“Mom! Mom!” Zhang Qian rushed forward.
The person arriving was Zhang Qian’s mother, Wang Qiulan. Wang Qiulan was a widow, but still very attractive. Whenever she had some work to do, the single men in the brigade would rush to help.
“Mom, they want me to marry Wang Laizi(Wang Ergou)!” Zhang Qian cried.
Wang Qiulan shielded her daughter behind herself. “You women, seeing us mother and daughter without men to back us up, think you can bully us, huh?” She wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke.
Several of the other women immediately took a step back. “Here we go again.” Wang Qiulan had always been skilled at feigning weakness to gain sympathy.
In rural areas, people were straightforward, but Wang Qiulan was different—she knew how to exploit a delicate appearance to make even her own wrongdoing seem like a huge grievance.
Wang Guifen stepped forward.
Wang Qiulan recoiled in fear. Wang Guifen was the “iron lady” of the brigade and didn’t fall for such tricks.
Wang Guifen grabbed Wang Qiulan by her clothes and lifted her like she was a piglet. Leaning close, she whispered, “Wang Qiulan, shouldn’t you ask what your precious daughter did first? She egged on Wang Ergou to try to violate my Yiyi. I didn’t crush him because the brigade was evaluating model workers.” She then smoothed out Wang Qiulan’s wrinkled collar.
Wang Qiulan’s face went from pale to purple in embarrassment.
Wang Guifen smiled. “It was your Zhang Qian who enticed Wang Ergou and dreamed of marrying him. We just witnessed it. The two went into a room, became physically involved—Qiulan, you’d better prepare the wedding. We’re ready to drink the wedding wine.”
“Yes, yes! The brigade hasn’t had a wedding celebration in a long time,” someone added.
“Ergou is so lucky—he’s getting the village beauty as his wife!”
…
The people at the door laughed, taunting Wang Qiulan mercilessly.
Wang Guifen took Su Yi’s hand and turned. “Let’s leave this dirty business behind. Come on, daughter-in-law, I’ll steam some eggs for you.”
Zhang Qian had gotten her comeuppance. Even if she didn’t marry Wang Ergou, her reputation was ruined. In the Tanghe brigade, people would ridicule her mercilessly.
Su Yi looked at Wang Guifen, amazed. Her mother-in-law had truly changed—not an illusion. She smiled and nodded.
Her mother-in-law had really fought for her justice. She remembered that when she first arrived, Wang Guifen had glanced at her without a word and left.
Before, if the women in the brigade criticized her, her mother-in-law wouldn’t defend her. Her looks might have dismayed Wang Guifen, and she certainly didn’t show affection.
Even if Wang Guifen didn’t like her, at home she never hoarded food. They shared everything. She never called Su Yi lazy or scolded her. Wang Guifen did all the hard work herself.
Once Wang Guifen and Su Yi left, the other women also went home.
It was getting late. Wang Guifen entered the yard, bolted the door, and picked up the basket of eggs from the ground.
“Girl, go start cooking the rice. Didn’t we have half a slab of pork left from yesterday? I’ll cut it up for you and make some braised pork.”
Su Yi hesitated. “Mom, meat is expensive. Didn’t you say we should save some for later?” She lowered her head.
In the past, Wang Guifen handled everything. Rice was precious, and only when Wang Guifen permitted could Su Yi eat it.
Wang Guifen paused, then slapped her thigh. “Don’t worry about saving food anymore. Zhijun gets paid every month—he won’t let us mother and daughter go hungry. Eat as you like.” She entered the kitchen, lifting the curtain.
Her daughter-in-law was weak, and with twins in her womb, nutrition was critical. Last life, at this stage, Zhijun hadn’t become a commander, so they still had to stay in Tanghe village. Su Yi’s health couldn’t be compromised.
Su Yi felt a warm glow in her heart and smiled. “Mom, I’ll help you.”
She scooped half a bowl of rice into the pot.
“Girl, eat more in the future. All this strength comes from eating well.” Wang Guifen added another half bowl of rice.
Su Yi sat on a small stool, tending the fire. “Well, Uncle Li in the brigade eats three bowls at a time and still doesn’t work as hard as you, Mom.”
Wang Guifen stirred the rice. “In Tanghe, few can match your mother.” She covered the pot.
She then took out the pork from the jar, cut it into large pieces, and broke three eggs into a bowl, stirring them with chopsticks.
“Tomorrow, I’ll check the river for fish. I heard fish are good for the body.”
“Mom, I’ll go with you,” Su Yi said quickly. Tanghe River was dangerous. Originally, she wanted to advise her mother-in-law not to go, but Wang Guifen wouldn’t listen, so she followed.
“Good. You come along. If I catch too much to carry, you can help carry two fish.” Wang Guifen smiled.
Her daughter-in-law was clever. Last life, Wang Guifen had disliked her for being fastidious, incapable of doing work, and unable to earn points. If Zhijun hadn’t brought her home, she wouldn’t have been allowed into the house. Later, Wang Guifen ignored her, allowing Zhang Qian to succeed.
Su Yi laughed.
Her mother-in-law must be teasing her.
People in the brigade went to the river daily for luck. Catching even one fish was rare; no one had ever caught more than three.
Shhh! Wang Guifen poured a generous spoon of oil into the pot.
Su Yi swallowed.
Her mother-in-law usually rationed oil and meat—what had gotten into her? She seemed like a different person.
Once the sauce was added, the aroma filled the kitchen.
Wang Guifen’s skills were excellent. If there were a feast or funeral in the brigade, she would be the cook. When she cooked well, some families even gave her a grain coupon.
She stirred the meat in the iron pot until it browned, then covered it.
“Yiyi, don’t let the fire be too strong. Let it simmer on low.”
Su Yi set down a handful of firewood and added a small portion to the stove.
Wang Guifen chopped green peppers and stir-fried them with eggs in another small pot, then served them.
She returned to lift the lid of the braised pork.
Gurgle, gurgle. The meat was red and bubbling in the sauce.
The aroma made Su Yi’s mouth water.
Wang Guifen smiled. “Hungry?”
Su Yi nodded shyly.
Wang Guifen picked a lean piece and placed it in a small bowl for her. Rural people preferred fatty meat, which gave energy for farm work, but this daughter-in-law from the city preferred lean meat. Last life, she had even scolded her for being hard to please.
“Try it. Does it have enough salt?”
Su Yi knew her mother-in-law had noticed her hunger and served her first. She felt warm inside and bit into the meat.
“Mom, it’s perfect! Sweet and savory, tastes like something from a state-run restaurant in the city.”
Wang Guifen smiled at her daughter-in-law’s praise. “Yiyi likes it. We’ll buy more meat and eat it every few days.”
Su Yi’s three-month twins were barely visible, and she needed proper nutrition.
Now that she had been reborn, Wang Guifen would make sure her daughter-in-law was well cared for.