The day had already been filled with enough shocks to leave everyone reeling. First came Chen Meilan's sudden astonishing transformation, then came lunch, that became another shock entirely.
As dish after dish was placed onto the table, silence gradually descended over the room. Even Li Guoqiang, who already knew that Li Shuying possessed unusual means of obtaining food, found himself momentarily speechless.
He had expected something better than the military canteen's watery gruel, perhaps a few eggs. Yet what stood before them now was enough to rival the meal served during the New Year.
A large plate of pork and Chinese cabbage dumplings sat in the center of the table, beside it rested a hearty chicken, eggplant, and cabbage stew, the rich aroma of meat filling every corner of the room. There was also a plate of stir-fried shredded white radish, glistening lightly with oil, and a small bowl of garlic pickle.
The sight alone was enough to make anyone swallow unconsciously. For a moment, nobody moved.
Widow He and Grand Aunt Li exchanged a glance, then both women instinctively pulled their hands back.
Such food... How could they eat it? Their mouths watered uncontrollably and stomachs growled, yet neither dared reach for the chopsticks.
These were difficult years. Even during festivals, many families could not afford a single piece of meat. And now Li Shuying had prepared an entire table filled with dishes that their families could only dream of?
Widow He immediately shook her head and stood up, "No, no, this won't do. Little Shuying, put all of these away quickly."
Li Shuying blinked, "Aunt He?"
Widow He pointed at the dumplings with a pained expression, "Do you that it's a fine grain dumplings? And how much pork is in there? Aiya, child, have you lost your senses? How can you waste food like this on us?"
Grand Aunt Li also nodded firmly, "Your Aunt He is right." She pushed her bowl away, "We came to see your family, not to eat your meat."
Li Shuying could not help but laugh, "Grand Aunt, what do you mean by 'your meat'? Food is meant to be eaten."
Grand Aunt Li immediately scolded, "Children don't understand hardship." She pointed toward the dumplings, "When winter comes and grain runs low, will these dumplings fall from the sky?"
Widow He nodded vigorously, "Exactly, Little Shuying, Auntie knows your heart is good, but this food is too precious. How can we eat it?"
Grand Aunt Li nodded firmly, "That's right." Her weathered face became serious, "Save it for your family. Your father has just returned home. Your brothers are still growing. This old woman can eat coarse grain and be perfectly satisfied." She than looked at Chen Meilan and said, "you should also take care to lay low when you want to eat good food," she pointed at the window and said, "just look at that, the windows are open, if people know you have a good food what do you think will happen?"
Chen Meilan shivered at the thought and immediately looked at Li Guoqiang who blinked at her to stay calm.
Then Grand aunt Li turned back toward Li Shuying, "Little girl, your father earns an allowance, but money is money and food is food. Even if you have money, can you buy grain whenever you want nowadays?"
Li Shuying knew both women were genuinely concerned. In this era, offering guests coarse grain porridge was already considered hospitality. Serving meat at an ordinary lunch was almost unimaginable. But she also knew that neither of these women had eaten properly in a very long time.
She walked over and placed a hand in their hands and said, "Aunt He. Grand Aunt." Her voice softened, "You've both helped our family countless times over the years. If not for you, my mother would have suffered much more. Besides, there is enough food at home. You don't need to worry about us."
Widow He immediately frowned, "What nonsense. How can there be enough food these days?"
Li Guoqiang, who had been silently watching, finally spoke, "Aunt He. Grand Aunt."
Both women looked toward him.
His voice was calm and sincere, "I have been absent for many years. While I was away, you both helped my wife and children countless times." His eyes carried gratitude, "I remember every bit of that kindness."
The two elderly women immediately became flustered, "Aiya, what kindness? We didn't do much."
Li Guoqiang smiled, "Whether you think it was much or little doesn't matter, so please sit and share the meal with us." His voice carried a firmness that left little room for argument.
His eyes softened slightly, "Today, let this nephew show a little filial respect." Hearing this, both elderly women finally stopped refusing.
After exchanging another glance, they carefully moved towards their seats.
The atmosphere inside the Li family's house had finally begun to warm, when...
Bang!
The courtyard gate was violently shoved open. The sound echoed through the entire yard.
Before anyone could react, a shrill voice rang out from outside, "Li Guoqiang! I heard you've come back, what kind of unfilial son are you? Returning to the village and not even bothering to visit your own parents or your injured younger brother!"
Wang Chunhua spat loudly, "Bah! Have your wings grown hard after becoming a soldier?"
The cheerful atmosphere instantly froze and the smiles vanished from everyone's faces. Widow He and Grand Aunt Li exchanged helpless looks. Speak of a wolf, and the wolf arrives.
Li Jianmin's expression changed immediately. Without even thinking, he jumped to his feet, "Father, we need to hide the food first. If Grandmother sees this, she'll definitely take everything away."
The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. His gaze swept across the dishes. Then he remembered the supplies stacked in the kitchen and his face paled, "And the grain, if she discovered that, she'll take all of that too."
Li Jianguo immediately stood up as well, "Brother is right." He was already rolling up his sleeves, "We still have time. Let's move everything inside."
Widow He nodded instinctively, "That's not a bad idea."
Even Grand Aunt Li appeared tempted. After all, everyone in the village knew Wang Chunhua's temperament. Once something entered her line of sight, getting it back was often more difficult than ascending to heaven.
Chen Meilan also rose from her seat, atrace of anxiety appeared on her face, "But... They're already here."
Indeed, Wang Chunhua's voice was growing louder with every passing second. It was obvious she had already entered the yard. Trying to move everything now would be difficult.
Li Guoqiang remained seated, his expression had gradually become cold. After listening quietly for a few moments, he shook his head, "Your mother is right, if we start hiding things now and they catch us in the act, the matter will only become bigger."
His voice remained calm, "Your step grandmother will make a scene before the entire village."
Wang Chunhua's greatest skill was causing trouble. If she discovered them secretly moving food from her sight, she would likely sit at the courtyard entrance and cry until the entire production team gathered.
Li Jianmin clenched his teethz "So what? Are we just going to let them take our food?"
The moment the words left his mouth, a sharp gaze landed on him. Li Guoqiang looked at his youngest son. His expression was not angry, yet it was cold enough to make Li Jianmin's scalp tighten. The young man immediately shut his mouth, not daring to continue.
Only then did Li Guoqiang withdraw his gaze. His attention shifted toward Chen Meilan, "Meilan, you should go inside."
Chen Meilan blinked, "Inside?"
Li Guoqiang nodded, "Don't let them see you."
Chen Meilan looked completely confused, "Why?"
Li Guoqiang opened his mouth but paused. Because the truth was simple. After seeing Chen Meilan's current appearance, he no longer trusted Wang Chunhua's ability to behave rationally. If she saw Chen Meilan now, who knew what sort of chaos would follow?
At that moment, Li Shuying stepped in, "Mother, I think Father is right. Grandmother already enjoys spreading rumors. If she sees you like this now, who knows what stories she'll tell throughout the village?"
Widow He immediately agreed, "That's true, that old shrew can turn white into black and black into white."
Grand Aunt Li snorted, "And before sunset, half the county would hear about it."
The more Chen Meilan listened, the more reasonable it sounded. After all, today's transformation was already difficult to explain.
If Wang Chunhua saw it, there would undoubtedly be endless trouble.
Chen Meilan hesitated, then finally nodded, "Alright." Her gaze subconsciously shifted toward Li Guoqiang. Seeing his agreement, she no longer objected. Quietly, she turned and walked into the bedroom and locked the door behind.
Outside just as Wang Chunhua and others reached the entrance, a rich aroma drifted through the air. The smell was so enticing that all four of them froze.
Li Guofu, who had been sulking ever since leaving the county hospital, suddenly straightened.
Wang Chunhua's endless stream of curses came to an abrupt halt, and even Li Changfu's stern expression cracked slightly. His stomach, empty since morning, let out a loud growl in protest.
Li Guosheng inhaled deeply, the moment the fragrance entered his nose, his eyes widened, "Mother, it's meat!"
"What?" Wang Chunhua's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. She sniffed the air again, the rich scent of pork fat and the unmistakable aroma of freshly cooked dumplings.
For a moment, even she found it difficult to believe. Meat? Inside Chen Meilan's house?
Without another word, she strode forward and shoved the courtyard door open with all her strength.
Bang!
The wooden door slammed against the wall. Like starving wolves catching the scent of prey, all four rushed inside.
The moment they entered the living room, the aroma intensified severalfold. The table was directly in front of them. And upon it sat dishes that were enough to leave any villager dumbfounded.
For a brief moment, the entire Li family stood frozen. Wang Chunhua's eyes nearly popped out. She stared at the table as if she had seen a mountain of gold, "Pork?" she shrieked, "That's pork!" Her finger trembled as she pointed at the bowl.
Without waiting for anyone's response, she rushed straight to the table. Li Guofu and Li Guosheng immediately followed behind her. Both men's throats bobbed visibly.
Especially Li Guofu, he could barely tear his eyes away from the dumplings. Since the injury to his hand, he had been in constant pain and misery. Yet at that moment, all thoughts of pain vanished.
At the doorway, Li Changfu remained standing. As the head of the family, his pride prevented him from acting as shamelessly as his wife and sons. Still his eyes remained firmly fixed on the table.
How long had it been since he last ate meat? Half a year? A year? Even he could no longer remember. But now Li Guoqiang'a table has entire bowl of it? The old man's heart practically bled at the sight. However, his dignity kept him rooted in place.
Naturally, he felt it was better to let Wang Chunhua handle such matters, and sure enough, Wang Chunhua did not disappoint.
After the initial shock passed, her greed quickly transformed into fury. She spun around and pointed directly at Li Guoqiang, "You beast!" Her voice exploded through the room, "A son who practically ate his own mother after birth!"
Everyone's expressions darkened.
But Wang Chunhua continued without restraint, "You have pork! You have white flour, and yet you didn't think of your own parents?"
"What a sin, what kind of unfilial son have I raised? If your father and I hadn't raised you with our own grain, would you have grown this big? Would you have the fortune you enjoy today?"
Her voice grew increasingly shrill, "Now you've become a soldier, your wings have hardened, and you've forgotten your roots. You aren't just unfilial, you're an ungrateful bastard!"
The room instantly fell silent. Even Widow He and Grand Aunt Li frowned. Such words were really harsh even though Li Guoqiang was only a step son to Wang Chunhua.
Yet Wang Chunhua was only getting started, her eyes suddenly shifted toward Widow He and Grand Aunt Li. The moment she saw the two women sitting at the table, her anger erupted anew.
She spat forcefully onto the floor, "Bah!" Then she turned toward Li Changfu, "Guofu's father, open your eyes wide and take a good look. Your precious eldest son would rather feed outsiders than his own parents! These old women can sit here eating meat while his own parents and siblings are left hungry!"
"Aiya, Heaven above!" She beat her chest loudly, "How did I raise to such a heartless thing? Our family has truly raised a white-eyed wolf!"
The entire room instantly became tense. The warmth and joy that had filled the house moments ago vanished without a trace.
Li Jianmin, Li Jianguo, and Li Shuying all clenched their fists beneath the table. Although anger burned inside them, none dared to speak recklessly.
Instead, they secretly glanced toward Li Guoqiang. As always their father remained seated, with his expressions calm.
Yet the icy stillness surrounding him was far more intimidating than any shout, suggesting he was angry.
Unfortunately, Wang Chunhua failed to notice. The moment she saw Li Guoqiang remaining silent, her confidence grew.
Li Changfu also interpreted the silence as submission. Straightening his back, he stepped forward and slammed his hand against the table, "Er Gou!" His voice carried the authority of an elder accustomed to commanding others, "How could you anger your mother like this? Have you forgotten your roots now that you can eat meat and white flour? Even the crow repays its parents by feeding them and the lamb kneels while nursing to show gratitude. Yet look at you. You are worse than those animals. A shameless ingrate!"
The room instantly fell silent. Those words were too harsh. But before anyone could respond, Grand Aunt Li could no longer endure it.
The elderly woman struck her walking stick against the ground, "Li Changfu. How can you say such words to your own son? I can understand Wang Chunhua speaking like this. Her mouth has never known restraint. But you? You are Guoqiang's father!"
The old woman pointed her stick at him, "When others were still being carried on their mothers' backs, Guoqiang was already grinding his bones for your family. He carried burdens that should never have belonged to a child. Tell me, exactly what more do you want from him?"
Every word struck like a hammer. For a moment, even Li Changfu's face stiffened.
Yet before he could answer, Wang Chunhua immediately jumped forward, "Old Aunt Li! This is a matter between our family members. You as an outsider should stay out of it."
Grand Aunt Li's face turned red with anger. Just as she was about to retort, Widow He quietly grabbed her sleeve and gave a subtle shake of her head.
Seeing the old woman fall silent, Wang Chunhua became even more pleased. A triumphant smile spread across her face.
"Hmph, I think both of you should leave. You don't get to eat this meal. The food belongs to my family." She pointed toward the courtyard gate, "Go back and eat at the communal canteen."
The moment those words left her mouth, Li Shuying slowly stood up and glared at Wang Chunhua with her eyes cold, "Step-Grandmother... The two of them are guests invited by our family. You have no authority to send them away. And another thing."
Her gaze drifted toward the dishes on the table, "What exactly do you mean by calling this food yours? Since when did shameless grabbing become your family tradition? If this is your new method of begging for food..." She paused, "Then you've come to the wrong house, we don't feed dogs and rats."
For a second, absolute silence descended.
"You...!" Wang Chunhua nearly exploded. Her entire body trembled and face alternated between red and green.
Yet surprisingly, she did not dare charge forward to beat Li Shuying like she used to. The losses she had suffered at Li Shuying's hands over the past weeks were still fresh in her memory.
In the end, she could only redirect her fury. Her finger immediately pointed toward Li Guoqiang, "Did you hear that?!" Her shrill voice echoed throughout the house, "Li Guoqiang! Is this how you teach your daughter to speak to her elders? She's insulting me right Infront of you and you won't say a single word?" Her eyes widened, "Tell me honestly, was it you who taught her this?"
Li Shuying replied leisurely, "Step-grandmother, you, have you ever heard the old saying, 'If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beams will not be straight?'"
She tilted her head, "If an elder is someone like you, naturally I won't be any better."
Wang Chunhua's face turned green, "You little bitch..." She glared at her for several seconds before finally understanding what she meant.
Her face instantly turned red, "Little beast! Curse upon your ancestors! Aiyaa! Listen to her! Listen to what this dead girl is saying!"
Seeing Li Guoqiang still sitting motionless, Wang Chunhua immediately changed tactics.
With a loud slap, she dropped onto her knees. Then she began beating her thighs and wailing, "Heaven has gone blind! My son married a fox spirit and raised a venomous snake!"
"I raised him and fed him with my own grain! And now his daughter curses her grandmother! What sin did this old woman commit?"
She beat the ground harder, "Chen Meilan, you shameless woman! Look at the daughter you raised! May your family never know peace. ...May—"
"Stop." Li Shuying's voice cut through the room. She pointed toward the courtyard gate, "If you want to cry, go cry outside."
"What?" Wang Chunhua stared at her.
Li Shuying replied matter-of-factly, "You're very experienced at this. Walk down the village road. See if someone's funeral is missing a mourner. Our family is celebrating my father's return today, it's a happy occasion. So stop spreading bad luck into our house and pollute the atmosphere."
Li Jianmin immediately turned his face away. His shoulders shook violently, although he tried desperately to suppress it. Unfortunately, everyone could see him trembling. Li Jianguo also lowered his head. Even Widow He's face turned red from holding back laughter.
Only Grand Aunt Li kept a stern expression. Though the corners of her mouth were twitching suspiciously.
Wang Chunhua almost exploded, "You dead girl. You dare compare me to a professional mourner?"
Li Shuying blinked, "Professional mourners at least knows some dignity, do you have it?"
"Enough!" A thunderous roar suddenly exploded.
Li Changfu had completely lost control. His face was dark purple.
For the past few confrontations, this granddaughter had repeatedly embarrassed him again and again.
Each time he kept quite because of Liu Zhenshen. Today, however, Li Guoqiang was present. This matter was within the family.
To Li Changfu, this was the perfect opportunity to crush her arrogance once and for all.
He pointed at Li Shuying with a trembling finger, "You wicked girl, you have no respect for elders! No rules! No upbringing! A tree must be pruned while it's young and a child must be taught while she's small, so if your father refuses to discipline you, then as your grandfather I will perform this duty today!"
His eyes burned with fury, "Otherwise one day you'll bring disaster upon the entire Li family!"
Before anyone could react, he strode toward the corner of the room, where lay several thick pieces of firewood stacked.
Li Changfu grabbed one and with two swift strides forward, he raised the thick piece of firewood. Then before anyone could react, he hurled it with all his strength.
The firewood cut through the air with a sharp swish and heavyly landed in Li Shuying making her stagger few steps away.
Everyone present in room immediately gasped in horror.