Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

They went to the well to draw water and wash their hands. The young couple, chattering and laughing, unconsciously found themselves holding hands again as they entered the main hall. The sight brought a smile to everyone’s face. Juhua was still oblivious, but Huai Zi shyly pulled her to the table to sit down. He asked He, "Are we having noodles for breakfast?"

He was so happy she felt like she was bubbling with joy!

’See? Who you marry for a daughter-in-law is so important,’ she thought. ’With my son and Juhua being so close, their future will surely be a good one. If a young couple isn’t affectionate, there’s bound to be friction down the road.’

She called out to Juhua, "Hey! We’re having noodles in chicken broth this morning. Juhua, this bowl is yours. Don’t worry, it’s not greasy at all. I made sure to render the chicken fat separately, so the broth is nice and clear."

The aroma made Juhua’s taste buds tingle. "It smells amazing!" she praised. Then she called out to Zhang Dashuan, "Did you go to the fields this morning, Uncle Zhang? I didn’t see you!"

Everyone burst out laughing. Zhang Yang laughed the loudest, yelling, "Sister Juhua, why are you still calling him Uncle Zhang? You’re supposed to call him Father now!"

It was only then that Juhua realized she was supposed to call him Father now. She said, embarrassed, "Father, I’m not used to it yet."

Zhang Dashuan chuckled. "Don’t worry about it. Juhua, from now on you should call me Father. Otherwise, if your own father and I are standing together and you shout ’Father,’ we’ll both be fighting to answer." He then turned and shot Zhang Yang a look. "And you? Why are you still calling her Sister Juhua?"

Zhang Yang laughed nonchalantly. "Calling her Sister is better than calling her Sister-in-law. Right, Sister Juhua?"

Juhua nodded quickly. "Just call me Sister. It feels closer. I even call my own sister-in-law ’Sister Yunlan’."

Hearing this, Zhang Yang shot his father a triumphant grin.

Zhang Huai noticed only his maternal grandmother and aunt were left at the table and asked, "Where are my uncles?"

He replied, "It’s the busy season, how could they just hang around? They were itching to leave last night. It took a lot of convincing for them to stay one night. They rushed back as soon as they woke up this morning."

The aunt said, "We’re right in the middle of planting rice seedlings at home, so we can’t afford any delays. I have to leave after breakfast too. I’ll come back when things are less busy."

Although the wedding had been a hasty one due to circumstances, there was now a new member of the family. The atmosphere at the table was cheerful and lively. Everyone had a smile on their face, and combined with the aroma of the chicken soup, it painted a picture of a happy life.

Juhua looked at the huge bowl of hand-pulled noodles before her. Glistening droplets of yellow oil floated on the chicken broth, accenting the verdant green onions. The chicken wings, feet, and a drumette were all in her bowl, along with half a salted duck egg with a brilliant orange-red yolk. She couldn’t help but smile at He. "Thank you, Mother! This is exactly what I love to eat."

She wasn’t sure if it was because she had been active this morning or what, but her appetite was roaring. The scent of the chicken soup wafted straight into her nostrils. She took a sip of the broth first. Mmm! One word—delicious! Without any coyness, she picked up her chopsticks and started to eat.

Seeing how much she seemed to like it, He smiled at everyone and said, "Look at this child, so polite even when she’s eating. You’re a strange one, you know? Most people like the big chicken thighs, but you prefer these odds and ends. There’s no meat on them, it’s all skin. What’s there to even eat? Look how happy Yangzi is eating his chicken thigh."

Huai Zi’s maternal grandmother laughed. "You gave me a scare for a second there! I thought you were trying to put your new daughter-in-law in her place, deliberately picking out the ’bad’ parts for her and saving the good meat for your youngest son. Turns out Juhua actually likes this stuff!"

"HAHAHA..." The whole group was doubled over with laughter.

He looked helplessly at her own mother and said reproachfully, "Oh, Mother, you’re always joking. Is your daughter that kind of person?"

Huai Zi let out a snort of laughter and grinned at Juhua. ’Mother would never treat Juhua like that,’ he thought. ’She’d probably stop her own son from eating just to make sure Juhua got her fill.’ Juhua was also amused. ’Is this how you’re supposed to give someone a show of strength?’ she thought. ’A mother-in-law who gives the chicken wings and feet to her daughter-in-law can’t be all that formidable.’

Zhang Yang was in the middle of slurping up some noodles and, upon hearing that, nearly inhaled them into his nose. He coughed for a good while—He patting him on the back—before saying to his grandmother, "Listen to Grandma! Who would try to put their daughter-in-law in her place on the very first day? That’s just asking for trouble, isn’t it?"

Seeing that she had made everyone laugh, the old grandmother took a calm sip of her chicken soup and chuckled. "What do you mean, ’who would’? You just haven’t seen it, so you think every family is like yours. In those particular households, the mothers-in-law are fierce, and the rules are strict. A daughter-in-law wouldn’t dare say half a word against her. Why else do they say being a daughter-in-law is hard? Isn’t there a saying, ’You suffer as a daughter-in-law until you become a mother-in-law yourself’? That means she won’t get a break until her own son gets married and brings home a wife."