“Do you have any medicine?” Shen Meng patted Shang Hong, who was still lost in thought.
“What?”
“Medicine. Cold medicine.” Shen Meng said, “Didn’t you say you could help me during the beginner period? If I don’t take medicine, this cold could develop into pneumonia. If that happens, I’ll die in this ancient village where medical care is practically nonexistent.”
“I can get some.” Shang Hong said, “Wait until Bai Jinxi falls asleep tonight. Take her with you to my house. I have medicine there.”
Shen Meng nodded.
“Oh, right. You said the first mission was to eat at the table. What does that mean?”
“Ever since Shen Meng’s father, Shen Fugui, died, the Shen family forced Shen Meng and her mother to live in the woodshed. They aren’t even allowed to eat with the family. They’re only given leftovers.” Shang Hong explained, “The first mission is to return to the table with Bai Jinxi and eat with the rest of the family.”
Shen Meng let out an angry scoff.
“Shouldn’t the first mission be to take back their original room? What kind of living arrangement is this? The woodshed is cold and damp. How could they possibly not get sick?”
“That is the second mission: go back to the room and sleep.” Shang Hong sat down on the bed as well.
Bai Jinxi came over carrying a tray and knocked on the door.
The door wasn’t even closed, but Bai Jinxi still knocked.
Something felt off to Shen Meng. She sat up straight and stared at Bai Jinxi without saying a word.
Bai Jinxi walked inside, placed the tray on the chest at the head of the bed, then pulled over a small wooden stool and sat down across from Shen Meng.
“I know you’re not my Meng’er.”
Bai Jinxi licked her cracked lips and looked into Shen Meng’s eyes. “The moment I saw your eyes, I knew you weren’t her.”
Shen Meng felt a little nervous. She hadn’t expected Bai Jinxi to be so direct and simply say it outright.
She didn’t respond, wanting to hear what Bai Jinxi would say next.
Only now did Shen Meng get a good look at Bai Jinxi.
Thankfully, she wasn’t Bai Jinxi.
Bai Jinxi was very beautiful, with gentle features and the refined air of a well-bred young lady. She didn’t look like a village woman at all. Years of hard labor had darkened and roughened the skin on her face and hands, but she was still fairer and smoother than most village women.
The skin visible between her collar and on her arms where she had rolled up her sleeves showed that her natural complexion had been the typical cool-toned fair skin.
“When I was still unmarried and living with my parents, I once read a book called Records of Strange Tales. There was a story in it about a person who happened to be brought back to life in another body.” Bai Jinxi continued, “I know I’m useless as a mother. I didn’t have the money to hire a physician and buy medicine for Meng’er. But I never imagined that she would be gone after just one night.”
At this point, Bai Jinxi lowered her head and wiped away a tear.
“Still, perhaps this isn’t such a bad thing. Meng’er was weak and timid, and she never knew how to plan for herself. In this cruel world, where people can devour one another, I was always afraid she wouldn’t be able to protect herself… Since you’ve taken over Meng’er’s body, if you’re willing, I’ll love and care for you just as I did her.”
Bai Jinxi rubbed the front of her clothes between her fingers.
“Although I can’t give you much either. I can’t even… protect my own Meng’er.”
As she spoke, Bai Jinxi covered her face and began to cry. She tried not to make a sound, but her thin shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
The sight twisted Shen Meng’s heart into a mess.
She desperately held back her tears, leaned forward, and patted Bai Jinxi on the shoulder.
“It’s okay. From now on, I’ll protect you.”
“Shen Meng! You little brat! You’ve gotten pretty bold, haven’t you?! How dare you hit my mother and my sister!”
Before the person even appeared, the angry voice of a man had already reached them.
“It’s the second son of the second branch.” Bai Jinxi stood up and looked outside. “He’s the second son of that woman, Wang Cui’e, whom you hit today.”
Shen Meng patted Bai Jinxi on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry. I don’t care whose son he is.”
As they spoke, Shen Baozhong stormed into the room like a gust of wind.
Shen Meng pulled Bai Jinxi behind her.
Shen Baozhong looked to be in his twenties. He had a lazy, swaggering air about him, with fair, smooth skin. He didn’t look like someone born into a farming family at all. He didn’t even look like a fisherman. He looked more like some pampered young master.
“Shen Meng…”
Shen Baozhong raised a hand and pointed at Shen Meng, but before he could finish speaking, Shen Meng kicked him square in the chest.
Just like his mother, he was sent flying into the courtyard.
Shen Meng took several quick steps and leaped into the courtyard, planting one foot on Shen Baozhong’s chest as he lay sprawled on the ground, still completely dazed.
“Listen carefully. We’re not chopping wood or cooking today. Don’t come bother us again. If you have something to say, wait until Grandfather and the others return, and we’ll settle it together.”
After saying that, Shen Meng lifted her foot.
“Get lost!”
Shen Baozhong pushed himself into a sitting position and pointed at Shen Meng.
“You little brat! Are you rebelling today?!”
Shen Meng wasn’t very good at arguing. She felt she still needed more practice, but now that she had absolute strength, there was no need to waste her breath when she could simply use her fists.
She slapped him across the face.
She hadn’t even used much force, but Shen Baozhong was still knocked flat onto the ground. The entire left side of his face swelled up instantly, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His head was buzzing from the blow, and he lay on the ground completely unable to move.
“I still haven’t gotten the hang of my strength. What if I actually killed him?” Shen Meng looked at her hand. “Murder in ancient times gets you executed, right? Even though I can revive infinitely, getting my head chopped off would hurt like hell.”
Shang Hong walked over and checked Shen Baozhong, who was lying on the ground. Then she stood up, walked over to Shen Meng, and smacked the raised hand she was staring at.
“He’s fine. You just knocked him senseless. He’ll recover in a little while.”
“Oh, good.”
“Still, you really should get familiar with your strength first. You really are the type who would rather hit someone than argue.”
“What else am I supposed to do? Why else would I have this much strength? Just to look at it?” Shen Meng said. “I’m not very good at cursing people out anyway.”
Bai Jinxi watched Shen Meng talking to herself. She took one step out of the doorway, then quickly pulled it back.
Shen Meng turned around to head inside and found herself face-to-face with Bai Jinxi.
Bai Jinxi panicked, her hands and feet suddenly at a loss.
“I… well…”
Shen Meng raised her index finger to her lips.
Bai Jinxi immediately covered her mouth and nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick.
Shen Baozhong finally recovered. Covering his face, he struggled into a sitting position.
Bai Jinxi suddenly grabbed Shen Meng and pulled her behind herself.
“He’s awake.”
Shen Meng realized what was happening and waved a hand at Shen Baozhong.
Shen Baozhong immediately scrambled away on all fours.
“Who would’ve thought someone as thin and scrawny as you could be so strong.”
Shen Meng patted the hand Bai Jinxi still had wrapped tightly around her arm.
Bai Jinxi realized what she was doing and immediately let go. She twisted her hands nervously in her clothes and became flustered again.
Shen Meng took Bai Jinxi’s hand.
“From now on, we’ll live the way we should. I… took over your daughter’s body, so I’m your daughter now. From now on, I’ll take care of you, protect you, and support you in your old age.”
At the mention of her daughter, Bai Jinxi’s eyes filled with tears again. She lowered her head and wiped them away.
“Thank you. But… I don’t have much ability. I can’t give you anything…”
“You don’t need to give me anything. I took over your daughter’s body, so I’m the one who owes you.” Shen Meng said, “The Shen family treats you so harshly. We’ll separate from them and live on our own.”
“We can’t.” Bai Jinxi said, “Women aren’t allowed to establish their own households in the Great Xia Kingdom. They have to depend on a man. It’s also my own fault for being useless and failing to give birth to a son. If I’d had a son, I wouldn’t have had to bring Meng’er here and live under someone else’s roof, at their mercy.”
“In the Great Xia Kingdom, a boy can establish his own household once he turns eight.”
“What?!” Shen Meng could hardly believe her ears. “An eight-year-old child can establish his own household, but an adult woman can’t?!”
“There’s nothing we can do. That’s what the law says. It’s been that way for hundreds of years.” Bai Jinxi said.
“Then do you have any relatives left on your side of the family? Can’t you go back to your parents’ home?” Shen Meng asked again.
“My parents are both gone. I was their only daughter, and I didn’t have much of a bond with my relatives. There’s no one left in my family. That’s why, before my father died, he entrusted me to Shen Fugui, an honest and kind man.”
“My father was the county yamen’s secretary, and Shen Fugui was a constable there. Fugui treated me very well. I never expected him to die so young. Five years ago, he fell off a cliff while pursuing bandits and died. Just a few months later, my father suddenly passed away from heart disease. My mother had already died of illness seven years ago.”
Shen Meng sighed.
“I was going to suggest that we separate from the family and live on our own. But now it seems that road is completely blocked. For the time being, we’ll have to keep living with the Shen family.”