Chapter 39: A Ghost Tripped

When Shen Meng entered the house with Xiao Kai, Xifeng was feeding Wang Lianhua porridge. The dim light from the kerosene lamp cast shadows on their faces, making their features difficult to see clearly.

"Sister-in-law Meng is here, come in quickly!" Xifeng put down the bowl, beckoned Shen Meng inside, and then ran out to pour a bowl of warm water.

"Please sit, Sister-in-law. There is no kettle in my second sister-in-law's room, so I poured this from my own room. Drink some, the temperature is just right!"

"No rush, no rush. I just came to check on Sister-in-law Lianhua. Speaking of which, it was my fault for not being more thoughtful, causing Sister-in-law Lianhua to suffer like this."

Wang Lianhua leaned against the kitchen cabinet, a headscarf on her head. Her face was covered in mottled, colorful patches that looked somewhat eerie.

"Sister, what are you saying? You were kind to give such good things to Daqing and Erqing, and you even brought some for me and Xifeng. I heard the children talking; they even ate dumplings with white flour and meat filling. Sister, you are truly generous. If this were anyone else's family, they wouldn't be so magnanimous," Wang Lianhua said hesitantly. Her body twitched from the pain, and her voice was weak.

Xifeng nodded repeatedly beside her. She had eaten quite a few of yesterday's dumplings herself, and they were incredibly delicious. In all her life, she had never eaten such good dumplings; they looked like mixed flour, but she could tell they were mostly white flour with very little cornmeal.

"I heard your mother-in-law and your eldest sister-in-law gave you three yuan in compensation. You must hide that money well, so they don't come rummaging for it later."

"Sigh, don't worry, Sister. I've hidden it tightly. My mother-in-law is a real miser; it's only thanks to you that she finally plucked some feathers this time. Otherwise, this beating of mine would have been for nothing."

As Wang Lianhua spoke, her nose twitched slightly, and her voice was heavy with the sound of weeping.

Shen Meng shook her head and took the items out of her basket.

"This is half a jin of brown sugar and one jin of sponge cake. I originally wanted to bring eggs, but I was afraid your second aunt would use them as an excuse to cause trouble. I had these bought through someone else earlier; hide them and eat them."

"That won't do, Sister. We've already eaten your dumplings, and now you're giving us so much more. We shouldn't see each other again if I take this. Such precious things are hard to even buy; you can't let them go to waste on me."

Shen Meng pressed the items into Wang Lianhua's hands and squeezed her hand firmly.

"Don't refuse. I used to be quite unreliable, and the children have received much care from you all. I am truly grateful. Besides, we are cousins and sisters-in-law; we should keep in touch in the future!"

As Wang Lianhua tried to push them away again, Xifeng smiled and said, "Just take it, Second Sister-in-law. This is Sister-in-law Meng's kindness. She's right—we are sisters-in-law, and we should visit each other often."

Since both of them insisted, Wang Lianhua could no longer refuse. In front of them, she took out three pieces of sponge cake, gave half to each of the children, and let Xifeng lock the rest in the kitchen cabinet.

"That's more like it. However, I still have something to say. If Sister-in-law Lianhua and Xifeng feel I am wrong, just pretend I never said it, okay?"

"You just said we were sisters, why are you being so formal now? If you have something to say, Meng, just say it. We're listening!"

Though they hadn't interacted closely before, since Shen Meng had hit her head, her way of handling things had become much kinder and more human. She spoke without making people feel embarrassed and was considerate in every way. A person like this, if befriended, would surely provide a lifetime of loyalty.

"Then I'll be blunt. Sister-in-law Lianhua, your second aunt is not a good person to deal with. You two, as daughters-in-law, know this in your hearts. The only reason Zhao Jingui can get along with her is because they are from the same place and because he can stand his ground. Xifeng is a bit stronger than you. Sister-in-law, Daqing and Erqing are good boys; the Lu family won't make things difficult for them. But Yaoyao is a girl. She was terribly frightened today. Sister-in-law, this isn't just about a dumpling. They know in their hearts that you didn't hide food or money; they just see you as an easy target. If you keep this temperament, it will affect Yaoyao's entire life."

Shen Meng's words left both Xifeng and Wang Lianhua stunned. Both of them turned their gaze toward Yaoyao, who was huddled to the side watching Xiao Kai, Daqing, and Erqing play. It seemed that after her tantrum this morning, Yaoyao had been quiet and expressionless, barely eating anything at lunch.

Wang Lianhua was filled with regret. Many people had come to visit her this afternoon; Xifeng had been busy hosting guests and looking after her, so neither of them had noticed Yaoyao's condition.

"Thanks to your reminder, I didn't even notice. Sigh, it's so late, why hasn't the children's father returned? If he comes back, he can still..."

"Still what? Help you look after the children? Second Sister-in-law, have you still not woken up after being beaten like this? They say the onlooker sees more clearly than the participant, and Sister-in-law Meng is right. The reason I'm telling you to pull yourself together is because your husband is unreliable. Second Brother is running around everywhere every day, and no one knows what he's so busy with. I'm telling you, if you dare give the things Sister-in-law Meng gave us to Second Brother to eat, I won't look after you anymore."

Wang Lianhua felt a bit embarrassed and remained silent, trying to keep her composure. Seeing that the conversation had reached its limit, Shen Meng decided to head home; the children needed baths, and Xie Jinghao was busy making clothes for the children. She couldn't stay longer.

"Alright then, I'll be going. Oh, right, this is Safflower Oil that Zhenping sent from Yunnan. Xifeng, rub this on Sister-in-law Lianhua later to help with the bruising and blood circulation."

"Ah, thank you, Sister-in-law Meng! I won't see you out. Once my second sister-in-law is a bit better and can get out of bed, the two of us will come visit you!"

"Sure, go on then!"

After Shen Meng left, Xifeng took the Safflower Oil back into the room. Wang Lianhua lay on the bed with a distant gaze, lost in thought.

Xifeng sighed, placed the oil on the small table, and said softly, "I really didn't expect Sister-in-law Lianhua to become so clear-headed. Before, she was either busy trying to please Third Aunt or trying to please those Hu sisters. They call them military dependents, but they're really just old maids the Lu family married in to look after the children. But things are different now. She gets along well with the children, and in the future, Mingyang and the others will treat her like their own mother. Once she pulls herself together, her life will surely get better. Second Sister-in-law, look, even Sister-in-law Meng is turning her life around; you must think more of yourself and the children."

Wang Lianhua said nothing, her heart filled with complex emotions, unsure of what to do.

As Shen Meng took Lu Mingkai home, it had grown somewhat dark. The little guy was a bit scared and clung tightly to his mother.

Suddenly, seeing a dark shadow fall to the ground with a "whoosh," he froze instantly and tugged at Shen Meng's clothes with a trembling voice.

"Mom, a ghost fell down. Did you see it?"

Shen Meng was startled by the little one's words, nearly grabbing the child to hide him in her space. She was actually a bit scared herself; especially on these rural paths with no streetlights and dim moonlight. The yellowing leaves on the trees rustled, and the occasional chirping of insects and birds made her incredibly nervous. And after Lu Mingkai's warning, she also saw the "ghost" the little guy was talking about.