The package was slightly larger than an A4 paper and tightly wrapped. Jiang Qiuyue was eager to see what was inside, so she used a kitchen knife to cut it open.  

Before she even opened it, the aroma of cured meat wafted out, incredibly enticing. It seemed Lin Dazhu wasn’t so bad—she had only asked for snowflake cream, but he had sent other things as well.  

At the top of the package were two rows of sausages, with two pieces of cured meat beneath them. Jiang Qiuyue lifted them to estimate the weight—about four or five pounds in total, enough to last her a while.  

At the very bottom was a box wrapped in oil paper. When she opened it, she found the snowflake cream inside, along with ten yuan and a note.  

“The meat is for you and the kids. The snowflake cream is for you.”

After reading the note, Jiang Qiuyue sighed. “He really is a man of few words. But that’s fine—less talk, more money, and he’s not even around. Perfect!”  

“Mom, what’s perfect?” Lin Beibei, seeing his mother excitedly return to the room, followed her in. He caught the scent of the cured meat and stood on tiptoe to peek.  

Only then did Jiang Qiuyue notice Lin Beibei. “I said your dad is really great—he even sent meat for you to eat.”  

Hearing it was from their father, Lin Beibei didn’t seem as happy. He pouted and ran out.  

Weird?

This kid loves meat, so why does he look so unhappy?

Jiang Qiuyue put the items away and called Lin Beibei and Lin Nannan over. “Beibei, tell Mom honestly—why are you upset?”  

Lin Beibei pressed his lips together, refusing to speak, but tears had already started rolling down his cheeks.  

Lin Nannan was even less talkative, keeping her head down until her eyes turned red.  

It was Niu Dali who chimed in, “Seems to me the kids miss their dad. They’ve never seen Dazhu since they were born. Qiuyue, I’m not one to meddle, but since Dazhu’s busy, why don’t you take the kids to visit him?”  

Hearing this, Jiang Qiuyue realized that children didn’t just need their mother—they missed their father too.  

This put her in a tough spot. Transportation was inconvenient these days, and a trip to Lin Dazhu’s military unit would take two days on the road. The journey was troublesome, and since she wasn’t the original host, she had no feelings for Lin Dazhu whatsoever.  

Seeing the kids like this, Jiang Qiuyue thought it over. She didn’t want to exhaust herself, so why not have Lin Dazhu come back instead?  

No matter how busy he was, he surely had time for a visit.  

She patted the children’s heads. “Alright, next time I write to him, I’ll ask when he can take leave.”  

“Really?” Lin Beibei’s eyes instantly lit up. “The kids in the village all say Dad doesn’t love us because he never comes back. Will he really come back?”  

Lin Nannan also looked at her mother with hopeful eyes.  

“Don’t listen to their nonsense. Your dad is busy, but he still sent you cured meat, so he cares about you.” Jiang Qiuyue said this to comfort the kids, but privately, she wondered—was he really so busy that he couldn’t make time to come home?

She went back to her room, took out paper and pen, and started writing. First, she mentioned that the children missed Lin Dazhu and asked when he could take leave. Then, she noted that since his base was near the sea, could he send some dried seafood? She was craving it. If there were any fruits that could be mailed, those would be good too—the pears at the supply store were small and bitter.  

Finally, she made sure to ask if Lin Dazhu was doing okay. Since she was taking his money, a few words of concern were the least she could do.  

Jiang Qiuyue now treated Lin Dazhu like a boss—she took care of his kids, and he provided money and food.  

So far, Lin Dazhu seemed generous.  

That evening, she steamed one of the sausages for dinner. The children had never tasted it before and stared at it wide-eyed.  

“Each of you gets five slices. Mom’s an adult, so she gets more. Dig in, and after you eat, go take a bath.” Jiang Qiuyue mixed her rice with fish broth. It wasn’t good to eat too much at night—80% full was enough.  

The two children had already developed the habit of washing dishes after meals. While they cleaned up, Jiang Qiuyue took a quick shower.  

Nights in the countryside were cool—no need for electric fans, and they even had to cover themselves with a blanket to avoid catching a chill.  

The next noon, Jiang Qiuyue sliced a piece of streaky pork, first frying it in the pan to render out the fat before setting it aside to stir-fry with peppers.  

The peppers were a gift from Aunt Niu next door. She stir-fried them in the pork fat until they were slightly charred, then added minced garlic and the cooked pork. A splash of homemade rice wine along the edge of the pan sizzled and released a rich aroma. Finally, she added soy sauce and stir-fried until the sauce evenly coated every slice of meat before serving.

After washing the pot again, she boil water. She placed eggplants directly into the stove to roast, pulling them out as soon as their skins charred slightly.  

Peeling away the blackened skin revealed the tender, smoky flesh beneath, its aroma irresistible. She shredded the roasted eggplant into a bowl, then added charcoal-roasted peppers and garlic. With just a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of soy sauce, she mashed everything together into a fragrant, savory dish—perfect for pairing with rice.  

For soup, it was loofah again. Planting two or three loofah vines in summer meant a steady supply, ensuring they had it almost daily.  

“Uncle Niu, Beibei, Nannan—dinner’s ready!” Jiang Qiuyue had barely finished calling when Lin Beibei dashed to fetch the chopsticks.  

“Mom, let me help you!” Lin Beibei loved helping out these days. Every time he pitched in, his mom would praise him, and he adored hearing it. Plus, she worked so hard—he wanted to share the load.  

“Sister Qiuyue, another feast today!” Jiang Youcai’s mouth watered as he eyed the spread, especially the roasted eggplant. He’d never seen it prepared this way before.  

At the table, he took his first bite of the smoky eggplant. The chili’s heat awakened his taste buds, while the garlic melded seamlessly with the soft flesh, making his mouth water and appetite surge. “This is amazing! So delicious!”  

Jiang Youde shot his younger brother a disdainful look. After all these days, he still ate like a starving wolf. But after trying the roasted eggplant himself, he was just as stunned, devouring two bowls of coarse rice in quick succession.  

Jiang Qiuyue also ate two bowls. The stir-fried pork with peppers was rich and oily, the eggplant dish was perfect with rice, and a final bowl of sweet loofah soup rounded off the meal beautifully.  

After eating, Jiang Qiuyue strolled around to digest her food. Spotting someone peering in through the gate, she walked over and asked, “Who are you?”  

“Eldest… eldest sister-in-law?” Zhang Xiaomin had been lingering outside for a while, inhaling the tantalizing aromas wafting from the courtyard. Jiang Qiuyue eats so well, she thought bitterly. This life should’ve been mine—she stole my money!

“Sister-in-law?”  

Jiang Qiuyue frowned slightly. “Little girl, who are you? I don’t know you, so don’t call me that. It’s inappropriate and could cause misunderstandings.”  

“I’m Sanzhu’s girlfriend,” Zhang Xiaomin blurted. “Sister-in-law, can I come in and talk to you about something?”  

As she spoke, she lowered her head and rubbed her eyes, forcing tears to fall.  

Ah, a green tea bitch has arrived. Jiang Qiuyue shut her down immediately. “Say whatever you need to right here. And since you and Sanzhu aren’t even engaged, show some self-respect—stop claiming relations you don’t have.”  

Her blunt words flushed Zhang Xiaomin’s cheeks red. Watching the girl hesitate and sniffle dramatically, Jiang Qiuyue lost patience and moved to close the gate.  

“Sister-in-law, please open up! I’ll say it now!” Seeing her act wasn’t working, Zhang Xiaomin had no choice but to knock stubbornly. Jiang Qiuyue abruptly yanked the gate open, sending the girl stumbling forward into the doorframe.  

Jiang Qiuyue scowled. “Are you deaf? I told you not to call me sister-in-law. Got it?”  

Zhang Xiaomin’s forehead was already swelling. Jiang Qiuyue’s aggressive tone left her dazed—this was the meek, incompetent woman Lin Sanzhu had described?  

Noticing the calculating glint in Zhang Xiaomin’s eyes, Jiang Qiuyue instantly guessed her intentions. With a cold laugh, she said, “Don’t tell me you came here today to whine about how hard your life is, how you and Sanzhu are ‘meant to be,’ and expect me to fork over money for your bride price? To ‘bless your union’?”  

“Wha—?” Zhang Xiaomin froze. How had Jiang Qiuyue seen right through her? “Sis— no, Sister Qiuyue, I truly want to build a future with Sanzhu. He loves me too. My family situation… you’ve seen how my eldest brother is—a complete bully. They favor sons over daughters. I… I just want to fight for myself.”  

“Your brother is trash, and wanting to fight for yourself isn’t wrong,” Jiang Qiuyue retorted. “But there’s no reason I should suffer to make your dreams come true. You’re nothing to me—why should I hand over a fortune for your sake?”

Jiang Qiuyue saw right through her and wasn’t about to let it slide. “If you really liked Sanzhu, there are plenty of ways to be with him. With a family like yours, cutting ties altogether would be an option. But you refuse to do that—instead, you come here to emotionally blackmail me. Zhang Xiaomin, wanting to have your cake and eat it too never ends well. You’re just too greedy.”  

(“Wanting to have your cake and eat it too” means trying to enjoy two conflicting benefits at once—without making any sacrifices.)

Zhang Xiaomin’s head spun.  

What was “emotional blackmail”?  

What did “have your cake and eat it too” mean?  

Was it wrong to plan for herself?  

No matter how terrible her family was, they were still her family. If she got bullied by her in-laws later, wouldn’t she need to rely on them?  

The more she thought about it, the more something felt off. Her tone turned defensive as she retorted, “Sister Qiuyue, that’s not right. I may be nothing to you, but you are Sanzhu’s sister-in-law. As his elder brother’s wife, how could you stand by and watch him suffer in his marriage, drowning in tears?”  

After a pause, she added sharply, “Or is it you who’s greedy—hoarding money and refusing to help Sanzhu get married?”  

Their argument drew attention. Lin Sanzhu, next door, had initially thought he was imagining things. When he stepped out and saw Zhang Xiaomin, he was stunned. “Xiaomin? What are you doing here?”  

At the sight of Lin Sanzhu, Zhang Xiaomin instantly switched tones, clutching her clothes with pitiful hesitation. “Brother Sanzhu, I… I don’t want to break up. I was begging Sister-in-law to help us…”  

“Don’t bother with her! She’s just a shrew now!” Seeing Zhang Xiaomin cry, Lin Sanzhu’s heart ached. “I’ll figure something out—I will marry you!”  

He’d always liked Zhang Xiaomin. It was her family that was the problem, not her. No matter what their parents said, as long as Xiaomin was willing to be with him, he’d endure any hardship—even eating tree bark!  

“It’s no use, brother Sanzhu. Where… where would you get that much money?” Without money, her family would never agree to their marriage. And she certainly didn’t want a life of poverty.  

Jiang Qiuyue, watching from the side, couldn’t help but laugh mockingly. “That’s right, Sanzhu. You’d better work hard—she’s asking for two hundred yuan.”  

With a slam, she shut the gate, done with these two—a green tea bitch and a fool. A perfect match.  

Lin Sanzhu shouted at Jiang Qiuyue’s courtyard, “Jiang Qiuyue, act high and mighty all you want now—there’ll come a day when you’re the one crying!”  

He pulled Zhang Xiaomin aside, whispering, “My family already wrote to my eldest brother. He’ll deal with Jiang Qiuyue—just wait. My parents raised him with blood and sweat. If he won’t give me money to marry you, I’ll go to his military unit and confront him!”  

“Will that really work?” Zhang Xiaomin sounded doubtful.  

“Of course! My brother might be fierce, but he never disobeys our parents.” Lin Sanzhu smiled reassuringly, his heart swelling with warmth. Xiaomin really does care about me.

Just yesterday, he’d thought their relationship was doomed. But now? Clearly, they were meant to be!  

Outside the courtyard, Lin Sanzhu enthusiastically fed Zhang Xiaomin empty promises. What he didn’t know was that the letter his family had sent to Lin Dazhu had long been intercepted by Jiang Qiuyue.  

“Beibei, Nannan, be good at home. Mom’s going to mail a letter to your dad.” Jiang Qiuyue had heard Wang Youren was heading to town today—perfect timing to send the letter.  

“Okay, Mom! I’ll watch over Nannan!” Lin Beibei held his sister’s hand, both seeing their mother to the gate.  

Meanwhile, at the military base, Lin Zhengrong was drinking at a comrade’s home—his friend’s wife had come to live on base.  

After several rounds of drinks, those whose families weren’t nearby watched their comrade’s wife and children with undisguised envy.  

Suddenly, someone turned to Lin Zhengrong and asked curiously, “Brother Zhengrong, what’s your wife like?”