Chapter 9

Although they were reluctant, with the village chief and the party secretary present, all the grain that rightfully belonged to Shu Yue was divided out for her, along with the belongings she had brought with her.

It was just a few quilts, some clothes, and daily necessities—things like a hot water kettle and washbasins—all brought by Shu Yue when she came as an educated youth. The Cheng family hadn’t prepared a single thing for her when she married in.

Now, watching each item being carried out, Madam Cheng nearly ground her teeth to dust. Once something came into the Cheng household, it was “the family’s property” in her eyes—how could it all be leaving with Shu Yue?

She’d had her eye on that kettle for ages. Winter was coming; having a kettle in the room meant hot water at night—how convenient! And those two basins—back when Shu Yue first brought them, Madam Cheng had wanted one. But that wretched girl dared to say, “One is for washing my face, one for washing my feet—they can’t be split.”

Wasn’t that just meant to infuriate her? Those basins were painted all over with bright red peonies—festive and beautiful. She herself couldn’t bear to spend money on such nice things, but had hoped to get one from her daughter-in-law. Who would’ve thought Shu Yue insisted on keeping both? What wastefulness—no sense at all of how hard life is for a poor family!

“Got everything? Let’s go.”

The village chief and party secretary helped carry things. Old Madam Cheng held the baby, Shu Yue followed behind with her clothes in hand, walking straight out of the Cheng family’s gate without so much as a backward glance.

“Shut the door. Eldest daughter-in-law, you come inside with me.”

As soon as the village officials were out of sight, Madam Cheng could no longer hold back her rage. So much grain, so many items—yes, the village chief had said they were Shu Yue’s share, but to Madam Cheng, it was all her household’s property. Watching it carried away in broad daylight, how could she sleep tonight without venting her anger?

“Mom… what am I going to do?”

Huang Fang knew perfectly well why her mother-in-law was calling her in, and panic rose in her chest. She turned to her own mother for help, but Madam Huang briskly shook off her hand and said impatiently, “You’ve given birth already. I need to get back home. Just talk nicely to your mother-in-law and don’t make her any angrier.”

With that, Madam Huang hurried off without a backward glance. She knew just how serious today’s events were, but there was no way she’d stay. Yes, it had been her idea to switch the babies, but it was “for her daughter’s own good.” If they’d managed to swap in a boy, Madam Cheng wouldn’t have been angry at all! The real problem was that Huang Fang dawdled too long and got caught. Now she’d have to face Madam Cheng’s wrath alone.

Huang Fang tried to stop her mother from leaving but failed. She looked to her husband, Cheng Jing’en, but he only glared, jerking his chin toward his mother’s room, silently telling her to hurry up and go in. He wasn’t about to intervene. Switching babies? What a ridiculous idea. If his mother wanted to scold someone, it certainly wasn’t going to be him—better to get it over with quickly before she got even angrier.

“What are you standing there for? Get in here!”

Sure enough, Madam Cheng’s furious shout came from inside. Huang Fang burst into tears. She was truly afraid. Her mother-in-law didn’t just scold—she occasionally hit, too. Having just given birth, her body was still weak; if she took a beating now, she might not recover.

What happened inside that room was known only to Madam Cheng and Huang Fang, but everyone outside could hear the crying—from soft sobs at first, to loud wailing soon after. The rest of the Cheng family was long used to it. Cheng Jing’en simply picked up his baby and went back to his own room, unwilling to get involved.

Soon, only Cheng Jing’an and his father were left in the courtyard.

“Dad… I have a chance to get promoted, but I need some money to make it happen. Can the family help me out?”

This was the real reason Cheng Jing’an had returned home on his wedding day. His new wife, Yu Min, had said it outright: if he couldn’t come up with the money for the promotion, the bridal chamber would be canceled. No more excuses. She’d only agreed to marry this country boy with no family background because he was obedient and had promised that after marriage they’d live in town, not in the village. They’d already used some connections to get a one-room apartment—small, but at least it was in the city.

Now there was an opportunity for advancement, but it required 500 yuan. Yu Min’s family had the right connections but didn’t want to shoulder the whole burden. As she put it plainly: her family would provide the relationship, the Cheng family would provide the money. Fair is fair. If Cheng Jing’an got promoted, they’d qualify for a larger apartment, and the Chengs would gain face as well. Both sides contributing for the sake of the children—how could they not make it happen?

“How much do you need?”

Father Cheng tapped his tobacco pipe. He understood his son well enough: if the boy came back on his wedding day, it had to be something important. Now that he’d heard the explanation, everything made sense. This wasn’t about personal spending—this was about a career. As parents, they had to help. It wasn’t as though they could count on second son Cheng Jingchuan to keep sending money home forever.

“Five hundred, Dad. I know it’s a lot… it’ll probably mean using some of Second Brother’s money, and that doesn’t feel right. But… I really don’t have any other choice. You saw how good Yu Min’s family situation is. I can’t afford to embarrass the Chengs, and I want to hold my head high in front of my wife. If Second Brother ever asks about it, I swear I’ll repay him, even if I have to sell my own blood.”

Cheng Jing’an knew exactly how to speak to his parents. Put the Cheng family’s reputation first, show that he understood their struggles, and the money would come.

“We’re all one family. What’s this talk about ‘repayment’? Your second brother’s remittances are ours—ours to use as we please. He doesn’t get a say. A promotion is a good thing. If you move up, the whole family benefits. This money’s well spent. I’ll go get it for you.”

Father Cheng looked at his youngest son. This was the one he liked best—capable, smooth-talking, quick-witted, with a good wife from the city who had plenty of useful connections.

In Father Cheng’s heart, his old age would depend on this son. Giving him money now was no loss—there’d be returns later.