As soon as Shen Ziying got home, she flew into a hysterical rage, smashing several cups, which made Liu Fenfang’s heart ache.
“Can’t you throw a tantrum without breaking things? Do you know a teacup like this costs ten wen in town?!”
“Ten wen? So what? I can earn way more than that! Which of these things in the house didn’t I buy myself? I don’t care about the little silver my father has!” Shen Ziying snapped, furious and unrestrained.
Before she was reborn, she had already been a big-time businesswoman, dealing in smuggled salt, government horses, and trading medicinal herbs, she had done it all. Back then, she even had an informant to guide her.
If it weren’t for the fact that this person’s business hadn’t yet reached the [1]“Jiangsu-Zhejiang area” refers to the region in eastern China that includes Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province. It’s a historically and economically significant area, known for its … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1842822_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1842822_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });Jiangsu-Zhejiang area, she would have rushed to join them long ago!
She had no intention of living through these days of poverty and hardship even for a single day!
Liu Fenfang was long used to her daughter’s temper. She herself had a fiery nature. When Shen Fugui and Shen Ziying were small, she often spanked them because they were so mischievous, always breaking things around the house.
As they grew older, Shen Fugui became impossible to discipline, and she could only let him roam freely outside.
But her daughter? She could still manage her, and Liu Fenfang hoped that one day Shen Ziying could marry well into a wealthy town family.
Recently, however, things had changed. Ever since the day Shen Ziying had a high fever that wouldn’t break, even after seeing a physician, she seemed like a different person. She kept saying she was going to earn big money, and to prove it, she even took a few medicinal herbs to sell in town.
Sure enough, she returned with sixteen taels of silver. Seeing her daughter actually make money, Liu Fenfang’s heart softened.
When Shen Hong found out, he praised his daughter as clever and capable of earning money, more capable than him, her father.
He collected the silver, saying it would go toward building a new house for Shen Fugui so he could marry.
Although Shen Ziying was angry, she understood.
She was also thinking of finding a good, strong young man for her brother, someone who could handle work well and help the large family.
Liu Fenfang agreed, while Shen Hong stayed neutral, only caring that he could soon hold a grandson, not whether his daughter-in-law was a girl or ge’er.
Meanwhile, Shen Ziying occasionally went to the mountains to gather herbs to sell, bringing in some money. The household had been living relatively comfortably lately.
But Shen Ziying still felt it wasn’t nearly enough. She wanted to earn enough money to last several lifetimes, and she wanted everyone in the world to look at her with admiration!
Liu Fenfang wrinkled her nose. “Why do you smell like urine?”
Shen Ziying, fuming with anger, grabbed whatever clothes she could and ran to the bathhouse, she had been too busy earlier smashing things in a rage.
“It’s all that bastard Shen Ruo’s kid’s fault! Peeing all over me!” Shen Ziying shouted indignantly.
Liu Fenfang wasn’t quite as angry. “Kids do that. You used to pee on me plenty of times when you were little.”
“That’s different!” Shen Ziying thought of how the other women had laughed when they saw what happened, and it felt like her heart was being pierced. Every single one of them was mocking her!
Shen Ziying fumed, “This is so unlucky! I thought the kid looked all pale and yellow, what if he’s sick? I have to wash up right away!”
“Forget about that family. By the way, Ziying, those livestock must be brought back to us, they’re the ones I’ve worked so hard to raise. We can’t just let them go!” Liu Fenfang said angrily at the thought.
“How can I get them back?!” Shen Ziying’s sharp voice echoed from the bathhouse. “The contract’s already signed in triplicate. What else can we do?”
“Then… we could find someone to steal the contract back,” Liu Fenfang suggested.
“That won’t work! If this gets out, what will people think of our family?” Shen Ziying disagreed. After a moment, she added, “I just got an idea.”
Liu Fenfang’s face brightened. “What’s the idea? Tell me!”
“Mother, aren’t grandpa and grandma going to return from Litun village soon?”
“According to the dates, they should arrive tomorrow,” Liu Fenfang said after thinking it over.
“Good. I’ve got a plan,” Shen Ziying said, a cold smirk curling her lips.
She instructed sharply, “Mother, bring me some soap pods, and peach blossom petals too!”
Liu Fenfang, unusually calm, happily went to help her daughter with her bath.
Shen Ziying squinted her eyes. She was determined, she would settle the score with Shen Ruo for being mocked!
ᘻᘿᓍᘺ
Shen Dashan’s house was lively today. In the small yard, a group of half-grown kids had gathered.
They had all come because Shen Ruo had asked Ergou to call them over, promising little trinkets for them, and the kids had followed without any hesitation.
Not a single one of them suspected a trick. Shen Ruo thought that this was the perfect opportunity to give them a small lesson on avoiding scams. The little heads nodded attentively as he spoke, and Shen Ruo suddenly realized he might actually have some potential as a kindergarten teacher.
It just so happened that yesterday he had bought a bunch of straw-woven crafts, and there were just enough to give out to these kids.
The village children didn’t have many toys, so when they received little straw grasshoppers or tiny cats, each of them was overjoyed.
Even though Shen Ruo had just had a baby, which by custom should have made the village kids start calling him “uncle,” the little ones looked at Shen Ruo, so young and pretty, and didn’t want to change how they addressed him.
“Brother Shen Ruo! Brother Shen Ruo!” they called in unison, their voices sweet and lively.
Shen Ruo signaled for everyone to quiet down and said, “I have something I’d like to ask for your help with.”
Hearing this, the little ones immediately felt important, like they were the big kids now and had to be reliable.
Shen Ruo was asking them for help! And with those cute little straw grasshoppers in hand, how could they refuse? They had to help!
“Brother Shen Ruo, just tell us! As long as it’s something I, Shen Dahu, can do, I’ll definitely help!” One of the plump white kids, clearly the leader of the group, stepped forward and spoke in an adult-like tone.
Ergou, a little shy, leaned against his uncle and raised his hand next.
“Ergou wants to help too!”
“I want to help!”
“I also want to help Brother Shen Ruo!”
Shen Ruo smiled and nodded, feeling like he had successfully become part of the kids’ group. He said, “I have a mother sheep at home. Yesterday afternoon, she got scared and gave birth prematurely. She almost died.”
The little ones all furrowed their brows upon hearing this.
Shen Dahu asked, “Premature birth… does that mean she suddenly had to give birth to lambs?”
“Yes. She wasn’t supposed to give birth at this time, so she was rolling around in pain.”
“Maybe some bad guy scared her, that’s why it happened!” A particularly imaginative child asked.
“That’s right. So I wanted to ask you, were any of you playing nearby yesterday? Did you see anyone strange go into my house?” Shen Ruo asked.
The little ones all furrowed their brows and tried to recall.
“Yes! I was picking up sticks here yesterday and saw a man walk inside,” said a slim little ge’er.
Shen Ruo called him over to stand in front of him and asked gently, “You saw him? What did he look like? Do you know who he is?”
The little ge’er gathered his courage, spoke, and then his face turned a little red. Shyly, he stepped closer to Shen Ruo.
He thought, Brother Shen Ruo is really good-looking! And his voice is so gentle! He’s nothing like the aunties said, all fierce and intimidating!
“He was very fat and bent over as he walked in. At first, I didn’t look carefully and thought it was a wild boar running by.”
It was Shen Fugui! He hadn’t run away!
“But I didn’t see him steal anything. He just went inside for a moment, and then I saw Grandma Shen come out of the house.”
That must have been the side that led to the kitchen.
Shen Ruo thought to himself that it was about time to build a wall, even if it was just mud at first. Small-time thieves treated the place like it was empty, it really wasn’t safe.
Especially with Xiao Yuntun still inside!
It would be fine if someone was home, but even then, not everyone could constantly watch over Yuntun.
Shen Ruo felt a chill run down his spine. If someone ever carried Yuntun off and no one noticed immediately, he would go insane.
Shen Fugui clearly held a grudge and came to cause trouble deliberately. Fortunately, his mother had been at home and heard the commotion with the mother sheep in the kitchen, or else whether she would have been safe was anyone’s guess…
This person, truly worse than an animal! Shen Ruo really hadn’t cursed wrong.
He picked up a bunch of straw-woven trinkets and let the little ge’er choose. “Thank you. Pick whichever ones you like,” he said.
The ge’er fidgeted, rubbing the slightly transparent hem of his washed clothes with his hands. He wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
Shen Ruo understood, so he let the other little kids play on their own. Ergou and the rest of the children followed Shen Dahu, taking on the role of little sidekicks.
“Is there something you want to tell me?” Shen Ruo crouched down and asked gently.
The little ge’er bit his lip and whispered, “Brother Shen Ruo, my mother isn’t strong and can’t do hard work. She doesn’t have milk yet. My little brother cries every day, and we’ve run out of rice soup at home…”
“I collected a lot of firewood. Could I trade it with you for a bowl of goat milk?” he asked, his eyes glistening.
A bowl of goat milk wasn’t cheap these days; his family simply couldn’t afford it. But after just hearing that Shen Ruo’s mother sheep had given birth, he wanted to ask.
Shen Ruo immediately agreed, “Alright, you can take it home and feed your little brother first.”
Coincidentally, there was some hot goat milk in the kitchen that had cooled to just the right temperature. He poured a big bowl and handed it to the boy.
Such a sensible little kid, and he didn’t think of begging or putting himself beneath others, he wanted to trade his own effort for what he needed. Obviously, his mother had raised him well.
“What’s your name?” Shen Ruo asked.
The boy replied, “Shen Xin. My mother says it means ‘thriving and flourishing.'”
“Good name,” Shen Ruo said.
At that moment, Li Shantao happened to walk out. Shen Xin saw her and immediately called out, “Grandma Shen!”
Holding the bowl of goat milk, he suddenly realized it was a bit hot and felt a little shy.
Li Shantao pretended not to notice and smiled, asking, “How’s your mother’s health?”
“She’s the same as always. Thank you for asking, Grandma Shen. I need to go home now; my little brother is still waiting. Goodbye, Brother Shen Ruo! Goodbye, Grandma Shen!” Shen Xin said, then carried the bowl and left.
Li Shantao sighed, “I was the one who delivered Shen Xin’s mother too… she almost didn’t make it. Fortunately, Shen Xin kept calling out, and that helped her pull through.”
All of them were unfortunate, yet self-reliant and strong. Shen Ruo felt quite fond of this family and decided he would help whenever he could.
“By the way, mother, the mother sheep’s premature birth was because Shen Fugui came into our house,” Shen Ruo said.
Li Shantao nodded in agreement. Back when they were so poor that even thieves avoided the place, there was no need for walls. But now, with Xiao Yuntun in the house and the silver Shen Ruo had entrusted to her, having anyone with ill intentions come in could be dangerous.
—This wall must be built!
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