With Xu Linghua’s words, the whole “ghost” business was finally laid to rest.
But Chen Haobei and Chen Haonan were clearly not enjoying their meal at all.
Chen Haonan couldn’t help but grumble: “Mom… can we please not eat the exact same thing twice in one day tomorrow?”
“This noodles are all sticky and clumpy… what if I get stomach cramps after eating this?”
Ge Zhaodi rolled her eyes: “What kind of luxury do you think we have? You should be grateful there’s food on the table – stop being so picky!”
“If you get the runs, so be it! Think of it as cooling your temper!”
Chen Jinsheng frowned at their bickering, and instinctively glanced at You Sanmei’s bowl.
“Hey,” he whispered, leaning in close like he was sharing a secret, “let me taste what you’ve got there…”
He reached out with his chopsticks.
“Oh, sure.” You Sanmei picked up a strand and held it out to his mouth. “Here, try it.”
“…”
Chen Jinsheng steadied his own bowl, glanced away quickly, then leaned over and ate it.
He knew exactly what his two sisters-in-law were like – they’d probably mixed yesterday’s leftover noodles in with tonight’s fresh batch.
He chewed slowly for a moment.
Huh. Looks like those two shrews actually have some sense. They know better than to feed stale food to someone who’s still recovering.
“Alright, go on and finish yours,” he muttered, going back to his own bowl.
You Sanmei looked at him curiously. “Why’d you want to taste mine? Let me try yours too, okay?”
Chen Jinsheng clamped a hand over his bowl. “No need! Just eat your own properly!”
He could tell there were leftovers in there.
Hmph. Those two loud-mouthed, wicked women – this is clearly just petty revenge!
It’s not like he refuses to lift a finger! Everyone acts like he’s useless at everything – he tried washing dishes once and got told he didn’t scrub them clean enough. Why act like he’s a freeloader just for eating?
This family doesn’t need him at all.
“…”
His chewing slowed down, and he found himself glancing over at You Sanmei.
What about her?
She really has changed today – so much it’s almost unbelievable. No wonder the boys said she was possessed.
And she actually let him put her shoes on for her earlier.
Does… does that mean she finally sees him as her husband?
That she knows she married him, Chen Jinsheng – not the whole Chen family – and that he should be the one closest to her, the one she leans on most?
You Sanmei suddenly leaned in close, whispering conspiratorially: “I’m going to eat less… later in our room I’ll have that apple you brought back for me, hehe~”
Chen Jinsheng froze. He had to fight hard not to choke like he had at lunch.
All at once, the noodles in his mouth felt even stickier – thick and heavy in his throat, and deep down in his heart too.
“Chen Yuanyuan! Your braid is in your bowl again!” Ge Zhaodi barked irritably. “I told you – cutting it short would be so much easier! Why keep it so long? Who’s got time to braid it for you every single day?”
Chen Yuanyuan pouted. “I like my hair long! Why should I cut it?”
Ge Zhaodi rolled her eyes again. “What’s so good about long hair? You’ve clearly never had someone yank you by your pigtails!”
When she was little, her own home was far rowdier than the Chen household now. If she hadn’t had a temper like firecrackers, her siblings would’ve bullied her to death.
Yang Cuilian nodded in full agreement. “Yuanyuan, your mother’s right – long hair is such a hassle.”
“Your mom, your grandma, and I all keep ours short. None of us know how to braid properly. If you don’t want it all messy, you’ll have to learn yourself – or just cut it off!”
Chen Yuanyuan had been enjoying her noodles, but now every bite felt heavy. She chewed slowly, her spirits sinking lower and lower.
You Sanmei swallowed her mouthful, then slowly raised her hand. “Actually… there is someone in this house with long hair who knows how to braid…”
“!” Chen Yuanyuan’s little mouth fell open round and wide, just like her chubby little face.
“That’s right!” She dropped her chopsticks, hopped down from her stool, and ran over with bright, excited cheeks. “Auntie has long hair~ Auntie knows how to braid~”
“I don’t have to cut my hair! Auntie will braid it for me!”
Yuanyuan was different from her brothers – she’d always liked her aunt-in-law.
Auntie had fair, soft features and spoke gently, nothing like the rest of the loud, sharp-tongued adults in the house.
But before, her mother and aunt had told her not to bother her – said she was shy and quiet, and probably wouldn’t want a noisy little girl hanging around.
Watching the little girl run over, her hair all messy and eyes sparkling, You Sanmei’s heart ached a little.
In her past life, she’d overheard her second sister-in-law scolding Yuanyuan for coming to see her. Back then, she’d thought they were deliberately shutting her out.
But now that she knew them better, she understood – they just didn’t know how to show kindness, and always said things the wrong way.
They’d only wanted to keep Yuanyuan from disturbing her while she recovered.
As soon as dinner was over, Chen Yuanyuan hurried off to find a small mirror in their room.
Ge Zhaodi watched her daughter’s happy little face, opened her mouth several times to say something – but couldn’t bring herself to thank her out loud.
Instead, she waited until no one was looking and slipped into the room Chen Haobei and Chen Haonan shared.
She reached into the folded bedding on Chen Haonan’s side, and pulled out a big, shiny apple.
She gritted her teeth, hesitated for a long moment, then tucked it tight against her chest and hurried out.
You Sanmei had been about to pull Chen Jinsheng back to their room – to tease him a little, to get closer – when two men called his name from the doorway.
She narrowed her eyes. She recognized those voices.
She’d seen them before in her past life – scrawny, shifty-eyed little men. Small-minded, greedy, and foolishly cunning.
And Chen Jinsheng would never see through them. He wasn’t a bad man, but he was too trusting – too naive to the cruelty of others.
All they had to do was call him “brother” and butter him up a little, and he’d be eating out of their hands.
You Sanmei smirked to herself: Too bad for them. No one knows how to coax him better than me – his own wife.
And I can do it not just in the day, but at night too. Not just out in the open – but even snuggled under the covers~
Hmph. Looks like I’ll just have to show them exactly what I’m capable of!
Think you can take advantage of my husband? Over my dead body!
Every penny he has now belongs to us both. Mess with him, and you’re messing with me too!
“…Hey, you – sickly one!”
You Sanmei was about to march over and drag him back when Ge Zhaodi called her over awkwardly.
She paused, then walked over slowly. “What is it, Second Sister-in-Law?”
Ge Zhaodi glanced around nervously to make sure the kids weren’t watching, then rushed forward and pulled something from her chest!
“!” You Sanmei stared in surprise.
Ge Zhaodi wouldn’t even meet her eyes. She shoved the apple straight into You Sanmei’s hands. “Quick – make sure Haonan doesn’t see…”
“Don’t leave it till tomorrow. Go eat it quietly in your room right away, understand?”
Before You Sanmei could reply, she hurried away. Even then, she kept glancing back, waving frantically:
Go eat it now! Hurry up!
“AHHHHHHH!!”
A moment later, Chen Haonan’s tearful scream rang out across the yard:
“AAAAHHH MY BIG APPLE!! WHO STOLE THE BIG APPLE MOM FINALLY GAVE ME BACK?!”
“WHO IS IT?! COME OUT AND SHOW YOURSELF!!”
“WAAAAHH… YOU THIEF! I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!”