Jiang Yu paused for a moment, then gently patted her back, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She knew that Shen Suisui and Shen Niannian had different personalities, and that girls were more prone to sensitivity and suspicion. Even if they tried their best to make up for it, there would always be some distance between them.

She didn't think much; she just wanted to be a normal mother and leave the rest to time. She simply hadn't expected the child to accept her so wholeheartedly; it was completely unexpected.

After tucking Shen Suisui in and reassuring her to go to bed early, Jiang Yu got up and went to the outer room to knead dough. Knowing that children love sweets, she specially steamed a few sugar buns.

While tending the fire, she pondered Lu Yi's actions, finding them somewhat inappropriate. For the children's safety, should she tell Shen Ying? She decided against it; she wasn't close to the male lead, and he would likely scold her if she did.

After all, she was the one who started this whole thing. The man hasn't divorced her, and he's already done more than enough by providing her with a place to live and some living expenses.

After a while, the aroma of steamed buns wafted from the pot. Unable to resist the smell, Jiang Yu ate a whole steamed bun in the middle of the night. The consequence of her gluttony was that her stomach was upset all night.

In the morning, amidst the rustling sounds of her two children getting up, Jiang Yu got dressed, made some hand-pulled noodles from the leftover flour from the previous night, and the village loudspeaker broadcast the news.

Jiang Yu understood the gist of it: it was almost Chinese New Year, and the township government had allocated a batch of New Year's goods under orders from higher authorities. There weren't many items, just enough to bring good luck.

She shoveled the noodles into her mouth and took a couple more slurps when she heard impatient footsteps and chattering voices outside the door.

"Hurry, hurry, or it'll be gone."

"......"

Jiang Yu slowly picked at some pickled vegetables and stuffed them into her mouth, wondering whether she should go and collect her supplies. Although she didn't lack anything right now, the thought of the elderly people queuing up at the pharmacy just to get two eggs filled her with mixed emotions.

After struggling with her decision for two minutes, she decided to go and collect her share. She wasn't rich, so why pretend she didn't care? Besides, it was distributed by the government based on household registration; it wasn't like if she didn't collect it, someone else would get an extra one. Furthermore, she hadn't missed a single tax payment all year; what was there to be embarrassed about?

The brainwashing was successful, and Jiang Yu went to the village chief's house with the crowd. Most of the aunties and sisters-in-law she met along the way greeted her warmly, while only a few lowered their heads and scoffed.

Jiang Yu knew that this group of people had been instigated by Zhang Xinhua, but she wasn't angry. She greeted the others naturally, and compared to the last time she delivered meat, the journey felt much shorter.

When they reached the uphill section of the village chief's house, a long line had already formed. Looking at the seemingly endless queue, Jiang Yu considered giving up for the first time.

Zhang Xinhua kept her hands tucked into her sleeves as she chatted with the crowd. Clearly, no one wanted to talk to her, but out of politeness, they occasionally chimed in with a few words.

Upon seeing Jiang Yu, she exclaimed as if she had discovered a new continent:

"I'm telling you, Ms. Shen, your husband sends money from the army every month, and you still want to meddle in the welfare of us ordinary people? Isn't that a bit too greedy?"

After she spoke, everyone turned to look. They didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but Zhang Xinhua seemed to be something else entirely, stubbornly insisting on sticking to her guns.

Everyone guessed that she was getting revenge for causing a scene in front of Jiang Yu's house last time, which didn't bring her any benefit. So they all pretended not to see it.

"Is it? Is it?"

Zhang Xinhua was very dissatisfied with the group's reaction. They used to ask her all sorts of questions when they saw her, but now that they knew Jiang Yu's abilities, they started to play dumb. She wouldn't let them.

While speaking, she pushed and shoved the people around her, going to great lengths to get them to respond.

Jiang Yu couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her making a fool of herself. She'd heard that her mother-in-law, Li Xiuying, had been humiliated last time and was now demanding her son divorce this woman, even threatening to go on a hunger strike.

In those days, divorce meant a bad character; people for miles around would gossip about you, and your reputation would be ruined. Seeing that the mother and son were serious, Zhang Xinhua knelt before Li Xiuying and repeatedly promised she would never do it again before they finally let her go.

It's only been two days, and she's already causing trouble again, clearly having forgotten the pain of her past mistakes.

Jiang Yu didn't want to have much to do with this person. Apart from the first time she confronted her and the subsequent incident at the market, she had no grudge against her. Why was she holding a grudge against her?

A voice rang out from the crowd, echoing:

“Yes, as a military wife, one should set an example. How can one be worthy of such an honorary title if one is greedy for even such small benefits?”

Bai Na was furious when she heard about Lu Yi's visit to her last night. She had already planned to force Lu Yi to come to her home to propose marriage after the New Year when they returned to the city. But then, a changed Jiang Yu suddenly appeared, leaving Lu Yi staring blankly out the window early this morning, completely distracted.

Only after asking Sun Ming did she learn that this woman had provoked Lu Yi again last night, and in the dead of night no less. How could she not know what she was up to?

Jiang Yu looked at the woman who was speaking; she had single eyelids and prominent cheekbones, and her appearance suggested she was not someone to be trifled with. Following the original owner's memories, she learned the woman's identity.

Bai Na and Lu Yi were among a group of educated youth sent to the countryside. Their administrator, Cui Jin, was her uncle, and relying on this connection, he acted with impunity within the group, regarding the original owner of this body as a thorn in his side. He had humiliated her more than once.

Upon learning the situation, Jiang Yu sneered:

"Then what are you doing here, comrade educated youth? As an educated youth, living with the villagers day and night, wouldn't you be more able to understand their hardships?"

Bai Na grew up in a wealthy family. Everyone who came into contact with her fawned over her out of fear of her status. To prevent her from being mistreated, her family arranged for her to go to the countryside as an educated youth with her uncle, hoping that she could find a good job after returning and be respected by others.

Now she's being mocked by a rural woman, and she wants nothing more than to tear the woman's mouth apart.

"Of course I volunteered to help maintain order. Otherwise, who would want to go out in this freezing weather?"

When Bai Na saw Lu Yi looking this way, she deliberately suppressed her temper, thinking that she would deal with her when she had the chance. Right now, the most important thing was to maintain a good image in front of Brother Lu Yi.

Zhang Xinhua immediately sensed that this woman and Jiang Yu were definitely at odds, and she was so self-righteous that she wanted everyone to know her little scheme.

"What? You question a fellow educated youth who comes to do a good deed? Do you think your status is so powerful that everyone is wary of you? You're constantly smearing Brother Shen Ying's reputation, and he probably doesn't even know it yet. Also, last night, quite a few people heard noises in your yard, and it was a man's voice. If you haven't done anything wrong, just tell everyone."

Zhang Xinhua was unaware that Bai Na was wary of the relationship between Lu Yi and Jiang Yu, and kept jumping around in her sensitive area.