But twenty yuan was a bit too little. Having read the original novel, Jiang Qiuyue knew her husband actually earned sixty yuan a month.  

At the thought, she returned to her room, found paper and a pen, and immediately started writing to her husband. *Since he lives and eats at the military base, what does he need so much money for? If he’s not spending it on his wife and kids, what’s the point of hoarding it?*  

Jiang Qiuyue wrote without hesitation. But when she finished and prepared to mail the letter, she suddenly remembered—it was 1967. The village had no post office. She’d either have to walk to town or wait for the weekly mailman.  

In her current physical state, forget walking to town—she wouldn’t even make it to the village entrance.  

*It’s too damn hot outside. I’d get heatstroke.*  

Noticing the two children standing by the table, watching her quietly, Jiang Qiuyue had no experience raising kids, but she knew one thing: children needed plenty of food and sleep to grow.  

She took their hands and led them to bed for a nap.  

In her dream, she was feasting on an imperial banquet, with eight handsome men serving her dishes and pouring wine—absolute bliss.  

But just as the men started dancing to entertain her, a shrill scream yanked her back to reality.  

“Thieves! Old man, we’ve been robbed!”

That voice could only belong to her mother-in-law, Wang Chunhua. Time for her grand performance.  

Yet as she got up, she noticed the two children trembling violently, the little girl even crying in fear.  

Lin Beibei’s eyes welled up with tears. “If… if Grandma finds out we ate the eggs, she’ll beat us.”  

Jiang Qiuyue wiped his tears. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, Grandma won’t lay a finger on you or your sister.”  

“Really?” Beibei’s big eyes were full of doubt. In the past, no matter who was at fault, their mother always made them apologize first.  

Every single time, Grandma would hit them with a broom. *It hurt so much.*  

Jiang Qiuyue’s heart ached. The original host had traumatized these kids. Given their reaction, they’d been beaten more than once.  

“Beibei, stay here with your sister. Mom will talk to Grandma.” She patted their heads before opening the door.  

The moment she appeared, Wang Chunhua sprayed saliva in rage. “Jiang Qiuyue, are you dead or what? How could you not notice a thief breaking in when you’re home all day?”

The rest of the Lin family glared at her. Ten eggs were no small matter—they could’ve been traded for a whole pound of pork!  

“There was no thief. *I* ate the eggs,” Jiang Qiuyue admitted bluntly. “I was starving, so I fried them.”  

“You ate all ten?!” Wang Chunhua’s voice screeched higher.  

Jiang Qiuyue nodded.  

“Heavens above! How did our Lin family end up with such a wasteful woman? Those eggs were for Dabao! How dare you steal them?”

Wang Chunhua slapped her thigh in fury. Dabao, her precious grandson, had been born prematurely and was frail—he *needed* those nutrients.  

“Mom, that’s unfair. We’re family—how is it *stealing*?” Jiang Qiuyue stood firm at the doorway. “I hand over living expenses every month, while Second Brother and his wife contribute nothing. Yet Dabao gets eggs every day. Aren’t you being too biased?”  

“Sister-in-law, what nonsense are you spouting?” Lin Erzhu hadn’t yet realized Jiang Qiuyue was different from before. He spoke to her with the same condescension as always. “Before Eldest Brother left, didn’t he tell you to take care of the family? If Mom and Dad hadn’t kindly adopted him, would he even be where he is today?”

His wife, Qian Li, nodded vigorously. Jiang Qiuyue had eaten her son’s eggs—she wanted compensation. “Exactly! You can’t bite the hand that feeds you. You* chose *to be filial to Mom and Dad. Now you’re blaming us for not paying? Are you picking a fight?”

“Second Brother, you’ve got it wrong.” Jiang Qiuyue smirked. “Back then, Mom and Dad only adopted Dazhu because none of their biological children survived. They* bought *him from child traffickers. If they hadn’t, maybe he wouldn’t have been kidnapped in the first place.”

No demand, no supply. She’d grown up seeing that anti-trafficking slogan. Now was the perfect time to use it.  

“Jiang Qiuyue, shut your damn mouth!” Old Man Lin, who had been silent until now, finally exploded. He’d bought his eldest son *before* the founding of the People’s Republic. Child trafficking was illegal now—if word got out, he could be dragged out for public criticism.  

Normally, when Lin Fugui spoke, the entire family fell silent. As the patriarch, his authority was absolute. He expected the same now.  

But Jiang Qiuyue just clutched her forehead and groaned, “My head hurts…”

—

Erzhu = second son

Dazhu = first son