Chapter Twenty-One: You'll Be So Angry
The couple slept soundly in each other's arms, while in the Sun family's house, just a wall away, on the second day of their marriage, before dawn, someone was knocking on the door and calling them to get up.
"Meng Xi, Meng Xi, it's time to get up." After calling out, she grumbled, "New bride, how can you not get up this late on your wedding night?"
Meng Xi was completely bewildered. Last night was their wedding night, and they were already in their bridal chamber. Now they had to get up so early the next day. She turned over and nudged Sun Yaozu, waking him up as well.
"What are you doing?"
"Your mother is calling you to get up from outside."
"That's calling you. It's time to make breakfast, you'd better hurry up."
"Making breakfast so early?"
"Hmm," Sun Yaozu mumbled, "it seems to be around this time, but I'm not sure."
“We usually get up at 6:30, it’s only 5 now.”
Sensing the dissatisfaction in his wife's words, he forced his eyes open and reached out to hug her, trying to soothe her. "Sweetie, don't be angry. Make a good impression on my mother since you've just entered the family."
"Then you stay with me."
Sun Yaozu frowned slightly, suddenly remembering the past. Shu Yao did this every day, yet she never asked him to stay with her. His mother had said that boys needed more sleep to grow well. But now, deeply in love, he was willing to do anything.
"Okay, I'll go with you."
The young couple happily got up and opened the door, but when Grandma Sun saw that her son was also up, she immediately became unhappy.
"Yaozu, why are you up too? Did your mother's loud voice wake you up? Alright, alright, it's nothing. Getting up early is a woman's job. You, a man, should go back to sleep."
Meng Xi turned around and gave him a coquettish look, and his heart skipped a beat. He said to his mother, "I can't sleep. Mother, why did you wake us up? Let's do it together."
Seeing that her new daughter-in-law had her son completely under her thumb, Old Mrs. Sun felt a surge of anger welling up inside her. But she was very clever and didn't continue the conflict with her son.
"Sweep the courtyard and cook breakfast for the whole family. The new bride must show off her skills and be thrifty in managing the household."
"Oh," Meng Xi replied with a smile. She could cook. She had several sisters in her family, and she started helping with laundry and cooking when she was eight or nine years old.
"Yaozu, you sweep the yard, I'll go cook."
Sun Yaozu nodded in agreement, and she happily went into the kitchen. Her husband was so good; he always sided with her and accompanied her in everything. So engrossed in her happy newlywed life and her wonderful husband, she didn't notice that her mother-in-law's face was blacker than the bottom of a pot.
How could Sun's mother bear to let her precious daughter sweep the yard? Of course, she took the broom and swept it clean. Meng Xi's breakfast was quite good, much better than Sun's mother's.
The Sun family father and son were very satisfied with the meal. The old man didn't say anything else to his new daughter-in-law, only telling the two of them to live a good life together.
When Sun Yaozu went to work, he rode his bicycle with his new wife, both of them beaming. Except for Sun's mother, who looked unhappy with a dark expression, everyone else seemed quite pleased.
Sun Yaozu went to the textile factory to see Meng Xi off, and unexpectedly ran into Shu Yao at the gate. Shu Yao was riding a brand-new bicycle, wearing charcoal gray trousers and a white printed shirt, looking quite dashing.
She parked the car and went into the workshop without even glancing at the couple. Meng Xi, filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment, clung to her husband's hand and acted coquettishly.
"I want a bicycle too."
"Your mother kept all the bride price money and didn't give you a single penny?"
"Don't mention it. You know what kind of person my mother is. Making me a set of clothes is already quite good."
"If I could give you half, you could buy a bicycle. Why don't you go back this weekend and ask her for it?"
"I don't think it'll be good." She knew her mother all too well; ever since her father became paralyzed, she'd been extremely tight-fisted with her money. Once she's in there, there's no way she'll ever come out.
"Then there's nothing we can do." Seeing her displeasure, he tried to coax her again: "Don't worry, we both work, we'll start saving money now and buy you one later. A good one, even better than Shuyao's."
"Yes, you're so nice."
Having married his beloved, Sun Yaozu was overjoyed to hear her praise him. After dropping his wife off, he hurried off to work, sighing deeply as he thought about the future, unsure of where to begin.
Starting this year, the food supply should soon be reduced, and refined grains will be even scarcer. But he's only reborn; he knows how things will unfold but has no power to change it. What can he do? Oh, right, he can start storing some food now.
He acted immediately, rushing home after work that afternoon. After hearing his explanation, his father's eyes widened. "You mean there will be a disaster in the next three years, and adults will only be given less than thirty pounds of coarse grains per month?"
"Yes, in some places, people only have five ounces of grain a day, which is called the 'five-ounce hurdle'."
A chicken consumes two ounces of corn a day, while an adult only gets five ounces of coarse grains daily—you can imagine how starving they must be. Men are listless, and many women are even experiencing amenorrhea due to hunger. He thought for a long time, but the only solution seemed to be stockpiling grain.
Fortunately, his parents still had savings; otherwise, even if he knew what the future held, he would have been powerless to do anything about it. In his past life, his mother would sometimes secretly give him and his father some dry food, but not much. It was only for the men in the family. After Shu Yao's son told her to save it for her mother and sister, his mother had no choice but to bring her granddaughter along as well.
Sun Shuhua and Sun Shuqing were names given to them by his father, and Shu Yao had no objections. Now, he didn't know what the two children were called, and from a distance, they didn't match his impression of them from his previous life.
Su Hexu, Su Heyi, and He Maijin gazed at each other with eyes full of longing. When he inquired about the couple's names and their meanings, he felt as if a breath was stuck in his chest, almost causing him to have a heart attack.
"Shu Yao, you're ruthless."
Why does he still feel sad when he hears the news even though he's already given up? He has no answer to this question; he doesn't understand the inherent flaws of men, or rather, his own. He never cherishes what he has, and now that it's no longer his, even if he himself has decided to give up, he still feels sad.
He knew what the future held, and Shu Yao certainly knew as well. She had money, and her husband managed it. He had also mentioned saving some. But ultimately, they lacked foresight and didn't know the disaster would last for three years.
Shu Yao didn't make things difficult for him, but advised him not to break any rules or give anyone a handle to use against him. She had money, so she immediately took a flashlight and went to the black market that night.
There weren't many sellers on the black market, and those few were all heavily concealed. After inquiring at several places, she found they only sold noodles and flour, which was discouraging. For long-term storage, raw grains were necessary, but she couldn't find any corn kernels for sale.
Just as he was worrying, the flashlight beam flashed, and he saw a familiar face. Sun Yaozu had also failed to find the original grain. Seeing her turn to leave, he took two steps forward and caught up with her.
"Shu Yao, you still won't admit it."
"Admit what?" He blocked her way, forcing Shu Yao to stop.
"If you hadn't come back, why would you be thinking about stockpiling grain?" He sneered. "Your husband is in charge of the entire city's grain and oil allocation. What, such a high-ranking official won't help you buy grain?"
"You've been eating too much salt, haven't you? You're really meddling in other people's business. What I do is none of your concern. I can do whatever I want."
“You…” Sun Yaozu choked, then angrily spoke again: “Let me tell you, don’t think you can anger me by changing the names of your two children. I’m telling you today, I don’t care at all. I’ve never cared about that pair.”
Shu Yao knew him very well; of course she knew he was trying to save face and save face for himself. "Don't care? If you didn't care, why are you saying all this to me? You're angry, that's fine." She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face, simultaneously dodging his retaliatory blow, causing him to miss.
"Shu Yao!" Sun Yaozu roared angrily, gritting his teeth. Ever since he learned the names of those two children, he had been burning with rage. But he never expected that she would not only feel no remorse, but would even dare to hit him.
"Hello, you're so kind."
"Of course I'm good." Shu Yao said coldly, showing no mercy. "Stop daydreaming and trying to make yourself look good. You spineless coward, what does my child have to do with you? That's my lover's child, their surname is Su, they're Su family children."
“You…” He pointed at her, trembling with anger.
"What? Humph, stay away from me in the future. I have nothing to do with you, and my children have even less to do with you."
"I don't care."
"Then get lost from now on."
After yelling at him, Shu Yao shoved him aside, strode out, got on her bike, and left. "Hmph, you bastard, you say you don't care, but you're actually worried to death. Go ahead and be angry, I'll make you furious!"
She was riding her bike very fast when she almost hit someone. Luckily, the bike wasn't going very fast, so she braked in time, calmed herself down, and helped the person up.
"How are you? Did you hurt yourself anywhere?"
"No." The man shook his head, looking very embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I was looking down and didn't see you coming."
"fine."
Seeing what he was holding, her eyes lit up and she asked softly, "May I ask what you're holding...?"
Seeing her kind face, the man didn't hide anything. "It's wheat, I was thinking of exchanging it for some money."
How much does it cost?
"Eighteen cents."
The normal price is between eight and ten cents; anything above that on the black market is considered normal. Without hesitation, she immediately made a deal and bought all the wheat. Twenty-eight jin (approximately 41 kg), and the wheat was of very good quality.
Do you have any more?
"Yes." Seeing that she paid so readily, the man nodded immediately. "How much do you want?"
How many do you have?
The man was overjoyed to have met a big buyer. "Not much wheat, but I have several hundred pounds of corn and sorghum. Want some?"
"want."
Shu Yao had experience from her previous life, so she bought these things but didn't keep them at home. Instead, she arranged to trade them in batches with someone.
She brought home over twenty kilograms of wheat that day. When Su Xiangdong saw her in this state, he was both amused and exasperated. "Wife, your husband is the head of the grain station. You've been secretly buying and selling grain with others?"
"What are you doing? Are you planning to betray your own family for the greater good or what?"
“What are you thinking? I mean, leave this kind of thing to me. I’ll figure out a way to store food.”
"I'm just afraid you'll break the rules."
"Am I stupid? If I wanted to do these things, of course I would have legitimate channels. How could I possibly break the rules?"
"Safety comes first, so we absolutely can't get caught doing anything wrong. I'll give you the money; the black market price is twice as high. Don't be stingy with the money; it's better to take a detour than to break the rules."
"Okay." Su Xiangdong was both amused and exasperated; his wife was so funny. She was so considerate of him, which warmed his heart. She got onto the kang (heated brick bed), and he leaned over to kiss her before handing her the baby to breastfeed.
"I'll go get you some water to wash up."
She nodded, lifted her clothes, and let her daughter nurse. The little one happily nursed while looking at her, and she smiled and tapped the baby's nose.
"Is your baby being a good boy/girl at home?"
Of course, such a young child couldn't answer her, but he did make a soft humming sound. The daughter looked very healthy now, with delicate, rosy skin and large, clear, bright eyes. The son lying beside her was equally lively, babbling and cooing to his mother, his chubby little legs kicking powerfully in the air.
My son fell ill this month, during the dry autumn season. He had a high fever, vomited, and was unconscious; it took some effort to cure him. Now, looking at the little guy, he's such a healthy baby, no longer the weak child he was in his previous life. He shouldn't get sick again, right?
She was on guard, and Sun Yaozu next door also remembered this illness. It was during this illness that she sold the small yellow croakers, and he discovered she had quite a bit of money. Now that he thinks about it, she was too cunning; a single small yellow croaker could easily sell for nearly ten thousand, but she gave him less than a thousand.
"No wonder she can support herself and her two kids in the village. It turns out that the three of them are the most important to her. Damn, I used to think she was the best to me."
"What are you muttering about?" Meng Xi came in from outside, her face as gloomy as if it were about to rain.
"Nothing. Are you ready to eat?"
"I just finished washing the clothes." She pouted, looking a little unhappy. "Yaozu, can't you help me with some chores? Your mother orders me around doing this and that, but she won't let you do anything."
"You know my mother is stubborn. Besides, look around, isn't it always the women who do the housework? It's nothing. Once you're pregnant, my mother will definitely take care of you. She'll help you with all these things. She'll also help you take care of the baby."
"I..." Meng Xi lowered her head and touched her stomach; her period had just ended this month. She'd been married for several months, but there was still no sign of pregnancy. With the hot summer days almost over and autumn approaching, she really needed to get pregnant quickly.
The mother-in-law wouldn't let her son do anything—laundry, cooking, cleaning—she just watched her do all the chores. While this was common in most families, it was because of the neighbor's example. Shu Yao didn't have to do anything at home, leisurely taking her child for a walk after work, while the mother-in-law was constantly busy.
"Was Shuyao like this when she lived at your house before?"
"Isn't that how it is in every family? Look at Shuyao, she doesn't have to cook now because she has to take care of two kids. Oh, and she also has to go to work."
After Sun Yaozu's words, Meng Xi obediently continued working. She grumbled as she worked, complaining about how difficult it was to get pregnant. Shu Yao had gotten pregnant right after getting married, but Meng Xi hadn't shown any signs of pregnancy for several months.
The trash was gathered in a dustpan, and as she went outside to empty it, she saw Shu Yao pushing two children out in a stroller. The two little ones were very excited, babbling away in baby talk.
To be honest, although she disliked Shu Yao, the two were really adorable. The twins looked completely different, and her daughter looked remarkably like her. Suddenly having both a son and a daughter, Shu Yao's face radiated the glow of motherhood.
She stood there for quite a while without realizing it; the little baby was so adorable. When Sun Yaozu came out after seeing that she hadn't returned, he also saw Shu Yao's two children. Two neighbor women were playing with the baby, and the little one was babbling away.
He couldn't remember what his two children looked like when they were little; he only remembered them as thin and prone to crying. They kept him awake at night, and for two years he slept in his parents' room. Shu Yao took care of the children herself, and was often woken up by their noise even through the wall. She felt nothing but frustration and annoyance during her children's infancy and toddlerhood.
Su Xiangdong, having gone off somewhere, rode his bike back from the west on a weekend. He parked his bike and bent down to hold both children. In his memory, the two children only cared for Shu Yao; they weren't even very affectionate towards their grandmother who usually looked after them. But these days, the children adored Su Xiangdong.
The man picked up one child in each arm, and the little ones happily nestled in his embrace, babbling incoherently, but their gestures showed affection, familiarity, and fondness.
"Have you missed your dad? Let's go home and have some rice porridge."
He carried the child away, and Shu Yao followed behind, smiling as she pushed the bicycle. The bicycle was parked at the front gate, and the family of four chatted and laughed as they went home.
Meng Xi turned around and saw him. "What, are you envious?"
"No." He reached out and took the winnowing basket from her hand. "Let's go home. Why should I envy them? When we have children in the future, we'll be a hundred times happier than this."
There was no one else in the doorway. He reached out and embraced her, whispering in her ear, "I only love the children you bear. No one else matters to me."
Meng Xi was immediately overjoyed and extremely proud. She went home and happily went to the kitchen to cook, boiling the only egg for him.
"Give me some extra help? What, you think I'm not working hard enough?"
Meng Xi blushed as he teased her, and punched him with her little fist. "What are you doing? You're so annoying."
"Meng Xi!" the old woman roared, startling the two men. "You dare to hit my son? You've gone too far! Look at any other wife who dares to lay a hand on her husband! You...you barren hen!"
Meng Xi had intended to explain, but her mother-in-law's last words immediately infuriated her. "Mom, what did you say?"
“I said you’re a hen that doesn’t lay eggs. What?” The old woman put her hands on her hips. “Did I say something wrong? You’re lazy and greedy, and you even dare to do things secretly. We spent so much money to marry you, and you haven’t done anything for months. Tell me, how did our Sun family end up marrying such a thing?”
Meng Xi immediately understood that the old woman knew she was secretly hiding her wages. The old woman demanded her wages in the very first month after she entered the family, and Sun Yaozu tried to persuade and coax her, saying he would help her get them back once she became pregnant. She reluctantly handed over her wages, but she kept a watchful eye on things.
“Yaozu,” she said, tears welling in her eyes, avoiding a direct confrontation with her mother-in-law. “Listen to this…”
"Don't cry, don't cry," Sun Yaozu heard his mother's words, and the impact was still quite significant. He quickly reached out to comfort his wife. Seeing how aggrieved his wife looked, he looked up at his mother and frowned.
"Mother, how can you talk like that? Even if you are an elder, you shouldn't bully people like this. We've only been married for less than three months, not three years. For you to insult my wife like that is like slapping me in the face."
"Well, you brat, you've forgotten your mother after getting married." The old woman pointed at her, her whole arm trembling.
"Do you know what she did? She lied to us, keeping a portion of the wages she handed over for herself. That's how she deceives the elderly. She dares to cheat us like this even before we're old and useless. Who knows how she'll treat us when we're old?"
Sun Yaozu lowered his head and wiped away his wife's tears. "Did you keep your salary?"
"No. Mother said we had to hand it all over, so I did." Meng Xi cried, feeling wronged. "How can she scold a newlywed for not being able to lay eggs? This isn't some old-fashioned mother-in-law. I've never seen a mother-in-law treat her daughter-in-law like this. She doesn't treat her like a human being."
“Every family has its rules, and every household has its head. What, shouldn’t you hand it over? Go visit other families, and you’ll see that the mother-in-law is in charge of every household.”
In many families with in-laws, this is indeed the case. She was also coaxed by Sun Yaozu. At the time, Sun Yaozu promised her that once she became pregnant, he would use the excuse that she needed supplements during pregnancy to avoid paying any taxes. Being newly married, she didn't want to have a falling out with her in-laws. After weighing her options, she agreed to her husband's suggestion.
"Many people don't have to hand over anything; they just need to pay for their living expenses."
“That applies to some families. As for our Sun family, we have to hand over the money. Ask Shu Yao when she has ever had any real control over the finances in all these years.”
It would have been better if this hadn't been mentioned; it only made Meng Xi more upset. Look at Shu Yao, how carefree she is now. No in-laws, and such a good husband. Just look at how she dresses and eats now—it's a world of difference compared to when she was at the Sun family's.
"Xixi, don't be angry, your mother is just..."
Sun Yaozu started trying to smooth things over again. Because the argument was so loud, Shu Yao, who was standing by the wall on the other side, could hear it very clearly.
She sneered. That bastard Sun Yaozu wasn't much better to her "white moonlight" (ideal woman). He talked a good game, but in reality, he made her do all the housework and hand over her salary.
"What did you hear?" She wouldn't say it aloud, but she always silently paid attention to the arguments in the Sun family. She probably still harbored resentment towards them.
"You're arguing." Meng Xi, you're already calling me a barren hen now. If this goes on any longer, let's see how you manage. In your past life, you were entangled with a married man; in this life, you two are locked together forever.
Seeing her amused expression, Su Xiangdong reached out, hugged her, and kissed her. "Next time you can go to his house to watch."
"Are you crazy? I'll be caught in the crossfire!"
"Go outside and take a look. There's a whole bunch of onlookers. You won't stand out at all."
Shu Yao laughed happily, but as she laughed, tears streamed down her face, which she quickly wiped away. The hidden pain that had been nagging at her since her rebirth resurfaced, yet she felt a strange sense of relief mixed with the pain.
The wounds in her heart won't hurt if she doesn't touch them, but they also won't heal. In her past life, she was entangled with the Sun family her whole life, being manipulated without realizing it. She only knew that she wasn't happy, but she didn't know where the root of the problem lay.
In the end, Sun Yaozu's words felt like sharp knives piercing her heart, instantly shattering her lifelong beliefs. She hated, she resented, and she took a series of actions. She wanted to see the Sun family in chaos, and she wanted to see Sun Yaozu suffer a terrible end.
But it was only at this moment that she realized that more than revenge against Sun Yaozu, what she wanted was warmth of her own. Ever since she was twelve and separated from her family, she had longed for a home.
She can't contact her parents and brother right now. If she's all alone with the baby, she knows how exhausted she'll be. Even with her grandma's help in her past life, she was still completely worn out. If she's on her own, she won't be able to balance work and childcare.
"Su Xiangdong, thank goodness for you."
Seeing that she was crying, Su Xiangdong was at a loss and wiped her tears. "What's wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?"
Looking at his concerned face and worried eyes, she both cried and laughed. Struggling to survive in this closed-off era, separated from her long-standing emotional support and her so-called home, she felt lost and uncertain. She couldn't bear to leave her two children, but if she raised them alone, she would be overwhelmed dealing with the Sun family.
"Thank goodness for you."
She cried, her voice choked with sobs, but Su Xiangdong recognized those four words. He gently patted her and comforted her, helping her to release her emotions.
"Don't be afraid, don't worry, I'm here, I'll always be here." Don't be afraid of the Sun family causing you trouble, I'm here. The child is ours, it has nothing to do with the Sun family, and no one can take him away.
Seeing the two of them like this, Auntie San silently went inside to take care of the child. What's wrong with the young couple? Why is Yaoyao crying all of a sudden? She was very puzzled, but she didn't ask anything. It's their private matter, and she shouldn't interfere.
She cried her heart out in her husband's arms, finally releasing some of the pent-up anger she'd been holding since her rebirth. Hearing the Sun family arguing again no longer stirred her emotions so intensely. The constant bickering next door grew increasingly fierce as supplies decreased.
"The situation is serious, and it's a test for everyone." Su Xiangdong stood next to her, holding his daughter. The couple seemed to be listening to the Sun family's argument, but also seemed not to be listening at all.
"Life has many challenges to overcome, and some say the challenges of relationships are the hardest. But in the face of disaster, human nature is the most terrifying."
"Don't worry, you won't go hungry."
Shu Yao smiled but didn't say much; she knew he could do it. Food rations were reduced, especially refined grains. To avoid drawing attention, they ate coarse grains during the day and only secretly ate the better ones at night.
Handmade dragon beard noodles, even a six-month-old baby can eat a small amount. My son's original illness never came, and now he looks healthy and very lively.
"ah,"
"Don't pull, Mom will feed you."
"ah,"
"Good son, Mom knows. Your turn is next. This one should be for your little sister."
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