Zhushan is located in a remote area, and the way back from Zhushan involves passing through most of Shanshui Village.

Sun Jinhua smiled broadly, her gums showing, as she looked at her daughter Zhaodi's small, thin body carrying a large basket full of bamboo mushrooms on her back.

Women under the big tree at the village entrance were peeling water chestnuts while chatting idly.

Seeing Sun Jinhua return beaming with joy, they all looked on in surprise.

Aunt Li glanced at the bamboo mushrooms in the basket on Fan Zhaodi's back and praised, "Jinhua, the sun isn't even high yet, and you two have already filled the basket with bamboo mushrooms. You're really quick and efficient."

"You two got up really early! You're such diligent people." Although Li Da Niang's daughter-in-law, Feng Dayan, was surprised by Sun Jinhua's change, she still sincerely praised her.

Everyone in Shanshui Village knows what Sun Jinhua was like in the past.

Unexpectedly, after the family split up yesterday, Sun Jinhua immediately became very diligent.

Sun Jinhua, who had never received praise before, was suddenly recognized, and her mouth stretched almost to the back of her ears.

She raised her chin and snorted, "What's so special about this? I'm hardworking in many other ways too. Don't look down on me like that!"

That's already quite harsh, and it's an indiscriminate generalization about everyone.

Aunt Li and Feng Dayan exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads to continue peeling the water chestnuts in their hands, no longer saying a word.

Seeing this, the other women all lowered their heads and diligently continued with their work.

They can't afford to mess with unreliable people, but they can avoid them!

With the autumn harvest completed and the grain stored away, the major concern that had been weighing on the minds of the entire village was finally put to rest, and everyone felt a little relieved.

But it was only slightly easier. Families who relied on the land for a living did not let go of any food that could be stored; it was an instinct ingrained in their bones.

The autumn harvest had just ended. Children went up the mountain to pick mushrooms and wild fruits, while the men went to the water to collect water chestnuts. The women peeled them one by one and dried them thoroughly, which also became a kind of food.

During the upcoming winter and the lean months of next year, mixing these foods together will at least fill our stomachs.

Sun Jinhua waited for a while, but when no one responded, she huffed angrily, turned around, and left.

The women sitting in a circle under the shade of the tree only looked up one by one after Sun Jinhua walked away.

Wang Guifen, the village chief's daughter-in-law, frowned and asked in confusion, "I just saw Sister-in-law Fan go out, how come she came back with a full basket so quickly?"

The basket on Zhao Di's back looked unusually large; it probably contained over ten pounds of bamboo mushrooms.

Sun Jinhua has never been a capable woman in Shanshui Village, but today she picked mushrooms incredibly fast.

"Sigh, maybe she just happened to stumble upon a mushroom patch? Now that she's no longer supported by her second son's family, and has no close relatives in the village, who would give her anything?" Aunt Zhang said dismissively, pursing her lips.

The others agreed.

Sun Jinhua was never satisfied with taking advantage of others. She would pluck a handful of vegetables from other people's gardens if they looked good. Most people in the village had experienced this, so who would give her mushrooms?

"It's said that the division of the family property is a good thing for Fan Lao Er's family, and it might also be a good thing for Sun Jinhua's family. Look, Sun Jinhua has become more diligent, hasn't she?" Aunt Li sighed.

“Fan Dazhu is sixteen, which is the age for him to be matched with potential partners. Sun Jinhua must be thinking about her children. After all, when it comes time to find a partner, what good family would want their daughter to marry a mean man?” The elderly Granny Xu, having been through it all, understood.

Li Tiantian, the youngest daughter of the Li family, snorted in disapproval.

This earned him a glare from his own mother.

She muttered to herself, "Grandma Xu is right about one thing: Sister-in-law Fan will consider her son, but she will never consider her daughter."

Look at Zhao Di, she's only seven years old, and she's already carrying a bamboo basket on her back, while Sister-in-law Fan walks around empty-handed. Doesn't she feel guilty?

Aunt Li pursed her lips and said on a positive note, "Let's take it slow. At least without Fan Er's family doing the work, she's started doing the work herself."

It's somewhat acceptable that Zhao Di wasn't the only one doing the work.

“That’s because Zhao Di is still too young to do it alone. Zhao Di already had a hard life in the village, and I’m afraid it will only get harder in the future.” Li Tiantian felt a pang of sadness.

Women in this world already have it tough, and it's even more difficult for Zhaodi, who was born into Sun Jinhua's womb.