Widow Remarries in Sixties

Jin Xiuzhu was not someone to be easily messed with. Jiang Mingchuan’s adoptive parents’ methods, although clumsy, were effective.

They knew Jiang Mingchuan wouldn’t speak out and that he cared about them. This approach protected their reputation while hurting Jiang Mingchuan, making him feel guilty and sad.

The people Jin Xiuzhu had dealt with in the past, no matter how dissatisfied they were internally, always maintained a facade that left no room for criticism.

This kind of shameless behavior was something she encountered for the first time and was at a bit of a loss on how to handle it.

However, Jin Xiuzhu always had a plan. The best way to retaliate was to target the opponent’s weak spot. Clearly, the weak spot of Jiang Mingchuan’s adoptive parents was their reputation. When they adopted Jiang Mingchuan, they had reaped significant benefits over the past few decades.

This reminded Jin Xiuzhu of an incident in the capital city of Jingdu. The wife of the Earl of Yongning was famous for her virtuous reputation and treated the eldest son better than her own. It wasn’t until later, when the County Princess of Qiongyang married into the family and was schemed against a few times, that she cried and knelt before the wife during a banquet, begging for mercy. She exposed all of the wife’s usual misconduct under the guise of submission, creating a huge scandal. The events of that day quickly spread throughout the city.

Although Jin Xiuzhu hadn’t witnessed it herself, she had heard vivid accounts from others and roughly understood what had happened. Upon further reflection, she realized the County Princess of Qiongyang was quite clever.

With her parents deceased and nothing but her title to rely on, her husband was suppressed by his stepmother, and it was uncertain if the title would eventually go to him. By making such a scene, despite her tarnished reputation, she gained considerable benefits, and the royal family  would not tolerate her being mistreated.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled and took the steamed buns and pancakes she received yesterday outside to dry in the sun.

Fu Yanyan frowned in confusion and asked, “Why are you drying those?”

Jin Xiuzhu curled her lips into a smile, “They will come in handy.”

Not only that, Jin Xiuzhu also sent a heartfelt letter back to the capital, putting in a lot of effort to make it look good. She included a package of dried flowers, saying they were good for making tea.

The flowers were picked by He Yan on his way home from school. Knowing Jin Xiuzhu loved flowers and plants, he would pick any beautiful ones he saw and bring them back.

There were some words Jin Xiuzhu didn’t know how to write, so she left those spaces blank, planning to ask Jiang Mingchuan to fill them in when he returned in the evening.

To her surprise, Fu Yanyan, who was squatting nearby, saw this and couldn’t help but trace a few strokes on the table with her finger to remind her.

Jin Xiuzhu turned her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her.

Fu Yanyan tried to remain calm and said, “I saw them in my brother’s book.”

Jin Xiuzhu smiled and acknowledged her without further questioning. With her daughter’s help, she finished writing the entire letter. Fu Yanyan also noticed that Jin Xiuzhu in this timeline was indeed very expressive in her emotions.

After finishing, Jin Xiuzhu patted her daughter’s little head and praised, “My Yanyan is really smart.”

It was this simple sentence that instantly brought tears to Fu Yanyan’s eyes.

In her previous life, she had longed to hear these words from Jin Xiuzhu, but it never happened, not even once.

***

After completing these tasks, Jin Xiuzhu went to the kitchen to start experimenting with her new dessert.

Yesterday, the supplier had brought a bucket of milk, which Jin Xiuzhu had requested earlier. She had casually asked if there were any cows nearby and if it was possible to get some milk. She was surprised to find out there actually was. The supplier also mentioned that while there weren’t many cows in the area, there were plenty of goats.

Jin Xiuzhu told him that goat milk would also be fine.

Jin Xiuzhu initially wanted to make milk rice cakes, but since she didn’t have rice flour, she substituted it with sweet potato flour. She didn’t know about sweet potatoes back in the Dajing Dynasty; it was only after coming here that she discovered this wonderful ingredient.

Add sweet potato flour to milk and sugar, and stir it into a batter. Then, take a bowl of warm water mixed with yeast and pour it into the batter, stirring evenly. Cover it and let it ferment for an hour. After that, stir it again to release the air bubbles. Add some oil, and let it ferment once more.

After about half an hour, once the second fermentation is complete, stir again to release any remaining air bubbles, and then steam it in a pot for half an hour.

While making this, Jin Xiuzhu used the remaining milk to make sweet steamed custard, preparing eight bowls in total. Once steamed, she placed the bowls in cold water to cool.

At noon, after Jiang Mingchuan came home for lunch, Jin Xiuzhu wrapped some sweet potato milk cakes in oiled paper for him to take with him.

He was a bit reluctant to take them. “I don’t have time to eat this.”

Jin Xiuzhu inwardly thought he was being silly. It wasn’t for him to eat, but she said, “Then share it with others. I noticed Captain Yan often looks out for you. When we make something tasty, we should share it with him and your colleagues.”

Jiang Mingchuan looked at her without speaking. He knew it was the right thing to do but felt awkward about it, fearing others might judge him.

Jin Xiuzhu immediately understood his thoughts and gently reassured him with a smile, “This isn’t about currying favor. It’s about showing respect to Captain Yan as an elder. Plus, it’s not just for him. I plan to give some to Sister Qian and Chef Zhang too. We shouldn’t just accept others’ kindness without showing gratitude in return, right?”

Jiang Mingchuan accepted this reasoning and put the package of cakes into his pocket.

Yanyan, who was still eating at the table, found this very interesting.

In her previous life, “Jin Xiuzhu” often criticized Dad Jiang for being rigid and not knowing how to give gifts or curry favor with superiors. She thought that if he had, he wouldn’t have remained unpromoted for so many years, with everyone else getting raises while he got nothing and was transferred to impoverished areas.

Who would’ve thought that even the rigid Jiang Dad could change? But it’s quite nice.

After everyone left, Jin Xiuzhu whispered, “Your dad is really clueless.”

Fu Yanyan glanced at her, “He’s the man you chose.”

Jin Xiuzhu: “…”

***

In the afternoon, after their nap, Jin Xiuzhu took her daughter to check out their allocated land. There were already people planting vegetables and tilling the soil, but their plot remained untouched.

Jin Xiuzhu decided to ask Jiang Mingchuan to come and till the soil over the weekend. She planned to plant sweet potatoes and regular potatoes since she loved eating them.

On the way back, Jin Xiuzhu told her daughter, “We should try making noodles with sweet potato and potato flour. Let’s see how they taste.”

Fu Yanyan nodded and added, “We can mix in some chili and pickled vegetables.”

Jin Xiuzhu’s eyes lit up, “Let’s give it a try.”

They chatted while walking, planning what to cook for dinner. However, as soon as they arrived home, they encountered an unexpected situation. At the door, Qian Yufeng from next door called out anxiously, “Oh, where have you been? Just now, Xiaojun ran back saying that Xiaoyan hit someone on the head and caused a bloody wound. The teacher wants you to go to the school.”

Jin Xiuzhu was stunned, and once she processed the information, she found it hard to believe. If someone said Wu Xiaojun had hit someone, she might believe it, but the sweet and obedient He Yan hitting someone?

Jin Xiuzhu almost blurted out her disbelief, but held back. She hesitantly asked, “Are you sure it was Xiao Yan?”

“Of course! You need to hurry. We don’t know how serious it is.”

Grandma Wu also came out and said, “It’s best to bring five eggs. No matter who’s right or wrong, it was our child who hurt someone.”

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, grabbed five eggs, and, worried it might not be enough, also took some leftover sweet potato and milk cakes. She put them in a small cloth bag and hurried to the school with her daughter, who was still bewildered.

Qian Yufeng waited outside, prepared to accompany Jin Xiuzhu to take a look, afraid that she might get bullied if she went alone.

On the way, Qian Yufeng kept talking, “I’ve got experience with this. When we get there, just keep apologizing. If they see you have a good attitude, they won’t make a big deal out of it. Boys fighting is normal, so don’t be afraid. This kind of thing will happen a lot in the future.”

Jin Xiuzhu nodded absentmindedly and agreed.

The school was in a nearby village. Currently, there aren’t many children in the military compound, so they all attend the village school.

This village belonged to the third team, which was close to Qian Yufeng’s parents’ home on the second team. Her elder sister was married here.

The grass on the path was quite overgrown. Jin Xiuzhu squatted down to carry her daughter on her back. After walking for a while and getting tired, Qian Yufeng took over.

As soon as Fu Yanyan got on Qian Yufeng’s back, she exclaimed, “This girl looks small, but she’s really heavy. She must have been eating well!”

Fu Yanyan: “…”

At this point, Qian Yufeng looked up at Jin Xiuzhu ahead. She had almost forgotten how, a few months ago, the mother and daughter were pale and skinny when they first arrived, looking pitiful. She hadn’t noticed when they started to look completely different.

Seeing them every day hadn’t made the changes obvious, but now, upon closer inspection, she saw that Jin Xiuzhu’s skin had become fairer and smoother, her hair shiny and black. Her long hair was neatly tied at the back of her head with a thin wooden stick. She wore a gray blouse and black pants, looking like a young girl of seventeen or eighteen.

Qian Yufeng couldn’t help but sigh, “Being young is really good. Just a bit of care, and you’re all fresh and lovely.”

Jin Xiuzhu knew she was misunderstood but didn’t explain much. She planned to save those skincare products to make money in the future.

Although she couldn’t do business now, it didn’t mean she never could.

Still, she felt closer to Qian Yufeng, “I’ll give you some face cream later. My husband bought it.”

Qian Yufeng said, “How can I accept that?” but she was already delighted, imagining herself becoming fairer and prettier.

The two adults and one child arrived at the school. Qian Yufeng was familiar with the place and directly led Jin Xiuzhu to the teacher’s office. The office was behind the teaching building, and before they even reached it, they saw He Yan standing at the door.

Wu Xiaojun was standing nearby, talking to He Yan, who had his head lowered.

Wu Xiaojun, with his sharp eyes, glanced over and saw Jin Xiuzhu and the others. He happily shouted, “Mom! Aunt Jin!”

He Yan immediately looked up, meeting Jin Xiuzhu’s gaze, then quickly lowered his head in shame.

Qian Yufeng smiled initially, but then she seemed to remember something. She hurried over and slapped Wu Xiaojun. “Why are you here instead of being in class?”

Wu Xiaojun rubbed his head, trying to find an excuse. “I just wanted to keep He Yan company, right?”

“Keep company, my foot! I know you too well. You just want an excuse to skip class.”

“Hehehe…”

Although the mother and son were bickering, it was clear that they had a good relationship.

He Yan stood quietly to the side, feeling a deep sense of envy. Noticing Jin Xiuzhu approaching, his body tensed up, fearing she would be angry but also dreading that she might not be.

Jin Xiuzhu walked over to him, gently patted his head, and softly asked, “Are you hurt?”

He Yan shook his head silently.

Jin Xiuzhu then asked, “Is the teacher inside?”

Before He Yan could respond, Wu Xiaojun eagerly chimed in, “Auntie, you didn’t see it, but Zhou Guowen’s mom insisted on going to the hospital. The teacher went with her. He said if He Yan’s parents showed up, they should wait here.”

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. “What exactly happened? Tell me.”

Wu Xiaojun immediately began to spill the beans excitedly, “Auntie, you wouldn’t believe it. Zhou Guowen is just too much. He’s always bullying He Yan. After Uncle Jiang took He Yan to his house, he behaved for a while, but recently, I don’t know where he heard it from, but he’s been saying He Yan isn’t your real son…”

Next to her, He Yan suddenly spoke up, “That’s enough.”

Wu Xiaojun quickly shut his mouth. He glanced at He Yan, then at Jin Xiuzhu, unsure if he should continue.

He Yan kept his head down, his hands clenched tightly at his sides.

Standing beside Jin Xiuzhu, Fu Yanyan curiously tilted her head to sneak a look. She saw that his eyes were red.

Caught by his sister’s gaze, He Yan got flustered, and a big bubble formed in his nose.

He pouted in grievance and quickly wiped away his tears and snot with his arm.

Fu Yanyan: “…”

Oh, so this kid can cry too.

Jin Xiuzhu saw it too. She patted his head but said to Wu Xiaojun, “You continue; Auntie wants to hear.”

Wu Xiaojun looked at He Yan. Seeing that He Yan didn’t object this time, he continued, “He said He Yan isn’t your biological child, that his real mom abandoned him and ran off with someone else. He called him a bastard and said you and Uncle Jiang will have your own kids and won’t care about him anymore…”

Towards the end, Wu Xiaojun’s voice grew softer. He couldn’t help but look up and ask, “Auntie, will you really have your own kids in the future?”

Upon hearing this, Qian Yufeng raised her hand and smacked him again, “What do you know, kid? It’s perfectly normal for your Auntie and Uncle Jiang to have children. They’re so young.”

Jin Xiuzhu frowned and looked at He Yan beside her. Some things were hard to discuss in front of others. She patted the child’s head and could only comfort him by saying, “Don’t be afraid; I won’t stop caring about you.”

He Yan nodded slightly, but it was unclear if he believed her.

It wasn’t until it was almost time for school to end that the teacher brought Zhou Guowen and his mother over. The teacher didn’t recognize Jin Xiuzhu. Realizing she was He Yan’s guardian, he paused, surprised by how young and beautiful she was.

The teacher politely asked, “Excuse me… May I ask who you are?”

Jin Xiuzhu responded, “I am He Yan’s mother. If there is anything to discuss, you can talk to me.”

Seeing Jin Xiuzhu’s good attitude, the teacher’s tone softened a bit as well. “Please come inside and we can talk.”

However, Zhou Guowen’s mother, hearing this, became unhappy. She immediately pushed the teacher aside and said, “Why do we need to go inside? Let’s talk right here.”

She then pointed at Jin Xiuzhu’s nose and said, “Look at what your child did to my son. He hit him with such a big stone, causing a huge gash that wouldn’t stop bleeding. I’m not here to waste time; you tell me how you’re going to compensate us. We just came back from the hospital, and it cost five yuan, plus one yuan for the round trip. You need to pay this.”

Before Jin Xiuzhu could respond, Qian Yufeng, who was standing beside her, gasped, “Five yuan? Are you trying to rob us?”

“Don’t think I don’t know, a round trip by boat from here costs only four cents. You’re just making things up to swindle us.”

“Well, what about the fact that I missed work this afternoon? Isn’t that worth money?”

Earlier, Qian Yufeng had said she would come and apologize properly, but hearing this, she got more agitated than Jin Xiuzhu. “Oh really, you’re the only one who has to work? Don’t we all have things to do? Clearly, you didn’t manage your child well. If your kid hadn’t insulted ours, would our child have gotten so upset? Our child is known for being well-behaved. Why didn’t he hit anyone else but your son? Because your son deserved it!”

“Just because someone insults you, does that mean you should hit them? There are plenty of people who insult others. Should they all get beaten up? And my son wasn’t wrong; he said that kid wasn’t even your biological child…”

Initially, Jin Xiuzhu didn’t take it seriously and planned to step in after the argument, but hearing this, her expression immediately darkened. She shot a sharp look at the other woman and coldly rebuked, “Shut up.”

The woman trembled under Jin Xiuzhu’s icy gaze but felt embarrassed and retorted defiantly, “I’m not wrong. My son told me that your child is adopted…”

Unbeknownst to them, school had ended, and a crowd of students and teachers had gathered around the office to watch the commotion.

Jin Xiuzhu sneered, “Did your son also tell you that his biological father was a soldier who died on a mission? How many years has it been since the founding of our country, and you’ve already forgotten the hard times? Without soldiers, would you have your current peaceful life? Without soldiers, would your son be able to study happily here? His father sacrificed his life to protect the country and its people. And you? How are you raising your child? Teaching him to bully the offspring of soldiers and mock him for not having a father?”