Li Shulan stopped her sewing machine immediately and ran out.
“The team wants your elder daughter‑in‑law to carry the manure!”
There was anger in her voice.
Su Xiao was momentarily stunned to see her mother‑in‑law angry but quickly tried to calm her.
“Mom, don’t worry. I just asked Dà‑sao (elder daughter‑in‑law). She said it’s not tiring. She’ll only do it for a little while, and tomorrow someone else will take over.”
“Someone else, my foot!”
Li Shulan yanked the apron off her waist and stormed outside, cursing all the way.
“That dead girl! Hanging two fried cabbage leaves on her head as brains! Can’t take advice, dares to trouble my daughter‑in‑law… If I don’t tear her a new one today, I’m not Li’s family!”
On her way to Qin Dechang’s house, she passed by a field.
Just then, she heard a familiar voice.
“Meng Yue, remember this! Brother Zihuai is mine! You little slut, daring to climb onto my Brother Zihuai while I wasn’t around! I’m telling you, you better get a divorce with him, or I’ll make you carry manure every day! Don’t think you can rest even at work… showing off like that, you tramp—ah!”
Li Shulan immediately rushed over and grabbed Zhang Cuiping by the hair, slapping her twice.
“I knew it! That foul mouth of yours, spouting nonsense! Who’s been flirting with you? Don’t think I don’t know about you and that Wu kid from your brigade! Hiding in the little woods, right? And Liu from the town grain station? I saw you two holding hands, kissing by the Willow River! You’re a flirt, no one matches your filthiness!”
She pinched Zhang Cuiping hard a couple of times.
“Aunt Lan, don’t pinch me! It hurts, stop it!”
“You dare make my daughter‑in‑law carry manure? You’re just a pile of dung! Ugly and dirty, claiming Brother Zihuai—thousand‑year‑old foxes aren’t as sly as you! Look at yourself… with those eyes, what can you compare to my daughter‑in‑law?!”
Li Shulan scolded Zhang Cuiping for over ten minutes until Meng Yue and Su Xiao finally pulled her away.
Zhang Cuiping squatted on the ground crying, partly from pain, mostly from fear.
She hadn’t expected Li Shulan to know so much about her—Wu the educated youth, Liu the big brother… she knew everything.
If anyone else found out, she could be charged with being a rogue, publicly criticized, or even forced to have her head shaved and be pelted with stones…
Li Shulan sat on the field beside her to catch her breath, then looked at Zhang Cuiping again, giving her a kick.
“Get up! I’m going to personally ask the old secretary what he meant. Hurry, get up!”
Terrified, Zhang Cuiping knelt down.
“Aunt Lan, I was wrong, I really was! Please don’t tell my grandparents. I swear I’ll never do it again. I’ll go to my eldest uncle and have him reassign Meng Yue’s work, okay? I really know I was wrong!”
Li Shulan didn’t even look at her, letting her daughters‑in‑law help her up and marched straight ahead.
“If you don’t go, I’ll talk to your old secretary myself!”
“Aunt Lan, I beg you!”
Li Shulan didn’t stop.
Zhang Cuiping had no choice but to brush off the mud and follow quickly.
Meng Yue and Su Xiao flanked her on either side. Their hearts were uneasy.
These past two days, their mother‑in‑law had been unusually gentle, almost making them forget what kind of temper she actually had.
They had seen her scold others to tears before and thought she was rude. But now, defending them, they didn’t see her as harsh or impolite—only warm.
Meng Yue held Li Shulan’s arm. Li Shulan instinctively patted her gently, her voice softening.
“It’s okay, don’t be afraid. Mom’s got you!”
It was around dinner time, and on the way, they encountered several people.
“Sister‑in‑law Lan, it’s almost time to eat. Where are you going? What happened?”“Cuiping, why are you covered in mud? Did you fall somewhere?”“No, Auntie, I just tripped… it’s nothing…”
People naturally gathered to watch the commotion.
Seeing Li Shulan’s determined expression, like she was ready to fight, the onlookers crowded around.
Zhang Cuiping panicked, grabbed Li Shulan’s sleeve, and whispered desperately:
“Aunt Lan, please, don’t tell anyone about me, please…”
Li Shulan ignored her completely and walked straight to Qin Dechang’s house.
The door was opened by Qin Lixun, Qin Dechang’s eldest son, also the team leader of Meng Yue’s squad.
“Sister‑in‑law Lan, why are you here?”
“What do you think I’m here for? Don’t you know? Captain Qin!”
Qin Lixun saw the onlookers outside and Zhang Cuiping blushing behind Li Shulan, and quickly smiled.
“Sister‑in‑law Lan, I don’t know why you’re here. Cuiping, where have you been? Your grandfather just called you to eat.”
“Lixun, who came?”
Qin Dechang’s voice came from behind.
“Dad, it’s Sister‑in‑law Lan, she brought her two daughters‑in‑law.”
Qin Dechang came out. “Oh? Little Li’s wife, what brings you here at this time?”
Even facing the old secretary and a yard full of men, Li Shulan didn’t show an ounce of fear.
As always, the whole Yangjiao Brigade still needed her two sons. As long as she didn’t break the law, with her sons around, she was the highest‑status woman in the entire brigade.
“Old Secretary, do you really want me to say this here?” Li Shulan asked, looking at Qin Dechang.
The moment she finished, Zhang Cuiping shouted:
“No! You can’t!”
Qin Dechang had no choice but to invite Li Shulan into the courtyard.
The onlookers outside grew even more excited.
“I think Sister‑in‑law Lan came for the elder daughter‑in‑law. Meng the educated youth worked in the fields all afternoon, and just before finishing, Lixun assigned her to carry manure. Sister‑in‑law Lan came right after work. She must be here for Meng. But I thought she hated those educated youths?”
“The work assignment is the team leader’s responsibility. Even if Lixun asked Meng to carry manure, what’s wrong? Why is Cuiping worried?”
“Who knows…”
Inside the yard, Li Shulan didn’t beat around the bush. She laid out Zhang Cuiping’s messy affairs with two boys.
“Old Secretary, as the saying goes, some people get treated differently. To vent for your granddaughter, you make my daughter‑in‑law suffer. After a long day in the field, she has to carry manure? You don’t take me Li Shulan seriously at all! Fine, then I won’t cover for you. I’ll expose your granddaughter’s double‑dealing!”
“Little Li’s wife, what are you saying? We do take you seriously. Lixun didn’t mean it this afternoon. I’ll make him apologize, alright? We’re from the same village, no need to make this a big deal. From now on, Meng’s work will be lighter. Is that okay?”
“My daughter‑in‑law is small and fragile. After cutting wheat all afternoon and then carrying manure, all you say is ‘sorry’? Dream on!”
A quarter hour later.
When Li Shulan came out with her two daughters‑in‑law, each held a package.
At the same time, the mechanical voice in Li Shulan’s mind sounded again.
【Ding! Helped daughter‑in‑law get revenge. Reward: 100 yuan cash, 1 jade bracelet, 1 sewing machine coupon】