The next morning, Feng Jiaojiao was awakened by the noise coming from the courtyard.
“This third daughter-in-law really is blessed. The sun is already high, the chickens have even laid their eggs, and she still hasn’t gotten out of bed.”
Sitting in the courtyard, Eldest Sister-in-Law was washing clothes as she complained.
“Second Sister-in-Law, don’t you think we’re just born to be workhorses? How come we don’t have the same good fortune as her?”
Eldest Sister-in-Law had gotten up shortly after five that morning. She had cleaned the house, helped Mother An prepare breakfast, washed clothes, fed the chickens, tidied the courtyard, and done countless other chores.
Meanwhile, the new daughter-in-law, Feng Jiaojiao, still hadn’t gotten out of bed.
Naturally, she felt a little resentful.
With Mother An right there, she deliberately complained to her second sister-in-law.
The second daughter-in-law didn’t dare say anything. She glanced at Mother An, lowered her head, and continued working silently.
“If you can work, then work. If you can’t, then get out!”
Mother An knew her eldest daughter-in-law was up to no good.
“Mom, you’re really biased! We’re all your daughters-in-law, so why doesn’t she have to get up early while we’re expected to do all this work?”
Eldest Sister-in-Law had thought that once the new daughter-in-law entered the family, she would at least pretend to be hardworking for a few days.
But Feng Jiaojiao had simply become a hands-off manager.
She had left the unfinished chores behind and gone straight to bed the previous night. Fine, she could let that slide.
But this morning was the new bride’s first breakfast with the family. She had assumed that Third Sister-in-Law would at least get up early and help prepare the meal.
Instead, Mother An had made breakfast herself, and it was almost time to eat while Feng Jiaojiao still hadn’t gotten out of bed.
As for the courtyard chores, no one could even count on her.
“Your third sister-in-law doesn’t have to work in the fields. Your third brother has his military allowance to support her. Why do you keep comparing yourself to her?”
“Would it help if you didn’t get up early? Your family has three children and two adults—that’s five mouths to feed. If you don’t wash all those clothes, who will? And if you don’t work, are you planning to live on air?”
Mother An immediately shut down her eldest daughter-in-law’s complaints.
Eldest Sister-in-Law fell silent, but then she suddenly thought of something.
“Then… what about Fourth Sister-in-Law? She doesn’t come out to work either. Isn’t that a little too much?”
They were all daughters-in-law. If some were treated differently, who wouldn’t feel resentful?
“Your fourth sister-in-law has to stay inside and take care of the child. Xiao Ba is still so young. Someone has to watch him. If you have an opinion, why don’t you go take care of him?”
She really needs to be taught a lesson.
“Why don’t you mention that she has fewer children? Your family has several kids, and just washing all those clothes takes half the day.”
Fourth Sister-in-Law’s parents also regularly helped their daughter because they didn’t want her to suffer in her husband’s family.
And Fourth Sister-in-Law wasn’t freeloading either. Her husband earned enough through his work to provide food for their family of three.
Her parents’ family lived in the city and occasionally sent over various ration coupons and supplies to help. Most of those things ended up feeding the children.
Yet here she was, complaining.
Among all her sons, the eldest and second sons carried the heaviest burdens. Each family had three or four children, and neither man had any particular advantage. They could only rely on what they earned from farming to support their families.
The third and fourth sons were different.
The third son was a soldier and received a military allowance. His wife also clearly wasn’t short of money. Just looking at Feng Jiaojiao’s several large suitcases, Mother An could tell that she had brought quite a bit of money and belongings with her when she came to the countryside.
There was no need for her to work herself to death.
The fourth son had support from his wife’s family, and he was also clever and resourceful. He occasionally went to the black market to buy and sell things, so he probably made some money there too.
Mother An wasn’t stupid. She knew exactly what he was doing.
That lazy son of hers had suddenly started leaving the house early and returning late just for his wife and child.
If there were no benefits involved, Mother An would never believe her own son would work that hard.
She knew her sons better than anyone.
The eldest and second sons simply didn’t have the same financial advantages as the third and fourth.
While she and her husband were still young and capable, they could help them where they could. But once they grew old and could no longer work, the two families would have to rely on themselves.
Since the family hadn’t divided their household yet, they should get along properly with everyone.
That way, if something happened in the future, they could still ask each other for help.
If the third or fourth son’s family happened to spare them even a little something, it could be enough to keep the other two families well fed.
How foolish.
Mother An understood the situation perfectly.
Chen Tingting came out carrying her child.
“Eldest Sister-in-Law, if there’s anything that needs doing around the house, just tell me. I’ll do it when the baby falls asleep.”
“But you can’t complain to me about the chores inside your own room, like washing your own clothes.”
“Mom, I’ll get up and make breakfast tomorrow. You can just help me watch the baby for a while.”
Chen Tingting wasn’t someone who could be pushed around easily.
Mother An glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law.
“There’s no need for that. Your mother isn’t so old that she can’t cook yet. You just take care of Yuanyuan.”
For the sake of fairness, Mother An decided that she would personally get up and prepare breakfast from then on.
None of the daughters-in-law would have to do it.
They could each take care of their own little families. That would prevent unnecessary conflicts.
Her eldest daughter-in-law simply couldn’t resist making snide comments and offending people.
“Ah, Fourth Sister-in-Law, look at you. Don’t be upset. That’s not what I meant. You take care of the child. Your second sister-in-law and I can handle the housework.”
Seeing that she had hit a wall, Eldest Sister-in-Law quickly found herself a way out.
Chen Tingting carried the baby around the courtyard while the children gathered around the little girl, teasing and playing with her.
Hearing the voices outside, Feng Jiaojiao knew it was time to get up.
The An brothers had gone to the backyard early that morning with Father An to work.
There was always plenty of work to do on a farm.
“Time to eat!”
Mother An went to the backyard to call everyone.
An Jianjun went to the kitchen, poured some water, washed himself, and then returned to the room.
When he saw Feng Jiaojiao still wrapped tightly in the quilt and refusing to get up, he felt helpless.
For some reason, he suddenly had the feeling that he was an old father raising a spoiled daughter.
“Jiaojiao, it’s time to get up and eat.”
“I don’t want to eat. I want to lie here a little longer!”
Ever since she had transmigrated, Feng Jiaojiao hadn’t had a single peaceful night’s sleep.
The female lead had been sleeping right beside her. How could she possibly sleep soundly?
Even her dreams were filled with the female lead plotting against her.
Now that she finally didn’t have to sleep on the same kang as the female lead, and no longer had to worry about accidentally saying something in her sleep that the other woman might hear, she could finally sleep without fear.
“Listen to me. Get up and eat first. You can go back to sleep afterward. If you get hungry later, there won’t be anything left to eat.”
There was still no movement beneath the quilt.
“Are you sure you’re not getting up? Because if you don’t, I’m coming over there to pull the quilt off.”
He paused.
“Or… do you want me to help you get dressed?”
“No! You go outside first!”
Feng Jiaojiao glared at him with her big round eyes, looking both annoyed and embarrassed.
An Jianjun rubbed his nose and stepped outside to wait for her.
“Third Brother, why are you standing outside? Did Sister-in-Law kick you out?”
An Jianxing noticed his third brother standing guard outside the door like a sentry and couldn’t resist teasing him.
He hadn’t expected his normally reserved third brother to have such a thing for girls like Feng Zhiqing.
“Get lost. Go eat your breakfast!”
Feng Jiaojiao quickly changed her clothes.
She chose the white blouse with little black dots and kept the same black pants, though she changed into a pair with slightly tapered legs instead of yesterday’s wide-leg trousers.
Her long, slightly curly hair was tied into a neat bun.
She didn’t wear any makeup, yet her naturally fresh and delicate face looked almost dreamlike.
On her wrist was the watch An Jianjun had bought for her.
Since he had bought it for her, she would wear it. What else were gifts from your husband for?
She had already put her own watch away in her space.
When she opened the door, she saw An Jianjun still standing there.
“Why haven’t you gone to eat?”
Seeing Feng Jiaojiao dressed so youthful and pretty, An Jianjun’s expression showed clear pleasure.
The clothes she was wearing were one of the three outfits he had bought for her, and she was also wearing the watch he had given her.
“I was waiting for you.”
“Let’s go.”
The two of them walked into the main room.
Everyone was already seated around the table, waiting for the two of them to come eat.
“Jiaojiao, come over and eat.”
Mother An warmly called her third daughter-in-law over.
Oh, heavens.
Mother An had never dreamed that her family would end up with such a beautiful daughter-in-law.
Looking at the way she was dressed, she simply didn’t have the heart to make her do any work.
That blouse alone probably cost dozens of yuan. If it got dirty, it wouldn’t even be easy to wash.
She really didn’t dare make this little ancestor do anything.
Let her stay beautiful like a flower in the house.
After all, her son liked her.
Children naturally loved being around beautiful people.
“Third Auntie, you’re so pretty!”
“Oh my, who is this? Such a sweet little mouth! After we finish eating, come find me and I’ll give you some candy.”
Feng Jiaojiao loved being complimented.
“Third Auntie, I’m Third Sister.”
There were simply too many children in the family, and Feng Jiaojiao still hadn’t figured out who was who. They all looked around the same age and wore similar clothes, making them difficult to tell apart.
“Third Sister, right? I remember you now.”
“Third Auntie, you’re the… the most… the most beautiful woman in the whole world.”
An Jiabao repeated what his third sister had said and even added his own embellishment.
“Oh my, this must be Jiabao, right? Third Auntie will give you candy too.”
“Third Auntie…”
One after another, the children began complimenting Feng Jiaojiao.
She was so delighted that she burst out laughing.
Eldest Sister-in-Law nearly ground her teeth to pieces.
Even her own beloved son had never complimented her.
Yet for a piece of candy, he had practically sold his mother out.
“All right, enough. Eat your breakfast. Afterward, everyone can go do whatever they need to do.”
Mother An distributed the food to everyone.
The men received larger portions than the women since they were the family’s main labor force. Without enough food, they wouldn’t have the strength to work.
Each man received a bowl of porridge and one flatbread.
The women got half a bowl of porridge and half a flatbread.
The children received even smaller portions.
There was also some homemade pickled vegetables and a plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes.
That was the An family’s breakfast.