The village chief’s courtyard was filled with celebration.
The sight of Ye Mengyi and Lu Qingshan standing side by side, hands clasped together, brought a warm sense of reassurance to everyone watching.
But in an unnoticed corner of the yard, Old Madam Ye’s family lurked like damp poisonous weeds, silently breeding malice.
Old Madam Ye narrowed her triangular eyes and stared viciously at the marriage document in Ye Mengyi and Lu Qingshan’s hands.
Her gaze was like poisoned needles, wishing it could pierce holes straight through them.
She spat on the ground and cursed in a low voice:
“Bah! A pair of paupers. Do they really think getting married means they can rise to heaven?”
Yang Yun and Feng Yan sat nearby on a stone bench, sneering along with her.
“Hmph, sooner or later they’ll cry,” Yang Yun scoffed disdainfully. “The Lu family was unlucky enough already. Two jinxes are bad enough to look at, and now they’ve added another one. I’d like to see how long they can keep hopping around.”
Feng Yan glanced over the patched clothing worn by the Lu family and let out a mocking laugh.
“Just look at that broken thatched hut they live in. One gust of wind could probably collapse it. Drafts everywhere, poor as beggars. And they still dream of living a good life? Keep dreaming.”
“Exactly. Why rush?” Yang Yun elbowed Feng Yan, her eyes gleaming with malice. “Just wait. It won’t be long before they come crying back to beg us.”
Ye Hu and Ye Ping stood nearby as well.
When their eyes swept over Ye Mengyi, complicated emotions flickered within them.
Unlike the women, they didn’t loudly mock her, but neither did they stop the others.
The greed and calculation in their eyes was impossible to hide.
Though Ye Mengyi had married into the Lu family and severed ties with the Ye family, in their minds she was still a “piece of fat meat” that could eventually be exploited for profit.
The timing simply hadn’t come yet.
They would wait and scheme slowly.
Ye Mengyi was chatting with Grandma Lu when a strange feeling suddenly brushed across her heart.
Instinctively, she turned around.
Her gaze landed directly on the people in the corner.
She met Old Madam Ye’s venomous glare head-on and caught the lingering sneers on Yang Yun and Feng Yan’s lips.
More importantly, she clearly saw the fleeting calculation in Ye Hu and Ye Ping’s eyes—like hungry wolves eyeing prey.
Those gazes felt like fangs stretching from the darkness, filled with naked greed and malice.
Ye Mengyi’s heart sank slightly.
She had long known the Ye family wouldn’t let things go so easily.
But she hadn’t expected them to reveal such sinister intentions so openly, even on an occasion like this.
It seemed the Ye family had already decided to cling to the Lu family from now on.
Instead of looking away, Ye Mengyi calmly met their hostile gazes and slowly curled her lips into a faint but sharp smile.
There was no fear in that smile.
Only understanding.
And defiance.
As if she were saying:
I see you.
And I’m waiting too.
Old Madam Ye’s heart skipped a beat under that gaze. For some reason, unease rose inside her, and she subconsciously turned her head away.
Yang Yun and Feng Yan also fell silent awkwardly, as though pricked by needles.
“What’s wrong?”
Noticing her change in expression, Lu Qingshan followed her line of sight and instantly understood.
His brows knitted tightly, and his voice turned cold.
“Don’t mind them.”
“Mhm.”
Ye Mengyi nodded and withdrew her gaze.
The chill in her eyes disappeared, replaced by calmness once more.
“It’s nothing. I was just looking.”
She understood clearly:
People like them would only grow bolder if she retreated or tolerated them.
Only by standing tall and speaking through strength could she keep those hidden fangs from finding a place to bite.
The sunlight remained bright and warm.
But Ye Mengyi knew very well that beneath the peaceful surface, dark currents had already begun to surge.
Still, it didn’t matter.
She was prepared.
In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
Ye Mengyi’s injuries had improved considerably.
The wound on the back of her head had already scabbed over. Though it still ached faintly, she could now walk around without much issue.
Early that morning, Lu Qingshan slung his bow and arrows over his back, preparing to head into the mountains to hunt.
Ye Mengyi quickly stopped him.
“Brother Qingshan, can I go up the mountain with you?”
Lu Qingshan froze for a moment before immediately waving his hands.
“No, no. The mountains are too dangerous. Your injuries haven’t fully healed yet. What if you fall again?”
Ye Mengyi smiled.
“I’ll only stay near the foot of the mountain. I won’t go deep inside. I just want to see if there are any wild vegetables or medicinal herbs that can be sold for money to help the family.”
Lu Qingshan still looked worried.
Grandma Lu, however, spoke up from the side:
“Qingshan, let her go. Just keep an eye on her and don’t let her wander too far.”
Only then did Lu Qingshan reluctantly nod.
“Alright then. Stay close to me and don’t run around.”
Ye Mengyi happily agreed.
After changing into a pair of old cloth shoes, she followed Lu Qingshan out the door.
The mountain forest in early spring was bursting with life.
Fresh green shoots sprouted from the roadside grasses, tree branches stretched out tender new leaves, and the air was filled with the scent of fresh grass and damp earth.
Ye Mengyi inhaled deeply, feeling completely refreshed.
She had always loved nature in her previous life.
And after transmigrating here, she had become even more curious about these mountains.
Lu Qingshan walked ahead, alertly observing the surroundings from time to time while frequently glancing back at Ye Mengyi, afraid she might get lost.
Meanwhile, Ye Mengyi carefully studied the plants growing along the roadside.
Her eyes quickly recognized familiar wild vegetables:
Shepherd’s purse, purslane, dandelions…
All of them were highly nutritious wild greens that could be eaten or sold in town for money.
Then suddenly—
Her gaze landed beneath a large tree by the roadside, and her eyes lit up instantly.
Growing there was a cluster of plump mushrooms with brown caps and white stems.
They were oyster mushrooms—the kind she had often eaten in her previous life.
Oyster mushrooms had a tender texture and rich flavor.
Whether stir-fried or cooked in soup, they were delicious.
Ye Mengyi immediately ran over and crouched down, carefully picking one mushroom before bringing it to her nose.
A fresh mushroom fragrance drifted toward her.
“Brother Qingshan, come look!”
she called excitedly.
Lu Qingshan hurried over.
The moment he saw the mushroom in her hand, his face changed dramatically.
He quickly waved his hands.
“Mengyi, throw that away! It’s poisonous—you can’t touch it!”
Ye Mengyi froze briefly before immediately understanding.
People of this era had very limited knowledge about mushrooms.
They only knew brightly colored mushrooms were poisonous, but didn’t realize some plain-looking mushrooms were perfectly edible.
“Brother Qingshan, this mushroom isn’t poisonous. You can eat it.”
Lu Qingshan frowned.
“Really? The elders in the village all say mushrooms are poisonous. Eating them can kill people.”
Ye Mengyi patiently explained:
“Not all mushrooms are poisonous. Look at this one—the cap is brown, the stem is white, it feels smooth, and it smells fragrant. This is an oyster mushroom. It’s safe to eat. The truly poisonous ones are the brightly colored mushrooms, like red or yellow ones.”
To convince him further, she picked another mushroom and handed it to him.
“Smell it. Doesn’t it smell nice?”
Lu Qingshan hesitated before leaning closer.
Sure enough, a faint fresh fragrance reached his nose.