Chapter 3: Sisters-in-law and Mother-in-law

With the support of Mother Zhan, Tang Qiyue finally felt she had a foothold in the Zhan family.

Whether it was her sister-in-law’s snide remarks or her eldest brother-in-law’s family, who were suspicious of her motives, Tang Qiyue greeted them all with a smile.

Because it was a "blessing-seeking" marriage, there was no bridal chamber, and naturally, no one came to tease the newlyweds. The Zhan family didn't hold a grand banquet either; the family simply gathered together for a meal.

After eating, Tang Qiyue took off her wedding dress, changed into her everyday clothes, rolled up her sleeves, and went into the kitchen with her sister-in-law to help with the washing and cleaning.

Despite being a pampered young lady from a capitalist background, she didn't cause any trouble or show any disdain for the Zhan family.

Zhan Chunying wasn't a fool. Being pushed out to be a substitute bride for her second brother, she figured Tang Qiyue probably hadn't had an easy life in the Tang family either.

"Hey, you're a young lady from a wealthy family, how do you know how to do this kind of work?"

As Tang Qiyue skillfully snapped firewood to toss into the stove and used a match to light the wheat straw for kindling, Zhan Chunying finally couldn't help but ask.

At sixteen, Zhan Chunying was at an age where she feared nothing and had a particularly fiery temper. If Tang Qiyue hadn't had a good mindset, she might have thought her sister-in-law was looking for a fight.

"My mother and father divorced over ten years ago. I lived alone with my mother and younger brother. Although we had domestic help at home, I still had to do things myself!"

Tang Qiyue looked up and smiled at Zhan Chunying: "If you don't want to call me sister-in-law, just call me Qiyue. I'm only two years older than you!"

She had just come of age this year.

Zhan Chunying fell silent.

She knew the hardships of a single-parent family. Her mother was a widow who had raised three children alone. Her eldest brother married early and almost dragged the family down; it was her second brother who went to join the army at a young age just to save food for the family. Later, he sent money home every month, which finally made life easier.

Later, her second brother earned merit and became more capable. He wanted to bring the whole family to live with him at his post, but Mother Zhan refused, saying that the eldest son should support the family and it wasn't right for the family to run off to the younger son's place while the eldest was still around.

To put it bluntly, she was afraid the family would become a burden to him. Her second brother earned his military merits with his life, and it pained Mother Zhan to see it.

Originally, Mother Zhan certainly wouldn't have been happy about this marriage with the Tang family. It was the Tang family who had latched onto her son. As it turned out, after learning that her son was injured—especially that it affected his ability to have children—not only did the original girl run away, but they even came up with this substitute bride scheme to save face.

Zhan Chunying looked down on the Tang family's behavior, but after seeing Tang Qiyue, she felt that the change was for the better. At the very least, Tang Qiyue was pretty, and more importantly, she didn't have the airs of a pampered young lady; she wasn't delicate and she knew how to work.

They worked until dark. The Zhan family didn't have the habit of lighting lamps to work, partly to save on lamp oil, so they extinguished the lights and went to bed early.

Mother Zhan came to Tang Qiyue's room in the dark. "Daughter, let me ask you one more time. If you aren't willing, we can call off this marriage. Take advantage of the darkness and leave. I know my son's situation; I can't ruin your life!"

How could Tang Qiyue leave? Not to mention that the Tang family was about to face disaster, she wanted to rely on this marriage to help her younger brother cut ties with the Tang family completely. Besides, her current status was very awkward; even if she went home, she couldn't escape the fate of being sent to the countryside.

"Mother, I am staying sincerely. I know Second Brother Zhan is injured and needs someone to take care of him. There is a boat in three days; I will take the boat then to look after him. As long as he doesn't mind me, I will be his wife!"

Perhaps it was the sincerity in Tang Qiyue's eyes that dispelled Mother Zhan's last bit of worry. She took a handkerchief out of her pocket, unwrapped it layer by layer, and revealed a jade-green bracelet lying in the center.

"Mother doesn't have anything good, but this was my dowry from back then. Consider it a token of my heart."

Mother Zhan slipped the bracelet onto Tang Qiyue's wrist.

Even someone who didn't know much about jewelry could see that this bracelet was extraordinary. Since Tang Qiyue had seen plenty of antiques and jewelry growing up, she naturally recognized its value.

"Mother, this is too precious, I can't take it!"

But Mother Zhan held her wrist: "Your sister-in-law has one too. Wear it with peace of mind!"

Hearing that her sister-in-law also had one, Tang Qiyue realized it was a sign of acceptance, so she didn't refuse. She decided it would be best to hide it later, lest someone see it and get ideas.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law weren't familiar with each other yet, so they didn't say much more and went to sleep after a few words of instruction.

It wasn't until she was lying under the covers that Tang Qiyue felt a sense of reality.

Compared to the high-strung tension of the apocalypse, life here was hard, but she didn't have to worry about monsters appearing at any moment and killing her. Suffering a little physically was nothing; as long as she was diligent, she wouldn't go hungry.

Just as she closed her eyes to sleep, a voice suddenly appeared in her mind.

[Dimensional fluctuation detected. Cross-dimensional trading system successfully linked. Would you like to view the trading platform?]

Tang Qiyue sat up abruptly.

In the darkness, her eyes were wide open. She remembered why she had died in the apocalypse: she had been enveloped by a beam of light while searching an unknown area, and then she had returned to her first life.

Upon returning, she had been faced with the substitute marriage and the need to outwit her father, leaving her no time to think. Now she understood that the light that allowed her to be reborn was definitely not simple.

"View!"

What kind of supernatural abilities hadn't Tang Qiyue seen in the apocalypse? What strange things hadn't she heard of?

It wasn't that she hadn't fantasized about having powers, but she had been an ordinary person, struggling at the very bottom of the apocalypse, using every ounce of her wit just to barely survive.

Now it was clear: everything was because what she possessed wasn't a supernatural ability, but the space-time of two lifetimes.

As the trading platform slowly unfolded before her, and various items appeared, Tang Qiyue became even more certain that her rebirth was truly no accident.

Food, clothing, housing, and transportation—anything she could think of, the trading platform had. The only catch was that the items traded had to be of equal value between the two dimensions.

For example, pregnancy medicine wasn't precious in the apocalypse; in fact, the government practically gave it away for free to encourage birth rates. To exchange for pregnancy medicine, it only cost the value of a single steamed bun.

How was that any different from giving it away for free?

Tang Qiyue couldn't sleep at all that night. She studied the trading system repeatedly, to the point that when she got up to cook the next morning, Mother Zhan was startled.

"My goodness, you didn't sleep all night? Are you worried about my son?"

Tang Qiyue gave a dry laugh. She wasn't worried about the man she hadn't even met yet; she was just too excited and couldn't explain it.

"Mother, I was just thinking about going to take care of Second Brother Zhan the day after tomorrow. I don't know if he'll dislike me!"

Mother Zhan held Tang Qiyue's hand: "He wouldn't dare! If he dislikes you, I won't acknowledge him as my son!"

Tang Qiyue immediately hugged Mother Zhan's arm: "I knew Mother was the best!"

Mother Zhan wasn't used to this sudden display of affection and coquetry from Tang Qiyue. Just as she was about to push her away, she heard the courtyard gate being pushed open, and a cold voice shattered the happy atmosphere between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

(End of chapter)