Chapter 13: Bearing the Blame Again

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Tang Lao Tai Tai entered with a handful of chopped scallions and was about to add them to the pot when she noticed that one-third of the pig intestines in the pot had disappeared. What was originally enough for each person to have three pieces was now reduced to two pieces per person.

She couldn't help but be furious and yelled, "Ai Shi, Ai Wen, you two troublemakers, come here!"

Ai Shi, who had been playing "hopscotch" with Tang Xiao Hua next door, heard her grandmother's call. She was displeased with being scolded and being called a troublemaker but still carried Ai Lian and brought Ai Wen over. She placed Ai Lian on the bed and asked, "Grandmother, did you call me?"

Ai Wen, though young, understood that being called a troublemaker was not a good thing. He stood off to the side, not uttering a word.

However, Tang Lao Tai Tai paid no attention to the children's feelings. She pointed at the pot and asked, "Did you two steal and eat the pork?" Although it was a question, her eyes were filled with anger, and it was evident that she had already assumed they were the culprits.

Ai Shi quickly shook her head and said, "Grandmother, we didn't steal any. We just went to play at Uncle Xiao Hua's house. You can ask Aunt Xiao Hua if you don't believe me."

She originally wanted to suggest asking Aunt Xiao Hua, but adults typically didn't trust children's words, so she mentioned Aunt Xiao Hua instead.

However, she had forgotten that Aunt Xiao Hua and their grandmother had a strained relationship. Aunt Xiao Hua was Tang Lao Tai Tai's second wife, and they rarely exchanged words or even nodded to each other in front of others. In private, their interactions were minimal.

Now, Ai Shi suggested asking Aunt Xiao Hua, which seemed like an attempt to provoke their grandmother.

As expected, Tang Lao Tai Tai snorted in annoyance and pointed at Ai Shi's forehead, saying, "You little troublemaker, not only did you steal, but you also talk back! If it wasn't you, who else could it be? You've eaten half the pot of meat, yet you refuse to admit it. You won't be allowed to eat dinner tonight."

Ai Shi and Ai Wen had been looking forward to eating meat tonight, even if it was smelly pig intestines. However, their grandmother's decision was a harsh punishment they were not willing to accept.

Ai Wen burst into tears first, saying, "Grandmother, you're being unfair. We didn't steal the meat, but you blame us."

Ai Shi was equally resentful and stubbornly stared at their grandmother. She said, "Grandmother, we really didn't steal it!"

"There are only you two children at home. If it wasn't you who stole it, then who did?" Tang Lao Tai Tai didn't believe them, and as she spoke, she even reached out and slapped Ai Shi on the head, saying, "You little troublemaker, daring to steal and then talk back! You won't be allowed to eat dinner tonight."

Despite being wrongly accused, Ai Shi shed tears and defiantly raised her hand to make a solemn promise, "I swear, neither I nor Ai Wen stole the meat. Whoever stole it, may they choke on their food, be struck by lightning while walking, and drown while crossing a river."

Tang Lao Tai Tai heard Ai Shi's serious and ominous oath, and her anger subsided, partly convinced that they might be innocent. However, she couldn't figure out who had taken the meat. Could it have been eaten by a cat when no one was around?

The pot was still on the stove with a fire burning, and cats and dogs were generally afraid of fire, so it seemed unlikely that they had stolen the meat.

So, who could have eaten the meat?

Unexpectedly, just as Ai Shi had finished uttering her ominous oath, Tang Er Long suddenly burst into the room. He immediately grabbed Ai Shi and slapped her twice while scolding her angrily, "How dare you steal and curse people!"

Ai Shi hadn't expected her uncle to hit her and began crying loudly. She struggled as she cried and yelled, "I didn't steal! I didn't steal! You're all falsely accusing me!"

Tang Lao Tai Tai was surprised by her second son's sudden attack. She quickly pulled him away while scolding, "Why are you hitting her? She didn't offend your wife. Even if she stole something, I've already punished her by not allowing her to eat dinner. Why did you come and hit her?"

"Why did she curse people with her foul mouth?" Tang Er Long's eyes showed a hint of something sinister as he glared at Ai Shi.

As Ai Shi was being hit and crying, her mother, Liu Xiu Juan, who had just returned from washing clothes, entered the room. She rushed over and pulled Ai Shi away from Tang Er Long, glaring at him with anger in her eyes. "Er Long, why did you hit Ai Shi? She didn't do anything to you."

Tang Er Long was still furious. "She's so young and already has such a sharp tongue."

Ai Shi realized something at this point and pointed at her uncle, shouting, "I know now! It was Uncle Er Long who stole and ate the meat. My curse worked, so he hit me."

Upon hearing Ai Shi's words, Tang Er Long turned red with anger and shouted back, "You're lying!" He then threatened, "If you keep talking nonsense, ghosts will come to take you away at night."

Liu Xiu Juan had already figured out that Tang Er Long was the one who had stolen the meat while listening to her daughter's conversation with him. She held Ai Shi behind her and said firmly, "Ai Shi, don't be afraid. There's an old saying that goes, 'If you're innocent, you don't fear ghosts knocking at your door in the middle of the night.' You're a good child. As long as you speak the truth, even ghosts would fear you. Ghosts only come for those who do bad things and then lie."

With a stern look at Tang Er Long, she added, "Let's see who's lying."

(End of Chapter 13)