Chapter Eight: The Greedy Second Aunt

At noon, Lin Sangqian made soy sauce fried rice.

There wasn’t much rice left, just enough for three small bowls when divided equally. Still, the family of three was quite satisfied, wolfing it down. Afterward, Lin Sangqian opened her system space again.

To her astonishment, she discovered her points were no longer three, but seven.

“What’s going on? Why do I have four more points?”

Immediately, a line of text appeared on the big screen: “You cooked two meals for your brothers. Four points added.”

Lin Sangqian suddenly understood—so cooking for her brothers also counted as a good deed! Each meal was worth two points.

She glanced around the warehouse and noticed the eggs were quite cheap—one point could be exchanged for five eggs.

She traded for ten eggs and placed them in the kitchen, planning to ask her parents to go for a walk with her. Although she had the original host’s memories, she still needed to get acquainted with the village.

As she stepped out of the kitchen, she heard someone calling from outside: “Old Third! Old Third’s wife! Are you home?”

A loud female voice rang out, and soon, a middle-aged woman carrying a basket entered.

Her hair was neatly combed and pinned with a wooden hairpin. Her clothes were neither new nor shabby, and she looked sturdy—clearly well-off. From the original host’s memories, Lin Sangqian recognized her as her second uncle’s wife, Li Fulan.

Li Fulan walked into the yard and spotted Lin Sangqian at once, a smile blossoming on her face. “My dear niece! Look what your second aunt has brought you!”

She lifted the cloth covering the basket to reveal two shriveled persimmon cakes.

“These are specially for you. Aren’t you pleased?” Li Fulan said.

Lin Sangqian was speechless.

Just two withered persimmon cakes—she might as well have brought nothing. Wasn’t this an insult?

But thinking back, the old Lin Sangqian would probably have been delighted.

From the original host’s memories, she knew Li Fulan was no good—greedy and always looking to take advantage, eager to snatch up anything nice for herself. Yet she wore a constant smile, making her more cunning than Lai Ruyu.

Perhaps, this time when Lai Ruyu tried to sell her to the wealthy old landlord, Li Fulan had a hand in it as well.

Lin Sangqian narrowed her eyes.

“Child, why are you silent?”

“Who’s here?” At that moment, Lin Hongda and Liao Shuxia also came out from the house.

“It’s me! I’ve brought you something to eat,” Li Fulan said cheerfully. “I’ll just put it in the kitchen.”

With that, she raised her foot to head for the kitchen.

Lin Sangqian reacted instantly, blocking her path. “Second Aunt, it’s just two persimmon cakes—no need to put them in the kitchen.”

“If not in the kitchen, then where?” Li Fulan tried again to make her way in, but Lin Sangqian stood her ground.

Li Fulan seethed inwardly.

Last night, Lin Shengrong had come to their house and told them what had happened at the third family’s home, even mentioning the smell of stewed chicken.

She’d perked up at once.

Her own family wasn’t doing badly, but they couldn’t eat meat every day either. Since the third family had some, she was determined to wrangle a bit for herself.

But she was also suspicious—the third family was dirt poor, so where did they get chicken?

She had to see for herself.

“Second Sister-in-law, what are you doing?” Lin Hongda and Liao Shuxia approached.

Remembering how Lin Hongda had beaten up Lai Ruyu, Li Fulan felt a bit intimidated, but she forced herself to smile. “What can I be up to? I’m just being kind, bringing you a bite to eat. Is that wrong?”

Liao Shuxia peered at the basket and mocked mercilessly, “Those two dried-up persimmon cakes—better take them home for your own daughter.”

Li Fulan laughed awkwardly. As if she’d ever give such things to her own child.

“If that’s all, please be on your way,” Lin Hongda said mildly.

Li Fulan thought to herself, this family really is different from before, but the allure of chicken made her ignore it. She smiled and said, “Old Third, you’re really something now, aren’t you? Not even putting your second sister-in-law in your eyes?”

“That’s strange. Why should my husband put you in his eyes? It’s enough that he has me. If you want attention, go find your own man,” Liao Shuxia retorted, hands on her hips.

Li Fulan’s face turned red. “How can you say such things!”

“What’s wrong with what I said?”

Li Fulan was thoroughly embarrassed and, unable to contain herself, snapped, “Are you blocking me because there’s something shameful in the kitchen? Well, I insist on going in today!”

With that, she made to barge into the kitchen.

Lin Hongda and Liao Shuxia reached out to stop her, but then noticed Lin Sangqian signaling subtly to them. They paused, uncertain, but withdrew their hands anyway.

Li Fulan triumphantly charged into the kitchen, her greedy eyes darting everywhere for a sign of chicken, but was naturally disappointed.

After all, Lin Sangqian and her family had finished the chicken the previous night.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up at the sight of ten eggs sitting on the stove.

“Well, Old Third, your family’s really doing well these days—eating eggs and all!” she said enviously, reaching out to grab them, when a loud voice stopped her: “Put those down!”

Startled, she flinched, but still managed to clutch two eggs instinctively.

Liao Shuxia knew full well these eggs had just come from her daughter’s system space, and with their family so short on food, how could Li Fulan hope to snatch any?

Li Fulan wavered for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. “What’s the big deal, Third Sister-in-law? We’re all family here. Since you have so many eggs, what’s wrong with sharing a couple?”

In the past, whenever the third family had anything, she’d always come to take her share, and Liao Shuxia never dared utter a word. Now, she actually dared talk back?

“Who says we’re family? We split households long ago!” Liao Shuxia retorted without mercy. “All these years, what have you ever given us? Now you want to trade two rotten persimmon cakes for two of our eggs? Dream on!”

“Oh my, how stingy—you can’t even spare two eggs?” Li Fulan sneered sarcastically.

Lin Sangqian smiled lightly and said, “Second Aunt, we’re short on money. Why don’t you bring us ten taels of silver from your house?”

“What? Ten taels of silver?” Li Fulan nearly jumped out of her skin. “Are you crazy?”

For a farming family, ten taels of silver was enough to last a whole year.

Imitating Li Fulan’s tone, Lin Sangqian said, “Oh my, how stingy—you can’t even spare ten taels of silver?”

Li Fulan was speechless.

This wretched girl!

Her face turned from blue to white as she racked her brains for a way to take a few eggs home. Just then, Lin Sangqian spoke again, “Second Aunt, if you really want two eggs, take them.”