The morning dew of late autumn condensed on the window frames of "Late Autumn Food Workshop," reflecting a scattering of golden light. Lin Wanqiu had just brought a basket of steaming hot osmanthus cakes out of the drying room when she saw Old Lady Shen, leaning on her cane and supported by Zhang Lan, standing at the workshop entrance. She was carrying a heavy cloth bundle in her hand, and her frosty white hair trembled slightly in the wind, but it could not hide the solemnity in her eyes.

"Late Autumn, are you done with your work? Your mother has something to tell you." Old Mrs. Shen's voice was no longer as sharp as it used to be, but instead carried a hint of cautious gentleness. She subconsciously clenched the corner of the bundle, her knuckles turning blue and white from the force—this bundle contained her most treasured possessions, a silver hairpin and half a piece of old silk embroidered with peonies, which were given to her by her family when she married into the Shen family. She had kept them hidden for most of her life and had never been willing to take them out.

Lin Wanqiu wiped the flour off her hands and hurried over to greet her: "Mother, it's so cold, why have you come? Come in and sit down, I'll make you a cup of hot tea." She naturally took the bundle from Old Madam Shen's hands. It was warm to the touch, whether from being warmed by the old woman's bosom or from the warmth of the contents themselves.

Upon entering the workshop's break room, Zhang Lan busied herself lighting the fire and brewing tea. Old Mrs. Shen sat on a stool, her gaze sweeping across the room—the workshop's order ledgers hung on the walls, pastry designs drawn by Lin Wanqiu sat on the table, and thank-you notes from villagers were piled in the corner; every detail exuded the vibrancy of a thriving family. She recalled how she used to scold Lin Wanqiu for being "unfaithful" and "reckless," but now she understood that it was precisely this "recklessness" that had transformed the Shen family from a life of poverty, barely scraping by, into the enviable life they were now.

"Wanqiu, open the bundle and take a look." Old Mrs. Shen took a sip of hot tea, finally mustered up the courage to speak, her voice trembling slightly. "This is a little something from your mother, please don't find it offensive."

Lin Wanqiu untied the bundle, the silver hairpin gleaming in the morning light. The peony embroidery on the old silk, though faded, remained exquisite. A thought struck her, and she looked up at Old Madam Shen, only to see the old woman's eyes reddening, her hands repeatedly rubbing together on her knees, as if making an important decision.

"I was so foolish before, blinded by greed." Old Mrs. Shen took a deep breath, her voice suddenly choked with sobs. "When you first married into the family, I disliked you. I thought you were spoiled and couldn't do any work. After Tingzhou 'died,' I took my anger out on you, forcing you to do heavy work, and even mistreating you and Nian'an with Zhang Lan... Now that I think about it, I've really done something terrible." She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, her cloudy eyes filled with regret. "You didn't hold a grudge and saved the eldest son, got medicine for me, and even let Zhang Lan work in the workshop. I saw it all. You're a good daughter-in-law. I'm the one who's wronged you."

Lin Wanqiu hadn't expected Old Lady Shen to be so blunt, and for a moment she didn't know how to respond. She recalled the cruelty of Old Lady Shen pushing her into the river when she was first reborn, and the harshness of forcing her to wash clothes by the river in the dead of winter. She felt wronged, but looking at the old woman's hunched back and reddened eyes, those grievances slowly faded. "Mother, it's all in the past," she said softly. "We're family, there's no reason to hold grudges."

"No, you have to remember!" Old Mrs. Shen suddenly raised her voice, her tone pleading. "You have to remember the bad things your mother did in the past, so you'll know that your mother truly wants to change now. Take this silver hairpin; it's a small compensation from your mother. From now on, you'll be in charge of things at home, and your mother won't interfere anymore." She grabbed Lin Wanqiu's hand, placing the silver hairpin into her palm. The warmth of her fingertips, roughened by years, was unusually firm. "If your mother ever dares to give you a hard time again, just poke your mother with this hairpin, and your mother won't cry out in pain!"

"Mother, what are you doing!" Lin Wanqiu quickly handed the silver hairpin back. "This is too precious, I can't accept it. I appreciate your kindness, but as long as we live a good life together, that's more important than anything else."

Zhang Lan chimed in, "Mom, Wanqiu is right. You should keep the things. It's better for our family to be happy together from now on. That's more important than anything else."

Seeing the sincere looks in their eyes, Old Mrs. Shen finally let go, but still insisted on leaving the old silk: "Take this fabric and make a garment. It's soft and comfortable to wear next to the skin. I'm getting old and can't wear such nice things anymore."

From then on, Old Mrs. Shen seemed like a different person. Every day before dawn, she would get up to sweep the yard and tidy up the house spotlessly; while Zhang Lan went to work at the workshop, she would sit by the kang (a heated brick bed) and mend clothes for Old Mrs. Shen, no longer complaining; at mealtimes, she would take the initiative to help in the kitchen, though she was slow, she was exceptionally diligent. Once, Lin Wanqiu returned from a branch store in a neighboring county, so tired that she fell asleep in a chair. Old Mrs. Shen quietly covered her with her own cotton-padded coat and brewed a bowl of brown sugar ginger tea. When she brought it to her, her voice was full of heartache: "Wanqiu, you must be exhausted. Drink some ginger tea to warm yourself up, don't catch a cold."

Lin Wanqiu took the ginger tea, the warm liquid sliding down her throat, warming her stomach and heart. Looking at the white hair at Old Mrs. Shen's temples, she suddenly realized that this once harsh old woman actually had a soft side that no one knew about.

That evening, Shen Tingzhou returned from the commune, holding a certificate in his hand, his face beaming with joy: "Wanqiu, our workshop has been recognized as an 'Advanced Unit in Getting Rich' by the commune! The secretary even said that our experience will be promoted to other brigades!"

Upon hearing this, Grandma Shen was happier than anyone else. She quickly went to the kitchen and brought out the freshly stewed chicken soup: "Quick, Tingzhou, you and Wanqiu are both tired. Drink some chicken soup to replenish your energy. Our family is where it is today thanks to Wanqiu's abilities. This award certificate is also largely due to her contributions."

Seeing his mother's attitude towards Lin Wanqiu, Shen Tingzhou felt a surge of relief. He knew that this family had finally truly united as one. He scooped a spoonful of chicken soup and handed it to Lin Wanqiu's bowl: "Yes, Wanqiu, you've worked hard. Let's continue to work hard and make the workshop bigger and better."

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