Chen Xiaolin really wanted to slap her across the face. With Liu Xiaojuan’s smug expression, she didn’t even know where that confidence came from—thinking she had any right to speak in this household. Since she didn’t like the chicken soup Grandma had made and felt that Xiaolin was taking advantage of her, today Xiaolin would drink even more, just to annoy her.
“Time to eat! Second daughter-in-law, there’s no food for you today. You’d better go back to your room first! Going hungry for a bit will wake you up,” Chen’s eldest aunt said, planning to teach Liu Xiaojuan a lesson for speaking without thinking and constantly babbling nonsense.
“Why? I work hard all day and don’t get to eat, but someone who just comes here to freeload gets meat and soup? I don’t accept this!” Liu Xiaojuan’s temper flared when she realized she wouldn’t be eating. She had a share in that chicken too, so why shouldn’t she get some?
“Because I run this household. If you have any objections, keep them to yourself,” Chen’s eldest aunt snapped. She wasn’t going to indulge Liu Xiaojuan, who was always whining about fairness without ever thinking about what she contributed to the family. She was constantly worried about being treated unfairly.
“Hmph! Fine, I won’t eat then. I don’t care anyway.” Liu Xiaojuan was furious, but she also knew she had already made everyone upset today. Continuing to argue would only make things worse.
Once Liu Xiaojuan went back to her room, everyone else happily started their meal, completely unaffected by the earlier tension.
That evening, when Chen Lin returned from work, everyone had finished eating and were chatting in the courtyard.
“Xiaolin, you’re back!” Chen Lin worked at the commune’s textile factory. Because he didn’t have enough seniority, he couldn’t get a single room in the dorm, so he had to leave early and return late every day. Luckily, the family had a bicycle; otherwise, his commute would have been over an hour each way.
“Second brother, you’re back! Your food is still warm in the pot. Come eat quickly!” Chen Xiaolin didn’t know how to face her second cousin or whether he knew about his wife’s grudge against her.
“Second, come over here. I need to talk to you.” Chen’s eldest aunt, seeing Chen Lin return, pulled him aside and recounted everything his wife had done today in detail.
Soon, the sound of arguing came from Chen Lin and Liu Xiaojuan’s room.
Chen Xiaolin felt a bit awkward and simply greeted Grandpa and Grandma before going home.
Chen Lin was exhausted. His wife really spilled everything to others. Although he had been thinking about his younger uncle’s new house, he hadn’t had the chance to discuss it with Grandpa and Grandma before Xiaolin returned to the village. Once he knew she was coming back, he realized that the house would never be his.
He remembered when he was a child, he had been willing to be adopted under his younger uncle’s name when he heard Grandpa and Grandma talk about it. He had always envied his cousin and countless times wanted to become his uncle’s son.
Unfortunately, Chen Dazhu had refused to adopt him, which slowly built resentment in Chen Lin toward his uncle.
After Chen Dazhu’s sacrifice, Chen Lin assumed Chen Xiaolin wouldn’t return to the countryside. He had planned to ask Grandpa and Grandma later about moving next door. But now that Xiaolin had returned, it was too late.
Because of this, Chen Lin had quarreled with Liu Xiaojuan. Seeing her cry so pitifully, he couldn’t fully blame her. He wiped her tears and looked into her eyes.
“Xiaojuan, watch your words in the future. I know the reason you dislike my cousin is because of the new house next door. Now that she’s back, we don’t need to think about that house anymore. We can work hard, save money, and build our own house when the property is divided.”
“Hmph! I just can’t stand it! That cousin of yours is going to get married anyway, yet she selfishly takes up such a big house. I don’t understand why Grandpa and Grandma think that’s fine. Just give her a room to stay!” Liu Xiaojuan knew she’d been a bit impulsive today, but she didn’t regret it. She had always dreamed of moving out once the property was divided, but now her dream was shattered.
“Alright! I said we won’t talk about the house anymore.” Chen Lin noticed his wife was still dwelling on it. He couldn’t help but regret choosing such a not-so-bright wife.
Meanwhile, Chen Mu and his wife, who lived next door to Chen Lin, were discussing today’s incident.
“Xiaohua, I feel so lucky to have married you in this lifetime.” Chen Mu was slightly annoyed seeing the second brother’s wife jumping around, but as the eldest cousin, he couldn’t say anything.
“You’re worried I might act like the second brother’s wife and be foolish, right?” Liu Hua was content with her current life and didn’t covet what wasn’t hers.
“Haha, my wife is so sensible and reasonable. I really am three-lifetimes lucky to marry you!” Chen Mu knew today’s trouble wasn’t entirely Liu Xiaojuan’s fault; his second brother probably had the same thoughts about the house.
“Do you think your second brother knows that Liu Xiaojuan is eyeing your uncle’s house?” Liu Hua wondered. If Liu Xiaojuan dared to speak about it publicly, Chen Lin must be aware. Liu Hua had always considered her uncle clever—normally invisible, but protective when it came to his interests.
“Chen Lin definitely knows. He used to think he’d be adopted under his uncle, so he had thoughts about the new house. But adoption was Grandpa and Grandma’s wishful thinking; the uncle refused. Besides, the uncle has a daughter, so a nephew wouldn’t inherit his property.”
“Sigh! I wonder what kind of wife our third brother will marry. I hope he doesn’t end up with someone like Liu Xiaojuan. I’d go crazy!” Liu Hua wasn’t afraid of formidable opponents, just foolish teammates. Another nitpicky, dumb sister-in-law would be unbearable.
“Third brother is smart. He’ll have high standards for his future wife. Besides, he’s in the army; his wife will move with him, so whatever he marries won’t concern us,” Chen Mu said. He knew Chen Sen well; ordinary women rarely impressed him.
“Hopefully… Anyway, let’s not talk about them. Let’s sleep now, so we don’t wake up Gou Dan and the others,” Liu Hua tucked the children in and lay down to sleep.
“Why sleep so early? Didn’t you say Xiaolin is so well-behaved and cute? Maybe we should have a third child!”
“Be gentle, it hurts!”
…
When Chen Xiaolin returned home, she went straight to her private space. She had come back too late today and was too lazy to wash the pot or boil water. She simply took a bath in her space.