Gu Jinfeng actually gave it serious thought. “Could it be during childbirth or the postpartum month?”  

“After all, childbirth is like crossing the gate of hell. If the postpartum care isn’t good, it can lead to lifelong health issues.”  

Wen Tang had set the kitchen on fire and genuinely felt a bit embarrassed, so she deliberately returned to the kitchen to lighten the mood, trying to ease the tension with some quick wit. She asked Zhong Meixian, “Mom, don’t you think I’m auspicious? A blessing to the family? A blessing to my husband?”  

Zhong Meixian already didn’t believe her actions were accidental, and these two questions only confirmed in her mind that Wen Tang had done it on purpose.  

These questions were nothing short of blatant provocation!  

Faced with such obvious provocation, even if she couldn’t muster a smile, the old woman forced out a grin uglier than a frown. “Yes, yes, very auspicious, extremely so!”  

Wen Tang’s gaze shifted to her sister-in-law, Gu Jinfeng, who also nodded hurriedly.  

Seeing the mood sufficiently lightened, Wen Tang cheerfully walked away from the two of them.  

She wanted to help Gu Yanli tidy up the wet firewood but was shooed away to sit with Chi Yue instead.  

Once Wen Tang was out of sight, Zhong Meixian’s smile turned even more strained. With a grimace, she asked her daughter, “Back when I was my mother-in-law’s daughter-in-law, I was the one putting on a smile. Now that I’m the mother-in-law, why am I still the one forcing a smile?”  

Zhong Meixian had been hoping for some comfort.  

But after thinking it over, Gu Jinfeng replied, “I guess that’s just your fate.”  

Zhong Meixian had already forced a smile for her daughter-in-law—was she really going to do the same for her own daughter?  

Of course not!  

So Zhong Meixian immediately took off her shoe and started swatting at Gu Jinfeng.  

Gu Jinfeng, being hit, naturally wouldn’t take it lying down. She yelled, “If you’re mad at someone, go take it out on them! What’s the point of venting on me?”  

Wen Tang and Chi Yue were already sitting in the yard and, hearing this, each picked up a small stool and walked over.  

Holding her stool, Wen Tang asked sweetly, “Mom, Sis, who are you talking about?”  

“Are you talking about me?” She pointed at herself with one hand while holding the stool in the other.  

The moment Zhong Meixian saw the stool in her hand, she immediately recalled what Gu Yanli had said the day before: “Especially you, Mom. At your age, if she hits you, you won’t even be able to crawl to the gate to cry—you’ll just have to swallow the injustice.”  

Zhong Meixian: “…”  

Gu Jinfeng glanced at the stools in the hands of the two new daughters-in-law and gulped. “…N-no, not at all.”  

Chi Yue then tugged at Wen Tang’s sleeve and said, “It probably wasn’t about you.”  

“Right, Grandma?”  

Zhong Meixian nodded quickly.  

But Chi Yue’s next words were: “Don’t overthink it, Tangtang. If they really were talking about you, given how close we are, if you smash bowls, I’ll help you wreck the stove.”  

“If you divorce in the morning, I’ll divorce by afternoon.”  

“If you run away at noon, I’ll bolt by night.”  

“If you beat up your man, I’ll beat up my mother-in-law to cheer you on.”  

Gu Jinfeng: “…”  

She stared at Chi Yue in disbelief, thinking: Wait, how does this involve me now?

Zhong Meixian, however, couldn’t help but chuckle because Chi Yue had suggested Wen Tang beat up Gu Yanli.  

At that moment, Zhong Meixian realized her son was right—he was young. Even if he got beaten or kicked, he’d recover after a night’s sleep.  

But she couldn’t take it! She was old. If she got beaten up even once, it’d be the end of the world for her!  

She might as well dig her own grave in advance!

But before the amusement in her eyes could fully show, she heard Wen Tang say, “If we’re already beating up our men, taking a swing at the mother-in-law is just a bonus.”  

Zhong Meixian: “…”  

She spun around abruptly. “Yanli, have you moved all the wet firewood out yet?”  

“Ah, you’ve always been slow with your hands and feet. Let me help you.”  

Gu Yanli: “…”  

Since when was he slow?  

Zhong Meixian slipped her shoes back on and scurried into the kitchen, her movements suddenly much more agile.  

Gu Jinfeng hurried after her. “Me too, me too!”  

Wen Tang called out from behind, “Mom, Sis, do you want Yueyue and me to help?”  

Zhong Meixian and Gu Jinfeng refused in unison: “No need!”  

“No need at all…” Then the two of them huddled in the shade and started whispering again.  

Gu Jinfeng peeked out from the kitchen door and asked, “Mom, they’re sitting together again. Are they gossiping about us?”  

Zhong Meixian was stuffing firewood into the stove and didn’t even look up. “Why don’t you go ask them yourself?”  

“You’re young. You can take a beating.”  

Gu Jinfeng: “…”  

She shut her mouth.  

In the yard, Wen Tang was asking Chi Yue, “Where’s your man? I haven’t seen him all morning.”  

“Oh, his vacation ended. He went back to school to teach.”  

Wen Tang nodded. “Teaching’s good, teaching’s good. If he’s teaching, he won’t run into that proactive true heiress, Luo Qiao.”  

“Speaking of which, do you think Luo Qiao might figure out we’re transmigrators?”  

Wen Tang shook her head. “Don’t worry. Even if she suspects us, she can’t do anything about it as long as we deny it. It’s not like she can go around shouting about transmigration—unless she wants to be taken away for dissection.”  

Chi Yue nodded, agreeing with Wen Tang.  

She leaned her head on Wen Tang’s shoulder. “I can adapt to most things here, but without a phone… it’s only been three days, and I already feel like I’m going crazy.”  

“At least sleeping at night eases the madness a little!”  

“The only thing keeping me sane right now is eye candy.”  

Wen Tang patted her hand soothingly. “How about we find jobs?”  

“Become corporate slaves?” Chi Yue asked.  

Wen Tang nodded. “Private trading isn’t allowed yet. If we don’t work, we’ll just be stuck at home all day. Or… we could go earn work points in the fields.”  

Chi Yue looked at her hands and feet. “Work points?”  

“Are you serious?”  

“But you could always follow your husband to the army base. I remember the female lead moved to the base after marrying the male lead.”  

“And your Gu Yanli is due for another promotion soon.”  

Wen Tang immediately hugged her like a bear. “No way! If I go to the base, I won’t get to see you every day!”  

“In a place where I don’t know anyone, I’d just rot.”  

Chi Yue hugged her back tightly. “I’d miss you too.” She blinked before grinning. “Actually, I was just testing you earlier. I wanted to see if you still had a conscience.”  

Wen Tang: “…”  

“You dare doubt our unbreakable friendship, Chi Yue? You’re dead…” The two of them burst into laughter and started playfully wrestling.  

Finally, Gu Jinfeng called out, “Sister-in-law, Xiaoyue, dinner’s ready!”  

“Coming!” they answered in unison.  

Gu Jinfeng shuddered. At this point, she had a full-blown stress response whenever Wen Tang and Chi Yue spoke or acted in sync.  

The pheasant Gu Yanli had caught was fairly plump. Cooked with vermicelli, scallions, and greens, it made a hearty pot of stew.  

Once everyone was seated, Gu Yanli served one drumstick to Wen Tang.  

Wen Tang, in turn, gave the other drumstick to Chi Yue.