Early in the morning, the family was actually having a simple meal.

Of course, the so-called “simple meal” was just a plate of shredded potatoes, with a few cornmeal dumplings on the side.

Song Lao San (Third Son) and Fang Baoyu, the couple, had long been faking illness to avoid going to the fields.

They were hiding in Hongxing Commune, and surprisingly, Fang Baoyu’s maternal family, who had been staying in the cool shade, also came back.

Fang Baoyu’s father was the warehouse keeper at the Hongxing Commune.

He was a cripple, but his family had deep roots, with three generations of a proud lineage. Her grandfather had fought in the war.

What was that phrase again? Something like “the ancestral tomb is smoking green”?

Even a warehouse keeper could provide for three generations.

Also, Fang Baoyu’s older brother, Fang Gaodi, had married Old Lady Song’s eldest daughter, Song Dahua.

Their families had exchanged brides, making the relationship even closer.

Because of this, Old Lady Song’s heart was obviously biased toward her third son.

Today, the cornmeal dumplings had a little saccharin added, making them taste less sour.

“Sis-in-law, you’ve worked so hard all year round. Hurry up and eat,” Fang Baoyu said with a smile.

Her eldest son, Song Fu, had come with her today, but he was still complaining: “Mom, what’s this? It looks like pig food. I’m not eating it. Let’s go to my maternal grandfather’s house for some oil buns instead.”

Fang Baoyu slapped her son lightly: “Nonsense! Where would your maternal grandfather’s house have oil buns? Hurry up and eat your food.”

Jinggui, who loved eating shredded potatoes, immediately claimed the entire plate: “Today, no one better try to take it from me, especially you, Goudan. Look at how greedy you look.”

Song Laosan spoke up: “Goudan, eat. Why aren’t you eating?”

Old Lady Song, today acting like the cheerful Maitreya Buddha, was smiling as she said, “Everyone eat, everyone eat.”

Last night, she had checked the calendar and realized that today was her second son’s annual holiday. Her second son sent a monthly allowance of twenty yuan without fail, which she saved up for her old age. Of course, she had to show him a warm, happy family where everyone shared meals.

But there was a disobedient one.

As everyone encouraged him, Goudan, as soon as he picked up his chopsticks, was suddenly swatted away with a loud slap. “Get out of the way, you little brat!”

It was Jinggui, the one who had spoiled him.

As for Goudan, he had been suppressed by Jinggui and Song Fu, and had even been sold by his own beloved mother when he was little.

He had once been weak and timid, but later, his character would change drastically.

He became dark, cruel, and just like Jinggui and Song Fu, he would eventually bring ruin upon them—through false accusations, car accidents, imprisonment, or worse.

Their fate would be miserable.

Of course, Su Xiangwan, when she first read the book, hated Goudan too.

But after spending a few days with him, she realized that Goudan’s path to crime had a lot to do with the bullying he had suffered from these children when he was young.

After all, one either dies in silence or erupts in silence.

When people are bullied so badly, don’t you think it’s inevitable that Goudan would eventually explode?

Su Xiangwan suddenly felt a surge of anger and grabbed her precious son’s head, forcing it in front of Gou Dan: “Gou Dan, hit him.”

“Mom, I’m scared,” Gou Dan said.

Su Xiangwan immediately got upset: “He dares to hit you, why don’t you dare hit him?”

The spoiled little Jin Gui was baring his teeth and acting tough: “Gou Dan, you little dog, let’s see if you dare to hit me.”

Gou Dan still didn’t dare, but Su Xiangwan twisted Jin Gui’s head and gave him a look that seemed to say, “If you don’t hit him, I’ll deal with you today.”

Gou Dan looked around again.

Strangely enough, his grandmother pretended not to see.

His grandfather almost never intervened in matters like this.

Third Uncle and Third Aunt, along with Song Fu, were somewhat above the Old Song family and wouldn’t interfere with the family’s affairs.

The child slowly extended his hand, and finally, he gathered his courage and lightly slapped Jin Gui on the face.

Then, he quickly dodged.

At first, he thought Jin Gui would jump up to hit him back, but instead, his grandfather made a heavy grunt, and that scared Jin Gui so much that he didn’t dare say a word.

Little Aunt Song Qingyu was serving soup in the kitchen.

She had thought of saying something comforting as her son had been wronged, but when she heard her old father grunt, she didn’t dare say anything more.

The delicious and crispy oil rings they had eaten last night were already digested.

Su Xiangwan took a big bite of corn and then helped herself to a mouthful of shredded potatoes.

How should she describe it?

It was just like the farmhouse food she had when she was teaching in the countryside.

She had spent two years teaching in the village and liked the food there a lot.

She ate until she was full and noticed that Qingyu had brought out the soup again.

Each of the children’s soups had a poached egg in it.

Su Xiangwan picked up her chopsticks and discovered that there was also an egg in her soup. She knew it was because the old lady was trying to make sure the second son didn’t find out she had treated the sister-in-law poorly, so she was playing tricks.

But since it was there, she ate it without hesitation, smiling as she said, “The commune is much better than a few years ago. They even give out eggs now.”

“Each child gets three eggs a month, but the mice like to steal them, so we don’t have many,” Song Qingyu replied.

Su Xiangwan turned to her daughter and asked, “Zhi Zhi, your little aunt says the mice ruined the eggs. Isn’t that mouse annoying? Always stealing our eggs. Isn’t that right?”

“I don’t hate my mom. It’s you guys who hate her, hmph,” Jin Gui said, stupidly jumping right into the trap.

“The eggs aren’t for your mom, I was talking about the mouse, not your mom.”

“The eggs are for my mom. If you curse the mouse, you’re cursing my mom.”

Song Qingyu could no longer stand it.

With a loud slap, she hit Jin Gui across the mouth: “Can’t you just keep your mouth shut while eating?”

Jin Gui threw his chopsticks down with a crash: “Why is everyone hitting me today?”

He was about to hit Gou Dan, but Su Xiangwan shot him a sharp look, and with a cold stare, made him retract his hand.

“Alright, alright, let’s just eat. Talking at the dinner table is something only the hungry ghosts would do,” Old Man Song said as he placed his egg in Jin Gui’s bowl, saying, “Eat quickly, no more arguing.”

Gou Dan didn’t know how to express his joy, so he kept snuggling up to Su Xiangwan: “Mom, mom.”

Song Fu, the third child, was round and chubby, with double chins, and nonchalantly said: “In my grandpa’s house, I can eat three eggs in one meal. I’ve never seen people fight over eggs like this.”

Old Lady Song hurriedly covered the child’s mouth: “My dear grandchild, we shouldn’t talk about such things. Don’t say it, quickly close your mouth and eat.”

Song Fu was chubby and dressed nicely, with no patches on his clothes. In the current countryside, he looked like a different species.

It was said that before he was born, his grandmother dreamed of a white tiger with a golden forehead bowing down to her, and since then, she had been particularly fond of him.

Old Lady Song had remarried.

She had two daughters in her first marriage, and after her husband passed away, she remarried Song Dazhi, who was five years younger than her.

She gave birth to three sons and one daughter for him, making six children in total.

However, in her heart, only Song Qingyu and the third son, with his son Song Fu, were her lifeblood. The others were nothing more than vegetable roots.

……..

The morning passed uneventfully.

Su Xiangwan had to go to the fields, carrying little Zhi Zhi on her back, to work with the women in the commune.

Of course, some women in the village wanted to introduce potential husbands to her, while others encouraged her to remarry, and some advised her to stay single.

The women’s federation director, Sun Shufen, came specifically to advise her: “Gou Dan’s mom, we know you won’t do anything immoral. But do you know about the crime of indecency? Even if you have thoughts in your heart, you can’t mention Song Laoer anymore. He’s a soldier, we know that, and we also know he’s handsome, but he’s your brother-in-law, do you understand?”

In the hard times, there were very few disputes among the rural women, and no one scolded Su Xiangwan. Instead, everyone tried to comfort her, hoping she would think it over.

“Second Mom, I really don’t understand. I just wrote a letter to the second son asking him to help share the burden of feeding the donkey, so how did it turn into me liking Song Laoer? You guys are really something,” Su Xiangwan said, making light of the situation.

She was cutting beans. With one swing of the sickle, she neatly harvested them, doing a good job as always.

She had learned this when she helped the villagers during her teaching days.

Now, the only educated youth in the village, Tao Hongwu, stood up from the field and said with a smile: “This is just old-fashioned feudal ignorance, which should be overthrown. We’re doing things the right way, but some people’s hearts are twisted.”

Sun Shufen, the women’s federation director, couldn’t reply to that.

Tao Hongwu leaned in and whispered: “By the way, Zhao Guodong from the commune credit office asked me to inquire about you. He’s in a good position, and he doesn’t mind that you have three children. He’ll provide for you and the kids, truly. You don’t know, his father is a big official in the provincial capital, you wouldn’t believe it. Marrying him would be like your family’s ancestors having a blessed life.”

Su Xiangwan thought for a moment and agreed that Comrade Zhao was indeed quite handsome.

But unfortunately, Su Xiaonan had already set him up with a tragic fate. While the original body had a slight affection for him, he ended up being sent to forced labor.

In any case, the original body’s fate was that she was beautiful, with several children, and every man who saw her was infatuated with her, even to the point of obsession.

However, as soon as she showed even the slightest interest, their endings would all be miserable.

“I won’t marry anyone, I’ll just stay with my little Zhi Zhi,” Su Xiangwan turned and kissed the child on her back, raising her voice.

Song Jianguo sighed and said, “I married early, and I’ve met Song Qingshan. That man was a real talent. What’s there to see in Song Tingxiu? Really.”

Was Song Qingshan really that talented?

Su Xiangwan felt a sudden jolt in her heart.

Her one-year-old little Zhi Zhi was wiggling, clearly needing to pee.

Quickly, Su Xiangwan, amid the laughter of the other women, took Zhi Zhi off her back and hurried to find a place for the child to relieve himself.