Shen Shoutian’s face lit up with joy.

“Really, Xiaomeng? That’s great! Alright then, you sit down and rest for a while. Qinlan, tidy up our room so Xiaomeng can stay tonight. Second brother and I will set up floor mats in Dad’s room, and you can squeeze in with Xiaomei and the kids.”

Lü Qinlan: “Alright, I’ll get right to it.”

She stood up and hurried to their room, throwing a somewhat awkward smile at Shen Meng, as if worried her sister-in-law might look down on their humble conditions. After all, Shen Meng’s in-laws were far better off than their family, and this time she had brought meat, eggs, and even a bundle of clothes. Lü Qinlan felt nothing but gratitude.

Su Xiaomei also got up and quietly went to her own room to tidy up.

Seeing her two sisters-in-law so busy, Shen Meng felt a little embarrassed. Staying overnight felt abrupt now that she thought about it. But looking at the Shen family, she realized they genuinely missed the original host of this body. It wasn’t hard to see why they were so thrilled—after all, she used to come home only once every couple of months. Her sudden visit was a cause for celebration.

When Wang Guizhi finally came out after putting Shen Fugui to sleep, she saw the entire family gathered in the main room, chatting away. Shen Yutian, the second son, had put his sleeping child down and came over to chat with his sister.

“Xiaomeng, you brought so much stuff this time. Won’t your mother-in-law have a problem with it?”

“They’ve divided the household, haven’t they? If that old hag dares to bully Xiaomeng again, I’ll go and deal with her myself.”

Shen Yutian spoke with resolve, still bitter about the injustices his little sister had endured. He’d wanted to storm over and cause a scene back then, but their parents had stopped him, worried it might ruin her marriage. His wife had eventually convinced him to wait and see how things turned out.

Shen Meng felt a warm sense of belonging. The Shen family genuinely cared for the original host, but the latter had only thought about how to gain benefits from her husband’s family. Despite her schemes, the money she had secured from Lu Zhenping’s army stipends had ended up lining the pockets of Liu Sanjin and her conniving daughters-in-law.

“Now that the household is divided, I have my own land. I’ll raise my kids and live comfortably from now on.”

Wang Guizhi sighed and gently advised her.

“Xiaomeng, no matter what, your mother-in-law is still Zhenping’s mother. You have to show her respect for his sake. It wouldn’t be fair to make things difficult for him—he can’t possibly disown his own mother.”

“I know, Mom. Don’t worry. As long as she doesn’t stir up trouble, I won’t argue with her. Actually, I stayed the night because I wanted to discuss something important.”

Wang Guizhi exchanged a glance with her two sons and quickly responded.

“What is it? Tell us. If there’s any difficulty, just let us know.”

“It’s not a problem, but I do need everyone’s agreement.”

“Oh, stop beating around the bush. Just say it, girl! You wouldn’t stay at your parents’ house overnight unless something’s bothering you. Spit it out!”

“It’s nothing bad. I was thinking about renovating the house. Look at our mud-brick home—it’s the most worn-down house on the whole street. The roof’s thatch has turned black from age, and when the snow comes this winter, it’s bound to collapse. Instead of waiting for that to happen, we should dismantle the roof now, dry the old thatch, and save it for firewood.”

Wang Guizhi was startled by this suggestion. Letting her married daughter pay for a renovation? That would surely give people something to gossip about.

“Oh, we can’t let you pay for that. Your father and I already talked about it. We were planning to ask your brothers to see if the production team could spare some straw. That would be cheaper. Then we’d hire a roofer to patch things up.”

Shen Shoutian: “Exactly. Xiaomeng, don’t trouble yourself with this. As long as you’re doing well, that’s all that matters to us.”

Shen Shoutian’s heart was filled with pride. He’d often heard people say he was lucky to have a capable brother-in-law and would eventually enjoy the benefits. But years passed without Shen Meng doing anything for the family, fueling idle gossip. Now, at last, his little sister was proving them wrong.

Shen Meng: “What are you saying? I may be married, but I’m not sold off. I’ve borne children for Zhenping, and now I can’t even help my own family? Besides, Zhenping cares about you all too. He mentioned in his last letter that he was worried about Mom and Dad’s health and told me to be good to them. If he comes back and sees the house in such a state, he’ll think I’ve neglected my duty.”

Wang Guizhi’s face lit up.

“Really?”

Shen Meng: “Of course! By the way, my straw hasn’t been collected yet. Big Brother, can you take me back tomorrow and help me haul it here? We should get it done early. The kids have school at ten, so I’ll also bring Zhenping’s letter for you to read.”

“Alright.”

“Mom, Big Brother, Second Brother, it’s painful to see the house like this. When it rains, the roof leaks. And Xiaobin is still living in a partitioned area of the main room. How can we ever find him a decent bride like this?”

The room fell silent. They all knew she was right. They hadn’t renovated in years due to poverty, and their circumstances only seemed to worsen over time.

“Let’s tear it down and build something new. I’ll ask around about getting bricks and tiles. We’ll make the house sturdier and more spacious. That way, when Xiaobin is ready to marry, we won’t have to worry.”

She pulled out the 235 yuan from selling the radio and placed the thick stack of bills on the table.

The sight left everyone stunned.

“Here’s the money, Mom. It’s not enough for a full brick house, but it’s more than enough for a few mud-brick rooms with tiled roofs. If there’s any leftover, use it to make furniture or buy clothes for the kids. Big Brother and Second Brother, keep earning work points. Let’s make sure the kids can go to school.”

The original host of this body had given her a second chance at life. For this reason, she also had the obligation to help the Shen family.