Sure enough, Lu Chuncui’s words made Guo Fengyan’s face look as disgusted as if she’d eaten shit.
Fortunately, Cheng Yu wasn’t the type to passively endure. She let out a light laugh and casually brushed off Lu Chuncui’s remark.
“Aunt, you’ve misunderstood. Xing Yanheng really couldn’t get away. He couldn’t bear to let me live a hard life with him, so of course he has to work hard to earn money. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even have the face to come back and see you all.”
Guo Fengyan’s expression softened, and she said awkwardly, “Well, at least he has that much consideration.”
Lu Chuncui pursed her lips and wanted to say more, but Old Mrs. Cheng shot her a warning look.
We’re all family—what’s the point of tearing each other down in front of outsiders?
“Since he really can’t make it back, let’s not force it. As long as he treats Xiaoyu well, that’s enough.”
The neighbors chimed in along with the old lady: “That’s right. Whether or not the son-in-law can come and fulfill his filial duties in person, having the thought counts for something.”
With that, both of the Cheng daughters had returned, and the neighbors dispersed on their own, leaving the Cheng family to close the door and celebrate.
Guo Fengyan and Lu Chuncui were going to cook, and as daughters, Cheng Yu and Cheng Yan naturally couldn’t just sit idle.
In the countryside, getting married meant becoming independent, and filial duty to one’s parents became an obligation.
Cheng Yu had known how to cook since she was fourteen. Today, Guo Fengyan assigned her to be the head cook, while she and Lu Chuncui would prepare the ingredients. As for Cheng Yan, she only needed to tend the fire.
The four women were originally divided into clear roles in the kitchen, each doing their own job. But halfway through tending the fire, Cheng Yan fussily covered her hand and went outside.
He Zhou, who had been chatting with the old lady, was called out by her. She put on a coquettish display in the courtyard and directly swapped the fire-tending duty onto him.
He Zhou had always had a good temper. Whatever Cheng Yan asked him to do, he did—looking every bit the devoted husband.
In her past life, Cheng Yu had been fooled by his “thoughtfulness.” Later, when she saw his true colors, all that was left for her was endless disappointment.
In this life, she wanted nothing to do with him.
When He Zhou asked her how the fire was doing, Cheng Yu shot back: “What do you think? This fire’s burning like a man with kidney deficiency—is the firewood not strong enough, or are you just not up to the job?”
He Zhou was so embarrassed by Cheng Yu’s jab that his face turned bright red, and he bent down to furiously stuff more firewood into the stove pit.
And after saying that, Cheng Yu’s mood suddenly lifted. She regretted even more that in her past life she’d been so stubbornly blind and hadn’t turned back sooner to tell He Zhou to get lost!
“Xiaoyu, your brother-in-law isn’t like Xing Yanheng. He grew up in the county town and never had to endure hardship. Don’t be so harsh on him.”
Cheng Yan had been standing at the doorway the whole time. When she heard Cheng Yu giving He Zhou a hard time, she walked back in.
“Besides… you can’t even boss Xing Yanheng around, so how can you so comfortably criticize my husband?”
Cheng Yu couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sis, I’m the one living in the Xing household—how do you know I can’t boss your brother-in-law around? On the other hand, I heard that recently your husband was burning fields and ended up setting the production team’s firewood pile alight. He got named and shamed in front of the whole village. He’s so useless—you should boss him around even more, so he doesn’t end up being good for nothing except eating!”
“You—” Cheng Yan failed to put Cheng Yu down and instead got mocked herself, her cheeks flushing red with anger.
Knowing she couldn’t win an argument with Cheng Yu, she went to tattle to her mother.
“Mom, did you hear what Cheng Yu said? Exposing her brother-in-law’s shortcomings like that—does she even have any respect for me as her older sister!”
Guo Fengyan had long been dissatisfied with He Zhou, and hearing Cheng Yu’s words only made her side against him even more.
“Your sister isn’t wrong. Whether He Zhou can go back to the city or not is a matter for later. A man who’s useless and can’t even do a simple job right—what’s he going to rely on to support a family? What’s he going to use to support you?” Guo Fengyan said as she kneaded the dough.
This time, not only did Cheng Yan’s face turn sour, but He Zhou was also extremely embarrassed.
“Mom, I’ll work hard. Once I get back to the city…”
He Zhou’s words were cut off before he could finish, as Guo Fengyan interrupted him without leaving him any face at all.
“I’ll say it again: the matter of going back to the city can be discussed after you go back. I only care about the present—can you support my Cheng Yan or not!”
He Zhou: “…”
Well, that was that. Originally, he and Cheng Yan had planned that since his entire month’s wages had gone to compensate the production team, they’d borrow some money from her family first to tide them over.
Before he even had a chance to bring it up, his mother-in-law had already shut him down.
He shot Cheng Yan a look, signaling her to drop the subject.
But Cheng Yan mistook his signal as encouragement to speak up, and directly said, “Mom, He Zhou just hasn’t had the chance to show what he can do. His talents aren’t in farming—don’t write him off completely!”
Guo Fengyan didn’t respond, just shot Cheng Yan a glare.
Cheng Yan was the eldest daughter of the family and had grown up taking things for granted, so she had no idea how to read the room.
“Mom, can you lend us some money? We’ll pay you back once He Zhou and I get our wages.”
Guo Fengyan paused her kneading, turned her head, and looked as if she’d just heard the funniest joke.
“What did you say? Borrow money?”
Guo Fengyan suddenly picked up the cleaver and started chopping the dough, slamming it against the board with such force that it banged loudly.
“There’s no money left in this family to lend you! Look, your father and I are about to drink the northwest wind. We didn’t expect you to come back and support us, but instead you come back to squeeze us dry!”
Cheng Yan, however, thought she was lying and stepped forward: “Impossible! If the family had no money, how could we be eating white flour today?”
“That’s because your grandmother gave up her own rations to save face for you two sisters! You, who eat your fill every day without a care in the world—your parents emptied their savings to raise you, and all we hoped was that you’d marry into a good family. But look what happened—”
Guo Fengyan finished the rest with a roll of her eyes.
He Zhou’s face turned as red as a tomato. He stood up abruptly and said stiffly, “I’m going to the bathroom.”
Seeing that He Zhou was upset, Cheng Yan stamped her feet at her mother.
“Mom, why are you all like this? This is our first time coming back to see you since He Zhou and I got married—do you have to make things unpleasant?”
Guo Fengyan sneered contemptuously: “Oh? You have the nerve to come here asking for money, but can’t take a few words from me? You really are useless—suffer in silence for the sake of saving face!”
Cheng Yan: “…”
Seeing that her mother was a dead end, she turned to Cheng Yu instead.
“Little sister, can you lend me some money? I’ll pay you back next month.”
Cheng Yu looked at Cheng Yan’s fake smile and snorted: “No need to call me Cheng Yu—only when you need something am I your ‘little sister’?”
Cheng Yan’s already unpleasant expression turned several shades redder.
But for the sake of borrowing money, she swallowed her pride and forced a pleading look, speaking in soft tones: “Oh, whatever I call you, you’re still my little sister! Just help your sister out!”
Cheng Yu curled her lips and spread both empty palms: “You know how poor the Xing family is. Unfortunately, I can’t help either.”
Cheng Yan still refused to give up. When soft words failed, she resorted to hard ones.
“Don’t think I don’t know—Mom and Dad have no money because they gave the Xing family’s betrothal gift to you as your dowry! And you’re still crying poor to me? I’m your own sister, and you won’t even help me with this? What can I ever count on you for in the future!”