Best Mom in the 60s

六零之穿成极品他妈

Refusing To Spoil

On the day the Wang family was building their house, the production team began organizing its members to work in the fields.

During those days, there was a shortage of pesticides, causing weeds to grow uncontrollably in the fields.

The wheat fields were particularly vulnerable to a type of wild grass known as “Lala Yang.” When crushed, this weed emitted a scent similar to cucumbers and pigs loved to eat it.

(拉拉秧: is a type of wild grass commonly found in wheat fields in China. The term “拉拉” (lālā) is an onomatopoeia for the sound made when pulling out the grass, while “秧” (yāng) refers to the seedlings or young plants.)

As a result, most households would go to the fields to pull out the weeds and bring them home to feed their pigs.

Since the men were busy with house construction, the women had to go to the fields to earn work points in addition to their cooking and laundry duties.

(工分 Gōngfēn: were a system of measuring and rewarding labor in China’s collective farms during the planned economy era. Farmers were paid based on the number of work points they earned, which could be exchanged for grain and other necessities.)

Today was Saturday and the children didn’t have to go to school. Qian Shu Lan decided to send all the children over twelve years old in the family to the fields to pull weeds.

Regardless of how much work they did, earning one work point would entitle them to a little more grain during distribution.

The old lady believed that these grandchildren had been spoiled, unaware of the value of easily obtained things. Only through their own hard work would they learn to cherish.

She was worried that they would be careless in their work, so she introduced an incentive: “If you finish pulling out all the weeds in this field, each of you will get to eat an egg today.”

Zheng Kang was 15 years old, Zheng Guo was 12, Xiao Mei (Little Apricot) was 14, and Xiao He (Little Lotus) was 12. They were all considered half-laborers.

Although Xiao Tao (Little Peach) was already 10 years old, her weak body meant that Qian Shu Lan naturally excluded her.

This field should be worth about twenty work points, and it would not be a problem for the four half-grown children to finish it in a day.

As the family gathered for their midday meal, Qian Shu Lan couldn’t help but notice a dip in Sun Da Qin’s filial piety value. She suspected it was because she wasn’t happy with her recent efforts to keep her and the three children busy. However, Qian Shu Lan didn’t dwell on it and took a more relaxed approach with eldest daughter-in-law. While she wasn’t fixated on her filial piety, she made sure the other two aspects stayed on track and didn’t let Sun Da Qin slack off.

With the house construction and field work in full swing, Qian Shu Lan made sure their evening study sessions continued uninterrupted. She even joined them in their studies because she was a university student who could read and write. If she were to be exposed one day, it wouldn’t be good.

As the family sat down to eat, Zhou Xue Mei couldn’t hide her surprise when she noticed an egg in her bowl.

A quick look around the table revealed that everyone who had contributed to the house construction or field work had been rewarded with an egg. Wang Shou Li, who had returned home late under the cover of darkness, had already peeled his egg and given it to his daughter. Without hesitation, Zhou Xue Mei followed his example and gave her egg to her own daughter.

Qian Shu Lan sighed, realizing that while Zhou Xue Mei’s love for her daughter was admirable, she shouldn’t neglect her own well-being.

The original body had always favored her sons and grandsons, which explained Wang Shou Li’s healthy appearance. In contrast, Zhou Xue Mei’s sallow complexion suggested a deficiency, and Qian Shu Lan found it concerning that she wasn’t taking proper care of herself.

After a moment of thought, Qian Shu Lan spoke up, “Snow Plum (Xue Mei), you’re doing heavy work these days. Remember to take care of your health.”

With the children working in the fields, the adults naturally joined them. Only Qian Shu Lan stayed at home to care for the younger children. Even Wang Dan Na was sent to the fields to earn work points, and Qian Shu Lan meticulously recorded their contributions separately, making sure they would receive half of the year-end bonus when the time came.

Zhou Xue Mei may have been trying to earn some extra money on the side, so she specifically requested a plot of land worth twelve work points. She didn’t return until it was dark, an hour later than the others. Despite her exhaustion, she remained a devoted mother, giving her daughter an egg without hesitation.

It’s not that Qian Shu Lan didn’t want to give her granddaughter an egg, but Little Peach had already received one, and an extra egg would have been unnecessary.

Furthermore, Qian Shu Lan had already shown extra care for the sickly Little Peach by secretly giving another egg in the evening.

Zhou Xue Mei paused for a moment, remembering the malt extract and eggs her mother-in-law had sent. She shook her head, deciding not to make any wild guesses. “Mother, I’m fine. Little Peach’s body is still weak.”

The old lady glanced at Little Peach several times. Although the child’s complexion had improved slightly, the illness she had carried since birth was truly difficult to cure. If anything were to happen to Little Peach, the couple would undoubtedly be devastated. Frowning, Qian Shu Lan wondered whether she should buy some invigorating medicine from No. 153.

After thinking it over, she said, “How about this? An egg costs three Fen. You can eat it now, and when your fourth brother receives his salary, you can pay it back into the public fund.” Even as the head of the household, she couldn’t show too much favoritism, in case others noticed and caused a scene.

Qian Shu Lan’s gaze lingered on Zhou Xue Mei’s tired face, concern evident in her expression. “Don’t jeopardize your health at such a young age by planting the seeds of illness. When you’re older, you’ll understand the seriousness of the ailments you leave behind.”

(“烙下的病根” lào xià de bìng gēn” is an idiomatic expression that means “to plant the seeds of disease” or “to sow the roots of illness.”)

Zhou Xue Mei raised her head in surprise, meeting her mother-in-law’s worried eyes. A flicker of warmth stirred in her heart; this was the first time her mother-in-law had shown concern for her.

The original body never treated her daughters-in-law as human beings, but rather as tools for continuing the family line and serving their husbands. Whenever she saw the fourth son doting on his wife, she would give her a stick eye, which made her feel uncomfortable. This made her frightened of the original body and desperately want to escape her mother-in-law’s scolding by dividing the family.

However, recently, the mother-in-law seemed to have changed. Not only did she secretly give them things, but she also pretended not to notice when she saw fourth son washing clothes for her. If her mother-in-law could continue to be like this, Zhou Xue Mei felt that there would be no need to divide the family.

Despite her reservations, Zhou Xue Mei accepted mother-in-law’s kindness, knowing that her daughter’s health was still fragile. Moreover, Little Peach could now eat two eggs a day and was being nourished with malt extract. Her health had significantly improved, and her complexion had become rosier.

In contrast, the eldest son’s household was livelier, with Sun Da Qin directly eating her eggs without caring about her younger son’s envious gaze.

Wang Shou Ren was about to give an egg to his younger son when Qian Shu Lan warned him with a glance.

Wang Shou Ren immediately pulled his hand back, feeling frightened.

Qian Shu Lan felt the need to explain the reason to him.

She said to Zheng Jun, “Zheng Jun, your father has been tired all day, digging soil and building a house. His palms are covered in calluses. You’re already a big boy, and you should learn to be filial and take care of your parents. Do you understand?”

But Zheng Jun, who was only six years old and spoiled by grandmother, still demanded to eat an egg despite seeing his father’s injured hands. When everyone ignored him, he threw a tantrum, rolling on the ground and crying loudly.

Qian Shu Lan refused to spoil the children because she knew that if a naughty child wasn’t disciplined early on, they would become troublemakers in the future, just like in the original timeline.

She glanced at Wang Shou Ren, who was restless, and said, “Come on, hurry up and eat. We still have to go to the fields tomorrow to earn work points, and you need to finish building the house early.”

Wang Shou Ren could only bow his head and eat his meal. Sun Da Qin looked at Zheng Jun, who was sitting behind her, wanting to plead for him. However, the old lady’s warning gaze made her feel intimidated, so she followed her husband’s lead and ate with her head down.

On the other hand, Zheng Guo and Zheng Kang remained unfazed, eagerly scooping food into their bowls.

To ensure they had enough energy for work, Qian Shu Lan had prepared a delicious meal. She made steaming white buns and cooked several dishes, including Shiitake mushrooms, green vegetables, and sautéed celery. The highlight of the meal was a red-braised rabbit dish, which she had carefully covered with a large bowl.

(Braised (红烧): A Chinese cooking method that involves searing meat or vegetables in oil, then simmering them in a flavorful liquid, often resulting in a reddish-brown color.)

However, the enticing aroma of the dish couldn’t be hidden, and everyone’s eyes were fixed on the bowl.

Qian Shu Lan lifted the bowl and addressed the little boy, who was still rolling around on the ground, saying, “Zheng Jun, there’s steamed buns and rabbit meat here, both of which are better than eggs. Are you sure you still want to roll around on the ground?”

Rabbit meat was a rare delicacy in the old Wang household, only enjoyed on special occasions like New Year’s Eve. They usually couldn’t afford to buy meat.

Qian Shu Lan had purchased the rabbit meat from No. 153. Since none of them had ever tasted rabbit meat before, they didn’t know what it was supposed to taste like, and nobody questioned it. If it had been pork, they would have immediately noticed the difference.

Zheng Jun noticed that everyone was engrossed in eating and caught a whiff of the savory meat aroma. He quickly got up from the ground, eager to join them at the table.

Qian Shu Lan quickly stood up to stop him.

She picked up a few pieces of rabbit meat with her chopsticks and placed them in Zheng Jun’s bowl. Then, she took him to the well to wash his hands and face.

As she wiped his face, she educated him, “Look, what good did rolling on the ground do? You didn’t even get to eat the meat. It’s not worth it. Don’t do this again in the future, okay?”

The little boy’s thoughts had already flown to the rabbit meat. He hastily agreed, “Yes, yes, Grandma. I won’t do it again.”

She released his hand, and Zheng Jun dashed to the main room, afraid that the meat in his bowl would disappear.

Qian Shu Lan shook her head helplessly.

When she sat down again, she saw Zheng Jun eating happily. She glanced at the dining table and noticed that the once-full bowl of braised rabbit meat with potatoes was now devoid of meat, leaving only the soft, mushy potatoes.

Zheng Guo ate with relish and couldn’t help but ask, “Grandma, did you buy this rabbit from Long Mountain (长山: Chang-shan) Village?”

Qian Shu Lan was taken aback for a moment and asked in return, “Are there many rabbits in Long Mountain Village?”

Zheng Guo paused, his hand holding the rabbit, looking somewhat puzzled. “Hasn’t Long Mountain Village always relied on hunting for a living? They have very little land there. Every household hunts.”

Qian Shu Lan hadn’t expected there to be mountains nearby.

To be honest, she really didn’t know. Although she had the original body’s memories, they were too numerous and scattered for her to remember everything. She only remembered the most important parts, and for the rest of the minor details, she basically had to rely on others to remind her.

She remembered that Long Mountain Village was less than ten li away from Wang Family Village, nestled at the foot of Long Mountain. The mountain itself lived up to its name, stretching out like a range, around several dozen li long.

(里 li is a unit of distance, equivalent to about 0.5 kilometers.)

Long Mountain Village was situated at the mountain’s base.

Qian Shu Lan recalled having some money in her space and thought about going there to check it.

During times of disaster and famine, money was prone to devaluation, so it was better to exchange it for food, even if it was just meat.

The next day, after the meal, Qian Shu Lan told 12-year-old Little Lotus (Xiao Mei) to stay at home and watch over Little Flower (Xiao Lian), Zheng Jun, and Little Peach. She instructed them to play in the courtyard and not go out. She promised if they behaved, they would get to eat meat that evening.

The children all agreed, patting their chests.