Chapter 63: The Shrew (Part Three)

The next day happened to be Saturday. Feng Shuyah, in order to rehearse the program, gave up her trip back to the county and stayed in Taosha Village. It was the first gathering of the performers, and they were ready to begin rehearsal.

Everyone assembled at the village committee hall: six women and six men, perfectly paired. Xu Cuihua was there as well. On the first day, she had to show up to make her presence known, to indicate she was part of the group. Director Tian arrived too, smiling cheerfully. After consulting with Secretary Huang, Le’er received three extra spots for participants as a show of support from Secretary Huang. Besides Xu Cuihua and Tian Sihua, there was still one more subsidized spot available.

He kept that last spot to himself for now, saying nothing about it. Eight yuan a day wasn’t a fortune, but in the countryside it was no small sum—where else could you easily find eight yuan for nothing? Tian Sihua’s husband didn’t even earn six hundred yuan a month. The others were all students, scraping together just over two hundred a month; to them, it was an astronomical figure.

Xu Cuihua was infamous in Shangtao Village as a shrew; even Secretary Tao had a headache dealing with her. Yet today she seemed quite pleased, beaming as she walked over to Le’er.

“Brother Le’er, thank you so much.”

“No need to thank me. Thank Secretary Huang from the town,” Le’er replied, not wanting to engage in much conversation. Her reputation preceded her—she could turn on anyone in an instant. “If you have things to do, go ahead. I need to speak to Teacher Feng.”

“I’ve nothing urgent today. I’ll stay and watch a bit.” She then drifted off to chat with Tian Sihua. Though Tian Sihua disliked her as well, she had no choice but to conceal her distaste and exchange a few half-hearted words.

Feng Shuyah sat quietly on a chair behind Le’er’s desk, watching the comings and goings in silence. Luo Yinxian was also quiet, leaning against a table, her eyes rarely leaving Le’er. Suddenly, Tao Haiying entered, spotted Teacher Feng, and walked toward her.

Luo Yinxian saw her, straightened up abruptly, and stepped forward, blocking Tao Haiying’s way.

“Uh…”

Tao Haiying found Luo Yinxian in her path, eyes locking immediately. Two crabs meeting head-on—enemies crossing paths, sparks flying in their gazes. Neither spoke; they crashed into each other straight on.

“You mangy mutt, why’d you bump into me?” Tao Haiying snapped first.

“You little pig, are you blind?” Luo Yinxian was not to be trifled with and retorted at once. “What’s your hurry? Off to find a boar?”

In quarrels like these, unmarried women and married women were not fighting on the same level. A married woman could curse as she liked, but unmarried women had to mind their words, or risk being called ill-bred. Tao Haiying was fierce, but some things she simply couldn’t bring herself to say.

“Where did this rotten crab come from, causing trouble in our Shangtao Village? Picking on my sister Haiying—you must be tired of living!”

All eyes turned to the commotion as Xu Cuihua pushed her way to the front, her gaze fierce. Among these men and women, she was like a tank rumbling toward Luo Yinxian.

“You’re the rotten crab! Shameless wretch, did I provoke you? Is this village committee only for Shangtao Village, and not for us in Xiasha?”

Luo Yinxian showed no fear even as the tank bore down on her.

“You dare curse at me?” Xu Cuihua was incredulous. In Shangtao Village, no one dared go up against her—yet here was a woman from Xiasha Village daring to insult her? She flew at Luo Yinxian like a madwoman, shrieking, “You tramp, I’ll tear you apart!”

Everyone worried for Luo Yinxian—if that human tank got hold of her, she’d be lucky to escape with her skin intact. But no one expected Luo Yinxian to be so nimble; just as the tank lunged, she sidestepped, and Xu Cuihua crashed hard to the ground with a thud. Her massive bosom hit the floor first—if the boards weren’t solid, they might have left two round impressions.

The tank had clearly taken a painful fall, her face twisted in agony. No one else made a sound—they didn’t dare—but inwardly, everyone was amused. Though they all belonged to Shangtao Village, few had any fondness for her. There was hardly a soul in the village, from eldest to youngest, who hadn’t suffered Xu Cuihua’s tongue.

She picked herself up, humiliated, especially since it was an outsider who had bested her. No one intervened, not even Tao Haiying, who stood aside to watch the spectacle.

“Rotten crab… filthy mutt, you dare lay hands on me? Today, it’s you or me!”

“Shut up!” Le’er stepped forward, placing himself between Luo Yinxian and Xu Cuihua, his face dark and voice harsh. “Have you lost your mind? If you’re done making a scene, get out!”

Le’er rarely lost his temper, but today he had to be firm. Otherwise, how could he maintain his place here? How could rehearsals go on? He suspected Tao Wen was behind it all. Tao Wen had long resented Le’er’s growing importance in the village committee, and now that the town had entrusted Le’er with the performance, leaving Tao Wen on the sidelines, his jealousy burned all the more.

Tao Wen himself didn’t dare disrupt the rehearsals, but sending his wife to stir up trouble was more than possible.

Le’er’s outburst startled Xu Cuihua, but she quickly flew into a rage.

“Le’er, who do you think you are, yelling at me to get out?” Xu Cuihua plopped herself down on the floor, slapping the ground, tears and snot streaming as she wailed, “Oh heavens, even a fatherless, motherless bastard dares to bully me now… I can’t go on living… orphan, raised by no one, taught by no one, damned to die…”

“Very well, make your scene,” Le’er said, his face ashen but his mind cool. “Go on, let’s see if this village committee is your family’s property. First, you’re no longer part of the performance group, and you’ll get not a cent of subsidy. Second, I’m calling the police right now. I want to see if Director Tao actually dares send his wife to disrupt the troupe—let’s see how much nerve he really has.”

With that, he strode to the phone and picked up the receiver.

“I’m not afraid, is the police station your family business? The Taos have people in the county public security bureau—go ahead, call, let’s see who dies!” Xu Cuihua kept up her tantrum.

“You looking to die, Xu Cuihua?” Tian Sihua stepped forward. “You want to drag Secretary Tao into this? Seems you’re really tired of living. Hmph, Tao Wen must truly be sick of being village chief.”

“And you want the job? Pity your claws are a little too small…” Xu Cuihua lashed out at anyone in reach. Tian Sihua’s face darkened in fury, but she moved to Le’er’s side as he dialed.

“Le’er, don’t call yet. Let’s have Secretary Tao come here first.”

Le’er glanced at her.

“All right, for your sake.” His eyes glinted coldly. “But unless Secretary Tao gives me an explanation today, he can come rehearse these programs himself.”

Feng Shuyah had watched the entire spectacle in silence, observing Xu Cuihua’s antics and Le’er’s handling of the situation. Now she nodded and called him over. He walked to her side.

“You handled it well. Don’t go soft.”

She smiled at Le’er. Tian Sihua, hearing this, paled a little. She knew Feng Shuyah’s background; if Teacher Feng had spoken, Tao Wen was surely in for trouble. She glanced at Xu Cuihua on the floor, thinking the woman truly didn’t know her place.

But Tao Wen’s misfortune was none of her concern. She thought he was foolish—after so many years in the army, after joining the Party, how had he ended up like this?

“Teacher Feng, sorry you had to witness this farce,” Tian Sihua said, approaching her warmly. Feng Shuyah smiled, but offered nothing more. Xu Cuihua had finally quieted down; Luo Yinxian had moved far away, taking her place behind Le’er. Tao Haiying had wanted to greet Feng Shuyah, but seeing Le’er and Luo Yinxian there, she hesitated.

For a moment, the village committee hall fell silent.