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

Shen was so angry that she trembled and turned and rushed back into the house after being refuted by Yang Fugui in public.

She slumped onto the edge of the bed, her chest heaving violently, consumed by rage.

In her view, the reason why men dare to be so ruthless towards her is because she didn't give birth to a son.

If she could give birth to a boy, her mother-in-law and husband would never dare to treat her like this.

Outside, Old Master Yang squatted on the threshold, smoking his pipe. Amidst the swirling smoke, he instructed Yang Fugui, "Go up the mountain tomorrow and cut down an oak tree."

"Oak is hard, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and has a beautiful grain, making it a good material for making wooden barrels and basins."

Grandpa Yang paused for a moment, then added, "When I was young, I studied carpentry in Jiangnan for half a year. Although I was a bit rough around the edges and didn't learn any great skills, I could still make simple furniture like buckets and basins without any problem."

Early the next morning, Yang Fugui carried a large machete and headed up the mountain.

Just as they reached the edge of the field, they encountered Lan, a widow from Yangqu Village.

Lan is twenty-three years old this year. She became a widow at the age of nineteen and has been raising four children on her own.

She was dressed exceptionally neatly today, carrying a bamboo basket, and took the initiative to greet him, saying, "Brother Fugui, where are you going?"

Upon learning that Yang Fugui was going up the mountain to cut down trees, Lan Shi immediately showed some weakness and leaned closer, saying, "Oh dear, cutting down trees is hard work. I also cut some firewood yesterday, and I really can't carry it all by myself. Brother Fugui, could you...?"

As she spoke, she deliberately brushed her arm against Yang Fugui's arm, her eyes carrying a hint of something indescribable.

Yang Fugui frowned, took a step back, and said indifferently, "It's too late, I don't have time. Let's talk about it tomorrow."

After saying that, he picked up his machete and walked quickly up the mountain without looking back.

Watching his retreating figure, Lan felt both angry and helpless, muttering "blockhead" under her breath before reluctantly carrying her basket and walking back.

As Lan Shi passed by Tang Susu's house, she paused and her eyes darted around.

She quietly tiptoed and peered through the crack in the door.

There were flickering lights in the direction of the kitchen, and the door to the main room was tightly closed. You could vaguely hear people talking inside, but you couldn't make out what they were saying.

There were still many unprocessed lantern fruits piled up in the yard. Lan looked at them for a long time but couldn't figure out what was wrong with them.

Just then, Yang Xiaobao suddenly opened the courtyard gate.

He saw Madam Lan and asked with a puzzled look, "Aunt Lan, what are you doing here?"

Madam Lan immediately put on a smile, picked up her basket, and stepped forward: "Little Bao, Auntie picked some lantern fruits, would your mother like to buy them?"

Hearing the noise, Tang Susu came out of the main room.

She took the basket from the Lan family and weighed it in her hand; it weighed exactly two and a half jin (about 1.5 kg).

She took out five copper coins and handed them to Madam Lan: "Here are the market price. You can send more if you have any in the future."

Lan took the copper coin, but showed no intention of leaving.

She sighed, a hint of sorrow on her face: "Sister Su, you have no idea how difficult things are for me."

"I'm a widow raising four children—two sons and two daughters—without a man to support me. Life is tough."

She looked Tang Susu up and down, then smiled and praised her, "You're two years older than me, but you look younger and more energetic."

"Girl, please have mercy on me and help me out. Let me work at your house, just a few copper coins a day will do, I can endure any hardship."

Tang Susu understood perfectly.

She and Lan Shi were both widows. The original owner had a terrible reputation in the village, but Lan Shi got along well with people because of her easygoing nature and was highly regarded.

But Tang Susu didn't have a good impression of her, let alone trust her.

She spoke calmly, cutting to the chase: "A few copper coins? You could earn that by picking some lantern fruit. What are you up to, coming all the way to my house seeking a living?"

Lan's face stiffened, her eyes flickering as she tried to explain, "What are you saying, sister? I just want to find a proper job to earn money."

"No need," Tang Susu said indifferently.

She had no connection with the Lan family and was absolutely unwilling to let someone she didn't know get involved in her business.

After saying that, she turned around and closed the courtyard gate, then closed the door to the main room as well, completely cutting off any outside view.

Lan stood outside the door, her teeth clenched in anger.

She cursed Tang Susu inwardly, thinking she was a petty person who had become arrogant after earning only a few pennies.

Filled with resentment, she stomped her foot angrily and turned to leave.

They hadn't gone far when a hand suddenly reached out from the corner of the wall, grabbed Lan's arm, and pulled her behind a big tree.

Startled, Lan turned around and saw that it was Yang Houcai. She immediately became angry and shoved him away, saying, "What are you doing? Can't you see it's still daylight? What if someone sees us?"

Yang Houcai grinned, his tone flippant and laced with insult: "What are you pretending for? Didn't you seduce me first?"

As he spoke, his hand restlessly reached for Lan's chest. "Shall we go to the mountains, or find somewhere else?"

Lan slapped his hand away and opened her palm: "Give me the money, or I'm going home."

Yang Houcai muttered foul language and reluctantly pulled a copper coin from his pocket, slapping it hard into her palm.

Then, he grabbed Lan's arm and forcibly dragged her into the desolate wilderness nearby.

Before long, heavy, disordered breathing could be heard from the field.

On the other side, in Tang Susu's courtyard, the afterglow of the setting sun gradually faded, and the sky was covered by a gray curtain.

Tang Susu and her four sons were busy making seven hundred servings of jelly.

This requires more than three catties of lantern seeds. I was busy until almost 7 p.m. when I made three hundred servings before. Today, I'm afraid I won't be able to rest until midnight.

The family had a clear division of labor: Yang Gousheng helped Tang Susu filter the jelly to speed things up; Tang Liqiang followed Tang Lifu to rub the lantern seeds; and Yang Xiaobao and Miao Yulan sat aside to process the outer skin of the lantern fruits.

"Uncle! Your hand!"

Tang Liqiang suddenly cried out, breaking the busy activity in the courtyard.

Tang Susu immediately put down her work and went to check on the situation, her heart clenching instantly.

Tang Lifu's palms were frighteningly white; a layer of skin had been rubbed off, and the flesh was all wrinkled up, but fortunately, there was no bleeding.

He started rubbing his hands right after dinner, and despite the injury, he didn't utter a sound.

A wave of bittersweetness washed over Tang Susu, and she couldn't help but sigh.

Ideals are always lofty, but reality is often harsh.

She originally planned to sell more than a thousand servings of jelly every day, but now she has only sold seven hundred servings. The whole family is exhausted and almost collapses. Tang Lifu's hands are almost "ruined".

And this is just the beginning.

"It's alright, I can still rub it." Tang Lifu smiled honestly and tried to put his hands into the basin.

"Don't touch it!" Tang Liqiang grabbed his hand. "Uncle, let me do it! I'm thick-skinned, I'm not afraid of pain!"

Tang Susu looked at the basin and saw that there was still one and a half pounds of lantern seeds left to be rubbed.

If she doesn't finish today, she won't be able to supply the supplier tomorrow. She always values ​​her word and will never break her promise.

After a moment's thought, she made a decision: "Lifu, let's switch jobs. You go and filter the jelly, and remember, you must make sure there are absolutely no impurities. I'll do the seed-shredding."

Tang Susu put her hand into the basin containing lantern seeds and at first felt only a cool sensation.

But after rubbing for a short while, a burning pain came from my palm.

On a whim, she quietly accessed the trading platform and spent five copper coins to buy a pair of rubber gloves to wear.

Then, she picked up the basin and stood up, saying, "It's windy here, I'll go inside to scrub."

Tang Lifu immediately picked up a torch: "Big sister, let me light your way, or let me rub the torch; I'm already good at it."

"No need, just filter it properly." Tang Susu took the torch, set it up in a bright spot in the room, and forced him to leave.

Wearing rubber gloves to rub the jelly made it much easier.

Tang Susu quickened her pace, washing one basin after another and carrying the next into the house. Her fingers and arms ached terribly, and her back felt like it was broken.

After she finished rubbing the last pound and a half of lantern seeds, she couldn't even stand up.

She leaned against the wall and slowly carried the things out the door.

The five people in the courtyard—Tang Lifu, Miao Yulan, Yang Gousheng, Tang Liqiang, and Yang Xiaobao—all turned their gazes to her, their eyes filled with heartache.

Tang Lifu's eyes reddened, and he punched himself hard, his voice choked with emotion: "It's all my fault... I'm just a useless piece of trash!"

Yang Gousheng stepped forward, his tone firm: "Mother, from now on, my eldest uncle, second uncle, and I will take turns making the jelly! Each of us will make one pound, and you absolutely won't have to lift a finger!"

Tang Liqiang immediately chimed in, clenching his fist: "That's right! The three of us men can definitely handle it! We can't let our eldest sister get tired anymore!"