Mrs. Thompson wasn't someone to mess with either. She cursed, "Now you remember that Su Li's surname is Su, but when you sold her off, did you care about her surname? I've never seen anyone as shameless as you!"
Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Zhao started tussling, both determined to get the trap and the meat. Neither would let go first, and soon their hair was flying and they were covered in dirt.
At that moment, the village chief and the villagers were coming down the hill, chatting and laughing. As soon as they reached the village entrance, they saw the two shrews fighting fiercely.
"What are you two up to now? Have you no shame?" The village chief, seeing it was Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Zhao, felt even more disgusted by them.
"She stole from me!" Mrs. Thompson shouted.
"Pah! Shameless! That thing belongs to my family!" Mrs. Zhao scratched Mrs. Thompson, leaving five nail marks.
Beside them were several scattered traps. Lily Evans couldn't help but laugh—these two women were brawling over a pile of useless junk? It was like two mangy mutts locked in a fur-flying scrap!
Seeing this, the village chief angrily told the others to pull the two women apart. Mrs. Thompson kept cursing, while Mrs. Zhao insisted the traps were hers.
Dealing with shrews was a headache, and the village chief suddenly remembered that since Su Li made the traps, she should be the one to decide.
Lily Evans, the stuff is yours. What do you want to do? If you don't want to give it away, you can just take it home," said the village chief.
Mrs. Zhao and Mrs. Thompson were terrified that Lily Evans would take the traps away, so they nervously tried to butter her up. "Lily, we're all family here, don't be so selfish. What's the point of keeping it all to yourself? If there's a benefit, you should think of everyone."
Su Li smiled. She didn't care about those traps anyway—she was the only one who knew how to use them. So, she decided to earn a reputation for generosity in front of everyone and said, "Village Chief, I don't want these traps anymore. If they want them, let them have them."
With that, she took Yuanbao and headed straight home.
As soon as Su Li left, Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Zhao started fighting over the traps again. The village chief, helpless, split the eight traps into two sets—four for each woman. Only then did the two shrews finally stop and head home, each clutching their traps.
Mrs. Zhao happily carried the traps home, practically skipping, eager to show off to her in-laws.
Old Mrs. Su was skeptical. "When did that brat Su Li learn to catch wild game? Can these junky things even work?"
Mrs. Zhao, ignoring her own messy appearance, animatedly recounted the whole story of Su Li catching wild game.
Old Mrs. Su was so jealous her eyes turned red. "That brat thinks she deserves to eat meat! Maybe her dumb husband taught her."
Mrs. Zhao didn't care who taught Su Li. She hugged the traps she'd fought for, thinking how precious wild game was. From now on, she'd be the most capable daughter-in-law in the Su family!
Feeling smug, Mrs. Zhao shot a proud glance at the third daughter-in-law, Mrs. Sun, and boasted, "Ah, women really do have different fates! Look at me—I have a son who makes me proud, and one day I'll be the wife of an official. And I'm capable too! When I catch wild game and sell it for money, nobody else can be jealous. Some people, well, they're useless, their sons are useless, and they're doomed to be farmers their whole lives, digging in the dirt for food!"
Mrs. Sun twisted her handkerchief angrily and snapped, "Big sis, catch a rabbit first before you start bragging!" With that, she turned and left with her son, Su Shirong.
Su Erlang was thirteen this year, just as honest and simple as his father, Su Sanyun. Aside from farming, he only knew how to work. The Su family all doted on the scholar Su Shimao and looked down on the honest Su Shirong.
Su Shirong, seeing his mother upset, clenched his teeth and blamed himself. "Mom, it's all my fault for being useless."
Mrs. Sun sighed, watching Mrs. Zhao rush off to the study with the traps. She felt a little sour inside, but looking at her honest son, she sighed again. Her son might not be ambitious, but at least he was obedient and filial—not like Su Shimao, who looked down his nose even at his own mother.
Mrs. Zhao was eager to show off to her son, but as soon as Su Dalang opened the door and saw her covered in dust from fighting, he slammed the door shut in disgust. "I'm busy studying," he said, shooing Mrs. Zhao away.