She noticed Fang Dihua’s thoughts and added, “Mom, I think it’s better to withdraw the money from the credit cooperative and deposit it in a big city bank. It’s safer.”

In the original plot, the rural credit cooperative experienced a sudden crisis in 1977, with a loss of 110,000 RMB.

Later, the city bureau investigated, arresting an accountant and a cashier.

The accountant was sentenced to death, and the cashier was sentenced to 12 years.

However, only one-third of the money was recovered in the end.

It was the hard-earned money of various brigades, meant for buying tractors, seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Many brigade leaders either fell ill from the stress or resigned in shame.

How could one accountant and one cashier embezzle 110,000 RMB without anyone noticing?

Lin Shu was skeptical.

Indeed, in the early 1990s, as the male and female leads developed their careers, they exposed a vice president involved in the rural credit cooperative scandal.

He was one of the criminals who escaped justice!

It was only 1971 now, so the problem must have just started a few years ago.

With less money stored now, they probably stole less.

Can we find a way to expose them? At least make them afraid to continue their bad deeds?

Since believing in Lin Shu’s advice after attending Ma Shenxian’s practice, Fang Dihua trusted her words completely.

If the third daughter-in-law said to deposit in the bank, then the bank is better and should be used.

“In that case, I’ll go to the credit cooperative tomorrow to let them know, then withdraw the money and deposit it in the county.”

Withdrawing more than a thousand RMB from the credit cooperative requires prior approval.

Early the next morning, Fang Dihua got up with her two sons to prepare for the stove construction.

Aunt Qiu’s eldest son delivered a wooden cart with mud bricks, essential for building the stove.

Fang Dihua asked Lin Shu to give him a few eggs to take back for the children.

Aunt Qiu’s son hesitated but took them.

Old Lu went to the private plot to check, and as expected, Xu Laonian was working there again.

Lin Shu also got up early to make breakfast, preparing three large teacups of egg flower soup to save on eggs and ensure everyone could drink.

With not much white sugar, she added a little salt instead.

She asked Lu Ping to take a teacup of soup to the Jin family, regardless of whether the elderly or the children drank it; it was a gesture of goodwill from the in-laws.

While making breakfast, Lin Shu also took a basin outside to grind millet for making millet pancakes at noon.

The children got up and joined Lin Shu to help grind the grains.

The small stone mill wasn’t very big, but with a long stick inserted, the three kids could push it together.

“Creeeak, creeeak,” the stone mill turned, and golden yellow millet paste started flowing out.

Lin Shu placed a clean earthen bowl on the ground to catch it.

Fang Dihua saw this and shouted to Lu Er, “Er’s wife, aren’t you going to help your sister-in-law? If you don’t help grind the paste, do you still want to eat pancakes?”

Sister Lu Er, who was eating cucumber and combing her hair in her own room, was quite annoyed.

She had gone from smiling to having a long face, and now her mood was even worse.

She felt that since she was already working in the fields, all the household chores should fall to Lin Shu.

However, since her mother-in-law had spoken, she reluctantly went to help.

She replaced the three tired children and shot a glance at Lin Shu. “Third sister-in-law, where are my shoes? Have they been finished?”

The first pair was for her, the second for her mother-in-law, and this third pair should have been for her too.

But it seemed it was given to the eldest sister-in-law instead.

Now, wouldn’t she get her pair?

Lin Shu, busy scooping the paste, said indifferently, “Second sister-in-law, I’ll make them for you when I’m free.”

As for when she would be free, that was of course up to her to decide.

Lu Er’s nose wrinkled again in irritation.

She was afraid her mother-in-law would scold her, so she forced a smile.

She was really jealous that Lin Shu didn’t have to work while she had to toil in the hot sun, while the other two sisters-in-law stayed home.

Though she was unhappy, she didn’t dare to complain, especially since the eldest sister-in-law Lu Da had managed to become a tractor driver while she didn’t even dare to sign up.

She might seem clever and articulate, but she wasn’t good at studying.

In the first and second grades, she was always at the bottom of the class.

By the third grade, she found it too difficult and decided to stay home to do housework and take care of the children instead of going to school.

After breakfast, everyone who went to school or to work left, while Lu Er dragged her feet, fuming, and looking for a chance to confront Lin Shu.

Last night, she had overheard Lin Shu and her mother-in-law talking while she was leaning against the wall of her own room.

Though she couldn’t hear clearly, she was sure Lin Shu had complained to her mother-in-law about not making her shoes and was scheming to take her pair for herself.

Last time she had planned to show off her new shoes to her sisters when she visited her family, but Lin Shu had given her shoes to the mother-in-law first.

She wanted to confront Lin Shu then, but now there was talk of tractor driving, and she was feeling even more upset.

She held it back.

Now that there was nothing much to do at home, why should Lin Shu make shoes for herself while enduring her?

So she deliberately stalled, waiting for Fang Dihua to leave before blocking Lin Shu.

The usually smiling and irritating second sister-in-law, who always annoyed the original owner, was now completely exasperated.

Lin Shu found it quite amusing.

She thought the second sister-in-law’s life was so fake, not genuine at all.

Clearly not someone who was carefree and easygoing, yet she forced herself to smile all day, putting on a facade of politeness.

It was quite scary to see her face fall the moment she turned away.

They were sisters-in-law living under the same roof. It was better to be real, express opinions directly, rather than wearing a mask.

People who speak sweetly but mean otherwise are usually very calculating.

The second sister-in-law’s character was too shallow for such schemes.

She was simply pretending, finding superiority in the original owner’s frustration and the eldest sister-in-law’s naivety.

Lin Shu specialized in dealing with such pretentiousness.

The second sister-in-law Lu Er stared at Lin Shu and said, “The third sister, you think I’m easy to bully, don’t you?”

Just as she was about to make a fuss, she saw Fang Dihua suddenly return from outside, which startled her.

She quickly forced a smile and explained she was delayed by some matters and would start working soon.

However, Fang Dihua pulled out two yuan from her pocket and handed it to her.

The second sister-in-law’s anger deflated like a balloon, and she was astonished. “Mom?”

Out of nowhere, why was she being given money?

Even though she was envious of her mother-in-law’s money and wanted some, she hadn’t expected to receive any extra.

Fang Dihua actually gave her money, leaving her a bit dazed, especially since it wasn’t given to the eldest or third families…

No, her mother must have given them more behind her back!

Fang Dihua glanced at her and said, “In the future, don’t ask for things from the third family. If you need something, see if the family has it first. If not, go get it yourself. Your own village has people who weave cloth; buy some from them, and ask if the third family has time to make shoes for you.”

Don’t ask for other people’s things and then act like they owe you by commanding them to work for you.

The third daughter-in-law used to be naive, but now, after attending Ma Shenxian’s practice, she’s much more shrewd.

You can’t pull a fast one on her.

She’ll definitely get angry and make you look foolish.

Didn’t you see how Zhao Meifeng had to run to the city every day with money because she was fooled?

Well, this is the daughter-in-law that was chosen for you. Can’t just hit her with a stick.

The second son is a simpleton and hasn’t taught his wife anything. This old lady will have to handle it herself.

The second sister-in-law Lu Er felt awkward and uncomfortable, with an unspeakable mix of bitterness and jealousy.

Her mother-in-law was obviously biased toward the third family!

This was Lin Shu again neglecting her own shoes.

The mother-in-law was afraid she would trouble Lin Shu, so she gave her two yuan to appease her.

Why should this be?

Why were the mother-in-law and the eldest…

Lu Er’s wife felt wronged, believing that everyone was biased against her and that Lin Shu was taking advantage of her.

She couldn’t understand why Lin Shu wasn’t returning the shoes that she had previously claimed as her own.

However, she didn’t realize that she had also taken items from the original owner before, and Fang Dihua hadn’t demanded their return.

These were family matters that the mother-in-law chose not to get involved in.

Fang Dihua, who had limited experience as a mother-in-law, relied on her own social skills and experience.

She had tried to teach Lu Er twice, but seeing no improvement, she decided to stop pushing.

She understood that each generation had its own fortune and not to be too concerned with their struggles.

Lu Er wanted to confront Lin Shu, but Fang Dihua’s intervention (which she mistook as a reprimand) made her hesitant.

She forced a smile and said, “Third sister-in-law, if I buy the fabric, will you make the shoes for me? This time it’s definitely my turn.”

Lin Shu found Lu Er reaction amusing.

If she had approached her like the eldest sister-in-law, with a polite request and fabric in hand, Lin Shu would have gladly helped.

After all, she was more than willing to do housework, make shoes, and clothes while others worked outside.

Lin Shu smiled and said, “Don’t worry, second sister-in-law. I swear on the ancestors of the old Lu family that I’ll make your shoes if you bring the fabric. I have some leftover fabric here that’s enough for the shoe soles.”

Lu Er didn’t feel satisfied and was even more frustrated, thinking Lin Shu was setting her up.

She was worried that if she continued to push, the mother-in-law and eldest sister-in-law would side with Lin Shu.

She had no intention of letting Lin Shu take advantage of her, so she decided to retaliate if Lin Shu tried any tricks.

After sending the three children out to play, Lin Shu cleaned the house and then worked on copying books.

Feeling tired, she took a break to enjoy the flowers in the yard and pondered how to deal with the problematic accountant at the credit union.

She didn’t have solid evidence, and direct reporting might not be effective. Anonymous tips might not draw enough attention either.

As she sipped on the fragrant chrysanthemum tea she had made, an idea struck her: she might have found a solution!