Chapter 18: A Thief in the House Is Hard to Guard Against, Sent Back to Her Maiden Home

“The house was repaired with money from Third, the things for your wedding were also bought with Third’s money. If we’re talking about who gave money, it’s your family that owes Third’s family.” Zhao Menglan said, counting on her fingers as she gave Zhuang Meifeng a rundown of the account.

The family’s farming only barely fed a few mouths. As for buying things, they had relied on the allowances Lu Huaichuan sent back home in the past.

Although their family wasn’t considered wealthy in the village, they could at least eat and drink their fill. In the famine years, they managed to raise several children, which already counted as being better off than most.

If it were any other family, during those famine years, their little girls would’ve already been sold off to others as child brides.

Even their grandson wouldn’t be as chubby as Lu Tianjie, whose arms were like lotus roots—plump and round.

Now that life had gotten better, Zhuang Meifeng had once again set her eyes on Ye Qiu’s belongings. Zhao Menglan would absolutely not allow anyone to cling to Third’s family like a blood-sucking leech. Third’s money was Third’s—it was her own son’s hard-earned income.

“Sure, Little brings back money, I know that. But what about Ye Qiu? Isn’t she still doing nothing? She’s been married for years and doesn’t even have a single plot of land. Go ask around, she’s already made the Lu family lose all face.”

The village women gathered together to gossip, saying that Ye Qiu was lazy and only liked to eat. Her husband wasn’t home, and she didn’t even farm. They slandered her publicly, calling her useless, while secretly being green with envy.

Whenever they argued with their own men, they would bring up Ye Qiu:
“Look at Ye Qiu—doesn’t do a single chore and still has a man to support her. Why am I stuck with someone like you?”

The men weren’t happy either. If their wives were as pretty as Ye Qiu, they’d gladly support them too.

“Even if she’s lost face, it’s not your face she lost. Cause more trouble, and you can get out—go back to your maiden family and help them pay their debts.” Zhao Menglan said as she tossed down the stick in her hand, gave Zhuang Meifeng a sideways glance, and pulled the three children into the house.

“Tianjie, come to Mom.” Zhuang Meifeng called to Lu Tianjie. Lu Tianjie gave her a brief glance, then firmly grabbed Zhao Menglan’s hand and walked into the house with her.

Zhuang Meifeng stood frozen on the spot, unable to react. Her husband wasn’t siding with her, her children blamed her, and her mother-in-law favored the other daughters-in-law. Then she thought of how her maiden family was hiding at home, too scared to come out. Suddenly, Zhuang Meifeng burst into tears.

“Fine, fine, fine, it’s all my fault! Everything’s my fault! But who am I doing this for, huh?”

Zhuang Meifeng felt she had done everything for the good of everyone. Her older sisters had all married well and would return home carrying large bags and parcels. She alone had married into another village. Her mother had always looked down on the Lu family—Zhuang Meifeng knew this well.

If they helped her maiden family this time, her parents would definitely change their opinion of Lu Hailiang. She thought she was doing this for her husband’s sake. Who would’ve thought her efforts would end up in disgrace? Who could she go to for justice?

Angry, she stormed into her room and didn’t come out for a long time.

Wu Laidi saw that her mother-in-law was fuming, her face red and her nostrils flaring, so she curled her lips into a smile and secretly added fuel to the fire:
“Mom, don’t be mad. Eldest Sister-in-law is just too stubborn. Don’t bother with her. Don’t make yourself sick with anger.”

If her mother-in-law really got sick, they’d have to take turns looking after her. Wu Laidi calculated the days—she was almost due. She couldn’t afford to overwork now, or it might be bad for the baby.

That evening during dinner, surrounded by three grandsons and two granddaughters, Lu Zhongming happily drank a couple glasses with his son. He got flushed when he drank, his face quickly turning red. Zhao Menglan nagged a few times but still thoughtfully helped him back to the room.

After dinner, Ye Qiu was preparing to head home with the kids when Zhao Menglan suddenly called her back.

“Third’s Wife, don’t go yet—take some eggs home. They’re from our own hens, much better than the ones sold outside.”

Third’s Wife was a clean freak. Back then, Zhao Menglan had given her a hen, but it was returned the very next day, saying the chicken pooped everywhere and was hard to clean up. Helpless, Zhao Menglan had no choice but to send her some eggs every now and then.

Buying from outside was never as reassuring as eating your own home-raised food. These were free-range eggs—great for steaming egg custard or making scrambled eggs for the kids.

Ye Qiu thought of the big basket of eggs in the kitchen and quickly shook her head.
“Mom, no need. We still have plenty at home. Save them for Second Sister-in-law. She’s about to give birth.”

“You silly girl. Just take them. Who ever says no to eggs?” Zhao Menglan chuckled as she counted on her fingers.
“Right, there’s still more than a month to go. I’ve already saved some for your Second Sister-in-law. There’s enough.”

Zhao Menglan never let anyone touch the eggs at home. They were usually kept in a basket in the kitchen, saved for when the autumn harvest came so she could nourish the hardworking family members. While she chatted with Ye Qiu, she walked to the backyard chicken coop and fetched two warm eggs.

But when she went to the kitchen and opened the basket, the smile on her face froze. She immediately shouted:
“First’s Wife! Second’s Wife! Get over here, now!”

The basket of eggs had been emptied, with only a few left. Only a few people ever went into the kitchen. Despite all her precautions, Zhao Menglan had never expected that the hardest thief to guard against would be one in the family.

The two women quickly came over upon hearing her shout. When they saw the empty basket, Wu Laidi’s reaction was even more dramatic. Supporting her waist with one hand, she rushed forward and exclaimed:
“Mom, where are the eggs? How come they’re all gone?”

“I was about to ask you two that.” Zhao Menglan snorted and turned to look at Zhuang Meifeng.
“First’s Wife, where are the eggs?”

“Eldest Sister-in-law, hurry and bring the eggs out. Mom’s been saving them for nearly half a year! Just for those eggs, my two girls go out every day to catch worms to feed the hens. Hand them over now.”

Wu Laidi might seem dumb, but she was actually sharper than anyone. Their mother-in-law never shortchanged any daughter-in-law during confinement. If nothing went wrong, those eggs would’ve gone to her after childbirth.

Now they had vanished, and Wu Laidi was even more anxious than Zhao Menglan.

Zhuang Meifeng stood there awkwardly, stammering for a long time without speaking. When pushed to the edge, she finally said,
“I figured we had too many eggs to eat them all, so I took some back to my parents.”

A whole basket taken, and only a few left—this was called “some”? Zhao Menglan raised her voice, her eyes sharp as blades.
“Fine, fine, fine. A thief in the house is hard to guard against. That’s what it is.”

It was already too late to go after the Zhuang family now. But what Zhao Menglan couldn’t believe was that her eldest daughter-in-law could be this stupid. Stupider than a pig—a pig was even smarter than her.

At this point, Zhao Menglan really couldn’t take it anymore. She closed her eyes, exhausted.
“First’s Wife, tell me—has the Lu family ever mistreated you?”

Zhuang Meifeng knew she had done wrong, but she still stubbornly tried to defend herself.
“Mom, I thought we had too many eggs, so I gave some to my parents. I’ll bring them back tomorrow.”

Zhao Menglan laughed. She had never heard of a mouse spitting out the oil once it got into its mouth. With the way the Zhuang family behaved, they didn’t even return money to the villagers. She was supposed to believe they’d return eggs?

“I’ve been saving those eggs since last year, and now you’ve given them all to your maiden family. Here’s how it’s going to be—when the eggs are brought back, you can come back too.” Zhao Menglan called for her eldest son and told him to send Zhuang Meifeng away immediately. She didn’t want to see her face.