Mr. Yu was so angry his nose practically twisted.
“According to you, then what is the point of a man marrying a wife and bringing her home?”
Song Shiyu, already irritated, immediately fired back.
“What’s there to think about? He wants her beauty, her body, her emotional support, and her sweet, persuasive words!”
Mr. Yu: “…You… you!”
His handsome face flushed red with anger.
Song Shiyu showed no fear and continued her barrage.
“Relationships between people are not all about exchanging benefits. There are times when a person does not need someone else’s value to prove their own worth. If a man must rely on his wife for resources and support in everything he does, it only shows he is incompetent!”
“A man who depends on his wife might as well marry a lazy farmer instead! At least you wouldn’t have to worry that his ambition would lead him to sacrifice his wife and children in the end!”
“Sir, you look at things from a man’s perspective. You pursue fame and gain, so naturally you place many demands on a wife.”
“But I speak from a woman’s perspective. A woman should only do what matches her own ability.”
“Someone like me, who has nothing, should just find someone with no great prospects. That would be enough.”
Mr. Yu’s face shifted between pale and livid.
He should have been furious, yet as he listened to her, his expression grew serious.
He had been angry, but now he found that her words… actually made some sense.
In the end, he only snorted and stopped arguing with her. This woman’s way of thinking was too unusual—it was easy to get dragged into her logic.
“If you want to study mathematics, you can read The Zhoubi Suanjing. If you want to learn manufacturing, you may read Tiangong Kaiwu.”
Song Shiyu had heard of both books before, though she only knew their names and not their contents.
She thought for a moment. If she wanted to grow crops in the future, she would also need books on agriculture.
“If you want books on farming, there is Qimin Yaoshu…”
Mr. Yu was surprisingly easy to talk to and extremely knowledgeable.
He was not the typical rigid scholar but rather a broadly learned and versatile thinker.
While Song Shiyu admired Mr. Yu’s expertise, Mr. Yu—after calming down—became somewhat curious about her.
Why had Second Miss Song suddenly wanted to study these kinds of books?
This was hardly something a typical sheltered young lady would think of or attempt.
“To rent these books, it will cost one tael of silver.”
Song Shiyu selected twenty books related to her interests.
After registering them under Pei Qinhuai’s household records, she left the shop.
The shop assistant watched her go and then turned to see Mr. Yu’s unpleasant expression.
“Sir Yu, are you worried about Scholar Pei?”
“Seeing how stunning Second Miss Song is, Scholar Pei probably isn’t losing out, is he?”
Mr. Yu snorted. “What do you know? The two of them will separate sooner or later!”
Shop assistant: “…”
Mr. Yu looked toward Song Shiyu as she headed toward the clothing store, his mood worsening.
This Song Shiyu was too unambitious.
With such behavior, she would never be worthy of Pei Qinhuai.
Yet Pei Qinhuai stubbornly insisted on her.
It was truly troublesome.
If Second Miss Song lacked ability, she would be unable to support him. Over time, they would inevitably drift apart and fall apart completely.
Mr. Yu was not overly concerned about Song Shiyu herself, but Pei Qinhuai was destined to achieve high rank and power.
The Pei family came from commoner roots, with no official connections. Without powerful backing, his path would not only be difficult—he would also face countless hidden dangers.
Given Song Shiyu’s sharp and outspoken temperament, she might not even be able to protect her own life.
While Mr. Yu was deep in thought, the shop assistant wiped a bookshelf and suddenly laughed.
Looking at Mr. Yu, he shook his head.
“Sir, I think you’re mistaken. Wealth, marriage, and life or death are all determined by fate. If two people are destined to be together, even if separated by great distances, they will still meet.”
“But if they are not fated to be husband and wife, then no amount of forcing will help.”
“You’ve read so many books—surely you understand this?”
“In my opinion, you’re simply too worried about Scholar Pei and have lost your objectivity.”
Mr. Yu froze. He seemed about to speak, his lips moving slightly, but ultimately said nothing.
…
When Song Shiyu walked out of the bookstore, her earlier excitement had already faded.
Instead, she felt lost.
Damn it.
She had transmigrated into a novel without any cheat abilities. Life would be difficult.
Copying books could be a job, but after calculating things, if she wanted to leave Pei Qinhuai one day, buy her ideal house, purchase land, and hire servants…
Without at least twenty years of savings, it would be impossible.
If things continued like this, how could she possibly live well in the future?
Thinking about it, Song Shiyu’s earlier good mood instantly vanished.
“Does this mean my future will be living like this—dependent on others, trapped forever?”
Although she felt frustrated, since she was already here, she could only accept it.
With no other choice, she forced herself to keep moving forward.
As long as she lived, she would make each day count. She would first settle her life for the next few days—future problems could wait.
After buying the books she wanted, Song Shiyu went to other shops to purchase clothes, cotton, and daily necessities.
The weather was turning colder. With the White Dew season approaching, many households had begun preparing preserved foods for winter. Song Shiyu also needed to make preparations.
She quickly bought everything she needed and soon filled her basket.
When she returned to the donkey cart, Pei Jin’an had already grown impatient.
The moment he saw her, he began scolding her.
“Why are you so slow? Were you wasting money again?”
“My Third Uncle doesn’t earn money easily! Giving you money is already generous—he didn’t give it to you so you could spend recklessly!”
Pei Jin’an continued lecturing her harshly.
Song Shiyu finally couldn’t hold back and replied coldly:
“That’s enough! I’m not spending your money. Your Third Uncle hasn’t said anything—why are you talking?”
“He’s the one supporting me, not you! Why are you worrying about it?”
“If you really can’t stand it, go argue with your Third Uncle. Stop nagging here—it’s annoying!”
“You’re just a child—barely four years old—yet you nag endlessly, spewing nonsense. You argue with everyone and everything. Anyone who didn’t know better would think your Third Uncle, who teaches you daily, has the same character as you!”
…
Song Shiyu’s words struck like thunder, hitting all three members of the Pei family present.
Pei Jin’an immediately fell silent.