The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop—broken only by Li Xiuhua’s heavy breathing and Wang Guifen’s slightly hurried breaths, tight with nervousness.
Xu Zhaozhao kept her eyes closed, appearing to rest, while in reality she was rapidly sorting through the original owner’s memories and the information provided by the bullet chat.
In this household, the original Xu Zhaozhao had been almost invisible—timid, weak, and utterly without presence. Naturally, control of the household finances had fallen into the hands of her mother-in-law, Wang Guifen.
Most of the monthly allowance and ration tickets Chen Zheng sent back never reached the young couple at all. They went straight into Wang Guifen’s pocket, under the pretense of “saving it for the two of them,” but in truth were used to subsidize her biological third son’s family—Li Xiuhua and her husband.
As for the original Xu Zhaozhao and her unborn children, they received only the bare minimum, and the poorest quality at that.
No wonder this body was so weak and malnourished.
Carrying sextuplets consumed an enormous amount of energy. Without sufficient nutrition, not to mention a smooth delivery—even whether the mother could hold on at all was a question.
【Well done, host! You’ve got them by the handle now!】
【What’s next? This old woman doesn’t look like she’ll surrender easily.】
【Host, your body’s in terrible shape—you need nutrition, fast!】
【The bullet chat says Chen Zheng sent back lots of money and tickets—they were all embezzled! You have to seize control of the household finances!】
Seize control?
Xu Zhaozhao sneered inwardly. Exactly what I was planning.
Not only would she seize control—she’d make them swallow the bitter truth in silence, suffering without a word to say.
Wang Guifen’s expression shifted several times. In the end, her calculating nature won out over panic.
She couldn’t go to the family committee. If things were blown up, her mistreatment of her pregnant eldest daughter-in-law and her embezzlement of her eldest son’s allowance would be exposed.
Forget household authority—she wouldn’t even be able to stay in the military compound, nor return to her hometown. The Old Chen family couldn’t afford that disgrace.
She took a deep breath and forced a smile that looked worse than crying.
“Zhaozhao, look at you—what are you saying? We’re family. Why talk about judging right and wrong?”
She let go of the pocket she’d been clutching, acting as if nothing were wrong.
“Xiuhua did take the cloth ticket, but that was… that was because she saw my clothes were worn out and wanted to be filial. Right, Xiuhua?”
She shot Li Xiuhua a sharp glare.
Li Xiuhua jolted and nodded furiously.
“Yes, yes! I saw Mom’s clothes were old, so I… I gave her the cloth ticket to make a new outfit!”
Her excuse was full of holes, and she didn’t dare mention the broken thermos at all.
Xu Zhaozhao slowly opened her eyes, watching their performance with clear, calm eyes. She didn’t expose them—only said lightly:
“Oh? So it was filial piety to the mother-in-law. Then I must have misunderstood.”
Wang Guifen and Li Xiuhua both breathed a sigh of relief.
But Xu Zhaozhao’s tone shifted immediately.
“However, Mother, since we’re family, I’ll speak frankly. I’m pregnant now—multiple babies. The doctor said I need better nutrition and to rest properly.”
She stroked her belly, her voice gentle yet carrying unquestionable authority.
“Before, my health was poor and I didn’t have the energy to concern myself with these things. But now that I think about it, the allowance and ration tickets Chen Zheng sends back each month have to support me and also prepare for expenses after the children are born. They must be stretched tight.”
Wang Guifen’s heart leapt again. She looked at Xu Zhaozhao warily.
“Y-you… what are you trying to say?”
“I was thinking,” Xu Zhaozhao smiled faintly—a weak smile, but edged with steel—
“that we shouldn’t trouble you anymore. From now on, I’ll take over the household management. The money and tickets Chen Zheng sends back will also be handled directly by me. You’re getting on in years—it’s time you enjoyed some peace.”
“What?!”
Wang Guifen cried out, her voice cracking. Li Xiuhua’s eyes went wide in disbelief.
Hand over household authority? Hand over the money and tickets?
That was practically taking half of Wang Guifen’s life!
“No! Absolutely not!”
Wang Guifen refused outright, her face flushing red.
“You’re just a pregnant woman—what do you know about managing a household? Besides, Zhengzi trusts me—that’s why he left the money with me!”
“Mother,” Xu Zhaozhao interrupted calmly, her voice cooling by several degrees.
“Chen Zheng trusted you to take good care of his pregnant wife and his unborn children—not to use his hard-earned money to subsidize others, let alone mistreat his wife and children.”
Her gaze swept over the fairly new jacket on Li Xiuhua’s body, then flicked meaningfully to the pocket Wang Guifen had just been clutching.
“I may not have managed things before, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind. In the past, my body was weak and I didn’t have the strength to fight. But now, for the sake of the Chen bloodline in my belly, I can’t afford not to.”
She bit down hard on the words Chen bloodline.
“If you feel I’m not fit to manage the household, or don’t trust me,” Xu Zhaozhao leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with Wang Guifen,
“then let’s go to the family committee right now and ask the leaders to decide. Let them judge whether it’s more appropriate for me—the legitimate mistress of the house and the children’s mother—to manage things, or to continue letting… outsiders do so. While we’re at it, we can ask them to help calculate exactly how Chen Zheng’s fifty yuan a month and all those ration tickets were spent—how it is that I, a pregnant woman, can’t even eat refined grain, and the cloth tickets meant for the children ended up in someone else’s pocket.”
Fifty yuan!
In an era when an ordinary worker earned twenty or thirty yuan a month, Chen Zheng—thanks to his deputy battalion commander’s allowance and border subsidies—sent back a full fifty yuan every month, plus scarce ration tickets.
Wang Guifen’s face went completely white. Her lips trembled, but not a single word came out.
Xu Zhaozhao knew the exact amount—and even brought up the family committee.
She had come prepared. She was determined to seize control.
Li Xiuhua panicked too, tugging at Wang Guifen’s sleeve.
“Mom…”
Wang Guifen shook her off violently, her chest heaving. She stared at Xu Zhaozhao, her eyes filled with anger, fear—and a deeply buried resentment.
She knew she’d lost. At least on the surface, she had no room to argue.
Xu Zhaozhao held the moral high ground—and her weak spot.
The family committee?
She didn’t dare.
【Host is amazing! Clear logic, relentless pressure!】
【Against people like this, you hit their pressure point and don’t let go!】
【So satisfying—let them steal again if they dare!】
【Host, watch your health—your face looks terrible.】
Xu Zhaozhao did feel waves of dizziness. This body was far too weak. Speaking so much had nearly drained her.
But she couldn’t collapse—not yet.
She steadied herself and softened her voice slightly, delivering the final ultimatum:
“Mother, think carefully. Hand over the account book and whatever money and tickets are left now—and behind closed doors, we’ll still be family. Or let it become common knowledge, leave Chen Zheng unable to hold his head up in the army, and turn the Old Chen family into the laughingstock of the entire compound.”
When she said family, the meaning was unmistakable.
Wang Guifen shuddered as if all her strength had been sucked out. She staggered, nearly losing her footing.
She stared at Xu Zhaozhao for a long moment, then ground out through clenched teeth:
“Fine… very fine! Xu Zhaozhao, I really underestimated you!”
She turned and shuffled into the inner room. After rummaging around, she came back with an old wooden box and a thin notebook, slamming them down on the edge of the kang.
“It’s all here! Y-you check it yourself!”
As if afraid she’d change her mind, Wang Guifen turned and left immediately, not even bothering with Li Xiuhua.
Li Xiuhua looked at Xu Zhaozhao, then at her mother-in-law’s retreating back, stomped her foot, and hurried after her.
At last, Xu Zhaozhao was alone.
She let out a long breath. Her back was soaked with cold sweat.
She had been holding herself together with sheer willpower. Now that the tension eased, her body went limp and her vision swam.
【Congratulations, host! First major victory!】
【Quick—see how much money’s in the box!】
【Host, eat something and rest—your face is scary pale.】
The bullet chat continued to scroll, full of concern.
Xu Zhaozhao struggled over and opened the wooden box.
It wasn’t locked. Inside were scattered small bills and change. She counted—less than ten yuan in total. There were also a few ration tickets for grain and oil, pitifully few in number.
She picked up the so-called “account book.” The entries were crooked and sloppy, full of holes—clearly a fake meant to fool people.
Most of the money and tickets Chen Zheng had sent back were long gone.
Xu Zhaozhao let out a cold laugh. She wasn’t surprised.
What Wang Guifen handed over was nothing more than a token gesture—a drop in the ocean.
The real savings had probably been hidden or transferred long ago.
But that was fine.
With this opening, she could legitimately take over the future allowances.
Ten yuan wasn’t much, but with careful budgeting, it could last a while—at least enough for her to eat properly and start rebuilding her body.
The most urgent task was replenishing her energy.
She remembered that the original owner had hidden half a packet of brown sugar under the kang mat—a gift secretly given by a kind neighbor.
She lifted a corner of the mat with effort and, sure enough, found an oil-paper packet.
Inside was half a packet of dark red brown sugar. She broke off a small piece and put it in her mouth.
Sweetness melted on her tongue, warmth flowing down her throat, easing the dizziness a little.
【Ding! Successfully reclaimed partial household economic control and secured basic survival needs for host and fetuses.
Merit Points +15. Current total: 35.】
The system notification sounded right on cue.
Xu Zhaozhao leaned back against the kang, slowly sucking on the sugar, savoring the small comfort it brought.
Her mind was already planning the next steps.
Wang Guifen and Li Xiuhua would never let this go—and the rumors outside wouldn’t stop just because of today’s victory.
She needed to go to the hospital as soon as possible for a proper examination and obtain official proof, to completely shut up those accusing her of “wrong timing.”
Then, using her initial merit points and the bullet chat’s information, she would find ways to improve her life in this era of scarcity, safely deliver the children—
And wait for that husband of hers, who existed in name only… to return.
Warm sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on her pale yet resolute face.