Chapter 16

Sister Fang(Fang Man’s Sister-in-law) looked at Fang Man, who was tightly biting her lip, then went to serve another bowl of rice before slowly saying: “Speaking of marriage, our Xiao Man is already twenty now. It’s time to find her a good match.”

“That’s right, in the blink of an eye, Xiao Man has grown up. She’s beautiful, and she’s a teacher at the military district school. I must pick a good young man for her!”

Colonel Fang only had one younger sister, and he spoiled her dearly. Now that his sister had grown up, he was eager to find her a good husband.

Sister Fang smiled and continued: “Speaking of finding a match for Xiao Man, I do have a good candidate… it’s someone from up ahead…” Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by her sister-in-law.

As soon as Fang Man heard that her sister-in-law was trying to marry her off, an angry expression appeared on her delicate face. She glared fiercely at Sister Fang: “I won’t marry anyone! I won’t marry anyone! This is the Fang family, when did it become your decision?! You’re just an outsider! How dare you try to chase me away! No way!”

While serving the dishes, Sister Fang dropped her spoon with a clatter, and a mocking smile appeared on the corner of her lips: “Yes, I know my position, I am indeed an outsider in your Fang family, but you also need to know your place, know what you’re worth! Xiao Lu has been married for years and already has children with his wife.
You, a grown woman, who doesn’t focus on teaching, just sits around all day thinking about how to steal someone else’s man.
And you don’t even realize that every time you try to get close to Xiao Lu, he doesn’t even give you a second glance! And yet, you’re still shamelessly trying to get close to him!

Let’s see who has no shame when your brother sees this!”

“You’re calling me shameless?”

Fang Man was enraged as Sister Fang insulted her, her face flushed with anger, her eyes widened, and she was about to leap at Sister Fang to hit her.

At that moment, Sister Fang’s son, Xiao Mingming, who was hungry, ran into the room with small steps.

When he heard the argument and saw Fang Man’s eyes turning red with anger, he immediately opened his little arms and stood in front of his mother: “Bad aunt, don’t bully my mommy!”

Bad aunt?!!!

As soon as Fang Man heard that even her nephew wasn’t supporting her, she was even more furious, her anger rising to the extreme.

Just as she was about to rush over and beat at Xiao Mingming, Sister Fang suddenly grabbed a bowl of hot porridge from the table and tipped it over Fang Man’s head. In an instant, Fang Man’s shrill scream echoed throughout the Fang family courtyard.

Everything happened so suddenly. Colonel Fang, who had just picked up his bowl of rice, stood there stunned, unable to react in time.

With the hot porridge pouring down over her head, Fang Man’s face burned with pain and discomfort. She could no longer hold it in, and with a wail, she collapsed onto the sofa and started crying: “Brother! Look at how this evil woman treats me! You have to stand up for me!”

“You don’t need your brother to stand up for you. I’m leaving on my own!”

Sister Fang, with a calm expression, picked up the sobbing Xiao Mingming and, casted a cold glance at the dazed Colonel Fang, delivered her final ultimatum: “Fang Jianshe, I’ve been married into your Fang family since I was eighteen, and it’s been ten years now. For these ten years, your mother has despised me, your sister looks down on me, and they’ve secretly sabotaged me, deliberately making my clothes dirty for me to wash. When I was pregnant, I did everything around the house by myself. Just two days before I gave birth to Mingming, in the dead of winter, your mother and sister made me wash clothes in cold water.

I’ve put up with all this for Mingming’s sake, but now I can’t tolerate it anymore. Listen carefully to what I’m about to say. I’ll only say this once.

From now on, if I stay here with Mingming, there can’t be any place for Fang Man. If Fang Man stays, then there’s no room for me and Mingming.

I’ll give you a week to think it over. If you want your sister, then we’ll get a divorce. If you want me and Mingming, then send Fang Man away!

Whether you send her back to her hometown or marry her off, it doesn’t matter. But from now on, if I’m here, she can’t be here!”

After saying this, Sister Fang turned and, still holding Mingming, went back to the room to pack their things.

Colonel Fang had mixed emotions. He hadn’t realized how much his wife had endured over the years, nor did he understand why his mother and sister had treated her this way.

All he knew was that if he didn’t send his sister away, his family would be destroyed.

When Fang Man who was still sitting on the sofa and crying uncontrollably, looked at her sister-in-law leaving with her belongings and Xiao Mingming, her heart suddenly filled with panic.

She didn’t want to leave—she was still waiting for Brother Lu to come back!

In a hurry, Fang Man rushed over, and grabbed Colonel Fang’s hand: “Brother, I’m not leaving, I’m not leaving! I’m your real sister, you can’t send me away!”

Colonel Fang numbly shook off Fang Man’s hand and coldly said: “Is what your sister-in-law said true?”

“…….”

Fang Man, feeling guilty, stammered and couldn’t say a word. When Colonel Fang saw her like this, his heart sank. He stood up and said coldly: “Pack your things tonight. Tomorrow morning, I’ll send you back to your hometown. Don’t try to resist. If you refuse to leave, you can fend for yourself and be on your own.”

After speaking, Colonel Fang turned and left, leaving Fang Man sitting on the sofa, her face full of despair.

Tears streaming down her face, Fang Man’s eyes darted around.

She bit her lip again in reluctance. She had worked so hard to come to the military district from her poor hometown. Thanks to her brother’s connections, she became a teacher at the military district primary school.

Although the military district was a bit remote, there was food, drink, and a monthly salary. If she returned to her impoverished hometown, not only would she lose her salary, but she would also have to work in the fields every day!

She absolutely didn’t want to go back to her hometown!

Fang Man gritted her teeth. She was determined to marry Brother Lu!

〰️〰️〰️

A hundred miles away in Lujia Village, everything was peaceful. With the wheat harvest approaching in early June, the village had become busy with preparations.

The village chief, with his hands behind his back, led the village officials along the field ridges, waiting for the wheat to ripen so they could quickly harvest it with the villagers.

Summer was rainy. The sky, which had been clear, could suddenly turn overcast, and heavy rain could fall at any moment.

For the past few days, the villagers of Lujia had been busy organizing farming tools, cleaning the threshing fields, and preparing the seeds for the next round of corn planting. This was the busiest time of the year.

As the summer day stretched on, the clock in the main hall of the house had already struck six. Outside, the sky was still a deep blue. Mother Jiang, who had been working on the mat in the courtyard, was not busy with dismantling clothes this time but preparing to sew them.

A couple of days ago, Mother Jiang had washed everything in the house, even the winter quilts, cotton-padded clothes, and fur garments. She had scrubbed and cleaned them all.

Now, Mother Jiang held a faded cotton-padded jacket in her hands, inspecting it carefully. She sighed when she saw it had several patches:

“This is my son-in-law’s winter coat, right? Look how many patches are on it. The cuffs are worn out, and the front is no longer wearable. We might as well use it for shoe insoles. You sure don’t pay enough attention to your family.”

Jiang Chunzao, hearing her mother’s reproach, felt a little guilty. Well, before her rebirth, she had been careless and inattentive about everything.

But now things were different. She had changed her ways and promised to make a brand-new, warm cotton-padded coat and pants for Lu Lin and the two little ones this year.

The prerequisite was that she had to learn how to sew from her mother. Jiang Chunzao chuckled awkwardly and scratched her nose, sincerely wanting to learn how to make clothes.

Seeing her daughter’s sincerity, Mother Jiang didn’t say more, and began teaching her how to make cotton-padded jackets, step by step.

The mother and daughter worked together, and before they knew it, time passed quickly. By the time Lu Lin returned with the two children from fishing, and Little Jasmine’s voice rang out saying she was hungry, Jiang Chunzao suddenly remembered—she hadn’t even started making dinner yet.

Jiang Chunzao hurriedly jumped up from the mat, put on her shoes, washed her hands, and rushed toward the well.

Seeing this, Lu Lin, who was at the well washing his face, quickly pulled his young wife toward him. The area around the well was wet, and he was worried she might slip.

Lu Lin was being kind, but instead of feeling grateful, Jiang Chunzao pouted and complained: “What are you pulling me for? I need to get the beef that’s been stored in the well to make beef and tomato noodles for the kids.”

Lu Lin raised his eyebrows: “Beef and tomato noodles?”

Yes, she had bought some beef and beef bones from the county before and had been keeping them in a basket hanging in the well to stay cool.

Jiang Chunzao muttered to herself and started to go up to pull the beef from the well. When Lu Lin saw his little wife heading towards the well, he spoke softly: “The house is out of hot water. You need hot water to make beef noodles. You go heat some water, and I’ll get the beef.”

When Jiang Chunzao heard this, she realized that without hot water, they couldn’t cook properly. So, she quickly went to the kitchen to boil water.

Mother Jiang, with nothing else to do, took her two little grandchildren, Shitou and Xiao Moli, to the vegetable garden to pick tomatoes.

The tomatoes in the garden had grown well this year. After a while, Mother Jiang came back, carrying a basket of bright red tomatoes with the two little ones following her. She said happily:

“Our tomatoes have grown so well, so bright and red. Let’s leave a few to wash and eat later for Shitou and Moli.”

When Jiang Chunzao came out of the kitchen with the hot water, she looked at the basket of red tomatoes her mother had brought in and smiled:

“This year’s rain has been plentiful, so the vegetables have grown well.”

She then selected four or five good tomatoes to set aside for the beef noodles. She washed the rest, sliced them neatly like flowers, and placed them in a bowl. After sprinkling some sugar on top, she tasted one. It was sweet and juicy, and she smiled as she handed a small spoon to each of the kids:

“Shitou, take your sister outside to eat.”

Little Shitou nodded and, holding hands with Xiao Meili, the two children carried their small bowls to the yard to eat.

Lu Lin, carrying the beef, came into the kitchen. As soon as he entered, his mouth was filled with sweetness. He paused, looking at Jiang Chunzao, who was smiling at him with chopsticks in her hands.

When Jiang Chunzao saw his reaction, she said proudly: “Aren’t our tomatoes sweet?”

Lu Lin looked at her squinted eyes and sweet smile, his dark eyes deepening. He leaned down and gently kissed her red lips:

“Mm, very sweet.”

Jiang Chunzao: !!!