Divorced woman with child travels through time

Wang Mazi and Ma Tieniu, who were tied up, looked at the woman in front of them with fierce expressions and were very angry. Wang Mazi said hatefully, "So it was you, you stinking woman. I should have killed you last time."

Wang Erniu was furious after hearing this and kicked him to the ground. Wu Qi was also angry and slapped him hard across the face, saying, "Watch your mouth, I'm still here."

Chen Wenfang didn't care. So what if you've been arrested? What's wrong with making some threats? She deliberately said, "You didn't expect that I was the one who saw you, did you? You didn't expect that, did you? Now you're all arrested? You're not getting out? What can you do to me?"

Wang Erniu, standing nearby, felt that Chen Wenfang was acting like a child, arguing with someone, so he chimed in, "That's right! Don't be so smug. If you keep talking like that, we will definitely ask the judge to give you a severe sentence. You're already dead, and you're still making a scene here!"

Ma Tieniu said nonchalantly, "What can you do to me? I didn't kill anyone, I didn't do anything, I just stole something, it's not like I'll be beheaded!"

Wang Mazi chimed in, "Even if we get a few years in prison, we won't let you off the hook when we get out."

Wu Qi and his companion, who were listening nearby, were furious. Each of them gave her a hard knock and said, "Oh? So arrogant? Then I guarantee you won't see her even if you come out!"

When Wu Qi spoke, the two became somewhat timid and stopped talking, but their expressions remained nonchalant and arrogant.

Chen Wenfang asked Wu Qi, "Sir, do you need me to go to the yamen with you?"

Wu Qi said, "No need for trouble. It's good that this person has been caught. I will ask Lord Ouyang to give them a severe sentence. Don't worry, Madam Chen, they will not be able to retaliate against you again."

Chen Wenfang bowed and said, "Thank you, sir! You've gone to so much trouble!"

Wang Erniu also clasped his hands in thanks.

The matter was considered settled. Wu Qi and his companion, along with Wang Mazi and Wang Tieniu, headed to the yamen. Suddenly, Wang Mazi turned around, spat, and glared fiercely at Chen Wenfang, saying, "You just wait!" Wu Qi, enraged, punched him, saying, "Behave yourself, what are you yelling about?" Then he turned to Chen Wenfang and smiled, "Don't worry, Madam Chen!"

Seeing his fierce expression, Chen Wenfang suddenly felt a chill, but forced a smile as she responded to Wu Qi. Wang Erniu patted her shoulder gently and said, "Don't worry, I'm here, everything's alright."

Seeing this, Chen Wenfang smiled. "Yeah, what's there to be afraid of? They definitely won't get out," she thought, and put the matter out of her mind. The two of them rode home in a car loaded with New Year's goods.

The two first delivered the New Year's goods to Aunt Liu's house. After unloading the things that Chen Wenfang had packed for Aunt Liu's house, they drove to Chen Wenfang's house. Now that the roads were paved, they were smooth and convenient. They made a second trip to bring all the New Year's goods they had bought home.

Wang Erniu led the carriage to Uncle Liu Hai's house again. His house was large, with a cowshed, and plenty of space to keep the horse. Uncle Liu Hai took good care of it, and Chen Wenfang had agreed to pay him monthly. Uncle Liu Hai said it didn't matter; he loved the horse too much. Chen Wenfang named it, as always, a rather common name, "Lightning," hoping it would run fast. However, Chen Wenfang felt that payment was necessary; the horse ate a lot, and he couldn't let Uncle Liu Hai work for free. Besides, Uncle Liu Hai couldn't argue with him anyway.

The next morning, Chen Wenfang and Wang Erniu got up early to prepare the pigs and sheep. They boiled water, slaughtered the pigs and sheep, collected the blood, and cleaned the internal organs. Luo Xiaohei was so excited that he almost jumped up and down. Chen Wenfang cooked a big pot of braising spices and braised the prepared pig's head and offal after removing the blood. She put them in a basin, enough to last for two or three days. The rest were put in jars and frozen in the yard. The weather was very cold, and it had started to snow, but it wasn't like a heavy snowfall. Soon, the snow would freeze, serving as a natural refrigerator. The two of them worked all day and were exhausted before they finished preparing all the meat. They stewed a full ten pounds of meat, and the children ate with gusto. Not to mention the children, even Wang Erniu had never eaten meat so extravagantly before. Of course, this was mainly because he didn't cook it well. The ducks and geese would be raised for later and slaughtered.

On the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, Chen Wenfang and Wang Erniu led the children to clean the house. Wang Erniu noticed there was still some lime left in the house, so he scraped it off, making the house look brand new. Chen Wenfang covered her face with a curtain and swept the dust, carefully cleaning the house inside and out. On the first day of the new year, she led her three younger brothers in the yard, using small shovels to remove weeds. After finishing, they brought out a basin of water and used an old cloth to wipe the tables, chairs, benches, and cabinets. The three little ones were very well-behaved. The whole family worked together to clean the house. Today's meal was a big pot of stewed mutton. The mutton was lean, and a sheep only weighed about 100 pounds. Chen Wenfang started stewing the meat in the morning, and by noon, after two full hours, the mutton bones were tender. Luo Xiaohei ate it all up, leaving not a single crumb. Chen Wenfang also added some white radishes. By dinner time, Wang Erniu and the children used steamed buns to dip in the broth and thoroughly cleaned the bottom of the pot. Chen Wen feels a great sense of accomplishment when cooking, and he likes people who finish everything.

On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Lunar New Year's Eve, Chen Wenfang started making food in the kitchen as New Year's snacks. She made "golden and silver jiao" (a type of dumpling), a kind of food she had eaten in Guangdong before. They were chubby and cute, and Chen Wenfang liked them very much, thinking they were very auspicious. The dough was prepared in the morning, and the whole family gathered around the table to make them. They were similar to dumplings, filled with things like candied winter melon, peanuts, and sesame seeds. From the moment the oil was heated, the two little ones gathered around the stove, waiting to eat them. Another one, Chen Xuanyu, helped tend the fire. Chen Wenfang was busy while reminding the two to stay away from the pot so they wouldn't get fried. It was always lively with so many people in the family.

Wang Erniu and Chu Yi were putting up couplets and window decorations. After they finished, they went to the kitchen. When Chen Xuanyu saw this, he immediately shirked his responsibility and let Chu Yi tend the fire, while he himself became one of those waiting to be fed.

After the oil was hot, the dumplings were added and fried for a few minutes until cooked through. The children nearby immediately clamored to eat them, but Chen Wenfang scolded them gently, "Not now, you have to wait until they cool down, they're still hot inside." The three children dared not say a word of complaint. Only after they had completely cooled down did Chen Wenfang have Chu Yi take a plate out and share it with them. After frying the dumplings, there was still a lot of oil left, so Chen Wenfang mixed some more dough and made some fried dough twists, which she soaked in the oil to fry again the next day.

Chen Wenfang and Wang Erniu worked together to fry about ten catties of dried rice, which they made into rice candy, weighing about twenty catties. They cut it into small pieces so that the children could share it with them when they came over for the New Year. They also asked Chuyi to deliver a large bag to Aunt Liu and the others.