《My Happy Daily Life After Being Reborn》


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Rebirth

    ?1: Chapter 1 Rebirth 1: Chapter 1 Rebirth As someone born in the sixties, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s name was undoubtedly unconventional.


    Just think, how could a woman in her fifties not be considered a laughing stock when addressed by such a name?


    But Lin Xiaoguai had never been the subject of ridicule, not even in jest.


    This was a clear testament to her being an unconventional existence in her own right.


    As a freelancer who was extremely rare among her peers, she appeared to others as someone who was ¡®idle and unoccupied¡¯ yet lived comfortably.


    People often thought she was the lucky one who didn¡¯t need to do anything to have money fall from the sky, and she had always been accustomed to the envious glances of those around her.


    ¡ªIn the eyes of people from that era, if you didn¡¯t clock in for work and your job didn¡¯t require physical labor, then it wasn¡¯t considered real work; it was simply playing.


    With loosely curled hair elegantly twisted up, delicately refined features, barely visible crow¡¯s feet, and creamy white skin devoid of age spots or even a single blemish, she wore various styles of qipaos throughout the year, pairing them with discreetly luxurious furs in the winter.


    Coupled with the strong aura of learning emanating from her, she seemed like a well-bred lady straight out of the Republican era.


    Had it been only this, people might have attributed her age-defying appearance to a life of privilege and good maintenance, plus a naturally graceful poise.


    But Lin Xiaoguai was truly difficult to associate with her actual age.


    She lived in an old but tastefully elegant Western-style building in the old part of the city, taking care of the vegetables in her little garden and attending to the flowers in her backyard every day.


    In her free time, she enjoyed decorating her humble abode and indulged in DIY activities: making soap, essential oils, herbal teas, jams, cross-stitch, wood carving, etc., all of which she had tried and gifted to neighbors, receiving no shortage of praise.


    When the weather was nice, she would take her easel out to travel and sketch from life.


    To outsiders, the quality of her work was unjudged, but the accidental glimpses they got were pleasing to the eye; the paintings hung in her living room and bedroom were also created in this manner.


    Lin Xiaoguai had many friends, though none she was closely connected with, but all were kindred spirits.


    During holidays, she would either host or attend various events¡ªsometimes gatherings, parties, hiking, road trips, and even tagging along with professional archaeological teams to explore ancient tombs.


    Now at her age, with enough savings in the bank to sustain her, Lin Xiaoguai devoted more energy to various hobby clubs.


    She¡¯d try anything that interested her, and let go when the interest waned, all just to be Happy.


    Her life was vibrant and full of vitality that even young people couldn¡¯t match, making it hard to believe she was a woman in her fifties.


    In her everyday dealings, Lin Xiaoguai was also very kind, greeting everyone with a smile.


    Her reputation in the old city was not bad at all.


    When neighbors were in need, she was mostly willing to lend a hand, but she wasn¡¯t one to give and take without principle; she had her limits and adhered to her principles.


    While her actions exuded the breath of a vivid life, those who knew her often described her as ¡®too perfect to partake in the common world.¡¯


    Although she lived in the same city, under the same sky as them, she gave off the impression that she was quite removed from reality as if living in some exquisite painting.


    Her smile carried an imperceptible aloofness, ethereal and enigmatic.


    Of course, while Lin Xiaoguai was well-liked, she wasn¡¯t RMB¡ªthere were always a few who looked at her unfavorably.


    And when these people spoke of Lin Xiaoguai, they had a lot to say, but the gist of it was this¡ª¡±That woman really knows how to put on an act, always pretending to be so good-natured it¡¯s sickening as if trying to fool people into thinking she¡¯s a saint.¡±


    In response, Lin Xiaoguai would simply smile it off.


    After all, whether she was considered perfect or phony, neither was who she really was.


    Only a few close friends could glimpse into her heart.


    It was hard for anyone not to admire Lin Xiaoguai, who was talented, attractive, and cultured, especially those who interacted with her frequently.


    However, despite this, her friends often sighed when it came to her¡ªthey always came back to the same sentiment: Lin Xiaoguai was unfortunately born under an unlucky star, doomed to a life of solitude.


    A woman, no matter how good she is in all respects, if she lacks the capacity to become a mother and goes through life without a son or daughter, no one would truly consider her to be good.


    Moreover, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s situation was even more so: during the holidays, no relatives were seen visiting her, and she always lived alone in that large house.

 Chapter 2 - 2 1 Rebirth_2

    ?2: Chapter 1 Rebirth_2 2: Chapter 1 Rebirth_2 After watching for a while, Lin Xiaoguai felt a pang of sadness.


    Stepping out of her regular tea house, the drizzling rain outside made her pause, and a familiar waitress had already handed her a folding umbrella.


    ¡°Aunt Lin, the usual!¡± The waiter¡¯s voice carried the vibrant energy typical of youth.


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled faintly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring it over tomorrow.¡±


    Seeing another customer ready to pay, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t linger and stepped into the veil of rain.


    The rain wasn¡¯t heavy, but in the darkness, it obscured vision.


    Luckily, the familiar path home cleared any fear of getting lost.


    Watching the droplets splash at her feet, she slightly curved her lips.


    It was the first rain of summer.


    The lettuce in the garden had grown, and this rain would surely boost their growth.


    If they grew any larger, they¡¯d be too old and less tasty.


    She couldn¡¯t eat much alone, perhaps she¡¯d dry them on a sunny day.


    Making up her mind leisurely, Lin Xiaoguai noticed hurried footsteps from afar but didn¡¯t give it much thought.


    Although not in the city center, the neighborhood generally had good security due to its special residents.


    She was pondering this when she saw a figure rushing over from the opposite side.


    It appeared to be a middle-aged woman without an umbrella, possibly in some urgent situation.


    A gust of wind came, and Lin Xiaoguai bowed her head to hold down her qipao, catching a glimpse of the woman passing by.


    Walking a bit further, a sudden rush of footsteps from behind approached.


    Lin Xiaoguai frowned and turned around, only to have a pair of hands rapidly grasp her neck.


    ¡°Lin Xiaoguai, you bitch!¡±


    The woman was strong, and Lin Xiaoguai, caught off guard, might have fallen if not for the choking grip on her neck.


    In the hazy rain, she seemed to see a face twisted into a horrifying expression.


    The hands on her neck tightened, the umbrella slipped from her powerless grip, and she instinctively tried to pry the choking hands away to breathe.


    Lin Xiaoguai tried to speak but only struggled vainly.


    The panic and fear almost drowned her.


    Driven by survival instinct, Lin Xiaoguai summoned unusual strength.


    For a moment, she pried the hands slightly and gasped some fresh air, but it was only for a moment.


    Perhaps provoked by her resistance, her assailant grew more ferocious.


    No matter how hard Lin Xiaoguai struggled, she couldn¡¯t free herself again and could only feel death approaching rapidly.


    ¡°Xu Meimei, what are you doing!¡± A voice filled with rage and panic rang in her ears.


    Lin Xiaoguai strained to lift her eyelids, her eyes flashing with a complex mix of resentment and sorrow before her vision blurred, the struggle fading into darkness.


    In a cramped room divided by pale yellow lime walls, a bright red Western-style bed stood against the wall, beside a similarly red wardrobe and a ginger-yellow writing desk.


    At that moment, a petite figure lay quietly on the bed, the sweat on her forehead indicating her agony.


    Groggily, Lin Xiaoguai forced her eyes open, felt the severe pain in her lower abdomen, and couldn¡¯t help but groan, feeling a warm flow from between her legs.


    Without thinking, she conjured a cup of water and drank it in one gulp.


    Ever since that miscarriage, she had grown accustomed to this severe pain accompanying her periods...


    Her consciousness didn¡¯t stay clear for long as Lin Xiaoguai slipped back into unconsciousness.


    When she awoke again, Lin Xiaoguai blankly stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar hospital room.


    The light green curtains, the grey ground of alum stone, the ginger-yellow low cabinet with its vase of plastic flowers...


    Once she came to her senses, Lin Xiaoguai was in tears.


    This was the place, this very place where she had received the most unfortunate news a woman could hear.


    Her child...


    Lin Xiaoguai sobbed, clutching the bedsheets, her disbelief reflected in her youthful hands as hatred welled up, making her chest ache.


    She thought she had moved on, but it was only what she thought.


    After a long while, Lin Xiaoguai composed herself and began to survey her surroundings.


    There were only her in the hospital room, not exactly a VIP room of the future, but simply because there weren¡¯t many patients, with five out of six beds empty.


    Luckily, the nurses weren¡¯t as abundant as in the future.


    Since her awakening, no one had disturbed her; otherwise, her earlier breakdown would have been witnessed.


    Lin Xiaoguai bowed her head, trembling slightly as she touched her abdomen, closed her eyes, and tears uncontrollably overflooded.


    Even experiencing it again, the agony of losing a child hadn¡¯t lessened much.


    She took a deep breath and then exhaled, wiped away her tears, and gazed directly at the calendar on the opposite wall¡ª


    February 26, 1980.


    Just as she had thought!


    Lin Xiaoguai pressed her chest firmly.


    She had truly returned.


    Back to an age where she could still make changes...


    Having cultivated her character for decades, although momentarily losing composure due to unexpectedly returning to her most painful moment, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t wallow in turbulent emotions for long.


    She soon got a grip on herself and began analyzing her situation.


    It was 1980, she was only sixteen then, and she had time to change the upcoming events.


    And the first thing to do was to find a way to end the marriage with that man.


    Lin Xiaoguai pursed her lips, gazing quietly at her slender fingers.


    Thinking about her previous life...


    well, let¡¯s call it her previous life for now, Lin Xiaoguai always had a clear stance on people and matters: love or hatred, like or dislike were distinct, except for one exception.


    Shen Chi, her husband then.


    To put it affectively, she couldn¡¯t love him nor hate him; if she had to describe it precisely, it was disfavor, a desire to distance herself.


    Just as she was thinking about that man, footsteps and muffled conversation sounds came from outside the door.


    Having experienced it once before, Lin Xiaoguai knew well who stood outside and what was about to happen.

 Chapter 3 - 3 2 Memories

    ?3: Chapter 2: Memories 3: Chapter 2: Memories ¡°Wanwan!¡± As soon as he pushed the door open, he met Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s clear eyes; the visitor paused, then approached with delight, ¡°You¡¯re awake.


    Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?¡±


    As he spoke, he placed the bag he was carrying on top of the cabinet and sat down on the foldable chair prepared for family members beside the hospital bed.


    The visitor¡¯s features were rare among men¡ªa delicate and handsome beauty that did not diminish his masculinity.


    Coldness mixed with indifference shone in his narrow eyes, covered with a thin layer of ice, intimidating yet uniquely charming.


    Paired with his tall, pine-like stature and a robust temperament, he would definitely be praised as a male deity if he were to stand on the main street.


    Of course, this is from a future perspective since people back then mostly appreciated more honest and straightforward appearances.


    However, even at that time, people would still commend the man in front of them as handsome¡ªinevitably adding a silent remark in their minds about him being ¡°somewhat frivolous¡± or ¡°insincere.¡±


    But Lin Xiaoguai had no interest in appreciating the young Shen Chi; her mind was occupied with one thought¡ª


    Why was Shen Chi¡¯s reaction different from her memory?


    Not to mention, she distinctly remembered that when she had originally awoken, Shen Chi¡¯s eyes were teary, but now, although his handsome face showed unhideable concern, it was not as grave as in her memories.


    Suppressing the dissonance in her heart, Lin Xiaoguai asked softly, ¡°Why am I in the hospital?¡± She had asked the same thing initially.


    Shen Chi¡¯s expression changed, and he replied with guilt, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, and we almost lost the baby.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai froze, grasping his hand incredulously, ¡°What did you say!?¡±


    Clearly ...


    Shen Chi interpreted her shock as being unprepared for the child¡¯s arrival and chuckled lightly, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant; we are going to be parents.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai looked dazed, her hands resting on her belly, uncertain whether to cry or laugh.


    After a while, she leaned back against the pillow somewhat despondently, silent.


    Seeing her abnormally muted reaction, Shen Chi¡¯s expression darkened slightly, but quickly resumed as if nothing was amiss, ¡°Although we managed to save the baby, your condition isn¡¯t good.


    The doctor said the slightest carelessness could cause a miscarriage.¡±


    Outside the door, the doctor¡¯s mostly pessimistic remarks about saving the baby echoed in Shen Chi¡¯s mind, a dark glint passing quickly across his eyes.


    He married her to treat her well, yet he did not anticipate causing her such suffering.


    As he thought, noticing Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s distracted look, Shen Chi quickly reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the child will be fine.¡±


    He didn¡¯t believe his own words; Wanwan had lost so much blood before, and even without much common sense, he knew the child¡¯s situation was unclear.


    Recalling the doctor¡¯s hesitantly-spoken words, Shen Chi clenched his fists¡ªguessing that his absence would lead to trouble for Wanwan; he hadn¡¯t imagined she would be abused this severely.


    Overworking and malnutrition?


    Though Wanwan had been depressed after her father¡¯s death, he knew her body, pampered by her father before marriage, shouldn¡¯t have deteriorated this severely not even two months after the old man¡¯s passing.


    Although malnutrition wasn¡¯t unusual in these times, her father had been notably good to Wanwan, who had always been plump and rarely caught a cold.


    Thinking of the last visit home when he specially arranged through a comrade to get half a pig and dozens of kilos of smoked sausage, Shen Chi scoffed inwardly¡ªevidently, the goodies were wasted!


    Lin Xiaoguai looked down silently; she was not worried about the baby, knowing that a cup of Spiritual Water would ensure the child¡¯s safety.


    But, the sudden turn of events left her with no mood to entertain Shen Chi.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired; I want to sleep for a bit.¡±


    Shen Chi paused, then nodded, ¡°Then sleep; I¡¯ll go buy you something to eat.¡± He had been preoccupied with worry, consulting the doctor about his wife¡¯s condition, and only now thought about preparing food.


    After Shen Chi left, Lin Xiaoguai slowly opened her eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling above.


    What does this all mean?


    Remembering the Spiritual Water she drank absentmindedly, Lin Xiaoguai realized what had led to the current situation.


    For a moment, she felt lost; the baby was still there, but did that mean she should continue her life with Shen Chi?


    But considering divorce¡ªthis was not the future era where divorce might be looked down upon.


    She could stand it herself, as she had never cared about others¡¯ views, but could her child?


    Of course not!


    Her child must grow up under the benevolent and blessed gaze of the public.

 Chapter 4 - 4 2 Memories_2

    ?4: Chapter 2: Memories_2 4: Chapter 2: Memories_2 Moreover, a child cannot be without a father, and she didn¡¯t believe any man could love her child more than the child¡¯s own father.


    Thus, her original plan had to be changed.


    Although Lin Xiaoguai could understand it rationally, she still felt depressed.


    Lin Xiaoguai always felt her life was somewhat different.


    From childhood to adulthood, nothing that had happened to her was truly good, yet it couldn¡¯t absolutely be said they were all bad.


    Lin Xiaoguai was born in a southern rural village.


    Her ancestors were originally a family of scholars and although none reached high official positions, most of her forebears were literate and respected, making a significant name in Fengyuan Village.


    However, after the initial liberation of the country, landlords and capitalists were stripped of their properties.


    The Lin Family, having vast lands, was labeled as landlords, and all their assets were to be confiscated.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s great-grandfather and many elder clan members mostly died trying to protect the ancestral home and the heirlooms, eventually all being executed.


    The remaining clan members lost the family fortune and couldn¡¯t even stay in the ancestral home.


    Life became difficult suddenly, and during the subsequent turbulent periods, their class status caused them nothing but suffering.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s grandfather and several educated clan members were sent to work in the farms, living in cattle sheds doing dirty, exhausting jobs, always cold and hungry, and regularly dragged out for public humiliation.


    By 1976, the only one who survived and returned home was Grandpa Lin, yet he died within two years as well.


    Those in the village didn¡¯t fare any better, suffering insults and exclusion by their neighbors.


    The Red Guards paid frequent visits; some members of the clan starved, some were driven to death, and others died from ¡°accidents¡±.


    Thus, the Lin Family of Fengyuan Village declined into silence.


    During this difficult period, the family library which represented centuries of the Lin¡¯s cultural heritage was burned down by the Red Guards.


    Since then, the Lin family had no more lineage to pass down and lost their backbone, with countless clan members dying numbly.


    Of course, despite the decline, the remaining family members weren¡¯t illiterate and could still be considered slightly literate.


    The education of Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s father and his two uncles was decent enough for basic tasks like accounting.


    Lin Xiaoguai was the fifth child, with four older brothers.


    It¡¯s easy to see how cherished she was at home, not to mention being the precious child born to her parents in their late forties.


    But trouble also brewed from there.


    Due to the cultural upheaval, the remaining books and antiques were burned or destroyed by the Red Guards like scraping the ground clean, and even small items that were hidden away dared not be revealed.


    Thus, the Lin Family was truly poor from top to bottom.


    Fortunately, whether it was Mr.


    Lin or Uncle Lin, these men were capable.


    Although not extremely wealthy or prestigious, they still managed to raise a large family under subtle disdain and exclusion from the rest of the village, marrying and having children without delay.


    Mr.


    Lin had two older brothers, named Lin Shaoqiang, Lin Nianqiang, and Lin Guoqiang in that order, as Grandpa Lin often said during his lifetime, ¡°If the youth are strong, the country is strong,¡± and considering the special national conditions at the time, names couldn¡¯t be too extraordinary.


    Below Lin Guoqiang were two sisters, Lin Zijuan and Lin Zifen, both married far away.


    While the siblings were harmonious, limited communication due to inconvenient transportation meant they didn¡¯t see each other often.


    Though the youngest among the siblings, Lin Guoqiang was capable, successfully raising four sons and a daughter even during times of famine, with none starving to death, whereas Lin Shaoqiang and Lin Nianqiang fared slightly worse.


    Lin Shaoqiang, as the eldest, was honest and gentle, but married a formidable wife.


    Fortunately, while sharp, she was reasonable, managing both home and outside affairs to everyone¡¯s admiration.


    Their sole regret was their eldest and second sons passing away early.


    After finally raising a daughter, they were relieved by their two brothers when another three daughters followed over the next decade.


    The continuation of the eldest branch of the family seemed at risk due to family planning policies, and it took selling everything to finally have a son, depleting the family richness built over decades.


    Despite support from other siblings, the four daughters¡¯ marriages were less than satisfactory.


    As the second oldest, Lin Nianqiang was the most tactful among the brothers but had a stubborn streak.


    Normally easy-going, he couldn¡¯t stand idleness and would act rashly when heated, saved only by the support of his two brothers.


    Later, Lin Nianqiang married a bad-tempered wife, and although they had seven sons and two daughters, only three sons survived.


    Because of this, no matter how intensely Lin Nianqiang and his wife fought, they never reached a breaking point.


    The couple bickered all their lives, but in their old age, they became more consultative and stopped fighting.


    Lin Guoqiang, though the youngest, was the most composed and reticent among the brothers, and also the most calculating at heart.


    His two elder brothers, in fact, often followed his lead.


    Compared to his older brothers, Lin Guoqiang¡¯s wife was the kindest and most honest, always following her husband¡¯s lead, and her greatest virtue was enduring hardship.


    Unlike Lin Shaoqiang and Lin Guoqiang, who both experienced the pain of losing a child, Lin Guoqiang was fortunate in this regard as all his children grew up successfully.


    If there was anything he regretted in his life, it was that his four sons took after their mother, lacked presence, and were not the brightest, which disappointed Lin Guoqiang who had hoped to nurture a college graduate to resurrect the family¡¯s past glory.


    But this regret gradually disappeared after Lin Xiaoguai was born.


    Lin Xiaoguai was supposed to be named Lin Wanwan, with Xiao Guai merely being a pet nickname.


    However, when her birth was registered, there was a mixup with no way to correct it, so they just switched her official name with her nickname, ending up with such an unconventional name.

 Chapter 5 - 5 3 The Past

    ?5: Chapter 3: The Past 5: Chapter 3: The Past Lin Guoqiang and his wife Ma Lingfang were not striking in appearance, but Lin Xiaoguai choose to inherit only the best traits from both parents, growing up to be like a finely carved jade that everyone couldn¡¯t help but love.


    When she was around three or four, Lin Guoqiang realized his daughter had an excellent mind, far smarter than he had been as a child.


    From that point on, Lin Guoqiang devoted all his energy to cultivating his eldest daughter, yielding stars but not the moon, and sent her off to school early, leaving his four sons behind to fend for themselves.


    Ma Lingfang always looked up to her husband, so when he doted on their daughter, she did the same.


    Although Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s four older brothers were never much to speak of in terms of accomplishments, they adored their sister, who might as well have been their own daughter, so it could be said that Lin Xiaoguai grew up surrounded by boundless love.


    She lived up to expectations, always coming first in her class, and driven by her father¡¯s hope, even the tumultuous times couldn¡¯t dampen her passion for study.


    Later, when the college entrance examination was reinstated, she smoothly secured the top score in the province and was admitted to Capital University.


    By that time, Ma Lingfang had passed away, and Lin Guoqiang¡¯s health was declining, but he hid this from Lin Xiaoguai so as not to worry her.


    As a result, when Lin Xiaoguai returned home with such a grand honor, Lin Guoqiang was beaming with pride, smiling like the warm March sun, as he chatted with Lin Xiaoguai before sleep, praising how she had brought honor to the family.


    It took Lin Xiaoguai over half an hour to coax him to sleep.


    After he went to sleep that night, Lin Guoqiang never woke up again.


    Lin Xiaoguai had always been close to Lin Guoqiang.


    If the limit of affection one could offer was one hundred percent, then Lin Guoqiang occupied at least sixty percent of Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s heart.


    When Ma Lingfang died, Lin Xiaoguai had been deeply saddened, but it didn¡¯t compare to how she felt now, as if half the world had collapsed, leaving her life without purpose.


    That night, she was so distraught that she became delirious, and it was her sister-in-law who supported her at the funeral.


    Yet unexpectedly, due to such an indulgence of her emotions, Lin Xiaoguai was sold off.


    From the engagement to marrying Shen Chi, Lin Xiaoguai was in a daze throughout, only briefly snapping out of it on her wedding night due to the physical pain.


    She thought there could be no bride more tragic or absurd than she was.


    Later, as her fever gradually subsided, she found herself in an unfamiliar environment, filled with trepidation and helplessness.


    The sixteen-year-old girl woke up to find herself in a completely new environment, surrounded by strangers, with the so-called husband nowhere to be found, and every gaze upon her devoid of any kindness.


    It was a testament to Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s strong will that she didn¡¯t fall apart.


    Looking back on that period now, Lin Xiaoguai found it suffocating, every word and action was cautious, questions lingered in her heart yet she dared not ask, and she couldn¡¯t refuse her mother-in-law¡¯s commands, going along with things just to understand her situation.


    In the end, due to a child¡¯s mischief she endured unbearable pain, seething with anger but not daring to speak out, and due to a single disparaging comment from her mother-in-law, she didn¡¯t dare to react and ended up losing her own child, along with the ability to become a mother.


    Her most pathetic and weakest moment must have been then.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s life, when summarized, was somewhat ridiculous.


    She was born into a world of affection, but because her parents were old and died before she could stand on her own, she lost her protection and was betrayed by her brother and sister-in-law.


    Yet even though her situation was tragic, it wasn¡¯t entirely without hope for redemption.


    Though she didn¡¯t understand why, Shen Chi was genuinely good to her.


    As a husband, Shen Chi, who at 26 was already a captain in the army, was without a doubt someone deserving of dependance, despite being burdened with a host of troublesome relatives, he himself was top-tier.


    Lin Xiaoguai herself having been admitted to university, nobody could say that Shen Chi was out of her league.


    Moreover, with the death of Lin Guoqiang, everyone knew her chances of continuing her studies were slim, and even Lin Xiaoguai herself barely held any hope that her brother and sister-in-law would finance her education.


    Both were attractive in their own right, and neither were spiteful individuals, so even if the start wasn¡¯t ideal, over time they¡¯d surely smooth things out and live a good life together.


    But fate just couldn¡¯t let things be so accommodating.


    Lin Xiaoguai miscarried and lost her ability to have children.


    It seemed like fate always withheld a little something at crucial moments, causing Lin Xiaoguai to miss happiness by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    Lin Xiaoguai was filled with hatred; she hated the Shen Family and Shen Chi for leaving her alone to face his relatives when they were newlyweds, and she hated herself most of all.


    Her child had died from a push by Shen Chi¡¯s nephew, because of the cruelty of Mrs.


    Shen, Shen Chi¡¯s absence from the home, and ultimately because of her own psychological frailty which led to a sense of despair.


    ¡°Chi, over here, over here!¡± As Shen Chi walked out of the hospital, he heard someone calling him from across the street.

 Chapter 6 - 6 3 The Past_2

    ?6: Chapter 3: The Past_2 6: Chapter 3: The Past_2 He looked up and was surprised, ¡°Yuan Lin, what are you doing here?¡±


    Yuan Lin and he were from the same village, grew up together, even joined the military together.


    However, a few years ago, Yuan Lin lost half of his pinky finger on a mission and had to retire early, which made their meetings less frequent.


    Nevertheless, the friendship between them never waned.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± Yuan Lin ran over, panting, and patted his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time.


    I thought you were at the health clinic, but who knew you had come to the county hospital.¡±


    On hearing this, Shen Chi sighed, ¡°You know what those barefoot doctors at the health clinics are capable of, no equipment whatsoever.


    How could I dare send Wanwan there?¡±


    He had worked tirelessly to complete a task that was supposed to take two months in just forty days.


    Elated, he rushed back home only to find his wife lying in a pool of blood.


    The panic he felt then still made his heart flutter.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Yuan Lin scratched his head, then remembered something important, ¡°Oh, I almost forgot what I came for.¡±


    Saying this, he opened the snake-skin bag he was carrying and pulled out a flapping hen, ¡°My mom raised this, a three-year-old hen, it¡¯s very nourishing.


    Take it and let your wife replenish her body.¡±


    Shen Chi wanted to refuse but given the urgent situation, the markets were closed, and getting good poultry like this would require a trip to the village which he didn¡¯t have time for.


    Seeing him accept it, Yuan Lin breathed a sigh of relief.


    This guy never liked taking advantage¡ªbefore coming here, he really feared that Shen Chi would refuse out of pride.


    But, seeing the situation, this guy really did like his sister-in-law, just like the gossiping aunts in the village said.


    ¡°By the way, do you have a place to cook?


    Do you want me to accompany you to find a small restaurant?¡± Yuan Lin asked considerately.


    ¡°No need,¡± Shen Chi shook his head, ¡°Ma Laoer works in the county hospital¡¯s cafeteria.


    I¡¯ve talked to him; we¡¯ll borrow the kitchen there.¡±


    Yuan Lin felt relieved and after hesitating for a while, seeing that Shen Chi¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t as bad as he expected, he asked, ¡°How is your wife doing, was the child saved?¡±


    At that time, Shen Chi had rushed out of the house holding Lin Xiaoguai, who was covered in blood.


    Many villagers saw it and, understanding the situation from the blood stains, guessed what had happened.


    ¡°The child was saved, but the doctor said it could still be lost at any time,¡± sighed Shen Chi.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, being cautious can still save it,¡± Yuan Lin originally wanted to say that you and your wife are still young and can have more children, but those words seemed inauspicious at this moment, so he swallowed them back.


    The two went to the hospital¡¯s cafeteria.


    It wasn¡¯t mealtime, so the kitchen was empty except for a cleaning lady sweeping the floor outside.


    Shen Chi started boiling water for the chicken, Yuan Lin helped by thoroughly cleaning the pots, cutting boards, and kitchen knives.


    It wasn¡¯t that they were fussy; it¡¯s just that the cafeteria¡¯s utensils were really in poor shape.


    The kitchen knife still had meat fibers from who knows when, the cutting board was darkened, and even the pot was greasy.


    ¡°By the way, how is my sister-in-law¡¯s mood?¡± Yuan Lin hesitated before asking.


    Shen Chi paused in his movements, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You, kid!¡± Yuan Lin snorted coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not criticizing you as a brother, but what you did was really shady.


    If I were her, I would definitely hate you.¡±


    Somewhat frustrated, he continued, ¡°You¡¯re usually so clever, how could you do something like this?


    I was confused before, but now I understand, you must have had your eye on her since the end of last year, right?¡±


    He didn¡¯t need Shen Chi¡¯s answer and continued to lecture,¡±This is something only a brother would say to you.


    You used shady methods to marry her.


    Although the guys didn¡¯t approve, thinking about your genuine feelings for her, they didn¡¯t say anything.


    But how could you just leave her at home right after getting married?


    What was her situation then?


    Her father had just passed away, she hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock, was sick, and knew nothing about what was happening.


    Her family couldn¡¯t rely on anyone.


    You know your house is practically a den of wolves, how could you dare to leave her like that?


    If it weren¡¯t for Xiuxiu, there¡¯d be no need for you to come back; she might have died from the fever.¡±


    Seeing Shen Chi open his mouth to speak, Yuan Lin quickly cut him off, ¡°I know you want to say it was because of an urgent mission that you left her, but that¡¯s no excuse!


    Does she owe you something to suffer like this?¡±


    He had to get it off his chest.


    During the time Shen Chi was back at the army, he was almost worried to death.


    Although Shen Chi had asked him to look after his wife before he left, being an outsider and a man, there was only so much he could do!


    Wang Zhaodi, that spiteful lady, had never liked him for his friendship with Shen Chi; she wouldn¡¯t even let him inside her door, let alone stand outside for a while without hurling ugly words at him.


    Unfortunately, his wife had gone back to her parents¡¯ home to take care of her sick father, so he couldn¡¯t even send his wife to check on Shen Chi¡¯s wife.


    People couldn¡¯t see her, and the village gossips talked all day about how Wang Zhaodi was tormenting her daughter-in-law again.


    Their tales about how Wang Zhaodi mistreated her became the hottest topic in the village, his heart raced every time he heard them.


    Yuan Lin worked efficiently, and recounted everything he had heard from those gossiping aunts to Shen Chi.


    Finishing, he exclaimed with a face full of relief, ¡°Educated people are so lofty, that¡¯s how the people in Fengyuan Village talk about her.


    She grew up pampered, never suffered before.


    First, her relatives sold her out, then she faced this crisis.


    I¡¯ve been so anxious every day, fearing she couldn¡¯t take it and might seek death, I wouldn¡¯t be able to face you if something happened.¡± He had been restless in his sleep, his gaze unconsciously moving towards Shen Chi¡¯s house whenever he had a moment, fearing bad news would arrive in the blink of an eye.

 Chapter 7 - 7 4 Shen Xiu

    ?7: Chapter 4 Shen Xiu 7: Chapter 4 Shen Xiu Hearing what Wang Zhaodi had done to his wife during his absence, Shen Chi¡¯s heart shuddered repeatedly, and his eyes showed a fierce look due to his fury.


    The summary from Yuan Lin even frightened him more.


    At that moment, he truly realized how absurdly wrong he had been.


    His negligence had brought such great harm to Wanwan.


    Initially, he felt somewhat disheartened by Wanwan¡¯s coldness toward him after she awoke, but now he thought that him only receiving cold treatment from his wife, rather than a slap, was already fortunate.


    Seeing that Shen Chi took his words to heart, Yuan Lin couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    He was genuinely worried that his brother would stubbornly refuse to yield, damaging the marital relationship further.


    Although Lin Xiaoguai was not from Yuanjiazhuang and he didn¡¯t know her, he had heard many rumors about her.


    This girl was beautiful, smart, and not mean-spirited.


    Although she had never worked in the fields, during the years her mother passed away, she, at her young age, had managed their household proficiently.


    Her father¡¯s clothes were always clean and tidy, far from the slovenliness typical of rural men who had lost their wives, clearly showing the girl¡¯s hardworking and capable nature.


    His brother might be good, but the girl was not bad either.


    What he initially did was indeed unkind, and if he didn¡¯t lower his pride now, this young couple might come to an end.


    Before leaving, Yuan Lin still worriedly advised, ¡°I know you are always proud, but as someone with experience, I must point out to you, you can be proud with anyone, but you cannot afford to be proud with your wife.¡±


    Knock, knock.


    The knocking sounds pulled Lin Xiaoguai out of her thoughts, and she looked toward the door.


    A small head peeked in, her eyes sweeping timidly across the hospital room.


    ¡°Sister-in-law.¡± Seeing Lin Xiaoguai, Shen Xiu¡¯s eyes lit up.


    She closed the door, ran to the bedside, and struggled to take off her backpack, pulling out a large bag of fruit.


    ¡°Why are you all sweaty?¡± Lin Xiaoguai could be harsh to any Shen Family members, but Shen Xiu was absolutely an exception.


    Back then, if it weren¡¯t for Shen Xiu¡¯s care, she would have long died from a high fever under the indifference of other Shen Family members.


    Hearing this, the little girl¡¯s eyes reddened, and she said worriedly, ¡°I heard my classmates who don¡¯t stay at the school say it, so I asked for leave to come here.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai knew without asking that she must have run all the way here.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about the fruit, where did you get the money to buy these?¡± Lin Xiaoguai frowned slightly, knowing that the grandma was not generous to this little aunt, usually tight on provisions for her own sons, and would not spare any extra money for the little aunt.


    Moreover, fruit that time was not something usually bought like in later years, wanting to eat an apple during festivals was a luxury, expensive and hard to buy.


    ¡°I earned ninety cents by picking up recyclables during the holidays,¡± Shen Xiu said, her face both proud and shy.


    Ninety cents at that time was not a small sum, considering an ordinary worker¡¯s salary was barely twenty yuan¡ªand it was no wonder that even an introverted girl like Shen Xiu would show such a proud expression.


    Looking at her rosy, flushed cheeks, and then at the portion of fruit, Lin Xiaoguai asked complexly, ¡°Where did you buy these from?¡± It was obvious to her that Xiuxiu must have spent all her money.


    ¡°I wanted to buy it from the street, but there were only two fruit stalls and they weren¡¯t fresh.


    Then I met a classmate who said her family grew them, so I bought it from her home,¡± said Shen Xiu, taking out a pear and smiling, ¡°Though these fruits are small, they are freshly picked.


    Sister-in-law, let me peel it for you.¡±


    Seeing Lin Xiaoguai looking toward the bag of fruit beside the bed, Shen Xiu said softly, ¡°My classmate¡¯s family only grows pears.


    There weren¡¯t other fruits at the street stalls, but I also bought some raw chestnuts from her family¡¯s storage to stir-fry for you to eat later.¡±


    Looking at this fifteen-year-old little aunt, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment.


    Even across lifetimes, she couldn¡¯t forget how this little aunt used to sneak food to her while she went hungry.


    ¡°Xiuxiu, have you eaten yet?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai originally asked casually, not expecting Shen Xiu to hesitate before shaking her head, ¡°No, my classmate¡¯s home is more than an hour¡¯s walk away, and I was too embarrassed to eat there.¡±


    She was genuinely hungry, her stomach uncomfortably empty.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat before coming?¡± Lin Xiaoguai suddenly asked, realizing her own silly question¡ª the child clearly had no money left.


    ¡°Have a pear first.


    Your brother will bring some food over soon, and you can eat with me then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll only eat one, the rest are for sister-in-law,¡± Shen Xiu thought for a moment but didn¡¯t refuse.


    After a pause, she hesitantly said, ¡°Sister-in-law, please don¡¯t blame my brother.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was slightly stunned, looking down in silence.


    Seeing this, Shen Xiu was about to say something when Shen Chi just happened to walk in carrying a pot.


    ¡°Xiuxiu, why are you here?¡± Shen Chi asked in surprise.


    ¡°I came to see sister-in-law,¡± Shen Xiu replied softly.


    Shen Chi glanced quickly at Lin Xiaoguai and saw his wife looking tenderly at Xiuxiu.


    Yuan Lin¡¯s words flashed through his mind, and he felt an indescribable complexity in his heart.


    Shen Xiu stood up to help Shen Chi serve the chicken soup from the pot, turning to ask, ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot, do you want me to feed you?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Lin Xiaoguai shook her head, ¡°Just use a cloth to pad it for me.¡±


    Shen Xiu nodded, skillfully skimming off the yellow-orange oil from the soup.


    ¡°Why did you skim off the oil?¡± Shen Chi frowned, watching.


    People in those days valued the oiliness of their food, picking fatty meat when buying, naturally disapproving of Shen Xiu¡¯s actions.


    ¡°Sister-in-law likes light flavors and doesn¡¯t enjoy greasy food.¡± Shen Xiu quietly explained before taking another chicken thigh into her bowl.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, I won¡¯t be able to finish any more.¡± Seeing Xiu¡¯er reaching for another chicken leg, Lin Xiaoguai immediately stopped her.


    Shen Xiu didn¡¯t insist, carefully placing a piece of cloth at the bottom of the bowl before handing it over to Lin Xiaoguai, and then poured herself some chicken soup to drink.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just drink the soup, take some more meat.¡± Lin Xiaoguai spoke.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine with just some soup; keep the chicken for sister-in-law.¡± Shen Xiu shook her head repeatedly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t finish this much.¡±


    ¡°Then save it for tomorrow.¡± Shen Xiu insisted stubbornly.


    ¡°If I tell you to eat, you eat, the chicken won¡¯t taste good if left too long.¡± Lin Xiaoguai said, brooking no denial.


    Shen Xiu hesitated for a moment, she knew her sister-in-law preferred fresh food, but such chicken wasn¡¯t available daily.


    ¡°If sister-in-law asks you to eat, just eat.¡± Shen Chi then spoke.


    In the end, Shen Xiu added a few pieces of chicken to her bowl and started eating quietly.


    Perhaps because her mind was preoccupied with too many things, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t feel hungry, finishing what was in her bowl without serving more.


    Shen Chi wanted her to eat more but, meeting those overly subdued eyes, didn¡¯t say anything.


    He would rather have Wanwan hit him, scold him, or fuss with him, rather than pretending he didn¡¯t exist like now.


    After eating, Lin Xiaoguai went to sleep while Shen Chi and Shen Xiu left the hospital room, both were very quiet, and after a long silence, Shen Xiu finally said, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t let sister-in-law go back.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Shen Chi gave a wry smile, his sister unexpectedly worried about him.


    Shen Xiu bit her lip, ¡°I¡¯m not going back either, none of us are going back.¡±


    Shen Chi was startled, ¡°What are you talking about; what would dad think?


    He has always loved you the most...¡±


    ¡°Does his love matter?


    Always secretive, did he ever protect me once when Wang Zhaodi bullied me?


    Due to Wang Zhaodi¡¯s partiality, an outsider like Shen Zhu became the family¡¯s treasure!


    An outsider like Xiao Bao almost caused my sister-in-law to miscarry, they acted like nothing was wrong, not even apologizing, I can¡¯t tolerate this, brother!¡± Shen Xiu¡¯s face turned red, tears streaming down her face.


    Shen Chi sighed, Xiu¡¯er usually had a gentle nature and was timid; even if she didn¡¯t like Wang Zhaodi, she always respectfully called her ¡®Mom¡¯ in her presence, now addressing her by her full name showed how angry she was.


    He was reluctant to endure as well, but there were many things Xiu¡¯er didn¡¯t know, he could endure it, but Xiu¡¯er...


    ¡°How are you getting along with your sister-in-law?¡± Shen Chi changed the subject.


    Shen Xiu glared at him but still answered, ¡°Very well, sister-in-law is kind and nothing like what others describe as stuck-up, and she speaks so gently.¡±


    Her lips pursed sadly, ¡°If I had known this would happen, no matter how harshly Wang Zhaodi spoke to send me back to school, I wouldn¡¯t have returned.¡±


    It seemed the long-held resentment burst forth, and Shen Xiu, usually docile, refused to call that woman ¡®Mom¡¯ anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to school.¡± Shen Chi sighed.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Shen Xiu looked at Shen Chi, ¡°First clarify, what exactly do you plan to do with sister-in-law?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Shen Chi looked hesitant.


    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of sending sister-in-law back, are you?¡±


    ¡°Not that.


    Grandpa and grandma are about to return, I was thinking of entrusting Wanwan to their care.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Shen Xiu objected, ¡°You only think grandpa and grandma can take good care of sister-in-law, have you considered if Wang Zhaodi bothers her?


    Grandpa and grandma are old, they can¡¯t protect her.¡±


    Seeing his usually compliant sister showing a fierce side, Shen Chi sighed, truly his mother¡¯s daughter.


    But he had his concerns, ¡°But it¡¯ll cost more if you follow the military, and it might not be as comfortable as living in the countryside.¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Xiu was unshaken, ¡°If I were sister-in-law, I¡¯d rather suffer hardship than stay at home.¡± She paused, ¡°Wang Zhaodi¡¯s maltreatment could drive someone crazy.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi wouldn¡¯t physically attack someone, but her verbal abuse was unmatched among the village women, with malicious and slanderous words effortlessly used to pierce one¡¯s heart and tarnish reputations.


    Shen Chi had joined the military at fourteen and was rarely home, so he knew little of his stepmother¡¯s tactics, but Yuan Lin had thoroughly ¡°educated¡± him before.


    Thinking about the abuses his stepmother inflicted on Wanwan as described by Yuan Lin, Shen Chi¡¯s expression darkened as he began to consider his sister¡¯s suggestion.

 Chapter 8 - 8 5 The Belated Truth

    ?8: Chapter 5 The Belated Truth 8: Chapter 5 The Belated Truth ? Lin Xiaoguai slept very soundly and vaguely remembered dreaming, but she couldn¡¯t recall the details of the dream no matter how hard she tried.


    The warm, bright feeling lingered in her heart, though.


    Like the rising sun of a new day, it was both nostalgic and inspiring.


    ¡°Awake?¡± A low, magnetic voice sounded in her ear.


    Lin Xiaoguai glanced indifferently at Shen Chi and remained silent, as she truly didn¡¯t know what to say to this man.


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t seem to mind her stiffness and helped her sit up and handed her a glass of water, ¡°Take a sip of water.


    Someone will bring food over soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Lin Xiaoguai responded coolly.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re not hungry, eat a little, or you will get hungry during the night and won¡¯t sleep well,¡± Shen Chi said gently, but his tone was undeniably firm.


    Not wanting to argue with him, Lin Xiaoguai took a sip of water and pushed the glass back.


    Shen Chi¡¯s face showed resignation; he didn¡¯t want their relationship to remain cold, but when he had first taken a fancy to Wanwan, he hadn¡¯t actually spent proper time with her to know her temperament.


    Now, in such a situation, he dared not make any rash moves.


    Wanwan had clearly been upset just now, but he didn¡¯t know what he had said wrong.


    ¡°Chizi, may I come in?¡± A loud voice came from outside the door at that moment.


    ¡°Second Brother, come in,¡± Shen Chi called back, not surprised.


    Soon after, a chubby man squeezed through the door.


    Ma Ying, with a beaming smile, placed a basket on the bedside table and straightened up, addressing Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°Sister-in-law, hello, I¡¯m Ma Ying.


    Just call me Second Brother.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Lin Xiaoguai, with her upbringing, couldn¡¯t ignore his greeting and managed a smile in reply.


    Ma Ying then looked at Shen Chi, ¡°I¡¯m heading out then, Chizi.


    There¡¯s a lot of work waiting for me in the canteen.


    Just bring the basket down when you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Sure, thank you,¡± Shen Chi said, patting Ma Ying¡¯s rotund belly.


    Ma Ying didn¡¯t mind and, after smiling at Lin Xiaoguai, left.


    Shen Chi uncovered the cloth on the basket to reveal a plate of stir-fried cabbage with fatty pork slices, a large bowl of chicken soup, and two large bowls of rice.


    Without a word, he handed one bowl of rice to Lin Xiaoguai and took the other for himself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat that much,¡± said Lin Xiaoguai, feeling somewhat overwhelmed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll eat what¡¯s left over,¡± Shen Chi immediately responded without a second thought.


    Lin Xiaoguai was startled by this response.


    She still perceived Shen Chi as the powerful admiral from the Military Department in her past life and couldn¡¯t connect him with the act of eating leftovers.


    Shen Chi, heeding Shen Xiu¡¯s advice, avoided the fatty pork slices that others found tempting when serving Lin Xiaoguai.


    ¡°Second Brother¡¯s cooking is quite good; I had him cook specially for you.


    You should eat more,¡± he said, picking up an empty bowl from the basket to serve Lin Xiaoguai a full bowl of chicken soup.


    Seeing Lin Xiaoguai frown, he quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s okay to eat less rice, but you must finish this bowl of chicken soup.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai realized that Shen Chi simply didn¡¯t understand the concept of negotiation or requests.


    For several days, the atmosphere between Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi was a bit odd, barely exchanging a few words a day, and even those were strained efforts to maintain peace.


    Shen Chi was not comforted by this; he would rather have Lin Xiaoguai vent her anger on him than face this calmness that seemed to have already judged him in her heart.


    Lin Xiaoguai was unaware of Shen Chi¡¯s thoughts.


    Recently, she seemed to be daydreaming a lot, but in reality, she was considering her path ahead.


    The existence of the child meant she would always be tied to Shen Chi for life.


    Fortunately, she never had any illusions about love, so while she felt stifled and resentful, she was not disgusted.


    She accepted the situation so quickly because she remembered the words of a woman named Xu Meimei that she had heard in a daze at the time of her death in her ¡°previous life.¡±


    ¡°Shen Chi, you went and had a vasectomy because of this bitch.


    What about me?


    What am I to you?


    You said you would marry me as long as I bore you a child¡ª¡±


    Though it was hard to believe, she concluded that perhaps, in her past life, Shen Chi never had children because of her, and he seemed not to remarry after her.


    In fact, in her past life, after losing her child, she had blocked all information related to the past, whether from the Shen Family or the Lin Family, and moved to Shanghai as quickly as possible.


    Ten years later, she managed to get Shen Chi to agree to divorce and never returned.


    Only as she aged and had more free time did she visit her father¡¯s and mother¡¯s graves annually, but even then, she chose times when no one else was around.


    It wasn¡¯t about running away, it was just that the hurt had already been done, and she didn¡¯t want to rip open the raw, bleeding wound for all to see repeatedly.


    Regardless of the internal affairs behind Shen Chi¡¯s actions in her past life, it wasn¡¯t hard to see the man¡¯s feelings, or rather his persistence towards her.


    This allowed Lin Xiaoguai to give this man a bit of trust, to try and make a life with him.


    But that was as far as she would go.


    She didn¡¯t intend to forgive Shen Chi just like that; the pain and despair of her past life couldn¡¯t be so easily erased, and Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t want to make it too easy for Shen Chi.


    Since Shen Chi was constantly by her side these past few days, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t do much else, only managing to drink another cup of Spiritual Water while using the restroom, finally allowing herself some peace of mind.


    That day, Shen Xiu was off work and didn¡¯t go back home, instead heading to the hospital with her backpack on.


    Seeing her, Lin Xiaoguai was very happy, after all, having another person to talk to was always a joy.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I saw there¡¯s a wheelchair in the hospital, how about I push you outside for a bit?¡± Shen Xiu entered excitedly.


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t hesitate to nod, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ve felt cooped up all day inside this room.¡±


    Upon receiving the go-ahead, Shen Xiu left and soon returned, pushing a wheelchair, her cheeks flushed with a pleasant rosiness, ¡°There was only this one wheelchair in the hospital; I had quite a time getting my hands on it.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiaoguai smiled, ¡°Our Xiu¡¯er is so capable.¡±


    Shen Xiu immediately beamed with pride, flipping her braided hair as she boasted, ¡°Some older girl tried to fight me for it, but I just ran for it.¡±


    She grinned at Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me because I¡¯m small.


    When I was younger, working in the production team, many boys older than I couldn¡¯t keep up.


    I¡¯m really strong and fast.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s smile was gentle.


    In both her past and present lives, she always had a fondness for clean, candid, and non-aggressive girls like Shen Xiu.


    She couldn¡¯t care to deal with those willful, selfish, self-centered girls from the future, no matter how innocent and naive they might seem.


    ¡°Xiu¡¯er is really amazing.¡± Lin Xiaoguai praised softly.


    Hearing the praise, Shen Xiu grew more animated, her hands moving nonstop as she babbled on about her past glory, like how she left the other children in the dust when transplanting rice seedlings, or how she quickly gathered the rice during rainstorms.


    Shen Chi watched from the side with curiosity; his sister was generally shy and only talked more around him, but he had never seen her so lively before.


    It was as if her former timidity had been just a misconception.


    However, the fact that Xiu¡¯er got along so well with Wanwan was beyond his expectations.


    Knowing Xiu¡¯er¡¯s protective nature, her quick acceptance of someone was quite surprising.


    Shen Chi, looking at his wife whose expression was utterly tender, felt somewhat indignant, thinking, ¡°Who says my wife¡¯s aloof?


    What a waste of eyesight!¡±


    The hospital didn¡¯t have elevators yet, fortunately, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s health wasn¡¯t so poor that she couldn¡¯t manage a few stairs.


    Taking it slow, there didn¡¯t seem to be any significant issue.


    It was the early afternoon, and the hospital wasn¡¯t very crowded.


    Shen Xiu pushed Lin Xiaoguai to an old tree behind the hospital and sat down on a flowerbed nearby.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I heard there¡¯s a new movie at the cinema, shall we go watch it together?¡± Shen Xiu asked excitedly, ¡°My classmates said it¡¯s really good.¡±


    ¡°How much for a movie ticket?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked with a smile.


    Shen Xiu¡¯s enthusiasm deflated, ¡°It¡¯s 20 cents.¡±


    ¡°Have your brother buy you a ticket, I won¡¯t go watch.


    You can tell me about it when you get back.¡± Lin Xiaoguai truly didn¡¯t have much faith in the domestic films of the time.


    Moreover, given her past experience of losing a child in a crowded cinema, she didn¡¯t want to take the risk.


    ¡°Then forget it,¡± Shen Xiu said, looking dejected, ¡°Brother has no money now either.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was taken aback by this, her first reaction was disbelief.


    Not to mention Shen Chi¡¯s financial status at the time of her death in her previous life, just looking at the present, she knew her four elder brothers were pushovers, ruled by their wives at home, ready to oblige to almost anything, but their fondness for their little sister was genuine.


    If Shen Chi¡¯s betrothal gift had been small, they definitely wouldn¡¯t have sold her off so easily.


    Shen Xiu glanced at Lin Xiaoguai and murmured, ¡°At first, brother spent over 600 yuan to buy a house for grandpa and grandma in the county, and he has to send back quite a bit for living expenses every year.


    My tuition is also paid by him.


    This year, for his marriage to sister-in-law, he gave a betrothal gift of 3,000 yuan, and after the wedding feast, there wasn¡¯t much money left.


    He even planned to get the full ¡®three rounds and one sound¡¯ ready.¡±


    Shen Xiu was anxious about how coolly her brother and sister-in-law were handling things, and after some thought, she decided to reveal some matters.


    ¡°Did you say Shen Chi gave my family 3,000 yuan as the betrothal gift?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was astonished.


    Shen Xiu nodded, and Lin Xiaoguai was stunned.


    3,000 yuan at that time equated to the purchasing power of nearly 30 million yuan in the future.


    She knew Shen Chi could make money; even in his previous life where he steadily held a position in the Military Department, his personal assets were no less than those of billionaires due to his shrewdness.


    Yet, she never expected that Shen Chi already had so much money.


    And he had used all his wealth to ¡°buy¡± her.


    Involuntarily, she remembered the look on Shen Chi¡¯s face when she confidently proposed a divorce in her previous life, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t quite recall it.


    She couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitter smile¡ªafter all, when had she ever truly valued Shen Chi?


    She placed her hand over her abdomen, feeling the presence of the child she never had the chance to meet before.


    She thought, perhaps many had let her down, but Shen Chi never did.

 Chapter 9 - 9 6 Shen Family

    ?9: Chapter 6 Shen Family 9: Chapter 6 Shen Family Seeing Lin Xiaoguai moved, Shen Xiu started, ¡°Sister-in-law, can I talk to you about my family?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded hesitantly.


    In her previous life, she had never truly understood the Shen Family.


    Initially, she wanted to, but no one cooperated; later, after the loss of her child, she lacked the mental strength.


    It seemed as if Shen Xiu was considering how to phrase her words.


    After a long time, she continued, ¡°My grandpa and grandma had only one son, my father.


    The others were all aunts.


    As such, my father grew up spoiled.


    Though not a bad person, he was timid and lacked initiative.


    Knowing my father¡¯s nature, my grandpa and grandma arranged for a clever and fierce Mom to be his wife.¡±


    ¡°Mom was competent, but my dad was too easily swayed by flattery.


    At the drop of a few kind words, he would lend out the family¡¯s money.


    Thus, despite being married for more than a decade, they accumulated little savings and barely managed to provide for basic needs.


    When my brother was fourteen and the family could no longer afford his schooling, he packed up and went to the city to work.


    He was clever and always had ideas for making money.


    He sent back a substantial amount each year.


    Since it was my brother¡¯s hard-earned money, Mom firmly refused to lend it casually, and gradually our family¡¯s situation began to improve.¡±


    ¡°Later, as the Red Guards grew increasingly rampant, tightening everything, my brother enlisted in the military as soon as he turned eighteen and was directly involved in the Vietnam War while still a recruit.


    I was ten when Mom was severely injured by a large rock, and she hung on for half a month without seeing my brother return from the battlefield; she passed away without peace of mind.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiaoguai was slightly stunned.


    Had Shen Chi¡¯s mom passed away?


    Then who was that so-called ¡°mother-in-law¡±...


    Unaware of Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s thoughts, Shen Xiu saw her look surprised and whispered, ¡°Sister-in-law, my brother is a soldier, many things are beyond his control.¡± She was referring to the incident where Shen Chi had left Lin Xiaoguai alone at home due to an emergency mission on their first day of marriage.


    ¡°What happened afterward?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked, looking down.


    ¡°The next year, dad remarried Wang Zhaodi and brought along the troublesome Shen Zhu.¡± Pausing, Shen Xiu gritted her teeth, ¡°That woman Wang Zhaodi is so calculating.


    If it weren¡¯t for my brother¡¯s promising military career, why would she marry a simple and honest farmer?


    Only dad is blind to see her as a treasure.¡±


    ¡°Not a few years of peace passed, and last year my brother, familiar with Vietnam, was sent to participate in a self-defense war.


    By the time he returned, he was already a Captain.¡±


    Her face full of resentment, ¡°After Mom passed away, the money my brother used to send ended up in dad¡¯s hands.


    Before my brother could settle down, Shen Zhu had already married and had a child, with Wang Zhaodi eating an egg every meal not from my brother¡¯s money?


    And when my brother got married, Wang Zhaodi didn¡¯t want to spend a cent, with dad just smoking by the side.¡±


    ¡°According to me, dad is also foolish, worrying that my brother might die on the battlefield one day, leaving no one to care for him in old age.


    Thus, he neglects his own son and favors this adopted son as if he¡¯s a treasure.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai digested the information in Shen Xiu¡¯s words and after a while hesitantly said, ¡°So Shen Zhu is not Shen Chi¡¯s real brother, and Shen Xiaobao is not his real nephew?¡±


    As she asked this, she felt a sense of relief inside.


    Reality isn¡¯t a fairy tale; a leading lady ending up with the son of her father¡¯s killer is an impossible plot.


    And not everyone can easily forgive and forget.


    Even in this lifetime, although Wang Zhaodi and Shen Xiaobao had not caused irrevocable hurt to her, she couldn¡¯t easily forgive.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Shen Xiu sharply retorted: ¡°Shen Zhu looks as plain as a block of wood, and Shen Xiaobao¡¯s face is always smeared with snot.


    From where could you tell that they have any blood relation to my brother?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai chuckled softly, her eyes softening.


    Luckily, reality seemed much better than she had thought.


    Seeing her like this, Shen Xiu, who had initially regretted speaking without her brother¡¯s consent, suddenly felt relieved, believing she had done the right thing.


    While Lin Xiaoguai was out, Shen Chi aired out the bedding and wiped dust from every nook and cranny¡ªXiuxiu had mentioned Wanwan loved cleanliness.


    When Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Xiu returned, what they saw before them was an entirely refreshed sickroom.


    Lin Xiaoguai paused, surprised, then looked towards Shen Chi, who was carrying a dustpan out.


    Shen Xiu gave her brother two approving thumbs up.

 Chapter 10 - 10 6 Shen Family_2

    ?10: Chapter 6 Shen Family_2 10: Chapter 6 Shen Family_2 Facing his wife¡¯s rare calm gaze, Shen Chi actually felt shy, his ear tips turning slightly red, as he hastily said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take out the trash,¡± and fled in a panic.


    Lin Xiaoguai found it amusing, while Shen Xiu laughed so hard she could barely sit up straight.


    ¡°Okay, stop laughing, careful your brother settles the score after the autumn harvest,¡± Lin Xiaoguai chided as she knocked lightly on Shen Xiu¡¯s head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to laugh either, but I can¡¯t control it,¡± Shen Xiu said, though her voice gradually grew softer.


    Lin Xiaoguai just smiled without saying a word, but she thought to herself that she hadn¡¯t expected Shen Chi to have this side to him.


    When Shen Chi returned, the time it would have taken to take out the trash ten times had already passed.


    Seeing that both his wife and his sister showed no abnormalities, he breathed a huge sigh of relief.


    He was usually unflappable, but having experienced what he always considered ¡°weak emotions¡± was uncommonly complex and ...awkward for him.


    Taking advantage of Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s nap, Shen Xiu pulled Shen Chi aside.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve told sister-in-law everything.¡±


    ¡°What things?¡± Shen Chi didn¡¯t get it at first.


    ¡°About the betrothal gifts and the family issues,¡± Shen Xiu said, somewhat guiltily.


    ¡°Why would you mention that?¡± Shen Chi was startled when he heard this, his tone hard to hide his anger.


    Hearing his tone, the previously guilty Shen Xiu became angry as well, and pushed him away as she angrily said, ¡°I mentioned it, so what?


    Were you planning to keep hiding it from sister-in-law?


    She didn¡¯t have any affection for you to begin with, perhaps even held some grudges, and after this turmoil, do you still want to stay with sister-in-law?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all Wang Zhaodi¡¯s fault.


    If you don¡¯t clarify things, do you plan to take the blame for him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± sighed Shen Chi, ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to keep it from Wanwan.¡± He wasn¡¯t the sort to do good deeds anonymously, and he certainly wasn¡¯t used to swallowing his grievances.


    It was just...


    He reached out and touched Shen Xiu¡¯s head, ¡°Your sister-in-law¡¯s pregnancy is not going well, talking about these issues will only lead to overthinking, it¡¯s better to wait until her pregnancy is more stable.¡±


    What he didn¡¯t mention was that, although he didn¡¯t mind, in his hurry to marry Wanwan, his actions were inevitably too rash and somewhat thoughtless.


    The scenario during the bridal procession combined with Wang Zhaodi¡¯s malicious mouth, surely led the villagers to believe he bought Wanwan for 3,000 yuan.


    Although similar incidents were not uncommon in the countryside, Wanwan¡¯s reputation as a ¡°future university student¡± carried weight far and wide, and people inevitably possessed jealousy and malice, stepping forward to trample down others, even the decent ones couldn¡¯t help but cast a strange look.


    He never doubted Wanwan¡¯s intelligence.


    Once she knew about the betrothal money, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for her to guess this situation.


    Scholarly types carry a bit of pride; such insults cause discomfort for common folks, but for Wanwan, it might completely infuriate her.


    Now, he didn¡¯t dare take that risk.


    It seemed he needed to hurry up with the paperwork for military relocation.


    ¡°Brother, are you being foolish?¡± Shen Xiu was somewhat speechless upon hearing this, looking incredulously at Shen Chi.


    ¡°Sister-in-law is upset with you because she can¡¯t show you a happy face, do you really think you¡¯re helping stabilize her pregnancy by ignoring the root problem?¡± She had never seen her typically composed brother looking so ¡°foolish.¡±


    Shen Chi was actually very astute, but his care was causing disorder, and now with Shen Xiu¡¯s comment, he was suddenly enlightened.


    Shen Xiu covered her face, ¡°People say a woman loses her wits for three years with pregnancy, sister-in-law isn¡¯t foolish yet, so why have you turned foolish first?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about!¡± Shen Chi said a bit embarrassedly as he tapped her on the head.


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± pouted Shen Xiu.


    ¡°Brother, you should think about it, you¡¯re sister-in-law¡¯s man now.


    Her family can¡¯t depend on her anymore, who else can she rely on if not you?


    As long as you¡¯re good, she won¡¯t have grounds to be bad.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law didn¡¯t know anything and married into our family.


    When I was home she was mostly unconscious, and I didn¡¯t have time to explain everything about the family to her, she definitely thought of Wang Zhaodi as her real mother-in-law, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have let that family walk all over her.¡±


    She glared at Shen Chi and said, ¡°Let me tell you, brother, just because sister-in-law used to let people bully her doesn¡¯t mean you can take her lightly.


    And as for my nephew, it¡¯s not that sister-in-law is weak and timid, it¡¯s because Wang Zhaodi is too nasty.¡±


    ¡°Who told you these things?¡± Shen Chi frowned.


    Shen Xiu looked upset, ¡°It¡¯s that big-mouthed Shen Xiaohua.¡± She said sister-in-law was useless, unable to even hold onto a child, a person without fortune.


    Shen Xiaohua was Xiu¡¯er¡¯s classmate from the same village.


    If she spoke like this, she surely learned it from her elders.


    Realization flashed quickly in Shen Chi¡¯s eyes, and he appeared helplessly as he said, ¡°Does Xiuxiu really distrust her brother so much?¡±


    He felt too guilty about the child to even begin to blame Wanwan.


    People are naturally timid in strange environments, let alone in a den as unsafe as his own home.


    Wanwan¡¯s difficulties at the time were completely involuntary.


    Shen Xiu truly trusted her brother; she was just being cautious as a preventative measure.


    ¡ª Brother¡¯s intelligence seems to always falter around sister-in-law, she couldn¡¯t help but worry a bit.


    ¡°Alright, brother, the doctor said that there¡¯s no difference now whether sister-in-law stays in the hospital or not.


    Even if she gets discharged, it should be fine as long as we are careful.


    What¡¯s your plan?¡± asked Shen Xiu.


    ¡°Getting discharged is definitely better,¡± Shen Chi said without hesitation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay at grandma and grandpa¡¯s place for a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, but before you go back to the army, you must make sure sister-in-law is settled,¡± Shen Xiu insisted.


    Shen Chi tapped his finger heavily on Shen Xiu displeasedly, asking, ¡°Who¡¯s the elder brother here?¡± However, he felt quite relieved inside.


    He had been worried about his sister¡¯s meek disposition and feared she might suffer at her in-law¡¯s, but now it seemed that, when truly challenged, this girl did have her mother¡¯s spirit.

 Chapter 11 - 11 7 Grandpa Grandma

    ?11: Chapter 7 Grandpa Grandma 11: Chapter 7 Grandpa Grandma For Lin Xiaoguai, being able to leave the hospital was a relief, as many things were inconvenient there.


    However, considering her in-laws¡¯ character, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t dare to hold out too much hope for grandma and grandpa, despite Shen Xiu constantly singing their praises.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, grandma and grandpa are really nice, don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll definitely like you.¡± Shen Xiu said a lot like that, but it didn¡¯t make her sister-in-law¡¯s expression relax at all.


    With a sigh, Shen Xiu said, ¡°Grandma and grandpa really like Mom, but they despise Wang Zhaodi.


    Back when they lived in the countryside, a lot of conflicts arose, and grandma was angered by Wang Zhaodi several times to the point of fainting, and even suffered a minor stroke.


    Grandpa was furious as well.


    Once, my brother came back and just happened to see grandpa working in the field while grandma, who was in bed, fell down trying to get some water.


    Wang Zhaodi stood by, doing nothing but watching as if it were a joke.¡±


    At this point, Shen Xiu paused, a smile playing on his features as he continued, ¡°Brother immediately got angry, grabbed Wang Zhaodi, and threw her into the wash basin in the courtyard.


    It was in the dead of winter, and there she sat, soaked like a drenched chicken, screaming in fear.


    Dad also didn¡¯t fare well; brother was so angry, he closed the door and gave him a fierce scolding.¡±


    ¡°Even though Dad and Wang Zhaodi promised again and again to treat grandma and grandpa well, my brother couldn¡¯t trust them anymore.


    He just decided to spend money to buy a small courtyard in the county for grandma and grandpa to live in separately.¡±


    Hearing this inside story, Lin Xiaoguai felt somewhat relieved.


    Although she couldn¡¯t determine grandma and grandpa¡¯s temperament from Xiuxiu¡¯s words, with Wang Zhaodi as a ¡°precedent,¡± she thought she might receive some leniency as a granddaughter-in-law, especially since she was pregnant.


    Upon leaving the hospital, the pre-arranged tractor was already waiting there.


    Lin Xiaoguai looked at the tractor before her somewhat emotionally.


    How many years had it been since she had seen this mode of transportation from her memories?


    Shen Chi scooped her up with both hands before Lin Xiaoguai could react, and she found herself on the tractor.


    Shen Xiu followed, carrying two large bags.


    ¡°What are these?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked, somewhat puzzled as she looked at the two sizable bags.


    If she remembered correctly, she hadn¡¯t brought any luggage when she came, and all she had worn in the hospital were patient clothes.


    At most, she could take a toothbrush, two towels, and a plastic basin.


    ¡°I made two sets of clothes for my sister-in-law,¡± Shen Xiu said with a slight smile.


    Lin Xiaogai¡¯s clothes were still in her old home in the countryside.


    Neither Shen Chi nor Shen Xiu had any desire to see that whole family at the moment.


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t mind.


    Although her brother and sister-in-law had sold her, they had also provided her a dowry, including new quilts and clothes, everything a new bride would need, even adding better items out of guilt.


    Unfortunately for her, seeing those things only felt ironic.


    If she had a choice, she wouldn¡¯t want to use them at all.


    The tractor moved forward with a rattling noise, and Lin Xiaoguai, unaccustomed to the swaying motion, was about to find something to hold onto when a hand reached out next to her and pulled her into a stranger¡¯s embrace.


    The strong masculine scent hit her nose, and Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s body stiffened as she instinctively struggled, but her buttocks were suddenly lightly slapped, and a deep male voice sounded above her head, ¡°Be good, don¡¯t move.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was utterly mortified and froze completely.


    Shen Chi touched his nose, feeling a bit guilty as if he had just done something outrageous.


    He sneakily glanced at his wife, whose head was bowed in his arms, and couldn¡¯t help but recall the feeling of his palm just now, his ears discreetly turning red.


    Feeling humiliated in her heart, Lin Xiaoguai thought of the instigator and felt somewhat injusticed, but she refrained from arguing over such a matter, considering her upbringing and with Xiuxiu watching.


    Suddenly, she came up with a devious plan.


    A sly glint appeared in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s eyes as she discreetly extended her delicate, fair hand and swiftly pinched the soft flesh around his waist, twisting it 360 degrees!


    ¡°Hisss¡ª¡± Shen Chi inhaled sharply, his face contorting.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, brother?¡± Shen Xiu was startled.


    ¡°No, nothing,¡± Shen Chi managed to control his facial expressions with difficulty, forcing a smile.


    Shen Xiu was somewhat suspicious, but after watching him for a while and discovering nothing unusual, he didn¡¯t ask any further.


    Throughout the event, Lin Xiaoguai kept her head down, silent, looking as innocent as possible.


    Only when her hand grew tired did Lin Xiaoguai with reluctance retract it.

 Chapter 12 - 12 7 Grandpa Grandma_2

    ?12: Chapter 7 Grandpa Grandma_2 12: Chapter 7 Grandpa Grandma_2 Shen Chi let out a gentle sigh, unaware where Wanwan had learned such tactics, which were truly vexing.


    Nonetheless, a trace of pleasure rose from the depths of his heart.


    Compared to the indifferent Wanwan, he preferred her getting angry at him, as it made her seem more lively and vibrant.


    Before long, the tractor stopped in front of a house with a small courtyard.


    ¡°Chi, Xiuwa.¡± Before they could get off the tractor, the courtyard gate opened, and an old lady hobbling on a cane stepped out, quickly focusing her gaze on Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°This must be Wanwan, come in quickly, come in, the sun is too harsh outside.¡±


    ¡°Hello, grandma and grandpa.¡± Behind the old lady, an old man with a worried face followed, who Lin Xiaoguai assumed to be Shen Chi and Shen Xiu¡¯s grandpa.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang had actually met Lin Xiaoguai before, and recalling the little girl who was red-faced and fainted during the wedding ceremony made the elders sigh.


    Their eldest grandson always did as he pleased, and now that the only daughter-in-law who could mildly persuade him had passed away, they couldn¡¯t bear to say anything, considering the hardships this child had endured over the years.


    With such a useless father, this child had shouldered the livelihood of the whole family at a young age; in matters of life, they selfishly always wanted to grant him his wishes just this once.


    Yet, regarding Wang Zhaodi, that troublemaker, the elders felt resentment every time they thought of her.


    What great sins must they have committed in their past lives to have the heavens send such a scourge their way?


    Under the care of Spiritual Water, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s health wasn¡¯t that big of a concern anymore; at least, she was much better compared to when Shen Chi first saw her upon his return, although to the elderly couple, she still looked frail and weak.


    ¡°My dear, you¡¯ve had a tough time,¡± Luo Yufang grasped Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hands with tears in her eyes, ¡°Stay well here, grandma will definitely take good care of you.¡±


    After many years, Lin Xiaoguai, unaccustomed to such direct warmth, smiled awkwardly.


    Thinking she was just shy, Luo Yufang didn¡¯t mind and pulled her inside the house; Shen Zhangming followed silently, while Shen Chi and Shen Xiu settled the carriage fare and brought in the luggage.


    In just a short while, Lin Xiaoguai could somewhat discern the nature of the elderly couple; without mentioning other traits, they were at least not mean-spirited, especially showing uncommon kindness towards her.


    Although Luo Yufang had suffered a minor stroke, thanks to the good care of her spouse after moving to town, apart from a slightly unclear speech, she appeared nearly normal; her actions, particularly swift.


    She soon poured a glass of sugar water for Lin Xiaoguai.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a special condition now; don¡¯t be too polite with grandma.¡±


    In those times, guests were usually served plain boiled water; sugar water was indeed a treat of the highest standard.


    ¡°Grandma, sister-in-law doesn¡¯t like drinking this; please give the sugar water to me instead,¡± seeing Lin Xiaoguai looking troubled, Shen Xiu hastily spoke up.


    Just as Lin Xiaoguai was about to take the glass, she immediately felt uneasy; it was their first meeting, and to respond to an elder¡¯s kindness so ¡°choosily¡± might make anyone think the younger generation lacked manners.


    Luo Yufang was also startled, glanced at the awkward-faced Lin Xiaoguai, but didn¡¯t get upset as anticipated; instead, she asked, ¡°Then what do you like, Wanwan?¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law loves eating leek pockets, and that¡¯s grandma¡¯s specialty; you must show your skill today,¡± Shen Xiu cheerily said.


    Though introverted and shy outside, Shen Xiu was quite spirited among the limited few relatives.


    ¡°Alright, but there¡¯s pork rib soup simmering on the stove, let¡¯s have the leek pockets for dinner,¡± Luo Yufang chuckled.


    Just seeing the granddaughter and granddaughter-in-law getting along so well filled her with joy.


    ¡°By the way, grandma and grandpa, how is elder aunt doing?¡± Shen Chi interjected.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang only had one son but six daughters, the reason for their trip was due to Aunt Shen¡¯s severe illness; they had gone to visit and had just returned two days ago.


    While Father Shen cherished his burdensome son as a treasure, the aunts genuinely adored Shen Chi.


    ¡°She¡¯s managing,¡± Luo Yufang sighed, ¡°Minjuan has always been strong-willed, overworking for work points when young, even skimping on food to feed the children.


    Now, wanting her body to recover is hard; her stomach bleeding is severe, she can only drink porridge, and she¡¯s so emaciated.¡±


    Tears welled up in Luo Yufang¡¯s eyes as she spoke.


    ¡°Why are you so worked up, the doctor said she could recover, didn¡¯t he?¡± Shen Zhangming frowned and comforted.


    ¡°It¡¯s just heartbreaking, the suffering she must endure,¡± Luo Yufang, wiping her tears, said, ¡°That entire household, so many mouths to feed, so many things to handle, how can she possibly relax and recuperate?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed inwardly; during the 80s, even basic sustenance was a struggle, let alone convalescence.


    Noticing the mood dampened by his wife¡¯s words, Shen Zhangming changed the subject: ¡°This time, your aunts are all aware of Wanwan¡¯s situation; although they couldn¡¯t come personally, they¡¯ve sent us back with quite a few things.¡±


    Luo Yufang, realizing the earlier inappropriateness, quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, indeed, thankfully Min Shu¡¯s Jianguo caught a pair of wild chickens, even bringing us the eggs, and Min Ying and the others also stuffed us with quite a bit, just the brown sugar and eggs weighed several pounds, I guarantee to nourish our great-grandchild well.¡±


    By the end, Luo Yufang was all smiles, and Shen Zhangming¡¯s expression also softened.


    Previously, their focus was entirely on the mistreated granddaughter-in-law; only now did they shift their thoughts to realizing they were about to have a great-grandchild, their excitement was indescribable.


    ¡°Really?¡± Shen Xiu exclaimed in delight, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful; the hospital, although Second Brother Ma has been helpful, is still somewhat inconvenient, sister-in-law hasn¡¯t been able to get much for nourishment.¡±


    Luo Yufang continued with a smile, ¡°And your little aunt also sent back two pieces of new fabric; I was thinking, once Wanwan shows a bit, I¡¯ll make her two new sets of clothes.


    Other households might make do with the men¡¯s clothes, but our Chi only has his military uniform, which is too rough for a pregnant woman to wear.¡±

 Chapter 13 - 13 8 Surprise

    ?13: Chapter 8 Surprise 13: Chapter 8 Surprise After sitting for a short while, Lin Xiaoguai was urged to go rest in the room.


    Shen Chi had bought a spacious house for grandpa and grandma, although it only had three rooms, each one wasn¡¯t small.


    According to the layout of later times, it was no smaller than those three-bedroom, two-hall mansions.


    After buying it, he had a craftsman partition it into smaller rooms, and there was ample space for the five of them to live comfortably.


    Lin Xiaoguai was now staying in the room Shen Chi used to occupy.


    It wasn¡¯t big, but it was well-positioned, facing the sun and well-ventilated.


    Opening the window, she could see the persimmon tree in the courtyard.


    She checked around, the room was clearly recently cleaned, the bedding seemed freshly sunned, filled with the scent of sunshine.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± At this time, Shen Xiu entered carrying a thermos flask.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy, keep me company and chat,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a slight smile, her eyes were typical almond-shaped, clear, shallow, and warm, especially intoxicatingly warm when she smiled.


    Shen Xiu stared blankly and blurted out, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re really beautiful.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was momentarily taken aback by the compliment and smiled even more heartily, ¡°Xiuxiu is very pretty too.¡± As a woman, it¡¯s impossible not to care about looks, but having lived to that age in her previous life, and facing numerous unwanted troubles due to her appearance as a single woman, she¡¯d somewhat cooled off regarding this.


    Yet, such heartfelt praise from Shen Xiu inevitably made her feel pleased both physically and mentally.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t comfort me, the boys in my class all say I am ugly,¡± Shen Xiu said unhappily, pursing her lips.


    ¡°Boys in class?¡± Lin Xiaoguai raised her eyebrows slightly, quickly sizing up Shen Xiu.


    Her little aunt, although only considered pretty, had somewhat sallow skin, but her bright, spirited eyes were enough to offset these minor issues.


    Together with her student hairstyle reminiscent of mushroom cuts from later times and her introverted and quiet demeanor, she definitely formed a captivating scenery in school.


    Considering how open Xiuxiu was with her, Lin Xiaoguai could well imagine what Xiuxiu must be like at school.


    At fifteen or sixteen, a confusing and restless age, it was easy to guess why those boys would say such things.


    However, people from this era were truly naive, with kindergarten children in later times having higher EQ than those boys.


    Shen Xiu, unaware of her sister-in-law¡¯s thoughts, nodded somberly, ¡°I don¡¯t seem very likable.


    The boys always tease me, and other than Yaya and Meiling, other girls don¡¯t really talk to me.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai thought it was funny, but seriously said, ¡°I think the problem might be with you.


    Xiuxiu, you are too shy.


    Maybe you could try to be more proactive.


    If you just wait for others to speak to you, it might be difficult.¡±


    Her little aunt was still young, and even though Lin Xiaoguai knew the reasons, she felt it inappropriate to tell her, to avoid adding worry.


    However, her advice wasn¡¯t without consideration.


    She really liked Xiuxiu¡¯s nature, but it was too passive and could lead to disadvantages in society.


    As the era developed, societal competition grew fiercer, and only those proactive and striving characters could live better.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Xiu hesitated.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lin Xiaoguai lifted her hand to stroke Shen Xiu¡¯s bangs, speaking calmly, ¡°People have limited energy, they might not even be able to handle their own matters, let alone others.


    Think about it, if your deskmate forgot his eraser at home, and didn¡¯t tell you, would you think to lend him yours while you were concentrating in class?¡±


    ¡°...No,¡± Shen Xiu was an honest person.


    ¡°See,¡± Lin Xiaoguai smiled, ¡°Xiuxiu, you have things you¡¯re focused on, and so does everyone else.


    Because they are too focused, they don¡¯t hear your wish to make friends with them.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Shen Xiu was somewhat bewildered.


    Lin Xiaoguai reached out and patted her head, smiling warmly, ¡°So, Xiuxiu, why don¡¯t you go tell them?


    Tell them you want to be friends.¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect a few conversations to change Shen Xiu¡¯s nature immediately, but everything has a beginning.


    Taking the first step was crucial for further steps.


    Outside the door, Shen Chi carefully withdrew his leg that was about to step forward and retreated to the kitchen laughing lightly, ¡°Grandma, let me help you wash the vegetables.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to stay with Wanwan, why did you come out?¡± Luo Yufang threw a piece of firewood into the stove and turned around to ask curiously.


    Shen Chi smiled as he crouched beside the vegetable wash basin, ¡°They were having a good talk, so I didn¡¯t want to disturb them.¡±


    With that, he recalled the words Wanwan had said to Xiuxiu.


    As for the woman he had fallen in love with at first sight, Shen Chi never denied that his infatuation was initially due to her delicate and beautiful face.


    Perhaps, that was why he had been so negligent toward his new bride, his superficial affection was too shallow, as a man¡¯s true feelings always closely tied to his actions.


    But to say he held no fantasies about his wife would be a lie.


    After all, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s reputation was indeed excellent, and he couldn¡¯t help but have expectations.


    Pure and aloof, that was his initial impression of her.


    If she hadn¡¯t been pure, she wouldn¡¯t have been so immersed in grief, and wouldn¡¯t have been sold by relatives to such an extent; aloofness was typical of scholars.


    He couldn¡¯t say whether he liked or disliked it, purity wasn¡¯t bad, but his circumstances required a wife who wasn¡¯t nai?ve about the world.


    An aloof personality wasn¡¯t bad either, but such people usually didn¡¯t blend well with others and often encountered obstacles in social interactions.


    Yet, it was only when he met such a woman, who stirred his mind and heart, that all his rationality couldn¡¯t suppress the throbbing in his heart.


    Once he found the opportunity, he quickly seized it and caught her.


    This time, his wife had been bullied to the point she nearly miscarried.


    Although he felt guilty and remorseful, he couldn¡¯t deny feeling a tinge of disappointment¡ªnot because he thought she was weak, but rather a subtle sensation of ¡°so she is just like this.¡±


    Men, no matter how cool and rational, always idealize their beloved in their hearts, and Shen Chi was no exception.


    Even though he clearly recognized what kind of person his wife was, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that the person he found special must have something extraordinary, and he couldn¡¯t help expecting her to surprise him.


    This psychology was very cryptic, something even Shen Chi only realized at this moment¡ª


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s words seemed like mere encouragement for Shen Xiu to be more cheerful, but they subtly revealed some clues.


    First, Shen Chi confirmed his wife was not just a nai?ve person.


    As a girl only a year older than Xiu¡¯er, if she were nai?ve, she wouldn¡¯t have noticed the psychological tactics of Xiu¡¯er¡¯s male classmates from her faint smile, Shen Chi was sure this girl understood the childish strategies these boys used to chase girls.


    Likewise, if she were nai?ve, she wouldn¡¯t have kept the male classmates¡¯ intentions from Xiu¡¯er but would instead tease Xiu¡¯er about it, given the playful nature of youth; nor would she know how to guide Xiu¡¯er to change her personality so subtly.


    Despite her youthful appearance, her calm and restrained eyes already possessed a captivating charm.


    Given time, she would surely dazzle brilliantly.


    A full sense of surprise filled Shen Chi¡¯s heart; it was then he finally realized the cryptic thoughts he had been harboring without even being aware of it.


    His emotions were undoubtedly complex, yet the majority was an excitement from fulfilled expectations.


    He wished he could rush out of the yard and run a couple of laps to vent the fervent emotion brewing inside him.


    In his previous life, it was only after Lin Xiaoguai moved to Shanghai and began to make her mark in the workplace that Shen Chi slowly fell for her and truly became a captive of love.


    Now, a single inadvertent act from Lin Xiaoguai had accelerated this process.


    At this moment, she was still unaware of this, smiling and talking with Shen Xiu.


    ¡°Tomorrow I want to sell the shoelaces I¡¯ve been saving up at the market.


    Sister, is there anything you want to eat?


    I¡¯ll buy it for you with the money I get,¡± Shen Xiu said while she sorted Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s clothes.


    Lin Xiaoguai was aware of the shoelaces; during this time, the clothes people wore were mostly homemade or tailored from bought fabrics, and shoes were no different.


    This era wasn¡¯t like the future.


    Villagers almost all engaged in physical labor, and if shoes weren¡¯t durable, not only would it hinder work, but it would also be painfully expensive.


    Therefore, layered soles had become the most popular.


    However, making layered soles was a complex and time-consuming task, and housewives usually didn¡¯t have enough time or energy, and some lacked the skills for it.


    Thus, selling layered soles became a way for unmarried girls and energetic older women to earn extra money.


    Though it appeared to be minor work, earnest effort could earn a decent amount, a pair of soles could sell for ten cents, and well-made ones could even go for 20 cents.


    Even slower workers could make five or six pairs a month, enough for a family¡¯s basic needs.


    Lin Xiaoguai used to make these too, and since she was skilled and quick, she could make more than ten pairs a month during school breaks, selling them at a higher price.


    The most she ever earned in a month was 2.8 yuan.


    But back then, her father and mother doted on her, and she never short on pocket money.


    The money she earned from selling soles was occasionally spent on buying some meat or vegetables to make dishes to honor her father, with the rest usually spent on her nieces and nephews.


    Her four brothers lived tightly, affecting her nieces and nephews who had less than their peers.


    Lin Xiaoguai, mature and sensible, although not much older than her nieces and nephews, had started learning how to be an elder.


    Because of this, her four sisters-in-law were always grateful to her, plus having watched her grow up, they frequently looked after her.


    But what she thought was brotherly harmony and amicable sister-in-law relations now seem...


    ¡°Save the money you earn for yourself, why buy things for me?¡± Masking the turmoil in her eyes, Lin Xiaoguai said helplessly.


    ¡°I have money but nowhere to spend it, what¡¯s wrong with using it to give my nephew a little boost?¡± Shen Xiu responded with discontent.


    ¡°Your kind intention is enough.


    Currently, I¡¯m lacking nothing,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a smile.


    Shen Xiu nodded, yet in her heart, she planned to see how things went and buy something for her sister-in-law anyway.

 Chapter 14 - 14 9 Identity

    ?14: Chapter 9: Identity 14: Chapter 9: Identity Lin Xiaoguai awoke under the intense gaze of Shen Chi.


    She glanced at the ink-black night outside the window and squinted her eyes, mumbling, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Her tone carried an unmistakable anger.


    Forgive a pregnant woman who¡¯s beginning to feel drowsy.


    Shen Chi extended a hand to help her sit up, touched his nose, and smiled, ¡°Did I wake you?


    Sorry.¡±


    If you¡¯re truly sorry, shouldn¡¯t you let me keep sleeping?


    Lin Xiaoguai looked somewhat speechlessly at the hand resting on her shoulder.


    Although Shen Chi¡¯s features could be considered somewhat androgynous, it was because his facial features were too delicate for a man, not because he had the peach-blossom eyes and cherry lips of a big man.


    At most, you could say he had a more refined and graceful appearance.


    In fact, Shen Chi¡¯s features were absolutely top-notch among men, with eyebrows like drawn swords, eyes full of spirit, a high nose bridge, and thin lips that possessed a distinctive male beauty and sexiness.


    Especially those eyes, deep black and intense, yet pure, revealing the sharpness characteristic of a soldier.


    At this moment, his eyes still carried the tenderness of recent days, yet they seemed somewhat different.


    It should have been an intoxicating look, but Lin Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t help but remember the scene when this man had held a gun to her head and asked her in a gentle tone if she wanted a divorce...


    Was it an illusion?


    The Shen Chi before her seemed to overlap with the one from that time.


    ¡°I¡¯m very tired,¡± Lin Xiaoguai replied indifferently, shifting her body to the side as if unintentionally.


    Even though he was her husband, she wasn¡¯t used to being so close to a man.


    ¡°I know.¡± As if in response to her movement, Shen Chi raised his hand to touch her cheek, whispering softly, ¡°I¡¯ll let you sleep after I finish speaking.¡±


    Considering the stubbornness in the marrow of Shen Chi¡¯s bones, Lin Xiaoguai sighed and said, ¡°You speak, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Ignoring Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s resistance, Shen Chi pulled her into his arms, his chin knocking against the top of her head, ¡°Xiu¡¯er must have told you about the family matters.¡±


    He spoke declaratively, and Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t feel there was anything worth hiding, so she nodded almost imperceptibly against the ¡°pressure¡± on her head.


    ¡°But there are some things even Xiu¡¯er doesn¡¯t know, do you want to hear them?¡± Shen Chi chuckled lowly, in a languid yet casual way.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xiaoguai answered without hesitation.


    Since she had decided to spend her life with this man, she couldn¡¯t afford to ignore certain matters as she did in her previous life.


    Moreover, if it wasn¡¯t something significant, Shen Chi wouldn¡¯t have brought it up.


    Seemingly not expecting her to respond so decisively, Shen Chi was taken aback for a moment before speaking in a low voice, ¡°You must know that Dad treats Shen Zhu as his own son because I enlisted, and he was afraid I¡¯d die on the battlefield with no one to care for him in his old age.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Lin Xiaoguai countered.


    She really couldn¡¯t think of any other reason why a father would neglect his own son in favor of a stepson, no matter how cowardly the father might be.


    ¡°There is such a reason, but it¡¯s not the main one.¡± After pausing, Shen Chi continued in the same tone, ¡°In this family, only Xiu¡¯er is truly the blood of Dad and Mom.¡±


    What does that mean!?


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s eyes widened.


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t play games, ¡°Originally, Dad and Mom were married for several years without children.


    The village barefoot doctor couldn¡¯t diagnose them, so grandma and grandpa scraped together some money and took them to a big hospital in the province for a check-up.


    Mom had no issues, but Dad was diagnosed with cold sperm syndrome, and there was a possibility that he would never have children in his lifetime.¡±


    ¡°At that time, I was three years old and had been abandoned in a creek.


    Grandpa found me when he was up in the mountains chopping wood and brought me home, making me the adopted son of the Shen family.¡±


    ¡°...Why have I never heard about this?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was astonished.


    Setting everything else aside, Wang Zhaodi would not have been stingy about using this information to ridicule and belittle her, but she had never heard her mention it.


    It couldn¡¯t be right to say that Wang Zhaodi didn¡¯t know either, given that her former husband was from Yuanjiazhuang.


    As a daughter-in-law who had married into the family for many years, it made no sense that she wouldn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Besides you and me, only grandma, grandpa, and Dad know about this,¡± Shen Chi explained as if aware of her confusion.


    ¡°At that time, grandma and grandpa were still young.


    They stayed home to farm, while Dad and Mom took advantage of their contacts and joined the production teams for tea-picking and cotton-picking, where working more earned more work points.


    So, the couple didn¡¯t want to rest for even an hour, not even returning home for New Year¡¯s, preferring grandma and grandpa to visit them.¡±

 Chapter 15 - 15 9 Origins_2

    ?15: Chapter 9 Origins_2 15: Chapter 9 Origins_2 ¡°Grandpa and Grandma were never the gossipy type, but since the villagers were always jealous of Dad and Mom¡¯s work, seizing any chance to talk tart, they gradually stopped discussing my parents.


    Moreover, there wasn¡¯t an opportunity to have the full-month celebration, we had few relatives on Mom¡¯s side, and the aunts lived far away.


    Everyone in the production team was battling for work points and came from different places, which left no chance to clarify the truth to the villagers.¡± In fact, at that time, not many people were needed for tea and cotton picking, and even some larger villages only got one or two spots, let alone Yuanjiazhuang, which was remote and had no connections to higher-ups.


    If not for the fact that Mom had once saved a secretary¡¯s grandson years ago, they wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity.


    I don¡¯t know what he thought of, but Shen Chi chuckled, ¡°It was just chance.


    One year after getting married, Mom had a poor appetite in the summer.


    Grandpa and Grandma sent her plenty of pickled vegetables to help her eat, and even bought some from the neighbors when their supply wasn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°By the time I was brought back, the villagers thought back to that time, calculated it, and everything matched up, so their suspicions ended.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai looked stunned.


    She had many speculations about the Shen Family, but never considered that Shen Chi was not actually their son.


    Surprised as she was, she felt relieved inside; though Shen Chi was only Wang Zhaodi¡¯s stepson, which eased her mind, knowing he wasn¡¯t actually a Shen allowed her to kick those burdens away.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep,¡± Lin Xiaoguai muttered, pulling away from Shen Chi¡¯s embrace and crawling under the covers.


    Shen Chi looked astonished; he had imagined many possible reactions from Wanwan, but none were as nonchalant as this.


    Given the doctor had warned that Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s condition shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly, everyone, including Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang, treated her with extra caution.


    Fortunately, after some time and proper care, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s color improved noticeably.


    She no longer needed to stay in bed all day, walking outside was no longer a problem, and even helped with light chores occasionally, though she was often stopped halfway through.


    ¡°Did your brother go out again?¡± Lin Xiaoguai, having hung up the clothes, asked Shen Xiu, who was weeding the garden.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Xiu filled a basket with weeds and stood up, ¡°Uncle Zhao¡¯s family is building a loft, and he went to help.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai pursed her lips.


    Shen Chi was spending his rare day off working for money; the reason was obvious, it was for someone.


    Still, thinking about the current wages made her wryly smile.


    Could she say she actually didn¡¯t need it?


    Despite this, Shen Chi¡¯s thoughtfulness still moved her.


    Maybe choosing this man wasn¡¯t as bad as she imagined.


    ¡°Wanwan¡ª¡± Just then, Luo Yufang called from inside the house.


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here!¡± Lin Xiaoguai quickly responded.


    ¡°I told you to leave the laundry to me, why did you hang it up again?¡± Luo Yufang came out, looking reproachful.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a helping hand,¡± Lin Xiaoguai smiled, ¡°If I do nothing, I¡¯ll rust away.¡±


    ¡°But still be careful.


    What if you strain your back?¡± Luo Yufang muttered, then turned to Shen Xiu, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ever say anything?¡±


    Shen Xiu said, half-laughing, half-crying, ¡°I was squatting in the garden, and by the time I realized, she had already hung up the laundry.


    What could I do?¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Luo Yufang thought she understood but then added, ¡°Why are you weeding so early in the morning?¡±


    If you don¡¯t weed in the early heat, should you really wait until noon?


    ¡°You mean to say, all you see now are future grandkids and nothing else?¡± Shen Xiu was both annoyed and amused.


    Luo Yufang also realized she had overreacted and awkwardly said, ¡°Xiuxiu, grandma was confused, don¡¯t be mad.¡±


    Shen Xiu chuckled, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to be mad, I just hope fervently you won¡¯t make me help you weed.¡±


    Finally catching on, Luo Yufang remembered, wasn¡¯t it she who had instructed Xiuxiu to weed?


    She looked around, ¡°Well, I should check if the porridge is ready.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s smile softened.


    Having spent nearly half a month with them, she¡¯d grown fond of the taciturn yet sensible grandpa and the usually gentle but occasionally confused grandma,


    especially knowing well that Shen Chi wasn¡¯t actually their biological grandson.


    ¡°Xiuxiu, I¡¯ve made you a pair of sandals, come by my room when you have time to try them on.¡± Lin Xiaoguai mentioned.


    The sandals she spoke of weren¡¯t those fancy ones made of leather or other materials from future eras; they were simple yet sturdy, made of scrap fabrics, perfect for girls of this era who loved to look pretty yet had to work.


    ¡°Sis-in-law, didn¡¯t I tell you not to handle needles?


    It¡¯s not good for the baby.¡±


    What Shen Xiu referred to was a local custom: pregnant women shouldn¡¯t handle sharp objects as it¡¯s bad luck, and this included needles.


    Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t unaware, just forgetful.


    Decades later, many old customs would be discarded for not fitting modern society, and she couldn¡¯t remember them all.


    ¡°I forgot for a moment,¡± Lin Xiaoguai admitted sheepishly, ¡°I already made them...¡±


    ¡°Well, let it go, but do remember not to use needles again,¡± Shen Xiu said helplessly.


    Lin Xiaoguai obediently nodded.


    After breakfast, Lin Xiaoguai accompanied Luo Yufang to the veggie market, and once back, helped out in the kitchen.


    ¡°Grandma, can I cook the fish?¡± It wasn¡¯t that Lin Xiaoguai was picky, but at the market there were only carp, silver carp, and grass carp available, and the cooking options were limited to braised or fish head soup¡ªhe was frankly sick of them, yet she liked fish.


    ¡°No,¡± Luo Yufang refused without a second thought, ¡°Although you haven¡¯t felt nauseous, who knows when it might happen?


    Raw fish is the fishiest, and if it upsets your stomach, that¡¯d be bad.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiaoguai felt helpless.


    She had already been to the market, wasn¡¯t worrying about the fish¡¯s effect a bit too late?


    Even so, she decided not to remind her.

 Chapter 16 - 16 10 Falling Chain

    ?16: Chapter 10 Falling Chain 16: Chapter 10 Falling Chain Removing the apron, Lin Xiaoguai came out of the kitchen.


    ¡°I told you grandma wouldn¡¯t agree, but you wouldn¡¯t believe me,¡± Shen Xiu said, pouring her a glass of water.


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled and glanced at the time before asking, ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner, why hasn¡¯t grandpa come back yet?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t be back today,¡± Shen Xiu replied.


    ¡°Uncle Chang¡¯s barbershop is busy, and grandpa has been helping out there for the past couple of days, even eating his lunch there.¡±


    Shen Zhangming had learned haircutting from a widower in the village when he was younger.


    Though he hadn¡¯t practiced it for decades, his skills were still there, and Uncle Chang was a disciple he had taken on by chance.


    When they moved to the county town, the elderly couple relied on Shen Zhangming¡¯s pension and their grandson¡¯s filial piety.


    With the ability to grow vegetables and raise chickens and ducks in their yard, life was quite comfortable, and the old gentleman was content to enjoy his retirement.


    Even so, because all of their daughters¡¯ homes were facing difficulties and their son was unreliable, they inevitably looked for ways to give money to their daughters, leaving little in savings.


    This time, with their granddaughter-in-law¡¯s mishap, although the child was saved, the elderly couple had their concerns¡ªnot to mention whether the child could be safely born.


    After their granddaughter-in-law had fallen seriously ill and been abused by the tigress from the Wang family for a month, it was clear her health was compromised.


    If a hemorrhage occurred...


    They already owed a debt to their granddaughter-in-law.


    If they were to cause her death, could they still live with themselves?


    Therefore, the old couple had made up their minds; to be safe, they would have to gather a sum of money before their granddaughter-in-law went into labor, so she could go to the provincial hospital.


    None of the younger generation knew of the elderly couple¡¯s plans, but that didn¡¯t stop them from guessing that Shen Zhangming¡¯s sudden help at the barbershop was for someone¡¯s sake.


    Lin Xiaoguai felt bitter in her heart.


    Honestly, aside from Wang Zhaodi, no one in the Shen family was really a bad person.


    What had led her to such a state in her previous life?


    She began to reflect but realized, due to her temperament, she had been young, spirited, nai?ve and prideful in her earlier years, preferring to break rather than bend¡ªeven knowing she could have made her place in the Shen family without children, she would still have chosen divorce.


    Even now, if it weren¡¯t for her child still being there, even though she wouldn¡¯t lose her fertility like in her past life, she wouldn¡¯t choose any option other than divorce.


    ¡°Going to Licheng?¡± Lin Xiaoguai looked stunned.


    Luo Yufang nodded.


    ¡°Xiuxiu will stay to take care of you; we¡¯ll be back in at most three days.¡±


    ¡°Is there something happening?¡± Lin Xiaoguai looked at Shen Chi.


    She simply couldn¡¯t believe that such a large trip was just to visit their second aunt.


    ¡°The second aunt said their garment factory has a batch of defective goods to dispose of.


    Although they are defects, they are only minor.


    Even if they can¡¯t be sold in the county, they can be sold in the town.


    The clothes are at a disposal price, selling them should bring in a small profit, enough for your nourishment,¡± Shen Chi explained.


    He had a two-month leave because he had completed a big task, and although it sounded like a lot, he couldn¡¯t invest in any big businesses and could only put effort into these small trades.


    ¡°Do you have enough capital?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked directly.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Shen Chi paused before replying.


    ¡°Last year, a comrade borrowed two hundred yuan from me.


    Knowing my situation this time, he sent the money to me.¡±


    Two hundred yuan in the early eighties was not a huge sum, but it was still a significant amount.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded, ¡°Then pay attention on the road and take good care of grandma and grandpa.¡±


    At her words, Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang looked relieved, but Shen Chi felt somewhat bitter inside.


    Indeed, it was not an illusion.


    In this home, his wife cared about everyone else and was just dismissive towards him.


    Lin Xiaoguai was unaware of Shen Chi¡¯s thoughts; right now, she was considering what to prepare for the three about to depart.


    Licheng was not very far from their place; by train, it was just over two hours.


    The climate was also not much different from theirs, so clothes could be prepared just like the current ones they were wearing.


    Fortunately, it was summer, and the clothes were light and easy to carry.


    As for other items, it was just about considering gifts.


    Although they were visiting her aunt¡¯s house, since they could get the factory¡¯s defective goods at a low price, the second aunt had offered considerable help, and they ought to show their gratitude.


    After thinking, Lin Xiaoguai took a few yards of cotton cloth from the house and handed it to Luo Yufang.


    ¡°Grandma, please take this to the second aunt.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this for you to make clothes for the child?


    Why are you giving it away?¡± Luo Yufang looked disapproving.


    ¡°The child won¡¯t be born for another good half year.


    As long as we have money, when can¡¯t we buy this cloth?¡± Lin Xiaoguai said softly, ¡°The second aunt has helped us so much this time, grandma, taking this shows at least some gratitude.¡±

 Chapter 17 - 17 10 Falling Chain - 2

    ?17: Chapter 10 Falling Chain ¨C 2 17: Chapter 10 Falling Chain ¨C 2 At that time, even a wedding would at most receive a pair of socks, and extraordinarily, a washbasin as a gift; the several yards of cotton Lin Xiaoguai gifted were indeed a generous gesture.


    Luo Yufang wanted to speak to dissuade her from such thoughts, but Shen Chi intervened, ¡°Sure, I remember Second Aunt¡¯s grandson just turned one, this fabric will be just right for him.¡±


    Shen Chi was not a man who liked to insist; regarding fatherly love, he had tried to salvage it but soon realized it was futile and gradually came to peace with it.


    In his previous life, despite being unwilling and using all means of coercion and enticement, he still let Lin Xiaoguai leave in the end.


    However, he was a person who respected others as much as they respected him; his aunts had always been kind to him, so naturally, he also wished to be close to them.


    The money he sent to grandma and grandpa over the years was used by them to support their children¡¯s needs.


    He never mentioned it, but that didn¡¯t mean he was unaware.


    What pleased him the most was seeing his wife¡¯s actions just now, clearly not someone stingy.


    Seeing Luo Yufang still hesitant, Lin Xiaoguai said, ¡°Although cotton is good, it will discolor if kept too long.


    It¡¯s not as good as buying new.¡±


    In fact, her actions were not out of generosity; she simply did not think much of the cotton available at that time.


    Such coarse cotton was okay for adults, but she would never want to use poor-quality fabric for children.


    After all, she had plenty of high-quality fine cotton stored in her space.


    Because they had to catch the train, the three of them had risen before dawn.


    Lin Xiaoguai, who loved her sleep, did not get up until eight or nine o¡¯clock and naturally did not see them.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I made corn and bean sprout porridge, please have some quickly.¡± Seeing her clutching her stomach as if extremely hungry, Shen Xiu hurriedly said.


    Though there were no signs of nausea, Lin Xiaoguai was not only sleepy but also got hungry easily, usually waking up hungry.


    Lin Xiaoguai had half a bowl of porridge before feeling the torturous hunger subside, she looked up and asked, ¡°Xiu¡¯er, have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°I have eaten, sister-in-law, just wait, I¡¯ll come and wash the dishes once I¡¯m done here,¡± Shen Xiu was setting up a frame for the beans in the yard, wiping her sweat as she spoke.


    Lin Xiaoguai would not let her wash the dishes, quickly washing them herself, and started nibbling on a bright yellow corn cob.


    ¡°This corn smells great, is it also grown here?¡± She took a small stool and sat under the eaves.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s from the elderly neighbor next door,¡± Shen Xiu said as she rinsed her hands in the bucket to wash off the mud.


    ¡°In the spring, we had more radishes than we could eat, so we gave many away to neighbors.


    The corn is more like a return of favors.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded in understanding.


    In her past life, she had gotten along well with her old neighborhood, but there was always a formal air to it, lacking warmth ¨C this old-fashioned neighborhood kindness was something she had not experienced in a long time, and it felt quite nice.


    Though Shen Xiu stayed to care for her, she was not by her side all the time, she had plans to go out that afternoon.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, there¡¯s porridge in the pot and the fire hasn¡¯t died down; if you get hungry, just help yourself.


    I¡¯ll be back early to cook dinner.¡±


    ¡°Got it, have fun,¡± Lin Xiaoguai watched as Shen Xiu¡¯s figure disappeared down the alley.


    After sweeping the pathway clean at the courtyard entrance, Lin Xiaoguai closed the gate and went inside.


    Sitting in the room, she carefully drew the curtains and hesitated before unclasping the pendant around her neck.


    This chain was guarded by Aunt with great effort during a difficult period from the Red Guards; it was passed down by Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s grandma to her daughters-in-law, with each of the three daughter-in-laws receiving one.


    Both Aunt and Second Aunt¡¯s pendants were gold chains with a small gold Ruyi, but it was slightly different when it came to Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s Mom.


    Since grandma did not like her mom, feeling that her youngest son had married a dull wife and thus been wronged, she took the pretext of worrying that her daughter-in-law would lose it and kept it for herself.


    Later, during the turbulent times, the village was chaotic, and the house was busy.


    Although a thief visited and grandma was alert, during a confrontation, the thief managed to snatch away the small gold Ruyi, leaving behind a bare chain.


    With the family still possessing some resources, grandma didn¡¯t want to favor one over the other and decided to replace the small gold Ruyi with a small Jade Pendant.


    Perhaps because all four brothers were more like their mom in temperament, grandma didn¡¯t favor them as much as she did the cousins from Uncle¡¯s and Second Uncle¡¯s family.


    When Lin Xiaoguai was born, the old lady, who had a preference for boys, insisted that Lin Xiaoguai looked like her and treated her just as well, if not better, than her cousins.


    Even on her deathbed, she entrusted the pendant to Aunt, instructing her to give it to Lin Xiaoguai when she grew up.


    At that time, Lin Xiaoguai was only three years old, not yet steady on her feet.


    After that difficult period was over, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s mom passed away, and Aunt discreetly handed over the pendant to her before the arranged time.


    Because of this pendant, Lin Xiaoguai led a comfortable life in her previous life, and because of it, rebirth held meaning for her.


    She looked down at the somewhat oddly shaped Jade Pendant in her hand; the pendant could be divided into two parts, one part was a thumb-sized round white jade with a green bean-sized circular depression in the middle, the top of which was delicately inlaid with gold; the other part looked like a blue waterdrop-shaped object embedded or dyed on the back, if not for the tactile prominence, it would seem fused with the former to the naked eye.


    The Jade Pendant was beautiful, but the quality of the jade wasn¡¯t good and wasn¡¯t an ancient relic with a known provenance.


    It wouldn¡¯t sell for much if it were put on the market.


    This was also why Aunt and Second Aunt did not object to grandma¡¯s proposal initially.


    However, no one knew what kind of treasure was hidden inside the Jade Pendant!

 Chapter 18 - 18 11 Space and System

    ?18: Chapter 11 Space and System 18: Chapter 11 Space and System Lin Xiaoguai actually found it a bit strange that the jade pendant was still present.


    She had read her fair share of novels featuring space elements, many of which had heroines who carried a space with them back to the past, but as far as she knew, once someone was reborn, the medium that initially granted access to that space should disappear, likely due to the balance of time and space.


    Although she had never gone inside, she could feel that her own space was still there, yet the jade pendant remained intact as well.


    Suddenly, her eyes lit up, could it be...


    If she remembered correctly, when she initially discovered the space, the jade pendant had already developed a web of fine cracks reminiscent of a spider¡¯s web due to a broken chain, but at this moment, the jade pendant was still perfectly whole!


    But...


    Lin Xiaoguai eyed the jade pendant in her hand with some frustration, the key issue was that she had no idea how she had originally opened the space.


    There was no such thing as blood recognition; she hadn¡¯t even dreamed during her sleep.


    Just a slight fever followed by a few days of delirium, and when she woke up, the space was there, and the jade pendant had disappeared.


    This was also why she only started to explore the space after she was left alone in the house.


    Helplessly, she pocketed the pendant chain and with a thought, Lin Xiaoguai appeared inside the space.


    Indeed, it was still that small space...


    Lin Xiaoguai hadn¡¯t even begun to feel disappointed when the space suddenly started to shake, and before she could react, she was abruptly ejected.


    What was going on?


    Lin Xiaoguai instinctively tried to re-enter the space, only to find that she couldn¡¯t get inside.


    Her gaze sparked with light as she pulled out the pendant chain from her pocket.


    ¡ªThe delicate little jade pendant had vanished without a trace.


    Although the lack of expected fever and delirium had reassured Lin Xiaoguai, being denied entry by the space, a situation she had never encountered before, left her feeling extremely anxious and uneasy, unable to sit or lie down in peace, to the point where the afternoon tea she had meticulously planned was canceled due to both subjective and objective reasons.


    ¡ªUnable to enter the space, indeed she could not bring out the fine Earl Grey tea and various pastries that she treasured within.


    As time trickled by, just when Lin Xiaoguai thought she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to investigate the changes in the space that day, she suddenly felt it stabilize.


    Checking the time, it was half-past three.


    Shen Xiu would return at the earliest by four, so giving in to her curiosity, Lin Xiaoguai entered the space.


    Faced with the scene before her, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    [System...] Her mind subconsciously reached out to the only entity that could answer her questions, [What¡¯s going on?]


    In her previous life, she had been quite fortunate to get a space that no one else had, but this space was actually very small, just two or three acres in size.


    Although fertile, and plants grown in it developed a hundred times faster than in normal soil, there wasn¡¯t even a wooden hut, the only thing reminiscent of those space novels was a Spiritual Spring Eye capable of Wash Marrow and Cut Tendons, and of curing diseases and detoxifying.


    If there was something truly valuable, it was a system bound to the space.


    This system wasn¡¯t the nurturing type often found in system novels, but a Life Profession System.


    Of course, the life professions here aren¡¯t as exaggerated as in games.


    Tailor, chef, pharmacist, craftsman, and other traditional professions were all available, and virtually every skill requiring expertise, however big or small, existed, yet one should not expect works with various heavenly attributes, unless the materials themselves possessed those particular properties; there wouldn¡¯t be any non-scientific results.


    At the same time, the Life Profession System didn¡¯t provide the same bonuses as games do; skills could only be upgraded once the necessary experience was reached.


    In essence, apart from extraordinary technical information and teaching methods, this system was no different from a regular teacher, and the host¡¯s learning process was just the same as in reality.


    Additionally, the most surprising feature was the exchange shop that came with the system.


    Although it wasn¡¯t as transcendent as those interdimensional trading systems in the novels, where all sorts of cultivation manuals and high-tech products could be purchased, the exchange shop still contained many miraculous items from other planetary civilizations.


    Beyond that, what Lin Xiaoguai found most useful and convenient was the accompanying crafting system provided by the system.


    Given the blueprints and materials, the crafting system could perfectly create whatever you wanted, with guaranteed quality.


    Back then, Lin Xiaoguai had received these when she was already in her forties, having lived half her life; she no longer had the heart or courage to make a change.


    ¡ªShe had some understanding of Shen Chi; that paranoid man had let go, but once she found a man and got married, who knew how he might get the man killed, or what unexpected actions he would take upon learning of her recovery.


    Plus, she didn¡¯t have the confidence she could find a man that would satisfy her, as she well knew she could be picky about some things.

 Chapter 19 - 19 11 Space and System_2

    ?19: Chapter 11 Space and System_2 19: Chapter 11 Space and System_2 She wanted children, but in the face of an uncertain future, she couldn¡¯t be fearless.


    Unable to provide them with a stable future, it was better not to bring them into the world.


    Therefore, whether it was the system or the space, it was just a diversion that enriched her life.


    To her, it was good to have these things, but she wouldn¡¯t be disappointed without them.


    But now things were different.


    A bright light flashed in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s eyes.


    She wasn¡¯t ambitious, but she didn¡¯t want to rely on others either.


    Shen Chi had reached his stature in her previous life, and she did not aspire to stand shoulder to shoulder with him.


    It wasn¡¯t self-deprecation but rather her nature; she wanted to devote her time to her hard-won treasures, not waste much energy on a career that tired her and she didn¡¯t enjoy.


    What she wanted was merely independence, financially and emotionally.


    As such, the space and the system were her best assets.


    However...


    Lin Xiaoguai gaped at the scene before her, these assets...


    perhaps exceeded her expectations.


    In fact, compared to the original simple but functional few acres and the Spiritual Spring Eye, the extra scenery seemed somewhat abrupt.


    Such pavilions, the reflection of lakes, surrounded by all kinds of stunning mountains, looked like a paradise from a fairy tale, incredibly beautiful.


    The endless fields, surrounded by a fruit orchard laden with fruit, also possessed a rustic, natural charm.


    It was hard not to think of the personal caves left behind by great cultivation masters in the novels.


    Could her luck really be that good?


    Lin Xiaoguai doubted her luck; being genuinely old-school and having a cool protagonist aura didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t realistic.


    Words like extraordinary and fanciful would never apply to her.


    Reality proved that her luck wasn¡¯t contrary to natural order.


    ¡°[Report, host, the additional space is the space originally contained within the Jade Pendant, attracted due to its vast energy.


    I, 001, was attracted to it while in hibernation.


    At first, I thought the energy was contained within the jade itself, but now it seems it belongs to the space.]¡± The familiar electronic voice sounded in her head.


    001 was the intelligent entity of the Life Profession System, and note, it¡¯s intelligent, not a brain!


    Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t being cold, refusing to give it a proper name; after observing for a long time, she found that although 001¡¯s thinking and expressive abilities were no different from an average person, and its database even gave it knowledge ordinary people lacked, it didn¡¯t possess any human emotions.


    She wasn¡¯t without hope that through communication and encouragement 001 could gradually gain human emotions, but many attempts yielded no results, and gradually, she gave up.


    ¡°[Can you check the newly emerged space?]¡± Lin Xiaoguai knew that although 001 was inadequate in other aspects, it excelled in scanning and detection.


    ¡°[Preliminary detection shows that the energy contained in the new space is very high, even exceeding the original space.


    Detailed detection results will be available tomorrow.]¡±


    ¡°[When you mention high energy content, to what extent?]¡± She once asked 001 since the reason why plants in the original space grew a hundred times faster than the outside world was due to an energy cycle not present outside.


    ¡°[Approximately two to three times that of the original space.]¡± After a pause, 001 added, ¡°[Since both are in the same space, it won¡¯t take long for the original space to assimilate.]¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai slightly furrowed her brow, ¡°Are there no negative effects?¡± She was always a meticulous person.


    ¡°[...Currently unknown.]¡± 001¡¯s voice remained flat, ¡°[The energy in the new space is different from the original, so the possibility of unforeseen changes can¡¯t be ruled out.]¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s frown deepened.


    Before she could speak, 001 continued, ¡°[However, the possibility of unforeseen changes is high, but the likelihood of negative effects is very low.


    Even if there are any, they will be minor and negligible.]¡±


    Reassured by these words, Lin Xiaoguai actually wanted to explore the new space herself, but there wasn¡¯t enough time.


    Thinking this, she hurriedly scooped a handful of water from the Spiritual Spring Eye to drink before exiting the space.


    ¡ªUnlike what the novels say, although spiritual spring water can Wash Marrow and Cut Tendons, the impurities expelled from the body are not visible to the naked eye.


    If not for the noticeable effects and hints from 001, Lin Xiaoguai would probably have needed one or two years to truly believe in the efficacy of the spiritual spring water.


    Lin Xiaoguai spent less than half an hour in the space, thinking Shen Xiu was probably about to return, she walked into the kitchen.


    As it was summer and there was no refrigerator, although Shen Chi and the two others had tried to arrange everything before leaving, they hadn¡¯t dared to buy too many vegetables.


    Inspecting the kitchen, Lin Xiaoguai found a bunch of long beans and several loofahs in the cupboard.


    There was a carp in a wooden tub on the floor.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, she ran to the backyard well, lifted the lid, and indeed, there was a bucket hanging inside.


    Fortunately, she remembered that back when she was young, if the meat wasn¡¯t cooked immediately, it would hang in the well on hot days, where it was the coolest and the meat could last longer.


    Carefully pulling up the bucket, there was indeed a piece of ham inside.


    Taking the meat back to the kitchen, Lin Xiaoguai checked the existing ingredients and quickly planned the evening menu.


    Given the limited conditions, she could only stir-fry the long beans.


    For the loofah, she had seen pig lard in the cupboard, ideal for a soup; the carp could be steamed with some scallions.


    As for the pork, she decided to make Mei Cai Kou Rou.


    There was too much food for her and Shen Xiu to finish¡ªthe Mei Cai Kou Rou would not spoil and reheating it over the rice cooker would make it even more flavorful than freshly cooked.

 Chapter 20 - 20 12 Going Out

    ?20: Chapter 12 Going Out 20: Chapter 12 Going Out After living alone for many years, Lin Xiaoguai was not the type to shortchange herself, so naturally, her cooking skills were not lacking.


    In fact, with the Life Profession System as an aid, Lin Xiaoguai had not put much effort into learning, but she was definitely not at a novice level.


    Although she hadn¡¯t specialized in any particular dish due to treating cooking as a part of life¡¯s variety, her talent was clear for all to see.


    The skills Lin Xiaoguai had mastered were not only numerous but also of a standard that could be shown off, with several items quite impressive.


    Perhaps there was a gap from a master, but it was truly ¡°just a bit.¡±


    Without a doubt, her cooking skill was one of those with notable proficiency.


    Lin Xiaoguai was very particular about cooking.


    It wasn¡¯t about whether the dishes were famous or not, nor did she insist on complex methods, but she was keen on preserving the original flavors of the ingredients.


    As a result, the dishes she made often looked simple and homey, but in reality...


    only those who tasted them would know.


    When Shen Xiu pushed the door open and was about to announce ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± she was instantly distracted by the tantalizing smell that filled her nostrils.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, what did you cook that¡¯s so fragrant?¡± As she finished her question, she immediately realized something was wrong and exclaimed in shock, ¡°Sister-in-law, why are you cooking yourself?¡± Grandma had specifically instructed her before she left to ensure that her sister-in-law didn¡¯t have to cook, claiming it could affect a pregnant woman¡¯s appetite.


    Lin Xiaoguai was busy dishing out the fried long beans and didn¡¯t even turn her head, ¡°Xiuxiu¡¯s back, come and help me set the table.¡±


    Shen Xiu subconsciously did as told and only after setting the table did she realize that her sister-in-law hadn¡¯t answered her question.


    Looking annoyed, she said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re too cunning.


    I said I¡¯d make dinner.


    If grandma finds out I allowed you to cook, she¡¯d definitely scold me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.


    Grandma¡¯s just over-worried,¡± Lin Xiaoguai replied, which wasn¡¯t wrong; in future generations, even the most treasured pregnant women, unless they had severe morning sickness or instability with the pregnancy, could still manage cooking.


    Shen Xiu grabbed the steamed fish from Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand and placed it on the table, saying, ¡°Sister-in-law, are you really okay?¡±


    The brightly colored Mei vegetables with pork, the light sponge gourd soup, the vivid green fried long beans, and the beautifully presented steamed carp ¨C Shen Xiu couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s eat,¡± Lin Xiaoguai filled a full bowl of rice for Shen Xiu.


    Before eating, Shen Xiu had plenty of complaints, but after tasting the Mei vegetable pork, all thoughts vanished from her mind except for the deliciousness of the food.


    It was incredibly delicious!


    Under the guidance of several renowned chefs in the system, whether it was the angle and force of flipping the pan during basic techniques, the timing and amount of seasoning, the control of heat, or various techniques to finish sauces, Lin Xiaoguai mastered every detail to perfection.


    Not to mention the preservation of the ingredients¡¯ freshness, which was absolutely guaranteed, and there was no need to even mention the taste.


    The simpler the dish, the more Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s cooking skills shone through.


    Even though Shen Xiu had never experienced the ¡°gourmet¡± food from later generations that was piled with various expensive ingredients and MSG, she knew the food before her was definitely above standard.


    Her eyes sparkling, she said, ¡°Sister-in-law, this is so delicious.¡±


    ¡°If it tastes good, eat more.¡± Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t as excited as Shen Xiu, but after many days of eating meals she considered barely passable, finally being able to satisfy her taste buds put her in a good mood.


    People of this era weren¡¯t like those in future generations, where commonly men would be full with one bowl of rice and women would finish after three bites.


    Not to mention Shen Chi, who could easily finish three heaping bowls, even Shen Xiu could eat two full bowls herself, whereas Lin Xiaoguai, with her small bowl, was the odd one out.


    ¡ªIn fact, Lin Xiaoguai remembered that in her youth, her own appetite was not smaller than Shen Xiu¡¯s.


    So, even though the quantity of dishes was more than enough, only the Mei vegetable pork remained in the end, with all other dishes emptied.


    With a look of complaint, Shen Xiu remarked, ¡°Sister-in-law, you didn¡¯t eat more.


    Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be any leftovers.¡± Although she said this, she knew that her sister-in-law had eaten more today than before.


    Despite the shallow bowl of rice remaining the same, Lin Xiaoguai had indeed eaten quite a bit of the dishes.


    At that moment, Shen Xiu also began to understand why her sister-in-law had repeatedly tried to snatch the cooking utensils from her and grandma.


    After eating food cooked by her sister-in-law, she felt as if their own cooking was hardly edible, and yet Lin Xiaoguai never had a word of complaint before.


    Lin Xiaoguai had no idea about Shen Xiu¡¯s thoughts.


    In reality, while she wasn¡¯t used to the food cooked by grandma and Shen Xiu, she didn¡¯t despise it as Shen Xiu thought; instead, she even found it nostalgic.


    Before she had gone to Shanghai in her previous life to encounter a variety of foods, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s cooking skills, although good, were definitely not at the current level, perhaps just slightly better than grandma¡¯s and Shen Xiu¡¯s.

 Chapter 21 - 21 12 Going Out_2

    ?21: Chapter 12 Going Out_2 21: Chapter 12 Going Out_2 Actually, if it weren¡¯t for the Life Profession System, Lin Xiaoguai would still find hometown cuisine hard to stomach now, but she would probably only tire of it because the dishes were too simple and she had eaten too much.


    The bowl was washed by Shen Xiu, while Lin Xiaoguai helped wipe it dry with a cloth.


    Shen Xiu still thought her sister-in-law was meticulous, as most households at that time would wash their dishes clean without bothering to dry them.


    After tidying up the kitchen, and with little entertainment available, not even a TV, Shen Xiu took out her textbooks and workbooks and asked Lin Xiaoguai to help her with schoolwork.


    It posed no difficulty for Lin Xiaoguai.


    Although she had left school decades ago, she had always remembered everything she learned well, plus some idle time recently and a bit of curiosity had led her to ask Shen Xiu for her textbooks to skim through, so even if she had been somewhat unfamiliar, it was no longer an issue after refreshing her memory.


    Shen Xiu was kind and clever but lacked talent in academics, ranking at best in the lower middle of her class if not last.


    Fortunately, in that era, people treasured the opportunity to study, and with Lin Xiaoguai, a reputed future college student, her enthusiasm for learning was very high.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I think you explain much better than our teachers,¡± Shen Xiu said with admiration after they went through a few math problems, ¡°I can understand our teacher, but it always takes me a second too long to catch on, and by the time I do, he¡¯s already moved on and I¡¯ve missed parts in-between.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled upon hearing this.


    Although she had never been a teacher, the Life Profession System had subjected her to many famous instructors, allowing her to gain a fair amount of insight.


    ¡°Speaking of which, sister-in-law, if you can¡¯t go to college, you could become a teacher,¡± Shen Xiu said casually, then realized she had misspoken.


    ¡°No, sister-in-law...


    I didn¡¯t mean that.


    If you¡¯re going to college...¡± Shen Xiu started explaining in a flustered way.


    Being a teacher back then was not as prestigious as it would be later on.


    Teachers earned low salaries and often had to make home visits due to students dropping out, only to face parents¡¯ scorn.


    Going to college was a different story; any university graduate could be assigned a job and earn a secure living.


    Shen Xiu wanted to say something comforting, but her family was not in a position to support her sister-in-law through college, especially now that she was pregnant.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said gently, ¡°I¡¯m only sixteen, college can wait a few more years.¡±


    She was sincere; the weight of the child in her heart was unquestionable, and while attending college had been difficult in her past life, it wasn¡¯t the same this time.


    Moreover, she knew better than anyone that getting into college at this time not only meant no tuition fees but also a subsidy.


    ¡°But sister-in-law...¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai knew what she was worried about and said with a slight smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if I take the exam ten times, I¡¯ll only do better each time.¡±


    Shen Xiu wanted to say that English would be included in the next college entrance exam, but faced with Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s calm yet confident gaze, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to voice her concern.


    The person before her made her believe, involuntarily, that she could achieve it.


    Although Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s Cooking Skill was exceptional, Shen Xiu didn¡¯t just leave all the cooking to her but sought her guidance instead.


    Of course, when Lin Xiaoguai decided to cook, Shen Xiu neither had the heart nor could genuinely stop her.


    ¡°Shall we go to the market now?¡± Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s mood was good, having persuaded Shen Xiu to let her go out.


    Although she knew the streets of the era didn¡¯t offer much to wander, Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t seeking that bustling excitement, but merely wanted to revisit old places.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Shen Xiu nodded, but then added with some concern, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright, sister-in-law?¡± She knew the market¡¯s smells could be unpleasant.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have this.¡± Lin Xiaoguai took out and put on a face mask.


    She harbored no great expectations for the market at this time; her visit was purely for novelty¡¯s sake.


    The market was small, and the variety of vegetables and meats for sale was limited.


    Shen Xiu carefully selected vegetables from the stalls, while Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s attention was drawn to the nostalgic trading of food and meat tickets.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, would you like some of those biscuits?¡± Shen Xiu asked as Lin Xiaoguai observed an elder with his grandson buying biscuits with food tickets.


    Lin Xiaoguai shook her head, ¡°If you want some, I can make them for you, much tastier than what¡¯s sold outside.¡± At that time, biscuits were anything but diverse and finely made; even soda biscuits were considered rare.


    She spoke this way because, although Shen Xiu was asking her, the longing in her voice could not be disguised.


    The girl had her little desires, hoping to indulge by leveraging her sister-in-law¡¯s influence.


    ¡°You can make them?¡± Shen Xiu asked, surprised.


    Though perhaps not more difficult than cooking, people of the era had an extremely limited understanding of baking, which inevitably led to some idealization.


    ¡°As long as there¡¯s an oven,¡± Lin Xiaoguai thought aloud.


    Shen Xiu¡¯s face fell at the mention; an oven wasn¡¯t something she could get her hands on.


    Lin Xiaoguai felt a bit helpless; she had many things in her space but couldn¡¯t find a reason to bring them out.


    ¡°We¡¯re low on coal at home, shouldn¡¯t we buy some?¡± Lin Xiaoguai changed the subject to avoid Shen Xiu¡¯s dispiritedness.


    ¡°No need,¡± Shen Xiu shook her head, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for brother to return.


    We can¡¯t carry it ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I wonder when grandma and grandpa will be back,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said, steering Shen Xiu away from a passing lady carrying a water bucket.


    ¡°They should be back soon,¡± Shen Xiu replied, ¡°Probably tomorrow.¡±


    Shen Xiu was right; the very next morning, after Lin Xiaoguai finished breakfast and was watering tomatoes in the yard, the sound of a sputtering tractor approached, and the three family members, heavily laden, pushed open the gate and entered.

 Chapter 22 - 22 13 Setting up a Stall

    ?22: Chapter 13 Setting up a Stall 22: Chapter 13 Setting up a Stall It was the hottest time at the beginning of summer, and the three individuals who appeared in the courtyard were all somewhat disheveled, especially Shen Chi, whose slightly longer hair due to sweat clung together.


    His face had stains from who knows where, his lips were a bit chapped, and with both hands, he carried two packages almost as tall as a person.


    Without a free hand to wipe the sweat on his forehead, he strode toward the house.


    Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat startled and was about to welcome him when Shen Chi said, ¡°You stand still, don¡¯t move.¡± After he spoke, he quickened his pace towards the inside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, Wanwan.


    Chi is scared you¡¯d get hurt,¡± Luo Yufang, who was following behind, explained in a hurry.


    No sooner had she finished speaking than Shen Chi reappeared from the house, empty-handed, and headed back out.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll go help brother with the goods,¡± Shen Xiu, following behind, said in haste.


    After putting down the package in her hands inside, Luo Yufang took Lin Xiaoguai by the hand and sat down saying, ¡°The goods from Licheng were cheaper than expected, and with the help of the children¡¯s little aunt, Chi went all out and hauled back a whole cartload.


    To take care of us two old folks, Chi has been terribly busy on the road.¡± Although her tone sounded like a complaint, the smile on her face clearly showed how happy she was about her grandson¡¯s filial piety.


    ¡°Old lady, stop just talking and go make something to eat,¡± Shen Zhangming, who was washing his face by the basin stand, called out.


    ¡°Yes, right, I almost forgot, you wait...¡± Luo Yufang said as she was about to stand up.


    Lin Xiaoguai quickly pulled her back, ¡°Grandma, you rest.


    I¡¯ll prepare the meal.¡± Without waiting for a reply, she hurried into the kitchen.


    Previously, the family had traded wheat for two jin of flour, and these past few days, the hens in the yard had been laying eggs diligently.


    There were also a few ears of fresh corn in the cupboard.


    Lin Xiaoguai thought about steaming the corn, making some egg pancakes, and with the porridge that Shen Xiu had just cooked, it should be enough to make do for a meal for the three of them.


    ¡°Xiuxiu, help me pick a bunch of scallions!¡± she shouted towards the outside and then started to get busy.


    After putting the corn to steam, Lin Xiaoguai began to knead the dough.


    Before long, a bunch of freshly washed scallions appeared at her side, and without lifting her head, she instructed, ¡°Chop them into fine pieces.¡±


    Shen Chi raised his eyebrows, hesitated for a moment but ended up picking up the scallions to chop them.


    Lin Xiaoguai did not notice Shen Chi¡¯s arrival.


    After she finished kneading the dough, she pushed her hair back from her forehead and began to mix the ingredients.


    Shen Chi watched Lin Xiaoguai in front of him with some curiosity¡ªhe had seen her calmness while reading, her tenderness when teaching her nephews, but he had not seen her cooking before.


    Lin Xiaoguai herself carried many halos, making others look up to her and unable to envisage her doing these ordinary, mundane tasks.


    Yet Shen Chi was very pleased; this woman was making meals in her capacity as his wife.


    ¡°Xiuxiu, the scallions?¡± Lin Xiaoguai came back to her senses and, seeing the person she didn¡¯t expect, was startled and temporarily forgot to speak.


    Shen Chi smiled faintly, passing over the bowl filled with chopped scallions.


    Lin Xiaoguai silently took it and without a word turned back to continue her work.


    Between him and her, there was always an indescribable awkwardness.


    But Shen Chi was not disappointed.


    She was his legally recognized wife, and now she was carrying his child, so what was there to worry about?


    Seeing her in a special condition, he granted her the luxury to act like a turtle shrinking its head for a while.


    Lin Xiaoguai was unaware that she had become a turtle shrinking its head in Shen Chi¡¯s mind; she just didn¡¯t know how to face Shen Chi at the moment.


    Or perhaps, it was because the impression left by the Shen Chi from her previous life was too deep.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit scared.


    In TV dramas, the overbearing, domineering, and single-minded male protagonists always induce screams.


    But in real life, being loved by such a man might satisfy one¡¯s vanity at first, yet soon it feels exhausting, and the urge to escape arises.


    Especially when you don¡¯t love that man.


    Undoubtedly, Shen Chi was such a man.


    Lin Xiaoguai was acutely aware that when she had wanted a divorce to the point of death, Shen Chi had been exhausted to the point where he truly wanted to kill her.


    His gun was pointed at her more than once, as both a threat and an emotional outburst.


    He would always tell her: Don¡¯t push me.


    Back then, Lin Xiaoguai was not afraid, but now she felt a tinge of fear.


    She was no longer the Lin Xiaoguai who had nothing to lose and could go all-in.


    Flipping out the last golden-brown pancake from the pan, Lin Xiaoguai was about to bring it out when Shen Chi had already stepped forward and snatched it away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    A plate full of egg pancakes and corn, along with the porridge Shen Xiu had cooked earlier, satisfied the three travel-weary grandparents and grandchild greatly.


    ¡°This egg pancake, was it made by Wanwan?¡± Luo Yufang¡¯s face showed unmistakable surprise.


    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s delicious, isn¡¯t it?


    Whatever my sister-in-law makes is tasty!¡± Before Lin Xiaoguai could speak up, Shen Xiu, who had long been conquered by her cooking skills, eagerly interjected.


    Lin Xiaoguai let out a light chuckle.


    Even though she was no stranger to such praise, having her hard work acknowledged by others still made her happy inside.


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve never tasted such delicious egg pancakes in my entire life,¡± Luo Yufang said earnestly.


    While the pancakes looked ordinary, just more uniform in size and thickness than usual, their taste was unlike anything she¡¯d ever experienced.


    And the more she discovered the virtues of her granddaughter-in-law, the guiltier she felt for the harm her own family had caused her, which only made her want to treat her even better.


    Shen Chi¡¯s own delighted surprise was even more indescribable.


    With increasing understanding, he kept finding more and more admirable qualities in Wanwan.


    She was even better than he had thought.


    So good, so very good, that his resolve to never let go grew ever stronger.


    ¡°Wow, these clothes are beautiful!¡± Shen Xiu exclaimed as she opened a cloth bundle and caught sight of the colorful garments inside.


    Lin Xiaoguai looked over to see Shen Xiu holding up a pair of green bell-bottoms with fascination.


    She couldn¡¯t help but tug at the corner of her mouth, forgiving herself for not being in sync with the aesthetic sense of the era.


    ¡°The clothes look nice, but would anyone dare to wear them?¡± Shen Zhangming said skeptically.


    ¡°Besides, everyone usually makes their own clothes, or buys fabric and asks a tailor to make them.


    People might not purchase them after seeing them; they might just buy the fabric and copy the design themselves.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry, some of our schoolmates wear them.


    I heard it¡¯s from relatives in the city; everyone is so envious, just that there¡¯s nowhere to buy them,¡± replied Shen Xiu while flipping through the other clothes.


    ¡°Grandpa, rest assured, I¡¯ve taken into account all those things you mentioned.


    That¡¯s why I picked brightly colored fabrics when sourcing the goods, ones you can¡¯t find in the county.


    Even if someone tried to make their own, they wouldn¡¯t look as good as ours,¡± Shen Chi said as he squatted down to organize the clothes in the bundle.


    ¡°Clothes probably won¡¯t sell too quickly.


    I plan to stock up a few more times in Licheng before I go back to report for duty, leaving grandpa and grandma to sell them at leisure.¡±


    ¡°But what if we stock too much and can¡¯t sell it all?


    And brother, do you even have that much capital?¡± Shen Xiu asked worriedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have it figured out,¡± Shen Chi said, patting her on the head.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Shen Xiu suddenly realized something.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not planning on having sister-in-law follow the army?¡±


    When it came to herself, Lin Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t help but look up, meeting Shen Chi¡¯s gaze that seemed to carry an inexplicable meaning.


    Whether she followed the army or not, she didn¡¯t particularly care.


    Although she hadn¡¯t planned on focusing too much on her career, it didn¡¯t mean she intended to live without considering earning money.


    And following the army...


    she didn¡¯t fancy the idea of working as a cafeteria cleaning staff.


    Having been a freelance writer all her life, Lin Xiaoguai found it somewhat difficult to picture living a regimented nine-to-five life.


    ¡°Mm,¡± Shen Chi frowned slightly.


    He had his reasons for making such a decision and had hoped that Wanwan would understand.


    But seeing her dismissive attitude before even hearing an explanation, he wasn¡¯t pleased at all.


    He looked to his grandparents, who were asking with their eyes, ¡°Army regulations state that family members can only follow if one holds the rank of a regular battalion commander or a deputy battalion commander with 15 years of service.


    I¡¯m at the deputy rank now, but I¡¯ve only served for eight years, so I don¡¯t qualify for the family following application.


    That¡¯s why I need to find a way to get promoted first.¡±


    As he said that, there seemed to be a flicker of darkness in his eyes as if he had encountered some unwelcome thought, and then he continued, ¡°All that aside, the living conditions at the garrison aren¡¯t great.


    Wanwan is currently pregnant, and my military training is rigorous with frequent missions.


    There wouldn¡¯t be many opportunities to care for her.


    Plus, military medics generally specialize in trauma care, which isn¡¯t convenient for a pregnant woman.


    Therefore, I was thinking it¡¯s best to plan for the family following after the child is born.¡±


    Hearing this, everyone fell silent for a moment.


    Luo Yufang then looked at Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°Wanwan, what do you think?¡± They were certainly willing to take care of their granddaughter-in-law, but worried she might feel aggrieved.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a light laugh.


    ¡°I was a bit worried before about not being able to adapt to life in the army.¡± Should she mention that she had never intended to follow the army before giving birth?


    Once they understood her stance, both the elders and Shen Xiu breathed a sigh of relief, but Shen Chi¡¯s feelings were complex.


    He was sure of it; there was a major problem in their marriage.


    Unlike later eras where setting up a street stall willy-nilly could lead to being chased by urban management, in the streets of that time, as long as one didn¡¯t obstruct the entrance to a shop, there was basically no interference, and no need to pay for a stall.


    Therefore, it didn¡¯t take much effort for Shen Chi to set up a small stall in the street after a quick walk around the area.


    And it turned out that those brightly colored, bold-for-their-time garments really did draw the attention of many passersby, although none had bought anything.


    Just as Luo Yufang was starting to panic, the first customer finally arrived.


    ¡°Sold, it¡¯s sold!¡± Once the customer left, Shen Xiu excitedly clenched the three yuan in her hand.


    Luo Yufang, too, was unabashedly delighted.


    One could only imagine her concern about being stuck with so many unsold clothes.


    With the first customer making a purchase, the second and third slowly appeared, just as Shen Chi had predicted.


    Though the sales weren¡¯t fast, they never ran out of customers.


    Seeing this, Shen Chi began to shuttle between Licheng and the county town.


    The stall was looked after in turns by grandpa, grandma, and Shen Xiu, while Lin Xiaoguai was responsible for cooking at home so they could come back to eat.


    Of course, to look after Lin Xiaoguai, one of the three would always stay at home.


    The whole family was busy, and before they knew it, the day had come for Shen Chi to return to the army for his report.

 Chapter 23 - 23 14 The Eve of Farewell

    ?23: Chapter 14 The Eve of Farewell 23: Chapter 14 The Eve of Farewell After dinner, Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi both returned to their room.


    ¡°Wanwan, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow.


    Don¡¯t you have anything you want to say to me?¡± Shen Chi leaned against the bed, quietly watching Lin Xiaoguai, who was knitting wool.


    ¡ªShe had bought it to knit clothes for the child.


    ¡°...Say what?¡± Lin Xiaoguai paused imperceptibly and looked down indifferently.


    ¡°I know you hold resentment towards me.¡± After saying this, Shen Chi paused for a long time, seemingly wanting to see Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s reaction.


    Seeing none, he continued, ¡°You probably don¡¯t want to hear me apologize, but I promise you, incidents like this will never happen again.¡±


    He didn¡¯t mention the unscrupulous methods he used to marry her.


    In this era, Shen Chi¡¯s emotional intelligence was definitely enough to be envied by many.


    In fact, when he had decided early on to obtain the girl he fancied by dubious means, he had thought about the future.


    3,000 yuan as a dowry payment was the biggest hint he had laid down; in fact, at the time he could have managed to reduce the price to two-thirds, but he didn¡¯t leave himself any leeway.


    3,100 yuan, that was all the assets he had at the time.


    After deducting the dowry, the remaining money was spent on the wedding banquet and household items, nearly all of it.


    He understood the difference between men and women, especially young and nai?ve girls like Wanwan¡ªemotional and unwilling to think ill of others, holding beautiful fantasies about love and marriage.


    He was handsome, his personal circumstances were not bad, and he had married her by spending all his assets because he loved her; he didn¡¯t believe she could harden her heart to blame him.


    Even if she could at the beginning, under the premise that their status was already established, he also believed he had enough time to soften her heart.


    Thus, on their wedding night, even though Wanwan was delirious with a high fever, he insisted on consummating their marriage.


    Time was not on his side, and constrained by social conventions, he couldn¡¯t give her a chance to go back.


    Even when he was suddenly urgently called back by the military, despite not expecting such extremity when he came back with many things, it was no surprise that Wang Zhaodi would mistreat Wanwan.


    He basely thought with Wang Zhaodi¡¯s prior belittling and bullying, the kindness he later showed her would be unexpectedly reciprocated.


    Plus, his original plan was to support her in continuing with college.


    But...


    Plans couldn¡¯t keep up with changes.


    He hadn¡¯t expected the one-month marriage leave to be suddenly canceled, nor had he expected Wanwan to become pregnant, and his negligence almost led to a grave error.


    Originally, he had decided at first glance that Wanwan would be his wife, but knew very little about her.


    Thus, even though he knew there were issues between them, without being clear about her character, he did not know where to start.


    All he could do was give her a promise.


    Lin Xiaoguai knew that Shen Chi was telling the truth, he had never broken a promise he made, and she felt she should be more compliant and show some gratitude, but the truth was, she couldn¡¯t control her tears from falling.


    She cried silently, her face devoid of any expression, but Shen Chi was somewhat flustered, ¡°Don¡¯t cry...¡±


    He hesitated then embraced her, her slender body in his arms slightly stirred him, he wanted to say something but ended up just sighing, his lips gently touching her forehead through her bangs.


    This kiss, full of pity, was like a switch that made Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s emotions spiral out of control.


    ¡°I feel so bad...¡± Lin Xiaoguai choked up, covering her face as tears gushed out.


    She had gone through too much pain¡ªthe death of her father; when she found out she had been ¡°sold¡± by her brother; the excruciating pain while unconscious during their marriage consummation; being insulted by Wang Zhaodi; intense abdominal pain when Shen Xiaobao pushed her into the table corner; being told she lost her child and was infertile for life; and when she wanted to escape but was tightly held by Shen Chi...


    She had clenched her teeth and endured each of those moments, yet now she had broken down under Shen Chi¡¯s gentleness.


    Lin Xiaoguai continued sobbing and expressing her pain, initially Shen Chi could remain calm, but as Lin Xiaoguai began to retch violently, he couldn¡¯t sit still any longer.


    ¡°Wanwan, what¡¯s wrong?


    Don¡¯t scare me.¡± Shen Chi lifted Lin Xiaoguai, who was lying beside the bed, cradling her in his arms and wiping her tears anxiously, ¡°Tell me where it hurts?¡±


    ¡°Nauseous...¡± As soon as she started to speak, Lin Xiaoguai began retching again, and it took a while before the episode eased and she managed to speak: ¡°Nauseous.¡±


    Shen Chi paused briefly then dashed out, coming back with a slice of fresh ginger, placing it near Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s mouth, ¡°Chew.¡±


    ¡ªSince learning of his wife¡¯s pregnancy, he had researched what pregnant women needed to be aware of.


    Lin Xiaoguai was in too much discomfort to refuse, so she put the ginger in her mouth and began to chew.


    After a while, feeling the nausea in her chest and stomach subside, Lin Xiaoguai spit out the chewed ginger and exhaled in relief.


    Seeing her recover, Shen Chi breathed a sigh of relief.


    He carefully carried her onto the bed, his tone filled with concern, ¡°Weren¡¯t you fine before?


    Why did the morning sickness suddenly start?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai, feeling quite exhausted, closed her eyes, and spoke faintly, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± She knew that the recent bout of morning sickness was more due to psychological factors.


    Shen Chi opened his mouth as if to express his concerns, harboring many questions, such as Wanwan¡¯s unexpected reaction just now, but observing her lightly furrowed brows and tired face, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask.


    He actually understood that his little wife wasn¡¯t frank with him.


    However, he didn¡¯t want to pressure her, especially after she had suffered so much because of him.


    ¡°Have some water.¡± Shen Chi poured a cup of warm water and brought it to Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s lips.


    Lin Xiaoguai obediently took two sips before refusing to drink more, and Shen Chi, not forcing her, drank the rest of the water in one gulp before going outside.


    ¡°Take a nap, I¡¯ll go get a basin of water to wipe your face.¡± He thought that after crying, her eyes must feel uncomfortable.


    Lin Xiaoguai gently hummed in response.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Wanwan?¡± In the outer room, Luo Yufang waited after hearing the noises inside.


    ¡°She¡¯s been retching repeatedly and only felt better after chewing on a slice of fresh ginger,¡± Shen Chi softly replied while washing the cup.


    ¡°Why did she suddenly start retching?¡± Luo Yufang was somewhat anxious.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Shen Chi hesitated before saying, ¡°I mentioned some unpleasant things, then she started crying and complaining of discomfort.


    Not long after that, she began to retch.¡± He couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell his elder about the ¡°sweet nothings¡± he had said to his wife, so he remained vague.


    ¡°Why would you bring up those things?¡± Hearing this, Luo Yufang misunderstood and said with a frown of dissatisfaction, ¡°The emotions of pregnant women are already fluctuating, and you just had to stir the pot, didn¡¯t you?


    Isn¡¯t that obviously making her unhappy?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, do you mean that Wanwan started retching because she remembered those unpleasant things?¡± Shen Chi felt something was off.


    Luo Yufang, however, was certain.


    ¡°What else could it be?¡± she said, patting her grandson¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you always sensible?


    Why aren¡¯t you bright this time?¡±


    Shen Chi thought about it for a moment but still felt grandma¡¯s explanation was not quite reliable, though he kept quiet.


    ¡°Wanwan?


    Wanwan?¡± When Shen Chi returned, Lin Xiaoguai was already dozing off, so he carefully nudged her shoulder, trying not to startle her.


    ¡°Mmm...¡± Lin Xiaoguai rubbed her eyes and sat up.


    Shen Chi wrung out a hot towel and covered her face with it; Lin Xiaoguai let out a comfortable sigh and asked somewhat indistinctly, ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still early.¡± Shen Chi clumsily wiped her face and checked the clock, ¡°It¡¯s not even eight o¡¯clock yet.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded, ¡°I¡¯m hungry, is there something to eat?¡± She found it strange herself; her appetite had not increased much during her pregnancy.


    She had even been worried previously about whether this was bad for the baby, especially since the meals of the time were less oily, and what she considered a ¡°normal¡± amount of food might not give the baby enough nutrients.


    Luckily, the meals at home had been decent recently, continually providing eggs and fish.


    ¡°Just a moment.¡± Shen Chi didn¡¯t go out but walked to the camphor wood chest by the window and took out a paper package for Lin Xiaoguai.


    She opened it to find, surprisingly, five egg cakes inside.


    ¡°I saw someone selling these in Licheng and thought you might like them, so I bought them,¡± Shen Chi said somewhat sheepishly.


    Of course, his embarrassment wasn¡¯t because he¡¯d bought snacks for his wife, but because this was the first time he had kept something from the elders.


    It wasn¡¯t that he begrudged the cost; rather, most of the money he had saved was being used to buy stock.


    It had been difficult to spare some money for his wife¡¯s snacks, and he didn¡¯t want Xiu¡¯er, who had a sweet tooth, to eat most of them.


    He wasn¡¯t being unfair; it¡¯s just that Wanwan was pregnant now.


    As for Xiu¡¯er, there would be plenty of opportunities to make it up to her once his financial situation improved.


    Lin Xiaoguai lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, feeling an indescribable emotion.


    She lifted an egg cake and, after thinking for a moment, broke it in half and handed one half to Shen Chi.


    ¡°You eat this.¡±


    Shen Chi felt warmth in his heart, yet he declined, ¡°You eat it, I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat all of this.¡±


    ¡°Then save it for tomorrow.¡± Saying this, Shen Chi put the half back into the paper package and wrapped it up carefully.


    Seeing this made Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s feelings even more complicated.


    In her previous life, Shen Chi had been good to her, constantly offering her rare delicacies, but that felt like he was ¡°shutting her up.¡± He¡¯d always warn her with his gaze not to bring up the topic of divorce again.


    Back then, she had felt he was cold and indifferent to her wishes, but she had never considered that this man might also have such simple and genuine contributions.


    Watching Lin Xiaoguai eat the egg cake in small bites, Shen Chi felt satisfied.


    Why did he fight so hard in the army?


    Wasn¡¯t it for his wife and child, for his own family?


    Not for those insatiable people at the old house, nor was it for...


    Thinking of those unpleasant people, a shadow quickly passed through his eyes.


    ¡°When are you leaving tomorrow?¡± Feeling the room was too quiet, Lin Xiaoguai asked softly.


    ¡°The train is at three in the afternoon, I¡¯ve already bought the ticket,¡± Shen Chi said, looking at her with an exceptionally gentle gaze.

 Chapter 24 - 24 15 Stirring Up

    ?24: Chapter 15 Stirring Up 24: Chapter 15 Stirring Up Shen Chi felt that since they had truly started living as husband and wife, today had the best atmosphere.


    Thus, his emotions involuntarily relaxed and those cares that had been difficult to express found a channel for release.


    He spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°I have arranged everything at home, sold some clothes.


    Before I return, there should be enough money for expenses.


    Don¡¯t worry about the folks back home, they wouldn¡¯t dare to come and cause trouble.


    Also, I know you like fish, it¡¯s hard to buy in the county, and we can¡¯t keep too many.


    I have already told Yuan Lin, he will occasionally bring over the fish he catches after I leave.


    And this.¡±


    Shen Chi stuffed thirty yuan into Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hands, ¡°If there is anything you want to eat or buy, and you feel embarrassed to ask grandma and grandpa, use this money.


    This is all I have now, I¡¯ll give you more when I come back on family leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s voice was very soft, had Shen Chi not been so close, he might have missed it.


    His eyes brightened, his gaze full of affection as he looked towards Lin Xiaoguai.


    However, Lin Xiaoguai kept her head down, not noticing, as she focused on the somewhat worn six five-yuan bills in her hand, her heart filled with mixed feelings.


    ¡°And,¡± Shen Chi remembered something he had almost forgotten, ¡°don¡¯t worry about Capital University.


    Our troops and the Capital Garrison are having a joint exercise this month.


    I will make a trip there and help you apply for a year¡¯s leave of absence.


    After you give birth, you can go to school.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was stunned upon hearing this, she looked up at the man in front of her, suddenly feeling a twinge in her nose.


    Perhaps, when Shen Chi forcibly married her, he also intended for her to go to university?


    Seemingly understanding the confusion in her eyes, Shen Chi reached out and touched her head, ¡°I married you because I want you to have everything you wish for.¡±


    What Shen Chi said was true, but it also wasn¡¯t without his own scheming, only he was calculating Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s feelings for him.


    Lin Xiaoguai never imagined that Shen Chi would have such cunning at that moment, quickly lowering her head to prevent him from seeing the moisture in her eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s apply for three years off,¡± Lin Xiaoguai spoke after calming her emotions.


    ¡°After the child is born, they will need breastfeeding, I can¡¯t just leave the baby and go study immediately.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Shen Chi was pleased.


    Wanwan being willing to compromise for their child like this meant she might not resist being his child¡¯s mother as she had before.


    Lin Xiaoguai knew that applying for a leave wasn¡¯t easy at this time, not because the policy didn¡¯t allow it, but because people of this era had an unimaginable thirst for knowledge.


    With universities being free of tuition and even offering a stipend, someone taking a break like her would naturally face disdain and difficulties from the school staff.


    She had, in fact, already missed the registration period.


    Yet, she trusted Shen Chi, who was never one to make empty promises.


    If he said he could manage it, then he definitely could.


    Until Shen Chi left, Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t able to understand where his confidence that the people from the old house wouldn¡¯t come to cause trouble came from.


    After all, she very well knew that Wang Zhaodi, except when faced with Shen Chi, feared neither heaven nor earth.


    With Shen Chi returning to the military, according to her petty nature, it was highly likely there would be trouble.


    However, she didn¡¯t pay it much mind; she wasn¡¯t truly sixteen and naturally wouldn¡¯t be clueless when facing a shrew like Wang Zhaodi as she had been before.


    But soon after Shen Chi left, their family returned from the station and was having a meal when suddenly there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Uncle and Auntie, hurry open the door, there¡¯s trouble!¡± The voice calling outside was loud.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound like Uncle Quanfu?¡± Shen Xiu hesitated.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it exactly him?¡± Luo Yufang put down her chopsticks and stood up, hurrying to open the door.


    Before a minute passed, a middle-aged man followed her inside.


    ¡°Uncle, you better go back and see, there¡¯s a commotion at Mincheng¡¯s house.¡± Shen Xiu¡¯s father was named Shen Mincheng.


    Lin Xiaoguai noticed, though Uncle Quanfu said this, his expression wasn¡¯t anxious in the slightest, instead there seemed to be...


    a hint of schadenfreude?


    ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Zhangming furrowed his brows.


    Uncle Quanfu glanced at Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°Chi¡¯s wife¡¯s family has come over, now the two sides are fighting.¡±


    ¡°My family?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was stunned.


    How could that be?


    She knew her four brothers well, having committed that act they must feel guilty; they would also be anxious and likely regretful, but they were timid and cared about face, they definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to come.


    As for her four sisters-in-law, she scoffed to herself; they were clever, definitely not of the kind to seek trouble at this time.

 Chapter 25 - 25 15 Making a Fuss_2

    ?25: Chapter 15 Making a Fuss_2 25: Chapter 15 Making a Fuss_2 ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s your aunt and your uncle.¡± Seeing her confusion, Uncle Quanfu mumbled.


    ¡°Your aunt and uncle?¡± Lin Xiaoguai instantly widened her eyes.


    Uncle Quanfu nodded, swallowed hard, and said with lingering fear, ¡°Two old ladies and a man, really quick with their words, Mincheng¡¯s wife was completely blocked.¡±


    Uncle had died over a decade ago, so those left were none other than Aunt and Second Aunt and Uncle, right?


    Lin Xiaoguai twitched the corner of her mouth as she dredged up memories related to Aunt and Second Aunt and Uncle.


    She remembered when Sister Yuanyuan got married, the second year, because she had given birth to a girl, her in-laws despised her.


    The mother-in-law was unwilling to even care for her during her confinement, wanting to drag Yuanyuan out of bed to work in the fields just after half a month.


    It happened that was encountered by Aunt.


    That stirred up a hornet¡¯s nest.


    Aunt didn¡¯t even change her expression, remaining calm and submissive, but afterward rallied several nephews from her side to catch Yuanyuan¡¯s father-in-law, put him in a sack, and give him a beating, causing him to miss the opportunity to be selected as a worker by the leaders from above.


    Such incidents happened more than once; each time Yuanyuan suffered at her in-laws¡¯, her uncles and little aunt would face misfortune.


    At first, her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law did not realize what was going on, but as time passed, they caught on.


    It was clear to everyone what was happening, yet no one could find a single witness, and eventually, they did not dare vent their anger on Yuanyuan.


    Later, when Sister Tingting married, her mother-in-law liked to keep all the work points earned by the family and refused to let her son and daughter-in-law spend any.


    Aunt managed to play a sorrowful drama in front of villagers when her grandchild was sick, forcing the old lady to give up the money.


    As for Second Aunt, with a heart straightforward to the end and a bad temper, she dared to fight to the death when enraged.


    It¡¯s said the stubborn is afraid of the aggressive, and the aggressive is afraid of the reckless.


    Even men were afraid of her.


    Xiao¡¯an, I remember the year when his leg was crushed in the coal mines, and the officials were unwilling to pay to send him to the provincial city for treatment.


    Second Aunt, with a firewood knife in hand, threatened them with a do-or-die stance until those people dug into their own pockets to pay a heavy price.


    Uncle, on the other hand, was like hot-tempered meat, unstoppable in his foolery by anyone but her own father, Lin Guoqiang.


    Nobody in Fengyuan Village dared to act boldly before him.


    ¡°Uncle and aunt, you should hurry back and have a look.


    Otherwise, it might not end well,¡± said Uncle Quanfu.


    His words sounded right, but on closer listen, there¡¯s a hint of instigating interest in watching the excitement.


    However, everyone present disdained Wang Zhaodi.


    Not to mention Lin Xiaoguai, Shen Xiu, and Luo Yufang all showed a keen interest.


    It was Shen Zhangming who hesitated and finally said, ¡°It takes two or three hours to walk from the county to the village.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, uncle.


    I brought the village tractor over.


    It won¡¯t take long to get back,¡± Uncle Quanfu quickly said.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.


    Wife, get a coat for your granddaughter-in-law to wear,¡± Shen Zhangming finally decided.


    They arrived just at the climax of the play.


    Shen Family¡¯s courtyard was filled with people, inside and out.


    In the open space of the yard, an old man with a lean figure but spry demeanor held up a chubby boy covered in snot and tears, his face fierce, ¡°Is it him, the little beast that almost caused my niece to miscarry?¡± Lin Xiaoguai recognized him as her uncle.


    ¡°Wu wu...put me down, Grandma, save me!¡± The usually boisterous chubby dumpling was terrified to death.


    ¡°You, you put my grandson down now, or else, or else you won¡¯t be able to leave Yuanjiazhuang!¡± A sharp voice with a trembling tone tried to sound threatening but only came off as empty bluster.


    Lin Xiaoguai frowned slightly; such a grating voice had been absent for a while.


    ¡°Heh...¡± An old but strong voice wafted through the air, and an old lady leaned on a walking stick, supported by a young man as she walked up to Wang Zhaodi, her tone casual, ¡°Quite a big talker, do you really think everyone else is easily frightened?¡±


    At that moment, Wang Zhaodi was in a bad spot, lying prostrate on the ground, hair in disarray, her face full of scratch marks, as an old lady with graying hair sat on her, catching her breath.


    ¡°Xiao Ping, get your mother a bowl of water.


    Damn, haven¡¯t had to get physical in decades, my bones aren¡¯t what they used to be,¡± she said, then pressed down harder on Wang Zhaodi¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Yes, Mom, just wait,¡± said the middle-aged man beside her in response, then headed towards the house.


    Shen Mincheng and Shen Zhu, standing there stunned, didn¡¯t dare to interject.


    Lin Xiaoguai covered her face; Second Aunt was really...


    ¡°A few of you...my mother is old, you, you...¡± Shen Zhu began somewhat inarticulately.


    Lin Xiaoguai pursed her lips.


    If she felt disgust and hatred toward Wang Zhaodi, then her feeling toward Shen Zhu and his wife was utter contempt.


    Despite being favored by Wang Zhaodi in this family and relying on them for support in old age, they were the most inconsequential, lacking their own opinions, listening to everything Wang Zhaodi said, almost devoid of independent personality.


    Wang Zhaodi, domineering herself, made every effort to find a timid daughter-in-law for her own son, allowing her to continue dominating at home.


    She remembered back then, when she was being unabashedly tormented by Wang Zhaodi at the Shen family¡¯s old house, this couple did not lack sympathy or guilt, but apart from revealing it in their eyes, they did not act at all.


    Favored by Wang Zhaodi to the point of becoming lawless, Shen Xiaobao constantly caused trouble, leading to other children¡¯s parents complaining to them.


    The couple was clearly worn out, but they didn¡¯t dare say anything.


    They did not dare to discipline their own child, how pitiful that was.


    The three elderly people seemed not to have heard Shen Zhu¡¯s words, Lin Nianqiang fixed his fierce gaze on Shen Mincheng, ¡°Lin Family¡¯s daughter was abused by that harpy in such a way, Shen Family must give us an explanation today!¡±


    His eyes were fierce, his expression filled with chill.


    ¡°What Lin Family¡¯s daughter, she¡¯s just our Shen Chihua, bought for 3,000 yuan.


    Whether she lives or dies is in our hands.


    If this were the old days, she would be a servant, and even if killed, it would have nothing to do with you!¡± Wang Zhaodi suddenly spoke up, her tone full of malice.

 Chapter 26 - 26 16 Bills of Exchange

    ?26: Chapter 16 Bills of Exchange 26: Chapter 16 Bills of Exchange Upon hearing this, the three elders¡¯ faces changed instantly.


    Second Aunt Zhou Fengqin furrowed her brow and angrily said, ¡°Go to hell with your talk of servants and slaves!


    Which family doesn¡¯t want a bride price when they marry off their daughters?


    Are they supposed to sell their daughters into servitude at their in-law¡¯s?


    What¡¯s wrong with 3,000 yuan?


    My niece is of such good character and appearance, she even got into Capital University effortlessly.


    Isn¡¯t she worth the 3,000 yuan bride price?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you 3,000 yuan, now you go and get a university graduate for me to see?¡±


    This argument was somewhat far-fetched, but Zhou Fengqin¡¯s expression was truly frightening, as though she would chop anyone who dared to argue.


    No one around her dared to make a sound.


    Lin Xiaoguai lowered her head and sniffled, feeling both moved and sarcastic.


    Her uncles, aunts, and cousins were all present, yet her biological brothers were nowhere to be seen.


    Shen Mincheng smoked quietly, saying nothing, apparently lost in thought.


    After a long while, he slowly said, ¡°What exactly are you here for today?¡±


    ¡°What are we here for?¡± Lin Nianqiang scoffed coldly, suddenly grabbing Shen Xiaobao¡¯s face and deforming it.


    ¡°How about I throw this little bastard into a manure pit, then you can ask me what we¡¯re here for, hm?¡±


    Saying this, he looked around, quickly locating the manure pool beside the vegetable garden outside the courtyard.


    With that stance, if Shen Mincheng said something unpleasant, he would surely do as he threatened.


    Shen Xiaobao was completely stunned; he had been struggling earlier, but now he didn¡¯t dare to move.


    With a flick of his hand, cigarette ash flecked with red light sprinkled from his pipe, but Shen Mincheng didn¡¯t care, and in a much calmer tone said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk this out, there¡¯s no need for grievances...¡±


    ¡°No need for grievances?¡± Zhou Fengqin suddenly pushed Wang Zhaodi¡¯s face into the mud, raising her voice, ¡°You¡¯re telling me there¡¯s no need for grievances?


    How can you say there are no grievances when my niece almost miscarried because of your family?


    Your Shen Family might be generous, but my Lin Family¡¯s girl won¡¯t suffer in silence!¡±


    Pointing at Shen Xiaobao, she cursed, ¡°This little rascal is so young, yet he dares to commit such heinous acts.


    What will he be capable of when he grows up, murder and arson?¡±


    Although Zhou Fengqin¡¯s words might be sensational, they weren¡¯t without reason.


    The Yuanjiazhuang villagers, who already disliked how the Shen Family doted on their children, began to whisper among themselves.


    Shen Mincheng¡¯s face turned red, stammering out, ¡°Xiao Bao wouldn¡¯t do what you¡¯re saying, he¡¯s just too rough, accidentally bumping into Chi¡¯s wife.


    She was already physically weak...¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± This time it was Aunt Li Fangmei who spoke, her face filled with slight anger, ¡°Who are you calling physically weak?¡± She looked around at the villagers, ¡°Folks, you can ask around, my niece might have been born late, but she was full-term, with no health issues from the womb.


    Her parents doted on her, she never lacked for nutrition or had anemia like others might, so how did she become so frail not two months after marrying into this family?¡±


    She glared coldly at Shen Mincheng, ¡°Don¡¯t try to slander others for the misdeeds you committed.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense about the child being rough.¡± Zhou Fengqin spoke coldly, ¡°Do you think we didn¡¯t inquire beforehand?


    I¡¯ve seen plenty of rough children, but I¡¯ve never seen ones who push others into the river during the dead of winter, almost causing them to lose their lives.


    I¡¯ve never seen any that when upset throw firecrackers in other children¡¯s faces, and I¡¯ve definitely never seen any smash an elder in the clan¡¯s head with a large rock after being scolded!¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s plenty more, shall I go on?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it, due to Wang Zhaodi¡¯s indulgence and protection of her favorite, Shen Xiaobao committed no small amount of wicked deeds.


    Take that child who was pushed into the river; originally not robust but certainly healthy, he fell ill ever since and had to drink medicine every winter.


    His parents, being honest folks, failed to get any compensation from the likes of that shrew, Wang Zhaodi; instead, they were ridiculed thoroughly.


    The child who had fireworks thrown at his face didn¡¯t fare much better.


    Although his features weren¡¯t destroyed, one of his eyes was injured, heavily myopic though not blind.


    Unfortunately, the girl only had a widowed mother, leaving her nowhere to seek justice.


    The unfortunate elder from their clan who received a head injury was even worse off.


    An old man in his sixties, not only was his dignity tarnished, but he also spent nearly half a year bedridden.


    His family got some compensation, but only a sack of sweet potatoes, not even enough to cover their medicine for ten days.


    At that moment, there happened to be family members of two involved parties present.


    Seeing them, the others began to mutter, thinking that there might really be something problematic about the child...


    Some began to sympathize and denounce vocally.


    ¡®Last month, one of my chickens went missing.


    That day, only Xiao Bao came to play with my Niuniu in the yard, and the next day, I smelled chicken cooking outside Min Cheng¡¯s house.


    I even counted their chickens; none were missing.¡¯


    ¡®My luck was even worse.


    I hid the money I made from selling eggs under the tablecloth, planning to buy cooking oil and salt.


    Then, just after I shelled some peas in the kitchen, it was gone.


    At that time, only Xiao Bao had entered the house, tired from playing, and asked me for water.¡¯


    ¡®My daughter-in-law had no milk, so I got some baby formula from relatives in the city, which is all my granddaughter depended on.


    Yet, Xiao Bao always stole her bottle when we weren¡¯t looking, making my granddaughter cry from hunger at night.


    I¡¯m not being stingy; the formula really isn¡¯t cheap.¡¯


    ...


    ¡®Why don¡¯t you confront and demand an explanation?¡¯


    ¡®Demand an explanation?


    How?


    Is Wang Zhaodi someone who listens to reason?


    Better not be slapped in the face for it.¡¯


    Those people¡¯s voices grew louder, Shen Mincheng¡¯s face grew darker, and Wang Zhaodi, far from being embarrassed, looked utterly resentful.


    ¡®Enough, stop talking!¡¯ Shen Mincheng looked towards Li Fangmei, ¡®Our Shen Family is at fault here.


    Speak, in-law, whatever you ask that we can do, we won¡¯t shirk our responsibility.¡¯ He had realized that this old lady was in charge; if she wasn¡¯t satisfied, his family wouldn¡¯t have peace today.


    Lin Xiaoguai raised her brows in slight surprise; this father-in-law didn¡¯t seem as useless as she had thought.


    But then again, no matter how fierce Wang Zhaodi was, she was just a woman, a woman depending on her second marriage with a child in tow.


    If Shen Mincheng hadn¡¯t been so partial, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to act so outrageously in the Shen Family.


    ¡®Divorce!¡¯ Li Fangmei declared decisively.


    The scene fell silent immediately, not even allowing for an uproar before a petite daughter-in-law stepped forward, ¡®Fellow villagers, it¡¯s not that our Lin Family is being aggressive, but really...¡¯ she sighed before continuing with a bitter smile, ¡®This time our younger sister was in trouble, Shen Xiaobao is not to mention, for all his mischief, he is still a child, but these adults...


    When our sister complained of stomach pain, no one paid any attention, a living person bleeding so much in her room, and nobody noticed.


    If Shen Chi hadn¡¯t returned just then, it might have been one dead body and two lives lost.


    We¡¯re truly frightened.


    Living with such elders, not even ten lives for our sister would be enough.¡¯


    Saying this, her eyes filled with tears, ¡®You all know the situation with Shen¡¯s family better than I do; if she were our real mother-in-law, no matter how hard it gets we would stomach it, as it isn¡¯t right to separate blood from flesh.


    But since she is just a stepmother, even if our hearts are wide, we can¡¯t let our own daughter be mistreated.''¡±


    Memories had faded and it took Lin Xiaoguai considerable effort to remember that this young wife belonged to her Brother Xiaoxi, who appeared delicate but was actually efficient and straightforward, greatly favored by her Aunt.


    By rights, Lin Xiaoguai should have called her a sister-in-law by marriage, but the three families were close, and her Second Uncle always said calling her formal sister-in-law was too distanced.


    She had her own sister-in-law, and calling both ¡®sister-in-law¡¯ might cause confusion.


    Eventually, it was the Second Aunt who decided, saying Wanwan was still young and there was no need to be too formal, so ¡®sister¡¯ was fine.


    Her given name was Tang Hanfang, and being a junior high graduate, she was definitely considered an intellectual here.


    Lin Xiaoguai always called her Sister Hanfang.


    ¡°Some things, I can¡¯t feel relieved unless I speak out,¡± Tang Hanfang said with a face full of frustration, ¡°Everyone knows that when Shen Chi married our younger sister, he offered 3,000 yuan as betrothal gifts, supposedly exhausting his family¡¯s savings.


    But that wasn¡¯t actually the case.¡±


    The villagers exchanged puzzled looks.


    What did she mean by that?


    Tang Hanfang, with tears in her eyes, said, ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me¡ªwhen the young couple got engaged, my Mom had asked for three spins and one ring with sixty-four legs, and Shen Chi agreed without hesitation.


    But when it came to the wedding, everyone knew the actual situation.¡±


    ¡°I know about that.


    Shen Chi had asked Shen Shu for the money, but Uncle Shen¡¯s money was all spent on Shen Zhu¡¯s wedding and for Xiao Bao, and he simply couldn¡¯t come up with it,¡± a gossip-loving daughter-in-law from Yuanjiazhuang chimed in.


    ¡°If that were really the case, we wouldn¡¯t have anything to say,¡± she paused, ¡°even though Shen Zhu is just a stepson.¡±


    Tang Hanfang opened the cloth bag she was carrying and pulled out a stack of papers, showing them to the villagers.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?


    I can¡¯t read.¡±


    ¡°Seems familiar.¡±


    ¡°Zhaodi, tell your dad what this is.¡±


    ¡°These are bills!¡±


    ¡°What kind of bills?¡±


    ¡°Bills for sending money!¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    The villagers exploded in confusion, each putting intense focus on the bills in their hands.


    Shen Mincheng seemed to realize something, his expression drastically changing.


    ¡°This one is for fifty-two yuan.¡±


    ¡°This one¡¯s for twenty-six yuan.¡±


    ¡°Mine¡¯s one hundred ten yuan.¡±


    ¡°Mine¡¯s ninety-seven yuan.¡±


    ...


    ¡°One hundred ninety yuan.¡±


    ¡°Five hundred eighty yuan.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred yuan.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred sixty yuan.¡±


    ¡°Four hundred fifty yuan.¡±


    ¡°Eight hundred yuan.¡±


    ¡°One thousand yuan.¡±


    ¡°1,100 yuan.¡±


    As the numbers called out grew larger, the shocked gasps from the crowd grew louder.


    With an indignant expression, Tang Hanfang said, ¡°As everyone might have guessed, these are bills documenting the money Shen Chi sent home, and this isn¡¯t even all of it.


    Some of the earlier ones have been lost.¡±


    ¡°Shen Chi did indeed ask Old Shen for money for the dowry, but he was asking for his own money!¡±


    ¡°My goodness, there¡¯s nearly ten thousand yuan here!¡± someone roughly calculated, crying out in shock.


    ¡°These were all sent by Brother while our Mom was still alive; he kept nothing for himself.


    Especially before he joined the army, Brother made his fortune by speculating and almost got caught by the Red Guards for profiteering.


    You could say he earned this money risking his life.


    After Mom passed away, knowing the kind of man Dad was, Brother stopped sending money home, only leaving some household money during familial visits,¡± Shen Xiu whispered to Lin Xiaoguai.

 Chapter 27 - 27 17 Division of Family Property

    ?27: Chapter 17 Division of Family Property 27: Chapter 17 Division of Family Property That was ten thousand yuan, not one thousand yuan or even one hundred yuan.


    When most people could only earn twenty or thirty yuan a month, what did ten thousand yuan mean?


    The villagers were abuzz, their gazes toward Shen Mincheng filled with surprise, jealousy, and disdain.


    Taking the money earned by one¡¯s own son to subsidize another son, yet neglecting the son who had earned it¡ªwas this cruel or foolish?


    ¡°Sixth Shen, has a donkey kicked your head?


    I¡¯ve never seen any father who humiliates his own son like this.¡± Because he was the sixth in the familial line,


    he was commonly called Shen Six or Sixth Shen by the Shen Family.


    ¡°To disgrace your own child for the sake of a woman, Shen Six, you should come to your senses.¡±


    ¡°Even if they are close, another person¡¯s son is still another person¡¯s son.


    Your own son, no matter how far away, is better than an outsider.


    If it weren¡¯t like this, where would your comfortable life these past years have come from?¡±


    ¡°Using the money earned by your own son to support someone else¡¯s entire family, Shen Six, don¡¯t cause pain to your own kin and glee to your foes.¡±


    Although the words carried mockery, they were not without advice, but to Shen Mincheng¡¯s ears, they sounded quite different.


    Although he wasn¡¯t capable, he was a man who cared about face and could not tolerate such mocking and ridicule, his face immediately flushed with anger.


    ¡°Enough, this is my family¡¯s internal affair!¡± He shouted angrily, turning to Li Fangmei and others, ¡°I respect you as relatives, but you shouldn¡¯t gossip about our family¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°And let my niece and her husband suffer in silence?¡± Li Fangmei retorted quickly.


    Shen Mincheng was at a loss for words, wanting to argue but finding nothing to say.


    After a long while, he sputtered, ¡°The money my son sent as a token of filial piety is mine to use as I please.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Shen Xiu stepped forward, infuriated, ¡°That money is what Brother sent back for Mom to save for his future wife!¡±


    Being in front of so many people, Shen Xiu was blushing with embarrassment but her gaze was resolute.


    Seeing Shen Xiu, Shen Mincheng¡¯s expression faltered, his eyes complex, and after a long pause, he finally said, ¡°Xiuxiu, don¡¯t make trouble!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not making trouble with you.¡± Shen Xiu said, wiping away tears, ¡°All the money Brother sent back is for Mom, it makes no sense for it to be used on Shen Zhu and Shen Xiaobao.¡±


    The entire Wang Zhaodi family lived off the money sent by Brother, and all Dad did was gloss things over, consoling her only with ¡°Once Xiuxiu gets married, Dad will definitely provide a generous dowry for you.¡±


    She knew what her father meant but she didn¡¯t care.


    It was her brother¡¯s money, she was his sister, and that dowry was rightfully hers.


    What status did Wang Zhaodi have?


    Now, the villagers¡¯ eyes on Shen Mincheng were filled with even more scorn.


    It was then that Tang Hanfang spoke again, ¡°We don¡¯t mean to force Uncle Shen to return the money.


    We just want everyone to understand that it¡¯s not that Shen Chi and our younger sister are unwilling to honor their elders, it¡¯s just that such elders are impossible to honor.¡±


    ¡°We also asked around.


    The Shen house was built with the mother-in-law¡¯s hands, and by rights, should be where Shen Chi lives.¡±


    Pausing a moment, Tang Hanfang continued, ¡°But Uncle Shen, let¡¯s not dwell on the past, however, there¡¯s no need to continue putting up with grievances.


    If Shen Chi moves out, we won¡¯t pursue the money or the house, and you can¡¯t interfere in the couple¡¯s affairs in the future.


    Of course, the expected filial piety won¡¯t be lacking, but it won¡¯t include Wang Zhaodi.¡±


    With these words, the villagers were somewhat surprised, yet soon they grew impressed.


    They thought Shen Chi¡¯s wife was really educated, and her family was decent too; previous harsh measures were probably taken in anger.


    After all, who wouldn¡¯t be infuriated being ground down by someone like Wang Zhaodi?


    ¡°Cheng, tomorrow I will relocate Chi and his wife¡¯s household registration.¡± Shen Mincheng gritted his teeth in agreement.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, and please let the fellow villagers bear witness.¡± Li Fangmei agreed readily.


    ¡°No problem, we heard Sixth Shen¡¯s words ourselves, if anyone double-crosses, we will certainly stand up.¡± Some enthusiastic villagers responded.


    ¡°Thank you all very much.¡± Li Fangmei shot a look at her son, Lin Xiaoxi took out a pack of cigarettes and began to distribute them among everyone.


    ¡°It¡¯s late, and it¡¯s been a trouble for everyone to come out.


    This is a small token of appreciation, please don¡¯t reject it.¡± In Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s memory, Brother Xiaoxi had always been a savvy person.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°How could we.¡±


    The villagers responded politely.


    Shen Mincheng watched with bitter resentment.


    Though it seemed his family had lost nothing today, he was well aware that their reputation was tarnished.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang had remained silent until now, seeing their son in such a state, they also knew that he was not in the mood to entertain them and therefore left without further ado with their granddaughter and granddaughter-in-law.

 Chapter 28 - 28 17 Division of Family_2

    ?28: Chapter 17 Division of Family_2 28: Chapter 17 Division of Family_2 At the doorway, the villagers had already dispersed and the Lin Family¡¯s two households were awaiting their arrival.


    Li Fangmei was over eighty years old, her hair sparse and streaked with white, her face etched with the toil of hard work, yet her spine was still ramrod straight, without a hint of stoop.


    Seeing Lin Xiaoguai, her dim eyes shone with warmth.


    She grasped Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand and repeatedly said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright, good that you¡¯re alright.¡±


    Her grip was tight, and her withered arms trembled slightly.


    Lin Xiaoguai looked down, and she suddenly remembered how as a child, she went to her uncle¡¯s house to help her aunt peel peanuts.


    She had only a small handful to peel, and once her aunt had fried them, she fed them to her and her brother.


    Watching her brother eat two peanuts in the time it took her to eat one, she grew frustrated.


    Her uncle stood by, laughing, while her brother ate with such gusto, looking smug.


    Afterwards, her uncle secretly gave her a small taro and her aunt slipped a bird egg into her pocket, and her mood lifted once more.


    In the years that followed, her mom was unwell, and the Second Aunt couldn¡¯t handle delicate tasks, so her sweaters and cotton-padded clothes were made by her aunt, until she learned to do it herself.


    She looked up and called out one by one, ¡°Aunt, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Brother Xiaoxi, Sister Hanfang, Brother Xiaoping, Brother Xiao¡¯an, little brother.¡±


    ¡°Good, good,¡± Lin Xiaoxi said excitedly.


    Truth be told, of all the siblings, Lin Xiaoguai had the best relationship with Lin Xiaoxi.


    Even her four biological brothers couldn¡¯t compare, which was evident from how they addressed each other.


    Both were late arrivals to the family, and although they were five years apart, that didn¡¯t matter much compared to their older siblings.


    Neither of them was coddled despite being latecomers.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s father was very strict with her education, and she herself was considerate and sensible, while Lin Xiaoxi was truly under strict discipline.


    It wasn¡¯t that their uncle and aunt didn¡¯t love him; after two sons died and four daughters were born, they had gone to the brink of financial ruin for this son¡ªhow could they not cherish him?


    But both uncle and aunt were thinking of the future.


    With the family¡¯s poor conditions and their advanced age, if they indulged their son, how would he manage once they were gone?


    Because of this, Lin Xiaoxi faced hardships from a young age, and though he was cheerful and loved to laugh, he was dependable in tough situations.


    Before Lin Xiaoguai turned three, grandma had taken care of her, and the little brother had been cared for by grandma as well.


    Perhaps because of this, even though they didn¡¯t play together often, their affection for each other was always strong.


    In her previous life, her little brother would visit her whenever his business took him through Shanghai.


    She had been reluctant to connect with relatives on that side, and noticing this, her brother never brought up the past, only discussing matters concerning his children.


    She remembered that at one point he even suggested letting her raise his eldest grandson.


    Although the idea tempted her, she didn¡¯t want to cause a mother-child separation and ultimately refused.


    ¡°Mother-in-law, it¡¯s not often you visit; we should be hosting you, but we need to return to town now, and it¡¯s already so late, you all...¡± Luo Yufang felt a bit troubled.


    ¡°Mother-in-law, please don¡¯t be so formal.


    It¡¯s late; we couldn¡¯t possibly impose,¡± Tang Hanfang said with a smile.


    ¡°This...¡± Luo Yufang still hesitated, ¡°Why don¡¯t you all come to town and visit?¡±


    ¡°How can we let people go back like this on their very first visit?¡± she thought, regarding her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s family.


    ¡°No need, no need,¡± Li Fangmei interjected: ¡°You don¡¯t need to fuss over us; we¡¯ll come over tomorrow to see Wanwan.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, come for a meal tomorrow; you¡¯ve got to give this old woman some face,¡± Luo Yufang said happily.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Li Fangmei agreed readily.


    She patted Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand in a comforting manner, not saying much, and both parties went their separate ways.


    ¡°It¡¯s better that it¡¯s torn apart,¡± Shen Zhangming suddenly said on the way home, with no one speaking during the journey.


    As soon as the tractor left and the four had just entered the yard, ¡°Mincheng has been muddled for so long; it¡¯s time he woke up.¡±


    How could he not feel pain for his own son?


    In truth, regardless of Chi not being his biological grandson, when it came to comparing with his own son, a grandson would still be secondary.


    But with someone as unreliable as Mincheng, even abundant affection could be exhausted.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± Luo Yufang sighed, ¡°If this had happened ten years ago, I would have definitely intervened, but now...


    I can¡¯t, and I don¡¯t want to handle it.


    Chi is not a mean person; no matter how much trouble Mincheng causes, he won¡¯t let him freeze or starve when he¡¯s old.¡± She was confident in this; the grandson they had adopted might not be a nice guy, as evidenced by his forced marriage, but he was certainly one to remember debts and grievances.


    At least, when his wife was around, Mincheng had loved Chi.


    Meanwhile, the Lin Family members were also discussing the incident while walking down the night road.


    ¡°It¡¯s after all so much money, grandma, aunt, by deciding on behalf of our little sister like this, won¡¯t she be unhappy?¡± Lin Xiaole was referring to the money that Shen Chi had sent over time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your sister has a sharper mind than you,¡± Zhou Fengqin chided him with a knock, ¡°Wanwan is so bright; even if she can¡¯t go to university this time, she can just retake the exam after the baby is born next year.


    Are we afraid she won¡¯t get in?


    By then, how much money can¡¯t she earn?¡±


    Although she was straightforward, she wasn¡¯t foolish.


    Her niece had not relied on connections to get into university; the title of provincial top scorer was earned through genuine knowledge and study.


    Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.


    Their Wanwan (little sister) had always been good at studying; they had no doubts about her getting into university.


    ¡°But what about the forced marriage issue?


    Won¡¯t our little sister hold some resentment in her heart?¡±


    When Lin Xiaoxi raised this, everyone fell silent.


    ¡°We wronged her in that matter,¡± Li Fangmei sighed after a while, ¡°Back then, we thought our third brother was gone, and we couldn¡¯t afford the university fees.


    Although Shen Chi wasn¡¯t righteous in his actions, he was sincere, and the living conditions weren¡¯t bad.


    We thought Wanwan would have a good life marrying him.


    And even though we were angry with Xiao Kang and the others, I still stopped you from intervening.


    Who would have thought...¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 18 Divergence

    ?29: Chapter 18 Divergence 29: Chapter 18 Divergence Who would have thought that attending university would be tuition-free, and who would have thought that Shen Chi would have such a stepmother.


    At that time, information wasn¡¯t as freely available as it would be later, so although people had mentioned that universities were now free, most took the news with a grain of salt.


    Deeply entrenched concepts aren¡¯t so easily overturned without solid facts.


    But the truth was, ever since the re-establishment of the college entrance exam, there had been people from here who had been admitted to universities, but none were locals.


    They were only a few ¡®educated youth¡¯ who, upon acceptance, hastily packed up and returned to the city, with no time to confirm for the simple villagers whether universities charged tuition or not.


    There were indeed knowledgeable people left behind, but they were too busy figuring out their return to the city.


    Some learned from letters sent by family members that universities were free, but even mentioning it aloud didn¡¯t convince many.


    Those who believed often thought it was an isolated case.


    The common perception among farmers was that the better the university, the more expensive the tuition must be, similar to how things in the city are more expensive than in the countryside.


    Such thoughts weren¡¯t going to change overnight.


    In fact, before Shen Chi had even proposed, Lin Xiaoxi took a ride to the city with the village tea delivery truck out of concern for his sister, and after inquiring around, he truly learnt that universities did not charge tuition.


    He rushed back home, overjoyed, only to find that the marriage between Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi had already been arranged, with the wedding just days away.


    In the countryside, engagements were not easily broken off, and while it was manageable for the men, it could severely damage a woman¡¯s reputation, preventing her from raising her head again in her lifetime, and possibly ruining her chances of finding a good family to marry into.


    Li Fangmei and Zhou Fengqin weighed their options and finally gritted their teeth and allowed the wedding to proceed.


    They had not been unaware of Wang Zhaodi¡¯s existence, but nobody¡¯s perfect, and besides, they hadn¡¯t heard of her mistreating Shen Chi and Shen Xiu.


    Favoring her own son was one thing, but after all, Wanwan could still continue her studies at Capital University after marriage, and once she graduated and worked, she could just follow the military, effectively keeping distance that wouldn¡¯t affect anything.


    Besides, being a stepmother wasn¡¯t an easy role, and they figured even if she was aggressive, she wouldn¡¯t reach out to meddle in her stepchildren¡¯s affairs.


    They had accounted for a lot but did not expect plans to fail to keep up with changes.


    ¡°I always said you all complained too much, and look now, you¡¯ve caused Wanwan to suffer so much,¡± Lin Nianqiang said unhappily, ¡°From the beginning we should have listened to me, to beat up those four heartless fools of Xiao Kang and that lazy Shen Chi who¡¯s dreaming of swans while being a toad.¡±


    All his life, Lin Nianqiang only truly admired his younger brother.


    Once his head was almost chopped under Red Guards¡¯ axe in the town, and if his brother hadn¡¯t intimidated them into fleeing, grass on his grave would be quite tall by now.


    Big brother was like a coward forced by the Red Guards to bear everything, and he too knew that his impulsive nature wasn¡¯t suited for great deeds.


    If it weren¡¯t for his brother¡¯s combined tactics of public and secret pressures forcing the Red Guards to retreat, it wouldn¡¯t just be about his three sons; keeping any descendants would have been a challenge.


    Moreover, remembering how his brother, with bloodshot eyes, strangled a Red Guard trying to sell Xiao Le and Xiao Shou into a remote area in a sack and then hid the body under a tractor, filling Lin Nianqiang with a surge of emotion.


    He hadn¡¯t even told his big brother and sister-in-law about the incident, yet he couldn¡¯t forget it himself.


    All three families had been supported by his young brother alone; it¡¯s just that his brother had just left, and his most beloved Wanwan was already suffering.


    ¡°Hold your tongue!¡± Seeing his sister-in-law¡¯s unhappy face, Zhou Fengqin grabbed her husband¡¯s ear, ¡°As if you could do any better!


    Don¡¯t we all wish the best for Wanwan?¡±


    ¡°But your good intentions backfired!¡± insisted Lin Nianqiang, ¡°I said before that Shen Chi didn¡¯t look right, suspiciously charming, didn¡¯t even finish middle school, so what if he¡¯s a Captain?


    Military pay might be high, but our Wanwan graduated from Capital University, how bad can it be?


    Moreover, as a soldier, you never know when he¡¯ll be on the battlefield.


    Shen Chi might have been lucky before, but who knows about the future?


    Not to mention, does a real man speculate with money to get a wife instead of pursuing her himself?¡±


    Lin Nianqiang utterly disdained Shen Chi; in his heart, a man needed to be dependable and steady like his brother, not necessarily talkative but decisive and proactive, or even like his plain and honest big brother rather than someone calculating like Shen Chi.

 Chapter 30 - 30 18 Divergence_2

    ?30: Chapter 18 Divergence_2 30: Chapter 18 Divergence_2 Full of malicious schemes.


    ¡°Second brother!¡± Li Fangmei stressed her words, ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, don¡¯t speak nonsense.


    Shen Chi is not as bad as you say.


    I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that bad.


    As long as he can treat Wanwan well, it¡¯s actually better for him to be that way so he can protect her.¡±


    Lin Nianqiang just sneered dismissively.


    He couldn¡¯t win arguments against his sister-in-law, but he didn¡¯t agree with her either.


    Zhou Fengqin actually didn¡¯t quite understand her sister-in-law¡¯s thoughts either.


    Their own niece was a college student¡ªif she called off the wedding, so what?


    Once in the city, she could definitely find someone better.


    But just as Lin Nianqiang deferred to Lin Guoqiang, Zhou Fengqin, after all these years, only ever followed her sister-in-law.


    Standing to the side and listening, Lin Xiaoxi frowned.


    ¡°Mom, second uncle, your intentions are good, but I disagree.


    This is little sister¡¯s matter.


    Even if it¡¯s for her own good, you should still ask for her thoughts.¡±


    He had grown up with her, and he understood this little sister better than others.


    Perhaps naive, perhaps lofty, but she was definitely not someone who couldn¡¯t see the situation clearly.


    Lin Xiaoxi¡¯s words did not win Li Fangmei or Lin Nianqiang¡¯s approval.


    In Li Fangmei¡¯s view, her niece was still young.


    Though smart, she wasn¡¯t necessarily smart enough when it came to such major lifetime decisions.


    Lin Nianqiang thought Shen Chi was just the sort who¡¯d sweet-talk with his smooth words and good looks, easily deceiving their niece¡ªhe had to be on guard.


    ¡°In my opinion, the worst are Brother Xiao Shou¡¯s folks.¡± Lin Xiaole spoke up.


    ¡°Back when Ruirui had a high fever that turned into pneumonia, it was little sister who worked day and night making shoe soles to pay for the medical bills.


    It¡¯s only been a few years, and they¡¯ve already forgotten.¡±


    As a child, he and Xiao Shou had been kidnapped together, thus their bond was strong.


    Although they weren¡¯t as close after each started their own families, he still found it hard to accept what they had done.


    ¡°Not just Brother Xiao Shou?¡± Lin Xiao¡¯an said irritably from the side: ¡°Little sister is kind-hearted.


    Chaochao from Brother Xiao Kang¡¯s house, Xiao Niao, Xiao Mao, and Xiao Yu from Brother Xiaofu¡¯s house, Xiao Yun and Leilei from Brother Xiao Lu¡¯s house, Ruirui and Mingming from Brother Xiao Shou¡¯s house, Hu from my house, Xiao Bo from the eldest brother¡¯s house and Xiao Cao and Chengcheng from the third brother¡¯s house¡ªwhose child hasn¡¯t little sister tutored?


    Has anyone ever seen her spend the pocket money uncle gave her, or the money she earned from making shoes on snacks for herself?


    Didn¡¯t it all end up in those kids¡¯ mouths?


    Ruirui and Hu from my house are slow learners, they always forget what¡¯s taught, but when has little sister ever shown impatience?


    Now Hu has even become a team leader, you all may not know, but I¡¯m truly grateful to little sister from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    Coming from such a family, and in such an era, they knew better than anyone that the only way to get ahead was through education.


    His son was slow at learning, he and his wife were so anxious it was like their hearts were on fire.


    Back then, little sister would take Hu for tutoring after meals.


    Even if it hadn¡¯t worked, he would have been grateful¡ªlet alone with such good results.


    ¡°It¡¯s not all Brother Xiao Kang¡¯s fault either; the idea wasn¡¯t theirs, it was their wives.¡± Lin Xiao¡¯an, who had a gentler disposition, weakly defended.


    ¡°If they truly had the will, would they be manipulated by their women like that?


    Don¡¯t get me started on those who are all hair and no wit!¡± Lin Xiaoxi said angrily.


    Tang Hanfang sighed.


    Little sister had done so much for those few, and this was how they repaid her.


    They were just being pushed by this unforgiving world.


    Brother Xiao Kang¡¯s house was still okay; they had a son, Chaochao, on their first try.


    Chaochao was a good student, though not as outstanding as little sister, but still frequently among the top few in his class.


    The elder sister-in-law always wanted to consider more for her son.


    Brother Xiaofu¡¯s house had three daughters already but was still desperate for a son despite being dirt poor due to overbirth penalties.


    Brother Xiao Lu¡¯s house had two siblings, and their luck wasn¡¯t bad.


    But after giving birth to Leilei, the fourth sister-in-law developed a chronic illness, couldn¡¯t work, and needed money for medication.


    Brother Xiao Shou¡¯s house also had two sons and similarly suffered from overbirth penalties¡ªfinancially strained as well.


    Yet Tang Hanfang felt no sympathy for them.


    She had witnessed how little sister had helped them, and knew one should not repay kindness with ingratitude.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about these unhappy things.


    Tomorrow we have to go to Yuanjiazhuang to settle the separation matter.


    As Wanwan¡¯s maternal family, it¡¯s our first visit there, so we can¡¯t go empty-handed.


    What do you think we should bring?¡± Li Fangmei asked.


    Without waiting for a response, she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve got a basket of eggs.


    Let¡¯s also buy two pounds of meat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s someone selling knife fish at Hu Family Port.


    I¡¯ll get up early tomorrow to buy a couple.¡± Lin Nianqiang spoke while smoking.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled,¡± Tang Hanfang nodded.


    ¡°My sister-in-law recently brought me two pounds of brown sugar.


    I¡¯ll take it over tomorrow too.¡±


    Li Fangmei didn¡¯t bother with formalities with her daughter-in-law.


    Zhou Fengqin followed suit, ¡°I also have a piece of blue cloth at home.


    I¡¯ll take it over tomorrow as well.¡±


    Feeling that the gifts were presentable, everyone¡¯s worries were finally eased.


    ¡°Xiaoxi, are you and your brothers free tomorrow?¡± Zhou Fengqin inquired.


    The support of maternal brothers was crucial¡ªif they didn¡¯t go, others would surely think Wanwan lacked the backing of her maternal family.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make time even if we¡¯re busy,¡± the brothers said, exchanging glances.


    ¡°What about calling Brother Xiao Kang and the others?¡±


    ¡°Always bringing up the wrong subject!¡± Lin Nianqiang angrily slapped Lin Xiaoping.


    Lin Xiaoping, rubbing his sore head, muttered, ¡°But they are little sister¡¯s real brothers...¡±


    ¡°Do they act like brothers?¡± Lin Nianqiang shouted.


    Zhou Fengqin glared at Lin Xiaoping.


    ¡°Don¡¯t meddle in indiscriminately.


    We aren¡¯t clear on Wanwan¡¯s current situation.


    All we heard was that she almost miscarried.


    She¡¯s always been strong-willed.


    If those guys go, they better not upset her.¡±


    She was previously quite satisfied with her eldest son¡¯s temperament, agreeable and good at looking after the family, and also shrewd with outsiders.


    But now she was just frustrated.


    Being soft-hearted towards your relatives was fine, but one should still see the wretched things those few did.

 Chapter 31 - 31 19 Originally

    ?31: Chapter 19 Originally 31: Chapter 19 Originally Fengyuan Village, where the eastern end abuts against the foot of the mountain, was entirely inhabited by the Lin clan.


    In one of the adobe houses, the male head of the household was drinking alcohol in silence, while the female head was mending clothes.


    ¡°The head of the household,¡± Chen Hong started after a while, ¡°I heard Aunt and Second Uncle went to Yuanjiazhuang.¡±


    Lin Xiaokang paused, spilling some of the wine from his bowl.


    He murmured a vague acknowledgment, his expression growing ever more somber.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that half-dead look,¡± Chen Hong said somewhat angrily.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long, didn¡¯t you agree to it at the time?


    Do you think I wanted to marry off my little sister like that?


    If the house isn¡¯t repaired soon and we don¡¯t start buying things we need, how will Chaochao ever be able to get married?¡±


    As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.


    These days had simply been unbearable; even in her dreams, she felt a pain in her heart.


    Of the four sisters-in-law, she was the one who felt the worst.


    When she married into the Lin Family, her grandma had just passed away, her mother-in-law was in poor health, and her father-in-law had to go count the accounts for the team, leaving the care of Xiao Guai to her for most of the time.


    Back when she worked for the work-point team, Xiao Guai was tied to her back with a rough cloth.


    The child¡¯s skin was delicate, and after half a day, there would always be red marks where the fabric had rubbed, but the child was very good and never fussed, only softly sobbing like a kitten when the pain was too much to bear.


    Chen Hong¡¯s heart ached for her, and she would quickly take her down to rest as soon as there was a break, making the child as happy as could be.


    When Chen Hong was ridiculed by other daughters-in-law for her clumsy left hand, Xiao Guai would always stir up some commotion, helping her avoid the embarrassment.


    She was incredibly clever.


    Eventually, as she grew older, the little one began to help her feed the chickens and pigs.


    When Chen Hong was out planting rice, the child, while playing, would always remember to bring her water when the sun was hot.


    Other children were unruly, covered in mud after a day¡¯s play, but not her; she was always clean and would often bring home some wild vegetables or mushrooms she had picked, endearing herself even more.


    Then, gradually, new sisters-in-law married into the family and took turns caring for Xiao Guai until she started school.


    After having her son, Chen Hong gradually shifted her focus to him, and when her son showed an aptitude for studying, she even began to harbor resentment towards Xiao Guai.


    She kept thinking, if it weren¡¯t for the more studious Xiao Guai, Chaochao would surely be viewed more favorably by the old man, they would get more subsidies, and they wouldn¡¯t have to live such a miserably hard life like they did now.


    So later, when Second Uncle¡¯s wife came to her with that proposal, she didn¡¯t hesitate much before agreeing.


    It was 3,000 yuan, and even if it was divided among the four families, each would still get around seven hundred.


    She and her husband might never save up that much money in their entire lives.


    But after the deal was done, she began to feel uneasy.


    Memories she thought she had forgotten started to appear in her dreams, and the affection for Xiao Guai that she thought had faded was returning, making her live in a state of guilt and torment every day.


    When she heard that Xiao Guai had been sent to the county hospital by Shen Chi covered in blood, she nearly ran out of breath.


    Even with seven hundred yuan in hand, she didn¡¯t feel happy, and the enthusiasm for building a new house also dissipated.


    ¡°Just keep quiet now,¡± Lin Xiaokang said, somewhat despondent, as he finished the wine in his bowl in one gulp, before staggering into the inner room and collapsing.


    Chen Hong sighed, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes and thought to herself, let it be, what¡¯s done is done, more words would only seem insincere.


    Now she could only focus on her son, and once she ended up in hell, she would go and kowtow to apologize to her in-laws.


    Neither spouse noticed just how upset the small boy looked behind the half-closed door.


    As soon as day broke, Luo Yufang called the whole family together.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to get the household registration done early for peace of mind.


    Old man, make sure you watch over Wanwan, so nobody pulls her away.¡± Because they had to entertain Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s family, and their presence was necessary for the household registration transfer, the family planned for Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu to stay home to buy groceries and clean up, while Shen Zhangming and Lin Xiaoguai would go to the town.


    ¡ªShen Chi¡¯s household registration followed the army, so actually only Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s registration was at the old Shen Family residence.


    Transferring the household registration wasn¡¯t difficult; the parties involved just had to be present.


    Only Shen Mincheng came from the old residence, with Wang Zhaodi reportedly being laid up in bed still groaning after Zhou Fengqin¡¯s beating, while the Lin Family side still had its usual members.


    In less than half an hour, the matter was settled.


    Lin Xiaoguai held her brand-new household registration booklet, and Shen Mincheng mumbled a greeting to his father before turning away, ignoring everyone else and leaving.

 Chapter 32 - 32 19 Turns Out_2

    ?32: Chapter 19: Turns Out_2 32: Chapter 19: Turns Out_2 Shen Zhangming heaved a silent sigh.


    His son, he feared, might never change for the better.


    Having returned to the county town, Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu had already put away the groceries they had bought and were waiting at the door.


    The two parties exchanged courteous greetings for a while before entering the house.


    Facing so many unfamiliar people, Shen Xiu was somewhat shy, but she managed to overcome her nervousness and served the tea she had prepared in advance.


    Shen Zhangming also handed out cigarettes to the men.


    Unlike the confrontational atmosphere in the old house yesterday, the Lin family members were very amicable this time.


    Lin Xiaoguai sat with the guests for a while, was about to go help in the kitchen but Lin Xiaoxi pulled her outside.


    ¡°Little brother?¡± Lin Xiaoguai looked at him quizzically, not understanding what he was up to.


    Lin Xiaoxi reached into his pocket for a cigarette but then thought better of it because his little sister was pregnant.


    He touched his nose and said, ¡°Are...


    are you doing okay?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was momentarily startled, then smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Her smile was serene, with a tranquility that wasn¡¯t there before.


    Lin Xiaoxi¡¯s heart ached as he watched her; he bowed his head to hide the tears in his eyes and forced a cheerful tone, ¡°Then that¡¯s good.¡±


    His little sister had grown up, but what came to his mind was that such growth had been purchased with what kind of pain.


    If she had expressed resentment towards him, perhaps he would feel a bit better.


    ¡°Is Shen Chi...


    good to you?¡±


    ¡°Very good,¡± Lin Xiaoguai continued to smile.


    Lin Xiaoxi stroked her head as he had when they were younger, his voice choked with emotion, ¡°This time, your big brother was useless, but from now on...


    trust me, I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you again.¡± Perhaps he was the only one who understood the reluctance in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s heart.


    Trust, how could she not?


    Her big brother had proven to her in a previous life that a middle school graduate from the countryside could forsake his half-learned carpentry skills to go into business, starting from selling tea and eventually becoming a wealthy tycoon in the city.


    [Little sister, I¡¯ve made money now, and I¡¯ve set up a trust fund for you.


    Even if I die before you, you don¡¯t have to worry about who will take care of you.]


    Thinking back to what her not-so-young big brother had said to her, Lin Xiaoguai felt a sting in her eyes.


    She realized that her former self wasn¡¯t as ¡°pitiable¡± as she had thought.


    Perhaps deep down, she felt sorry for herself.


    No matter how open and liberated she appeared on the surface, her heart had not truly let go.


    She believed she was fully enjoying her life, yet she had overlooked so many beautiful vistas.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, big brother,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said softly with a smile, ¡°I will live a very good life.¡±


    Her tone was earnest, almost like a vow, causing Lin Xiaoxi to smile.


    He had always thought that, while his little sister was a good person, she was too nai?ve.


    Pure as a scholar but too tender-hearted on the inside, always considering others, such a disposition was not a good thing.


    But now, it was different.


    His little sister had learned to love¡ªnot others, but herself.


    To provide hospitality to the in-laws, Luo Yufang spared no effort.


    Although the table didn¡¯t have stacked dishes like in later eras, there were nearly ten, most of which were meat dishes.


    Be it the dishes served or the gifts given, both showed the importance each family placed on the meeting, and naturally, everyone was pleased.


    Knowing that the Lin family certainly wanted to speak alone with their granddaughter-in-law, Luo Yufang didn¡¯t wait long after the meal to take Shen Zhangming for a stroll.


    Shen Xiu went to the school, leaving space for the group.


    Li Fangmei repeatedly stroked Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hair, nodding vigorously with joy, ¡°It¡¯s good that the child is fine.¡±


    Although they had been told the baby was safe, doubts lingered in their hearts.


    After all, they had heard from the people of Yuanjiazhuang that their niece had bled profusely.


    The baby was alright for the moment, but what guarantee was there for the future?


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak of such unlucky things,¡± Lin Nianqiang said with impatience and pulled Lin Xiaoguai closer, ¡°Wanwan, you must tell us, did that Shen kid ever bully you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lin Xiaoguai chuckled, a bit exasperated at her uncle¡¯s unchanged ways after so many years.


    Lin Nianqiang was skeptical, only reluctantly dropping the subject upon seeing that his niece didn¡¯t seem forced.


    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I need to tell you,¡± Li Fangmei suddenly remembered to say, ¡°The reason we came yesterday was actually Shen Chi¡¯s doing.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai blinked in surprise, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Lin Nianqiang gave a dismissive snort, and Zhou Fengqin chuckled, ¡°We went to Yuanjiazhuang before and came back empty-handed.


    That old woman Wang Zhaodi has such a foul mouth; she gave me and your aunt such a hard time that your aunt fell ill afterward.


    Once she recovered, we were thinking about going with your Xiao Ping to see you, when your nephew-in-law showed up at our door with two bottles of liquor.


    He gave us those IOUs and told us about your near miscarriage when he returned, asking for our help in separating you two.


    Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have waited until now to visit.¡±


    ¡°But concerning the money, he said to see what you wanted to do; if you wanted to take it back, take it back, if not, then don¡¯t.¡±


    At first, Lin Xiaoguai was a bit stunned, then she understood why Shen Chi had done it.


    The money was his; it was natural for him to take it back, but if he had been present, the villagers wouldn¡¯t have thought much at the time.


    Given time or a spark, others might bring up the issue, feeling he was heartless, using filial piety to condemn him.


    However, it would be a different story if the in-laws revealed the truth.


    Lin Xiaoguai gave a bitter smile.


    Shen Chi had been this calculating so early on.


    But then again, he had once enticed her brother and sister-in-law to sell her with money¡ªso what was this in comparison?


    She was too naive.


    Seeing her reaction, Li Fangmei thought she was regretting the decision about the money and felt awkward.


    She suddenly became reflective; although they had intended it for Wanwan¡¯s good, the money belonged to Shen Chi, and by extension, Wanwan.


    They had made the decision without consulting her, generously giving it away to others.


    Was that...


    not right?


    Especially since Wanwan was married now, she should be considered an adult.


    The old lady, who had been strong-willed her whole life, particularly with the younger generation, felt for the first time that she was in the wrong.

 Chapter 33 - 33 20 Hundred Refinement Fruit

    ?33: Chapter 20: Hundred Refinement Fruit 33: Chapter 20: Hundred Refinement Fruit ¡°Shall I go get the money back?¡± Not only Li Fangmei but others had also misunderstood, and Lin Nianqiang scratched his head, asking uncertainly.


    At the same time, he harbored some resentment.


    His sister-in-law cared too much about face, he always said that no matter what others say, what you have in hand is what¡¯s real.


    ¡°No need,¡± Lin Xiaoguai paused before she grasped the meaning of her second uncle¡¯s words and shook her head, ¡°I do not care about the money itself, if I can use it to avoid some troubles, I couldn¡¯t ask for more.¡± In fact, she was pleasantly surprised that Aunt had grasped the importance of having the moral high ground.


    She spoke candidly, and the others also felt relieved.


    Li Fangmei said, ¡°Wanwan¡¯s got it right, money can be earned again.


    Both you and Shen Chi are upstanding, no need to be so petty.¡±


    Although she had lived in hardship for most of her life, Li Fangmei had always been philosophical about money; it¡¯s good to have, but life goes on without it, as long as you don¡¯t starve to death.


    The key thing was that whatever money you have must come from a rightful source, otherwise it would not bring peace of mind.


    Therefore, to live a peaceful life in the future, she had decided to let Lin Xiaoguai give up that sum of money.


    Of course, this was also because the couple was one military officer and one future university student, so they were certain not to worry about earning money in the future; that¡¯s why she was so decisive.


    ¡°Aunt, I have a favor to ask of you,¡± Lin Xiaoguai brought up an issue that had troubled her in a past life, ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you to exhume my mom¡¯s coffin to be buried with my dad, and also to erect a tombstone.¡±


    Due to some external circumstances, mom¡¯s grave was some distance from dad¡¯s.


    That was bad enough, but in her previous life, someone had been quarrying on the mountain and caused a landslide that affected her mother¡¯s grave site.


    Eventually, they couldn¡¯t even find the coffin.


    Dad¡¯s grave wasn¡¯t much better; there were years she was particularly busy and couldn¡¯t make it back for Qingming, and her brothers somehow failed to manage, so by the millennium there was still no tombstone for dad.


    Other villagers buried their dead nearby and, with several families mixed together without tombstones, it became unclear which grave belonged to whom, and they ended up having to worship together.


    ¡°Why bring this up all of a sudden?¡± Everyone was a bit surprised.


    ¡°I figured it¡¯s something that needs to be done sooner or later, and putting it off isn¡¯t solving anything.


    I won¡¯t have much time to go back in the coming years, and my brothers...¡± Lin Xiaoguai did not continue.


    The others immediately understood her meaning; although her brothers were not unfilial, with several overbearing sisters-in-law calling the shots, they truly wouldn¡¯t consider such matters.


    After all, strictly speaking, moving the grave wasn¡¯t a must, nor was erecting a tombstone.


    Lin Xiaoguai handed Aunt five yuan, and Li Fangmei did not refuse; after all, the family was indeed not well-off, and her son had suddenly started making a fuss about wanting to go into business.


    After the Lin family members left, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s life returned to its peaceful state.


    With Shen Xiu starting to go back to school for classes, she felt a bit lonely.


    Grandma was not bad, but after all, she was an elder, and there were things Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t discuss with her.


    Moreover, with the two elders taking turns running the market stand, she tried not to disturb their rest, preparing meals and cleaning the house well.


    In the beginning, the elders were not at ease, always keeping her in sight, but after the pregnancy became stable at three months, they began to relax slightly.


    A rain had just fallen yesterday, but because it was summer, today¡¯s weather had not the slightest hint of coolness; instead, it was even more sultry.


    Lin Xiaoguai felt uncomfortably hot.


    There was no air conditioning in the house, not even a fan; she could only wet a towel and repeatedly wipe the sweat from her face.


    She was not like this before; among the people around her, she was comparatively resistant to heat.


    That she felt this way now was definitely because of the pregnancy.


    Lin Xiaoguai was reading a newspaper, old issues her grandpa had brought from the supply and marketing cooperative.


    After a long while of reading, she pinched the bridge of her nose with a hint of frustration.


    In her past life, before becoming a freelance writer, she worked at a newly established magazine in Shanghai.


    She was lucky to get in early enough to become an editor and scrutinize submissions.


    The magazine ¡°Qing Feng¡± which she had overseen from the beginning had flourished.


    Even in later years, it never went out of date and had a wide readership; it was still in circulation up to her death.


    The reason she later left the magazine was twofold: ¡°Qing Feng¡± had stabilized in its trajectory, and an editor-in-chief trained to take over from her had emerged.


    She was merely a contributor to other publications, which didn¡¯t hold the same significance to her as ¡°Qing Feng.¡± Realizing she didn¡¯t much like the nine-to-five routine life, she resigned.

 Chapter 34 - 34 20 Hundred Refinement Fruit_2

    ?34: Chapter 20 Hundred Refinement Fruit_2 34: Chapter 20 Hundred Refinement Fruit_2 At that time, she held shares in a magazine company.


    Although not many, the dividends were enough for her to live comfortably on her own, and as an author who had published multiple popular articles and dozens of best-selling books, she didn¡¯t really need to cling to that little salary and bonus.


    Despite this, it didn¡¯t mean she loafed around at home waiting to die.


    One could say, in her previous life she never stopped writing, only the extent varied.


    Originally, she planned to revive her old profession and submit articles to newspapers, but after reviewing those papers she realized her thoughts were too simplistic.


    The special period had just ended not long ago, and many people still had lingering fears, harboring a desire yet afraid to easily engage with anything new.


    In her previous life, Lin Xiaogui had tried writing articles on almost every genre and had even whimsically written a fantasy novel online during her old age, which surprisingly satisfied her vanity.


    However, truly speaking, what she excelled at and enjoyed writing the most were actually essays and travelogs, half of her published books consisted of these, and she had once been a columnist for a travel section.


    But looking across, there were few essays and travelogs in newspapers, and even those that were there reeked strongly of revolutionary sentiment, exhausting not just for the writers but even the readers.


    It seemed, returning to her old profession was not an option for now, at least not for a few more years.


    At home, it was only Lin Xiaogui and Luo Yufang, Luo Yufang had just eaten and went to sleep, whereas Lin Xiaogui wasn¡¯t sleepy at all because she had slept too much in the morning.


    Thinking that her grandma usually wouldn¡¯t wake up to help grandpa until it was time to make dinner and that lately her grandparents tried not to disturb her due to her excessive sleeping, Lin Xiaogui decided to lock her room and entered the space.


    Immediately, the suitable air enveloped Lin Xiaogui, making her breathe a sigh of relief.


    The space was always more comfortable, with neither fears of being too cold nor too hot.


    Habitually, she went to the edge of the Spiritual Spring to drink some Spiritual Water.


    Although magical, this water wasn¡¯t as exaggerated as described in novels.


    The effects of curing diseases and detoxifying showed instantly, and the effects of Wash Marrow and Cut Tendons would not be noticeable unless consumed for one or two years.


    The idea of toxins being expelled through sweat glands was far-fetched, but whether it was through the cycle of grains and cereals, she couldn¡¯t be certain.


    Gazing at her reflection in the clear water, Lin Xiaogui saw her complexion had improved a lot since her rebirth, but to reach the rosy health of her previous life would probably take another two years.


    Thinking thus, she opened the exchange shop page, scrolling past the maternal and baby products page she always quickly flipped through in her previous life.


    This category had many items, like baby formula and diapers ¡ª needless to mention about their quality and quantity, definitely far surpassing those available in reality.


    Items unique to other planets in maternal and baby products could bring much bigger surprises.


    After flipping through about ten pages, Lin Xiaogui finally found what she was looking for:


    Hundred Refinement Fruit: Each sold for 100 Gold Coins, able to slightly optimize infants¡¯ genes, effective only when the fetus is still in the mother¡¯s womb, one per day, it is advised to consume one hundred in total, otherwise the consequences are up to the buyer.


    Baby Weight Meter: Each sold for 2000 Gold Coins, mothers wearing it can know the baby¡¯s weight every moment, and it can also provide reasonable dietary suggestions for maintaining the baby¡¯s weight, and can be used after the baby is born just by wearing it on the baby.


    For now, she only needed these two things.


    Without hesitation, Lin Xiaogui selected the quantities and then clicked to buy.


    One hundred Hundred Refinement Fruits and a Baby Weight Meter appeared in the inventory space.


    Lin Xiaogui took out a Hundred Refinement Fruit to inspect it; it was a white fruit the size of a ping pong ball, soft and very elastic.


    She bit into it, it was tasteless but dissolved immediately in her mouth, and she finished it in three or two bites, without even a seed.


    The seed...


    Suddenly, Lin Xiaogui remembered something, she quickly opened the seedling page, and after flipping a few pages, indeed she saw the seedling of a Hundred Refining Fruit Tree priced at 500 Gold Coins.


    Looking further at the description, the Hundred Refining Fruit Tree seedling could bear fruit in two years, but with the current energy in the space, it would take less than half a month to bear fruit.


    She was really...


    However, in the end, Lin Xiaogui still bought a seedling of the Hundred Refining Fruit Tree and planted it in the space.


    She actually wasn¡¯t lacking Gold Coins.


    Unlike in the novel, where Gold Coins were obtained through completing tasks or selling the harvested fruits to the system, Lin Xiaogui¡¯s Life Profession System couldn¡¯t assign tasks, nor would the system buy back crops grown in the space.


    The main source for Lin Xiaogui¡¯s Gold Coins was the stipends issued by the Life Profession System ¡ª the system divided life professions into five levels: D (Apprentice), C (Junior), B (Intermediate), A (Advanced), S (Master).


    D level could get 1000 Gold Coins per year, C level could get 1000 Gold Coins per month, B level could get 1000 Gold Coins per day, A level could get 1000 Gold Coins per hour, and S level could get 1000 Gold Coins per minute.


    Although Lin Xiaogui hadn¡¯t reached the master level in any life profession, she had learned quite a few miscellaneous life professions, collectively bringing in an annual income of hundreds of millions of Gold Coins.


    Moreover, apart from this ¡°career stipend,¡± she could also earn patent royalties from some system-approved creative works, which was also substantial income, only more and not less compared to career stipends.


    Just the Gold Coins accumulated from her previous life, it wouldn¡¯t be something she could use up anytime soon.


    She had also wondered if acquiring Gold Coins was too easy, but 001 told her that her feeling stemmed from the fact that her exchange shop had no exorbitantly priced goods ¡ª supposedly, the exchange shop was influenced by the rules of the realms it was in, and only items the host could use would appear.


    So, it wasn¡¯t that the exchange shop lacked those transcendent treasures, but rather the realm rules did not allow their appearance, or they were unusable by her.

 Chapter 35 - 35 21 Discoveries in Space

    ?35: Chapter 21: Discoveries in Space 35: Chapter 21: Discoveries in Space There¡¯s one more thing, 001 once told Lin Xiaoguai that the people of the Alien Civilization are extremely lacking in creativity, which is why her works could be sold for a good price.


    At first, she didn¡¯t understand, but after receiving more and more education from alien master teachers in the consciousness space, she came to understand what 001 meant.


    The wisdom of the Aliens is undeniably powerful, the incredible skills in the system serve as proof, but they lack creativity, no, perhaps it¡¯s not creativity, it¡¯s something akin to ¡°sentiment.¡± It¡¯s just like how science students would do calligraphy and painting, they could refine their skills to the ultimate level, their structure could be absolutely perfect, but the vigor, the artistic conception, they had none of it!


    The so-called technique nearing the path would absolutely not happen to them.


    Thus, those works of Lin Xiaoguai, filled with emotion and artistic conception, were in high demand.


    Turning off the exchange store page, Lin Xiaoguai shifted her attention to that newly emerged space.


    Recently, she had been holding back her curiosity and refraining from exploring this new space, fearing any accidents¡ªbeing the master of the space, she was not worried about the space harming her, but small accidents were inevitable, which could affect the child, until today when she completed three stable months of pregnancy.


    Compared to the original small space that resembled a rural courtyard, the new space, whether in relative or absolute terms, was a behemoth.


    However, Lin Xiaoguai was not worried, having been the master of the space for over ten years, she understood it well, inside the space, she could move wherever she wished at will, she could travel thousands of miles in an instant with just a thought¡ªthis had nothing to do with spiritual power, it was just a privilege of being the space master.


    Lin Xiaoguai felt that what lay before her eyes, rather than being a space, was more like a small world, with mountains, lakes, streams, plains, and even she found an ocean surrounding all the land.


    It seemed boundless, and she could only faintly see at the end of the sea the mist that marked the limits of the space.


    She was most curious about that most conspicuous group of palaces so without hesitation, she appeared in front of the palace gate in a blink of an eye.


    She thought it would take some effort, but with just a gentle push, the palace doors opened as if sensing her presence.


    The next moment, seeing the scene inside the palace, Lin Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t help but be dumbstruck¡ª


    All she could see were ¡°book walls¡± that reached to the ceilings, rows and rows of them, seemingly endless, quite spectacular.


    The thick mahogany material made the bookshelves exude a strong aura of antiquity.


    The faint scent of ink lingered around her nose, intoxicating and entrancing.


    Each bookshelf had detailed book labels, with just a thought from her, the book she needed would come into her hands on its own.


    Lin Xiaoguai glanced through, seeing that the types of books were complete, most of them were unique volumes she had never heard of, but not one was a modern book, the most recent ones were from the Republic era.


    A guess formed in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s mind, pressing down the excitement in her heart, she walked through all the palaces, and indeed, all the palaces were full of books.


    After touring all the palaces, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s guess was confirmed¡ªthis group of palaces contained all the ancient techniques that had ever appeared in history!


    There were no gold or silver treasures, no elixirs, no secret martial arts manuals, but Lin Xiaoguai was extremely content.


    She always believed that knowledge was the greatest wealth.


    With the Life Profession System from the advanced Alien Civilization, and now with countless experiences from the predecessors, she believed it wouldn¡¯t take long for her to become a master.


    Before leaving, she carefully picked a few books that interested her to take out, now she no longer had to worry about being bored.


    ¡ªYes, interested, although the unexpected rebirth gave her the ambition to achieve Master Level, it didn¡¯t mean she would change her original intention.


    She never doubted her own strength.


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t like summer, especially now that she was heat-sensitive, and the only vegetables available in the summer were cowpea, sponge gourd, and eggplant, repeating over and over.


    Although she could escape to the space to treat herself, eating alone always felt a bit off.


    Thus, as soon as autumn arrived, Lin Xiaoguai finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Grandpa and grandma, it rained so heavily last night, let¡¯s not set up the stall today.¡± Early in the morning, seeing that her grandparents were preparing to leave, Lin Xiaoguai quickly advised.


    Luo Yufang hesitated a bit, ¡°But it¡¯s been raining for several days, and we finally got a sunny day.¡±


    ¡°But the roads are still wet, handling all those clothes, and I can¡¯t help much, what if you and grandpa slip and fall?¡± Lin Xiaoguai frowned, the roads today were not like those in later generations, paved with asphalt and concrete, only main thoroughfares were that way; the road outside their courtyard was just paved with bricks, some places even had moss growing, not to mention Ahong and grandma handling so much heavy stuff, she too wouldn¡¯t dare to walk there carelessly.

 Chapter 36 - 36 21 Discoveries in Space_2

    ?36: Chapter 21 Discoveries in Space_2 36: Chapter 21 Discoveries in Space_2 ¡°Listen to the granddaughter-in-law,¡± Shen Zhangming declared, ¡°look at this sun, I estimate the road will be dry after we eat, then we can go.¡±


    Luo Yufang thought about it and didn¡¯t insist, mainly because the goods her grandson had brought in were almost sold out, and the delay wasn¡¯t going to make much difference.


    ¡°Wanwan, why is there an extra silver carp today?¡± Luo Yufang went to the kitchen to wash her hands, but noticed that in the basin, besides the common crucian carp, there was an additional silver carp.


    ¡ªThe granddaughter-in-law, being pregnant, didn¡¯t crave meat much, but fish and shrimp she could never tire of, thankfully those didn¡¯t cost money.


    ¡°I specifically asked Brother Yuan Lin to reserve it for me.


    Xiu¡¯er is staying at school, and the food in the cafeteria lacks nutrition.


    I want to make her some wine-scented fish to take there.¡± Lin Xiaoguai put a dish of salty-pickled vegetables on the table, removed her apron, and said.


    ¡°Alright, do you need help?¡± Luo Yufang looked at her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s discernible belly with some worry.


    Even her own mother wasn¡¯t as thoughtful as Lin Xiaoguai was with Shen Xiu.


    Luo Yufang couldn¡¯t express how happy she was.


    One would say their initial kindness to the granddaughter-in-law was partly due to guilt over what their grandson had done, partly because she was carrying their great-grandchild, and partly because they were just not bad people.


    But after living together these past few months, seeing how the granddaughter-in-law cared for them in every little way, trying her best to do the household chores, and treating their granddaughter like a little sister, their kindness towards her became even more heartfelt.


    Knowing their own granddaughter, Xiu¡¯er was good in all aspects, but she had a sweet tooth, which she could control in front of others but revealed entirely at home.


    One shouldn¡¯t underestimate this as a trivial matter; during these times, food expenses were significant, and if a girl was known to be gluttonous, she might be disliked and could even have trouble finding a husband.


    In the past, whether when their daughter-in-law was alive or by herself, Luo Yufang instilled discipline over the granddaughter¡¯s habit, but since the arrival of the granddaughter-in-law, that enforcement had lapsed.


    According to the granddaughter-in-law¡¯s words ¡ª with her brother and her around, would it really come to Xiu¡¯er marrying into a family that couldn¡¯t afford food?


    Luo Yufang truly cherished her granddaughter; how could she want her to suffer any displeasure?


    So she agreed, albeit reluctantly.


    But Lin Xiaoguai really didn¡¯t mind.


    In her future era, how many would proudly call themselves food enthusiasts?


    Little Aunt merely couldn¡¯t take her eyes off tasty morsels and didn¡¯t hassle or rob anyone; this minor flaw seemed utterly trivial to Lin Xiaoguai, and she even found it endearing, happily indulging her.


    ¡°No need, grandma, you rest.


    I¡¯ll be done very soon.¡±


    She promptly prepared the silver carp, cutting it into segments, and then marinating it with salt, sugar, MSG, ginger, and wine ¡ª of course, this was all done behind grandma¡¯s back, otherwise, she would have thought it wasteful since during these times, one had to be frugal with cooking ingredients like oil and vinegar, not to mention that their home didn¡¯t have MSG at all.


    Whenever possible, Lin Xiaoguai would use seasonings bought from the exchange store, not only because they made the food more delicious but also because they were more natural and healthy without additives.


    However, the vegetables and meat at this time were still trustworthy for Lin Xiaoguai.


    A few years later, this might not be the case.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s not much fermented grain left,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said, taken aback as she opened the can.


    She distinctly remembered there was almost half a can left yesterday.


    ¡°Let me look.¡± Luo Yufang hurried over upon hearing this and upon seeing just a fist-sized lump of fermented grain immediately scolded, ¡°Shen Zhangming, see the mess you¡¯ve made!¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡± Normally calm, Shen Zhangming shrank back a bit, embarrassed, ¡°You weren¡¯t home, and the neighbors, all women, how could I refuse to share?¡±


    ¡°You said the same thing last year!¡± Luo Yufang argued angrily, ¡°Just how much fermented grain do we have?


    I was planning to save some for Chi to eat when he returns.


    Don¡¯t you know what those women are like?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was initially confused but then understood.


    The neighborhood relations here were mostly good, but there were always a few discordant notes.


    The people Grandma referred to were a few ladies who loved to mooch off others; they wouldn¡¯t go to extreme lengths, but they bothered people.


    Once, using the excuse that she bought them from the street, she took some small pumpkins from her space and made a plate of pumpkin cakes.


    Those women came knocking when they smelled them, and wouldn¡¯t leave, beating around the bush.


    Grandma, with no other choice, kindly invited them to try and they each tucked away one to take home.


    It looked like they didn¡¯t take much, but she only made about ten to begin with, and they took a third in one go.


    She used to like keeping the yard door open for the breeze, and the convenience of neighborhood interactions, since people were generally more honest at that time and thieves rare.


    After that incident, she started always keeping her yard door closed.


    She had been smuggling things out of her space bit by bit like a hamster and was not willing to let outsiders benefit from it.


    ¡°Grandpa, next time those few come by, just pretend you¡¯re not home and don¡¯t answer the door,¡± Lin Xiaoguai admonished without anger, her voice soft and devoid of ire.


    Shen Zhangming sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not me who answered.


    I was just stepping out to bring your grandma her meal when those women popped up from nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Then from now on, let them come looking for me!¡± Luo Yufang declared, uncharacteristically fierce.


    She was indeed frustrated; those few always found ways to take advantage of her home little by little, and though it might not be a lot each time, it accumulated.


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed inwardly upon seeing this.


    What good would it do to find grandma?


    Both elderly were too easy-going and not the type to stand up for themselves, otherwise why would those women always target their home?


    Still, even if someone as seemingly shameless and brazen as her encountered those types, she might not know how to deal with them either.

 Chapter 37 - 37 22 Mutated White Jujube

    ?37: Chapter 22: Mutated White Jujube 37: Chapter 22: Mutated White Jujube Lin Xiaoguai scooped half of the finished fermented rice wine fish from the pot into an aluminum lunch box, sealed it with a rubber band, then put it into a net bag, and was ready to leave for school.


    ¡°Grandma, I left half of the wine fish in the pot, there are steamed eggs in the rice cooker, and I¡¯ve already washed and chopped the greens.


    You just need to stir fry them, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± she said to Luo Yufang, who was mixing chicken feed, as she walked out.


    ¡°Slow down, slow down!¡± Luo Yufang hurriedly stood up and wiped her hands.


    ¡°Do you want me to come with you?¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll be careful on my own.¡±


    ¡°Then come back early for the meal.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The county school was not far from home, it was just a ten-minute walk.


    If the school hadn¡¯t required boarding, Shen Xiu would have definitely been able to commute.


    Lin Xiaoguai hadn¡¯t even entered the school gate when a series of urgent bell rings came from the school.


    She smiled slightly, having timed her arrival perfectly.


    Shen Xiu followed the crowd out of the classroom when someone suddenly called her name.


    ¡°Shen Xiu, isn¡¯t that your sister-in-law over there?¡±


    In the past few months, Lin Xiaoguai brought delicious food to Shen Xiu every now and then, enticing the envy, jealousy, and resentment of her classmates, who then couldn¡¯t concentrate on their studies.


    With Lin Xiaoguai being such a beauty, her presence was strong, so it was no surprise that someone recognized her so quickly.


    Shen Xiu was stunned, looked up and sure enough, it was her sister-in-law approaching.


    She quickly squeezed through the crowd and greeted her with excitement.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, what delicious food did you bring today?¡± Shen Xiu supported Lin Xiaoguai, her eyes brightly looking at the lunchbox in her hands.


    ¡°I made fermented rice wine fish for you,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a light smile as she passed over the lunchbox.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!


    The wine fish can last a few more days without worrying about it getting cold.


    I can even save it to eat with porridge tomorrow.¡± Shen Xiu was very happy; although the school canteen filled them up, it lacked flavor, and they hardly ever had any meat.


    Catching the envious looks from the other students out of the corner of her eye, Lin Xiaoguai sighed to herself.


    She had told Xiuxiu that they could eat with everyone, but whether Xiuxiu was willing to or not, those students would never agree.


    In this era, at least among students, it was rare to find those who would take advantage of such situations without hesitation.


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t stay long, merely telling Shen Xiu to send back the lunchbox when she had time before she left.


    Shen Xiu watched her sister-in-law¡¯s figure disappear around the street corner before she turned towards the canteen.


    ¡°Shen Xiu, what did your sister-in-law bring for you today?¡± someone suddenly approached her and asked.


    Shen Xiu glanced at the person and said bluntly, ¡°What do you care?¡±


    Although occasionally defiant, Shen Xiu was mostly a shy and kind girl.


    But the person in front of her was definitely an exception.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude?¡± Jiang Youliang frowned unhappily, huffed, and walked away with his chin held high.


    Shen Xiu rolled her eyes.


    Posturing as if he were number one in the grade¡ªmy sister-in-law is the provincial top scorer.


    You think everyone is within your reach?


    Ever since Lin Xiaoguai first brought food to Shen Xiu and he saw, Jiang Youliang had heard about her from Shen Xiaohua¡¯s big mouth and began showing up to chat with Shen Xiu now and then, insinuating that the Shen family was feudal, mistreated their women, and wanted to ¡°save¡± Lin Xiaoguai from the ¡°fire pit.¡±


    At first, Shen Xiu had tried to explain patiently.


    But, seeing that he wouldn¡¯t listen, she grew indifferent.


    Who didn¡¯t know what he was really aiming for?


    Jiang Youliang¡¯s family used to be quite renowned; his dad and several uncles were Red Guards in the town.


    During special periods, they were extremely influential.


    But once the Gang of Four was overthrown, his family suddenly had several more idle mouths to feed without much income to support them.


    Neighbors, once afraid to offend them, began to express the resentment that had accumulated over time now that the Red Guards were out of favor.


    Jiang Youliang¡¯s sisters all married well, but it was challenging for him.


    Despite being only in junior high, he was already eighteen due to starting school late.


    At an age when marriage prospects should be taking shape, yet none were in sight, gossip started, and his mom even despondently mentioned finding a young stepmother for him after several marriage proposals were rejected.


    How could Jiang Youliang be satisfied?


    Despite his academic prowess and a continued air of arrogance even with his family¡¯s diminished circumstances, he was acutely aware of reality.


    Neither in the town nor in the county were the good families willing to marry their daughters to him.

 Chapter 38 - 38 22 Mutated White Jujube_2

    ?38: Chapter 22 Mutated White Jujube_2 38: Chapter 22 Mutated White Jujube_2 Shen Chi had originally thought his future looked bleak, but after seeing Lin Xiaoguai and hearing about her situation, excitement surged within him.


    There couldn¡¯t be a more suitable candidate to be his wife!


    Lin Xiaoguai was not only beautiful but also a prospective college student.


    Her only flaw was that she had been married and was pregnant, but that was certainly better than those little brats!


    What¡¯s more, her husband was a soldier, rarely at home, which made it even easier for him to win her over and leave the child to be raised by his father.


    How did Shen Xiu come to know about Jiang Youliang¡¯s intentions?


    Jiang Youliang¡¯s family had reported many people during the special period, both real and supposed ¡°counter-revolutionaries,¡± including their former friends and relatives; they were universally detested.


    After the reform and opening up, they became pariahs that everyone wanted to get rid of.


    Due to the family¡¯s notorious past, others feared they might be scheming in secret and thus directed some of the older children to eavesdrop around the corners of their house, then parrot what they heard to their parents.


    Actually, the construction of Jiang Youliang¡¯s home was of good quality, with glass windows that should have prevented eavesdropping, but these had been ¡°accidentally¡± broken by some mischievous children.


    Thus, hiding under the cover of the broken windows, the children picked up snippets of conversation and patched them together before reporting them to the adults, making Jiang Youliang¡¯s schemes transparent.


    The people naturally did not want to see the Jiang family prosper, and with Jiang Youliang mulling over misdeeds, they readily told their children, who were middle school students, to pass on the information.


    Shen Xiu initially did not believe it but later witnessed Jiang Youliang¡¯s several attempts to chat with her sister-in-law being thwarted by schoolmates; on two occasions, he even tried to follow her home.


    She also saw him sneaking around during Sunday shopping or strolls with her sister-in-law, so she had to believe it.


    Fortunately, with the help of classmates, Jiang Youliang had yet to break through the defenses and appear in front of Lin Xiaoguai.


    Unaware of the troubles at school, Lin Xiaoguai returned home the same way, fetched the mail from the mailbox by the door, and then entered the house.


    ¡°Did Chi write another letter?¡± Luo Yufang asked as she carried out dishes and saw the letter in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll write back later, and I¡¯ll have to trouble Grandpa to drop it in the mailbox.¡±


    ¡°The roads are almost dry; hand me the letter when you set up your stall,¡± Shen Zhangming nodded and said.


    After dinner, Lin Xiaoguai helped Grandma clean up the dishes before going to her room to read the letter.


    Shen Chi¡¯s army unit was located in J Province, a distance from Z Province, and the letters took four to five days to arrive, but ever since his return to the unit, the correspondence had been constant.


    Lin Xiaoguai opened the envelope and read the contents; as expected, it was filled with household chatter and the usual greetings to the family, without any words of deep affection.


    Of course, this was seen through the eyes of Lin Xiaoguai from the future, knowing that in the conservative atmosphere of the time, messages like ¡°XXX giggles looking at his girl¡¯s photo after training, next time get a break to visit we should also take a picture,¡± ¡°Today Company Commander Lu treated us to dinner, but doesn¡¯t taste as good as the food you make, Wanwan,¡± ¡°Last night there was a heavy rain, and training facilities were damaged so we couldn¡¯t do morning exercises, once idle I couldn¡¯t help but start missing you¡±...


    were actually quite standard for love talk.


    Shen Chi wasn¡¯t well educated, having started working right after middle school, but he had decent penmanship, at least clear and forceful.


    Lin Xiaoguai pondered for a while before unfolding the writing paper to start her reply; she followed Shen Chi¡¯s format precisely, beginning with a summary of recent events at home, then responding to his greetings, and finally adding a few standard words of concern.


    After handing the reply to Shen Zhangming, Lin Xiaoguai returned to her room for a nap ¡ª a habit she had recently developed.


    Upon waking up, she yawned and entered the ¡°space,¡± drank some Spiritual Water, and ate a Hundred Refinement Fruit, and then used spiritual power to harvest the mature crops from the space fields into the storage.


    Being from a different time than the post-80s and post-90s generations, she could not bear to see such fertile soil lie fallow, even if she didn¡¯t need the produce right then.


    Indeed, if not for her being pregnant, she would have felt the urge to fill even the boundless fields of the new space.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Lin Xiaoguai suddenly paused, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked at the two odd White Jujubes she had just picked.


    The thumb-sized fruit was clearly much smaller than the usual White dates, and although the shape was no different, they were no longer white with a hint of red but pale yellow jade in color.


    [001, check this out.] Lin Xiaoguai spoke.


    001 quickly reported the results: [Mutated White Jujube, non-toxic and edible, nutritional value approximately ten times that of regular White dates.]


    [What about the taste?]


    [...Unable to detect.]


    Lin Xiaoguai pursed her lips disinterestedly and took a tentative bite, her eyes lighting up, [So delicious!]


    She was already fond of White dates, but the taste of these Mutated White Jujubes was even better.


    When it came to fruit, she was very picky ¡ª she didn¡¯t like sour, nor was she a fan of overly sweet; the best for her were those that tasted refreshingly sweet.


    She wasn¡¯t keen on juicy fruits either but didn¡¯t like them dry; her texture preferences were also stringent.


    Yet the flavor of these mutated White Jujubes was as if they had grown along the very line of her heart ¡ª simply perfect.


    [By the way, 001, how did these White Jujubes mutate?] After eating the only two Mutated White Jujubes available, Lin Xiaoguai suddenly inquired.


    After all, this was the first time she had encountered such an occurrence.


    [As mentioned before, the original space being assimilated by the new space can lead to unknown changes, and these Mutated White Jujubes likely resulted from that.]


    [Do you mean to say other crops might also mutate?] Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s face lit up with excitement, welcoming the idea if all mutations were as beneficial as the White Jujubes.


    [Yes, but the mutation rate is unknown, and it is advised that the host save seeds from the mutated crops.]


    Lin Xiaoguai was even more thrilled, thinking she could only rely on luck to taste such delicious White Jujubes again, but it turned out there was a way to propagate them!

 Chapter 39 - 39 23 Watermelon

    ?39: Chapter 23: Watermelon 39: Chapter 23: Watermelon The kernel of the mutated white jujube was somewhat strange, like a thin needle with very sharp ends.


    Lin Xiaoguai, full of anticipation, carefully planted two kernels and watered them with some spiritual spring water.


    In fact, because of the energy, crops in the space didn¡¯t need irrigation or fertilization; however, the spiritual spring water still had some benefits for the plants, which she naturally wasn¡¯t stingy with.


    Xiaoguai chose a few crops like peaches, melons, and grapes that she could potentially take outside and planted them in the remaining space.


    Afterward, she stood beside the newly emerged fruit orchard.


    The variety of fruit trees here was complete, and their branches were laden with heavy fruits.


    Lin Xiaoguai had once picked and tasted them, discovering to her astonishment the unique properties of these fruits.


    It could be said that their effects were comparable to the spiritual spring water, except that the water acted on the body while the fruits impacted spiritual power.


    Ordinary people could relieve fatigue by eating them, and for someone with extraordinary spiritual power like her, the effects were even more significant.


    According to 001, these fruits contained a small amount of spatial energy.


    It was speculated that all species in the new space should have this effect, which wasn¡¯t assimilated in the few acres near the Spiritual Spring.


    At a corner of the fruit orchard, there was a small space, about half an acre in size.


    Lin Xiaoguai planned to dig a pond on one half to raise fish and fence the other half for chickens, ducks, and geese.


    Though the lakes, streams, and oceans had countless types of seafood, such as shad, knife fish, mandarin fish, and puffer fish, common types like crucian carp, carp, and grass carp were not absent¡ªit was just that with her current spiritual power, it was somewhat strenuous to pinpoint and catch a specific type among the numerous creatures, let alone that the fish there all benefited spiritual power and prolonged exposure could tip off grandma and grandpa.


    Not to mention the seafood; although Z Province was coastal, their county was far from the sea, and in these times, transportation was not well developed.


    The only ¡°seafood¡± that would occasionally appear on the dining table was hairtail, but that wasn¡¯t really from the sea, it was from the Yangtze River.


    Initially, Xiaoguai had planned to dig near the spiritual spring, but upon learning that the soil there could cause plants to mutate and optimize, she naturally didn¡¯t want to give that up.


    Moreover, the corner of the fruit orchard was akin to the border between the new space and the original space.


    The species there were less affected, the energy contained in the fish raised there was much lower, and the effects on spiritual power were so minimal as to go unnoticed.


    A pond a quarter of an acre in size would take at least three to five days to dig outside, but Xiaoguai could solve it in three to five minutes using her spiritual power.


    After digging, she drew water from the spiritual spring to fill the pond to eighty percent before exchanging for some common fish fry, shrimp fry, and crab fry at the exchange store and releasing them into the pond.


    Local species were very cheap in the exchange store.


    Buying all these items, she spent less than ten gold coins.


    As for the fence, it was a bit more troublesome.


    She also planned to free-range some pigs, cattle, and sheep in the fruit orchard; hence, the fence had to be sturdy, or else the chicks and ducklings might get trampled by the livestock.


    Moreover, both ducks and geese needed to swim, so it seemed she would need to fence around the pond as well.


    Actually, raising livestock was something she hadn¡¯t done for quite a while.


    Even when she was still at home, such dirty and tiring tasks were seldom her duty; at most, she mixed some feed, and her father didn¡¯t allow her to get involved with other tasks, just wanted her to focus on her studies.


    But now, she wasn¡¯t worried at all.


    The space naturally had a purification function, and the soil could automatically absorb nutrients.


    Animal waste, dead grass, and stems were quickly absorbed by the soil, so there was no need for cleaning.


    As for feed, the plant growth in the space was extremely fast, but according to 001, animals didn¡¯t fall into this category; they might grow faster than in reality, but not as exaggerated as plants.


    Thus, she just needed to plant some pasture in the fence and scatter some aquatic plants seeds in the water that ducks, geese, and fish liked to eat, and she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about feed.


    Pigs, cattle, and sheep were even less of a concern; the fruit orchard was so large, just scattering some grass seeds would be enough for them to eat.


    By the time she came out of the space, it was already time to make dinner.


    Lin Xiaoguai cooked some sweet potato porridge, peeled potatoes and cut them into fine strips to make a simple dish of potato slaw.


    She also scooped a crucian carp from the water, cleaned it, and made a crucian carp soup.


    Such a meal was already quite good at this time.


    White rice was still a luxury item, and sweet potato was the staple food.


    Being able to make porridge instead of just eating it dry was already quite good, especially since it wasn¡¯t white-hearted sweet potato but yellow-hearted.


    The two dishes were ordinary, the potatoes were homegrown, but like Xiaoguai who was willing to stir-fry with oil, it was rare.


    As for crucian carp soup, it was the flooding season when many were available.


    If one wanted to eat fish, they just had to go to the countryside to catch them.


    As long as they weren¡¯t too unskilled, they usually wouldn¡¯t come back empty-handed.


    At the dining table, Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang, as before, took several sips of sweet potato porridge before picking a small piece of potato slaw, and didn¡¯t touch the crucian carp soup at all.


    Lin Xiaoguai, feeling helpless, quickly served both elders a piece of fish belly and took out a small bowl she had prepared on the side to serve them each a bowl of soup.


    ¡°We don¡¯t like fish, just eat it yourself,¡± Shen Zhangming tried to put the fish into Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s bowl.


    Lin Xiaoguai quickly blocked the bowl with her hand, ¡°Grandpa, you know my appetite, how could I eat such a large fish?


    If you won¡¯t eat, should I just throw the rest away?¡±


    Shen Zhangming hesitated, then said, ¡°Then you eat the belly meat, and your grandma and I will eat the back.¡±


    This granddaughter-in-law was good in many ways, just not quite adept at managing the household.


    She was a bit delicate, inadvertently using several spoonfuls of oil when frying dishes, and not putting much salt in the meat; she couldn¡¯t eat it for many meals, always liking fresh foods.


    But however many shortcomings, as long as she thought of the two old folks, that was warmer and more comforting than anything else.


    ¡°No need, the back of the fish is fresher, just indulge me a bit,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said playfully.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang exchanged a glance, knowing full well that Wanwan was considering the bones in the fish back and looking out for them, but their expressions were helpless while their hearts were warm.


    ¡°By the way, grandpa, grandma,¡± Lin Xiaoguai continued, ¡°Shen Chi wrote in his letter that he has a week of home leave starting on the second day of next month and asked me to tell you, so he hasn¡¯t written a separate letter.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Luo Yufang was delighted, counted the days, and said, ¡°Today is the twenty-ninth, so he¡¯ll be back in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Did Chi say anything else?¡± Shen Zhangming asked.


    Lin Xiaoguai thought for a moment and said, ¡°He said that when he returns, he would swing by San Feng¡¯s place and also pick up some goods for the store.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the smiles on Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang¡¯s faces faded.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was confused.


    Luo Yufang hesitated before speaking, ¡°Wanwan, about selling the clothes, should we stop doing that?¡±


    ¡°Why?


    Haven¡¯t we made a good amount of money?¡± Although she hadn¡¯t inquired, she could guess from the excitement of grandpa and grandma in those days.


    ¡°But I always feel uneasy,¡± Luo Yufang said apprehensively.


    ¡°Even though they say it¡¯s the era of economic reform, who knows if it will happen again?


    We old folks are not afraid, but what if we¡¯re labeled as capitalists and our children and grandchildren suffer because of us?¡±


    Shen Zhangming nodded, ¡°I think we should stop too.


    The money we¡¯ve made is enough to pay for the hospital in the provincial city.


    If a revolution happens again, we will just sell this house and hide in the countryside.¡± The people in their village usually shopped in the town and not the city, so no one would know they had sold clothes.


    No wonder grandpa and grandma didn¡¯t let her and Xiu¡¯er tend the stall.


    Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat amused, ¡°Grandpa and grandma, you worry too much.


    It was Shen Chi who suggested this, why wouldn¡¯t he have thought it through?


    Besides, how can national affairs be so fickle, flipping between reform and revolution at a whim?


    Wouldn¡¯t that be a farce?¡±


    ¡°But...¡± Shen Zhangming still hesitated.


    For those who had lived through such a unique period, the memories were too deeply oppressively ingrained.


    ¡°Why not wait for Shen Chi to come back and then discuss it with him?¡± Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t insist.


    Everything needed to be done step by step, and anything she said now would be useless.


    It had to be this way.


    The elderly couple nodded, looking somewhat uneasy.


    On Saturday, when Shen Xiu came home for the weekend, Lin Xiaoguai also told her about Shen Chi¡¯s furlough to visit his family.


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Shen Xiu smiled happily, thinking about telling her brother about Jiang Youliang when he returned.


    Lin Xiaoguai thought she was just happy to have her brother back, unaware of the underlying reasons, and said with a light laugh, ¡°I used well water to soak a watermelon in the backyard; if you want some, go slice it yourself.¡±


    ¡°Really?


    Where did it come from?¡± Shen Xiu asked joyfully.


    ¡°Someone was selling it in the alley, and I just happened to be there, so I bought one.¡± It was actually taken out of a special space.


    ¡°How much per pound?¡±


    ¡°Five cents per pound.¡±


    ¡°That expensive?¡± Shen Xiu felt a bit of a pinch, ¡°I heard the supply and marketing co-op only charges four cents per pound.


    Sister-in-law, you paid too much.¡±


    The county¡¯s supply and marketing co-op also had some rare items, but if you missed out, it was a missed opportunity, especially for people like them who had no connections there.


    By the time you heard about it and made it over, everything would have been sold out.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the same, the ones I buy are definitely sweeter than those from the supply and marketing co-op,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with utmost confidence.


    She didn¡¯t know how much the co-op¡¯s watermelons cost per pound and had just made up a price, luckily it wasn¡¯t too outrageous.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Without even putting on her shoes, Shen Xiu ran barefoot to the backyard.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Shen Xiu¡¯s excited voice came floating over.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, this watermelon is so big, how did you carry it back?¡± Shen Xiu walked back struggling with a round watermelon.


    Lin Xiaoguai paused before saying, ¡°That lady was kind-hearted.


    She helped deliver it to the gate, so I didn¡¯t have to exert much effort.¡± It was taken from the special space; she didn¡¯t have to exert any effort at all, but she couldn¡¯t say that.


    ¡°Even so, sister-in-law, you were still too careless.


    This watermelon must weigh over ten pounds; carrying it from the gate to the backyard is no easy task,¡± Shen Xiu complained and rejoiced at the same time.


    It¡¯s not that they couldn¡¯t grow watermelons here, but they usually cultivated melons on a large scale, only planting muskmelons in their personal plots.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, just wait.


    I¡¯ll go and cut it.¡± Saying this, she happily ran off to the kitchen.

 Chapter 40 - 40 24 Return

    ?40: Chapter 24: Return 40: Chapter 24: Return The watermelon was cut open, and Shen Xiu immediately cheered up, ¡°The flesh is really red, and the seeds are shiny black.


    The taste must not be bad.¡±


    She covered one half with a damp towel and put it back in the well water, while slicing the other half.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, here,¡± Shen Xiu handed a big piece to Lin Xiaoguai and took one for herself before putting the rest of the watermelon away for grandpa and grandma to eat when they returned.


    Actually, Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t too fond of watermelon because it needed to be eaten with great care not to drip all over.


    Usually, she would cut it into small chunks of two to three bites, but facing Shen Xiu¡¯s kindness, she naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    In fact, she used to grow seedless watermelons in her space, and this seeded version was newly planted.


    There was no help for it; seedless watermelons hadn¡¯t appeared yet at that time.


    After finally finishing a big piece of watermelon, Lin Xiaoguai washed her hands and wiped her mouth, about to pour some water, when the voices of Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang came from the doorway.


    Hearing their quite annoyed tone, she tensed up and hastened outside, only to hear Luo Yufang say angrily and hatefully, ¡°How did I give birth to such a creature?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked timidly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of Xiuwa¡¯s dad?


    Holding tens of thousands of yuan, yet still trying to covet the spare ribs and walnuts I bought for you.¡± Luo Yufang was so angry that her voice trembled.


    ¡°Did they take the items?¡± Lin Xiaoguai glanced at the basket grandma was holding.


    ¡°How could they?¡± Luo Yufang glared at Shen Zhangming, ¡°The old man was almost about to give it to them, but I quickly snatched it back.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who wanted to give it; it was Shen Xiaobao who came up and snatched it, and I didn¡¯t react in time,¡± Shen Zhangming said somewhat sullenly.


    They couldn¡¯t bring themselves to like Shen Xiaobao, the nominal great-grandson, not to mention any grandparent-grandchild affection.


    Since the items were saved, there was no need to be angry anymore, to avoid harming one¡¯s health.


    ¡°How come there are walnuts at this time?¡± Lin Xiaoguai changed the topic.


    ¡°These are wild walnuts from the mountain, sold by small traders, three cents per catty.


    I heard people say they are nourishing, so I weighed two catties for you,¡± Luo Yufang replied.


    She scrimped on other things but wasn¡¯t vague at all about providing nourishment for her granddaughter-in-law.


    Lin Xiaoguai took a look and said, ¡°These seem to be hickory nuts.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with hickory nuts?¡± Luo Yufang became a bit nervous; they weren¡¯t cheap, and she had never seen them before.


    Could she have been tricked?


    ¡°Hickory nuts aren¡¯t bad; it¡¯s just that the shells are hard and not easy to eat.¡±


    Luo Yufang breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°No problem, we can use a hammer to crack them open.¡±


    ¡°Are today¡¯s spare ribs good?¡± Lin Xiaoguai nodded and then asked.


    ¡°Are they ever?¡± Luo Yufang happily unwrapped the paper to show her, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you liked those small ribs?


    Look, this is what you mentioned, just delivered from the slaughterhouse, very fresh.¡±


    At that time, spare ribs were not as expensive as pork belly, so Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s liking for spare ribs wasn¡¯t met with any objection.


    ¡°And you mentioned big bones; they didn¡¯t have any today, but I¡¯ve arranged with them to keep some for us tomorrow, for free.¡± Her granddaughter-in-law said that stewing those not only tastes good but is also very nourishing.


    Trusting her knowledge and cooking skills, Luo Yufang had inquired without hesitation.


    Seeing that grandma¡¯s attention was completely diverted, Lin Xiaoguai felt relieved and smilingly started to talk about other topics with her.


    The day Shen Chi returned, Shen Xiu accompanied Shen Zhangming to the station to pick him up, while Lin Xiaoguai and Luo Yufang stayed at home.


    ¡°Wanwan, how should we prepare this kelp?¡± At the Shen family¡¯s house now, Lin Xiaoguai had completely taken over the authority in the kitchen, with Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu usually acting as assistants.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a cold salad.¡± Lin Xiaoguai looked at the kitchen ingredients.


    She wanted to make a kelp tofu soup, but tofu wasn¡¯t easily available at the moment; not sold in the cooperative, and privately it was sold somewhat secretively, although she remembered people selling it in the countryside, albeit claimed as for their household consumption.


    She had plenty of soybeans in her space and could get tofu with a little processing, but it was hard to explain.


    ¡°Then you do it.¡± Here, the cooking usually involved only frying and boiling; cold dishes had only been experienced by them since Lin Xiaoguai joined the family.


    As Luo Yufang washed the kelp, she couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°This kelp is so fresh, like it just came out of the sea.


    Wanwan, you¡¯re really lucky, every time you go out, you manage to find these rare goods sold by peddlers.¡± She sincerely thought this granddaughter-in-law was very lucky; not many outings resulted in finding rare goods like watermelon or kelp which you might not encounter even once a year.


    She spoke sincerely, and Lin Xiaoguai, feeling somewhat uneasy, quickly took out the steamed meat with rice flour from the pot.


    ¡°It smells delicious!¡± Luo Yufang praised, having sensed the aroma, ¡°It¡¯s much better than what I make.


    Chi has loved this dish since he was young, he will definitely be happy.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai pursed her lips and smiled, then took out a handful of new soybeans from the cabinet.


    These were to be fried as a snack to accompany the drinking for the two men, as the local men here liked this kind of accompaniment.


    With cold kelp salad, steamed meat with rice flour, fried soybeans, stir-fried vegetables, brine shrimp, and boiled fish, the moment Shen Chi entered the yard, he was surrounded by the full aroma, his brows lifted, and a slight smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Shen Chi, his voice tender and low, looked at his petite wife with her apron-clad, slightly bulging belly as she walked out of the kitchen.


    Lin Xiaoguai hesitated for a moment, ¡°...Welcome back.¡±


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t bring much luggage, just a small bag, which he put down once inside the house and sat down at the dining table.


    While in the military, he hadn¡¯t realized it, but sitting here now, he became aware that he had always missed this home and his little wife.


    Lin Xiaoguai brought over a basin for him to wash his face and hands.


    Just as she was about to take it out to pour out the water, Shen Chi stopped her, ¡°You sit, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    He had just been lost in thought for a moment, but now he couldn¡¯t let his pregnant wife do these chores.


    Lin Xiaoguai handed him the basin and went to the kitchen to get the bowls and chopsticks.


    ¡°Chi, try this steamed pork with rice flour.


    Wanwan cooked it even better than your mom and I,¡± Luo Yufang said as she placed a large helping of the dish into Shen Chi¡¯s bowl at the dining table.


    Shen Chi took a bite and immediately smiled, the taste was truly unparalleled.


    If his wife took this cooking skill to the city to do business, she would undoubtedly make a fortune.


    The steamed pork was on the sweeter side, perfectly complemented by the spicy baijiu, although Shen Zhangming always preferred rice wine and loved spicy and flavorful boiled fish even more.


    ¡°Right, brother, didn¡¯t you say you were going to get some stock?


    How come you have returned empty-handed?¡± Shen Xiu asked curiously after they had eaten and drunk their fill.


    ¡°The defective goods at Second Aunt¡¯s place were all dealt with, and if we brought back the acceptable goods, breaking even would take too long.


    It¡¯s both time-consuming and labor-intensive, so this time I made some money and we won¡¯t be selling clothes for now,¡± he explained.


    Actually, during his trip to Licheng, he had also asked about other business opportunities, but they either required high costs or were something his grandparents couldn¡¯t manage, or simply weren¡¯t feasible back in the county.


    Indeed, his wife¡¯s skills could be used for some small business, but he couldn¡¯t bear to let her suffer through that hardship.


    Shen Chi was always capable, and Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang were used to giving him free rein, never prying too deeply into his affairs, so even when he mentioned making some money, they didn¡¯t investigate further.


    Shen Chi had been traveling for a full day and night and was actually quite tired now, so after chatting for a while, he went back to his room to sleep.


    Entering the room, Shen Chi paused, seeing the changes that had taken place in just a few months.


    The items were the same, but there were additions that weren¡¯t there before.


    On the writing desk, there was a new powder-white, thin-necked vase holding two unknown white flowers, with neatly arranged textbooks, books, pens, and ink beside it.


    The desktop was covered with a white lace tablecloth, over which lay a whole piece of clear glass.


    In a corner of the room, a low cabinet held a wicker basket containing a few balls of wool and a half-finished baby garment.


    The red wardrobe was polished to a shine, with several pairs of shoes next to it against the wall, some his and some Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s, all cleaned and neatly arranged.


    The changes in the room weren¡¯t significant, but Shen Chi felt an indescribable sense; it should have been an ordinary farmhouse room, yet it suddenly felt...


    a bit warmer, yes, that¡¯s the word.


    He was about to change into slippers and change his clothes when Lin Xiaoguai entered with a basin of water, ¡°Soak your feet before you sleep.¡±


    Shen Chi was somewhat surprised, hesitating before taking the basin.


    ¡°Sit with me for a while.¡± He pulled Lin Xiaoguai to sit next to him, his gaze drifting unintentionally towards her belly.


    In a place Lin Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t see, he unwittingly curled his fingers.


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t really want to be alone with him, feeling unbearably awkward, not knowing what there could possibly be to talk about.


    Shen Chi noticed but pretended not to know, his tone gentle as he asked, ¡°Did the baby trouble you while I was away?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai shook her head, ¡°No, he¡¯s been very good.¡±


    ¡°Can I...


    touch?¡± Shen Chi finally couldn¡¯t hold back and blurted out.


    He wasn¡¯t actually mentally prepared to be a father, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t desire it; men always think about settling down and starting a family, marrying a girl they like, and naturally hoping she could bear them a child.


    The last time he came back, Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t feeling well and her belly wasn¡¯t showing yet, so the feeling wasn¡¯t so profound.


    But now, realizing that his child was growing inside the belly of the woman he loved, he felt almost overwhelmed with satisfaction.


    ¡°What?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was stunned for a moment before realizing what he meant.


    Her face turned red, and though she wanted to refuse, she felt it would be impolite since he was, after all, the father.


    Finally, she stammered, ¡°Go ahead,¡± her body tensing involuntarily.


    In her previous life, although she had many male friends and often played around, she was born in a conservative era and wasn¡¯t as open as the young people today, always adhering to her moral baseline.


    Even though Shen Chi had been somewhat ¡°forceful¡± in his intimacy last time he was home, she still couldn¡¯t get used to it.


    Seeing her tenseness, Shen Chi didn¡¯t plan to back off; instead, he gently placed his hand on her protruding belly, and for a moment, felt his heart uncontrollably heating up.

 Chapter 41 - 41 25 Sales Clerk

    ?41: Chapter 25 Sales Clerk 41: Chapter 25 Sales Clerk In the middle of the night, Lin Xiaoguai was awakened by the urge to pee.


    Just as she was about to enter the space to relieve herself, a hand stretched over from beside her.


    A drowsy voice sounded in her ear, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±


    She tensed up, ¡°I need to go to the bathroom.¡± A wave of relief washed over her heart¡ªthank goodness...


    Hearing this, Shen Chi, somewhat groggily, opened his eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± As he spoke, he was already sitting up and turning on the light.


    In the dead of night, he couldn¡¯t rest easy letting his wife go to the bathroom alone.


    Lin Xiaoguai shielded her eyes from the sudden light while Shen Chi had already gotten out of bed and helped her up.


    Lin Xiaoguai was actually just beginning to show her pregnancy, and her belly wasn¡¯t very noticeable yet¡ªif she wore loose clothing, it couldn¡¯t be seen at all.


    Yet, Shen Chi was particularly anxious.


    After taking care of her physiological need, Lin Xiaoguai quickly fell back into slumber.


    Shen Chi, however, couldn¡¯t sleep anymore.


    With the moonlight shining in through the window, he quietly observed his sleeping wife.


    His life, although only a small part had passed, had already seen twists and turns that others might never experience in their entire lives.


    He had felt resentment, and he had felt hatred, but having survived several brushes with death, he could slowly laugh them off.


    Without those experiences, there wouldn¡¯t be the person he was today.


    Usually, when people encounter hardship and miraculously survive without being defeated, they are considered resilient and responsible by society.


    But no one would think that such people can be very self-oriented.


    Having been through so much suffering, he always wanted to treat himself a bit better, even better.


    Because he was so hurt, he was always guarded against others.


    Shen Chi was the typical example.


    So, when people thought that a principled man like him used such means to forcefully marry Lin Xiaoguai, it was because he liked her too much.


    But in fact, he loved himself too much.


    How could he not marry such a nice, heart-stirring girl?


    The only difference with Shen Chi was that he saw himself very clearly.


    But he discovered that he was actually better than he thought; this woman sleeping peacefully beside him was someone he truly wanted to protect.


    It wasn¡¯t just about wanting to possess her; he was willing to give for her.


    It wasn¡¯t superficial care, but the desire to integrate her into his flesh and blood, to accept his all and give her everything he had.


    He reached out and gently straightened her somewhat disheveled hair, pressing down how his feelings somewhat exceeded boundaries.


    This woman had to become utterly his.


    In the latter part of the night, Shen Chi¡¯s gaze never left Lin Xiaoguai, as if he wanted to etch her into his heart and blend her into his very marrow.


    And it was in this time that he made a decision he hadn¡¯t reached in months past.


    He had to bring her to his side soon.


    Early in the morning, Lin Xiaoguai woke up.


    She was taking a nap every afternoon now and thus kept her habit of rising early.


    Shen Zhangming had bought back some youtiao (fried dough sticks) from outside, and Lin Xiaoguai had fried an egg for each person.


    With white rice porridge, it was enough to satisfy the whole family for a meal.


    ¡°How come someone¡¯s selling youtiao?¡± Luo Yufang inquired as she sipped her porridge.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Wang Family from behind us selling them.


    They¡¯ve just opened up, and I happened to come across them, so I bought some.¡± Shen Zhangming was in a good mood.


    Now, it wasn¡¯t just their family doing business, which made him feel a bit more secure.


    ¡°These youtiao are not well leavened, they are not crispy enough,¡± Lin Xiaoguai took a bite and commented out of habit.


    It was a good thing she had only torn off half.


    ¡°Of course, others can¡¯t compare to our Wanwan,¡± Luo Yufang was incredibly proud of her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s culinary skills.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you eat more?¡± Shen Xiu expressed concern.


    Lin Xiaoguai shook her head, ¡°Youtiao are hard to digest, it¡¯s better for me to eat less.¡±


    Hearing her say this, Shen Chi, who initially wanted to pick a stick of youtiao for her, had to give up the idea.


    ¡°Chi is seldom back, Wanwan, why don¡¯t the two of you go out for a stroll?


    Buy whatever you like,¡± Luo Yufang suggested, seeing the unresolved issues between her grandson and granddaughter-in-law.


    Without waiting for Lin Xiaoguai to refuse, Shen Chi readily agreed and added, ¡°Then we won¡¯t be back for lunch.¡±


    Seeing how eager her grandson was, Luo Yufang couldn¡¯t hide her smile, ¡°Alright, have a meal outside, and pick something nice to eat.¡±


    Without even letting them wash up the bowls, Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi were hustled out by Luo Yufang.


    Shen Chi seemed to have a plan already, and he took her hand and walked in a certain direction.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the two arrived at the county city¡¯s department store.


    ¡°What are we doing here?¡± Lin Xiaoguai furrowed her brows slightly, unless she remembered incorrectly, everything here was ridiculously expensive.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re here to shop,¡± Shen Chi said decisively, taking her hand and leading her in.


    He actually wanted to put his arm around her, but if someone saw it, they would gossip.


    He didn¡¯t mind, but his wife was a bit shy.


    The department store at this time didn¡¯t have much to offer.


    The clothing styles were just a few, and the only things that attracted the Chinese were those foreign goods.


    Unfortunately, most of those overly advanced items from abroad weren¡¯t suitable for the current era.


    Although in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s eyes, those dresses were as conservative as could be, the patterns were not something people from this era could accept.


    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t like them.


    They were just too afraid to wear them.


    Like the clothes sold by her family before, typically people would choose their timing carefully, sneaking in to buy them.


    Lin Xiaoguai remembered something: when her mother passed away that year, she was very ill.


    Thinking of how her mother always wore dull clothes and never had even one brightly colored, nice garment, she felt heartbroken, so she took out her saved pocket money, hoping to buy a small floral fabric to make a shirt for her mother.


    At the time, her mother was particularly panicked, repeatedly refusing, saying, ¡°No, people will laugh.¡±


    People of this era were more or less the same, longing for everything bright and colorful, yet only daring to let others know through hints, never admitting it outright for fear of being labeled ¡°corrupt.¡±


    It was an age when human nature was suppressed to the greatest extent.


    ¡°I want to buy a watch; you pick one for me,¡± Shen Chi led her to the watch counter.


    ¡°...Why do you want to buy a watch?¡± After all, for people at this time, a watch wasn¡¯t a necessity.


    ¡°Wearing an alarm clock during drills is too troublesome.¡± What he didn¡¯t say was that those little rascals were always sneakily setting the alarm clock ahead.


    If not for his ability to judge the time of day from his childhood experience working in the fields, he would have been fooled countless times.


    What relieved Shen Chi was that Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t think he was wasting money, nor did she try to dissuade him.


    Conventionally, men should like women who were thrifty and could manage a household, but Shen Chi was an exception.


    He felt that he could earn money, and if his wife made him happy, he wouldn¡¯t mind spending a lot on her.


    It was the nagging that he found irritating.


    ¡°What price range are you thinking of buying?¡± Lin Xiaoguai glanced around; the current styles of watches were just a few, nothing like the dazzling array of future times.


    ¡°You decide,¡± Shen Chi glanced around; the most expensive was just over two hundred, which didn¡¯t exceed his budget.


    When he said that, Lin Xiaoguai did just that.


    It didn¡¯t take long before she selected a Seagull brand watch, priced at one hundred sixty-five yuan, with a silver-white face and a black leather strap.


    She faintly remembered that this model was considered classic.


    Shen Chi took one look and thought it was good, immediately paying for it and putting the watch on his wrist.


    They went to the second floor where the clothes and shoes were sold.


    Shen Chi originally planned to buy a couple of outfits for Lin Xiaoguai, but she refused, saying, ¡°It won¡¯t fit once my stomach gets bigger.¡±


    Shen Xiu had already taken the clothes that were left for her in the old house¡¯s new room; she was just making do with them now, planning to make her own after the baby was born.


    By that time, the domestic atmosphere should be much more open.


    Passing by a counter, Shen Chi suddenly stopped.


    Lin Xiaoguai, puzzled, turned to look and saw that they were selling leather shoes.


    ¡°Shall I buy you a pair of leather shoes?¡± Shen Chi¡¯s statement was less of an inquiry and more of a decision since he was already standing in front of the counter asking the sales clerk to bring out the shoes.


    The sales clerk was somewhat reluctant.


    When this man and woman had come up, she had already looked them over.


    Although the man was handsome and the woman pretty, the man wore a half-worn, ill-fitting sweatshirt, and the woman wore a blue, short-sleeved Mandarin jacket with new but ordinary fabric¡ªnot the look of wealth at all.


    And in her private thoughts, she didn¡¯t want to believe that someone good-looking would also be wealthy.


    Seeing the sales clerk not moving after some time, Shen Chi frowned and looked at her, his eyes growing colder; he repeated his previous request: ¡°Bring out these leather shoes.¡±


    Reluctantly, the sales clerk brought out the shoes.


    Seeing Shen Chi reach for them, she said sarcastically, ¡°Be careful, you can¡¯t afford them if you damage them.¡± In her mind, she had already pegged the couple as poor window-shoppers.


    Shen Chi¡¯s forehead vein throbbed.


    Where did this idiot come from?


    He had visited many city department stores, but he had never encountered such an outrageous case.


    He had forgotten that at the moment he was wearing clothes left at home from previous years¡ªcheap and worn out, and a bit short, too.


    It was no wonder he was looked down upon.


    Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat speechless.


    She knew that staff at state-owned institutions at this time liked to judge by appearance, but did they really have to encounter the very same thing just by chance?


    Why was it all right when buying the watch before?


    ¡°What size is your foot?¡± Shen Chi turned and asked.


    ¡°Size thirty-six.¡± Seeing that he was determined to buy and the sales clerk next to her was looking disparaging, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t intend to argue and obediently answered.


    Shen Chi looked at the sole of the shoes, size thirty-seven, and said to the clerk, ¡°Please bring a size thirty-six.¡±


    The sales clerk couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, ¡°Why do you want to change sizes if you¡¯re not buying?¡± Her tone was very unpleasant.


    Shen Chi raised an eyebrow and, out of the corner of his eye, spotted a thin man in work clothes.


    He turned and asked, ¡°Are you in charge here?¡±


    ¡°My name is Xu, and I¡¯m the manager here.


    How can I assist you?¡± While saying this, Manager Xu gave the sales clerk a harsh look.


    Ever since this niece of his came, the store hadn¡¯t had a peaceful day.


    How could his honest older brother have raised such a sneaky and opportunistic daughter?


    Shen Chi caught his expression, unexpectedly didn¡¯t tattle, but instead, holding up the leather shoes, repeated his earlier request: ¡°Please bring a size thirty-six.¡±


    The sales clerk glared, ready to speak, but Shen Chi beat her to it, ¡°This sales clerk seems to have some trouble with her legs.


    I don¡¯t want to trouble a disabled person, so I have no choice but to ask Manager Xu to condescend to help.¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 26 Sea Fish

    ?42: Chapter 26: Sea Fish 42: Chapter 26: Sea Fish Lin Xiaoguai chuckled to herself, she just knew that Shen Chi could be infuriating when he wanted to.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± The salesperson jumped up to argue but was stopped by Manager Xu.


    Aren¡¯t you done embarrassing yourself?


    He glared at the salesperson and then personally fetched them a pair of size 36 leather shoes, apologizing sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my lack of discipline.¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time he had done this, so he was quite adept.


    His sincere attitude finally appeased Shen Chi.


    He crouched at Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s feet, lifted one of her legs, which startled her.


    She instinctively placed her hand on his shoulder and let him change the shoe for her.


    ¡°It fits perfectly, Wanwan, what do you think?¡± By the time she came back to her senses, Shen Chi had already set her foot down and was looking up at her.


    ¡°...It¡¯s fine.¡± Lin Xiaoguai was a bit stunned.


    The leather shoes were round-toed and black, simple but elegant.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s buy them.¡± Shen Chi helped her change back into her own shoes, then turned to Manager Xu and said, ¡°I remember these shoes are twenty-nine yuan, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Manager Xu, clearly a straightforward person, packed the shoes for them and said, ¡°These shoes are expensive, but they¡¯re foreign and made of cowhide, they¡¯re comfortable and good quality.¡±


    Shen Chi pulled out a wad of money from his pocket, counted out three banknotes, and handed them over.


    The salesperson, who had been indignant before, suddenly froze, her face turning increasingly red, this time with embarrassment.


    More than once, her uncle had urged her not to judge customers by their shabby clothes, but she had always ignored this advice, thinking those poor people didn¡¯t buy anything anyway, so why bother being nice.


    What if they took advantage and refused to leave?


    So, she continued doing things her way, occasionally taking the chance to humiliate those country folks covered in mud.


    Each time her uncle apologized to these people politely, she said nothing, but inwardly she felt her uncle was demeaning himself.


    Seeing the wad of money the man pulled out, she felt a jolt in her heart, filled with anger, shame, and disbelief.


    She had never encountered such a situation before.


    Internally, she couldn¡¯t help but complain, if they were so wealthy, why did they dress so poorly!


    Unaware of her thoughts, Shen Chi and Lin Xiaoguai grabbed the shoes and the one yuan in change and left.


    ¡°Do you want to buy anything?¡± Shen Chi asked.


    Lin Xiaoguai was about to shake her head, but she suddenly remembered something, changed her answer and said, ¡°I¡¯m almost out of wool, let¡¯s buy some wool.


    Also, it will be winter when the baby is born, we need to buy some cotton for a little cotton-padded jacket.¡±


    Actually, infants at that time didn¡¯t wear jackets; they were just bundled in blankets during winter, but Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s thoughts had drifted from this era, and Shen Chi had no idea about these things.


    Hearing her say this, Shen Chi also felt the money must be spent.


    He took her to buy cotton and, while at it, some fine cloth as well.


    While on the street, Lin Xiaoguai also bought some cookies and candies that Shen Xiu liked.


    Shen Chi thought she wanted them and even specifically bought two pounds of mulberries picked by villagers and brought into the city.


    Passing by the cinema, Shen Chi insisted on buying tickets.


    In the dim cinema, where the movie ¡°Xiao Hua¡± was showing, Lin Xiaoguai, who had been walking around for a long time, was already tired.


    The plot, which she had seen before, lacked appeal, and she soon started dozing off.


    By the time Shen Chi realized, there was extra weight on his shoulder, where Lin Xiaoguai slept peacefully.


    Only after the movie ended and everyone left, did Shen Chi reluctantly wake her up.


    ¡°Wanwan, wake up, the movie is over,¡± Shen Chi gently shook her shoulder and called.


    Lin Xiaoguai groggily opened her eyes, scanned the empty seats around, yawned, and said, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Tears welled up at her eyes, making her gaze all the more poignant.


    Shen Chi¡¯s throat tightened as he bent over to help her up, his voice tender, ¡°Then let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    Originally, Shen Chi intended to take Lin Xiaoguai to a restaurant, but she suddenly craved noodles.


    Confronting her clear, moist-eyed gaze, he succumbed within seconds.


    At the noodle house, Lin Xiaoguai ordered a bowl of chicken soup noodles, and Shen Chi ordered a bowl of beef noodles, a plate of scrambled eggs, and a plate of stir-fried pork with pickled vegetables.


    Once the noodles arrived, without saying a word, Shen Chi transferred most of the beef from his bowl into Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s bowl and half of the scrambled eggs, then mixed the remaining eggs and pickled pork with his noodles.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat this much,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said somewhat helplessly.


    Although she had ordered a small bowl, the small size at that time was pretty much equivalent to a large bowl from the future, and the portion of beef and scrambled eggs Shen Chi had added was not small.

 Chapter 43 - 43 26 Sea Fish_2

    ?43: Chapter 26: Sea Fish_2 43: Chapter 26: Sea Fish_2 ¡°Eat the egg and beef, leave the noodles for me.¡± Shen Chi had never eaten someone else¡¯s leftovers before, but at that moment he found he didn¡¯t regret saying such a thing.


    Shen Chi¡¯s gaze held Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s familiar resolve.


    She didn¡¯t want to argue with him, and after a brief silence of two seconds, she ultimately chose to give in.


    In the end, Lin Xiaoguai finished the beef and eggs, having only eaten half of the noodles, while Shen Chi finished his own portion and the noodles Lin Xiaoguai left, and later ordered a small bowl of braised pork noodles.


    After leaving the noodle house, Lin Xiaoguai, who had slept for over an hour in the cinema, started to feel sleepy again.


    Shen Chi was somewhat torn between amusement and exasperation.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just sleep?¡±


    Rubbing her eyes, Lin Xiaoguai groaned, ¡°But it¡¯s nap time now.¡±


    With no other options, the originally planned Shen Chi could only accompany her home.


    The house was empty.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang had gone for a walk, and Shen Xiu had gone out to play with classmates.


    Shen Chi dropped off Lin Xiaoguai at her room, then hesitated before leaving.


    When Lin Xiaoguai woke up, it was already after 2 p.m.


    She lazily leaned against the bed, reluctant to rise, casually fetching a book from the space and began reading.


    She was surprised to find that she had picked up a book on pottery, and since it was just a way to pass time, she continued reading.


    In her past life, ever since she had spiritual spring water, her health was always great.


    While the spiritual spring water could eliminate physical ailments and slow down the aging process, there were some things that couldn¡¯t be changed.


    After losing a child and being diagnosed with infertility, she developed chronic pain, initially felt only during quiet nights as abdominal pain but later evolving in line with her mental state.


    Sometimes it manifested as joint pains, sometimes chest pain, sometimes headaches.


    Although the deficiencies in her body were healed by the spiritual spring water, her menstrual pain issues never improved, probably due to this.


    Whether it was the long-term torment of neuropathic pain, while Lin Xiaoguai looked much younger than her peers, she had about the same level of agility.


    Therefore, when she later developed an interest in pottery, she didn¡¯t persevere for long and gave it up because her hands were not steady enough, which is fatal in pottery making.


    Thinking back to how she had returned to her younger days and her neuropathic issues were cured without medicine, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s interest was piqued again, and she became absorbed in the book.


    Noise came from the yard, and Lin Xiaoguai set down the book and went out.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asked Shen Chi, who was moving a large wooden box.


    ¡°Hello, sister-in-law,¡± the similarly laden Yuan Lin cheerfully greeted as he walked in behind Shen Chi.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded at Yuan Lin, quickly cleared the way, and followed them into the kitchen with the boxes.


    Lin Xiaoguai poured some water for the two, and Shen Chi gulped down his drink, squatting down to open the lid of the wooden box, revealing a whole box of yellow croakers mixed with ice chunks.


    ¡°That box contains hairtails.


    I¡¯ve also bought a fridge; it will be delivered soon,¡± said Shen Chi, wiping the sweat from his face.


    Squinting, Yuan Lin added, ¡°To get these two boxes of goods, the guy had to visit several fishing villages around Jiwan Mountain.¡±


    ¡°Are these from Jiwan Mountain?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked with surprise.


    Jiwan Mountain belonged to the town and wasn¡¯t far from the county city, but there were no roads leading there; one had to walk as tractors and animal-drawn carts wouldn¡¯t make it through.


    Moreover, the two boxes filled with ice-packed seafood were not light.


    Jiwan Mountain had minimal contact with the outside world, especially during special periods when even the village insertions didn¡¯t consider the area; although the land was barren and the area large, it wasn¡¯t easy for outsiders to find the village.


    Seeing the two gasps for air and collapsing exhausted in chairs claiming hunger, Lin Xiaoguai swiftly heated the oil pan and started frying bread slices.


    A large basin of bread slices was polished off by the two in less than ten minutes.


    Yuan Lin, too tired to speak, kept giving Lin Xiaoguai thumbs-up to approve her cooking skills.


    Meanwhile, the fridge was delivered, and the two had no time to rest.


    By the time they finished, they were as tired as dogs.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave those two boxes of seafood for later, eat them when we can¡¯t catch river fish,¡± Shen Chi commented while drinking the cool water his wife had poured, ¡°I heard from grandma that my wife could take or leave meat, but she loves fish and shellfish.


    Now it¡¯s easy to handle, but when the weather turns cold, and the flood season is over, it will be hard to catch fish and shellfish, so I thought of getting two boxes of sea fish.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was moved, murmured something, but didn¡¯t know what to say.


    In her past life, it wasn¡¯t that Shen Chi hadn¡¯t been considerate towards her, but she herself had proposed a divorce, which he absolutely refused.


    No matter how well he treated her, she felt only aversion.


    Moreover, every chance he got, he hinted or explicitly stated that if she left him, her outcomes would be dire; this care, in her eyes, became ulterior motives.


    She felt he treated her like a pet, consoling her when pleased, but threatening her when annoyed.


    Far from being touched, she only felt hatred and humiliation.


    She sighed softly in her mind, the same actions by the same person, but due to different circumstances, could feel so drastically different.


    But Lin Xiaoguai no longer wanted to suppress the changes in her feelings.


    No one understood better than her how obsessive and domineering Shen Chi was.


    In her last life, she had been prepared to die together with him; his sudden consent to let her go appeared to her nothing short of a miracle.


    Miracles might happen once, but never twice.


    She would try to fall in love with him and respond to his affections.


    That didn¡¯t seem too hard, did it?

 Chapter 44 - 44 27 Jiang Xiaomei

    ?44: Chapter 27 Jiang Xiaomei 44: Chapter 27 Jiang Xiaomei Luo Yufang returned to see the refrigerator in the kitchen, and upon asking the price, grumbled nonstop about wasting money.


    Judging by her attitude, if it weren¡¯t for the two boxes of sea fish, she would have definitely returned it.


    ¡°Hey, sister-in-law, come see what I¡¯ve got for you!¡± Lin Xiaoguai was stirring up a dish while Luo Yufang was sitting on a small stool washing vegetables, and Shen Chi was making a fire, when Shen Xiu¡¯s excited voice suddenly came from outside.


    Lin Xiaoguai continued her cooking, turned her head, and saw Shen Xiu burst in, pulling out the contents of her pocket to show her.


    ¡°Quail eggs?!


    Where did you get them?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat surprised; nobody around here raised quails.


    ¡°I found them.¡± Shen Xiu put the quail eggs into a basin, ¡°I went to play in the countryside with Chun Niu and the others today.


    I found these on the mountain, and I traded them for some sugar.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, I remember there was quite a bit of fermented tofu juice left after we finished the fermented tofu last time, right?¡± Lin Xiaoguai made the query after dishing out the chives from the pan.


    ¡°There is, do you want to eat it?¡± Luo Yufang nodded her head.


    Lin Xiaoguai shook her head, ¡°I want to make some fermented tofu-coated quail eggs.¡± She would have preferred to make sweet-and-sour or tea-leaf quail eggs, but things like ketchup, tea leaves, anise, or cinnamon weren¡¯t available at this time, and she couldn¡¯t smuggle them out from her space.


    Luo Yufang had never heard of making quail eggs this way, but she had confidence in her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s cooking skills, so she had no objections, and neither did anyone else.


    Stir-fried chives, braised silver carp, quail eggs in a crusty coating, plus an egg drop soup, and their family had a full meal.


    ¡°If I keep eating like this, I won¡¯t be able to swallow my food when I return to the troops.¡± Finished, Shen Chi sighed; his wife¡¯s cooking was beyond words.


    ¡°Should we buy a TV?¡± At night, as Lin Xiaoguai leaned on the bed reading a book, Shen Chi suddenly suggested.


    Lin Xiaoguai was puzzled, ¡°Why are you suddenly thinking of this?¡±


    Shen Chi glanced at the book in her hand with a hint of dissatisfaction and said indifferently, ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored at home?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I can read books.¡± Lin Xiaoguai shook the book in her hand.


    Shen Chi was not a careful person in daily life, so she didn¡¯t avoid him when reading obscure ones.


    However, in front of Shen Xiu, she had to conceal them.


    Shen Chi felt a bit of indignant; having a cultured wife was not necessarily a good thing; with a book, even her own husband went unnoticed¡ªwhat¡¯s the deal with that?


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t pay attention to his emotions; her mind continued to immerse in the world of the book.


    It was already her second pottery book, and she felt an itching to try her hand at it once Shen Chi left, planning to enter her space and give it a go.


    While at home, Shen Chi did some of the heavier chores, and in his spare time, he took Lin Xiaoguai out to buy things for her.


    In just a few days, the number of her personal belongings had doubled.


    ¡°Xiao Guai?¡±


    That day, as Lin Xiaoguai was picking eggplants in the courtyard, she suddenly heard someone call her.


    She looked up and saw a dark, plump and sturdy girl smiling at her with her head poked out.


    Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat stunned as she looked at the face squeezed together, barely making out the features, and suddenly felt like crying.


    ¡°Xiao Mei...¡±


    In her previous life, she had many friends, but the only true friend she acknowledged was the one before her eyes.


    Jiang Xiaomei wasn¡¯t pretty, dark and plump, but whenever people mentioned having a ¡°beautiful soul,¡± Lin Xiaoguai would immediately think of her.


    This plump girl was always mocked, bullied, but never fought back or tattled and never cried, always laughing carelessly.


    She would often trade her lunchbox for others¡¯ dry food out of pity at school, clumsy but always with the kindest heart.


    In her previous life when she had a miscarriage and lost her ability to bear children, one day suddenly, she heard people saying that she had drunk pesticide to commit suicide.


    The reason was that her child husband had run away after deceiving her family out of all their money, and her parents had died from resentment.


    Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s smile grew even wider as she dashed over with her sturdy legs and grabbed her hand, ¡°Xiao Guai, don¡¯t be mad at me, I didn¡¯t mean to come see you like this.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai pulled Jiang Xiaomei into the house.


    Luo Yufang, who was sewing on buttons, looked up and saw them and asked in surprise, ¡°Wanwan, is this your friend?¡±


    She was taken aback; the girl¡¯s image was simply too exaggerated, and when she was with her granddaughter-in-law, they looked like complete opposites.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded and then said, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll take her to my room to talk.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead.¡± Luo Yufang nodded, then asked, ¡°Will she have lunch here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t even ask Jiang Xiaomei but declared, ¡°Grandma, would you mind buying some pork belly?


    I¡¯ll make braised pork for lunch.¡±


    Seeing how seriously she treated her friend, Luo Yufang nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go buy it right now.¡±


    After closing the door, Lin Xiaoguai hugged Jiang Xiaomei, with a hint of a sob, ¡°Xiao Mei...¡±


    ¡°Xiao Guai, don¡¯t cry, it¡¯s my fault for not coming to see you sooner.¡± Jiang Xiaomei patted her back clumsily, trying to soothe her.


    Lin Xiaoguai sniffled, regained her composure, and pulled her down to sit on the edge of the bed.


    Jiang Xiaomei took out a stack of banknotes from her pocket and stuffed them into Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand, ¡°Take this, I originally wanted to buy you some nice food, but I went too late, and the supply and marketing cooperative only had leftovers.


    Knowing you like fresh things, I didn¡¯t buy any.¡±


    ¡°Why are you giving me money?


    Keep it for yourself.¡± Lin Xiaoguai tried to push it back, that stack was at least two hundred yuan, but her strength was no match for Jiang Xiaomei.


    ¡°Just take it, or I¡¯ll get unhappy,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said as she pressed Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand and stuffed the money into her pocket.


    Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s family was considered wealthy in the village, yet she was only this generous with Lin Xiaoguai.


    Feeling helpless, Lin Xiaoguai accepted the money.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you come to see me for so long?¡± She knew something must have happened at Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s home, probably involving her fiance?, but she couldn¡¯t ask directly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Aidang, insisting on doing business.


    My dad and Mom wouldn¡¯t agree, so he¡¯s been causing a fuss at home ever since.


    My dad even fell ill from anger, and Mom¡¯s health isn¡¯t good either.


    Aidang disappears all day and when he returns, he only picks fights.


    With me needed at home for caretaking, I couldn¡¯t leave even if I wanted to,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said, frustrated.


    Like Lin Xiaoguai, Jiang Xiaomei was also an older unmarried woman, but she had no brothers, and her parents doted on her immensely despite being their only treasure after many years of marriage.


    Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s fiance? was named Luo Aidang.


    His parents died when he was young, and since he had a child betrothal with Jiang Xiaomei, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang took him in as their own son.


    Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang were kind-hearted and treated Luo Aidang as their own child.


    However, people in the countryside enjoyed gossiping, saying he was merely a ¡®child husband¡¯, and over time, Luo Aidang became gloomy and reticent, silent to the point that no one knew what he was thinking.


    Lin Xiaoguai had also encountered Luo Aidang but didn¡¯t hold a good impression of him.


    Once when Xiaomei was being mocked, he simply walked by without a glance, wearing clothes bought with the Luo Family¡¯s money and carrying a school bag sewn by Aunt Jiang.


    However, as far as she knew, Luo Aidang was a thankless wretch but not the kind to have an active mind.


    Someone else must have been advising him when he managed to swindle the Luo Family¡¯s money in their previous life.


    Thinking of another rumor from back then, she had a guess as to who might be involved.


    ¡°Did he ask your parents for money?¡± Lin Xiaoguai raised an eyebrow.


    Jiang Xiaomei nodded.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Two thousand,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said despondently.


    ¡°My Mom and Dad have been sick these past years, unable to earn work points, and also needing money for medicine.


    Where could they get so much money?¡±


    This silly girl...


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed inwardly; surely, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang had the means, and simply didn¡¯t want to give the money.


    ¡°Xiaomei, do you like Luo Aidang?¡± Lin Xiaoguai suddenly asked.


    Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s face turned a dark shade of red, ¡°Wha ¨C What are you suddenly talking about liking or not liking...


    ¡±


    Looking into Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s eyes, Jiang Xiaomei realized that Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t teasing her; she was earnestly asking.


    After carefully thinking, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t say that I like him.¡± Hesitating, she added, ¡°Sometimes he¡¯s actually quite annoying.


    Although he doesn¡¯t bully me, he never steps in when I¡¯m being bullied.


    He¡¯s not even as good as Brother Dameng.¡± She might be naive, but she wasn¡¯t stupid; although she thought of Luo Aidang as family, she knew clearly who treated her well.


    The Big Brother Dameng that Jiang Xiaomei mentioned was her cousin.


    Even though he too looked down on her for being ugly, he always stood up for her when others tried to bully her.


    Lin Xiaoguai vaguely remembered that boy, who seemed to have a crush on her as well.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t actually want to marry him that much?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said, scratching her head.


    ¡°But my dad and Mom want me to marry Aidang; they definitely want what¡¯s best for me.


    And...¡±


    She said with some self-deprecation, ¡°I¡¯m so ugly, it¡¯s unlikely anyone else would want to marry me.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai shook her head inwardly.


    Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang must be having doubts by now.


    While Jiang Xiaomei was oblivious to Luo Aidang¡¯s true intentions, those two certainly weren¡¯t blind.


    ¡°Xiaomei, can I come to your house to play this afternoon?¡± Lin Xiaoguai had made up her mind; she needed to have a talk with Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang.


    They probably thought Luo Aidang just wanted to get his hands on some extra cash and never considered that he might seek revenge for a perceived slight.


    Xiaomei¡¯s naive nature couldn¡¯t be entirely trusted, and her soft-heartedness might lead her to confront Luo Aidang, attempting to persuade him to change his ways.


    ¡°Ah!?¡± Jiang Xiaomei was startled, ¡°Why do you suddenly want to come to my place to play?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you welcome me?¡± Lin Xiaoguai feigned discontent.


    Jiang Xiaomei quickly waved her hands, ¡°No, no, of course, I welcome you, but you right now...¡± She glanced at Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s belly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m already five months along, and the pregnancy is stable now.


    Besides, we can take the bus to the town first, and then walk to your house.


    It¡¯s not much of a walk anyway,¡± Lin Xiaoguai was not worried about the child in her womb.


    As she said, it was only a short walk from the town to Xiaomei¡¯s house, and she regularly walked much further than that.


    Relieved, Jiang Xiaomei said, ¡°That¡¯s good, the peaches at home are ripe, I forgot to pick some to bring over.


    When you come, you should take lots back with you.¡±


    ¡°By the way, is Luo Aidang at home?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked, just to be sure.


    Jiang Xiaomei shook her head, ¡°He¡¯s gone during the day now, doesn¡¯t even go to school, I have no idea where he wanders off to.¡±

 Chapter 45 - 45 28 Visiting the Jiang Family

    ?45: Chapter 28: Visiting the Jiang Family 45: Chapter 28: Visiting the Jiang Family Jiang Xiaomei might have been obtuse at times, but occasionally she was particularly sensitive, as she was now.


    She chatted on about various fun and interesting things without mentioning a word about Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s near miscarriage.


    When lunchtime came around, Shen Chi also returned and when he heard that Lin Xiaoguai wanted to visit Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s house, he wished to accompany her.


    However, Lin Xiaoguai stopped him and simply gave him the address of Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s house, asking him to come pick her up before dinner.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, I had no idea you could cook so deliciously, even better than my dad,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said, arm in arm with Lin Xiaoguai as they got off the passenger bus.


    Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s dad had been a head chef at a restaurant in the county town in his youth until a special period forced him to retreat to the countryside to lay low.


    Naturally, his culinary skills were not lacking, and locals would always want him to cook for their weddings and funerals.


    ¡°If you like it, come over more often.


    I¡¯ll definitely cook for you,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a slight smile.


    ¡°No need,¡± Jiang Xiaomei shook her head, ¡°With great-grandma and great-grandpa above you now, it would be hard for you if I came over frequently.¡±


    She was always a girl who understood others¡¯ feelings.


    The journey from town to Dajiang Village wasn¡¯t far, and the two of them chatted and laughed, arriving before they knew it.


    Aunt Jiang was feeding chickens and immediately smiled upon spotting her daughter and Lin Xiaoguai returning via the small path: ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    Then, turning to Lin Xiaoguai, she said, ¡°Xiao Guai, it has been quite a while since you¡¯ve visited.¡±


    Aunt Jiang, like Jiang Xiaomei, was very plump but much fairer, and her smile resembled that of a Maitreya Buddha¡ªextremely warm and approachable.


    Jiang Xiaomei had likely inherited much of her disposition from her.


    ¡°Aunt Jiang, hello.


    Xiao Mei told me Uncle Jiang was ill.


    I came to see how he was doing,¡± Lin Xiaoguai offered a large yellow croaker she had been carrying, ¡°This is just a small token of my concern.


    Please, don¡¯t disdain it.¡±


    ¡°People are what matter most, why did you buy anything?¡± Mrs.


    Jiang hesitated, knowing full well how expensive yellow croaker was.


    ¡°Ah, Mom, just take it if Xiao Guai gave it to you,¡± Jiang Xiaomei interjected, unable to watch any longer.


    Mrs.


    Jiang gave her a playful slap, ¡°You cheeky girl!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is.


    Xiao Guai and I have been friends for over a decade,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said, not pleased.


    After some persuasion, Mrs.


    Jiang finally accepted the gift.


    ¡°Sit down, Xiao Guai.


    I¡¯ll go pick some peaches for you,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang led them into the house.


    ¡°Oh, Xiao Guai, you¡¯re here.¡± Just as she was about to sit, Mr.


    Jiang came shuffling out from a room with a palm-leaf fan in his hand.


    ¡°Uncle Jiang, hello,¡± Lin Xiaoguai sized him up.


    He still had his towering and burly stature covered in fat, dark, and robust like a gangster.


    Xiaomei¡¯s appearance resembled his, but upon closer inspection, one could see that his complexion was somewhat poor, with a faint sweat on his forehead.


    ¡°Why have you come out?


    Sit down and rest,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang quickly pushed Mr.


    Jiang back down onto a chair.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I hear you talking and came out to have a look?


    It¡¯s too stuffy in the room; I was feeling claustrophobic,¡± Mr.


    Jiang said as he fanned himself, his voice lacking the resonant quality Lin Xiaoguai remembered, clearly not in good health.


    ¡°What illness has Uncle fallen ill with?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked with concern.


    ¡°Just an old problem.


    A headache, nausea, and an inability to sleep¡ªwill get better after taking a couple of doses of medicine,¡± Mr.


    Jiang dismissed with a wave of his hand.


    That¡¯s how it is in the countryside, they prefer not to take medicine if possible, avoid the hospital if they can, and spend money only when necessary, even the affluent Jiang family was no exception.


    Lin Xiaoguai frowned slightly.


    Generally, overweight people are prone to high blood pressure and heart disease, and Uncle Jiang¡¯s symptoms seemed like they might be related to high blood pressure.


    Therefore, she suggested, ¡°Looking at Uncle¡¯s condition, it seems quite like high blood pressure.


    It would be better to have it checked out at the hospital.¡±


    The Jiang family had one trait in common: they were straightforward and candid, so she didn¡¯t beat around the bush.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.


    High blood pressure isn¡¯t fatal,¡± Mr.


    Jiang said nonchalantly.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take it lightly, Uncle Jiang.


    Many cases of cerebral hemorrhage and strokes are caused by high blood pressure,¡± Lin Xiaoguai spoke softly, ¡°Even if Uncle doesn¡¯t consider it for himself, he should think of Xiao Mei.


    She¡¯s not yet married or had children.¡±


    ¡°Is that really the case?¡± Before Mr.


    Jiang could respond, Mrs.


    Jiang asked anxiously.


    She was quite convinced in her heart, for Xiao Guai was a Capital University graduate, and her words would certainly carry weight.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded, ¡°A blood pressure check at the hospital doesn¡¯t cost much, and if diagnosed, it¡¯s always better to take medicine prescribed by the doctor rather than those ineffective folk remedies.¡± She had heard from Xiao Mei that her dad had always been taking those kinds of traditional medicines.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll make a trip to the hospital,¡± Mr.


    Jiang was persuaded by Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s words, and thinking about the annoying family issues of the past few days, he felt his blood pressure rising.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, do you want to come with me to pick peaches?¡± Jiang Xiaomei asked.


    ¡°No, you go ahead, I¡¯m a bit tired,¡± Lin Xiaoguai responded.


    Jiang Xiaomei looked a bit disappointed but still went off reluctantly.


    It wasn¡¯t until Jiang Xiaomei had left that Lin Xiaoguai turned to Mr.


    Jiang and Mrs.


    Jiang, hesitating before speaking, ¡°Uncle Jiang, Aunt Jiang, Xiao Mei told me about Luo Aidang, and there¡¯s something I think I should tell you.¡±


    Mr.


    Jiang and Mrs.


    Jiang exchanged glances, wondering why Xiao Guai, who was pregnant and had almost lost the baby previously, would come to visit out of the blue¡ªclearly, there was an ulterior motive.


    Thinking she deliberately sent Xiao Mei away to talk to them, the couple felt an ominous premonition.


    ¡°Uncle Jiang, Aunt Jiang, what I¡¯m about to say may be hard to accept, but please don¡¯t get angry.


    If something happens to you, then nobody will plan for Xiao Mei¡¯s future like you do,¡± Lin Xiaoguai started by giving them a warning.


    The couple, feeling uneasy, nevertheless took in what Lin Xiaoguai had to say, bracing themselves for the worst.


    Lin Xiaoguai looked at them, slowly saying, ¡°A few days ago, I saw Luo Aidang in the town.


    He was holding hands with a woman and going to the cinema.¡± She wasn¡¯t lying; she had indeed seen it, but she¡¯d never had much of a memory for Luo Aidang.


    After so many years, naturally, she couldn¡¯t recognize him at first glance.


    It wasn¡¯t until Xiao Mei mentioned him today, and she remembered how in her past life he had swindled the Jiang family¡¯s money and vanished, that she made the connection¡ªaround that time, a girl from the village had gone missing.


    She made the connection because she had once overheard this bit of gossip¡ªthat girl might have been abducted by Luo Aidang, I saw them more than once, one after the other, getting off the bus from town.


    ¡°You mean...¡± Mr.


    Jiang¡¯s chest heaved violently, Mrs.


    Jiang, ignoring her shock and anger, rushed forward to soothe him.


    Mr.


    Jiang pushed her away, fixing Lin Xiaoguai with a stare, ¡°Xiao Guai, is everything you¡¯re saying true?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded seriously, ¡°Absolutely true.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Xiao Mei but told us?¡± Mr.


    Jiang asked softly after a long while, appearing to have regained his breath.


    ¡°Xiao Mei always refuses to think badly of people.


    I was afraid she would go directly to Luo Aidang,¡± Lin Xiaoguai stated candidly.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Mr.


    Jiang muttered, covering his mouth, ¡°My foolish girl, what am I to do...¡±


    ¡°Of course, we should expose what Luo Aidang has done and break off his engagement to Xiao Mei,¡± Lin Xiaoguai exclaimed in alarm, hearing that Uncle Jiang seemed to be inclined to smooth things over.


    Although time had changed her in many ways, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s core remained intact.


    She still had the integrity of an intellectual, and her veins pulsed with the blood of someone daring to love and hate.


    ¡°Even though it¡¯s Aidang¡¯s fault, a good woman shouldn¡¯t marry twice...¡± Mrs.


    Jiang said with difficulty etched on her face.


    Lin Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.


    She could excuse Aunt Jiang but, Uncle Jiang, normally so decisive, why was he hesitating now?


    ¡°Xiao Mei has always been a bit nai?ve.


    With someone like Luo Aidang, as long as you are around, things are fine since you control the money and he wouldn¡¯t dare harm her.


    But what about when you¡¯re gone?


    Can Xiao Mei manage the money then?


    Not only might she be swindled out of her wealth, but she could even lose her life!¡±


    ¡°I know Xiao Mei isn¡¯t pretty, but her nature is so good, and anyone who spends time with her will grow to like her.


    There are so many men in this world; surely, there¡¯s one who can recognize her true worth.


    Even if such a man doesn¡¯t appear, it¡¯s better not to marry at all than to jump into such a fire pit.


    Xiao Mei is repeating a school year, right?


    I can tutor her with her studies so she can get into university.


    If one year isn¡¯t enough, she can study for two years, or three, as long as she doesn¡¯t exceed twenty-five; there¡¯s plenty of time.


    Then, she won¡¯t need to rely on a man to support herself.¡±


    Mr.


    Jiang awkwardly avoided Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s gaze, his heart full of bitterness.


    What could he do?


    He loved his daughter deeply but was also aware that young men wouldn¡¯t fancy her.


    He had good intentions initially: the Luo Family was poor but respectable people, and he had a good relationship with the Luo couple¡ªthey would surely treat his daughter well.


    To be selfish, when the Luo couple died unexpectedly, there was a part of him that was pleased.


    He thought of taking Aidang in as a son, not as a live-in son-in-law, but just to bring him up properly.


    In return for the upbringing, he expected Aidang to be good to his daughter, but who could have imagined...


    Years ago, he hadn¡¯t missed the signs of Aidang¡¯s crooked nature; whenever they showed favoritism towards their daughter, the boy, while not voicing any complaints, clearly showed his discontent.


    Xiao Mei never forgot to share things with him, yet he always acted as if he were being insulted.


    The boy only remembered their favoritism but failed to see their kindness towards him.


    Mrs.


    Jiang was moved by Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s words; their affection for her had always been strong, not just because she was pretty and smart, but because she never looked down on their daughter for her looks and genuinely believed she was a good girl.


    Whether Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s offer to help with studies was serious or not, she was grateful in her heart.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, you¡¯ve always been close to Xiao Mei, and now you¡¯re married yourself.


    Aunt Jiang won¡¯t keep secrets from you.


    Xiao Mei¡¯s issue isn¡¯t just her looks,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang broke down in tears, ¡°Both of us have fertility issues, which is why we had her so late in life.


    The doctors said that our condition is hereditary.


    Xiao Mei has our physique, and she has even more body hair...


    I¡¯m afraid...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about helping Xiao Mei lose weight, but even drinking water makes her gain weight, I¡¯m really at my wit¡¯s end.¡±

 Chapter 46 - 46 29 Xiao Meis Confession

    ?46: Chapter 29 Xiao Mei¡¯s Confession 46: Chapter 29 Xiao Mei¡¯s Confession Lin Xiaoguai was shocked.


    She remembered that one of the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was obesity and excessive hair growth.


    She had also read an article which mentioned that excessive obesity in males could affect their fertility.


    With that in mind, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang¡¯s situation indeed seemed to fit the bill.


    She recalled that there was a family in the old district where she lived that had married a daughter-in-law with this condition, and ironically, the daughter-in-law was diagnosed only after giving birth to a daughter.


    While those with PCOS may struggle to conceive, it doesn¡¯t mean they cannot get pregnant at all.


    Lin Xiaoguai suspected that in the case of Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang, it was due to the poor diet and malnutrition of their era, and moreover, their issues were not solely on Aunt Jiang¡¯s side.


    Furthermore, if she remembered correctly, there were some effective treatments available in the future.


    She considered looking up information when she got back since 001 had an automatic data collection feature.


    ¡°Uncle, Aunt, I still disagree with pairing Xiao Mei and Luo Aidang.


    The condition you mentioned, I have read about in books; it¡¯s called polycystic ovary syndrome.


    Not every couple ends up having children so late like you did.


    Plus, I heard that there are treatments for this condition abroad, and some good traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions here are effective against it too.


    This is an issue that affects Xiao Mei¡¯s whole life, and you can¡¯t just give up because of one difficulty.


    A man like Luo Aidang, an absolute wolf of the mountains¡ªeven someone physically handicapped, ugly beyond measure would still be a hundred times better, as long as they have a pure heart,¡± Lin Xiaoguai earnestly advised.


    ¡°I agree with Xiao Guai,¡± Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s voice suddenly filled the room.


    Everyone in the room was stunned, turning their gazes towards the door where Jiang Xiaomei stood with a basin in her hands, tears streaming down her face.


    So deeply engaged were the three in conversation, they hadn¡¯t noticed when she had come back.


    ¡°How long have you been listening?¡± Mrs.


    Jiang asked hesitantly.


    Jiang Xiaomei looked at Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°I came back to ask Xiao Guai if she wanted to eat the peaches more raw or fully ripe.¡±


    In other words, she had heard everything from start to finish.


    Mr.


    Jiang sighed, beckoning his daughter to come over, ¡°Xiao Mei, you¡¯re grown up now, and there are things you should be aware of.¡±


    Actually, after hearing what Lin Xiaoguai had said, they were already considering abandoning the idea of Luo Aidang.


    However, they still harbored some doubts in their hearts.


    After all, Luo Aidang was a man.


    If they were to kick the bucket, having a man in the house would be useful.


    All his life¡¯s earnings, his daughter was destined to lose them.


    Rather than benefiting others, he¡¯d prefer to benefit Aidang.


    However disappointing that child may have been, the affection built up over many years wasn¡¯t fake.


    When personal interests and those of loved ones are involved, people easily get confused, and Mr.


    Jiang was no exception.


    He had lost his usual calm and decisiveness.


    ¡°Dad, Aidang isn¡¯t reliable,¡± Jiang Xiaomei wiped away her tears, resolutely stating, ¡°I haven¡¯t told you, but when I was nine and got sick with a high fever, Aidang didn¡¯t listen to you to give me the medicine on time.


    He threw it away and even exposed me to the cold by uncovering me.¡±


    ¡°He thought I was delirious and wouldn¡¯t know, but I remembered it all.¡±


    ¡°Why are you only speaking up about this now!?¡± Mr.


    Jiang was both shocked and angry.


    Mrs.


    Jiang was also incredulous; she never imagined that the child they treated as their own not only wasn¡¯t on the same page as them but had even harbored malicious intentions towards their precious daughter.


    ¡°I was afraid, wuwuwu...¡± Jiang Xiaomei wept miserably, ¡°It¡¯s not just that time.


    In the autumn of my first year of junior high, I was pushed into a ditch, my legs stuck in the mud and I couldn¡¯t climb out.


    I waited a long time until I heard voices approaching, but then those people were called away.


    I recognized that it was Aidang¡¯s voice.¡±


    That time, if it hadn¡¯t been for Xiao Guai coming to her house looking for her, and her parents, who had been working on the farm quota, not knowing she hadn¡¯t come home, and therefore looking for her along the road, she wouldn¡¯t have been pulled out of the ditch.


    Even then, she was so frightened that she fell ill again.


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed; she knew all too well.


    Mei always had a small heart when it came to herself, preferring to endure discomfort rather than stand up for herself.


    ¡°You silly child, you should have told us about such things at the time,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang said with heartbreaking sympathy.


    Unbeknownst to them, their daughter had been treated like that under their protection.


    She also knew her daughter¡¯s temperament; there had to be more than just these one or two incidents.


    Without their knowledge, Luo Aidang might have been torturing their daughter in who knows what manner.

 Chapter 47 - 47 29 Xiao Meis Confession_2

    ?47: Chapter 29 Xiao Mei¡¯s Confession_2 47: Chapter 29 Xiao Mei¡¯s Confession_2 Despite being aware that Luo Aidang had been seeing other women behind their backs, she still felt an unwillingness to let go, but now her feelings towards him were filled with nothing but hatred!


    The farmer and the snake.


    It¡¯s just like that.


    Mr.


    Jiang was panting heavily against his chest, and after a long while, he spoke with determination, ¡°We¡¯ll have to listen to Xiao Guai.


    Luo Aidang can¡¯t stay at home anymore.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Jiang, I think that, compared to Luo Aidang, Jiang Dameng actually treats Xiao Mei better.¡± Hesitating, Lin Xiaoguai softly reminded him.


    She had heard from Xiao Mei that Uncle Jiang and his elder brother, namely Jiang Dameng¡¯s father, didn¡¯t get along well.


    The exact reason was unknown, but it seemed to be related to the favoritism shown by her grandparents.


    Although the two families didn¡¯t interact, she never heard of any quarrels between them.


    Perhaps because of this, Uncle Jiang felt that aside from them, Xiao Mei had no one else to rely on, which is why it was so difficult for him to let go of Luo Aidang, the last straw.


    But the bond of blood proved to be a miraculous existence.


    The attitude of Jiang Dameng towards Xiao Mei was a clear reflection of his father¡¯s attitude towards Uncle Jiang.


    Mr.


    Jiang was taken aback upon hearing this, then he nodded thoughtfully.


    Having said all that needed to be said, and having given all necessary reminders, Lin Xiaoguai then followed Jiang Xiaomei to pick peaches.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, am I somewhat useless?¡± As they crouched under the peach tree to wash the peaches, Jiang Xiaomei spoke with a tinge of dejection, ¡°Despite everything Aidang has done to me, I still didn¡¯t have any wariness against him.¡±


    ¡°You really need to change, Xiao Mei.


    Not everyone in this world is a good person.


    Only trust your father, mother, and me without hesitation.


    Everyone knows that uncle and aunt have made a lot of money.


    They only have you as their daughter, so there will definitely be many with ill intentions trying to get close to you.¡± Lin Xiaoguai offered no comfort but took the opportunity to impart advice: ¡°You only know that Luo Aidang is trying to harm you, but do you know why?¡±


    ¡°To steal from my dad and mom?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Lin Xiaoguai explained.


    ¡°Think about it, if you were gone, wouldn¡¯t Uncle Jiang take Luo Aidang as an adopted son?¡±


    Seeing Jiang Xiaomei nod, she continued, ¡°Being an adopted son and being a son-in-law are two different things.


    Especially without you, all of your family¡¯s wealth and your parents would then belong to him alone.¡±


    What she didn¡¯t say was that a young Luo Aidang might not have had designs on the Jiang family¡¯s wealth yet, and his actions against her were entirely driven by jealousy.


    What did it matter if Xiao Mei misunderstood?


    Given the current situation, the more she hated Luo Aidang, the better it was in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s view.


    After washing the picked peaches clean, the two of them leisurely strolled back with their bounty.


    ¡°Back already,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang handed them a damp cloth, ¡°Quick, wipe the sweat off your faces.


    Don¡¯t let it sit.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, auntie.¡± Lin Xiaoguai took it and wiped her face and hands thoroughly.


    After Mrs.


    Jiang finished tidying up the chicken coop and washed her hands, she sat down.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, you¡¯re five or six months along now, right?


    Will the baby be born in winter?¡± she inquired, looking at Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s belly.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded, ¡°Exactly five months.


    The baby¡¯s birthday should be just before New Year¡¯s Day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good time; washing diapers will be hard.


    It¡¯s better to give birth in summer.


    Just scrub the diapers in water, and a few hours in the sun will dry them out,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang frowned as she spoke.


    Yet Lin Xiaoguai thought differently; having the confinement period during the hot summer, without air conditioning, would surely be suffering.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to raise more hens.


    They¡¯ll be good for you to eat when you¡¯re in confinement,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang pondered, then addressed Mr.


    Jiang, ¡°I remember you used to ice fish.


    Why don¡¯t you catch some crucian carp for Xiao Guai to help with her milk production?


    Do you still have your gear?¡±


    ¡°Just need a sturdy line.


    What gear?¡± Mr.


    Jiang dismissed the idea, waving his fan nonchalantly.


    ¡°No need to trouble uncle.


    Shen Chi knows how too; let him go,¡± Lin Xiaoguai really had no idea if Shen Chi knew how to ice fish, but given the hardship and danger, not to mention Uncle Jiang¡¯s health, she couldn¡¯t trust him to go.


    But she didn¡¯t feel the same concern for Shen Chi.


    ¡°Really?¡± Mr.


    Jiang, however, had a different focus, ¡°Your man has this skill?


    Not bad at all.


    We¡¯ll go together when the time comes.¡±


    Speechless, Lin Xiaoguai thought that having Shen Chi there might actually be reassuring, so she nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Does Xiao Guai still plan on going to university?¡± Mr.


    Jiang pushed a peach towards her and asked.


    They had always regarded Xiao Guai in a special light because she was willing to befriend their daughter and was genuinely kind to her.


    Not only did they treat her differently, almost as if she were another daughter, but she was certainly regarded more highly than the children from Xiao Mei¡¯s uncles and aunts.


    ¡°I do.


    I was planning to retake the exams, but Shen Chi helped me with the leave of absence.


    I¡¯ll continue once the child can be put in nursery school.¡± She remembered that back in Shanghai at that time, there was a highly reputable early education nursery school, supposedly run by a returned overseas Chinese woman.


    Presumably, there should be something similar in the Capital.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re only sixteen years old.


    You¡¯re still young,¡± Mrs.


    Jiang said, looking content.


    She had also heard of Shen Chi from Yuanjiazhuang.


    His excellence was unquestioned, and now that he was so considerate for Lin Xiaoguai, the things he¡¯d done before didn¡¯t seem so unforgivable anymore.


    Older generations are like this; they didn¡¯t care much about romantic love.


    As long as both parties had good character and the social standing wasn¡¯t too disparate, they could have a good life together.


    Without a doubt, Shen Chi met these criteria.


    Not to mention them, even Lin Xiaoguai, born in this era, had such concepts deeply etched into her being.


    In her previous life, seeing younger people making life difficult for their parents over romantic issues, she herself couldn¡¯t really stand by and watch.


    ¡°I had to change it to eighteen on the household register, otherwise I couldn¡¯t get a marriage certificate.¡± Lin Xiaoguai spoke with a hint of helplessness.


    No one wants to suddenly age by two years.


    But Shen Chi was a person who, when scheming, ensured not a single detail was overlooked, leaving no possibility for escape.

 Chapter 48 - 48 30 Romance

    ?48: Chapter 30 Romance 48: Chapter 30 Romance After finishing the peach, Lin Xiaoguai felt a bit sleepy, so Jiang Xiaomei stayed with her in the room for a while.


    When she woke up, she found Shen Chi sitting by the bed.


    She rubbed her eyes and said, ¡°You¡¯re here, where¡¯s Xiaomei?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s outside washing her face.¡± Seeing that her first concern upon waking was for someone else, Shen Chi felt somewhat displeased, though he didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°Why did you come so early?¡± She glanced at the clock next to her which showed it was only three o¡¯clock and asked with some confusion.


    Shen Chi helped her up, ¡°If I¡¯d come later, I would have missed the bus.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded her head, grabbed the cup of cool boiled water from beside the bed and started drinking.


    Whether in her previous life or this one, she had always had the habit of drinking something upon waking up.


    Xiaomei really knew her well.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, you¡¯re up.¡± Jiang Xiaomei smiled joyfully at Lin Xiaoguai and then gave a timid smile to Shen Chi.


    She always felt that this man was not very friendly toward her.


    But she was used to this kind of hostility; back in school, the classmates would never dare to say anything to her face but would always talk behind her back about how ugly and stupid she was, and that she was not worthy to be friends with the pretty and smart Xiao Guai.


    So, Jiang Xiaomei, being thick-skinned, didn¡¯t really care about Shen Chi¡¯s disdain.


    Lin Xiaoguai washed the used cup, washed her face, and then sat down with Jiang Xiaomei.


    ¡°Where are Uncle and Aunt?¡±


    ¡°Mom has gone to pick soybeans, and Dad has gone to the rooftop to cool off.¡±


    Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s house was a bungalow, a rare type in today¡¯s countryside, and the rooftop was very cool.


    ¡°Are you not going to school now?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked.


    Jiang Xiaomei shook her head, looking a bit downcast, ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone in the class, and aside from you, no one wants to be my friend.


    There¡¯s no point in going.¡± What she didn¡¯t say was that the classmates excluded and mocked her.


    However, even without her saying it, Lin Xiaoguai could imagine.


    She thought for a moment and said, ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t go anymore.


    Keep your school registration, just show up for exams.


    Come over to my house in the meantime, and I¡¯ll help you with your studies.¡±


    If she remembered correctly, in her previous life she had always tutored Xiaomei, who, though not very clever, had a solid foundation.


    With a bit more effort, even if she couldn¡¯t get into a university, she could at least make it into a community college.


    ¡°No need, no need.¡± Jiang Xiaomei waved her hands repeatedly; she didn¡¯t want to impose on her friend.


    ¡°Just listen to me, your presence would also give me another person to talk to.¡±


    Shen Chi was about to speak when he heard this and swallowed back his words.


    He knew that when he was not at home and Xiuxiu was at school, Wanwan, Grandpa, and Grandma had nothing in common to talk about.


    ¡°Then I will really go.¡± Jiang Xiaomei actually wanted to go too; seeing Xiao Guai speak seriously and Shen Chi showing no displeasure, she agreed.


    She thought, maybe she would just bring more stuff over so Xiao Guai¡¯s great-grandma wouldn¡¯t get upset.


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget to bring your textbooks,¡± Lin Xiaoguai reminded.


    After saying goodbye to Uncle and Aunt Jiang, Lin Xiaoguai left under Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s watchful eyes.


    ¡°You and this Jiang Xiaomei are very close?¡± On the bus, Shen Chi asked curiously.


    Not waiting for Lin Xiaoguai to answer, he continued, ¡°I thought your friends would be of the same kind.¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Lin Xiaoguai replied frankly.


    Back then, both Lin Xiaoguai and Jiang Xiaomei were innocent and kind children.


    She had already been changed by reality, but Xiaomei was still the same.


    How she envied and felt fortunate.


    Shen Chi¡¯s expression turned a bit strange, and seeing it, Lin Xiaoguai felt an involuntary surge of annoyance.


    ¡°She may not be pretty, but she is very clean,¡± she hinted.


    Shen Chi¡¯s expression suddenly changed, his gaze quickly darkening.


    Was he unclean in her eyes?


    Lin Xiaoguai immediately regretted what she had said, but she wasn¡¯t planning to apologize.


    Getting off the bus, both were silent, with Shen Chi trailing a step behind Lin Xiaoguai as they walked home without a word.


    They were just around the corner from their house when Shen Chi suddenly grabbed Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Clarify what you just said,¡± his voice was low but carried an undeniable sense of danger.


    Lin Xiaoguai raised an eyebrow, somewhat angrily, ¡°Clarify what?¡±


    ¡°Clarify your dissatisfaction with me,¡± Shen Chi said, looking her directly in the eye.


    Perhaps due to being pregnant, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s patience had greatly diminished, leading her to bluntly voice her thoughts, ¡°I hate your endless probing, your self-righteousness, as if you have everything under control, even calculating to win over my feelings... It truly disgusts me.¡±


    By the end, her expression had turned icy.

 Chapter 49 - 49 30 Romantic_2

    ?49: Chapter 30 Romantic_2 49: Chapter 30 Romantic_2 She indeed intended to try to fall in love with Shen Chi, but she couldn¡¯t ignore that everything he did was calculated, weighed with pros and cons.


    The sixteen-year-old Lin Xiaoguai might not have noticed the incongruity in Shen Chi, but the twenty-five-year-old Lin Xiaoguai of her previous life did, and so did she now.


    She had tolerated it until now, which was already her limit.


    Shen Chi¡¯s figure halted, his gaze looking at Lin Xiaoguai almost in shock, and with an embarrassment he didn¡¯t even realize himself.


    He knew this woman was very smart, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to be this perceptive.


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± Apart from these words, he didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    He couldn¡¯t even promise to change; dealing with everyone with a calculating mindset at all times had become his habit and instinct.


    The military is a very simple place, but due to his special family background, his life had been harder than anyone¡¯s.


    If he didn¡¯t scheme, he wouldn¡¯t have survived until now.


    Lin Xiaoguai gave him a look, feeling somewhat disappointed but more than that, wistful.


    She had known, hadn¡¯t she?


    That Shen Chi was like this.


    She withdrew her hand and left on her own.


    Leaving Shen Chi standing in place with a bitter smile.


    When she returned home, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t say anything and went straight to the kitchen.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang looked at each other, what happened?


    They turned their gaze to Shen Chi, who had followed in.


    ¡°Chi, did you upset Wanwan?¡±


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t know whether he should nod or not, and his moment of hesitation became an admission in the eyes of the elders.


    ¡°You really are...


    Wanwan is pregnant, why couldn¡¯t you have indulged her?¡± Luo Yufang glared at him and then said, ¡°Old man, talk to him, I¡¯ll go and see how Wanwan is feeling.¡± It was rare for the grandson to come back, they couldn¡¯t let the young couple be at odds.


    After watching his partner enter the kitchen, Shen Zhangming pulled Shen Chi down to sit and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, do you think it¡¯s not so good for a woman to be too smart?¡± He was always proud and arrogant; although his education was not high, he never felt his brain was inferior to those who attended university.


    It was just that time was not on his side.


    The reason he had forcibly married Lin Xiaoguai was because of her intelligence.


    If the Lin Xiaoguai he had investigated wasn¡¯t consistently top of her class, he wouldn¡¯t have been so eager to scheme her into marrying him.


    He wasn¡¯t someone above worldly concerns; deep down he was just as mundane.


    But unexpectedly, he had also found himself in a situation of lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot.


    When Lin Xiaoguai pointed out his nature, he felt a moment of panic, but now he was feeling excited.


    Wasn¡¯t it romantic for someone in this world to see through your glamourous facade and understand your most shameful truths?


    He thought of the word commonly used by the cultural troops who occasionally performed at the base.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Shen Zhangming frowned slightly, ¡°Of course, the smarter a woman is, the better.


    She could hold you back when you¡¯re acting foolishly, and the children she brings into this world would be smarter than those of others.¡±


    Shen Chi held his forehead, resigned.


    He really shouldn¡¯t have discussed this with grandpa; the way their minds operated was on completely different wavelengths.


    ¡°Wanwan, has Chi upset you?


    Don¡¯t take it to heart, I¡¯ll set him straight for you.¡± In the kitchen, Luo Yufang was picking vegetables while sneakily observing Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± Lin Xiaoguai smiled, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a bit dizzy from the sun.¡± She didn¡¯t want the elders to worry about them.


    Luo Yufang couldn¡¯t believe it, but since Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t willing to talk, she had no other choice.


    After dinner, Lin Xiaoguai went to bed early, and Shen Chi took Shen Xiu to school, as she had to return to school the next Monday.


    Finding herself unable to sleep, Lin Xiaoguai entered the space.


    She opened the exchange shop and turned to the health product page, flipping for over ten minutes until she finally found what she was looking for.


    Vitamin Juice: 2 Gold Coins per packet, dissolve in hot water for consumption, with a sweet and sour taste.


    One cup a day achieves maximum effect, continued use can effectively reduce body fat, but there is an 80% chance of rebound if discontinued.


    Vitamin Seaweed: Priced at 100 Gold Coins per item, add the stewed juice to bathwater for a slimming effect.


    One piece can be used for ten days, stop using once the ideal body shape is reached, with zero rebound and zero side effects.


    Beauty Pill: Each pill is priced at 500 Gold Coins, the highest achievement product for healthy weight loss.


    One pill a day for one year could relieve you of obesity and achieve a devilish figure.


    Includes various effects such as whitening and smoothing the skin, with the biggest selling point being that the benefits of this product could be passed on to the offspring, making hereditary obesity no longer a nightmare.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s lips twitched at the introduction of the Beauty Pill.


    Was it an illusion?


    It felt like, compared to the two standard products, the intro for the Beauty Pill carried a strong comedic vibe.


    However, out of her consistent trust in the exchange shop, she still bought a year¡¯s worth of Beauty Pills, and just like that, nearly two hundred thousand Gold Coins were spent.


    But Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t mind the expense; if money could be spent on something beneficial, it was worth it.


    If the introduction dared to claim healthy weight loss, it certainly wasn¡¯t a lie.


    She had already planned to help Xiao Mei change her figure when she was at Xiao Mei¡¯s house, and indeed the exchange shop had not disappointed her.


    With a weight off her mind, Lin Xiaoguai turned her attention to the pond she had previously dug and the livestock she had been raising for just two days.


    In only a few days, the fingerling fish in the pond had grown into mature fish ¨C although they couldn¡¯t compare with the growth rate of plants, they were definitely not slow.


    But Lin Xiaoguai noticed that the growth of the livestock wasn¡¯t as rapid as that of the fish; the fist-sized chicks, ducklings, and goslings had doubled in size, and although there were visible changes in the size of piglets, lambs, and calves, they couldn¡¯t match the former group.


    It was evident, the larger the livestock, the slower the growth rate.


    Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t disappointed; after all, she wasn¡¯t planning to sell them, and these would be enough for her family to eat.


    She was even worried about having too many eggs, duck eggs, and goose eggs in the future.

 Chapter 50 - 50 31 Domestic Abuse

    ?50: Chapter 31 Domestic Abuse?


    50: Chapter 31 Domestic Abuse?


    Lin Xiaoguai had been planting a fair amount of oil crops the past couple of days, intending to make some handmade soap herself.


    She could now be considered quite skilled at this, as the system¡¯s database contained many unique soap recipes.


    Selecting the ones she needed and buying some additional ingredients from the exchange store, she set to work.


    She made four kinds of handmade soaps: hazelnut oil, aloe vera oil, rosehip oil, and olive oil soaps.


    The hazelnut oil soap was for Xiao Mei, who had oily skin and large pores, making hazelnut oil perfect for her; the aloe vera oil soap was for Xiu¡¯er, whose complexion looked somewhat malnourished and yellowish, as aloe vera oil is nourishing; the rosehip oil soap she kept for herself, as using it during pregnancy could prevent stretch marks; and undoubtedly, the anti-wrinkle, skin-healthy olive oil soap was best suited for grandma, who was old and frail.


    The finished products taken from the molds were very pretty.


    The hazelnut oil soap was a translucent apricot color, with its square surface outlined by milky white delicate patterns.


    Lin Xiaoguai had added milk and tea tree essential oil, resulting in a sweet and refreshing fragrance; the aloe vera oil soap was a transparent fruit green, its intricate maple leaf shape very appealing, with a bit of grape seed oil and ginseng essential oil added, making the scent quite subtle; the rosehip oil soap was a transparent jelly pink with a delicate bud shape, with rose petals suspended within it.


    She had also added milk and frankincense essential oil, giving it a pleasant and moisturizing fragrance; the olive oil soap was the most unadorned in shape¡ªsimply square without any decoration, but its color, a cross between peppermint green and off-white, was extremely beautiful, and the scent of lavender essential oil was very light, not at all overwhelming.


    She didn¡¯t make a lot¡ªabout 100 grams of each kind¡ªwith the idea of making more in the workshop later if needed.


    Of course, when she had free time, she preferred to make it herself.


    ¡ªAs long as the materials were sufficient and the recipes were available, the workshop could meet all production requirements.


    However, there was a significant price difference between products successfully made by hand and those not; the latter usually costing more than ten times the amount of Gold Coins than the former.


    When Shen Chi returned to the room, Lin Xiaoguai was already hugging a round green pillow and sleeping soundly.


    He frowned at the unfamiliar small pillow, and without a thought, he reached over to pull it out of Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s arms, only for her to open her eyes the next second.


    She calmly glanced at the pillow in Shen Chi¡¯s hand, halfway between tossing it or not, and snatched it back into her embrace, then turned her back to Shen Chi.


    Before long, Shen Chi could hear her breathing, even and steady.


    He raised his hand to rub his temple, feeling a bit of a headache.


    His young wife was a bit too smart.


    Winning the heart of such a person would surely take a long time and, unfortunately, time was exactly what he lacked.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed to use such methods to marry her in the first place.


    Who made her want to go to the Capital for university?


    There were just too many suitors there.


    When Lin Xiaoguai woke up in the morning, she found herself nestled tightly in Shen Chi¡¯s embrace.


    She struggled a bit, only to feel Shen Chi¡¯s breath on her ear.


    ¡°Good, don¡¯t be contrary.


    If I didn¡¯t like you, no amount of money could have brought you to me,¡± he said, although feeling troubled, he didn¡¯t have any desire to change.


    To Lin Xiaoguai, however, these ambiguously confessed words infuriated her.


    She elbowed Shen Chi in the waist, ¡°Get the hell out!¡±


    She knew it; a leopard can¡¯t change its spots.


    Shen Chi always did as he pleased, never heeding a word from others, not to speak of repentance.


    Shen Chi caught her elbow, not daring to apply force, only coaxing her, ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t be angry, get up first...¡±


    ¡°Angry, my foot!¡± Lin Xiaoguai pulled out her pillow and threw it at his face.


    Caught off guard, Shen Chi took the blow head-on, seeing stars.


    Realizing what she had done, Lin Xiaoguai felt a bit guilty but also a strange, indescribable thrill.


    In both her lives, she had never physically fought anyone.


    Even when angry, she would only use biting words or take her revenge behind the scenes.


    This experience was certainly novel.


    Instinctively, she scrambled out of bed, grabbed fistfuls of her hair in a mess, and slipped out the door in her slippers.


    Shen Chi was dazed momentarily.


    As he reached out to stop her, his head spun, amazed at Wanwan¡¯s strength...


    When he finally snapped back to reality and realized he had been hit, Shen Chi didn¡¯t get angry but rather found himself torn between laughter and tears.


    Resting his forehead on his hand, he got off the bed, the image of his lively wife brimming in his eyes with a hint of amusement.


    Outside the room, Lin Xiaoguai was sitting down to porridge, chatting with grandma, but her expression seemed somewhat distracted.


    Seeing Shen Chi emerge, she tensed slightly, quickly averting her gaze and pretending to listen intently to grandma.


    She was a little uneasy.


    Although in her previous life Shen Chi never abused her, she had never physically lashed out at him.


    After all, Shen Chi¡¯s pride was extraordinarily high.


    The smile in Shen Chi¡¯s eyes deepened¡ªit seemed she knew fear after all.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m going to the countryside to chop wood today.


    Could you come with me and keep an eye on the cart at the foot of the mountain?¡± Shen Chi asked Shen Zhangming.


    Before returning to the army, he needed to get the heavy lifting done at home, as the house would be left with only the elderly and the young.


    As for his wife, they were bound to share the same bed at night; he wasn¡¯t in a hurry.


    ¡°Sure, but wait for me.


    I¡¯ll go check if the cart¡¯s tires are properly inflated.


    We can try to catch some game in the mountains, then eat at your great-uncle¡¯s house.¡± Despite the odds with his son, Shen Zhangming got on well with other relatives.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring a shovel for digging traps.¡±


    Hearing Shen Chi was going out, Lin Xiaoguai breathed a sigh of relief.


    In her previous life, she had never been intimidated by Shen Chi, but now, with concerns in this life, she couldn¡¯t afford to be.


    But wasn¡¯t it something I willingly agreed to?


    Lin Xiaoguai thought, gently caressing her bulging belly with tender motions.


    When it was just Lin Xiaoguai and Luo Yufang left in the house, she brought out the olive oil handmade soap.


    ¡°Grandma, you can use this to wash your face and bathe,¡± she said.


    ¡°This is soap, right?


    It looks quite fancy.


    Can it be used for laundry?¡± Luo Yufang curiously inspected the handmade soap in her hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just soap; I made it myself.


    It¡¯s not for clothes, but using it for your face and bath will clean even better, and in cold weather, it won¡¯t dry out your skin,¡± she explained, not going into further detail knowing Grandma wouldn¡¯t understand anyway.


    Hearing that she made it herself, Luo Yufang subconsciously thought it wasn¡¯t valuable and didn¡¯t pay it much attention, but she was pleased by her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s filial piety regardless of its usefulness.


    Seeing her reaction, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t mind either.


    After all, once she tried the soap, she would know how good it was.


    In her previous life, her handmade soap had been very popular in the old district.


    Once a couple of daughters-in-law recognized the soap¡¯s effectiveness, they sold it at a high price and even considered exploiting her generosity.


    Otherwise, she might have continued to give it away as a neighborhood courtesy.


    She thought of making some liquid soap for shampooing when she had time, better than any brand-name shampoo.


    Actually, there were formulas for shampoo, shower gel, and skincare products in the system, but Lin Xiaoguai was particularly fond of the exquisite look of handmade soap and favored it above all.


    With its complete functionality, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to fuss over anything else.


    After dinner, Lin Xiaoguai sat in the courtyard to enjoy the cool, casually picking soybeans into a winnowing basket.


    ¡°Grandma, why did we only get so few soybeans?¡± Lin Xiaoguai recalled planting a whole row of soybeans in the backyard; they shouldn¡¯t have only harvested this small handful.


    ¡°Too much rain, the roots rotted,¡± Luo Yufang sighed.


    Lin Xiaoguai understood, thinking how much easier it was with her own space where water, fertilizer, and pest control were no concern.


    When Jiang Xiaomei arrived, Lin Xiaoguai was starting to feel a bit drowsy.


    Jiang Xiaomei came in sweating profusely, carrying a bag of tomatoes.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to die from the heat!¡± She complained, though her face wore a happy smile as she greeted Luo Yufang, ¡°Hello, Grandma Shen.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hello,¡± Luo Yufang replied cheerfully.


    Elderly people like well-behaved children but don¡¯t put as much emphasis on appearance.


    Seeing this child always come over with a cheerful and blessed look, Luo Yufang felt an extra dose of happiness.


    Moreover, her eyes swept over the chubby girl¡¯s bag; although she didn¡¯t covet others¡¯ items, whether or not others had the heart to offer them was a different matter.


    ¡°Where did these tomatoes come from?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was not one to be polite.


    ¡°Brother Dameng¡¯s family.


    I mentioned wanting to bring you something, and he picked them for me,¡± Jiang Xiaomei laughed innocently.


    Lin Xiaoguai was speechless but had long grown accustomed to her slow-witted manner.


    ¡°Grandma, can I take Xiao Mei to my room?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked Luo Yufang.


    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead.¡± Luo Yufang took the nearly full winnowing basket of soybeans.


    Jiang Xiaomei placed the tomatoes on the table and followed Lin Xiaoguai into her room.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, my dad said he¡¯s going to kick Aidang out,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said, sounding somewhat happy yet a bit sad.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it?


    You mustn¡¯t feel sorry for him,¡± Lin Xiaoguai warned, glaring at her.


    ¡°He has no parents; where would he live if he leaves?


    And he doesn¡¯t know how to do anything.¡± Jiang Xiaomei scratched her head, seeing Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s displeased face, ¡°I¡¯m just saying.


    I¡¯m not soft-hearted.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t mention him; it¡¯s depressing,¡± Lin Xiaoguai despised Luo Aidang from the bottom of her heart, ¡°and you need to be careful.


    He¡¯s as sneaky as a snake; who knows if he¡¯ll come back to con your family again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Jiang Xiaomei replied, a little downcast.


    Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t concerned; if Jiang Xiaomei could actually be decisive, then she wouldn¡¯t be the Jiang Xiaomei she knew.


    However, Jiang Xiaomei had one good trait: she was obedient¡ªlistening to Uncle Jiang, Aunt Jiang, and to her.


    ¡°Where are your textbooks?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked, noticing her empty hands.


    ¡°I forgot.


    Remembered halfway here and didn¡¯t go back to get them.


    Let¡¯s go over it tomorrow,¡± Jiang Xiaomei chuckled sheepishly.


    Lin Xiaoguai had a resigned smile and reminded, ¡°Then you can¡¯t forget tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Definitely, definitely.¡±

 Chapter 51 - 51 32 Confession

    ?51: Chapter 32 Confession 51: Chapter 32 Confession ¡°Right, this is for you,¡± Lin Xiaoguai handed over the Hazelnut Oil Handmade Soap she made for her, ¡°I made this myself.


    Use it to wash your face and bathe, and I promise it will surprise you.¡±


    Unlike Luo Yufang, Jiang Xiaomei always took Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s words as gospel and cherished the gift greatly.


    ¡°Look at you, all sweaty.


    Take this to fan yourself.¡± Catching a glimpse of the fine beads of sweat on Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s face, Lin Xiaoguai passed her a palm-leaf fan and poured her a cup of water from the thermos.


    Jiang Xiaomei grinned from ear to ear; she loved it when Xiao Guai showed her care.


    Hesitating for a moment, Lin Xiaoguai pretended to take out a bottle of Beauty Pill from the cabinet and placed it in front of Jiang Xiaomei, ¡°Someone gave this to me.


    It¡¯s said to be from abroad.


    You take it to curb hunger, and long-term use can make you lose weight.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but don¡¯t get your hopes up.


    To me, it looks just like a bottle of Candy,¡± Lin Xiaoguai questioned with feigned uncertainty.


    If she seemed too confident, what would she do if others came asking later on?


    Xiao Mei wasn¡¯t someone who could lie through her teeth.


    Her expression was actually quite false, and probably only Jiang Xiaomei, who was simple-minded and trusted her, could be fooled.


    Jiang Xiaomei looked at the glass bottle in her hand; it was round and cute, containing crystal-clear ¡°Candy¡± about the size of soybeans.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s useless, it¡¯s okay.


    The candy looks pretty tasty,¡± she consoled.


    ¡°You can only eat one a day.


    What you have there is a year¡¯s supply.


    Be careful with it, lock it in a drawer, don¡¯t let someone steal it.¡± Lin Xiaoguai had a reason to say this.


    Xiao Mei¡¯s house was wealthy, and she had a lot of spare change and snacks.


    People might ostracize her as a person, but not her possessions.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that, and I won¡¯t let anyone steal them,¡± Jiang Xiaomei affirmed, though often tricked by others, but she would treasure anything given by Lin Xiaoguai, even if it were just a button.


    She valued her friendship with Lin Xiaoguai more than anyone else.


    The two chatted about the local gossip as they used to and then came out to eat tomatoes.


    Lin Xiaoguai washed a tomato for Luo Yufang and took a big bite out of another for herself.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, my dad went to Uncle¡¯s house yesterday,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said while wiping tomato juice off her mouth, ¡°He went alone carrying a bottle of liquor, not sure what was said, but he came back very Happy.¡±


    She paused and then smiled, ¡°It¡¯s so good to see dad Happy after such a long time.¡±


    Although Jiang Xiaomei was dull, she was sensitive about her loved ones.


    She clearly remembered that as she grew up, her dad became less happy, with a troubled look, even his smiles seemed forced.


    Lin Xiaoguai had her suspicions but didn¡¯t intend to tell Xiao Mei; if Uncle Jiang didn¡¯t tell his daughter, he must have had his reasons.


    ¡°By the way, come over tomorrow morning, and I can tell you more,¡± Lin Xiaoguai remembered something and said.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay.¡± Jiang Xiaomei shook her head and whispered into her ear, ¡°If I come in the morning, I would definitely have to eat here, and your great-grandma would be upset.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai wanted to say it didn¡¯t matter, but recalling the current financial situation, she hesitated.


    Even in later generations, if you aren¡¯t very close, going to someone¡¯s house every day for food is frowned upon, let alone now.


    Grandma and Grandpa are nice, but it¡¯s better not to test people¡¯s feelings carelessly.


    ¡°Alright then, but make sure you come over early after you¡¯ve eaten,¡± Lin Xiaoguai reluctantly said.


    Because of this conversation, when Jiang Xiaomei said goodbye before dinner, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t insist she stay for the meal.


    At that moment, she felt, indeed, it was better to be her own master at home, without so many concerns.


    When Shen Chi came back in the evening, he was surprised to find his young wife looking rather downcast.


    Raising an eyebrow and suppressing a twinge of heartache, he sat beside her and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?


    You seem so listless.¡±


    At that moment, Lin Xiaoguai also forgot to guard against his potential abuse and said with her head hung low, ¡°If only the baby could be born right away.¡± Then she could move to the Capital and start her own life.


    That¡¯s right, move to the Capital.


    From the beginning, she never planned to follow Shen Chi with the military.


    He was a domineering and authoritative man.


    If one ran into his territory alone, wouldn¡¯t that be asking for trouble?


    Shen Chi, however, misunderstood, ¡°Did the baby bother you?¡± As he spoke, he placed his hand on Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s abdomen.


    By coincidence or not, a gentle thump was felt under his palm.


    Both Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi stared, dumbfounded, not quite able to react.

 Chapter 52 - 52 32 Pouring Out_2

    ?52: Chapter 32 Pouring Out_2 52: Chapter 32 Pouring Out_2 ¡°This is the baby¡¯s very first kick!¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai touched the spot where she had just been kicked, and before she knew it, her eyes had moistened.


    Shen Chi had also realized what happened and, excitedly, he asked, ¡°He just moved, right?


    He did move, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    But clearly, Shen Chi didn¡¯t need an answer; he pressed his ear close to Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s belly and joyfully said, ¡°Son, did you hear that?


    I¡¯m your daddy.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was startled by his silly behavior and watched with a sense of unfamiliarity as Shen Chi¡¯s pure smile softened some unknown corner of her heart.


    Forget it, she thought, she didn¡¯t need his feelings for her to be that pure, as long as his love for the child was pure enough.


    Thinking like this, they could live out their lives together in tranquility, right?


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t know why his wife had suddenly stopped squabbling with him, but he was more than happy to relax.


    He had thought it through; to truly turn their ¡°weapons¡± into gifts of jade and silk, he needed to fight the long battle, and he no longer held any immediate expectations.


    So, he became more composed without the previous urgency.


    Time flew by, and soon it was the day of Shen Chi¡¯s departure.


    For some reason, just before leaving, he suddenly suggested that Lin Xiaoguai should see him off.


    Lin Xiaoguai was puzzled.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang thought their grandson wanted to spend more time with his granddaughter-in-law, and after only a few seconds of hesitation, they agreed.


    Though they said goodbye, the train station wasn¡¯t far from home, and it was not as crowded as it would be in later years, so there wasn¡¯t much to worry about.


    As they reached the station, Lin Xiaoguai suddenly thought of something¡ªcould it be that Shen Chi wanted to avoid other people in order to abuse her?


    Shen Chi looked at Lin Xiaoguai with some amusement and exasperation as he saw the wariness in her eyes.


    What on earth had she thought of?


    He pulled Lin Xiaoguai aside to a secluded spot, sighed, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back next time, and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll make it for the child¡¯s birth.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai looked up at him, stirred, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± His eyes were now of someone who had made a firm decision; they reminded her of the way he had looked the day before he agreed to a divorce in her past life.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, just wait for me to return,¡± Shen Chi said, running his fingers through her hair.


    ¡°Next time I come back, we can be a family reunited.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold, and she walked away without looking back.


    Shen Chi was taken aback, belatedly realizing that he seemed to have unconsciously slipped back into his behavior pattern of manipulating Wanwan¡¯s emotions.


    He shook his head helplessly.


    She was such a difficult girl.


    How had he managed to find such a challenge for himself?


    But, he was enjoying himself, nevertheless.


    A pleased smile graced the corners of Shen Chi¡¯s mouth for a fleeting moment.


    When she got home and saw grandma cooking in the kitchen, Lin Xiaoguai hurried in to help.


    ¡°Grandma, what was Shen Chi like when he was little?¡± Lin Xiaoguai hesitated before giving in to her curiosity and asking.


    Luo Yufang paused at the question, then smiled.


    Nothing made her happier than seeing Wanwan take an interest in Chi.


    She wiped her hands on her apron and laughed, ¡°When Chi was a boy, he was quite the monkey, always up to mischief.


    He was skinny and not very tall; he was only this tall when he was twelve,¡± she indicated a spot just below her chest.


    ¡°But that boy was spirited.


    All the kids in the village, big and small, liked to follow him around on adventures, causing trouble everywhere.


    When he did, he would just give you a grin, so proud and so endearing, you couldn¡¯t imagine how clever he was.¡±


    ¡°And he was bright, too.


    Even though he only started school at the age of nine, he finished primary school in just two years and graduated from middle school at fourteen, passing the exams to high school.


    Their dad was decent back then and treasured Chi; he liked to take him everywhere and hear people praise his smart son.¡±


    ¡°But then Min Cheng got robbed by some hooligans from another village on his way home after he had exchanged his labor points for money; the money was gone, and so was Chi¡¯s school fee.


    His daughter-in-law was so mad that she chased Min Cheng with a stick, but the money couldn¡¯t be recovered.


    The whole family was in distress, and Chi didn¡¯t speak for days.


    Then, one day, we discovered he was gone, leaving behind a note saying he had gone to earn money.¡±


    ¡°Before he sent his first letter home, his mother cried every day; Xiu¡¯er cried along with her, and Min Cheng went out looking for news daily.


    When he sent money home, they were beyond joyful; Min Cheng even went so far as to send him food and clothes.


    But people change in the blink of an eye; no one knows where their hearts wander off to.¡±


    At this point, Luo Yufang¡¯s eyes reddened, and she lowered her head, ¡°He used to tell me everything¡ªdiscovering bird eggs, catching crickets, chasing someone¡¯s chickens, scaring someone¡¯s uncle into the river, stealing fragrant melons from people¡¯s fields, not wanting to play with certain kids.


    He was such a happy child back then, now he keeps everything to himself, not sharing his hardships or fatigue.


    He just laughs when asked, but it doesn¡¯t seem as heartfelt as it used to be.¡±


    ¡°I know Chi¡¯s temperament isn¡¯t great nowadays, and he¡¯s sometimes overbearing.


    But I just can¡¯t help but indulge him.


    When he was little, he wanted to eat white rice, to have meat, to wear new clothes, to grow tall...


    he wanted so much, but now he doesn¡¯t seem to want anything.


    Every time he comes back on leave, I urge him to find a wife, but he always says there¡¯s no rush, that he wants to find the best one.


    Watching others his age become fathers doesn¡¯t bother him, but it bothers us.


    Everyone needs something to aim for in life, how can I be reassured when he¡¯s like this?¡±


    ¡°When he took a fancy to you and brought you back home forcefully, I was actually more delighted than worried.


    Men are like that; they settle down once they get married and have a child, and only then can life get back on track.


    I don¡¯t know what hardships he¡¯s faced outside, and as much as it pains me, I can¡¯t help him.


    But from now on, no matter how much he suffers, having a wife and child at home will always bring sweetness to his heart.


    Isn¡¯t that how everyone gets by?¡±


    Luo Yufang had intended to share some lighthearted tales of her grandson¡¯s childhood with Lin Xiaoguai, but as she spoke, the conversation grew more serious, and even the thoughts she had kept to herself for so long began to pour out.

 Chapter 53 - 53 33 Jiang Xiaomeis Dream

    ?53: Chapter 33 Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s Dream 53: Chapter 33 Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s Dream That night, Lin Xiaoguai lay in bed somewhat sleepless, the words grandma had said during the day echoing in her mind unwilling to depart.


    In her past life, although she and Shen Chi eventually divorced, their marriage had actually lasted nearly ten years.


    Despite that they didn¡¯t resemble a couple at all, she was just bound by him, unable to leave.


    Because of the semblance of harmony but actually estranged, Lin Xiaoguai never tried to understand Shen Chi.


    Moreover, at that time, her psyche was in a special stage, living in her own world, blocking out many things she should have known.


    Back then, she was in Shanghai, and Shen Chi also managed to transfer from the J Province military later.


    In her past life, she had never met grandpa and grandma, and she didn¡¯t know why.


    She guessed, perhaps the two kind old people were at a loss for words towards a granddaughter-in-law who was harmed by their grandson to that extent?


    Now the answer was no longer important.


    Thinking about it carefully, what was Shen Chi like at that time?


    His temperament seemed much colder than it is now, and his temper was not as mild.


    His schemes were deeper, his actions more overbearing, and he had a strong possessive desire for her.


    Although he would not force her, he had her whereabouts completely under control.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the legal marriage certificate between them, he would probably not have stopped there.


    She actually knew that there must have been something unusual about Shen Chi, but she never thought about exploring it.


    Even when Shen Chi wanted to talk to her several times, she was unwilling to listen.


    At that time, she did not want to get more involved with him and just wanted to leave.


    Looking back now, her past self was actually quite cruel.


    She knew Shen Chi loved her deeply, although the origin of this love baffled her.


    Regardless of its purity, she understood that she was the greatest obsession in the bottom of Shen Chi¡¯s heart.


    Watching him become increasingly irritable and his gaze toward her revealing ferocity and despair, she did not feel afraid at that time, and instead felt a kind of pleasure.


    The pleasure of dragging the other person into hell as well.


    It was only after she later gained her freedom and her hatred calmed down that she suddenly realized how dangerously her mindset was at that time.


    Extreme, fearless, like a wounded and desperate animal, weak yet constantly wanting to die together with the enemy in madness.


    She thought, perhaps Shen Chi had seen this state in her, so he had made the painful decision to agree to divorce her.


    With such chaotic thoughts, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s eyelids grew heavier, and she drifted into sleep.


    Following that, Jiang Xiaomei would come over every day to get Lin Xiaoguai to tutor her, and since she didn¡¯t come in the morning, Lin Xiaoguai gave her extra practice problems to do at home.


    Occasionally, Jiang Xiaomei would also help Lin Xiaoguai knit little clothes.


    Despite her rough and short hands, they were actually very dexterous.


    In the past, techniques such as grasshopper and cricket weaving were a piece of cake for her, so although she had never knitted sweaters before, she could do a good job with a demonstration from Lin Xiaoguai.


    When the sun wasn¡¯t too scorching, they would also go out for a walk.


    There were more and more people doing business on the street, and they would buy some things they liked.


    As time passed and the weather gradually got colder, Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s belly also grew bigger.


    One day, she was sitting on the bed sewing buttons onto the finished little clothes when Luo Yufang glanced at her belly and said, ¡°Wanwan, your belly is so big now, won¡¯t it be inconvenient for you to get up at night to pee?


    Do you want grandma to sleep with you?¡±


    As someone who had been through it, she naturally knew about the cramps and frequent urination in the later months of pregnancy.


    With her grandson not at home, she naturally had to be more considerate.


    ¡°No need, I can manage on my own.


    Maybe I¡¯ll need help from you, grandma, during a power outage, but otherwise, it¡¯s fine.¡± Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s reply was actually quite conservative since she could go to the space.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine too,¡± said Luo Yufang, thinking that her granddaughter-in-law still had more than two months before giving birth and didn¡¯t persist but still said, ¡°However, let your grandpa fix a light bulb over by the bathroom.


    It¡¯s not safe to walk there otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Listening to grandma,¡± Lin Xiaoguai smiled.


    ¡°Grandma, sister-in-law, I¡¯m back!¡± Shen Xiu¡¯s voice came from the yard, and she quickly walked in.


    ¡°Why are you back at this time?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat surprised.


    Today was neither Saturday nor Sunday, and it was still early...


    ¡°I came back to get some things.¡± Shen Xiu wiped her sweat and said, ¡°We have labor class, and I came back to get the sickle from home.¡±


    She then looked at Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°By the way, sister-in-law, do you still have that handmade soap?


    I¡¯ve used up the ones you gave me before.¡±

 Chapter 54 - 54 33 Jiang Xiaomeis Dream_2

    ?54: Chapter 33 Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s Dream_2 54: Chapter 33 Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s Dream_2 The handmade soap was really effective; her classmates all said she had become fairer, and her skin wasn¡¯t as rough as before.


    Many people asked her where she bought the handmade soap.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll get some for you,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said, making use of her free time to make plenty of extras in advance.


    After getting the items, Shen Xiu suggested, ¡°Sister-in-law, your handmade soap is so effective, I think you could sell it.


    My classmates said they would be willing to chip in even if it cost 50 cents per bar.¡±


    Nowadays, more and more people are doing business without any problems, and everyone¡¯s becoming braver.


    Even Luo Yufang didn¡¯t say anything when she heard this and nodded in agreement.


    She also thought the handmade soap made by her granddaughter-in-law was very effective.


    As the weather turned cold, she didn¡¯t feel the usual dryness on her face and, after each wash, felt very comfortable.


    ¡°No way, it¡¯s so troublesome to make this stuff, and I can only make a few bars a day.


    Look at my condition, how can I sell it?¡± Lin Xiaoguai thought to herself, 50 cents?


    That¡¯s not even one-tenth of the cost; she would find 50 yuan too cheap.


    In her previous life, two daughters-in-law in the neighborhood had sold her handmade soap to wealthy ladies and made thousands from it.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Shen Xiu said, a bit disappointed.


    She had forgotten her sister-in-law¡¯s current physical condition.


    After dinner, Jiang Xiaomei arrived on time, but today she was especially excited.


    She took Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Xiao Guai, do you notice anything different about me?¡±


    ¡°Different how?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was taken aback and then realized that the Beauty Pill must have begun to work.


    She scrutinized Jiang Xiaomei; not noticing anything before, but now realizing her skin had become a lot whiter, her pores were not as large as before.


    As for her figure...


    since they saw each other every day, she hadn¡¯t noticed a big difference, but she vaguely felt the dimples on Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s face were not as deep as they used to be.


    ¡°Oh my!¡± Jiang Xiaomei said impatiently, ¡°Today some people came to the village to buy pigs, and I borrowed their scale.


    Guess what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked, playing along.


    At the same time, she felt a bit embarrassed.


    Using the pig scale, Jiang Xiaomei, just how broad was your contentment?


    And she knew for sure that there must have been quite a crowd watching the spectacle.


    ¡°I used to be around one hundred and eighty pounds, now I¡¯m just one hundred and seventy!¡± Jiang Xiaomei said excitedly.


    One hundred and eighty pounds!?


    She had always guessed that Jiang Xiaomei was about one hundred and sixty pounds, she hadn¡¯t expected...


    She remembered one time when Jiang Xiaomei climbed a tree to pick wild persimmons.


    Lin Xiaoguai was on the lookout below when Jiang Xiaomei slipped and fell from the tree.


    She hurried to catch her, but ended up pinned beneath...


    She touched her lower back with some trepidation, no wonder it had hurt like it was broken at the time; it was a miracle her spine wasn¡¯t crushed, definitely a case of good karma.


    Jiang Xiaomei was unaware of Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s thoughts and gratefully said, ¡°I¡¯ve lost more than ten pounds in just over a month.


    The Candy you gave me really works!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that it¡¯s effective.


    Keep using it, and I believe you will slim down soon,¡± Lin Xiaoguai actually was very curious about Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s appearance.


    Due to her obesity, her facial features were somewhat deformed, but her eyes were clearly very round and big.


    ¡°Mhm, mhm,¡± Jiang Xiaomei nodded, full of fighting spirit.


    ¡°My dad and Mom are very happy, too.


    Mom said to invite you over for a meal; she¡¯ll make Pingqiao Tofu for you.¡±


    Mrs.


    Jiang was from H city, and Lin Xiaoguai had always liked the Pingqiao Tofu she made.


    Although it was not as elaborate as in future generations, it was a rare delicacy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said somewhat annoyed, ¡°Look at me now, do I look fit for a visit to eat at your home?


    Aren¡¯t you just teasing me with cravings for no reason?¡±


    ¡°I forgot,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said sheepishly, touching her nose.


    Then she suggested, ¡°How about I have Mom prepare it and bring it over in a lunch box?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai hesitated, but could not resist the temptation of good food, and shamelessly said, ¡°Then come over in the morning, and stay for lunch.¡±


    Jiang Xiaomei did not refuse this time.


    In fact, it was not her first time coming over for a meal, but whenever she came in the morning, she would bring something valuable, sometimes eggs or sometimes meat.


    She feared Lin Xiaoguai might be reprimanded by Luo Yufang, so she dared to stay for a meal only this way.


    With Pingqiao Tofu, of course, she had the confidence to stay for a meal.


    ¡°Xiao Mei, you should also strive to get into Capital University for college, we can go together,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said, that way she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about when to invite Jiang Xiaomei over for a meal.


    Jiang Xiaomei was stupefied, she said hesitantly, ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to get into Capital University.¡± The truth was, without Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s help, she felt she wouldn¡¯t be able to get into any college.


    She had barely made it into high school because Lin Xiaoguai had given her the questions to lookout for.


    ¡°You don¡¯t necessarily have to go to Capital University, there are so many colleges and universities in the Capital, you just pick one to apply to.¡± She wanted Jiang Xiaomei to settle in the Capital, and in the future, when conditions were right, to move Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang over as well, to avoid the hassle from Luo Aidang.


    Jiang Xiaomei nodded; she always took Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s advice to heart, knowing that Lin Xiaoguai would never harm her.


    ¡°By the way, Xiao Mei, do you have any aspirations?¡±


    Jiang Xiaomei blinked, not quite understanding Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s question.


    Weren¡¯t they discussing college?


    ¡°You¡¯ll be assigned a job after graduation...¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai facepalmed, ¡°Even so, medical professionals won¡¯t be assigned to be workers, and those in science and technology won¡¯t be assigned to sweep the streets.


    You should have a goal to help choose your major, right?¡±


    Feeling a little embarrassed, Jiang Xiaomei bit her lip and asked, ¡°I want to be a teacher, what major should I study?¡±


    As a child, when playing house with kids in the village, no one else wanted to be the teacher, and that desire slowly turned into an obsession.


    Lin Xiaoguai was surprised to hear this, as she hadn¡¯t heard Jiang Xiaomei mention this before, but didn¡¯t oppose the idea.


    Lin Xiaoguai was different from those protagonists in novels; although she knew that the current era was the best time to make a fortune in business, firstly, she didn¡¯t know how to do it and secondly, she believed not everyone was cut out for business.


    Jiang Xiaomei was more suited for a simple and happy life.


    It might be good to give Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang a hint, though.

 Chapter 55 - 55 34 Inevitably Yours

    ?55: Chapter 34 Inevitably Yours 55: Chapter 34 Inevitably Yours ¡°Becoming a teacher requires studying in a teacher-training program.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai thought to himself that being a teacher was actually quite easy at that time.


    It wasn¡¯t difficult for even a junior high school student to become a teacher, let alone a high school student.


    However, later on, for private teachers to obtain official status, they needed to have a non-agricultural hukou, and the cost of changing an agricultural hukou to a non-agricultural one was no small sum.


    It might be better to just study in a teacher-training program properly and move to the Capital, which could save quite a bit of trouble.


    Moreover, Jiang Xiaomei wasn¡¯t a smooth operator, and with no strong educational background, she feared being sidelined by her colleagues.


    ¡°By the way, Xiaomei, have Uncle and Auntie stopped doing work for work points?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked.


    ¡°Actually, they have hardly gone in the past two years.


    They only help out when the production team has a bountiful harvest.


    Usually, they just buy the work points with money.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai remembered that at that time work points could be directly exchanged for food, whereas food had to be bought with food tickets and money.


    Many people, unable to earn work points in the production team for personal reasons, were willing to buy them with money.


    She was about to speak when she heard Jiang Xiaomei say, ¡°Dad told me that his former boss came to him, wanting to reopen the restaurant and hire him back as the head chef.


    But because of the troubles caused by Aidang at home, he wasn¡¯t in the mood to consider it.


    These days, he¡¯s thinking about going back.¡±


    When it came to Luo Aidang, Mr.


    and Mrs.


    Jiang had done all they could.


    Though they had schemed to expose Luo Aidang¡¯s affair with a girl named Zhu Lingling from a neighboring village, they had not cut off all ties, telling the onlooking villagers that although they were heartbroken by Luo Aidang¡¯s actions, they still covered the expenses of their wedding and gave them the family¡¯s old house as their new home.


    ¡ª And when they said ¡®old house,¡¯ the Jiang family¡¯s house was better than half the homes in the village.


    Everyone within ten miles praised Mr.


    Jiang for his generosity.


    Luo Aidang and Zhu Lingling, with all their schemes, ended up with nothing.


    Mr.


    Jiang was also shrewd, saying sadly to Luo Aidang just before leaving, ¡°Uncle knows you want to go out and do business, but I really can¡¯t come up with two thousand yuan.


    I have to think about Xiaomei after all.¡±


    Now that settled it.


    The villagers weren¡¯t fools.


    They might not have understood Luo Aidang¡¯s scheming at the time, but after discussing it amongst themselves at home, they got it.


    Luo Aidang¡¯s reputation was destroyed.


    If Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s thinking was right, Mr.


    Jiang¡¯s ¡°leniency¡± towards Luo Aidang was partly because he still had some affection for him and partly because he was worried that if he acted too harshly, Xiaomei might soften towards him.


    Hearing Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s words, Lin Xiaoguai frowned slightly, ¡°Being a head chef isn¡¯t easy, especially with Uncle¡¯s health...¡±


    Mr.


    Jiang had been diagnosed with severe hypertension.


    ¡°But the salary the boss offered is very high, more than eighty yuan a month.¡± During a time when a regular worker¡¯s monthly salary was just over twenty yuan, eighty-plus yuan was indeed a significant amount.


    ¡°Eighty-plus yuan isn¡¯t much, considering Uncle¡¯s cooking skills.


    If he went out to do some small business, he could earn more than that in one day,¡± Lin Xiaoguai disagreed.


    ¡°You must be joking, Xiao Guai,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said hesitantly.


    ¡°I remember Uncle was particularly good at making flour-based dishes, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Lin Xiaoguai recalled that Mr.


    Jiang, when he was young, worked as an apprentice in a northern restaurant under a head chef, and he was particularly good at making noodles.


    She had eaten his hand-pulled noodles as a child, which were exceptionally authentic.


    Jiang Xiaomei nodded.


    She had inherited her skillful hands from her father who used to make steamed buns shaped like various small animals to cajole her when she was sick.


    Lin Xiaoguai continued, ¡°Now people in the city are starting to have spare money in their pockets, but there¡¯s nowhere to spend it.


    A food stall that pops up does not do poorly.


    Setting up a stall with youtiao, pancakes, noodles, buns, steamed buns, sesame balls, fried dumplings, and pancake rolls ¨C which one can¡¯t Uncle make?¡±


    ¡°A bowl of noodles costs three cents to make, and it could be sold for five cents.


    Just by selling a hundred bowls, you could earn two yuan, and that¡¯s a conservative estimate.


    There¡¯s a youtiao seller here who from six in the morning to nine o¡¯clock is so busy together with his wife, they can barely keep up.


    Wouldn¡¯t that be more than a hundred people?¡±


    Jiang Xiaomei listened, perplexed.


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed, ¡°Go back and tell Uncle, I¡¯m sure he can figure out the calculation.¡±


    ¡°Also, if Uncle is worried about being criticized, tell him, tell him I said, there¡¯s news from Shen Chi¡¯s side.


    The country is supporting the economy; the past situations will absolutely not happen again.¡±


    Mr.


    Jiang was indeed a decisive man.


    The next day, Jiang Xiaomei came with her task at hand.

 Chapter 56 - 56 34 Inevitable Victory_2

    ?56: Chapter 34 Inevitable Victory_2 56: Chapter 34 Inevitable Victory_2 ¡°Xiao Guai, your dad asked me to ask you, what do people in the city like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Uncle is planning to set up a breakfast stall?¡± Seeing Jiang Xiaomei nod, Lin Xiaoguai thought for a moment and said, ¡°Make pancake rolls, and it¡¯s best to add some drinks, like tofu pudding, soy milk, or porridge.


    Just choose whichever is more convenient.¡±


    She thought about making pancake rolls for immediate sale with no worries about not selling out.


    She could prepare everything at home, and Jiang Xiaomei and Xiao Mei could help during the sale.


    After all, making pancake rolls was not difficult; it was just a matter of skill.


    The key to the flavor actually lay in the preparation of the sauces and ingredients.


    Moreover, the pancake rolls contain eggs and dough sticks, as well as options for spicy and sweet sauces, offering a variety of flavors and potentially higher profits.


    And, she also liked eating pancake rolls herself.


    As for the drinks, that was just a matter of habit.


    Although she did not buy breakfast from outside, in her previous life, she had seen many colleagues who liked to include a drink with their breakfast.


    Jiang Xiaomei nodded and took serious notes, planning to recount this to her dad.


    ¡°Also, the location of the stall should be carefully chosen.


    Since pancake rolls are a relatively expensive breakfast option, tell your uncle it¡¯s best to choose a neighborhood where the standard of living is higher, or else set up near a school entrance.¡± Parents are usually willing to spend more on their children.


    Lin Xiaoguai was really just talking theoretically; if it were her going to do it, she might not be as good as Xiao Mei.


    But at this moment, Xiao Mei greatly admired Lin Xiaoguai, thinking she knew everything, which was incredibly impressive.


    ¡°Furthermore, it¡¯s best to sell the pancake rolls in the county city, where the standard of living is higher.


    You¡¯d better rent a house in the city; otherwise, traveling back and forth is too exhausting.¡± Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s house was nearly an hour away from the county city¡ªit was fine occasionally, but unbearable in the long term.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± Jiang Xiaomei smiled, ¡°Dad said our family has a house in the county city.


    It might be a bit rundown now, but with some cleaning, it will be liveable.


    Our whole family is moving to the city, and my school registration is also transferring to a high school in the county city.¡± Jiang Xiaomei was extremely excited; living closer meant she could visit Xiao Guai¡¯s house every morning.


    ¡°Really?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat surprised and asked, ¡°Did Uncle mention where your house is located?¡±


    ¡°He said it¡¯s in De¡¯an District.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai calculated and joyfully said, ¡°It¡¯s not far from my house; it¡¯s just a twenty-minute walk.


    Tell your uncle to buy you a bicycle, then it will be even more convenient.¡±


    Mr.


    Jiang had secured a bicycle ticket long ago, planning to buy his daughter a bicycle, but Luo Aidang had interfered with displeasing remarks, preventing the purchase.


    Now, however, there were no concerns.


    Jiang Xiaomei also smiled, nodding and saying, ¡°How come you and my dad thought of the same thing?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was eagerly looking forward to Jiang Xiaomei moving to the city, but before Jiang Xiaomei could move, Lin Xiaoguai began to experience severe bouts of drowsiness.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?


    Why is it getting worse?¡± Luo Yufang, having just escorted Lin Xiaoguai, who almost fell asleep and dropped her face into her bowl, back to her room, expressed her concerns.


    She had seen pregnant women who were sleepy before, but never as severely as her granddaughter-in-law, who could fall asleep even while walking.


    ¡°Should we go to the hospital?¡± Shen Zhangming suggested.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of going to the hospital if there¡¯s no illness?¡± People from the countryside generally didn¡¯t think going to the hospital without an illness was good, and Luo Yufang was no exception.


    After some thought, she said, ¡°Anyway, other than being sleepy, Wanwan doesn¡¯t have any other discomforts.


    Let¡¯s first send a telegram to Chi to ask what should be done.


    We need to be careful not to let Wanwan knock into anything.


    I¡¯ll stay close to Wanwan from now on, you help with the housework.¡±


    ¡°No problem, you do your thing, I can handle these.¡± Shen Zhangming, although not usually doing housework, was capable of it.


    He had taken care of his wife by himself when she was giving birth to their son because his mother was no longer around by then.


    Lin Xiaoguai felt helpless; her drowsiness was peculiar, as she was usually very alert and never felt sleepy, but would sometimes fall asleep suddenly without warning.


    The first time she fell asleep while knitting, she almost blinded herself with the knitting needle; the second time, if not for Shen Xiu¡¯s timely support, she would have fallen; the third time happened at the dinner table, and she almost splashed hot soup on her face.


    After several incidents, she became too scared to do much, preferring to lie down rather than sit, and sit rather than stand, only able to daydream and read.


    However, she did discover something: as long as she was in her personal space, she never experienced this sudden sleep ¡°skill.¡±


    Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t hide in her space all the time and could only hope that this strange phenomenon would disappear quickly.


    Fortunately, she had asked ¡°001¡± to scan and found that the baby in her womb was very healthy.


    When Shen Chi received the telegram, he had just left the cafeteria and was bidding farewell to the old man at the postroom.


    He took the telegram and started reading while walking, frowning more deeply as he read.


    Everything was fine when he had left, so why had she suddenly started experiencing drowsiness?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A hand reached over and clapped his shoulder.


    Turning his head to see it was Wei Qiang, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°It¡¯s a telegram from my grandma, saying my wife has been unexpectedly falling asleep these past few days.¡± Wei Qiang was a long-time comrade and deeply trusted by him.


    ¡°Is that serious?¡± Wei Qiang was somewhat baffled, having not married yet and unsure if such symptoms were bad for pregnant women.


    ¡°Very...


    unusual.¡± Shen Chi sighed, ¡°We should still see a doctor.¡±


    ¡°By the way, are you really going on that mission?¡± Wei Qiang asked in a low voice.


    Shen Chi¡¯s gaze sharpened as he lowered his eyes and remained silent.


    Wei Qiang, becoming anxious, pulled him behind a cluster of shrubs, ¡°Are you crazy?


    It¡¯s clearly a trap set up by them.


    If you succeed, you¡¯ll rise to the top, but if you fail, you could lose your life.¡±


    Many in the military who were close to Shen Chi knew that someone in the higher ranks had been targeting him.


    Wei Qiang, being a political commissar, was more perceptive than most.


    He had felt something was off about the mission as soon as it was assigned, not expecting Shen Chi to walk into it willingly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Shen Chi¡¯s eyes flashed with a determined gleam.

 Chapter 57 - 57 35 A Night of Shock

    ?57: Chapter 35 A Night of Shock 57: Chapter 35 A Night of Shock Shen Chi felt lucky that by the time she received the telegram, her strange bouts of excessive sleepiness had quickly come and gone.


    She didn¡¯t like hospitals, even if the nightmare of her past life had changed, she still felt ¡°once bitten, twice shy.¡±


    But when it came to childbirth, she wouldn¡¯t have a say in the matter.


    As for giving birth, Lin Xiaoguai always felt reverent, originally because she longed for it but couldn¡¯t have it, and now because she was afraid to lose it.


    ¡°Old man, do you know the way to the hospital in the provincial city?¡± Luo Yufang asked somewhat apprehensively.


    ¡°I should know it,¡± Shen Zhangming answered somewhat uncertainly, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t, I can always ask someone.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, why isn¡¯t brother back yet?


    Sister-in-law is about to give birth any moment,¡± Shen Xiu said with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Yufang sighed, their granddaughter-in-law had almost miscarried, if something were to go wrong...


    she had no confidence in her heart.


    But it seemed that her grandson also couldn¡¯t leave...


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to go to the hospital in the provincial city,¡± Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t want to go through such trouble, ¡°Not to mention that we can¡¯t predict when the birth will happen, but even if I were to give birth in the provincial city, we couldn¡¯t possibly stay in the hospital until the end of the confinement period, right?


    Money shouldn¡¯t be wasted like that.


    But if we were to go back home, it would be even more troublesome.¡±


    In the future, there would be private cars for transport, but now, having a tractor was already advanced equipment, and driving a tractor from the provincial city to the county...


    ¡°But...¡± Luo Yufang hesitated, she thought that what her granddaughter-in-law said made sense but was also worried about potential emergencies that the county doctors couldn¡¯t handle.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken really good care of myself during this pregnancy.


    Grandma, didn¡¯t you have an experienced midwife check on me already?


    The baby is in the proper position, so I think the birth will go smoothly.


    Moreover, the doctors in the county aren¡¯t necessarily worse than those in the provincial city, aren¡¯t there several experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioners stationed there?¡± Lin Xiaoguai continued to persuade.


    Luo Yufang still couldn¡¯t make a decision, and Shen Zhangming, frowning, thought for a while and said, ¡°Let¡¯s listen to Wanwan, we old folks can¡¯t endure such a fuss.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t care about his granddaughter-in-law, but he saw that her complexion was indeed good, and the baby¡¯s position was favorable, so he believed that there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems.


    The last time Chi had come back, he had given them a good sum of money, and Shen Zhangming had managed to obtain some ginseng, hoping there wouldn¡¯t be any problems.


    The family had all made preparations, yet they had not expected Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s delivery to come so quickly, so suddenly¡ª


    As the birth approached, the child in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s belly became increasingly lively; she was even kicked awake every night, and today was no exception.


    She propped herself up with a wry smile, wanting to drink some water, when suddenly she heard a noise from the backyard.


    At first, she thought it was the wind, but then listened closer and realized it was definitely the sound of footsteps!


    But she wasn¡¯t sure whether it was Grandpa or Xiu¡¯er, so after hesitating, she nudged Luo Yufang, who was staying up with her, and whispered, ¡°Grandma, it seems like there¡¯s someone in the backyard.¡±


    She felt a bit scared because, after all, the family had no means of defense, and she didn¡¯t want anything to happen to her child.


    Luo Yufang, a light sleeper due to her age, woke up at Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s nudge and asked nervously, ¡°Did you hear that right?¡± She asked because her hearing wasn¡¯t great.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s face suddenly turned pale, ¡°I think I heard the sound of someone prying a door.¡±


    Luo Yufang sat up briskly, ¡°You stay put, I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai quickly grabbed her, ¡°Wait, Grandma, call Grandpa and Xiu¡¯er first, and grab something to defend yourselves with.¡± There was no help for it; in comparison to the two elderly grandparents, Xiu¡¯er, the young girl, was more agile.


    ¡°I understand, you mustn¡¯t come out,¡± Luo Yufang said, not wanting any accidents now that Wanwan was about to give birth.


    Watching Luo Yufang open the door and walk out, Lin Xiaoguai just couldn¡¯t lie down anymore; she carefully sat up, didn¡¯t dare to turn on the light, put on her clothes, and got out of bed.


    After a while, accompanied by the splashing sounds of water, a voice from outside shouted, ¡°Grandpa, be careful!¡± It was Shen Xiu¡¯s voice, followed by a thud¡ªa sound of someone falling.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s heart tightened, and she walked to the door, pressing her ear against the wood to listen.


    There was silence for what seemed like a long time, and Lin Xiaoguai was growing anxious when Shen Xiu pushed the door open and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s all right now.


    Do you want to come out?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai sized her up and saw that the girl, aside from looking a bit frightened, wasn¡¯t injured, so she breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, ¡°I might as well come out; I can¡¯t sleep anyway.¡±


    Upon reaching the main room, there was a man, soaked to the skin, tied to a chair, with Grandpa and Grandma standing by with wary expressions.


    ¡°Uncle, Aunt, I swear I¡¯m Zhang Quan¡¯s son.


    Please let me go, and I¡¯ll definitely come to thank you another day,¡± the man trembled with cold, but his mouth didn¡¯t stop.


    Lin Xiaoguai glanced at Shen Xiu, what happened?


    Shen Xiu leaned in and whispered, ¡°He¡¯s a thief.


    He was prying open a drawer in the west room.


    If I hadn¡¯t been quick to douse him with a bucket of water, he would have escaped.


    Grandpa even took a tumble because of him.


    This slippery talker is claiming to be Uncle Zhang Quan¡¯s son who returned from working far afield, threatening and begging for us to let him go.


    I¡¯ve already gone to the neighborhood committee to call the police.


    They¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    Hearing that Grandpa had fallen, Lin Xiaoguai looked over, ¡°Grandpa, are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°No harm done,¡± said Shen Zhangming, shaking his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m dressed warmly, didn¡¯t even scrape my skin.


    Just twisted my foot a bit.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai still had some doubts, but by then, the police car had arrived, so she couldn¡¯t ask any further.


    ¡°Is this the thief?¡± Three officers walked in, led to the man tied to a chair, and the middle-aged lead officer asked.


    ¡°Yes, Comrade Officer,¡± Shen Zhangming hurried them to sit down.


    ¡°My granddaughter-in-law heard a pry at the back door in the middle of the night.


    When we checked, we saw this person skulking about trying to pry open a drawer.


    That drawer contained a ginseng reserved for my granddaughter-in-law¡¯s childbirth preparations.¡±


    Yan AnGuo and his two colleagues checked the pried door and drawer, including the ginseng, and were ready to take the thief away.


    However, there was an issue with Lin Xiaoguai.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Seeing Lin Xiaoguai suddenly bend over, Shen Xiu was startled.


    ¡°I might...


    be going into labor,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a fine sweat on her forehead.


    To tell the truth, it wasn¡¯t too painful, but this familiar feeling filled her with panic, and her physical burden seemed to grow.


    ¡°Going into labor!?¡± Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang were shocked, and the three officers looked over in amazement.


    Luo Yufang stalled for a moment, then quickly grabbed hold of Yan AnGuo.


    ¡°Comrade, lend a hand and take my granddaughter-in-law to the hospital.


    Our family has very young and very old, and it¡¯s the middle of the night.


    My granddaughter-in-law had a big bleed before and almost miscarried.


    If we¡¯re late and something happens to her, what then?¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Zhangming and Shen Xiu both looked at Yan AnGuo with eager anticipation.


    Yan AnGuo, who was always upright, had no intention of refusing.


    Seeing the old woman¡¯s about to cry expression and hearing about the pregnant woman¡¯s condition, he felt duty-bound to agree to help.


    ¡°Old man, hurry, bring the ginseng, it might be needed later.


    Xiu¡¯er, you stay.


    Make a chicken stew for your sister-in-law, and bring over her clothes and other things,¡± Luo Yufang directed Shen Zhangming and Shen Xiu, while she and Yan AnGuo helped lift Lin Xiaoguai out together.


    Despite the discomfort, Lin Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t help finding it comically absurd to be sent to the hospital in a police car.


    She might just be the first woman ever in history to do so.


    When they arrived at the hospital, more than ten minutes later, compared to their urgent rush, the nurse was calm and collected after checking Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°The water hasn¡¯t broken yet.


    There¡¯s still a long time before birth.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai could only lie down and wait for her water to break.


    ¡°Did you all forget something?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked the three officers who seemed to want to leave but didn¡¯t know how to excuse themselves.


    ¡°What?¡± Yan AnGuo was taken aback.


    ¡°The thief...¡±


    The three men paused, ¡°Seems like he¡¯s still at your home.¡±


    Luo Yufang and Shen Zhangming were also stunned.


    ¡°Xiuwa should still be at home.


    You guys hurry back.¡±


    Poor thief, still all wet in this winter...


    Lin Xiaoguai thought that if there was an award for the most unlucky thief of the year, that man would surely win.


    The contractions were not frequent at first, happening once every half hour, but they gradually increased in frequency, then every few minutes, and eventually every few seconds.


    When the water finally broke, and the nurse checked the situation, saying it was time to deliver, Lin Xiaoguai had already had a big bowl of chicken soup brought by Shen Xiu and two boiled eggs.


    Right before heading to the delivery room, Luo Yufang hurriedly fed her a bowl of brown sugar water.


    ¡°Wanwan, don¡¯t be afraid.


    Every woman must go through childbirth.


    Just relax, use your strength properly and everything will be fine.


    You¡¯re always smart; you¡¯ll manage this better than others,¡± Luo Yufang said to Lin Xiaoguai, holding her hand and chattering away in the delivery room.


    ¡°This grandma, you really shouldn¡¯t talk like that to a woman in labor; it can make her more nervous,¡± chided a midwife preparing nearby.


    Luo Yufang became somewhat anxious after hearing this, but Lin Xiaoguai pulled her hand and said, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s okay.


    I¡¯m not nervous at all.¡±


    Luo Yufang felt a bit relieved and said to the middle-aged female doctor nearby, ¡°Doctor, my granddaughter-in-law had a big bleed early in the pregnancy and almost miscarried.


    Will there be a problem?¡±


    The doctor frowned, slightly surprised; she had thought the pregnant woman looked quite healthy, not like someone who had almost had a miscarriage.


    ¡°I understand.


    It seems like you take very good care of pregnant women?¡±


    Luo Yufang nodded.


    ¡°My granddaughter-in-law doesn¡¯t like meat much, but loves fish, shrimp, and eggs, and has continued to include them in her diet.


    To ensure a smooth delivery, she remained active and has kept up with household chores and post-meal walks.¡± She was a bit anxious, so she ended up speaking a lot, regardless of familiarity.


    ¡°Right, and this ginseng; we brought it ourselves.


    Please, doctor, see if it can be used for Wanwan.¡±


    The female doctor smiled upon hearing this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a big problem.


    The pregnant woman seems to be in good health, and in a critical moment, there¡¯s ginseng to help restore strength.


    You should not worry too much.¡±


    She was relieved to see that the pregnant woman¡¯s spirits remained calm.


    During childbirth, fear wasn¡¯t the issue; it was more about dealing with women who were completely terrified before even starting labor.


    Not only did it exhaust the staff, but it also made the situation stressful and dangerous for the child.


    The woman in front of her seemed to be of strong mentality, especially for a first-time mother.

 Chapter 58 - 58 36 Shen Yinian

    ?58: Chapter 36 Shen Yinian 58: Chapter 36 Shen Yinian Shen Xiu arrived at the maternity ward, sweating profusely.


    She was just about to sit down and rest when she saw the door to the delivery room open and a female doctor walk out.


    She got a start; she hadn¡¯t heard the baby¡¯s cry.


    Could it have been a difficult birth?


    ¡°Doctor, how is my sister-in-law?¡± Shen Xiu¡¯s voice was on the verge of crying.


    The female doctor was startled, removed her mask, and said, ¡°Mother and child are safe, the nurse is taking care of the baby now.¡±


    Shen Xiu breathed a sigh of relief, her legs went weak, and she had to lean against the wall to not fall to the floor.


    It wasn¡¯t long after the doctor left that Luo Yufang came out cradling a swaddled baby, beaming, ¡°Old man, come and see, a big boy weighing six jin and eight liang!¡±


    She looked up to only see Shen Xiu and was momentarily taken aback, ¡°Xiuwa, where¡¯s your grandpa?¡±


    ¡°His leg was so sore he was sweating.


    I took him to get it checked out; the doctor said it was a fracture.


    He¡¯s resting in the ward now,¡± Shen Xiu said while peering at the infant in her arms.


    ¡°Is he okay?¡± Luo Yufang asked with concern.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, the doctor said he just needs to rest for a few days.


    And my sister-in-law?¡± Shen Xiu reached out and cautiously touched her little nephew¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Wanwan will be out soon.¡±


    Before Luo Yufang could finish speaking, a sleeping Lin Xiaoguai was wheeled out by a nurse.


    ¡°My sister-in-law passed out?¡± Shen Xiu asked worriedly.


    ¡°She¡¯s asleep,¡± the nurse replied.


    ¡°This is normal.


    You should prepare some nourishing soups; the mother will be very hungry when she wakes up.¡±


    Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu hurriedly took note.


    When Shen Xiu woke up, it was already evening.


    The first thing she saw was the little fellow beside her pillow, and she watched him without blinking.


    ¡°All right, eat something first.


    The child won¡¯t run away,¡± teased Luo Yufang¡¯s voice.


    It was then that Lin Xiaoguai noticed Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu¡¯s presence in the room.


    Heeding their words, she smiled and said, ¡°I am actually quite hungry.¡±


    Her features were graceful and tender, but in her eyes shone an extraordinary light, like the light of dawn, full of vitality and hope.


    Just as Shen Xiu was about to get the fish soup and plain porridge from under the quilt, the door to the ward was pushed open, and Jiang Xiaomei came in gasping for breath, carrying a large basket.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, you¡¯re awake!¡± She exclaimed joyfully, lifting the basket in her hands, ¡°That¡¯s just perfect, my mom has made you pig¡¯s feet soup and egg drop porridge.


    It¡¯s been simmering on the stove from morning until now, still piping hot.


    I¡¯ve skimmed off the oil for you, guarantee it won¡¯t be greasy.¡±


    They had moved to the county town, hence the pig¡¯s feet soup and egg drop porridge she brought out were indeed as hot as she had claimed, just like they¡¯d come straight off the stove.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, I was worried this fish soup wasn¡¯t hot enough to suit Wanwan¡¯s taste,¡± Luo Yufang knew her granddaughter-in-law was picky about food and wasn¡¯t dissatisfied with this alternative.


    Anyway, she and her granddaughter hadn¡¯t had dinner yet; they could eat the fish soup.


    With good cooking skills from Mrs.


    Jiang, Lin Xiaoguai drank a big bowl of egg drop porridge and another big bowl of soup, and under Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s insistence, even nibbled through half a pig¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Have you fed him milk yet?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked, caressing her son¡¯s head tenderly.


    ¡°He¡¯s had some water,¡± Luo Yufang whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s best for the baby¡¯s first milk to come from his own mother.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaoguai felt a bit distressed, to which Luo Yufang, unable to contain her laughter, replied, ¡°If you¡¯re worried, you can feed him some milk now.¡±


    ¡°Do I have milk already?¡± Lin Xiaoguai hesitated.


    ¡°You¡¯ve eaten well, of course you do,¡± Luo Yufang spoke from experience.


    Indeed, as old ginger is spicier, with grandma¡¯s help, Lin Xiaoguai fed her baby his first milk.


    Remembering many novels mentioning the need to pat the baby to burp or else he might spit up the milk, she mentioned it and got a laugh from her grandma.


    ¡°Where did you hear that?


    That advice is correct, but it¡¯s not suitable for newborn babies.


    Look, he¡¯s sleeping through feeding; how can you burp him?


    He has to be a bit older for that.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai felt slightly embarrassed, ¡°I thought he just hadn¡¯t opened his eyes yet.¡±


    ¡°Whether they open their eyes right away or after a few days depends on the baby.


    Some are born with their eyes open, some take a while,¡± Luo Yufang said with a smile, finding it rare to see her normally composed granddaughter-in-law acting like this.


    Lin Xiaoguai sheepishly touched her nose; after all, those novels always sounded so authoritative.


    Her attention quickly returned to her son, who, unlike the red, wrinkled newborns she¡¯d seen in online images, had a more relaxed set of features.


    Perhaps it was due to the spiritual spring water and the Hundred Refinement Fruit, but even though her son was red, his features were refined.


    Upon closer inspection, she noticed his eyebrows resembled Shen Chi, faint but already showing the shape of strong brows.


    His eyes were still closed, yet from the length of his eyelashes, they were likely like Shen Chi¡¯s too.


    His nose was hard to distinguish, but his mouth...


    also resembled Shen Chi.


    Lin Xiaoguai felt a flicker of indignation inside.


    Why didn¡¯t he look like her at all!


    Unlike her fury, Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu were quite delighted as they gazed upon Xiao Bao, who looked just like Shen Chi.


    However, Jiang Xiaomei commented, ¡°How great it would be if she had given birth to a daughter resembling Xiao Guai.¡±


    Luo Yufang, upon hearing this, chuckled, ¡°No worries, there¡¯s always a chance to have another child, right?¡± Imagining the prospect of having a great-granddaughter as beautiful and clever as her granddaughter-in-law filled her heart with joy.


    Although having an additional child at this time would incur a penalty, she wasn¡¯t worried in the least about not having a great-granddaughter, given how adept her grandson was at earning money.


    Lin Xiaoguai looked down at her son and smiled, ¡°This child shall be named Yinian, Shen Yinian.¡±


    Yinian, a year of abundant harvest, didn¡¯t require immense wealth or power, her son, as long as he could ¡°harvest¡± every year of his life, that would be enough.


    Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu were taken aback, having not expected her to settle on a name so swiftly without even consulting Shen Chi.


    The two exchanged looks but said nothing; this was a matter for Shen Chi to worry about.


    As they were feeling sorry for Shen Chi, who seemed to have lost the right to name his son, Lin Xiaoguai spoke up, ¡°His nickname shall be Little Niangao.¡±


    Thinking of the Concubine Nian Guifei, referred to as Little Niangao in transmigration drama series set in a later era, she couldn¡¯t help but smile slyly.


    As if sensing his mother¡¯s malevolent intent, the sleeping Little Niangao appeared somewhat unsettled, smacking his lips in his sleep.


    Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu were speechless; now the nickname too, was out of their hands to decide.


    Nonetheless, they had to admit that the name chosen by their granddaughter-in-law (sister-in-law), whether Shen Yinian or Little Niangao, sounded quite good, embodying both common appeal and a touch of refinement.


    Lin Xiaoguai was discharged from the hospital after a week, but this time there was no police car escorting her with special treatment.


    The tractor rattled all the way home, only to find quite a crowd gathered at their doorstep.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Luo Yufang frowned and shouted at the crowd, ¡°Old man, come over and help!¡±


    As the crowd dispersed, Lin Xiaoguai saw an older, tall and thin woman grabbing hold of grandpa, who was trying to pull free with Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang attempting to aid him but being blocked by a man.


    Luo Yufang saw it too and was furious but held back, addressing the surrounding neighbors, ¡°Please lend a hand; my granddaughter-in-law has just come home from giving birth.¡±


    Having a good reputation in the neighborhood, a couple of robust daughters-in-law immediately came over to lift Lin Xiaoguai, swaddled snugly in a blanket, off the tractor, intending to carry her into the house, but the old woman and man blocked the doorway.


    ¡°Nobody enters; you must give me an explanation today!¡± The old woman glared fiercely, exuding hostility.


    Luo Yufang couldn¡¯t hold back her anger and retorted, ¡°Well done, Jiang Dimei.


    Your son sneaks into my house in the dead of night to steal, causing my granddaughter-in-law to give birth prematurely, and now you think you have the right to argue?¡±


    ¡°Well, my son didn¡¯t steal anything, and your granddaughter-in-law isn¡¯t harmed, is she?¡± Jiang Dimei defiantly defended herself, hands on her hips and speaking shrilly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying my granddaughter-in-law owes you because she didn¡¯t lose her life or her child?


    What kind of twisted logic is that?¡± Luo Yufang raged.


    ¡°Your granddaughter-in-law has nothing to do with me, but my Zigao got doused with cold water in the dead of winter, fell seriously ill with a high fever that nearly ruined his brain, and got pneumonia.


    What about those medical expenses?


    Shouldn¡¯t you pay for them?¡± Jiang Dimei was completely unreasonable.


    Lin Xiaoguai was dumbfounded; this...


    she almost thought she was seeing Wang Zhaodi, their unreasonable behavior was exactly alike.


    Luo Yufang held her chest, feeling a buzzing in her head.


    Seeing things were getting bad, Shen Xiu, whose grandma had once been so angered by Wang Zhaodi that she suffered a stroke, no longer cared about her fear and yelled angrily, ¡°Utter nonsense!


    It was your son who pushed my grandpa; your son tried to steal from our house, and I wasn¡¯t supposed to drench him with water?


    Should I have let him get away?¡±


    Shen Xiu clenched her teeth, fiercely retorting, ¡°I think it would be a good thing if your son¡¯s brain was burned out; better to be a fool than a thief, at least then people could sleep soundly at night.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Jiang Dimei glared and pointed at her, ¡°You wretched wench, I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart.


    Wicked and rotten to the core, how dare you curse my son!


    Tie Zhu, help your aunt grab that vile girl,¡± she called out to the man standing by her side.


    ¡°You dare!¡± Jiang Xiaomei confidently stepped in front of Shen Xiu.


    In fact, Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s stature was somewhat intimidating to the duo.


    Just as the two hesitated to move forward, Lin Xiaoguai was consumed with worry; she knew all too well that while Xiaomei might look physically strong, she was all bark and no bite, with fat instead of muscle.


    Thankfully, Mr.


    Jiang and Mrs.


    Jiang were just as aware and quickly stepped in front of their daughter, with Mr.


    Jiang glaring fiercely, ¡°Try laying a hand on my daughter, you thieving witch!¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai felt uneasy, knowing that Mr.


    Jiang wasn¡¯t overly strong himself; a chef who hadn¡¯t farmed in years and whose strength in cooking she could believe in, but anything beyond that...


    probably even Mrs.


    Jiang would best him.


    The surrounding neighbors were now feeling uncomfortable with the sight, recognizing that while the Zhang family, with Zhang Quan and eldest son Zhang Zhigao, were good people, Jiang Dimei was truly the rotten apple that spoiled the barrel.


    Some wanted to step forward to help, but then they saw Tie Zhu pull out a metal pipe from his cloak, threatening them, ¡°Don¡¯t meddle or else!


    If you end up with a broken arm or leg, don¡¯t blame me!¡±


    People gasped at the sight of the weapon, some showing fear while several clever ones slipped away unnoticed.


    Seeing that she had intimidated the crowd, Jiang Dimei wore a smug expression and raised her head, ¡°Folks, I don¡¯t want to see bloodshed among neighbors, so it¡¯s best if some people just pay up and get it over with.¡±


    The allegation was clearly directed at Luo Yufang.

 Chapter 59 - 59 37 Unwelcome Guest

    ?59: Chapter 37: Unwelcome Guest 59: Chapter 37: Unwelcome Guest Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s brows were tightly knitted, her heart filled with an unprecedented irritability.


    Already uncomfortable with only her eyes exposed beneath the quilt, the surrounding spectators only intensified her discomfort.


    Moreover, people like Jiang Dimei were precisely the kind that she despised the most: those who would stir up trouble and create chaos.


    Even though she came from a rural background, throughout both of her lives, she had never learned the skill of making a scene.


    But people like Jiang Dimei and Wang Zhaodi were simply not the type you could reason with.


    She did see that Tie Zhu was just brandishing the iron pipe to intimidate them, aiming to extort money from grandma and grandpa.


    But who could tell if an accident might occur once the conflict escalated?


    Not to mention, the whole affair was quite sickening.


    Did they dare to bully so brazenly because they were certain that her family lacked any men who could stand up to them?


    At this moment, Lin Xiaoguai had to admit that Shen Chi¡¯s presence could sometimes be very important.


    ¡°Shut up, all of you!¡±


    Jiang Dimei and Tie Zhu were still smug, but from outside the crowd came a furious shout.


    People looked up to see two men, one old and one young with similar features, approaching with grim expressions.


    ¡°Uncle Shen, I¡¯ve let you down this time.


    Please go inside; I¡¯ll take them away right now,¡± the older man said, bowing his head in shame.


    Shen Zhangming sighed and patted him on the shoulder: ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± He had known Zhang Quan for over a decade and was well aware that today¡¯s events had nothing to do with him.


    ¡°Old man, what are you talking about?


    Our Zhiqiang is still in the hospital waiting for medical fees!¡± Jiang Dimei protested upon hearing this.


    Zhang Quan¡¯s face turned red, and amidst the onlookers¡¯ eager eyes, he felt extremely humiliated.


    ¡°Mom, stop talking!¡± Zhang Zhigao said, frowning.


    Jiang Dimei wanted to continue, but meeting her eldest son¡¯s cold gaze, she recoiled slightly, stammering, ¡°Zhi Gao, your brother has really suffered this time...¡±


    ¡°Serves him right!¡± Zhang Zhigao didn¡¯t even furrow his brow.


    ¡°You always say my grandma spoiled me.


    The son you taught, Zhiqiang, did great, bringing shame to our Zhang family name with his thieving and mischief!¡±


    It was evident that the relationship between mother and son was very cold; Zhang Zhigao was unsparingly blunt.


    Jiang Dimei¡¯s face alternated between red and white, and Tie Zhu, no longer arrogant, shrank his shoulders, not daring to say a word.


    After the Zhang family left, Lin Xiaoguai and the others finally entered the house.


    She touched Little Niangao¡¯s face, relieved that the wind hadn¡¯t hurt him.


    At that moment, as if sensing something, Little Niangao slowly opened his eyes.


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled gently, touched his nose affectionately, and said, ¡°Did mommy¡¯s Little Niangao wake up?¡±


    Little Niangao¡¯s features were now fully formed; his skin had become fair and tender, and he was adorably plump and chubby, irresistibly endearing.


    Lin Xiaoguai especially loved her son¡¯s eyes, a clear, deep gray that was unusual.


    Since she had never looked closely at Shen Chi¡¯s eyes, she wasn¡¯t sure if this color resembled Shen Chi¡¯s or was a mutation since such a deep gray was hard to distinguish from black without careful inspection.


    Little Niangao reached out his tiny fist to touch Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand, as if to greet her, making her gaze even softer.


    ¡°Is Mommy¡¯s little treasure sleeping well?¡±


    Shen Xiu often said that Lin Xiaoguai looked at her son with a tenderness that was utterly boundless, as if gazing at her only treasure.


    Even she found it unbearable to watch.


    ¡°What in the world happened with the Zhang family?¡± Lin Xiaoguai gave her son a cloth rabbit to clutch in his hand and play with, asking the question.


    ¡°It¡¯s grandpa again, not weighing his words.


    It was fine to buy the ginseng, but he blabbed about it.


    Zhang Quan mentioned it in passing, and that lazy Zhang Zhiqiang happened to overhear it and took it to heart,¡± said Shen Xiu as she folded the clothes she had brought back, indignantly adding, ¡°Jiang Dimei caused a scene a few days ago too, but was dragged away by Uncle Zhang Quan.


    Today, when Uncle Zhang Quan was called away by his factory boss and not at home, Jiang Dimei got bold again.


    If Brother Dajun and Brother Zhi Gao hadn¡¯t gone to fetch Zhang Quan and Zhi Gao, who knows when we would have been able to return home.¡±


    ¡°Is grandpa¡¯s leg okay?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked with some concern.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, he¡¯s being careful.


    Not healing properly would mean more expenses; of course, he¡¯ll be attentive,¡± Shen Xiu replied with a playful teasing.


    Lin Xiaoguai couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°You silly girl!¡±


    While they were speaking, Little Niangao suddenly started crying.


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled wryly, ¡°He probably wet himself again.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure whom the little guy took after.


    Although she was a bit of a neat freak, her upbringing had only ingrained a mild case.


    However, this little one would cry the moment he wet himself ¨C a dozen diapers a day weren¡¯t enough.


    In the winter, clothes hung out to dry one day might not even be dry by the next.

 Chapter 60 - 60 37 Unwelcome Guest_2

    ?60: Chapter 37: Unwelcome Guest_2 60: Chapter 37: Unwelcome Guest_2 After changing Little Niangao¡¯s clean diaper, Lin Xiaoguai gently patted him, and he quickly fell asleep.


    ¡°Little Niangao really loves to sleep,¡± Shen Xiu said somewhat disheartened, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him awake for more than two hours.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll get better when he¡¯s a bit older.


    When his energy picks up, you¡¯ll start having headaches,¡± said Lin Xiaoguai, who spoke from experience in looking after her nieces and nephews.


    ¡°Xiaoguai, it¡¯s time to eat!¡± Jiang Xiaomei entered, holding a bowl of chicken noodle soup, ¡°My dad made this, eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    Because Lin Xiaoguai was being discharged from the hospital, Mr.


    Jiang and Mrs.


    Jiang didn¡¯t set up their stall today and came over to help instead, which was fortunate.


    Otherwise, Shen Zhangming alone couldn¡¯t handle Jiang Dimei and Tie Zhu.


    Lin Xiaoguai took the bowl, which also contained a chicken drumstick and a poached egg.


    ¡°You all go and eat too.¡±


    Jiang Xiaomei sat down next to her, ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten.


    The first bowl was mine.


    I¡¯ll stay here; Xiu, you go and eat.¡±


    Shen Xiu didn¡¯t decline, she tucked Lin Xiaoguai in, then left.


    ¡°Xiaoguai, do you think I¡¯ve become prettier again?


    Though I haven¡¯t weighed myself, both dad and mom said I¡¯ve lost weight and my skin has improved,¡± Jiang Xiaomei said excitedly, as there were no strangers around.


    Lin Xiaoguai sized her up and nodded, ¡°Not bad.


    By next year¡¯s college entrance exams, almost all the fat should be gone.¡± Then, when she gets to the Capital, Xiaomei can embrace her college life with a new look.


    Although she was unhappy with Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s mention of ¡°fat,¡± Jiang Xiaomei was still delighted.


    She hesitated, though, and seemed to think of something, wrinkling her brow, ¡°Xiaoguai, do you still have any of those ¡®Candy¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Did you really lose the medicine?¡± Lin Xiaoguai raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°No,¡± Jiang Xiaomei shook her head, ¡°I want my dad and mom to lose weight too.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai felt it was odd, ¡°They are so old, and you¡¯re grown up; why make them lose weight?¡± She didn¡¯t care about the few hundred thousand Gold Coins; relative to her little treasure, those were just a drop in the bucket.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about looking good or bad,¡± sighed Jiang Xiaomei, ¡°You know about my dad¡¯s high blood pressure.


    Mom has been diagnosed with heart disease too, and the doctor says both are caused by obesity.


    I was thinking, if they lose weight, their health should improve.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai suddenly understood, yet was surprised; she hadn¡¯t expected the usually thick-skinned Xiaomei to have such careful thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to think of a way, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything.¡± Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t make a definitive promise, not to brush her off, but because she couldn¡¯t make the Beauty Pill seem easy to obtain.


    Xiaomei had a soft heart, and if obtaining it seemed too simple, she might accidentally be taken advantage of.


    On the other hand, if it was hard to get, she wouldn¡¯t let herself be put in a difficult position, even with a soft heart.


    Jiang Xiaomei was satisfied with such a response and urged, ¡°Hurry up and eat your noodles.


    I¡¯ll watch over Little Niangao.¡±


    She liked Little Niangao too, but was too timid to hold him.


    She said she would wait until he grew a bit and wasn¡¯t so tiny and soft to hold him.


    After the meal, Lin Xiaoguai drank some motherwort soup Luo Yufang had specifically made and felt a bit sleepy, planning to take a nap.


    Unexpectedly, her plans were interrupted by an uninvited guest.


    ¡°What are you here for?¡± Luo Yufang guarded against Shen Mincheng, fearful that Wang Zhaodi would jump out from behind him.


    Their whole family was no match for such a shrew.


    ¡°Wang Zhaodi is at home and didn¡¯t come,¡± Shen Mincheng said, rubbing his hands somewhat awkwardly, ¡°I heard from Yuan Lin that Chi¡¯s wife gave birth, so I came to see the child.¡±


    ¡°Visiting the child with empty hands?¡± Shen Zhangming took a puff of his cigarette.


    Ever since his granddaughter-in-law was pregnant, he could only sneak outside to smoke.


    Now that granddaughter-in-law and great-grandson were in the room and not coming out, he finally had a chance to satisfy his craving for a smoke inside the house.


    ¡°Uh...¡± Shen Mincheng was somewhat dumbfounded.


    Could he say he forgot?


    On the way over, he was pondering over the attitude he should display upon arrival, and forgot the most critical part.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, I just came to see the child, I won¡¯t do anything else.¡± His heart was a bit uncomfortable, he did care for Chi, but the Shen Family simply couldn¡¯t retain him.


    Regarding the money he withheld, he thought that the kid was capable and could earn back any amount, but he depended on that money for retirement.


    As for Shen Zhu and Shen Xiaobao...


    within the Shen Family, their lineage couldn¡¯t truly end with him.


    It wasn¡¯t his intention for Chi¡¯s wife to be harmed, and originally, he knew Wang Zhaodi had ill-treated that child, but he thought the girl looked too proud.


    Suppressing her a bit, he hoped, would make her devote herself entirely to life with Chi.


    Once the trouble began, he was uneasy and dared not face Chi.


    Later, though, he felt it was over, and there really wasn¡¯t a reason for him, the father, to bow to his son.


    He was annoyed about the separation as well, but it was only a momentary feeling.


    Anyway, the people in the village didn¡¯t talk about their family now.


    But hearing the news that Chi¡¯s wife had given birth to a chubby grandson, he remembered how cute and chubby Chi was when they brought him back from the mountains, and his heart started to itch.


    He held back for a few days but couldn¡¯t resist coming over in the end.


    ¡ª¡ªEven Shen Mincheng himself didn¡¯t realize that while acting as a real father should toward Shen Zhu, his heart was like that toward someone else¡¯s child.


    And while doing what a stepfather might do for Shen Chi, his heart was as if for his own child, which was either tragic or pitiable.


    Seeing it was their own son, Luo Yufang and Shen Mincheng did soften a bit, just about to agree when Shen Xiu glared over, ¡°Who believes you!


    Did Wang Zhaodi send you?


    Are you planning to take away my little nephew?¡±


    For Shen Xiu, who had suffered greatly under the same roof as Wang Zhaodi, it was evident that Wang Zhaodi was capable of anything.

 Chapter 61 - 61 38 Baby Fruit and Lele Ding

    ?61: Chapter 38 Baby Fruit and Lele Ding 61: Chapter 38 Baby Fruit and Lele Ding Hearing his own daughter¡¯s words full of malice, and then seeing the undisguised hostility in her eyes, Shen Mincheng felt a choking sensation in his heart, and his complexion turned pale.


    He seemed to only now realize that at some point, his daughter had completely turned her heart away from him.


    Seeing the hurt expression on his face, Shen Xiu turned her face away, feeling a twinge of guilt in her heart, thinking she might have gone too far.


    ¡°Wife, go bring Little Niangao out for him to see,¡± Shen Mincheng extinguished his cigarette and opened the window to ventilate.


    ¡°Little Niangao?


    Is that the child¡¯s nickname?¡± Shen Mincheng¡¯s spirits lifted as he smiled, a change from his previous dejection.


    But no one was willing to engage him.


    Upon hearing Luo Yufang¡¯s purpose of visit, Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat astonished, yet she still handed over the child.


    She didn¡¯t think Shen Mincheng would do anything to the child.


    With grandpa, grandma, and Xiuxiu there, she figured he wouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly.


    Shen Mincheng looked at his grandson who was sleeping soundly with excitement, repeatedly saying, ¡°He looks so alike, just like Chi did when he was little!¡±


    He reached out to hold him but was met with the wary gazes of everyone in the room, and suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Have you decided on a formal name?¡±


    As he said this, he turned towards his own father, thinking that if the name hadn¡¯t been chosen yet...


    ¡°It¡¯s been chosen.


    The child¡¯s mother chose it, it¡¯s Shen Yinian.


    Wanwan says it means ¡®a year of good harvest.¡¯ After all, he will be a college student in the future, different from illiterate roughnecks.


    The name she chose has a good meaning and is easy to pronounce,¡± Luo Yufang knew exactly what he was up to, and stifled him without much severity.


    Shen Mincheng had originally wanted to argue that a woman shouldn¡¯t be the one to choose a name.


    But after the veiled ridicule from his own mother, he found himself at a loss for words.


    He had been thinking that ¡°Shen Dabao¡± would have been a fine name.


    Shen Mincheng actually wanted to stay and watch his grandson for a bit longer, at least until the grandchild awakened, but seeing that the whole family didn¡¯t seem to welcome him, he could only reluctantly take his leave.


    However, as he walked to the door, he turned back, took all the money out of his pocket, and stuffed it into Little Niangao¡¯s swaddling clothes.


    ¡°This is a token of affection from me as grandpa.


    Use it to buy something nice for the child, don¡¯t let him be wronged.¡±


    Having said that, he left with frequent backward glances.


    The three generations left behind looked at each other.


    Shen Xiu raised an eyebrow, ¡°When did my father become so generous?¡±


    Although the money was in small denominations, it looked to be over a hundred yuan.


    Luo Yufang sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand either.¡±


    She had thought that her son had completely severed father-son affection with Chi, but today¡¯s words and actions seemed incongruent.


    Feeling her son safely back in her arms, Lin Xiaoguai breathed a slight sigh of relief.


    Even though she knew nothing would happen, she still couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    Seeing her son comfortably open his eyes and look over, Lin Xiaoguai sighed, realizing that there would be no nap at lunchtime.


    Little Niangao spent most of his day sleeping, but around noon, he would have a particularly lively period, lasting about an hour and a half to two hours.


    Little Niangao smacked his lips, making sucking motions, and Lin Xiaoguai smiled affectionately.


    She didn¡¯t feed him, but instead took out a milk-yellow colored fruit from her space, the size of a ping pong ball, with a pointed tip, and she could vaguely see the juice flowing through the fruit skin.


    She took out scissors to snip a tiny hole the size of a rice grain at the tip, then put it to her son¡¯s mouth.


    Little Niangao sucked instinctively, then started sucking more eagerly, his little hands reaching out from the blanket to grab the fruit.


    This type of fruit was called baby fruit and in Alien Civilization, it acted as a combined vaccination and immune booster.


    For children under the age of six, baby fruit was one of the most common snacks they ate.


    The baby fruit was scientifically cultivated.


    Because the genetic chains of the plants were too erratic and unstable, the seeds were difficult to germinate.


    She had previously bought nearly a thousand baby fruit seeds, spending nearly ten million Gold Coins, but had only managed to grow six plants.


    Fortunately, the baby fruit trees could bear fruit for at least a hundred years, enough to provide for Little Niangao until he turned six.


    ¡ª¡ªIt should be noted that time in the space passed just like the outside world; if animals and plants bred quickly, it was because of the influence of the space energy.


    Meaning, if a fruit tree could bear fruit for three years, even if it could ripen every day in the space, it would be able to produce fruit once a day for three years, with the same lifespan as it would have in the outside world.


    After finishing a baby fruit, Little Niangao seemed to want more as he sucked on the now sticky fruit skin that had clumped together.


    Lin Xiaoguai was not surprised; after all, as a scientific product aimed at children, the baby fruit naturally focused on taste and was sure to be favored by Little Niangao.

 Chapter 62 - 62 38 Baby Fruit and Lele Ding_2

    ?62: Chapter 38 Baby Fruit and Lele Ding_2 62: Chapter 38 Baby Fruit and Lele Ding_2 However, Lin Xiaoguai decided not to give baby fruit to her son anymore, but took away the fruit peel still in his mouth and took out a small box of something similar to jelly from the space.


    She took out a small fork and put a piece the size of a fingertip into her son¡¯s mouth.


    Little Niangao initially looked listless, but after a piece of ¡°jelly,¡± he instantly became spirited and looked over with bright eyes.


    This type of ¡°jelly¡± is called Lele Ding, a very popular infant health care product from an alien civilization, a purely natural product that melts in your mouth.


    It¡¯s mainly for strengthening muscles and bones.


    Don¡¯t think that health care products from alien civilizations are as infamous as those on Earth.


    In alien civilizations, there are strict official quality inspection agencies, and once it¡¯s found that the product has problems, even if it¡¯s just ineffective or not as effective as advertised, their license will be revoked.


    Thus, even the most cunning merchants wouldn¡¯t dare to tamper with these products, not to mention those that could be listed in the exchange store¡¯s catalog, which are absolutely top quality with guaranteed quality.


    Unlike baby fruit which can be consumed freely, Lele Ding is limited in quantity.


    Each child can only have one course of treatment, and exceeding this amount could lead to side effects.


    Lin Xiaoguai had collected many products beneficial for children like baby fruit and Lele Ding, which could continue to be consumed until Little Niangao grew up, costing her hundreds of millions of Gold Coins.


    When Luo Yufang came in, Lin Xiaoguai was knitting wool socks for Little Niangao; she had knitted many clothes before but had forgotten about these.


    ¡°What are you working on?¡± Luo Yufang placed the ribs soup on the writing desk, and seeing the almost finished socks in her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s hands, she couldn¡¯t help nodding to herself.


    Although Wanwan has some small flaws, her merits could not be overlooked.


    Like the socks she was knitting now, Luo Yufang had never seen socks with such big patterns in her lifetime.


    The white little socks had two milk-yellow puppies on the cuffs, both exquisite and beautiful.


    The technique obviously very complex, yet Wanwan could knit a pair of socks in just half a day.


    Lin Xiaoguai naturally wants the best for her son, and these wools are all from fiber plants she grew herself, processed by the workshop.


    It looks ordinary, but the material is actually the best.


    However, Luo Yufang only thought her granddaughter-in-law was lucky to encounter such brightly colored wool that they had never seen before.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost done, I¡¯ve already knitted three pairs at the hospital, and with this pair, it¡¯s enough for replacements.¡± Lin Xiaoguai finished the last stitch, cut off the thread, and a pair of socks was completed.


    ¡°Quickly drink this ribs soup, it¡¯s not easy to buy the lotus roots, didn¡¯t you say this lotus root ribs soup is the most fragrant?¡± Seeing her finished, Luo Yufang hurriedly handed over the soup.


    Knowing her appetite, there was only a shallow bowl of ribs soup.


    Lin Xiaoguai soon finished drinking it and handed over the empty bowl.


    But Luo Yufang didn¡¯t leave immediately, instead, she put the bowl aside, smiling happily, ¡°Just now, Sanci from next door came by and said that there will be beef at the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow.


    I¡¯m going to queue up early to bring back some beef to make soup for you.¡±


    ¡°Beef?¡± Lin Xiaoguai was somewhat surprised, as this was a rare commodity at that time.


    ¡°And it¡¯s not an old work ox either.¡± No wonder Luo Yufang was so excited, because the oxen were used for plowing fields, and it was very rare for them to eat beef here.


    Even if they got some, it was usually those old oxen that were tough and flavorless.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a sick cow, is it?¡± Lin Xiaoguai frowned at her words.


    ¡°No,¡± Luo Yufang said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked around, and the ox had one leg crushed by a tractor and couldn¡¯t plow the field anymore, so they had to slaughter it.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Xiaoguai felt relieved and stored the socks she had knitted earlier in a wicker frame beside her, and after a thought she said, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t go and queue up yourself, it¡¯s too dangerous, let someone else go for you.¡±


    Back then, people¡¯s quality wasn¡¯t as good as in later generations.


    Buying things at the cooperative was said to be queuing, but for a rush item like beef, it would definitely be a scramble.


    Grandpa and grandma were old, grandpa also had a leg injury, and Xiuxiu was too shy, there really wasn¡¯t anyone suitable at home.


    ¡°Should it be alright?¡± Luo Yufang was hesitant.


    ¡°You can never be sure; grandpa has already been injured, and if grandma you encounter something too, things at home would become chaotic.¡±


    Indeed, with a woman in confinement and an injured old man, they all depended on Luo Yufang to take care of them, although Shen Xiu occasionally came back to help, it was still nearly half a month until her winter vacation.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go ask the neighbors,¡± Luo Yufang reluctantly agreed.


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled at this, took out a piece of cloth from the wicker basket, and started measuring it.


    ¡°What are you making?¡± Luo Yufang curiously looked at the light blue cloth, thinking to herself that the color was really beautiful.


    She knew that last time her grandson secretly gave his wife quite a lot of money.


    Although they felt that the daughter-in-law spent money too freely, they were not dissatisfied because the daughter-in-law really had a good eye, and everything she bought was of good quality, and the grandson had also left money for them.


    How does the saying go¡ªonce you have a wife, you don¡¯t need a mother; if even the mother is not needed, let alone the grandmother?


    It shows that the closest person is still the one beside you, others need to step back.


    According to closeness, the one who should be dissatisfied is the daughter-in-law.


    But the daughter-in-law obviously knew but wasn¡¯t dissatisfied at all, so what right did they have to be discontent?


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to make two pairs of shoes for Little Niangao, and if there is fabric left over, I¡¯ll make him a hat too.


    When I¡¯m out of confinement, it¡¯ll also be the New Year, and I want to take him out to greet the relatives.


    Wearing a hat will keep him from the cold.¡±


    Although she knew that Shen Chi wasn¡¯t a blood son of the Shen family, nurturing grace was greater than birth grace, and senior members of the Shen family couldn¡¯t be ignored regardless.


    Moreover, apart from her father-in-law¡¯s household, there were quite a few elders in the Shen family who supported Shen Chi, and they couldn¡¯t neglect them either.


    Born in a rural area, she knew it was essential to maintain good relations with the family and the clan, even if not for seeking help when trouble arises, but also to avoid many troubles.

 Chapter 63 - 63 1 Half a Year

    ?63: Chapter 1 Half a Year 63: Chapter 1 Half a Year Spring passed and autumn arrived, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, where is Little Niangao?


    Why can¡¯t I find him in the room?¡± Shen Xiu asked with a frown and a worried expression.


    ¡°Try looking under the table,¡± Lin Xiaoguai responded without looking up from the handkerchief she was embroidering.


    Sure enough, Shen Xiu found Little Niangao under the table.


    The little boy was sound asleep with his arms and legs spread out, his small chest rising and falling rhythmically.


    She couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly and carefully picked up the little boy from under the table.


    No wonder her sister-in-law had insisted on covering the house with rugs.


    With a lively nephew like theirs, it really was necessary.


    Weighing the child in her arms, Shen Xiu exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Sister-in-law, what have you been feeding Little Niangao?


    I haven¡¯t held him for just a month, and he¡¯s become so heavy?¡±


    ¨C To prepare for the middle school exams, she hadn¡¯t been home for a month, and usually only saw her little nephew when her sister-in-law brought her meals.


    In half a year, Shen Xiu had also changed significantly, thanks to Lin Xiaoguai who always prepared nutritious and tasty food and the continuous use of homemade soap, she finally looked like a blossoming young girl should.


    With snowy skin, black hair, and wearing a blouse and long skirt made by Lin Xiaoguai, her originally plain appearance had become especially striking.


    Although she had changed a lot herself, Shen Xiu felt that the biggest change was in her sister-in-law.


    After more than a year of using spiritual spring water for ¡°Wash Marrow and Cut Tendons,¡± Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s skin had become even more delicate and glowing, so smooth that not even pores were visible, enhancing her already exquisite features.


    Her previously somewhat dry hair, improved by the homemade soap, now flowed like a black waterfall, incomparable even to the world¡¯s most luxurious black satin.


    If the change in appearance was subtle and hardly noticeable without close attention, the change in her aura was revolutionary.


    Her long hair loosely braided and hanging to the side, always dressed in simple blouses and long skirts, and a slight smile that made it hard to look away.


    It was as if something had settled, or like a jade being polished, exuding a restrained and gracious beauty.


    Shen Xiu thought, if her brother came back and saw his wife like this, he would definitely be stunned.


    But...


    It had been more than half a year without any news from her brother.


    Even during the years he was on the battlefield, he tried to come back for the New Year, but last year he didn¡¯t, and he didn¡¯t even send a letter explaining why.


    In the neighborhood and in Yuanjiazhuang, rumors had started that her brother had been sacrificed.


    Initially, she would confront those spreading the rumors, but gradually she found it meaningless.


    But her sister-in-law...


    seemed always composed.


    Her heart didn¡¯t know what to feel, it was as if she was relieved yet also somewhat dissatisfied.


    ¡°It¡¯s heavy, right?


    Last time, grandpa sneaked some fatty meat into his mouth, and he got addicted.


    Grandpa wouldn¡¯t listen to me, always feeding him meat behind my back,¡± Lin Xiaoguai also felt helpless.


    Their son was not even nine months old, and if not for the variety of health-boosting things she fed him, eating meat like that, he would have probably been sick vomiting and having diarrhea.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, having something to eat is good,¡± Shen Xiu remarked nonchalantly, remembering when they had little to eat during their own childhood.


    Perhaps due to Shen Chi¡¯s continued absence, besides Lin Xiaoguai, the other three in the family doted on Little Niangao excessively.


    Shen Xiu sat beside Lin Xiaoguai and placed her little nephew on her lap, turning to look at the handkerchief in her hands, ¡°Is this for Little Niangao?¡± The lifelike little white cat on it certainly wasn¡¯t suitable for anyone else.


    Her sister-in-law¡¯s embroidery work was exceptionally fine¡ªthough many locals could stitch, none had ever seen the extraordinary embroidery skills like her sister-in-law¡¯s.


    Perhaps that¡¯s the difference between a genius and an ordinary person.


    Sometimes she really didn¡¯t understand her sister-in-law, who would rather run tutoring classes to earn money for the house than sell her embroidery.


    Once, a lady from the provincial city offered two hundred yuan to buy her handkerchief, but she refused.


    Last month, someone came to buy their little embroidered screen of ¡®Red Plum in the Snow¡¯ for two thousand yuan, and her sister-in-law likewise refused without hesitation.


    Initially, she and her grandparents felt it was a pity, but after similar incidents, they simply turned a blind eye.


    ¡°Yes, he likes this little cat the most,¡± Lin Xiaoguai smiled lightly, her son had already started to develop his own taste in aesthetics.


    Shen Xiu rummaged through the basket of needlework and found a half-finished bright pink blouse, her eyes lit up, ¡°Is this for me?¡± She knew her sister-in-law didn¡¯t like wearing brightly colored clothes, and neither did her grandparents suit such vivid colors.

 Chapter 64 - 64 1 Half a Year_2

    ?64: Chapter 1 Half a Year_2 64: Chapter 1 Half a Year_2 The clothes she wore now were all made by her sister-in-law, which, although no different from what others wore, somehow stood out more brightly when she put them on.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded, ¡°I just have one sleeve left to finish, and then I¡¯ll add something to the hem, and it¡¯ll be ready.


    After this, I¡¯ll make a white skirt to go with it for you to wear when you start vocational school.¡±


    The styles of clothing at the time were quite simple, with only a few variations, so she focused her attention on the cutting and embroidery.


    She actually wanted to make herself a Qipao, but wearing one in those times was too flashy; even the more conservative, modified styles would attract disapproving comments.


    Shen Xiu listened and felt happy, but also a bit nervous, ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I can pass the entrance exam.¡±


    She had decided not to take the high school entrance exam and aimed for nursing school instead, enabling her to enter the workforce sooner.


    Her family had tried to persuade her otherwise, but she felt that even if she went to high school, she might not get into university and couldn¡¯t always trouble her sister-in-law for tutoring.


    ¡°As long as you perform at your normal level, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± Because she had been tutoring Shen Xiu and Jiang Xiaomei all along, Lin Xiaoguai was very clear about their academic levels.


    However, for Jiang Xiaomei to get into a university this year seemed a bit unlikely, she wasn¡¯t even confident about making it into a college.


    ¡°Ah, Little Niangao is awake!¡± Shen Xiu exclaimed suddenly.


    Lin Xiaoguai looked over, and sure enough, Little Niangao, with eyes as big as grapes, was smiling at her and happily reaching out for her to hold him.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s gaze softened as she picked him up and kissed his forehead, ¡°Is my little treasure awake?¡±


    Little Niangao became more excited, flapping his arms and legs as he climbed onto her, succeeded, and then flashed a gummy smile before planting a kiss on Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s chin.


    Lin Xiaoguai kissed his chin, and he returned the kiss, continuing the cycle, both mother and son thoroughly enjoying the game.


    Feeling left out, Shen Xiu suffered in silence.


    Her sister-in-law often said they spoiled Little Niangao too much, not realizing that the person who spoiled him the most was his mother.


    ¡°By the way, Xiu¡¯er, did you send the frostbite cream to your third aunt?¡± Lin Xiaoguai suddenly remembered and turned to ask.


    If she had to say what she had gained in the last six months, it was maintaining a good relationship with all the Shen Family¡¯s relatives except for grandpa.


    Lin Xiaoguai was a very smart person, and though her character made it difficult for many to become close to her, maintaining a friendly but not too intimate relationship was not a problem for her.


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Shen Xiu smiled, ¡°Third Aunt even called to thank you, saying that the frostbite cream was a huge help.¡±


    Third Aunt Shen Minshu worked in the freezer of a food factory.


    Even though she could wear cotton-padded clothes, her hands still suffered severe frostbite after long periods.


    Making frostbite cream was a simple task for Lin Xiaoguai, yet it earned her gratitude.


    Why wouldn¡¯t she do it?


    Shen Xiu found her sister-in-law to be particularly magical, skilled in making handmade soap, frostbite cream, tailoring, embroidery, knitting, cooking...


    How could anyone be so talented in so many things?


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said softly, while she changed her son¡¯s drool-soaked bib with a new one.


    ¡°Sister, grandma said Little Niangao is starting to teethe?¡± Lin Xiaoguai chatted with her nephew as she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early, it¡¯s just that his gums are a little white.¡± Lin Xiaoguai felt her son¡¯s nappy, then suddenly realized one of his shoes was missing and frowned, ¡°Where¡¯s the other shoe?¡±


    Shen Xiu looked and, sure enough, the nephew had a woolen baby shoe in alternating blue and white stripes on just one foot.


    She couldn¡¯t help but admire inappropriately how delicate and beautiful the things her sister-in-law made were.


    Lin Xiaoguai had already started searching, her gaze focused, landing on the corner of the table, ¡°There it is.¡± It probably came off while her son was crawling.


    Shen Xiu picked it up and put it on her nephew, poking his face and saying, ¡°Little Niangao, you¡¯re too naughty!


    Don¡¯t crawl under the table in the future, what if you bump your head?¡± However, her tone was very gentle, without any harshness.


    Little Niangao was an active child, always full of curiosity about unfamiliar things, and had crawled all over the front and back yards of the house.


    Lin Xiaoguai, however, preferred to secretly follow behind him and protect him rather than restrict his movements.


    It wasn¡¯t indulgence, she just felt that a child¡¯s nature should not be suppressed.


    She always believed that only a child whose nature was allowed to develop could achieve the most and live the happiest life.


    ¡°Ee-ah...¡± At this moment, Little Niangao in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s arms seemed to be dissatisfied with his mother¡¯s lack of attention, floundering his head into her embrace.


    Lin Xiaoguai felt a pang in her chest and a bit helplessly scratched her son¡¯s itch, watching him laugh giggle without a care.


    ¡°You little rascal!¡±


    Little Niangao didn¡¯t understand what his mother was saying, but seeing her smile at him made him reach out happily to touch her face.


    Lin Xiaoguai let him do so, not minding even if her face was pinched out of shape.


    Shen Xiu watched curiously, thinking her sister-in-law had something special for her nephew, with not a hint of the sternness mothers often showed their sons, as if she had endless patience.


    She never forced Little Niangao to do anything, and even though he couldn¡¯t yet express himself, she tried hard to communicate and interact with him.


    She thought that Little Niangao¡¯s fondness for his mother was not only due to the natural bond between mother and child but also with good reason.


    She and grandpa and grandma also loved Little Niangao dearly, but sometimes when he did aggravating things, they couldn¡¯t help getting angry and their words to him would inadvertently carry a hint of that anger.


    But her sister-in-law had never done so.


    Shen Xiu sighed and took an apple from the cupboard, cut it in half, and began to scoop out apple puree to feed her nephew.


    Little Niangao was not insistent on being fed by his mother; he preferred her to play with him.


    ¡ª¡ªThey never had apples before; they just started appearing earlier this year.


    The first time her sister-in-law saw them, she bought two pounds to take home.


    At first, she and grandpa and grandma were reluctant to eat them, wanting to save them for Little Niangao.


    Later, as her sister-in-law kept buying them every other day, it would have been wasteful not to eat them, so they started, and now it had become a habit.

 Chapter 65 - 65 2 Consolation Money

    ?65: Chapter 2: Consolation Money?


    65: Chapter 2: Consolation Money?


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be sad.


    Even if your grandson has sacrificed himself, with such a large sum of condolence money, your whole family can still make ends meet.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, don¡¯t take it the wrong way, but the living are more important than the dead.


    You must keep in mind Little Niangao who hasn¡¯t grown up yet.¡±


    ¡°Big sister, listen to me, save this money.


    Little Niangao is so young, his schooling and future endeavors will all depend on this sum.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Xiao Guai is so smart, Little Niangao will surely be good at studying too.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law Luo, is your grandson¡¯s condolence money really 5,000 yuan?


    That can¡¯t be true, I remember a child from my hometown sacrificed on the battlefield and only received two hundred yuan.¡±


    ...


    Listening to the well-meaning, the gloating, and the probing comments around her, Lin Xiaoguai and Luo Yufang felt their faces stiffen.


    After finally sending everyone away, Luo Yufang sighed, ¡°Really bad luck.¡±


    But her expression didn¡¯t match the lightness of her tone.


    It seemed simple enough.


    Shen Chi had sent back 5,000 yuan.


    When they went to the post office with the money order to collect the funds, their luck was such that they ran into the biggest gossip in the community, Ma Yumei.


    Now, the whole neighborhood knew.


    And someone had started the rumor that the 5,000 yuan was condolence money sent by the military leaders after Shen Chi¡¯s sacrifice.


    Luo Yufang and Shen Zhangming hadn¡¯t even considered this until it was pointed out, and it had some effect on their hearts.


    Even Lin Xiaoguai felt strange about it.


    She didn¡¯t think the money was condolence money, but Shen Chi was behaving unusually this time.


    In her last life, even though he had been vigilant about her running away, Shen Chi would always find time to visit grandpa and grandma during the holidays.


    He would diligently check in with her every ten minutes by phone, paranoid she might escape, but he never failed to visit.


    It showed how much he valued his grandparents.


    Unless it was utterly impossible, he would never go a whole year without contact.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s put this aside for now.


    We¡¯ll talk about it after Xiuwa finishes her exams,¡± said Shen Zhangming, stepping out of the room with a blank expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Little Niangao.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai used her son as an excuse to retreat to her room and looked at him, spread-eagled and snoring softly in his sleep, like a little hegemon.


    Her face showed a trace of struggle.


    Her fingers lightly traced Little Niangao¡¯s cheek, and finally, in an almost inaudible voice, she said, ¡°My treasure, you don¡¯t understand now, but Mommy doesn¡¯t want you to grow up in a single-parent family.¡±


    Early in the morning, the family escorted Shen Xiu to the school gate and watched her enter the examination hall.


    ¡°Xiao Guai, my scores are out,¡± Jiang Xiaomei came over, grabbing Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    Jiang Xiaomei bit her lip, ¡°401 points.¡± The score was much higher than her expectations, but she still wasn¡¯t sure if it was enough to get into a junior college.


    Although there had been great changes for Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Xiu over the past six months, nothing compared to Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s transformation.


    Her previously round, slightly chubby-faced bun had become much slimmer; her features, while not particularly striking, were comfortably above average.


    She had lost her earlier body fat, replaced by a curvaceous figure that even Lin Xiaoguai found astonishingly fiery, and at five feet five inches tall, she was quite towering and fit by the standards of the time.


    Mr.


    and Mrs.


    Jiang had also taken Beauty Pills, but as they were older, the effects weren¡¯t as dramatic as for Xiaomei.


    Now, they just looked slightly overweight instead of their former size, with their greatest benefit being the significant improvement in their hypertension and heart disease.


    Lin Xiaoguai quickly estimated in her head.


    In her previous life at this time, she had intended to retake the college entrance exam.


    Although she never made it, she remembered the score thresholds for admission to various universities and junior colleges.


    With Xiaomei¡¯s scores, if she were in the Capital, she would readily be admitted into a normal university, with at least twenty points above the admission line.


    But here in their Z province, which notoriously had one of the highest thresholds in the country, they had no choice but to consider a junior college.


    Lin Xiaoguai carefully compared Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s choices, which were based on her advice, against her own memories, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, there were still options.


    ¡ªCapital Preschool Teachers¡¯ College.


    ¡°Xiao Mei, would you mind if your future students are all little tots?¡± Lin Xiaoguai had her own plans.


    If Xiaomei attended the Capital Preschool Teachers¡¯ College, she could become her son¡¯s teacher after graduation, which would give her peace of mind.


    Besides, a kindergarten might suit Xiaomei¡¯s character even better than a higher institution.


    It was fortunate that Lin Xiaoguai had insisted Xiaomei applied for this junior college.


    ¡°Do you mean?¡± Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s face lit up with joy, nodding repeatedly, ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything, as long as I can be a teacher.¡±


    With reassurance from Lin Xiaoguai, Jiang Xiaomei let go of her anxiety from the past days and settled down completely.


    Back home, after feeding milk to Little Niangao, Lin Xiaoguai watched her son crawl joyfully on the bed, her heart filled with myriad thoughts, yet, she could only sigh softly.


    J Province Military Hospital


    ¡°You really have a knack for this, don¡¯t you?


    I was all prepared to collect your corpse, and here you are, coming back without any fuss,¡± said Wei Qiang, as he peeled an apple, his face full of joy.


    He truly hadn¡¯t expected Shen Chi to return in one piece from that hellish Golden Triangle, well...


    not exactly in one piece, he glanced at Shen Chi¡¯s cast-covered leg.


    Remembering what the doctor had said, he sighed inwardly, thinking this was for the best.


    If Shen Chi couldn¡¯t return to the front lines, higher-ups wouldn¡¯t be able to hassle him.


    When it came to cunning and schemes, Shen Chi certainly didn¡¯t need to fear anyone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a son to raise, how could I afford to be reckless with my life?¡± Shen Chi¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile, a gleam of cunning light flickering in his downcast eyes.


    Thinking of the truth that the man who claimed to be his brother had told him, his expression grew so cold it was suffocating.


    Wei Qiang thought that Shen Chi was only thinking of the repeated entrapments by those above him over the years, and didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    ¡°You should be careful yourself, don¡¯t flaunt too much.


    Haven¡¯t you seen Commander Qin¡¯s constipated face?


    You skipped two ranks in one go, leaping from a Captain of a deputy regiment-level position to a Lieutenant Colonel of a full regiment-level position.


    He¡¯s probably seething inside.


    Despite that you¡¯ve earned such great merits, and the higher-ups are watching, he has to put on a happy and relieved face.


    If you show off in front of him again, I¡¯m afraid it might drive him mad,¡± Wei Qiang said, half-serious, half-joking.


    Qin Chenggong was a thorough scoundrel, and stupid to boot.


    Previous superiors tried time and again to entrap Shen Chi, but after a while, he managed to handle them with ease.


    However, with Qin Chenggong¡¯s arrival, he found it somewhat exhausting.


    No wonder, it¡¯s hard for a smart person to understand the thoughts of a fool, especially when that fool is your superior.


    An unexpected and low-level trap can still give one a headache.


    Shen Chi knew he meant well, and verbally agreed, though inside, he wished he could tear the man to pieces.


    ¡ªthat imbecile Qin Chenggong, he had once again lowered Shen Chi¡¯s expectations of stupidity to a new level!


    Forget previous incidents, but the bastard had actually come up with the sinister idea of swapping all their ammunition for duds.


    And damn it, it was effective!


    He dared not imagine¡ªhad he not secured an arms cache from a small gang, and had he not met that ¡°brother,¡± whether he would have still been alive to return.


    Even so, at least thirty of his men had died unnecessarily.


    If he didn¡¯t kill Qin Chenggong, he wouldn¡¯t be Shen Chi!


    ¡°By the way, have you brought over the mail from my dorm?¡± Shen Chi asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Seeing Shen Chi¡¯s glare, Wei Qiang quickly explained, ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t get it for you, there just wasn¡¯t any.¡±


    Shen Chi looked incredulous.


    Wanwan might be excused, but how could grandpa and grandma not write him a single letter?


    Wei Qiang hesitated and then said, ¡°The old man in the mailroom said that all your mail had been taken by Commander Qin.¡±


    Crack¡ª


    Witnessing the apple being squeezed in half, Wei Qiang thought to himself, well, those previous words were in vain.


    Not to mention, Commander Qin really wasn¡¯t presentable, always doing such mean-spirited things.


    ¡°That money should¡¯ve been sent out, right?¡± Shen Chi asked with an unchanged expression.


    ¡°It has been sent.¡± Wei Qiang hesitated, then added, ¡°Actually, I think you shouldn¡¯t have sent that money.


    With money comes danger.


    Your entire family is vulnerable, and with such a large sum, you might just attract thieves.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my wife is clever, she definitely knows how to hide the money,¡± Shen Chi trusted in his wife¡¯s intelligence completely.


    Seeing his confidence, Wei Qiang didn¡¯t say any more, but continued, ¡°There¡¯s more than that.


    You haven¡¯t been in touch for over half a year, suddenly sending 5,000 yuan back home, aren¡¯t you worried they might take it as compensation for your death?¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for Shen Chi grabbing him and rushing to instruct him just before going into surgery, leaving him no chance to refuse, he would have tried to stop this kind of behavior long ago.


    In those days, the communication between the military and civilian life was neither fast nor comprehensive, and such problems were indeed possible.


    Shen Chi¡¯s face suddenly stiffened, ¡°They should...


    probably not.¡±


    The reason he was in such a hurry to send money back was that he had calculated that his family should be almost out of the money he sent last time.


    His son couldn¡¯t be allowed to suffer.


    ¡ªhe had long realized that his wife was not shy about spending money, but he was happy for her to spend his money.


    Only in that way did he feel like ¡°the husband.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see about that,¡± Wei Qiang said coolly.


    Shen Chi suddenly became anxious.


    Other people were one thing, but grandma had once suffered a stroke because of Wang Zhaodi.


    If something urgent happened, he would regret it with nowhere to turn!


    Seeing his real panic, Wei Qiang stopped watching from the sidelines, pulled something out of his pocket, and handed it to him, ¡°Here, I barely managed to borrow this.¡±


    Shen Chi saw it and was overjoyed.


    He quickly took the bulky cell phone and dialed the neighborhood committee¡¯s phone number.


    After the call was picked up, he waited for someone to come over.


    After an anxious wait, he finally heard a familiar voice and heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s me.


    Are you doing okay at home?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.


    I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened, what could have happened?


    We were in closed training, and there was no advance notice, so I didn¡¯t get a chance to tell you all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I sent the money.


    What do you mean waste?


    How can spending on a child be considered a waste?¡±


    ¡°...No need, if the child is asleep, let it be.


    No, I can talk when I get back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it then, we¡¯ll talk about the rest when I come back.¡±

 Chapter 66 - 66 3 Shen Chi = M

    ?66: Chapter 3: Shen Chi = M?


    66: Chapter 3: Shen Chi = M?


    ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± Seeing Wei Qiang take back the large cell phone and stay seated, Shen Chi raised an eyebrow.


    Wei Qiang touched his nose, ¡°Well, Yao Qian asked me to ask if you have gotten a marriage certificate when you married?¡±


    The sentence Shen Chi shouted excitedly after answering the phone back then, ¡°I have a son now!¡± had completely exposed his married status.


    Although there had been rumors before, without his confirmation, some people still held onto some fantasies.


    Yao Qian, mentioned by him, was a member of the Cultural Troupe, a pretty girl who had liked Shen Chi for several years.


    Even though she had been rejected when she confessed, she didn¡¯t give up, taking into account her younger age and the fact that Shen Chi had never been attached.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a pointless question?¡± Shen Chi curled his lips, ¡°If I didn¡¯t legally occupy, could I rest assured?¡±


    Wei Qiang thought about it, that made sense.


    Shen Chi might look flashy, but he had several infuriating bad habits in private; possessiveness was definitely a major one.


    Yao Qian should finally give up now, right?


    But...


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve been promoted, you can apply for your family to join the military, do you want your wife to come over?¡±


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t even respond this time, just gave him a cold look.


    Wei Qiang said helplessly, ¡°What I mean is, if your wife comes over, she might be troubled by the other female soldiers.¡±


    Indeed, the ¡°fat water¡± of the military had flowed into the field of an ¡°outsider¡±; would this ¡°outsider¡± face hostility?


    Shen Chi¡¯s expression paused for a moment, but he didn¡¯t show the distress Wei Qiang expected, and simply said, ¡°Whether I¡¯ll still be here by then is another matter.¡±


    Wei Qiang knew this person never spoke without reason, and was immediately alarmed, ¡°You¡¯re transferring?!¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, would I let my son stay in this godforsaken place?¡± Shen Chi looked disgusted.


    The place wasn¡¯t bad, after all, it was a tourist destination, but their troop¡¯s location was not far from the deep mountains.


    Could it be that his son would attend that informal private school?


    With his ability and his wife¡¯s intelligence, how could his son be any less capable?


    Wouldn¡¯t that be wasting his talent?


    Wei Qiang¡¯s face became blank at the thought.


    Indeed, most of the soldiers who stayed were young.


    First, because the training was intensive, and secondly, to transfer to places with better educational quality for their children.


    Only a few older soldiers came after their children were grown.


    If he was married, he would definitely consider transferring as well.


    These days, being a college graduate was the most glorious achievement, and anyone with a bit of sense placed importance on their children¡¯s education.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s talk about this later, I won¡¯t disturb your rest anymore.¡± Wei Qiang looked at the time, stood up, and took his leave.


    Lin Xiaoguai carried her son out of the room and saw both grandpa and grandma wearing joyful expressions.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    Luo Yufang approached to play with her great-grandson, laughing, ¡°Chi called and said he¡¯d be back in a while.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai was taken aback, then smiled, ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± But that was all she said, her expression not showing excitement.


    Luo Yufang¡¯s face remained joyful, but inside she sighed.


    If this young couple could truly live in harmony, she would be able to rest easy.


    Little Niangao, feeling ignored by both great-grandma and grandpa, became unhappy.


    He grabbed Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hair and pulled hard, causing her to wince in pain and almost stumble to the ground.


    Luo Yufang was startled and quickly reached out to steady her, laughing with a hint of irritation, ¡°You naughty boy, taking advantage of your mother¡¯s good temper and bullying her.¡±


    Little Niangao didn¡¯t understand what she was saying but knew it was fun, bouncing up and down in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s arms, almost too much for her to hold.


    ¡°The kid is really strong,¡± Shen Zhangming chuckled from the side.


    Seeing his increasing excitement, Lin Xiaoguai quickly sat down and pulled out a Rubik¡¯s cube for him to play with.


    Little Niangao didn¡¯t understand the rules of the game; he just liked the myriad of colors that appeared when the cube was twisted.


    After two-and-a-half days, Shen Xiu walked out of the exam hall, and the family finally felt the heavy burden lift off their shoulders.


    Many kids had fainted in the past two days due to the intense stress.


    ¡°Sis-in-law, I think I did well on the exam.


    Everyone said the last math problem was difficult, but I solved it, though I don¡¯t know if it was correct.¡± When she got home, Shen Xiu wrote down the questions she remembered and her answers to show Lin Xiaoguai.


    ¡°You did it correctly,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a smile.


    Although Xiu¡¯er didn¡¯t have much talent for studying, her sciences were surprisingly much better than her humanities, which was rare among girls.


    ¡°By the way, my brother¡¯s coming back.


    You should make some clothes for him,¡± Shen Xiu cuddled her hand and playfully said.


    All the family¡¯s clothes were now made by Lin Xiaoguai, except for Shen Chi, the husband who should have had this privilege originally.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaoguai paused, then smiled, ¡°Okay, do you have your brother¡¯s measurements?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll get them for you.¡±


    Watching Shen Xiu leave, bouncing and jumping, Lin Xiaoguai sighed.


    She understood what Xiu¡¯er meant, and she knew she couldn¡¯t continue like this.


    Little Niangao needed her dad, so she was bound to be entangled with that man for life.


    Her own mindset needed to change.


    She was determined to capture that man¡¯s heart just like she did in her past life, only...


    Lin Xiaoguai felt somewhat at a loss.


    In her past life, besides making trouble with Shen Chi, giving him the cold shoulder, showing him attitude, and provoking him with her words, what else had she done?


    She was a bit skeptical.


    Could it be that Shen Chi was actually an M?


    Shen Chi was unaware of his wife¡¯s silent criticism.


    He packed up his change of clothes and, leaning on his crutches, left the hospital without a pause and went straight back to the dormitory.


    ¡°Shen Chi, you¡¯re back.¡± Yang Wanjun, holding a basin of dirty clothes he had brought back from the bathhouse, saw him approaching with a surprised and delighted expression.


    ¡°Back from the bathhouse?¡± Shen Chi walked shoulder to shoulder with him.


    Yang Wanjun nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m really not as young as I once was.


    Today, I was almost tricked by those little brats.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t congratulated you on your meteoric rise.¡± His tone held no trace of jealousy, just pure joy for his friend¡¯s success.


    ¡°It¡¯s all been earned with blood and sweat,¡± Shen Chi responded indifferently.


    The smile on Yang Wanjun¡¯s face faded slightly.


    Once they reached the second floor, he threw his dirty clothes into his room, locked the door, and went next door to Shen Chi¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you: Yu Lun that bastard has been disciplined, and this time Qin Chenggong can¡¯t save him.


    Just wait and see.


    Even if he¡¯s not stripped of military status, he¡¯ll be demoted for sure,¡± Yang Wanjun said with a hint of schadenfreude.


    Despite his name, which suggested some sophistication, more so than Wei Qiang¡¯s, he was really just a rough man who acted before thinking.


    ¡°Did Chen Han do it?¡± Shen Chi¡¯s eyes conveyed understanding.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Yang Wanjun asked, surprised.


    Shen Chi just smiled without answering.


    Yu Lun was Qin Chenggong¡¯s lapdog, in charge of logistics and equipment, and having been involved in a previous shitty situation, it was easy to guess who actually carried it out.


    Chen Han was always meticulous and had long been on guard against Yu Lun.


    No matter how carefully Yu Lun covered his tracks, Chen Han would spot his slip-ups afterward.


    Moreover, being sharp and calculating, Chen Han likely took this opportunity to strike when he was sure to succeed.


    Yang Wanjun, well aware of his own cunning nature, didn¡¯t press for an answer and changed the subject.


    ¡°Chen Han mentioned you might be transferred soon.


    Is that true?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Yang Wanjun took it as an affirmation and continued, ¡°If you leave, what fun would there be for our group?¡±


    Despite Shen Chi¡¯s cultured appearance, he knew how to have a good time better than anyone; importantly, the fun he sought also made money.


    If it weren¡¯t for him pulling strings for them, their families would probably struggle to get by.


    ¡°I almost forgot about that,¡± Shen Chi said, sitting upright.


    ¡°While I¡¯m still here, let¡¯s all withdraw from Liu Lao¡¯s deal.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Yang Wanjun¡¯s face showed reluctance.


    The business with Liu Lao was profitable, and though he had put in the least amount of money initially, he was now making a hundred or so each month.


    His aging parents and younger siblings were reliant on that money for marriage expenses.


    ¡°Are you dumb?¡± Shen Chi scolded, exasperated.


    ¡°Let me ask you, has the dividend you¡¯ve received in the months I¡¯ve been gone remained unchanged?¡±


    Yang Wanjun nodded.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it supposed to be entering a stable phase now?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Shen Chi swore openly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been less than a year, how can any industry reach its stable phase so quickly?


    They¡¯re fooling you, and you¡¯ve fallen for it.¡±


    ¡°This transport business is just getting started.


    When would it be in decline?¡±


    Out of all their brothers, there were smart ones like Wei Qiang and Chen Han, but as for those who had a natural talent for business, no one could match him.


    ¡°Does Liu Lao dare to deceive me?¡± Yang Wanjun was instantly angry.


    ¡°You¡¯re easy to deceive,¡± Shen Chi said nonchalantly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Yang Wanjun was astonished.


    Among them, Shen Chi, despite his impeccable appearance, was far from good-natured.


    His mind was more petty than a needlepoint.


    Shen Chi chuckled, ¡°Why would I be angry?


    He hasn¡¯t shortchanged me.¡± Even though he was petty, he knew the rules.


    The moment Liu Lao heard he was back, he¡¯d dutifully returned the money, leaving Shen Chi with no reason to be upset.


    ¡°So, he¡¯s been tricking us all along?¡± Yang Wanjun¡¯s face showed conflict but he still hesitated.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re fine, he shouldn¡¯t dare to cheat us out of our money.


    It¡¯s an income higher than our salaries, without it, my meager wages can¡¯t support the whole family.¡±


    Shen Chi was speechless.


    ¡°Why do you think I spent my vacation working at Liu Lao¡¯s place instead of resting?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because...¡± you¡¯re bored, right?


    Yang Wanjun didn¡¯t dare finish the sentence under Shen Chi¡¯s gaze.


    Shen Chi shook his head and sighed.


    ¡°Liu Lao is anything but honest.


    Transport work can¡¯t be done without connections.


    Small, trivial profits aside, how could I rest easy with such a large investment without looking after it?¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m leaving, I can¡¯t supervise from afar, and I can¡¯t just leave those shares untouched.¡±


    ¡°With your limited business acumen, you¡¯re not even enough for Liu Lao to toy with one of his fingers.


    While I¡¯m here, Liu Lao will likely sell at a good price out of respect for me.


    It¡¯s better than losing everything in the end.¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 4 Flowers

    ?67: Chapter 4 Flowers 67: Chapter 4 Flowers ¡°Mr.


    Lin, we¡¯re heading back now,¡± they said, ¡°We¡¯ll come to visit you again.¡±


    ¡°Take care on your way back.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s smile was faint as she watched her students leave the alley until they were out of sight.


    These kids were all students from the tutoring classes she had organized, primarily those whose grades were not so good or who were uncertain about getting into their desired schools.


    But now, the results of their most recent exams had far exceeded their original levels, and today they came to express their gratitude with gifts.


    It wasn¡¯t just today¡ªI¡¯m sure our home won¡¯t have a moment of peace in the coming days.


    As soon as she stepped back into her room, she saw Luo Yufang joyfully looking at something on the ground and couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This is a real treasure,¡± Luo Yufang replied as she opened the bag to reveal a soft-shelled turtle inside.


    ¡°Look at this size, it must weigh at least three pounds, I wonder how it was caught.¡±


    ¡°It must have been caught specially,¡± she remembered one of her students mentioning they had learned fishing with the adults.


    Luo Yufang put the turtle into a basin of water and stood up with a smile, ¡°Ever since you started this tutoring class, we haven¡¯t had to spend money on vegetables during the holidays.¡± Although not everyone could afford to give gifts as expensive as soft-shelled turtles, there were those who brought vegetables, others who brought eggs, and even some who brought fabric and brown sugar.


    Lin Xiaoguai originally did not want to accept these gifts; after all, she never taught the classes for free.


    But as it was customary in their community to give teachers gifts for good grades, it was difficult for her to break the tradition.


    However, she was adamant about not accepting any money.


    After all, she had lived in the future and even had experience teaching as an alien master.


    With how hardworking her students were, it would have been difficult for them not to improve after her classes.


    Today was still fine, with just a few students bringing a soft-shelled turtle, but after the results came out for the college entrance exam with two of her students getting into university and three into college, one well-off parent had actually brought a bicycle as a gift.


    Despite her insistence, they only reluctantly took the bicycle back; however, she couldn¡¯t refuse the radio that followed.


    Now, that same radio was given to Shen Zhangming to listen to operas.


    He carried it everywhere, wiping it clean multiple times a day, treating it almost like a relic, while Luo Yufang and Shen Xiu quite approved of this.


    Thinking about how the refrigerator in the kitchen was treated with the same reverence, Lin Xiaoguai could hardly voice any complaints.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make some soup with this turtle and take a bowl over to little aunt¡¯s place,¡± Lin Xiaoguai suggested.


    The youngest daughter of their family, Shen Minying, used to be both beautiful and intelligent and had married Zhao Shuhua, a man from the county town.


    But during difficult times, coupled with Zhao Shuhua¡¯s family background, their whole family fell on hard times and ended up being sent to the far northwest to reclaim wasteland until they managed to find their way back last year.


    The thing was, both little aunt Shen Minying and Zhao Shuhua had sustained injuries and were in poor health, and their children were not faring much better.


    Due to the close relationship between the two families, whenever one made something tasty and nutritious, they would think of sharing with the other.


    Fortunately, the two families didn¡¯t live far apart, so it wasn¡¯t too much of a hassle.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll take it over later,¡± Luo Yufang, too, felt sympathy for her daughter and son-in-law, but since they relied on their grandson for support, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to be openly giving things to her daughter¡¯s family without her granddaughter-in-law mentioning it first.


    Fortunately, her granddaughter-in-law was a kind person and sometimes even more thoughtful than Luo Yufang herself.


    ¡°Right, the knee pads I made for little aunt and Zhao Shuhua are ready, as well as the rheumatism ointment and the Poria Cake, with all the directions written down.


    Zhao Shuhua can read it, so grandma, please also take these over to them when you go,¡± said Lin Xiaoguai, who always believed in repaying kindness with greater kindness.


    Little aunt¡¯s family was good to her and Little Niangao, so naturally, she intended to reciprocate.


    ¡°Great, great, great,¡± Luo Yufang was so delighted she nearly cried.


    Having used the handmade soap her granddaughter-in-law made, and her daughter Min Shu saying the frostbite ointment was effective, she had full confidence in Wanwan¡¯s capabilities.


    She was sure that Minying and her husband would suffer less.


    ¡°By the way, I made extra Poria Cake, so grandma, keep some for yourself, and the rest we can send to elder aunt and the others.¡± The aunts who lived far away sent money or other items ¨C not much but always filled with sentiment.


    Their letters of greetings never ceased, and Lin Xiao Guai acknowledged their kindness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it for my old bones; send it all to Minjuan and the others,¡± said Luo Yufang.


    Thanks to her daughter-in-law and grandson, she was well taken care of, her health actually better than her daughters¡¯, aside from those two years when Wang Zhaodi joined the family and angered her into having a stroke.


    ¡°Grandma, you shouldn¡¯t be so reluctant; I can always make more for you.


    There¡¯s no need to be so thrifty,¡± Lin Xiaoguai disagreed.


    Hearing this, Luo Yufang didn¡¯t insist any further.


    Her granddaughter-in-law was truly generous.


    At first, they worried about Chi, but after seeing that she knew not only how to spend money but also how to earn it, they relaxed.


    ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Xiuwa?¡± Luo Yufang suddenly remembered that it had been a while, and she hoped her granddaughter wasn¡¯t still lazing around in bed.


    ¡°She went to the movies with her friends,¡± Lin Xiaoguai replied as she lifted Little Niangao from the stroller and began to wipe his face with a wrung-out towel.


    ¡°What movie did they go see?


    How wasteful of money!?¡± Luo Yufang complained.


    She knew it must have been money given by Wanwan, and that Xiuwa had been spoiled rotten in the past six months, constantly going to the park or to the movies, her character turning wild, not even thinking of coming home to help with chores.


    Yet, seeing how Xiuwa had become more and more cheerful and assertive, without the gloomy timidity of the past, she was actually quite happy about it.


    Knowing her grandma was just saying it, Lin Xiaoguai smiled, ¡°She¡¯s still young.


    If she doesn¡¯t have fun now, should she wait until she¡¯s married and has kids?


    By then, she¡¯ll have her mother-in-law to watch over her.


    We should let her enjoy herself while she can.¡±


    ¡°Besides, she got into the Medical College, so she deserves some reward, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I can never win an argument with you, anyway, you and your sister-in-law are always in cahoots.¡± Although Luo Yufang said that, her expression was actually smiling.


    Shen Xiu came back from outside, happy and pleased, while Lin Xiaoguai was indoors writing.


    Hearing the knock, she didn¡¯t even lift her head and said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I brought you sunflower seeds and soda.¡± It was only because Lin Xiaoguai had suddenly given her two yuan that Shen Xiu could afford such luxuries.


    ¡°Leave them there.¡± Lin Xiaoguai finished writing her sentence, put away her pen, and asked, ¡°Did you have fun outside?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was fun.


    Today you could go boating in the park, I¡¯m glad I went.


    It¡¯s usually so hard to come by.¡± Shen Xiu put the sunflower seeds and soda on the table.


    Looking at Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s collected manuscripts, her eyes shone as she asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, are you planning to submit another story?¡±


    Last month, Lin Xiaoguai submitted a short family saga story to a social affairs publication in the provincial city, and even earned a fee of forty-six yuan.


    Initially, Shen Xiu had watched her sister-in-law write that article of no more than six thousand words in a single day.


    It seemed like making money was too easy for writers, earning more in one day than what a worker could in a month.


    ¡°No, this is a novel, I¡¯m writing it for fun.¡± Lin Xiaoguai said, with a light smile.


    Shen Xiu muttered a bit discontentedly, recalling that she had also claimed to be writing for fun the last time.


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t explain further.


    She really hadn¡¯t planned on submitting this one.


    The last story was written on a whim, submitted just to test the waters, and had conservative content.


    She hadn¡¯t expected it to get accepted.


    While the sisters-in-law were chatting, Shen Zhangming entered frowning.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Grandpa?¡± They looked at each other and asked.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Shen Zhangming was startled, seemingly just noticing them.


    His eyes instantly brightened, ¡°I wanted to ask you something.


    My memory isn¡¯t good, the daughter-in-law from the Chang family across the street, how many times has she came to ask for flowers from our home?¡±


    The flowers were planted by Lin Xiaoguai in her spare time.


    Although they bloomed beautifully, they were still treated as ordinary wildflowers which only looked so vibrant because they were well tended.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Xiu didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Several times, I think.


    Didn¡¯t she say she liked them?


    Is she asking for more?


    We grew them ourselves and they¡¯re not worth much money anyway.¡±


    If they were her sister-in-law¡¯s potted plants, she would be reluctant to part with them because they were not only beautiful but also reputedly expensive.


    ¡°I¡¯m so angry!¡± Just then, Luo Yufang stormed in, furious.


    Upon seeing the three people in the room, her eyes widened about to speak, then she seemed to reconsider and deflated.


    ¡°Grandma, who upset you?¡± Shen Xiu was confused.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the Chang family again?¡± Before she could finish, she suddenly ran out and came back with two pots of Hang chrysanthemums.


    ¡°Hurry up and help me bring the flowers back in.


    What are you standing there for?¡±


    The three didn¡¯t understand her intentions but seeing her frustration, they didn¡¯t ask questions and obediently moved the flowers.


    ¡°Wife, what on earth are you up to?¡± After they finished moving them, Shen Zhangming said, puzzled, ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s going to be a heavy rain tonight?¡±


    In the hall, over twenty potted plants were neatly arranged: chrysanthemums, camellias, and peonies¡ªeach one lush and spirited, and the few in bloom were particularly bright and beautiful.


    Luo Yufang sat on a chair with a mournful face and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been tricked this time.


    The Chang family has a dark conscience, daring to ask for our flowers that are worth hundreds of yuan each without paying a dime.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Shen Zhangming and Shen Xiu were shocked.


    Lin Xiaoguai wasn¡¯t surprised.


    She knew that although she planted these flowers on a whim and didn¡¯t care much about the species, the seeds were bought from an exchange store, planted using soil from the ¡®Spiritual Spring¡¯, and watered with spiritual spring water.


    So, it was unlikely they were ordinary.


    Initially, when the daughter-in-law from the Chang family asked for them, Lin Xiaoguai had been reluctant to give them away due to lessons from her past life.


    But since Grandpa and Grandma thought those flowers were worth little, they¡¯d readily agreed.


    Lin Xiaoguai, as a junior, couldn¡¯t object.


    Fortunately, the pots were obviously expensive, so they weren¡¯t given away as a favor.


    ¡°Grandma, are you sure you haven¡¯t got it wrong?¡± Shen Xiu couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°How could I be wrong?¡± Luo Yufang said, infuriated, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I¡¯d still be in the dark.


    That Chang family daughter-in-law sneaked our flowers to the flower market and sold them for two hundred yuan¡ªactual money!¡±


    ¡°Afterward, I asked the shop owner.


    He said that even though our peony wasn¡¯t in bloom yet, connoisseurs could tell it was a valuable breed, and offering more than two hundred yuan would still be on the lower end.


    If it bloomed nicely during the season, someone would buy it for thousands of dollars.¡±


    Shen Zhangming and Shen Xiu looked shocked.


    After a while, Shen Xiu asked in bewilderment, ¡°We didn¡¯t even know the flowers were valuable, so how did the daughter-in-law from the Shen family know?


    She doesn¡¯t look like someone who knows about these things.¡±

 Chapter 68 - 68 5 Liu Xiajuan

    ?68: Chapter 5 Liu Xiajuan 68: Chapter 5 Liu Xiajuan ¡°I might know something about that,¡± Shen Zhangming said, touching his nose.


    ¡°Today at Lao Sun¡¯s place, playing cards, his grandson mentioned something.


    He said the son of the Chang family gave his boss a green peony, and he¡¯s going to get a promotion next month.¡±


    He paused and then added, ¡°He also said that green peony is a famous variety, costing several thousand to buy if it¡¯s even available for purchase.


    Who knows where the Chang family got it from.¡±


    ¡°That must be it, the Chang family¡¯s granddaughter-in-law then came to us asking for flowers to sell at the flower and bird market.¡±


    ¡°No wonder, grandpa, you were just asking us how many times the Chang family¡¯s granddaughter-in-law asked us for flowers,¡± Shen Xiu said, suddenly understanding, and then indignantly added, ¡°So they were taking advantage of our ignorance?


    We might have given them willingly the first time, but they kept coming back knowing the value of our flowers.


    Isn¡¯t that scamming money?¡±


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang also looked unhappy.


    Although both of them were kind people, they were uncomfortable with this kind of situation.


    And having been frugal all their lives, the thought of hundreds and thousands of yuan just being given away like that was quite painful to bear.


    Lin Xiaoguai, on the other hand, was indifferent, ¡°Well, they¡¯re given now, we surely can¡¯t ask for them back, can we?¡±


    She had guessed this outcome from the start but hadn¡¯t stopped it, hoping her family would learn a lesson and prevent similar incidents in the future.


    After all, Lin Xiaoguai was never one to fuss over gains and losses.


    As long as things didn¡¯t cross her bottom line, she didn¡¯t care much for trivial benefits.


    Hearing her say this, the three others felt somewhat stifled.


    They were indeed angry, but to make a fuss about it was something they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to do.


    ¡°This time, let it slide, but from now on, we are not giving away our flowers¡ªno more freely handing out money,¡± Shen Zhangming said gravely.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about the flowers,¡± Luo Yufang chimed in, ¡°Anything that Wanwan makes shouldn¡¯t just be given away recklessly, who knows if it might be valuable.¡±


    She had now realized that their granddaughter-in-law was like a gold mine, anything she casually made turned out to be valuable.


    Min Shu had told her that the frostbite ointment Wanwan made could be sold for one yuan a box, and people would buy it.


    She had thought it was just Min Shu being polite, but now with the incident of the flowers, she understood the truth.


    Hadn¡¯t Wanwan written on some papers last time and got back ten yuan or so in what they called...


    a manuscript fee?


    With her saying that, Shen Zhangming and Shen Xiu also strongly agreed.


    Lin Xiaoguai hadn¡¯t expected the matter to have this unexpected effect, but it fit right into her plans.


    Although she didn¡¯t mind giving things from the space to her relatives and friends, she didn¡¯t like to see these tokens of affection undervalued.


    ¡°What about the flowers then?


    We can¡¯t just keep them in the house, can we?


    Do we even want to walk around?¡± Shen Xiu asked, troubled.


    ¡°Why not?


    Those could be sold for money.


    What if we leave them outside and someone steals them?¡± Luo Yufang now saw those flowers as if they were gleaming with gold.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move them to the yard,¡± Lin Xiaoguai suggested.


    Seeing Luo Yufang ready to object, she calmly continued, ¡°No matter how precious these flowers are, they were just casually grown by me.


    I can grow more if they get stolen.


    What¡¯s rare for others doesn¡¯t even cost me the capital.¡±


    Luo Yufang was initially stunned by her words, then looked indecisively at the flowers on the ground before regaining her composure, ¡°Then let¡¯s move them back to the yard.¡±


    However, she couldn¡¯t be casual about these valuable flowers and added, ¡°Without a strong family member to do hard labor, I think we should get a dog to watch over the house and yard.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai frowned slightly, giving it some thought, and then said, ¡°That might be good, but dogs can be of mixed quality.


    Without a good one, it might be better to have none at all.


    We must choose carefully.¡±


    She didn¡¯t mind if things from home were stolen, but she was worried about her family¡¯s safety.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.


    I was just suggesting it.


    Don¡¯t rush; we can take our time to look,¡± Luo Yufang now had complete trust in her granddaughter-in-law and found sense in whatever she said.


    That night, before heading to bed and recalling what grandma had said, Lin Xiaoguai entered the space and opened the exchange shop.


    After some deliberation, she chose a German Shepherd puppy from the many breeds available.


    She wasn¡¯t particularly fond of dogs but felt the German Shepherd looked relatively ordinary, wouldn¡¯t draw attention, and was suitable for guarding the house and yard.


    The little German Shepherd puppy looked very gentle, but from its eyes and solid neck, one could tell its agility and vigilance came from its lineage.


    She planned to keep the puppy in the space for a while before finding an excuse to raise it at home in due course.


    The next day, since her son was lazing in bed, she too got up a bit late.


    After feeding Little Niangao and getting organized, it was almost noon.


    But to her surprise, there was an uninvited guest in the house.

 Chapter 69 - 69 5 Liu Xiajuan_2

    ?69: Chapter 5 Liu Xiajuan_2 69: Chapter 5 Liu Xiajuan_2 ¡°Sister-in-law Chang?¡± Lin Xiaoguai raised her eyebrows as she looked at the cautious, pretty woman standing in the hall.


    Her slender figure, eyes cast down, and a face filled with unease, anyone looking would think of her as a quiet and timid person, not expecting her to do something so despicable.


    Shen Zhangming was sitting at the doorway drying sweet potato slices, Shen Xiu was helping by his side, and Luo Yufang came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of steaming soy milk, everything seemed ordinary, yet Lin Xiaoguai noticed all three were secretly paying attention to Sister-in-law Chang, their glances occasionally hostile.


    ¡°I knew you were going to get up, drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡± The table was already set with pan-fried dumplings and eggs, Luo Yufang placed the soy milk down, nonchalantly inviting her.


    ¡°Liu Xiajuan, did you come over this early for something?¡± as if she had just noticed her, Luo Yufang asked with a smile.


    It was mealtime, and Liu Xiajuan felt somewhat awkward, stuttering, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just here to ask for a few flowers.


    My sister-in-law from my maiden home saw them and liked them, wanted some for herself.¡±


    As soon as she spoke, everyone in the room showed shock and anger; Lin Xiaoguai also raised an eyebrow, not expecting this person not only to lack restraint, but her demands were growing increasingly bold.


    Snap¡ª


    A pair of long chopsticks landed at the feet of Liu Xiajuan, Shen Xiu angrily said, ¡°Liu Xiajuan, don¡¯t mistake our courtesy for a blessing.


    Is it that everyone else is a fool, and only your Chang Family are a bunch of clever people?¡±


    ¡°Xiu, Xiuer, what are you talking about?


    I don¡¯t understand?¡± Liu Xiajuan¡¯s expression was frantic, her shoulders shrunk, and her voice trembled.


    Shen Xiu was even more infuriated, ¡°What don¡¯t you understand?


    Don¡¯t you understand about taking our flowers to the flower market to sell for hundreds of dollars?


    Don¡¯t you understand how your man got promoted?¡±


    Luo Yufang and Shen Zhangming remained silent, Shen Xiu¡¯s words also expressed their feelings, their good nature hadn¡¯t been exploited to this degree yet.


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed.


    She originally hadn¡¯t planned to openly confront, but intended to hint that they were already aware of the value of the flowers, thereby getting the other party to back off.


    But since Shen Xiu had started speaking outright, she saw no reason not to support her.


    It was then that Liu Xiajuan truly panicked, stuttering and failing to find a justification.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t realize the flowers were so valuable...¡± she squeezed out, seemingly trying to categorize her actions as ¡°ignorance isn¡¯t a sin.¡±


    ¡°So Sister-in-law Chang is here to repay the money?¡± Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s voice was calm, yet piercing, Liu Xiajuan¡¯s demeanor stiffened and her face flushed red.


    Shen Xiu switched to a smiling face, ¡°Sister-in-law Chang actually came to repay the money, I wrongly accused you, please don¡¯t be angry with me.¡±


    Liu Xiajuan, unable to save face, struggled to speak, eventually covering her face and fleeing in a rush.


    ¡°Could she go out and spread rumors?¡± Luo Yufang asked worriedly, proud of her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s capabilities but aware that this matter shouldn¡¯t be publicized, as their household lacked a decisive male figure, spreading the word would only invite trouble.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she wouldn¡¯t dare.


    This matter is something she would even less want to be known.¡± Lin Xiaoguai sipped her soy milk lightly, stating indifferently, ¡°This woman might seem weak but she¡¯s actually clearer minded than anyone, surely able to prioritize.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have come a few times to ask for flowers without showing any signs, even grandpa and grandma, who have lived most of their lives, didn¡¯t notice anything.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah...¡± Little Niangao, sitting in her embrace, struggled to stand up.


    With no choice, Lin Xiaoguai dipped the tip of the chopstick in the soy milk and offered it to him.


    Tasting a bit, Little Niangao was still dissatisfied, gesturing his annoyance toward the spoon.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, drinking too much could cause tummy pain.¡± Lin Xiaoguai said softly, knowing that soy milk might cause diarrhea, she couldn¡¯t take the risk.


    Knowing mom had denied his request, Little Niangao felt outraged, waving his tiny fists and crying out.


    ¡°Alright, alright, Mommy loves her good little baby, can the good baby stop being mad?¡± Lin Xiaoguai laughed, kissing her son on the face, seeing him still angrily glowering she kept kissing, and kissing...


    Finally, Little Niangao couldn¡¯t help but giggle, burrowing his little head into Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s embrace, oblivious to much cheer.


    ¡°This child is good, he doesn¡¯t make a fuss when upset and he¡¯s so easy to comfort,¡± Luo Yufang watched with a happy smile.


    Lin Xiaoguai smoothed out her son¡¯s mussed bangs, looking up to smile, ¡°The temperament of the little ones is all nurtured by adults, as long as you don¡¯t overly indulge them, they can actually learn well.


    Of course, you also can¡¯t always reprimand them strictly, they might feel aggrieved, and once aggrieved they may act contrarily as a habit, which could be bad.


    Constantly ¡®disciplining¡¯ children, especially those with gentler personalities, could lack self-confidence.


    Play with them, make a fuss with them, once they¡¯re happy and content, any issue is easily resolved.¡±


    ¡°You speak with such elaboration, I don¡¯t understand but as long as Little Niangao has you as his mom, he will definitely learn well.¡± Luo Yufang smiled broadly.


    ¡°By the way, grandma, I have something to discuss with you, I¡¯m thinking of selling all the flowers in the courtyard,¡± Lin Xiaoguai brought up her plan.


    Luo Yufang paused, then said, ¡°It¡¯s your planting after all, if you want to sell them, go ahead.¡± What she didn¡¯t say was, she had also felt long ago that selling these flowers would be better, feeling tangible money in hand was the best but considering her granddaughter-in-law loved these flowers, she hadn¡¯t broached the topic.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll check out the flower market in a couple of days.¡± Lin Xiaoguai had everything planned, selling those flowers would raise a good sum, especially those few pots of exquisitely kept green peonies she had reserved from Liu Xiajuan, which could bring in tens of thousands of dollars.


    With Little Niangao around, she couldn¡¯t live on campus when she went to college, she would need a stable place to stay.

 Chapter 70 - 70 6 Returning Home

    ?70: Chapter 6: Returning Home 70: Chapter 6: Returning Home Taking advantage of the sun not being too hot, Lin Xiaoguai put a little hat on her son and carried him to the flower and bird market.


    The county¡¯s flower and bird market had only appeared in the past couple of years and was not like those specially constructed in later times; it was just that this street had more businesses dealing in flowers, birds, and pets, so people called it the flower and bird market, although it was not very large.


    It was around noon, two or three o¡¯clock, just after everybody had finished their naps, so it was lively but not crowded.


    Lin Xiaoguai adjusted her son¡¯s drool bib and carried him into a flower shop that seemed to be doing little business.


    The owner was a middle-aged uncle sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper.


    When he saw her come in, he lethargically raised his head, said nothing, and continued reading his newspaper.


    Not many people bought flowers in this era.


    Instead, many local residents came to see the novelty.


    Seeing Lin Xiaoguai holding a child, the owner categorized her as one of those who came for the novelty.


    Lin Xiaoguai had randomly chosen a shop to look around but found that she might have stumbled upon the right place by accident.


    The shop was quiet, not because it wasn¡¯t good, but likely because the flowers were pricey.


    Glancing around, Lin Xiaoguai noticed that not a single flower in the entire shop was priced below fifty yuan.


    It¡¯s not that the shop was ripping people off; to Lin Xiaoguai, the prices marked were actually quite fair.


    To price them any lower would not only be an insult to the noble flowers¡¯ value but would also mean the owner losing money.


    However, the fact that the shop was still open indicated there was a market for it.


    ¡°Boss, I have some precious plants at home; does your shop buy them?¡± Lin Xiaoguai tapped on the counter and asked.


    The boss was taken aback for a moment before reacting, ¡°You want to sell flowers to me?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded, ¡°I saw that all the flowers in your shop are fine specimens, so I thought you might be interested in buying the ones I have at home.¡±


    Hearing her say this, the boss became interested, ¡°From what you say, it sounds like the flowers at your place are quite valuable?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded again, ¡°Not to mention the others, just several pots of green peonies alone are of exceptional quality.¡±


    The owner was somewhat skeptical but, noting the woman¡¯s extraordinary demeanor and not appearing to be the deceitful type, he said, ¡°Well, we won¡¯t know unless we see them.


    How about this, let¡¯s leave it for today.


    Tomorrow, bring two pots over for me to have a look, would that be okay?¡±


    ¡°That would be fine,¡± replied Lin Xiaoguai without hesitation since she had no intention of shopping around for comparisons.


    After discussing the details, Lin Xiaoguai said goodbye and left.


    Rarely getting out, Little Niangao was exceptionally excited, his eyes wide and unblinking as he looked around, his little body twisting and turning, making it almost difficult for Lin Xiaoguai to hold onto him.


    On the way, they came across a fruit stand.


    Lin Xiaoguai saw they had strawberries, which looked fresh, and after tasting them and finding them sweet, she bought two pounds.


    Little Niangao was even less willing to be ignored now, bending his body trying to grab the strawberries in her hand.


    Lin Xiaoguai, of course, did not let him and, nudging his face, said, ¡°Shall Mommy give it to the baby when we get back?¡±


    Little Niangao didn¡¯t understand, persistently trying to reach for the strawberries.


    Lin Xiaoguai, out of options, freed one hand to tickle him, and Little Niangao was successfully distracted, giggling away.


    Lin Xiaoguai laughed too, bowed her head, and kissed his chubby cheek, ¡°Alright, baby, we¡¯re going home now.¡±


    At this moment, a soft laugh came from not far away.


    Lin Xiaoguai looked up and then froze, ¡°Shen Chi...¡±


    Shen Chi walked up to her, placed the bag he was carrying on the ground, and embraced mother and child in his arms, sighing, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai came to her senses to find herself being tightly hugged and felt a little awkward, pushing him away, ¡°Let me go, people are starting to stare.¡±


    Indeed, at that time, public displays of affection were uncommon, and now people on the street were either disdainfully or curiously looking their way.


    Fortunately, with a child present, it wasn¡¯t enough to be criticized as indecent.


    Shen Chi was reluctant to let go, but then he turned his gaze to his son, who was glaring at him.


    Looking at the chubby little guy, with fair, delicate features and bright, shining eyes that resembled his own, he felt both joy and awkwardness, rubbing his hands and asking, ¡°Son, would you like Daddy to hold you?¡±


    But Little Niangao was not having any of it, turning his head and clinging to Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s neck, ignoring Shen Chi.


    Shen Chi felt a sense of loss but understood that his son was meeting him for the first time since his birth, so it was natural for the boy to be unfamiliar with him, and he perked up again.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call so someone could pick you up when you came back?¡± Lin Xiaoguai tried to find a topic for conversation.


    ¡°What need is there for someone to pick up a grown man like me?¡± Shen Chi, with one hand carrying his bag and the other grasping her hand, started walking home with her.

 Chapter 71 - 71 6 Homecoming_2

    ?71: Chapter 6 Homecoming_2 71: Chapter 6 Homecoming_2 After taking a few steps, Lin Xiaoguai noticed something was wrong, ¡°What¡¯s going on with your leg?¡±


    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Shen Chi seemed to be limping!?


    ¡°Did you notice?¡± Shen Chi said unconcernedly, ¡°I suffered a minor injury, it¡¯ll heal in a while.¡±


    Shen Chi had no tells when he lied, but Lin Xiaoguai knew him too well; if it were truly a minor injury, he¡¯d definitely seize the opportunity to act pitiful and gain some benefits from her.


    Only when the problem was serious would he act as if nothing happened.


    She suddenly looked up at him.


    Shen Chi¡¯s face was calm, and his eyes did not betray any guilt¡ªit was a flawless pretense.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s expression, however, turned cold.


    She withdrew her hand, didn¡¯t say a word, and left briskly with her son.


    Shen Chi appeared headache-stricken.


    Couldn¡¯t he even hide that from her?


    ¡°Wait...¡± Hobbling on one leg, Shen Chi took considerable effort to catch up with Lin Xiaoguai, grabbing her hand, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything, okay?¡± His tone was filled with reluctance.


    Lin Xiaoguai turned her head and silently looked at him, making her point clear¡ªspeak, I¡¯m listening.


    Shen Chi firmly held her hand, walked beside her, and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s really not a big deal.


    Although the military doctor said I can no longer go into battle, this leg doesn¡¯t hinder normal walking or running.


    It only bothers me on rainy days.


    Besides, I¡¯ve had my fill of battle over the years; there¡¯s nothing left to miss.¡±


    His combat skills were outstanding, yet he was not keen on fighting.


    To him, more enticing were the pure bonds formed on the battlefield.


    However, seeing his comrades die one by one before him was soul-crushing, and it felt better to leave the front line and work administratively.


    With his talents, he would only climb higher.


    ¡°Where did this injury come from?¡± Lin Xiaoguai appeared calm, but inside, her thoughts were stormy.


    She knew very well that in her previous life, Shen Chi hadn¡¯t received such a severe leg injury, nor had he left the front line.


    He fought there for most his life, achieving the rank of Admiral through sheer military exploits.


    ¡°It happened on a mission.¡± Seeing Lin Xiaoguai about to probe further, Shen Chi quickly added, ¡°It was a classified mission, can¡¯t say too much.¡±


    ¡°But this injury wasn¡¯t for nothing; I¡¯m now a full Colonel.


    Next time, you can come with me to the station.¡±


    Once he said that, what else was there for Lin Xiaoguai not to understand?


    A bitterness tinged her nose, and she internally cursed her weakness.


    She knew he was manipulating her to feel touched, yet she still walked right into the trap.


    She knew whatever he did was to get what he wanted, but it pained her to know he was hurt for her sake¡ªhurts she shouldn¡¯t have had to bear.


    She had never been cold-hearted; she could see through his emotional manipulations, but couldn¡¯t help but appreciate what he did for her.


    At this moment, she came to a realization: no matter how much he schemed, his dedication to her was genuine.


    Little Niangao was curious about this new stranger, always sneakily glancing at Shen Chi, but whenever Shen Chi looked back, he would immediately hide in Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s arms, displaying a rare shyness.


    Lin Xiaoguai had complicated emotions and didn¡¯t notice her son¡¯s behavior.


    Shen Chi, however, felt a soft warmth in his heart, a sensation he had never felt before, looking at them feeling somehow complete.


    Once they returned home, seeing Shen Chi, the family was overjoyed.


    Luo Yufang, wiping her tears, said, ¡°I finally feel at ease.


    You can¡¯t scare Grandma like that again.¡±


    Seizing the opportunity, Shen Chi lifted his son who had crawled by his feet, supporting him on his legs, and tirelessly repeated, ¡°Son, I¡¯m your dad.¡±


    Little Niangao protested loudly, reaching out for Lin Xiaoguai to save him.


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed and gently touched his head, ¡°Little Niangao, be good, this is your dad.¡±


    Little Niangao didn¡¯t understand.


    Shen Chi, however, smiled, ¡°Little Niangao?


    Is that his nickname?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his formal name is Shen Yinian,¡± Shen Xiu, who had just brought out some tea, replied.


    Shen Chi raised an eyebrow, slightly hesitant, ¡°Was it Grandpa who picked this name?¡± Did his grandpa really have such taste?


    Surely it wasn¡¯t his dad?


    After a second of silence, Shen Xiu glanced at Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°My sister-in-law picked it.¡±


    Shen Chi was startled and looked up at Lin Xiaoguai.


    She raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you don¡¯t like the name?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a great name.¡± Shen Chi actually had no complaints; after all, he was the one at fault originally.


    Wanwan was alone during childbirth, and it was unfathomable for him to argue against her naming their son.


    Yet now he felt somewhat amused; his little wife¡¯s expression was too interesting, trying hard to remain composed and justified, her gaze betraying guilt, yet filled with a provocative challenge.


    He couldn¡¯t resist; he reached out and rubbed the top of her head, ready to speak, but then met Wanwan¡¯s glaring eyes, their lustrous depths almost intoxicating him.


    He realized within less than a year, Wanwan seemed to have grown prettier.


    Previously still somewhat rustic which any countryside girl might possess, her serene demeanor and graceful smile, although striking, had felt insufficient to him compared to many city girls he had met.


    But now, the lady before him...


    no, she could now surely be called a woman, was like an exquisite gem dusted clean, radiantly tender and yet so breathtakingly beautiful.


    Men are creatures of the senses, Shen Chi discovered somewhat reluctantly, that this woman seemed to have tightened her hold on his heartstrings even more.


    He even felt an impulse to hide her away from prying eyes.


    Holding his forehead, Shen Chi had an ominous premonition of spending the rest of his life captivated by this woman.


    However, the smile on his lips was uncontrollably surfacing.

 Chapter 72 - 72 7 Flying Bird Beauty and Er Qiao

    ?72: Chapter 7 Flying Bird Beauty and Er Qiao 72: Chapter 7 Flying Bird Beauty and Er Qiao ¡°Chi, eat this, Wanwan¡¯s steamed pork rib is just as good as the steamed meat,¡± Luo Yufang served a rib into Shen Chi¡¯s bowl at the dining table.


    Shen Zhangming also wore a smile, adding, ¡°Yes, try this liquor, it¡¯s blended by Wanwan with wheat, the taste is just right.¡±


    ¡°Brother, make sure to save some room, the beef bone soup your sister-in-law made will be ready in half an hour, be careful you won¡¯t have any left to enjoy.¡±


    Shen Chi found that in just half a year of not coming home, the house was already filled with the aura of his young wife.


    Lin Xiaoguai, oblivious to Shen Chi¡¯s thoughts, finished her meal and found that the chicken egg custard she had stewed for her son had cooled down considerably.


    She picked up a small spoon and started feeding him.


    Little Niangao was a baby with a hearty appetite.


    Although he was still not weaned, breast milk had become more of a snack for him, and supplementary foods made up the bulk of his diet.


    He could finish a small bowl of chicken egg custard every meal, and occasionally enjoyed easy-to-chew foods like tofu and stewed eggplant, followed by some soup.


    As for snacks, apple puree, juice, yogurt, and milk were all generously provided by Lin Xiaoguai.


    Shen Chi watched his son¡¯s good appetite with his eyes popping, while Luo Yufang commented, ¡°It¡¯s good fortune that the child can eat, look how blessed our Little Niangao looks?¡±


    Shen Chi muttered to himself that the child already had a double chin, of course he seemed blessed!


    But he sincerely felt happy¡ªafter all, no parent would ever complain about their child being too chubby.


    Being chubby meant living a blessed life.


    Once Little Niangao had eaten his fill, he was no longer content to stay in his mother¡¯s arms and struggled down to crawl on the floor.


    Shen Chi knowingly glanced at the soft carpet on the floor; he thought to himself why there was carpet at home¡ªit was for the little fellow to crawl on.


    ¡°Son, don¡¯t crawl in there...¡± Seeing his son quickly crawl under the table, Shen Chi hurried to stop him, but it was too late.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Little Niangao really enjoys this game.¡±


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t initially understand what grandma meant, but when a little head popped out from beneath his legs, displaying a chubby smiling face, he finally caught on.


    He picked his son up and held him.


    Perhaps the half day¡¯s acquaintance had made the boy somewhat familiar with Shen Chi, as this time he didn¡¯t resist his father¡¯s embrace and naturally leaned into his arm, staring with bright eyes at the liquor in front of him, clearly tempted to taste it.


    Shen Chi was delighted inside but dared not feed his son liquor.


    He scooped up a spoonful of tofu and brought it to his son¡¯s mouth, but the already full Little Niangao rejected it, fussily starting to climb onto his head.


    If it weren¡¯t for Shen Chi¡¯s buzz cut, his hair would probably have been turned into a bird¡¯s nest by now.


    Shen Chi wasn¡¯t upset and let his son squirm around, barely stirring himself.


    After eating, the playful Little Niangao started to get sleepy, rubbing his eyes and yawning, reaching out for his mother.


    Shen Chi reluctantly handed his son to Lin Xiaoguai, watching her expertly soothe Little Niangao to sleep.


    ¡°By the way, since you¡¯re back, help me out tomorrow,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said to Shen Chi.


    ¡°What do you need?¡± Shen Chi paused.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded towards the flowers in the yard, ¡°I¡¯m planning to sell those flowers, help me move them.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Shen Chi replied without hesitation.


    His legs were still a bit unsteady, but moving a couple of pots of flowers was manageable.


    ¡°Already found a buyer?¡± Shen Zhangming was somewhat surprised.


    ¡°Not exactly, just taking a couple of pots over to show him the goods tomorrow,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said with a light smile.


    After a shower, Shen Chi returned to the room to find Lin Xiaoguai and his son already lying in bed.


    Little Niangao, changed into his pajamas, sprawled out broadly in his typical grand sleeping posture, while Lin Xiaoguai was reading a book.


    Approaching the bed, Shen Chi carefully lay down avoiding his son¡¯s limbs.


    ¡°Are you not sleeping?¡± After lying there a while with no hint of sleep, Shen Chi opened his eyes to ask.


    ¡°You go to sleep; I¡¯ll read a little longer,¡± Lin Xiaoguai responded casually.


    Shen Chi could only close his eyes again, but as time passed, a delicate fragrance suddenly tickled his nose.


    Faint, yet piercing straight to his heart, it quickened his pulse and deepened his breaths, something stirring below.


    Suddenly, he remembered, Wanwan had already given birth to their son, and her confinement was complete!


    Shen Chi turned over, but the heat inside him would not dissipate.


    Glancing at his son sleeping soundly, his throat tightened, but he still forcibly suppressed his rising desire.


    It wasn¡¯t the right time; it would scare Wanwan.


    The first time was to fully cut off Wanwan¡¯s path of retreat, but he didn¡¯t want to be seen as a rapist in Wanwan¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 73 - 73 7 Flying Bird Beauty and Er Qiao_2

    ?73: Chapter 7 Flying Bird Beauty and Er Qiao_2 73: Chapter 7 Flying Bird Beauty and Er Qiao_2 In a place Shen Chi couldn¡¯t see, Lin Xiaoguai slightly curled her lips, feeling extremely smug.


    She knew that this man didn¡¯t dare to initiate intimacy with her now.


    In her previous life, Shen Chi refused to divorce or sleep separately, forcing her to share a bed with him.


    Night after night, he pleaded with her numerous times for intimacy, yet until he had agreed to divorce, they never did it again after the first time.


    Every night, holding him close, she felt his intense desire, making her feel angry, resentful, embarrassed, and scared all at once; her emotions almost collapsed several times.


    But now, thinking back, Shen Chi must have suffered more than her, curling up behind her neck in frustrated tears.


    Lin Xiaoguai actually noticed that since her rebirth, something about her seemed off, especially around Shen Chi.


    But she couldn¡¯t control it.


    Shen Chi didn¡¯t know what his wife was thinking at that moment.


    He was tormented by desire until he finally scooped up his son into his arms.


    The chubby, soft feel in his arms somewhat restored his sanity, and his heartbeat slowly calmed down.


    When Lin Xiaoguai woke up, her eyes hadn¡¯t opened yet, but she instinctively reached out to hug her son, only to grab at air.


    Startled, she opened her eyes to find the father and son wrapped up in each other, sleeping soundly.


    She sat up, ran her hand through her hair, and felt it had grown quite long.


    Although she had long hair in her previous life too, it had almost reached her thighs now, which made washing it a hassle.


    She decided to find a hair salon and get it cut shorter one day.


    ¡°Daydreaming?¡± Shen Chi¡¯s voice sounded beside her ear.


    Seeing him awake, Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t hide her thoughts and shared her plan.


    ¡°Why cut it short?¡± Shen Chi, looking displeased, said, ¡°Long flowing hair looks so much better, don¡¯t cut it.¡± He had just woken up to see Wanwan with her long hair cascading over her shoulders, illuminated by the sunlight coming through the window, looking incredibly soft and beautiful.


    His old habit of commanding with a decisive tone came out again.


    Lin Xiaoguai rolled her eyes and ignored him, not inclined to indulge him.


    Shen Chi touched his nose, still somewhat reluctantly added, ¡°Really, you look the best this way.¡±


    ¡°What if it looks even better shorter?¡± Lin Xiaoguai argued, pulling herself up from the bed.


    ¡°Should we wake Little Niangao up?¡± Shen Chi felt a bit restless.


    Lin Xiaoguai gave him a stern look, ¡°Let him sleep, kids need a lot of sleep.


    Why wake him up?¡±


    Shen Chi slightly withdrew his hand dejectedly, and then followed the neatly braided Lin Xiaoguai out of the room.


    ¡°What are you doing up so early?¡± Luo Yufang asked curiously upon seeing them.


    Her question was quite suggestive, and unfortunately, Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi both understood it.


    Shen Chi was thick-skinned and didn¡¯t show any reaction, but Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s cheeks flushed as she left with a quick ¡°I¡¯m going to brush my teeth¡± and fled.


    Shen Chi stroked his chin, seeing her reaction; maybe he had a chance to advance things sooner?


    Breakfast was bought from outside by Shen Zhangming, vegetarian buns and fried dough sticks, accompanied by home-ground soy milk¡ªan excellent taste.


    Food from this era was much more trustworthy than in later years, so Lin Xiaoguai was not picky.


    ¡°Grandma, Little Niangao is still asleep.


    Could you keep an eye on him?


    Shen Chi and I will go to the flower market,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said after tidying up.


    ¡°Alright, be careful on the road,¡± Luo Yufang nodded in agreement.


    Because camellias were bulky, Lin Xiaoguai was tempted to bring that Six-petal Red, but ultimately chose a chrysanthemum rarity known as Flying Bird Beauty, and one of the peony¡¯s most famous types, Er Qiao.


    ¡°Is this...


    Flying Bird Beauty?¡± Right upon entering the shop, the owner¡¯s gaze landed on the plant that was in bloom, clear and beautiful.


    The last time they visited, the owner looked solemn, but now he was excited, rubbing his hands bright-eyed as he looked at the Flying Bird Beauty on the counter.


    ¡°Mr.


    Owner, how do you think of this Flying Bird Beauty?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked softly.


    ¡°Great, great,¡± the owner looked joyfully for a while, regaining his composure when he looked up, ¡°I¡¯m not deceiving you.


    Although this Flying Bird Beauty is of great quality, the price of chrysanthemum rarities never boosts up.


    I¡¯ll give you a fair price¡ª¡±


    He signaled a number, ¡°eight thousand, that¡¯s the highest I can offer.


    I can¡¯t afford more than that.¡±


    Shen Chi gasped.


    How much?


    Working with Liu Lao on transportation, it wasn¡¯t easy to earn money with both investment and sweat, and just like that, his wife earned eight thousand from a plant?


    Lin Xiaoguai was not surprised by the price.


    If it were in a big city like the provincial capital where this Flying Bird Beauty could find a proper channel, it could even sell for eighty thousand.


    But she wasn¡¯t willing to go to the trouble, so she nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s settle on that price.¡± The flower shop owner, with his wealth, had offered a very sincere price.


    Shen Chi felt a bit frustrated.


    Why didn¡¯t she even bargain?


    ¡°Mr.


    Owner, take a look at this Er Qiao,¡± Lin Xiaoguai spoke.


    She didn¡¯t notice Shen Chi¡¯s frustration, and even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t care.


    Money, for her, was just an object; having enough was fine.


    ¡°Er Qiao?!¡± The owner perked up, turning his attention to the peony next to him that was unobtrusive out of bloom.


    The more he looked, the brighter his eyes became.


    He leaned in close to the leaves, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Er Qiao.


    Look at these stems and leaves, the flowers that bloom will definitely be of fine appearance.¡± Experts often could judge the rarity of a plant even before it bloomed.


    He frowned, gritting his teeth, ¡°Madam, I won¡¯t lie to you.


    Even though this Er Qiao isn¡¯t in bloom, if sold, its price would exceed thirty thousand.


    But buying that Flying Bird Beauty has drained me, leaving me unable to afford this Er Qiao.¡±


    Although from a rarity perspective, the previous Flying Bird Beauty was no less than this Er Qiao, the peony has always been revered as the king of flowers, and its market demand far exceeds that of chrysanthemums.


    (To be continued.


    If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets.


    Your support is my greatest motivation.


    Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

 Chapter 74 - 74 8 Heartache

    ?74: Chapter 8 Heartache 74: Chapter 8 Heartache ¡°How much can you offer?¡± Lin Xiaoguai asked indifferently.


    The boss was startled, then quickly caught on and exclaimed excitedly, ¡°I can gather twenty-six thousand.


    If there¡¯s more time...¡±


    He pondered for a moment, ¡°Half a month.


    I can definitely get thirty thousand in half a month.¡±


    ¡°Deal, I¡¯ll give you this Er Qiao,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said succinctly.


    She was so straightforward because she could tell that the boss was offering a sincere price.


    With someone else, they might have tried to deceive her and maliciously buy the flowers at a low price.


    Shen Chi felt a pang of frustration, having never seen business done this way.


    Yet the boss was overjoyed, rubbing his hands together as he said, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯m going to go get the money.¡±


    Having said that, he left Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi in the shop and hurried out.


    ¡°With these flowers, how did you grow them?¡± With no one else around, Shen Chi couldn¡¯t help asking, driven by his curiosity.


    Even though he didn¡¯t understand these Flower matters, he knew that something that made the boss willing to pay such a high price must not be easy to grow.


    ¡°Just till the soil and water, that¡¯s how they grew,¡± Lin Xiaoguai responded nonchalantly.


    Shen Chi was silent, feeling as if he was being mocked.


    Could it be that his wife was scorning his lack of education?


    Suddenly, he recalled something; although he had never considered himself uneducated ¡ª indeed, it was true, and those university students boasting of seventy or eighty thousand weren¡¯t necessarily better than him ¡ª he felt a bit unsure when it came to Wanwan.


    Could it be that his wife¡¯s educational level was quite high?


    Why did everything seem so simple in her eyes?


    At that moment, the boss hurried back, shoulders hunched, and pulled out a bundle of money wrapped in newspaper.


    ¡°Here is thirty-four thousand.


    Count it, and if there¡¯s four thousand short, I¡¯ll gather it and give it to you later.


    Could you leave your address?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai looked at Shen Chi, ¡°You count.¡± Having a readily available helper, she naturally didn¡¯t mind taking it easy.


    Shen Chi reluctantly moved forward and began counting the money wearily.


    Lin Xiaoguai then left their address and said to the boss, ¡°In that case, the remaining flowers at my house might be too much for you to handle.¡±


    The boss was startled, then suddenly remembered the green peony mentioned yesterday which he hadn¡¯t seen today, and became both excited and remorseful.


    After thinking it over, he gritted his teeth and proposed, ¡°What do you think about this?


    I know a few customers with significant influence who always welcome rare plants.


    If you¡¯re willing, you can consign the flowers in my shop.


    I¡¯ll contact those customers, and when the flowers are sold, all the money goes to you, without me taking a cut.¡±


    He thought it through clearly; since the lady was so understanding, he had to repay her generosity with kindness.


    Lin Xiaoguai agreed as readily as before, ¡°Done, I¡¯ll bring the flowers over in a couple of days.¡±


    On the way home, Shen Chi looked at the large amount of money in his hands with a complex expression.


    Although he also withdrew a large sum from Liu Lao¡¯s, comparing his ability to earn money with Wanwan, it seemed insignificant.


    Suddenly, he felt an immense pressure, similar to a modern man who marries a powerful woman.


    It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t accept his wife earning more than him due to his male chauvinism, but their situation was a bit special.


    He hoped that one day Wanwan would have the same feelings for him, but until then, he felt he needed to bind her to him in other ways.


    Marriage, son, money, material things ¡ª everything he could give her.


    He didn¡¯t wish for Wanwan to be independent; it made him feel unnecessary and insecure.


    At least, that was how he felt before Wanwan fell in love with him.


    Back home, Shen Zhangming, Luo Yufang, and Shen Xiu, looking at the newspaper-padded large sum of money on the table, were somewhat dazed.


    Shen Xiu blinked and said, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that a pot costs only a few hundred to a few thousand at most?


    How did just two pots sell for so much?¡±


    ¡°Liu Xiajuan was ripped off,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said nonchalantly, her attention soon diverted by her continuously squirming son in her arms.


    She didn¡¯t mention that when Liu Xiajuan came to ask for flowers, she had picked some of the lesser quality ones for her, keeping the good ones for herself.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, who is Liu Xiajuan?¡± Before the other three had the chance to express their opinions on the matter, Shen Chi keenly noted the delicacy of the situation.


    There was never an intention to deliberately hide it from him, and upon his inquiry, Shen Xiu quickly recounted the incident, ending with a burst of indignation, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just because they thought brother had sacrificed himself that these people dared to bully like that?¡±

 Chapter 75 - 75 8 Heartache_2

    ?75: Chapter 8 Heartache_2 75: Chapter 8 Heartache_2 Shen Chi, lost in thought, asked, ¡°Did anything else happen while I was away?¡± He knew without asking that Qin Chenggong, that shameless man, had intercepted all the letters sent to him from home, undoubtedly read them, and then destroyed them without acknowledgment.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I write to you about it?¡± Shen Xiu was somewhat puzzled, yet still replied, ¡°The scariest time was when sister-in-law gave birth to Little Niangao.


    Grandpa bought ginseng to ensure the safe delivery, but it ended up attracting thieves.


    A thief broke in at night.


    If it weren¡¯t for the shock, sister-in-law wouldn¡¯t have given birth prematurely, and grandpa wouldn¡¯t have fractured his bone.


    Fortunately, nothing worse followed.¡±


    ¡°You know Uncle Zhang Quan, right?¡± Seeing Shen Chi nod, Shen Xiu continued, ¡°The thief was his youngest son, Zhang Zhiqiang.


    To catch him, I doused him with a bucket of cold water.


    Suddenly sister-in-law cried out with stomach pain, and it was a police car that took her to the hospital, leaving Zhang Zhiqiang soaking wet in the cold winter.


    Later, he developed a fever that turned into pneumonia.


    Aunt Jiang came over to our house many times causing trouble, and sister-in-law was even blocked at the door when she came back from the hospital.


    Aunt Jiang¡¯s nephew even threatened us with an iron pipe to pay for medical expenses.


    If Uncle Zhang Quan and Brother Zhang hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I don¡¯t know how things would have ended.¡±


    Shen Xiu¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Brother, there was no news from you for half a year.


    So much idle gossip spread outside, saying you had been sacrificed.


    Some malicious people even came to our house to talk nonsense, thinking the money you sent was compensation after your sacrifice.


    Others came asking about it too.


    If you hadn¡¯t called back soon, our home might have been robbed again.¡±


    ¡°There was more than just that incident.


    At the beginning of the year, after sister-in-law¡¯s confinement period, she thought of supplementing the family income by opening a tuition class.


    Several families in the neighborhood wanted their children to join the class for free.


    If it weren¡¯t for sister-in-law¡¯s cousin happening to drive those people away, our family, being thin-skinned, wouldn¡¯t have known how much more we had to suffer.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also the little hats and shoes sister-in-law made for Little Niangao; Grandma Mei Zi had stolen them several times...¡±


    Shen Xiu, like complaining to a parent, voiced out half a year¡¯s worth of grievances, ¡°Brother, you haven¡¯t been in touch all this while, and people have been bullying our family relentlessly.¡±


    Shen Chi was silent for a long time.


    He hadn¡¯t expected so many things to happen at home.


    For a moment, his heart was indescribably pained.


    He looked at Lin Xiaoguai, who had remained composed throughout the discussion, and felt a deep ache for her.


    He thought she was doing well, but it turned out to be just what he thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Before going to sleep, Shen Chi reached over their son, wrapped his arms around Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s waist and gently kissed her forehead, ¡°But it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Before Lin Xiaoguai could react, he had already lain back down.


    Lin Xiaoguai touched her forehead, still feeling his warmth, and felt an indescribable bitterness in her heart.


    With all that had happened, she felt not so much aggrieved as resentful because reality clearly told her that not only did Little Niangao need a father, she too needed a husband who could protect and support her.


    She had to accept her fate.


    So when Shen Chi returned, it wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t happy or relaxed, but she was annoyed at him.


    Shen Chi, unaware of her myriad thoughts and feeling the stiffness in his wife¡¯s body beneath his hand, hesitated before withdrawing his hand.


    He knew he needed to do more, to be more perfect, to hold onto this woman who stirred his soul.


    As it approached noon, Lin Xiaoguai, who had stayed in bed with her son, finally got up.


    When she walked out of the room, she found Shen Chi busily moving flowers in the yard with Yuan Lin and several other men she didn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°Are you up?¡± Upon seeing her, Shen Chi approached and said, ¡°I called a tractor to help transport the flowers to the flower shop.¡±


    ¡°Hello, sister-in-law!¡± Upon seeing her, everyone in the yard, including Yuan Lin, greeted her.


    Shen Chi introduced them, ¡°You know Yuan Lin.


    This is Yuan Sanjiang, Shen Dashan, Shen Weimin, and Yuan Bing.


    They¡¯ve all grown up with me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you guys,¡± Lin Xiaoguai smiled, ¡°Do you plan to have lunch here?¡±


    The men looked at Shen Chi, who smiled, ¡°Since your sister-in-law invites you, stay for lunch.¡±


    The group cheered, ¡°Then we won¡¯t be polite!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s porridge in the pot for breakfast.


    You and Little Niangao eat some, but don¡¯t eat too much; save room for lunch.¡± After giving these instructions, Shen Chi joined the others in moving the flowers.


    Before long, the rumble of the tractor sounded from outside, and the yard quieted down.


    Lin Xiaoguai stood for a moment before returning to the house.


    She picked up Little Niangao from the ground and whispered in his ear, ¡°Your dad isn¡¯t really that terrible, is he?¡±


    Little Niangao, not understanding her, excitedly raised his toy, wanting his mom to play with him.


    Lin Xiaoguai reluctantly tapped his little nose, ¡°Not now.


    We need to have breakfast first.¡±


    Knowing that his mom¡¯s tap on the nose meant a denial, Little Niangao felt a bit unhappy, but his spirits lifted when his mom brought out the fragrant chicken porridge.


    Without needing his urgings, Lin Xiaoguai began to feed him porridge.


    After he had finished, she served herself a small bowl.


    Considering the additional people for lunch, Lin Xiaoguai started preparing ingredients early.


    Seeing half a chicken left in the fridge, Lin Xiaoguai decided to make braised chicken.


    The vegetables could be picked from the garden, and she asked Grandpa to help buy some meat and fish from the market while she stayed home to cook.


    By the time Shen Chi and the others returned, several cold dishes were already laid out on the table, with Little Niangao eager to climb onto the chair.


    Lin Xiaoguai started to intervene, yet she couldn¡¯t let go of her kitchen spatula.


    Shen Chi chuckled and picked up his son, ¡°What do you want to eat?


    Daddy will get it for you.¡±


    Little Niangao ah-ahed, pointing at the most colorful shrimp, his eyes brimming with longing.


    (To be continued.


    If you enjoy this book, please visit Qidian.com to cast your recommendation votes, monthly ticket_votes.


    Your support is my greatest motivation.


    Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)

 Chapter 76 - 76 9 Decision

    ?76: Chapter 9 Decision 76: Chapter 9 Decision ¡°You peel a couple for him to try, no need for more,¡± Lin Xiaoguai brought out a big bowl of braised pork and didn¡¯t forget to call out to Yuan Lin and the others, ¡°Sit down, please don¡¯t be shy.¡±


    Shen Chi quickly peeled two shrimps for his son and started to call everyone to drink, ¡°Baijiu and rice wine, drink whatever you like.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled and said nothing, then went back to the kitchen to get busy.


    ¡°Wanwan, where is your grandpa?¡± Seeing that the old man of her own family wasn¡¯t around, Luo Yufang, who had come back with a bunch of green onions, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°He¡¯s washing his feet in the backyard,¡± Lin Xiaoguai sprinkled half a spoon of salt into the pot, stirring the vegetables as she replied.


    Hearing this, Luo Yufang made her way to the backyard.


    The meal Lin Xiaoguai prepared was quite lavish, with five or six meat dishes alone, not to mention cold dishes, vegetarian dishes, and the stewed soup.


    By the time Yuan Lin and the others left, their bellies were somewhat overstuffed.


    ¡°Brother Ruler, your wife¡¯s cooking is...


    simply amazing!¡± Yuan Sanjiang said, giving a thumbs up.


    ¡°Absolutely, I even think it surpasses Ma Laoer¡¯s skills by a good margin,¡± Shen Weimin agreed.


    ¡°Come on, although Ma Laoer can cook, he¡¯s always doing those big cafeteria meals, how much could his skills possibly improve?¡± Yuan Bing said, picking his teeth.


    ¡°I actually think that baijiu was quite strong, not even worse than Maotai,¡± Shen Dashan savored fondly.


    ¡°Give it a rest, you drunkard!¡± the others laughed and teased.


    Yuan Lin put his hand on Shen Chi¡¯s shoulder and concluded, ¡°So brother, you¡¯ve got to cherish such a good wife.¡±


    He spoke earnestly, and the others nodded in agreement.


    They had heard that this sister-in-law was a bit aloof and probably looked down on their country ways.


    They used to receive things only through Yuan Lin to give to her, but now seeing her with their own eyes, it was not the case at all.


    Perhaps she was a little aloof, but looking down on them, not at all.


    Besides, wasn¡¯t that only natural?


    If they could get into Capital University, they¡¯d surely be aloof too!


    Moreover, for a woman, being so beautiful, it¡¯s not wrong to be a little proud and aloof, is it?


    And considering what Shen Chi had done in the past, the fact that she hadn¡¯t made a fuss at home already showed great magnanimity, not to mention that she gave birth to such a big, chubby boy, what more could he ask for?


    Shen Chi was caught between laughter and tears.


    So his wife had managed to dig out his corner just by serving a meal?


    He slapped Yuan Lin¡¯s head with his hand, ¡°Do I need you to teach me how to cherish my own wife?


    Go home now, all of you drunkards.¡±


    Seeing that his tone wasn¡¯t upset, Yuan Lin and the others chuckled and took their leave.


    ¡°That¡¯s far enough, no need to walk us out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Ruler brother, go back and spend some quality time with your wife.¡±


    Shen Chi returned to the house with a subtle, amused feeling, only to see Lin Xiaoguai cradling the drowsy Little Niangao and gently humming a lullaby, the profound beauty of motherhood radiating from her, riveting his gaze.


    He tiptoed closer, and Lin Xiaoguai gave him a quick glance without interrupting her lullaby.


    Before long, Little Niangao was sleeping like a piglet.


    Shen Chi saw she was struggling to hold him and took the child, placing him on the bed in their room.


    When he came out, he saw Lin Xiaoguai tidying up the leftover food and dishes, so Shen Chi hurried over to help.


    ¡°I can wash the dishes, you just wipe the table,¡± he offered.


    Lin Xiaoguai didn¡¯t insist and took a cloth to wipe the table.


    Although Shen Chi couldn¡¯t cook, he¡¯d been helping with household chores like dishwashing since he was young and was quite adept at it.


    By the time Lin Xiaoguai finished wiping the table, he had already cleaned most of the dishes.


    ¡°Where¡¯s grandma?¡± Shen Chi belatedly asked.


    ¡°She went to Second Aunt¡¯s house to help with planting the seedlings,¡± Lin Xiaoguai replied as she washed her hands.


    With nothing to do at noon, Lin Xiaoguai stayed in the room sewing shoe soles while keeping an eye on her son.


    ¡°Oh right, I almost forgot something,¡± Shen Chi came in from outside, opening the bag he had brought back and taking out a passbook to hand to Lin Xiaoguai, ¡°Here, you keep this money.


    The password is our birthdays added together.¡± He would have loved for Wanwan to spend more of his money, and he hoped she wouldn¡¯t be able to pay it back, but remembering yesterday¡¯s flower-buying scene, he thought that might be a bit difficult.


    Lin Xiaoguai took it, and upon opening it, saw 680,000.


    First she was surprised, then calm.


    Shen Chi¡¯s knack for making money was something she had long been aware of; if he set his mind to it, there was no money he couldn¡¯t make.


    She calculated that this was about the time when Shen Chi had just begun cooperating with others to start a transportation business in her past life, but wasn¡¯t this amount a bit too much?


    Could it be...


    Lin Xiaoguai looked at him, ¡°You¡¯re not planning to go back to J province, are you?¡± She couldn¡¯t think of any other possibility for having so much money, other than breaking up the partnership.

 Chapter 77 - 77 9 Decision_2

    ?77: Chapter 9 Decision_2 77: Chapter 9 Decision_2 Shen Chi hadn¡¯t expected his wife to pick up on his intentions so quickly, he paused and then nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to transfer jobs.¡±


    ¡°...Have you decided on a place?¡± Lin Xiaoguai hesitated before asking.


    She wasn¡¯t holding much hope that Shen Chi¡¯s and her own thoughts would coincide.


    ¡°Shanghai,¡± Shen Chi said without hesitation.


    ¡°But I plan to go to the Capital,¡± Lin Xiaoguai said expressionlessly.


    What do you mean you plan to go to the Capital?


    Shen Chi was stunned for a moment but quickly reacted, ¡°No, you¡¯re coming with me to Shanghai.¡± He couldn¡¯t possibly let his wife leave him behind.


    Lin Xiaoguai remained silent, but Shen Chi absolutely would not take her silence as consent.


    Yet, despite having a stomach full of tricks, he dared not use them on his wife now.


    His face was tense, and after a while, his expression changed several times before he gritted his teeth, ¡°You go with me to Shanghai, we¡¯ll live there for two years, and then I¡¯ll figure out a way to transfer to the Capital.¡±


    Years later, Lin Xiaoguai would come to understand the sacrifice Shen Chi made at that moment.


    But at that time, she knew nothing, frowning, she asked, ¡°Are you sure we can just stay in Shanghai for two years?¡± In her past life, until her death, this man had never left Shanghai.


    Could this be a trick?


    ¡°Definitely,¡± a shadow swiftly crossed the bottom of Shen Chi¡¯s eyes.


    Lin Xiaoguai frowned, ¡°If you¡¯re not able to transfer to the Capital in two years, I¡¯ll take Little Niangao to the Capital myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright, if that happens, you can leave me behind,¡± Shen Chi said with a sigh of relief.


    It¡¯s not that Lin Xiaoguai was compromising, but rather, it wasn¡¯t necessary to fall out with Shen Chi.


    After all, considering his injured leg, she still had a soft spot for him.


    In a few days, Shen Chi shared his decision with his family.


    Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang exchanged a glance, not sure whether to feel happier or sadder.


    The good news was that the young couple wouldn¡¯t have to live apart frequently and Little Niangao could see his father often; the sad news was that the house would once again be left to just the two of them, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to see their great-grandson often.


    Over the past year, although they were worried about their granddaughter-in-law and great-grandson, they were actually happy, even if it meant living in fear of the worst.


    It was still better than the cold emptiness of the past.


    ¡°Grandpa and grandma, don¡¯t be sad.


    When it¡¯s vacation time, I¡¯ll bring Wanwan and Little Niangao back to visit you.


    If you miss Little Niangao, you can always call Wanwan to bring him back.


    She¡¯s always free,¡± Shen Chi said reassuringly.


    What do you mean she¡¯s always free?


    Was he planning to let her idle at home?


    Lin Xiaoguai gave him a discreet glare.


    The sadness in Shen Zhangming¡¯s and Luo Yufang¡¯s hearts was greatly alleviated by Shen Chi¡¯s words.


    Luo Yufang, wiping the tears from her eyes, said, ¡°As long as you two are doing well, we¡¯re happy.


    Train tickets are so expensive, you don¡¯t need to come back often, just call and write frequently.¡±


    ¡°When are you leaving?¡± Shen Zhangming asked, his emotions not as visibly expressed as Luo Yufang¡¯s; he spoke after a moment of silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early, we have to wait for the transfer order, at least a month.¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang finally relaxed.


    It wasn¡¯t an immediate departure.


    Suddenly not being able to see their great-grandson would have been too much for them.


    So, the most popular person here is actually Little Niangao?


    Lin Xiaoguai also said, ¡°Looks like we might leave around the same time as Xiu¡¯er.


    If possible, we¡¯ll go see her off.¡±


    Compared to Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang, Shen Xiu, who had long been hoping his sister-in-law could come with them, had a simpler wish, ¡°That would be great, the capital city is so close to Shanghai, I can go to Shanghai to play when I have vacations.¡±


    Luo Yufang couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, glaring at her and said, ¡°All you think about is playing, forgetting us old folks, right?¡±


    ¡°How could that be?¡± Shen Xiu coyly clung to her arm, ¡°I will definitely come over to take grandpa and grandma to Shanghai for a holiday.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, our old bones can¡¯t take the travel.


    You young people go have fun,¡± Luo Yufang was only making a light-hearted comment, truly not bothered.


    Following that, knowing that their great-grandson would be leaving, the already doting Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang spoiled Little Niangao even more, worsening his spoilt nature.


    If not for Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Chi¡¯s strict management, the boy could have poked holes in the sky.


    As for Jiang Xiaomei, learning that Lin Xiaoguai would follow Shen Chi to Shanghai for two years before moving to the Capital made her very upset.


    She had just received her admission notice from the Capital Preschool Teachers¡¯ College and had hoped to continue her life with Xiaoguai.


    Unexpectedly, Cheng Yaojin messed up her plans.


    Thus, she was especially displeased with Shen Chi, convinced that he was the reason she was separated from Xiaoguai.


    Shen Chi, fed up with it, had always hoped that Wanwan¡¯s eyes only had place for him and was pleased with the current situation, not feeling guilty at all.


    So, he easily ignored Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s sorrowful glances.


    Fortunately, Shen Chi, born in this era, didn¡¯t know about the concept of lesbian relationships; otherwise, he would certainly have treated Jiang Xiaomei like a thief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, it¡¯s only for two years.


    After that, I will be able to reunite with you,¡± Lin Xiaoguai finally spoke up to comfort her.


    Jiang Xiaomei pouted, ¡°It sounds like that, but who knows if Shen Chi will play dirty?¡± She was usually unguarded against people, and this was a remarkably vigilant moment for her.


    Lin Xiaoguai was surprised and then couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when have I ever broken a promise to you?


    Even if you don¡¯t trust Shen Chi, you should trust me.¡±


    Jiang Xiaomei thought about it and agreed.


    Xiaoguai was so smart; how could Shen Chi, that bandit, ever outsmart her?


    She let go of most of her worries but still couldn¡¯t help but admonish, ¡°Then you must keep your word, and don¡¯t forget to call and write often.


    If Shen Chi bullies you, you must tell me.¡±


    Seeing Lin Xiaoguai earnestly agree, Jiang Xiaomei¡¯s face finally lit up with joy.


    (To be continued.


    If you like this work, you are welcome to go to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommended tickets and monthly tickets.


    Your support is my greatest motivation.


    Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

 Chapter 78 - 78 10 Registration

    ?78: Chapter 10 Registration 78: Chapter 10 Registration As Shen Chi had expected, it was over a month before his transfer order came through.


    ¡°You must be careful in Shanghai, and don¡¯t hesitate to spend money when necessary, but also don¡¯t buy random, unnecessary things.


    I¡¯ve heard that everything¡¯s so expensive in Shanghai.


    Also, take good care of Little Niangao.


    Don¡¯t let him run around outside.


    I¡¯ve heard that those actors like to go to big cities like Shanghai...¡± Luo Yufang was checking their luggage, endlessly giving instructions.


    Shen Zhangming, standing nearby, held Little Niangao in his arms, refusing to let go, having been like this since morning.


    By contrast, Shen Xiu looked relaxed.


    She was also headed to the provincial capital¡¯s Medical College today.


    Lin Xiaoguai sighed and brought out a sizable wicker chest from the room.


    Opening it and pointing to the packed contents, she said, ¡°These are things I¡¯ve made recently.


    Grandma, please divide some of the handmade soap for my aunts.


    The rheumatism ointment is for the little aunt¡¯s family; the frostbite ointment is for the third aunt.


    Keep the sheep fat for yourself, and also these hand creams, anti-cracking creams, golden sore medicine, Fish Liver Oil, Snail Cream, and Muscle and Bone Ointment.


    Make sure to keep some for yourself.


    Here is some ginseng I got someone to buy; keep it on hand just in case.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already made your new clothes for autumn and winter.


    I¡¯ll bring the ones for next year the next time I come.¡±


    She paused and then added, ¡°Xiu¡¯er, Xiao Mei, and I¡¯ve already given to my parents¡¯ side.


    Grandma, you and grandpa just hold on to these and don¡¯t give them away carelessly.¡±


    She really liked these two kind and simple elderly people who had worried about her a lot, so she was willing to do these things for them.


    ¡°Aye, got it,¡± Shen Zhangming and Luo Yufang replied with eyes slightly reddened.


    The granddaughter-in-law was known to spend money and was a bit picky, stubborn in her ways that didn¡¯t change, but essentially, she was good.


    Not to mention her character and ability to earn money while being filial to them¡ªsuch a daughter-in-law was hard to find even with a lantern, no wonder Chi had insisted on bringing her back.


    ¡°Grandpa, grandma, here are some meat tickets, meat tickets, sugar tickets, soap tickets, Bean Products Tickets, Poultry Egg Tickets, and food tickets I¡¯ve got for you, and here¡¯s one thousand yuan.


    Don¡¯t hesitate to use it if you want to buy something to eat or wear,¡± Shen Chi had also made extensive preparations.


    Grandma had refused to take all the 5,000 yuan he sent before and had pushed it into Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hands, so now he was offering another one thousand yuan.


    Lin Xiaoguai nodded from the side, ¡°Right, Fula won¡¯t take long to grow up and will help you guard the house.¡±


    She had taken the opportunity to bring out the black-backed dog from the space some time ago, and Shen Chi was extremely impressed, saying it was a rare good dog, fierce, alert, and loyal.


    As for the dog¡¯s local name, Fula, it was given by Shen Zhangming, who was most fond of it and took it for walks every day.


    It wasn¡¯t until they were on the train that Lin Xiaoguai finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    In her previous life, she had been alone for so long, never feeling such difficulty in parting with friends; she was truly unaccustomed to this kind of sorrowful parting.


    ¡°Would you like some water?


    I¡¯ll go to the hot water room and pour you some,¡± Shen Chi put his son on the seat, having arranged the luggage, he sat down and asked.


    He was thinking that this was his wife¡¯s first time taking a train to travel far, and he was determined to take good care of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty,¡± Lin Xiaoguai lowered her head to wipe the drool from the corner of Little Niangao¡¯s mouth, who was curiously looking at the strangers around.


    She sighed and said, ¡°If Little Niangao could learn to speak, it would be nice.


    It would ease some of grandpa and grandma¡¯s regrets.¡±


    In fact, Little Niangao had no talent for speaking.


    Every day he only used ¡°ah ah ah¡± as an interjection to express his emotions, with no sign of a breakthrough.


    Clearly, she remembered dad saying she was calling out unclearly for mom at seven months...


    Lin Xiaoguai accidentally voiced her thoughts, causing Shen Chi to stare blankly for a moment.


    Was she complaining that he was dragging his feet?


    He genuinely didn¡¯t know at what age he had learned to speak as a child.


    Shen Xiu laughed on the side.


    Her brother, who usually kept his composure, instantly became so accessible in front of his sister-in-law.


    After a three-hour train ride, both Shen Xiu and Little Niangao, who had been initially excited, were wilted¡ªone listlessly watching the monotonous scenery out the window, the other sleeping soundly.


    After arriving at the station, Shen Chi carried his son in one arm and grabbed the luggage with the other, while Lin Xiaoguai woke the drowsy Shen Xiu and pulled her, still a bit bleary-eyed, off the train.


    Facing the endless stream of the road ahead, Shen Xiu asked somewhat bewilderedly, ¡°Which way to the Medical College?¡±

 Chapter 79 - 79 10 Registration_2

    ?79: Chapter 10 Registration_2 79: Chapter 10 Registration_2 ¡°Follow me,¡± Shen Chi walked over to the side where a tricycle taxi was parked and asked, ¡°Excuse me, is the Medical College near here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite far.


    You¡¯d have to go around several streets.


    If you¡¯re walking, it would take an hour.


    If you guys are going, I¡¯ll give you a discount and only charge you 80 cents.¡±


    ¡°60 cents.¡±


    The driver was taken aback, ¡°From your words, I can tell that you know the going rate, brother.


    But 60 cents won¡¯t work.


    We usually charge 20 cents per person, and you¡¯re bringing a child too.


    Let¡¯s call it 70 cents.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me, my son weighs at most twenty pounds.


    Look at my wife and sister¡¯s size; even if you were carrying a kid who weighed forty pounds, you wouldn¡¯t be at a loss,¡± Shen Chi said with a lifted eyebrow and a smile.


    ¡°Alright, 60 cents then.¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai and Shen Xiu exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised.


    They hadn¡¯t expected Shen Chi to be good at bargaining.


    ¡°What are you looking at me like that for?¡± Shen Chi asked Shen Xiu curiously, as her gaze had not wavered.


    ¡°Brother, why bother haggling over a penny or two when you have so much money?¡± Shen Xiu asked with a puzzled face, whispering near Shen Chi¡¯s ear.


    ¡°What¡¯s the logic in that?¡± Shen Chi pursed his lips, ¡°How does having more money justify spending more on a ride?


    A penny or two is still money.


    Don¡¯t pick up bad habits of squandering, little girl.¡±


    Shen Xiu gave him a sidelong glance, ¡°I think, brother, you should be telling this to my sister-in-law.¡± Her sister-in-law never haggled when shopping; of course, she wasn¡¯t one to be taken advantage of either.


    If the price was over her mental limit, she simply wouldn¡¯t buy the item.


    Shen Chi was at a loss for words and just touched his nose without speaking further.


    Shen Xiu smirked triumphantly, knowing that only her sister-in-law could keep her brother in check.


    Lin Xiaoguai heard the sibling¡¯s conversation but did not take it to heart.


    If she could have learned to bargain, she would have picked it up in her past life, not waited until now.


    Moreover, she knew it wasn¡¯t about learning, but about whether one could let go of their pride.


    She had always been thin-skinned, and even if she knew that this was a weakness in her character, she had no intention of changing it after decades.


    It took roughly twenty minutes for them to reach the provincial Medical College.


    This school wasn¡¯t very famous, which is why its buildings and facilities were quite average, but they were neatly organized.


    The seniors and seniors tasked with welcoming the new students appeared very amiable.


    As Shen Xiu was a girl and quite a looker at that, some of the male students were very attentive.


    After paying the fees and registering, Shen Chi quickly dismissed the particularly attentive male student with a few words and led the way into the dormitory building.


    ¡°Room 409, found it, right here!¡± Shen Xiu pointed at a room number and called out.


    The dormitory door was closed.


    Shen Chi turned the doorknob and opened the door.


    There was no one inside; they were quite early.


    After all, the registration deadline was the day after tomorrow, and today was only the first day.


    ¡°Xiuer, your bed is here, and the locker is number six,¡± Lin Xiaoguai looked around the room, frowning, ¡°Why is the curtain broken?¡±


    She found the dormitory environment to be quite poor.


    She could tolerate the old building, but the space was small.


    Four bunk beds, two by two, were placed against the walls, with a pathway of only about one and a half meters in the middle.


    There was also a shared writing desk, which didn¡¯t even have a phone on it.


    By the window, there was a simple shelf for cups and basins, with a basin and a closet by the door.


    As for the bathroom, it was non-existent ¨C they would probably have to go to a shared facility.


    Lin Xiaoguai stared at the dilapidated curtain, which couldn¡¯t be hung due to a fallen rope.


    ¡°Let me see,¡± Shen Chi stood beside her, looking up, ¡°The nail came loose and fell out.


    No worries, I¡¯ll get some wooden plugs and fix it so it can be used.¡±


    He immediately set to work, borrowing some items from the building manager downstairs, came back, propped up a stool, and started working.


    Lin Xiaoguai touched the desk with her finger, noticing a layer of dust.


    Seeing that the towel rack had a cleaning cloth left by a previous student, she said, ¡°Xiuer, go borrow a bucket from the manager, bring some water, and wipe down these beds and other things with the cloth.


    I¡¯ll go out and buy some daily necessities.¡± Since she was holding Little Niangao, she wasn¡¯t in a position to work anyway.


    ¡°Should I come with you, sister-in-law?


    You¡¯re by yourself and don¡¯t know the area,¡± Shen Xiu said, concerned and also a bit apprehensive about the unfamiliar environment.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.


    I paid attention to where the general store was on the way here.


    I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Shen Chi, who was struggling with the nails, overheard their conversation and said, ¡°Xiuer, let your sister-in-law go.


    Wanwan, don¡¯t go too far, just head to the department store at the school gate.


    After you buy the stuff, wait there, and I¡¯ll come over and help you carry it after I fix these nails.¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s just a washbasin and a footbath anyway.¡±


    Shen Chi knew that those items weren¡¯t heavy, but let¡¯s not forget, his wife still had to carry their son.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave Little Niangao here?¡±


    Lin Xiaoguai frowned, ¡°But there¡¯s nowhere to sit here.¡± The desk was too high, the chair was being used by Shen Chi, and getting the bed cleaned up would be a hassle.


    Eventually, Shen Chi still told her to wait for him at the store¡¯s entrance after buying the items, but whether Lin Xiaoguai would listen was another matter.


    As she left the dorm building, Lin Xiaoguai headed straight for the general store she had noticed before, selecting a basin with a floral pattern and a dark maroon plastic footbath, spending less than two yuan.


    She had just left the store, still debating whether to wait for Shen Chi, when she saw him briskly walking out of the school.


    ¡°Let me carry the son,¡± he said.


    Comparatively, Little Niangao was much heavier than a basin and a footbath.


    Lin Xiaoguai¡¯s hand felt sore, so she did not resist and passed Little Niangao into his arms.


    Returning together, they found that other students had already arrived in the dormitory.


    ¡°You¡¯re Shen Xiu¡¯s brother and sister-in-law, right?


    I¡¯m her classmate, Ji Hongfen, also from room 409.


    She¡¯s gone to wash the cloth and will be back soon,¡± said the girl dragging the floor, greeting them.


    Ji Hongfen was a tall and slim girl with quite pretty features, albeit with a darker complexion.


    She had a dimple that appeared when she smiled, giving the impression of being easy to get along with.


    (To be continued.


    If you like this work, feel free to give it your recommendation and monthly ticket votes at Qidian (qidian.com).


    Your support is my greatest motivation.


    Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

 Chapter 80 - 80 11 Farewell

    ?80: Chapter 11 Farewell 80: Chapter 11 Farewell Lin Xiaoguai was sizing up Ji Hongfen, and Ji Hongfen was also sizing her and Shen Chi up.


    She felt somewhat surprised inside.


    Coming from a family of intellectuals and due to her extended family connections, she had met many outstanding people and considered herself to have a discerning eye.


    But the two people in front of her were truly out of the ordinary.


    Let¡¯s not even mention appearances, as it wasn¡¯t unheard of for strikingly beautiful people to come from impoverished areas, but the temperament of these two was absolutely extraordinary.


    The man, well, she could let that pass.


    Both her uncles were in the military, so she could tell this person was from the military.


    Although he was wearing civilian clothes, his movements carried a martial air unique to the military, and moreover...


    this man was definitely someone who had spent years on the battlefield fighting enemies.


    The ferocious aura hidden behind his stern and resolute expression was impressively memorable to her.


    She had been nearly frightened to tears when her uncles returned from the battlefield.


    Even though they later concealed their aura, they felt different than before.


    Shen Chi, compared to her uncles, made an even more formidable impression on her.


    As for the woman...


    Ji Hongfen recalled a granddaughter of her grandfather¡¯s old friend.


    Unlike her own family¡¯s decline, that family could still be counted as a scholarly family.


    Shen Xiu¡¯s sister-in-law reminded her of that lady¡ªelegant and graceful, as if personally illustrating the phrase ¡°a cultivated mind makes a graceful demeanor¡±.


    But there was also something different about this woman, an elegant composure as if refined by years, truly curious and strange.


    ¡°Hello, I am Xiuxiu¡¯s sister-in-law, Lin Xiaoguai.


    This is my husband, Shen Chi.¡± At that time, when both husband and wife referred to each other as ¡°my love¡±, Lin Xiaoguai had to ¡°do as the Romans do.¡±


    Hearing Lin Xiaoguai ¡°admit¡± to her identity made Shen Chi¡¯s heart brighten, his gaze toward Lin Xiaoguai was hotter than ever before.


    Lin Xiaoguai smiled awkwardly, placing the washbasin and footbath aside, and picked up a rag intending to clean the bed.


    ¡°Let me do that.¡± Just as she was about to climb onto the bunk belonging to Shen Xiu, Shen Chi stopped her, took the rag without a word, stuffed Little Niangao into her arms, and swiftly climbed up to start wiping.


    Watching Shen Chi¡¯s trousers quickly get dusty from the pole, Lin Xiaoguai felt speechless.


    To avoid getting even dirtier when he came down, she quickly grabbed a rag and wiped the dust off the pole.


    Shen Chi was very quick.


    After Lin Xiaoguai checked twice to ensure not a spot of dust remained, she opened the luggage she had brought and took out the bedding she had prepared beforehand.


    ¡ª Knowing that schools at that time generally required students to bring their own bedding, she had started preparing these since the admission notice for Shen Xiu had arrived.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, not too big, not too small, just perfect,¡± Shen Xiu said, smiling as she looked at the neatly made bedsheet and mattress.


    Lin Xiaoguai also smiled, ¡°I asked around specifically, it ought to be just perfect.¡± Even in later times, the dimensions for school dormitory beds remained this size, so she figured she¡¯d get it right.


    ¡°The quilt seems a bit large,¡± Shen Xiu commented, frowning.


    ¡°Not too big,¡± Lin Xiaoguai efficiently made the bed, tucking the edges of the quilt in, ¡°Any smaller and it wouldn¡¯t be warm enough, this way it¡¯s just perfect.¡± To her, a quilt of one and a half meters was the bare minimum.


    ¡°Where did you buy this bedding, Xiuxiu?


    It¡¯s so beautiful,¡± Ji Hongfen said, looking somewhat enviously at Shen Xiu¡¯s bedding¡ªa clean and attractive mix of beige, black, and red stripes, with a stylish design.


    The sheets and pillowcases were off-white, matched with a pillow sham of the same color, exceptionally elegant, and both the pillow and quilt looked incredibly soft and warm, sinking down with a touch.


    She had also brought new ones¡ªstriped sheets, peach-pink pillowcases, and bright red pillow shams, vibrant quilt covers, new cotton that was thick and warm, all specially brought from Shanghai by her godmother.


    She had been very satisfied with them, but now...


    Not to mention that Shen Xiu¡¯s bedding looked like a matching set, different from her assorted mix, just the patterns, compared to Shen Xiu¡¯s, seemed too gaudy.


    Not to mention their incredibly soft quilt core, pillow core, and mattress that she couldn¡¯t guess the filling of.


    ¡°My sister-in-law made them,¡± Shen Xiu pursed her lips and smiled, a sense of undeniable pride in her expression, ¡°My sister-in-law¡¯s craftsmanship is really good; this bedsheet is just the simple one, the other set is even prettier.¡±


    She took out another set of sheets from the luggage to replace, different from the simple-cut but elegant sheets already laid out, this set featured embroidery.


    Besides the bedsheet being in a simple pink, the quilt and pillowcases were embroidered with silver threads into variously posed butterflies, exquisitely beautiful and captivating.