My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Wang Xiangxiu cursed under her breath as she walked back home, the echoes of Liang Jiabao's foolish taunts still ringing in her ears: "I'm the smartest one here, don't even try to fool me!"

Thinking about that idiot's behavior, Wang Xiangxiu spat and muttered, "I don't know how a family of donkeys like them managed to raise a daughter who graduated from high school. If my family had been better off, I could have gone to university too."

She firmly believed she was far superior to Liang Meifen.

It was just that her family had been too poor, so she had only managed to attend school up to the elementary level, and even that she hadn't completed.

Wang Xiangxiu snorted heavily, pursed her lips, and hissed in pain. Her face had taken quite a beating, and it hurt terribly.

That bastard had really gone too far!

Even though Wang Xiangxiu had been the one to provoke the situation this time, she was still furious about being beaten up for no reason. Her luck had been terrible lately, always running into such idiots, turning perfectly good situations into complete messes.

She thought of Bai Fendou again, feeling even more dissatisfied. If only he had lent her his bicycle, she wouldn't have had to walk so far.

Wang Xiangxiu trudged all the way home, and by the time she reached her doorstep, it was already pitch dark. Summer days were long, and it must have been around nine o'clock. Even the people who usually sat outside chatting had gone home. It was clearly late.

She walked in with a dejected expression, only to find Aunt Su looking displeased. "Where have you been, Xiangxiu? Why are you back so late?"

Then, noticing the bruises on Wang Xiangxiu's face, she quickly asked, "Oh my, what happened? Who hit you? Did you run into some troublemaker? Let me see if it's serious. Oh dear, look at you, my poor Xiangxiu."

Wang Xiangxiu felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "Mom, I'm fine."

She whispered, "I just had some bad luck and ran into an idiot."

Gurgle, gurgle.

Before she could explain further, her stomach growled loudly.

Aunt Su quickly said, "I'll get you a cornbread bun. Let's eat together."

She explained, "There wasn't much food tonight. The kids ate most of it, and I waited for you, so I haven't eaten either."

Aunt Su had always known how to manipulate Wang Xiangxiu, and Wang Xiangxiu was immediately moved. "Mom, you really shouldn't have waited for me. You should eat early, especially since your health isn't great. Oh, by the way, where's my cousin, Hu Huihui?"

Hu Huihui had been coming home late recently, but now she wasn't even back yet?

Aunt Su pursed her lips and said, "She's not back yet."

She added, "That cousin of yours isn't exactly a decent person. When she first arrived, she could at least pretend, but now she doesn't even bother. You, on the other hand, have always seen right through her."

Wang Xiangxiu smirked proudly. "Of course, after all, she's my cousin. Our families aren't that far apart. Hu Huihui, well, she's just average."

Their mothers were sisters, but their relationship was only so-so, filled with constant competition. This rivalry had trickled down to their generation as well. They weren't particularly close, just barely considered relatives.

Wang Xiangxiu said, "But it's good she's not coming back. It saves us some food."

Hu Huihui insisted on giving her eight yuan a month for room and board, which included breakfast and dinner. Now that she wasn't coming back for meals, it was a real bargain. Wang Xiangxiu mused, "If only we had more relatives like that."

Aunt Su chuckled. "Where would we find such good fortune?"

After a pause, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, I heard you were transferred to cleaning the toilets. Is that true?"

Deep down, she knew it was true—Jiang Lu wouldn't lie about something so serious—but she still hoped it wasn't.

Wang Xiangxiu replied awkwardly, "It's true."

She complained, "It's all because of that bitch Liang Meifen. Out of nowhere, she got a job at the factory and started working in the workshop. Meanwhile, they transferred me out. I don't know what the leaders were thinking. It's so shameless."

"Well, you should talk to the leaders about this. How can they treat you like this?"

Wang Xiangxiu pursed her lips. "I tried, but no one listened to me."

She sighed.

Aunt Su looked at Wang Xiangxiu with disdain. A pretty young woman like her shouldn't have trouble handling such matters. Back in her day, this wouldn't have been an issue at all. Seeing Wang Xiangxiu fail to resolve it left Aunt Su feeling helpless.

She thought Wang Xiangxiu was utterly useless.

She asked, "So after work, did you go to see the leaders?"

Wang Xiangxiu replied, "No, how could I? They're all avoiding me now, afraid I'll tarnish their reputations. I doubt it would do any good even if I tried. I think even if they wanted to help, they wouldn't dare. Everyone's keeping an eye on me lately. That jinx is still spreading rumors that I slept with Yu Baoshan. Even if someone wanted to help me transfer, they'd be worried about ruining their own reputation."

"But isn't that just bullying women? Cleaning toilets isn't a job for women. You should go to the Women's Federation. Isn't that what they're there for—to fight for women's rights?" Aunt Su suggested.

Wang Xiangxiu's eyes lit up. "You're right. I'll go to the Women's Federation tomorrow."

Jiang Lu was part of the Women's Federation, but Wang Xiangxiu didn't even mention her. In her eyes, Jiang Lu was useless. Besides, she didn't want to lose face in front of her neighbors. Even though she was now cleaning toilets, she was still one of the upper-class residents in their courtyard.

Wang Xiangxiu gnawed on a cornbread bun, feeling it stick in her throat. She took a sip of water.

Aunt Su said, "I'm done eating too."

She added, "At my age, my appetite isn't what it used to be. I waited for you, but by the time I ate, I wasn't hungry anymore."

Wang Xiangxiu said, "Mom, next time don't wait for me. But didn't we just get two hundred yuan in compensation? Plus, I managed to get some ration tickets. Why don't you buy some wheat flour and make steamed buns?"

Aunt Su quickly waved her hand. "No, no, at my age, I don't deserve to eat wheat buns. Save those for the kids."

Wang Xiangxiu insisted, "Mom, don't say that. Your appetite isn't great either. You should eat some fine grains."

Aunt Su continued to refuse, adamant. "Absolutely not. Save it for the kids, or you eat it. I don't do much work around the house, so I shouldn't eat the good stuff. Listen to me, and don't argue anymore. By the way, Xiangxiu, if you didn't go see the leaders after work, what did you do?"

Wang Xiangxiu felt a wave of frustration as she recalled the events. She spat and said, "It was all because of Liang Meifen. I wanted to teach her a lesson, so I went to her family's place. But the Liang family is a bunch of idiots. You wouldn't believe it, they made me so angry. Look at what they did to me..."

She rambled on, and Aunt Su could only sigh, thinking that it was no wonder Liang Meifen seemed so dim-witted. Her family was just as clueless.

Stupid and yet so full of themselves, thinking they were clever.

Aunt Su said, "You worked all day, you must be tired. You should have come home earlier. If there's something like this, you should tell me, and I'll handle it. Instead, you went all the way there for nothing. Now that you've made such a mess of things, even if I go talk to them, they won't listen. You're too impulsive, child."

Wang Xiangxiu said, "I didn't expect them to be so stupid. Bai Fendou wouldn't lend me his bicycle, so it took longer than I thought."

Mentioning Bai Fendou, Aunt Su also grew displeased. "What kind of person is he? He won't even lend you a bicycle? Even if you're not lovers anymore, aren't you still neighbors? He's so cold-hearted. I think he was only nice to you before because he wanted something from you. That man has no good intentions. Now that he can't perform as a man anymore, he's turned cold. He deserves to be childless. A man like him, already without heirs, should be grateful to have a beauty like you as his wife. How dare he refuse you?"

Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "Ever since that day... he's ignored me. He must have seen me with Deputy Director Cai."

Aunt Su said, "So what? Love is about forgiveness. You only made a small mistake, and besides, you're not even married yet. You did what you had to do for the sake of your family, your children, and your livelihood. What's wrong with that? If he were a real man, he should be magnanimous and not hold it against you. Being so petty, he's not a real man. Oh, wait, he's not a man at all."

Wang Xiangxiu nodded in agreement.

Aunt Su continued, "Besides, even if he wants to cut ties with our family, he can’t just refuse to lend us the bicycle. These are two completely different matters. And the few hundred bucks he got from selling his job—what does a single man need to spend money on? There’s no place for him to spend it. It would be much better if he gave it to us, people who actually need it. Isn’t it good to help those in need? He doesn’t even have a child. Who knows, he might need our Jinlai’s help in the future."

Wang Xiangxiu felt that her mother-in-law made a lot of sense and agreed, "You’re right. He shouldn’t be so petty. A few hundred bucks could’ve solved a lot of problems for our family before…"

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law began to fantasize about how they could get their hands on that money.

What they didn’t notice was the person standing at the door, hesitating for a long time before deciding not to enter. Hu Huihui had been standing there, listening for a while, and eventually turned around and left. She couldn’t bring herself to step over that threshold, mainly because she had never seen such shameless people before.

If she stayed here any longer, she might start believing she was some kind of saint.

Hu Huihui shook her head vigorously and quietly walked away.

After Hu Huihui left, Aunt Zhou, like a gecko, pressed herself against the door and peered outside, whispering, "That girl left. Who is she?"

Even though she had just returned, she had quickly immersed herself in the latest gossip, unable to break free. She was so obsessed that she barely slept at night, eager to catch up on all the gossip she had missed.

"That’s Hu Huihui, the one I told you about. She ran away from home to escape an arranged marriage. She’s Wang Xiangxiu’s cousin and lives here, paying eight bucks a month."

Wang Zhaodi couldn’t help but click her tongue at the thought of such an amount. Even Aunt Zhou was shocked. She clicked her tongue too and sighed, "That woman is really something. She’s charging so much! Hu Huihui is too easy to take advantage of."

Wang Zhaodi nodded and said, "Yeah, Hu Huihui spends money every month, but she hardly ever comes back to eat. We’ve all noticed."

Aunt Zhou sighed deeply, feeling that she had been outdone. She thought she was already quite harsh, but she had never treated Wang Zhaodi like this. Looking at the Su family, they could be so cruel even to their relatives. They were truly despicable.

Suddenly, Aunt Zhou thought of something and quickly called out, "Jiang Lu, Jiang Lu, come here."

Jiang Lu had already gone to bed. As a pregnant woman, she was prone to drowsiness. Hearing the commotion, she frowned, rubbing her temples, clearly annoyed. Zhou Qun, who was lying beside her, was also woken up and said, "Mom, what are you doing? Can’t this wait until tomorrow?"

Aunt Zhou was displeased, thinking to herself that her son always took his wife’s side.

But she quickly put on her robe and came over, saying, "I need to tell you this now, or I won’t be able to sleep."

"What is it?"

Zhou Qun turned on the light, and Jiang Lu shielded her eyes with her hand.

If their house weren’t so small, she wouldn’t be sharing a room with Zhou Qun. She would’ve insisted on sleeping separately. It was so annoying.

She asked, "What’s going on?"

Aunt Zhou spoke seriously, "If I don’t say this now, I won’t be able to sleep. I’m afraid I might forget it later, so I need to tell you in advance. Move over."

She pushed her son aside and sat on the edge of the bed, facing Jiang Lu. "The weather’s nice now, and it’s summer, so there’s nothing to worry about. But when it gets cold and the ground freezes, you need to be extra careful, even in our courtyard. You have to watch out for the Su family."

Jiang Lu, who had been half-asleep, immediately asked, "Why?"

Aunt Zhou sneered, "Why else? They’re sneaky. Let me tell you, don’t be fooled by how kind Aunt Su looks. She’s actually a terrible person. She’s really good at doing bad things while pretending to be innocent. You young people might think she’s a good mother-in-law, but I know better. She’s no good. Back when Liang Meifen was pregnant with Little Swallow, Aunt Su’s son had already passed away. Do you know how evil she is? She couldn’t stand seeing other families happy. In the middle of winter, she deliberately poured water outside. You know how cold it gets here in Beijing in winter, right? It doesn’t take long for a thin layer of ice to form. She did this every day, and Liang Meifen slipped on the ice and almost miscarried. Luckily, she was fine in the end, but Little Swallow was born a month premature."

"Oh my God," Jiang Lu was wide awake now. "She’s that bad?"

"Of course! She even knelt down and claimed it wasn’t on purpose, saying she was still grieving her son’s death and wasn’t thinking straight. But that was a load of nonsense. Her son had been dead for over half a year by then. Who would believe her? Besides, when she went to the factory to play the victim and cause a scene, she didn’t seem out of it at all. But suddenly, she was ‘distracted’ when it came to this? I saw her several times, watching the Zhuang family before she poured the water. I called her out back then. But she’s such a good actress. She knelt there, crying and slapping herself, making it look so real. Everyone in the courtyard believed her, even Zhao Guihua. Can you believe how stupid they were? Only I, her old rival, saw through her act. I knew she wasn’t doing it unconsciously. She has three grandsons, right? She’s terrified of anyone else doing better than her family. She’s jealous of the Zhuang family’s success, and she’s jealous of ours too. So, Jiang Lu, you need to be careful. Stay away from their family. I’ll keep an eye on things at home, but when you’re at work, you need to watch out for Wang Xiangxiu."

Jiang Lu’s face turned pale.

"But what does she gain from hurting others?" Wang Zhaodi, who had been following Aunt Zhou, whispered.

Aunt Zhou turned around and sneered, "She doesn’t gain anything, but she’s happy as long as we’re miserable. When someone is that evil, you can’t expect them to do anything good."

Wang Zhaodi didn’t dare say anything more, but in her heart, she elevated Aunt Su from a two-faced old woman to a downright malicious one.

Jiang Lu, however, immediately believed Aunt Zhou. She said, "I understand. Thank you, Mother-in-law."

Aunt Zhou waved her hand, "No need to thank me! You’re carrying the only hope for our Zhou family. If something happens to you, our family line will be cut off. That Aunt Su might very well do something. She’s so good at pretending, she wouldn’t do anything directly, but she might pull the same trick again."

"Alright, I’ll be careful."

At this point, Jiang Lu wasn’t annoyed at being woken up anymore. She was fully alert.

Actually, she had heard about Liang Meifen’s fall before. She had already married into the family by then, but she didn’t pay much attention to such things. Back then, she didn’t have a child, and the pressure on women who couldn’t conceive was immense. She put a lot of pressure on herself and avoided pregnant women and anything related to pregnancy. So, while she had some impression of the incident, it wasn’t very clear.

Jiang Lu said, "Mom, thank you. I’ll definitely keep an eye on her from now on."

Aunt Zhou nodded, "I know. Alright, you two can go back to sleep now."

Jiang Lu lay down, but she couldn’t fall asleep right away. She said, "Zhou Qun."

Zhou Qun replied, "Hmm?"

Jiang Lu asked, "Don’t you think your mom has changed a bit?"

Zhou Qun was silent for a while before finally saying, "Yeah."

Aunt Zhou used to be mean, domineering, and sharp-tongued. Everyone wanted to slap her.

But since she came back, she was still domineering and had a sharp tongue, but she could actually reason with people now.

It was strange.

But then again, it wasn’t that strange. She had spent nearly three months in jail, and it seemed like she had learned something.

Jiang Lu said, "If everyone who went to jail could reform like this, it would be great."

Zhou Qun replied, "Not necessarily. My mom is just inherently good."

Jiang Lu made a gagging sound, turned over, and didn’t say another word.

She planned to talk to Ming Mei and Li Fang about this matter the next day. She didn’t think Ming Mei and Li Fang knew about it but chose not to tell her. Although they hadn’t known each other for long, she could tell that Ming Mei grew up in a well-off family, was a cheerful and warm-hearted person, and had a strong sense of justice.

As for Li Fang, she didn’t talk much, but she was straightforward and didn’t play mind games.

What happened a few years ago, Ming Mei might not know, and Li Fang probably didn’t think much of it anymore. Still, she wanted to bring it up.

Sometimes, in a big community like theirs, it’s good to have someone like her mother-in-law, who isn’t afraid to think the worst of people. It helps avoid a lot of trouble. For example, Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua believed that Aunt Su didn’t mean any harm, which might have emboldened her.

Many people are like that.

They might start with small misdeeds, and when they get away with it, no one holds them accountable. Over time, they become bolder and more reckless. She let out a snort, turned over, and lay flat on her back, gently stroking her belly.

This child was something she had longed for, and no one would be allowed to harm him.

Jiang Lu tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep. The next morning, she got up early and went straight to the Zhuang family. Ming Mei was preparing milk powder, something she had been drinking every morning lately. Her mother had managed to get it for her through some connections—something not easily available to most people.

Hearing the knock on the door, Ming Mei put away the milk powder and asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

Ming Mei said, “Come in.”

She didn’t hide the milk powder from Jiang Lu since Jiang Lu’s family was well-off and wouldn’t care about such things.

Ming Mei asked, “Why are you here so early?”

Jiang Lu replied, “I need to talk to you about something…”

She quickly explained everything and added, “Ask your mother-in-law and sister-in-law about it.”

Then she said, “I’m going to Li Fang’s place.”

Now, the three pregnant women in the courtyard had formed a sort of alliance.

Seeing Jiang Lu in such a hurry, Ming Mei looked down at her cup of milk, drank it all in one go, wiped her mouth, and went to the main room. Zhao Guihua was cooking porridge and asked, “Why did Jiang Lu rush over to your place?”

Ming Mei replied, “She reminded me to be careful of Aunt Su. She said the weather is fine now, but in a few months when it gets icy, and we’re all further along in our pregnancies, it’ll be dangerous if we slip and fall.”

She glanced at Liang Meifen and said, “Aunt Zhou mentioned that when Sister-in-law Liang Meifen slipped back then, it might have been Aunt Su’s doing.”

Liang Meifen, who was steaming mixed-grain buns, was startled. She slapped her forehead and said, “Right, right, right! When I was pregnant with Little Swallow, I slipped, and she was born prematurely. But at the time, I didn’t think it was intentional…”

She paused and looked at her mother-in-law.

In a hushed voice, she asked, “Mom, do you think she really didn’t mean it?”

Zhao Guihua was silent for a long time before finally saying seriously, “Back then, I believed she didn’t mean it, but now, looking at her actions, I’m not so sure…”

When Su’s son passed away, Wang Xiangxiu hadn’t even finished her postpartum confinement, and Aunt Su had to manage the entire household. As soon as Wang Xiangxiu finished her confinement, she took over the household duties, while Aunt Su took care of the children, the youngest of whom was still a baby.

After a few months, she was exhausted.

If she had been mentally drained, disheveled, and careless, everyone would have believed it.

Zhao Guihua had believed it, and even Liang Meifen, the victim, had believed it. After all, Aunt Su had always been seen as a good person, so no one thought she could be malicious. Since Liang Meifen and Little Swallow were both fine, the Zhuang family had let it go.

Because no one had suspected it was intentional at the time, they hadn’t given it much thought.

But now that Jiang Lu had brought it up, it was hard not to feel uneasy.

Zhao Guihua said, “Aunt Su is a crafty one. Who knows…”

Liang Meifen slammed the bun she was holding onto the table and said, “I’m going to confront her!”

Zhao Guihua quickly stopped her, saying, “What’s the point? It’s been so many years. If you go and accuse her now, do you think she’ll admit to it?”

She added, “If you bring up old grievances without any evidence, she’ll just say you’re being unreasonable and bullying a widow and her children. Is it worth it?”

Liang Meifen said, “I can’t swallow this.”

She glared in the direction of the Su household. Back then, she had thought Aunt Su was the best mother-in-law, someone to envy. But now, she wished she could kick that evil old woman to death.

Even though there was no concrete evidence, Aunt Su’s recent behavior had shattered her image. Even if she hadn’t done anything blatantly wrong, the Su family’s troubles had piled up, and no one was fooled anymore.

Now, if Aunt Su tried to play the innocent victim, people would think twice.

Zhao Guihua said, “There’s no point in digging up the past, but from now on, we’ll be more careful. If she dares to do anything, I’ll slap her. Don’t worry, if she tries anything in front of me, I’ll teach her a lesson.”

“I’ll join in too!”

Liang Meifen said eagerly.

Ming Mei chimed in, “Me too… uh, after I have the baby, I’ll join in.”

Everyone laughed.

The women were all fired up, while the men didn’t dare to interrupt. But as the mood lightened, everyone relaxed a bit.

They had gotten up early that day because Zhao Guihua had called them over. She had something to discuss with her two sons. After finishing the previous conversation, she moved on to the main topic: “You all know that this summer has been unusually rainy, and we’ve had seven straight days of heavy rain recently.”

Everyone nodded.

Zhao Guihua continued, “All this rain has affected the crops. I think grain prices are going to rise, or it’ll be hard to buy. So I want to stock up on some grain now. Even though it’s not as good as the fresh grain harvested in the fall, it’s better to have some stored in case there’s a shortage. That way, we won’t go hungry.”

“Alright.”

Zhao Guihua added, “You’re all part of this family, so you can’t just sit back and do nothing. I charge each household only ten yuan a month for living expenses, and you know how much we spend on food. With six adults and two children, plus your dad and me contributing another ten yuan, thirty yuan isn’t enough to cover everything. Not to mention all the other expenses I take care of, like the clothes for Little Swallow and Tiger Head, and the blankets for the baby on the way.”

Little Swallow and Tiger Head had gotten new clothes and backpacks this summer, all prepared by Zhao Guihua without asking for money.

Similarly, Zhao Guihua had also prepared soft little jackets and blankets for Ming Mei’s unborn child.

Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi nodded silently.

They knew that their comfortable lives were largely due to their parents’ support. Their father, a sixth-grade riveter, earned over sixty yuan a month, and their mother managed the household meticulously. Many of the luxuries they enjoyed came without extra cost.

Such a life was rare these days.

Zhuang Zhiyuan, as the eldest son, spoke up, “Mom, just tell us what you need. We’ll listen.”

Zhao Guihua said, “I won’t ask you to contribute to buying the grain, but starting next month, each household will pay fifteen yuan instead of ten for living expenses.”

She added, “Zhuang Zhiyuan and your wife, you should start preparing things for the baby. Don’t always rely on us old folks. As for Zhuang Zhixi and your wife… you two don’t take advantage, but don’t be too lazy either. Your sister-in-law used to help with the housework, but now it’s just me since I’m not working. There’s a lot to do, so you need to pitch in more.”

Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife nodded sheepishly.

Zhuang Zhixi, however, grinned and said, “Laziness is human nature, haha.”

Zhao Guihua scolded, “Get out of here with that nonsense.”

Zhuang Zhixi teased, “Mom, don’t be so harsh. How about we chip in for the grain storage?”

Zhao Guihua gave him a look and said, “That’s not necessary. This is just me planning ahead. I’ve got it figured out.”

Although it might seem like she's at a disadvantage now, with the elderly couple subsidizing their son by buying grain, in reality, the money isn't just gone. The grain is still there. The monthly living expenses for both households still need to be paid.

When grain becomes scarce, the leftover living expenses will gradually balance out the earlier grain purchases.

This is similar to how young people decades later would use credit cards.

They aren't paying upfront now, but it's like they're making monthly "repayments" on time.

The logic is simple, so Zhao Guihua didn't demand money from her son right away. However, she did propose an increase in the living expenses, which she had carefully considered. Five yuan is the minimum standard for living expenses, but their household's lifestyle isn't at the minimum.

It's actually quite high.

Moreover, they can't treat the children as if they don't matter.

Tiger Head and Little Swallow, the two little ones, eat just as much as anyone else.

Zhao Guihua: "Eldest son, don't think that I'm favoring your younger siblings by giving them eggs and other good food. Your sister-in-law is pregnant and needs the extra nutrition. Even if she weren't, it's only fair that their household eats a bit better. Your family already has the advantage since both households contribute the same amount, but you have two extra mouths to feed."

Zhao Guihua has learned from her past life's mistakes. Back then, she never explained her actions, believing she was fair, but everyone else thought she was unfair. It was only later that she realized she might have been wrong about many things.

So in this life, she makes sure to explain everything openly. By doing so, everyone now thinks she's straightforward and fair, and they trust her completely. It's quite ironic.

Even Liang Meifen, who used to mutter complaints all the time in her past life, now nods in agreement.

Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let's eat."

"Sure!"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, are you going to the black market to buy grain? Do you want me to come with you?"

Zhao Guihua: "Yes, you and your brother should both go after work today. Go separately, so no one notices. Each of you buy a bag of flour. If possible, try to get some rice too, but never mind, I'll handle the rice. I also want to buy some mixed flour."

"Buy that much?" Zhuang Zhiyuan exclaimed in surprise.

Zhao Guihua glared: "Then don't eat. You have no idea what it's like to manage a household. Do you think we're the only ones buying grain?"

Zhuang Zhixi suddenly realized: "So that's why Yang Lixin sneaked out—he was buying grain." He recalled what he had seen earlier.

Zhao Guihua: "Are you working or spying? How do you know everything?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Hehe."

Zhao Guihua warned: "Eldest son, you're not as quick-witted as your brother. When you go to the black market, be careful not to get cheated. Be extra cautious. If you run into the Red Armbands, it's better to lose some money than get caught. Understand?"

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "...Why do I seem so slow-witted?"

Zhao Guihua glanced at him: "I gave birth to you, don't I know? You're stubborn as a mule."

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."

Zhuang Zhixi burst out laughing.

Old Man Zhuang also smiled and said: "Both of you have jobs, so be careful. Wife, what about me..."

Zhao Guihua shot him a look: "Don't get involved. You're not cut out for it. There's a reason for your nickname—Old Man Zhuang. If you go to the black market, you'll just dawdle and get caught."

Old Man Zhuang: "..."

Now even Zhuang Zhiyuan laughed.

At least he wasn't the one being scolded.

Early in the morning, the Zhuang household was already lively. Aunt Su came out to fetch water and tiptoed to peek at the Zhuang family, muttering: "What's all this commotion so early in the morning?"

In this courtyard, the Zhuang family was the one they envied the most. Although they weren't the wealthiest in the compound, didn't have the most sons, and weren't even the compound managers, Aunt Su still envied them the most.

The Zhuang family was thriving, and that was something to envy.

Everyone in the Zhuang family was healthy, and that was something to envy.

Out of the six adults in the Zhuang family, five had jobs, which was even more enviable.

Only Zhao Guihua and the two children didn't work, but with so many breadwinners in the family, it was truly something that drove others mad with jealousy.

Everyone lived in the same compound, so why was it only the Zhuang family doing so well?

Aunt Su glared at them with resentment but quickly looked away. She carried her basin of water back home.

When she entered, she saw Wang Xiangxiu preparing breakfast and felt a flash of displeasure. It was taking too long. However, she still said gently: "Let me do that. You need to get to work."

Wang Xiangxiu smiled: "Mom, it's no trouble."

Aunt Su: "Ah, I'm so lucky to have a daughter-in-law like you. If there's a next life, we must be mother and daughter. No, we already are—not by blood, but closer than blood."

Wang Xiangxiu laughed and nodded emphatically.

Aunt Su: "Oh, right. Since you're working in the sanitation department now, cleaning toilets and such, make sure to wash up and tidy yourself before coming home after work. I'm not saying this because I look down on you. No matter what, you're the best in my eyes. But it's summer, and I don't want you coming home smelling bad. The neighbors might gossip or look down on you. No matter what job you do, it's honorable, but there are always petty people who talk behind your back. So let's always stay clean and presentable."

"Alright," Wang Xiangxiu agreed, feeling that her mother-in-law truly cared for her.

In this entire compound, no other mother-in-law was as considerate as hers. She smiled and said: "Mom, don't worry. But if I do this, I might get home a bit later than usual."

Aunt Su's eyes flickered: "That's fine. It's no big deal."

Wang Xiangxiu: "Alright then. Oh, I'm running late. I'll grab a steamed bun and eat it on the way."

Aunt Su: "Go ahead."

Wang Xiangxiu hurried out and ran into many people from the compound heading to the factory, including Liang Meifen, who was walking with Jiang Lu. Jiang Lu had a bicycle, but since she got pregnant, she stopped riding it and now walked every day.

Zhou Qun also didn't ride his bike and walked with them.

It was clear that the Zhou family was being extremely cautious with this pregnancy. Even Ming Mei from the Zhuang family was being careful, with someone accompanying her to and from work. But at least she still rode a bicycle, whereas Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu didn't even ride theirs, fearing even the slightest bump.

Wang Xiangxiu smirked, thinking they were overreacting. When she was pregnant, she was still doing heavy housework and washing clothes for the whole family right up until she gave birth, and she still had a healthy baby boy. They were just being overly cautious.

How ridiculous.

Wang Xiangxiu thought of her three sons and couldn't help but smile.

She quickened her pace to catch up and overheard Liang Meifen saying: "Master Zhu is amazing. I think she's even better than many men. My father-in-law said I was lucky to be assigned to her. She's very thorough in teaching, and as long as I study hard, I can take the level exam right after my probation period ends next year. My husband even got me a notebook to jot down everything I learn. The more I study, the more I'll improve."

Liang Meifen was in high spirits that morning.

How could she not be?

She was now a worker.

Before, when she wasn't working, she didn't feel it as much, but after staying home for half a year, she realized how uncomfortable it was. Although she could sometimes take naps at home, there were always endless chores that didn't feel like they amounted to much. Plus, she felt like she couldn't hold her head high, and money was always tight.

Now, things were better. Even though her husband brought home the salary, she had five yuan of her own every month. Their family ate well, and she could save a bit by eating steamed buns for lunch. Liang Meifen felt that life was getting better and better.

She continued: "There's a young guy in our workshop who started a month before me. He's probably not even twenty and took over his father's job. I can't let myself be worse than a young kid like that! I have to study hard and at least pass the level exam before him. I want to be the first to advance."

Jiang Lu, who used to look down on Liang Meifen, now felt that there was a reason Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen had fallen in love freely.

Liang Meifen might not be the most clear-headed when it came to her family matters, but she was diligent and eager to learn. No wonder she managed to graduate from high school. She hadn’t seen many interns at the factory taking notes like she did.

“You’re doing really well. If you keep this up for two more years, you’ll get promoted and your salary will increase. Life will be even better then.”

“Absolutely.”

Zhou Qun chimed in with some gossip: “But promotions aren’t that easy, are they? Women aren’t as strong as men. Just look at Wang Xiangxiu—she’s been stuck at the same level for years.”

Liang Meifen retorted, “She’s her, and I’m me. You can’t underestimate women. Sure, this job requires some strength, but it’s more about finesse. It’s not a big deal. I’m used to hard work.”

Wang Xiangxiu had initially planned to walk with them, but after a few steps, she overheard their conversation. Zhou Qun, that scoundrel, was using her as a negative example, which made her feel annoyed. Besides, she was tired of talking about the work in the workshop. Naturally, she slowed her pace.

“Sister-in-law!”

Zhuang Zhixi rode past on his bike, waving his hand. Liang Meifen remarked, “You’re pretty quick.”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “Can’t be late for work, after all.”

Everyone was rushing to work on time. Zhuang Zhixi hurried upstairs, and as soon as he entered, Sister Cui said, “The director’s looking for you. Go see him.” She winked at him.

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and quickly headed to the office. Not long after, he returned, beaming with joy.

Sister Cui smiled and asked, “Good news, right?”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, “The director asked me to temporarily take over the announcer’s duties for a while.”

He couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, that’s great news!”

“Yeah.”

This kind of task wasn’t usually taken on by older employees. It was mostly the younger ones competing for it. Little Xu was pretending to be dead at his desk, completely uninterested. Another young colleague, Little Tang, had a noticeable accent, so Zhuang Zhixi was the most suitable choice.

Old Huang gave Zhuang Zhixi some advice: “You’re in charge of this now, so be careful when reading the scripts.”

Although their factory wasn’t involved in anything controversial, it was still important to be cautious.

Zhuang Zhixi explained, “There are two of us taking shifts. I’m not the main announcer—my primary job is still here. I’ll just handle announcements or any other urgent matters that come up in the factory.”

He wasn’t the main player. After all, he wasn’t a professional. The broadcasting station had a dedicated announcer, and he was just a backup. Some colleagues were directly assigned to the propaganda department, and he was the most suitable person to deliver notifications. This wasn’t exactly a step up, but it was a chance to gain experience and make himself more visible in the factory. Zhuang Zhixi thought it was a decent opportunity.

He said, “I should buy some meat to celebrate tonight.”

“You definitely should.”

“Hey, Zhuang Zhixi, isn’t your wife working at the bus station?”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, “Yeah, why?”

Sister Cui smiled meaningfully and said, “There are probably a lot of young women there, right? Do you think you could arrange a matchmaking event between the bus station and our factory? Our factory has a lot of young men, and their station has a lot of young women. It’s a perfect match.”

Don’t think Sister Cui was meddling—this was just part of the propaganda department’s responsibilities.

Sister Cui added, “I’ve noticed that many bus conductors are young women.”

Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and said, “I could ask my wife, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

Sister Cui asked.

Zhuang Zhixi explained, “Their station doesn’t have that many people. Our factory is huge—there are way more people here. How many people are at the bus station? Including leaders, drivers, and support staff, I doubt they even have two or three hundred people. I haven’t asked, but I’m guessing they don’t. Subtract the male employees and those who are already married. How many unmarried young women could there be? Probably not even a few dozen. But in our factory, the number of young, unmarried men is ten, twenty, or even thirty times that. The numbers are completely unbalanced. How would you even arrange something like that?”

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.”

Sister Cui realized it wouldn’t work. The numbers were just too mismatched.

“We haven’t organized a big matchmaking event this year because we can’t find enough suitable people. This is really hard to pull off.” It wasn’t that Sister Cui was bored—this was an annual task.

Zhuang Zhixi asked, “Isn’t this something the labor union should handle? Why is it falling on the propaganda department?”

Sister Cui replied, “Every year, the factory office takes the lead, involving the labor union, the propaganda department, and the women’s federation. The union could do it on their own, but there are always some complications. They don’t want to shoulder all the responsibility, so for the past few years, they’ve been dragging us into it. You’re good-looking and have no trouble finding a partner, so you don’t know how hard it is for some of these guys. They get really worked up over these opportunities.”

Zhuang Zhixi joked, “I guess I should thank my parents for giving me good looks.”

“Absolutely. Take Bai Fendou from your neighborhood, for example. He’s always had a hard time finding a partner. Every time there’s an event like this, he’s the first to sign up, but the women aren’t interested. It’s an old story.”

Zhuang Zhixi said, “He probably won’t participate this year, right?”

After all, he was infamous throughout the city for his… shortcomings. He couldn’t possibly show up.

Sister Cui gave Zhuang Zhixi a strange look and said, “I ran into him in the restroom this morning, and he asked me if we’re doing it this year. He said if we are, he absolutely can’t be left out.”

“What?!” Zhuang Zhixi nearly choked.

He was at a loss for words. Staring at Sister Cui in disbelief, he said, “He still wants to participate? He’s got some nerve.”

Sister Cui sighed, “Tell me about it. If someone who didn’t know about his… situation ended up with him, they’d blame us for setting them up. That’s why the labor union insists on involving everyone in this task. Every year, there’s someone who exaggerates or lies, and it causes problems. There are even people who fake their age. It’s embarrassing and unworthy of a worker’s dignity. Oh, and one year, there was a guy who made a fake sofa. He used some boards and balloons to pretend he had a sofa at home—a big-ticket item. He even borrowed a sofa cover to make it look real. It was just for show, but the girl he was matched with actually sat on it. The balloons popped, the frame collapsed, and she fell. She blamed the factory for it. We’re only responsible for introductions—shouldn’t they do their own research? Ugh, these kinds of things happen all the time. We’re stuck cleaning up their messes.”

They were clearly suffering.

Zhuang Zhixi couldn’t help but laugh at Sister Cui’s pained expression.

Sister Cui glared at him, “You’re laughing at me now?”

Zhuang Zhixi quickly said, “No, no.”

He thought for a moment and came up with an idea. “Sister Cui, why don’t you create a simple profile for everyone?”

Sister Cui asked, “What do you mean?”

Zhuang Zhixi explained, “You know how people always exaggerate or hide things during these matchmaking events? You could create a basic profile for each participant. For example, give everyone a small badge with their number and name. Then, post a list—one side for men, one side for women. People can look up the basic information based on the number and name. It doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, for Little Xu, you could write: Number 1, Xu Jianye, 23 years old, projectionist in the propaganda department. Parents and one sister. Father is a worker, mother is a homemaker. Sister is married. Just a simple introduction like that. It’s not too much work, but it would prevent people from taking advantage of the situation.”

Sister Cui thought about it and nodded, “You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

They were participating in a large group blind date event. In the past, they would organize a big matchmaking gathering, and then individuals would take it from there, getting to know each other further. Logically speaking, some people getting scammed really couldn't be blamed on the factory. This wasn’t like hiring a matchmaker to arrange a blind date; it was more of a preliminary introduction as part of their work.

With so many people involved, it was like setting up a stage for everyone to get to know each other better.

However, many still ended up being tricked, and afterward, they would cause a fuss.

They were also quite troubled by this.

"Little Zhuang, I think what you suggested is quite good. Although it increases the workload a bit, at least it eliminates the issues of people lying about their age or job position. Temporary workers can't pretend to be permanent staff, and a thirty-year-old can't pass themselves off as twenty. It also ensures that details like whether someone has been divorced or widowed are clearly stated. This way, people can avoid such situations from the get-go."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Exactly. Although the initial workload is heavier than before, think about it—this information can be reused. Most people aren’t likely to find someone within the same year anyway. Next year, we won’t need to ask all these detailed questions again; just a simple update will suffice. And honestly, doing a thorough job upfront is much better than dealing with disputes later on."

"Right, right, right."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sister Cui: "Little Zhuang, could you write up a draft of what you just said? Actually, no—come with me to see the leader…"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh my, why am I getting dragged into this now…"

Everyone laughed good-naturedly.

Zhuang Zhixi was pulled away, and Little Xu rolled over, turning his head to the other side, continuing to nap. He muttered, "What’s the point of finding a partner? Women are tigers; they’ll drain you dry in no time."

The group fell silent.

Your words are quite… intriguing.

"Little Xu…"

Little Xu: "Don’t count me in. I’m not participating."

"Uh…"

Alright, as long as you’re happy.

Little Xu: "Finding a partner is the most pointless thing."

Isn’t it just about sleeping together? And sleeping together just means getting drained dry.

He wasn’t having it.

Seeing Little Xu’s attitude, everyone around him felt deeply concerned for his parents, Old Xu and his wife. Would they ever get to hold a grandchild? Even Little Xu’s rival, the newly promoted projectionist in their department, looked at him with rare sympathy, thinking: Did this guy encounter a female ghost while working in the countryside?

This really doesn’t look good!

While the working folks were busy, those not working were also occupied. Zhao Guihua had gone out early in the morning to the black market and came back with two bags of mixed flour. She had originally wanted to buy some cornmeal—it was really cheap—but after thinking it over, she decided against it.

Her family wasn’t so poor that they couldn’t afford better. Why force themselves to live frugally?

Her husband hadn’t lived a good life in his previous years and had passed away. She didn’t want this life to be the same. Besides, eating better and getting proper nutrition would help keep them healthier. Maybe this time around, her husband would stay well. With that in mind, Zhao Guihua decided not to buy the cornmeal.

The family had manual laborers who needed good food, a pregnant woman who needed proper nutrition, and children who were growing. Why make things harder for themselves? The mixed flour was her final compromise.

During her recent trips to the black market, Zhao Guihua had noticed that things weren’t as calm as they seemed.

No matter the time, you should never assume people are fools. When she bought grain, someone immediately asked why she was buying so much. Zhao Guihua had only bought twenty pounds, but even that was enough to raise eyebrows and prompt questions.

Zhao Guihua paid no attention and simply walked away.

But she could tell that more people were buying grain.

It definitely wasn’t just because of her—who was she, after all? Sure, some might have followed her lead after seeing her buy in bulk, but she suspected others were like her, worried about the heavy rains during the summer and stocking up just in case.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt she should buy a bit more.

In a few days, she wouldn’t come to the black market anymore.

Once everyone started sneaking in to buy, it really wouldn’t be a good idea to come.

Zhao Guihua returned home, stored the grain safely, and let out a sigh of relief.

People of their generation just loved hoarding grain.

Looking at the grain, she felt a deep sense of satisfaction.