Chapter 4 – “Who Did I Think Was Begging?”

“Alright.”

Being deliberately reminded by Lu Zheng, Lin Shuqiao didn’t get angry. After all, it was true—she had been blinded by greed and foolishness, falling for Jiang He’s sweet talk, which directly led to her own tragic downfall.

Back then, she was primarily to blame for ending up like that.

Lin Shuqiao agreed so straightforwardly that it caught Lu Zheng a bit off guard. But thinking back to the scene of her chasing someone out with a broom, he looked at her with a deep, unreadable gaze.

She knew her actions now must seem like she was possessed in Lu Zheng’s eyes, but she had no intention of maintaining her old image.

This time, she was determined to turn over a new leaf and live a new life.

The divorce paperwork hadn’t been processed yet, and it likely wouldn’t be finalized anytime soon. For now, she unpacked her things again. But the smell on her body made her frown—she couldn’t stand it any longer and headed straight to the kitchen.

Back when she lived with the Lin family, she was too lazy to heat water for bathing, sometimes going a week or ten days without washing. Now she felt downright rancid!

She was genuinely impressed Lu Zheng could tolerate her like that—she couldn’t even tolerate herself for one more second.

There was still water in the kitchen. As Lin Shuqiao prepared to heat it for a bath, Lu Zheng followed behind her, crouching down with a basin, clearly getting ready to cook.

She glanced outside and realized it was already getting late.

Just as she was about to speak, shouting came from outside. Lu Zheng walked out to check.

Through the window, she saw Lu Zheng leaving with a young soldier. He didn’t say when he’d be back.

She sat in the chair Lu Zheng had just vacated, peeled and washed the remaining potatoes, then began rummaging through the kitchen.

She knew there wasn’t much food in the house. In her previous life, Lu Zheng was often away, and she never cooked. Plus, she had been completely focused on Jiang He, barely staying at home.

So when Lu Ziqi went to temporarily stay with Meng An’an, Lu Zheng gave all the food to Meng An’an as payment for Ziqi’s board.

After searching for a while, all she found was a moldy steamed bun. Remembering the 14.70 yuan in her pocket, Lin Shuqiao grabbed the money and headed out.

“Auntie Wang, do you have any food at home? I…”

Just as she stepped out, she saw Auntie Wang approaching with a basket. Lin Shuqiao forced a smile.

Seeing her, Auntie Wang instinctively shielded the basket, as if afraid Lin Shuqiao would snatch it.

Lin Shuqiao’s smile twitched. Wow, her reputation was really something…

Just then, a sharp voice came from the courtyard gate.

“Well, well, who did I think was begging for food?”

“Aren’t you shameless, Lin Shuqiao? Count how many houses in this yard you haven’t scrounged a meal from?”

Auntie Zhang stood at the gate, cracking melon seeds loudly.

“Times are hard for everyone. If you’re truly in dire straits, people helping out once or twice is no big deal. But who mooches off others every single day?”

“I say that Captain Lu really got unlucky, marrying a lazy, good-for-nothing like you! Look around—what other wife in this courtyard lazes around like you all day? Not to mention shamelessly flirting with men, while expecting her man to handle all the housework?”

The nasty words came one after another. Lin Shuqiao’s expression grew icy as she swept a cold glance at Auntie Zhang, who shrank back instinctively under her gaze.

In the past, Lin Shuqiao had been shameless, but today her eyes were fierce.

Realizing she had actually been intimidated, Auntie Zhang’s curses became even sharper.

Auntie Wang glanced at Lin Shuqiao’s frail appearance and thought of the child at home. With a sigh, she said, “I still have some leafy vegetables at home. I’ll go pick a few for you.”

Through the open door, Lin Shuqiao spotted a large hunk of pork hanging in the yard—it must’ve been from a freshly butchered pig.

Quickly, she spoke up before Auntie Wang could go inside: “Auntie, are you selling those pig’s feet?”

Auntie Zhang, who had been wondering why Lin Shuqiao wasn’t throwing a tantrum like usual, perked up instantly.

She crossed her arms and said mockingly, “Old sister, looks like someone thinks your vegetables aren’t good enough. Since you just butchered a whole pig, why not give her two pig’s feet as a handout?”

“After all, she’s trying to get something for nothing again. You’re kindhearted—just treat it like charity.”

Auntie Wang’s face grew cold. “This pork is for my in-laws, and the rest is to sell. I can’t give it away. If you don’t want vegetables, then I have nothing else.”

Clearly thinking Lin Shuqiao was trying to wheedle meat from her, she reached to close the door.

Lin Shuqiao quickly smiled and said, “Then how much for the pig’s feet? Ziqi is coming home soon, and I want to buy a small one to make something nourishing. Just one small one is fine.”

Her rare serious and polite tone made Auntie Wang suspicious. “You’re actually buying?”

It wasn’t surprising she was shocked. Lin Shuqiao’s past behavior had been truly awful.

She would shamelessly scrounge meals from everyone in the yard, never offering to pay.

This really felt like the sun rising from the west.

Still calm, Lin Shuqiao pulled money from her pocket. “If you have soybeans too, please sell me some. I’ll pay for everything.”

Seeing actual cash, Auntie Wang was still skeptical. “The pig’s feet are 1.2 yuan per jin (500g). Are you seriously buying?”

Lin Shuqiao nodded. “Yes, please.”

Auntie Wang was surprised, but seeing that she didn’t seem to be joking, she went to the yard and brought over a small pig’s foot, along with a scale.

It weighed just over one jin.

Auntie Wang waved off the excess: “Just give me 1.2 yuan.”

Lin Shuqiao cheerfully handed her 1.5 yuan. “Keep the change—I want to buy some soybeans and vegetables too.”

Those weren’t worth much, but she had taken advantage of Auntie Wang the most in the past. She wanted to make up for that a little.

In her last life, she’d specifically targeted kind, soft-hearted people like Auntie Wang to leech off of.

Auntie Wang took the money with disbelief still on her face.

Auntie Zhang was stunned too. “The sun really is rising from the west today.”

She craned her neck to peer at the money in Auntie Wang’s hand and sneered, “Old sister, better double-check. What if the money’s fake?”

“Some people are famously shameless, after all.”

Auntie Wang’s expression changed, but Lin Shuqiao remained calm. “If the money’s fake, Auntie, you’re welcome to come find me anytime. We all live in the same compound.”

She turned to Auntie Zhang and said coldly, “Since you think it’s fake, let’s bring it to the whole courtyard and let everyone judge.”

Her gaze turned sharp. “If the money’s fake, I’ll compensate Auntie Wang double. But if it’s real, you have to apologize to me in front of everyone. How about that?”

This Auntie Zhang had always wanted her daughter to marry Lu Zheng, and ever since Lin Shuqiao moved into the compound, she’d been targeting her.

She even spread rumors about Lin Shuqiao and Jiang He having an affair, and was the one who tattled to the higher-ups that Lin and Lu Zheng weren’t getting along.

Lin Shuqiao had vowed to change—but that didn’t mean she’d let others trample her.

Auntie Zhang had thought Lin Shuqiao seemed quieter today and got bolder. She hadn’t expected her to fight back like this.

Her expression changed instantly. “Why should I apologize? I know that money’s fake. You can’t scare me.”

Lin Shuqiao didn’t hesitate—she handed the pig’s foot back to Auntie Wang, took back the 1.5 yuan, and grabbed Auntie Zhang by the sleeve.

“Come on. Let’s go find out if this money’s real or not!”