That afternoon, the rain didn’t stop. Instead, it poured even harder.

Lu Qingyuan stayed inside, playing cat’s cradle with Jiasheng and Lusheng using a ball of yarn.

The two brothers took turns playing, while she remained a constant opponent—an iron-willed aunt against a rotating lineup of nephews.

Her slender and nimble fingers weaved effortlessly, switching from one pattern to another. Whenever the boys barely managed to pull the strings into two parallel lines, she would swiftly twist them into a different design.

When Jiasheng got tired, he handed the yarn to Lusheng, who eagerly took over to continue the game with her.

Meanwhile, Lu Qingming and his brothers were playing chess, while the older men were still discussing clearing land for farming.

As for the women, Mother Lu and the other sisters-in-law had gone out to visit neighbors.

Eldest Sister-in-law Lu and Second Sister-in-law Lu sat behind Lu Qingyuan, mending their children’s pants. Kids went through clothes the fastest, and every so often, patches had to be added or hems adjusted.

“I really want another daughter, but no matter what, my belly just won’t cooperate,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu sighed.

Sitting so close, Lu Qingyuan could hear their conversation clearly. She perked up at this.

“I feel the same,” Second Sister-in-law Lu added. “When I had Lusheng, he came too quickly. My mother said giving birth too fast wasn’t good for me and told me to wait a couple of years before trying again. But now, Lusheng is already so big, and still, nothing. It’s starting to worry me.”

“Just let things take their course,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu consoled. “But whatever you do, don’t take any of those strange remedies.”

Even though she was anxious herself, she still reassured her younger sister-in-law.

After Jiasheng and Lusheng got bored of playing, Lu Qingyuan put away the yarn and turned to her sisters-in-law.

“What strange remedies?”

Seeing their little sister-in-law’s curiosity, the two women didn’t hide anything. With her marriage approaching soon, they figured they should share more with her so she wouldn’t be at a disadvantage in her future home.

“Let’s not even talk about others—just look at our Fifth Aunt,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu scoffed. “That old woman, Grandma Yao, kept finding her all kinds of folk remedies, claiming they’d help her give birth to a son.”

The mere mention of Fifth Aunt’s mother-in-law filled her with displeasure.

“I remember seeing Fifth Aunt drink medicine all the time when I was little,” Lu Qingyuan recalled. “She even cried while drinking it.”

“Those so-called fertility remedies are filled with all sorts of disgusting things. The whole ‘having a son’ nonsense is just an excuse—what they’re really doing is tormenting women!”

Second Sister-in-law Lu lowered her voice and whispered, “Some of them even have a pregnant woman’s urine and feces in them.”

Lu Qingyuan: ???

She was utterly baffled and deeply shocked.

“Child’s urine is considered mild compared to that,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu added in a hushed tone. “Some remedies even call for raw rooster eggs, saying the fresher, the better. Ugh, who in their right mind could stomach that?”

Lu Qingyuan clutched her mouth. “Sister-in-law, stop! I feel sick just hearing this!”

“Alright, alright,” Second Sister-in-law Lu laughed and patted her back. “That’s why Fifth Aunt is so impatient with Grandma Yao now. After everything she put her through, it’s no wonder.”

“And as for Fifth Uncle,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu curled her lip. “He used to obey Grandma Yao’s every word. If Fifth Aunt hadn’t threatened to leave him that year, he’d probably still be letting his mother scold his wife without saying a word.”

Lu Qingyuan thought about her Fifth Uncle—indeed, he was the quiet type. Even during New Year gatherings, when he sat with her father and uncles, he was always the most silent one.

“Little Sister, remember this,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu said seriously.

“If your in-laws are reasonable, then fine. But if they’re the type who don’t know boundaries, you have to be smart. Win your husband’s heart. If he stands by you, then you’ll be able to live a good life.”

“Exactly,” Second Sister-in-law Lu agreed. “At the end of the day, it’s your husband you’ll grow old with. Parents and children will all leave you eventually.”

Lu Qingyuan blinked and said firmly, “If his family is unreasonable, and he refuses to move out and live separately with me, then I just won’t stay with him.”

“That works too,” Eldest Sister-in-law Lu nodded approvingly. “Either way, we’ll always have your back!”

“That’s right! With your looks and education, finding a good man won’t be a problem!”

Second Sister-in-law Lu was very confident in her younger sister-in-law.

“Ahem.”

Lu Qingming, who had come over to drink water, overheard their conversation. Seeing the three women turn to look at him, he muttered, “You haven’t even started living together yet, and you’re already thinking about separating?”

“Oh dear, we got carried away talking.”

Eldest Sister-in-law Lu felt a little embarrassed.

“That’s right.”

Second Sister-in-law Lu’s face also turned slightly red. “Qingyuan, we still hope your fiancé and his family are good people.”

“I know, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law. You’re both looking out for me.”

Lu Qingyuan affectionately wrapped her arms around their elbows, then waved Lu Qingming away with slight disdain. “We’re having a conversation between women. You don’t need to listen.”

“Alright.”

Lu Qingming shook his head, carrying his enamel cup as he walked away. Deep down, he couldn’t help but sympathize with his future brother-in-law, whom he had yet to meet.

Of course, if this man turned out to be unreliable, he would never let his sister continue interacting with him.

As soon as he left, Lu Qingyuan and her sisters-in-law burst into giggles.

That evening, when Mother Lu and the others returned, they brought back a small piece of news.

“Yanyan has a fiancé now. Just as we were leaving your Fifth Aunt’s house, she came back carrying two catties of meat. She said her fiancé bought it for her.”

Eldest Sister-in-law Lu asked curiously, “Who is he?”

“We don’t know. You should have seen the look on your Fifth Aunt’s face. She probably doesn’t even know herself.”

Second Aunt Lu shook her head.

A fiancé the elders didn’t know about most likely meant Lu Yanyan had chosen him herself.

No one asked further.

Lu Qingyuan, however, thought for a moment. Could the fiancé be Tan Chang’an? But then she figured it didn’t really matter.

If it really was him, she could discreetly remind her cousin. The only concern was that if her cousin didn’t appreciate the warning and misunderstood her intentions, things could get awkward.

After agreeing to come over and help early the next morning, Second Uncle Lu and Third Uncle Lu’s families returned to their own homes to cook dinner.

The wild vegetables and mountain goods they had brought back were left at Lu Qingyuan’s place for now. Since they would all be coming over to eat again the next day, it made sense to keep everything there.

That night, Lu Qingyuan didn’t sleep well. It was stuffy and hot, so she opened the wooden window to let in some fresh air.

Worried about her grandmother, she got up, lit a kerosene lamp with a match, and stepped out of her room—only to see her father emerging from Grandma Lu’s room with his own kerosene lamp.

“I just checked on her. She’s fine. Go back to sleep.”

Father Lu spoke gently to his youngest daughter.

“Alright.”

Lu Qingyuan smiled upon hearing that, turned back into her room, closed the door, and blew out the lamp. She soon fell into a deep sleep and didn’t wake up until the rooster crowed the next morning.

She hurried to get dressed and stepped out while still holding the wooden comb her father had made for her. As she walked, she ran the comb through her hair.

“Eldest Sister-in-law, Mother, why didn’t you wake me up?”

Upon entering the kitchen and seeing the two women preparing breakfast, Lu Qingyuan feigned a small pout.

“You were running around with those boys all day yesterday. You must be exhausted. Besides, it’s raining today. Why wake up so early?”

Mother Lu tossed a piece of firewood into the stove and turned to look at her daughter.

“Qingyuan, you should dress up nicely today. You’re already beautiful, but a little extra effort will make you look even better.”

Second Sister-in-law Lu entered the kitchen, having just finished cleaning the chicken coop. She teased Lu Qingyuan as she watched her braid her hair.

“If he really likes me, even if I look messy and dusty, he’ll still think I’m beautiful.”

Lu Qingyuan swiftly tied her braid and tucked the wooden comb behind the wall hook before washing her hands to help with breakfast.

“Now that’s a great mindset.”

Second Sister-in-law Lu couldn’t stop laughing.

“That’s true.”

Eldest Sister-in-law Lu recalled her first meeting with Lu Qingming. She had just returned from carrying a load of firewood, all dirty and sweaty, yet Lu Qingming still went home and told his parents that she was the one.

Mother Lu also remembered this and shot Eldest Sister-in-law Lu a playful look. Eldest Sister-in-law Lu’s face instantly turned bright red.

“Where’s Eldest Brother and the others?”

“Your eldest brother left early for town to buy supplies. Your second brother and your father went to check the fields. The rain was heavy last night, and they’re worried the water might have damaged the field ridges. They needed to check to make sure everything’s fine.”

Mother Lu explained.

“The rain has been frequent these past few days.”

Second Sister-in-law Lu sighed, thinking about the land reclamation efforts. “The new secretary insists on opening up new farmland, but the soil in the wasteland is hard as a rock, and the area is full of stones. Digging is no easy task.”

“That’s true, but as your father said,” Mother Lu reminded her daughter and daughter-in-law, “it’s fine for us to grumble among ourselves, but be careful not to let the new secretary hear you.”

“Understood.”

Lu Qingyuan, Eldest Sister-in-law, and Second Sister-in-law all responded in unison.