Dinner didn’t look particularly lavish—just a plate of stewed cabbage with meat, a bowl of boiled eggs, a serving of wild vegetable soup, and a bowl of coarse rice porridge for each person.

Placed on the hastily assembled dining table, it appeared rather humble.

Before Qiao Xin took her seat, no one dared to touch their bowls and chopsticks.

The children were starving, reaching for their chopsticks only to have their hands smacked away by the elders.

They could only suck on their fingers, enduring the hunger.

“Let’s eat! Second daughter-in-law, pass me the eggs!”

Daughter-in-law Zhang hurriedly handed them over, all the while keeping an eye on Qiao Xin’s reaction.

In the past, Qiao Xin wouldn’t have given eggs a second glance.

But things were different now—this wasn’t the era she was used to.

Eggs were one of the rare sources of protein for the family, usually reserved for the men.

But today, Qiao Xin distributed an egg to each person instead of saving them for the next meal.

Xu Shi was taken aback. “Mother, I don’t need to eat mine. You should keep it to nourish yourself.”

Qiao Xin glanced at her. “Oh? You don’t want it? Don’t like eating eggs?”

Xu Shi stammered, “N-no… that’s not it…”

“Then eat it. If you give it to the eldest son or your own child, don’t blame me if I don’t give you any food next time.”

Qiao Xin disliked people who self-sacrificed just to appear virtuous.

But Zhang’s way of thinking was common, and Qiao Xin couldn’t criticize her too much.

She could only rely on her authority as the matriarch to enforce her rules.

Just as she settled one issue, another arose—Zhang snatched her little daughter’s egg and placed it into her son’s bowl.

Already irritated from the day’s events, Qiao Xin finally lost her patience. “Second daughter-in-law, what do you think you’re doing? If you love your son so much, why don’t you give him your own egg? Taking San Niang’s egg—does that make you look more capable? More kind-hearted? Isn’t San Niang your own daughter too?”

Zhang was flustered by her mother-in-law’s sudden outburst.

She glanced at her husband for help, but he only gave her a look without speaking. Left with no choice, she stood up and defended herself. “Mother, she’s just a girl. It’s fine if she doesn’t eat it. Rui’er needs more nourishment since he’ll be studying in the future!”

Qiao Xin slammed her chopsticks on the table and pulled a long face. “So I don’t deserve to eat either, huh? Didn’t I grow up as a girl too? And you—what makes you so special? Are you not a woman yourself?”

Everyone was shocked.

In the past, Zhang often did this during meals, and Qiao Xin never said a word.

Why was she suddenly making a fuss today? Zhang fell silent but didn’t return the egg to her daughter’s bowl.

“Qiao Yirui, do you think your sister should eat?”

Qiao Yirui immediately stood up, picked up the extra egg from his bowl, and placed it back into his sister’s.

Then he looked up at Qiao Xin. “Grandmother, my little sister is young. She should eat more. If my mother has done something wrong, please correct her. I apologize on her behalf.”

Qiao Xin looked at her grandson in surprise.

Despite his young age, he was intelligent and well-mannered, his clear eyes and handsome features mirroring his father.

It seemed that her second son had put a lot of effort into raising him.

With Zhang’s petty nature, there was no way she could have raised such a generous child on her own.

San Niang, though still small, was already skilled at reading people’s expressions.

She hesitated, glancing between her mother and grandmother.

After a moment, she split her egg in half, got down from the table, and wobbled over to Qiao Xin, placing half of the egg in her bowl. “Grandmother, don’t be mad. San Niang will share with you!”

Qiao Xin looked at her tiny granddaughter, her heart softening.

She pulled the little girl into her arms. “I’m not mad. San Niang is growing and needs good food. No one is allowed to take your egg—not even your parents.”

“But I want to share with Father and Mother!”

“They have their own. If you don’t believe me, ask them.”

Qiao Yunqing, who had been listening intently, smiled at San Niang. “Listen to your grandmother. Father has his own.”

Seeing that neither her husband nor her son supported her, Zhang didn’t dare to argue anymore. She quietly sat down and continued eating.

The small commotion at the dinner table quickly passed.

Even the children could tell that their grandmother was different now.

She no longer scolded them harshly or favored the second brother openly when it came to food.

But the happiest ones were the girls in the family.

Their grandmother had declared that whatever their brothers got to eat, they would have a share too.

With just one meal, Qiao Xin had closed the gap between herself and most of the women in the family. She didn’t care about the strange looks from her sons.

Only Zhang felt uncomfortable.

While washing the dishes, she muttered to Xu Shi, “Sister-in-law, do you think Mother hit her head or something? Why is she suddenly so concerned about the girls?”

Xu Shi answered honestly, “There’s nothing wrong with it. Isn’t San Niang your child too?”

“But…”

“Enough with the ‘buts.’ Mother and the men went up the back mountain. Hurry and finish your chores!”