Song Xiaolan's eyes were filled with anger and disappointment. Under that gaze, Yu Wanzhu felt like a sinner.
She said calmly, "Xiaolan, don't listen to them. The wound on my head was from falling in the dark when I got up at night, and this one on my hand was accidentally scratched by a hairpin when I fell. It wasn't from being beaten at all. If you don't believe me, I can untie the bandage and show you."
Song Xiaolan frowned at her, as if searching for some flaw.
But there was none. Yu Wanzhu's expression remained calm and gentle, even carrying a faint smile—utterly different from the detestable person she used to be.
Song Xiaolan breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, though she didn't want to show it. She said stiffly, "Good, as long as that's the case!"
With that, she found a large stone by the roadside and hurled it viciously toward the wasteland at the feet of those women.
There was water in the wasteland, and the impact sent mud and filthy water splashing everywhere. None of the three women escaped unscathed.
Song Xiaolan gave them no time to react. Hands on her hips, she cursed with full vigor, "You gossiping old hens! You're all clearly fed and bored with nothing better to do. Instead of working, you're here spreading rumors about my Song family. Come on then, say it to my face!"
One woman, furious, cursed back, "You little wretch! Didn't your Xiucai brother teach you that women should be virtuous and gentle? With such a sharp tongue, you'd better watch out—no one will marry you!"
Song Xiaolan sneered coldly. "So what if no one marries me? I'm still a member of the Song family, and as long as I am, I won't stand by while you slander our name!"
The woman shouted to those beside her, "Aunt Wu, look at how she's bullying us! You're an elder—how dare she treat you like this?"
The woman called Aunt Wu was older than the other two, and her clothes had the most mud splattered on them. Her anger flaring, she said, "Women of the Zhang and Li families, this girl is so wild. Don't you think we should teach her a lesson on behalf of her mother?"
"Yes!"
The three rolled up their sleeves and advanced, looking as if they might devour Song Xiaolan whole.
Song Xiaolan showed no fear, cursing hatefully, "Old hags, ugly crones! You think you can act as my elders and discipline me for my mother? Dream on!"
Seeing the situation escalate, Yu Wanzhu snapped back to her senses and promptly pulled Song Xiaolan back. "Three against one—you'll be at a disadvantage. Leave this to me."
Song Xiaolan was taken aback, then frowned. "Stay out of it! These women are the village gossips. If I don't teach them a lesson today, who knows how badly they'll blacken our Song family's name!"
She tried to break free but couldn't.
Yu Wanzhu used a subtle bit of force to pull Song Xiaolan behind her, then stepped forward with her bulky frame, shielding her.
She clenched her fists, the knuckles cracking audibly, a cold smile on her plump face. "You've been spreading such tales about me. Surely I, the one you're slandering, have the right to vent a little anger on my own behalf?"
The three women were intimidated by her imposing presence and halted in their tracks.
To them, Song Xiaolan was as thin as a bamboo pole and would be easy to handle, but Yu Wanzhu…
Aunt Wu looked at that towering, stout figure and weighed her chances—could she even withstand a single punch from her? If she were overpowered by a younger woman, what face would she have left in the village?
With that thought, she began to waver.
She had only dared to suggest teaching Song Xiaolan a lesson because the Song family had no man to lead them, and Scholar Song was merely a bookish man. But Yu Wanzhu had married in from the prefectural city—gossiping behind her back was one thing.
If she truly offended her, what if Yu Wanzhu called on her natal family to come cause trouble?
But she'd already spoken the words. If she backed down now, what authority would she have left before these young wives?
After weighing her options, Aunt Wu stayed where she was, putting on a fierce front while inwardly trembling. "A clear conscience fears no midnight knocking! If you don't want people talking about you, then don't do such shameless things!"
"Shameless things?"
Yu Wanzhu's expression was half-smiling. "Then tell me—what shameless thing have I done that disgusts you so?"
Aunt Wu choked, not expecting such a question. "Naturally, that matter… Do I really need to spell it out?"
Everyone knew exactly what "shameless thing" meant, but how could it be said aloud? This fat woman truly had no sense of shame, daring to ask her such a question in front of everyone. Who was the one without face here?
Aunt Wu sneered inwardly, her face full of mockery.
Yu Wanzhu tilted her head, her plump face full of confusion. "Have I been living under a rock? I didn't know that a husband and wife sharing a bed was considered shameless. By that logic, someone of such high moral character as Aunt Wu surely would never stoop to such baseness, right?"
"But I've heard that your household is full of children and grandchildren—you even had a youngest daughter when you were nearly forty."
"Surely those children of yours didn't all pop out of a stone crack, did they?"
Aunt Wu was furious, nearly pointing at Yu Wanzhu's nose as she cursed, "Song family's bride, I'm only showing you face because you're a new wife. I haven't said everything outright, so don't be shameless!"
"No matter what, I'm still your elder. You're just a young wife, and you dare to mock me? Don't think I won't teach you a lesson!"
"Who's the one without shame, gossiping about my husband and me in our private chambers?" Yu Wanzhu wore a faint smile, but her eyes were icy cold.
"I call you 'aunt' out of courtesy, and you actually think you're somebody important. What kind of elder are you to the Song family, thinking you can discipline me?!"
Aunt Wu hadn't expected that Yu Wanzhu, who usually didn't dare to speak up in front of others, would have such thick skin today. She wasn't intimidated at all, and the barrage of words that came at her left Aunt Wu momentarily speechless.
Zhang's wife and Li's wife were also stunned by Yu Wanzhu's outburst. After a moment's pause, they chimed in to help.
"Look how arrogant she's gotten!"
"Auntie, she's completely disregarding you. If the Song family won't discipline her, you should step in. She's out here making Scholar Song look bad!"
Li's wife spoke with venom in her voice.
Her sister-in-law had adored Song Yubai since childhood and had even come to propose a match two years ago, but the Song family had refused.
Who would've thought the girl was so stubborn? If she couldn't be a Xiucai's wife, she refused to marry at all, wasting away at home. She was eighteen this year and spent her days making Li's wife's life miserable.
Having suffered at her sister-in-law's hands, she'd come to hate Yu Wanzhu as well.
Aunt Wu listened to the words around her, her anger burning hotter, but she'd already lost ground to Yu Wanzhu twice and hadn't gained any advantage in the verbal sparring.
She paused for a moment, then suddenly looked Yu Wanzhu up and down, making no effort to hide her disgust. "Well, isn't this an eye-opener! I never thought I'd see a sow wandering around our village in broad daylight. Zhang's wife, Li's wife, did you see it too?!"
Women all care about their looks. She couldn't win on other points, but seizing on this fat woman's weakness and poking at her sore spot was sure to work.
Wasn't it because she was fat that Scholar Song didn't want her? Let's see what she had to say now!
"We saw it!" The two women said in unison, their eyes full of mockery.
A sow?!
Yu Wanzhu nearly rolled her eyes out of her head.
In all her life, this was the first time she'd been called a sow. Though to be fair, this body of hers really did resemble a pig.
But she couldn't just let them insult her to her face. Xiaolan was right—these gossiping women would climb right over her head if she didn't show them what she was capable of.
Yu Wanzhu looked around on the ground, picked up three stones the size of eggs, took aim at the three women, and threw.
Aunt Wu was in the middle of cursing enthusiastically when suddenly her lip stung, and her teeth nearly got knocked out.
She let out a shriek, but before she could say anything, Zhang's wife and Li's wife in front of her were both screaming—one clutching her face, the other her leg.
Aunt Wu's face turned ashen. "You fat woman! You actually dare to lay your hands on us?!"
Yu Wanzhu dusted off her hands. "Why wouldn't I dare? You're allowed to flap your mouths and spout nonsense, but I'm not allowed to use my hands?"
Li's wife was furious. She rubbed the spot on her leg where she'd been hit, then suddenly lunged at Yu Wanzhu.
As she got close, she reached out to push Yu Wanzhu into the paddy field beside them. But before her hands could even touch Yu Wanzhu, the latter twisted her arm back and kicked her into the field.
The paddy field didn't have much water—just mud. Li's wife rolled around in it and came out looking like a mud figure.
She was furious, but she hadn't even seen how she'd been kicked in. Fear crept in, and she didn't dare go after Yu Wanzhu again, only cursing under her breath.
"Aunt Wu, look at how she's bullying us! You have to do something!"
Before Aunt Wu could respond, Yu Wanzhu stepped forward and said, "You want to discipline me? Fine. Let's stop with the lip service. Why don't you all come at me together?"
She advanced toward the three of them.
Aunt Wu's lip throbbed with pain, but fear had already taken root in her heart. Seeing Yu Wanzhu approach, she quickly backed away a few steps.
"You fat woman, what do you think you're doing?"
She waved her arms around, looking quite imposing. "I'm not afraid of you! You young wives don't know any better, but as your elder, I can't join in this foolishness. Today, for the sake of Sister Song, I'll let you off. But if you dare do this again, I'll be sure to teach you a lesson on her behalf!"
She shot a glare at Zhang's wife and Li's wife. "What are you waiting for? Get going!"
It had finally dawned on her—she'd been used as a pawn. These young wives were truly detestable!
Watching the three walk away, Song Xiaolan spat and cursed, "Cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong!"
Yet somehow, she felt a little happy inside. She'd been less than ten when her father passed. Her mother was soft-natured, and her eldest brother didn't bother with such matters, so from a young age she'd developed a fiery temperament, refusing to let anyone trample on the Song family.
This fat woman had always been one to bully only those at home, daring to pick on her own family but never talking back no matter how she was mocked or insulted by outsiders.
Yet today she had actually stood up for her. Whether it was sincere or not, she had still protected her own family for once.
Song Xiaolan took another look at Yu Wanzhu and felt that even that plump figure had become somewhat more agreeable to the eye.
She cleared her throat. "Why weren't you afraid of them today?"
Yu Wanzhu said, "What's there to be afraid of?"
She glanced down at her own body. "With this build of mine, they should be the ones afraid of me."
Song Xiaolan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "You really are too fat. You should have started losing weight long ago. Otherwise, how could you be humiliated like this, and bring shame to our Song family—not to mention my eldest brother…"
As she spoke, she suddenly stopped herself, realizing her tone might have been too harsh.
After a moment's thought, she said, "I've heard doctors say before that being too overweight makes you prone to illness. It's good that you're willing to lose weight now. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you and drag our family down."
Though the words were meant to be caring, they always came out awkward and prickly.
Yu Wanzhu, however, seemed not to notice the displeasure in her words and said with a smile, "I understand. I'll make sure to lose weight properly from now on. Xiaolan, you can keep an eye on me. And thank you for defending me today."
Song Xiaolan's face felt a little warm, and she let out a proud "hmph." "Who was defending you? I was doing it for the Song family's reputation!"
Yu Wanzhu smiled without calling her out, knowing full well that this girl had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, and her mood lifted along with it.
The two went up the mountain. Song Xiaolan nimbly went to gather firewood, while Yu Wanzhu, following the hints the System had given her last night, searched for the thirteenth pine tree.
Looking for a single pine tree in the dense forest was no different from fishing for the moon in the sea.
Yu Wanzhu ran up and down several times, panting and out of breath, until she finally pinpointed the location of the thirteenth pine tree. Sure enough, she spotted a row of vines beneath it, exactly as the System had indicated—it had to be wild yam!
She let out a joyful cry. "Found it!"
Song Xiaolan poked her head out from the mountaintop and asked, "Found what?"
Yu Wanzhu said mysteriously, "Something good."
Song Xiaolan slid down the slope with a whoosh and saw Yu Wanzhu digging a few dark, crooked things out of the soil with a machete, looking like tree roots.
She asked in confusion, "What's so special about these tree roots?"
"You don't recognize these?"
Song Xiaolan shook her head honestly.
Yu Wanzhu laughed. "These are called wild yam. They can be eaten as a staple food or used in cooking. We have two sick people at home—stewing meat with this is nourishing and good for the body. It's absolutely perfect~"
Hearing that wild yam had such wonderful effects, Song Xiaolan exclaimed in amazement, "Really? Then I'll stew meat with it at noon to nourish Mother and Eldest Brother!"