“What?!”
Song Zhuowei froze, then promptly choked on a mouthful of rice and broke into a fit of coughing.
Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Grandma Song handed him a handkerchief.
“I only asked casually, and look how scared you got! …Looks like you really did take advantage of that poor girl!”
In an instant, Grandma Song imagined an entire dramatic story in her head.
She immediately continued,
“Tell me right now where is that girl? Our Song family has its dignity! We don’t abandon women after ruining their reputation!”
“Take me to her at once!”
“We’re going to propose marriage and settle this properly!”
After finally swallowing the rice, Song Zhuowei replied with a dark expression,
“Grandma!”
“Where did you hear such ridiculous gossip?”
“That’s complete nonsense!”
“I was carrying out my duties and rescuing someone!”
“When did I ever take advantage of her?”
Grandma Song grabbed his ear and twisted it.
“Don’t play dumb with me!”
“More than one person saw you carrying that girl!”
“When have you ever carried a woman like that before?”
“Every time you’ve rescued someone in the past, you’ve either carried them on your back or slung them over your shoulder!”
“Since when did you start cradling girls in your arms?”
“If you’d shown this much initiative earlier, I’d have gotten you married ages ago!”
“That’s enough!”
“Stop eating!”
The more she talked, the angrier she became.
She reached over and snatched his chopsticks away.
“Still eating? Eating what?”
“Missing one meal won’t kill you!”
“Come on!”
“We’re going to find that girl!”
“Grandma, calm down.”
With just one hand, Song Zhuowei gently pulled her back.
She stumbled, nearly losing her balance.
As a child in the old society, Grandma Song had been forced to bind her feet.
Combined with her naturally petite frame, she was no match for her tall, powerfully built grandson.
After being pulled back, she angrily thumped his shoulder several times.
“You brat!”
“Don’t use those Sea Guard training moves on your own grandmother!”
The moment his grandmother lost her temper, Song Zhuowei immediately surrendered.
With helpless patience, he coaxed her.
“Grandma, listen to me.”
“It’s really not what you think.”
“There’s nothing between that girl and me.”
“If there’s any connection at all…”
“She’s a victim.”
“Her family’s belongings were stolen by sea pirates.”
“My job is to recover them for her as soon as possible.”
Grandma Song held her forehead in frustration.
She never should have believed Dr. Zhang’s nonsense that afternoon.
Had her grandson finally awakened to romance?
No.
Not at all.
Still…
She decided she had to meet the girl Dr. Zhang had mentioned.
What if she really was suitable?
The Song family needed descendants as soon as possible!
After returning to Widow Village, Lin Xizhi felt completely at ease, as though a fish had finally returned to water.
On her first night staying at Aunt Hui’s house, she slept more peacefully than she had in years.
The world was vast.
But the only place that truly felt like home…
…was where the people who genuinely loved her were.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t allowed to sleep in late.
Because…
“Get up!”
Before dawn had even broken, Aunt Hui stormed in holding two pairs of herb-cutting scissors with red thread wrapped around their handles.
“You’re coming up the mountain with me to gather herbs!”
Still drowsy, Lin Xizhi’s frail body felt too weak to muster any strength.
The spiritual spring water she’d drunk yesterday had only neutralized the effects of the aphrodisiac and driven out the chill she’d caught after being immersed in cold water.
It had relieved the alternating waves of heat and cold.
But…
Her fundamentally weak constitution couldn’t be repaired by a single drink.
Lin Xizhi estimated that she’d probably need to drink the spring water continuously for at least ten days to half a month before seeing noticeable improvement.
Slowly but surely.
Though her body still felt miserable, she obediently followed Aunt Hui up the mountain.
At this time, the mountains remained completely undeveloped.
Wild grasses grew everywhere, and jagged rocks covered the terrain.
The farther they climbed…
The harder the path became.
Even with Aunt Hui leading the way, hacking through the brush with a sickle…
Lin Xizhi struggled to keep up.
At times she was nearly swallowed by dense weeds and tangled vines.
“Keep up!”
Aunt Hui scolded impatiently.
“Stop dragging your feet.”
“You’re slowing me down.”
Gritting her teeth, Lin Xizhi hurried after her.
Dry branches and coarse stalks scratched her ankles, leaving countless thin cuts.
She silently endured the pain.
Following Aunt Hui’s instructions, she spent the morning picking, digging, and harvesting medicinal herbs.
By the time they returned…
Her hands and legs were covered in cuts.
Even her snow-white face had somehow acquired a long gash nearly half the length of her palm.
The skin around the wound had curled open slightly, and traces of blood were visible.
Just looking at it made people’s hearts ache.
Especially Grandma Song.
She had come early that morning intending to inspect the girl herself to see what her future granddaughter-in-law looked like on Song Zhuowei’s behalf.
Before Aunt Hui and her apprentice returned, Grandma Song had been sitting in Widow Village chatting with several old acquaintances while snacking on boiled peanuts.
The moment she saw the two women approaching from afar…
One look at Lin Xizhi’s graceful figure and delicate appearance was enough.
In Grandma Song’s heart…
She had already accepted the girl as her future granddaughter-in-law.
As they drew closer and she got a better look…
Grandma Song could already imagine what her future great-grandchildren would look like.
What a wonderful girl.
She’s absolutely beautiful.
Like an immortal maiden stepping out of an ancient painting.
If that brat Zhuowei could marry a wife this lovely…
The Song ancestors would truly be smiling from their graves.
Only…
The girl had somehow become Aunt Hui’s apprentice.
That complicated things considerably.
Smiling, Grandma Song greeted Aunt Hui as if casually asking,
“Aunt Hui, what is it about this girl that caught your eye?”
“What makes her better than everyone else?”
“You’ve never wanted to take on an apprentice before.”
“So why did you accept an outsider like her?”
Aunt Hui had never liked the Song family.
In her eyes, every one of them was overbearing, forceful, and domineering.
They weren’t her kind of people.
So despite Grandma Song’s sterling reputation throughout the commune, Aunt Hui’s attitude remained as blunt and cold as ever.
“I’ve never needed to explain my decisions to anyone.”
“Your Song family doesn’t practice medicine.”
“So why do you care so much?”
Grandma Song wasn’t offended.
She simply continued,
“I don’t actually care what you do.”
“I just think this little girl’s skin is so delicate.”
“If she keeps working under you, sooner or later that pretty face will be ruined.”
“Tsk, tsk…”
“Just look at that cut on her face.”
“It’s so long!”
“If you don’t put medicine on it immediately, it’ll leave a scar.”
“If her face ends up scarred, that’ll be a real shame.”
Aunt Hui stepped sideways, blocking Grandma Song’s view of Lin Xizhi.
She glared coldly at her.
“She’s my apprentice now.”
“Her affairs are mine to handle.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting.”
“She’s not getting married.”
“You’d better give up that idea.”
Grandma Song simply leaned around Aunt Hui and smiled at Lin Xizhi.
“My dear child, your master is just talking nonsense, isn’t she?”
“You’re so young and beautiful.”
“You’re really not planning to marry?”
“Are you honestly going to stay with this old spinster and live as a widow for the rest of your life?”
Lin Xizhi fell completely silent.
She didn’t dare get involved in the argument between the two elders.
Meanwhile, Aunt Hui casually twirled her sharp herb-cutting scissors in one hand.
Half joking, half threatening, she said,
“If she stays with me for life…”
“The worst she’ll suffer is a little hard work.”
“She’ll just have to do some chores every day.”
“But if you trick her into marrying into your Song family…”
“She’ll have to risk her own life bearing children and continuing your family line.”
“Which one’s the real pit of misery?”
“The answer is obvious.”