Chapter 31 - 40

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 31

"After work today, I planned to retrieve the fish trap by the river to see what I'd caught. On my way home carrying the trap, I heard cries for help while passing through the small woods.

The situation felt eerily familiar—it was the kind that could easily land someone in labor reform."

Mingli recounted the incident vividly. "I bolted home like a madman. If any villagers had seen me, they'd have thought I'd lost my mind."

Later, he stopped and gathered a few people to return to the scene. They heard a woman shouting about being harassed, and when they caught the culprit, it turned out to be a notorious brother and sister from the other side of the mountain.

Good grief—siblings engaged in incest.

They immediately hauled the pair to the village committee. With numbers on their side, they made sure the man didn’t escape.

"Sis, you’re a lifesaver! If I’d gone alone, I’d have been framed for sure. I’m bringing you the two fattest fish as thanks for saving your little brother’s life."

There were still fish and shrimp left at home, enough for their parents to enjoy a good meal too.

It was as if Mingli had delivered a pillow just as Nan Sheng was dozing off—she’d been worrying about how to convince her brother, but now it seemed her dream could have a sequel.

"I’m just glad you’re safe. My heart’s only half at ease now," Nan Sheng said.

Mingli was helping his sister clean the fish while Sizhe and Qiqi watered the vegetables in the garden—Sizhe had taken on all the heavy chores.

"What do you mean, only half at ease? Am I still at risk of being sent to labor reform?" Mingli’s heart leapt into his throat.

"Not that," Nan Sheng said, feigning seriousness. "It’s just that I only told you half of my dream. The other half was about the crops."

Under her brother’s persistent questioning, Nan Sheng revealed the rest of the dream.

"A month-long drought will leave the fields barren, and many will die of starvation or heat. My heart’s been aching over it."

Had it not been for the incident with the siblings, Mingli wouldn’t have believed such a disaster was possible. He muttered, "Sis, you’re joking, right? Our land is lush and green—how could there be a drought?"

Nan Sheng didn’t push further. "Who knows? It was just a dream."

Mingli abandoned the fish and paced around the kitchen. "Sis, we can’t ignore this. Maybe it’s a warning from the heavens. We have to save the villagers."

Things were progressing smoothly—Nan Sheng almost laughed out loud. "Actually, I’ve already hinted at it to the local team leader. He reported it to the village head, who’s going to town today to seek guidance from the authorities.

Why don’t you go back and share this with your village head? See what the town officials say. It’d be best if multiple village heads went together and asked if anyone higher up has insights on disaster conditions, maybe even invite someone to assess the situation."

"That’s a great idea! Much more convincing than saying it came from your dream. I’ve got to head back right now—I won’t stay the night!"

Mingli had planned to spend the evening and return the bicycle early the next morning, but this urgent matter left him restless. He needed to rush back and inform the village head.

He’d also tell his parents to take a day off tomorrow and stock up on food in town. It might not be the most honorable move, but survival came first.

And he’d warn his uncles and cousins too—whatever their usual squabbles, they were trivial in the face of disaster.

Mingli pedaled furiously, the bike flying down the road, yet it still felt too slow. By the time he got home, he was drenched in sweat.

Nan's Mother was surprised to see him. "Why are you back? We didn’t prepare dinner for you."

"Something huge is happening, Ma!"

Mingli quickly gathered his parents and relayed the news—though he omitted the part about his sister’s dream, not wanting to cause her trouble.

"Someone in Xiangyang Village says the drought might last a month. If that’s true, our current irrigation won’t be enough. We might have to abandon half the fields to avoid total crop failure.

Their village head went to town for guidance. Dad, should we do the same? Rally more people to go and demand an official assessment.

If this turns out to be real, it’ll be catastrophic—people will starve!"

Nan's Mother slapped her son’s head. "You brat! Spit three times and take back those awful words. You’re scaring me!"

But Nan's Father stayed silent. As a child, he’d lived through a drought. His own mother had starved to death, saving what little food there was for the children.

"I’ll handle this. Many elders in the village have been whispering about the strange weather lately—they just haven’t brought it to the village head’s attention."

Father and son left together, while Nan's Mother lost her appetite.

She went to the bedroom and pulled out a small box hidden deep in the cabinet—the family’s entire savings.

When her son returned, she’d send him to town for food supplies tomorrow. Grain wouldn’t spoil, after all. She’d also need to send some to her daughter and her own parents.

The more she thought about it, the thinner the stack of money felt. Without ration coupons, they’d have to turn to the black market.

Over in Xiangyang Village, the village head’s report wasn’t encouraging. The town officials had promised to look into the matter but showed little urgency.

Zhou Ren suddenly thought of Nan Sheng. "Uncle Lin, why don’t we ask Lin Han’s wife for advice? She’s sharp—maybe she’ll have an idea."

Before Lin Guozheng could refuse, Feng Wuquan stood up. "Let’s go! We’ll pay Lin Han’s place a visit. That girl’s been the death of me."

He hadn’t eaten all day, too weighed down by worry.

Nan Sheng had stewed one fish for dinner and salted the other, quietly stockpiling food.

She’d just put her daughter to sleep when she heard movement at the gate. "Lin Han’s wife, are you awake? It’s your Uncle Feng. Could you come out for a moment?"

The eldest boy had just finished his homework and stepped outside first. What was the village head doing here so late?

By the time he opened the door, his stepmother had joined him. They found four or five men at the gate, including Lin Han’s father.

Nan Sheng greeted them calmly. "Father-in-law, Uncle Feng, Captain Zhou, you’ve all come. Would you like to come inside?"

"No, no, we just have a quick question."

With no man in the house, they had to maintain propriety—even with Lin Guozheng present, they wouldn’t step into the courtyard.

Lin Guozheng spoke first. "Daughter-in-law, what made you think of the drought? Did someone tell you something?"

They kept their voices low, wary of sparking panic.

Nan Sheng nodded. "When I visited my parents, some elders mentioned how the weather seemed off this year—they feared a major drought. Since returning, each day’s been hotter than the last, so I grew worried and mentioned it to Captain Zhou."

The village head sighed. "We’ve asked our own elders, and they say the same. But without proof, making the wrong call could cost us our positions—or worse, leave the villagers starving."

Nan Sheng reassured them. "Don’t panic yet. My brother visited today. Hearing that Uncle Feng went to town, he plans to discuss it with his village head and gather others to approach the authorities together. This time, they’ll have to take it seriously."

Her words lifted the men’s spirits. Zhou Ren grinned. "I knew we should’ve come to Lin Han’s wife. Quick thinking runs in the family—her brother’s even faster!"

The village chief also said, "Let's all get up early tomorrow. Old Lin will stay in the village to oversee the work, while the rest of us will go door-to-door through neighboring villages to gather people. Together, we'll head to town and demand justice from the authorities!"

---

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 32

Nan Sheng seized the opportunity to say, "Uncle Feng, I need to go to town tomorrow to collect the military allowance Lin Han sent. Can I take a day off?"

Feng Wuquan waved his hand. "It’s fine, you can go. Ride Uncle Liu’s ox cart tomorrow, and we’ll meet in town. I won’t count it as leave."

With their plans settled, everyone headed home. Nan Sheng called out to Lin Guozheng, "Grandpa, wait a moment. I have something for you."

Lin Guozheng turned back, and once the others were out of earshot, Nan Sheng spoke quietly.

"Find time in the next couple of days to go to town. Take all the family’s grain coupons and money—buy as much coarse grain as you can. Once word spreads, even money might not get you food. The shortage in the entire county is too severe."

After a pause, she added, "If you’re short on cash, I can give you the betrothal money first. Securing the grain is the priority."

Lin Guozheng shook his head. He and his wife had about 150 to 160 yuan saved. Cornmeal cost eight fen per pound—with that, they could buy over 1,500 pounds.

Of course, the lack of grain coupons meant they’d have to trade for some or risk the black market.

The two of them wouldn’t even finish that much, leaving plenty to spare.

He’d also notify his two sons. They had some savings and should convert it all to grain. Lin Guozheng knew well that both families would need his support.

"You and the kids should be careful too. If disaster strikes, desperate people will steal food. Stay alert at night."

When pushed to the brink, people shed shame and morals. Losing food was one thing, but losing lives was far worse.

Nan Sheng understood. She planned to buy a sharp knife and a chopping knife tomorrow—enough to protect the household.

The reactions of her stepmother and grandfather made Sizhe uneasy. Nan Sheng patted his hand. "Don’t be afraid. Our family has money. You and your sister won’t go hungry."

Sizhe glanced at his stepmother and lowered his head silently, wondering—if she got desperate enough, would she... maybe... possibly... eat children?

Nan Sheng mulled over stocking up on supplies: rice, flour, coarse grains, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, spices, and sugar.

The space she once disliked now proved useful—store grain at home, keep money and valuables hidden away.

She also needed to gather her family and the children, dissolve the vitality-boosting pills in water, and have each take a sip.

That night, many lay awake.

The village chief and his team set out at dawn to rally nearby villages.

Nan Sheng rose early to cook. Sizhe would go to school, but little Siqi needed care. After some thought, she packed water for the child and took her to Lin Guozheng.

When Nan Sheng returned, Uncle Liu was already waiting. "Lin Han’s wife, hurry up! The chief asked me to take you to town."

Uncle Liu’s cart was steady, avoiding bumps so well that Nan Sheng dozed off. She only woke when they arrived.

Uncle Liu chuckled. "I wanted to chat, but next thing I knew, you were nearly snoring."

Nan Sheng rubbed her face, feeling flushed, and changed the subject. "Uncle Liu, find some shade. I’ll buy you an ice pop when we head back."

First, she went to the post office for the money order. The clerk recognized her and handed over a thick letter. With the order and ID, she withdrew 80 yuan.

Why so much?

Tucking the cash away, she asked the clerk, "Comrade, I’m now the village record-keeper and can’t easily come to town. Could you deliver my mail with the rest?"

The clerk agreed. He’d wondered why she didn’t have the order sent home—probably hiding the amount from her in-laws.

"Don’t worry. If it’s not you, I won’t let anyone else sign for the money orders."

"Thank you! You’re a fine comrade with a bright future!"

The clerk flushed at the praise. Nan Sheng felt a bit insincere, but flattery was necessary when dealing with useful people.

In a secluded spot, she opened the letter. Lin Han’s handwriting was rigid, reflecting his no-nonsense personality—likely lacking in romance.

The letter was brief: he’d been promoted from deputy to full battalion commander, with increased pay and bonuses. Henceforth, he’d send 80 yuan monthly, more if needed.

He also proposed sending his parents five yuan monthly for their support. If she agreed, he’d increase the household remittance to 85 yuan.

The man was honest and consultative—Nan Sheng figured he’d be easy to live with.

Best of all, he’d included unused ration tickets from comrades: grain, oil, sugar, soap, and industrial vouchers. Though grain tickets were scarce, she could trade the others.

Now she had 80 pounds of grain tickets, 10 of oil, 5 of sugar, plus soap and industrial vouchers.

Lin Han even secured a wristwatch ticket and a sewing machine ticket—highly coveted items worth over 200 yuan in good times.

At the supply cooperative, she bought two sacks, used up the oil and sugar tickets, then moved to grain. One grain ticket bought one pound of flour or rice—or three of cornmeal.

She bought 80 pounds of rice. Too heavy to carry, she had it delivered to the entrance, disguising the sacks so no one could guess the contents.

By chance, Nan Mingli arrived late after warning their grandmother and uncle.

"Sis, you took the ox cart? Mom told me to buy grain for you. Why just one sack?"

Nan Sheng whispered, "This is rice for holidays. I’ll get flour next, then coarse grain."

Mingli was impressed. His sister had foresight—marrying a widower with two kids paid off. The man had money, ensuring the family wouldn’t starve.

"Wait here, Sis. I’ll use my grain tickets too."

Mingli returned with a sack of cornmeal. "We’ve got 200 pounds at home. Come on, I’ll take you somewhere special."

Nan Sheng knew he meant the black market. With recent good harvests, authorities turned a blind eye to such trade—no longer so secretive.

But the rule was clear: transactions were final. Cause trouble afterward, and you’d face consequences. Years ago, someone bought a sewing machine there, then reported the seller.

The informant ended up dead—case unsolved.

"Remember, when we wanted flour dumplings for holidays, we came here. No need for disguises, just hide your face. And outside these two streets, deny everything."

Nan Mingli explained as they walked. The siblings both wore straw hats and plain clothes, with only the bicycle and two bags of grain standing out.

"Sis, tell me honestly—how much grain do we need to buy? If it's a large amount, we can have it delivered to a discreet location and wait there."

Nan Sheng calculated. From now until the next autumn harvest, fifteen hundred pounds would be enough, including fine grains like rice and wheat flour.

She deliberately planned to buy extra, just in case.

"We’ll need at least a thousand pounds. I still have some valuable ration tickets—let’s see how much we can exchange for them."

There was a designated courtyard for buying grain. Nan Sheng followed her brother to the end of the black market alley and knocked on a door.

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 33

When buying goods on the black market, one must be straightforward. Mingli cut to the chase, "I need grain, a large quantity—at least a thousand catties."

Seeing such a big order, someone immediately came out to assist. "Large orders can't be fulfilled on the spot. What exactly do you need?"

"Just cornmeal, nothing else."

Buying grain on the black market didn’t require ration coupons, but the prices were double those of official channels. Cornmeal, for instance, cost fifteen cents per catty, whereas the state-run supply store sold it for just eight cents. A thousand catties would amount to a hundred and fifty yuan.

"A thousand catties?"

Mingli steeled himself. "Make it fifteen hundred catties!"

If his sister bought the grain herself, they could save a considerable sum. With extra grain, their parents could also send over two hundred catties each to their grandfather and maternal grandparents.

"That’ll be two hundred twenty-five yuan in total. Where should we deliver it?"

"Tonight, by the willow tree at the entrance of Wangshan Village."

The man didn’t ask further. The rule in this business was payment upon delivery. If Mingli dared to pull a fast one, the consequences would be more than he could handle.

At this point, Nan Sheng spoke up. "Can I exchange ration coupons for grain? I have industrial coupons, soap coupons, sewing machine coupons, and wristwatch coupons."

The man was surprised, sensing that this woman wasn’t ordinary. Still, the black market had fixed rates, regardless of who asked.

"One industrial coupon can be exchanged for one catty of fine grain or three catties of coarse grain. Soap coupons aren’t accepted. A sewing machine coupon is worth a hundred yuan, and a wristwatch coupon seventy. Want to trade?"

"Absolutely!" No reason not to!

"I’ll exchange all twenty industrial coupons for rice. The sewing machine and wristwatch coupons—I’ll take cash!"

Nan Sheng didn’t rush to collect the twenty catties of rice. Instead, she pocketed the hundred and seventy yuan first. Mingli watched enviously—his sister was getting grain without spending a single cent.

"How much for rice and wheat flour?"

"Rice is thirty cents per catty, wheat flour forty."

Nan Sheng handed the money back to the man, opting for fine grain. "I’ll take two hundred catties of rice, two hundred catties of wheat flour, six hundred catties of cornmeal, two hundred catties of coarse corn grits, two hundred catties of fine corn grits, twenty catties each of red and green beans, fifty catties of soybeans, ten catties of dried dates, ten catties of brown sugar, and ten catties of rock sugar."

Even the black market dealer was stunned by Nan Sheng’s extravagance. As he tallied the order, he offered a discount. "When we deliver, just give me a hundred thirty yuan."

Nan Sheng didn’t haggle. "Deliver it to the crossroads in Xiangyang Village late tonight."

She also arranged for the bag of rice she’d bought earlier to be sent along. Mingli left his cornmeal behind too, while Nan Sheng let him take the twenty catties of rice obtained with the industrial coupons.

After wrapping up, Nan Sheng checked her watch—just past nine.

"Come on, I’ll give you the meat coupons. Help me buy extra fatty cuts for rendering oil. I want enough to last half a year."

With the grain settled, both of them felt much lighter. Mingli managed to buy all the fatty pork from one pig, enough to render a whole jar of lard. Nan Sheng went back in to buy a jar, thankful she’d kept a few industrial coupons.

Mingli needed to head home to prepare for the nighttime grain delivery. Fortunately, his family had a cart, so they wouldn’t need to borrow one. The three of them could handle it themselves.

After finishing their own work, he and his father would help Nan Sheng transport her grain.

When Nan Sheng arrived at the town government office, the courtyard was bustling. The village heads were inside, while the brigade and team leaders from various villages waited outside for updates.

Zhou Ren’s eyes lit up when he spotted Nan Sheng. "Lin Han’s wife, all done with your errands?"

Nan Sheng smiled and asked about the situation inside.

"The town head escalated the matter, but the township office doesn’t have the expertise. They’ve reported it to the city to consult meteorology experts. We’re all waiting for news."

What Zhou Ren didn’t say was that the collective pressure from the village heads had infuriated the town head. If the climate experts deemed the drought insignificant, Xiangyang Village would bear the brunt of the blame—and Wangshan Village’s head wouldn’t escape either.

Soon, Feng Wuquan rushed out and told Nan Sheng to go inside—the town head wanted to see her.

"That scoundrel from Wangshan Village is pinning it on you! He claims you warned the Nan family first, so he had no choice but to rally the others. It’s all just cowardice—he’s afraid of taking responsibility."

The Xiangyang Village team leaders looked displeased. Pushing the blame onto a woman after a collective decision was disgraceful.

"Lin Han’s wife, keep your words few inside. The village head will back you up."

Nan Sheng nodded and followed the village head into the office, where the heads of nearby villages stood stiffly.

Town Head Yu Feng’s expression was stormy. This was the first time he’d been strong-armed into action, and he was far from pleased.

"You’re Nan Sheng, correct? So you’re the one who incited these village heads to report the drought?"

Nan Sheng stood confidently in the center and introduced herself. "Town Head Yu, my name is Nan Sheng. I’m from Xiangyang Village by marriage."

Yu Feng’s tone softened slightly at her politeness, but his face remained dark. He’d been chewed out by his superiors all morning.

"Do you have any idea how much red tape is involved in getting personnel transferred from the city? It requires approvals at every level. How can you be so sure our town will face a drought?"

Noticing Yu Feng’s empty teacup, Nan Sheng stepped forward to refill it. "Please, hear me out."

"As the saying goes, 'An elder at home is a treasure.' Recently, the elderly in Xiangyang and Wangshan Villages have been expressing concerns about the weather. Considering their experience, I thought it best to bring this to your attention.

"However, the urgency of the matter led to some rash methods. I hope you’ll be magnanimous and not hold it against me, a mere woman."

Yu Feng exhaled. Fine—he’d already berated the village heads into submission. No need to intimidate a woman, especially a military family member.

"No more reckless actions. If the city dismisses our request, I’ll be a laughingstock at county meetings."

Nan Sheng apologized sincerely. "I’m sorry, Town Head Yu. I didn’t consider the full picture. I was only worried about the potential devastation of a drought. As someone who noticed the signs, failing to report it would have been negligence on our part.

"If it turns out to be a false alarm, a good leader like you would scold us at worst. But if it’s real, we’d have done the villagers a service. We don’t seek rewards—just to minimize losses."

Yu Feng mulled it over. True, he’d endured some humiliation, but it was just his pride at stake.

But what if? If the drought materialized, his early report would shield him from repercussions.

Better yet—if his foresight saved the entire town, it could be a career-defining achievement, even a ticket to a county-level position.

With that thought, Yu Feng calmed. "Enough. The matter’s over. No need for apologies—your intentions were good."

The others: ?

Talk about preferential treatment!

Not only that, Yu Feng instructed an aide, "Fetch a chair for the lady. Let’s wait a little longer for the city’s response."

Nan Sheng smiled inwardly. A small victory—worth the roundabout approach.

---

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 34

The group waited in town until one in the afternoon when the city finally called back with good news.

Yu Feng said cheerfully, "The city takes this matter very seriously and has immediately arranged for a vehicle to pick up the meteorology expert. They’ll arrive in the county tonight, conduct surveys around the area tomorrow morning, and reach our town by afternoon."

After a moment’s thought, he added, "Since Xiangyang Village raised the issue first, the expert will visit you first. If time permits, they’ll also inspect the surrounding villages. Make sure you’re prepared for the reception."

Feng Wuquan immediately understood. "Yes, Chief. I’ll ensure the meteorology expert is well accommodated. Will you be joining us tomorrow to oversee the work?"

Yu Feng naturally wanted to make an appearance. "I’ll arrive around noon. Given the urgency, let me know if you need anything."

Need anything? Feng Wuquan couldn’t think of anything at first, but Nan Sheng nudged him and whispered, "Meat."

The village chief caught on. "Chief, there is one thing—I figured the expert will need meals, and while we have plenty of vegetables, buying meat requires ration coupons, which is inconvenient."

For the town chief, this was no trouble at all. "Alright, I’ll write you a note. Head straight to the town’s pig farm later—let’s not embarrass our town."

"Yes, I’ll make sure it’s done!"

The other village chiefs watched Feng Wuquan with envy. He was getting all the credit, especially the chief of Wangshan Village, who had also put in effort—why wasn’t the expert visiting him first?

Nan Sheng and the others gathered around Uncle Liu’s ox cart, which also carried the oil jars she had bought. The fatty pork she’d stashed inside was hidden under the lids, completely out of sight.

Luckily, the cart had been parked in the shade, or the meat would have spoiled in the heat.

With the chief’s note in hand, everyone was in high spirits. They exchanged glances. "Why not… buy extra?"

Pork usually cost seventy cents per jin, but buying directly from the farm was cheaper and didn’t require coupons—probably around fifty cents.

Feng Wuquan: "I’ll take five jin!"

Uncle Liu: "Two jin!"

First Team Leader: "Four jin!"

Second Team Leader: "Four jin!"

Zhou Ren: "Four jin!"

Nan Sheng was almost exasperated. "I’ll take thirty jin! Food prices will keep rising, and meat will get even more expensive!"

Feng Wuquan thought she had a point. "Then I’ll take ten jin. Thirty is too much—it might spoil."

Nan Sheng insisted, "It’s for my family, my in-laws, and my parents—three households!"

Calculated that way, it didn’t seem excessive. In the end, they agreed to buy a hundred jin of meat. Nan Sheng also bought extra fatty cuts and trotters.

The pigs were freshly slaughtered, and the remaining meat was sold to the farm’s staff as a benefit.

Back in Xiangyang Village, the ox cart stopped at each household to avoid drawing attention to their secret meat purchase. When they reached Nan Sheng’s home, Feng Wuquan and Zhou Ren helped unload.

"Goodness, these jars are heavy!"

Nan Sheng smiled sheepishly. "I stored grain inside."

The two men, being earnest, advised her to stock up on more grain once the meteorology expert confirmed the situation tomorrow.

Nan Sheng thought to herself: If she didn’t secure grain tomorrow, the black market would catch wind, and prices would skyrocket.

It was already past three in the afternoon, so she quickly scrubbed the pot and rendered the two batches of fat.

While the lard simmered, she washed the meat. She set aside two portions—one around three jin, the other five—then cubed the rest, fried it, and packed it into a new jar with the rendered fat.

The lard filled two jars and half a small basin, and there were too many cracklings to store separately, so she mixed most of them into the lard.

Thinking about the grain delivery that night, Nan Sheng skipped cooking and focused on cleaning the wardrobe in the east room. She wiped it down three times with a damp cloth, then dried it thoroughly.

The wardrobe was two meters long, one and a half meters tall, and nearly a meter deep—enough to hold five or six hundred jin of grain.

The west room had only one wardrobe, filled with the children’s clothes from infancy. She’d need to commission another chest soon, or there’d be no place to store everything.

When Sizhe returned, the smell of meat greeted him. Peeking into his room, he nearly thought they’d been robbed—until he saw his stepmother.

Wiping sweat from her face, Nan Sheng said, "Sizhe, there are two pieces of meat in the kitchen. Take the smaller one to Grandma and say it’s from your father’s earnings."

The wardrobe was clean and drying, ready for the grain that night.

"I bought grain on the black market—it’s going in here. Don’t tidy up yet; we’ll organize everything after it’s delivered."

Sizhe nodded, curious. "How much did we buy?"

"A mix of different kinds—around fourteen or fifteen hundred jin in total. Enough to last our family of four."

Hearing this, Sizhe felt a weight lift from his chest. He glanced at his stepmother, surprised that he now found her… reliable.

"I’ll deliver the meat to Grandma."

As soon as he left, the system notified Nan Sheng: his favorability had surged by an astonishing 30 points!

Humming to herself, she started cooking. Today was a good day—everything was falling into place!

After the grain delivery tonight, she’d draw two surprise prizes. She could hardly wait!

Sizhe returned with Siqi in tow. The little girl pouted. "Mama, you promised to pick me up!"

Nan Sheng froze. She’d been so busy, she’d forgotten about the little one.

Kneeling, she coaxed, "Is Siqi mad at me?"

The child pursed her lips, wanting to say yes—but instead muttered, "Only a little."

Nan Sheng quickly fetched her tiny stool. "Then keep Mama company while she cooks, okay? We’re having meat tonight. You can tend the fire."

"Okay!"

Instantly forgetting her grievance, Siqi happily fed kindling into the stove.

Dinner was much later than usual. Sizhe had cleaned the trotters without complaint—meat was worth the effort.

Though pork trotters didn’t pair perfectly with corn porridge, the family devoured them eagerly. Between the braised trotters and a cold vegetable dish, several pieces of meat remained uneaten.

Nan Sheng lightly salted the portion meant for her parents to keep it fresh. Her father and brother would collect it when they came by late that night.

The east room wardrobe dried quickly. After securing the lid, she sorted clothes—half the space held bedding, the other half garments.

She tucked away the remaining sugar, brown sugar, and milk candies, covering them with clothes. The wardrobes, both lockable, were her pride—no outsider could guess their contents.

At Father Lin and Mother Lin’s home, the gifted meat brought joy. They cooked half to share with their eldest son’s family—one perk of living with elders was always tasting the best treats.

"Boss, the weather expert is coming tomorrow. As soon as it's confirmed there'll be a drought, you must take leave and go to town to buy grain. Don’t worry about the cost—money can’t compare to life."

"Understood, Dad!"

The family had over two hundred in savings, originally meant for their son’s wedding. Now, they had no choice but to use it for the emergency.

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 35

Lin Xue and her two children left this morning. Since Lin's mother refused to lend her money and forbade her to borrow from her eldest and third brothers, this trip had completely broken her heart towards her natal family, and she didn't want to come back ever again.

Fan Shuting noticed her daughter's reluctance but didn't try to stop her. Lin Xue got married the latest, and her in-laws' betrothal gifts were all given back to her. Moreover, Fan Shuting even gave her fifty yuan as a dowry. What more could she ask for?

Fan Shuting had also informed her daughter about the drought on the land, fearing that she might not take it seriously and end up suffering a great deal.

After dinner, Eldest Brother Lin and his wife went back to their room. Zhou Wei tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

"Jianguo, do you really think there will be a drought? Why didn't Dad say a word about it before?"

Eldest Brother Lin replied impatiently, "Didn't they say that a meteorological expert will come tomorrow to check? Besides, even if Dad had said something, would you believe it?"

Zhou Wei was used to her husband's attitude and wasn't angry. "Our family has only saved a little over two hundred yuan. I'm not sure if the food we can buy with it will be enough. Why don't you go and borrow some money from Dad?"

Lin Jianguo sat up abruptly on the kang. "What are you up to? Mom and Dad just made up the betrothal gift for the second sister-in-law, and they still need to buy food themselves. Where would they get the money?

Moreover, we have quite a bit of money. If we can save the crops in time, we might get some more. It'll be enough for our family. Let me tell you, don't even think about taking it to your parents' house!"

This hit the nail on the head for Zhou Wei. "You know the situation of my parents' family. There are so many people to feed. If the brigade can't provide enough food, they'll starve to death. How can I just ignore them?"

Lin Jianguo got angry too. "Take care, take care. Haven't you taken things to your parents' house every year? Have I ever said anything? This time is different. We're barely making it ourselves. How can you take care of them?"

There were five children in Zhou Wei's parents' family, and each family had many children. The kids were too young to work, so they lived in poverty. Zhou Wei had been a good daughter-in-law to the Lin family over the years and had given birth to two sons. Lin Jianguo just turned a blind eye when she took a few things to her parents' house occasionally.

To put it bluntly, the family had only saved a little over two hundred yuan over the years because of her parents' family.

"After we buy the food, can we send some to my parents' house? Just two hundred catties?"

"Absolutely not!"

Lin Jianguo refused without hesitation. "Don't even dream about it. There won't be enough for our family of four. You still want to send it out? Not only do I disagree, but even if you send it, it won't solve the problem."

Lin Jianguo felt uneasy. After thinking it over, he asked Zhou Wei to hand over all the money, saying that he would keep it.

Zhou Wei dawdled and was reluctant. Finally, she was beaten by him and became obedient.

"Good for you, Zhou Wei. You've been lying to me. There's nearly four hundred yuan in the family, but you told me there was only a little over two hundred. You wanted to take it back to your parents' house, didn't you? I'll beat you to death!"

Zhou Wei kept crying for help.

"Stop hitting me!"

"I'm wrong!"

"Spare me!"

There was chaos in the eldest son's room of the Lin family. They had locked the door when they went to sleep at night, so their two sons couldn't get in for a while. They could only plead with Lin Jianguo outside the door.

"Dad, talk it out nicely. Mom can't stand your beating at her age!"

"Yes, Dad. Mom has worked hard for the Lin family over the years. For our sake, spare her!"

Lin Jianguo stopped beating his wife until she couldn't even get out of bed. He did it on purpose, afraid that Zhou Wei would cause trouble.

After getting out of bed and opening the door, the two sons rushed in and were shocked by Zhou Wei's miserable state.

"Dad, you're going too far. Do you want to beat Mom to death?"

Zhou Wei could only sob. Every part of her body ached.

Lin Jianguo took a breath. "I don't want to kill her. I just want her to stay in bed quietly for a few days."

After so many years of marriage, he wouldn't have been so cruel if it weren't a matter of life and death.

"You all know that over the years, your mom has taken a lot of grain, vegetables, potatoes, and sweet potatoes to her natal family. She's almost emptied our house, and I didn't say anything, right?

Now our family needs money to buy food, but she hid over a hundred yuan. How daring! In her heart, there's only her natal family and no room for the three of us!"

If she really sent the money away, when their family faced difficulties in the future, they wouldn't have a single cent. How hard would that be?

This heartless woman didn't think about their own family at all!

Zhou Wei looked up and pleaded with her two sons. "Help your grandparents. Are you going to watch them starve to death? If so, I won't be able to live either!"

Sizhong and Sicheng were in a dilemma. They wanted to help, but there were nearly twenty people in their grandparents' family. Who could support them all?

Lin Jianguo went out to soak a face towel and came back to wipe his wife's face. "Zhou Wei, I'm only capable of doing so much. I can't help your family. At most, I can take your parents in. You decide."

Putting himself in her shoes, he couldn't watch his own parents starve to death either. His wife could be filial, but she couldn't ruin their own family.

Zhou Wei cried even more sadly. She knew her parents wouldn't come. They'd rather exchange it for food and take it back.

What should she do...

The old couple of the Lin family also heard the commotion in their eldest son's house but pretended not to know. It was already difficult enough to stay out of it.

In the middle of the night, there was suddenly some noise at the door. Nan Sheng and Sizhe glanced at each other and picked up the flashlight to go outside. It was Mingli riding a bicycle into the yard.

None of them said a word. They only started talking after entering the house. "Let's go, sister. Dad is still waiting over there."

Sizhe also wanted to go with them, but Nan Sheng disagreed. She asked him to stay at home with his sister. She even forgot about buying knives, which was really a miscalculation.

She grabbed her straw hat and walked with her brother to the appointed place. It was one o'clock in the morning, when the villagers were sleeping soundly.

When they got there, Nan Sheng took the goods list. It was exactly what she wanted, and Nan's Father had also checked it. The food was fine. The people in the black market were quite reliable.

She took out the 130 yuan she had counted and gave it to the other person. Then she whispered, "Do you have any sharp knives or firewood-cutting knives?"

"We have firewood-cutting knives and daggers. The firewood-cutting knife costs eight yuan, and the dagger costs five yuan."

Nan Sheng didn't hesitate. She asked for two firewood-cutting knives and two daggers. She also got some for her natal family.

The people in the black market helped pour the food onto their flatbed cart and then made a gesture, indicating that they could wait for them. It would be safer to walk on the night road in a group.

This place was less than 300 meters from Nan Sheng's house. The things were too heavy, so the father-son duo took turns pulling the cart and quietly transported the goods to the Lin family's place.

In the east room, there were rice, white flour, coarse grains, and some miscellaneous things like red beans and mung beans. In the west room, they put the cornmeal. This stuff took up too much space, so the small grains had to be placed on the kang in the east room.

Seeing the father and son about to leave, Nan Sheng immediately brought out the pig's trotters and served each of them a bowl of porridge. They quickly finished them and finally felt better.

This whole night was exhausting.

"Dad, I went to the pig farm in the town today and bought a lot of meat. Take this piece back and have something good to eat tomorrow to replenish your energy."

Nan's Father didn't want it, and Nan Sheng immediately glared at him, looking extremely angry. These days, she had put on some weight and her skin had become a bit fairer. She looked quite cute.

Now Nan's Father couldn't hold out any longer. He immediately told his son to take the meat. He stroked Sizhe's head and whispered, "Come to Wangshan Village to have fun in a few days. Grandpa and Uncle are leaving now!"

Sizhe also whispered, "Goodbye, Grandpa. Goodbye, Uncle!"

When they came, the car was full of grains. When they left, it was empty, carrying only a piece of meat. Sizhe saw it clearly.

"Aren't we giving Grandpa some grains? We have a lot at home!"

Nan Sheng locked the door of the house. "They also bought 1,500 catties of cornmeal. It's enough for them to eat. I also gave them 20 catties of rice, which I exchanged with industrial tickets. It was sent back with their grains."

Sizhe was very satisfied. The step-mother didn't hide it from him when giving things to her natal family!

---

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 36

Nan Sheng had overestimated her stamina. After returning to her room, she yawned and slept straight through till dawn.

What woke her wasn’t a thoughtful child but the system.

System: "Amazing! Favorability has increased by another five points, reaching 35. Keep up the good work, Host, and complete the mission soon!"

Nan Sheng feigned indifference. "I preferred it when you were all aloof and uncooperative."

Who was it that used to complain daily about her slow progress, barely uttering a word? Now, it had even learned to modulate its tone, sounding downright sycophantic.

System: "…"

By the time Nan Sheng got up, Sizhe was already braiding his younger sister’s hair. A pot of corn porridge simmered in the kitchen. She fried six eggs in lard and boiled another four in water.

"Eldest child, if you can’t steam buns, at least cook rice. Otherwise, what will you take for lunch? You’ll go hungry again!"

Sizhe had been meaning to bring this up with his stepmother. "Starting tomorrow, I won’t bring lunch. Once the drought hits, every family will struggle to eat. If I bring food to school, I might attract trouble."

Nan Sheng knew he had a point, but having endured hunger herself, she couldn’t bear the thought of the children suffering.

"Then skip lunch starting tomorrow. From now on, I’ll make dry rice or steamed buns in the morning—eat as much as you can."

Sizhe didn’t argue further. But when he saw the six glistening fried eggs on the table, it hit him: their family was different now—so well-off they’d have no friends left.

Nan Sheng and Siqi each had one fried egg with a bowl of porridge, which was enough to fill them. Sizhe devoured four eggs and four bowls of thick porridge.

Before he left, Nan Sheng peeled the boiled eggs for him and reminded him not to crush them on the way.

"Mm, thanks!"

Well, wasn’t he polite?

At least her efforts to care for the two children weren’t in vain.

After her son left for school, Nan Sheng dressed herself and her daughter neatly and headed out to work. Just as they passed the village chief’s house, she was called over.

"Lin Han’s wife, skip work today. Stay at the brigade office to receive the town head and the officials from the city."

Nan Sheng smiled. "They won’t arrive until noon. I can still get some work done this morning."

The village chief glared at her. "You stubborn girl, are you refusing to listen? Go to the brigade office now. If anyone dares to gossip, I’ll back you up!"

He’d realized Nan Sheng was capable. Yesterday, no one else had managed to impress the town head—only she had.

With her around, he felt more at ease.

The town head and the meteorological experts arrived earlier than expected, showing up at the brigade office before ten, their expressions grim.

They came by car. Besides the driver and Yu Feng, there were three experts, the youngest looking at least forty.

Before the village chief could exchange pleasantries, the experts demanded to inspect the riverbed and fields immediately. Yu Feng shot Feng Wuquan a meaningful look, but the latter didn’t catch on.

Hopeless fool!

Noticing this, Nan Sheng whispered to the village chief, "The experts look troubled. The situation might be worse than we thought. Uncle, do you have any food at home? They don’t seem to have eaten."

The village chief nodded. Of course he did—steamed buns fresh from the morning.

"Old Lin, go ahead with them. I’ll run home first!"

Aside from the village chief, the reception party included Lin Guozheng, Nan Sheng, and the village accountant, who stayed behind to mind the office.

Lin Guozheng answered the experts’ questions, guiding them efficiently since he knew the village inside out.

Nan Sheng wasn’t needed there, so she stood by Yu Feng’s side, occasionally chiming in.

"Where’s Old Feng?" Yu Feng asked.

"The village chief went home to fetch some food for the experts—just something to tide them over."

Nan Sheng apologized sheepishly. "Forgive us, Town Head. We misjudged the timing. We should’ve arranged a proper meal for them."

Yu Feng gave her an approving glance. "No need to apologize for such a small thing. Besides, the situation is urgent. Even if you’d prepared a feast, they wouldn’t have wasted time. Dry rations are enough."

As Yu Feng predicted, after three hours of surveying, the experts directed the driver to another location and left.

Before departing, Yu Feng instructed Feng Wuquan to attend a meeting in town the next day—and to bring Nan Sheng along.

The village chief immediately cornered Lin Guozheng.

"Old Lin, what’s really going on?"

The experts had moved on to other villages without clarifying the severity. Since Lin Guozheng had spent the most time with them, he was the only source of information.

Lighting a roll of tobacco, Lin Guozheng spoke gravely. "Old Feng, warn the villagers in advance. I’m taking my two sons to town now. It’s worse than we imagined—not just Huaishan Town, but the entire county is facing drought."

The village chief cursed under his breath. "Damn it, of all the cursed years… Go to town quickly. I’ll get the money for you."

Lin Guozheng didn’t forget his second son’s family. "Lin Han isn’t home, but a thousand jin should be enough for you and the kids. I’ll secure your share at the black market."

Nan Sheng first fetched Qiqi from the village chief’s house, and the three headed home. Since she’d been on official duty today, no one dared criticize her for leaving early.

"I already brought our grain rations back last night. If you’re going to the black market, could you pick up a few knives for me? I’ll give you the money."

Lin Guozheng was surprised—his daughter-in-law had managed to procure the grain so quietly.

"My father and brother helped. Both families ordered together. The black market delivers to specified locations. Tell them to come around the back of the village today—it’s closer to your place."

Getting ahead had its perks. If they’d bought alongside everyone else, their stockpile would’ve been common knowledge, inviting trouble.

Nan Sheng had suggested Lin Guozheng and his sons take bicycles to town, but the three men returned after a futile search—they didn’t even know where the black market was.

Xiangyang Village had always been prosperous, with enough grain to go around. No one had ever needed the black market—at least, not the Lin family.

Eldest Brother Lin took Qiqi to his house. Zhou Wei was still bedridden, but she could mind a child.

Lin Guozheng returned Nan Sheng’s money and listed the orders.

"All cornmeal. I’ll take fifteen hundred jin, Eldest Brother two thousand, Third Brother one thousand, and your Uncle Feng wants five thousand!"

Nan Sheng nodded, memorizing the figures. "The co-op sells at eight fen per jin, but the black market charges fifteen. Have the money ready—payment’s due upon delivery."

Third Brother Lin balked at the price. "I only have a hundred yuan left!"

What could they do? The three families pooled together—Lin Guozheng and Eldest Brother Lin lent him twenty each, Nan Sheng ten. If he didn’t buy enough grain, he’d end up mooching off the elders.

"Second Sister-in-law, go to town first. We’ll walk fast and catch up in half an hour at most."

Nan Sheng rode off on her bicycle. Lin Guozheng shut the gate firmly behind her and turned to his youngest. "Show your second sister-in-law more respect. When it counts, it’s family who’ll help you."

Third Brother Lin knew it was true, but he couldn’t resist grumbling. "I’m plenty respectful! She’s practically stomping all over this family—there’s no one she won’t scold."

Eldest Brother Lin found his sister-in-law's temperament quite a headache. On the day his younger sister returned, Nan Sheng had publicly scolded Father Lin, which left him feeling aggrieved.

"Then you’d better not provoke her. Your sister-in-law is usually quite filial to Father and Mother—more so than you and your wife."

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 37

Nan Sheng had walked quite a distance in the morning and was exhausted, so she rode her bike very slowly. It took her nearly an hour to reach the town.

She headed straight to the black market. As soon as she knocked, someone came to the door—the same burly man who had sold her grain before. Perhaps because he had gotten along well with the Nan Family father and son, there was now a touch of warmth in his tone.

"The knives are ready. I’ll bring them to you now."

Nan Sheng said, "The knives are just a side errand. I also want to order grain—ten thousand catties!"

The system had updated with twenty new chapters of plot recently, and while idly flipping through a couple of them earlier, she had decided to add an extra five hundred catties of cornmeal to her order.

"Ten thousand catties?"

The man looked Nan Sheng up and down. "Wait here. I’ll go ask inside. The amount you’re asking for is too large."

Nan Sheng didn’t think they lacked the grain. More likely, her frequent visits had raised eyebrows, and they needed to inform their superiors. She wondered just how much grain the black market had stored—enough to feed how many people?

Before long, the man returned with another man in tow. This newcomer was brazen, making no effort to conceal his identity.

His attitude, however, was polite. "Comrade, I’d like to buy some information from you. If you tell me why you’re buying so much grain, I’ll give you the ten thousand catties for free."

Xiao Yi’s success in the black market grain trade wasn’t due to connections but to his reputation for being both trustworthy and ruthless. He had brought many people under his wing, forming a powerful network that few dared to cross.

His instincts were sharp. The recent sale of several thousand catties had already put him on alert, and now this sudden increase in demand made it clear something was amiss.

Xiao Yi’s generous offer didn’t sway Nan Sheng. Instead, she joked, "Comrade, how’s your character? I’d like to make a deal with you too."

Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "I’d say it’s decent enough—otherwise, business wouldn’t be this good."

Nan Sheng smiled. "Then I’m relieved. There’s a fortune-making opportunity right in front of you. The question is, are you willing to bet everything you have?"

"There’s nothing I’m not willing to do. I, Xiao Yi, have the courage to start over from scratch."

Revealing his name was the first step in building trust.

"Now, can you tell me your terms and the information?"

Nan Sheng took off her straw hat. If they were going to talk, she’d do it properly—cowering would only earn her disrespect.

"My condition is this: as long as your purchase price remains unchanged, you must keep the selling price for grain stable for all residents in town—no price hikes!"

"The whole town?"

Xiao Yi’s mind raced. The only reason for such a massive grain shortage was a natural disaster.

Combined with the recent weather, he guessed, "Is there going to be a drought in our area?"

Nan Sheng confirmed his suspicion and gave him more precise details. "Not just our town—the entire county. If you have connections, you should start transporting grain from other counties immediately, while the news hasn’t spread yet!"

Nan Sheng was playing the time difference. By tomorrow, villagers would flood in to place grain orders, and Xiao Yi would figure it out anyway.

She couldn’t do much for the people, but she hoped Xiao Yi could bring in enough grain to ease the crisis. As for prices—that would depend on his conscience.

"Is the information reliable?"

Xiao Yi believed about seventy percent of it, but like most people, his first reaction to news of a disaster was disbelief.

"Experts from the city came today to inspect. Our village hosted them. The news is absolutely accurate. And I suspect the authorities will suppress it for now—you have at least a week to prepare!"

Xiao Yi didn’t dare waste time. Now, time wasn’t just money—it was lives. As for grain, he planned to buy some and borrow the rest. Whatever he could transport, he’d take!

He assured Nan Sheng, "Don’t worry. The grain I sell will stay at the same price as before—no increases!"

Xiao Yi wasn’t that greedy. A profit margin of nearly double was enough for him. Once grain prices skyrocketed, he’d stop shipments.

When Nan Sheng left, Shitou personally escorted her out. Grinning, he said, "Comrade, if anyone gives you trouble in the future, just drop Xiao Yi’s name. It works like a charm in this town."

Nan Sheng asked Shitou for a rope and tied the machete and dagger to the back of her bike. It was nearly three o’clock—the Lin family would be arriving soon.

After meeting up with them, Nan Sheng told them the grain had been ordered and would be delivered to the village that night.

"Go buy whatever you need at the supply and marketing cooperative now. It’ll be hard to get later. I’ll ride back first."

Watching Nan Sheng cycle away, Third Brother Lin’s expression was exaggerated. "Dad, did you see that? Second Sister-in-law bought two machetes! With her temper, she might actually kill someone!"

Lin Guozheng glared at his son. "Don’t talk nonsense. With Second Brother away, what’s wrong with her buying a couple of knives for protection?"

The Lin father and son had mainly been worried about Nan Sheng traveling to town alone. Who knew she’d arrange everything so quickly? She was just as capable as Lin Han.

Lin Guozheng didn’t need to buy anything—he only knew how to earn money, not spend it. Third Brother Lin was short on cash, so only Lin Jianguo went to the cooperative.

When he returned, he carried two bags of candy—both for his parents. He couldn’t let Second Brother’s family be the only ones showing filial piety.

After arriving home, Nan Sheng went to pick up Qiqi. Seeing Zhou Wei lying in bed shocked her—was Lin Jianguo actually a wife-beater?

Not wanting to embarrass her sister-in-law, she considered leaving quickly, but Zhou Wei stopped her. "Second Sister-in-law, wait."

"Is something wrong, Sister-in-law? I still need to cook!"

Zhou Wei had reached her limit. With no money left, she could only beg her sister-in-law for mercy.

"Lin Han’s wife, if you have any money to spare, could you lend me some? I need to buy grain."

Nan Sheng was confused. "But that can’t be, Sister-in-law. Your family has money. Big Brother said you had enough for grain."

"I know my family has enough, but my parents’ home is poor. If I don’t buy grain for them, they’ll starve. Please help me. I’ll even kneel for you if I have to!"

With that, Zhou Wei burst into tears. It was hard not to feel for her.

"How much do you need? If it’s not too much, I can lend you some."

Zhou Wei gritted her teeth, resenting Lin Jianguo’s cruelty.

"I don’t have a single cent. Your brother refuses to let me buy grain for my parents. I just need a hundred yuan. I’ll pay you back next year when things improve!"

Something about this didn’t sit right. If Lin Jianguo disagreed, what was the point of lending money? Nan Sheng regretted not refusing outright.

"Sister-in-law, I don’t have that much. The dowry Lin Han gave me went into the watch and bicycle. After buying grain this time, I only have a few dozen yuan left for emergencies. If you need ten or eight yuan, I can spare that. But you should really talk this over with Big Brother properly."

Zhou Wei wasn’t the sharpest and actually believed Nan Sheng was short on cash—after all, she hadn’t outright refused and had even laid out the numbers.

Nan Sheng added, "Nowadays, you have to buy grain at the black market. If you show up with just a few dozen yuan, they won’t even look at you."

After successfully deflecting her sister-in-law, she took the child and went home.

Now she understood why Zhou Wei had been beaten.

---

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 38

The Lin father and son were halfway down the road when they encountered Zhou Ren and a few other team leaders. The village head had called a meeting, stating that the situation was now more or less settled and urging everyone to prepare early.

"Uncle Lin, can we still buy grain in town?"

Zhou Ren looked quite anxious—otherwise, they wouldn’t have been rushing to town so late.

"You can. The delivery’s coming tonight. You’d better hurry. After tomorrow’s town meeting, it’ll be hard to get in line."

Hearing Lin Guozheng’s words, the group finally relaxed a little. "Why just you few? Aren’t the others worried about buying grain?"

Zhou Ren sighed helplessly. The villagers were stubborn, not easily persuaded.

"The village head has worn his lips out trying to convince them, but they just won’t listen. I think the irrigation issue will be troublesome too—many insist we can’t waste the land."

Lin Guozheng waved them off toward town. "Hurry along. It’s not safe walking at night."

The two groups parted ways after their brief encounter. By the time the Lin Family returned to the village, many were gathered in the streets discussing the matter.

"Old Brother Lin, you went to buy grain too? I say there’s no need to rush. The experts might not be right, you know."

Lin Guozheng sent his two sons home first, stopping to chat with the crowd. "I’m just buying two or three hundred jin as preparation for the harvest. Eating more means more strength for work—we’ll need it when we start carrying water to the fields soon!"

Unlike the village head, who urged everyone to spend all their savings on grain, the team leader’s words were more palatable to the villagers.

"Old Brother Lin, today the village head said we should ignore the other fields and only irrigate the high-yield cornfields starting the day after tomorrow. What a waste! Can you talk some sense into him?"

Under the collective economy, every uncultivated plot meant less food for everyone. How could they not be upset?

With the lean season approaching, following the village head’s orders would leave the villagers starving until next year’s harvest.

Lin Guozheng tried to reassure them. "Don’t panic yet. Tomorrow we’ll attend the town meeting and follow the town head’s instructions—he won’t steer us wrong. If you’ve got spare money, follow my lead and buy a few hundred jin of grain. It won’t spoil, and you can always sell it later if needed."

Exhausted from the round trip to town, Lin Guozheng made an excuse and headed home.

That evening, Fan Shuting prepared dinner. Her daughter-in-law, Zhou Wei, remained curled up on the kang, having thrown the meal Lin Sizhong brought her onto the floor.

When Lin Jianguo learned his wife had wasted food, he beat her again and forbade their two sons from feeding her for three days.

Lin Guozheng’s head throbbed at Zhou Wei’s wailing. "If it’s that bad, just send her family two sacks of cornmeal. Must she make such a scene? How are we supposed to live like this?"

Lin Jianguo scratched his head in frustration. "Dad, how can you say that? It’s not about a sack or two of grain! One sack wouldn’t even last them ten days."

The poorer they were, the more children they had—and the more children, the poorer they became!

"I told Zhou Wei we’d take in her parents and give them food, but not a bite more. If she keeps causing trouble, she can go back to them and starve together!"

Lin Sizhong and Lin Sicheng exchanged glances, their appetites gone. Neither parent was wrong—poverty was the real enemy. When would common folk ever prosper?

After dinner, Fan Shuting sighed. Her relatives had already cut ties, while Lin Guozheng’s kin in the village would at least listen to reason and avoid starvation.

Her worry was for her daughter in the county town—how would they fare?

Nan Sheng arrived at the old house with her family after supper. Fan Shuting assumed she had news, only to learn she’d bought another five hundred jin of grain.

Without prying, the elderly couple let Nan Sheng and her children rest on the kang while they waited for the grain delivery to arrive, planning to send it directly to her home later.

Nan Sheng made herself at home but didn’t sleep. Instead, she summoned her system to review the plot.

Starting tomorrow, temperatures would soar, peaking at 40°C. Crops would wilt quickly, dying entirely within twenty days.

Meanwhile, panic would grip the county as relentless heat forced people indoors until the rains came—but by then, it would be too late.

With harvests failed and relief grain insufficient, Lin Xue would return with her entire family in tow, impossible to turn away.

The Nan Family would be in similar chaos: Nan Sheng’s grandfather, living with his youngest son, her bedridden mother, and Mingli sent to a labor farm.

With only two hundred jin of grain left, Nan Jingyu would still grit his teeth and send thirty jin to his father and another thirty to his mother-in-law.

Nan Sheng’s kindhearted maternal grandparents, knowing their daughter’s hardship, would refuse the grain and even add twenty jin of their own. Later, they’d starve, reduced to eating bark and dirt before choking to death.

Her grandfather wouldn’t fare better—though his eldest son provided food, the youngest would hoard it, locking him away to starve.

Worst of all, Nan Sheng’s uncle would exploit the old man’s name to extort more food from Nan Jingyu.

In the original plot, Nan Sheng herself would be in dire straits. When Lin Han returned and found their children abused and their savings gone, he’d divorce her on the spot, sending her back to her parents with thirty jin of grain—just enough to keep her from starving.

Returning to find her parents skeletal with hunger, a guilt-ridden Nan Sheng would leave the grain behind and vanish, her fate unknown.

Thus would the minor antagonist’s story end.

The weight of these events pressed on Nan Sheng. To her, every name in the book represented living people—family she’d grown to cherish.

But she was here now.

And she’d already changed their fates.

Nan Sheng collected her system rewards—the usual lottery wheel. Two spins: one yielded an Encyclopedia Q&A, the other a "Thank You for Playing" message.

"Rewards can do that? That’s just cheating!"

System: "They’ve always been possible. You’ve just been lucky until now."

Nan Sheng: "Unbelievable."

Still fuming by delivery time, Nan Sheng decided to tag along instead of sleeping. Lin Jianguo brought his two sons, Lin Guozheng came, and Lin the Third joined separately.

The village head arrived with his three sons, and the two groups merged before heading to the rendezvous point.

Shitou and his men circled around the village’s rear path. Spotting Nan Sheng, he nodded, then had the grain inspected. The village head’s family checked five thousand jin, paid promptly upon confirmation, and left.

Doing business with the black market for the first time left them uneasy.

Next was the Lin Family’s inspection—four thousand five hundred jin, exact weight. The remaining sacks were Nan Sheng’s. While the Lin Family loaded their share, Lin Guozheng inspected hers.

When Nan Sheng tried to pay, Shitou pushed the money back and handed her a small cloth pouch instead.

"Xiao Yi’s orders," he murmured. "We’ll head out now. Just shout if you need anything—don’t hold back."

Shitou knew his boss had it tough. For all their apparent success, greasing palms cost them dearly every year.

This time, having received the tip in advance, they pooled their money together and invested everything they had. As long as the grain arrived, they were certain to make a hefty profit.

Shitou wanted to build a good relationship with Nan Sheng—partly out of gratitude for her guidance, and partly because he might need to rely on her for more tips in the future.

Nan Sheng held the money in one hand and a small cloth pouch in the other. She could roughly guess what was inside.

Xiao Yi was indeed a man of his word!

Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 39

The grain was first transported back to the old house. After both families had loaded their share, Eldest Brother Lin and his son helped Third Brother Lin deliver his portion home.

By the time it was Nan Sheng's turn, it was almost one in the morning.

Sizhe carried his younger sister while Eldest Brother Lin and Sizhong escorted the mother and her two children home. Once they arrived, Nan Sheng placed her daughter on the kang bed and immediately helped move the grain, lifting one sack together with her son.

The five hundred pounds of grain were temporarily stored in Sizhe's room. Nan Sheng planned to buy a lock in town the next day so she could secure the west room while Sizhe was at school.

Sizhe had intended to go straight to sleep, but his stepmother pulled out a small cloth bag and motioned for him to open it. When he shone his flashlight inside, he was stunned.

"How is there so much money?"

Nan Sheng counted on her fingers. "Ten thousand pounds of cornmeal at fifteen cents per pound comes to fifteen hundred yuan in total. It's all here."

Sizhe couldn't wrap his head around it—his stepmother didn’t seem like a black-market boss at all, so why did she have all the money from the grain purchase?

Nan Sheng beamed with pride. "When I went to the black market to buy grain today, I warned their leader in advance about the impending drought across the county. To thank me, he decided not to charge for this batch of grain."

She patted her son’s head. "From now on, eat as much as you need. Your father and I can provide for you."

Nan Sheng had noticed that Sizhe had been deliberately reducing his portions these past few meals. Nothing was more convincing than this pile of money.

"I understand. Thank you, Mom!"

Honestly, Sizhe’s sudden change in address caught Nan Sheng off guard.

But a child’s thoughts were simple—he had felt maternal love and security, so calling her "Mom" came naturally.

With over two thousand yuan now in hand, Nan Sheng stood tall with confidence. The next morning, she even fried a piece of meat for breakfast. Though she didn’t say it outright, her son’s willingness to call her "Mom" was like a shot of adrenaline for her.

After a night’s sleep, the affection meter had skyrocketed to 50, filling her with joy.

What rocket-like progress! The system must adore her.

Siqi found the breakfast atmosphere a bit strange today—Mom kept serving Sizhe and seemed to forget about her, the well-behaved child.

But seeing how happy her brother was, she only pouted briefly before obediently focusing on her own bowl, which was also full of meat.

"Big Son, if you’re not going to school these next couple of days, go gather some duck eggs and catch fish. While it’s hot, we can pickle the eggs and dry the fish."

"Got it, Mom!"

After the meal, Sizhe didn’t let Nan Sheng lift a finger—he took care of the dishes himself, then took his sister to the river to set up fish traps.

"Brother, are you going to pick vegetables too? Then I won’t have anything to do."

Sizhe carried a large basket while Siqi held a small one. "Silly Qiqi, didn’t you hear Mom ask me to gather duck eggs? You can pick all the vegetables, okay?"

Siqi finally smiled. Every time she brought home vegetables, Mom would praise her and kiss her cheeks. If her brother took over her task, what if Mom stopped liking her?

After some time away, the duck eggs in the area were surprisingly plentiful.

After combing through the grass, they collected about thirty. By now, the duck eggs at home were almost ready to eat.

Siqi spread the wild vegetables she picked neatly in her basket, and the siblings moved to another spot to gather more. Only when both baskets were full did they head home.

Back home, they stayed busy. Sizhe picked the grown beans and eggplants to dry in the sun, and the overripe cucumbers from the trellis went into a winnowing basket.

Taking advantage of the good weather, he decided to dig up the potatoes a few days early. Though it was sooner than planned, his stepmother was always busy with work—he couldn’t leave all the chores to her.

Meanwhile, Nan Sheng had arrived at the town government office. While every village sent only their village head and production team leader to the meeting, Xiangyang Village had her—the conspicuous extra.

To make matters worse, she was seated to the right of the town head.

"Sir, maybe I should just stand and listen?"

The room was packed, and being stared at by so many people made her uncomfortable.

Yu Feng reassured her, "Don’t be nervous. This is just a discussion among comrades about the drought. You should listen in."

When it came to serious matters, the town head’s tone turned grave.

"Yesterday, experts from the city confirmed that our county will face a once-in-a-century drought, expected to last between thirty to forty days.

Now, let’s hear everyone’s thoughts. We need to draft a disaster relief plan to ensure public safety and save as much of the harvest as possible."

Many village heads hadn’t heard this news yet. The sudden announcement of a drought threw them into panic, and tension filled the meeting room.

The town head banged the table to quiet them. "Don’t panic yet. At least we know in advance and can prepare."

Feng Wuquan had already gone through his panic phase—now he was calm. Why? Because his family had grain.

He suggested, "As temperatures rise, water levels will drop. Saving all crops is impossible. We must abandon low-yield fields first and prioritize high-yield ones."

The town head nodded in agreement. "The climate experts recommended the same. Each village should start rescue efforts on half of their farmland. If the situation worsens, the state will distribute relief grain. We won’t let our people starve."

Those present were all highly principled, but many village heads couldn’t even convince themselves—how could they persuade their villagers?

The room buzzed with anxious voices:

"Food is the people’s heaven. Asking them to abandon crops is like asking for their lives—some will secretly water their fields anyway."

"Town Head, must we really sacrifice half our farmland? Some villagers are already struggling to eat. Cutting yields in half will lead to starvation."

"And if we don’t? When the water runs out, all crops will wither, and we’ll get nothing!"

The town head grew increasingly frustrated and finally declared,

"This isn’t a suggestion—it’s an order. Every village must comply. Our town’s situation isn’t the worst. Saving half our crops is already a victory."

Lin Guozheng also had an idea. "Once we decide which fields to save, we should destroy the rest outright. Let them curse us—words won’t strip flesh from our bones."

Yu Feng was impressed with Xiangyang Village. Unlike others who kept asking "What do we do?", their village head and team leader actually had solutions.

Water disputes would be another issue post-drought. "Our town will not tolerate water hoarding. Anyone caught diverting streams will face severe punishment. I’ll deploy militia patrols!"

The meeting lasted a full five hours, covering grain control during the drought, potential unrest, and aid for impoverished families.

Nan Sheng quietly took notes throughout, earning the town head’s approval—after all, the palest ink was better than the best memory.

"Speaking of early drought warnings, we must thank Comrade Nan Sheng from Xiangyang Village.

When she noticed the climate shift, she didn’t stand by—she brought her village head and others to seek help from the town. We should all learn from Comrade Nan Sheng’s example!"

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Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay!

Chapter 40

Nan Sheng braced herself under the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, forcing an air of composure.

"Thanks to the town head’s dedication to listening to the people’s concerns, and for reporting our situation to higher authorities, our town has been spared even greater losses!"

Though everyone knew Nan Sheng was buttering him up, what leader wouldn’t appreciate a subordinate who knew how to flatter while also handing him political credit? Thanks to this, he’d already caught the attention of the city officials—his future career was looking brighter than ever.

The town head waved off the praise modestly. "I only did what was expected of me. Rest assured, once the disaster passes, I’ll make sure your contributions are recognized by the higher-ups!"

It was too early to talk about rewards now. Once the crisis was over, the leadership would assess everyone’s performance—those who deserved commendation would get it, and those at fault would face consequences. There was no way he’d let Nan Sheng’s efforts go unnoticed.

"Thank you for your guidance, Leader!"

After the meeting, Nan Sheng lingered, clearly wanting to say more. Yu Feng noticed and smirked. "Out with it. I’m not going to bite you."

The village head and Lin Guozheng exchanged puzzled glances, unsure what Nan Sheng was up to.

"Town Head, lack of food will kill people, but so will this unbearable heat. I’ve heard of a method to make ice using saltpeter. It could help cool us down and preserve water. Should we propose this to the higher-ups and give it a try?"

Yu Feng’s eyes lit up. It was a solid idea—sucking on ice during the heat would be a relief. The only question was whether saltpeter was readily available and if technicians could be sent to teach them the process.

"Alright, I’ll make some calls. If there’s good news, I’ll let you know immediately."

Nan Sheng grinned. "If it works out, I hope our village gets a little extra consideration. We’ve got a lot of elderly and children."

Yu Feng shot her a mock glare. "Don’t worry, I won’t forget you. Now get going!"

Once outside the town government office, the village head and Lin Guozheng looked at Nan Sheng with admiration. "You’ve got no shortage of ideas—and the nerve to voice them too."

The local ice factory was too small to make a real difference, but if saltpeter ice-making was cheap and simple, the higher-ups would surely approve.

Meanwhile, Yu Feng made the call to his superiors, though he wasn’t holding his breath. To his surprise, the county leadership took his suggestion seriously this time, promising to escalate it immediately. His standing had clearly changed.

Nan Sheng stopped by the post office next. Lin Han had sent his military allowance and asked for a reply, so she bought an envelope and stamps. The clerk even gave her a sheet of paper for free.

With the village head and her father-in-law waiting, Nan Sheng scribbled a brief note:

"Received the allowance. Focus on your promotion. Possible drought at home, but every household has stocked up on food—no need to worry. I’ve agreed to the pension contribution. Stay safe!"

—Signed, Nan Sheng.

There was no warmth between spouses here, just the dry tone of a comrade reporting duty.

After sealing the envelope, she asked the clerk, "Comrade, can this letter be expedited?"

She was worried the news of the drought would reach Lin Han too late, prompting him to rush home. According to the book, he was supposed to be on a secret mission around this time. Last time, his leave had cost him his superior’s favor, stalling his career for years.

"Of course. Military mail is already prioritized. It should arrive in about seven or eight days!"

With the letter sent, the village head headed to the supply and marketing cooperative, and the two followed.

Nan Sheng was out of ration coupons this time, but she managed to buy a set of pig intestines and a door lock from the daily goods stall.

On the way back, the village head and Lin Guozheng shared a bicycle, while Nan Sheng rode alone. It was already afternoon, so she asked, "Uncle Feng, do we still need to work today?"

The village head chuckled. "There’s a meeting tonight, but nothing urgent now. If you’ve got things to do, go ahead."

Nan Sheng immediately handed the pig intestines and lock to her father-in-law. "Grandpa, could you take these back and have the kids clean them? Come over for dinner tonight—I’m heading to my parents’ place first."

She dashed off before anyone could react.

The village head patted Lin Guozheng’s back, laughing. "Your daughter-in-law’s quite the character. Goes home empty-handed, buys pig intestines, and makes you carry them back."

Lin Guozheng shook his head, summing her up in a few words:

Smart. Stubborn. Unmanageable. And not afraid to scold you.

Back in Wangshan Village, Nan Sheng rode straight to her parents’ house.

Zhong Yanyan, hearing the noise, assumed it was her husband or son returning. "What did the meeting say?"

They’d all been called back from the fields, but Zhong Yanyan had skipped it to rest at home.

"Mom, it’s me! I just got back from the town meeting!"

Nan’s Mother brightened at the sight of her daughter. "You attended a town meeting? You’re making us proud! Come inside, I’ll cook something nice for you."

Her daughter had been generous lately—bringing rice and meat—but the family had saved it, waiting for her return to enjoy it together.

"Mom, I’m not staying to eat. I just wanted to talk."

The two sat on the edge of the kang, and Nan’s Mother handed her a cup of sugared water.

"Mom, how’s everything arranged here? Did Grandpa and Grandma’s side stock up on food?"

Nan’s Mother sighed. "Your grandparents bought 500 catties of grain, but money’s tight for them—they’re still supporting your uncle and aunt. If things get bad, I’ll send them more."

Mingli had bought 1,500 catties, enough to cover both sides of the family, but she didn’t want to deliver it too soon—her younger sister would just take it all.

Nan Sheng nodded. "Check on them regularly. I’ve heard some people are so desperate they’re eating tree bark and dirt. It’s horrifying."

Nan’s Mother paled. "Don’t worry, I won’t let my parents starve. But your Uncle Nan refuses to listen—didn’t buy a single grain. Your dad wants to send two bags over so Grandpa doesn’t go hungry."

Uncle Nan had inherited the old house and was supposed to care for the elderly, though Nan Jingyu still helped out during holidays.

Nan Sheng suggested, "Mom, why not bring Grandpa here for the next year? If he stays there, any food we send will just end up in Uncle and Aunt’s stomachs. Doesn’t that make sense?"

Zhong Yanyan hesitated, worried Uncle Nan would shirk his responsibilities entirely.

"What’s there to fear? If he dares, we’ll take it to the village head and demand a share of the house!"

Zhong Yanyan slapped her thigh in agreement. "Fine. I’ll discuss it with your father when he’s back. We’ll fetch Grandpa in a few days and keep him here until the drought passes."

Nan Sheng almost laughed. What was there to discuss? Her father would jump at the chance—it was his own dad, after all.

Before leaving, Nan Sheng pressed 100 yuan into her mother’s hands.

"My wedding dowry came from Lin Han. When my sister-in-law came back arguing the other day, I got mad and mentioned it. My mother-in-law gave me 200 yuan to make up for it—here’s half for you."

Nan’s Mother pushed it away. "That money’s yours. We’ve got enough. If we need more, I’ll ask."

And just like that, Nan Sheng was shoved out the door.

Now that’s a real mother—won’t take a single cent from her child.

When Nan Sheng rode off on her bicycle, Yu Sheng happened to catch sight of her. But he was too far away, and no matter how many times he called out, she didn’t turn back.

These days, Jinyan had scolded him more than once, insisting that Nan Sheng would never return the money she’d taken. But he refused to believe it!

Nan Sheng had even married a widower for his sake—how could she possibly disobey him now?

If all else failed, he’d have to make a trip to Xiangyang Village under cover of darkness.

No matter how much money Nan Sheng had, he’d get it back first.

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