After three days at the health center, Wen Nianxin was pulled back to the Lao Zhou Family on a flatbed cart.
“Nian Xin, why don’t you rest in your dad’s and my room for now? We can have your dad stay at Second Son’s place for a few nights.”
“No need, Mom. I’m used to sleeping alone—having someone around keeps me awake.”
On the very day the original host and Zhou Zhan held their wedding banquet, Second Daughter-in-law Zheng Yawen had insisted on dividing the family property, even threatening to divorce Second Son Zhou Lang.
After Zhou Father and Zhou Mu tried to persuade her to no avail—since they couldn’t let Third Son get married only for Second Son to become single again—they hastily divided the household while Zhou Zhan was still home.
Money and ration coupons were split four ways, and the original house was divided into four sections. Using the main hall as the boundary, the four rooms on the right went to Zhou Father and Zhou Mu (two rooms) and the original host with Zhou Zhan (two rooms). The four rooms on the left were allocated to the eldest and second sons. Shared spaces like the kitchen remained communal.
Second Son’s family no longer lived at home, returning only during holidays; most of the time, they stayed in the factory workers’ housing in town.
“Nian Xin, when you were discharged, Dr. Li specifically advised that you recuperate in a slightly better environment to recover faster.”
“Is my room’s environment not good?”
“It’s not that—it’s just that no one’s stayed there for days, so there might be some dust.”
Zhou Mu phrased it as gently as possible to avoid upsetting her.
Although over these three days at the health center, Zhou Mu felt Wen Nianxin had changed quite a bit—not giving her any attitude nor uttering a single curse word—after three years of interaction, she still felt wary of this daughter-in-law.
When she cursed, it was exceptionally vulgar, targeting crude topics like excrement and filth.
“No problem, I’ll just wipe—”
As she opened the original host’s door, before she could finish saying “I’ll just wipe it,” Wen Nianxin covered her nose and backed out in horror.
She was nearly overwhelmed by the foul smell inside!
Good heavens, did the original host really live in such conditions?
Should she describe what she’d just seen as a pigsty or a garbage dump?
Wherever she looked, trash was scattered everywhere. The dust on the table was probably thick enough to leave handprints, and the bedding on the bed was so dirty its original color was unrecognizable.
“Mom, I suddenly think your suggestion is excellent. I’ll stay in your and Dad’s room first—it’ll be much better for my physical and mental health.”
Not daring to open the original host’s door again, she darted into her in-laws’ room, moving so quickly she almost forgot she was still an injured patient recovering.
……
“Xiaofen, busy with work?”
“Chunhua, what brings you back?”
“I heard Nian Xin fell and hurt her head, and can’t remember anything—is it true?”
“She just temporarily doesn’t recognize everyone; she might recover later.”
Having confirmed it with Li Xiaofen, Liu Chunhua grew excited.
“Is Nian Xin inside?”
“She’s resting in my in-laws’ room.”
“Keep busy—I’ll go check on her.”
Liu Chunhua entered Zhou Father and Zhou Mu’s room with familiar ease. Seeing Wen Nianxin resting on the bed, she put on a concerned smile.
“Nian Xin, are you okay? Is your condition serious?”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Liu Chunhua—you really don’t remember?”
Hearing the name, Wen Nianxin matched it with a character from the book.
Liu Chunhua was one of the few friends the original owner had. The reason they got along so well was purely because they were birds of a feather.
Initially, the original owner didn’t want anything to do with her, but after Liu Chunhua helped with a few days of farm work, she successfully became the original owner’s “good friend and lackey.”
Last year, Liu Chunhua married into the neighboring Production Team. Unfortunately, not long after the wedding, her husband went out late at night, got drunk, and fell in the snow. By the time he was discovered the next day, his body was already frozen stiff.
“What do you want from me?”
“I heard you were injured and came specifically to see you.”
“Empty-handed?”
This Liu Chunhua had benefited plenty from the original owner in the past. No matter how much the original owner despised or insulted her, she clung on like a piece of sticky plaster, impossible to shake off.
“You know very well that all the money in our family is tightly held by my mother-in-law.
Given how close we are, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind a little thing like this.”
“Hmph, you’ve seen me now. If there’s nothing else, you can leave.”
All she wanted was to rest; she really had no patience for idle chatter.
“Nian Xin, actually, I do have something to ask you.”
Wen Nianxin shot her a sidelong glance.
She was certain it couldn’t be anything good.
“You borrowed thirty yuan from me before. Do you think you could return it now?”
“I borrowed it from you?”
“Yes, before the New Year, you said your cotton-padded jacket was too thin and old, and you wanted to buy a new one but didn’t have enough money, so you borrowed thirty yuan from me.
That jacket should be in your wardrobe in your room. If you don’t believe me, you can go check.”
Wen Nianxin scoffed. She made it sound so convincing.
If it weren’t for the book mentioning her family’s situation, she might have almost believed it.
“Do I look like a fool?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, do I look easy to fool?”
“Wen Nianxin, don’t pretend you’ve lost your memory just to avoid paying back the money! If you’re going to be like this, I’ll go ask your parents-in-law for it.”
“Go ahead, suit yourself.”
“Fine, I will!”
Liu Chunhua found Zhou Mu in the kitchen and told her about Wen Nianxin refusing to repay the borrowed money.
“Don’t worry, let me ask Nian Xin about it first.”
Zhou Mu wasn’t the type to believe only one side of the story. She dried her hands and went to the room.
“Nian Xin, Chunhua says you borrowed thirty yuan from her. Is that true?”
“No.”
“Wen Nianxin, I trusted you so much before. I never thought you’d turn your back on me and deny it now!”
Furious, Liu Chunhua ran out of the room, plopped down on the ground at the entrance of the Zhou family’s home, and began wailing loudly while slapping her thighs.