Chapter 11
When Bai Xiuxiu opened her mouth, Zhao Guifen's face immediately fell. "Even temporary workers at the factory need a junior high school education. Before you speak, why don't you consider what kind of man your husband is? Does he have the ability? Would they really hire him as a worker? Dream on!"
Hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu gave Zhao Guifen a cold laugh. "Hmph... Mother, didn't you also fail to look in the mirror before speaking? Our Qinghe doesn't have the ability to work at the factory, and naturally, he can't come up with the money.
Going into the mountains during winter to hunt for food to satisfy our cravings and replenish our strength is something everyone here does.
If you want to make money from hunting during this season, wouldn't you have to sell the game on the black market? That's against the rules!
If caught, you'd be locked up!
Are you thinking that the job belongs to someone else while all the danger falls on Qinghe? Dream on!"
Bai Xiuxiu looked around the room, observing the faces of those present, none of which seemed particularly pleasant.
They all wanted to take advantage of Wang Qinghe!
In her previous life, before she died, Wang Qinghe had silently endured the exploitation of this family and her own demands. If it weren't for her death, these people would have drained him dry, and he never would have resisted!
Thinking about this possibility made Bai Xiuxiu angry.
Only she had the right to exploit her husband. What gave them the right?
Zhao Guifen's face turned greener than vegetables from Bai Xiuxiu's words. She slammed down her chopsticks angrily. "You wretched thing! Why did our Wang family marry you back? How could you say such heartless things? Eldest son, don't listen to your wasteful wife!
Everyone here is your family!
If your brother becomes a worker in the city, won't it bring honor to our whole family?
As his older brother, wouldn't you also gain face?"
"Qinghe has children; he doesn't need his younger brother to bring him glory," Bai Xiuxiu replied coldly.
"You!" Zhao Guifen wished she could strangle this daughter-in-law. Her bitter gourd-like face looked terrifyingly grotesque.
Bai Xiuxiu couldn't be bothered to look at her. She knew the true nature of this family all too well!
"Alright, enough bickering. You're old enough not to quarrel with your daughter-in-law." Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Old Man Wang stepped in to mediate, starting by scolding his own wife.
Zhao Guifen grumbled unhappily.
Old Man Wang then turned to Wang Qinghe. "Eldest son, we know that this family has wronged you. Your mother and I are aware of this. But no matter what, we are still one family. To encounter such a good opportunity is a blessing for our family. If your brothers succeed and become workers, they will surely help you later.
It's natural for you to pamper your wife, but when it comes to important matters, you can't let a woman make the decisions."
"That's right, Big Brother. Rest assured, if I become a worker, I will definitely help you." Wang Qingfu, the second son, quickly voiced his support.
"Big Brother, rest assured. Zhou Jiaojiao and I promise that if I become a worker, we'll take care of your children!" Wang Qingqi, the fifth son, was unwilling to fall behind.
Zhou Jiaojiao felt uncomfortable inside. Why should her husband become a worker and help Bai Xiuxiu raise her children?
But despite her discomfort, she didn't show it on her face. After all, becoming a worker was crucial!
Bai Xiuxiu watched the faces of her family members and felt like laughing. Her husband, Wang Qinghe, had the greatest virtue of listening to her! If she didn't agree, how could he possibly consent?
In his previous life, he had silently endured everything because she hadn't spoken up.
She wouldn't speak unless it threatened her own well-being.
Now that she wanted to protect him, she was even less willing to let this family trample over her. So, she spoke up.
Of course, he wouldn't agree!
Wang Qinghe didn't remain silent for long. In fact, from the moment his family brought up this matter, he had been quietly observing them.
Xiuxiu had unexpectedly changed her usual indifferent attitude and actively spoke up for him.
His so-called good brothers had their greed written all over their faces. The eager expressions of the second and fifth sons were almost comical. The third and fourth sons, unable to become workers themselves, were anxious about the family spending money on other brothers. Their worry left him feeling disheartened.
Each of them sought to manipulate him for their own interests.
"Eldest son, give us your opinion," Old Man Wang urged when his eldest son remained silent.
"Father, this is the season when fierce beasts roam the mountains. I'm not a skilled hunter, and if I venture deep into the mountains, there's a chance I might not return. Even if I'm lucky and do come back, going hunting during this season means the family would have to sell the game on the black market.
If discovered, I'd likely end up in jail.
Do you propose this knowing the dangers involved, or are you unaware and simply hoping to earn some money?"
Wang Qinghe raised his head and looked at each of them.
If he died, these people wouldn't care about Xiuxiu or his two children.
Old Man Wang's gaze flickered, a hint of guilt in his eyes.
Zhao Guifen wasn't pleased. "Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Are you saying that because of a little danger, you won't help your two younger brothers? Can't you just be more careful when you go into the mountains? It seems like you're just listening to your wife!"
"Woman, what nonsense are you spouting?" Old Man Wang quickly interrupted her.
He explained to his eldest son, "Qinghe, don't blame your mother; she just doesn't understand. If you don't want to go, then don't. But missing out on this opportunity… is a bit regrettable. Wife, you should inform your relatives about this."
"Mother and Father, don't dismiss this opportunity. If Big Brother doesn't want to go into the mountains, I'm willing to go. I've found valuable herbs in the mountains before. Perhaps I could find something useful if I go," Zhou Jiaojiao quickly interjected.
They couldn't refuse this opportunity!
Her husband had to become a worker; otherwise, how could she ever surpass Bai Xiuxiu?
"How could that be possible?" Zhao Guifen was the first to object. This was her most favored daughter-in-law.
After all, she wanted the eldest to hunt and sell game, so they wouldn't have to touch their savings.
"Mama, don't worry about me. I'll have Eldest Sister-in-Law come with me." Zhou Jiaojiao looked fresh and adorable, with dimples when she smiled, giving off a sweet vibe. She then turned to Bai Xiuxiu: "Eldest Sister-in-Law, you're just staying at home anyway, why not come with me to the mountains?"
She was determined to give Bai Xiuxiu a taste of hardship!
Seeing Old Fifth's wife so eager to plan for her son moved Zhao Guifen a little, and she immediately challenged Bai Xiuxiu: "Eldest Sister-in-Law, if you won't let your man go into the mountains, can you at least accompany Old Fifth's wife around the outskirts?"
You're just staying at home anyway!
"We've finished eating, Mom and Dad, we're heading back now." While they were discussing, Bai Xiuxiu had quickly fed the child and eaten herself!
Seeing her husband finish, she decisively interrupted them.
She had no interest in watching this family's performance.
Chapter 12
"How deaf are you? Didn't you hear what I said?" Zhao Guifen cursed.
Looking at her eldest daughter-in-law made her irritable!
Among all the daughters-in-law in the family, only the eldest one was disobedient! Wasn't she just relying on her pretty face to hook the eldest son every day and have him indulge her?
How could a married woman not listen to her mother-in-law?
Bai Xiuxiu carried the two children into Wang Qinghe's arms before casting a glance at Zhao Guifen. "How can I be the deaf one? Aren't you and Old Fifth's wife the deaf ones? How am I idling at home? I'm recuperating from my illness here!
If the villagers see me not working and instead wandering around the mountains, won't they say that I'm faking my illness to avoid work?
Do we want to lose face?"
"You—"
Zhao Guifen was left speechless by Bai Xiuxiu's retort and glared at her fiercely.
Bai Xiuxiu didn't even spare her a glance as she left with the children.
Seeing that things hadn't gone as planned, Zhou Jiaojiao felt displeased. "Mom, Big Sister is right. We should wait until after the autumn harvest to go. As for the job, I'll talk to my parents about it later. Please don't refuse."
"Only you understand," Zhao Guifen said, feeling relieved when she heard that Zhou Jiaojiao would seek help from her family.
This was what a good daughter-in-law looked like!
Bai Xiuxiu was just a nuisance! She dressed herself neatly throughout the year, always wearing clothes without patches and buying new ones each year!
What did a woman need to dress up for?
All the men in the Wang family wore patched clothes!
She might as well die sooner!
Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe returned to their room with the children. Wang Qinghe folded the quilt on the bed and poured hot water for her.
Bai Xiuxiu gave each child a White Rabbit milk candy as usual, glanced at her husband, and stuffed a piece into his mouth. "From now on, you're not allowed to listen to whatever they say. Don't do any work for them, and we don't need to hunt in the mountains to make money.
The most important thing now is for our family to live a good life together, no matter what!"
Hearing her heartfelt words, Wang Qinghe's expression softened even more.
He hugged her, nuzzled her neck, and let go after a while. "I'll listen to you. I'll go to work first, and I'll accompany you to Uncle Zhang's place at noon to check on your condition again. You suddenly fainted, so we can't be careless."
"I'll go alone," Bai Xiuxiu firmly refused!
She had nothing better to do at home during the day, and she didn't want to wait another ten days for the herbs.
She planned to try her luck with Uncle Zhang first, regardless of what kind of herb seeds she could get.
She needed to confirm if the golden finger worked as well in her hands as it did in Zhou Jiaojiao's!
Wang Qinghe was a little worried.
He had been having the same dream recently, where he saw Xiuxiu die and experienced an overwhelming sense of loneliness afterward, which almost drove him mad. The nightmare made him want to stick closer to Xiuxiu during the day after seeing her safe and sound.
Only when she was in front of him could he feel at ease.
"Do you already want to be disobedient?" Bai Xiuxiu asked him, discontented, when she saw his insistence on accompanying her.
"I'll listen to you, but you're not allowed to go near water," Wang Qinghe repeated his warning.
"Qinghe? What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go to work!" Outside, Zhao Guifen called out.
Despite the morning's commotion, Wang Qinghe couldn't miss work.
"Alright, I got it. Go to work quickly, and remember to finish our share of the work before coming back. Don't bother with them," Bai Xiuxiu reminded him, looking at his slender figure and thinking about how he would look once he became wealthy.
She felt that he was being too hard on himself now!
Feeling sympathetic, she shared a piece of cake with him. "Finish this before you leave."
After Wang Qinghe finished eating, his eyes seemed to sparkle with affection.
His long and beautiful eyes were mesmerizing when he smiled.
Not long after he left, Bai Xiuxiu also went out with the children!
The gate of the Wang family's courtyard was usually unlocked.
However, each room had its own lock.
Bai Xiuxiu locked her room and led one child with each hand.
The children were wearing clothes made last year from hard-to-find crushed flower fabric! Looking at her adorable babies, Bai Xiuxiu felt particularly happy!
However… these clothes were a bit too eye-catching. She decided to find some other colors later.
Anyway, the clothes would soon become too small, so she would alter them for other uses once winter arrived.
When she arrived at the village clinic with the children, she found Captain's wife Chen Jinhua getting medicine. Sure enough, she was here! Starting this year, the captain's wife came every morning to get medicine for her sister. Her sister had developed a chronic illness a few years ago and had been unable to conceive after five years of marriage.
Almost everyone in the village knew about it!
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu, Chen Jinhua was a little surprised. "Xiuxiu? I heard you fainted yesterday. Are you still not feeling well?"
Chen Jinhua was a straightforward woman with a low ponytail, looking to be in her forties. She had large eyes and spoke quickly, exuding warmth.
Bai Xiuxiu nodded, looking troubled. "Isn't it so, Uncle Zhang said I need another ten days or so of rest."
The old man writing the prescription fell silent for a moment, but what could he do? His family owed that boy, Wang Qinghe, a favor.
Moreover, Old Wang's family favored their other sons, treating the eldest son as if he were raised by a stepmother.
If his wife wanted to shirk work for a few days, should she not be allowed to?
After some thought, Old Zhang went along with her story: "She is terribly weak and overworked. If she doesn't rest properly, it might even affect her ability to have children in the future."
When the captain's wife heard this, she was startled. "This is a matter for life, she must rest. Don't worry, I'll explain things to the villagers, so they don't think you're trying to avoid work."
"Thank you, Aunt Jinhua," Bai Xiuxiu quickly expressed her gratitude. This was exactly what she wanted!
Her husband didn't talk much in front of others, and people wouldn't gossip about him. As for the rest of the family? They weren't true Wangs if they didn't slander her!
"What's there to thank me for? I'll be going now. You must listen to Old Zhang and take good care of yourself!"
Once the woman left in a hurry, Bai Xiuxiu explained her purpose: "Uncle Zhang, I have something I'd like to ask for your help with."
Old Zhang was making notes and looked at her curiously when she mentioned needing help. "What is it?"
"Uncle Zhang, do we have any medicinal herb seeds here? I've been teaching the two kids how to plant, and I want a few seeds. It doesn't matter which kind of medicinal herb. Actually, vegetable seeds would be fine too, but buying vegetable seeds at this time of year wouldn't sit well with my in-laws.
I was thinking of buying a few from you."
Bai Xiuxiu offered an off-the-cuff explanation.
Once the plants grew, she wouldn't sell them in the village, so she wouldn't have to worry about being found out.
Chapter 13
"Seeds? I do have some honeysuckle seeds. I collect them year-round for medicinal purposes. The ones I've gathered recently haven't been processed yet, so they should still sprout. I'll give you a small amount; they're difficult to grow and won't yield much. Giving you more would just be wasteful."
With that, Old Zhang went into his small room and fetched some seeds.
He gathered about a dozen.
Bai Xiuxiu took the seeds, her heart filled with joy.
As she prepared to pay, Old Zhang declined: "We don't engage in private transactions here; it wouldn't look good if word got out. Besides, no one would notice a few missing seeds. You..."
Bai Xiuxiu thought for a moment and then pulled two candies from her pocket. "Uncle Zhang, I understand. But I can't take your things without giving something in return. These two candies are for Little Zhu to enjoy."
Old Zhang had led a hard life. His son passed away early, and his daughter-in-law was taken back by her family to be remarried just two months after his son's death, leaving behind only a young grandson whom he doted on dearly.
Candies were not easy to come by in those days, even with money, as ration coupons were required.
Old Zhang accepted the candies without refusal and returned with another packet of honeysuckle seeds, this time more than what he had given Bai Xiuxiu initially. "There's plenty of these. Take them all."
"Thank you, Uncle Zhang."
After thanking him, Bai Xiuxiu left with the two children.
"Mama, Mingming wants candy too." Wang Nianming tugged at her sleeve, looking up at her with hopeful eyes.
The twins shared a striking resemblance, about seventy percent alike. Bai Xiuxiu could be tough with others, but she couldn't resist her precious children. She gave each of them a candy. "You may only have one today. Eating too many will make your teeth hurt. And remember, don't tell anyone about what Mama discussed with Grandpa Zhang here today, okay?"
Bai Xiuxiu comforted them.
The children nodded in unison.
When she arrived home, the Wang family had not yet returned.
Bai Xiuxiu closed the front gate securely. "Stay in our room or play in the courtyard. Don't wander off!"
"Okay, I'll watch over Brother!" Yueyue, speaking with a slight lisp, acted like a little adult.
Her words made Bai Xiuxiu smile.
Back inside, Bai Xiuxiu silently invoked the space. Yesterday, when she discovered the space, she also realized that it appeared whenever she willed it to.
Soon, the water curtain materialized before her.
She placed the honeysuckle seeds she had brought back into the box on the left side of the water curtain.
There were about a hundred tiny seeds.
Once the seeds were inside, the box automatically closed.
The water curtain changed: Medicinal Field Space - Owner Updated. New Owner: Bai Xiuxiu.
Seeds Invested: Honeysuckle Seeds, Total: One Hundred Seventy-Six.
Estimated Harvest Time: In Three Days. Please Collect Timely.
How long?
Bai Xiuxiu stared at the water curtain, her eyes wide.
Mature in three days? What kind of incredible ability was this! In her previous life, Zhou Jiaojiao and Old Fifth nearly suffered greatly because of Wang Qinghe. Was it due to her husband's exceptional skills, or were they simply too foolish?
This was more than a windfall!
At noon, Zhao Guifen returned with the third son's wife.
Upon entering the courtyard and seeing the eldest son's children, Zhao Guifen's expression soured. "Third's wife, let your child play outside sometimes instead of always carrying him to the fields. Look how comfortable these two brats are at home?"
"Grandma." Mingming and Yueyue both called out upon seeing their grandmother.
Zhao Guifen snorted coldly. "Scram!"
And with that, she headed to the kitchen.
Yueyue immediately burst into tears.
Inside, Bai Xiuxiu heard her child crying and rushed out.
Seeing her daughter sobbing, she picked her up with an unhappy expression. "What happened?"
"Mama, Grandma told us to scram," the little girl said, her voice muffled by Bai Xiuxiu's chest.
Zhao Guifen was truly unreasonable!
Bai Xiuxiu sneered in anger. It baffled her why her husband, Wang Qinghe, seemed to be treated as if he were raised by a stepmother compared to Zhao Guifen's other sons. Even her own children were not favored!
Not only Zhao Guifen, but her father-in-law felt the same way.
"Yueyue, don't cry. Mingming, don't be afraid. Grandma wouldn't really want you to leave. If you did, wouldn't your father have to go too? She wouldn't bear that. Come on, let's go inside." Bai Xiuxiu took both children into the room.
Old Third's wife, Zhao Cuihua, watched as her eldest sister-in-law brought the children into the house, her eyes changing.
She followed them in.
As Bai Xiuxiu was about to close the door, she saw Zhao Cuihua coming in.
Zhao Cuihua gave an awkward smile. "Eldest Sister-in-Law, can I come in and talk to you?"
Zhao Cuihua had a pleasant appearance, and her smile looked warm and kind.
Bai Xiuxiu noticed that everyone in Old Wang's family was good-looking, whether it was the sons or the daughters-in-law. Among Old Wang's sons, apart from her husband, Wang Qinghe, who didn't resemble anyone in particular, the other four all looked like their father.
They were all quite attractive.
Zhao Cuihua coming to see her wasn't surprising at all!
Bai Xiuxiu let her into the house, placed the two children on the kang, and then attended to Zhao Cuihua.
Looking around the room, Zhao Cuihua couldn't hide her envy!
This was now the best room in Old Wang's household!
"Old Third's wife, what do you want to talk about?" Bai Xiuxiu asked first.
Hearing this, Zhao Cuihua quickly reined in her envious gaze and got down to business. "Eldest Sister-in-Law, I came here because of the house repairs. You know, Second Brother and Fifth Brother both need to either repair or expand their houses this year. They also have to buy jobs.
How are we supposed to manage with the family finances?"
As she spoke, Zhao Cuihua kept her eyes fixed on Bai Xiuxiu.
She wanted to split the household! She had a son, and her husband was relatively obedient. If they could split the household, their lives would improve.
However, she couldn't be the one to propose it! Her mother-in-law treated Old Third well, and she, as his wife, was also treated decently. As for her son, he was even more favored. Although the eldest grandson belonged to the eldest family, her mother-in-law actually favored her son more.
If she offended her mother-in-law and failed to split the household, her life would become difficult.
Therefore, it would be best if Bai Xiuxiu proposed the split.
Firstly, Bai Xiuxiu's older sister had married someone successful and had moved away to join the military.
Secondly, the eldest brother did the most work but was the least liked. Their mother-in-law already disliked them enough; how much more could she possibly dislike them?
Moreover, the eldest brother and sister-in-law were the ones who suffered the most and were the most disadvantaged!
Zhao Cuihua's intentions were almost written all over her face.
Bai Xiuxiu didn't expose her, only sighing heavily. "Old Third's wife, your words echo my thoughts. I'm worried too, but what can worry do? Our mother favors Second and Fifth. As a daughter-in-law, what can I say?
Speaking of money, there's only so much. If we give it to them, our share will definitely decrease.
There might not even be enough left for a few meals when we eventually split the household."
Zhao Cuihua was startled. "How could that be? With so many people working in our family...there shouldn't be no money, right?"
"The jobs Mother mentioned cost five hundred each, so for two people, that's a thousand yuan. Who has a thousand yuan these days?"
Chapter 14
Bai Xiuxiu's words struck Zhao Cuihua like a heavy hammer, leaving her stunned.
A thousand...
That's right! A thousand yuan!
"Didn't we say today that Old Fifth's wife was going home to think of something?" Zhao Cuihua didn't want to face reality, and her complexion visibly worsened.
Looking at her, Bai Xiuxiu regarded her with an expression that seemed to say, "How naive you are," as she said, "It was all just for show. If she hadn't said that, would you have been willing to let the money go? We don't know how much money there is in the family. Our mother-in-law manages the household, and if she empties it out, then a few years down the line when we divide the assets, she'll just say that the family's expenses were too high and no savings were made.
What could we even say about that?
Moreover, the money for house repairs isn't a small amount either.
We're expected to share this cost."
Zhao Cuihua grew even more restless. "How can that be? In this family, my husband and I work tirelessly every day, earning ten points. Why should they benefit from our hard work?"
"Who told us that our mother-in-law favors Second Brother and Old Fifth? We don't know how much money there is in the family. As for me and your Eldest Brother, we have nothing to say. After all, he's capable, and my family is willing to support me. We can save up after the division."
Bai Xiuxiu appeared indifferent, which only made Zhao Cuicui feel worse.
Her sister-in-law might not care, but she did!
How long had it been since her son had new fabric for clothes?
The autumn was passing, and it would soon get cold! Yet, her mother-in-law had prioritized saving face by making a new outfit for Old Fifth's wife for her wedding.
Why did she have such a big ego?
No way! She couldn't let the matter of money slide like this.
She had to talk to Wang Qingzheng about it this afternoon and make sure their parents revealed the family's financial situation.
Otherwise, if all the money was gone, she'd still be working for them!
Seeing Zhao Cuihua's silence, Bai Xiuxiu added fuel to the fire. "In fact, there are five brothers in the family, all doing the same work. Since the money was given to Second Brother and Old Fifth, it should also be given to us. At the very least, it should be fair, right?
Especially regarding the house repairs. When the family adds on to the house, it's for the brothers to live in, so that's understandable.
However, when our mother-in-law spends money on house repairs for Old Fifth and his wife, while we don't do any repairs, then the money spent on repairs should be equally divided among us according to the amount spent."
Bai Xiuxiu's words felt like a sudden enlightenment to Zhao Cuihua!
That's right! Why shouldn't they receive a share?
While adding onto the house was understandable, as the five brothers needed a place to live, repairing the house was different! Her sister-in-law's house was built using her dowry money!
Why did Old Fifth's family get the family to pay for their repairs?
"Sister-in-law, you're right. This matter…" Zhao Cuihua looked back at Bai Xiuxiu.
"I won't interfere with these matters. If you choose to speak up, we will naturally stand by your side. If you decide not to, your Eldest Brother and I have no objections." Bai Xiuxiu smiled, unwilling to take the lead!
In situations like this, whoever took the lead would bear the brunt of the criticism.
Although she didn't care, who would willingly tarnish their reputation?
Seeing her sister-in-law determined to stay out of it, Zhao Cuihua became even more depressed.
Perhaps she should ask Fourth Sister-in-law later.
"Third Sister-in-law? Where is she? Where the hell has she gone?" Outside, Zhao Guifen shouted angrily.
Hearing this, Zhao Cuihua hurried out. "Mom, I'm here."
"Why did you go to that dead man's room?" Zhao Guifen held no regard for her eldest son or Bai Xiuxiu. Third Sister-in-law was a distant relative from her hometown and should be on her side!
Seeing her mother-in-law's anger, Zhao Cuihua quickly came up with an excuse. "Mom, I just went to Sister-in-law's room to see. Her daughter was crying, and I thought Sister-in-law might have some tasty food to give the girl to comfort her. I just wanted to see if I could get a bit of it."
"Tsk! Do you really expect her to give you anything to eat? She's so greedy that she'd stuff everything into her own mouth.
Having a daughter-in-law like her is my misfortune!
Forget it, don't rely on her. Go help me wash vegetables and prepare the meal in the kitchen."
Zhao Guifen pulled Third Sister-in-law into the kitchen.
Zhao Cuihua felt extremely uncomfortable. Whenever she saw her mother-in-law, she remembered what her sister-in-law had just said.
Although she and Third Brother had only been married for a couple of years, they hadn't shied away from work.
With just one son, how much could they possibly consume at home?
Her son would need to go to school in the future, and that would require money! If her mother-in-law gave all the money to Second Brother and Old Fifth, what would they eat and drink?
This matter absolutely couldn't be left unresolved!
After preparing the meals, Zhao Cuihua felt that the issue must be addressed sooner rather than later, so she got up and rushed out. "Mom, I'm going to see when they'll be back."
"You good-for-nothing, trying to slack off too!" Zhao Guifen grumbled as she watched Third Sister-in-law run off faster than a rabbit. However, she didn't say much more!
At noon, Zhao Cuihua returned home with the entire family.
Along the way, she walked behind with her husband, quietly recounting the situation to Third Brother, Wang Qingzheng.
Upon thinking about it, Wang Qingzheng agreed with her.
Though Second Brother and Old Fifth are blood brothers, blood can't be thicker than one's own wife and son!
He can't possibly give them everything, can he?
The matter of adding to the house is non-negotiable, but there's absolutely no way when it comes to repairing the house! Second Brother lived in the east room without any repairs; why should Old Fifth get them upon moving in?
And then there's the matter of buying jobs!
This job won't be passed down to his son anyway, so he doesn't want to spend money on it.
His wife is right: the family finances must be transparent!
When it was time for dinner, Bai Xiuxiu came over to the main house very proactively to eat.
Seeing her eldest daughter-in-law come over, Zhao Guifen felt a bit more at ease.
Hmph! No matter how stubborn she is, she still has to listen and eat here, doesn't she?
Zhao Guifen thoroughly enjoyed distributing food to the family! It made her feel like this was the ultimate power in the household!
As long as the ladle is in her hands, she is the one in charge of the household.
After serving everyone their meals, Wang Shoucheng started eating first, followed by the others.
While Bai Xiuxiu was eating, it was Wang Qinghe who fed the child.
Third daughter-in-law, Zhao Cuihua, gave her husband a kick under the table, and Third Son, Wang Qingzheng, spoke up, "Mom and Dad, I have something I'd like to say."
"Can't whatever it is wait until after we've eaten?" Zhao Guifen shot a glance at her son; she hadn't had a decent meal in two days!
Every day, she was half-killed with anger from her eldest daughter-in-law, and now, just when lunchtime was peaceful, they were going to stir things up again?
Wang Qingzheng thought about it and nodded in agreement.
After the family finished lunch, Wang Qingzheng spoke up, "Mom, I wanted to talk about the repairs for Old Fifth and his wife's house."
"What's there to discuss? Didn't we agree already? After the autumn harvest, we'll repair Old Fifth and his wife's house and add on to the house for Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law." Zhao Guifen looked perplexed.
"It's only right to add on to the house for Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law, but... there's no need to repair the house for Old Fifth and his wife, is there? The east room hasn't collapsed; Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law lived there just fine. Why does it need repairs when Old Fifth and his wife move in?
Isn't that favoritism?
Besides, where do we have so much money? We need to buy jobs, repair houses, and build additions."
Chapter 15
When Wang Qingzheng said this, Old Fourth's wife, Chen Fang, also reacted and quickly kicked her husband.
She and Wang Qingliang didn't have any children yet!
They hadn't shirked their share of the work at home. If all the money was spent on others, what would they get in the future?
Wang Qingliang wasn't stupid. Understanding his wife's meaning, he also expressed his stance. "That's right, Mom. We're a family. You can't be partial."
Zhao Guifen was so angry that she almost snapped the chopsticks in her hand. She angrily scolded the two of them. "You two ungrateful brats! How am I being partial? To whom? When Lao Wu becomes successful, how many days will he live in that house? Won't it still be yours in the end?"
"Do you think we won't amount to anything?" Wang Qingzheng was even more unhappy.
Zhao Guifen: ...
"Mom, are you planning to let Second Brother and Lao Wu use the family's money to live well in the commune, while leaving us with this dilapidated house?" Wang Qingliang asked unhappily.
"How could that be?" On the side, Bai Xiuxiu wiped her daughter's mouth and slowly spoke up.
When Zhao Guifen heard this, she was stunned. The eldest daughter-in-law was actually going to speak up for her?
Even Zhao Cuihua, who had just chatted with Bai Xiuxiu, was confused. What did the eldest sister-in-law mean?
Under their puzzled gazes, Bai Xiuxiu continued. "The renovated house might not necessarily be yours in the future. After all, if you want to live in the commune, you'll have to buy a house, right? I heard that quite a few workers in the commune haven't been allocated houses either, so it wouldn't be our turn. By then, it would be good enough if we don't have to sell the house we're living in now."
Bai Xiuxiu's words were like pouring oil on the fire!
"Shut up! What are you stirring up?" Zhao Guifen wished she could cover Bai Xiuxiu's mouth. She knew it! Nothing good would come out of Bai Xiuxiu's mouth!
"Isn't that the truth? Once this house is sold, when Father and Mother go to live with Second Brother or Lao Wu, or when we all split up and one unlucky person is chosen to live here, where will we live? We're not young anymore. How can we rely on the elders?"
Bai Xiuxiu cheerfully smeared dirt on Zhao Guifen and Wang Shoucheng.
She wasn't lying; they were capable of doing such things.
The faces of brothers Wang Qingzheng and Wang Qingliang immediately darkened.
They knew their parents very well. The old couple was definitely capable of doing such things!
"Eldest son, control your wife! Look at what she's saying!" Even the elderly Wang Shoucheng couldn't sit still. If this continued, the family would split up today.
However, he had clearly called the wrong person.
Wang Qinghe ignored him as if he hadn't heard.
In fact, he was ready to help his wife fan the flames of discord among the family.
He seriously suggested to his father, "Father, since there are ulterior motives between the brothers, why not split up?"
When Wang Qinghe said this, everyone was taken aback.
"What split? As long as your father and I are alive, whoever dares to split the family, I'll hang myself at their doorstep!" Zhao Guifen was the first to disagree. The eldest son could hunt, and the reason why their Wang family lived so well was mostly because the eldest son was capable. If he split off, wouldn't that little vixen Bai Xiuxiu live even better? What about the rest of the Wang family?
Naturally, Wang Shoucheng was also extremely unwilling. "Eldest son, families don't split up while the parents are alive. It's something to be laughed at. As for ulterior motives, it's normal for your brothers to worry about themselves."
Saying this, Wang Shoucheng looked at his third and fourth sons. "Lao San and Lao Si, since you've caused such a scene, just say what you want directly."
Wang Qingzheng was very clear-headed and was the most similar to Wang Shoucheng in the family.
He immediately understood what his father meant. This was an agreement for them to voice their demands!
"Father, Lao Si and I don't mean anything by it. We're just thinking that now that all the brothers are married, there will be more places to spend money in the future. We're relieved that the family's money is in your and Mother's hands. However, we should know how much money the family has and how it will be used in the future. Otherwise, in ten or eight years, when the family splits up, it will be unclear."
When Wang Qingzheng finished speaking, Zhao Guifen exploded. "You ungrateful brat, do you want to manage the family affairs?"
"Mother, I don't want to manage the family affairs. I think everything should be clear. It's almost autumn harvest time. Let's make the family's finances clear, and when the autumn harvest money comes in, add it to the total. If the family's finances are transparent, we brothers won't cause trouble. Moreover, Mother, you have to be fair. If Lao Wu and his wife renovate the house, they must pay for it themselves. Back then, the eldest brother and sister-in-law's house was paid for with the sister-in-law's dowry money. If they're unwilling to pay for it themselves, then you have to give us brothers the same amount of money as what you spent on them."
Wang Qingzheng wasn't afraid of his mother's outburst. Apart from their parents and Lao Wu and his wife, he didn't believe anyone would disagree!
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the other brothers agreed immediately.
"Father and Mother, I think this is a good idea," Wang Qingliang said immediately.
Wang Qingfu was a little hesitant. He wanted to buy a job and didn't want the money to be accounted for too clearly.
However, the job wasn't guaranteed, but the money was certain.
How could Lao Wu get a nice house for free?
"Wang Qingfu also agreed, "Mom and Dad, I think this is feasible too."
"Are you all trying to drive me to my death?" Zhao Guifen sobbed in anger.
Wang Shoucheng looked at his sons, finally resting his gaze on the eldest: "Qinghe, do you agree as well?"
Wang Qinghe nodded.
"Alright, it's settled then. Old woman, go get the family savings so they can see. As for Old Fifth, are we fixing the house or not?" Wang Shoucheng glanced at his youngest son.
Wang Qingqi was confused; how did a straightforward matter turn into this?
Why couldn't they just use the family money?
He was having second thoughts about fixing the house, but... if he didn't, Jiaojiao wouldn't stand for it. Jiaojiao had been pampered her whole life; she shouldn't have a lesser life after marrying him, right?
Besides, Jiaojiao told him that as long as he treated her well, his newfound good luck would continue.
For two days straight, he'd found money! One yuan yesterday, fifty fen today.
He wasn't about to let this good fortune slip away!
With a sigh, Wang Qingqi made his decision through gritted teeth: "Fix it!"
Wang Qinghe wasn't surprised by the outcome. Whenever he brought up dividing the household, his parents always temporarily gave in to some extent.
After all, they wouldn't let him go until they had a better source of income.
Zhao Guifen came out of the house with a grim face, holding the money.
However, upon seeing the amount, everyone erupted in shock.
Chapter 16
On the table, in the money box, the scattered coins added up to less than three hundred!
"Mom, this isn't right, is it? How come we have so little money?" The first one to jump up was Wang Laosan, Wang Qingzheng.
Although he didn't handle the money, almost everyone in their family were able-bodied workers! Even if Old Fifth's wife had just married into the family, there were still eleven people working. The annual work points divided down, how could it possibly result in such a small amount of money?
Zhao Guifen glared with her arms akimbo and shot him an annoyed look. "What do you mean? Didn't your marriages cost anything? Do you think wives just blow in with the wind? You all eat like horses. It's already good that we have this much money left in the household."
Zhao Guifen spoke with confidence, but she felt guilty inside.
Had she hidden too much?
But if she hadn't, how would Old Fifth and Second Brother buy jobs for themselves?
Even if Old Fifth's wife said she would find a way back home, they couldn't really let her do that! Old Fifth's wife's family would help Old Fifth later on.
Now, they had to spend the family's money on him!
Otherwise, when the day came for the division of assets, wouldn't it all go to Eldest Brother?
Why should he get any of the family's money!
Wang Qingzheng frowned, feeling that the amount of money was incorrect.
Compared to him, Wang Qingliang beside him exploded directly: "Mom, almost everyone in our family can earn ten work points. Just last autumn, the money we exchanged from our work points amounted to more than seven hundred yuan. Why is there none now?"
Zhao Guifen was taken aback.
She remained silent.
Bai Xiuxiu sighed and smiled. "Don't blame Mom."
Zhao Guifen froze, disbelieving.
This was Eldest Brother's wife? She...
"How much pressure must Mom be under for hoarding so much money?" Bai Xiuxiu smiled.
At her words, Zhao Guifen wished she could strangle her.
Why couldn't she learn from past experiences! How could she believe that Eldest Brother's wife would say something nice?
"Mom, our family's food and drink for the year come from the autumn harvest. As for meat, most of the time, it comes from Qinghe's hunting expeditions and winter storage. There aren't many expenses. You wouldn't be telling us that Old Fifth gave several hundred yuan as a dowry for his wife, would you?"
Bai Xiuxiu asked in amazement.
With her words, the others also remembered. That was true! They didn't usually spend much on food and drink at home!
Zhao Guifen's face darkened. "You don't know anything about running a household. Isn't this how every family lives? Who can save several hundred yuan a year? Wouldn't that be better than a factory worker?"
"Mom, a factory worker can't save several hundred yuan a year alone, but two or three of them can. Our village may not compare, but we're not just a few people. Altogether, eleven people work. After a few years, there's only three hundred yuan left?"
Bai Xiuxiu glanced at Zhao Guifen. Her mother-in-law was truly stupid!
Stupid and black-hearted!
Zhao Guifen blushed with embarrassment at her words.
"Mom, this is too much. If you don't want to take it out, just say so. Why play us like fools?" Fourth Brother, Wang Qingliang, was very unhappy.
Third Brother, Wang Qingzheng, also had a dark expression.
They were all part of the same family. How could Little Wu and Second Brother be considered people, but not them?
Smack!
Just as everyone was dissatisfied, Wang Shoucheng slapped Zhao Guifen: "You heartless fool! What are you waiting for? How much did you hide? Hurry up and take it out!"
This slap stunned the whole family.
In their household, hitting one's wife wasn't practiced!
Moreover, how old was their mother?
Zhao Guifen didn't expect that at her age, she would still be hit. She cried out in anger: "You hit me? Who do you think I'm doing this for? Take it out? Fine, take it! Let's just forget about living together!"
Crying and shouting, she took out some more money.
Bai Xiuxiu was initially surprised by the sudden violence.
Seeing the amount of money taken out, she understood.
This was clearly a ploy.
This time, Zhao Guifen had learned her lesson and painfully took out eight hundred yuan.
"That's it! We've used the rest of the money over the years for food and drink. This, plus what I took out earlier, totals one thousand and one hundred and seventy yuan." Zhao Guifen covered her face, looking utterly dejected.
So much money!
The Wang family members' hearts raced at the sight.
They no longer suspected that money was being hidden. After all, this was already a large sum!
Moreover, their mother had been hit. How could she still be hiding money?
Looking at their expressions, Bai Xiuxiu realized that it was impossible to make Zhao Guifen take out any more. This amount wasn't even half of what Zhao Guifen had!
But every bit helps, and there's still a long road ahead.
"You've seen it for yourselves; this is all the money we have. It'll take at least a hundred for Little Wu's house. From this pile, I'll give each of you brothers a hundred. The rest will stay with your mother and me.
As one family, since we haven't split up households, the money should remain in the hands of us elders.
Once the autumn harvest comes, we'll distribute some more to each household.
I understand that as grown men, you'd like to have some cash on hand.
But there won't be any more disturbances next time, agreed?"
Seeing that things were settling down, Wang Shoucheng spoke gently to smooth over the situation.
Normally, the money was handled by the elderly couple, so how much could the sons have seen?
To receive a hundred each would naturally fill them with joy!
Zhao Guifen handed each son ten large bills.
When it came to Wang Qinghe and Bai Xiuxiu, however, she couldn't help but feel pained!
What right did they have? Why should they take the family's money?
Bai Xiuxiu paid no heed to her thoughts, easily taking the money from Zhao Guifen's hand and flashing a bright smile: "Thanks, Mom."
Zhao Guifen felt her heart ache.
This was her money!
"Now that the money's been given, don't just stand there. Get out! Go to work!" Zhao Guifen grumpily shooed them away.
Once everyone had left, Zhao Guifen wore a worried expression. "Old man, they're going against us."
A trace of displeasure also marred Wang Shoucheng's face. "With all our sons causing trouble together, we couldn't avoid giving them something. While we're around, they have no reason to split the household. But if they all insist, then we'll have no choice but to divide it.
For now, let's stabilize the situation and secure jobs for Little Wu and the second son.
Once Little Wu and the second son become successful, we won't fear a split. We can send the eldest away and live quietly as a family.
Let the second and fifth sons support the third and fourth, and that should do it."
"That makes sense, but... I have a bad feeling about the eldest's wife!" Zhao Guifen couldn't help but feel angry whenever she thought of her daughter-in-law.
Wang Shoucheng fell silent. "Leave the daughter-in-law to them."
In the western room.
Bai Xiuxiu placed the money in a box, her mood greatly improved. "Finally, we got back a hundred. Oh, by the way, I've already obtained the medicinal herb seeds. Later, I'll show you what they can do."
Wang Qinghe watched his wife bustling about and handed her a cup of brown sugar water, speaking calmly. "Alright, I'll look forward to it."
Seeing his calm demeanor, Bai Xiuxiu wanted nothing more than to surprise him!
As for hiding her special ability from Wang Qinghe, she had never considered such a thing. She had spent decades observing him from behind, using that time to determine his trustworthiness.
Unfortunately, he couldn't see the space, so she would have to wait until the honeysuckle matured to show him the results!
Chapter 17
The sudden loss of four hundred yuan left Zhao Guifen deflated.
She mulled over what the old man had said about letting the daughters-in-law sort things out themselves, but she couldn't figure out how to incite conflict among them.
She spent two whole days thinking about it!
After two days, she still hadn't come up with a plan to stir up strife between her daughters-in-law.
One midday, Zhao Guifen distributed lunch to the family. Looking at Bai Xiuxiu, who did no work yet ate her meals without fail, filled her with anger.
But she could not find a good solution!
How could she, when Bai Xiuxiu was pretending to be sick and the eldest son had taken over her chores?
The squad leader was also pleased, as Wang Qinghe was more efficient than Bai Xiuxiu!
And...
Thinking about Bai Xiuxiu made Zhao Guifen curse inwardly. That wench somehow managed to get on good terms with the squad leader's wife, Chen Jinhua! Yesterday, she tried to expose Bai Xiuxiu to everyone, but only got a few words in before Chen Jinhua scolded her.
Chen Jinhua said that she, as a mother-in-law, was being too harsh, and mentioned seeing Bai Xiuxiu getting medicine from Old Zhang.
She added that if Bai Xiuxiu didn't take care of herself, she might not be able to have children in the future.
Zhao Guifen couldn't forget the looks people gave her after that! *Yunjiu Novels*
Were these people blind?
Didn't they see how well-fed and plump Bai Xiuxiu was? How could she possibly be unwell?
"Mom, I heard that the work in the fields isn't heavy now. The squad has agreed that women don't need to work there. Each household can leave a few people to gather wild vegetables and other delicacies in the mountains, which can then be sold to the supply and marketing cooperative for some money."
Old Fifth's wife, Zhou Jiaojiao, spoke up unexpectedly.
Everyone in the room turned their attention to her.
Zhao Guifen, who had been racking her brain for ways to torment Bai Xiuxiu, suddenly had an idea! Of course, Little Fifth's wife often went into the mountains. She could take Bai Xiuxiu along, and it would be best if Bai Xiuxiu were lost or abandoned there!
If that little wench died in the mountains, the family would finally have peace.
Then she could find an ugly wife for the eldest son, so he wouldn't listen to his wife anymore.
She shouldn't have listened to the eldest son back then and let him marry Bai Xiuxiu. She was nothing but a vixen!
An ugly wife wouldn't cause trouble.
With this in mind, Zhao Guifen immediately said, "I think it's a good idea! We have enough people earning work points, but we're short on coupons. We should sell any mushrooms and medicinal herbs we find in the mountains to the supply and marketing cooperative and exchange them for coupons.
Here's what we'll do: all the wives will go to the mountains.
I'll stay home and look after the kids."
All the other daughters-in-law felt a surge of joy, except Bai Xiuxiu.
If they found medicinal herbs in the mountains, they could secretly sell them for extra cash!
Bai Xiuxiu wanted to go to the mountains as well, not just for the herbs and seeds, but also to observe Zhou Jiaojiao's strange luck.
She needed to observe more before deciding what to do.
Avoiding Zhou Jiaojiao wasn't an option since they were enemies. The best course of action was to learn more about her rival!
Going alone with Zhou Jiaojiao was out of the question.
She didn't want to risk her life. But there would be many people going this time, so one trip would suffice.
However, she would go, but leaving her children with her mother-in-law was like sending lambs to the slaughter.
Bai Xiuxiu looked at Wang Qinghe beside her.
Wang Qinghe understood her well and knew she wanted to go but was worried about the children.
He spoke up, "Mom, the kids can't be apart from us. I'll take them to the fields, and you'll have less to worry about. Otherwise, you'll have to watch over Second Brother's kids, Third Brother's, and then ours. It's too much."
Zhao Guifen was speechless.
"Alright, that settles it. Let's eat," Wang Shoucheng interjected, sensing another outburst from his wife.
Recently, the eldest son had become less respectful towards them, which was not a good sign.
They needed to regain his loyalty.
The family finished lunch peacefully. Bai Xiuxiu pulled Wang Qinghe into their room and quickly drew the curtains.
Seeing her actions, Wang Qinghe's eyes flickered, and a hint of confusion appeared on his fair face. "Xiuxiu, this... Midday isn't enough time. Why don't we wait until tonight?"
Bai Xiuxiu, who had been coaxing the children to play in the courtyard, was taken aback by his words. She turned around and saw his flushed face, laughing and scolding him, "Tsk! Do you have anything decent on your mind? I'm talking about something serious."
Wang Qinghe looked puzzled. Wasn't this serious?
Bai Xiuxiu grabbed his hand. "Keep a close eye, okay?"
Amid Wang Qinghe's confusion, Bai Xiuxiu tapped the "harvest" button on the invisible water screen that only she could see.
Soon, a small pile of honeysuckle appeared on the kang.
Wang Qinghe had heard fanciful tales from the past, which he always took as amusing stories. Seeing this scene, his first reaction wasn't excitement or joy, but bewilderment, followed by suspicion tinged with anger.
He suspected that something might have possessed his wife!
But there was nothing unusual about their interactions over the past two days.
Looking at her, he asked softly, "Guifen, do you remember what I said to you when we first met?"
Huh?
Bai Xiuxiu felt that this was an odd turn of events, but after so many years together, she immediately knew what he was thinking!
Amused yet exasperated, she said, "You asked me if I could marry you and said you'd be willing to do anything."
During their matchmaking meeting, she was shocked! She had encountered straightforward people before, but never someone so direct!
Wang Qinghe felt reassured and then looked at the honeysuckle on the kang: "These..."
Bai Xiuxiu told him about the bracelet, but didn't mention her death, only that she accidentally touched the bracelet and bound herself to something strange.
"No wonder you asked me to find medicinal herb seeds," Wang Qinghe sighed in relief. As long as his wife was still his wife, everything was fine.
As for the peculiar bracelet, Wang Qinghe felt a weight on his heart.
Treasures can captivate the heart. A treasure capable of making medicinal herbs grow so quickly, if word got out, how dangerous would it be for their family?
However, not using such a treasure seemed like a waste.
Wang Qinghe subconsciously made a decision: "Xiuxiu, let's move out after the New Year."
Upon hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu smiled: "Move out? Wouldn't we be losing out big time?"
Wang Qinghe just chuckled, not saying anything.
He had been married to Xiuxiu for several years, so he knew her thoughts well!
He had ways to get back the money he invested in the household.
"We'll dry these honeysuckle flowers indoors. Later, I'll sell them in the county. For now, don't let anyone into our room. After the autumn harvest, I'll gather more medicinal herb seeds." Wang Qinghe instructed his wife without revealing detailed plans for moving out.
"I know all that. You should get to work." Bai Xiuxiu was pleased with her husband's behavior.
There was no wild joy or greed.
His first thought was to keep things under wraps.
After Wang Qinghe left, it wasn't long before Zhao Guifen started pounding on the door: "Elder Brother's wife? Why are you closing the door in broad daylight? Come out quickly! It's time to go to the mountains."
Chapter 18
So soon?
Bai Xiuxiu thought it would be at least tomorrow! She calmly picked up the honeysuckle and put it back in the box, planning to dry it when she returned in the evening. Only after tidying up did she get off the bed and open the door.
At the door, Zhao Guifen and Old Fifth's wife, Zhou Jiaojiao, were blocking her way.
Zhou Jiaojiao kept looking into the house, trying to see what Bai Xiuxiu was doing inside.
However, to her disappointment, there was nothing in the room.
Zhao Guifen had a cold expression. "Don't just stand there. Let's go to the mountains. You're the eldest sister-in-law, so you need to be diligent and do more work!"
Hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu smiled. "Mom, I'm still sick. It's only because Uncle Zhang prescribed medicine that I feel better. That's why I planned to go to the mountains. If I overwork myself and get sick again, and word gets around the village, I won't be responsible for any criticism."
Thinking about this, Zhao Guifen felt a surge of anger.
If Bai Xiuxiu got sick from overworking, she wouldn't be able to show her face in the village!
Although there were other families in the village who didn't treat their daughters-in-law well, she was the only one warned by the team leader!
She couldn't understand why a daughter-in-law should be treated so preciously. If she died, they could just marry another one. Why was she so valuable?
When she was a daughter-in-law, she wasn't treated as precious at all!
Feeling aggrieved, Zhao Guifen looked at Bai Xiuxiu with murderous eyes.
Still, she managed to say, "Then do less work."
On the side, Zhou Jiaojiao watched, feeling uncomfortable. What did it mean for Bai Xiuxiu to do less work? Did that mean she should do more? Wasn't she just a sick person? Why was she so precious?
But thinking about Bai Xiuxiu's potential misfortune in the mountains, her mood improved. "Mom, don't worry. When we go up the mountain, I'll have the eldest sister-in-law follow me, and I'll take good care of her."
Zhao Guifen nodded. "Alright, keep an eye on her."
She didn't believe that with Old Fifth's wife watching, Bai Xiuxiu could slack off much!
Looking at the two of them, Bai Xiuxiu sneered inwardly.
Jokingly, how could she possibly walk with Bai Xiuxiu!
She immediately said, "That won't be necessary. Old Fifth's wife looks frail, and she can't take care of me. I'll walk with Third Sister-in-law."
After saying that, Bai Xiuxiu locked the door and went out.
Zhou Jiaojiao was anxious. As for her luck, she wasn't sure of the specifics.
She only knew that whoever went to the mountains with her would have bad luck, but she wasn't sure who it would be.
Usually, those closest to her suffered the most.
Since Bai Xiuxiu insisted on not walking with her, then...
Forget it, Second Sister-in-law would do too.
She didn't like any of these sisters-in-law.
Eventually, she would step over all of them to achieve her own success.
Going up the mountain wasn't just today.
Once Bai Xiuxiu saw her harvest in the mountains, she would naturally want to walk with her!
Thinking this, Zhou Jiaojiao felt reassured.
Outside, Bai Xiuxiu immediately found Zhao Cuihua. "Third Sister-in-law, let's walk together when we enter the mountains? I'm still sick, and we can watch out for each other."
Zhao Cuihua was taken aback but knew that it was easy to get lost in the mountains alone. Moreover, this eldest sister-in-law seemed more understanding than the other sisters-in-law!
Just take the money-sharing matter; if not for the eldest sister-in-law's reminder, she wouldn't have thought of it!
With that, Zhao Cuihua didn't hesitate. "Sure, I'll walk with Eldest Sister-in-law."
The five of them left the house.
Soon, they discovered that many families in the village also sent their people to the mountains. However, most were grandmothers taking a group of children.
Children weren't very useful for work, and grandmothers worked slowly, so they earned few work points, bringing little benefit to the family. It was better to go to the mountains! In the mountains, they could dig for wild vegetables, pick mushrooms, and if they found medicinal herbs, they'd make a profit.
It was always better than working at home.
Except for the male labor force in the village, who had to work, everyone else had flexible time.
In the mountains, there were more people than wild vegetables!
As soon as they entered the mountains, Zhou Jiaojiao, who hadn't spoken much on the road, suggested, "Eldest Sister-in-law, why don't we all walk together? We can watch out for each other."
She still wanted to increase the chances of Bai Xiuxiu having bad luck!
After saying this, Zhou Jiaojiao looked eagerly at Bai Xiuxiu.
Seeing her expression, Bai Xiuxiu sneered inwardly. Her fifth sister-in-law really didn't like her!
Bai Xiuxiu feigned exhaustion and refused. "Let's forget it. With so many people walking together, what can we find? I'm already so weak from coming up the mountain. Fifth Sister-in-law, you take the others. Third Sister-in-law can stay here and accompany me. We'll walk slowly."
Zhao Cuihua really wanted to refuse! How could Eldest Sister-in-law become so weak so quickly?
But she couldn't directly refuse; the past two days made Big Sister Zhou seem particularly unapproachable!
Seeing Zhou Jiaojiao's persistence, it was clear persuasion wouldn't work. Though regretful, there was no other choice: "Alright then, let's go first."
No sooner had they left than Bai Xiuxiu started climbing up the mountain.
"Big Sister, what are we doing?" Zhao Cuihua was baffled.
Weren't they tired?
"Finding a good vantage point to see where they're headed. If you, Third Sister-in-law, don't want to follow me, feel free to go your own way." Bai Xiuxiu continued climbing.
Zhao Cuihua was speechless. She wanted to leave, but she had promised Big Sister!
Besides, she sensed Big Sister had some scheme in mind, and following might bring some benefit.
Zhao Cuihua followed Bai Xiuxiu up the mountain.
From their position, they could still see Zhou Jiaojiao and her group.
Bai Xiuxiu confirmed their location, planning to keep a discreet distance throughout the journey.
She wanted to see just how unlucky those following Zhou Jiaojiao would be!
The two groups moved one after the other.
Soon, Second Sister-in-law Liu Xiaoe, walking with Zhou Jiaojiao, slipped on flat ground and landed in a mud puddle.
Zhao Cuihua barely held back her laughter!
She never got along well with Second Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law! Seeing Second Sister-in-law's misfortune brought her joy.
Before she could compose herself, Liu Xiaoe, who had just climbed out of the mud, slipped again and grabbed onto the clothes of the people beside her in panic.
Pulling down Fourth Sister-in-law Chen Fang and Zhou Jiaojiao with her.
In this mishap, Liu Xiaoe's head struck a rock in the mud puddle.
Immediately, screams filled the air.
This stunned not only Zhao Cuihua but also Bai Xiuxiu.
This... was quite the misfortune!
And it happened right at the start of their trip?
How many lives were enough for Zhou Jiaojiao to ruin?
"How can they be so unlucky?" Zhao Cuihua looked at the three covered in mud, feeling relieved! Good thing she followed Big Sister, or her clothes would be dirty, leaving her nothing to wear tomorrow.
"Second Sister-in-law? Are you alright, Second Sister-in-law!"
On the other side, Zhou Jiaojiao cried out in alarm.
Chapter 19
Soon, Fourth Sister-in-law Chen Fang also started shouting, "Help! Someone, quick! Second Sister-in-law, wake up!"
Below, Liu Xiaoe's weak voice could soon be heard, "I... I, you need to help me down!"
"Second Sister-in-law, wait a moment. Let me find some grass first to scrape off the mud on our bodies. Otherwise, we won't be able to walk down the mountain with all this mud on us," Zhou Jiaojiao said before running to the spot nearby where there was the most grass.
It was a small hill.
As soon as she arrived there, she exclaimed in surprise, "It's Astragalus! Come and take a look!"
Zhou Jiaojiao's voice was filled with excitement. Indeed, even after getting married, her good luck still followed her.
Second Sister-in-law had just a bit of bad luck, and she was already able to find Astragalus!
"What Astragalus? Stop being crazy over there! Hurry up and come over here to help me!" Liu Xiaoe winced in pain when she saw that Zhou Jiaojiao wasn't coming to help her but was instead jumping around excitedly.
She seemed to be happy about her fall!
How could Old Fifth's wife be so mean?
Liu Xiaoe grew angrier the more she thought about it.
Meanwhile, Zhou Jiaojiao pulled out an Astragalus root excitedly. "Second Sister-in-law, Fourth Sister-in-law, look at this!"
In their mountainous area, Astragalus was not something that could be found everywhere, but they could occasionally come across it.
Everyone knew what it looked like.
Upon seeing it, Liu Xiaoe immediately became happy. "This is great! Quickly, go dig them all up."
She forgot about her pain for the moment.
On the mountain, Zhao Cuihua stared in amazement. "They're too lucky, aren't they? This mountain is always bustling with people. How could these Astragalus roots have grown there without being discovered?"
Bai Xiuxiu smiled as she watched the three people below start working.
Indeed, they were still as mysterious as ever!
"Eldest Sister-in-law, are we just going to watch?" Zhao Cuihua felt discontented.
Of course, they had to watch!
All these things belonged to Zhou Jiaojiao. If anyone tried to take a share of what Zhou Jiaojiao had already discovered and obtained, they would end up having bad luck.
She didn't care about the Astragalus itself; she only needed its seeds.
No matter who took the Astragalus home, she could get her hands on the seeds.
Moreover, based on her understanding of Zhou Jiaojiao, her fifth sister-in-law would definitely not head down the mountain just like this!
After gathering so many people on the mountain, she wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste. That wouldn't be like Zhou Jiaojiao.
If they followed Zhou Jiaojiao down the mountain, they could obtain any medicinal herb seeds.
Now, the best thing to do was to walk ahead of Zhou Jiaojiao and take what belonged to her before she discovered it herself!
Sure enough, it happened just as Bai Xiuxiu had predicted.
Below, after Zhou Jiaojiao and the other two dug up the Astragalus roots, Liu Xiaoe, who had been enduring the pain, suggested with a frown and a furrowed brow, "We've obtained so many good things. Let's hurry back. You need to support me. I'm so dizzy that I can barely take two steps."
When Liu Xiaoe touched the back of her head, she found blood.
Upon seeing the blood, her legs went limp. "Let's go home! We need to go home quickly!"
Zhou Jiaojiao frowned upon hearing this. They had just started. How could they return home now?
It was just a little blood. She had been lively just moments ago, and it wasn't as if she was going to die.
"Second Sister-in-law, if we go back right after coming up the mountain, Mother will scold us, won't she? If you really can't walk, stay here and wait for us.
We'll come back to fetch you later.
Recently, only children have been coming up the mountain. It was only today that the team leader agreed that each family could leave some members at home instead of working. That's why everyone came to the mountain.
We were able to come across something like Astragalus right after arriving. Who knows what other treasures we might find further in!
I don't want to go back just yet."
Zhou Jiaojiao, who had discovered the Astragalus, was very firm.
She then started walking further into the mountain.
"You! How can you be so cruel, Old Fifth's wife? Wait for me! At least help me sit over there... Ow!" Before Liu Xiaoe could finish her sentence, she stumbled again and fell hard.
Her face hit the ground!
When she lifted her head and opened her mouth to cry, two of her front teeth fell out.
Although the two people on top of the mountain couldn't see clearly, they soon heard Liu Xiaoe start crying. "My teeth! My teeth!"
Zhou Jiaojiao was thrilled by this sight!
It seemed that Second Sister-in-law could have even more bad luck! She couldn't let Second Sister-in-law stay there like this.
However, to avoid suspicion, she feigned concern. "Second Sister-in-law, it's not good for you to stay here alone. How about this: Fourth Sister-in-law and I will carry you."
"Huh?" Chen Fang, standing beside her, was stunned.
Does this sound like human talk?
In her condition, they're actually still making her leave?
Liu Xiaoe wished she could tear Zhou Jiaojiao apart, but thinking about the possible valuable finds that her family might miss, and imagining her mother-in-law's reaction back home, she held back.
Moreover, any good finds would be shared among the families!
This would benefit them too.
With these thoughts, Liu Xiaoe compromised.
On the mountain, Bai Xiuxiu, who had already witnessed misfortune, got up and moved forward.
"Eldest Sister-in-Law? Where are we going?" Zhao Cuihua kept pace with her swiftly.
Bai Xiuxiu smiled at her words: "There are treasures in these mountains, not just for them to find, but for us as well. And there are only two of us. I know what you're thinking, and I share similar thoughts.
Our mother-in-law, despite being related to you, favors the second son and Old Fifth's family more.
If we don't take matters into our own hands, who will care for us?"
Zhao Cuihua's eyes lit up. "You're right, Eldest Sister-in-Law. Let's hurry."
The two led the way, while Zhou Jiaojiao and the others, slowed down by the injured Liu Xiaoe, lagged behind.
This made it much easier for Bai Xiuxiu and Zhao Cuihua to forge ahead.
Based on the pattern of Zhou Jiaojiao benefiting from others' misfortunes, Bai Xiuxiu was convinced there were treasures ahead.
Even if they searched slower, they would surely find something.
And she was right!
After nearly half an hour of searching, they discovered a large patch of Astragalus roots hidden in a thicket. They also found a goji berry vine laden with berries near a ravine.
At the sight, Zhao Cuihua almost screamed out loud.
But Bai Xiuxiu quickly covered her mouth. "They're moving slowly behind us, but their hearing isn't impaired. Before they catch up, let's pick as many as we can."
Zhao Cuihua fell silent; these were riches! Selling them would earn her private funds.
Now, each one picked as much as they could.
Bai Xiuxiu wasn't slow in picking; together, they swiftly gathered the goji berries and pulled up the Astragalus roots.
Once done, they found another hill to hide on.
The hill provided cover with trees, allowing them to see Zhou Jiaojiao and the others without being seen.
"Eldest Sister-in-Law, these things..." Zhao Cuihua was conflicted, unsure how much to keep for the family.
Chapter 20
Hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu sneered. "Have we found anything? There are so many people in these mountains, how could it be so coincidental that only our family finds good things? They were lucky, but do we have such good luck?"
Bai Xiuxiu's consecutive questioning made Zhao Cuihua gasp.
Goodness, Big Sister!
Big Sister actually planned to take everything for herself?
She was too shallow! She even had the thought of sharing some with the family!
"Given Mother-in-law's temper, if you take out part of the items, she will suspect that you've hidden the rest. If you don't take them out, she'll just scold you for being stupid. But the items, you can hide them securely." Bai Xiuxiu calmly began to instill anti-mother-in-law thoughts into her.
Among the Wang family members, the only one she didn't dislike was Zhao Cuihua.
Only Zhao Cuihua washed clothes for her two children and secretly gave them food after she died.
Moreover, Zhao Cuihua was smart and decisive.
After hearing Bai Xiuxiu's analysis, Zhao Cuihua agreed completely.
Yes, Mother-in-law was that kind of person!
"Big Sister, you're right. We should hide all these things. But how do we explain ourselves when we go back?" Zhao Cuihua was a little worried.
They still needed to come up with an excuse!
"Isn't this simple? Just pick some wild vegetables from the fields and mushrooms from the mountains to hand over. Didn't we come here to find those things?" Bai Xiuxiu spoke decisively!
Anything that came into her hands wouldn't be given to the Wang family!
"Then it's settled! Big Sister, which way should we go next?" Zhao Cuihua felt more energetic. The thought of keeping whatever they found made her happy.
At the fork in the road, Bai Xiuxiu said without hesitation, "Let's wait for them to move. Whichever direction they go, we'll follow from a distance. Then, we'll shake them off and get ahead of them. They have an injured person with them, so they won't be able to keep up with us.
I feel like their luck is unusually good, so we should follow them."
Zhao Cuihua also thought that was a good idea!
So the two waited for a while.
About ten minutes later, the three women finally appeared.
However, their appearance startled Zhao Cuihua.
Bai Xiuxiu was also surprised. Originally, Chen Fang and Zhou Jiaojiao were supporting Second Sister-in-law Liu Xiaoe.
Now… Chen Fang was limping, and Liu Xiaoe was being supported by Zhou Jiaojiao.
"How did another one fall?" Zhao Cuihua asked in disbelief, lowering her voice.
Bai Xiuxiu was also taken aback.
However, there was someone even more puzzled than them!
That was Zhou Jiaojiao!
Along the way, Second Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law had both suffered misfortune, yet they hadn't found much!
It was strange. In the past, when the people who accompanied her into the mountains suffered such misfortune, she would have gained more.
Zhou Jiaojiao was puzzled, while Chen Fang and Liu Xiaoe were already cursing inwardly.
They had never been so unlucky in their entire lives!
How could they be so unlucky?
"Old Fifth, let's go back. We've found quite a few good things. Why are we still in the mountains?" Chen Fang urged unhappily.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, let's go a bit further. After we cross that mountain range, if we haven't found anything good, we'll go back. Don't worry, when we return, we'll wait for Big Sister and Third Sister. That way, there will be someone to support you," Zhou Jiaojiao persuaded.
If these two left, she would have no reason to stay in the mountains!
Chen Fang cursed, but the gains along the way made her hesitate.
In the end, she followed them.
On top of the mountain, Bai Xiuxiu and Zhao Cuihua went ahead after hearing their conversation.
The two deliberately avoided the three women and weren't discovered along the way.
Not long after reaching the front, they heard Chen Fang scream in pain.
Even Bai Xiuxiu couldn't help being surprised. Wasn't this too much bad luck?
What good things could there be ahead?
The duo conducted a meticulous search and swiftly discovered a fresh expanse of yellow ginseng.
"Is there a bumper crop of yellow qi this year?" Zhao Cuihua noticed that she had seen more today than in the past few years combined!
After they finished pulling out the yellow qi,
Bai Xiuxiu stood up and her gaze fell on the deep pit. It was overgrown with weeds, but... in one corner, she saw something different!
Was that ginseng?
Bai Xiuxiu wasn't sure, but she was certain that if she didn't take it back, it would belong to Zhou Jiaojiao today.
At this moment, she was somewhat regretting asking Zhao Cuihua to come along.
Now that she's here, she would have to give her a share, wouldn't she?
But that wasn't important; what mattered was the ginseng seeds!
"Big Sister-in-Law, what are you doing?" Zhao Cuihua was exhausted and just as she was about to call out to Bai Xiuxiu, she noticed her staring blankly at something.
Bai Xiuxiu signaled her to be quiet, then pointed over there, mouthing what it was.
Zhao Cuihua's eyes widened!
Ginseng!
She had only heard of it, never seen it before.
She had only heard stories of people with good luck finding it in the mountains.
Could such good fortune come her way too?
"This thing isn't easy to dig up. If we just start digging like this, there will surely be damage. But if we take our time digging, we'll have to share it with the whole family. Or even worse, our mother-in-law might keep it all for herself.
And later, she might use it as a gift for Second Brother or Old Fifth."
Bai Xiuxiu analyzed for Zhao Cuihua.
"Dig! Let's dig now! We'll do the best we can! We absolutely cannot let them find out," Zhao Cuihua made up her mind.
Bai Xiuxiu shared the same thought.
"I'll go down into the pit first, Big Sister-in-Law. You don't do much work, so I'll make a path for you to follow." At this moment, Zhao Cuihua felt that Bai Xiuxiu wasn't some shrewd sister-in-law; she was her goddess of fortune!
Bai Xiuxiu didn't hesitate and followed Zhao Cuihua.
The two descended into the pit, and Zhao Cuihua pulled a dead branch to poke around, making sure there were no venomous snakes hiding in the grass.
Elders always said that venomous snakes frequented areas where ginseng grew!
This ginseng looked to be at least twenty or thirty years old.
To find such ginseng now could only be described as striking gold!
Without hesitation, they took their digging tools and got to work.
Their speed was fast, but their technique was terrible! After all, they had to vanish from here before Zhou Jiaojiao and the others arrived!
As their movements started to draw attention, Bai Xiuxiu, with determination, decided not to retrieve the remaining roots.
However, she didn't waste any of the seeds above.
With the seeds, her bracelet could grow her a new ginseng!
When collecting the seeds, she made sure Zhao Cuihua didn't see.
Zhao Cuihua was panicking: "Big Sister-in-Law, let's leave quickly."
Bai Xiuxiu put away the ginseng, and together they buried the potato back in place, then swiftly vanished from the area.
Arriving at a safe spot on top of the mountain, Zhao Cuihua's heart was still racing: "Big Sister-in-Law, we've struck it rich!"