Old Mrs. Song is reborn; get out of here, you scumbag husband and illegitimate child!

Song Xianglan rushed home and quickly cooked porridge.

Song Xiangmei tidied the house very clean early in the morning; she's a person who can't sit still.

The pork rib congee in the clay pot was bubbling away, and the rice oil had been cooked out, making it so thick that it couldn't be dissolved.

Song Xianglan sprinkled in more than half a pound of fresh shrimp, then sliced ​​a red grouper into it, and finally sprinkled on a handful of bright green celery. The fresh and sweet aroma forcefully wafted into her nostrils.

There's absolutely no need to pair it with pickled vegetables.

That alone is enough to make your tongue tingle.

Song Xianglan brought out the porridge and found the courtyard spotless, even the chicken droppings in the corner had been shoveled away.

The chickens and ducks had long been released from their cages to forage for food on the riverbank.

The clothesline was full of freshly washed clothes.

Water is dripping down.

The eldest sister, Song Xiangmei, was bending over, pulling weeds at the base of the wall.

Hearing the noise, he rubbed the mud off his hands:

"Third Sister, what are you cooking?"

Song Xianglan felt a pang of sadness.

I feel like I've been quite diligent this time around.

Compared to my older sister, I'm practically a lazy bum.

"Pork rib congee, wash up and have some congee."

Sister Song hurriedly went to wash her hands.

Two voices called "Old Song" came from outside the courtyard gate.

The ugly woman stood not far from her house and shouted.

Song Xianglan placed the casserole on the table in the main room before turning to leave.

The ugly woman's mouth opened like a dam bursting the moment she saw her:

"Lanlan, what sins did I commit in my past life to give birth to those two troublesome devils?"

Yesterday, Lin Mu went to Lin Fang and said that his brother-in-law was short of dowry money for his wedding and asked to borrow 300 yuan.

Lin Gang said he wanted to buy a boat for his in-laws to go to sea—is that something he's capable of? Those two brothers just see Xiao Fang has some money and want to eat every last bit of it!

She spat.

I'm so angry I could grind my teeth:

"I should have just exchanged all my money for ghost money and burned it for them, so they wouldn't covet the money of the living!"

"Since we know it's a trap, we can't keep the money."

Song Xianglan pulled the person to a sheltered spot and whispered:

"I think you shouldn't just let Lin Fang go with you to deliver goods. Now that her household registration has been transferred back, you should go to the brigade leader and the party secretary to get a plot of land for building a house nearby."

The ugly woman was stunned:

"Build a house? That girl will get married eventually, who will get the house?"

"For yourself."

Song Xianglan pointed to the beach not far away, "Maybe this place will be a gold mine in the future."

Besides, you only have a strong backbone when you own a house.

Once the house is built, it's a real property; those two brothers can't take it away even if they want to..."

Song Xianglan's mind works quickly.

This beach will become a famous tourist area in the future. Now that we've acquired the land, we can just sit back and count our money.

"Lin Fang is a good cook. Minghua really loves her oyster rice. Ask her to make oyster rice, and also make some fish balls and fish ball soup."

Who among the dockworkers carrying loads or returning from the sea doesn't crave a hot meal?

A bowl of oyster rice with a bowl of fish ball soup—it's filling and delicious. I ride my bike to sell them; today I go to the dock, tomorrow to the factory gate. It's a bit tiring riding, but I earn a good amount each day.

The ugly woman's eyes gradually brightened.

He held Song Xianglan's hand, which trembled.

"This is a good idea. Doing business generates cash that can sustain life. Sister, you are a living Buddha to me and Xiaofang."

She didn't linger and rushed back.

"I'll go back and discuss it with Xiaofang right away."

Song Xianglan smiled as she watched her retreating figure.

He turned and went back into the house.

Song Xiangmei was holding a bowl, sipping her porridge in small mouthfuls.

It must be because it's so delicious.

She couldn't bear to swallow, holding each bite in her mouth for a long time.

"This porridge... is really good."

Song Xiangmei ate two large bowls, her belly was bulging, and a satisfied blush appeared on her face.

"Third sister, I've been dreaming about our parents a lot for the past six months. They call out to me in my dreams, telling me to come and reunite with them soon."

Song Xianglan's heart skipped a beat.

Song Xiangmei's eyes were somewhat unfocused as she stared into the void:

"I was thinking that while I can still move around, I should meet all of you sisters."

I've told you everything I needed to, and now... I have no regrets.

If Ogawa can make a decision, I can finally rest in peace.

Otherwise, once your brother-in-law and I die, those older brothers and their wives will definitely divide the family property; they'll be lucky if they leave him even a bowl.

"Why are you saying such discouraging things so early in the morning?"

Song Xianglan slammed her chopsticks on the table, raising her voice several octaves.

"What do you mean by 'dying'? You're only seventy. Your good days are yet to come."

After we finish eating and tidy up, let's go to Songjiazhuang to see your younger brothers.

Tomorrow, I'll take you to the city.

"What are you going to do in the city?"

Song Xiangmei was startled. "How much would that cost? I'm not going!"

"Go see my second sister!" Song Xianglan glared. "Of the three of us sisters, only my second sister married far away. Don't you have to go see her? If she finds out you came here and didn't visit her, she'll argue with you even in the afterlife."

"They're still bullying us even though they're alive."

These words left Song Xiangmei speechless.

Actually, Song Xianglan was thinking of what Cong Ying had said last night.

My older sister is really worried about her health; she doesn't want to go to a major hospital for a full checkup.

Using the excuse of visiting my second sister.

The right thing to do is to coax someone to the hospital.

Song Xiangmei still wanted to decline.

They said there was still work to be done in the fields, the winter jujubes on the mountain hadn't been picked, and the mustard greens in their private plot needed to be cut.

"If your sons were filial, they would have finished this work long ago."

If you go with your parents, will they stop living?

The Earth will keep spinning no matter who's gone.

Song Xianglan retorted directly, "These next few days, you should listen to me and let's have a good get-together as sisters."

We've eaten.

Song Xianglan locked the door, took the pork and pig's blood, and rode her bicycle with her eldest sister straight to Songjiazhuang.

The winter wind stung my face.

Song Xiangmei huddled in the back seat, her hands gripping Song Xianglan's clothes tightly, as if afraid that if she let go, she would have no one to rely on anymore.

We arrived at Songjiazhuang.

From afar, I could see Sister-in-law Song busy in her private plot.

The mustard greens that have been touched by frost are a dark, almost blackish green.

It looks crisp and fresh.

"Sister-in-law! Make mustard green rice for lunch!" Song Xianglan called out loudly.

Sister-in-law Song straightened up, brandishing her sickle and laughing and cursing:

"You're such a glutton! Do you even need to shout? We've already prepared pork belly, dried shrimp, and dried oysters."

Wait until you can see who got out of the back seat.

Sister-in-law Song was stunned. She quickly walked over and grabbed Song Xiangmei's hand: "Sister, oh my, how come you... how come you've aged so much?"

Despite being of the same generation, Song Xiangmei looked like she was from a different generation when she stood in front of Song Dasao.

His back was hunched, and his face was wrinkled like a dried orange peel.

Song Xiangmei lowered her head and smiled shyly:

"I came to see you."

"Come inside quickly, come inside quickly!"

Sister-in-law Song's eyes reddened, and she turned and shouted, "Qiangzi's wife! Go and call all your aunts over! Tell them your eldest aunt is here, and they'll be having lunch here!"

After Song's parents passed away.

The eldest brother is like a father, and the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother; this old house is the family's stronghold.

Upon entering the house.

A wave of heat hit my face.

"Where is my elder brother?" Song Xianglan looked around but didn't see him.

"Don't even mention it."

Sister-in-law Song poured brown sugar water for the two of them. "Your second uncle's grandson is going on a blind date today, and he dragged your eldest brother along to make the scene. They say the girl is very pretty and from Yu Family Village. I heard the bride price is high, but the girl is really nice."

"Yu Family Village?" Song Xianglan thought of Xiao Chuan.

Yesterday, Liu Chunhua mentioned that there was a man named Yu Dawang in that area who "sold his daughter."

She smiled casually.

"What a coincidence! My eldest sister's son, Xiaochuan, is also looking for a partner from Yujiazhuang. They say they'll finalize the deal before the new year."

Sister-in-law Song perked up at the question and pulled up a stool to sit down: "Which family in Yu Village are you? How's the dowry negotiation going?"

Song Xiangmei held a bowl of hot sugar water.

A slight smile appeared on his face:

"It's the family at the end of the village, the Yu family. I've seen their third daughter; she gets along well with Xiao Chuan."

The bride price is two hundred yuan, plus a full set of bedding, and a set of three turns and a sound system. I figured as long as she's willing to marry into the family, I could grit my teeth and accept it.

"Who? Yu Dawang?"

Sister-in-law Song's smile froze instantly, her brows furrowed, and her voice changed, "You mean... that Yu Dawang, nicknamed 'Yu the Skinflint'?"

Song Xiangmei was stunned.

A bad feeling welled up inside me:

"Ah... Liu Chunhua said he's quite stingy, what's wrong?"

Sister-in-law Song slapped her thigh and stood up anxiously: "The family your second uncle's grandson was looking for today is the second daughter of Yu Dawang's family."

I recently heard someone say that this family is dishonest; they're selling their daughter like pork by the pound.

But your second uncle's grandson is acting like he's gone mad and insists on finding a match...

Sister-in-law Song looked around and lowered her voice:

"And I heard that Yu Dawang has accepted betrothal gifts from two families and is planning to marry Sanya to a cripple in the next village, just because that cripple is willing to pay four hundred!"

"What?!"

Song Xiangmei's hand trembled, and the bowl of brown sugar water crashed to the ground with a "bang," splashing all over her trouser leg.

Her face was deathly pale, and her lips trembled.

"No...that can't be, right? The matchmaker said everything was settled..."

Song Xianglan narrowed her eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.

Are the Yu family taking advantage of the eldest sister's honesty and trying to swindle her money?