People naturally side with the weak, feeling sympathy for them and standing up for them. Although Luo Er's family produced such a disgrace, damaging the reputation of Kao Village, seeing how these weak and disabled people are still made to fetch water for the old woman, people can't help but say a few words in support.
This is a common mindset, and Beisitian exploits it.
Given her current physical condition, if she had to carry these two buckets of water today, it would waste all her efforts for this month and might even cause further injury. What's more, she simply couldn't carry them!
Being bullied like this by the old woman, how could she not be strategic!
Beisitian wasn't completely pretending. Although she could get out of bed and walk daily, she hadn't walked such a long distance before. If she didn't support herself with a stick, she might not even finish the journey. If anything happened on the way, Mrs. Qin wouldn't be able to handle her alone.
By the time Beisitian reached Uncle's door, her forehead was covered in fine sweat, her face ashen. Even this distance was too much for her weakened and injured body!
Mrs. Qin, behind her, didn't feel anything while carrying two buckets of water. Hearing Beisitian panting heavily ahead and slowing down noticeably, the furrow on her brow deepened.
"You wait here for me. I'll go in alone." With that, Mrs. Qin bypassed Beisitian and walked inside, her pace noticeably slower. Though she often came here, it wasn't like her own home, and carrying two buckets, any stumble would be unwise.
Seeing this, Beisitian took a couple of deep breaths, steadied herself, and shouted towards the inside, "Aunt! Aunt!"
She just called out, not saying anything else to prevent those inside from pretending not to hear.
Inside, Qin Hongmei heard the call, knew it was for water delivery, responded, and twisted her not-so-thin waist to come and open the door.
The main door here consisted of two wooden panels, with a forearm-thick bolt horizontally across, usually having three, with only the middle one inserted during the day for convenience so that the owner can temporarily go out and come back from outside. There was typically a large gap in the middle, worn over the years from opening and closing the door.
Through this gap, Beisitian could see Qin Hongmei muttering under her breath with impatience written on her face.
"You wait a bit, Aunt is coming to meet you." Beisitian said, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, but enough for everyone around to hear.
Those hauling water for the old woman glanced over for a moment and moved on; the women standing by the door, cracking seeds, who hadn't noticed, also looked over because of this voice.
At this moment, Beisitian didn't need to pretend; after catching her breath, she could hardly adjust her breathing, panting heavily, her sallow face looking like it's covered in a layer of tinfoil, extremely unattractive.
"What are you shouting about? Delivering water and letting people come and receive you, think you're a city girl!" Qin Hongmei snapped without thinking.
This was precisely the reaction Beisitian wanted; even if people nearby didn't know what was happening, they now knew Luo Family's old woman was left alone and widowed, perhaps a bit muddled by age, obeying her elder daughter-in-law's words in everything.
If the elder daughter-in-law was sensible, that'd be fine, but she's an agitator, stirring trouble even when there's none, and worse when there's something going on!
The young widow was injured, just barely able to get up after two months, and hurriedly forced to fetch water—this must have been Qin Hongmei's idea!
Qin Hongmei hadn't realized Mrs. Qin was there when she snapped back. Seeing her with a carrying pole outside, she first was stunned, then looked at Beisitian, whose face was pale, hands gripping a stick and body trembling, her brow furrowed.
Qin Hongmei sized her up. She saw her wandering the yard just the other day; could she be pretending now?
Whether she was or not made no difference to her; seeing people around watching with interest, she swallowed back her planned curses.
With a taut face, Qin Hongmei glared at Beisitian and spoke to Mrs. Qin with indifference, "Look at what my sister-in-law says. Who thought you were coming to deliver water? Isn't there a person at home, raising her for nothing?"
She spoke, casting another glance at Beisitian.
"Isn't she injured!" Qin Hongmei didn't cause a ruckus initially because she didn't want to argue on the street, making people laugh, so she explained.
"Such pampering; I saw her wandering aimlessly in the yard just a couple of days ago. Sister-in-law, not to offend you, what's going on at your place, raising someone to the status of a city girl—what a laugh!" Qin Hongmei covered her mouth and chuckled.
Beisitian noticed she was trying to sow discord; if Mrs. Qin wasn't wise, she might go back and give her a hard time.
Moreover, Qin Hongmei's words were suggesting to everyone that Beisitian had long healed, only pretending for outsiders.
Beisitian didn't argue, instead looking towards the main road in the village. It was a path running east to west in Kao Village, paved with stones while others were dirt roads.
Checking the time, that person should appear soon!
As soon as Beisitian thought that, she saw a person with a pole carrying water appear on the main road. She withdrew her gaze and turned to call to Mrs. Qin, "Mom..."
As she spoke, her body swayed, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Mrs. Qin was startled, quickly put down the buckets, came to support her, but couldn't see, and couldn't tell how Beisitian was.
"It's okay, mom..."
Beisitian, not blind, clearly saw Mrs. Qin's genuine concern on her face, feeling guilty for her actions.
Knowing Qin Hongmei's nature, Beisitian understood through the original owner's memories; the original owner was timid, always belittled by Qin Hongmei, who exploited her, given she had the old woman at home.
Even Mrs. Qin couldn't say much, as the blind daughter-in-law couldn't do anything. Now, asking Mrs. Qin's daughter-in-law to do things, what could she say!
Beisitian wasn't the original owner; regardless of being injured and needing rest, she wouldn't let others boss her around like a servant!
That's why she pretended like this, to catch Yang Wulang's attention.