Transmigrated as the Evil Stepmother, I Bully the Whole Family, Yay! Chapter 78

Further training ant Lin Han would have to wait another year before reuniting with his wife and children, but to provide a better life for his family, he could endure the wait.

Moreover, his wife’s work arrangents also needed ti, and he couldn’t selfishly drag her into military camp life, leaving her confined to the kitchen all day.

After so thought, Lin Han picked up his pen and wrote a letter ho.

The first line read: "Darling, you’ve worked hard taking care of the children at ho." He then clearly explained his ritorious service and the upcoming training, cautiously probing Nan Sheng’s attitude—asking if she’d be willing to join him at the military camp.

At the end, he added: "You have the final say in all household matters. I fully support you!"

This line was in response to the question of whether to sever ties with Lin Xue. Over the years serving in the military, Lin Han had grown distant from his family. Apart from his parents, he only missed his eldest brother, who had raised him.

His younger sister had her in-laws and the care of their parents and brothers—she didn’t need him, the second brother. He’d rather bear his parents’ resentnt than disappoint his wife and children.

Back in Huaishan Town, the drought was expected to end in at most another week.

Recently, the governnt had doubled the ice rations distributed to each village. Even so, cases of heatstroke among the elderly and children were frequent, though thankfully no fatalities had occurred yet.

At this critical juncture, they couldn’t afford to slack off. Nan Sheng and other officials made daily rounds to every village, ensuring no village head abused their power again.

By the ti she returned ho in the evening, she was too exhausted to even eat. Her two children grew so anxious they nearly spoon-fed her.

Today, seeing his mother gulp down a cup of ice water and collapse into bed, Sizhe wondered if so at might whet her appetite.

Without hesitation, he fished out a pound of at from the oil jar, sliced it, and stir-fried it with dried chilies. The fus made his eyes water and sent him into a coughing fit.

When he tasted the final dish, it was unbearably salty and spicy!

What now?

Would Mom scold him for ruining the at…?

Dinner consisted of thick mung bean porridge, a plate of salted duck eggs, and the overly salty chili-fried at.

After a nap, Nan Sheng felt sowhat restored, though her limbs still ached with fatigue. Siqi fetched a basin of water from the nearly dry well to wipe her mother’s sweat.

These days, the well’s water level had dropped so low that it barely filled the water vat each day.

Refreshed after washing her face, Nan Sheng joined her children for dinner. Spotting the chili-fried at, she raised an eyebrow—had her son learned to cook?

"Impressive, big boy! For your first attempt, this looks amazing. You’ve got talent—Mom won’t have to worry about going hungry in the future."

Sizhe fought back a grin, though his lips betrayed him. Still, the dish’s taste gnawed at him. "I oversalted it. It’s too salty."

Without even tasting it, Nan Sheng reassured him, "It’s fine! Rember how salty the cured at used to be? Still delicious!"

Watching her take several bites without complaint, Sizhe’s unease faded. He resolved to use less salt next ti, confident he’d master the skill like his mother—able to cook perfectly even blindfolded.

Siqi, noticing her mother’s attention fixed on her brother, sulked silently. She vowed to learn cooking too—she’d be Mom’s favorite!

The next day, when Mingli ca for ice, he shared news with Sizhe: their great-grandmother in Xiaoling Village had fallen ill. Sizhe imdiately urged him to take all the ice for the elderly first.

Mingli refused—the children at ho needed it too—and took only his family’s share. Thankfully, their improved diet had strengthened his parents’ health; a few days without ice wouldn’t harm them much.

That evening, Nan Sheng returned to find Sizhe had cooked again: stead rice and braised tofu.

As usual, she praised him before asking, "Where’d the tofu co from?"

"Granny Zhang next door made it. She trades it for beans."

Nan Sheng had given Sizhe a key to the storage cabinet. Hearing about the trade, he’d scooped out a small bowl of beans imdiately.

"Granny didn’t look well when I went over. Mom, should we send them so ice?"

Nan Sheng smacked her forehead—she’d forgotten, thanks to that nuisance Lin Xue.

"Sure. Take them half a box daily from now on. We can’t let the old folks fall sick from the heat!"

Sizhe then ntioned their great-grandmother’s heatstroke, relayed by their uncle.

Nan Sheng’s mood soured further. She decided to buy canned goods and extra ice in town tomorrow to deliver personally—a trip that would expose her to her selfish aunt’s antics.

With two cans and a bag of rock sugar in a satchel tied to her bike’s handlebars, and the icebox wrapped in cloth and secured on the rear rack, Nan Sheng set off.

The house was bustling when she arrived—Aunt Zhong, her two young cousins, Zhong Yanyan, and Mingli were all there.

Hearing the gate open, cousins Zhong Yong and Zhong De rushed out to help. With schools closed due to the heat, the middle schoolers had ti to spare.

"Nan Sheng, you’re here! Co inside!"

One took the satchel while the other untied the icebox, sparing her any hassle.

Inside, Aunt Zhong hastily prepared a glass of sugar water, and even Grandpa Zhong fretted over her braving the heat.

"Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’m tough. Besides, I had to see you for myself to feel at ease."

Zhong Yanyan yielded her seat so Nan Sheng could check on Grandma, whose dizziness and nausea would pass with rest.

The crowded room grew stifling. Zhong Yanyan stayed to tend to the elders while the others gathered at Aunt Zhong’s place.

Her face twisted in frustration. "Nan Sheng, don’t take this wrong, but your grandma brought this on herself.

Mingli delivers ice every two days—how could she get heatstroke? Your aunt Zhong Qin must’ve used it all when she visited yesterday."

The younger generation exchanged uneasy glances. What was Zhong Qin thinking?

Did she want to kill the old folks with her antics?

Speak of the devil—Zhong Qin, who’d developed a craving for sugar water after gulping several bowls two days prior, trudged over in the scorching heat just for another taste.

Unfortunately, she ran into her sister Zhong Yanyan.

By the ti Nan Sheng and the others heard the commotion and rushed over, Zhong Yanyan had already pinned Zhong Qin to the ground, thrashing her.

Zhong Qin spat defiance: "Mom’s just weak—why bla if she’s sick?"

The woman was beyond redemption…