In Dahe Village, people ate twice a day—once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

No one cooked at noon.

But right now, the air carried a faint scent of meat.

Aunt Wang, sitting in her yard, took a deep sniff.

That was pork—definitely pork.

At this time of year, someone in the village could still afford pork?!

Following the aroma, Aunt Wang stepped out of her yard and saw Zhao Sidan walking toward her from the field ridge.

His small body carried a large bamboo basket full of wild goosefoot greens.

“Sidan, why did you pick so many greens?”

Zhao Sidan answered honestly, “My mother said they taste good.”

Aunt Wang’s mouth twitched.

Wild goosefoot greens took forever to cook and tasted unbearably bitter.

Zhao’s wife was clearly deceiving this little one.

Kids didn’t know any better—they ate whatever their mother gave them. Poor thing.

“Sidan, wait a moment!”

Aunt Wang turned back into her house, grabbed a cornbread bun, hesitated, then broke it in half, pressing a small piece into Zhao Sidan’s hand. “Eat this quickly to fill your stomach.”

Zhao Sidan immediately pushed it back. “Auntie, I can’t take this…”

“Take it! What are you being so polite for?” Aunt Wang scolded. “Your mother sends all the good stuff to the Cheng family and lets you four kids starve. A ten-year-old looking like he’s only six or seven… Serves her right! She always puts her maiden family first, but in the end, her own brother beat her up! Ha! What a joke.

“Sidan, when you grow up, move out of that house. Don’t be like your brother and sister-in-law, slaving away like oxen for nothing. Not even getting a decent meal! Your mother is worse than a stepmother…”

Just then, Cheng Wanwan was washing her hands in her yard when she heard the cursing outside.

Who was it this time, standing at her door in broad daylight, badmouthing her?

She wiped her hands dry and walked out, spotting Aunt Wang pulling Zhao Sidan aside at the neighboring house’s entrance.

Sidan tried to interrupt several times but was firmly silenced by Aunt Wang.

“Eat this half a bun quickly, and don’t let your mother see it, or you won’t get a bite!”

Cheng Wanwan sighed. Sharing food was supposed to be a kind gesture, but Aunt Wang managed to make it feel infuriating.

Then again, thinking about the past misdeeds of her predecessor, she understood why Aunt Wang held such resentment.

As neighbors, their two yards were only separated by a few trees. Being so close, conflicts were inevitable.

The former Cheng Wanwan had been greedy and petty, constantly taking advantage of Aunt Wang.

More than once, Aunt Wang had been scolded so harshly by her that she went home fuming.

Yet even after all that, Aunt Wang was still secretly giving her son food.

As the saying goes, “Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors.” Mending their relationship wouldn’t be a bad idea.

But given how sharp-tongued her predecessor was, suddenly changing would be too abrupt.

“You should keep that for yourself,” Cheng Wanwan said as she stepped forward and picked up Zhao Sidan’s basket. “Our family is eating meat today. Who wants cornbread?”

Her tone carried three parts mockery, three parts sarcasm, and four parts smugness—a near-perfect imitation of her predecessor’s mannerisms.

Aunt Wang sniffed the air again, disbelief in her eyes. “Your family can still afford meat?!”

“The Cheng family bashed my head open, so I took back all the meat I used to send them. Why shouldn’t I eat it myself?” Cheng Wanwan said righteously. “Come on, Sidan, let’s go home and eat meat!”

She wasn’t showing off—she wanted Aunt Wang’s big mouth to spread the news throughout the village.

She wanted everyone to know she had cut ties with the Cheng family.

That she had completely given up on them.

That’s why she had changed.

That’s why she was determined to start living well.

“I don’t believe you one bit!” Aunt Wang rolled her eyes. “If you have money for meat, you should buy more grain instead. Just like Old Lady Zhao said, you’re a wasteful woman—living meal to meal, making your kids suffer…”

Even as she complained, she swallowed hard, the aroma of meat making her mouth water.

Once autumn harvest was over, she would definitely exchange a few pounds of grain for some pork so her children could have a taste.

…

Zhao Sidan rushed home and immediately spotted the pot of braised pork bubbling away.

He couldn’t stop drooling.

Cheng Wanwan warned him in a low voice, “Sidan, no matter what good food we have at home, you must never tell anyone outside. Understand?”

Zhao Sidan nodded furiously. “I won’t tell! Not anyone!”

If his uncle found out, he’d come and take all their food away.

Cheng Wanwan picked up a piece of braised pork with her chopsticks, blew on it, and stuffed it into his mouth. “Well? Does it taste good?”

Zhao Sidan swallowed it in one gulp, barely tasting it.

He licked his lips. “Mom, I want more…”

“You little glutton.” Cheng Wanwan chuckled. “Go call your second and third brothers for dinner.”

Zhao Sidan dashed out excitedly.

Cheng Wanwan told Wu Huiniang to scoop out the braised pork and start steaming white rice.

Then, she called Zhao Dashan over.

“I remember you know a bit about bricklaying. Can you build another small stove here?”

With two stoves, one pot could cook rice while the other made dishes, saving time and firewood.

Zhao Dashan had worked as a bricklayer’s apprentice in town last year.

Without hesitation, he went to collect stones from the riverbank, then mixed yellow clay with water to make mortar.

Following Cheng Wanwan’s instructions, he started building the stove.

The pot of rice was nearly done, the house filled with the rich aroma of meat and rice.

Just then, Zhao Sidan ran back in a panic. “Mom, bad news! Second and third brother got into a fight!”

Cheng Wanwan sighed.

Those two troublemakers again?!

Before she could say anything, Zhao Dashan tossed aside his tools. “Let’s go! Who dares bully my little brothers?”

“Stop right there!” Cheng Wanwan ordered. “Stay home and finish the stove. I’ll check when I get back.”

She strode out.

When kids fought, it was the adults’ job to resolve things. If the eldest brother stepped in, it would only escalate.

Zhao Sidan led the way, explaining as he went.

The ones fighting with her two sons were Zhang Wulai and his father, Zhang Dagang—both notorious loafers in the village.

No doubt, Zhang Wulai was picking a fight over the rabbit they failed to snatch yesterday.

Ergou and San Niu had gotten caught up in the mess.

At the village well—the only one still yielding water—the fight had drawn half the village to watch.

“Zhang Wulai, you’re a grown man. Why are you bullying two kids?”

Zhang Wulai spat on the ground. “I’m protecting the whole village! These brats fetched ten buckets of water last night, and now they’re here again. Do they think the well is endless? If their family uses more, others get less. Why should they hog all the benefits?”