Chapter 5

Looking at her points, she felt a surge of joy. Before these people left, the small shed welcomed another guest. This time it was her sister, brother-in-law and eldest brother. The three of them came together.

“Lan, is it leaking here?” her sister asked with concern.

“No, I just laid some new hay, and it’s quite waterproof.”

Her brother glanced at the shed. Indeed, it was dry inside with not a trace of moisture. “Maybe it’s because the slope is steep, so the water flows quickly.”

Her brother-in-law nodded in agreement with her elder brother’s words. Noticing that there were outsiders here, he wondered what they were doing. However, it didn’t seem like there was any unpleasantness, as everyone had smiles on their faces.

Her sister walked in and sniffed the air, the unusual aroma capturing her attention. But in front of outsiders, she didn’t ask anything.

A few people who had originally come to watch the excitement turned to leave, and her brother walked around outside, carefully observing for a while before entering. “Lan, no one is here to cause trouble, right?”

“No.”

Her sister whispered, “What are you eating? It smells so good. It’s even more fragrant than stewed meat.”

“Noodles. Whole grain noodles with a bit of sesame oil.”

“Where did you get sesame oil?”

“I asked for it when I left the Wang family.”

Her sister smiled with relief. “My sister is quite capable. If this were me, I’d probably be crying and left with nothing.”

Her brother sighed, “You’re praising her again. She’s the youngest at home and has always been spoiled by our parents and you all. Women are too bold, not knowing how to be accommodating.”

Her elder brother was worried she might get into trouble, fearing her personality would invite retaliation. But she had been doted on since childhood after her mother had two miscarriages before giving birth to her, and she wasn’t someone who would easily back down. After getting married, she often clashed with her mother-in-law and wouldn’t become a submissive daughter-in-law.

Her brother-in-law turned to look outside and asked, “What were those people here for? The Wang family’s daughter-in-law isn’t looking to trouble you, is she?”

“No. She’s bullied by her mother-in-law at home. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

“You,” her brother-in-law sighed helplessly. He and her elder brother were both old-fashioned. They hadn’t slept well for the past few days because of her situation, and today they called her sister over to discuss something.

“We need to quickly find a husband for Lan. This shed won’t last through winter.”

Her brother nodded. “Yes, it’s not warm, there’s no kang^[1]heated bed. Staying here during the coldest days of winter could make someone ill.”

Her sister understood this too. “I know. I came to talk about this. Aunt Zhao introduced someone. He lives about eight miles from our brigade. His wife passed away, and he has two children, one boy and one girl. The eldest is six and the youngest is four. If Lan takes care of them well, they won’t be much different from biological children.”

Luo Lan secretly rolled her eyes. “I don’t want that. Being a stepmother isn’t easy. It’s hard work, and maybe they’ll even say I have ulterior motives.”

Her brother shot her a look. “You’re being picky. Do you think you’re still a young girl?”

Her brother-in-law added, “Once you’re married, you can have your own children. Those two kids won’t be related to you, just do your duty. You’re still young, and your own kids are more reliable.”

Her sister also persuaded her. “Just listen to us this once. Our parents are gone, and we’re your closest family. We won’t harm you.”

Her brother emphasized, “Getting married quickly is the priority. Otherwise, living alone in this shed isn’t safe. What if you run into some bad people? It’s tough for a single woman.”

Her brother-in-law and sister nodded in agreement, speaking in unison. “Get married quickly. It’s not right for you to stay here alone.”

In the 1960s, she didn’t have any notions of singlehood. But marrying needed careful consideration. She nodded and agreed to meet someone her sister set up for her, but whether it would work out depended on how she felt when she met him.

Seeing her nod, her brother and sister felt relieved. Since she still had food and seemed to be eating well, they were temporarily at ease. Before leaving, her elder brother glanced around, reminding her to be cautious.

“If anything happens, come find us.”

“Okay, got it.”

Her sister also cautioned, “Make sure to secure the door tightly at night.”

With the arrangement for her blind date set, there was no further discussion that night. The next morning, the teams began ringing the bell, announcing the official start of the harvest. The summer harvest was very important, and she went to her team to pick up a sickle and head to the fields.

She was quick with her hands, and the team leader assigned her to be at the front of the line. After just ten minutes of rest in the morning, her arms felt fine, but her legs, having been squatting for a long time, began to ache.

“Lan, I told you to take it slow. Look, your legs are hurting,” someone from the same row said, a bit resentful of her speed.

“I wasn’t even that fast. Didn’t you see the team leader watching me several times?”

“Ah, my old arms and legs just can’t keep up anymore.”

The woman was over fifty. Her husband had passed away years ago, and now she lived with her three sons. Her eldest son was over thirty, and all three sons were still single. She came to work solely to help her sons find wives.

“Lan, since you’ve left your in-laws, what are your next plans?”

“I haven’t thought about it.”

“Don’t be so indecisive. While you’re still young, hurry and find a new family. How about my eldest son?” The woman pointed at her son walking a short distance ahead. “I’m not bragging but my son works hard and earns a lot of work points.”

He was just over five feet tall, as thin as a monkey. He couldn’t even handle carrying a load. How could she say he was capable? Plus, they were all in the same brigade, so everyone knew each other. Her son could barely get a word in, as his speech was as awkward as plowing a field. Who would want to live with someone who could barely communicate? She normally avoided talking to him.

“If the eldest doesn’t suit you, my second son is available, or even the third. You can choose one.”

“Auntie, I’m really not in a hurry.”

With one sentence, she rejected all suggestions and quickened her pace, leaving the woman behind. The woman reached out to grab her but gave up in despair, watching Luo Lan’s graceful figure disappear around the corner.

“Mother, how is it?” the eldest son slowed down his pace to wait for her and asked.

“Don’t rush.”

“Am I not rushing? I’m already thirty. If I don’t remarry, I’ll end up single for life.”

The old lady raised her hand and gave him a light slap. “Then who do you blame? You can’t even hold onto a woman. All three of you are useless. Why am I so unfortunate to give birth to three dimwits like you?”

After today’s events, Luo Lan deeply understood that she had once again entered the marriage market and had become a target for certain groups. A widow, young, capable, and still good-looking—she would undoubtedly attract more attention.

Not getting married was not an option, it would be unbearable. So, she decided to accept the matchmaking. The deceased was already dead, there was no need to live in fear of being bitten by a snake for ten years after one encounter. Living in his shadow for a lifetime was simply a loss.

For lunch, she made some dry rice, leaving a little over for porridge in the evening. As she thought about working in the afternoon, she rested a bit during her lunch break until she heard the bell ringing. In the afternoon, she was still in the same team as before, with the old lady following her around, occasionally trying to sell her own sons.

“My second son can cook when he comes back from work. I’m not bragging but you won’t find a better man than my son. He’s great in the fields and takes care of laundry and cooking at home too.”

Luo Lan pretended to be deaf and didn’t respond at all. Her three sons were all oddballs. Only a mother like her could see them through a filter. The eldest had a mouth that could kill, the second was slow-witted and clumsy, always walking close to the wall and unable to engage in normal conversation. The youngest had a burn scar on his face from childhood that looked frightening.

She quickened her pace, and during the afternoon work time, she approached the team leader. “Can you not put me with Old Lady Xu tomorrow?”

“Why?  Is she trying to make you her daughter-in-law?”

She sighed silently, and the team leader laughed heartily. “Alright, I’ll separate you from her tomorrow.”

In the evening, she quickly prepared dinner. After washing up, she thought about going out for a stroll to see if there were any melons. The instant noodles from the system were simply too delicious. They had completely captured her heart. For instant noodles, staying up a bit later was no big deal.

Heading out from her place, she moved southeast toward the brigade’s largest threshing ground. This place was generally a gossip gathering spot where things that couldn’t be made public during the day would be shared in private.

There was no electricity in the village, and the wheat was ground by oxen pulling a millstone. By the end of the day, a considerable amount of wheat had already piled up here, and a dim yellow lantern hung lonely on a pole.

The night was tranquil, and she stepped lightly. Taking a deep breath, she planned to circle back home. Just then, she heard voices nearby.

“Do you have any way to deal with your ex-daughter-in-law?”

“Who, Luo Lan?” It was her former father-in-law, the old man from the Wang family. “That daughter-in-law is quite fierce. She couldn’t even be handled by my old lady when she was in our house. How could anyone manage her now? What are you planning, trying to get her to be your daughter-in-law? Didn’t you say before you wanted to marry someone easier to control? She’s not a soft persimmon.”

“Hey, I’m at my wits’ end. None of my three boys have found a wife yet, and I’m anxious. Who cares about her personality? She’s good-looking and capable. Even if she’s married for the second time, it’s not a loss.”

“This matter is somewhat difficult. Hey, I’ll be on night watch tonight; will you stay and keep me company?”

“You old lecher, how old are you? Your heart is still young.”

“Stop pretending. This isn’t the first day we’ve known each other. I can tame my wife, so here’s a suggestion for you that’s guaranteed to work.”

“What suggestion?”

Luo Lan stood in the corner, motionless, as the system went wild with excitement. Big gossip, big gossip—this old man from the Wang family actually has something going on with Old Lady Xu. And judging by their conversation, it didn’t seem to be a recent affair.

Luo Lan perked up her ears, but still couldn’t catch their whispers. The old man’s voice was clearly controlled. She bit her lip and communicated secretly with the system.

Luo Lan: Can you find out what they’re saying?

System: Be more forceful.

Luo Lan: What do you mean by forceful?

System: Host, this will cost points.

Luo Lan: You can deduct them all you want. If you’re so keen on deducting my few points, I might as well not eavesdrop anymore. Let’s part ways.

System: No, no, no! It’s already bound to you; it can only level up by relying on you. Alright, I’ll tell you without deducting points.

Luo Lan: Just tell me directly what it is.