Chapter 2 is all fake.
The dormitory building was newly built by the food factory. When the rooms were allocated, which worker wasn't watching closely? And who wasn't overjoyed to be able to move in?
Song Lubai has been living with her mother in the tenement building for over a year, and her biggest feeling about it is that it looks nice but is not practical.
Each floor of the tenement building only has one toilet, one public water room, and one kitchen. During peak hours when there are no available spaces, everyone can only wait.
One morning she had diarrhea and ran to every floor but couldn't get it resolved in time; the pain was indescribable.
Multiple families share a kitchen. If the cooking times are not staggered, those whose meals are not ready when it is time to eat can only stand outside the kitchen anxiously watching.
Even if they manage to avoid each other, various conflicts still occur, and minor arguments and quarrels break out frequently, which greatly affects neighborly relations.
But there's always a way to overcome difficulties. One kitchen wasn't enough, so everyone tried to put up a small stove by the door.
Cooking with a small stove is slow, but at least you don't have to wait, which greatly eases neighborhood tensions.
Every household has piles of worthless but essential miscellaneous items at their doorsteps, as well as small stoves, which naturally reduces the usable space in the stairwell. Children playing in the stairwell often trip over these miscellaneous items.
Therefore, Song Lubai felt that the tenement building was more for show than practical use.
Although every household has white walls and cement floors, making them look neat, clean, and respectable, none of them are as convenient as the houses with yards we used to live in.
But if most people were to choose, ten out of ten would choose a tenement building, after all, it's more respectable!
They ate steamed buns made from mixed grains, drank coarse cornmeal porridge, and ate wild vegetables boiled in water and mixed with garlic sauce, all while loud snoring echoed from inside the house.
The people at the dinner table were already used to it.
Song Lubai's stepfather worked the night shift last night and fell into a deep sleep after returning home.
As long as Lin Dahai is asleep, he won't wake up unless someone pulls on him forcefully, no matter how loud the noise in the room is.
After finishing their meal, the twins wiped their mouths, slung their backpacks over their shoulders, and ran off, leaving Song Lubai to do the dishes.
Song Lubai was in a bad mood today. She nodded at Lin Jinyao, who had inherited all of her wealth in her dream, and said, "I'm not feeling well today. Go do the dishes."
Lin Jinyao blinked and obediently got up to do her work without saying a word.
Song Lubai stared at her beautiful, lovely face, but couldn't remember what the girl in her dream looked like when she grew up.
All she remembered was that Lin Jinyao in her dream was tall, youthful, and beautiful; she looked like an educated city girl.
Will she give all her assets to this girl in the future?
That can't be right.
She admitted that she liked this girl more than the twins, but given that she had her own children, would she give all her property to a stranger with no blood relation to her?
That's ridiculous!
Thinking of my biological child in my dream, I can't help but think of that ugly, limping man who beat his wife.
impossible!
How could she be so blind?
She shivered.
It's all fake! It must all be a dream!
Just then, an aunt carrying a basket passed by in the hallway. Seeing Lin Jinyao standing on a stool and washing the pot diligently, she praised, "So sensible at such a young age. Look at how she's grown up, she's like a little fairy."
Lin Jinyao turned around, smiling sweetly, "Thank you, Auntie."
The aunties carrying baskets smiled and said loudly to Song Lubai, "Why don't you do the dishwashing? You're making the kids do it on stools instead."
Song Lubai rolled her eyes: "My brother and sister-in-law both said that she should stay here and learn more. Don't underestimate my niece just because she's not young. She's never done any housework. If she learns to wash dishes, I'll give her candy."
A few words shut up several women who loved to gossip about others.
Several women curled their lips in disapproval.
It's just a small chore. Whose child is so pampered that they get a reward after finishing? They're spoiled!
Song Lubai smiled as she looked at the expressions on their faces, and said loudly to Lin Jinyao, "Not only will you get candy after you finish, but we'll also go to the department store later and buy you a little hair accessory."
Lin Jinyao was so happy her tail almost wagged, and she loudly replied, "Okay!"
The child's eyes lit up. "Yay! Auntie is the best to me. I love my little auntie the most."
Song Lubai unconsciously revealed a smile.
Recalling that dream, she immediately shut her mouth, her lips pressed into a straight line.
She made the child do chores because she didn't like her today, so why did she end up giving her a piece of candy and a hair accessory?
Several women in the hallway exchanged glances and pursed their lips.
We're all neighbors, everyone knows what's going on in each other's lives.
The niece that Song Lubai mentioned isn't her biological niece. Why would she give a reward for doing chores? What nonsense is she spouting?
Isn't it just a pretense to make people do the work, and the rewards are just empty words? This act is just a cover-up.
The women in the hallway walked away with pouts, and Lin Jinyao, having finished her work, went inside and stared longingly at Song Lubai.
Song Lubai took out an orange-flavored fruit candy from her pocket.
The child was overjoyed.
Song Lubai poked her chubby cheek, "You do whatever I tell you to do? Why are you so obedient?"
Her obedient and compliant behavior made her feel a little guilty.
The child blinked and said, "I know my aunt is good to me. Every time I come here, you give me candy. My aunt is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I like my aunt. My aunt isn't feeling well today, so it's only right that I wash the dishes."
The child spoke earnestly, with a slight furrow in his brow. Although Song Lubai was only eighteen, she believed she could tell whether the child's words came from the heart or not.
If such a young child could disguise himself so well that she couldn't tell, then the child could only be a monster in disguise.
Song Lubai coughed lightly, "Let's go, let's deliver your mother's food. After that, we'll go to the department store."
Zhang Cui made chicken noodle soup for Liu Mei.
Liu Mei suffered severe bleeding during childbirth, but fortunately, she was transferred from the county hospital to the city hospital in time, which saved her life.
The chicken was a gift from Liu Mei's parents in the countryside, and the noodles were bought and brought over by Liu Mei's husband, Lin Shuhong. They were all bought specifically for Liu Mei to improve her health.
Lin Jinyao's biological grandmother had passed away long ago, and Liu Mei had no proper mother-in-law, so she could only send the chickens here for Zhang Cui to cook and then take them to the hospital.
Liu Mei's family members had nowhere to stay in the city when they came, so they had to trouble Zhang Cui.
Zhang Cui was busy with work, but Liu Mei was in grave danger this time, and she couldn't just ignore it all.
In the hospital, Liu Mei lay pale on the bed, her husband Lin Shuhong not by her side.
Lin Jinyao looked around. "Mom, has Dad gone back to work?"
Liu Mei nodded and struggled to sit up. Song Lubai calmly propped up the pillow for her.
Song Lubai didn't have a good impression of this sister-in-law.
It wasn't that they disliked Liu Mei because of her rural background, but rather because they disliked how her eyes would dart around whenever she came to their house.
Liu Mei's eyes always made her feel like she was plotting something against her family.
Liu Mei also told her about the matchmaker in the countryside, praising the man to the skies.
If the countryside is so great, why did she go to such lengths to find a city guy?
The moment Lin Jinyao opened her mouth to speak, the aroma of oranges filled the air.
Liu Mei smiled. "Have you had some candy?"
Lin Jinyao nodded excitedly and proudly boasted, "My aunt gave it to me. She's even taking me to the department store to buy hair accessories later."
Liu Mei smiled so hard that wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes. "I knew Lu Bai was a good person."
Song Lubai smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, didn't you say you wanted Yao Yao to learn to do housework? I had her wash the pots and pans, and she learned very quickly. She has to be rewarded."
Liu Mei's smile froze.
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