Chapter 12: The Biased Mother-in-Law  

When Zhang Xiufang mentioned that the eldest household was having a tough time, she could not hide the glee on her face.  

She had long disliked Liu Xiaolan.  

Now, things had only worsened for them, leaving them with no hope at all.  

Chatting with passersby was not enough for Zhang Xiufang. She even went to the eldest household’s door, eager to watch their misfortune unfold.  

At that moment, inside the eldest household’s courtyard, Xu Mo’s eldest and second sisters-in-law were washing wild vegetables.  

They had returned early after collecting their share of pork, so they only learned about what had happened behind the threshing ground from the gossip of passing villagers.  

Leaning against the doorway, Zhang Xiufang spoke to the two women in the courtyard: “You’re about to have another sister-in-law. When the time comes, Xu Mo won’t be living in that shabby thatched hut at the back anymore. He’ll definitely move back to his own house, and then you won’t be able to keep occupying his bedroom.”  

She sighed exaggeratedly: “Ah! You two are really pitiful. Married into the wrong family, stuck with a fierce mother-in-law, and now without a proper house to live in. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to endure such a life.”  

“Look at my daughters-in-law! They don’t have to do anything, and they’re living well, enjoying themselves. Our household is getting more prosperous by the day. But look at yours… Ai…”  

Zhang Xiufang let out a long sigh. “Truly karma at work!”  

She stood at the courtyard gate, rambling on, but no one paid her any attention.  

The second sister-in-law, Li Ermei, finished washing the wild vegetables. She picked up the basin of water and flung it toward the entrance.  

“Pah! What stray dog is yapping at our door? Such bad luck.”  

“Aah! Are you blind?! You splashed water all over me!”  

Zhang Xiufang was furious, stomping her feet. The entire basin of water had drenched her from head to toe, leaving her completely soaked.  

Li Ermei sneered: “That was meant for you! You’re an old, shameless, wicked woman with a rotten heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys! You should’ve died long ago! Staying alive is just a nuisance—you’re nothing but an eyesore!”  

Li Ermei was fierce by nature. No matter who provoked her—be it distant relatives or close ones—if she was in a bad mood, she would not hesitate to lash out.  

But she did have one weakness: her mother-in-law, Liu Xiaolan, who was even fiercer than she was. That was someone she feared!  

“I am your Second Aunt! How dare you insult me? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?!”  

“Second Aunt? Even the dog raised by the Captain’s family feels closer to me than you do! You’re always belittling our second household, spreading nasty rumors about us everywhere. You’re nothing but a petty, smug wretch—it’s disgusting just looking at you! Let me warn you: if you dare say one more bad word about my family, I’ll slap you across the face!”

The eldest sister-in-law, Zhou Ying, did not want to stir up more trouble, so she quickly grabbed Li Ermei’s arm, trying to get her to say less.  

“Don’t hold me back! The kind get bullied, and the tame get ridden. The more we back down, the more these black-hearted wretches will take advantage of us. I’m going to curse her out!”  

“Well said! If anyone dares to bully us, we have to make sure they remember it for life!”  

Liu Xiaolan had already heard everything happening inside while she was outside.  

This second sister-in-law of hers was sharp-tongued, stingy, and not someone easy to deal with.  

Liu Xiaolan walked to the doorway, grabbed Zhang Xiufang by the back of her collar, and shoved her to the ground.  

“Get lost! If you keep lurking around my door, you won’t be leaving here in one piece today.”  

“You just wait! I’ll get Jianguo (Xu Mo’s Second Uncle) to deal with you all!”  

Zhang Xiufang was all talk—when it came to an actual fight, anyone could slap her across the face.  

With no other choice, she scurried back to her house, humiliated.  

“Pah! Disgusting piece of trash.” Liu Xiaolan spat before turning to enter the kitchen.  

“The second household did well today. And now that Old Third is finally getting married, I’m in a good mood. We’ll cook meat for lunch and eat white flour steamed buns.”  

Feeling pleased, Liu Xiaolan took out a slab of wild boar meat, then opened the cupboard, scooped a spoonful of white flour, and began kneading dough for the steamed buns.  

Zhou Ying and Li Ermei exchanged glances, immediately understanding each other.  

Li Ermei shot Zhou Ying a look: Go ask Mother if Shen Jiaojiao is really marrying into our family.  

Zhou Ying shook her head timidly, her expression hesitant: I don’t dare. You’re braver—why don’t you ask?  

Li Ermei rolled her eyes: Coward.  

Realizing that she had to rely on herself, she cleared her throat and asked: “Mother, is Shen Jiaojiao really marrying into our family?”  

“Mm.” Liu Xiaolan responded with a flat expression before glancing at the two of them. “Listen up. Old Third is finally getting married. Once Educated Youth Shen enters this house, you two are not allowed to bully her—you must treat her well.  

If she gets mistreated at home and refuses to stay with Old Third, I’ll skin you both alive.”  

Li Ermei pursed her lips. “She hasn’t even married in yet, and you’re already playing favorites…”

“What are you saying? You’re always gossiping and running your mouth. If you say one more word, you can forget about having lunch! Hurry up and get the fire going.”  

Zhou Ying quickly tugged on Li Ermei’s sleeve. “Stop talking already.”  

Li Ermei flung her hand aside, her temper flaring. “All you know is how to play nice. Coward.”  

After cursing, she stormed out of the kitchen.  

Zhou Ying did not take it to heart. She simply walked over to the earthen stove, sat down, and began tending to the fire.  

Liu Xiaolan glanced at her eldest daughter-in-law and rolled her eyes in disdain.  

“With that personality of yours, it’d be a miracle if you didn’t get bullied.”  

Zhou Ying chuckled sheepishly. “Suffering losses is a blessing.”  

Shen Jiaojiao returned to the Educated Youth Residence and stormed straight into Ye Huan’s dormitory.  

The Educated Youth Dormitory was an open sleeping area where ten people shared one heated brick bed.  

The entire bedroom was only about seven or eight square meters—cramped beyond imagination.  

It was midsummer, and the room was stuffy and sweltering. With no electric fan, everyone was drenched in sweat. Once the smell spread, it became unbearable.  

The women’s dormitory was slightly better since, compared to men, women tended to be more hygienic.  

But the men’s dormitory in summer? That stench was like fermented rotten sweet potatoes—a mix of foot odor, unwashed underwear from days ago, and cigarette smoke. The combination was absolutely revolting.  

It was around 10:30 in the morning, and the Educated Youths had started preparing their meals.  

Cooking was usually done in small groups of close acquaintances.  

After all, things like iron woks were expensive—buying one per person was quite extravagant.  

So pooling resources and cooking together solved the problem.  

Shen Jiaojiao barged into Ye Huan’s dormitory.  

Before anyone inside could react, she had already started pulling Ye Huan’s bedding, blankets, sleeping mat, and even the clothes from her trunk.  

She even reached for the cooking pot, intending to take it away.  

Ye Huan was already feeling awful today. Her period had just started, and earlier, Xu Mo had pushed her to the ground, scraping her knee raw. Now, she was utterly exhausted.  

As soon as she returned from the threshing ground, she had collapsed onto her bed, weak and drained.  

Seeing Shen Jiaojiao suddenly snatching her belongings, she let out a sharp scream and immediately scrambled up from the bed.  

“Jiaojiao, what are you doing? Why are you taking my bedding and clothes?”  

Shen Jiaojiao stared at her coldly. “I paid for all of these. Either you give me money to buy them from me, or if you have no money, I’ll be taking them back.”  

“Shen Jiaojiao, you’re going too far!” Ye Huan’s temper flared, and she shouted angrily at Shen Jiaojiao.