Chapter 30

After finishing work, Liu Yu and her family returned home together. The workload at the production team was heavy today, and every family member was so exhausted that they collapsed onto their beds, unwilling to move.

Each person lay on their own bed, half-closing their eyes, waiting for the household to call for dinner.

But they waited and waited, and even after it grew dark, Chen’s sharp voice was nowhere to be heard.

Sensing something was off, Liu Yu got up to check. In the kitchen, the stove was cold, and not even a pot of hot water was ready. Chen, who usually doted on her precious youngest son and made meals even earlier than a rooster’s crow, would have had dinner ready by now. On any other day, the family would already be sitting together to eat.

But today was different. Nie Xiaocui couldn’t sit still any longer and went to knock on Chen’s door. After a full day of work, her stomach was growling with hunger. If she didn’t eat soon, her insides would rebel.

Chen poked her head out slightly. “Eldest daughter-in-law, what do you need?”

Nie Xiaocui frowned and asked, “Mom, what time is it now? Why haven’t we started dinner?”

Chen let out a cold laugh and then switched to a mockingly kind tone, smiling without warmth. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Here’s the thing—didn’t my eldest granddaughter say that the rest of the Liu family was eating and drinking off your big house? Well, I can’t bear such accusations, so starting today, we’ll no longer eat together. Each household will cook and eat in their own rooms. I’ve already eaten with the second and third households.”

Hearing this, Nie Xiaocui immediately understood. Chen was intentionally giving their branch of the family a hard time. But that was fine—though it might mean a bit more work for her, eating separately also meant her husband and kids could have their fill for once.

Back at her parents’ house, Nie Xiaocui wasn’t the type to back down. She held out her hand and said, “That works, Mom. Hand over the grain, and I’ll go cook.”

Chen had already anticipated Nie Xiaocui wouldn’t take it lying down. Raising her chin, she said, “The grain’s on the stove. Be frugal with the firewood.” After that, she retracted her head and slammed the door shut.

Nie Xiaocui was left standing outside. When she went to check the stove, her anger flared even more. Not only had Chen been giving them a hard time, but she was outright trying to make life miserable for them!

On the cold stove lay four or five dry, shriveled potatoes. That was the so-called grain Chen had allocated to their household!

It was clear Chen intended to starve their branch of the family through food rationing!

One potato per person wouldn’t even be enough to fill the gaps in their teeth, let alone feed four people who had been working hard in the fields all day.

Nie Xiaocui was furious. She worked tirelessly in the fields to earn labor points, went years without buying new clothes, and rarely even had a single proper meal all year. She had tolerated her mother-in-law favoring the youngest son, but this was too much. Treating her family like stray dogs was crossing the line!

Nie Xiaocui, her hair practically standing on end, fumed, “That old hag doesn’t even see us as human! After all these years of backbreaking work, not a penny saved for myself, and yet I’ve earned thousands of jin of grain for this family! Now, not even a proper meal? Is there no justice left in this world?!”

She couldn’t bear it any longer and rushed out, ready to confront Chen.

Liu Yu quickly grabbed her mother. “Mom, Mom, don’t lose your temper! If you’re going to lose it, at least do it after we’ve had something to eat! It’s better to argue on a full stomach.”

Nie Xiaocui was so angry that even Liu Yu’s plea didn’t register. “Eat? Eat what? There’s no grain! Are we supposed to cook the air? Or cut our fingers and boil them?!”

Liu Yu held onto her agitated mother tightly. “I still have some food left, Mom. I’m really hungry, and Liu Ye’s stomach is flat too. Let’s eat together first, then deal with this!”