Chapter 40: The Evil Stepmother of the 1970s 7 New Story VIP “Mom I…

Chapter 40: The Wicked Stepmother of the 1970s (7)

Xu Ziyan held nothing back against the Xu family, immediately sending Fang Nan to fetch the village head to oversee the family division. Neighbors nearby, hearing the commotion, naturally came to see what was happening.

Everyone knew it was Granny Xu's birthday today. When Xu Ziyan returned with gifts and ran into fellow villagers, she had asked them not to spread the news, but interpretations of "spreading" varied—some told relatives, others told friends, since none of them counted as 'outsiders'. As a result, many knew exactly what Xu Ziyan had brought.

Especially today, as Xu Ziyan walked over with both hands full of gifts, plenty had seen her hauling them. Just as everyone was admiring Granny Xu for raising such a good granddaughter, how did it come to this? Splitting the family? And on the old lady's birthday, no less—something must have happened. Soon, nosy neighbors gathered outside the Xu residence, crowding around Xu Ziyan to ask questions.

Xu Ziyan thought to herself, *"I should probably look wronged and let them fill in the blanks, but that’s Xu Xiuyun’s personality, not mine. So I should act more indignant."*

She put on a furious face. "It’s all about that incident last time when Xu Xiuyun took my kids! My grandma thought I was causing a public fuss and embarrassing them. I figured since I’m part of the Fang family now, how could I embarrass the Xus? But then the whole family started scolding me, blaming me for embarrassing Xu Xiuyun. Tell me, folks, was I wrong that day? She took the kids right from our doorstep—how could I not panic and get mad? Was I not even allowed to call her out? If it had been a stranger, I’d have dragged the village head into it!"

The crowd nodded in agreement. Many of them had been there that day, exhausted from searching for the kids. Xu Xiuyun had been entirely in the wrong. For the Xus to blame Xu Ziyan over this? Wasn’t that too biased? But still, was it worth splitting the family over?

Xu Ziyan pondered, *"If I keep talking, it won’t look good—like I’m a younger generation bullying the elders just because I married an officer. Why aren’t Mom and Dad out yet? Once they come out, I can bring up how the old man tried to hit me."*

Fang Bei, recalling the scene, grew frightened and clung to Xu Ziyan’s sleeve, sniffling. "Great-grandpa hit Mom… He swung that hard tobacco pipe at her head…"

The crowd gasped. "He hit her? That’s too much! What kind of man hits his own granddaughter?"

Surprised by her youngest’s perfect assist, Xu Ziyan patted his head reassuringly. "It’s okay, don’t be scared." Then she sighed helplessly. "I’ve never been liked in my own family, just because my parents only had me, a daughter. Even my parents got treated poorly—they worked harder than anyone but never got a decent meal. They even told me to get out and never come back. But I can’t abandon my parents. They’ve worked themselves to the bone—what’ll happen when their health fails? In the heat of the moment, I suggested dividing the family. And now it’s over—a married-off daughter like me proposing this made them furious. They cursed me out again. My parents couldn’t bear seeing me treated like this, so they agreed. Fine, let it be. At their age, if they can’t stand each other, they might as well live apart."

Sympathy for the Xu family’s second branch grew. It seemed the rumors they’d heard were far from the truth. The eldest and third branches, favored for having sons, had always held the upper hand at home. So why was the second branch’s daughter the one with the bad reputation? Maybe the others had spread those lies. At the very least, the second branch had done the most work—they looked the most worn out.

Once seeds of doubt take root, they sprout quickly. Convinced the Xus had bullied the second branch, the villagers now believed Xu Ziyan’s bad reputation was entirely unjust, framed by her own family. Indignant, they began speaking up for her.

By then, the village head had gone inside to sort things out. Xu Ziyan’s parents, unusually resolute, insisted on leaving. The Xus, still fuming, hastily drafted the division agreement. Especially after seeing Xu Ziyan talking outside, they feared she’d blab about the 'widow' scandal—turning the Xus into the village laughingstock.

So they rushed through the process, even specifying the second branch would receive 100 yuan, and from then on, neither side would owe the other anything—no support in old age, no help in crises.

As they wrote this, it killed them. Xu Ziyan’s husband was a battalion commander! They’d hoped Fang Lihai could help their own kin climb the ranks. How had things spiraled into a complete break? But as elders, pride kept them from backing down after Xu Ziyan’s relentless confrontation. Now, they were seething.

When Xu Ziyan’s parents emerged with the agreement, the village head asked, "Where’ll you go? The village has no empty houses except one at the far end—it’s so run-down it leaks…"

Her parents looked lost. Xu Ziyan said, "That dump’s falling apart. My parents will come home with me for now, stay a couple days while we figure it out."

A daughter taking in her parents? Unheard of. The crowd exchanged glances but couldn’t think of a better solution. The village head nodded. "Go on, then. Everyone, disperse. It’s still Granny Xu’s birthday—let’s not gossip."

Xu Ziyan bid everyone farewell and left with her kids and parents. Her mother and father, carrying meager bundles, hunched over as they walked away. Many sighed, watching their retreating figures, convinced the Xus had bullied these honest folks too far.

No wonder Xu Ziyan fought tooth and nail. If she weren’t, wouldn’t she be toiling like her parents? How else could she have married an officer?

However she’d managed it, her stepsons clearly adored her, and she got along with her in-laws. If she just lived well from now on, she’d be fine—finally out of that hellhole.

Unnoticed by them, their perceptions had shifted. In just days, the Xu household had become a "pit," Xu Xiuyun’s reputation had plummeted, and Xu Ziyan was seen as justified. This small change meant the family’s life in the village would improve significantly.

After all, when you see the same faces every day, whether they greet you with a smile or a scowl makes all the difference.

As Xu Ziyan led her parents home, she mused, *"How should I settle them? Street vending’s legal now—maybe find them a small business. They’ll stand on their own feet."*

The Fang parents could hear her thoughts and knew her plans, so naturally, they had no objections. They even warmly helped their in-laws clean and settle into the house.

Xu Ziyan was quite pleased with this. "This shows why unity matters. Not a single person in my little team drags their feet—it feels so effortless."

001 was surprised. "It seems like the Fu family and Ding Yao from the last world never held you back either. Sometimes, they even helped out."

Xu Ziyan thought for a moment and smiled. "Seems I’ve always had good luck."

From this perspective, wasn’t it true? How many people get to keep their memories after death and hop between worlds? At first, she’d wanted to reincarnate, but if she had, she wouldn’t be herself anymore—and truthfully, she hadn’t really wanted that. But now, hopping worlds, living longer, and having this much fun? That’s real luck.

She’d stacked up so many luck points, making everything in this world go smoothly. Given that, she didn’t want to keep adding to her luck. After some thought, she said, "Dump all the reward points into intelligence. Who knows where I’ll land next? I want to learn more skills and remember more formulas and such. I’ll need the brains for that. Let’s go with this."

001 didn’t hesitate. She’d banked several skill points, and they were all poured into intelligence at once. In truth, Xu Ziyan’s original intelligence was already quite good—otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to get into such a prestigious university, escape her awful family, buy a house, and get promoted within just a few years of working.

After boosting her intelligence, Xu Ziyan’s mind sharpened instantly. She was puzzled—why was the effect so noticeable? But then again, she had added several points. Jumping from 125 to 130 IQ is a whole new level.

In any case, the feeling of higher intelligence was wonderful. Xu Ziyan quickly thought of a suitable business for her parents: selling breakfast.

They were the hardworking, nose-to-the-grindstone type—they thrived on staying busy. If they were made to sit in a shop all day, they’d feel restless and uneasy. They needed to keep busy to feel right. Breakfast stalls were ideal—low startup, fast cash, and quick chats with customers. It would help them build confidence and gradually become bolder.

Xu Ziyan immediately went to discuss the idea with them. Initially, Xu’s parents were still unsettled about leaving home, but once the topic of starting a business came up, their attention was completely diverted. They doubted themselves at first, but also touched that their daughter finally trusted them. A faint desire to try soon overshadowed their sadness about leaving the Xu family.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Xu household was terrible. The Xu family, still stewing over Xu Ziyan, turned their frustration toward Xu Xiuyun when they saw her. If she hadn’t snatched the kid, would Xu Ziyan have blown up? The family had defended Xu Xiuyun and spoken harshly to Xu Ziyan, only for Xu Xiuyun to stay silent the whole time, making them seem like the villains.

Even Xu Xiuyun’s own brother muttered under his breath, "That big-shot official—now we’ll never cash in on that tie."

Xu Xiuyun paled at his words. She had always been the beloved one in the family—no one had ever scolded her before. Even when she took the blame for Xu Ziyan, her family had always believed she was well-behaved and let it slide. But now, the same relatives who had stood up for her were turning on her. How had this happened?

Had she asked them to intervene? She’d avoided crossing Xu Ziyan—Fang Lihai’s clout was no joke. It was their own fault for not realizing Xu Ziyan was no longer someone they could push around. Why was she being blamed?

But anything Xu Xiuyun said now would only make things worse. Song Dongbo and her daughter also sensed the shift in the family’s attitude—there was now an undercurrent of resentment. Uncomfortable, Song Dongbo nudged Xu Xiuyun and whispered, "Should we head back?"

Xu Xiuyun looked at him pleadingly. She couldn’t leave now—people outside were watching, and she couldn’t take the gossip. If she stayed until evening, the villagers might still think the Xu family had stood up for her, proving her family’s support. But if she left now, humiliated and without her family’s backing, wouldn’t that signal to everyone that she had been abandoned by her own kin? That was unacceptable. She had already married a divorced man and become a stepmother—she had to preserve her dignity in other ways. She couldn’t afford to lose her family’s backing.

Xu Xiuyun steeled herself, then suddenly knelt before Granny Xu, bursting into tears. "Grandma, this is all my fault. I ruined your birthday. Hit me, scold me—you’ve loved me all these years, and now that I’ve grown up and started a family, I wanted to take care of you with Dongbo. But because of me, Ziyan caused such a scene. I’ve failed you."

She clutched Granny Xu’s sleeve. Looking down, Granny Xu eyed the clothes Xu Xiuyun had sewn—good cloth, comfy and classy. She remembered how filial this granddaughter had always been. And then there was Song Dongbo—rumored to have plenty of money, with only one daughter. Once Xu Xiuyun bore him a son, wouldn’t it be easy to get money from him?

With Xu Xiuyun’s close ties to the family, she would surely help them in the future.

The Xu family had already driven away one granddaughter—they couldn’t afford to lose this one too. That would be a huge loss. With this in mind, Granny Xu pulled Xu Xiuyun up and sighed. "Enough crying. It’s not your fault—Ziyan is the one with the temper and no filial piety. Let’s eat and shake off this bad luck. Dongbo, don’t rush off—stay and have a smoke, chat a bit."

The rest of the Xu family quickly caught on. Xu Xiuyun’s mother even made a bowl of sugar water for her step-granddaughter, coaxing her to drink it. But the little girl frowned and said, "Dad, this bowl isn’t clean. There are black spots in it."

Song Dongbo awkwardly took the bowl. "It’s fine—it’s not dirty. Come on, your grandma made this for you. Have a little."

The kid turned up her nose. "No, I won’t drink it!"

The Xu family felt both embarrassed and annoyed. This was how things were in the village—wasn’t this clean enough? Since when was a village kid this picky?

Xu Xiuyun quickly wiped her tears, took the bowl, and said gently, "Mom will make you a fresh one. Just wait a moment."

She headed to the kitchen, her mother following behind, grumbling under her breath, "That child is too spoiled. You need to show some authority as a mother—discipline her a few times, and she’ll behave."

Xu Xiuyun smiled bitterly. Song Dongbo had married her precisely because of her reputation for kindness and gentleness—he wanted her to take care of the home and his daughter. If she started disciplining the girl, wouldn’t that just cause conflict? Now that she had upset her own family, she needed Song Dongbo’s support and money to regain her standing. She couldn’t afford to anger him too.

She used to think that a reputation for kindness and virtue was always an asset, but this was the first time she felt trapped by it, unable to act as she wished—she had to keep up appearances. Otherwise, everything might collapse, and everyone would look down on her.

Xu Xiuyun said gently, "Mom, don’t worry. The child is usually very well-behaved. She must have been frightened today and misspoke. I’ll teach her later. Grandma said to start the meal, so let’s serve the dishes."

The food was fairly plentiful, but the meat dishes the Xu Family had been eagerly anticipating for days now had no flavor. With their hearts unsettled, nothing seemed appetizing. Even the birthday wishes were insincere, making the celebration perfunctory and ending hastily. Xu Xiuyun insisted on washing the dishes and sweeping the floor before finally heading home.

Song Dongbo remained silent the whole way back. When they arrived, they noticed the lights were already out at Xu Ziyan’s place—she and her family had gone to bed. The couple sighed in relief, afraid they might have had to argue with Xu Ziyan through the walls again, which would have been another embarrassment.

They tiptoed inside, and after putting the child to sleep, Xu Xiuyun began crying quietly. But this time, Song Dongbo showed no sympathy—only irritation. He frowned at her and asked, "I know your previous engagement was good—an officer like Fang Lihai. But he’s gone now. You’ve married me, so let’s live our lives steadily. Don’t envy others. Fang Lihai barely comes home and doesn’t even treat Xu Ziyan well. She’s living like a widow in all but name—who knows how miserable she must be? Why compare yourself to her?"

Xu Xiuyun was shocked and hurriedly wiped her tears away, hurriedly explaining, "Dongbo, I didn’t—don’t listen to Xu Ziyan’s nonsense..."

Song Dongbo waved her off. "Whatever happened before doesn’t matter. From now on, let’s avoid trouble and focus on our own lives. I’m busy outside and can’t always be home. If something happens to you or the child, it won’t be safe."

Xu Xiuyun nodded in agreement, knowing he was dissatisfied with her. Earlier, she had taken the neighbor’s two children to the clinic and stayed too long, leaving her own stepdaughter asleep alone in the house. If the girl had woken up, scared and crying, and wandered outside alone, it could have been dangerous.

Song Dongbo blamed her for not prioritizing properly, focusing on outsiders instead of taking care of the child. Xu Xiuyun knew she had to quickly dispel his displeasure—only then would her life remain comfortable.

Since her teens, she had schemed to secure an engagement with an officer, only for it to fall through and leave her with rumors of being "husband-cursed." Undeterred, she scoped out the eligible men in the village and settled on Song Dongbo as the best choice—tall, handsome, and capable of earning money. Though his past involvement in the black market couldn’t be openly discussed, she believed he was better off than most in the village.

Marrying Song Dongbo meant the possibility of becoming a wealthy wife, living well, and making others envy her. She had always been clear about her goals, so she bounced back quickly, coaxing him with sweet talk until the couple reconciled.

As she drifted off to sleep, she hoped Xu Ziyan wouldn’t keep pushing the issue and stir up trouble for her family.