Chapter 1: Awakening
In mid-July, the double harvest rush was in full swing, and every production team was working frantically.
As the sun set in the west, the brilliant golden afterglow illuminated most of the hillside, and with the sunset about to sink behind the western mountains, the members of Fengshou Brigade were all heading home from work.
Along the way, a group of people were chattering about brigade gossip, among which Gu Family’s third daughter-in-law Lin Zhao was mentioned the most.
“Hey, Old Gu Family’s third daughter-in-law didn’t go to work again. She’s the one living the most comfortably in the entire brigade!” The speaker was an aunt, with dark and rough skin, a head of coarse short hair soaked with sweat, sticking wetly to her forehead, and her body reeking of sweat.
Another woman was also drenched in sweat, snorted coldly, her words full of strong dissatisfaction toward Gu Family’s third daughter-in-law. Those who didn’t know might think that was her daughter-in-law: “Da Zai’s mom is all seductive and alluring-looking, doesn’t look like good stock at all, lazy and cowardly. I’ve seen it coming for a long time.”
“Oh? You’ve seen it again.”
Someone from behind caught up, glanced sideways at them, and said with a sigh in her tone: “You can talk all you want, but she can give birth.”
The women were speechless.
Being fertile was a super bonus in the rural areas of the 1960s!!
After the crowd left, a skinny, dull-looking woman came out, stood in place for a long time without moving, and after a while, said wistfully: “If only I could give birth like that too…”
In the village, stray dogs running everywhere barked, accompanied by the chattering of children, and occasionally the sharp scolding of women, all noisy and bustling.
Wang Chunhua carried a basin of dirty water out and splashed it into the small vegetable patch at the door. Just as she was about to turn back home, she saw a girl of fifteen or sixteen running out from the neighboring earthen house.
The girl looked extremely panicked. Seeing someone at the door, her face stiffened, her eyes darted away, and then she buried her head and ran off.
Wang Chunhua was baffled. What was wrong with her…
Just as she turned her head, she heard a child’s voice with a crying tone from next door: “Mom!”
“Someone come! Help! My mom has passed out!!”
Gu Da Zai’s voice was loud and shrill, startling Gu Er Zai who was pulling bok choy in the backyard vegetable garden.
Gu Er Zai’s legs pumped fast as he rushed over. Seeing his mom lying on the ground with a big bump on her forehead, he hurriedly joined his brother to support her with their skinny little arms, but they were too thin and small to lift her. His voice took on urgency: “Bro, what’s wrong with Mom?”
“Mom was pushed down by Little Aunt.” Da Zai choked up, his little body trembling.
Seeing Lin Zhao not waking up for a long time, the five-year-old Gu Da Zai calmed down and said to his younger brother: “Er Zai, go find Grandma quickly.”
At the door, Wang Chunhua heard the voices, quickly set down the basin, wiped her hands on her pants patched thickly, and hurried into the neighbor’s house.
As soon as she entered, she heard Da Zai’s words. Oh my, what a smart kid!
Seeing an adult arrive, Da Zai immediately felt reassured and said urgently: “Aunt, quickly check on my mom. My mom was pushed down by my little aunt!”
Wang Chunhua saw the big bump on Lin Zhao’s head and exclaimed: “Oh my, how did it swell so huge? Lying on the ground isn’t good; we need to get your mom onto the bed first.”
“Aunt, I’ll help you on this side.” Da Zai supported his mom from the other end.
Seeing there was nothing for him to do, Er Zai glanced at the broken bowl and egg custard remnants on the ground, his eyes rolling, then bolted out of the house, shouting loudly as he ran: “Grandpa, Grandma, my mom was knocked out by Little Aunt…”
It was time to head home from work, with people all over the road. Gu Er Zai had a loud voice and wailed miserably, so passersby all noticed, and the villagers couldn’t help stopping to look at him.
Whoa, Cheng Huai’s family was at it again with the sister-in-law? Sounded like it got physical this time!
Gu Family members were also in the brigade heading home from work, a whole group of over a dozen. They had been tired all day and just wanted to go home for dinner, but then they heard the familiar wailing…
Gu Mu, walking at the front, paled instantly, thinking someone had bullied her precious second grandson, and strode over quickly with the big hoe on her shoulder.
She hadn’t arrived yet, but her voice came first, also loud: “Er Zai, what’s wrong? Who bullied you? Tell Grandma!”
Er Zai wiped his tears, his red eyes looking at his grandma, aggrieved: “It was Little Aunt. Little Aunt bullied my mom, pushed my mom down. Mom has a bowl-sized—no, basin-sized—bump on her head, and she hasn’t woken up yet. Grandma, I want Mom, I want my mom… wuwuwu…”
Those who are favored are bold. Gu Er Zai knew Grandma doted on them and wailed on the spot, scaring the birds on the branches to flee this place of trouble.
Someone in the crowd of onlookers burst out laughing.
Facing Er Zai’s angry glare, the man touched his nose and teased: “Er Zai, do you even know how big a basin-sized bump is?”
“Go go go, what’s it got to do with you!” Gu Mu glared at the speaker.
Thinking of Er Zai’s words, Gu Mu’s face darkened, her whole body tense.
Why did that damn girl go to the third branch again!?
What was she doing provoking Third Son’s wife for no reason!
Gu Mu was in a foul mood, too upset to even ask what exactly happened, and hurried toward Gu Family’s third branch.
Gu Fu wiped his grandson’s tears and asked Er Zai what happened.
Er Zai was clever with strong observation skills. Seeing the shattered bowl where Mom fell, he pieced most of it together.
He huffed angrily: “Bad Little Aunt snatched our family’s egg custard and pushed my mom.”
The people of Fengshou Brigade looked odd.
Pushing her own biological sister-in-law over a bowl of egg custard…?
Even their three-year-olds wouldn’t do that.
“…”
Gu Fu couldn’t help his hands shaking.
Family scandals shouldn’t be aired publicly.
Seeing Er Zai’s rabbit-like eyes, he couldn’t bear to say more.
Fine, Xing’er brought this calamity on herself; she should bear it!
He and her mom weren’t without teachings, but that girl always had reasons to argue back.
The two Gu sisters-in-law exchanged glances, bitter smiles on their faces. With Third Son’s wife’s unforgiving temperament when in the right, this time… there was bound to be drama.
–
Gu Mu rushed anxiously to Da Zai’s house, her heart pounding like it was about to jump out. Supporting herself on the doorframe, she entered the room and saw Third Son’s wife lying on the bed with her eyes open, letting out a long sigh of relief.
“Good, as long as you’re okay. Good.” She rubbed her chest; that journey had really scared her to death.
“Grandma.” Da Zai wasn’t crying anymore, but his eyes were still bright red.
“Ai, Da Zai must have been scared bad.” Seeing Da Zai’s eyes redder than Er Zai’s, Gu Mu figured he’d been terrified, and her heart ached as she touched his head.
She turned to Wang Chunhua and thanked her: “Sorry for the trouble.”
Wang Chunhua waved it off: “No big deal. I saw Da Zai’s mom is fine, just that bump looks scary, but her brain’s okay.”
After speaking, remembering her stove was still burning at home, she told Gu Mu and left.
Gu Da Zai saw her to the door.
Wang Chunhua sighed inwardly. What great kids. How did Cheng Huai’s family not cherish them?
In the room, Gu Mu sat on the stool by the bed, her voice much softer: “Third Son’s wife, you okay? How are you feeling? Head still hurt? What do you want to eat? Mom’ll make it for you.”
Lin Zhao lying on the bed blinked. No, she had a big problem.
Just now, her world had flipped—
It turned out she was the early-deceased biological mom of the simp male side character and cannon fodder female side character in a book called 《Stepmom’s Daily Life Raising Cubs》, dying today over a bowl of egg custard… just one bowl of egg custard!
What a frustrating way to die.
So frustrating that her heart felt thrown into fire, swelling up, wishing she could blast the book’s author to bits!
Worst of all, she only had one line of presence in the book. Fine, but it even mocked her as a drama queen who squandered her own blessings.
“I’m so pissed off aaaaaah…” Lin Zhao pounded the bed furiously, her fair and delicate face full of rage, eyes red with anger.
As she fumed, she noticed in the void before her eyes a large turntable floating, with a transparent ethereal quality, in multicolored black, exuding luxury and mystery.
The instant it caught Lin Zhao’s gaze, a few words flashed:
【Mysterious Lucky Draw Turntable】
In mere moments, the basic usage rules appeared in her mind: complete tasks for points, use points for draws.
Lin Zhao blinked, thinking her head injury was really bad, with severe aftereffects. Like now, she was hallucinating…
After blinking and waiting quietly for a bit, the turntable was still there.
“!”
Lin Zhao couldn’t help reaching out to poke it a few times, finding she could touch it, her pupils shaking in shock.
Gu Mu saw Third Son’s wife silent for a long time, her heart uneasy, even her loud voice softened: “Third Son’s wife?”
Lin Zhao looked up blankly.
She had a pretty and bright face, classic phoenix eyes in dark ink color, perfectly double-lidded, high nose bridge, pink and moist lips. Her features were outstanding enough, but her skin was blindingly white too.
In terms of looks, she was the most striking in the ten miles and eight villages.
At this moment, her eye tails were red, not looking fierce, but lacking her usual arrogance and iciness.
Even Gu Mu, somewhat dissatisfied with Third Son’s wife, couldn’t help feeling sorry for her, thinking her youngest daughter was too much and needed a good lesson.
“Third Son’s wife, today’s mess is all Xing’er’s fault. I’ll go back and teach her…” Gu Mu couldn’t help softening her words.
Before she finished, Lin Zhao pounded the bed again, making it thud. If not for the male head of the house Gu Chenghuai reinforcing it several times, those two pounds would have collapsed it!
“It’s her fault to begin with!” Lin Zhao interrupted her, saying angrily: “This is my home. She came to my home to snatch things. If it’s not her fault, is it mine? I’ve never seen a sister-in-law lay hands on her sister-in-law. Gu Xing’er is so haughty; we should call the public security…”
Let’s reason it out.
The last three words weren’t out yet, but Gu Mu, thinking she was going to report to the police, grabbed her hand hurriedly: “Can’t report to the police, Third Son’s wife. For Mom’s sake these years, don’t report to the police. How about this: let Xing’er compensate you ten yuan, and we’ll call it even, okay?”
“No way!” Lin Zhao felt it wasn’t satisfying enough.
Gu Mu had expected Third Son’s wife wouldn’t be easy to placate. Gritting her teeth: “Then you say what to do. You name it, as long as we can manage it.”
Lin Zhao had been waiting for her mother-in-law to say that. Gu Xing’er dared push her, making her head hurt now; of course she wouldn’t let her off easily.
The sickly beauty on the bed huffed delicately, raising her slender white hand to make demands:
“First, Gu Xing’er won’t get her tuition and living expenses from the third branch anymore; second, you and Dad need to keep her in check. From now on, don’t let her come to my home again; third, make her pick firewood for me, two bundles a day, for a full month, no one else allowed to help.”
After listing three points, Lin Zhao stopped. Gu Mu was stunned. That’s it?
Had Third Son’s wife suddenly changed her temperament?
Gu Mu felt very surprised, even a bit horrified. Was Da Zai’s mom plotting something big…
It wasn’t her deliberately assuming the worst of Third Son’s wife, but really, ever since Lin Zhao married into Gu Family, she was full of issues—spoiled and dramatic.
At first, she put on an act for a while. Apart from being lazy and unwilling to work, the rest was tolerable. But once pregnant, she clamored for separate households, crying, fussing, threatening suicide. No choice, Gu Family split off the third branch.
After splitting, she complained no one cared for her. Helpless, Gu Mu ran over three times a day, cooking, washing… those days were unbearable to recall.
For Third Son’s wife to be so agreeable today, Gu Mu really felt like she’d seen a ghost!
Seeing her mother-in-law silent for a long time, Lin Zhao thought she wanted to haggle, instantly pulling a long face and about to get out of bed.
“If Mom thinks I’m being excessive, might as well report to the police!”
Gu Mu snapped back and said hurriedly: “Not excessive at all, not one bit.”
“We’ll do as you say. Your dad and I will keep Xing’er in line!” She guaranteed repeatedly.
Lin Zhao pursed her lips, saying indifferently: “Best if Gu Xing’er learns her lesson. Anyway, next time, I definitely will report to the police!”
Gu Mu: “…”
Third Son’s wife really knew how to choke people.
She was used to it and didn’t argue with Lin Zhao.
Having worked a morning, with things to do back home, Gu Mu didn’t linger, asked a few more caring questions, told Da Zai and Er Zai to shout for her at the old house if needed, and hurried off.
In the room, Lin Zhao lay on the bed, studying the lucky draw wheel.
“How do I activate it…” she muttered.
As soon as she spoke, a line of transparent text floated before the wheel.
“Obtain one free lucky draw opportunity. Use it?”
Lin Zhao said in her mind: “Use.”
The red pointer spun, slowing from fast to stop finally on the grains and oils gift package. The text on the package list was small, but strangely, Lin Zhao clearly saw what it said.
【5kg Eight Star Snowflake Wheat Flour ×5 bags】
【5kg Premium Pearl Rice ×5 bags】
【2kg Egg Noodles ×2 packs】
【Farmhouse Pork ×10 jin】
【Authentic Free-Range Eggs ×100】
【Peanut Oil ×5 barrels】
【Braised Chicken Leg ×1】
【500g Rock Sugar ×2 bags】
【Canned Meat ×2 cans】
【Essential Household Seasoning Pack…】
“Extract reward?” Text appeared before the wheel again.
Lin Zhao said blankly: “Extract.”
Next instant.
The empty space in the room was piled full of supplies.
“!”
Lin Zhao was dumbfounded.
The sound from the room carried out, and a small voice came from the door: “Mom?”
Da Zai had brought a small stool to sit at Lin Zhao’s room door, guarding Mom. Hearing movement inside, he called out cautiously.
Lin Zhao had a great fertility constitution, the envy of the whole commune for being so fertile. First pregnancy gave twins, both sons: Da Zai and Er Zai. A few years later, when Gu Chenghuai came home on family visit, she got pregnant again, this time with dragon-phoenix twins, just over a year old.
Two pregnancies, four treasures.
Lin Zhao snapped back, hid the supplies piled on the floor into the cabinet, locked it with a click, went to open the door, and saw skinny little Da Zai at the door. Remembering his eventual street death, she nearly had a heart attack.
New book out! Please support it lots, babies!
New book needs care, begging for votes~
Control group theme, but mainly the story of the female lead’s family.
Some plots don’t match reality. After all, the original world is a book, so mismatches are right. Treat it as a parallel world. That’s it for now…
