After buying the rice, Lin Qiao didn't hurry home. She walked around to get familiar with the village and was stopped halfway by her mother and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Lin Xu.
Li Guifen glared at the rice in her hand and said loudly, "You bratty girl, bought rice, huh? Give me half."
If you say she's good, she'll take your rice; if you say she's bad, she'll still only take half.
Lin Qiao hid the rice behind her, guardedly refusing, "No way."
Now, whoever dared to take her rice, she would fight them to the death.
There was no food at home, and she and Song Tingfan might starve to death.
The dream only involved her own conflicts with Song Tingfan; it didn't really involve her original family.
But there was one thing she knew: the original self held resentment against the family; after Song Tingyi died, she wanted to return to her mother's home, which the Lin Family rejected feeling it was unreasonable.
"Hey! You unfilial girl, won't even honor your mother?"
Li Guifen said this, but didn't take the rice, instead continuing with her loud voice, "Harvesting in the field, yet you don't come to work. Hurry and put the rice back home, then come and work for me, or I'll have your dad beat you to death."
"Forget it, I'll go with you, you lazy girl who's loved being idle since childhood, move along." Saying this, she started chasing her.
Lin Qiao hadn't reacted when she was pulled away. Once she realized, she struggled twice, refusing, "I'm not going."
"Not going? Why not? You run fastest when food's around, but hide when it's time to work? Don't even think about it."
Li Guifen was strong; whether Lin Qiao wanted to or not, she simply dragged her along.
Upon hearing about the food, Lin Qiao was speechless, "..."
After putting the rice back home, she was pulled away to the field to cut the grain.
The sun was fully out by this time, shining brightly, making it hard to keep one's eyes open. Lin Qiao couldn't help raising her hand to shield her eyes.
The Lin Family members working in the field noticed her arrival. The brawny man on the far left scratched his head, a bit of guilt in his eyes, "Little sister."
He was her eldest brother Lin Sheng, the one who had broken his leg earlier.
Second brother Lin Shan was thinner but taller than Lin Sheng. He sincerely said, "Little sister."
Her father Lin Han noticed her arrival, his eyes flickered with a hint of delight, quickly turning stern toward Li Guifen, "Why did you call her to work? Does she look like someone who can work? Learn from your sisters-in-law, see how diligent they are."
The last sentence was directed at Lin Qiao.
Saying this, he took off his hat and tossed it at her, fiercely saying, "Don't slack off."
Before Lin Qiao could say anything, Li Guifen put the hat on her head, handed her a sickle, gave her a push, and shouted loudly, "What are you standing there for, lazy girl? Hurry up and cut the grain."
She paused, glancing at her two daughters-in-law, and added, "Don't show that unwilling face, and maybe you'll get a share of the rice later."
Eldest daughter-in-law Mrs. Lin Xu and second daughter-in-law Mrs. Lin Wu saw this, understanding that the parents were pretending for their benefit; they clearly wanted to help their sister-in-law, but didn't want to give it away for free.
The two exchanged a glance, feeling displeased but couldn't voice it.
Over the past two years, the parents had given too much to their sister-in-law; even if it was to make up a debt, it was more than enough.
Moreover, the sister-in-law's home was a bottomless pit; when would it ever be filled?
If it hadn't been for them arguing about it once, the parents would probably have been even more biased.
They weren't heartless, but the sister-in-law was indeed overdoing it; she never helped during busy farm periods, only came to take things.
Hearing there would be rice, Lin Qiao's eyes brightened, without speculating about their intentions.
Though she wasn't proficient at cutting grain, she wasn't unfamiliar.
Before, she had acted in a rural women's inspirational TV show, and the director had strict demands; the entire crew spent over half a month working in the fields.
The Lin Family was surprised by her unusually adept and swift movements; Li Guifen's eyes reddened but, afraid of being seen, she went to cut the grain on the other side.
Lin Han pursed his lips, watched for a while, and then lowered his head to work.
Usually, Li Guifen wouldn't call her daughters-in-law home for lunch until noon, but today she called them back to cook before noon, "Everyone's tired from work, cook the cured meat and fry it up, make plenty."
Mrs. Lin Xu and Mrs. Lin Wu exchanged glances, nodded without saying much.
By now, Lin Qiao was starving, thinking she would go home to eat before continuing.
She wiped sweat from her brow, addressing Li Guifen, "I'm going home for lunch."
"You've hardly worked and now want to eat? Think again, hurry up and work."
Li Guifen shouted again, "You afraid we won't feed you?"
"You lazy girl, always reincarnating as a hungry ghost; fine, your sisters-in-law will give you extra food."
Now that their mother-in-law had spoken, Mrs. Lin Xu and Mrs. Lin Wu could only agree, "We'll make extra food."
Once they had walked a bit further, Mrs. Lin Xu vented, "Always taking without giving, does she think food is endless?"
Mrs. Lin Wu agreed, "Exactly, if it were me, I wouldn't dare come back to my family home as Lin Qiao does."
"If you're diligent, life will improve. Look at Aunt Li, a widow who makes life work by reclaiming land and growing vegetables."
Mrs. Lin Xu sighed, "Sigh, our parents feel we owe her; I'd rather pay her off than continue burdening the family."
Mrs. Lin Wu noticed someone approaching, quickly patting her, "Stop talking."
In the field, Lin Qiao realized a bit; Li Guifen was protecting the original self, the daughter.
She looked at Li Guifen, a typical farming woman, dark-skinned and capable, with eyebrows resembling about three or four parts of the original self.
"What are you standing there for, lazy girl? Hurry up and work!"
Li Guifen shouted at her, then adeptly lowered her head to work again, adding, "Lazy to death, who knows how you've survived till now."
...
There was indeed plenty of food, even some meat. Lin Qiao didn't forget about Song Tingfan, placing half into an empty bowl.
Li Guifen and the rest gave her a glance as she took a big bite of rice, shouting again, "What, can't finish it? Are you pretending your sisters-in-law make it difficult to cook?"
"My little uncle hasn't eaten yet." Lin Qiao's ears were almost ringing from the shouting. She couldn't help but rub her ears.
Because of her words, the atmosphere quieted a bit.
Lin Han paused in shoveling rice, quickly looking down to continue, swallowing, wanting to say something but remaining silent.
Li Guifen didn't say anything either; upon closer look, tears could be seen welling in her eyes.
Lin Sheng looked at the meat in his bowl, quickly placed it into Lin Qiao's bowl, and upon meeting Mrs. Lin Wu's gaze, lowered his head to eat.
"Thanks, big brother."
Lin Qiao glanced at them, then moved the meat to another bowl, having half a bowl of rice also filled her.
She took the food to the Song Family; Song Tingfan had already returned and was plucking rabbit fur in the yard.
He saw her return, his voice subconsciously carrying a bit of joy, "Sister-in-law."
Lin Qiao replied, "Little uncle, caught a rabbit?" She handed him the food, gesturing for him to eat quickly.
"Caught two, gave one to my uncle."
Song Tingfan didn't mention his aunt had taken it; he took the bowl, noticing lots of meat.
He cautiously lifted his gaze, "Sister-in-law, is this for me to eat?"