My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 151

Bai Fendou was determined to avenge his wife. His wife was such a kind-hearted person, yet she had suffered so much in this household, enduring countless grievances. Once a lively and cheerful woman, she had now become timid and withdrawn. Seeing her like this, Bai Fendou’s heart ached. As her husband, he couldn’t just let it go.

He quietly made his way to the Fan family’s residence. He had learned their location during his last visit, thanks to Yang Lixin’s mother pointing it out during a fight. Bai Fendou quickly found his way there and crouched by the wall of the Fan family’s yard, patiently waiting for the right moment.

He knew that the person who had treated He Lan the worst in the Fan family was Old Lady Fan. This old woman was vicious and cruel, with no shortage of ways to torment others. She was a master at making life miserable for those around her.

Bai Fendou’s primary target was this old lady. As for the others, he would deal with them slowly over time.

He crouched outside the wall, unmoving, silently waiting for his chance. He was aware that Old Lady Fan no longer worked. In the past, when times were tough, she had no choice, but now she prided herself on her family’s improved circumstances and acted arrogantly.

As for doing any work?

Forget about it.

Bai Fendou rummaged through his small bag, which contained matches and firecrackers he had prepared in advance. He wasn’t one to overthink things—he relied on brute force to get things done. Once, he had even fallen into a pit toilet, an experience that had been utterly disgusting. Even though it was winter, the ordeal had left him feeling nauseated just thinking about it.

The memory still made him queasy. And now, he wanted the Fan family to experience something similar.

It was summer, and he was sure it would be even more revolting. The “refreshing” sensation he had endured would now be theirs to savor.

As Bai Fendou thought about this, his excitement grew.

He continued to wait silently, and soon enough, the opportunity arrived. Fan Lian, the youngest daughter of the Fan family, returned home. Mother and daughter began arguing loudly, and Fan Lian stormed off in a huff.

Old Lady Fan glared at her daughter’s retreating figure and cursed, “A little brat like you, thinking you can freeload at home? You want to slack off after doing a bit of work? Don’t forget your place!”

In the past, He Lan had been the one to do all the work around the house, allowing the other women in the family to laze around. Everyone had ordered He Lan around, and Fan Lian was no exception. But now that He Lan was gone, Fan Lian had to pick up the slack.

Who else would do it?

Her mother? Or her sisters-in-law?

Those women were no saints either.

Old Lady Fan snorted, then headed to the outhouse. Fan Jianguo had taken his fiancée, Xu Yuqiao, to the city to shop. While Old Lady Fan was a bit displeased about this, she also felt pleased, thinking about how this “golden phoenix” was about to join their family.

Soon, her son’s career would climb even higher.

Smirking to herself, Old Lady Fan felt increasingly satisfied.

She entered the outhouse. The Fan family never used the public toilets in the village—after all, why let outsiders benefit from their waste? Even when they were working in the fields, they would come home to use their own toilet, let alone someone like Old Lady Fan, who stayed home all day. She squatted down…

**Bang!**

A loud explosion erupted, sending feces flying in all directions. Old Lady Fan was startled and, in her panic, lost her footing and tumbled into the pit. “Ah!”

The situation quickly escalated.

Bai Fendou peeked over the wall and immediately gagged.

It was utterly disgusting!

The summer heat made the stench even more unbearable.

Without hesitation, Bai Fendou lit another firecracker and tossed it into the pit—**Bang!**

This time, even Bai Fendou couldn’t bear to look. Despite his tough demeanor, the sight was too much for him. Hearing people approaching, he took off running. He wasn’t entirely familiar with the area, but he had a rough idea of the path leading out of the village. Without stopping, he sprinted toward the outskirts.

Huffing and puffing, Bai Fendou ran like a madman.

From a distance, all that could be seen was the fluttering of his clothing.

“Hey, that figure looks familiar…”

“Isn’t that the ugly widow from earlier…”

It wasn’t that people wanted to insult her, but the woman was truly unattractive. Even the famously plain Wang Erniu from the neighboring village looked better in comparison. Besides, calling her the “ugly widow” was the only way to distinguish her from other widows.

The villagers shook their heads in disbelief.

“Wait, didn’t she cause that commotion just now?”

“She must be trying to get back at that family.”

“Can you blame her? Anyone would feel the same.”

In a way, Bai Fendou’s reckless actions only reinforced the belief that she had been wronged in love.

“Enough talking, let’s go check on the Fan family.”

“Should we chase after her?”

“Why bother? It’s none of our business.”

“True. If their family hadn’t caused trouble, none of this would’ve happened. And who knows what that woman might do if she’s provoked? We shouldn’t risk getting hurt for the Fan family’s sake.”

“Right, right.”

Despite their chatter, the villagers hurried toward the source of the noise. Fan Lian was the first to arrive, as she had been dawdling on her way to the fields. Hearing the commotion, she rushed back.

She knew it was her family’s business, but when she saw the scene, she immediately vomited. The stench was overwhelming, making her feel like she might pass out at any moment.

Fan Lian collapsed to the ground, retching uncontrollably…

“Help! Help!”

The private outhouse, unlike a public one, wasn’t deep enough to drown someone.

Old Lady Fan thrashed around in agony, her cries purely reflexive.

“Help! Who did this? Damn you!”

She wailed, but everyone who arrived on the scene reacted the same way as Fan Lian—they doubled over and vomited. The sight was simply unbearable!

When Fan Jianguo and his brothers returned, they too were overwhelmed. Fan Lian screamed, “Why aren’t you helping me? You little brats, hurry up! Ugh!”

“Mom, how did you even fall into the toilet?”

“What’s going on? Ugh!”

Unlike the others, the brothers had no choice but to step forward and help.

Meanwhile, Fan Jianguo returned with his fiancée, Xu Yuqiao. Xu Yuqiao was the daughter of his boss, and Fan Jianguo had worked hard to win her over. The two were now deeply in love.

They had come back to the village to get married.

Of course, Fan Jianguo had told Xu Yuqiao about He Lan.

In his version of the story, He Lan and her family were the villains. He claimed that they had taken advantage of a childhood favor to force him into marrying He Lan, portraying her as a spoiled capitalist’s daughter who had lorded over his family. Even when she gave birth, she had sent telegrams demanding his return.

Finally, he had had enough and cut ties with the “capitalist’s daughter.”

Fortunately, they had only held a wedding banquet and hadn’t officially registered their marriage, so his reputation remained intact.

This story had made Xu Yuqiao sympathize with him even more, and their relationship had progressed rapidly. Sometimes, a man’s “past suffering” could evoke a woman’s pity, and Fan Jianguo had played this card well.

He had considered hiding the truth about He Lan, but with so many people in the village, someone was bound to slip up. So, he had twisted the facts from the start. After all, no one could prove his story false, and He Lan’s background as a capitalist’s daughter made her an easy target. Fan Jianguo was quite pleased with himself.

As he walked home with Xu Yuqiao, he said, “We’ve bought most of what we need. We’ll just have a simple ceremony at home, inviting a few elders and village leaders. We should follow the call for simplicity and avoid extravagance. But I don’t want to shortchange you. Since we both work in the military, we can have another celebration when we return, inviting some comrades. What do you think?”

“I’ll leave it to you,” Xu Yuqiao replied.

Just then, they heard someone running past, shouting, “Go check out the Fan family! Something’s happened!”

“Did they pull her out yet?”

"Even his son didn’t dare to do it, so who else could help? She’s still in there, and oh my, it stinks so bad."

Fan Jianguo, hearing this but not understanding what was going on, immediately said, "I don’t know what’s happened at home, let’s go and see."

"Let’s go."

The young, unmarried couple quickly headed toward the Fan household. But the closer they got, the more unbearable the smell in the air became. Summer was indeed summer—the stench could reach three feet high… When they arrived at the scene, Xu Yuqiao immediately vomited…

"Quick, save your mom…"

The scene instantly became even more chaotic…

While chaos reigned on one side, Bai Fendou was hiding by the roadside, anxiously waiting for the bus that never seemed to come. Had he gotten the time wrong? He frowned tightly, feeling worried, afraid that someone might come after him. He felt like a few people had seen him when he was running away, and he wasn’t sure if they’d…

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became.

Bai Fendou rubbed his hands together, growing more and more impatient.

Just then, a large truck approached from the distance. Without caring that it wasn’t a passenger bus, he quickly waved his hand to flag it down.

From afar, the driver saw a strangely dressed, rather unattractive woman standing by the roadside waving. Normally, truck drivers wouldn’t stop for just anyone, fearing trouble. But this situation was different—they were almost in the city, and it was broad daylight. There was little to worry about.

The driver screeched to a halt. Bai Fendou called out, "Brother, can you give me a ride? I’m heading back to the city."

After a pause, he squinted at the driver and suddenly said, "You’re Ming Mei’s father, right?"

Indeed, the driver Bai Fendou had encountered was none other than Ming Mei’s father, Ming Xiangdong.

Ming Xiangdong was taken aback. He looked the flamboyantly dressed man up and down before asking, "Who are you?"

What kind of people did Zhuang Zhixi know?

Bai Fendou, no longer able to keep up the act, said, "It’s me, Bai Fendou! I live in the same courtyard as Zhuang Zhixi and his wife. Do you remember me?"

He pulled off his headscarf.

Ming Xiangdong’s mouth twitched as he gave Bai Fendou another once-over, his gaze lingering suspiciously on the man’s dress. After a long pause, he said, "Get in."

Bai Fendou: "Ah, thank you!"

He quickly climbed into the truck, placing his hands obediently on his knees. This wasn’t because he was particularly well-behaved, but because he had spotted a large machete at Ming Xiangdong’s feet. Anyone would be scared of that.

Besides, Ming Xiangdong himself looked quite intimidating.

Bai Fendou didn’t dare say much, but the silence felt awkward. He stammered, "I… I…"

Suddenly, he remembered he was wearing a dress.

Bai Fendou felt even more embarrassed, but his greatest strength was his thick skin. He quickly added, "I… I’m out running some errands, heh, heh heh."

He tugged at the hem of his dress and said, "I’m a normal person."

Ming Xiangdong grunted.

It was unclear whether he believed him or not.

Bai Fendou felt even more awkward. After some thought, he said, "Ming Mei went up the mountain today, said they were going to the outskirts. Zhuang Zhixi is at home looking after the kids."

Ming Xiangdong finally spoke up, asking, "Are Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan behaving?"

"They’re good! Really well-behaved!"

In truth, they weren’t as well-behaved as his own little Qing Qing, but Bai Fendou didn’t dare say that. He felt like if he said anything that displeased Ming Xiangdong, he might get punched. He clenched his jaw, racking his brain for something nice to say.

He continued, "The Zhuang family treats Ming Mei really well. They don’t make her do much cooking or anything."

Zhao Guihua didn’t think much of Ming Mei’s cooking skills.

Ming Xiangdong nodded.

Bai Fendou exhaled softly in relief and added, "Zhuang Zhixi often comes home from work and washes the diapers."

In reality, Zhuang Zhixi and his wife shared the chores, doing whatever needed to be done whenever they had time. But it was still unusual for a man to wash diapers, so Bai Fendou remembered it clearly.

Ming Xiangdong nodded again.

"And they eat eggs every day. Ming Mei eats them, and so do the kids."

This was something people in the courtyard had talked about, not in a gossipy way, but more out of curiosity. Other families kept a couple of chickens, and their eggs were enough for their own needs, with some left over. But the Zhuang family had two babies and a breastfeeding mother, so they couldn’t stop eating eggs.

Tiger and Little Swallow could manage without, but the mother didn’t want to favor one child over the other, so they kept eating eggs. As a result, the family was always short on eggs.

Bai Fendou added, "A few days ago, Zhuang Zhixi traded for a whole bunch of eggs."

Ming Xiangdong nodded. "Hmm."

Bai Fendou was sweating profusely. This uncle was really hard to talk to. No matter what he said, he couldn’t seem to get Ming Xiangdong to open up. He racked his brain and finally said, "Oh, and today Zhuang Zhixi went to Uncle Lan’s place. Uncle Lan is building a radio, and Zhuang Zhixi is helping him."

Ming Xiangdong: "Hmm."

Bai Fendou: "…"

Ming Xiangdong glanced at Bai Fendou, who was scratching his head in frustration, and asked, "What’s wrong with you?"

Bai Fendou: "N-nothing."

Ming Xiangdong: "Do you like wearing dresses?"

Bai Fendou: "…"

Suddenly, he felt deeply wronged. How could this be about liking it? He was a real man, even if he wasn’t "fully functional" anymore. He had never doubted his masculinity.

He and Zhou Qun were completely different. Since Zhou Qun had become completely impotent, he had started acting more and more effeminate, even adopting a lisp and a limp wrist. But Bai Fendou wasn’t like that. No matter what, he was still a man.

He couldn’t stand being misunderstood like this.

He blurted out, "I’m not like that! This is a disguise. I’m going to settle a score."

Ming Xiangdong: "A disguise?"

Bai Fendou: "Yeah, I’m going to confront someone, but I don’t want to be recognized…"

Ming Xiangdong: "Oh."

In just a few sentences, Ming Xiangdong could tell that Bai Fendou wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Most people would keep such things to themselves, afraid of being found out, especially if they were up to no good. But Bai Fendou was straightforward.

He had just blurted it out, even though they weren’t close at all.

Ming Xiangdong looked at Bai Fendou again, thinking the man was a complete idiot.

He lowered his gaze and then asked, "So how did you settle the score?"

Anyone with half a brain would know not to answer that.

But did Bai Fendou have half a brain?

No, he didn’t!

He immediately said, "I waited until that nasty old lady went into the outhouse, then I threw firecrackers into the pit. Hahaha… She was so scared she fell in! Hahaha, you should’ve seen it. It was so gross. Thank goodness when I fell in, it was winter. If it had been summer, just thinking about it gives me the creeps…"

Bai Fendou laughed maniacally. Ming Xiangdong: "…"

This was…

Just incomprehensible.

What kind of person are you?

You’re a grown man. Can’t you find a more dignified way to get revenge?

Blowing up an outhouse?

He suddenly remembered the infamous public toilet in Xinghua Lane and didn’t know what to say.

So you’ve experienced the misery of falling into a toilet, and now you want others to suffer the same fate? What kind of mentality is that?

No wonder your neighborhood is always causing trouble with toilets!

He gave Bai Fendou a strange look and said, "Oh, so you’re quite capable."

Bai Fendou: "Of course."

He was thrilled just thinking about it. "I used to think getting revenge was so hard, but now I see it’s really simple."

What need was there for elaborate schemes?

Schemes were for people who used their brains.

For someone like him, who didn’t bother with thinking, this method worked just fine.

Sure, it was a bit embarrassing, but as long as he got his revenge, it was worth it.

He was in a great mood, feeling like a weight had been lifted.

Ming Xiangdong: "…"

He watched Bai Fendou, who was now grinning foolishly out the window, and deeply lamented that he still hadn’t seen it all. He had thought himself quite worldly, having traveled far and wide and encountered all sorts of oddities. But Bai Fendou was something else entirely.

It's no wonder that since Bai Fendou got married, each day has flown by quickly. After all, spending all day watching the excitement, how could one not be happy?

He glanced at Bai Fendou again and abruptly stopped the car with a squeak.

Bai Fendou: "Ah? What's wrong?"

He finally snapped back to reality.

Ming Xiangdong: "We're here, get out."

It turned out that without realizing it, the car had already arrived at their neighborhood, Plum Blossom Lane. Bai Fendou: "Ah?"

Ming Xiangdong gestured with his mouth, Bai Fendou looked, and indeed, they had arrived at Plum Blossom Lane. He didn’t even need to cross the street to get into the alley. He quickly said: "Thank you, Uncle Ming."

Ming Xiangdong sincerely asked: "Why do you call me Uncle Ming but Uncle Lan to my father-in-law? Are we the same generation?"

Bai Fendou: "Uh... Maybe I'll call Uncle Lan Grandpa Blue next time? That way we won't be the same generation."

He said timidly.

Ming Xiangdong didn't say yes or no and just waved his hand.

Bai Fendou quickly got out of the car and scurried away.

Ming Xiangdong started the car and left. In fact, he had brought something for his daughter in the car, but it wasn't appropriate for Bai Fendou to take it in, to avoid any awkwardness. He drove back to the station. As soon as the car left, Bai Fendou glanced back and sincerely said: "Uncle Ming is a good man."

He quickly headed home. The time was neither early nor midday hot, and there were quite a few children playing on the street. Seeing Bai Fendou, they all shouted: "Ugly woman."

Bai Fendou rolled his eyes and swiftly ran into their courtyard. His house was the first one at the gate, and he quickly entered.

Actually, as soon as he left, He Lan had been worried. She was naturally timid, and these past few years, due to her background issues, she had been living in extreme caution. She was listless and lacked energy for anything. However, Bai Fendou was stubborn, and she couldn't stop him. She could only pace back and forth at home.

She was so anxious that she felt her heart racing.

She regretted it. She should have stopped Bai Fendou. The Fan family was no ordinary family; it was like a dragon’s lair. Going there alone, what if he got into trouble? Although they weren't entirely convinced, He Lan still relied on Bai Fendou.

After all, having suffered so much, Bai Fendou was the first person to genuinely help her.

And as they spent time together, she realized that Bai Fendou was impulsive but kind-hearted. Maybe others didn't think highly of him, but to He Lan, he was a great man.

At times like this, only Bai Fendou could give her the support she needed.

Normally, He Lan would take the child out for some fresh air every afternoon, but today she didn't. She put the child on the bed, deeply anxious.

Just as she was about to lose it and ask the neighbors to help rescue Bai Fendou from the village, she saw a woman rushing in.

He Lan: "Ah..."

She covered her mouth, blinked, and recognized it was Bai Fendou.

After all, the disguise wasn't a complete transformation. Those who knew Bai Fendou well could still recognize him. He Lan rubbed her eyes and then rushed over, saying: "You're back, you scared me to death!"

She was truly frightened.

"Do you know how scared I was? Let's not seek revenge anymore, okay? Although the Fan family isn't good, it's not worth our risk. Please, don't go there again."

Bai Fendou patted He Lan, saying: "Don't be scared, don't be scared. I'm fine, no one recognized me. And those people believe Fan Jianguo has an ugly widow on the side..."

"Ah?"

He Lan stared in shock at Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou didn't hold back and recounted the events in detail, then sighed: "That's roughly what happened."

The story took Bai Fendou an hour to tell in full.

He Lan: "..."

She was simply amazed.

"This..."

She had lived in the village for years but knew less than Bai Fendou who had only been there a day.

Looking at Bai Fendou, He Lan felt more admiration and said: "You’re so amazing!"

Bai Fendou proudly laughed, saying: "This is nothing. We Beijingers aren't useless. You wouldn't know, when I threw the firecrackers, Old Lady Fan was all..." He paused and said, "Forget it, I won't go into details. You won’t be able to eat dinner if I do. It's really disgusting."

No need to say more; just imagining it would make one sick.

He Lan, however, was eager: "Tell me, I want to know."

She wished ill on the Fan family.

Even if Fan Jianguo had been unfaithful, she wouldn't hate him as much. Her hatred for the Fan family stemmed from how they had benefited from her family before rising again. Years ago, her family had helped them; even Fan Jianguo’s military service was arranged by her father. After her family fell from grace, the Fan family treated her so badly.

They mistreated her, and she could endure that.

But they treated her small daughter so cruelly, and she could barely let go. She knew if it had been a boy, things might have been better.

But whether it was a boy or a girl, they were her lifeblood, and she couldn’t let anyone harm her children.

That’s why she hated the Fan family so much. She had no power to do anything to them, but she was happy to hear they faced misfortune.

"Tell me," she urged. "Maybe hearing it, I’ll eat more."

Bai Fendou: "Alright, back then… ugh… back then… ugh."

Bai Fendou changed clothes, washing up while describing the scene to his wife, making himself queasy.

He Lan imagined that scene, feeling both disgusted and satisfied. It was a shame she didn’t see it herself, but if she had, even if it were disgusting, she could have eaten.

These wicked people would get their comeuppance sooner or later.

He Lan listened contentedly and took Bai Fendou’s clothes out to the yard to wash, smiling just thinking about it.

Ming Mei happened to come out to wash clothes as well, wearing what she had worn during the hike. Watching He Lan’s expression, she smiled and said: "What good news did you hear to be so happy?"

He Lan: "Nothing much, just hearing some people got their karma. I’m happy about it."

Ming Mei: "???"

She looked puzzled at He Lan, who didn’t explain further but asked instead: "Why did you come back so early today?"

Ming Mei: "Oh, don’t mention it. We ran into wild boars. Luckily, a unit stationed in the mountains came up to deal with them, or we wouldn’t have been able to return so soon—it could have been a long struggle, and we might not have gotten away safely."

"Oh!"

Ming Mei: "They say signs have been put up to stop people from going up. We didn’t notice them while climbing. For now, we can’t go up again.”

He Lan: "Hmm. What about in the fall?"

Ming Mei: "That should be okay. You want to go too? Maybe we can all go together then."

He Lan: "Sure."

Free ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????stuff like that to stock up at home is always good.

As they talked, Wang Xiangxiu also came out with clothes to wash. Although she had been married to the courtyard for over ten years, Ming Mei and He Lan were still more at ease with everyone in the courtyard.

This wasn’t so before, but after all, her mother-in-law was such a person.

She pursed her lips and also came over to wash clothes.

Wang Xiangxiu: "What are you two chatting about?"

Ming Mei: "We’re talking about going up the mountain in the fall."

Wang Xiangxiu hesitated for a moment, then mustered up her courage: "Um, can I join too?"

Ming Mei chuckled: "What’s there to join or not join? Everyone can go together; the mountain isn’t anyone’s private property."

Wang Xiangxiu let out a small sigh of relief, saying: "Preparing a little earlier means we won’t need to buy as many cabbage and radishes for the winter."

In fact, she had some money, but she didn’t dare spend it carelessly. After all, her family’s reputation wasn’t good, and as a woman supporting the household, having some savings would be useful in case of emergencies. It’d be hard to borrow from others if she didn’t have anything put away.

Luckily, she had returned to the production line, and if she worked hard, her salary could increase a little.

Actually, Wang Xiangxiu herself couldn't quite figure it out. Previously, she always thought being a fitter was incredibly difficult, something she could never learn, so she preferred to ask others for help. But after being transferred and returning, she found that if she just tried a little harder, it wasn't that hard after all.

There were no more assessments this year, but Wang Xiangxiu felt that maybe next year she could apply to take the exam for a second-level worker. If she couldn't get promoted, at least her pay would increase.

Her current wage wasn't high, but it was more than enough to support her two children, even allowing her to fund the education of a third child and occasionally buy some fine grain to make treats to visit Jinlai, all while still having some left over. Wang Xiangxiu was a bit puzzled.

Why had she struggled so much before, to the point where she was always tight on money before payday?

Logically, she should be in a more difficult situation now, since she no longer had side income, yet she was still able to save a little each month. Watching He Lan finish washing and hang up the clothes before heading home to cook, Wang Xiangxiu continued washing her own clothes, hesitating for a moment before saying, "Ming Mei, there's something I don't really understand. Can I ask you?"

Ming Mei looked surprised at Wang Xiangxiu's question. "Why are you asking me?"

After all, she and Wang Xiangxiu didn't have much interaction. And Ming Mei, though appearing naive, was actually quite astute. She had noticed Wang Xiangxiu's lingering glances at Zhuang Zhixi, but since Zhuang Zhixi and Wang Xiangxiu didn't interact much, Ming Mei didn't bring it up. Besides, Wang Xiangxiu had never made a move.

Later, after the incident involving Old Lady Fan, Wang Xiangxiu learned the truth about her husband's death and completely changed. Under those circumstances, Ming Mei certainly wasn't going to bring up such meaningless topics. However, she raised an eyebrow and said, "What do you want to say?"

Wang Xiangxiu replied, "I… I used to earn more money than I do now, but back then, I always felt like I was barely getting by by the end of the month, constantly looking for ways to make ends meet. But now, even though I earn less each month, I find that I'm actually doing okay, not as tight on money as before. Do you know why that is? I can't figure it out."

She didn't really want to talk about this, but she couldn't find anyone else to help her, so she decided to ask Ming Mei.

Ming Mei looked surprised again and said, "If you don't want to talk about it…"

Ming Mei: "That's not it. You're missing a family member now, so it's natural that things are looser. Plus, even Jinlai, that big eater, isn't around anymore."

She didn't think there was anything strange about this.

"But, my mother-in-law…" Mentioning this person, Wang Xiangxiu felt a bit uncomfortable, but she continued, "She used to help the family, like… scamming Old Master Bai! She could at least bring in ten yuan a month."

Ming Mei: "Did she spend all that money on the household?"

Wang Xiangxiu was stunned.

She said, "She used to buy things for the house often, and it added up. My wages were always in my hands, and I took care of how to spend them. This is why I'm confused."

She didn't want to argue, but she really was puzzled.

Ming Mei: "If you put it that way, I think the problem is still with your mother-in-law. How much grain did you buy for the family before, and how much do you buy now?"

Wang Xiangxiu: "Before, our family always ran short on food, and I had to buy some from the black market. My mother-in-law always said she wasn't feeling well and needed some fine grain…"

Ming Mei: "Well, isn't that the answer? If she insisted on eating fine grain every meal, how could your share be enough? You'd have to buy expensive grain from the black market, which costs more. Not to mention, if she ate fine grain, the kids ate fine grain, and you ate some too, then of course the grain would run out quickly. But now, things are different. At least now, one meal a day is coarse grain, right? And before, you had to buy eggs, but now you raise chickens, so you don't need to buy eggs. That saves money too. Plus, the biggest eater, Jinlai, isn't around anymore, so of course you're saving more."

Wang Xiangxiu: "That makes sense."

It was only when she thought about it in detail that she realized all these little things added up. Maybe it was just a bit here or a bit there, but when you counted it all together, it was quite a lot.

Wang Xiangxiu let out a soft sigh. "I lived so foolishly before."

"Heh," a chuckle sounded. Zhuang Zhixi came over to help his wife hang up the clothes. He glanced at Wang Xiangxiu and said, "You said your mother-in-law used to buy grain for the house, but I don't believe that."

Wang Xiangxiu: "Huh?"

She looked puzzled at Zhuang Zhixi.

Zhuang Zhixi was just making a casual comment, but seeing that Wang Xiangxiu genuinely wanted to know, he decided to explain. "There was once when I saw her carrying a bag and telling you she had bought some grain, maybe about two pounds of flour. But at the time, I was still in high school, and I was home on break. I didn't see her go out at all. Back then, I suspected that she might take some of the grain you bought, just a little at a time, so it wouldn't be obvious. Then she'd hide it, accumulating a bit over time, and later claim it was what she bought. You'd probably be happy about that. That way, she could save the money she got from scamming Old Master Bai. You thought she was spending that money on buying grain for the family, but in fact, she was hoarding it. The grain in your house was still the grain you bought, because it was a gradual process, so you never noticed. Did you ever feel like your grain ran out unusually fast? Think about it, with just a few people in your house, even if you ate well, how could you need so much fine grain? Go ask around, and you'll see that no other household in this compound uses that much."

He sighed, "You thought your mother-in-law was helping the family, but in reality, the fine grain she 'bought' was still the grain you paid for. That's why your money always seemed to run out."

Wang Xiangxiu was dumbfounded.

Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course, I've never confirmed this with her directly, so I can't say for sure it's a hundred percent true. But she claimed to have bought grain without ever leaving the house, and that wasn't the only time. As outsiders, we don't meddle in others' family affairs, so there's no real evidence. These are just my guesses, but it might give you some insight."

Wang Xiangxiu clenched her fists, feeling her head buzz.

Her mother-in-law had certainly given her a lot of surprises, one after another.

Even now that she was gone, she was still creating new "surprises."

No wonder her mother-in-law had managed to save so much money; it turned out she was doing things like this. No wonder their grain always ran out quickly and she had to buy more… Taking a deep breath, Wang Xiangxiu said, "How evil must this wicked old woman be to do all these things!"

Zhuang Zhixi shrugged and continued hanging up the clothes, while Ming Mei offered some solace. "It's all in the past now. There's no point in thinking about it too much. The important thing is that this person no longer affects your life. You can live well now, don't you think?"

Wang Xiangxiu nodded. "Yes, I want to live well. I want everyone to see that without that wicked old woman, my life will be much better. I'll never go back to how I was before."

She rubbed the clothes more forcefully, as if she were washing the old woman herself.

Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi exchanged glances, then hung up the clothes together and returned to their room. Their two children were kicking their legs on the kang; now that they could roll over, they couldn't be left alone. Whenever the couple wasn't in the room, they would place quilts and pillows along the edge of the kang to prevent the kids from rolling off.

Entering the room, Ming Mei saw the two kids trapped on the kang, unaware that they were confined, still kicking their little legs happily.

The babies couldn't talk yet, but they loved to "communicate," making all kinds of noises, drooling everywhere, and no one could understand what they were babbling about. Ming Mei arranged the quilts and sat next to the baby, poking at him.

The baby let out a bubbly sound and grabbed Ming Mei's finger.

Ming Mei: "Oh, he's quite strong."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Now Wang Xiangxiu seems like a decent person."

Ming Mei: "She's back in the workshop now?"

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "She got transferred back. It's because someone reported her for having an affair with Director Chen, Chen Yuan's father. But after investigation, it was found to be false. The factory probably transferred her back to make up for her grievance or because they felt sorry for her, being a single mother. Working in the workshop is definitely better than cleaning toilets. Cleaning toilets means no chance of a raise, but being a fitter means there's still room for advancement. As long as she works hard and trains diligently, she can still get raises. The factory is quite humane, after all."

Ming Mei nodded and said, "That's true."

She added, "I think..."

Before she could finish, there was a knock at the door. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Come in."

In walked Bai Fendou, who grinned and said, "Xiao Zhuang, can you come out for a bit? I need to talk to you about something."

Zhuang Zhixi: "..."

What is my house, a consulting office? Why does everyone come to ask questions?

Wang Xiangxiu had something she didn't understand, and now Bai Fendou has something he doesn't understand. Is this going to keep happening?

With a sigh, he walked out and said, "What's the matter? Weren't you causing trouble again? Weren't you happy coming back today?"

"You know?"

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Your wife was all smiles. There must have been some gains."

Bai Fendou scratched his head, "There really were."

He pulled Zhuang Zhixi to the door and whispered something. Zhuang Zhixi exclaimed, "Wow, this family has some nerve! How are they not beaten to death for being so shameless?" Although, Bai Fendou does have some power. Even though he's reckless and impulsive, he can still deal a fatal blow.

He didn't know what was going on with the Fan family, but in most households, just the events of today—being splashed with dirty water and falling into the toilet—would be enough to make someone go crazy. Ordinary people can't handle that.

Bai Fendou is truly not an ordinary person.

Zhuang Zhixi glanced at Bai Fendou, thinking that impulsive people do have their advantages, especially when dealing with scoundrels.

Bai Fendou asked, "So, what do you think? With all the trouble they've caused, can we deal with them?"

Zhuang Zhixi looked at him with a mix of emotions, "Haven't you already dealt with them?"

"That's not enough!"

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Today's events should be enough to give them a hard time. But with what you've told me, we can really plot something against them." He rubbed his chin, thinking, "Damn, what am I becoming? I was such a good guy, and now I'm plotting against people."

Bai Fendou urged, "Come on, tell me, tell me."

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Let me think it over and perfect it. Wait two or three days."

He glanced at Bai Fendou, "You can wait that long, can't you?"

Bai Fendou responded, "Sure!"

Just today's events were enough to make him happy for a long time.

He said, "Hey, today, let me tell you..."

Zhuang Zhixi cut him off, "Please don't. I can't handle it."

Just hearing the beginning made him feel nauseous. He absolutely didn't want to continue.

He said hurriedly, "Don't tell me, I still need to eat dinner."

Zhuang Zhixi quickly left, while Bai Fendou thought that Zhuang Zhixi was even more cowardly than his wife. His wife, a woman, could listen without showing any discomfort. She could even listen in detail, though she found it disgusting.

A man hearing just the beginning and running away?

That's too cowardly.

Indeed, besides having a good brain, Zhuang Zhixi isn't much.

In their courtyard, the real brave man is still him.

If it were Zhou Qun, he definitely wouldn't have done what Bai Fendou did today.

His capability is quite impressive.

Bai Fendou proudly glanced at the Zhou family as Zhou Qun came out. Bai Fendou arrogantly raised his chin, declaring, "You, are not as good as me."

Zhou Qun: "???"

He looked at Bai Fendou in surprise, taking a long time to react. By the time he did, Bai Fendou had already gone inside. Zhou Qun: "???"

He got angry, "What's wrong with him? What is he trying to prove? What a jerk..."

Jiang Lu said, "What are you doing? Didn't I tell you not to say such things at home? What if the baby picks it up? When other kids first say 'Mommy and Daddy,' ours says 'Damn'... how are we going to face people?"

Zhou Qun quickly agreed, "Right, right."

He immediately apologized, fully realizing that he was now a father and needed to set a good example.

He didn't have deep feelings for Jiang Lu, but he certainly didn't want to change wives either. Besides, they had a child. Zhou Qun cheerfully said, "Don't worry, wife. I definitely won't say those things in front of the baby."

Aunt Zhou watched her son, feeling slightly displeased with his submissive behavior. A real man shouldn't let a woman control him. But then she thought, what kind of man is her son anyway?

As long as Jiang Lu doesn't bring up divorce, it's fine if she takes control.

Otherwise, what if they end up with a man as a daughter-in-law? That would be truly devastating.

Thinking this way, Aunt Zhou was even more sycophantic towards Jiang Lu, saying, "Daughter-in-law, how about I make you scrambled eggs tonight? You like..."

Jiang Lu looked at Aunt Zhou and her son, who was playing on the bed, and smiled, "Sure, scrambled eggs. Mom, I trust your cooking..."

Aunt Zhou replied, "Alright, just wait and see."

Jiang Lu happily soothed the child, feeling that this life was truly good.

The smell of scrambled eggs wafted from next door, and Bai Fendou sniffed, "Wife, it's eggs. Let's make some too?"

He Lan replied, "Okay."

She hummed a tune, truly happy.

He Lan was really happy, but others were not. For example, her former in-laws, the Fan family.

The Fan family was in no mood to be happy. Not only were they not happy, but the atmosphere was also quite oppressive.

By this time, Old Lady Fan had long been bailed out. But while she was out, the incident was still infuriating. Old Lady Fan didn't even dare to take a bath at home and went directly to the river.

This made the village women feel even more unhappy.

The river was where they washed their clothes. After such a disgusting event, they didn't want to wash there for a while.

The children were also upset. They loved playing in the river during summer. The water wasn't deep, and even five or six-year-olds could play there without fear of drowning. It was the perfect spot.

But now, they felt disgusted and didn't want to go there anymore.

Very angry!

Old Lady Fan stripped down and spent two solid hours washing in the river, yet she still felt a stench all over her body.

The entire Fan family was cloaked in dense gloom. Everyone stood in the yard, the summer air filled with unbearable stench. It wasn't just their family; even nearby neighbors could smell it. Naturally, someone brought up what happened in the afternoon.

Why should they, the neighbors, have to suffer just because your family messed with a widow?

Old Lady Fan might be a shrew, but that didn't mean others were pushovers. Several women stood at the door, cursing loudly.

It was extremely unpleasant.

"Fan Jianguo, you bastard. Living next to you is the worst luck. You're a rotten piece of trash, dragging us down with you..."

Fan Jianguo came out, "What are you talking about, auntie?"

"Pfft, what am I talking about? Who doesn't know you messing around with widows? You wronged them, and now they're getting back at you. Yet you're acting like a decent person now? But you didn't do decent things, did you? Look at this smell. You want to disgust us to death, don't you?"

"Exactly, look at what your family has done. How are we supposed to live?"

"Now even stepping outside feels like stepping in it!"

"Exactly!"

Xu Yuqiao had been in a bad mood since she got home and hadn't recovered.

Her family was well-off, and she was in the Cultural Troupe, so marrying Fan Jianguo was already a step down. But was this really how things were supposed to be? Could her mother-in-law be any more embarrassing? Falling into the toilet? If this gets out, she won't be able to hold her head up.

Everyone who hears about it will undoubtedly feel disgusted.

She was already quite annoyed, but when she heard the reason, she just couldn't hold it together any longer.

She coldly stared at Fan Jianguo and said, “Fan Jianguo, tell me, what widow? What spending a widow’s money? What widow taking revenge? Explain it to me clearly!”

Fan Jianguo was also dumbfounded at this moment. He had never had any dealings with a widow outside!

The one with a widow was actually his brother. He knew his brother had entangled with a widow from the neighboring village, but that wasn’t him. As for spending money, that was even more out of the question.

He immediately became serious: “This is someone framing me.”

“Framing you? Who would frame you?” Xu Yuqiao was furious.

Fan Jianguo quickly thought of someone: “It must be He Lan.”

He believed that the person who hated him the most must be He Lan. However, when he said this, the neighbors weren’t buying it.

At this moment, someone immediately shouted: “Come on, stop lying! When He Lan transferred her household registration and left, she said it was to get married. She’s already found someone else, so why would she still want to harm you? Does she want to endure your family’s abusive mother-in-law? Or the sisters-in-law who love to steal clothes?”

“Exactly!”

“With your family, she was more than happy to leave.”

“Stop bringing up He Lan. I’ve seen the widow you’ve been with. She’s big and tall, quite ugly, but very fragrant.”

“Right, and she always has bright red lipstick. People say she’s been with you for six or seven years and spent nearly a thousand dollars on you…”

“That’s right!”

“I saw her too. She ran out of the village earlier.”

There’s an old saying: It’s better to break a temple than to destroy a marriage.

Everyone agreed with this sentiment.

Although they knew the Fan family wasn’t great, since the girl was willing, no one went to confront the stranger and gossip. But today, things had gone too far. As neighbors, they had to endure this suffering too.

The smell was overwhelming, and Old Lady Fan had made a mess everywhere, making the neighbors afraid to step on it. Since it affected their own homes, they couldn’t hold back, feeling extremely annoyed.

Fan Jianguo frowned: “This is impossible.”

Where did this woman come from? He could be certain that he had never had anything to do with such a woman. Seeing Xu Yuqiao looking at him with suspicion, he quickly said, “Qiao, you have to trust my character. I’m not that kind of person…”

“I want to believe you, but you have to explain clearly, what widow is this?”

She directly looked at the people around and said, “Auntie, have you seen that woman? Can you tell me about it?”

The named old lady felt a bit uncomfortable and said, “I don’t want to offend the Fan family.”

Xu Yuqiao turned her head and glared at the Fan family, then said, “Tell me, don’t worry, I won’t let you speak for nothing…”

She took out a handful of candies, at least a dozen or twenty, and stuffed them into the old lady’s hands.

Auntie Zhang: “Oh, you know I’m just an honest person. Come, girl, let’s go. I’ll tell you. Today at noon…”

“Don’t spread nonsense.” Fan Jianguo was anxious.

“We’re not making things up.”

“Girl, I also know what kind of people the Fan family are. Let me tell you…”

This girl was so generous, handing out so many candies…

“What are you doing? Those candies are from my house…” Fan Lian was unhappy, shouting out. Why give them to outsiders instead of letting her eat them?

“Look at this sister-in-law’s face.”

Xu Yuqiao’s expression darkened further. She stared intently at Fan Jianguo, feeling that she needed to seriously reconsider this man…