Divorced by her husband's family and rejected by her own! She defiantly turned her life around

"Husband, go to sleep quickly. We need to go to the ancestral hall to pay respects to our ancestors first thing tomorrow morning," Madam Feng urged.

"You go to sleep first, I'm not sleepy at all!"

"You should sleep even if you're not sleepy, hurry up."

Liu Dawang then remembered to ask Feng Shi, "Daughter-in-law, what gifts did you receive after April? You've been acting all mysterious, why don't you show them to us?"

"You didn't give me any gifts, why are you so curious?"

"Go to sleep!"

Liu Dawang said he wasn't sleepy, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, he started snoring.

Feng couldn't sleep, so she took out her underwear in the dark and held it up to herself. The underwear felt really comfortable.

She sat up and tried it on, but no matter what she did, she couldn't button the back. She was so anxious that she started sweating. Could it be that she did something wrong?

As she was tending to him, Liu Dawang rolled over, startling her. She quickly slipped under the covers.

Luckily, he didn't wake up. If he had seen this, he would have been mortified.

As soon as it was light, Madam Feng woke up Liu Dawang, "Husband, wake up, it's already dawn."

I've packed all the offerings into a basket for you.

Liu Dawang got up and washed his face. Feng put the basket in his hands. Liu Dawang lifted the cloth on the basket to see what was inside.

"A chicken, a fish, and a big pork knuckle."

"Why are you carrying so much stuff?"

"In April, chicken represents good fortune, fish represents abundance year after year, and pork hock represents a life free from worries about food and drink."

"When you go, let the ancestors see our family's sincerity and bless our family with peace and good fortune."

"Okay, I got it. You should go back and get some more sleep. You stayed up so long last night."

Feng saw him to the door. Firecrackers were already going off from the direction of the ancestral hall. Liu Dawang carried the basket and walked away briskly. Feng closed the courtyard gate and went back to sleep. It would be a long time before he came back.

Madam Feng lay on the bed fully clothed, dozed off for a while, then got up and opened the door. Today was the first day of the Lunar New Year, so she had to get up early to make breakfast and open the door early, which was a sign that she would be diligent and capable throughout the year.

When she opened the door, she saw six people of all ages standing outside. Liu Bayue felt a little embarrassed. She didn't want to come so early, but her mother forced her to come, so she had no choice.

Liu Bayue smiled slightly at Madam Feng, "Second Aunt, Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Second Aunt!"

"Why are you here so early in August? It's so cold outside! Come in quickly, no one in the family is up yet."

"You've come to wish us a Happy New Year so early! Come into the main room quickly, I'll give you red envelopes."

Madam Feng led the people to the main room, gave each of them a red envelope, and also gave the children some snacks. When the boys saw so much delicious food on the table, they immediately started grabbing it, stuffing handfuls into the cloth bags they had brought, and even picking up plates and dumping the food everywhere.

"In August, take these children away and don't bring them here again. Are they here to pay New Year's respects or to become robbers?" This reminded Madam Feng of the time when Liu Qingshan led his men to rob their house.

"Second Aunt, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Alright, we've paid our New Year's visits, let's go now."

Liu Ruyun and the others got up when they heard the commotion. They saw that the main room was in a mess. Then they saw their mother's face. "Mother, it's the New Year. Don't be angry. If you're angry on the first day of the Lunar New Year, you'll be angry for a whole year."

"Take them back quickly in August."

"Sorry, cousin, I wanted to wish my eldest and second eldest sisters a Happy New Year instead."

"They haven't gotten up yet, you should go back."

Liu Bayue was too ashamed to stay any longer, so she took the children and went back home.

As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard gate, he shouted, "Laifu, Laicai, Laigui, what did I tell you when I came here? How could you do that? Why didn't you listen to me? Don't even think about coming back."

"Mom and Grandma both said to put any good food into the bag. There's so much good food, why shouldn't we take it? We've already paid our respects to Second Aunt."

Liu Bayue didn't want to say anything, she just hoped that the sixteenth day of the first lunar month would come quickly.

Liu Bayue left Liu Dawang's house with several children; the clan's sacrificial activities were not yet over.

Huang Lanhua was somewhat displeased to see them return so quickly. "August, why are you back so soon?"

"Mom, those kids stole all of Second Aunt's snacks and scattered them all over the floor. Second Aunt got angry, so I brought them back with me."

"Mom, those guys snatched all the snacks from Second Aunt's house and scattered them all over the floor. We arrived too early; Eldest Sister and the others hadn't gotten up yet, and I really couldn't stay any longer, so I came back."

"Grandma, it was Second Aunt who drove us away. She even told us not to go there again."

My second great-aunt even called us robbers.

"Grandma, look how many delicious snacks we brought back!" Several children eagerly presented their bags of snacks to Huang Lanhua, hoping she would praise them.

"Just because they have a little money doesn't mean they're so great. You did the right thing; you should have taken all their stuff."

Everything they eat, live in, wear, and use—was earned by your second aunt.

Have I given you your New Year's money yet?

The children took out their red envelopes, saying, "Grandma, yes, yes, we all have some, and Auntie has one too."

"Quickly show Grandma how much silver is wrapped inside!"

Huang Lanhua took the red envelope and felt it; it was flat and contained only two copper coins. She immediately tore the red paper open, and the two copper coins fell to the ground.

Huang Lanhua launched into a tirade, "You're spending my daughter's hard-earned money, yet you only give my grandson two copper coins! Are you treating us like beggars?!"

Yu Guixiang heard the commotion in the yard from inside the house. She got up to check, and her three children immediately ran over. "Mom, look how clever we are! We got so many snacks and lots of candy. Mom, please keep them for us."

"Okay, Mother will keep it safe for you. Just ask Mother for it whenever you want to eat it."

"Give these copper coins to your mother. It wouldn't be good if someone snatched them. Your mother is saving them for you to use when you grow up and get married."

Huang Lanhua now dislikes Yu Guixiang. As a mother-in-law, she doesn't have a single copper coin. Why should she take one tael of silver, especially as her daughter's betrothal gift?

She took August and Liu Qinghe's two children back into the house, collecting all their New Year's money and snacks. She wanted him to keep them safe. Although she didn't care about the six coins, it was better than nothing. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, her pockets wouldn't be empty.

Lai Gui held his sister's hand, looking unwilling. They knew that if their grandmother took the food, they wouldn't be able to eat it.

"In August, this afternoon, go to your second uncle's house again, bring Gui and Er Ya with you, and wish your eldest and second sisters a Happy New Year, understand? Don't come back if you don't see them."

"But Mother, Second Aunt won't let us go."

"If she doesn't want you to go, then don't go. You have legs, and I don't believe she can beat you out if you go. You're such a spineless person. If you're like this, you'll be bullied to death when you get married."

Liu Bayue didn't dare to speak, silently lowering her head. The two younger children also lowered their heads. "What are you still doing? Go out and play."

In August, she left with her two children. As soon as she stepped out the door, Gui burst into tears, "Auntie, Grandma took away my and my sister's snacks, waaaah~"

"Alright, stop crying, or your grandma will hear you and beat you again."

Seeing that everyone had left, Huang Lanhua took out the two bags of snacks, took out a candy and put it in her mouth. It was so sweet!

When will I be able to live a good life? When will this kind of life ever end?