Chapter 17.1 – Bad Daughter-in-law… Adopted Son

Lin Wan really didn’t want to split the family. After all, she and Lu Zhengting weren’t truly husband and wife, and being alone together would inevitably be awkward.

Besides, she was quite fond of Lu Mingliang and the two little girls. Everyone living together meant they could help each other out. At the very least, with her here, Old Madam Lu could forget about hitting the children—or her daughter-in-law!

Most importantly, why should they split the family when they’d have to hand the old crone a quarter of their work points and half their money?

Work points weren’t distributed evenly; they were based on a young couple’s ability. If the two of them only earned a dozen or so points and had children to support, they might not owe any work points at all—just a share of grain when rations were divided. As for money, few in the countryside earned any cash, so it usually wasn’t considered.

But now, both Lu Zhengting and Lin Wan worked for the production team, which made them “rich” in the village’s eyes. If they didn’t want to give money, they could claim it was for treating Lu Zhengting’s illness—but then they’d have to keep up the pretense, and that was just too troublesome.

Lin Wan hated trouble. She always preferred the most direct, straightforward way.

And without a ready-made house, she wasn’t moving out unless the old crone left or they found something better.

Not only would she withhold the money, she’d also eat and drink here, stir up discord between her eldest and second sisters-in-law and the old crone, and make that old witch so furious she’d be hopping mad every day. Now that would be satisfying.

Lin Wan turned to the two men and said righteously, “Uncle, Team Leader, we won’t split the family. Our parents gave birth to us and raised us—we haven’t even begun to repay them yet. How could we split up? I’m a doctor now, so life will only get better for the family. Why split?”

I still need to properly ‘take care’ of the old witch!

See? Look at Doctor Lin—such awareness, such filial piety! Lu Changfa and Lu Changgui sighed with admiration and kept praising her for being so sensible. They even thought the village’s quarrelsome daughters-in-law should come and learn from her.

Old Madam Lu rolled her eyes so hard they nearly stuck. She was about to explode.

Old Man Lu hadn’t expected Lin Wan to be so “thoughtful.” Rubbing his hands in delight, he said, “It’s good that the third son’s wife keeps her parents in mind. Don’t feel wronged—let’s all live well together from now on.”

Lin Wan dabbed at nonexistent tears. “But I have one condition.”

Old Man Lu felt a pang of unease, but Lu Changfa quickly asked, “Go ahead, Doctor Lin.”

Lin Wan glanced at Old Madam Lu and said slowly, “I want to be in charge! The old lady is getting on in years—she’s dizzy all day and can’t get out of bed before nine. It’s too much to ask her to cook. I’m newly married and a doctor, so it’s only right I help my sisters-in-law with the cooking.”

Lu Changfa praised her, “The third son’s wife is truly virtuous—filial to her in-laws, loving toward her sisters-in-law, and takes good care of her man. And now, even as a doctor, she’s willing to cook for the family. Such a good daughter-in-law.”

Lu Changgui also nodded in approval.

In ordinary farming households, “being in charge” basically meant being the one who cooked, and women joked that holding the ladle meant holding the family’s real power. Especially during the famine years, when the family head personally divided each ladle of food.

“You’re dreaming!” Old Madam Lu objected first—Lin Wan was clearly trying to take away her authority.

Old Man Lu, however, assumed she just wanted the tastier food, so he reluctantly agreed for the sake of the cadres’ face and stopped his wife from making a fuss.

The eldest and second sisters-in-law were happy—this meant meals might improve. Lu Mingliang even jumped up in excitement, “Third Aunt in charge! Yay!” The two little ones clapped quietly.

Lu Dage frowned. “That’s not—”

“Big Brother, you came home and, without even asking what was going on, you tried to slap me—” Lin Wan began to wipe away her ‘tears.’

Lu Changgui frowned and scolded, “You, as the eldest brother, would hit your younger brother’s wife? Have you lost your mind?”

He couldn’t scold his younger brother’s wife, but he could scold this nephew, venting his own frustration at Old Madam Lu in the process.

The eldest brother had meant to object to Lin Wan being in charge, but under this attack he quickly defended himself. “That’s not true! I’d never hit my younger brother’s wife!” His honest face showed no hint of deceit.

Lin Wan didn’t care as long as he didn’t oppose her now—she’d deal with him later.

Lu Changgui and Lu Changfa, satisfied the family quarrel was resolved, left in good spirits.

Still, Lin Wan’s “good daughter-in-law” act had them thinking she was the perfect model for Dawan Village.

In the countryside, harmony in a big family was a source of pride, even if there were plenty of hidden conflicts. Many kept up the façade for the sake of face or “filial piety.”

Old Madam Lu, seeing Lin Wan take her authority with the cadres’ support, was so furious she cried. What? Still expected to spend her own money to treat the third son’s illness? Dream on! She started shouting about splitting the family again, but no one paid her any mind.

With the old crone dealt with, Lin Wan turned her attention to Lu Zhengxia. “Uncle, you have to help me ask what she’s up to—she told our old lady I only became a doctor through the back door and that my husband secretly had hundreds of yuan for me. She stirred up trouble so our old lady would come back and beat me—she even broke a stick on me!”

Old Madam Lu: That was you hitting me!

Lu Changfa frowned. “Is this true?”

Old Madam Lu kept harping on the ‘hundreds of’ firmly believing Lu Zhengxia wouldn’t lie.

“I’ll ask her,” Lu Changfa said. “We don’t want any misunderstandings.” A girl deliberately sowing discord in a household would be branded as a troublemaker and have a hard time finding a husband.

By now it was late, so the two men left with a few parting warnings—not to bully Lin Wan, the village doctor.

Lin Wan felt triumphant: she’d kept the money, taken the household authority, and utterly crushed the old crone.

Old Madam Lu tried to rile her husband and eldest son up again, but Old Lu told her to stop making trouble. Lu Dage also advised, “Mother, the younger sister-in-law just wants to cook—let her.”

Lin Wan merely smiled. Did they think being in charge was just for show or about cooking rights?

Naïve.

Being in charge meant having a say in everything, presiding over family meetings, and shaping everyone’s thinking—drawing in the sister-in-laws, second brother, and children, undermining the old crone’s authority. Then splitting the family would be a matter of minutes.

“Since I’m in charge, let’s have a meeting and get the unpleasant things out of the way,” Lin Wan announced.

The old crone snorted, slammed the door, and went to sulk on the kang.

The two sister-in-laws gathered eagerly, ready to listen. Even Lu Mingliang dragged a stool over.

“Women don’t belong at the table for meetings!” Lu Dage tried to drive them away.

“From now on, our family will have gender equality—everyone gets a say,” Lin Wan retorted.

Embarrassed, he muttered about how hard managing household expenses was.

“No problem,” Lin Wan said. “Other than tuition, all school expenses are cut.”

Lu Zhengqi was on the old 6–3–3 school system, but Lu Xinlian wouldn’t be. With the reformed 2–2 system, schooling was shorter and mostly idle time. And Xinlian was pampered—new clothes every year, fine food, eggs and malted milk powder nonstop.

If not for Lu Zhengting, would she live so well?

Lin Wan knew from the “plot” that Lu Zhengqi respected his third brother and wouldn’t demand much. Lu Xinlian, however, had no ambition—she thought her third brother’s subsidies were hers by right, sometimes even intercepting remittances herself. The family even traded coarse grain for fine flour just for her.

Cutting her extra expenses would raise the family’s living standard by at least one or two levels.

“And now,” Lin Wan continued, “in our new society, if you don’t work, you don’t eat. Our family will be the same—no labor, no food. No more sending extra rations outside. Sisters-in-law will supervise, and if anyone dares hit you, tell me—I’m the village doctor, I’ll get the cadres to back you up!”

The old crone trembled with rage. “Save all you want, but don’t mistreat the younger uncle and younger aunt!” she cursed.

Ignoring her, Lin Wan went on, “Since you can’t take the college entrance exam now, once you finish high school you’ll work in the fields. Even if you get a job in town, you’ll hand over half your wages to the family.”

The old crone’s face went dark, and she finally charged out to argue.

Lin Wan smiled smugly. “Don’t worry, old lady—I’ll treat all the children equally. They need nutrition, so from now on we’ll stew eggs every two or three days and cook a meat dish every five days…”

The she stamped her feet in fury. Equally? All eating my food and spending my money?

Old Man Lu could only sigh—he couldn’t control a daughter-in-law with status.

The children were thrilled, clapping happily. The sister-in-laws were impressed that Lin Wan, with no children of her own, thought of the others’ kids.

And with Lu Xinlian’s extra expenses gone, the satisfaction was palpable—watching the old crone choke on her anger was icing on the cake.

—

By dinnertime, Lu Dasao was bustling around with uncharacteristic energy.

Lin Wan declared, “I’ve become a barefoot doctor, so let’s celebrate—pumpkin stewed with soybean oil and a tomato-egg soup. Everyone gets two sips.”

Old Madam Lu cried and cursed, but it was useless. Old Man Lu and Lu Dage hid, leaving the women to it.

When dinner was ready, Lin Wan called out loudly, “The old lady’s ill—serve her a big bowl of food and a big bowl of egg soup. She’s had a hard life; we must be filial!” The slogan was so era-appropriate that Old Man Lu was touched.

Lin Wan personally served her—with an extra handful of coarse salt granules.

“No matter how you feel about me, I still want to be filial,” Lin Wan said sweetly.

The fragrant stew made the old crone’s stomach rumble, and she caved. But the first bite nearly made her spit fire. “You trying to kill me with salt, you wicked daughter-in-law?!”

Lin Wan smiled innocently. “No fine salt at home—only coarse salt, which doesn’t always dissolve.”

Why no fine salt? Because it cost three cents more per jin, and the old crone was too stingy—saving the money for Xinlian. Well, enjoy your ‘flavor’ then.

“There’s soybean oil in there—eat it all, don’t waste!” Lin Wan urged.

The old crone remembered the famine years’ “starch” meals and seethed. She choked down the bowl, but the leftover salt grains at the bottom were too much—so Lin Wan poured her a bowl of water. “Can’t waste it—it’s all oil!”

Old Madam Lu shook with fury. Rinse water? You vile wretch! She tried to throw it at Lin Wan, but Lin Wan dodged, and the soup splashed onto her own shoes.

Sighing, Lin Wan went to eat in the outer room. “We’re just too poor. The old lady didn’t drink enough oil soup, thought the rinse water was tasteless, and poured it out. Everyone must work harder to earn more work points.”

Even Lu Zhengze was annoyed—oil was precious!

Satisfied, Lin Wan happily ate her dinner.

Lu Zhengting slid his own egg soup toward her. “Here, drink this.”