TRANSMIGRATING TO THE 80S TO BECOME STEPMOM TO FIVE BIGWIGS
SUMMARY
Mu Jingzhe transmigrates into a book filled with sweet, doting love to become the useless supporting character who serves as a foil to the female lead. She also becomes the stepmom of five kids to her recently deceased husband. The five children are the sort that was bound to grow up to become villainous bigwigs. Right now though, these five bigwigs are still pitiful little kids. After weighing the pros and cons, Mu Jingzhe decides to stay for the time being to take care of them, only hoping that they wouldn't seek revenge on her in the future. Unexpectedly, when she is about to leave, the five bigwigs cling to her and refuse to let her go. —— A long time later, her supposedly dead husband, Shao Qihai, returns. The terrifying business bigshot, Shao Dong: "Thanks, Mom." The famous author-and-media mogul, Shao Xi: Mom helped me." The academic genius who two top universities are fighting over, Shao Nan: "Mom, help me choose." The youngest winner of the Best Actress Award, Shao Bei: "Love Mom the most." The globally-renowned musician, Shao Zhong: "This is for Mom." …… The five children only recognize their mother and have zero thoughts about their father. Their father's dear brother turns into his rival in love, waiting to abduct his wife home. Shao Qihai: Hm?!! I'm not dead yet. I'm alive, and I'm
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Mu Jingzhe regained consciousness and found herself lying in a simple courtyard.
The low earthen walls and the mud-brick yard and house were all very unfamiliar.
Mu Jingzhe got up and rubbed the back of her aching head. She then looked at the flashlight in her hand and frowned.
Nowadays, flashlights could be charged. She hadn't seen this kind of battery torchlight in more than ten years.
"Don't think that just because I call you Second Sister-In-Law and let you continue staying here, my family can't do without you. If you continue to push your luck, you can scram back to the Mu Family. Any random nanny I hire will take better care of the children than you."
A deep male voice filled with rage came from behind the door.
Mu Jingzhe was confused. She was about to speak when a memory appeared in her mind.
She had transmigrated into a book she had read two days ago about sweet, doting love.
The female protagonist, Mu Xue, was a fan favorite, while Mu Jingzhe, who shared the same name with her, was the most annoying supporting character in the book. The keywords used to describe her were 'stupid', 'control freak', and 'the one who always snatches Mu Xue's things'.
Mu Xue's first love, Shao Qihai, had been snatched away by her.
Shao Qihai, who had been a soldier for several years, had retired from the army after suffering an injury. He had two pairs of twins—three sons and one daughter. His wife had gone through a difficult labor and passed away.
Although he had been married before, he was completely different from the younger generation in the village. Mu Xue had a good impression of him and didn't mind that he had been previously married. She was also kind and she had said that she would treat his children as her own.
In the end, just as the two of them had been about to get engaged, Shao Qihai had suddenly come back with a child in his arms. He had said that it was his child, but the mother of the child was a mystery.
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Because of this child, the two of them had been at odds for a long time. Seeing that their engagement was about to fail, Mu Jingzhe had jumped out and claimed that he was going to marry her. Rumors had then started to spread in the village.
Shao Qihai wouldn't be able to bear it if Mu Xue's reputation was damaged, and the five children indeed needed someone to take care of them, so he silently agreed to this marriage.
1
When the two of them got married, Mu Xue, who was heartbroken, completely gave up.
Mu Jingzhe had snatched Mu Xue's man, but she wasn't happy for long before Shao Qihai died.
3
Right now, Mu Jingzhe had transmigrated three months after Shao Qihai's death. In the middle of the night, she had tried to seduce her younger brother-in-law, Shao Qiyang, but failed. She had tried her best to open the locked door, only to suffer the consequences and fall down and hit her head.
2
Her husband had only been dead for three months, yet she was already really eager to seduce her younger brother-in-law. This was indeed the work of a useless supporting character.
2
Mu Jingzhe tried hard to digest the extra memories. She looked at the closed door and smiled awkwardly. "Shao Qiyang, you've misunderstood. I called you because… Little Bei is sick. She has a fever."
Shao Qiyang sneered, not believing a single word. If that was indeed the case, why hadn't she said anything just now?
She was just trying to trick him into opening the door.
There was no way he would fall for it.
Shao Qiyang had never met such a shameless, disgusting woman before.
This time, he decided that he couldn't let this person live there any longer. He would kick her out when the sun rose no matter what.
Although he didn't say anything, Mu Jingzhe's expression grew solemn.
1
She wasn't joking. The night when the original Mu Jingzhe had been thinking about ways to make love to Shao Qiyang, Shao Qihai's only daughter, Shao Bei, had gone deaf due to a high fever.
5
"I'm telling the truth. Little Bei has a fever."
Knowing the dangers of a fever, Mu Jingzhe was afraid that the delay would affect Shao Bei's condition. Thus, she quickly said something and returned to the east room.
The decoration in the east room was quite nice. There were still traces of the wedding celebration. With no time to look around, Mu Jingzhe went to see Shao Bei first.
Shao Bei was only five years old. Her three older brothers doted on her and would offer her all the good food, so her little face was round and chubby.
At the moment, she was lying quietly on the bed. Her delicate brows were furrowed, and her body was burning up.
Mu Jingzhe's heart sank. She packed up her stuff and covered Shao Bei with her blanket before rushing out.
She almost bumped into Shao Dong at the door.
The names of Shao Qihai's five children were easy to remember—Dong, Nan, Xi, Bei, Zhong1. The eldest and second eldest were twin boys, while the third and fourth were boy-girl twins. The last one, who had been brought back from somewhere else, was called Shao Zhong.
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The eldest, Shao Dong, was seven years old and acted like a little adult. His eyes, which resembled Shao Qihai's, seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.
He was the most protective of his younger brothers and sister and would look at people with ferocious eyes. Even the original Mu Jingzhe had been afraid of Shao Dong.
"Little Dong, Little Bei's fever is quite bad. We have to go to the hospital."
Shao Dong silently stretched out his hands. He was worried about letting Mu Jingzhe take his younger sister away.
"Little Bei is really having a fever. If you don't believe me, look…" Mu Jingzhe squatted down and let him see for himself.
At that moment, there was a click. Shao Qiyang, who hadn't opened the door this whole time, strode over in a cotton shirt.
Although he had woken up in the middle of the night and hadn't put on his clothes properly, this couldn't conceal Shao Qiyang's elegance.
He was tall and handsome. His style was different from his older brother's, Shao Qihai, but it was undeniable that he was dazzling. No wonder the original Mu Jingzhe had been so unscrupulous.
Shao Qiyang frowned. "Is she really having a fever?"
Shao Dong nodded.
Shao Qiyang touched her forehead with the back of his hand and his expression changed. He looked at Mu Jingzhe with cold eyes. "Her fever is really bad. Why did you only tell me now?"
4
After saying that, he picked up Shao Bei and left.
Mu Jingzhe stopped Shao Dong, who was about to follow him. "Shao Dong, I'll go with your uncle. You stay at home and watch over everything. If nothing goes wrong, we'll be back tomorrow."
1
Mu Jingzhe took the child's backpack and chased after him.
Shao Dong stood in the courtyard and watched as the light of the torchlight outside the courtyard disappeared.
He didn't speak because he had been born with a stutter he couldn't overcome. After being teased repeatedly, he had stopped talking.
Even though he was a little stutterer now, he would one day become the most ruthless bigshot in the business world.
Well, actually, the five kids—Dong, Nan, Xi, Bei, and Zhong—wouldn't be simple when they grew up. You could say they turned out to be bigshots, but… they were all villains.
The stepmother—the original Mu Jingzhe—was responsible for this.
1
To be honest, Mu Jingzhe was under a lot of pressure. After all, she had suddenly transmigrated into this bizarre character and become associated with these five children. She was quite averse to it, but since she had already transmigrated, she could only deal with things as they came.
1
Mu Jingzhe caught up to Shao Qiyang.
When she did, she knew that nothing she said would be pleasing to hear, so she chose not to say anything and only silently illuminated the road ahead for Shao Qiyang.
Shao Qiyang wanted to take his niece to the hospital as quickly as possible, but it was difficult to walk at night. Holding the child in his arms made walking even more difficult. Soon, both his hands were trembling.
"Let me carry her for a while," Mu Jingzhe said.
Great Eastern Village was quite far from town, and it would take about two hours to get there on foot.
1
"No need." Shao Qiyang gritted his teeth and refused.
He took a deep breath and continued walking forward. However, he was really tired and accidentally lost his footing, sliding down the road as a result.
Mu Jingzhe swiftly grabbed Shao Bei.
After getting hold of Shao Bei, Mu Jingzhe didn't think much of it. She simply grabbed Shao Qiyang's collar and lifted him.
6
She then placed him on the road. "Did you hurt yourself?"
With his collar still raised, Shao Qiyang answered subconsciously, "No."
Still in a daze, he gazed at Mu Jingzhe. Had Mu Jingzhe just lifted him up?
4
On the other side, swift Mu Jingzhe had already set off with Shao Bei on her back.
It took them more than an hour to reach the town hospital, and by the time they got there, their foreheads were covered in perspiration.
"She's running a high fever—40 degrees Celsius. It would have been too late if you'd brought her here any later."
3
Mu Jingzhe was glad that it wasn't too late.
She and Shao Qiyang stayed by her bedside and changed the towels from time to time. When the sun rose, Shao Bei's fever subsided and she finally woke up.
"Little Bei, can you hear me?"
Mu Jingzhe immediately checked if Little Bei's hearing was fine.
Shao Bei lay on the bed, looking listless. It had only been a night, yet her chubby face seemed to have lost some weight. The little girl, who used to be full of life, now appeared lethargic.
She looked at Mu Jingzhe but didn't respond to her words.
Mu Jingzhe's heart skipped a beat.
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"Little Bei, can you hear me? If you can, can you answer me?"
Mu Jingzhe was afraid that she had been too late after all and Shao Bei's ears had ended up getting damaged from the fever, just like what had happened in the book. Hence, she forced a smile and asked her again.
Shao Bei licked her lips and looked at Shao Qiyang instead of Mu Jingzhe.
Shao Qiyang glanced at her and quickly gave her water.
Meanwhile, Mu Jingzhe had already rushed out of the ward. "Doctor, please take a look again. I don't think she can hear us."
Shao Qiyang, who was giving Shao Bei water in the ward, trembled. "Little Bei, you can't hear anything?"
The doctor was just about to leave. His night shift had just ended when he heard Mu Jingzhe say that. He immediately put his white coat back on and followed Mu Jingzhe to the ward.
However, he heard Shao Bei's hoarse but clear voice when he reached the door.
"I can hear you."
The old doctor glared at Mu Jingzhe before turning to leave.
Shao Qiyang thought that Mu Jingzhe would scold Little Bei or lose her temper, but Mu Jingzhe only heaved a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad you're okay. You scared me. I thought you couldn't hear anymore."
Fortunately, they had gotten her there in time. The first tragedy had been avoided.
It was just that the child didn't want to talk to her.
Mu Jingzhe didn't mind, but she instantly felt tired now that she had managed to relax.
She didn't step forward again. "You take care of her. I'll go to the doctor to thank him and apologize. Then, I'll go out and see if there's anything to eat."
After thanking the doctor, Mu Jingzhe went to the washroom. When she saw the mirror, she stopped and took a look. She still didn't know what she looked like.
She was shocked by what she saw.
The person in the mirror had short hair that reached her ears. There was no hairstyling to speak of. The hair was uneven, as if it had been bitten by a dog.
1
It had been cut to look like Mu Xue's hair. The villagers praised Mu Xue for her beauty, so she had used a pair of scissors to cut her waist-length braids.
Under her horrible hair were eyebrows as thick as two caterpillars and a big red mouth that was dry and chapped.
This was also a result of emulating Mu Xue. She didn't have the money to buy an eyebrow pencil or lipstick, so she had replaced them with charcoal and red paper…
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After washing herself clean, Mu Jingzhe finally saw the original owner's face.
When she saw it, she was stunned for a moment. This face was 70% to 80% similar to hers.
Her facial features were delicate and pretty, and her eyebrows were thick and black. However, they were a little messy. She just needed to slightly fix the shape of her eyebrows. There was no need to draw them at all.
Although her lips were dry and chapped, upon closer inspection, the color of her lips was quite beautiful. It was a very nice cherry-pink color, so she didn't need to paint them into large red lips at all.
In summary, the original Mu Jingzhe had made herself look ugly. Her looks wouldn't have been inferior to Mu Xue's if she had simply done nothing. However, she'd had to imitate Mu Xue, and she had done a terrible job of it. She was a 7-8 in terms of attractiveness, but she had made herself into a negative number on a scale of 1 to 10.
4
After Mu Jingzhe washed herself clean, she found herself much more pleasing to the eye. The only exception was… her hair.
After walking out of the town hospital, she found a haircut stall a short distance away.
Mu Jingzhe glanced around before sitting down. "Boss, please cut my hair."
5
The old barber said, "Lady, this is a barbershop for men."
"I know, just act like you're cutting a guy's hair." Mu Jingzhe pointed at the male celebrity poster on the ground that had yet to be pasted on the wall. "Just cut my hair like that."
1
When Mu Jingzhe returned to the ward, she was carrying a bowl of noodles, a bowl of dumplings, and three steamed buns.
"Let's eat some noodles first. We'll go back after eating."
When Shao Qiyang saw that she had come back with food, his countenance got better. However, when he looked up, he was as dumbstruck as Shao Bei.
"You… Your hair."
Mu Jingzhe set down the noodles. "Mm, I just had my hair cut by an old barber."
Seeing that Shao Qiyang and Shao Bei were in a daze, she raised her eyebrows. "What's wrong? I think it looks alright."
Shao Qiyang looked at Mu Jingzhe, who had changed into another person after going out for a while. It could even be said that Mu Jingzhe had been reborn. He was momentarily speechless.
In the past, he had found Mu Jingzhe an eyesore. Why was she acting weird today? When she had raised her eyebrows just now, Shao Qiyang had even felt like he was looking at one of those male movie stars.
1
He was startled.
However, he had to admit that although she was beyond recognition, she was much more pleasing to the eye and looked way neater than before.
This haircut was much better than the short hair she had sported previously.
It was even kind of stunning.
This was the charm of hairstyling. In modern times, many female celebrities who looked ordinary with long hair appeared stunning with short hair. Mu Jingzhe belonged in this category.
Her facial features were well-defined, but her jawline was a little strong, so short hair suited her better, making her look energetic and beautiful.
Mu Jingzhe was eating a steamed bun when she noticed someone looking at her. She looked over and saw Shao Bei staring at her.
She had regained her energy, so the little girl's eyes were watery, bright, big, and black. Her eyelashes were long and curly, and her tiny mouth was pink and soft.
In summary, she was pretty and adorable and she even had a pair of eyes that could talk.
No wonder she would one day become Movie Queen Grand Slam, the big boss of the entertainment industry.
In the end, she would be swallowed up by that industry. Even though she had great acting skills, her bad personality would lead her to make too many enemies. Later on, she would commit suicide because of a relationship issue and would even be stripped naked after she died.
3
As for the cause of this tragedy, it was that her ears had been damaged from a high fever when she was young, causing her to suffer from hearing loss for a few years.
Fortunately, the tragedy had been avoided this time.
On the way back, Shao Qiyang insisted on piggybacking Shao Bei. Mu Jingzhe didn't argue with him and followed him from a distance, pondering her future.
Now that her husband was dead, she didn't have to worry about getting a divorce or anything. Otherwise, it would be difficult to settle things in this day and age.
She couldn't very well return to her parents' home either.
Firstly, the female protagonist, Mu Xue, was staying with the Mu Family. It wouldn't be a good idea for her to go back.
Secondly, if a married lady returned to her family, she wouldn't be allowed to stay for long. In the end, she would definitely have to find someone else to marry.
This was her second marriage. Besides, given her reputation, how could she possibly marry a good person?
3
Instead, she might as well keep staying with the Shao Family.
Unfortunately, because of her actions, the Shao Family didn't like her. She had offended everyone, and the children and her younger brother-in-law were all very wary of her.
However… this was better than going back to her parents' home and remarrying. She hadn't gotten married in her previous lifetime, and she didn't want to do it in this lifetime either.
She had to get used to the environment first. As a modern woman, she had to use this opportunity to walk out and fight for her career.
Why not just walk out now? Of course, it wouldn't be easy.
There was currently a barrier between the villages and cities that wasn't so easy to break through.
There was a limited amount of work in the city too. With so many people in the city waiting to get jobs, it would be difficult for her to find work. Even lodging and food would be a problem. Thus, the best solution was to stay and plan this slowly.
However, by choosing to stay, it was unavoidable that she would have to bear the responsibility of taking care of those five children.
It took a lot of effort to raise a child. Raising one was hard enough, let alone five.
An ordinary person would definitely cower, especially someone who had never been married or raised any children. However, this wasn't a problem for Mu Jingzhe.
She didn't know how to be a mother, but she knew how to be an elder sister and take care of a child.
Ever since she was young, the first thing she had learned was to take care of children.
As an orphan who had grown up in an orphanage, she had taken care of countless younger children there. As she had grown up, her ability to take care of them had improved.
2
Even after she had entered society, this hadn't stopped. It had gone on intermittently. Including the ones closest to her, she had helped raise more than 30 younger children at the orphanage in total. These five absolutely wouldn't be a problem.
2
Anyway, kids grew up fast, and before one knew it, they were all grown up. She had brought up batch after batch of little kids, so taking care of five children wouldn't be difficult for her. The two older ones were already seven years old. They would grow up in no time.
The only problem was that they were really smart and would become villains when they grew up.
Could she lead them down the right path?
1
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Leading them down the right path was easier said than done. It was difficult even to help one child, let alone five.
They were quite young and weren't in a good situation, but Mu Jingzhe wouldn't belittle them just because they were pitiful and young. She easily made the decision to attempt to guide them to the right path.
As an old Chinese saying goes, one can tell how one's adulthood will turn out by the time one is three years old. The oldest, Shao Dong and Shao Xi, were already seven years old, Shao Nan and Shao Bei were five years old, while Shao Zhong was three.
Many personality traits had already formed. They had suffered through many hardships and difficulties, so some things had already planted seeds in them and sprouted.
You're saying that you're going to guide them now?
Oh please, don't be so naive.
Even if the children's biological parents attempted this, it would be difficult for them, let alone for her, who the children loathed and were wary of.
In the past, whenever the younger kids at the orphanage had been disobedient or done bad things, she had scolded them and even punished them to teach them a lesson. But these children?
It was hard to be a stepmother, and she would probably die faster if she beat or scolded them.
If she did that, they would probably take revenge when they grew up.
Mu Jingzhe didn't dare underestimate the five children. She treated them as equals, so she was very cautious.
After thinking about it, she decided to stay and bear the responsibility of taking care of them. She would protect them and prevent others from bullying them.
As for guiding them onto the right path, she would try to do so when possible but wouldn't force it. She would usually mind her own business and be their temporary mother or nanny.
If she had to be their nanny, so be it. A grown woman could adapt to the circumstances. This was what she should do after choosing to stay.
When she found a way to leave Great Eastern Village and had her own income and career, she would leave.
She wouldn't ask for anything else. It would be fine as long as they didn't take revenge on her in the future.
Yes, that was all for now.
With that thought in mind, Mu Jingzhe quickly got into character. "Shao Qiyang, let me carry her for a while."
Shao Qiyang was also an important figure she needed to improve her relationship with. She needed to change his impression of her. Right now, Shao Qiyang was the one supporting her and these five children. In short, he was the boss.
As a qualified employee, she had to know how to share her boss' burden.
Mu Jingzhe smiled at Shao Bei. "Little Bei, can I carry you?"
Shao Bei wrapped her arms around Shao Qiyang's neck tightly, using her actions to prove that she hadn't forgotten that the original Mu Jingzhe had secretly pinched her.
Shao Qiyang glanced at her. "No need."
He had decided last night that he would kick her out today.
However, she had just helped take Little Bei to the hospital last night. It seemed a little heartless to make her go back today.
So… Tomorrow, maybe. He decided he would kick her out tomorrow.
Mu Jingzhe, who had no idea Shao Qiyang was preoccupied with thoughts of kicking her out, nodded obediently and told herself that she had to listen to whatever her boss said.
At noon, the two of them finally returned to Great Eastern Village.
They met quite a few villagers at the village entrance. Some of them were even holding large bowls, squatting or sitting down to eat. At the sight of the trio, they all greeted them and asked where they had been.
Their eyes were filled with gossip fever.
Shao Qiyang answered them, while Mu Jingzhe didn't say anything and just smiled throughout the whole process.
Everyone stared repeatedly at her hair to confirm her gender.
"Why does this girl look familiar? Shao Qiyang, is that your partner?" an auntie asked, looking at Mu Jingzhe.
Shao Qiyang's face instantly flushed. "Auntie, this is my second sister-in-law."
"Your second sister-in-law? Mu Jingzhe?"
The original Mu Jingzhe had ruined her appearance so badly that everyone had forgotten what she looked like normally.
Mu Jingzhe smiled. "That's right, Auntie. It's me."
At the revelation that she was Mu Jingzhe, everyone's expressions turned from curious to awkward and disdainful.
"Why is your hair cut like a man's?"
"It's more convenient this way," Mu Jingzhe replied.
The auntie's gaze on Mu Jingzhe changed again and was now filled with suspicion. She regretted saying those words earlier. She was afraid that if Mu Jingzhe made a fuss or cried, it would attract the attention of that shrew, Li Zhaodi, who would then come out to scold her.
This was also the reason why no one in the village said anything bad about Mu Jingzhe in front of her, no matter what she did or how ugly she looked. The mother-and-daughter duo was unreasonable.
1
Unexpectedly, Mu Jingzhe didn't cry or make a scene. Her tone seemed to have changed as well, and there was an indescribable gentleness in her expression.
They didn't know what the word 'disposition' meant, so they only felt that Mu Jingzhe seemed to have changed.
While they were still in shock, Mu Jingzhe left.
After she left, the village exploded into a discussion about how she had changed.
The short-haired Mu Jingzhe had become the most unique sight in the village.
However, they had only said a few words before calming down. After all, she had been even weirder before.
Now that her hair was so short, it somehow looked quite pleasing to the eye.
They had looked at Mu Jingzhe, and Mu Jingzhe had also looked at them. The way the people of Great Eastern Village were dressed had made Mu Jingzhe feel as though she were looking at old photos from the 1980s.
In order to avoid arousing suspicion, she kept a distance from Shao Qiyang as they walked.
This made Shao Qiyang heave a sigh of relief.
Mu Jingzhe was also happy enough to relax.
In the rural areas in the 1980s, the air had been clear and fresh, but it was poor.
Half of the families in the village had tiled houses, but there were also many thatched houses.
Walking from the village entrance, they passed by very few good houses until they reached the Shao Family.
Initially, the Shao Family had also been poor. It was only when the second son, Shao Qihai, had joined the army and received an allowance that their situation had gradually improved.
Now, the Shao Family had built a new house next to the old, dilapidated house. There was a big yard with a regular layout and a large tile-roofed house with walls. It all looked very grand.
However, the big house was now occupied by the eldest branch of the Shao Family. Shao Dong and his siblings didn't have the chance to stay there. Even Shao Qiyang only stayed in the old house beside it.
As Mu Jingzhe was looking at the two houses that stood there in stark contrast, she heard a crying voice come from the old house.
The children of the eldest branch of the Shao Family had come to snatch Shao Dong and his siblings' things again.
The names of the eldest-branch children were also easy to remember. They were Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ1. There were three elder brothers and one younger sister.
The contrast between the two groups of children was obvious. The four children from the eldest branch of the Shao Family were wearing new cotton clothes. The eldest, Shao Fu, had turned 12 years old that year. He ate very well and looked like a calf. His younger brothers were also much sturdier than their cousins.
On the other side, Shao Dong and the others were all wearing old cotton clothes. Compared to them, they were scrawny, small, and miserable-looking.
"Give it to me! If you don't, I'll beat you to death."
"No, my mother left this for me."
Shao Lu had taken a fancy to Shao Xi's comic book, but this time, Shao Xi wouldn't let go no matter what.
After all, the comic book had been given to him by his dead mother.
The children from the eldest branch, who were used to being domineering, were very unhappy when they heard that. "Your mother died a long time ago. Your father died too."
While Fu, Lu, and Shou fought with Dong, Nan, and Xi, the youngest, Shao Xǐ, didn't join the fight. Instead, she was hitting Shao Zhong on the side, calling him 'mute' and 'b*stard' as she did so.
Though she was usually not good with words, she was very articulate when it came to scolding people.
….
Meanwhile, in the basement of a house in the suburbs of the neighboring province…
There was a single bed with some medical equipment beside it in the cramped room. A man was lying on the bed. He had wheat-colored skin, sharp eyebrows, and a high nose bridge and he looked rather handsome. However, his eyes were closed, and his face was pale. He looked haggard.
2
The short-haired man leaning on his crutch beside the bed cast an anxious look at him before raising his head to address the doctor who was diagnosing his condition.
"Doctor, why isn't he awake yet? He's been unconscious for a really long time."
"His injuries are too severe. It's already a miracle that he's still alive." The doctor shook his head. "Let's wait and see."
1
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Shao Qiyang was at the door, so he happened to hear the children of the eldest branch scolding the five kids.
He was so angry that his face turned green. Shao Fu, who hadn't seen Shao Qiyang, used his ultimate move to threaten Shao Xi. "If you don't give it to me, I'll get Grandma to kick you out. This is our house. If you don't give it to me, I won't let you stay here anymore."
As he took advantage of Shao Dong and the rest, who halted, a smug look flashed past Shao Fu's eyes. He was about to hit them when…
"Stop it."
Shao Qiyang then said with a sullen expression on his face, "Shao Lu, return Little Xi his comic book."
"Why should I?" Shao Lu refused to give in. "Why can't I take his comic book when they're living in our house?"
"Who taught you to speak like this?" Shao Qiyang was furious.
Mu Jingzhe glanced at him and got straight to the point. "If you don't want them to stay in your house, then return their house to them."
"Since when do they have a house?" Shao Lu asked in turn.
Mu Jingzhe pointed at the imposing new house next door. "It's the house you're living in now."
"That's our house!" Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ retorted angrily.
"So you're living in your family's house? That house was built with Shao Dong's father's allowance. It has nothing to do with you. You shamelessly lived in their good house and gave this lousy house to them to live in, yet you even dare sound so self-righteous?"
"To be honest, you guys are the ones who borrowed the house. If you're not happy, return the house to them. They don't even care about your lousy house."
Mu Jingzhe startled everyone with her words.
This was the first time Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ heard this. Though they were furious, they felt guilty for some reason when they saw Mu Jingzhe's expression.
"No way, that's our house."
"Ask your third uncle if you don't believe me." Mu Jingzhe pointed at Shao Qiyang.
Shao Qiyang was silent. What Mu Jingzhe had said was an undeniable truth.
This made Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ feel uneasy. They were used to being the tyrants of the village and flaunting their big house. Now, it had suddenly been revealed that the house didn't belong to them?
Shao Lu was about to lose his temper when he heard a sound coming from the room Shao Qiyang was staying in.
"What's that sound?"
Mu Jingzhe took two steps forward. "Who is it? Who's inside?"
No one answered.
Shao Fu and Shao Lu looked at each other and didn't speak. Shao Nan glanced at them and suddenly said, "It must be a thief."
A thief?
Shao Qiyang was stunned and found it a little strange, but Mu Jingzhe had already reacted.
"A thief?" Her expression changed. "Hide behind me!"
She picked up an old spade and stepped forward.
"You inside the house, you're surrounded. If you know what's good for you, come out with your head in your hands. Otherwise, I won't be polite."
No sound came from inside.
"If you don't come out soon, I'll break the door."
The person inside stammered and made some noises, but they didn't speak properly.
Mu Jingzhe frowned. With so many children in the house, it would be terrible if they got injured or something. And this thief wasn't coming out when he was told to?
Shao Qiyang felt that something was amiss and was about to stop Mu Jingzhe. However, he suddenly saw her lift her leg and kick.
With a bang, the sturdy new door that had been previously put in place to keep out Mu Jingzhe was kicked open.
Kicked open…
It opened…
Shao Qiyang and the nine children in the courtyard were stunned.
Mu Jingzhe raised her iron spade and charged in. "Let's see where you will run to."
"Ah… Don't hit me, it's me! It's me!"
A familiar voice was heard in the room. This time, it was trembling.
After a wave of dust, everyone saw a horrified-looking Zhao Lan, who had nearly been smashed by the door, as well as Mu Jingzhe, who was still carrying the iron spade.
Zhao Lan's face turned green, and her lips turned pale. She was truly scared out of her wits.
She rubbed her chest and glared at Mu Jingzhe.
Mu Jingzhe frowned. "Oh, it's you."
It was her mother-in-law, Zhao Lan.
"Why were you hiding here quietly?"
"Who says I was hiding quietly?" Zhao Lan retorted. Just as she was about to say something, she saw the door on the ground and then the iron spade in Mu Jingzhe's hand and shut her mouth abruptly.
Since when had Mu Jingzhe become so strong? Or had the door decayed?
Shao Qiyang withdrew his gaze from the broken wooden door with difficulty and furrowed his brows as he looked at Zhao Lan.
"Mom, why are you here?"
He scanned the room with his gaze and saw obvious signs of chaos.
Shao Qiyang's expression turned even uglier. Without even asking, he knew that she was there to look for his salary again.
He was now a temporary worker at the post office, so he received a smaller salary than a permanent staff member. It was very hard on him, yet Zhao Lan had to take all his salary.
When Shao Qihai had passed away, Shao Qiyang had said that he had to raise his nephews and niece, so he had stopped giving his salary to Zhao Lan. He hadn't expected Zhao Lan to come straight to his room and rummage through his belongings for it.
"I've said this a few times already. I have to keep my salary for the next two months to pay for Little Dong and the other kids' tuition fees. School is starting soon."
Among the four children—Dong, Nan, Xi, and Bei—the older two were in second grade, while the younger two were in first grade.
"Of course I know school is starting. You can just ask me for the money when the time comes." Zhao Lan was determined to get the money.
Shao Qiyang and Shao Dong looked at her without saying anything. Neither of them believed that she would hand over the money as promised.
Zhao Lan's pockets had always been empty, and she only took and never gave.
When Zhao Lan saw that Shao Qiyang wasn't saying anything, she turned around and scolded Shao Bei. "Why was she taken to the hospital when she was merely feeling hot? The money for the hospital fees would be enough to pay for her tuition fees. She's just a girl. Why send her to school when she will get married eventually when she grows up? You might as well save the money and get a wife…"
Shao Bei was unhappy to hear that. She was about to say that she was a good student and ask why she couldn't go to school, but Shao Nan stopped her.
As Shao Nan lowered his eyes, a hint of mockery that didn't match his age flickered across them. He stopped Shao Bei from arguing unnecessarily lest she got beaten up.
Anyway, it was good enough that their tuition fees hadn't been stolen.
Although Shao Nan hadn't seen Zhao Lan enter the house, he had guessed that it was her. He'd been afraid that their tuition fees would be taken away, so he had deliberately suggested there was a thief in the house.
He wasn't lying. After all, his grandmother, Zhao Lan, was indeed a thief in his eyes.
Unexpectedly, he had gained quite a lot from claiming there was a thief.
Shao Nan looked at Mu Jingzhe. She had been the biggest surprise today.
Mu Jingzhe, who hadn't noticed Shao Nan's gaze, stared at the unceasing Zhao Lan and frowned impatiently.
She was most afraid of this kind of nagging. Hearing it made her want to hit someone.
Mu Jingzhe raised her foot and stomped on the door, causing it to crack.
"So noisy."
Zhao Lan's entire body stiffened. Only then did she remember that this jinx was still there. This unlucky woman even had designs on her third son.
As she was looking at the completely ruined door, Zhao Lan couldn't even be bothered to look at Mu Jingzhe's hair and notice the change in her appearance.
"How… How dare you call me noisy? I'm your mother-in-law."
Zhao Lan spoke in an incredibly weak tone. It was as if she was a completely different person from the woman who'd kept calling the original Mu Jingzhe a jinx after Shao Qihai's death.
"What does this have to do with you being my mother-in-law?" Mu Jingzhe glanced at her and said, "Other than the tuition fees and books, we still have to buy clothes, shoes, and exercise books when school starts.
"Their uncle is paying for their tuition fees, so you should be in charge of the clothes, shoes, and exercise books. Right, mother-in-law? You didn't buy them for the new year because you wanted to buy them before school starts, right?"
4
Since Zhao Lan had shown up of her own accord, Mu Jingzhe wasn't going to let her off easily.
1
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Zhao Lan was famous for being biased in the book. She'd accepted Shao Qihai's allowance but only treated the children of the eldest branch well.
The money that was supposed to be used on Shao Dong and his siblings was all used on Shao Fu and the rest. Shao Dong and his siblings had suffered a lot and were dressed in rags. On the other hand, the children of the eldest branch wore new clothes and ate extremely well.
Mu Jingzhe looked coldly at Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ's fat faces and clothes.
Zhao Lan hadn't expected to be asked for money when she'd come to ask for money. Her face turned red when she heard that. "You…"
Just as she was about to curse, she saw Mu Jingzhe wave the iron spear in her hand with an enigmatic smile.
Zhao Lan instantly gulped down her words. Seeing that Mu Jingzhe looked like she was about to attack at any moment, she took two steps back and swallowed her saliva.
"I'd like to be responsible for that, but I don't have any money. All the money was used up to build the house, and Qihai suddenly passed away…"
Zhao Lan ran away after complaining about having no money.
Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xǐ followed her closely. Judging from Mu Jingzhe's gaze, these four sensitive children felt like she might come up and rip off their new clothes at any moment.
Mu Jingzhe retracted her gaze regretfully.
She didn't make a move, mainly because she thought their clothes were dirty since they had worn them before. Therefore, she couldn't give them to Shao Dong and the others.
1
She turned around and met Shao Qiyang and the five children's gazes. Finally, she looked at the door.
Mu Jingzhe: "…"
Silently hiding the iron spade behind her, she said, "This door is a little decayed. It would be a good idea to replace it."
Shao Qiyang: "I just changed my door a few days ago."
If he hadn't been lifted by her after his fall on the way, he would have believed it.
Mu Jingzhe paused for a moment. "Alright, I'm actually a little strong."
"A little?" More like a lot, huh.
1
Mu Jingzhe said helplessly, "Yeah, a little."
Her original strength, which was as powerful as a bull's strength, had come with her when she'd transmigrated.
4
She was about to step forward to destroy the evidence when Shao Qiyang, who was in front of her, suddenly took a step back, wanting to stay as far away from her as possible. There was wariness in his eyes, as if she was a pervert who would pounce on him at any time.
Mu Jingzhe: "…"
This made her feel very displeased.
The original Mu Jingzhe had wanted to seduce her brother-in-law, but she didn't have that intention. Mu Jingzhe said directly, "Let's talk about some serious business in private."
Shao Qiyang reluctantly agreed. Upon seeing him nod, Shao Dong led his younger siblings away without having to be asked.
"I'm only treating you as my younger brother-in-law. Please don't get the wrong idea." Mu Jingzhe got straight to the point.
Shao Qiyang: "…"
Was that a misunderstanding? Why was her behavior so blatant then?
Mu Jingzhe pointed at the broken door. "Why don't you take a look at this door? If I really wanted to do something, do you think this door would be able to stop me? I could just tear it down easily."
Shao Qiyang was almost convinced before he saw the floral dress Mu Jingzhe was wearing.
His expression froze.
Mu Jingzhe looked down and saw the floral dress that she hadn't had the time to change out of last night.
Uh… This was the dress that the original Mu Jingzhe had stolen from Mu Xue. After finding out that her younger brother-in-law and Mu Xue seemed to have a thing, the original Mu Jingzhe had stolen it the previous night and worn it. She'd then imitated Mu Xue's voice and tried to trick Shao Qiyang into opening the door.
This was awkward. It was akin to claiming to be innocent before the evidence was destroyed.
Mu Jingzhe pretended not to see it. "Don't doubt me. To be honest, if I really wanted you to be something other than my younger brother-in-law, would you be able to stop me?"
Couldn't I just force myself on you? Would you be able to break free?
1
Shao Qiyang's eyes widened, and his face turned red. "You… You…"
He was so shocked that he was at a loss for words. This was the first time he had heard such words come from a woman's mouth, but he couldn't bring himself to retort.
After all, it seemed to be true.
Shao Qiyang's face instantly turned into an entire color palette.
He should have been relieved and happy after clarifying the matter, but the way she was going about it made him unable to feel happy.
Shao Qiyang was angry, embarrassed, and hateful.
While he was feeling embarrassed, Mu Jingzhe had already gone to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The children should be hungry by now.
When she entered the kitchen, she realized that Shao Dong had already turned on the stove.
"Be careful. Don't burn yourself." Mu Jingzhe hurriedly cautioned him.
Shao Dong looked at her speechlessly.
Mu Jingzhe instantly felt embarrassed, for Shao Dong started the fire to cook every day. He had even learned how to cook, and there were many burns on his hands.
It had only been three months since Shao Qihai's death, but these children had gone through all kinds of hardships.
Mu Jingzhe retracted her gaze and said, "I'll cook. You guys go out and play for now."
Shao Dong didn't say anything and silently took his younger siblings out. Mu Jingzhe spoke again with her back facing them.
"In the future, if Shao Fu and the rest want to cause you trouble again, don't fight with them. They are older than you. If you fight with them, you will be at a disadvantage. Look for me instead."
She would take care of it. She didn't have a bottom line that held her back from hitting children, as some children were worse than adults.
2
Shao Dong turned around and glanced at Mu Jingzhe. He thought to himself that he wasn't always the one to lose after a confrontation. And even if he suffered a loss, he would take revenge.
When Fu, Lu, and Shou went to school or went to play, they would often get beaten up by their peers on the way. Eldest Aunt scolded the perpetrators a lot, but it was useless. Every once in a while, they would be beaten up.
Even now, they still didn't know that this was Shao Dong borrowing someone else's hand to take revenge.
2
Lunch was ready in no time because Mu Jingzhe whipped up two simple dishes—Chinese dough knot soup and a carrot pancake.
1
She wanted to make a sumptuous meal, but there were no ingredients for her to work with.
The seven of them sat around the dining table and ate. After the first bite, their eyes lit up.
Delicious.
The few of them increased their eating speed.
It couldn't be helped, as it had been a long time since they had eaten such delicious food.
Previously, whenever Shao Dong had cooked, because he was really young and the ingredients were limited, they'd frequently eaten gruel.
As for Mu Jingzhe, she had been relying on herself since she was young, so it had been necessary for her to learn how to cook. After she'd been cooking for a long time, her culinary skills had developed, so even if she cooked simple food, it tasted good.
The few of them buried their heads in their food. There was no sound at the dining table.
Even the youngest, Shao Zhong, obediently ate by himself. Because he couldn't use the chopsticks very well, in the end, he simply lowered his head and kept drinking the soup.
1
Mu Jingzhe broke the carrot pancake into pieces and placed a bowl in front of him.
Shao Zhong secretly glanced at Mu Jingzhe and hesitated for a moment before eating.
He was three years old this year. His facial features were exquisite as a doll's, but he was very thin and he appeared filthy.
Even now, he still didn't know how to speak, nor did he know how to scream in pain or cry. Hence, he was despised and ignored. He would usually follow his older siblings around like an invisible person.
Even so, there were some differences between them, as he and his siblings didn't have the same mother.
They all had straight black hair, but his hair was curly and a little yellow. In modern times, with his naturally curly locks, he wouldn't have to dye or perm his hair and would save a lot of money. However, in this day and age, everyone said that his yellow hair was weird and called him a mute bastard.
1
Feeling Mu Jingzhe's gaze on him, Shao Zhong lowered his head even more until he was almost under the table.
Mu Jingzhe shifted away her gaze and sized up the others.
On the whole, they were all beautiful, but… they were really thin. Their clothes were dirty and torn, and they looked malnourished.
Even though she was just a temporary mother, she had to feed them well and keep them warm.
Mu Jingzhe only had one thought when she saw that there was no soup left in the pot of Chinese dough knot soup.
No, we can't go on like this. It might be okay for adults, but kids need nourishment while growing up. I have to think of something.