ã€ŠMy Wife Might Not Be Humanã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Xiaowan Village in July. The mountains were a rolling length of green, and the vegetation was flourishing.

    The noon sun was unforgiving. Even the most diligent family in the village had to go home to shield themselves from the sun and avoid heatstroke.

    Because the villagers only ate breakfast and dinner, they would not cook food even if they returned home at noon.

    The more people a family had, the more things there were to do. The voices of the adults and the noise of the children¡¯s screams blended together, filling the entire village with life.

    At this moment, the loudest noise in the village was coming from Dong Erzhuang¡¯s house, which was the second house in the east of the village.

    Many people heard the commotion and quietly approached, wanting to listen in.

    There was nothing much to do at noon. Even though the sun was shining brightly, the villagers did not have much to entertain themselves with. It was a small joy to be able to listen in on the liveliness.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to say this, but Third Brother and your family, you have to keep an eye on Nuannuan. She messed up and went to fight with Dong Man. If you want to fight, then at least fight well. She didn¡¯t even win. Not only is it embarrassing, but you¡¯ve also thrown the entire family under the bus. In the time we spend dealing with her, we could have been watering two more acres of land!¡± A middle-aged woman stood in the living room of Dong Erzhuang¡¯s house. She had her hands on her waist and her neck raised. Her tone was dramatic as if she was in a play.

    The woman was nearly seven feet tall. She was slightly plump and had average looks. Her skin was a dark yellow, and she wore her hair the way most women in the village did, in a bun. As she spoke, her eyes got bigger and bigger. Coupled with her raised eyebrows and the creases at the corners of her eyes, she looked fierce.

    The third son that the woman mentioned was sitting at the north entrance with his eight-year-old son in his arms.

    Upon hearing her words, Third Brother¡¯s mouth moved, but he did not make a sound.

    Seeing the situation, the woman glanced at the old lady sitting at the front. Seeing that she did not react, she said in a high-pitched voice, ¡°Although Dong Man is a troublemaker, it takes two hands to clap. If Nuannuan didn¡¯t cause trouble in the first place, Dong Man wouldn¡¯t have come up to her and beat her up, right? Why don¡¯t we agree to make her the Liao family¡¯s sister-in-law and marry Nuannuan into the family next door? Let Young Master Liao teach her better. Perhaps she can change her temper.¡±

    The little girl who was standing beside the woman, Dong Xing, imitated her mother. She placed her hands on her waist and raised her neck like a fighting cockerel. She clapped her hands and said, ¡°There¡¯s no smoke without fire!¡±

    When the woman heard her daughter¡¯s words, her eyebrows relaxed, and she smiled. ¡°My Lil Xing is so sensible. She¡¯s not like Lil Nuan, who always causes trouble for the family.¡±

    As soon as the woman finished speaking, she felt a gust of wind beside her. Before she could react, she heard a crisp sound.

    Slap!

    This sound shocked everyone in the family. Some of them, who had hidden in the backyard and did not want to hear the women arguing, rushed into the house.

    After this crisp sound, there was another crisp sound.

    Slap!

    Dong Xing did not know what had happened at all. She only felt her vision blur, and the left side of her face was in so much pain that it felt like it was being pricked by needles. She had just regained her senses when she saw that the person who hit her was Dong Nuan, who had a bandage wrapped around her head. Before she could react, she was slapped again.

    Dong Xing was slapped on both sides of her face. For a moment, she did not know which side hurt more!

    Dong Xing cried out loud. Even though she was only twelve years old, Dong Nuan was too ruthless. Dong Xing¡¯s face felt numb from the slap.

    After the whole family rushed in, they saw Dong Nuan with a bandagewrapped around her head and bloodstains on her face. She gently shook the fist she had punched Dong Xing with and said with a smile, ¡°Second Aunt, you can indeed clap with just one hand. I clapped your face so loudly just now!¡±

    Her words shocked the entire family!

    Second Aunt did not even react. Her mouth was wide open, revealing her not-so-white teeth.

    The young lady who just spoke, Dong Nuan, was the same age as Dong Xing this year. She was also twelve years old.

    However, Dong Xing was taller while Dong Nuan was petite. She looked like an eight- or nine-year-old child.

    The little girl was quite good-looking. She had willow-shaped eyebrows, almond eyes, thin lips, and a straight nose. However, because she had worked for many years, her skin was burnt, which diluted the beauty on her face.

    When Dong Nuan finished speaking, the entire family still did not know how to react. She kindly said to Dong Xing, who was crying, ¡°Dong Xing, that slap was very loud.¡±

    Before Dong Xing could react, Dong Nuan said with a smile, ¡°Your voice was so loud, so I gave you a slap to match.¡±

    This sentence shocked the entire family again!

    In the summer, the sun was unbearable, so the crops needed to be diligently watered. Otherwise, they would easily wither. One morning, when the entire family was out watering the fields, they heard someone call out to them, saying that Dong Nuan had fought with Dong Man. It was said that her head had been injured.

    By the time they rushed over, Dong Nuan had already been knocked unconscious and was lying on the ground. Her head was bleeding and she looked extremely miserable. Dong Man was not doing much better.

    The adults usually did not care about the fights between the children in the village, but today, they had gone too far. Their heads were injured, so there was no way to settle this by themselves.

    However, Dong Man¡¯s mother, Dong Manniang, was famous for being a shrewish woman. Although Second Aunt was bold at home, her arms always akimbo and her neck always sticking out, she was a coward outside.

    These people did not dare to be unreasonable with Dong Manniang, but they dared to be unreasonable with Dong Man!

    Second Aunt was the first to start. Relying on her status as Second Sister-in-law, she often bullied Third Brother. This time, she would not let go of the opportunity.

    In the afternoon, the entire family was silent as they listened to her scolding as if she was putting on a show.

    Seeing that the entire family was either surprised or confused, Dong Nuan continued to smile with narrowed eyes, but she was cursing in her heart.

    She had been a bamboo spirit. It had not been easy for her to cultivate and ascend, and one day, she accidentally got involved in a war between gods and devils that only happened once every tens of thousands of years!

    She thought that after dying, she would still be a bamboo spirit.

    However, in the end, she turned into a human. Moreover, she was a pitiful little girl who had not even lived to be twenty years old yet, unlike the girls in the novels she had read in the past!

    Dong Nuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    The grievance of not being able to cultivate, the cause of her last death, and Second Aunt distorting the truth made Dong Nuan feel furious and like she was being attacked!

    Dong Nuan¡¯s two consecutive slaps stunned the entire family!

    After a long time, Second Aunt was the first to react. She jumped up and pounced on Dong Nuan. ¡°You b*tch! You always cause trouble, yet you still dare to talk about our Lil Xing. I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    Second Aunt threw a punch, but Dong Nuan nimbly dodged it. At the same time, she said in an aggrieved voice, ¡°It was clearly Second Aunt who said that it takes two hands to clap. I just wanted to prove to Second Aunt that I can clap with just one hand. How did it become me who¡¯s causing trouble?¡±

    Dong Nuan¡¯s voice was not loud, but it drowned out Second Aunt¡¯s scream, allowing the entire family, including those who had just come to listen to the commotion, to hear it clearly.

    ¡°And why do you call me a troublemaker? It was clearly Dong Xing who took a fancy to the wildflowers Dong Man picked. She wanted them but didn¡¯t dare to ask. She secretly touched one behind her and was discovered. She didn¡¯t repent and slapped them first. When she realized that Dong Man was ruthless, she was afraid of being beaten up, so she pushed me forward. I helped Dong Xing stop the disaster. Not only did Second Aunt not compensate me, but she even scolded me. Grandma, I feel wronged!¡± Dong Nuan dodged nimbly as she shouted at the old lady at the door.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The old lady sat at the door with a dark expression and did not make a sound, but Dong Nuan knew that she soon would.

    More and more people had come to watch the show, and the old lady cared about her reputation. If she did not want others to laugh at her family, she would definitely make a move.

    Sure enough, after Second Aunt failed a more few times, she picked up a stick at the side. Just as she was about to step forward, the old lady shouted coldly, ¡°Enough. That¡¯s from Second Brother¡¯s family.¡±

    As soon as the old lady spoke, Second Aunt was like a frightened quail. She had already waved the stick, but now, she reluctantly retracted it. When she thought about it, she felt indignant. As she retracted the stick, she did not forget to glare fiercely at Dong Nuan.

    Dong Nuan made a face at her, making Second Aunt so angry that her liver hurt. However, it was not enough for Dong Nuan to make a face. She quickly said, ¡°If Second Aunt thinks Young Master Liao is so good, then make Dong Xing marry him. Like Second Aunt said, Young Master Liao is a scholar. He has a bright future. Whoever follows him will enjoy a good life. This is good fortune. I¡¯m not lucky enough to keep it for myself. I¡¯ll give it to Dong Xing.¡±

    Although Dong Nuan said that, she could not help but curse in her heart.

    Second Aunt had always been smart. Why did she not want such a ¡®great blessing¡¯?

    It was all because she could clearly see that Mother Liao had been holding for so many years and was about to die. She probably would not live past this winter. Young Master Liao would then be left alone as a weak scholar. He could barely hold his head up on his own shoulders or lift his arms. In the future, all housework and farming would be his new wife¡¯s job.

    Why did she take a fancy to the original owner of this body?

    It was all because the original owner of this body was a silly girl. She was as stubborn as an old cow. Although she was young, she was especially capable and was comparable to half of a strong labor force!

    Knowing the story, she knew she would probably still be married off in the end.

    Because the Dong family and the Liao family had their own schemes.

    The Liao family had taken a fancy to the capable nature of the young lady¡¯s family. If they made her marry him, they could make her continue to work and support Young Master Liao¡¯s studies.

    On the other hand, the Dong family had taken a fancy to Mother Liao¡¯s promise to make Young Master Liao teach the younger children of the Dong family how to read and write. This was beneficial to the two families, but it was a pity for the original owner of this body.

    In the end, in order to support Young Master Liao¡¯s studies, she died of exhaustion before she was even twenty years old.

    On the other hand, Young Master Liao stepped on the bones and blood of his old mother and first wife to rise to power and become a high-ranking official. When he returned to his hometown in glory, he had a beautiful new wife and concubines by his side. He was so happy. Who still remembered the pitiful little girl who supported him back then?

    This was before Dong Nuan ascended. Because they had the same name, she had read more about it.

    ¡°You b*tch! You¡­¡± Hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s words, Second Aunt¡¯s blood rushed to her head, and she could no longer control the stick in her hand.

    Dong Nuan was not the type to sit around and wait to be beaten up. With a few quick steps, she rushed from the living room to the courtyard.

    As soon as she reached the courtyard, she saw outsiders outside the fenced yard.

    Coincidentally, it was Dong Manniang and her daughter, Dong Man!

    Dong Nuan¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw them.

    Dong Man was not to be trifled with. Dong Man¡¯s father was a hunter in the village. He was a fierce man as tall and strong as a tower.

    Although Dong Man won the fight in the morning, she had also been injured. Her family had never been at a disadvantage in the village. If she had come over, she was definitely here to take revenge.

    ¡°Dong Man, Dong Xing is crying inside the house. If you want to do this, you have to do it as soon as possible. Otherwise, if she runs away later, you won¡¯t be able to catch her.¡± After Dong Nuan ran to the courtyard, she raised her voice to remind Dong Man.

    The old lady¡¯s old face darkened, and she glared at her fiercely. Dong Nuan pretended to not see it.

    Dong Xing was smart. If she ran away when she saw that the situation was growing tenser, this matter would become a fight between adults.

    Dong Xing made the original host¡¯s young lady take the blame for her and the fight she caused. In the end, she was targeted by the two of them. Why?

    Whose fault should it be? Anyone could take the blame, but in any case, she would not take the blame for Dong Nuan!

    Dong Man was just like her name suggested. She was very tall and strong. She was a year younger than Dong Nuan and Dong Xing, but she was taller than Dong Xing. She looked like she was fourteen or fifteen years old.

    Upon hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s words and seeing the pitiful look on her face, Dong Man could not be bothered with her. She rushed into the Dong family¡¯s home in a few strides, passed by a few elders, and picked Dong Xing up from inside the house to bring her to the courtyard. She pinned her to the ground and punched her!

    Dong Xing was crying because of the pain in her face and wanted her mother to get back at Dong Nuan. She did not believe that Dong Nuan, who could not even hit a fart, would dare to hit her. She wanted revenge. She wanted to beat Dong Nuan to death!

    However, as soon as her ambitions rose, she was pressed to the ground and beaten up by Dong Man.

    ¡°Mother, save me! Dong Nuan, you b*tch! You¡¯ll die a horrible death! Dong Man, you¡¯ll die a horrible death too!¡± After eating a few mouthfuls of soil, Dong Xing lost all composure. Even though it was about Dong Man, she dared to curse at the top of her lungs.

    Seeing that Dong Xing had been beaten up so badly, Second Aunt wanted to go forward, but when she saw Dong Man¡¯s burly figure and fierce gaze, she retreated timidly and looked at the old lady.

    The old lady was also annoyed, but Dong Man was indeed an extremely difficult person to deal with. To be honest, she was a little afraid of her.

    However, if she did not stand up now, her family¡¯s reputation would be ruined.

    Thinking of this, the old lady straightened her back and glared at Dong Nuan again, only to see Dong Nuan smile innocently at her.

    Seeing this, the old lady felt a lump in her throat. After taking a deep breath, she said with a cold expression, ¡°Hey! You b*tch, aren¡¯t you going too far?¡±

    After saying that, she snorted and continued. ¡°It¡¯s just a small fight between children¡­¡±

    Before the old lady could finish speaking, she was rudely rebuked by Dong Manniang. ¡°Hey, Aunty, Dong Xing is so young, but she sure knows how to sneak around. If we don¡¯t discipline her well, won¡¯t there be other copycats in our village in the future? Although the imperial court¡¯s taxes have been reduced in the past two years, the harvest in the fields has been good, and life has been good, which family doesn¡¯t value their personal possessions? How can we not be angry after she touched our things? We¡¯ve been kind today. Today, we¡¯re just teaching Dong Xing a lesson. She shouldn¡¯t have touched our things. If she¡¯s beaten to death one day, it¡¯ll be too late for you to regret it.¡±

    The old lady almost fainted from anger. Her eyes rolled back, and she raised her hand to calm herself down. After a long time, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°My granddaughter doesn¡¯t need to worry about her!¡±

    Dong Manniang was a sensible person. She was hot-tempered, but she would not go overboard. Otherwise, if she became the public enemy of the entire village, her life would not be easy in the future.

    Seeing that Dong Man had vented her anger after fighting for a long time and that the old lady was so angry that her eyes had rolled back into her head again. Dong Manniang stopped while she was ahead and shouted, ¡°Alright, Lil Man, it¡¯s time to go back. There¡¯s a lot of work in the fields in the afternoon. Don¡¯t waste your time here.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Although Dong Man looked like a big tigress, she was obedient to her mother¡¯s words. When her mother said that it was enough and told her to stop hitting Dong Xing, she got up.

    When she got up, she saw that Dong Xing was still cursing. She raised her leg and hit the other girl¡¯s calf, making her scream heart-wrenchingly.

    After Dong Man finished kicking, she glared fiercely at Dong Nuan before returning to her mother¡¯s side.

    The mother and daughter had come and left aggressively, leaving Dong Xing lying on the ground, cursing and gasping.

    Her face had already been slapped twice by Dong Nuan, and she had also been beaten up a few times by Dong Man. At this moment, not only did the corners of her mouth hurt, but her teeth also hurt. She wondered if Dong Man had knocked them out.

    The old lady could not bear to watch anymore. Coupled with her bad mood, her words were not pleasant. ¡°Alright, Second Brother¡¯s family can take care of their own messes.¡±

    After saying that, she did not forget to raise her voice. ¡°Stop looking, stop looking! Why? So we¡¯re the only family who¡¯s messed up, huh?¡±

    When the villagers saw the old lady¡¯s fierce expression, they knew she was about to get angrier. They dispersed with a smile.

    In any case, the most interesting part of the squabble was over. It was fine as long as there was something to talk about for the rest of the afternoon. As for future developments?

    That was a matter to be resolved behind closed doors in Dong Erzhuang¡¯s house. Whether they talked about it more or not no longer affected the villagers¡¯ gossip.

    The villagers who were watching the commotion quickly dispersed, but Dong Erzhuang¡¯s house was still in the eye of the storm. The old lady¡¯s expression was so ugly that it was dripping with hatred.

    Seeing this, Dong Nuan quietly slipped back to the west room and closed the door behind her. She lay down on the small broken bed in the room and ignored the noise outside. She was too lazy to care. Anyway, her head was injured, and she would tell anyone who asked that she had a headache.

    It was not that Dong Nuan was afraid of this family, but that she knew she would have to take the blame. If the real Dong Nuan was present, then she would get the blame.

    Her father was unreliable, and her mother was even more unreliable.

    The original owner of this body had an unfortunate family. Grandpa looked like he did not care about anything, but in fact, he knew very well that as long as nothing big happened, he would not need to speak up. He just watched as the old lady tortured herself in silence.

    However, without his approval, could the old lady do whatever she wanted?

    Of course not!

    Eldest Uncle Dong¡¯s family was scheming to the core. As soon as today¡¯s incident cleared up slightly, Eldest Aunt found an excuse to go out. No one knew where Eldest Uncle Dong went. Even the children in Eldest Uncle¡¯s family were not at home to watch the commotion.

    There were no other men in Second Uncle Dong¡¯s family, but Second Aunt could beat everyone in the family with Dong Xing¡¯s presence. She did not need a man to do it.

    The third branch of the Dong family was Dong Nuan¡¯s family. It was true that her father was unreliable. The father of the original owner¡¯s daughter was called Dong Sanchun. Although he had an honest face, he did not do honest things.

    Of course, only Dong Nuan understood the situation. Her father did not have things easy. He had to work hard every day, so she had to work too and lighten the burden on her father and mother.

    Dong Sanchun was very serious and diligent, but the results of his work were never as good as what the other Dong brothers did.

    As for the original owner¡¯s mother?

    Hah!

    Did you not see that when Dong Nuan was being scolded, she was hugging her son and enjoying the breeze at the door? She had no intention to retaliate against Second Aunt¡¯s curses.

    However, if Second Aunt was scolding the precious son in her arms, then this weak-looking woman would definitely fight her sister-in-law back.

    To put it bluntly, the most important thing to Dong Nuan¡¯s mother was her only son. The three girls who were born first did not matter at all. They were worthless and could be treated like dirt by the entire family.

    Just as she was thinking about these people from the Dong family, she heard the sound of knocking on the broken wooden door. The person who came to call for help was the original owner¡¯s mother, Madam Dong Wu. ¡°Lil Nuan, come out quickly. Your grandmother is angry.¡±

    ¡°So what if Grandmother is angry? What does that have to do with me? If you made sure Dong Xing caused less trouble, Grandma would definitely not be mad right now.¡± Dong Nuan was too lazy to pay attention to her. As she spoke, she raised her hand to touch her head. This bandage had been wrapped by Grandmother Dong while Madam Dong Wu hugged her precious son and coaxed him the entire time, afraid that he would be frightened.

    ¡°Lil Xing didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Your grandmother is angry because you hit Lil Xing. Come out and apologize to Grandmother and her. Then this matter will be over.¡± Madam Dong Wu was not hugging her precious baby anymore. The boy was getting stuffy, so he ran out to play.

    Since her hands were free, she shook the door with all her might, but it did not open. She was afraid that the old lady would be angry if she shook the door, so in the end, she could only say inhumane words.

    The original owner of this body was a good person. She felt that her family did not have it easy, while she was lucky, so she contributed selflessly and had no regrets¡­

    That was not right. In the end, the young lady should have regretted it.

    When she was on the verge of death, no one cared about her even though her blood relatives lived next door.

    There was no news of her husband, who was far away in the capital. At that time, the young lady should have regretted it.

    The bamboo spirit was not about to let these people get away. Who would have it easy?

    It was not easy for it to ascend, only to be struck dead!

    Therefore, Dong Nuan refuted Madam Wu¡¯s inhumane words. ¡°Dong Xing was the one who caused trouble for no reason. If she didn¡¯t hit Lil Man, nothing would have happened. Now that she¡¯s been beaten up, she deserves it.¡±

    Madam Dong Wu, who was outside the door, probably did not expect the usually obedient girl to say such words.

    Madam Dong Wu paused for a moment before saying, ¡°We¡¯re all family, so why are you so calculative? Come out and apologize. What happened today will then be over. Lil Nuan, listen to me.¡±

    Dong Nuan felt that Dong Wu was a scammer.

    She spoke as if they were a family and they were doing things for the sake of the family.

    However, she used her family to kidnap the original owner of this body and made the original owner of the body work for the family while never receiving an ounce of gratitude.

    When Dong Nuan heard this, she sneered in her heart, and her mouth did not show any mercy. ¡°Mother is right. In the future, if Lil Man hits me again, I¡¯ll use Dong Yao to protect me. Who cares if he gets beaten up? Dong Yao¡¯s skin is thick, and it can withstand beatings.¡±

    Dong Yao was the Host¡¯s younger brother, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s precious egg.

    Madam Dongwu, who was outside the door, choked. She pounded on the door twice and lost her temper. ¡°Lil Nuan, that¡¯s your blood brother. You¡¯re not just refusing to protect him, but you¡¯re even encouraging someone to hit him? Is that how you treat your own brother?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what Mother said. We¡¯re all family, so why are you so calculative? Dong Yao eats so much rice from my bowl. He can¡¯t eat it for nothing. It¡¯s only right for him to take a beating for Sister.¡± Dong Nuan retorted bluntly again.

    Madam Dong Wu, who was outside the door, seemed to have been silenced. She did not speak for a long time.

    Dong Nuan could not be bothered with her. She touched her flat stomach and sighed inwardly.

    The original owner of the body was a poor cow. She only had two meals a day at home. This was the village¡¯s culture. Dong Nuan could not say anything.

    Regardless of whether the food was good or bad, even if the old lady was a little mean, she would always make sure the entire family had enough to eat. After all, they still had to work in the fields.

    However, the host¡¯s two meals had to be given to her by her father and her younger siblings. There was not much food in total. If each of them was given two mouthfuls first, the host would not be able to eat her fill.

    Usually, when she was free, she would run up the mountain to fill up on some wild vegetables and fruits. Even then, she still had to save some for her younger siblings.

    It was a pity that no one had accepted the original owner¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°Poor thing.¡± Thinking of these things, Dong Nuan sighed softly. Then, she raised her right palm and moved her fingers slightly. At the same time, she closed her eyes and carefully felt the natural flow.

    Not long after, two bright yellow apricots appeared in Dong Nuan¡¯s upturned palm.

 Chapter 4

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan¡¯s palm was too small, and the yellow apricots were too big. They almost fell from her palm.

    Sensing the weight in her palm, Dong Nuan opened her eyes and looked at the two juicy spheres. She revealed her first sincere smile in a while. ¡°Luckily, my special ability still works.¡±

    Although its magic powers were gone and the spiritual qi in this world was so thin that it was almost nonexistent, the bamboo spirit¡¯s special ability still worked.

    The bamboo spirit¡¯s special ability was a close relationship with plants. She could nourish all the plants within a hundred-mile radius with just the air. She only needed to consume a little physical strength to obtain two high-quality, tender, and sweet apricots. Dong Nuan felt that was worth it.

    The two big apricots quickly entered her stomach. Then, she pricked up her ears to listen to the situation outside.

    It was nothing more than noise and curses interspersed with the sound of the old lady picking up a stick and pounding it on the ground.

    Dong Nuan could not be bothered with them. She lay on the broken bed and prepared to sleep.

    Xiaowan Village was located in the north of the north-south border, so most of the families in the village had heated beds. This way, in the winter, they could conserve firewood to burn.

    If they didn¡¯t know how to build things and had a larger population, they would have to think of other ways to keep warm.

    For example, in Dong Erzhuang¡¯s house, almost every room had four or five children sleeping in it. Coupled with two adults, it was really impossible to squeeze everyone in comfortably.

    Hence, there was a broken bed in each room.

    The bed in Dong Nuan¡¯s house was about 5 feet wide. Dong Nuan and her two sisters slept on it. It was summer now, so there was no blanket on it. There was just some hay.

    Dong Nuan did not mind. She lay on it and closed her eyes to go to sleep.

    When she woke up, the house was quiet. Seeing that the sun was not as bright, she guessed that they had all gone back to work in the fields.

    Dong Nuan got up and brushed down her gray coat. After brushing off the hay on it, she opened the door.

    After passing by Fourth Uncle Dong¡¯s room next door, she arrived at the main room. Dong Nuan washed her face. She could not go out with blood all over her face, right? At the same time, she had to rewrap the tattered bandage on her head.

    Dong Nuan did not have precious items like bronze mirrors, so she could only catch a brief reflection in the water.

    The little girl was about 60% similar to the original Dong Nuan, but her figure was too small and her face was too burnt. Her hair was tied into two small buns, and the condition of her hair was not good. It was yellow and brittle, like withered grass.

    Dong Nuan did not intend to take too good care of herself. In this era where imperial power reigned supreme, most of the young girls on the farms who could not protect themselves and were too good-looking would not have a happy ending.

    After packing up, she clapped her hands and left.

    After a good sleep, she was much more energetic, so she decided to go out and cause more trouble.

    As soon as she left the fenced yard, he saw Scholar Liao next door.

    Oh, right, he had a proper name. His name was Liao Mingkun.

    In this village, compared to the other boys with big heads, big eyes, and iron pillars for arms, Liao Mingkun was obviously very impressive.

    The host¡¯s younger brother, Dong Yao, was being tutored by Liao Mingkun. Madam Dong Wu paid him.

    ¡°Lil Nuan, are you going out?¡± Liao Mingkun happened to be outside watering some plants. When he saw Dong Nuan, he smiled faintly.

    Dong Nuan looked in the direction of the voice and met a pair of smiling and gentle eyes.

    If it was another young lady, she would probably be unable to control her body and mind from fumbling upon meeting such deep and passionate eyes.

    However, since it was Dong Nuan¡­

    Sorry! Bamboo demons have no heart and cannot understand human love!

    To be honest, Liao Mingkun was indeed good-looking. His eyes were clear, his nose was upturned, and his lips were thin. Because he studied at home all year round, his skin was especially fair. He looked like those beautiful and seductive male vixens that Dong Nuan had read about in the past.

    He was also very tall, about seven to eight feet tall. Compared to Dong Nuan¡¯s five-and-a-half feet tall and obviously malnourished figure, the other party was undoubtedly a giant.

    Dong Nuan had to slightly look up at him.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Dong Nuan would not be charmed by a male vixen. Moreover, this was an enemy. The only reason she did not make his blood splatter on the spot was that she did not want to be caught right after doing it.

    The Dayue Dynasty had its own laws, and the bamboo spirits were not willing to kill too many people.

    There were many ways to take revenge. Dong Nuan felt that she could take it slow.

    She wanted to force Dong Xing and Liao Mingkun together, forever. One way to defeat your enemies was to use them against each other.

    Dong Nuan felt that Dong Xing and Liao Mingkun were very compatible. She just did not know if he would annoy her to death first, or vice versa.

    This matter was not urgent. She had to plan slowly.

    ¡°Your head hasn¡¯t recovered yet. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t face the wind. What do you want to do? I happen to be free. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Liao Mingkun prepared to step forward.

    He usually studied in the county, but recently, because of Mother Liao¡¯s serious illness, he had no choice but to skip his classes for a few days and come back to look after her.

    Of course, Dong Nuan suspected that he was not only thinking about taking care of his mother but also plotting against her.

    One who was unaccountably solicitous was usually hiding evil intentions.

    Dong Nuan did not want to talk to him at first, but when she thought about how this guy had worked the original owner to death, the bamboo spirit felt a little uncomfortable.

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan pursed her lips and said with embarrassment, ¡°How could I trouble Young Master Liao? Aunty Liao said that Young Master¡¯s hands are the hands of a scholar. They can¡¯t do rough farm work like ours do.¡±

    Liao Mingkun did not expect Dong Nuan to say this. He almost could not maintain the fake smile on his face, but remembering his goal, he composed himself.

    However, before he could speak, he heard Dong Nuan say again, ¡°Moreover, Young Master Liao, although we¡¯re neighbors and live in the same village, we¡¯re not related. It won¡¯t look good if you help me out, right? Those who know you will say that you¡¯re kind-hearted, but those who don¡¯t know might scold me and say that I¡¯m trying to seduce you like a toad tempts a swan to swim near it so it can try for a bit.¡±

    At this point, Dong Nuan seemed to frown in distress. She seemed to be muttering softly, but her voice was not soft at all as she said, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what this swan tastes like, it¡¯s probably similar to the goose at home. It¡¯s old, stale, and has broken teeth. Even if I was a toad, I wouldn¡¯t really want to eat this swam.¡±

    The geese at home were raised until they could not lay eggs anymore. By that time, they were old and could not walk, so they were killed. They were basically senior citizens.

    When Dong Nuan finished muttering to herself, she even raised her head and asked innocently, ¡°Young Master Liao, you¡¯ve read a lot. Do you know what swan meat tastes like?¡±

    Although Dong Nuan looked innocent, Liao Mingkun felt that there was a hidden meaning behind her words.

    Before he could speak, he heard Dong Nuan speak again. Seeing her small mouth move, he felt his scalp begin to tingle.

    ¡°Ah, right. Everyone in the village says that the young master of the Liao family is a swan. Why don¡¯t you bite yourself and tell me what swan meat tastes like?¡± Dong Nuan¡¯s expression was as innocent as it could be.

    Liao Mingkun almost choked.

    He never thought that Dong Nuan, a village girl who had never seen the world, could be so difficult to deal with.

    He did not have much time off this time. After all, he did not want to neglect his homework.

    He was prepared to use two days to get Dong Nuan to marry into the family willingly and help him manage the house so he could continue to study in the county with dignity.

    At this moment, after being choked up by Dong Nuan a few times, Liao Mingkun could not help but feel suspicious. Could it be that this little village girl had become enlightened?

    After a long time, he finally reacted in a daze. In the end, he realized that Dong Nuan was already gone.

    Seeing this, his expression was gloomy, and his eyes were filled with hostility.

 Chapter 5

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan, who had already walked to the foot of the North Mountain, did not care about Liao Mingkun¡¯s reaction.

    There was still a lot more coming in the future. Could he not handle things after just a few sarcastic words?

    Hah!

    The original owner of the body had supported him in his studies. When she was so exhausted that she died before she was twenty years old, she still did not shed a single tear.

    Therefore, the bamboo spirit had to avenge her!

    To the south of Xiaowan Village was a particularly wide river. That river was the source of the Xiaowan Village¡¯s survival. This was because the water used to water the fields was from that river. Of course, this river was shared between the two villages, and at the other end of the river was Papo Village.

    To the north of Xiaowan Village was a forest. After passing through this forest, one would reach Huping County.

    Xiaowan Village was a small village in Weishui Township, Xiangshui County, China.

    Usually, only hunters went into the depths of this forest. After all, the forest was dangerous. The children in the village would only walk around the foot of the mountain, dig out bird eggs, and pick some wild fruits.

    No one dared to go deeper. Even if they were picking up firewood, they would only walk around the perimeter.

    As a bamboo spirit, Dong Nuan naturally felt close to nature. She was not afraid of even the wild beasts in the forest.

    Of course, other than that that chubby black and white monstrous beast!

    They were natural enemies. They were enemies due to the forest¡¯s food chain. Even the bamboo that had already ceased being a bamboo spirit was afraid!

    However, Chubby did not live in this climate zone, so Dong Nuan could walk freely in the forest. From time to time, she would use his special ability to produce a crisp, tender, and juicy fruit.

    After walking around for more than an hour, not only was Dong Nuan full, but she also caught a fat pheasant.

    In the summer, the plants were flourishing, and even the small animals in the forest became fat and strong.

    Originally, Dong Nuan did not want to use give the Dong family such a nice present, but the fruits were everywhere. If Old Master Dong¡¯s heart softened, he might give some to his favorite grandchildren. In that case, she would not be able to attract hatred.

    Therefore, after thinking about it, Dong Nuan chose the pheasant.

    This was the thinnest one that she could find, but it was still fat.

    If it was too fat, would that not be letting them off the hook too easily?

    When it was almost evening, Dong Nuan carried the skinny pheasant back to the village. When she met people on the way, she greeted them with a smile.

    This was completely different from the original host¡¯s reserved personality, which led her to avoid everyone and not dare to raise her head. The current Dong Nuan seemed to be a social butterfly. She was like a sweet-tongued sister-in-law.

    Looking at the big pheasant in Dong Nuan¡¯s hand, some villagers asked about it.

    She did not hide anything. She had specially chosen this time to come back and make a scene.

    Therefore, when he heard someone ask, Dong Nuan chuckled and said, ¡°My grandpa works so hard. I initially wanted to pick some fruits, but I was lucky. A pheasant hit a tree with a bang and fainted.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that Nuan girl¡¯s luck is pretty good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Where did it run into the tree? Tell me. I¡¯ll go take a look tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Go away. We¡¯re family. Let me hear it!¡±

    ¡­

    Some people really wanted to ask for the location so they could pick up the leftovers themselves, while others were just joking.

    Dong Nuan did not reject anyone. She pointed at the place she had caught the pheasant.

    Of course, she could not point at the deep mountains. Who would believe that a five-and-a-half-foot-tall girl like her would go into the deep mountains?

    Therefore, she just pointed at a random spot and pretended to remember that as where it was. If others asked, she would just hedge around the questions.

    After some people heard this, they fell into deep thought. It was hard to decide whether to believe it or not.

    Did this little girl really catch a pheasant? Could they catch one too?

    This one bumped into the tree itself! How is it Nuannuan¡¯s fault if you cannot catch one?

    Even before Dong Nuan reached home, her family already knew that she had brought back an especially fat pheasant.

    Madam Dong Wu¡¯s face, which had been bitter the entire afternoon, finally cracked into a smile. She hugged her precious son and refused to let go. She said in a low voice, ¡°Your elder sister caught this. No matter what, you have to get a chicken drumstick. If your grandma dares to not give one to you, I¡¯ll help you get one!¡±

    When it came to her son, Madam Dong Wu was unbelievably domineering.

    However, what happened was destined to disappoint her.

    This was because when Dong Nuan returned, she went straight to Old Master Dong¡¯s side. The others in the family were also curious. Dong Nuan was just a little girl. Could she actually catch pheasants?

    Even if she was lucky, that should not be possible.

    Everyone gathered around to watch the commotion. Dong Nuan straightened her back and raised her head. She looked at Old Master Dong proudly and said in a crisp voice, ¡°I know Grandpa has been working hard recently. I was lucky today. I bumped into a pheasant, and I¡¯m giving it all to Grandpa!¡±

    Old Master Dong had been sitting under the window to cool down. He was also shocked by the fact that Dong Nuan had brought back a pheasant. However, he was an elder, so he had to hold back and watch quietly.

    He did not expect Dong Nuan to give him the entire bird!

    It had to be known that the Dong family emptied their family fortune to support Fifth Uncle Dong¡¯s studies. Old Master Dong refused to let them split the fortune instead, so the other brothers were already dissatisfied.

    In order to alleviate the resentment in the hearts of his other sons, Old Master Dong had said that the harvest in the fields would be returned to them, and the entire family¡¯s food for the year would be sourced from there.

    When the various family branches made money, they would hand over 70% of the profits and keep the remaining 30% as their own money.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s pheasant today could be considered their private property. They only needed to give the family 70%.

    In the end, she gave Grandpa everything.

    This made Old Master Dong a little happy, and his heart warmed. He looked at this thin granddaughter and felt like she had gotten inexplicably more pleasing to the eye.

    To put it bluntly, who did not like being flattered? Who did not like receiving gifts?

    Old Master Dong felt like the whole family was watching. He could not just accept this. He had to reject it three times. If he rejected it at least twice, the entire family would understand that Dong Nuan had forced this upon him!

    Thinking of this, Old Master Dong stood up with a smile. He patted Dong Nuan¡¯s head and said, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that Nuannuan is filial, but Grandpa says that this is your family¡¯s private property. Go back and give it to your father.¡±

    Hearing Old Master Dong¡¯s words, Dong Nuan¡¯s eyes widened. Her voice was crisp and high. Even through the fenced yard, the neighbors on the left and right could hear her. ¡°Granddaughter is filial to Grandpa. Father is filial to Grandpa. Isn¡¯t this what I should do? Grandpa has been working so hard recently. This pheasant should be given to Grandpa!¡±

    Madam Wu had just come out with Dong Yao in her arms. When she heard this, she was so angry that her eyes rolled back into her head. If it wasn¡¯t for Dong Yao being in her arms, she would have probably pinched someone to get her anger out.

    When she realized that it was her precious son, she held back.

    ¡°Lil Nuan, if your grandpa doesn¡¯t want it, just take it back.¡± Madam Dongwu coveted that big fat pheasant. Not only was she craving it, but her son was also craving it.

    When Dong Yao heard his mother speak, he immediately jumped out of her arms, put his hands on his waist, and said rudely, ¡°Sister, quickly, take it back! That chicken is mine, mine!¡±

    As soon as the two of them spoke, Old Master Dong¡¯s expression turned ugly.

    Second Aunt could not help but laugh at the side. The mockery on her face was obvious, and she did not hide it at all.

    Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Old Master Dong was putting on airs. Only the Dong Wu mother and son, one stupid and the other stupider, did not understand what was going on and were thick-skinned enough to ask for the bird.

    Uncle Dong¡¯s family was still laughing. They looked very happy. Fourth Uncle Dong was not around, while Fifth Uncle Dong stared fixedly at the pheasant and could not help but swallow.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s gaze silently swept across Fifth Uncle Dong. She thought to herself, ¡®I¡¯m doing this for you, my dear Fifth Uncle.

    ¡®Are you surprised? Are you surprised?¡¯

 Chapter 6

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Old Master Dong¡¯s expression darkened, but he could not flare up.

    Dong Nuan was not afraid. She straightened her back and said in disbelief, ¡°No way, no way. Mother, you can¡¯t snatch Grandpa¡¯s food away.¡±

    The entire family was in an uproar.

    Madam Dong Wu was unfilial!

    She even dared to snatch the old man¡¯s food away. She would be criticized by the village!

    Madam Wu was still craving the big fat chicken, but when she heard Dong Nuan¡¯s words, her face turned pale. She looked at Old Master Dong evasively. Seeing that the other party¡¯s expression was not positive, she quickly retracted her gaze timidly and shrank her head back. She even brought her son back into her arms.

    Dong Yao was spoiled so much that he could not understand the situation. When he was pulled into Madam Dong Wu¡¯s arms, he was still struggling. ¡°Let go of me! That¡¯s my big bird! What my elder sister caught is mine! It¡¯s mine! Why should I give it to Grandpa?!¡±

    After Dong Yao finished his rant, the rest of the family looked at him as if they were looking at a monkey.

    This time, before Dong Nuan could speak, Old Master Dong glared at Madam Dong Wu meaningfully and said slowly, ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to raise your children, let your sister-in-law and the others teach you.¡±

    After saying this, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s face turned pale, and she almost fell to her knees.

    Dong Yao could not see Old Master Dong¡¯s expression clearly. When he saw that his mother was silent, he lay on the ground and started rolling around.

    Old Master Dong could not be bothered to look at him. He had so many grandsons, so Dong Yao really did not leave much of an impression on him.

    After retracting his gaze, he reached out and took the fat pheasant from Dong Nuan¡¯s hand. He said gently, ¡°Good child, don¡¯t be afraid. Grandpa is here. This chicken is perfect. Your Fifth Uncle should pay the food expenses soon. Our family needs money. I initially wanted to borrow some from your grandfather or Third Uncle¡¯s house, but there¡¯s no need now.¡±

    As soon as Old Master Dong said this, the entire family had complicated expressions on their faces. They hid their thoughts and looked at the pheasant secretly.

    Second Aunt rolled her eyes. She was obviously dissatisfied with this, but there was nothing she could do.

    Seeing this, Dong Nuan smiled in her heart. This wave of aggro had maxed out Fifth Uncle Dong¡¯s aggro. However, the ultimate move would be unleashed tomorrow morning, so there was no hurry.

    Fifth Uncle Dong did not react at all. He was still laughing as he said, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Dong Nuan pursed her lips and smiled embarrassedly.

    During dinner, because Dong Nuan had contributed the pheasant, other than her usual dinner, she received an extra egg.

    One had to know that the only people who could eat whole eggs in this family were Fifth Uncle Dong, who was studying, and his eldest son, Dong Xu.

    It was already good enough if the girls at home could drink two mouthfuls of egg soup.

    ¡°Mother, I want eggs too!¡± When Dong Yao saw that Dong Nuan had eggs, he also wanted to eat them. However, Old Master Dong¡¯s expression was not looking good. He was a little afraid, so he did not dare to speak loudly now.

    Madam Dong Wu hugged him and coaxed him softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be ready in a while. Anything your sister has is yours.¡±

    Hearing her say this, the corners of Dong Nuan¡¯s lips curled up slightly, revealing a deep smile.

    There were a lot of people in the house. If the five branches were added together, there were be dozens of people. They would definitely not be able to all sit at a table together.

    Dong Nuan was sitting with the girls at home. During summer, it would be slightly cooler in the courtyard, so everyone liked to eat there.

    After Dong Yao filled the bowl with rice, he followed Dong Nuan with a bowl and waited for her eggs.

    Dong Nuan took the egg from Old Madam Dong. After peeling the shell, she swallowed it in one bite.

    Dong Yao did not even realize what was going on. Dong Nuan¡¯s two sisters were still waiting there eagerly. In the end, the egg instantly disappeared, leaving only a small shell behind.

    Dong Yao, who came back to his senses, burst into tears and threw away the rice bowl in his hand.

    Although life had improved a little in the past two years, food was still extremely precious.

    Dong Yao¡¯s throwing angered Old Madam Dong. She slammed her chopsticks on the table and roared, ¡°Eat if you can. If you can¡¯t, get lost!¡±

    The rice at home was all calculated by Old Madam Dong. After everyone filled their bowls, there was nothing left.

    Dong Yao usually bullied the weak and feared the strong. Now that he was shouted at, he did not dare to make a fuss after he threw the bowl away. Fortunately, it was not broken, but the rice was mixed with mud, so it was obviously inedible.

    ¡°Lil Nuan, give me some rice.¡± Madam Dong Wu¡¯s heart ached for her child, but she did not touch the rice in her bowl. Instead, she asked Dong Nuan for some.

    Dong Nuan swallowed the rice in her mouth and said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s just a bowl of rice. I¡¯m not full yet. Dong Yao has a lot of meat. I will starve if I don¡¯t eat.¡±

    Those words almost made Madam Dong Wu faint from anger. She emphasized her tone and said with a disappointed expression, ¡°Lil Nuan, how could you do this? That¡¯s your biological brother.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s your biological son. Why don¡¯t you give him the food?¡± Dong Nuan looked at Madam Dong Wu with a smile, but her words hit like a nail to the heart.

    Madam Dong Wu choked. Old Master Dong could not stand it anymore and said in a low voice, ¡°How about Dong Yao starve for the entire night and reflect on his actions? It¡¯s already good enough that he wasn¡¯t hit for daring to waste food! Why don¡¯t you two split up? Nuannuan has done so much work today. How can she regain strength if she doesn¡¯t eat more?¡±

    Since the Old Master Dong had spoken, Madam Dong Wu did not dare to say anything else. She glanced at Dong Nuan sadly. Seeing that Dong Nuan was ignoring her, she wanted to get the rice from the bowls of her other two daughters. However, the two girls lowered their heads and dug into their bowls quickly.

    In the end, she had no choice but to share a bowl of rice with Dong Yao. However, Dong Yao was currently growing and could eat really well. He ate 80% of the bowl of rice.

    He refused to give up the rice. When he was done, the bowl was cleaner than it would be had it been washed.

    In the end, Madam Wu did not get to eat. She looked at her husband, then at the three girls. No one paid attention to her. She sighed aggrievedly.

    After dinner, the family washed up briefly and returned to their rooms to rest.

    There was still a pile of work to do in the fields tomorrow. If they did not rest well, they would not be able to do it.

    As soon as Dong Nuan entered the west room, she saw her eldest sister, Dong Tao, pulling a long face and pouting. She said unhappily, ¡°There¡¯s so much work in the fields in the afternoon, but Eldest Sister didn¡¯t go. It¡¯s so tiring. Eldest Sister has to help me do more tomorrow.¡±

    Dong Zao, who was following behind, also muttered unhappily.

    Taking care of her younger siblings was what an older sister should do, but she needed to do her own things as well.

    Moreover, she still had to see if her younger siblings knew how to be grateful. They were a group of ingrates! Dong Nuan did not want to spoil them.

    After the two sisters muttered, Dong Nuan said in a slightly cold voice, ¡°Take on as much work as you can do. It¡¯s not like you won¡¯t have to do it even if others are helping you. Mother said that lazy girls can¡¯t get married to good men. Eldest Sister used to spoil you too much. In the future, you have to stand up for yourselves, lest you won¡¯t be able to get married and become old spinsters.¡±

    Before the two sisters could react, Madam Dong Wu, who just came in, pulled a long face and said unhappily, ¡°Lil Nuan, how could you talk to your sisters like that? What¡¯s wrong with helping your sisters do some work?¡±

 Chapter 7

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan was not surprised that Madam Dong Wu would say such rude words.

    Dong Yao followed behind Madam Dong Wu. He was still holding a grudge against Dong Nuan for not giving him her egg. When he heard that Madam Dong Wu was scolding Dong Nuan, he also put his hands on his waist and raised his neck. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Eldest Sister should help us with our work!¡±

    Hearing his words, Dong Nuan was so angry that she laughed. ¡°You¡¯re our biological mother, but I¡¯ve never seen you help us children.¡±

    Madam Dong Wu choked and could not say a word. Dong Yao also froze like a chicken that was being choked. He looked at his mother one moment, then at Dong Nuan. He did not know what to say.

    At this moment, Dong Sanchun came in. Noticing that the atmosphere in the room was tense, the honest man scratched his head and asked in a silly voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Hurry up and sleep. We still have work to do tomorrow.¡±

    Almost all of the fields had been watered today. Tomorrow, it was time to pull out the weeds and remove the insects. None of these tasks were simple.

    After Dong Sanchun finished speaking, he went to bed by himself. He did not care about what happened to his wife or his children.

    He was tired and needed to sleep.

    Dong Sanchun looked honest, but he was actually very self-centered, or rather, very selfish. He only cared about himself in his heart. He looked concerned for others, but he was actually cold.

    Even though there was a huge commotion at home, he did not bother intervening.

    After Dong Sanchun entered, Dong Zao and the others were afraid to disturb their father. Dong Yao did not dare to stretch his neck, and Madam Dong Wu did not dare to say anything.

    The family went back to their own beds to sleep.

    Dong Zao and Dong Tao still held a grudge against Dong Nuan for not helping with the work, so the two of them looked at each other and tacitly went to bed first, filling up the small bed.

    Seeing this scene, Dong Nuan smiled, turned around, took off her straw sandals, and went to sleep on the bedstove.

    The bedstove was very big. It was more than enough to fit two adults and Dong Yao, a half-grown child.

    Even if Dong Nuan were to crawl up there, there would be more than enough space.

    However, in the past, Madam Dong Wu did not allow the girls to go up at all, afraid that her precious egg would be squashed.

    Now that she saw the Dong Nuan coming up, her face darkened again. Her voice was filled with dissatisfaction. ¡°Why are you here? Can¡¯t yousleep in bed with the others?¡±

    ¡°I tried, but I couldn¡¯t. Dong Zao and Dong Tao have gained a lot of weight recently. Did they steal Dong Yao¡¯s food?¡± Dong Nuan lay down and said casually.

    At the mention of Dong Yao, even though Madam Dong Wu was exhausted, she instantly stood up.

    Therefore, as soon as Dong Nuan finished speaking, she got up with a whoosh and glanced at the small broken bed on the ground.

    Dong Zao and Dong Tao didn¡¯t even have time to shift their posture before they were caught by Madam Dong Wu.

    Madam Dong Wu did not care about others. She would only act according to her own thoughts, or in this case, Dong Nuan¡¯s thoughts.

    To put it bluntly, her mind revolved around Dong Yao.

    Therefore, when she saw this scene, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s face grew long again. Dong Nuan felt that she could compare her face with a donkey¡¯s.

    ¡°You two brats, from tomorrow onward, give half of every meal you have to Lil Yao.¡± When Madam Dong Wu thought about how these two brats had secretly eaten Dong Yao¡¯s food when she was not paying attention, she gritted her teeth in hatred.

    Dong Yao did not mind watching the commotion. He even clapped his hands and said, ¡°Yay! I¡¯ve lost weight recently, Mother.¡±

    When she heard her precious egg say that he had lost weight, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s heart ached again. She quickly comforted him and took out a handful of beans that she had secretly pulled out from the ground in the afternoon. She coaxed softly, ¡°Eat more. These fresh beans will definitely be crispy and tender when you bite into them.¡±

    The soybeans would only truly mature after autumn. They looked like tender little broad beans now.

    Even if they were not cooked, they still tasted good raw.

    When Dong Yao saw that there was really food, he completely woke up and ignored everyone else. He grabbed the beans and started eating.

    Dong Zao and Dong Tao were filled with hatred. They stared at Dong Nuan on the bedstove as if looks could kill.

    Unfortunately, Dong Nuan could not be bothered with them. They wanted to cause trouble, right?

    She was just helping them. Sure, they did not need to thank her, but why did they hate her?

    The bamboo spirit thought that humans were so unreasonable.

    That night, Dong Nuan¡¯s family¡¯s room was not the only one where schemes were unhatching.

    Old Master Dong was already prepared to ask someone to sell the big fat pheasant at the market and exchange it for money to pay for Fifth Brother¡¯s food. This would have been a stab in the heart to the entire family.

    No one said anything on the surface, but in secret, they were annoyed.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s wave of aggression had helped Fifth Brother get an advantage. The problem was that the idiot, Fifth Brother, didn¡¯t notice anything wrong at all. At night, he even had some fun with his wife.

    The next morning, before the roosters even crowed, Old Madam Dong stood in the courtyard and started to wake the entire family up like she was singing a opera.

    ¡°The sun is already shining, why aren¡¯t you getting up yet? Which branch¡¯s woman is the laziest?

    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you know what time it is? There¡¯s a pile of work waiting for you in the fields. Do you still want to sleep?¡±

    ¡­

    Old Madam Dong was not the only one doing this. All the families were the same, and it was always the Old Madam or Old Master of the house doing it.

    Each house¡¯s cadence rose and fell like a symphony in the morning.

    Of course, some families were excluded from this. For example, Liao Mingkun¡¯s house next door. He was a refined scholar, and there were only two of them in the family. There was no need to specially get up early.

    However, Liao Mingkun was very disciplined. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to become a powerful minister in the future.

    However, when he woke up early in the morning, he wanted to read for a while. He heard shouting for a while until it finally stopped, and he realized it had been quiet for a while.

    Liao Mingkun was not very observant. From time to time, Mother Liao would cough. He was extremely frustrated, but he had nowhere to vent.

    Dong Nuan had a good night¡¯s sleep. When she woke up, the entire family was up.

    Everyone was washing their faces in the courtyard. Seeing her come out, Old Madam Dong pulled a long face. However, for the sake of the big fat pheasant, she did not say anything. Madam Dongwu did not have any such hesitation. ¡°Lil Nuan, you¡¯re really getting more and more ridiculous. The entire family is up and waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Why are you guys waiting for me? Isn¡¯t breakfast still not ready yet? Besides, everyone has to wash their faces. We¡¯re not going in any particular order. If I wake up a little later, I can let everyone wash their faces first,¡± Dong Nuan replied casually. She did not use the wooden basin to wash her face. Instead, she scooped water with a ladle and rubbed it simply.

    There were only two wooden basins at home. The entire family shared them and washed their faces and feet in them.

    As a bamboo that loved to be clean, Dong Nuan really could not stand it.

    It was still acceptable for everyone to wash their faces together, but washing their faces and feet¡­

    No way, no way!

 Chapter 8

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Madam Dong Wu was rendered speechless by Dong Nuan again. Second Aunt, who was listening in on the conversation between the mother and daughter, could not help but laugh. ¡°My goodness. I say, Third Brother¡¯s family, Lil Nuan can¡¯t continue acting like this. You don¡¯t even listen to your mother! If you ask me, you should agree to becoming the Liao family¡¯s sister-in-law. Lil Nuan, a village girl who doesn¡¯t even know how to read, has a chance to marry the young master of the Liao family. That¡¯s an amazing thing.¡±

    ¡°How great it is, yes. So why doesn¡¯t Second Aunt ask Dong Xing to marry him?¡± Before Madam Dong Wu could say anything, Dong Nuan retorted with that.

    Second Aunt was smiling happily, even though she was still annoyed about the previous night.

    However, now that she was rebuked by Dong Nuan, her face stiffened. She pursed her lips and was about to retaliate when she saw Dong Nuan suddenly clap her hands. She smiled and sighed. ¡°Ah, right. Aunt Liao doesn¡¯t like Dong Xing. She said that Dong Xing is inattentive and can¡¯t tell a hand from a foot. Second Aunt, do you know what that means? Did Aunt Liao say that Dong Xing is lazy?¡±

    The expression on Second Aunt¡¯s face was already ugly, but after being rebuked by Dong Nuan again, she almost stomped her feet in anger, but she could not find any words to counter her. In the end, she shook the cloth towel in her hand hatefully, turned around, and sashayed into the house.

    After Second Aunt¡¯s interruption, Madam Dong Wu did not find a chance to say anything else.

    Apart from the tension between Dong Nuan and Second Aunt, there were also occasional fights between the others, but they did not cause much of a commotion. Otherwise, Old Dong would not be sitting under the window steadily, his eyelids heavy.

    Soon, the breakfast was ready.

    Old Madam Dong had absolute control over the matters of the family, so no matter how tired she was, she was unwilling to give power to her daughters-in-law.

    Asking her daughters-in-law to cook?

    What if they secretly ate the food behind her back?

    Therefore, when she woke up early in the morning and woke up the entire family, she also prepared breakfast.

    Dong Nuan did not have much hope for the food in the farmyard.

    This morning, it was half-dried millet with some old beans mixed in. As the beans had been processed by stone mills, they were in a half-crushed state. It was impossible to tell what beans they were. In addition, there were some chaff and vegetables.

    Dong Nuan took a sniff of the smell. There should be cucumber and eggplant. These two were the most common home-cooked dishes in farming houses in this season. There were also other vegetables, but those changed daily.

    After the pot was put out, there were rice and dishes. After Old Madam Dong distributed them to everyone, she would carry the rest back to her table to eat.

    Dong Tao and Dong Zao returned to the table with rice and ate with their heads lowered. They did not care about what they had promised last night. They were afraid that Madam Dong Wu would remember and take their rice.

    The two of them even secretly discussed it and agreed that if their mother really wanted the food, they would force Dong Nuan to give away hers.

    In any case, she was the eldest sister. It was only right for her to take care of her younger siblings.

    In the end, Dong Nuan did not come to the table at all. Instead, she stood at the door with her bowl and ate.

    Farmers were not too particular. Some people even carried their rice bowls to the gate of the fenced courtyard to eat.

    When Madam Wu finally got Dong Yao ready, Dong Tao and Dong Zao were almost finished.

    ¡°Mother!!!¡± When Dong Yao saw that his extra meal was gone, he immediately felt wronged and was prepared to throw his bowl.

    However, with what happened yesterday, how could Madam Dong Wu dare to let him throw it again?

    ¡°Alright, alright. Mother will ask your elder sister to give you some food.¡± After Madam Dong Wu finished speaking, she shouted at Dong Nuan at the door, ¡°Lil Nuan, get some rice for your younger brother. You¡¯re a girl who eats too much. Be careful not to get too fat. Your in-laws will despise you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t get fat from eating. Tell Dong Yao to eat less, lest he gets too fat and can¡¯t get a wife in the future,¡± Dong Nuan retorted.

    Madam Wu was furious, but before she could speak, she heard Dong Nuan speak again.

    For some reason, when she saw that Dong Nuan¡¯s little mouth was about to move, she felt her scalp tingle.

    ¡°Heaven is dark, earth golden¡­ The cosmos are vast and diffused. Right, Fifth Uncle, what¡¯s next?¡± As Dong Nuan ate, she softly recited a few words and asked Fifth Uncle Dong to continue the rest.

    She had already dug such a huge pit. Now, it was time to fill it with soil.

    Fifth Uncle Dong was eating with his head lowered. He still had to go to town to study later and had to walk through a lot of mountain roads. He had to eat more.

    Hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s question, Fifth Uncle Dong replied without raising his head, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Little girl, don¡¯t listen to those gossipy old women¡¯s nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Ah? But¡­¡± Dong Nuan said with a puzzled expression. She seemed to want to say something but did not know how. Her mouth moved, but she didn¡¯t say anything.

    Seeing this, the eyes of Second Aunt, who had just been rebuked earlier in the morning, lit up. She was instantly energized. However, just as her mouth opened, before she could say anything, she heard Liao Mingkun¡¯s voice next door. ¡°Heaven is dark, earth golden; the cosmos are vast and diffused. Sun and moon wax and wane; the stars are fixed in their constellations.¡­¡±

    Liao Mingkun had the habit of studying early in the morning. However, ever since he passed the student examination and entered the city school, he lived in the city. He could only return home one day a month, so the Dong family had not heard him studying for a long time.

    However, for the past few days, he had study leave and was staying at home, so they heard him studying in the morning.

    Dong Nuan decided to make use of this point.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s timing was perfect. Just as Fifth Uncle dismissed her, Liao Mingkun said the same poem aloud, meaning to memorize it.

    After thinking for a long time, Dong Nuan finally said, ¡°But Young Master Liao said that this is from the ¡®Thousand Character Classic¡¯ that students learn whenever they start at school. Fifth Uncle has been studying for so many years, so why don¡¯t you know the Thousand Character Classic?¡±

    Dong Nuan¡¯s expression was as innocent as it could be, and her tone was as puzzled as it could be.

    As soon as she finished speaking, the entire family fell into deep thought. Only the clear sound of pages flipping could be heard from next door. Every word of hers seemed to stab everyone¡¯s hearts.

    Fifth Uncle was actually an idiot. Back when he was young, after working in the fields twice, he refused to do it again no matter what. He shouted that he was talented and wanted to study.

    Besides than studying, there was no other way to get out of the farmyard.

    When he said that he wanted to study, Old Dong was quite happy. His first four children were all stupid, so he was originally in despair.

    Now that someone who was willing to study had volunteered, Old Dong wished he could worship him.

    However, not only was Fifth Uncle Dong not talented, but he was also unwilling to improve. He had many bad people as friends. With the hard-earned money of the entire family, he lived a carefree life in town.

    This matter was mentioned in the book. It was Liao Mingkun who exposed this. Naturally, he did not want the Dong family to leech off him, so he aimed to get rid of as many parasites as he could.

    Dong Nuan was just setting up a trap to expose this matter to everyone earlier.

    Of course, she did not need to be the villain. There were many people in this family who wanted to pull Fifth Uncle Dong back from town to farm and give up his wasted opportunity to study.

    Eldest Uncle¡¯s family wanted their youngest son to study, Second Uncle also wanted his youngest son to study, and Madam Dong Wu wanted Dong Yao to be enlightened.

 Chapter 9

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    It was already very difficult for a family to provide for one scholar with a farm, but the Dong family provided for two.

    One was Fifth Uncle, and the other was First Uncle¡¯s eldest son, Dong Xu.

    Dong Xu was at least a little more promising than Fifth Uncle. He had passed the student examination and was now studying in the county school. He was a classmate of Liao Mingkun.

    Dong Xu was only eighteen years old this year, but he had just passed the children¡¯s exam. Although he had come in last in the rankings, he had at least passed.

    He was not like Fifth Uncle, who from the age of fifteen to the age of twenty-two, studied for seven years but had yet to pass an exam even once. Now, his twin sons were already three years old, and he was still an old scholar in the classroom.

    Every year, he would receive money for tuition and food expenses. However, in the end, he had only paid to continue being an idiot. He blamed the Dong family for being illiterate and kept saying that his luck was bad, so he didn¡¯t get into a good class.

    If it was not for Old Master Dong, the whole family would be openly warring with Fifth Uncle.

    Especially after the children of the various branches grew up. Some of them were quite smart. Which parent wouldn¡¯t want to try sending them to school so they could become a high-ranking official in the future? Wouldn¡¯t it be good to be an accountant and not have to work in the fields?

    Fifth Uncle clearly did not expect Liao Mingkun¡¯s morning reading next door to reveal how stupid he was.

    His mouth was full. He wanted to say something, but he had to swallow the rice.

    Fifth Uncle was already used to living a life where he did not need to work in the fields and had money to spend. How could he return to the fields now?

    Therefore, he quickly swallowed the rice in his mouth and was about to speak when he heard Old Master Dong take a deep breath and ask Dong Nuan with a dark expression, ¡°Lil Nuan, how do you know that?¡±

    Upon hearing Old Master Dong¡¯s question, Fifth Uncle was stunned for a moment. He came back to his senses and felt that this was a good opportunity. If Old Master Dong made things difficult for Dong Nuan, he might ignore Fifth Uncle¡¯s matter later. Perhaps his father would help him out!

    Thinking of this possibility, Fifth Uncle smiled calmly and lowered his head to continue eating.

    Meeting Old Master Dong¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, the expression on Dong Nuan¡¯s face became even more innocent. Her eyes widened, and her voice carried a hint of disbelief. ¡°Ah? When I went out yesterday afternoon and bumped into Young Master Liao, he happened to be studying. I learned it after hearing it. Young Master Liao said that anyone with a brain should know such a thing, and that seems correct, right?¡±

    The whole family was stunned into silence.

    F*ck! How insulting.

    Dong Nuan had leveraged Liao Mingkun to breed hatred within the family. Even Old Master Dong had nothing to say. His scrutinizing gaze quickly landed on Fifth Uncle.

    Fifth Uncle, who had just swallowed a mouthful of rice, hurriedly pretended to be honest and said, ¡°I was just eating. I wasn¡¯t paying attention to what you were saying!¡±

    His explanation did not make sense. Any scholar should remember such a fundamental thing, even if they were asked while asleep!

    It was just a casual question. Even if he had not remembered it perfectly, he should have at least understood what Dong Nuan was referencing, right?

    Moreover, it was just the first four sentences!

    The expressions of the Dong family members were extremely complicated, but they were all smart people. No one was willing to jump out first and become the villain who offended Fifth Uncle.

    Eldest Aunt frowned. She had her own plan, but she did not say anything.

    Second Aunt was glad that she had been slow to speak just now. Otherwise, she would definitely have been slapped in the face. She did not want to be in pain. She could not care less about anything else.

    Fourth Aunt did not care about anything else besides her family.

    Moreover, she had given birth to three girls. She did not need to consider sending her children to school at all. Finally, Fifth Aunt was Fifth Uncle¡¯s wife. She reaped the benefits of Fifth Uncle studying, so it was even more impossible for her to say anything.

    At this moment, Madam Dong Wu stepped forward. ¡°Honestly, Fifth Brother has indeed been studying for many years with nothing to show for it. He¡¯s never gotten any good results. In the past, he said that his luck was bad, but now, it just seems like he¡¯s not cut out to be a scholar.¡±

    Dong Wu had spoken the words in the hearts of every member of the Dong family.

    Fifth Uncle glared at Madam Dong Wu angrily. However, she could not see it at all and was still talking to herself. ¡°If Fifth Brother has no talent and his luck is not good, don¡¯t waste more time. There are so many children in the family. Our Lil Yao seems smart. He should definitely get the chance to go to school.¡±

    ¡°Third Sister-in-law, you make it sound so easy. It¡¯s not easy to study.¡± Fifth Uncle was furious at Madam Dong Wu¡¯s words, so when he spoke, he subconsciously started to use a sarcastic tone.

    Madam Dong Wu did not catch his sarcasm at all. She nodded in agreement with his words. ¡°It¡¯s indeed not easy. Fifth Uncle has been studying for so many years, but he hasn¡¯t taken the student exam.¡±

    Fifth Uncle was shocked into silence.

    Fifth Uncle wanted to use what he had learned in school to give her a ¡®beautiful¡¯ scolding. However, in the end, after thinking about it, he only knew how to use the words ¡®dog, ¡®old hag¡¯, and ¡®shameless¡¯ to scold Madam Dong Wu.

    Fifth Uncle¡¯s face turned red. Second Aunt felt that it was not a bad time to step up and add fuel to the fire, so she smiled and said, ¡°Speaking of which, let¡¯s just ask the student himself. Why do you keep failing the exam? What¡¯s the problem? Can it be improved?¡±

    All of them knew that Fifth Uncle was an idiot.

    Upon hearing this, Fifth Uncle instantly broke out in a cold sweat. As it was a hot day, his heat sweat and cold sweat mixed together, making him look disheveled and guilty.

    Old Master Dong glanced at him with a complicated expression and immediately understood.

    It was impossible for Old Master Dong not to know that Fifth Uncle was not talented. He just kept holding on to a little hope. After all, this was his biological son. If he could really learn to read, would that not be amazing?

    At the very least, after passing the Children¡¯s Examination, even if he did not pass the Elementary Scholar¡¯s Examination, he would still kind of be a proper scholar. In the future, he could still find a job like an accountant in town. At the very least, the shop assistants of various shops probably also did not know how to read and write, right?

    However, if Fifth Uncle was indeed a talentless person, it would be a waste of the entire family¡¯s efforts. It was better to do as Madam Dong Wu said and find someone who could become a scholar. Now that his grandchildren were gradually growing up, Old Master Dong felt that if his son was not a popular choice to send out, he should nurture his grandsons instead.

    Old Master Dong¡¯s casual glance made Fifth Uncle break out in a cold sweat again. He tried his best to stop his trembling teeth and laughed dryly. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to meet the headmaster of the academy. And if I offend the headmaster of the academy, my life in the future will not be easy.¡±

    Hearing this, Fifth Uncle felt that he still had a chance. His family was illiterate, so they probably would not dare to look for the Headmaster.

    Dong Nuan watched from the side and smiled. Right now, she would not jump out again and be the bad guy.

    After all, every family branch had their own plans. The town was not far from the village, so they could always find out if Fifth Uncle was actually an idiot.

    After eating, Fifth Uncle packed his things and left to town. As he left, his footsteps were slightly dampened.

    Seeing Fifth Uncle like this, the expressions of the entire family were somewhat complicated.

    It was not always good to put one¡¯s thoughts out there. After all that happened, Old Master Dong did not say anything, so everyone pretended that nothing had happened and went to work on the farm with their tools.

    As soon as Old Master Dong stepped out of the door, he bumped into Er Zhuzi of Third Old Master Dong¡¯s family.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Er Zhuzi was of the same generation as Dong Sanchun and the others, so when he saw that Old Master Dong wanted to greet him, it was a matter of etiquette for him to reply as his junior.

    After Second Uncle greeted him, Old Master Dong asked with a smile, ¡°Second Uncle, who in your family is going to dig the river ditch this year?¡±

    Xiaowan Village handled digging the river ditch. Every summer, when there was a lot of rain, they had to dig the river ditch to ensure that the river flowed smoothly and could be used both upstream and downstream.

    This was considered difficult labor. Every year, besides the digging, the villagers also had some other miscellaneous tasks. If one added all the tasks together, they would probably need to work for more than two months to complete everyone.

    Of course, conscription did not require the entire family to mobilize. Under normal circumstances, there was no particularly urgent work, so women did not need to go, only men fifteen years old and old.

    Moreover, each household conscripted only needed to produce half of the strong labor force. After all, each family still had to work in agriculture, especially the farming season was nigh. The fields would be too busy, and the commoners would not be able to get their food. There would be a huge problem in the future.

    After the new emperor ascended the throne, he paid attention to these problems, so he paid attention to controlling the duration of the conscription.

    The main crops in Kobayashi Village were wheat and grains. There were other crops, but those were in small proportions.

    The ripening period of the wheat was around mid-August. The grain ripened later because it was planted late, so the village would have to wait until October.

    It was mid-July now, so they could take advantage of this time to dig up the river ditches. It would not delay the harvesting of wheat in August. The Imperial Court had arranged the time perfectly.

    Dong Nuan was hanging behind her family casually. Since her head was still wrapped in bandages, she actually had an excuse to not help.

    However, how could she execute her plan without some hard work?

    If the Host¡¯s younger siblings were not taught well, they would grow more troublesome as they grew up.

    Since she had nothing to do anyway, she might as well do it.

    Moreover, lying down for an entire afternoon was probably already a hard limit. If she lay down for another day, even if she had caught a fat pheasant, Old Master Dong probably would not be satisfied.

    Especially after she set a trap for Fifth Uncle this morning. Old Madam Dong would definitely keep an eye on her now. After all, he was her favorite son.

    Moreover, besides teaching her younger siblings well, Dong Nuan also needed to go out.

    This was because the flames of Fifth Uncle¡¯s matter still needed to be fanned to make the various branches in the family even more dissatisfied. Only then could they be urged to go to town and secretly investigate Fifth Uncle¡¯s matter.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s goal was very simple. She wanted this entire family of blood-sucking parasites and idiots to come back and farm the fields as soon as possible!

    Dozens of taels of silver a year! No farming house could withstand such a scourge.

    Hearing that they were going to dig a river ditch, Dong Nuan was a little interested. Unfortunately, with her being only five and a half feet tall, it was obvious that the bailiffs would not let her go!

    Even if she proved that she was very strong, it would probably be difficult for her to convince the public. That would be a lot of trouble.

    The bailiffs would not want such trouble. It was best to not let Dong Nuan go at all.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t fun at all!¡± Dong Nuan muttered in her heart. She turned her head and met Dong Xing¡¯s hateful gaze.

    Dong Xing¡¯s face was still swollen, and the corners of her mouth were not only torn, but also bruised. It looked quite scary.

    This morning, she was so focused on digging Fifth Uncle¡¯s grave that she forgot to pay attention to Dong Xing. How was she going to eat like this?

    Noticing that Dong Nuan was looking at her, Dong Xing¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Her gaze was so hateful that it was fit to to spew fire.

    Dong Nuan did not mind Dong Xing¡¯s fierce gaze. Not only did she not mind, but she also deliberately slowed down her pace and walked to Dong Xing¡¯s side. She asked with a smile, ¡°Lil Xing, do you think Lil Man had enough fighting yesterday? Will she still come looking for us today? I mean, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to protect you, but I really can¡¯t stand Lil Man. And my head is still hurt! If Lil Man really comes by today, you¡¯ll have to hold the fort down.¡±

    After Dong Nuan finished speaking, she took two steps to the side, widening the distance between her and Dong Xing.

    Fortunately, Dong Nuan had dodged quickly. After hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s words, Dong Xing spat at her fiercely and scolded hoarsely. ¡°You slutty fox, why don¡¯t you die? You¡­¡±

    The young girls in the village were illiterate and had never experienced the outside world. They had learned how to scold people from their elders. Dong Nuan had only heard the Dong family¡¯s scoldings, and she was planning to memorize them.

    Dong Nuan did not care about the scolding at all. At this moment, the elders were all surrounding Old Master Dong, chattering about going to serve the laborers.

    Who would not feel sorry for the men set on this task? Rather, who wanted their man to go dig a ditch on a hot day? No one wanted to go, so they had to find an excuse to make Old Master Dong keep an eye on men and let the other families go.

    ¡°Father, Erchun¡¯s waist has been hurting so much these past few days that he can¡¯t even straighten it. How can he dig a river ditch?¡± The person who said this was Second Aunt. As she spoke, she pushed Dong Erchun beside her, trying to get him to agree.

    In the end, he only received a silly smile from Second Uncle Dong.

    Second Aunt was so angry that she almost fainted. In the end, she pinched Dong Erchun¡¯s arm hard, making him jump in pain. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, hey!¡±

    The other families were also prepared to fight, but no one wanted to be the first to step forward. Even Madam Dong Wu, who was the most tactless, only dragged whined a little after Second Aunt Dong finished speaking. She said softly, ¡°Father, perhaps Lil Yao got frightened sometime a couple days ago. He can¡¯t leave his father¡¯s side. I¡¯m afraid that if Sanchun goes, Lil Yao won¡¯t be able to take it. Lil Yao is my life. If he doesn¡¯t recover, I won¡¯t recover either. Boohoo¡­¡±

    As Dong Wu spoke, she even started crying.

    This scene made Dong Nuan gasp in amazement.

    She had neglected to consider the ¡®Dong Wu Corporation¡¯s¡¯ soft power.

    Look, at this critical moment, she had methods and schemes ready.

    Although her words were already very inappropriate, Lil Yao was also eight years old, so it was ridiculous he was still being treated like a baby. Now, he was protected by his mother every day and only pretended to do work. It was all because Madam Dong Wu was bullying the three girls.

    Dong Yao was not even stained with mud!

    The other young children in the village who were more sensible made up a third of the village¡¯s strong labor force.

    Even if they were insensible, they could still help their family.

    If they could not lift anything heavy, could they still pick up the wheat stalks in the field.

    After Second Aunt and Madam Dong Wu spoke, Fourth Aunt also spoke. After them was Eldest Aunt and Fifth Aunt.

    After the incident with Fifth Uncle in the morning, Fifth Aunt wished she could fall into the ground.

    The two of them slept under the same blanket. How could she not know what Fifth Uncle Dong was like?

    It was precisely because she knew that that she felt guilty. Usually, she would be stubborn and not give in at all. Now, she was the last to step forward.

    However, after stepping forward, Fifth Aunt was at a loss again.

    That was not right!

    Why did she step forward?

    Scholars were exempt from conscription!

 Chapter 11

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the morning, Fifth Aunt could not stop worrying about whether Fifth Uncle would be discovered and revealed to be an idiot.

    If he was really sent back to the farm, she was worried just thinking about how useless his muscles had been for so long.

    Moreover, once she returned to the farm too, she would be a farmer. In the future, she would no longer be able to call herself the future Elementary Scholar¡¯s wife. Then, she would be worse off than the other sisters-in-law.

    Especially Eldest Aunt!

    Fifth Aunt Dong despised knowing that other people felt superior toward her the most.

    Eldest Aunt¡¯s son was just getting into junior high school.

    Fifth Aunt had two sons. In the future, they would definitely be Elementary Scholars or even High Scholars!

    Annoyed with her family, Fifth Aunt Dong walked away resentfully.

    The rest of the sisters-in-law still surrounded Old Master Dong and Old Madam Dong.

    Old Master Dong¡¯s head was buzzing from his daughters-in-law¡¯s words. In the end, he had no choice but to pull a long face and shout in a low voice, ¡°Why? Do you all want to ruin this family?¡±

    With just that one sentence, he successfully intimidated the entire family.

    The few restless daughters-in-law were instantly frightened and became obedient again. All of them shrank back like mice.

    Even Eldest Aunt, who always had a sense of superiority, took a few steps back obediently and gave up the space.

    ¡°Er Zhuzi, did the Junior Officer say which day he wanted to start digging?¡± It was also at this time that Old Master Dong realized that his household was being watched. He was extremely unhappy, but he still had to be polite in front of outsiders.

    Er Zhuzi had yet to leave. When he was asked this question, he hurriedly replied, ¡°I have to leave with Lord Cai tomorrow.¡±

    Hearing the date, Old Master Dong nodded and said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll discuss it when we get back tonight. Let¡¯s see who will going.¡±

    The age range for conscripts in the Dayue Dynasty was fifteen to sixty years old.

    Old Master Dong was not even sixty years old yet. He had to be included in the list of conscripts!

    Other than Old Master Dong, the Dong family¡¯s other four brothers, the Dong family¡¯s grandchildren, and two fifteen-year-olds could be conscripted too.

    Actually, they only just turned fifteen years old. However, when the constables counted the heads, they might not care about these details. They would all be counted as fifteen years old.

    Therefore, the total number of people the Dong family had that were eligible to serve was seven. If they split it equally, they would probably have to take at least three men away from the family.

    ¡°This is going to be interesting.¡± Dong Nuan could foresee that the house¡¯s chatter would be very lively tonight. After joking her in her heart, she quietly took a few steps closer to Dong Xing.

    When Dong Xing saw her coming over, she glared at her fiercely again. However, her entire body was in pain, so she could not reach out to hit her. Therefore, she turned around and went to play with Dong Miao.

    Dong Miao was the eldest daughter of Eldest Uncle Dong. She was sixteen years old this year. Her skin was tanned, no different from the other girls in the village who worked all year round. Her appearance was average. Eldest Aunt Dong looked ordinary too. Eldest Uncle Dong looked alright. Dong Miao really did not inherit any positive merits from either of the two of them.

    People who looked very average would not be able to picked out from a crowd.

    Normally speaking, within farming families, if a girl of this age was not married yet, she should at least be engaged.

    However, this was not the case for Dong Miao. The reason was very simple.

    She was waiting.

    Dong Miao¡¯s brother, Dong Xu, was now a child. Next year would be the triennial village examination. Dong Xu had prepared for so long, so he would definitely participate.

    Once Dong Xu passed the exam, Dong Miao would become the Elementary Scholar¡¯s biological sister. Her family status would naturally rise. Then, the people she could marry would be of a different league.

    Dong Miao was also gambling. She bet that Dong Xu would definitely be able to get into the Elementary Scholar Sect and give her the good status she needed to find a good in-law!

    Therefore, even though she was already sixteen years old, she did not like it. She usually acted like Eldest Aunt, who had a sense of superiority and was very arrogant.

    Seeing Dong Xing leaning over with her dumb face, Dong Miao did not hide her disdain. She covered her nose and retreated to the side. After retreating, she strode forward and quickly distanced herself from Dong Xing.

    Dong Ya, who was standing at the side, was Dong Miao¡¯s biological sister. She was only ten years old this year, which was an in-between age.

    Seeing that Dong Xing had been rejected, she clapped her hands and said, ¡°Sister Xing, do you smell very bad? My sister can¡¯t stand to be near you! Stinky, smelly!¡±

    After Dong Ya finished speaking, she even fanned her nose with her hand. Then, she shrank back and ran away with a look of disdain.

    Dong Xing was so angry that tears fell from her eyes. She gritted her teeth and cursed.

    After letting the other party vent her anger, Dong Nuan took two steps forward and smiled. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like you, right? Who asked her to have a brother who studies? If Dong Xu becomes a scholar, then Sister Dong Miao will marry into a good family, right? Perhaps the young masters of the rich and powerful families will find matchmakers to get their sons together with her.¡±

    The two squires in the village were named Fugui and Jixiang. Their names suited them well. One was called Dong Fugui, and the other was called Liao Jixiang.

    The Dong and Liao families made up a one big family!

    Dong Nuan sighed regretfully. ¡°What a good life, having a brother who studies. I wonder if I can get Dong Yao to go study too.¡±

    After Dong Nuan finished speaking, she did not stay any longer, lest Dong Xing go crazy and come up to bite her again.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s goal was to fan the flames and make Dong Xing egg Second Aunt on. Second Aunt liked to cause trouble. It would be best if she could stir up the entire family.

    Once she went crazy from anger, she might secretly go to town to observe.

    A fool like Fifth Uncle would probably be exposed in just two days.

    At that time, Second Uncle Dong¡¯s mother would definitely tear apart Fifth Uncle¡¯s family for her son¡¯s benefit.

    Of course, it was not enough to fan some flames.

    Dong Nuan wondered, what was the point of just two branches of the family fighting?

    What she wanted was for the entire family to fight. Then, no one would be able to survive.

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan looked at the famous fence-sitters in the family.

    Dong Ya was young and playful. She was different from Dong Miao. She still did not understand how many benefits she reaped from having a brother who studied.

    If there were two of them, the benefits would be even greater.

    However, it did not matter. She did not understand. Still, Dong Nuan could teach her!

    Dong Ya was a very unprincipled young lady. She was the kind of girl who would follow you just because you gave her a bean. It did not matter if you were a beggar or something else.

    Dong Nuan felt that this was a really useful little cutie. Would it not be a waste to not make use of her?

    Eldest Uncle¡¯s family branch had three sons. His eldest son, Dong Xu, went to school. His second son, Dong Xing, was caught in the middle. It was said that Eldest Aunt Dong had a difficult labor when she gave birth to him, so she did not like this son very much. Naturally, he was not well-loved. He also gave up on himself and had no intention of studying.

    Eldest Uncle¡¯s youngest son, Dong Chang, was the same age as Dong Nuan. He was smart, but he did not walk the right path.

    However, it did not matter. It was enough to have such a person to use. Dong Nuan did not care what exactly the other party was.

    Even if he was an idiot like Fifth Uncle Dong, the Dong family had suffered once already. If Dong Chang was competing to be promoted, would the other families not keep an eye on him?

    In particular, how could Fifth Uncle be willing to accept this?

    The house would definitely be very lively later.

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan smiled into the morning light.

 Chapter 12

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The Dong family had a total of more than 30 acres of land. There were good fields and secondary fields, but most of them were ordinary fields.

    Only five acres of the fields were fertile, and the secondary fields made up nearly ten acres. The rest were ordinary fields that produced ordinary crops.

    Ordinary fields produced about one and a half stone worth of crops a year. These crops could only be produced when there were no major natural disasters and the imperial court did not fight.

    The yield of a good field would be higher, about two stones. If hthe family planted them well, they might get two and a half stones.

    However, the Dong family rarely got even one stone.

    In secondary fields, the yield of an acre was often very low. It was already not bad to have one stone. Sometimes, there was less than one stone.

    Although when the Dayue Dynasty distributed the land to the people, it was said that they would get eight acre of land and two acres of vegetable land per family, there were really not that many fields to go around.

    This was because the area was only so big, but the population was constantly increasing. How could there be so much land to split?

    Moreover, most of the farmland in the village was in the hands of the village¡¯s Old Master Kun. The Imperial Court could not force them to give up the farmland that they had obtained through the proper channels, right?

    However, it was not as if the Imperial Court did not have a solution. That was, to explore the wasteland.

    To display their encouragement, the first three years of clearing land were tax-free under the Imperial Court.

    However, the commoners were not confident. Could this wasteland really work as farmland?

    Although the terrain of Xiaowan Village was not bad, there was a small hill to the north that was actually very suitable for reclamation and farming.

    However, there were only a few families that went to explore the wasteland who were desperate lives. These families really did not have any fertile land. They could only try to explore the wasteland as a last resort.

    The Dong family had not reached this stage yet. The family could still support two scholars. It did not much to feed the entire family, and no one had starved to death yet.

    Wasteland reclamation?

    That would not do! At the mention of this topic, Old Master Dong waved his hand and disagreed.

    In the summer, the fields needed watering, pest control, and fertilizing.

    There was very little fertilizer in the farmyard. It was just whatever the family and the few chickens and ducks they had execreted. That was poured into the fields. Still, an extra acre of production capacity was nothing to sneeze at. Even if there was an extra half-stone, it was still food!

    Today, many families used natural fertilizer, so the smell of the fields was really unbearable.

    Dong Nuan immediately adjusted her shallow breathing technique to slow down her breathing as much as possible. She did not want to inhale these unfriendly smells.

    ¡°It stinks! It stinks! I don¡¯t want to do this. I don¡¯t want to do this.¡± The moment Dong Yao came to the field, he could not stand the smell.

    Although he did not have much common sense, he knew that crops could not be stepped on. This was because he had stepped on them before, and both times he was carried by Old Master Dong to a clear area and beaten.

    After learning his lesson twice, he did not dare to do it again.

    Therefore, he only dared to stomp his feet on the edge of the plot.

    What else could Madam Dong Wu do?

    Naturally, she comforted him. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I won¡¯t do it. I won¡¯t do it. I¡¯ll go sit under the tree over there. Your three sisters are here. There¡¯s no need for you to go to the farm¡­¡±

    After Madam Dong Wu coaxed Dong Yao, she prepared to turn around and scOld Master Dong Nuan some more.

    Although Old Master Dong did not assign any specific tasks to the families, they were roughly divided into groups to cover certain areas each. If they did not do enough in their area, they would definitely be scolded by Old Master Dong later on.

    However, when Madam Wu turned around, she saw that Dong Zao and Dong Tao had already rolled up their pants and entered the farm. On the other hand, Dong Nuan had already disappeared.

    Seeing this, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s expression darkened. She muttered in her heart, ¡®Where did that wretched girl go?¡¯

    Although Madam Dong Wu felt that Dong Nuan was not easy to control, she understood why she talked back yesterday. She just had to reprimand her a little more.

    After walking around twice, she finally saw someone near the house.

    Looking at Dong Nuan and Dong Ya, who seemed to be eating something, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s expression became even uglier.

    ¡°Lil Nuan, there are so many people slaving in the fields. Why did you run so far away? Are you trying to slack off?¡± Madam Dong Wu spoke her thoughts aloud. She raised her voice so the entire family could hear her. She did not believe that Old Master Dong would let this slide.

    If she could not control Dong Nuan, there were still elders that could. There would always be someone who could put Dong Nuan in her place.

    When Dong Nuan went over, she did not intend to help Eldest Uncle Dong¡¯s family with their work. Instead, she was going to tempt Dong Ya.

    Dong Nuan did not feel guilty at all for lying to a child. Who asked her to be a ten-year-old with the common sense of baby?

    Dong Nuan had coaxed the Dong Ya to start a new fire and encourage her third brother to study. How was this cheating?

    If Dong Ya¡¯s third brother really went to study, he would be able to pass the Elementary Scholar examination in the future. It would not be her, Dong Nuan, who would benefit from the good life, but Dong Ya.

    How could promising someone the truth be called lying?

    Dong Nuan narrowed her eyes and smiled at Dong Ya. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together if there are more fruits.¡±

    Dong Ya happily nibbled on the big yellow apricot. When she heard Dong Nuan¡¯s words, she was so happy that she smiled a gummy smile. She kept nodding. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Nuan! I will definitely perform well!¡±

    After Dong Nuan finished speaking, she nibbled on the apricot as she walked towards her home. When she passed by Old Madam Dong, she even stuffed two fruits into her hands. ¡°These are for Grandma and Grandpa. The apricots from the mountains are delicious. The flesh is tender, juicy, and sweet. There¡¯s no sour taste at all.¡±

    Dong Nuan left after saying that, not allowing Old Madam Dong to get another word in edgewise.

    Moreover, she was at a disadvantage. With two bright yellow apricots in her hand, Old Madam Dong could not bring herself to reprimand her.

    In the end, she could only purse her lips and hand one apricot to Old Master Dong. She carefully put the other one into her pocket.

    Old Madam Dong favored Fifth Uncle Dong, so she naturally favored his twin sons too. Therefore, she could not bear to eat this apricot herself. She saved it for the two children.

    The two children were still young. They were only three years old now. When Fifth Aunt went to the fields, she usually put the children in cots and placed them under a tree not far away. From time to time, she would feed them water and take a few glances at them to make sure they were still there.

    Old Madam Dong thought that after she finished this area of the plot, she would feed the two children the apricot.

    There were not many families in the village who had fruit trees. From what Dong Nuan saw, only two had them.

    The two squires definitely had some at home, but they did not let the villagers eat them.

    The other families did not have enough to share amongst their own children, let alone with outsiders.

    Most children could only pick some wild fruits at the foot of the mountain if they wanted fruits. It was already good enough to have a few sweet things.

    Old Madam Dong did not have time to ask Dong Nuan where she got the apricot from. It was so big and looked really tender.

    If there were a lot of them around, they should all be plucked! What if they were left there and others plucked them?

    She had too many thoughts in her heart, so much so that when she was catching pests, she was distracted.

    Madam Dong Wu and the others watched helplessly as Dong Nuan bit into the bright yellow apricot and stuffed two more into Old Madam Dong¡¯s hand.

    After suffering yesterday¡¯s loss, Madam Dong Wu did not dare to shout loudly. However, when Dong Nuan returned, she pulled a long face and complained softly, ¡°What nice apricots. Why didn¡¯t you save one for Lil Yao? You only know how to eat food. Why are you eating so well?¡±

 Chapter 13

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan was already very used to the fact that Madam Dong Wu did not speak from time to time. If it was anyone else, they would probably laugh in anger after hearing Madam Dong Wu¡¯s words.

    She thought it was pointless for the girl to get to eat it. Why could she not give it to Dong Yao?

    Dong Nuan did not even think about it. As she casually searched for worms in the fields, she said leisurely, ¡°At least I¡¯ll still work in the fields after eating it. I can contribute to the family afterward. Dong Yao will only grow fat after eating it. Mom thinks it¡¯s pointless for me to eat it? Your little girl needs to eat so she can work.¡±

    Her words made Madam Dong Wu speechless again. When Dong Yao saw that his mother could not get the apricot, he rushed over and prepared to snatch it away.

    Dong Nuan had been paying attention to him. She allowed him to rush toward her at a high speed, and while he was running, she even took ahateful bite of the big apricot and sighed softly. ¡°The flesh is so tender and sweet.¡±

    Dong Yao was so angry that his eyes turned red. He flew over like a rock from a slingshot.

    Noticing that he was about to bump into her back, Dong Nuan calmly took a step to the side.

    Dong Yao¡¯s momentum was too much. He could not stop at all. He flew past Dong Nuan and then toward Second Aunt.

    Second Aunt was already unhappy when she saw Dong Nuan eating the big apricots. Now, as this scene was unfolding, her expression was ugly. She cursed in her heart.

    In the end, Dong Yao smashed into her back.

    Second Aunt, who had nowhere to vent her anger, almost broke her old waist from the collision. As she reacted to the impact, she instinctively turned around and pulled up Dong Yao, who had almost fallen.

    When Madam Dong Wu saw Dong Yao charging at high speed, she was originally frightened. However, after seeing that he was aiming himself at Dong Nuan, she was relieved.

    Lil Nuan had been too disobedient the past two days. It was indeed time to teach her a lesson. She should be obedient now that she was in pain.

    How could an older sister not protect her younger brother? Should she not give him whatever she had to eat?

    The little girl had eaten so much good food, and it was all wasted. She should have left it for him to eat.

    Madam Dong Wu had just heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Dong Nuan casually take a step to the side, as if she had eyes in the back of her head.

    When she saw this, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s anger grew again. She almost shouted, ¡°Lil Yao, you¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, Dong Yao had already bumped into Second Aunt¡¯s back.

    Band!

    Although it was not a hard knock, it still hurt.

    Second Aunt could not help but curse. Madam Dong Wu was so frightened that her face turned pale. Second Sister-in-law was not a reasonable person. If she was really hurt by Lil Yao, what would Madam Dong Wu do?

    Madam Dong Wu was so frightened that she could not care less about anything else in that moment. She walked forward quickly and realized that Second Sister-in-law had picked Dong Yao up to prevent him from falling. Madam Dong Wu nodded in agreement. ¡®We should indeed protect the boys at home. Second Sister-in-law finally has some common sense!¡¯

    Soon, Madam Dong Wu realized that she had let the matter go too early!

    That was because Second Aunt was in so much pain that she was gritting her teeth. After scooping Dong Yao up, she picked up her fan-like hand and his Yao¡¯s butt.

    She had always liked to bully the third branch of the family. It was their fault for being the weakest. Of course, there was still the fourth branch.

    In addition, she had made enemies with the third branch yesterday. Second Aunt was very unhappy.

    Now that Dong Yao had hit her so hard that her lower back felt like it was about to break, how could she feel happy?

    At this time, who cared if Dong Yao was Madam Dong Wu¡¯s treasure?

    She had already defeated Madam Dong Wu, let alone her half-grown child.

    Second Aunt raised her hand and smacked him again. Madam Dong Wu¡¯s eyelids twitched, and her heart ached.

    ¡°Second Sister-in-law, if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re unhappy about, come at me. Lil Yao is my son. You can¡¯t hit him like this¡­¡± Madam Dong Wu muttered as she ran.

    Unfortunately, Second Aunt¡¯s ruthless palm still landed on Dong Yao¡¯s back and buttocks one after another, beating him up until he wailed like a ghost. It was very pitiful.

    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s murder! Help! Mom, save me! Dad!¡± Dong Yao screamed miserably. He wanted to struggle, but he was only eight years old. Even if he ate well, stole food from a few sisters, and had grown fat, he was still young. He really could not break free from Second Aunt¡¯s brute force. In the end, he could only scream at the top of his lungs.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a nice sound?¡± Dong Nuan did not care much about this spoiled brat screaming at all. Instead, she ate an apricot while walking to Dong Tao and Dong Zao.

    Dong Nuan spoke casually. Dong Zao and Dong Tao stared at the apricot in her hand. They could not help but drool, and their eyes were fixed on it.

    From yesterday to today, Dong Nuan had been merciless. When she tricked Dong Yao, she did not show any mercy. However, her two sisters were really stupid. They could not think through anything clearly. They thought that Dong Nuan would give in to them just because she was their sister.

    If Dong Nuan was still the same girl as before, she would have given them whatever they needed without them even saying anything.

    However, the new Dong Nuan had yet to do so. She had even cruelly eaten the apricot in front of them. The two sisters looked at each other and understood that their sister was still the same sister who ate the eggs by herself last night and was unwilling to even look at them.

    It would not be easy to get something to eat from this sister.

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    The apricot looked yellow and shiny. There was a lot of flesh and juice. It looked delicious.

    Although Dong Nuan was quite refined when she ate, they were close to her, and their attention was all on the apricot, so they could clearly hear the squishing sounds when Dong Nuan bit into the apricot.

    One could tell that this apricot was especially delicious.

    The two girls were extremely hungry. Dong Zao was still young, and she was drooling.

    Dong Tao could still restrain herself a little, but she was about to start drooling too.

    Seeing the two of them like this, Dong Nuan raised her eyebrows and asked with a smile, ¡°Do you want to eat some apricots?¡±

    The two of them nodded quickly, their faces filled with undisguised desire.

    ¡°Easy. My job this morning is to catch two ridges¡¯ worth of worms. You two take one ridge each. After you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll give each of you a big apricot. Don¡¯t try to fool me. If Grandma says that the job wasn¡¯t done well, I¡¯ll beat the two of you up until you spit the apricot back out!¡± As she finished speaking, Dong Nuan stopped smiling and shook her fist, which was quite unthreatening, honestly.

    Even so, Dong Nuan¡¯s eyes were slightly cold and did not have the slightest smile to them, so she still frightened the two young girls.

    Getting a big apricot with just a small amount of work was a huge temptation to the two girls.

    In any case, it did not matter how much work they did.

    As for fooling Dong Nuan?

    Of course they did not dare to. Dong Nuan was someone who dared to fight Dong Man. If she said that she wanted to beat them up, she would probably really do it.

    If this was yesterday, the two girls might not have taken Dong Nuan¡¯s words seriously.

    However, the two little girls did not dare to think that way anymore.

 Chapter 14

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Two ridges away, two sisters-in-law were fighting, their hair and saliva flying around everywhere.

    Old Madam Dong looked at them coldly and said sinisterly, ¡°¡±If you dare to trample on the crops, I¡¯ll skin you alive!¡±

    Second Aunt and Madam Dong Wu shuddered in fear, but that did not stop them from fighting.

    ¡°How dare you hit my Lil Yao? I¡¯ll fight you to the death!¡± Dong Yao was Madam Dong Wu¡¯s line in the sand. No one could touch him! Thus, she was ruthless.

    Yesterday, when Dong Nuan¡¯s head was bleeding, she was indifferent to it. One would not guess from her bhavior then how ruthless she could be when she cared.

    Even a lazy cat had a temper.

    However, even though she was going crazy, Second Aunt¡¯s strength was nothing to sneeze at either. It could even be said that Second Aunt was the best fighter in the family.

    Moreover, she was still suppressing her anger, so she had the potential to be even more ruthless.

    The fight between the sisters-in-law was especially ugly. The old lady wanted to stop them, but the two of them were fighting so hard that it was difficult for the old lady to get close enough to break it up.

    Coincidentally, she still had to feed her grandsons, so she could not be bothered with these two crazy women.

    She would deal with them when they stopped being crazy!

    The old lady naturally heard what Dong Nuan said to Dong Zao and Dong Tao. She wanted to say a few words, but¡­

    There was still a big apricot stuffed inside her pocket. Dong Nuan had an advantage. Now, when Old Madam Dong looked at her granddaughter, she found her a little more pleasing to the eye.

    If she did not like to work, so be it. Perhaps it was because she had worked too much in the past, so she now felt dissatisfied and wanted to make up for it.

    Actually, after thinking about it carefully, this was quite good. If she continued being so passive, she would definitely be at a disadvantage when she got married in the future. Her new family would probably not be able to benefit from her.

    Back then, she was so skinny one could miss her even if they flung three sticks at now. It was impossible to expect much from her.

    It was good to be more powerful. If a powerful woman could be in charge, many things could be controlled.

    Thinking of this, Old Madam Dong convinced herself that Dong Nuan was really great.

    As for Old Master Dong, he was thinking even more.

    In the past, Dong Nuan was a quiet girl and did not have much of a presence at home.

    However, ever since he woke up yesterday, she seemed to have changed a lot. Old Master Dong did not think too much about it. Hefigured she had a sudden revelation. Perhaps Dong Nuan got over being weak.

    After considering the pheasant from last night,Old Master Dong thought about it and did not say anything in the end. He let Dong Nuan do whatever she wanted.

    Dong Nuan instructed her two sisters to help with the work. Dong Xing watched from the side with hatred.

    She wanted to eat that big apricot too!

    Although her name was Dong Xing, which meant ¡®apricots¡¯, she also liked apricot!

    There was no conflict between her being named after apricots and her liking them. She was not literally an apricot, so why could she not eat them?

    However, she just fought with Dong Nuan yesterday, and the two of them were still not on good terms. She was unwilling to be thick-skinned and ask for it. In the end, she could only work for a while before turning to glare at Dong Nuan.

    Every time, Dong Xing¡¯s eyes met Dong Nuan¡¯s, Dong Nuan would smile and look good-tempered.

    However, looking at Dong Zao and Dong Tao obediently being enslaved, it was obvious that Dong Nuan only looked good-tempered. She was not actually that nice.

    Dong Xing did not dare to underestimate Dong Nuan anymore.

    If this was the past, she would have definitely snatched the apricot away. However, she hesitated a lot today. Besides being injured, there was also an indescribable fear in her that stopped her.

    Although Dong Xing did not want to admit that she was afraid of Dong Nuan as it was embarrassing, deep in her heart, her animal-like instincts told her to stay away from Dong Nuan. Otherwise, she might be beaten up.

    Dong Xing was filled with hatred. Dong Miao thought highly of herself and was unwilling to play with Dong Nuan and the others, although she was also craving the apricot now.

    As she worked, she drooled. After staring at the insects in the ground for a long time, they started to look like yellow apricots to her too.

    ¡°Slurp.¡± Dong Miao could not control herself and had to swallow her drool slightly. Then, she quietly glanced at her disappointing sister, Dong Ya.

    Unfortunately, Dong Ya was not even looking at her. She had accepted a mission and left the ridge.

    Therefore, she was currently surrounded Dong Chang and chattering.

    Of course, she gave a small portion of the apricot to Dong Chang. She wanted to satisfy Dong Chang¡¯s cravings.

    Dong Chang wanted to snatch it, but he felt that it was a little embarrassing to snatch his sister¡¯s food away. Moreover, he did love his sister, after all.

    Anyway, did his younger sister not also give him a share? Dong Chang felt that if he got too greedy, it would come back to bit him in the back later.

    ¡°Third Brother, Third Brother, why don¡¯t you go to the county to study? I heard that there are many delicious foods in the county. You¡¯ll definitely be able to eat well there.¡±

    ¡°Third Brother, if you go to the county to study, you won¡¯t have to work in the fields. It¡¯s so hot today. You¡¯ll have a lot of work to do in the fields. How can it be better than studying?¡±

    ¡­

    Dong Ya spared no effort in persuading him. She was still young, so if she tried to use complicated methods, Dong Nuan was afraid that she would not be able to learn the persuasion tactic and it would have the opposite effect, so she used the most direct and best technique.

    Eldest Uncle had three sons. The eldest son, Dong Xu, was already a Children¡¯s Scholar. His second son, Dong Xing, did not like to study. He was usually lazy and did not like to work.

    In addition, it was already good enough that the family could support two scholars. Dong Xing probably knew that he had no chance, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

    Although his third son, Dong Chang, also liked to play, he was very scheming.

    In the past, he did not dare to think about studying. Of course, he was also not very interested in studying as he usually got a headache listening to the books that his brother brought back with him to study with.

    However, if he could study and work without going to the fields¡­

    As he thought about it, he started looking forward to it.

    ¡°A scholar can also refuse to be conscripted. Third Brother, you¡¯re still young, so you don¡¯t need to go. When you¡¯re older in two years¡¯ time, you¡¯ll definitely have to go. Second Brother said that digging river pits must be very tiring. Otherwise, they would not set a limit on how many people from a family can go.¡± Dong Ya was still chattering at the side.

    Hearing his sister¡¯s words, Dong Chang fell into deep thought.

    Dong Nuan, on the other hand, was eating apricot while scheming in her heart. The family¡¯s chaotic battle mode had been activated. Should she also stick a carrot in front of Old Master Dong?

    Dong Nuan could clearly see that if she wanted to live a good and quiet life in this family, Old Master Dong was the key. As long as she had him under her thumb, although she could not get to her Fifth Uncle in this family, she would at least not be forced to do this and that.

    Of course, if hercarrots were hung well, it was possible to add some food for herself on the stick too occasionally.

    Dong Nuan was thinking about some practical and useful carrots in her mind. Something suitable for the farmyard that could arouse the ambitions of Old Master Dong and the other houses, and something that was beneficial to her and could not be easily obtained.

    If it was too easy to obtain, it would not be cherished.

    ¡°What should I do?¡± Dong Nuan was squatting in the ridge thinking when she heard a crisp and tender voice from the side. ¡°Sister Nuan, I¡¯m helping you with your work. Can you give me half of the apricot too?¡±

 Chapter 15

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Hearing the voice, Dong Nuan looked to the side and realized that the person who spoke was Fourth Uncle¡¯s youngest daughter, Dong Zhu. She was the same age as Dong Yao, but she looked much younger than him.

    She was so thin and small that it looked like a gust of wind could blow her away.

    Of course, the current Dong Nuan did not look much better off than the other party. She was only a few years older, but she was not much taller.

    Fourth Uncle¡¯s family had a total of three girls. Fourth Uncle did not care about the three girls, but Fourth Aunt¡­

    She really wanted to leave the entire Dong family and move back to her own home.

    She doted on her brother¡¯s nephew more than she doted on her daughters.

    Her thoughts were similar to Madam Dong Wu¡¯s, but what was better about Madam Dong Wu was that although she favored her son and did not care much about her daughters, at least she never thought of moving out of her in-laws¡¯ house!

    However, Fourth Aunt was different. She had moved away from her small family and thought about about Old Master Dong¡¯s family background from time to time.

    Old Madam Dong had a sharp personality and was not to be trifled with. If she was a softer mother-in-law, she would probably not be able to suppress this daughter-in-law whose mind was filled with thoughts of her old family.

    Of course, it was not that Fourth Aunt had not spoken out before, but after being whipped twice by Old Madam Dong with a wooden stick, her legs were left almost broken. Only then did she behave herself.

    Nowadays, a married daughter was like bathwater that had been tipped out. Fourth Aunt was beaten up so badly that she was forced to stick with this family. She always wanted to give up her life to her maiden family, but she did not dare to say a word about it.

    Even so, after Fourth Aunt recovered from the beatings, she obsessed over her family.

    Fourth Uncle¡¯s private work all year round and the little private assets he earned were all enjoyed by Fourth Aunt¡¯s family. His three daughters did not enjoy any benefits at all.

    Therefore, it was expected for Dong Zhu to be thin.

    Actually, Dong Zhu was still fine. At least she was smart enough to know that her biological mother was unreliable and her biological father did not care. She could only be thick-skinned and ask for food from everyone else.

    However, her two sisters were just like Fourth Uncle. They would never offer a kind work. They would eat as much as their family gave them. Occasionally, they would be taken by Fourth Aunt Dong to go back and see her family.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it. One apricot for each ridge you do.¡± Dong Nuan¡¯s daily task today was to cover four ridges. Now that she had two ridges covered by her two sisters, she would not have to work in the morning.

    With the arrival of Dong Zhu and the addition of another ridge being taken care of, Dong Nuan¡¯s work for the day was almost done.

    Old Madam Dong had just fed the twins the apricot. Fifth Aunt went over and wanted to take a bite, but in the end, she was beaten a few times by Old Madam Dong, scaring her so much that she jogged right back to the field. She obediently acted like a background character and did not dare to make another sound, afraid that she would be beaten up.

    As soon as Old Madam Dong returned, she saw Dong Nuan smiling as she sent Dong Zhu to work. She wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, at least Dong Nuan was kind. If you helped her with her work, she would give you something.

    In the past, when the other sisters commanded Dong Nuan around, there was no reward!

    Looking at Dong Zhu¡¯s desperate and pitiful appearance, Old Madam Dong closed her eyes and pretended not to hear anything before returning to work in the fields.

    Dong Zao and Dong Tao took a look. This motherf*cker had recruited someone else? How could they tolerate this?

    The two of them wanted to work together to chase Dong Zhu away, but Dong Zhu, who sensed danger, immediately said pitifully, ¡°Sister Tao, Sister Zao, I¡¯ll share half of my apricot with you guys. I¡¯ll eat half, okay?¡±

    Upon hearing Dong Zhu¡¯s words, the two sisters looked at each other and used their not-so-smart brains to do the math. They thought that if they did not work, they could still get half an apricot. It was quite worth it.

    With that, the two of them stopped making things difficult for Dong Zhu and let her help with the work.

    ¡°Ah, does that mean there¡¯s only one ridge left for me to do today?¡± Seeing that the three of them had come to an agreement, Dong Nuan asked casually.

    Dong Zao¡¯s reaction was the fastest. She quickly raised her small black hand and said, ¡°Sister, I can do it, I can do it!¡±

    Dong Nuan would definitely be able to finish this job herself.

    Of course, the others also had to finish their own work. Otherwise, Grandma would definitely slap them!

    ¡°I can do it too. I can do it too!¡± Dong Tao felt that she could not be outdone. It was just that her reaction time was a little slower than Dong Zao¡¯s.

    ¡°Alright, you two split it between yourselves.¡± Dong Nuan did not care who helped, as long as she did not have to do it.

    Knowing that she had peope to do all her work for today, Dong Nuan distributed the apricots to them in advance and even asked them to supervise each other.

    After the distribution, Dong Nuan raised her voice and said to Old Madam Dong, ¡°Grandma, I have a job to do today, so I won¡¯t stay in the fields and be an eyesore to you.¡±

    With that, Dong Nuan turned around and left.

    Madam Dong was so angry that she did not know whether to laugh or cry.

    How ironic! She was afraid that the children at home would be lazy, so she set a daily task for them to work on at least four ridges a day.

    In the end, after Dong Nuan gave her jobs away, she really did not care about anything else. This lazy girl¡­

    Alright, because of last night¡¯s big fat pheasant and today¡¯s big yellow apricots, Old Madam Dong liked Dong Nuan a lot more, so she was not particularly angry.

    If this was the past, she would have long ago picked up a stick and chased her halfway through the village. She would have pressed this wretched girl to the ground and beaten her up!

    To be honest, this girl¡¯s luck seemed to have become very good after her life-and-death experience yesterday.

    There were many wild fruits at the foot of the mountain. Although Old Madam Dong had never been there, she had dug wild vegetables before. Coupled with the fact that she had many grandchildren at home, she often said that she had quite a bit of experience.

    Whether these apricots had been plucked or taken from elsewhere, the rest of the harvest was long gone now.

    The apricots that Dong Nuan had were yellow and big. She did not know where it was picked from.

    Oh, right. That girl said that it was deep within the mountains.

    Even the hunters in the village did not dare to enter places like the deep mountains and old forests. Did this little girl really dare to enter?

    Perhaps she was lucky to have met someone who helped her.

    ¡°Hey, old man, do you think that little girl Nuan¡¯s luck has improved after her trip to purgatory?¡± Old Madam Dong felt that there were some ghosts and gods that she had to believe in.

    Old Madam Dong¡¯s question was also a question that Old Man Dong was thinking about. He had not figured it out yet, so it was not easy to come to a conclusion. Therefore, he thought for a moment and said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±

    Eldest Aunt, who had been working quietly at the side, listened in on the old couple¡¯s conversation. She lowered her eyes slightly and was deep in thought.

    Dong Nuan, who had already crawled into the forest, did not care about what they were thinking.

    To the bamboo spirit, the forest was her world. She could roam freely inside, breathe properly, and even run and jump.

    As long as there were no Bamboo-eating Beasts, she could dominate the forest!

    She held a stick in her hand and walked. Then, she stopped. From time to time, she would hit the grass and remind the snake hiding in the grass that she was here. She had to leave quickly, or she might become snake soup.

    Dong Nuan was a bamboo spirit and had no interest in eating meat. Moreover, she had cultivated for many years. In order to keep her source clean, she had abstained from eating. Most of the time, she would eat spirit fruits and spirit herbs.

    Therefore, she really did not have any thoughts about snakes. Since she did not want to eat it, she would let them go.

    After walking for a while, he suddenly heard footsteps in front of him. At this moment, Dong Nuan had already passed the foot of the mountain. She was already deep in the mountains.

    Why was someone else here?

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan tightened her grip on the stick in her hand, and her smiling almond-shaped eyes became cold and sharp.

 Chapter 16

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan did not move. After waiting for a few breaths, she saw a person walk out of the forest.

    The other party was extremely tall. Dong Nuan estimated that he was definitely more than eight feet tall.

    Looking at her five and a half feet tall stature¡­

    Comparing the two heights, it was quite tragic. Dong Nuan even thought, ¡®Am I at his waist???¡¯

    The other party¡¯s footsteps were not heavy, but they were very domineering. Based on Dong Nuan¡¯s experience, although the other party¡¯s body was ordinary, he was definitely a martial arts practitioner and had some kung fu knowledge.

    The other party¡¯s footsteps were steady and extremely resounding. Naturally, the first thing she saw was a pair of long legs.

    This could not be helped. The height advantage was obvious from the start.

    Dong Nuan hurriedly glanced at the other party¡¯s face.

    The other party was a burly man who was more than eight feet tall. He was tall, had long legs, and broad eyes. His long and narrow phoenix eyes were looking at Dong Nuan with a cold glint.

    Both of their gazes were a little cold. It was a coldness that carried an aura of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood along with it.

    However, to him, she was like a little kitten, soft and cold.

    Dong Nuan did not realize that she was just a little kitten in the other party¡¯s eyes.

    She was still calmly observing the man walking towards her. His facial features were extremely uptight. No, no, no¡­

    This was no longer Zhou Zheng. He was extremely good-looking. His nose bridge was high, and his entire face was outlined. His lips were thin and well-shaped. Moreover, his tan was extremely good. Even if his skin was a little yellowish-brown, it could not taint his handsome features.

    If not for the fact that he was not fair enough, his face would be ten thousand times better-looking than Liao Mingkun¡¯s!!!

    No, no, no. If the other party¡¯s face was too fair, he might lose his unique sense of beauty.

    This was quite good now. It had a wild, unrestrained beauty. He was much better than Liao Mingkun, who looked weak!

    Dong Nuan still wanted to trample on this scumbag. Who asked him to be a scumbag?

    She only dazed for a moment before she realized who the other party was.

    Han Jianglou.

    There were two surnames in Xiaowan Village. One was Dong and the other was Liao.

    Most of the other names were foreign surnames.

    It was said that the Han Jianglou was a distant relative of Dong Jiu¡¯s. His family had suffered a disaster and was destroyed, so he came over.

    Because the household registration procedures were complete and there were people who were seeking refuge, the county gave him residence, preventing him from being reduced to a refugee.

    However, even if the other party had settled down and become an official citizen, there was no way to give him any land.

    It was really¡­

    There was not enough land for the villagers in the village already. It was obvious that they would not give him any land.

    Therefore, Han Jianglou had no land. His daily meals were earned by doing long-term or short-term work for Jixiang and Fugui or by running errands in the county city.

    He was tall and very strong. Occasionally, when he entered the mountains, he would not walk away empty-handed. In addition, he was diligent. Even though he was boring and did not interact much with the villagers, his reputation was not bad.

    Of course, everyone only thought of him as a diligent person and did not think much about him otherwise.

    Dong Jiu, whom the man had sought refuge with originally, was already gone. It was said that he died on the battlefield. Of Dong Jiu¡¯s family, only his mother had remained. When she heard that her son was gone, she closed his eyes and left not long after.

    In the end, it was Han Jianglou who gave him a funeral and buried him properly.

    From the looks of it, the Han Jianglou did not have any family background or relatives to help him. Even if a person was diligent, it would not be easy for him to live completely independently.

    Therefore, he had a good reputation, but no girl in Xiaowan Village or even the nearby villages was willing to marry him.

    Occasionally, matchmakers would come and introduce widows to him.

    Dong Nuan did not expect to meet him here at this time. It was quite surprising.

    She looked at the sturdy bundle of firewood on his back. At a quick glance, it looked like weighed more than a hundred catties. However, besides his head being covered in sweat, he seemed to have barely broken a sweat and was not breathing deeply. It could be seen that his stamina was really good.

    The bamboo spirit admired such a strong man. He was strong and looked very reliable.

    Of course, it was just pure admiration. Dong Nuan was prepared to turn her head away and not say much. The two of them brushed past each other and pretended not to have seen each other.

    In any case, they were not familiar with each other, so the man was probably unwilling to speak. Dong Nuan had only stared at him for a short while, but the other party had already pursed his lips several times. It was unknown if he was nervous or uncomfortable.

    The village was not particularly strict with boundaries between men and women. Had they not seen that poor girl¡¯s family? She was already sixteen or seventeen years old, but she was still working barefoot in the fields.

    In the farmyard, there was not much to pay attention to. It was fine as long as they could eat their fill.

    Therefore, it was normal for men and women to greet each other when they met.

    However, those who were not familiar with this practice¡­

    It was very awkward. She did not know how to explain it.

    Dong Nuan had already turned her head away and stepped forward, but she felt a warmth in her soul.

    It was a very warm and gentle aura that suddenly slowly approached her soul and nourished it.

    This feeling¡­

    It was just like how it felt when the spirit was injured in a battle and ate medicine. The medicine would nourish his body.

    It was very nice and enjoyable.

    Because it was too comfortable, Dong Nuan even relaxed her eyes slightly and almost let out a sigh.

    However, she quickly realized that something was wrong.

    In this world, the spiritual energy was so thin that it was almost nonexistent. It was impossible for there to be enough spiritual energy to nourish her soul. Why did she feel good?

    Moreover, since she arrived here yesterday, she had not felt anything abnormal.

    No, no, no, no. Before she took that step just now, she did not feel anything unusual!

    ¡®So¡­¡¯

    Realizing that something was wrong, Dong Nuan looked at Han Jianglou suspiciously.

    As she looked at him, he also looked at her.

    Noticing that Dong Nuan¡¯s gaze was on him, Han Jianglou¡¯s body subconsciously stiffened. After a while, he slowly looked away, too embarrassed to look at her.

    However, when she looked away, her slightly furrowed brows did not relax.

    Dong Nuan was wondering if the soul nourishment was related to him, so she did not notice his expression.

    To verify her thoughts, Dong Nuan took two steps back.

    Han Jianglou had been standing there without moving. Dong Nuan took two steps back and pulled the distance between them back to its original position or even slightly further.

    After two steps, Dong Nuan realized that the soul-nourishing and comfortable aura was gone!

    There was no more!!!

    Her pupils constricted slightly. Dong Nuan stepped forward slightly, then stepped back, then stepped forward again.

    She could feel the aura again. Then, the aura had disappeared. Then, the aura came again, then disappeared again¡­

    Very good. It was confirmed that the aura that could make her soul feel comfortable was indeed related to Han Jianglou!!!

    Dong Nuan¡¯s eyes lit up when she realized this. She was filled with joy.

    Han Jianglou, who was in a dilemma, also felt the joy of the little girl floating into the air.

    He turned around in confusion. His brows were still tightly knitted together. Coupled with his slightly indifferent expression, he looked a little fierce and like someone to not be trifled with.

 Chapter 17

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Their eyes met. One pair was curious, and the other was cold.

    Dong Nuan was curious. Why?

    Why did her soul feel comfortable when she was close to him?

    Could it be that he was a walking humanoid immortal pill?

    If that was really the case¡­

    Dong Nuan felt that she should come over and rub against him when she had nothing to do.

    This thing was nourishing, and it was automatically distributed by the other party. It did not require the initiative to suck it in. This was not against any moral rules. The bamboo spirit felt that as long as it was thick-skinned, it should definitely rub against it every day!

    Han Jianglou¡¯s expression was cold and there was a hint of conflict in it.

    He wondered if he should talk to this silly little girl.

    Liao Mingkun was not a good match for her. There was really no need for her to lower herself for him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about whether you¡¯ll live until get rich. Even if you get rich, will he really value your life?¡±

    He did not even feel sorry for his biological mother, so why would he feel sorry for an outsider who served him?

    However, the two of them were neither relatives nor friends. There was a social gap between men and women, and there was no friendship between them. It would not be good for him to say such things rashly.

    However, Han Jianglou could not bear to watch this thin and small girl jump into that fire pit.

    Even though his heart was as cold as an abyss, there was still a trace of justice and warmth there. He was willing to show kindness to innocent people.

    Seeing that Dong Nuan was looking at him curiously, Han Jianglou thought for a moment, pursed his lips, and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Although it¡¯s said that people shouldn¡¯t judge others based on their actions, that young master of the Liao family is indeed not a good match. If you can, it¡¯s better to avoid this marriage. Don¡¯t you see that the other girls in the village are avoiding him?¡±

    Han Jianglou felt that since they were not related to each other, it was already kindness enough for him to remind her of this.

    With that, he strode away.

    However, he had only taken a step when he felt a gust of wind rush over. He had already taken a step back at an extremely fast speed, but he still could not escape Dong Nuan¡¯s small hand.

    Han Jianglou, ¡°?¡±

    He broke out in a cold sweat from Dong Nuan¡¯s actions, or rather, her speed!

    One had to know that Han Jianglou had trained in martial arts before, but now, he could not dodge a skinny little girl??

    ¡®Is that reasonable?¡¯

    Han Jianglou was a little puzzled.

    Could it be that Dong Nuan was some hidden expert?

    If that was the case, then in her previous life¡­

    ¡°Marriage is a big deal. I can¡¯t make the decision on the orders of my parents and the words of the matchmaker.¡± After Dong Nuan approached, she took a few deep breaths. Although it ¡®soul nourishment¡¯, she was not actually eating anything.

    However, what she sucked up was a sense of satisfaction!

    Oh my! This feeling was too good!

    She really wanted to hug Han Jianglou and put hiim in her pocket, sucking on his powers every day!

    However, Dong Nuan also knew that the two of them were not familiar with each other. If she acted so rash so soon after meeting him, he would probably jump up and run away in fear.

    It would not be good if the humanoid pill ran away. She had to coax it.

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan quietly stuffed two large apricots into his pockets. Perhaps she felt that it was not enough, so she quickly threw a few fresh peaches into the basket on the firewood behind him.

    Peaches had fur and had to be washed before eaten. They were unlike apricots. If one was not too particular, they could be eaten right after brushing the dirt off the outside.

    Therefore, Dong Nuan had been eating apricots at home and outside for the past two days.

    However, it was still messy to them. Today, they happened to go up the mountain. There was spring water in the mountain that could be used to wash her hands, so Dong Nuan got a few more apricots, but before she could eat them, they bumped into Han Jianglou.

    Then, she felt that two was too little. Dong Nuan threw in a few more in, then she threw them all in.

    She felt that she could not just suck on his nourishment while providing nothing in exchange. This humanoid medicinal pill had to be fed and nourished. This way, she would be even less burdened when she sucked on it in the future.

    Han Jianglou wanted to say something, but before he could say anything, Dong Nuan had already let go of the corner of his shirt. She raised her head and smiled sweetly at him. ¡°But thank you, Brother Han. You¡¯re a really good person.¡±

    Han Jianglou originally wanted to say, ¡°If you struggle and make a fuss, you¡¯d be seen as unwilling. Your father and the others can¡¯t force you to marry him.¡±

    No one was stupid enough to not see what was going on in Liao Mingkun¡¯s family.

    There were people in the village who coveted his position, but¡­

    Most of them avoided him.

    In the farms, putting food on the table was enough of a problem. Who had the spare money to provide for a scholar, let alone a scholar with a foreign surname?

    However, before he could say a word, Dong Nuan stuffed the apricot into his mouth. Then, it was as if something else had been thrown into the basket behind him.

    Han Jianglou did not even see how Dong Nuan¡¯s small figure tossed something so accurately and so quickly that he only caught a glimpse. He did not even see what was thrown.

    Because he was too shocked, Han Jianglou was speechless for a moment.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s soul had already been nourished today. After feeding the humanoid medicinal pill, she happily rushed into the forest.

    By the time Han Jianglou reacted, they could not even see Dong Nuan¡¯s shadow anymore.

    ¡°It¡¯s too fast!¡± Han Jianglou was once a person who had fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Whether it was his reaction speed or combat ability, he was extremely capable.

    However, he did not know if he could win against Dong Nuan.

    At the very least, his speed and reaction speed were inferior to hers.

    How could that be?

    Han Jianglou could not understand. Previously, he had only heard from the villagers that she was honest and easy to bully.

    From the looks of it, that might not be the case.

    Han Jianglou could not even tell where the other party had hidden the fruit.

    He was also carrying more than a hundred catties of firewood on his back. He had firewood in his house to burn. These were all good firewood that he had gathered and kept to sell in town.

    He had no fields, so he could only work hard to survive.

    However, this was not difficult for Han Jianglou. If he wanted to earn money, there were actually other ways.

    However, he liked this kind of peaceful life that was similar to retirement.

    In the past, he had been exhausted for most of his life and had sacrificed too much.

    Now, he pursued a kind of dual peace of mind and body.

    Therefore, if he worked a little harder physically, at least he would feel at ease in all senses.

    Han Jianglou could not figure out where Dong Nuan put the fruit nor how she gained her speed. In the end, he could only shake his head and say, ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s someone better.¡±

    Since he could not figure it out, he did want to make things difficult for himself. He adjusted the rope around the firewood slightly and strode down the mountain.

    However, after taking a few steps, Han Jianglou reacted. Dong Nuan had entered the depths of the forest. There were wild beasts inside!

    The old hunter would not usually enter the deep mountains. He only dared to take the risk because he had a mission.

    However, Dong Nuan was just a little girl¡­

    Realizing that something was wrong, Han Jianglou did not care how heavy the firewood on its back was. He adjusted it again, turned around, and ran into the forest.

 Chapter 18

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan had no idea that Han Jianglou was chasing after her.

    After entering the forest, she was like a bird returning to its patch of the sky or a fish entering the sea. Dong Nuan was extremely carefree.

    In one moment, his left hand would produce fruits, and in the next moment, his right hand would produce medicinal herbs to nourish his body. Dong Nuan ate happily in the forest, feeling extremely comfortable.

    Other than the trees in the forest being high-vibration and a little stuffy, everything else was fine.

    However, the bamboo spirit needed sunlight and rain, so it was naturally not afraid of the sun.

    It was just that after chilling a long time, she felt a little dizzy.

    However, there was no hurry. There was still spring water in the forest. Although it was a little hot from the sun, there was a cooling air from the spring.

    The mountain spring water flowed down and formed a small pool. Because it was running water and there were rocks at the bottom, the water was very clean. It was so clear.

    Smelling her own scent, Dong Nuan felt that taking a shower would not be a bad idea.

    Last night, she did not dare to go to the backyard to take a shower because of the wound on her head.

    There was already some stink on her body now. When she thought about the humanoid medicinal pill that she had approached so boldly just now, Dong Nuan felt a little silly.

    However, it was not a big problem.

    She was the one absorbing the pill¡¯s energy, not the other way around.

    Therefore, if she had a stink, so be it.

    Now that the water temperature was cool and the sun was shining, she simply scrubbed and washed his clothes. They would dry after a while.

    In the deep mountains and old forests, no one was likely to come by.

    Moreover, it was working hours, and the hunters in the village would not enter the mountains.

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan quickly stripped herself clean.

    She was young and looked thin and weak, so the clothes she wore were very simple: a coat, pants, and underpants.

    Yes, just three pieces of cloth.

    As for her undergarments?

    Non-existent.

    With her current figure being comparable to the fields she worked on, she did not need it.

    She would probably only need them when she was older.

    It was only when she soaked herself in the spring water that Dong Nuan felt her burdens lighten.

    As she scrubbed herself, she took off her clothes and placed them on the stone beside her. With the temperature of the stone and the sunlight, they should be dry in a short while.

    After running a few rounds, Han Jianglou finally arrived at this place. The first thing he saw was¡­

    There was a hint of yellow on her back.

    Although her back was thin, her spine was a very nice shape.

    Han Jianglou, ¡°¡­!!!¡±

    Realizing that he had seen something he should not have, his first instinct was to turn around and run!

    As long as he ran fast, no one would be able to catch him.

    However, after searching for a long time, he could not find Dong Nuan. Seeing her thin back, it was obvious that she was not very well-developed. Therefore, Han Jianglou already had his guesses.

    It was probably because the other party had given him a lot of fruits just now that Han Jianglou suddenly did not want to run away irresponsibly.

    However, marrying Dong Nuan?

    He was still a child!

    The Dong family was inhumane. They had married a half-grown child to Liao Mingkun. He did not want to be inhumane either!

    However, he could not leave so irresponsibly. Only Heaven and Earth knew about this matter. Dong Nuan did not know yet.

    However, he could not get over it.

    Thinking of this, Han Jianglou took two steps forward and was about to speak when he realized that the figure in front of him had turned around!

    Yes, it turned around!!!

    Han Jianglou was stunned for a second. When he came back to his senses, he suddenly turned around and said in a rare panic, ¡°I was worried that you had accidentally entered the forest. There are wolves here, so I came to look for you. I didn¡¯t expect to encounter this. I¡­¡±

    Han Jianglou wanted to say that he would take responsibility, but when the words reached his mouth, he felt like his mouth was burning. His throat was dry, and his lips and teeth began to chatter.

    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to marry a half-grown child!

    Dong Nuan had long noticed that the humanoid pill had returned. However, since the other party did not move, Dong Nuan did not move either.

    As for her sense of shame?

    What shame do you expect a bamboo spirit to have?

    However, looking at the humanoid pill, he seemed a little embarrassed. Dong Nuan thought about it and did not walk out of the water.

    ¡°Thank you for looking for me. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m very familiar with the forest. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Dong Nuan did not catch his main point, or rather, she did not really care.

    After all, the other party was a humanoid medicinal pill. She was already feeling very guilty about rubbing against him.

    There was no need to fuss over such unimportant things.

    Although Han Jianglou repeatedly resisted, he would not really run away from responsibilities.

    Hence, he stood there in a dilemma for a long time. After fighting between rationality and emotions for a long time, he finally said with difficulty in a hoarse voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take responsibility for you.¡±

    Take responsibility for her?

    Did that mean that she could freeload off him every day?

    Hearing Han Jianglou¡¯s words, Dong Nuan¡¯s eyes lit up, and her voice was filled with visible joy. ¡°Really? Does that mean I can see you every day?¡±

    Seeing him every day was equivalent to freeloading every day.

    There was nothing wrong with this line of logic!

    Han Jianglou never expected Dong Nuan to be so proactive and lively¡­

    For a moment, Han Jianglou even doubted her.

    Could it be that she had lived for too long in her previous life, so there was a deviation in her memory?

    Was the Dong Nuan in his memory such a person?

    ¡®I don¡¯t remember.¡¯

    They were not familiar with each other. It could even be said that they never interacted with each other before. They lived in the same village and did not even speak to each other.

    While Han Jianglou was thinking, Dong Nuan, who had not received an answer for a long time, got a little impatient. She raised her voice and asked, ¡°Does it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Although he was unkind in his mind, he would treat her well.

    Hence, Han Jianglou replied with difficulty. His heart was still in a dilemma.

    Unfortunately, Dong Nuan did not understand at all. She was still feeling very happy.

    In the future, she could freeload every day!!!

    Yay! Perhaps she could ascend again after rubbing against him?

    She did not know how lucky she was this time.

    If he were to encounter the Great Divine-Infernal War again, Dong Nuan felt that it would be better for her to not ascend.

    Se had worked hard for more than a thousand years and fought until she cultivated.

    Why bother?

    She had wasted thousands of years of effort.

    However, whether she could fly or not was a matter for the future. The most important thing now, or rather, the most surprising thing, was that the humanoid medicinal pill had said that she could freeload off him every day!

    Whoa!

    She was very happy!

    Dong Nuan was really happy.

    That happy cheer followed the sultry breeze in the forest and slowly blew on Han Jianglou¡¯s face.

    He was nervous and conflicted just now. Coupled with the stifling heat in the forest, he was covered in sweat.

    When that pleasant smell drifted over, Han Jianglou wiped his face and was about to ask Dong Nuan if she wanted to eat anything. However, before he could say anything, he was carried away by this smell, and his mood also drifted.

    Because his emotions were fluctuating, when he spoke this time, Han Jianglou¡¯s voice was much gentler, and the way he addressed her had also changed. ¡°Lil Nuan, is there anything you want to eat?¡±

 Chapter 19

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡®What do you want to eat?¡¯

    She did not have the immortal pills and spiritual fruits she wanted to eat¡­

    ¡®Ah, that¡¯s not right.¡¯

    This was a humanoid pill.

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan gently smacked her lips and whispered, ¡°I want to eat you.¡±

    Han Jianglou, ¡°???¡±

    Her words successfully made Han Jianglou burn from head to toe. At the same time, the anger in his heart soared.

    He wanted to know which damned person had said such inappropriate words to a child, teaching her how to use such phrases???

    Han Jianglou was so angry that he almost flew into the sky. After a long time, he gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°Lil Nuan, who did you hear that from?¡±

    ¡®Who was it?!¡¯

    What beast would say that to a child?

    Although Han Jianglou knew that the aunts in the village usually spoke without scruples, they would usually pay attention to not talk nonsense in front of young children.

    As for the men in the village?

    Half were good, and half were well-meaning idiots.

    Of course, he could not rule out the possibility that some of them were glib-tongued and did not say good things.

    Han Jianglou quickly eliminated some possible perpetrators. He thought to himself that this kind of terrible person was asking for a beating. When he returned, he would hang them from a tree at the foot of the mountain on the dark and windy night and let them taste the consequences of having a cheap mouth!

    Only the Heavens knew that Dong Nuan¡¯s words were literal, or rather, her understanding of them was literal.

    This was because to her, Han Jianglou was a human-shaped medicinal pill. What was wrong with her wanting to eat medicinal pills?

    The logic was very complete to her. There was no problem at all!

    Dong Nuan could hear Han Jianglou gritting his teeth. She wanted to say, ¡°I thought it up myself. I didn¡¯t hear anyone say it.¡±

    However, when she thought about it, she felt that this was a good opportunity to dig a grave for a certain scumbag.

    Then, the words that were on the tip of her tongue turned into, ¡°Huh? Who said that? Young Master Liao next door. He¡¯s been a little strange recently. He keeps stopping me from talking. In the past, he ignored me.¡±

    Han Jianglou, ¡°¡­!!!¡±

    ¡®I¡¯m going to hang that Liao guy up tonight!

    ¡®Hang him upside down!¡¯

    ¡°Ignore him. He¡¯s been studying too much, and his brain is overflowing. His words are unpleasant to the ears. Stay away from him in the future.¡± Hanjiang Lou¡¯s heart was pounding, but he could not bear to say harsh words to Dong Nuan. He only reminded her to stay away from that Liao guy.

    He was not a good person. His mind was filled with schemes and she did not do any work.

    However, after thinking about it, it made sense. If he did not have any brains, would it be possible to become an important minister in the court in the future?

    However, when he thought about it again, his path to becoming a powerful minister was one where he stepped on other people¡¯s bones and blood and spread pain and tears. Han Jianglou felt that this Liao guy was only so-so.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to Big Brother Han.¡± Dong Nuan nodded obediently and prepared to get out of the water.

    Hearing the sound of splashing water behind him, Han Jianglou¡¯s body stiffened again. He wanted to say something, but his mouth only moved slightly, and he did not say a word in the end.

    The sound of water continued, but Han Jianglou had already lost his ability to think. His mind was filled with, ¡®She¡¯s getting out, she¡¯s getting out¡­¡¯

    The other party was clearly still a child!!!

    Han Jianglou could not stay any longer. He took a deep breath, grabbed the firewood behind him, and instantly disappeared from the spot.

    From Dong Nuan¡¯s perspective, he might as well have taken off on the spot and flown down the mountain.

    He really disappeared with a whoosh.

    Dong Nuan, who had just come out of the water, was so frightened that her mouth opened wide. She sighed inwardly. ¡°There are still people who can fly. It¡¯s not like they can¡¯t cultivate.¡±

    The reason Dong Nuan came out of the water was not because she wanted to do something to Han Jianglou. What could she do to her medicinal pill?

    At most, they would just rub against each other.

    She had come out of the water to turn her clothes over on the stones so they would dry faster.

    She could not possibly soak in the water for half a day, right? Although it was indeed more comfortable to soak in the water today thanit was to stand outside.

    However, if she soaked in it for too long, her hair would be damaged¡­

    Han Jiangluo, who had not actually flown away, did not know. He only knew that he held his breath and ran down the mountain.

    When he got home, she gulped down two cups of cold water. His mind was still buzzing, and his body was burning.

    ¡°She¡¯s still a child. Han Jianglou, do you not want to be a human anymore?¡± Han Jianglou could not help but scold himself in his heart. At the same time, he could not help but think about the sound ofthe splashing water.

    When he finally calmed down, he went to tidy up the firewood he had brought back and looked at the fruits Dong Nuan gave him.

    Han Jianglou felt that his hands were already very big, but the two big apricots in his palms were almost too much to handle. There was not much space left.

    ¡°Are they this big?¡± Han Jianglou had never seen such a big apricot in the mountains, but he usually did not pay much attention to such things. He was more concerned about prey, firewood, and other mountainous resources.

    He rarely paid attention to things like fruits that could not fill his stomach. Sometimes, when he passed by some wild fruits, he did not even look up.

    Therefore, it was normal for him to ignore them.

    Since it was given by Dong Nuan, Han Jianglou did not act pretentiously. In fact, there was an indescribable sweetness in his heart.

    After reacting to this, Han Jianglou cursed again.

    In addition to the two big apricots, there were also three peaches in the basket.

    The peaches were average-sized, but they were still comparable to the big apricot. Compared to the peaches he had seen at the tables of the capital¡¯s influential people, these were still slightly bigger and looked more delicious.

    The base half of these three peaches were red, while the top half was pink and white. Just looking at them made one want to drool.

    After washing the fruit with water, Han Jianglou ate the big apricot first.

    The flesh was tender and juicy and sweet and delicious. It was even more delicious than the apricots he had once eaten that were planted by some nobles in the capital!

    Even Han Jianglou, who did not like fruits, could not help but squint and enjoy it for a while.

    After the big apricot, there were peaches. The pink and white peaches were crispy, sweet, and refreshing. The peach flesh was also pink and white. Just looking at it made one want to eat more.

    Han Jianglou was tall and strong. It was just one peach, and they finished it in two or three bites.

    He could not bear to throw away the peach pit after he finished eating. He thought that he could try planting one in the courtyard later. Perhaps it would grow in the future.

    At that time, Dong Nuan would also grow up and be able to get married. After marrying him, she would be able to eat fresh peaches. It would also save the little girl from going crazy from hunger and daring to run into the mountains.

    ¡°Oh no!¡± At this moment, Han Jianglou finally reacted. Previously, he had turned back because he was afraid that something would happen to Dong Nuan deep in the mountains. In the end, because of the sound of water, his mind was a mess, and he forgot about this matter.

    When Han Jianglou regained his senses, he could not care less about what Dong Nuan was wearing. He placed the peach pit on the table, turned around, and ran up the mountain with the basket on his back.

    Meanwhile, Dong Nuan, who had been ¡®abandoned¡¯ by Han Jianglou, had already put on her clothes and went elsewhere.

    Her clothes were still a little wet, so Dong Nuan went to a warmer place and dried herself along with her clothes.

 Chapter 20

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Han Jianglou circled the deep mountains for a long time. Finally, in some random corner, they saw Dong Nuan basking in the sun.

    The short little girl was turning over at this moment.

    Hearing footsteps, Dong Nuan looked up and saw that it was Han Jianglou again. She looked surprised.

    ¡°Big Brother Han?¡± Why was the humanoid pill here again? Could it be that there was something on the mountain today?

    Dong Nuan called out in confusion. At the same time, she got up and sat on the rock. Her two short legs were still swaying by the rock.

    Han Jianglou¡¯s tense heart finally relaxed when he saw the pitifully thin legs swaying there. Not only was he covered in sweat from running all the way here, but his heart was also beating rapidly, afraid that Dong Nuan would be eaten by wild beasts¡­

    ¡°Hehehe!¡± Han Jianglou was about to persuade Dong Nuan to leave the mountain earlier when he heard the sound of wild beasts not far away.

    Not good! It was a wild boar!

    This thing was very fierce. Han Jianglou was very unwilling to encounter it!

    He had been in a hurry on the way here, but he had conveniently grabbed a hatchet before leaving. However, wild boar skin was thick, so this hatchet might not be able to easily chop into it.

    Moreover, Han Jianglou still had to protect Dong Nuan. There were many things to worry about, so making a decision was easy.

    ¡°Run!¡± Han Jianglou rushed over, grabbed Dong Nuan, and ran out.

    After running a few steps, he realized that Dong Nuan¡¯s legs were too short. She was almost being dragged on the ground by him. He suddenly picked her up and threw her onto his shoulder as if he was carrying firewood.

    When Dong Nuan was carried down the mountain, she was still in a daze.

    ¡®What about it?¡¯

    When Han Jianglou was halfway down the mountain, he was about to put Dong Nuan down when he suddenly thought of something. If he did not let go and carried Dong Nuan down the mountain, would he not have an excuse to propose marriage?

    However, before that, he had to ask how Dong Nuan felt.

    If Dong Nuan was willing, he was naturally willing to take on the responsibility too.

    Marriage proposals were not about getting married immediately. He would probably have to wait a few more years. After Dong Nuan grew up a little, his peaches might have grown.

    Moreover, even if they got married now, he would not dare to touch her.

    Touching a child?

    Was he crazy?

    If Dong Nuan was unwilling, he would put Dong Nuan down now. If he did not say anything about what happened today, and Dong Nuan did not say anything, others would naturally not know.

    Very few people came to the deep mountains, especially now that there was still a lot of work in the fields. Since everyone was busy, no one would come.

    It was only because he did not have his own fields and usually worked part-time at Old Master Xiang Kun¡¯s house to earn some money that he had more time to himself.

    ¡°Lil Nuan, are you willing to follow me?¡± When Han Jianglou asked this, he did not put Dong Nuan down yet.

    At this moment, his entire body was still tense because he was not sure if the wild boar had chased after him.

    Those things were very wild. Sometimes, they would not stop until they achieved its goal. Naturally, Han Jianglou did not dare to let down his guard.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Dong Nuan felt a little uncomfortable. Just as she was about to signal for Han Jianglou to put her down, she heard the other party ask her this.

    ¡®Follow him?¡¯

    Of course she was willing. Who would not want to be with their medicinal pill every day?

    Moreover, this medicinal pill was free!!!

    The point was that he did not cost money!

    After all, Dong Nuan¡¯s pockets were empty now. She was really poor.

    After thinking for a moment, Dong Nuan nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡±

    After saying that, he patted Han Jianglou¡¯s back and whispered, ¡°Put me down first. It¡¯s making me uncomfortable.¡±

    Han Jianglou did not expect Dong Nuan to respond so readily, but he immediately reacted.

    She was only a half-grown child. What did she know?

    Forget it! He should worry more.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you down after we get down from the mountain. There are wild boars deep in the mountains. They¡¯re very fierce and have even bitten villagers to death previously. In the future, even if you have nothing to do, don¡¯t go deep into the mountains. If you really want to eat fruits, tell me. I¡¯ll go pick them for you.¡± He was strong and could outrun wild boars. It was relatively safe for him to go in.

    Just relatively, though.

    ¡®A wild boar?¡¯

    A question mark appeared above Dong Nuan¡¯s head.

    That thing was very fierce, but the bamboo spirit still had a trace of pressure on it. It was still very useful to intimidate some small animals that did not have any intelligence.

    Therefore, Dong Nuan was not afraid of those wild beasts.

    However, this matter involved her little secret. It was better to notsay it.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Dong Nuan replied nonchalantly. She wanted to adjust her posture, but Han Jianglou¡¯s body was too hard. No matter how hard she tried, she could not feel comfortable.

    As they approached the farmland, Han Jianglou said in a deep voice, ¡°Lil Nuan, sorry for offending you.¡±

    Dong Nuan, ¡°?¡±

    Why was he suddenly acting like this?

    Before she could react, Han Jianglou had already put her down from being carried on his back.

    If it was not for Dong Nuan¡¯s quick reaction, she might have slipped off the other party¡¯s body.

    Dong Nuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    Alright, this was her medicinal pill, after all. It was an insignificant matter, so she had to endure it.

    Dong Nuan was carried down the mountain by Han Jianglou. This matter was seen by many people working in the farmland.

    Dong Erzhuang¡¯s family naturally saw it too. Han Jianglou had specially chosen the mountain that was closest to their family¡¯s field.

    Hearing others say that Dong Nuan was carried down the mountain by Han Jianglou, Dong Xing could not help but jump out and say, ¡°Oi, why is Nuan Nuan being carried back by a man?¡±

    Dong Xing had just been beaten up by Dong Nuan yesterday. Today, Dong Nuan gave the other sisters at home apricot to eat, but she did not even give her a look. Thus, Dong Xing was sulking.

    Now that she had finally found an opportunity to ruin Dong Nuan¡¯s reputation, how could she not work hard?

    She even forgot that her mother had originally wanted to marry Dong Nuan next door for the benefit of her family.

    At the moment, personal hatred was more important than anything else. Dong Xing could not care less. She just wanted to see Dong Nuan make a fool of herself. She did not want to see Dong Nuan living well!

    Moreover, she knew about Han Jianglou. The outsiders in the village did not have their own fields. Their houses were all newly built last year, and there were only two houses. The place was pitifully small, and it was in the west of the village. It was lonely, and the occupants had no neighbors. It was pitiful.

    Dong Nuan was just perfect for him to marry. These two pitiful worms should be matchmade!

    At the thought of this, Dong Xing wished she could say something that would instantly spread throughout the village. ¡°Oh my, Nuanya, you¡¯re getting married! This is a joyous matter.¡±

    Dong Xing wished she could clap her hands and cheer. She jumped up from the field and shouted as she walked out.

    Second Aunt had just fought with Madam Dong Wu in the morning. Of course, she did not lose, but she did not win much either.

    In the end, Old Madam Dong stood up and gave each of them fifty strokes of the paddle. Then, they did not dare to make a fuss anymore.

    Second Aunt was thinking in her heart that if Fifth Uncle was really useless, then she would definitely fight for her rights in the family!

    However, it would not be enough to just snatch his spot. She still had to ask Scholar Liao, who was next door, to teach her youngest son some words first. This way, she might be able to gain more recognition from the headmaster.

    Previously, the Liao family¡¯s sister-in-law had mentioned that she had her eyes on Dong Nuan.

    How could the neighbors not know what the conditions next door were?

    Second Aunt coveted Scholar Liao¡¯s knowledge, but at the same time, she despised his family background. She did not want to sacrifice her daughter, so she had the idea to send Dong Nuan over.

    When the Liao family¡¯s sister-in-law passed, Dong Nuan, that wretched girl, would exhaust herself working!

    Second Aunt had already prepared to go home at noon to take a break. She would fan the flames for the old lady, but now¡­

    Hearing Dong Xing¡¯s ear-piercing voice, Second Aunt felt a buzzing pain in her head.

    How did she give birth to such an idiot?

 Chapter 21

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Second Aunt Dong was so angry that her head was buzzing. Old Madam Dong¡¯s expression was not too nice either.

    When the Liao family brought up the marriage, Old Master Dong broke the secret to her. Naturally, Old Madam Dong was moved.

    The reason why they did not directly nod in agreement was naturally because they were women and had to be more polite. At the same time, it was also to ask for more betrothal gifts. It could be considered an agreement process between the two sides.

    Although the matter was not settled, Old Lady Dong already had some plans in her heart.

    Now, Dong Nuan was being carried back home by Han Jianglou?

    How could this be?

    Old Madam Dong rushed over with a livid expression, wanting to see what was going on.

    However, before he could take a step, he was pulled back by Old Master Dong.

    ¡°The head of the family?¡± Old Madam Dong did not understand. After asking in confusion, she said anxiously, ¡°I have to go and see Lil Nuan. Don¡¯t let her do anything rash. If word gets out, the Liao family will definitely despise her¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Old Master Dong raised his hand and interrupted her. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±

    If this was Dong Nuan from yesterday, then Old Dong would definitely favor the Liao family. He would exchange this little girl for Scholar Liao¡¯s favor. In the future, Scholar Liao could even teach the boys in his family how to read.

    There was no need to recognize him. It was fine as long as he was not blind.

    However, Dong Nuan, who had fainted and woken up yesterday, had lived though that. He still believed in ghosts and monsters. He felt that¡­

    After walking around purgatory, people would really change.

    In the past, Dong Nuan was like wild grass by the field. She had a use, but it was nothing special.

    The current Dong Nuan was a young seedling in the ground. If she was raised well, she might become a source of food in the future!

    Old Dong had not been idle the entire morning. He had been thinking about this matter.

    If Dong Nuan was really useful, then he could not just marry this girl next door like an abandoned child.

    How could Old Dong not know what was going on next door?

    Although the Liao family had taken a fancy to Dong Nuan¡¯s diligence, it was notlike they could not negotiate this. They could change the terms to something similar.

    The two girls from the fourth branch were actually quite suitable when it came to keeping quiet.

    Old Man Dong said to wait and see, so Old Madam Dong could not say anything.

    On the other hand, Madam Dong Wu was still thinking about how Scholar Liao could teach the boys in their family how to read after Dong Nuan married over next door.

    Now that he heard that Dong Nuan was involved with Han Jianglou, she was so angry that his lungs were about to explode.

    In the morning, Dong Nuan gave out some fruits, but she had already angered Madam Dong Wu by not giving any to Dong Yao.

    Now, Dong Nuan still had no shame and was hooking up with a wild man outside. Madam Dong Wu only felt the flames in her head rising.

    It was already noon. Everyone was packing up and going home to cool off. They were waiting for the sun to not be so scorching before going back to the fields to work.

    However, because there was a show to watch, everyone kept looking over.

    Han Jianglou had specially chosen this time to come down so that more people could see his relationship with Dong Nuan.

    Since Dong Nuan was willing to follow him, he did not have to be so afraid.

    The first thing he had to do was dispel Liao Mingkun¡¯s thoughts.

    He wanted to use Dong Nuan as a maid?

    Why was he thinking so cruelly?

    Han Jianglou knew that a person like Liao Mingkun was very proud deep down. He would definitely not fancy a girl who was involved with another man.

    Madam Dong Wu wanted to rush up to her daughter. No matter if it was a beating or scolding, she had to let Dong Nuan know that she would be beaten up if she seduced a man outside.

    However, Old Master Dong reacted quickly. He quickly gestured for Old Madam Dong to bring this stupid wife back.

    He could do whatever he wanted with his family¡¯s matters.

    However, he could not let outsiders see the commotion!

    Although Old Madam Dong was unwilling, she still cared about her reputation. If this matter really blew up, it would implicate the other girls in the family and make it difficult for them to marry too. That would be a huge loss!

    As soon as Old Madam Dong attacked, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s anger instantly dissipated from head to toe.

    Madam Don Wu was only unreasonable to the young girls of the family. When facing her sisters-in-law and mother-in-law, she was like a quail.

    When the family returned home, Han Jianglou followed Dong Nuan into the courtyard.

    Old Master Dong did not stop him, so the others in the family could not say anything.

    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go home and beg the matchmaker to come. I¡¯ll be responsible for Lil Nuan,¡± Han Jianglou said confidently after entering.

    His voice rang out clearly from the fenced courtyard. It could be heard clearly across the street from the front yard.

    Old Master Dong almost fainted from his behavior.

    Originally, he wanted to keep a low profile and try to find a way to cover up this matter.

    If Dong Nuan really had a great future, how could he let Han Jianglou have it?

    Anyone else would be fine, but this man had no land and no family. If anything happened in the future, he would not be able to count on him!

    However, the Cold River Restaurant had already made the first move. Half of the village probably heard his voice, right?

    Since he had already said so, what else could Old Master Dong do? His face trembled as he glared at Old Madam Dong, who was about to step forward. Then, he put on a fake smile and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Tell me. Lil Nuan is still young. She¡¯s just a child. What¡¯s there to be responsible for?¡±

    Old Master Dong had basically tactfully said, ¡®You can¡¯t do it. Give up.¡¯

    Han Jianglou was prepared to argue. Since Dong Nuan was willing, he would definitely protect her.

    At this moment, Dong Nuan suddenly said, ¡°Second Aunt said yesterday that she wanted to marry me to Scholar Liao next door. So, I¡¯m too young? Could it be that I¡¯m old enough to marry Scholar Liao next door but not old enough to marry Big Brother Han?¡±

    At this point, Dong Nuan tilted her head with a puzzled expression and muttered softly, ¡°Can I be too young for one person then old enough for another? How strange.¡±

    Dong Nuan¡¯s words almost made Old Master Dong faint from anger again.

    However, he gritted his teeth and endured it.

    Han Jiangluo almost laughed out loud. He felt that this lively little girl in front of him was not at all similar to the lifeless woman he knew before.

    He did not know if it was because he had paid too little attention in the past, or if the little girl had experienced something and grown up quickly.

    He had also encountered something unspeakable too.

    He held back his laughter and did not directly refute Old Man Dong. Instead, he said in a deep voice, ¡°We can get engaged first. It¡¯s fine for me to wait for Lil Nuan to grow up before getting married.¡±

    This meant that he was willing to take responsibility and wait.

    Old Master Dong did not say anything, so the others in the Dong family did not dare to speak up. Second Aunt¡¯s face was red from holding back, but did she dare to make a scene in front of her father-in-law?

    Did she want to die?

    However, she was afraid that Old Master Dong would be convinced, so she nodded and agreed. As for the Liao family¡­

    No!

    Today¡¯s matter had blown up so much, and their two families were neighbors. The neighbors must have heard what Han Jiangluo said just now.

    After such a thing happened, would the Liao family still be willing?

    If they weren¡¯t¡­

    Thinking of this possibility, Second Aunt¡¯s eyes seemed to suddenly grow knives, shooting daggers at Dong Nuan.

 Chapter 22

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Facing Second Aunt¡¯s unfriendly gaze, Dong Nuan returned a silly smile.

    This smile almost made Second Aunt, who was already furious, so angry that she almost flew into the sky!

    This girl!

    Second Aunt Dong gritted her teeth so that she would not flare up in front of her father-in-law.

    After hearing Han Jianglou¡¯s words, Old Master Dong was not in a hurry to speak. Instead, he stared at Han Jianglou. At the same time, he was thinking about the possibility of Dong Nuan marrying Han Jianglou.

    Today¡¯s matter had blown up so much that the Liao family would definitely not be satisfied with Dong Nuan. Even if the Liao family had ulterior motives, Mother Liao was a very arrogant person. She probably would not be willing.

    Since Scholar Liao was no longer an option, then Han Jianglou¡­

    In Old Dong¡¯s eyes, Han Jianglou, which had no property and no land, was not a good match, be it from the perspective of exploiting his granddaughter or from the perspective of doting on her!

    Old Master Dong wanted to refuse, but today¡¯s matter had blown up quite a lot. If she did not get engaged, rumors might spread later, and it might even affect the reputation of the other girls of the Dong family.

    If that was the case, it would not be worth it.

    Dong Nuan was not in a hurry to speak. In her opinion, there was no need to get engaged. In any case, they were in the same village and could see each other every day. Anything was fine as long as it did not delay her from getting her medicine.

    Therefore, she did not say anything. Madam Dong Wu wanted to say something but hesitated. However, because Old Master Dong did not say anything, she did not dare to say anything either.

    Han Jianglou also knew that his circumstances were not good. At least in the eyes of these people, his external conditions were not good. Therefore, it was expected for the Dong family to hesitate.

    However, he was very sincere.

    It was his responsibility. He would not turn around and leave without a care.

    If he really walked out of this house without caring about anything today, he could imagine how unpleasant the words of the people in the village would be.

    As a man, he had the advantage. Even if others talked about him, they would at most say that he was flirtatious.

    When it came to Dong Nuan, there would probably be an endless stream of lowly and insulting words.

    Some people followed trends, while others harbored malicious intent and could not bear to see others doing well.

    Han Jianglou felt that since he had offended Dong Nuan, he could not let her bear such infamy.

    When the Dong family fell silent, Mother Liao, who was next door, pounded on her bed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Lil Nuan to be such a lowly thing! How old is she? She can¡¯t wait to find a man already? Pfft!¡±

    Mother Liao knew what had happened today as soon as it got out.

    Liao Mingkun had also been at home for the past few days to take care of her.

    Mother Liao knew that her body was probably going to collapse, so she was anxious to plan for Liao Mingkun¡¯s future.

    If it was not for the fact that she felt that she could not hold on anymore, why would Mother Liao take a fancy to the village girl?

    Her son was the descendant of the Purple Myrtle Star. This literary star should marry a noble lady from the prefecture!

    However, her body could not take it anymore. She did not know if she could survive this winter. She was afraid that she could not. Her son had no one to take care of him and no one to support him in his studies. Only then did Mother Liao put down her arrogance and have no choice but to look at the villagers!

    Dong Nuan was naturally Mother Liao¡¯s first choice. She did not talk much and was capable. She had a soft personality and was easy to manipulate.

    If she chose a fierce woman for her son, she would probably have to get up from the coffin and take this fierce woman away after she died!

    Liao Mingkun was also afraid that something would happen if he delayed things. In addition to that, he did not want to take too much leave and wanted to return to the academy as soon as possible.

    Therefore, if he had already decided on a wife, he could use the excuse of her being his fiancee to bring her back to their house to help him serve his mother.

    Originally, the mother and son had discussed it and decided that Mother Liao would appear at noon today. However, this other party was trying to stir up trouble and show their sincerity.

    His status as a scholar was not low. Taking a fancy to Dong Nuan was already an honor to her.

    Moreover, he had given his conditions. There was no reason for the Dong family to not agree. Even though Dong Nuan was young and ignorant, she was unwilling.

    However, marriage was a big deal. Her parents¡¯ orders and the matchmaker¡¯s words had nothing to do with a little girl like her.

    She would listen to the arrangements and come to his house to work obediently!

    In the end, this scene unfolded when the mother and son finished packing his things to return.

    There was only a wall between the two families, and it was not very soundproof. Therefore, the mother and son heard Han Jianglou¡¯s words clearly. Because they heard it clearly, their expressions were very ugly.

    Due to Liao Mingkun¡¯s identity as a scholar, he would not say anything too unpleasant. However, Mother Liao was just a countryside woman and did not care so much. She knew how to scold people in the village.

    At this moment, her anger was getting worse and worse, and Liao Mingkun did not stop her.

    ¡°No, this Lil Nuan won¡¯t do. If you really force her to come here, who knows how much gossip the village will have about you? Moreover, you¡¯re not at home all year round. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to hold down the fort. Then¡­¡± At the thought of her son going out to study for half a year and coming back home to a pregnant wife, Mother Liao felt that she could not breathe properly.

    She pinched herself hard, afraid that she would collapse from anger. Seeing that her son¡¯s expression was getting worse, Mother Liao quickly changed the topic and talked about new candidates for the engagement.

    ¡°We still have Lil Man as our backup plan. However, it¡¯s true that Lil Man¡¯s family is rich, but that girl is too wild. She just injured Lil Nuan¡¯s head yesterday. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to control her. Moreover, that family isn¡¯t reasonable.¡± Mother Liao thought for a moment and began to analyze their previous backup plan.

    While the mother and son were researching alternatives, Old Master Dong, who was next door, was silent for a long time. When the atmosphere was about to become awkward, he finally said, ¡°You have to know that Lil Nuan is smart and capable. She¡¯s an expert both at home and in the fields. I originally planned to keep her for a few more years.¡±

    Bullsh*t!

    He could not wait to send her to Scholar Liao¡¯s house next door and seek benefits for his grandsons!

    Dong Nuan cursed in her heart, but she still smiled innocently.

    Han Jianglou felt the same contempt in his heart, but he did not show it on his face. Instead, he agreed and said, ¡°Yes, Lil Nuan is indeed a diligent and sensible girl.¡±

    Unfortunately, she did not have a good family.

    However, looking at Old Master Dong¡¯s attitude now, it did not seem like he was unwilling.

    Thinking about it, it made sense. Today¡¯s matter had been witnessed by the entire village. Obviously, Old Dong had no better choice.

    Hearing Han Jianglou¡¯s words, Old Dong sighed softly. ¡°Alright, go back and hire a matchmaker. We¡¯ll study the engagement in detail.¡±

    This meant that he had agreed.

    Second Aunt was so anxious that her face turned pale. Her mouth moved a few times, but because of her reputation, she did not say anything in the end.

    ¡°In that case, Grandpa, I¡¯ll go back and make the arrangements first.¡± After getting Old Man Dong¡¯s answer, Han Jianglou bowed. After receiving the other party¡¯s nod, he turned around and left.

    Before he left, he said gently to Dong Nuan, ¡°Lil Nuan, wait for me. A matchmaker will come in a few days.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan had not thought much about marriage.

    Previously, she only knew that the original owner¡¯s experience was too pitiful and figured that no matter what, she would not marry Liao Mingkun.

    Even if she had to get married to him, Dong Nuan would not walk the same path as the original owner of the body.

    Her former good friend, the vixen, had said not to get too close to men. It was unlucky. If she had to get close to them, she was to remember to not sympathize with them, as it would make her even more unlucky.

    Dong Nuan felt that if Liao Mingkun was so determined to marry her, she might let him know what it was like to marry a disobedient wife.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Dong Nuan, who had no intention of getting married, answered obediently.

    Han Jianglou left worriedly. Before he left, they kept looking back, which made Old Master Dong¡¯s face darken.

    As soon as Han Jianglou left, Second Aunt finally could not hold it in anymore. She did not dare to tell Old Master Dong and only dared to turn her head. She complained to Old Madam Dong angrily and aggrievedly. ¡°But Mother, we¡¯ve already spoken to Sister-in-law Liao next door.¡±

    How could he reserve Dong Nuan for a second man?

    In response to Second Aunt¡¯s words, Old Madam Dong only raised her eyelids and sneered. ¡°Who told her that? You? You¡¯re the head of this family now?¡±

    Second Aunt was originally angry and frustrated. She wished she could put her hands on her waist and talk to Old Madam Dong.

    However, she was cowardly and did not dare to do anything. She suppressed her anger, but her eyebrows were still raised, and she looked like she was ready to fight at any time.

    Old Madam Dong usually allowed her to stir up trouble, but she could not allow her to step on her head.

    Therefore, she coldly stabbed Second Aunt with her words, causing her to shiver. The fire in her heart slowly subsided.

    When she came back to her senses, Second Aunt felt her hands and feet turn cold, and there was a chill in her bones.

    ¡°Alright, go back to your rooms and rest. If anyone slacks off again in the afternoon, I¡¯ll skin them alive!¡± After a tiring morning, Old Madam Dong could not be bothered to watch these people struggle. With a wave of her hand, she told them to scram.

    Of course, after saying that last sentence, she focused on Dong Nuan.

    Then, she received a silly smile from Dong Nuan. Old Madam Dong felt a lump in her throat.

    However, she could not say anything.

    If this was in the past, would the child still dare to be disobedient after she picked up a fire stick and swung it twice?

    However, when she thought of the big apricot that she had given her in the morning, she hesitated again.

    After hesitating for a moment, he realized that Dong Nuan had already returned to her room.

    Although the others had their own thoughts, when they saw Old Master Dong¡¯s dark expression, they did not dare to say anything for a moment. They all went back to their rooms with their tails between their legs.

    After Old Master Dong returned to his room, Old Madam Dong finally could not help but ask softly, ¡°Master, what were you thinking? That Han guy is an outsider. He said that he¡¯s Lil Jiu¡¯s distant relative. Who knows if he¡¯s just doing this to reap some benefits?¡±

    At the mention of Han Jianglou, Old Madam Dong was very worried. ¡°We don¡¯t know his background. Who knows if he will run away in two years? Won¡¯t it affect Nuan?¡±

    Although Old Madam Dong did not value her granddaughter very much, Dong Nuan was still her granddaughter. Moreover, they were all from the same village. If she did not lead a good life, she might drag down the other boys in the family.

    This was not what Old Madam Dong wanted to see!

    ¡°What does Lil Jiu have for the Han family¡¯s kid to eat? How is his family extinct? Isn¡¯t there still someone in that branch? Didn¡¯t everything belong to Lil Jiu¡¯s second uncle?¡± Old Master Dong retorted disapprovingly to Old Madam Dong¡¯s words.

    Han Jianglou did not take advantage of Dong Jiu¡¯s family other than taking the name of a distant relative of Dong Jiu and settling in Xiaowan Village.

    Even so, Old Madam Dong still felt that the other party was unreliable, or rather, impossible to predict.

    ¡°Who knows if he committed a crime somewhere else and bribed Dong Jiu to escape?¡± Old Madam Dong imagined all kinds of possibilities and could not help but mutter.

    Old Master Dong let his wife mutter her fill. Then, he let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Do you think that the Liao family next door is a good match?¡±

    Old Madam Dong wanted to ask, ¡®Why aren¡¯t they a good match?¡¯

    Liao Mingkun was a student now, and his future was limitless. Coupled with Dong Nuan, he would already be at the top. It was the Dong family who would climb up the social ladder.

    However, when she thought of the Liao family¡¯s situation, she could not say these words.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s room was further away from the old couple¡¯s room, and there was a living room in the middle, so she could not hear them at all.

    As soon as she entered the west room, Dong Yao pounced over and bared his teeth. ¡°Give me the apricot, give me the apricot!¡±

    He was still thinking about the apricots from the morning. After all, he had not eaten it yet, so it was normal for him to be thinking about it.

    Although Dong Zao and Dong Tao were controlled by Madam Dong Wu, as long as they ate quickly, Dong Yao would not be able to catch up to them.

    At that time, Madam Wu and Second Aunt were fighting on the ground and did not care about this matter at all. By the time the two of them finished fighting, Dong Tao and Dong Zao had long finished their food.

    Dong Yao had been making a fuss all morning. The atmosphere at home was not right just now. Madam Dong Wu had been suppressing down and not letting him move.

    Now that he was finally free, he pounced on Dong Nuan like a little wild boar.

    In the end, Dong Nuan caught him and grabbed the skin on the back of his neck, making Dong Yao scream.

    Just as he thought that Dong Nuan had lifted him up to scare him, Dong Nuan took out a small wooden stick she had picked up on the mountain from behind her lower back and whipped Dong Yao¡¯s butt a few times.

    ¡°Ahhh, Mom, save me! Dong Nuan is killing me!¡± Dong Yao was the precious egg of the third branch. He had never suffered like this before. After being beaten up like this, he could not take it anymore and screamed miserably.

    In the end, when Dong Nuan heard him calling her by her name, she was more annoyed.

    This kind of brat needed a reality check. Madam Dong Wu could not do it, but it did not matter. Dong Nuan could.

    Anyway, he was not really her brother. Who cared?

    Moreover, it would be too late to fix this attitude after he grew up.

    Therefore, Dong Nuan whipped him a few more times until Dong Yao could not even cry out aymore. Only then did she throw him onto the bed as if she was throwing a rag away.

    Initially, Madam Wu was not worried that Dong Yao would be at a disadvantage. Dong Nuan and the others might be sisters, but what status could that girl have in the family? Could it be that she really dared to bully her younger brother?

    Therefore, Madam Dong Wu walked away steadily. However, when she heard her precious egg crying, she rushed into the house and saw Dong Yao lying on the bed like a dead pig. Dong Nuan put away her stick and sat on the bed to rest.

    Dong Zao and Dong Tao curled up in a corner of the bed like two quails, not even daring to raise their heads.

    It was really¡­

    Whether it was the way Dong Nuan grabbed the back of Dong Yao¡¯s neck or the way she hit him with the stick, just looking at it was painful. Coupled with Dong Yao¡¯s cries¡­

    The two girls were not very old to begin with. Now that they were so frightened that their souls were about to fly away, how could they dare to look up?

 Chapter 24

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Madam Dong Wu never expected the situation in the room to be like this!

    At first, her mouth was wide open in shock. After she realized what happened, she did not even have time to scold Dong Nuan. She rushed back to the bedstove to see how Dong Yao was doing.

    Dong Yao had just been beaten up and was screaming in anger.

    As soon as Madam Dong Wu went over, she was kicked by Dong Yao. Madam Dong Wu was unprepared and took two steps back before she stabilized herself.

    Although Dong Nuan felt that Madam Dong Wu was annoying, in this society where filial piety was the most important thing, Dong Yao obviously knew that the person walking over was his mother, but he still dared to kick her. This child still deserved a beating!

    He dared to kick her mother now. When he grew up, would he not destroy the entire family?

    Thinking of this, Dong Nuan snorted coldly. She picked up the stick again and hit Dong Yao in the face. Dong Yao jumped up from his fetal position and jumped dozens of feet away.

    Alright, ¡®dozens of feet¡¯ was a little bit of an exaggeration, but he was indeed running around. As he ran, he screamed and cursed.

    The words coming out of his mouth were not very clean, so Dong Nuan slapped his mouth until both sides of his face were swollen. He was also beaten silly. In the end, he lay on the bed, looking defeated. Only then did Dong Nuan stop.

    Madam Dong Wu was stunned the entire time. She did not even react.

    When Dong Nuan stopped, Madam Dong Wu finally came back to her senses. The first thing she did was reach out and hit Dong Nuan, but she was rudely pushed away by Dong Nuan. ¡°If Mom is feeling too energetic and has nowhere to release her energy, why don¡¯t you think about how to send Dong Yao to school? With Dong Yao¡¯s current attitude, do you think he can support you in your old age or send you off well?¡±

    Madam Dong Wu¡¯s face turned pale when she heard this. She instinctively retorted, ¡°How can you say that about Lil Yao? He¡¯s your biological younger brother. He still has to support you in the future. You only have one younger brother¡­¡±

    ¡°He even dared to kick his own mother. If we count on him, we might as well count on the chickens in the courtyard too. At least they can lay a few eggs.¡± When the bamboo spirit retorted, it was not polite at all.

    ¡®I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re hiding, I¡¯ll pull it all out!¡¯

    Madam Dong Wu¡¯s face turned ashen, but she could not help but defend her own son. ¡°Lil Yao was just unhappy for a moment. He¡¯s a good child. You can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°If you can kick your own mother when you¡¯re not happy, will you stab your father the next time you¡¯re not happy?¡± Looking at Madam Dong Wu¡¯s struggling appearance, Dong Nuan sneered.

    Dong Yao was still hoping that his mother would stand up for him, but when he realized that his mother was no match for Dong Nuan, he lay flat and groaned, unwilling to even move.

    Madam Dong Wu¡¯s heart ached terribly, but she still cared about Dong Nuan¡¯s marriage. Thinking of this, her expression became much uglier. ¡°Lil Nuan, why are you so indiscreet? You¡¯re so close to that Han guy. He¡¯s a bad person! How can he compare to Scholar Liao next door? He¡¯s fair-skinned and good at studying¡­¡±

    Madam Dong Wu wanted to list many of Liao Mingkun¡¯s merits, but before she could finish, she was rebuked by Dong Nuan. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. He¡¯s a scholar. Do you think he¡¯ll like a village girl like me?¡±

    Her words rendered Madam Dong Wu speechless. Call her stupid, but she was not completely stupid. There were still some things that she could understand.

    Her radiant treasure needed to study and learn how to read, but her family could not afford to send so many children off. It would not be bad to learn from Liao Mingkun.

    Since her precious egg could also get benefits, Madam Dong Wu was naturally willing. Even if it meant sacrificing her girl, so what?

    She was just a worthless girl.

    Besides, a girl would have to get married sooner or later. If Dong Nuan could marry Scholar Liao, it would be a blessing in disguise.

    At the thought of this, Madam Dongwu felt a little more confident. She said, ¡°A girl will have to get married sooner or later. Scholar Liao has such a good background. It¡¯s a blessing that he¡¯s taken a fancy to you. You should marry him and support him well in his studies. When he becomes successful in the future, won¡¯t you benefit from it too? You can even take advantage of Lil Yao and¡­¡±

    ¡°Mother is too naive. Do you think he¡¯ll still want me, a village girl, when he¡¯s successful?¡± Dong Nuan¡¯s words shattered Dong Wu¡¯s beautiful imagination.

    It was not that Madam Wu had not thought of this possibility, but did this possibility not come with a year of benefits?

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that we¡¯ll still get to enjoy a few years of happiness?¡± Madam Dong Wu added with a little lack of confidence.

    Hearing that, Dong Nuan did not have any emotions when she heard such shameless words. She just smiled unintentionally. ¡°Mom has considered asking Scholar Liao to teach Dong Yao how to read. Why haven¡¯t you thought about it properly? He studies in the county all year round. Every month, he comes back for one day and returns for money. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re hoping that he will use this one day to teach Dong Yao how to read!¡±

    At this point, Dong Nuan¡¯s smile deepened. She continued. ¡°Even if he¡¯s willing, don¡¯t you think that the head of the Liao family is willing? It¡¯s not easy for the clan to produce a scholar. Do you think he will teach his own clan first or your worthless family branch?¡±

    After saying this, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s expression changed again and again. She seemed to want to say something and defend herself, but she did not know what to say.

    Seeing her like this, Dong Nuan thought for a moment and said, ¡°Also, Mother, you¡¯re so silly. All the men in the family who didn¡¯t go to school are counting on Scholar Liao to give them some pointers. We only have one Dong Yao, but in the end, we have to marry a girl. This isn¡¯t a suitable deal. There are two in Eldest Uncle¡¯s family who haven¡¯t been enlightened either. Second Uncle¡¯s family has three. Fourth Uncle¡¯s family doesn¡¯t count. Fifth Uncle¡¯s sons are still young.¡±

    At this point, Dong Nuan¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, even if there¡¯s an opportunity, it should be Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle¡¯s families who get it. It¡¯s a great loss for us.¡±

    Upon hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s words, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s expression froze for a moment. After a long time, her eyes lit up as if she finally realized that she had been tricked!

    This was not enough. Dong Nuan decided to add another round. ¡°And look, I can do all the work at home and outside, but it depends on whether I¡¯m willing to do it or not. I¡¯m quite lucky now. I can pick apricots and peaches when I go up the mountain. The apricots are soft and tender, and the peaches are crisp and sweet. Mother, are you really going to let the Liao family take advantage of you without even getting a promise from them first?¡±

    Dong Yao, who had been lying motionless on the bedstove for a long time, groaned loudly to remind everyone of his presence when he heard the word ¡®peaches¡¯ and ¡®apricots¡¯.

    Dong Wu¡¯s mind flashed. In an instant, she could not care about anything else but her precious egg!

    ¡°Oh my god, Lil Yao!¡± Madam Dong Wu rushed to the bed and carefully touched Dong Yao.

    ¡°Apricot, apricot, apricot, apricot, hehehe!¡± Although Dong Yao had been beaten up, he was still thinking about the apricot that he had not eaten.

    Therefore, even if it hurt, he had to whine!

 Chapter 25

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Yao snorted. Madam Dong Wu could not care less.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s original purpose was to stir up a fire and cause the entire family to fight.

    Seeing that Dong Yao was assisting him, she felt that his anger was probably not that bad. He did not say anything else and went back to bed to sleep.

    After coaxing Dong Yao for a long time and barely getting anywhere, Madam Dong Wu began to think about the problem Dong Nuan mentioned before.

    Initially, Madam Wu did not care which girl the Dong family sent next door. When the time came, it would be fine as long as Lil Yao could read and write. Why should she care about anything else?

    In any case, the girl was going to get married sooner or later.

    However, now that Dong Nuan said this, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s heart started to feel uncomfortable.

    If Dong Nuan¡¯s good luck in picking peaches and apricots spread to making Madam Dong Wu very reluctant.

    If Dong Nuan could really bring some fruits home in three to five days, as long as she had a share for her radiant treasure, it was actually fine if she did not marry out of the family. She could stay for another two years and choose someone with better conditions. In the future, she could even support the radiant treasure.

    Thinking of this, Madam Dong Wu felt that she had been too narrow-minded in the past.

    Dong Nuan did not care what Madam Dong Wu thought.

    After Dong Zao and Dong Tao returned, although they had also put in a lot of effort¡­

    They still craved the things in Dong Nuan¡¯s hands, so they were more well-behaved now, unlike last night, when they lay sprawled on the bed, not giving Dong Nuan any space.

    Even if Dong Nuan did not come back early this afternoon, they were prepared to leave half of the bed for her.

    Now that they were back, they were even more careful and fawning. If it was not for the fact that Dong Nuan¡¯s eyes were closed, the two of them would have wanted to test if there were any fruits left to eat in the afternoon.

    The mother and son from the Liao family next door had originally planned to come over at noon and make their stance clear so the other party could make a decision early and settle the matter between Dong Nuan and Liao Mingkun.

    Even if Dong Nuan was still young, it was fine to get engaged first. After getting engaged, it was only right for his fiancee to go next door to take care of her sick mother-in-law, right?

    With someone taking care of Mother Liao, Liao Mingkun could return to the county to study in peace.

    In the end, he witnessed a certain scene.

    Mother Liao was cursing at home. In the end, the mother and son decided that the option of Dong Nuan was probably not going to work.

    Putting aside the fact that Old Master Dong had already agreed to Han Jianglou¡¯s marriage proposal, just the fact that Dong Nuan and Han Jianglou were in an ambiguous relationship made Mother Liao look down on them.

    ¡°Lil Nuan is already dirty. We can¡¯t take her anymore. As for the other girls¡­¡± Mother Liao felt that she did not like any of the girls from the other branches, but the Dong family next door was the best choice she had.

    Other families always had some problems. Only the Dong family was alright.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we switch to Dong Xing?¡± Mother Liao was actually not satisfied with Dong Xing. This girl took after her mother and always wanted to stir up trouble.

    However, Mother Liao felt that she could still control this little girl. Anyway, what they needed now was not a real daughter-in-law, but a servant to serve her and her son well.

    As for other things?

    It did not matter.

    As for her future son¡¯s future?

    Ha! When the time came, he would find a way to deal with Dong Xing. What could others say?

    Liao Mingkun was also not very satisfied with Dong Xing because Dong Xing was not as good-looking as Dong Nuan.

    Although they were all village girls, there were also good-looking and bad-looking village girls!

    Liao Mingkun¡¯s expression was dark and unhappy, but after some thought, he nodded and agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Mother¡¯s arrangements.¡±

    Since the mother and son had decided, they were prepared to end the battle quickly and resolve this matter as soon as possible.

    After all, Liao Mingkun still had to return to the county to study. Naturally, the less time he wasted, the better.

    It was inconvenient for Liao Mingkun to appear for such a matter. In the end, Mother Liao had to do it.

    Hence, she tidied herself up and went next door.

    Old Master Dong and Old Madam Dong had been talking for a long time and were preparing to take a break. They still had a pile of farm work for the afternoon.

    They heard Mother Liao¡¯s voice coming from the courtyard.

    Dong Nuan was about to fall asleep when she heard a familiar voice.

    At least to the original owner of this body, this voice was too familiar.

    Although Mother Liao would not live through this winter, the Liao family was in a hurry, and the Dong family was also in a hurry to reap benefits. Therefore, the original host got married next door before autumn.

    With the excuse of Mother Liao¡¯s illness, everything was simple. There was not even a banquet.

    Then, from autumn to winter, the original owner of the body did her best to serve this sick mother-in-law. In the end, she received all kinds of nasty words from the other party. Occasionally, she would even be attacked.

    As for Liao Mingkun, he could either watch coldly from the sidelines or coax her. He would say, ¡°Mother has suffered a lot for me. Now that she¡¯s sick, she¡¯s unhappy. Bear with it for the time being and treat it asa favor to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for my mother at her age. She became a widow at a young age and didn¡¯t remarry because of me. Now that she¡¯s not doing well, I feel terrible. It¡¯s just that I still have to study, so I can¡¯t attend to her illness personally. It¡¯s hard on you, I know.¡±

    ¡­

    Blah, blah, blah.

    His words sounded better than song, but when she returned home, she was so weak she could not even hold up an oil bottle.

    Dong Nuan felt that the original host was really good-tempered.

    If it were her back then, ha!

    If your mother was a widow, then blame your father for dying too early. You cannot blame a little girl!

    It was not easy for his mother? Blame your father for not reflecting on himself!

    ¡°Scumbag.¡± Dong Nuan snorted softly, her voice a little muffled.

    Dong Zao was still dreaming of eating apricots. When she heard Dong Nuan¡¯s voice, she got up and said in a daze, ¡°Where? Where are the apricots?¡±

    Dong Nuan, ¡°¡­¡±

    Dong Tao, ¡°¡­¡±

    Dong Yao had just been coaxed to sleep by Madam Dong Wu, but when he heard the word ¡®apricots¡¯, it was as if a special switch had been flipped. He suddenly sat up and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Where? Where are the apricots?¡±

    Dong Sanchun was also in a daze. It was a hot day, so it was not easy to sleep.

    After lying down for a long time, he felt that the heat was enough to burn him. Coupled with his smelly sweat, he did not feel good.

    In the end, Dong Yao¡¯s shout shocked Dong Sanchun. He turned over and her face immediately darkened. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping in the middle of the afternoon?¡±

    Although Dong Sanchun looked honest, he was still quite dignified in his own house.

    No matter what, he was still his father.

    Dong Yao dared to go against Madam Dong Wu, but he was afraid of Dong Sanchun.

    Therefore, as soon as Dong Sanchun spoke, Dong Yao shuddered and instantly lay back down, pretending that he was still asleep.

    On the other hand, Dong Zao, who had sat up, was at a loss for a moment. She did not know why she had woken up when she was sleeping soundly.

    Dong Sanchun was woken up and was in a bad mood. Thinking of the big apricot that Dong Zao and the others had eaten in the morning, he smacked her mouth and felt a little bit of a craving.

    Seeing that Dong Nuan had already gotten up from the bed and was sitting there fanning herself with a large cattail leaf fan, Dong Sanchun licked his lips and asked with a simple and honest smile, ¡°Lil Nuan, do you still have that apricot?¡±

 Chapter 26

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    To be honest, Dong Sanchun was already craving it in the morning.

    However, before he could ask for it, Dong Nuan ran away.

    As for these children, each of them reacted faster than the last. When he realized what was happening, there were only a few chunks left for him to see.

    Now that this matter was brought up again, Dong Sanchun licked his lips and could not help but speak.

    Dong Nuan was fanning herself. The summer afternoon was too hot.

    Things were no longer the same as before. Whether it was cool accessories or other magical artifacts or spells, he could not easily take one out anymore.

    Now, if he wanted to take something out, he could only do it manually.

    Hearing Dong Sanchun¡¯s question, Dong Nuan knew what he was thinking. She turned around and looked at Dong Sanchun innocently. She said in surprise, ¡°Father, do I look like I have an apricot on me?¡±

    Dong Sanchun, ¡°¡­¡±

    Alright, there was indeed nowhere for her to hide it. Her tattered clothes could not even hide a date, let alone apricots.

    Dong Sanchun saw that she did not have any apricots, so he pulled a long face and lay back down.

    Once he came into contact with the straw mat, it was like a fire was burning his body!

    ¡°It¡¯s such a hot day. When will it end?¡± Dong Sanchun could not help but sigh.

    Madam Dong Wu, who was coaxing her son at the side, heard his sigh. She thought for a moment and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re still better off than Dong Ri. Today, even if it¡¯s hot, you can at least take off your clothes. You haven¡¯t worn them in winter yet.¡±

    The taxes had been reduced in the past two years, so their lives were better than usual. Although there was no surplus food at home, at least everyone shared some cotton-padded jackets. Regardless of how good the insulation was, at least there was that.

    If he were to fast forward to five to six years later, it would be so cold in winter that he would want nothing more than to wrap layers and layers of hay around his body.

    It was really cold in winter, and there were not a lot of cotton-padded jackets. There were only two or three items in the family. Whoever went out would wear them. Those who were idle at home were not qualified to touch the jacket.

    Hearing what Madam Dong Wu said, Dong Sanchun clicked his tongue unhappily. ¡°Why do you mention Dong Ri? It¡¯s unlucky.¡±

    Aunt Dong Wu was a little unhappy after being poked by him, but she did not dare to refute. In the end, she could only sigh and lie down.

    She still had to work in the afternoon, so she did not dare to waste her time chatting.

    Listening to the breathing in the room, Dong Nuan was about to sleep, but before she lay down, she heard movement in the courtyard.

    The windows in the house were not made of glass. They were all made of paper. In order to keep warm in winter, they were all small lattice windows. Every piece was especially small.

    Fortunately, because of the hot weather, the window was open. Otherwise, Dong Nuan would not be able to see the situation outside at all.

    She stretched her neck slightly and looked out of the window. Then, she saw a middle-aged woman walking in lightly.

    After she entered the hospital, she did not shout. She thought that it was because all the families were taking their lunch break.

    The other party walked to the east courtyard and knocked on the window of the east house. Dong Nuan was not too sure which house the other party knocked on.

    However, thinking about the identity of the person who came in, she could guess.

    The person who had come was Scholar Liao¡¯s mother. She was a thin and old woman. She was only a few years older than Madam Dong Wu, but she looked about the same age as Old Madam Dong.

    Scholar Liao, who was next door, did not know how to catch an oil bottle when it fell. He did not know how to bring up a bucket from a well when there was no water. He thought that water would just fall from the sky. It was obvious how tiring it was to be his mother.

    Dong Nuan could roughly guess the purpose of her visit.

    After all, she still had to take care of Scholar Liao and Dong Xing.

    However, at this time, she should not cause trouble and should let them talk first.

    After a casual glance, she retracted her gaze and lay down.

    She did not know how long Mother Liao talked to her family. Anyway, she could not hear much in the room, so Dong Nuan didn¡¯t bother to listen in.

    Around three-quarters of an hour later, Old Madam Dong called for help in the courtyard.

    She was not the only one. All the courtyards started shouting too. At this moment, the sun had already begun to set in the west. The sun was not so scorching anymore. Everyone could endure working in the fields again.

    On such a hot day, if people could not stand it, the crops would not be able to stand it either.

    However, without the crops, they would have to starve for the next year, so who cared if they could not stand it?

    Let us get to work!

    After Dong Nuan got up, she simply combed her hair.

    The original host¡¯s hair was just past her shoulders. It was yellow and dry, and it felt like dry grass. The farmyard did not care about hair buns or hair accessories. With a red headband, she had to walk with her neck held high.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s hair was tied into two small buns with some torn cloth from home. It was gray. Compared to her hair, no one could tell what was more shabby.

    ¡°You only know how to sleep. Why don¡¯t you sleep to death? Don¡¯t you know that you have to work?¡±

    ¡°The seedlings in the field are all dead from the sun. What¡¯s the use of going back to work?¡±

    ¡­

    In the courtyard, Old Madam Dong was cursing with her hands on her waist.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s household was still alright. On one side of them was Scholar Liao¡¯s house. Even if they were working in the fields, Mother Liao did not need anyone to rush her or shout. At most, the old lady next door would shout along. It did not sound particularly loud.

    However, the other houses were really connected. It was extremely lively.

    For a moment, no one knew how many people were shouting.

    In the afternoon, Dong Nuan went to work in the fields. After all, the top-notch slaves had just begun training. It was not good to keep providing them with good things. It would raise their appetites.

    She would take her time.

    If they ate it every day, as time passed, they would start to take it for granted.

    She would only do it once a day, maximum.

    The fields were divided into two parts in the afternoon. One part was continuing the morning work, like pulling weeds and catching insects. Then, the strong laborers carried wooden buckets to the river to fetch water and water the fields.

    In addition to grains, Xiaowan Village¡¯s main crops were sorghum, hemp, and various vegetables.

    Vegetables like cucumbers and eggplants, which were durable, were planted more often because they could be sold in town. If they could not be sold, one could marinate them and keep them for winter.

    There were also leafy green vegetables, but those were very rare.

    Take sorghum, for example. It was already very tall now. It could be collected next month. If it still grew especially small, how could one collect it then?

    There was no need to catch insects sometimes. Just plucking the grass would be enough.

    However, vegetables were no good sometimes. If one was not diligent with pest control, one¡¯s family would not be able to eat all of the vegetables later.

    The Host used to be quite capable. Madam Dong Wu always wanted to take care of Dong Yao, so she did not go to fetch water. She let the Host do it.

    Now that the new Dong Nuan was here, she did not plan to spoil the child.

    Therefore, when she came to the field, she went straight to the vegetable field to catch insects, not giving Madam Dong Wu a chance to escape at all.

    Madam DOng Wu was about to say something, but Dong Nuan ran far away, making her stomp her feet and mutter.

    ¡°Third Aunt, why aren¡¯t you leaving yet? Are you waiting for the dishes to be served?¡± Seeing that Madam Dong Wu was still dawdling, Old Madam Dong could not help but pull a long face and shout.

    When Dong Wu heard her mother-in-law¡¯s voice, she was so frightened that she ran and jumped. She carried the bucket and teleported at least seventy feet away.

    Dong Nuan was stunned when she saw this scene unfold from the vegetable field!

 Chapter 27

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The big apricots in the morning attracted more than just the children at home.

    Second Aunt had been craving it for the entire morning. Although she was unhappy that Dong Nuan¡¯s marriage with the Liao family had been canceled at noon, she could not care less about Lil Xing now.

    Everyone in the family had gone to fetch water. She sent her eldest son over and slacked off in the vegetable field. She dawdled to Dong Nuan¡¯s side and smiled like a wolf. ¡°Lil Nuan, do you still have the apricot from this morning? Second Aunt hasn¡¯t tried it yet. Why did you give it to those girls?¡±

    Dong Nuan had just caught a worm and was still holding it in her hand. Hearing Second Aunt¡¯s words, she squatted down and raised her head with a smile. ¡°Look at what Second Aunt is saying. It¡¯s like you think you¡¯re a little girl.¡±

    Her words almost choked Second Aunt to death.

    ¡°You wretched girl!¡± Second Aunt was not a good person to begin with. If it was not for Lil Xing, she would not even have a smile on her face now.

    Now that she heard Dong Nuan scold her, how could she hold it in?

    The fan-like hand suddenly raised and slapped Dong Nuan¡¯s face.

    Dong Nuan quickly covered her head and shouted, ¡°Grandpa, Second Aunt said that if I don¡¯t give her an apricot, she will beat me to death!¡±

    It was understandable that the children at home were greedy. After all, they were still children.

    However, Second Aunt was already close to forty years old, and she was still hitting a child because of an apricot or two dates?

    How could this be?

    Without waiting for Old Master Dong to speak, Old Madam Dong placed her hands on her waist and roared, ¡°Second Aunt, if you¡¯re so bored that you¡¯re about to fart, go fetch water like a good girl. If you don¡¯t have a bucket, take the basin!¡±

    The old lady let out a furious roar. Second Aunt¡¯s hitting hand suddenly turned, and her entire body twisted at an unbelievable angle. Then, she smiled at Old Madam Dong ingratiatingly. ¡°Mother, I was just teasing Lil Nuan. Look at this child, why is she taking it so seriously?¡±

    She did not dare to hit her in front of her mother-in-law.

    She was afraid that Old Madam Dong would pick her up and beat her up!

    This was something that the old lady could do.

    However, she did not want to fetch water with a basin!

    ¡°Get lost and do your work. You¡¯re the only one who pisses the day away every day.¡± The old lady glanced at her and roared again fiercelybefore looking away.

    Second Aunt was so angry that her teeth were trembling. However, her mother-in-law would always be a huge mountain above her daughter-in-law. Even if Second Aunt had a sharp tongue and a domineering personality, she had to obediently clamp her tail between her legs at this moment.

    Seeing that the old lady had retracted her gaze, Second Aunt turned to look at Dong Nuan hatefully. She gritted her teeth and roared in a low voice, ¡°Little b*tch, just you wait!¡±

    Dong Nuan was not afraid at all. She even smiled at her and raised her neck, looking like she was about to complain again.

    Seeing this scene, Second Aunt¡¯s pupils constricted, and her expression instantly changed. She said with some flattery, ¡°Hey, Lil Nuan, Second Aunt was just joking. Child, why are you taking it seriously¡­¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, she saw Dong Nuan raise her hand and charge at him.

    Second Aunt was so frightened that her mouth was wide open. She wanted to say something, but she could not. She took a step back and tilted her head at the same time. Then, she fell down onto the soil of the ridges.

    However, after waiting for a long time, the pain she had imagined did not come. Second Aunt turned around in a daze and saw Dong Nuan¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Second Aunt, I was just joking. Why did you take it seriously?¡±

    A clapback? Second Aunt was furious.

    Just as she was about to make another move, she heard Old Madam Dong¡¯s gloomy voice behind her. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you find the basin?¡±

    When Second Aunt heard this voice, she was so frightened that she covered her head and fled.

    Old Madam Dong watched from behind and spat heavily. Seeing that her second son¡¯s family had returned to work obediently, she then turned her gaze to Dong Nuan. She lowered her voice a lot, but her tone was still not too pleasant as she said, ¡°Work obediently and don¡¯t cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to Grandma.¡± Dong Nuan agreed obediently.

    Looking at Dong NUan, Elderly Lady Dong finally felt a little better.

    Old Madam Dong did not know why the old man asked her to protect Lil Nuan more.

    However, the old man said that she just had to do as he said.

    Dong Xing was waiting for her mother to ask for the apricot so she could share it with her.

    In the end, after waiting for a long time, she only received a few scoldings from her grandmother. Dong Xing was so frightened that she did not dare to raise her head. She obediently hid in the vegetable field and only saw her mother return after a long time.

    She wanted to ask something, but seeing that her mother¡¯s expression was not good, Dong Xing obediently retracted her gaze and pursed her lips to catch worms.

    It was a long summer day. The family worked until the end of the light before packing up and going home.

    At the dinner table, the family did not say much. Dong Yao had been beaten up in the afternoon and was much more deflated now.

    However, Dong Nuan was not being treated like a golden child today. The only person who could eat eggs at the dining table was Fifth Uncle.

    Looking at the white boiled egg in his hand, Second Aunt swallowed her saliva and thought of what Dong Nuan said in the morning. Her eyes darted around, and she had an idea.

    After dinner, Old Madam Dong did not need to move. Her five daughters-in-law took turns washing the dishes and cleaning up. As long as the family was home that day, no one could think of quitting unless they dared to go against Old Madam Dong.

    However, no one dared to.

    Even Old Madam Dong¡¯s favorite fifth daughter-in-law had to wash the dishes obediently.

    It just so happened that she was the one supposed to wash the dishes today. Fifth Aunt was unwilling to wash them. Her eyes darted around, and she targeted Madam Dong Wu.

    ¡°Third Sister-in-law, my stomach isn¡¯t feeling well today. Why don¡¯t you take over for me for a day? I¡¯ll help you do it another day.¡± Fifth Aunt smiled and said in a nice tone.

    In the past, Madam Dong Wu would not have been able to refuse.

    The main reason was that Fifth Uncle was the only scholar in the family. It was not good to offend his wife. She might be able to gain a few benefits by currying favor with the other party.

    Besides, there was no need for her to wash the dishes. There was still Dong Nuan.

    However, today¡­

    Madam Dong Wu had already realized that she could not order the eldest daughter around. She also remembered what Dong Nuan told her in the afternoon. If Dong Laowu really was not good at studying, he could give up his spot to study to the rest of the family.

    Madam Dong Wu was indeed not smart, but she was not really stupid either. She had learned a least a little bit throughout her many years of life.

    She still had a little bit of wisdom, so after hearing Fifth Sister-in-law¡¯s words, she sighed helplessly. ¡°Sigh, Sister-in-law, if it were any other time, I would have helped you. It¡¯s just that Lil Yao isn¡¯t feeling well today and can¡¯t leave Mom¡¯s side. I really can¡¯t leave.¡±

    Hearing her say this, Fifth Aunt almost could not help but roll her eyes. She almost blurted out, ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, don¡¯t you still have Nuan Zao and the others?¡±

    However, she really could not say such a thing so confidently, but she was not willing to give up just like that either. She did not want to wash the dishes, so she used her gaze to burn circles in Madam Dong Wu.

    In the end, the fifth daughter-in-law¡¯s skin was about to fly off. Madam Dong Wu did not look at her at all and focused all her attention on Dong Yao.

    Fifth Aunt, ¡°¡­!!!¡±

    ¡®Why don¡¯t you take a look at me?!¡¯

 Chapter 28

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    If this was any other daughter-in-law, Old Madam Dong would have shouted at her already.

    However, she was the wife of her favorite son, the youngest and the only one who was a scholar. She had to give his wife some face in this family.

    Hence, the old lady did not shout or scold her. She only glanced at her twice before retracting her gaze.

    Fifth Aunt¡¯s eyelids twitched for a long time, but in the end, she could not do anything. This made her so angry that she gritted her teeth and turned around to coax Dong Nuan. ¡°Lil Nuan, Fifth Aunt isn¡¯t feeling well today. Help Fifth Aunt wash the dishes, and I will give you candy later.¡±

    Dong Nuan was not surprised by the other party¡¯s self-righteous attitude.

    It was obvious that she used to be ordered around a lot in the past. The previous host had obediently agreed to everything, but the new Dong Nuan did not intend to spoil her family.

    Although it was not a big deal to wash the dishes, it was someone else¡¯s duty today, so they should just do their job. Why did she keep trying to get other people to do work for her?

    ¡°When Fifth Aunt was eating just now, didn¡¯t you have a good appetite? I didn¡¯t notice you looking unwell. Perhaps you ate too much, so now, you¡¯re sick. You should let your food digest as you wash the dishes. It will help you sleep tonight.¡± Dong Nuan did not reject her request directly. If she did, what if the other party used her status as an elder to suppress her?

    Although Dong Nuan was not afraid of a scolding, if she could get what she wanted through an easier method, why would she not do that?

    Although Fifth Aunt did not want to act evil in front of her old man, she really did not want to wash the dishes. Usually, she would hide if she could. If Madam Dong Wu was fed up, she would order Dong Nuan to do it.

    She was just a little girl and did not have much status in the family. How could she reject arrangements from her elders?

    In the end, Dong Nuan¡¯s words pierced her heart and angered Fifth Aunt nearly to death.

    ¡°You¡­¡± For a moment, Fifth Aunt did not know how to refute. She raised her hand, pointed at Dong Nuan, and gritted her teeth, her face contorting.

    Because Fifth Uncle was a scholar, Fifth Aunt had some status and face among the wives in the family.

    After all, if Fifth Uncle were to become successful one day, they would be able to take advantage of him. Now, even if they pressured his wife, they would not take too much advantage of her. No matter how they looked at it, this was worth it when betting on the future success he could bring the family.

    Fifth Aunt was used to being praised. Now that she was humiliated by Dong Nuan, she was so angry that her teeth were sore and her hands were trembling.

    She wanted to say something, but she was interrupted by Old Master Dong¡¯s shouts. ¡°You¡¯re still dawdling over a few bowls. What¡¯s wrong? Which old man¡¯s house are you from? Don¡¯t you know how to wash dishes?¡±

    After Old Master Dong finished speaking, Fifth Aunt felt her face turn red and purple. She was so embarrassed that she did not even dare to raise her head. She got up dejectedly and went to wash the dishes.

    This made her hate Dong Nuan. After walking for a while, she turned around and glared at Dong Nuan.

    In response, DongNuan gave her an innocent smile.

    Looking at Dong Nuan, she became even angrier. She felt like her breath was stuck in her throat. It was extremely uncomfortable, but she could not exhale it.

    Unfortunately, after Dong Nuan smiled, she retracted her gaze and stopped looking.

    Even after the dishes on the dining table were removed, no one left because Old Master Dong, who usually left the table after eating, did not leave, so it was obvious that he had something to say. No one dared to get up and leave first.

    ¡°This afternoon, the Liao family next door came over to talk about the marriage between our two families. Lil Nuan has already made a rough agreement with the Han family. When the Liao family heard about this, they specially came over to talk about it.¡± Old Master Dong got straight to the point.

    The entire village knew about Dong Nuan and Han Jianglou. The Liao family must also know.

    With Madam Liao¡¯s pure and arrogant personality, how could she accept Dong Nuan becoming her son¡¯s wife?

    Therefore, she had specially come over at noon either because she wanted to break things off with Dong Nuan and try to find someone else.

    Old Master Dong was bringing this up, so the family thought about it and figured that he probably wanted to find a replacement.

    If they just broke things off, they could pretend that the previous matter never existed. The relationship between the two families would turn cold, and the previous matter would be left unsettled.

    If there was someone else¡­

    As everyone thought about it, Eldest Aunt had straightened her back and entered a combative state.

    She had nurtured Dong Miao with all her heart. In the future, she would marry into the city and be the grandmother of the young master of a prestigious family. She could not let her become the wife of the poor scholar next door!

    Although Dong Ya was young, she could not resist the Liao family¡¯s scheming. What if?

    Second Aunt straightened her neck and said teasingly, ¡°This has to do with the Han family. Why don¡¯t we see which family gives us more gifts and money? We¡¯ll give Lil Nuan to whoever has more money.¡±

    At this point, Second Aunt sneered and looked at Dong Nuan with a gaze full of malice. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect our Lil Nuan to be so charming. Young Master Liao likes her, and that poor kid from the Han family wants her too.¡±

    This was an implicit mockery of how indecent Dong Nuan was.

    Dong Nuan pretended not to understand and replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s better to be charming than a bore.¡±

    Her words made Second Aunt¡¯s face turn red again. She had been holding back for a long time and was about to turn purple.

    ¡°Second Uncle.¡± Seeing that Second Aunt still wanted to speak dishonestly, Old Dong raised his hand and knocked on the dining table, saying coldly.

    The fire in Second Aunt¡¯s head instantly calmed. She glanced at Old Dong like a quail and obediently retracted her head without saying anything.

    Seeing that she had stopped, Old Master Dong continued. ¡°The Liao family means to take good care of Dong Xing. You can discuss it in your room. If you think it¡¯s a good match, you can ask your mother to agree later. If you don¡¯t think it¡¯s suitable, you can ask your mother to reject it.¡±

    When she heard that the Liao family had taken a fancy to Dong Xing again, Second Aunt¡¯s first reaction was to scream that she did not agree.

    The Liao family was a fire pit. How could she push her own daughter into that?

    However, Old Dong¡¯s words left some leeway for her to consider things. This made Second Aunt¡¯s anger subside a little.

    She wanted to reject him on the spot, but after thinking about it, she felt that that would not be good. They still wanted to reap the Liao family¡¯s benefits. If she rejected them, would the other branches not be angry and hate her because of it?

    Second Aunt¡¯s eyes darted around, then she forced a smile and said, ¡°Lil Xing is still a child and doesn¡¯t know any better. If she really goes to the Liao family, I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to adapt. Why don¡¯t we let Lil Mei go over? Lil Mei is steady and sensible, and she¡¯s also very agile.¡±

    This was to test Old Master Dong.

    How could Old Master Dong not know what she was thinking? He looked at her with a faint smile, then said in a deep voice, ¡°If you think it¡¯s not suitable, just tell your mother to inform the Liao family.¡±

    Old Master Dong did not continue. Second Aunt¡¯s face turned red. She stammered for a long time but did not say anything.

    Dong Nuan looked at Second Aunt, who was speechless, and said with a big smile, ¡°Second Aunt, when our family marries a daughter over, Scholar Liao will teach our boys how to read. This is a matter the two families have agreed upon. If Sister Mei really goes over, Fourth Uncle¡¯s family will probably miss her.¡±

    Fourth Uncle did not have a son in his room right now. He could not even reap any benefits, so why did he need his daughter?

 Chapter 29

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Fourth Aunt initially did not care about her family¡¯s matters. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her maiden family.

    However, she could not do something that would make her family suffer!

    She was still hoping to use the marriage of her girls to gain some money so she could marry her nephew to a good wife.

    Marrying Scholar Liao?

    That would definitely not do. The Liao family was extremely poor. Although Scholar Liao was promising, he would only be promising in the future. He was currently poor.

    How could she let her daughter do that?

    Moreover, the two families were exchanging benefits for marriage, so the betrothal gift was probably just a formality. There might not even be one.

    That would definitely not do!

    Hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s words, Fourth Aunt thought for a moment, then immediately reacted. She pulled a long face and said in a sharp and thin voice, ¡°Second Sister-in-law, if you¡¯re unwilling, why are you pushing the responsibility onto our Lil Mei? Why? You¡¯re Lil Mei¡¯s sister. Can you be Lil Mei¡¯s master?¡±

    Although Fourth Aunt was her mother¡¯s angel and was like a devil to this family, only interested in supporting her brother, she was not brainless.

    Otherwise, how would the other sisters-in-law have tolerated her scrabbling for things at home all these years?

    However, Old Master Dong did not. From this, it could be seen that this matter would not be easy to deal with.

    At this moment, he scolded Second Aunt unceremoniously, making her furious.

    She wanted to retort, but¡­

    How could she?

    It was the fourth branch¡¯s matter to begin with. How could she go over and take charge?

    Seeing that Second Aunt was so angry that her face was red and she could not speak, Dong Nuan smiled bythe side and fanned the flames. ¡°Sigh. It¡¯s good that Scholar Liao has a lot of people who want him next door. Since he¡¯s a Children¡¯s Scholar now, if he beats the competition next year and becomes an Elementary Scholar, forget not having to worry about food and drink in the future. His wife¡¯s life will be amazing. We¡¯re lucky that they want to marry one of our girlsSecond Aunt, what¡¯s there to be dissatisfied about?¡±

    Dong Nuan spoke with a smile, but what she said was heart-wrenching.

    The problem was that Second Aunt was so angry that her face turned red and purple, but she couldn¡¯t refute anything.

    It was because she had persuaded Madam Dong Wu when Mother Liao came over to propose marriage.

    Now that she had been rebuked by Dong Nuan, Second Aunt had nothing to say.

    Old Master Dong sat at the side and watched the show leisurely. Seeing that the second son¡¯s family was humiliated, he said hoarsely, ¡°Alright, Second Son¡¯s family, close the door to your room and think about it.¡±

    After saying this, Old Master Dong quickly changed the topic. ¡°The other thing I want to discuss is who is going to dig the ditch tomorrow. I estimate that our family will have to send at least four people.¡±

    It was not the busy farming season now. Half of the family would be called. In order to rush the work, the bailiffs would probably rather pull more people in than less.

    Therefore, their family had to make two preparations.

    Upon hearing that they were going to serve in the labor force, everyone lowered their heads and did not speak. Who wanted to dig river ditches on such hot days?

    No one spoke, and Old Master Dong was not in a hurry. However, Old Madam Dong¡¯s face was cold, and her eyes were narrowed. ¡°What? He said we have to find people to dig the ditch. Are you all deaf?¡±

    Dong Nuan said cooperatively, ¡°Grandma, I heard him, but they won¡¯t want me.¡±

    It was hard work digging rivers and ditches, so why would they want a little girl?

    Therefore, there was nothing wrong with Dong Nuan¡¯s words.

    Old Master Dong glanced at her, but he was not really angry.

    As soon as Dong Nuan spoke, the others looked at each other, hiding their thoughts. Eldest Aunt smiled and said, ¡°Logically speaking, as the eldest branch of the family, the head of the family should go. It¡¯s just that the head of the family just went last winter. If he goes again, won¡¯t others frown on us? Brother Xu is a scholar and doesn¡¯t need to serve. On the other hand, Brother Xing is old enough this year. He should go.¡±

    Eldest Aunt¡¯s words were ambiguous. She did not say that she was unwilling to let her husband go. She only said that he went last year, so it would be unfair for him to go again this year.

    Moreover, it was not that she did not want to offer anyone up. Instead, she said that her second son, who was old enough this year, could go.

    After she expressed her stance, if the second branch did not speak, how would it look?

    Second Aunt naturally did not want her man to go, but she had hidden him away last winter. It would not look good if she did not offer now.

    However, Dong Nuan, who was watching from the side, said with a smile, ¡°I remember that Second Uncle didn¡¯t go to help last winter. Brother Dong Jing is also old enough this year.¡±

    Hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s words, Second Aunt turned around and rolled her eyes at Dong Nuan.

    Dong Nuan pointed everything out. If Second Aunt said that she was unwilling, Old Madam Dong would definitely get a fire poker and hit her. In the end, she could only straighten her neck and say uncomfortably, ¡°According to the rotation, there should indeed be two people going from my branch.¡±

    She sounded reluctant, but would Old Master Dong care about that?

    When it was Dong Nuan¡¯s turn, Dong Sanchun smiled innocently and looked honest. His voice was a little muffled. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Father.¡±

    Hearing his words, Dong Nuan almost could not help but laugh out loud.

    He had already gone last winter. In order to maintain the balance at home, Old Master Dong knew that he could not let him go again.

    If he said that now, it would make this honest person feel better. It would also make Old Master Dong feel better.

    Once the head of the family was happy, would winter and spring not be even better?

    Dong Sanchun¡¯s goodwill did not mean that the third branch would be soft-hearted and easily manipulated. Dong Nuan did not say anything and only glanced at Madam Dong Wu indifferently.

    For some reason, Madam Dong Wu felt a push, or rather, she was already prepared to say something, but she hesitated and did not know how to say it.

    At this moment, she was encouraged by Dong Nuan¡¯s look. Se quickly said shyly, ¡°You went there last winter.¡±

    There was no need to say anything else. Madam Dong Wu wanted to say something more, but she was pinched hard by Dong Nuan. The pain almost made her cry out.

    She turned around and glared at Dong Nuan, only to meet Dong Nuan¡¯s smiling and innocent face.

    Madam Dong Wu could not take it lying down. In the end, she could only turn her head and pat Dong Yao angrily.

    Dong Yao felt that it was too hot and was unwilling to snuggle up to her. However, the atmosphere in the house was tense now, so he did not dare to act recklessly.

    From yesterday, Dong Yao still had a deep impression of being starved and not allowed to eat.

    Even though he did not go hungry in the end.

    However, Old Master Dong¡¯s cold expression still frightened him.

    At the end of the day, he was just an eight-year-old brat. If his parents were scared, he would be terrified.

    Last winter, including Old Master Dong, there were only five strong laborers in the family. Uncle Dong and Dong Sanchun had both gone, so the remaining two brothers naturally didn¡¯t go.

    Therefore, Fourth Uncle did not say anything. His expression was a little numb as if he was letting her family arrange everything.

    Seeing his fourth son like this, Old Master Dong glanced at Fourth Aunt coldly.

    ¡°Alright, then. Second Brother, Fourth Brother, Brother Xing, Brother Jing, you will leave with Master Jing tomorrow. If Master Jing wants to recruit more people, count me in,¡± Old Master Dong said in a low voice after looking around coldly.

 Chapter 30

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing that Old Master Dong was going, the family¡¯s expressions changed.

    There were so many strong laborers in the family, so how could they let Old Master Dong do it?

    If the villagers saw this, wouldn¡¯t they insult the family¡¯s sons?

    No matter how scheming Eldest Uncle was, his expression changed at this moment. He glanced at his brothers. Everyone was still in shock.

    Eldest Uncle was unwilling to go. It was a hot day, and he would be burnt after less than a day¡¯s work.

    However, at this moment, as the eldest son, he had to stand up and beg for mercy in front of his two elders.

    Thinking of this, Eldest Uncle smiled honestly and said, ¡°How can I let Father go? I¡¯ll go. We can¡¯t leave Father to work.¡±

    The moment Old Master Dong said those words, Dong Nuan pinched Dong Sanchun hard, gesturing for him to speak.

    However, this silly man pretended that he did not understand anything, leaving Dong Nuan speechless. She thought to herself, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t know a handful of hot sh*t if it hit him in the face.¡±

    If he did not speak, Dong Nuan could not directly stand up for him.

    She could not be bothered anymore.

    Eldest Uncle had already spoken. They were already at a disadvantage if they said anything else. They might as well fulfill Eldest Uncle¡¯s wish.

    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s hard on you to be so filial. If they really want to take more people tomorrow, you can follow them. If you don¡¯t need to go, you can stay at home.¡± Old Master Dong was naturally happy to be at ease. It was not that he didn¡¯t want to work, but with his son thinking about him, he felt good. At this moment, the smile on his face grew.

    After the list of conscripts was confirmed, the family dispersed. They took a shower and went to sleep.

    The next day, before the sky was about to brighten, Old Madam Dong was already standing in the courtyard, yelling her daily wake-up calls.

    Dong Nuan turned around in bed and pretended not to hear her.

    However, the others couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Old Madam Dong¡¯s voice could cover two miles. It was not easy to pretend not to hear it.

    The family got up one after another. Old Madam Dong had cooked rice. Today, they ate pancakes made of bean flour mixed with vegetable leaves.

    Of course, there was no oil at all. There was a dry branding left behind on the pot.

    The farmyard was not that particular. If not for the fact that there were still a few people in the family who were going to serve in the military, Old Madam Dong would not have bothered with this matter.

    The pancakes could be eaten on the way to the river, so Old Madam Dong specially made more.

    Master Zhao came over early in the morning to take them away. Old Madam Dong was afraid that they would eat in a hurry, so she specially made dry rations for them to eat on the way.

    Digging rivers and ditches took an entire day. They would have to deal with it.

    Fortunately, this place was close to their village, so everyone could rush home in the evening to have another meal.

    Dong Nuan had just woken up and was brushing her teeth with a willow branch in the courtyard. The errand boy had already gone door to door to call for help.

    ¡°Four people from Dong Erzhuang¡¯s family.¡± After the bailiff came over, he shouted and went to call the next family.

    Nowadays, the commoners were very afraid of the magistrate. Even if he was a bailiff, in the eyes of the villagers, he was a high-ranking official. How could they dare to disobey him?

    Therefore, there was no need for the bailiffs to stare at them. After calling out the number needed, these people would naturally obediently follow them.

    Second Uncle and the others carried the pancakes and hurried out.

    After Dong Nuan brushed her teeth and rubbed her face, she simply combed her hair and went to the table to eat.

    The pancakes for breakfast were not big, but they were quite thick. Old Madam Dong gave two to each of the women in the family. The younger children only had half a pancake each. In total, there were four pancakes.

    ¡°Not enough! It¡¯s not enough!¡± Dong Yao was naturally the daily troublemaker at the dining table.

    Unfortunately, the original host doted on him in the past. If he did not have enough to eat, the original owner would save some of her food for him.

    However, Dong Nuan was not planning to do any such thing.

    She did not care. Finally, Madam Dong Wu could not take it anymore. She turned around and said earnestly, ¡°Lil Nuan, Lil Yao is not full. Why don¡¯t you care? You¡¯re siblings. You should support each other¡­¡±

    These were the words that Madam Dong Wu said every day.

    The others practically had calluses in their ears to block out these oft-repeated words, but since it had nothing to do with them, no one was bothered to say anything. Second Aunt was in a bad mood because Second Uncle had gone to dig a river ditch. She even sneered a few times and bit the pancake so hard that it made cracking sounds as if she wanted others to hear how delicious the food she she was eating was.

    Dong Nuan let Madam Dong Wu talk for a long time. Seeing that the other party had stopped, Dong Nuan bit into the pancake that did not taste very good and said with a smile, ¡°Mom also said that siblings should support each other. Dong Yao ate my pancake. Shouldn¡¯t he do the work for me today?¡±

    Although Old Madam Dong looked fierce and usually did not speak politely, she was relatively fair when it came to arrangements for the family¡¯s food. Nothing happened.

    Old Madam Dong¡¯s considerations were very simple. If you worked in the fields, you could eat more. If one was young, they would only know how to play. If one ate less, they would not be so hungry unless they needed the sustanence. If you did not work, it would be a waste to eat so much.

    Normally, at Dong Yao¡¯s age, he should be going to the farm and doing some work.

    However, Madam Dong Wu was protecting him. As time passed, Old Madam Dong could not be bothered to give him more food. She gave him the same amount as the children at home who did not work.

    Madam Wu did not dare to refute her mother-in-law, so she could only squeeze Dong Nuan dry.

    Upon hearing Dong Nuan¡¯s words, Madam Dong Wu stammered and could not say anything. She turned around and wanted to use the same excuse to bully Dong Zao and Dong Tao, but the two girls picked up their pancakes and left the house to eat outside.

    Madam Wu had no choice. She looked at the pancakes in her hand and could only give one to Dong Yao. Old Madam Dong sat opposite her and did not say a word. She did not think of persuading her at all.

    ¡®Won¡¯t she try to persuade her?¡¯

    That wooden-headed wife! It was useless to try to persuade her. If one persuaded her too much, she would become one¡¯s enemy.

    Old Madam Dong could not be bothered to be the villain in this situation. In any case, whoever was hungry could handle their own extra food.

    Dong Nuan did not go up the mountain today. She obediently worked in the fields. She did not dawdle too much, but she would not be like the original owner of the body who worked in silence and asked for nothing in return.

    In Dong Nuan¡¯s opinion, there was nothing wrong with eating as much rice as she could and doing as little work as possible at home.

    For a silly girl like the Host who would not gain anything no matter how hard she tried, why bother?

    Dong Zao and the others stared at Dong Nuan eagerly as if they wanted to eat more apricots.

    How could there be apricots every day?

    Even if there was, it was impossible for her to keep giving them treats indefinitely.

    She could just hang on to this power for now.

    Dong Nuan thought about it nonchalantly, but there was something bigger on her mind

    That was¡­

    She had yet to absorb the pills today.

    She had to find a way to suck on the energy again.

    Before Dong Nuan could find an excuse to see the pill and absorb its energy, the walking humanoid pill delivered itself to her door.

 Chapter 31

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Han Jianglou was worried about Dong Nuan, but he did not want to meet in private, lest others say unpleasant things.

    Therefore, he came straight here in the middle of the day.

    There were so many people around, and the elders were all here. Even if the others saw it, they could not say anything.

    Han Jianglou was a nice guy. After entering the mountain and walking around, he picked some raspberries and soaked them. They were sour and sweet. Children should like to eat this, right?

    In the eyes of Han Jianglou, Dong Nuan was just a child.

    Therefore, he was only thinking about the tastes of children.

    Of course, Han Jianglou was dissatisfied with just finding some raspberries. However, there were only a few things that grew in the mountains, like apricots and peaches in winter. He could only give up regretfully when he did not see them after walking around most of the mountain.

    Thinking of Dong Nuan¡¯s long hair, Han Jianglou planned to make two hair-ties for her while waiting for the big marriage.

    Children should like that, right?

    Han Jianglou thought about it uncertainly.

    When he came over, she had just sat up on the ground. There were still beads of sweat on the little girl¡¯s burnt skin.

    Dong Nuan roughly raised her hand and wiped her sweat away. Now that everyone was aware of what was happening, Dong Nuan did not say anything unreasonable. ¡®I¡¯m a god. I have to pay attention to my image.¡¯

    God¡­

    That was in her previous life. It was better not to think about that now.

    She raised his hand and wiped her forehead. Just as she was about to bend down, she sensed a pleasant smell approaching.

    A humanoid pill!

    Dong Nuan instantly reacted. Her slightly bent waist suddenly straightened, and she turned around and said with a smile, ¡°Brother Han!¡±

    Dong Nuan¡¯s voice was crisp and sweet, carrying a little childishness and a hint of girlish sweetness.

    Han Jianglou clearly treated Dong Nuan like a child, but when he heard the little girl¡¯s voice, the tips of his ears still subconsciously turned red.

    Fortunately, his skin was tanned and very dark. It was only slightly red. Still, he did not know what to do with himself.

    On the other hand, Madam Dong Wu was very friendly. Of course, it was also possible that she had seen the big leaf in Han Jianglou¡¯s hand.

    The leaf was folded very well. It was obvious that it was wrapping something up. Dong Yao had been staring at it since long ago and even tugged at Madam Dong Wu¡¯s sleeve.

    When Madam Dong Wu saw the item, her eyes immediately lit up. She walked over and said with a smile, ¡°The boy from the Han family is here. Are you here to deliver something to Lil Nuan?¡±

    Madam Dong Wu felt that since she had already asked, how could Han Jianglou not hand the thing over?

    Madam Dong Wu¡¯s hand was about to reach out, but it was intercepted by Dong Nuan.

    She opened the leaves of the big tree and saw that it was wrapped around some bright red raspberries. They were well protected by Han Jianglou. They were not crushed and still intact.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a whole bunch!¡± Dong Nuan liked fruits, all kinds of sweet fruits.

    Therefore, although the berries were small, she was not picky.

    The little girl exclaimed with a smile on her face. Then, she raised her head and looked at Han Jianglou with a smile. ¡°Big Brother Han, you¡¯re so awesome. These berries look delicious!¡±

    As Dong Nuan spoke, she grabbed two and threw them into her mouth.

    Feeling the berry being crushed between her lips and teeth and the juice instantly exploding in her mouth¡­ There was sweetness in the sourness, which overshadowed the sourness, making the berry taste very good. Dong Nuan relaxed her eyes in satisfaction and sighed. ¡°Delicious.¡±

    After she finished eating, she did not forget to grab a few and hand them to Han Jianglou. ¡°Brother Han, you should eat too. It¡¯s really delicious.¡±

    Of course, Han Jianglou would not eat it. Back on the mountain, he was afraid that it would not taste good, so he tested it. He chose the sweetest branch to pick for Dong Nuan.

    At this moment, he felt comfortable being fed by the little girl, but he did not take it. Instead, he smiled and said, ¡°Lil Nuan, you eat.¡±

    He even raised his hand to touch Dong Nuan¡¯s head and sighed in his heart. As expected of a little girl, she was easy to coax.

    Han Jianglou could be slightly relieved.

    He did not want to stay for too long. He was afraid that the Dong family would despise him, so when he saw Dong Nuan eating happily, he quietly said, ¡°I¡¯ll head back now.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Take care, Big Brother Han.¡± Dong Nuan quietly sucked on the humanoid pill¡¯s energy and waved goodbye to him.

    Seeing this, a smile appeared on Han Jianglou¡¯s face. Seeing that Dong Nuan had lowered her head and was eating again, he turned around and left.

    Madam Dong Wu was at the side. She had not gotten to eat anything besides a metaphorical serving of dog food. She did not feel too good.

    Although Dong Yao wanted to eat, the food was in Dong Nuan¡¯s hands. He did not dare to!

    Was the beating yesterday afternoon not enough?

    Now that Dong Nuan was looking at him, Dong Yao had to clench his butt tightly, afraid that Dong Nuan would beat him up.

    Back then, his sister would still indulge him. Now, when his sister hit him, it was really painful!

    Second Aunt looked on enviously from the side. She could not help but raise her neck and say, ¡°Hey, I say, Lil Nuan, why do you only thinking about eating for yourself when you receive gifts at the door? Don¡¯t you know how to be filial to your elders? You, girl, you¡¯re really¡­¡±

    Second Aunt wanted to eat it, but it was not appropriate to ask for it directly.

    After all, she had not been able to get anything from Dong Nuan for the past two days, so she had to change her strategy now.

    Dong Xing was already very unhappy because of the Liao family¡¯s marriage proposal and the fact that she had been craving Dong Nuan¡¯s food for the past two days. At this moment, she naturally agreed with her mother. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! You don¡¯t even know how to give food to your elders. You¡¯re unfilial!¡±

    It was rare for Dong Nuan to choose to not argue with the two of them. Because it was not easy to finish everything, she replied with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, Second Aunt.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Second Aunt¡¯s eyes lit up. She wiped her hands on the side of her pants and prepared to take the fruit.

    Dong Nuan looked at her with a smile, making Second Aunt feel a little embarrassed. She was about to extend her hand when she realized that Dong Nuan had walked past her.

    Past¡­

    Second Aunt¡¯s smile froze on her face. After pausing for a long time, she stiffly turned her neck to look to the side.

    At this moment, Dong Nuan was already presenting the berries to Old Madam Dong as if she was presenting a treasure.

    Old Madam Dong did not care about these fruits. It was just a few berries, but Dong Nuan¡¯s sincerity made her feel good.

    In the past, she thought that this child had been taught to be useless by that silly Dong Wu. Who would have thought that after experiencing a near-death situation, this child would be enlightened?

    Naturally, Old Madam Dong would not steal food from a child. At most, she would take a few and give them to Old Fifth¡¯s two children. The two little brats were still young and had sweet tooths. Old Madam Dong liked looking at them.

    ¡°Grandma, eat.¡± As if presenting a treasure, Dong Nuan held the food in front of Old Madam Dong.

    Old Madam Dong¡¯s usually long face cracked to reveal a rare smile. She raised her rough hand and touched Dong Nuan¡¯s head. ¡°Lil Nuan, eat it yourself. Don¡¯t ruin the Han family¡¯s boy¡¯s good intentions.¡±

    After saying that, Old Madam Dong thought for a moment and said, ¡°Grandma will take a few and give them to your Fifth Uncle¡¯s two children.¡±

    Old Madam Dong only took a few, and she was especially careful.

    The berries¡¯ skin was tender. If she grabbed them too hard, it would make a mess.

    Madam Dong quickly returned to the tree by the field. Dong Nuan did not go far. She walked a few steps forward to Old Dong and said with a smile, ¡°Grandpa, eat.¡±

    Old man Dong would not act too greedy for this mouthful of food, but he happened to have something to say to Dong Nuan. He thought about it and was about to speak when he saw Dong Nuan turn around and greet someone with a smile. ¡°Hello, Grandpa Chief!¡±

 Chapter 32

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The leader of the Dong Clan was an old man. He was even older than Old Master Dong, but he was from the same generation as him, so it was not a problem for Dong Nuan to call him grandfather.

    The clan leader usually had a stern expression on his face, even toward the children of the Dong Clan.

    It was not that he had a problem with anyone, nor was it that he looked down on girls. He always had this expression, but he treated everyone the same.

    Even his son had to endure it.

    Old Master Dong was about to say something, but when he heard Dong Nuan call out to Grandpa Chief, he quickly turned around and bowed respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Chief.¡±

    The clan leader did not say much. He only nodded slightly, glanced at the grandfather and granddaughter, and prepared to walk back.

    He had woken up early and followed the Junior Officers to help the bailiffs organize the villagers who were going to dig. After he was done, he spoke to the clan leader of the Liao clan and was delayed for a while. He was about to go home.

    The chief¡¯s family only had a few acres of land. They were richer, but they all lived in the village and looked no different from the others.

    After exchanging greetings, the chief prepared to leave. Old Master Dong did not need him to stay any longer. He turned to look at Dong Nuan and prepared to talk to her after the chief left.

    Dong Nuan, on the other hand, whispered before Old Master Dong could speak, ¡°Grandpa, I was almost beaten to death by Lil Man that day. Do you know that? At the time, I thought I had gone to purgatory, but it wasn¡¯t that. The little immortal who led the way said that it was a paradise. It was especially nice and pretty.¡±

    Dong Nuan was a ten-year-old village girl. It was obviously unrealistic for her to use overly-beautiful words.

    Therefore, she used the most ¡®appropriate¡¯ words she knew to describe the scene. Nice, pretty. This was the best word that the young ladies in the village could think of to describe something serene.

    Old Master Dong did not want to take her seriously at first. He just treated it as a child¡¯s wild imagination.

    The clan leader was the same. He was even laughing in his heart, but he did not show it on his face.

    Dong Nuan had long guessed that these people would not believe her when she spoke.

    However, she had to take it slow. They would believe it eventually.

    Therefore, Dong Nuan pretended not to notice Old Master Dong¡¯s hesitant look. With a nostalgic expression, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s really like what the storyteller said. It¡¯s really like riding on the clouds and the mist. The immortals are all good-looking. Moreover, the material of their clothes flickers as they walk. Just by looking at it, you can tell that the material costs hundreds of copper coins.¡±

    Dong Nuan figured that she was a village girl, after all. In her eyes, a few hundred copper coins was already a lot of money.

    As for ten to eighteen taels of silver, sorry! Village girls never saw so much money and rarely heard of such things.

    The clan leader was already walking away, but when he heard Dong Nuan¡¯s childish words, he could not help but narrow his eyes. He felt like he had been too uptight. Now that he suddenly heard the little girl¡¯s words, he felt inexplicably relaxed and happy.

    Old Master Dong let Dong Nuan speak, and Dong Nuan did not stand on ceremony. ¡°The immortals all smelled very good. According to those who served Lil Xian, there were balms specially used by immortals. They smelled very good. Moreover, they had roses in their baths and soap in their laundry. I was curious then, so I mustered up my courage and asked Lil Xian how they made the balm.¡±

    At this point, the chief found her story interesting, so he slowed down to listen.

    Old Master Dong only thought that Dong Nuan had gone through a near-death situation and did not encounter any supernatural thing. The little girl could not bear it and found someone to talk to, so he let the other party talk.

    However, very quickly, the two of them stopped being so nonchalant.

    That was because Dong Nuan quickly raised her head slightly as if she was imitating the proud little immortal in the fairyland. Her tone was also a little arrogant. ¡°If you want to know the recipe, it¡¯s over there. You¡¯ll know after reading it.¡±

    An immortal recipe!!!

    These two words were the first thing that the chief and Old Master Dong paid attention to.

    The clan leader stopped in his tracks. Old Master Dong also forgot about the work in his hand. He straightened his back and looked at Dong Nuan solemnly.

    Regardless of what formula it was, the things used by the immortals must be pretty good.

    If they got the recipe¡­

    Old Master Dong¡¯s heart instantly burned with passion. The clan leader¡¯s heart did the same.

    He felt that he had just passed by and heard it casually. Since he knew about it, Old Master Dong could not hide it, right?

    Moreover, if it was really an immortal recipe, knowing Old Master Dong¡¯s family, they would not be able to protect it at all. They wouldreveal it to the entire family. Anyway, no matter what, they were from the same clan. It should be possible to share the recipe.

    Old Master Dong did not think so much at first. After straightening his back, he thought about the benefits this prescription could bring to the Dong family. His mind was spinning quickly, and he had already thought of several possible solutions in his heart.

    The first thing Old Master Dong thought of was naturally the two scholars, Fifth Dong and Dong Xu. If these two people gave the balm to the nobles in the county, even though they could not do well in the exam, they would definitely give them an advantage.

    This would be a huge help to the students of the agricultural school!

    Thinking of this possibility, Old Master Dong¡¯s heart burned with passion.

    It was not that Old Master Dong had not thought about selling the recipe to get some money for his family, but that was something that would only be done by short-sighted people. He wanted to maximize the recipe to obtain the greatest benefits.

    It was most suitable for the two scholars in the family to use it. With two promising scholars in the family, his offspring would get to benefit from it. When the time came, they would be able to enjoy benefits even if they married out of the family!

    Old Master Dong¡¯s heart was burning with passion, and his expression changed a little. However, when he turned his eyes, he saw that the chief had already come to his side with his old long face.

    Old Master Dong, ¡°¡­¡±

    He had miscalculated!

    Why had the chief not left yet?

    If the clan leader heard about this, how could he let go of such a good opportunity to make his clan famous?

    It would beneficial for the Dong clan to become famous as if the clan¡¯s reputation was good, the disciples of the clan would be proud when they traveled outside.

    However, the top elders in the clan were completely different from the elders in his own family!

    The joy that just surfaced in Old Master Dong¡¯s heart was forced back by the appearance of the clan leader. He could not help but feel helpless and frustrated.

    Dong Nuan, this girl! Why didn¡¯t she say that when she was alone?

    Why did she have to pick a time when the chief was passing by?

    Could it have been on purpose?

    Of course the answer was yes!

    Dong Nuan had seen through this family. How could she not know that if she told Old Master Dong in private, Old Master Dong would definitely maximize the use of this recipe?

    The best use that Old Master Dong could think of was to get Dong Xu or Fifth Uncle to offer the recipe to the nobles in the county!

 Chapter 33

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    If Dong Xu or Fifth Uncle really advanced as scholars thanks to this recipe, their family could indeed reao the benefits.

    Why?

    What right did Dong Nuan have to take out something that his family could benefit from and give it away?

    Dong Nuan had already guessed Old Master Dong¡¯s thoughts and plans, so she specially mentioned this matter when the patriarch passed by.

    Dong Nuan deliberately exaggerated the scene in order to attract the attention of the clan leader. When he heard this, whether he believed it or not, he was intrigued.

    Although there were many people in the Dong clan, they were not very famous. Currently, the entire clan did not even have a single scholar who was outstanding. Relatively speaking, people like Dong Xu could be considered as successful within the clan.

    They wee pitiful compared to the Liao clan, which at least two Elementary Scholars. The Dong clan, who lived in the same village, was really disappointing.

    The longer this stayed the case, the more the Clan Leader cared.

    Even if he heard about the slightest opportunity, he would not let it go.

    Therefore, as long as Dong Nuan¡¯s words could intrigue and make him stop, subsequent matters were basically settled.

    Dong Nuan would rather the entire family reap benefits than live in the shadows of Dong Xu or Fifth Uncle and feel grateful to them. Dong Nuan felt that it was not good for so few people to have so much power. The whole family should share the power!

    Anyway, no matter what, she would only benefit from the glory of the clan. At that time, Dong Nuan would be valued by the clan leader, and her status in the family would only rise in the future.

    Of course, it was best not to let Old Master Dong see through her thoughts, lest he felt offended.

    At this moment, Dong Nuan still had a look of reminiscence on her face about those immortals. ¡°I thought that the things used by immortals would definitely be good. If I read the recipe and memorized it, would I be able to make it when I come back? Even if I can¡¯t make it myself, I still have my father and grandfather to ask.¡±

    Old Master Dong was still wondering if Dong Nuan had said this on purpose in front of the clan leader, but looking at Dong Nuan¡¯s longing expression, he could not tell for a moment.

    Perhaps the young lady suddenly thought of this and simply wanted to talk about it?

    Old Master Dong could not make a decision. Dong Nuan still had to continue. ¡°I forgot about this, but I dreamed about it last night. It¡¯s really worrying. I wonder if the immortals did it on purpose.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? This is the blessing of an immortal. Many people can¡¯t get such a thing even if they beg for it. Nuan, tell me quickly. What does that prescription say?¡± The chief glanced at Old Master Dong and could not be bothered with his thoughts. His tone was slightly anxious.

    Initially, Old Master Dong was still thinking that if the Clan Leader knew about this, the recipe would definitely be lost. He would definitely prioritize the interests of the clan.

    Since that was the case, he had to seek some benefits from the clan for his small family. After all, the person who offered the recipe was Dong Nuan, their family¡¯s girl!

    In the end, before he could think of what he wanted, he heard the patriarch speak.

    He was also curious about this, so he temporarily put aside his messy thoughts and looked at Dong Nuan with an interested expression.

    Dong Nuan did not feel any pressure under the gazes of the two of them. She just tilted her head and smacked her lips twice. She seemed to be nostalgic, but she also seemed a little helpless. ¡°I looked at that prescription again and again. I wished I could stick the prescription to my eyeballs, but later on, I realized that¡­ Grandpa Chief, I can¡¯t read! That recipe showed itself to me, but I couldn¡¯t understand it!¡±

    The clan leader, ¡°¡­¡±

    Old Master Dong was speechless.

    The two of them were speechless for a moment. Behind the patriarch was his grandson, Dong Zhi.

    He was engrossed in the conversation just now. After all, who wouldn¡¯t be engrossed in the matters of immortals?

    Just as he was getting into the conversation, Dong Nuan said that she could not read. She did know what the recipe said. He was speechless for a moment.

    Dong Zhi was not very old this year. He was just over seventeen and could not hide anything in his heart. Seeing that his grandfather was not saying anything, he couldn¡¯t help but ask anxiously, ¡°Then take the recipe out!¡±

    In response, Dong Nuan looked at Dong Zhi in surprise and said without thinking, ¡°I wanted to, but when I woke up, I realized that it was just a dream. I didn¡¯t takek anything out. I remember that I held the recipe tightly in my fist in my dream.¡±

    Everyone was speechless.

    After another round of speechlessness, the Clan Leader pondered for a long time with a dark expression before asking softly, ¡°Lil Nuan, can you describe to Grandpa Clan Leader what those immortals are like?¡±

    This meant that he still had doubts and did not dare to believe it yet.

    Dong Nuan was not afraid to answer. After all, she was a little immortal in the past. Even if she was a low-level immortal, she knew a lot about them.

    It was not a big feat for Dong Nuan to describe the scenes she had apparently experienced.

    Dong Nuan explained to the extent that she even gave the names of some fairies and their cultivation techniques. Finally, the clan leader did not doubt anything. His expression became more serious.

    Old Master Dong was the same. At this moment, he already believed that Dong Nuan was not lying.

    In their opinion, Dong Nuan was just a little girl in her teens. The furthest she had gone out was to the town, so she had limited experience. If she has not seen it with her own eyes, she probably would not be able to explain it in such detail.

    ¡°Er Zhuang, bring Lil Nuan and come with me first.¡± After thinking for a while, the clan leader directly gestured for Old Master Dong to bring Dong Nuan home with him.

    If Dong Nuan was right and there really was a recipe used by immortals, then¡­

    Their Dong clan was going to make a name for themselves.

    Whether it was using this to earn money for the clan or exchanging it for something else, it was a valuable transaction. No matter what, they would not lose out!

    However, the problem that needed to be resolved the most now was¡­

    Dong Nuan couldn¡¯t read!

    This was f*cked up!

    This was like guarding a golden egg nest only to discover that one did not know how to pick up eggs. Would they not be angry?

    At the last moment, the eggs were right in front of her, but she realized that she did not know how to take them.

    The more the chief thought about it, the angrier he became. Halfway through, he could not help but sigh. ¡°Er Zhuang, you¡¯re too much. There are two scholars in the family. You should enlighten the children in the family too. Don¡¯t let them think that they¡¯re stupid. In the future, Fifth Brother and Brother Xu will be successful. In the end, when they¡¯re discovered, the children in the family will be left behind. How can that be good will that be?¡±

    What could Old Master Dong say now?

    Other than taking the scolding obediently and cursing in his heart, he could do nothing.

    Talking back to the clan leader?

    Did he want to be roasted and eaten by his clan relatives?

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I didn¡¯t think it through. I¡¯ll get Fifth Uncle to teach Lil Nuan and the others how to read.¡± Old Master Dong smiled apologetically and repeatedly apologized.

    Regarding this, the clan leader nodded solemnly and said, ¡°Indeed, that should have already been the case. However, Fifth Brother and Brother Xu are both studying and will be participating next year. It won¡¯t be good to delay them.¡±

    At this point, the chief stopped talking. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was thinking about something.

 Chapter 34

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Dong Nuan could that the clan leader was weighing the pros and cons.

    She was not in a hurry. She had thought about it. If she wanted to live a better life at home, the first thing she had to do was to please the most authoritative elder in the family, Old Master Dong.

    Of course, it was useless to curry favor.

    If she was a boy and was very talented, he might consider sending her to school.

    However, she was a girl. No one in the nearby villages had ever sent a girl to study.

    Therefore, after a long time, this favorable impression would no longer be maintained. Old Master Dong¡¯s gaze would eventually fall onto others.

    It was useless to curry favor blindly. She would have to hang a carrot in front of him and slowly nudge him forward. Only then could she ensure that her status would not be affected.

    At this moment, the chief was thinking about benefits. If he figured it out, she might even be able to study with him.

    Even if she could not learn from a proper teacher, at least there was Fifth Uncle, Dong Xu, and even the grandsons of the chief.

    Since the chief did not say anything, Old Master Dong naturally could not say anything.

    The clan leader remained silent until he brought Old Master Dong and Dong Nuan back to their house.

    Dong Nuan¡¯s house was a simple mud house, but there were quite a number of rooms inside. There were five rooms. The space inside was quite big. Aside from the central room in the middle, there were two rooms in the east and west that could accommodate people.

    Of course, because Dong Nuan¡¯s family did no live separately, there were a lot of people. There was not enough room in the main room, so they took three more rooms in the east of the courtyard. Two of them were occupied by two people, and the last one was used as a study room for Fifth Uncle and Dong Xu. It was usually very clean, and the family did not dare to enter it casually.

    However, no matter how many rooms there were, it was still a mud house.

    In comparison, the chief¡¯s house was much more prosperous. He lived in a brick house, while the roof of the Dong family¡¯s shed was covered in hay and mud. When it rained, it was normal for the house to leak.

    However, the roof of the chief¡¯s house was made of tiles. The rain would not leak through easily. Even if it did, it was much better than a mud house.

    The chief¡¯s house was very big, with five spacious rooms. There were also rooms and warehouses in front of the rooms.

    The courtyard was big enough, and the chief¡¯s family had long moved away. Now, the chief and his eldest son lived in the house. In this way, the house was even more spacious.

    The chief brought his men back home. After entering the central room, Dong Nuan greeted everyone obediently. She did not miss out on greeting any grandma, auntie, or sister-in-law.

    The people in the clan leader¡¯s family did not know what had happened, but seeing the clan leader¡¯s serious expression, they could not say anything. The clan leader¡¯s grandmother smiled and organized her family to bring them outside, giving space to the clan leader and the others.

    Along the way, the chief had already thought it through. ¡°Erzhuang, from tomorrow onwards, don¡¯t let Lil Nuan go to the farm. Let her learn how to read with Scholar Liao. The tuition will be temporarily paid for by the clan.¡±

    Regarding the fees, the clan leader thought about it and gave a clear explanation. ¡°This fee will be paid by the clan for the time being. Whether the clan will bear it in the future will depend on how much benefit Lil Nuan¡¯s recipe can bring to the clan.¡±

    When he said this, the clan leader took a deep look at Dong Nuan, his eyes sharp.

    He seemed to be saying that if she dared to fool the chief, she would definitely be taught a lesson in the future.

    Dong Nuan blinked and looked at the clan leader innocently, pretending that she did not understand anything.

    When Old Master Dong heard this, he wanted to send Dong Nuan to study. This was the first time anyone would do so. No one in the village had sent a girl to study, and now, it was even at the expense of the clan.

    From the looks of it, their family could not hide this recipe anymore. They could only hand it over to the clan.

    Old Master Dong was a little unwilling in his heart, but he quickly thought it through. If he handed over the recipe, the chief would definitely remember his family¡¯s contribution. Moreover, it was safer to rely on the clan to stand up for him than it was to rely on Dong Xu or Old Fifth.

    After all, one person alone was weak. If he was tricked, he had no choice but to suffer in silence.

    Moreover, even if their family did not receive any benefits, at least Dong Nuan could read. In the future, she could even be sent to some rich family in the county to be a maid.

    With just a few sentences, Old Master Dong had already thought of countless possibilities in his heart.

    He naturally agreed with a smile. ¡°Those things are used by immortals, so they¡¯re naturally the best.¡±

    After flattering the chief, Old Master Dong turned around and said with a cold expression, ¡°Lil Nuan, you have to study hard and try to memorize more words!¡±

    Dong Nuan stood at the side and pursed her lips obediently. She said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Grandpa.¡±

    Seeing that Dong Nuan was so obedient, Old Master Dong¡¯s expression softened a little. ¡°Don¡¯t be too anxious. It¡¯s okay to make mistakes. Learn well and memorize well. If you dream of the recipe again, try to remember more things.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Dong Nuan was still very obedient.

    This made Old Master Dong feel a little better. Seeing this, the chief smiled.

    This matter had been taken up by the chief. Although he was told it was a girl, Scholar Liao, who had taught people in the village before, did not refuse.

    ¡°But let me say this first. Dong Nuan is not young anymore. She should already know how to behave. If she does not study hard and disrupts the class, I¡¯ll beat her up.¡± Scholar Liao was afraid that Dong Nuan would attract the attention of the other students if she came over.

    No matter what, she was still a girl. He had to explain this matter clearly in advance.

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡± The clan leader naturally did not refuse. He brought Old Master Dong and Dong Nuan around Scholar Liao and settled the matter of studying.

    In the village, Scholar Liao was only in charge of teaching. He could not teach those who were more talented than him. His family had already made plans to send him to the town or even the county to stay as much as possible.

    As a result, Scholar Liao¡¯s tuition fees were not high. There were about two taels a year.

    However, in the farmyard, many people might not be able to study for a full year. Some could not continue after a year. After paying this tuition fee, they could not pay bac their debts.

    As time passed, Scholar Liao came up with a solution.

    The tuition in the village was paid once a month. If you paid for this month, you could come to classes. If you did not pay, you could choose not to come that month.

    As for whether he could keep up with the progress¡­

    Scholar Liao said that if he could not keep up with these things, he would stop next month.

    It was impossible for him to get special treatment unless he paid extra.

    According his monthly fees, excluding food expenses, was a hundred and sixty copper coins a month.

    Dong Nuan was personally delivered by the clan leader. Scholar Liao saw that the clan leader had saved him some money. It only cost a hundred and fifteen copper coins a month, excluding food expenses.

    If one wanted to eat here, there were two possibilities. One was to bring four liters of rice and add thirty copper coins. The other was to pay fifty copper coins directly and eat with Scholar Liao¡¯s family. You would eat whatever they ate.

    It was impossible to eat well. He would only eat his fill and only have one meal, lunch, for the day.

    Dong Nuan lived in the village. The chief discussed it with Old Master Dong and asked her to go home to eat so he did not need to spend much money.

 Chapter 35

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After arranging for her to study, there was no way to rush her the rest of the process.

    Because Dong Nuan could not read, it was useless to rush her. Lio Mingkun let her recite the words first, then slowly pushed her to see if she could get anything else out.

    The clan leader was not afraid that Dong Nuan lied to him. He was the clan leader and was in charge of the Dong clan¡¯s matters. If Dong Nuan really dared to court death and lie to him, she and her entire family would be dealt with by the clan leader.

    The chief was very clear on this matter in his heart, so on the way back, he was still very happy. After returning home, he even specially called his eldest daughter-in-law over. ¡°Find a piece of rough cloth and make clothes for Lil Nuan. She can¡¯t dress like this in school.¡±

    The chief was expressing his goodwill in advance, as well as comforting the Dong family.

    In this way, even if Old Master Dong had some thoughts in his heart, they would eventually dissipate.

    Old Master Dong understood. The clan leader¡¯s actions meant that he would not mistreat the Dong family in the future.

    After all, the recipe given by Dong Nuan was a big help to the clan.

    Although the chief¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law did not understand what was going on, since her father-in-law had said so, she naturally agreed with a smile. ¡°Come, come, let me take a look.¡±

    The eldest daughter-in-law stepped forward and took Dong Nuan¡¯s measurements.

    In the farmyard, there was no particular emphasis on fitting. Many children¡¯s clothes had a two-inch surplus. When the child grew up, they could still wear it for three more years.

    After taking her measurements, the chief asked his daughter-in-law to wrap a small bag originally for noodles for Dong Nuan to carry. ¡°Bring it back, and let your grandma make some pancakes for you to eat.¡±

    Dong Nuan did not look at the things inside. Regardless of whether it was good or bad, it was the chief¡¯s kindness.

    Old Master Dong responded politely for a while before walking back with Dong Nuan.

    Although the chief had done his job well and the Old Master Dong¡¯s previous displeasure had long disappeared, he still did not understand as he looked at Dong Nuan¡¯s swaying little head.

    At this moment, he was not calculative about the benefits Dong Nuan was bringing in. He was afraid that the little girl was playing tricks in front of him.

    Therefore, after holding it in for a while, Old Master Dong could not help himself. Coincidentally, there was no one around, so he asked in a low voice, ¡°Lil Nuan, did you deliberately mention that when the chief passed by?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Dong Nuan admitted openly. Her expression was calm, and her eyes were bright.

    Old Master Dong was stunned by her frank words. After being stunned for a moment, he was about to ask something when he saw Dong Nuan straighten her expression and say, ¡°Grandpa, our family can¡¯t protect anything used by immortals, even if it¡¯s just a tea recipe.¡±

    His words instantly enlightened Old Master Dong. Previously, he was dazzled by the possibility of benefits and forgot that with his family¡¯s strength, they could not keep anything good to themselves.

    Even if he asked Dong Xu or Old Fifth to offer the recipe up, what if the person who received the recipe had evil intentions?

    Would they commit murder and robbery?

    Thinking of this possibility, Old Master Dong could not help but break out in a cold sweat.

    Originally, Dong Nuan was prepared to break her logic down into pieces and tell him in detail. Of course, most of it was still nonsense.

    However, when she saw that Old Master Dong¡¯s expression did not look too good, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, her heart skipped a beat. She felt that she did not need to say anything else.

    After Old Master Dong figured it out, he did not ask any more questions. He looked at Dong Nuan with a loving gaze.

    Originally, he still had some other questions in his mind. He had wanted to ask Dong Nuan before, but because of this, he was interrupted.

    Seeing that there was no one beside him, Old Master Dong thought for a moment and asked in a low voice, ¡°Lil Nuan, I know that you¡¯ve been to purgatory and your mind has opened up. Then, I¡¯ll ask you, if your Fifth Uncle can¡¯t continue studying, who do you think should be given the spot to study in the family?¡±

    Upon hearing Old Master Dong¡¯s question, Dong Nuan understood. Old Master Dong probably knew the truth about Fifth Uncle¡¯s idiotic behavior all these years, but he still held on to that little bit of hope, hoping that Fifth Uncle would become more promising.

    Old Master Dong had probably seen through it by now. Furthermore, his grandchildren were already older, and he was getting nowhere with cultivating. Dong Nuan understood this.

    However, now that he had come to ask her, if he was really deciding who in the family could go to school, this matter of offending people would still fall on Dong Nuan¡¯s shoulders.

    It was not that Dong Nuan wanted to think of others with the greatest malice, but that Old Master Dong was really capable of doing such a thing!

    If he wanted a target, he would have to see if Dong Nuan was cooperating!

    After thinking about this matter for a while, Dong Nuan had an idea. ¡°Grandpa, this matter is very simple. Since we have time now, let the children of the family study under Scholar Liao. After a month, whoever has the best results will continue.¡±

    How good it was to be impartial and speak with strength!

    Even though Old Master Dong forced her hand, did she become a villain?

    Nope!

    Old Master Dong had never thought of this method. Of course, the main reason was that he was afraid of spending money!

    There were a few children of suitable age at home, and they would all need to be sent over. One hundred and sixty-six copper coins a month. Old Master Dong did a simple calculation in his heart, and his blood started pumped.

    However, there seemed to be no better way.

    Unless he spun a bottle and decided that whoever it landed on would get to go.

    However, if that happened, it would inevitably cause a conflict. When the time came, it would be chaotic. Old Master Dong felt annoyed just thinking about it.

    After Dong Nuan finished speaking, Old Master Dong walked slowly in silence. It was unknown if he was listening or not.

    Dong Nuan did not care. If people did not ask her questions, she would not give them answers.

    She stole a glance at the fine powder that the lady from the chief¡¯s family had packed. It was bright yellow and looked like millet powder. There was not much of it. It was probably about half a catty and could be used for a few pancakes.

    It was a pity that she had to hand this thing over to the authorities when she returned home.

    However, she had exchanged something for it. Old Master Dong would definitely ask the old lady to give him one pancake.

    Dong Nuan actually did not want pancakes, but she got this flour based on her own abilities, so she could not let others take advantage of her.

    The two of them walked for a while. Seeing that they were about to return to their own fields, Old Master Dong no longer thought about studying. Instead, he turned around and asked Dong Nuan about something else.

    ¡°Lil Nuan, what do you think we should do about your Fourth Uncle¡¯s family¡¯s situation?¡± Old Master Dong seemed to be sighing, but in fact, he still wanted Dong Nuan to make a move.

    The situation of Fourth Uncle¡¯s family¡­

    Life was good, right?

    It was alright. Because no one had moved out, they could all at least eat their fill.

    However, the family did not have any private assets. Fourth Uncle Dong was still honest and unwilling to discipline his wife.

    Old Master Dong probably thought that once Fifth Uncle stopped studying, the family would have to split up.

    Otherwise, with such a big family, there would only be more and more conflicts in the future.

    After the separation, Old Master Dong was not worried about the other families, but Fourth Uncle Dong¡¯s family¡­

    With such a daughter-in-law, Old Master Dong was even afraid that his son and granddaughter would starve to death in less than half a year.

    This was not an exaggeration. With Fourth Aunt¡¯s personality, she would really do such a thing!

 Chapter 36

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Old Master Dong was very worried about Fourth Uncle¡¯s family.

    No matter what, he was still his son. Although he was biased, he was still his son. He could not ignore his daughter-in-law and let her cause trouble.

    She had beaten and scolded her all these years, but that daughter-in-law was very stubborn and useless.

    In the past, she never thought about splitting up from him. She thought that no matter what, their family would always have a chance to survive.

    However, once they split up¡­

    Old Master Dong did not dare to think about it.

    Dong Nuan had her own opinion on this. She smiled and said, ¡°That depends on whether Grandpa can be ruthless or not.¡±

    Not understanding what Dong Nuan meant, Old Master Dong frowned, making his old face look even more wrinkled. He sighed deeply and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t I ruthless enough? All these years, your grandmother has beaten and scolded her. Your Fourth Aunt is very stubborn and doesn¡¯t listen to advice at all.¡±

    Hearing Old Master Dong¡¯s words, Dong Nuan smiled and said, ¡°Then be more ruthless and divorce Fourth Aunt, making her go back to her family. Anyway, everyone in the village has seen what she¡¯s done all these years. Even if she¡¯s divorced, she deserves it. Doesn¡¯t she want to take care of her family? Wouldn¡¯t it be best if she can go back to her family? Let her go back to her family to work hard. Don¡¯t harm Fourth Uncle and Lil Mei.¡±

    Should he make his son divorce his wife?

    It was not that Old Master Dong had not thought about it before, but would he be able to marry someone good if he remarried?

    Moreover, there were very few people in the surrounding villages who got divorced.

    Their family also cared about their reputation. Moreover, could they accept a stepmother in the future?

    Lil Mei and the others were still children, so Old Master Dong had to think about it more.

    Although Old Master Dong looked cold, his heart was not.

    Well, whatever happened to Fourth Aunt¡¯s family did not affect him, so he did not really care.

    He was worried about his son and was unwilling to care about anything else.

    Him telling Dong Nuan this did not mean that he really felt sorry for his son. It was more likely that he wanted to test Dong Nuan¡¯s abilities.

    Did Dong Nuan not say that when she went to the Immortal Realm and saw immortals, her horizons were expanded?

    The Old Master Dong probed further, also wanting to see Dong Nuan¡¯s current state of mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± Dong Nuan¡¯s attack was ruthless, and Old Master Dong could accept it.

    Most importantly, if Fourth Uncle really got divorced and married someone else, then he would have to arrange the marriage. Even if he was middle-aged, he would still have to manage it for a second time. She would have to pay some money to get him married.

    At the thought of spending money, Old Master Dong was not very happy. He felt that he could make do with his current daughter-in-law. After all, he would not be the one to suffer in the end.

    When Old Master Dong hesitated, Dong Nuan knew his line in the sand.

    He did not want a divorce, but he still wanted Fourth Aunt to repent.

    That was easy.

    Seeing the hesitation on Old Master Dong¡¯s face, Dong Nuan tilted her head and thought for a moment. She said softly, ¡°If Grandpa thinks that it¡¯s not good, then we¡¯ll change our method. Or rather, we¡¯ll take a step back and pretend to divorce her first. At that time, Fourth Aunt¡¯s family will definitely cause trouble. They don¡¯t want Fourth Aunt to go back to her family, but they don¡¯t want to abandon our family and the things we give them. They definitely won¡¯t want Fourth Aunt to go back. At that time, we¡¯ll take a step back. It¡¯s fine if we don¡¯t stop, but we have to sprain Fourth Aunt¡¯s legs a little to teach her a lesson.¡±

    Hearing Dong Nuan say that she wanted to sprain Old Fourth¡¯s wife¡¯s leg, Old Master Dong felt his heart skip a beat, and his leg hurt too.

    He turned around and looked at Dong Nuan disapprovingly. His tone deepened as he said, ¡°Lil Nuan, if we sprain her legs, will she¡­¡±

    It was too cruel.

    Before he could say the last few words, he heard Dong Nuan say in a light-hearted tone, ¡°Of course not. Who will have to serve her if she collapses on the bed in the future? Just pretend to interrupt and let Fourth Aunt see what her family is truly like.¡±

    It was not impossible to do this. When the time came, the reaction of her family and her in-laws would definitely agitate Fourth Sister-in-law, right?

    Old Master Dong thought about it with uncertainty.

    Before he could say anything, he heard Dong Nuan speak again. ¡°Of course, Fourth Aunt¡¯s brain has been muddled all these years. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to think straight for a while. That¡¯s fine. Didn¡¯t the Imperial Court ask us to set up more land to farm? There are many places to set up land on the mountain. Let Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt go up the mountain to open up land. They¡¯ll come down every half a year or get Eldest Uncle and the others to send food over every half a year.¡±

    Hearing this, Old Master Dong¡¯s eyes lit up. He felt that this was a good idea.

    When they were sent to the mountain, there would only be Fourth Uncle and his wife there. Even if Fourth Aunt wanted to go to her parents¡¯ house, she could not afford it.

    ¡°Fourth Aunt and her husband will be on the mountain. If we don¡¯t go up and won¡¯t let them come down, soon, Fourth Aunt will have less contact with her maiden family. As time passes, their relationship will naturally fade. There won¡¯t be her mother nagging in her ear anymore. In addition, they¡¯ll be on the mountain together for a long time. They can still have a child. If they give birth to a son, will Fourth Aunt still send things to her maternal family? Won¡¯t she raise her own son?¡± At this point, Dong Nuan smiled inexplicably.

    Old Master Dong did not understand the meaning behind Dong Nuan¡¯s smile, but he felt that this idea was really not bad.

    ¡°Lil Nuan, if this plan succeeds, you¡¯ll be a great contributor to our family!¡± Old Master Dong¡¯s words were sincere, but this did not stop him from stepping on Dong Nuan again for the sake of benefit.

    To put it bluntly, in this family, if you were worthless, Old Master Dong thought nothing of you.

    However, it didn¡¯t matter. The carrots were hung up. Occasionally, he would give a leaf a sweet bite, and the value of Dong Nuan in this house would continue to rise.

    The grandfather-granddaughter pair quickly returned to the fields. For the time being, Old Master Dong did not mention that Dong Nuan was going to study.

    At noon, everyone went back to rest. Madam Dong Wu wanted to move closer to Dong Nuan again. She wanted to ask if there were any peaches or apricots. Dong Yao had been pestering her for the entire morning.

    In the end, Dong Nuan closed her eyes and lay on the bed, unwilling to make evena sound.

    Madam Wu had met with a soft nail, but she could not provoke Dong Nuan. In the end, she could only return to the brick bed to comfort Dong Yao.

    Dong Yao was naturally against it, but Dong Nuan opened her eyes and glared at him coldly, scaring him so much that he instantly fell back onto the bed. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

    Dong Wu watched this scene from the side. She felt sad and helpless.

    In the end, she could not do anything and could only sigh softly.

    Unfortunately, Dong Sanchun was snoring loudly in her sleep. The children at home had their eyes closed, and no one cared about her sad thoughts.

    In the end, Madam Wu could only lie back down resentfully. She thought to herself, ¡®Why has the Nuannuan who used to work hard and bent so easily to scoldings changed so suddenly?¡¯

    At the thought of this, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s heart felt as if it had been soaked in yellow lotus water. It was bitter and uncomfortable.

 Chapter 37

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the evening, when the sky turned dark, Second Uncle and the others returned.

    After only one day, the younger Dong Xing and Dong Jing were so tired that they cried out.

    When they came back, they wiped their tears and said that they would not go tomorrow.

    Unfortunately, if they did not go, their own father would have to go.

    Second Uncle still had a way out. If Dong Jing really did not go, he would not be able to use it.

    Second Uncle also felt sorry for his son. At the dining table, he asked Dong Sanchun shamelessly, ¡°Third Brother, Brother Jing is still young and can¡¯t take the strain. Why don¡¯t you go on his behalf tomorrow?¡±

    Dong Sanchun looked honest on the surface, but in fact, he was not honest at all.

    Hearing his second brother¡¯s words, he smiled foolishly and said, ¡°They¡¯re all my nephews. Originally, it was fine for me to go in their place, but I might have to replace my father to set up some farming land on the mountain in the winter. At that time, I¡¯ll have to ask Brother Jing help me with my quota.¡±

    Hearing Dong Sanchun¡¯s words, Second Uncle¡¯s face turned green. He smacked his lips and was about to say something when he heard his wife straighten her neck and say, ¡°Oi, I say, Third Brother, you said that they¡¯re all your nephews. Even if you don¡¯t care about your brothers, you have to care about at your children. They went to dig a river ditch for two days, and now you¡¯re scheming against them. What kind of brother are you?¡±

    Dong Nuan was so angry that she laughed. Although she did not like her father, she could not allow Second Aunt to bully him like this.

    Therefore, before Dong Sanchun could speak, Dong Nuan said with a smile, ¡°Second Aunt doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s tiring to dig rivers and ditches? Then go on behalf of Brother Jing. It¡¯s not like there are no women in the village digging too. I¡¯ll help you apply for leave from Grandpa and allow you to dig rivers and ditches. You can quit your work in the fields.¡±

    ¡°Why are you interrupting when adults are talking?¡± Second Aunt¡¯s heart ached at Dong Nuan¡¯s entrance. Now that she was rebuked by Dong Nuan, she was so angry that she jumped up and almost punched Dong Nuan¡¯s face.

    Dong Xing had not eaten anything for the past two days and felt extremely aggrieved. At this moment, she also put her hands on her waist and jumped up and down. ¡°Unfilial daughter, you should be beaten to death!¡±

    ¡°Alright, shut up!¡± Old Master Dong shouted coldly.

    Second Uncle and his wife, who had already jumped up, were frightened like quails returning to their nest. They instantly shrank back and did not dare to speak.

    At the dining table, no one spoke much. After the meal, Old Master Dong knocked on the table, which meant that he had something to say. Everyone, do not leave yet!

    Second Aunt was unhappy. When she saw the old man knocking on the table, she thought to herself, Could it be that my plea really worked? Do I really have to replace Brother Jing?

    Eldest Aunt and Eldest Uncle exchanged glances. If substitutes were really allowed, they had to think of a way to substitute Dong Xing. The child was still crying out. It was obvious that he was very tired.

    Everyone¡¯s expressions were complicated. They each had their own plans.

    Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Old Master Dong said in a low voice, ¡°From tomorrow onwards, Lil Nuan will officially study with Scholar Liao. The tuition fees will be paid by the clan. The clan leader has agreed to it and personally begged Scholar Liao to accept her. From now on, Lil Nuan will not have to do any farm work.¡±

    After they heard the first half of the speech, the sisters-in-law could no longer sit still.

    Why?!

    What right did he have to let a girl study?

    If they really let this girl study, then the other girls in their family could go too, right?

    Otherwise, if this matter was unfair, everyone would be unhappy.

    Moreover, the boys at home were not even in school yet. Why should he let the girl go?

    The sisters-in-law could not wait to rub their palms together, including Madam Dong Wu. They really could not wait to roll up their sleeves and tear a piece of meat off Dong Nuan.

    Then, they heard the second half of the speech.

    The tuition fees were paid by the clan, and the clan leader had agreed. Furthermore, the other party personally came forward and asked Scholar Liao to accept Dong Nuan.

    At this moment, those who were angry did not dare to flare up anymore. Those who had rolled up their sleeves had to be quietly put back.

    Would they dare to disobey the chief¡¯s words?

    Did he not want to live anymore? Did he want the entire clan to spit at him?

    Moreover, the expenses were not paid by their families, and they had no right to interfere.

    Everyone was discouraged. Aunt was smart and wouldn¡¯t take the initiative to say anything at this time. Madam Dong Wu wanted to say something, but she did not dare to.

    Fourth Aunt really did not care about the Dong family¡¯s matters. Her mind was filled with thoughts. Should she hold back and go back to her mother¡¯s house to poop tomorrow?

    On the other hand, Fifth Aunt was thinking that since Dong Nuan could go to school, then the matter of Fifth Uncle, this idiot, should be over, right?

    If the little girl could read, why could not her boss go?

    Only Second Aunt was unhappy, but she did not dare to contradict Old Master Dong. In the end, she could only say sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯re really lucky. What a worthy girl.¡±

    Bah!

    Her last two words were unclear, and no one could hear them clearly. Old Master Dong glanced at her coldly but did not say anything.

    However, Dong Nuan did not have so many scruples. She smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m just a little luckier than Dong Xing.¡±

    Dong Xing was instantly furious when she was called out. She put her hands on her waist and said, ¡°Just you wait. I¡¯ll get Grandpa Chief to send me to school tomorrow!¡±

    Dong Xing thought that Dong Nuan had begged the chief for help, so she felt that she could do the same. She was sweet-talking and definitely knew how to coax people better than Dong Nuan.

    Dong Nuan looked at her with a faint smile but did not say anything.

    After Old Master Dong glared at her, he did not scold her. Instead, he turned around and said to Second Aunt, ¡°Second Uncle, take care of the children in your family.¡±

    Second Aunt shrank her neck and answered honestly, ¡°I understand, Father.¡±

    As for whether it was real or fake, who knew?

    However, if Dong Xing really dared to go, Dong Nuan would respect her for being so bold.

    At that time, she would lose face with the entire clan. How interesting would that be?

    Anyway, Dong Nuan did not care. As for the rest of the family¡­

    Especially Dong Xu, who was studying in the county school. When the time came, he would lose face. Just the thought of it was exciting.

    After talking about Dong Nuan, Old Master Dong talked about the big show tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯ll take Brother Chang to the big show tomorrow.¡±

    Hearing Old Master Dong¡¯s words, a smile appeared on Aunt¡¯s face, but it was not obvious.

    Second Aunt was dissatisfied, but she had just been reprimanded, so it was not appropriate for her to say anything.

    However, he definitely had to mutter a few words in his heart.

    The other sisters-in-law would more or less have some thoughts. Even if they knew in their hearts that Old Master Dong was biased towards the eldest branch, it would be a lie to say that they did not feel uncomfortable when it was really put out in the open.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want their children to go to town and take a look without working?

    Moreover, Old Master Dong felt sorry for his grandson. If some of it leaked out from between his fingers, he could let the child eat snacks or something.

    Unfortunately, no matter how many thoughts they had, they had to hold them in.

    Now that the big matter was over, the family should go take a shower and rest.

    When Madam Dong Wu returned to her room, she could not help but say, ¡°Lil Nuan, what¡¯s the use of a girl like you studying? Why don¡¯t you give this opportunity to Lil Yao? Tomorrow, tell your grandfather to let Lil Yao study while you work in the fields.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Madam Dong Wu had said too much. Now that Dong Nuan heard it, she thought that she was farting.

    Hearing that she had started again, Dong Nuan turned around with a smile and said, ¡°Mom, do you think that Grandpa is biased, or do you think that the chief is? If you¡¯re dissatisfied, go tell Grandpa yourself.¡±

    How dare you order your daughter around! If you dare, go head-on with the elders!

    Dong Nuan did not hide the ridicule on her face at all, making Madam Dong Wu blush with anger.

    Dong Nuan could not be bothered with her, but Madam Dong Wu was still pissed off. ¡°Lil Nuan, how can you speak to Mom like this? Is Mom wrong?¡±

    Seeing that Dong Nuan was ignoring her, Madam Dong Wu even came over and raised her voice. ¡°What¡¯s the use of a girl like you studying? In the future, won¡¯t Lil Yao help support you? Hurry up and tell your grandpa to give Lil Yao the chance to study tomorrow!¡±

    Feeling that her dignity as an elder had been challenged, Madam Dong Wu¡¯s words were filled with anger.

    Dong Nuan did not intend to entertain her. She first smiled at her. Madam Dong Wu had a bad feeling. Before she could react, she heard Dong Nuan shout, ¡°Grandpa, Mom feels that you¡¯re not doing the right thing. She feels that Grandpa Chief is not doing the right thing either. She wants Dong Yao to go to school on my behalf. What does Grandpa say?¡±

    What could Old Master Dong say?

    Letting Dong Nuan go to school was for the sake of exchanging benefits. However, it was best not to make a big deal out of this matter before he came up with a recipe and earned enough money.

    Especially these daughters-in-law. What if they had ulterior motives and brought the recipe back to their parents?

    Therefore, he could not say anything for the time being.

    However, although he could not say it, if anyone dared to question his decision, Old Master Dong would still be unhappy.

    Therefore, he glanced at Old Madam Dong with a poker face. The hint was very obvious.

    Although Old Madam Dong did not know what was going on, the old man always had his reasons for doing things. Moreover, this matter involved the chief. There must be a very important reason.

    Therefore, as soon as Old Master Dong hinted, Old Madam Dong raised her voice and roared fiercely, ¡°Third Brother¡¯s wife, if you really feel bored, get lost and go back to your Mom¡¯s house!¡±

    This meant that if she was dishonest, he would divorce her and send her back to her family.

    Of course, most of these scoldings were just used to scare people.

    That was because it was not easy to marry a wife in a farmyard. He would not send his wife back so easily.

    Do you not remember Fourth Aunt? She was still fine now.

    However, no one dared to guess if these words were meant to scare her or if they were true.

    Therefore, when Madam Dong Wu heard Old Madam Dong¡¯s roar, she immediately shrunk her neck like a quail and even looked at Dong Nuan bitterly.

    However, Dong Nuan did not even look at her. She lay on the bed with a smile and said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t gossip behind my back. Your tongue will rot. This is what Scholar Liao next door said.¡±

    What if she stirred the pot?

    He would throw the responsibility to Scholar Liao next door.

    He had caused the Host so much trouble. What was wrong with letting him take the blame?

    It was already merciful enough that Dong Nuan did not kill him on the spot.

    Madam Dong Wu gritted her teeth in hatred, but since Old Madam Dong had already shouted, she did not dare to refute, let alone make a sound.

    She was afraid that the fourth branch next door would hear her and report her later.

    Because of Dong Nuan¡¯s words, she also hated the Liao family next door. However, she only dared to hate them in her heart. Then, she blamed the girls at home. She did not dare to go out and argue with them.

    Seeing that she had stopped, Dong Nuan closed her eyes to rest.

    Dong Yao cowered on the bedstove, not daring to speak. The beating from before was still doing its damage.

    The third branch had stopped, and there was no movement from the fourth branch. Fourth Aunt¡¯s mind was filled with her family and she did not care about her in-laws at all.

    The Dong family had four main rooms. The two rooms in the east were occupied by Old Master Dong and his wife, Uncle¡¯s family.

    Second Uncle and Fifth Uncle lived in the new house at the back of the courtyard.

    Actually, rightfully, Second Uncle¡¯s family should live next door to Dong Nuan¡¯s house, which was the first room in the west.

    However, when it was Fourth Uncle¡¯s turn to move into a room, Second Uncle felt that the main house was cramped and dilapidated, so he insisted on moving to the new house at the back. Fourth Uncle was used to not being competitive, or rather, he had a soft personality, so he let Second Brother do whatever he wanted.

    At this moment, other than the third and fourth branches, the other three branches were all researching the matter of Dong Nuan going to study.

    Uncle and the others were the closest to Old Master Dong. They did not dare to speak loudly at all. Most of the time, they used their eyes or fingers to gesture.

    The couple studied it for a long time. In the end, Uncle¡¯s eyebrows moved and he said softly, ¡°There must be a reason for Father¡¯s arrangement, and it must be profitable.¡±

    Uncle felt that if it was not for a huge benefit, why would Old Master Dong send a girl to school?

    There were so many boys in the family.

    ¡°What about our Dong Chang?¡± Eldest Aunt was very concerned about studying. It was fine if Second Brother did not like to study, but Third Brother was still young. If he did not start learning, he would not like to go to school when he was older.

    However, there were only a limited number of people in the public sector who could afford it. Although Eldest Uncle¡¯s family also had private assets, it was a waste to nottake advantage of the public sector.

    Their family also wanted to drag this out. If it really did not work out, their family would pay to send Dong Chang to school.

    Initially, Eldest Aunt thought that her family would definitely have to pay for Dong Chang¡¯s studies.

    However, seeing Fifth Brother Dong¡¯s performance, Eldest Aunt felt some hope rise in her heart.

    Actually, after so many years, it was impossible for the brothers not to doubt Fifth Brother Dong¡¯s standards.

    Every year, he would fail the exams.

    What kind of luck was this?

    With such luck, it was better not to study. In any case, if one was unlucky and could not get in, it would be a waste of money.

    However, if Old Master Dong did not say anything, they could not do anything.

    However, it was hard to say that now.

    If Fifth Uncle really was an idiot, then there was hope for him to get a place in the school.

    However, his family had already occupied one, so it was not easy to fight for it.

    The couple was secretly thinking about what to do. Dong Chang, who was going to town with Old Master Dong tomorrow, would definitely be used. This child had been smart since he was young. He remembered everything the couple had instructed him to do.

    The second branch of the family, who lived in the lower room, was also studying this matter. Of course, Second Brother Dong did not speak. It was always Second Aunt who threw and hit him. She pulled a long face and was unhappy. ¡°Lil Nuan, why did you make the old master happy? You actually sent her to study?¡±

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s so good about studying?¡± Dong Xing felt that sitting in school every day was torture. She did not think studying was good.

    As soon as she finished speaking, Second Aunt slapped her. ¡°You wretched girl, you don¡¯t know anything. You only know how to cause trouble. If you spout nonsense again, I¡¯ll marry you next door!¡±

    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing bad about Scholar Liao. Everyone in the village says that when he leaves next year, he will definitely be able to pass the Elementary Scholar examination. At that time, he will be an Elementary Scholar. Every month, the Imperial Court will even give him food and money. He won¡¯t do anything and will have food and money. These days sound quite good. In this way, studying is quite useful. Mom, I want to study too. I guarantee that I won¡¯t be inferior to Lil Nuan!¡± When Dong Xing thought of the Imperial Court¡¯s money and food, she suddenly felt that studying was not bad.

 Chapter 39

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Second Aunt was watching Dong Xing fantasize from the side. After she finished speaking, she smiled coldly and said, ¡°Heh, don¡¯t forget that the Imperial Court will not let a girl be the top scorer.¡±

    Dong Xing was shocked, but she was not sad. Instead, she raised her neck and said proudly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll marry next door and follow a scholar. In the future, I¡¯ll be a scholar¡¯s wife!¡±

    Second Aunt was so angry that she slapped her. However, before her slap landed, her eyes drifted again.

    She remembered that there was a scholar from her maternal family who was studying in the same private school as Fifth Brother. He definitely knew how well Fifth Brother was doing in is studies.

    If she found some time to ask him, she would be able to find out Fifth Brother¡¯s true standard. If Fifth Brother was really an idiot, then she would have to let the whole family know.

    At that time, Fifth Uncle definitely would not be able to study. If this spot was empty, she would have a chance to get her prized possession.

    Of course, the other branches would definitely be staring at this, but what if she had other bargaining chips?

    At the thought of this, Second Aunt looked deeply at Dong Xing, who was still babbling, and schemed in her heart.

    Meanwhile, in Fifth Uncle¡¯s room, which was just a wall away from them, Fifth Uncle was currently cursing and swearing. He was talking about how swine were insulting the cultured, how they were like street hooligens, and so on.

    In any case, the few idioms that he had painstakingly learned, regardless of whether they were right or wrong, were all used.

    The scolding was very unpleasant and done in an angry voice.

    Fifth Aunt listened from the side and felt that her ears were going numb. She said angrily, ¡°If you¡¯re in the mood to scold someone, you should think about how to scold yourself. The family must be suspicious now. If your sisters-in-law find out, I¡¯m afraid it will turn the world upside down.¡±

    Hearing his wife say this, Fifth Uncle¡¯s scolding mouth instantly froze. His eyes darted around quickly, and his heart jumped.

    That night, the Dong family¡¯s rooms were destined to insomnia.

    Although Fourth Uncle¡¯s house did not discuss this matter, Fourth Aunt was throwing and hitting around. From time to time, she would complain. It was nothing more than Fourth Uncle not taking on private work and not having any private assets at home.

    She could take survive off her parents if she had no money.

    Fourth Uncle was silent the whole time. Fourth Aunt was so angry that she hit him again.

    Dong Nuan was not affected at all. She even treated the other party¡¯s arguing as brown noise to help her fall deeply asleep.

    The next day, Old Madam Dong woke up early. As she tidied up and cooked, she put her hands on her waist and went to the courtyard to scold everyone.

    She cursed a few more times. When she saw that the entire family was up, she stopped cursing.

    There was nothing special about breakfast on the farmyard. The bean cakes they ate yesterday morning and the bean rice this morning were a little watery. Dong Nuan had an extra pancake compared to the others in the family. It was the size of a palm and there was even a little butter on it. It could be seen that Old Madam Dong had really put in a lot of effort.

    Not only that, but Dong Nuan also got half an egg.

    Of course, this egg was taken from Fifth Uncle. He would get half of his usual this morning.

    Seeing that there was only half an egg in his bowl, Fifth Uncle¡¯s face darkened.

    Old Master Dong looked at him deeply before explaining, ¡°In the future, Lil Nuan will also be a scholar. She should take good care of herself. In the future, give half of Fifth Brother¡¯s eggs to Lil Nuan. The millet cake was specially given to Lil Nuan by the clan leader. You don¡¯t have a share.¡±

    Old Master Dong specially gave half of the eggs to Dong Nuan because he wanted to light a fire under her.

    It was not that he was deliberately trying to arouse hatred for her, but he wanted to use this opportunity to teach Dong Nuan a lesson and learn well. He wanted to quickly gain the recipe. Otherwise, he would be blamed by the entire family in the future.

    As soon as Old Master Dong finished speaking, the entire family had different expressions. Second Aunt straightened her neck and said sarcastically, ¡°Sigh. Scholars are indeed different.¡±

    Her intention was to mock Dong Nuan, but Dong Nuan was not the only scholar in the family. Her words pulled the hatred of Dong Xu and Fifth Uncle over!

    Second Aunt also reacted slowly. She wanted to explain herself, but she did not want to lower her head in front of her sisters-in-law. In the end, she could only straighten her neck and eat, not saying anything.

    At the dining table, Madam Dong Wu did not dare to say anything inhumane, but her eyes were glaring at Dong Nuan. Seeing that the eggs had entered Dong Nuan¡¯s mouth, Madam Dong Wu panicked and went forward to pinch her.

    In response, Dong Nuan exclaimed, ¡°Mom, why are you pinching me?¡±

    Madam Wu did not expect Dong Nuan to expose her in front of everyone. She was so frightened that she retracted her head and smiled awkwardly. She did not dare to do anything else, but she gritted her teeth in her heart.

    Why was she pinching Dong Nuan? There was so much delicious food. Was it appropriate to not leave some of it from her younger brother?

    Why should a girl eat so well?

    Dong Nuan knew that Madam Dong Wu did not dare to say anything in front of Old Master Dong, so she smiled and swallowed half an egg. Only then did she say with a smile, ¡°The treatment of scholars is indeed good.¡±

    Old Master Dong wanted to roast her on the fire, so she stirred the pot even more.

    Scholars were treated so well. Anyone would be tempted.

    Once one was tempted, one could come up with any idea they wanted to.

    The first to be targeted was the seemingly idiotic Fifth Uncle.

    Did Fifth Uncle not know this?

    Of course he knew. The gazes of his family seemed to fall on him., especially after Dong Nuan finished speaking. He wanted to raise his neck and say a few words to Dong Nuan as a fellow scholar.

    In the end, before he could say anything, the hatred was directed at him.

    Fifth Uncle was so scared that he did not dare to speak. He lowered his head and ate.

    Old Master Dong¡¯s intention was indeed to teach Dong Nuan a lesson, but he did not expect the little girl to directly shift the hatred away from her. It could be imagined that if Fifth Uncle was really an idiot, his journey as a scholar only had a few days left.

    In the next few days, his family would definitely catch him red-handed.

    Dong Nuan ate her bowl of rice in peace, along with half an egg and a small piece of millet cake.

    After eating, she patted her clothes again and went to school.

    Scholar Liao came from two rooms next to his house. After a simple walk, they arrived at the school.

    In any case, he did not take in many students. Those who were promising had all gone to town. Those who were useless had gone home to farm after learning for a few months. The number of students had always been maintained at around ten.

    Scholar Liao did not mention anything to the others yesterday about Dong Nuan coming to study.

    Therefore, when they arrived today, the boys who were studying were a little surprised.

    Among these people, the oldest was only eleven years old, and the youngest was eight years old.

    The owner of the body had always worked at home and had no chance to go out to play, so she was not familiar with her peers in the village.

    Now that she were here, everyone knew each other and did not speak much to her.

    Moreover, since the headmaster did not say anything, they did not dare to ask further.

    They were still afraid of the headmaster, even the most mischievous one.

    Because the Headmaster¡¯s words could decide if they were going to be beaten up when they went home today.

    Thus, who would dare to be naughty?

 Chapter 40

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Scholar Liao was just as Dong Nuan had expected. He treated everyone equally and did not deliberately neglect Dong Nuan just because she was a girl.

    In any case, he was a good shepherd. As he taught, his students below listened.

    Because the farmyard was poor, no one had the money to buy pens and paper. Scholar Liao had his own methods. He filled a small wooden bowl with water and let everyone write on the wooden table. After writing, they could use a small rag to wipe it off.

    The small rags were naturally prepared by each family. Dong Nuan did not know anything because it was her first day there. She only brought a small rag.

    At noon, he would put the rags outside to dry and use them in the afternoon.

    Dong Nuan studied for the entire morning. When she returned home at noon, she had just washed her face with well water and cooled down a little when she saw a stranger at home.

    ¡°Hey, this house is very clean.¡± The person who came was an old woman in her forties. She was wearing quite decent clothes. At least, there were no patches on it. She smiled when she saw people, and her hair was combed neatly.

    After entering, she looked around and said some nice things.

    ¡°Hey, what is Sister Liu doing here? Come in and take a seat.¡± When Old Madam Dong saw her, she quickly invited her in.

    She carried a basket and walked in. She put the basket aside and was not in a hurry to take out the things. Instead, she said polite greetings for a while.

    In any case, she was the kind of person that could praise people to the point where flowers bloomed from them. Dong Nuan had just washed her face and was standing in the courtyard, so she followed her into the central room.

    Old Madam Liu sized Dong Nuan up from top to bottom. After reading it, she nodded in satisfaction and said, ¡°Elders Sister still knows how to raise children. Look how well she¡¯s raised this one.¡±

    Dong Nuan looked at her for a long time and roughly guessed her identity.

    The matchmaker.

    Thinking of her humanoid pill, Dong Nuan knew that Han Jianglou must have prepared a matchmaker before proposing marriage.

    She was not embarrassed and allowed the other party to size her up.

    At this moment, everyone in the family had returned from the fields. However, Second Aunt and Fourth Aunt Dong were still gone. Dong Nuan did not care much about them. If they were gone, so be it.

    ¡°Third Brother¡¯s family, come over for a while.¡± After talking to Old Madam Liu for a long time, Old Madam Dong called Madam Dong Wu over.

    After all, it was related to Dong Nuan¡¯s marriage. It was not good for Madam Dong Wu to not know anything.

    After exchanging pleasantries for a long time, Old Madam Liu went straight to the point. ¡°I was asked by someone to come visit. Her potential match is really great. And it¡¯s not just me, but everyone in the village can see it.¡±

    Blah, blah.

    Old Madam Liu praised Han Jianglou beyond bounds.

    This was very normal. She had to put in a good word for whoever had the money.

    Old Madam Liu had received the money. She could not possibly not say anything negative, right?

    The two families had already mentioned this matter before, so Old Madam Dong listened attentively.

    Actually, from the moment Old Madam Liu entered, Old Madam Dong felt much better. This was because Han Jianglou knew how to be a gentleman. There were many matchmakers in the nearby villages, but Han Jianglou had specially invited Old Madam Liu from Old Madam Dong¡¯s maiden family¡¯s village.

    It could be seen that he had considered things well. At the same time, he was expressing goodwill to the family.

    Old Madam Dong really felt good. Even though she knew that Old Madam Liu was exaggerating, she did not feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°The young master of the Han family is so considerate. He¡¯s afraid that he¡¯s wrong in his etiquette. Oh my, I¡¯ve never seen such a considerate young master.¡± The matchmaker¡¯s mouth was full of lies. It was fine to just listen in to some words.

    However, when she opened the basket and revealed what was inside, Old Madam Dong felt that it was fine as long as that was not a lie.

    Han Jianglou was very generous. This piece of meat looked like it weighed two kilograms. It was fat and juicy. Old Madam Dong only took a look and was much more satisfied.

    Other than a piece of meat, there was also something wrapped in paper. From the smell, it should be candy. There was also a jar of wine. It was probably worth four taels. It was not much. After all, it was just a marriage proposal. It was already not bad to show some gratitude.

    In the end, there were also ten eggs. Every egg was cleaned very well. It was obvious that he had put in a lot of effort.

    There were countless people who came to propose marriage empty-handed just because.

    However, the situation between their two families was special, so Han Jianglou was generous.

    Old Madam Dong was much more satisfied after reading it. Even the smile on her face became much more sincere.

    Old Master Dong watched from the side and nodded approvingly in his heart. He thought to himself that Han Jianglou was not bad.

    Dong Nuan did not care about the items. She only cared about her humanoid medicinal pill.

    Speaking of which, she had not absorbed him today. Should she take a puff at noon?

    However, now that the matchmaker was at home, it was not appropriate for her to run around casually. Old Madam Dong kept giving her a look to tell her not to walk around simply and to behave obediently.

    Although they were all from the same village, how could Han Jianglou not know what Dong Nuan was like?

    However, he had to put on an act in front of the matchmaker.

    Dong Nuan cooperated and did not move. She sat at the back door to cool down.

    The two families had already discussed this marriage. Now that they had found a matchmaker, it was just a procedure and etiquette.

    Old Madam Dong hesitated for a moment before agreeing to the marriage. They agreed that in five days, the matchmaker would bring the man to the door. Both parties would exchange tokens and settle the marriage first.

    Because the farmyard did not have the habit of eating lunch, Old Madam Dong did not leave any food behind. However, she picked some cucumbers, eggplants, and six eggs from the backyard for Old Madam Liu to fill.

    The man had given the matchmaker a gift, so the woman had to express her gratitude.

    It was mainly because Han Jianglou was generous. Old Madam Dong did not want to embarrass her family.

    Old Madam Liu left happily with the things. The Dong family had given the matchmaker gift, and so had Han Jianglou. Moreover, as the one who took the initiative to talk about marriage, Han Jianglou was also very generous.

    However, he gave Old Madam Liu a piece of meat that weighed a catty, half a catty of candy, and ten eggs.

    To Old Madam Liu, this was already an extremely important matchmaker gift.

    It was not like she had not accepted the offer of two eggs before.

    After sending Old Madam Liu off, Old Madam Dong smiled and put away the things.

    The fresh meat could not be stored in the summer. He had to apply salt to it, or it would stink at night.

    Old Madam Dong was very fast. As expected, there was half a packet of sweets wrapped in the paper bag. Just by smelling the wrapping paper, it tasted very good.

    Old Madam Dong happily put away the eggs and sugar, and the meat was marinated.

    As for this small jar of wine, it was naturally reserved for Old Master Dong to drink.

    Madam Dong Wu watched from the side with envy. There were a few times when she wanted to ask Old Madam Dong for candy for Dong Yao to eat, but in the end, she opened her mouth but did not dare to say anything.

    She was afraid of being beaten and scolded. She wanted to order Dong Nuan around, but it was a pity that her eyeballs were about to pop out. Dong Nuan was still holding as still as a mountain.

    In the end, Madam Dong Wu turned around angrily and returned to her room. Old Madam Dong pretended not to see her tricks the entire time.

    After cleaning up, Old Madam Dong glanced at the people at home and asked with a frown, ¡°Where are the people from Second Brother¡¯s and Fourth Brother¡¯s families?¡±

    After asking, Madam Dong spat again. ¡°Forget about Fourth Brother¡¯s family. Where did Second Brother¡¯s family go?¡±

    Old Master Dong did not notice this at first. Why was his daughter-in-law missing for no reason?

    Old Madam Dong did not look at him to answer. She looked at Dong Nuan, who was sitting at the back door. Dong Nuan shook her head, indicating that she did not know either. She had not seen anyone since she returned from school.