Ch 83: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

When Shen Xuewei returned, she was immediately subjected to a family tribunal. The two children were still crying, wailing that their new stepmother didn’t like them and had secretly called them burdens. Father and Mother Xing were furious when they heard this. Pointing at Shen Xuewei, they scolded her:

“You little schemer! You’re young, but your tricks are plenty. My son selflessly jumped into the river to save you, and it turns out you intentionally plotted to latch onto him. No way! Divorce! Get out of here and go back to your Shen family! Our Xing family doesn’t need someone like you!”

Shen Xuewei was seething inside but outwardly clung pitifully to Xing Kai’s arm, sobbing, “It’s Shen Yunxuan framing me! Think about it, how could I have known that Brother Kai was a battalion commander before he came back from the army? It’s Shen Yunxuan who’s jealous that I fell into the water and still managed to marry well, so she’s falsely accusing me!”

Xing Kai, the third son in the family, was surrounded by his elder siblings and their spouses. They all eyed Shen Xuewei with disdain. One of the sisters-in-law sneered, “With how greedy your parents are, only asking for a bride price of 188 yuan is highly suspicious. Who wouldn’t think they were targeting my brother-in-law’s battalion commander rank?”

Shen Xuewei had brought malted milk powder and cakes for their children in recent days, but they showed no gratitude and mocked her instead, making her inwardly curse them. Out of spite, she raised her voice and declared, “I swear to the heavens, if I ever schemed against Xing Kai, didn’t genuinely intend to live a good life with him, or secretly mistreat the two children, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!”

The entire Xing family froze, stunned. Although belief in superstition had been officially discouraged for years, privately, people still feared such oaths. Who would dare swear something so venomous unless they were truly innocent? Shen Xuewei didn’t even blink, making them doubt their judgment—could she actually have been wronged?

Xing Kai noticed people lingering outside the courtyard, trying to eavesdrop. He frowned and said, “Enough! What’s done is done; let’s not bring it up anymore. From now on, live quietly and don’t stir up trouble. Everyone, disperse.”

The family respected his authority and refrained from arguing further, though Mother Xing glared at Shen Xuewei sternly. “If you want to prove you’re not lying, don’t go running back to your Shen family. Don’t take things from us for them, and don’t let my son help them either.”

Shen Xuewei only cared about her own comfort in this lifetime, not her family’s well-being. She quickly nodded and pledged her loyalty: “Mom, I swear, I won’t ever try to benefit my family. Once I married into the Xing family, I became part of the Xing family. From now on, I’ll follow Kai ge’s lead and never drag him down.”

Although this was exactly what Mother Xing wanted, Shen Xuewei’s immediate and eager agreement only deepened her dislike. If someone could abandon their family so readily, how could they be trusted to truly care for their in-laws? Mother Xing resolved to keep a close eye on her before allowing her to accompany Xing Kai to the military base.

After everyone returned to their rooms, Shen Xuewei tried to read Xing Kai’s expression but couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. She could only speak softly, repeatedly making promises to be a good mother, wife, and daughter-in-law.

She was running out of ideas to turn things around. Never had she expected that Shen Yunxuan would overhear her private conversations with her parents and spread them around. Now, no matter how much she defended herself, no one would believe her. While she didn’t care what others thought, she did care about whether Xing Kai believed her. In the end, her only move was to swear such a heavy oath. She knew that, in this era, people still held great reverence for oaths like that, and by making one, she hoped Xing Kai would at least believe her halfway.

In truth, Xing Kai thought that the truth or falsehood of the past didn’t matter anymore. They were in a military marriage, not easily dissolved, so dwelling on the past was pointless. What mattered was how he felt about her now—and he only felt annoyed. Marrying Shen Xuewei had brought nothing but trouble, and he found her increasingly frustrating. Her attempts to ingratiate herself earned no response from him.

Even as newlyweds, she treaded carefully while he remained indifferent and distant. Finally, he said, “Once I return to the barracks, you’ll need to take on your responsibilities—raise the children properly, respect my parents, and get along with your sisters-in-law. No quarrels.”

Shen Xuewei immediately agreed. “Alright, Kai ge, you can count on me.”

Xing Kai frowned. “Call me ‘Lao Xing.’ I’ll send money home regularly. Half will go to Mom and Dad as filial support, and the other half is for you and the kids.”

Shen Xuewei didn’t care about such small amounts of money. Once she became a regimental commander’s wife and society advanced, she’d have access to far more wealth. She agreed easily but then grabbed Xing Kai’s arm with a show of reluctance. “Are you leaving so soon? We haven’t even had time to truly get to know each other. Why don’t you apply for me to join you as a military spouse? As the wife of a battalion commander, I should be allowed to accompany you. We can bring the children, and the schools on the base are much better than the ones here.”

“No way!” Xing Kai immediately refused. They’d only been married three days, and already there was chaos. Bringing her to the base would only invite more trouble and ridicule. If word got out that his children didn’t get along with their stepmother, it would ruin his reputation. He sternly replied, “I already feel guilty for not being home enough for my parents. You’ve just joined the family; leaving now wouldn’t be right. Stay here, take good care of my parents, and we’ll discuss accompanying me later.”

He also had another concern: if they lived together, they might quickly have a child. Given that Shen Xuewei already struggled with his children, introducing a new baby would only exacerbate tensions. It was better to wait until she had proven she could handle her current responsibilities before considering anything further.

Shen Xuewei decided to give it a try, but when Xing Kai rejected her idea, she wasn’t too surprised, though she felt a bit disappointed. After all, in her previous life, Shen Yunxuan only joined her husband’s military post a year after marriage, so Shen Xuewei felt she could afford to wait. Thinking of Shen Yunxuan reminded her of her sister’s recent business endeavors. This puzzled her—Shen Yunxuan had never sold anything in her past life, so how was she now capitalizing on this era’s opportunities? What had changed?

When she saw Xing Kai getting ready to leave, she pushed these thoughts aside and grabbed his arm. “My sister seems to have made money selling eggs. What if I try it too? I’m just idle at home anyway. I can think of something to sell and make a little pocket money for the family—”

“No!” Xing Kai frowned deeply. “We have strict rules. If people find out you’re out there trading, I’ll be disciplined.”

Shen Xuewei was startled. “Huh? Does the military forbid military spouses from selling things?”

While the military had some restrictions, as long as military spouses didn’t explicitly associate themselves with their husband’s status, small businesses were usually overlooked. However, Xing Kai disapproved of the entire idea of trading goods. A few years ago, speculative trading was still being cracked down on. Who knew if the political winds might shift again? For him, the risks weren’t worth it—not for some money that could jeopardize his career. Besides, no military spouses he knew had ever done such a thing.

He sighed internally, finding Shen Xuewei increasingly troublesome. Why couldn’t she just be like other military spouses—focused on raising children and keeping the household in order? His face cold, he said, “I make 126 yuan a month and send 80 back home. That’s enough for you. Just stay home and take care of the kids. Don’t go causing trouble.”

Sensing his irritation, Shen Xuewei didn’t dare argue further and softly agreed. She reflected that receiving 40 yuan a month was already more than most people earned. Both of the elder Xiao family members only made around 40 yuan each. Though it was a shame she couldn’t go into business, running one was risky and tiring anyway. Being a military officer’s wife was much more stable.

That same day, the villagers were abuzz about the drama involving the Shen, Xing, and Xiao families. Once the shocking news of Shen Yunxuan’s disownment was thoroughly discussed, people started to recall the earlier conversations they had overheard. The Shen family’s prideful claims about Shen Jie and Shen Xuewei being “educated” and “different from villagers” rubbed everyone the wrong way.

“What nonsense! They’re no different from us, and they have no real skills. Who do they think they are?”

Unable to refute these allegations during the earlier commotion, the Shen family’s silence only reinforced the villagers’ belief that these statements were true. The villagers, who had initially admired students attending high school, now felt Shen Jie and Shen Xuewei were arrogant snobs, unworthy of respect. Their disdain for the Shen siblings only deepened when they considered how poorly the family had treated Shen Yunxuan.

And then there was the matter of the Shen family’s hypocrisy. Xing Kai had saved Shen Xuewei’s life, yet they had initially looked down on him for being a low-ranking soldier with children. But as soon as they learned he was a battalion commander, they latched onto him shamelessly. Their behavior was truly disgraceful.

Although the Shen family tried to salvage their reputation by mingling with villagers and offering explanations, no one believed them. Shen Yunxuan’s version of events made more sense—after all, it was true the Shen family had demanded a minimal bride price of 188 yuan for Shen Xuewei, which didn’t align with their usual greed. The villagers concluded that the family had indeed been plotting to “cast a long line to catch a big fish.”

Meanwhile, some villagers regretted not selling their eggs to Shen Yunxuan. Now they’d have to make the trip to the supply and marketing cooperative in town, deal with bureaucratic hassles, and face unfriendly staff. The more they thought about it, the more they felt they’d been foolish to believe Shen Xuewei’s claims.

Shen Xuewei, however, didn’t care about what the villagers thought. She didn’t even realize that, within just two weeks of her rebirth, she had alienated nearly everyone in the village. She also didn’t grasp the harsh reality of rural life in this era—being disliked by the entire village made day-to-day living significantly harder.

When Shen Yunxuan and Xiao Jun returned home, Xiao Zhijun and Yu Hong eagerly asked about what had transpired in the village. Xiao Jun glanced at Shen Yunxuan, unsure if she wanted to talk about her family’s matters, as most women preferred to avoid such topics for fear of embarrassment. However, Shen Yunxuan had no reservations and recounted everything in detail.

She had always relied on herself. In her past life, it was her own excellence that had gradually improved her in-laws’ attitude toward her. Her relationship with her natal family had never been the key. Now, having been reborn, she wanted to live more freely and saw no need to hide anything. Besides, in a few years, divorce would no longer be a big deal. If her relationship with the Xiao family soured, she would simply live on her own.

The Xiao family’s reaction surprised her. Far from looking down on her, they were outraged at the Shen family’s behavior, unanimously condemning their mistreatment of her. Yu Hong, holding Shen Yunxuan’s hand, said, “You did the right thing cutting ties with them. Don’t worry about them anymore. If you need to go to the village for eggs, let Xiao Jun handle it. No need for you to put up with their nonsense or risk them trying to cause trouble. From now on, I’ll treat you like my own daughter. If they don’t care for you, I will. Now sit tight—I’m going to steam some eggs for you. Look how thin you are; you need to eat better!”

Shen Yunxuan didn’t refuse. Small acts of familial kindness like this had been rare in her past life, so she cherished them deeply now. Moments like these made her genuinely happy.

She noticed the slightly tense atmosphere and smiled, “I’m not bothered by it anymore, so don’t dwell on it. I brought it up just to make sure everyone is aware of what they’re like so that we don’t get tangled up in their schemes or let them take advantage of us—it’s just too infuriating.

Anyway, let’s talk about the egg business instead. Tea eggs sell really well and are quite profitable, but their demand is mostly limited to places like train stations and hospitals. I estimate the maximum we could sell is about a hundred a day. I was wondering if we could explore another avenue. Dad, you work at a state-run restaurant. Do you think you could speak with your manager about sourcing tea eggs from us?”

Xiao Zhijun was caught off guard. Sourcing tea eggs from his own family? Could that even be possible? After all, state-run enterprises were strict about avoiding personal conflicts of interest.

Shen Yunxuan chuckled, “Dad, perhaps you could help introduce us. Xiao Jun and I could negotiate with them directly. It’s just business—no harm if we fail, but if it works out, it’ll be mutually beneficial. You’ve tried my tea eggs yourself. They’re genuinely good. Right now, the cost per egg is just one cent. We sell them for two mao and five fen at retail, but to the restaurant, we could offer them for two mao each. If they order over fifty, we’ll charge one mao and eight fen, and for orders over a hundred, just one mao and six fen. This way, the restaurant doesn’t need to make the tea eggs themselves—they can simply resell them and make a profit. It’s a win-win situation.”

(T/N: 1 Yuan = 10 Mao = 100 Fen)

Her words made Xiao Zhijun hesitate for a moment, but then he couldn’t help but feel intrigued. If he were the manager, he’d probably agree. Still, he hesitated. “Tea eggs aren’t that hard to make. What if the manager decides it’s better to produce them in-house?”

Confidently, Shen Yunxuan replied, “Even at the same price, the restaurant’s tea eggs wouldn’t taste as good as mine. Customers might even walk a few extra steps to buy from my stand at the hospital. It’s like why people eat dumplings at state-run restaurants even though making them at home is cheaper—it’s because the chefs make them tastier.

You could suggest to your manager that they try selling our tea eggs for a few days and then compare the sales to their own version. They’ll see that sourcing from us is more cost-effective—it saves time for the chefs, eliminates the need to buy extra ingredients, and it’s convenient. Plus, it’s pure profit for them.”

Xiao Zhijun mulled it over, then laughed, “You’ve got quite the way with words. Fine, I’ll bring some tea eggs tomorrow and let the manager try them. I’ll talk to him, and we’ll see how it goes. We’ve known each other for over twenty years, so I’ll handle it. Just wait for news.”

“Great! Dad, take 50 eggs to start. If the sales go well, we can talk about more orders. I’ll start preparing the tea eggs.” Shen Yunxuan was pleased. One of the best things about the Xiao family was their openness to new ideas and willingness to adapt. If this had been the Shen family, she wouldn’t have wasted her breath—they’d only be afraid of her getting caught and dragging them into trouble.

This time, she made 200 tea eggs. The family collectively held their breath at her bold move. Didn’t she say demand topped out at around 100 eggs? Even with 50 going to the state-run restaurant, wasn’t 200 way too much? If they didn’t sell, what then? If it were them, they wouldn’t have dared make more than 150.

But they had also noticed that Shen Yunxuan was decisive and resourceful. She was clearly the leader when it came to selling eggs with Xiao Jun, and she likely had plans for everything. If they lost a little money this time, it wasn’t a big deal. Xiao Jun didn’t seem worried, so they decided to trust her judgment.

The next morning, Shen Yunxuan steamed a pot of scallion rolls, adding just a pinch of salt to make them flavorful on their own. Then, she and Xiao Jun split up. Xiao Jun went to residential areas to sell fresh eggs, while she headed to the train station to sell tea eggs and scallion rolls. She also brought some minced pickles, setting up her stand at the station and calling out, “Delicious tea eggs and scallion rolls! Buy a roll and get pickles for free—limited quantities, first come, first served!”

She placed a sign beside her stand: Tea eggs – 2.5 mao each. Scallion rolls – 5 fen each.

At first, people hesitated, finding the prices a bit high. But when they saw her large, fragrant rolls and the free pickles, some began to buy. Most travelers carried food containers or lunch tins, and she quickly packed their orders, making it convenient for them.

Some travelers who were waiting and hungry ate a roll on the spot. One man gave her a thumbs up. “These rolls are amazing! How’d you make them so fragrant? Did you put salt and oil inside? Five fen is worth it—I’ll take four more for the train ride.”

Hearing this, more people came over to buy rolls and tea eggs, and the two items complemented each other perfectly. As the stand grew busier, its popularity attracted even more attention. People at the station assumed her food must be delicious and were willing to pay, even without ration coupons. After all, it was worth spending a bit more to enjoy good food on a long journey.

Even those who had brought their own meals couldn’t resist buying a tea egg—the aroma was simply too tempting.

While selling, Shen Yunxuan kept an eye on the people and vendors around her, especially the small restaurant and shop adjacent to the station. These establishments had been set up by the government to serve travelers. She deliberately positioned her stand where they could clearly see her bustling business. Her plan was to demonstrate her popularity so she could approach them for potential collaboration in the future.

Relying solely on selling things herself was exhausting, and the income was limited. Shen Yunxuan realized it would be better to find more buyers and distribute the workload. This way, she could have more time to rest and take care of her health.

She always reminded herself to avoid overexerting for the sake of business. Health came first.

While selling, she noticed a security guard patrolling nearby, mainly watching for pickpockets. During the lunch rush, she walked over, handed him a tea egg, and said with a smile, “Big brother, try one of our tea eggs. I might be setting up here regularly, so I’d appreciate your help keeping an eye on things.”

The security guard hesitated but eventually accepted it, understanding her intent. She wanted to ensure no one would bully her or her stall. He agreed readily, thinking he could let his child try the fragrant tea egg later. It wasn’t much trouble for him to keep an eye on her stand while patrolling anyway.

After chatting briefly with the guard, Shen Yunxuan struck up a friendly conversation with other vendors nearby. In her previous life in the military, she had been skilled at building good relationships. Within a few exchanges, the other vendors were addressing her affectionately as “little sister.”

Meanwhile, things were progressing smoothly for Xiao Zhijun. When he brought up the idea of selling tea eggs, his manager saw it as a way to help an old friend. After trying one, the manager agreed without hesitation. The decision wasn’t entirely about the quality of the tea egg but more about their personal connection. After all, there was no harm in trying—it could generate additional revenue for the restaurant. If it didn’t work, they could easily stop selling them and blame poor demand.

Xiao Zhijun, having worked as a chef for years, felt a bit awkward asking his manager for this favor, but after handing him a box of cigarettes, the deal was sealed. The manager immediately put out dozens of tea eggs for sale at 2.5 mao each.

Many patrons of the state-run restaurant came from well-off families and were curious about the new offering. Since no ration coupons were required, they often bought one alongside their meals to try it. Discovering the delicious taste, they couldn’t resist buying more to take home.

Other occasional diners at the restaurant, knowing how expensive the vegetarian dishes (7 mao each) were, found tea eggs to be an affordable alternative. Some villagers, hesitant to spend too much on takeaway, opted to bring tea eggs home instead. It still felt like they were taking a bit of the state-run restaurant’s experience back with them.

By the end of the day, the tea eggs were completely sold out. Relieved, Xiao Zhijun immediately reported the good news to his manager, who sincerely patted him on the shoulder and decided to make it a regular arrangement: 50 tea eggs per day, with the option to increase the order if demand grew.

Elated, Xiao Zhijun hummed as he worked in the kitchen. Selling to the state-run restaurant earned 8 fen per egg—4 yuan per day and 120 yuan per month. Even if Xiao Jun and Shen Yunxuan did nothing but supply tea eggs to the restaurant, they would each earn a monthly income of 60 yuan. Xiao Zhijun was overjoyed, thinking his younger son and daughter-in-law were truly bringing prosperity to the family. His little daughter-in-law was a blessing!

Others didn’t fully grasp how profitable tea eggs were. Knowing how many different spices went into making them, they assumed the costs were higher. Selling them to the restaurant for 1.8 mao each and seeing them resold for 2.5 mao seemed like a bad deal to them. Some thought it would be better to set up their own stall near the restaurant and sell directly to customers for a higher profit.

Although they thought Xiao Zhijun might have made a poor choice, they congratulated him outwardly, acknowledging his younger son and daughter-in-law’s resourcefulness. However, none of them considered doing such business themselves—selling things still carried a stigma, and their jobs at the state-run restaurant were considered prestigious and secure, with the potential for their children to inherit the positions. That was true honor. At most, they felt that Xiao Zhijun no longer had to worry about his wayward son and had finally found peace.

After the congratulations, people began asking when Xiao Zhijun would have grandchildren. Laughing, he replied, “No rush. Let the kids save up first. Life will be better once there’s some money for when the little ones come along.”

Although he said this, he couldn’t help but wonder. His eldest son and daughter-in-law had been married for years without any children, and now his younger son and daughter-in-law were busy selling eggs. Would they also delay starting a family? Did the Xiao family lack luck with children?

Still, he kept these thoughts to himself. The family was happy now, and children would come eventually. There was no point in bringing it up. For now, the priority was living well. His ultimate dream was to see his family enjoying daily meals of meat and rice—that would be true comfort!

Maybe he should consider making something at home for his daughter-in-law to sell. After all, he was a chef!

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆

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