Chapter 4

The kitchen was, after all, too dangerous, and Er Bao and Xiao Bao were both lively children. If they got hurt, it would not be good. 

After much coaxing, Shen Yiyi finally managed to pacify them by taking out a few pieces of White Rabbit Creamy Candy from her storage space.  

The two little ones had never seen White Rabbit Creamy Candy before, and their mouths watered at the sight of it. 

Obediently, they took the candy, but instead of leaving, they stood at the doorway, watching intently.  

Shen Yiyi found it amusing. When she turned back, she noticed Da Bao sneaking glances at her. She smiled at him and peeled a piece of candy and placed it in his mouth. “Da Bao, open your mouth. Is it good?”  

“Mm!” Da Bao felt a little shy because his Mom had fed him.  

“Good boy.” Shen Yiyi said, patting his head. 

Since Da Bao was helping her, she decided to start preparing the food.  

“Mom?” Da Bao hesitated.  

“Yes?”  

“Can I have one more piece of candy?”  

“Of course you can. I didn’t give you another one earlier because your hands were dirty.” Shen Yiyi explained, thinking that Da Bao had noticed both of his younger brothers received two pieces each while he had only eaten one.

She didn’t want him to misunderstand.  

She took out two more pieces and carefully placed them into the pocket of his clothes. “Since Da Bao is helping Mom with the fire, I’ll reward you with one extra piece. But you can’t eat too many, okay? We’ll be having our meal soon, and if you eat too much, you might get cavities…”  

Da Bao saw that his Mom had misunderstood and quickly explained: “No, Mom, I want to save it for Dad. I’ve never seen him eat candy before…”  

Shen Yiyi’s throat tightened. 

She hadn’t meant to cry, but her tears betrayed her.  

Da Bao panicked when he saw her tears. “Mom, do you not want me to give it to Dad? Then I won’t. Please don’t cry.” He had heard that Mom didn’t like Dad. Even Dad himself had said so.  

At the doorway, Er Bao and Xiao Bao, who had been eating their candy, immediately became anxious upon hearing this. They rushed over. “Mom, don’t cry!”  

“Mom isn’t crying. Mom is just happy that her babies are so thoughtful.” 

Shen Yiyi quickly wiped her tears. She then took out a handful of milk candies from her storage. “How could Mom not want to give Dad some? But these are for you all to eat. Mom has plenty more here. When the time comes, we’ll give Dad lots of them, okay?”

“Mom, really?” The Three Baos eagerly asked. “Do you like Dad just like us? Do you also want to save candy for him?”  

Shen Yiyi looked at them and saw that each of them still held a piece of candy in their little hands, untouched. 

She was overwhelmed with emotion—Li Chen had truly raised them well.  

“Really.” she said. “Mom likes your Dad very much.”  

“Then…” Da Bao mustered up his courage. “Mom, does that mean you won’t leave us and Dad anymore?”  

Er Bao and Xiao Bao also looked at her nervously.  

“I won’t!” Shen Yiyi’s heart was filled with tenderness. “Mom will never leave the Three Baos, and I won’t leave your Dad either.”  

“Yay!” Er Bao and Xiao Bao jumped up in excitement.  

Da Bao’s eyes sparkled with joy.  

Shen Yiyi’s heart melted at the sight. “Alright now, go outside and eat your candy. Mom needs to start cooking.”  

Er Bao pulled Xiao Bao outside, but Da Bao stayed behind in the kitchen to tend the fire.  

——-

Shen Yiyi prepared an egg and seaweed soup, stir-fried potatoes with cured meat, and the fish that Xiao Bao had just brought back.  

Li Chen had already cleaned the fish, so all she needed to do was rinse it before cooking, which didn’t take much time.  

The air was soon filled with a rich, mouthwatering aroma that drifted far and wide.  

People on their way home from work for lunch passed by, their stomachs already growling with hunger. The scent in the air made them even hungrier.  

“That smells like meat! Who’s cooking meat?” someone exclaimed in surprise. These days, it was hard enough for people to have full meals, let alone eat meat. Besides, it was harvest season—every household was busy gathering crops. Who had the time to go into town to buy meat?

“It seems to be coming from Li Chen’s house.” someone followed the scent and sniffed in that direction.  

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly found it unsurprising.  

That delicate little Educated Youth Li Chen had married—she was indeed pretty, but she was also unbearably pampered. She couldn’t carry anything heavy, nor could she lift a hand to do real work. Lazy, indifferent to Li Chen and the children, she didn’t even eat with them. Instead, she cooked separately for herself.  

But then again, she was a city girl with money. It was said that her family sent her money every month, so even if she didn’t work, she could still eat well and drink well. She had no need to rely on Li Chen at all.  

With these thoughts in mind, the villagers watched with the anticipation of seeing a spectacle.  

Among them walked a tall man, carrying a hoe over his shoulder. He had a close-cropped military-style haircut, sharp and chiseled features, and narrow, piercing eyes that held a hint of danger. His strong, athletic build only added to his striking appearance.  

However, his entire presence exuded an air of don’t mess with me, making even the young women and married ladies—who found his rugged looks captivating—hesitate to steal another glance.  

This was, after all, the infamous tyrant of Qingshui Brigade.  

It was said that his delicate wife, Shen Yiyi, had been forced to marry him after he ruined her reputation.  

Sigh. No wonder Shen Yiyi didn’t care for him or his children. She was, after all, a fragile Educated Youth from the city. How could she possibly fancy a rough, poor, and ill-tempered country man like Li Chen?  

This was how the women—who claimed to hate him but secretly held grudges born from unrequited admiration—consoled themselves.  

The men in the village, however, had no such concerns. They might think Shen Yiyi was lazy and neglectful, but that didn’t stop them from being envious of Li Chen for landing such a delicate, well-educated, and beautiful wife.  

Unable to resist, someone sourly remarked: “Li Chen, we’re all jealous of you! Your wife is surprisingly virtuous. She knows how hard you’ve been working for the harvest, so she even cooked meat for you. You’re really lucky!”  

The words dripped with sarcasm.  

Who in Qingshui Brigade didn’t know that Li Chen and Shen Yiyi had separate cooking stoves?  

“Looking to die?” Li Chen rested the hoe on his shoulder, his sharp eyes narrowing ever so slightly—enough to send a chill down their spines.

Zhao Si immediately shrank back.  

“Zhao Si, what’s wrong? Are you jealous? Too bad you won’t get a taste no matter how much you want it!” Chen Qiang sneered from behind Li Chen.  

He was one of the brothers who had followed Li Chen in their early years. Though they had all “washed their hands clean” of trouble, their bond remained strong. There was no way he would tolerate Zhao Si mocking Li Chen.  

Zhao Si’s legs went weak, and he hastily quickened his pace, putting some distance between them.  

“Coward.” Chen Qiang scoffed as he watched Zhao Si scurry away. 

Then he turned to Li Chen. “Brother Chen, don’t take it to heart. They’re just running their mouths.”  

Li Chen glanced at Chen Qiang. His expression finally softened a little in front of his brother. “If I had taken it to heart, I wouldn’t be this calm.”  

Chen Qiang let out a breath of relief but hesitated before speaking again. “Brother Chen, why don’t you come eat at my place? I’ll ask my wife to make extra, and we can have the Three Baos over too.”  

Chen Qiang knew very well that Shen Yiyi wouldn’t have cooked for Li Chen, and the Three Baos likely wouldn’t have a share either. Li Chen would probably have to make his own meal when he got home.  

On normal days, it might not be such a big deal. But during harvest season, after an exhausting morning in the fields, returning home to cook before heading back to work was too much. 

Even if a man was made of iron, he wouldn’t be able to hold up under such strain!  

Chen Qiang felt both frustrated and distressed for Li Chen.  

The entire village believed that Li Chen had been the one who forced himself on Shen Yiyi, ruining her reputation and leaving her no choice but to marry him.  

But as Li Chen’s brother, Chen Qiang knew the truth.  

It was Shen Yiyi who had wanted to trap that bastard Lin Jiadong, an Educated Youth, by drugging him and forcing him into marriage after spending the night together.  

But in a twist of fate, it had been Li Chen who had unknowingly consumed the drug, leading to what happened between them.  

Chen Qiang had thought about exposing the truth many times, but for some reason, it was as if Li Chen had been put under a spell. 

He would rather bear the blame and be misunderstood than let anything tarnish Shen Yiyi’s reputation.