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

The coal stove in the kitchen was burning brightly, and the chicken soup in the earthenware pot was bubbling away, its delicious aroma wafting out through the open doors and windows.

Next to it, a stainless steel pot was simmering with dog shark soup, the broth bubbling and ginger slices bobbing inside.

Song Xianglan lifted the lid and skimmed off a layer of oil.

Song Tingting's chattering voice came from outside: "Sister Cong Ying, tell me quickly, wasn't my brother's commando team really impressive back then?"

I want to write down what happened between you and my brother, so that more people will know how hard-won peace is.

Cong Ying's thoughts returned to that war-torn place.

"Alright, if you want to hear it, I'll tell you. I have plenty of material. I hope you can write it down; our soldiers deserve to be recorded in history books."

The two girls had just entered the house.

Two heads peeked in from the courtyard gate.

Before Lin Gang's wife even entered the door, her voice rang out: "Auntie, busy?"

Gan Shanshan followed behind, carrying a basket.

She was straightforward, "It smells so good! What delicious food did you make, Auntie?"

Song Xianglan wiped her hands and came out to greet them: "I made chicken soup and dogfish at home to nourish Xiangdong and his wife. Please come in and sit down."

Gan Shanshan put the basket on the table and lifted the blue cloth covering it.

A plate of steaming rice cakes was revealed.

"My mother-in-law made this. She's a bit of a chatterbox, but her pastry-making skills are impeccable. I brought it here for my aunt to try."

Song Xianglan didn't stand on ceremony and reached out to pick up a piece and take a bite.

"That's very thoughtful."

Since I started working at the processing workshop.

Gan Shanshan has a high status in her family, and many villagers also earn income by selling fish and shrimp to workshops.

The group sat down around the square table.

Gan Shanshan had barely sat down on the stool when she spoke up: "Auntie, there's something I need to tell you. Those heartless uncles and aunts of Yang Xiaoye have practically worn down the threshold of our workshop these past few days."

Song Xianglan frowned.

"Coming to cause trouble?"

"you do not say."

Lin Gang's wife chimed in, her face full of disdain. "They've come several times, all they want is for Xiaoye to give them her wages. They say they raised Yang Xiaoye and her brother for several years, and they can't let outsiders benefit from it. They also keep saying they want to take Xiaoye and her brother back to live with them."

"I think it's like a weasel paying New Year's greetings to a chicken."

Gan Shanshan snorted coldly, "Luckily, Sister-in-law Zhang Qin was quick-witted and said that you hadn't been home yet and your wages hadn't been paid, so she managed to send the person back."

Song Xianglan tapped her fingertips lightly twice on the table.

"They've lost all sense of shame for money."

"There's something even more outrageous," Lin Gang's wife whispered as she leaned closer. "I heard that Grandma Yang Xiaoye asked a matchmaker to find a family for Xiaoye. They said that once both families agree, they'll send her over to get to know them, and then they'll hold the wedding banquet next spring."

"familiar?"

Song Xianglan's eyes turned cold. "Are you trying to sell them off?"

"I know that family. The man is lame and more than twelve years older than Xiaoye, but his family is quite well-off."

Lin Gang's wife curled her lip, "The old man from the Yang family is obviously after the bride price."

In ordinary families, when a daughter gets married, the bride price is usually given back to her family for support. But the Yang family's actions show they intend to devour their daughter whole, leaving Xiaoye with not a single penny.

"Not only did they swallow the money, they also abandoned Xiaozhi and left her to fend for herself."

Gan Shanshan slammed her hand on the table in anger, "This is driving the siblings to their deaths! Besides, how old is Xiaoye?"

Song Xianglan's face was frighteningly grim.

"As long as Yang Xiaoye works in my workshop, they won't succeed."

The atmosphere inside the room was somewhat heavy.

Song Xianglan changed the subject, "Let's not talk about these unpleasant things for now. How are the goods selling at the workshop?"

Gan Shanshan came to her senses.

"It's going pretty smoothly. It's just that sometimes there's no work to do, and everyone gets bored."

Song Xianglan considered for a moment, "Since we started out in the food business, I think we should add another category. I'd like to buy some mushrooms and make pickled mushrooms."

"Pickled mushrooms?" The two were taken aback.

"In our Qingyang area, many locals grow mushrooms. There are also many families along the coast who dry salt, which is inexpensive," Song Xianglan analyzed.

She is short of money right now.

This time, she emptied her savings and donated most of it to Southwest China.

The truckloads of medicines and supplies, plus the donations, almost wiped her out of her savings overnight.

The gold bars and antiques hidden at home are inanimate objects; taking them out now would be like throwing away a hot potato, and I dare not sell them.

She has to make money work for her.

It also needs to be fast.

Gan Shanshan hesitated for a moment: "Auntie, isn't it too tiring to prepare both seafood and mushrooms? Your health isn't what it used to be..."

"I'm not tired, I know what I'm doing."

Song Xianglan felt a sense of urgency and fear. "You should keep this in mind for now. Once I'm free to harvest the mushrooms, I'll teach you how to do it."

They saw the two off.

It was already completely dark outside.

Song Xianglan took a large flashlight, put on a thick coat, and went out.

One person went to the workshop.

Push open the door.

A salty smell wafted over.

There was a light in the kitchen, and siblings Yang Xiaoye and Yang Xiaozhi were sitting on small stools weaving baskets.

Several finished products were already piled up next to it, dense and neat.

Hearing the noise, Yang Xiaoye jumped up like a startled rabbit.

Upon recognizing Song Xianglan, she breathed a sigh of relief, quickly grabbed an enamel mug from the side, ran to the water tank, rinsed and washed it, poured a cup of hot water, and brought it over.

"Aunt Song, have some water." The little girl's hands were trembling.

Yang Xiaozhi was short and hid behind his sister. His hands were stained black from the rattan. He moved a stool and placed it in front of Song Xianglan. He grinned at her, revealing two small tiger teeth.

"Aunt Song, please have a seat."

Song Xianglan took the enamel mug, took a sip, and then sat down.

"Why are you still up so late? What are you making up?"

"Xiaozhi and I were bored, so we thought we'd weave some baskets so we can use them to carry goods in the future." Yang Xiaoye held the hem of her clothes in both hands, and her cheeks were a little chubby.

Looking at her cautious demeanor, Song Xianglan asked, "I heard your uncle and aunt came looking for you?"

Yang Xiaoye trembled, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

She sniffed, her voice barely audible:

"Aunt Song...Grandma wants to arrange a marriage for me. But...I don't want to get married."

"Then refuse." Song Xianglan's voice carried a firm tone.

Yang Xiaoye stared at her blankly.

"You are a living, breathing person, not an object. As long as you don't agree, no one can force you to come," Song Xianglan told her earnestly. "This is a new society, not the old society where people sold their children."

If you can't stand up for yourself, no one can save you. If you dare to say "no," Aunt Song will back you up.

Yang Xiaoye's tears streamed down her face.

He nodded emphatically.

Yang Xiaozhi raised her fist, "Sister, I'll stand up for you too."

Yang Xiaoye patted Yang Xiaozhi's head. "Silly little brother. You should grow taller first. I'm really worried you won't grow tall enough."

Yang Xiaozhi: ...

I was hit hard.

After comforting the two children, Song Xianglan went to the warehouse for a walk.

Dried shrimp and dried mackerel are running low on stock.

Yang Xiaoye followed behind and explained that Huang Ronghua had brought people back and exchanged the money he had earned for goods.

They didn't return empty-handed; they brought back a bunch of rare items that are only found in the North.

Cordyceps, fritillaria, and goji berries from the Northwest, as well as ginseng of good quality.

These items are in high demand in the South.

Song Xianglan picked out a bag of cordyceps and some goji berries and took them home.

back home.

The lights in the main room were on.

Shen Huijun had already gotten up and turned on the stainless steel pot on the coal stove.

Seeing Song Xianglan enter, she smiled and said:

"Mom, I'll cook some noodles."

"Go sit down and don't move." Song Xianglan put down what she was holding, rolled up her sleeves, and said, "I've prepared everything; I'll cook noodles for you."

She ladled several large spoonfuls of boiling chicken broth and some chicken into the pot.

Once the soup boils, the thin noodles, as fine as hair, are dropped in and cooked after a couple of stirs with chopsticks.

I also fried two eggs.

A bowl of chicken soup noodles is ready.

"Huijun, you eat first. I'll cook for Xiangdong later."

Song Xianglan served Song Xiangdong a bowl of dry noodles and heated up a large bowl of dog shark soup.

There was also half a plate of stir-fried chicken giblets with pickled bamboo shoots on the table.

Shen Huijun picked up the bowl, slurped down a big mouthful, then picked up a piece of pickled bamboo shoot and stuffed it into her mouth, sighing with satisfaction. "Mom, home-cooked meals are still the best. Nothing I ate at that hospital in Kunming just felt right."

Song Xianglan served her another bowl of chicken soup. "Eat more. You didn't eat or rest well in Kunming. I'll stew bird's nest for you tomorrow to nourish you properly."

Shen Huijun almost choked. "We ate it once last time, we can't keep eating it."

"As long as we have it, we can eat it." Song Xianglan put another chicken leg on her plate. "I was thinking of getting some fish maw too, it's good for you."

Shen Huijun was speechless with amazement, but felt a warm glow in her heart.

She ate most of the bowl, put down her chopsticks, and picked up another bowl: "Mom, I'll take this bowl in to Xiangdong first; he'll probably wake up hungry too."

"I'll go with you." Song Xianglan picked up her bowl and was about to take a step.

"Bang bang bang!"

Suddenly, someone banged on the courtyard gate.

The commotion was urgent and loud, as if they were about to tear the door apart.