After Lin Zhi had walked far away, Old Madam Hu finally dared to start shouting curses at the top of her lungs. She didn’t hold back at all—everyone present was scolded thoroughly, without exception.
A few kind-hearted women had tried to persuade her at first, but after being cursed at as well, they grew annoyed and stopped. One by one, they took their children and went home.
Wen Xiuxiu also left with the crowd. Even after she had walked some distance away, the angry shouting was still clearly audible. Her brows were tightly furrowed.
Lin Zhi’s behavior today was far too different from before. She was still just as fierce—but in the past, she had never stood up for the twins.
This time, she had come out swinging and cursing. Normally, that would have made her even more disliked. But because she had done it for the two children, no one said she was wrong. If she hit someone over other matters, people could call her vicious—but not this time.
She was clearly still the same person, still just as blunt and unrestrained, yet she had effortlessly won everyone’s favor.
All the sisters-in-law present today had changed their opinion of her quite a bit. If this continued, Lin Zhi’s reputation in the family compound might even surpass her own.
Wen Xiuxiu had always believed she lived the best life in the entire compound. Just imagining that someone who was inferior to her in every way might one day live better than she did made her deeply uncomfortable.
She returned home with suppressed frustration. Seeing that the house she had tidied up before going out was messy again, her mood worsened.
She moved the clothes tossed carelessly on the sofa aside, then sank heavily into it. Tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling, she began to feel that marrying Lin Zhengrong and becoming the stepmother of three children had been a mistake.
Before marrying into the family, she had thought she could be a good stepmother and build good relationships with the children. But she hadn’t expected that five-year-old Lin Weiqing would harbor such strong prejudice against her.
On top of that, her mother-in-law disliked her and constantly spoke ill of her in front of Lin Weiqing, making things even worse between them.
Although they had now moved to live with Lin Zhengrong at his post, Lin Weiqing had already been ten years old when they arrived. After four years of being influenced by her grandmother, their relationship was even worse than when Wen Xiuxiu had first married into the family.
The eight-year-old Lin Weiguo and seven-year-old Lin Weibing got along fairly well with her. But the two boys didn’t think much for themselves—once their older sister persuaded them, they would gang up together to cause trouble for her.
Dealing with the children was difficult, but that wasn’t even the most troubling issue. The most important thing was that it had already been five years since she married into the family, and Lin Zhengrong still refused to have another child.
When the children were younger, he had said he was afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle caring for them all. But now even the youngest, Lin Weibing, was already seven years old—yet he still wouldn’t agree.
Although there were already three children in the family, which household nowadays didn’t have four, five, or even six?
It wasn’t as if they couldn’t afford it. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t manage. Why was it so hard for her to have a child of her own?
Rubbing her aching temples, she felt both physically and mentally exhausted, unwilling to move at all.
Lin Zhi had no idea that the “female lead” was feeling more bitter than gall. But even if she did know, she would pretend she didn’t.
A good life is made through one’s own efforts. Since Wen Xiuxiu would rather endure grievances to maintain a good reputation, Lin Zhi could only wish her well.
After returning home, Lin Zhi went into her room and unlocked the other side of her cabinet. After rummaging around inside for quite some time, she finally came out with a bag of sponge cakes.
There were ten sponge cakes in total. After giving two to each person, she went to prepare three cups of breakfast milk.
“Auntie, what is this? It smells so good!” Chen Xiaoxi leaned closer to the cup and took a deep sniff but didn’t dare touch it.
“It’s similar to malted milk powder—also powdered and mixed with water to drink,” Lin Zhi replied vaguely without mentioning it was breakfast milk. She pushed the cup toward her. “Hurry and drink. After you finish, go home and sleep.”
Chen Xiaoxi nodded, eating sponge cake while sipping the milk.
After finishing one sponge cake, she stopped. Holding up the uneaten one, her soft little voice rang out in the small living room.
“Auntie, can I take this home for my mom? I didn’t take one from the table—this is the one you just gave me.”
At only five or six years old, she wasn’t plump like children of later generations, but she was still quite adorable.
Since it had already been given to her, she could distribute it however she liked.
Lin Zhi nodded. Seeing that the girl was about to leave, she quickly grabbed a sheet of oil paper and wrapped up the remaining four sponge cakes for her as well.
“Take these home to eat. This is Auntie’s thank-you gift. Oh, and this too.” As she spoke, Lin Zhi stuffed a handful of White Rabbit milk candies into her pocket.
Chen Xiaoxi was young and couldn’t resist the temptation of sponge cakes and White Rabbit candies, so she didn’t refuse and obediently thanked her.
Lin Zhi patted her little head and walked her toward the door. “What’s your name? Who are your parents? Do you know how to get home? I’ll take you back.”
Only when she was about to escort her home did Lin Zhi realize she hadn’t even asked whose child she was.
Chen Xiaoxi carried the food carefully, walking cautiously for fear of dropping the sponge cakes. When Lin Zhi asked her questions, she only dared to glance up briefly before quickly lowering her eyes to watch the road.
“My name is Chen Xiaoxi. My dad is Chen Gang. I know where my home is, Auntie—you don’t need to take me.”
Lin Zhi thought carefully. There did seem to be a regimental commander named Chen Gang—but whether it was the same person she was thinking of, she wasn’t sure.
The original owner of this body had never cared about anyone except herself, the type who paid no attention to outside affairs. The information left behind for her was very limited.
“I’d better walk you there,” Lin Zhi said. Although the family compound was safe, it was already completely dark. Letting a little girl go back alone would be too irresponsible.
Even though she often didn’t treat herself like much of a person, at certain times she still had to uphold basic responsibility.
They had just stepped out of the courtyard and hadn’t even reached the corner when Chen Xiaoxi suddenly jumped up and shouted, “Auntie, it’s my mom! My mom came to pick me up!”
Someone was standing at the corner. It was so dark that Lin Zhi couldn’t see clearly even after narrowing her eyes—but Chen Xiaoxi recognized her at a glance.
After walking a few steps closer and recognizing Liu Yuxiang, Lin Zhi felt reassured. She nodded in greeting and immediately turned to leave.
Liu Yuxiang had been about to say hello—she had even raised her hand—but the other woman turned away without lingering for even a second.
Knowing Lin Zhi’s temperament, Liu Yuxiang didn’t think much of it. Looking down at her little daughter hugging her leg, she smiled and gently pinched her soft cheek.
“You little glutton. Auntie said there were sponge cakes and you just followed her. Do we not feed you enough at home?”
Chen Xiaoxi grinned and lifted the bag for her to see. “Mom, Auntie gave me sponge cakes and candy. She said thank you to me.”
Liu Yuxiang reached out to feel the bag and was immediately startled. “Such a big bag—are these all sponge cakes?”
What had gotten into He Ting’s wife? It was just passing along a message—why had she given so much?
Sponge cakes were hard to buy. Every time the supply cooperative stocked them, they were snatched up instantly. She had gone several times and never managed to get any. Who knew how much effort He Ting’s wife had gone through to buy these?
“Yes! And White Rabbit milk candies too!” Chen Xiaoxi didn’t hide anything. She took all the candies out of her pocket and handed them to Liu Yuxiang. After thinking for a moment, she kept two for herself.
“These were given to me by Auntie, so I’m going to eat two.”