“Your whole family has been stealing from the collective food supply, and two of you have been slacking off during work. Tell me, what reason do I have not to deduct your work points?”
At this, Huang Wenqiang chuckled, then turned to look at the others. “Even if I agreed, it wouldn’t be fair to everyone else!”
No one spoke up, but Huang Wenqiang didn’t feel embarrassed. He continued shouting at the top of his lungs, trying to make sure everyone in the fields could hear him.
Su Jianqiang’s expression softened slightly. He took two steps forward, hoping to speak with Huang Wenqiang privately.
But Huang Wenqiang wasn’t having it. Seeing how tall and strong Su Jianqiang was, he felt a bit intimidated.
Yet, not wanting to show weakness in front of everyone, he only raised his voice even louder.
“Hey, what are you trying to do?! I’m warning you, hitting a cadre is illegal—you’ll be dragged to the county for public criticism!”
Su Jianqiang suppressed his anger once more, forcing a faint smile as he addressed Huang Wenqiang. “Secretary Huang, my wife is pregnant and can’t do heavy labor right now. My mother is too frail, but we’ve done every bit of work we were supposed to. Could you please restore the deducted work points?”
Shen Fujuan had lived through difficult times before. She knew this farce would eventually come to an end.
But Su Jianqiang didn’t know that. He was still thinking about securing a long-term future for their family in Black River Village.
Huang Wenqiang let out a dry laugh. “Impossible!”
“Go ask around yourself—in our brigade, which woman sits idly on the kang just because she’s pregnant? Do you think you city folks are inherently superior, that pregnancy gives you the right to do nothing?”
“According to the rules, work points are recorded for whoever does the work. I can’t override the higher-ups, and I can’t help you with this!”
Huang Wenqiang stubbornly stuck to his position. Hearing the ongoing dispute, Shen Fujuan walked over.
She was familiar with this situation!
In her past life, Huang Wenqiang had done the same thing. Back then, Shen Fujuan had wanted to keep the peace.
But what did that get her? It only led to Huang Wenqiang bullying them even more!
Shen Fujuan slapped her hand down on the ledger with a forceful gesture, startling the comrade keeping the records.
Then, she turned around and shouted gruffly toward the people at the back of the line, “Our commune’s Secretary Huang is deducting work points from female comrades! Even Chairman Mao said women hold up half the sky, but Secretary Huang insists on going against that, claiming we women can’t work as well as men!”
Huang Wenqiang was terrified, his aged face turning deathly pale. He was so frantic he almost reached out to cover Shen Fujuan’s mouth.
What nonsense was this city woman spouting? Was she trying to get him killed?!
Afraid of getting himself into trouble, Huang Wenqiang no longer cared about making things difficult for these city folks. He just wanted to send these troublesome figures away as quickly as possible. So, he waved his hand dismissively and hastily restored the missing work points.
Having gotten what they were owed, Shen Fujuan left satisfied.
Back home, Shen Fujuan faced an even more pressing problem as she looked at the cold stove and empty pots.
Zhao Xiaorou was already thin, and since coming to Black River Village, she hadn’t had enough nutritious food. Despite being pregnant, she had grown as gaunt as a stick.
It was heartbreaking to see.
Su Jianqiang walked over and took Zhao Xiaorou’s hand, speaking softly, “As long as our family is still together, that’s the greatest blessing heaven has given us!”
In just a few days, Zhao Xiaorou’s hands were no longer fair and delicate. Under the biting cold winds of the Northeast’s deep autumn and the heavy farm work, they had been worn raw, scabbed over, and grown faint yellow calluses.
Due to pregnancy and not having enough to eat, her limbs were also somewhat swollen.
Shen Fujuan felt heartache for her daughter-in-law, so she stood up and cautiously walked to the door. After checking that no one was outside, she solemnly closed it.
“There’s something I must tell you all.” After several days of careful consideration, Shen Fujuan felt the children also needed to know her secret.
Su Jiaxuan understood what Shen Fujuan was about to do. Sitting in his chair, he looked up at her with a reassuring expression.
After fully revealing her accidental rebirth and possession of the Dimensional Space, the heavy burden weighing on Shen Fujuan’s heart finally lifted.
Su Jianqiang furrowed his brows slightly, pondering the truth of Shen Fujuan’s words.
Su Jianjun, on the other hand, gaped in astonishment and turned to look at Su Jiaxuan. “Dad, has Mom been too exhausted these past few days, not resting well? She’s even having hallucinations now…”
It was no wonder their second son would think such things.
If Shen Fujuan had suddenly heard such words, she too would have thought the speaker was insane.
Under their questioning gazes, Su Jiaxuan nodded, confirming Shen Fujuan’s account.
Su Jianjun slapped his forehead, looking as if the sky had fallen.
“Oh no! Dad’s confused too!”
To prove the truth of her words, Shen Fujuan retrieved a piece of walnut cake from the Dimensional Space.
Then a bucket of oil, an apple, a large piece of meat…
Just as Shen Fujuan was about to pull out a book larger than her head, Su Jianjun quickly waved his hands. “Alright, Mom, we believe you!”
They were genuinely afraid she might produce something even more shocking.
Su Jianqiang and Su Jianjun wore identical expressions—both looking as if they had seen a ghost, their mouths slightly agape.
In contrast, Zhao Xiaorou appeared much calmer.
She even seemed somewhat excited, suddenly sitting up straight in her chair.
“Mom, so that piece of walnut cake you gave me this afternoon was also taken from that Dimensional Space?”
Zhao Xiaorou’s round eyes sparkled with excitement.
According to Shen Fujuan, she currently had a considerable stockpile of surplus food.
Moreover, she had some foresight into future events! This was absolutely wonderful news for their family!
Shen Fujuan nodded. “Yes. Time in the Dimensional Space doesn’t change with the outside world. Before leaving, I specifically stockpiled a lot of food and supplies.”
Not only was it enough for their family to live comfortably in Heihe Village, but after their rehabilitation, the money and books Shen Fujuan had hidden away would also be sufficient for them to make a fresh start.
Shen Fujuan looked at Zhao Xiaorou with compassion and retrieved a small bag of rice from the Dimensional Space.
Seeing the handful of pure white rice in Shen Fujuan’s hand, everyone stared in awe.
How long had it been since they last ate white rice?
Just looking at it, Su Jianjun could imagine its sweet and delicious flavor.
He couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.
“Our family doesn’t have much food. Even with Mom’s reserves, it probably won’t be enough. Sister-in-law is pregnant, so we should prioritize her needs first!”
A moment later, Su Jianjun remembered that Zhao Xiaorou was still pregnant. Gritting his teeth, he suppressed his fear of hunger.
Shen Fujuan chuckled, her gaze gentle and affectionate as she looked at Su Jianjun. “Don’t worry, the supplies I’ve prepared are enough to feed our family for at least a few years, even if we do nothing!”
Moreover, the residence assigned to them by Black River Village was extremely remote, with no neighbors within several hundred meters in any direction.
Even if they secretly cooked at home, no one would notice.
Shen Fujuan took out another egg, intending to properly nourish her eldest daughter-in-law.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, Su Jiaxuan followed right behind her.
Without a word, he silently picked up a bowl to help Shen Fujuan wash the rice and prepare the vegetables.
Noticing the lone egg on the stove, Su Jiaxuan spoke up, “You’re not in good health either. Have one too.”
“When I find the time, I’ll go into the mountains with Jianqiang and Jianjun to try hunting and get some meat.”
Su Jiaxuan’s words reminded Shen Fujuan of their most difficult days in her past life. Even when there was only one egg left in the house, Su Jiaxuan would always save it for her.
Though he never said it out loud, he expressed his care for his family through his actions. Shen Fujuan felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
She took out four more eggs. “Don’t worry, what I said earlier wasn’t just to comfort the children.”
“I have plenty of food stored,” Shen Fujuan said with a smile. “If it weren’t inconvenient, I’d really like to show you everything.”
She had spent most of the family’s savings over the years on food.
Even without the rations distributed by the commune, it was enough to feed all five of them.
“Don’t worry about saving food. You, Jianqiang, and Jianjun should eat more too. You’ve all lost weight from exhaustion these past few days.” Shen Fujuan looked at Su Jiaxuan, unable to hide her concern.
Just as Shen Fujuan and Su Jiaxuan were chatting idly, she suddenly heard a sharp knock at the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
The rhythmic sound made Shen Fujuan’s heart skip a beat.
Had they been caught so soon after their first attempt at cooking secretly? Was their luck really that bad?