The Lin Family

Lin Yongnian looked at the scrambled loofah with egg that was shattered beyond recognition, the stir-fried shredded potatoes, and the spicy stir-fried cabbage on the table. His hand holding the chopsticks couldn’t help but tremble.

He hadn’t had enough oil or meat recently and was starting to feel weak.

“Second daughter-in-law, did you even use a whole egg in this loofah with egg dish?” he couldn’t help but ask Liu Qin.

Liu Qin rolled her eyes. “You’re asking if I used one whole egg? Why not ask your eldest daughter-in-law—when she made pork belly stewed with cabbage and tofu yesterday, did she use even a couple ounces of meat?”

Zhang Jiao replied, “Of course I used meat. I put in three ounces of pork belly for that dish yesterday.”

In fact, it was only two ounces. But before the dish was even done, she secretly picked out two pieces for herself and gave two more to her kid.

“Three ounces?” Lin Jianshe sneered. “I didn’t even see a sliver of meat in that pork belly stew yesterday.”

Lin Guodong chimed in, “You didn’t see it because you’ve got bad eyesight.”

He had eaten three tiny pieces himself.

Lin Yongnian slapped the table with a dark expression. “This isn’t just second daughter-in-law’s problem. The eldest daughter-in-law’s cooking is just as bad. Ever since I let you two buy groceries separately, it’s like you’re trying to one-up each other by seeing who can cook worse than the day before.”

“Forget the lack of meat, even the amount of vegetables is shrinking. I’ve already been waking up hungry in the middle of the night for two days now.” He raised two fingers to emphasize his point.

Zhang Jiao and Liu Qin both lowered their heads.

They were indeed competing—neither wanted the meals they cooked to be better than the other’s on their assigned days.

Rather than let the other one benefit, they’d rather cook poorly, save more money, and quietly prepare their own private meals later.

“How about this—we give all the grocery money to Liu Qin and let her be in charge of buying ingredients every day.”

Liu Qin’s eyes lit up—she was happy to do that.

Zhang Jiao’s face darkened.

If Liu Qin got all fifteen yuan, she could easily pocket half of it every month.

“Fine, give her the full budget, and let her decide what to buy. But then she can do all the cooking too. I’m not taking turns anymore.”

Why should she cook if she didn’t get a cent out of it?

“Why should I be the only one cooking? It’s not just me and Jianshe eating,” Liu Qin immediately objected.

Zhang Jiao snapped, “If you control all the money and choose all the ingredients, then you should cook by yourself.”

“If I have to cook alone, then your whole family shouldn’t eat.”

“Why shouldn’t we eat? That fifteen yuan is for the whole family, not just you and Lin Jianshe!”

Liu Qin retorted, “Don’t think I don’t know. Some people don’t want me buying groceries because they’re afraid I’ll make a profit off it.”

“As if you aren’t! Just look at these dishes today—did you even spend ten cents on them?” Zhang Jiao jabbed her finger at Liu Qin, shouting.

“You’re no better! You think you spent more yesterday? You’re just jealous—jealous of my dowry, jealous that I get the grocery money, always trying to fight me for everything.” Liu Qin shot back with disdain.

Zhang Jiao exploded, “I’m jealous? Then you’re just shameless! Your whole family’s shameless! Selling your daughter, obsessed with money, and your brother is a thief and a convict!”

“Zhang Jiao, you bitch! I’ll kill you!” Liu Qin screamed and lunged to grab her hair. Zhang Jiao wasn’t about to back down, and the two sisters-in-law brawled on the spot.

Lin Guodong and Lin Jianshe hurried to break up the fight, struggling hard to pull them apart.

Their hair was a mess, their collars were torn, their faces scratched. Even after being separated, they kept cursing at each other.

Several neighbors stood outside the Lin family’s door, holding rice bowls, watching the drama unfold.

Lin Yongnian looked at the gawking neighbors and then at his two brawling daughters-in-law, and felt his temples pounding with pain.

“Enough! Shut up, all of you!” he shouted, slamming his chopsticks on the table. That finally got Zhang Jiao and Liu Qin to shut up, though both looked extremely resentful.

Fighting like this in front of so many people—weren’t they ashamed?

Face-conscious Lin Yongnian felt utterly humiliated. With Li Shuping gone, this household had descended into chaos. What would outsiders think?

“Jianshe, close the door.”

Lin Jianshe let go of Liu Qin and shut the door, saying to the neighbors outside, “Alright, nothing more to see. Go home and eat.”

“Aww, Old Lin, we’ve been neighbors for decades—what’s there we can’t see or hear? Why close the door?”

“Exactly…”

When the outside finally quieted down, Lin Yongnian spoke with a dark expression. “Sit down. All of you.”

Zhang Jiao and the others sat down with cold faces. Lin Yongnian scolded, “We’re all one family. Fighting like this—what kind of behavior is that? Aren’t you ashamed?”

Lin Jianshe said, “It was big sis-in-law who started it.”

Lin Guodong glared. “How was it her? Liu Qin clearly cursed her first. Don’t you know to respect your elder sister-in-law?”

“She sure acts like a ‘mother’…” Jianshe mumbled.

“Enough!” Lin Yongnian slapped the table. “You two want to fight now too?”

Both brothers went silent.

Lin Yongnian took a deep breath and glanced between his two daughters-in-law. Now he understood why the eldest wasn’t happy letting the second handle the grocery money.

As the head of the household, in order to maintain harmony and also ensure they ate decently, he decided to make a sacrifice.

“I’ll add five yuan to the monthly food budget. You each get ten yuan. Keep rotating cooking and shopping duties. I have only one request—meals must be decent, with proper oil and meat. Everyone in this household should eat well and feel full.”

“I’ll observe for a month. If you don’t improve, next month I won’t give out money anymore. I’ll go buy groceries every morning myself. Whatever I bring home, you’ll cook.”

Neither Zhang Jiao nor Liu Qin objected.

Lin Yongnian made the decision, took out five yuan, and gave them each an extra two-fifty.

He felt very wise about this solution—another successful resolution to a family conflict.

But the grudge between Zhang Jiao and Liu Qin had been set.

Their battles continued from that day on.

..

“Shuping…”

Li Shuping was carrying her shopping basket to the supply store when someone called her from behind. She turned to see two old friends.

“Sister Wang, Sister Zhao, good morning.”

“Morning.” The two caught up and immediately told her about the fight between Liu Qin and Zhang Jiao last night.

Li Shuping wasn’t surprised. Both Liu Qin and Zhang Jiao were the type who only cared about taking advantage and hated suffering any losses.

Without her, the family’s “free maid,” it was inevitable those two would clash.

After shopping together, as the three women were leaving the store, Zhang Jiao came rushing in.

She didn’t even greet Li Shuping, heading straight for the meat stall.

Granny Wang glanced at Zhang Jiao and said to Li Shuping, “She and Liu Qin are taking turns buying groceries and cooking now. She has to wake up early every other day. Life’s not as easy as when you were around. Look—her complexion’s not as good as before.”

“But you—you’ve been looking better since leaving that house. Your skin’s brighter and smoother too,” Granny Wang said, eyeing her carefully.

Li Shuping happily touched her own face. “I’ve been using some face cream. It’s really helped my skin.”

She did feel her skin had improved—probably from both the cream and escaping the exhausting chores at the Lin household.

An older lady in her previous life had taught her an ancient face mask recipe. She was planning to buy ingredients and try it soon.

“Which brand? I want to try it too,” asked Granny Zhao eagerly.

“Ya Shuang,” said Li Shuping.

Granny Zhao replied, “That brand’s a bit pricey—you could buy two pounds of meat for the cost.”

Li Shuping said, “It’s not that expensive. Isn’t our face worth at least two pounds of meat? We women need to treat ourselves better. Take care of ourselves, age slower, and feel better inside and out.”

The two grannies exchanged glances and nodded.

“That makes sense.”