Su Tong’s nutrition had improved recently, and her complexion had become much better. Her skin was no longer the sallow hue of malnutrition but had lightened considerably. She had combed her thick bangs to one side, just covering the scarred area while revealing her smooth forehead.
Now dressed in well-fitting clothes, she appeared neat and tidy, sitting there with neither humility nor arrogance, carrying herself with grace and confidence—a far cry from the Wu Tong of the past.
No wonder Aunt Wangcai hadn’t recognized her immediately.
The aunties in the village all looked familiar. Although the original owner had rarely interacted with them, she could still recognize them.
Su Tong smiled at Aunt Wangcai and was about to respond when she heard two people arguing beside the vehicle.
“What’s gotten into you, girl! We just agreed to take the tractor back! Why are you changing your mind now!”
Su Tong recognized them as Dequan Aunt and her daughter Wu Xiaofang from the village entrance. They were actually distant relatives of the Wu Family, connected through some convoluted family ties.
Dequan Aunt wanted to board the vehicle, but Wu Xiaofang was pulling her back desperately, refusing to let her.
Noticing how Wu Xiaofang kept glancing in her direction, Su Tong already understood what was happening.
Dequan Aunt shook off Wu Xiaofang’s arm and climbed onto the vehicle by herself. If they didn’t take the tractor now, they’d have to spend twenty cents each on bus fare—forty cents for both of them…
Wu Xiaofang, aware of her mother’s petty calculations, grew anxious and blurted out loudly, “Mom! I just got engaged! I don’t want to be implicated!”
Dequan Aunt had already settled on the edge of the vehicle compartment and glared at her daughter. “What implication are you talking about just from riding together? Have you lost your mind?”
“Wu—Wu Tong is on board!”
Wu Xiaofang pointed, her voice trembling as if she were about to cry.
Instantly, all eyes in the truck bed turned to Su Tong.
Unfazed, Su Tong smiled calmly and greeted everyone, “Hello everyone, I’m Wu Tong.”
Dequan Aunt’s face paled first. After only a moment’s hesitation, she climbed down from the vehicle, grabbed Wu Xiaofang’s hand, and walked away without looking back.
What were forty cents compared to her daughter’s marriage prospects?
Aunt Wangcai and Laifu Aunt immediately sprang up as well, treating Su Tong as if she were the plague.
They exchanged uneasy glances, wanting to follow Dequan Aunt off the vehicle but hesitating over the twenty-cent fare. They huddled at the far end of the truck bed, torn between staying and leaving.
The two young men didn’t make any big moves, but their expressions had also turned unpleasant.
Xing Dongyang hadn’t expected these people to make such a scene right in front of Su Tong, completely disregarding her feelings. His face darkened instantly, looking as if it could drip ink.
Su Tong sighed inwardly. She knew the original owner had faced exclusion and discrimination, but she hadn’t expected it to be this severe—to the point where people refused to share a vehicle with her.
Seeing Xing Dongyang’s displeased expression, and not wanting him to have conflicts with the villagers because of her, she spoke up:
“Anyone else getting off? If not, please take your seats. We’re about to leave.”
Aunt Wangcai and Laifu Aunt remained huddled at the back, mumbling incoherently for a while. In the end, they neither got off nor moved closer to the haystack.
The journey passed in silence, but Su Tong could feel furtive glances constantly directed her way. She couldn’t be bothered to pay them any mind.
As soon as the tractor reached the village entrance, the two aunts scrambled off as if fleeing for their lives, clutching their sore tailbones from the bumpy ride as they ran away.
The two young men followed them off the vehicle.
Xing Dongyang didn’t drive further, parking the tractor by the roadside and turning off the engine.
After a moment of silence, he said to Su Tong:
“The rumors in the village have become more severe than before. They say you’re an ominous person—not only did your third engagement fail, but you also brought misfortune to the Old Li and Old Wang families. Your mother and sister underwent a week of legal education and became the village laughingstock. Shortly after returning, they’ve already had several shouting matches with the Li and Wang families.”
Xing Dongyang looked at Su Tong, his eyes filled with concern. “I originally didn’t want to tell you, afraid of adding pressure or upsetting you. But now it seems better to inform you early so you can mentally prepare.”
“But Wu Tong, villagers are superstitious—they believe in fate and ghosts, easily swayed by others and distorting the truth. This is their limitation and tragedy. Don’t be influenced by them. You’ve attended school and received education. There are no ghosts or deities in this world—destiny lies in your own hands. You must stay strong… This matter was never your fault to begin with. Li Youshuan and Wang Erbao merely received the punishment they deserved.”
Xing Dongyang appeared deeply worried, his words seemingly carefully considered before being spoken.
From his expression and the earlier reactions of others, Su Tong understood what he revealed was likely only part of the story—the rumors were probably much worse.
She stood up from the haystack as if unaffected, nimbly jumping down from the tractor.
“Brother Xing, don’t worry! Let them believe what they want—I’m actually glad for the peace and quiet!”
Su Tong brushed the straw off her clothes, then pointed to two bundles in the corner of the tractor bed.
“I’ll probably face a tough battle when I get home later. Could you keep these bundles for me first, Brother Xing? So they won’t get involved in my troubles.”
After speaking, she walked unhurriedly toward the village. Only after going quite far did she raise her arm and wave backward at Xing Dongyang without turning around. “Thanks—”
Xing Dongyang stood frozen for a long while. This girl… had truly changed.
Yunshan Village was large, with a dense population living closely together.
With the New Year approaching and little farm work to do, many villagers basked in the sun around their houses, or gathered while doing handiwork and chatting.
Su Tong could have ridden the tractor further, but she wanted to directly experience the “treatment” the original host received in the village.
Sure enough, along the way, she noticed many people saw her, but few greeted her.
Some didn’t recognize her, while others who did immediately averted their eyes with strange expressions, whispering with bowed heads.
Su Tong didn’t care about her popularity. She just found it strange how a young girl could acquire such an ominous reputation, and one so deeply ingrained in people’s minds.
Though rural areas remained conservative in this era, feudal superstitions had been heavily criticized. Most people had more open mindsets, accepted new things, and could distinguish right from wrong. Such widespread superstition throughout the entire village was truly perplexing.
Su Tong walked leisurely through the village, the familiar yet unfamiliar scenes gradually merging with her memories.
The original host’s home stood in the village center. Reaching the doorstep, she didn’t rush inside, instead circling around the house first.
Most houses were dark earthen brick structures with similar layouts—one central hall flanked by three main rooms.
The Wu Dashan family was relatively well-off, with a larger house. The west wing was divided into front and back rooms, providing an extra space compared to ordinary homes.
The roof was covered with blue tiles produced by the local brick factory, with several side rooms attached nearby, some still thatched with straw.
Like most households, it had a front yard and a fenced vegetable plot at the back. A large locust tree stood before the house, while several poplars and a bamboo grove grew behind it.
Su Tong had initially expected to see at least one phoenix tree, but there was none.
Phoenix trees were more ornamental than practical. In the countryside, where survival depended on farmland, they occupied space, blocked sunlight, and competed for nutrients—few people bothered planting them.
Su Tong found it somewhat peculiar. In her previous life, her name “Su Tong” had been given by her grandfather. While others saw the “phoenix tree” as merely a plant, her grandfather viewed it as medicine—its leaves, roots, and bark all held medicinal value.
When she was born, her grandfather had planted a young phoenix tree in the yard, allowing it to grow alongside her.
Similarly, her brother “Su Yu” had also been named by their grandfather—the elm tree was another medicinal plant.
By the time her grandfather planted her young phoenix tree, the elm tree he’d planted for her brother had already grown tall.
Ever since inheriting the original host’s memories, Su Tong had been curious. Her eldest brother was named Wu Jiafu, her younger sister Wu Dongling, and her ten-year-old youngest brother Wu Jiabao. Next door, her uncle’s eldest son was Wu Jiayuan, the second son Wu Jiaping, and there was a cousin named Wu Qiuyu…
In the Wu Family, the male descendants of this generation all followed the “Jia” naming tradition. Although the girls didn’t follow a generational character, their names incorporated the season of their birth.
Just by hearing the names, one could tell they were all relatives.
Yet she alone was named “Wu Tong,” which seemed rather out of place.
If the elders didn’t value girls and named them carelessly, then why was there not a single phoenix tree anywhere around the house? Why specifically use the character “Tong”—and why did it coincidentally match her previous name? Was it just a coincidence?
Did she come here because of this identical name?
Tsk! Su Tong narrowed her eyes as she stood by the earthen wall outside the yard. How intriguing.