Chapter 12: Promoting the Whitening Cream

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Gu Wenran returned to the Toyota Brigade and encountered Li Xiaohua. Seeing Gu Wenran growing thinner and paler, Li Xiaohua’s heart brimmed with jealousy. The Yangshu Brigade held deep resentment toward Yang Wencai, and this time Gu Wenran had dealt with him decisively. The villagers were all immensely grateful to her.

“Why does all the good fortune go to Gu Wenran?” Li Xiaohua clenched the sickle tightly, as if ready to strike Gu Wenran’s head at any moment.

Li Xiaohua’s hatred stemmed from years of marriage into the Zhou Fei family without bearing a child, while Gu Wenran had given birth to a son after just one night. Her mother-in-law had scolded her incessantly, and the villagers called her a hen that couldn’t lay eggs.

Enduring endless grievances at home, why did Gu Wenran get to live so well?

Shen Simin stepped out from behind a tree, her eyes filled with hatred toward Li Xiaohua. Since her fall from the mountain last time, with no doctor in the village, her leg had been stitched up by a veterinarian, leaving her with a permanent limp.

Shen Simin now harbored intense hatred for Gu Wenran; if not for her, she wouldn’t be in this state.

“Xiaohua, where are you going?”

Li Xiaohua snapped back to reality, hiding the hatred in her eyes. “Shen Zhiqing, just going to cut some pig grass. Is your leg feeling better?”

Shen Simin hated it most when people asked about her leg. She forced down her anger and pretended to inquire about Li Xiaohua.

“Much better. Who just passed by?”

“Gu Wenran. She’s off to town again, probably bought something delicious. Zhou Sinian’s allowance isn’t even enough for her extravagance.”

At the mention of Zhou Sinian, Shen Simin’s eyes softened with affection.

“Brother Zhou still hasn’t returned after five years.”

“Who would marry an ugly, fat hag and come back? Enough, I’m off to work.”

After Li Xiaohua left, Shen Simin headed toward the Zhou family home.

When Gu Wenran arrived home, she prepared the pork knuckles and began stewing them.

Zhou Siyue was delighted to see meat again, happily playing with Yubao in the courtyard.

Although Hu Ailian felt heartache, seeing her family’s improved spirits, she said nothing.

Shen Simin arrived to find a harmonious household, which deepened her resentment toward Gu Wenran. The happiness that should have been hers—how could Gu Wenran have stolen it?

As a killer, Gu Wenran was highly vigilant. She looked toward the door with eyes like daggers aimed at Shen Simin.

Shen Simin trembled under the gaze and fled back to the Zhiqing settlement, hiding under the kang bed.

Zhao Huiya looked at the returning Shen Simin with disdain. A self-important lady still expecting to be waited on—she might as well starve.

Gu Wenran brought out the stewed pork knuckles, making Zhou Siyue drool.

“It smells wonderful.”

“Eat quickly—hot is best.”

The family devoured two large pork knuckles and then lay down in the courtyard to digest.

From next door came the sound of quarrels; the family sat together, listening to the gossip.

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After digesting, Gu Wenran took a bath, pleased to see she had slimmed down again. She applied a whitening cream and entered her space to read.

“Woof, woof, woof.”

The barking of dogs came. Opening the villa door, she found that Wangcai in her space had just given birth.

“Just what we need—a new dog. Tomorrow I’ll head up the mountain and bring one back.”

Her stock of medicinal herbs for making whitening cream had run out. She planned to dig some on the mountain and pick mushrooms to dry for winter chicken stew.

Early morning rain began to fall, forcing Gu Wenran to give up the idea of going up the mountain.

By noon, after lunch, the drizzle turned heavier, finally becoming a downpour.

“Mother, look—the roof is leaking. Maybe we should rebuild the house.”

Gu Wenran placed a basin in the inner room to catch the water dripping from the kitchen ceiling.

“That’s not so easy. Building a house costs at least two or three hundred yuan.”

“But it can’t stay like this forever. The mountain behind is nearly collapsing. Don’t worry about the money—I’ll handle it. Just the first rain and this happens. How are we going to get through this summer?”

Hu Ailian looked at their dilapidated mud house. Her husband had died early, and with four children to support, just having enough to eat was a blessing. There was no money for a new house.

“Mother, here’s fifty yuan. Keep it for now. Zhou Sinian’s allowance should have arrived this month. Go to the post office and see if there’s any package.”

“Got it.”

The heavy rain lasted until the next morning, when the sky cleared and the air was filled with the scent of earth.

Gu Wenran carried her basket, ready to gather medicinal herbs on the mountain.

Hearing about the trip, Zhou Siyue thought of wild chickens and rabbits and insisted on coming along.

“Come on, I can’t stop you anyway.”

Zhou Siyue took the basket and walked up the mountain with her.

Gu Wenran filled the basket quickly with herbs.

“Sister-in-law, there aren’t any wild chickens here.”

Zhou Siyue was frustrated as he picked mushrooms.

“There aren’t that many wild chickens for you to catch. Just gather mushrooms.”

Gu Wenran secretly dropped two drops of spring water on the ground. Soon, a wild rabbit hopped over.

“Sister-in-law, you stay here. I’ll go that way to catch it.”

Zhou Siyue crouched low and crept forward, then pounced. Gu Wenran threw a stone, hitting the rabbit’s belly.

“Sister-in-law, look—I caught it!”

Zhou Siyue proudly held up the rabbit.

“Let’s head home.”

“Home to eat rabbit! And spicy diced rabbit too!”

Zhou Siyue’s cheerful voice echoed through the mountain.

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“Mother, look what I caught!”

He began boasting even before entering the house.

“Keep your voice down. Aren’t you afraid the neighbors will hear?”

Gu Wenran detested the neighbors. Yesterday, when she went out to fetch water, an old woman was squatting in the kitchen corner. If Gu Wenran hadn’t noticed, the cured meat hanging in the kitchen would have been stolen by rats.

“Got it.”

Zhou Siyue carefully took out the rabbit and handed it to Zhou’s mother.

“You caught it? My son is amazing. We’ll stew it for lunch.”

“Mother, don’t eat this rabbit yet. Let’s cure it into bacon and send some to Zhou Sinian in a few days.”

Seeing her daughter-in-law care so much for her son, Zhou’s mother felt delighted.

“Eat now—you need to build up your strength. You’ve lost weight recently.”

Hu Ailian noticed Gu Wenran’s clothes were looser and thought she must be tired, wanting to help restore her health.

“I’m purposely losing weight. I used to be too heavy, and exercising was exhausting. Now that I’m lighter, I climb mountains faster. If you don’t believe me, ask Siyue.”

“Mother, my sister-in-law is amazing—she can climb even the steepest mountains.”

Hu Ailian was alarmed.

“You’re not allowed to go again. It’s dangerous.”

“Got it.”

For lunch, Gu Wenran made egg noodles with gravy. After eating, the family prepared to work in the afternoon.

“Mother, I plan to work after the autumn harvest. I need to go to the mountain again to pick herbs.”

Seeing the yard full of herbs, Hu Ailian said nothing.

“Go ahead, but be careful. There are lots of wild chicken necks on the mountain—don’t get bitten.”

In the afternoon, Gu Wenran returned to the mountain to gather the needed herbs, fearing that heavy snow might soon block the paths and leave her whitening cream short of ingredients.

Returning home at dusk, she found her family sitting in the courtyard, looking worried.

“What’s wrong? Haven’t cooked yet? I’ll make dinner. Siyue, what’s wrong with your face?”

Zhou Siyue couldn’t hold back, crying and cursing, “Those Zhao family people aren’t human. My sister married into their family just to be bullied. I’m going to take a knife and chop them all.”

“Come back inside. We’ll visit your sister tomorrow.”

Only then did Gu Wenran remember her eldest sister, who had married into the Zhao Brigade.