Saturday, Lin Xiaoyu didn’t have school.

Qin Ye helped by going to the countryside to gather ingredients and brought them back.

Li Shuping didn’t have to wake up early to buy vegetables, so she slept a little more deeply.

By the time Li Shuping got up, the upper bunk was already empty.

“Xiaoyu,” she called out as she got dressed.

“Mom, I’m cooking breakfast,” her daughter Xiaoyu’s voice came from the kitchen next door.

Li Shuping smiled with relief.

Facing the mirror on the wardrobe, she smoothed down her short hair.

At fifty-five, her hair was still black and shiny without a single gray strand.

Though fine lines and nasolabial folds had appeared on her face, her good bone structure prevented the skin from sagging.

Her skin was fair, so she didn’t look very old.

Li Shuping touched her slightly dry face, thinking she should buy some cold cream from the state-run store someday to moisturize.

She had wanted to buy it before.

Once during New Year, when Lin Yongnian took the children to the state-run store to buy new clothes and shoes, she just picked up a jar to look at it, but Lin Yongnian said it was a waste of money for a woman her age to use cold cream, so she put it down again.

Since then, she never thought about buying it again.

Thinking back to her previous life—never having eaten or used nice things—her whole mind was focused on men, children, and grandchildren.

In the end, she died miserably, alone and uncared for in a nursing home. It really wasn’t worth it.

This life, she vowed, she would eat well, dress well, and use good things.

She would work hard to earn money, enjoy life, and leave no regrets.

Li Shuping adjusted her clothes and turned to leave the room to fetch water for washing up.

Lin Xiaoyu had cooked millet porridge and fried chive pancakes.

After Li Shuping washed up, she sat down to eat breakfast.

While they were eating, Qin Ye arrived.

As usual, Li Shuping gave him five yuan and told him what vegetables to gather. Qin Ye slung his basket on his back and headed out.

After breakfast, Li Shuping began preparing for her street stall, and Lin Xiaoyu helped.

Lin Jianshe came carrying cigarettes, liquor, and candy, entering the large courtyard where his mother-in-law’s family lived, together with Liu Qin.

“Dad, Mom!” Lin Jianshe called out loudly before entering.

Hearing his voice, others in the courtyard craned their necks out of the windows to look, then, seeing that it was Liu Qin’s husband returning with her, quickly pulled back without greeting the new son-in-law.

“Oh, Jianshe’s here!” Yang Meifeng, Liu Qin’s mother, came out smiling broadly, looking very pleased.

Her mother-in-law’s warmth made Lin Jianshe feel very satisfied and happy.

“You must be tired from the trip. Come, come inside and sit. I’ll make you some honey water,” Yang Meifeng said, taking the things from her son-in-law’s hands and leading him inside.

“Mom, do you only have eyes for your son-in-law? Didn’t you see I’m back too?” Liu Qin pouted.

Yang Meifeng pointed at her daughter and said to Lin Jianshe, “See, she’s jealous.”

Lin Jianshe comforted his wife by putting an arm around her shoulders and followed his mother-in-law inside.

Liu Qin’s father, Liu Jianping, was also home and invited Lin Jianshe to sit down.

Yang Meifeng put away the things her son-in-law had brought and poured two glasses of honey water.

“Here, Jianshe, drink this honey water. It’s wild mountain honey—you can’t buy it outside.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Lin Jianshe said warmly.

“Where’s Xiaoyong?” Liu Qin asked, not seeing her younger brother.

“Out playing,” Liu Jianping replied.

“Speaking of Xiaoyong, I really must apologize to your mother,” Yang Meifeng said apologetically to Lin Jianshe.

“Xiaoyong’s always been a handful. Though he didn’t mean any harm, he just wanted to liven up your and Qinqin’s wedding. But I didn’t expect it to upset your mother so much and cause such embarrassment at the wedding. Whether Xiaoyong was right or not, I should apologize to your mother.”

“But I’m busy with work and couldn’t come myself, so I’m asking you to help apologize.”

Look at that—another mother-in-law, so broad-minded.

Her own mother-in-law had slapped her own son and ruined her daughter’s wedding, yet she didn’t hold a grudge and even offered apologies on behalf of her son.

Lin Jianshe thought his mother-in-law was really great and very sensible.

As for his own mother?

He really didn’t want to say anything.

“Xiaoyong didn’t do anything wrong! It’s my mom who’s petty and looks down on people. You don’t have to apologize to my mom.”

His mother looked down on Qinqin and her family, which was why she got so angry about Xiaoyong’s antics at the wedding.

If it were up to his mom, marrying a stable-working girl from a good family, no matter if people threw rotten eggs at her face, she might still smile and call it fragrant.

Yang Meifeng was slightly taken aback, suppressing the upward curve of her lips and disapprovingly looking at Lin Jianshe.

“You shouldn’t say that about your mother.”

She was worried Lin Jianshe would be upset by Xiaoyong’s behavior at the wedding and had said she wouldn’t blame Xiaoyong or their family openly, but she had some feelings about it.

So she pretended to want to apologize, asking Lin Jianshe to help convey the message, while also showing how magnanimous and reasonable she was as a mother-in-law.

Unexpectedly, Lin Jianshe truly thought his mother was the problem—what a devoted son!

Lin Jianshe said, “My mom is just that kind of person!”

“Brother, brother-in-law!” Liu Yong came running back from outside.

“Xiaoyong,” Lin Jianshe smiled and nodded at his brother-in-law.

Liu Yong picked up the honey water Liu Qin had been drinking and finished it, wiping his mouth and asking, “Sis, that old hag didn’t bully you, did she?”

“Watch your manners,” Yang Meifeng pretended to glare at her son.

Liu Qin shook her head. “She’s not even home anymore; even if she wanted to bully me, she wouldn’t have the chance.”

Yang Meifeng was stunned. “What do you mean?”

Liu Qin gave Lin Jianshe a look, signaling him to explain.

“The day after our wedding, my mom divorced my dad.”

What?

Divorced!

This shocked Yang Meifeng’s family.

“My mom just used that as an excuse to quarrel with my dad, trying to make him back down first and threatening divorce. But my dad didn’t give in. They really divorced, and then she didn’t have the face to say she wouldn’t. She’s already moved out with my little sister.”

Lin Jianshe still didn’t think his mom truly wanted to divorce his dad.

Even his older brother couldn’t persuade her—she was still using the family to try to make them all beg her to come back.

“This is really…” Yang Meifeng looked speechless.

Liu Jianping said seriously, “This really is your mom’s fault. No matter how couples fight, they shouldn’t joke about divorce. Divorce is shameful, it brings shame on the children too.”

“What’s even funnier is, after Li Shuping moved out, she set up a stall selling dumplings at the mouth of our alley,” Liu Qin said mockingly.

“Oh dear, that’s so embarrassing,” Yang Meifeng frowned as she put on eye drops.

“She’s a mother. Even if she doesn’t care about her own face, she should care about the face of her children. Jianshe, you’re a regular worker. If people knew your mom was selling dumplings at a street stall, wouldn’t that be a joke?”

“Exactly!” Lin Jianshe pouted a little. See, his mother-in-law thought about him, but his own mom didn’t.

“My dad was angry too and told us to forget she was our mom.”

Yang Meifeng thought: Forget Li Shuping as a mom? That would be great.

“Well, she’s still your real mother, so you have to recognize her,” Liu Jianping told his wife.

“All right, it’s getting late. Go cook now. The meat we bought this morning will be braised pork—Jianshe loves it.”

Lin Jianshe squeezed Liu Qin’s hand and smiled. His father-in-law was great, knowing what he liked.

He felt much more comfortable at his in-laws’ home than at his own.