Chapter 21
"I'm planning to sell this ginseng. The later we sell it, the worse for us since we didn't dig it well. It's better to sell it sooner rather than later. As for the money..." Bai Xiuxiu didn't finish her sentence.
Zhao Cuihua quickly chimed in, "Elder Sister, thirty percent is fine! All the ideas today were yours, I know my place!"
Zhao Cuihua felt the pain of parting with the money, but she had to grit her teeth and bear it for future benefits!
Bai Xiuxiu was surprised. Third Sister-in-law was really on board.
How come such an accommodating person failed to win Zhou Jiaojiao over in her previous life?
Among the Wang brothers, Zhao Cuihua and her husband lived the worst.
For some reason, Zhou Jiaojiao disliked Zhao Cuihua very much. After they became successful, they left Third Brother's family in their hometown while everyone else moved to big cities.
As the Wang family grew richer, Zhao Cuihua and her husband's lives remained difficult.
This was another reason why she was willing to interact with Zhao Cuihua.
"Alright, I'll let my husband handle the sale. If you're not at ease, you can bring your husband along," said Bai Xiuxiu.
"No! Elder Sister, don't tell Third Brother about this!" Zhao Cuihua hurriedly stopped her.
Joking, if Third Brother knew, who knew how he would use the money given his temper.
She wanted to save it for her son's future.
"Fine." Bai Xiuxiu wasn't curious about her request. As long as it didn't interfere with her plans.
With the ginseng in hand, Bai Xiuxiu didn't plan to linger in the mountains.
They had followed Zhou Jiaojiao deep into the mountains, which wasn't good!
Zhou Jiaojiao was a lucky charm with good fortune.
She and Zhao Cuihua didn't have that luck. What if they encountered venomous snakes or fierce beasts? They might not make it out alive.
"Let's go back and wait near the mountain exit."
Bai Xiuxiu said.
Zhao Cuihua understood.
On their way back, they picked many mushrooms and dug up a bunch of wild vegetables.
The medicinal herbs they found were hidden on their bodies.
Mushrooms could be sold to the supply and marketing cooperative, but every year, Mother-in-Law Zhao Guifen controlled them. Therefore, they could only secretly stash some in their clothes.
Although cloth was precious, every Wang sister-in-law except for Old Fifth's new wife had several large hidden pockets sewn into their clothes!
Bai Xiuxiu was no exception.
Fortunately, the medicinal herbs they found were easy to carry.
The two of them wandered around the edge of the mountain.
After waiting for two hours until it was almost dark, they saw Zhou Jiaojiao and the others return.
Seeing them, Bai Xiuxiu was even more surprised.
When they saw Chen Fang earlier, she was just limping. Now, there was a huge wound on her face that nearly injured her eye. Her face was somehow injured, and her clothes were torn.
She looked terrible.
Her arm was also bruised from a fall.
Liu Xiaoe was even worse off. She had been dragged along by these two the whole time. Now, her face was pale, and she looked like she was about to collapse at any moment!
Compared to them, Zhou Jiaojiao looked the strangest.
These two were half-dead, yet Zhou Jiaojiao didn't have a speck of dust on her.
There were more people near the mountainside.
They couldn't help but stare at the strange trio.
Chen Fang and Liu Xiaoe were dispirited due to their injuries, but when they saw Bai Xiuxiu and Zhao Cuihua, they perked up. "Elder Sister, how did you two do?"
Liu Xiaoe asked.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiaojiao immediately looked over as well.
She was curious too!
Hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu calmly showed them the basket in her hand. "Don't mention it. It was so unlucky. We didn't find anything, just some mushrooms. But that's not bad either. We should be able to exchange them for a few cents when we get back."
Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaoe was immediately unhappy. Was that all? These things would all go into the family's accounts.
Did they want to share with Bai Xiuxiu and the others?
That wouldn't do!
How much hardship had she endured!
"How did you only pick this much? You weren't slacking off, were you?" Chen Fang was also dissatisfied upon seeing this. She was straightforward and asked directly.
Bai Xiuxiu looked aggrieved. "What kind of words are those? Fourth Sister-in-Law, aren't you wronging us? Your Third Sister-in-Law and I almost wore through our shoes! There were more people than things on this mountain. It's already pretty good that we managed to pick these. If you don't believe me, take a look at the others.
Is it just like us! https/
What? What could be different about you?"
Bai Xiuxiu speaks with righteous confidence.
Listening, Zhao Cuihua is utterly impressed, wishing she could kneel down and kowtow to Bai Xiuxiu right there.
Elder Sister-in-Law, she... is such a great actress!
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu showing no signs of insincerity, Chen Fang falls silent. Even if Elder Sister-in-Law is prone to laziness, Third Sister-in-Law isn't.
Could they really have just been lucky?
They...
Chen Fang looks at herself, then at the equally unfortunate Second Sister-in-Law, lost in thought. Was it truly luck?
When Zhou Jiaojiao hears that they found nothing, she becomes quite smug: "Elder Sister-in-Law's right; things aren't easy to find in these mountains. Our finding a bunch of stuff was indeed luck. I've always had good luck, so perhaps next time, Elder Sister-in-Law and Third Sister-in-Law should follow me."
"You make it sound like you found some treasure. Besides, even if you did find something good, it would still be the three of your doing."
Zhao Cuihua looks disdainfully.
Then she starts sowing discord.
At this moment, she understands! Following Elder Sister-in-Law means she can eat nine meals a day!
After Zhao Cuihua speaks, Chen Fang and the nearly fainting Liu Xiaoe look less than pleased.
Is Fifth Sister-in-Law trying to claim credit?
Zhou Jiaojiao looks awkward: "I... didn't mean it like that..."
"Enough, argue when we get home. I don't know what good stuff you found, but I do know that if we don't go home soon, Second Sister-in-Law might not make it! How did you end up like this? Let's head home first.
Third Sister-in-Law, Fifth Sister-in-Law, you two support one each."
Bai Xiuxiu takes over the conversation, not letting Zhou Jiaojiao explain.
She also assigns them tasks.
Supporting someone is tiring and offers no benefits, so she has no interest in doing it!
Zhou Jiaojiao looks displeased; Bai Xiuxiu talks nicely, but she isn't doing anything herself?
The five of them return to the village in a grand procession.
Due to Chen Fang and Liu Xiaoe's striking appearance, they are immediately surrounded by onlookers upon their return.
Everyone asks questions.
Upon hearing that they fell in the mountains, people comment on how unlucky they were.
After an unlucky journey, they finally arrive home.
Zhao Guifen is resting and drinking water at home! There's a rocking chair in her courtyard that nobody usually sits in because everyone is too busy. Now, she is alone, watching over three children!
She has the two loss-making girls do laundry and care for Third Brother's son.
It couldn't be more delightful.
However, the instant the door opens, Zhao Guifen straightens up.
Chapter 22
Upon seeing their daughters-in-law return, her brows furrowed.
Especially when she saw Chen Fang and Liu Xiaoe's injuries, she immediately started berating them: "Where have you been? Going up the mountain to pick some mushrooms and find herbs doesn't usually end like this! Did you rob someone's house?"
"Mom, don't even mention it. Fourth Sister-in-law and I had terrible luck along the way."
Liu Xiaoe began crying in frustration, recounting her misfortunes as she wept.
Bai Xiuxiu now understood just how much worse things had gotten for them later on.
Later, Chen Fang was supporting her when they accidentally fell into a large pit.
There were no good finds in that pit, only several venomous snakes that they crushed to death.
They were so frightened that they nearly fainted.
When Zhao Guifen heard this, her eyes lit up: "Where are the snakes? They can be sold for money!"
"Mom, we brought them back. Although Second Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law had bad luck, the three of us found quite a few good things." Zhou Jiaojiao proudly dumped all the herbs they had picked out.
Seeing these items, Zhao Guifen's expression changed from gloomy to sunny.
"There are so many good things in the mountains?" Zhao Guifen was already considering whether she should go herself.
"Mom, Old Fifth's wife was just lucky. Nothing good happened to me and Eldest Sister-in-law," Zhao Cuihua interjected, knowing that her mother-in-law didn't favor Eldest Sister-in-law. She would rather take the scolding herself!
Zhao Guifen's face darkened upon seeing Zhao Cuihua and Bai Xiuxiu's baskets.
"How did our family end up with two useless things like you? How is it that everyone else can find good things but not you two?" Zhao Guifen grumbled.
However, she didn't suspect that the two of them would fake it!
Third Sister-in-law was her distant relative! Though there was no blood relation, she was still closer than the others.
It was impossible for her to fake it, nor did she have the guts to do so.
Bai Xiuxiu couldn't be bothered to lift an eyelid: "Mom, you're wrong. Everyone else didn't find anything good either; only Old Fifth's wife did. The whole village probably doesn't have such good luck except for them."
Bai Xiuxiu's words gave Zhao Guifen a sudden jolt.
She knew that her youngest daughter-in-law had some luck, which was why she hoped that the latter would go up the mountain.
But what if others found out?
With this thought, Zhao Guifen stopped berating them: "Alright, don't tell anyone about this. It's our family's blessing to have found these good things!"
"I'll have your father sell these things. We should improve our living conditions!" Zhao Guifen made no mention of sharing any of it with others.
She intended to keep all the money for herself!
Seeing this, Zhao Cuihua was very grateful that she had listened to Eldest Sister-in-law. If she had taken out the items, her mother-in-law would have taken everything!
Bai Xiuxiu had expected this. After putting down her basket of mushrooms, she returned to her room.
Zhao Cuihua also didn't want to see the others' faces, so she quickly went back. She needed to properly process the herbs.
She wouldn't tell Third Brother about the ginseng, but she had to tell him about the other herbs.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to hide them in the house.
Moreover, Third Brother had to exchange these things for money.
Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister could handle exchanging the ginseng!
The two of them left without hesitation, leaving the remaining people feeling uncomfortable, especially Zhou Jiaojiao.
Zhou Jiaojiao never expected her mother-in-law to leave nothing for her! Back at her parents' home, her mother would always give her half!
Chen Fang and Liu Xiaoe wanted to curse right now.
In previous years, when they went up the mountain themselves, they didn't come across these good things, but they could at least hide something else.
But then they met Zhou Jiaojiao, this unlucky person!
They couldn't hide anything, and they ended up with injuries.
Soon, everyone returned to their rooms.
Not long after they came back, the men working outside also returned.
Wang Qinghe brought his two children back to the room and saw his wife sitting on the bed drinking water, seemingly in a good mood.
Something was covered by a cloth next to her.
Seeing her husband return, Bai Xiuxiu immediately waved him over: "I have something to show you."
As she spoke, she carried the two children onto the bed, kissed each one, and took out two White Rabbit candies: "Mingming, Yueyue, did you cause trouble while out with Dad today?"
The little girl nestled in her arms and kissed her back: "Mommy, Yueyue was super well-behaved!"
"So was I!" Mingming hurried over.
Both of them snuggled in her arms.
Looking at his wife and two children, Wang Qinghe's foul mood after having nightmares last night vanished instantly.
He locked the door and sat down on the kang: "What do you want to show me?"
Bai Xiuxiu revealed today's harvest from the mountains.
Underneath the cloth lay a heap of Astragalus roots. Astragalus was valuable all over, though not particularly expensive when sold, but with so many of them, they could fetch around ten to twenty dollars.
Beside them was a pile of Goji berries.
"… You went into the deep mountains?" This was Wang Qinghe's first reaction, and his expression darkened as he recalled the dream.
He couldn't remember much of the dream, only the repeated image of Xiuxiu dying and the despair he felt.
It was overwhelming!
He wished he could just die and follow her.
Just thinking about it filled Wang Qinghe with fear; he couldn't accept Xiuxiu going anywhere dangerous.
Despite his good looks, his face wasn't distorted in anger, but his eyes were rimmed red.
Bai Xiuxiu was startled by his appearance but asked him back without any fear: "Are you yelling at me?"
At her words, Wang Qinghe immediately softened: "I, I'm not. I was just worried about you…"
"I didn't go into the deep mountains. I just followed Old Third's wife with Yueyue. Old Fifth's wife is especially lucky for some reason, so we walked ahead of them quietly and intercepted some things.
Don't worry, no one knows.
And we didn't even enter the deep mountains.
Someone as afraid of death as me would never go into the deep mountains. What would happen to you and these two kids if something happened to me?"
Bai Xiuxiu softly explained the origin of these items.
In her previous life, after she died, she became a Wandering Spirit following Wang Qinghe and knew exactly what would happen to him if she died.
How obedient and pitiful Yueyue would become!
She wouldn't die! No one could make her die!
Wang Qinghe sighed in relief: "That's good. With so many things… should I find time to sell them?"
Bai Xiuxiu nodded: "That's what I thought. I've already collected the seeds of the Astragalus. Oh, there's another thing."
Bai Xiuxiu brought out the main attraction.
Seeing the ginseng, Wang Qinghe was also startled: "How did you get this? This…"
Judging by the ghastly scars on the ginseng, his wife must have dug it up.
"Old Third's wife and I found it, but we both had the same idea: we didn't want to hand it over to the family. So we dug it out secretly before they noticed. Although the ginseng is damaged, it's better than getting nothing.
Sell this as soon as possible. We'll take seventy percent, and Old Third's wife will take thirty percent."
Chapter 23
Bai Xiuxiu felt a bit awkward seeing the ginseng in such a pitiful state.
But she wasn't a professional! With limited time, this was the best she could do.
"Alright, I'll take care of it." Wang Qinghe was too surprised to say much. The Xiuxiu he knew as being helpless without him at home had turned out to be so capable!
She could get anything from a trip to the mountains.
"By the way, I planted this." Bai Xiuxiu pointed at the ginseng.
She didn't go into detail, but Wang Qinghe understood.
"Yueyue, Mingming, why don't you two go play outside for a bit? Remember not to tell anyone about what's happening at home." Bai Xiuxiu sent the children out of the room before discussing the most important matter.
The kids were young, but they could remember not to talk about the herbs.
However, if they found out about the space, there was no guarantee they wouldn't slip up after a while.
Their lives depended on keeping it secret!
After the children left for the courtyard, Bai Xiuxiu continued, "I planted the ginseng seeds at noon. It shows that one month in here is equivalent to a year outside."
Hearing this, Wang Qinghe couldn't help taking a deep breath.
This thing was incredible!
If that was the case, decades-old ginseng would only take a few dozen months?
Ten years would be ten months?
This... left him speechless.
Wang Qinghe looked at his wife, already making plans. From now on, he would work very hard and become successful enough that when he brought out any rare treasure, everyone would think it reasonable!
Only then could he protect Xiuxiu and her treasure.
Wang Qinghe, who had never been particularly ambitious, now had a clear goal.
He would climb up whenever he had the chance.
He would do whatever it took to rise!
Bai Xiuxiu didn't know what Wang Qinghe was thinking, but she was very happy. With this space, her husband wouldn't need to work as hard to succeed.
At least, he wouldn't have to suffer like he did in her previous life.
She wanted him and their children to live more comfortably.
"Where is everyone? Dead or something? Do you all need your mother to call you for dinner?" Zhao Guifen shouted from outside.
Soon, everyone gathered in the main house for dinner.
Inside, Liu Xiaoe had bandages on her head, and Chen Fang had medicine on her face and a splint on her hand.
The atmosphere was extremely tense.
Zhao Guifen didn't care about that; she was in a good mood today!
While distributing food, she gave Zhou Jiaojiao an extra spoonful. "Our Jiaojiao is lucky. If not for you, our family wouldn't have made such a big profit today! This spoonful of food is well-deserved!"
Zhou Jiaojiao was still immersed in the sorrow of not getting any money from her mother-in-law. Seeing the extra food only made her more upset!
Why should she get just a spoonful of food?
With these thoughts, Zhou Jiaojiao kicked her husband.
Old Fifth, Wang Qingqi, had heard about the situation from his wife and was feeling sympathetic! Encouraged by his wife, he spoke up: "Mom, since Jiaojiao helped our family make so much money today, can you give her some of it?
Also, Second Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law are injured. Shouldn't we give them some to help them recover?"
Wang Qingqi knew that if he asked for money alone, it wouldn't work. So he had to involve Second Brother's family and Fourth Brother's family!
Zhao Guifen's expression soured at the mention of money. "What? Our family rule has always been to turn everything over to me, hasn't it?"
"But Mom, we're all grown now and have our own expenses. Can't you leave us a little?" Wang Qingqi persisted.
Zhao Guifen looked conflicted. Wang Shoucheng, watching his youngest son, sighed inwardly. His children were growing up, and their hearts were no longer easy to hold onto!
"What do the rest of you think?" Wang Shoucheng surveyed his sons, looking at each one.
Most of them lowered their heads, except for Wang Qinghe.
However, their attitudes were similar.
Especially Wang Qingqi and Second Son, Wang Qingfu.
Wang Qingfu, thinking about having more money in the future, felt excited. "Dad, with so many people in our family, if we don't get anything for ourselves, it will eventually cause problems. But even if we have some money, we won't split the family.
We won't do anything shameful!"
"That's right, Dad. At the very least, some of the money from the mountains should be shared," Wang Qingqi added.
Third Son, Wang Qingzheng, also felt excited, but his words carried little weight.
Fourth Son, Wang Qingliang, didn't care about that. "That's right, Dad. You should share some with us! You take all the harvest from the fields, and this extra money from the mountains..."
"Older brother, what about you?" Wang Shoucheng looked at his eldest son.
Hearing this, Wang Qinghe's expression remained unchanged as usual. He looked at his father and said, "I have no opinion, but how should we divide it?"
His few casual words immediately silenced everyone.
There was no other reason; everyone suddenly remembered that Big Brother... had obtained the most from the mountain! How should they divide it?
Should each person give half of what they got from the mountain to the family and keep the other half for themselves?
If so, wouldn't they be unable to get any money from Big Brother's game?
If after selling what they gathered in the mountain every day, they gave half the money to the family and divided the rest equally among the brothers, they would feel resentful. After all, Big Sister-in-law clearly wasn't very good at doing chores!
Suddenly, everyone fell silent.
Wang Qinghe watched them coldly, feeling extremely disdainful inside.
They wanted to leave him and Xiuxiu behind and split the money from the other things they got in the mountain amongst themselves. They had thought it through well.
Everyone was silent, even regretting bringing it up.
Wang Qinghe didn't intend to give them a chance to back down: "Since the matter has been brought up, let's settle it today, shall we? It's better than bringing it up again later when everyone harbors their own thoughts, which could cause chaos in the family. If we don't decide today, then for this year's hunting in the mountains, go yourselves."
"Are you threatening me?" Old man Wang Shoucheng flared up on the spot.
His old eyes seemed like they were about to spew fire as he looked at Wang Qinghe.
Wang Qinghe also looked back coldly, perhaps preparing to hit him?
In this family, apart from him, no one else would get beaten.
Only when facing him did the old man make such expressions.
Wang Shoucheng really wanted to beat his eldest son, but remembering that the family currently needed him, he could only accept it.
He glared at everyone and asked, "How do you think we should divide it?"
The brothers knew they had caused trouble.
None of them spoke up.
Finally, the second son, Wang Qingfu, suggested, "Dad, why don't you decide? You're the head of this household."
"Hmph!" Wang Shoucheng snorted coldly. "From now on, the family's income will be evenly divided among the five of you. No matter who works more or less, it'll be the same! No one is allowed to keep anything for themselves."
Chapter 24
That last sentence was directed at Wang Qinghe.
Wang Qinghe remained silent, and so did everyone else.
It was as good as an agreement.
Seeing this outcome, Bai Xiuxiu's mood couldn't be better. Everything was going according to her plan!
Today, she deliberately didn't bring back anything valuable, not only because she didn't want to benefit the others but also to stir dissatisfaction in their hearts.
After all, she had been slacking off and hadn't brought back anything valuable, yet other people's contributions would be taken by Zhao Guifen.
When it came time to divide the household, everyone would have roughly the same share.
How could they be willing?
They would certainly want some of it for themselves.
However, if they wanted a share, they would have to include her and her husband, after all, the prosperity of the Wang family over the years was due to her man.
None of the Wangs knew that Zhou Jiaojiao's luck would continue to be good, and the benefits she could provide would far outweigh the winter hunt.
But by the time they realized it, it would be too late!
"Alright, this matter is settled. No more fuss from now on. Tomorrow, the Eldest and Old Fifth will sell those medicinal herbs. Half of the money earned should go to your mother and me, and the rest will be divided equally among you five.
Let's eat!"
Wang Shoucheng once again quelled the potential turmoil in his home, but he was troubled inside.
First, his eldest son caused trouble, then his youngest. His sons took turns stirring up trouble, and if this continued, the family might fall apart.
He couldn't let them cause any more disturbances.
He needed to settle Old Second and Old Fifth's jobs as soon as possible.
At least before they stirred up trouble about dividing the household again!
The food at home was never particularly tasty, but no matter how unappetizing, it could still fill their bellies. In these times, there were people everywhere who couldn't even get enough to eat.
After the family finished eating, Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe took their children back to their room.
Wang Qinghe prepared honey water for the two children, got them to drink it, and then coaxed them to sleep.
Once the children were asleep, he spoke: "Xiuxiu, today's events, did you plan them?"
"I don't like Zhou Jiaojiao; I want to take all her benefits! The money that belongs to us in this family must be returned." Bai Xiuxiu spoke with confidence and wasn't worried that Wang Qinghe would dislike her for it.
After all, if Wang Qinghe disagreed, he wouldn't have gone along with her plan.
Seeing her mischievous expression, Wang Qinghe kissed her.
"What are you doing? I'm quite tired!"
"Then let me give you a massage..."
The two whispered and played around.
In the morning, the whole family woke up early.
After breakfast, the men left home early. Wang Qinghe, as usual, took the two children with him, and not long after, Zhao Guifen came to call Bai Xiuxiu.
"Eldest daughter-in-law, stop sleeping! Get up quickly and follow Old Fifth's wife to the mountain." Outside, Zhao Guifen's knocking interrupted Bai Xiuxiu, who had just finished breakfast and was preparing to go back to bed, causing her face to darken.
She got up and opened the door, looking at Zhao Guifen, who stood at the door ready to scold her, with a weak expression. "Mom, I went to the mountains yesterday, and today my head is spinning. I must have relapsed. I need to see Uncle Zhang for treatment. I can't go to the mountain; if I faint there, the whole village will say you mistreat your daughter-in-law."
After saying this, Bai Xiuxiu staggered out and called, "Third daughter-in-law? Come help me see the doctor."
As she said this, she locked the door.
She couldn't let Zhao Guifen see what was inside her room.
Seeing her lock the door as soon as she came out, Zhao Guifen was angry and wanted to scold her.
This wretched thing, why was she afraid of her searching? Even if she did search, wasn't it justified?
As a mother-in-law, she couldn't take her daughter-in-law's things? What kind of logic was that!
Zhao Cuihua, who had planned to go to the mountain, had to take Bai Xiuxiu to see the doctor when she was called.
"You two!"
Watching both daughters-in-law leave, Zhao Guifen kicked the wall in anger, almost spraining her foot.
"Mom, it looks like we can't go to the mountain today, but... why don't you come with us tomorrow? Then, I'll go with Eldest Sister, and you and Third Sister can go together. When our whole family goes to the mountain, with us watching, neither sister will slack off."
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu dodge today, Zhou Jiaojiao felt a bit resentful.
Yesterday, she found the medicinal herbs, but today she had to share them with the whole family. She suffered a great loss!
If she didn't make Bai Xiuxiu suffer as well, she wouldn't be able to feel happy.
Hearing that she had to go to the mountain, Zhao Guifen was very unhappy. With so many sons and their wives, why should she, an old woman, have to go to the mountain?
How dangerous was the mountain?
Just look at the Second and Fourth daughters-in-law.
"Mom, once we're up the mountain, you should let Third Sister-in-Law find her own way; just rest yourself. My main job will be to watch over Eldest Sister-in-Law, making sure she doesn't hide things or slack off. We can't let her shirk her duties every time."
Zhou Jiaojiao continued to sway the elderly woman.
After hearing this, Zhao Guifen also felt it made sense. Besides, if she didn't go, Bai Xiuxiu, that lazybones, would surely feign illness again!
If she, as the mother-in-law, was going up the mountain, how could the daughter-in-law not follow?
"Alright, let's do it your way."
On their side, mother and daughter-in-law settled the plans for the next day.
On the other side, Bai Xiuxiu brought Zhao Cuihua to the clinic.
Old Man Zhang glanced at the two, somewhat surprised.
Upon entering the room, Bai Xiuxiu, fearing Old Man Zhang might not understand, preemptively explained, "Uncle Zhang, my mother-in-law called me to the mountains yesterday. After returning, I've been dizzy. Could it be from walking too much?"
Old Man Zhang was silent.
That boy Wang Qinghe's wife is truly lazy!
But this is how it should be.
If she doesn't slack off, who would feel sorry for this girl?
Old Man Zhang played along with the act, frowning sternly and scolding them, "Does your family not care about human life? What can someone like you accomplish in the mountains? If you exhaust yourself like this a few more times, will you even have a life left?"
There were quite a few people in the clinic, and when Old Man Zhang shouted, everyone heard.
It wouldn't take long before the whole village knew of Zhao Guifen's mistreatment of her daughter-in-law.
Zhao Cuihua watched this unfold, stunned.
If she hadn't seen Eldest Sister-in-Law walking energetically yesterday, she might have believed it!
Old Man Zhang prescribed some tonics for Bai Xiuxiu, describing them to others as life-saving medications.
Bai Xiuxiu left the clinic with her medicine, unable to suppress a smile.
Now, she could continue being lazy, staying home each day while still receiving a share of the money Zhou Jiaojiao earned from selling medicinal herbs. She didn't even want to consider separating households anymore!
"Eldest Sister-in-Law, how... how long do you plan on being sick?" Zhao Cuihua was dumbfounded.
"Of course, until I don't have to work. Now, whoever goes up the mountain and sells the collected herbs shares the money with me. Why would I go up there myself?" Bai Xiuxiu looked at her as if she were an idiot. In her previous life, she disliked working, so why would she change this bad habit after being reborn?
Why would she work herself when her enemy could do it for her?
Chapter 25
"But... what about the things we gathered on the mountain?" Zhao Cuihua was still thinking about getting rich with Bai Xiuxiu!
Bai Xiuxiu refused outright: "Once was enough. If you want to save up some money for yourself, go pick some mushrooms in the mountains. But don't go too deep, look at your second sister-in-law and Old Fourth's wife."
Thinking of those two, Zhao Cuihua felt pain all over her body!
It was too tragic!
"Then, Big Sister, aren't you afraid they'll divide the spoils secretly?" Zhao Cuihua couldn't understand why her sister-in-law didn't take the usual path.
Bai Xiuxiu wasn't scared at all!
"What's there to be afraid of? No one can hide anything from me! You should go up the mountain every now and then so that we're not fooled." Bai Xiuxiu automatically included her in her camp.
After all, the benefits of following her weren't free!
Zhao Cuihua looked confused, feeling like she had boarded a pirate ship!
Back home, Bai Xiuxiu took out the new fabric she had prepared to make clothes for the children and started cutting patterns.
Right, calculating the days, her older sister and mother should send her some things soon! She remembered that in her previous life, around this time, they sent her some yarn!
It seemed that they had received a batch of flawed yarn which was sold at a low price without needing coupons.
Her mother and older sister had gotten some for her.
No, tomorrow she had to go to the county town and call her older sister! She needed to ask her to send more.
The yarn from her previous life was only enough for her and the two children. This time, she also had to knit a set of sweaters and pants for Wang Qinghe.
When she first married Wang Qinghe, she simply wanted a peaceful life.
Even when she died, it wasn't about love or affection.
She truly liked this man because, over the decades, he had dedicated his life to avenging her and venting his anger on her behalf.
He hadn't even looked for another partner after her death.
Her heart wasn't made of stone; since he was sincere with her, she had to respond in kind.
In the evening.
At the Wang family's meeting table… oh no, dining table.
The family had learned from past experiences and ate first. After everyone finished eating, Wang Qingqi laid out the money from selling the herbs today: "Today, Big Brother and I sold those Astragalus. The pharmacy gave us a price of one yuan per catty.
There were more than thirty catties of Astragalus, and the pharmacy calculated it as thirty-five catties.
They also gave us fifteen yuan for the other miscellaneous herbs.
In total, we got fifty yuan and ten coupons for vice food products."
Seeing so much money, Zhao Guifen almost fainted from happiness.
Upon seeing the vice food product coupons, she snatched them away: "We'll keep these for buying New Year's goods."
No one objected, as the items were already in Zhao Guifen's hands.
Wang Qingqi handed the money to his father, Wang Shoucheng.
Wang Shoucheng glanced approvingly at his youngest son before taking out twenty-five yuan and putting on an act: "Old Lady, here are five yuan for us. The remaining twenty is for the family. Keep it well."
Then, he gave each of his five sons five yuan.
Although everyone had some private savings, they rarely received such amounts openly.
And it was five yuan at once!
Zhao Cuihua could barely contain her smile! The price of the Astragalus reminded her of their stash at home!
Bai Xiuxiu put the money away.
Everyone had different thoughts.
Zhao Guifen coughed and mentioned what she had discussed with Old Fifth's wife: "Recently, the second and fourth wives have been injured and can't go up the mountain. But we can't fall behind on the mountain trips. Why don't the eldest's wife, the third's wife, me, and Old Fifth's wife go up the mountain together starting tomorrow?"
"Mom, I was just going to say this. Today, the third's wife accompanied me to Uncle Zhang's place. He said that if I overexert myself again, I might die. This concerns my life. If I die and you still make me go up the mountain, you're intentionally killing your daughter-in-law.
You might end up in jail."
Bai Xiuxiu still had a smile on her face.
Go up the mountain? Not a chance! She had already obtained the seeds of the herbs she wanted, confirmed Zhou Jiaojiao's situation, and most importantly, could share in the gains from Zhou Jiaojiao's finds. There was no need to go up the mountain anymore!
Hearing Bai Jiaojiao's words, Zhao Guifen was furious: "What? Haven't you pretended to be sick enough yet?"
"Mom, what do you mean by that? When has Xiuxiu pretended to be sick? Everyone in the village knows she passed out in the field due to poor health. Yesterday, you didn't let her rest properly and forced her to go up the mountain. Her condition worsened today…
Are you only satisfied when she's dead?"
Wang Qinghe's expression turned cold. He didn't know whether Uncle Zhang's words were true or false, but regardless, he had to discuss it with Xiuxiu and take her to the hospital to check her condition.
"You! I'm your mother! Are you scolding me for a vixen?" Zhao Guifen was stunned by the rebuke.
"Enough! Why are you speaking so rudely?" Wang Shoucheng, who had planned to keep his sons quiet recently, was suffering from a headache.
He scolded his wife and then said to Wang Qinghe and Bai Xiuxiu: "Since you're sick, rest well. Our family isn't cruel. Once the village sells its grain and we receive the money, take your wife to the county town to see a doctor."
"Fine." Wang Qinghe's face was cold, and his tone made one's heart sink.
Zhao Guifen, hearing that her own old man wanted the eldest daughter-in-law to go for a check-up in the county, became even angrier.
What for?
She had never gone for a health check-up in the county; how could Bai Xiuxiu be considered more precious than anyone else?
"What about going up the mountain? There are so many good things in the mountains; are we just not going there anymore?" Zhao Guifen was unwilling.
"You and Old Fifth's wife can go." Wang Shoucheng glanced at his own wife.
She was truly stupid for life!
When had their family ever found so many good things? Tomorrow, she would follow Old Fifth's wife and see if it was this child's good luck. If so, she could also help Old Fifth hide some items.
They said they would bring everything back to share among the family, but would they really distribute it all?
Zhao Guifen was unhappy at the thought of following her youngest daughter-in-law; wouldn't that mean she had to work too?
"Mom, I'll come along too. The three of us will look out for each other in the mountains. Look at Second Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law." Zhao Cuihua, seeing her mother-in-law and Old Fifth's family going up the mountain together, became anxious.
As if her mother-in-law wouldn't hide everything?
She had to go to the mountains.
"That's more like it." Only then was Zhao Guifen satisfied.
Wang Shoucheng: ...
The previously spirited Zhou Jiaojiao, who had been thinking about hiding items, suddenly deflated.
She cursed her mother-in-law silently for being so foolish.
After the family discussion, everyone dispersed.
Back in their room, Bai Xiuxiu met her husband's serious expression.
Confused, Bai Xiuxiu asked, "What's wrong?"
Chapter 26
"Xiuxiu, tell me the truth. Are you really sick?" Wang Qinghe frowned, his expression serious.
He seldom put on a stern face to Bai Xiuxiu, but he was genuinely worried this time.
Bai Xiuxiu chuckled at his words and touched his forehead. "You don't have a fever! What could be wrong with me?"
As she spoke, she explained what had happened with Uncle Zhang.
After Wang Qinghe listened, he remained silent.
"Don't you think about it. I'm such a scaredy-cat; if there was something wrong, how could I not get checked out?" Bai Xiuxiu asked him in exasperation.
What was Wang Qinghe thinking? Did he take her for someone who would bear her illness and leave the money for the man and children?
Dream on!
Her words also calmed Wang Qinghe down.
That's right. Xiuxiu wasn't the type of person willing to sacrifice herself for others.
"That's good. You're not allowed to lie to me. If you feel unwell, you must tell me. And always pay attention to your safety when you go out," Wang Qinghe couldn't help but warn her anxiously.
He was truly tormented by that strange dream.
Bai Xiuxiu didn't know what was going on with him, only that he was afraid of her dying.
Although she found it odd, she also felt warm inside.
This man indeed cared about her!
"Alright, stop overthinking late at night. Let's rest." Bai Xiuxiu put away the money.
Wang Qinghe brought water back for them to wash up.
After they washed up, Bai Xiuxiu wrapped herself in the blanket and prepared to sleep.
Who knew that the man would soon come over and snuggle up to her.
Bai Xiuxiu sighed and pulled the curtain closed.
This unlucky man!
She wouldn't be able to rest well tonight again!
Early in the morning, Zhao Guifen set off early with her two daughters-in-law. Bai Xiuxiu, along with injured Liu Xiaoe and Chen Fang, stayed at home.
When Zhao Guifen saw that three of her five daughters-in-law couldn't work and still needed her to go up the mountain, she became furious.
The worst part was that she had to share the money she earned with them.
Where could she seek justice for this?
While Zhao Guifen was packing, Bai Xiuxiu approached Zhao Cuihua and whispered, "You're a smart person. We're in the same boat. There won't be a good outcome if you waver."
She spoke quickly and left after finishing.
Zhao Cuihua shivered after hearing her words.
This was a threat!
Elder Sister-in-Law was threatening her!
The scariest thing was that she had no choice but to listen. If she didn't, wouldn't Elder Sister-in-Law cause trouble for her later?
Thinking about the events Elder Sister-in-Law had orchestrated over the past few days, Zhao Cuihua was terrified!
Everyone else in the family thought that the commotion was due to having too many people, so each household was causing trouble. However, she had realized that it wasn't everyone causing trouble—it was Elder Sister-in-Law exploiting the weaknesses of the entire family!
In the past, the family relied on Eldest Brother to support them, but how long had it been now?
Forget relying on him; Elder Sister-in-Law didn't even do any work and still took the money.
Although Zhao Cuihua had benefited from it as well, it wasn't as much as Elder Sister-in-Law!
Besides, there was also her share of the ginseng!
Zhao Cuihua quickly made up her mind.
She felt that no one in this family could compete with Elder Sister-in-Law.
Once the family left, Bai Xiuxiu prepared to head to the county town.
It was inconvenient to make calls from the commune, so it was more convenient to go to the county town.
Bai Xiuxiu left with enough money.
Their village was an hour's walk from the county town. Most villagers walked there since taking a vehicle required going to the commune and spending ten cents.
No one was willing to take a vehicle!
On the way, Bai Xiuxiu ran into Chen Jinhua, the captain's wife, who had spoken up for her before.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu, Chen Jinhua's eyes lit up. "Xiuxiu, where are you going?"
Bai Xiuxiu was beautiful and usually dressed neatly. While she wasn't the only one in the village, she was close.
Chen Jinhua always liked clean and pretty young girls. Moreover, Bai Xiuxiu was often sick, and her family wasn't around, making her quite pitiful. Therefore, she couldn't help but care more about her.
Hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu returned the smile generously. "Aunt Jinhua, hello. I'm planning to go to the county to see if I can get some medicine. My health took a turn for the worse when I went into the mountains the day before yesterday."
At these words, Chen Jinhua was immediately displeased. "What's wrong with your mother-in-law? How can she treat someone else's child's life so lightly? Your home is far away; if something happens, how will our village explain it to your family?
In the future, don't listen to her. If she bullies you again, tell Auntie.
I'll help you."
"Thank you, Aunt Jinhua. By the way, where are you headed?" Bai Xiuxiu smiled even brighter, her tone warmer.
"Forget it, the Wu family at the entrance of the village got into a fight between the daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law. I'm going to check it out. You should hurry there and back. Don't walk to the county, take a ride." As Chen Jinhua spoke, she quickly left.
Bai Xiuxiu certainly didn't plan on walking. She couldn't bear the hardship!
It took twenty minutes to walk from the village to the commune. Bai Xiuxiu arrived at the pick-up point after walking to the commune.
She waited for ten minutes, and the vehicle arrived.
When they reached the county, it was still early.
She didn't come to the county to buy any herbs; she came to call her mother and older sister and to buy food!
The Wang family's meals were getting worse. They were willing to mistreat themselves, but she wasn't willing!
After arriving, she first handled the important matter. Bai Xiuxiu went to the post office and mailed the letter she had written before making the call.
Her sister lived quite far away, by the sea, on an island.
Making a call wasn't easy.
After placing the call, they had to find someone on the other end.
Bai Xiuxiu waited, and half an hour later, the call came through.
"Xiuxiu!"
On the other end of the phone, a middle-aged woman's voice could be heard, filled with sobs.
Bai Xiuxiu's nose tingled upon hearing the voice. "Mom..."
"My poor girl, how have you been? Has your husband bullied you? Is there enough food and drink at home? That black-hearted mother-in-law of yours, is she trying to take your things again?" On the other end of the line, Wei Qiushuang's heart broke upon hearing her daughter's voice.
If she had known that her eldest daughter's husband would become so successful, she wouldn't have married her daughter off to the Wang family no matter what.
Although the son-in-law looked decent, that old hag from the Wang family never seemed trustworthy.
Upon hearing her mother's worry, Bai Xiuxiu, now a Wandering Spirit, felt overwhelmed by the grievances she had been holding. All she desired was to weep for a long time. Yet, the cost of phone calls was exorbitant!
Others were waiting to make their calls as well.
Bai Xiuxiu held back her委屈. "Mom, everything is fine. I just want to ask if my sister can get some yarn. I want yarn."
On the other end, Wei Qiushuang immediately agreed upon hearing her daughter's request. "That's a coincidence. Your sister has some defective batches here. I'll have her buy more."
Wei Qiushuang wasn't worried about her eldest daughter being upset; her two children had always had a good relationship.
Moreover, her younger daughter wasn't just asking for things; every year, she had her husband send over mountain delicacies.
The stingy people from the Wang family would never give them; these were all saved by her daughter and son-in-law!
Chapter 27
Hearing her mother's agreement, Bai Xiuxiu felt reassured.
As long as her mother agreed, the matter would definitely go through.
"Mom, can you ask Big Sister to send me more of the local specialties this year? Don't worry, I won't let Big Sister do it for nothing," Bai Xiuxiu continued asking.
There was no particular use for them, she just wanted to eat better!
Having glimpsed the grand future ahead, she felt that it was important to start taking care of her health now!
This wasn't a time when she had to worry about her next meal; her future was bright and full of promise!
So she needed to treat herself well now, there was no need to save up!
Old Lady Wei felt heartbroken hearing her daughter's plaintive question. Her unlucky in-law must have bullied her again!
"Sure, Mom will have your Big Sister send them. And you should also send less stuff to your Big Sister! She's getting by, we're more worried about you," Old Lady Wei thought with a pang of sadness about her younger daughter!
She couldn't bear it; she had to go back and visit her daughter soon.
Bai Xiuxiu had nothing else to say, so she quickly hung up the phone.
She winced as she took out fifty cents.
Phone calls were really expensive!
After paying, Bai Xiuxiu headed to the supply and marketing cooperative.
The county's supply and marketing cooperative had much more variety than the commune's.
The place was always packed with people.
Once inside, Bai Xiuxiu went straight to the counter selling pastries. "I want two pounds of sponge cake and four pounds of cookies."
Most items here were rationed, and Bai Xiuxiu bought according to the highest quota allowed.
She had the money and the coupons.
After weighing the goods, Bai Xiuxiu moved on to another counter.
She bought two bars of soap, each costing one yuan.
She also bought twenty eggs, which required coupons and were expensive, at ten cents each.
But she planned to make egg water for the family to drink in the morning.
Eating well within the family never hurt anyone!
With everything purchased, Bai Xiuxiu arrived at the fabric counter. The fabrics here weren't particularly fashionable, but they were perfect!
It wouldn't do to be too flashy right now.
The fabrics for the children were too eye-catching!
Bai Xiuxiu spent twenty yuan on enough fabric for the whole family's clothes.
She used up all her cloth coupons.
In total, she spent ten yuan on food, two yuan on soap, two yuan on eggs, and the rest on fabric, coming to a total of twenty-four yuan.
Her savings had taken a significant hit.
Fortunately, she had managed to get some money from the Wang family recently.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to splurge like this.
After packing everything into her cloth bag—made by her mother for her wedding, as it was practical for shopping—Bai Xiuxiu headed straight to the state-owned restaurant in the county!
She aimed to arrive during lunchtime.
Today's special was pork and scallion buns, priced at thirty cents each, with no limit on quantity.
Bai Xiuxiu bought twenty buns and left.
Spending six yuan, a total of thirty cents per bun.
Unfortunately, apples weren't available yet, or she could have brought back some fruit.
Bai Xiuxiu returned home fully loaded, only to find that everyone had finished lunch and gone to work.
Those who had gone to the mountain hadn't returned yet.
Liu Xiaoe, who had injured her head, was doing the dishes and looked displeased upon seeing Bai Xiuxiu return. "Sister-in-law, where have you been living the good life? You didn't come back for lunch even after the mealtime passed. Because of you, our family had another big argument."
An argument?
Bai Xiuxiu was puzzled. What was there to argue about?
"Dad said you didn't know when to come back and refused to save your meal. Brother wouldn't stand for it. Dad scolded him for a while!" Chen Fang explained as she washed clothes nearby.
Bai Xiuxiu furrowed her brows.
Her father-in-law had probably long been displeased with her and Wang Qinghe, using this incident as an excuse to vent his frustration.
The reason was still about the money in the family that would have to be shared with them!
He used to not care about such matters.
"Did you save some food?" Bai Xiuxiu asked Liu Xiaoe instead.
Based on her experience, it should have been saved.
After all, whatever her man wanted to do could always be accomplished!
"Yes, it's in the kitchen." As Liu Xiaoe spoke, her gaze fell on Bai Xiuxiu's cloth bag. "Elder Sister, where did you go? This bag is bulging."
"I went to buy medicine." Bai Xiuxiu said coldly, then put the bag back in her room before going to the kitchen to fetch the food.
Liu Xiaoe didn't believe a word of it! She could smell it—there was a fragrance coming from her sister-in-law's bag. Her sister-in-law must have gone out to eat something good.
The greediest person in the family was Bai Xiuxiu. No one else could do such a selfish thing as eating alone!
Liu Xiaoe grumbled to Chen Fang in a low voice, but she didn't care. She glanced at Liu Xiaoe. "Don't you have money too? If you want to eat something, just buy it yourself."
Liu Xiaoe: ...
She wanted to buy something! But the family's money had to be saved for useful things. How could they spend it on food?
Was she like Bai Xiuxiu, that glutton?
The lunch at the Wangs' house was still the same as usual: coarse rice with pickles. There hadn't even been any oil in the past few days! Only the Wangs could do such a thing during the autumn harvest!
After finishing their meal, Bai Xiuxiu washed the dishes.
Liu Xiaoe came over again, hoping to get some food from her.
Before she could open her mouth, however, the door was kicked open, startling the three people in the yard.
Without waiting for them to ask, Zhao Guifen was carried back in, bruised and battered, looking miserable!
Two young men carried her back. They were brothers from the Yang family in the west of the village.
Behind them followed Zhao Cuihua, who looked disheveled, and Zhou Jiaojiao, who seemed unscathed.
Seeing this scene, Liu Xiaoe was shocked. How did she end up being carried back like this?
Chen Fang was also surprised, but when she thought that someone else was suffering as much as she was—and it was her unlucky mother-in-law—she couldn't help feeling relieved!
Zhao Guifen kept crying out in pain, her face contorted in agony. It was autumn, yet she was sweating profusely from the pain.
"My old waist, I can't live anymore. Ouch, help!" Zhao Guifen cried out repeatedly.
The two brothers from the Yang family, who had carried her, also wore grim expressions upon hearing this. "Aunt Zhao, you've been shouting all the way. Didn't Uncle Zhang examine you in the mountains and say there was nothing serious? He said you just needed to rest for ten days or half a month. You're lucky, getting kicked by a wild boar and still being alive."
"A wild boar?" Liu Xiaoe exclaimed in shock.
"What are you shouting for? Do you want me to die slowly? What are you standing around for? Quickly take me off this stretcher! You two, don't you know I'm still lying here?" Zhao Guifen glared at her daughters-in-law.
If these three unlucky women could go up the mountain, would she have had to go? If she hadn't gone, would she have been trampled by a wild boar?
Liu Xiaoe was terrified and hurried over to support her.
Zhao Cuihua also came over to help, and together they supported Zhao Guifen back into the house.
Zhou Jiaojiao, on the other hand, was thinking about the wild boar. "Brother Yang, we found the wild boar, and my mother-in-law got injured. Can we get a bigger share of the meat later?"
Chapter 28
The Yang brothers, the elder named Yang Quanwen, was thirty-two this year. The younger brother, Yang Quanwu, was twenty-six. Both were in their prime, and they had gone up the mountain today to help search for someone.
In Old Wu's household in the village, his daughter-in-law and mother-in-law had gotten into an argument, and the latter stormed off into the mountains in a fit of anger.
The team leader had no choice but to organize a group of about a dozen able-bodied men to find her, offering ten work points to each of them, including the two brothers.
However, before they could find Old Wu's mother, they ended up rescuing Zhao Guifen first.
Yang Quanwen agreed with Zhou Jiaojiao's point, mainly because when they arrived, the wild boar was already dead. All they did was help carry the person down.
But he wasn't the one who could make decisions on such matters; it was up to the team leader.
A wild boar wasn't a small creature that could be casually given to just one family.
There were over three hundred households in their Xiahe Village alone. With a boar that size, every household could get at least a pound of meat.
Although wild boar meat wasn't as tasty as domestic pork, it was still a source of meat.
"This isn't something my brother and I can decide. It's up to the team leader. Such a large catch might be lucky enough to be shared among our entire village of Xiahe if we're fortunate. But if not, it could end up being distributed across the whole team, which includes three villages.
That includes Shanghe Village and Zhonghe Village!"
Yang Quanwu neatly extricated himself from the situation with a smile. His brother was taciturn and didn't know how to speak eloquently.
He, however, was different!
"Brother, let's go. We haven't found Aunt Wu yet! Don't worry, you'll hear from the team leader tonight," said Yang Quanwu before leaving with his brother.
Zhou Jiaojiao was furious, shooting daggers at Zhao Cuihua with her eyes. "Why did you shout on the mountain? If you hadn't shouted, the wild boar would have been ours."
Zhao Cuihua?
Zhao Cuihua was stunned. Was Old Fifth's wife crazy?
If she hadn't shouted?
There were so many people in the woods. Would they not have noticed if she hadn't shouted? Besides, the wild boar was charging towards them. Was she supposed to wait to die instead of shouting for help?
Zhao Cuihua wasn't one to take insults lying down, and she immediately retorted, "Are you crazy? Who wouldn't scream when faced with a wild boar? Didn't you see it charging at us? We were lucky to escape when we did. That wild boar died after crashing into a tree.
What if we weren't so lucky?
Not just Mom, but you and I would have been killed!"
Zhou Jiaojiao wished she could strangle Zhao Cuihua. What did she mean by 'lucky'?
The wild boar was hers by right!
Her mother-in-law, Zhao Guifen, had been plagued with bad luck since entering the mountains. It was only natural that she would encounter a wild boar, and the boar would end up dead.
As long as she didn't scream for help and didn't run away, the wild boar would have been hers!
How much money could she have made selling it on the black market?
This Zhao Cuihua was stupid and now trying to argue her way out of it!
It was infuriating!
"Fifth Sister-in-Law, who wouldn't scream when faced with a wild boar? Are you suggesting we should have waited there for the boar to die on its own?" Chen Fang couldn't stand it anymore and asked her.
Zhou Jiaojiao was taken aback. "I... I didn't mean that. I was just thinking about the wild boar. A boar that big could fetch a lot of money. Now that it belongs to the village, we won't get much meat."
"Fifth Sister-in-Law, no one can predict the future. How confident were you that the boar would die? Anyone else would think the boar came specifically for you," Bai Xiuxiu interjected calmly.
Her words left Zhou Jiaojiao speechless.
Terrified, she stammered, "S-Sister-in-Law, don't say such things. How could I...?"
"That's right. How could you attract a wild boar? If you could, then Mom's suffering would be all your fault." Bai Xiuxiu's voice was gentle, but her words, no matter how harsh, sounded soothing as if she were coaxing someone.
Zhou Jiaojiao turned pale with fear and dared not mention the wild boar again.
"Where is everyone? Why are you all standing around here? Go get me some water! Are you all going to die?" In the house, Zhao Guifen yelled at them.
She lay on the bed, her face twisted in pain, wishing she could beat her unfortunate daughters-in-law.
She wanted them to feel her pain.
If these daughters-in-law weren't so useless, she wouldn't have suffered like this.
When the noise in the room subsided, the women looked at each other uncertainly.
Bai Xiuxiu turned and walked away. "I'm still sick. I can't serve Mom."
"I-I'm sick too!" Liu Xiaoe quickly followed suit.
Jokingly, she limped to serve her mother-in-law?
The old lady was still furious. If she took her anger out on Liu Xiaoe, she'd be in trouble.
Limping, Liu Xiaoe hurried back to the room.
Chen Fang was always cold-faced. She snorted and returned to her room.
She was also sick!
At this point, only Zhao Cuihua and Zhou Jiaojiao were left in the courtyard. Zhao Cuihua was also exhausted; she had suffered greatly in the mountains. Compared to Zhou Jiaojiao, it made her seem even more worn out.
"Five's wife, you've just married into our family, so you should take this opportunity to get on well with Mom. Besides, you seem to be the healthiest one at home right now. You should go and take care of her." With that, Zhao Cuihua called into the house, "Mom, Old Fifth's wife is coming over."
Then, she quickly went back inside.
Leaving Zhou Jiaojiao alone, frowning.
She wanted to curse but there was no one to curse at. She gritted her teeth and went inside.
Zhao Guifen was currently displeased with everyone. Seeing Old Fifth's wife, who had encouraged her to go up the mountain, only made her angrier: "What are you standing there for? Are you blind? Help me up for some water, and make today's meal for me."
Zhou Jiaojiao widened her delicate eyes, disbelieving.
What did this old hag say?
Make her work?
In her mother's home, she never had to do any chores!
Her mother always had her sisters-in-law do the laundry and cooking for her.
How many days had she been married?
Zhou Jiaojiao brought over some water, harboring resentment.
The next moment, Zhao Guifen choked, coughing violently.
Her face turned red, and even her wounds hurt!
Tears streamed down from the pain.
"Hurry up and help me, are you dead?"
After saying this, for some reason, her waist gave out, and she fell to the ground.
Zhou Jiaojiao felt a sense of satisfaction internally, but didn't show it on her face: "Mom, what happened? I'll help you up."
After helping her up, unable to contain her anguish, she headed for her mother's house! She needed to complain to her mother!
Seeing her leave, Zhao Cuihua, who had been staying inside, couldn't resist any longer and rushed to Bai Xiuxiu's room.
Bai Xiuxiu's door was closed, and the curtains drawn, so nothing could be seen from outside.
Zhao Cuihua knocked on the door, "Elder Sister..."
Inside, Bai Xiuxiu, who was about to eat a bun, unhappily put it aside and hid her medicine before opening the door.
"What's wrong?"
Zhao Cuihua followed her into the room, whispering mysteriously, "Elder Sister, I'm telling you, Old Fifth's wife might be a demon!"
Chapter 29
Bai Xiuxiu: ...
So that was the big secret?
Seeing that Bai Xiuxiu didn't seem to believe her, Zhao Cuihua grew anxious. "I'm telling you the truth! Last time we went up the mountain together, look at what happened to Second Sister-in-law and Fourth Sister-in-law. But Zhou Jiaojiao? Nothing happened to her! And she even found a bunch of medicinal herbs.
Where do you see such good fortune?
This time when we went up the mountain, Mother had bad luck as soon as we entered the woods, but nothing happened to Zhou Jiaojiao again.
We ran into a wild boar as soon as we entered the forest. It was like it was crazy, charging straight at us. I turned and ran, but Mother was too slow. She grabbed Old Fifth's wife and tried to use her as a shield.
But... the wild boar chased after Mother and didn't touch Old Fifth's wife at all.
Isn't that strange?
Later, it killed itself by running into something!
The whole time, Old Fifth's wife wasn't afraid at all. She even scolded me just now.
When I thought about it, I felt like something was off with her!"
Zhao Cuihua became more convinced the more she spoke.
After listening, Bai Xiuxiu wanted to laugh inside.
No wonder her mother-in-law was so unlucky. She was using Old Fifth's wife as a shield. Of course, the wild boar wouldn't step on her.
However, this third sister-in-law still had some brains.
In the current Wang family, Zhou Jiaojiao hadn't won over her mother-in-law or brought significant benefits to the household. After all, everything was divided equally! They all went into the mountains together.
So there was nothing to highlight her uniqueness.
As for the other sisters-in-law, Zhou Jiaojiao had offended them all.
She was now very curious about what Zhou Jiaojiao would do next.
"Big Sister, say something!" Zhao Cuihua was feeling uneasy. Seeing that Bai Xiuxiu remained silent, she grew anxious.
Bai Xiuxiu looked harmless as she asked, "What should I say? Based on your wild speculations? There's no such thing as coincidence. If it really was that coincidental, then we would have taken what was hers. Why haven't we had any problems?"
"You're right..." Zhao Cuihua also felt that it didn't make sense.
"Third Sister, regardless of Old Fifth's wife's situation, we just need to focus on our own lives. Mother and Father only think about finding jobs for Second Brother and Old Fifth. Don't you want your husband to go to the city?"
Bai Xiuxiu began painting a picture.
For now, Zhao Cuihua was a decent ally, and Bai Xiuxiu needed to win her over.
Once she had Zhao Cuihua under her control, it would be easy to incite discord in the family!
There was no way she would let this family work together harmoniously like they did in her previous life, striving for wealth and success together.
Dream on!
They should all remain mediocre and accomplish nothing!
Hearing her sister-in-law's words, Zhao Cuihua's eyes lit up. "Can there be such a good opportunity? My husband didn't go to school."
"There are jobs in the city that don't require a degree. As long as someone is willing to let your husband take over or find a way to get him a physical labor job, it's done." Bai Xiuxiu continued painting the picture.
Zhao Cuihua was swayed. "But... that must cost a lot of money, right?"
"As long as you listen to me, I can always help you. We can cause a family dispute later, and then you'll have money. Although I'm not capable, my sister is." Bai Xiuxiu looked at Zhao Cuihua and started making things up.
However, finding a job wasn't difficult.
In six months, a brick factory would open nearby and require many laborers.
With a primary school diploma and a bit of money, one could secure a position.
"I'll listen to Big Sister."
Zhao Cuihua couldn't stop smiling at the thought of becoming the wife of a worker someday.
The two didn't have much else to talk about, and after Bai Xiuxiu dismissed Zhao Cuihua's suspicions, they didn't mention it again.
Once Zhao Cuihua left, Bai Xiuxiu took out the buns.
These buns were filled generously, and one bite was enough to whet anyone's appetite.
However, she only ate one.
It had been a while since she had meat buns, and she wanted to wait for the children and Qinghe to come back and enjoy them together.
There had to be a sense of ceremony!
In the evening, the family returned from the fields.
Before they came back, they had already heard that Old Lady Guifen had been attacked by a wild boar in the mountains.
When they returned home, the whole family gathered in the main room.
Upon seeing her sons and husband return, Guifen burst into tears. "Why is my fate so bitter? I have five sons who are all married, yet I'm the only old lady going up the mountain!
None of my daughters-in-law care about me. Who can I rely on in the future!"
Guifen's voice was hoarse to begin with; this sobbing made everyone feel even more uncomfortable.
Wang Shoucheng's face darkened. "Elder Sister-in-Law, we can let the others off. But you're the eldest daughter-in-law—why aren't you taking care of your mom?"
"Dad, what do you mean? I'm sick myself. Uncle Zhang said if I don't take care of my health, I might not even make it. Today when I went to the county to call Mom, she said she was worried about me and wanted to come back to see me.
If I were to take care of Mom and something happened, how would the village perceive our family?
I'm doing this for the good of the family."
Bai Xiuxiu spoke with righteous indignation.
Guifen was so angry that she wished she could get up and fight Bai Xiuxiu.
"Father, Xiuxiu is also doing this for your own good," Qinghe interjected before Wang Shoucheng could question him.
This left Wang Shoucheng speechless.
But thinking about his eldest son's hunting skills, he held back.
Everything must wait until after winter!
Now was the most important time for the family.
"Fine, forget about Elder Sister-in-Law. Starting from tomorrow, the rest will take turns taking care of your mom. No excuses! Who's cooking dinner tonight?" Wang Shoucheng asked discontentedly.
The main reason he was so upset was that he came home to no warm meal!
He was almost at the end of his life—when had he ever come home from work to find no food waiting for him?
Even during the years of famine, there was always a portion set aside just for him!
"I called Old Fifth, but she hasn't returned yet." Guifen was far from pleased when mentioning Zhou Jiaojiao.
As if on cue, Zhou Jiaojiao entered the room just as her mother-in-law started berating her.
Though angry inside, she didn't show it on her face. She smiled and said, "Mom, I'm back. I went to Mom's place today to fetch some pain-relieving ointment for you. Oh, by the way, Mom said she's coming over tomorrow to see you.
She said she's going to kill a chicken for you."
Guifen's expression changed instantly upon hearing this. "Really? You specially went back home for this?"
"Yes, seeing you in such pain, I felt heartbroken too. Oh, right, Mom, I'll go make dinner now." Zhou Jiaojiao moved to leave.
"No need. Second Daughter-in-Law, you do it."
Chapter 30
Zhao Guifen's demeanor changed immediately as she turned her ire on Liu Xiaoe.
The Old Fifth's wife's family is sensible! That's a chicken we're talking about. In these times, who can casually give away a chicken?
Thinking about the good meal tomorrow, Zhao Guifen looked at Zhou Jiaojiao with an expression that carried a hint of affection.
Zhou Jiaojiao felt wronged when she thought about what her mother had said when she cried to her at home.
Her own mother actually told her to curry favor with the black-hearted mother-in-law, Zhao Guifen! She even said that by pleasing Zhao Guifen, she could get more during the division of assets. Moreover, when she was working, Zhao Guifen would help her, saving her a lot of trouble.
In other words, her mother didn't want to take care of her anymore?
Zhou Jiaojiao had never felt so wronged before. There was no one in this world who shared her heart and soul!
She must make sure her husband became a worker, and they must live a good life!
As she thought this, Zhou Jiaojiao couldn't help but look at Bai Xiuxiu, who was leaning against Wang Qinghe watching the spectacle, feeling even more upset.
Why? They were both daughters-in-law, yet Bai Xiuxiu didn't have to go to the mountains or do anything?
Just because she married well?
Why didn't she just die? How nice would it be if Bai Xiuxiu died?
Zhou Jiaojiao had never wished for someone to die so much! Thinking about her luck, a glimmer of joy appeared in her heart.
Perhaps...
"Second daughter-in-law, don't just stand there, hurry up and cook!" Zhao Guifen urged the dumbfounded Liu Xiaoe.
In the end, Liu Xiaoe left with a dark face, limping.
Bai Xiuxiu watched this scene, her lips curling upward.
Zhou Jiaojiao's luck relied on others' misfortune, slowly accumulating over time.
Moreover, Zhou Jiaojiao had faced many dangers in her previous life. However, this family clung to her, hoping she would lead them to a better life. Therefore, they worked together, which helped her overcome the dangers.
Now, Zhou Jiaojiao had only been here for a few days, yet she had offended quite a few people.
Liu Xiaoe, her most loyal follower in her previous life, probably wanted to strangle her now.
If opposing Zhou Jiaojiao brought bad luck, then not directly opposing her would be fine, wouldn't it?
Bai Xiuxiu was in an excellent mood. She wasn't a kind person to begin with. In her previous life, she didn't meddle in others' affairs and focused on living her own life. Now that Zhou Jiaojiao stood in her way, she couldn't live a peaceful life.
The best solution, of course, was to move the obstacle out of the way!
"Alright, stop bothering me, all of you scram!" Zhao Guifen was uncomfortable and, seeing no reaction from the others, decided she didn't want to see them anymore.
Upon hearing that they could leave, Bai Xiuxiu quickly took her husband and two children back to their room.
Back in the room, Wang Qinghe skillfully made honey water for Bai Xiuxiu and the two children while Bai Xiuxiu took out everything she bought in the county today: "Come over."
Wang Qinghe handed her the honey water and set up a small table in the room.
Bai Xiuxiu placed the two children on the kang.
Finding a clean piece of oilskin paper, she took out the buns: "It's cold outside, so the meat buns aren't warm anymore, but at least they're not hard. Eat quickly."
She took out all nineteen buns at once.
"Mama, is it New Year's?" Yueyue stared at the mountain of buns, stunned. Her big eyes couldn't leave the buns.
Bai Xiuxiu laughed when she heard this: "Silly child, can't we eat them if it's not New Year's?"
As she spoke, she gave each of them a bun.
The buns had been kept in the bag, covered with a quilt, so they hadn't cooled down too much. However, they weren't as good as when they were freshly steamed.
Wang Qinghe never questioned his wife's spending!
He was responsible for doing his best to earn money for the family, ensuring his wife didn't spend all her dowry.
"We don't know when dinner will be ready, so let's eat first. We really need a small pot in our room…" Bai Xiuxiu stared at the empty floor, revealing her longing for hot food!
"The work this year is almost done, probably within another three to five days. I'll go and make some inquiries to see if I can buy a small one. Then we can cook something. When winter comes and we have a stove in the room, it will be convenient to use."
Wang Qinghe said.
Hearing this, Bai Xiuxiu immediately became happy: "Good, hurry up. By the way, I called my mom today."
Bai Xiuxiu told him about knitting him sweaters and pants, which warmed Wang Qinghe's heart.
He listened to her quietly, unable to suppress the smile in his eyes.
Xiuxiu had been married to him for several years, but he knew he didn't have the ability to make her truly like him.
Xiuxiu married him because he was the best-looking man in the village and willing to listen to her. He had strength, could work hard, and wouldn't let her go hungry.
Usually, she prepared food and clothing for the two children but rarely cared for him.
Only recently did she start taking care of him.
But whether she took care of him or not, he still liked her!
Wang Qinghe couldn't explain why, but he knew that seeing her smile made him feel content. Only when he saw her by his side did he feel like a human being.
Bai Xiuxiu had no idea what Wang Qinghe was thinking. Seeing him staring blankly at her, she couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you looking at me? Am I more interesting than a bun?"
As she spoke, she handed him a bun. "Eat quickly. I know you eat a lot, and these buns won't be good after two meals. Finish it."
Her appetite wasn't large, and having already eaten one bun, she was nearly full with just another.
Each of the two children had only eaten two buns, leaving the rest for Wang Qinghe.
He had a big appetite and rarely got to eat his fill at home—she knew that well.
Once the family of three had finished their meal, Bai Xiuxiu leaned on her husband, while the two children leaned on her. They drank water in silence, enjoying their contentment.
Wang Qinghe wished life could stay this way forever!
"I'm feeling quite stuffed. Later, go get our food from the family. There's no reason not to eat the Wangs' food. Bring it back, and after we finish eating tomorrow morning, you can have a small meal." Bai Xiuxiu nudged her husband.
Wang Qinghe didn't refuse. He waited for her to sit up before going to fetch the food.
In the main room, upon seeing her eldest son come to take the food back again, Zhao Guifen was about to explode. "What is this? I'm sick, not dead. You want to pull this stunt again?"
"Mom, my wife was tired from going out today. It's not a big deal to bring the food back to eat," Wang Qinghe had been speaking more lately and never listened to his family's opinions.
With that, he started packing the food.
Zhao Guifen stared in disbelief. This good-for-nothing was serving himself?
Wang Shoucheng also had a dark expression. Looking at his eldest son, his tone was far from pleasant. "Elder Brother, are you trying to split the household?"
"How could I? I follow the family's lead. As long as my wife doesn't object!" Wang Qinghe remained the same, not initiating a split but refusing to let anyone upset Bai Xiuxiu.