"Everything's fine, same as before."
"Good, focus on your studies." Zhou Yueshen wasn't particularly close to the two children either. None of them were talkative, and in a week, their conversations could be counted on one hand.
It was Si Nian who stepped in to ease the stiffness between father and sons.
"Um, Mr. Zhou, I made some noodles. Would you like some?"
Zhou Yueshen gave a slight nod and stood up to walk over.
At the sight of Si Nian, Yaoyao immediately stretched out her little arms, babbling to be held.
Zhou Yueshen raised an eyebrow and glanced at Si Nian.
With a gentle smile, Si Nian stepped forward. "Let me take her."
She extended her hands—slender, fair fingers that remained delicate and lovely even after cooking. Her nails carried a soft pink hue.
Zhou Yueshen handed the child over, and as soon as the little one was in Si Nian's arms, she burst into giggles.
Si Nian sat down with Yaoyao while Zhou Yueshen picked up his chopsticks and ate the noodles. He ate quickly but not messily, making little noise. By the end, he had finished the entire bowl, down to the last drop of broth.
No one dislikes seeing their cooking appreciated so thoroughly, and Si Nian was no exception.
She watched him and said, "There's more in the kitchen. Should I make you another bowl?"
"No need, thank you." Zhou Yueshen set down his chopsticks, his expression calm. "Your cooking is delicious." Even his compliments were straightforward.
Si Nian flushed slightly under his gaze. "I have a lot of free time at home, so I enjoy experimenting with food."
"Thank you for taking care of the three children."
"Don’t mention it. Since I agreed to come here, it means I’m committed. The kids are well-behaved and easy to look after."
The two older boys hardly needed supervision and even helped with chores. Yaoyao, though young, was quiet and never fussy—truly no trouble at all.
Besides, Si Nian loved cooking. Preparing meals for the children was far more enjoyable than doing farm work.
But thinking of work reminded her—before coming here, the original owner of her body had been a radio announcer in the city after dropping out of high school.
In this era, being an announcer was a skilled profession requiring rigorous selection. Thanks to her beautiful voice, striking looks, and refined demeanor, she had secured the job easily.
Beauty always carried privilege, no matter the era, and paired with technical skills, it was an unbeatable combination.
She had even outcompeted candidates with higher qualifications, earning the position purely on merit.
Being an announcer meant job security—a state-assigned position with above-average benefits. Including subsidies, she earned around fifty yuan a month. In a time when thirty yuan could support an entire family, fifty was a substantial income.
But after the real heiress returned, the original owner had been in a daze, always finding substitutes to cover her shifts.
It seemed she’d have to make a trip to the city soon. This job wasn’t for her—in the future, it wouldn’t offer much growth. With televisions on the rise, soon every household would own one, and the era of radios would fade.
Her ambitions lay elsewhere.
Better to sell this "iron rice bowl" and secure a hefty sum. That way, she’d have funds for her education.
With that in mind, she spoke up. "I’d like to go back to the city tomorrow."
Zhou Yueshen paused, then nodded. "Alright."
"I’ll ask Aunt Liu to watch the kids."
Si Nian shook her head. "No need. I’ll take Yaoyao with me." Her eyes flickered with wariness. That Aunt Liu was no good—leaving Yaoyao with her might mean mistreatment.
The less she came around, the better.
But Si Nian was new here, while Aunt Liu had years of ties to the family. Speaking ill of her now would only make Si Nian seem petty and gossipy.
"Won’t it be inconvenient?" Zhou Yueshen assumed she wanted to visit her family and worried she’d face ridicule for bringing a child along.
A young, beautiful girl like her, married off to an older, divorced man and raising his kids—even if she’d once been a wealthy heiress, people would talk. Even in the countryside, whispers were inevitable.
"It’s fine. I’m just going to take care of some business."
Zhou Yueshen said nothing more.
The next morning, Si Nian woke at dawn.
In an era without nightlife, even a night owl like her couldn’t resist sleeping early.
She got up and drew the curtains. Outside, the crisp air carried the sound of roosters crowing. The breeze brushed her face, wiping away the last traces of sleepiness.
Stretching, she headed downstairs and saw the kitchen light on—the boys must have gotten up to make breakfast.
Though she’d agreed to care for them, she wasn’t a nanny who did everything.
The children were old enough. Country kids matured early, and they needed to learn to cook for themselves.
In this era, patriarchal values ran deep. No matter how poor a rural family was, men rarely entered the kitchen, while girls were taught sewing, cooking, and other chores from childhood—all to ensure they wouldn’t embarrass their future in-laws.
Yet thirty years later, culinary skills would become a man’s greatest charm.
A man who could cook and clean? Who wouldn’t love that?
Si Nian made a mental note to change Zhou Yuedong’s disdain for girls.
There were bad women, yes, but plenty of good ones too.
He couldn’t dismiss everyone because of a few.
Seeing her descend, Zhou Yuehan grew uneasy, staring at his toes.
Si Nian ignored it and entered the kitchen, where Zhou Yuedong stood on tiptoe in front of a large pot, cooking something.
She peeked inside—two sweet potatoes.
Her brows furrowed. "Is this all you made?"
The boys were at a growing age, and their rural school had no cafeteria. A dry sweet potato wouldn’t sustain them until afternoon.
No wonder they were as thin as sticks.
At ten years old, Zhou Yuedong was shorter than most seven- or eight-year-olds.
She recalled the novel’s description of him: "Zhou Yuedong idolized his father Zhou Yueshen’s strength and height, yet he remained frail and undersized. Stunted growth in his youth left him weak and pale, destined for a career in research—far from the life he’d dreamed of..."
As the eldest, he always gave the best food to his siblings, often going hungry himself.
By adulthood, he was sickly and bitter.
His brother grew to six feet tall, the very image he’d longed for, but during his rebellious phase, the younger boy blamed their struggles on their adoptive father’s neglect—leading him down a dark path.
