A woman in her 70s marries a rough-looking man; her plump wife is too delicate and alluring.

Liu Aiyun shouted from outside the door, as if she wouldn't give up until the door was opened.

After comforting Qin Meng, He Zhaoyang opened the door latch.

The door suddenly opened, startling Liu Aiyun.

"What's up?"

"Is something wrong?" Liu Aiyun repeated He Zhaoyang's words, "What do you mean 'is something wrong'? Does your mother need to ask you for something? You ungrateful wretch, you think you're all grown up now? You don't even recognize your own mother anymore."

He Zhaoyang looked coldly at Liu Aiyun, "When did you ever become my mother?"

Liu Aiyun glared back defiantly, "How could I not have been your mother? You ate my food, drank my water, and grew up with me. Now that you're married, you don't recognize me anymore? Don't you have any conscience?"

"Eat your food and drink your water?" He Zhaoyang looked at her. "Do you need me to remind you what I ate as a child? Even when I had a fever as a child, it was because I was washing your clothes in the winter. If I had a fever, would you have taken me to the clinic?"

Liu Aiyun: "Don't give me that nonsense! What did you say by the river just now? Repeat it to me! What do you mean I took 50 yuan but didn't give you a dowry? You took it from the congratulatory party a few days ago, and you refused it yourself!"

He Zhaoyang sneered, "Then tell me, what did she bring over? A quilt? A mattress? Or two new sets of clothes? Tell me everything, and I'll admit it now."

"That's because you're too picky and look down on people!" Liu Aiyun continued, "How dare you say to your face that your sister is after your brother-in-law? How is your sister supposed to get married? Is this how you act as an older sister?"

"She called Yuze 'brother' to my face. Did I say something wrong?"

"That's called politeness!"

"Politeness?" He Zhaoyang looked at her. "She didn't come to the Sheng family to see me; she came to ask if Sheng Yuze was home. Is that politeness? You raised He Xidi like this, and you still have the nerve to tell me what a sister should do?"

Liu Aiyun's face flushed red. "You're talking nonsense! Liking someone means they care about you!"

"Concerned about me?" He Zhaoyang chuckled. "What does she care about me for? Does she care if I drink malted milk powder? Or does she care if I'm doing well living in the Sheng family? She's afraid I'm doing well; she's jealous, isn't she?"

Liu Aiyun gritted her teeth, "Then why did you say it in front of so many people? How are you going to let your sister live in the village?"

"Would things be better if you let her marry into the Shi Ying family?"

Liu Aiyun exclaimed excitedly, "What happened to the Shi Ying family? Their son is so tall and strong!"

"You don't know?" He Zhaoyang: "Her son sleeps in the same bed with his mother, and her ex-daughter-in-law was forced to leave when she got pregnant. You want to marry Xidi off to her? Are you really unaware or are you pretending not to know?"

"Aren't you just after other people's money?"

Liu Aiyun opened her mouth, but ultimately remained silent.

He Zhaoyang: "Yes, you only remember your good son."

He Zhaoyang's words only made Liu Aiyun more agitated. "Xidi said you drank malted milk powder a few days ago. Why didn't you give Yaozu some? You're so selfish."

"Why should I give him the drink? Don't you know how he treated me before?"

Liu Aiyun was shut down by her words, her voice rising higher and higher, "He Zhaoyang! You think you have someone backing you up now? Don't think you're so great just because you married into the Sheng family!"

"Don't think you're so great just because you married into the Sheng family." He Zhaoyang mimicked her sarcastically, "Yeah, you are great, so what?"

Liu Aiyun's eyes reddened with anger, and she took a sudden step forward, shouting, "I'll beat you to death, you ungrateful wretch!"

She raised her hand.

He Zhaoyang didn't move.

After observing for a while, Qin Meng finally realized how much He Zhaoyang had suffered. She stood in front of He Zhaoyang and said, "Liu Aiyun! You dare to touch her!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Liu Aiyun noticed an extra person at the entrance to the main room.

Sheng Kaiyuan leaned against the door frame, a cigarette between his fingers, and just stared at her without saying a word.

Li Xuanxue stood half a step away from him, holding onto the door frame, and looked at him as well.

Neither of them spoke, but Liu Aiyun's words stuck in her throat and wouldn't come out. She slowly lowered her hand.

Qin Meng stood in front of her, "You've been making a scene at my doorstep for ages, who do you think you're trying to impress? The whole village, you think? Do you believe I won't call the commune officials right now!"

She stood at the door, her chest heaving, "Make He Zhaodi return the money."

"Pah!" Qin Meng spat. "You shameless old man, don't think I don't know. Zhaoyang earned the money himself. It's one thing for you to steal the child's money, but how dare you ask for it back now?"

The discussion among the people peering into the alleyway grew increasingly heated.

Liu Aiyun blushed and paled in turns after being spoken to, then turned and left.

Qin Meng watched Liu Aiyun's figure disappear into the distance before turning around.

"Mother," He Zhaoyang said, "you..."

Before He Zhaoyang could speak, Qin Meng pulled her into the courtyard. "It's alright, Zhaoyang. What's wrong? Mom's here."

Sheng Kaiyuan then helped Li Xuanxue walk over.

"That's right, sister-in-law, with your brother here, they won't dare to touch you."

Li Xuanxue nodded.

He Zhaoyang's eyes were a little wet.

She didn't know how to repay the kindness, so she went back into the house, entered the space, and gathered all the spiritual energy of the stream into a bowl.

Afterwards, the water was divided into four portions and distributed to the Sheng family.

They drank it and realized that what Li Yuzhen said was true; the water really was sweet.

When He Zhaoyang went to see Li Yuzhen, the old lady was in great spirits, and her complexion was rosier and more radiant than before.

"grandmother."

"Hey." Li Yuzhen looked at He Zhaoyang and gestured for her to sit on the edge of the bed. She took He Zhaoyang's hand.

She's growing to like her granddaughter-in-law more and more.

Back home, Liu Aiyun's chest was still heaving violently. "That brat, she's got wings now that she's married into the Sheng family!"

He Xidi stamped her foot. "What should we do, Mother?"

Liu Aiyun pondered, "Then let's get the whole brigade here. Isn't the Sheng family powerful? They've already been punished and they still dare to raise so many chickens and geese. Let's see what they do!"

He Xi's eyes lit up. "Will they all be confiscated?"

Liu Aiyun sneered, "Whether we accept it or not, it'll be enough to give them a hard time. And the brigade will definitely reward us!"

He Xidi's lips couldn't help but curl upwards.

She was already wondering whether He Zhaoyang would still be able to stay in the Sheng family after they were punished.

They'll all blame He Zhaoyang then.

"Mother, shall we go tomorrow?"

"Let's go first thing tomorrow morning." Liu Aiyun slammed her hand heavily on the table. "I'll show her who's bossy with me."

The next day at daybreak, Liu Aiyun took He Xidi and took a shortcut to the village brigade.

The door had just opened when we arrived.

The brigade secretary, Shi Aijun, looked up and saw Liu Aiyun. "Liu Aiyun, what are you doing here so early?"

Liu Aiyun puffed out her chest and shouted, "I'm here to report the situation! The Sheng family is raising too many chickens—eight chickens and three geese—far exceeding the permitted limits. They're engaging in capitalist remnants!"