Chapter 17

“That’s right. From now on, it’s Jiashu’s sheep,” Xu Jiaojiao said gently, patting Qin Jiashu’s head. “Will Jiashu take good care of it?”

“Yes, I’ll feed it grass,” Qin Jiashu nodded eagerly.

“The lamb can’t leave its mother yet. Let’s wait until it’s a little bigger before bringing it home, okay?” Xu Jiaojiao patiently explained.

Qin Jiashu readily agreed, “Okay.”

“Then let’s go home and build a sheep pen in the yard for it?” Xu Jiaojiao suggested, preparing to leave.

The little boy’s eyes remained glued to the lamb, his reluctance utterly endearing.

“Yes, let’s go home!” Qin Jiashu perked up immediately, his excitement palpable.

Xu Jiaojiao smiled, bid farewell to the Qin family, and led Qin Jiashu away by the hand.

“That young wife is truly something special,” Qin Jiuer’s eldest daughter-in-law remarked to her sisters-in-law after seeing Xu Jiaojiao off. “She cares more for her nephew than some mothers do for their own sons.”

“Exactly! She even squatted by the sheep pen with the child, their heads close together like mother and son,” the Qin family women nodded and chuckled.

In rural areas, it was rare to see adults so devoted to their children, patiently watching sheep with them.

Unaware of the Qin family’s admiration, Xu Jiaojiao walked hand-in-hand with Qin Jiashu, already envisioning the sheep pen.

Aunt Ju Hua and Qin Zhuzi’s family had left for home early. Xu Jiaojiao, having stayed behind to watch the sheep with Qin Jiashu, should have been unable to catch up.

Yet as Xu Jiaojiao led Qin Jiashu home, they encountered Aunt Ju Hua halfway, walking slowly as if deliberately waiting for them.

“Aunt Ju Hua!” Xu Jiaojiao hurried forward with Qin Jiashu.

Aunt Ju Hua stopped and smiled. When they reached her, she cut straight to the point: “Zhengye’s wife, since you can’t farm your land, why didn’t you ask me first about renting it out? My family could have helped you.”

Aunt Ju Hua believed she had a good relationship with Xu Jiaojiao. With three mu of land, and Xu Jiaojiao only charging 100 catties of grain per mu, even after paying the agricultural tax, there would still be plenty left over.

Xu Jiaojiao smiled. “Aunt Ju Hua, I know your family’s situation. I originally intended to rent the land to you.”

“Then why did you choose Qin Jiuer’s family?” Aunt Ju Hua asked, her tone slightly awkward.

“Aunt Ju Hua, you know what my mother-in-law is like,” Xu Jiaojiao replied. “If I rented the land to you, wouldn’t she come to your house and cause trouble? Wouldn’t that be more trouble than it’s worth?” Xu Jiaojiao raised an eyebrow.

If Xu Jiaojiao had leased the three mu of land to any other villager, even the brigade leader’s family, Zhao Guixiang would have thrown a tantrum and caused trouble, likely ruining the deal.

Zhao Guixiang was shameless, but she wouldn’t dare provoke Qin Jiuer’s family, even if she had no shame.

Aunt Ju Hua suddenly understood, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she looked at Xu Jiaojiao. “You’ve been planning this all along, haven’t you? Honestly, your mother-in-law fears nothing and no one—except the women of Qin Jiuer’s family.”

Zhao Guixiang had always been lazy and tried to shirk her duties during work assignments. Anyone grouped with her would inevitably suffer in silence.

But Qin Jiuer’s daughters-in-law wouldn’t tolerate her antics. While the nine sisters-in-law might occasionally bicker among themselves, they always presented a united front against outsiders.

When Zhao Guixiang tried to claim full work points despite her laziness, Qin Jiuer’s eldest daughter-in-law gave her a thorough dressing-down. Unable to stand against nine women alone, Zhao Guixiang had since avoided provoking Qin Jiuer’s family at all costs.

“So, Auntie, it’s not that I don’t want to lease the land to your family. I just don’t want Zhao Guixiang causing trouble.”

If Zhao Guixiang threw a fit and snatched the three mu of land, Xu Jiaojiao would lose out badly.

“Now I understand completely. You’re doing the right thing,” Aunt Ju Hua said, patting Xu Jiaojiao’s hand with a smile.

As it turned out, Xu Jiaojiao’s haste to rent out the fields was wise. After bidding farewell to Aunt Ju Hua and walking Qin Jiashu back to the Zhiqing Compound, they found two figures standing at the entrance.

Upon closer inspection, they recognized Father Qin and Qin Zhenglei.

“Grandfather, Uncle,” Qin Jiashu greeted them obediently.

Father Qin and Qin Zhenglei had been waiting at the Zhiqing Compound for a long time, their patience wearing thin.

“Hmm,” Father Qin responded with a curt nod to Qin Jiashu’s greeting.

“Little Jiashu has grown taller,” Qin Zhenglei said with a smile, reaching out to pat the boy’s head.

Qin Jiashu had changed significantly. Qin Zhenglei had been surprised when he saw him at the threshing ground that morning, but now, up close, he noticed the boy was warmly dressed and his face had filled out—a stark contrast to his previous appearance.

It seems Qin Zhengli’s little one is doing quite well under Xu Jiaojiao’s care.

Qin Jiashu instinctively flinched away from Qin Zhenglei’s touch.

Qin Zhenglei’s hand met empty air. He straightened up. “Sister-in-law.”

He gave Xu Jiaojiao an awkward smile.

Xu Jiaojiao neither acknowledged his greeting nor offered him any courtesy. Her tone dripped with sarcasm. “What brings you two rare visitors to my humble abode? Standing guard at the door like temple guardians? Afraid someone might steal my treasures? Don’t worry, my house is so clean even mice wouldn’t bother visiting.”

Father Qin stood awkwardly, his hands tucked into his sleeves, frowning and clearing his throat. “Why are you dragging the child around in the middle of the day? Can’t you stay home properly? What if he catches a cold?”

Xu Jiaojiao rolled her eyes rudely. “As his grandfather, you didn’t care when he had no clothes or food. Now that I’m feeding and clothing him, you suddenly have opinions?”

Xu Jiaojiao found Father Qin somewhat peculiar. People often said  “where there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather”, which was understandable. But Qin Zhengye and Qin Zhengli were undeniably his biological children, while Qin Zhenglei was merely a stepson. Who in their right mind would neglect their own flesh and blood to dote on a stepchild? What did he gain from it? The joy of raising someone else’s cheap son?

“Watch your tone! I’m your father-in-law,” Father Qin snapped, his jaw tight with anger as he pointed at Xu Jiaojiao. When this young daughter-in-law first married into the Qin family, she had seemed so docile. How had she become so sharp-tongued?

“What? You’re my father-in-law?” Xu Jiaojiao feigned astonishment, pointing at Qin Zhenglei. “Then isn’t Qin Zhengye your stepson? Does that make you his stepfather?”

“……” Father Qin’s lips twitched, his eyes glaring with anger as he struggled to find words.

Xu Jiaojiao, who held a poor impression of both Father Qin and Qin Zhenglei, snorted coldly and tugged Qin Jiashu toward the gate.

“I’m Zhengye’s father—his biological father,” Father Qin growled, his voice strained with suppressed frustration.

“Oh, so you’re the biological father!” Xu Jiaojiao drawled sarcastically, deliberately stretching out the word “father” with pointed emphasis.

“……” Father Qin felt his breathing grow ragged, convinced Xu Jiaojiao’s words carried a hidden, deeply insulting meaning.

Qin Zhenglei, holding a round cabbage as a pretense, stepped forward. “Sister-in-law, my wife was worried you might be short on food, so she asked me to bring you this cabbage.”

Xu Jiaojiao paused at the courtyard entrance, turning to eye the cabbage before glancing up at Qin Zhenglei’s shamelessly hypocritical face.

These two men had squandered Qin Zhengye’s military allowance while mistreating Qin Jiashu. After the family split, they had abandoned the sickly original owner and her child entirely.

Forced to move to the Zhiqing Compound, the original owner, overwhelmed by helplessness, had vented her frustrations on Qin Jiashu. The Qin family bore partial responsibility for her eventual death from exposure.

“Thank you,” Xu Jiaojiao replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “We were indeed down to our last grain of rice. This cabbage couldn’t have come at a better time. Any later and we might have starved—after all, it’s only been two months since the split.” She deliberately emphasized the word “months,” making it sound like mere days.

Qin Zhenglei, thick-skinned as ever, pretended not to understand the hidden meaning in Xu Jiaojiao’s words.

Seeing his shamelessness, Xu Jiaojiao’s anger flared. She turned abruptly, snatched the cabbage, and slammed the courtyard gate shut with a loud thud.

Qin Zhenglei, who had assumed that a smiling face would be met with courtesy, nearly bumped his nose on the gate as Xu Jiaojiao slammed it shut.

“Sister-in-law…” Qin Zhenglei called out.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Open the door! We need to talk to you!” Father Qin’s voice boomed, his breath heavy as he pounded on the gate.

Xu Jiaojiao selectively ignored them, leading Qin Jiashu toward the main hall.

“Xu Jiaojiao! I’m your father-in-law! How dare you lock us out instead of inviting us in? This is outrageous!” Father Qin’s voice carried a sharp warning.

“Sister-in-law, just open the door. Father wants to discuss something with you,” Qin Zhenglei added.

Qin Jiashu tilted his head, his gaze shifting between his aunt and the banging gate. “Auntie, Grandfather is knocking…” he said, his tone puzzled.

“Don’t worry about them. Just pretend you don’t hear it,” Xu Jiaojiao replied with a smile, ruffling his hair.

“Okay,” Qin Jiashu nodded obediently.

“Where do you want to build the sheep pen, Xiao Shu?” Xu Jiaojiao asked, changing the subject to divert his attention.

“Here! Here!” Qin Jiashu exclaimed, his short legs churning as he raced to the corner of the courtyard, gesturing excitedly.

He had noticed that the Qin family’s aunt had built the sheep pen in this very spot.

“Alright,” Xu Jiaojiao nodded with a smile, walking into the kitchen to pour a cup of water.

“Come drink,” she called the child over.

Qin Jiashu didn’t like water, especially on such a cold day, his lips chapped and peeling.

“Okay!” Qin Jiashu bounded over to Xu Jiaojiao, eagerly taking the cup and puckering his lips to drink.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The persistent knocking at the courtyard gate continued. Xu Jiaojiao glanced around the yard, a faint smile playing on her lips as she walked to the gate.

“Dad, Elder Brother, do we have any straw? I want to build a small sheep pen in the courtyard and need straw for the roof. I know there’s none at the Zhiqing Compound,” Xu Jiaojiao asked with a smile, as if she hadn’t been the one who slammed the gate earlier.

Xu Jiaojiao’s sudden change in demeanor caught Father Qin off guard. His anger evaporated, leaving him staring in stunned silence.

“Yes, we do,” Qin Zhenglei nodded, relieved by Xu Jiaojiao’s shift in attitude.

“Then would you mind helping me pick out a couple of bundles when you go home, Elder Brother?” Xu Jiaojiao pressed.

“…Alright,” Qin Zhenglei agreed, bewildered by his own compliance.

The moment he said it, he wanted to bite his tongue in regret.