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

The next day, before dawn, Chen Yuxiang woke up.

This is a habit she has developed over decades: she has to get up at the first crow of the rooster, otherwise she won't be able to make breakfast for the whole family in time.

She quietly dressed and tried to leave in the dark. Today was her eldest son's wedding day, and logically, it should be the new bride's turn to cook. But thinking of Wang Jinzhu's fierce manner yesterday, and then of her mother-in-law's mean face, she felt uneasy.

Jinzhu is a straightforward girl, she definitely won't put up with her mother-in-law's temper. But if the new bride doesn't get up to cook on her first day, it won't look good if word gets out. As the mother-in-law, she should probably help her out.

She had just reached the door and opened it when a lazy voice greeted her.

"Mom, where are you going?"

Chen Yuxiang was startled. She saw that Wang Jinzhu had gotten up at some point and was standing in the yard. It was dark, and she couldn't see her face clearly.

"Jinzhu, you're up?" Chen Yuxiang asked somewhat guiltily. "I...I got up to cook for everyone."

"What are you cooking?" Wang Jinzhu yawned. "It's not even dawn yet, go back to bed. Nobody's getting up to cook today."

"Huh?" Chen Yuxiang was stunned. "How can this be? The whole family is waiting for dinner. Especially you... you're the new bride, it's your first day..."

"So what if it's the first day? Liu Yiyi's first day is too! Why should I have to get up and cook for them so they'll think I, Wang Jinzhu, am an easy target?" Wang Jinzhu moved closer to Chen Yuxiang and pushed her back into the room.

"Mother, listen to me. From today onwards, our eldest son's family will no longer be the workhorses of this household. Why should we work from dawn till dusk while the second son's family reaps the benefits? It's the same with cooking." Wang Jinzhu's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable force.

"But...you nurse her..." Chen Yuxiang was still worried.

"Let her curse if she wants to, it won't hurt her anyway," Wang Jinzhu said nonchalantly. "You just lie there and relax. Whoever wants to make breakfast today can make it, we're not making it."

Chen Yuxiang was stunned by her daughter-in-law's words. The resentment and grievances that had accumulated in her heart over the years were stirred up by Wang Jinzhu's few words.

Yeah, why should we?

Why is it that she and the head of the household work themselves to the bone, while the second wife and her husband can sleep until noon every day? Why is it that her son hunts all day long and has to hand over all the money he earns, while the second wife's son's school fees are spent like water?

Just because they had a son who was good at studying?

Chen Yuxiang lay on the kang (a heated brick bed), tossing and turning, her mind in turmoil, and she really didn't get up again.

The sky gradually brightened.

There was also some movement in the yard.

First, the door to the east room creaked open, and Old Mrs. Chen came out dressed, glancing habitually toward the kitchen.

The kitchen was quiet; not even a wisp of smoke was rising.

Old Mrs. Chen's face immediately fell.

That Wang Jinzhu, she really dares to do that! She dares to sleep in when asked to cook!

She gave a heavy "humph," but didn't bother to call out. Instead, she moved a small stool to the middle of the yard and sat down, waiting to see what would happen. She wanted to see where Wang Jinzhu would put her face when everyone got up and found there was no food!

Then, the door to the second room opened. Chen Yang and Chen Xiufen, a married couple, stretched and came out.

"Huh? Why haven't you cooked yet?" Chen Xiufen asked curiously, rubbing her eyes.

Old Mrs. Chen said sarcastically, "What's the point of cooking? This new bride is so precious, she won't get up until the sun is high in the sky. We'll just have to wait."

Chen Xiufen immediately understood; her mother-in-law was trying to intimidate her new niece-in-law. Her eyes darted around, and she added fuel to the fire: "Oh dear, Mother, this won't do! How can a new bride sleep in on her first day? If word gets out, what will become of the Chen family's reputation? Besides, Shuyan is delicate; he can't go hungry in the morning, he still needs to study."

"Exactly!" Old Mrs. Chen slapped her thigh. "Just wait and see how I scold her!"

Soon, Chen Shuyan also came out of the house, yawning. He was wearing a clean long robe, and his hair was neatly combed, making him look quite presentable.

"Mom, why isn't there any food yet? I'm starving." He frowned, looking unhappy.

"Almost there, almost there, your new sister-in-law hasn't gotten up yet," Grandma Chen said patiently, coaxing her precious grandson.

In an instant, the courtyard was filled with people. The elderly Chen couple and the four members of the second branch of the family all stared expectantly at the door of the main house, waiting to see how Wang Jinzhu would handle the situation after she came out.

After a while, the door to the main room finally opened.

It was Chen Shi who came out. When he saw the scene in the yard, his heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively wanted to go to the kitchen.

"Stop right there!" Old Mrs. Chen shouted sternly. "Eldest son, where's your wife? Where's your good daughter-in-law? What time is it? She's still hiding inside! Are you expecting the whole family to starve while waiting for her?"

Chen Shi was so scolded that he couldn't even lift his head. He rubbed his hands, not knowing what to say.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Yuxiang and Chen Tianwei also came out of the house, both looking very nervous.

"Mother, I..." Chen Yuxiang tried to explain.

"Shut up! You have no right to speak here!" Old Mrs. Chen didn't give her a chance. "Where's Wang Jinzhu? Tell her to get out here!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Wang Jinzhu yawned and slowly walked out of the house. Behind her was Chen Tianfang, who had also just woken up.

Wang Jinzhu glanced around at the people in the courtyard, feigning ignorance, and asked, "Oh, everyone's up so early? What are you all doing standing here? Waiting to watch the sunrise?"

Her nonchalant attitude completely ignited Old Mrs. Chen's anger.

"Wang Jinzhu!" Old Mrs. Chen jumped up from the stool, pointing her finger at her nose and yelling, "You lazy bum! Look at the time! The whole family is starving, and you're sleeping until now! We, the Chen family, have married a daughter-in-law, not a patriarch! Get your ass to the kitchen and cook!"

Wang Jinzhu didn't even lift an eyelid in the face of Old Mrs. Chen's roar.

She walked to the water vat in the yard, scooped up a ladle of water, and began to wash herself.

This dismissive attitude drove Old Mrs. Chen even crazier than any backtalk.

"You...you heard me! I told you to cook!" Old Mrs. Chen was so angry that she was trembling all over.

Wang Jinzhu rinsed her mouth, spat out the water, then slowly turned around, looked at her, and smiled.

"Grandma, I don't understand what you're saying. Who says a new bride has to cook on her first day? I married Chen Tianfang, I'm the eldest son's wife, not your family's maid. Why should I be the one serving your whole family?"

"This has always been the rule! The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother, so you should serve us!" Old Mrs. Chen shouted.

"Oh? The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother?" Wang Jinzhu raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting to Chen Xiufen of the second wife's family. "Then shouldn't Second Aunt also treat my mother like her own mother? Shouldn't she greet my mother respectfully when she sees her? Shouldn't she also volunteer to do the chores around the house?"

Chen Xiufen was taken aback by her gaze, her face turned green, and she quickly shrank back.

"You...you're just making excuses!" Old Mrs. Chen said angrily.

"How am I being unreasonable?" Wang Jinzhu walked up to her step by step. She was tall and stronger than Old Lady Chen, which immediately created a sense of oppression.

"I'm asking you, in this family, are there a first wife and a second wife?"

Old Mrs. Chen was taken aback: "So what if it is?"

"Since we're dividing into the eldest and second wives, let's talk about it. In our eldest wife's household, my parents-in-law work in the fields, and my husband hunts. They work hard all year round, and doesn't all the money they earn go to you?"

Old Mrs. Chen's eyes flickered, but she didn't say anything.

"What about the second wife? Second Uncle and Second Aunt are idle all day long. Chen Shuyan's schooling is a bottomless pit. Did they take the money from you for it too?"

"Studying is for the future of our Chen family!" Old Mrs. Chen argued stubbornly.

"Alright, let's not talk about the future. Let's talk about cooking." Wang Jinzhu's voice suddenly rose. "My mother-in-law used to do all the cooking; she's kind-hearted and doesn't mind. Now that I'm a member of the family, we have to start all over again. Why should we, the eldest son's family, contribute money and effort, only to have to serve you idle people from the second son's family? Is there any justice in this world?"

She looked at everyone in the courtyard and said, word by word, "I'm making this clear today: I can't cook this meal by myself. If you want to eat, fine. From today onwards, the eldest and second sons will take turns cooking. One day per family, and no one can take advantage of anyone else. Whose turn is it today?"

Taking turns cooking?

These four words were simply a fantasy to Old Mrs. Chen and her second wife.

In this family, the eldest son's wife does the work, while the second son's wife enjoys the benefits—this is a deeply ingrained rule. When did it become the turn of a newly married granddaughter-in-law to interfere and try to change the rules?