“Oh my, Cousin-in-law, I heard your daughter has really turned things around. She’s become sensible and capable. And now that I’ve seen her for myself, it really is true.”
Qin Zhilan leaned against the doorframe, her large, dark eyes darting over Shen Meng and the donkey cart loaded with firewood behind Bai Jinxi. She managed to turn what should have been a compliment into something dripping with sarcasm.
The donkey cart was almost completely filled with firewood. Only one corner was empty because they had already unloaded wood for the three families they’d visited earlier.
Although Qin Zhilan was smiling, her expression changed several times.
Shen Meng looked at Qin Zhilan and rolled her eyes inwardly.
Qin Zhilan was the wife of Shen Baoxuan, the youngest son of Fourth Granduncle Shen Manjiang, the village head. She was nineteen this year. Her father, Qin Shouzhong, had been the old teacher at Shen Family Village’s school. He had been drowned in a typhoon two years ago. All that remained of her family were her elderly mother and her nine-year-old younger brother.
Qin Zhilan’s husband, Shen Baoxuan, was Shen Manjiang’s youngest son. He had an older brother and two older sisters and had always been the favorite of the family. He had been spoiled rotten and had a mischievous, unruly temperament. He was the true little tyrant of Shen Family Village.
This woman really was just as Bai Jinxi had described her. She was young, but she had quite a sharp tongue.
Shen Meng thought to herself.
Fortunately, Bai Jinxi had warned Shen Meng beforehand. Otherwise, Shen Meng might not have been able to restrain herself from starting a fight again.
Even the most satisfying life couldn’t mean doing whatever you wanted.
She still had missions to complete. She couldn’t let someone like this ruin her mood.
Shen Meng took several deep breaths to calm herself.
Bai Jinxi remained composed and forced a smile.
“Zhilan, being capable is just a result of circumstances. Meng’er has finally become more sensible and started helping out around the house. At least that means I have a little less to worry about.”
Qin Zhilan curled her lips and continued sarcastically, “Oh, Cousin-in-law, listen to you. Who doesn’t know that your family only has Meng’er as a daughter? If she doesn’t do more work, what else can she do?”
Shen Meng almost laughed from sheer irritation.
Bai Jinxi was obviously being extremely humble and deliberately keeping a low profile, yet Qin Zhilan still wouldn’t let up.
Before Shen Meng or Bai Jinxi could say anything, Qin Zhilan spoke again.
“A woman should find herself a good husband. That’s what really matters. Just look at me. I married a husband who dotes on me, my husband’s family is well-off, and my father-in-law is the village head. Naturally, I never have to worry about food or clothing. I have more blessings than I could ever enjoy.”
Shen Meng pretended to sigh. Frowning, she said, “How could my mother and I be as lucky as Auntie Zhilan? Your father and father-in-law are both such capable men, and your husband knows how to treat you well. You’ll never run out of blessings in this lifetime.”
“Thaaat’s right!” Qin Zhilan widened her eyes and drawled out the words. “But enjoying blessings for a little while isn’t enough. Even if your father and husband are capable, if they don’t live long, what good does it do you?”
After saying that, Qin Zhilan covered her mouth with a handkerchief and giggled.
She looked just like a prostitute standing outside a brothel, trying to lure in customers.
Shen Meng cursed inwardly.
Everyone in Shen Family Village knew that Bai Jinxi’s father had been a county clerk before his death, while her husband, Shen Fugui, had been a constable at the county government office. When Bai Jinxi had married into the Shen Mancang family, it had been an incredibly grand occasion. Everyone in the village had gone over just to get a look at the young lady from the county town.
Back then, Qin Zhilan had been green with envy. She had thrown a tantrum at home for several days.
But times changed.
Bai Jinxi’s husband and father had died one after another within the same year, leaving her a widowed woman with no choice but to return to Shen Family Village and depend on her husband’s family for a place to live.
When Qin Zhilan heard the news, she had been so delighted that she practically jumped for joy. She had even deliberately gone to Shen Mancang’s house just to take a look at Bai Jinxi’s miserable state after being forced to live in the woodshed.
Even Bai Jinxi herself couldn’t understand what she’d ever done to offend this relative she’d barely spoken to. Yet Qin Zhilan seemed determined to target her, making sure every word struck directly at her most painful wounds.
For a moment, Bai Jinxi could no longer keep her composure. Her expression darkened.
Seeing that Bai Jinxi was angry, the fire inside Shen Meng also became harder to suppress.
“Oh, Auntie, you’d better not let my grandfather hear you say that,” Shen Meng said. “My father’s death is a wound in his heart. If he finds out you’re going around talking about it like this, he’ll definitely be angry.”
Shen Meng didn’t know whether Shen Mancang had actually loved Shen Fugui or whether he had mourned his death.
But she was certain Shen Mancang would be upset at losing a son who had worked as a constable.
Besides, Shen Mancang had raised his younger brothers and sisters himself. As the eldest brother, he was like a father to them. Even though Shen Manjiang was now the village head, he still had to respect his eldest brother, let alone his daughter-in-law.
Qin Zhilan naturally understood the implications.
The smug expression on her face immediately turned pale. She rolled her eyes dramatically and said, “The Shen family has never had a rule requiring the eldest branch to provide firewood for us. Why did you bring all this wood here?”
Bai Jinxi had lived for more than thirty years, after all. While Shen Meng and Qin Zhilan had exchanged those few words, she had already regained control of her emotions and managed to pull a smile onto her face.
“This isn’t the eldest branch providing firewood for Fourth Granduncle. Meng’er used to be unruly, but she’s finally turned over a new leaf and knows how to help the family with the work. Since she cut a whole cartload of firewood, I thought we’d give a few bundles to her uncles as a small gesture of filial respect.”
“If that’s the case, then there’s no such thing as too much firewood. Bring it inside.”
Qin Zhilan stepped aside as she spoke, clearing the doorway.
The door connected to the back of the kitchen and woodshed. Shen Meng and Bai Jinxi carried two bundles of brushwood and two bundles of wormwood inside and neatly stacked them in the woodshed.
Qin Zhilan watched coldly.
She was still upset about having been put in her place earlier and had been thinking about how to get even. When she noticed Shen Meng’s sun-darkened skin and rough hands, she couldn’t resist another jab.
“Xiaomeng, you’ve gotten so dark from the sun. The skin on your fingers must be rough enough to catch on anything you touch. How are you ever going to find a husband like that? For a woman, being capable is secondary. What’s important is finding a good marriage and giving birth to a son.”
Shen Meng sighed inwardly.
This woman had a perfectly good life, yet she insisted on making things difficult for herself and everyone around her. She was constantly comparing herself with others and had to put everyone else beneath her before she could feel good about herself.
What kind of problem was that?!
Shen Meng had no intention of getting dragged into an argument with a crazy person like her.
“Auntie, we’ve finished putting away the firewood. We still have to deliver some to the other Granduncles’ families, so we won’t stay.”
After saying that, Shen Meng headed toward the door.
Qin Zhilan felt as though she’d thrown a punch into a pile of cotton. It left her even more frustrated.
She was about to chase after Shen Meng and say something else when Bai Jinxi grabbed her.
“My daughter’s marriage was arranged by her father while he was still alive, so you don’t need to worry about it. Why don’t you go check on your precious son instead? He might be hungry by now.”
After saying that, Bai Jinxi turned and walked out, climbed onto the donkey cart, and called out loudly, “Giddy-up!”
By the time Qin Zhilan came back to her senses and ran outside, Shen Meng and Bai Jinxi were already far down the road in the donkey cart.
“After running into someone like her, I feel like we might as well have given that firewood away for nothing. She definitely won’t tell her family about it,” Shen Meng said.
“She will. This is a tiny fishing village where everyone lives practically on top of everyone else. Your Fourth Granduncle will definitely hear about it,” Bai Jinxi said with a smile.
After that, they delivered two bundles of firewood each to Third Granduncle Shen Manhai, Fifth Granduncle Shen Mancai, and Great-Aunt Shen Chun’s family.
Shen Chun’s family was home when Shen Yinxing received the firewood. She announced it so loudly that it seemed as though she wanted the entire village to hear, making sure everyone knew that Bai Jinxi and Shen Meng had brought firewood to her family.
After accepting the firewood, she didn’t keep the mother and daughter there for long. She knew they had to hurry home and report back.
After spending the past two days at Shen Mancang’s house, Shen Meng finally understood why the ancient saying “firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea” put firewood first.
Without firewood, even if you had rice, you couldn’t cook a meal.
From high-ranking officials and nobles to ordinary commoners, firewood was one of the most important necessities of daily life.
In this little fishing village, giving firewood as a gift was incredibly practical.
No one would refuse it.