My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Tao Yuyue hadn't expected that Bai Fendou would get involved in this mess. Although he was standing up for her, she was still quite upset. She had just gotten married, and now her husband had been beaten up. What kind of situation was this? Chen Yuan was even more displeased. He had been pampered since childhood and couldn't handle this kind of humiliation.

He couldn't beat Bai Fendou, but he flailed his arms and shouted loudly, "Bai Fendou, you useless eunuch, you bastard! You think you can bully me? I swear I'll make you shovel manure for the rest of your life!"

Bai Fendou wasn't about to back down either. "Oh, look at you, acting all tough! Come on then! What can you even do? You're nothing without your dad. Without him, you're worthless, you hear me? Worthless!"

"You!"

Bai Fendou was a skilled debater and raised his voice even higher. "Who do you think you are? Everyone in our compound got their jobs through real skills. Only you, only someone like you, got in through connections. Pfft! You think you're worthy of talking to me? You're not!"

"Say that again, you useless piece of trash! No wonder no one wants you. Look at yourself! You think you're so great, huh? You're the kind of guy who deserves to be single forever. Even if you do get married, your wife will cheat on you. No one will take care of you when you're old!" Chen Yuan was equally vicious with his insults.

Bai Fendou's eyes blazed with anger. "You bastard! I'll beat you to a pulp!"

Zhang San quickly stepped in to intervene. "Enough, enough! If you two really start fighting, I'll have to call security. What are you doing? This was supposed to be a happy housewarming. It's so unlucky to have this kind of drama. Both of you, take a step back and save face, alright?"

Chen Yuan sneered. "What kind of face does he have to save with me?"

Bai Fendou shot back, "And what kind of face do you have with me? A man who can't even support his family, and you call yourself a man?"

"Oh, so you're the manly one? Go ask around in the city, everyone knows Bai Fendou isn't a real man. Stop pretending to be something you're not!"

"You!"

"You!"

The two of them glared at each other, their tempers flaring.

The onlookers shook their heads, baffled at how these two could suddenly get into such a heated argument. As for Tao Yuyue, they thought, "Beauty brings trouble."

Tao Yuyue was also unhappy, but she remembered that this was her first day moving in. Bai Fendou might be a meddler, but the others were long-time neighbors, and she was the newcomer. She had to be careful not to alienate them.

She took a deep breath and said, "Alright, that's enough. Look at what you're doing! Bai Fendou, I know you mean well, but please don't interfere in my family matters. Chen Yuan, stop hurling insults. If Dad hears about this, he'll scold you. You shouldn't say such things."

Chen Yuan retorted, "You're just a woman. What right do you have to tell me what to do?"

Tao Yuyue took another deep breath and said, "I'm not trying to control you. I just don't want you to embarrass yourself."

"You... woman!"

Tao Yuyue grabbed Chen Yuan and pushed him toward the door. "Go take a walk in Beihai Park or somewhere else. When you come back, I'll have everything cleaned up, and you'll feel much better."

Chen Yuan glared at her, but Tao Yuyue leaned in and whispered in his ear, "If you keep this up, I'll tell Dad."

"You tattletale! Are you a child? All you know how to do is tattle. Pfft!" Chen Yuan cursed a bit more but ultimately relented, fearing Tao Yuyue's threat. He turned to Bai Fendou and said, "I'm only backing off because of my wife. You're still a piece of trash."

He spat on the ground and stormed off.

Bai Fendou was about to chase after him, but Tao Yuyue quickly grabbed his arm. "Bai Fendou, I apologize for what just happened. I shouldn't have said those things, but please don't interfere in our marital issues. It's not appropriate."

Bai Fendou was so angry he could barely breathe. He couldn't understand why good men like him were single and lonely, while scoundrels like Chen Yuan could marry such loyal wives. These women must be blind!

Life was so unfair!

Bai Fendou snorted heavily and said, "I don't care about you personally. I just can't stand seeing men bully women. If it were someone else, I'd do the same. Don't flatter yourself!"

With that, he turned and stomped away.

Tao Yuyue's expression darkened at Bai Fendou's words, but she still breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't pay any more attention to her husband or Bai Fendou and quietly went inside to start cleaning. The others exchanged glances, sensing the tension. This was the first time they'd seen something like this.

Although the men in the compound typically didn't do housework, leaving chores like laundry and cooking to the women, moving and cleaning were big tasks that shouldn't fall entirely on the women. It made the men seem uncivilized.

Zhang San peeked inside and clicked his tongue, amused by the drama. This compound was always lively, and he was excited to see what would happen next.

Pan Pan felt the same way. On their first day moving in, they'd already witnessed a fight!

They'd seen it!

The legendary Bai Fendou lived up to his reputation.

The couple was so excited, they looked like they'd never seen anything like this before. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"No need, we can handle it. You go ahead with your own work," Tao Yuyue replied.

Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "Alright, let me know if you need anything."

"Sure."

Zhang San usually got his gossip from Zhuang Zhixi, his go-to source for juicy stories. He chuckled and went back to his own work.

Zhuang Zhixi glanced at Tao Yuyue, who was silently cleaning with a cold expression, and then at Zhang San and Pan Pan, who were happily working together. The contrast was striking.

With the new neighbors, the compound was buzzing with activity.

Aunt Wang, a tough northeastern woman, couldn't stand men like Chen Yuan. "Tao Yuyue is in for a rough time," she muttered.

They didn't bother discussing Bai Fendou's fight. Bai Fendou fighting was nothing new; it was practically routine. He was known for being reckless.

What they were curious about was the new neighbor.

Aunt Sui said, "Tao Yuyue isn't losing out. She used to be a temporary worker but got promoted to a permanent position. Besides, without her father-in-law being the logistics director, how else could they have gotten a house so quickly?"

Factory housing allocations were common, but not everyone got one right away. There simply weren't enough houses to go around. Their factory had a dormitory for single workers, but the rooms were barely big enough for a bed, let alone a couple. The walls were thin, and privacy was nonexistent. New workers without housing could apply for a dormitory, and the factory would usually arrange something quickly.

But that was different from being assigned a proper house.

To get a welfare house, you had to be married and wait in line for one to become available. However, since their factory wasn't in the suburbs, there wasn't much land available for building new housing. If they built too far away, it would be inconvenient for workers to commute. So, houses were allocated based on proximity, but there were always more people than houses.

Usually, someone had to give up their house before a new one could be assigned.

And this "giving up" had its own rules. Once a welfare house was assigned, it was essentially the occupant's property. They could even sell it privately if they wanted. Only if someone qualified for a second allocation would they have to give up their current house.

For example, the Zhang family had to give up their house because they were being relocated and would receive a larger one. If they had simply moved out without being reassigned, they could have kept or sold the house.

Since they were being transferred to another unit and receiving a new house, they had to give up their old one.

Of course, policies vary from one workplace to another, and the nature of housing allocations differs as well. It all depends on the housing distribution policies and nature of each factory, but their unit’s situation is generally like this. It’s still relatively clear.

Situations like the Zhang family’s do exist, and they gave up their housing.

At this point, those who didn’t get allocated housing had to rely on their own resourcefulness.

So, if Tao Yuyue hadn’t married Chen Yuan, and if Chen Yuan didn’t have a father who was the head of logistics, they definitely wouldn’t have been allocated this apartment. After all, logistics also oversees these matters, and while there are higher-ups, they still have some influence.

No matter the era, there are always those who benefit from connections, and his family is like that.

Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, “Look, I’ve been registered for half a year, and I still haven’t been allocated anything. Tough luck.”

“Oh, come on, I think you’ll have to wait a long time. You’re a single-income worker at the factory, and you already have housing. It’s tough!”

Zhuang Zhixi never benefited from the factory’s welfare housing allocation. His family’s current situation is entirely thanks to his father. Their three-and-a-half rooms have been rented since before liberation. Because they paid rent consistently before liberation and had many children, after liberation, when the machinery factory was nationalized, their family still got allocated three-and-a-half rooms.

But in reality, three-and-a-half rooms are quite a lot. Because of this, Zhuang Zhixi wanted to apply again. Although he qualified, it’s hard to say when it would actually happen, unless the factory builds a new residential compound, which might offer some hope.

Zhuang Zhixi said, “Well, it seems I’ll just have to wait for my wife.”

Ming Mei raised her hand and replied, “I’ve also applied, but it’s hard to say when I’ll get allocated. Our unit’s situation is similar to the machinery factory’s.”

Both spouses applied at their respective workplaces, but for families where both work in different units, if one gets allocated housing, the other’s application is usually canceled. After all, one family can’t take all the benefits.

Zhao Guihua suddenly spoke up, “Generally, if you already have housing, it’s quite difficult to get allocated more.”

She glanced at her son and daughter-in-law, pondering the housing allocation issue. If you think about it, their family hasn’t had much luck in this regard. Her eldest son did get allocated a 50-square-meter apartment in a tube-shaped building three years later, which wasn’t bad in size, but it was an old building from the 1940s.

By the time they were allocated the apartment, it had already been 35 or 36 years since it was built. If you say it’s good, it sounds decent, but who could have guessed? Over 50 years later, just before Zhao Guihua’s rebirth, the apartment was still standing.

The place was in such disrepair, it was unbearable to look at.

Although it had the prestige of being within the Second Ring Road, and it sounded impressive, the building was so old that it exuded a sense of decay. Since the early 1990s, there had been talk of demolishing and redeveloping it, but by 2022, nothing had happened.

At first, it was because of some stubborn holdouts.

Later, it became about preserving some old architecture.

Later, while scrolling through short videos, Zhao Guihua even came across the dilapidated building where her eldest son lived. If you say it’s valuable, it is, given its location within the Second Ring Road. But if you’re talking about living there, it’s practically uninhabitable. Only some young people looking for cheap rent would dare to live there.

The kitchen and bathroom were outside, and you couldn’t make any small indoor modifications. Who knows if it would damage the structure? What if it collapsed?

If you talk about relocating, no one’s moving; if you talk about living there, it’s unlivable.

It seems like a Second Ring Road property, an old building, but for the actual owners, it’s quite a dilemma. After all, for old Beijingers like them, there are plenty of better options. Plus, the ownership and usage rights are separated—ownership belongs to the railway, while usage rights belong to the individual employee.

The eldest son’s family was really burdened by this apartment, and because of it, they couldn’t be allocated any other housing. In the end, they had to buy their own place.

The third son’s family didn’t fare much better in terms of housing allocation. They did get allocated an apartment, thanks to Ming Mei. It was also a tube-shaped building, an old one, but it was better than the eldest son’s. Though old, it was only four or five years old, making it relatively new.

But who could have guessed that right after Ming Mei got her allocation, the machinery factory announced they were building a new residential complex? Zhuang Zhixi lost his eligibility for housing allocation at the machinery factory. The two allocations couldn’t compare in terms of location or size.

This left the couple fuming.

Thinking about all this, Zhao Guihua couldn’t help but shake her head slightly. Their luck with housing allocation was truly mediocre.

“Guihua, why aren’t you saying anything? What’s with the head-shaking?” Aunt Wang, seeing her old friend Zhao Guihua staying silent, looked at her curiously and asked. Zhao Guihua replied, “I’m just thinking, housing allocation is such a big deal.”

“Of course it is.”

At this point, everyone thought of Aunt Su. Though Aunt Su wasn’t much of a person, her mind worked quickly. By leveraging the deaths of her husband and son, she managed to secure four main rooms for the Su family.

Even with three sons getting married, there was enough space.

You have to admit, that’s quite shrewd. Most people wouldn’t be able to figure that out.

Zhao Guihua couldn’t help but ask, “Wang Xiangxiu, what’s the situation with your mother-in-law? Has she been sentenced yet?”

Wang Xiangxiu shook her head, “I don’t know. I haven’t been there.”

Actually, the police had contacted her two or three times, saying Aunt Su wanted to see her, but Wang Xiangxiu refused each time. She didn’t want to see her mother-in-law at all. She hadn’t had much education and wasn’t particularly sharp.

She didn’t want to see Aunt Su again, fearing she might be deceived once more.

She didn’t want to go, partly because she truly hated Aunt Su, and partly because she was afraid of falling for her sweet talk again. After all, she wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. What if she got tricked again?

And precisely because she wasn’t clever, she didn’t blame herself. Instead, she felt that all her years of decline and misery were because of Aunt Su, so she harbored deep resentment toward her. See her? Absolutely not.

She’d rather raise her children alone, even if it meant a harder life, as long as she could live honestly.

Someone like that shouldn’t be allowed to influence her anymore.

She said, “She did try to contact me, but I don’t want to see her.”

She glanced toward the house and added, “I don’t have time for her. I have a family to support.”

Jinlai and Yinlai had already been discharged from the hospital, but neither child was attending school. Both were at home recovering. Jinlai was actually better, but because his leg had been broken, they didn’t dare let him engage in strenuous activities. He needed to rest at home for three to five months to ensure he didn’t end up with a limp.

As for Yinlai… Yinlai had internal injuries. It wasn’t just three to five months; it might take three to five years to recover fully. She had already withdrawn Yinlai from school, as his physical condition made it impossible for him to attend classes in the short term.

Jinlai, on the other hand, would return to school once he recovered.

Aunt Wang, seeing that Wang Xiangxiu really didn’t know much, said, “I’ve heard a little about it.”

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Everyone turned to look at her. Aunt Wang said, “I heard from someone in the neighborhood that Aunt Su reported a few people who had been involved in gambling, swindling, and renting out properties before liberation.”

Gambling, prostitution, and drugs often go hand in hand, with some connections between them. If Aunt Su knew something, it wouldn’t be surprising.

But it’s been so many years. Aunt Su left the Eight Great Alleys almost 40 years ago. How could she still remember those people and even know so many details? You can tell just how cunning she is.

Aunt Wang added, “I’ve only heard this, but apparently, she recognized some people while shopping about ten years ago. She had gone from a young girl of 14 or 15 to an old woman, so no one recognized her, but she recognized them. She even followed them for a while to figure out what they were up to. Apparently, these people were still up to no good, but she didn’t say anything at the time. Now that she’s been caught, she’s spilled a lot to gain merit. You have to admit, this woman is something else. She’s been hiding a lot of secrets.”

“Good heavens.”

“Aunt Su, who would’ve thought?”

She truly demonstrated the saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“Who knows when she’ll be sentenced.”

“It might take a while. She was supposed to be sentenced already, but she’s revealed so much more, so they’re still investigating.”

Aunt Wang, as the neighborhood manager, indeed knew a lot.

As soon as she spoke, everyone gasped in surprise.

Even Wang Xiangxiu was no exception. She now felt a deep sense of regret, wondering how she could have lived with such a person for over a decade. She had been swindled, and it was a stroke of luck that she hadn’t been completely ruined. She had initially felt a bit resentful, but now she just felt a chill running down her spine.

Relief, when she thought about it, was indeed a relief.

Perhaps because Aunt Su was mentioned, Bai Fendou also appeared. He stood to the side and listened for a while before saying, “Good people don’t live long, but troublemakers last a thousand years.”

This statement was quite accurate.

At this moment, Aunt Zhou, with her sharp eyes, noticed that Bai Fendou was carrying a bucket and seemed ready to head out. She asked curiously, “Bai Fendou, what are you…?”

Bai Fendou replied, “A friend of mine has a leaky roof. I’m going to help her fix it. Otherwise, with the cold weather and winter rains, it’ll be miserable. She has five children. If the house is drafty and leaky, those kids will suffer.”

Everyone silently turned their gaze toward Wang Xiangxiu, who quietly lowered her head and continued pasting paper boxes as if she hadn’t heard anything.

Bai Fendou said, “Alright, I’m off.”

Zhou Qun immediately spoke up, “You must be going to Guan Guiling’s place, right? Wait… no, she has four children! Do you have another widow you’re helping out?”

This guy is really something, isn’t he?

Bai Fendou raised an eyebrow and said, “What nonsense are you talking about? I’m going to Guan Guiling’s place. We’re old classmates and friends. Isn’t it right to help her out? She’s having a hard time, and I don’t mind lending a hand. At least she knows how to be grateful. When I help her, she acknowledges it, unlike some people who take my help and then stab me in the back.”

He glanced at Wang Xiangxiu.

Wang Xiangxiu: “…”

He added, “And it’s not like some people who, even when I help them, still curse me out. Hmph.”

This time, he looked in the direction of Tao Yuyue’s house. Tao Yuyue was just about to go out to buy some paint.

Tao Yuyue: “…”

Bai Fendou sneered, “At least she knows how to be grateful.”

“Wait, I heard Guan Guiling has four kids,” Zhou Qun scratched his head.

Bai Fendou said, “What four? She told me herself she has five kids, the oldest being ten. Where did you get your information? You must be mistaken.”

Zhou Qun: “I…”

His eyes fell on Ming Mei, and he quickly asked, “Ming Mei, you two work in the same unit, right? Tell me, how many kids does Guan Guiling have?”

Ming Mei pursed her lips and said, “I heard it’s four. Bai Fendou, you must be mistaken. As for their ages, I don’t know, but her kids seem to be quite young.”

Zhou Qun, having Ming Mei’s support, immediately perked up and said, “See? Ming Mei works with her, and she says it’s four. So, she must have four kids, not five.”

Bai Fendou frowned, annoyed, and said, “Maybe you’re mistaken, or maybe she misspoke. Isn’t that normal? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

He waved his hand, “I’m leaving.”

With that, Bai Fendou walked away.

After he left, the group fell into a brief silence.

After a while, Aunt Zhou said, “A mother wouldn’t mistake how many children she has, right? What kind of mother would do that?”

“Maybe Bai Fendou remembered wrong?”

“Possibly.”

Zhou Qun said, “I don’t think Bai Fendou would remember wrong. He’s Guan Guiling’s lapdog, hanging on her every word. How could he get it wrong? I think there’s something fishy going on here.”

“What’s fishy?”

Zhuang Zhixi chimed in, “Either Guan Guiling is counting her ex-husband as one of the kids and tricking Bai Fendou into supporting him, or she’s pregnant with another one.”

“Oh…”

For a moment, no one knew what to say.

Even Tao Yuyue, who was passing by, stopped in her tracks, momentarily at a loss for words.

Zhang San and his wife also popped up to listen to the gossip, both of them clicking their tongues in amazement.

Zhuang Zhixi’s words shocked everyone, but Zhou Qun clapped his hands in agreement, “Zhuang Zhixi is right. It’s probably one of those two scenarios, nothing else.”

He added, “I think Bai Fendou is about to be fooled again.”

Aunt Wang sighed, “Even if you warn him, he won’t listen.”

Zhao Guihua said, “True, he won’t be tripped up by the same woman twice, but he’ll be tripped up by two different women twice.”

“Oh…”

That seemed to make a lot of sense.

Everyone shook their heads in unison, tutting.

Although Tao Yuyue wanted to stay and listen a bit longer, she knew she couldn’t. She still had to tidy up the house and hurriedly left. Zhao Guihua watched her retreating figure and sighed, thinking that marrying into a wealthy family wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

In her past life, Tao Yuyue had married Chen Yuan.

This Chen Yuan had some connections. His father was the logistics director at the machinery factory—not an extremely high position, but one with real authority. His mother was the deputy director of the Third Pastry Factory, also a decent workplace. Both parents were capable people. Chen Yuan also had an older sister who was already married and worked as an accountant at a food factory.

Chen Yuan was the youngest son.

In her past life, Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue hadn’t moved into their courtyard, so they didn’t know much about the family. However, Tao Yuyue had carried herself with the air of someone who had “married into wealth,” always well-dressed and well-fed. Many young women at the factory looked up to her as a role model.

After all, who wouldn’t want a better life?

Everyone does.

But based on today’s little incident, even though she had “married into a cadre family,” it didn’t necessarily mean everything was smooth sailing.

At the very least, Chen Yuan didn’t seem like the most reliable person.

“Why is Chen Yuan living in our courtyard instead of staying in his apartment?” Aunt Sui muttered. “Isn’t he an only child?”

Zhou Qun said, “Who knows? But I think it might be because his family’s place is too crowded. I heard that Chen Yuan’s grandparents live with them, so the house must be packed. Plus, why not take advantage of the benefits? And I imagine a newlywed bride wouldn’t want to live with her in-laws and grandparents. Having so many elders around must be exhausting. So, they probably applied for housing benefits and moved into our courtyard.”

“Probably.”

Zhao Guihua didn’t think so, but she didn’t say anything.

As everyone discussed the newlywed couple, Zhang San and Pan Pan didn’t stay either. They went back home to continue painting. There was still a lot to do around the house, but they could finish it in a day.

Pan Pan nudged Zhang San and whispered, “That rather plump woman is Wang Xiangxiu, right?”

She had heard all about Wang Xiangxiu’s gossip from Zhang San.

Zhang San nodded, “That’s her. She’s quite the character.”

Although many people outside believed in Wang Xiangxiu’s innocence, Zhang San, as someone in the know, didn’t buy it. He knew that several men, including Li Si from the security department and Wang Erlai, had been her “guests.”

He even knew the prices.

However, he didn’t elaborate further, not wanting his wife to think he was being inappropriate.

Heaven knows, although he liked to gossip, he had never been involved with her.

“You haven’t met her mother-in-law. She’s even more of a character. But she’s been arrested now. This courtyard is full of drama. That Aunt Zhou…”

The young couple chatted in low voices as they worked, feeling that tidying up the house wasn’t tiring at all. While they worked at home, the others in the courtyard were still pasting paper boxes. They did this whenever they had free time.

However, this work was running out. Once they handed in this batch, there wouldn’t be any more for the year. What a pity.

But at least they had earned some money.

“Aunt Wang, will we have such good opportunities next year?”

Aunt Wang replied, “Next year, you’ll have to catch another thief.”

“Ah, good things don’t come around often, do they?”

Everyone laughed and said, “Of course not. You can’t have a feast every day.”

“This is the last batch. We’ll hand it in tomorrow or the day after.”

“After that, shall we go up the mountain?”

“Sure thing.”

For the past few months, they had been going up the mountain together, and their harvest had been quite good. While they hadn’t found any particularly valuable items, they had gathered plenty of mountain produce. Just take Zhao Guihua’s family cellar, for example—it was completely full. Even though there was a food shortage outside, Zhao Guihua’s family was far from lacking.

“Zhao Guihua, come collect your package slip. There’s a package for you.”

Hearing this, Zhao Guihua immediately stood up: “Coming!”

She signed for the package slip and was overjoyed.

Aunt Wang immediately guessed: “It’s from your second child, isn’t it?”

Zhao Guihua: “Of course! It’s probably salted fish.”

Zhuang Zhixin lived by the sea, so she had no shortage of such things. Every autumn, she would send a lot of salted fish to her family.

Don’t underestimate salted fish—it’s a delicacy these days, a proper meat dish. When steamed with pickled mustard greens, the flavor is simply divine!

“Your daughter is so filial.”

“Well, your Li Fang is wonderful too.”

“That’s true.”

Li Fang wasn’t here chatting with the others. Instead, she had gathered two pregnant women, Ming Mei and Jiang Lu, to give them some advice. Both were expecting their first child and couldn’t compare to Li Fang’s experience.

They were sitting on the porch of the Zhuang family’s house.

Li Fang noticed both women had long hair and said, “Before giving birth, you should both cut your hair short. Otherwise, you’ll definitely regret it later.”

Jiang Lu: “Why’s that?”

It seemed like everyone did this, but they had both grown up with long hair and were used to it. They were reluctant to cut it short.

Ming Mei nodded in agreement.

Li Fang: “After giving birth, you’ll have to stay in confinement for a month—no going out, no washing your hair, no bathing. If you don’t cut your hair short, it’ll get so greasy you’ll want to vomit.”

“Oh, right, right! That’s true.” Ming Mei thought of her sister-in-law, who had gone through the same thing during her confinement. She made up her mind: “Then I’ll definitely cut it short.”

She didn’t want her hair to get so oily it could fry food. The thought of not being able to clean herself for a whole month made her groan: “I’d feel so dirty!”

Li Fang laughed and said, “We’re lucky to be having our confinement in winter. Just imagine how much worse it would be in the summer.”

Hearing this, everyone felt a bit better. It’s true—people always feel better when they compare their situation to something worse.

Thinking about the misery of summer confinement, winter confinement, though cold, was much more bearable since you didn’t have to go outside.

In summer, you’d practically start to rot.

“We should also stock up on brown sugar and eggs in advance.”

The two women nodded again in agreement.

Although the food shortage this year was quite noticeable, it wasn’t as severe as the three-year famine. Things were tough, but it wasn’t life-threatening. Eggs and such could still be bought in limited quantities.

Jiang Lu whispered: “I’m planning to buy some from the black market.”

At times like these, the black market was the go-to option.

If they tried to buy normally, they wouldn’t be able to get much due to the limits.

After all, in some mountain villages, eggs could even be used as currency to trade for other goods—that’s how valuable they were.

“You’re going?”

“I’ll have Zhou Qun go.”

Li Fang rubbed her temples and said, “Yang Lixin wouldn’t dare.”

Yang Lixin wasn’t very brave. If he were, he wouldn’t have been tricked by Bai Fendou before.

Of course, his family had tried to take advantage of others too, but Bai Fendou had really taken them for a ride. Even without saying it outright, it was clear from the situation.

She sighed and said, “Our family will just have to make do. We won’t go to the black market. I’ll see if Yang Lixin can go to the countryside instead. Maybe someone in his village will be willing to trade.”

Yang Lixin was a live-in son-in-law, and his home village was close to the city.

Of course, if he were from a remote mountain village like Wang Zhaodi’s, no one would have recommended him to come to the city as an apprentice. If he hadn’t apprenticed under Li the Cook, he wouldn’t have become a live-in son-in-law either.

It was only natural for him to go back to his village and ask around.

Ming Mei: “I’ll ask Zhuang Zhixi. He’ll probably have a way.”

Even though their families had started raising chickens, it still wasn’t enough. Even with their work unit’s rations, it wouldn’t suffice for the confinement period. After all, eggs were the most important source of nutrition during that time.

“We really made a good decision buying those hens.”

The hens they bought were laying eggs quite well.

The Zhuang family and Li Fang’s family had children who dug up worms for the chickens, while Jiang Lu’s family had Wang Zhaodi. The hens were well-fed and laid eggs frequently. It was truly a great investment. Even Wang Xiangxiu had started raising chickens.

However, her family’s chickens weren’t doing as well. After all, feeding them worms made a big difference.

But Wang Xiangxiu’s family was also very busy. Jinlai and Yinlai were bedridden, and Tonglai was too young. He had to go to school during the day, and after school, he couldn’t go far by himself to dig for worms or earthworms.

He used to go with his two older brothers, so he didn’t have many friends.

If he went too far alone, even Wang Xiangxiu wouldn’t feel at ease. After all, he was her only healthy child now.

So her hens weren’t doing as well, but even so, two hens could lay at least one egg a day, which was still worth it.

“Our courtyard might be noisy, but at least everyone’s sharp. Look how quickly everyone started raising chickens once they realized the benefits. There’s a three-section courtyard on the back street. They wanted to raise chickens, but the whole courtyard had to hold a meeting about it. In the end, they rejected the idea, saying it would ruin the courtyard’s environment. Isn’t that ridiculous? The policy allows each household to raise two chickens, but their courtyard forbids it. They’re really making a big deal out of nothing, acting all high and mighty. And the people in their courtyard actually listened to them. I don’t know if their brains have been eaten by dogs.”

“The courtyard manager doesn’t have that much authority.”

“Exactly! And what’s with holding a meeting about it?”

Ming Mei thought for a moment and smiled: “If someone in our courtyard dared to say no to raising chickens, do you think they’d get beaten up?”

“Haha!”

“True.”

The people in their courtyard might cause trouble, but they weren’t pushovers!

Everyone was quite fierce. Aside from the few families that stirred up the most trouble, the others weren’t exactly meek either. Take the Zhuang family, for example. They didn’t get involved in too much, but if anyone dared to provoke them, Zhao Guihua would storm over and give them a piece of her mind.

She wasn’t afraid of a fight.

“Exactly! And it’s not like it’s dirty either. Chicken manure is actually really useful.”

This was also true. It was Zhao Guihua’s idea. She had Old Man Zhuang build her a wooden box—not a traditional one, but more like a storage bin, about a meter long, half a meter wide, and half a meter tall, with no lid.

Zhao Guihua dug up some black soil from the mountain and planted chili peppers in it. The chicken manure came in handy, and even then, it wasn’t enough.

Seeing this, the other families who raised chickens quickly followed suit, placing similar bins under their windows to grow vegetables. They didn’t take up space in the courtyard or dig up the land—they just used the area under their own windows. If they wanted, they could even bring the bins inside.

Zhao Guihua preferred spicy food, so she chose to grow chili peppers. Others who didn’t like spicy food planted scallions or other herbs, which was also great. So don’t talk about ruining the courtyard’s environment—their courtyard was actually quite nice.

Chicken manure wasn’t a bad thing at all.

It even saved them money on buying chili peppers.

Although it seemed like they hadn’t accomplished much in the past year since Zhao Guihua’s rebirth, she had subtly influenced the courtyard. At the very least, compared to their previous lives, things were much easier now.

This time around, every household had some reserves.

Because Zhao Guihua and the others frequently went to the mountains, the others had also become more active.

As Ming Mei and the others chatted about this and that, Zhao Guihua and the rest were discussing their next trip to the mountains. Zhang San, who had come out to throw away the trash, overheard and quickly said, “Aunt Zhao, can we come with you?”

Zhao Guihua: “The mountain isn’t mine. Sure, come along. Do you have a bicycle?”

If not, they’d have to take the bus, which would increase the cost.

Zhang San chuckled: “My wife has one.”

Zhao Guihua: "Alright, seven tomorrow morning—oh wait, aren’t you working tomorrow?"

Tomorrow was Monday, and usually, only housewives like them had so much free time.

Besides, their house had just been painted today, so they definitely couldn’t move back in tonight.

Zhang San: "I’m off tomorrow. Our security department has night shifts, so our days off are different from others."

Zhao Guihua: "Alright, come over tomorrow then."

Zhang San chuckled and said, "Sure."

He sighed, "It’s great to finally move in. I’ve always dreamed of living in the same courtyard with all the aunties."

Zhou Qun: "Heh."

Don’t think I don’t know—you’re just as nosy.

Aunt Zhou also felt a bit awkward. After all, she had suffered in the security department before. Though it wasn’t Zhang San who had deliberately pinned her against the water pipe back then. This guy mostly just ran around watching the drama. So, while it was embarrassing, she couldn’t exactly hold it against him.

"Is your wife working?"

"Yeah, she’s working. I’ll go alone."

Zhao Guihua sighed, "I really didn’t expect the Zhang family to move away."

This hadn’t happened in her past life. Back then, the Zhang family hadn’t gone to assist with construction in another province, so they hadn’t moved. She wondered if it was some ripple effect of her rebirth that had caused them to leave this time.

"Exactly, I didn’t expect it either."

"Right?"

Zhou Qun: "Ah, you guys didn’t know?"

"Know what? Do you know why they moved?" Zhao Guihua asked.

Zhou Qun immediately puffed up with pride—no piece of gossip could escape him.

He said, "The Zhang family decided to move because they didn’t want their daughter to be sent to the countryside. That’s why they made this decision. You know, Old Yu’s daughter from Workshop Five had something terrible happen when she was sent to the countryside. It was really tragic. It scared a lot of people. The Zhang family loves their daughter, so they made a tough decision to find her a way out. Plus, going to assist with construction isn’t a bad deal. There are benefits too. So they decided to leave."

"How do you know all this?"

Zhou Qun: "I asked Old Zhang..."

Everyone: "..."

You’re such a busybody.

Zhao Guihua suddenly understood. Though she hadn’t heard about Old Yu’s daughter in her past life, it wasn’t surprising since she was just a housewife. But it was interesting how the Zhang family had made different choices in two lifetimes.

She raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright, I’m not going to chat with you anymore. I need to go to the post office to pick something up."

"Go ahead."

Zhuang Zhixi: "I’ll go with you."

Zhao Guihua: "Sure."

Having someone to help carry things was always good.

Zhao Guihua and her son headed out, not just for the package but also for the letter from her daughter.

Even though she knew her daughter was doing fine on the island, a mother’s heart could never fully stop worrying about her child. As she pushed her bicycle toward the post office, before they even got there, she spotted Tao Yuyue carrying a large bag across the street.

Zhao Guihua sighed, "It’s not easy marrying into a cadre’s family, is it?"

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, can you believe it? At the matchmaking event, Chen Yuan was just one of Tao Yuyue’s admirers, practically fawning over her. But now that they’re married, it’s a completely different story. He’s really showing his true colors."

Zhao Guihua counted the days, "It hasn’t been that long, has it?"

The matchmaking event was at the end of September, and now it was November. How was that long?

"Exactly. At the matchmaking event, several men were vying for Tao Yuyue’s attention, including the factory director’s nephew. Chen Yuan was there too, acting all sweet and attentive. But now... just look at his attitude today. It’s like night and day. But I guess things are different now. Back then, he was just one of her many suitors, trying to win her over. Now that she’s his wife, she’s not as precious anymore."

Zhuang Zhixi knew some people were like that, but seeing it firsthand was still shocking.

It was really something to see someone act like that.

Zhao Guihua looked at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "He’s not a decent person, but we can’t be like that. I don’t expect you to be a saint—people without some wits might get taken advantage of. But when it comes to your own family, especially your wife, don’t be like that. What kind of person acts like that? Stay away from people like him, and don’t learn from them. Trash like that won’t have a good ending."

Zhuang Zhixi grinned, "Mom, I know. Besides, he’s a cadre’s son. Why would he hang out with me? Not that I’d want to hang out with guys like that anyway. My wife is soft and sweet—what more could I want?"

Zhao Guihua: "Be serious."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, alright."

As mother and son walked back with the package, Zhuang Zhixi pushed the bicycle and said, "What did my sister send? This is pretty heavy."

Zhao Guihua teased, "You don’t complain when you’re eating it."

Zhuang Zhixi: "By the way, why did my older brother go on another trip? Otherwise, he could’ve helped. I’ve been really tired lately."

Zhao Guihua: "You’re just looking for an excuse to slack off."

Zhuang Zhixi: "..." He felt wronged.

His eyes caught something, and he said, "Hey, isn’t that Chen Yuan?"

Speak of the devil—they had just been talking about him, and there he was. He was with a group of men, all riding bicycles, laughing loudly as they turned into the park.

They were all showing off, ringing their bells loudly.

Zhao Guihua, despite being reborn, was still old-fashioned. She shook her head, clicking her tongue, "They don’t look like the type to settle down."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Who cares about them?"

"Exactly."

The mother and son didn’t think much of Chen Yuan, and of course, Chen Yuan didn’t think much of them either.

Chen Yuan came from a wealthy family, with well-off parents who doted on him as their only son. He considered himself above the rest, especially those from the courtyard who lacked education. He had his own circle of friends, all from well-to-do families.

A few of the less well-off ones were just his lackeys.

As they rode their bikes to the park, one of them, a pockmarked guy, asked curiously, "Brother Chen, how’s it feel? You beat out so many rivals to marry the factory beauty. What’s it like?"

Chen Yuan chuckled, feeling proud. He had indeed defeated many competitors to win her.

But then he raised an eyebrow and said, "After sleeping with her, it’s just whatever. Women are only exciting when they’re new. Honestly, I kind of regret it now."

"Why?"

Everyone crowded around, eager to hear more.

Some of them smirked, thinking he was just showing off.

Chen Yuan: "I used to pursue her because she was good-looking and had a lot of admirers. But she rejected me several times. I couldn’t just let that slide, could I? I have my pride. Back then, I was all about saving face. But dating and marriage are completely different. Now I understand why my parents weren’t too keen on us being together. After getting married, I realize it’s not that great. Her family’s background is pretty average, and she’s not very worldly. If it weren’t for my family, she wouldn’t even have a proper job. It’s laughable—she can’t even give a proper injection. If it weren’t for her aunt and uncle, she wouldn’t even qualify to be a temp at the factory."

"Wow, Brother Chen, you’re ruthless. The factory beauty everyone admires is nothing in your eyes now."

Chen Yuan waved his hand dismissively, "I’m telling you, people from average families are just not impressive. They lack sophistication. She didn’t even know how to use a flush toilet. Can you believe it? Oh, and you should’ve seen it—we made a dish with century eggs, and she had never even tried it before. How embarrassing. I don’t even dare take her out anymore. It’s just humiliating."

"Brother Chen, look how heartless you are. People laugh at her for never having eaten a 'money egg.' So what if her conditions are a bit lacking? You can teach her slowly. As long as she’s pretty, that’s all that matters. You’ve beaten so many people to win her. You don’t even know—if you go to the factory now and say anything bad about Tao Yuyue, so many people would hate you to death. Just thinking about it gets me excited. You’ve married the factory belle! The factory belle!"

Chen Yuan: "That’s true. What I don’t care for, others would kill to have. Take Bai Fendou, the guy who cleans the toilets. Oh man, when he sees my wife, he acts like a dog. If I scold her, he’s practically ready to hit me. The hatred in his eyes! As if I’ve stolen his beloved girl. Little does he know, his beloved girl is nothing to me."

As he spoke, Chen Yuan grew even more smug.

Tao Yuyue wasn’t anything special, but she sure satisfied his vanity.

A girl whom others worshipped like a goddess was nothing in front of him. That feeling was deeply satisfying.

He laughed and said, "Do you believe me? Even if I dumped Tao Yuyue, there’d be a line of guys waiting to take her. That’s just how high my standards are."

"Brother Chen, you’re the man!"

"Chen Yuan, be a decent person. Tao Yuyue is actually quite nice."

Chen Yuan sneered arrogantly, "Look at you, already defending her. Oh, by the way, guess what Tao Yuyue’s doing right now? She’s at home doing chores for me. She told me to go out and have fun. Hah!"

The others looked at Chen Yuan with envy. Although Tao Yuyue’s family wasn’t particularly well-off, it wasn’t bad either. Plus, she was beautiful and capable. Chen Yuan really hit the jackpot! Though it was clear he didn’t appreciate his good fortune.

But that wasn’t their concern.

They were just hanging out together, not real friends.

"Hey, Brother Chen, why did you move to that alley? It’s so inconvenient. You even have to go out to the lane to use the bathroom."

"Tell me about it. I can’t stand it either."

"I wouldn’t want to live in a dump like that."

Chen Yuan wasn’t happy about it either. Who would want to live in a bad place? His family had a 100-square-meter apartment.

But he didn’t tell the truth. Instead, he said, "It’s my parents’ idea. They said I’ve been too spoiled at home, never lifting a finger. They wanted me to toughen up a bit. I thought it made sense, so I agreed. But the moment I saw the place, I regretted it."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Chen Yuan laughed too, but there was a calculating glint in his eyes.

This whole "moving out after marriage to toughen up" thing was a lie.

In reality, it was his mother’s idea. She had secretly discussed it with him. Their plan was to secure the house first. Though it was just one room, it would do. The goal wasn’t for Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue to live there, but for his grandparents.

One room was just enough for the elderly couple.

That was their plan, but since his grandparents weren’t factory employees, they weren’t eligible for housing.

So they had to take a roundabout approach. Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue would apply for the house, live there for a year or two, or even less—just until Tao Yuyue got pregnant. Then they could move back home, claiming the house was too small for the growing family, and let his grandparents move into the compound.

Once they moved in, they’d never leave.

Chen Yuan and his parents had no intention of living with the elderly.

This way, they could maintain the appearance of filial piety while getting the nosy, meddlesome old folks out of their hair. His father wouldn’t be upset either. And once the grandparents passed away, they could rent out or even sell the house.

It was a win-win situation.

But of course, Chen Yuan couldn’t tell anyone this.

Though Chen Yuan wasn’t a good person, he had grown up in a family that valued such calculations. As for the people in the compound, they were beneath his notice. He couldn’t be bothered to deal with them.

He couldn’t care less.