Chapter 48: The Best Big Sister-in-Law

One of the parties involved in the gossip had a hurt backside and had to see a physician; those who came to watch the spectacle could no longer linger and left reluctantly.

“The Lu family’s drama is even better than the sent-down youth point’s. Just wait—there’ll be even more exciting times ahead.”

“Neither Old Lady Lu nor Yi Zhou’s sister are easy to deal with. Why on earth did Yu Xian insist on marrying into that house? Ugh! Hard times are coming!”

The village chief’s wife was still cracking her pumpkin seeds, her chin slightly lifted, as if she knew everything.

“Why else? She’s getting old—if she doesn’t marry now, she’ll be an old maid. Sure, the Lu boy was married before and has a little stepchild, but he’s a soldier with monthly allowances. Su’s daughter won’t find a better match than Baozhen’s father—of course she’s clinging to him.”

If she wasn’t mistaken, Su Yuxian was still planning to follow him to the military.

If she followed him to the military, far from the mother-in-law, wouldn’t she live in comfort?!

“Tsk tsk, Yu Xian is becoming more and more like her mother,” said the woman in her indigo patched shirt.

“Wanting a better life isn’t wrong,” added another.

The village chief’s wife shook her head, unconvinced.

True, but once you step into a wolf’s den, what’s the point?

Everyone said Yi Zhou was good—a righteous young man, just like Gu’s third son—but for no reason, she felt the Lu boy was insincere.

No proof—she’d just say he didn’t suit her taste.

What no one knew was—in the original novel, after Lin Zhao died, Lu Baozhen used buns and candy “exchanged” from the black carp to care for and accompany Dacai and Ercai, making them see her as a close friend.

Thus, the black carp got what it wanted.

Lu Baozhen used this to acquire more and more good things; the Lu family’s life improved steadily, and Su Yuxian only needed to flatter her stepdaughter to live well.

Meanwhile, Dacai and Ercai began to suffer, gradually losing everyone they could rely on, barely surviving to adulthood by digging wild vegetables and depending on villagers’ charity.

Now.

The twins’ mother wasn’t dead—she’d taught them to stay away from the Lu family. Lu Baozhen couldn’t get near Dacai and Ercai, so she turned her attention to the stepmother.

Su Yuxian arrived at the Lu household branded as an unlucky bride, starting her life in hell mode, lying in bed questioning herself.

Yi Zhou also thought her unlucky—he didn’t even want to enter the room, didn’t unpack his bags, and returned straight to his unit.

Upon hearing this, Su Yuxian rolled her eyes and fainted.

Before losing consciousness, a thought flashed through her mind: This shouldn’t happen! Not like this!

She should be living a good life!

Yuan Bao ran to the Gu family’s old homestead, spitting saliva everywhere, telling Dacai, Ercai, and the others about the Lu family’s drama.

Lai Mei slapped her thigh in regret. “Too bad I didn’t get to taste any hot food—I arrived after it was all over.”

Dacai generously handed out spicy strips and said seriously, “Watching drama isn’t as good as eating spicy strips.”

Their mother told them not to associate with the Lu family—he hoped Bang Bang and the others would keep away too, but didn’t know how to say it, so he had a sudden idea: bribe them with snacks.

“You’re right! Thanks, Dacai!” Lai Mei took the spicy strip, didn’t dare take a big bite, nibbled a tiny piece—and her eyes lit up instantly.

“Dacai, your and Ercai’s life is so sweet—Third Aunt buys you delicious things every day.”

He was tired of hearing people say “envious.”

And worse—he, about to start school, hadn’t even seen a backpack, while Ercai, running wild through the village, had one.

Oh heavens, you’re so unfair, waaah.

“Lai Mei, what’s wrong?” Dacai asked, blinking his large, clear black-and-white eyes in confusion.

“Nothing,” Lai Mei bit into the spicy strip like she was venting, then smiled again.

A single candy, a bite of snack—could make him perfectly content.

Half-grown boys get hungry fast; Ercai’s stomach growled, and he asked his brother, “Brother, when can we eat watermelon?”

Tie Dan sucked his fingers and turned to Dacai: “Third Aunt bought you guys watermelon again? Dacai, I feel like you two are just like Chengliren .”

Dacai and Ercai smirked.

Not true.

Their mother said they lived better than Chengliren .

…

The two brothers slipped home, grabbed the watermelon, and returned to the old homestead.

Bang Bang and the others were stunned and delighted.

“Dacai! Ercai!!” Tie Dan couldn’t believe the hunch forming in his mind and whispered, “Is that…?”

“My mom said to share this watermelon with everyone,” Dacai said. Sharing with his brothers and sisters didn’t hurt him at all.

Tie Dan jumped three feet high with a full “WOW!” and shouted excitedly, “Wow! Third Aunt is the best Third Aunt in the whole commune!!”

Huang Xiulan was also pleased, cut open the watermelon, let the kids take their own pieces, and sent a few slices to the main house.

“Mom, eat watermelon.”

Gu Mu couldn’t sit still—making her lie in bed doing nothing was like killing her. She sat half-upright, sewing cloth shoes for the children.

Kids ran wild over the hills and fields—shoes wore out fastest. Their big toes poked through in just two days. With free time now, she’d make extra pairs; next, the third family’s brick-and-tile house might leave her no time.

“Did Lao San’s wife send this?” Gu Mu asked, eyeing the watermelon wedge in her eldest daughter-in-law’s hand.

“Yes. Dacai and Ercai brought it home and said their mom told us to eat it together,” Huang Xiulan smiled.

Knowing everyone was sharing, Gu Mu wiped her hands, took the piece, bit into it—it was sweet and juicy.

“Lao San’s wife really knows how to pick watermelons. This one’s excellent—just one bite eases the stuffiness.”

Huang Xiulan knew why her mother-in-law was restless—she couldn’t sit still, just like when she herself was confined after childbirth, desperate to get up and plow three mu of land.

“Mom, just be patient. When you heal, you can move however you want.”

Gu Mu, of course, listened.

Listening to the children’s laughter and chatter outside the courtyard, time grew easier to bear.

The sweet scent of watermelon drew the busy Gu family members to gather.

They sat in a row, eating fruit.

Gu Chan had returned to her natal home today; at the village entrance, she heard several women gossiping.

“I wonder how Yuan Shan’s mother is doing. She bled so much yesterday—will she ever recover?”

Mother?

Mother was injured!

Gu Chan felt as if struck with a blunt club—her eardrums rang, and her bamboo basket nearly slipped from her arm.

Her face changed instantly; she ran home.

On the way, she tripped over a stone, stumbled, but didn’t bother to fix her braid.

At the door, she gasped for breath, heart pounding.

She pushed the door open.

“?”

What did she see?!

Her family sat in a row, eating watermelon.

“...” Gu Chan froze.

“This…?” She was full of question marks.

Ercai shot up instantly, beaming. “Big Aunt! Big Aunt, come eat watermelon!!”

Gu Chan’s gaze shifted to his face—expression blank.

This… this was Er… Ercai?

His hair was buzzed short, no patches visible on his black short-sleeve shirt and shorts, his feet wore sandals she’d only glimpsed once at the Gongxiaoshe , and he carried a military-green bag.

His face had filled out, soft and fair.

He looked even more… what was the word? Stylish—yes, stylish!

“Ercai?!” She stared, stunned, speechless: “You—you’re Ercai?!”

If she hadn’t been at home, she’d never have recognized him.

The Gu family saw him daily and felt nothing; Gu Chan hadn’t returned home in half a month—her shock was immense.

“It’s me,” Ercai looked bewildered.

He set down the watermelon, toddled over to his aunt, looked up, pinched his own chubby cheeks, and showed them to Gu Chan from every angle.

Left. Right.

Repeated several times.

“Big Aunt, look closely—I’m Ercai! Don’t you recognize me?!”

He practically offered his round, plump nape for inspection.

Gu Chan cupped Ercai’s face, holding his head steady. “I recognize you now. But how did you change so much?”

A thought struck her—her eyes lit up: “Did your father come back?”

She frantically looked around. “Where is he? Where’s your father?”

Dacai walked over and explained clearly: “Father didn’t come back. The new clothes were made by our mom, the new shoes were bought by her at the Gongxiaoshe , and she bought us Baobao Shuang too.”

Huh?

What?!

Zhao Zhao bought these?!

Gu Chan’s brain felt like it was burning up.

She remained dazed for a long time—until a slice of watermelon, dripping juice, was placed in her hand.

She snapped back to reality and asked Huang Xiulan: “Big Sister, how is Mother? I heard at the village entrance that she was injured.”

Huang Xiulan had been puzzled—they hadn’t sent word, so how did Gu Chan know their mother was injured?

Now she understood—it was from what the villagers had said.

In the village, there were no secrets; bad news traveled far, not just empty talk.

“She was injured, but the physician prescribed medicine, and Mother’s spirits have been fine these past two days.”

Gu Chan hadn’t seen her mother, so she wasn’t reassured; she took the watermelon to her father and mother’s room.

“Mother, are you alright?” she asked the moment she stepped inside.

Gu Mu was being watched while drinking brown sugar water when the bamboo curtain stirred—her eldest daughter’s anxious, worried face appeared.

She immediately handed the bowl to Gu Fu, patted the bed’s edge, “I’m fine, why did you come? Are you tired? Rest a bit.”

Gu Chan took three quick steps forward and plopped down, her eyes scanning Gu Mu.

“Mother, where are you hurt?”

Gu Mu said, “Just surface wounds, I change the dressings often, I can barely feel them anymore.”

Villagers weren’t so delicate; some women worked in the fields while pregnant, giving birth right onto the yellow earth, and others returned to work the very next day after childbirth… her injuries meant nothing.

Hearing this, Gu Chan finally relaxed and handed over the watermelon.

Gu Mu refused, “We’ve already eaten. You eat—it’s from your brother’s wife, sweet and juicy, perfect for quenching thirst. You must be parched from your journey, go ahead.”

Gu Fu nodded.

Gu Chan was indeed thirsty and hadn’t tasted anything sweet in half a year; she immediately began eating.

She finished the watermelon quickly, wiped her hands, and asked, “Mother, what’s going on with Zhao Zhao?”

“Did she buy the clothes and shoes for Dacai and Ercai?!”

Gu Chan was full of confusion. “Why? I’ve only been away half a month—why does everything at home feel so strange?”

Gu Mu told her about the changes at home during this time.

Learning that her sister-in-law cared for the four children and had become a clerk at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Gu Chan was overjoyed.

“That’s wonderful!” she said cheerfully.

Then she turned, dissatisfied, toward Gu Mu: “Mother, you didn’t even send word to me. Fine, you didn’t tell me about your injury, but how could you not tell me such good news—that Zhao Zhao became a clerk?”

Gu Mu replied, “You come home every half month anyway—why would you need someone to send word? You found out now, didn’t you?”

“...”

Gu Chan had come home with a purpose.

After seeing her mother, she walked confidently to the third branch of the Gu household.

Led by the twins, she entered Lin Zhao’s room and noticed the children’s clothes had multiplied significantly.

“Dacai, Ercai, why are your clothes in this room?”

Dacai’s ears turned red—he felt he was already a five-and-a-half-year-old boy, too attached to his mother, not at all manly—so he stayed silent.

But Ercai lifted his little face high, beaming with pride: “We sleep with Mama.”

The child’s eyes sparkled brilliantly: “Mama tells us stories too.”

“That’s good—Auntie can finally rest easy about you,” Gu Chan smiled.

Then, swiftly, she changed the sheets, put the dirty sheets, clothes, and shoes into a basin, fetched another basin of water, soaked rags, and wiped the table and cabinets, cleaning every inch inside and out.

After tidying Lin Zhao’s room, she cleaned the adjacent room, then went to the kitchen, washed all the pots, bowls, and utensils, and arranged them neatly.

Finally, she went to the back courtyard and saw the vegetables growing well, with a fence built around them; when she asked the twins, she learned their second uncle had done it.

“This looks much better now.”

Gu Chan swept the front and back courtyards, picked up the large wooden basin, and headed to the river to wash clothes.

Ercai, perceptive, handed her laundry soap: “Auntie, use this soap.”

“Huh? No need for that—soapberries work fine. Laundry soap’s expensive—use it sparingly,” Gu Chan said.

“Laundry soap smells nice—Mama likes it,” Ercai stood on tiptoes and placed the soap into the basin.

“...”

Everyone knew laundry soap smelled nice, but it was just too expensive.

Looking down at the earnest faces of her two nephews, Gu Chan gave in.

Fine—use soapberries first, then a tiny bit of laundry soap at the end, just to leave a scent.

As Gu Chan lifted the wooden basin to leave, Da Huang and Hu Po returned from wandering the village.

Seeing a stranger, Hu Po dug her four paws into the ground, ears perked, barking fiercely.

“Hu Po, this is my Auntie—don’t be aggressive!” Dacai rushed over and picked up Hu Po.

The puppy’s view changed—her doggy face went bewildered, unable to keep barking, she whimpered and curled into her little caretaker’s arms.

“Auntie, this is Hu Po—Mama named her. Da Huang and Hu Po are our new family members,” Ercai shouted to his auntie.

Gu Chan’s first thought was: feeding dogs wastes so much grain.

“Do you have enough food?”

Dacai said seriously, “Mama says we do.”

“Good enough,” Gu Chan was pleased—Da Huang had gained some weight, no longer skin and bones.

After all, it was a life—still the bloodline of a hero.

Soon, villagers witnessed this scene:

Gu Chan walked ahead, carrying a large wooden basin, trailed by several children and two dogs, large and small, heading straight for the river.

“A-Chan, cleaning up again for your sister-in-law?”

“A-Chan is so diligent—even after marrying out, she keeps coming back to help her brother’s family. So hardworking!”

Some sighed in admiration, others teased her.

“If you keep helping Chenghuai’s household like this, won’t your in-laws mind? You’re married now—your heart should be with your husband’s family. Constantly worrying about your birth family—be careful your mother-in-law takes offense,” said an older auntie solemnly.

Her words implied: I’m only looking out for you; if you don’t listen, you’re ungrateful.

Gu Chan smiled and ignored her, calling out to Ercai—who was ready to fight heaven, earth, and men—and walked briskly toward the river.

Her third brother was away in the military, returning only once a year—if she didn’t hold the home together for Chenghuai, what would become of her brother?

Never mind anything else—just for the sake of her four nephews and niece, she had to treat Zhao Zhao well.

In the afternoon, just after three-thirty.

Lin Zhao rode her bicycle home.

As soon as she entered, she saw the clothes drying in the courtyard.

Before calling out to the twins, she saw her sister-in-law—slim, small, skin tanned to wheat-brown—emerging from the back courtyard.

“Big sister.”