Divorced by her husband's family and rejected by her own! She defiantly turned her life around

As Liu Dahu drank the bitter porridge, he cursed inwardly. He thought to himself, "I'm getting more and more useless as I get older. I can't even cook porridge. What else can I do?" He also complained about Huang Lanhua, "Why did you bring August back with you when you're going back to your parents' home?"

"Mom, you really need to practice your skills. What will you do when it's time for spring planting?"

"I'm getting old, my mind isn't working well, and my hands and feet aren't very nimble. Da Hu, you have nothing to do at home. When Lan Hua comes back, learn to cook and do some housework from her. It'll help you get some exercise. Otherwise, sitting still all day isn't good for your health."

"Eldest son, your mother is right. Since it's inconvenient for you to work in the fields, you can do some housework and help out at home."

Liu Dahu was furious when he heard this. He slammed the bowl down on the table. "Father and Mother, look at what you've done all these years! All you do is eat and drink and boss people around at home. Before, when we brothers were all here, if you didn't want to work, fine, we would do it. It was a way of being filial to you and letting you enjoy your retirement early."

Now that things are like this at home, you still don't want to work. Look at you all, all of you are eating so well and your faces are glowing. And look at my grandsons, they're all starving. How can you have the nerve to say such things?

From now on, Mom will do the housework, and Dad will do the fieldwork.

The old man raised his hand and slapped Liu Dahu hard across the face, and Liu Dahu raised his hand and overturned the table.

"You unfilial son! Your mother and I have spoiled you since you were little, and we've kept your second and third brothers in check, making them work for the eldest son's family all the time. Because of you, I broke off my marriage with Da Wang and fell out with Da Niu."

Now look what's happened, you're actually looking down on us. What's wrong with us eating something good? What's wrong with us being old and not wanting to work? Don't forget who's the head of the household.

Everything in this house is mine. If you're not happy about it, then take your whole family and get out. Your mother and I will have peace and quiet. Even if we do nothing, we can live off the money from selling the land for the rest of our lives.

Only then did Liu Dahu realize that he had acted impulsively and offended the two elders. He said, "Father, Mother, I didn't mean to. It's just that the food you cooked today was really hard to swallow. I was just in a hurry. Please don't hold it against your son."

The old man snorted and left, his wife following him, leaving behind a mess. Liu Dahu slapped himself, blaming his foul mouth. He didn't care anymore and would wait for them to come back and clean up.

When Huang Lanhua returned to her parents' home, she was immediately scolded by her mother. She could only endure it. "Lanhua, I heard that you received a dowry of five taels of silver in August. Shouldn't you show some filial piety to your mother?"

"Mother, it would have been better if you hadn't mentioned the betrothal gifts. I get angry just thinking about them. Those two old geezers have all of them. I don't have a single penny. The old geezers gave Qingshan's wife one tael of silver, but she ate the offerings from Liu Daniu's family out of greed and had to pay two taels of silver in compensation. I wanted to get the steward back, but those two old geezers just wouldn't agree."

I can't manage the household; I'm completely helpless at home. I want to be filial to my mother, but I'm powerless to do so.

Da Hu agrees that I should take charge of the household, but the two old folks refuse. Mother, please give me some advice.

Old Mrs. Huang's eyes darted around. "Since they won't hand it over, then you should find a pretext to steal the things. The most valuable things they have are their land and houses. As long as you get those two things, you won't be able to deal with them."

"They stay cooped up in their rooms all day and never go anywhere, how can they steal?"

"Isn't there an opportunity right now? You're getting married in August. If the villagers don't come to your house to give you dowry and send you off, they can just sit in their rooms and not come out. Go back and discuss this with Da Hu. This is something your son-in-law must know about and let him do it. Even if it gets exposed, it's a matter between father and son, and has nothing to do with you."

"Yes, Mother is right."

Huang Lanhua didn't get home until dark. "Husband, what happened to you?"

"Why are you only getting back now? I'm starving! Go get me something to eat."

"You haven't gone all day, have you?"

"Yeah, I didn't eat."

Liu Dahu then recounted what had happened at home that day: "Honey, Mom and Dad are unhappy with us now, but they're in control of the household, and there's nothing we can do. Honey, the only way is to steal everything..."

"How could you even think of that? Aren't you afraid of being drowned?"

"Honey, think about it carefully. If you were the one going, it would be different. You would be taking your own things."

I'll make you some white flour pancakes to satisfy your craving.

Liu Siyue was woken up early in the morning by Madam Feng, "Siyue, Siyue, get up quickly, we're going to your maternal grandmother's house."

"Okay, Mother, I'll get up now. Wait for me."

Liu Siyue stretched and got up, dressed herself up neatly, and came out of the house. When she saw that Feng Shi was dressed in a very plain way, she said, "Cousin, you're dressing up Mother. What are you dressed like? Second Uncle, are you working in the fields? Look at what you're wearing."

I'll go pick out some clothes for you.

"It's fine for your second uncle and me to dress like this in April; we don't need to make a fuss."

"This isn't about being ostentatious. We're dressed smartly, which makes Grandma and Grandpa proud, doesn't it? Everyone knows our family has become rich, so we can't let anyone talk about it."

Liu Siyue picked out clothes for the two of them, dressing them up in a new way. "They look really good. Mother and Second Uncle look just like the landlord and his wife when they're dressed like this."

Qingwu loaded all the gifts she wanted to bring into the car. "Mom has prepared five gifts. Your uncles have divided their property, so each family needs to prepare one."

"Yes, that's how it should be."

The group boarded the oxcart, and Qingwu drove them to Fengyuan Village. On the way, Liu Dawang lifted the carriage curtain and said, "April, could you point out the location of that village to your second uncle?"

"Second Uncle, quickly lower the curtain, the wind is blowing in, don't let Mother get too cold."

I'll go with my second uncle another day.

"April, you have no idea, your second uncle, that good-for-nothing, has been dreaming about farming every night ever since you bought him this farm."

"Second Uncle, you'll be busy from now on. You'll have to manage the people who bought the estate well, and don't let them bully you. Those people know how to treat people differently based on their status."

If you're too agreeable, they'll take advantage of you and think you're weak and easy to bully. Therefore, you need to be both kind and firm with those people—a combination of giving them a slap and a sweet treat. You need to instill both respect and loyalty in them.

"They are all pitiful people. As long as they don't cause trouble, let's not make things difficult for them."

"Second Uncle, you can handle it yourself when the time comes, just make sure those servants don't bully you."

"Mom, Second Uncle, look, this is the tofu recipe I wrote. With this recipe, Grandma's family won't have to worry about making a living anymore."

"Madam Feng looked at the recipe. It's so complicated. None of your maternal grandmother's family members are literate. They simply can't make it by following the recipe. And the recipe can't be shown to outsiders, otherwise it will be leaked."

"Mom, don't worry. Once Uncle's family has everything ready, my older sister and I will come over and teach you step by step until you learn it."

"Master and Madam, we've already left the town. Which way do we go now?"

Liu Dawang lifted the carriage curtain. "Qingwu, come on up and warm up. I'll drive."

"Sir, I'm not cold. Just tell me how to get there. Be careful not to catch a cold from the wind."

"What am I afraid of, a grown man? Am I less capable than a little girl like you? Let me chase after you."

"Sir, please sit down here and give me directions so I can familiarize myself with the way and it will be easier for me to come back next time."

Liu Dawang directed the operation from the side. The wind blew past his ears, and with a whoosh, the oxcart came to a steady stop. "Madam, Master, we've arrived at Uncle's house."