About ten minutes later, Mu Wanwan arrived at the Wen family’s old residence. The main gate was open, and she walked straight into the courtyard. Old Master Wen had just gotten up and was practicing tai chi.
Though he was already over seventy, he still looked vigorous. Years in the military had given him an indescribable aura of authority.
The moment he saw Mu Wanwan, his face broke into a warm, loving smile.
“Wanwan, what brings you here so early?”
“Grandpa, I brought you breakfast.”
She walked to the stone table in the courtyard and laid out the food. The fragrance immediately filled the air.
When Old Master Wen saw the neatly arranged, plump steamed dumplings—each almost identical in size—his appetite instantly kicked in. The porridge beside them smelled rich and savory, appetizing at first glance.
“When did your cooking get this good? Looks like this old man is in for a treat today!”
Mu Wanwan smiled and helped him sit down.
In her previous life, she firmly believed in the saying: If you want to win a man’s heart, first win his stomach. To make Wen Lin like her, she had painstakingly practiced her cooking. Yet in the end, Wen Lin barely ate any of her dishes.
Old Master Wen picked up a dumpling and took a bite. Juices burst out immediately. The filling was springy and mixed with mushrooms, creating an indescribable freshness. He ate several in one go.
Then he took a sip of the hot porridge—light yet warming to the stomach. It felt wonderfully comforting.
“Wanwan, sit down and eat with this old man!”
“Alright.”
She had planned to eat with him anyway. After a few bites, she got straight to the point.
“Grandpa, this afternoon I’d like to take you to the hospital for a check-up.”
Old Master Wen froze for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. “What check-up? I know my own body better than anyone. No need to waste money.”
“Grandpa, I’ve been reading the newspaper lately. Many elderly people have hidden illnesses. Sometimes it seems minor, but because it’s ignored, it turns serious.
I know you’ve always been strong, but I’m worried. Let’s just get checked. If everything’s fine, even better. But if something’s wrong, we’ll catch it early.”
Seeing the concern written all over her face, Old Master Wen’s heart warmed. He had always known no one was as sensible as this girl.
Though he found hospitals troublesome, he agreed.
Only then did Mu Wanwan let out a quiet sigh of relief.
In her previous life, Old Master Wen’s stomach problems had gone unnoticed until they developed into stomach cancer. He refused treatment and eventually passed away. If it had been discovered earlier, it might not have been so severe. Having been reborn, she didn’t want to watch him suffer again.
After breakfast, instead of going home, Mu Wanwan stopped by the supply and marketing cooperative. She no longer wanted any ties with Wen Lin. Divorce was only a matter of time. Afterward, she didn’t plan to return to her parents’ home—she had two brothers, both married. Living under the same roof with such a large family would be inconvenient.
What she needed now was money.
Having lived through the future once, she knew how rapidly the country’s economy would develop in the coming years. Opportunities were everywhere—it was the best time to make money.
She had only ten yuan on hand, given to her earlier by Old Master Wen. Not much, but enough as startup capital.
At the cooperative, she bought seasonings, two sets of pig intestines, and four pig trotters. In these days, intestines and trotters were cheap—most people preferred pork belly. She spent just over three yuan in total.
Unbothered by the smell, she happily placed them in her basket and hurried home.
When she arrived, she noticed the outer gate was open.
Had Wen Lin returned?
As she approached the house, before lifting the curtain, she heard voices from inside.
“I say, Old Wen, you really married that country girl? The wedding was yesterday—everyone knows now. You can’t back out anymore.
How is Mu Wanwan worthy of you? I don’t know what’s gotten into Grandpa Wen, forcing you to marry her. Sure, she has a decent face, but she looks so rustic.”
Inside, a man with slicked-back hair sat beside Wen Lin. Fair-skinned and delicate-featured, he was dressed flamboyantly—like a peacock.
Wen Lin frowned slightly. “To me, it doesn’t matter who I marry. Grandpa likes her, so I married her.
Tingyu, mind your attitude. No matter what, she’s my wife now. Stop calling her ‘country girl.’ She has a name.”
He didn’t like Mu Wanwan, but he didn’t dislike her either. Since his grandfather insisted, agreeing meant fewer lectures later.
“Tsk, I don’t think it’s that simple. That country girl’s pretty scheming. With Grandpa backing her, who knows how she’ll pressure you?
And what about Huiru? Honestly, you should’ve married Huiru. Anything’s better than marrying a country girl.”
Song Tingyu was indignant on Lin Huiru’s behalf and clearly disliked Mu Wanwan.
Wen Lin shot him a glance. “Tingyu, I see Huiru as a sister. Don’t say things like that and cause misunderstandings.”
Song Tingyu clicked his tongue. Who couldn’t see Lin Huiru liked Wen Lin? Apparently, only Wen Lin.
Standing outside, Mu Wanwan heard everything. A cold laugh rose in her heart. She lifted the curtain and walked in, catching both men off guard.
Song Tingyu suddenly felt guilty and touched his nose, avoiding her gaze.
Seeing the items in her hands, Wen Lin stood up and reached for her basket.
She stepped back.
He froze, not expecting that reaction.
“What’s that smell? Country girl, what did you buy? Why does it stink so badly?” Song Tingyu pinched his nose in disgust.
Mu Wanwan shot him a cold look. “Stinks? I don’t think it smells as bad as your mouth.”
Song Tingyu’s eyes flared. “What did you say? Say that again!”
“I said your mouth stinks. Maybe try brushing your teeth.”
With that, she turned and headed into the kitchen without sparing Wen Lin another glance.
In her previous life, after marrying Wen Lin, Song Tingyu had always despised her. In his eyes, Wen Lin was perfect—far above a “country girl” like her.
Already insecure, she had become even more so under his contempt, desperately trying to please Wen Lin. She’d even shrink timidly in Song Tingyu’s presence.
But that was her previous life.
In this one, she wouldn’t care about such meaningless nonsense.
Song Tingyu looked furious. “Old Wen, did you see that? That country girl’s got some nerve—she dared to curse me!”
Wen Lin watched Mu Wanwan’s retreating figure, lips pressed thin. Was it his imagination, or had she changed?
Was she angry he hadn’t come home last night? Or had she overheard them?
He looked at Song Tingyu. “You were wrong. Go apologize.”
“Apologize? To a country girl? Are you serious? Did I say anything wrong? Are we even brothers?”
Now genuinely angry, Song Tingyu snorted and stormed out. There was no way he’d apologize.
Wen Lin sighed helplessly and was about to head into the kitchen when Mu Wanwan came out first.
“Wen Lin, we need to talk.”
“Alright. Wanwan, Tingyu went too far. I’ll teach him a lesson. Don’t take it to heart. And about last night, I—”
“Stop. I don’t care about any of that. That’s not what I want to discuss.”
She cut him off.
Looking up at the man before her, calm and resolute, she said clearly:
“Wen Lin, let’s get divorced.”