Cripple Xie asked in shock, "You gave the peanut candy to Su Qing?"
"Mm-hmm."
"You really gave the peanut candy to Su Qing?"
When he asked the first time, Wang Cuifen still had the patience to answer. But when Cripple Xie repeated the question, she simply rolled her eyes at him.
After years of marriage, Cripple Xie had long come to terms with Wang Cuifen's transformation from a shy young bride into a fierce woman. Unfazed by her glare, he pressed on.
"Why did you give it to her?"
Wang Cuifen replied matter-of-factly, "Qingqing loves these little snacks—peanuts, sunflower seeds, biscuits, candy, you name it. Since I had some, of course I’d give it to her. Who else would I give it to?"
She remembered how, in her past life, Su Qing had also adored these treats, spending every penny of her wages on them. Back then, Wang Cuifen had scolded her endlessly for it, and Su Qing had snapped right back, fierce as a tiger descending a mountain.
But now? Heh, she was like a little kitten.
When Wang Cuifen handed her the peanut candy, Su Qing had smiled so sweetly, her voice melting Wang Cuifen’s heart just hearing it.
The thought made Wang Cuifen’s lips curl uncontrollably. "Hehe~ Qingqing is such a good girl. So much better than those ungrateful brats I raised."
"A good girl? How can you tell?" Cripple Xie’s eyes widened in disbelief.
How could she judge someone’s character so quickly? And given Su Qing’s family background—the Su clan wasn’t exactly known for their virtue—he wasn’t buying it.
Wang Cuifen straightened her expression. "You don’t understand. Su Qing is good at her core. Treat her well, and she’ll repay you tenfold."
Of course, the opposite was also true—cross her once, and she’d return the favor ten times over. Otherwise, the two of them wouldn’t have clashed so fiercely in their past lives.
Worried her husband might interfere, Wang Cuifen warned, "I’m counting on Qingqing to take care of me in my old age. Don’t you dare bully her. If she comes to me crying because of you, you’ll regret it."
Cripple Xie took a deep breath.
After a pause, he asked gravely, "Did Su Qing catch you doing something shady? Just tell me, and I’ll see if I can cover for you."
In his mind, there was no way Wang Cuifen would be this doting unless she had been blackmailed.
"Don’t talk nonsense. What shady business?"
But seeing the concern on her husband’s face, Wang Cuifen couldn’t help feeling wronged.
Her voice softened as she explained, "A few nights ago, our ancestors sent me a dream. In it, none of our children were filial—only Su Qing, our daughter-in-law, treated me well… Haven’t I been good enough to them? How could they turn out like that?"
Cripple Xie had braced for the worst, only to hear it was all because of a dream.
The answer left him torn between frustration and amusement.
"How can someone your age still let dreams mess with your head?"
"Dreams are the opposite of reality," he reassured her. "Our kids are good. They’ll take care of you when the time comes."
Wang Cuifen bristled. "The opposite? You’re the one who’s backwards!"
If dreams were lies, how could she have known about Su Xue’s pregnancy? How could she have helped Su Qing seek justice? This dream couldn’t have been more real.
But with the current crackdown on superstition, she didn’t dare spread such talk.
And here she was, confiding in her most trusted partner, only for him to dismiss her.
"I shouldn’t have told you. You pestered me for answers, and now you don’t believe me. You’re impossible!"
Once Wang Cuifen started sulking, further discussion was pointless. Cripple Xie quickly backed down. "Fine, fine, I won’t ask anymore. As long as you know what you’re doing."
To him, it was just a dream—she’d get over it soon.
Besides, this was a good chance to teach their eldest son a lesson.
Using his health to manipulate his parents’ worries? That was unacceptable.
If they hadn’t set proper boundaries when he was young, they’d do it now. As long as Wang Cuifen held firm this time, Xie Jianzhong would think twice before pulling the "I’m not hungry" stunt again.
The Xie household originally had three rooms—one shared by Xie Jianhua and his brothers, one for Xie Guiying (the only girl), and one for Wang Cuifen and Cripple Xie, which also doubled as the dining and living area.
Now that Xie Jianhua had his own space, only Xie Jianzhong and Xie Jiankang remained in the brothers’ room.
Xie Jiankang had long since washed up and burrowed under the covers, but Xie Jianzhong lingered at the small desk, sketching angrily.
"Big bro, give it up. Mom gave that roasted sweet potato to Su Qing. She only made one—there aren’t any extras." Xie Jiankang had witnessed the whole thing and shattered his brother’s last hope without mercy.
Xie Jianzhong shot him a glare. "Shut up. Who cares about a stupid sweet potato?"
"Sure, sure, you don’t care… Oh, the door’s opening again—Mom’s taking peanut candy to Su Qing now." Xie Jiankang suddenly sat up, indignant. "I want candy too! Why does that ugly woman get treats and not me?"
Xie Jianzhong clenched his jaw. "It’s just peanut candy. I don’t care."
"Well, I do! Tomorrow, I’m going to ask that ugly woman for some." Xie Jiankang flopped back down, shivering as he cocooned himself tightly in the blankets.
Once the noise outside faded, Xie Jianzhong set down his pencil. "I’m going to the bathroom."
Their cramped courtyard barely had space beyond the kitchen, shower shed, and laundry lines, so most family members used the public toilets or chamber pots.
But Xie Jianzhong didn’t head for the toilet—he beelined for the kitchen.
After scouring every corner, he found nothing—no leftovers in the pot, the cupboard locked, not a single snack in sight.
"How could Mom do this? She didn’t save anything for me." Resentment simmered, but he refused to back down. Silently, he returned to bed.
Xie Jiankang snickered under the covers. "Big bro, your stomach’s growling."
"No, it’s not."
"Big bro, it’s really growling."
"Shut up and sleep."
Xie Jiankang muffled his laughter in the blanket.
As for the brothers’ squabbles, Su Qing remained blissfully unaware. It was only her first day in the Xie household—what could she possibly know? Even in her past life, she’d been an outsider, never privy to the family’s inner conflicts.
So she happily finished her roasted sweet potato, took a break, then crunched into the peanut candy with delight.
Chewing contentedly, Su Qing sighed. "This peanut candy is amazing."
"Xie Jianhua, your mom is the best. How can anyone be this wonderful?"
Xie Jianhua's expression turned odd, unsure how to respond. When things were good, they were great—but when they weren’t, they were really not. He’d gotten his fair share of beatings as a kid.
Before Xie Jianhua could answer, Su Qing cheerfully cut in, "Now your mom is mine too."
At first, Xie Jianhua found it amusing—how could someone just "steal" a mother?
But for some reason, a chill crept down his spine.
