Bai Xingxing hurried to the hospital to deliver food to Tang Liren and the others, then quickly left again.

Only then did the family sit around the dining table in the courtyard to eat.

Bai Xingxing said, “…When I went to deliver the food, I told Mom about Fourth Sister earning money by selling eggs. Mom was overjoyed, saying Fourth Sister was doing well. She even knows how to make money, buy meat, and show filial piety to her parents. Once things calm down, Mom said she’d make white sugar cakes for Fourth Sister!”

Bai Taotao’s eyes lit up. “White sugar cakes? Are they better than meat?”

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh.

Hongdou said, “Fourth Aunt, white sugar cakes are better than meat! Especially the ones Grandma makes. They’re so soft and fluffy. When you eat them hot, they melt in your mouth like honey—so fragrant and sweet!”

Bai Taotao licked her lips.

Huangdou added, “White sugar cakes are a hundred times better than meat!”

Bai Taotao suddenly found meat less appealing. “Then let’s hurry and get Second Brother divorced so Mom can make white sugar cakes soon!”

Everyone: …

Tan Fenghui said, “Taotao, do you really dislike your second sister-in-law that much?”

Bai Taotao thought carefully but couldn’t recall a single memory of Chen Lanfen. She simply said, “I don’t even know her…”

Everyone exchanged looks.

That was true. Chen Lanfen had been married into the Bai family for over three months but wasn’t close to anyone. Out of thirty days in a month, she spent over twenty at her parents’ house.

Even so, whenever she was at her in-laws’, she frequently quarreled with people and especially enjoyed stirring up trouble. Whenever she overheard some “confidential matter” in the main house, she would immediately tell Chen Juxiang, causing tension and discord.

Whenever Tang Liren scolded Chen Lanfen lightly, she would cry and complain everywhere that her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law were difficult to get along with.

Over time, the family stopped talking to her.

Bai Taotao was the simplest person—she could tell who treated her well. If even she said she didn’t know Chen Lanfen, the others felt this woman clearly wasn’t on the same page as their family.

Everyone lowered their heads and continued eating.

The fragrant rice, paired with cabbage stewed with pork, drizzled with a spoonful of meat juice, was incredibly delicious!

While eating, Bai Xingxing suddenly remembered something. “Oh right, it seems Second Sister-in-law had a difficult labor! Mom said the baby was too big to deliver naturally and that they had to perform surgery to cut her abdomen open…”

Bai Taotao, shocked, widened her eyes while chewing a piece of stewed meat, forgetting to swallow.

—Was childbirth that scary?

Tan Fenghui was also startled. Hugging her stomach, she asked, “A C-section? Has it already been done?”

Bai Xingxing said, “Probably, it seems like it’s being done now…”

Tan Fenghui was worried. “If the baby is too big to deliver, they have to cut the abdomen open? Oh my, is the baby in my belly too big?”

Bai Zhengqian reassured her, “Don’t scare yourself! She’s different from you. When she first married into our family, she was so thin a gust of wind could blow her away… Just look at her appetite! When I used to forge iron, she ate more than me! After living with us for three months, with plenty of food every day, she’s gained at least fifty pounds!”

Bai Lili also comforted Tan Fenghui. “Don’t worry, Sister-in-law. When you gave birth to Hongdou and Huangdou, everything went smoothly. It’ll be fine this time too.”

Tan Fenghui thought about it but still felt uneasy. “I’ll go to the hospital after lunch and let Mom take a break. Dongsheng can come with me to get a check-up.”

Bai Zhengqian said, “Go ahead! Lizi, you can also go and see if you can help.”

Bai Lili said, “I wanted to go to the market to see if I could stock up on live chickens and ducks…”

Tan Fenghui considered. “How about this: we’ll first check out the market together, then head to the hospital. If everything’s fine with Second Sister-in-law, I’ll handle things there, and you can go about your business. But if I can’t manage alone, you’ll stay and help. Once we’re there, Mom can take a break. With her around, everything will be taken care of.”

Bai Lili nodded. “Let’s do that!”

Bai Taotao, less energetic than Xingxing, felt exhausted after running around all morning. After a full meal, she dozed off.

When she woke up, she heard her mother Tang Liren talking.

“…Oh, and on my way back, I ran into Caixia at the alley entrance. She asked if I knew anyone who spoke a foreign language. I told her I’m just a rural woman, where would I know someone like that! She asked if the educated youth in the village knew any foreign languages. I said, huh! They call themselves intellectuals, but in my opinion, they’re not at that level…”

Bai Zhengqian said, “What about Song Zhi? Last time, he told me he knows two foreign languages. By the way, why is Caixia looking for someone who knows a foreign language?”

Tang Liren replied, “How would I know? She just asked, and I overheard it…”

“Mom!” Bai Taotao exclaimed excitedly, sitting up suddenly. Sure enough, she saw her mother sitting by the heated bed.

She rushed over and hugged her. “Mom, you must be exhausted!”

Tang Liren lovingly held her daughter. “I’m not tired. I’ve been back and slept with you for two hours. I even woke up before you did, my good girl. I heard you went to sell eggs early this morning? You must be worn out!”

Bai Taotao nodded. “I was tired in the morning! But I’m fine now. Mom, I earned money to buy meat. Was the cabbage stewed with meat at lunch good?”

“It was delicious!” Tang Liren said with a smile. “It was the best cabbage stewed with meat I’ve ever had!”

Bai Taotao beamed with pride. “Taotao will keep working hard to earn money so Dad and Mom can eat meat every day!”

Tang Liren laughed heartily, feeling all her worries fade away, thanks to her beautiful and sweet daughter. Her mood improved immensely.

Bai Taotao then asked a few questions about the hospital.

Tang Liren, not wanting to say too much, briefly explained the situation:

—Chen Lanfen had undergone a C-section and gave birth to a nine-pound, eight-ounce baby boy. Both mother and child were safe.
—Bai Dongsheng and Tan Fenghui were currently at the hospital, while Tang Liren and Nansheng were resting.
—The family will take turns caring for Chen Lanfen at the hospital.
—The doctor said Chen Lanfen would be discharged in seven days and would need at least a month to recover.

As she spoke, Tang Liren added, “Your second uncle and his family are arriving the day after tomorrow. Everyone’s preparing.”

Bai Taotao understood.

The upcoming divorce battle between Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law might also turn into the Bai family’s splitting battle.

Bai Zhengqian laughed and said, “Taotao, don’t worry about not having meat to eat. Your Eldest Sister-in-law, Third Sister, and Xingxing went to buy chickens and ducks. They bought forty or fifty live ones, including an old hen that laid an egg as soon as it got home… Do you want to go outside and see?”

Bai Taotao’s eyes lit up!

She had never seen a hen lay an egg before. Her sisters once told her that when eggs were first laid, their shells were soft and only hardened after a while.

She had to see it for herself!

==

Two days later, members of the Bai family arrived in the county town, all tired from the long journey.

This included Chen Juxiang and the families of Bai Zhengqian’s three brothers.

They arrived with a large group—about seventy or eighty people, all carrying children and supporting the elderly. At first, they didn’t know the reason for the trip and thought it was to celebrate Chen Lanfeng giving birth to a healthy grandson for the Bai family. They were laughing and chatting all the way until they arrived at the Bai family’s courtyard, only to find that everyone there looked worried and upset.

The mood shifted instantly. No one knew what was going on, so they all fell silent, afraid to speak.

Chen Juxiang didn’t notice how bad the expressions on Bai Zhengqian and his wife’s faces were.

She was more focused on the house.

The house had white walls and green tiles with a tall roof and large courtyard. The layout was in a “concave” shape, with two-story buildings. The main house, the east wing, and the other rooms were all two-story, and everything—inside and outside—was neat and tidy.

It was clear this was a house for wealthy people.

“Whose house is this?” Chen Juxiang asked.

Tang Liren replied, “It’s rented.”

Chen Juxiang’s eyes sparkled. “Rented? How much is the rent?”

Tang Liren answered, “Two yuan a day.”

Chen Juxiang showed a mix of envy and sympathy. “Two yuan a day! You really spent that much?”

Why spend money on renting a house in the city? They could have used it for something else!

Tang Liren said, “Mom, we didn’t rent the house for fun. It’s because your granddaughter, Chen Lanfeng, is giving birth!”

Chen Juxiang dismissed it. “What woman doesn’t give birth? Why bother renting a house in the city just because she’s having a baby?”

Tsk, tsk,  the eldest branch really had money to burn. They rented a house for two yuan a day just like that! What a waste! It would be great if she had that money.

At that moment, the children suddenly started arguing.

Huangdou and Shitou (the eldest son of the second branch, four years old) were playing together. Huangdou was showing off his collection: two similar-sized sticks, two almost identical “Y”-shaped tree branches, and several stones with unusual patterns.

Huangdou said, “Shitou, look, these sticks are our golden cudgel! And this tree branch—Uncle Aimin (second branch’s second son) will help us attach rubber bands to turn it into a slingshot! And look at these stones… don’t they look like the Monkey King?”

Suddenly, Guicai (the son of the fourth branch’s Li Cui’er, eight years old) rushed over, grabbed a stick, and began swinging it around.

Huangdou panicked. “Guicai, give it back to me!”

Guicai mocked Huangdou. “You two think you’re worthy of being the Monkey King? You’re so fat, you’re Zhu Bajie!” He then pointed the stick at Shitou. “You can’t even hit a fart with three swings, you’re Sha Wujing! I’m the Monkey King—hey! Demon, where are you going?”

Not only did he grab the stick, but he also tried to take the stone from Huangdou’s hand.

Huangdou had already prepared, gripping the stone tightly and refusing to let go.

When Guicai couldn’t take it, he pinched Huangdou hard.

Huangdou cried out in pain, “Guicai, you took my golden cudgel and pinched me…”

Guicai, embarrassed and angry, shoved Huangdou forcefully. Huangdou lost his balance and fell to the ground, crying loudly.

Shitou quickly grabbed another stick and hit Guicai with it, angrily shouting, “Give the golden cudgel back to Huangdou!”

Guicai quickly threw down the stick and pretended to collapse on the ground, crying and making a scene. “Ah! I don’t want to live anymore! You’re all bullying me!”

It was unclear who muttered under their breath.

“Guicai is just like his mother, always lying on the ground and crying when things don’t go his way!”

Chen Juxiang’s attention was drawn to Guicai’s crying, and she hurried over. Without a word, she raised her hand and slapped Shitou across the face, making a loud “slap!” while angrily scolding, “You little bastard, who are you bullying?”

Shitou was stunned, hurt, and his eyes filled with tears. Yet, he bit his lip, stubbornly refusing to cry, glaring at Chen Juxiang with a mix of grievance and anger.

Second Aunt Bai hurriedly rushed over and pulled Shitou into her arms. She said to Chen Juxiang, “Mom, the child was wrong, but why hit him? How could you behave like that?”

As she removed Shitou’s clothes, everyone could see a large red palm print on his shoulder.

Everyone knew the situation but was reluctant to speak, given Chen Juxiang’s seniority. They could only glare angrily.

Chen Juxiang was furious.

The three boys of the fourth branch were her favorites, and yet, the second branch dared to favor Shitou over Guicai?

Chen Juxiang shouted furiously, “Are you blind or deaf? Did you see your child hitting Guicai? I’m old, and I still have to teach your child for you. Don’t you feel guilty? If you could teach your grandson properly, would he dare to hit Guicai? Guicai is his uncle!”

Aunt Bai stood quietly, unsure of how to respond. Chen Juxiang’s obvious partiality, though delivered in the guise of righteousness, left her speechless. She could only hold Shitou tightly, her eyes turning red with anger.

At this moment, Bai Lili had already gone to pick up Huangdou, who had fallen, and took him to Bai Taotao.

Bai Taotao was the family’s protected treasure, and she was always in the safest place.

Bai Taotao held Huangdou, looked at the bruise on his hand, and loudly said, “Huangdou, do you know why Grandmother is so biased?”

Huangdou, only four years old, didn’t understand why Grandmother always favored the fourth branch, but he had no idea why. He sniffled and shook his head, “No… I don’t know.”

Bai Taotao sighed, “Because she’s your grandfather’s stepmother. Step-parents are like this. They don’t hesitate to hit the children of the first wife.”

The courtyard immediately fell silent.

Chen Juxiang’s face turned ashen.

Huangdou was stunned and asked, “Then… what about my real grandmother?”

Bai Taotao sighed again, “Your real grandmpther is no longer here. If she were, seeing Huangdou being bullied by your stepmother’s grandson, she would have been heartbroken!”

Huangdou burst into tears. “I don’t want a bad grandmother. I want my real grandmother…”

The eyes of the seventy or eighty people all focused on Chen Juxiang.

Chen Juxiang was so furious that she nearly exploded, her face dark with anger as she glared at Bai Taotao.

But she was stopped by Bai Nansheng.

Bai Nansheng’s face was even darker than Chen Juxiang’s, his eyes filled with a blood-red fury.