“Did the Qi family Furang say something to you? How dare he—” The woman’s first reaction was that Qi Yuze was behind this, leaving Mu Simiao utterly perplexed.
“It wasn’t him who complained. It’s just that when I got up today, I saw how young the child was, yet had nothing to eat but weeds and plain water. How could I possibly feel at ease squandering money outside?” As she spoke, Mu Simiao raised her sleeve to dab at the corner of her eye, pretending to wipe away tears.
As a veteran of palace intrigue dramas, her acting skills were more than enough to deceive the woman.
Sure enough, upon hearing Mu Simiao’s words, the woman’s attitude softened considerably compared to before, clearly convinced by her explanation.
“But raising children is ultimately a man’s responsibility. You shouldn’t interfere too much, or you’ll surely become a laughingstock,” the woman cautioned. Though unsure of the reason, Mu Simiao nodded in agreement.
The return journey was pitch black. Mu Simiao carefully avoided the mud puddle from earlier based on memory, but the woman forgot about it and stepped right in, cursing as she shook the mud off her cloth boots.
Mu Simiao smirked in the darkness, only letting her expression fall when they reached her doorstep. “You can go back now, and there’s no need to come looking for me in the future.”
After saying this, she pushed open the half-ajar wooden door. The flickering light inside indicated that Qi Yuze was still awake.
Having developed the habit of closing doors behind her since childhood, Mu Simiao shut the door with a “bang!”—causing the already precarious half of the door to slam to the ground.
The inner door slowly creaked open. Mu Simiao turned to see Qi Yuze cautiously peeking out.
His wary expression instantly transformed into delight upon seeing Mu Simiao. He pushed the door open and hurried over to her with quick, light steps. “Mu Niang, why have you returned?”
“Hm?” Mu Simiao was somewhat confused. “It’s late, I’ve come back to sleep.”
Qi Yuze’s expression told her that the original owner of this body apparently not returning at night was the norm. Then again, someone who didn’t even care about her own child probably frequenting brothels was to be expected.
Mu Simiao patted his shoulder, finally understanding why Qi Yuze had been hesitant to speak when the woman came for her that evening. “I won’t be going to Qing Shu Pavilion anymore.”
Qi Yuze’s face lit up with joy, but the sparkle in his eyes dimmed almost immediately. “This humble one understands.”
His demeanor was clearly off. Had the original owner said something like this to him before? Mu Simiao sighed softly, screaming internally: How do I salvage you, my reputation?
But what’s done is done. Better to bathe and sleep for now.
She entered the inner room first, waiting until Qi Yuze followed before suddenly speaking up. “Oh, by the way, one of the door panels fell off earlier. I’ll fix it tomorrow.”
As she spoke, she moved to the edge of the bed, looking at the plump, fair-skinned baby girl he had raised. Her gaze towards Qi Yuze grew even more sympathetic, though she had never cared for a child before and couldn’t really help with this.
After a night of running around, Mu Simiao was covered in dust. The well in the courtyard could draw water to heat for bathing.
She turned to Qi Yuze. “You go to sleep first. I’ll join you after I bathe.”
With that, she headed towards the kitchen. Footsteps followed closely behind her, only stopping when they reached the kitchen. Mu Simiao sighed in mild exasperation. “Aren’t you tired?”
Qi Yuze shook his head, deftly picking up a wooden bucket from the floor. He went to the courtyard, drew a bucket of water, and poured it into the iron pot before turning to ask Mu Simiao, “Mu Niang, is this enough water?”
Just needing to rinse off the sweat, Mu Simiao nodded, and Qi Yuze set down the wooden bucket. With a few quick movements, he lit the fire and added firewood to the stove.
A beauty like Qi Yuze truly shouldn’t be doing such rough work. Mu Simiao stood before him and had just raised her hand when Qi Yuze suddenly covered his head, the scars on his wrist glaringly visible to her eyes.
The scene felt familiar, as if she had seen it in some domestic dramas. Damn it, the original body’s owner had actually been abusive—making it even harder to redeem her character.
Mu Simiao awkwardly withdrew her hand, her expression embarrassed. “I can handle it myself. Go check on Yue’er. The bed is too high—make sure she doesn’t fall.”
Hearing Mu Simiao’s concern for their daughter, Qi Yuze immediately stood up and bowed to her, then lifted the hem of his robe and hurried into the inner room.
It seemed children were better at stirring his emotions. Mu Simiao continued stuffing firewood into the stove. Once the water boiled, the question of where to bathe became a problem.
Mu Simiao searched the entire courtyard and finally found a relatively secluded spot. She first fetched a set of undergarments from the inner room, then carried the wooden bucket to the corner.
She made quick work of it, rinsing off hastily and changing into the undergarments. After putting away the bucket, she found a new toothbrush made from a willow twig, dipped it in plant ash to clean her teeth, and then walked back into the room feeling refreshed.
Qi Yuze was leaning against the head of the bed, gently patting the little girl’s back. When he heard the door open, he abruptly turned his head, his eyes filled with terror.
This fear wouldn’t vanish overnight. Mu Simiao pretended not to notice and sat down on a nearby chair, pouring herself a cup of water.
Thinking it over carefully, although the two had been intimate as husband and wife, that was the original body’s doing. To her, Qi Yuze was just a stranger. The more she thought about it, the harder it became to accept, so she stood up and headed outside.
Qi Yuze had been watching her all along. As she was about to leave, he hurriedly got out of bed, not even taking time to put on his shoes.
He grabbed Mu Simiao’s sleeve, his voice trembling with tears. “Mu Niang, please don’t go…”
Unlike the impression Lan Tian gave her, Qi Yuze bit his lip, looking aggrieved, his fingers clutching tightly. When Mu Simiao looked at him, though reluctant to let go, he eventually released his grip.
He lowered his gaze, his waist-length hair cascading over his shoulders and chest. The stray strands in front of his forehead partially obscured his face but couldn’t hide his dejected mood.
Mu Simiao suddenly recalled his plea from earlier in the evening—”Don’t divorce me.” It seemed the original body had used this threat against him before.
“It’s too hot—I’m just going out to catch some breeze.” Mu Simiao couldn’t help but raise her hand to pat his head. She had once owned a Maine Coon cat—large in size but gentle in nature, somewhat resembling Qi Yuze.
“Are you telling the truth, Mu Niang?” Qi Yuze’s eyes shimmered with fragmented light. For the first time, he felt the warmth of Mu Simiao’s palm, not just pain.
“It’s true.” Mu Simiao nodded to him, then stepped outside and stood in the courtyard, gazing upward. The dark night was studded with countless stars—she had never seen such a pure night sky in the modern world.
Perhaps her arrival here was fate. If so, she might as well accept it. Maybe once she achieved success in her endeavors, she would naturally return to the modern era. Her existence must be meant to save Qi Yuze from his plight.
After convincing herself, Mu Simiao looked at the fallen door plank and the overgrown weeds filling the courtyard, letting out a heavy sigh. It seemed tomorrow would bring a tough battle.
When she entered the room, Qi Yuze was already asleep, lying on his side at the outer edge of the bed, so close to the edge that a slight turn could send him tumbling down.
Mu Simiao stepped lightly across, shifting the baby girl further inward, then patted his shoulder. When he drowsily opened his eyes, she said softly, “Move further in, so you don’t fall and get hurt.”
Qi Yuze looked bewildered, and it wasn’t until Mu Simiao reminded him again that he suddenly understood, his ears flushing red as he shifted toward her.
Although the child lay between them and Qi Yuze didn’t touch Mu Simiao, he still felt a sense of comfort.
From their wedding day until now, Mu Simiao had touched him only a handful of times, and even those few instances were done under pressure from Mu Laotai.
The rest of the time, she was either heading to Qing Shu Pavilion with that woman she met today or out indulging in revelry. Even on the night he gave birth, Mu Simiao had simply slept drunkenly until dawn.
It was all because she had once had a childhood sweetheart, but Mu Laotai had forced her to marry Qi Yuze. When that sweetheart learned of their marriage, he tried to drown himself in the river. Though he was saved, he eventually married someone else, and Mu Simiao blamed Qi Yuze for everything.
Not only did she regard him as a thorn in her side, but she also showed no affection for their child.
But today, she seemed different. Qi Yuze couldn’t quite put his finger on why, so he simply watched quietly as she slept on her side.
Surprisingly, despite such a chaotic routine, Mu Simiao managed to adjust by the next day. After dressing, brushing her teeth, and stepping into the courtyard, she gazed at the rising sun and felt a rare sense of peace and tranquility.
Qi Yuze was cooking in the kitchen. Seizing the moment, Mu Simiao strolled toward the fields, following the location noted on the land deed.
She had planned to ask a farmer if she couldn’t find the place, but as she reached the hillside, she saw only two plots overgrown with weeds.
Mu Simiao’s plot lay in a depression on the hillside, where it would inevitably collect water during rain unless filled with soil. It was utterly unsuitable for farming but would make a fine spot for raising fish.
The other plot was level but situated behind the hill, where sunlight never reached. Even if vegetables were planted there, they would likely struggle to grow.
After inspecting both plots, she returned to the courtyard and, upon entering, heard Qi Yuze call out.
“Mu Niang, it’s time to eat.”
Mu Simiao acknowledged him, washed her hands, and sat on the stone stool beside the kitchen.
On the stone table were two bowls of plain water and another bowl of Huihuicai. This time, however, he had taken Mu Simiao’s advice from the previous day and picked only the tender shoots.
Though still unpalatable, it was far better than yesterday’s toxic fare. Yet, this was no long-term solution.
Mu Simiao finished the dry flatbread in a few bites, then took out the land deed from her robe, intending to ask Qi Yuze’s opinion—after all, the deed was in his name.
“I’m thinking of selling your field. Do you think it’s possible?”
Qi Yuze, holding the child in his arms, had been cherishing the rare moment of harmony between them when he was caught off guard by her words. His face instantly turned ashen. Could her change yesterday have been all about wanting to sell the land deed?
Seeing his visible despondence, Mu Simiao assumed he was reluctant to part with the field. She was about to suggest selling her own plot instead when, before she could speak, she heard his relieved sigh: “As Mu Niang wishes.”
Although neither field was particularly good, his own plot could be used to raise fish fry, and for growing vegetables, he could first cultivate the land in the courtyard. As for Qi Yuze’s field, it might be better to sell it for silver to alleviate their urgent needs.
After all, they couldn’t even afford flour and lacked carbohydrates, which would inevitably cause problems in the long run.