Tang Ximian couldn’t follow along as the elderly woman went to work in the fields, so she stayed by the riverbank keeping Chu Jiangrong company while she did laundry.
When the two finished washing clothes and returned home, they saw the village’s notorious gossip standing at their doorstep.
“Aunt Liu, what brings you here?” Chu Jiangrong asked.
“Oh, I was just looking for Ximian! Earlier when I came back from digging up some wild vegetables on the mountain, I saw your Jiangchuan up there with some woman!”
Chu Jiangrong’s face changed color: “Aunt Liu! What nonsense are you talking? Jiangchuan has lived in this village for years – do you really think he’s that kind of person?”
“Ah, I was just letting you know! I’ll be going now – you can ask your brother yourself when he gets back!”
After delivering her message, Aunt Liu hurried away, only to hear a chilling voice beside her: “Aunt Liu, I trust Jiangchuan, so perhaps it’s better not to spread this around, since we don’t actually know what happened, right?”
Aunt Liu stumbled in her steps and nodded: “Yes, yes, of course! We’re all from the same village – I would never go around spreading rumors!”
Tang Ximian waited until Aunt Liu was far away before opening the door: “Sister, don’t worry! Even if I didn’t trust myself, I would never doubt Jiangchuan!”
Chu Jiangrong nodded: “You two really must take good care of each other!”
For lunch, they had stewed pork bones. Tang Ximian planned to buy some every time she returned, but this time she had bought particularly more. She selected a bowl with more meat and brought it to the Village Chief’s household.
The fragrant, heaping pile of large pork bones looked mouthwatering!
The Village Chief’s Wife was mending clothes at home when she saw Tang Ximian entering with the bowl and started in surprise: “Why are you bringing so much food! Your family has many mouths to feed – take it back for yourselves!”
“We still have more at home!” Tang Ximian smiled and linked arms with the Village Chief’s Wife: “Auntie, what kind of talk is that? If Village Chief hadn’t helped pay for my education all these years, how could I have studied peacefully? Sharing food with your family is the least I can do!”
“You child, you were worrisome when you didn’t understand things before, and now you’re too understanding and still worrisome!” The Village Chief’s Wife thought for a moment and took out a bag of sesame seeds: “These were brought from Little Song’s maternal grandmother – there must be about half a kilogram here, take them to eat!”
“Then I won’t stand on ceremony!” Tang Ximian stood up, reached into her pocket, and placed three large shrimp candies on the table: “These are for you to enjoy too!”
Before the words finished echoing, she had already vanished. The Village Chief’s Wife picked them up and looked: “Shrimp candies?! This… ah! Ximian!”
Tang Ximian ran home clutching the empty bowl.
Chu Jiangchuan still hadn’t returned, and she was somewhat worried. But she couldn’t go up the mountain now – if she actually encountered something, she wouldn’t be going to find him but would become a burden instead!
Entering home, everyone was waiting for her to eat.
“You didn’t have to wait for me just because I went to deliver something!”
Tang Ximian smiled as she sat down: “Let’s eat!”
They had mixed-grain steamed buns with pickled vegetables and a full basin of soy-braised pork bones.
Nana carefully picked up a bone with more meat and placed it in Tang Ximian’s bowl.
Tang Ximian couldn’t help laughing: “Not angry with me anymore?”
Nana hesitated for a moment: “Mom said you did it for my own good. I’ll never argue with you again!”
“Good girl! When you’re better, I’ll send you to school!”
Nana nodded.
After finishing the meal, Tang Ximian prepared to wait for Chu Jiangchuan at the mountain’s base.
He had waited for her alone in town so many times—now it was her turn to wait for him!
“Be careful out there! The mountains are full of wild animals. Jiangchuan’s leg is better now, but before, neither of you could have gone!” Xu Guangfen shoved a basket into Tang Ximian’s hands. “While you’re at it, gather some vegetables. Don’t just stand around waiting!”
“What a slave driver!” Tang Ximian yelled before darting off.
Xu Guangfen’s chopsticks hit her heels, followed by the old woman’s furious shout: “Get lost!”
Not long after Tang Ximian left, she encountered a delicate-looking young girl. She had no recollection of this person—probably not from the village.
Unexpectedly, the girl blocked her path.
“Do we know each other? Who are you looking for?” Tang Ximian asked gently.
“You’re Tang Ximian?”
“I’m Jiang Yunyun, from Yanshan Village.”
Jiang Yunyun?
Tang Ximian studied the girl before her and nodded. “Ah… hello. What can I do for you?”
“Chu Jiangchuan and I had a blind date a few days ago.” Jiang Yunyun was remarkably straightforward. “I really like him. Since you can’t get pregnant, would you be willing to give him to me?”
Tang Ximian’s mind instantly flooded with question marks.
Where did this woman come from? Why was she so confident? What had happened while she was away? Oh my god, she was really about to laugh!
After this whirlwind of thoughts, Tang Ximian took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Miss Jiang, but I don’t find this kind of joke funny at all!”
“I’m not joking. I asked around—you’re home on Saturdays and Sundays. I came specifically to find you!” Jiang Yunyun stated bluntly. “I like Chu Jiangchuan. I hope you’ll give him to me!”
“On what grounds?”
Tang Ximian’s gaze instantly turned sharp.
Just let her find out who set Jiangchuan up on that blind date!
She’d smash their pots to pieces!
Trying to steal someone’s lawful husband? Tired of living!
Jiang Yunyun grew uneasy under her stare but clenched her teeth and insisted, “Because I can give him a son!”
“As if you’ve had one with someone else before!” Tang Ximian snorted. It was still early; she had time to play along.
“Miss, I hope you understand—Jiangchuan and I are legally married, and I will never divorce him. The law now forbids concubines and mistresses, so you should go do whatever it is you do!”
Jiang Yunyun was nearly infuriated by her calm demeanor. “You… you…!”
“Look, you’re stuttering. You need to practice speaking more!”
“…I graduated from high school! What do you have?”
“I have Chu Jiangchuan!”
“I… my family has three large brick houses!”
“I have Chu Jiangchuan.”
“I can get him a job!”
“I have Chu Jiangchuan.”
Jiang Yunyun’s eyes reddened with anger. “Have you no shame?!”
“I have Chu Jiangchuan.”
“You!”
Jiang Yunyun gritted her teeth. “Can’t you say anything else?!”
“Oh, I make fifty yuan a month working at the County Radio Station, plus side income. You probably already knew that, right?”
Tang Ximian chuckled derisively. “A high school graduate like me, a job paying less than thirty yuan, three houses, and a function nearly every woman has—and you dare come to me with that? Your confidence is really… out of nowhere!”
She even patted Jiang Yunyun’s shoulder. “Miss, please remember: Chu Jiangchuan is my man. Mess with him, and I’ll break your bones!”
Her grip was strong, and her eyes were so cold it seemed she could tear her apart in the next second.
Jiang Yunyun was instantly intimidated. It wasn’t until Tang Ximian had walked far away that she finally caught her breath, rubbing her shoulder as she crouched on the ground panting.
Though unwilling to admit it, Tang Ximian… was truly not someone to be trifled with!