When enemies meet, their eyes turn especially red with hatred.
The moment Li Xingyue saw the two of them, anger shot straight to her head.
Perhaps because the original host had always seemed too weak, the two were so startled upon seeing her that it was as if they had seen a ghost.
Wu Rong struggled to squeeze out a smile and said, “Oh my, Sister-in-law, has your health recovered?”
Her gaze swept up and down Li Xingyue’s body in surprise. “Sister-in-law, what’s this? Are you going up the mountain?”
Li Xingyue played along, smiling without warmth. “Why? Are you unhappy to see that I’ve recovered?”
Wu Rong had just opened her mouth to speak when Gu Shaoning spoke first. “Sister-in-law, how can you talk to my sister-in-law like that?”
Li Xingyue glanced at her and said calmly and coldly, “Since you call me Sister-in-law, how do you think I should speak to you?”
Although Gu Shaoning was young, she had been spoiled since childhood. She had a terrible temper and could not stand the slightest grievance.
Last time, it was this wretched girl who secretly pushed the original host from behind, causing her to fall down the slope.
Gu Shaoning might be domineering, but she had no brains. It was very likely that Wu Rong had been instigating her behind the scenes.
Wu Rong was the wife of Gu Shao’an, the eldest son of the second branch of the Gu family. Gu Shao’an had already passed the county-level exam and was a scholar candidate, and Wu Rong always dreamed of becoming the wife of a full scholar.
She believed herself superior, yet felt she could never compare to the original host.
The original host was beautiful, the most beautiful girl in the surrounding villages. When Gu Mingxiao married her, he paid a bride price of ten taels of silver, bought her several new outfits, a silver hairpin, and a silver bracelet. Such things were rare in the nearby area.
Even after marriage, Gu Mingxiao continued to cherish her. Even though she had only given birth to a daughter, he still loved both mother and child dearly.
All of this made Wu Rong unbearably jealous.
Half of life’s suffering comes from survival; the other half comes from comparison.
Although her husband was a scholar, he always acted superior toward her. He never showed her or their child any affection.
When the Gu family married her, they had said her husband’s studies were too expensive and they had no money. They had only given her family three taels of silver, not to mention clothes or jewelry.
At the time, she had consoled herself that she would one day become a scholar’s wife and persuaded her family to accept.
Both were daughters-in-law of the Gu family, yet the difference in treatment was enormous.
Wu Rong felt that today’s Li Xingyue was different from before. That cold gaze seemed to see through everything.
Could she have learned about what happened on the mountain that day? The thought made her shiver.
But only she and the younger sister had been there. No one had seen them. Even if Li Xingyue knew, what could she do?
If they denied it to the death, what could Li Xingyue do to them?
Wu Rong hurriedly pulled Gu Shaoning and said with a smile, “Sister-in-law, Shaoning is young and ignorant. Please don’t lower yourself to her level.”
Li Xingyue looked at Wu Rong and asked with a smile, “Oh? What do you think she did that I shouldn’t take seriously?”
At that moment, Li Xingyue wanted nothing more than to slap Gu Shaoning several times.
Wu Rong’s face instantly turned pale. She forced a smile. “Sister-in-law, I don’t know what you mean.”
Then she added, “If there’s nothing else, Shaoning and I will leave first.”
As she spoke, she pulled Gu Shaoning away.
Gu Shaoning was still confused and asked anxiously, “Sister-in-law, why are you dragging me away in such a hurry?”
Wu Rong leaned close and whispered, “Do you think Li Xingyue seems different today? Could she know that you pushed her that day?”
Gu Shaoning scoffed. “How could she know? She doesn’t have eyes on the back of her head. Even if she knew, what could she do to me?”
In her mind, even pushing Li Xingyue down the mountain was nothing. After all, Li Xingyue hadn’t died.
Her parents and grandparents would still side with her, so she had no fear in this family.
Wu Rong still felt uneasy and warned, “You should avoid Li Xingyue for a while.”
Gu Shaoning ignored her.
Behind them, Li Xingyue and Gu Wan’er also headed up the mountain.
Gu Wan’er felt that her sister-in-law was especially different today. She was no longer as weak and gentle as before. Though she still spoke calmly, she now carried a strong presence.
Gu Wan’er found that she liked this version of her sister-in-law even more.
After reaching the mountain, Li Xingyue had no desire to dig wild vegetables. She really did not want to eat them anymore.
She said, “Little sister, instead of digging wild vegetables, we should dig medicinal herbs. They’re harder to find, but we can sell them to buy rice and flour. That’s better than eating wild vegetables.”
Gu Wan’er sighed helplessly. “But we don’t know any medicinal herbs.”
Li Xingyue had an idea and made something up. “Herbs are hard to find this season. Let’s have the little poodle help. Dogs have the best noses, don’t they?”
Gu Wan’er’s eyes curved into smiles. “Sister-in-law, can that really work? Can the little poodle help?”
Li Xingyue only smiled. “He’s very smart. He should be able to help.”
Gu Wan’er nodded eagerly.
In her previous life, Li Xingyue knew some herbs—common ones like wild chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, dandelion, selfheal, and isatis root.
She also recognized astragalus, ginseng, angelica, polygonatum, fleeceflower root, and codonopsis. Though she had never dug them herself, she had grown up in the countryside and watched many short videos.
It was early March. There was no honeysuckle or selfheal yet, but astragalus, polygonatum, and fleeceflower root could be dug.
Li Xingyue let the little poodle walk ahead while she followed closely.
The two women and the dog walked for two hours.
Hard work paid off. They eventually found a patch of astragalus.
Li Xingyue made an excuse for Gu Wan’er to keep digging while she and the dog searched elsewhere.
In truth, she went to a secluded spot, entered her space, drank some spring water, filled half a basket with potatoes, and took a few carrots. She also filled a bamboo tube with spring water to bring to Gu Wan’er.
Just as she came out of the space, a wild rabbit suddenly ran straight into a nearby tree and fainted.
Li Xingyue quickly picked it up, tied its legs with dry vines to keep it from escaping, and put it in her basket with the potatoes.
She also found a small patch of polygonatum and marked the place before going back to find Wan’er.
They had brought neither food nor water and were exhausted. The spring water would restore their strength.
Li Xingyue handed Gu Wan’er a carrot and carefully passed her the bamboo tube. “Wan’er, you must be tired. Drink some water first.”
Gu Wan’er didn’t hesitate. She drank it and smiled. “Sister-in-law, where did you find this spring? It’s so sweet.”
Li Xingyue only smiled. “Eat the carrot first. There’s more polygonatum over there. We’ll dig it later.”
Then she said, “Wan’er, this trip to the mountain has truly been worthwhile. Look what else I found.”
She opened her basket.
Gu Wan’er couldn’t help but scream, “A rabbit! A rabbit! Sister-in-law, you’re amazing!”