Chapter 3

Jiang Qiuyue’s new body was utterly exhausted. Within less than a minute, she once again slipped into a deep sleep.

Lin Beibei and Lin Nannan crouched by the bedside, curiously watching their mother.

“Nannan, Mom is so different today. She even let us eat more and argued with Grandma.”

Lin Nannan had once been lively, but after accidentally knocking over her bowl at age three, her grandmother had beaten her severely, leaving palm prints all over her back. Her mother had only held her and cried, then made her apologize to Grandma.

She refused to apologize, so Grandma grabbed her and pinched her until she cried herself hoarse.

Since then, she had fallen silent.

Lin Beibei, used to her sister’s silence, continued talking to herself, “I wish Mom could always be like this. I like the Mom she is now. Don’t you, Nannan?”

After hesitating for a moment, Lin Nannan nodded softly.

The two little ones leaned over the edge of the bed, watching quietly until they too fell asleep.

Jiang Qiuyue slept peacefully until four o’clock. The Lin family had not yet returned from work. She washed her face, got up, and went to the kitchen to look around.

The family’s daily grain was always taken out in advance by Wang Chunhua, who held the key to the granary. Jiang Qiuyue couldn’t steal from there. Looking at the sweet potatoes and wild vegetables on the stove, she had no appetite.

When she looked up, she saw a palm-sized piece of cured meat hanging from the beam.

The kitchen was locked at night; no one could enter. During the day, with children around and without Wang Chunhua’s permission, no one dared to touch the cured meat.

This piece had been saved since the New Year; Wang Chunhua guarded it like a treasure.

Jiang Qiuyue swallowed hard, and without a moment’s hesitation, moved a stool over and took down the cured meat.

Near the vegetable patch, wild scallions grew; she picked a handful. After washing the cured meat, she boiled it until tender, then sliced it into translucent two-millimeter-thick pieces that looked delicious.

She heated oil in a pan, first rendering the fat from the cured meat, then adding scallion bulbs to stir-fry until fragrant.

In an instant, the kitchen was filled with the savory aroma.

Finally, she added the wild scallion leaves, gave it a quick toss, and the dish was ready.

They ate steamed sweet potatoes as a staple. The Lin family was large and couldn’t afford rice or white flour daily; sweet potatoes and potatoes were their main sustenance. Only during festivals did they have rice mixed with old grains, which was hard and barely edible, yet considered a rare treat.

Jiang Qiuyue had always enjoyed cooking. Now, she needed to take better care of herself. If there was good food, of course she would cook it for herself.

For the past four years, the original owner had handed over twenty yuan each month to support the whole family but hadn’t been able to eat even a bite of meat or eggs.

Today, she would make up for all those lost years at once.

“Eat! Why aren’t you picking up your chopsticks? Is the cured meat not tasty?” Jiang Qiuyue had already eaten two slices. It was a bit salty, but the rich fat filled her mouth with an unprecedented satisfaction.

After all, the original owner hadn’t eaten meat for four years and desperately needed nutrition.

Though Lin Beibei’s mouth watered to the floor, he still didn’t dare to touch his chopsticks. “Mom, Grandma said this cured meat is for when Auntie comes home on summer break.”

“What’s the point of saving it? Your auntie eats meat buns at school and never saves any for you.”

Jiang Qiuyue took another slice while speaking. “If you don’t eat it soon, I’ll finish it all. I’ve already eaten some, and if you don’t, we’ll all get scolded anyway.”

Lin Beibei was speechless.

Besides the cured meat, Jiang Qiuyue also made loofah soup from their own garden’s produce. The soup was naturally sweet and helped cut through the greasiness.

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Lin Beibei saw that his mother really had no intention of saving any, so he clenched his small hand around his chopsticks, quickly picked a piece of cured meat for his sister, then one for himself.

When he tasted the meat, he almost cried. So this was how meat was supposed to taste—so delicious!

The three of them not only finished the cured meat but also licked the oil left in the bowl, with Lin Beibei dipping sweet potatoes into it.

Jiang Qiuyue patted her belly in satisfaction. The Lin family’s poor conditions meant her culinary skills could not fully shine.

“Mom, I’ll wash the dishes!” Normally, Lin Beibei and his sister helped with the chores.

At first, Jiang Qiuyue was a little worried but watching the two little ones wash properly, she felt reassured and went out to the yard to aid digestion.

After sleeping all day, she practiced some gentle eight-section brocade exercises to loosen her muscles.

Just as Jiang Qiuyue finished, Lin Beibei and Lin Nannan came out from washing, and Wang Chunhua and the others returned.

“Mom, you’re back,” Jiang Qiuyue greeted warmly. Wang Chunhua shot her a sharp glare but turned and went into the kitchen.

Seeing no food cooking in the pot, Wang Chunhua opened her mouth to scold but was silenced by a glare from Lin Fugui. She could only call the second daughter-in-law to prepare the meal.

At this moment, no one noticed the cured meat was missing from the ceiling.

When Qian Li finished cooking and called everyone to eat, Jiang Qiuyue leaned against the doorframe with a smile. “I’ve already eaten the cured meat. Mom, don’t make such a fuss about a thief—if there’s a commotion, the team leader will get involved again.”

“What?”

Wang Chunhua was momentarily stunned. Lin Dabao muttered, “I want some cured meat too,” jolting her back to reality. Staring wide-eyed in disbelief, she shouted, “Jiang Qiuyue, you ate my cured meat?”

“Yes. Doctor Jiang said I need to nourish my body. I looked around the house and only found the cured meat with nutrition. I can’t just kill the laying hen for meat, can I, Mom?”

Jiang Qiuyue watched the Lin family as if watching a show. In this era, they didn’t even have a radio and went to bed when it got dark. But since she had slept all day, she had to move or she’d have trouble sleeping at night.

“That was the cured meat reserved for Xiaoxiao!” Wang Chunhua gasped for breath, suddenly standing up and rushing toward Jiang Qiuyue to hit her, but Jiang Qiuyue shouted and ran into the yard.

“Mom, don’t hit me! I’m just following the team leader’s orders. Eat whatever’s available at home. If you hit me again, I’m going to the team leader!”

Wang Chunhua’s eyes went black and she fainted from anger.

“Mom!” The Lin Erzhus brothers shouted in unison and pinched Wang Chunhua’s philtrum. After a while, she woke up pale-faced.

Jiang Qiuyue pretended to be concerned. “Mom, what’s wrong? I’ve been married into the Lin family for six years, and this is the first time I’ve eaten meat. Are you really unwilling to let me have some?”

“I feel so miserable.” She turned to look at Lin Fugui. “Dad, you see I’m right. Mom doesn’t treat me like family. Let’s just split the family. I won’t be a burden to her anymore.”

Lin Fugui felt a headache coming on. In the past, when his wife ordered Jiang Qiuyue to work, he turned a blind eye. To him, the eldest son’s family wasn’t his blood, so no matter how much Jiang Qiuyue did, he didn’t care.

After all, he provided food for his eldest son and expected repayment.

Now hearing Jiang Qiuyue talk about splitting the family, Lin Fugui immediately said, “Nonsense! Your mother and I are still alive. What family split?”

The family’s current situation depended entirely on Jiang Qiuyue’s twenty yuan each month. If they split, could she still send that money?

“If we don’t split, Mom will keep resenting me everywhere. Dad, what do you say?” Jiang Qiuyue’s voice wavered with a hint of tears, playing up the grievance to fit the original character’s persona.

The Lin Erzhus brothers helped Wang Chunhua up. Lin Fugui looked at his wife, then Jiang Qiuyue. For the sake of twenty yuan, he relented. “From now on, the housework will be shared between the second daughter-in-law and you. Is that better?”

“No, I’ve worked for six years; it has to be fair. The next six years, the second daughter-in-law does it alone. After six years, I’ll work with her.”

Jiang Qiuyue had no intention of doing housework for the Lin family anymore. After six years, when she had saved money, who would still live in the Lin family? “If you don’t agree, bring the team leader to mediate and see who’s really biased.”

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Qian Li immediately objected, “There are so many people in the house. How can I manage everything alone?”

“If I can do it, why can’t you?” Jiang Qiuyue snapped, “Or are you not as capable as me?”

“I am!” Qian Li was furious but had no comeback. She looked to her husband. “Erzhu, I really can’t do so much. I still have to take care of Dabao.”

Lin Erzhu felt sorry for his wife and glared at Jiang Qiuyue. “Yes, sister-in-law, you don’t do anything. Are you just lazy at home?”

“What do you mean lazy? I have to raise Beibei and Nannan, while the second daughter-in-law only has Dabao. Fine, let’s compromise. From now on, I’ll handle my own room’s chores without needing the second daughter-in-law’s help.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want Qian Li to help, but she didn’t trust her. If Qian Li spat in her food every day, she might not always catch it. Besides, Qian Li’s cooking was bad, so she preferred to cook separately.

“Second daughter-in-law, I’m considerate enough, right? Don’t say you won’t even wash clothes for our parents—that’s such a small thing.”

Qian Li didn’t want to do it. She was already sore from working in the fields every day and had no rest after helping her in-laws and brother-in-law with laundry.

But just as she was about to protest, Jiang Qiuyue mentioned the team leader again, making her curse in anger. “Whatever you say, you always want to call the team leader. He’s not your relative. Why do you keep involving him?”

“Because the team leader himself said we could go to him for anything. Don’t forget, I’m a soldier’s wife. Anyone who mistreats a soldier’s wife goes to jail.” Jiang Qiuyue smiled at Qian Li and then looked at Lin Fugui. “Dad, what do you say?”

Lin Fugui wanted to refuse, but if this went to the team leader, the Lin family’s reputation would be ruined.

Indeed, a dog that bites doesn’t bark. Jiang Qiuyue had seemed so sensible before, but no one truly knew her heart.

“All right, it’ll be as you say.”

Lin Fugui couldn’t bear to lose twenty yuan and absolutely wouldn’t agree to split the family.

“Thanks, Dad!” Jiang Qiuyue smiled happily. “You’re reasonable. From now on, the second daughter-in-law will handle the housework. You all eat slowly; I’ll take Beibei and the others for a walk.”

They needed to walk a bit after such a heavy meal to aid digestion.

Qian Li wished she could bore a hole into Jiang Qiuyue with her eyes, but since Grandpa had spoken, the matter was settled.

During the meal, she didn’t even glance at her husband, thinking him useless for just watching her get bullied.

Lin Fugui observed everyone’s expressions. “I know you’re all unhappy with Jiang Qiuyue, but the eldest son sends money every month, and only she can sign for the registered mail. Stop provoking her. Without that twenty yuan, we’d all be starving!”

The head of the family had spoken, and no one dared to argue.

Wang Chunhua grudgingly said, “Are we just going to let Jiang Qiuyue walk all over us?”

“You’ve lived longer than her and still can’t figure out how to deal with her. If you let her torment you, it’s your own fault,” Lin Fugui snapped. “If you hadn’t opened your mouth so much, would Jiang Qiuyue be upset?”

“Eat! One more word out of you and you’re not eating anymore!”

Wang Chunhua was so aggrieved she nearly cried. After so many years of marriage, her husband gave her no respect. She almost left the table without eating.

The Lin family’s meal was eaten with little appetite.

Elsewhere, Jiang Qiuyue took the children for a walk nearby, returning home before dark.

After washing their feet, they all went to bed together.

Early the next morning, Jiang Qiuyue took the letter she had written and her identification and went to the town post office to withdraw money.