For a normal farmer families, five plots were easy and quick to cultivate. Ilang araw lang sa kanila ang mga iyon kung sakali. But Veira's family was planting for the first time and their farming skills were still a bit sloppy even with the guidance of the farmers working nearby.
Fortunately, Aling Freida pitied them and had Fernan helped them in the morning everyday kahit hindi pa tapos ang kanilang mga plots. Ika nga niya, they had more men in their family so letting him helped them in the morning would not impact that much their planting.
But then, it wasn't just Fernan who would come over to assist them. Since the day na pinatulong sila nila Aling Concha, Diego and James would come over everyday too to help. Then when lunch came, they would also follow back to the Tan's residence to eat there.
Naturally, others would notice these three men helping them and so, the following days, rumors began to spread all over that Veira was actually a widow vixen that would seduce single, abled men.
Noong si Fernan lamang ang nakikita nilang tumutulong sa kanila, rumors were still just small scale lalo pa nga at mabilis ding umatake itong si Aling Freida kada may maririnig siyang di kaaya aya na usapan tungkol sa kanila.
But when Diego and James were also lending them a hand, rumors began to escalate uncontrollably. The words to describe Veira began to make people close to her feel uncomfortable.
Fortunately for these people, they only focused their rumors towards her. If they dared to attack even Lili and Lulu, she would not forgive them at all.
Still, these rumors made people close to her angry on her behalf.
***
"These people are getting too much!" Lulu stomped her feet angrily one morning. Her face red and cheeks puffing.
"Eh? Who makes our little ancestor angry? Ang aga aga ah." Veira asked.
Nanay Onang and Lili simply gave her an exasperated look.
Why, Veira really didn't care about the rumors outside about her. These people were already smearing her name too much but she was still as chill as before.
Hindi na naman nila kailangang sumagot dahil dumating din bigla sila Aling Freida at Aling Concha kasunod sila Fernan, Diego at James.
"Lulu, ayos ka lang ba?" Aling Freida and Aling Concha asked and that only made Lulu's eyes watered and felt more aggrieved.
Veira was speechless. She wasn't sure kung umaacting lang ba si Lulu o totoo ba ang emosyon nito ngayon.
"Waaaahhhh... I am angry at those people! How dare them?! How dare them call my Ate Veira those vulgar names?! Lalo na yung sila Aling Wanda! Hindi pa talaga sila nagtino noong huli nilang parusa! They keep on targetting my sister! I hate them."
Veira was dumbfounded. She was crying because of her?
When Lili noticed Veira's stupid expression, she could only shake her head. She also noticed na wala talagang pakialam si Veira sa kung ano mang usap usapan tungkol sa kanya sa labas ng kanilang tahanan. These madams na close sa kanila ay sinabihan na siya tungkol dito but she just waved her hand and told them that rumors fade away if they simply ignore them.
She could even sit under the shade of a huge tree habang busy ang tatlong lalaki na nachchismis sa kanya na magtanim sa lupa nila. They could even hear them her instructing the three lads if they missed a spot or the distancing of their planting was getting wider.
Indeed, those rumors started because those people, especially those ladies and madams eyeing the three lads to be part of their family, felt envious seeing how she could have them worked for her family for free. But Lili could also tell that this nonchalant attitude of Veira was also the catalyst of why these rumors were getting out of hand now.
"Hush now, Lulu. Don't worry. Your Tito Tunio will berate those people." Alo agad ni Aling Concha sa dalaga. Meanwhile, Aling Frieda even wiped her tears.
Then they suddenly looked at Veira who still had the dumb expression on her face.
"Pasensya na kayo, Veira ha. Hindi ko din akalain na lalaki ng ganito ang mga chismis tungkol sa iyo at nila Fernan." Aling Freida apologized while Aling Concha nodded.
"Bakit po ba? Anong nangyari kay Lulu?"
"Naabutan naming nakikipagtalastasan yang si Lulu doon sa mga babae sa labas. They said ever since you arrived here, puro panglalandi lang ng mga lalaki ang ginagawa mo. Kaya din daw mabenta ang mga paninda ninyo dahil hinahaluan mo iyon ng gayuma." James, the lad with a face thicker than adobe wall, said habang nakapwesto na sa hapagkainan nila at sumasandok na ng pagkain.
"They even said na hindi ka nga daw mukhang nagluluksa dahil sa pagkamatay ng dati mong asawa. Mukhang masaya ka pa nga daw at nakakapang-akit ka pa ng maraming lalaki!" By this time, the lad was saying this as he began to eat.
If it was normal days, Veira had already slapped the head of this lad. Oportunista! Ni wala ngang nang-imbita sa kanya na saluhan sila but look he was already eating well!
Fortunately for him, Veira's mind was blown. Of course, she heard those talks about her outside. She really didn't care about them and clearly told her family to just ignore them too. Unexpectedly, Lulu would still fight outside just because of this.
She stood up and sternly looked at Lulu.
"Lulu, anong sabi ko sa inyo tungkol sa mga usap usapan sa labas?"
Lulu bowed her head. "Just ignore them."
"Then why the heck are you out there at pumapatol pa sa kanila? Was I not clear before?"
"But..."
"Those are just rumors. They will only hurt us if we let them do so."
"Veira, don't scold Lulu anymore. You do not always mingle with those people so you don't know how extreme their words are." Aling Concha intervened.
"Indeed! Sumusobra na ang mga taong iyon sa paggawa ng mga kwento tungkol sayo. Paano ka pa makakahanap ng asawa niyan, aber?"
"Nanay Onang, I already told you before, wala na akong plano na mag-asawa ulit. Utmost, I will just pick a handsome lad and shsggdkdkssisis---"
Lulu and Lili quickly covered her mouth before she could finish her words.
Originally, mga pisngi at mga mata lang ni Lulu ang mapula. But when Veira said those words, her whole face and two ears turned crimson so much. There was also panic on her expression.
As for Lili, she was completely voided of any expression on her face. She was already desensitized by Veira's views dahil na rin kapag nagttraining sila sa gabi, the lady would tell her unorthodox things. She just took action because she was afraid the lady's words would scare their visitors.
Nanay Onang, on the other hand, almost had a blood pressure spike. Of course, she didn't take Veira's proclamation before. Unexpectedly, she would even want to announce that again in front of these guests. Tatlo pa naman sa mga ito ay mga binatang inaasahan niyang makakatuluyan ng dalaga. Fortunately, Lili and Lulu acted quickly. Otherwise, baka tuluyan na lang siyang mahimatay.
"Anyway, do something about these rumors. You cannot just not mind them. This is affecting your reputation. See, nakikipag-away na din si Lulu sa labas dahil dito. Do something or else..." Nanay Onang said as she glared at Veira.
Veira felt exasperated. Obviously, Nanay Onang was serious. She even resorted to threat now!
Her eyes landed on Diego and Fernan then glared at them. This is all their fault! She didn't even like any of them like that but because of their admirers, her name was being smeared. Lalong lalo na tong Diego na ito. She knew well na majority sa mga kababaihang naninira sa kanya ay dahil sa binatang ito.
Damn! What seduction! What love potion! She clearly just wanted to have a peaceful and properous life and simply be a salted fish all her life but these people were forcing her to take action!
Really pissing her off, ah!
***
