The two younger brothers were sensible and helped with chores.
Good things were never withheld from her.
Even though she hadn’t been able to conceive since entering the household, her in-laws never mentioned it and always treated her well.
Zhou Suisui already considered herself very fortunate, but now they were even willing to let her buy such nice things.
A mix of emotions—sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy—flooded her heart all at once. Her eyes reddened as she nodded and said, "Thank you, Mom, Auntie."
Si Nian smiled but didn’t say anything.
After purchasing daily necessities, Si Nian also bought milk powder, oatmeal, and other nutritional supplements for the children.
In addition, she bought grapes, bananas, and other fruits that weren’t available in the village.
By the end of the trip, the amount spent was equivalent to a month’s salary for most people.
Lin's mother had initially been happy watching her daughter shop, but as the purchases grew increasingly expensive, she grew concerned. "Nian Nian, isn’t this a bit too much? Won’t Zhou Yueshen have something to say about it?"
She had heard before that her daughter spent lavishly even before officially entering the Zhou household, always returning from town with bags full of goods.
At the time, Lin's mother had thought, "So what if my daughter, coming from the city, buys a few things?"
But now, seeing her daughter casually spend what amounted to a month’s wages, she was startled.
After all, her daughter had only just married into the family. Spending like this might make Zhou Yueshen think poorly of her.
Si Nian, however, was unfazed. "Zhou Yueshen? What could he possibly say? Half of this is for his children. I didn’t buy much for myself—how could he have any complaints? If he wants me to raise the children well, he can’t expect me to pinch pennies. There’s no such good deal in the world."
"Don’t worry, Mom. Zhou Yueshen isn’t that petty. He earns so much money every day—isn’t it meant for me to spend? If I don’t spend it, some other woman will. Might as well be me, so at least I don’t lose out."
Lin's mother laughed. "You silly child, Zhou Yueshen isn’t that kind of man."
Still, her daughter had a point—a man’s money reflects where his heart lies.
Even though her daughter spent freely, Zhou Yueshen was happy to provide for her.
If he hadn’t been satisfied, he wouldn’t have married her in the first place.
Thinking of the generous betrothal gifts Zhou Yueshen had given, Lin's mother suddenly felt this was no big deal.
Just as they were leaving with their bags, Lin's mother suddenly stopped and pointed at a figure in the distance. "Huh? Isn’t that Liu Dongdong from our village? What’s she doing here?"
Seeing Liu Dongdong dressed elegantly, a far cry from her usual rustic appearance, Lin's mother was shocked and wondered if she had mistaken her for someone else.
The Liu family was somewhat notorious in the village because Liu Dongdong’s older sister was a widow, often the subject of unsavory rumors. Liu Dongdong had been Lin Sisi’s classmate, and since they lived close by, everyone knew each other’s business.
Liu Dongdong had dropped out after middle school and stayed home to work. This year, she had disappeared from the village, and word had it that her mother had pulled strings to get her a job at a textile factory.
Many had envied her for it.
Not long ago, Lin's mother had heard that the Liu family was arranging a marriage for Liu Dongdong. The groom’s family had objected because of her sister’s widow status, demanding that Liu Dongdong cut ties with her. The Liu family had agreed.
But then the matter had fizzled out. Now, seeing Liu Dongdong here, dressed so finely and carrying expensive-looking items, Lin's mother was stunned.
Was working at a textile factory really that lucrative?
"Liu Dongdong?"
Si Nian followed her mother’s gaze and indeed saw Liu Dongdong, dressed in a rather fashionable style.
Her eyes flickered.
Was this the third female lead in the novel?
If Si Nian could be considered the childhood friend turned villainess in this story, then Liu Dongdong was undoubtedly the third wheel.
She was the only one who could truly disrupt the relationship between the male and female leads.
Because she stayed close to the female lead, she had the most contact with the male lead.
Whenever misunderstandings arose between the main couple, she was always there to comfort the male lead.
Though he didn’t love her, he never had the heart to reject her kindness, always believing her to be pure and virtuous.
Who would have guessed that the most unassuming one was actually the most cunning?
First, she used the female lead to stay by their side, secretly observing their lives.
She would offer timely flattery, and whenever the couple’s relationship warmed, she would discreetly inform the obsessive original antagonist (Si Nian) to sabotage their bond.
Then, when the male lead was at his most vulnerable, she would make her move...
If not for the female lead’s overwhelming protagonist aura, Si Nian felt Lin Sisi would have been ruined long ago.
Now, seeing her in person, Liu Dongdong wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but she had a delicate, pitiable charm.
She clearly knew what kind of persona suited her best.
According to the plot, Liu Dongdong should already be by the female lead’s side—otherwise, she wouldn’t be living so lavishly.
Recalling how the police had discovered that Liu Dongdong had provided Lin Sisi’s alibi, Si Nian’s mind suddenly connected the dots.
She asked, "Mom, were she and Lin Sisi close?"
Lin's mother thought for a moment and shook her head. "I never saw them interact much. Liu Dongdong was always introverted and didn’t socialize much."
Si Nian nodded thoughtfully. "I see."
If Lin Sisi and Liu Dongdong weren’t close, why would Lin Sisi have sought her out?
Meaning—Liu Dongdong had used the opportunity of providing Lin Sisi’s alibi to get close to the main couple.
The novel’s plot hadn’t gone into such detail. It had only used the second and third female leads to drive the romance forward.
But now, experiencing it firsthand, Si Nian realized there was much more beneath the surface.
In the novel, the perspective was from the female lead’s side. The antagonist was written as inherently malicious, so even when the female lead took revenge—like stealing the 3,000 yuan—readers would just think the antagonist deserved it.
Who would dig deeper into the nuances?
"Mom, let’s go say hello," Si Nian said.
Lin's mother was taken aback. She wasn’t close to the Liu family, but assuming her daughter just wanted to greet a fellow villager her age, she agreed. "Alright."
Liu Dongdong was just paying, the crisp bills in her hand drawing Lin's mother’s gaze.
When she turned and saw the Lin Family, she was startled and instinctively hid the money behind her back—a telltale sign of guilt.
Si Nian quietly noted this reaction.
Lin's mother, however, didn’t think much of it, assuming Liu Dongdong had simply earned well in the city. She smiled and greeted her, "Dongdong, long time no see! Are you working here now?"
Liu Dongdong, seeing no suspicion in her expression, relaxed slightly.
After all, she was now working under Lin Sisi. Certain things couldn’t be exposed...
The Lin Family’s affection for Lin Sisi was well-known. Even though Lin Sisi had left, Liu Dongdong was still cautious.
Putting on a calm front, she replied, "Yes, Aunt Lin. What brings you here? Are you visiting Sisi?"
