"Mom, it's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Cheng Ruyi was startled by the sudden sound. She turned around and saw that it was Lin Xiaoman!

"You scared me half to death! It's you~" Upon seeing who it was, she patted her racing heart and replied, "I couldn't sleep and was checking the gift list. What are you doing out here? Has Mande woken up?"

"No, he's exhausted from playing all day and is sleeping soundly." After saying this, Lin Xiaoman stood at the warehouse door, looking like she had something to say but didn't know how to start.

Ruyi guessed it was related to the Lin family she met today, and she also wanted to ask what was going on. "Xiaoman, since you're awake, why don't you come and help me tidy up? My hands are a little tired."

"Oh? Mother, why don't you sit down and rest for a while? Would you like some medicine? Or would you like some water? I'll go get it for you!"

Seeing the little girl turn to leave, Cheng Ruyi immediately stopped her: "No need, no need, come over and help me sort and arrange these, they're really too heavy."

Lin Xiaoman didn't think much of it upon hearing this. She immediately went into the storeroom, helped Ruyi sit on a wooden box, and then obediently helped with the sorting.

"Xiaoman, you saw your family whom you haven't seen in a long time today. Are you happy? Are they... treating you well?" Cheng Ruyi wasn't very good at chatting, so she could only ask directly.

After listening, Lin Xiaoman paused for a moment, then slowly moved to Ruyi's feet while still squatting, pursed her lips, and looked up at her.

At that moment, Ruyi seemed to see a bewildered little Shiba Inu wagging its tail frantically, staring at you with its round black eyes, its face saying "I need comfort" and "I need a hug!"

So her tone unconsciously softened, even becoming a little coaxing: "What's wrong? What happened? Come here and tell me..."

Encouraged, the puppy immediately sat obediently at Ruyi's feet and slowly told her what was on its mind.

It turns out that Lin's father had come to see Xiaoman a few months ago, when the county had just been unsealed.

The Lin family relied solely on Lin's father's income from working outside the city. The lockdown effectively cut off their source of income. Zhao was not a frugal person, and they bought a lot of grain during the several government-distributed grain rations. So, although the family survived the lockdown, they had spent all their savings.

After the lockdown was lifted, Mr. Lin had a source of income again, and the family's life should have returned to normal. However, Mr. Lin did not eat well during the lockdown, which damaged his health, and he fell ill after only a few days of working.

This illness not only cut off the Lin family's income, but also cost them a lot of money for medical treatment, which was truly adding insult to injury.

One day, when Zhao went out to the clinic to get medicine, she overheard the neighbors talking about the Cheng family. They said the Cheng family had become rich, not only were their food products in high demand, but their furniture shop was also doing brisk business. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, the whole family went to Zhiwei Restaurant to celebrate. It was truly remarkable.

At first, Zhao didn't believe it. She had seen the Cheng family's shop before, and they were just ordinary neighborhood businesses. How could they afford to eat at a fancy restaurant like Zhiweiguan?

But whether out of curiosity or jealousy, she secretly spent a few days staking out the Cheng family's neighborhood and discovered that what the neighbors were saying was true; the Cheng family really was different!

After returning home, Zhao became increasingly resentful. So, as soon as Lin's father recovered, she immediately urged him to go to Xiaoman to ask for money.

Since Lin Xiaoman married into the Cheng family, everything she ate, wore, and used was directly provided by Cheng Ruyi. She didn't have a single penny on her own, and even if she did, she couldn't give it to him, so she directly refused him.

Fortunately, Mr. Lin still had some sense of shame. Seeing his daughter's firm attitude, he quickly gave up. After all, he could continue working once he recovered. However, Mrs. Zhao did not think so. Unfortunately, no matter what she said, Mr. Lin was unwilling to look for Xiaoman again, and later simply went to work in another city.

After Lin's father left, Zhao realized she had angered him and never mentioned the matter again until a few days ago when they received Cheng Mande's first birthday banquet invitation. It was at Zhiwei Restaurant again, and in a private room on the second floor. This greatly shocked them.

Zhiwei Restaurant was one of the top restaurants in the county. Their family had never eaten there before. Lin's father even went to inquire about the price of the private rooms on the second floor. After hearing the price, he returned home completely dejected.

So at today's banquet, Lin's father and Zhao's mother took every opportunity to complain to Xiaoman about how difficult things were for their family.

“Your father is getting old and his health is deteriorating. He even had a serious illness before. As his daughter, it's one thing that you don't visit your parents' home often, but you didn't even go to help take care of him when he was sick. It's really outrageous!”

“Your younger brother Baojin is so smart! If he could study at a better private school, he would definitely become the top scholar in the imperial examination. If he becomes the top scholar and an official, he would be your support! How smart could the child you have been born with? It’s better to rely on your brother. Only when your maternal family is strong can you have confidence in the Cheng family!”

"And your youngest brother, Guiyin, is just as smart as his brother. It's just that he's unlucky and didn't have a reliable sister. Look at him, how thin and weak he is! He looks like he'll fall over if the wind blows. My poor child has never had the chance to eat at a fancy restaurant. What kind of sister is so heartless? Her own brother can't even get enough to eat, but she eats fish and meat every day. Doesn't she fear being struck by lightning?"

Whenever she had the chance, Zhao would sidle up to Xiaoman and talk and talk, spitting saliva all over the ground. Yet, she had a smile on her face and held her stepdaughter's hand affectionately. Bystanders who didn't know what they were talking about thought it was a mother caring for her daughter.

Zhao was always very good at creating the image of a kind mother. If Xiaoman hadn't jumped into the river back then, the neighbors would never have known that she had bullied her stepdaughter for so many years.

Lin Xiaoman, having been oppressed by her stepmother since childhood, did not know how to resist. Although she had been free from this misery for a long time, her body's instinct still made her obediently lower her head and listen to her stepmother's scolding.

Although she dared not resist, the more she listened, the more she felt that what Zhao was saying made no sense, just like her mother often said, "it has no logic," and moreover...

Xiaoman secretly glanced at the two so-called younger brothers who weren't invited on the invitation but were brought along anyway. They were both dark-skinned and chubby, especially the youngest brother Lin Guiyin, whom Zhao had described as "frail and weak." Although he wasn't as fat as his older brother, he definitely looked like a well-fed and robust child.

While Zhao was satisfied with Lin Xiaoman's obedient behavior, she also looked down on her for being a pushover who was ultimately useless.

However, after not seeing her for a year or two, her once unremarkable stepdaughter has not only grown up, but also wears such beautiful clothes and accessories. Moreover, her skin is fair and smooth, and she doesn't look like she has done any rough work. In the blink of an eye, she looks like a rich lady. When she first saw her stepdaughter, she could hardly believe it!

Although I was very unhappy to see her living so well, I thought that the Cheng family only had one male heir, and she would be the matriarch of the Cheng family in the future. As long as I could control her, everything in the Cheng family would belong to the Lin family!

"Look at your mother-in-law, how she behaves all the time. In any respectable family, the man is in charge. You should really talk to your husband. He is the head of the Cheng family. Putting everything else aside, at the very least, you should be in charge of the money!"

"Don't say I, as your mother, didn't teach you. Men, you just need to coax and please them, be humble and take good care of them, and they'll naturally know how good you are. Then you can take the opportunity to whisper sweet nothings in his ear..."

"You're still young, and you've only had one child, so your figure hasn't started to change yet. You should seize this opportunity. Once you take charge of the household, you must take good care of your family. Otherwise, in a few years, when your husband gets tired of you and goes to find other women, you'll have no one to rely on!"

The more Lin Xiaoman listened, the more she felt something was wrong!

Her mother-in-law was so brave; during the city lockdown, she not only found food for them but also fought off the bad guys and protected their home! Her mother-in-law was so clever; her cooking was not only delicious but also unprecedented, fetching prices of hundreds of taels of silver! Her mother-in-law was so kind; she not only helped homeless refugees but also bravely rescued abducted children!

The Cheng family's success today is all thanks to the mother-in-law; she is clearly the most suitable person to manage the family!

As for her husband, he doesn't know how to cook or do business, so he obviously doesn't have the talent. Moreover, she felt that as long as her mother-in-law was around, Yunping would never dare to do anything to betray her!

Unbeknownst to Xiaoman, her mother-in-law had surpassed her husband in her heart and become her greatest support.

She realized for the first time that women could be so amazing!

Lin Xiaoman was still thinking about how to refute Zhao's words, but then Manager Huang of Zhiwei Restaurant, the county magistrate's wife, and the Wen family steward took turns appearing, attracting everyone's attention. When she remembered how to talk to Zhao, she found that the Lin family huddled to the side like quails, not daring to breathe. They didn't even talk to her again until the end of the banquet, and instead left in a hurry.

These things filled Xiaoman with doubts, and she felt that something was fermenting in her heart, which made it difficult for her to fall asleep all night. That's why she thought of going out for a walk.

Unexpectedly, she ran into Cheng Ruyi. She thought of her mother-in-law's intelligence and wisdom, who was definitely the best person to confide in!