Unexpectedly, Mrs. Xu heard Cui the Loudspeaker's words and, instead of showing gratitude, her face darkened. She said, "If you want to mock me, just say it directly. Why beat around the bush?!"
Cui the Loudspeaker felt wronged: "Why are you accusing me? I'm offering you advice out of good intentions, not mocking you. Xu family, you can't behave like this, you know?"
However, Mrs. Xu did not respond, turning to walk towards her own courtyard entrance. She only felt that the villagers chit-chatting by the path were all looking over, more accurately, looking at her. For a moment, she wished she hadn't run into Cui the Loudspeaker.
Occasional firecracker sounds popped up now and then. Familiar women and men stood in groups chatting along the village road, while lively children ran around in gang formations. In a moment of carelessness, they would slip on the snow and fall.
But almost none of them cried out loud.
