Chapter 3

It wasn’t yet market day, so she didn’t rush to exchange her points for flour. She worked normally during the day and returned the farming tools to the team in the evenings.

In her little shed, she only had one trunk, in which she locked up her quilt. The door didn’t have a proper lock, so she temporarily tied it with some grass rope. When she heard the work bell ringing, she hurried back, fearing that her little home might be robbed. With so few belongings, she couldn’t afford to lose anything.

The atmosphere in the brigade was actually quite good. Generally, private belongings weren’t touched. Her shed was also situated at a crossroads, where many people passed by, and the workers from the commune were just across the road. Any potential thief would likely reconsider given how exposed it was.

Rationally, this made sense, but she still felt worried. She needed to buy a lock soon. The shed was well built, and taking it apart would require some effort. As long as the lock was secure, she hoped it would be enough to keep her safe.

With her worries in mind, she walked quickly. When she arrived, everything looked just as she had left it, and her heart finally eased. She opened the door, took out her pot and spoon, and set the pot on the ground to prepare dinner.

“Lanlan, what are you making for dinner?” someone called out.

“Making porridge.”

“This shed of yours is quite well organized. I just wonder if it will hold up in heavy rain?”

“It should be fine.”

“Still, be careful. I live not far away, so if you need anything, just call.”

Grateful for their kindness, she smiled and thanked them. The weather was nice, and maybe there wouldn’t be heavy rain this year. After cooking and eating, she took the pot to the riverbank to wash it.

The sun had already set, leaving a round moon in the sky, casting silver light across the land. Crickets were having a concert in the grass, and some reluctant birds were chirping in the trees.

What a beautiful night! Walking on the grass felt like stepping into a natural oxygen bar. Every oxygen molecule danced in her lungs, and each breath was a pleasure.

“Clear, clear waters come, and the sky is azure blue,” she sang cheerfully while washing the pot and utensils, feeling very comfortable. Suddenly, a shadow flashed by—someone was running fast and seemed about to jump into the river.

The deepest part of the river was nearly two meters deep and could be deadly. In an instant, she dashed barefoot toward the woman, just in time to grab her before she reached the deep water.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Let go of me! Don’t interfere!”

Seeing who it was, she pulled the woman back several steps. “What are you doing? Why are you seeking death? You have a child! What will happen to them if you die?”

“Wuwu…”

The woman began to cry, no longer struggling. As soon as she relaxed, the woman slipped down onto the ground. She also sat down in the grass, not rushing to speak, letting the woman cry it out.

“Alright, enough. Tell me, what’s going on? You were shouted at this morning for not cleaning and cooking, and now you’re doing this?”

It wasn’t that she was being nosy. The system was getting anxious, itching to know what kind of drama was going on with the Wang family, eager to hear more.

“I have to spin cotton, and they say I can’t sleep until it’s done.” The woman cried again, “I have to keep the lamp lit and they said I wasted oil. The wick is so short and small that I can’t see anything. With so much cotton, I can’t sleep tonight. I barely slept last night, it felt like I had just fallen asleep when they called me to work again.”

“Throw the cotton in her face, let her see how she can spin it herself.” This was a tactic she had used before. It could really put that old woman in her place. She had taught her this, so why hadn’t she learned?

“I… I’m too afraid.”

“So you’re brave enough to jump into the river? You have parents above you and a child of only a few months below you. If you die, what will they do?”

“But, wuwu…” The woman cried again, “I really can’t go on. I can handle the scolding, but the endless work every day is something I just can’t bear.”

“What about your husband? What does he say?”

“He… he says that’s his mother, and she’s had a hard life, so I should put up with it.”

“Such nonsense! Just because his mother had a hard life doesn’t mean you should bear the brunt of it!”

“Sister-in-law, you shouldn’t have stopped me just now. I really don’t want to live anymore. If I die, I won’t have to suffer anymore.”

“You’re not afraid to die, so why are you afraid to live? If it were me, no one would dare bully me like that. I’d rather fight back.”

“I—I can’t.”

“Then go jump into the river.”

Luo Lan couldn’t stand seeing her so helpless. They bully you to death, and you’re still here saying you can’t do anything. What is there to be afraid of? If you’re not afraid to die, what else is there to fear? She really didn’t understand.

Wanting to die was just a momentary impulse. Now that she was persuaded and held back, she no longer had the courage to die. She was so exhausted that her eyelids were heavy with sleep.

Without saying another word, she just lay down right there. Luo Lan reached out to pull her up, but she quietly refused, “Let me sleep for a while.”

As she spoke, the woman actually fell asleep. Luo Lan didn’t know whether to call her carefree or timid. If she were carefree, she would have said she was going to fight back. If she were timid, then how could she just fall asleep?

This woman weighed at least seventy pounds, and she couldn’t carry her back to the Wang family house. Since she was so tired, she could just sleep for an hour. Luo Lan decided to watch over her. It was cool by the river. Seeing no one around, she rolled up her pants and washed up, also using a towel to wipe herself down. Of course, she did it in such a way that her hands reached under her sleeveless shirt. She wouldn’t dare take off her clothes in the open.

There were hardly any people around. Most villagers drank well water, and the river was usually just for washing clothes. At night, hardly anyone came.

As she bent over to wash her hair in the river, there was only half a bar of soap left. In the past, using soap would often lead to complaints that she didn’t know how to manage her life, but now she felt much more at ease. She could do whatever she wanted and live however she wanted.

After cleaning herself from head to toe, she sat on the grass and quietly combed her hair. Suddenly, she thought of something and began to communicate with that system.

“Can you see what I’m doing?”

“I can’t see. I can only see and hear through you. But I can’t see you yourself. Oh, don’t worry. I’m just collecting gossip about family matters.”

“What use do you have for this?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

Alright, living in the village means that there’s no shortage of family gossip. If she could exchange this for money, she’d definitely make a profit. Food and clothing—these were the most common things in the system. She didn’t know where it all came from, but it looked very refined.

Cloth and food—these were the least valuable things in the system’s eyes. Using these to collect data was quite cost-effective. This host resonated with it, and it had taken a long time to find her.

“Hey, wake up.”

After all this time, her family hadn’t even come looking for her. As another woman, Luo Lan couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for her. She gently pushed her, and the woman jumped up in surprise.

“Don’t hit me, don’t hit me! I’ll get to work right away!”

She said this with her arms crossed over her chest, curling up. Her eyes were closed, and she didn’t dare look, as if trying to avoid something.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s me.”

Hearing this clearly, she slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the surrounding scenery, she quickly returned to reality. “What should I do, what should I do? Have I been outside for too long? I’m going to get beaten to death.”

“Why are you so cowardly?” Luo Lan felt like she was wasting her breath. “Weren’t you just brave enough to want to jump into the river? If you’re not afraid of dying, what’s there to be afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid of dying myself. But I’m afraid to go home.”

This was truly something—only willing to harm herself and not willing to fight back. Luo Lan had intended to just watch the show, but she immediately decided to accompany her.

“Let’s go. I want to see how they can eat you alive.”

“What if they really do eat me?”

“Make a big deal out of it. The more you hide things, the more it emboldens the bullies.”

The woman walked with her head down in silence, repeatedly contemplating her words. Soon, they arrived at home. Having been missing for so long at night, she received a scolding as soon as she walked in. The woman initially hid behind Luo Lan but then broke down in tears. Usually she would not say a word when being beaten or scolded, but today she cried and begged for mercy loudly.

“I was wrong, I was wrong! Mother-in-law, don’t hit me, don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!”

Her sharp cries attracted many onlookers, and Luo Lan was also there to witness the drama between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. It seemed this little daughter-in-law was making progress. She had found a way that suited her. Unlike Luo Lan, who fought back, the effect… Well, they would just have to wait and see.

“What are you screaming about? When did I say I was going to hit you or kill you?”

“No, no, Mother-in-law, I didn’t say anything. Just let me go, please.”

She actually knelt before her mother-in-law in front of everyone. Although mothers-in-law still held power in this era, it was no longer like the old society. In the new society, everyone had to appear equal on the surface. Forcing the daughter-in-law to kneel and beg for mercy immediately sparked public opinion.

“Don’t bully her so much. This little daughter-in-law is quite capable. Why bully her to the point of making her kneel and beg for mercy?”

“It must have been severe bullying. Otherwise, I’ve never seen anyone kneel and beg for mercy in this era.”

“Yes, there were few mothers-in-law in the old society who were this evil.”

“We’re all women, why bully the daughter-in-law like this? When we get older, won’t we still rely on our daughter-in-laws?”

“Old Wang, don’t bully your daughter-in-law. It’s not easy for her. This is a new society, we can’t go by the old ways.”

The one speaking was the women’s director, a middle-aged woman who was both advising and trying to persuade Wang’s fourth daughter-in-law. The little daughter-in-law was trembling like a leaf and wouldn’t stand up, continuing to beg for mercy from her mother-in-law. She was crying and snotting, looking as pitiful as a leaf in the wind.

“Mother, please let me go! I beg you, I beg you!”

“You…” Old Lady Wang was speechless, and no one believed her. Good heavens, everyone was discussing how she was more vicious than the mothers-in-law of the old society, bullying her daughter-in-law to the point of kneeling and not daring to get up.

“When did I…”

She was so flustered that she didn’t know how to explain or what to say to defend herself. A group of people watched her scold her daughter-in-law, and her daughter-in-law was kneeling on the ground begging pitifully. In this scene, no matter what she said, it was futile.

“Wang Pozi,” the women’s director’s voice was like a heavy hammer, filled with anger. “Do you know that this malicious oppression of your daughter-in-law could get you arrested under women’s protection laws?”

A group of illiterate and legally ignorant people were intimidated by the official’s warning, and Old Lady Wang’s legs went weak. Usually, the daughter-in-law would endure silently, but today, she had shocked everyone nearby.

The daughter-in-law, who had been bullied by Old Lady Wang, was on her knees begging for mercy. Onlookers were almost all condemning her as a wicked mother-in-law. She cried in anger, with accusations that she was using her power to intimidate everyone.

When the farce ended, she was still crying, while the daughter-in-law simply lay down and fell asleep. She was so exhausted that, as long as the old woman wasn’t reprimanding her directly, she could cover her ears and sleep soundly.

“Ding, he melon-eating points have been credited. Host, please keep up the good work.”

Luo Lan heard this and chuckled softly. Looking up at the sky, she thought maybe she should exchange for a rain cover. Perfect timing—her points were just enough, so she didn’t have to worry about the heavy rain.

The fourth daughter-in-law was quite effective, earning her a lot of points, and it was worth spending the whole night accompanying her.