It’s unclear how the old couple managed to persuade her, but before long, Third Lin’s Wife personally came over to hand over five yuan, her face sullen with displeasure.
"We’re giving you the money, but from now on, stop telling everyone that Third Lin beat your eldest son."
Nan Sheng snorted, refusing to give her a friendly look either. "If you’re afraid of being gossiped about, then do something decent. This money is for the child’s medical expenses, not to buy my silence. I’ll say whatever I want."
Before marriage, Third Lin’s Wife had been a notorious spitfire. The only reason she was behaving so meekly now was because Nan Sheng had beaten her into submission the day before.
Her sharp tongue hadn’t dulled, though. "As if you’ve never laid a hand on the boy yourself! If you were such a good stepmother, would those kids have been starved to skin and bones? Stop pretending to be the saint now!"
What infuriated her most was how her in-laws always took Second Brother’s side. Nan Sheng had no intention of denying her past mistakes—with the original host’s behavior as a benchmark, she saw no need to grovel, and frankly, it felt liberating.
"Of course I hit them. Are they my biological children? Do I have any bond with them? Let me make this clear—if they misbehave in the future, I’ll beat them again!
But you two, their own uncle and aunt—didn’t you used to rely on Lin Han’s help? How is it that the moment their father was gone, not only did you refuse to lend a hand, but you treated them even worse than I did?"
The eldest boy’s lips twitched. His stepmother had no virtues to speak of, except for her brutal honesty. Hearing her words made his entire body ache, especially his face.
Clearly, even Sun Qian was left speechless by her shamelessness. Since she couldn’t win in a fight or an argument, she might as well go home and nap—she still had to work in the afternoon.
The couple had their own grievances too. The last time Second Brother returned, they had hoped to borrow some money to fix their leaky roof—no one could endure the constant dripping during rain.
But Lin Han refused, saying the money was for his wedding, which naturally bred resentment.
Now, not only had they become the village laughingstock, but they’d also lost five yuan. Third Lin wasn’t pleased with her either.
Sizhe was still weak, so Nan Sheng wasn’t in a hurry to send him to school. Instead, she planned to go to town to buy some nourishing food for the family.
Early the next morning, she cooked breakfast and kept it warm in the pot. Hearing movement from the west room, she peeked in and saw Sizhe had woken up.
Nan Sheng checked his temperature with her hand. "Good, no fever. I’m heading to town to buy some things. Food’s in the pot—eat whenever you’re hungry."
Sizhe’s throat was too sore to speak, so he just nodded. She didn’t mind, adding, "If you’re not feeling well, just stay in bed. I’ll try to come back early!"
After fetching money and ration coupons from her room, Nan Sheng set off. Today, she planned to buy a wristwatch and a bicycle—otherwise, she’d have no way to carry the rice and flour back.
Sizhe, after getting up, noticed the chickens hadn’t been fed. Resigned, he chopped up some wild greens, mixed them with corn bran, and poured it into the feeding trough. The two hens fluttered over eagerly.
Only then did he leisurely wash his face and eat. Nan Sheng, worried he might have no appetite, had specially prepared a cucumber salad—sweet and sour, perfect for whetting his hunger.
After the meal, he sat on a bamboo chair in the yard, staring blankly into the distance until Siqi’s voice called him back inside.
The ointment worked well—his bruises no longer hurt.
The nearest town to Xiangyang Village was Huaishan Town, over ten kilometers away. Without transportation, Nan Sheng had to walk the entire way. It was the hottest season of the year, and within minutes, her clothes were drenched in sweat.
Her luck was rotten—not a single oxcart or horse-drawn carriage passed by on the road.
Upon reaching town, Nan Sheng headed straight for the supply and marketing cooperative. Rice, flour, meat, and daily necessities—everything had to be bought here.
Since her marriage, Nan Sheng had scrimped and saved to the point of destitution, even selling off her decent clothes for cheap. Now, she looked utterly unremarkable.
With grain coupons in hand, she wasn’t in a rush to buy staples. First, she wanted to secure the bicycle and wristwatch—it’d make transporting the groceries easier.
At the bicycle section, her face darkened further. Why were they all "28-inch bar" models?
With her short legs, mounting wouldn’t be an issue, but dismounting? Forget it. She couldn’t rely on her face to brake, could she?
"Comrade, do you have any bicycles without the crossbar? I’m buying it for myself."
The salesclerk, surprisingly polite despite Nan Sheng’s shabby appearance, replied, "Comrade, our town only stocks this type. The women’s bicycles you’re looking for are only available in the county."
In rural areas, the crossbar models were preferred—they could carry more cargo and made it easier to transport people.
Defeated, Nan Sheng wondered if she’d have to push the bike all the way home. Or should she test her luck?
"Fine. How much for this one? I’ll take it!"
Seeing her determination, the clerk explained in detail, "We only have two models here. The Feige brand is stylish but expensive—200 yuan plus a bicycle coupon.
The Phoenix brand is sturdier and more affordable—150 yuan plus the coupon. Which would you like?"
Without hesitation, Nan Sheng pulled out a bicycle coupon and 150 yuan. A pretty but impractical thing? Not for her.
The clerk was startled by her decisiveness. In these times, buying a bicycle was cause for celebration—firecrackers and all. Yet this customer didn’t even blink. So wealthy!
"Please wait, Comrade. I’ll get your receipt right away!"
With the bicycle purchased, Nan Sheng moved on to the wristwatch counter. The salesperson, noticing her shiny new bike, became exceptionally enthusiastic.
"Comrade, are you looking for a men’s or women’s watch?"
"Women’s!"
The designs were similar—the women’s version was just slightly smaller. Ironically, they cost more because they were considered essential wedding gifts, making them more sought-after.
After browsing, Nan Sheng winced. The cheapest women’s watch still cost 100 yuan. Too expensive—she couldn’t bring herself to spend that much.
Then she spotted a few dull-looking watches in the men’s section. Pointing, she asked, "Are these older models? Do they require coupons?"
Assuming she was just curious, the clerk explained, "These are secondhand—very cheap, no coupons needed."
Nan Sheng’s eyes lit up. She didn’t care about appearances; telling time was enough. "Tell me about these. I’ll take one."
Under the clerk’s disdainful gaze, she picked a used watch for just 60 yuan—no coupon required. The only hitch was the oversized strap, which the clerk had to shorten by removing a few links.
Before she’d even walked away, the clerk muttered to a coworker, "Buying a secondhand watch for her wedding… tsk."
Nan Sheng bought ten pounds each of rice and flour, along with brown sugar, rock sugar, and White Rabbit milk candies. She restocked other household essentials too. The only disappointment was the meat stall—the good cuts were long gone, leaving only ribs and trotters.
Undaunted, she used her meat coupons to buy two pounds of ribs and four pig’s feet. Meat was meat—she and the kids needed it. Finally, she grabbed a jar of snowflake cream before leaving.
His face was so dark that she felt like calling the police, afraid his gleaming teeth might scare someone to death in the middle of the night!
