The moment this thought arose, the eggs in her hand vanished, and four eggs appeared in the shopping cart on the panel.
Good heavens, this mall was truly user-friendly!
"Mother of three, are you heading out to fetch water?"
Turning her head, she saw the person who had spoken. All of her black hair was combed back, her thin cheeks were sunken, her cheekbones protruded, and her skin was the dark tan that came from years of labor.
The overlapping wrinkles at the corners of her eyes made her look older than her actual age.
But the glint in her eyes and her scrutinizing gaze made one feel very uncomfortable.
"Aunt Liu, yes, I'm going to fetch water."
For someone who looked like trouble at first glance, her principle was to keep a respectful distance.
She picked up the two empty buckets, ready to leave.
"Aunt Liu, I'll get going. The children are still waiting for me at home."
Aunt Liu squinted and waved her hand. "Then you'd better hurry."
Unlike Shen Ning's figure that quickly disappeared down the road, Aunt Liu's steps took a turn into the nearest courtyard.
"His Aunt, you're sorting beans!"
The woman sitting in the courtyard saw the old woman approach. The moment she saw that malicious smile on her old face, she knew she was up to no good.
"Sister Liu, come in and sit, quick, come in and sit." As she spoke, she got up to move a long stool out. "Where are you coming from?"
"I went to check on the corn shoots. They're growing alright."
The woman's hands didn't stop sorting the beans. She smiled, "That's good. Your plot of land is good, the corn harvest will definitely be great this year."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, they finally got to the main topic. Aunt Liu leaned in closer and said mysteriously, "Guess who I just saw on the road?"
"Who?"
"That lazy wife from the Li family's third son's household!"
Her voice was low, but her hands slapped her thigh in excitement. "That lazy woman was actually going to fetch water. The sun must be rising from the west."
Hearing this, the woman was also surprised for a moment. "You don't know? Her husband, Li's Third, is gone. I just heard my little rascal come back and say so. He said the village chief received a telegram."
"Ah? He's gone?"
She smacked her lips a couple of times, a sympathetic look on her face, but the schadenfreude in her eyes didn't diminish in the slightest.
"No wonder she's being diligent. Now that her money tree is gone, she won't be able to act all high and mighty anymore. Just you watch, with three kids, that lazy woman's days are going to be tough from now on!"
"Isn't that the truth." The woman also shook her head repeatedly. Three children were no easy feat to raise!
Aunt Liu sneered.
"That's why the old saying is right, enjoying blessings when you're young isn't a true blessing!"
Shen Ning, the subject of the villagers' gossip and the person they were waiting to laugh at, had just arrived at the well.
It couldn't be helped. Gossip was a common human hobby, no matter the era.
What's more, in this age where people lacked entertainment, even the most trivial matters would be brought out for repeated examination.
Shen Ning was already mentally prepared for this situation and for the strange looks from others.
She wasn't the original owner. She had thick skin. Let them look; she wouldn't lose a piece of flesh over it.
She had just filled one bucket a little more than halfway and was about to fill the second one.
At some point, a young woman with a student-style bob and ear-length hair had sidled up next to her, peering into her bucket.
"Well now, Third Sister-in-law, you're only fetching this little bit of water?" Her mocking eyes swept over Shen Ning's waist, legs, and arms, and she shook her head. "What a waste of all that flesh on you."
Indeed, her—no, the original owner's—figure could be considered robust among this group of people.
It was because the allowance Li Shan sent back every month had all been eaten by her. It could be said that not a single cent was wasted.
Of course, in an era where even eating meat was a rare occasion, Shen Ning's feasting had indeed made her a 'thorn in the side' for many people.
Ultimately, it was because of poverty that they were jealous.
Shen Ning understood, but she did not condone her actions.
Never mind that she wasn't the one who had eaten to get this body; even if she was, it was none of anyone else's business!
"Wei Shufen, you should eat fewer radishes if you have nothing better to do!"
The person who had been enjoying her mockery was stunned by the sudden change of topic.
Her brain hadn't caught up yet, but her mouth asked first, "Why?"
Shen Ning filled the other wooden bucket a little more than halfway as well. She leisurely tied the carrying rope before slowly sizing her up.
"Because you're meddling in things that don't concern you!"
"You!"
Wei Shufen, having realized the insult, was furious. She pointed a finger at Shen Ning, her face turning a dark, flushed red with anger.
"What are you so proud of? Everyone knows your man is dead. Your good days are over, Shen Ning. Let's see how long you can keep that sharp tongue of yours!"
She was going to wait for the day she cried.
Glancing at her indifferently, Shen Ning spoke, "It was your fault, wasn't it?"
"What does it have to do with me! Don't you dare slander me!"
"That's right, what does it have to do with you?"
She hoisted the carrying pole. Her shoulders sank, and she was about to collapse, but she couldn't.
She couldn't let the chirping woman behind her look down on her!
Gritting her teeth, she continued to brace herself and walk home.
"It was clearly you! You're a jinx on your husband! You caused Brother Shan's death! You haven't even been married for half a year, and you've already jinxed him to death! You're a jinx! A jinx!"
Carrying the water, Shen Ning completely ignored her barking.
The one you can't have is always the one causing a commotion.
This was all the unrequited love Li Shan had left behind. Wei Shufen was the younger sister of his second sister-in-law's family.
She was getting on in years.
Ever since she saw the handsome Li Shan, her girlish heart had been captured, and she had wanted to marry him.
Unfortunately, while the maiden was willing, the man was not. Plus, he had three children, and the Wei family's circumstances weren't bad, so they had adamantly refused to let her marry him.
She didn't fancy anyone else, and so she had delayed until she was a bit old, probably still not having given up hope.
Who knew that the original owner would cut in and marry Li Shan directly.
And so, the feud was born!
She sighed a long sigh in her heart. What kind of mess had she taken over?
After finally managing to carry the water into the courtyard, her shoulders couldn't take it anymore. Her knees buckled, and she set the buckets down heavily.
She grimaced, rubbing her aching shoulders.
One look was enough to confirm it: she was not cut out for farm work!
Lifting her eyes again, she saw the three little ones busy in the courtyard. They were quite fast, having already swept the fallen leaves into two piles.
"Wow, you guys are so fast! You've swept it so clean. You're amazing!"
It was a light-hearted compliment. She truly didn't think much of it, just like casually praising a cute child on the street. After saying it, she carried the buckets into the kitchen.
Xiaohua was fine. Being young, she just smiled, the corners of her mouth turning up at the praise.
The two little boys' ears turned slightly red, and they looked uncomfortable.
"Come inside, quick! I have something good to show you!"
Shen Ning called out from inside the house. She then took the eggs out from the Points Mall and placed them on the table.
The moment the three children entered the house, they saw the eggs on the stove. Their eyes were glued to them, and they swallowed repeatedly.
"Jianguo, boil some water. I'm going to cook eggs for you to eat!"
[Ding, Li Xiaohua's favorability +1]