Chapter 2

“Mama, do you have a headache?” Dacai thought his mother’s expression was strange; he feared her head had been injured, his face filled with worry.

He was just over five years old, thin and small, with barely any flesh on his bones, his sleeves and knees patched with large mends—ordinary attire for this era, no issue at all, but to Lin Zhao after her awakening, it was proof she had neglected her son.

Lin Zhao felt she must have been insane before her awakening: holding Gu Chenghuai’s savings book, receiving a “large” monthly allowance, yet refusing to spend it, raising her child like this—she truly deserved to die.

And this house—constantly shedding dust, worthless in every way, so unattractive even thieves Landejinlai , yet before marriage she hadn’t been stingy at all—why had she become this miserly after giving birth?!

Lin Zhao nearly despised herself to death!!

Her maternal love surged now; she thought her child was perfect in every way, stroking Dacai’s bony face.

“No pain, Mama’s fine.”

What a wonderful child! This lifetime, she would make sure her children were happy and fulfilled, giving them a beautiful childhood, making them the most dazzling kids in the entire commune!

Dacai widened his eyes—Mama touched his face, did she like him…?

The little boy blushed with joy, glanced at Lin Zhao, then secretly smiled, like a kitten that had stolen dried fish.

Dacai held back his shyness and asked: “Mama, are you hungry?”

Lin Zhao had a headache and no appetite; she shook her head: “I’m fine. Where’s Ercai?”

“Ercai is soothing the twins.” The one-year-old twins were cared for by Dacai and Ercai; Dacai saw nothing unusual about it.

Lin Zhao felt ashamed.

She truly wasn’t a worthy mother—before her awakening, she must have been possessed by some evil spirit!

“Come, let’s go see.”

Dacai looked puzzled, but since Mama cared for her younger siblings, he was glad.

While this side was warm and harmonious, the Gu family’s ancestral home was in chaos—

Gu Mu returned home and told the whole family Lin Zhao’s demands.

Gu Xing’er exploded instantly, furious and agitated: “What right does that woman have? That’s my third brother’s money—why won’t she let me spend it?! I’ll tell my third brother—his wife is bullying his own sister!”

Of the three conditions, she could tolerate the other two, but not this one—no money for her—she simply couldn’t accept it.

Gu Mu had cleaned up after Gu Xing’er for years; she was exhausted, and now added: “Go right now—call him, send a telegram, tell your third brother you pushed his wife, the mother of his children, to the ground and gave her a huge bump on her head. Go tell him.”

Gu Xing’er dared not go—ever since her third brother married Lin Zhao, that witch, he’d changed; he wasn’t the doting brother anymore.

“Mama, I’m your own flesh and blood,” Gu Xing’er cried, indignant and loud: “Lin Zhao is my third sister-in-law—what’s wrong with me eating a bowl of her egg custard? If that fox spirit won’t give it to me, she deserves to bang her head against the wall!”

Before she finished shouting, a sharp crack rang out—Gu Mu slapped her hard, sending her face lurching sideways, leaving a bright red palm print on her otherwise pale skin.

Gu Mu was furious, spilling out every word without restraint.

Could she really say such things about a fox spirit? Did she want to be dragged away?!

Then, as always silent, Gu Fu’s face hardened, his voice cold: “You’ve learned nothing but dogshit in school! No more schooling—you’re coming back to work!” His word was final.

“You hit me, and Father won’t let me go to school—I hate you both!” Gu Xing’er screamed, running back to her room, wailing loudly, hurling foul curses.

Gu Fu was livid: “Let her go hungry for two days. No one is to bring her food.”

He turned to Gu Mu: “Especially you.”

“School didn’t teach her how to be human—then we will!” Gu Fu was both disappointed and heartbroken.

Gu Dasa Huang Xiulan and Gu Ersa Zhao Yuan were cleaning the kitchen, hands busy, when Zhao Yuan couldn’t hold back: “Big sister, do you think little sister will ever go back to school?”

Huang Xiulan glanced outside, whispering: “Unlikely.”

Mother had never laid a hand on a younger generation before—she must be furious; even a mild-mannered person’s rage is terrifying.

Zhao Yuan smirked, secretly thinking the little sister was stupid: “Not going to school is better—her brain’s useless even if she studied for a hundred years.”

“Tone it down,” Huang Xiulan warned—she was their own daughter; the elders could say what they liked, but they couldn’t.

Zhao Yuan fell silent, scrubbing bowls with ash, humming a tune, in good spirits.

?

The Gu family’s third branch’s earthen hut.

Lin Zhao stepped into the children’s room; the moment her right foot crossed the threshold, dust rained down from above, landing squarely on her head.

“...”

Speechless.

Lin Zhao brushed the dust from her hair, now certain—before her awakening, she had definitely been possessed by a ghost.

Even before marriage, when her own family was destitute, she’d insisted her father fix up the house to make it presentable—she’d never tolerated such squalor.

These past years felt like a dream.

Ercai, seeing his mother enter their room, looked puzzled, glancing at his older brother.

Dacai’s attention was entirely on his mother—he didn’t notice his younger brother’s pleading gaze.

Ercai slid off the bed in a flash, walked over to Dacai, ignoring Lin Zhao, speaking only to his brother: “Brother, why is she in our room?”

Over the past years, the twins had been raised by Gu Mu; Lin Zhao hadn’t paid much attention, so the children weren’t close to her—but children are naturally drawn to their mothers; when she was injured, they’d rushed to protect her, and now that she’d shown them even a little kindness, they couldn’t help wanting to cling to her.

Lin Zhao heard Ercai’s question, reached out, and yanked his cheek hard, making him yelp.

“Mama!” Ercai wanted to shout but held back, mindful of the sleeping twins; his face flushed with anger, though his dark skin made it hard to see.

“What secrets are you whispering, hiding them from me?” Lin Zhao bent slightly, smiling sweetly.

The instant she released him, Ercai shoved her angrily—but remembered she’d been injured today, so he didn’t use force, huffed in irritation, then ran out the door.

Dacai, close to his brother, feared Lin Zhao would be angry and quickly explained: “Mama, don’t be mad at Ercai—he didn’t mean it.”

Lin Zhao waved her hand, still smiling: “Angry little Ercai is adorable.”

Dacai froze in place, realizing his mother had praised Ercai’s cuteness—his little heart felt a dull ache—she’d never praised him before…

Lin Zhao didn’t notice Dacai’s mood; she stepped closer to the wooden bed—the bedding was blackened, the thin blanket covering the twins was a patchwork of colorful cloth, stained with yellowish marks.

“Sancai and Sicao smell awful,” she said.

Ercai, returning with two sweet potatoes from the kitchen, heard this and glared at Lin Zhao, his eyes flickering with vulnerability, shouting: “Nai is working—she has no time to wash us! If you won’t care for us, don’t you dare complain!”

After shouting, he regretted it, neck stiff, eyes red, standing his ground against her.