My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 120

Aunt Zhou could eat coarse cornbread, endure hard labor, and live a tough life, but she could never live without her secret stash of money. That was her lifeline! In her entire life, aside from her son, the most important thing to her was money.

She grabbed Wang Zhaodi and scolded, "Was it you, you little wench, who took my money? Speak up! You're the only outsider in this house!"

Wang Zhaodi turned pale with fear and hurriedly shook her head, saying, "I didn’t, I really didn’t! I don’t even know where you keep your money. I know nothing about it. Auntie, why don’t we call Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu back? They’ll definitely know what’s going on!"

She desperately defended herself while thinking they needed to bring them back. She had no idea about anything, but Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu surely would.

Aunt Zhou was in a daze, muttering, "Yes, yes, that’s right..."

Zhao Guihua said, "Wang Zhaodi, go to the factory and find them. Hurry!"

Wang Zhaodi replied, "Okay, okay."

She dashed off toward the machinery factory. Aunt Zhou tried to grab her, saying, "What if she’s the one who stole the money and runs away?"

Zhao Guihua retorted, "Stop talking nonsense. Where could she run to? Calm down first..."

"I-I-I can’t calm down! I’m the wealthiest in this compound! I have a thousand yuan in my secret stash..."

Aunt Su, her long-time rival, watched Aunt Zhou with envy, her eyes flickering with a mix of jealousy and helplessness. If only the money belonged to Bai Fendou or Old Man Bai, things would be different.

Aunt Zhou continued wailing, as if this was the greatest pain she had ever endured.

"Which devil took it? It’s either her or Jiang Lu... What a disgrace to our family! My money, my hard-earned money, saved bit by bit, never spent on myself..."

"That money is my life savings, my burial fund..."

"It’s the symbol of my status as the wealthiest in this compound..."

Aunt Zhou kept repeating the same phrases, wailing for nearly an hour until her voice turned hoarse. As time passed and no one returned, she cried out again, "Wang Zhaodi must have run off with the money..."

Her cries were so intense she nearly fainted.

"This house can’t have outsiders! My money, my money..."

Just as Aunt Zhou was still shouting, a calm female voice cut through the noise: "The money is with me."

Jiang Lu walked in from outside, exuding the demeanor of a queen, with Zhou Qun and Wang Zhaodi standing on either side like her attendants. Her composed tone instantly silenced Aunt Zhou, who looked like a rooster with its neck wrung, pointing at Jiang Lu and stammering, "Y-you... you ungrateful wench, you took my money..."

Jiang Lu said, "Everyone, step aside."

She entered the room and declared, "Let’s talk."

Her calmness left Aunt Zhou completely flustered. In the Zhou family, Jiang Lu had always been treated like a servant, living a life worse than Wang Zhaodi’s current situation.

Aunt Zhou lunged at her, screaming, "You little bitch..."

It was Jiang Lu’s own father who had sent Aunt Zhou to prison, insisting on strict punishment without any mercy. The more Aunt Zhou thought about it, the angrier she became, ready to attack. The onlookers immediately shouted, "She’s pregnant!"

"Jiang Lu, be careful!"

Jiang Lu didn’t flinch. Instead, she stepped forward and said, "Go ahead. Hit my belly! If you dare lay a finger on me, I’ll abort the child and divorce your son!"

Aunt Zhou’s hand froze mid-air, as if she had been struck by a martial arts move. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Jiang Lu’s expression was ice-cold, filled with disdain.

Aunt Zhou nearly choked on her anger and turned to Zhou Qun, shouting, "Zhou Qun, how can you let your wife treat me like this?"

Zhou Qun replied, "Mom, stop making a scene. Jiang Lu is pregnant."

Aunt Zhou took a deep breath and said, "Right, right, she’s pregnant. The Zhou family will have an heir. For the sake of the child, I’ll let this go..."

Before she could finish, Jiang Lu sneered, "Go ahead, make a scene."

Aunt Zhou stammered, "What?"

She stared at Jiang Lu, feeling as if she were looking at a completely different person. This Jiang Lu bore no resemblance to the one she knew. If it weren’t for her time in prison teaching her not to believe in superstitions, she’d have thought Jiang Lu was possessed by a fox spirit.

Otherwise, how could someone change so drastically?

Jiang Lu ordered, "Wang Zhaodi, close the door."

The crowd at the door was peeking in, eager to witness the drama. Jiang Lu didn’t want to be the center of gossip, so Wang Zhaodi quickly shut the door, apologizing, "Stop looking, stop looking."

"Wang Zhaodi, take care of Jiang Lu. She’s pregnant. Don’t let anything happen to her," someone reminded her.

Despite the door being closed, the crowd lingered outside.

Wang Zhaodi stood behind Jiang Lu, like a loyal servant.

Aunt Zhou’s anger flared. Did Wang Zhaodi even know who was in charge of this household? It seemed that in just a short time, the power dynamics had shifted entirely, and she was no longer the one in control.

No matter how much Aunt Zhou glared, Wang Zhaodi remained unmoved. Jiang Lu was pregnant, and she had to take care of her.

Jiang Lu said, "Mother-in-law, I know you’re not happy, but there are some things I need to make clear. From now on, whether it’s Zhou Qun or you, everyone in this house needs to behave. There’s only one person in charge here, and that’s me, Jiang Lu."

"On what grounds?" Aunt Zhou demanded.

Jiang Lu replied, "On the grounds that your son got involved with a man and got himself castrated. Is that reason enough?"

"What?!" Aunt Zhou couldn’t believe her ears, but then she remembered Aunt Su’s earlier words and realized they might not be lies. She slumped into a chair, muttering, "You’re lying, you must be lying..."

Jiang Lu sneered, "Zhou Qun is right here. You can ask him if I’m lying."

Aunt Zhou turned to Zhou Qun, pleading, "Zhou Qun, tell me, tell me they’re lying..."

Zhou Qun awkwardly smiled, unable to speak.

Jiang Lu added, "If you don’t want to ask Zhou Qun, you can go outside and ask. The whole compound came out to watch the drama. Even a three-year-old at the alley entrance knows what happened."

Aunt Zhou collapsed onto the bed, her face pale. Jiang Lu continued without hesitation, "The only reason I’m staying in the Zhou family is because of my feelings for Zhou Qun and the child we’re expecting. If it weren’t for that, given Zhou Qun’s attempt to assault a male colleague and his... current condition, I would’ve filed for divorce."

Aunt Zhou looked up sharply at Zhou Qun and cried, "Zhou Qun, how could you be so foolish? You... you..." She couldn’t bring herself to say it. How could her son be so indiscriminate?

She stared at Zhou Qun, who hung his head in shame. As a mother, she knew Jiang Lu wasn’t lying. After all, Jiang Lu loved Zhou Qun so much—why would she fabricate such a story?

Biting her lip until it bled, Aunt Zhou asked, "How did it come to this? Tell me, who was the male vixen?"

Zhou Qun remained silent, but Jiang Lu spoke bluntly, "Your son is quite the character. You don’t even know what he did. He invited Bai Fendou to stay at our place, tricked me into sleeping in another room, and then tried to take advantage of Bai Fendou in the middle of the night. The whole compound found out. Bai Fendou was so distraught he kicked your son and... well, you know the rest."

"What?! Who?!" Aunt Zhou thought she misheard, but Jiang Lu’s expression confirmed it. She was in shock—how could her son’s taste be so... questionable?

She glared at her son, her anger boiling over. "I’ll go find Bai Fendou and make him pay..."

"Sit down!" Jiang Lu barked.

Aunt Zhou plopped back into her seat, defeated.

Jiang Lu: "You went to find Bai Fendou? Bai Fendou is the victim here. He was going to report it to the police, but I gave him 100 yuan to settle the matter. I also promised to introduce him to a potential partner. Otherwise, do you think this would have ended so quickly? Zhou Qun would have been lucky to escape with just a slap on the wrist. He almost ended up in jail alongside you."

Aunt Zhou: "What!"

She shouted again, but after a moment of thought, she began to cry silently.

The law shows no mercy!

She had learned that much during her time inside.

Jiang Lu: "I didn’t have any money on hand, so I had to use your private savings. But since we’re the ones taking care of you in your old age, you don’t need to keep any secret funds. Zhou Qun and I have already discussed it. From now on, I’ll be managing the household finances. I’ll be collecting Zhou Qun’s salary, and I’ll give him five yuan a month for lunch. I know you’re not happy about this, but Mom, I don’t want to say too much. You need to face reality. It’s no longer about what you or Zhou Qun decide. It’s about what I decide. Besides the child I’m carrying, if you want another child in this family, you’ll have to adopt one. Are you okay with that?"

Aunt Zhou and Zhou Qun both shook their heads immediately.

Jiang Lu nodded: "That’s settled then. I still have feelings for Zhou Qun, and I don’t want our child to have a stepfather. So let’s all live together peacefully. Both of you need to behave and follow my lead. In this household, I’m the one in charge."

Aunt Zhou pursed her lips, wanting to argue, but after glancing at her son, her daughter-in-law, and Jiang Lu’s belly, she silently looked up at the ceiling, tears streaming down her face. After a long pause, she nodded.

Jiang Lu: "Whether I give birth to a son or a daughter, this will be our only child. Regardless of gender, we must treat them well."

"We’ll definitely have a son."

Jiang Lu: "It doesn’t matter."

Aunt Zhou nodded again and said, "Chef Li and Aunt Wang managed to find a son-in-law to marry into their family. If we have a daughter, we can do the same."

She had always favored sons over daughters, but given the current situation, she knew her son was no longer reliable. Whether it was a grandson or a granddaughter, it didn’t matter. They could figure out the rest later. Even finding a son-in-law to marry into the family wasn’t out of the question.

Jiang Lu also nodded and said, "Alright, then. From now on, I’m the head of this household."

Aunt Zhou had a hundred grievances in her heart, but she didn’t dare voice them. She never imagined that in the less than three months she was away, her son could have caused such a mess.

How could a mother possibly turn things around when they’ve gotten this bad?

Aunt Zhou cautiously glanced at Jiang Lu, fearing she might bring up divorce.

Despite being an uneducated old woman, she understood that if Jiang Lu divorced Zhou Qun now, not only would they struggle to find someone with a job, but even finding a rural girl like Wang Zhaodi, who knew the family well, would be impossible. No one would want to live as a widow.

As for someone with Jiang Lu’s qualifications? Forget about it.

In the past, she and her son had understood this and had worked together to belittle and control Jiang Lu. But now… she didn’t dare.

After all, Jiang Lu was pregnant, which meant she was capable of bearing children.

If she were truly unhappy, she could just terminate the pregnancy and divorce Zhou Qun. She could always remarry and have another child.

But this child was their family’s only hope.

Aunt Zhou didn’t doubt for a second that the child wasn’t Zhou Qun’s. In fact, it was because Jiang Lu had been so devoted to Zhou Qun in the past that neither Aunt Zhou nor Zhou Qun had ever questioned it. Besides, Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu worked in the same unit, and he had never seen Jiang Lu get too close to anyone else, so he was completely at ease on that front.

Aunt Zhou felt the same way. She knew how much Jiang Lu cared for Zhou Qun and didn’t suspect anything.

She muttered softly, "Aunt Lian does have some skills. She said you two could have children, it was just a matter of time… I thought she was just trying to trick me back then, but it turns out she was right."

Jiang Lu’s eyes flickered as she said, "She’s a decent person. Look at the hens we got from her—they lay eggs quite well." Unlike most charlatans who would say anything to swindle people, Aunt Lian had been considerate.

Aunt Zhou finally smiled: "That’s good. Now we’ll have eggs to eat at home. It’s perfect for you to get some extra nutrition during your pregnancy."

Jiang Lu: "I have one egg every day. Oh, right, Mother-in-law, I’ve been thinking. Even though you’re back now, you’re not as young as you used to be. It’s too much for you to handle all the household chores alone. Once I’m further along in my pregnancy, and especially after I give birth and during my confinement, it’ll be even harder. So I’d like Wang Zhaodi to stay a bit longer and help out around the house."

Wang Zhaodi had been staying with them for about three months now, and her character was quite clear.

Aunt Zhou: "Huh?"

She wasn’t too pleased with the idea. Wang Zhaodi had come here to have a child, but since that wasn’t happening anymore, keeping her around would just mean an extra mouth to feed.

Jiang Lu: "Do you want to do all the housework yourself? I’ve gotten used to living in a clean house. I can’t stand even a speck of dirt anywhere."

In the past, their home had always been a bit messy, mainly because Aunt Zhou was lazy.

Aunt Zhou looked around. The bedding was neatly arranged, the windows were spotless, the floor was swept clean and even sprinkled with water. Even the kitchen was tidy, with all the pots and pans neatly organized and clean.

"At your age, even if you can manage the chores, can your body handle it? You’ve been away for so long. Don’t you want to rest and recover after coming back?"

Aunt Zhou glanced at Wang Zhaodi, who was looking at her nervously.

After some thought, Aunt Zhou nodded: "Alright, I’ll listen to you." She really didn’t want to do the housework.

Jiang Lu: "Good. Later, buy some candy and give it to the neighbors. Let them know you’ve officially taken Wang Zhaodi in as your goddaughter."

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Both Aunt Zhou and Wang Zhaodi were shocked.

Jiang Lu: "This way, there’s a proper reason for Wang Zhaodi to stay with us. It’s fine for now, but as time goes on, people might start gossiping. It’s better to handle things properly."

Jiang Lu wasn’t like the average housewife. She had a job and had seen more of the world.

Now that the rose-tinted glasses of love were off, her shrewdness had returned.

"From now on, I’ll give you 20 yuan a month for household expenses. You’ll need to keep track of the accounts. If you can’t remember, come up with your own symbols, but I’ll need to see the account book every month and hear your report. If I notice any decline in our quality of life, I’ll have Wang Zhaodi take over the finances next month. Don’t think you can manipulate Wang Zhaodi either. If you try anything sneaky, we’ll send you back to the countryside to retire. Don’t look at Zhou Qun—this is my decision. If Zhou Qun sides with you, I’ll divorce him."

Aunt Zhou choked, feeling an overwhelming sense of bitterness.

Jiang Lu: "You’re my mother-in-law, Zhou Qun’s mother. As long as you behave, we’ll take care of you in your old age. But if you cause trouble, I won’t be so polite. Mom, things are different now than they used to be!"

In the "negotiation" between Jiang Lu and Aunt Zhou, Jiang Lu held all the cards.

Aunt Zhou was unhappy, but she didn’t dare argue, not even a little. She knew that their family had changed.

Though she was domineering and harsh, she also understood that Jiang Lu was right. Zhou Qun was useless now. What else could she hope for? Aunt Zhou began to cry again and said, "I understand. But… I need to have a word with Bai Fendou. How could he just take 100 yuan from us like that? Men harassing men… that’s not right. There’s no such rule."

Jiang Lu said quietly, "If you go to him and get beaten to death, Zhou Qun and I won’t be able to help you."

Aunt Zhou: "Uh…"

Jiang Lu: "Bai Fendou even beat up Wang Xiangxiu recently…"

Aunt Zhou: "What!"

She shouted in disbelief.

She, she, she… she had only been gone for less than three months. How could so much have happened?

The world was changing too fast!

She was struggling to keep up and quickly asked, "Why?!"

Jiang Lu, exhausted from the earlier negotiation, said, "Wang Zhaodi, explain it to your godmother."

Wang Zhaodi, still overjoyed at the prospect of staying longer, was caught off guard by the question and asked, "Where should I start?"

There were just too many things happening in their courtyard, far too many.

Jiang Lu turned her head to look at Zhou Qun with a half-smile and said, “Let’s start from the day it rained heavily, the incident when the Bai family’s house got flooded…”

Wang Zhaodi replied, “Ah, alright!”

This was going to be a long, long story.

She began, “That night…”

After Jiang Lu had dealt with her mother-in-law and stepped outside, everyone was still gathered at the door, though they couldn’t hear clearly. Jiang Lu smiled and said, “It’s fine now. My mother-in-law just got back and didn’t understand the situation. Once she knew what happened, everything was okay. Oh, by the way, she’s planning to adopt Wang Zhaodi as her goddaughter, so we’ll be handing out candies to everyone later.”

“Ah? Okay, okay.”

“This is quite unexpected. Aunt Zhou didn’t even make a fuss.”

“How could she dare to make a fuss? Have you seen what Zhou Qun’s like now?”

“They only have one child left, so they can’t afford to offend Jiang Lu…”

“That’s true.”

Before Jiang Lu even left, people started gossiping. Jiang Lu thought to herself, “Couldn’t you at least gossip behind my back?”

She cleared her throat and said, “Zhou Qun, since we’ve already taken time off and came back early, let’s go buy some groceries. We can prepare a nice dinner to welcome Mom back.”

“Alright.”

“Let’s go.”

The couple left, but the Zhou household was filled with exclamations:

“Oh my god!”

“What the heck!”

“Oh heavens!”

“Holy crap!”

“What on earth…”

All kinds of astonished voices echoed through the house. Aunt Zhou had been away for a while, and a lot had happened. She had a lot of catching up to do, and it was going to take her quite some time. Indeed, it did. Aunt Zhou didn’t emerge from her room until evening, looking utterly dazed.

She had absorbed too much information all at once.

Who could have imagined so much had happened in such a short time?

When she finally stepped out, she glanced at the Su family with a complicated expression. She had never liked the Su family’s three kids. Though her son was good, he wasn’t part of their family, so Aunt Zhou didn’t care much for them. Now, hearing how troublesome those kids had been, she was even more shocked.

Then there was the Bai family… well, two bachelors, one paralyzed and the other injured.

The injured one hadn’t even gotten married yet.

Compared to that, her family’s issues didn’t seem so bad.

Sometimes, people like to compare because it makes their own problems seem trivial. She sat on a small stool by the door, feeling a mix of emotions. At that moment, she regretted her past actions. Why had she caused such a scene and ended up in trouble?

If she hadn’t gotten into trouble, maybe she wouldn’t have missed out on all this drama.

How much had she missed?

It was truly frustrating.

She sat by the door as people gradually dispersed, going about their own business.

However, Aunt Su came out twice and looked at Aunt Zhou, saying, “Oh, Aunt Zhou, I heard your savings were taken by your daughter-in-law? You really have a good daughter-in-law, don’t you?”

She couldn’t resist mocking Aunt Zhou.

Because of the money issue, Aunt Zhou had mocked her countless times before. She used to brag about how her daughter-in-law’s money was hers, but now what was there to brag about? All those years of saving, and it was gone.

Thinking about this, Aunt Su felt particularly pleased.

“What are you going to do now? Will you have to live under your daughter-in-law’s thumb? Not all daughters-in-law are like my Xiu’er, you know…”

She gloated shamelessly. Aunt Zhou couldn’t stand her smug face.

With a roar, Aunt Zhou lunged forward.

She couldn’t scratch her pregnant daughter-in-law, but she sure could scratch her loudmouthed rival.

Aunt Zhou slapped Aunt Su twice in quick succession.

Aunt Su screamed, “Are you crazy?!”

She dodged frantically, but Aunt Zhou wasn’t backing down. She grabbed Aunt Su and started hitting her, “You gossipy troublemaker! Stirring up trouble, huh? Disgusting me, huh? What right do you have to talk about me? Everyone knows what your daughter-in-law does outside! How dare you brag! Take this!”

“Ah! You shrew!”

“You’re no saint either.”

“What’s going on? Why are they fighting again?”

Zhao Guihua came out of her house and saw the two women going at it. She said, “They just got back and they’re already fighting? Can’t they even last a night?”

She didn’t step in to break it up, though. She was a frail old lady, and if she got accidentally hit, whose fault would that be? She just stood by and shouted, “Stop fighting! What if someone gets killed?”

“Zhao Guihua, come over here and pull this old hag away!” Aunt Su yelled.

Zhao Guihua replied, “I don’t have the strength.”

“You!”

Aunt Zhou continued slapping Aunt Su, channeling all her frustration with her daughter-in-law into her blows. “If you keep trying to drive a wedge between me and my daughter-in-law, I won’t let you off easy!”

From the tone, it sounded like she might stop, but the fierce slaps suggested otherwise.

Aunt Wang intervened, “Enough! You two need to stop. You just got back and you’re already at it again.”

No wonder Aunt Wang was the neighborhood manager. She was strong and burly. She stepped in, grabbed both women, and pulled them apart, scolding them, “You’re both old enough to know better. Stop this nonsense.”

At that moment, Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun returned from grocery shopping. Jiang Lu had even bought some meat. Seeing her mother-in-law and Aunt Su, she didn’t need to guess who had started the trouble.

It wasn’t that she particularly liked her mother-in-law—she found the old woman’s sharp tongue unbearable—but she knew that Aunt Zhou had just returned and was still processing all the gossip. She wouldn’t have had time to start anything. So, it had to be Aunt Su who provoked her.

Jiang Lu said, “Mom, you just got back and don’t know everything yet. Wang Xiangxiu has been transferred to cleaning toilets. Aunt Su is upset about it, so just let her be for now, okay?”

“What?!”

Both old women shouted in unison.

Aunt Su didn’t know about this, and Aunt Zhou was equally surprised.

Then, Aunt Zhou burst out laughing, “This is hilarious! Wang Xiangxiu is cleaning toilets now? Hahaha!”

Aunt Su retorted, “You’re lying!”

She glared at Jiang Lu, who calmly said, “You didn’t know? Well, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Jiang Lu then instructed, “Zhaodi, you handle the cooking.”

She added, “I’m pregnant and can’t afford to go hungry.”

Wang Zhaodi quickly agreed, “Alright.”

She was full of energy. Jiang Lu and Wang Zhaodi went inside, and Jiang Lu whispered, “If you help me out here, I’ll provide food and lodging, and I’ll give you an extra three yuan a month. It’s not much, but you can save it. No matter what, it’s good to have some money set aside.”

Wang Zhaodi was about to refuse when Jiang Lu gave her a meaningful look and said, “Don’t tell Zhou Qun or my mother-in-law. They’re not the brightest. Don’t turn it down. You’re a grown woman now; you should have some money of your own. Keep it hidden and don’t spend it unless you have to.”

Wang Zhaodi looked at Jiang Lu, her eyes gradually filling with tears. She rubbed her eyes and nodded firmly, saying, “Thank you, Sister Jiang Lu.”

Jiang Lu replied awkwardly, “No need to thank me.”

Their little exchange went unnoticed by others. Meanwhile, Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su were still going at it in the courtyard.

It was also around the time people were getting off work, so many stopped to watch the spectacle. Aunt Zhou was quite the character, immediately going into a rage after returning. However, her anger wasn’t directed at her daughter-in-law but at Aunt Su.

Ming Mei returned home just in time to see this. She looked at Aunt Zhou in surprise and asked, “How did she get back early?”

Someone nearby overheard her and chimed in, “She earned some credit while she was away… blah blah…”

Ming Mei’s eyes widened, and she exclaimed, “Wow, she’s something else!”

“You’re not wrong.”

Zhuang Zhixi, who had returned with Ming Mei, remarked, “Aunt Zhou is an indispensable figure in this neighborhood. She really makes her presence known as soon as she’s back.”

Ming Mei asked eagerly, “So, why are they fighting? Tsk tsk, Aunt Su’s face is all swollen.”

There were even scratches and blood.

“It’s Aunt Su’s fault. She couldn’t keep her mouth shut and tried to stir up trouble between Aunt Zhou and Jiang Lu. When they first got back, Aunt Zhou’s savings…”

And so, the gossip continued.

Ming Mei nodded, “Oh, I see.”

“Aunt Zhou doesn’t even care anymore, so why is Aunt Su meddling?”

"That's right," Ming Mei chimed in eagerly, "They’re meddling too much. They can’t even manage their own family, yet they’re trying to interfere with others."

"Exactly, look at their three kids... tsk tsk."

In these times, who doesn’t despise petty thieves?

Ming Mei nodded vigorously, fully agreeing with their words.

Zhuang Zhixi, seeing his wife enjoying the drama without a care for danger, parked his bicycle under the eaves and pulled Ming Mei further away. "If you’re going to watch the commotion, at least find a safe spot. You never know when they might suddenly act."

Ming Mei: "...You’re right."

Zhao Guihua was also standing nearby, thoroughly enjoying the scene. She said, "You’ve already gone to pick up your wife and come back, but your dad and sister-in-law still aren’t home yet?"

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "They have to tidy up their tools after work. I finished organizing everything five minutes early and was ready to bolt out the door as soon as the bell rang."

Zhao Guihua: "..."

As if on cue, they arrived just as she finished speaking. They ended up walking back together.

Liang Meifen had just started her first day at work. She used to work in a textile factory, which was completely different from her current job as a fitter. Being a fitter required more physical strength, and after being at home for over half a year, she found herself a bit out of shape and tired from the sudden workload.

"How was your first day? Did you adjust well?" Zhao Guihua asked.

Liang Meifen quickly nodded, "I’m adjusting fine."

She added, "On my first day, I was assigned to work with Sister Zhu from the workshop. She’s a fifth-level fitter and really skilled."

Zhao Guihua: "That’s good to hear."

Liang Meifen said with envy, "She earns over fifty yuan a month, and with the summer heat allowance, it’s almost sixty. I’ll have to learn from her and earn more too."

The thought of this filled her with hope.

In her previous life, if Old Man Bai hadn’t gotten into trouble, Liang Meifen wouldn’t have had to find a new job, so Zhao Guihua had no idea if she had any talent for this kind of work. But regardless of talent, even being a first-level worker would be a big help to the family.

Liang Meifen was also happy herself. She said, "The machinery factory is truly a massive enterprise with over ten thousand employees. It’s completely different from my old factory. The atmosphere here feels so much more vibrant."

How to put it?

Even though there were still many "activities" going on these days, they weren’t as intense as they used to be. There were still some minor conflicts here and there, but the machinery factory rarely got involved in such things.

Nowadays, it’s almost unheard of. It’s said that even during the most chaotic times, the machinery factory managed to keep production going.

This was mainly because they were a crucial part of heavy industry, and production couldn’t be delayed. They had to meet output quotas, so work couldn’t stop. When people were too exhausted from work, they didn’t have the energy to stir up trouble. As a result, the factory’s overall atmosphere was much better than that of the textile factory.

Liang Meifen was delighted and couldn’t help but marvel at how different a large state-owned enterprise felt.

She cheerfully said, "Mom, I’ll cook dinner."

Zhao Guihua replied, "I’ve already made it. We’ll eat as soon as your husband gets home."

Liang Meifen: "Alright."

Zhuang Zhiyuan’s workplace was different from theirs and a bit farther away, but he didn’t come home too late either. Liang Meifen immediately called the children in for dinner. The two kids washed their hands and came home, just as other families were also returning for their meals.

Aunt Zhou: "Hmph. I won’t stoop to your level, pah!"

Her quarrel was coming to an end.

Total victory!

In the past, whenever Aunt Zhou got into an argument, there would always be someone meddling and buzzing around. But now, Bai Fendou just glanced over after work and went straight home. This made Aunt Zhou even happier.

Hehe, no backup for you now, huh?

Aunt Zhou strutted home triumphantly, while Aunt Su frowned as she stared at the door. Why wasn’t Wang Xiangxiu back yet? That little vixen must have run off with some man again. What a shameless woman.

Who knows how many men she’s been with behind her son’s back.

If it weren’t for the fact that she needed her to support the family and take care of her in old age, she would’ve kicked that woman out long ago.

Fortunately, this woman still had some value left. She was going to squeeze every last bit of usefulness out of her, leaving nothing behind.

Just as she was pondering this, Bai Fendou came out. She quickly approached him, "Fendou, are you heading out again?"

She asked gently, "Are you going to see your dad? How is he doing?"

Bai Fendou: "Get lost!"

He snapped and walked away without another word.

In the past, he had been kind to her out of love for her daughter. But now that he no longer cared for the daughter, he had no reason to be polite to Aunt Su. Bai Fendou rode off on his bike. He hadn’t been to the hospital all day, but there was nothing he could do about it.

He couldn’t just skip work, could he?

If he didn’t earn money, how would he pay for his father’s treatment?

When he arrived at the hospital, the people around the other beds gave him disdainful looks, but he didn’t feel the least bit ashamed.

Every family has its own struggles.

Others might pity Old Man Bai, but none of them were going to take him in and care for him. That responsibility still fell on his son.

He sighed and headed to the doctor’s office. If possible, he wanted to discharge his father and have him recover at home. It would be better than staying in the hospital.

As soon as Bai Fendou left, someone spat, "His father hasn’t even left the critical stage, and this guy didn’t show up for a whole day."

"He went to work."

"How could he not wait a few more days until his father was out of danger?"

"Maybe he’s out of money? That’s why he’s rushing to work?"

"Well, who told him to spend all his money on that widow? Everyone knows about that!"

Bai Fendou’s self-exposure had spread throughout the hospital.

People pitied him but also looked down on him.

In these times, even if you had decent conditions, if you behaved like this, people would still scorn you.

Bai Fendou had no idea people were talking about him. He was careless by nature. Although the hospital had said it would take several days for his father to be out of danger, after seeing him stable for two or three days, he stopped worrying.

Now, even though his father was still on an IV drip, he decided it was time to discharge him.

The doctor looked at Bai Fendou in disbelief, "Your father hasn’t left the critical stage. If you take him out now, what if something happens?"

Bai Fendou: "He looks fine to me."

The doctor: "..."

Where exactly do you see that your father is fine?

"He’s not out of danger yet. If you insist on taking him away, he could die. If you do that, we can’t stop you, but you’ll have to sign a waiver."

Bai Fendou hesitated. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to treat his father.

But seeing his father lying there, unconscious and unresponsive, he thought, what difference did it make whether he was lying in the hospital or at home? Wasn’t it just a waste of money? The daily expenses weren’t cheap.

He wavered.

The doctor had seen plenty of cases where people couldn’t afford to treat serious injuries or illnesses. Life was hard, and sometimes there was no other choice.

So the doctor didn’t force Bai Fendou to keep his father in the hospital, but he did explain the situation clearly. After thinking it over, Bai Fendou sighed and said, "Fine, he’ll stay in the hospital."

He couldn’t just abandon his father completely.

He left the doctor’s office with a heavy heart and returned to the ward, muttering under his breath, "Old man, you’re lucky to have a son like me. If it were someone less filial, they wouldn’t even bother taking care of you. Do you know how much money you’re costing me every day? You’re lying here, unconscious, and still draining my wallet. What a burden..."

The people around the other beds sneered, their disdain for him growing even stronger.

Unaware of their judgment, Bai Fendou found an empty bed and lay down. At least it was summer, so he didn’t need a blanket.

Bai Fendou had gone to the hospital, leaving no one at home. Aunt Su stood at the door, still waiting, but there was no sign of Wang Xiangxiu. The surroundings were empty, and her face was as dark as ink. That little vixen.

So where had Wang Xiangxiu gone today?

Aunt Su would never have guessed. Instead of rushing home after work, Wang Xiangxiu had taken a strange, winding route to Liang Meifen’s parents’ house.

Yes, you read that right—she went to Liang Meifen’s parents’ house.

Wang Xiangxiu had worked all day, surrounded by foul smells, feeling like she was about to vomit. Not only that, but she was also being gawked at like a circus animal. She felt utterly miserable. And the person responsible for her current predicament was none other than Liang Meifen.

If it weren't for Liang Meifen coming to work at the factory, how could they have assigned her to clean the toilets?

The person who was supposed to take over the job of cleaning the toilets didn’t do it, and instead, they transferred her, a first-class fitter from the workshop, to do it. Is there any logic in that?

At this moment, Wang Xiangxiu conveniently forgot that her status as a first-class fitter was only granted due to her long years of service and the factory’s consideration of her family’s financial difficulties. In reality, she didn’t actually meet the qualifications.

Fortunately, the work of a first-class fitter was relatively simple, so she managed without much trouble.

But as for being promoted to a second-class fitter? She might as well stop dreaming about that.

Yet, she firmly believed that she was already a first-class worker and would soon be promoted to second-class. Being treated so unfairly was simply unacceptable!

However, when Wang Xiangxiu went to complain to the management, no one paid her any attention. They either avoided her or bluntly told her they didn’t want to see her. This left her feeling deeply frustrated. She had always been well-liked and got along easily with men.

The fact that even the management didn’t value her made her feel particularly miserable. Why was this happening?

The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. But she also knew there was nothing she could do to change the management’s decisions. Because of this, she decided to teach Liang Meifen a lesson. After all, how did Liang Meifen manage to give up her formal job and still get a new one?

Did she even deserve it?

There was no way to reverse Wang Xiangxiu’s assignment to clean the toilets, but she was determined to cause some trouble for Liang Meifen.

Both Wang Xiangxiu and Liang Meifen had been married into the same compound for many years, so they knew each other well. Wang Xiangxiu was aware that Liang Meifen’s family was greedy and never satisfied. Over the years, they had frequently visited Liang Meifen, and although it sometimes seemed like they didn’t take much, everyone knew that Liang Meifen’s salary was mostly used to support her parents and younger brother.

So this time, Wang Xiangxiu decided to exploit this situation. She didn’t know Liang Meifen’s family personally, but she had a rough idea of where they lived. After asking around for a long time, as night fell, she finally found the compound.

“Is the Liang family home?”

Wang Xiangxiu stood at the entrance and called out.

“Is there a family surnamed Liang here? The young man isn’t very tall, quite stocky, with single eyelids,” she added. “Oh yes, he works at the textile factory and took over the job at the end of last year.”

“Oh, you mean the Liang family! They live over there. Mrs. Liang, there’s a woman outside looking for your son…”

Wang Xiangxiu quickly corrected, “No, no, I’m not looking for their son. I’m looking for the elderly couple…”

“Oh, Old Lady Hu, come out for a moment.”

It was dinner time, and Old Lady Hu, holding a steamed bun, came out and asked, “Who are you…?”

She found the woman in front of her somewhat familiar but couldn’t place her. “Are you looking for our family?”

The woman did look familiar, but she didn’t recognize her.

“Who are you?”

Before Wang Xiangxiu could answer, Liang Meifen’s younger brother, Liang Jiabao, appeared. Liang Jiabao was the only son in the Liang family and had been pampered since childhood. While everyone else was thin from hardship, he was rather stocky.

Wang Xiangxiu recognized him immediately.

After all, this young man had previously visited their compound to ask Liang Meifen for money.

She immediately put on a sweet smile and said, “Little brother, do you remember Sister Xiu?”

Liang Jiabao replied, “You’re… you’re Widow Wang.”

Wang Xiangxiu: “…”

She hated hearing those two words. Even though she was indeed a widow, she despised being reminded of it. It wasn’t that she had loved her husband deeply, but his death had forced her to shoulder the burden of supporting the Su family. She didn’t like being reminded of that.

She cooed, “Oh, come on, don’t call me Widow Wang. Just call me Sister Xiu.”

Liang Jiabao: “Sister Xiu, you…”

Before he could finish, a cold, sharp voice interrupted, “What Sister Xiu!”

The woman’s voice was icy, and she stepped out of the house. She was decent-looking but had narrow, upturned eyes that made her seem difficult to deal with. She glared at Liang Jiabao and said, “Liang Jiabao, you better explain yourself. Who is this ‘Sister Xiu’? What are you doing outside? A widow comes knocking at your door, and you’re calling her ‘Sister Xiu’? Disgusting!”

A nosy neighbor chimed in, “She said she was looking for your parents-in-law too.”

This made Liang Jiabao’s wife even angrier. “So, you’re not just fooling around outside, but you’re bringing this woman into our home? Is that it?”

She became furious. “Liang Jiabao, are you out of your mind? You have a young wife like me, and you’re still chasing after this kind of woman? Is she younger or prettier than me? Is the grass always greener on the other side?”

She was a fiery woman and grabbed Liang Jiabao by the collar. “You better explain yourself clearly, or this isn’t over.”

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.

Wang Xiangxiu protested, “No, no… How can you accuse me like this?”

“Stop with your whiny voice. I’m a woman too, and I’m not falling for your tricks!” She tightened her grip on Liang Jiabao. “Explain yourself! Who is this woman?”

Liang Jiabao was equally confused. He had no idea why he was being accused of this. He had always been faithful to his wife.

“I don’t know! I don’t even know why she’s here.”

“You don’t know why she came looking for you? Do you think I’m stupid?”

“I really don’t know! Sister Xiu, say something! Explain! We have no relationship whatsoever. Wait, why did you come looking for me…?”

This only made Liang Jiabao’s wife more suspicious.

“Oh, so she can’t come looking for you? Are you afraid your affair will be exposed? You heartless man!”

*Slap!*

She struck him across the face.

Liang Jiabao, cowering, said, “What are you doing?”

The elderly couple rushed forward. “Daughter-in-law, what are you doing? How can you hit him? If there’s any blame, it’s that woman’s fault… You can’t hit him!”

“Look at the kind of woman he’s bringing home! Shameless!”

Although Old Lady Hu was harsh on her daughter, she was much weaker when it came to her daughter-in-law. Seeing Wang Xiangxiu, she felt the woman was nothing but trouble and lunged at her. “You dare come here and ruin my son’s family? I’ll beat you to death, you vixen!”

“Old man, slap her! Hit her!” Old Man Liang wasn’t exactly a kind old man either.

Wang Xiangxiu shouted, “What’s wrong with your family? What are you doing? Don’t blame me if I fight back…”

A chaotic brawl broke out!

Liang Jiabao’s wife was seething with anger. When they were introduced, she was told how wonderful the Liang family was, but after marrying into it, she realized it wasn’t all that great. They had promised her “three rounds and one sound” (a traditional dowry), but they couldn’t deliver on any of it.

If it weren’t for Liang Jiabao’s stable job and the fact that she could have some control after marrying in, she wouldn’t have agreed to the marriage.

Even before the wedding, she had clashed with her sister-in-law.

She couldn’t find a better family, but she still felt the Liangs weren’t good enough for her. After marrying in, she became even more dissatisfied with their actual situation. But since she was already married and couldn’t divorce and remarry, she had to make do.

However, she soon found new reasons to be unhappy. Liang Jiabao worked at a textile factory with many female workers.

Sometimes he would come home and talk about his coworkers, who were all women, which made her even angrier. She had been bottling up her feelings, and today, seeing a woman come to their home, she couldn’t hold back anymore. She shouted, “Have you no shame? Liang Jiabao, what did you promise me when we got married? And now you’re bringing this kind of woman home?”

Wang Xiangxiu couldn’t take it anymore. She thought this family was insane. She had never had any relationship with Liang Jiabao; she had only come to warn them about Liang Meifen!

How could they jump to such conclusions?

They were delusional.

As she dodged their attacks, she fought back.

She raised her voice a little and said, "What nonsense are you talking about! There's nothing going on between me and Liang Jiabao. I'm Liang Meifen's neighbor, and I came here today because of Liang Meifen's matters..."

Bringing up Liang Meifen only made Liang Jiabao's wife even angrier. That sister-in-law of hers was so stingy. She couldn't even spare a bicycle, even though her husband was the only male heir in the Liang family. She should have been willing to empty the family coffers to support him.

But no, she refused to help.

She was truly no good.

Not only did she refuse to help, but she also said that Liang Meifen was just an ordinary girl, nothing special, and didn't deserve so much. This led to a heated argument, and they parted on bad terms. She drew a clear line: it was either her or Liang Meifen. If they wanted to get married, Liang Meifen absolutely could not be invited. How dare a sister-in-law try to meddle in the dowry matters?

Shameless!

And she won. The Liang family actually went along with her and didn't invite Liang Meifen.

This was her proudest moment.

The family's conditions weren't as good as she had imagined, but she had them firmly under her control.

However, whenever Liang Meifen was mentioned, she became extremely displeased.

She said, "Ugh! Stop talking about Liang Meifen. Liang Meifen is nothing. What kind of sister behaves like that? Her brother is getting married, and she won't even contribute the 'three rounds and one sound'? She's trash. What now? Did she send you here to seduce my husband and make me look bad? Let me tell you, it won't work! My Jiabao only has eyes for me! Liang Meifen can dream on if she thinks she can ruin my marriage!"

The neighbors who overheard this shook their heads. Liang Meifen had given so much to the Liang family, and it was all for nothing. This family was truly ungrateful.

Wang Xiangxiu retorted, "...Are you out of your mind? Who wants to ruin your marriage? Can't you see that your short, ugly husband is someone I wouldn't even look at? You're so full of yourself. With your nasty attitude, you're only fit for a man who relies on his sister to get a job..."

"What? How dare you insult my son!" Old Lady Hu was even more furious now, and she lunged at Wang Xiangxiu with her "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" technique.

"You people are really insane. When did I ever show interest in your son? I came here out of goodwill to tell you that Liang Meifen has found a new job."

Liang Jiabao didn't believe it at all and shouted, "You're my third sister's neighbor. Logically, you should be on good terms with her. Why would you come all the way here to tell us this? Are you plotting something with her to trick us? Are you trying to scam me out of my job?"

"That's right, that must be it."

"Exactly! Jobs aren't that easy to come by. She just gave her job to me, and now she has another one? Do you think we're stupid?"

"Ah, they must be up to no good. She probably regrets giving up her job and is now scheming with her neighbor. How despicable! What a wicked woman!"

"No doubt about it, that's exactly what's happening."

The Liang family members, one after another, firmly believed that Wang Xiangxiu had come with malicious intentions.

Wang Xiangxiu was so angry she almost fainted. She had met stupid people before, but never such stupid and self-righteous idiots. She tried to calm herself and said, "Liang Meifen has started working at the machinery factory..."

"Liar! That's definitely a lie! The machinery factory is a state-owned enterprise. She's been married for so many years and never got in. How could she get a job there now, when positions are so scarce? You're a big liar!"

"Exactly! Couldn't you come up with a better excuse?"

"Why are you saying this? What are you trying to achieve with this lie?"

"Ah, I get it now." Liang Jiabao slapped his head and exclaimed excitedly, "I see through it now! My third sister must have gotten a temporary job at the machinery factory. She wants to use this as a better opportunity to swap jobs with me. The machinery factory is better than the textile factory. She’ll trick me into thinking it’s a permanent position, and once we swap, I’ll end up with a temporary job at the machinery factory, while she’ll take my permanent job at the textile factory. Oh, how devious! That’s definitely their plan."

He thought he had uncovered the truth.

He was so clever, he saw right through it.

The Liang family members all nodded in agreement.

"Jiabao, you're so smart. That must be it, absolutely."

"I knew it! Why else would she come here with good intentions? It's all a scheme. How despicable!"

"What a disgrace to the family. Such a daughter is truly no good..."

Wang Xiangxiu was on the verge of passing out. Was this family out of their minds?

What kind of nonsense were they thinking?

She cursed, "Go to hell, you bunch of idiots!"

"How dare you curse at us? I'll beat you up, you wicked woman!"

"Count me in!"

Wang Xiangxiu spat, "Ugh! Just die already, you trash!"

Outnumbered, she didn't stick around. She cursed as she ran away.

Damn it, no wonder Liang Meifen was so stupid. It ran in the family!

Ahhh, so infuriating!