Lu Qingqing rubbed her forehead.

It was finally her turn to appear.

She was the true culprit, the source of all the conflict.

So helpless—ever since she arrived, she’d been constantly apologizing to people.

Sigh!

“Uncle, I’ve really changed. I was wrong before, I shouldn’t have bullied my sister-in-law. From now on, I’ll definitely respect her.”

Feng Xiaowan, eyes brimming with tears, stood at the doorway supported by Lu Feng and quickly added, “Little sister has really changed. She’s been the one taking care of me these past few days.”

Just a few days of care and the scars were forgotten—useless daughter, like mud that can’t be molded.

The Feng family was utterly exasperated.

With gloomy faces, they were about to leave.

Lu Qingqing quickly tried to keep them.

“Uncle, Aunt, Little Brother Yong, it’s already noon. Stay for lunch before leaving. Second Brother and I caught some fish in the mountains.”

It’s hard to stay angry with a full belly.

She hoped a meal would soften the Feng family’s attitude.

Old Lu immediately began promoting her, “My daughter’s cooking is amazing! You’ve got to stay and try it—better than any restaurant!”

Madam Feng secretly curled her lip. “Bragging like that, not afraid of biting your own tongue? Better than a restaurant?”

“Your daughter’s shit probably smells like flowers too!”

Feng Xiaowan: “Mother, it’s true!”

“It is, it is! Now can you just go lie down in bed already?”

This time, Old Lu wasn’t stingy with food.

He was someone who treated others better than himself.

He brought out everything in the house and even sent Lu Yun to get two taels of wine.

The tofu vendor was knocking outside, so they bought a block of tofu too.

But the Feng family were good people—since they were all relatives, there was no need to be overly polite.

Rural kitchens used traditional stoves. A pot of water was always heated with the cooking fire, and it stayed warm inside the stove—this was the local version of a thermal flask. Quite convenient.

They also used straw-woven containers to keep teapots and rice bowls warm.

Lu Qingqing placed the wine flask in the stove eye to warm it up.

Father Feng gave a grunt. “Why warm wine when the weather’s already hot?”

Old Lu sighed, “You don’t know, in-law. My daughter says I have a weak stomach and can’t eat or drink cold things. She’s been nursing me back to health lately—very strict about it! Sigh!”

Though he sounded resigned, there was a definite tone of pride in his voice.

Father Feng grunted again, face stern.

“Peasants being this particular, for what? Poor folks should live simply—what’s the point of all these ailments?”

“Come on, in-law, that’s not right. Don’t rich folks live longer than us? That’s all thanks to their ‘particular ways.’ We may not have money, but we can still manage warm food and drink. Plus, I come home and everything’s ready—used to be my daughter-in-law cooking, now it’s my daughter…”

Lu Qingqing was speechless listening nearby.

She figured Father Feng must be getting mad—he kicked his own son.

“Dad, why did you kick me?”

“Because you annoy me! When your sister was at home, we didn’t have to worry about a thing. Shame she has to get married and benefit someone else’s family.” Father Feng glanced sideways at Old Lu.

Seeing Old Lu frown finally gave him some satisfaction.

But then again, with Lu Qingqing’s current reputation, it’d probably be hard for her to get married.

Father Feng watched Lu Qingqing as she busied herself—she really seemed much more sensible now.

He was about to offer Old Lu a half-hearted word of comfort when Old Lu suddenly asked:

“I heard up north of Liang River, many women are buying husbands. Do you know how much one costs?”

Father Feng: “…”

This old fool’s crazy!

Did he forget he still has two sons?

What kind of man gives his daughter a live-in husband when her brothers are still unmarried?

But outside, Lu Feng and Lu Yun, who were cleaning fish, overheard and immediately started thinking.

“What counts as ‘buying’ a husband? How’s that different from a live-in son-in-law?” Lu Yun asked Lu Feng.

Lu Feng wasn’t sure either.

“We’ll ask around sometime. It’s a good idea—this way, we won’t have to worry about our little sister being bullied in another household.”

They finished descaling the fish, picked vegetables, chopped firewood, and fetched water.

By the time they got back, the smell of cooking fish filled the air.

Lu Qingqing had made two kinds:

A light stewed carp soup with ground ivy and tofu for Feng Xiaowan.

And a spicy sour fish for the rest.

She also stir-fried peanuts, garlic cabbage, scallion-fried eggs, mapo tofu, and served steaming hot white rice.

This was already an exceptionally lavish meal for a farming family.

Father Feng was practically bouncing off his seat, unable to sit still.

“This is… outrageous. You just paid off your debt…”

“Eh, we’ll earn more money. It’s rare for your whole family to visit.” Old Lu grinned from ear to ear.

His daughter had changed for the better, their days ahead looked hopeful—he didn’t mind spending a bit.

Besides, when the Feng family visited before, his daughter had treated them coldly—not once had they stayed for a meal.

A little extravagance this time was only right.

“Come on, eat, try it! My daughter’s cooking is excellent! Even Xiaowan says so!”

Old Lu gave each of the Feng men a big piece of fish.

Lu Qingqing reminded, “Uncle Feng, the fish has a lot of bones, be careful.”

“Yes, yes, I know.”

This girl being suddenly so polite—it was hard to get used to.

Meanwhile, Lu Feng brought the dishes inside, and Madam Feng was shocked.

She had deliberately stayed out of the kitchen in protest, but didn’t expect so many dishes to be made in such a short time!

“Mother, didn’t I say so? All of this was made by little sister.”

“This is… so wasteful. Who eats like this?”

These dishes used a lot of oil, and they must’ve cooked a whole lot of rice!

Dry, pure white rice without mixing in other grains!

“Listen, when you’re better in ten days or so, don’t let her cook anymore, or she’ll spend all the family savings…”

“Mother, little sister said I need to rest for a full month and a half. She said getting up too soon could lead to lifelong trouble—like incontinence and uterine prolapse.”

Though Feng Xiaowan felt bad about the cost, her little sister was being so kind now—she was content and willing to follow her lead.

Besides, now that she wasn’t doing anything, the three men in the house were working—surely they could save money.

No one in the family would starve.

Madam Feng was stunned for a long moment.

Who sits for a month and a half after childbirth? Isn’t that just asking for criticism?

Even rich families only sat for one month.

In farming families, women rested maybe ten days before going back to work—and some had to get up the next day to cook for the whole family if their in-laws were heartless.

But… it was true.

Many women suffered incontinence after childbirth.

She herself leaked when she sneezed—so embarrassing.

As for prolapse… the neighbor auntie had it.

Sometimes, while working, it would fall out and she’d push it back in…

“She’s really letting you rest for a month and a half?” Madam Feng pressed.

She knew the men in the Lu family doted on that girl—they treated her like a living Buddha, no one dared scold her.

If the girl said so, the whole family would obey just to keep peace.

“It’s true.”

“Then—then you just rest for the full month and a half!” Madam Feng said firmly.

Then she added sheepishly, “But after the confinement, be more diligent, or people will say you’re lazy.”

“Mother, got it, got it. Hurry and eat before the food gets cold!”

After a bite, Madam Feng had to admit—the food was truly delicious.

She couldn’t even recognize some of the ingredients.

Feng Xiaowan said they were medicinal seasonings sold only in herbal pharmacies.

But Lu Qingqing had foraged them from the mountains.

Madam Feng was amazed.

Then she began grumbling again.

“We didn’t even plan to eat here… just brought ten carrots… This is really too much… Better tell Xiaoyong not to overeat—he can’t control himself…”

“Xiaowan, how did your little sister suddenly change like this? She’s not possessed, is she?”

Feng Xiaowan chuckled.

“No, Mother, she just grew up. Brother Feng used to say that little sister was very sweet as a child. She looked just like our late mother-in-law—beautiful, smart, and kind-hearted.”

“Oh, really?” Madam Feng looked at the bedding laid out on the floor.

She felt more and more like this visit had been too abrupt.

“We didn’t expect you to give birth a few days early. We haven’t even finished sewing the baby’s blanket. I’ll bring you another piece of cloth later so you can make a new dress for your little sister-in-law.”