The Wang mother was red-faced with anger: “You’re really shameless, even snatching from a child!”
“This is silver, one tael of silver! You’re so generous, letting it go to someone else?”
Lu Meiyu widened her eyes in disbelief.
The Wang mother muttered angrily. This Lu Meiyu, behaving like this, was just pretending to be innocent to lure others!
Lu Meiyu knew what she was thinking. If she knew the term “green tea,” she would certainly have used it to insult her.
But she didn’t care.
This was a tael of silver. Joking aside, even a single copper coin mattered to her, let alone a thousand!
Even if it was a child, so what? In front of silver, who’s old or young doesn’t matter.
Having come from the post-apocalyptic world, Lu Meiyu was not the kind of person to be overly kind.
“No matter what, you have to give me half of that silver.”
The Wang mother thought she had made a big concession.
“You must be dreaming! That noble person asked me, and your child just chimed in randomly. What happened? Did that noble pay attention to him? Besides, does he even know the way? Could he explain it as clearly as I can? I just went there a few days ago and caught a rabbit!”
Lu Meiyu fired off a string of words like a firecracker.
The Wang mother’s face changed abruptly: “Wildman Peak is right there, who doesn’t know how to get there?”
“Everyone knows the way, so why didn’t you get the silver? Didn’t speak fast enough? Out with you, or don’t blame me for being rude.”
Lu Meiyu’s expression also hardened.
The Wang mother glared at Xiaoxuan and Xiaowei: “Good, very good. You two girls better keep your eyes on her at all times. Otherwise…”
Before she could finish, everyone heard a shriek and was startled.
Her large body had fallen to the ground, stiffened.
Lu Meiyu held a black rod, sneering: “I’ve said it many times. The Water Goddess granted me a magical weapon. Don’t believe me? Try it. Anyone trying to touch my children will see if you have the ability!”
Everyone was shocked. No one saw Lu Meiyu strike, only that she lightly poked the Wang mother with the rod, and the woman screamed and fell.
Was this rod really that powerful?
The Wang mother’s eyes were filled with terror; she no longer dared to speak of the silver.
Lu Meiyu stared fiercely: “If anything happens to my two girls, it will be either you or the Liu family! No questions, no complaints—you will just try this rod firsthand.”
She scanned the crowd: “I am no longer the Lu of the past! I live here entirely for my two daughters. Anyone who dares touch my children will regret it for life. If you don’t believe me, try and see.”
Everyone was stunned.
The once timid Lu had become bold and assertive, which they had gotten used to.
But now she had turned so vicious?
Some people understood: “Every parent values their children. Even daughters are treasures to a mother.”
“Daughters eventually marry out; they’re not sons…”
Hearing this, Lu Meiyu spoke loudly: “I don’t care what you think. My two girls are treasures of my heart. You can confront me openly with swords or knives, that’s fine. But if you act behind my back, the Wang mother and the Liu family will face the consequences.”
By now, the Wang mother had calmed somewhat. Fearful, she dragged her child and left.
She didn’t even dare to argue.
Lu Meiyu smiled: “Of course, these words are directed at malicious people. Fellow villagers, you have been kind to us mother and daughters—I remember it all.”
The sudden change in demeanor was hard to adapt to.
But since Lu didn’t act ferocious, people regained their composure, even showing subtle signs of deference.
Lu Meiyu was very satisfied.
People often underestimate what is close at hand; distance often brings respect.
News of her earning a tael of silver from a single question naturally spread through the village.
Many people beat their chests in frustration.
Especially the women who had washed clothes with her—if they had stayed just a bit longer, they might have earned that silver!
The Liu family fumed at home: “One tael of silver, enough to buy so much grain and meat! Heaven is blind, letting that shameless woman take it.”
Hearing that the Wang mother came to the door and was knocked down, the Liu family was silenced.
“It’s said that woman Lu also used that black rod on the Wang mother. No wonder she didn’t dare say anything more.”
“Lu also said that if anything happens to her daughters, she will hold the Wang mother and us responsible.”
“Why us…”
Even saying this didn’t feel confident.
They had tried before to hurt the little girls, to get at Lu. Though the sisters were part of the Liu family, they were just worthless girls—why care?
“Heaven is blind! How could Lu get that magical weapon?”
Zhang cursed at the sky, throwing things around.
“When Qing Sheng returns, he must divorce this shameless woman.”
At mention of Liu eldest son, the family fell silent.
Once on the battlefield, whether he would return safe and sound was uncertain.
The Liu family realized that now, they truly had no way to handle Lu.
Lu Meiyu didn’t care. She was in a good mood and put the sweet potatoes into the stove.
While Xiaoxuan tended the fire, she prepared the meal.
Having earned money for free, it was natural to buy meat.
Xiaowei and her sister felt full security seeing their mother protect them.
“Mom, it’s so good to have you. No one dares bully us anymore.”
“Mom, if Tie Dan and the others bully us, we’ll fight back.”
Lu Meiyu smiled: “If you can’t win, don’t force it. I’ve got everything under control. Just tell me, and I’ll stand up for you.”
She then went to the backyard garden to pick some greens.
The soil was still slightly moist; the vegetables were thriving, and even seemed to have grown bigger.
After being watered with diluted Spirit Spring water, they were growing visibly!
Even the small yellow mushrooms she planted had all survived.
This was the farmland she had hoped for!
Lu Meiyu truly felt the joy of being a landowner, even with such a small patch.
In this alternate timeline, all kinds of vegetables grew here.
It was September, yet the fields had everything—once revitalized, Lu Meiyu even felt somewhat wealthy.