If Liu Guiying was full of hope for life, then Wang Xiaofeng was full of despair.
She had impulsively run back to her maternal home, but was also afraid her sisters-in-law would laugh at her. After all, she had always bragged that in her husband’s family, everyone revolved around her—and even her mother-in-law had to flatter her.
If she went back so miserably now, wouldn’t it be proof that everything she said before was a lie?
Looking at Sun Jianguo who had followed her, she sighed. Forget it—she would just say she was staying at her parents’ home for a couple of days. Who could kick her out?
Once that old woman calmed down, she would definitely come begging her to return. Then she wouldn’t go back so easily—she would demand compensation.
So the couple walked in silence all the way to Shanggang Village.
When they arrived at the Wang family home, the family was still eating in the courtyard.
The Wang family had fled famine years ago and settled here. Because they were not native villagers and had few relatives, they feared they would have no backup if conflicts arose.
Wang Xiaofeng’s mother, Wu Xiuxiu, had been forced by her own mother-in-law to give birth repeatedly like a hen laying eggs—five sons and three daughters in total. Because of this, she believed she was the great contributor to the Wang family.
After her mother-in-law died, she “turned over a new leaf” in power and took control of the family finances, refusing to let go even after all five sons married.
As soon as Sun Jianguo and his wife entered the yard, sharp-eyed nieces and nephews surrounded them:
“Aunt! Uncle-in-law! You’re back again! Did you bring us snacks?”
Sun Jianguo awkwardly responded and stood to the side, completely lacking his usual arrogance at home.
When Wu Xiuxiu saw her daughter and son-in-law return, and noticed the bag in Sun Jianguo’s hand, she immediately knew they hadn’t come to bring gifts.
Her eyes flickered.
“Why are you back again? What’s wrong?”
She didn’t even bother asking if they had eaten.
Wang Xiaofeng, however, thought her mother was showing concern and almost spilled everything.
But seeing her sisters-in-law watching with curiosity, she held back.
She forced a relaxed expression.
“Mom, something came up at Jianguo’s home. I’ll stay here for a couple of days.”
Wu Xiuxiu didn’t expose her.
“Fine. Lao Wu and his wife went back to their parents’ home, so that room is empty. Your father and Jianguo can stay there. You stay with me.”
She stood up, cleared the dishes, and called her eldest daughter-in-law to wash them.
Wang Xiaofeng watched helplessly as her mother cleared the table, wanting to speak but stopping herself. Sun Jianguo didn’t dare say a word either.
In the end, they still didn’t get to eat and went back to their rooms hungry.
Sitting on the bed, Wu Xiuxiu looked at her daughter.
“Spit it out. What happened?”
Wang Xiaofeng could no longer hold it in and poured everything out—everything that happened, including being beaten along with Sun Jianguo.
Wu Xiuxiu was speechless.
“Is your brain filled with manure? Why would you provoke your mother-in-law? She’s still young and strong—she can help you later. What do you gain by offending her now?”
“The family hasn’t even split yet, and you’ve already made her angry. If she kicks you out with nothing, what will you do then?”
She scolded angrily.
“Mom, I was beaten and you’re still blaming me?” Wang Xiaofeng lifted her clothes, showing faint bruises.
“If I were your mother-in-law, I’d beat you eight hundred times a day. You’re hopelessly stupid.”
“Just stay here for now. When your mother-in-law comes to pick you up, make her bring 30 jin of grain and 50 yuan—say it’s for your injuries.”
Wu Xiuxiu didn’t even consider whether Liu Guiying would come or not. In her mind, it was only a matter of time.
After all, every time her daughter quarreled with her husband, Sun Jianguo would bring his mother to apologize and pick her up.
Especially now that even the son was here.
“You eat and live here anyway, and you don’t spend money. You see the family situation—we’ve got so many mouths to feed.”
“At that time, we’ll keep 45 yuan. It’ll be easier for me and your sisters-in-law to explain things. When your brothers are doing well, you’ll have more confidence in your husband’s family.”
“You’re lucky you have many brothers. Otherwise, it wouldn’t just be Jianguo getting beaten today.”
Wu Xiuxiu kept brainwashing her.
Wang Xiaofeng deeply agreed. Thinking about her own pain, she felt even more certain that her mother-in-law must have been afraid of retaliation from her family, which is why she didn’t hit her harder.
Yes, that must be it.
If Liu Guiying had been there, she would have cried injustice—she wanted to beat Sun Jianguo badly because Sun Xiumei was his biological sister.
But Wang Xiaofeng meant nothing to her.
After the night passed, Wang Xiaofeng was woken up by Wu Xiuxiu and told to make breakfast.
She was used to doing these chores before marriage and didn’t think anything was wrong, so she got up.
She was starving from the night before.
Seeing eggs in the basket her mother gave her, she thought they were for her.
Feeling pleased, she carried them to the kitchen.
Too hungry, she couldn’t resist and started eating a boiled egg.
Before she could take a second bite, her third sister-in-law suddenly screamed, startling her so much that the egg fell to the ground.
“Xiaofeng! Mom told you to cook, and you’re stealing eggs? These are for the working men! Even your nephew didn’t get any!”
It was intentional. This sister-in-law hated this troublemaking aunt-in-law.
Her shout brought the whole family into the kitchen.
Seeing the broken egg, Wu Xiuxiu immediately picked it up in distress.
“Who’s crying so early in the morning? Acting like someone died! What bad luck!”
“Mom, she stole the egg!” the daughter-in-law complained.
“You’re talking nonsense! I didn’t steal anything—this was given to me by my mother!” Wang Xiaofeng snapped back.
“You little brat, go tell your third brother to control his wife!”
Other daughters-in-law stayed silent, afraid of getting dragged into the conflict.
Wu Xiuxiu, though favoring sons in some ways, did not favor daughters-in-law. Between them, she naturally sided with her own daughter.
But seeing the wasted egg, she almost scolded her daughter—yet thinking of the upcoming 45 yuan, she held back.
“Enough! Stop arguing! Get to work and cook. We still have to go to the fields.”
The family dispersed and resumed work.
Wang Xiaofeng rolled her eyes at her sister-in-law and walked out.
Breakfast was served.
As the head of the household, Wu Xiuxiu began distributing food.
Corn porridge with rough steamed buns.
Eggs were given only to the laborers.
Sun Jianguo got nothing—because no one in the Wang family took him seriously.