Shen Xiaoyun’s heart warmed at her words, and she bit her lip awkwardly before speaking. “You must take good care of yourself from now on…”
Jiang Yingying smiled. “Xiaoyun, you’re beautiful and kind-hearted, just like a fairy from the stories.”
Huh?
Shen Xiaoyun was completely bewildered. Her? A fairy?
But…
She glanced up at Jiang Yingying and froze.
The woman before her had sparkling eyes as bright and dazzling as stars in the night sky, rosy cheeks flushed with a hint of springtime joy, and curved crimson lips that glistened with moisture—enough to steal anyone’s soul…
Young and inexperienced, she didn’t yet understand what it meant to be enchantingly charming. She only felt that having such a sister-in-law marry into their family seemed… inappropriate.
It was like a celestial fairy marrying a cowherd…
Ah, pah, pah, pah!
This woman was no fairy—she was a siren!
Shen Xiaoyun’s expression shifted between pity and resentment, her emotions playing out vividly on her face, much to Jiang Yingying’s silent amusement.
This girl wore her heart on her sleeve—clearly someone easy to win over…
When lunchtime arrived, Jiang Yingying found herself troubled again. As a young lady who had never lifted a finger for household chores, she had not only never cooked but had never even stepped into a kitchen.
Moreover, in this era, rural life still required chopping firewood and tending to the stove.
Yet, Shen Qinghong had already quietly carried a bundle of firewood into the kitchen, followed by two little children.
Soon, water boiled in the kitchen, and a handful of cleaned vegetables were tossed into the large wok, accompanied by Shen Qinghong’s occasional soft coughs.
Shen Xiaoyun was busy stacking firewood in the yard, her small frame fully occupied, while the two young children crouched by the stove, helping their grandfather feed the fire.
Even with her thick skin, Jiang Yingying felt a twinge of embarrassment. Steeling herself, she spoke up, “Father, shall I cook?”
“Cough! No, no need.” Shen Qinghong waved a hand while stir-frying. “Your mother already made the flatbread. The vegetables will be ready soon! Just grab a stool and wait outside.”
In truth, the Shen family usually didn’t even cook vegetables—they simply drank water and ate plain flatbread.
Only in the evenings, when the whole family was together after a long day’s work, would they prepare a single dish.
After all, oil was expensive.
Outside, Shen Xiaoyun struggled to stack the firewood higher. She glanced at Jiang Yingying standing by the kitchen door and let out a deep sigh.
Before her second brother got married, she had often daydreamed about a sister-in-law joining the family who could share some of the workload.
Now, it seemed like wishful thinking…
Soon, the vegetables were ready. Shen Qinghong carried the plate into the main room, wiping sweat from his forehead as he called out to them, “Hurry up and eat. After the meal, take some food to your mother and the others.”
Shen Xiaoyun was also supposed to work in the fields that afternoon. Hearing this, she glanced at Jiang Yingying and asked, “Father, is she going too?”
Shen Qinghong nodded. “Your sister-in-law will come back after delivering the food. It’s too hot in the fields in the afternoon—she should rest early.”
Shen Xiaoyun pointed at her own nose. “What about me?”
Shen Qinghong looked puzzled. “Don’t you work in the fields every afternoon?”
Shen Xiaoyun plopped down angrily. She stole a glance at Jiang Yingying’s fair, delicate face, then looked at her own sun-tanned, rough arms.
The slight fondness she had begun to feel for this woman vanished once again.
Jiang Yingying had no interest in working in the fields, but the contrast was too stark—even she couldn’t feign such shamelessness.
“Father, I’ll go back to my room to fetch something first.”
Shen Xiaoyun chewed vigorously on the dry, hard flatbread. The vegetables had no oil or flavor besides salt, and with her simmering anger, the meal tasted even worse.
Back in her room, Jiang Yingying opened her small bundle.
The original host’s mother had truly doted on her youngest daughter.
Aside from a few new outfits, some packets of pastries, and fifty yuan, there was a tin at the bottom filled to the brim with dried meat.
Li Xuelian and Shen Qinghong had genuinely been good to her.
She wasn’t foolish—of course she could sense it. Although she had decided to divorce later, she wasn’t ungrateful, having eaten their food and lived under their roof.
She had just exchanged for meat in the system, though she wasn’t sure how it would appear. Still, there was no need to hoard these dried meat strips—she might as well enjoy them…
She could always exchange luck points for more later.
More importantly, she really couldn’t stand the bland, watery vegetables any longer.
With that thought, Jiang Yingying carried the bundle of dried meat to the kitchen, filled a large bowl with it, and brought it to the main room, placing it right in the center of the table.
The dried meat had been marinated beforehand. Though its color wasn’t vibrant, its aroma was rich and enticing.
Such a large bowl of meat was a rare sight even during New Year’s celebrations…
Especially for a poor family like the Shens.
Shen Xiaoyun swallowed hard—this was far more irresistible than pastries. She stammered, “W-what’s the meaning of this?”
Shen Qinghong was also stunned. “Yingying, where did this come from?”
The two children, Wenqin and Wencong, couldn’t take their eyes off it but didn’t dare make a move.
Jiang Yingying smiled. “Dad, I brought this from my parents’ home. Since it’s the busy farming season, we should eat some meat to replenish our energy.”
What farmer used meat to replenish energy?!
This was sheer extravagance!
Shen Xiaoyun gripped her chopsticks, forcing her gaze away from the bowl of meat. “Do you even know how to manage a household? Th-this could last for so many meals!”
As someone who often cooked, she knew this meat could stretch for at least a week if stewed with vegetables!
How outrageous—this woman had brought out so much all at once!
It was downright painful to see!
Shen Qinghong was also stunned by the bowl of meat, but he quickly collected himself. “Yingying, your mother gave this to you. Keep it for yourself and eat it slowly. There’s no need to bring it out.”
Shen Xiaoyun wanted to say something, but she knew her father was right, so she bit her lip and stayed silent.
She wasn’t craving it anyway!
Without a word, Jiang Yingying picked up two pieces of dried meat and stuffed them into the mouths of Wenqin and Wencong beside her. Then, grinning, she asked, “How does it taste? Is it good?”
The two large pieces of meat filled the little ones’ mouths completely, making the savory aroma even more pronounced.
Shen Wenqin nearly bit his own tongue in excitement, nodding vigorously as he chewed. “So good, so good, Auntie, it’s delicious!”
Shen Wencong was too busy eating to speak, simply nodding repeatedly.
Watching his two grandsons, Shen Qinghong felt a pang of sorrow.
With only A’Yao as the male laborer in the family—and him in poor health, unable to do heavy work while needing monthly medicine—times were tough.
Xiaoyun was only sixteen, an age when girls loved dressing up, yet she didn’t even have a single new outfit.
As for Xuelian, she hadn’t enjoyed a single day of comfort since marrying him.
Wiping away a tear discreetly, Shen Qinghong pushed the bowl of meat away. “Yingying, listen to your father. Put the dried meat away.”
Jiang Yingying feigned anger, clasping her hands behind her back. “Dad, are you looking down on what I have to offer?”
“How could that be! This meat…”
Shen Qinghong turned his face away, his eyes slightly reddened. “I know you’re a good child, but our family’s circumstances are far worse than your parents’ home. You’ve already suffered by marrying into this family—how could I possibly eat your food?”
This dried meat must have been brought by her parents out of concern for their daughter. How could he have the face to eat it!
Jiang Yingying gave a soft laugh. Picking up her bowl and chopsticks, she directly scooped the dried meat into Shen Qinghong and Shen Xiaoyun’s bowls, then served a few more pieces to each of the children.
“Father, please eat.”
She felt a pang of emotion but said nothing more, simply picking up a few pieces of meat herself and eating in silence.
This family was truly poor. The original host had been forced to marry into it for such disgraceful reasons.
Yet this elderly couple not only bore no resentment but constantly considered her well-being, unwilling to take even the slightest advantage.
Shen Qinghong sighed and stopped refusing, though he ate more slowly than before.
Shen Xiaoyun stared at the fragrant, generously sized pieces of dried meat before her, feeling her face burn with shame.
Her sister-in-law was not only beautiful but also caring toward her, and now she had even shared so much meat with them.
Yet she had held prejudices against her from the start and even resented her for not doing chores…