Wu Shufen and Lin Changyou entered the courtyard carrying a bucket of pickling water. "Little Lan, why aren’t you in the city minding the shop?"

Lin Lan smiled. "Xiangyang’s dad is at the shop. I came back to help make the pumpkin cakes."

Lin Changyou put down the bucket. "You all stay here. I’ll go to the shop to have a word with our in-law."

Wu Shufen nodded. "Go on, then. Invite our in-law to join us for lunch at Lexing."

"Alright. Make a couple of side dishes, and he and I can have a drink or two." Lin Changyou picked up a cloth, wiped his hands, and made to leave.

"Dad," Lin Lan called out, stopping him. "When you leave the alley, turn right and walk dozens of steps to the bus stop. Get on and ride to the Xinhua Bookstore stop. The department store is right across the street."

"Got it." Lin Changyou strode away.

Lin Lan took the pumpkin to the kitchen to peel it, while Lin Yuezhen took the large white beans out of the steamer, poured them into a ceramic bowl, and began to skin them.

Wu Shufen poured the tofu brine into an oil-free clay pot to make pickled greens.

As she was nearly finished preparing the pickled greens, Wangcai started barking in the courtyard. WOOF! WOOF!

A moment later, Qiaohui’s voice rang out as she scolded Wangcai. "Cousin! Second Aunt and Youngest Aunt are here!"

"Coming," Lin Lan replied, putting down the kitchen knife and heading outside.

Wu Shufen’s brow furrowed. She poured the rest of the brine into the pickling jar, pressed everything down firmly, and secured the lid before heading out.

When Lin Lan went outside, she saw a thin woman with shoulder-length hair and a sharp-looking young man of about seventeen or eighteen entering the courtyard with Wu Shuqin and her daughter. "Second Aunt, Youngest Aunt, come in and have a seat."

’She remembered that this Second Aunt wasn’t on good terms with her mother, Wu Shufen, or their sister, Wu Shufang. They hadn’t even come to her engagement with Xiangyang yesterday. Why were they here today?’

Wu Shuhui came forward with an exaggerated smile and grabbed Lin Lan’s hand. "Oh, my, my! Just look at our Little Lan. Who would’ve thought you’ve been a mother for years?"

"You’re even prettier than when you were a young maiden back home. My, my, and now you’re a big boss! If your youngest aunt hadn’t brought me along, this country bumpkin of a second aunt wouldn’t have even dared to set foot in your home."

’Her smile is so fake, and her voice and movements are so over-the-top,’ Lin Lan thought, feeling her skin crawl. "Second Aunt, my hands are covered in pumpkin pulp. Youngest Aunt, Xinglan, Cousin, please, have a seat," she said politely, pulling her hand free.

Wu Shuhui waved her hands. "Pumpkin pulp isn’t dirty. Your Second Aunt has worked in the fields; I’ve even handled manure."

Lin Lan was at a loss for words. ’No wonder Mom always said Wu Shuhui takes after the family’s old grandmother instead of the rest of us. Utterly selfish.’

Wu Shufen and Qiaohui came out of the kitchen, each carrying two bamboo chairs. Wu Shufen smiled politely. "Shuhui, why didn’t you come with Shuqin yesterday?"

"Something came up yesterday," Wu Shuhui said with a smile. When Shuqin had relayed the message from their second sister—that Lin Lan, a widow, was getting remarried and she was invited to the engagement banquet in Lexing—she had feigned being too busy at home to attend. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

But who would have known that yesterday, her daughter-in-law would come home from Shuqin’s place saying that Lin Lan was now a big shot? Not only had they slaughtered a fat pig for the engagement banquet, but the groom’s betrothal gifts were apparently jaw-dropping.

She also said the groom’s family was incredibly wealthy. They had not only opened a general store for Little Lan but a clothing boutique as well, and the merchandise was even better than what you could find at the state-run co-op.

Thinking of how her youngest son, Littlebo, spent all day fooling around with the village loafers, Wu Shuhui had brought him along with Shuqin to Lexing. Her plan was to ask Lin Lan to give Littlebo a job as a clerk in one of her shops.

At her side, Wu Shuqin pursed her lips. ’The four of us sisters, thick as thieves,’ she thought sarcastically. ’As if any of us can fool the others.’

’When I brought her the message inviting her to Lin Lan’s engagement banquet, she sneered, saying, "What’s the big deal about a widow getting remarried?" and claimed she was too busy. Now today she’s eagerly tagging along. Isn’t it obvious she just wants to ask Lin Lan to find a job for her youngest?’

Wu Shufen gave a faint smile and said to Lin Lan, "Little Lan, you go on and get back to your work. I’ll stay here and entertain your aunts."

Lin Lan nodded and headed for the kitchen with Qiaohui. Tong Xinglan followed them.

After sitting down, Wu Shufen looked at her nephew, who was perched on a stool with his eyes darting all over the place, and asked, "Littlebo, have you found a girlfriend yet?"

Xu Xiaobo pulled a long face. "Not yet! I don’t like the girls Mom picks out, and she doesn’t like the ones I pick. I wanted to enlist, but she won’t let me do that either."

"What’s so great about being a soldier?" Wu Shuhui shot him a look. "You get a big send-off with red flowers, gongs, and drums, but what about when you come back? You sneak home quietly, like a beaten dog with its tail between its legs."

Wu Shufen’s face fell instantly. "Shuhui, I don’t appreciate you saying that. Name one veteran you’ve seen who was discharged and had to sneak home like a drowned rat."

"SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!" Wu Shuhui slapped her own mouth a few times sheepishly. "Second Sister, I forgot that Guozhu and Guoqiang also joined the army. Of course, Guozhu and Guoqiang are capable, they’re different from those useless types, ha!"

Hearing this, the corners of Wu Shuqin’s mouth twitched. She quickly turned her head away to keep from laughing out loud.

Wu Shufen saw this but couldn’t be bothered to argue. She stood up. "Shuqin, you and Shuhui sit tight for a bit. I’m going to start on lunch."

"Second Sister," Wu Shuhui called out to stop her, smiling placatingly. "I heard from Shuqin that the man Little Lan is marrying is very capable. I brought Littlebo along to see if Little Lan’s fiancé could help him find some work."

Wu Shufen smiled. "Xiangyang runs a pig farm and works as a butcher. So, do you think Littlebo would rather feed pigs on the farm or learn the butchering trade?"

’She’d long since heard from Shuqin that Shuhui had spoiled Xu Xiaobo rotten. He was running around with the village delinquents, getting into petty theft. Letting him work at Lin Lan’s store would be like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. They’d just be asking for trouble.’

’If you asked her, a spoiled kid like Xu Xiaobo was exactly the type who should be sent off to the army. Let the troops straighten him out and keep him from going astray.’

Xu Xiaobo’s face twisted in disgust. "A pig farm? It stinks. I’m not going. And I’m definitely not learning to be a butcher."

’And he gets to be picky?’ Wu Shufen scoffed inwardly. ’Look at him. He can’t lift a finger to do any real work. It’s questionable whether Xiangyang would even have him.’

Wu Shuhui swallowed her displeasure and put on a placating smile. "Second Sister, you know Littlebo has had a weak constitution since he was little. He can’t do heavy work. Could you maybe ask his cousin’s husband to find a little something for him to do at one of the shops?"

Wu Shufen gave a wry smile. "The shops are already staffed. It’s all Xiangyang’s relatives and his friends’ children. It’s not really our place to interfere."

Wu Shuhui put on a worried look. "How could Little Lan let her fiancé’s relatives work at the shops? You have to be more on guard!"

Wu Shufen just smiled. "We aren’t asking for anything. As long as our son-in-law treats Little Lan well, that’s all that matters." She looked at Wu Shuhui, her tone shifting. "Besides, we didn’t put a single cent into either of those shops. What right do we have to meddle in his family’s affairs?"

’Trying to stir up trouble is pointless. Lin Lan is the one in charge of the shops, and Xiangyang trusts her with all the money they earn. I know my son-in-law’s character perfectly well.’