“Put your mind to proper use and stop obsessing over what’s between a man’s legs all day long.”  

Wang Xiu’e had a crude way of speaking, and the men were so embarrassed their faces turned red.  

In these times, there weren’t many entertainment options. Once it got dark, people would just return to their rooms and lie down.  

Husband and wife would lie together in the pitch-black room, sparks flying, with nothing else to do but focus on “what’s between a man’s legs.”  

Otherwise, where did all those children in every household come from?  

Did they just pop out of cracks in the rocks? Absolutely impossible.  

Not far from the kitchen, in a small room, a certain person and their system could hear the argument in the kitchen loud and clear.  

The system stared at its host’s face—so plump it was almost unbearable to look at—and declared righteously:  

[Host, don’t worry. I’ll definitely find you a supremely wealthy man so you’ll never have to worry about food or drink.]

Poverty-stricken couples faced endless sorrow. The host’s future child must grow up in a loving, affluent home. Only then could a physically and mentally healthy, outstanding child be raised, perfectly fulfilling the mission entrusted to it by the heavens.  

“In my past life, I never relied on a man, and I still never worried about food or drink. It’ll be the same in this life.”  

Though the current era restricted private trade and market economy, a living person couldn’t possibly let themselves be stymied by such limitations.  

In her previous life, she had single-handedly built Shengshi Group into a Fortune Global 500 company. In this life, she could achieve the same success.  

[Host, don’t be so absolute. Without a man, how will you have a child?]

[Don’t you want a child of your own?]

[A sweet, soft little one trailing behind you, calling you ‘Mommy’ over and over.]

[And when you grow old, they’ll take care of you until the end…]

The system rambled on and on, trying its best to persuade the host to abandon her no-men stance.  

Because—the host’s child couldn’t just spring out of a rock like the Monkey King. It had to come from the host’s own belly.  

The arduous task of procreation couldn’t skip a single step.  

Lin Wanwan was reminded of her final moments in her past life. The memory of her adopted son, Lin Zhengping, whom she had raised with all her heart, brought a sharp pang of sorrow.  

Now that she had been given a second chance at life, she would never adopt another child.  

This time, she had to have a child of her own.  

As for men? Keeping the child and discarding the father was a perfectly viable option.  

Even if she had eight or ten children, she could afford to raise them all.  

Seeing the host’s resolute attitude, the system was on the verge of a breakdown.  

In its ten thousand years of carrying out missions, this was the first time it had encountered such a stubborn host.  

And yet, it couldn’t leave her.  

Infuriating.  

A short while later, the door creaked open, and Wang Xiu’e walked in carrying a bowl of corn and sweet potato porridge.  

“Sweetheart, you must be starving. Here, eat something to fill your stomach.”  

“Once things settle down in a couple of days, I’ll have your dad go to the county and buy half a pound of pork. Then I’ll make your favorite braised pork for you.”  

Wang Xiu’e’s words pulled Lin Wanwan into the original host’s memories.  

In these famine-stricken times, the Lin family managed to eat meat every ten days or so.  

Lin Shuisheng would go to the county to buy it—sometimes two ounces, sometimes half a pound.  

The portions were small, but every last bit always ended up in the original host’s stomach.  

The rest of the family could only hover around the stove and smell the aroma.  

Anyone who dared steal a bite would face Wang Xiu’e’s wrath.  

Even the family’s golden grandson, Lin Changfu, wasn’t spared a beating with the bamboo rod.  

It was safe to say that the original host’s status in the family surpassed everyone else’s.  

But looking at Wang Xiu’e now—so thin her face was sunken—Lin Wanwan couldn’t bear to keep hogging all the food.  

“Mom, look how fat I’ve gotten—it’s almost unbearable to look at. Starting today, I’m going on a diet.”  

“And a while back, I heard Big Brother say someone in our brigade, Old Man Wang, starved to death. Why don’t we use the money for meat to buy grain instead, so everyone in the family can have a full meal?”  

Seeing her daughter being so considerate, Wang Xiu’e’s heart ached.

She first cursed her eldest son for gossiping in front of her daughter, then turned to comfort the girl.  

“Don’t listen to your brother’s nonsense. Old Man Wang starved to death because he deserved it—he gave his own rations to that young widow instead of eating them himself. Doesn’t he realize what times we’re living in? When people can’t even get enough to eat, he’s still thinking about what’s between his legs.”  

“Our family is different. With your parents and your three brothers around, we’d never let you go hungry.”  

“Eat and drink as you please—what’s this about losing weight? You’re not fat at all.”  

“Or did those gossipy women in the brigade say something to you again? Tell me who they are, and I’ll go tear their mouths shut.”  

Her daughter’s plumpness was a sign of prosperity, something others could only dream of having.  

Lin Wanwan felt warmed by Wang Xiu’e’s unwavering protectiveness. She took her mother’s hand and cooed,  

“Mom, being too heavy is bad for your health. It makes you more likely to get sick.”  

The word “sick” immediately alarmed Wang Xiu’e. “Sweetheart, is that really true?”  

Her fourth and fifth children had died of illness, and ever since, she had been terrified of her daughter falling sick.  

If anything ever happened to her girl, she wouldn’t want to live either.  

“Of course it’s true. The educated youths at the educated youth point told me. They’re from big cities, so they must know more than we do.”  

“Don’t let them fool you. Those educated youths are lazy schemers—no good at all…”  

Before she could finish, Wang Xiu’e regretted her words and wanted to slap herself twice.  

Her daughter’s beloved Zhou was also an Educated Youth. Had she just insulted him by accident?  

Her daughter was utterly infatuated with Zhou Zhongwen. If anyone dared say a bad word about him, she’d grab a shovel and fight them.  

Who knew what tricks that pretty boy had used to charm her daughter so completely?  

She had cried her heart out at home before, swearing she’d marry no one but him.  

Lin Wanwan nodded. “You’re right, Mom. I’ll ignore them from now on.”  

None of the educated youths staying at the Educated Youth Point were good people—two-faced hypocrites, every last one.  

They ate the food the original host gave them but mocked her behind her back, calling her a toad lusting after swan meat, delusional and shameless.  

Such people weren’t worth befriending.  

Seeing her daughter wasn’t angry, Wang Xiu’e sighed in relief.  

She coaxed the girl into finishing the corn and sweet potato porridge, then closed the door and left.  

The moment Wang Xiu’e was gone, the system popped up again.  

[Host, your mother treats you so well.]

For once, Lin Wanwan didn’t argue. She nodded in agreement.  

Wang Xiu’e was a mother in every sense of the word—always putting her daughter first, terrified of anything happening to her.  

Through her, Lin Wanwan felt a long-lost maternal love and naturally slipped into the role of the beloved daughter.  

Since she’d been given a second life, she might as well live it well in this new identity.  

From now on, she was Lin Wanwan, daughter of Lin Shuisheng and Wang Xiu’e from the Morning Glory Brigade.  

As long as she kept her mouth shut, no one would know this body now housed a different soul.  

And that secret would go with her to the grave.  

Seizing the opportunity, the system pressed on:  

[Older folks love being surrounded by children and grandchildren. Your mother dotes on you so much—she must be hoping you’ll marry and have kids soon.]

[If you ask me, you should fulfill her wish sooner rather than later…]

The nagging about marriage and babies had started again. Lin Wanwan had heard it so often her ears were calloused.  

Annoyed, she played her trump card.  

“Er Lai from our brigade seems pretty good. I’ll go register a marriage with him tomorrow, so you’ll stop yammering in my ear all day.”  

Er Lai was the Morning Glory Brigade’s most notorious bachelor—a petty thief, lazy glutton in his forties with yellowed teeth who couldn’t resist harassing young wives whenever he saw them.  

His big mouth had earned him plenty of beatings.  

A few years ago, driven mad by loneliness, he stole the village chief’s hen. By the time he was caught, the poor bird had been tortured beyond recognition.  

Since then, Er Lai—that beast worse than pigs or dogs—had become infamous in the Morning Glory Brigade.  

Even ants scurried past him with their butts clenched.  

After scanning Er Lai’s profile, the system immediately shut its mouth.  

It would never allow its host to bear children for such a man.  

Its host deserved only the finest man in the world.  

Finally enjoying some peace, Lin Wanwan smirked in triumph.  

To subdue a snake, strike its vital spot. Years in the business world had taught her exactly how to handle people.  

And systems were no exception.