"What do you mean by that?"
Sister-in-law Niu was a straightforward person, quick to speak her mind and always saying what she couldn't stand to see.
"You're pretending to be ignorant. Zheng Guo is married, so stop coveting what's in someone else's bowl. Your greed is too ugly to bear, and no one is blind."
"When they were engaged, you weren't this diligent. Zheng Guo is just lame, not incapable of work. But you, you immediately found him distasteful and broke off the engagement."
"If you broke off the engagement, you should have some backbone and dignity! Instead, you come to serve this former mother-in-law every day."
"What does Li Min do that you, her distant niece-in-law, have to serve her? Why do you insist on pinning the hat of filial impiety on Zheng Guo and Li Min?"
"Are you trying to glorify your competence and loyalty by stepping on Zheng Guo and Li Min's shoulders? Bah!"
"Zheng Guo hunted a wild boar and brought glory to himself. You're uncomfortable now, aren't you? You want to pick a fight?"
"So what if those pumpkins were all given to the Li family? Isn't the Li family considered a struggling household in our production team?"
"Zheng Guo hasn't even received the wild boar yet, and you're already eyeing the pumpkins. Can you ever change your greedy habit of wanting more? If you're given a pumpkin, will you be able to eat it with peace of mind?"
"That's right. You don't even care about Zheng Guo and Li Min's reputation, coming to serve your former mother-in-law every day. How can you not have a guilty conscience?"
Sister-in-law Niu's mouth was fast, spewing words like a machine gun. Those who heard her needed a moment to process before they could react.
Two seconds later, everyone burst into laughter.
Indeed, with wild boar meat available, no one paid attention to those few pumpkins. No matter how sweet, they couldn't compare to the aroma of pork.
The Li family had members who were sick and disabled; wasn't it right to take care of them? Not to mention that Zheng Guo had hunted a wild boar and handed it over.
Zhang Fangcao's face turned so dark it looked like ink was about to drip. "Sister-in-law Niu, you're bullying me too much! Are you trying to force me to my death?"
"So what if I'm bullying you?" Sister-in-law Niu didn't care at all about her actions. Wasn't she standing up for what was right?
"At least I'm bullying you openly. No, I'm not even bullying you. I'm just speaking the truth. I can't compare to your insidious and underhanded tactics."
"Force you to your death? If you die, what will Aunt Li do without you, her loyal niece-in-law, to take care of her?"
"Hmph. No matter how loyal you are, in front of Zheng Guo's beautiful young wife, you are made to look hideous. An ugly heart is ugly everywhere." Su Dan Novel Network
"That beautiful young wife has been here for three days, and I haven't heard her cause any trouble. Unlike some people, who, after Zheng Guo became lame, brought their family to the Li household to argue every day."
"I'm embarrassed even to say it, yet the person doing this tells others, 'I don't want to, it's my parents and my brothers' idea.'"
"You don't want to? If you don't want to, as a wife, don't you have more say at your parents' home? Your mind is more full of holes than a sieve."
"Let's go, let's go watch the pig slaughter. No need to watch her performance here. If you have the guts, die for us to see? If she was truly willing to die, she should have died when she said her family forced her to break off the engagement. Such pretense."
After Sister-in-law Niu bombarded Zhang Fangcao with more accusations, she took a few of her close friends and left.
Those who had stopped to watch the commotion because of Zhang Fangcao's words also left with a few light chuckles.
Only Zhang Fangcao, with a grim expression, remained standing by the private plot of land in front of the Li family's house.
Zhang Fangcao then put on a heartbroken expression and said to the still-confused Li Min, "Are you satisfied? Watching me be humiliated, are you satisfied?"
After saying this, she covered her mouth and ran away, weeping.
Li Min mechanically turned to look at Tian Jing. "What's wrong with me?"
"Heh heh." Tian Jing gave her just these two words. What was wrong? She'd been framed again.
Internally, she became interested in that Sister-in-law Niu. In the original host's memories, she had some impression of Sister-in-law Niu. She was someone who dared to speak and act, and also dared to fight.
Otherwise, with her mouth provoking others everywhere, wouldn't she have been torn apart?
Mother Li sighed. With her daughter's limited capabilities, it was no wonder she'd been deceived by Zhang Fangcao for years.
After Zheng Guo's engagement was broken off, she'd even spoken well of Zhang Fangcao in front of Zheng Guo.
"Minmin, think back to the past. Carefully go through it, and then consider her final exit. If you can learn half of what she does, you'll be able to navigate the Tian family smoothly."
Li Min lowered her head, remaining silent, appearing to be deep in thought.
Tian Jing didn't disturb her. She pulled over a kudzu vine and began to pick the roots from its base.
"Tiantian," Mother Li exclaimed, "What use is this tree-root-like thing you're picking?"
"This is edible, but it's a bit troublesome. It takes a day or two, and then a few days of drying to produce starch."
"This starch can be directly steeped in boiling water to drink, or it can be mixed into sweet potato porridge."
"The sweet potato porridge every day is as thin as water. If you stir this in, it will thicken it considerably, and it can be used like glutinous rice flour to make pumpkin pancakes with pumpkin."
Tian Jing's words made Li Min abandon her thoughts. In any case, she knew what kind of person Zhang Fangcao was.
She'd keep her distance from her from now on. Now, she had to figure out the issue of food.
"Sister-in-law, oh, dear sister-in-law, teach me, teach me. I have skills and abilities, and I can do well in the Tian family, right?"
"Alright." Tian Jing had planned to teach her anyway. She didn't want to do all the strenuous work herself.
"Peel these roots, wash them, cut them into small pieces, wash them again, and then pound them into a paste in a stone mortar. Soak the paste in water and filter out the dregs."
"After filtering out the dregs, let the water settle overnight. Pour off the water from the top, and what's left is wet starch. Then dry this wet starch into dry starch, and you can store it for later use."
"It doesn't sound difficult. Let's make it this afternoon. For now, let's peel them." Li Min was full of energy.
"Do we have a stone mortar at home?" Tian Jing asked about the essential tool.
"Yes, it's under the pile of firewood in the corner of the kitchen. When big brother gets back, we'll ask him to get it out." Li Min was quick-handed and had already started peeling.
Tian Jing picked up a cleaver and slowly peeled, while talking to Li Min about the Tian family, telling her how to deal with each member.
"Old Man Tian is the most cunning. If you have any strategies to contribute, like this method of making kudzu starch, you must first go through him."
"Let him see your value, then follow his instructions and arrangements. Let him see that you are a capable person. As long as he doesn't look down on you, your status in the Tian family won't be low."
"But, but," Li Min hesitated, "this kudzu starch is your method."
"Don't worry, the Tian family doesn't know. I haven't told them." Tian Jing thought Li Min was afraid of her strategy being seen as showing off.
"No, that's not what I mean." Li Min waved the kudzu root in her hand. "Isn't this your secret recipe?"
"Not really." It's something that will be made everywhere in the future, so why call it a secret recipe?
"Since I'm saying this, I agree to you using it. It doesn't matter if it gets spread. My point is, it's fine if Old Man Tian submits this to the production team, as long as it's beneficial to you."
"Sister-in-law~" Li Min was so moved that tears streamed down her face. "You're too good to me. I was ungrateful before. I'm sorry."