Jiang Yutong was extremely unhappy. She had just been angered by Wang Chunhua, and now, after saving someone, she was somehow being blamed for it.
“Where I go is none of your business. I only told you because I was worried you might cause me trouble. I wasn’t asking for your opinion.”
Xiao Yifeng’s expression was unreadable.
“Either way, you can’t go to the county town right now.”
Who knew whether this woman was planning to go into town and report him?
Jiang Yutong rolled her eyes.
“Are you afraid I’ll go to the county town and report you?”
She gave an exasperated smile.
“You’re overthinking it. If I wanted to report you, why would I have saved you?”
She added another explanation.
“You’ve been poisoned. I have to go to the county town to get some medicine for you.”
Xiao Yifeng wasn’t sure whether he should believe her.
Seeing that he was still hesitating, Jiang Yutong said, “Even if I reported you, I wouldn’t gain anything from it. After all, I saved you.”
“By the way, do you have any money? The medicine is probably going to cost quite a bit.”
In the end, Xiao Yifeng chose to trust Jiang Yutong. He reached into his clothes and pulled out a banknote.
“Take this and use it for now.”
Jiang Yutong stared at the hundred-tael banknote, her eyes widening.
This was the largest-denomination banknote she had seen since coming to this world.
She looked Xiao Yifeng up and down.
Could this man actually be wealthy?
“With this much money, I can buy some cloth and have two sets of clothes made for you. Is there anything else you want? I’ll buy it all at once.”
Seeing the money, Jiang Yutong’s attitude toward Xiao Yifeng improved considerably.
Seeing her obvious love of money, Xiao Yifeng inexplicably felt relieved.
“As long as you can save me, I’ll give you another sum of money afterward. I’ll make sure you have enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”
Jiang Yutong smiled brightly.
“Deal! I’ll definitely save you.”
In the end, Jiang Yutong happily walked out with the banknote.
After getting everything at home in order and feeding Banban and the chicks, she slung the bamboo basket over her back and headed out.
There were quite a few things she needed to buy in town today.
Jiang Yutong went to the large banyan tree at the edge of the village to see if there was a cattle cart going into town.
Unexpectedly, she saw that Wang Chunhua hadn’t left yet. She was talking animatedly with several people about something.
The moment everyone saw Jiang Yutong approaching, they immediately fell silent and moved a little farther away from Wang Chunhua.
Wang Chunhua gave an awkward smile.
“I’ll just walk home. Who knows when this cattle cart will come?”
The others smiled but didn’t respond.
Jiang Yutong ignored her and sat beneath the tree by herself to wait for the cart.
One of the women who was familiar with Jiang Yutong smiled and greeted her.
“Yutong, where are you going?”
Jiang Yutong smiled.
“I’m going into town to buy a few things.”
It was Auntie Wu from the village. Upon hearing this, she sat down beside Jiang Yutong.
“Perfect. I’m going into town too. We can keep each other company.”
She leaned closer and lowered her voice.
“Your stepmother was saying quite a few nasty things about you just now. You need to be careful. That butcher Ma isn’t a good man.”
Jiang Yutong thanked Auntie Wu for her concern.
“I’ll be careful.”
Another woman, Auntie Dong, overheard them and joined in.
“My maternal family lives in the same village as that butcher Ma. Yutong, whatever you do, don’t agree to this marriage. His previous wife was beaten to death by him.”
Auntie Wu immediately exclaimed, “That Wang Chunhua is absolutely wicked! Isn’t she pushing you straight into a pit of fire?”
Auntie Dong pulled Auntie Wu closer and began vividly describing the butcher Ma’s infamous deeds.
“You don’t know? His previous wife gave birth to three children for him. Whenever something didn’t go his way, he would beat and kick her. The whole village could hear the woman screaming. That butcher Ma is tall and strong. How could a woman possibly be his match? He didn’t just beat his wife—he beat the children too. His wife was trying to protect the children when he punched her in the head and beat her to death.”
Jiang Yutong remained silent the entire time.
She had known all along that Wang Chunhua wouldn’t have come with good intentions.
Fortunately, the cattle cart arrived at that moment, and everyone stopped talking before climbing aboard.
Once they were on the cart, Auntie Dong spoke earnestly to Jiang Yutong.
“Auntie is saying this for your own good. Whatever you do, don’t agree to this marriage.”
Jiang Yutong nodded.
“Thank you for looking out for me, Auntie. I understand.”
The cattle cart was faster than walking. Before long, they caught up with Wang Chunhua.
Wang Chunhua turned around and tried to stop the cart. When she saw Jiang Yutong sitting on it, she became even more eager to ride.
She figured she could get Jiang Yutong to pay her fare later.
“Give me a ride.”
The man driving the cart was known to everyone as Uncle Niu. He had listened to their conversation along the way and knew that Wang Chunhua was Jiang Yutong’s stepmother.
He didn’t even stop the cart.
“There’s no room.”
Wang Chunhua was furious.
There was clearly plenty of space. How could he say there was no room?
Uncle Niu muttered, “I’m not earning your dirty money. You’re heartless.”
Jiang Yutong felt a warmth in her heart.
Although there were plenty of vicious people like Wang Chunhua and Ning Yao’s mother, there were also kindhearted people like these two aunties and Uncle Niu.
She sincerely said to Uncle Niu, “Uncle, thank you. But it’s fine if you take her. I’m okay.”
Uncle Niu gave an honest smile.
“Uncle isn’t short of those few coins.”
The rest of the journey passed quietly.
The cattle cart finally arrived in the county town.
Auntie Dong got off at the entrance to Shanhe Village. After picking up and dropping off several passengers along the way, eventually only Auntie Wu and Jiang Yutong remained.
They agreed on a time to meet before heading home.
Jiang Yutong got off the cart with her bamboo basket on her back. She took out some flatbreads she had brought and gave two to Uncle Niu and two to Auntie Wu.
Jiang Yutong first went to the restaurant that Fang Hu had taken her to last time.
She called toward the kitchen, “Is Manager Liu here?”
Soon, a young apprentice came out.
“Are you looking for Manager Liu?”
Jiang Yutong politely said, “Could you please tell him that Jiang Yutong, the woman who sold him the recipe last time, would like to see him?”
“Of course. Please wait a moment.”
The young apprentice was very courteous.
Before long, Manager Liu came out.
“Oh, isn’t this Madam Jiang? I’ve been looking forward to seeing you!”
The flatbread recipe Jiang Yutong had sold him last time had been extremely useful. It had earned the restaurant quite a lot of money and brought Manager Liu considerable recognition. The owner had even specifically praised him for it.
Jiang Yutong smiled.
“Something came up at home, so I was delayed. Today, I’ve brought several cooking recipes for you. Would it be convenient for me to demonstrate them personally?”
Manager Liu couldn’t have been happier.
“Please, come inside.”
It was Jiang Yutong’s first time entering the kitchen of such a large restaurant. People were coming and going everywhere, and it was extremely busy. Several stoves were burning with large pots over the flames.
Manager Liu led Jiang Yutong to an unused stove in the corner.
“Madam Jiang, just tell me what ingredients you need.”
Jiang Yutong planned to sell Manager Liu the recipes for hot-and-sour shredded potatoes and fish with pickled vegetables.
“I need one fish, some potatoes, and some pickled vegetables.”
She glanced at the seasonings on the stove and discovered that they had everything she needed, so she said nothing more.
Manager Liu quickly ordered someone to bring over the ingredients Jiang Yutong requested.
He also called several chefs over to watch and learn.
As Jiang Yutong worked, she explained, “This dish is fish with pickled vegetables. The ingredients needed are fish and pickled vegetables.”
Several chefs stood around in a disorderly group, their faces filled with disdain.