After they divorced, Li Ming quickly married the woman he had kept outside.
As the saying goes, with a stepmother comes a stepfather. In front of others, the mistress treated the children well, but behind their backs, she abused them. Li Ming only protected the youngest son.
The two girls lived miserable lives. In winter, they squatted by the well, washing clothes with cold water until their bodies froze so badly they stopped menstruating.
In summer, they chopped firewood, carried water, cooked, looked after the younger children, and even handled human waste. Every dirty and exhausting task fell on them.
The turning point came before Jiang Xing’s eldest daughter’s wedding. The mistress’s son drowned for unknown reasons. She insisted it was Jiang Xing’s eldest daughter’s doing, but had no real evidence.
In the end, the matter was ruled an accident.
Heartbroken, the mistress divorced Li Ming. Only Jiang Xing’s younger daughter and youngest son remained in the household.
Li Ming became a bachelor again.
A marriage battle that had lasted nearly twenty years finally came to an end.
So what did this have to do with Jiang Zao?
Everything.
After Li Ming divorced the mistress, Jiang Xing suddenly “remembered” the children’s difficult situation.
She went to the Jiang family to see Jiang Zao, putting on an act of kindness, persuading her to marry Li Ming.
She said that marrying her brother-in-law was disgusting, but since her youngest son was still young, not good at studying, and needed someone to take care of him and tutor his schoolwork, she was reluctantly giving Jiang Zao this “opportunity.”
Jiang Zao never married in her life. In the end, her own elder sister disgusted her so much that she had to be rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night.
She seriously suspected that half her illness was caused by being dragged down by the Jiang family, and the other half by being angered by them.
After dinner, Jiang Xing returned to the room with a belly full of frustration.
The Jiang family had a hereditary habit—when unhappy, they would slam and throw things around. If they felt bad, they wouldn’t let others feel good either. Jiang Xing slammed doors, knocked chairs, made faces, and tossed and turned in bed, deliberately making noise to keep Jiang Zao from sleeping.
Jiang Zao took out some tissues and stuffed them into her ears.
How nice—the world became quiet.
After tossing around for a long time, Jiang Xing nearly twisted her waist, yet Jiang Zao didn’t make a single sound.
She thought Jiang Zao didn’t dare react—but who knew she had simply blocked her ears?
Then what was all her effort for?
Jiang Xing sat up angrily.
“Jiang Zao, what are you trying to do?”
The tissue wasn’t completely soundproof. Jiang Zao heard her, removed the paper, and replied:
“Do you think I even have the right to want anything in this house?”
Jiang Xing sneered.
“You’re the family’s treasure now. Mom and little brother are all fawning over you. You even dare to order me to cook. What wouldn’t you dare to do?”
“Stop pretending.”
The window was open. Leaves rustled outside, and crickets chirped from the corners. Jiang Zao was extremely sleepy. She turned over, closed her eyes, and said:
“Sis, you’re pointing your gun in the wrong direction. Haven’t you noticed that Mom is deliberately praising me and belittling you to distract you from the bride price?”
“What you’re going through now—I’ll go through it later. If you have the energy, go fight for your own bride price.”
In her view, Liu Chunhua was truly clever.
At critical moments, she praised Jiang Zao and belittled Jiang Xing. After some time, she would casually give Jiang Xing a small amount of money, and Jiang Xing would feel satisfied.
Killing two birds with one stone.
It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head—Jiang Xing instantly sobered up.
How had she been so foolish?
At such a crucial moment, the issue was the bride price—not dealing with Jiang Zao. Both she and Jiang Zao were like pigs raised for slaughter—when the time came, both would be cut. Who would have it any better?
Their mother was ruthless—using such an unpredictable method to deal with her.
Jiang Xing lay awake thinking, unable to sleep. By morning, another thought made her break out in a cold sweat.
She slowly turned her stiff neck and looked inward.
The inner room’s walls were covered with newspaper. The bedding was thin but neatly washed by Jiang Zao.
As she slept, her hair spread out, her long eyelashes curled delicately. She looked as beautiful as a girl in a magazine.
Jiang Zao could see through their mother’s schemes, remain still, respond calmly, and show no emotional fluctuation…
Such a person…
…was even more terrifying.
After the neighbor’s rooster crowed three times, Jiang Xing got up to cook. She didn’t throw a tantrum or curse. She made a pot of rice porridge and secretly warmed an egg in the pot.
After washing her face and returning to the room to comb her hair, Jiang Xing placed the egg beside Jiang Zao.
“I hid this egg. I rinsed it in cold water—find somewhere private to eat it.”
“Look how skinny you are, like a praying mantis.”
Jiang Zao curved her lips slightly, her voice calm.
“Thank you, big sister.”
Jiang Xing left after placing the egg.
Jiang Zao slipped the egg into her pocket, tidied up, drank a bowl of porridge, and headed out.
Passing by the food supply store, she found Wang Yan.
“Sis, do you have any locks here? It’s okay if it’s a bit expensive… I just don’t have ration coupons.”
Wang Yan pulled her to the back where vegetables were sorted.
“Wait two minutes.”
Two minutes later, Wang Yan came back slightly out of breath and stuffed a metal lock into her hand.
“Take it. I’m giving it to you.”
“Sis, how can I accept this?” Jiang Zao said, then handed her the egg from her pocket. “Thank you. I’m heading to work.”
Wang Yan nodded. “Go on.”
Her husband had told her the day before that Jiang Zao had been hired, even mentioning how she won the dough-portioning competition against the team leader’s niece and was personally taken in by the master.
Feeling something warm in her palm, Wang Yan looked down and realized it was the hot egg.
That child!
When did she put it there?
Wang Yan ran after her with the egg, but Jiang Zao was already nowhere to be seen.
Yulin Food Factory was the largest food factory in the nearby counties. It covered a large area and had many workers. Every morning, food was transported to supply stores and cooperatives in surrounding counties.
Main products included soda biscuits, sponge cakes, canned goods, bread, candy, and soda.
Jiang Zao arrived early enough, but the transport workers had already made several trips with horse carts.
A few workers in the pastry department had already begun preparing.
Wang Meili was one of them. She had changed into her work clothes and was practicing making bread dough.
Jiang Zao didn’t know what she would be doing today, so she helped other workers clean the floor.
Unlike later times, workers here were stable. Many would stay for years, even decades, often until retirement. After retiring, their positions were likely to be taken over by family members. Their social circles rarely changed.
In such an environment, maintaining good relationships with most people was important.
Jiang Zao was capable, yet humble and diligent. She quickly closed the distance with others and didn’t stand out in a way that made her hard to integrate.
“Jiang Zao, thank you. You’re such a good person.”
The two women responsible for cleaning that day were very grateful.
Jiang Zao smiled faintly.
“No problem. Just a small effort.”
Jiang Shan happened to walk over and stood beside Wang Meili, curling her lips.
“Some people look kind on the surface, but behind the scenes, they’re guarding against us. She even locked her locker—afraid someone might steal from her?”
Wang Meili had rested at home for a night and seemed to have recovered her composure.
“That’s quite the suspicious nature. Who is it? Tell me so I can be careful not to offend her.”
Jiang Shan crossed her arms and spoke loudly with pointed meaning:
“Who else could it be? Of course it’s our oh-so-impressive Jiang Zao!”