After Lin Shu took the books out, Old Man Lu couldn’t help but whisper to Fang Dihua, “The third daughter-in-law is becoming more cultured.”

Fang Dihua whispered back, “Can it be fake? She seems more cultured than those officials who came down. They didn’t have Ma’s personally teaching them, did they?”

The elderly couple started murmuring about the sewing machine again.

They had thought it was no longer a part of the Lu family’s belongings but were surprised that Lin Shu managed to get it back.

They also discussed what Pan Pan and Tian Tian had said.

Pan Pan said that Grandpa and Grandma always worried that their mother was not doing well at home and might be bullied. “We’ve told them that Grandpa and Grandma really care about Mom.”

“These two children, so young yet speaking like adults and paying attention to the adults’ moods. Oh, they are so understanding,” Old Man Lu felt sorry for the children.

Most kids their age are just eating and sleeping, but these two are so perceptive, not causing trouble for adults, and even comforting them.

If the third daughter-in-law were at home, the children would probably be even more innocent and lively.

Fang Dihua said, “Isn’t it better this way? Compared to those who are big-hearted and naive, I’d rather the children be understanding.”

Some adults never grow up, while some children are born mature.

Being mature or not has nothing to do with age; it’s inherent.

Lin Shu and the others were curious about how the Lin family was doing, but right now, the Lin family was facing a storm.

In the evening, Sun Xiaohong, holding her child, came home and waited outside, eavesdropping until she heard no noise before going in.

She entered the house and saw Mother Lin husking corn in the yard, still smiling.

“Mother, has my third sister-in-law left?”

Mother Lin felt guilty.

She had planned to accompany her daughter-in-law with some gentle words but, remembering Lin Shu’s words, she forced herself to maintain a stern expression and continued husking the corn.

Sun Xiaohong saw her like this and began to doubt.

What was going on?

She took her child into the house and then noticed that the door to the west room was still locked.

She couldn’t help but sigh in relief and said, “Mother, where’s Lin Yue?”

Mother Lin stubbornly kept her head down and did not respond.

Sun Xiaohong took out her keys to unlock the door and then turned to look at the east room. “Father?”

Old Lin wasn’t there.

He had eaten a steamed bun and gone out to look for cicada larvae.

Cicada larvae were considered a free gift from heaven, nutritious and delicious.

Who wouldn’t want them? It was only natural to go look for them.

Moreover, since they weren’t working these days, everyone, old and young, had gone to the woods and by the trees to search.

Sun Xiaohong opened the door, placed her sleeping child on the kang (a traditional bed), and suddenly felt something was wrong.

Turning around, she discovered… her sewing machine was gone!!!

Her eyes widened, and she rushed out like a whirlwind, demanding of Mother Lin, “Where’s my sewing machine?”

“What? Isn’t it in your room?”

“It’s gone! Did Lin Shu take it?”

Mother Lin tightened her grip on the corn to give herself courage. “That’s your third sister’s.”

“Mother!”

“Your third sister couldn’t have carried it away.”

The sewing machine wasn’t just the main unit but also included the accessories and panels.

Sun Xiaohong’s eyes nearly popped out.

She stared at Mother Lin. “Did Lin Yue and Elder Sister Lu Da carry it away?”

“You locked the door. How could they carry it out?”

“Where’s Lin Yue! Where has he gone?”

Mother Lin frowned. “Xiaohong, he’s your husband. How can you speak about him like that?”

Sun Xiaohong snorted coldly. “Is he even a man? Taking my stuff to please his third sister?”

Mother Lin insisted that the door was locked, so no one could take the sewing machine.

Sun Xiaohong retorted, “Do you think I’m stupid? If they carried the sewing machine out of the village, I would have found out immediately!”

Mother Lin didn’t dare to argue back and only mumbled quietly, “That sewing machine originally belonged to your third sister.”

Sun Xiaohong exclaimed, “This is too much. You all are going too far. You and your whole family are plotting against me, bullying me, and now you want to end it?”

Anger surged from her heart, and she kicked the corn husking basket that Mother Lin was using, sending it flying.

Corn and kernels scattered everywhere.

The sewing machine hit Lin Mother’s face and knocked her to the ground immediately.

When Lin Mother fell, she was stunned.

She had been honest all her life.

Although people in the village might have squeezed her or taken advantage of her, no one had ever dared to hit her.

Even her mother-in-law had only scolded her and had never laid a finger on her.

Her husband had always treated her with affection and had never hit her.

Now, in her old age, she was being hit by her daughter-in-law.

“Wah…” Lin Mother began to cry.

What else could she do but cry?

She couldn’t explain the sewing machine issue to her daughter-in-law.

If she didn’t cry, Sun Xiaohong would definitely ask her for the sewing machine.

Lin Mother’s first response to any problem was to avoid it, as if there were an invisible shell around her providing some sense of security, so she didn’t have to face the storms outside.

At first, she didn’t dare cry out loud, only sobbing quietly.

Then she remembered Lin Shu’s words, “You don’t know how to fight, you don’t know how to cry?”

Cry loudly! Cry your heart out!

Lin Mother originally thought it was embarrassing to cry loudly as her daughter had said.

How humiliating to wail like that.

Now, feeling both wronged and in pain, her quiet sobbing turned into loud crying, her voice growing louder and louder.

Once she started crying, she felt that it wasn’t so hard after all.

Since she was already crying and embarrassed, what was there to be afraid of?

She cried harder and louder, pouring out all the grievances of her lifetime.

Her cries were heart-wrenching and moved everyone around.

“Wah wah…” She cried like a three-year-old child.

Next door, Aunt Lin rushed over, “What happened? What happened?”

Although Sun Xiaohong was tough, she wasn’t the kind of person who would make a scene without regard for appearances.

In this era, it was disgraceful for a daughter-in-law to hit her mother-in-law.

The authority in the family generally lay with the mother-in-law.

Even if some people were not on good terms with Lin Mother, they would sympathize with her.

If they saw another mother-in-law being bullied by her daughter-in-law, they would join forces to attack the daughter-in-law.

It’s said that the most powerful people in the village are those who stick together.

Sun Xiaohong felt guilty and a bit anxious. “Mom, I… I didn’t hit you. You were accidentally hit by the stick.”

Aunt Lin helped Lin Mother up. “Stop crying, don’t let others hear and laugh at us. Family matters should not be aired in public.”

Sun Xiaohong quickly added, “Yes, yes, Mom, stop crying. I didn’t mean it. I really didn’t mean to. How could I dare to hit you?”

Lin Mother just covered her face and cried endlessly.

Now that she was crying so freely, she couldn’t stop.

At first, Aunt Lin felt that Lin Mother’s crying was unattractive and embarrassing.

When they forcibly pulled Lin Mother’s hand away and saw the injuries on her face, they gasped and exclaimed loudly, “Sun Xiaohong, you’re really ruthless! You’ve actually beaten your mother-in-law like this!”

“Your mother-in-law is a rare good mother-in-law. Look at any other mother-in-law, who treats their daughter-in-law like she does? She brings your meals to you, washes and mends your clothes, and lets you sleep in while the sun is already up. All you do is walk around with the child, you don’t have to do anything else!”

Sun Xiaohong was not convinced. “Aunt, my elder sister, second sister, and third sister don’t have to work in the fields either. Why do I have to?”

Aunt Lin responded, “Every family is different.”

“If you’re so capable, you should have married someone who doesn’t make you work in the fields!”

Sun Xiaohong felt guilty.

Years ago, she was attracted to Lin Yue’s good looks and wanted to marry him.

She told her second brother that she liked Lin Yue and asked him to help.

Her second brother started getting close to Lin Yue, going bird hunting and swimming together after work.

One afternoon, after they went swimming, the two of them rested in the grass hut at the drying ground.

When her second brother slipped away, she went over and lay naked in Lin Yue’s arms.

At that time, Lin Yue was only 17, full of youthful vigor and impulsiveness.

She, being an 18-year-old girl with a developed body, couldn’t help but provoke him.

They ended up having a reckless affair, and her second brother came to “catch them in the act.”

She cried out, threatening to jump into the river and kill herself.

Feeling guilty, Lin Yue agreed to marry her.

Lin’s mother was against it, but Sun Xiaohong claimed she was pregnant, so her parents and brothers accompanied her to confront Lin’s parents.

Lin Mother, fearing the scandal and dreading that Sun Xiaohong might report her son as a hooligan, agreed to the marriage.

In 1967, if a man and woman had such relations, the woman could accuse the man of hooliganism, leading to severe penalties.

Since the situation started off poorly, Sun Xiaohong always felt insecure and was determined to be strong to avoid being looked down upon.

She initially held Lin Yue tightly, knowing what he liked and satisfying him when he was obedient, and belittling him when he was not, thus gaining control over him.

Once she had Lin Yue under control, she also dominated her in-laws, becoming increasingly overbearing at home and dictating everything.

Later, she convinced herself that since Lin Yue had indeed been with her, he was a hooligan for not resisting!

Now that they were married, Lin Yue had to listen to her, and her in-laws had to follow her commands.

Her three elder sisters should support her as well.

With this thought, she became even more confident. “The sewing machine is part of my dowry, it must be given to me!”

Lin Mother said, “If it really doesn’t work, we can gather more money and buy another one.”

Sun Xiaohong raised her eyebrows, “That won’t be the same. The dowry was prepared before I married. Buying it now means using my own money!”

In their family, Lin Yue was the only son, everything inside and out belonged to Lin Yue, so naturally, what belonged to him was hers!