Meanwhile, Zhang Cuiping was scheming against Meng Yue.
Elsewhere, Li Shulan was completely unaware, happily cutting fabric to make blouses and skirts for her daughters-in-law.
She had never had a daughter in her life.
Since her two sons graduated from high school, they had rarely been home. The younger son had gone into the army, and the eldest son was busy with work; even last Chinese New Year, she had been alone at home.
Now, with two daughters-in-law, mealtimes were lively.
Most importantly, her daughters-in-law were beautiful. Seeing them every day, hearing them call her “Mom,” and seeing their smiles warmed her heart.
She wondered why, in her previous life, she had been so cruel.
Ah, never mind—this life was for atonement.
With that thought, she looked at the cotton fabric in her hands and went back to her room to find a piece of white cotton to make a belt for the waist.
Just as she was busy, a voice suddenly rang from outside the yard.
“Shulan! Are you home?”
“I’m here, I’m here! Just come on in.”
“I came looking for you this morning, but the door was locked. Were you at the town?”
A woman with a round face and single eyelids entered with a smile.
It was Aunt Zhou, Zhou Wanxiang, who lived in the yard below theirs. She had been Li Shulan’s best friend in her previous life.
“What are you making? These two pieces of fabric are really pretty. Whose are they?”
“I bought them this morning at the town supply and marketing cooperative. I plan to make one blouse-and-skirt set for each of my daughters-in-law. Aren’t you working today?”
Zhou Wanxiang was shocked by her friend’s words.
“What did you say? You bought them? For your daughters-in-law?”
“Yes! I said, old friend, aren’t you only in your forties? How come your ears aren’t working?”
“It’s not my ears—it’s your words that scared me! You, as a mother-in-law… before your sons Zihuai and Zixuan got married, you looked down on those two educated youth girls. I thought you didn’t like them and came to comfort you a bit.”
Li Shulan laughed.
“I didn’t like them before because they were outsiders. Now they’re my daughters-in-law, so they’re family.” She looked at her friend. “Wouldn’t you want such beautiful and educated girls as your daughters-in-law?”
Although women in the village would often speak disparagingly about city youths, in reality, they were envious. Envious of their city upbringing, envious of their money.
Her two daughters-in-law were top among the educated youths in Yangjiao Brigade.
Their looks and abilities were outstanding, and they spent freely, often trading eggs and hens with the villagers, sparking jealousy.
No wonder someone had tried to harm them; a single mistake could cost lives.
Zhou Wanxiang thought about her friend’s words and laughed. “If I had two daughters-in-law as beautiful as yours, I’d wake up laughing in my dreams!”
“See? Your friend is doing well now!”
“Well, as long as you think that way. I just worry you might go overboard, like your mother-in-law…”
She paused in time.
Li Shulan wasn’t angry. “How could I? They came as daughters-in-law. I know what I did in the past. How could I torment my own daughters-in-law now?”
Hearing this, Zhou Wanxiang relaxed. “I can tell by your son’s eyes when he looks at his wife—he looks like he wants to devour the girl whole. I just worry that if you overthink things, it might affect your relationship with your sons.”
“Don’t worry. These two daughters-in-law are so beautiful and obedient; I spoil them enough. How could I cause them trouble? By the way, why aren’t you working today?”
“My eldest grandson Dongdong had a fever last night. My husband was worried, so he told me to stay home and watch him. I didn’t go to work.”
“Dongdong had a fever? Is he all right? Good, I bought some fruit this morning—let me get an apple for him. Eating some fruit will help him recover.”
As Li Shulan spoke, she rose to get it from the bedroom; Zhou Wanxiang couldn’t stop her.
“No need, Dongdong is fine. Keep the apple for your daughters-in-law; don’t trouble yourself.”
Soon, Li Shulan handed her an apple, a slice of peach pastry, and a few White Rabbit candies, stuffing them all into Zhou Wanxiang’s arms.
“Take it. Let Dongdong enjoy a sweet treat—it’s not worth much anyway.”
“Peach pastry and White Rabbit candy not worth much? Then what is worth much?” Zhou Wanxiang rolled her eyes but didn’t refuse further.
“But I say, Shulan, if you really like these two daughters-in-law, why not get the secretary or brigade leader to adjust their work? Pulling weeds in the fields every day is too hard on them.”
Hearing this, Li Shulan paused briefly before moving.
“I know, I’ll handle it.”
The two chatted a while longer before Zhou Wanxiang left.
Li Shulan then seriously considered her daughters-in-law’s work arrangements.
In her previous life, since she had intentionally tormented them, she had never thought about this.
But now… they were her precious daughters-in-law!
How could they be digging in the fields like ordinary women?
Not to mention her eldest son—her younger son had fallen in love with Su Xiao at first sight. What had he loved? Her face, of course.
Even though in the previous life, Su Xiao had become haggard from Li Shulan’s torment, her younger son hadn’t minded.
But why risk it? She could preserve their beauty.
Actually, last night, she had already thought about their work.
She remembered that in her previous life, the arithmetic teacher at the brigade school got married and was transferred back to the county, leaving a teaching position vacant.
Li Shulan planned to help Su Xiao get that job.
As for Meng Yue, she planned to recruit her into her sewing group.
If she remembered correctly, Meng Yue’s mother was from the south and knew Xiang embroidery; Meng Yue had loved it since she was a child. With her skills, joining the sewing group wouldn’t be difficult.
Moreover, no one else knew, but Li Shulan knew that Meng Yue was now carrying the first grandchild of the Qin family—she had to protect her well.
Having Meng Yue nearby would make her feel more at ease.
However, this was no longer the early years; joining the sewing group required owning a sewing machine. Li Shulan had to figure out a way to get one for Meng Yue. She also wondered if the system could reward sewing machine vouchers.
The two blouse-and-skirt sets couldn’t be finished in one afternoon. Seeing the time, Li Shulan boiled water, went to the west yard, and killed an old hen. She then slowly stewed it with mushrooms in a clay pot over low heat.
By six or seven o’clock, her daughters-in-law had finished work.
“Mom, I’m back!”
Li Shulan smiled. “The water’s hot in the pot—wash up quickly. Why are you alone? Where’s your sister-in-law? Why didn’t she come back with you?”
“Don’t ask. I don’t know what happened. Near the end of work, my sister-in-law was suddenly assigned to carry manure. When I came back, she hadn’t finished. I wanted to help her, but she told me to come back first and tell you, so you wouldn’t worry.”
“Carry manure?”