Mingli came to stay, so dinner couldn’t be a simple affair.
Nan Sheng cooked a large pot of rice mixed with corn grits, while Sizhe, noticing his younger sister was sleepy, took her to the yard to freshen up.
Nan Sheng fished out two pieces of meat from the oil jar—one slab of pork belly to stir-fry with wild greens, and another lean cut to cook with chili peppers. Two dishes wouldn’t be enough, so she also prepared a refreshing cucumber salad to beat the heat and cut through the richness.
“It’s getting hotter these days. Do we have any mung beans at home? We should boil some mung bean porridge to prevent heatstroke.”
Mingli wasn’t sure if they had any. Since his older sister got married, the family’s living standards had dropped sharply, and their mother no longer had the heart to fuss over good meals.
“I dreamed about you yesterday.”
Hearing this, Mingli grew curious. “What did you dream? Was I getting beaten up again?”
“You’re quite self-aware. I dreamed you took a detour after work, wandering around the foot of the mountain instead of going straight home. Then a woman shouted for help, and you rushed over. Guess what happened?”
Mingli shook his head. Maybe the woman pledged to marry him out of gratitude?
“Marry you? Dream on! Turns out it was a brother and sister in the woods, and they accused you of being a pervert. They reported you to the authorities, and you got sent to labor reform. I was so mad I beat you right in front of the militia—figured it’d be better to kill you than let you suffer on a farm.”
Mingli burst out laughing. What kind of nonsense was this? “Sis, can’t you wish me something good?”
For a moment, he’d thought he’d gained a wife at such a young age. What a letdown.
“Dawa’s quite obedient—comes home from school and starts cooking right away. Qiqi’s well-behaved too. Sis, are you really planning to settle down here for good?”
Mingli knew his sister didn’t have any major flaws—she just loved dressing up and had a soft spot for educated types. That’s how she’d been fooled by an educated youth. Now that she’d come to her senses, she’d probably live a steady life with the Lin family.
Still, he couldn’t help feeling it was unfair for his sister to become a stepmother at such a young age.
Nan Sheng wasn’t entirely sure either. Given how well Dawa treated her now, she might very well end up staying here for many years.
“Settling here isn’t bad. Your brother-in-law earns money outside, and most of his military allowance gets sent home. My job is just to look after the two kids, and I can visit home whenever I want.
Besides, neither child is mine, so Lin Han will always owe me. He wouldn’t dare mistreat me in the future.”
Mingli thought it made sense. If anything happened to his sister, being nearby meant he could help. As long as she was happy, that was what mattered.
As soon as dinner was served, Mingli was nearly overwhelmed by the aroma of rice and meat. These days, working all year only yielded enough grain in autumn for basic survival.
Households rarely got fine grains—only during New Year’s could they eat rice or wheat flour. The Nan family was slightly better off, able to afford meat during festivals.
As the head of the household, Nan Sheng served meat to each child. Qiqi couldn’t handle spice, so she only got pork belly, while Sizhe ate whatever was given to him.
Mingli’s bowl was filled with chili-fried meat—like his sister, he loved spicy food.
Both Mingli and Sizhe had hearty appetites. The large pot of rice and three dishes were wiped clean, their satisfied expressions saying it all.
That night, Mingli shared a room with Sizhe. There was still a new quilt from Nan Sheng’s dowry unused, so he spread it beneath him.
He slept soundly.
At dawn, Mingli woke up. His movements roused Dawa. “Uncle, why are you up so early?”
Mingli said he had to leave soon or he’d miss work. Dawa told him to wait while he quickly cooked porridge.
Nan Sheng had prepared the dough the night before. When Dawa lifted the pot lid, he accidentally dropped it, the clatter waking Nan Sheng.
She told her brother, “Don’t rush off. Eat first, then take my bicycle back.”
Mingli glanced at Sizhe and teased, “Won’t you need it?”
Nan Sheng shot him a look. “Wipe that smirk off your face before you talk. You’re not fooling anyone. I’m working in the fields every day now—I don’t need the bicycle. Just bring it back when you’re free.”
Last night’s meal was rice with stewed meat; this morning, it was steamed buns and egg soup. The spread was impressive.
Mingli felt almost guilty. “Sis, if you cook like this every time, I won’t dare visit again.”
“It’s not just for you. I want you to take some back for Mom and Dad to try.”
Nan Sheng also gave him some mung beans to make cooling soup.
From these small gestures, Sizhe could see the difference between his birth mother and stepmother. When his maternal grandmother visited, his mother rarely cooked anything special. Yet when she left, she’d take as much food as she could carry.
His grandmother would say, “Your father’s a capable soldier—he should support your uncle more. Their family’s barely scraping by.”
But his stepmother was different. When Mingli visited, she cooked good food without hesitation—that’s how guests should be treated.
When he left, she didn’t overload him with gifts—just some precious steamed buns. Once again, Sizhe felt the Nan family was infinitely better than the Bai family.
Only one thing puzzled him: the Nans seemed so kind, so why was his stepmother so quick to hit people?
By the time Mingli left, it was late morning. Villagers spotted him, and gossip overpowered fear. At work, Sister-in-law Sun came probing.
“Lin Han’s wife, you had a guest?”
Nan Sheng nodded. “My younger brother. He brought some things yesterday.”
If she didn’t clarify, all of Xiangyang Village would soon accuse her of sneaking a man into her home.
“Your family must be well-off if they can afford a bicycle.”
Nan Sheng looked up, making Sister-in-law Sun step back. Qiqi, standing nearby, chimed in, “It’s not Uncle’s—Mom bought it.”
Sister-in-law Sun finally got her juicy tidbit and scurried off.
Nan Sheng adjusted her daughter’s straw hat. “Go play, but stay away from tall grass. There might be snakes, understand?”
“Yes, Mom!”
Ever since Qiqi begged to sleep with Nan Sheng that one night, she hadn’t returned to the west room. The more time they spent together, the clingier she became.
Sometimes Nan Sheng wondered—if she completed her mission, could the system let her “steal” this adorable girl?
The heat grew worse each day. Nan Sheng rose early to boil mung bean soup, making sure both children drank at least one bowl. If the drought continued, villagers would have to haul water for the fields.
Over in Wangshan Village, they were already busy carrying water. Mingli had taken the bicycle days ago but hadn’t found time to return it.
Then, the Lin family’s only daughter, Lin Xue, returned—with her two children in tow.
“Oh, is that Xue? Dressed so stylishly!”
Lin Xue replied sweetly, “It’s me, sister-in-law! I came back to see Mom and Dad—it’s been too long. Here, some candy for the kids.”
“How lovely!”
Their chatter soon turned to family matters.
Lin Xue was Xiangyang Village’s success story—a pretty girl who’d caught the eye of Jiang Hua during a trip to town.
Jiang Hua's family lived in the county town, where both his parents were factory workers with modest savings. Initially, they disapproved of the marriage, looking down on their future daughter-in-law for being from the countryside and lacking higher education. However, they couldn't resist their son's determination.
Fortunately, Lin Xue proved herself. Within a year of marriage, she gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl—earning her place in the family. The only downside was that the county town was too far from her hometown, making it difficult for her to visit more than once a year.
