Transmigrated into the role of the matriarch, I ensured my family had enough to eat and wear during

Old Mrs. Yang, holding a bowl of chicken, frowned as she looked at her six grandchildren who had gathered around, their eyes glued to the bowl and drooling. She waved her hand to shoo them away, saying, "Get out of here! This chicken is a gift from your aunt to your grandfather and me. You have no share!"

She was secretly calculating in her mind. There was only so much meat in the bowl. If she shared it with her grandchildren, it definitely wouldn't be enough. It would be too awkward to give it only to her grandson and not her granddaughter. It would be best to keep it all for herself and her husband.

Old Mrs. Yang brought the chicken into the house. Old Mr. Yang, smoking his pipe, came over and, seeing the chicken in the bowl, paused, then asked, "What's wrong with my third son's wife? When did she become so thoughtful, even bringing meat for me?"

"Sensible?" Old Mrs. Yang sneered, putting the bowl on the table. "I bet she's up to something! But if she dares to offer it, I dare to eat it. I'll eat my fill first, so I won't be too weak to deal with her tricks."

As she spoke, she picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of chicken, and put it in her mouth. As soon as she bit down, the tender and juicy meat melted in her mouth, carrying the fresh aroma of mushrooms and the soft and glutinous texture of cabbage. The sweet taste was unforgettable.

Old Mrs. Yang's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "This taste...it's absolutely amazing! I've lived for over fifty years and have never eaten anything so delicious!"

She picked up another mushroom with her chopsticks and asked in surprise, "Did Yulan make this? When did her cooking skills become so good?"

Meanwhile, Yang Xiaobao dashed home in a flash. Seeing everyone gathered, Tang Susu smiled and ordered, "Dinner's ready!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the six of them pounced on their food like tigers, grabbing their chopsticks and shoveling buckwheat rice into their bowls, stuffing chicken into their mouths, wolfing it down as if they hadn't had a full meal in centuries.

Tang Susu was initially worried that there would be too much food to finish, but in no time, the dishes on the table were all gone, not even a drop of soup was left.

Yang Xiaobao, Yang Gousheng, and Tang Liqiang each picked up their bowls of food and licked the bottoms clean with their tongues.

After the meal, the family leaned back in their chairs, patting their round bellies with satisfied expressions.

Yang Xiaobao let out a burp, tilted his little face up, and asked Tang Susu, "Mom, this is the fullest I've ever eaten in my life! Will I be able to eat my fill again tomorrow?"

As soon as he said that, the eyes of the other five people all fell on Tang Susu, their eyes full of anticipation.

Tang Susu sighed and said truthfully, "There will be more food tomorrow, but not much left."

The crowd's expressions instantly darkened, and they silently lowered their heads, secretly relieved that they had eaten a good meal today, which would last them for several days.

Seeing this, Tang Susu took out the silver hairpin from her bosom and placed it on the table: "Look, this was given to me by Gousheng's father when he got married. I was confused before and gave it to the Tang family. Now I have completely cut off ties with the Tang family. Tomorrow I will take it to town and exchange it for some grain."

Upon hearing the name "Yang Zhigang," the eyes of Tang Lifu, Yang Gousheng, and the other young men instantly turned red.

Tang Lifu clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, "Sister, this hairpin is a keepsake for my brother-in-law; it can't be exchanged!"

"I know it's wishful thinking, but survival is more important right now." Tang Susu looked at them, her tone heavy. "If we don't exchange the food, our family will run out of food in a few days. If Gousheng's father is watching from heaven, he wouldn't want to see his children starve to death."

The four boys fell silent, heads bowed, their faces filled with remorse.

After a long while, Yang Gousheng raised his head, his eyes resolute, and said, "Mother, I swear, I will work hard from now on, earn enough money to redeem the hairpin! I will also make sure you wear gold and silver and live a good life!"

Tang Susu nodded and changed the subject: "Lifu, go ask Uncle Fa if there are any oxcarts going to town tomorrow morning. It takes almost two hours to get from Yangqu Village to Dongtai Town, twice as far as to Xihe Village. Walking is too tiring."

Tang Lifu got up and went out.

In the courtyard, Yang Xiaobao's mind was still on the pheasant.

For him, the grief of his father's death in battle was far less than the sorrow of having the pheasant he had caught eaten.

He squatted down and picked up the chicken bones that everyone had spat out one by one. He wrapped them in straw, carried them to the backyard, dug a small hole, and buried the chicken bones in it, thus arranging the funeral for his "pheasant friend."

The sky quickly darkened, and the moon slowly climbed to the treetops, casting a soft moonlight.

Tang Susu glanced at Tang Liqiang and Yang Gousheng, who were standing to the side, not daring to breathe, and asked, "You two, do you have something to say to me?"

Yang Gousheng lowered his head and whispered his apology: "Mother, we shouldn't have gone to the Tang family on our own. Although I don't regret causing this scene—this way you can completely sever ties with the Tang family, they won't give you good things anymore, and you won't be bullied by them anymore—we've put you in a difficult position. We were wrong."

Tang Liqiang lowered his head sheepishly and said, "Sister, I was wrong too."

Tang Susu nodded, acknowledging that they had "made a mistake," but she didn't blame them for causing trouble at the Tang family's house. Instead, she sternly criticized them: "What angers me isn't that you went to seek justice, but that you were too reckless! To act rashly without understanding the opponent's strength or having any countermeasures is to play with your own lives!"

She pointed at Tang Liqiang: "Although you are strong, you are only fifteen years old. There are many of them, and they can easily tie you up. Gousheng, you are fourteen years old. Even if you are clever, you can't deal with a group of adults."

"If your older brother and I had arrived even a moment later, you might have been exposed to the sun for a whole day and night without even a sip of water, and you might even have lost your lives, do you understand?"

The two lowered their heads in shame, not daring to utter a sound.

Tang Susu said in a deep voice, "Every family has its rules. If you do something wrong, you must be punished. I'm punishing each of you by making you carry back a load of water as a lesson for you."

Yang Gousheng was stunned, his face full of astonishment—in the past, when his mother punished people, she would either make them kneel for a day or not let them eat for a day or two. Carrying water was a daily task for them, so how could this be considered a punishment?

Tang Liqiang had no objection whatsoever. He immediately picked up the bucket and carrying pole from the corner of the wall, and headed towards the well outside the village.

Seeing this, Yang Gousheng quickly followed.

Tang Susu turned and walked into the kitchen, instructing Miao Yulan: "Boil some hot water. Everyone has worked all day and is covered in sweat. Everyone needs to take a shower before going to sleep."

She searched through the original owner's memories but couldn't find the last time the whole family took a bath.

This family usually just washes their hands and faces casually before going to bed. In the sweltering heat, their clothes get soaked with sweat and then dry, then get soaked again, and their whole bodies reek of an unpleasant, sour sweat smell.

Although she knew there was a water shortage in the area, she couldn't stand the mess. If it got any hotter, bacteria would easily breed and people would get sick.

After it was completely dark, Yangqu Village fell silent. Most of the villagers, exhausted from a day's work, had already gone to sleep, and the well was deserted. Tang Liqiang and Yang Gousheng each carried a bucket of water and slowly made their way home.

Tang Susu took out the largest wooden basin from the corner of the kitchen, mixed hot and cold water to make lukewarm water, picked up Yang Xiaobao, and asked with a smile, "Xiaobao, do you want to wash yourself, or should Mommy help you?"

Xiao Bao's face instantly turned bright red, and he quickly waved his hands, saying, "I'll wash it myself!"

He has never taken a bath naked at home in his entire life.

When the river was full, we would swim around in it as a bath; when the river was dry, we could only wash our hands and face.

Looking at the mud and grime on his body, Tang Susu knew that water alone would not be enough to clean him properly—the mud on this child was so thick it could be used to make a "Ji Gong-style leg-stretching and eye-glaring pill."

She secretly spent two copper coins from the system to buy a bar of soap wrapped in paper, tucked it into her hand, and said to everyone, "This is a bar of soap I borrowed from my second maternal grandmother's house. It smells especially good when I wash my body and it can also clean me up very well."

None of the Yang family members had ever seen soap before, and they were extremely curious about the exquisitely packaged bar that emitted a faint fragrance. Xiao Bao took the soap and held it carefully, reluctant to use it.

Tang Susu smiled and stepped forward, rubbing the soap on his head and body a few times. With a gentle rub, many white bubbles appeared.

Xiao Bao was amused by the bubbles and started washing himself.

"Hurry up and wash! Stop dawdling!" Yang Gousheng urged impatiently from the side, and even suggested, "Brother Liqiang, let's help Xiaobao wash!"

"No! It tickles! Don't touch my armpits!" Xiao Bao quickly dodged to the side, and a joyful commotion erupted in the yard.

Tang Susu stood to the side, watching the children play, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

The family took turns using this basin of water to bathe, and the whole yard was filled with the fresh scent of soap.

After taking a shower, everyone looked several shades lighter and felt refreshed.

That night, without the disturbance of snoring or any discomfort, Tang Susu finally slept soundly through the night.

The next morning, as dawn broke, Yangqu Village awoke.

When Tang Susu got up, Yang Gousheng and Yang Xiaobao were still fast asleep in bed. She tiptoed out of the room and found Miao Yulan already squatting by the well, busy washing the whole family's clothes.