Lin He looked at her paternal aunt, who was wearing a very old, coarse, floral cloth top and blue trousers patched in several places. Her aunt’s face was sallow, and she was terribly thin, yet upon closer inspection, this aunt was the best-looking of all her siblings. She was relatively tall, about 168 centimeters, with large eyes and an oval face.

Her features were perfectly proportioned, though her skin was somewhat yellowish and her body quite frail, likely due to long-term malnutrition. Seeing Hong Yun emerge, Madam He stopped staying in the kitchen and came out to sit in the courtyard, leaving only Madam Huang busy inside. Upon seeing this, Hong Yun immediately went into the kitchen, and Lin He followed her.

Entering the kitchen, Hong Yun said to Madam Huang, "Second Sister-in-law, tell me what needs doing, I’ll help you. Handling meals for so many people by yourself, who knows how long it will take." Madam Huang smiled and replied, "Then help me chop vegetables, and let He'er start the fire. I’ll wash the vegetables while we wait for Hong Xia to arrive before we start cooking.

We’ll have food soon enough." Lin He observed the tone in which her mother and aunt spoke to each other, noting that they seemed to get along quite well. Her aunt offered to help, and her mother didn’t refuse at all, just smiled and accepted. That was the kind of affectionate ease reserved for one’s own kin.

People were like that; the more polite someone was, the more distant the relationship. Only with those close to you did you skip the courtesies. Hong Yun had the closest relationship with Er Niu’s family.

When Madam Huang married into Er Niu’s household, the family hadn't divided their property yet, and Hong Yun was not yet married. Back then, Madam Zhao often made things difficult for Madam Huang, and Hong Yun had spoken up for her several times, which helped Madam Huang’s situation improve. Hong Yun had looked after Da Bao, Madam Huang’s eldest son, for several years.

After the family division, Hong Yun married and moved out, so they couldn't see each other as often as before, but their bond hadn't weakened. Every time Hong Yun returned to her maternal home, she made sure to visit Madam Huang’s house. Sometimes, things she wouldn't tell her own mother, she would confide in her Second Sister-in-law.

Hong Yun was very quick with her work, finishing the chopping in a flash, all while saying, "Second Sister-in-law, I still haven't seen your new house. I’ll stay at your place tonight." Madam Huang smiled and said, "Good. Hong Xia is staying here tonight too, and there’s not enough room here.

You can sleep at my place these few days. The room my Xiao Bao uses, or the space near He'er’s, will do." Lin He chimed in sweetly, "Yes, Auntie, bring your two younger sisters to sleep in my room tonight. I’ll sleep with Auntie." Hong Yun smiled and nodded.

Madam Huang glanced outside, seeing no one approaching, and then lowered her voice to ask, "Hong Yun, while you’ve been home these past days, has your mother-in-law been giving you trouble? You didn't come over the day our house was finished, and I’ve been worried sick about you. I don't know how things have been at your place." Memories of those distressing matters made Hong Yun’s eyes turn red.

"It’s just like before. This morning when Second Brother came to fetch me, Mother-in-law was still scolding me. If Second Brother hadn’t arrived right then, who knows how long the tirade would have lasted.

Sometimes when I think about these things, I don't even want to be a person anymore. Being a person is truly hard. My mother-in-law says if I can’t bear another boy, she’ll make Da Sheng take a concubine.

If I refuse, she threatens to have Da Sheng divorce me. I truly don’t know how to live like this." She paused for a moment before continuing, "Of course, I don't want Da Sheng to take a concubine. Our household is already struggling; my two children are barely getting enough to eat—how can we possibly afford a concubine?

But the fact remains that I can't produce a son. It’s all my fault for being so useless; I have no choice." Tears began to fall as she spoke. Only then did Lin He realize how agonizing her aunt’s life in her husband’s home had become, suffering beatings and verbal abuse from her mother-in-law simply for failing to bear a son.

It was utterly outrageous. The status of women in this era was surely too low. Bearing a son wasn't solely the woman's responsibility.

According to science, the man’s factor was often more significant, but in this age, people’s ignorance projected all the blame onto women. It was lamentable that women, because of this very issue, even looked down on themselves. It was so hard to be a woman.

Madam Huang didn't know how to comfort her, only saying, "Don't dwell on it so much. It’s the New Year. If Mother sees you upset later, it won't be good either.

You'll surely have a son next time. Stop worrying." Just as she was speaking, Hong Xia’s voice was heard from outside, "Father, Mother, I’m here! Is the food ready?

I’m starving." Madam Huang and the others sighed and went out to greet Hong Xia. Hong Xia greeted everyone with her children one by one, then sat beside Madam He, cracking melon seeds. When Da Jiang returned and saw Madam He sitting in the courtyard, he frowned and said, "Wife, why aren't you helping with the cooking?

What are you doing just sitting here?" Madam He replied, "The kitchen is so small. Big Sister and Second Sister-in-law are busy inside; we don't need that many people." Hong Xia grabbed a handful of melon seeds and started cracking them while walking towards the kitchen to see what there was for lunch. Seeing the meat dishes inside, her mouth began to water.

She lingered for a moment before going back out and running to Madam Zhao’s room, saying, "Mother, I need to stay here for a few days. That deadbeat husband of mine goes out drinking every day, and there’s nothing at home for the New Year. I didn’t even eat this morning." Madam Zhao looked at her two daughters, feeling an immense wave of sorrow.

She wondered what was wrong with her family; other people's daughters married into happy, harmonious lives, but hers all seemed to suffer hardship. It was vexing just to look at them. Since it was the New Year, letting a daughter stay for a few days was fine.

She nodded and said, "Alright. Your eldest sister is staying for a few days too, so you stay here as well. Your second brother’s family sent over quite a few things for the New Year; take the children and eat well here to regain your strength." Hong Xia nodded quickly, already calculating that when she returned home, she would stop by her second brother’s place again to take some food back.

Second Brother's family was prosperous now; they wouldn't miss a few small things. Lunch would be ready soon, though it was so late it was practically dinner. Fortunately, Lin He had eaten a meal at her maternal grandmother’s place; otherwise, she would have starved to death since morning.

When the meal was served, Hong Xia and Madam He immediately sat down at the table. Since there were many people, a separate small table was set up for the children. They casually scooped some dishes onto the small table for the youngsters.

Lin He noticed that the way Hong Xia’s two children, Yuan Zhu and Yuan Bao, ate was almost comparable to Yu'er’s: they tried to swallow the entire bowl’s worth of food in one gulp but couldn't manage it, causing them to choke and stretch their necks repeatedly. Yet, they wouldn't stop, their chopsticks constantly darting into their bowls. Yuan Bao even had a stream of snot hanging from under his nose.

Lin He lost her appetite watching them and put down her chopsticks. In contrast, her aunt Hong Yun’s two daughters, Da Yuan and Xiao Fang, though they looked equally starved, ate much more gracefully, taking small bites. Da Yuan kept picking food for Xiao Fang, taking meticulous care of her.

Lin He observed that Da Yuan, though so young, already knew how to look after her younger sister, which showed that her aunt’s upbringing was quite good. Lin He occasionally picked up some food for the younger ones too. Lin Chen and Xiao Bao had also eaten a meal at their grandmother’s house and hadn't eaten much before putting down their chopsticks.

Da Yuan and Xiao Fang saw that Lin He and the others had stopped eating and also put down their chopsticks. Lin He said, "Da Yuan, why aren't you eating anymore? It’s good to eat until you’re full.

You eat, and I’ll help look after your sister." Da Yuan replied, "Sister He’er, I’m full. I’ll feed my sister." By the end, almost all the food left on the tables had been finished by Yu'er, Yuan Zhu, and Yuan Bao.