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The other three women hadn’t married as well as Liu Mei, they were terribly envious of her. They were all very honest villagers with no tricks up their sleeves, and they began to discuss the topic agreeably, following Liu Mei’s lead.

"That’s true, Xianshu, every time my mother mentioned you, I’d get so worried. I wanted to visit you, but then again you know, my kids are such a handful, the eldest needs to attend school, and the youngest has just learned to walk, I really can’t spare the time."

"Well, I can make the time, my mother-in-law takes care of my kids. But I married far away, it’s also a long journey from Lin Family Hollow, and it would take a full day by ox cart."

"A full day? It’s more like half a day and a bit, isn’t it?"

"Half a day and a bit is still a full day. Hmph, you at least married close by, right here in our village. If there’s anything happening at your in-laws’, the whole village knows about it.

Oh right, didn’t you have a fight with your mother-in-law last time?

I heard from my mother that your mother-in-law made sure the whole village knew about your quarrel, she even went around saying how fierce and unfilial you were and took it to your parents’ home! "

"So what if she did? You guys know what I’m like. That old hag just looks for reasons to pick on me all day long. Just you wait, when she’s old and can’t walk anymore, don’t expect me to look after her in her old age!"

This woman was famously known as the shrew of Liu Family Village; her reputation was established even before her marriage, everyone thought she would never get married off.

But who would have thought, the man she married was the very one she’d bullied from a young age.

She bullied him so much that it somehow turned into affection, and no other girl caught his eye.

Lady Liu watched her with a smile; to say she wasn’t envious would be a lie.

They either got along extremely well with their mother-in-law, or they had a strong character, so even if there were conflicts with the mother-in-law, they wouldn’t be bullied.

Unlike her, who didn’t even dare to raise her voice in her in-laws’ house.

Seeing Lady Liu’s somewhat desolate smile, Liu Mei’s eyes lit up, her smile grew wider. This was her way; as long as others weren’t as comfortable as she was, her sense of superiority brimmed.

"Oh come on, let’s stop dredging up those stale and irrelevant stories. We haven’t seen Xianshu for so many years, let her tell us how she’s been doing these years."

As the others quieted down, Liu Mei turned to Lady Liu, tightly gripping her hand, she asked with concern, "Xianshu, you don’t look very well.

Is there something troubling you? Oh right, I saw a carriage at your doorstep, did you come here by carriage?

That carriage looked pretty good. I heard there are carriages for hire in town, which company did you rent it from?

I’ll have to rent one from them next time I go out. "

"It’s not rented; it’s our carriage." Hearing her talk about her pallor, Lady Liu raised her hand to touch her face, frowning slightly, "Do I look unwell? Maybe it’s because I’ve been looking after the child so much.

Oh, you have no idea how naughty my little one is.

He’s still so young, but he always wants to be held and played with all day long.

If nobody’s with him, he’ll cry non-stop. It’s absolutely exhausting."

The woman who married within the village nodded in agreement, "Cry? That’s because you’ve spoiled him! How can you hold him at such a young age? How are the adults supposed to get any work done? Let him cry, don’t pay him any mind!"

Don’t mind him? How could I? Lady Liu wrinkled her nose in distress, "What if he cries himself sick? Anyway, I don’t have much to do at home, I end up just holding him all day."

"Not much to do? How can you have it so good? My house has a pile of chores waiting for me!" Several women voiced their envy of Lady Liu. For a woman to have nothing to do at home was a treatment only wealthy ladies in town received.

Envy gnawed even more at Liu Mei. She had already been surprised to hear that the carriage wasn’t rented but belonged to Lady Liu’s family.

And now, to hear Lady Liu mention not having to work, she was even more astonished.

What kind of luck had Lady Liu stumbled upon that she didn’t have to work at all!

"Xianshu, did your family, like, strike it rich?"

Lady Liu thought for a moment; it was like hitting the jackpot, mainly because of her daughter’s accomplishments.

Breaking into a smile, Lady Liu said, "It’s okay, I guess. My daughter opened a shop, that’s all."

Her daughter had opened a shop, huh? That probably wasn’t a big deal, and wouldn’t make much money. Liu Mei reassured herself as she tucked a stray lock of hair back in place, feeling much more composed.

Yet the woman who had given birth to two sons patted Lady Liu’s arm and said with a smirk, "Nonsense, people might not know, but I do. Your daughter isn’t just running some shop—she’s practically a big boss!"