Wang Cuifen personally stepped into the fray, urging Elder Sister Li to divide the family property, which inadvertently shifted the focus away from Su Qing. Now, the group wasn’t gossiping about Su Qing anymore but instead debating the pros and cons of splitting the household.
Wang Cuifen had grown cold-hearted toward her children and started calculating gains and losses, but the other sisters-in-law hadn’t reached that point. They weren’t too keen on the idea of dividing the family, feeling it made little difference—keeping things intact at least maintained the illusion of brotherly closeness.
Originally unwilling to speak, Wang Cuifen was so exasperated by these foolish sisters that she couldn’t hold back.
"Everyone has their own little family and children now. They’re not even close to their parents anymore, let alone their brothers… That daughter-in-law of yours is practically emptying your house for her own siblings, and your son doesn’t lift a finger to stop it. It’s about time he learned a lesson…"
Wang Cuifen was deep in heated discussion when she spotted Su Qing riding her bicycle home from work in the distance. Immediately, she clammed up.
"I’ve said enough. I need to go home and cook," Wang Cuifen declared without hesitation, brushing herself off and rising to leave.
She wasn’t the wicked mother-in-law anymore—she was the doting "good mom" in Su Qing’s eyes. Huddling with a bunch of old ladies to badmouth young wives? If Su Qing caught her, it would ruin her carefully crafted image.
"Hey, you haven’t finished what you were saying! What’s the rush? Let your daughter-in-law cook when she gets home…"
"No more talking. We’ll chat another time. I really have to go now." Before they could protest further, Wang Cuifen had already scurried off, putting distance between herself and the group.
Only then did she wave at Su Qing, waiting until the bicycle rolled to a stop before asking warmly, "Where’s Jianhua? Why didn’t he come to pick you up?"
"I left work early today," Su Qing explained. "Half the office ducked out early to cook, so I did too."
She had observed the situation carefully when she first started—when everyone else ignored the rules, sticking to them just made you look like an idiot.
Wang Cuifen studied Su Qing’s wind-chapped cheeks, then took her hands to check. "Not too cold, at least."
Even with gloves, winter cycling was brutal. Thankfully, the workplace wasn’t far from home.
Though the gloves were a bit too big for Su Qing, an awkward fit.
"My mistake," Wang Cuifen said. "We’ve got some yarn left at home. Not enough for a sweater, but enough for gloves. I’ll have your father-in-law knit you a new pair tomorrow."
"Father-in-law? Knitting for me?" Su Qing flushed with embarrassment.
"That Cripple Xie’s job is a joke—he’s got nothing but free time. Perfect for knitting. All the sweaters at home are his handiwork, and he’s damn good at it," Wang Cuifen grumbled, a hint of envy in her voice. "Me? I’m too busy washing and cooking all day. No time for knitting."
If she hadn’t been jealous of her husband’s cushy job, Wang Cuifen wouldn’t have pushed so hard for Su Qing to swap positions with Su Xue—another idle, nepotism-filled role.
Honestly, Su Qing’s office was a circus—some coworkers brought their kids, others knitted sweaters. Zero work ethic.
For someone who had transmigrated after dying from overwork, Su Qing still wasn’t used to it.
Too much free time left her restless, uneasy, like something was off.
And with no novels or TV shows to kill time—some books were even banned—she felt adrift.
After a pause, Su Qing suggested, "Mom, maybe we shouldn’t trouble Dad with the gloves. I could try knitting them myself."
"You? You don’t know how," Wang Cuifen scoffed. "Just take a book to work and study. That’s what matters."
"Then I’ll bring a language textbook tomorrow."
As mother- and daughter-in-law chatted warmly on their way home, Elder Sister Li and the others called out several times, but Wang Cuifen ignored them completely, leaving them baffled. She’d been so talkative just moments ago!
"That old hag Wang Cuifen’s playing deaf! Infuriating."
"Ungrateful wretch. Ditches us the second she gets a new favorite."
"Whatever. I’m going home to cook too."
Since none of them worked, they could always regroup later to finish their gossip. No rush.
Today, they’d sought out Wang Cuifen mainly out of concern—worried the new bride might be manipulating her.
They were birds of a feather: women who ruled their households, not meek followers. If they could control their husbands, their sons and daughters-in-law were easy.
For the matriarchs, dividing the family meant losing authority—no benefit to them.
But Wang Cuifen’s words had planted seeds of doubt in their minds.
Splitting the family was no small matter. Each had their own calculations, but for now, it was just idle chatter. With dinner time approaching, they all had to head home.
Just as the gossip squad was dispersing, Elder Sister Li’s sharp eyes caught Su Xue heading toward the Xie residence. Instantly, she froze.
"Look! That girl—Su Qing’s sister—she’s here."
At the sight of Su Xue, those about to leave plopped back down to watch the drama unfold.
"Oh-ho! She’s really knocking on their door. Think Wang Cuifen will let her in?"
"Doubt it. That woman’s temper is legendary."
At this hour, the rest of the family was out. Wang Cuifen had dragged Su Qing into the kitchen to sneak her a little extra food.
While rummaging in the cupboard for eggs, she told Su Qing to try on the new cotton shoes she’d sewn for her in her spare time.
"Your office doesn’t have heating, so thicker shoes are better. Yesterday’s steamed egg was overcooked—today, we’ll do it quicker…"
The knock at the door startled Su Qing mid-bite.
Wang Cuifen, however, was unshaken. So what if they were sneaking an egg? Hardly a crime. "Qingqing, see who’s here."
"It’s Su Xue."
Hearing that name, Wang Cuifen’s demeanor shifted instantly. She set down her things and reached for a broom, ready to chase the girl off.
Su Qing promptly took position behind her, backing her up with unwavering loyalty.
"Auntie Wang, I need to discuss something with my sister. It’s important—work-related." Su Xue’s face was pale, but her urgency seemed genuine.
Wang Cuifen had no love for the girl who’d schemed against her son, but since it involved Su Qing’s job, she didn’t block the door. Still, she hovered nearby, watching like a hawk to ensure Su Qing wasn’t bullied.
Su Xue cut straight to the point. "Sister, I’m returning to work tomorrow. I’m afraid they’ll ask questions. Can we get our stories straight so we don’t contradict each other?"
