Old Mrs. Shen also came to her senses. Although she was sharp-tongued, she knew that if Lin Wanqiu really left, they would not only lose a free laborer, but also be branded with the bad reputation of "forcing away a widowed daughter-in-law." Who knew what the people in the village would say behind their backs. She glared at Lin Wanqiu, swallowed the curse that was about to come out, and changed her words, saying, "Alright, alright, if you're not feeling well, then rest. I'll have your older brother gather the firewood. But don't be too lazy; you should help with the chores around the house too."

"Don't worry, Mother. I won't shirk my responsibilities." Seeing that she had softened her stance, Lin Wanqiu didn't push her too far. After all, they hadn't found a suitable place to live yet, and a serious falling out wouldn't do either of them any good.

Grandma Shen snorted, pulled Zhang Lan around, and started to leave. After a few steps, she turned back and glanced at the fence in the yard, asking in confusion, "What are you planting in your yard? How can anything grow in the dead of winter?"

Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened, and she quickly stood in front of the fence, smiling as she said, "I didn't plant anything, just some leftover wild vegetable seeds from before, I just scattered some randomly, I didn't expect them to actually grow, but they're not very good, it's not worth mentioning."

Old Mrs. Shen squinted at it for a long time but couldn't figure it out. Fearing that Lin Wanqiu would bring up the divorce again, she didn't ask any more questions and left dejectedly.

Lin Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief only after their figures disappeared at the alley entrance, and pulled Nian'an back into the house.

"Mom, Grandma is so fierce," Nian'an whispered, hiding behind her.

"Don't be afraid, with Mom here, no one can bully us." Lin Wanqiu patted her son's head and took out the green vegetables from her arms. "We'll have green vegetable and egg soup tonight so that An'an can grow tall and strong and protect Mom in the future."

Nian'an nodded vigorously: "Yes! An'an will protect Mother!"

Lin Wanqiu smiled as she washed the vegetables, then took out two eggs from her spatial storage—these eggs were stored there, large with plump yolks, much better than the rationed eggs from the supply and marketing cooperative. She poured some cooking oil from her storage into the pan, and once it was hot, she cracked the eggs in. Instantly, a rich aroma of eggs wafted out. Nian'an, leaning over the stove, stared intently at the pan, her mouth practically watering.

"Don't worry, it'll be ready soon." Lin Wanqiu poured the greens into the pot and stir-fried them for a few seconds. She then added some purified water from her space, covered the pot, and cooked it for a while. A bowl of fragrant green vegetable and egg soup was ready.

She served Nian'an a large bowl, and then served herself a small half bowl. Watching her son wolf down his food, she felt a deep sense of relief. Although life was tough, as long as there was Space and Nian'an, she was confident she could make it through.

As they were eating, there was a knock on the courtyard gate, accompanied by a familiar voice: "Is Wanqiu home?"

Lin Wanqiu was taken aback. Was that the voice of Chef Li from the brigade canteen? Chef Li was an honest man, and he had spoken up for her a few days ago when the grain was being distributed. She quickly wiped her mouth and got up to open the door.

"Master Li, what brings you here?"

Master Li stood at the door, holding a cloth bag in his hand, with a slightly embarrassed smile on his face: "Wanqiu, I've come to ask you about something. The other day you mentioned that you grew some wild vegetables at home, and I was thinking that the canteen is short of vegetables lately, so I was thinking of buying some from you. Is that alright?"

Lin Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat. She was worried that she had too many vegetables growing in her space, more than she could eat, and they would spoil. If she could sell them to the cafeteria, she could not only earn some money, but also take the vegetables out openly, without having to sneak around anymore. But she was afraid that Chef Li would suspect something, since the vegetables were growing too well and didn't seem like they could be grown in winter.

She hesitated for a moment, then tentatively said, "Master Li, my vegetables aren't growing well, and there aren't many of them. I'm afraid it won't be enough for the canteen."

"Let me see if it's enough first, let me see it first," Master Li said with a smile. "The soldiers in the canteen eat coarse grains every day and have almost forgotten what vegetables taste like. Even if it's a little less, it's good to improve their meals."

Seeing his sincerity, Lin Wanqiu stopped refusing and led him into the backyard.

When Mr. Li saw the greens growing by the fence, his eyes widened. He had worked in the canteen for over a decade and had seen all kinds of vegetables, but he had never seen such fresh and tender greens in winter. He squatted down, touched the leaves, and smelled them, exclaiming in surprise, "Late Autumn, how did you grow these vegetables? How can they grow so well in the dead of winter?"

"I don't know either. It's a kind of wild vegetable that my mother taught me to grow when I was at my parents' house. It's cold-resistant and can grow even in winter," Lin Wanqiu made up an excuse. "I was just trying it out, and I didn't expect it to actually grow."

"Great! That's wonderful!" Chef Li stood up excitedly. "Wanqiu, I'll take all of your vegetables! How much per pound? Name your price."

Lin Wanqiu thought for a moment. The market price for green vegetables was 10 cents per pound, but her vegetables were better than ordinary green vegetables. And since there was a shortage in winter, she gritted her teeth and said, "Master Li, I didn't use pesticides or chemical fertilizers on my vegetables. They were all grown with farmyard manure. If you don't mind, just charge me 15 cents per pound."

Mr. Li agreed without hesitation: "Sure! Fifteen cents a pound, not expensive! If you can supply this vegetable regularly, I'll come to buy it every day!"

Lin Wanqiu was overjoyed. She quickly found a basket, picked all the greens from the field, and weighed them. They weighed a full ten pounds. Master Li paid her one yuan and fifty cents and thanked her profusely, saying, "Wanqiu, if you have any more of these vegetables in the future, don't forget to save some for me. The people in the canteen are waiting to eat them."

"Don't worry, as long as we have it, we'll definitely save it for you first." Lin Wanqiu smiled as she saw him out.

Looking at the one yuan and fifty cents in her hand, Lin Wanqiu was filled with joy. This was the first money she had earned since her rebirth. Although it wasn't much, it was a good start. She touched the jade pendant in her bosom, thinking that with her space in the future, she could not only ensure that Nian'an was well-fed and clothed, but also save some money so that she could move out with Nian'an as soon as possible and get away from those awful relatives of the Shen family.

Back inside, Nian'an had already finished his soup and was looking at her expectantly. Lin Wanqiu went over and carefully slipped a dollar into his cotton-padded jacket pocket, smiling as she said, "An'an, this is money your mother earned. From now on, we'll have money to buy steamed buns and new clothes."

Nian'an touched the money in her pocket, then looked up at Lin Wanqiu, and suddenly threw herself into her arms, whispering, "Mother, An'an doesn't want new clothes, she just wants Mother to be well."

Lin Wanqiu held her son, her eyes welling up with tears. She knew that the days ahead wouldn't be smooth sailing; Old Mrs. Shen, Zhang Lan, and that Lin Moli she'd never met would definitely come looking for trouble again. But as long as Nian'an was there, and as long as the space existed, she had nothing to fear. She would raise Nian'an and make a living in the 1960s, a life worthy of being called human.

That evening, Lin Wanqiu entered the space again and scattered various vegetable seeds on the black soil—spinach, cabbage, radishes, and even some tomato seeds. Looking at this hopeful land, she seemed to already see a bright future: Nian'an growing up healthy, her own workshop, making money, and never having to depend on others again.

Unbeknownst to her, while she was busy planning for the future, in the woods behind the village, a man in a black coat was gazing in the direction of her house, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. Shen Tingzhou looked at the lush green vegetables in the yard, and recalling the argument he'd overheard between Lin Wanqiu and Old Lady Shen during the day, a slight smile played on his lips. His wife seemed different than before.