The sky gradually darkened.

Wu Huiniang was tidying up in the kitchen, while Cheng Wanwan sat at the table with her four sons.

She was about to speak when the sound of someone cursing came from outside in the courtyard.

“What a disgrace! The Zhao family must have been cursed for eight generations to end up with a daughter-in-law like you! Dashan’s father left behind twenty taels of silver—twenty whole taels! And you took it to support your own family? Serves you right to be beaten by them! They should’ve beaten you to death—one less troublemaker in the world!”

“You’re out here picking wild greens in front of the whole village, pretending to be pitiful! Making it look like the Zhao family mistreats you… You shameless wench! You have silver to give your family but no money for food? And you even dare to borrow grain from others? Do you have no shame?”

Cheng Wanwan glanced toward the courtyard gate.

She recognized the voice.

It was her mother-in-law—her original body’s mother-in-law, to be precise.

The two had never gotten along.

A year ago, after a dramatic dispute, her original body had moved out and completely cut ties with the old woman.

They wouldn’t even greet each other in the village.

She felt a little relieved that her original body had separated from the Zhao family.

Now, she wouldn’t have to deal with such a large household.

But wow, this old woman had energy!

She actually came all the way to her doorstep just to scold her in the middle of the night?

Did she look like the kind of person who would stand there and get yelled at?

Cheng Wanwan got up and walked outside.

When Zhao Laotai saw her come out, she immediately changed her tone. “Dashan’s wife, come here!”

Wu Huiniang quickly stepped forward.

“This is the grain I brought for my four grandsons. Take care of it!” The old woman threw a sack at her. “You’re about to be a mother yourself—be tougher! Even if you don’t care about anyone else, at least think about the child in your belly!”

Zhao Laotai shot Cheng Wanwan a fierce glare before turning around and leaving.

Her hurried retreat almost seemed like she was running away.

Cheng Wanwan suddenly remembered—

The original owner used to argue with this old woman often.

And because she was younger, she always won, leaving the old woman speechless.

So this time, the old woman came over to vent, but she was afraid of being scolded in return, so she ran off before she could be humiliated.

“Mother…”

Wu Huiniang hesitated before handing the sack of grain to Cheng Wanwan.

Even their grandmother feared her mother-in-law.

How could she dare to go against her?

If she angered her, she’d probably have to kneel all night again.

Cheng Wanwan hadn’t planned on taking it.

This grain was meant for Zhao Laotai’s biological grandsons, and it wouldn’t be right for her to claim it.

But she did have some food of her own—she just needed a good excuse to bring it out.

So, she accepted the sack. “It’s late. Let’s boil some water, wash up, and go to bed.”

Wu Huiniang immediately carried over a basin of hot water. “Mother, this is all the water left in the house. You wash first.”

First?

Did that mean after she washed, they would all reuse the same water?

Cheng Wanwan twitched at the corners of her mouth.

Well, she couldn’t expect too much. Given the drought, even having water to wash her face was a blessing.

At this moment, she was once again grateful that she had transmigrated into the role of the mother-in-law.

In ancient times, mothers-in-law stood at the top of the social hierarchy—she even got to wash first!

One by one, the family washed their faces and hands, turning the clean water into murky black liquid.

Finally, Zhao Dashan walked to the edge of the field and poured the dirty water onto the dry, cracked soil.

..

When it was time to sleep, Cheng Wanwan froze.

There were only two rooms in the house.

The eldest son and his wife shared one.

She and her other three sons shared the other.

One bed. Four people.

God help her.

She had never shared a bed with anyone before—let alone three males!

Even though these three boys were biologically the children of her body’s original owner, they had nothing to do with her! She couldn’t mentally accept it!

As she battled internally, the sound of snoring filled the room.

The snores came in waves.

How was she supposed to sleep like this?

Cheng Wanwan wanted to cry.

The first thing she would do once she had money—was build a house!

She must have a room of her own!

That night, after tossing and turning, she finally drifted off.

..

A rooster’s crow awakened the sleeping village of Dahe.

The sky was barely lit, and the thin morning light wrapped the village in a soft glow.

The farmers always rose early, eager to weed and tend their fields before the sun became too harsh. A busy day had begun.

Cheng Wanwan hadn’t slept well.

The bed was a wooden plank, with only layers of reed and straw beneath the sheet. It was uncomfortable no matter how she lay.

At least it was summer.

If it were winter, things would be unbearable.

Poor farmers couldn’t afford cotton. Their quilts were stuffed with straw and reed flowers.

Dahe Village, neither north nor south, didn’t have the tradition of heating kang beds. They had to rely on their own body heat to survive the cold.

Cheng Wanwan felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders—not just to fill their stomachs, but to acquire at least two thick cotton quilts before winter.

She got up and left the room.

The household was already bustling.

Her eldest daughter-in-law was washing clothes and tidying the courtyard.

The eldest son was preparing to head to the fields.

The second son was fetching water.

The third son was about to chop firewood.

The youngest son carried a bamboo basket, ready to forage for wild greens.

These kids were truly hardworking.

She couldn’t understand why the original owner had favored her maternal nephews instead.

“Wait.”

Cheng Wanwan frowned and called them to stop.

She walked back into the house, opened the sack Zhao Laotai had sent, and found three to four catties of darkened millet inside.

This grain was clearly from last year—it had already begun to mold.

In desperate times, they could eat it.

But right now, she had a choice.

She poured out the old grain and opened her system’s store, purchasing fresh millet.

Millet was actually more expensive than rice—five coins per catty.

Though rice was cheaper and tastier, it would be harder to explain its sudden appearance.

She glanced at her remaining balance—30 coins left.

Gritting her teeth, she bought five catties, leaving her with only five coins.

Carrying the new sack outside, she said, “Eat breakfast before you start working.”

Wu Huiniang recognized the bag—it was the one their grandmother had given them last night.

When she opened it, she was shocked.

Zhao Laotai had sent food before, but it was always rock-hard cornbread or moldy sorghum flour.

This fresh golden millet was something their family had never eaten before!

“The old lady sure dotes on her grandsons,” Cheng Wanwan said indifferently. “Cook porridge with it—make it last two meals.”

A well-fed body was a strong body.

The children needed nourishment.

Wu Huiniang was stunned.

Five catties of millet, split into two meals—everyone could have at least two bowls!

Last night, she thought they’d starve for a month.

She never expected her mother-in-law to suddenly become so generous!