The day was clear and bright, with the autumn breeze carrying a slight chill. Wearing a floral-print shirt over black trousers, her hair tied into a bun with a pink ribbon, Mu Jinhua stood out even more with her striking looks.

She tugged the man forward a few steps and smiled brightly at Mu Jinyue, tilting her chin up slightly. “Xiao Yue, this is your brother-in-law. Come greet him.”

Mu Jinyue had long been curious about this so-called brother-in-law, so she immediately looked up at him. The man had a crew cut, was tall, and had standard good looks—seemingly a decent marriage prospect. But the moment their eyes met, she dismissed the thought. There was something unsettling in his gaze, a coldness that made her uncomfortable. She averted her eyes and obediently greeted, “Cousin, Cousin-in-law.”

Zhou Shi gave a faint hum. At first glance, he recognized the girl—he had seen her before when visiting the village. Recalling how his wife had often mentioned this younger sister lately, he lowered his head to scrutinize her, then frowned. This sister-in-law was too thin, like a scrawny chick, hardly worth a second glance.

From the moment she called out to Mu Jinyue, Mu Jinhua had been closely observing her husband’s reaction. Seeing Zhou Shi’s look of disdain, the jealousy she had harbored earlier dissipated, and her smile grew even more radiant. She had always known—how could this girl ever compare to her? Not just now, with her broader horizons, but even in their past life, Mu Jinyue wasn’t fit to hold a candle to her!

Still, Mu Jinhua stepped forward warmly, taking Mu Jinyue’s hand to fuss over her with exaggerated concern.

Mu Jinyue had initially thought there was nothing to say between them and had wanted to leave, but instead, she was forced to endure a one-sided performance of sisterly affection. Even without her participation, Mu Jinhua carried on effortlessly—impressive, in a way.

When the other woman finally ran out of words and left, Mu Jinyue immediately hurried to the kitchen, putting as much distance as possible between herself and this baffling cousin.

Normally, it would have been her aunt’s turn to cook, but since her cousin was visiting with her new husband, Lin Guihua was in charge of the meal today, and Mu Jinyue naturally had to help.

With guests over, the meal had to be more lavish. They steamed buns made from a mix of white and corn flour as the staple, and for the dishes—since the yard was large enough to grow vegetables—they had plenty of autumn harvest. There was stir-fried eggplant, potatoes, scrambled eggs, tofu, and dried salted fish brought by her male cousins. With both meat and vegetables, it was a decent spread. But then, to everyone’s surprise, Grandma Mu even brought out one of the family’s prized roosters to stew.

Mu Jinyue was stunned. Those chickens were usually treated like treasures, and now one was being sacrificed—quite the extravagant gesture.

With so many dishes to prepare but only two stoves, timing was crucial to ensure lunch wasn’t delayed. This was the kind of skill seasoned homemakers possessed, and Lin Guihua, as the usual head cook, had plenty of experience. Mu Jinyue didn’t need to think much; she just followed her mother’s instructions step by step.

By noon, the dishes were ready one after another, and Mu Jinyue began carrying them to the table. The main room was already set with chairs and tables, but the family was gathered in the side room chatting, the sound of men’s laughter drifting out. Mu Jinyue entered, placed the dish in her hands on the table, and, ignoring the lively conversation, quickly counted the chairs. Ten in total—none for her family of three.

By the time she brought out the last dish, the stewed chicken, her aunt, who had been keeping an eye on the main room, finally called everyone to eat.

Mu Jinyue set the plate down and hurried out to find her parents. After scanning the yard without spotting her father, she headed to the kitchen to fetch her mother first and ask about him.

Inside, Lin Guihua was still scrubbing the pots, her face flushed from the morning’s labor, exhaustion lining her brows. Yet her voice remained gentle. “It’s fine, I’m not hungry yet. The kitchen isn’t clean, so let’s finish up first. We’ll eat when there are fewer people.”

But today’s meal hadn’t included them from the start. If they didn’t fight for a spot, they’d be left with nothing, not even scraps.

Mu Jinyue shook her head firmly. “No. We’re eating now.” Without waiting for further protest, she pulled her mother’s arm, dragging her out.

Lin Guihua didn’t understand what had gotten into her daughter today. She tried to resist, murmuring softly, “Xiao Yue, there are still guests…”

The two of them were still tugging at each other in the kitchen when a familiar cough sounded at the door. Both mother and daughter immediately let go, and Lin Guihua pulled her daughter behind her, shielding her as she spoke. “Mom, all the dishes have been served. I’ll clean up the kitchen right away.”

Grandma Mu snorted. “Hmph. Hurry up, lazy woman. There’s no room with guests here. You and your family go back to your room and stay there. Come out to eat after they’ve left.”

This was outright bullying. Mu Jinyue was about to retort when Lin Guihua obediently nodded. “Yes, Mother.”

Seeing her meek submission, Grandma Mu’s expression grew even more disdainful, but she said nothing more and left.

Once she was gone, Lin Guihua pulled Mu Jinyue deeper into the kitchen, her voice pleading. “Xiao Yue, let’s just stay here for a while. Sit down and wait. Once I’m done cleaning, we’ll go back to our room. Don’t provoke your grandmother now. Things will be better once you’re married…”

Mu Jinyue looked at the woman murmuring in front of her, a surge of bitterness rising in her chest. She couldn’t tell if these emotions were her own or remnants of the original host’s. In the end, she still nodded and agreed.

The two of them washed and put away all the pots and dishes, wiped everything clean, and only then returned to their room. Inside, Mu Jinyue finally saw her father, Mu You, whom she hadn’t been able to find earlier.

Mu You was sitting by the door, willow branches at his side—the best material for weaving baskets, gathered from the riverbank near the village. Among the entire Mu family, Mu You was the most skilled basket weaver, so all the baskets and containers in the house were made by him. Right now, he was meticulously weaving another one.

Mu Jinyue entered the room and sat silently by the wall near the kang (a heated brick bed). Lin Guihua followed closely behind, picking up needlework and clothes before settling onto the kang. The room was quiet, the atmosphere harmonious—a picture of a happy family, except for the bursts of laughter coming from next door, which would have made the mood even better if not for that.

Mu Jinyue’s eyes burned without her realizing it. She turned to face the wall and lay down, tears silently slipping out. Suddenly, she felt utterly useless. She couldn’t dominate like those transmigrated heroines in novels, couldn’t fight back against these toxic relatives, and was even being forced into marriage. She didn’t want this life—it was too suffocating. She wanted to go home, so badly…

She cried uncontrollably, her body trembling even as she clenched her teeth, unable to suppress her sobs.

Lin Guihua, sitting nearby, noticed her daughter’s distress immediately. She reached out to comfort her but stopped halfway. What was the point of comforting her? The next time, it would be the same. It was all her own fault for being useless, for her child being disliked too. Tears welled up in her own eyes.

Even Mu You, usually slow to notice, sensed something wrong with the mother and daughter. He quickly stood and walked toward the kang, but before he could speak, his gaze met Lin Guihua’s tear-streaked face. She glanced toward their daughter, then back at him, shaking her head silently.

The two exchanged a wordless conversation, and in the end, Mu You was the first to yield. Step by step, he retreated, squatting back by the door, covering his face with his hands, lost in thought.

Mu Jinyue cried until exhaustion finally pulled her into sleep. When she woke again, it was already afternoon. The yard was quiet—Mu Jinhua and the others must have left. Mu Jinyue didn’t bring up eating again, which only deepened the ache in Lin Guihua’s heart as she watched her daughter’s mood closely.

…

With Mu Jinhua’s wedding over, it was now Mu Jinyue’s turn. Originally, there had only been a month left before her own arranged marriage, and in that month, many things had happened. In the blink of an eye, the wedding day arrived.

Early that morning, Lin Guihua woke Mu Jinyue and brought out the clothes she had prepared long ago—a floral short-sleeved blouse, a workwear set that looked like a factory uniform, a red hair ribbon, and a pair of cloth shoes. All were clean and looked nearly new.

Mu Jinyue was genuinely surprised. Given Grandma Mu’s temperament, good things never made it to their branch of the family. If they weren’t being shortchanged, it was already a blessing. Under such conditions, preparing such an outfit was no small feat.

Lin Guihua stood behind her, combing her hair. Seeing her fingers brush over the clothes, she said softly, “I asked your uncles to help trade for these in the city. They’ve been worn once, but they’re well-kept and look new. They’re presentable even in the city. When you get to your in-laws’ place, listen to your mother-in-law, get along with your husband, and work hard. Once you have children, life will gradually get better.”

Though Mu Jinyue didn’t quite agree with her words, she still smiled and nodded on this day. “Okay, I will.”

After finishing her hair, Lin Guihua cupped her face. “Our Xiao Yue is so pretty.”

Mu Jinyue couldn’t help but smile—her first real one that day. Though there was no mirror at home, she had caught glimpses of her reflection in water while washing her face. Dark and thin, yet still called pretty—maybe it was just a mother’s unconditional love.