A fierce wife enters the house: She helps up a house full of spineless people.

After Wang Jinzhu snatched their food from them in public and even gave it to the two "money-losing kids," Chen Shuyan and her son Chen Xiufen's faces were as black as the bottom of a pot.

All day long, a low-pressure atmosphere hung over the courtyard of the second house.

Chen Xiufen dared not openly cook for her son anymore, but looking at her son's pale face from hunger, her heart ached as if it were being cut by a knife.

At noon, she still made a mixed grain porridge, but she added extra wild vegetables so that her son would eat more.

However, Chen Shuyan was still angry about what happened that morning. He only ate two bites before putting down his chopsticks, locking himself back in his room, and saying that he was "full of anger."

Wang Jinzhu saw this and sneered inwardly.

If he doesn't want to eat, then he doesn't have to; we've spoiled him.

She ignored it, ate and drank her fill, and then dragged Chen Tianfang along, carrying a hoe, to the back mountain to clear land.

She was strong, and Chen Tianfang was an excellent worker. Together, they cleared a small patch of wasteland on the back hill in a day. Although it wasn't big, planting some sweet potatoes and potatoes would be enough to feed the family.

When I got home in the evening, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen.

To make up for her son's mistake, Chen Xiufen put extra effort into preparing dinner, baking the multigrain pancakes until they were golden brown and cooking the porridge until it was thick and creamy.

Just before the meal was served, Wang Jinzhu noticed that Chen Xiufen, taking advantage of everyone's inattention, secretly took out two white steamed buns from her sleeve and stuffed them into Chen Shuyan's hand, who had just come out of the house.

The steamed buns were white and soft; they were clearly her secret stash.

Chen Shuyan took it and quickly hid it in his arms, giving Wang Jinzhu a wary look.

Wang Jinzhu pretended not to see it, her face expressionless.

But Chen Tianrun, who was standing behind her, secretly gave her a wink.

Wang Jinzhu understood perfectly. This little spy of hers was indeed very conscientious.

Dinner proceeded uneventfully. Chen Shuyan was probably starving; he not only ate two steamed buns but also drank a large bowl of porridge.

The next day, it was the eldest son's turn to cook.

It was still dark when Wang Jinzhu quietly got out of bed. Chen Tianfang heard the noise and tried to get up too, but she pressed him back down: "You sleep a little longer, I'll make breakfast."

She walked into the cold, dimly lit kitchen and deftly started a fire and boiled water. Now that the rules were set, she, as the one who set them, had to do them flawlessly.

She used the mixed grains she had at home, mixed in some wild vegetables she had dug up the day before, and cooked a big pot of thick porridge. She also made a ring of mixed grain pancakes with a little bit of white flour on top, which was much more substantial than what Chen Xiufen usually made.

As the aroma of food wafted out, the rest of the Chen family members gradually got up.

When breakfast was served, Old Mrs. Chen habitually stirred the porridge in the bowl with her chopsticks, weighed the pancakes in her hand, glanced at Wang Jinzhu, and snorted, but didn't say anything critical.

Wang Jinzhu remained calm and served everyone a large bowl of thick porridge, and also distributed the flatbread fairly.

When it was Chen Shuyan's turn, she stopped using the spoon in her hand.

"Chen Tongsheng, there's no breakfast for you today." Her voice wasn't loud, but it rang out clearly in the quiet main room.

Chen Shuyan's hand, which was about to reach for the bowl, froze, and his face instantly turned ugly: "Wang Jinzhu! Don't go too far! I already..."

"You stole two white flour buns yesterday," Wang Jinzhu calmly interrupted him, her gaze shifting to Chen Xiufen, whose face instantly changed color. "Second Aunt, am I right? Since he can eat alone, he probably wouldn't even look at this coarse coarse grain porridge. Rules are rules, and if you break them, you have to accept the punishment. Go chop up some firewood in the yard later as punishment."

"You...you're trying to starve my son to death!" Chen Xiufen shrieked, about to throw another tantrum.

"You won't die from missing a meal." Wang Jinzhu naturally transferred the bowl of porridge that was meant for Chen Shuyan to Chen Tianrun and Chen Tianwei's bowls. "Tianfang goes hunting, our parents work in the fields, and Tianfang and I clear land. Who doesn't expend energy? Who doesn't eat this coarse grain? Why is Chen Tongsheng so precious, getting to secretly eat white flour buns when he's hungry?"

"Enough!" Old Mrs. Chen finally couldn't hold back any longer, slamming her chopsticks down. "Eldest daughter-in-law, are you ever going to stop? Shuyan already knows he was wrong, and we've already punished him by not letting him eat breakfast. What more do you want? Do you really want to drive him to his death?"

Old Chen, who had been silently smoking, finally spoke up, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Eldest daughter-in-law, you should be lenient. Shuyan is a scholar; his health is important. Skipping a meal is already a punishment. Chopping wood is work for rough men; his hands are for writing, not for this. Let's leave it at that."

Wang Jinzhu sneered inwardly. Sure enough, favoritism was ingrained in their bones. Going hungry for a meal? It probably wouldn't bother them at all.

Just then, Liu Yiyi, the newlywed who had been eating quietly, touched the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief and spoke softly: "Sister-in-law, don't take it too seriously. Your husband was wrong yesterday, but since Grandmother and Grandfather have spoken, you should accept it."

We're all family, why make things so awkward? My husband still needs to study; if he hurts his hand or goes hungry, it will ruin his future, and the entire Chen family will suffer. Don't you think so?"

"If you want to eat well, earn your own money. If Miss Liu is willing to use your own money to support Chen Shuyan and feed him fine grains, we, the eldest branch of the family, have no objection. But sucking the blood of the eldest branch while eating fine grains is unacceptable. If this happens again, we'll split up!"

Liu Yiyi was taken aback, and her gentle smile faltered slightly: "That's not what I meant, I just felt..."

"What do you think? Have you two ever contributed a single penny to the public funds? Even in farming, my second uncle and aunt are not as good as my parents." Wang Jinzhu interrupted her, her voice suddenly becoming sharp, and at the same time, she raised her right hand and slammed it on the heavy wooden table!

"Bang--!"

A loud bang startled everyone, causing the bowls and plates on the table to jump and spill soup.

Liu Yiyi trembled with fright, swallowing back the words she was about to say. Her face turned pale as she looked at Wang Jinzhu in fear.

Wang Jinzhu withdrew her hand, her gaze sweeping across Liu Yiyi's pale face like an icy blade, then slowly across Old Madam Chen and Chen Xiufen, finally settling on Chen Shuyan. She spoke each word slowly and deliberately, with a firm and resounding tone:

"In this house, it's not your place to 'think' what should be done! Rules are rules, and if you break them, I decide what the punishment is and how! Today, Chen Shuyan, no breakfast, and you have to chop that pile of firewood in the backyard! If you miss a single piece, you won't get any food tomorrow!"

Her fearless and reckless spirit erupted completely; the butcher's daughter's bloodthirsty and undaunted courage made everyone in the room hold their breath.

Liu Yiyi was so frightened by that gaze and aura that she fell silent, not daring to utter another word. She simply lowered her head and twisted her handkerchief tightly with her fingers.

Old Mrs. Chen was so angry that her fingers trembled. She wanted to curse, but Wang Jinzhu's fierce glare stopped her. Old Mr. Chen took a few deep drags on his cigarette, finally sighed heavily, and said in a hoarse voice, "...Do as the eldest daughter-in-law says."

Chen Shuyan's last hope was also dashed. He ran out of the house, but it was impossible for him to chop wood.

Wang Jinzhu stopped looking at them, picked up her bowl again, her expression calm, and said to her family, "Father, Mother, Tianrun, Tianwei, eat quickly, the porridge is getting cold."

She placed the largest piece of pancake on Chen Tianfang's plate, as if she hadn't been the one who had just made that dramatic remark.