Chapter 3 

Yang Qiujin worked as the accountant for the production brigade. Her daily tasks involved reviewing and entering the brigade’s accounts, so she didn’t work in the fields like other members, giving her more free time.

When the team leader’s whistle sounded to start the workday, and everyone else went to get their farm tools and head to the fields, Li Xiu’e sent Tianyou to the commune school^[1]refers to a rural school organized by local communes. while Yang Qiujin prepared to visit her parents. She gathered a few soaked bamboo shoots, a dozen eggs, and two taels of white sugar wrapped in oil paper. She placed everything in a basket, covered it with a blue cloth, and headed to her parents’ home.

Yang Qiujin’s parents lived in the nearby Xinfeng Brigade, only a half-hour walk away.

She locked the gate and began walking down the village road. As she passed a low-walled courtyard next door, a thirty-year-old woman with a normal appearance, a round face, and slightly flat nose called out to her in a loud voice: “Hey, Third Sister-in-law, where are you going?”

Yang Qiujin’s second sister-in-law, Tian Chunlian, has always been at odds with her. The main reason for this is that Yang Qiujin’s mother-in-law, Li Xiu’e, is the second wife of Mr. Chen.

Tian Chunlian’s husband, Chen Shenggui, and her elder sister-in-law, Chen Shenghua, were born to her ex-mother-in-law. Yang Qiujin’s husband, Chen Shengqing, was born after Li Xiu’e married Mr. Chen.

The three siblings had a good relationship growing up, but Chen Shenggui and his sister always looked down on their timid stepmother, Li Xiu’e, treating her with disdain.

When Mr. Chen was alive, they could maintain an appearance of good terms. However, after his passing three years ago, Chen Shenggui and his sister completely broke ties with Li Xiu’e and divided the family property.

The Chen family’s old house, a large courtyard with eight houses and two livestock houses, was originally shared. Tian Chunlian wanted to evict Yang Qiujin, her mother-in-law, and daughter-in-law from the house to fully take over the courtyard. Yang Qiujin, however, would not allow herself to be bullied.

After a fierce battle, Yang Qiujin claimed nearly half of the house, yard, and private land. The next day, she built a high wall in the middle of the courtyard, creating a separate gate for her side. She kept to herself, and her second wife, Li Xiu’e, remained with her.

One day, when Yang Qiujin heard Tian Chunlian call her, she walked out of her house with an icy expression, “Go back to your parents’ home.”

Tian Chunlian ignored the indifference on her face, glancing into the basket in her hand. A gust of wind lifted the corner of the cloth covering the basket, revealing white eggs and sugar wrapped in oil paper. Tian Chunlian couldn’t help but feel sour. “How many times have you been back to your parents’ home this month? No matter how much you care for your parents, you’re married. How can you keep using your husband’s family’s things to support your parents? Aren’t you afraid of people gossiping about you?”

Before the family split, Yang Qiujin had no problem spending money on food, as her husband, Chen Shengqing, sent her money every month. She was the accountant of the brigade, one of the three major cadre members. Though her salary wasn’t high, her work points allowed her to trade for a lot of food at the year’s end. Yang Qiujin paid most for the household’s food, and Tian Chunlian’s two sons often ate meat, eggs, and fine grains thanks to her.

Since the separation, Tian Chunlian and her husband had become ordinary commune members. Their earnings barely fed their family, and they were reluctant to use even a drop of oil when cooking. Meat, eggs, and fine grains were luxuries they could not afford.

On the other hand, after the family split, Chen Shengqing sent more money and bills each month. The smell of meat and eggs often came from Yang Qiujin’s house, making Tian Chunlian and her sons greedy and envious.

Tian Chunlian hadn’t wanted the family to split. After all, she had Chen Shengqing as a cash cow, and Yang Qiujin had been generous, often buying things for her family. If the second and third wives had stayed together, they would have benefited from this.

But after Mr. Chen passed away, Li Xiu’e became ill, unable to get out of bed or eat. Yang Qiujin rushed her to a clinic, where doctors said she couldn’t be saved. She was transferred from town to county and city hospitals, spending a lot of money on her treatments.

Later, Yang Qiujin asked Tian Chunlian for money to help cover costs. Tian Chunlian felt there was no profit in helping the third wife, so after much argument, the family split.

A week after the split, the once ill stepmother, Li Xiu’e, had recovered completely and was energetic again, able to work hard. Meanwhile, Yang Qiujin’s life continued to improve.

Whenever Tian Chunlian smelled the aroma of meat coming from next door or saw her little nephew dressed in bright clothes while her sons wore patched, worn-out clothes, she became uncomfortable.

She suspected that her mother-in-law had faked her illness to manipulate the situation. Tian Chunlian felt that Yang Qiujin and her mother-in-law were teaming up to discipline her.

Yang Qiujin, initially ignoring her, finally responded, “Why do you care how many times I go back to my parents’ home or how much I give them? It’s none of your business. Besides, my mother-in-law didn’t complain. Why are you jumping up and down gossiping with other women in the village? If anyone dares to gossip, I’ll chop their hands off and feed them to the dogs! If my second sister-in-law is free, she should work harder and earn more work points so she can buy some meat for her sons.”

This was a sarcastic comment on Tian Chunlian’s jealousy, talkativeness, and incompetence.

Tian Chunlian was furious and spat on the ground in hatred, “How can you be so capable? You’re such a shrew. If Chen Shengqing ever comes back, he’ll kick you out and marry someone more gentle and virtuous. I wonder how long you’ll be so proud!”

Yang Qiujin turned her back, curling her lips in disdain.

When Chen Shengqing was a child, he was a model student in the Pioneer Brigade. He was known for being obedient, hardworking, and having excellent grades. Teachers loved him, and he was a role model to his peers. He was a “three-good youth” ^[2]a Chinese term used to describe a young person who is good in study, work, and behavior. praised by the brigade.

However, Yang Qiujin knew that behind this facade, Chen Shengqing was a cruel and ruthless person.

She once saw him, at just seven years old, trap a twelve-year-old boy who had bullied him into a sack and beat him until the boy was covered in blood and unable to report it. At nine, he killed a rabid dog that had mauled someone to death, doing so with a blank expression, and the blood covered the village road.

She also saw him tell a woman whose husband had beaten her, “If he hits you, stab him with a knife, or he’ll beat you to death, and your child will die too.” The woman did so, and her husband died.

What Chen Shengqing did was kept secret, but Yang Qiujin witnessed it every time.

She saw him by accident every time and hid carefully to peek, but he always discovered her.

It was the time he killed a mad dog in the middle of the night. He dragged the heavy body of the dog, holding a bloody knife, walking toward the bushes where she was hiding.

The bloody scene left strange traces on the village road. Under the moonlight, his small figure appeared like a demon from hell. She was so scared her heart pounded. She wanted to run but couldn’t move; she froze in place.

Soon, he stood in front of her, looking down at her. Seeing her trembling and on the verge of tears, he stretched out his bloody index finger and poked her forehead. With a gentle smile, he said, “Next time, remember to hide better. If I find you again, I’ll dig out your eyes.”

“Woo~” His gentle smile was so vicious. She was so scared, tears streaming down her face. She didn’t remember how she got home, only that Chen Shengqing was a devil. He wasn’t the good man everyone thought. He was a liar!

From then on, she decided to stay away from Chen Shengqing. But, to her surprise, they met again and later married. She gave him a child.

Many women in the brigade envied her for marrying Chen Shengqing. First, he was good-looking with a good temperament, the perfect man many women desired. Second, he was educated, unlike illiterate men who beat their wives. He never beat or scolded women. Third, he was a soldier, willing to send her money every month without asking her to save or restrict her spending.

After marrying Chen Shengqing, she was wronged. If not for her father and that woman’s interference, she would not have married him.

Chen Shengqing was a smiling tiger, gentle on the outside but cruel inside. She feared that if she angered him, he might kill her like a mad dog without warning.

Chen Shengqing had been away for many years. She was lonely but also grateful. If he returned and wanted a divorce, she would agree without hesitation.

She was capable of supporting herself. If necessary, she could remarry. It was better than dealing with a man whose thoughts were unpredictable every day.