Chapter 53

"Five children?" Emily Johnson frowned slightly.

Peter Wilson was the youngest son in his family.

The youngest had always been Grandma's favorite.

No wonder Margaret Wilson dared to cause trouble at their doorstep.

"When Michael was home, they wouldn't even dare to step near our door," Mary Stone scoffed.

That much was true.

"Mom, has David's father mentioned when he'll be back?" Emily asked softly.

Mary was caught off guard.

How would she know when her third son would return?

"By the way," Mary quickly changed the subject, "now every household in the brigade can raise more chickens."

"Mom, I heard some places have already started implementing land contracts," Emily said, her eyes lighting up. "I wonder when our brigade will follow suit?"

"What contracts?" Mary looked confused.

"It means distributing land to each household to farm themselves," Emily explained. "They buy their own fertilizer, choose their own seeds, and pay the agricultural tax. That way, it's easy to see who's lazy and who's hardworking."

Mary hesitated.

Her daughter-in-law rarely left the house—where did she hear such things?

"I read it in the newspaper," Emily said, noticing her doubt. "Several brigades have already started pilot programs, and their yields have increased instead of dropping. When it's their own land, who wouldn't take good care of it?"

Mary felt a spark of excitement.

"Your father hasn't mentioned this."

"Next time Dad goes to town, he should look for the newspapers," Emily said confidently.

Though she was a '90s kid, she had heard stories from her grandparents about that era.

The two younger children quickly finished the plate of fruit.

David and Tommy rubbed their eyes as they came out of the room.

Seeing Grace and Jack, they immediately perked up.

"I still have canned fruit in my room," Emily said with a smile. "David, go to the kitchen and bring a big bowl and some chopsticks."

"Canned fruit!" The children's eyes lit up.

Mary, however, was secretly shocked.

Was her daughter-in-law planning to finish all the gifts from her parents?

David ran to fetch the bowl and chopsticks.

Emily went back to her room and brought out a large jar of mixed fruit—coconut jelly, golden peaches, and oranges, all gleaming temptingly.

The children obediently gathered around the table.

Emily expertly flipped the jar upside down and gave it a light tap.

With a pop, the lid came off easily.

The sweet fruit tumbled into the big bowl.

"Mom, you should try some too," Emily invited. "This kind of canned fruit is really popular where I'm from."

Jack, being small, knelt on the bench.

His eyes fixed eagerly on the fruit in the bowl, swallowing hard.

The white coconut jelly, golden oranges, and peaches—just looking at them made mouths water.

"You should eat too," Mary said to Emily.

The 900-gram can was divided among six people and quickly emptied.

Even the syrup was slurped up by the children without a drop left.

"Your parents sent these things—we should save some," Mary couldn't help but remind her.

Emily agreed with a smile.

But in her mind, she was already planning to buy more supplies.

Mary left soon after, taking Grace and Jack with her.

If she stayed any longer, who knew what other treasures her daughter-in-law might bring out?

"Do you want to go play with your friends?" Emily asked her sons.

It was still early—she couldn't keep them cooped up at home all day.

"Mom, I want to stay with you," David said, clinging to her.