When Shen Meng and little Mingkai entered the room, Xifeng was carefully feeding porridge to Wang Lianhua. The dim light of the kerosene lamp cast shadows on their faces, making their expressions hard to discern.

“Sister in law Meng, you’re here! Come in, quick,” Xifeng said, setting down the bowl and rushing to fetch a warm cup of water.

“Sister-in-law, sit down. There’s no hot water kettle in my second sister-in-law’s room, so I brought this from my place. The temperature is just right.”

“No rush, no rush. I just came to check on Sister Lianhua. To be honest, part of this is my fault. I didn’t think things through, and Sister Lianhua had to suffer because of it.”

Wang Lianhua, reclining against the bed, wore a headscarf, and her face was mottled with bruises in green and purple patches that looked unsettling in the low light.

“Why are you saying that, little sister? You meant well. You gave such nice food to Da Qing and Er Qing and even brought some for me and Xifeng. I heard from the kids that they ate dumplings made with white flour and meat stuffing. Sister, you’re so generous. Anyone else wouldn’t have been this kind,” Wang Lianhua said weakly, her body aching with every word.

Xifeng, standing nearby, nodded fervently. She had also eaten some of those dumplings yesterday, and they were the best she’d ever had. Though mixed with corn flour, she could tell there was more white flour in the dough.

“I heard your mother-in-law and elder sister-in-law had to pay you three yuan in compensation. Keep that money hidden well, or they might try to snatch it back,” Shen Meng said.

“Oh, don’t worry, sister. I’ve hidden it securely. My mother-in-law is as stingy as they come. For her to part with even a penny is a miracle, and it’s all thanks to you. Otherwise, I’d have been beaten for nothing,” Wang Lianhua said, her voice tinged with a sob.

Shen Meng shook her head and took out the items she had brought in her basket.

“Here’s half a pound of brown sugar and a pound of egg cakes. I wanted to bring eggs, but I was worried your mother-in-law would make a fuss. Hide it and eat it.”

“Oh no, sister. I can’t accept this. We already ate your dumplings yesterday. If I take more, I won’t dare look you in the eye again. These are such rare and valuable items—they’re hard to buy even if you have money.”

Shen Meng firmly pressed the items into Wang Lianhua’s hands and clasped them tightly.

“Don’t refuse, Sister Lianhua. I wasn’t in the right mind before and caused you trouble. But I’m grateful for all the times you’ve helped my kids when I couldn’t. We’re family, and as cousins and sisters-in-law, we should support each other.”

Wang Lianhua hesitated but couldn’t push the gifts back. Xifeng laughed and said, “Second Sister-in-law, just take it. It’s Sister Meng’s kindness. And she’s right—family should stick together.”

Reluctantly, Wang Lianhua kept the items. She took out three egg cakes, dividing them among the children, who shared them joyfully. The rest, Xifeng locked away in the bedside cabinet.

“That’s more like it. But, Sister Lianhua, there’s something I want to say. If you or Xifeng think I’m wrong, just pretend I didn’t mention it.”

“We’re family; there’s no need for formalities. Speak your mind, Sister Meng,” Xifeng said warmly.

“Well, Sister Lianhua, you know your mother-in-law isn’t someone easy to get along with. But look at Zhao Jingui—she gets along with her just fine. Why? It’s not just because they’re from the same hometown; it’s also because Zhao Jingui stands her ground. Xifeng is a bit better at this than you are. Sister, Da Qing and Er Qing are good boys, and being sons, the Lu family won’t give them too much trouble. But Yao Yao is just a girl. She was badly frightened today. This isn’t about a single dumpling—they know you don’t have hidden money or grain. They target you because you’re easy to bully. If you keep enduring it, it will ruin Yao Yao’s future.”

Shen Meng’s words left both women stunned. Their gazes shifted to Yao Yao, who sat silently, watching Da Qing and Er Qing play with Mingkai. She had been silent since the morning’s events, her face blank, and she hadn’t eaten much at lunch.

“Oh no,” Wang Lianhua whispered, guilt washing over her. She hadn’t even noticed her daughter’s condition amid the chaos of visitors and her own pain.

“Thank you for reminding me. I didn’t notice at all,” she murmured. Then she sighed, “But it’s getting late. Why isn’t her father home yet? If he were here, he could at least…”

“Could what? Help you care for the children?” Xifeng cut in sharply. “Second Sister-in-law, even after today’s beating, you still don’t see it, do you? People say the onlooker sees clearly while the insider is confused. Sister-in-law Song is right. You need to stand up for yourself because your husband clearly isn’t reliable. He’s always out and about, never home to help. Let me tell you, if you dare give him the things Sister Meng brought, I won’t care about you anymore.”

Wang Lianhua looked embarrassed but said nothing. Shen Meng, sensing the atmosphere, stood to leave.

“I’ll be off then. Oh, this is a bottle of herbal ointment Zhenping sent from Yunnan. Xifeng, use it to massage Sister Lianhua—it’ll help with blood circulation and reduce bruising.”

“Thank you, Sister Meng. Once my second sister-in-law feels better, we’ll come visit you,” Xifeng said with a smile.

“Alright, see you then.”

---

As Shen Meng walked home with Mingkai, night had fallen. The little boy clung to her tightly, nervous in the dim light. Suddenly, a shadow flashed across the road and fell to the ground. Mingkai froze, clutching his mother’s sleeve and whispering in a trembling voice, “Mom, did you see that? A ghost fell down!”

Shen Meng shivered, almost dragging the boy into her space in panic. Her own nerves were on edge. The countryside path was dark, lit only faintly by the moon. The rustling of leaves in the trees and the occasional chirp of birds and insects heightened her unease. Following Mingkai’s frightened whisper, she spotted the “ghost” he was pointing at.