Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s

Part 50 People are not allowed to be beautiful these days?

"Liu Laotou's mother-in-law scolded harshly. Liu Laotou sat at the door of the Zhou family's house, smoking a dry cigarette, clearly impatient with the whole situation. The Zhou family and their old Liu family were distant relatives. Zhou Yuanshen still had to address Liu Laotou as 'grandfather'. Sending his daughter-in-law to the police station was a complete loss of face for him, the elderly man!

Thinking about the gossip in the village today, the elderly who cherished their reputation couldn't bear it anymore. They wished they could give these younger generations a good lesson!

As they waited, the sun began to set. Finally, they saw the family returning, laughing and joking, with bags full of clothes and toys. The two old people couldn't help but feel jealous and envious.

The Zhou family was the only family in the village that had managed to rise above poverty. Back when Zhou Yuanshen hadn't joined the army, the Zhou family was the poorest. The village used to be called the Liu family village, and it was only renamed Happiness Village after some changes were made."

"The Zhou family used to have a tough time. Their conditions weren't great, with their older sister running off with city folks, and Zhou Yuanshen joining the army at a young age. Their younger sister also got married and rarely came back home. After Zhou Yuanshen retired from the army, both their parents passed away, leaving only the three siblings.

Zhou Yuanshen was resourceful. He started by buying a bunch of piglets at low prices from people secretly raising pigs in the mountains. At the time, the whole village thought he was crazy. After all, before the 1980s, speculation and profiteering were still illegal.

Around 1980, individual businesses started to emerge. With surplus labor in rural areas and a grim economic situation, people yearned for individual businesses. They wanted to have their own businesses, sell their own products, bear their own profits and losses, and pay business and tax fees on time. This business model, known as individual industrial and commercial households, increased income sources for individuals and made contributions to the country's economy. So the first brave ones earned a lot of money.

Those who thought Zhou Yuanshen was crazy ended up with egg on their faces. As the Zhou family made money, jealousy started to spread. The Liu family took advantage of their distant relationship with the Zhou family and enjoyed the benefits.

Otherwise, Liu Laotou wouldn't have found it so easy to come and take care of the Zhou family's children, while also pocketing so much money.

However, the once poorest family in the village had become the richest. They were not only the first to build two-story houses in the village but also the only household with tens of thousands of yuan in wealth. If Zhou Yuanshen had wanted grandchildren, everyone would have wanted to marry their granddaughters into his family."

Looking at them coming back with so many bags after just one trip, how can one not feel envious? But right now, the two of them are more angry than anything else. They've been waiting here all day, yet this family seems to be in such high spirits. At this moment, the two of them are even more convinced that the Zhou family is deliberately bullying them, taking advantage of their wealth. The two elderly people wear stern expressions, clearly their own family members have done something wrong, yet they don't seem to be here to apologize, but rather to pick a fight. Zhou Yuehan runs ahead, laughing and boasting about being the first to get home, but as he turns around, he meets the harsh, disdainful gaze of the two elderly people, almost causing him to drop the toy gun in his hand out of fear. Both Zhou Yueshen and Sinian simultaneously stop in their tracks, looking towards the unexpected guests at their doorstep. "Grandpa Liu, Grandma Liu, is there something you need?" Zhou Yueshen lifts his dark gaze, calmly asking. Upon hearing this address, Sinian realizes they're relatives of Aunt Liu. But this doesn't seem like an apology visit; their aggressive demeanor makes it seem more like they're here to pick a fight. Sinian shivers as she looks at the two people's harsh and gloomy faces. How can a family all have such similar characteristics? Seeing Zhou Yueshen take the initiative to speak, their expressions soften slightly. However, when they notice Sinian not intervening, they scoff, "If we hadn't come, you would have been blinded by some fox spirit by now. Aunt Liu has been taking care of your children for so long, she deserves credit. But you, how could you send her to the police station for the sake of such a fox spirit? Doesn't your conscience ache?" The two of them glare at Sinian with righteous indignation, clearly putting all the blame on her. Their gaze seems like they want to devour her. If it weren't for her, maybe their granddaughter would already be with Zhou Yueshen by now.

"Xiao Zhou, be honest, is it because of this woman's instigation behind the scenes that you're treating our relationship with the Liu family like this?" This statement not only furrows the brows of the two children but also cools Zhou Yueshen's expression. "You two old folks, can't you see us standing here? Open the door and let us in. Go make us some tea." The two elderly people say impatiently. Sinian gently strokes the sleeping Yao Yao and instructs Zhou Yuedong, "Big brother, you take your sister upstairs to sleep first." Zhou Yuedong hesitates for a moment, then after a pause of two seconds, decides to follow Sinian's instruction. He walks over, picks up his sister, and carries her into the house. He's not stupid; it's obvious these two are here to pick a fight, and it's all because of Grandma Liu. Grandma Liu is so malicious; she stole from her stepmother and then blamed it on them, causing her stepmother to get injured. How can he let these two manipulate them now? Unexpectedly, the two children ignore them, shocking both elderly people. The children used to be very timid, and they've been here before, always obedient to their commands. Look at them now, they don't even know basic manners. "Xiao Zhou, look at her attitude. Is this the good wife you've brought back? If your parents were alive and knew what kind of person she is, they would never have agreed to let her into the Zhou family."

Mrs. Liu complained to Zhou Yueshen, genuinely puzzled why he would marry someone like her, claiming she's from the city, with a face like a fox spirit, not as sensible as her granddaughter! Zhou Yueshen retorted, "What kind of person she is, I should know better than you." "You men are so superficial, just because she has a charming face, you're only focused on her looks. In reality, women like her are clearly not well-behaved. I'm not trying to ruin your relationship, but as someone with experience, I can see through her. You've been deceived by her!" Mrs. Liu scornfully scanned Sinian's attire from head to toe and exaggeratedly remarked, "Dressing so flamboyantly in the village, who knows what she's up to behind the scenes!" "She looks perfectly fine, but spreads false accusations against your Aunt Liu. If you didn't know any better, you'd think she was severely injured, yet she still sent your Aunt Liu to the police station! She's simply malicious!" Sinian pondered for a moment, then decided to fight fire with fire. She adjusted her hair confidently and said, "Thank you for the compliment. Seems like you have a good eye, recognizing my beauty." Mrs. Liu was infuriated, "When did I say you're beautiful? I said you're a fox spirit!"