The Nan Family's home was neat and tidy. When Nan Sheng got married, Nan's Father had been so angry that he didn't provide her with a dowry. With three able-bodied adults in the household and no children to care for, their living conditions were quite comfortable.
When it was time to prepare dinner, Nan Sheng first went outside to pick some chili peppers, green beans, and tomatoes.
She planned to stir-fry a pound of pork with the green beans, make a cold dish by sprinkling sugar over the tomatoes, and use the chili peppers to cook pork intestines.
"Big Kid, this challenging task is yours now," she said.
Sizhe accepted the basin with a dark expression, knowing he’d have to wash the intestines repeatedly by the river before they’d be clean.
Meanwhile, Nan Sheng divided the pork belly into two portions. The larger portion was cut into chunks for braised pork, while the smaller one was sliced thinly to stir-fry with greens.
Qiqi, her little shadow, stayed in the kitchen as usual, tending to the fire for her stepmother. By the time Sizhe returned with the cleaned intestines, the braised pork and green beans were already simmering in the pot.
Nan Sheng only started chopping the intestines after confirming they had no unpleasant odor. She actually enjoyed the chewy texture of pork intestines, but cleaning them was a nightmare—thankfully, she now had a son to handle it.
Just as she was finishing the last dish, the three members of the Nan Family returned from work in a sour mood.
Nan's Father grumbled, "Stop pulling me, you brat! I already said I’m not going home. Once you’ve eaten, send her away immediately!"
Nan Jingyu was heartbroken. Nan Sheng had been their firstborn, more thoughtful and obedient than their son, and both he and his wife had doted on her.
But over the past year, she had changed drastically—first chasing after the educated youths in the village, becoming the butt of jokes, then stubbornly insisting on marrying a widower.
That man was a soldier, rarely home. How could she possibly manage raising two children who weren’t even hers?
The thought alone made him so frustrated he wanted to shake some sense into his daughter.
If not for Nan Sheng threatening to take her own life, Nan Jingyu would never have relented. On her wedding day, the family had attended, but he had made it clear—there would be no further contact between the two households.
Nan Mingli had expected this. Unable to persuade his father, he shot a pleading look at his mother.
Zhong Yanyan didn’t spare her husband’s feelings. "You’re being ridiculous. For months, you’ve complained that our daughter never visits, calling her ungrateful. Now that she’s back, why put on this act?
Frankly, aside from having two children, our son-in-law isn’t a bad match. He’s a soldier—no one in the village would dare bully her, and with his monthly stipend, she doesn’t have to toil in the fields like we do."
Zhong Yanyan also ached for her daughter, but what was done was done. As parents, all they could do now was hope for her happiness.
Scolded into submission, Nan's Father quieted down. No matter how tough he acted, he still worried about Nan Sheng’s well-being and needed to see for himself.
Still, though he agreed to return for dinner, he had no intention of giving his daughter a warm welcome.
"Fine! You’re getting more nagging with age," he muttered.
As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, the rich aroma of stir-fried intestines greeted them. Nan's Father snorted—at least the heartless girl remembered his favorite dish.
Nan Mingli was the first to dart into the kitchen. "Sis, your cooking’s improved! I could smell it from a mile away."
Nan Sheng fed him a bite with her chopsticks before handing him the plated intestines to carry out. The braised pork was also ready to be served.
Nan's Father glanced into the kitchen before retreating to the east room. The table was already set with three dishes, each more appetizing than the last.
He lowered his head to sniff the pork intestines, then frowned. He loved the stinky flavor, but every time his daughter cleaned them thoroughly, leaving no trace of their "soul."
Nan's Mother was chatting with the two children, pulling out treats from the cupboard to share—sweet cakes for both.
"You're called Sizhe and Qiqi, right? Save these for later, dinner’s almost ready."
Then she led them to the east room. "Say hello to Grandpa!"
Sizhe: "Hello, Grandpa!"
Qiqi: "Hello, Grandpa!"
Though Nan's Father was in a sour mood, it was directed only at his daughter. He’d never take it out on the kids, especially when the little girl’s voice was so sweet it melted his stern expression.
"Good, good! Later, Grandma will give you more treats. Come sit and wait for dinner!"
Why are these two so thin? Are they not eating enough?
Seeing her husband getting along with the children, Nan's Mother went to the kitchen to help her daughter. Spotting the massive plate of braised pork, she swatted Nan Sheng’s arm. "Are you trying to bankrupt us?"
Noticing how dark and gaunt Nan Sheng looked, her tone softened with worry. "I thought that Lin boy was rich. How did you end up like this?"
Nan Sheng hugged her mother. "It’s just the summer heat—I didn’t take care. Come on, try my cooking! See if I’ve improved."
Nan's Mother sighed and swatted her again. "You’re impossible."
Once everyone was seated for dinner, Nan's Father made his displeasure clear the moment his daughter walked in, scowling at her.
The three of them looked half-starved. Is this the life she wanted?
Nan's Mother nudged her husband with a piece of braised pork. "Try it. Her braised pork beats even the state-run restaurants."
Nan Mingli nodded eagerly—it was the best meat he’d ever tasted, rich but not greasy, so flavorful it was intoxicating.
Nan's Father held back for the kids' sake, but every dish was undeniably delicious.
With Nan Sheng and her mother fussing over them, the children ate until they were stuffed, then were dragged outside by their uncle to walk off the meal.
Knowing her parents had things to discuss, Nan Sheng quickly washed the dishes and returned to the room.
Nan's Father couldn’t contain his anger any longer. "Wasn’t he supposed to be rich? Weren’t you supposed to live well? Look at you—skin and bones!"
Nan Sheng coughed awkwardly. "Well... I never liked the kids’ father. I married him to scam his money."
Nan's Father and Mother: !!!
What kind of outrageous confession is this?!
After the shock wore off, Nan's Mother smacked her hard. "Have you lost your mind? Did we ever let you go hungry or without clothes? You’d use marriage to swindle someone?"
"I—I was fooled by Yu Sheng back then. He said he loved me, that if I helped him scrape together 2,000 yuan, he’d take me to the city and marry me..."
Nan Sheng pouted pitifully.
Hearing this, Nan's Father shot to his feet. "That bastard! I’ll kill him!"
Stopped by his wife and daughter, he fumed. "And you—no brains at all! If he said the Forbidden City was his, would you believe that too?"
What could Nan Sheng do? She doubled down on playing the victim.
"It was my first relationship! How was I supposed to know city folks were so cunning? Besides... he was really good-looking."
After his outburst, Nan's Father sat back down. "Then what will you do from now on? If you regret marrying him and don’t want to stay with your husband, I’ll pay back every penny you’ve spent of his. But there’s one condition—you must never contact that educated youth again."
Nan's Mother also tried to persuade her daughter, "That’s right, Nan Sheng. We can’t do something so heartless. We mustn’t cheat people out of their money."
But Nan Sheng couldn’t just leave—she still had tasks to complete.
Besides, if she went home now, they might notice how much she’d changed, and the truth could easily come out.
