Jianxiu didn’t say what it was, and Wang Xiuying didn’t ask.

She knew that Jianxiu now had her own ideas.

Most importantly, she knew that Jianxiu wouldn’t harm them.

After spending time together recently, Wang Xiuying had somewhat understood Jianxiu’s personality.

She knew that Jianxiu was someone who repaid grievances in full.

The kind of person who, if given an inch, would take a mile in return.

Besides, this trip was one she had planned on taking anyway.

Even though the third household had been separated from the main family, she still needed to take some of their belongings.

Not to mention anything else—at the very least, she had to take her dowry, right?

Though it wasn’t much, she wasn’t about to let them have it for free.

“Alright, Third Sister-in-law, you go ahead!”

“Mm, okay!”

With that, Wang Xiuying hurried off toward the old house.

Standing nearby, Zhang Zifu was completely confused by their conversation.

Only Zhang Zixuan seemed to understand Jianxiu’s intentions, but at the moment, he was too tired and exhausted to say anything.

….

After the third household left, the village chief, Zhang Wenyuan, sighed twice before leaving as well.

In his view, only a peaceful family could prosper.

Yet Old Zhang was becoming more stubborn with age.

“Father, is Zihua really going to let them stay at the village outskirts tonight? I’m worried he…”

“Sister-in-law, what are you worried about?”

“Didn’t we just say? No matter what, that wretched woman wouldn’t dare truly harm them. Besides, Mother is there. Even if she weren’t, Old Second is still her brother—what could she possibly do? In situations like this, the one who panics first loses.”

“Eldest Sister-in-law, listen to yourself! Of course, you’re not worried since it doesn’t involve Eldest Brother. But I have to say, Third Sister-in-law was completely right. You’re only saying this because it doesn’t affect you.”

Chen Sixi scoffed.

She was usually lazy, but at least she admitted it.

Unlike this woman, who wanted to be both the good guy and the bad guy at the same time.

Taking advantage of everything while pretending to be innocent—never suffering a single loss.

Thinking about how much silver they spent every year on Datou’s studies, Chen Sixi couldn’t help but blurt out:

“Honestly, it’s your eldest household that benefits the most! Not to mention, every year, Datou’s studies cost over twenty taels of silver. If that money had been used to treat Old Fourth and Old Third’s legs, they might have been cured by now!”

At this moment, Chen Sixi finally realized she couldn’t let the eldest household take advantage of them anymore.

Now that the third household had been separated, if she let the eldest household have their way, then wouldn’t all the fieldwork fall on their second household?

Thinking about how the third and fourth households had suffered before, Chen Sixi decided she wouldn’t be that foolish.

Besides, when it came to shared family money, the eldest household was the one spending the most.

Why should the second household do all the work?

Hearing this, Fang Miaojun immediately retorted, “Second Sister-in-law, how can you say that? When Tianyi succeeds in the future, won’t your second household benefit as well?”

“That’s not for sure! Who can say for certain?” Chen Sixi said irritably.

Who even knew if Zhang Tianyi would succeed?

Even if he did, all the glory would belong to the eldest household.

At best, the second household would get some leftovers.

And knowing Fang Miaojun’s personality, those leftovers would probably be as bland as plain water.

“Enough, enough! Stop arguing! Are we eating tonight or not? If not, just go to bed!” Old Zhang snapped.

Even in his wildest dreams, he hadn’t expected so much to happen today.

If he had known, he would have stopped them from running to the village outskirts, no matter what.

At least then, Old Third wouldn’t have gotten injured in the rush.

After all, Old Third was the best farmer in the family—what a waste.

Now that he was detained outside the village, Old Zhang had no immediate solution.

If only he could beat that wretched Jianxiu…

Fang Miaojun wanted to argue further, but seeing her father-in-law’s dark expression, she immediately shut her mouth.

Everyone was exhausted, but with wild boar meat in the house, how could they not eat?

Especially Zhang Zirong—he hadn’t had meat in ages.

So, he whispered to Fang Miaojun, “Go cook a couple of good dishes. There are fewer people tonight, so we can eat a bit more.”

Hearing this, Fang Miaojun agreed.

She hurried toward the kitchen but suddenly turned back to Chen Sixi and said:

“Second Sister-in-law, I’m going to cook now. Can you go cut some pig grass? Also…”

“Why can’t your Ertou do it? Why are you asking me?” Chen Sixi immediately retorted.

Did she think she was as gullible as the third and fourth households?

Letting her order them around?

Now that their mother-in-law wasn’t here and their father-in-law didn’t care about these matters, no one could boss her around.

“Oh? Second Sister-in-law, you’re wrong about this. I’m not idle either, am I? And cutting pig grass is originally your second household’s job. If you don’t do it, who will? Do you really think you can order my Ertou around?”

Fang Miaojun wasn’t easy to deal with either.

She had suffered multiple losses to Chen Sixi today.

If she didn’t push back now, wouldn’t all the pig grass duties fall on the eldest household in the future?

That was absolutely unacceptable.

Hearing Fang Miaojun’s words, Chen Sixi hesitated slightly.

She wasn’t entirely wrong—cutting pig grass had always been their second household’s responsibility.

Previously, the third and fourth households’ children had helped.

But now, with only two households left, she had no choice but to do it.

Still, the thought of being stuck with this task every day made her unwilling.

So, she argued, “Eldest Sister-in-law, now that the third household is gone, we should redistribute the chores. You can’t just dump all the pig grass duties on the second household!”

“We’ll talk about it when Mother returns. But for tonight, you have to do it. Besides, am I not busy cooking?”

“I’d rather cook than cut pig grass! Going out at night to cut pig grass—what if I run into a venomous snake? Would I even make it back?”

Saying that, Chen Sixi spat fiercely on the ground.

“Ugh, bad luck, bad luck…”