“Mom!” Tang Ximian threw her arms around the old lady, transforming into a coquettish sprite: “Oh, Mom~ I missed you so much!”
Xu Guangfen: “…”
She was completely thrown off!
Once inside, Chu Jiangrong was busy preparing sugar water: “Come, come, we’ve been waiting for you forever! I said there was no hurry to pick you up, but Jiangchuan was anxious—he ran off right after lunch…”
Chu Jiangchuan coughed twice, somewhat embarrassed.
“Auntie!” Nana ran over and hugged Tang Ximian’s leg: “Did our secret come true?”
Tang Ximian nodded vigorously: “It did!”
She had bought cloth that didn’t require cloth coupons—it cost five cents more, but it was convenient!
“Mom, these are the pork bones I bought.” Tang Ximian organized the items one by one: “This is milk powder to supplement Nana’s nutrition, cloth to make clothes for you, and some candy a colleague gave me…”
She didn’t have any extra coupons at the moment, so the things she bought were more expensive. Since they ate at the canteen, some items seemed less important.
By the end of the month, she would receive twenty jin of food coupons, half a jin of oil coupons, and fifty yuan.
“Why did you buy such expensive things? The milk powder must cost several yuan, right? And this cloth…”
“I earned it from other work, and it wasn’t even tiring!” Tang Ximian smiled as she prepared a small bowl of milk powder for Nana: “Nana has been malnourished since she was little. As her aunt, it’s only right that I give her a little extra!”
Xu Guangfen fell silent. Though she felt the money was wasted, it was true that her granddaughter was frail.
“Mom, money isn’t saved by hoarding—it’s earned!” Chu Jiangchuan repeated what Tang Ximian had told him.
Xu Guangfen shot her son a glare.
During dinner that evening, the pork bones were stewed until tender and flavorful.
The whole family ate until their bellies were round.
Chu Jiangchuan mentioned that after taking medicine and receiving massages, his leg felt stronger than before, though it still ached if he walked too fast.
After tidying up, Tang Ximian took out the remaining money: “I earned eighteen yuan in total, spent less than eleven, so I still have seven yuan and twenty-five fen left.”
Xu Guangfen didn’t even glance at it, simply nodding: “Keep it yourself. A poor home needs ample funds for the road—if anything happens, you’ll have money to handle it!”
Chu Jiangrong showered Tang Ximian with praise before urging the two to rest quickly.
That night, Tang Ximian continued her usual massage for Chu Jiangchuan when he suddenly pulled her into an embrace.
“Hmm?” Tang Ximian was momentarily stunned, then sat on the kang with his support: “What’s the rush? It’s not like I’m going to run away. But… should we wait before having children?”
Chu Jiangchuan’s eyes lit up, growing deep and intense: “Then… you’re not refusing?”
Tang Ximian laughed: “I’m not refusing—it’s not like I’m losing out!”
Chu Jiangchuan hugged her tightly, and after a long while, he trembled and whispered, “Thank you.”
Thank you for being willing to stay with me. Even if you weren’t perfect before, you’ve more than made up for it now!
Thank you for accepting an imperfect me. I don’t know how to express it, but I will be good to you for the rest of my life.
Tang Ximian looked up, cupping his face in her hands. After a long silence, she sighed: “Jiangchuan, I was really so foolish before! Now… I am yours. In this lifetime, and the next, I am yours.”
Chu Jiangchuan’s eyes reddened—whether from her words or his own emotions, it was unclear.
In her drowsiness, Tang Ximian recalled the scenes she had witnessed after her death in her previous life. Her heart ached, and she held his waist tightly.
Perhaps I had already fallen for you without even realizing it…
The sky brightened, yet neither of the two people in the room moved.
Chu Jiangchuan, who usually slept lightly, had woken up but remained in bed. Bathed in the faint shadows cast by the sunlight, he gazed at the person in his arms.
Her black hair was disheveled, her fair face flushed pink, and her delicate brows were tightly furrowed.
Her hand rested on his waist, warm and soft as if boneless.
He couldn’t even fathom how such clever, delicate hands had managed to make Lu Erhu and the others howl in pain?
Recalling that scene, Chu Jiangchuan chuckled softly.
“Mmm~” Tang Ximian shifted positions, hugging him as she continued to sleep.
By the time she woke up, it was almost noon. Tang Ximian scrambled out of bed to wash her face, and when she returned, she saw Chu Jiangchuan tidying up the bedding.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, leaning closer.
Chu Jiangchuan smiled. “Nothing. I just want to keep this.”
The slightly yellowed bedding still bore traces of bloodstains, causing Tang Ximian’s face to flush crimson. “Why didn’t you say so earlier…”
“You’re beautiful,” Chu Jiangchuan said, holding her and planting a kiss on her cheek. “Truly.”
Tang Ximian shot him a playful glare, her eyes sparkling with vitality.
Chu Jiangchuan’s eyes were filled with adoration.
He had never imagined she would agree so quickly, and now he felt a sense of peace he had never known before!
Chu Jiangrong and the elderly woman had nearly finished making the clothes at home, while Nana was alone in the yard arranging stones. Tang Ximian and Chu Jiangchuan headed to the fields.
As it was almost noon, they ran into Fang Juan on the way.
Fang Juan watched Chu Jiangchuan, who was now able to walk steadily, a flicker of infatuation flashing in her eyes before she quickly composed herself. She smiled at Tang Ximian. “Mianmian, you’re so impressive now! Hey, are you still hiring at your place? Can I join?”
Tang Ximian smiled, her expression tinged with disdain and danger. “But the minimum education requirement at our place is high school. You don’t qualify!”
Chu Jiangchuan held her hand. “If you want to go, ask them yourself!”
With that, he tried to pull Tang Ximian away.
But Fang Juan grabbed Tang Ximian’s arm. “Mianmian, can’t you put in a word for me? Even though I only finished elementary school, I’m no worse than you!”
Tang Ximian shook her off. “Then go ask them yourself! I’m just a newcomer—what does it have to do with me?”
“But we’re best friends!”
“Are we?” Tang Ximian turned around, her gaze sharp as a blade. “Since when?”
Fang Juan’s throat seemed to tighten, and she stammered for a long time without uttering a single word.
Tang Ximian and Chu Jiangchuan had already walked far away.
Fang Juan was consumed by a rage she had never felt before.
She didn’t understand what had happened to Tang Ximian, how she could have changed so drastically! Her relationship with Chu Jiangchuan was growing stronger by the day, but…
Why was this happening?
Could it be that her rebirth had altered the original course of events, causing everything to deviate from how it was supposed to be?
No, she would never accept this!
Chu Jiangchuan was meant to be hers, and the position of the Chu Family’s matriarch would undoubtedly be hers as well!
Even if Tang Ximian was somewhat different now, she would never be a match for someone reborn like herself!
Heaven had granted her a second chance to change her original fate!
Having made up her mind, Fang Juan turned and chased after the two. “Mianmian! Didn’t you tell me before that Xia Wenbo treated you well? Why are you now…”
Tang Ximian whirled around, her eyes dark and menacing as she glared at Fang Juan, who was still spouting nonsense.
Fang Juan was startled: “Why… why are you looking at me like that…”
“Wasn’t it you who said Xia Wenbo is gentle? You kept praising the Xia family over and over, deliberately saying it in front of me, and even claimed Jiang Chuan and I have no feelings—didn’t you say all that yourself?!”