious and ran over to ask Yu Changhe, who was weaving a basket.
"It seems that Zishu is going to take the exam, and your aunt wants to invite Madame Hao to help out."
Ah, so it's for a blessing!
Yu Xiaolian didn't expect them to be so superstitious, even spending money to find a fortune teller for help with exams.
If the fortune teller really worked, the streets would be full of top scholars, who would still diligently farm the land?
Seeing that the Sun family hadn't returned, Yu Xiaolian squatted next to Yu Changhe, helping him sort out the similar-sized willow strips, conveniently stripping off the leaves.
While she was stripping them, suddenly a basin of water mixed with talisman paper ashes was poured over her head.
Yu Xiaolian was furious, turning around to see Yu Ziyi holding an empty wooden basin, angrily shouting, "Yu Ziyi, what are you doing?"
Yu Ziyi, seeing Yu Xiaolian soaked, didn't think it was wrong, instead proudly said, "Madame Hao said that this talismanic water wards off evil and can suppress all the unlucky things in the house, and asked me to sprinkle some in every corner of the house. When I came out, I saw you, and I thought the biggest misfortune in the house was you, this dead girl, so of course, I had to clean you thoroughly from head to toe to prevent you from interfering with my brother's exam."
"If your brother doesn't pass the exam, it's his lack of ability, what does it have to do with me? I think your whole family is crazy."
"To tell you the truth, my mom spent money to have someone make talismanic water just for you. Third Uncle didn't pass the Scholar exam last year because you were bad luck. If my brother doesn't pass this time, just watch if Grandma kicks you out."
Yu Xiaolian didn't expect Yu Ziyi, who just came back from study, to also believe in this stuff, and didn't see at all how he looked like someone who had been educated.
Did the books all go into a dog's belly?
Yu Xiaolian knew that their current stability was only temporary. When Yu Changyu wanted to marry, Old Madam Yu would use the excuse of no house to kick Yu Changhe's family out.
It seemed she should plan early, knowing that when they were kicked out, it was in the dead of winter, with nowhere to go, they were forced to the Sun family's maternal home in the next village. Still, the Sun family's daughter-in-law wasn't welcoming, and after living under someone else's roof for several months, Yu Changhe had to gather all his strength to build a small straw house.
"Oh, how did it all pour all over Xiaolian? Didn't I tell you to use the willow branches to dip and sprinkle in the four corners of southeast, northwest? Why didn't you do as told?" Madame Hao came out and scolded Yu Ziyi.
"Then… won't the blessing not work anymore?" Mrs. Cao looked at Madame Hao, "Auntie, why don't you make some more talismanic water? I'll make sure to sprinkle it in the southeast, northwest corners myself, no need for this kid. This kid works too hastily, and it all went on Xiaolian."
She looked at Yu Xiaolian again, "Xiaolian, your Ziyi brother didn't do it on purpose. You should go inside and change your clothes!"
Yu Xiaolian was speechless; just now Yu Ziyi clearly said he did it on purpose, now they pull this, does it even make sense?
Thinking later that Yu Zishu did pass the exam, she got angry.
Yu Changhe protected Yu Xiaolian back inside, "Lian'er, let's not argue with them, our Lian'er isn't some jinx, the night I found you, there was a glowing Jade Pendant next to your head, illuminating your little face, like a celestial child with white jade radiance."
Yu Xiaolian changed clothes inside, Yu Changhe guarding at the door, continued, "It's just a pity about that Jade Pendant, the damned Pan Family took it, it's all Dad's fault, it's all Dad's fault…"
Yu Xiaolian quickly changed and came out holding up the curtain, "Dad, the Pan Family broke your leg for that Jade Pendant, right?"
Yu Changhe nodded, recalling a few months back, the Pan Family's eldest son, Pan Jinrong, somehow learned he had a glowing Jade Pendant.
Pan Jinrong approached him, expressing a desire for that Jade Pendant, but Yu Changhe refused.
That Jade Pendant could be a token left by Yu Xiaolian's biological parents, how could he just give it away?
Pan Jinrong, to obtain the Jade Pendant, used both coaxing and force, and one night, drunk, he brought people to break Yu Changhe's leg, threatening to kill Yu Changhe's whole family by the next day if he didn't see the Jade Pendant.
Zhao Kuo, after taking Yu Changhe home, earnestly advised him to see the situation clearly and not oppose Pan Jinrong, as the Pan Family was wealthy and powerful, fighting them was like an egg hitting a rock.
Yu Changhe, in unbearable pain from his broken leg, thinking a piece of Jade Pendant might ruin his family, finally handed over the Jade Pendant.
"Dad, who knew about the Jade Pendant?"
"When I found you, besides the Jade Pendant, you also had a gold ingot on you. I gave the gold ingot to your grandma at the time, and kept the Jade Pendant myself. Apart from our family, only your Uncle Zhao knows. However, it couldn't have been Uncle Zhao who told Pan Jinrong, maybe your uncle and third uncle bragged about the Jade Pendant in the village, and someone with ulterior motives overheard it."
Yu Xiaolian sighed, her foolish dad, still regarded Zhao Kuo as a life-saving brother, probably in a while, news of Zhao Kuo's promotion and raise would come back to the village.
Even if she told Yu Changhe it was Zhao Kuo who betrayed him, without concrete evidence, Yu Changhe wouldn't believe her.
The Sun family, holding an embroidery basket, entered the courtyard only to see Mrs. Cao tossing talismanic water around, the whole courtyard filled with the smell of burnt talisman paper ashes.
"What's big sister-in-law doing?"
"Our Zishu is about to take the exam, so I invited Madame Hao to the house to pray. This is talismanic water made by Madame Hao, it works well."
"Didn't big sister-in-law say before that Madame Hao's skills were low? What made you spend money to invite her for blessings now?"
"There's no choice, she's the only 'seer' in these ten miles and eight villages. Who else would I find?
Besides, didn't she rescue your Xiaolian? Even if not very skilled, she knows more than us outsiders. To me, as Kuang's death anniversary approaches, you should also consult her to see if Kuang has been reincarnated."
Mrs. Cao said, pouring the last bit of talismanic water at Sun family's feet, "After all, he was your son once, you should care about him, one lonely soul isn't well off."
Mrs. Cao finished and left with the wooden basin.
However, the Sun family stood fixed in place, face pale, took a long while to come to her senses.