Tian Tian blinked her big eyes and curiously asked, “Mom, why did you say he has three legs?”

Sister-in-law Lu Da burst out laughing.

Lin Shu, however, felt embarrassed.

She had gotten a bit too excited earlier and forgot to watch her words!

Panpan, meanwhile, was counting his two legs, then pointed at his head and said, “If the head can’t control the legs, then it’s a leg. If it can’t control the hands, then it’s a hand.”

Tian tian nodded in agreement, “Ah, right.”

Feeling guilty, Lin Shu quickly chimed in, agreeing with them.

As they continued walking, a few people noticed Lin Shu returning to the village and greeted her.

When they saw the tall and strong woman beside her carrying both a child and a load of peaches, they were quite surprised.

“Lin Shu, back to visit your family?”

“Who’s this?”

…

“Hello, Auntie. This is my sister-in-law.”

Lin Shu, while walking, tried to sift through the original owner’s memories of her maternal family.

Fortunately, the memories blended naturally with hers, so she responded as if they were her own.

The original owner spent most of her time at home doing chores and rarely went out. When she did, she would keep her head down, focusing on the road, afraid to look at people.

As a result, she wasn’t very familiar with most of the villagers.

From the original owner’s memories, Lin Shu deduced that the original owner’s timidity was actually inherited from her family.

The Lin family had once been modestly well-off.

Lin Shu’s grandfather was an honest man, but also very timid, often falling ill.

Actually, he was mostly scared into illness.

When the Japanese soldiers came, he was so frightened that he wet his pants. Even when the Liberation Army arrived, he still trembled in fear.

During the land reform, he was especially terrified, getting sick at the slightest disturbance.

Although Lin Shu’s grandmother never mentioned it, Lin Shu felt that her grandfather might have eventually… died from being overly frightened.

Although Lin Shu’s eldest uncle and father weren’t as timid, they weren’t much better—they were known for being extremely honest and straightforward.

Lin Shu’s grandmother, though knowledgeable, wasn’t particularly fierce or strong-willed.

She valued reasoning and saving face, which meant she wasn’t able to guide the family with a firm hand.

Lin Shu’s eldest aunt was somewhat tougher, but only within the family.

To outsiders, she maintained a good reputation, much like Lin Shu’s mother.

In any case, they were nothing like Fang Dihua, who would defend her family fiercely, unafraid to confront or fight back against anyone who spoke ill of them.

The Lin family had always preferred to avoid trouble, even if it meant enduring some injustice themselves.

They believed that suffering was a blessing and that it was better not to stir up conflicts that might be hard to resolve.

Otherwise, how could the original owner have been insulted face-to-face by a few women, who called her a little vixen and her grandmother an old fox?

If this had happened in Lu Village, Fang Dihua would have made sure to slap those women and their entire families senseless.

A few women whispered behind them:

“Wow, her sister-in-law is accompanying her to visit her family? Her in-laws must treat her really well.”

“Well treated? Her husband is gone, and she’s still in the mourning period. Why isn’t she wearing mourning clothes and running around everywhere?”

“Didn’t you see that her sister-in-law came? She’s probably here to press her back to her family to argue about something.”

Lin Shu’s tall, handsome, and financially capable husband was gone, and many in the village had heard about it, gossiping behind her back.

“When she was little, I could tell from her face that she had an ill-fated look, one that brings bad luck to her husband.”

“Wouldn’t her in-laws blame her? They might even marry her off again to get another dowry.”

If Lin Shu had returned to her parents’ home alone, the gossiping women who had always loved to mock her would certainly insult her to her face.

But now, they didn’t dare say anything in front of the Lu family.

Hearing the chatter behind her, Lin Shu stopped and turned around.

Sister-in-law Lu Da also halted and looked back. “Third sister-in-law, what’s the matter?”

Lin Shu coldly scanned the gossips behind them and raised her voice, “Sister-in-law, do you hear the crows in Linjia Village? Hiding behind others and chattering away, it’s the hallmark of people with mean, unkind mouths. Sooner or later, someone will shut them up!”

Sister-in-law Lu Da then looked at the women.

The women, frightened, scattered immediately.

They were used to bullying the original Lin Shu, who never dared to talk back.

Even Lin Shu’s honest parents wouldn’t confront them to their faces because of social decorum.

Lin Shu sneered, “If I hear it again, I’ll smash their pots and pans, let their whole family know just how rotten their mouths are!”

Since it wasn’t appropriate for her mother-in-law to come and fight with people, Lin Shu had to handle it herself.

If she didn’t establish herself in her own village, who else would stand up for her?

Today, Lin Shu was like a queen returning to her realm, asserting her dominance and showing her strength!

She had to let Linjia Village know that she was no longer the same Lin Shu they used to know.

Just because her husband was gone, did they think they could bully her?

She would show them how terrifying it could be when an honest person went mad.

Sister-in-law Lu Da was shocked, looking at Lin Shu.

The third sister-in-law had really… changed, as if she were a completely different person.

Was it the loss of her husband that pushed her to the edge, or was it the praise from the leader that gave her confidence?

Sister-in-law Lu Da didn’t overthink it.

She was just pleased and gave a thumbs-up, “Sister-in-law, you’re amazing, just like our mother-in-law!”

Lin Shu immediately lowered her eyes slightly and smiled, “Sister-in-law, but I have no strength and can’t fight.”

Sister-in-law Lu Da said, “What are you afraid of? Don’t you have me and mother?”

In the countryside, men didn’t interfere in women’s fights; if they did, it would change the nature of the conflict.

So, among women, whoever was more formidable had the advantage.

As long as no one was seriously hurt, no one would care.

Sister-in-law Lu Da saw a woman peeking around, immediately put down the basket, and ran to the place where the women had been gossiping.

There stood a stone stool, perfect place where everyone gathers to chat.

Sister-in-law Lu Da mustered all her strength and pushed the stone bench into the nearby drainage ditch with a loud thud.

She didn’t let them sit and even blocked the drainage ditch, forcing them to come out and move it!

She shouted, “If anyone dares to gossip about my sister-in-law again, I, Yang Guiying(Lu Da’s real name), and my mother-in-law, Fang Dihua, will come and slap their mouth rotten!”

After saying this, she picked up a stone and smashed it against the doorframe of the house where a woman was peeking out, making a loud clanging sound.

Ha! Imitating her mother-in-law’s tantrum is quite effective!

Sister-in-law Lu Da had never acted like this before, but today, it was as if Lin Shu had opened up her meridians, and she had tasted the sweetness of it.

Lin Shu and her two kids clapped and cheered for her.

Tiantian and Panpan stood with their hands on their hips, acting all fierce.

“Anyone who talks bad about my mom behind her back, I’ll have my grandma slap their mouth rotten! Your rotten mouth is an embarrassment to your mother-in-law; why doesn’t she slap you?”

These two kids had grown up playing on the streets and had heard plenty of women cursing.

The four of them made such a scene on the street that nearby women were frightened and retreated to their homes, their hearts pounding, afraid that Sister-in-law Lu Da might come after them.

It’s always been the case that those who gossip get beaten, and they deserve it.

Sister-in-law Lu Da, feeling satisfied, picked up her load and said to Lin Shu, “Sister-in-law, let’s go. I’ll walk you to your in-laws’ doorstep.”

Lin Shu smiled sweetly, “Thank you, Sister-in-law.”

It feels so good to be protected.

She added another strong ally, Yang Guiying, to her list of supporters!

Later, Lin Shu’s brother, Lin Yue, and his wife, Sun Xiaohong, came out of the barefoot doctor’s clinic holding their child, and they happened to witness the whole scene.

Lin Yue was stunned. Is that his sister? And is that his sister’s sister-in-law?

My goodness!

Sun Xiaohong said, “Lin Yue, let’s go to my parents’ house for a day. After all, my parents never mind feeding you.”

In those days, a daughter bringing her son-in-law home for a meal outside of special occasions was considered freeloading and wasn’t welcomed.

Lin Yue replied, “My brother-in-law passed away. My sister’s back, so I should go comfort her.”

Sun Xiaohong glared at him, “Comfort her? Are you saying you’re closer to your third sister than to me and Bao’er?”

Lin Yue quickly said, “Of course not! Let’s go home…”

Sun Xiaohong snatched their son from his arms and threatened, “If you don’t listen to me, you can go sleep with them from now on and don’t come looking for me!”

She was used to controlling Lin Yue with matters in bed; if he didn’t obey, she would let him sleep alone.

His third sister had become so capable!

The last time, she made the eldest sister-in-law go to her mother’s house to ask for a sewing machine, and now…

Lin Shu personally came back.

She realized that if she went back, she might run into them, which would just lead to more arguments.

So, she decided to avoid it.