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

"Mom, it's really lively up ahead." Huang Xiaoxiang took Liu Dahua's hand and pointed to the factory gate in front.

Several sheds were set up in the open space outside the factory gate.

It was lunchtime, and workers in blue overalls crowded in front of the stalls to buy food.

Song Xianglan was standing in front of the taro ball stall talking to Yan Fangfang.

The stall owner was Erhua, and next to her were the three Gao sisters, each holding a large bowl and serving fish ball soup to customers.

The three sisters' cheeks had filled out, giving them a healthy rosy glow.

The customer handed over the money, and Xiao Ying took it and crisply gave him change, "Uncle, here's two cents back. Bring the taro balls over later."

The way he acted like a doormat in Gaojiazhuang more than a year ago is nowhere to be found now.

"Aunt Song." Huang Xiaoxiang let go of Liu Dahua and walked over in a few steps.

Song Xianglan turned around.

"Xiao Xiang is back."

She glanced at Huang Xiaoxiang, then looked at Liu Dahua who was walking over. Seeing that her old friend had dark circles under her eyes, but her brows were relaxed, she felt relieved.

"Aunt Song, I'm cooking lunch today. Come to my mom's for lunch later." Huang Xiaoxiang took Song Xianglan's arm.

Song Xianglan was delighted, picked up the taro balls and said:

"Okay. Erhua's taro balls are really good, with crushed peanuts and sweet chili sauce. You should try them too."

Huang Xiaoxiang took it, scooped up a taro ball with a spoon, and brought it to Liu Dahua's mouth.

Liu Dahua opened her mouth and ate it, chewing it twice.

"The meat inside is delicious too."

Huang Xiaoxiang then scooped one up and put it in her mouth. "Sister Erhua's skills are truly impeccable; no wonder there are so many people at her stall."

"That's nothing. Lin Fang's shop is the real hit." Song Xianglan raised her chin.

Several new two-story buildings have been built along the roadside not far away, one of which has a wooden sign that reads "Lin's Oyster Rice".

Lin Fang carried a large enamel basin out of the shop and walked towards the stall.

"I heard a noise just now, and sure enough, Xiao Xiang is here."

Lin Fang and Xiao Xiang had been playing together since childhood, but they saw each other less often after getting married. She placed the basin on Er Hua's table. "The shop was busy today, and I just had a moment to spare. When does Xiao Xiang have time to come and visit my shop?"

"Your shop just opened this spring, right?" Xiao Xiang asked.

"Yes." Lin Fang wiped her sweat with a towel draped over her shoulder. "I also had a stall in front of the house. I married Zhihe and built a house on his land. Now I can sell more than fifty bowls of oyster rice a day, along with some home-style stir-fries and soup."

"Where is your mother-in-law?" Song Xianglan asked.

Lin Fang's smile faded. "She's washing dishes in the back. My mom's also helping out in the kitchen picking vegetables."

"That's great, the whole family working together." Huang Xiaoxiang chimed in.

Lin Fang sighed. "What's so good about it? Zhihe's previous children with Qiao Zhaodi act like they don't even see me. My mother-in-law is gossiping behind my back, saying those kids are heartless, and all the love we gave them was for nothing."

"The child is still young, we can keep covering him up slowly," Liu Dahua said.

"It won't warm up." Lin Fang waved her hand. "My mom keeps urging me to have a child of my own to rely on."

My eldest son from the previous marriage heard that I had married Zhihe, and he stormed into the house and berated me, blaming me for getting a divorce. He said his father wasn't having an easy time either.

Liu Dahua stared at Lin Fang's belly for a couple of seconds.

"Are you pregnant?"

Lin Fang lowered her voice: "Aunt Da Hua, don't talk nonsense."

"Your complexion isn't right, and you were slouching while carrying the basin," Liu Dahua pointed out.

Lin Fang looked around and said in a very low voice, "Really not. Don't you know how strict the family planning policy is now? The village sends people to keep an eye on us every day."

After I got married, I had severe abdominal pain that prevented me from getting out of bed. I went to the local clinic for a checkup, and they said the IUD was embedded in my skin and needed to be removed. That's when I had it removed.

If anyone heard I was pregnant, they'd definitely drag me to the clinic in the middle of the night for an abortion.

"If you're pregnant, then have the baby."

Song Xianglan snorted, "We have money now, so we can just pay the fine."

Lin Fang's face turned pale.

"You guys didn't see what happened to Yang Dapao's family the other day. His youngest daughter-in-law was already this pregnant." Lin Fang gestured, "Seven or eight months along. In the middle of the night, the family planning officials caught her in bed and took her to town where they forcibly gave her an abortion."

The baby boy was born fully formed, still breathing, and they just threw him into a foot basin. What a tragedy! The couple, Da Pao and his wife, blocked the entrance to the family planning office cursing, and were taken in and detained for several days before being released.

Huang Xiaoxiang frowned as she listened. "That's too ruthless."

"It's the same now, many families are thinking about getting Hong Kong or Macau residency," Liu Dahua added.

A few idle men from the village strolled leisurely along the road ahead.

Liu Dahua nudged Song Xianglan with her arm. "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Xianglan, let's go to my house."

"Let's go." Song Xianglan turned around and waved to Yan Fangfang.

The group dispersed.

Huang Xiaoxiang, carrying a vegetable basket, followed Liu Dahua and Song Xianglan back home.

We entered the Liu family's courtyard.

Huang Xiaoxiang walked straight to the well and untied the hemp rope on the well platform.

With both hands, they pulled the bamboo basket hanging at the bottom of the well up.

"These pig's trotters are still cold." Huang Xiaoxiang took out the pig's trotters, then turned around and went to the corner to get a pair of scissors to cut the shrimp and crab. "Mom, you sit and talk with Aunt Song, I'll take care of lunch."

Liu Dahua pulled over two bamboo chairs.

Under the old longan tree in the yard.

Liu Dahua went into the kitchen, took out an enamel mug, brewed two cups of chrysanthemum tea, and brought them out.

"Your factory has grown bigger and bigger these past few years," Liu Dahua said, taking a sip of tea.

"I've been busy for nothing. My bones ache from exhaustion." Song Xianglan leaned back in her bamboo chair. "Did you need something?"

Liu Dahua glanced at Huang Xiaoxiang, who was washing shrimp by the sink.

"Xiao Xiang just mentioned to me her youngest daughter, Xiao Qin, who didn't get into high school this year. That girl absolutely refuses to stay home and farm. I was thinking, could she work at your factory for a few years?"

Song Xianglan sat up straight.

"I've met Xiaoqin before. She's efficient and honest. Let her have her too."

"What about the interview?"

"No need for an interview. Have her bring her bedding and report for duty next week. I'll arrange for her to work in the packaging workshop first. If she can handle the hard work, I'll promote her later." Song Xianglan waved her hand to make the decision.

Huang Xiaoxiang, who was by the sink, heard it.

She quickly stood up and wiped her hands on her apron: "Aunt Song, thank you so much."

"What are you thanking me for? If this girl is lazy, I'll deduct her wages anyway," Song Xianglan shouted.

Liu Dahua moved a little closer.

"There's something else."

"explain."

"I want to invite Xiao Xiang's son, Dawei, to come and learn shrimp farming from Lao Liu." Liu Dahua stared into Song Xianglan's eyes.

Song Xianglan raised an eyebrow. "So you've completely absolved the Huang family of any responsibility?"

Liu Dahua gritted her teeth, "Give it to that ingrate Zhu Zi? Old Liu paid for the shrimp pond, and he's the one who runs everything. I'd be disgusted to give it to the Huang family."

Song Xianglan: "Well done. This shrimp pond is a way to make big money. It's just that Lao Liu is hardworking and reliable, and the seafood market has been good these past two years. Xiao Xiang's son came to learn from him, and he's really learning a real skill."

"I'm afraid this line of work is tough." Liu Dahua turned her gaze away.

"What job isn't tough? Isn't working three shifts in the factory tough? Isn't carrying heavy loads at the dock tough?" Song Xianglan retorted.

"However, the biggest problem with raising seafood is typhoon weather. Even if God gives you a good harvest, you still have to be careful that God doesn't throw a tantrum and overturn the table."

Liu Dahua nodded.

The midday sun was scorching.

Liu Yidao pushed his bicycle into the yard.

Two bags of feed were hanging on the handlebars, and a snakeskin bag was tied to the back seat.

"Old Liu is back," Song Xianglan called out.

"Old Song's here." Liu Yidao propped up the cart, took off the snakeskin bag, and said, "Xiao Xiang's cooking is pretty good; I could smell the shrimp from outside the yard."