Lin Xiaoxiao watched Zhou Xiaoling's enthusiastic expression and couldn't help smiling. "Plenty of people already know, though."

Zhou Xiaoling waved a hand. "It's not the same. You and my brother are so close, but there are still people in his unit spreading nasty rumors."

She spat out a few watermelon seeds, then ran off to toss the leftover rind to the hens in the coop.

Lin Xiaoxiao considered Xiaoling's words. She had a point. Besides, she did want to dress up—not necessarily to outshine everyone else, but definitely to outshine Xiao Yan.

As the two sat chatting in the sun, their neighbor Sun Yufeng emerged next door. Surprisingly, she glanced toward their yard and called out, "Don't feed melon rinds to the hens—it'll stop them from laying."

Lin Xiaoxiao was genuinely taken aback. In all the time she'd lived here, she'd seen Sun Yufeng many times, but they had never once spoken.

Due to the original owner's past behavior, Sun Yufeng had always ignored her—sometimes even

scowling when they crossed paths. So Lin Xiaoxiao had simply treated the neighbors as invisible. It wasn't her fault, and she saw no need to try and make amends.

But today, Sun Yufeng had actually initiated conversation—and politely, too.

"Thank you," Lin Xiaoxiao replied. "We didn't know. We'll be more careful."

Sun Yufeng nodded briefly before hurrying off with her basket.

Zhou Xiaoling was well aware of the tension between Lin Xiaoxiao and the neighbors. She watched Sun Yufeng leave, then whispered, "Sun Yufeng's husband is Zhong Zhiguo's driver."

That explained it. Zhou Huai'an must have asked Zhong Zhiguo to keep an eye on her, and Zhong had presumably instructed the driver, who then passed it along to his wife. Otherwise, most men wouldn't bother with women's squabbles.

Xiaoling fished the melon rind out of the chicken coop, looking puzzled. "I'm sure we didn't collect the eggs yesterday. Why are there none today?"

Lin Xiaoxiao never gathered the eggs herself—she was afraid the hens would peck her—so that task always fell to Xiaoling. She hadn't paid much attention to the count. "Are you sure you didn't forget?"

Xiaoling carefully latched the coop and came closer, lowering her voice. "Someone must be stealing them. These three hens lay two eggs a day, every day."

That made sense. But who would steal their eggs? The only person she could think of was Zhang Yimei's mother-in-law.

While she and Xiaoling were at work, the house was empty. It wouldn't be hard for someone to hop the fence and help themselves.

Xiaoling clicked her tongue. "I'm still mad about the bike, and now someone's stealing our eggs?"

Those eggs were nutrition for her future nephew!

Lin Xiaoxiao wasn't as angry, but she refused to be taken advantage of. If someone stole from her, she would make sure they paid it back.

Neither of them was the type to make a public scene, so they put their heads together to plan how to catch the thief. It beat being bored.

They quickly settled on Old Mrs. Wang as the prime suspect. She'd been humiliated by both Lin Xiaoxiao and Li Yunlan and wasn't likely to confront them openly. But sneaking around? That fit her character perfectly.

Xiaoling grinned mischievously. "Tomorrow, I'll pretend to go to work, then sneak back through the rear window and hide inside. When she comes for the eggs, I'll jump out and scare her half to death."

Lin Xiaoxiao had to laugh. "I didn't know you had such a devious side."

Xiaoling puffed up with pride. "This is nothing. I've got even better ideas, but I can't say—wouldn't want to corrupt my nephew."

"What if it's a niece?"

Xiaoling thought it over. "Better to have a son. My mom seems easygoing, but she's a bit traditional—if you give her a grandson, she'll probably hand over all her hidden treasures."

"If she heard you say that, she'd tan your hide."

The two sat close together, chatting and laughing quietly. Their hushed conversation only made Old Mrs. Wang next door more curious as she did laundry.

What were they talking about? Had they noticed the missing eggs? Since Lin Xiaoxiao hadn't made a scene, she probably hadn't.

The day before, she'd heard the hens clucking in the morning, and by afternoon, no one had gathered the eggs. Seizing the chance before Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhou Xiaoling returned from work, she'd sneaked over and taken two.

She'd been green with envy ever since Lin Xiaoxiao bought those three hens from Dong Hongmei at a bargain. Too stingy to buy eggs regularly yet wanting to feed her grandson, she usually bought five eggs at a time—one per day for the child, while the adults went without.

With only her son Wang Wenju's income supporting the whole family, plus saving to renovate their old home and marry off her younger son, every penny counted. She couldn't resist taking what she could from her son's household.

It grated on her to see Zhou Huai'an and Lin Xiaoxiao living so well—both working, eating meat regularly, the delicious smells wafting into her yard.

She especially couldn't stand that it was Lin Xiaoxiao's family doing so well. So she'd taken the eggs.

Seeing no reaction from Lin Xiaoxiao or Zhou Xiaoling, she assumed they hadn't noticed and smugly went back inside. She found Zhang Yimei feeding an egg to the child with a sullen expression, and her temper flared again.

"Who are you scowling at? A wife like you deserves a beating."

Zhang Yimei stayed silent. Any response would only provoke the old woman more.

After ranting for a while, Mrs. Wang watched her grandson enjoy the egg and couldn't help boasting to Zhang Yimei, "Look how happy he is. Tastes good, doesn't it? Free eggs always do. Grandma will boil you another one soon."

That made Zhang Yimei suspicious. "Ma, you didn't buy these eggs? I gave you money for eggs yesterday."

"Who else would've bought them?" the old woman snapped. "You think I stole them?!"

Pleased with herself, she lay down on her narrow bed, planning to steal another egg in a day or two. Hens didn't lay every day, after all.

The next day, Zhou Xiaoling put their plan into action. She and Lin Xiaoxiao made a show of leaving for work together, then Xiaoling secretly circled back and climbed in through a rear window. She hid inside, waiting.

Around ten o'clock, the hens began clucking loudly after laying.

Xiaoling rose from her cot and peered through the curtains, watching for movement outside.