For Fear of the Vase, Baoyu Conceals the Stolen Goods; Judging a Wrong, Ping’er Exerts Authority

Liu’s wife said with a smile, “You little monkey! Your own auntie has gone off to find a wild man, so you’ve gained an uncle. What’s there to be suspicious about? Don’t make me pull out those few cunt hairs on your head! Open the gate and let me in.” The page would not open the gate. He caught hold of her and said with a smile, “Good auntie, when you go in, you might as well steal some apricots for me. I’ll be waiting here. If you forget, then later, when you want the gate opened at midnight to buy wine or oil, I won’t open it for you, nor answer you. You can shout yourself hoarse.” Liu spat. “You’re crazy. This year is not like other years. All these things have been divided among the old women. Each one is like a face scratched raw. If anyone so much as passes under a tree, their eyes are like a hawk’s. Who dares touch their fruit? Yesterday I was walking under the plum tree, and a bee happened to fly past my face. I waved my hand, and your dear auntie saw me. She was too far away to see clearly and thought I was picking plums. She started yelling at the top of......