Lively, the Jin family is truly wonderful.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Your family's situation isn't easy either, and this wild boar could easily fetch three or four taels of silver. You should keep it to sell for money," the elderly village chief said, waving his hand.

"Grandpa Village Chief, this is also my parents' wish. They've long wanted to express their gratitude to everyone in the village, but never found the right opportunity. Today happens to be that chance, so please don't turn it down," Meng Yun said with a smile, repeatedly attributing the idea to Jin Shan and his wife.

"Father, since Ah-Chuan's wife has already put it that way, let's keep it. After all, they still have to live in the village, and interacting with the villagers is completely normal," said the second son, Zhou Guangyao.

"Very well then, we'll let your family go to this expense," the old village chief agreed with a nod.

"Fellow villagers! The Jin family caught a wild boar today and invites the whole village to share a pig-slaughtering feast! Everyone come over and lend a hand now—men come help butcher the pig, and a few women come help cook and wash vegetables. If anyone has salted vegetables at home, feel free to bring them along to add to the table," Zhou Guangyao announced to the people outside.

"Yay!" several children cheered happily.

Soon, some people stepped forward to help butcher the pig, others headed to the kitchen, and a few aunts went home, returning shortly with eggs—three from one household, two from another—as well as jars of homemade pickled vegetables.

Others went home to fetch tables, stools, bowls, and chopsticks, knowing full well that with so many people eating, the Jin family's pots and pans wouldn't be nearly enough.

In an instant, the small courtyard became lively and bustling.

Meng Yun approached her father-in-law and mother-in-law. "Father, Mother, do you agree with what I've done?"

"You silly child, Mother knows you're only doing this for the good of this family," Zhou Yaru said, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I treated the old family homestead like that; doesn't Mother blame me?" To be honest, Meng Yun was genuinely afraid that Zhou Yaru might resent her for meddling or think she had been too harsh on the homestead, considering those were her own mother, brothers, and sisters-in-law.

"Yun'er, Mother supports you. If it weren't for our family needing them to act as our guarantors, I would have wanted to rebel long ago," Zhou Yaru said.

"Mother, if you trust me, leave these people and matters to me from now on. Let's see who dares to come and bully us again; if anyone's leaving, it'll be them," Meng Yun had a hundred ways to make the people of the Zhou family homestead vanish without a trace, though the time for that hadn't come yet.

"Mm-hmm, Father and Mother trust you," Zhou Yaru patted Meng Yun's hand.

"Mother, go to the kitchen and have the aunts help with the cooking. Use all the rice we have; if it's not enough, I'll get some more," Meng Yun instructed.

"Didn't they go into your room earlier? It seemed like they couldn't find any rice or flour," Zhou Yaru said with some puzzlement, clearly remembering seeing a large quantity of rice and flour being moved into her son's room yesterday.

"I have a place where I hid it. They wouldn't find it even if they searched themselves to death. I'll tell Mother about it another time. Mother, go to the kitchen, and Father can keep Grandpa Village Chief company or watch the butchering," Meng Yun arranged.

"Alright, sounds good," the couple hurried off to busy themselves.

"Grandpa Village Chief, please have some tea!" Meng Yun brought over a cup of tea.

"No need to trouble yourself, child," the elderly village chief said, greatly admiring this clever and spirited daughter-in-law of the Jin family.

"Grandpa Village Chief and Grandpa Clan Elder are respected elders in the village. Usually, even if one wanted to invite you over, it wouldn't be possible. Today I'm just borrowing this opportunity for everyone to get together and enjoy the lively atmosphere," Meng Yun replied with a smile.

"We haven't been of any help, yet the girl says this—old man here feels rather ashamed!" the village chief said.

"The fact that you allowed my husband's family to settle in Zhoujia Village is proof of your great benevolence and love, along with Grandpa Clan Elder's. Whether the Zhou family acts as our guarantor or not doesn't matter; what matters is that you and Grandpa Clan Elder have good hearts and fine moral character. Otherwise, you wouldn't have taken in my mother-in-law's family. Of course, my mother-in-law's family are all honest and hardworking people who haven't caused trouble for the village all these years. Even when the homestead made such a fuss, they didn't fight back. It's just that since I arrived, my temper's been a bit fiery and I couldn't hold it back for a moment," Meng Yun finished with a light, sheepish laugh.

"Grandfather knows the Jin family has good character and has always been honest and law-abiding over the years. When all is said and done, it's the Zhou family homestead that went too far," the old village chief sighed.

"Father, don't let it get your blood pressure up. Ah-Chuan's wife has already stood her ground upon entering the family; if that side comes to make trouble again, they're in for a world of hurt," Zhou Guangyao said with a hint of schadenfreude.

"Don't let emotions cloud your judgment," the old village chief cautioned.

"Understood, Father," Zhou Guangyao laughed awkwardly.

After nearly an hour of bustling activity, pots of fluffy white rice and steamed white buns were ready. The large cauldron set up in the courtyard bubbled away, sending rich waves of meat fragrance drifting across the entire courtyard.

More than twenty tables were set up for the men. In truth, the village had over a thousand residents; aside from those away working elsewhere, many elderly folk, children, and women hadn't come. Some felt they had no particular friendship with the Jin family, and while the family had politely invited the entire village to a pig-slaughtering feast, showing up shamelessly to eat would be far too brazen.

Meng Yun hadn't forced the issue. Whether people came or not, and what kind of relationship they wanted to maintain with the Jin family, everyone had the right to choose, so she greeted those who came with a warm smile.

There was no pickled Chinese cabbage this season, but there were dried mushrooms and dried bamboo shoots. Each family had brought a little bit, combining into one massive, overflowing pot.

Eggs were also a main dish tonight: eggs scrambled with chives, eggs stir-fried with water spinach, eggs with luffa, eggs with cucumber, mixed salted vegetables, and crisp, tangy cucumbers.

By the time everyone sat down to eat the feast, it was already late evening. Even the oil lamps had been voluntarily brought over by the villagers. At the dining tables, there was no strict observance of silence while eating; everyone chatted and laughed freely, creating a wonderfully lively atmosphere. Many people whispered among themselves about how truly wonderful the Jin family was—they hadn't known them well before, but after today's interaction, the elderly couple and their children all seemed exceptional, especially the eldest daughter-in-law. She was articulate, knew martial arts, could hunt wild boars, and even gathered herbs to sell, on top of being quite handsome. The Jin family's fortunes were clearly turning around.

Meng Yun overheard some of these soft murmurs. She pretended not to hear, stepping in to refill dishes whenever a table's pork ran low. Since she had sacrificed a whole pig of her own today, she wanted everyone to eat their fill.

"Enough, enough! Ah-Chuan's wife hasn't eaten yet, hurry up and eat before it gets cold!"

"This young bride is truly something else—good-looking, capable of hunting wild boars, and most importantly, able to deal with toxic relatives."

Hearing this, some people thought of their own domineering mothers-in-law and felt a sudden stirring of rebellious intent.

Naturally, Meng Yun had no idea that quite a few oppressed wives in the village were now plotting uprisings.

After everyone had eaten and drunk to their hearts' content, they voluntarily stayed behind to help clean up. There was still a large basin of pork stew left over, which Meng Yun divided among the helpful aunts.

When the Jin family finally finished cleaning up and saw off the very last villager, it was already late into the night.

Everyone was exhausted, yet brimming with happiness.

Meng Yun used dew-infused water to fill a basin. "Father, Mother, A-An, A-Zhe, come over and drink some water."

The whole family emerged.

"Eldest sister-in-law, I'm already full, I can't drink another drop," Jin Anzhe said. Originally, he hadn't wanted to eat too much meat, but seeing others snatching it up, he simply gave up and stuffed himself.

As a result, he was thoroughly over-stuffed.

"Just drink a few sips, have a taste," Meng Yun ladled out bowls for everyone.

Qiao'er was the most supportive of her eldest sister-in-law and gulped it down. "Whoa, it's so sweet!"

"My whole body feels so comfortable, even my muscles feel a lot lighter," Zhou Yaru said after drinking hers.

Jin Shan felt the effects most distinctly within his body after finishing his bowl, and couldn't help casting a glance at his eldest daughter-in-law.

Meng Yun just smiled.

"Is it really that good?" Jin Anzhe drank his as well. "It really is good! I feel like my face doesn't even hurt anymore."