Old Madam Zhao was extremely surprised.
The old woman put down her needlework and walked over, seeing the bowl of meat with its red and white colors, exceptionally beautiful.
"Yesterday, Mother went to Eldest Maternal Uncle's house," Zhao Sidan said, handing over the bowl. "Mother snatched back Grandmother's silver hairpin and took it to town to exchange for a lot of meat."
He licked his lips, handed over the bowl, and immediately ran back, afraid that if he was slow, he wouldn't get to eat the braised pork.
Old Madam Zhao held the bowl, a puzzled expression on her face, and asked, "Does Sidan mean Eldest Son's wife has turned against the Cheng family?"
Zhao Er Sao said, "It sounds like it. This can be considered a good thing. At least Eldest Sister-in-law won't immediately take anything good to the Cheng family anymore, and the children can also eat an extra piece of meat."
"One silver hairpin can be exchanged for at least fifty coins, enough to buy ten catties of grain, yet this wasteful woman went and bought meat!" Old Madam Zhao's face showed distress over the waste. "We eat meat today, but what will we eat tomorrow? This hussy doesn't even plan for the future; it's truly infuriating."
"Before, Eldest Sister-in-law never brought anything good to show filial respect to her parents-in-law," Zhao San Sao spoke up. "I think, is Eldest Sister-in-law regretting moving out to live separately, and now she wants to move back?"
"Currently, every family lacks grain. Eldest Sister-in-law's family certainly has no grain left either, and the Cheng family has no grain, so they can only set their sights on the Zhao family."
"Taking some meat to curry favor with Old Madam, then taking the opportunity to discuss moving back, that way they won't have to worry about starving anymore."
Zhao San Sao pursed her lips. There wasn't much grain left in their own house either. If the six people from the eldest branch moved back here, everyone could still eat five-tenths full now, but later, they might only be able to eat three-tenths full.
"They put pen to paper and established a separate household before; now wanting to move back wouldn't be so easy."
Old Madam Zhao coldly snorted.
It wasn't that they couldn't move back, but from now on, they would have to listen to this old woman in everything.
Before, she always had to worry about what this shrew wanted to do, but now that she knew what she wanted, this meat wasn't impossible to eat.
Old Madam waved her hand, calling the children in the courtyard, "All of you, come here."
After a bowl of meat appeared in the courtyard, the children no longer had the mind to work. Six pairs of dark, sparkling eyes stared at the bowl of braised pork, and they simultaneously swallowed their saliva.
Old Madam waved her hand, and the six children immediately stepped forward.
"One piece of meat for each person, there isn't any more."
Old Madam directly used her hand to give each child a piece of meat.
The children didn't mind the dirt, opening their mouths to bite into the meat. The sweet flavor filled their mouths, and all six children were reluctant to swallow it.
Only three or four pieces of meat remained in the bowl. Old Madam carried the bowl into the house and placed it on the kitchen table, waiting for the old master to come home and eat.
Zhao Laoer swallowed his saliva. "Dawang, is it delicious?"
Zhao Dawang was still holding the meat in his mouth, mumbling, "Delicious, very delicious, but there's only one piece of meat..."
Zhao Laoer secretly cursed. One piece of meat was still too little? He hadn't even had one yet! But as a father, he couldn't shamelessly snatch food from his child's mouth.
Zhao Erwang swallowed the piece of meat and kept licking his lips.
The four girls next to them each ate a small piece, but this piece of meat was truly too small; no matter how they ate it, it was finished in just a moment.
Second Sister-in-law Zhao shifted her attention and said, "Look, Eldest Sister-in-law looks prettier than before."
Third Sister-in-law Zhao's lips twitched.
Six children, each receiving a piece of meat – on the surface, it seemed fair. But the second branch had four children, while their third branch only had two sons. The third branch was still at a disadvantage.
She couldn't blame others; she could only blame her own inferior womb, unable to bear more children.
She stood up and quietly went to wash clothes.