The last patch of baical skullcap in the fields was harvested once it matured and purchased by Shen Dusong’s friend.
Bai Xing used the excuse of coming to help with the work to get close to Song Jiayan.
“Brother Jiayan, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
Bai Xing began, “Last time, I saw Sister Mosheng sitting in front of the house, chatting with that man surnamed Shen for quite a while. Brother Jiayan, there’s something I don’t know whether I should say, but I feel like Sister Mosheng has been acting strangely lately.”
“Also, Brother Jiayan, rumors have been spreading throughout the village that you fell out with your family because of Sister Mosheng.”
Song Jiayan frowned.
Bai Xing continued, “I know this wasn’t what you wanted. You were forced into it. Sister Mosheng is too domineering. I can tell that you’re never really happy when you’re with her.”
Song Jiayan finally understood what Bai Xing was getting at.
He didn’t bother wasting any more words and bluntly said, “You don’t need to come looking for me anymore.”
Bai Xing froze for a moment, her body stiffening.
“Why?”
“Because Mosheng hates women who spread rumors and stir up trouble more than anything,” Song Jiayan replied. “And so do I.”
Bai Xing felt as though she had been struck by lightning.
She understood exactly what Song Jiayan meant.
Desperately trying to keep her tears from falling, Bai Xing attempted to explain herself.
“Brother Jiayan, I—”
Before she could finish, Lu Mosheng walked over.
She took out a few yuan and handed the money to Bai Xing.
“Here, take this.”
Bai Xing stared at her in confusion.
“Sister Mosheng, what are you doing?”
Lu Mosheng replied calmly, “You came here to help without saying a word. Those who know the truth might think you’re kindhearted and eager to help. Those who don’t might think you have feelings for Song Jiayan. You’re willing to put in the effort, but I’d feel bad not paying you. Otherwise, if word gets around, it could damage your reputation.”
Bai Xing stared at the money in Lu Mosheng’s hand. To her, it was as glaring as a knife pointed straight at her.
Several village women who had finished washing their clothes had gathered by the field to watch the commotion while the baical skullcap was being sold.
Lu Mosheng’s voice wasn’t particularly loud, but it wasn’t quiet either. Bai Xing understood that her words weren’t meant just for her. Lu Mosheng was also speaking for the benefit of the onlookers.
Digging her fingernails deep into her palms, Bai Xing desperately suppressed the complicated emotions rising inside her.
Finally, she reached out and accepted the money from Lu Mosheng.
At the same time, she heard Lu Mosheng continue, “Keep the money. From now on, there’s no need to come here and work for free. You’re a young woman, so you should spend more time at home helping your parents. Especially since you’re still unmarried, you should cherish the time you have with them.”
The meaning behind Lu Mosheng’s words was obvious.
Anyone who wasn’t a fool could understand exactly what she was implying.
Bai Xing glanced sideways and saw the village women whispering among themselves after hearing Lu Mosheng’s words.
“This Bai Xing is still just a young girl, yet she’s constantly running over to someone else’s fields. Who wouldn’t see through her intentions?”
“Song Jiayan’s wife is warning Bai Xing. Honestly, I don’t know how her parents raised her. She’s a perfectly good young woman, yet she doesn’t know how to behave.”
“No matter how bad Song Jiayan’s wife might be, she’s still the woman he legally married. Why can’t Bai Xing learn something decent instead of imitating Widow Li from the village entrance, always throwing herself at a married man?”
Perhaps they assumed Bai Xing couldn’t hear them, because they continued gossiping quite enthusiastically.
After hearing their words, Bai Xing’s face turned deathly pale.
Clutching the money tightly in her hand, she strode toward the women who were gossiping.
“Your mouths stink so badly. Were you dung beetles in your previous lives or something?”
The women immediately fell silent.
One of them, a woman wearing a brightly patterned shirt and carrying a washbasin, rolled her eyes at Bai Xing.
“If you dare to do it, why can’t people talk about it? You keep coming to Song Jiayan’s place every other day. Are you going to tell me you don’t have feelings for him?”
“Honestly, what a joke! You’re a young, unmarried woman in the prime of your life, yet instead of behaving yourself, you insist on copying those shameless women. If I had a daughter like you, I’d break her legs!”
After saying that, the woman in the floral shirt picked up her washbasin and left. The other women followed her, leaving Bai Xing standing alone where she was.
Her expression was so terrible that it was almost impossible to look at her.
She could no longer hold back her tears. They streamed down her face like beads spilling from a broken string.
She tore the money Lu Mosheng had given her into shreds.
With her eyes bloodshot, she turned and shot Lu Mosheng a vicious glare before running away as fast as she could.