Su Yi felt a bit embarrassed under Aunt Zhang’s gaze. “Aunt Zhang, what are you looking at? Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing today?”
Only then did Aunt Zhang avert her eyes and lean closer to whisper, “Girl, you have to eat a few more eggs. Quickly give the Wang family a big, healthy boy. That way, all those gossiping women in the brigade will shut their mouths.”
Even if the young lady couldn’t do much, at least she could bear a child for Zhijun. Life in the brigade would be easier than it was now.
Su Yi blushed, lowering her head. “I… I can’t give birth on my own. Zhijun has already gone back to the unit. I don’t know when he’ll come home.”
She wasn’t particularly close with Wang Zhijun, but she was genuinely grateful that he had married her, someone in a sensitive position.
After the wedding, he was gentle with her, strong and robust, and quite handsome—better looking than some of the wealthy young masters she had known before.
Thinking this, her face grew even redder.
Aunt Zhang stared blankly at Su Yi. No wonder Zhijun had insisted on marrying her back. This girl was beautiful—even Aunt Zhang, a seasoned woman, could see that.
No wonder the other young brides in the brigade didn’t want to play with her—they were all jealous.
“That’s true, but the child matters can’t be rushed,” Aunt Zhang said.
After a brief chat, they arrived at the front door.
“Aunt Zhang, I’ll go in first,” Su Yi said, about to step inside, when she noticed someone sneaking around the doorway, peeking into the yard.
She immediately stopped and hid to the side.
“What’s going on?” Aunt Zhang also glanced into the yard, covering her mouth in shock. “Isn’t that Wang Laizi?”
Wang Laizi’s parents had died years ago.
He spent his days idling around, teasing cats and dogs.
The brides in the brigade avoided him, but now he had dared to pry into Wang Guifen’s house.
“Probably my mom left the door unlocked in her rush to exchange eggs, giving that scoundrel an opportunity,” Su Yi murmured, clenching the pole in her hand, ready to rush out.
But her wrist was grabbed.
She turned. “Mom, you’re back.”
Wang Guifen nodded, handing her the basket of eggs. “Girl, take these eggs. This scoundrel, I’ll deal with him myself.”
Luckily, she had been hurrying home to cook egg custard for her daughter-in-law. Otherwise, her frail daughter-in-law would never be able to handle Wang Laizi, and if her unborn grandchildren were hurt… her rebirth would be meaningless.
Thinking this, fury flared in her eyes. She grabbed the pole and charged.
Wang Laizi was rubbing his hands, peeking into the house.
Suddenly, he felt someone behind him and turned—just in time to get a solid smack on the head with the pole.
“Ah!” Blood gushed from Wang Laizi’s head.
“You good-for-nothing lazybones, Wang Ergou! Dare to steal in my house? If I don’t beat you until you’re crying like a dog, I’m not Wang Guifen!” She swung the pole again and again at the flailing, cowering man.
“Auntie, I’m sorry! I won’t ever do it again, ahh!”
“I told you to steal? I told you to steal?”
Wang Guifen swung the pole with all her strength.
Wang Ergou’s screaming echoed throughout the brigade like a pig being slaughtered.
“Does that sound like Wang Ergou? Who has the guts to teach that scoundrel a lesson?”
“Could it be Wang Guifen?”
The two women outside exchanged a glance.
“Let’s go see.”
The crowd around Wang Guifen’s yard clapped as they watched Wang Ergou beg for mercy on the ground.
“Serves him right! Wang Ergou’s a parasite in the brigade, shameless, stealing and thieving. He even stole eggs from my house once.”
“Same here! A month ago, my son bought an enamel basin from the cooperative. Barely used it, and that black-hearted thief stole it.”
“Ah, stop! Aunt Wang! Ahh! It was Zhang Qian who made me do it! Stop!”
Wang Guifen stopped. “Zhang Qian?” Of course, it’s that troublemaker again.
She kicked Wang Ergou, sending him rolling.
“Tell me—why did she order you into my yard?”
“I-I’ll tell you! She said your daughter-in-law is a delicate young lady, and you don’t like her. If I could seduce her and ruin her, you wouldn’t want her as a daughter-in-law anymore, and then she’d be mine!” Wang Ergou held his head, wincing.
Su Yi, standing outside, turned pale upon hearing this.
Wang Guifen’s chest heaved. After being reborn, the person she cared about most was her daughter-in-law. On her first day back, someone had already tried twice to harm her. As if she were made of mud to be squashed.
She realized that in her previous life, even if her daughter-in-law hadn’t drowned, such vicious schemes would have awaited her later.
Wang Guifen’s heart ached. She clutched her chest, stepping back repeatedly.
Su Yi rushed forward, supporting her and rubbing her back gently. “Mom, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
Wang Guifen looked at her daughter-in-law. How could she be “fine”? In the last life, these people had succeeded. Her daughter-in-law fell into the river, losing three lives in one.
Since Heaven allowed her a second chance, she would settle last life’s accounts too. Zhang Qian and Wang Ergou running into her now was a perfect opportunity.
“Yiyi, today we’re getting justice. Zhijun isn’t home, and I’m still alive. Anyone who dares scheme against our family will get a lesson. Otherwise, they’ll think they can bully us mother and daughter.”
Su Yi nodded. “Mom, I’ll follow your lead.”
Wang Guifen patted her daughter-in-law’s hand.
She stepped forward, grabbed Wang Ergou by the chest. “Since you say Zhang Qian instigated you, I won’t just beat you. I’ll take you to confront Zhang Qian. If you dare lie, I won’t kill you, but I’ll beat you half to death.”
“I’m not lying! Aunt Wang, I’m telling the truth!” Wang Ergou’s face was swollen.
He regretted listening to that wicked Zhang Qian, sneaking into Wang Guifen’s yard. He didn’t get the girl, and now he was half-dead from a beating, all in front of so many women.
Although he didn’t care about his reputation, the shame was unbearable. He wouldn’t be able to show his face outside again.
Wang Guifen dragged him forward. “Ladies, we’re all women. You know the importance of reputation. Today it’s my house. Fortunately, I found out in time. Tomorrow, or the day after, it could be any house. Let’s bear witness. A wicked person like Zhang Qian, who could incite Wang Ergou to harm my family, could harm yours tomorrow.”
“Guifen’s right. Every family has daughters and daughters-in-law. If we help today, there’ll be fewer incidents tomorrow.”
“Yes, let’s go together and make sure no one escapes.”
The crowd followed as Wang Guifen led Wang Ergou.
She whispered, “Wang Ergou, do you want a wife?”
He shook his head frantically. “N-no! Aunt Wang, I… I don’t want one!”—terrified after being beaten.
Wang Guifen slapped him and said fiercely, “Do as I say, and today you’ll get a wife!”