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

"If she comes back, don't just keep crying and apologizing. Since she has no say, give her things."

The ugly woman was stunned for a moment.

"What is it?"

"Tell your daughter to grow mushrooms too. Have Lin Gang teach her the techniques, and get someone to help her build the greenhouse. If she can earn money with her own skills, she'll have more confidence and a better life."

Song Xianglan paused.

The voice lowered.

"If that son-in-law is really no good, replace him. This isn't the old society where divorce wasn't shameful. If things are still manageable, then let Xiaoyan stand up for herself. Having money gives her more confidence."

The ugly woman's eyes welled up with tears.

She never had confidence before.

A woman who gets married loses her home.

She was afraid that if she wanted to quit, there would be nowhere to take her in. Ever since she started making money and speaking loudly, even her son and daughter-in-law have sided with her.

Become reasonable.

Song Xianglan glanced at her.

"Treat men like a pile of dung, to be used as fertilizer in a latrine. If they can produce good crops, they're still somewhat useful. If not, they're just pure waste."

The ugly woman burst out laughing.

He laughed so hard that tears almost streamed down his face, and he wiped his face with his sleeve.

"Lanlan, I'm impressed by your sharp tongue."

Song Dong's voice came from the kitchen again.

"Third Aunt, should we add eggs to the batter for the seaweed and tofu balls?"

"Add a few more. But don't add too many," Song Xianglan called out to the kitchen.

"Third Aunt, I added some dried shrimp to the radish balls, is that okay?" Song Bei chimed in.

"Okay. Add less salt, the dried shrimp is already salty."

The ugly woman stood by, listening and laughing.

"Look at them. How affectionately they call each other 'Third Aunt'."

The barking of Gou Sheng could be heard from outside the yard.

"Grandma, give me some pocket money. I'm taking my younger siblings to the shop to buy some marbles to play with."

Liu Chounu turned around and walked to the courtyard gate. She saw Gousheng holding Fubao and standing outside the gate. Youbao was tugging at Gousheng's clothes, and all three heads were looking up at her.

The ugly woman took a handkerchief pouch out of her cotton-padded jacket pocket.

Unfold the first layer of the handkerchief; there's another layer wrapped inside.

Open it again, and there's another layer.

After peeling back the layers, only a few crumpled bills were revealed at the very back.

She pinched out a fifty-cent coin and handed it to Gousheng.

"Here you go. Remember to buy things for your younger siblings, don't spend it all on yourself."

"Okay, I got it." Gou Sheng stuffed the 50 cents into his pocket, picked up Fu Bao, and ran off.

Youbao, with his short legs, nimbly followed behind.

Lin Mu's two children also rushed out from next door and ran together towards the village road.

With Song Dong and a few others helping in the kitchen.

Shen Huijun is now completely free.

She went upstairs and moved the flowerpots on the terrace, then swept the fallen leaves clean with a broom.

The bougainvillea is in full bloom, with clusters of bright red petals hanging down.

Several camellia buds have also appeared.

Two of them have already bloomed.

The tea table in the tea room still had tea dregs and cigarette ash left by the people who had just finished drinking.

Shen Huijun collected the teacups, wiped the table clean, and then went to all the rooms on the second floor to sweep and wipe what needed to be swept.

After I finished my work.

She made herself a cup of tea and stood on the second-floor balcony with the cup in her hand.

Looking down, the scene in the courtyard is clearly visible.

White smoke billowed from the kitchen chimney, and the aroma of fried food wafted upwards.

Song Xianglan and Liu Chounu were still sitting in the courtyard talking.

A person walked along the village road.

Shen Huijun squinted for two seconds and recognized it.

"Mom, Wang Zhihe is back."

In the courtyard, Song Xianglan raised her head slightly.

Wang Zhihe walked into the courtyard carrying two large bags.

He is completely different from when he first got divorced two years ago.

He used to be so thin he looked unrecognizable, his eyes were dull, and he walked with a listless air about him.

Now my back is straight, my face is fuller, and my skin isn't as sallow as before.

When people are happy, they feel refreshed; money can nourish both people and their complexion.

He entered the courtyard and called out to Song Xianglan first.

"Godmother".

He then turned to greet Liu Chounu, "Auntie."

Liu Chounv looked him up and down, her eyes lighting up.

"Oh, Zhihe's back? You're all dressed up." Her eyes showed undisguised satisfaction as she looked at Wang Zhihe.

Wang Zhihe placed the two bags he was carrying on the table.

"These are some pastries and dried goods I brought back from the market. You and your uncle can try them."

The ugly woman quickly waved her hand. "What am I supposed to take with me the things you brought for your godmother?"

"Take it if it's given to you," Song Xianglan said on his behalf.

Liu Chounu then chuckled and picked up one of the bags, opening it to take a look.

Inside were several boxes of exquisitely packaged butterfly cookies, some snacks such as spiced broad beans, as well as red dates and ginseng.

"Why spend this money?"

As the ugly woman spoke, her hand had already firmly grasped the object.

Wang Zhihe sat down opposite Song Xianglan.

"Godmother, I came back early this time because I wanted to discuss my marriage with Xiaofang with Uncle and Aunt."

Song Xianglan glanced sideways at the ugly woman.

"Your family is having a happy occasion; the prospective son-in-law has set a date."

Wang Zhihe took a deep breath. "Xiao Fang said she wants to open a snack shop in the village after the New Year."

"Um,"

"I want to make use of the plot of land near my house by the roadside. I'll have someone build a shop there in the spring. The location is close to the food factory, so there's a lot of foot traffic."

Keeping the ugly girl is fun.

"That's great. Your plot of land is indeed excellent, right by the roadside, in a prime location."

She turned to look at Song Xianglan, her eyes conveying the message, "I'm satisfied with this son-in-law."

"We found a construction team and finalized the deal."

"I've already inquired about the prices of the building materials: bricks, cement, sand, plus labor. I plan to build a bigger one, maybe a three-story building. I'll also get a yard, and use the roadside space on the first floor as shops."

Song Xianglan nodded. "Make sure the drainage and ventilation are done properly during construction. If these two aspects aren't addressed in the catering business, it'll cause a lot of trouble later."

"Don't worry, godmother, I've thought of everything."

The ugly woman listened with increasing delight, saying, "Zhihe, you're a promising person."

"Auntie, don't worry, I will treat Xiaofang well."

Old Lin from the next yard was calling out to Liu Chounv, "Come back quickly!"

"That old geezer is yelling and screaming all day long. I'm afraid to curse you because I'm afraid of getting my mouth dirty, and I'm afraid to look at you because I'll get cataracts."

The ugly woman cursed, then turned back and said:

"I'm going back now. Zhihe, come over to my house sometime, I'll kill a chicken for you."

"Okay, thank you, Auntie."

The ugly woman left, laughing and cursing all at the same time.

Only Song Xianglan and Wang Zhihe remained in the courtyard.

In the kitchen, Song Dong and the others were still busy, the oil pan crackling and popping incessantly.

Wang Zhihe sat up straight.

"Godmother, the wedding is set for the first month of the lunar calendar."

Wang Zhihe looked at Song Xianglan and said, "Xiao Fang said she doesn't want a bride price."

Song Xianglan's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"She said she was already remarried and didn't want any dowry. But I can't really not give her a penny, that would be embarrassing. I'm thinking of giving her two thousand yuan as a dowry, plus building the shop, as a way to give her some savings."

"It's good that you've thought it through. Whose name will be on the deed after the house is built?"

"Our names. She's from a previous marriage, and she doesn't feel secure unless she has something of her own."

"That's how it should be. A real man shouldn't be stingy. If you treat someone well, she'll naturally see it."

"When you get married, you should find someone who is a good person. Xiaofang is someone who is good at settling down. She's different from Qiao Zhaodi."

Wang Zhihe nodded.

"Listen to your godmother."

On the second-floor balcony, Shen Huijun, holding a teacup, overheard most of the following conversation.

She lowered her head and took a sip of tea. Her mother-in-law was a sharp-tongued and stubborn woman who had fought her way up from being surrounded by men her whole life.

Over the years, she had witnessed Song Xianglan always planning for the future of the women around her.

Whether it's Lin Fang, Lin Yan, or even Shen Huijun herself.

All the things Song Xianglan said were genuinely for their own good.

Shen Huijun called out from downstairs.

"Mom, would you like Wang Zhihe to stay for dinner?"

Song Xianglan waved her hand. "Let him go find Xiaofang. What's he doing here? He's just an eyesore."

Wang Zhihe stood up with a smile and patted the dust off his trousers.

"Godmother, I'll be going now. I'll come see you again later."

As he walked to the courtyard gate, Song Xianglan called out to him from behind.

"Zhihe."

Wang Zhihe turned around.

"Look ahead. You will be very happy."

Wang Zhihe stood at the door, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

He nodded emphatically. "Thank you, godmother."

For Wang Zhihe, Song Xianglan was the person who changed his destiny.

I can't imagine what he would be like now if it weren't for Song Xianglan. He'd probably still be living a miserable life in the village.

Song Dong poked his head out of the kitchen. "Third Aunt, the fish pieces and shrimp are all fried. Is there anything else you need to make?"

"Clean the stove thoroughly." Song Xianglan stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "Cook more rice since there are more people, and reheat the leftover soup from yesterday. There's still a lot of braised food in the house, and reheat the leftover offal. You all need to finish the leftovers."