Beg Me, and You Can Stay in the Evans Pigsty

Helen Parker strutted in through the courtyard gate, flaunting the new clothes Arthur Evans’s family had paid for. Her sturdy, barrel-like waist wiggled with exaggerated swagger—like she’d just won a wrestling match—making her oddly flamboyant.

Helen Parker stepped inside, shaking her umbrella so hard that water splattered all over the three women in the room.

"What do you want?" Lily Evans quickly pulled Margaret Evans out of the way to dodge the flying droplets.

"Don’t be so ungrateful! I’m here to bring you something," Helen Parker declared, setting her basket down with an air of superiority. "My new house is finished—want to come see? It’s the very first brick house in the whole village! You folks stuck in these thatched huts have no clue what you’re missing. Brick houses are cool in summer, warm in winter—not like your drafty old shack. How do you even live in here?"

Helen Parker poked around with obvious disdain, pointing at Lily Evans’s rundown roof and crumbling walls. "Honestly, your place isn’t even as nice as my pigsty! If you beg me, maybe I’ll ask the old lady to let you stay in the pigsty instead. Otherwise, one of these nights your shack might just collapse and squash you all!"

Lily Evans fixed her with a frosty stare. "Who wants to live in your brick house? Even if mine falls down, I won’t go begging to the Evans family. Now get lost!"

Lily Evans snatched up Lucky’s raincoat and gave it a good shake, deliberately splattering Helen Parker with water.

Helen Parker screeched, stumbling back. "You little country hick! What’s wrong with you? Why’d you splash me on purpose? Do you know how much this outfit cost? Even selling you wouldn’t pay for it if you ruin it!"

"Oh, so I’m a village girl—big deal! You strut around like you’re some city lady, build a new house and suddenly forget your roots? Every one of your ancestors was a dirt farmer—don’t act so fancy! You’ve got all the princess drama but none of the princess luck. It’s nauseating!" Lily Evans shook the raincoat even harder, sending droplets flying onto Helen Parker’s face and hair.

Helen Parker wiped water off her head, shrieking, "Ungrateful brat! Your family’s broke—what are you showing off for? I brought you food out of kindness, and this is how you treat me. No wonder you’re destined to be poor forever!"

Helen Parker grumbled as she whipped the cloth off the basket. Lily Evans peeked inside—moldy black buns, some so fuzzy the mold was practically growing legs. It was like she was presenting a treasure.

Lily Evans grabbed the basket and tossed it into the muddy yard. "Even pigs wouldn’t touch this junk! Who are you trying to insult? You just want to show off your new house, huh? It’s not even you who built it, so what’s there to brag about?"

"Exactly, you’re disgusting!" Cynthia Wu chimed in, and together she and Lily Evans shoved Helen Parker right out the door.

Helen Parker stomped off, muttering curses, umbrella and basket in tow. Back at the Evans family house, Mrs. Charlotte Evans greeted her, "Big Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, when are Lily and her family moving in?"

Helen Parker’s eyes darted as she grabbed Mrs. Charlotte Evans’s hand. "Oh, Mrs. Charlotte Evans, you’re just too soft-hearted. Those two ingrates from Second Brother’s family will never appreciate it! I did exactly what you said—brought silver and your pastries to their place, told them you were worried about their house and wanted them to stay with us for a while. I even saved two big brick rooms for them. But guess what? That wretch Lily Evans cursed me out, snatched the silver and pastries, and called you stingy, saying it was barely enough for beggars! I was so mad. You were being thoughtful, but they treated me horribly! I spoke up for you, and they chased me out with sticks. Honestly, no gratitude at all! Good thing I stopped you from going over—someone as gentle as you would’ve been bullied to death! Take my advice, Mrs. Charlotte Evans: don’t bother with Lily Evans’s family anymore. It’s not worth it!"