The children took the steamed buns, eagerly took a bite, and their faces lit up with satisfied smiles. Ya Dan, while eating, mumbled, "Auntie, this steamed bun is a hundred times tastier than my mom's sweet potato pancakes!"

Xiao Hu wolfed down his food, finishing one in just a few bites, and looked at Lin Wanqiu expectantly: "Auntie, is there...any more?"

Just as Lin Wanqiu was about to give him another one, she heard a sharp voice from outside the courtyard gate: "Oh, Lin Wanqiu, you're really generous! Your own family is almost starving, yet you're giving good food to outsiders. Do you have a lot of hidden money?"

Lin Wanqiu turned around and saw Old Lady Shen, leaning on her cane, leading Zhang Lan and her two sons, Daqiang and Erqiang, standing menacingly at the courtyard gate. Old Lady Shen's eyes were fixed on the steamed buns in the steamer, her mouth practically watering.

Zhang Lan chimed in, "Yes, Wanqiu. Look at Daqiang and Erqiang, they haven't had a proper meal in days. You should at least give the steamed buns to your own nephews first, why are you giving them to outsiders?"

Daqiang and Erqiang were even more direct, clinging to the door frame and trying to rush inside: "I want to eat steamed buns! I want to eat white steamed buns!"

Lin Wanqiu's face darkened, and she stood in front of the steamer: "These steamed buns are made with my own ingredients. I can give them to whomever I want. What's it to you?"

"Your things?" Old Mrs. Shen sneered. "You married into the Shen family, so your things belong to the Shen family! Daqiang, Erqiang, and I must eat these steamed buns!" As she spoke, she reached out to snatch the steamed buns from the steamer.

Lin Wanqiu grabbed her hand and pushed her away forcefully: "Mom, don't go too far! I didn't hold it against you last time for instigating Nian'an to steal, but now you want to steal my steamed bun? No way!"

Old Mrs. Shen staggered a few steps after being pushed, and stomped her feet angrily: "You little bitch! How dare you push me? I'll make you hand over the steamed bun today!" As she spoke, she tried to rush into the kitchen.

Zhang Lan wanted to help, but was stopped by Xiao Hu's mother, Aunt Zhang. Aunt Zhang, holding Xiao Hu, looked displeased: "Grandma, Zhang Lan, you're doing the wrong thing. Wanqiu is kind enough to share steamed buns with the children. What right do you have to take them?"

The neighbors gathered around and began to criticize Old Mrs. Shen and Zhang Lan: "Yes, it's not easy for Wanqiu, a widow raising a child alone, why do you always bully her?" "Wanqiu made these steamed buns herself, she can give them to whomever she wants, it's none of your business!"

Old Mrs. Shen blushed with embarrassment as everyone spoke to her, but she still stubbornly retorted, "What business is it of yours if I'm disciplining my daughter-in-law? Get out of my way!"

Lin Wanqiu was both angry and amused as she watched Old Mrs. Shen throw a tantrum. She picked up a steamed bun and walked up to Old Mrs. Shen: "Mom, if you really want to eat a steamed bun, I can give you one. But you have to promise me that you won't bother me and Nian'an anymore, and you won't instigate Nian'an to steal anything."

Grandma Shen's eyes lit up, and she reached out to snatch the steamed bun: "Okay! I promise you! Give me the steamed bun now!"

Lin Wanqiu didn't let go, and continued, "Also, from now on, don't interfere in family matters anymore. Nian'an and I will live our own lives."

Grandma Shen hesitated for a moment, looked at the steamed bun, and finally nodded: "Okay! I'll agree to anything you say! Give me the steamed bun now!"

Lin Wanqiu handed her the steamed buns, then took out two more and handed them to Daqiang and Erqiang: "These two are for you. Don't come here with your grandma and your mom to steal things anymore."

Daqiang and Erqiang took the steamed buns and immediately began to wolf them down, completely ignoring Lin Wanqiu's words.

Grandma Shen, holding the steamed bun, didn't bother with her tantrum anymore and turned to leave. Zhang Lan glanced at Lin Wanqiu and quickly followed.

The neighbors breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Old Lady Shen leave. Aunt Zhang smiled and said, "Wanqiu, you're really resourceful. If it were anyone else, they would have snatched all these steamed buns today."

Lin Wanqiu smiled and said, "We were forced into this. If we don't stand up for ourselves, they'll come and bully us again."

Just then, Chen Nian tugged at Lin Wanqiu's sleeve and whispered, "Mom, when Grandma was taking the steamed buns just now, it seemed like she secretly slipped something into your flour bag."

Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened. She quickly went to the cutting board, picked up the flour bag, and saw a small hole at the bottom, with flour slowly leaking out. She squatted down and looked closely; the edges of the hole were very neat, as if someone had cut it with scissors.

"Oh, Grandma Shen actually pulled this trick!" Lin Wanqiu gritted her teeth in anger. Grandma Shen definitely wanted all the flour to leak out so she wouldn't be able to make steamed buns anymore.

Aunt Zhang also saw the hole and couldn't help but curse, "That old woman is too much! How could she do such a despicable thing!"

Lin Wanqiu took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. She knew this wasn't the time to be angry. Since Old Madam Shen was capable of such a thing, she would surely do even more outrageous things in the future. She had to find a way as soon as possible to completely free herself and Nian'an from the control of the Shen family.

She poured the flour from the sack into another intact sack, then said to Aunt Zhang, "Auntie, thank you for helping me earlier. Don't worry, I won't let Old Lady Shen bully me again."

Aunt Zhang nodded: "It's good that you think that way. If there's anything you need, just tell me. It's only right for us neighbors to help each other out."

Lin Wanqiu smiled and thanked her, but secretly she was making plans. In a few days, the brigade would be distributing grain. According to the rules of previous years, widows and children would receive one portion of grain, but Old Lady Shen would definitely try to sabotage it and give her less. She had to prepare in advance and not let Old Lady Shen's scheme succeed.

At this moment, Shen Nian'an walked up to Xiao Hu with a steamed bun in her hand and handed it to him, saying, "Brother Xiao Hu, this is for you."

Xiao Hu paused for a moment, then said apologetically, "Nian An, I've already eaten. You can eat it yourself."

"It's okay, my mom made a lot, I can't finish it all." Shen Nian'an stuffed the steamed bun into Xiao Hu's hand and smiled sincerely.

Looking at her son, Lin Wanqiu felt a warmth in her heart. She knew that as long as she and Nian'an worked together, they would definitely be able to live well in this era and have a good life.

She turned and went into the kitchen, looking at the remaining steamed buns in the steamer, and an idea came to her. Tomorrow, she could take the buns to the black market in town to sell and exchange them for some money and ration coupons. This way, she could not only improve her life but also make plans for the future.

Thinking of this, Lin Wanqiu's eyes hardened. She knew this path would be difficult, but she was confident that as long as she worked hard, she could lead Nian'an to carve out a place for themselves in the 1960s.