Chapter 28: No matter how you look at it, I'm the one losing out

Chapter 28: No Matter How You Think About It, She Was the One Losing Out

Xie Jinghao took several deep breaths before approaching Shen Meng with a stiff smile. Now that her belly was large, she couldn't help Shen Meng carry the sack. The two sisters-in-law exchanged a glance before turning their eyes toward the two thin children standing at the entrance of the main hall.

Shen Meng soon gave up on the heavy lifting and went to the kitchen to grab a cleaver to untie the rope securing the sack.

The first thing pulled out was a large iron pot. When the original owner had married Lu Zhenping, they had bought an iron pot, but shortly after the wedding, it had been coaxed away by her mother-in-law, Liu Sanjin. The pot they were using now was the old iron pot that the Lu family had used for decades; its edges were chipped in several places. Every time Shen Meng cooked, she feared she might poke a hole right through it.

Next came candies and pastries, lean meat and ribs, towels and toothbrushes, water cups and washbasins, clothes, socks, bedsheets, and duvet covers.

Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang ran back and forth between the sack and the main hall. The two little ones felt as if the sack their mother had brought was a bottomless pit, with endless items being pulled from within.

Once the entire sack was emptied, the floor of the main hall was nearly covered.

Looking at the three stunned people, Shen Meng rubbed her nose sheepishly.

"It's a bit much, isn't it?"

"Uh, that... Sister-in-law, did you move the entire supply and marketing cooperative here?"

"It wasn't easy getting to the county town, so I just bought everything the family was lacking. The supply and marketing cooperative in the county is truly huge. Luckily, they had ready-made clothes for adults and children; otherwise, if I relied solely on your handiwork, we wouldn't make it in time. I see the weather will turn cold next month, and Mingyang and the others don't even have decent thick clothes. How will they go to school then? The school is far from our village, and their shoes are all worn out—would they have to go to school barefoot? Besides, I bought them a bit larger so they can wear them for several years!"

As Shen Meng spoke, she sorted the children's clothes, providing two sets of changes for each, along with socks, notebooks, and pencils. There were three army-green satchels, which she had scavenged from the small commodities market for a very cheap price.

Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang stared at their respective piles of things on the floor, their eyes widening in shock. Especially Lu Mingyang; he had always thought the "bad woman" was just pretending—that she would raise them well and then sell them. But what kind of good person buys so many things before selling their children? He felt he wasn't worth that much himself.

Lu Mingliang grabbed his new clothes and looked at Shen Meng with pure joy.

"Mother, are these really all for me? These liberation shoes look so cool! Da Zhuang from Aunt's house has a pair, and he brags about them every time he comes over."

"Yes, they are all for you. After the autumn harvest, you two brothers will go to school together. Mingfang is timid; don't let anyone bully her at school."

Having received his beloved items and hearing that he was tasked with protecting his sister, Lu Mingliang immediately puffed out his chest.

"Mother, I am a man! I will definitely protect my sister well."

Lu Mingyang watched Shen Meng as she spoke to his brother, his expression gentle and his voice soft.

Once the children's things were sorted, Shen Meng told them to put everything away to be washed before wearing. After tidying up the miscellaneous items, Shen Meng brought out the things she had bought at the supply and marketing cooperative. In addition to a piece of polyester cloth, she had added a piece of floral cotton-silk cloth and a piece of army-green polyester; there was enough for both adults and children.

"Jinghao, I was senseless in the past and often bickered with you. You have a good temperament and never held it against me; you've even been good to Mingyang and the children. I am truly grateful to you. This is some fabric I bought for Xiaogang and the baby in your belly, along with some rubber soles. You can use the extra fabric to make shoes for Xiaogang. Take this brown sugar and these candies as well."

As the bundle was placed before her, Xie Jinghao nearly couldn't hold herself back.

"Heavens, no, I can't, Sister-in-law, I can't take this. Jia Sheng and I have received plenty of care from Big Brother; how could we accept so much from you? I am good to Mingyang and the others because they are sensible, not for the sake of things. Sister-in-law, please take it back."

"I'm not asking you to take it all today. When you married in, I didn't give you a dowry or anything, so consider this making up for it. Even if you won't take it, what about Xiaogang? What about the baby in your belly? Look at this cotton-silk cloth, it's so soft. These two shoe soles are just the right size for Xiaogang; I have no use for them. You know me, Jinghao, I'm not a saint. Look at those other two sisters-in-law and our mother-in-law—if they asked me for these things, I wouldn't give them the time of day. I'm not asking you to take it all home now, either. Make the clothes and shoes here at my house, and take them once they are finished. If you take them home now, you won't be able to keep a single thing."

Looking at Shen Meng's sincere expression, Xie Jinghao felt deep gratitude. Even though she looked after Mingyang and the others, the food and drink she provided weren't worth the money Shen Meng was spending. Her sister-in-law was giving far too much.

But thinking about the small scraps of fabric saved in their home cupboard, there wasn't even enough to make shoes, let alone clothes for the children. Yet, to accept so much from her sister-in-law felt somewhat shameless.

Seeing Xie Jinghao's hesitation, Shen Meng sighed.

"Jinghao, things are inanimate, but people are living beings. Your eldest brother is away serving in the army, and I am raising four children alone. I'm not very good at needlework, and I can't handle heavy labor like fetching water or chopping wood. In the future, I will inevitably have to trouble you and Jia Sheng. If you don't accept my things, how can I face asking you for help? Even a person as overbearing as I am can understand such a simple truth; why are you being so stubborn?"

Knowing that Shen Meng was trying to persuade her, Xie Jinghao bit the bullet, set aside her pride, and took the items Shen Meng had given her.

"Alright, Sister-in-law. Then I will thank you on behalf of Xiaogang and the baby. In the future, if there is anything I can do, just say the word."

"Alright!"

With the agreement settled between the sisters-in-law, they proceeded to unpack the parcels in the courtyard. The soldiers had sent local specialties from southern Yunnan: hand-woven cloth from the villagers, small pieces of ham, flower cakes, and Yunnan Baiyao; but most of it was mushrooms and rice noodles.

"These are all wonderful things. Jinghao, just eat here tonight!"

"No, no, Sister-in-law, I have to leave in a bit. Mother and the others will be off work soon and need to eat, so I have to go back to cook."

Shen Meng looked at her rounded belly, opened her mouth to speak, but remained silent. In this era, the idea that pregnant women shouldn't work was rare, though it did exist.

"Alright then, go ahead. Eat a little more. Bring Xiaogang out for a stroll tonight; I'll save some dinner for you."

"Sister-in-law, I really don't need—"

"Don't argue. Do you think I don't know what the Lu family eats? Look how thin you are; you'll suffer during childbirth if you don't eat well."

Xie Jinghao stopped arguing. Her sister-in-law truly meant well and was a warm-hearted person; she had misjudged her before. As she left, Shen Meng gave her three yuan, which was the monthly support money from the eldest branch of the family.

Shen Meng felt uneasy in her heart. The support money had been given, yet they weren't eating together, and they hadn't even officially split the household since the private plots were still being farmed by the Lu family. No matter how she thought about it, she felt she was the one losing out significantly.