CHAPTER 173: CHAPTER 173: MEETING AUNTIE

173 Meeting Little Aunt

Zhao Zhitong tapped her little chin, thought for a moment, and said, "Well, then, I’ll add another fifty coins for you."

After saying this, she spoke to the vendor in a childish tone, "I’ve already added a lot, you know."

The vendor, thinking he’d been waiting for business for a while and hadn’t had any yet, figured he’d just earn a bit less. So, steeling himself, he slapped his thigh and agreed, "Alright, alright! You’ll be my first customer of the day. I’ll give it to you!"

Zhao Zhitong was overjoyed with her successful bargaining. She twisted out of Zhao Cheng’s arms and reached into the small pocket Sun Mei had specially sewn for her, preparing to take out the money. Just then, a voice suddenly called out.

"Tongtong?"

Zhao Zhitong found the voice very familiar. She immediately looked up and saw three women walking towards her from a short distance away.

One of them, dressed most plainly and carrying many bags, large and small, was her aunt Sun Lan, whom she had just met yesterday.

The other two women, one younger and one an older matronly type, were unfamiliar to Zhao Zhitong.

Upon seeing Zhao Zhitong, those two women showed obvious disdain in their eyes, then rolled their eyes with a sneer and stopped at a nearby fabric stall.

Sun Lan exchanged a few words with the two arrogant-looking women, then walked over to Zhao Zhitong with a smile, saying in surprise, "Oh my, it really is Tongtong! I thought I was seeing things."

After speaking, she nodded to Zhao Dong, who was to the side, and called out "Brother-in-law," as a greeting.

Although Zhao Zhitong didn’t have a strong impression of this aunt and wasn’t particularly fond of her constantly submissive nature, this "convenient" aunt did genuinely like her.

Just like now, when her aunt saw her, the surprise and joy in her eyes were genuine. So, Zhao Zhitong responded with a smile, revealing a tiny canine tooth, and sweetly greeted her, "Hello, Auntie~"

"Eh~" Sun Lan’s eyes instantly crinkled into a smile. She immediately opened the box of pastries she had just bought and offered them to Zhao Zhitong, "Tongtong, come, have some pastries."

Zhao Zhitong quickly waved her little hands and shook her head, saying, "Auntie, I won’t eat any. Thank you, Auntie."

"Oh, these are really delicious! Zhao Cheng, Zhao Yu, and Zhao Ya, you should all try some too!" Sun Lan said with a laugh, preparing to take out the pastries and urge Zhao Zhitong and the others to eat them.

But just then, a fair hand suddenly reached out and snatched the pastry box from Sun Lan’s hand.

Immediately afterward, a woman’s sharp, harsh voice rang out, "Mrs. Sun! What do you think you’re doing? These are for Ye Ge’er and Cai Ge’er to eat! If you give them to others, what will Ye Ge’er and Cai Ge’er eat!"

Sun Lan looked stunned, her face flushing slightly. She said softly and gently, "Sister-in-law, this is my little niece. They aren’t outsiders. Besides, they’ll just have a taste. I bought two boxes; there’s still plenty left..."

"PAH!"

Wang Yanzi sneered, looking down on Zhao Zhitong and the others with an air of superiority. "Such exquisite pastries aren’t for just anyone to eat! Take a look at yourselves, what a filthy lot your family is! And don’t you dare think of using our Wang Family’s things to subsidize those poor relatives from your maiden family!"

After saying this, she snatched all the pastries, sealed the box carefully, as if terrified Sun Lan would give them to Zhao Zhitong and the others.

Zhao Zhitong was angered by Wang Yanzi’s words and retorted, her cheeks puffed, "We don’t care for your pastries! We have so many of these at home that I’m sick of them, HMPH!"

Zhao Cheng, Zhao Yu, and Zhao Ya all nodded in agreement, backing up their sister, "That’s right! We’re tired of these kinds of pastries! We don’t care about your lousy pastries at all! You can keep them and eat them yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yanzi’s eyes widened. She mocked them, "Oh, you little brats! Sick of these pastries, are you? PAH! You really dare to say that! Why don’t you take a good look at yourselves and see what kind of people you are!"

As she spoke, she even tried to reach out and grab Zhao Zhitong. Sun Lan panicked and quickly moved to block her.

"AHEM!"

At this moment, Zhao Dong coughed heavily. Only then did the insolent Wang Yanzi notice that there was a man present. She snorted and withdrew her hand.

Zhao Dong’s eyebrows were so furrowed they could have crushed a fly. He said loudly, "Tongtong, are you done with your purchase? If you’re done, let’s go. We still have other places to visit."

Wang Yanzi glanced at Zhao Dong again, rolled her eyes, and muttered, "Paupers."

At this point, the vendor, who had been watching the drama for some time, hurriedly handed over the packaged hairpin box, smiling, "The hairpin is all packed for you. That will be 250 coins in total."

Sun Lan noticed and immediately said, "Tongtong, you’re buying a hairpin?"

Zhao Zhitong nodded casually, "Uh-huh, yes. I’m buying it for my mother."

Sun Lan immediately took out a piece of broken silver from her bosom. She had originally wanted to take Zhao Zhitong to buy some treats, but now, with her sister-in-law and mother-in-law present, she couldn’t get away. So, she said to the vendor, "250 coins, right? I’ll pay."

But just as the vendor reached out to take the silver, that same hand shot out again, snatching the silver away. Then, her sharp, harsh voice sounded once more, "Well, well, Mrs. Sun! I just told you not to think about using our Wang Family’s money to subsidize those poor relatives from your maiden family, and you’ve forgotten already, have you? Just you wait, I’m going to tell Mother!"

Sun Lan became anxious and hurriedly explained, "No, no, Sister-in-law, this money isn’t from the Wang Family. This is money I saved up myself from my work on handkerchiefs. It’s my own money."

"PAH! You have your own money? You eat the Wang Family’s food, drink the Wang Family’s water, live in the Wang Family’s house! What part of you isn’t from the Wang Family? And you dare say it’s your own money, you shameless hussy!" Wang Yanzi yelled, then turned and shouted to Wang Pozi, who was looking at lanterns not far away, "Mother, Mother! Hurry over! Look at this Mrs. Sun! She’s using our Wang Family’s money to subsidize her poor relatives from her maiden family again!"

Sun Lan’s eyes reddened with anxiety. She shook her head repeatedly but couldn’t utter a word for the longest time.

By now, Wang Pozi had rushed over, cursing Sun Lan before she even arrived, "You barren good-for-nothing, you useless creature! I knew you had ulterior motives marrying my son! You were just after our Wang Family’s money! Let me tell you, as long as I’m alive, you’ll never take a single coin from our home to subsidize those poor relatives from your maiden family!"

Wang Pozi’s cursing was as vile as could be.

Passersby turned to look from time to time, shaming Sun Lan so much that her entire face turned crimson. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried, "Mother, I didn’t. I really didn’t."

But Wang Pozi wouldn’t listen to Sun Lan’s explanation, continuing to scold her as being worse than a pig or a dog.