She rarely put on a stern face, “Did you see it yourself? How can you slander people with such baseless claims? Our Bao’er’s mother cares for her children like they’re her own eyes, how can you accuse her like this?”

“Oh, don’t take it to heart. We weren’t talking about Jiang Zhiqing, just mentioning someone like that.”

Yan Runzhi retorted, “Who is this ‘someone like that’? Tell me which village they’re from and what their name is. Let’s see.”

These women rarely ventured beyond the commune, certainly not more than five miles away.

She wanted to see which other young intellectual around had two sons.

The woman, embarrassed by Yan Runzhi’s sharp words, fell silent and focused on twisting the rope.

Wei Qiongfang smirked, “If you haven’t done anything wrong, you have nothing to fear. Auntie, don’t get upset. Just ask her directly, won’t you?” She was polite to Yan Runzhi but aimed her barbs at Jiang Lin. The young intellectuals addressed the commune members based on their age.

Yan Runzhi was not polite to her at all.

Unlike her usual peace-keeping attitude, she was determined to clear her daughter-in-law’s name, “Why do you, a young intellectual, keep speaking ill of our Bao’er’s mother?”

In the past, Yan Runzhi had often heard Wei Qiongfang gossip about Jiang Lin.

The common jest was that Jiang Lin was degenerate and lazy, marrying a countryman and disgracing the young intellectuals.

Yan Runzhi despised this talk.

If it weren’t for class status, these women would want to marry her son, but Dongsheng wouldn’t even look at them.

Wei Qiongfang quickly defended herself, “Auntie, don’t take it to heart. I have no issue with you or Jiang Lin. It’s just that I’m too upright to stand crooked ways.”

She often said things like, “Does she think she’s a princess just because she’s pretty? She should look at herself in a mirror and see what she really is.” Everyone knew she was talking about Jiang Lin.

“You upright? I think you’re just jealous of our Bao’er’s mother,” Yan Runzhi stared at her. “You always thought you were prettier than Bao’er’s mother. Hah! Even after having children, our Bao’er’s mother is much better looking than you!”

Wei Qiongfang stammered, “You… you’re unreasonable! Who’s jealous of her?”

Yan Runzhi retorted, “If you’re not jealous of her looks, then why do you always speak ill of her behind her back?”

Ma Kaihua interrupted, “Yan Runzhi, you landlord’s wife, what nonsense are you spouting? Jiang Zhiqing is pretty, but our Fangfang is even prettier. No need to be jealous.”

Yan Runzhi sneered, “I don’t speak lies with my eyes wide open.”

Wei Qiongfang’s face turned an even darker shade of yellow with anger, and Ma Kaihua snapped, “It’s been a few years since you were made to kneel on crushed stones, and now you’re acting up again?”

Yan Runzhi, instead of being humiliated, proudly declared, “You’re right about one thing, no more kneeling for me. Dongsheng is back.” Our family is being rehabilitated!

Ma Kaihua’s face darkened instantly.

Xiao Bao, who had been engrossed in watching ants climb a tree, was oblivious to the women’s chatter.

Children tend to ignore conversations they find uninteresting.

However, Ma Kaihua’s particularly shrill voice caught his attention.

He immediately turned around and shouted, “Bully my grandma, and my dad will beat you up!”

Ma Kaihua was left speechless, muttering under her breath, “Little bastard!”

Wei Qiongfang, who had always admired Cheng Rushan, had never seen such a handsome and masculine man.

The young intellectuals around her were either weak, slippery, or full of resentment.

The village youths were mostly rough, foul-mouthed, and unhygienic.

Even the slightly better-looking ones were either clumsy or constantly trying to take advantage of young women.

Thinking of Cheng Rushan made her heart flutter.

She smiled at Cheng Xiaobao and asked, “Your mother wants to sell you for a hundred yuan, don’t you hate her?”

Xiaobao was immediately intrigued by the mention of a hundred yuan and asked, “How much is a hundred?”

Wei Qiongfang replied, “It’s a hundred one-yuan notes.”

“Is ten thousand bigger or a hundred bigger?”

“Of course, ten thousand is bigger. It’s ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand.”

“I know ‘thousand’. My dad brought back seven thousand. My mom said it’s worth ten thousand, which is bigger than seven thousand. A hundred isn’t enough!” Xiaobao, not grasping Wei Qiongfang’s intent to malign Jiang Lin, simply thought she was discussing whether his mom’s claim that he was worth ten thousand was accurate.

His chatter left everyone under the large locust tree, except for Yan Runzhi, feeling like they had gone deaf.

The number ‘seven thousand’ echoed in their minds.

Seven thousand!!!!

Children don’t understand the value and don’t lie about such things.

They remember what they hear from adults, so it must be true!

Seven thousand! Thinking of their year-long toil, unable to save fifty yuan, they were stunned.

They even had to go into debt for their sons’ marriages.

Cheng Rushan actually brought back seven thousand?

He had been away for six years and brought back seven thousand.

What kind of good business was he doing out there?

They all wanted to go too.

Wei Qiongfang was dumbfounded, her mouth agape, “You… you must be exaggerating. Seven thousand? Do you know how much seven thousand is?”

She only knew Cheng Rushan was handsome but didn’t realize he was so capable, earning seven thousand!

Her parents had jobs in the city; her father earned 33 yuan a month, and her mother 20.

How many years would it take them to earn seven thousand?

Cheng Xiaobao shouted, “Of course I know! My dad’s paper is kept by my mom to manage the money.

If you don’t believe me, ask my grandma.

Why do you say I’m worth a hundred? My mom says I’m worth ten thousand! You can’t afford it!”

Cheng Xiaobao was very adamant about his worth being ten thousand because it was the largest number he knew, indicating that he was extremely valuable in his mother’s eyes and that others couldn’t afford him.

Whenever his mother said he was worth ten thousand, he smiled particularly happily.

Wei Qiongfang, not understanding his fixation, retorted, “Your mom is just going to sell you for a hundred. You and your brother are each a hundred, so she can sell both of you for two hundred and go back to the city.”

Cheng Xiaobao was furious, stomping his little feet. “You bad woman, don’t you know how to count? My mom clearly said ten thousand! A hundred is so little, how can it be enough? My mom says I’m worth ten thousand, and people can’t afford me!”

In his anger, he spoke faster than when he asked for candy.

Hearing this, some women naturally assumed Jiang Lin was joking, just like how other adults in the village joked that their children were worth a pancake or a sweet potato.

Exaggerating or downplaying were just ways of joking around; it wasn’t serious, and they didn’t really intend to sell their children.

Some of the women didn’t believe it, saying, “It’s just a joke, don’t take it seriously. Our child can be exchanged for half a bag of soybeans.”

Yan Runzhi sighed, “Forget it, let’s not pay attention to them. Let’s go home.” She picked up her basket and took Xiaobao’s little hand, ready to head home.

Ma Kaohua didn’t come out this time, but some nosy people showed up, which was really annoying.

Ma Kaihua said in a sarcastic tone, “If you behave properly, you won’t be afraid of what others say.”

Wei Qiongfang was determined to sow discord between Jiang Lin and her family, hoping that Yan Runzhi and Cheng Rushan would get angry and drive her out.

She said, “Xiao Bao, did you follow your mother to the big store that day? Your mother wanted to sell you for 100 yuan. Others can’t afford 10,000 yuan, but they can afford 100.” Why would she take her son to such a big store!

Xiao Bao was stunned.

He and Da Bao had followed their mother out that day, and they had seen the sticky things outside.

Just then, Jiang Lin and Cheng Dabao came over.

Wei Qiongfang was caught talking behind people’s backs.

She looked embarrassed, but pretended like nothing had happened, continuing to twist the hemp rope, ignoring Jiang Lin.

When Cheng Xiaobao saw his birth mother coming back, he immediately ran over and hugged Jiang Lin’s thigh, crying bitterly, “Mom, am I only worth 100 yuan? Why did she say I’m only worth 100, wuwuwu~~~”

10,000 means that the mother loves him very, very much, while 100 means she doesn’t love him much! Wei Qiongfang’s implication was clear:

Your mother doesn’t love you! Xiao Bao couldn’t accept it.

Jiang Lin wiped his tears with a handkerchief and said softly, “Don’t listen to their nonsense. Even 10,000 yuan is not enough, and many mothers can’t bear to part with it.”

After comforting him for a while, Jiang Lin kissed his little cheek.

Xiao Bao was happy and raised his little face proudly, saying, “My mother says even 10,000 isn’t enough!”

Jiang Lin asked Xiao Bao and Cheng Dabao to go find their grandmother, while she walked towards Wei Qiongfang.

Wei Qiongfang sat on a small stool, glanced at her, and sneered, “What are you doing? I’m just stating facts.”

Jiang Lin’s face turned cold.

Without saying a word, she lifted her foot and kicked Wei Qiongfang hard.