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Chapter Text

Ji Huan was awakened by a commotion outside. Half-groggily, she could hear the shrill clamor outside, though the sound seemed muffled by a thin veil, making it unclear.

A dull ache throbbed in her head, and when she strained to hear something, she slipped back into consciousness.

When Ji Huan regained consciousness, she felt a warm touch on her face, as if someone were wiping it with a towel. Her eyelids remained heavy, and her body felt like it was weighed down by lead, defying her willpower.

Ji Huan drifted off like this for an indeterminate amount of time before finally finding the strength to open her eyes. She slowly opened them, squinting against the glare of the sun. It took a moment for her to adjust to the light before she took in the unfamiliar scene before her.

The first thing that caught her eye was the tattered bed curtains. Turning her head slightly, she peered into the room and saw a table made of simple wooden planks and two long, seemingly uncomfortable benches not far away. On the table lay several scattered porcelain bowls and an oil lamp, its oil running low.

Further in the distance, beside the dilapidated mud wall stood an old wooden cabinet, its door barely closed. A filthy, tattered straw mat lay spread out beside it, and next to it, an old quilt, neatly folded, lay neatly arranged.

Ji Huan struggled to sit up, using her hands to support herself on the bed. Her mind was still a little dazed. Her mattress at home was made of latex, and lying on it definitely didn't feel like this. And the room before her was clearly not hers.

She remembered firing a batch of Jianzhan teapots in her studio last night. She was used to doing everything herself, and she'd been keeping an eye on the electric kiln, fearing the temperature might be off. Her consciousness gradually faded, and when she woke up again, it was now.

Ji Huan looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a ragged cotton jacket with five or six patches. The same was true of her quilt; a glance revealed over a dozen patches.

Ji Huan took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. As if a thought struck her, she rolled up the sleeve covering her right hand. Only when she saw the rose tattoo on her right hand did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Luckily, this body was her own. Two years ago, she'd accidentally scratched her wrist, leaving a wound about six centimeters long, extending down her forearm. Although the scar wasn't noticeable after healing, she still had a rose tattooed on her wrist.

A crisp ding-dong sound awoke Ji Huan from her reverie. She warily surveyed her surroundings, but then a light metallic sound echoed in her mind.

"Host, you're truly clever! Yes, this body is still your old one, but due to years of intense work, your health has rapidly declined. In your previous world, you passed away..."

Ji Huan ignored the voice's subsequent words, her mind filled with the word "dead."

She was only 24, and already dead?

As if seeing Ji Huan's disbelief, the system continued: "Yes, you died suddenly last night. Because you have a skill, you were chosen by our Shuangwen system and brought here, and your dead body was activated. As long as you can help us correct the plot, you can continue to live in this small world."

"What plot?" Ji Huan was confused and couldn't help but ask the system in his heart.

"This is the plot of this book. The world you're in is actually the world in the book. The original person you replaced was a foolish, filial daughter who suffered a lifetime of frustration. In the book, she was the family's workhorse, and until her death, her family never even looked at her in the eye. In short, this kind of plot is not allowed by our cool writing system. You need to correct the frustrating plot into a cool one, and you need to let Jiang Yubai live a good life. Only then can you live a stable life in this world. I won't go into details. I'll send you the original book, and you can just take a quick look. Our system only serves as a guide. The specifics are entirely up to you. I'm going on vacation after telling you this, so don't even think of bothering me."

The system's tone was filled with worry, as if it was genuinely afraid that Ji Huan would get attached to her.

Ji Huan took a moment to digest it, and when she tried to say something to the system, it didn't respond. If she hadn't had the full text of the book in her mind, she would have believed everything that had just happened was an illusion.

"Going on vacation so soon? Can it be any more reliable?" Ji Huan muttered to herself, feeling deeply unreliable. Others were given cheat codes from the start, their entire lives awash in arrogance, but what kind of scenario was this for her? Should she just take things one step at a time?

Ji Huan shook her head helplessly. Although her body was still the same as hers from the modern world, the system must have tampered with it. She felt limp and exhausted, and even trying

to get out of bed was a struggle. Just as Ji Huan struggled to get out of bed and find a place to look at her face, the old wooden door creaked open from the outside, revealing a young woman, probably about seventeen or eighteen years old. Her skin was fair, her eyes slightly curved upwards, her raven-feather eyelashes fluttered as she blinked, and her thin, pink lips pursed nervously.

Though she wore no makeup, her beauty was undeniable. However, her dress was shabby, with more patches than even Ji Huan's own.

Without the system's assistance, nor the original owner's memories, Ji Huan could only remain unchanged, waiting for the woman across from him to speak first. Fortunately, she spoke at the right time.

"Are you awake? Mom asked me to bring some food over, and even put an egg in it. Eat it while it's hot." The woman brought the bowl of noodles to the bedside and looked at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan and the woman's eyes met for a long moment before looking away. He replied vaguely, "Oh, I'm still a little weak. Can you help me up?"

The woman tightened her clasped hands and looked at Ji Huan with a questioning look.

Seeing the woman's reaction, Ji Huan's heart was alarmed. Would she reveal her true identity by speaking?

Seeing that the woman ignored him, Ji Huan tried to exert more strength, but it was still difficult. After a long time, she couldn't successfully lean on the wooden fence behind her.

Seeing Ji Huan unable to get up, the woman asked nervously, "Do you really want me to help you?"

Ji Huan didn't understand what the woman meant. Helping herself wasn't a big deal, and she wasn't sure why she kept insisting on it, but she agreed, saying, "Yeah, I just don't have the strength."

The woman pursed her lips, then took the bowl of noodles to a nearby table. She returned and sat sideways on the edge of the bed, one hand around Ji Huan's waist and the other around his back, lifting him up.

Ji Huan followed the woman's strength and finally sat up a little, leaning back against the hardwood behind him with difficulty.

She looked at the woman's face again. It wasn't that Ji Huan was interested in the woman before her, but she was obsessed with looks. Not only did she enjoy looking in the mirror, but she also liked to stare at beautiful women.

The woman seemed to sense Ji Huan's intense gaze, her brows furrowed slightly, and she met Ji Huan's smiling eyes.

Ji Huan didn't expect the woman to look at her so suddenly. She awkwardly pressed her hand against her forehead, pretending to be dizzy.

The woman lowered her eyes slightly, reached out and picked up the steaming bowl of noodles on the table and brought it over. "Can you eat it yourself?"

Having already asked, the woman seemed a little annoyed, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed.

Ji Huan saw that the woman was in a bad mood, but she hadn't even figured out the basic situation of this world yet, so he didn't dare to say anything rashly. He just replied in a normal tone: "Okay."

After that, Ji Huan picked up the bowl of noodles beside the bed and ate it whole. Don't say it, she was really hungry now. Although she was holding a bowl of ordinary noodles with eggs, Ji Huan still ate it with gusto.

After receiving Ji Huan's answer, the woman sat down on a bench in the distance with a lonely look. She knew that Ji Huan was just like those people.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan finished a bowl of noodles and felt a slight improvement. He looked at the woman not far away, who was staring blankly at the ground.

Ji Huan gently set the bowl aside and began to flip through the original book in his mind. In this world, Ji Huan was the second child in the family and a completely filial daughter. Her mother and father favored her eldest and third brothers. Even though Ji Huan was also a Qian Yuan, her parents never looked at her, treating her like a mere machine to do the household work.

As for Ji Huan's wife, Jiang Yubai, her life was even more miserable. She was tortured by Ji Huan's parents, brother, and sister-in-law her entire life, and died of overwork before she was thirty.

Ji Huan pondered for a moment. The original Ji Huan was not valued by his family, so Jiang Yubai was the only one left to care for him.

"Yubai?" Ji Huan called out tentatively to the woman.

The woman immediately came to her senses, though with a look of surprise. Ji Huan had always spoken directly and never addressed her by name.

"Have you finished eating? I'll take the dishes and chopsticks away." Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan indifferently, picked up the dishes and chopsticks beside the bed, turned around and walked out of the room quickly.

A moment later, Ji Huan heard the sound of cursing outside the door.

"Where the hell have you been, you jinx? I can't find you in broad daylight. Are you thinking of being lazy again? Didn't I just say that? The firewood at home is all used up. Why don't you go and chop it?" A sharp female voice sounded outside the door. The sound was extremely harsh, like fingernails scratching on the door panel.

"Mom, didn't you ask me to bring food to Ji Huan? I just went to bring food to Ji Huan." Jiang Yubai replied in a low voice, but the woman scolded him even more harshly.

"How could it take so long to deliver the meal? If it weren't for you, how could Ji Huan have fallen into the water for no reason? Once she fell into the water, who would do the big and small chores in the house? And who would take care of the fields? Each and every one of them is giving me a lot of worry. Jiang Yubai, I'm warning you again, don't think that you can be close to Ji Huan just because you married her. Don't you know how unlucky you are? Ji Huan fell into the water this time because of you. You stay away from our family on a normal day. It's really unlucky. What are you still doing here? Why don't you clean up the kitchen and go to the back mountain to chop firewood?"

The woman's voice was sharp and piercing, and it was so loud that even Ji Huan, who was leaning on the bed, could hear it clearly.

"Okay, I'll go right away." Jiang Yubai seemed to have long been accustomed to such abuse. She responded calmly and went straight to the kitchen with the empty dishes in her hands.

From the previous conversation, Ji Huan understood the identity of the woman. She must be the original owner's mother, Liu Fengmei. Ji Huan forced herself to go out and confront her, but she had no strength left. Her chest heaved, and it took a long time for her anger to subside.

Ji Huan now wanted more than just to change the plot. She couldn't let her live like the original owner, living a cowardly life. Even if it weren't for the system's mission, Ji Huan had to redeem herself. Trying to PUA her? No way.

Meanwhile, the insults from outside the door continued. "Bah, you jinx! Why are you pretending to be so noble? Didn't you marry an old man before you married Ji Huan? It's just that you killed him during your wedding night. If it weren't for the two taels of silver your family gave you as a dowry, do you think I would let you in..."

The insults continued, and Ji Huan felt sick. The original owner's mother was truly a bad person.

Jiang Yubai endured the insults and numbly poured the water from the wooden bucket into the pot.

Washing dishes in winter is the worst kind of pain, especially when farmers use cold water to save on firewood. Jiang Yubai, however, seemed oblivious to the cold, mechanically cleaning the dishes in the pot.

She'd been doing this kind of work since she was a child, often doing even harder tasks, so she'd long since grown accustomed to it. As for the abuse, it had lingered in her ears almost constantly over the years: from her father, her brother and his wife, and the rest of the village. After marrying into the Ji family, she'd even received more abuse from the Ji family.

At first, she'd thought Ji Huan was honest and that life would be good with him, but after marrying, she realized she'd simply fallen from the jaws of a tiger into a den of wolves. Efforts to survive anywhere were no different for her.

Sometimes, Jiang Yubai wondered if she had to live like this for the rest of her life, so she might as well die early and enjoy peace and quiet.

In her room, Ji Huan forced herself to lie down on the bed. She had regained some strength, but she was still limp. Not wanting to waste any more time, she laid down and began to diligently read the plot.

The more she read, the angrier she became. The original owner was far too filial, deferring to her mother in everything. Even when his wife was abused and insulted, the original owner was submissive. Ji Huan wanted to rip that soft-hearted original owner out and give him a good beating.

Her chest heaved, and it took a while for her to recover. Now that she had taken over the original owner's identity, Ji Huan intended to teach her family a lesson.

Her first priority was to recover quickly, or else she would be lying in bed, unable to do anything.

Ji Huan thought, drifting off to sleep again. Some time later, Liu Fengmei's shrill, piercing voice reached her from outside.

"Crack this egg into Ji Huan's bowl and let her take good care of herself. It's not a serious illness, so why hasn't she recovered yet? There's no one to do all the housework." Liu Fengmei didn't mince words when she spoke, and she almost said directly that Ji Huan had to get well soon, otherwise there would be no one to do the housework.

Ji Huan was lying on the bed, and he laughed out loud when he heard what Liu Fengmei said outside. What kind of person was the original owner? How could such a mother be so filial all her life?

"Okay, I'll take it in and feed it to her." Jiang Yubai responded indifferently, and turned to walk towards her and Ji Huan's room.

Just when Jiang Yubai was about to push the door, Liu Fengmei's voice came from behind him again: "Wait."

Jiang Yubai paused, turned around with the porridge in his hand, and waited quietly for Liu Fengmei to lecture him.

Liu Fengmei sized Jiang Yubai up and, with a hint of disdain, warned, "Remember, don't mess with Ji Huan. You're not clean. Don't bring bad luck to Ji Huan again. Our family still depends on him for survival."

"Mom, I know," Jiang Yubai replied softly, his manner submissive, like a statue.

"If you know, go right away. You need me to tell you everything. Oh, I'm such a worry." Liu Fengmei walked away, cursing, as if she did all the work for the family.

Jiang Yubai, holding the multi-grain porridge and egg in her hands, turned and went into the room.

She placed the porcelain bowl on the wooden table, cracked the egg Liu Fengmei had given her into the bowl, and stirred it quickly with a spoon.

Ji Huan pushed himself up and sat up, his eyes involuntarily falling on the bowl of multi-grain porridge. It was dark, and the room was lit only by a dim oil lamp. Ji Huan was truly hungry.

Seeing her get up, Jiang Yubai walked over to the bedside, holding the porcelain bowl in her hand. She hesitated for a moment, then saw that Ji Huan was struggling to move, and then asked, "Do you need my help?"

Ji Huan nodded. "Yes, thank you. I'm still a little weak."

Jiang Yubai seemed not to expect Ji Huan to thank her. She shook her head gently, put the porcelain bowl aside, and then carefully helped Ji Huan up. Ji

Huan leaned against the headboard, smelling the aroma of multi-grain porridge not far away, and swallowed a few times gently.

Jiang Yubai handed the porcelain bowl to Ji Huan, and Ji Huan immediately began to eat. In the past, she would definitely think that directly beating eggs into the porridge was too fishy, ​​but now she was so hungry that she didn't care.

Jiang Yubai sat quietly at the table, waiting for Ji Huan to finish. She herself had hurriedly eaten a bowl of mixed-grain porridge in the kitchen for dinner. As for the other dishes, they were brought to the large table. The Ji Mantun family enjoyed the feast, but she, an unlucky person, was not allowed to eat at the table.

Jiang Yubai sighed softly and rubbed her still sore palms. In the afternoon, she had gone to the river to fetch water, then to the mountains to chop wood. Upon returning, she immediately began cooking for the family. Meanwhile, Ji Huan's eldest brother, his family, and two younger brothers were so relaxed, showing no interest in helping her.

Indeed, whether here or in her previous home, she was just a tool for the work. No one cared if she was tired, and no one even looked at her. She should have gotten used to it by now.

Jiang Yubai chuckled self-deprecatingly, then quickly regained her composure. She sat there calmly, like a statue.

Ji Huan finished half a bowl of porridge before she felt her stomach fill up a bit, and she felt a bit better. She looked at Jiang Yubai, who was sitting on a bench in a daze.

After reading the entire story, Ji Huan felt very sorry for Jiang Yubai's experience. Jiang Yubai was obviously a good person, but he was wasted and died early. But now that she had traveled through time, she would certainly not let that happen again.

"What are you thinking about?" Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai and asked.

Jiang Yubai came to his senses, quickly stood up and replied, "Nothing, I'll go wash the dishes."

With that, Jiang Yubai quickly came to Ji Huan's side, took the porcelain bowl from the bedside, and quickly walked out of the room.

Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai's back and sighed slightly. It seemed that at this time, Jiang Yubai was completely disappointed in the original owner.

The oil lamp in the room flickered. Just after it was lit for a while, Liu Fengmei's shrill voice came from outside again: "Isn't the oil in the oil lamp free? It's been burning for so long and you haven't blown it out. Do you think the money in the family comes from the wind?" "

Mom, Ji Huan was just eating. I'll go back and turn off the oil lamp." Jiang Yubai's voice was calm, as if he was accustomed to Liu Fengmei's troublemaking.

"Why are you still standing there? Why don't you go quickly? It's so unlucky..." Liu Fengmei kept cursing, and she didn't stop until Jiang Yubai returned to the room.

If Ji Huan could get up, he would have wanted to run out and shut up that crazy woman.

Chapter Text

Jiang Yubai entered the room without saying much. She walked straight to the table and extinguished the already dim oil lamp, plunging the room into darkness.

Ji Huan hesitated several times before formulating his words, saying, "Don't listen to your mother's nonsense. What she says makes no sense at all. You don't even need to listen."

Jiang Yubai hadn't expected Ji Huan to say that, and her hands paused as they arranged the straw mat. After all, Ji Huan had always treated Liu Fengmei's words as if they were imperial decrees, never daring to disobey.

However, she didn't take it too seriously, assuming that Ji Huan felt sorry for her and was saying soft words to make her feel better.

When she first married, Ji Huan had always said soft words to comfort her, but every time Liu Fengmei or any of Ji Huan's family members insulted her, Ji Huan never spoke up for her. Instead, he urged her to be more considerate of her mother and her family and apologize to them.

Many times afterward, this happened again. Jiang Yubai had long since grown disillusioned with Ji Huan, no longer expecting him to be as attentive and considerate as other wives and husbands. Perhaps this was simply her fate.

Jiang Yubai's hands kept moving, tidying up the pile of weeds before she lay down on them, pulling the worn quilt beside her over her.

The winter night was already chilly, and with only a few weeds beneath her, the bone-chilling cold quickly washed over her. She shivered slightly from the cold, but Jiang Yubai had long since grown accustomed to such temperatures. No one would make decisions for her, no one would care about her. All she could do was get used to it as quickly as possible.

In the Ji family, no one treated her like a human being, not even Ji Huan. It wasn't that she hadn't thought about leaving, but where could she, Kunze, go after that? There wasn't much work in winter, and even if there was, people would want the more capable Qianyuan and Zhongyong. How could she make a living?

The chill of the ground made Jiang Yubai shiver. She closed her eyes in despair, hoping to fall asleep quickly. Only then would she not feel cold.

Ji Huan waited for a while, and when she heard no movement from Jiang Yubai, she remembered that in the original book, the original owner's parents, Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, believed that Jiang Yubai was unlucky and had always made him sleep on the haystack on the ground. Sleeping there might have been coping in the summer, but it was winter now, and even Ji Huan lying in bed felt cold, let alone Jiang Yubai sleeping on the haystack. Ji

Huan propped himself up slightly and looked towards Jiang Yubai. The room was pitch black, with only scattered moonlight from the window casting a mottled light and shadow on the ground.

Ji Huan barely made out Jiang Yubai's silhouette by the wooden cabinet. "Yubai, are you asleep?"

Jiang Yubai, drowsy, had just begun to drift off. When Ji Huan called her, she quickly stood up. "Not yet. Do you need to get up?" "

No, the floor's too cold. You should sleep in bed with me," Ji Huan continued.

Jiang Yubai froze in her tracks. She and Ji Huan had been married for almost six months, and she had been sleeping in the haystack ever since she arrived. Ji Huan wouldn't say it out loud, but Jiang Yubai knew it. Ji Huan also considered her a bad omen, and had avoided her since their marriage. Sometimes, even if she touched him, he'd take several steps back. How could he possibly let her sleep with him? Was

Ji Huan's mind flooded with water when she fell into the water? Or was she trying to appease Liu Fengmei after she'd been scolded today?

But Jiang Yubai didn't take it seriously, dismissing Ji Huan's nonsense as nonsense. She calmly replied, "No, I'm used to sleeping here."

As she spoke, she began to lie down again. The little warmth she had just built up had now completely dissipated. Jiang Yubai sighed, anticipating another cold night.

Seeing someone in the distance about to lie down, Ji Huan quickly added, "I'm serious. Winter is cold, and the ground is damp. Sleeping on the ground all the time isn't good for you. Why don't you come and sleep in the bed with me? It's cold, too, but it's definitely better than the ground."

Jiang Yubai hadn't expected Ji Huan to ask her to sleep in the bed again. Her heart skipped a beat, and her eyes lit up before quickly dimming again. "Well, what if Mother asks about

it tomorrow morning?" Jiang Yubai asked, already despairing. After all, Ji Huan was filial and would never disobey Liu Fengmei.

Just as she was about to lie down again, she heard Ji Huan's next words.

"It's okay. If she asks, I'm here. Don't worry, I won't let her bully you." Ji Huan lowered his voice, soothing Jiang Yubai, trying to convince him of his words.

Seeing Jiang Yubai still didn't move, Ji Huan grew anxious. Her strength was gradually returning, and she didn't know if it was the system, but she felt a lot stronger than before. She sat up and quickly continued, "Everything I said is true. Don't worry, I'll protect you from now on and won't let you get bullied again."

Jiang Yubai sat there motionless, clearly unconvinced. Qian Yuan's unprovoked advances towards Kun Ze had been interpreted by Jiang Yubai as Ji Huan's intentions. The slightest ripple of emotion quickly faded.

She knew it all. Why would Ji Huan treat her so well for no reason? But wasn't Ji Huan afraid of death? Ever since that incident, everyone in his family and the village feared he would kill them. Wasn't Ji Huan afraid?

Jiang Yubai's heart was in turmoil, her mind racing through the past. But she couldn't resist the warmth she felt. Ever since her mother's death, no one had offered her a helping hand. Even though she knew Ji Huan's motives for letting her sleep in bed were more than innocent, she was easily swayed.

"Okay, then, aren't you afraid?" Jiang Yubai asked, a hint of hesitation in her expression.

Ji Huan understood Jiang Yubai's meaning almost immediately and said, "Of course not. You're my wife, how could I be afraid of you? Don't take what those people say seriously. Just treat it as bullshit."

Jiang Yubai tightened her grip on the quilt. She stood up, hugging it, and after a moment's thought, she brushed off the dust on herself and the quilt, fearing she would soil Ji Huan's bed.

Jiang Yubai patted for a long time before stopping. Seeing Ji Huan was silent, she approached the bed with a hint of trepidation, unsure whether she should go to bed. Would Ji Huan regret it?

Just as Jiang Yubai was lost in thought, a warm hand grasped her wrist. "What are you standing there for? Come up and sleep,"

Ji Huan said, moving inward, leaving the outer space for Jiang Yubai. The wooden bed wasn't large, but it was probably about 1.4 meters tall, enough for two people to sleep.

Jiang Yubai felt a faint warmth where her wrist had been held. She could hardly remember it; it had been so long since her mother passed away that no one had touched her like that.

She carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and was about to cover herself with the quilt when she felt the warm quilt on the bed. Was it the quilt Ji Huan had left for her?

Jiang Yubai was stunned for a moment, as if still a little in disbelief.

"This quilt?" Jiang Yubai asked hesitantly. In the darkness, she couldn't see Ji Huan's expression.

"Leave it for you. Let's share a quilt, and put yours on top. It'll be warmer this way." Ji Huan explained.

Jiang Yubai pursed her red lips slightly, but her face was even paler than before. She wanted to share a quilt, so did Ji Huan really intend to consummate their marriage?

Jiang Yubai smiled miserably. That was right. How could Ji Huan suddenly become so considerate? It was simply that Qian Yuan's temper had gotten out and he wanted to possess her.

Jiang Yubai's eyes were slightly red. She couldn't escape, and she didn't know where to escape to. Even if she left Ji Huan, there was no place for her to stay in Dongniu Village, and the situation would not be much better than it was now.

Jiang Yubai woodenly got on the bed and covered herself with the quilt that Ji Huan had left for her, and then put her own quilt on top of it.

Jiang Yubai's body was stiff, waiting for Ji Huan's next move. In the darkness, she smiled somewhat sadly. If Liu Fengmei knew about this, she would definitely insult her with even more dirty words tomorrow morning, right?

However, Jiang Yubai waited for a long time but the person next to her didn't move. She turned her head to look at Ji Huan in some confusion. In the darkness, she could only see that Ji Huan seemed to have closed his eyes and was ready to sleep.

As if he had noticed someone was looking at him, Ji Huan opened his eyes and met Jiang Yubai's gaze.

Ji Huan thought that Jiang Yubai was afraid that Liu Fengmei would scold her if she knew she slept in the bed, so he reached out and gently patted the back of Jiang Yubai's hand, comforting her: "Don't worry, don't worry about mother and the others, I'm here. Go to bed early, and don't sleep on the floor anymore. This bed is big enough for the two of us."

Jiang Yubai nodded blankly, and saw Ji Huan closed his eyes again, and it looked like he was really going to sleep.

So Ji Huan really just asked her to sleep in the bed?

There were two people sleeping in the quilt, so it was extra warm, and there was a mattress on the wooden bed under her, so she didn't feel too cold or uncomfortable. Jiang Yubai quickly fell asleep in such an environment, and she was still thinking about this question when she was about to fall asleep.

Chapter Text

The next morning, before dawn, Jiang Yubai opened her eyes. She had long been accustomed to waking early, waking naturally after the hour of Yin. Then came a full day of work, with little rest in between. Jiang Yubai had grown accustomed to this kind of life. The only difference was that she felt a warmth all around her body, as if she were being held in someone's arms.

She struggled slightly, but Ji Huan's grip on her waist tightened again. The room was too cold, and ancient rural homes didn't have access to charcoal fires. So, as they slept that night, Ji Huan pulled the warm Jiang Yubai into his arms and held her.

Ji Huan was still a little sleepy, and after a moment's rest, she felt someone pushing her in her arms. It was then that she remembered she was now in a book, and that the person she was holding should be Jiang Yubai.

Although women in this world could marry, Ji Huan couldn't help but apply modern thinking. After all, she had lived to 24 in her previous life and was still single. Hugging a girl shouldn't be a big deal.

Still, Ji Huan felt a bit awkward. She'd never really liked close contact with others, and now she was holding Jiang Yubai in her arms.

Ji Huan quickly let go, explaining, "I'm sorry. It must have been too cold tonight, so I instinctively hugged him."

The arm around her waist quickly withdrew, and Jiang Yubai's warmth dissipated. Ji Huan must have been asleep before he hugged her. After all, he carried a bad reputation, and no one wanted to be near him.

Jiang Yubai's grip on the quilt tightened. It was past the hour of the zodiac, the time she woke up every day to feed the pigs in the backyard, then prepare breakfast for the family.

Jiang Yubai lifted the quilt slightly, preparing to get out of bed, but in the darkness, someone beside her grabbed her wrist.

"Why are you up so early?" Ji Huan asked instinctively.

"It's getting late. I should go feed the pigs. Otherwise, Mom won't be happy," Jiang Yubai said, starting to get up.

Ji Huan held Jiang Yubai's wrist but didn't let go. "We're not the only two who can work at home. It's not like our eldest brother's family, and our third and fourth brothers all have hands. Lie down and sleep with me for a while. If Mom asks, I'll be there."

The room was dimly lit, and Jiang Yubai couldn't see Ji Huan's expression, but the warm touch on her wrist was real. Would Ji Huan really protect her?

Jiang Yubai didn't really believe Ji Huan would disobey her mother, but the touch on her wrist was real. It had been so long since anyone had cared for her, let alone had any physical contact with her. Jiang Yubai couldn't resist the brief warmth and lay back down beside Ji Huan.

It had been so long since anyone had cared for her, and even though Ji Huan only said it, and even though she would be scolded by her mother soon, Jiang Yubai still clung to this fleeting warmth.

Ji Huan had no idea what Jiang Yubai was thinking. Seeing Jiang Yubai lying down obediently, Ji Huan stood up and pulled the quilt for Jiang Yubai, then lay down himself.

It was true that sleeping separately like this was not as warm as when they cuddled together just now. However, Ji Huan did not dare to be abrupt. It was indeed not nice to suddenly hug a girl to sleep.

In a daze, Ji Huan fell asleep again. When he woke up again, he was awakened by the sharp and shrill shouting of a woman outside.

"You damn jinx, it's so late and you're still sleeping? The whole family is still hungry. If my darling grandson is hungry, you will be in trouble..." The shrill shouting sounded outside the door, followed by heavy knocks on the door.

Jiang Yubai's face was pale, as if he knew what was going to happen next. He was sullenly preparing to get up and open the door.

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai's wrist and whispered, "Don't worry, it's too cold outside. Get dressed first. I'll open the door. Don't be afraid." Ji

Huan released Jiang Yubai's wrist and began quickly putting on his clothes. Before Jiang Yubai was still dazed, Ji Huan had already finished and was downstairs.

Behind her, Jiang Yubai quickly put on her clothes, looking at Ji Huan with confusion.

After all, she had faced Liu Fengmei's insults alone many times before, and Ji Huan had never stood by her. So would he help her this time?

Countless times before, Jiang Yubai had fantasized about someone coming to her aid, even just to speak up for her. But after her mother's death, no one was willing to help her anymore. Time and again, she hoped, only to be met with disappointment. She grew numb. As long as she didn't hold out hope in anyone, she wouldn't be disappointed.

Jiang Yubai calmed his inner turmoil, smiled wryly, and shook his head, his eyes no longer shining. Perhaps Ji Huan had simply been feeling sorry for him last night?

Jiang Yubai didn't think Ji Huan would speak up for him. After all, with her filial piety, she would have obeyed anything her parents said.

Ji Huan had woken up completely frozen. On a winter morning, the room was completely dry, which wasn't very kind to someone used to having heating. Fortunately, Ji Huan was fine.

Ji Huan frowned slightly and reached out to open the door. The biting cold wind blew in, making Ji Huan pull his clothes closer.

"What's going on so early, mother?" Ji Huan's tone wasn't exactly pleasant. It was freezing cold, and hearing someone standing outside yelling at the top of their lungs wasn't exactly a pleasant experience for anyone, especially since the woman was completely unrelated to him.

Liu Fengmei's curse was stuck in her throat. She obviously didn't expect that it was Ji Huan who came to open the door. After all, Ji Huan had been filial since childhood and didn't dare to disobey her.

Liu Fengmei took a breath and saw that Ji Huan was no longer in any danger. She said, "Are you feeling better?"

Seeing the gleam in Liu Fengmei's eyes, Ji Huan coughed a few times and supported himself on the wall with one hand: "I still have a headache and no strength in my body."

Liu Fengmei was about to say that the water tank at home was out of water and wanted Ji Huan to go out and fetch water. But the words were on the tip of her tongue but were blocked by Ji Huan's words. After all, Liu Fengmei wanted to use Ji Huan to be her slave in the future. It was not good to be too extreme. She said, "Then take another day off. But what about Jiang Yubai? The whole family is waiting for her to make breakfast. She doesn't feed the pigs and doesn't make breakfast. " What on earth does she want to do?"

Liu Fengmei said as she looked into the house. Ji Huan blocked Liu Fengmei's inquiring sight, bent over and coughed twice, then looked at Liu Fengmei weakly, and his voice became weaker and weaker: "Mom, I had a fever all night last night, and she took care of me all night. She hasn't slept all night yet. Let her rest, otherwise Yubai will be exhausted and I will have to trouble you to take care of me."

Liu Fengmei's eyes widened, and she gritted her teeth and swallowed back the curse on her lips. Her second daughter is capable and has been the one who listens to her since she was a child. She is stronger than the other Qianyuan in the family and is the first laborer in the family. Liu Fengmei didn't want to disappoint Ji Huan for no reason.

It's just to let Jiang Yubai, the jinx, rest for a day. Ji Huan is right. If Jiang Yubai is exhausted to death, who will do the chores at home?

Thinking about it, Liu Fengmei forced a smile and slowed down her voice and said, "You are right. Then let her stay to take care of you today. I will let your fourth brother and the others do the cooking."

"Okay, then thank you for trouble. Cough cough cough..."

Ji Huan said, and did not forget to cough for a while. Liu Fengmei felt a pang of pain. Would the number one laborer in the family become a consumptive?

"You should go into the house and rest. Where is Jiang Yubai? Haven't you seen that your wife is coughing like this? Take good care of her, or I will peel off a layer of your skin." Liu Fengmei glared at Jiang Yubai on the side and said viciously.

"Yes, mother." Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan, a little confused. So, was Ji Huan pretending to be sick to help him?

"I'm glad to know. I'll ask them to bring the food to you later." Liu Fengmei glared at Jiang Yubai and turned to leave.

Seeing that everyone had left, Ji Huan hurriedly closed the door of the room, and the little warmth in the room was completely gone.

She straightened up and turned to look at Jiang Yubai, only to see Jiang Yubai staring at her blankly.

Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai, and then said: "There are so many people in this family. Those people will not starve to death if the two of us don't work. You don't have to listen to them. If you can be lazy, just be lazy first." Jiang Yubai

seemed a little bit unbelievable that these words came from Ji Huan's mouth, and his eyes, which were usually calm, widened.

Ji Huan couldn't explain to Jiang Yubai that she'd traveled through time and space. After all, ancient people were quite awed by the supernatural, and if she rashly told him, it might just scare him. She could only casually evade the question, "Falling into the water this time definitely cleared my head. I don't know how I got through those days before, but I won't do that again. Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan. She still couldn't believe what he had just said. She'd been disappointed too many times before, and she no longer dared to hope for anything. But she was already very grateful that Ji Huan could help her say this today.

"Thank you for today," Jiang Yubai said calmly. She subconsciously wanted to walk towards the haystack where she'd lived before, but Ji Huan grabbed her wrist.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan as if puzzled. Ji Huan smiled and said, "Let's sleep on the bed from now on. We'll clean up these haystacks later. If mother asks, I'll be there for you."

Ji Huan winked at Jiang Yubai while speaking. His playful look was something that Ji Huan could never do in the past. Jiang Yubai's doubts deepened. Is this person in front of him really the foolishly filial and cowardly Ji Huan?

Ji Huan was busy with her work before, and stayed with those cups all day, so she didn't have many friends. Now that she and Jiang Yubai were the only two people left in the room, Ji Huan felt the atmosphere was a little awkward again.

She hurriedly made small talk: "If you are still sleepy, go lie on the bed for a while. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. Mother and the others won't dare to do anything to you."

"Yeah." Jiang Yubai responded lightly, and there was a hint of inquiry in his eyes when he looked at Ji Huan.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan knew that the relationship between the original owner and Jiang Yubai was not so good, and was afraid that his excessive enthusiasm would scare Jiang Yubai, so he simply went back to the bed and wrapped himself in the quilt.

Jiang Yubai sat quietly at the table, took the needle and thread placed beside him, and began to mend something.

After a while, there was another chaotic knock on the door, "Second sister, mother asked me to bring you food, open the door quickly, it's too cold outside."

Ji Huan was not sure whether it was the original owner's third or fourth brother, but he still hurriedly got up and winked at Jiang Yubai at the table, signaling her not to open the door.

Jiang Yubaiye understood what Ji Huan meant, and just stood behind Ji Huan from a distance, waiting for Ji Huan to go over and open the door.

Ji Huan walked to the door slowly, tidied her clothes, and then slowly opened the door. When she opened the door, her face changed to that sick expression again.

"Second sister, why are you so slow? I've been waiting outside for ages." The man who brought her food was a young man named Qian Yuan, who looked about fifteen or sixteen, with a childish expression and a constant stream of complaints.

"Cough, cough, cough, sorry, I just don't feel well," Ji Huan, not caring who was coming, began coughing violently as if he was coughing his lungs out.

Ji Sen, the fourth child in the family, had been woken early in the morning by his mother and forced to feed the pigs with his wife, Wang Xiuxiu, and cook breakfast for the whole family. He was so reluctant, his face longer than a shoe horn. After all, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai usually took care of all the household chores, leaving the rest of them to rest.

Ji Sen had originally wanted to come over to check on her. If his second sister looked better, he would have pushed all the chores of fetching water, chopping wood, and cooking back to Ji Huan so he and his wife could go back and rest.

But Ji Huan looked pale and coughed non-stop. Ji Sen couldn't say the words on his lips. His second sister looked like she was about to faint from coughing. If he asked her to work again, would she be exhausted to death? That couldn't be right. All the work at home depended on Ji Huan. If Ji Huan died of exhaustion, with his mother's partiality, it would be impossible for her to let the eldest and third sons work. Then all the work would fall on him, and wouldn't he be exhausted to death?

Thinking of this, Ji Sen hurriedly said: "Second sister, look at how you are coughing. Go in and rest quickly. This meal is for you. Be careful. Can you hold it?"

Ji Huan leaned against the door frame and coughed a few more times breathlessly. Then he turned his attention to the two bowls of mixed grain rice.

Ji Huan took a quick glance and realized the two bowls of rice were different. One was half white rice, while the other was entirely mixed-grain rice. She gasped and asked, "Why is that bowl all mixed-grain rice?"

Ji Sen was stunned by the question. After all, Jiang Yubai didn't normally have the luxury of eating good food at home. While everyone else ate white rice and flour, Jiang Yubai could only eat mixed-grain rice or sweet potatoes and potatoes. Not to mention meat, which was never Jiang Yubai's turn.

Ji Senzhi thought Ji Huan was so distressed she was losing her mind and reminded her, "Second sister, have you forgotten? Hasn't Jiang Yubai been eating these since she got married?"

"Ahem, cough, cough, give her some white rice too. Yubai's taken care of me all night. Don't get sick from exhaustion again." Ji Huan looked ready to collapse.

"Huh? Give her some white rice too?" Ji Sen hesitated, but after hearing what Ji Huan had just said, he reluctantly nodded. Serve her white rice. If Jiang Yubai got sick again, it would be a disaster for him and his wife. "Okay, I'll go get her some more."

Ji Sen went back to the kitchen with a bitter face.

Seeing Ji Sen leave, Ji Huan closed the door slightly, straightened up, smiled and winked at Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai stood there a little at a loss, as if burned by Ji Huan's gaze. Jiang Yubai only felt a barely perceptible blush on the tip of his ear, and the fingers clasped together tightened. Was Ji Huan protecting him?

Ji Sen returned to the kitchen and filled Jiang Yubai's bowl with half a bowl of white rice. After thinking about it, he gritted his teeth and put another plate of pickles and a pot of water on the wooden board. It was not that he felt sorry for Ji Huan, his sister, but he was afraid that if Ji Huan fell, he and his wife would be in trouble.

Wang Xiuxiu looked at Ji Sen's actions and asked in confusion, "Why did you bring the rice back again?"

"I don't know what's wrong with Ji Huan. She insisted that I serve half a bowl of rice to Jiang Yubai as well. She is still sick. I don't want to argue with her. I just hope she can get better soon, otherwise this crappy job will fall on us." Ji Sen muttered.

"That's right. I don't want to be a slave to your family."

Wang Xiuxiu looked around and saw that there was indeed no one else. Then she whispered to Ji Sen, "If each family took turns doing the work, I could accept it, but mom and dad are too partial. The eldest brother and the third brother are simply the treasures of mom and dad. They can't bear to let them do these chores. In the end, it all falls on my second sister and the others."

"Hiss, stop talking nonsense. Anyway, it's okay as long as we don't have to work. My second sister is filial. It's okay if she's tired. That's what she should do." Ji Sen said indifferently. In his opinion, Ji Huan was filial to his parents, so he deserved to suffer more, as if the chores at home were supposed to be done by Ji Huan and the others.

Wang Xiuxiu was scolded by Ji Sen, so she didn't dare to say anything more. Ji Sen was usually pretty nice to her, except for one thing: he liked to go out and gamble with others, and he was always unlucky. He lost several times and even spent all her dowry on it, but still couldn't pay off the debts Ji Sen owed. In the end, it was her mother who paid for Ji Sen.

Wang Xiuxiu originally thought that Ji Sen would restrain himself after being taught a lesson, but time and again, he always went out to gamble even more. She tried to persuade him, but was scolded. Ji Sen even hit her a few times, so she didn't dare to persuade him anymore. Fortunately, when Ji Sen didn't go out to gamble, he was pretty nice to her, so they could barely make ends meet. After all, she was divorced by Qian Yuan, and returning to her parents' home would only bring shame.

Ji Sen went to Ji Huan's door again, carrying a simple tray made of wood, and knocked on the door.

Ji Huan coughed for a long time inside before finally opening the door with great effort. Breathlessly, she thanked Ji Sen, "Fourth brother, thank you for your hard work. Cough cough cough cough..."

Fearing Ji Huan would cough up more blood, Ji Sen advised, "Second sister, save your energy and stop talking. Hurry and bring the food in and eat. I also brought you a pot of hot water. Drink plenty of water."

"Cough cough, thank you, fourth brother." Ji Huan waved at Jiang Yubai inside, motioning for him to serve the food.

Jiang Yubai obediently came over, took the tray from Ji Sen, and placed it on the wooden table. She was still stunned by Ji Huan's effortless demeanor.

After a few more weak words, Ji Huan closed the door.

Ji Huan didn't rush to leave. Instead, she stood by the door for a moment, making sure the person outside had left. Then, she straightened up and swiftly walked to the table.

"Sit down and eat." Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai and poured a bowl of hot water for Jiang Yubai and herself.

Jiang Yubai looked at the food on the table and looked at Ji Huan in confusion. After all, Ji Huan always ate with her family in the past. Jiang Yubai knew that Ji Huan was afraid that he would overpower her and was unwilling to eat with him.

Seeing that Jiang Yubai was still staring at her, Ji Huan gently tapped the edge of Jiang Yubai's bowl and said with a smile, "If you want to look at me, wait a while. Eat first, otherwise the rice will get cold."

Her voice was gentle and her expression was very kind. Jiang Yubai's hand holding the chopsticks gently hit the edge of the bowl, making a crisp sound. Only then did she come back to her senses, nodded gently, picked up her own bowl of rice, and quickly started to eat.

But what Ji Huan didn't notice was that Jiang Yubai's originally fair ears quickly turned a shade of crimson. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken to her in such a gentle tone. Even though the abyss might be across from her, Jiang Yubai couldn't help but approach that warmth and walked towards it.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan took a few bites of the multi-grain rice, a bitter look on her face. She wasn't used to the dry multi-grain rice, and the white rice on the other side was more delicious. But she was hungry, and she had just arrived in this world. The system's attitude towards her was still free-range, regardless of her life or death. Ji Huan only had herself to rely on.

Right now, her most important task was to quickly familiarize herself with the village environment and find some ways to make money. The atmosphere in this family was so suffocating. Ji Huan thought that she would have to separate from the family sooner rather than later, and take Jiang Yubai with her to take good care of him. All of this depended on her own health.

Thinking of this, Ji Huan picked up some pickles and ate the multi-grain rice.

Ji Huan was still eating the multi-grain rice that didn't suit her taste when she saw Jiang Yubai across from her finish a full bowl of rice. The bowl was so clean that it could be used as a mirror.

Seeing Ji Huan looking at her, Jiang Yubai hesitated to explain. She opened her mouth for a long time but didn't know what to say. She had always had a big appetite since she was a child, but her thin body made it impossible to see on weekdays.

She ate mixed grain rice almost every day at the Ji family, but she was only half full after a bowl of rice. The people in the Ji family already disliked her, so Jiang Yubai didn't dare to tell others that she was not full.

She raised her eyes and looked at Ji Huan's expression carefully, for fear of seeing a look of disgust on Ji Huan's face.

Seeing Jiang Yubai looking at her timidly, Ji Huan asked softly, "Are you full?"

Jiang Yubai nodded subconsciously, "Yes, I eat quickly, not a lot."

She added at the end, for fear that Ji Huan would dislike her for eating too much.

Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai, his tone relaxed. "Okay, I get it. But when we're together, you don't have to be so tense. Just be more casual with me."

Ji Huan could sense Jiang Yubai's awkwardness. She had only just arrived in this world, yet Jiang Yubai was even more restless than she was.

"Yeah," Jiang Yubai nodded slightly, a tacit agreement, but she still sat there feeling a little uneasy.

Ji Huan slowed his voice and continued, "They shouldn't be coming over right now. Don't be so nervous. I'm here, so don't be afraid of them."

Jiang Yubai nodded, still looking at Ji Huan with a questioning look. Was Ji Huan speaking up for her today just out of pity? Would he still protect her tomorrow?

Jiang Yubai's face paled at the thought. What was she, Kunze, considered a jinx by the entire village, asking for?

Her father and two brothers all believed that they had brought bad luck to their mother. After her mother's death, they quickly married her off to Zhang Tiehu, a 40-year-old villager. The man was more than 20 years older than her and could have been her father. He was also seriously ill, but her father and brother didn't care about her life or death and married her off. Before the ceremony was over, Zhang Tiehu died suddenly, and she was rejected by the Zhang family. People in the village gradually started to talk about her.

After returning home, her father and brother were even more convinced that she was an unlucky person and that staying would bring bad luck to those close to her. Therefore, they were willing to pay two taels of silver and quickly marry her off to Ji Huan, who was also not favored at home.

After that, she married into the Ji family and had to do a lot of work every day. She didn't look like a daughter-in-law, but more like a servant of the Ji family.

Ji Huan had no idea what Jiang Yubai was thinking, but she could sense that he wasn't in a good mood. She handed him the bowl from the table and said softly, "Drink some hot water. It's cold in here, don't get too cold."

Jiang Yubai came back to his senses and stared at Ji Huan for a few seconds before reaching out to take the bowl of water from her hand.

Ji Huan continued to quickly eat the rice in her bowl, barely finishing the mixed grain rice.

She stood up and poured herself a bowl of hot water. As she drank, Ji Huan looked around the house. Her house was too simple, barely able to block the outside wind, and some places were leaking. It wouldn't be surprising if someone got cold in such a place.

Ji Huan planned to find time to fix the leaks in the house to prevent herself and Jiang Yubai from getting cold. In such a place, getting sick would be a serious matter.

The room was too cold, and there was nothing to do right now. Ji Huan wanted to go back to bed, cover herself with the quilt, and have a good rest. She looked at Jiang Yubai, who was still sitting at the table fidgeting, and said softly, "Do you want to

sleep with me for a while? It's too cold in the room. I'm afraid you'll catch a cold if you sit here." Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with puzzlement in his eyes. Did he go to bed during the day? Her ears turned red, and she remembered that the Kunzes in the village often said that those who seduced their Qianyuan to bed during the day were all vixens who were good at seducing people.

Although Jiang Yubai was puzzled by Ji Huan's abnormal behavior today, she still couldn't resist Ji Huan's smiling eyes. How long had it been since someone spoke to her with a smile like Ji Huan? Jiang Yubai had subconsciously followed Ji Huan. When he came to his senses, a rare blush appeared on Jiang Yubai's expressionless face.

Ji Huan's eyes narrowed slightly when she saw her obediently following him. She was already 24, and according to the original book, Jiang Yubai was no older than 18. Doesn't that sound like having a younger sister?

She wasn't interested in relationships, and she didn't think she and Jiang Yubai could get along like other wives in this world. She simply considered it a younger sister who needed her care.

The smile in Ji Huan's eyes widened at the thought. After all, Jiang Yubai was beautiful, and she herself was obsessed with looks. Having a beautiful sister by her side every day made her feel much better.

"Yubai, what do you usually call me?" Ji Huan asked softly, looking at the bunny-like Jiang Yubai across from her.

Jiang Yubai pursed her lips, unsure how to respond. Ji Huan rarely spoke to her, and only since yesterday had she started talking to her regularly. They barely exchanged more than a few words a day, let alone addressing each other.

Jiang Yubai pondered for a moment. Although she and Ji Huan were only married in name only, according to custom, she should still call Ji Huan "wife and husband." At this thought, Jiang Yubai's ears blushed; she had never called Ji Huan that before.

Just as Ji Huan was about to say something, she heard a cat-like murmur from the other side: "wife and husband."

Ji Huan saw a faint blush on Jiang Yubai's previously calm face, and her eyes curved slightly as she teased, "Are you shy?"

Seeing Jiang Yubai's ears blush and lower her head, Ji Huan didn't dare tease her any further. She said gently, "I think wife and husband is weird too. I'm older than you, so why don't you just call me sister from now on, okay?"

The original owner was already eighteen years old, but she married later than the old Si Jisen in the family. The reason was simple: the original owner was unfavored and a foolish and filial daughter. Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun felt that marrying their children was too expensive, so they had been reluctant to find a wife for Ji Huan. If Jiang Yubai hadn't paid two taels of silver to marry her, Ji Huan would never have been able to marry.

Jiang Yubai quickly glanced at Ji Huan, her ears red as she turned her head away. Why did she feel that the way Ji Huan had just spoken to her was just like a playboy in the village teasing a young lady?

Chapter Text

Seeing that Jiang Yubai didn't say anything, Ji Huan didn't get discouraged. He smiled lightly at Jiang Yubai, then got on the bed and covered himself with the quilt.

Seeing that Jiang Yubai was standing there without moving, Ji Huan lifted the outer quilt again and patted the place beside him, "What are you standing there for? Come up and lie down."

Jiang Yubai clenched her fingertips slightly on both sides. She didn't know what Jiang Jihuan said made her body feel hot, and she didn't dare to look into Ji Huan's eyes.

Jiang Yubai got on the bed in a daze and lay down next to Ji Huan. Her heart was still pounding until she lay down. Could it be that Ji Huan wanted to consummate their marriage in broad daylight?

Seeing that Jiang Yubai had laid down, Ji Huan stood up again and pulled the quilt up for Jiang Yubai, then lay down again, thinking about the plot of the original book in her mind.

Jiang Yubai, standing by, had indeed been startled by Ji Huan. She'd thought Ji Huan was actually going to do something to her, her body stiffening. However, Ji Huan seemed to be tucking her in, and afterward, he quickly lay back down. Jiang Yubai breathed a sigh of relief, yet a tinge of disappointment lingered.

She secretly glanced in Ji Huan's direction. Did Ji Huan also feel bad about her, and that's why he hadn't wanted to consummate their marriage?

Jiang Yubai's eyes darkened, half of her face buried in the quilt. Ji Huan's attitude towards her had been obvious before, but it was only since they woke up yesterday that he'd warmed up to her. Jiang Yubai warned herself not to expect too much from Ji Huan. It was already good enough that she could protect her like this for one day today. She couldn't expect too much. It was just the same old routine, and she had long since gotten used to it.

Ji Huan was unaware of Jiang Yubai's thoughts. She was currently searching for ways to make money. She'd previously been a Jianzhan teapot craftsman, her foremost skill being the firing of the teapots. However, firing Jianzhan teapots required very high standards for the glaze and clay, requiring a high iron content to ensure a uniform color and a perfect glaze.

Ji Huan thought she'd need to explore the surrounding area more often, looking for minerals and clays that met her requirements. She'd also learn about teacups used in this world and whether the Jianzhan technique existed there.

As she pondered this, Ji Huan drifted off to sleep again. Perhaps the room was too cold, she instinctively scrambled closer to a nearby source of heat, unknowingly pulling Jiang Yubai into her arms.

Jiang Yubai was usually out chopping wood or fetching water at this time every day, but now she was lying in bed with Ji Huan, resting. This made her feel very uneasy, and therefore unable to sleep at all. When Ji Huan pulled her into his arms, Jiang Yubai jumped, but when she saw Ji Huan fall asleep, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Except for last night, she had never been held like this before, especially now that she was still awake, which made her feel even more uncomfortable. Her body was tense for no reason, but it was really uncomfortable to be tense all the time. She tried to relax a little and leaned into Ji Huan's arms.

Maybe it was because Ji Huan's arms were too warm, but Jiang Yubai gradually fell asleep.

When Ji Huan woke up again, it was because of the system. She opened her eyes and took a moment to realize that it was the system talking to her in her mind.

Ji Huan asked in her mind, "Didn't you leave me for vacation? Why are you back?"

"I didn't want to come back either. I left in such a hurry last time that I forgot to tell you. You have a system-given space. Items stored in this space won't deteriorate. It's about fifteen square meters in size, and two meters eighty meters high, equivalent to a large bedroom, plenty of space for your daily storage."

The system rambled on, seemingly abandoning her once again.

"Then how do I use this space?" Ji Huan asked hurriedly, fearing the system would leave after speaking.

"Just use your mind. Just like you can sense me now, you can sense that space too." The system spoke, seemingly noticing Ji Huan still holding Jiang Yubai in her arms. Its robotic voice tinged with a hint of teasing, "Wow, so fast? You're even sleeping together in each other's arms?"

"Come on, we're sisters, what's wrong with sleeping together in each other's arms?" Ji Huan retorted stubbornly in her mind.

The system snorted coldly, "Hmph, wait until you both have children. I hope you'll be able to answer me with such a tough attitude then."

Ji Huan cursed the system inwardly. She wasn't planning on a relationship, so how could she and Jiang Yubai possibly have children?

However, the system disappeared again, treating Ji Huan with a laissez-faire attitude throughout.

Ji Huan sighed, having finally adjusted to the unreliable system. She lowered her eyes to look at Jiang Yubai sleeping in her arms, and her expression softened.

Jiang Yubai had fair skin, long eyelashes when she closed her eyes, and her lips were rosy and tender even without makeup. She was a true beauty. Ji Huan stared at Jiang Yubai for a moment, pleased. Having a beautiful girl by your side was truly important to someone who loved looks.

Ji Huan had initially thought it was wrong to always hug the girl like that, but then she remembered what she had just said to the system, and it made sense. They were sisters after all, so what was wrong with hugging each other for warmth?

Thinking about this, Ji Huan did not let go, but she could not fall asleep either, thinking about how to deal with the Ji family in her mind.

Jiang Yubai slept very soundly, especially the warmth on her body. She had not felt this kind of warmth for a long time. After all, since she married into the Ji family, she had been sleeping on a haystack, and often woke up in the middle of the night because of the cold, not to mention the warmth.

She rubbed her face comfortably against the warmth, and was reluctant to open her eyes. However, after Jiang Yubai rubbed a few times, she slowly opened her eyes and looked up to meet Ji Huan's smiling eyes.

"Awake? Did you sleep well?" Ji Huan asked softly, afraid to scare the little white rabbit in his arms who had just let down his guard.

Jiang Yubai only then realized that she had just rubbed against Ji Huan's shoulder. The tip of her ear turned red with naked eyes. She had just taken the initiative to rub against Ji Huan. Would Ji Huan be unhappy?

Thinking about this, Jiang Yubai subconsciously glanced at Ji Huan's expression again. Seeing that Ji Huan was still smiling at her tenderly, Jiang Yubai finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, she could feel Ji Huan's arm still around her waist.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Yubai blushed and glanced at Ji Huan. She pursed her lips, as if making up her mind, and said, "I slept well, sister. Can you let go first?"

Jiang Yubai was a little shy, especially when she called her sister. Her face flushed.

Ji Huan, however, was very pleased to hear this, and her smile widened. She said softly, "Okay, lie down by yourself."

With that, she removed the arm from Jiang Yubai's waist.

Just as she was about to say something else, there was another knock on the door. "Sister, are you feeling better? I'm here to bring you food."

Ji Huan, with a ruddy complexion, started coughing on the bed. He quickly put on his clothes while panting. "Wait a minute, cough cough cough, the room is too cold. I'll be right there."

Ji Huan saw Jiang Yubai looking at her and winked at him. She put on her shoes and prepared to get downstairs to open the door for Ji Sen.

Jiang Yubai also hurriedly got up and tidied the bed a little.

Ji Huan opened the door slowly and looked at Ji Sen outside the door with a look of exhaustion.

Seeing that Ji Huan was still weak, Ji Sen's little plan in his mind completely fell through. He had originally wanted to let Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai go to fetch water, but now that Ji Huan was like this, there was no way they could fetch water. However, Jiang Yubai was fine. His second sister was just sick, not dependent on anyone for a moment. Wouldn't it be okay for Jiang Yubai to go by himself?

Chapter Text

Ji Sen thought so and did so. He smiled at Ji Huan and said, "Sister, it's too cold outside. The two water tanks at home are all out of water. Why don't we wait until noon and let Jiang Yubai go out to fetch some water."

Ji Huan's expression turned cold, and his eyes stared at Ji Sen so hard that Ji Sen unconsciously took a step back and looked at Ji Huan guiltily, "Sister, why do you look at me like this? Wasn't it Jiang Yubai who went to fetch water before?"

Ji Huan coughed a few more times, retracted his gaze, and said weakly, "It would have been fine in the past, but I'm feeling very uncomfortable now and can't leave anyone by my side. Jiang Yubai has to stay and take care of me, or do you want to watch me die of illness with no one caring?"

"No, that's not what I meant. If it doesn't work, forget it. I'll just go get some water. Second sister, I didn't expect anything to happen to you. You can't put such a big hat on my head for nothing."

Ji Sen looked at Ji Huan's eyes again and saw that Ji Huan's eyes had returned to normal, as if Ji Huan's murderous look just now was just an illusion. It was just for today, so Ji Sen felt that he could still endure it by gritting his teeth. He stuffed the food into Ji Huan's hands unhappily and turned to leave. Ji

Huan looked at Ji Sen's receding back and curled his lips into a cold smile. It was winter when the farmers were idle and everyone was at home, but he and Jiang Yu had to work for nothing. Why? Because Ji Huan was a sucker?

Ji Huan brought the food in and turned to close the door.

Jiang Yubai observed the two arguing and hesitated before asking, "Is it okay if I don't go?"

"Of course it's okay. Don't worry about them. Aren't the whole family free? Why should we keep you working? Come and eat." Ji Huan beckoned Jiang Yubai to come and eat.

"Okay." Jiang Yubai nodded, looking at Ji Huan with eyes that seemed to be about to speak, but stopped. Ji Huan had spoken up for her several times today; otherwise, she would have been forced to work.

Lunch was vegetable noodles. It wasn't very oily, but it was enough to fill her stomach.

Ji Huan didn't eat much; she had always preferred meat, but given the current situation, she felt better to eat first.

While Ji Huan ate her noodles slowly, Jiang Yubai, sitting across from her, devoured the entire bowl in a flash, leaving Ji Huan stunned.

Jiang Yubai was slender, her waist so thin that she could wrap her arm around her. Why did she seem to have such a good appetite?

Seeing Ji Huan looking at her, Jiang Yubai pursed her lips and whispered defensively, "I usually eat quickly."

"Okay, as long as I'm not feeling unwell." Ji Huan didn't force it. After all, everyone has their own habits, and since Jiang Yubai was a fast eater, she couldn't say anything.

Ji Huan ate her bowl of noodles, her eyes occasionally glanced at Jiang Yubai. It was true, the little white rabbit's face was quite striking. The more Ji Huan looked at her, the more she couldn't look away. Even her appetite improved, and she ate faster.

Jiang Yubai's face flushed red from her gaze, but thinking about how Ji Huan had protected her today, Jiang Yubai felt a warm feeling inside.

"So what are we doing this afternoon?" Jiang Yubai asked, looking up. She hadn't realized it, but subconsciously, she had begun to trust Ji Huan a little.

"In the afternoon, you can accompany me to walk around the village and get some fresh air. It's not good to stay cooped up in the room all the time, and besides, our room is so cold." Ji Huan put the bowl aside and said with a smile.

"Okay." Jiang Yubai didn't understand why Ji Huan suddenly wanted to go check out the village, but she nodded in agreement. After a long morning of sleep, Jiang Yubai felt a bit embarrassed to stay in bed with Ji Huan all afternoon, and she didn't want to be the vixen seducing Qian Yuan.

After lunch, Ji Huan was in high spirits, and the warm midday weather outside. Ji Huan opened the door, and seeing no movement outside, he led Jiang Yubai out of the courtyard.

They walked along the village path towards the back mountain, encountering many fellow villagers along the way.

"Ji Huan, are you going to the back mountain to chop firewood?"

"Yes, just taking a walk," Ji Huan casually replied, glancing at the man not far away. She didn't have the memories of her original owner, so she had no idea who she was talking to.

When the man saw Jiang Yubai beside Ji Huan, his expression quickly changed, and he ran away.

Ji Huan's smile gradually faded. It's said that feudal superstition kills people. What had Jiang Yubai done wrong? The deaths of those people before were just coincidences, but everyone here treated Jiang Yubai like a plague.

Ji Huan turned to look at Jiang Yubai's face. Seeing her calm expression, Ji Huan felt even worse. How many similar situations had Jiang Yubai encountered to remain so calm?

Afraid that Jiang Yubai would overthink things, she reached out and took Jiang Yubai's wrist, saying softly, "Those people are shallow-minded. You don't have to worry about them. Let's go for a walk in the back mountains." Jiang Yubai

hadn't expected Ji Huan to hold her hand. Normally, if they met outside, Ji Huan would pretend not to know her and stay away from her like everyone else, afraid to have anything to do with her.

Jiang Yubai felt a burning sensation on his wrist. Wasn't Ji Huan afraid of the villagers' gossip?

Seeing that Jiang Yubai didn't say anything, Ji Huan gently rubbed the hand on Jiang Yubai's wrist and said with a smile, "What are you daydreaming about? Let's go."

Jiang Yubai was dazed as Ji Huan took her wrist away. She didn't care about anything else. Her heart and eyes were filled with Ji Huan's hand on her wrist.

Jiang Yubai's ears blushed as she secretly glanced at Ji Huan's expression. Seeing the smile on Ji Huan's face, a subtle smile also appeared on her lips. Even if Ji Huan was only being nice to her today, Jiang Yubai was happy. She hadn't felt so relaxed in a long time since her mother passed away.

Ji Huan saw the little white rabbit beside her secretly glancing at her, but she didn't point it out. She took Jiang Yubai's hand and walked all the way up the mountain. She carefully observed the stones and soil around them along the way, and the hand holding Jiang Yubai's wrist never let go.

Only when they reached the halfway point of the mountain did Ji Huan let go of Jiang Yubai's hand and squatted down to look at the soil on the ground. This was what she had been doing for years, so she was very familiar with the clay needed for Jianzhan. The soil in this place surprisingly met the requirements for making the clay for Jianzhan.

Ji Huan was afraid that she had made a mistake, so she repeatedly grabbed a few handfuls of soil around to compare, and found that the broken soil here did meet the requirements for making the clay.

She stood up again to look at the surrounding stones. As expected, the surrounding stones also contained a lot of iron. In this way, as long as Ji Huan built a cave to fire Jianzhan, she could try to fire Jianzhan.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan finished examining the soil, stood up, and dusted off her hands. Turning to see Jiang Yubai standing nearby, looking at her with a puzzled expression, she smiled and asked, "Do people in this town like to drink tea?"

Jiang Yubai pursed her lips slightly. From high-ranking officials to ordinary people, few in Daliang Kingdom disliked tea. They produced a vast array of teas, and even the price of teacups had skyrocketed—a fact even a three-year-old could understand. Why would Ji Huan ask her that?

Jiang Yubai suppressed her doubts and replied, "Of course they do. Even in our village, many people enjoy tea, though they prefer the cheaper scented teas available on the market."

Ji Huan nodded. If that were the case, the teacups she would make would surely fetch a good price. Ji Huan remained confident in her craftsmanship.

Although electric kilns were now used for firing Jianzhan tea, the temperature inside still needed to be controlled by the craftsman to produce a perfect cup.

However, Ji Huan wasn't ready to start building the cave house just yet. She needed to take Jiang Yubai out of the Ji family first. Ideally, they could sign a written agreement to separate from the family. That way, even if she made money in the future, the original owner's relatives wouldn't be able to take advantage of her, let alone try to control her by using the ancient virtue of "filial piety."

Ji Huan was pleased with her discovery today, but it was still early, and she wanted to explore the back mountain. The original owner had built a simple cabin there, where they would sometimes rest after chopping wood. Ji Huan wanted to check it out and see if there were any handy tools inside.

With that thought in mind, she looked at Jiang Yubai, who was standing nearby. "Let's explore the area. It's warm now, and there won't be much to do back home."

Jiang Yubai, though confused as to what Ji Huan was thinking, nodded and walked over to Ji Huan, his eyes occasionally glancing at the hand that had just been holding her wrist.

However, Ji Huan's hand had just been scratched with dirt, so he had no intention of holding Jiang Yubai's hand again. The light in Jiang Yubai's eyes gradually faded as he followed behind Ji Huan.

It was also true that Ji Huan must have been careless just now, so how could she have held his hand forever? She had already been very kind to him today, so he shouldn't have imagined anything more.

Ji Huan, walking ahead, had no idea what the little white rabbit behind him was thinking. Seeing that Jiang Yubai hadn't caught up, Ji Huan glanced back, smiled faintly, and walked towards Jiang Yubai. "What? Can't you find your way without me holding your hand?"

Jiang Yubai's face flushed as if someone had touched his heart. He started to defend himself, "No, I... I..."

Seeing Jiang Yubai's nervousness, Ji Huan chuckled and shook his head. His tone softened again, and he said softly, "It's okay if you like me holding your hand. And it's not that I don't want to hold your hand. I just scratched my hand with dirt, and I was afraid I'd get your hand dirty too. I'll hold your hand next time."

Jiang Yubai blushed and stared at Ji Huan in surprise. Did Ji Huan's tone of voice sound like he was trying to coax her?

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai's ears turned red.

Ji Huan looked at the well-behaved and obedient little rabbit in front of him, and the smile in his eyes became even wider. Seeing that Jiang Yubai was really shy, he didn't tease her anymore, "Let's go, walk further into the mountains."

Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan turned around, and then he let out a long breath.

The mountains on the side of Dongniu Village are basically connected together. The mountains and forests are very large, and wild animals often appear in them. If the villagers go into the mountains, they always travel together. Ji Huan didn't dare to go too far inside.

She and Jiang Yubai walked for another half an hour. Small wooden houses appeared in the mountains one after another. Ji Huan knew that these were temporary places built by the villagers.

She quickly spotted a small wooden cabin not far away. Compared to the others they had just passed, it was more refined. Its walls were made of mud mixed with weeds, making it less drafty during the winter. In one corner, a design resembling an earthen stove was built, and a chimney was elevated above the ground, allowing for a fire to be lit for warmth.

Ji Huan, having already determined it was built by the original owner, had mentioned the cabin in the original book. So, she led Jiang Yubai towards it.

Jiang Yubai pursed her lips, glancing up at Ji Huan furtively several times. After a pause, she finally asked, "Sister, isn't it a good idea for us to just go in like this?"

Ji Huan turned to look at the little white rabbit following her obediently, and smiled, "I built this cabin here. I used to go up the mountain to chop firewood, and sometimes I'd rest inside. Come in and take a look."

She was very pleased with Jiang Yubai's call for "sister," and her smile widened as she reached out and pushed the wooden door open.

The cabin wasn't big. Although the original owner was a foolish, obtuse, and clueless person, he was a skilled worker. The cabin was clean, and he'd even built a simple wooden bed inside, along with a small wooden table and a wooden stool.

Bows and arrows, daggers, and other utensils hung on the walls, and firewood was piled on a simple earthen stove nearby. It was practically everything you could need.

Ji Huan glanced at the daggers and bows and arrows in the room and thought about trying his luck. Although he'd had a full lunch, two meals in a row had been light on the fat, and Ji Huan was feeling down.

She picked up the dagger and bow and arrow from the wall, slinging them behind her back as she explained to Jiang Yubai, "Let's go out and try our luck and see if we can catch some small game."

The previous owner had often hunted in the mountains, but she took all the small animals home to honor her parents. Often, she herself didn't get to eat the meat, with Liu Fengmei justifying it by saying she was saving it for her eldest brother's two children and her third brother.

Ji Huan, of course, wasn't like the previous owner; she simply wanted to have a little extra food. In modern times, she and her studio colleagues often went into the mountains to personally inspect the ore and adobe they mined to ensure the quality of their teacups. Sometimes they stayed there for days at a time, setting traps or using crossbows to catch prey. So, Ji Huan wasn't completely clueless about hunting.

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan, wanting to say something, but stopping herself. "Sister, are you hunting to bring back home?" She barely managed to eat a full meal on a typical day, let alone the meat Ji Huan always brought back to improve the rations. She had no share of that.

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai out. She took down a lot of flexible branches from the tree nearby and trimmed them.

Ji Huan squatted down and carefully observed the footprints of the small animals. She made a simple trap with branches in the place with the most footprints, but there was no bait.

Ji Huan put the bait in advance, stood up and set up other traps nearby. She looked up and saw Jiang Yubai staring at her curiously. Ji Huan smiled and said, "Want to learn? I'll teach you."

"Yeah." Jiang Yubai nodded, lowered his eyes and continued to watch how Ji Huan did it.

While Ji Huan's hands kept moving, he explained to Jiang Yubai, "Go through here like this..."

Chapter Text

Ji Huan demonstrated and explained. After setting five or six traps, Ji Huan let Jiang Yubai try them herself before getting up and continuing to search for small animals.

Soon, Ji Huan sensed the sound of a pheasant in the dry grass. She shot two arrows in a row, but failed to hit the pheasant, so Ji Huan had to pick up the arrows again.

Fortunately, there seemed to be many rabbits in the area, and Ji Huan soon found a small rabbit in the dry grass. Ji Huan quickly nocked her arrow and shot. With her previous experience, Ji Huan's arrow was particularly accurate this time, and she hit the small rabbit in the dry grass with one shot.

Jiang Yubai's face was filled with joy, and the words on her lips blurted out: "Sister, I hit it!"

Ji Huan's eyes narrowed at Jiang Yubai's joy. "Okay, I'll go see if the little rabbit is seriously injured."

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with some confusion, and hurriedly followed Ji Huan to see the little rabbit.

Ji Huan picked up the little rabbit on the ground and saw that it was already dead. He sighed and said, "It's a pity that it's dead, but it looks plump and has a lot of meat. It should taste good if roasted."

Jiang Yubai looked at the little gray rabbit in Ji Huan's hand, and her eyes dimmed. Even if she hit the rabbit, it would not be her turn to eat it. Jiang Yubai almost forgot what meat tasted like.

Ji Huan smiled and looked at Jiang Yubai, and saw that the little rabbit didn't know what was wrong, and seemed to be in low spirits.

Ji Huan waved the little gray rabbit in his arms and said with a smile, "Why are you suddenly unhappy? Let's go find a place to give the little gray rabbit a good bath. We'll go back to the cabin and roast the rabbit meat later."

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up, but she looked at Ji Huan uncertainly, "Sister, don't we need to take this back?"

"Of course not. We'll just eat it between the two of us. Otherwise, who knows who'll end up eating all the rabbit we worked so hard to find. By the way, where's the water nearby?" Ji Huan asked. There was a small river back in the mountains, but Ji Huan had only read about it in a book and wasn't sure where it was.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with some confusion, but didn't ask any further questions. Ji Huan should have known the mountains better than she did, so why would he ask her where to find water?

"Go down this way. There's a mountain spring at the end of the path over there." Jiang Yubai pointed ahead.

"Okay, let's go give the little gray rabbit a bath." Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai, clutching the little gray rabbit in his hands, and walked briskly towards the direction Jiang Yubai pointed.

Jiang Yubai hadn't expected Ji Huan, usually so filial, to not even take the rabbit home. She felt a faint sense of joy at Ji Huan's words, but Ji Huan had changed since last night, leaving her feeling a bit uneasy. Seeing

Ji Huan already walking away, Jiang Yubai hurried to catch up.

They walked for a while longer before reaching the stream, which thankfully wasn't frozen. Ji Huan, knife in hand, quickly gutted the little gray rabbit and wrapped its entrails in some dry grass. He'd place them in the traps he'd been using earlier, perhaps finding a surprise.

Ji Huan then cleaned the rabbit's stomach thoroughly, eliminating any blood, and nodded in satisfaction.

Seeing that she still had the knife to hand, Jiang Yubai volunteered to help with the grass-wrapped entrails.

Ji Huan looked at the little white rabbit with a smile of satisfaction, his eyes slightly curved.

Back at the cabin, Jiang Yubai used a flint to start a fire, while Ji Huan placed some of the rabbit entrails in the small traps. She didn't dare put too much, fearing it would attract the larger group.

When Ji Huan returned, she found the fire already lit. Jiang Yubai looked up at Ji Huan and said, "Sister, the fire's lit."

"Okay, then let's warm the rabbits," Ji Huan said, fashioning a simple barbecue grill from the thin tree trunks she had just cut. She nailed long wooden strips into the earth on either side of the stove, surrounding them with small stones to reinforce them.

She then threaded the rabbit onto a thin branch and placed it on the wooden grill to roast the rabbit meat.

While movies and TV shows show meat cooked quickly this way, in reality, it takes at least three hours to cook properly.

Ji Huan let the rabbit meat cook evenly, occasionally turning the wooden sticks it rested on. Soon, the rabbit on the grill began to sizzle with oil. The hut didn't have many seasonings, just salt and some dried Sichuan peppercorns.

Ji Huan stuffed some Sichuan peppercorns into the rabbit's belly to remove the fishy smell. As the rabbit meat roasted, he sprinkled only salt on the skin. Even without any seasoning, the aroma of the rabbit wafted far into the air. The fat on the rabbit's body melted slowly, creating a unique fragrance in the air.

Ji Huan swallowed hard and looked at Jiang Yubai beside him. Jiang Yubai was staring intently at the sizzling rabbit on the grill.

Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai, his eyes slightly curved. "It might take a while. It needs to be fully cooked before we can eat it."

"Yeah, I'm not in a hurry." Jiang Yubai's ears flushed slightly as he glanced at Ji Huan, his gaze returning to the sizzling rabbit.

"Okay, I was anxious," Ji Huan replied with a smile. She and Jiang Yubai sat on a wooden block, each waiting for the rabbit to be roasted.

Another half hour passed before Ji Huan took the rabbit meat off. Using a short knife, she cut a piece of the belly meat and tasted it. Confirming it was done, she cut another piece and handed it to Jiang Yubai. "Try it and see if it's delicious."

Jiang Yubai swallowed, her ears red as she took the rabbit meat Ji Huan handed her and took a bite. Although the rabbit meat wasn't overly seasoned, it was fresh and still tasted delicious. Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up; after all, she hadn't even had a full lunch.

Ji Huan stretched out her hand to pluck a rabbit leg, blowing on it from time to time. The newly cooked rabbit was too hot to handle, and after a while, Ji Huan finally plucked a large piece of hind leg meat and handed it to Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai hadn't expected Ji Huan to give her a rabbit leg. After a moment's thought, she looked at Ji Huan cautiously and said, "Sister, you eat it. I'll eat somewhere else."

A rabbit's hind legs are always the most abundant and delicious. She was afraid that eating them would upset Ji Huan, but her eyes were fixed on the rabbit's hind legs.

"No need. There are two hind legs, right? We can each have one. Take it quickly, and be careful of the heat," Ji Huan said softly, holding out the rabbit leg.

Jiang Yubai was certain that Ji Huan genuinely wanted to give it to her, so she carefully accepted it. With red ears, she thanked him, "Thank you, sister."

Ji Huan, amused by the little white rabbit in front of her, chuckled and said, "No need. Why are you being so polite to me? Eat it quickly."

Jiang Yubai nodded and began to eat the rabbit leg in her hand. The skin was roasted to a crispy char, but the meat inside was still tender and delicious. It was soft and delicious, and Jiang Yubai was very happy to eat it.

Ji Huan continued to pull off the other rabbit leg with great effort, put the remaining rabbit meat on the rack to keep warm, and started to eat the rabbit leg herself.

However, because she had eaten lunch, and Ji Huan didn't really like rabbit meat, she was basically full after eating one rabbit leg.

She raised her eyes to look at Jiang Yubai, and saw Jiang Yubai sitting on the wooden block beside her, looking at her obediently. Ji Huan then remembered that Jiang Yubai ate very quickly, and Ji Huan suspected that Jiang Yubai didn't eat at all on weekdays.

Ji Huan took the rabbit meat off the grill, broke off half of the front leg, and then simply handed over the rabbit in her hand, "I'm full, can you see if you can finish the rest?"

Jiang Yubai was stunned for a moment, then raised her eyes to look at Ji Huan's expression, and seeing Ji Huan looking at her with a smile in his eyes, she carefully took it and asked in a low voice: "Are you really not going to eat anymore?" "

Yeah, I'm really full. Just eat the delicious parts, don't overeat." Ji Huan advised with some concern.

"Yeah." Jiang Yubai nodded, took the rabbit meat in his hand and started eating.

Ji Huan sat aside and ate the rabbit meat in her hand slowly. Only then did she relax and look at Jiang Yubai, and then she found that Jiang Yubai ate the rabbit meat very fast, and it seemed that Jiang Yubai had a good appetite, and his food intake was at least two to three times that of her own.

So when Jiang Yubai was at Ji's house, didn't he eat enough?

Chapter Text

Jiang Yubai devoured another rabbit leg and began eating the meat from the rabbit's belly. Only after she had eaten the entire rabbit did she feel slightly fuller. She looked up and saw Ji Huan looking at her with a smile. Jiang Yubai's

ears blushed, and she pursed her lips shyly, saying, "I'm just worried about wasting food, not eating too much."

Ji Huan smiled softly, saying, "Okay, but I'll definitely work hard in the future and won't let the little rabbit at home go hungry again."

"Little rabbit?" Jiang Yubai murmured, only then remembering who Ji Huan was referring to. Her cheeks flushed, and she felt a little embarrassed to eat the rabbit head in her hand.

Seeing her shyness, Ji Huan coaxed her softly, "Eat it quickly! It won't taste good if it gets cold." It gets

dark early in winter. It was only a little after four o'clock, and the light was already dimming. Ji Huan planned for Jiang Yubai to finish eating so that they could rest for a while before heading back to the village. It would be unsafe to go back too late.

Jiang Yubai ate the rabbit head reluctantly, unsure if she'd be able to eat her fill tomorrow.

Ji Huan squatted down, noticing the girl didn't want to leave. Guessing why, he said with gentle eyes, "I'll find a way to separate from the Ji family, and then we'll build our own little home in the village. That way, when we come home, we won't have to see those annoying people, okay?"

Jiang Yubai blushed slightly. She kind of liked Ji Huan talking to her like that. And could what he said be true?

Jiang Yubai didn't dare to think about it. Everything today felt like a dream, and she was reluctant to wake up. Ji Huan was a village-renowned filial daughter. Would she really go against her parents' wishes and live alone? Would she be isolated by the villagers if she did?

Jiang Yubai pursed her lips and sighed. Honestly, she just felt that Ji Huan had been acting a little strange since yesterday. Jiang Yubai didn't think Ji Huan would actually disobey Liu Fengmei. Tomorrow, Ji Huan might go back to her old ways. The thought of this made her heart ache.

Seeing Jiang Yubai didn't respond, Ji Huan understood the little rabbit's concerns. After all, the original owner was a devoted daughter; how could she just split up the family just like that? No amount of talk would dispel Jiang Yubai's concerns. The only thing she could do was to slowly prove her point.

Seeing Jiang Yubai's dismay, Ji Huan said softly, "Okay, we should go back. We'll miss dinner if we're any later." "

Are you still going to have dinner?" Jiang Yubai asked. After all, she and Ji Huan had been out all afternoon, and the Ji family was probably in an uproar. How could there be any dinner for them?

"Of course we are. I just want them to experience what we do every day, and don't even think about leaving all the work to us two anymore." With that, Ji Huan stood up and prepared to extinguish the earthen stove.

She and Jiang Yubai had some strength from the rabbit, and with the growing cold, they hurried back.

Elsewhere, in the Ji family's fire room, Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu were preparing dinner for the family.

The eldest, Ji Ming, found it curious that someone else was cooking today, so he deliberately wandered over to the kitchen. Seeing Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu busy there, he asked with a forced smile, "Fourth brother, are you busy? Mother asked me to come see how the dinner preparations are going?"

Ji Sen gave Ji Ming a sullen look, frowning as he replied, "What else could it be? It's just the same as always?"

"How could it be the same? You and your sister-in-law cooked today, and I think it tastes much better than Jiang Yubai's. Fourth brother, I never realized you two had such cooking skills." Ji Ming's face was full of smiles, and he leaned against the doorframe, looking incredibly relaxed.

"Stop, we're just cooking today. This is all Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's job. Besides, even if the rules change in the future, it should be a family's responsibility, taking turns each day. No one should try to slack off." Ji Sen said, chopping the cabbage on the cutting board with a kitchen knife.

Ji Ming choked at Ji Sen and stopped teasing. After all, there was a clueless person doing the work at home, so why would he bother offending Ji Sen?

He and his wife had two sons. Although they didn't know if they would eventually grow up to be Qian Yuan, they were still loved more than girls. His mother always favored their family because of the two children, and was reluctant to let them do heavy work. After all, the family had the old ox, the second son, who was born to do heavy work.

Ji Ming returned to his room. His wife was sitting leisurely on the bed, watching the two sons play. Seeing Ji Ming come back, she hurriedly asked, "Did you go to see them?" "

Yes, the fourth son and his family are cooking. Don't worry, the second son just got sick today. Otherwise, all the housework would still be done by the second son and his family. It wouldn't be our turn anyway." Ji Ming said, reaching out to pinch his eldest son's face.

Ji Ming's eldest son, Ji Dong, was already five years old and made a face at Ji Ming.

Ji Ming comfortably picked up his son and lay down on the bed to rest.

Li Yulan smiled and glared at Ji Ming, scolding him, "Don't you see whose contribution this is?"

Ji Ming, in a good mood, praised him, "Of course you deserve the most credit. Didn't you see that Mother treats Ji Dong and Ji Xi like treasures? Our family has also enjoyed the good life, but Ji Huan's family has suffered."

"Come on, I don't see you helping Ji Huan with any work. You're just sitting here making sarcastic remarks," Li Yulan scolded with a smile.

"Is it because I don't want to? Ji Huan has been filial since she was a child. She is a famous filial daughter in this village. How can I, as the eldest brother, steal the limelight from my sister?"

"You're so ungrateful," Li Yulan scolded with a smile.

It was getting dark. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai barely made it back before dark. As they were returning, they happened to run into Ji Sen, who was carrying food to the dining room.

Ji Sen had been working all day and had just been bullied by Ji Ming. He was already feeling unhappy, but when he saw Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai returning as if nothing had happened, he immediately exploded and walked over to Ji Huan with his meal in hand.

"Second sister, didn't you say you were sick? How do you still have time to take Jiang Yubai out for a stroll? This is all your work, how can you just leave it all to me and Xiuxiu?" Ji Sen spoke so loudly that everyone else in the house opened their doors and looked over.

Ji Huan coughed twice and looked at Ji Sen, "It's just that I'm sick and feel suffocated in the house, so I asked Yu Bai to go out with me for some fresh air. Is there anything wrong with that? Aren't we the two doing these for the family every day? What? You can't stand it after just one day?"

Ji Sen was speechless after being retorted by Ji Huan, but he had done too much work today and even fell when he went out to chop wood in the afternoon. After hearing what Ji Huan said, he was even more furious, "Aren't those all things you did voluntarily on weekdays? Who forced you?"

Ji Huan looked at Ji Sen with a colder gaze, "That's true. From today onwards, I will no longer do it voluntarily. There are five brothers and sisters in the family, excluding the fifth sister who is already married. It is supposed that each family should handle these housework once a day. Yu Bai and I will no longer do these things every day in the future." After

Ji Huan finished speaking, not only Ji Sen in front of him was stunned, but also Ji Ming's family who came out to watch the excitement, as well as the third brother Ji Yuan, Ji Mantun, and Liu Fengmei were all stunned.

Chapter Text

Liu Fengmei was the first to react. She hurriedly stepped forward and pulled Ji Sen back, scolding him, "How old are you and you're still angry with your second sister? Why don't you apologize to her?"

Ji Sen was reluctant and stood there with his neck stiff, showing no intention of apologizing.

Liu Fengmei looked at Ji Huan's expression and saw that Ji Huan was looking at Ji Sen with a cold face. She hurriedly persuaded him, "Ji Huan, you know your brother well. He is not a bad person, but he is stubborn. You are not feeling well today, so it is right for them to do these things. But you can't say anything angry. If you are tired, just rest for a few days. Don't we still have Jiang Yubai? We in the Ji family don't support idle people."

Liu Fengmei glared at Jiang Yubai behind Ji Huan and her voice suddenly rose a little, "What are you standing there for? Can't you see that there is no water in the kitchen water tank? Go and get some water?"

Jiang Yubai's face turned pale. She knew that Liu Fengmei would not let her go.

Jiang Yubai stole a glance at Ji Huan, and her heart sank. True, Ji Huan had only been a little more pleasant that day. How could she truly place her hopes on him? After all, Ji Huan was so devoted to Liu Fengmei.

Jiang Yubai's face paled as she moved. Just as she was about to scurry to the kitchen to get a bucket, someone grabbed her wrist.

Was it Ji Huan? Jiang Yubai's heartbeat quickened as she looked up at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan turned his head to look at Jiang Yubai, blinked at him, and then looked at Liu Fengmei coldly, "Mom, Yubai is my wife, not a servant of the Ji family. She has been taking care of me all day and is exhausted. On the contrary, my eldest brother, his wife and my third brother are all idle at home. What's the matter? They have no hands or feet? Or are they too precious to do these rough jobs?"

Liu Fengmei was stunned by Ji Huan's words. After all, Ji Huan used to regard her words as an imperial decree and would never disobey her. Therefore, Liu Fengmei did not react for a while.

It took her a few breaths to realize that Ji Huan was protecting Jiang Yubai. Seeing Ji Huan holding Jiang Yubai's wrist, Liu Fengmei was even more furious, "What's wrong with you? You don't even listen to your mother. Is it that little bitch Jiang Yubai, did she tell you to say that?"

Seeing Liu Fengmei anxious, Ji Huan hurriedly pulled Jiang Yubai behind him to protect her, and said coldly, "No one needs to teach me. She is my wife. I will naturally protect her in the future. But Yubai and I will not take care of all the housework. There are so many people in the family who are idle. Why should we do everything? Starting tomorrow, it will be one family a day. If we don't do it, we will all be hungry and thirsty together."

"Ji Huan, are you crazy?" Liu Fengmei's eyes widened with anxiety.

Ji Huan sneered and stared at Liu Fengmei: "Mom, it's okay for you to act out some dramas casually, but do you really expect everyone to believe you? Everyone in the village knows about your biased heart. Everyone knows that the rest of the Ji family doesn't have to work, and I always do the dirtiest and most tiring work? It was okay before, but from today on, don't even think about it."

Liu Fengmei pointed at Ji Huan and was so angry that she couldn't utter a word for a long time. Ji Yuan was a little anxious. The eldest and the fourth son had helpers at home, but he was alone. If he worked as much as a family in a day, he would be exhausted to death.

Ji Yuan hurriedly ran forward to support Liu Fengmei, and shouted at Ji Huan: "Ji Huan, how can you talk to your mother like that? There is an old saying: Filial piety is the first of all virtues. How can you disobey your mother like this?"

Ji Huan sneered and nodded: "Indeed, filial piety is the first of all virtues. You study every day, and your teacher should have taught you a lot that gentlemen should be polite to each other and help with housework. But what about you? You just study hard every day, and you haven't even passed the exam to become a scholar."

Ji Yuan's face flushed red, and he was about to refute in anger, but Ji Huan spoke again, "You scholars have always been the most face-conscious. If your classmates in the academy knew that you treated your own sister like a servant, what do you think everyone would think of you? It's true that you studied hard for ten years, and it's even more true that you sucked your own sister's blood for ten years."

The ancients valued reputation the most. Even if you pass a high school in the future, relevant people will visit you on the spot. Those with bad behavior will find it difficult to be appreciated by the court.

"You, Ji Huan, stop talking nonsense." Ji Yuan was so angry that his body began to tremble.

"I'm telling the truth. If you feel it's unfair, I can go and get the whole village and the head of the village to judge right now and see how our Ji family can bully Yu Bai and me." Seeing Ji Yuan's anxiety, Ji Huan's smile widened.

Liu Fengmei's lips opened and closed, and she seemed to be about to say something, but she stopped herself. Then she heard Ji Mantun's voice from behind, "That's enough! Is there any resemblance to home anymore? Ji Huan has indeed worked hard these years, working hard for the whole family. Dad knows you are filial, and he has never mentioned these trivial matters in the past. This time, he was seriously ill and finally spoke out these true feelings. Well, the family has indeed become lazy. So, this month, we will do as Ji Huan said and cook for the whole family for a day without any complaints." After

Ji Mantun finished speaking, Ji Yuan immediately became anxious, "Dad, at least big brother and the others have helpers, but I am alone."

"Shut up, don't I know? When it's your turn, your mother and I will help you. Alas, you are an old man and still have to work. You children are so unfilial!" Ji Mantun kept his eyes on Ji Huan as he spoke.

Ji Huan's eyes did not dodge, but just stared back coldly. Aren't these people strangers to her?

Ji Mantun originally wanted to back down in order to advance, and force Ji Huan to admit his mistake and take on all the housework while crying. However, Ji Huan had a cold expression and was not going to accept the challenge. Instead, he agreed: "It is indeed unfilial. They would rather sleep in the house all day than go out to work. Isn't that unfilial?" "

That's right." Ji Sen glared at Ji Ming and Ji Yuan. Anyway, today's work was all done by him and his wife. The eldest and the third did nothing. He is now like a mad dog, wanting to bite everyone he sees.

Ji Ming felt a little uncomfortable when he heard Ji Huan say this, and defended himself: "You can't say that. Your eldest sister-in-law and I are not idle every day. We also have to take care of your two nephews."

"Just take care of the children? Can't that job be done by one person? Besides, doesn't mother take care of the two nephews more on weekdays? Or are the eldest brother and sister-in-law thinking about having more children every day?" Ji Huan showed no mercy and immediately retorted.

Ji Ming's veins bulged with anger, and Li Yulan was so angry that she went back to her room in tears.

"Enough, enough!" Ji Mantun didn't expect the usually taciturn Ji Huan to be so talkative all of a sudden. He slammed the door in frustration and said, "Alright, starting tomorrow, starting with the eldest family, we'll take turns doing the work. No more objections allowed. Come and eat."

It was called a meal, but the whole family was in no mood. Ji Ming went back to see Li Yulan. Ji Yuan had also lost his appetite after being scolded. The important thing was that as a scholar, he really had to have some dignity. If Ji Huan really went to the academy to make a scene, his future would be ruined. Therefore, Ji Yuan couldn't eat and went back to his room.

Seeing that everyone had left in a bad mood, Ji Huan was in a good mood. Seeing that Ji Sen and his wife were still standing in the yard, Ji Huan ignored them, turned around and smiled at Jiang Yubai, and said softly, "Okay, it's okay. Let's go. Let's get some food and go back to the room to eat. Mom and the others probably don't want to see me."

When saying these words, Ji Huan didn't feel sad at all.

Jiang Yubai's eyes were slightly red, and she looked at Ji Huan with a complicated look. It had been a long time since someone had protected her. Ji Huan actually quarreled with his family for her, and seemed to have won the argument? Now he wanted to take her back to the room to eat?

Seeing that the little white rabbit was still staring at him in a daze, Ji Huan reached out and took Jiang Yubai's wrist, leading Jiang Yubai to the kitchen.

Dinner consisted of multi-grain steamed buns and a side dish of stewed cabbage and potatoes. Having eaten rabbit in the afternoon, Ji Huan wasn't hungry, but remembering her little white rabbit's appetite, she obediently took four multi-grain steamed buns, eating one herself and leaving three for the little white rabbit. She also served a bowl of vegetables.

Seeing that Ji Huan really wanted to accompany her back to her room for dinner, Jiang Yubai couldn't help but ask, "Sister, are you really going back to your room to eat?"

Ji Huan smiled and nodded. "Of course it's true. Going to the dining room would just lead to another argument. I don't want to bother with them. Let's eat in our room, it's much more comfortable."

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. Although he had just eaten a lot of rabbit, the long walk back home had already digested a lot of it, so Jiang Yubai was actually a little hungry.

"Okay, I'll listen to you, sister." Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with bright eyes.

Ji Huan took a simple wooden tray, placed two bowls on it, and grabbed two pairs of chopsticks before leading Jiang Yubai out of the kitchen.

Ji Sen thought Ji Huan had given in and was going to coax her parents with food. His eyes were full of disdain. Just when he was about to make a mockery, he saw Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai go straight back to the room, with no intention of going to the front hall to deliver food to his parents.

This time, it was Ji Sen's turn to be stunned. Is this still his timid second sister?

Chapter Text

Wang Xiuxiu also watched Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai enter the room. She then hurriedly pulled Ji Sen's sleeve and said, "What's wrong with Ji Huan? She's like a different person."

"Who knew she was crazy? Well, everyone has to work this month. Anyway, the two of us have worked today. Tomorrow it's the eldest and the youngest's turn. We'll see. It won't be long before the eldest and the third child have a fight with Ji Huan. We can just watch them." Ji Sen snorted coldly and went into the kitchen.

Wang Xiuxiu saw that Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai didn't go to talk to their parents, so she and Ji Sen had no choice but to serve the food and take it to the front hall.

Ji Mantun's face was gloomy. Seeing that only Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu were busy for a long time, he frowned and asked, "Where are the others? Are they all on a hunger strike?"

Seeing that Ji Mantun was angry, Ji Sen responded in a low voice, "My eldest brother's family and my third brother have all returned to their rooms. As for my second sister and the others, they got some food from the kitchen and took it back to eat."

Ji Mantun put the chopsticks heavily on the table, "This is rebellion! This is all rebellion! Ji Huan actually took the food back to the room to eat? Does she think my father is dead?"

Ji Sen rolled his eyes and hurried to stroke Ji Mantun's back to calm him down, "Dad, calm down. "My second sister has always been very filial. Jiang Yubai must have been behind this, perhaps using some low-brow method to seduce her. Otherwise, given her personality, she would definitely not disobey you two elders."

Ji Mantun sighed heavily. "Our family is in trouble, and we've even brought back this nemesis. It would be bad luck, but now, he's causing unrest in the family. When has our Ji family ever had such a big fight?" Ji Mantun

glared at Liu Fengmei again and knocked on the wooden table. "It's all your fault. You're so short-sighted. You insisted that Ji Huan marry Jiang Yubai for two taels of silver."

"Master, how can you say that? Didn't you agree to it back then? Besides, two taels of silver is a lot for us farmers," Liu Fengmei said angrily from the sidelines.

Seeing her parents sitting at the table with sullen faces, Wang Xiuxiu didn't dare to pick up her chopsticks either, so she kept winking at Ji Sen.

Ji Sen hurriedly advised: "Dad, Mom, don't be angry. Second sister must have been possessed by a ghost for a while. She must still have our Ji family in her heart. Maybe she will be fine in a few days. Let's eat first. Look, the food is almost cold."

"Eat, eat, eat. All you do all day is eat. You are not a child anymore. Every day, besides eating and drinking, you go around gambling with your group of friends. Last time, you even owed money outside. You almost brought shame to our Ji family. You still have the nerve to talk about your second sister?" Ji Mantun was furious at everyone he saw.

Ji Sen curled his lips, but did not dare to say anything else. His father was telling the truth. He did owe money a while ago, and his mother secretly helped him pay it back a few times. Ji Mantun

knocked the table heavily with his pipe twice. "Oh, I won't eat anymore. One or two of them are giving me a lot of trouble."

After Ji Mantun finished speaking, he sighed heavily and went out to his room.

Liu Fengmei glared at Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu, then sighed, "Alright, let's not wait for anyone else and eat."

Meanwhile, in Ji Ming's room, the sound of a child crying could be heard. "Ji Ming, are you still a Qianyuan? Ji Huan said that about us, why don't you have a good talk with her?"

"What's wrong with me? Keep your voice down! Ji Huan is telling the truth. If she lets everyone in the village know, we'll be poked in the back for the rest of our lives." Ji Ming explained, suppressing his anger. He didn't dare to make things too awkward with Ji Huan. In Ji Ming's opinion, Ji Huan was just feeling sick these past few days and feeling down. After a few days, Ji Huan would listen to his mother's words and be a willing workhorse for the family like before.

"I'm so angry! How long has it been since I last did any work? I have to get up early tomorrow to work like a slave for your family," Li Yulan yelled at Ji Ming.

Ji Ming reached out to pull Li Yulan, asking her to speak more quietly. If his parents heard, it would have a bad impression of them. "Keep your voice down. Just cook tomorrow. I'll take care of fetching water and chopping wood."

"Nonsense! You want me to go out and fetch water?" Li Yulan said angrily.

Compared to the others' chaos, Ji Huan happily brought the food to the wooden table and set out chopsticks for himself and Jiang Yubai. "Eat it while it's hot. I ate a lot of rabbit just now. Just one more steamed bun will be enough. The other three are yours."

Jiang Yubai was surprised at how Ji Huan knew she had a big appetite. Pursing her lips, she secretly observed Ji Huan's expression and quietly defended herself, "I can't eat that much..."

But Jiang Yubai's voice gradually faded, clearly lacking confidence in his words.

Ji Huan chuckled, looking at the still-debating little rabbit across from him. "Okay,

" he said softly, "then eat as much as you can. Feel free to do what you want. You don't have to be so reserved with me when we're together." "Yeah," Jiang Yubai nodded. Her ears blushed, as if remembering something. "Sister, thank you for helping me just now."

Ji Huan's smile deepened as she heard Jiang Yubai calling her "sister" more and more easily. "You're welcome. We're family, it's my duty. Let's eat quickly. Food gets cold quickly in winter."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up, and she took a steamed bun and began to eat.

The dish was a simple cabbage and potato stew, but Jiang Yubai ate it with great joy, and Ji Huan's appetite improved as well.

By the time Ji Huan finished her first bun, Jiang Yubai had already finished her second. She glanced at Ji Huan, then at the remaining bun on the plate, and hesitantly asked, "Sister, what about the remaining bun?"

"If you can't finish it, just leave it there. You can't overstuff yourself," Ji Huan said softly.

"But, but that's such a waste." Jiang Yubai muttered softly. In fact, she could still eat half of it, but her sister only ate one steamed bun with one Qianyuan. If she ate so much, would her sister dislike her?

Ji Huan looked at the little white rabbit in front of her with a smile. She saw that the little white rabbit's eyes kept glancing at the steamed bun from time to time. Ji Huan simply picked up the steamed bun and broke it in half for each of them. "If you don't want to waste it, how about we each have half?"

Jiang Yubai nodded, the corners of her lips slightly raised. She was always hungry, and it was a rare occasion for her to have a full meal. And judging by Ji Huan's expression, it didn't seem like she disliked her.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai ate even more happily. In the end, Ji Huan still ate a little slower than Jiang Yubai. When she finished eating, the little rabbit was looking at her obediently.

Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai, looked into the house, and saw a wooden basin in the corner of the house, so he stood up and said to Jiang Yubai: "Let's clean the weeds in the house and take them to the backyard. I'll go boil some water later and wash myself before going to bed."

"I'll go boil some water, sister." Jiang Yubai said hurriedly, for she was afraid that Ji Huan would think she was lazy.

Ji Huan had a faint smile on her lips, and her eyes looked at the little rabbit gently, "Then let's go together?"

Jiang Yubai nodded. When Ji Huan turned around to clean the weeds, Jiang Yubai reached out and secretly touched the tip of her ear which was a little hot.

She really hoped that Ji Huan could always treat her like this.

Chapter Text

Jiang Yubai didn't dare to think too much, and hurried over to help Ji Huan pick up the straw mat on the ground.

Ji Huan held a bunch of straw mats in his arms, opened the door and walked towards the pile of weeds in the backyard. There were also a lot of weeds piled up in the backyard for making fire. Ji Huan threw all the weeds in his arms here, and Jiang Yubai also threw the weeds he brought over into the pile of weeds.

The two went back to pick up the weeds again before they cleared the weeds in the room.

After that, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai went to the kitchen. Ji Huan knew how to use flint to make fire, but he didn't know where the flint was in the original owner's house, so he simply asked Jiang Yubai who was beside him. Anyway, the original owner was not good to Jiang Yubai, and Jiang Yubai probably didn't have any feelings for the original owner, so there was no need to worry about being exposed.

"Where is the flint in the kitchen?" Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai and asked.

Jiang Yubai's clenched hands tightened, and a hint of inquiry crossed her gaze towards Ji Huan, but she still replied obediently, "It's right by the stove."

Following Jiang Yubai's gaze, Ji Huan saw a flint and fire knife placed beside the stove. She picked up the fire knife and flint, found some hay, and laid them on the ground. Ji Huan struck the flint and fire knife together, sparks flying onto the hay, quickly igniting a fire.

Ji Huan placed the hay on the stove and added more firewood, and the fire quickly ignited.

Ji Huan fetched water from a bucket and placed it in a large pot to boil. Jiang Yubai hurriedly said, "Sister, I'll go get a basin."

"Okay," Ji Huan smiled and nodded.

Jiang Yubai left the kitchen, still thinking about what had just happened. Why did Ji Huan seem so unfamiliar with the kitchen? This shouldn't be the case? After all, Ji Huan used to be in the kitchen every day.

Puzzled, she went back to her room and fetched two wooden basins. Honestly, she hadn't done a proper cleaning in a while.

Liu Fengmei treated her harshly and was reluctant to let her use the family's firewood and water. Ji Huan was in the room at night, so it was not convenient for her to clean in the room. Sometimes she could only wait until everyone was asleep before cleaning in the kitchen, and she had to be nervous to prevent others from coming in.

When thinking about this, Jiang Yubai had already returned to the kitchen with a large basin.

The hot water on Ji Huan's side was almost boiled. She had no strength yesterday, but she had also sweated a lot. If she didn't clean today, Ji Huan felt that she would soon stink.

Jiang Yubai looked at the hot water in the pot, then looked at Ji Huan, pursed her lips and thought, if the water was boiled, should she stay in the kitchen to clean or go back to the room? If she went back to the room, Ji Huan would be there too. Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai's ears turned red.

Although she and Ji Huan were already married, Ji Huan, like everyone else, was afraid that she would bring bad luck to her, so he stayed away from her. Not to mention consummating their marriage, even on weekdays, Ji Huan wouldn't say more than a few words to her. But since yesterday, Ji Huan seemed a little different.

Seeing the water in the pot boil, Ji Huan used a ladle to scoop some hot water into a basin, then added some cold water. Water cools quickly in winter, so Ji Huan didn't add too much cold water. He filled two basins in a row, and she and Jiang Yubai each used one to wash.

Ji Huan put out the fire on the stove and turned to see Jiang Yubai, who looked as if he was about to say something but hesitated. He smiled and asked, "Let's go back to our room and wash up."

Jiang Yubai hadn't expected Ji Huan to say that. Her ears flushed slightly as she whispered, "Are we both going to wash up in our room?"

Ji Huan glanced at Little Rabbit's expression, understanding what he meant. He nodded and replied, "Yes, don't worry. We'll each wash our own. I won't peek."

As if Ji Huan had touched upon his inner thoughts, Jiang Yubai's cheeks flushed red as he quickly carried the wooden basin out of the kitchen.

Seeing Little Rabbit's shyness, Ji Huan's lips curled slightly as he carried his own basin out.

Back in his room, Ji Huan set the wooden basin down and began rummaging through his clothes. Unfortunately, his original self was truly the workhorse of the family, doing the most work but earning the least, and living the worst. Take the clothes in the wooden closet, for example: they were all old, worn, and smelled slightly musty. Ji Huan sniffed them, and his brows furrowed.

"This smells too bad." Ji Huan muttered softly.

Jiang Yubai took out a set of clothes from the package on the side. This was the only set of clothes she had.

Ji Huan looked at the clothes in Jiang Yubai's hand, then looked at the worn-out clothes in her own closet, and sighed helplessly. It seemed that she had to find a way to make money as soon as possible. This was too miserable for her and Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai heard Ji Huan's mumbling just now and hurriedly said, "Sister, I will take all these clothes out to dry tomorrow, so that the smell will be less."

"Okay, this is the only way for now." Ji Huan sighed and said, then she took the basin to the side and started to take off her clothes.

Seeing Ji Huan stripping off his clothes, Jiang Yubai's ears blushed. She stole a glance at Ji Huan, but seeing that his back was still facing her, with no intention of even glancing at her, Jiang Yubai carefully began to remove her clothes, trying not to make too much noise, fearing Ji Huan would turn and look at her.

When Jiang Yubai was down to her midriff, she felt uneasy and stole a glance in Ji Huan's direction. That one glance, and Jiang Yubai blushed from face to neck.

She had just seen Ji Huan's bare back. Jiang Yubai lowered her head, not daring to glance at him again, and quickly began to wash herself.

Soon, she felt cold, and her hands moved faster, distracting her from other matters.

Finally finding hot water, Jiang Yubai washed her hair as well, wrapping it in a towel.

Ji Huan, too, washed faster and faster. The room was too cold, and she was afraid of catching a cold. She washed her hair and clothes anyway, though she changed into a rather unpleasant-smelling undershirt. This put Ji Huan in a bad mood.

The two of them cleaned up again and dumped the water from the wooden bucket into the courtyard drain.

Putting down the basin, Ji Huan hurried back to bed. Seeing that Jiang Yubai hadn't come over yet, she waved to him, "Come up and get warm under the quilt."

Jiang Yubai, remembering the sight of Ji Huan's fair back, blushed. She glanced at Ji Huan awkwardly and whispered, "I'll be right there."

With that, Jiang Yubai climbed into bed and tucked himself in.

Her hair was still damp, and Ji Huan didn't want to lie down. Instead, she leaned against the headboard, waiting for it to dry a bit before she could fall asleep.

Seeing her sitting there, Jiang Yubai asked with red ears, "Sister, aren't you going to sleep?"

Ji Huan saw that the little rabbit's ears were red again, and the smile on the corners of her lips became even wider. She said softly, "My hair is still a little wet, I can't sleep. I just saw that there are some leaks in the house. Tomorrow we will mix some mud with weeds and block the leaks." "

Okay, I'll listen to you, sister." Jiang Yubai just glanced at Ji Huan's smiling eyes, then shyly avoided her.

"Well, if you are sleepy, go to sleep first." Ji Huan said softly.

Jiang Yubai nodded and closed her eyes.

Ji Huan called the system several times in her mind, but found that no one answered. She had to try the storage space mentioned by the system again. She tried to connect with the space with her consciousness, and soon she saw the full picture of the 15-square-meter storage space.

This storage space is indeed useful, but its use is not so obvious to Ji Huan at the moment. After all, she is very poor now.

Chapter Text

Jiang Yubai took a shower and slept very comfortably that night. Unbeknownst to her, she was once again being held in Ji Huan's arms.

When Jiang Yubai opened her eyes, she saw herself engulfed in Ji Huan's embrace, her nose even brushing against the skin of Ji Huan's neck.

Jiang Yubai immediately stopped moving, even breathing softly for fear of disturbing Ji Huan.

She woke up at this time almost every day, so she was used to it. However, being held in her sister's arms like this, Jiang Yubai felt a little shy.

As if tickled by her breath on her neck, Ji Huan, still asleep, put her arm around Jiang Yubai's slender waist and pulled her closer to him.

Jiang Yubai's heartbeat quickened with each movement of Ji Huan's. She had been close to Ji Huan just now, and now she was completely engulfed in his embrace. Jiang Yubai had never experienced anything like this before. Not only did her face and ears turn red, but her legs felt weak.

She didn't dare push Ji Huan away. Ji Huan had been so kind to her lately, and Jiang Yubai was afraid Ji Huan would revert to his old self.

Seeing Ji Huan hadn't woken up, she forced herself to shut up and rest in Ji Huan's arms.

Jiang Yubai's gaze would occasionally reach for Ji Huan's face. In the past, Ji Huan avoided her, and everyone else avoided her. The Ji family didn't treat her like a human being. Jiang Yubai spent her days working tirelessly, with no other thoughts. It was only in the past couple of days that she dared to take a good look at Ji Huan's face.

Ji Huan had fair skin and wasn't as muscular as many of the female Qian Yuans. Judging by her appearance, Ji Huan looked more like Kun Ze. Jiang Yubai blushed as

she stared at him. She recalled the events of the past few days, the details of her interactions with Ji Huan, and she noticed she was blushing more often than usual, especially when Ji Huan smiled at her or looked at her.

She recalled the words her mother had told her when she was still alive, saying she would eventually meet the man she loved, Qian Yuan, who would always protect her and make her happy. Jiang Yubai had thought her mother was teasing her then, and ignored it. Now, thinking about it, hadn't Ji Huan been constantly protecting her these past few days?

Jiang Yubai's cicada-wing eyelashes fluttered softly, her heartbeat quickening, her ears burning.

She buried her face in Ji Huan's arms, a little annoyed. The sky was already beginning to lighten, and she had actually been staring at Ji Huan for so long, still thinking about these things in broad daylight? Jiang Yubai's eyes flushed with shame, and she dared not look at Ji Huan's face again.

It wasn't until the roosters crowed outside that Ji Huan was awakened by the sound. She regained consciousness, but her eyes were too sleepy to open. She casually touched the warm object in her arms, and Ji Huan, feeling comforted, instinctively hugged her tighter.

Feeling the creature stir in his arms, Ji Huan slowly opened his eyes, and saw the little rabbit in his arms, cradled in his embrace, its cheeks and ears flushed.

Ji Huan coughed softly and quickly released the little rabbit from his arms. He was really no good, always cuddling the little white rabbit to sleep.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't very good at night. Did I disturb you?" Ji Huan asked hastily, feeling genuinely sorry.

Jiang Yubai blushed and shook her head. She had slept soundly the past two nights, even more comfortably than she had in the past few months. Before, she'd felt like she was walking on thin ice even sleeping on a haystack, often dreaming of Liu Fengmei and other members of the Ji family causing trouble for her. On the contrary, these past two nights, held in Ji Huan's arms, she'd slept more peacefully than ever before.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai's face flushed even more.

"It's okay, I slept well last night," Jiang Yubai whispered, lowering her eyes, not daring to meet Ji Huan's.

Seeing the little rabbit being so well-behaved, Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly. She stared at Jiang Yubai for a moment, but Jiang Yubai didn't dare meet her gaze.

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly, and just as she was about to say something, the yard erupted in chaos, and soon a heated argument erupted.

"Damn it! With so many people in the family, how can you let the eldest son and daughter-in-law do this? Ji Ming, you've been so kind to them all the time, and look, in the end, no one came to your aid."

Li Yulan's voice echoed through the yard early in the morning, and Ji Huan had a feeling that Li Yulan was deliberately speaking to him from her doorway.

"Oh, that's enough, stop talking. Go get breakfast ready! I'm going out to get some water. Seriously, the kitchen water tank is completely empty!" Ji Ming muttered, glaring at Ji Sen and his room's door, assuming that Ji Sen had been lazy and hadn't filled it up yesterday.

"Nonsense, Ji Ming, can you please show some self-importance? You're such a useless person..." Li Yulan continued to curse as Ji Ming dragged her away.

Jiang Yubai pursed her lips and looked up at Ji Huan. "Sister, is it okay if we don't get up?"

Seeing Jiang Yubai talking to her, Ji Huan's expression softened, and she said softly, "It's okay, I'll take care of everything."

As she spoke, Ji Huan reached out and touched the top of Jiang Yubai's head. The little rabbit had just washed his hair last night, and it felt soft to the touch, a bit like the soft fur of a small animal.

Jiang Yubai's ears flushed as Ji Huan touched her head, and she secretly looked at Ji Huan, who was smiling at her tenderly. Jiang Yubai's heartbeat suddenly quickened. She didn't know what was wrong with her these past two days, but it kept happening to her.

After playing with Jiang Yubai for a while, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai got up, fetched some water from the water tank in the yard, and were about to go back to wash their faces when they ran into Li Yulan.

Seeing Ji Huan fetching water with a basin in his hand, Li Yulan said sarcastically, "You are not from the city? Why are you so particular and waste so much water?"

Ji Huan looked over coldly and sneered, "Then the two of us are not as good as your sister-in-law's family. You have four people in your family and you use the most water on weekdays. Besides, you and my elder brother never go to the river to fetch water. Why didn't your sister-in-law feel that you were wasting water at that time? Why did you change the criteria when it came to me and Yubai? Your sister-in-law is really good at acting. She has two faces in front of people and behind their backs. The virtuous look she usually has is all pretended, right?"

"You, Ji Huan, I am your sister-in-law, don't go too far." Li Yulan stared at Ji Huan breathlessly. She was not in the right to begin with, so she couldn't win the argument at all.

"I'm just discussing the matter at hand. As I said before, if you think what I said is wrong, we can get everyone in the village to come and confront us. Everyone has sharp eyes. On weekdays, the villagers have a scale in their hearts about who goes out to chop wood, draw water, and plant crops. We can naturally ask everyone to come and judge."

The coldness on Ji Huan's face became even more intense. Li Yulan was a little scared by Ji Huan's stare. She glared at Ji Huan and went to the kitchen to make breakfast unhappily.

Ji Huan was too lazy to talk nonsense with her. He took some water and went back to the room with Jiang Yubai to wash up.

Chapter Text

After Ji Huan finished washing up, he went out to see if breakfast was ready.

Li Yulan was very reluctant, cursing in the kitchen as she prepared to make porridge. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai found an unused basin in the yard and gathered some clay and dried weeds from the surrounding area, preparing to renovate the room later. After all, a separation couldn't happen so quickly, and they would still have to live here for the time being. It

was a cold winter day, and Ji Ming was freezing cold when he went to the river to fetch water. He was in a very bad mood when he returned. Usually at this time of year, he would be lying in bed with his wife and children. How could he do these chores? It was all Ji Huan's fault. No, it should be Jiang Yubai's fault, that jinx. Ji Huan used to be so honest, doing whatever he was told, but now, he didn't even listen to his parents. Ji

Ming threw the wooden cart down in anger, picked up the bucket on it, and walked towards the water tank in the kitchen.

When he entered the kitchen, he found that Li Yulan had only cooked porridge and hadn't done anything else. He immediately became angry and asked with a frown, "Why did you only cook porridge after spending so long? Where are the multi-grain steamed buns?"

Li Yulan glared at Ji Ming and said, "It's not that easy. I'm not good at it. You should do it."

"Me? I have to do everything. What's the use of you?" Ji Ming became anxious and his voice suddenly rose.

Seeing Ji Ming angry, Li Yulan cried and cursed, "Ji Ming, I gave birth to two sons for you, and this is how you treat me? How can I live like this..."

The noise of their quarrel attracted Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun. Liu Fengmei's eyes darkened when she saw her usually virtuous eldest daughter-in-law being so unreasonable. She hurried over to interrupt the quarrel, "It's just a day's work, and you're making such a fuss? Is it really that serious?" "

Mom, this is clearly Ji Huan's job, why should we do it? Ji Huan used to do this and never complained. It must be Jiang Yubai who's behind this. She must have been whispering in Ji Huan's ear, otherwise Ji Huan wouldn't have changed so much all of a sudden." Li Yulan cried and said.

Liu Fengmei also sighed heavily. She actually thought her eldest daughter-in-law had a point. Wherever Jiang Yubai went, there was unrest in the family. Their second son never talked back to her before, but he must have been bewitched by that vixen Jiang Yubai.

If Ji Huan could take care of all the housework like he used to, there wouldn't be so many conflicts at home, thought Liu Fengmei, staring at Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's room before walking over.

Liu Fengmei was angry, so she knocked on the door loudly. As the knocks continued, Ji Huan stood up with a cold face and went to open the door.

Liu Fengmei looked at Ji Huan's face, but she didn't dare to say the words on her lips. Ji Huan's eyes were cold, and he looked at her as if he were a stranger. Liu Fengmei subconsciously took a step back, but remembering that everyone in the family was looking at her, Liu Fengmei still spoke.

"Ji Huan, you should have heard it just now. Because of you, your eldest brother and your sister-in-law had a quarrel. What's wrong with you these days? You've changed so much. Tell mom the truth. Did that vixen Jiang Yubai make you say that?" Liu Fengmei pointed at Jiang Yubai behind Ji Huan and asked in a bad tone.

Ji Huan's expression became even gloomier. "This matter has nothing to do with Jiang Yubai. It's just that I have seen through you people. What? Do I deserve to be a slave to the whole family? Eldest brother and sister-in-law are so angry before they even do a day's work. Then I have worked for the family for so many years in vain, and what have I got in return? Mother, you even withheld the money given to me to subsidize eldest brother, third brother and fourth brother. What? They are the only ones who are your biological children. Am I picked up by you?"

"Ji Huan, you were not like this before. How can a family calculate so clearly? Besides, it is only right to give your third brother more money. He is the best at studying and will become a high official sooner or later. How can he ignore you, his sister then? Mother is thinking about the family, not partiality." Liu Fengmei continued to try to brainwash Ji Huan.

"For the family? You're thinking about yourself, right? Not to mention that Ji Yuan's qualifications make him incapable of becoming a high-ranking official. Even if he did, he'd quickly sever ties with us poor relatives, right?" Ji Huan sneered at the third brother, Ji Yuan, who was watching the show from the sidelines.

Ji Yuan, however, was anxious and quickly defended himself, "Ji Huan, don't talk nonsense. I'm definitely not the kind of person you're talking about."

"Isn't that right? As a gentleman, shouldn't you stand up and intervene when you see injustice? Your whole family has been bullying Jiang Yubai and me for so long, and why haven't you spoken up once for me? Oh, that's right. How can you be a gentleman? You're just a villain who joined them in bullying me." Ji Huan continued his sarcastic tone.

"No, Ji Huan, don't slander me." Ji Yuan glared at Ji Huan, but he couldn't win the argument because Ji Huan had simply spoken out everything he was thinking.

Ji Huan sneered, scanning the crowd before him, and said, "What? Your whole family is here to bully me, right? You're going to force both of us to death today, aren't you?"

Liu Fengmei had a bad feeling when she heard Ji Huan say this.

The next moment, Ji Huan was already pulling Jiang Yubai's wrist and heading out of the yard.

Old Si Jisen hadn't dared to interrupt for a long time, fearing that Ji Huan would scold him too. His second sister used to be so ineffective, but now she was like a firecracker, flaring up at the slightest touch. He didn't want to get into trouble.

After Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai left, Ji Sen whispered, "Mom, don't you think my second sister is really going crazy?"

"Of course not." Liu Fengmei was also furious, her chest still heaving. She just assumed Ji Huan was angry and wanted to go out for a walk. Ji Huan was not the type to tell outsiders about such family scandals, so she added, "Don't worry about her. If you have the guts, don't come back."

After the quarrel, everyone quieted down. Li Yulan and Ji Ming returned to the kitchen to cook under Liu Fengmei's watchful eye.

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai to the front door. It was early morning, and the villagers were busy at work. Some were carrying wooden basins to the river to wash clothes, while others were pulling wooden carts to fetch water.

Ji Huan winked at the little white rabbit beside him, then found a large rock at the Ji family's door and sobbed softly, sniffling.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan, who had been fine just a moment ago, now sitting there crying miserably. Jiang Yubai's lips parted slightly, and for a moment he didn't know what to do.

It wasn't long before someone noticed Ji Huan sobbing, and it was the women who were with him.

The woman in the lead immediately threw the washing basin aside and came to Ji Huan with the women who were with her. "Ji Huan? What's wrong with you? Why are you sitting at the door crying so early in the morning?"

Ji Huan wiped the tears from the side of his face with his sleeve, hesitating to speak, as if he was struggling with something. In the end, he gritted his teeth and said nothing.

The woman immediately grew anxious and hurriedly asked, "What's going on, Ji Huan? Speak up! Second Aunt will take care of this for you. Have you been wronged at home?"

Hearing the woman introduce herself, Ji Huan's fingertips clenched lightly, a barely perceptible smile flickering across his eyes, though his expression remained heartbroken. Several other aunts nearby came to comfort him, and Ji Huan finally spoke slowly, "Aunts, I think you all know who does the housework in my family on weekdays."

"Of course you do the work. Everyone else in your family is idle," Feng Mei, the original owner's second aunt, said immediately, and the other women around her echoed her.

"That's right, Ji Huan, it's because you're honest. If it were anyone else, they would have given up on living in a home like this long ago," Aunt Yuan said in a loud voice.

"Yes, everyone in the village knows that you are a filial child. What kind of injustice have you suffered? You are crying like this."

Ji Huan blinked, and a few tears squeezed out of his eyes. He sniffed and then spoke: "I fell into the water and fell ill a few days ago. Since then, I have had no strength. I don't need to say much, and you aunts understand that the dirtiest and most tiring work in the family is done by Yu Bai and me. Although I do these for the family without expecting anything in return, it doesn't mean that I should do all these work myself. Do I, Ji Huan, have a worthless life and deserve to be exhausted to death?"

Ji Huan took a breath and continued: "I just didn't do any work for two days, and the people in the family accused me of being unfilial. My eldest brother and sister-in-law started complaining as soon as they started making breakfast and fetching water today, but what about all those years before? I have done so much for the Ji family, but my family only thinks that those are what I should do. I really don't understand. Am I not my parents' child? How could my parents be so partial to me?"

Ji Huan spoke with tears in his eyes. Later, he really couldn't cry anymore, so he covered his face with his sleeves and pretended to cry.

Second Aunt and Liu Fengmei were already at odds, constantly comparing themselves to each other. Upon hearing Ji Huan's words, she immediately erupted in shouting. Soon, a crowd of villagers had gathered outside the Ji family's gate, pushing Jiang Yubai outward.

Ji Huan's words had spread like wildfire through the crowd. Since the original owner had always been honest, the villagers had already largely believed him and were now pointing fingers at the Ji family.

The noise outside grew louder. Ji Sen's house was at the outermost edge of the courtyard, so he could hear it. He ran outside to investigate and was stunned.

The courtyard gate was practically surrounded by the villagers. Ji Huan was sitting on a large rock at the gate, wiping away tears. Several other aunts surrounded Ji Huan, including his Second Aunt and Aunt Yuan. Ji Sen was immediately unable to stand.

His Second Aunt and Aunt Yuan were known for their loud voices. If they got to know about Ji Huan's situation, wouldn't the whole village know?

Ji Sen's face turned pale with fear, and he ran to the yard, calling for his mother.

Chapter Text

"Mom, it's bad, it's bad, something happened outside." Ji Sen shouted while running.

"What are you yelling about so early in the morning?" Liu Fengmei had a quarrel with Ji Huan early in the morning, and she was furious at the moment. When she heard Ji Sen's scream, she pushed the door open and came out in a bad mood.

"Mom, you and Dad should go to the gate quickly. Many people from the village have come here, including Ji Huan. Ji Huan is here too." Ji Sen was so anxious that he couldn't explain what was going on.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun looked at each other and hurried out. When Ji Yuan and Ji Ming heard the noise, they also followed them to the gate.

As soon as the Ji family came out, the villagers began to point at them.

Even though Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun had been through a lot, they were a little scared. Liu Fengmei looked at Ji Huan with red eyes and forced a smile, "Ji Huan, what's going on?"

Before Ji Huan could speak, Feng Mei stood in front of Ji Huan, "What else is going on? Your family is so cruel. If I had a daughter as filial as Ji Huan, I would wake up laughing in my dreams. Look at what your family has done to Ji Huan over the years? You didn't even let her go when she was sick. Where can we find a family like yours in our Donniu Village?" "

That's right, how much work does Ji Huan have to do every day? You don't treat Ji Huan as a human being at all."

"I've wanted to stand up for Ji Huan for a long time, but Ji Huan is too filial and never let me go. This time he must have been hurt by the Ji family."

"What kind of family is this? They are so mean to their own daughter?"

...

The sound of discussion echoed from all directions. Ji Yuan wanted to find a hole in the ground to crawl into. He raised his eyes and glared at Ji Huan who was not far away. If this incident affected his reputation, how would he face his classmates in the future?

Liu Fengmei's heart sank when she heard everyone say this. She looked at Feng Mei coldly: "Feng Mei, don't say anything careless. How could I be mean to Ji Huan?" "

How dare you say that? Isn't it Ji Huan who does the daily work in your family? We are not blind. We can see who is fetching water and chopping wood every day. We just didn't know that your family could be so wicked. Ji Huan was so sick a few days ago. It's only been a few days? You force her to work again." Feng Mei replied without any panic.

"When did we force her? We agreed to take turns doing the work this month. Ji Huan, how can you slander your parents? I really raised you in vain." Liu Fengmei had no choice but to squeeze out two tears and cry.

However, few in the village sympathized with her. Everyone knew Ji Huan was honest and wouldn't lie, and seeing Liu Fengmei deny it only made them feel even more sympathetic.

Ji Huan sighed heavily, lowering his eyes. "Mom, I won't dwell on the past. Let's just talk about today. My eldest brother and his family only started working this morning, and they're already furious with me. I was really afraid I'd be bullied to death by you if I stayed home. I won't say much about your favoritism towards the other brothers. Every month, you give all the money you're supposed to give to my eldest, third, and fourth brothers. Do you think they're the only children of the Ji family? I'm just your toiler."

Liu Fengmei's mouth opened and closed. In fact, it was true. The original owner worked every day, and everyone in the village saw it. Even if Liu Fengmei defended herself, it would only add fuel to the fire. No one would believe her.

Ji Mantun's face flushed and paled with anger. In all his years, he had never been criticized in the back.

At this moment, the crowd suddenly retreated to the sides. The village head rushed over with several strong men from the village. He had heard everything when he arrived, including what Ji Huan had just said.

Ji Huan had not had an easy time these past few years, but it was ultimately a family affair of the Ji family, and he, as a village head, could not intervene in it. However, since Ji Huan had spoken out all his thoughts today, he could not ignore it, at least not let Ji Huan suffer any loss.

When everyone saw the village head coming, they all made way.

The village head looked at Ji Huan, then at Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, and sighed heavily. "It's outrageous, it's really outrageous. Ji Mantun, I've heard about your family's affairs for a long time. I don't know where your heart has gone. It's just that Ji Huan is an honest child who refuses to say anything. You two can force such an honest child into this state. I really don't know what to say to you. It's such a disgrace to our Dongniu Village."

"Village head, no, don't listen to what they say. Our family is living a good life..." Ji Mantun felt ashamed and wanted to defend himself, but was interrupted by the village head before he could finish his words.

"Of course you are living a good life. The only ones who are not doing well are Ji Huan and his wife. They work like slaves for you, but in the end they don't even get a word of praise. It's really disheartening. Ji Huan, tell me what you want to do about this matter? I'm here, they won't dare to do anything to you." The village head glanced at Ji Huan, and seeing Ji Huan's depressed expression, he felt even more distressed for the child.

Ji Huan thought rapidly for a moment. The ancients emphasized filial piety and brotherly love, and the idea of ​​dividing a family was best left unspoken. Since this current conflict didn't constitute a split, Ji Huan put the matter aside and looked at the crowd with a gloomy expression.

He took a deep breath, his eyes red as he bowed before speaking, "Thank you to all the uncles and aunts in the village for today's support. Otherwise, I alone would have been branded unfilial." "

You're not being polite? We're all neighbors in the same village. So many of you have watched you grow up. Why are you being so polite to us?" Aunt Yuan said quickly, and many around her echoed her.

"That's right. We know exactly who you are. No one in the village is more filial than you. If one day you become unfilial, it certainly won't be your fault."

"That's right."

"That's right. There are definitely some people who aren't worthy of being parents."

The villagers began to speak in a flurry, all of them sarcastically criticizing Ji Mantun and his wife.

Ji Huan clasped his fists and bowed to everyone before continuing, "My family asked me to marry Jiang Yubai because of the two taels of silver from the Jiang family as a dowry."

Jiang Yubai, squeezed outside by the crowd, looked pale. Ji Huan didn't want to marry her, so what about all the kindness Ji Huan had shown her these past few days? Jiang Yubai's eyes were red. Did no one want her again?

Just as Jiang Yubai was feeling overwhelmed, she heard Ji Huan's next words.

"Fortunately, Yubai is a very good person. I know there are some rumors about her in the village, but these rumors will surely be proven false in time. She has never had a comfortable day since she married into the Ji family. In addition to being forced to work by her mother every day, she also has to endure her mother's insults. But what did she do wrong? She has done so much for the Ji family, but her mother even let her sleep on a haystack. It is so cold in winter. Mother, have you never thought about her life or death?"

Ji Huan sniffed and continued, "Of course it is like this. A dispensable daughter and a dispensable daughter-in-law. Perhaps in your eyes, if Yubai and I go there early, we can save a lot of food for the family?"

"No, no..." Liu Fengmei wanted to argue, but was interrupted by Ji Huan.

"Now that we've come to this, I'm sure the Ji family can't tolerate us anymore. Yubai and I are leaving now. Even though it's cold in winter, freezing to death outside is better than being looked down upon at home. Father and mother, please forgive me for being unfilial. I won't be able to be with you in the future." Ji Huan sniffed and wiped away the tears that hadn't fallen with her sleeves.

Isn't it just the green tea literature of retreating to advance? Isn't that easy? She just did it casually, okay?

As she spoke, Ji Huan pretended to bow down to Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, but was stopped by Fengmei and Aunt Yuan.

Fengmei even advised, "Everyone knows that you are filial. They have treated you like this. Why should you bow down to such parents?"

Second uncle Ji Mancang stood aside and sighed, "Brother, how could you treat Ji Huan like this? If your family really can't accommodate the two of them, just let them move in with me." "

No, we never said we can't accommodate Ji Huan. You are slandering me, slandering me." Ji Mantun's face turned green, but he couldn't win an argument with hundreds of villagers alone. Everyone's spit almost drowned the Ji family.

The head of the village shouted loudly, "Enough, stop arguing, and listen to what Ji Huan has to say." The head

of the village looked at Ji Huan, patted Ji Huan on the shoulder, sighed and said, "Ji Huan, what do you say?"

"Yubai and I have nowhere to go, but if we go to Second Uncle's house, we will disturb his family. I feel really bad. Please don't worry about us. Yubai and I will find a way to find a job to make a living. However, the worst case scenario is that we will starve to death." Ji Huan had a desolate look on his face, and his eyes were lifeless.

Feng Mei hurriedly said, "Don't talk nonsense, kid! Spit up a few times! It's really unlucky."

Ji Huan had no choice but to spit three times under Second Aunt's gaze. Feng Mei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's just a matter of two more pairs of chopsticks. If you and Jiang Yubai move in, I wonder what they can do to you?" Feng Mei continued to persuade him.

The village head nodded in agreement. "Mancang, if you have a spare room in your house, take them in for a while. It's hard to find work in the winter. So, I'll provide Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's rations, and I'll have them delivered to your house shortly."

Ji Mancang quickly waved his hand, "No way! You're slapping me in the face! Ji Huan is our own child. How can I ask you to provide food just for him to live with me? It's just a mouthful of food; I can afford it."

The village head sighed and looked at Ji Huan. "Alright, it's settled. You two go back and pack your things. I'll be watching from here. No one dares to stop you."

Liu Fengmei stared at the mocking glances from all sides, feeling incredibly regretful. She had never imagined Ji Huan could tell such a thing to such an outsider, and speak so tearfully and with such reason.

She reached out to grab Ji Huan, but Ji Huan deftly dodged with a basic attack, avoiding Liu Fengmei's grasp. With a sad look, he looked towards Jiang Yubai outside the crowd.

She reached out and took Jiang Yubai's wrist, and walked into the gate of Ji's house with heavy steps.

Ji Mantun wanted to go over to persuade Ji Huan, but was glared at by the head of the village, "I want to see who dares to stop Ji Huan today?"

Ji Mantun frowned and looked at Ji Huan, sighed heavily, and finally did not dare to step forward to stop anyone.

Ji Huan entered the yard and saw the little white rabbit looking at him with a worried face. Ji Huan put away his bitter and resentful look, blinked at the little white rabbit, and whispered in the little white rabbit's ear: "Don't worry, I did that on purpose just now."

The little white rabbit opened his mouth, obviously not expecting that Ji Huan's tears and sobs just now were all fake.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai went into the house and only packed two sets of clothes. After all, they couldn't live in someone else's house for long. And given the current situation, the Ji family should pick them up as soon as possible, otherwise the whole village would spit on them.

Ji Huan saw that Jiang Yubai was a little flustered and comforted him softly, "Don't worry, this time the Ji family will definitely take the initiative to lower their posture and come to pick us up. We shouldn't have to stay at Second Uncle's house for too long." Jiang Yubai

nodded. Anyway, subconsciously, Jiang Yubai believed that wherever Ji Huan went, she would go there.

After leaving the room, Ji Huan brewed her emotions for a while until her eyes were red. Then she carried the package and walked out of the Ji family's gate.

Ji Huan's face turned pale. He opened the package in his arms for everyone to see, and then he said, "Yubai and I only took some clothes for changing. Well, these are the only old clothes full of patches that we have in the Ji family. I'm not afraid of being laughed at by everyone. I have lived to this day without a penny on me."

Ji Huan looked so miserable that some of the villagers around him started crying. Then everyone started to despise Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei.

"People like this are qualified to be parents? They only care about giving birth but not raising children?"

"The Ji family is obviously well-off, but they are so mean to Ji Huan. Ji Huan is still Qianyuan. I think they will treat Ji Qiao even worse."

"Ji Qiao married a lame man from the neighboring Xiniu village. I heard that the lame man has a bad temper and beats Ji Qiao until she is bleeding. The Ji family only cares about collecting money and doesn't care about their daughter's life or death." "

It's so pitiful."

The discussions around were getting louder and louder. Seeing that there was no other way, Liu Fengmei simply sat on the ground and started to make a scene, crying and cursing: "Ji Huan, you unfilial daughter, you are doing this to let the villagers poke the spines of me and your parents. Why did I give birth to a thing like you that can't be raised?"

The crowd was silent for a moment, and then Feng Mei started to scold Liu Fengmei, "You are putting the blame on someone else, right? Liu Fengmei, you shrew."

"That's enough!" As the headman smashed the wooden stick in the hands of the young man next to him to the ground, the crowd gradually quieted down.

The village head panted, pointing at Liu Fengmei and scolding her, "If you dare to use those shrewish tactics again, don't blame me for being ruthless. Get up!"

Liu Fengmei couldn't even cry anymore after being scolded by the village head, so she stood up dejectedly.

"If I find out you're bullying Ji Huan again, I won't let you go so easily like I did today." The village head glanced around at the Ji family before looking at Ji Mancang. "Mancang, thank you for your hard work. Take Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai back home and settle them down first."

"It's not hard work. Ji Huan is a sensible child. We're so happy. Ji Huan, let's go," Ji Mancang said, looking at Ji Huan again.

Ji Huan nodded. "I'm sorry to bother my uncle and aunt."

"What are you talking about? It's not a big deal. It's not a big deal. Let's go. Breakfast is almost ready at home. We can eat when we get home," Feng Mei said with a smile.

Ji Huan then took Jiang Yubai, Ji Mancang, and the others and left.

With Ji Huan gone, the excitement faded. People cast disdainful glances at Liu Fengmei and the others, and the crowd gradually dispersed, returning to their tasks.

The veins on Ji Mantun's face bulged, and his gaze fixed on the remaining members of the Ji family. He gritted his teeth and said, "You've completely lost face. Just asking you to do some work was like asking you to die. Now your whole family has become the laughing stock of the entire village. How can you even hold your heads up in this village?"

Ji Dong and Ji Xi would have been enjoying a hot meal by now. Seeing no one in the yard, Ji Dong took his younger brother out.

As usual, Ji Dong and Ji Xi rushed over to pester Liu Fengmei and act like spoiled brats.

"Grandma, when is breakfast? Haven't Ji Huan and the others finished cooking yet?" Ji Dong asked, as usual.

Li Yulan saw Ji Mantun's face turn pale and winked at her eldest son, but both sons were too spoiled to listen.

"That's right, Ji Huan is too slow, and Xixi is hungry too. Grandma, please hurry Ji Huan

up," three-year-old Ji Xi chimed in. Ji Mantun clenched his fists, and without caring about anyone else's reaction, he reached out and lifted the two children up, berating them loudly, "This whole mess today is all your fault, Boss. I just asked you to cook, and you're complaining all the time. You've even spoiled Ji Dong and Ji Xi. Did they call them Ji Huan? Ji Huan is their aunt."

Li Yulan and Ji Ming, seeing the children being grabbed by Ji Mantun, rushed to grab them.

"Dad, calm down! This is the future of our Ji family. You can't hurt him." Ji Ming cried as he snatched Ji Dong back into his arms.

Li Yulan and Liu Fengmei grabbed Ji Xi.

"Boss, calm down! It's okay if the children don't scold you. Don't get angry with your grandchildren," Liu Fengmei cried as she hugged her grandson tightly.

"Ji Ming, your second sister was driven away by your family. If you don't invite her back, you and your family will be doing all the housework in the future." Ji Mantun angrily pointed at Ji Ming and cursed.

"Dad, it was obviously everyone who drove her away, why are you blaming our family?" Ji Ming, a male Qianyuan, also started crying.

"You still have the nerve to ask why? If we can't invite Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai back this time, I'm afraid our family will have no face to live in this village." Ji Mantun said this and walked quickly into the house, not wanting to stay outside for a moment.

Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu, afraid of getting into trouble, also went back to their rooms early.

As for Ji Yuan, he hid early in the morning, shutting the door and banging on it several times. Fortunately, this matter hadn't spread yet. If it had, how could he live in the town school? Even if the eldest brother didn't go, he would have to go too. He had to invite Ji Huan back as soon as possible.

Compared to the chaos in the Ji family, Ji Huan went to Ji Mancang and Feng Mei's house very calmly with Jiang Yubai. Ji Mancang's family only had a son and a daughter, two Qianyuan. His son Ji Fu was already married with his wife Wang Xiaoyue, while his daughter Ji Wen was not married yet.

Ji Mancang and Feng Mei went out, while the other three were making breakfast at home. Seeing Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai also came back, the three of them were a little surprised, but still greeted Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai warmly.

"Ji Huan, I haven't seen you for a few days. Are you feeling better? Come and sit down." Ji Wen came out of the kitchen and said hurriedly.

Jiang Yubai stood beside Ji Huan and hesitated. When he ate at Ji's house before, he was not allowed to sit at the table.

Seeing Jiang Yubai standing stiffly beside him, Ji Huan probably understood Jiang Yubai's concerns and said, "I'm sorry to bother you, second uncle and second aunt today. Yubai and I should go back to the room to eat and not disturb your family."

Ji Mancang was also a little hesitant when he saw Jiang Yubai, but thought it would be okay if they just had a meal together, so he hurriedly said, "That won't do. The whole family can eat in the dining room. You just stay here peacefully. If your parents come to make trouble, I'm here for you."

"Thank you, second uncle and second aunt, don't worry, Yubai and I won't stay too long..."

Ji Huan wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Feng Mei, "What do you mean we won't stay too long? You can stay as long as you want. Don't be polite."

Seeing that the original owner's second uncle and his family were pretty good, Ji Huan didn't refuse anymore. Anyway, she knew that Ji Mantun's family would come to beg her to go back.

Ji Fu and Wang Xiaoyue quickly arrived from the kitchen. Breakfast consisted of egg drop and cabbage soup with multi-grain steamed buns and pickles. While it wasn't particularly sumptuous, at least everyone had the same meal. The eggs were beaten into the soup, allowing everyone to have a share, unlike the original owner's family, where eggs were reserved for the third and eldest sons.

Ji Huan couldn't eat much that morning, so she only ate one steamed bun. Jiang Yubai, on the other hand, ate two. She wasn't completely full, but fearing her large appetite might scare her second uncle's family, she finished her two meals and then sat down obediently, waiting for Ji Huan.

"Ji Wen, clean up the wing room later. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai will be living with us from now on. Your uncle's family is overdoing it," Ji Mancang said hurriedly.

"Okay, Sister Ji Huan, I'll go and clean it up right away. Wait a minute." Ji Wen finished his bowl of soup and hurriedly got up to go back to work.

Ji Huan hurriedly said, "Let's go help too. How can we let Ji Wen do all this by himself?"

"No, silly children, you've suffered so much. Rest up now. You've only just recovered from your illness, so you won't have to do anything for the next few days. Once the room is cleaned up, you can go back and rest," Ji Mancang said hurriedly.

"It's all right, Uncle. We can't just sit here and do nothing. Let's go and help Ji Wen clean up." Ji Huan said, and he and Jiang Yubai walked towards the wing room.

Feng Mei looked at Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, sighed, and said, "What a waste of such a good child! I've always said that your eldest brother's family has evil intentions. Only Ji Huan is a decent man, and yet he's being tormented by that family."

"Yes, let's help if we can," Ji Mancang sighed.

In Ji Ming's room, Li Yulan cried, hugging her two children. Ji Ming sat on a bench by the table, sighing, his usual arrogance gone.

He thought about what Ji Huan had just said. Many of his words were indeed true, but he didn't think Ji Huan could say these things. After all, he knew how honest Ji Huan was. Could it be that he was really forced into a corner? Ji Ming couldn't figure it out for a long time.

The room was full of the crying of two children. Ji Ming sighed and resignedly went out to the kitchen to prepare dinner. The firewood at home was almost gone, and he had to go up the mountain to chop firewood soon.

Ji Ming cooked the porridge, but he didn't have the heart to knead the dough. He just made rice porridge and cut some pickles, and then hurriedly brought it to the dining room. The dining room, which was bustling in the past, was now empty.

He had no choice but to fill the bowls one by one and take them to the dining room before calling people from room to room.

Chapter Text

Ji Ming knocked on his parents' door. After knocking a few times and seeing no answer, he called out from outside, "Dad, Mom, breakfast is ready. Come out and eat."

A crisp sound echoed from inside, followed by Ji Mantun's voice: "Eat by yourself. I'm too embarrassed to go out and eat."

"Master, we can't not eat," Liu Fengmei advised.

"Eat? The villagers' spit could drown us. I really didn't expect Ji Huan to spread this. This child has always been so honest, ah." Ji Mantun sighed heavily, his old face completely humiliated.

"Master, don't worry. Ji Huan has always been obedient. This time, she's just angry. Break bones and connect tendons. Let's just bring her and Jiang Yubai back home," Liu Fengmei continued. "

If only it were that simple. If she doesn't want to come back, I'm too embarrassed to leave the hospital again." Ji Mantun took a few puffs from his pipe and sighed.

"Ji Huan is soft-hearted. At worst, we can let Ji Ming and the others take turns to persuade her to come back. If that doesn't work, we can risk our reputation and go there ourselves." Liu Fengmei persuaded again.

Finally, Liu Fengmei brought the porridge in, and Ji Mantun reluctantly ate some.

The firewood at home was almost used up, so Ji Ming had to take the rope and axe and go out, wanting to go to the mountain to chop some firewood.

After walking a few steps, he met people from the same village. Ji Ming smiled and waved his hand to say hello: "Brother Li Er, you just came back from chopping wood?"

Li Er on the opposite side pretended not to see him, pulled his companion, and took a detour. The two whispered as they walked.

"See, that's the eldest brother of the Ji family. This morning, their family almost forced Ji Huan to death." Li Er whispered to his companion.

"Him? I thought so too, his shifty eyes don't look like a good person. Ji Huan is so pitiful, having such a relative."

"Who says not?"

The two figures gradually disappeared into the distance. Ji Ming gritted his teeth and consoled himself that this was just an isolated case. It's not like the whole village would isolate their Ji family, right?

After that, Ji Ming went up the mountain again and met several groups of people one after another. Without exception, when he greeted them, everyone sneered.

Ji Ming was a little panicked. If his family was really isolated in Dongniu Village, then his two children would also be isolated by other children in the village when they started to learn to go to school. Thinking of this, Ji Ming became even more anxious.

He was used to a life of luxury and comfort. After chopping wood for a while, he felt tired. He sat under a tree to rest, thinking about Ji Huan's matter.

When Ji Ming returned with the firewood, it was already noon and no one had cooked the family meal yet.

Ji Ming, seeing his wife nowhere to be seen in the kitchen, flew into a rage. He rushed inside to find Li Yulan and the two children secretly eating the snacks Liu Fengmei had given them.

Ji Ming's forehead was bulging with anger. "Aren't we supposed to be cooking today? Why are you still sitting here? Are you trying to tire me out?"

Li Yulan, noticing Ji Ming's anger, quickly said, "I just finished coaxing the kids into bed and was about to go to the kitchen when you come in. Don't be angry, I'll go cook."

Ji Ming kicked a stool in anger, hitting his toe. He sat there, gasping for air.

Ji Dong and Ji Xi, who had been bullied by Ji Mantun that morning, were too timid to act up now, huddling to one side for fear of another beating.

Elsewhere, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had already tidied up their wing room. It was about the same size as the original owner's room, but much cleaner, with newer beds and cabinets. Ji Wen brought them bedding, and Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai settled in to rest.

Ji Huan had been crying and acting all morning, and now she was truly exhausted.

She lay back on the bed, ready to rest. Seeing Jiang Yubai still sitting at the table, she waved at him, "I'm tired all morning. Do you want to come over and lie down for a while?"

Jiang Yubai's ears turned slightly red. They were at her second uncle's house now, and even at her own home, lying with Qian Yuan in the daytime still made her a little shy. She shook her head and looked at Ji Huan, "You go to sleep. I'm not sleepy yet."

Ji Huan blinked at her and smiled, "Even if you're not sleepy, you can still come and keep me company."

Jiang Yubai felt her face flush at Ji Huan's affectionate tone. Since Ji Huan said so, would it be bad if she didn't go over?

Jiang Yubai didn't think much of it and had already stood up and walked to the bed. She had expected Ji Huan to feel a little sad, after all, he had just had a big fight with his family that morning and was even kicked out, but now it seemed that Ji Huan was in a particularly good mood.

Jiang Yubai was puzzled, and thinking back to Ji Huan's behavior over the past few days, she became even more perplexed. Ji Huan seemed to have changed a lot, and his personality had completely changed since that drowning incident. But Ji Huan treated her well now, and no longer obeyed Liu Fengmei's orders unconditionally. Jiang Yubai still preferred the current Ji Huan.

Her fingertips clenched, her pink lips pressed together. A bold hypothesis loomed in her mind, but Jiang Yubai quickly shook her head, not wanting to dwell on it.

Seeing Little White Rabbit's preoccupation, Ji Huan reached out and pinched her fingertips, hoping to get her attention.

Jiang Yubai snapped back to reality, and saw Ji Huan looking at her with a smile in his eyes.

As if burned by Ji Huan's gaze, Jiang Yubai quickly looked away, but didn't withdraw her fingertips. With her ears red, she let Ji Huan gently pinch and play with them.

Seeing the blushing little white rabbit was adorable, Ji Huan moved closer to Jiang Yubai, pinched Jiang Yubai's fingertips and asked softly, "Didn't you eat enough for breakfast?"

Jiang Yubai didn't expect Ji Huan to still be thinking about this. She looked at Ji Huan and replied with some hesitation, "Actually, I did."

Ji Huan knew she wasn't telling the truth, so he just comforted her softly, "We'll move out in a while. You can eat as much as you want. By then, it'll be just the two of us in our little home, and we'll make sure you have enough to eat every day."

Jiang Yubai's fingertips were burning hot under Ji Huan's pinch, and her heartbeat quickened. Was what Ji Huan said true? Would they have their own little home? She hadn't been sure about what Ji Huan had said in the past few days, but Ji Huan had really done that. He would protect her and care about whether she had eaten enough. Perhaps they would really have their own little home in the future?

Seeing the little white rabbit remained silent, Ji Huan said nothing more. Jiang Yubai must have noticed a change in her over the past few days, but it had only been a few days, so Jiang Yubai certainly didn't fully believe what he said. Ji Huan understood all of this, and his actions these past few days were completely out of character for the original owner. It was a good thing he hadn't frightened the little white rabbit.

Thinking of this, Ji Huan closed his eyes and lay down to rest, pinching the little white rabbit's fingertips as a stress-relieving toy.

Jiang Yubai's fingertips still burned from Ji Huan's grip, but with Ji Huan's eyes closed, Jiang Yubai's nervousness subsided. He simply sat obediently beside Ji Huan, extending his hand to cooperate.

Ji Mantun and his family had lunch, sweet potato and sorghum rice, and the side was still cabbage stewed with potatoes. All the Ji family members were present except Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, but Ji Mantun remained silent, and no one dared to pick up their chopsticks.

Ji Mantun raised his eyes to look at the people at the table, sighed heavily, and knocked the table with the pipe in his hand. "Alright, let's eat. Ji Ming, after noon, go out and buy half a pound of pork and bring it to your second uncle. Call Ji Huan and the others back. Tell Ji Huan that from now on, you brothers and sisters will each do the housework for a day, so that she and Jiang Yubai won't have to work so hard every day. Do you understand?"

Ji Ming nodded and replied with a flushed face, "I understand, Dad."

Ji Ming lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said, "Dad, I just went up the mountain to chop firewood and found that the villagers' attitudes towards me have changed. I greeted them, but they just walked around me."

Ji Mantun sighed heavily and knocked on the table with his pipe. "This is why I asked you to find Ji Huan as soon as possible, otherwise our Ji family will be drowned in the saliva of the villagers. Remember to say more good things to Ji Huan. That child is soft-hearted. She did this this time because you are so angry. She must still be thinking about her family." "

How can she be forced by us? If you and mother were not biased, Ji Huan would not be like this." Ji Sen sat there and muttered softly.

Ji Mantun glared at Ji Sen. "All you do is gamble all day long, and now you blame your parents? What, this family can't tolerate you anymore?"

Ji Sen didn't dare to say a word. He still owed a few taels of silver outside, and maybe the creditors would come to the house to ask for it in a few days.

"Okay, let's eat." Ji Mantun said.

Everyone picked up their chopsticks and started eating, but they had different thoughts.

Compared to the bad mood of the Ji family, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai at Ji Mancang's place were much more relaxed. Because Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai were here, Ji Mancang asked Ji Fu and Ji Wen to make white flour buns, and put some pork in the cabbage and potato stew, which was rare.

Although it was just a little pork, the taste was different when it was added to the dish. Ji Huan ate the white flour bun and felt so comfortable.

But even so, Ji Huan's appetite was only the amount of one bun, while the little white rabbit had already eaten two buns.

Jiang Yubai had already put down his chopsticks, feeling embarrassed to pick up the buns to eat.

Feng Mei, fearing Jiang Yubai would feel embarrassed, used her chopsticks to place another steamed bun in Jiang Yubai's bowl, saying with a smile, "This isn't the Ji family's. Eat as much as you want. Ji Huan, have one too."

Ji Huan quickly waved his hand, "I'm really full. Let Yubai eat. She's been suffering with me."

"It's not suffering," Jiang Yubai said, looking up at Ji Huan. After all, if it weren't for Ji Huan, she'd still be toiling like a slave in the Ji family, enduring Liu Fengmei's scolding.

"Just live here peacefully. The village head knows about this incident anyway. If your parents dare to force you again, we'll go to the village head to seek justice," Feng Mei said enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Second Aunt. Starting tomorrow, Yubai and I will help you with the chores. We can't just stay here for nothing."

"No, no, you two should rest for a few days first."

After lunch, Ji Fu and Ji Wen refused to compete with Ji Huan. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai took on the dishwashing chores. Since they were living in someone else's house, it was not right for them to just sit there and do nothing.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai were alone in the kitchen. Jiang Yubai whispered, "Sister, are we really staying here for long?"

Ji Huan smiled at her and said softly, "Don't worry. The Ji family might be here soon. But we can't just leave so easily this time."

Jiang Yubai wasn't sure what Ji Huan was going to do, but hearing his relaxed tone, she breathed a sigh of relief.

After cleaning up the kitchen, Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai back to her room.

Winter was a slack season for farming, so there wasn't much work to do. Ji Huan lay down on the bed again, resting her energy. If the Ji family came, she'd have something to talk to them about.

Seeing Jiang Yubai still sitting on the bench, Ji Huan lifted the blanket and patted her side. "Come lie down with us for a while. Why are you just sitting there like an idiot?"

Jiang Yubai's ears flushed slightly. Even though she knew Ji Huan wasn't going to do anything to her, she was still overwhelmed with shyness. However, the room was cold, and with nothing else to do, she obediently climbed onto the bed and lay down beside Ji Huan.

Ji Huan helped her cover the quilt, then lay down and closed his eyes to try to fall asleep.

Jiang Yubai lay there for a while, and when he saw that Ji Huan was motionless, he secretly turned his body and lay on the bed face to face with Ji Huan.

Jiang Yubai didn't know why he did this, he just wanted to see Ji Huan.

Being stared at by the little white rabbit, how could Ji Huan, who was still trying to fall asleep, not know? She opened her eyes and looked over, and sure enough, she caught the little white rabbit peeking at her.

Ji Huan blinked at Jiang Yubai and asked with a smile: "Does it look good?"

Jiang Yubai lowered his eyes, not daring to look into Ji Huan's eyes, and reached out to pull up the quilt, covering half of his red face.

Ji Huan chuckled a few times, and then saw that the little white rabbit in front of him had even dyed the tips of its ears red.

Ji Huan groped under the quilt for a moment, soon finding Little White Rabbit's hand. She gently tapped it twice with her index finger, then asked with a smile, "Why are you so shy? It's not like I won't show you."

With that, Little White Rabbit buried her face almost entirely in the quilt.

Seeing her shyness, Ji Huan softly said, "Okay, I won't tease you anymore. You've been so nervous all morning. Just lie down and get some sleep."

With that, Ji Huan closed her eyes, truly going to sleep this time.

Jiang Yubai lay there for a long moment before looking up. Seeing Ji Huan didn't open his eyes, she breathed a sigh of relief. She realized that since falling into the water, Ji Huan had not only been kind to her but also loved to tease her.

The quilt was warm, and Jiang Yubai had fallen asleep without realizing it.

The room was still a little chilly, and Ji Huan, as he drifted off to sleep, pulled Jiang Yubai into his arms again. Jiang Yubai, as if accustomed to it, nestled naturally in Ji Huan's arms, sleeping soundly.

When she woke up again, Ji Huan saw a sweet and soft little rabbit in her arms. Ji Huan didn't know when she had held Jiang Yubai in her arms again.

Jiang Yubai leaned against her, and the quilt was very warm. Ji Huan was reluctant to let go of the warmth that had accumulated in the quilt, so she didn't let go of Jiang Yubai in her arms.

She lowered her eyes to look at the little white rabbit, and saw the little white rabbit's long eyelashes blinking. Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly. She didn't understand why such a beautiful girl was avoided by the villagers.

She put her hand on Jiang Yubai's waist and rubbed Jiang Yubai's lower back gently. She felt the warmth in her palms, which was very comfortable. She didn't know if it was an illusion, but Ji Huan always felt that Jiang Yubai's body temperature was higher than hers, otherwise she would definitely not hold the little girl in her arms every time she fell asleep.

The little rabbit was sleeping soundly, as if she was unhappy about Ji Huan's hand moving around on her lower back. The little rabbit buried her head and rubbed Ji Huan's neck gently, which made Ji Huan's smile even wider. She really liked the little rabbit's initiative to act coquettishly towards her, but the little white rabbit was shy when she was awake, so she wouldn't rub her like this.

After hugging Jiang Yubai for a while, Jiang Yubai in Ji Huan's arms slowly woke up.

Jiang Yubai was not fully awake yet, and when she looked up, she saw Ji Huan's face close to her. Jiang Yubai wanted to move back, but found that Ji Huan had also held her lower back, leaving her with nowhere to move. So the shy little rabbit panicked and simply buried her face in Ji Huan's arms.

Seeing the little white rabbit shy again, Ji Huan reached out and gently patted its back, soothing it softly, "What's wrong with that? We're married now, so what's wrong with waking up in my arms?"

As she finished, Ji Huan noticed that even Jiang Yubai's neck was red. She shook her head with a chuckle. It must be that she wasn't interested in a relationship, otherwise such a shy little rabbit would have been devoured long ago.

"Sister, please stop talking," the little rabbit's voice emanated from Jiang Yubai's arms, softer than a kitten's meow.

Jiang Yubai reached out and gently patted the little rabbit in her arms, saying softly, "Okay, I won't tease you anymore." Jiang Yubai

huddled obediently in Ji Huan's arms. When Ji Huan spoke, she felt shy, and when he stopped, she felt shy too.

She couldn't help but feel that Ji Huan was watching her. Jiang Yubai would sneak a glance at Ji Huan, only to meet his smiling eyes. Then, shyly, she would bury herself back in Ji Huan's arms.

Seeing the little bunny so shy, Ji Huan chuckled and reached out to rub the top of Jiang Yubai's head. "Hold her more often, you'll get used to it."

Jiang Yubai's face flushed, and his heartbeat grew heavier. "Hold her more often?" Did his sister like him being close?

Jiang Yubai felt as if honey had been soaked in his heart, a sweet seed planted deep within him. As his mindset shifted day by day, it seemed to be sprouting.

"Knock, knock, knock." There was a knock on the door, followed by Ji Wen's voice. "Ji Ming is here, waiting for you in the dining room. Do you want to see him or not?"

Hearing Ji Wen's voice, Ji Huan felt the little bunny in her arms grow even hotter. She reached out and gently touched Jiang Yubai's head to comfort him, casually replying, "I'll be right there. Sorry to bother you."

"What's the big deal? We're family," Ji Wen said, and quickly left.

Ji Huan lowered her eyes to look at the little white bunny in her arms, her lips curling slightly. The fish had taken the bait.

"Let's go, it's time for us to go see Ji Ming." Ji Huan said softly.

Jiang Yubai stood up slightly from Ji Huan's arms, the tips of her ears were still red, she didn't dare to look at Ji Huan, and climbed up from Ji Huan by herself.

Ji Huan's eyes were slightly curved, the little white rabbit looked quite cute when she was panicked, but now she had to go out and see Ji Ming first.

Ji Huan stood up, folded the quilt, put on her outer dress, and then walked towards the dining room with Jiang Yubai.

Ji Ming had been sitting in the dining room for a while. Seeing Ji Huan coming, Ji Ming breathed a sigh of relief but began to get nervous again. Ji Huan's recent changes were too great. Ji Ming was afraid that he would not get any benefits from Ji Huan, and he was also a little afraid that his second uncle's family would laugh at him.

Ji Ming stood up and forced a smile at Ji Huan, his tone softer than usual: "Second sister, we are all family. Parents said that they won't let you work so hard in the future. The housework will be done in turns by each family. Let's go back for a favor."

Ji Huan's emotions had already begun to build up when he was saying these nonsense. At this moment, Ji Huan's eyes were red, and he looked like he was about to cry at any time. "Big brother, parents don't want to see me in the first place. If someone like me goes back, I will only cause you trouble. Now I can only live with Second Uncle. When you go back, remember to tell parents for me that their daughter is unfilial and can no longer take care of them."

Ji Ming was a little anxious now, "It's not your fault, second sister. We were also wrong before. It

's not all your fault. It's all your sister-in-law's fault. She was always slow in doing work, otherwise today's incident wouldn't have happened. Don't worry, I will discipline her when I get back." Ji Huan shook his head dejectedly, "It's not sister-in-law's problem. Yu Bai and I didn't do well enough. If we die of exhaustion in the fields and hills, maybe mom and dad will say a word to us, okay?"

"It's not Ji Huan, you can't say that. Mom and Dad don't mean to force you to death. Don't do anything stupid." Ji Ming was really scared this time. Just because Ji Huan had exposed this matter, the Ji family had been despised by the villagers. If someone really died, they would never be able to stay in this village.

Feng Mei glared at Ji Ming and said on behalf of Ji Huan, "Ji Ming, why didn't you feel sorry for Ji Huan working hard every day before? Now you are here. Your words are not as light as you say. If Ji Huan goes back, won't he be eaten up by your family without leaving anything?"

Ji Ming was embarrassed. "Second Aunt, we also know that this is not a good thing to do. We will definitely change it. You see, it is not convenient for Ji Huan to live with you. Let her go home with me." "

What's inconvenient? I think it's very convenient. My place is spacious. Ji Huan and others can stay as long as they want. But you, don't think about forcing Ji Huan to go back." Feng Mei continued.

Ji Ming's face flushed red. He glanced at Ji Huan, his heart pounding. "Second sister, there's something I want to talk to you about in private. Is that okay?"

Ji Huan's inner child leaped with joy. The fish had taken the bait, and she too wanted to talk to Ji Ming. However, Ji Huan's expression remained unchanged. With red eyes, she said, "Of course you can. Big brother, come with me to the room and talk."

Ji Ming's face lit up with delight, thinking that his sister was indeed soft-hearted. Despite the ugly scene she had with her family this morning, she still sided with them. "Hey, let's have a good talk, brother and sister."

"Ji Huan, you can't be soft-hearted. They're just sure you're soft-hearted, and you're such a filial child," Feng Mei warned worriedly.

Ji Huan smiled palely at Feng Mei. "Thank you, Second Aunt, for the heads-up. I'm just talking to Big Brother. It'll be fine."

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan, still a little worried that Ji Huan might be soft-hearted. But remembering Ji Huan's behavior over the past few days, Jiang Yubai subconsciously felt that Ji Huan wouldn't easily agree to go back with Ji Ming.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan took Ji Ming to her and Jiang Yubai's room. The listless look she had just had was long gone. She sat leisurely on the bench in the room, glanced at Ji Ming, and said with a sneer, "Brother, just say whatever you want to say."

Ji Ming was a little overwhelmed by Ji Huan's expression. Ji Huan now looked aggressive, how could she still be his honest second sister?

He subconsciously swallowed his saliva with some fear, "Ji Huan, you, you..."

"If you have something to say, say it quickly. I'm not as carefree as my brother." Ji Huan glanced at Ji Ming and sat upright as before.

"Second sister, this time it was my parents who asked me to come and ask you to go back. Everyone knows that you were wronged by the previous incident, but it will definitely not happen again in the future. Don't worry about that. You are a filial daughter. Do you really need my parents to come and ask you to go?" Ji Ming once again brought up the importance of filial piety.

Ji Huan sneered, his gaze fixed on Ji Ming. "Ji Ming, since it's just the two of us here, there's no need to act so pretentiously. Second sister? Have you ever considered me a younger sister? I'm more like your family's workhorse."

Ji Ming's face flushed and paled at Ji Huan's rebuke. He had always known Ji Huan as a quiet, taciturn man who only knew how to work. How could he possibly speak so sarcasticly?

"Ji Huan, you can't say that. Your parents are doing this for your own good. It's not good for you and Jiang Yubai to always live in someone else's house," Ji Ming said hastily.

Ji Huan nodded and said, "It's not good. So I've decided to take Yubai to the village to beg for food in a few days. There's nothing else to do in winter, and my family doesn't care about us, so we'll just have to make do with food from other people's homes."

"Ji Huan! You!" Ji Ming was so enraged by Ji Huan that he couldn't even finish his sentence. More importantly, Ji Ming felt that Ji Huan before him might not be joking, but could actually do such a thing. Then the Ji family would be truly finished.

He took a few breaths, forced a smile, and advised: "Second sister, we are all family, why bother? Everything can be discussed, we don't have to go out to beg for food."

Ji Huan also smiled brightly at Ji Ming, "Indeed, my eldest brother's family is so loved by our parents, so naturally they won't go out to beg for food. But Yu Bai and I are just the old oxen in the family. If we are hungry and have nothing to eat, then we can only go out to beg for food, don't you think?"

The veins on Ji Ming's forehead twitched, he gritted his teeth, and continued to persuade kindly: "Second sister, there is food at home, and we will not let you go hungry. Don't worry, I promise that you and Jiang Yubai will be fine. "Bai went back home and ate his fill every meal."

Ji Huan smiled at Ji Ming, who quickly returned the favor. Ji Huan's expression quickly changed. "You promise? Who do you think you are? What guarantees do you have?"

Ji Huan continued with a cold face, "I'm telling you, I'm telling you this today. If you want Yu Bai and I to go back, then bring me the two taels of silver Yu Bai brought as a dowry. You can't just invite someone with words; you have to show some sincerity."

Ji Huan finished speaking and walked to the door to open it. "Go ahead, big brother. Give me an answer as soon as possible, or I might end up walking out with my bowl in hand one day."

"You, Ji Huan! You can't do this..." Ji Ming was about to say something when Ji Huan dragged him out. He stumbled and fell to the ground.

The two of them made quite a commotion, and Ji Huan's eyes faded, returning to her previous frail demeanor. Seeing everyone leaving the dining room, she hurried over to help Ji Ming.

Ji Ming was nearly exasperated. He instinctively reached out and shoved Ji Huan away. The next moment, Ji Huan fell to the ground, looking at him with red eyes, his tone almost tearful: "Brother, do you hate me so much?"

Ji Ming glanced at his hand. He had just swung it, but it hadn't even touched Ji Huan, hadn't it? And hadn't Ji Huan been so arrogant just now? What was he up to now?

Ji Ming opened his mouth to defend himself, but someone else spoke before him.

"Ji Ming, you treat Ji Huan like this in my house? Is this how you treat someone? Go back and tell your parents that Ji Huan is not someone you can easily bully," Feng Mei said hurriedly.

Jiang Yubai had already helped Ji Huan up. She was a little worried about how hard Ji Huan had fallen, and her eyes were red.

Ji Huan blinked slightly when he faced Jiang Yubai, then immediately returned to his humiliated expression.

Ji Ming was speechless. He pointed at Ji Huan and sighed heavily, "Suffer a loss? Has she ever suffered a loss since Ji Huan fell into the water and recovered?

He could only stand up and say to Feng Mei, "Second Aunt, it's really not what you see. Forget it, I'm going back first."

After saying that, Ji Ming took a deep look at Ji Huan. Ji Huan still looked listless, as if the person who was showing off to him in the room was not the Ji Huan in front of him.

Half a pound of pork was wasted, and the things his parents asked him to do were not done yet. Ji Ming sighed heavily. Ji Huan was really asking for too much, asking for two taels of silver. How could his parents be willing to give him that?

Ji Ming returned to the Ji family listlessly. As soon as he entered the dining room, he saw that all the family members were there, obviously waiting for him.

Liu Fengmei stood up and looked into the yard. Seeing that there was no one else in the yard except Ji Ming, she asked in a panic, "Ji Ming, where are Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai? "

Ji Ming sighed and said listlessly, "Mom, Ji Huan is not so easy to talk to now, and she has really changed a lot. She said she doesn't plan to come back, nor does she plan to stay at her second uncle's house for long. She will go to the village to beg for food in a few days."

"What?" Ji Mantun slammed his pipe on the table so hard that the wood on the table was peeled off. Ji Dong and Ji Xi were so scared that they started crying. Ji

Mantun was already feeling upset, and when he saw Ji Dong and Ji Xi crying, he glared at Li Yulan, "Why are you still standing there? Why don't you take them home and coax them? It's a sin, it's really a sin."

Li Yulan saw that Ji Mantun was furious, and was afraid that he would hit his two sons, so she quickly dragged them out of the dining room and went back to the room to coax them.

The dining room became quiet, and Ji Mantun looked at Ji Ming again and asked, "Is what you just said true? Did Ji Huan really say such a thing? "

Ji Ming gritted his teeth and nodded. He looked up at Ji Mantun and said, "Dad, I think Ji Huan is really capable of doing such a thing. She doesn't care about the face of the Ji family like she used to, and she doesn't even care about her own face."

Ji Mantun sighed heavily and kept muttering, "Hey, the family doesn't have much money. Ji Yuan needs money to study in the academy. If Ji Dong and Ji Xi from your family want to go to school in the future, they will still need money. Ji Huan is digging my heart out. It's a sin. How could I have such an unfilial daughter like Ji Huan."

Ji Yuan became anxious when he heard what Ji Mantun said. Ji Huan was shameless, and he couldn't give it up. If his classmates knew that his sister was forced to go out to beg, he really would have no face to study in the academy anymore. "Dad, if Ji Huan wants it, then give it to her. After all, it was Jiang Yubai's dowry, and it is reasonable to return it to her."

"What are you talking about? "I'm doing this for you. Your annual tuition and the daily expenses for going to school in the county town are all blown away by the wind, aren't they? It's not that Dad doesn't have the two taels of silver, but he can't do it. Your second sister is just being stubborn. It will be fine after a while. She won't do such a thing as begging for food." Ji Mantun said with a sullen face.

But even so, Ji Mantun himself was unsure. If Ji Huan really went crazy and did this, their Ji family would be ruined. He sighed and continued, "Alas, it's a misfortune for our family. Forget it, I can't give Ji Huan the two taels of silver."

Ji Mantun looked at Ji Sen and ordered with a cold face: "I have one or two taels of silver here. Give it to your sister. If I find out that you have embezzled it, I will break your legs. This time, you go to Ji Huan and tell her that the family is really out of money. Give her this one or two taels of silver first. Your mother and I will save the rest slowly and return it to her. Let's just make a concession."

Ji Sen's eyes lit up when he saw the one or two taels of silver. One or two taels of silver could be exchanged for one thousand copper coins, enough for him to go out and gamble several times. However, after looking at his father's face, which was darker than the bottom of a pot, Ji Sen gave up the idea of ​​stealing it, but had other ideas.

Ji Sen hurriedly took the one or two taels of silver with a smile and said, "Dad, don't worry. I will definitely persuade Ji Huan and try to bring him back later."

"Well, go, and be careful not to lose the silver." Ji Mantun reminded again.

"Don't worry," Ji Sen promised, leaving in a good mood. He would occasionally touch the silver in his arms, his hands itching to scramble. He hoped Ji Huan wouldn't accept the silver later, as he could then use it to gamble. Even if Ji Huan accepted it, he wouldn't be afraid. He could play the pitiful card and say he owed a gambling debt and that the creditor would chop off his hand if he didn't pay. Ji Huan would relent and would surely give him the silver, and then he could have a good time out there.

Having made up his mind, Ji Sen's steps became more brisk, as if he could immediately play Pai Gow in the casino.

Meanwhile, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had just returned to their room. Ji Huan poured herself a glass of water and rested. Acting was truly exhausting. She felt that if she were still in her old world, she would not only be able to make Jianzhan teapots but also go out to film.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with some worry: "Sister, are you okay?"

Ji Huan smiled at her, "It's okay, Ji Ming didn't push me at all just now, I sat on the ground on purpose, he's still a little naive to play these tricks on me." "

I'm glad you're okay." Jiang Yubai's heart was finally at ease, and she looked at Ji Huan with a complicated look.

Ji Huan drank two more glasses of water in a row, and then she felt a little better. Just when she was about to go out to find a broken bowl in the kitchen of her second uncle's house, someone else came over.

"Ji Huan, someone else is coming from your family, Ji Sen is here, and he has to see you, saying he has something important to tell you." Ji Wen's voice rang out outside.

"Okay, I'll go out now." Ji Huan raised the corners of his lips slightly, and the fish was hooked again.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan walked out of the room dejectedly and came to the dining room. Seeing Ji Sen, Ji Huan asked, "Why are you here?"

Ji Sen wanted to talk about the one or two taels of silver, so he felt it was inconvenient with so many people present. It was better to talk to Ji Huan in private, so he replied, "My parents asked me to come here, sister. I have something to tell you. It's not convenient with so many people here."

"What's inconvenient? Or do you want to bully Ji Huan?" Ji Fu glared at Ji Sen, scaring Ji Sen so much that she took a step back.

Ji Fu was tall and strong. He had been afraid of this cousin since he was a child. He forced a smile and said, "Cousin, you misunderstood. I really have something to say to my second sister in private."

Ji Huan shook his head dejectedly, "Forget it, I'll just talk to him and come over. Don't worry about me."

"That's right. My second sister and I usually have a good relationship. Second uncle, you all don't have to worry." Ji Sen smiled at everyone and then followed Ji Huan.

Ji Huan brought people to the outside of Ji Mancang's yard. There was a remote open space at the foot of the mountain to the west. Few people came there on weekdays. Ji Huan brought Ji Sen there to talk.

When they arrived at the place, Ji Huan put away the lonely look on his face. His eyes were like a scimitar pointing directly at Ji Sen's throat. Being stared at by Ji Huan like this, Ji Sen took two steps back and forced a smile, "Second sister, don't keep looking at me like that. It's scary."

Ji Huan raised the corner of his lips and said in a cold voice, "Tell me, what's the matter?"

Ji Sen rubbed his hands and smiled at Ji Huan again, "Second sister, I'm here to give you some silver."

As he said that, he took out a tael of silver from his arms and spread it in his palm, and continued, "Dad told me "I've heard that he told me to tell you that our family has indeed treated you and Jiang Yubai unfairly this time, but money is tight at home, and we need it for everything. We can only spare one tael of silver for you. Dad and Mom said they'll save the remaining one tael and pay it back to you slowly."

Ji Huan's smile widened, but her gaze towards Ji Sen grew even colder, making Ji Sen uneasy. Only then did he realize something was amiss. Ji Huan had been so gloomy just in the dining room, but now she seemed like a completely different person, staring at him with a look that made him shudder.

"Second sister?" Ji Sen pursed his lips and whispered.

Ji Huan glanced at him and reached for the silver in Ji Sen's hand. Seeing this, Ji Sen quickly pulled his hand back.

He pulled his hand back halfway when Ji Huan grabbed his wrist. Ji Huan glared at Ji Sen with a sneer, and used his hand to pry open Ji Sen's clenched fist until he could see the one tael of silver inside.

Ji Huan snorted softly, reaching out to take the silver from Ji Sen's hand and demanding in a cold voice, "What? Didn't they give me this silver? Why are you so eager to take it back? Or did you never intend to give it to me?"

Though the original owner was a coward, she was actually a leader among the Qian Yuan, possessing far greater physical strength and power than the average Qian Yuan. However, having lived in a village since childhood, no one considered her superior physical strength and power unusual.

After Ji Huan arrived in this world, the system transferred this characteristic of the original owner to Ji Huan. As for the scent of the incense, the system, noticing the rose tattoo on Ji Huan's body, simply imbued it with the scent of rose incense and even created a gland. However, since it was still too early for passion, Ji Huan hadn't noticed the gland.

Ji Sen's wrist was gripped tightly by Ji Huan, and cold sweats broke out. He begged for mercy, "Second sister, stop gripping! You're grabbing too hard! My wrist is almost breaking! Hiss!"

Ji Huan snorted coldly and released Ji Sen's wrist.

Ji Sen rubbed his wrists with a bitter face. Ji Huan had taken the silver. His gambling money was gone, and now he could only play the emotional card.

Thinking of this, Ji Sen brewed his emotions, but he was too excited and couldn't even squeeze his eyes red. "Second sister, it's not that I don't want to give it to you. It's really that my brother made a mistake this time. I couldn't help it and owed money to those outsiders. Those people are all tall and strong. They said that if I don't bring the silver today, they will chop off one of my arms."

Ji Huan nodded. Seeing Ji Huan nod, Ji Sen's eyes lit up and continued, "Second sister, can you lend me the silver first? I will definitely pay you back when I save money after I use it up."

The smile on Ji Huan's face became even wider. He stretched out his hand towards Ji Sen. Ji Sen thought Ji Huan was going to give him the silver and took a step forward. The next step, Ji Huan slapped him. Ji Sen was not prepared at all, and a handprint appeared on the right cheek where Ji Huan hit him.

Ji Sen looked at Ji Huan in disbelief and pointed at Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, you dare to touch me? You actually dare to hit me?"

Ji Huan sneered, "Yeah, I hit you, so what?"

"I'll fight you." Ji Sen said as he rushed towards Ji Huan, but was caught by Ji Huan and thrown far away. It seemed that he fell heavily.

Ji Huan walked slowly towards Ji Sen. Seeing that Ji Huan was serious, Ji Sen immediately gave in again, "Second sister, I was confused just now. Don't hit me, don't hit me, I won't dare to do it again."

Ji Huan nodded and looked at Ji Sen coldly, his eyes seemed to be able to shoot out cold light: "Remember, don't be a bastard in front of me in the future. Also, you owe money and you deserve to have your hands and feet chopped off? Why do you use my money to pay off your debts?"

Ji Huan said, reaching out and grabbing Ji Sen's lapel to half lift him up, "Don't try to use these to threaten me in the future. Remember, if you can't live anymore, just die by yourself. Don't dirty my place."

As he said, Ji Huan let go and threw Ji Sen away, as if throwing away something dirty.

She had seen many gamblers like this. People like Ji Sen were completely self-centered trash. As long as he was happy, he would not care about the lives of those around him. Moreover, once the gambling addiction came, not to mention cheating and robbing, he would even sell his wife and children. This kind of person was completely heartless. Ji Huan didn't want to be associated with such garbage.

Ji Sen looked at Ji Huan's sullen face and was almost scared to pee his pants. Ji Huan's eyes just now really looked like he wanted to kill him.

He was afraid of death, and hurriedly followed Ji Huan's words and said, "Second sister, I know I was wrong. I really won't dare to do it again. I will never dare to think about your silver again. Really, I was really wrong."

Ji Huan didn't look at him much, and said coldly, "If you know you are wrong, go back and tell me. Remember, I will ask for four taels of silver this time before I take Yu Bai back to the Ji family. If you come over next time and I don't see the other three taels of silver, then next time I will ask for six taels, and so on. Do you understand?"

Ji Sen's cotton coat was soaked. Ji Huan's eyes were too oppressive. In addition, he had just been thrown by Ji Huan, and his knees were hot, as if they were rubbed. He really didn't want to stay with Ji Huan anymore. He looked at Ji Huan with fear in his eyes, and hurriedly responded, "I understand, I understand, second sister, I will talk to you when I go back. Don't be angry with me. I won't dare to do it again."

Chapter Text

Ji Huan nodded and walked towards Ji Mancang's courtyard. As she walked, Ji Huan was thinking. When she walked into the dining room, she already looked heartbroken.

Feng Mei saw the two people coming in one after the other. Although Ji Sen was covered in dirt, Feng Mei still subconsciously felt that the honest man Ji Huan was bullied, and hurriedly asked: "What's the matter? Did Ji Sen embarrass you?"

Ji Huan shook her head with a wry smile, and said with red eyes: "Second aunt, to be honest, he came here this time to give silver to me and Yu Bai. When Yu Bai married into the Ji family, she brought two taels of silver as a dowry. The money has been with my parents, and I don't know who it was used on. My parents didn't have so much money at the moment, so they gathered one tael and sent it to us first. Who knew that Ji Sen wanted to take it for himself. He owed gambling debts outside, but... You want to use my wife's dowry to pay off your debts? How can this be justified? And how can there be such a brother?"

Feng Mei pointed at Ji Sen angrily and cursed: "Are you still a human being? You are thinking about other people's dowry money. Who are the people in your family except Ji Huan and Yu Bai? I am really convinced. Get out, you gambler, don't enter our yard in the future, I think it is dirty."

Ji Sen's forehead veins jumped when he was scolded. When he saw Ji Huan looking at him, he was so scared that his legs went weak and he dared not move. He could only say dejectedly: "Uncle, aunt, it's not what you think."

When Ji Sen saw Ji Huan looking at him, he was frightened again and dared not say a word.

Seeing that no one wanted to pay attention to him, Ji Sen left dejectedly. He didn't get any money on this trip, his body was hurt from the fall, and his second uncle's family disliked him. Ji Sen sighed deeply, thinking of the words Ji Huan said just now when he was holding his lapel, Ji Sen was still scared. It seemed that even if Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai came back, he would have to stay away from Ji Huan and not mess with him.

When Ji Sen returned to the Ji family, he was completely exhausted. The people in the Ji family were still waiting for him anxiously. Ji Mantun saw that he was like a frost-bitten eggplant and immediately asked, "What's wrong with you? You were fine when you left just now, why are you back like this now? Not only are your clothes dirty, but why is your face swollen too?"

"Yes, did Ji Huan hit you?" Liu Fengmei also hurried to Ji Sen's side and asked.

Ji Sen didn't dare to complain at first, but then he realized he was already home. Even if Ji Huan came back later, she definitely wouldn't dare to attack him directly. So he exaggerated, "Yes, mother, you didn't see Ji Huan's expression. She was so arrogant, she almost wanted to eat me alive. I was scared to death. She threw me so far away. My legs and face hurt. Dad, Mom, you have to help me."

"That's outrageous! It's really outrageous! How could Ji Huan attack you? As the head of the family, she's rebelling. How can we live like this?" Liu Fengmei looked at Ji Mantun anxiously. Ji Mantun's

face was ashen. He hadn't expected Ji Huan to attack. After all, Ji Huan used to be honest and wouldn't say much when he suffered a loss. How could he be like this now?

He asked sullenly, "What did she say about the one tael of silver?"

"Ji Huan said that the next time I ask her out, it'll be four taels of silver, and the next time, it'll be six taels, and so on. She and Jiang Yubai will come back when the money is in," Ji Sen said hurriedly.

Ji Mantun was so angry that he grabbed the porcelain bowl on the table and smashed it, "Ji Huan, this unfilial daughter, why doesn't she just come and rob? Four taels of silver? How dare she ask for so much? We can't just give it to her like this."

Ji Yuan saw that Ji Mantun was unwilling to give Ji Huan the money, and he became a little anxious. It was okay for his family to be shameless, but he couldn't stand it. Ji Huan's actions clearly showed that she wanted to break up with her family. If Ji Huan really took Jiang Yubai and held the bowl to beg for food at the gate of the academy, how would he have the face to enter the academy in the future?

Ji Yuan hurriedly advised: "Dad, for now, the expedient measure is to prepare another three taels of silver for Ji Huan. She should be serious about this time. If Ji Huan really goes out with a bowl in hand to beg, our family will never be able to hold our heads up in the village." "

That's four taels of silver. If I had known she was so stubborn, I should have asked Ji Sen to bring two taels of silver. Alas, now look what's wrong. Four taels of silver is enough for your annual tuition at the town academy plus your daily expenses."

Ji Mantun's heart was bleeding, as if it was right to spend the money on Ji Yuan, but it was a pure waste to give it to Ji Huan.

Seeing that Ji Mantun was unwilling to give in, Ji Yuan advised, "Dad, the matter of the four taels of silver is easy to talk about. As long as Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai go home first, everything will be fine. We have plenty of ways to get the money back. The main problem now is that Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai are living in Second Uncle's house. We can't keep an eye on them. When they come back, everything will be another matter."

Ji Mantun was still unwilling, but the third child was his most beloved child. Although the eldest daughter had given him two grandsons, Ji Mantun subconsciously felt that the third child, who had been studying since childhood, would have a great future and would be able to live the life of a city dweller. Therefore, Ji Mantun always believed what Ji Yuan said. Seeing that Ji Yuan was so sure, Ji Mantun asked with some concern, " Is there really a way to get the money back?"

Ji Yuan nodded, "Really, Dad, I haven't studied in vain all these years, you must believe me, I will go to deliver the money this time, and after Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai come back, everyone will be kinder to them, and avoid the limelight of these few days."

Liu Fengmei happily went over and patted Ji Yuan on the shoulder, smiling and praising: "It has to be the third child in our family. People who have studied are different, and they have many ideas. Be careful when you go, your mother and father are still counting on you to take us to enjoy ourselves."

Ji Yuan patted Liu Fengmei's hand and smiled: "Mom, you and Dad don't worry, next spring, I will prepare well for the Tongshi, strive to pass the county and prefecture-level exams, and get a scholar to bring you glory."

"Okay, Mom is waiting for you." Liu Fengmei smiled.

Ji Ming glared at Ji Yuan and muttered softly, "You say that every year. It's been four years and you haven't even passed the exam. What a waste of money."

Ji Yuan heard what Ji Ming said and looked at him, "Brother, why do you say that to me?"

Ji Ming was also furious. First, he was isolated by the villagers, and then he went to Ji Huan and was rejected. Now he had no place to vent his anger. "Why can't I say it? Ji Yuan, if you are not cut out for studying, just give up as soon as possible. You spend so much money every year, but it all goes down the drain, and you don't see any return. Are you capable of doing it?" "You

are short-sighted. I am too lazy to talk to you." Ji Yuan also glared at Ji Ming, his hands shaking with anger.

Ji Mantun knocked the table heavily with his pipe and scolded him harshly, "That's enough. I'm not dead yet, boss. It's not your turn to be the head of this family. Isn't Ji Yuan studying so hard for our Ji family? If he becomes an official in the future, he can help your two sons."

Ji Ming snorted and said nothing more.

Ji Yuan turned and looked at Ji Mantun, "Dad, then you give me the three taels of silver. My eldest brother and fourth brother have been there today, so it's inevitable that my second uncle's family will be annoyed. I will go and persuade Ji Huan to come back tomorrow morning." "

Okay, you are thoughtful. You are my mother's backbone." Liu Fengmei's eyes narrowed with laughter.

Ji Sen rolled his eyes at Ji Yuan from behind. His third brother was smart. He didn't have to take care of the housework as long as he studied.

Just when Ji Yuan and Liu Fengmei were having a good time, Li Yulan seemed to remember something and said, "Then tomorrow morning when Ji Yuan goes to persuade Ji Huan and the others, whose turn will it be to work? Logically speaking, since Ji Huan is not here, it should be Ji Yuan's turn."

After Li Yulan finished speaking, the dining room was quiet for a moment, and the next moment, the argument broke out again like a pot of boiling water.

"Isn't it just a daily chore? Ji Yuan has to do some work tomorrow morning. Can't you guys be considerate of him and take the initiative to help with the cooking? You still have to fuss over such a small matter." Liu Fengmei looked at Li Yulan with a frown, her tone full of dissatisfaction.

"Mom, it's not that we don't want to do it, it's really the rule set by Dad, and we can't break the rule. If Ji Yuan doesn't do the work, then it will be the turn of the fourth child and the others." Li Yulan said unconvincedly. Everyone worked, why did the third child do nothing? Is studying precious? Can you be lazy just by studying?

Chapter Text

Ji Sen was also furious. He sat directly on the stool and pulled up his cotton pants, revealing a large purple patch of bruises from being rubbed. "Mom, you can't be so obviously partial, right? I'm still injured here. Tomorrow, the third child has to invite Ji Huan over and cook. This was already decided. We can't change it just because it's the third child. Otherwise, we won't be happy."

"That's right," Ji Ming and Li Yulan echoed.

Liu Fengmei's face turned green with anger. "You all want to rebel? Okay, since the third child has something to do tomorrow, your father and I will cover for him for a day. Is that okay?"

Li Yulan curled her lips and didn't dare say anything more. Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun always liked to order others around when doing work. When Ji Huan was around, they naturally ordered Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai to do it. Now, they might be the ones who got in trouble.

"Mom, thank you and Dad for your hard work," Ji Yuan said hurriedly, feigning a loving mother and a filial son.

Ji Sen and Ji Ming locked eyes and exchanged glances.

The Ji family had previously enjoyed a relatively good relationship among the brothers, thanks to the presence of Ji Huan, their filial daughter. But now that balance had been disrupted, with some interests at stake, some naturally became restless.

In contrast to the turmoil at the Ji family, Ji Huan waited another half hour. Figuring no one from the Ji family would arrive today, she said goodbye to Ji Mancang and the others and headed up the mountain with Jiang Yubai. She was still worried about the trap they had set yesterday. It was almost four in the afternoon, and Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai hurried deeper into the mountains. Darkness fell after five in the winter, leaving them with little time.

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan beside her, but ultimately decided not to ask any further questions.

When they reached the cabin, Ji Huan pointed to a large tree in the distance. "Look, that's where we set the trap yesterday. Let's go check it out."

"Yeah," Jiang Yubai nodded.

The two of them had set five or six traps yesterday. Ji Huan examined the two most obvious ones. The animals' entrails had been eaten, but the traps themselves were empty, clearly a small animal had broken free.

"Let's keep looking inside," Ji Huan said, pulling out a trap from the weeds. Sure enough, there was a fat gray rabbit nestling in the grass before them. Ji Huan quickly lifted it up and smiled at Jiang Yubai, who was standing beside him. "Look, we really got it!"

"Sister, let's take a look at the rest of the traps." Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up when she saw the rabbit in Ji Huan's hand.

The two of them quickly squatted down to search again, but they didn't find the rabbit, but they did find a mouse trapped in the trap.

Ji Huan straightened up immediately. It was best not to touch this thing unless absolutely necessary. "Let's leave the mouse here. Let's take this rabbit back for a snack. We've been staying at Second Uncle's house for a day, so we can't take advantage of him for nothing."

Jiang Yubai nodded. As the two of them descended from the mountain, the sky was already darkening. Ji Huan encountered many villagers along the way.

"Ji Huan, did you go rabbit hunting in the mountains?"

"Yeah, I set a trap yesterday, and I didn't expect to find anything," Ji Huan said with a smile.

"Oh, that's great. If you have any problems, come find me at my house," Er Zhuzi said

, looking at Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai. "Okay, thank you, Brother Er Zhu," Ji Huan said quickly. After all, he meant well.

After that, the people Ji Huan met came over to greet him warmly, and even their attitude towards Jiang Yubai changed a bit.

When the two returned, Ji Fu and Ji Wen were cooking in the kitchen. Ji Huan went there with the rabbit in his hand. "Yubai and I set a trap yesterday and caught a rabbit. Let's put it in the dish tonight."

No one in Ji Fu's family was educated, and it was just him and Ji Wen, so they were relatively well-off and had meat available regularly. Seeing Ji Huan bring a rabbit, he hurriedly said, "How can this be? You two worked so hard to get this rabbit. We have meat at home. Look, I'm preparing to braise it." "

Brother Fu, let's braise the rabbit tonight first. You can save the pork for later. This rabbit is freshly hunted, and it won't be fresh if we don't eat it." Ji Huan grabbed a knife and began to undress the little gray rabbit.

Ji Huan moved quickly, cleaning the rabbit's internal organs and washing the blood off it with clean water. Jiang Yubai was in charge of chopping the rabbit into small pieces to make it easier for everyone to pick up.

Ji Fu was in charge of the evening's cooking. Ji Huan and the others gathered in the kitchen, chatting and laughing. Ji Huan sighed softly, wishing only the original owner's family could be like his second uncle's. He could have just started his own business, unlike now, when he still had to plan for a division.

Lard mixed with the fat from the rabbit was put into the pot, and the aroma of fat soon emerged. Ji Fu added the rabbit meat to the large pot and stir-fried it. He then added seasonings like onions and garlic to remove the fishy smell and soy sauce for color. He then poured a large amount of water into the pot. Once the broth came to a boil, he added cabbage and potatoes and simmered them slowly. The aroma of meat mixed with the aroma of vegetables wafted far away.

Ji Mancang and Feng Mei came out of their room and smelled the aroma wafting from the kitchen. They went to the kitchen and saw the children huddled there.

Ji Mancang laughed, "Why are you all in the kitchen? Ji Fu, didn't I tell Ji Huan and the others to rest?"

"Uncle, we were bored and wanted to help out. Brother Fu is still in charge of the kitchen," Ji Huan explained with a smile.

"Dad, Ji Huan and Yu Bai came back from hunting rabbits. They made rabbit stew for dinner. We'll have pork tomorrow," Ji Wen said as he fetched dishes.

Ji Mancang smiled wryly and shook his head, "Ji Huan, you're such a good kid, and yet your big brothers treat you like that. Well, forget

it. Let's not talk about those bad things today. Let's just have some fun and eat more." "Okay, let's not talk about those people," Ji Huan replied with a smile.

It's natural for children to do some housework, but you can't be the one taking on all the chores for the family. And for your family to assume your work is their due, like you deserve to be the family's workhorse. It's really disgusting.

Dinner was sorghum rice and a large pot of rabbit stew.

"Okay, everyone is tired after a day, let's eat quickly." Ji Mancang looked at the people sitting at the table and said hurriedly.

Everyone started to eat. Ji Huan was not very interested in the rabbit meat. She only ate two small pieces and stopped eating. She turned to eat the potatoes inside. The potatoes were stewed until soft and soaked in the soup. They were very delicious.

Jiang Yubai also ate very happily. Feng Mei was afraid that she would feel embarrassed, so she picked up some food for Jiang Yubai several times, catching the little white rabbit off guard.

After dinner, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai joined the team to wash the dishes. Together with Ji Wen, the three of them cleaned up the kitchen in a short time.

When she returned to the room, Ji Huan was still a little full. The potatoes were so delicious that she couldn't help but eat a few more pieces.

When she raised her eyes to look at Jiang Yubai, she saw that Jiang Yubai was in a daze. Ji Huan came over, stretched out his hand and gently waved it in front of Jiang Yubai, and said with a smile: "What are you thinking about? So engrossed?" "

Nothing, I just feel that everything that happened today is like a dream." After all, the previous Ji Huan was foolishly filial and obedient, and would never do such a thing.

Ji Huan smiled softly at Jiang Yubai and said, "People change. Just pretend the old Ji Huan doesn't exist anymore. I won't obey them in everything, nor will I always put them first. Putting you first is more like that."

Jiang Yubai hadn't reacted much to Ji Huan's initial words, but by the end, the tips of her ears had inexplicably turned red. She turned away, lowered her gaze, and reached for the cup, wanting to pour herself a glass of water to mask her shyness. Ji Huan, noticing

the little white rabbit's shyness, chuckled softly, stopped teasing it, and went to the kitchen to boil water.

While the conditions here didn't allow for daily washing, it was enough for washing one's face and feet.

Seeing Ji Huan leave, Jiang Yubai's grip on the cup slowly tightened, and her other hand touched the tips of her ears, which were burning. So, what did Ji Huan mean by that? Was she more important to Ji Huan than those family members at home?

But these past few days, Ji Huan had only held her to sleep, nothing more. Did she really care about him?

Thinking of the past few days, Jiang Yubai pursed her lips slightly. She remembered Ji Huan protecting her and standing up to Liu Fengmei on her behalf. Then she remembered Ji Huan holding her in his arms while they slept. As she thought about it, a blush crept up on Jiang Yubai's face. But then she thought about the reason Ji Huan hadn't consummated their marriage, and those young, charming thoughts immediately faded.

She was indeed an unlucky person. Not only had she killed her mother, but she had also killed Zhang Tiehu during their wedding ceremony. The people of Dongniu Village and Xiniu Village hadn't even had time to hide from her. Even if Ji Huan had changed now, she wouldn't treat her as a true wife. She wouldn't consummate their marriage with her.

Jiang Yubai's lips, pressed tightly together, turned pale, and her fingertips trembled slightly. She clasped her shaking hands together, mentally reminding herself that being able to stay by Ji Huan's side like this was something she had never dared to imagine before, and she shouldn't dwell on things that had nothing to do with her.

Furthermore, subconsciously, she didn't want Ji Huan to be too close to her, fearing she might actually harm him.

Jiang Yubai's eyes welled up at the thought. She had been sleeping in Ji Huan's arms these past few days, which meant that just hugging wouldn't have much of an impact on Ji Huan's safety. But what if it went any further? Jiang Yubai's face paled, and she didn't dare to think about it anymore. She didn't want to gamble with Ji Huan's life.

Ji Huan returned with the water and saw that Jiang Yubai looked pale. She quickly placed the basin on a nearby wooden rack, leaned over to Jiang Yubai, and asked, "What's wrong? Why do you look so pale?"

As she spoke, she reached out to touch Jiang Yubai's forehead, fearing he might have caught a cold.

But Jiang Yubai, seeing Ji Huan trying to touch her, instinctively widened her eyes and took two steps back, a look of fear on her face.

Ji Huan stared at Jiang Yubai, stunned, then withdrew her hand, which had still been suspended in front of her. She explained softly, "I was just checking to see if you had a fever. There's nothing else to it. There's no need to be so nervous."

Jiang Yubai realized she had overreacted. That instinctive move had pushed Ji Huan away again, but what was wrong with that? By pushing him away, Ji Huan could live in peace. She would also be careful not to get too close to Ji Huan in the future, lest she harm him.

She thought so, but Jiang Yubai felt an inexplicable pang of pain in her heart, so painful that her eyes welled up. Ji Huan had been so kind to her these past few days, yet she was rejecting his kindness.

Seeing her tears well up, Ji Huan hesitated to ask any further questions. He softly said, "I was rude just now. I should have asked for your permission before touching you. I won't do it next time. Don't be angry, okay?"

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan in disbelief, her eyelashes fluttering. She had been able to hold back her tears, but somehow, Ji Huan's gentle words soothed her, and Jiang Yubai couldn't help but burst into tears.

She quickly turned her back to prevent Ji Huan from seeing her distress. Jiang Yubai herself was puzzled. She had endured so much hardship without crying, but with Ji Huan's gentle words, she burst into tears.

She sniffled softly, reaching up to wipe her tears with her sleeve, trying to calm her turbulent emotions.

Ji Huan quietly stood behind Jiang Yubai, waiting for her to finish. He did not disturb Jiang Yubai the whole time, but just stood there silently to accompany Jiang Yubai.

Little White Rabbit had suffered too much in the past, and it was not something that could be healed in just a few days. Ji Huan understood Jiang Yubai's feelings very well, and at the same time, he felt even more sorry for this seventeen-year-old girl.

After standing for a while, Ji Huan saw that the shaking of Jiang Yubai's shoulders gradually stopped, and the sobbing gradually subsided. Then he said softly: "Go wash your face with hot water. You've been tired all day today. Let's rest early." "

Okay, sister, I'm sorry just now. I reacted too much." Jiang Yubai seemed a little incoherent, but she did not turn her head, and her voice was mixed with tears.

Ji Huan soothed her softly, "It's okay, no need to apologize. I was wrong too. I touched you without your consent and made you cry. Let's call it even, okay?"

Jiang Yubai sniffed and said anxiously, "You didn't make me cry. I don't blame you."

It was her own problem, not Ji Huan's. Not only that, but Ji Huan had spent ages comforting her for no reason.

"Okay, let's just put what just happened behind us, okay? Let's wash up and go to bed early," Ji Huan agreed. Jiang Yubai nodded

, then took a moment to calm down before washing his face, eyes red.

As they washed up and lay in bed, Ji Huan's heart pounded. Judging from Jiang Yubai's behavior, it seemed like he didn't like his touch. Didn't he seem to be hitting someone's sore spot these past few days?

She had finally gotten along with Little White Rabbit, but today she made him cry. She had just extinguished the oil lamp in the room. In the quiet room, she and Jiang Yubai lay on the bed without saying anything else.

Ji Huan coughed lightly, trying to attract Jiang Yubai's attention, and then he spoke carefully: "Yubai, I don't sleep well at night, so I've been holding you to sleep these past few days. If you don't like it, don't force it. If I'm asleep, you can push me away. Don't force yourself."

Jiang Yubai didn't expect Ji Huan to say this. Her heart was bitter and a little sweet. She had just dodged, which still made Ji Huan uncomfortable. But even so, Ji Huan would still care about her feelings first, worried that she would feel uncomfortable because she was embarrassed to refuse.

Jiang Yubai glanced to the side. Ji Huan lay sleeping flat on his back. The room was dim, so Jiang Yubai couldn't see Ji Huan's expression. "No need to force it. You can hold me while I sleep."

Jiang Yubai clasped her hands tightly. She had slept with Ji Huan for several days, and Ji Huan was fine. So, holding him while I sleep should be okay, right?

Jiang Yubai felt like two little figures were fighting inside her. One black figure accused her of being selfish and that she should stay away from Ji Huan in this situation. The other white figure urged her to hold him while she slept.

"You're already in such a state. If you push Ji Huan away again, you'll really have nothing left. Haven't you been holding each other for several days? Nothing's wrong. At least it's okay to hold him while I sleep," the white figure continued.

In the end, the two figures clashed, and Jiang Yubai had already made her choice. She didn't want to hurt Ji Huan, but she also coveted the warmth he brought her. Since holding him while she slept was okay, why bother herself and Ji Huan?

"Okay, don't think too much. Go to bed early. The Ji family might send someone tomorrow. We still have a tough battle to fight." Ji Huan said softly.

"Yeah." Jiang Yubai responded and closed his eyes.

Perhaps having given herself enough mental cues before bed, Ji Huan slept remarkably well that night, facing the inner wall, not holding Jiang Yubai in her arms.

Jiang Yubai awoke just after the hour of Yin. The warm embrace she'd felt the past few days was gone. She glanced sideways at Ji Huan and saw that he was sleeping facing the wall.

She felt a sense of loss. Her reaction yesterday had finally made Ji Huan uncomfortable. Now that she had lost even the brief warmth she'd felt each day, she figured Ji Huan wouldn't hold her in his arms again.

Jiang Yubai felt down, and her mind wandered to her thoughts as she lay in bed. She

simply washed up and decided to go out and help. When she left, Ji Wen was already outside chopping wood, while Ji Fu and his wife, Wang Xiaoyue, were in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the family.

Jiang Yubai took on the responsibility of preparing and feeding the pigs. She'd done these tasks often in the Ji household before, but now, she was doing them willingly, genuinely looking for something to do.

When Ji Huan woke up, she touched the bed beside her. It was cold to the touch. She pushed herself up and sighed. Where had the little white rabbit gone off so early in the morning without even waiting for her?

Ji Huan got up, put on her tattered dress, and as she was grabbing a basin to fetch water for washing, she saw Jiang Yubai helping out in the kitchen. Ji Huan felt a little embarrassed . Was she up too late?

"Brother Fu, you're all up so early? Am I up too late?" Ji Huan asked sheepishly.

Ji Fu smiled. "Not at all. You two just moved in, so I shouldn't have asked you to do this. Yubai's so diligent, insisting on helping feed the pigs." Ji

Huan glanced at the little white rabbit standing next to Wang Xiaoyue and smiled at it. "I was wondering why the bed next to me was cold when I woke up. So you're up so early?"

Ji Huan didn't know when her tone of voice changed when she spoke to Jiang Yubai. She unconsciously slowed her voice, always speaking softly to him.

Jiang Yubai couldn't stand Ji Huan's smiling eyes, and Ji Huan was still speaking to her in a soothing tone, which made the tips of Jiang Yubai's ears turn red again.

"Well, I didn't wake you because you were sleeping soundly," Jiang Yubai said with red ears, glancing away, not daring to look Ji Huan in the eye.

Wang Xiaoyue watched their interaction from the side, covering her mouth with her hands and laughing. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had been married for more than half a year, so why was Jiang Yubai still so shy?

"Hey, our Ji Huan, you can't sleep well without a wife by your side, right?" Wang Xiaoyue joked with a smile.

Fortunately, Ji Huan was thick-skinned and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, please stop teasing Yubai. She's thin-skinned and should be shy."

Before Ji Huan could finish his words, he saw the little white rabbit rush out of the kitchen like a gust of wind, leaving only a hurried message on the way out: "I'm going to the backyard to see if the pigs have eaten."

Ji Huan looked at the fleeing little rabbit, his eyes slightly curved.

Wang Xiaoyue watched the interaction between Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai from the side, with a look of surprise on her face. She had previously thought that the two of them were just married blindly and didn't have much affection for each other, but now it seems that the two of them must have feelings for each other in their hearts.

"I'll go back and wash my face, and come to help later." Ji Huan poured some hot water and said with a smile.

"No need for you, just wash your face and go find Yubai." Wang Xiaoyue smiled at Ji Huan.

"Okay, I'll go find her later." Ji Huan said as he picked up the basin and went back to the house.

She used her fingertips to pick up coarse salt to rinse her mouth, washed her face, and then walked to the backyard. From a distance, she saw Jiang Yubai standing outside the pigpen watching the piglets inside fighting for food.

Jiang Yubai heard the footsteps and looked back. Seeing that it was Ji Huan, he quickly retracted his gaze and pretended to look at the piglets in the pigpen. Ji

Huan found it funny that the little white rabbit pretended not to see him, so he quickly walked over to Jiang Yubai and said, "Let's go back. What's so interesting about the little pigs eating?" "

Okay, we'll go back now." Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan. Seeing that Ji Huan didn't look strange, and didn't mention that they didn't sleep together last night, Jiang Yubai pursed her lips and didn't know what to say.

She was the one who pushed Ji Huan away first. Now that Ji Huan didn't hold her to sleep at night, wasn't that what she wanted? Why did she feel uncomfortable now?

Ji Huan saw that the little rabbit was hesitant to speak, and said softly, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Jiang Yubai shook her head, "No, sister, let's go back."

"Okay." Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai. Seeing that she didn't want to talk, he didn't force her and went back to the kitchen with Jiang Yubai.

By now, the meal was ready in the kitchen. Breakfast consisted of cabbage soup with multi-grain steamed buns. Ji Huan was also hungry, and even though he still didn't like multi-grain steamed buns, he still ate them with gusto. Jiang Yubai was even more so, eating much faster than Ji Huan.

Compared to the happy atmosphere here, the Ji family was in chaos from the very beginning. Liu Fengmei felt sorry for Ji Yuan and didn't want him to get up so early, so she had to go to the kitchen to boil water and make pig feed.

When Liu Fengmei finished feeding the pigs and returned to the front yard, she saw that the eldest and fourth children's families were still asleep. She was immediately furious. She, as a mother, had already gotten up early to work, but the others dared to sleep so soundly?

Liu Fengmei immediately started shouting loudly in the yard, her voice piercing and sharp: "This life is unbearable. My son and daughter-in-law are not filial. They want to see me work myself to death. It's unfair."

Ji Ming and Li Yulan had already woken up, but they just stayed quietly in the house, with no intention of going out.

Hearing Liu Fengmei's shouting outside, Ji Ming whispered to Li Yulan: "Do you think we should go out and help mother?"

Li Yulan glared at Ji Ming, "You're crazy. If you really start this, where will it end? Besides, it's clearly Ji Yuan's turn to work today. Mother loves her third son and doesn't want him to do it. Why should we do it? If you want to go, you go. I won't go."

"Forget it, if I don't want to go, then don't go. Anyway, there's still the fourth son. It's logically their turn to go." Ji Ming muttered to comfort himself, but at the same time he missed the second son. It was so nice to have that old ox around. They didn't have to worry about any housework. It was nothing like now, with all the work going on every day.

Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu had also gotten up early. Wang Xiuxiu was still a little afraid of Liu Fengmei. When she heard Liu Fengmei fuming in the yard, she looked at Ji Sen with some worry.

"Ji Sen, if we don't go out, will mother be angry?"

"Why should she be angry? It's all her own fault. She has lost her mind. She only thinks about the third child all day long. She gives all the good things to the third child and her two grandchildren first. I can't stand the third child the most in this family. Isn't it just that she read a few books? What's the big deal? We won't go out today." Ji Sen sat with his legs crossed, looking as if it had nothing to do with him.

In the yard, Liu Fengmei yelled for a while, but when she saw that the eldest and fourth brothers had no intention of opening the door, she was immediately furious. When Ji Mantun came out, Liu Fengmei immediately complained, "Boss, how can you live like this? My son and daughter-in-law are bullying me. How old am I? Can someone come and help me?"

Ji Mantun's face was gloomy. "Don't cry. We agreed that the third brother would do the work today. You should also be quiet for a few days. The most important thing now is to get Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai back."

He got up in the morning and went to the woods to collect some firewood. When he came back, the villagers all avoided him. When he spoke to them, he was always met with cold reception, which made Ji Mantun very uncomfortable.

When Liu Fengmei heard Ji Mantun say this, she shut up and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Ji Mantun knocked on Ji Yuan's door. After a long while, Ji Yuan finally opened it.

Seeing Ji Mantun approach, Ji Yuan hurriedly said, "Dad, it's not that I don't want to do this. A gentleman should stay away from the kitchen. It's been said since ancient times. If I do this, I'm afraid I won't be able to pass the imperial examination."

"You're right. Since you can't go into the kitchen, why don't you come with me to the river to fetch water?" Ji Mantun sighed.

"Huh?" Ji Yuan's face turned even more bitter. Fetching water would be worse than going to the kitchen, but he had already said it and couldn't take it back, so he nodded with a grimace. It was

winter, fetching water, and there were no cotton gloves or anything like that. Ji Yuan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Ji Mantun pulling the wooden water cart over. It wouldn't be a problem if he just pulled it. He was a scholar, and how precious were scholars? He wouldn't do such rough work.

"Ji Yuan, what are you standing there for? Go and fetch all the buckets," Ji Mantun ordered.

"Oh, I got it, Dad." With that, the eldest brother Ji Yuan went to the water tank unwillingly. He bent down and brought the wooden barrels over one by one, back and forth several times.

Ji Mantun frowned, seeing that the third brother was having such a hard time doing any work. Qian Yuan was quite tall, and he had to carry empty wooden barrels one by one?

But thinking that he still depended on Ji Yuan to take care of him in his old age, Ji Mantun gritted his teeth and endured it, comforting himself that the third brother was a good student and would become an official sooner or later, so it didn't matter if he was not proficient in these miscellaneous things.

But for some reason, Ji Mantun thought of Ji Huan. It would be great if his daughter could take on these jobs like before, even if they would be more friendly to Ji Huan in the future.

Ji Mantun subconsciously believed that Ji Huan had been hurt by them this time, and he still cared about family ties. As long as he could get Ji Huan back, he and Liu Fengmei would persuade Ji Huan with both reason and emotion, and if they treated Ji Huan a little better, Ji Huan would sooner or later be willing to work as a workhorse for the whole family. Thinking of this, Ji Mantun breathed a sigh of relief.

He couldn't bear to let the third child pull the cart, so he pulled the wooden cart behind him himself and said to the third child beside him, "Third child, remember to persuade Ji Huan to stop making a big deal when we go to your second uncle's house."

"Don't worry, Dad. I'm not that gambling addict Ji Sen. I will definitely deliver the three taels of silver safely to Ji Huan, and then bring them back," Ji Yuan promised hurriedly.

"That's good. You're the most promising person in the family. Dad and your mother are counting on you in the future," Ji Mantun grumbled.

Ji Yuan followed behind Ji Mantun, pulling the cart, his brow furrowed. After the past few years, he'd grown increasingly discouraged from passing the imperial examination. Furthermore, he was already seventeen, and logically should have been married long ago. However, he looked down upon the village's Kunzes, feeling that these peasants were unworthy of him, and so marriage had been put off again and again.

Ji Yuan's only hope now was to study and scrape by while hoping to hook up with a wealthy Kunze. If one of those wealthy families took a fancy to him, he would even be willing to marry into their family. As for his family, he didn't want to worry about it; his father's talk always annoyed him.

"Dad, I understand," Ji Yuan replied perfunctorily.

The two had already left the courtyard and walked a distance, gradually encountering villagers along the way. Ji Mantun, having learned from his previous experience, didn't rush to greet anyone, but even when he didn't, others kept gossiping.

"Wow, there's a dad pulling the cart in front while his son just watches from behind. How bizarre! Why didn't they have this treatment when Ji Huan was here?" Aunt Yuan happened to be passing by and saw Ji Mantun reluctant to let her son pull the cart.

She shouted a mocking laugh. The woman next to her chimed in, "Well, you know Ji Yuan is a scholar, precious. How could he bear to let him pull the cart?"

As the two men chatted loudly, several passing villagers also pointed and criticized Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan couldn't stand the stares. Besides, if word got out, it would be bad for his reputation. Ji Yuan hurriedly said, "Dad, let me do it. You rest on the side."

Ji Mantun also heard the discussion and looked at Ji Yuan, feeling sorry for his son who was not used to such rough work. "Can you handle it?"

"Sure, Dad, let me do it," Ji Yuan said stubbornly.

Ji Mantun put the wooden cart away, stood up and walked to the side, while Ji Yuan went to the front of the cart, stretched out his hand to pull the rope between the two handrails, put it on his shoulder, and then pulled the cart forward.

He had not done physical work for many years, and now he felt pain in his shoulders just by pulling the empty cart. This aggravated Ji Yuan's desire to find a rich man named Kunze. At least in the county town, he would not have to do these things.

After finally reaching the river, Ji Yuan was exhausted and panting. He and Ji Mantun took the buckets from the wooden cart. Ji Yuan picked up a bucket and went to the river to fetch water. His foot slipped and he almost fell into the river. Fortunately, Ji Mantun was quick to grab Ji Yuan.

"Third brother, are you okay?" Ji Mantun was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat.

Ji Yuan sat on the ground with lingering fear. The water in the bucket splashed all over his body. He was cold and scared, and Ji Yuan was about to cry from the cold.

Seeing that his most beloved son was almost in trouble, Ji Mantun hurriedly said, "Go back and change your clothes. Dad can do the water fetching job by himself."

"Dad, then I'll go back first." Ji Yuan was also in shock. From now on, he said he would never go to the river again.

As he said that, Ji Yuan shook off the water on his body, stood up, and when the wind from the river blew, he felt as if he was not wearing any clothes. He hurriedly trotted towards home.

Ji Mantun looked at the six wooden barrels and sighed heavily. When Ji Huan was around, he didn't need to worry about these things. Now, he had to go out to fetch water in the cold weather.

When Ji Yuan returned to the yard, he saw Liu Fengmei bringing food to the dining room. Seeing that Ji Yuan was soaked, Liu Fengmei hurriedly said with concern: "How did you get into this state? Where is your father?" "

Mom, I was fetching water from the river just now and almost fell into the river. My clothes are all wet, so my father asked me to come back first." Ji Yuan explained. He was still in shock.

"Your father is the same. He knows that you have never been used to doing these things since you were a child. How could he let you fetch water? Go back and change your clothes first, don't get cold again, my poor son." Liu Fengmei hurriedly urged.

"Okay, Mom, then I'll go in first." Ji Yuan was also very cold, and hurried into the house to change his clothes.

The two of them were talking so loudly that Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu could hear them. Ji Sen's face was filled with gloating. "Sure thing! Why didn't he just freeze to death in the river? He acts so awesome all day long, yet even fetching water is such a struggle."

"Mom and Dad are so kind to your third brother. When we have children in the future, we must let them go to school, so they don't get bullied like Ji Huan," Wang Xiuxiu whispered.

"Of course. If my eldest brother's children are all going to school, ours must too. I'm not Ji Huan's foolishly filial daughter." Remembering how Ji Huan had beaten him yesterday, Ji Sen lost his temper again. Didn't Ji Huan seem to be so foolishly filial anymore? When

Ji

Yuan returned to his room to change his clothes, he was thinking about the future. He was already 17 years old, and he had failed the exam for the title of scholar after four years. If he failed again in the next year or two, his parents would probably not treat him as well as they do now. By then, he would not be able to

pass the imperial examination even if he studied, and it would be even worse if he did not study. He knew nothing about these daily chores, and today, he almost lost his life just to get some water. He had to hurry up and find a job in the county town. After changing his clothes, Ji Yuan walked to the dining room to set the table. He had to pretend to be decent now. The family had been in turmoil recently, and he couldn't just sit there and do nothing.

Ji Yuan was thinking while placing dishes on the table. Liu Fengmei saw Ji Yuan working and snatched the work from his hands, saying, "Oh, is this your job? You're going to be a high-ranking official in the future. I'll do these things. Sit down and have a rest. Don't tire yourself out."

Ji Yuan smiled at Liu Fengmei, "Mom, I'm not tired."

"Even if you're not tired, take a rest. I'm counting on you to make a name for yourself in the village. By the way, do you have any money left?" Liu Fengmei lowered her voice when she mentioned the money, afraid that others would hear.

"I still have a few hundred coins, enough to spend." Ji Yuan thought for a moment and said,

"How can that be? I heard that you all have to socialize outside, and I've saved up a tael of silver. Take it first. You always need some spare money when you're out there." As she spoke, Liu Fengmei secretly slipped Ji Yuan a tael of silver, which was the money that Liu Fengmei had withheld from Ji Huan before.

"Okay, I'll listen to mother. When I have something in my life, I will definitely buy you a big house in the city." Ji Yuan took the silver in a very good mood and said casually.

"I knew you were filial." Liu Fengmei's eyes narrowed because of Ji Yuan's coaxing.

The mother and son talked for a long time before Ji Mantun came back. This time, he was reluctant to let Ji Yuan help pour water, and poured the six buckets of water into the water tank in the yard one by one.

Liu Fengmei saw Ji Mantun coming back and started to call people from the yard, "It's time to eat. Do we have to be treated to a meal one by one? Eat it or not."

Liu Fengmei was already angry, so her voice was harsh and unpleasant.

After a while, Ji Ming's family and Ji Sen's family came out of the room.

Ji Sen and Ji Ming looked at each other, and the two families entered the dining room. As soon as they stepped in, Liu Fengmei's nagging voice came.

"It's really hard to rely on any of them. But they come to dinner faster than anyone else." Liu Fengmei glared at Li Yulan and Wang Xiuxiu. She could accept that her son didn't work, but it made her feel uncomfortable that her daughter-in-law was like this too.

"Mom, you said that the family works for one day. It's Ji Yuan's turn today, so it's not our turn to work." Ji Sen muttered as he sat on the bench.

"Shut up, have breakfast, Ji Yuan. After breakfast, go to your second uncle's place to pick up Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai. If they don't come back, our family will be too embarrassed to face anyone in the village." Ji Mantun was furious when he thought of the ridicule of his fellow villagers. They must be jealous of their Ji Yuan's success.

"Dad, don't worry, I'll be there in a while." Ji Yuan said with a smile.

Ji Sen, who was sitting next to him, rolled his eyes to the sky. When his mother didn't notice, Ji Sen picked up the bowl and quickly ate his meal.

Chapter Text

After Ji Yuan had breakfast, he confidently went to Ji Mancang's place with three taels of silver, and saw Ji Huan helping to clear the dishes.

He stood awkwardly in the dining room of Ji Mancang's house, and no one greeted him.

Ji Yuan had no choice but to find a way out and took the initiative to speak: "Second uncle, my parents asked me to come and ask my second sister and the others to go back. They really know that they went too far before, and they will definitely treat Ji Huan and the others well this time."

"They went too far? You didn't go too far? Everyone in your family is smarter than monkeys, and they all calculated Ji Huan." Feng Mei didn't care whether Ji Yuan was a scholar or not, she glared at Ji Yuan and said it directly.

Ji Yuan gritted his teeth and endured it. He had come to get Ji Huan and the others back home. If they started arguing now, it would be more trouble than good. Ji Yuan forced a smile and bowed to Feng Mei. "Second Aunt is right. Second Sister has suffered a lot at home. As a younger brother, I'm wrong for not speaking up for her, but this time, everyone in the family sincerely invites Second Sister to go back."

"Sincerely? Do people in your family have that kind of thing?" Ji Fu sneered, taking the dishes Feng Mei offered him.

Ji Huan was wiping the table, watching Ji Yuan standing there awkwardly. After she had seen enough of the commotion, she said, "Second Uncle, it's okay. Ji Yuan and I will go back to the room and talk. Don't worry."

"Ji Huan, don't be soft-hearted. If you are, I'll feel sorry for you," Feng Mei warned anxiously.

Ji Huan gave Feng Mei a wan smile. "Don't worry, Second Aunt."

Ji Huan put down the rag in her hand, turned, and left the dining room. The pale look on Ji Huan's face had long since disappeared. She ignored Ji Yuan behind her and walked straight to the room.

"I've brought you the other three taels of silver you asked for. Now you can finally go back with me, right?" Ji Yuan asked, looking at Ji Huan in front of him.

Ji Huan sneered. "I have to get the silver first, don't you think, Third Brother?"

Ji Yuan was given goosebumps by Ji Huan's words. Why did Ji Huan's tone sound so wrong? Was this still the honest Ji Huan?

Confused, he followed Ji Huan into the room.

Ji Huan sat down on the bench casually, stretched out his hand and tapped the table lightly, raised his eyes and glanced at Ji Yuan, "Where's the silver? Put it here."

Ji Yuan didn't expect Ji Huan to be so bossy to her, and felt a little unhappy, "Why don't you say anything?"

Ji Huan raised his eyes to glance at Ji Yuan and said, "What can I say? If you put the silver down, everyone will be happy. If you don't put the silver down, I will find a broken bowl and go begging in the village or the county town in a few days. Oh, by the way, I heard that you scholars are the most compassionate. When the time comes, I will go to the door of your Zhibo Bookstore to beg, and maybe I can make a fortune."

"Ji Huan, you..." Ji Yuan's face turned red with anger, and the hand pointing at Ji Huan trembled a little.

"I'm telling the truth. If you come to give me silver, put the silver down for me and then we can talk." Ji Huan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips and said nonchalantly.

Ji Yuan was wary of what Ji Huan had just said, and he suppressed his anger. At the same time, his eyes looked at Ji Huan with a little more inquiry. Is this still the honest and obedient Ji Huan, the foolish and filial daughter?

Ji Yuan took out three taels of silver and placed it on the table, his tone softening a little. "Second sister, I'll leave the silver here for you. Let's go back early, otherwise our parents will be worried."

"They are afraid of being drowned in the spit of the villagers, right? But for the sake of the money, I reluctantly agreed." Ji Huan quickly put the three taels of silver into her arms. In fact, she had already put the three taels of silver into the system space, and also put the one tael from yesterday. After all, this time when she returned to the Ji family, Ji Huan felt that those people at home would not let it go so easily.

"Second sister, when are we leaving?" Ji Yuan asked hurriedly.

"Of course, we're leaving now." Ji Huan said and walked out the door.

She gathered her emotions, and the domineering look she had just put on was gone. When she arrived at the dining room, Ji Huan's expression was already a little haggard, which made Ji Yuan's mouth twitch a few times.

When did his old workhorse sister become so skilled?

"Ji Huan, he's okay, right? You can't just go back like that." Ji Fu said hurriedly, as if he was going to support Ji Huan.

Ji Huan smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Uncle, Aunt, thank you for taking care of me these past two days, but I am a member of the Ji family after all. Now, because of me, my parents can't hold their heads up in front of the villagers. Ji Yuan still has to take the imperial examination in the future, and it won't be good for his reputation if it gets out. I've thought a lot these past two days, so I'd better go back. Maybe this is my fate."

As he spoke, Ji Huan sniffed, and his eyes became red.

Feng Mei hadn't said anything yet, Ji Fu had a look of disappointment on his face, "They have bullied you so much, and you still care about them? Ji Huan, Ji Huan, what can I say about you? Even a living Bodhisattva wouldn't treat you like this."

Ji Fu glared at Ji Yuan while talking, and scared Ji Yuan back several steps. Ji Fu was tall and strong, and he might be dead if he punched him, so it's better to hide.

Ji Huan smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying with a soft persimmon look, "After all, we are family. My parents can treat me badly, but I can't be unfilial to them. Brother Fu, thank you for your kindness. Take good care of my second uncle and second aunt. Yu Bai and I will go back now."

"Ji Huan, Ji Fu is right. If you go back like this, they will definitely bully you again. You can't go back." Feng Mei also hurriedly persuaded, and stretched out her hand to grab Ji Huan's arm to prevent her from leaving.

"Second Aunt, they are my family after all. I really can't bear to see them suffer because of me. I was inconsiderate this time. I shouldn't have made a big deal out of it. If it affects Ji Yuan's future, I will regret it to death." Ji Huan said, tears welling up in his eyes.

Ji Yuan stood by, stunned, and because of Ji Fu's intimidation, he didn't dare to interrupt. But Ji Huan was not like this when they were alone just now. What was Ji Huan going to do?

Jiang Yubai was also a little nervous, her hands clenched tightly together. Ji Huan's current appearance reminded her of the past. Has Ji Huan become the same person again? Jiang Yubai's heart tightened and her face turned pale. She looked at Ji Huan, afraid of missing a single detail.

Since her mother's death, she had only lived like a normal person in the past few days. If Ji Huan turned back to the way he was before, she would become a walking corpse again.

"How can I say anything good about you, child? You're just too kind-hearted and filial, that's why they dare to bully you like this. Alas, I know I can't keep you here, but if they dare to bully you again this time, I'll send Ji Fu and Ji Wen to help you. You better not put up with it." Feng Mei's eyes were red as she spoke.

"Thank you, Second Auntie. Yubai and I will take good care of ourselves, don't worry," Ji Huan said hurriedly.

When she looked at Jiang Yubai, she saw that Jiang Yubai's face was even paler than hers. Ji Huan was stunned for a moment, thinking that Little White Rabbit's acting skills were probably not as good as hers. Then she realized that Little White Rabbit was afraid that she would return to being the foolish and filial daughter she used to be.

Ji Huan hurriedly moved closer to Jiang Yubai and took his hand. Her face still had the same miserable look from before, but she applied a little force to Jiang Yubai's palm, silently squeezing it.

Jiang Yubai's eyes widened slightly, and seeing that Ji Huan's face was still the same, she began to suspect that the feeling of pinching her palm just now was an illusion she had imagined.

Seeing that the little white rabbit was still a little dazed, Ji Huan looked at Ji Yuan and pinched Jiang Yubai's palm twice, "Third brother, please let us go back and pack up, we will leave later."

"Oh, okay." Ji Yuan was stunned by Ji Huan's series of actions just now. He still hadn't digested it yet, so he could only reply casually.

Ji Huan smiled at Ji Mancang and the others with red eyes, and walked out holding Jiang Yubai's hand.

After returning to the room and closing the door, Ji Huan put away her miserable look, smiled at Jiang Yubai, and said softly: "Are you scared? Don't worry, even if we go back, we won't be bullied like before, not to mention that this time it's not in vain to make those people in the Ji family spit out four taels of silver."

Ji Huan spread out her palm, and in her palm was the four taels of silver she had just taken out from the space with a thought.

Jiang Yubai was incredulous when she saw the silver in Ji Huan's hand. She had been with the Ji family for over half a year and knew Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun well. They would give the silver to their eldest son and support their third son, Ji Yuan, but they wouldn't give it to Ji Huan.

"Two taels of silver in here is your dowry. It should have been kept by you, but we need to be careful after we return to prevent any further mischief from the Ji family. I'll keep this silver for now, and I'll give it to you once we have our own little family," Ji Huan explained quickly.

Jiang Yubai breathed a sigh of relief, a sweet feeling welling up in her heart. Ji Huan had a place in his future plans, and he still wanted her to manage the money.

"No need, just keep the silver. I'll do whatever you say," Jiang Yubai said quickly.

Seeing the little rabbit being so well-behaved, Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly. "Okay, I'll put the silver away. Let's pack our clothes and go back with Ji Yuan."

"Yes," Jiang Yubai nodded, gathering her clothes without further delay.

When the two returned to the dining room with their belongings, Ji Yuan was being interrogated by Feng Mei and the others. Seeing Ji Huan finished packing, Ji Yuan hurriedly said, "Uncle, Aunt, my parents are pressing for help, so my sister and I are leaving now and will visit again another day."

Feng Mei didn't look at Ji Yuan, but at Ji Huan. "Poor child, remember to come to us if you have any questions. Don't keep quiet if

you've been wronged." "Aunt, I know. Don't worry."

Feng Mei continued to exhort Ji Huan before letting him go.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai left the yard, the gloomy look on her face still lingering.

What she was doing was paving the way for the future division of the family. Feng Mei had a close relationship with Aunt Yuan, the village's loudspeaker. Even though she had been wronged, she had returned home to make compromises for the sake of her parents and brothers' reputation. This story would surely spread quickly, and the villagers would then think of her as a righteous and filial person, and their disdain for the rest of the Ji family would only grow.

Three people make a tiger. If more people talk about these things, even if you really do something you shouldn't do in the future, no one will be willing to believe the people of the Ji family.

"Ji Huan? Where are you going?"

After walking a few steps, Ji Huan and his friends ran into Er Zhuzi.

Ji Huan forced a pale smile, "Going home, living in my second uncle's house is not a long-term solution, and I heard that my parents can't hold their heads up in the village because of this incident. I really can't bear to see them unable to hold their heads up. It's all my fault for being unfilial. If I hadn't said these things yesterday, my parents wouldn't be unable to hold their heads up."

Er Zhuzi had an indignant expression on his face, "Ji Huan! How can you be blamed for this? They are the ones who did something wrong. Don't blame yourself. Did Ji Yuan force you to go back? If they forced you to go back, I would do it now. "I'll take you to the village head. Don't be afraid of them."

Ji Huan shook his head, a look of sadness on his face as he advised, "Don't go to the village head. I'm going back of my own accord. Besides, the village head is so busy on weekdays. Yesterday's incident already troubled him greatly. Don't cause him any more trouble. Thank you for your kindness. I think my parents should have changed for the better."

Er Zhuzi was so angry that he almost jumped up and down. "Ji Huan, where can you find someone like you? You're bullied and still speak up for them. I'm really impressed by you, ah."

With that, Er Zhuzi left, angered by Ji Huan's soft persimmon.

As Er Zhuzi walked away, a subtle smile played on Ji Huan's lips.

Ji Yuan kept watching Ji Huan, but the more he observed what Ji Huan was doing, the more confused he became. The only explanation was that Ji Huan regretted her actions and really wanted to go home and be a filial daughter. But why did he feel that Ji Huan was strange?

Along the way, they met several groups of people. Seeing that Ji Huan was going home, they all advised Ji Huan not to go back. Ji Huan still used the same rhetoric as before. Those villagers were all angry for Ji Huan, but also admired Ji Huan's filial piety.

When Ji Huan and the others were about to reach the gate of Ji's yard, there were no outsiders around. Ji Huan also retracted her previous expression and walked towards the room with Jiang Yubai.

Ji Yuan called her from behind, "Ji Huan, your parents are still waiting for you in the dining room, don't you want to go and see them?"

Ji Huan glared at him coldly, which made Ji Yuan's whole body go numb.

The words that came out of Ji Huan's lips were even colder than her gaze, "I'm busy."

Chapter Text

Ji Yuan was startled by Ji Huan's cold gaze. It wasn't until Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai returned to their room that Ji Yuan realized: Ji Huan had been faking it all.

Ji Yuan frowned and stared at Ji Huan's door, then headed to the dining room.

Seeing Ji Yuan's return, Liu Fengmei hurriedly asked, "What's going on? Where's Ji Huan?"

"Mom, she took Jiang Yubai back to her room. I asked her to come see you first, but she said she wasn't available." Ji Yuan glanced at Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei.

Ji Mantun's face darkened, but he swallowed it back. "Forget it, she's still angry about this. Don't mess with Ji Huan these days. Be nice to her, and she'll work for our family like she used to."

"I see, Dad. What about the work? Will we still do the same thing as before, one day for each family?" Ji Ming continued.

Ji Mantun nodded. "Well, let's settle it this way for now. When Ji Huan relents, we'll hand over the work to him."

In his heart, Ji Mantun still subconsciously felt that Ji Huan was being sullen. As long as they showed him even a little kindness, he'd be his obedient self.

Ji Sen, sitting nearby, snorted a few times. He didn't think so. The ferocity with which Ji Huan had struck him made him doubt that Ji Huan would be bossed around like before.

"Alright, everyone else, go back. Third brother, stay a while. I have something to ask you." Ji Mantun took a few more puffs from his pipe before speaking.

Ji Ming and Ji Sen's families emerged from the dining room.

Ji Sen took a look inside and whispered to Ji Ming, "Brother, what do you think Dad wants to say to Ji Yuan that he has to do without telling our two families? He's not secretly giving Ji Yuan money, is he?"

"Do you think that's too little? Ji Yuan is the biggest expense in the family. He needs money for food, clothing, housing and transportation when he goes to college. He really thinks of himself as a young master?" Ji Ming also sneered in dissatisfaction.

In the dining room, Ji Mantun saw Ji Sen and Ji Ming walking away, then he whispered: "Third brother, how are we going to get the four taels of silver back from Ji Huan? That's four taels of silver, enough for you to spend for most of half a year. Ji Huan is in the village every day. It's a waste to keep the money on her. It's better to leave it to you for socializing and making friends with the gentry in the county. It will also be beneficial for your future official career."

When Ji Yuan heard that the money was going into his pocket, his eyes lit up immediately. After thinking about it, Ji Yuan said: "Dad, this matter can't be too urgent. If we ask for the money as soon as Ji Huan comes back, it would be too hasty. And this matter can't be brought up directly, but I have already thought of a way."

As Ji Yuan spoke, he moved close to Ji Mantun's ear and whispered something in Ji Mantun's ear.

Ji Mantun nodded, a smile finally breaking out on his face. "After all, you're educated. Dad will listen to you."

Meanwhile

, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had just finished tidying up the house. Ji Huan, sensing a constant draft, decided to patch up the drafty areas. She and Jiang Yubai might have to stay here for a while.

"Let's go out and mix some mud and weeds in. I'll patch up the holes in the house to stop the drafts."

"Okay, sister, I'll go with you," Jiang Yubai said hurriedly.

Ji Huan's eyes curved. The little rabbit was quite clingy, following her wherever she went.

"Okay, let's go, let's go get some mud." Ji Huan said, and Jiang Yubai left. They saw Liu Fengmei preparing lunch.

Liu Fengmei's eyes lit up. She knew it. Ji Huan must have lost his mind yesterday. After all, he still cared about her, his mother. He must have come out at this hour with Jiang Yubai to cook for him.

Ji Huan looked at Liu Fengmei and saw that Liu Fengmei was like a vicious dog seeing fat meat when she saw him. Disgust flashed in her eyes and she said with a smile: "Are you cooking, mother? Make more delicious food for lunch. Yubai and I have never had enough to eat before. Don't let the villagers say that you treat Yubai and me poorly."

As he said that, Ji Huan found an unused wooden basin in the yard and walked out of the yard with Jiang Yubai.

The smile on Liu Fengmei's face had already frozen. Not only did Ji Huan not help her, but he also asked her to cook more food?

"Ji Huan, where are you going?" Liu Fengmei asked angrily, but Ji Huan, who had already walked away, had no intention of paying attention to her.

Ji Huan walked towards the main road of the village. She had passed by there before and she remembered that there were several patches of yellow mud on the ground.

Jiang Yubai was puzzled by Ji Huan's insistence on going so far to collect mud. "Sister, isn't there a large expanse of yellow mud at the foot of the mountain behind our house? Why are you digging here?"

Ji Huan smiled and winked at Jiang Yubai. "Of course I'm digging for others to see. Just watch."

Her little white rabbit was still too naive. Ji Huan gathered her emotions, trying to appear less daunted. Once she arrived, she began digging at the yellow earth with her hatchet.

Sure enough, soon a passerby noticed her.

"Hey, isn't that Ji Huan? Why is she here?"

"I heard Ji Yuan took her back this morning. It's so pitiful. She has such a family to deal with, and she has to work right after returning."

"How can their family be like this? They're so mean."

"His father, why don't we go ask them?" It was Erzhuzi's mother who spoke. The villagers called her Aunt Wu.

"Okay, let's go ask them," Zhou Zhongtian replied with a sigh. He had also spoken to his son about Ji Huan's situation and felt that Ji Huan's life was not easy.

"Ji Huan, didn't you just come home? Why are you working again?" Zhou Zhongtian asked.

Several villagers around him who had just gone to chop wood came over, and everyone was curious.

Ji Huan forced a smile and explained: "Yu Bai and I's house has always been leaking. We had too much housework before, so we were busy doing the housework. We didn't have time to repair our own house. I just came back today, so I thought of going out to get some yellow mud to repair the house."

"The house is leaking? You haven't repaired it in such a cold day?" Zhou Zhongtian was confused. Ji Huan was too honest.

"There are so many things to do at home, and no one is doing it. What else can I do if I don't do it? I can't let the whole family starve. My own affairs are trivial. It's nothing to get cold." Ji Huan said with a simple face, and he was still trying to make up for the Ji family in his words.

"You kid, you have a really hard life. Hey, if you have anything, just come to me directly and let Erzhuzi go to help you." Zhou Zhongtian saw that Ji Huan was still defending his family, so he had to say.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhou. My parents probably won't do that, otherwise they wouldn't have asked Ji Yuan to pick us up." Ji Huan smiled at Zhou Zhongtian and said.

Zhou Zhongtian and Aunt Wu looked at each other and sighed heavily. They both saw from each other's eyes that they wanted to say something but stopped.

Zhou Zhongtian was still talking to Aunt Wu until they walked away, "Ji Huan is just too kind and too filial. Doesn't she think about the fact that a dog can't stop eating shit? Just wait and see, something bad will happen to their family sooner or later."

"Yeah, it's not easy for us outsiders to persuade them. They are such poor kids. There's a draft in the house in the middle of winter." Aunt Wu said with reluctance. If it were her, she would be afraid that the children would be cold.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai filled a basin with more than half a ton of loess. Ji Huan felt it was nearly done, but besides the broken parts of the house, the windows were also a major leak. The window paper on her room's windows had almost completely ripped, and even at night, there were still spots where a draft leaked in.

Ji Huan remembered that in the original book, the original owner had mentioned this to Ji Yuan, wanting to borrow some paper to tape the windows. Ji Yuan had refused without a second thought. His rice paper was so valuable that even if he were much richer, he wouldn't have given it to Ji Huan. The original owner was also shy and didn't want to bother others. As a result, the window repair was put on hold.

Ji Huan's lips curled up. She would go to Ji Yuan's room to get some paper to tape the windows. She wouldn't listen to his nonsense.

"Let's go, this should be enough," Ji Huan said, and was about to stand when someone called out from behind.

"Ji Huan, what are you doing?" The person who called out was a female Qian Yuan, but since Ji Huan didn't have the original owner's memories, she had no memory of her.

"Oh, there's a draft in my house, and I was thinking of patching up the hole with some clay and weeds," Ji Huan said as before.

"Are you in need of anything else? I'll see if there's anything I can do to help," the female Qianyuan said enthusiastically.

Ji Huan's mind raced, and he quickly said, "A lot of the window paper is rotten. I asked Ji Yuan for some, but Ji Yuan said his rice paper is too expensive to use on windows."

"Window paper? I have some. Let's go get some from my place."

"No, it's not too cold, so I don't want to bother you," Ji Huan said hurriedly.

"Let's not talk about this, folks. Besides, it's not worth much. A lot of this paper is from me, I've written on. Do you mind?" the female Qianyuan continued.

"No, it's nice to have something useful," Ji Huan said quickly.

"Let's go, you know my house, it's over there," the female Qianyuan said, leading the way.

Ji Huan deliberately slowed her pace, holding the wooden basin in her arms. She leaned closer to Jiang Yubai. Seeing that the female Qianyuan in front of them didn't look at them, Ji Huan put her lips close to Jiang Yubai's ear and asked quickly, a voice only the two of them could hear, "Who is she?"

Jiang Yubai's ears were already warm from Ji Huan's loud breathing, and when she heard Ji Huan's question, her eyes widened. She was from Xiniu Village and had only moved to Dongniu Village after marrying Ji Huan. But even so, she knew Zhou Xiaochun. After all, Zhou Xiaochun was the village head's only daughter.

Jiang Yubai's mind was full of thoughts, but she couldn't think about anything else. She whispered in Ji Huan's ear, "Zhou Xiaochun, the village head's daughter."

Ji Huan nodded, glanced at the little white rabbit beside him with approval, and winked at it.

Jiang Yubai didn't know what Ji Huan was up to, but it couldn't be bad, at least not for them. How it would affect the Ji family was unknown.

Ji Huan tried hard to adjust her expression, trying to look less excited. She'd just said it casually, but she hadn't expected this female Qianyuan to be the daughter of the village head. That was perfect; she could give the Ji family another chance to show the village head their eyes—killing two birds with one stone.

"We're here. You guys go sit in the front hall for a while," Zhou Xiaochun said, leading Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai to the hall.

Ji Huan thought for a moment and decided to temporarily place the wooden basin he was carrying in the yard. It was filled with dirt, and it wouldn't be nice to bring it into someone else's home.

Zhou Xiaochun noticed Ji Huan's actions and, though she didn't say anything, she still felt that Ji Huan was very polite.

"You guys sit here for a while. I'll try to pick out some larger paper."

Zhou Xiaochun, worried that Ji Huan and the others might feel uncomfortable, called out to the yard, "Mom, Ji Huan and the others are here. If you don't hurry, go and greet them."

Upon hearing her daughter's words, Xia Hong hurried out of her room and went to the front hall.

The village head's house was considered the most impressive in the village. It had a front and back yard, and unlike most houses, which were built with yellow mud and branches, the entire courtyard was made of brick and tile, making it look much more impressive than others.

Xia Hong entered the front hall, and Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai hurriedly stood up to greet her.

"You two are so polite. Please sit down. I'll get you two bowls of hot water. It's so cold out here," Xia Hong said, and was about to pour the water.

Ji Huan hurriedly stood up and said, "No, it's already troublesome for Xiaochun just for Yubai and me to come here. You don't have to pour us water. We'll be leaving soon."

"No, it's not a big deal. It's just two bowls. Please don't be polite. Please sit down."

"Auntie, I'll help you," Jiang Yubai said hurriedly.

In the end, Xia Hong still brought water to the two of them.

Ji Huan drank half a bowl of hot water and felt warm. Zhou Xiaochun, carrying a large amount of rice paper in his arms, walked to the front hall. "See if these are enough. If not, I have more."

Ji Huan quickly stood up and thanked him. "It's enough. Thank you very much. Otherwise, I don't know what to do with the windows in Yu Bai's and my room."

"It's okay. These are all the ones I used for calligraphy practice. I picked the ones with less words on them. But they definitely don't look as good as white paper taped to the window frames." Zhou Xiaochun said with a smile.

"It's good to block the wind. Thank you. I'm sorry to have caused trouble for you and Auntie."

"What are you talking about? If you need my help with anything else, just come and find me." Zhou Xiaochun hadn't had much contact with Ji Huan before. Ji Huan used to be taciturn and buried his head in work. They were just friends who would say hello when they met on the street. This was the first time she had said so much to Ji Huan.

"Thank you very much. Mom and Dad are still waiting for us to return. Yubai and I won't bother you any more. We'll go back first." Ji Huan said a few more polite words before he and Jiang Yubai took their things and headed back.

They had taken a lot of rice paper, enough to re-paste the windows in the room.

Jiang Yubai looked at the rice paper in her arms and worried about the paste again. Liu Fengmei wouldn't let them use white flour to make paste.

"Sister, what about the paste? Mom won't let us use white flour, will she?" Jiang Yubai thought and asked.

Ji Huan smiled and said, "She definitely wouldn't have done that before, but these few days, I think the Ji family will be at least honest for a few days. If they don't let me use white flour, then I'll have to tell everyone in the village about this."

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. The previous incident had greatly damaged the Ji family's image in the village, and they probably didn't want to have something like that happen again and be looked down upon by the villagers.

When the two returned to Ji's house, they saw Liu Fengmei cursing in the yard again because no one helped her with the work. When she saw Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai coming back from outside, she was even more furious.

Chapter Text

"Some people see their mothers suffering and don't come to help. What a sin! Why did I give birth to you and raise you? Pity my old flesh and blood, and now I have to do this." Liu Fengmei's shrill voice rang out again, and although she didn't mention anyone by name, her eyes were fixed on Ji Huan.

Ji Huan put the wooden basin aside and nodded in agreement. "Mom, you're right. Where's Ji Yuan? Weren't you doing the work today? And you've made me work so hard to help you. Is this what you scholars call filial piety? You only study hard all day long, and now you're grown up and still need your parents to serve you. Is this what your teachers at the academy taught you?" "

No, no, oh no, I'm not talking about Ji Yuan." Liu Fengmei clapped her hands anxiously.

"Ah? You're not talking about Ji Yuan?" Ji Huan looked as if suddenly enlightened, then continued, "Where's Ji Ming? Mother sent you out to work. As the eldest son in the family, you do nothing all day and stay in your room all day. What treasures do you have in your room?"

"I didn't say your eldest brother..." Liu Fengmei was about to say something else, but Ji Huan's next words stopped her.

"If it wasn't your eldest brother, then I understand. Ji Sen, where are you? As the eldest child in the family, you have the best physical strength. Why do you only think about gambling all day and not helping mother with the work? Was it easy for mother and father to give birth to you and raise you? Get out now! Can't you see that mother is almost crying because of you?" Ji Huan's voice was filled with indignation, as if he was genuinely speaking up for Liu Fengmei.

Jiang Yubai stood quietly to the side, holding the rice paper, a smile on his face barely suppressed. His sister had silenced his mother's words.

"You, Ji Huan, are you trying to piss me off to death? How did you become like this? Am I talking about them? I'm talking about you." Liu Fengmei's face flushed with anger.

Ji Huan pointed at himself, his face full of disbelief. The next moment, Ji Huan's eyes were red: "Mom, you're talking about me? I've done so much for the Ji family. Isn't it me who does all this on a daily basis? I originally thought you really wanted Yu Bai and me to come back, but now it seems I was just overthinking it." Liu

Fengmei was a little overwhelmed by Ji Huan. She was also afraid that Ji Huan would run out and tell others about this, so she felt a little bit caught in a dilemma.

It was Ji Mantun who came out of the house. "It's all right, her mother, you go and cook. Ji Huan just came back, why are you making a fuss?"

Ji Mantun looked at Ji Huan again. "You just came back, go back to your room and rest first. Don't worry, the housework will be done by each family in the future. You won't suffer as much as before. Your mother is hard-mouthed but soft-hearted. She was thinking about you all yesterday, afraid that you would not live well with your second uncle."

Ji Huan's lips curled up into a smile, and he was too lazy to even pretend. "In that case, thank you, Dad. It happened that I met Zhou Xiaochun when I was digging mud just now. He was kind-hearted and gave me some unused rice paper to paste the windows. Unlike my third brother, he was reluctant to give me a few pieces of rice paper and watched his own sister suffer from the cold. Maybe people like my third brother are like this Selfish, maybe Third Brother has wanted to cut off ties with us peasants for a long time."

Ji Yuan, who was eavesdropping on the crack of the door, could no longer sit still and hurried to the yard to explain, "Second sister, it's not that I won't give it to you, it's just that rice paper is too expensive. It's not easy for our family to save money for me to study, and I dare not waste it."

Ji Huan was so angry that he laughed, "So giving me a few pieces of paper to save my life is a waste? Ji Yuan, why didn't I see it before, you are really cold-blooded, if you marry Kunze from a wealthy family in the future, will you have to pretend not to know your father and mother when they pass by you?"

Ji Yuan was panicked by Ji Huan's words. It was because Ji Huan hit the nail on the head. He now felt that the people in the village were terrible, especially their family, who were not worthy of him as a scholar.

"Dad, Mom, don't listen to Ji Huan's nonsense, she is trying to sow discord. When your son has a promising future, he will definitely be filial to you." Ji Yuan hurriedly expressed his sincerity to Liu Fengmei with red eyes.

Ji Huan smiled at him playfully, then looked at Jiang Yubai, "Let's go and patch up the holes in the house."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai went back to the room obediently, first putting the rice paper in his arms on the table, and then came out to find Ji Huan.

Ji Huan ignored Ji Yuan who was still explaining in the yard, and went straight to the water tank with the wooden basin.

Ji Huan filled some water into the wooden basin filled with loess, and when he saw Jiang Yubai coming over, he asked Jiang Yubai to help him get some weeds from the backyard.

Ji Huan chopped the weeds into small sections with a short knife, and then mixed the weeds into the mud. When the mud hardened a little, Ji Huan felt it was almost done, and she and Jiang Yubai took the mud to patch the holes outside, and then went back to the room to continue patching.

Normally, the room felt cold, but Ji Huan hadn't counted them carefully. Unexpectedly, there were five or six large drafts just downstairs. Ji Huan was completely impressed. How did the original owner manage to get by?

Ji Yuan and Liu Fengmei expressed their sincere feelings for a long time, but when Ji Huan ignored them, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. This old, hardworking second sister was really good at talking. With just a few words, she had already caused a bit of rift between her and her parents. It seemed like she had to be careful

with Ji Huan from now on. Jiang Yubai was also covered in mud. Now, she and Ji Huan had blocked the larger holes around the room. The only remaining holes were smaller ones. While they were working on the mud, Jiang Yubai and Ji Huan also blocked the smaller holes. The

remaining holes were too high, so Ji Huan brought in a ladder from the yard. She climbed up first, and Jiang Yubai handed her a wooden board covered in mud from below, making it easier for Ji Huan to stand on the ladder and patch the leaks.

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly when she saw Jiang Yubai standing below, helping her hold the ladder. Her little rabbit was quite considerate.

The roof also had quite a few leaks. Ji Huan carried the ladder inside to patch them. The holes outside were difficult to get onto, and she'd just checked, and many of the beams were rotting. She couldn't climb up from outside to patch them, or else she'd step on empty air and get into trouble. She'd have to make do with it for a while longer. Thankfully, the leaks on all four sides were plugged, so the cold was only on the roof.

After descending the ladder, Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai and said softly, "There's nothing we can do about the roof. We'll just have to make do with it for now. When we build the new house, I'll definitely have it reinforced."

Jiang Yubai nodded, her eyes bright. She was beginning to believe Ji Huan's words more and more. Perhaps, she and Ji Huan would finally have their own little home.

"Sister, where's the paste?" Jiang Yubai asked.

"I'm going to the kitchen to make some paste now. You just wait for me in the room." Ji Huan wanted to reach out and touch the top of the little rabbit's head, but remembering that the little rabbit had dodged him last time, he resisted the urge to touch it.

"Okay." Jiang Yubai obeyed obediently. She knew that if she went, Liu Fengmei would be even more angry when she saw her. It would be better for her to stay in the room so that she would not cause Ji Huan any more trouble.

Ji Huan walked out of the room and went straight to the kitchen.

Liu Fengmei was cooking in a very unhappy mood. When she saw Ji Huan coming, she was immediately happy, but then the smile faded and she put on airs: "Don't you want to work? Why are you here?"

Ji Huan smiled at Liu Fengmei, "Mom, you think too much. I'm not here to work. I'm just here to make some paste."

As he spoke, Ji Huan found a small iron pot from the stove, opened the noodle pot and took out a spoonful of noodles for later use.

Liu Fengmei felt a pang of pain in her heart when she saw the large bowl of white flour. She couldn't help but grumble, "What a waste! There are so many holes in the windows, and you are so precious? Ji Huan, you are a child from the village. It's only natural that you should endure some hardships. Don't be so spoiled."

"That's right. Anyway, the rice paper was given to me by Zhou Xiaochun. If you're worried about the noodles and don't let me make them, then I'll just send the rice paper back to them. I'll just say that it was my mom who was worried about the noodles and told me to just endure it because it got cold." Ji Huan said with a smile.

Liu Fengmei gritted her teeth and said nothing. What's the difference between telling Zhou Xiaochun about this and telling the head of the village directly? Isn't the head of

the village Zhou Xiaochun's father? Liu Fengmei's chest was heaving with anger at Ji Huan, but she didn't dare to say anything more, fearing that Ji Huan would really get angry and take the rice paper back to Zhou Xiaochun, so she could only endure it.

Ji Huan was in a very good mood. He put water in the small pot and then poured in the flour. As the water heated up, Ji Huan kept stirring the flour in one direction with chopsticks. Soon, the batter in the pot became thicker and thicker. Ji Huan saw that it was almost done, so he picked up the small pot.

Before leaving, Ji Huan, still in a cheerful mood, greeted Liu Fengmei, "Mom, take your time. I'm going home now."

Liu Fengmei was so angry she was itching, chopping the cabbage in her hands fiercely.

Ji Huan looked at the paste in the small pot, picked up a branch from the roadside to use as a brush, and then carried the pot back to the room.

Zhou Xiaochun was generous and gave Ji Huan plenty of rice paper. Although it was all used for calligraphy, it was still usable. Ji Huan looked at the window paper and said, "That should be enough paper. Let's stick a layer on the outside first, and then stick it on the inside when we have more."

Generally speaking, in cold places, it's best to stick the window paper on the outside so that it won't get damp from the indoor breath. Of course, if possible, sticking it on both sides is better for warmth, and Ji Huan decided to do so.

She was responsible for applying the paste to the window frame, while Jiang Yubai was responsible for sticking the rice paper neatly on the window frame. Their room was not large, so they finished the outside window paper in no time and turned to the inside.

After the window papers were all pasted up inside and outside, there was still quite a bit of rice paper left. Ji Huan didn't throw it away, but placed it in a wooden cabinet, hoping it would be useful again.

When she and Jiang Yubai finished and went to wash their hands, Liu Fengmei had already prepared dinner. Ji Yuan was afraid of being ridiculed by his family, so he pretended to help Liu Fengmei serve the food. Liu Fengmei felt sorry for him and couldn't bear to let him serve the food. She quickly said, "Just go sit in the dining room. There's no reason to let you scholars do this."

She raised her eyes and saw Jiang Yubai standing next to Ji Huan. She frowned and scolded, "You blind man, I asked Ji Huan to marry you. Do you think you came to our Ji family to enjoy a leisurely life? You don't even have the sense to come and help serve the food."

Helping to serve the food was originally a small thing. Normally, anyone in an ordinary family would do it casually, but Liu Fengmei couldn't bear to let Ji Yuan do it. She even scolded Jiang Yubai with a mouthful of filth. Ji Huan's face quickly turned cold.

She took two steps and stood in front of Jiang Yubai, looking at Liu Fengmei coldly: "Mom, what you said is not counted, that person is no different from an animal, is this what you call a day's work for the family? What? Ji Yuan is a human being, aren't we?"

"Ji Huan, why do you talk like that? How dare you say that to your mother? Besides, I didn't say what I asked you to do? I just asked Jiang Yubai to serve the meal. What kind of magic potion did that little bitch give you? Why do you always side with her now? Don't forget, she is a jinx who was married before." Liu Fengmei yelled regardless of anything.

With every word she said, Ji Huan's face grew colder, and she stared at Liu Fengmei intently: "It's all in vain to talk to you people, but I still have to say this, Jiang Yubai is my wife, so watch your mouth before you speak. If I hear those dirty words from you again, I have plenty of ways to make it impossible for the Ji family to stay in Dongniu Village, and I also have plenty of ways to make your good son disliked by his classmates."

Liu Fengmei pointed at Ji Huan and wanted to scold him again, but was stopped by Ji Yuan. He hurriedly took the food from Liu Fengmei's hand, "Mom, please say less. Second sister just came back. Don't make a big deal out of it."

Liu Fengmei thought about the incident when she was watched by the villagers before, and she gritted her teeth in anger, "Third brother, do you think your second sister is crazy? It's a sin."

"Mom, let's go, stop talking." Ji Yuan was afraid that he would really push Ji Huan to a standstill. If he couldn't make it in the academy, where would he go to hook up with the rich Kunze in the future?

Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai behind him, and seeing that Jiang Yubai looked a little lonely, he comforted her: "Don't worry about her, she's like a mad dog. Let's go to the kitchen to get some food. We won't eat with a mad dog."

Seeing that the little rabbit was in a bad mood, Ji Huan thought about it and took Jiang Yubai's hand. The two went to the kitchen.

There was not much food left, so Ji Huan poured it all into the bowl. There were five multi-grain steamed buns in the pot. Ji Huan took four of them in one breath, and then he and Jiang Yubai took the food back to the room.

Chapter Text

In the dining room, the other two families also came over, attracted by the aroma of food. Ji Mantun sat in the main seat. Seeing that Ji Huan's seat was empty, he asked, "Where's Ji Huan?"

"Don't worry about her. She's really been bewitched by that vixen. I just asked Jiang Yubai to help serve the food, and what happened? She's arguing with me over Jiang Yubai. They can eat or not," Liu Fengmei complained.

Ji Mantun sighed and said, "You too, she just got back. You should treat her better. Ji Huan is angry right now and will not respond to harsh words. If you insist on confronting her now, what good will it do? It's better to treat her well for a few days and coax her into taking up the responsibilities of the household again."

"Yes, Mom, Dad is right. Ji Huan used to be so filial. If you and Dad just put on a little smile this time, she will definitely be the same Ji Huan who is willing to work for the family again," Ji Ming said hurriedly. He didn't want to deal with such trivial household chores.

"You're dreaming! Ji Huan is no longer the same as before. She'd even attack me," Ji Sen muttered. He had no intention of confronting Ji Huan openly; he simply couldn't defeat her.

"How can you compare with your parents? Ji Huan is a renowned filial daughter. She might not care about you, her brother, but she can't truly not care about your parents. Don't let Ji Huan appear cold and calm. She's definitely hurting inside. She's probably crying in her room right now," Ji Ming continued.

Ji Yuan also nodded and advised, "Mom, it's true. Everyone should be polite to Ji Huan these few days. We don't have to ask Ji Huan to return the four taels of silver. I have my own way to make Ji Huan spit out the silver, but the premise is that everyone should not have conflicts with Ji Huan in the next few days."

Seeing that the third and eldest brothers said so, Liu Fengmei sighed and nodded slightly, "Since you all said so, then I will listen to you, but I get angry when I see that little bitch. Oh, my chest still hurts now."

"Mom, a little impatience will ruin a big plan. As long as we coax Ji Huan to be the same as before, if you don't like Jiang Yubai, just let Ji Huan divorce Jiang Yubai in the future." Ji Yuan advised.

Liu Fengmei smoothed her chest to calm her breath. "Okay, Mom, I'll listen to you. When Ji Huan returns to her former self, the first thing I'll do is have her divorce that little bitch Jiang Yubai."

"Alright, let's eat. We'll send some of our leftovers to Ji Huan and the others, and two more multi-grain buns. That'll be our way of repaying them," Ji Mantun said, tapping his chopsticks.

Ji Sen curled his lips, feeling that his family's wishful thinking might be dashed. The day Ji Huan beat him, he'd truly wanted to kill him.

After this, the whole family began to eat. Perhaps because of the beatings they'd received earlier, Ji Dong and Ji Xi were especially well-behaved. Seeing Ji Mantun's words, they wolfed down their food.

The whole family seemed to relax after their recent plot against Ji Huan.

Ji Ming, after finishing two multi-grain buns, felt unfulfilled and asked, "Mom, is there any more in the pot? I want another."

"I want one too. Give me one too," Ji Sen quickly interjected.

Liu Fengmei glared at her two sons and said, "Go and get them. There should be four more in the pot. Leave two for Ji Huan and the others, and divide the remaining two among you. You won't be able to find anyone to help you when you're working, so each one will eat more than the other."

Ji Ming smiled at Liu Fengmei and said sweetly, "Aren't these steamed buns made by mother delicious?"

Liu Fengmei smiled and glared at Ji Ming. After all, he was her eldest son. How could she be reluctant to let Ji Ming eat them?

Ji Ming walked out of the dining room with a smile on his face and walked quickly to the kitchen. As he left, he was still thinking, what's the point of Ji Huan making a fuss? In the end, won't he still have to bow his head and come back to eat their leftovers? An old ox should be an old ox all his life, and shouldn't have any other ideas.

Ji Ming thought and stepped quickly over the threshold. He walked to the steamer and lifted the heavy lid. Then he saw that there was nothing left in the pot except the grate and the hot water underneath.

Ji Ming was unhappy now and walked quickly towards the dining room. Before he even got there, he couldn't help but start complaining, "Mom, there are no extra steamed buns in the kitchen, and there's no extra soup in the pot." "

It must be Ji Huan again. She used to only have one steamed bun for every meal, and Jiang Yubai even more so. As long as they didn't starve to death, it was fine. Now, two people are eating four steamed buns for one meal. They are sucking my blood." Liu Fengmei's tone became sharp and harsh as she spoke. Ji

Mantun knocked on the table with his hand, "Have you forgotten what you just said? It's just two more steamed buns per meal. We can ask Ji Huan to work twice as hard later. Besides, we still have to get the four taels of silver back. Don't bother Ji Huan now. He's eaten it, so we can prepare more in the afternoon when we cook. The family won't be so poor that we can't afford to eat." "

I'm so angry." Liu Fengmei's words implied that Ji Huan and the others ate more, and the food was just wasted.

"Don't be angry. Think about the four taels of silver. Ji Yuan still needs it for his studies. Just bear with it for a few days." Ji Mantun sighed.

Ji Huan was enjoying her meal with Jiang Yubai. She really had a normal appetite, so one steamed bun was enough for her. Then Ji Huan saw the little white rabbit across from her, who had already eaten two steamed buns.

When she reached for the third one, Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan looking at her and blushed a little embarrassedly as she explained, "Sister, do you think I'm eating too much?"

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly as she said softly, "No, it's good for your health to eat enough. Besides, it's only three steamed buns, not too much."

Jiang Yubai's lips curved at Ji Huan's words and she happily began to eat.

Ji Huan pushed the bowl of food in front of Jiang Yubai, asking her to eat it with the stew inside. She herself watched the little rabbit in front of her eat the delicious meal.

Ji Huan remembered how, when they cuddled, Little Rabbit had a very thin waist and not very thick legs. However, when they slept together, Little Rabbit's chest seemed quite impressive, showing that the flesh had grown where it should.

Ji Huan chuckled and shook her head. Seeing that Little Rabbit had already eaten half of its steamed bun and was enjoying it with such relish, Ji Huan's mood brightened.

The Ji family wouldn't just sit there quietly; she and Jiang Yubai had to be prepared for any further action.

After dinner, Ji Huan checked the newly applied window paper on the window frames and re-pasted a few loose spots, finally feeling relieved.

In the afternoon, a heavy snow suddenly fell outside. Ji Huan and the others had patched the holes in the room that morning and replaced the window paper, so the room was much warmer, though still chilly.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai snuggled in bed, remembering that Ji Huan hadn't cuddled her to sleep that night. Jiang Yubai's fingertips curled together, and she looked up at Ji Huan, words lingering.

Seeing the little white rabbit hesitating, Ji Huan smiled and asked, "What's wrong? Are you still cold?"

Jiang Yubai's ears blushed, and she nodded slightly, still looking at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan smiled lightly and said softly, "Do you want to hold me while I sleep?"

Jiang Yubai nodded quickly. "Yes."

After saying that, she realized that she had answered too eagerly. She pulled the quilt up and buried her face in the quilt, leaving only a pair of wet doe eyes staring at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan was touched by the little white rabbit's cute appearance and moved closer to the little white rabbit, reaching out and pulling it into his arms.

Jiang Yubai buried her face in Ji Huan's neck, not daring to look at Ji Huan, and just thought she was asleep.

Ji Huan looked at the little rabbit in her arms who didn't dare to look up at her, her eyes slightly curved, "What? Already asleep? Why aren't you talking?"

"Sister, I'm sleepy." Jiang Yubai said shyly while burying herself in Ji Huan's arms.

"Okay, then let's go to bed early, and I won't tease you anymore." Ji Huan pulled the little rabbit in her arms closer to her and pulled the quilt up a little so that it would be warmer.

With the warm little rabbit in her arms, Ji Huan slept very deeply, and it was almost dark when she woke up.

She rubbed her eyes and looked at Jiang Yubai in her arms, and saw that Jiang Yubai seemed to have been awake for a while, "Are you awake a long time ago?"

"No, I just woke up not long ago." The little rabbit spoke in a soft voice, as if acting coquettishly, which made Ji Huan feel very good.

"Okay, then lie down for a while before getting up. It's almost time for dinner."

It was chilly outside the quilt, and Ji Huan didn't even want to get up. After staying in bed for a while longer, Ji Huan got up, put on her clothes, and prepared to go to the kitchen to compete with Liu Fengmei in a duel

of wits and courage. Dinner was corn pancakes with stir-fried cabbage. Ji Huan braved the snow and went to the kitchen. Seeing that only Liu Fengmei was there, he couldn't help but sigh. How much do they cherish Ji Yuan? They wouldn't let Ji Yuan do anything. The original owner's parents were simply biased.

Seeing Ji Huan approaching, Liu Fengmei forced a smile. "Come? The meal's almost ready. Tell them to come out and eat."

Ji Huan stood still, fetching a few porcelain bowls from a simple wooden rack nearby. She then took four cornmeal pancakes for herself and Jiang Yubai, and a bowl of stir-fried vegetables. She then placed the two bowls and chopsticks on a simple wooden tray, smiled at Liu Fengmei, and said, "Mom, you guys go eat in the dining room. Yubai and I won't be going over."

With that, Ji Huan carried the tray to her room. Liu Fengmei gritted her teeth, trying to hold back her laughter. Before

Ji Huan even entered the room, she heard Liu Fengmei's voice from the kitchen, "You all act like big shots. I have to call you when it's time to eat. It's up to you whether you want to eat or not." As

soon as she finished speaking, the doors of the eldest, third, and fourth children's rooms opened one after another. Ji Ming and Ji Sen went straight to the dining room, while Ji Yuan went to the kitchen to serve the meal.

As Ji Huan entered the house, she saw the little rabbit staring at her with bright eyes. Ji Huan smiled and said, "Dinner is corn pancakes. I brought you three. Eat quickly."

Jiang Yubai blushed. Her sister seemed to have noticed her big appetite, but Jiang Yubai was still very happy to be full.

~~

Early the next morning, the snow in the yard had been frozen solid in some places because no one had cleared it. Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu got up reluctantly to make breakfast. The water tank at home was empty. Going out to fetch water in this weather would be freezing.

Ji Sen had just pulled the wooden cart into the yard when he fell and screamed in pain, "It hurts so much! Can someone help me? Oops, my back is sprained."

Wang Xiuxiu rushed out of the kitchen. Seeing Ji Sen fall, she wanted to help him up, but Ji Sen didn't get up and continued to roll on the ground.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun heard the commotion outside and rushed out. Seeing their son fall, Liu Fengmei hurried to help him. "What's wrong? Where did you fall? Please don't get hurt."

"I think my waist is injured. It hurts so much, Mom. I'm afraid I can't go to the toilet today." Ji Sen looked like he couldn't get up. Ji

Mantun sighed and said, "Let the eldest brother go. I'll go and call him out."

When he spoke, Ji Ming and Li Yulan had been lying on the door panel listening for a long time. When he heard Ji Mantun was going to ask him to go to the toilet, Ji Ming quickly grabbed the cloth he was using to wipe his face and covered his mouth and nose with it.

Ji Mantun knocked on the door twice when he saw Ji Ming coughing with a cloth covering his mouth and nose. Before Ji Mantun could say anything, Ji Ming spoke first: "Dad, I caught a cold today. I'm afraid I can't help my fourth brother. It's too cold outside."

Ji Mantun's face turned cold: "If he is sick, you are sick too. Why are you all so troublesome? Why didn't Ji Huan have so many problems when she was working before?"

Ji Ming coughed a few times, "Dad, Ji Huan is in good health. How can we compare with her? If not, let Ji Huan go."

Ji Mantun was turned away. Seeing that the eldest brother was indeed in poor health, he looked at the third brother's room again, but thinking of the third brother who almost fell into the water yesterday, Ji Mantun gave up the idea again.

In such weather, not only his sons, but even he himself didn't want to go fetch water. Sighing, Ji Mantun looked towards Ji Huan's room again. Yesterday, the third child said that they should show more kindness to Ji Huan. This time, he didn't intend to force Ji Huan with a tough attitude, but wanted to play the emotional card. After all, Ji Huan was still filial, and she certainly wouldn't have the heart to let her, as a father, go fetch water.

Soon, Ji Mantun walked towards Ji Huan's door. He knocked a few times, and Ji Huan opened the door.

Chapter Text

There was such a loud noise outside just now that Ji Huan had heard it a long time ago. She looked at Ji Mantun jokingly, ready to see what Ji Mantun was going to say this time.

Ji Mantun felt uncomfortable under Ji Huan's gaze, but when he looked at Ji Sen who was crying loudly in the yard, he forced a smile at Ji Huan and said, "Ji Huan, we have treated you badly over the years, but there is no overnight grudge in family. Dad and your mother both know they are wrong. Look, your fourth brother just injured his waist while pulling a cart, and your eldest brother caught a cold. Do you think you can..."

Ji Mantun wanted to say more, but was blocked by Ji Huan, "No, what does it have to do with me if they are not feeling well and can't work? I remember when I was feeling poorly before, I was still doing the housework by myself. Why didn't anyone come to help me then? Dad, if you feel sorry for them, why don't you help them fetch water? Why do you have to pretend to be a good person here and let me do the hard work?"

Ji Mantun's face was frighteningly gloomy. As the head of the family, this was the first time he was treated coldly after being warmly welcomed. Ji Huan didn't give him any face at all!

Ji Mantun gritted his teeth and endured it, then pretended to be serious in a crying voice: "Oh, poor me, I have to do all this. What a sin, Ji Huan, you misunderstood Dad. Dad didn't want you to fetch water. Dad will fetch it myself. Go by myself."

The scene that he imagined Ji Huan holding him and not letting him fetch water did not appear. What's more, Ji Huan did not kneel down to admit his mistake to him and rush to do these things as he imagined. Ji Mantun turned his head and looked at Ji Huan with fake tears, and saw that Ji Huan was looking at him with a smile on his face.

Seeing Ji Mantun looking at her, Ji Huan's smile grew even wider. She took a step forward and chuckled softly, "Dad really does care about my fourth brother. Remember to be careful when you go over there. After all, if anything happens to Dad, I don't think Ji Ming, Ji Yuan, Ji Sen and the others will be able to take care of you. Of course, don't even think about me. I can't even live well myself, so how can I have the time to take care of you."

Ji Mantun couldn't help it this time, and pointed at Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, you're really great. How did you become like this? I can't bear it anymore. I know you."

Ji Huan nodded with a smile, "Yes, thanks to my brain being healed by falling into the river, otherwise I don't know how many more years I would have to work like a cow and a horse for you. Okay, Dad, stop talking so much, let's go get some water."

Ji Mantun pointed at Ji Huan angrily again, "Okay, you unfilial daughter, Ji Huan, you really have learned bad things."

Ji Huan turned a deaf ear to Ji Mantun's accusations, and stared at Ji Sen who was rolling around in the yard with more interest. Because the ground was too cold, Ji Sen couldn't act anymore and got up from the ground.

Seeing that no one was willing to help, Ji Sen was afraid that his father would get into trouble if he went alone, so he had to give himself a way out, "Dad, I seem to be much better. I'll get some water later, and you can help me move the wooden barrels. The road is too slippery, and I'm afraid the car will overturn."

"Okay." Ji Mantun said with a heavy sigh.

Ji Huan wasn't interested. Everyone at home was already idle, and why was he trying to blackmail him? He wasn't the original owner, and the Ji family's fate had nothing to do with him.

Later, when Ji Mantun and Ji Sen returned with water, Ji Yuan spent an hour in Ji Mantun's room trying to persuade him to calm down. He decided to wait until he received the four taels of silver before lashing out at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai finally enjoyed two days of peace. The room was too cold, so they spent most of their time cuddling under the covers. At first, Jiang Yubai felt a little embarrassed, but she got used to Ji Huan's embrace. She felt like something was missing when he didn't.

By the time Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai were working, the firewood and water had already been used up. Fortunately, the ice on the road had mostly melted, making fetching water safer.

"Look, they used it really cleanly. There's nothing left," Ji Huan muttered with a cold snort.

"Sister, I'll go chop some wood. That'll save some time," Jiang Yubai said, heading to the backyard to get her short knife.

Ji Huan quickly said, "No, let's go together after we fetch the water. We got up early today, so we have plenty of time."

"I can go by myself," Jiang Yubai explained again, as if afraid Ji Huan wouldn't believe her.

"I know you can do it, but since I'm here, you don't have to do such heavy work." Ji Huan's physical abilities had been tampered with by the system, giving her immense strength. Fetching water and chopping wood wouldn't take much effort, but she certainly didn't want to let her little rabbit do it.

Jiang Yubai's ears flushed again when she heard Ji Huan's words, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up. Her sister was so kind to her.

Seeing Jiang Yubai's ears blush again, Ji Huan's eyes softened even more. Little Rabbit was so shy, her face and ears blushing constantly.

"Let's go, let's fetch some water first," Ji Huan said, pulling the wooden barrel onto the cart and leaving the courtyard with Jiang Yubai.

Ji Ming and the others had also gotten up by now. Seeing Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai out fetching water, Ji Ming stood in the yard and sighed, "It's still the second brother who has to work to make everyone feel comfortable. Look, he was born to work."

Ji Sen also left the yard. Seeing Ji Ming there, he taunted, "You only dare to say this now. Why didn't you say it to Ji Huan's face?"

"Are you okay, Ji Sen? Isn't it what everyone wants to let Ji Huan and the others do the work? Why are you pretending to be a good guy here?" Ji Ming glared at Ji Sen.

Ji Sen glanced at Ji Ming but ignored him. He had been beaten by Ji Huan, and anyway, Ji Sen was not going to openly clash with Ji Huan. He really couldn't win.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai pulled the cart out of the yard. Jiang Yubai felt a little embarrassed to see Ji Huan pulling the cart by herself, as she could actually do all these tasks. "Sister, you take a break, I'll pull it."

Ji Huan glanced up at the little rabbit, then smiled as she pulled the wooden cart forward, "I'll do it. You can help me fetch water later."

"Ji Huan? Are you going home?" a passing villager asked. However, when he saw Jiang Yubai, he stepped away in fear.

Ji Huan looked at the man with a simple expression and said, "Yes, my mother and the others asked me to go back."

"They asked you to do this right after you got back? You're amazing," the man couldn't help but complain.

"The water at home is gone, so I came out to fetch some water. It's my duty," Ji Huan said with a smile.

The man shook his head and talked to his companions as they walked, saying that Ji Huan had been completely brainwashed by the Ji family.

Ji Huan chuckled and shook his head. When the two of them reached the river, a thin layer of ice had formed on the edge due to the previous heavy snowfall. Ji Huan used a short knife to poke the ice a little, then took a wooden bucket to fetch water.

Jiang Yubai also took a wooden bucket behind Ji Huan, fearing that Ji Huan would not let her work. She knew that Ji Huan cared about her and was afraid that she would be tired, but Jiang Yubai was also a little afraid that Kunze in the village would be fired by Qian Yuan for being too lazy. She wanted to be with the current Ji Huan, even if it meant she had to do more work.

After Ji Huan fetched a bucket of water, she saw Little White Rabbit looking at her eagerly from behind, as if wanting to help with the work.

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly, and she smiled faintly at Jiang Yubai, "You want to help me so much? Okay, you fetch this bucket of water."

Ji Huan lifted the two buckets of water in her hands onto the wooden cart and put them away. She returned to the river and saw that Jiang Yubai had also fetched a bucket of water. The river bank was still a little slippery due to the ice. Ji Huan was afraid that Jiang Yubai would get into an accident, so while Jiang Yubai was putting the water onto the wooden cart, she stretched out her hands and lifted two wooden buckets into the river and scooped them up. The two buckets were filled with water, and then she filled the last bucket with water. When the little white rabbit returned, Ji Huan had already fetched the water.

She carried two buckets herself and asked Jiang Yubai to carry the remaining bucket toward the cart.

They secured the buckets with ropes, and Ji Huan began pulling the wooden cart again. Only then did she feel a slight weight behind her, though it was still easy for her to pull.

Jiang Yubai was pushing the cart from behind. Ji Huan glanced at Jiang Yubai's frozen hands and quickly said, "No need to push from behind. I can pull it. It's too cold outside. Keep your hands warm in your sleeves." "

No need, sister. I'm not tired." Jiang Yubai was afraid Ji Huan would be too tired to pull the cart by herself and wouldn't obey. She had pulled this cart often before, and each time she had to rest seven or eight times before she could pull it back. "

Come up front and talk to me. This cart isn't heavy at all. I can actually pull it myself. Warm your hands well, and when we get back later, keep them warm for me," Ji Huan coaxed the little white rabbit softly.

Jiang Yubai pondered for a moment, then, seeing Ji Huan's resoluteness, she withdrew her pusher and obediently followed Ji Huan's instructions, tucking her hands into her sleeves. Thinking of having to warm Ji Huan's hands later, the tips of Jiang Yubai's ears, already white from the cold, turned a deep red.

Ji Huan wasn't kidding. Although the cart of water was heavy, it was still easy for her to pull, without needing to rest. Plus, with the little white rabbit by her side, she was in a very good mood.

Along the way, they encountered several waves of villagers coming to fetch water. They were quite welcoming to Ji Huan, though they still kept a distance when they saw Jiang Yubai.

Ji Huan, fearing Jiang Yubai would feel down, soothed her, "The villagers are superstitious. Don't bother with them."

Jiang Yubai nodded. Seeing Ji Huan's concerned gaze, she felt a tingling sensation inside, as if she'd been scratched by a kitten. She was actually used to these looks; as long as Ji Huan didn't look down on her, she was content.

Soon Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai returned to the yard. They poured the water from the car into the water tank in the yard bucket by bucket. Ji Huan put the buckets back on the car and pulled the car back to the backyard.

When they came out, Ji Huan went to the kitchen to find a short knife for chopping wood. Jiang Yubai followed Ji Huan into the kitchen with red ears.

Ji Huan took the short knife and was about to go out. When she turned around, she saw the little rabbit followed in. Ji Huan smiled at her: "I found it. Let's go. Let's not go far. Let's just chop some woods in the corner."

Jiang Yubai's ears turned even redder. Her eyes fell on Ji Huan's hands, and the words on her lips were hard to say.

Seeing the little rabbit hesitating, Ji Huan's smile widened, and her voice became softer. "What's wrong?"

Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan asking her, and her gaze fell on Ji Huan's hands again. Her little deer eyes looked at Ji Huan nervously, "Sister, don't you want to cover your hands?"

As she spoke, Jiang Yubai shyly stretched out her hands, waiting for Ji Huan to place them in hers.

Ji Huan put the dagger aside and obediently placed her hands on them, the smile in her eyes even wider. Her little white rabbit was so well-behaved and adorable.

Jiang Yubai didn't dare to look at Ji Huan's expression. She took Ji Huan's hands in her own and rubbed them gently. The tips of her ears gradually turned red. She could feel Ji Huan looking at her.

Ji Huan was in a good mood watching the little rabbit warm her hands. She was obviously the Qian Yuan, with great strength, but she was not as warm as Jiang Yubai. She was also very puzzled, but the little rabbit was considerate and would obediently warm her hands. She had just said it casually, not really wanting the little rabbit to warm her hands, but she didn't expect the little rabbit to take it seriously.

Jiang Yubai's face was burning red under Ji Huan's stare. Not only were her hands hot, but her whole body was sweating.

Just as the atmosphere between them was growing increasingly strange, Liu Fengmei flung open the kitchen door and saw Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's clasped hands. She immediately exploded, pointing her finger at Jiang Yubai and lashing out with curses. "Jiang Yubai, you vixen! I was wondering why Ji Huan had changed so much! It turns out you were the one who drugged Ji Huan. I've told you eight hundred times, stay away from Ji Huan, you vixen! I'll beat you to death today and scratch your vixen face until you can't seduce Ji Huan again."

As Liu Fengmei spoke, she reached out like a shrew, ready to grab Jiang Yubai's face. Ji Huan pulled Jiang Yubai back, his hands firmly restraining Liu Fengmei's.

"Ji Huan, why don't you listen to your mother? Jiang Yubai is an ominous person. The closer you get to her, the faster you'll die. Have you forgotten how Zhang Tiehu died?" Liu Fengmei cried out.

The expression on Ji Huan's face became increasingly cold, his eyes fixed on Liu Fengmei, "I told you, she is my wife, not some unlucky person. Mom, you'd better watch your mouth, or I might accidentally hurt you." As Ji

Huan spoke, he pushed Liu Fengmei away. Liu Fengmei took several steps back and almost sat on the ground. This made Liu Fengmei furious, and she had already forgotten about the four taels of silver.

Liu Fengmei rushed to the yard and lay on the ground, crying again, "My daughter is not filial, what's the point of me living as a mother? Jiang Yubai, you vixen, you seduced Ji Huan in broad daylight to do that shameful thing in the kitchen, I really want to die here, I won't live anymore."

Seeing that Jiang Yubai was frightened by Liu Fengmei and his face turned pale, Ji Huan reached out and held Jiang Yubai's hand. Jiang Yubai seemed to be stimulated by Liu Fengmei's words just now, and wanted to retract his hand, but Ji Huan held it tightly, "Don't listen to her nonsense, don't be afraid, I'm here."

Ji Huan held She walked out with Jiang Yubai and asked him to stand behind her. She stared at Liu Fengmei and asked with a sneer, "Mom, aren't you going to do it? Why don't you do it?"

When Liu Fengmei heard what Ji Huan said, she almost couldn't hold back the fake tears on her face. She pointed at Ji Huan and cursed, "Okay, Ji Huan, you Ji Huan, you are cursing me to death. Why did I give birth to such an unfilial daughter like you."

After Liu Fengmei's crying, the whole family came out of the room. Ji Yuan saw Liu Fengmei sitting on the ground like a shrew again, and his brows knitted together, his eyes full of disgust.

Chapter Text

If he really hooks up with the rich Kunze in the city in the future, he will not want to come back at all. Even though his parents have spent all the family’s money on him over the years, he still looks down on such parents, as if the money should have been meant for him.

Ji Yuan was still thinking about the four taels of silver, so he quickly squatted down to support Liu Fengmei and whispered in her ear, "Four taels of silver, mother, stop making trouble."

Liu Fengmei then remembered the four taels of silver, but she had already cried for a while. Liu Fengmei was in a dilemma. Seeing that Ji Huan had no intention of backing down, Liu Fengmei changed her just sarcastic tone, "Ji Huan, mother is worried about you for your own good. Please don't blame me. I let you marry Jiang Yubai. It's mother who is sorry for you. Don't blame me, I really have no choice."

Liu Fengmei squeezed out a few tears as she spoke. Ji Yuan helped Liu Fengmei up and breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to see how Ji Huan would react and whether he would change his attitude because of Liu Fengmei's surrender.

Ji Huan sneered, scanning the crowd. "Is this what you meant by bringing Yubai and me back home? It's only the second day, and Yubai and I went to fetch water early in the morning and were about to go out to chop firewood, and now we're being scolded like this? I think this house really can't accommodate us anymore. Do whatever you want with me,"

Ji Huan said, leading Jiang Yubai into the kitchen.

Jiang Yubai was puzzled as to why Ji Huan had brought her to the kitchen. She saw Ji Huan already had a cloth bag. She had poured most of the rice from the rice jar into it, then picked up the small pot she'd been using to cook paste and placed two porcelain bowls inside.

"Let's go back to the room and pack a few clothes."

"Sister, where are we going?" Jiang Yubai asked hurriedly. If her sister was kicked out again because of her, she would be pissed.

Ji Huan winked at Jiang Yubai and whispered in her ear, "Let's stay in the cabin up in the mountains for a few days. Don't be afraid. The Ji family wouldn't dare actually drive us away."

Jiang Yubai's warm breath brushed against her ear, and despite the throbbing in her heart, she looked at Ji Huan with some concern.

Seeing she was still worried, Ji Huan placed the rice bag and the small pot on the stove. He walked over, took Jiang Yubai's hand, and squeezed it.

Then, leaning in, he whispered softly, "Really? Just think of it as just the two of us going to the mountains for some time alone. Don't worry about those annoying people." Ji Huan's tone was gentle, and his warm breath pummeled Jiang Yubai's ear. Jiang Yubai's ears trembled subconsciously, and her heartbeat quickened. Finally, just as she was about to lose her breath, Ji Huan released her hand and stepped back slightly.

Ji Huan had already lifted most of the bag of rice and the small pot and was heading outside.

Ji Mantun had initially assumed Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had surrendered and were preparing to cook in the kitchen, but then he saw Ji Huan emerge carrying a bag and a pot.

Ji Mantun instinctively asked, "Ji Huan, what are you doing?"

"Since this house can't accommodate us, Yubai and I will have to fend for ourselves in the mountains. Oh, and we won't be doing any work today. You can eat or not," Ji Huan said, leading Jiang Yubai to their own room.

Li Yulan, with her sharp eyes, noticed what looked like rice in the bag and asked, "Ji Huan, what's in that bag?"

Ji Huan sneered, glancing at Li Yulan. "Of course it's food. What's wrong? Sister-in-law, do you want us to starve to death?"

"Ji Huan, I'm telling you, don't think I'm afraid of you just because you told the villagers about this last time. If you can, don't take anything with you. Don't come back when you leave." As the head of the family, Ji Mantun felt a little embarrassed after his authority was challenged several times by Ji Huan, so he spoke directly.

He thought Ji Huan was just talking. It had just snowed, and the mountains were freezing cold. Wouldn't living there be a death wish? He didn't think Ji Huan would actually go, so he spoke with confidence.

"It's impossible to leave without taking anything. It's okay to leave and not come back," Ji Huan said, offering Ji Mantun a smile, though it sent a chill down his spine.

Ji Huan ignored the people in the yard and returned to his room.

Jiang Yubai thought about the cabin and asked, "Sister, do you want to take a blanket with you?"

Ji Huan thought for a moment and nodded. "One blanket, and one set of clothes for each of us will be enough."

"Okay," Jiang Yubai nodded and began packing her and Ji Huan's clothes. Since her sister said it was okay, she believed her. And a world of their own? It seemed like a good idea.

Jiang Yubai's ears flushed as she thought about it, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up.

Ji Huan had already folded the quilt. She dropped the clothes that Jiang Yubai had sorted on the quilt and tied the worn quilt and clothes together with a hemp rope. There was some space in the middle of the rope, which she made into a strap so that she could carry it on her back and walk around.

Ji Huan tried carrying the quilt on her back and felt that it was just right. When she wanted to get the rice, she saw that Jiang Yubai had already picked up the rice.

Ji Huan stretched out her hand and looked at the little white rabbit, and said softly: "Give me the rice."

Jiang Yubai shook her head. If all the rice was given to Ji Huan, wouldn't she have to take nothing? That would make Ji Huan too tired, and she couldn't bear to give it up.

Seeing that the little white rabbit was disobedient, Ji Huan took two steps forward and put her arm around Jiang Yubai's waist.

Jiang Yubai didn't expect Ji Huan to come over and hug her. The side of her face immediately turned red, and even her legs felt a little weak.

Seeing Little White Rabbit's shyness again,

Ji Huan took the opportunity to take the rice bag from her and held it in his own. Then, softly, he said, "Just hold the pot well, and stand still. I'm letting go." Jiang Yubai didn't dare look at Ji Huan. She quietly swallowed and managed to stand straight. When she looked up at Ji Huan, he was looking at her with a smile.

Jiang Yubai blushed as she took the pot from the table. Her soft, limp form resembled a little rabbit.

Ji Huan's eyebrows curved slightly. "Let's go. Let's get going early and see if we can get lucky and hunt some small animals today."

"Okay," Jiang Yubai nodded and followed Ji Huan. After all, her sister was her husband-in-law, and wherever she went, she would go.

In the past, Jiang Yubai wouldn't have thought so. In the past, Ji Huan would only side with the Ji family to bully her, never treating her so well like her sister did.

Seeing Ji Huan coming out with a quilt on his back, Ji Mantun opened his mouth and had already started to regret, "Ji Huan, we are family and there is no need to talk behind each other's backs. Your father and your mother didn't mean that. It's too cold in the mountains. Won't you and Jiang Yubai freeze to death if you go there?"

"Yes, second sister, mother did react too excitedly, but she was just worried out of concern. You'd better not be angry. It's cold in the mountains. Stay." Ji Yuan also hurriedly advised. Just kidding, he hasn't got the four taels of silver from Ji Huan yet.

Ji Huan didn't listen at all. He didn't even turn his head back the whole time and walked out of the courtyard with Jiang Yubai.

Liu Fengmei pointed outside, "Boss, are you saying she really won't come back?"

"What's wrong with Ji Huan? She has such a bad temper. You can't say a word against her. Hey, third brother, find a way to find Ji Huan back." Ji Mantun said hurriedly.

Ji Yuan was standing in the yard, furious. "Mom, I told you long ago that you should be more accommodating to Ji Huan these few days. Now that she's gone to live in the mountains, the villagers will think we're trying to force Ji Huan to death. Besides, we haven't even received the four taels of silver yet. Can't you just be patient?"

Seeing that her third son was also unhappy, Liu Fengmei hurriedly said, "It's mother's fault. Mother just can't stand that vixen leading Ji Huan astray. You're right, we should appease Ji Huan and get the four taels of silver back first, but what should we do now?"

"Don't worry about her for now. It's cold in the mountains and they have no place to stay. If they find a cave to stay at night, they will probably freeze to death. I don't believe Ji Huan is so stubborn. I want her to come back and surrender on her own, otherwise how can I be a father in the future?" Ji Mantun said, clenching his pipe.

Ji Yuan thought about it and thought, yes, no matter how stubborn Ji Huan was, could he really kill himself? He felt that Ji Huan might have to come back by noon, or at the latest before dark in the afternoon. They had already made concessions before, and if they made concessions so urgently now, Ji Huan would feel that everyone in the family was afraid of her.

Because the Ji family rarely went to the mountains to work, they were unaware that the original owner had built a small house there. They simply assumed that Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai would be freezing in the mountains. Staying there in such a cold winter, they might freeze to death. Therefore, no one thought Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai would spend the night in the mountains.

Meanwhile, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai emerged from their home with their blankets, attracting a lot of attention. Fortunately, the smile on Ji Huan's face disappeared as soon as they left the house, and he looked a little more depressed.

When they were walking up the mountain along the main road, they met Aunt Yuan. Seeing Ji Huan carrying a quilt, Aunt Yuan immediately came forward and said, "Ji Huan? Weren't you taken back by the Ji family? What happened?"

Ji Huan smiled bitterly, his eyes slightly red. "The family can't tolerate Yubai and me. No matter what I do, it's wrong in the eyes of my parents. Today, Yubai and I were just preparing to cook in the kitchen. After staying for a while, my mother scolded us and slandered us for doing shameful things. Since it has come to this, there is no need for us to stay in the Ji family with a shameless face. Let us go to the mountains and fend for ourselves."

Aunt Yuan became anxious when she heard it. "Ji Huan, look at the weather. The breath you exhale is all panting. It's too cold. We can't joke with our lives. We can't go to the mountains."

Ji Huan smiled bitterly. "It's okay, Aunt Yuan. It's better to freeze to death than to be looked down upon. Maybe if I'm gone, my parents can live a stable life."

"Why don't you listen, kid? It's not worth it for parents like that. They don't care about your life, so you should care about yourself more." Aunt Yuan and her companions all spoke in unison.

Ji Huan shook his head sadly, "Thank you for your kindness, aunties. Please don't tell anyone about this, otherwise my parents will be ostracized by the villagers again."

"You're still thinking about them at this time? Ji Huan, Ji Huan, what can we say about you? You can't be so filial to your parents." Aunt Yuan sighed.

"Yubai and I are leaving first. Aunt Yuan, you should go back early too. It's cold outside." Ji Huan said with red eyes. As she spoke, she reached out her free hand to pull Jiang Yubai, preparing to continue walking up the mountain.

Seeing Ji Huan holding only a cloth bag, Aunt Yuan called out again, "Ji Huan, wait a minute."

Ji Huan turned around and said, "Aunt Yuan, is there anything else?"

Aunt Yuan took off the backpack she was carrying. She couldn't go empty-handed when visiting relatives, so she had a lot of sweet potatoes in the basket. She picked out a few large ones and stuffed them into Ji Huan's arms.

"Aunt Yuan, we're carrying rice, we can't take your things."

"You can take them, but don't go hungry." Aunt Yuan ignored Ji Huan and forced the sweet potatoes into Ji Huan's arms.

An older woman beside Aunt Yuan offered Ji Huan and his friends half a large cabbage from her basket.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had left empty-handed when they reached the foot of the mountain, but by the time they reached the bottom, they were filled with cabbage, sweet potatoes, potatoes, eggs, and even a half-bottle of soy sauce.

Looking at her own hands and Little White Rabbit's overflowing hands, Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly. There were still many kind people in the village, not just the Ji family.

Ji Huan glanced at the little rabbit beside him and said with a smile, "Let's go! We've got so much food now, it should be enough for today. As for tomorrow, someone will probably come to pick us up."

Jiang Yubai looked at the food in her arms and felt strangely better. Even though she was going to live in the mountains, with Ji Huan around, she wasn't afraid of anything! Jiang Yubai even felt a sense of relief at having left the Ji family.

The two of them, carrying their arms full of things, headed towards the cabin. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai put down their belongings. Ji Huan retrieved a dagger and a bow and arrow from the cabin, while Jiang Yubai carried a large ceramic jar. It had been placed there by the original owner for water, and they were planning to fetch some water while hunting. The

snow in the forest hadn't melted yet, but the occasional call of a pheasant could still be heard among the dry grass.

Ji Huan had learned from his previous mistake and, after locating the pheasant, didn't rush to shoot. Instead, he took aim for a long time before nocking and releasing the arrow.

The arrow must have struck the pheasant's thigh. The bird didn't fall to the ground, but leaped directly into a nearby low tree. However, the nearby trees were already bare. Seeing the pheasant soar into the tree, Ji Huan quickly nocked his bow and fired another arrow, which sent the pheasant flying down from the tree.

Ji Huan hurried over to the tree and found the pheasant in the dry grass below.

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. They could have chicken for lunch.

Ji Huan picked up the pheasant and looked at it, smiling. "This chicken looks quite plump. We'll make half into porridge and roast the other half."

Jiang Yubai nodded. "Okay, sister, let's go to the stream over there and build a fire to pluck the chicken."

"Okay, wait here while I get the fire knife and flint," Ji Huan said, and hurriedly stood up and headed towards the cabin.

The chicken was delicious, but plucking the feathers was a bit of a hassle. But thinking about eating fresh chicken later, Ji Huan felt it was worth it.

She took the fire knife, flint and small pot from the cabin and hurried back. When she got back, she saw the little white rabbit staring at the pheasant without blinking, with a look of joy in its eyes.

Ji Huan raised the corners of her lips slightly. Her little white rabbit was really interested in food.

On the other side, in Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei's room, Ji Yuan was sitting on a bench inside and talking to Ji Mantun and the others.

"Dad, Mom, while Ji Huan is away, let's go to Ji Huan's room and have a good look. If the four taels of silver were hidden in her room, we wouldn't have to go to so much trouble to ask her for it." Ji Ming whispered.

"Then, wouldn't that be stealing?" Liu Fengmei interrupted, causing Ji Mantun and Ji Yuan to stare at her.

"Mom, what are you talking about? How can a scholar steal? The silver originally belonged to you two elders. Now we are just returning it to its original owner. How could it be stolen?" Ji Yuan made up a story.

Ji Mantun nodded quickly. "Listen to what Ji Yuan said. He's educated, after all. That's different. It's not stealing, it's returning the property to its rightful owner. Anyway, take the silver back first, so I don't have to worry about it and lose sleep every day."

After all, in Ji Mantun's eyes, giving Ji Huan the silver was the same as throwing it into the cesspool.

"Okay, boss, I'll listen to you. You and the third child are my backbone," Liu Fengmei said with a smile.

The three of them discussed it and then left the room. This was the first time they had done such a thing. Ji Mantun glanced around the yard, afraid that others would notice they had gone to Ji Huan's room. Ji Yuan, however, skillfully opened Ji Huan's door. After the three of them entered, they quickly closed it.

Ji Sen had been observing the movements outside through the crack of the door. Seeing that his parents and the third child had all gone to Ji Huan's room, Ji Sen probably guessed their intentions.

Wang Xiuxiu asked in a low voice out of curiosity, "What are mom and dad doing?"

"What else can they do? They must have been instigated by the third brother to go to Ji Huan's room to look for the four taels of silver." Ji Sen felt a pang of pain when he thought of the four taels of silver. If only the four taels of silver were in his hands, he could go out and gamble well. But if he left it with Ji Huan, that old ox, the silver would get moldy and the old ox would be reluctant to use it. In Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's room, Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei searched carefully while Ji Yuan rummaged through Ji Huan's closet. Most of Ji Huan's clothes were worn and musty, and Ji Yuan, fearing they might get on him, tossed them onto the wooden table, muttering under his breath, "How filthy! Wearing clothes this tattered."

But then he realized it was better if Ji Huan's clothes were worn out; that way, he could save money in the end. But where could Ji Huan have hidden the four taels of silver? Ji Yuan's patience grew increasingly weak, and he searched through every closet in vain.

"Mom and Dad, have you found it over there?" Ji Yuan, frustrated, threw all of Ji Huan's worn-out clothes back into the closet.

Ji Mantun checked the bricks on the floor and the cracks in the wall, confirming the money wasn't hidden. "No, it's not here."

"I don't have it here either." Liu Fengmei turned Ji Huan and the others' beds upside down, but found nothing.

"I didn't expect Ji Huan to be so wary. He actually took the silver away. This is going to be difficult." Ji Yuan frowned slightly.

"Third brother, what should we do now?" Liu Fengmei asked again.

"We can only wait until Ji Huan and the others come back. But we can get it eventually." Ji Yuan's lips curled up into a confident smile.

Chapter Text

"We've got the flint. Let's go! Let's finish it quickly so we can go back to the cabin and start a fire and cook." Ji Huan said, looking at Jiang Yubai with a smile.

"Sister, can you let me handle the pheasant later?" Jiang Yubai didn't want to be idle. Her sister had already done a lot this morning and was already very tired. She was very good at handling pheasants; she used to do it all the time back home.

"Okay, you do it. I'll help you." Ji Huan lifted the pheasant from the ground and walked towards the stream with Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai took a short knife and bled the pheasant while Ji Huan gathered a lot of branches and dry grass.

She gathered the dry grass together, took out the flint and tinder, and struck the flint against the flint. The sparks caught fire and the dry grass. Ji Huan quickly gathered the dry grass and blew on it a few times. As the flames grew, she added a few small branches. Once the fire stabilized, she added more branches.

Seeing that Jiang Yubai had already bled the chicken, Ji Huan took a short knife and cut a few branches, creating a simple stand next to the fire. She filled the small pot she had brought with her with water and placed it on the fire to heat.

When the water was about right, Ji Huan gave the pheasant a thorough hot bath. Then, she and Jiang Yubai began plucking the pheasant together. However, Ji Huan's patience with pheasants was limited. After a while, she grew increasingly impatient and her movements became faster.

Seeing Ji Huan's impatience, Jiang Yubai smiled and said, "Sister, let me do it. Just help me boil the water."

"Okay." Seeing that the water in the small pot was running low, Ji Huan fetched another pot and continued to heat it on the wood stove.

Jiang Yubai continued to pluck the chicken diligently, his technique much more skillful than Ji Huan's, and his work was both clean and quick. Ji Huan watched Little White Rabbit plucking the chicken, his eyebrows slightly curved.

Jiang Yubai plucking the pheasant roughly, then scalding it with hot water, re-plucking the edges and corners. For any remaining areas she couldn't remove completely, Jiang Yubai used a flame to burn the feathers clean, then rinsed it with clean water. She then took her short knife to the river to clean the pheasant's guts.

"Sister, do you want to leave these entrails for traps?" Jiang Yubai had already begun cleaning.

"Leave them. I'll set a few more small traps when we get back."

"Okay, I'll leave them all." Jiang Yubai's movements were skillful, and in no time, the pheasant was clean.

Ji Huan chopped the pheasant into small pieces and placed them in a small pot. She asked Jiang Yubai to take the pheasant. She found some weeds to store the entrails, then filled a large clay pot with water. She put out the fire with earth, checked to see if anything was left out, and then she and Jiang Yubai left.

Back near the cabin, Ji Huan handed the flint and steel to Jiang Yubai. "Go back and start the fire. I'll set the trap and then come back to you. We'll make a nice meal for lunch."

"Yes." Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. Thinking of the pheasant in her hands and the other things they had brought, her stomach began to growl.

Ji Huan set the trap much faster this time than last time, but those traps were only good for catching rabbits; catching the nimble pheasants was practically impossible.

After setting the trap, Ji Huan hurried back to the cabin and saw that Little White Rabbit had already started the fire.

She took her short knife and went out, quickly chopping back a good amount of firewood. Ji Mantun and the others had been right about one thing: it had just snowed, and some of the snow on the mountain hadn't melted yet, so the temperature was exceptionally low. She and Jiang Yubai were going to spend their days there, so firewood was essential.

"Sister, the fire and the rack are ready." Jiang Yubai followed suit, already setting up the rack over the fire, just as Ji Huan had done last time.

"Okay, let's fry those two eggs first." Ji Huan used to love eggs, both for their nutritional value and for their deliciousness in stir-fries and soups.

The two of them had been kicked out by the Ji family for breakfast, and Ji Huan was hungry. She set the small pot on a few stones over the fire and poured the fat she had just removed from the chicken into the pot to render.

On her way out, Ji Huan had used a short knife to carve two pairs of simple chopsticks and a makeshift spatula.

The fat in the pot was almost rendered. Ji Huan cracked an egg into the pot and looked up at Jiang Yubai, softly asking, "Do you like it well-cooked or runny?"

"Well-cooked," Jiang Yubai replied smoothly.

The aroma of eggs and fat quickly filled the cabin. Ji Huan carefully flipped the egg with the wooden spatula in her hand. After a moment, the egg was cooked through. Ji Huan placed the egg in the bowl she had brought with her and handed it to the little rabbit across from her.

Jiang Yubai swallowed twice, picked up her chopsticks, and started to feed Ji Huan, "Sister, you eat first."

"You go ahead, I have more here." Ji Huan pushed the bowl back, indicating that the little white rabbit should eat first.

While there was still oil in the pan, Ji Huan cracked another egg into the pan. Once the egg was cooked, Ji Huan scooped out his own.

The egg was golden brown on both sides, and Ji Huan's sandwich egg, still a little runny, was a mouthful of flavor. It was truly delicious, but after such a long walk that morning, Ji Huan was still starving after eating the egg. The little white rabbit beside him was the same.

"No rush, let's make something delicious right away," Ji Huan said softly to Jiang Yubai, who had also been hungry all morning.

"Okay, sister, let's roast the sweet potatoes over there by the fire." Jiang Yubai figured the chicken would take a while to cook, so sweet potatoes and potatoes would be easier to cook and handle; they could just be thrown over the fire and roasted.

"Okay, roast some potatoes too," Ji Huan said, pouring the remaining chicken fat into a small pot. She added some chicken pieces and stir-fried them, adding a little soy sauce for seasoning.

Jiang Yubai had already washed and chopped the cabbage, adding some to the pot and stir-frying it with the chicken. Ji Huan then added a generous amount of water and rice, letting the rice and chicken porridge simmer.

She threaded the remaining chicken onto wooden sticks and placed it on the upper wooden rack to roast. This way, they would have several dishes for lunch.

The fire burned brightly in the small wooden house, making it feel warm at all. Outside, the howling wind was so cold that just looking at it discouraged anyone from going out.

As time passed, the aroma of the rice porridge in the pot blended with the fragrance of the chicken. The roasting chicken on the rack was already sizzling with oil, but the first thing to cook was the sweet potato thrown into the fire, now roasted to a blackened surface.

Ji Huan used two long wooden sticks as tongs to pick out two sweet potatoes and two potatoes from the fire, and threw them on the open space beside to dry.

The little rabbit couldn't take its eyes off the fragrant sweet potatoes.

Seeing the little rabbit's look, Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly, "We have to wait a while to eat it. It's easy to burn your hands now."

The little rabbit nodded, and looked at the rice porridge boiling in the pot again, and couldn't help but sighed: "It smells so good."

"If it smells good, eat more later and eat until you're full." Ji Huan smiled softly.

Jiang Yubai's ears turned slightly red, and she whispered to Ji Huan: "Sister, you don't think I eat too much, do you?"

The little rabbit pinched her fingers nervously, and continued a little nervously: "If we really have our own little family in the future, I will do a lot of work and won't eat in vain."

Ji Huan was amused by the little rabbit and said softly, "It's okay

. Eating more is a good thing, and you don't have to do a lot of work. When we divide the family, let's work hard together and we will definitely live a thousand times better than in the Ji family." "Yeah." Jiang Yubai nodded heavily, as if she was not afraid of anything with Ji Huan around.

The rice porridge was still cooking, but the sweet potatoes had been drying for a while and were now ready to eat. Although the skin was black, when you peeled off the skin, you could see that it was full of yellow sweet potato flesh. Jiang Yubai took a bite and squinted her eyes in comfort. "Sister, this sweet potato is so sweet."

Seeing the little rabbit eating happily, Ji Huan's mood also improved. "If it tastes good, eat more, but you have to save some space. The porridge and roast chicken will be almost ready soon."

"Yeah." Jiang Yubai nodded. Half of the sweet potato had been eaten while she was talking.

Ji Huan also carefully picked up a sweet potato, blowing on it while peeling off the charred skin. She leaned in to take a bite, her mouth filled with the sweet potato's aroma. Perhaps because she was hungry, Ji Huan thought the sweet potato in her hand tasted much better than the ones she'd eaten in modern times.

After finishing one sweet potato, Ji Huan was no longer quite hungry, so she left the other potato alone. Little White Rabbit, however, had already started eating the roasted potato.

The aroma of the charcoal-roasted potato filled the air. Peeling back the blackened skin revealed soft mashed potatoes. Jiang Yubai ate with delight, looking up to see Ji Huan smiling at her.

Jiang Yubai's ears blushed slightly in embarrassment, and she whispered, "Sister, why aren't you eating anymore?"

"Not really. I'm waiting for porridge later. If you're hungry, eat more. There's another potato here," Ji Huan said with a smile.

"I'm almost done too," the little rabbit muttered softly.

Ji Huan used a spatula to stir the porridge in the pot. It was now somewhat thick. The aroma of the rice grains mixed with the aroma of the chicken, with a hint of cabbage. Ji Huan couldn't help but swallow it. At this time, it would be even more delicious if a handful of chopped green onions were sprinkled on it, but Ji Huan was content with it now.

Ji Huan saw that it was almost done. "How does it taste?"

Jiang Yubai quickly picked up the chicken in the bowl with chopsticks made of tree branches, brought it to his lips, blew on it gently, and couldn't wait to put it in his mouth. After chewing it for a few times, Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. "Delicious!"

Seeing that the little white rabbit liked it, Ji Huan's smile became even wider. She took a spatula and poured a bowl for Jiang Yubai, and also poured a bowl for herself, and continued to cook the rest on the fire.

Without a spoon in hand, Ji Huan blew on the porridge and took a sip along the edge of the bowl. The sweet aroma of rice mixed with the aroma of fresh chicken greeted him. After just a few sips, Ji Huan felt that all the fatigue he had felt since coming to this world had been eliminated. This porridge was a hundred times better than Xu Qin's white porridge.

However, Ji Huan's appetite was limited. After a bowl of porridge, plus the roasted sweet potato, Ji Huan was actually full. Looking at the little rabbit across from him, the bowl was even cleaner.

"Do you want more?" Ji Huan asked softly.

Jiang Yubai nodded with red ears, and after observing Ji Huan's expression, he held out the bowl.

Seeing the little rabbit's sneaky look, Ji Huan chuckled softly, "Eat if you want. No one's around."

Jiang Yubai breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ji Huan's eyes full of smiles, showing no sign of disdain. "Sister, just give me another half bowl. I want some roast chicken later,"

Jiang Yubai blushed. Was her sister too nice to her? She even dared to say she wanted roast chicken.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly as he filled the little rabbit with another half bowl of porridge.

The little rabbit sat there, drinking its porridge obediently, while Ji Huan turned the chicken on the wooden grill. By now, the skin had already turned golden brown, and the excess fat had been roasted out, making it look very appetizing.

Ji Huan brushed the chicken with soy sauce again to enhance the flavor, then took the remaining half of the roasted chicken off.

Since the small pieces of roasted chicken were all pierced onto the signature, Ji Huan only took one piece to taste himself and handed the rest of the roasted chicken to Jiang Yubai.

"I'm full. The rest is yours. Eat according to your ability and don't eat too much," Ji Huan said softly.

Jiang Yubai was afraid that Ji Huan was reluctant to eat and was giving it to her, so she quickly said, "Sister, please eat more."

Ji Huan smiled helplessly. "I'm really full. I'm not lying. Come on, eat it! It won't taste good if you reheat it if it's cold."

It's no wonder the little rabbit didn't believe her. Judging by her appetite, Ji Huan was more like the Kunze of this world.

Jiang Yubai only began to eat after hearing Ji Huan's words.

The little rabbit ate with great relish. The fat in the chicken had almost dried out, and the meat inside was chewy and fragrant. After all, it was a freshly shot pheasant. Everything tasted better when fresh, especially meat, which didn't even need blanching.

The little rabbit ate with great care, not leaving a single bit of meat behind.

Ji Huan looked at the little rabbit in front of him and thought that when he made money in the future, he would definitely take the little rabbit to try all the delicious food in Daliang.

Seeing Ji Huan smiling at her, Jiang Yubai hurriedly asked, "Sister, are you still eating?"

Ji Huan smiled and shook her head. She had barely managed to eat the piece of chicken in her hand, so how could she possibly eat more?

"You eat it, I'm really full." Ji Huan nibbled on the chicken carcass in her hand and threw it aside.

After Jiang Yubai finished eating, Ji Huan cleared the bones and sweet potato peels on the ground. Jiang Yubai moved the pot of pheasant porridge away from the fire, covered it with a lid and set it aside to cool. They could put some food in it in the evening and have dinner directly.

The wind was very strong outside. Ji Huan was freezing after going out to throw away the garbage. She returned to the cabin and quickly closed the door. She sat by the fire for a while and finally felt comfortable.

The little rabbit stayed by Ji Huan's side, warming herself by the fire. The fire crackled and the room was warm. Jiang Yubai looked at the fire in front of her and was filled with thoughts. She thought it would be nice if she and Ji Huan could live here forever. That way, they wouldn't have to face the people in the Ji family, and she wouldn't have to face other people's contempt. But she was the unlucky person in everyone's eyes.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai's mood quickly sank. Would she really harm her sister by always staying with her?

Chapter Text

Ji Huan noticed the little rabbit was in a bad mood and thought it was sleepy. She said softly, "If you're tired, go to bed and get some sleep. I'll get some water and be back soon."

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan and nodded softly. After a long morning of tossing and turning, she was indeed a little sleepy. Furthermore, she had just thought of something bad, so Jiang Yubai didn't want Ji Huan to get hurt, so she didn't follow. "Sister, be careful then."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon. You get some sleep first." Seeing the little rabbit being well-behaved, Ji Huan wanted to touch the top of its head, but she forced herself to hold back, remembering how she had made it cry

the previous time she touched it. Ji Huan spread the quilt left by the original owner on the wooden board and used the quilt she brought with her to cover herself.

She led Jiang Yubai over, let her lie down on the cot to rest, and covered her with the quilt. Then, Ji Huan took the ceramic jar and the dagger and left.

As soon as she stepped outside, Ji Huan shivered at the wind. Fortunately, it was midday, and the weather was somewhat warmer. She hurried to the river, filled a jar with spring water from the stream, and then headed back. On the way, Ji Huan chopped another bundle of firewood; the cold weather demanded it in the cabin. She

bundled the branches and the dagger with withered vines and slung it across her back, clutching the ceramic jar in her arms. Luckily, she was strong enough now, so the task was effortless.

Ji Huan hurried back to the cabin, opened the door, and quickly placed the ceramic jar on the wooden table. Then, she tossed the large bundle of firewood on the ground beside her.

Jiang Yubai was half asleep when she saw Ji Huan return. Not only did she bring a jar of water, but she also brought a bundle of firewood. Jiang Yubai woke up instantly. If she had known Ji Huan was going to get firewood, she would have gone with her. Jiang Yubai felt a little guilty for not being able to help, and sat on the bed fidgeting a little.

Ji Huan saw her get up and asked with a smile, "Why are you up? Go back to sleep."

"Sister, you also chopped firewood. Ask me to come with you next time," Jiang Yubai said quickly.

"Okay, let's go together next time," Ji Huan said softly, probably guessing that the little rabbit was having some random thoughts again.

"Sister, come up and rest. I'm not sleepy anymore." Jiang Yubai said as she was about to get up, but Ji Huan stopped her by pressing her shoulder.

"No need. There's only one bed anyway, so we can sleep together. It's cold outside, little rabbit, can you keep me warm?" Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai with slightly curved eyes.

The tips of Jiang Yubai's ears flushed slightly. She worried about whether she was bringing bad luck to Ji Huan, but she couldn't help but think that since they'd been cuddling each other for so long and nothing had happened, cuddling a few more times wouldn't be a problem.

Seeing the little rabbit didn't say anything, Ji Huan assumed it was a nod to her embrace. She moved closer to the little rabbit and tucked Jiang Yubai in, then reluctantly climbed in. The small bed was only about 1.3 meters long, so sleeping flat on their backs would definitely be a bit cramped. Ji Huan simply tucked Jiang Yubai onto her, half leaning into her arms so they could both sleep comfortably.

The tips of Jiang Yubai's ears visibly flushed, and she shyly buried her face in Ji Huan's arms. It was the first time she'd been held like this by her sister during the day.

Ji Huan pulled the quilt up, wrapping herself and Jiang Yubai tightly. She glanced down at the little rabbit in her arms, seeing the tips of its ears flushed. Ji Huan laughed and shook her head. After all these times, the little white rabbit was still so shy.

The fire in the hut burned brightly, and with the rustling of the wind in his ears, Ji Huan fell asleep without knowing when.

While Ji Huan was peaceful and tranquil, Dongniu Village was in turmoil. Aunt Yuan had already driven Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai away from the Ji family, and the news had spread throughout the village. Word quickly reached the village head.

"Hey, Ji Mantun! I used to think he was quite honest, but how has he become like this? Forcing Ji Huan to the mountains in this weather is like letting two children die. Xiaochun, we can't just ignore this. Have Erzhuzi call a few young men with me to go to the Ji family. We have to find them before dark," the village head sighed.

"Okay, I'll go get them right away." Zhou Xiaochun hurried out to get them, and soon he had five or six young men back.

The village head led his men towards Ji Mantun's courtyard, notifying Ji Mancang and his family along the way.

The headman's hasty arrival with his men immediately caught the attention of the villagers, and everyone rushed to the Ji family's house to watch the excitement.

When the headman arrived, Ji Sen was about to go out, but seeing him approaching with his men, he was so frightened that he immediately went back to the courtyard to report the news.

"Dad, Mom, it's bad, the headman is here, and he's brought quite a few people with him," Ji Sen said while knocking on Ji Mantun's door.

Ji Mantun got up from the kang, feeling a little dizzy. He had a fight with Ji Huan that morning, and now there was no one at home to cook. He quickly put on his shoes and ran out.

"Boss, slow down," Liu Fengmei hurriedly followed him out.

Ji Mantun saw that the courtyard gate was surrounded by people, and he groaned inwardly, but he put on a smile on his face: "Headman, if there is anything, you can just ask the young people to come and tell us, why did you come here alone?"

"If I hadn't come, someone in your family would have died, you know? Don't you see what kind of weather it is? You drove Ji Huan and the others to the mountain in this weather, do you want them to freeze to death?" the headman scolded angrily.

"Oh, head of the village, you don't know. Ji Huan is really out of control now. She won't listen to a word I or her mother say. She's been hanging out with that jinx Jiang Yubai all day. If I don't put a stop to her stubborn temper, I won't be able to run this family anymore." Ji Mantun explained hurriedly.

"Come on, I saw Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai fetching water from the river early this morning. They had just been kicked out by you, but they came back home early to fetch water. Uncle Ji, you're such a jerk." "

That's right. Ji Huan's house was leaking all over before. She worked so hard at home that she didn't even bother to fix the leaks in her own house."

"Also, I heard that the third child couldn't bear to give away the rice paper and wouldn't give it to Ji Huan to paste the windows."

"What kind of people are they?"

"Yes, yes. Ji Huan is so unlucky to be born in their family."

The chatter around him continued, and Ji Yuan was almost unable to stand. How did the news that he didn't want to give Ji Huan rice paper get out? Where would his face as a scholar be put?

Ji Mantun listened to the discussions around him and wanted to explain, but he didn't know where to start. "It's not like that, it's not like that. Ji Huan is not what you say. She has completely changed. Not only is she unfilial, she is also disobedient to me and her mother."

"That's right, Li Zheng. Ji Huan talked back to me this morning, regardless of my life or death. She and Jiang Yu were doing something indecent in the kitchen in broad daylight, and I caught them on the spot. She was so angry that she wanted to hit me. My sons saw it all."

"Ah, yes, yes, Ji Huan disrespects her parents and doesn't listen to the advice of us brothers. Li Zheng, you can't let Ji Huan blind you." Ji Ming hurried to speak for Ji Mantun.

"I was deceived? Could it be that the whole village was deceived? Everyone can see what kind of person Ji Huan is. Ji Mantun, Ji Mantun, why didn't I realize that you were so dishonest before? Do you have to force Ji Huan and the others to death to get what you want? I tell you, if you don't find Ji Huan before dark today and someone dies, I won't take the responsibility for you. Our Donniu Village can't tolerate a family of murderers living in the village." The head of the village glared at the Ji family coldly.

Being scolded like this, Ji Mantun felt that he had lost all his face. He was still unwilling to give in. "Village head, it's not easy to be my head. If I give in to Ji Huan again, Ji Huan will ride on the head of his father and make a scene. You haven't seen what Ji Huan is like at home." "

Don't we know what Ji Huan is like? She has been treated like a workhorse by your family for so many years, and the villagers are not blind." Aunt Yuan shouted.

"That's right. It's Ji Huan who works every day, and it's Ji Huan who is excluded by you. It's so miserable."

"How pitiful. Could Ji Huan not be Ji Mantun's biological daughter?"

"It's really possible. Who can do this to their own daughter? Especially since Ji Huan is a Qianyuan."

The discussions were getting more and more outrageous. Liu Fengmei pulled Ji Mantun's sleeve and said, "Boss, Ji Huan is really our child. Don't listen to what others say."

Ji Mantun withdrew his arm from Liu Fengmei's hand, glared at Liu Fengmei fiercely, and snarled a few words from between his teeth: "How can I not know? This is getting more and more confusing."

"Don't talk nonsense. Ji Huan is my biological daughter. The problem now is that Ji Huan disobeys me and her mother, is not filial to us, and doesn't care whether we live or die." Ji Mantun said loudly.

Aunt Yuan immediately stood up, "Tsk tsk tsk, Ji Mantun, why didn't I realize that you were so good at telling lies with your eyes open before? I ran into Ji Huan this morning. That poor child was kicked out by you, and she begged us not to tell anyone about it, for fear that your family would be ostracized in the village. Ji Huan always thinks about you, and you guys are so good, trying to throw dirty water on Ji Huan here, I will be the first to disagree." "

That's right, everyone in the village doesn't know who Ji Huan is?"

"A well-known filial daughter in the surrounding area, but it's just your family who doesn't cherish her."

"No one in the village says that Ji Huan is a bad person. She just works hard all day long. Where can you find a daughter like her?"

"The last time Ji Huan was making mud to repair the house, she was trying to protect her parents' face everywhere, but her parents said this to Ji Huan. I feel sorry for Ji Huan. It's better not to have such parents. It's better to separate the family early than anything else." "

That's right, Ji Mantun. Why don't you let Ji Huan go? Separate your family quickly. I think Ji Huan might even be able to live a better life."

"That's right. Let Ji Huan and the others go."

"Having parents like that is unfortunate. If it were me, I would have run away long ago. Ji Huan is just being filial."

Because the original owner's previous image as a victim was deeply ingrained in everyone's minds, and with Ji Huan's recent actions as a foreshadowing, no one in the village was willing to believe the Ji family's words. They simply thought they were ungrateful and ignorant, treating Ji Huan like a workhorse and determined to drive him to death.

Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were completely panicked. Ji Mantun couldn't understand why no one believed him even when he was telling the truth. His family had indeed bullied Ji Huan in the past, but since Ji Huan fell into the water, he had been the only one to take his anger out on them. They hadn't gotten any advantage from him.

"No, listen to me..." Ji Mantun's words were drowned out by the chatter of the surrounding villagers.

Ji Yuan took two steps back, trying to escape, but was stopped by the village head.

"Ji Yuan, aren't you a member of the Ji family? Where do you want to go?" the village head asked

, looking at Ji Yuan. Ji Yuan chuckled awkwardly and replied, "My legs are just numb. I'm just stretching them a bit. I'm not going anywhere, not anywhere."

"As a scholar, instead of trying to persuade your parents to stop bullying Ji Huan, you join them in their mischief. Is that what a scholar like you should do? Is that what your teacher at the academy taught you?" The village head's face darkened. It was

a cold day, and Ji Yuan was indeed sweating at these words. After all, if he really passed the imperial examination, the imperial court would have to send someone to conduct an on-site inspection. The opinion of the local village head was of paramount importance, so Ji Yuan couldn't afford to offend him.

"What the village head is saying is that I have advised my parents before, but I am a son after all, and I cannot influence their decision. But don't worry, village head. If my parents do this again in the future, I will do my best to stop them." Ji Yuan said hurriedly. He deliberately excluded himself when he spoke, as if he was not among the people who bullied Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai.

The head of the village snorted coldly and glared at Ji Yuan, "You're talking like you haven't seen anything at home all these years. You've never spoken for Ji Huan before, have you?"

"That's right, he's still a scholar, so hypocritical."

"Ji Yuan used all the hard-earned money of Ji Huan to study, right?"

"Isn't that like sucking the blood of your own sister and not knowing how to repay her?"

Ji Yuan was about to cry and hurriedly pulled Ji Mantun's sleeve, "Dad, please bow to the head of the village. If you continue like this, my reputation will be ruined. Don't even think about becoming an official in the future."

When Ji Mantun heard that this matter would affect his son's reputation, he panicked even more and hurriedly bowed to the head of the village, "I'm also wrong about this. I shouldn't have pushed Ji Huan too hard. I'll take them up the mountain to find him right away."

The head of the village snorted coldly, "Why didn't you say that earlier? I have a lot of things to deal with over there, so I won't go with you. Xiaochun, you and Erzhuzi and the others help go up the mountain to find him. We must find him before dark." "

Don't worry, Dad. We'll definitely bring Ji Huan back safely," Zhou Xiaochun said hurriedly.

Ji Mancang, standing by, urged Ji Wen and Ji Fu, "You two should come along and help look for him. Ji Huan is such a jerk. It's better for him to come here than to go up in the mountains when his family can't make ends meet. Just make sure nothing happens to him."

"Okay, Dad. Ji Wen and I will go. Don't worry, Mom and I. There are so many people in the village. We'll definitely find Ji Huan and the others."

"I hope so." Ji Mancang glanced at his eldest brother's family and sighed deeply. He almost felt ashamed of having the same surname as Ji Mantun and the others.

Many villagers joined the search for Ji Huan, many of them just to watch the fun. During the winter, when farming was slack, everyone had nothing to do except for their household chores, so naturally, they all flocked to see the excitement. Even a few of the village hooligans joined in the fun.

"Monkey, how could Ji Huan be so stupid? How could he be bullied like this by his family?" Zhang Er scoffed, glancing at the people in front of him.

"Hey, he's just incompetent, but Jiang Yubai looks so delicate and tender, it's really tempting. Ji Huan has gotten a great deal, too. Damn, why didn't I get such a good thing?" Monkey rubbed his beard obscenely, his yellow teeth bared unconsciously.

"Are you going to die? How can this be a good thing? Jiang Yubai is a star of misfortune. I think you want to die early." Wang Dasheng pushed Monkey and followed the scattered crowd ahead into the mountains.

"Isn't it just me saying it? Complaining is not enough," Monkey muttered.

Zhou Xiaochun, Erzhuzi, and the others led the others in shouting Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's names. Ji Mantun and the others, under the gaze of the villagers, had no choice but to join in the shouting. It was too late to back down. If they didn't find Ji Huan, their family would have trouble living in Dongniu Village.

"Ji Huan? Ji Huan, where are you and Jiang Yubai?"

"Ji Huan, Jiang Yubai..."

The villagers' calls could be heard from the mountain from time to time. At this moment, Ji Huan was sleeping soundly with Jiang Yubai in her arms. The little rabbit was like a small stove, and it was so comfortable to hold it in her arms.

Ji Huan rubbed her chin against the top of the little rabbit's head and continued to sleep with the little rabbit in her arms. It was not until Ji Huan heard someone calling her in the distance that she woke up.

Her first reaction was, "How could the Ji family have come up the mountain to look for someone so quickly?" Aunt Yuan was truly the village's loudspeaker, incredibly efficient. She'd originally thought the Ji family wouldn't come up the mountain to look for her and Jiang Yubai until tomorrow, but they'd already arrived this afternoon, and she and the little rabbit still had half a pot of chicken and rice porridge left to drink.

As the voices grew closer, Ji Huan hurried into action. She reached out and rocked the still-sleeping little rabbit in her arms, saying softly, "Get up! It seems someone's looking for us. We need to get up quickly."

The little rabbit looked at Ji Huan sleepily, its eyes wet and soft.

Ji Huan, worried she wasn't awake yet, reached out and rubbed the top of Jiang Yubai's head. "Be good, get up and get ready. They should be able to find us soon,"

she said. She placed the still-drowsy little rabbit on the bed and hurriedly put on her shoes. She wasn't going to return the half-sack of rice, nor could she throw away the chicken porridge, as it would be a waste. There wasn't enough firewood in the house, so she had to make herself and Jiang Yubai look as miserable as possible.

Ji Huan didn't care about Jiang Yubai's presence and quickly put the half-sack of rice and the half-pot of chicken porridge into her own space. She also didn't spare the large bundle of firewood on the ground, moving it into her own space as well.

Jiang Yubai was now fully awake. She rubbed her eyes, got up, and put on her shoes. She noticed that the things that had been in the room just a moment ago were gone. The suspicion she had been suppressing surfaced again: Was Ji Huan a ghost?

How else could she explain everything she was seeing? These things couldn't just vanish out of thin air, and Ji Huan had changed so much. All of these changes had begun since he fell into the water. So was the current Ji Huan a ghost possessing the original Ji Huan?

Jiang Yubai's hands and feet were cold, and she felt a vague fear in her heart, but her thoughts were in disarray, and she couldn't figure out what she was afraid of. Ji Huan

threw two handfuls of dirt on the fire in the cabin and opened the door to let in some of the cold air, making the situation for him and Jiang Yubai even more miserable.

Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai, "What are you standing there for? Be good later."

Jiang Yubai looked into Ji Huan's smiling eyes and surprisingly didn't feel the slightest bit of fear for the Ji Huan in front of her. She even felt a little relieved. If Ji Huan was a ghost, then she wouldn't be able to be afflicted by a ghost again, right? On the contrary, she was a little worried about Ji Huan. She was afraid of what would happen if the original Ji Huan came back? Where would this Ji Huan who was so kind to her go now?

For a moment, Jiang Yubai was overwhelmed with emotion, hesitant to speak. He even wanted to ask Ji Huan, now a ghost, if there was anything he could do to help.

Ji Huan had no idea the little white rabbit beside her had imagined so much and mistaken her for a ghost. She had already cleaned up the room. The fire was almost out, and the cold wind was blowing in. Only a few cabbages and the blackened potato lay on the floor, a shabby mess.

Ji Huan was very pleased with her handiwork and winked at the little rabbit beside her. Now, the voices calling their names became clearer.

Ji Huan pushed the door open a little and saw someone approaching from a distance. The person seemed to have noticed Ji Huan as well and waved excitedly at Ji Huan. From a distance, they shouted, "Ji Huan, are you and Jiang Yubai okay?"

"We're fine, why are you here?" Ji Huan asked with all her might, feigning weakness as she shouted.

"How can we not come? If we don't come, you two will be forced to death by your parents." Er Zhuzi rushed towards Ji Huan angrily, accompanied by Ji Wen, Ji Fu, Zhou Xiaochun and others.

Zhou Xiaochun shouted to the back: "We found Ji Huan and the others, they are fine."

The villagers who came to look for people and to watch the excitement also gathered here.

"Ji Huan, tell me, if I had known earlier, I would not let you and Jiang Yubai go back to Ji's house. I think you should come with me later." Ji Fu said hurriedly.

Jiang Yubai heard the noise and imitated Ji Huan's behavior, walking out of the wooden house with a haggard face.

Ji Wen took a look inside the wooden house. There was nothing in the cabin. There was only a little firewood, which was now extinguished. The cabin was very cold. There was only some cabbage and a burnt potato on the ground.

Ji Wen's eyes turned red with anger, "Is this all you two had for lunch?"

Ji Huan hurriedly explained, "No, when I left Ji's house, my parents asked me to take half a bag of rice with me. It's none of their fault. I was careless. When I went to the stream to fetch water, the rice bag accidentally fell into the ravine. But Yubai and I were not hungry. We had the sweet potatoes and potatoes given by Aunt Yuan and the others at noon, so we are really fine."

While Ji Huan was speaking, people gathered around him one after another. Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei squeezed to the front. After hearing what Ji Huan said, Ji Mantun was puzzled. Obviously, when Ji Huan was leaving, they didn't want him to take the rice bag away. The eldest daughter-in-law Li Yulan even stopped Ji Huan. Why is Ji Huan speaking for them now?

Chapter Text

"You are still speaking for them? Ji Huan, Ji Huan, what can we say about you? Filial piety is a good thing, but you can't be so foolish as you! It's like this, and you are still covering up for your parents." Erzhuzi was furious when he heard Ji Huan still speaking for the Ji family.

"Yes, Ji Huan, if you have any grievances, just tell us. We're here. Your parents wouldn't dare do anything to you."

"That's right, we'll take care of it for you."

Ji Huan, his emotions brewing, eyes red as he bowed to the villagers gathered around him. "I'm really sorry to bother you all today because our family affairs have always made you worry. Ji Huan apologizes to everyone."

"Well, what's the big deal? There are still many good people in our village. They won't watch you being treated so harshly to death."

"That's right, don't be afraid of them."

The onlookers were talking at once. Ji Mantun, worried about Ji Yuan's future, had to soften his tone. "Ji Huan, it was our fault this morning. Dad promises you that your family will never treat you like that again in the future."

Ji Huan, however, was the first to shed tears. "I know you and Mom don't like Yu Bai and me, but we both did our best and took on all the work for the family, yet Mom slandered us for no reason. We were just preparing breakfast for everyone in the kitchen this morning, and when mom came in, she started to humiliate Yubai and me. I really don't know what I did wrong."

Liu Fengmei's face turned completely bad when Ji Huan mentioned what happened in the morning. She was about to open her mouth to explain when Ji Huan interrupted her again.

"But since ancient times, it has been the duty of parents to teach their children. It's just that Yubai has suffered every day with me, and my parents have gained a bad reputation because of this. In the final analysis, it's all my fault for being unfilial." Ji Huan covered his face with his hands and cried very sadly.

"What does this have to do with you? We all have eyes. If the Ji family wants to kick you out again, I, Erzhuzi, will be the first to disagree." Erzhuzi put his hands on his hips and glared at Ji Mantun and the others.

"Yes, Ji Huan, I don't blame you to begin

with. Everyone knows you're filial. If anyone should be blamed, it's those wicked people in the Ji family." "That's right, parents forcing their own daughter to death—it's truly rare. I never expected to see such a thing in Dongniu Village. It's truly shameful and disgraceful."

Almost all the villagers sided with Ji Huan. Ji Ming's family, as well as Ji Sen's, remained silent. Ji Yuan even feigned composure, leaving Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei to bear the villagers' wrath.

Liu Fengmei's eyes bulged with anger. She hadn't eaten, and now she fainted.

"Someone, come and see what's wrong with Liu Fengmei?" a villager shouted.

Everyone's eyes turned to Liu Fengmei, who had collapsed to the ground. Ji Mantun, Ji Ming, and the others hurried to shake her.

"Mom, Mom, what's wrong with you?"

"Mom, what's wrong with you? You're committing a sin!" Ji Mantun feigned tears.

None of the villagers around wanted to go over to help, and everyone was talking about it when they saw the situation.

"What a coincidence that she fainted at this time, is she pretending?"

"I think so. She's so cruel to her own daughter. She's afraid of being drowned by everyone's spit."

"Liu Fengmei is really good at pretending. She just takes advantage of Ji Huan's soft heart. Seeing her like this, today's matter will definitely be left unresolved."

"I think so too. Ji Huan is really pitiful, and he is also very filial.

" "Ji Mantun is not a good person either. Whenever something happens, he pushes the blame on Liu Fengmei, but he pretends to be innocent."

"That's right, why pretend? Apart from Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, there are no good people in their family."

"Dad, what should we do? Let's carry Mom back to see a doctor." Ji Ming said hurriedly. Liu Fengmei usually liked his two sons and would give him some private money from time to time. He didn't want Liu Fengmei to get into trouble.

Ji Sen glanced at Ji Ming with disdain and said, "Since eldest brother is so filial, why don't you carry mother down the mountain?"

"Me?" Ji Ming pointed at himself and waved his hand quickly, "How can I do it? I haven't been feeling well these days and I can't carry mother. Fourth brother, you should do it."

Ji Sen waved his hand quickly, "No, no, don't you see how big mother is? My small body will be crushed if I carry her on my back in a few seconds. Doesn't third brother read sage books every day? He must be more sensible than the two of us. Let third brother do it." "

That's right, third brother, you carry mother on your back." Ji Ming saw that Ji Sen was pointing the finger at Ji Yuan and quickly agreed. Anyway, he didn't have to carry her on his back. Mother loved the third brother the most, and letting the third brother carry her on his back was what he should do.

"I can't do it. I study in the academy every day. How can I carry mother on my back? You should do it." Ji Yuan quickly took two steps back and looked at Liu Fengmei with disgust in his eyes.

Ji Mantun looked at his three sons, veins popping out with anger, and scolded: "How does your mother treat you on weekdays? Now I just asked you to carry your mother down the mountain, but you all refuse. If it were Ji Huan, she would have carried your mother down the mountain without saying a word."

Ji Mantun's voice was filled with tears. Ji Huan was still being comforted by the villagers around her. When she heard Ji Mantun say this, her fists immediately hardened, but she calmly released her clenched fists and hurriedly said to Zhou Xiaochun and others around her: "My mother fainted, I will carry her."

"Stop right there, don't you see there are so many Qianyuan in the Ji family? Are they all dead except you? Ji Huan, don't be silly, your mother and others are not worthy of you doing this." Erzhuzi was so angry that he blocked Ji Huan's way directly, and the villagers who were watching nearby also started talking, and every word seemed to pierce the hearts of Ji's family.

"Ji Mantun is still scolding others? He has always been in good health, and it would be a piece of cake for him to carry Liu Fengmei down the mountain, but he still insisted on ordering Ji Huan around."

"That's right, who gave him the face? He kicked Ji Huan out, but he still wanted Ji Huan to carry someone. It's disgusting."

"Ji Yuan has been making a fuss for a long time because he is this kind of person. He wanted my daughter to marry him before, but now it seems that he should stay away from the Ji family. Except for Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, every one of the rest of the family is full of bad intentions."

"My cousin's son is studying at Zhibo Bookstore, and he is a classmate of Ji Yuan. When I go back, I have to remind my nephew to stay away from Ji Yuan. He is not a good person."

Ji Mantun was scolded so much that he couldn't even raise his head. He said that the original intention of those words was for Ji Huan to hear. Ji Huan was nostalgic and filial. Seeing her mother fall to the ground, he would not ignore her mother even if they had an unpleasantness in the morning. The fact is indeed so. Ji Huan had just made it clear that he wanted to carry Liu Fengmei, but was stopped by Erzhuzi and his gang.

Ji Mantun was now in a difficult position. The villagers' words cut into his body like knives, and his sons had been spoiled, so he was the only one who had to carry Liu Fengmei.

Ji Mantun reluctantly carried Liu Fengmei on his back. His sons lowered their heads. He turned to look at Ji Huan and said, "Ji Huan, your mother is like this, go back with your father."

"Okay, I'll go back now." Ji Huan said this on the surface, but his fists were clenched tighter and tighter.

Erzhuzi saw that Ji Huan was really worried, so he couldn't stop him. He could only sigh and say, "Ji Huan, remember to come to me next time if you have any problems. Don't let others bully you all the time."

"Yes, Ji Huan, if you have been wronged, just come to me directly. I will definitely help you. Don't run to the mountains by yourself like this time." Zhou Xiaochun said hurriedly.

"I accept everyone's kindness. Thank you all for this. Otherwise, Yubai and I might have frozen to death here tonight," Ji Huan said, his eyes tearing up again.

"You're welcome. We're all from the same village, and you're such a kind person. Of course, I can't bear to see you get bullied." "

That's right, it's just because you're filial. If it were me, I'd have threatened to split up long ago."

Everyone offered comfort to Ji Huan for a while, and he was finally able to free himself from the crowd and find the solitary little rabbit.

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai's wrist and whispered, "Let's go too, back home."

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with a hesitant look. She wanted to ask Ji Huan about the ghost, but with so many people around, she couldn't bring herself to ask. She kept it to herself and obediently followed Ji Huan down the mountain.

"Fuck, Jiang Yubai is so fair and has such a nice figure. Ji Huan, this foolishly filial fool, really doesn't know how to enjoy himself." Monkey would occasionally glance in Jiang Yubai's direction, secretly observing him.

"If Ji Huan had enjoyed himself, he would have been killed by the same curse as Zhang Tiehu. You'd better not have any ideas about Jiang Yubai." Wang Dasheng said in a stern tone.

"Really? He's so good-looking, but it's a pity that he's a jinx." Monkey looked at Jiang Yubai with a regretful expression.

Jiang Yubai seemed to feel a burning gaze on her. She subconsciously moved closer to Ji Huan. When she looked up, she saw Monkey, the village scoundrel, staring at her.

Ji Huan saw the little rabbit suddenly leaning towards her, and reached out to embrace Jiang Yubai. Following Jiang Yubai's gaze, he saw several village scoundrels looking over here with a playful smile.

Ji Huan glared back coldly, and Monkey was actually a little afraid to look at Ji Huan and looked away.

He tugged at Zhang Er beside him and whispered, "Did you see the look Ji Huan gave her just now? It was like she wanted to kill me."

Zhang Er spat and scoffed, "Are you sick? Ji Huan's such an honest person, you can't even kick her three times, and yet she dared to stare at you?"

"No, it's true. That look was terrifying. If you don't believe me, just look." Monkey pointed in Ji Huan's direction and looked over himself, only to see Ji Huan return to her previous soft, vulnerable self.

Zhang Er glanced at Ji Huan, not far away, and laughed, "Look at your guts! You're afraid of someone like Ji Huan! You're such a loser."

"Did I see things?" Monkey began to doubt his own life.

"Let's go! Stop daydreaming," Wang Dasheng urged from their side.

"Coming, coming," Monkey replied quickly, still haunted by Ji Huan's look. He muttered to himself, "Did I see things? It doesn't look like her."

Ji Huan's eyes dimmed as he watched the thugs leave.

Soon, everyone on the mountain began to descend. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, accompanied by Er Zhuzi and others, made their way down together.

Even at the Ji family's doorstep, Zhou Xiaochun, still concerned about Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, urged them again, "If you need anything, just come to me. Don't do anything impulsive like this again."

"Okay, thank you everyone. I'm sorry to have worried you all. My mother's still unconscious. I'll go back and see her first," Ji Huan said, eyes reddening.

Er Zhuzi sighed, unable to persuade them further. "Go, go."

The surrounding villagers dispersed from the Ji family compound, chattering in groups of two or three.

"Ji Huan is so filial! Is her mother worth worrying about?" Er Zhuzi's chest heaved with anger.

"Forget it. Ji Huan is filial. Let's stop trying to persuade her. Let her go. We'll just keep an eye on the Ji family from now on. Let's go," Zhou Xiaochun sighed.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai entered the Ji family's courtyard. The villagers who had been watching outside dispersed. After all, the excitement was over, and the Ji family was disliked by everyone, so no one in the village wanted to help them.

As Ji Huan walked back, he heard the voices of Ji Ming and others coming from Liu Fengmei's room, seemingly calling for Liu Fengmei.

Ji Huan's expression returned to normal, no longer as mournful as before. She lowered her eyes to glance at the little rabbit beside her and said softly, "Let's go back to our room and rest." "

Don't you want to go check on us?" Jiang Yubai regretted asking. This ghost Ji Huan had no connection to the Ji family now, so he certainly wouldn't worry about Liu Fengmei's life or death.

"No, we'll just put on a show for everyone to see. Let them handle it themselves. Let's go back to our room and rest." Ji Huan said, leading Jiang Yubai towards the room.

"Okay, I'll listen to you," the little rabbit replied happily. Jiang Yubai actually felt relieved after knowing Ji Huan was a ghost.

The little white rabbit was so busy thinking about something that she didn't pay attention to the road. She didn't notice that Ji Huan in front of her had stopped, and she bumped into his back.

Ji Huan turned his head to look at the little rabbit and said with a smile, "What are you thinking about so much? Look at the road."

"Nothing." Jiang Yubai got up from Ji Huan with red ears and looked at Ji Huan with a smile.

Ji Huan saw the little white rabbit looking at him, chuckled, turned around, and asked softly, "What? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No." Jiang Yubai shook her head, her ears slightly red, and her eyes quickly glanced to the side. She glanced at the wardrobe and noticed that it seemed to have been moved.

Jiang Yubai's shyness vanished, and she quickly said, "Sister, it seems someone's been in our room. I took out some clothes this morning, and the closet isn't closed like that."

Ji Huan glanced around and nodded calmly, "The pillows and mattress on the bed seem to have been disturbed, too. The Ji family must be trying to recover the four taels of silver, but I have it with me, so their efforts are in vain."

"That's good. I'll go clean it up," Jiang Yubai said, walking over to the closet, which had been rummaged through. She took out the clothes, folded them, and put them back in. Ji Huan

then checked the mattress again. The Ji family weren't good people, and she was afraid they might be using some ulterior motive.

As they both went about their business, Ji Sen's voice echoed from the courtyard.

"Dad, I've called Doctor Yu over," Ji Sen called out, ushering him into Liu Fengmei's room. Silence fell once more in the courtyard.

The room of Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun was crowded with people. Doctor Yu looked at the Ji family, sighed, and shook his head repeatedly. He had heard about the Ji family's affairs. If he was not a doctor who cured diseases and saved lives, he would not want to care about the Ji family.

Doctor Yu put down the medicine box in his hand, sat down beside the bed to check Liu Fengmei's pulse, and withdrew his hand after a moment.

Ji Mantun hurriedly asked: "Doctor, how is she?"

"She fainted from anger and hunger because she didn't eat breakfast. It's nothing serious. I'll prescribe two prescriptions for her to reduce internal heat. She will be fine after drinking them for two days. Also, hurry up and cook. I think it's mainly because of hunger."

"Oh, Ji Sen, go with the doctor back to get the medicine. Take the money and don't spend it carelessly." Ji Mantun stuffed a few dozen coins into Ji Sen's hand.

"Don't worry, Dad, I'll go get the medicine." Ji Sen followed Doctor Yu.

Only Ji Yuan and Ji Ming's family were left in the room. Ji Ming scratched his head and reminded, "Dad, it's Ji Huan's turn to cook today. The firewood hasn't been chopped yet."

Ji Mantun was upset because none of the children were willing to carry Liu Fengmei, and Ji Huan had just been found. Ji Mantun didn't want to cause any more trouble, so he said with a cold face: "Ji Huan, Ji Huan, you still want Ji Huan to do it at this time. Your mother almost died just now, but you guys are making excuses and asking me to carry your mother? Ji Ming, Ji Yuan, you two have the nerve to do this. If you don't want to see your mother starve to death, go and cook."

Ji Yuan saw that Ji Mantun was angry and didn't dare to offend Ji Mantun, but when he thought about asking a scholar to work, he Feeling that his talent was wasted, he whispered, "A gentleman should stay away from the kitchen."

Ji Mantun was furious when he heard it: "A gentleman should stay away from the kitchen. Does that mean you don't care about your mother's life or death? If you can't get into the kitchen, just go chop wood. I have to remind you again and again for such a simple thing? You really disappoint me. I can't count on any of you."

Ji Yuan panicked immediately after hearing what Ji Mantun said. He was actually mediocre in studying and it was difficult for him to even become a scholar. He had planned to hook up with a rich man named Kunze in the county town, but the prerequisite for hooking up with the rich Kunze was that he had to be a student of the academy. Otherwise, how could he climb up to such a high position?

So Ji Yuan couldn't break up with his family yet. Although he looked down on Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, he still had to spend their money. Therefore, Ji Yuan immediately bowed to the money, "Dad, it's my fault. I have read so many poems and books in vain and disappointed you and mom. I don't care about the words of those saints. I'll go chop wood first, and then go to the kitchen to cook when I come back."

After saying that, Ji Yuan walked out of the room. This caught Ji Ming off guard. Ji Sen went to get medicine, and Ji Yuan went to chop wood, as if he was the only unfilial person in the family. Ji Ming also quickly expressed his opinion, "Dad, I'm going to cook. Don't worry, it will be done in a while."

Ji Mantun looked at the empty house and sighed heavily. He remembered that everything that happened today was caused by Ji Huan. Ji Mantun's face became darker. The daughter who used to be the least worrying has now become the most worrying one.

Ji Yuan, who had never done such heavy work, fell down while going up the mountain to chop wood and also got blisters on his hands. He cursed as he chopped the branches, "Damn Ji Huan, damn the Ji family, damn it, damn it! When I become rich and powerful, I will stay away from you peasants. Get out of here!" "

Hey, isn't this one of us scholars? Why are you cursing?" The monkey whistled at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan glared at the monkey in the distance, the veins on his face bulging. "None of your business."

"Tsk, pretty boy, you have a bad temper. You're one thing in front of people and another behind their backs. Ugh, what a piece of shit." The monkey curled his lips in disdain and took up his short knife to chop wood.

Ji Yuan said nothing this time. He gritted his teeth and chopped a large bundle of firewood. He finally managed to put the bundle on his back, thinking that if the villagers on the road saw him carrying such a large bundle back home, they would think he was filial.

However, as he was descending the mountain, he fell. He then carried the firewood on his back and continued on his way to the village. He met many villagers along the way. He greeted them, but they all avoided him with disdain. Some even pointed and talked at him non-stop.

"Hey, isn't that Ji Yuan? Doesn't he always do nothing?"

"Well, he's just pretending because he's afraid of being spitted on. Those scholars love to pretend. His family has paid for his education for years, and he hasn't even become a scholar."

"Who said he wasn't? Who would bother with him?"

Ji Yuan listened to the people around him talking, gritted his teeth, and walked back to his yard with the firewood on his back.

After carrying the firewood back, Ji Yuan didn't forget to ask Ji Mantun for credit, "Dad, I've chopped the firewood. I'm going to cook now."

Ji Mantun saw a layer of dirt on Ji Yuan's pants, frowned, and asked, "What happened?" "It's

nothing. I just accidentally fell," Ji Yuan said quickly.

Ji Mantun sighed heavily, thinking that they would have to rely on Ji Yuan in the future, and what he said just now was too harsh. Ji Mantun was afraid of offending Ji Yuan, so he said, "Dad was a little anxious just now. It was not directed at you. You are a scholar, and it is normal that you can't do these things, but Ji Ming and Ji Sen are not like that. They are just lazy.

Don't blame Dad." Ji Yuan hurriedly said, "How could it be, Dad? I am useless. I will work hard in the spring examination next year and will not let you down again."

"Okay, good boy."

Just when Ji Mantun and Ji Yuan were enjoying the father-son affection in the room, Ji Ming and Li Yulan had already mixed the multi-grain flour and were ready to steam buns.

Li Yulan glanced outside and whispered to Ji Ming, "Hey, Ji Yuan, who usually doesn't do any housework, actually went up the mountain to chop firewood this time?"

"You didn't see what Dad looked like just now. It was so scary. He scolded us all one by one. Now, the second child feels relieved. She and Jiang Yubai were supposed to cook today, but you didn't go up the mountain with them. Now everyone in the village is defending Ji Huan, thinking that no one in our family is a good person." Ji Ming sighed.

"How can we be blamed? Ji Huan volunteered to work before, so she deserves to be exhausted. But please don't let this implicate our Ji Dong and Ji Xi. They're about to start school, and they don't want to be ostracized by the other kids in the private school because of this." Li Yulan's concern immediately caught on when she mentioned her children.

"You're right. Ji Huan has been acting very evil recently. He used to be a taciturn person. He would never let the villagers know about these things at home." Ji Ming sighed heavily. It seemed that he missed the Ji Huan who couldn't even kick a fart.

Chapter Text

Ji Sen quickly returned with the medicine from Doctor Yu and asked Wang Xiuxiu to help prepare it in the kitchen. When Wang Xiuxiu entered, Li Yulan and Ji Ming were preparing to cook.

Seeing them both there, Wang Xiuxiu smiled and greeted them, "Brother, sister-in-law."

"Hey, you're here too. Everything was going well, but how are we going to get along from now on?" Li Yulan couldn't help but grumble.

"Sister-in-law, I think we should give in to Second Sister a little. None of us have taken advantage of her these past few times," Wang Xiuxiu said, hesitantly.

Li Yulan thought about it, and it was just as Wang Xiuxiu had said. Ever since Ji Huan fell into the water, it seemed none of them had taken advantage of him.

"Yeah, it's really weird," Li Yulan muttered to herself.

"Well, you've just pushed the second child too far. A cornered dog will jump over the wall. Just avoid clashing with her for the time being. Everything will be fine once Mom is better," Ji Ming said, his voice simmering.

While Wang Xiuxiu was speaking, she had already finished boiling the medicine, boiling three bowls of water into one. She quickly poured the contents of the jar into a bowl and carried it to Liu Fengmei's room.

Ji Yuan and Ji Sen were both in Liu Fengmei's room. Liu Fengmei had also woken up. Seeing the medicine arrive, Ji Yuan stood up and took it from Wang Xiuxiu. He still needed his rural parents at this moment, so he had to behave himself.

"Mom, the medicine is here. I'll feed you," Ji Yuan said, helping Liu Fengmei to her feet and holding the bowl to feed her the medicine.

Liu Fengmei was so moved that tears were about to come out, "My son is still filial to me, unlike Ji Huan, who almost pissed me off. Third brother, your mother really loves you for real."

Ji Sen, who was standing aside, couldn't help laughing when hearing his mother say this, and muttered indifferently, "When you fainted, Third brother was reluctant to carry you on his back. He is really filial."

A crack suddenly appeared on Liu Fengmei's smiling face. She looked at Ji Yuan, and seeing that Ji Yuan didn't dare to look at her, Liu Fengmei took the initiative to make up for Ji Yuan, "Ji Yuan has never done rough work since he was a child, so how could he carry me? Who carried me when I fainted?"

When Liu Fengmei asked this, Ji Sen fell silent. After all, he didn't carry Liu Fengmei. Ji Mantun sat aside and took a puff of the cigarette in his pipe, sighed, "Who else could it be? I carried you."

"Where are Ji Ming and Ji Sen? Oh, and where's Ji Huan? Why didn't Ji Huan carry me?" Liu Fengmei subconsciously decided that even if the argument got louder, given Ji Huan's filial piety, he would definitely carry her if he saw her faint.

"They all refused to carry you, Ji Huan? If Ji Huan really had to carry you down the mountain again, our Ji family would have been completely unable to survive in Dongniu Village," Ji Mantun sighed.

"You carried me, old man? Oh, damn Jiang Yubai, not only did you lead Ji Huan astray, but you also made everyone in the village know about our family's affairs. Calling her a jinx is really too easy for her." Liu Fengmei couldn't help but curse again.

Ji Mantun sighed, "Alright, stop scolding. You are not allowed to provoke Ji Huan recently. If you continue to make trouble, you will be embarrassed to face people."

"I know, Dad. What about the daily chores? Are Ji Huan and the others still arranged?" Ji Ming interrupted and asked.

Ji Mantun hesitated for a moment before answering. Instead, Ji Yuan spoke up: "Don't assign Ji Huan and the others any work for the next few days. Ji Huan is a pushover right now. Now's the time to get those four taels of silver back from him." "

Third Brother, do you have a plan?" Liu Fengmei felt as if she were recovering from her illness at the mention of this, and immediately perked up.

Ji Yuan smiled and nodded, "Of course."

"Then why are you keeping me in suspense? Tell me now," Ji Sen asked curiously.

"We could make a big deal out of Mom's illness this time. Medicine and doctors cost money, and tonics are even more expensive. The three or four taels of silver we've spent on this is understandable. Ji Huan was so filial before, it's impossible for her to change so much all of a sudden. What's happened these days is probably because she feels unfair. So we need to be nicer to Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai. Mom will drag her sick body back to Ji Huan, and given Ji Huan's personality, he'll definitely give her the money for her medical treatment."

In his opinion, even if Ji Huan's temper changed, he was still the same Ji Huan. These past few incidents were just him being pushed into a corner. As long as they treated him a little better, and asked Mom and Dad to show him some sympathy, Ji Huan would still be the hardworking, willing worker he always was, willing to do anything for the family.

"Can it work? I don't think Ji Huan would pay." Ji Sen thought of the look in Ji Huan's eyes when he hit him last time, and goosebumps broke out all over his body. He felt like Ji Huan really wanted to kill him that time, and it seemed like his family didn't understand the Ji Huan of today enough.

Liu Fengmei glared at Ji Sen and said dissatisfiedly, "Of course I can. Don't you know what kind of person Ji Huan is? Right now, she is just instigated by that little bitch Jiang Yubai. As long as we treat her well, she will of course be on our side."

Ji Mantun also nodded and added, "Yes, when you fainted on the mountain before, Ji Huan cried and said she would carry you on her back, but how could she really carry you under the circumstances at that time? Besides, Erzhuzi was holding Ji Huan at that time and didn't let her come to carry you. Otherwise, I think Ji Huan would still be willing to carry you down the mountain."

After hearing what Ji Mantun said, Liu Fengmei's face became even more smug, and she smiled, "I said, you can tell a person's future by the age of three and his old age by the age of seven. Ji Huan has been honest and silent since he was a child. It is impossible for him to change his personality at this age. He is just instigated by that little vixen. Let's do as the third brother says."

Ji Sen curled his lips, thinking that they all thought too little of Ji Huan. Anyway, he would not get involved in this matter.

Liu Fengmei had already finished her medicine when Ji Ming came in. Seeing everyone was there, he said, "Dad, lunch is ready. Should we go to the dining room or go back to our rooms?"

Ji Mantun thought for a moment and said, "Bring some food to your mother first. Oh, and then bring some food to Ji Huan and the others. Remember to bring enough. Don't get into a fight with Ji Huan right now."

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll do it myself," Ji Ming said, and left the room.

He was afraid that Li Yulan had a bad temper and might start an argument with Ji Huan, so he asked her to bring Liu Fengmei's food while he brought steamed buns and cabbage and potato stew to Ji Huan.

Ji Ming knocked on the door and called out, "Ji Huan, it's time for lunch. I brought it to you."

Ji Huan wasn't hungry at all, but she was curious about what the Ji family was planning. So she got up and went to open the door. As soon as she opened it, she saw Ji Ming standing there.

Ji Huan looked at Ji Ming with a half-smile, a completely different person from the Ji Huan who had been weeping on the mountain. Ji Ming was unnerved by her gaze and forced a smile. "Here's your and Jiang Yubai's meal. I brought it to you. Mom just woke up. Do you want to go over and see her later?"

Ji Huan took the tray from Ji Ming and handed it to Jiang Yubai. Then, raising an eyebrow, he said, "Mom probably doesn't want to see me either, so we won't bother her. Thank you, big brother."

"It's okay, it's okay. We're all family. What happened before was just a misunderstanding. There's no reason for us to talk behind each other's backs. So, hurry up and eat. I'll be going home now," Ji Ming said with a smile. Ji

Huan didn't bother to be polite with Ji Ming anymore. Before Ji Ming even left, Ji Huan had already closed the door.

Ji Ming, still standing at the door, immediately lost his temper and almost cursed. But thinking of Ji Mantun's instructions, Ji Ming gritted his teeth and swallowed it. Talking to Ji Huan right now was really easy to get angry.

After lunch, Ji Huan wasn't hungry. However, noticing Jiang Yubai's eyes fixed on the multi-grain steamed bun, she smiled and said, "If you're hungry, eat some more. We've been expending a lot of energy just coming down the mountain, so a little more won't be a big deal. Just don't overeat."

"Sister, then you should eat something too." In Jiang Yubai's opinion, even if Ji Huan was truly possessed by a ghost, she should still eat.

Ji Huan assumed that the little rabbit was embarrassed to eat alone, so she agreed, "Okay, I'll eat with you."

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up, and she handed Ji Huan a multi-grain steamed bun and took one herself, devouring it with hearty mouthfuls.

Ji Huan, already hungry, had been planning to take a few bites just to show her appreciation, but seeing the little rabbit enjoying it so graciously, she simply broke off half a bun and joined in.

After another lunch, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai quickly cleared the table, and Ji Huan took the dishes and utensils back to the kitchen.

Li Yulan happened to come out to serve the dishes. It was unusual for her not to say anything harsh to Ji Huan.

Ji Huan looked at Li Yulan, thoughtful. Something must be wrong when things are out of the ordinary. It seemed that the Ji family had prepared another big gift for her. A smile appeared on Ji Huan's lips. What was going on? Of

course, Li Yulan saw Ji Huan's smile. After Ji Huan left, Li Yulan spat at Ji Huan's departing back, "What are you so proud of? You really think your family treats you well? It's all for your four taels of silver, old ox, you deserve to be exhausted."

When Ji Huan returned to the room, he saw the little rabbit staring at the door with eager eyes. Seeing the little rabbit

waiting for him obediently, Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly, "Let's go. You're tired after a whole morning. Go to bed and rest for a while."

"Okay." The little rabbit nodded at Ji Huan and got into bed obediently.

Seeing the little rabbit on the bed, Ji Huan removed her outer clothes and lay down on the outside. But as soon as she lay down, a sweet, soft little white rabbit appeared in her arms.

Ji Huan was stunned for a moment, her smile widening. She'd always accidentally brought the little white rabbit into her arms when she fell asleep, but she hadn't expected the little rabbit to be so proactive today.

Jiang Yubai's face flushed crimson, but she buried her face in Ji Huan's arms. From his perspective, he could only see the tips of her ears, which were red.

Ji Huan, intrigued, reached out and gently poked the tips of Jiang Yubai's ears, teasing softly, "Why is that little rabbit so proactive today?"

Jiang Yubai shuddered slightly at the poke, burying herself further into Ji Huan's arms. After all, her sister was now possessed by a ghost, and no matter how close she got, she couldn't overpower her. Jiang Yubai felt a sense of relief. It had been a long time since she'd felt this carefree and close to someone.

"Sister?" The touch on the tip of her ear made Jiang Yubai subconsciously rub against Ji Huan's chest. It felt like her sister's fingertips were constantly rubbing the tip of her ear. Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai's eartips turned redder and more bloodshot.

Ji Huan looked at the soft and cheeping little rabbit in her arms, and wanted to tease it even more. From time to time, the tip of her index finger would rub the little rabbit's red eartips, and the little rabbit in her arms would softly call her sister.

After gently touching the little rabbit's eartips a few more times, Ji Huan asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

"It's itchy, sister, stop it." Jiang Yubai's voice was soft and delicate, which really aroused Ji Huan's interest.

The little rabbit didn't let her touch it for two days, so why did it suddenly become so proactive?

Ji Huan didn't think too much of it, simply assuming the little rabbit had gotten to know her and was becoming close to her.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore, little rabbit. Go to sleep if you're tired." Ji Huan paused, staring at the little rabbit's red ears. Her fingertips felt a slight itch, and she was tempted to touch the soft little rabbit, but she resisted.

She reached out and cuddled the little rabbit up again, making Jiang Yubai feel more comfortable, then closed her eyes and prepared to fall asleep.

Jiang Yubai slept incredibly soundly, even having a blushing dream. She nestled limply in Ji Huan's arms, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the person she'd dreamed of. Thinking about what she and Ji Huan had done in the dream, the little rabbit felt like she was about to burn.

Fortunately, Ji Huan didn't wake up. Jiang Yubai bravely reached out and gently poked the side of Ji Huan's face, then shyly buried herself in Ji Huan's arms, still thinking about what happened in the dream. If her sister was a ghost, then she wouldn't be cursed when she consummated her marriage with him. Thinking of this, the little rabbit was so embarrassed that she didn't even dare to raise her face.

Ji Huan, who was still asleep, felt a warmth in her arms, and something was rubbing against her in her arms. Ji Huan reached out to hold the thing in her arms and fell asleep again.

Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan hug her tightly again. Her face flushed and she looked at Ji Huan, mumbling to herself, "Sister, I just dreamed about you."

With that, the little rabbit buried her face in Ji Huan's arms again, leaving only the red tips of her ears exposed.

Ji Huan slept for more than an hour before waking up. When she woke up, she saw the little rabbit still lying obediently in her arms. Ji Huan stretched and looked at Jiang Yubai in her arms with a smile: "Have you been awake for a long time? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Since you were sleeping soundly, I didn't disturb you." The little rabbit looked at Ji Huan obediently, which made Ji Huan unable to help but rub the top of the little rabbit's head a few times.

"Good boy." Ji Huan looked at the bedside and saw that it was already dark. She had slept a lot just now. "It's so late? They didn't make any noise in the afternoon, did they?" "

No, I just heard Ji Ming making medicine for mother again. There was a little noise outside, and then nothing happened." Jiang Yubai didn't sleep after waking up. He kept leaning on Ji Huan's arms and didn't want to get up.

"That's good," Ji Huan replied with a smile. She still had half a pot of chicken porridge in her space. Although the space was vacuum, the porridge could be preserved for a certain period of time, but it would definitely not be as delicious as if it was eaten right away. Ji Huan still planned to eat the chicken porridge tonight, but how should she explain it to the little rabbit?

After all, when she and Jiang Yubai went down the mountain, they only took the quilt and a bag of clothes. Now suddenly there was a pot of porridge, which would definitely scare the little rabbit.

Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan was in a daze. She hesitated for a moment, but still nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms. Ji Huan felt the touch in her arms, lowered her eyes to look at the little rabbit in her arms, and asked softly, "What's wrong? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Jiang Yubai nodded, pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and then whispered, "Sister, can you tell me the truth?"

Ji Huan nodded, not knowing what the little rabbit wanted to ask, and waited earnestly for the little rabbit's next words.

Ji Huan saw the little rabbit snuck up to her ear and whispered, "Sister, you are actually a ghost, right? Ever since Ji Huan fell into the water, he has become a completely different person. Did you possess Ji Huan?" Ji

Huan looked at the serious little rabbit in front of her and laughed out loud. The little rabbit was too funny. She had even imagined him as a ghost.

Seeing that Ji Huan only laughed but didn't answer, Jiang Yubai hurriedly reached out and shook Ji Huan's shoulders and asked again, "Sister, stop laughing. Tell me quickly, is it true?"

Ji Huan saw that the little rabbit was asking seriously, so she simply put her arm around the little rabbit's waist, turned over and pressed the little rabbit under her, stretching out her arms like claws, trying to tease the little rabbit, "So what if I am? The little rabbit has discovered my secret, and now I have to eat it."

Ji Huan reached out and pressed Jiang Yubai's shoulder, pretending to move in and bite him. As soon as her face touched Jiang Yubai's neck, Ji Huan smiled and leaned into Jiang Yubai's arms, her shoulders shaking non-stop.

Jiang Yubai pouted slightly. What did her sister mean by this? Was it a ghost?

Ji Huan laughed for a moment, then looked up at the little rabbit. She saw Jiang Yubai, puzzled, lost in thought. She took a few breaths to slow down, then explained, "What ghost story? Have you heard too many stories? You little bad rabbit, you're just daydreaming all day long."

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai's hand and placed it on the side of her face. "Feel it, is it warm?"

Jiang Yubai felt it, and it was indeed warm.

Ji Huan added, "Pinch it."

Jiang Yubai obediently pinched it, and then she found her sister's skin seemed quite good, soft and elastic.

"Doesn't it look like a dead face? It's smooth and elastic?" Ji Huan asked.

The little rabbit nodded again.

Ji Huan chuckled, extended her right index finger, and gently tapped Jiang Yubai's forehead. "Don't let your little head let you let your thoughts run wild. If I were a ghost, I'd have eaten you long ago."

The little rabbit looked at Ji Huan, still unconvinced. She defended herself, "But there are good ghosts. I'm a good ghost."

Ji Huan was left in a state of confusion by the little rabbit's words. This child really thought she was a ghost.

"I'm really not a ghost. I see clearly." Ji Huan said, sitting up from the bed. The room was already dim, and she got up to light the oil lamp. In the light of the lamp, Ji Huan's shadow appeared on the ground.

Ji Huan looked at the little rabbit sitting on the bed and smiled, "Did you see that? There's a shadow on the ground. Only living people have shadows. Ghosts don't have shadows. Do you believe it now?"

Jiang Yubai nodded, but she quickly shook her head, "No, sister, you are possessed by Ji Huan, so the body you are using now is Ji Huan's. Since it is a living person's body, there must be a shadow. I get it, sister!"

Ji Huan was stunned by the little rabbit's analysis. She looked up at the little rabbit, not understanding what the little rabbit knew.

The little rabbit excitedly put on his shoes and got down to the ground. He ran to Ji Huan and buried himself in Ji Huan's arms, "I get it, sister. You must be afraid of scaring me that you don't tell me the truth, right? It doesn't matter. I'm not afraid of ghosts. As long as it's you, I'm not afraid of you."

Ji Huan looked at the little rabbit in her arms and wanted to say something but stopped. A warm feeling rose in her heart for no reason. The little rabbit was not afraid that she was a ghost?

She reached out and rubbed the top of Jiang Yubai's head. She wanted to explain, but she didn't know where to start. After all, she still had to heat up the chicken porridge in the space and drink it later. How would she explain it to the little rabbit then? Forget it. Since the little rabbit was wrong, let's just make the best of it. The little rabbit wasn't afraid anyway.

"Forget it, whatever you say is what it is." Ji Huan sighed, reached out and hugged the little rabbit in his arms, and said helplessly.

The little rabbit's eyes lit up, "I knew it must be!"

The little rabbit buried herself in Ji Huan's arms, but what she was thinking was that if her sister was a ghost, she wouldn't be able to defeat her sister, and then she could stay with her sister forever.

Ji Huan looked at the excited little rabbit in his arms, a little at a loss. Did the little rabbit wish she was a ghost so much? Or did the little rabbit have some special hobby?

Ji Huan shook his head in confusion. Forget it, as long as the little rabbit was happy, let her think whatever she wanted.

"By the way, save some for dinner later. We still have some chicken porridge. I'll heat it up in the kitchen and bring it back to your room," Ji Huan said softly.

The little rabbit's eyes lit up. She knew her sister was a ghost, otherwise they wouldn't have taken any chicken porridge when they came down the mountain. Where did her sister get the chicken porridge she was talking about? It must be her sister, a ghost, with her own magical powers.

"Okay," Jiang Yubai hugged Ji Huan happily.

Ji Huan didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the little rabbit's sudden clinginess.

After spending some time with the little rabbit, Ji Ming came over to bring dinner. Ji Huan stood up to open the door.

Seeing them both there, Ji Ming said, "Dad said you just got back, so you should rest for a few days. You two won't have to do any work these days. Here's the food, brought to you."

Ji Huan nodded. "Thank you, big brother."

"It's okay. We're all family. Let's not talk about what happened before. Get some rest. I'll go back and bring dinner to Mom and the others." Ji Ming hurried away before Ji Huan's expression changed.

Ji Huan looked at the dinner on the tray. There were pickled vegetables on one plate, and four corn tortillas on another slightly larger plate. This was the Ji family's dinner.

Ji Huan lost her appetite after taking a look at the pickles, but the corn tortillas looked good. She brought the dinner to the table, took the empty teapot on the table and went out.

Ji Huan took the kettle and went straight to the kitchen. There was no one in the kitchen at the moment. She put some water in the kettle. After a while, the water boiled. Ji Huan filled the teapot in her room and then walked into the room.

"I got some hot water. Let's eat some first. We'll heat up the rice porridge later when we're hungry."

"Okay, these are good enough." The little rabbit could never get enough to eat before, but now as long as she can eat, she is satisfied.

Chapter Text

The little rabbit still devoured three tortillas with pickles, while Ji Huan felt full after just one.

After dinner, the little rabbit, with a healthy appetite, drank a large glass of hot water. The more Ji Huan looked at her, the cuter she found her little rabbit.

After dinner, Jiang Yubai took clothes out of the closet. Ji Huan had previously refused to speak to her or let her touch the clothes, and most of Ji Huan's clothes were worn out, so Jiang Yubai decided to mend them for Ji Huan.

Jiang Yubai sat at the table mending the clothes, while Ji Huan sat to the side and watched him.

The little rabbit looked up several times to see Ji Huan staring at her, blushing. Fortunately, the room was dimly lit, so Ji Huan couldn't notice. Later, Jiang Yubai couldn't stand the staring anymore and couldn't help but ask, "Sister, why are you staring at me?"

"Nothing, just look at how well behaved my little rabbit is." Ji Huan's eyes narrowed slightly, her chin resting on her arm as she continued to stare at the little rabbit across from her.

Jiang Yubai was so embarrassed she didn't know where to begin. She lowered her head and muttered softly, "Sister, I'm hungry. Can you heat up the porridge?" "

Okay, I'll do as you say." Ji Huan smiled and stood up. As she walked past Jiang Yubai, she rubbed the top of Little Rabbit's head.

Jiang Yubai's ears were sharp as she watched Ji Huan's back, her eyes full of smiles.

Ji Huan first lit the kitchen oil lamp, then took the small pot from the space and set it aside. She lit the smaller stove nearby and placed the pot on the fire, slowly simmering the rice and chicken porridge. Soon, Ji Huan could smell the aroma.

Since the kitchen was fully stocked with seasonings, Ji Huan added some pepper to season it. Finally, she chopped a handful of scallions, ready to add to the pot when it was time to remove the porridge.

While he was waiting for the porridge, someone else arrived in the kitchen. It was Ji Ming. Ji Dong and Ji Xi hadn't eaten enough since dinner hadn't been served, and now they were clamoring for more. Ji Ming had to get up and secretly make some porridge for the children. Then he saw Ji Huan in the kitchen.

Ji Huan only glanced at Ji Ming, not bothering to say hello.

Ji Ming, however, swallowed a few times, drawn by the aroma that filled the room. He glanced at Ji Huan's face, then at the chicken porridge bubbling on the stove. He forced a smile. "Second sister, where did you get this porridge? It smells strange."

Ji Huan gave Ji Ming a cold look, not intending to answer. She stirred the porridge with a spoon, sprinkled in the freshly chopped green onions, and carefully took the pot off the stove.

Ji Ming looked at the chicken porridge, still a little hesitant. He hadn't eaten meat in days. In the past, when Ji Huan hunted game from the mountains, he would bring it back home for everyone to eat.

"Hey, Ji Huan, look at that pot of chicken porridge you've got, and it's so filling you can't even finish it. Can I have a bowl? Your two little nephews weren't full for dinner and are clamoring for more. Just give me a bowl. I'm too lazy to make anything else for them." Ji Ming's face was filled with a smile, and he looked at Ji Huan expectantly.

Ji Huan turned to look at Ji Ming and smiled back. "Don't overthink it. We can finish it. You should just cook for your two precious sons."

With a cold snort, Ji Huan took the small pot in his right hand, two bowls and a spoon in his left, and left the kitchen.

Ji Ming's smile had long since faded. If it weren't for Ji Mantun's previous warnings, Ji Ming would have been arguing with Ji Huan again.

He glared outside and cursed, "Bah, what a piece of shit! You and your jinxed wife are worthy of chicken porridge? You're really wasting good food."

With that, Ji Ming washed the rice and began to cook porridge for his two sons.

Ji Huan paid no attention to Ji Ming, returning to the room with a steaming bowl of porridge. Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up at the sight of the porridge in Ji Huan's hands. The corn tortillas from dinner were thin and not very filling, but Jiang Yubai was now hungry again.

"Come and eat! There's plenty left," Ji Huan said, already spooning the chicken porridge. She handed Jiang Yubai a full bowl. The addition of seasonings and chopped green onions intensified the aroma. Jiang

Yubai quickly took the porridge and sniffed it gently, its fragrance overflowing. "It smells so good."

"If it smells good, eat more. If it's ready, it's best to eat it all. It won't be fresh overnight," Ji Huan said softly, serving herself a bowl as well.

"Yes, I can finish it all," Jiang Yubai replied, and began to eat it whole.

Seeing the little rabbit's eagerness, Ji Huan's eyes narrowed slightly. She took a sip herself. The pepper gave the porridge a slight spiciness, but on a cold winter night, this spice was just the right amount to keep the chill at bay. Combined with the fragrant chopped green onions and tender chicken, Ji Huan's appetite improved, though she still felt inferior to the little white rabbit.

She was full after just one bowl, but the little rabbit devoured the remaining chicken porridge in the pot. After finishing the last mouthful, the little rabbit even glanced back at the pot, still unsatisfied.

"If you like it, I'll make it for you next time," Ji Huan said softly, looking at Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai nodded heavily, then looked back at Ji Huan and whispered, "Sister, do you ghosts need to eat even when you possess someone?"

Ji Huan was left feeling amused and embarrassed by the little white rabbit's question. Did she really think she was a ghost? She had no choice but to follow the little rabbit's words and talk nonsense: "Yes, if I were in the form of an intangible body, I wouldn't need to eat if I floated around. But if I were in someone else's body, I would be almost the same as a human, and I would get hungry and tired."

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up, and then she nodded heavily. What her sister said was very similar to what she guessed!

"Sister, what is your real name? You are not Ji Huan." The little rabbit continued to ask, without a trace of fear.

Ji Huan had no choice but to continue, "My name is also Ji Huan, just like the original Ji Huan."

Jiang Yubai nodded thoughtfully, then his eyes lit up. "I see. My sister and Ji Huan must have the same name. The previous Ji Huan accidentally fell into the water and drowned, so my sister was able to possess Ji Huan. It's all predestined."

Ji Huan watched the little white rabbit's analysis helplessly, then shook his head with a smile. Now, the little rabbit had completely believed him to be a ghost. Seeing the little white rabbit's certainty, Ji Huan didn't bother to explain. She would explain her origins to Jiang Yubai after they separated from the family.

"Okay, I'll go boil some water. Let's get some rest," Ji Huan said softly.

"I'll go too. I'll get the basin for you," Jiang Yubai said, obediently taking the basin and following Ji Huan's side.

Ji Huan was also puzzled. The little rabbit thought he was a ghost, but it actually made him closer? It was beyond comprehension.

The two of them went to the kitchen. Ji Huan lit the fire to boil water, while Jiang Yubai washed the pots and pans that she and Ji Huan had just used.

Soon the water in the big pot boiled. Ji Huan poured some water into the basin and added some cold water. Then he put out the fire in the kitchen and went back to the room with Little White Rabbit.

Compared to the happiness of Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, Ji Ming felt uncomfortable no matter how he thought about it. Usually, they secretly cooked some white porridge at night, and Ji Ming always ate it deliciously. But this time, he saw the better chicken porridge. He looked at the bowl of porridge in front of him and sighed several times.

Li Yulan was eating happily with her two sons, but when she saw Ji Ming looked like he was dying, she scolded him, "What's wrong with you today? You usually eat rice porridge like a hungry wolf, why are you eating so slowly today?"

Ji Ming sighed and said, "That's because you didn't see it. Ji Huan was also in the kitchen making porridge just now, but she added chicken and chopped green onions to her porridge. The aroma wafted far away. I saw she'd made a full pot, and figuring the two of them wouldn't be able to finish it, I simply asked her for a bowl. But she flatly refused and walked away with the pot. Isn't that infuriating?" "

Chicken? Where did she get it?" Li Yulan asked.

"She must have gotten it from the mountains. Mom fell ill there this afternoon, and everyone was so busy. Who knows when she brought it back?" Ji Ming stirred the porridge in his bowl with a spoon, but it tasted bland.

Even Ji Dong and Ji Xi stopped eating their porridge after hearing about the chicken.

Ji Xi ran over and hugged Ji Ming's legs, begging, "Daddy, I want some meat too. I want some too."

"Daddy, please ask Ji Huan to give us the chicken porridge. Grandma loves me and my brother the most. Tell Ji Huan that it was Grandma who told her to give it to us." Ji Dong also ran over to help.

Ji Ming looked at his two sons, sighed and said, "Ji Huan has been acting abnormally recently. She no longer listens to your grandma. You two should be careful too. Remember not to mess with Ji Huan, okay?"

Ji Xi curled his lips. He would cry if he couldn't get something delicious. With a cry of "wa", Ji Xi and Ji Dong couldn't stop crying in the house. The noise was so loud that the whole yard could hear it.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had just finished washing up. Ji Huan took a basin to the yard to pour water. When he came back, he saw Jiang Yubai standing at the door looking out.

"Sister, why are Ji Dong and Ji Xi crying so hard?" Jiang Yubai looked towards Ji Ming and their room with some curiosity.

"Don't worry about them. Let's go to bed early." Ji Huan said as he entered the house. Jiang Yubai obediently closed the door.

Ji Huan tidied himself up a bit, took off his patched dress and went to bed. When the little rabbit saw Ji Huan getting ready to sleep, she hurried to follow him, and hurried to Ji Huan's side, looking at him with bright eyes.

Ji Huan took the little rabbit in his arms with a smile. Obviously, the little white rabbit was not so proactive before, but after knowing that she was a "ghost", she became proactive. Ji Huan rubbed the top of the little rabbit's head helplessly.

Jiang Yubai buried himself in Ji Huan's arms and rubbed against him, looking very well-behaved.

The crying of the children in the yard continued. Liu Fengmei was actually almost well. She fainted in the mountains in the afternoon because of hunger. She had recovered a long time ago. Hearing her grandson crying, Liu Fengmei could no longer sit still.

"Boss, what happened to Ji Dong and Ji Xi? No, I have to go and see." Liu Fengmei said as she was about to get up.

"Have you forgotten what the third brother told you? You are a patient these days and are not allowed to go anywhere." Ji Mantun said. He himself was worried about his two grandsons, so he stood up and said, "I'll go and see."

"Hey, ask what happened. It's a sin. It's a bad year." Liu Fengmei sighed and said.

"I know." Ji Mantun responded and walked out with his coat on.

When they arrived at Ji Ming's room, the two little guys in the room were still crying for meat.

When Ji Dong saw Ji Mantun coming, he threw himself on Ji Mantun and cried, "Grandpa, Ji Huan and the others have chicken to eat, but they won't give it to me and my brother."

"Grandpa, I want to eat meat, I want to eat meat!" Ji Xi also cried and made a fuss.

Ji Mantun glared at Ji Ming, "What's going on?"

"Dad, Ji Huan brought down a lot of chicken from the mountain at some point. She just made chicken porridge. I wanted to ask for some for the two kids, but Ji Huan refused to give it to me. The two kids started crying when they found out." Ji Ming explained.

Ji Mantun pointed at Ji Ming angrily. "I told you to behave yourself these few days and not mess with Ji Huan. When the four taels of silver come back, I'll let you eat as much meat as you want. Okay, hurry up and comfort the kids and stop them from crying so loudly at night."

"I know, Dad," Ji Ming muttered.

"Dad, how much longer do we have to put up with Ji Huan and the others? Now Ji Huan and the others don't have to work anymore," Li Yulan grumbled in dissatisfaction.

Ji Mantun pointed at Li Yulan. "You should behave yourself too. Jidong and Jixi are my grandsons, it's true, but the villagers say it doesn't matter whether they go to school or not. If you want your children to study like the third child, you better behave yourself for a while, otherwise your mother and I won't pay for Jidong and Jixi to go to school."

With that, Ji Mantun left Ji Ming's room. After hearing what Ji Mantun had just said, Li Yulan had no choice but to hurry and comfort the two children.

The next day, Ji Huan was woken once by the sound of a rooster crowing, but she ignored it and continued to fall asleep with Jiang Yubai, who was warm and soft in her arms. Jiang Yubai, having woken up early, couldn't fall asleep, but she didn't get up either. She just stayed in Ji Huan's arms and watched Ji Huan.

Last night was probably the happiest night she had ever had. Knowing that Ji Huan was a ghost and that she couldn't defeat him, Jiang Yubai felt relieved. She stared at Ji Huan's lips for a long time, her ears slightly red as she looked away. She was thinking about it in her heart and felt shy. She didn't know if her sister could consummate her marriage with her even if she possessed someone else, or if her sister's virtual body could consummate her marriage with her. The more

Jiang Yubai thought about it, the shyer she felt. She buried herself in Ji Huan's arms. She had never thought that she would have any expectations for such a thing.

Outside, the sky was bright, and the sounds of Li Yulan and Ji Ming arguing could be heard. Since Ji Mantun had announced that Ji Huan wouldn't be working for the next few days, all the work had been shared by several other families. Even Ji Yuan, who usually lived a life of luxury, had taken on the task of going up the mountain to chop wood.

Ji Huan listened to the commotion outside and reached out to hug the little rabbit tightly. After a long pause, Ji Huan reluctantly opened his eyes, only to see the little rabbit smiling at him.

Ji Huan rubbed the top of Jiang Yubai's head. She had just woken up, and her voice was even softer than usual. "Have you been awake for a long time?"

Jiang Yubai leaned obediently into Ji Huan's arms, her ears slightly red. "Not too long. I wanted to wait for you to come with me."

"Okay, then let's get up." Ji Huan patted Jiang Yubai's back, motioning for him to get out of his arms.

The corners of Jiang Yubai's lips, which had been raised just moments ago, fell, and he looked as if he wasn't really in the mood to get up.

Ji Huan looked at the clingy little white rabbit, his eyes slightly curved, "I want to hold you for a while, if you get up too late you won't have breakfast."

When Jiang Yubai heard that there was no food, he got up from Ji Huan very quickly, because he still had to eat.

Ji Huan glanced at the little rabbit, shook her head with a smile, and got up to fetch water to wash up. Li Yulan was carrying food to Liu Fengmei, and when she saw Ji Huan, she snorted coldly and ignored Ji Huan.

Ji Huan was too lazy to pay attention to her. He fetched water and went back to the room to wash up, and then took Jiang Yubai to the kitchen.

Breakfast was snow mustard noodles. Ji Huan took a look at the soup in the pot and immediately lost his appetite. Snow mustard is a pickled vegetable that is salty to begin with, and it would not be very delicious without some meat in it. But at this time, he could not be picky, and it was good enough to fill his stomach.

Ji Huan filled a bowl for Jiang Yubai and handed it to the little rabbit who had been watching the pot beside him. "Here, be careful, it's hot. Take your chopsticks and wait for me."

"Okay." The little rabbit obediently took the bowl and chopsticks and went back.

Ji Huan then served herself some noodles, but she didn't give her too much. She couldn't eat much in the morning anyway, so it would be a waste to give her too much.

When she was serving the noodles, she happened to meet Ji Yuan who came to serve breakfast. Seeing that Ji Huan was there, Ji Yuan began to look at Ji Huan's face. Seeing that Ji Huan's face was normal, he said, "Second sister, mother is still a little weak. She mentioned you yesterday and said that she missed you. Why don't you go and see mother when you are free later."

A smile appeared on Ji Huan's calm face. She raised her eyes and looked at Ji Yuan with a smile, and said indifferently, "She wants me to work, third brother, don't be smart in front of me. If you have the time to scheme against me, you might as well read more. Look at you, you can't even pass the exam to become a scholar in so many years. I feel ashamed." Ji Yuan

was so angry at Ji Huan that he almost couldn't help but curse. He clenched his fists, thinking of the four taels of silver, and endured it. "Second sister is right. I will study harder in the future."

After hearing what he said, Ji Huan stopped and glanced at Ji Yuan. He didn't say anything back? That was even worse. The Ji family must be planning to do something to her again.

Ji Huan ignored Ji Yuan and walked out with the bowl in hand. Ji Yuan looked at Ji Huan's back and felt that she was in a difficult situation. She had just wanted to use Liu Fengmei's illness to trick the four taels of silver out of her. But now Ji Huan was not taking any action at all and didn't even want to look at Liu Fengmei. This was going to be difficult.

Ji Yuan filled a bowl of noodles with a bowl and took it to Liu Fengmei's room.

Ji Huan didn't take the matter seriously and went back to have a happy breakfast with Little Rabbit.

As she ate, she thought about the family division. She had almost laid the groundwork. If three people make a tiger, people would think they did it. If the Ji family did this too many times, even if they didn't do it in the future, everyone would think they did it. But now she was missing a key opportunity. She had to force the Ji family to do something more extreme. That way, the family division would be smooth and logical, and she wouldn't have to bear any bad reputation.

Thinking of this, Ji Huan's lips curled up slightly, and she already had her own plan in mind.

"Sister, what are you laughing at?" Little Rabbit asked after swallowing the noodles in his mouth.

"Nothing, you'll know when the time comes." Ji Huan continued to eat noodles and said nothing more.

After dinner, Ji Huan was free for a rare time, so he prepared to take Little Rabbit for a walk in the village. Just as they were about to leave, they heard movement in the yard again.

Ji Huan winked at Jiang Yubai, signaling Jiang Yubai not to open the door first. The two of them stuck to the door and listened to the movement outside.

"Mom, your body needs nourishing supplements. I will buy you those things on credit even if I have to buy them on credit."

Ji Ming spoke first, followed by Liu Fengmei's voice.

"Big brother, Mom is useless. Why did she spend all that money on me? You guys listen to me and are not allowed to go, let alone borrow money."

"Mom, big brother is right. If you are sick, we have to see a doctor. I will sell my books to see you." Ji Yuan's voice also rang out.

Li Yulan's voice followed immediately. "Mother, I remember Ji Huan had four taels of silver. Let's borrow it first and return it to Ji Huan when we have more money."

Liu Fengmei interrupted Li Yulan immediately. "Shut up! How can you use Ji Huan's money? Of the four taels, two taels are Jiang Yubai's dowry, and the remaining two taels are to make up for all the years I owe Ji Huan. How can I ask Ji Huan for that?" "

Mother, my second sister is filial and will definitely agree. We're just borrowing it, not unpaying it," Ji Yuan continued.

"No, no, that won't work either. Just let this old man fend for himself. Don't bother me, don't bother me." Liu Fengmei spoke, her voice tinged with tears.

The smile on Ji Huan's face grew as he listened. He even moved a bench from the table to the back and waved to Little Rabbit, inviting him to sit and listen.

Ji Huan hadn't seen any entertainment since coming to this world. Aren't these people outside just putting on a show for him for free? Shouldn't she show some support? But she would be even happier if she could have a handful of melon seeds in front of her face.

The people outside were talking non-stop. After listening for a while, Ji Huan keenly noticed that Ji Sen and his wife Wang Xiuxiu hadn't interrupted her from beginning to end. The smile on Ji Huan's face became even bigger. It seemed that they were scared by her beating that time. These people are bullies who only bully the weak and

fear the strong. It is said that fighting violence with violence is not good, but most of the time, fighting violence with violence is the most effective method. "Oh, don't bother me. Ji Huan is filial, but you can't force Ji Huan." Liu Fengmei cried even more sadly.

"Mom, how can you stop my second sister from being filial? My second sister is so filial, the whole village knows it, she will definitely not want you to suffer." Ji Yuan continued.

Liu Fengmei felt really cold sitting on the ground. She winked at Ji Yuan and the others. After all, they had been acting for quite some time, and there was no movement in Ji Huan's room.

Ji Yuan waved his hand at Liu Fengmei, signaling her not to act rashly, and continued: "As the old saying goes, filial piety is the most important virtue. Second sister is so filial. Mother, if you don't take these four taels of silver to treat her illness, you will be making her unfaithful and unfilial." Ji

Huan's face turned cold. This Ji Yuan was really full of bad intentions. He put such a big hat on her head. But fortunately, she had done a good job in public opinion work. Now she was too lazy to pretend when facing the Ji family.

Ji Huan stood up with a cold face. When Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan got up, he hurriedly moved the bench back. Ji Huan pushed open the door without any warning, which scared the people standing outside.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan glanced outside with a half-smile, his gaze finally settling on Ji Sen. He smiled at him, a smile so frightening that his legs went limp.

He still remembered how Ji Huan had struck him that day. He quickly said, "Second sister, this is none of my business. My wife and I didn't say anything. It has nothing to do with us."

With that, Ji Sen pulled Wang Xiuxiu back a long way, practically bursting into tears.

Ji Huan scoffed, glancing at Ji Yuan and Liu Fengmei. "Hey, third brother? Weren't you so talkative just now? Why aren't you talking anymore?"

"Second sister." Ji Yuan felt uneasy at Ji Huan's gaze, and after a moment's pause, he continued, "Mom doesn't have money for medical treatment, and she wants to borrow those four taels of silver from you."

Ji Huan's smile widened, but when he glanced at the Ji family, Ji Ming and the others felt only that Ji Huan's smile gave them the creeps.

"Is Mom sick? I thought she was fine. She's been crying outside my door in this cold weather for half an hour, hasn't she? And her voice is so loud. Could it be that she's crying just for me to hear?"

Ji Huan's face was filled with sudden realization. Ignoring the expressions on everyone's faces, she continued, "I really feel bad for you. You're acting in this cold weather, but your acting is just a little off. Look, Ji Ming and Li Yulan, there aren't a single tear on your face. You haven't even managed to portray the emotion of children who can't bear to see their parents suffer. After this, you two need to go back and practice more."

Ji Ming and Li Yulan were both stunned. They imagined Ji Huan's reactions in countless ways: Ji Huan hugging Li Yulan and crying bitterly; Ji Huan loudly arguing with them; Ji Huan, helpless but finally giving in. But none of them were like this. What was Ji Huan doing?

Regardless of the fact that everyone was stunned, Ji Huan continued to point at Liu Fengmei and said, "Mom, your acting skills are even worse. You are seriously ill but you still stand here and howl at the top of your lungs for half an hour. You look more energetic than me and don't look sick at all. You should act a little weaker and speak less loudly."

"Oh, by the way, and Ji Yuan, you have the best acting skills in the family. You played this hypocrite vividly. Oh, I forgot." Ji Huan pretended to be annoyed and continued, "You are a hypocrite to begin with. You don't need to act at all. You are acting in your true colors. Very impressive."

"Who are you calling a hypocrite, Ji Huan?" Ji Yuan's face turned red, and he looked like he was going to fight Ji Huan to the death.

"Look, you're the one orchestrating this farce, aren't you? Ji Yuan, use your brains! You're already seventeen, and the ideas you've come up with are so inaccurate that even the pigs in the backyard wouldn't dare scrutinize them. They're riddled with errors and omissions. How have you been studying these past few years? If the pigs in the backyard had to study your books every day, they might even pass the imperial examinations." Ji Huan looked at Ji Yuan with disdain.

"You, you, Ji Huan, how dare you insult me!" Ji Yuan pointed at Ji Huan in anger.

Ji Huan nodded calmly, "Yes, I am insulting you, and you are showing it to everyone. Do I need to insult you? Isn't it true that you have no brains?"

"Alright everyone, it's cold outside. Go back to your rooms and stop acting. If you have nothing to do, go get some water from the water tank. By the way, Ji Yuan, go feed the pigs in the backyard. You can spend some time with them. I don't have time to listen to your performances anymore. See you later, everyone." Ji Huan waved to Jiang Yubai and prepared to take the little rabbit for a walk around the village.

Liu Fengmei was stunned by what Ji Huan said. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry on her face. "Ji Huan, are you leaving just like that?"

Ji Huan turned around and looked at Liu Fengmei, nodding as if it was a matter of course. "Yes, what else? Mom, do you have any questions about acting that you want to ask me?"

"Ji Huan! Have you had enough of making trouble?" Ji Mantun heard what Ji Huan said and banged the pipe in his hand heavily on the door.

"I'm making a fuss? Dad, who did you learn this art of putting the blame on someone else? Do you still have any shame? My wife and I were just staying in the room, and you were the ones crying and yelling at my door? You still have the nerve to accuse me of making a fuss?"

Ji Huan sneered and looked at Ji Mantun. "I'm telling you straight up, don't even think about that four taels of silver. I wouldn't feed it to you even if I had to feed it to the pigs, understand?"

Ji Huan glared at everyone impatiently, then took Jiang Yubai's hand and happily walked out the door.

Jiang Yubai had been trying to hold back his laughter as he watched Ji Huan scold the Ji family. Once they were out of the courtyard, Jiang Yubai finally burst into laughter.

"What's wrong? What are you laughing at?" Ji Huan asked, looking at the little white rabbit beside him.

"Sister, you're so good at scolding. I've never heard so many of the words before." The little rabbit laughed, thinking of the frustrated expressions on Ji Yuan and the others' faces.

"Well, that's just the beginning. Even one-tenth of my strength is useless. They're no match for me," Ji Huan said cheerfully.

Jiang Yubaiye nodded in agreement. She realized that none of the Ji family members could outwit Ji Huan.

However, Ji Huan didn't get carried away. She glanced around, seeing that few people were around, and whispered to the little rabbit, "Be a little downhearted when you see people later, as if you've been bullied."

"Why, sister?" Jiang Yubai was still confused by Ji Huan's intentions.

Ji Huan winked at the little rabbit, "You'll understand later. If you repeat the story of three people making a tiger and the wolf coming too often, people will take it seriously even if it's fake. We're all paving the way for the future."

Jiang Yubai was confused, but nodded obediently. Sister was smart, so she should just listen to her!

The afternoon sun was bright, and Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai walked along the dirt road without feeling dazzled. Ji Huan prepared to go to the stream. After being in this world for so long, she was craving fish, but she wasn't sure if she could get any.

Compared to Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's relaxed mood, the Ji family's courtyard was now overcast.

Ji Yuan was so angry that the veins on his forehead popped out, "Mom, Ji Huan actually compared me to a pig? I can't swallow this anger no matter what."

Ji Mantun looked at Ji Yuan, frowned and said, "You have to swallow it even if you can't. The villagers are already very resistant to our family. If you drive Ji Huan away again, we can't stay in this village. Don't bother him, Lao San, you think of a solution."

"Boss, what should we do with the four taels of silver?" The New Year was just around the corner. If the four taels of silver were returned to Ji Yuan, they would have more money in their hands and could use the money saved to buy more New Year's goods. "What should we do

? Didn't we hear what Ji Huan said? She won't give it out. Let's just disperse it." Being seen through by Ji Huan on the spot made Ji Mantun feel ashamed, as if he had been slapped in the face by Ji Huan while standing in the yard.

Compared to the others, Ji Sen was secretly amused. Why hadn't he realized Ji Huan was so good at bullying people before? He had just bullied Ji Yuan to the point of tears.

Ji Yuan hurried back to his room and slammed the door.

Elsewhere, when Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai arrived at the village river, they saw people fishing. As they walked closer, Ji Huan saw that it was Zhou Xiaochun, Er Zhuzi and the others.

Seeing that it was Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, Zhou Xiaochun waved at them from a distance, "Ji Huan, are you guys fishing too?"

Ji Huan had already put away his arrogant attitude in the yard and smiled innocently at Zhou Xiaochun, "No, we don't have a fishing rod. I just came to take a look."

"We do have one. We can lend it to you. Come and fish with us," Zhou Xiaochun said with a smile.

Ji Huan nodded and took Jiang Yubai to Zhou Xiaochun and the others.

"Look, the hooks and fish are ready. Do you know how to use a fishing rod?" Zhou Xiaochun asked enthusiastically.

Ji Huan nodded. "Yes, thank you. We came here without anything to fish."

"What's the big deal? We're all friends. Why don't we just fish together?" Zhou Xiaochun said with a smile.

Ji Huan took the fishing rod, hung a little pork liver on the hook, and threw the fishing line into the river. Then he just waited quietly for the fish below to bite.

Seeing that the little rabbit was interested, Ji Huan handed the fishing rod in his hand to Jiang Yubai and asked Jiang Yubai to sit on a low rock to fish.

Er Zhuzi tried to hold it in for a long time, but he couldn't help it. He looked at Ji Huan and asked, "Are you all right after you went back? Did your parents give you any trouble?"

Zhou Xiaochun looked at Ji Huan when she heard this. This was what she wanted to ask, but she had just met Ji Huan and was too embarrassed to ask. Now Er Zhuzi asked for her.

Ji Huan smiled shyly at Er Zhuzi and said hesitantly, "Dad and Mom were very nice to us after they came back yesterday. They didn't let Yu Bai and I do any work. My eldest brother even brought us food last night. Everything is fine, but..."

After saying "but", Ji Huan looked a little flustered, as if he had said something wrong, and stopped talking.

This made Er Zhuzi, who was very impatient, very upset. He didn't even care whether it would disturb the fish in the water. He stomped his feet twice and asked, "Just what do you mean? You're really driving me crazy."

Ji Huan pursed his lips and hesitated for a while. He looked at Er Zhuzi, then at Zhou Xiaochun, but still didn't say anything.

Seeing Ji Huan's hesitation, Zhou Xiaochun also advised: "There are only a few of us here, you don't have to be afraid, the Ji family can't hear us, are you still worried about Er Zhuzi and me?"

Ji Huan shook his head with a lonely look, "It's not that I'm worried, I just think what mother and the others said is right."

"What did your mother and the others say to you again?" Er Zhuzi asked anxiously, fearing that Ji Huan's foolish filial piety had been brainwashed again.

"Didn't my mother faint on the mountain? My third brother said that mother was weak and needed to buy a lot of tonics. Didn't they give me four taels of silver before? Mother wanted to borrow it first and return it to me as soon as they had enough money. I thought it would be better to listen to my mother. Her health is more important." Ji Huan looked at Zhou Xiaochun and said with a simple face.

Erzhuzi was the first to explode. "Borrowing money? They're just trying to rob you. Ji Huan, what can I say about you? You can't even see that? They're trying to trick you out of your four taels of silver. Do you understand?"

Erzhuzi tossed his fishing rod aside and paced furiously back and forth by the river, as if he were the one being bullied, even more agitated than Ji Huan.

Ji Huan stammered at Erzhuzi, muttering, "That shouldn't happen. Mother wouldn't be playing tricks on her own body, would she?"

"Why not? Your father and mother are biased. Your whole family has been bullying you for so long. Oh, when your sister was here, you and your sister were bullied together. Now that your sister is gone, it's you and your wife who are bullied together. Ji Huan, Ji Huan, you still can't see what kind of people your mother and her family are?" Erzhuzi raged.

"I know Mother hasn't treated me as well as the other brothers, but she hasn't been too bad to me either. She wouldn't cheat me out of my money." Ji Huan continued to defend Liu Fengmei.

Zhou Xiaochun couldn't listen any longer, so he went over and advised, "Ji Huan, think about how much silver your third brother Ji Yuan has spent every year to study in town over the years?"

Ji Huan rolled his eyes, thought for a while and said, "He has to pay for textbooks, accommodation, and every quarter he has to pay for the teacher's tuition. He also has to eat at the academy. It costs at least ten taels of silver every year."

Zhou Xiaochun was delighted and hurriedly advised according to Ji Huan's words, "Yes, your family can even afford the money for your brother's studies, which shows that you are not poor. Your parents are well-off and don't need you to take out the four taels of silver at all."

Seeing that Ji Huan's face relaxed, Zhou Xiaochun continued to persuade, "Let's say you don't care about the four taels of silver, but you have to think about your wife. If you really are not in the Ji family in the future, with the four taels of silver, you can find a way to make a living as soon as possible. So you must not take out the four taels of silver. If your mother and the others bring up this matter again, just say that you lent me the money and let them confront me."

"Why bother you then?" Ji Huan wanted to share this story, letting the villagers see what kind of people the Ji family was. He hadn't expected Zhou Xiaochun and Er Zhuzi to be so kind and worthy of being friends.

"It's not a big deal. We're all friends from the same village. If you have any problems, we can't just ignore you," Zhou Xiaochun said with a smile.

"That's right. If you get bullied again, just come to me," Er Zhuzi said, patting his chest.

Ji Huan looked hesitant and looked at Zhou Xiaochun sadly, "Xiaochun, tell me, are my mother and the others really like you said?"

Seeing that Ji Huan's eyes were red, Zhou Xiaochun sighed and advised, "The most important thing in life is to cherish yourself. Parents and brothers are important, but they are not as important as yourself. You must remember to think about yourself and your wife first. Don't rush into it and work hard for the Ji family." "

Yes, Ji Huan, actually many people in the village have been talking about your affairs before, but you were even less talkative at that time. Every day you were like an old ox, working all the time, and it was hard for everyone to persuade you. But you should know what happened these times. Family members like that are not worthy of your treatment. You must not give them the money. Like Xiaochun said, just tell them that the money was lent to Xiaochun." Erzhuzi also advised.

Ji Huan's eyes reddened as he hesitated for a moment before finally nodding his head. "Okay, I'll listen to you. It's true. I'm not alone anymore, and I have to consider my wife. Thank you for talking to me today."

"No need. It's best if you can figure it out." Zhou Xiaochun breathed a sigh of relief, finally feeling in the mood for fishing again.

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan, pursed her lips, and returned her gaze to the river. She'd better not look at her sister, lest she give herself away. After all, her sister had just had a fight with the Ji family, and her current demeanor was probably just an act.

"Alright, Ji Huan, forget about those bad things. We're out here to have fun. Join us for a grilled fish by the river later. We've brought the seasoning." Erzhuzi picked up his fishing rod again and sat back down.

"Okay, excuse us for disturbing you then." Ji Huan forced a smile, still looking a little glum.

At that moment, the fishing rod in Jiang Yubai's hand moved. Jiang Yubai stared intently at it, "Sister, it seems to be moving."

Ji Huan hurried over, "Let me take a look."

She took the rod from Little Rabbit and began to reel in quickly. Soon, a palm-sized crucian carp appeared before their eyes.

The fish, excited, broke the surface of the water. Ji Huan reached out and grabbed the frisky little fish, tossing it into the basket.

"Sister, I caught this little fish," Little Rabbit's eyes sparkled.

Ji Huan lowered his gaze to Little Rabbit and said softly, "Okay, my wife is the best."

There were outsiders present, but Ji Huan spoke in a coaxing tone, calling her "wife." Little Rabbit blushed profusely. Not daring to look at Ji Huan, she imitated Ji Huan's previous actions, hooking a small piece of pig liver onto the hook and casting it back into the river.

Zhou Xiaochun secretly watched the interaction between Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, and muttered to himself, it seems that the rumors are not all true, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai seem to have a really good relationship?

The group continued fishing for a while, occasionally catching a fish. While the largest was a carp weighing over two pounds, caught by Zhou Xiaochun, the rest were mostly crucian carp and melon seeds. Several

people squatted by the river, scaling the smaller fish, cleaning out their stomachs and gills.

Erzhuzi had already set up a grill over the fire. The group placed the fish on the iron grill and began roasting them, occasionally brushing them with oil. Soon, the aroma of grilled fish wafted far into the air.

Zhou Xiaochun heated a small pot of water and soaked the dried mushrooms she had brought with her. Once the mushrooms had swelled, she cut them in half with a knife and placed them on the grill, basting them with oil.

The fresh aroma of the fish, combined with the fragrance of the mushrooms, quickly wafted far into the air. Little Rabbit couldn't take his eyes off the mushrooms.

Erzhuzi sprinkled salt once more, and the fish began to sizzle with oil.

Because fish is naturally easy to cook, the top was done after a while.

Erzhuzi flipped the fish over and took a look. "It's done, grab some and eat!"

Ji Huan quickly gave Jiang Yubai a piece of fish before taking one for herself. Because it was fresh, the fish tasted great, and aside from being a little smaller, everything else was perfect.

Zhou Xiaochun brought bowls and served everyone some grilled mushrooms. Ji Huan used a tree branch to carve a few pairs of chopsticks and passed them around.

She also took a piece of mushroom and tasted it. It was fragrant and chewy. If it had some chili on it, it would have been even more delicious.

Looking at the little rabbit beside her, she saw that Jiang Yubai's cheeks were bulging with food, like a little hamster.

Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai with a slight smile, and the little rabbit was happy, so was she.

"How was it?" Zhou Xiaochun asked with a smile.

"It's delicious, and the grilled mushrooms are just as delicious as the grilled fish. They're very fresh and fragrant," Ji Huan praised with a smile.

"We picked them all in the mountains in spring and summer. We had so much back then that I simply dried them all and saved them for the winter. Save some for yourself! I brought some noodles. I'll make noodle soup with the remaining small fish later." Zhou Xiaochun said, moving the grilled fish rack to the side.

She found a few stones of similar size and placed the iron pan on them. She poured some oil into the pan and pan-fried the fish. Then she added water, soaked some mushrooms, and seasoned them with soy sauce and salt. Once the pan was boiling, Zhou Xiaochun simply formed the noodles into small balls and sprinkled them evenly into the pan. Soon, the aroma filled the air.

Because there were outsiders around, Jiang Yubai hadn't dared to eat much. Furthermore, the crucian carp seeds were small, so she hadn't been full, and it might as well have been an appetizer. Now that she had something to eat again, the little bunny perked up.

Ji Huan glanced at Zhou Xiaochun and smiled, "You guys are quite good eaters. You even brought noodles."

"Of course. Erzhuzi and I come here every now and then to fish, and sometimes we bring noodles. We were a bit rushed this time and didn't have time to prepare noodles, so I just brought some. But the noodle soup is delicious too."

Isn't it delicious? After all, it has fish and mushrooms in it, and it's stir-fried. This meal is much better than the Ji family's meal.

The noodle soup is easy to cook and is ready in no time. Zhou Xiaochun filled everyone's bowls with it. "Hurry up and drink up, there's more in the pot."

"Okay." Ji Huan nodded and tasted the fish noodle soup in his bowl. The pepper added to it gave it a slightly spicy aroma. The aroma of mushrooms and fish mixed together, and the carbohydrates made it a delicious and energizing meal.

Ji Huan drank a few sips and felt extremely comfortable.

Seeing Ji Huan's expression relax, Zhou Xiaochun smiled and soothed him, "Just smile more and stop dwelling on those things. From now on, we'll go out every once in a while so you can relax."

Ji Huan smiled at Zhou Xiaochun and Er Zhuzi, "Thank you for comforting me today. I know what to do about the four taels of silver."

"I'm glad you figured it out. People should think more about themselves." Er Zhuzi, hearing Ji Huan's words, breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Huan was already full after the large bowl of noodle soup, but she knew that Little Rabbit was only half full. Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai's bowl and poured some more for him.

Ji Huan handed the bowl to Jiang Yubai, "Eat more, save some for dinner when we get home."

After all, the food in the pot was limited, and Zhou Xiaochun had brought it all, so Ji Huan felt embarrassed to fill Little Rabbit's bowl. After all, they had to go back to Ji's house soon, so they didn't have to worry about not having enough.

Little Rabbit's ears blushed slightly, and she looked at Zhou Xiaochun and Er Zhuzi sheepishly.

"It's okay, eat quickly! There's more in the pot," Zhou Xiaochun said with a smile. She hadn't expected Jiang Yubai to have such a large appetite.

After they finished their noodle soup, Zhou Xiaochun and Erzhuzi went to the river to wash the pot, while Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai put out the fire with dirt. Then they walked together towards the village.

As they approached the Ji family's gate, Erzhuzi couldn't help but remind them, "Ji Huan, remember what we just said to you. Don't be fooled again."

"Don't worry, I really did remember this time." Ji Huan looked at Erzhuzi and Zhou Xiaochun with a simple and honest look.

Zhou Xiaochun glanced at Ji Huan, reached out and patted Ji Huan's shoulder, and repeated the same advice, "Think more about yourself and your wife."

"Yeah, don't worry." Ji Huan nodded and watched them leave.

Seeing Zhou Xiaochun and the others leave, Jiang Yubai tugged at Ji Huan's sleeve from behind.

Ji Huan turned around and looked at Jiang Yubai with a smile, "What's wrong?" "

Sister, didn't you intend to give the four taels of silver to the Ji family? Why did you say that to Zhou Xiaochun and the others?" The little rabbit asked puzzledly.

Ji Huan reached out and pulled Jiang Yubai closer to him, whispering, "I'm not just telling these two people this. Erzhuzi will definitely tell his family about this when he goes back. The same goes for Zhou Xiaochun. Her father is the head of the village, which means the head of the village also knows that the Ji family wanted to cheat me of the four taels of silver. Slowly, this matter will spread in the village, and then everyone will believe me more and more. Even if the Ji family tells the truth in the future, no one will be willing to believe the truth."

The little rabbit's eyes lit up, and it rubbed against Ji Huan's arms, "Sister, you are so awesome."

Ji Huan's lips curled up slightly, and she smiled and rubbed the top of the little rabbit's head, "That's right, you, just watch me operate obediently."

Ji Huan was in a very good mood and took the little white rabbit back to the Ji family's yard. The yard was empty at the moment. Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai back to the room directly, with no intention of paying any attention to the Ji family.

Wang Xiuxiu's room was closest to the courtyard gate. When they heard the noise of Ji Huan and the others returning, Wang Xiuxiu whispered to Ji Sen who was lying on the bed, "Hey, look, Ji Huan and the others are back."

Ji Sen lazily crossed his legs and said, "She's back, so what? I won't provoke her. Remember, don't provoke Ji Huan for no reason. You won't get any benefits."

Wang Xiuxiu thought about what had just happened and nodded. It was true. Even the most knowledgeable Ji Yuan was left speechless by Ji Huan. It was better for them not to provoke Ji Huan.

When Zhou Xiaochun returned, dinner was already ready at home. The headman was having dinner with his wife Xia Hong. When he saw Zhou Xiaochun return, he smiled and asked, "How was your fishing trip?"

Zhou Xiaochun was just about to talk to his father about Ji Huan, so he quickly washed his hands and sat down at the dinner table. "The harvest was good. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai happened to be at the river this time, so we went fishing together."

"How's Ji Huan?" the village head asked, looking at Zhou Xiaochun.

"She's still the same. She almost got tricked by her mother again." Zhou Xiaochun thought about the afternoon's events and sighed.

"What's going on? Tell me quickly," the village head asked immediately upon hearing this.

"Ji Huan's mother said she didn't have enough money for medical treatment and supplements, and she wanted to take back the four taels of silver she had just given to Ji Huan. Ji Huan had originally intended to give it to her mother, but Er Zhuzi and I persuaded her to stop. Her family is not poor to begin with, and her third brother is still in school. He doesn't need her four taels of silver at all."

"Did Ji Huan almost get tricked by her family again?" Xia Hong asked curiously.

"That's right. She probably still thinks her mother couldn't possibly lie to her. Well, what can I say about her? She's a good person, but she's just too filial. Her family just uses this as an excuse to bully her," Zhou Xiaochun analyzed.

"Yes, since you and Ji Huan already know each other, you should remind her more often in the future and don't let her do anything stupid again," the village head sighed.

"Well, don't worry, Dad. Erzhuzi and I are always keeping an eye on the Ji family. Even if things have gotten this bad, I think Ji Huan might as well separate from her parents," Zhou Xiaochun expressed his thoughts.

The head of the village sighed and said, "That child is so filial, I don't think she will be willing to separate from the family. If the family really separates, everyone will definitely support it, but after all, it is someone else's family affair, and we can't force Ji Huan to separate."

Zhou Xiaochun nodded, "That's true, Erzhuzi and I will pay more attention to Ji Huan in the future, anyway, we will try our best to prevent her from being deceived by the Ji family."

Zhou Xiaochun talked about Ji Huan with his parents for a while, and they basically complained that the Ji family was not good to Ji Huan.

The other half of Erzhuzi was the same. After returning home, he told his mother about it. Aunt Wu told a few sisters who had a good relationship with him about it. The news soon spread to Aunt Yuan, the loudspeaker, and then it spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred. Almost everyone in Dongniu Village knew that the Ji family was thinking about Ji Huan's four taels of silver.

Chapter Text

After returning home and resting for a while with Jiang Yubai, Ji Huan heard rustling noises in the yard.

Jiang Yubai opened the door a crack and peeked out. It was Ji Sen and the others making dinner. Little Rabbit asked worriedly, "Sister, we had a big fight with Mom and the others this afternoon. Will we have dinner?" "

It's okay, don't worry. If there's no dinner for us, we can make it ourselves. Just don't worry about it," Ji Huan said, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Jiang Yubai didn't understand what Ji Huan meant, but she didn't think much of it. After all, she would have food to eat if she stayed with her sister.

When it was time for dinner, Ji Huan asked Jiang Yubai to wait for her in the room while she went to the kitchen, where Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu were busy.

When Ji Sen saw Ji Huan coming, he immediately froze in place: "Second sister, what happened in the afternoon really has nothing to do with me. I didn't say a word."

Ji Huan chuckled and looked at the dishes in the pot. Ji Sen was sweating coldly and his speech became stammering, "Second, second sister, mother just told us not to cook your dinner."

Ji Huan looked over coldly, and Ji Sen was almost scared to kneel on the ground. He hurriedly said: "But I still steamed some extra buns, I can give you three, but there really is not enough dishes. What do you think?"

Ji Huan snorted coldly: "Okay, those three buns will be fine. I'll find a way to solve the dishes myself."

Ji Huan said and walked out of the kitchen and walked towards the backyard. The Ji family's backyard not only raised pigs, but also eight or nine chickens, three of which were hens. It was time to lay eggs recently and they could lay eggs almost every day.

Liu Fengmei usually kept all the eggs. She had a locker in her room where she kept them. When she had enough, she would sometimes sell them, sometimes secretly give them to her two grandsons and Ji Yuan.

Ji Huan figured that after a long day of hard work, and Liu Fengmei had feigned illness this morning, the eggs in the backyard might still be there, so she headed straight for the chicken coop.

Ji Huan reached in and pulled out an egg. She did the same thing again, and she found two more.

Ji Huan held the three eggs in her hand, her eyes narrowing slightly. She planned to make some egg custard for the little rabbit when she got home; it was much better than the cabbage and potato stew the Ji family ate every day.

Ji Huan held the eggs without hesitation. Ji Sen and his wife were still in the kitchen.

Ji Sen glanced at the eggs in Ji Huan's hand, but didn't dare to say anything. He even gave Wang Xiuxiu a look, signaling her to pretend she hadn't noticed.

Wang Xiuxiu nodded, understanding, and lowered her head to her work.

Ji Huan took a clean bowl and cracked three eggs into it. He then added a suitable amount of warm water to the bowl and stirred it thoroughly. Then, he used the same steamed bun pot, set the grate, placed the bowl inside, and steamed it over high heat.

Soon, the fragrant eggs emanated from the gap between the lid and the pot, causing Ji Sen to swallow rapidly. However, remembering his own beating, Ji Sen didn't dare to say anything.

The food was ready. Ji Sen smiled at Ji Huan and said, somewhat fearfully, "Second sister, I've put the three buns in your bowls. Let's take the food to the dining room first."

Ji Huan nodded and replied nonchalantly, "Go ahead."

Relieved, Ji Sen hurriedly urged Wang Xiuxiu, "Hurry up, help me carry it to the dining room."

The two of them frantically went back and forth several times before finally managing to get all the food to the dining room.

Ji Huan, on the other hand, was leisurely working in the kitchen, steaming egg custard. Ten minutes later, the egg custard in the pot was almost done.

Ji Huan placed a damp cloth on the outside, took the bowl out of the large pot, and seasoned it with soy sauce, vinegar, and a little salt. She then placed the bowl of egg custard on a tray, and put the three steamed buns that Ji Sen had left for them into another bowl and placed it on the tray.

She grabbed chopsticks and a spoon, then left the kitchen with the tray.

When Ji Huan opened the door, the little rabbit eagerly came over, "Sister, what are we having for dinner?"

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly, and she said softly, "I made steamed egg custard, and there are multi-grain steamed buns in that bowl. You can eat them together."

"Eggs? Where did you get them from?" Jiang Yubai knew that Liu Fengmei would put away and lock up the eggs every day, so she was a little confused about where Ji Huan got the eggs from.

"I got them from the backyard. Didn't mom pretend to be sick this morning? Naturally, she didn't have time to go to the backyard to collect the eggs, so I just steamed them all." Ji Huan said calmly, putting the bowl on the wooden table, ready to eat a little more with Jiang Yubai.

"All steamed? What if mom asks?" Jiang Yubai hesitated, afraid that Liu Fengmei and the others would cause trouble for Ji Huan again.

"If they ask, they can ask. Can they eat me?" Ji Huan looked indifferent, not taking Liu Fengmei and the others seriously at all.

Jiang Yubai thought about it and felt that it was true. The Ji family could never convince his sister, and his sister didn't really cry these few times. Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai was immediately relieved.

She stirred the egg custard briefly, scooped a spoonful into her mouth, and it was smooth and tender, accompanied by the aroma of egg. The little rabbit took a bite and began nodding frequently, "It's delicious."

Seeing the little rabbit enjoying the meal, Ji Huan's mood also improved. She coaxed her softly, "If it's delicious, eat more. It's all yours."

"Sister, you eat too." The little rabbit was a little embarrassed. She had already eaten a lot by the river, and now she was actually a little hungry again.

"Okay, I'll just try it. I'm really full." In the end, Ji Huan only ate half of the steamed bun and a little of the egg custard, and then she couldn't eat any more. Most of the egg custard and the steamed bun ended up in the little rabbit's stomach.

The little rabbit finished the egg custard and looked at Ji Huan with satisfaction. "I'm really full this time."

Ji Huan chuckled and looked at the little rabbit. She was a little curious if her little white rabbit had a springy stomach to be able to hold so much food.

"Come here." Ji Huan beckoned the little white rabbit to come to her.

The little rabbit wasn't quite sure what Ji Huan was going to do, but she obediently walked over. She wasn't worried about being an unlucky influence on Ji Huan anymore, so she didn't need to distance herself from him anymore.

Ji Huan reached out and pulled the little rabbit toward him, then touched her belly.

Jiang Yubai understood what Ji Huan meant, her ears slightly reddened, and she spoke to Ji Huan in a rather coquettish tone, "Sister~"

"Nothing, I'm just curious." The little rabbit had eaten a lot, but she hadn't gained much weight. Even her waist was slim, which made Ji Huan a little envious. The little white rabbit really knew how to grow, putting all the weight where it belonged, and she had a really good figure.

"I've been like this since I was a kid. I eat a lot and don't gain much weight," Jiang Yubai explained, her ears reddening.

"Isn't that even better? When I make some money, I'll definitely give my little rabbit delicious food every day." Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai with a smile, occasionally pinching the little rabbit's fingers with his fingertips, teasing.

Jiang Yubai's face flushed with amusement, and because Ji Huan was sitting on a bench, she couldn't throw herself into his arms. She could only stand there, timid and timid, not daring to look at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan made the little rabbit shy, pinched the little rabbit's fingertips, and stopped teasing. "I'm going to the kitchen to boil some water. Do you want to wait for me in the room or come with me?"

"Together." Seeing Ji Huan stand up, Jiang Yubai couldn't help but reach out and tug at Ji Huan's sleeve, looking at Ji Huan tenderly.

Ji Huan reached out and pulled Jiang Yubai into his arms, gently patting Jiang Yubai's waist and back. "Okay, come with my little rabbit."

Jiang Yubai's ears blushed as she nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms. She felt a little shy. She didn't know why her sister always called herself a little rabbit. Did she like little rabbits? That wasn't right. The first time they hunted a little rabbit, she had been very happy to eat it.

Ji Huan didn't know what the little rabbit was thinking. He reached out and gently patted Jiang Yubai's waist, coaxing her softly, "Let's go, boil some water first. When we're back, cuddle in bed."

The little rabbit was confused by Ji Huan's gentle voice. When she heard "cuddle in bed," her face flushed even more. She knew her sister probably didn't mean that, but she was still shy after hearing it, and buried her head even lower.

Ji Huan looked at the shy little rabbit in his arms with a smile. With one hand, he held the little rabbit's slender

waist and with the other, he gently patted the little rabbit's back. "Why are you shy again? Don't we hold you like this every day? Aren't you used to it yet?" Ji Huan was answered by the little rabbit's whimpering voice. Anyway, the little rabbit

holding her showed no sign of letting go. Ji Huan was always very patient with Jiang Yubai. When Jiang Yubai was shy, she stood there and let Jiang Yubai hold her to catch her breath. After a long while, Jiang Yubai finally got up from Ji Huan's arms.

Ji Huan stopped teasing the little rabbit and reached out with the tray. He smiled and said, "Grab the wooden basin, we're leaving."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai came out with the wooden basin for washing and followed Ji Huan obediently.

Going to the kitchen, Ji Huan started to boil water while Jiang Yubai stood aside and washed up the dishes that she and Ji Huan had just used.

Ji Ming and his friends had finished their meal and were preparing to clean up. Li Yulan spotted Jiang Yubai and said to Ji Ming, "Isn't Jiang Yubai over there? Why don't you just ask her to wash the dishes? My sons are waiting for me. I'm going home now."

Li Yulan was about to leave when Ji Huan stopped her.

"Sister-in-law, you live by your face, and I'm really confused. How did you manage to live this long?" Ji Huan looked at her coldly, his tone heavy with sarcasm.

Li Yulan immediately exploded. Previously, Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun had repeatedly warned her not to mess with Ji Huan because of the four taels of silver. Now it was clear that they could not get the four taels of silver, so Li Yulan did not want to endure it anymore and looked at Ji Huan: "Ji Huan, what do you mean? Are you saying that I am shameless?"

Ji Huan nodded. "Yes, you are shameless, aren't you? Is your arm broken or your leg lame? Can't you wash the dishes without your own hands? I'm telling you, don't even think about ordering Yu Bai around in the future."

"Oh, Ji Huan, you're protecting that jinx, right?"

Ji Huan's face immediately turned cold when she heard the word "jinx". She filled a ladle with hot water from the pot and without warning, poured it towards Li Yulan and the others. Ji Ming thought it was boiling water and was almost scared to death.

"Ji Huan!" But when he tried to stop him, Ji Huan had already poured the water out.

She looked at Ji Ming coldly, her tone devoid of warmth. "Her mouth stinks so badly I had to wash it for her. If it happens again, I can't guarantee I won't use boiling water."

"Ji Huan, you, how could you do that? Your sister-in-law was just joking, how could you take it seriously?" Ji Ming said angrily.

"I was just joking with my sister-in-law, how could you take it seriously? Oh, don't you guys like joking around? I'll have to joke around with Ji Dong and Ji Xi from now on." A smile played at Ji Huan's lips.

Ji Ming shuddered. "Ji, Ji Huan, I'm warning you, don't you lay hands on the child?"

Ji Ming quickly nudged Li Yulan, "Let's go back to the room."

"Ji Ming, are you still Qian Yuan? You're just going to watch me get splashed with water by your sister? How can you live like this?" Li Yulan's cries filled the yard.

Ji Huan glanced toward the door, snorted coldly, and said nothing more.

In Ji Mantun's room, he had just taken a few puffs of his cigarette and was about to lie down to rest for a while when he heard the eldest daughter-in-law crying in the yard.

Ji Mantun banged the pipe in his hand heavily and cursed: "Why are there so many things every day? Why didn't I realize that Li Yulan was so noisy before? Does this family still look like a home?"

"Don't worry, mistress, I'll go out and take a look."

Liu Fengmei said as she walked out of the room. Seeing Ji Ming and Li Yulan arguing in the yard, Liu Fengmei hurriedly asked: "What's the matter? Why are you arguing over a bowl and chopsticks?"

Li Yulan saw Liu Fengmei coming over and hurriedly cried: "Mom, please make a decision for me. I just asked Jiang Yubai to help wash the dishes, but Ji Huan protected Jiang Yubai and refused to let me. He also scolded me and poured boiling water on me. Mom, please make a decision for me."

Liu Fengmei didn't feel sorry for Li Yulan at all. Why did she ask her to judge? She was also stunned by Ji Huan's ridicule today. She was almost embarrassed. How could she have the nerve to find fault with Ji Huan? She was not idle and wanted to be scolded.

"Ji Ming, why don't you take your wife back? What's the matter with you crying in the yard? Don't you think there are not enough jokes in our family?" Liu Fengmei scolded.

Seeing that Liu Fengmei was angry, Ji Ming hurriedly pulled Li Yulan, "Yulan, let's stop making trouble. Isn't it just a little water on the clothes? It will be fine after it is dried. Go back quickly. What will happen if the children see it?"

Li Yulan got angry when she heard this and scolded, "You coward, you watched your wife being bullied and you didn't even dare to fart. Okay, I can't find anyone to make the decision today, right? I will also learn from Ji Huan and go to the people in the village to seek justice. Don't stop me."

When Liu Fengmei heard that Li Yulan was going to make a big deal out of it, she quickly shouted towards the kitchen: "Ji Huan, mother can't stop your sister-in-law anymore. It will be embarrassing for you if this matter gets to the whole village

. Come out and apologize to your sister-in-law, and we'll be done with this." Ji Huan was so angry that he laughed in the kitchen. She had just finished boiling water and wiped her hands when Ji Huan leaned against the door and looked outside. He replied calmly: "Let her go, don't stop her. Besides, Li Yulan was the one who was shameless first. Why should I apologize?" "

Ji Huan, you bastard, I'm going to fight you." Li Yulan howled even harder when she heard Ji Huan scolding her. If Ji Ming hadn't held her back, she would have pounced on Ji Huan.

Ji Huan looked at the clown in front of him and laughed, "Sister-in-law, you think you can extort money from me with just these two tricks? Go ahead and tell the villagers that I scalded you with water, and see if anyone will believe you. Besides, even if someone believes you, are there any red spots on your body? Without any evidence, who would believe you?"

"Mom, you've been acting for most of the day and you must be tired. Go back and rest. Let sister-in-law run around here by herself. Let's just ignore it. Okay, let's all go home," Ji Huan said casually.

Li Yulan had stopped crying by now. After hearing what Ji Huan had just said, she actually felt that Ji Huan's words made sense. She didn't have any burns on her body. Even if the villagers came to make a fuss, no one would believe her. For a moment, Li Yulan was in a dilemma, unable to back down.

Liu Fengmei felt embarrassed when she heard Ji Huan talking about acting again. She didn't care about Li Yulan anymore and quickly sneaked back to her room.

Ji Ming glared at Li Yulan and said, "Okay, I won't stop you. Go ahead and make a fuss."

After yelling at Li Yulan, Ji Ming went back to his room. No one in the yard paid any attention to Li Yulan.

Li Yulan felt embarrassed and cried for a while in the yard. Finally, Ji Dong and Ji Xi came out and took Li Yulan back, and the farce was finally over.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai then went back to get some water to wash up.

Before going to bed that night, Ji Huan seemed to remember something. He reached out and poked Jiang Yubai in his arms, and gently said, "If you wake up early tomorrow morning, remember to wake me up early."

"Why do you want to wake me up?" The little rabbit rubbed against Ji Huan's arms, asking in confusion.

Ji Huan chuckled and found Jiang Yubai's hand from under the covers. He reached out and pinched Jiang Yubai's fingertips and played with them. "Get up and feed my little rabbit with eggs."

Jiang Yubai's ears blushed slightly when she heard Ji Huan call her little rabbit again. "Sister, is it okay? What about mother?"

"The Ji family doesn't dare to do anything to us now. Everyone in the village knows about these incidents. If they still want to live in Dongniu Village, they won't dare to provoke us again. Go to sleep," Ji Huan pinched Jiang Yubai's fingertips and said softly.

Just hearing Ji Huan's gentle voice made Jiang Yubai limp and weak. She was somewhat thankful that the room was pitch black, otherwise her sister would surely notice her blushing face again.

"Hmm." Jiang Yubai shyly nudged Ji Huan's chest. Noticing that Ji Huan's hand, which was pinching her fingertips, seemed to be about to loosen, Jiang Yubai instinctively grabbed Ji Huan's hand. Ji Huan

chuckled softly and reached out with his other hand to rub the top of Jiang Yubai's head. "Want to hold your hand while you sleep?"

Jiang Yubai didn't let go of Ji Huan's hand, but Ji Huan's question made her feel completely simmered. She hummed and didn't answer.

Ji Huan knew that the little rabbit in his arms was probably shy, so he let the little rabbit hold his hand, closed his eyes, and began to fall asleep. Ever since he discovered that he was a "ghost", the little rabbit had become even more attached to him.

The next morning, before five o'clock, the little rabbit had already opened her eyes because of her biological clock. She still remembered what Ji Huan had told her, but when she heard Ji Huan's steady breathing, the little rabbit was reluctant to wake Ji Huan up.

She thought for a long time in Ji Huan's arms before trying to gently shake Ji Huan's arm, "Sister, get up."

Hearing the little rabbit's cry, Ji Huan opened her eyes and paused for two seconds before remembering that it was she who asked the little rabbit to wake her up.

Ji Huan was reluctant to let go of the soft and warm little rabbit in her arms. The temperature inside and outside the quilt was completely different. After staying there for a while, Ji Huan patted the little rabbit's back and said softly, "I'll go get the eggs first. You wait for me obediently."

"Sister, I'll go with you." The little rabbit rubbed against Ji Huan clingingly.

Ji Huan's heart softened, and she said softly, "Just lie down and warm up the cup. I need to go back to sleep when I get back."

"Okay." The little rabbit responded softly, curled up in the quilt and didn't get up.

When Ji Huan got up from the quilt, she felt that the room was gloomy and cold. She had to seal the holes and replace the window paper, otherwise it would be even colder. She quickly put on her patched cotton skirt and left the room.

It was still dark outside, and the yard was pitch black. Ji Huan went to the backyard based on her memory. She fumbled in several chicken coops and found three eggs. Ji Huan put the eggs directly into the space.

After returning to the front yard, she washed her hands, otherwise her hands would smell like chicken. After doing all this, Ji Huan returned to her room.

The little rabbit was still lying quietly in the room. Ji Huan took off her outer cotton skirt and quickly slipped under the covers, hugging the little rabbit inside. She teased with a smile, "Am I cold?"

Jiang Yubai naturally nestled into Ji Huan's arms, holding Ji Huan's hands in hers to warm them. "A little, I'll warm you up."

Ji Huan chuckled and let the little rabbit in her arms warm her hands. Holding a small stove in her arms, she was warm in no time.

Meanwhile, Liu Fengmei, though not seriously ill, had woken up early because she was worried about the eggs in the backyard.

She dressed and headed out the door to the backyard. As she walked, she calculated that she had fainted yesterday while hiking up the mountain and hadn't had time to collect the eggs. With today's eggs, she should have six eggs.

Thinking of this, Liu Fengmei no longer felt the cold and happily thought about cooking a few eggs, secretly giving one each to her third son and two grandsons.

Walking out of the chicken coop, Liu Fengmei went into the chicken coop and began to touch each one. However, the more she touched, the worse her face became. It had been two days. It was impossible that these hens had not laid a single egg, right? Or was it that she had not taken care to feed the chickens in the past two days, and the chickens could not lay eggs because they were not full?

Liu Fengmei was full of doubts and returned to the room with a frown on her face. Seeing that Ji Mantun had woken up, she hurriedly said to Ji Mantun, "Dad, it's been two days and there are no eggs in the chicken coop in the backyard. Do you think someone took advantage of the chaos to steal our eggs?"

Liu Fengmei thought for a while and her voice suddenly became louder, "Do you think it was Ji Huan?"

Ji Mantun pursed his lips and thought for a while, then said, "Ji Huan would not do that before, but now, it's hard to say. But we should catch the thief and catch the dirty one. You didn't catch Ji Huan on the spot. Besides, our family has already lost the support of the people in the village, and no one will believe it if we tell others." "Then

what should we do? Dad, if we don't take care of this, won't all the eggs be stolen in the future?" Liu Fengmei said dissatisfiedly.

"We just need to keep a close eye on him. Our family has a bad reputation in the village right now, so we have to be patient. If we push Ji Huan too far and cause trouble again, we won't get any good results. I'm tired of it after all these troubles, so let's just leave it at that." Ji Mantun lit his pipe, took a few puffs, and sighed.

Liu Fengmei also sat down on the stool weakly, "His father, how did Ji Huan become like this? He was obviously fine before."

"It's hard to say." Ji Mantun shook his head.

In the morning, Ji Mantun called everyone except Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai to the dining room. No one had eaten yet, and they were all a little confused about what Ji Mantun was going to say.

Seeing that no one spoke, Ji Ming asked first: "Dad, you called everyone here so early in the morning, is there something you want to tell us?"

Ji Mantun took two puffs of his cigarette and nodded. He blew out a smoke ring and said, "Look, the New Year is coming soon, and I don't want anything to happen at home. Ji Huan's affairs will end today. She has done a lot of work in the past and earned a lot of money for the family. From now until the end of the New Year, Ji Huan and the others will not have to do the housework for the time being. The eldest and the fourth brother, you two families will take turns to do it. As for the third brother, there is only one of them. You, the third brother, will work with the fourth brother and his wife. "

When Ji Sen heard that Ji Mantun had assigned Ji Yuan to him, he immediately became unhappy, "Dad, I don't need Ji Yuan. He is very valuable. It is better for the two of us to work slowly than to use him."

When Ji Ming heard Ji Sen say this, he also quickly expressed his opinion: "We don't need Ji Yuan either. He can't do anything."

Ji Yuan was despised by Ji Ming and Ji Sen, and his face turned green with anger, "Brother, am I as bad as you say?"

Li Yulan snorted lightly, covering her mouth and laughing.

Ji Yuan was even more furious. He was obviously a scholar, and the whole family had praised him before. Why did he become the one disliked by everyone now?

Ji Mantun knocked heavily on the table with his pipe. "Stop arguing. I told you, the New Year is coming soon. You should all be quiet. Your mother and I are not in good health anymore. We'll have to rely on you in the future. Ji Yuan, your academy will be on vacation until after the New Year. How about this? You will be responsible for chopping wood every day during this period, and you don't have to worry about the rest of the work."

"Dad." Ji Yuan's tone was full of dissatisfaction, but seeing that Ji Mantun looked unhappy, and he hadn't received the tuition for the academy after the New Year, Ji Yuan had no choice but to swallow his anger: "Okay, I'll go chop wood."

Hearing Ji Yuan say this, Ji Ming and Ji Sen were happy. At least when it was their turn to work, they didn't have to go up the mountain to chop wood.

"Dad, what about Ji Huan? Do you want to cook for Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai in the future?" Ji Ming asked again.

Hearing Ji Ming ask this, Li Yulan rolled her eyes at Ji Ming. She had just suffered a loss at Ji Huan's hands last night.

"Of course we have to do it. You all have seen that the villagers are now ostracizing our family. We have to put this matter behind us as soon as possible, otherwise our family will have a hard time in the village in the future. This is also the reason why I haven't arranged any work for Ji Huan and the others during this period. We also have to let the villagers see that the rest of our family members are busy every day."

Ji Mantun took another puff of his cigarette and continued, "You brothers must get along well with each other in the future. Don't quarrel over every little thing and make a fool of yourself in front of outsiders. Okay, let's start the work with the eldest brother. Ji Yuan, don't forget to chop wood every day. Let's all go."

After Ji Mantun finished speaking, the people in the dining room dispersed.

Li Yulan glared at Ji Ming fiercely, "It's useless. Now, Ji Huan and that jinx are free." "

Say less, our parents will have to pay for our son's education. If you don't want to make him unwilling to pay, just be quiet these days." Ji Ming advised. He also found out that the whole family couldn't beat Ji Huan, let alone the two of them.

"Okay, okay, I really owe your family. If it weren't for my son, I wouldn't swallow my anger." Li Yulan snorted coldly and was persuaded by Ji Ming into the kitchen.

Ji Yuan gritted his teeth and went back to change into old clothes. However, no matter how old his clothes were, they were better than Ji Huan's. Thinking of finding a rich Kunze to escape from the sea of ​​suffering in the future, Ji Yuan gritted his teeth, took the axe, and went up the mountain to chop wood.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai enjoyed a rare few days of leisure. With the Lunar New Year approaching in just two or three days, Ji Mantun instructed Ji Ming to go shopping for New Year's goods.

Ji Ming glanced at the silver in his hand and asked, "Dad, should we include Ji Huan and the others in the cloth purchase?"

After all, Ji Huan hadn't been included in the previous year's purchase. Many of Ji Huan's clothes had been made into women's styles because Ji Ming and Ji Yuan didn't like wearing them anymore. But this year was different,

so Ji Ming asked. Ji Mantun pondered for a moment before speaking, "You each get one bolt of cloth. As for Ji Huan and the others, just bring back half a bolt. It'll be considered buying them, and it'll help silence the villagers."

"Okay, I understand, Dad," Ji Ming nodded in response.

"Big Boss, go borrow Er Zhuzi's donkey cart. That way, it'll be easier for you and Ji Yuan to go to the county town to buy things," Ji Mantun continued.

"Okay, Dad," Ji Ming said, and headed out of the courtyard. But within a stick of incense, he returned.

Seeing him empty-handed, Ji Mantun asked, "What's going on? Where's the donkey cart?"

Ji Ming scratched his neck awkwardly before speaking, "Auntie Wu won't lend us our donkey cart. She even said we could use it, but we'd have to pay at least thirty wen for the rental fee."

"Won't lend it? When did they start that kind of rule? Do other families have to rent their carts?" Ji Mantun asked again.

Ji Ming felt even more embarrassed. He passed several villagers along the way, but they ignored him when he tried to speak to them. Finally, he flattered them, and they told him that Auntie Wu's family didn't charge anyone else, only his. That was a complete slap in the face. He then approached other villagers in the village who had donkey and mule carts, but they were even more blunt, refusing to lend them money.

"Dad, don't mention it. Aunt Wu only accepts money from our family. Isn't this a slap in our faces?" Ji Ming didn't dare to look at Ji Mantun's eyes.

"What about other families? Have you asked?" Ji Mantun sighed heavily and asked.

"If I asked, they would be more straightforward and just say they don't want to lend." Ji Ming looked at the ground and didn't dare to look at Ji Mantun.

Ji Mantun sighed heavily, took out thirty coins from his pocket, and instructed: "Take the money and remember to say more good things. Our family has lost all its reputation in the village because of Ji Huan's matter." "

Okay, Dad, then I'll go." Ji Ming took the money and went out of the yard again, this time bringing the donkey cart back.

Ji Mantun thought for a moment, then glanced at Ji Ming. "Ji Ming, why don't you ask Ji Huan if he's willing to go with you? If you all go together, maybe the villagers won't be so hostile."

Ji Ming thought about it and nodded. "Okay, Dad, I'll go get Ji Huan then."

"Okay," Ji Mantun sighed, puffing on his pipe again.

A moment later, Ji Ming arrived at Ji Huan's door. Ji Huan opened it and saw it was Ji Ming, so he asked directly, "What's going on?"

"Dad asked Ji Yuan and I to go to the county town to buy New Year's goods. Dad asked me to ask you if you want to come too?" Ji Ming glanced at Ji Huan and said.

Ji Huan clenched her fingers lightly and nodded slightly. "Okay, I'll be there in a minute."

She had actually been planning to visit the county town for a while. Ever since she transmigrated into the book, all she knew was this small village. Ji Huan thought she'd take this opportunity to do some market research. Jiang Yubai had mentioned before that people in this world loved drinking tea, but she had to see for herself what kind of teaware they used.

The only thing that Ji Huan was a little worried about was the little rabbit.

Seeing Ji Huan's hesitation, Jiang Yubai hurriedly said, "Sister, go if you have something to do. I'll be waiting for you at home."

Looking at the well-behaved little rabbit, Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly and she said softly, "Okay, we'll be back in the afternoon at the latest. You stay here and ignore those people in the Ji family."

"Yeah, I know." Jiang Yubai nodded.

Ji Huan was relieved and gave Jiang Yubai a few more instructions before leaving the room and heading towards the dining room.

Seeing Ji Huan coming over, Ji Mantun sighed and said, "Since you want to go, then come with me. This time, I asked your eldest brother to buy you half a bolt of cloth, and then ask your wife to make you a new dress."

Ji Huan thought about it but felt something was wrong, so he asked, "What about your eldest brother and the others? Are they all getting half a bolt of cloth each?"

Ji Mantun was a little embarrassed, but he still said, "The eldest brother has a large family, so of course he gets one bolt of cloth; the third brother has to study in the county, so it's only natural that he gets a few more sets of clothes, so he also gets one bolt of cloth; as for the fourth brother..."

Ji Mantun was a little bit at a loss for a reason to give the fourth brother and the others a bolt of cloth. While he was stunned, he heard Ji Huan sneer.

"Why? You can't make it up? So we only get half a bolt of cloth? And you didn't give that half bolt of cloth willingly, did you? I guess you gritted your teeth and gave me half a bolt of cloth because you were afraid that the villagers would gossip?" Ji Huan said, smiling at Ji Mantun.

For some reason, when Ji Huan smiled, Ji Mantun felt a chill run down his spine. Thinking back on everything that had happened before, he quickly pulled out a few dozen coins and handed them to Ji Ming, gritting his teeth and saying, "Give Ji Huan and the others a piece of cloth, one for each family, without bias." "

Okay, I understand, Dad." Ji Ming nodded hurriedly, putting the money away. He had just been a little afraid that his father wouldn't give Ji Huan a piece of cloth. After all, he couldn't convince Ji Huan, and if Ji Huan made a scene when they got to the county town, he really wouldn't be able to stop him.

Seeing that Ji Mantun was quite sensible, Ji Huan chuckled and said, "Okay, thank you, Dad."

She said this thank you slowly and without any sincerity. As if remembering something, Ji Huan's eyes swept over to Liu Fengmei again.

Liu Fengmei stiffened, thinking to herself, "Haven't I messed with Ji Huan these days? Why was Ji Huan looking at her?

Ji Huan's lips curled into a smile as he spoke, "My eldest brother and I are out on some business. I hope you won't disturb Yubai. As for lunch, I'll trouble Fourth Sister-in-law to bring it to the house."

"Of course, Xiuxiu, I'll leave it to you." Liu Fengmei didn't want to provoke Ji Huan; she simply couldn't argue with him, and she couldn't convince him.

"Okay, that's it, then. Let's go, eldest brother," Ji Huan urged.

"Okay, we'll be leaving." Before leaving, Ji Ming gave Li Yulan a wink, signaling her not to provoke Jiang Yubai.

The donkey cart moved slowly, and the three of them didn't ride. Ji Ming led the cart in front, while Ji Yuan walked beside him. Ji Huan walked at the back, leisurely taking in the road and scenery along the way. After the family split up, she would likely have to make frequent trips to the county town to sell teacups.

Along the way, they met many fellow villagers, who mostly ignored Ji Ming and Ji Yuan, only greeting Ji Huan and exchanging a few pleasantries.

Ji Huan, as always, was very honest and naive in his conversation.

Ji Yuan, walking in front, was almost gnashing his teeth. This Ji Huan was now one way at home and another way outside. No wonder the villagers were so confused by her.

Coming out of the village road, there was a road where Dongniu Village and Xiniu Village joined together. It was also the confluence of two rivers. Ji Huan observed everything around him with great interest, and from time to time he asked Ji Ming what the surrounding roads were like and what other villages there were, leaving Ji Yuan aside.

The three of them walked for nearly an hour before they finally saw the county wall.

Once they arrived in the county town, Ji Yuan became arrogant again. He even didn't want to walk with Ji Huan and the others, feeling that it would make him look cheap. However, after thinking about the money, he endured it. His father had given all the money for food to Ji Ming, and he didn't want to pay for food separately, so he had to go with Ji Ming. It

was Ji Huan's first time in the county town, and he quickly noticed the difference between the county town and their small village. At least the people in the county town didn't have many patches on their clothes.

Ji Huan walked calmly in her patched clothes, her body straight, not feeling that there was anything wrong with her at all. It was Ji Yuan who felt embarrassed and moved a little further away from the donkey cart, pretending not to know Ji Huan.

Seeing Ji Yuan like this, Ji Huan just thought he was ridiculous.

A while later, Ji Yuan ran into Sun Tiansheng, a classmate from the county town, who had obviously seen Ji Yuan from a distance.

Ji Yuan hurriedly moved further away, fearing that Sun Tiansheng would find out that he and Ji Huan were related.

"Brother Ji Yuan, long time no see." Sun Tiansheng ran over happily. His family ran a small business in the county town, and he and Ji Yuan had a good relationship on weekdays.

"How are you, Brother Tiansheng?" Ji Yuan returned the scholar's greeting, and he was indeed extremely nervous.

"I came out to buy some things. I haven't seen you in a long time. How have you been recently?" Sun Tiansheng was already in front of Ji Yuan.

"Not bad. I've been reviewing my studies at home. Since the New Year is approaching, I came to the county town to buy some things." Ji Yuan explained.

"Yu Bin ran into me the other day and asked about you. He originally organized a party at Qingfeng Building and wanted to invite you to join him." "

Really? That's unfortunate. Let's get together after the New Year when the college opens. You are in a hurry to go shopping, right? Go quickly, I won't keep you." Ji Yuan said hurriedly, he was afraid that Sun Tiansheng would discover his relationship with Ji Huan and the others.

Unexpectedly, Sun Tiansheng looked at Ji Yuan calmly. "It's okay. I finally get to see you. Let's chat for a while. By the way, did you come to the county town alone to buy New Year's goods? Where are your family?"

Ji Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Just as he was about to say that he came alone, Ji Huan's voice came from behind him.

"Here, I'm his second sister. The one pulling the donkey cart is his eldest brother. Are you Ji Yuan's classmate?" Ji Huan asked calmly, looking at Sun Tiansheng.

Sun Tiansheng glanced at Ji Huan, whose clothes were patched ten ways, and then at Ji Yuan, who was wearing a navy blue cotton robe. His expression was filled with embarrassment. After a long pause, he spoke dryly, "Hello, second sister. I didn't expect Brother Ji's family wasn't well off."

Ji Yuan's teeth were almost broken. Just as he was about to speak, Ji Huan interrupted him, "That's right. All the money in the family goes to Ji Yuan for his studies. He barely gets by. You're his classmate, so you should help him out."

"Yes, well, Ji Yuan, I just remembered I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now." Sun Tiansheng said goodbye to Ji Yuan awkwardly and ran away.

Ji Yuan was not frugal with his money at the academy, so Sun Tiansheng thought that although Ji Yuan's family lived in the village, they were well-off landlords, which was why they were willing to play with him. But he never imagined that Ji Yuan's family was so poor. The number of patches on his sister's clothes was countless, and they looked no better than beggars in the county town.

Seeing Sun Tiansheng running off, Ji Yuan glared at Ji Huan fiercely, "Ji Huan! You really want to kill me? Why are you meddling in my conversation with my classmates? I'm so fed up. Can you please just shut up?"

"I didn't do anything. What's wrong? Do you think you look down on the villagers just because you studied in the county town for two days and don't want to acknowledge me and your brother? Why are you so snobbish?" Ji Huan took two steps back with a look of disgust.

Seeing Ji Huan arguing with Ji Yuan, Ji Ming, in a very good mood, echoed from the side, "That's right, Ji Yuan, are you upset that we're embarrassing you?"

"Brother, why are you speaking up for Ji Huan?" Ji Yuan was almost pissed off. He didn't know what Sun Tiansheng would say to his classmates when he got back.

"We're telling the truth. Okay, let's go buy some cloth first, and then some candy and snacks. Let's go, let's go." Ji Ming said as he pulled the donkey cart towards the cloth shop.

After playing a trick on Ji Yuan, Ji

Huan followed in a very good mood. Of the three, only Ji Yuan was in a terrible mood, and he was still trying to figure out how to explain this to his classmates. When they arrived at the cloth shop, Ji Ming let Ji Huan and the others choose the fabric. Ji Huan picked and chose, but didn't choose any particularly bright colors. Since she and Jiang Yubai were living in the village now, it was better to buy something that wouldn't get dirty and would look good. In the end, Ji Huan chose a piece of cyan cloth.

If used well, a piece of cloth could make about two sets of clothes, enough for both her and Jiang Yubai.

As Ji Ming and the others were choosing fabric, Ji Huan lost interest and said to Ji Ming, "You guys pick first. I'll walk around here by myself." "

Okay, then remember to come back and find us later. If we're not here, we'll just go to the candy store up ahead," Ji Ming said perfunctorily. He was completely focused on choosing fabric, and Li Yulan scolded him for the ugly fabric he bought last year.

Ji Huan ignored the two and walked straight out of the cloth shop. She picked up a random passerby and asked, "Young man, I'd like to ask where you can buy teaware here?"

The man, Qian Yuan, took a look at Ji Huan's clothes and said with a hint of disdain, "It's just around the corner over there, but I advise you not to go. The teaware there is very expensive, even the cheapest ones cost hundreds of coins. It's not a place for ordinary people like us."

Ji Huan saw the disdain in the man's eyes, but still smiled and thanked him, "Thank you. They're open for business. Can they stop me from entering?"

With that, Ji Huan walked towards the shop where she could buy teaware. The man, Qian Yuan, watched Ji Huan leave and shook his head.

Ji Huan walked to the corner and, as expected, saw a teaware shop at the corner of the intersection. It was labeled "Qingya Teaware Shop."

Ji Huan saw that the shop was large and had a second floor, so she thought it must have the most popular teaware in Daliang.

Ji Huan stared at the tea shop's entrance for a moment before taking a step inside. As she stepped over the threshold, the doorman stopped her.

"What are you doing? We don't have any money to reward you. Get out of here!" The doorman, looking at Ji Huan's patched clothes, assumed she was a beggar.

Ji Huan looked at the doorman and asked, "What's the matter? Isn't your shop run for business? Why are you blocking customers from entering? Is this how you treat guests?"

"Don't you beggars, why are you using so many flowery words? Our boss has ordered that people like you don't have the right to enter." The doorman continued to block Ji Huan's way.

There were already people watching the excitement at the door. Seeing the crowd, the boss hurried over and asked, "What's going on?"

"Boss Wang, this beggar insisted on coming into our shop to take a look," the doorman said, glaring at Ji Huan and addressing the owner.

Ji Huan looked at the shopkeeper coldly, "What? Isn't your shop open for business? People are divided into different classes, and if they are not well dressed, they are not qualified to enter the shop?"

"How can you, a beggar, be so quibbling?" The waiter was also anxious and wanted to reach out to push Ji Huan, but was grabbed by the shopkeeper.

"Sir, we are sorry for not treating him well. Since we are open, everyone is welcome to patronize. It is us, the waiters, who are not treating him well. Please come in." The shopkeeper made a gesture of invitation, but his tone and attitude were still arrogant. He felt that Ji Huan did not dare to go in.

Ji Huan glanced at the shopkeeper and stepped in without saying a word.

The waiter was anxious to stop him, but was stopped by the shopkeeper.

Shopkeeper Wang looked at Ji Huan coldly, eager to see what this young man was up to.

Ji Huan ignored the others, and the gazes of the other customers in the shop, instead focusing his gaze on the teaware displayed on the shelves. Most of the items on the wooden shelves were purple clay or other similarly colored teaware, with many cyan teaware, somewhat similar to those fired in the Ru kiln, and even more purple clay. From teapots to teacups, almost all were purple clay.

Ji Huan reached out to take a look at one of the cyan teacups, but was stopped by the waiter.

"I let you in and you really dare to touch it? This is teaware made by the Liu family of Pingzhou. Even if I sell you, you can't afford the compensation."

Ji Huan ignored the waiter's sarcasm, but asked, "It's just a small teacup? How much silver can it sell for?"

The waiter saw that Ji Huan didn't even know about the Liu family of Pingzhou, and showed disdain on his face. He wanted to show off to Ji Huan, so he said, "I'll scare you to death if I tell you this. This teacup is just an ordinary product made in the kiln of the Liu family of Pingzhou. It costs five taels of silver. Someone like you probably can't afford it even if you don't eat or drink for three to five years. I advise you to put it down quickly to avoid trouble."

Ji Huan smiled at the waiter and didn't care. Instead, she thanked him politely, "Thank you for letting me know."

After that, Ji Huan carefully observed the teacup in her hand. The glaze color of the teacup was even, it was the light green color she had seen in her previous life. The glaze surface was also well fired, but it was basically all green.

Ji Huan put down the teacup in her hand and began to look at the others. Without exception, she couldn't find the kind she was looking for.

Seeing her searching, the waiter couldn't help but ask, "Are you going to buy or not? Any celadon here costs several taels of silver. You can't afford to pay for it."

Ji Huan, holding a few teacups in her hand, looked at the waiter and asked, "Don't you have any celadon with ice cracks?"

The waiter burst into laughter upon hearing what Ji Huan said, drawing the other customers' glances in Ji Huan's direction.

"You're pretending to know, and you still don't believe me? Cracked porcelain is bad porcelain and would have been thrown away long ago. How could they possibly be selling it? You'd better leave now," the waiter said, rolling his eyes at Ji Huan.

"So, none of your teaware here has cracks?" Ji Huan pressed on.

"Nonsense! I already told you it's broken. We're the largest teaware shop in Qingyuan County, how could we possibly sell something cracked?"

Ji Huan nodded, her mind taking in the situation. She glanced over and continued, "You only have celadon and purple clay teaware here?"

"Isn't that enough? These are the best teaware we sell in Daliang. Purple clay is a bit cheaper than celadon. By the way, you're probably looking for ordinary porcelain, like the bowls you eat from. We don't have the cheap ones here. Go to the market down south to buy them," the shop assistant said impatiently.

Ji Huan got the message she wanted, so she didn't get offended by the shop assistant's sarcasm. Instead, she continued to browse the shop with great interest.

The more she looked, the more her smile grew. The porcelain here was mainly celadon and purple clay, not Jianzhan teaware. This meant that if she could successfully fire her own, and given the Daliang people's love for teaware, Ji Huan was confident her Jianzhan teaware would fetch a good price.

After the shopkeeper had finished entertaining a few distinguished guests, he saw Ji Huan still there and was a little puzzled as to why this poor young man was so interested in teaware.

Ji Huan walked around for a while, got a rough idea in her mind, and left the teahouse. When she left, she happened to meet Ji Ming and Ji Yuan coming out of the cloth shop.

Ji Yuan's eyes widened when he saw Ji Huan coming out of the Qingya Teaware Shop in a patched outfit, "Ji Huan, are you crazy? How dare you enter a place like a teaware shop?"

Ji Huan glanced at Ji Yuan indifferently and said casually, "I don't steal or rob, so what is there I dare not enter? What? Does that teaware shop eat people?"

"I don't care about you. When you get into big trouble, you will naturally know that it is not a place you can go."

Ji Huan was still thinking about the market in the south that the shop assistant had just mentioned, so she told Ji Ming the meeting place and went to the market in the south alone.

Ji Ming stared at Ji Huan's back, puzzled. "When did Ji Huan become interested in tea?"

"Who knows what's wrong with her?" Ji Yuan said dismissively. After all, most people who tasted tea were city celebrities, or at least scholars like them. Ji Yuan didn't think a peasant like Ji Huan was qualified to taste tea.

Ji Huan walked alone to the South Market. Her clothes wouldn't have been conspicuous in the village—many families wouldn't throw away torn clothes, patching them up and wearing them again. But in the county town, they were quite conspicuous.

Ji Huan remained unfazed by the stares from passersby. After walking for about an incense stick of time, she finally reached the South Market. The market was bustling, with small vendors lining both sides of the street, many of them shouting and soliciting customers.

She thought for a moment and went to a nearby bank to exchange one tael of silver for a thousand copper coins for easier use.

After leaving the bank, Ji Huan found a quiet alley. She only had a hundred copper coins on her, and put the rest into the space to avoid the need to carry them with her, which was heavy and cumbersome. After doing this, Ji Huan continued to walk into the market.

Chapter Text

She walked along, stopping occasionally to see what was being sold along the street. When she reached a popular stall selling hairpins, Ji Huan stopped. The stall wasn't large, but the reasonable prices attracted many people to choose from.

Ji Huan glanced at the hairpins on display, her eyes settling on a white jade hairpin with a little rabbit carved into the end. She picked it up and examined it.

The hairpin seller, noticing Ji Huan's shabby attire, was about to send her away when he heard her say,

"Thirty cents each, right? Seller, wrap this one for me." Ji Huan said, already pulling out copper coins from his pocket, even more forthright than those who were better dressed.

The hairpin seller's expression immediately changed, and he said with a smile, "You have a good eye. All my hairpins here are of the same style, and come in a wooden box. Remember to come back next time if you need one."

With that, the stall owner took the hairpin from Ji Huan's hand, lightly wrapped it in cloth, placed it in the wooden box, and handed it to Ji Huan.

Ji Huan took the box, thanked him, and continued walking towards the market in a good mood.

The white jade hairpin she had just chosen, while not the best material, looked quite transparent, and the little rabbit carved on it was very cute, perfect for her little white rabbit. Ji Huan touched the wooden box in her arms, her eyes slightly curved.

She quickly found the cheap teaware the tea shop assistant had mentioned. At the innermost part of the market, there were about a dozen stalls selling cheap teaware. As she looked around, she saw that, just as the tea shop assistant had said, the quality of the teaware here was clearly several grades lower.

Ji Huan walked to a stall, picked up a purple clay tea cup on the stall and looked at it. Both the workmanship and the materials were very rough. Many of the tea sets were made of the same materials as ordinary porcelain bowls. No wonder they were cheap.

The stall owner saw Ji Huan picking and choosing, and looked at the many patches on her body, and said sarcastically: "You've been looking for a long time, are you going to buy it or not? I advise you not to look at the purple clay ones, you can't afford them for dozens of coins each. Just look at the porcelain ones, the cheapest ones are two or three coins each."

Ji Huan put down the purple clay tea cup in his hand, reached out and took a small porcelain cup, "Boss, do you have the kind of tea sets with ever-changing glaze colors on a single cup?"

The stall owner glared at Ji Huan, "Are you doing this on purpose? And ever-changing? How is that possible? Not to mention my small stall. "You won't find the kind of teacup you're talking about even if you go to Qingya Teaware Shop."

A smile curled up Ji Huan's lips, and he nodded. "Okay, thank you. I'll take a look."

Ji Huan then wandered off to other stalls. Seeing Ji Huan wasn't buying, the stall owner grumbled, "You can't afford it, yet you're asking so many questions? You're so picky."

Ji Huan didn't get angry. She browsed through several more stalls, gaining a general understanding of Daliang's teaware industry. After wandering around the market for a while, Ji Huan saw a line of people buying things nearby and followed them over.

There was a stall selling peach blossom pastries. Each package cost ten cents and weighed about a pound. Ji Huan, considering Little White Rabbit's appetite, simply bought two packages. The vendor wrapped the pastries in oil paper, tied them with a thin hemp string, and handed them to Ji Huan.

Ji Huan, carrying the pastries, headed back to the intersection where she had parted ways with Ji Ming and the others.

After walking for a while, Ji Huan finally reached the tea stall at the intersection. Ji Ming and Ji Yuan were already waiting there.

"Second brother, you're back? What did you buy?" Ji Ming asked, his sharp eyes spotting the oil-paper bag in Ji Huan's hand.

"Nothing much, I just bought some food for Yubai. It's so hard to come to the county town, I can't just not buy anything." Ji Huan reached out, poured herself a cup of tea, and drank it immediately.

She had walked quite a bit today and was feeling a little tired.

"Okay, Mom and the others have everything I asked for. Let's eat and head back this afternoon."

Ji Ming said, calling the stall attendant over and ordering three bowls of beef noodles and a side dish. That was lunch for the three of them. Ji

Yuan didn't really want to eat here. When he was studying at the academy, he often went out to eat with his classmates during breaks. Even if they couldn't afford a fancy restaurant, they would just go to a decent little place. They never ate at street stalls.

He was afraid of embarrassing himself if he ran into someone he knew.

The winter was chilly, and soon, steaming hot bowls of beef noodles were served. Ji Huan dug into her bowl, finding a few chunks of beef still scattered about. She'd been wandering around for most of the day and was truly hungry, so she dove into it with big mouthfuls.

Ji Ming was the same way, but Ji Yuan couldn't quite get his heart into his food. He was constantly worried about being seen by his classmates, and he kept glancing around as he ate.

Ji Huan chuckled and shook her head. How vain was that?

She ignored the other two and quickly devoured her bowl of noodles. By the time she'd finished her bowl, Ji Huan had completely warmed up.

After lunch, the three of them started back. It took them an hour and a half to reach the intersection of Dongniu and Xiniu villages. After walking along the village road for another incense stick's worth of time, Ji Huan and the others finally reached the Ji family's courtyard.

Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu had just returned from fetching water from the river. Seeing Ji Huan and the others return, they helped unload the goods from the truck.

Ji Ming and his companions carried all the goods from the car to the dining room and asked Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei to count them. Ji Huan followed them into the dining room slowly.

Ji Mantun counted the New Year goods they had bought. Seeing that everything he had asked for was bought, he said, "Okay, you can divide the cloth among yourself. As for the New Year goods, put them in my and your mother's bedrooms for now and eat them during the New Year."

"Okay." Ji Ming responded, and everyone began to take the cloth they had chosen.

Ji Huan took his piece of green cloth and prepared to leave. Liu Fengmei saw Ji Huan was about to leave and her eyes fell on the oil paper bag in Ji Huan's other hand. "Ji Huan."

Ji Huan heard Liu Fengmei calling her and turned her head to look at Liu Fengmei. "Is there something wrong?"

Liu Fengmei was stared at coldly by Ji Huan, and she couldn't say the words she wanted to say. "Nothing, go back, everyone go back."

Ji Huan then took the things and continued to walk out.

Liu Fengmei was just about to ask what was wrapped in the oil paper. She thought Ji Huan had bought it especially for her and Ji Mantun, but Ji Huan didn't even mention it. Liu Fengmei remembered the times Ji Huan had left her speechless before, so she didn't dare to ask what was in the oil paper.

When Ji Yuan saw Ji Huan leave, he frowned and said, "Mom, look at Ji Huan, what has become of her?"

Ji Mantun now had a headache whenever he heard the name of Ji Huan. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about her. You and Ji Ming are tired too. Send the things to my room and your mother's room, then go back and rest."

Seeing Ji Mantun say this, Ji Yuan didn't know what to say and helped move the New Year goods into Ji Mantun's room.

Ji Huan couldn't wait to return to her room. She knocked on the door twice and said, "Yubai, I'm back. Open the door for me."

A rustling sound soon came from inside, and soon the door opened. Seeing Ji Huan coming back, Jiang Yubai couldn't suppress a smile on her face.

"Sister, come in quickly. Are you tired? I'll help you get some water." The little rabbit took the cloth from Ji Huan's hand and put it aside, and immediately got busy.

Ji Huan turned around and closed the door, put the oil paper bag in her hand on the table, looked at Jiang Yubai, and smiled, "Not tired. How about you? Did they bring you lunch?"

Jiang Yubai placed the cup in front of Ji Huan and nodded. "Wang Xiuxiu sent it. Three multi-grain steamed buns with some vegetables. Don't worry, I'm full."

Ji Huan nodded, took a few sips of the hot water in the cup, and continued, "I'm glad you're full. I bought this package of pastries in the county town. There were quite a few people lining up to buy them, so I bought some too. Try them and see if they're delicious."

As he spoke, Ji Huan opened one of the packages. Inside the oil-paper envelope were ten delicate peach blossom pastries.

The little rabbit said she was full, but the sight of something delicious made her eyes light up again. When she was home, when her mother was still alive, it was fine; her mother would give her snacks. But since her mother passed away, she couldn't remember how long it had been since she had eaten these pastries.

"Sister, did you buy these especially for me?" The little rabbit looked at Ji Huan with bright eyes.

Seeing the little white rabbit enjoying the treat, Ji Huan's eyes lit up. "Well, do you like it?"

The little rabbit reached out and grabbed a piece, bringing it to her lips. After just one bite, her eyes lit up. This pastry had been made just today, and while Ji Huan and his companions had spent some time preparing it on the road, the texture hadn't been affected much.

The little rabbit's cheeks were puffed up, like a little hamster.

Ji Huan quickly poured the little rabbit a glass of water and gently reminded her, "This is all for you. Eat slowly."

The little rabbit smiled sweetly at Ji Huan, even wanting to throw herself into his arms and act coquettish, but shyly resisted.

"Sister, you eat too," the little rabbit took the opportunity to feed Ji Huan a piece of pastry.

Ji Huan took the pastry and tasted it. It was quite fresh and tasted quite good. However, having tasted all sorts of delicacies in the modern world, Ji Huan's reaction to the peach blossom pastry wasn't as strong as the little rabbit's.

The little rabbit offered Ji Huan another piece, but Ji Huan simply waved it off. She wasn't particularly fond of it; she'd just tasted it, not wanting to eat more. "Eat it yourself! I had beef noodles in the county town for lunch, so I'm still full."

Hearing Ji Huan's words, the little rabbit happily began to eat. Of the ten pastries, Ji Huan ate one, and the remaining nine were quickly devoured. Ji Huan was stunned; her little white rabbit had a truly voracious appetite.

Jiang Yubai felt a little embarrassed by Ji Huan's gaze, and coquettishly said, "Sister, why do you keep staring at me?"

"You look so cute eating. Are you going to eat the rest of the package? Or are you saving it for tomorrow?" Ji Huan asked softly.

Jiang Yubai's eyes flickered, and after a moment's thought, she looked at Ji Huan. "Eat it tomorrow. I'm full now."

Ji Huan smiled and nodded. After all, there wasn't a stove or charcoal basin in their room, so the pastries wouldn't go bad if left indoors.

Seeing that the little rabbit had finished eating, she stood up, took out the wooden box from her arms, and handed it to her. "Open it and see if you like it?"

The little rabbit obviously didn't expect Ji Huan to bring her something other than food. "Did you buy it for me?"

Ji Huan nodded, looking at Jiang Yubai with a smile in his eyes. "Yes, I bought it for my little rabbit."

"Sister~" The little rabbit called "sister" softly and tenderly. She was a little curious about what Ji Huan had bought her, and she couldn't wait to open the wooden box.

The contents were wrapped in soft cloth. After opening it, she saw a white jade hairpin with a crouching little white rabbit carved on the end. Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. Thinking that her sister always liked to call her little rabbit, Jiang Yubai's face visibly reddened.

Ji Huan didn't expect that the little rabbit would be shy even when receiving a gift. He put his arm around Jiang Yubai's waist, brought her into his arms, and coaxed her softly, "I thought the little white rabbit above looks like you, so I bought it directly. Do you like it?"

Jiang Yubai's head was swollen by Ji Huan's gentle voice, and her legs were a little weak. If Ji Huan hadn't put his arm around her waist, she would have fallen down.

"I like it." The little rabbit looked at Ji Huan blankly with red ears. Here, if Kunze and Qianyuan expressed their feelings to each other, they would usually give jade as a token of love. So was this a token of love from her sister?

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai's neck turned red. She didn't dare to look at Ji Huan and buried her face in Ji Huan's arms.

Ji Huan looked at the soft little rabbit in his arms and shook his head with a smile. It was so delicate and soft, so cute.

She reached out and gently patted Jiang Yubai's lower back twice, saying softly, "Let me help you put it on and try it on."

The little rabbit whimpered in Ji Huan's arms, not looking up. She had no strength left in her body, feeling like she was being cooked. She didn't want her sister to see her like this.

Seeing the little rabbit's clinginess, Ji Huan said nothing more. She reached out and took the jade hairpin from the box on the table. With one hand, she held Jiang Yubai's slender waist to prevent him from falling, while with the other hand, she carefully inserted the hairpin into the little rabbit's hair.

Seeing the tips of the little rabbit's ears flush red, Ji Huan deliberately leaned in to praise the little rabbit, "It's beautiful."

Then, the little rabbit's ears twitched, turning even redder.

Ji Huan couldn't help but chuckle a few times, which the little rabbit noticed and nudged against her chest in dissatisfaction. "Sister, what are you laughing at?"

The little rabbit's voice was calm and a few tints softer. She regretted her words as soon as she said them, limp in Ji Huan's arms, not daring to look up.

Ji Huan coaxed her softly, "Nothing to laugh about. That hairpin looks really good on you. When I make some money, I'll definitely buy my little rabbit more beautiful hairpins."

Jiang Yubai's heartbeat quickened as Ji Huan spoke. Sister said she was hers, and even mentioned the future. Does that mean she'll have me in her future?

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai felt happier than if she'd eaten a peach blossom pastry, her heart filled with sweetness. However, the little rabbit remembered that Ji Huan was a "ghost," and she asked worriedly, "Sister, are you okay possessing Ji Huan? Can you stay with me all the time?"

Ji Huan was speechless at the little rabbit's question. Did the little white rabbit still think she was a ghost?

"I'll always be with my little rabbit," Ji Huan said softly. Her own origins were too complicated to explain in a few words. Ji Huan planned to wait until the family split up, then she'd find time to explain the matter to the little rabbit.

Jiang Yubai finally breathed a sigh of relief after hearing what Ji Huan said. As long as her sister was always there, everything would be fine. Compared to her past self, Jiang Yubai had changed a lot. She used to think that living day after day was just suffering, and sometimes she even thought that death would be the only way to be liberated. But after having a sister, everything changed. She began to have hope and thought about the day when she and her sister would have a small family.

Ji Huan lowered his eyes and saw that the little rabbit had no intention of letting go, so he stood there and let the little rabbit lean on him.

After about another cup of tea, the little rabbit shyly retreated from Ji Huan's arms. She found a wooden basin in the house and looked at herself in the water. After reaching out and touching the hairpin, Jiang Yubai took it off her head again.

Seeing that the little rabbit was not wearing it anymore, Ji Huan asked, "Why aren't you wearing it anymore?"

The little rabbit's ears turned red, and it looked up at Ji Huan and

said, "You gave it to me. I can't bear to wear it. I have to work on weekdays, and I'm afraid it will break." Ji Huan shook his head with a smile, and said softly, "If it breaks, I'll buy you another one later."

The little rabbit hurriedly shook her head, "That's different."

This was a token of love given to her by her sister, and it would be different from anything she would get in the future, the little rabbit thought, opened the wooden cabinet, and hid the small wooden box inside.

The little rabbit stared at the cabinet for a moment, then felt uneasy. She took the small wooden box out again, wrapped it tightly in one of Ji Huan's old clothes, and hid it back inside the cabinet, covering it with a few more old clothes.

Ji Huan felt a pang of sadness. When she had money, she would buy the little rabbit lots of jewelry and delicious food. A cute little white rabbit deserved to be well-cared for.

~~

"Dad, Mom, Ji Qiao and I are here to see you."

A man's voice from the yard broke the silence in the room, and Ji Huan turned to look at the door.

Perhaps seeing that no one was in the yard, the man urged, "Ji Qiao, why don't you go get them? What are you doing just standing there?"

"I'll go, I'll go," the woman replied timidly, her voice trembling.

Ji Huan's brows furrowed slightly. The voices of others gradually began to rise outside, led by Liu Fengmei.

"My dear son-in-law, why didn't you tell me you were coming over so I could have Ji Ming and the others cut some meat?" Liu Fengmei's face was filled with a smile.

"No need to cut the meat, mother, I asked Ji Qiao to bring it all, it's all in that backpack." The man's voice sounded again.

"Oh, this is at least more than ten pounds of pork, and there are even candied fruits and candies. My dear son-in-law, you are really spending money." Liu Fengmei's tone was full of joy.

"It's nothing. I also asked Ji Qiao to bring a bag of flour. It's all fresh flour this year. I brought it over for you to try." Zhang Liangcai continued.

"Then don't stand outside anymore. My dear son-in-law, come in and sit down." Ji Mantun also said happily.

Ji Huan frowned slightly. It sounded like Ji Qiao and the others were back. However, Ji Huan remembered that he had heard the villagers mention that Ji Qiao married a lame man from Xiniu Village. The lame man had a bad temper. Could he be from outside?

"Sister, what's wrong?" Jiang Yubai asked when he saw Ji Huan standing at the door without moving.

"It's okay. It seems that Ji Qiao and the others are back." Ji Huan said.

Jiang Yubai nodded. She had never met Ji Qiao before. After all, she had only been married to the Ji family for six months, and Ji Huan had previously refused to speak to her, so she wasn't familiar with Ji Qiao.

Elsewhere, in the dining room, Ji Mantun hurriedly greeted Zhang Liangcai and sat down. "Sit down, my dear son-in-law. Ji Qiao, how can you be so tactless? Help your husband to sit down."

Zhang Liangcai glared at Ji Qiao and scolded her, "You're so clumsy. I don't need you."

"Sit down, my dear son-in-law. Ji Qiao has been like this since she was a child, always silent. But since she's married to you, you should discipline her more," Liu Fengmei said with a smile.

"Of course. Since you're married to me, you naturally have to abide by the rules of my family," Zhang Liangcai said with a raised head.

He glanced around the dining room, not seeing Ji Huan, so he asked, "Mom, why isn't Ji Huan here? I heard she married Jiang Yubai? He's a notorious jinx in our Xiniu Village. Is Ji Huan okay? Call her out and see."

Liu Fengmei looked embarrassed. If it were the old Ji Huan, she would have called her long ago, but the current Ji Huan wouldn't even listen to her or Ji Mantun. Liu Fengmei was afraid that if she really called Ji Huan over, she would offend Zhang Liangcai. Although Zhang Liangcai's family had fallen on hard times, they still had some land and were considered quite well-off in Xiniu Village. Who knew they would need Zhang Liangcai's help in the future?

"Ji Huan's not feeling well. She's very sick. I'd rather not offend you. It's better not to call her," Liu Fengmei said, forcing an awkward smile.

"Really? I heard she's been very famous in your village lately. How come she's suddenly sick?" Zhang Liangcai clearly wanted to see Ji Huan make a fool of herself.

"People eat all kinds of grains, so it's inevitable that they'll get sick," Liu Fengmei said, then hurriedly said to Ji Ming, "Ji Ming, go boil some water and make some tea for me, my dear son-in-law."

"Hey, Mom, I'll be right there." Ji Ming, seeing the bamboo basket full of over ten pounds of meat, candied fruit, and a bag of flour, was very welcoming to Zhang Liangcai, not even glancing at his sister.

"My dear son-in-law, ours isn't as good as yours. We only have ordinary scented tea. You can make do with it," Liu Fengmei said kindly.

Zhang Liangcai was very pleased with the flattery of the Ji family. He glared at Ji Qiao and said, "What are you doing here? Why don't you help your elder brother boil some water?"

Ji Qiao trembled slightly like a frightened bird and whispered, "I'll go right away, right away."

"You have no taste at all." Zhang Liangcai glared at Ji Qiao and then continued talking to Liu Fengmei and the others.

Ji Qiao walked out of the dining room and went to the kitchen with a lonely look.

When Ji Ming saw Ji Qiao coming, he remembered the pork they brought and asked, "Ji Qiao, you were not happy when you were asked to marry Zhang Liangcai. Now you know how much your parents love you, right? Zhang Liangcai's family is rich. You should have no shortage of meat in their house. Hey, did Zhang Liangcai ask you to manage the money?"

Ji Qiao looked at her elder brother who kept talking about meat and money, and her eyes were red. She said nothing more, lowered her head to find a teapot and waited quietly for the water to boil.

Seeing that she didn't respond, Ji Ming kept muttering, "What? Now that you're married into a rich family, you look down on us? Don't forget that it was your mother who arranged this marriage for you."

Ji Qiao clenched her hands together, staring at the kettle with eyes that were even redder than before.

"You've been like this since you were little, a taciturn person who won't say anything no matter what you ask. Just like Ji Huan." Seeing that he couldn't get anything out of his sister, Ji Ming went back to the dining room, hoping to get close to Zhang Liangcai. If his two sons didn't have money to go to school in the future, he could borrow money from Zhang Liangcai.

Ji Qiao was the only one left in the kitchen. She secretly wiped the slightly cold tears from her face and continued to boil water silently.

Chapter Text

The water in the kettle quickly boiled. Ji Qiao took the kettle and poured tea leaves into a nearby porcelain pot, then returned to the dining room.

Zhang Liangcai, upon seeing her enter, glared at Ji Qiao. "Why are you taking so long? I'm dying of thirst, and you won't even serve me tea?"

"Yes, I'll pour it right away." Ji Qiao shuddered as if by reflex, and fearfully poured tea into the cup in front of Zhang Liangcai.

The more nervous she became, the more her hands trembled, and a few drops of tea spilled from the pot.

A vein bulged on Zhang Liangcai's forehead. He snatched the teapot from Ji Qiao's hand and pushed her to the ground. He didn't care that they were at Ji Qiao's parents' home. He cursed, "You useless person! What's the point of me keeping you? You can't even pour a cup of tea properly. I'll see how I deal with you tonight."

Ji Qiao's body shook for no apparent reason as if by reflex, and she backed away in fear, tears streaming down her face.

Liu Fengmei was stunned for a moment, but then she put on a smile again. "Ji Qiao is just clumsy. Look at you, you've pissed off your son-in-law! Hurry up and get up!"

Zhang Liangcai snorted coldly. Only after Liu Fengmei poured him some tea did his expression soften. He ignored Ji Qiao and drank his tea.

Liu Fengmei glanced at Ji Qiao, thinking that she would have to find time to give her some advice later. After all, when she married Ji Qiao, she accepted fifty taels of silver from Zhang Liangcai's family. This was a considerable sum in the village. What would happen if Ji Qiao was divorced and Zhang Liangcai demanded the money?

Ji Yuan, disdaining Zhang Liangcai's rudeness, didn't say much to him. Instead, Ji Ming and Ji Sen chatted animatedly around him, paying no attention to Ji Qiao, who was still trembling in the corner.

As the meal was almost over, Zhang Liangcai glared at Ji Qiao in disapproval. "Why are you still standing there? Go help with the cooking. Are you trying to starve me?"

Fearing Zhang Liangcai, Ji Qiao hurried to the kitchen.

Wang Xiuxiu and Li Yulan were both in the kitchen. Seeing Ji Qiao arrive, Li Yulan immediately asked, "Fifth sister, how are you doing in Xiniu Village? You brought back so much pork. Zhang Liangcai must be treating you well, right?"

Ji Qiao glanced at Li Yulan, not wanting to respond. Back when she was still at home, her sister-in-law had always loved ordering her around. Now, she was being so welcoming to her simply because she saw Zhang Liangcai's family had some money and felt she could profit from it.

But what kind of life was she leading in the Zhang family? As Ji Qiao cleared the bowls of food, tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing her ignore her, Li Yulan rolled her eyes and muttered, "What's the big deal? Just because you have a few bucks, you ignore your relatives. What kind of person are you?"

Wang Xiuxiu glanced at the two of them, feigning a busy demeanor, and didn't interrupt.

Soon, dishes were served one after another in the kitchen. Wang Xiuxiu had already carried the dishes to the dining room. Zhang Liangcai saw that the food was all served and asked, "What's the matter? Is Ji Huan unable to get out of bed? Is she not coming to dinner?"

Liu Fengmei hurriedly tried to change the subject, "Ji Huan is infected with the disease. I'm afraid that she will come and infect you. Let her and Jiang Yubai eat in the room."

"How can that be? Ji Huan is Ji Qiao's sister after all. Isn't it a happy reunion dinner that everyone should eat together? Mom, don't you think so?" Zhang Liangcai smiled at Liu Fengmei and said.

Liu Fengmei forced a smile, "That's what you said, but..."

"Mom, if it's really inconvenient, I can go and invite Ji Huan myself." Zhang Liangcai interrupted Liu Fengmei, as if he had to see Ji Huan today.

Liu Fengmei gave a smile uglier than tears. "How can that be? You've already had a hard time getting here from Xiniu Village. How can I ask you to go get help? I'll go, I'll go."

Liu Fengmei stood up and said this. Ji Mantun gave her a look. Liu Fengmei nodded and left the dining room.

She didn't go directly to Ji Huan, but went to the kitchen first. "Xiu Xiu, serve some of each dish and bring three white flour buns."

"Okay." Wang Xiuxiu hurriedly got to work, putting some of each dish on a clean plate. Because Ji Qiao and the others brought back meat, she also made a rich braised pork today.

Liu Fengmei placed the dishes and a bowl of buns on a tray, then walked towards Ji Huan and the others' room.

Liu Fengmei was still a little scared when she knocked on the door.

Ji Huan came to open the door, not expecting Liu Fengmei to bring her food. After all, something must be wrong when things are out of the ordinary. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's up?"

"Ji Huan, Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai are back. Zhang Liangcai said he wanted to see you. I brought Yu Bai some food. Can you come to the dining room with your mother to eat?" Liu Fengmei asked with a forced smile.

Ji Huan glanced at the food on the tray. Seeing that today's meal was good, with eggs and braised pork, she reached out to take the tray and pass it to the little rabbit behind her.

Ji Huan had also heard what Zhang Liangcai had said in the yard. He didn't seem like a good person at all. Since the food was already delivered, it would be more comfortable for the little white rabbit to eat in her room instead of in the dining room.

"Okay." Ji Huan said and turned to look at Jiang Yubai. She slowed down her tone and said softly, "Can you eat by yourself in the room? I'll be back in a while."

Jiang Yubai nodded obediently. Because Liu Fengmei was still outside, she didn't say much: "Yeah."

After instructing the little rabbit, Ji Huan walked to the door again, "Mom, let's go."

Liu Fengmei looked at Ji Huan and hesitated to speak. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, "Ji Huan, can you promise Mom one thing?"

Ji Huan leaned lazily against the door and asked with interest, "What is it? Let me listen first."

After all, Liu Fengmei seldom saw Ji Huan recently. Ji Huan was really curious that Liu Fengmei took the initiative to talk to him.

Liu Fengmei forced a smile across her wrinkled face. She glanced at Ji Huan's expression and saw that he seemed in a good mood. Then she spoke, "Zhang Liangcai is your brother-in-law, after all. He doesn't have bad intentions. His words might be unpleasant, but he's still a good person. He even brought us over ten pounds of pork and a full bag of flour. After all, it's your sister and Zhang Liangcai who are living together. Ji Huan, if Zhang Liangcai says something unpleasant later, don't take it personally. He's just like that. I just want you to have a good meal and avoid getting into a fight with him. Is that okay?"

Ji Huan's smile widened, but the more she smiled, the more Liu Fengmei felt a chill run down her spine.

"Is that why? That depends on how unpleasant his words are." Ji Huan glanced at Liu Fengmei and said coldly.

"He probably wouldn't say anything too extreme. He just loves to compare himself. Don't bother with him," Liu Fengmei advised with another awkward laugh.

"Really?" Ji Huan snorted coldly, walked out of the room, and helped Little White Rabbit close the door.

While Ji Huan was closing the door, Liu Fengmei glared at the door fiercely. If it weren't for the vixen inside, how could Ji Huan become like this?

Ji Huan turned around and saw Liu Fengmei still standing there without moving. He looked at Liu Fengmei, "What? Mom isn't going back to the dining room?"

"Yes, yes, I'll go back with you." Liu Fengmei said with a forced smile.

Ji Huan no longer paid attention to her and walked straight to the dining room. After entering the dining room, she found a seat and sat down without even looking at other people. She poured herself a cup of hot tea and drank it.

Seeing Ji Huan ignoring him, Zhang Liangcai began to feel dissatisfied. "Hey, Ji Huan, why are you even quieter now than before?"

Ji Huan simply glanced at Zhang Liangcai, not wanting to waste time with him.

Ji Ming, however, was startled. Fearing a conflict between Ji Huan and Zhang Liangcai, he quickly changed the subject: "Liangcai, let's continue. I heard that you have to hire people to work on your farmland in spring and summer?"

"That's right, there's no other way. We have a lot of land at home, and sometimes we rent it out directly to farmers who don't have any, and it's good to earn some money." Zhang Liangcai straightened up and showed off. He was very satisfied with Ji Ming and Ji Sen's reactions. They were clearly trying to please him.

However, seeing that Ji Huan remained unmoved, Zhang Liangcai frowned. Why was Ji Huan just like Ji Qiao, a taciturn person? He was disgusted by the mere sight of him.

By now, the food was almost served. Li Yulan smiled and said to everyone, "The food is all here, thanks to Ji Qiao's help."

"Hey, you all take a seat," Ji Mantun nodded.

Li Yulan and Wang Xiuxiu sat next to Ji Ming and Ji Sen respectively, but Ji Qiao was the only one who was trembling with fear and didn't dare to sit down.

Zhang Liangcai turned his head to look at Ji Qiao and scolded her, "Why are you still standing there? Sit down and help me serve the food?"

Ji Qiao's hands shook, and she sat down next to Zhang Liangcai with trepidation.

The Ji family members had different expressions on their faces, but no one spoke for Ji Qiao. Ji Mantun raised his wine glass, looked at Zhang Liangcai and smiled, "My dear son-in-law, our family conditions are relatively simple, and the wine and drinks are all homemade rice wine. You can just drink it."

Zhang Liangcai pretended to take a sip, smacked his lips and commented, "It's a little lacking, and the taste is also light. Dad, when I come next time, I will definitely bring you a few more bottles of good wine."

When Ji Mantun heard this, the wrinkles on his face showed smiles, "Hey, my dear son-in-law is still thoughtful. My dear son-in-law, eat more dishes."

"Dad, Mom, you should eat more too." Zhang Liangcai was praised so much that his tail was almost turned up. Seeing that Ji Qiao was still in a daze beside him, he knocked on his bowl with chopsticks, "What are you in a daze? Why don't you pick up some dishes for me? Do you want to see me starve to death? You don't have any manners, you are useless."

Ji Qiao was frightened and tremblingly picked up a few chopsticks of dishes for Zhang Liangcai, her hands were shaking as she picked up the dishes.

Zhang Liangcai frowned and kept urging: "Hurry up and pick it up, you are so clumsy, you need to be punished."

His attitude was very bad, not like he was talking to his wife, but rather to a servant.

Seeing that Zhang Liangcai was unhappy, Liu Fengmei immediately said: "That's right, Ji Qiao, why are you so rude? Since you married Liangcai, you should serve him well. Look at you, why do you always make Liangcai angry?"

"Yes, fifth sister, your fifth brother-in-law is such a good man. You will never have to worry about food and clothing after marrying into the Zhang family. You are so much better off than us. You can eat meat every meal, right?" Ji Ming continued what Liu Fengmei said.

Ji Qiao just bit her lower lip tightly, lowered her head and didn't say much, but her clenched hands were shaking slightly, and she didn't even notice that her lower lip was bitten by herself.

Ji Huan couldn't listen anymore. What kind of nonsense were the Ji family saying? Every word was an attempt to curry favor with Zhang Liangcai, while no one was willing to speak up for Ji Qiao. It was obvious that the Ji family only cared about their own interests, and the lives of others were none of their business.

Ji Huan tapped the table with his chopsticks, and the table immediately fell silent. Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun, in particular, were especially nervous.

"Ji Huan, aren't you running out of steamed buns? I'll ask Ji Sen to get you more." Liu Fengmei smiled at Ji Huan, a hint of flattery in her smile.

Ji Huan merely glanced at Liu Fengmei, his gaze falling on Zhang Liangcai, who was still picking on Ji Qiao.

Zhang Liangcai reached out and pinched Ji Qiao's arm, cursing, "You know I don't eat ginger, but you put such a big piece of ginger in the dish? Are you trying to eat me to death?"

"I'll pick it up right away, right away," Ji Qiao said, frantically picking out a few pieces of ginger from the plate with her chopsticks.

Zhang Liangcai kept cursing, saying that Kunze deserved a beating, and he would be obedient after being beaten more.

When Zhang Liangcai raised his head, he saw Ji Huan looking at him. He just wanted to say something to Ji Huan, so Zhang Liangcai smiled at Ji Huan with ill intention, "What? I teach my own wife a lesson, and you have an objection? Ji Huan, you married the famous jinx in our village. I was always worried about you before, but now I see that you are fine, I am relieved..."

"Don't you have arms?" Ji Huan interrupted Zhang Liangcai's nonsense.

"What?" Zhang Liangcai seemed to have not expected Ji Huan to say that, and pointed at Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, what do you mean?"

Ji Huan sneered and glanced at him lightly, "Not only do you have no arms, but your brain is also not good. You can't even understand what I say."

"Ji Huan, don't be shameless. If it weren't for my parents, I would have killed you..."

"What can you do to me?" Ji Huan said, throwing down the chopsticks in his hand and standing up.

Liu Fengmei was afraid that Ji Huan would really have a conflict with Zhang Liangcai, so she hurried over to stop Ji Huan and advised him, "Ji Huan, the New Year is coming soon. How can we not cause trouble during the New Year? They are guests who have come from far away, and you can't hit them."

Ji Huan smiled at Zhang Liangcai who had already taken a crutch. Zhang Liangcai thought Ji Huan was a coward, so he snorted coldly and mocked him, "I thought you were so great? You listen to your mother so much? This is all you can do, right?"

Liu Fengmei groaned in her heart, smiled apologetically at Ji Huan, and continued to persuade him, "Ji Huan, don't be angry with him."

Ji Mantun also hurriedly advised Zhang Liangcai, "My dear son-in-law, let's eat quickly. Ji Huan hasn't been feeling well lately, so you should keep your mouth shut. It's New Year's Day, and why are you making such a fuss? Just give me some face."

Zhang Liangcai snorted coldly and glared at Ji Huan. "I'm not afraid of you. If Dad hadn't stopped me, I would have skinned you alive."

Ji Mantun, fearing Ji Huan's actions, hurried to appease him. "Ji Huan, please sit down. Liangcai brought a lot of meat this time. So, I'll give you two pounds tomorrow. You can cook whatever you want. Okay?"

Ji Huan's smile widened, and he glanced at Ji Mantun. Ji Mantun was frightened by Ji Huan's laughter, and even his throat was dry.

"Dad, selling your daughter for meat is certainly something you could do. This meat is mixed with human blood. You can swallow it, but I can't." Ji Huan's words laid the matter bare, and the dinner table suddenly became quieter.

Ji Mantun's face flushed and paled, and he pointed at Ji Huan, his hands shaking with anger. "What are you talking about? Did I force Ji Qiao to get married? She's already of marriageable age, and the Zhang family's conditions are quite good in Xiniu Village. She's marrying into the Zhang family to enjoy a good life. How can you say I'm selling my daughter?"

"You know best. You must have taken a lot of money from the Zhang family back then, right? I could see even just a moment ago that Ji Qiao isn't having a good time in the Zhang family, right? What? Are the rest of you blind? Can't you see anything? And how can you be so happy drinking and eating meat?" Ji Huan asked coldly, scanning the crowd.

Li Yulan was about to pick up a piece of meat, but after hearing what Ji Huan said, she couldn't do it anymore and put down her chopsticks.

"Shut up! If you don't want to eat, go back to your room. What are you trying to do? Ji Huan, no one has bothered you all this time. Can you just be a little more quiet?" Ji Mantun's voice was pleading.

Ji Huan looked over coldly, "Peaceful? Haven't I always been peaceful? Today I just can't stand what Zhang Liangcai did. Is that wrong?"

"Ji Huan, see clearly, right? Your whole family is on my side. What? Are you worried about your sister?"

Zhang Liangcai pinched Ji Qiao's lower back hard while laughing. A shrill scream rang out in the dining room. No one from Ji's family went to stop Zhang Liangcai. They just watched Ji Qiao being bullied.

Zhang Liangcai stood up with one hand on his crutch. It seemed that the pinch he just had was not enough. He stretched out his crutch and was about to swing it at Ji Qiao.

Ji Huan didn't care about Liu Fengmei in front of him at this moment. He stretched out his hand to block her and rushed over to grab Zhang Liangcai's crutch. With a little force, Ji Huan easily snatched the crutch away.

"Ji Huan, what do you want to do? I beat my own wife. What's it to you? Get out of here..."

Before he could finish the curse, Ji Huan had already swung his palm and slapped Zhang Liangcai on the right cheek. A moment later, a swell appeared on Zhang Liangcai's right cheek.

"Fuck, I'm going to fight you." Zhang Liangcai said as he was about to stretch out his hand to pinch Ji Huan's neck, but Ji Huan grabbed the front of his lapel and lifted Zhang Liangcai up. With a few slaps, both sides of Zhang Liangcai's face were swollen. Ji Huan stretched out his hand and threw Zhang Liangcai to the ground. With a crisp bang, the small wooden frame on one side was crushed by Zhang Liangcai who was thrown out.

The dining room was suddenly filled with Zhang Liangcai's screams: "Ouch, it hurts so much, Ji Huan, how dare you hit me? You dare to hit me? When I get back, I'm going to have you killed. It hurts so much."

Seeing that he was stubborn, Ji Huan wanted to go up and teach Zhang Liangcai a lesson. Ji Mantun hurriedly shouted to his sons: "Go and stop Ji Huan! What kind of behavior is this?"

Ji Sen had been beaten by Ji Huan before, so he sat there knowingly and pretended not to hear. Ji Yuan didn't want to get involved either. Ji Ming, who was closest to Ji Huan, stood up.

Ji Huan glared at him coldly. "What? You want me to deal with you too?"

Ji Ming pursed his lips and didn't dare move. Thinking of Ji Huan's strength, he sat down dejectedly.

Ji Huan snorted coldly, walked to the corner, and picked up Zhang Liangcai, who had fallen to the ground. "Can you speak now?"

"Ji Huan, just wait for me..."

"Pa" another slap hit Zhang Liangcai's face, the pain so severe that he couldn't say anything.

"Are you still so stubborn? That's perfect, I like dealing with people who are stubborn." Ji Huan said, and pulled Zhang Liangcai into the yard by the collar. Zhang Liangcai was really scared this time. Judging from Ji Huan's face, he really wanted to kill him.

The commotion in the yard was so loud that Jiang Yubai also came out of the room. Seeing Ji Huan carrying a male Qianyuan, Jiang Yubai probably guessed that the man was Zhang Liangcai. Jiang Yubai was a little worried about Ji Huan, and was afraid that if he went over rashly, he would hinder Ji Huan, so he simply stood in the yard and did not run to Ji Huan.

At the same time, Zhang Liangcai kept screaming at the top of his lungs, "I don't dare anymore, I was wrong, I was really wrong, Ji Huan, please let me go, please, no, Dad and Mom, save me, help me."

The sound of slaughtering a pig rang out in the yard, and Ji Huan slapped him again, "Be quiet, if you dare to scream again, I will send you to see the King of Hell now. It happens that it's night now, and you can reincarnate earlier tomorrow morning." "

Ah, I won't scream anymore, I don't dare anymore, I really don't dare anymore, second sister, for Ji Qiao's sake, I beg you to forgive me, please, if anything happens to me, Ji Qiao will be a widow, she is only fifteen this year, you don't want your sister to be a widow, do you?" Zhang Liangcai cried and begged Ji Huan to let go, and even brought up Ji Qiao.

Ji Huan smiled at Zhang Liangcai, and Zhang Liangcai breathed a sigh of relief, believing Ji Huan had remembered his sister and softened, finally willing to let him go. However, the Ji family members were terrified. If Ji Huan smiled, the person on the other side would definitely not get any benefits; they had experience in this area.

Sure enough, the next moment, Ji Huan picked up Zhang Liangcai again like a chicken. She looked at Zhang Liangcai and smiled, "Really? With a scum like you, I wish my sister would become a widow soon. It's better than living with a piece of garbage."

"Second sister, Ji Huan, don't, what do you want to do? Killing someone means paying with your life. Don't do this! I beg you to let me go. I really won't dare to do it again." Zhang Liangcai was now incoherent with fear, alternately begging Ji Huan and threatening her.

Ji Huan chuckled a few times, unconcerned with Zhang Liangcai's threats.

Her ears twitched, a sound coming from somewhere. Ji Huan glanced down and saw that it was Zhang Liangcai who had peed his pants out of fear. The fabric of Zhang Liangcai's pants was soaked and even dripping. Ji Huan, disgusted by his disgust, released her grip on Zhang Liangcai's shirt. Zhang Liangcai was caught off guard, and with a limp on one leg, he couldn't stand still. With a thud, he fell to the ground. Ji Huan

looked at Zhang Liangcai with disgust. "How filthy! Is that all you can do? I haven't even done anything and you've already peed yourself. Is that really necessary?"

Ji Huan honestly thought so. She hadn't even made a move yet, so why was the other person already incapable of doing anything? Zhang Liangcai was so useless.

"Second sister, Ji Huan, Auntie, please let me go. I really won't dare to do it again. I will treat Ji Qiao well in the future. I will treat her well and never hit her again. I really will." Zhang Liangcai cried until he almost collapsed.

Ji Huan glanced at Zhang Liangcai who was sitting on the ground, his face full of contempt, "Don't call me second sister, I think it's dirty."

Ji Sen and Ji Ming were a little afraid of Ji Huan, afraid that Ji Huan would scold them as well. For a while, no one went up to help Zhang Liangcai. Finally, Liu Fengmei ran over and shouted, "Ji Qiao, your Qianyuan is in this state, why don't you come to help him? What are you doing standing there like an idiot?"

Liu Fengmei wanted to pull Zhang Liangcai up, but Zhang Liangcai only had one leg that worked, and he was scared by Ji Huan just now. One leg kept slipping and he couldn't stand up at all.

Ji Qiao heard Liu Fengmei calling her, and her body trembled subconsciously. She didn't listen to Liu Fengmei's words, but quietly hid behind Ji Huan, stretched out her hand and gently grabbed the hem of Ji Huan's clothes behind her, sobbing softly: "Sister, I don't want to, I don't want to live with him anymore."

Chapter Text

"What? Ji Qiao, don't talk nonsense! Don't think you can do whatever you want just because Ji Huan is around. You're already married to Zhang Liangcai. You belong to the Zhang family in life and in death. Don't even think about coming back. We have no place for you in the Ji family," Liu Fengmei said anxiously, fearing Zhang Liangcai would ask for the fifty taels of silver betrothal gift.

Zhang Liangcai, fearing a beating, had learned his lesson this time and didn't dare say much. He sat on the ground, feeling a chill; after all, his pants were soaked with urine.

Ji Qiao shivered as she hid behind Ji Huan, her head lowered, not daring to look at Liu Fengmei.

Ji Huan looked at Liu Fengmei and said in a cold voice, "You can't be so decisive, mother, don't you think? You don't have any credibility in Dongniu Village anymore. If people knew that you were taking advantage of your daughter, do you think the Ji family can still stay in the village?"

"Ji Huan, you are poking my heart. Let's talk it out. Why bother taking it to the head of the village? It will only make outsiders laugh at you, don't you think?" Liu Fengmei said hurriedly.

Ji Mantun also stood in front of Zhang Liangcai and began to smooth things over with Ji Huan: "We are all family, why bother? Liangcai may have a bad mouth, but he has a good heart, otherwise he wouldn't have thought of bringing so many things for us. He was wrong to hit Ji Qiao. You just vented your anger on your sister. How can a couple live together without any bumps? Beating your wife is very normal. It's not like I haven't beaten your mother before, and your sister-in-law too. Ask Ji Sen, haven't you hit your sister-in-law? It's a common thing..."

Ji Sen was suddenly called out, and felt Ji Huan's sharp eyes shooting at him. Ji Sen shook his hands desperately and took a few steps back in fear. His father wanted to kill him. Didn't he see that Ji Huan was angry? He even directed the flames at him.

The more Ji Mantun spoke, the colder Ji Huan's face grew. He interrupted him, "Are these commonplace? That just proves you're all the same kind of people. Taking your anger out on your wives when you're incompetent is no good at all."

Ji Mantun didn't expect Ji Huan to scold him, and his eyes widened. "You, you're scolding your father too."

"I scold anyone who doesn't respect their wife. What's wrong with that?" Ji Huan glared at him coldly.

"Good, Ji Huan, you're trying to kill me! It's a misfortune for our family, it's a misfortune for our family!" Ji Mantun was so angry he almost cried.

Ji Huan shook his head with a cold face, "I'm not interested in your life. Besides, is Zhang Liangcai your lifeblood? I just taught him a lesson and told him not to talk nonsense, but you're still protecting him. No matter how you look at it, he looks like your biological son."

"Ji Huan, stop talking nonsense. I worked so hard to raise you all, and you're rebelling. You're going to rebel." For the first time, Ji Mantun broke down and cried in front of everyone.

Ji Huan nodded calmly, "Yes, I'm rebelling. What can you do? Since you're so reluctant to part with Zhang Liangcai, why don't you take care of him at night? It just so happens that he wet his pants and no one cares."

"Okay, let's leave it at that. Since you and mother love him, why don't you take care of him? Why force others? Whoever is whipped will feel the pain. How can some people still not understand this truth even at such an old age?" Ji Huan said sarcastically without mercy.

She lowered her voice again and turned to look at Ji Qiao, who was trembling and hiding behind her. "Go back to my room first. Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Ji Qiao's already swollen eyes became even more moist at Ji Huan's gentle words, and tears fell uncontrollably. "But, sister, are you okay?"

Ji Huan reached out and gently patted Ji Qiao's shoulder, saying softly, "Don't worry, go back to your room and rest. I'll be back soon."

She looked up at Jiang Yubai and instructed, "Yubai, accompany Ji Qiao back first. I'm here."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai hurried over to support Ji Qiao and led her to the room not far behind them.

"Ji Qiao, don't you listen to your father too?" Ji Mantun, seeing the situation getting worse, hurriedly said in a sobbing voice. His little daughter was soft-hearted and couldn't bear to see him and her mother anxious. Ji Qiao

simply glanced back at Ji Mantun, turned her head and tightly grasped Jiang Yubai's hand, tears streaming down her face.

Ji Huan found Ji Mantun disgusting and interrupted, "Dad, when you sold your daughter for money, why didn't you think about Ji Qiao? Now you're asking her to obey you? Why?"

"Because I'm her father. She ate and used my money before she got married. Why can't I control her?" Ji Mantun's veins bulged with anger.

"Then we really wish we didn't have a father like that. Don't play the sentimental card. No one will buy it. Just catch up with your good son-in-law. Oh, and don't forget to change his pants. It's disgusting." Ji Huan snorted coldly, looking at Ji Mantun and the others as if they were clowns.

Zhang Liangcai sat on the ground, regretting his actions. He had only brought Ji Qiao back to show off. The Ji family was greedy and honest. Even if he tortured Ji Qiao to death, it would only cost him a few dollars. But who could have imagined that this time, Ji Huan was like a completely different person, not only taunting him, but also her own parents, as if he would fight to the death with anyone who dared to come near him.

"Ji Ming, Ji Sen! What are you two still standing there for? Come and help Liangcai, take him to the third brother's room first, and you two help Liangcai change his clothes." Ji Mantun ordered.

Ji Yuan was not happy about this and came to Ji Mantun and said, "Dad, how can he enter my room? It's where I read books of sages. He reeks of urine and I'm afraid it will dirty my room."

Ji Mantun glared at Ji Yuan. He was just pissed off by Ji Huan, and now someone else was contradicting him. Ji Mantun's anger was ignited. He couldn't control Ji Huan now, so he couldn't control Ji Yuan either.

"What? You don't want to go to the county to study after the New Year, do you? You don't take me, your father, seriously, do you?" Ji Mantun was so angry at this moment that he didn't care about relying on Ji Yuan to become a high-ranking official in the future. The most important thing was to maintain his reputation as the head of the family.

"Dad!" Ji Yuan gritted his teeth and kept silent after hearing this. After the New Year, he would need at least two taels of silver to go to the library to study, and he couldn't offend his father.

Seeing that Ji Yuan was still trying to argue, Ji Mantun continued, "It's just right if you don't want to study anymore. After the New Year and the beginning of spring, you can go to the fields with them to farm."

Ji Yuan immediately became intimidated when he heard this, and hurriedly leaned over and saluted Ji Mantun, "Dad, I didn't mean that. I was wrong just now. You are the head of the family, and naturally you have the final say on all family matters."

After hearing this, Ji Mantun let out some of the breath that had been pent up in his heart. He was about to say a few words of comfort and show his deep father-son love to Ji Yuan, but was interrupted by Ji Huan.

"Dad, you don't think Ji Yuan is really convinced by you, do you?"

Ji Huan showed a teasing look on his face, curled his lips and continued: "He must hate you to death right now, thinking that if he catches the rich Kunze in the county in the future, he will never come back in this life, and he doesn't want to have anything to do with poor relatives like you."

Ji Yuan's expression showed a trace of panic, and soon he pointed at Ji Huan again: "Ji Huan, you, don't slander me."

"Whether I am slandering you or not, you know it in your heart. By the way, Dad, there is one thing I forgot to tell you. If you want to wait for Ji Yuan to help you when he becomes successful in the future, I advise you not to wait. This time when we went to the county to buy New Year's goods, Ji Yuan met a classmate and pretended not to know Ji Ming and me. He was eager to cut off ties with us, don't you think, Ji Yuan?" Ji Huan smiled at Ji Yuan with an upward tone.

"You, Ji Huan, you're talking nonsense. Mom, Dad, don't believe Ji Huan. She bites everyone she sees now. Trust me. If I'm successful in the future, I will definitely not let you down," Ji Yuan explained frantically.

"Don't worry, Mom believes you, my dear son. Don't blame Dad. He was just angry at Ji Huan for speaking without restraint. The family is counting on you. How could he not let you go to school?"

"Ji Huan is trying to sow discord. Mom, don't believe her. If I'm successful in the future, I will definitely buy you a mansion and bring you there to live happily. I mean what I say."

Liu Fengmei and Ji Yuan burst into tears again, their motherly love truly etched in them.

Ji Huan found everything he saw utterly dull. The Ji family cared only about their own survival, and Zhang Liangcai, supported by Ji Ming and Ji Sen, was a wretched, domestically violent man.

Ji Huan sighed and gently shook his head.

I'd thought Ji Ming and Ji Sen would both despise Zhang Liangcai, but instead, they were vying to help him change his clothes.

At this point, Ji Huan lost all desire to watch. The Ji family had no boundaries; as long as it was profitable, they'd do anything.

Ji Huan turned and headed to his room, ignoring the drama in the yard.

Returning to the room, Ji Huan found Ji Qiao sitting on a bench by the table, secretly wiping away tears. Her eyes were already swollen from crying, but the tears flowed like a broken string, unable to stop.

Jiang Yubai patted Ji Qiao's back, soothing her, but she continued to cry.

Ji Huan pondered for a moment, quickly forming her own opinion. Her first priority was to understand Ji Qiao's true feelings. In such a situation, if the person involved chose to forgive, she would truly have to put aside her motives for helping others and offer her respect and blessings. Of course, if Ji Qiao wanted to divorce Zhang Liangcai, Ji Huan would absolutely support her and would even find a solution on her behalf.

Ji Huan inched closer to Ji Qiao and gently patted her shoulder. She gasped, and her hand froze. After all, she'd only used normal strength, so it wouldn't hurt.

"What's wrong?" Ji Huan had already formed a guess after asking. "Are you injured? Did Zhang Liangcai hit you?"

Ji Qiao nodded with sobs. She used her right hand to pull up the sleeve of her left arm, revealing a dense patchwork of wounds from belts and the like. Some were deep, some shallow, some covered with new wounds, and in some places, the flesh was broken and bleeding.

Jiang Yubai was almost afraid to look. She'd thought her life was miserable enough in the Ji family, but she hadn't expected Ji Qiao to be even more miserable.

Ji Huan's eyes immediately welled up, and he hurriedly asked, "What about your body? Any other injuries?"

Ji Qiao nodded softly, tears streaming down her face. Her voice was still tinged with sobs, "It's all over my body, and even more so in places you can't see. Zhang Liangcai has a bad temper and is disabled. He beats me at home when he likes me, and even more when he doesn't. He's Qian Yuan, and we've already formed a pact. I'm suppressed by his incense, and I'm usually the victim of nothing but humiliation."

The more Ji Huan listened, the angrier he grew. Suddenly, he felt that the few blows he'd just dealt were too light. This kind of person deserved death.

Speaking of handing it over to the law, that was all bullshit. He should be met with violence.

Ji Huan stood up and was about to leave, but Ji Qiao was like a frightened bird, afraid that if Ji Huan left, she would be captured by Zhang Liangcai. Her eyes were still swollen, and she looked at Ji Huan pitifully, "Sister, where are you going?" "

Your injuries need to be checked out. If they're serious, they'll prescribe some medicine. If they're not serious, they'll at least give you some ointment." Ji Huan tried to speak softly, not wanting to scare Ji Qiao any more.

Ji Qiao shook her head. "No, sister, they're just minor injuries. I'll heal them. I'm really fine."

Ji Qiao was like a frightened kitten, afraid that Ji Huan would find her troublesome and leave her alone.

"How can you be fine? Some places are still bleeding. Just wait here for me. I'll be back soon." Ji Huan soothed her softly, and then instructed Jiang Yubai, "When I leave, lock the door. Don't open it for anyone who comes. Wait until I get back."

"Don't worry, I know," Jiang Yubai nodded.

Ji Huan then left the room and hurried toward the village. Dongniu Village only had one doctor, Doctor Yu, and he was a mediocre man. Ji Huan figured it wouldn't be convenient for him to treat Ji Qiao's injuries, so she decided to buy some ointment and have Little Rabbit apply it herself.

Fearing Zhang Liangcai or another member of the Ji family might cause trouble again, Ji Huan quickened her pace, hurriedly heading for Doctor Yu's house. By then, most of the villagers had gone to bed, and the roads were pitch black. Only the scattered lights from the houses that had lights on could barely illuminate Ji Huan's path.

After about a cup of tea, Ji Huan finally found Doctor Yu's house. She patted the gate and called out, "Doctor Yu, open the gate! Someone's sick in my family."

Doctor Yu seemed no stranger to such late-night visits. Soon, footsteps could be heard from the courtyard, and the gate swung open.

"Ji Huan? Your mother's illness isn't serious at all. No need for more medicine."

"It's not my mother, it's my sister, Ji Qiao. Her husband is a complete bastard. Ji Qiao's body is covered in wounds, some of which are bleeding. Do you have any ointment or other medicine for external injuries?" Ji Huan hurriedly explained.

"Yes, let's talk inside." Doctor Yu led the way, guiding Ji Huan inside.

In addition to the tables and chairs in the room, there were medical books and various medicines on the wooden shelves on one side. Doctor Yu sighed while looking for medicine, "Oh, your sister has a miserable life. She married into another village and didn't expect her husband to be such a person. Fortunately, I always have this kind of medicine here. Some Kunze in our village is also having a hard time, but no one says it openly."

Doctor Yu sighed and continued, "I have both medicinal wine and ointment here. It's best to wipe the wound with medicinal wine first, and then apply ointment. Oh, by the way, I also have cotton dipped in medicinal wine." Doctor Yu

said, and went to get the cotton wrapped in cloth, and put the three things in front of Ji Huan, "If you don't have any money on you, just owe it first, and pay me back when you have it. Take it back and apply medicine to your sister first."

"I have money on me. Can you calculate how much these are worth in total?" Ji Huan hurriedly said. The last time she went to the county town, she exchanged one or two taels of silver for one thousand coins. She spent fifty coins last time, and there was still a lot left, enough to buy medicine.

Doctor Yu looked at the medicine on the table and said, "This cotton is worthless, so consider it a gift from me. The medicinal wine is six coins, and the ointment is twelve coins. It's not easy for you in the Ji family, so just give me fifteen coins."

Ji Huan knew that Doctor Yu was kind, but he couldn't let him lose money. He quickly counted out eighteen coins from his pocket and handed them over. "Here are eighteen coins. I can't ask you to help me with my treatment and pay for it. Take it. Ji Qiao and the others are waiting for me at home. I'll be leaving now."

"Hey, be careful on your way back. It's dark and the roads are slippery," Doctor Yu warned.

"Don't worry, I'm sorry to bother you. Go get some rest." After a few more polite words, Ji Huan quickly left.

Doctor Yu watched Ji Huan's departing figure and sighed deeply, "What a good child!"

Ji Huan had figured out the way back and walked much faster than she had on the way there. Thinking that the matter between Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai wouldn't be resolved so easily, she turned onto the small path on the left, intending to make a detour to Er Zhuzi's house to tell him about it. That way, if anything did happen, someone would be able to help.

Elsewhere, Jiang Yubai comforted Ji Qiao for a while, and the little girl finally stopped crying. Then there was a knock on the door, followed by Liu Fengmei's voice.

"Ji Qiao, open the door. Mother has something to tell you." Liu Fengmei tried to slow down her tone and stood outside the door to persuade.

No one in the room responded to her words, so Liu Fengmei continued, "You've been obedient since childhood. Don't learn from Ji Huan. Our Kunze originally just wanted to find a good Qianyuan to live a good life. Liangcai may have a bad temper, but at least you have enough to eat and drink. What if Liangcai really divorced you? Ji Qiao, you can't be foolish. Kunze, who has been betrothed, will have a hard time finding someone else in the future."

Ji Qiao trembled. Her mother saw that she didn't react after being beaten, and didn't ask her if she was living well in the Zhang family. Instead, she came directly to persuade her to keep the peace and not let Zhang Liangcai divorce her. Ji Qiao's heart ached. Even though she knew her parents didn't care about her, hearing these words from Liu Fengmei still made Ji Qiao sad.

Jiang Yubai patted Ji Qiao's back gently to comfort her, but Ji Qiao continued to sob.

Liu Fengmei only heard the slight crying sound from inside, and still no one paid attention to her. She became a little angry. Thinking that Jiang Yubai was also in there, she yelled at him: "Jiang Yubai, you vixen, don't think that Ji Huan can really protect you. I tell you, open the door for me quickly. If you don't open the door, I will strip off your fox skin. You two are trying to rebel."

Jiang Yubai remembered Ji Huan's instructions and did not open the door. He also moved a bench on one side to block the door to prevent Liu Fengmei from having people kick the door.

Liu Fengmei yelled at the top of her lungs for a long time, but seeing no one was paying attention, she changed her expression and said slowly, "Ji Qiao, you've got to be more clear-headed. Look at those divorced Kunzes. Which one of them had a good ending? Don't blame me for saying such harsh words. I'm thinking about you. Don't let Ji Huan lead you astray. If you ask me, you'd better open the door quickly and go over to apologize to your husband. I and your father will also speak for you. It's impossible for a good son-in-law not to give you face. Just listen to me."

Liu Fengmei was trying to persuade them outside for a while, and Ji Mantun also came over. He took a few puffs of the cigarette in his pipe and sighed, "It's just that your man hit you a few times, what's the big deal? Life is like this, it's inevitable, Ji Qiao, you are not that spoiled child, listen to your father's advice, go and have a good talk with Liangcai, you can't divorce easily..."

Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were still taking turns persuading her, and Ji Huan also found Erzhuzi's house. She knocked on the door for a while, and soon someone came out.

"Who is it? It's so late, what's the matter?" The person asking the question happened to be Erzhuzi.

"It's me, Ji Huan, I have something urgent to tell you." Ji Huan hurriedly said.

Er Zhuzi, upon hearing it was Ji Huan, immediately opened the courtyard door. "What's wrong? Are your parents giving you trouble again?"

"No, it's my sister Ji Qiao who's back. The man she married, Zhang Liangcai, is a complete wretch. He beat her up, leaving her covered in bruises. Some areas are even bleeding. I just got some medicine from Doctor Yu and am going back to apply it, but this isn't going to work. I want Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai to divorce, but I'm afraid there will be a lot of trouble. The Zhang family might even come, so I need your help," Ji Huan explained quickly. She was still worried about Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao.

"No problem, don't worry. If they dare to cause trouble, I'll bring people to help you," Er Zhuzi agreed without hesitation.

"Okay, thank you very much. I won't say any more. Ji Qiao and the others are still home, so I have to go back."

"Go ahead. If you need me, remember to send someone to call me," Er Zhuzi said hurriedly.

"Okay." Without any time to be polite, Ji Huan hurried to the Ji family's courtyard. She had just taken a detour and was delayed for a while, and she was a little worried that the Ji family would take advantage of her absence to cause trouble.

Ji Huan quickened her pace. After a while, she could finally see the faint lights in the Ji family's courtyard. Ji Huan walked back quickly. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei standing outside her door.

Ji Huan's gaze shot over coldly, "Hey, aren't you going back to rest so late at night? What's the matter? Is there a treasure in my room?"

Seeing Ji Huan coming back, Ji Mantun stomped his feet in anger, "I haven't asked you what you did so late at night? You asked me instead?"

Ji Huan sneered, his eyes sweeping back and forth between Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, "I went to buy medicine for Ji Qiao. She has injuries all over her body from that bastard Zhang Liangcai. Oh, by the way, you guys don't care about Ji Qiao's life or death, but you're afraid of paying compensation to the Zhang family, right?"

"You, Ji Huan, have you ever heard of 'It is better to demolish ten temples than to ruin a marriage'?" Ji Mantun asked angrily.

Ji Huan shook his head sincerely, "No, which idiot said that?"

Chapter Text

Ji Mantun was nearly choked by Ji Huan. Ji Huan's words were truly infuriating these days. Ji Mantun pointed at Ji Huan, "You, you, you..."

He kept repeating "you" for a long time, but nothing came out.

Ji Huan interrupted him, "Dad, wake up. 'Rather demolish ten temples than ruin a marriage' needs context. With your skill, stop using such clichés. Trash like Zhang Liangcai doesn't fit that description. Come on, it's late, go back and get some rest, or you'll have a stroke."

Ji Huan ignored the two of them and headed straight for his room. Jiang Yubai, knowing Ji Huan was outside, happily moved the bench away from the door and quickly opened it.

Ji Huan walked in, not forgetting to glance at Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei with a smile. "Alright, you all should go home early. Oh, by the way, you still have to go take care of Zhang Liangcai, right? Then go quickly and don't delay."

Without even checking their reactions, Ji Huan closed the door.

Ji Mantun pointed at the door in anger. "Look at her! This is outrageous! This is outrageous!"

Liu Fengmei didn't dare to speak. It was no surprise that she'd been criticized by Ji Huan

before. "Boss, Ji Qiao is ignorant. We're just being polite. Let's go and see Liangcai. We can't let them really get divorced," Liu Fengmei said hastily.

"Yeah, let's go! Each of them is a real worry," Ji Mantun sighed.

The two of them then went to Ji Yuan's room. At this moment, Zhang Liangcai had changed Ji Yuan's clothes with the help of Ji Sen and Ji Ming. Although Ji Yuan was not happy about it, he endured it for the money after the New Year.

Ji Mantun saw Zhang Liangcai sitting at the table sulking, so he had to persuade him in a gentle voice: "Liangcai, Ji Huan has been like this to everyone recently. She gets angry at the slightest thing. No one in our Ji family bothers her now. You have been wronged in this matter. I apologize to you on behalf of Ji Huan, but this has nothing to do with Ji Qiao. She is your wife. Between husband and wife, you fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot of the bed. You can't divorce Ji Qiao for this."

Zhang Liangcai had just been slapped several times, and his mind was still buzzing and a little dazed. He reached out to take the hot egg handed to him by Ji Sen and rolled it on his face. Then he asked in a daze: "Where is Ji Huan? Did Ji Huan go back to the room?"

"She went back." Liu Fengmei replied.

Hearing that Ji Huan was not there, Zhang Liangcai finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't want to divorce Ji Qiao, but what about Ji Huan?"

"We'll find a way to deal with Ji Huan. I'm the head of this family, so naturally I can't listen to Ji Huan. Don't worry, my dear son-in-law, I'll let you take Ji Qiao back tomorrow." Ji Mantun said this, but his heart was beating fast.

Anyway, he had to calm Zhang Liangcai down first. The corners of Zhang Liangcai's lips curled up. He grimaced in pain as soon as he moved. Good, very good. Isn't Ji Huan protecting Ji Qiao? When he got home, he would do to Ji Qiao everything that Ji Huan did to him.

Thinking of this, Zhang Liangcai felt a little more satisfied. "Okay, don't worry. As long as Ji Huan is fine, I will definitely not divorce him."

"Oh, that's good, that's good. I'll let Xiuxiu and the others clean up your room. You can sleep in Ji Qiao's old empty room tonight. I've changed all the bedding." Liu Fengmei said with a smile.

Zhang Liangcai nodded, "Okay."

He sighed deeply. In the past, he could just ask Ji Qiao to drink water or something like that while he was sleeping, but it seemed that wouldn't be the case tonight.

Ji Mantun asked Ji Ming and Ji Sen to help Zhang Liangcai to Ji Qiao's previous room, and then let the others disperse. After everyone left, Ji Mantun hurriedly asked Ji Yuan, "Third brother, you are the most knowledgeable among us. Can you think of a solution? What can we do to get Ji Huan to stop interfering in Ji Qiao's affairs?"

Ji Yuan was really stumped by the question. Ji Huan was now so stubborn and easily angered that she had no regard for filial piety. He almost wanted to avoid Ji Huan. What else could he do?

Ji Yuan sighed, "Dad, it's not that I don't want to find a solution, it's just that Ji Huan has changed so much now. She won't listen to anything we say." "

What should we do?" Ji Mantun was so anxious that he paced back and forth in Ji Yuan's room. Suddenly, Ji Mantun's eyes lit up.

"I have an idea."

"Boss, what's the idea? Tell me now," Liu Fengmei asked happily.

"When Ji Qiao married Zhang Liangcai, Zhang Liangcai's family paid a betrothal gift of fifty taels. I'm going to give five taels to Ji Huan. I don't believe Ji Huan will go against us," Ji Mantun said through gritted teeth, as if giving away the five taels of silver was like cutting flesh from his flesh.

"Five taels? Why give her so much?" Liu Fengmei's heart was bleeding.

"It seems that this time I can't do it without spending a lot of money. I don't believe Ji Huan will refuse the five taels of silver. Once she gets the silver, she will be like us, benefiting from Ji Qiao's influence. Naturally, there will be no reason for Ji Qiao to divorce." Ji Mantun said as he calculated in his mind.

Ji Yuan nodded in agreement. As long as everyone got dirty, no one should blame anyone else. "Dad, this is a good idea. Ji Huan was so insistent on getting those four taels of silver last time, it shows she still loves money."

Ji Mantun felt a sense of relief when he heard Ji Yuan say this. "I'm relieved to hear you say that. Let's go back and rest. Tomorrow morning, I'll give Ji Huan the five taels of silver and ask her to release him."

Ji Yuan nodded in agreement.

When Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei returned to their room, Liu Fengmei was still heartbroken. "Master, I really can't bear to give Ji Huan that much money."

"Well, that's better than Ji Qiao getting divorced and having to pay the Zhang family fifty taels of silver, right?" Although the Ji family had some income from farming over the years, fifty taels was a substantial sum. With that money, supporting Ji Yuan would be much easier.

"That's true," Liu Fengmei agreed.

...

On Zhang Liangcai's side, Ji Ming had already gone back, and only Ji Sen was still attentive to help Zhang Liangcai make a pot of hot tea, "Brother-in-law, do you think you are missing anything? I will prepare it for you." "

No need, I didn't expect you to be such a nice person. I didn't bring anything valuable with me this time. This one coin is just a thank you for helping me tonight." Zhang Liangcai's face was burning with pain.

He had just been beaten by Ji Huan, and his face was so embarrassed that he couldn't even pick it up. Seeing that Ji Sen was so attentive, he directly gave Ji Sen a hundred coins to show that his family was not short of money.

When Ji Sen saw the money in Zhang Liangcai's hand, his eyes lit up, and he refused with a smile: "How can I do this?"

Although he said so, Ji Sen's hand had already reached out and took the money from Zhang Liangcai's hand.

Zhang Liangcai's head was buzzing at the moment, and he had no intention of talking to Ji Sen anymore, "Then you go back first, I'll call you if I have something." "

Okay, okay, brother-in-law, you go to bed early too, I won't disturb you." Ji Sen said and walked out of the room with a smile on his face. After he left the room, he did not return to the room, but walked directly out of the yard. He had no money to gamble before, but now that he had the money, Ji Sen could not help it.

What does my sister's life or death mean? Money is king.

After Ji Huan returned to the room, he put all the medicines in his hand on the table, "I'll go boil some hot water, and you can scrub it a little later, then scrub the wound with medicated wine, and finally apply some ointment."

Ji Qiao looked at the items on the table and glanced at Ji Huan anxiously, "Sister, these are expensive, aren't they?"

"They're not. Your health is important, don't overthink it." Ji Huan went to the kitchen to boil some water.

After returning with the hot water, Ji Huan told Jiang Yubai, "Yubai, help Ji Qiao apply the medicine later. I'll go to the dining room first."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai nodded.

Ji Qiao looked at Ji Huan, hesitant to speak. She seemed to have caused her sister a lot of trouble.

The little girl was timid. She stood by the wooden basin and slowly took off her clothes, preparing to wash her wounds.

Jiang Yubai initially thought that Ji Qiao was only injured on her arms and shoulders, but she didn't know that under her clothes, her chest, back, legs, and other places were almost all injured. Jiang Yubai's eyes were red.

"Did Zhang Liangcai beat me like this?"

Ji Qiao sniffed and nodded. "He would beat me up at every turn. There were times when I wanted to die, but the Zhang family found me and stopped me, and I couldn't even die."

Jiang Yubai didn't know how to comfort Ji Qiao for a moment. These injuries were enough to show what life Ji Qiao had been living in the Zhang family. "It won't happen again. We will all help you."

Ji Qiao's eyes were red and tears fell. "Sister Yubai, Mom and Dad won't let me leave the Zhang family. They took fifty taels of silver when I married them, and they definitely don't want to give it back." "

Don't worry, there will always be a way. Let's heal your wounds first," Jiang Yubai comforted her. She also felt that this matter was a bit tricky, but the thought of Ji Huan's presence made her feel relieved.

Ji Qiao obediently cleaned the wound, then rubbed it with medicated wine. Jiang Yubai helped her apply medicine to some places that she couldn't reach.

The medicinal wine that Doctor Yu had given her was not only disinfectant but also had the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. However, it was extremely painful when applied to wounds. After Ji Qiao applied the wine, her face was covered in cold sweat and her complexion was frighteningly pale.

However, after applying the ointment, Ji Qiao felt a coolness on the wound, which was much more comfortable than before.

Ji Huan stayed in the dining room for most of the hour, and only returned to the room after figuring that Ji Qiao should have finished applying the ointment. "How is it?"

"I've already applied the ointment, but Ji Qiao has a lot of wounds." Jiang Yubai felt a little reluctant to continue.

Ji Huan nodded. Needless to say, she'd guessed this. She pursed her lips, glanced at Ji Qiao, who sat obediently, and lowered her voice, instructing, "Apply the medicine well these few days and get yourself well first."

Ji Qiao looked up at Ji Huan, her hands clasped together nervously. After a long moment, as if making up her mind, she said, "Sister, I don't want to go back to the Zhang family anymore. Whether it's a divorce or he divorces me, I really don't want to go back."

"Okay, just stay here peacefully for now. I'll take care of everything," Ji Huan instructed softly.

The girl sniffed timidly, "Thank you, sister."

"You're welcome. You and Yu Bai will sleep here tonight, and I'll sleep in the dining room." There was only one bed in the room, and sleeping on the floor was too cold in winter, so she'd just make do in the dining room.

"Sister, I'll go to the dining room. How can I let you sleep there?" Ji Qiao was already filled with anxiety. Her sister had helped her so much, so how could she let Ji Huan leave her without a place to sleep because of her?

"You're injured. Be good and listen. Get well soon. Be good and sleep here today," Ji Huan said, pulling out an old quilt from the cupboard.

After a moment's thought, Ji Huan, still a little worried, instructed, "Yubai, if you need anything tonight, come find me in the dining room."

"Okay, don't worry."

Ji Huan then took the quilt and left. She went to the dining room, found a cloth, and wiped the wooden table thoroughly. The wooden table used for dining in the Ji family was a long one, so spreading the quilt on it and lying on it made it a perfect bed. Now was not the time to be particular. Ji Huan spread the quilt, lay down on it, and soon fell asleep.

Ji Qiao, on the other hand, was still in shock. When she lay down on the bed, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Jiang Yubai gently patted Ji Qiao's hand and soothed her, "If you can't sleep, you can talk to me."

"Sister Yubai, I really can't hold on any longer. If I go back with him this time, he'll beat me to death." Ji Qiao's body trembled uncontrollably at the mere thought.

"Don't be afraid. Ji Huan is here. They can't take you away unless you want them to." Jiang Yubai trusted Ji Huan deeply; after all, in her heart, Ji Huan was now possessed by a demon.

"Ever since I got married, he's always been beating me. His mother is reasonable, but she's only protecting Zhang Liangcai. There's so much he's done to me I can't even begin to describe..."

The little girl sobbed intermittently. Even without listening, Jiang Yubai knew what she was doing; the wounds beneath Ji Qiao's clothes were real.

Jiang Yubai didn't dare get too close to Ji Qiao. After all, after years of gossip, she still believed she was unlucky, so he could only gently pat her hand to comfort her.

It was late, and perhaps exhausted, Ji Qiao fell asleep with red eyes.

Early in the morning, Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei knocked on Ji Huan and her friends' door. The knocks were urgent, accompanied by Liu Fengmei's shout: "Ji Huan, wake up! Your father and I have something important to discuss with you. It's a very good thing."

Ji Huan, whose back ached from lying on the wooden table, was awakened by the noise outside. She sat up, opened the door, and looked out to see Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun knocking at their door.

Ji Huan's brows furrowed slightly. "What's the matter so early in the morning?"

Liu Fengmei was stunned when she saw Ji Huan emerging from the dining room, but she smiled and pulled Ji Mantun over.

Ji Mantun looked at Ji Huan, sighed, and said: "Ji Huan, I was a little harsh yesterday. Dad wants to discuss something with you. Don't worry, this time it's a good thing."

Ji Huan scoffed, clearly not believing the good things the Ji family members were saying.

"What's the matter?" Ji Huan glanced at Ji Mantun, his eyes calm.

"It's like this. When Ji Qiao got married, the Zhang family gave us a dowry of fifty taels of silver. I saved this money for you brothers and sisters. Last time you said that your mother and I had treated you poorly over the years, so I thought of taking out five taels of silver from the fifty taels to compensate you. Five taels of silver is not a small amount..."

Ji Mantun was about to continue when he was interrupted by Ji Huan, "Compensate me? You want me to hand over Ji Qiao, right? Then have you ever thought about how to compensate Ji Qiao? You spend the money from selling your daughter so comfortably. How can there be parents like you in the world? It's ridiculous." "

Ji Huan, don't be confused. That's five taels of silver. You can't earn that much in years." Ji Mantun was a little anxious when he saw that Ji Huan was not buying it.

"Of course I'm not like you. Even if I starve to death, I won't trade my relatives for silver. You want Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai to go back? I tell you, it's impossible." Ji Huan snorted coldly, turned back to the dining room, and went back to the room with the quilt in his arms.

Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai had gotten up long ago. When Liu Fengmei came and knocked on the door just now, Ji Qiao had been looking outside anxiously. Seeing Ji Huan coming, she asked timidly, "Sister, what did Mom and the others say to you? I don't want to go back with Zhang Liangcai. If he takes me back, he will definitely beat me to death this time."

The little girl cried softly with red eyes. Ji Huan comforted her softly, "Don't worry, I'm here. They can't take you away."

Ji Huan thought for a moment, then walked out the door and headed straight for Zhang Liangcai's room. She pushed the door open, and inside, Zhang Liangcai had just finished getting dressed. He'd probably been woken up by Liu Fengmei and the others. Seeing Ji Huan coming, his remaining leg went limp.

He pointed at her for a long time, then finally, with a swollen face, called out, "Second sister, why are you here?"

Ji Huan waved her hand. "I'm not your second sister, and I didn't mean to come looking for you. I saw what kind of person you are yesterday, and I'm here to discuss a divorce."

"Divorce? That won't do." Zhang Liangcai replied immediately. Being stared at by Ji Huan's cold eyes, Zhang Liangcai was scared again. "Second sister, I spent fifty taels of silver to marry Ji Qiao. How can I divorce her just like that? Even if I agreed, my parents would never agree."

Ji Huan's lips curled up into a smile. "Really? You beat Ji Qiao up with all those wounds?"

Zhang Liangcai broke out in a cold sweat. "Second sister, I didn't mean to. I really didn't mean to. I won't dare to do it again in the future. I really won't dare."

Ji Huan lifted Zhang Liangcai up, and his only remaining foot was also free. "If you beat someone up once, you will do it twice. If I believe you, I might as well believe the pig in the backyard. If you can't write this divorce letter today, don't even think about returning to the Ji family in one piece. You have to leave something behind, right?"

"No, Ji Huan, killing is against the laws of Daliang. Don't be impulsive, don't be impulsive. Everything can be negotiated." Zhang Liangcai was really scared by Ji Huan's beating, and his voice was filled with tears.

"Then you are wrong. There is no room for negotiation on this matter. You two must divorce." Ji Huan said and threw Zhang Liangcai to the ground.

The noise made by the two people also attracted the attention of other people in the Ji family, including Ji Sen who had been out gambling all night.

Seeing Zhang Liangcai fall to the ground, Ji Sen hurried over to help him, "Brother-in-law, how are you? Come on, get up quickly."

Ji Sen said as he tried to help Zhang Liangcai and helped Zhang Liangcai sit on a stool nearby.

Ji Huan looked at Ji Sen coldly. Ji Sen then realized that Ji Huan was staring at him and quickly retreated behind Zhang Liangcai.

Ji Huan looked over coldly. "When did you become so close to Zhang Liangcai? Why don't you care about Ji Qiao?"

"Ji Qiao is doing well. Zhang Liangcai comes from a wealthy family, so Ji Qiao must have no worries about food and clothing. This is already better than many Kunzes." Ji Sen stopped talking when he saw Ji Huan's expression becoming increasingly grim.

Outside, Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun heard the commotion and rushed over.

"Ji Huan, what are you doing? Stop messing around. It's a couple's business, why are you, a sister, meddling in it?" Liu Fengmei said dissatisfiedly.

"Yeah, Ji Huan, if it's really because of you that they divorced, Ji Qiao will definitely blame you in the future." Ji Mantun also followed and fanned the flames.

Ji Huan sneered at the two of them. "Do you think Ji Qiao is you? You people only think about yourselves and never care about the lives of others."

"Ji Huan, how can children talk about their parents like that?" Ji Mantun pointed at Ji Huan angrily.

"What parents are like you? They'd rather not care about their children's lives for money, right? I'm here today. If Zhang Liangcai doesn't sign the divorce agreement, he can't go anywhere." Ji Huan said as he sat down at the table, calmly observing the Ji family.

"Are you still planning to detain me? Ji Huan, you're really becoming more and more outrageous." Ji Mantun's face flushed with anger.

"Really? Dad, you're being so modest. Compared to you evil spirits who eat human flesh and drink human blood, I'm at least a normal person. You only care about the few dozen taels of betrothal gifts, but you have no idea what life Ji Qiao has been through since marrying into the Zhang family. That beast beat her so badly that there's barely a scratch on her skin. Some of her skin was still bleeding when I applied the medicine last night. Letting Ji Qiao go back is like killing her."

Ji Huan's gaze swept coldly over the others, finally landing on Zhang Liangcai's face. "If you don't sign the divorce agreement today, I won't let you leave the Ji family's gate alive."

Ji Huan stopped talking, and the room fell silent for a moment.

Ji Mantun was also anxious when he heard Ji Huan's words. "Ji Huan, don't say that casually. We can't let anyone get killed."

"Whether anyone gets killed depends on what Zhang Liangcai chooses." Ji Huan said, looking at Zhang Liangcai's still slightly swollen face. "You're looking at me like that, don't you think I dare not touch you? Do you think I'm scaring you and joking with you?"

Zhang Liangcai saw that he was surrounded by people from the Ji family, and he guessed that Ji Huan was just trying to vent his anger on Ji Qiao's behalf and didn't dare to kill anyone. So, he was not as afraid of Ji Huan as he was just now. After all, if Ji Huan really attacked him, the Ji family would definitely stop him.

Zhang Liangcai pulled the corner of his mouth, trying to imitate Ji Huan's smile, but accidentally pulled the wound, and gasped with a "hiss".

"Idiot." Ji Huan glanced at Zhang Liangcai's pig-headed face lightly and gave his own evaluation.

"Ji Huan, don't think I'm afraid of you. You won't let me leave the Ji family's courtyard alive. You're just bragging. I'm leaving today. What can you do to me?" Zhang Liangcai said as he was about to stand up and reached out to take the wooden crutch.

Chapter Text

Several members of the Ji family cried out in alarm. The next moment, Ji Huan had stood up, snatched the cane from Zhang Liangcai's hand, and tossed it aside. Then, he walked over, picked up Zhang Liangcai, and dragged him outside.

Ji Mantun panicked and tried to intervene, but Ji Huan shoved him away.

She knew all too well the face of a domestic violence man: a bully who only feared the strong and refused to repent. Such a man would eventually become obedient when he died.

Compared to the injuries Ji Qiao suffered, her beating of Zhang Liangcai yesterday was too light, which was why Zhang Liangcai dared to cause trouble today without learning his lesson.

"Ji Huan, don't let anyone get killed!" Liu Fengmei pounced on Ji Huan, dragging him away while shouting at Ji Ming, Ji Sen, and the others, "What are you still standing there for? Stop Ji Huan!"

Ji Ming and Ji Sen exchanged a glance. Ji Sen had initially been reluctant to go, but money talks, and he was still thinking about Zhang Liangcai's money. So, he gritted his teeth and hugged Ji Huan from behind, while Ji Ming tugged at her arm, preventing her from leaving.

Ji Huan hadn't expected the Ji family to be so shameless. With a loose grip on her right hand, she dropped Zhang Liangcai, who she was holding, and punched Ji Ming in the face. Ji Ming stumbled back several steps and fell to the ground.

He covered his face with his hands, for a moment unable to believe that Ji Huan had actually hit him.

Heartbroken, Li Yulan ran towards Ji Ming, "Dad, how are you? Did it hurt?"

Then, Li Yulan turned to Ji Huan and scolded him, "Ji Huan, you really don't want to live anymore, do you? You even hit your own brother." However,

Li Yulan had learned her lesson and only scolded Ji Huan verbally, not daring to actually go and provoke him.

Ji Huan, however, dealt with Ji Ming. With both hands, he pulled Ji Sen over his shoulder and threw him hard to the ground. Unsatisfied, Ji Huan kicked Ji Sen again, cursing, "It seems I was too polite to you last time, wasn't it? You're so shameless!"

"Second sister, I won't do it again. Stop it. I was wrong, so wrong..." Ji Huan had been genuinely angry that last time, using all his strength, and Ji Sen was thrown so hard that he couldn't get up for a long time. Finally, Liu Fengmei and Wang Xiuxiu worked together to help Ji Sen up.

"You're rebelling, Ji Huan? You're rebelling! I'm going to beat you to death today, you unfilial daughter." Ji Mantun reached out and took the copper-headed pipe and smashed it towards Ji Huan's head.

That thing was really heavy, and if it hit the head like that, it could be fatal.

Ji Huan, with a cold expression, grabbed Ji Mantun's hand, which held the pipe. "Oh, you're truly a competent father. You'd disregard your daughter's life for a few dozen pieces of silver. What's going on? You're planning to beat me to death with this thing, right?"

Ji Huan reached out and snatched the pipe from Ji Mantun's hand, tugging at Ji Mantun's front, looking at him coldly. "You're only my father in name only. Otherwise, I'd definitely deal with you first. 'An old man who refuses to die is a thief.'"

With that, Ji Huan pushed Ji Mantun back several steps, looking at him coldly. "If you guys come up here again and seek death, I won't care. Don't think I don't dare to take action against those of you with the surname Ji."

With that, Ji Huan reached out and threw the pipe with the copper tip far away, directly over the courtyard wall.

Ji Yuan, standing silently by, looked at Ji Huan, as if thinking about something.

Ji Huan lowered his eyes to look at Zhang Liangcai, who was still trembling and slumped on the ground. He gave him a kind smile. "Don't you believe me? I'll show you if I dare to lay a hand on you."

With that, Ji Huan lifted Zhang Liangcai up again and walked straight to the water tank in the yard. The tank was overflowing with water. Because of the unpleasantness of last night, almost no one had the energy to wash up, so the water was still quite full.

Zhang Liangcai seemed to know what Ji Huan was going to do. He panicked and burst into tears. But then he realized that Ji Huan wouldn't actually dare to kill anyone, and he thought Ji Huan was just trying to scare him.

Regardless of Zhang Liangcai's thoughts, Ji Huan carried him to the water tank and pushed his head into it.

This terrified not only the Ji family, but also Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, who had been outside for a while after hearing the noise. After all, Zhang Liangcai was no longer human, but that was still a life. It wouldn't be worth it for Ji Huan to take the blame for someone like that.

"Sister, please don't do this for Zhang Liangcai." Ji Qiao was worried that Ji Huan would suffer because of her, so she hurriedly advised.

Ji Huan knew, of course, that it was not worth it to harm herself because of this kind of rubbish, but she also had to teach Zhang Liangcai a lesson.

Ji Huan counted for more than ten seconds and then pulled the man up. In fact, more than ten seconds was a very short time and could not constitute suffocation at all. However, Zhang Liangcai was already frightened and thought he was really going to drown. He struggled desperately and choked on several mouthfuls of water. When

Ji Huan lifted him up, Zhang Liangcai just felt like he had survived a disaster and was coughing and gasping for breath.

Ji Huan looked at him coldly. "What? Do you still think I don't dare?"

Zhang Liangcai waved his hands, weeping bitterly. "Second sister, I was wrong. Second sister, please spare my life. I won't dare to do it again. I really know I was wrong. I don't want to die. I don't want to die yet."

Ji Huan remained unmoved. However, after tugging on Zhang Liangcai for a while, her right hand was indeed tired. She threw Zhang Liangcai to the ground like trash and demanded coldly, "Are you going to sign the divorce agreement or not? I have a short patience and a bad temper. I don't have the time to waste with you."

"I'll sign, I'll sign. I really don't dare anymore, I don't dare anymore," Zhang Liangcai said, trembling and crying.

Ji Huan raised the corner of her lips at Zhang Liangcai. "Why didn't you say so earlier? This person won't cry until he sees the coffin."

With that, Ji Huan walked over to Jiang Yubai again. She leaned over and whispered a few words to Jiang Yubai, and Jiang Yubai trotted out of the Ji family's yard.

Everyone in the Ji family hadn't recovered from their panic just now, especially Li Yulan. She had just scolded Ji Huan a lot, but after seeing Ji Huan push Zhang Liangcai's head into the water tank, Li Yulan became obedient and dared not say another word.

Ji Yuan was also afraid that someone would die. If he wanted to be with Qian Kunze in the future, his family couldn't have a murderer sister, otherwise who would dare to marry him? Besides, the family was in chaos now, and it seemed that Ji Huan would not give up until he achieved his goal. If they continued like this, they would not be able to reap any benefits.

"Ji Huan, how could you do this? How did you become like this? How could you force your sister to divorce? Oh my God, this life is unbearable. You are trying to kill your parents." Liu Fengmei screamed and cried at the top of her voice.

Ji Huan smiled at Liu Fengmei and said sarcastically, "Mom, compared to you and my dad, I am still far behind. After all, I can't do such a thing as eating human blood buns. You should have heard it just now, right? It was your good son-in-law who said he wanted to divorce, but I didn't force him."

Ji Huan said, his eyes swept to Zhang Liangcai, "What do you think?"

"Yes, Ji Huan is right, it's me who wants to divorce, it's none of other people's business." Zhang Liangcai's head is still buzzing, his upper body is soaked in cold water, he is confused and cold, and he is afraid that Ji Huan will really kill him. Ji Huan

smiled and looked at Liu Fengmei: "See, your good son-in-law has spoken himself, it's useless for you to say anything more."

Liu Fengmei remembered how Zhang Liangcai was almost pinned to death in the water tank by Ji Huan. She was still frightened and didn't dare to persuade him. Ji Mantun was also frightened by Ji Huan. When Ji Huan grabbed his collar just now, Ji Mantun felt that Ji Huan really wanted to hit him.

Seeing that Liu Fengmei had shut up, Ji Huan looked at Ji Yuan, "Ji Yuan, you are the most knowledgeable in the family, you write the divorce papers."

"What? I won't write it." Ji Yuan replied subconsciously.

Ji Huan sneered and nodded. "Okay, you don't want to offend the Zhang family, right? Then I'll have to ask someone in the village who can read to write it later."

Ji Huan's words chilled Ji Yuan's heart. He glanced at the yard again and remembered that Jiang Yubai had just left. "You, you asked Jiang Yubai to go get help? Ji Huan, family disgrace shouldn't be aired in public, let alone something like a divorce."

"What's wrong with a divorce? Zhang Liangcai was wrong, and it's his fault. Ji Qiao is upright, so what's there to hide? Oh, I get it. You don't want the villagers to know that you're taking advantage of your own sister, right?" Ji Huan's words exposed Ji Yuan's true face.

"You, Ji Huan, stop slandering me." Ji Yuan only dared to speak, but in reality, he stayed away from Ji Huan.

Soon, Jiang Yubai arrived with his men. They included Erzhuzi, Zhou Xiaochun, and others, led by none other than the village head, Zhou Zhongshi.

Ji Mantun was complaining in his heart when he saw Ji Huan had called the head of the village as well. However, thinking about their current situation, he thought it was a good opportunity to bite Ji Huan back.

Such a big scene, and there were many villagers following behind to watch the fun. After all, it was the slack season for farming, and everyone was at home with nothing to do.

Zhou Zhongshi looked at the Ji family yard, sighed deeply, and did not go to talk to Ji Mantun, but went to ask Ji Huan first.

Ji Huan's face no longer had the rebellious look of beating anyone he saw, but stood in front of Ji Qiao with red eyes and loneliness.

"What's the matter? Did the Ji family embarrass you again?" Zhou Zhongshi asked subconsciously. After all, these incidents were caused by those people in Ji Mantun, and last time Liu Fengmei and others coveted Ji Huan's money. Zhou Zhongshi knew all about these things a long time ago, so he asked Ji Huan directly.

Ji Huan shook his head with red eyes, tears welling up in his eyes, "No, headman, this has nothing to do with my parents. It's my sister Ji Qiao. She married Zhang Liangcai from Xiniu Village, but Zhang Liangcai was not good to my sister. Yesterday, my sister and her family came back to visit, and Zhang Liangcai beat and scolded her. Ji Qiao's body is covered with wounds, not a single piece of good skin."

Ji Huan said as he reached out and pulled up Ji Qiao's sleeves. Ji Qiao's arms were covered with dense scars, some of which looked like they were from being whipped, and some from being burned.

The veins on the head of the village stood up when he saw it, "Is that Zhang Liangcai still a human being? He beat people like this. Does he think there is no one left in Donniu Village?"

"That's right. Ji Qiao is so pitiful. I've heard that she is living a life worse than death in Xiniu Village. She is beaten and scolded by that cripple every day."

"Isn't it the one sitting on the ground? He is really a piece of shit. He was so cruel to Ji Qiao."

"Look at his behavior. Ji Mantun and the others are really crazy. They married their daughter to such a family for money. What kind of stuff is this? Bah."

The discussions around them were getting louder and louder. Ji Mantun hurriedly defended himself, "Head of the village, it's not like what Ji Huan said. There are always bumps in life. It's just a few wounds on the arms. How can you persuade people to divorce? Zhang Liangcai doesn't agree to divorce either." The head

of the village glared at Ji Mantun and looked at Zhang Liangcai, "You are Zhang Liangcai, right? Then tell me, are you willing to divorce Ji Qiao today?"

"I, I..." Zhang Liangcai wanted to say he didn't want to, but when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he was frightened back by Ji Huan's sharp gaze. For a moment, he didn't know how to start.

"Village head, I have just persuaded Zhang Liangcai, and he has agreed to divorce. But my parents don't seem to want my sister to divorce. After all, they accepted fifty taels of silver from the Zhang family, and they have already spent some of that silver. If they divorce, they have to return the fifty taels of silver. My parents have no choice, they probably can't come up with the fifty taels of silver." Ji Huan said, wiping away the non-existent tears with his sleeve.

"What! Ji Mantun, Ji Mantun, you look honest and obedient on weekdays, but you are this kind of person? Ji Qiao is your daughter, a living person. How was she bullied by that beast? And you are still protecting that beast and not letting them divorce? Are you still a human being?" The village head scolded angrily.

"Village head, don't listen to Ji Huan's nonsense. We didn't take the money, we really didn't take the money." Ji Mantun was really anxious at this moment.

The villagers gathered outside were pointing fingers at Ji Mantun and his group.

"What a piece of shit, letting his daughter suffer like this for the sake of money."

"Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei are so partial, they only have these Qianyuan sons in their hearts and don't care about the rest at all."

"Ji Huan and Ji Qiao are so pitiful, Ji Mantun was so pretentious before, and no one could tell he was that kind of person."

"That's right, did he have to force his own daughter to death?"

Ji Mantun looked over, and saw that all the villagers were pointing fingers at him, and many people were cursing him openly and secretly.

Ji Mantun was furious and pointed at Ji Huan like a mad dog. "She's talking nonsense, Ji Huan, she's talking nonsense. She's disrespectful to her elders and just now she even fought with me and his mother. Look at Zhang Liangcai, the injuries on Zhang Liangcai's face were all caused by Ji Huan. Don't be fooled by Ji Huan's appearance. She's all pretending, all pretending. She's very powerful. Ask the people in my family, who dares to mess with Ji Huan?"

Ji Huan was stunned at first, and then she had a hurt expression. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't cry. "Dad, how can you say that to me? I do so much work for the family every day, and I don't stop going to the river to fetch water even when it snows. Now I just want to protect my sister and stop her from suffering. Do you say I'm unfilial?"

As Ji Huan spoke, tears fell, as if she couldn't bear it. "I protect you every day and never say a bad word about you in front of outsiders. Is this what I get in return? Dad, can you have a clear conscience?"

"That's right, how could Ji Huan be unfilial? It's you who framed Ji Huan."

"Everyone in our village knows Ji Huan's character. How many times have you bullied Ji Huan?"

"Oh, there was last time. I heard that Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei wanted to swindle all of Ji Huan's family fortune. Later, Ji Huan was persuaded by kind-hearted people and did not give them the money." Aunt Yuan's voice rang out, and the discussions around them became louder.

"I've also heard that the Ji family mistreats Ji Huan. The house she lives in is full of leaks, and Ji Huan had to fill them with mud herself."

"I heard that the Ji family used all their money on Ji Yuan, sucking the blood of his own sisters. In the future, even if such a person passes the imperial examination, he will not be a good person."

"That's right, they are all rotten. Except for Ji Huan and the others, there is no good person in the Ji family."

Liu Fengmei became anxious when she heard the noisy discussions around her. She sat on the ground, crying and cursing, "Why don't you believe it? Why don't you believe what I say? Ji Huan is no longer the Ji Huan she used to be. She has become unfilial. She wishes Ji Mantun and I would die sooner. She is an unfilial daughter. She wants to force me to death. She wants to force me to death."

Who knew that when she cried like this, there would be more contemptuous voices around her.

"If I were Ji Huan, I would pray to God every day, hoping that mothers like you would die sooner."

"Don't you think about how biased a mother you are? You still have the nerve to scold Ji Huan. If I were you, I would have found a hole in the ground to crawl into. Isn't that disgusting?"

Zhou Xiaochun couldn't help himself and spoke up, "Ji Huan is truly unlucky to have parents like you. Do you know that? You feigned illness and asked Ji Huan for the four taels of silver, and Ji Huan almost believed you again. If it weren't for Er Zhuzi and me persuading him, you and your family would have swindled him out of the four taels. And yet, Ji Huan repeatedly told Er Zhuzi and me not to tell anyone about this, fearing that the villagers would ostracize her parents. Everything she does is for the Ji family's benefit. What about you? How have you treated Ji Huan?"

Li Yulan had originally wanted to seek justice for Ji Ming, but when she saw that the villagers were so one-sided and no one believed them, she quickly shut up, fearing the flames of the conflict would spread to her.

Liu Fengmei was stunned by Zhou Xiaochun's words. Ji Huan hadn't intended to give them the four taels of silver, and why was he defending them in front of outsiders? What was going on?

Liu Fengmei, an old, uneducated woman, had no idea what Ji Huan was up to.

After hearing what Zhou Xiaochun had said, the villagers intensified their outrage against the Ji family. Liu Fengmei felt ashamed, as she had truly feigned illness to defraud money.

Ji Yuan saw that things were spiraling out of control. If this continued, his family would literally drown in saliva. He wasn't worried about Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei; he was simply afraid that if something happened to them, he wouldn't have the money to go to the county town to study and live with Kunze after the Lunar New Year.

Ji Yuan hurriedly went to the head of the village and bowed, but before he could open his mouth, Ji Huan spoke first: "I just begged Ji Yuan to help write the divorce letter, but Ji Yuan was unwilling. Head of the village, I only know a few words. I wonder if I can ask Xiaochun to help write the divorce letter?"

The head of the village glared at Ji Yuan who had just finished paying his respects, "You still think you are a scholar? If you can't even tell right from wrong, I don't think you will amount to anything. Xiaochun, go back and get paper and pen, so that the Ji family won't be reluctant to lend it to you." As

soon as the head of the village said this, many villagers laughed, and some even brought up old stories.

"The headman is right. After all, Ji Yuan is stingy. Even though Ji Huan's window paper was torn like that, he was reluctant to give the waste paper he used for practicing calligraphy to Ji Huan."

"It's so funny. A person like this still wants to be an official? I think he's just dreaming."

Ji Yuan's face turned red and then white, and then white and then red. He couldn't help but stretched out his hand to grab Ji Huan's lapel. This time, Ji Huan had no intention of fighting back. He was as docile as a sheep, looking at Ji Yuan with a sad face, tears in his eyes.

However, before Ji Yuan could do anything, Er Zhuzi grabbed him and threw him out. "You are a grown man, but you have no sense of responsibility. What? Your sister just told the truth, and you want to hit her, right?"

"Ji Yuan is such a softie, a bully at home. I feel so disappointed for Ji Huan."

"What kind of person is he? He doesn't even want to help his sister write the divorce letter. He is so heartless and he wants to hit Ji Huan."

"That's right, a person like this still wants to take the imperial examination? He is not even a human being, so hypocritical."

"What kind of family are you?"

Ji Yuan fell to the ground, listening to the villagers' insults and looking at the contemptuous eyes they gave him. Ji Yuan regretted it so much, and at the same time, he looked at Ji Huan with a look full of resentment.

"No, no, you are talking nonsense. You were all deceived by Ji Huan, all deceived by Ji Huan." Ji Yuan wanted to get up to find the head of the village to explain, but was blocked by Er Zhuzi.

"What? You still want to touch Ji Huan? I tell you, if you want to touch Ji Huan, you have to ask my fist if it agrees first." Er Zhuzi stood in front of Ji Huan and the others like a wall.

Liu Fengmei was afraid that her son would suffer, so she quickly got up from the ground and wanted to go over to help Ji Yuan. Ji Yuan saw the villagers not far away pointing at them, so he pushed Liu Fengmei away, got up and ran into the room, and then quickly closed the door.

Ji Huan glanced at Ji Yuan's door calmly, and he had already sneered at Ji Yuan in his heart.

Soon, Zhou Xiaochun came to the Ji family yard with pen, ink, paper, inkstone and ink pad. The head of the village directed two young men to move a wooden table out of the house, and Zhou Xiaochun began to write the divorce letter in front of the whole village.

Ji Huan watched from the side. The people here wrote in traditional Chinese characters. Fortunately, her original job was making Jianzhan teapots, and she had put a lot of effort into traditional Chinese characters when looking up information. Although she couldn't write it well, it was not difficult for her to recognize these characters.

The divorce agreement basically stated that Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai were voluntarily divorcing, no longer being husband and wife, and would no longer have any other contact. There was a space for both of them to sign and put their fingerprints at the bottom.

Zhou Xiaochun copied another copy, and each of them had one, which meant the divorce was complete.

"Okay, Dad, let's get their fingerprints on it, and the divorce agreement will be valid." Zhou Xiaochun stood up and looked at the head of the village.

The head nodded, looked at Ji Qiao, who was being comforted by Feng Mei, and said, "Ji Qiao, if you want a divorce, come over and put your fingerprints on it."

Ji Qiao bit her lower lip and nodded.

Ji Mantun was anxious. "Ji Qiao, don't listen to others. You won't be able to find a Qianyuan with Zhang Liangcai's family background in the future. Besides, you are a Kunze who has already formed a pact with Qianyuan. Who will want you in the future? Dad is thinking about you. Think about it again."

Ji Qiao looked at Ji Mantun with red eyes. She should have thought of it earlier. Her parents didn't care about her life or death. She shook her head sadly at Ji Mantun. "If I go back with him, I might as well die here."

After that, Ji Qiao reached out and pressed the red ink, pressing her handprint on the two divorce papers.

The village head looked at Zhang Liangcai again, and Ji Huan also looked at Zhang Liangcai. When no one was paying attention, she curled her lips at Zhang Liangcai.

Zhang Liangcai was terrified, pointing at Ji Huan. "She, she, Ji Huan, she..."

Zhang Liangcai was about to say something, but Ji Huan interrupted him. "Anything else?"

Ji Huan's eyes were red, making Zhang Liangcai think he'd just imagined seeing Ji Huan smile at him.

Er Zhuzi couldn't stand Qian Yuan bullying Kunze, especially Qian Yuan from another village. He walked over and lifted Zhang Liangcai by the front of his collar. Er Zhuzi was ten centimeters taller than Ji Huan, and with him lifted up, Zhang Liangcai couldn't even reach the ground.

"You've already hurt him like this, and you're still dragging him down with you? Just one question: are you going to press the seal on the divorce agreement or not?" Er Zhuzi glared at Zhang Liangcai.

Having previously been held underwater by Ji Huan, Zhang Liangcai had no time to challenge Ji Huan. He quickly nodded and said, "Please, spare me. I'll do it now."

Er Zhuzi lifted him up and placed him on the table, his eyes fixed on Zhang Liangcai.

Zhang Liangcai stretched out

his hand to take the ink pad, and was about to press it up tremblingly. Ji Mantun behind him was still unwilling to give up, "My dear son-in-law, do you really want a divorce?" Zhang Liangcai nodded hurriedly under the gaze of Ji Huan and others. He was sweating when he pressed his fingerprints. After signing the two divorce books, the headman asked Zhou Xiaochun to take the divorce books to the headman of Xiniu Village for filing. He also had to register on his side, and all the procedures were completed.

The headman looked at Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, with no intention of talking to them. He turned to look at Ji Huan, "If there is anything, just send someone to come to me. Let him take Zhang Liangcai's divorce books back by himself."

"Okay." Ji Huan nodded and handed the remaining divorce book to Zhang Liangcai.

"Keep it well." Ji Huan looked at Zhang Liangcai, his eyes full of smiles, but when he looked up, Ji Huan concealed his expression.

Chapter Text

Zhou Xiaochun was quick. She explained the details of Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai's divorce, and also recounted to the Xiniu Village headman how Zhang Liangcai had beaten Ji Qiao black and blue.

Li Cunfu had heard about the Zhang family's affairs, but since it was a family matter and Ji Qiao had never come to him for help, he couldn't intervene. Now that the two had divorced, Li Cunfu nodded. "Okay, I've asked someone to take note of it. Take this divorce agreement back."

"Thank you, headman." Zhou Xiaochun collected Ji Qiao's divorce agreement and returned to the Ji family's home.

At Ji's home, the headman and other villagers hadn't left yet.

"Dad, the registration is complete in Xiniu Village," Zhou Xiaochun said, handing the divorce papers to Ji Qiao. "Ji Qiao, here are the papers. Keep them."

Ji Qiao looked at the papers, tears streaming down her face, but a smile lingered in her eyes. "Thank you, thank you. We're finally divorced."

Ji Huan breathed a sigh of relief. Both villages were registered, meaning the divorce process was complete and an official record had been kept.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun, however, were heartbroken. They'd already taken fifty taels of silver, and how could they possibly expect to give it back?

The village head glanced at Ji Mantun. "Ji Mantun, I'm warning you, you'd better keep quiet. Now that Ji Qiao's divorced, she'll be living here again. As for Zhang Liangcai, you'd better go back to your Xiniu Village. We don't want you."

Zhang Liangcai was sitting on the ground, stunned. He'd been frightened several times before, so he didn't dare to resist. Besides, the divorce had already been registered with both villages, a done deal. Any more words from him would be pointless.

"Alright, everyone, go away," the village head said, a little worried, fearing Ji Mantun and the others might cause trouble again. He then looked at Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei. "Ji Qiao is your daughter, and everyone in the village knows about this. If you want to avoid being spitted at by the villagers, treat Ji Qiao well."

He then addressed Zhou Xiaochun and Erzhuzi, who were standing beside him, "You two should also pay more attention to Ji Huan and the others. If anything comes up, please report it to me."

"Don't worry, Dad," Zhou Xiaochun said hurriedly.

With the head of the village and his companions gone, only the Ji family members remained in the Ji family's courtyard. Ji Huan looked at Zhang Liangcai, who was still sitting on the ground. "Zhang Liangcai, you and Ji Qiao have already divorced. You are not welcome here. Get out of here!"

Zhang Liangcai, leaning on his crutches, slowly moved towards the courtyard gate.

Liu Fengmei, still unwilling to give up, chased after him. "My dear son-in-law, are you really getting divorced just like that?"

Zhang Liangcai didn't want to, but he had just been pushed into the water tank by Ji Huan, and he almost lost half his life. How could he dare to say anything else? He ignored Liu Fengmei and hurried out of the courtyard gate on crutches.

After Zhang Liangcai left, Liu Fengmei sat in the yard again and began to cry and curse: "What a sin, what a sin, I raised two daughters but they are not filial to them, and they divorced after getting married. They are all money-losing goods, all money-losing goods."

Ji Huan's lips curled up slightly, and he slowly walked in front of Liu Fengmei, "Mom, if I were you, I would go and see how much money I have right now. The Zhang family might come to ask for the money in a few days."

"Ji Huan, it's all because of you. You insisted on letting your sister get divorced. If you have the ability, you can pay the fifty taels of betrothal money on behalf of Ji Qiao." Liu Fengmei pointed at Ji Huan and cursed.

"Do you still have any shame? You took the money, and you want me to pay it out? No way." Ji Huan stopped paying attention to Liu Fengmei and walked over to Ji Qiao, saying softly, "Go back to your room and rest for a while. We'll clean up your old room this afternoon."

Ji Qiao nodded. She was embarrassed to always sleep in her sister's room. Now that they were divorced, Ji Qiao felt relieved. "Okay, sister, thank you and Sister Yubai for helping me this time."

The little girl's eyes were still red, but this time she was happy because the divorce was successful.

"No, let's go. It's quite cold outside. Let's go back to the room and talk." Ji Huan took Ji Qiao's hand in one hand and held the little rabbit in the other hand and went back to the room.

Ji Huan and the others returned to the room. Liu Fengmei wanted to act but no one was watching, so she had to stand up and run to find Ji Mantun, "His father, what do you think we should do about this? If the Zhang family really comes to ask for the fifty taels, are we really going to give it to them?"

Ji Mantun stomped his feet heavily, "Of course not. Now Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai have signed the divorce papers, and the villages on both sides are registered. This matter is a foregone conclusion, and didn't Ji Huan say it? Ji Qiao was beaten all over her body. If they really dare to come to ask for the money, we can use this matter to argue. Maybe we can even extort some money from the Zhang family."

"Yes, why didn't I think of it? It's just that Ji Qiao is back home now, and there is one more mouth to feed. We can't afford to feed him for free." Liu Fengmei said dissatisfiedly.

"Of course I can't let her eat for free. Since she lives at home, Ji Qiao will naturally have to do the housework." Ji Man sighed, his eyes full of calculation. When he wanted to grab the pipe, he remembered that his pipe had been thrown away by Ji Huan.

Ji Mantun cursed with a sullen face: "What a sin, what a sin, his mother, come with me to find the pipe. I don't know where Ji Huan, the unfilial daughter, threw it away?"

"Head of the house, please go slowly and let the children help find it."

Over here, Ji Mantun and his friends were looking for the pipe, but Li Yulan pulled Ji Ming back into the house.

She looked around the yard and saw that no one was there, so she whispered to Ji Ming, "Is your sister planning to come back and live here? Our family isn't rich to begin with, and the third son needs money to study every day. Now that Ji Qiao is back, you have to talk to your mother and save money for our two sons to go to private school. I don't want my sons to be peasants." "

I know, don't worry, mother loves Ji Dong and Ji Xi the most, and she won't ignore them. Besides, with Ji Qiao back, there are more people eating and working." Anyway, Ji Qiao is easier to control than Ji Huan. She can't just go back to her parents' house and eat and drink for free after the divorce.

"How is the wound on your face? You scared me to death just now. His father, I think you should stay away from Ji Huan in the future. When she gets crazy, she really dares to kill people." Li Yulan was still scared when she thought about what Ji Huan had just done when she pressed Zhang Liangcai into the water tank.

"I know she's been strong since she was little. Even four or five Qian Yuans attacking her together wouldn't necessarily be her match. She shouldn't listen to her parents' blind orders anymore. It might even cost her her life." Ji Ming was terrified thinking about what had just happened.

After

waking up early, Ji Huan had a quarrel with the Ji family. Then, when the villagers arrived, she put on a performance for most of the day. She was starving. She washed her face with a basin and headed straight for the kitchen.

The rest of the Ji family could eat or not, but the three of them had to eat something.

Thinking of this, Ji Huan lit a fire and cooked a pot of porridge with rice.

Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei returned, saw smoke billowing from the kitchen, and felt a bit hungry too.

"Head of the family, who said the children aren't filial? It must be Ji Ming or Ji Sen who knew we didn't eat this morning and went to cook." Liu Fengmei finally felt a little better.

Ji Mantun also sighed heavily, "It's not in vain to raise them. Let's go, I'm hungry too, let's go see what they've done."

"Hey." Liu Fengmei responded and followed Ji Mantun to the kitchen, where she saw Ji Huan standing in front of the stove cooking.

Ji Huan didn't want to pay attention to the two of them and just looked at the porridge in the pot.

Ji Mantun glanced at the nearly broken pipe in his hand, glared at Ji Huan, and walked out of the kitchen.

Liu Fengmei didn't want to be alone with Ji Huan, fearing he'd be taunting her again, so she quickly chased after him. "Dad, wait for me, wait for me."

Ji Huan watched the two men leave and snorted softly. The rice porridge in the pot soon began to simmer. Ji Huan waited until the porridge thickened slightly, then filled three large bowls, placed them on a wooden tray, and carried them back to his room.

"Let's eat something first. We've been hungry all morning. Come on," Ji Huan said as he placed the large bowls on the table.

Ji Huan and the others hadn't eaten since last night's clash with Zhang Liangcai, and now they were truly hungry. The three of them quickly sat down and ate the rice porridge Ji Huan had cooked.

Jiang Yubai was the fastest eater, but the rice porridge was just enough to fill the little rabbit's stomach; it wasn't enough to drink.

"Oh, sis, there's still some peach blossom pastry you brought me," Jiang Yubai said, taking out the bag of peach blossom pastry Ji Huan had bought. They'd finished the previous one, and now there was still one left.

"Well, let's eat some to fill our stomachs. We'll make something else after lunch," Ji Huan said with a smile.

Jiang Yubai, worried that Ji Qiao would feel embarrassed, quickly placed a few pieces of peach blossom pastry in front of her. Ji Qiao quickly declined, "Sister Yubai, you and me can have them. I'm not hungry. The porridge is enough for me."

"No problem, let's share. If you like, I'll buy more next time I go to the county town." Ji Huan said, also picking up a piece of peach blossom pastry. However, she had a small appetite, so after two pieces, plus a large bowl of rice porridge, she was completely full.

Ji Qiao also ate two pieces of peach blossom pastry and refused to eat any more. The remaining six pieces of peach blossom pastry all went into the little rabbit's stomach, leaving Jiang Yubai only half full.

Seeing the little rabbit finish its porridge, Ji Huan softly asked, "Do you want more? There's more in the pot."

Jiang Yubai nodded, "I'll get more myself."

"I'll go with you." The Ji family was going crazy right then, and Ji Huan, worried about the little rabbit going alone, followed.

They went to the kitchen. The large pot of rice porridge was still simmering, but Ji Huan had lowered the heat when he left to avoid a fire. The porridge was still steaming, and Jiang Yubai quickly poured another bowl.

She looked at Ji Huan shyly, mumbling, "Sister, did I eat too much?"

Ji Huan reached out and rubbed the little rabbit's head, saying softly, "Not much. Little white rabbits need to be plump and white to be cute."

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan with the bowl, her ears turning even redder. Her sister always treated her like a little rabbit.

"I'll put out the fire. Let's go back and eat," Ji Huan said, and began to put out the fire under the stove.

As the two were talking, Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu arrived. They were also hungry, and seeing Ji Huan there, Ji Sen took several steps back in fright; his back still hurt.

Wang Xiuxiu stood at the doorway, not daring to go in. She called out dryly, "Second sister."

Ji Huan nodded at her. "There's still some rice porridge in the pot. You can take it and eat, but remember to wash the pot."

"Okay, second sister, we'll get it done right away," Wang Xiuxiu said quickly

, seeing that Ji Huan didn't show much hostility towards her. Ji Huan glanced at Wang Xiuxiu and shook her head helplessly. How could such a good girl be so blind as to marry a gambler like Ji Sen?

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai left the kitchen. Ji Sen hurriedly nodded and bowed to Ji Huan. "Second sister, you've worked hard. If you need anything in the future, just let us do it, hehe."

Ji Huan didn't bother to deal with such people. She was a mother who would do anything for money. She and Jiang Yubai went straight back to their room.

In the kitchen, Wang Xiuxiu saw Ji Huan leave, and hurriedly called Ji Sen in, "Look, the porridge in the pot is just enough for the two of us."

Ji Sen glared at Wang Xiuxiu coldly, "When did you talk to Ji Huan? She doesn't even pay attention to me, how can she pay attention to you?"

"What do you mean?" Wang Xiuxiu also looked at Ji Sen.

Ji Sen glared at her again. His back hurt from the fall just now. He didn't dare to get angry. He just went into the kitchen and got a bowl of porridge and took it away.

Wang Xiuxiu got out the remaining bowl of porridge, cleaned the big pot, and then took the porridge back to the room.

After Ji Huan and the others finished drinking the porridge, Ji Qiao rushed to wash the dishes but was held down by Ji Huan, "You are still injured. Be obedient and heal your injuries first. Let's talk about other things. This is not a heavy job. Yubai and I will do it."

"Yes, you just need to take good care of yourself these few days." Jiang Yubai also advised.

Ji Qiao was finally persuaded, but she felt a little embarrassed for doing nothing. After all, her parents had always treated her harshly before she got married, and now that she had divorced her in-laws, her parents would surely dislike her even more.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai went to the kitchen to clean the dishes. Ji Ming and Li Yulan also went to the kitchen. The two little ones were crying out that they were hungry, so they had no choice but to come to the kitchen to cook.

Li Yulan saw Ji Huan and the others there, but this time she was very tactful and didn't dare to say anything. Seeing that Ji Huan's expression was still calm, Li Yulan tried to speak: "Ji Huan, your eldest brother is not to blame for what happened just now. It was your parents who asked him to stop you. Don't blame your eldest brother. We are all family, and we have a long way to go, don't you think?"

Ji Huan looked at Li Yulan, the corners of her lips curled up slightly, "That's hard to say."

After that, she ignored Ji Ming and the others and left with Jiang Yubai.

Ji Ming's face was still a little swollen. He rubbed his face, which was still aching, and cursed softly, "What's so great about that? Do you really think you're that capable?"

Li Yulan patted Ji Ming and made a "hush" gesture. "Keep your voice down. Don't bother Ji Huan anymore. Your parents are so smart. They asked you and Ji Sen to stop Ji Huan, but why didn't they let Ji Yuan go? In the final analysis, they are biased towards Ji Yuan. Next time they ask you to do something like this, don't do it." "

Don't worry, I'm not stupid. How can I not learn from this beating by Ji Huan?" Ji Ming covered his face and took a breath.

"I'm glad to know. Hurry and cook. Your sons are waiting." Li Yulan said, and started to cook.

Perhaps because she was scared by Ji Huan's beating, Li Yulan made Ji Huan and his friends' meal for the first time. She even carried a tray to the door to deliver the meal to Ji Huan and his friends.

Ji Huan heard a knock on the door and wondered who was coming. It was Li Yulan, holding a wooden tray overflowing with food.

"Ji Huan, I apologize on behalf of your brother. We made lunch and wanted to send some to you guys. Don't blame your brother, you're siblings," Li Yulan said with a smile.

Ji Huan snorted and took the tray. "Thank you."

"It's my duty. We're family. Enjoy yourselves. I'm leaving now." Li Yulan felt relieved when Ji Huan accepted the food. Otherwise, she was worried Ji Huan would retaliate against Ji Ming. Even four Ji Mings combined couldn't defeat Ji Huan.

Ji Huan brought the food into the room and placed it on the table.

"That's strange. Sister-in-law didn't treat us like this before," Jiang Yubai asked suspiciously.

"Ji Ming just took a punch from me. Li Yulan is afraid that I will hold a grudge and attack Ji Ming again in the future, so she came over to show her goodwill. Otherwise, how could she take the initiative to bring us food?"

Ji Huan laid out the food as she spoke. Having just finished breakfast, she wasn't really hungry, so she asked Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to eat a little more.

Jiang Yubai's appetite was undeniable; he could easily finish another steamed bun and half a bowl of vegetables. Ji Qiao ate half a bun and then ran out of food, leaving the little rabbit alone to enjoy its delicious meal.

After lunch, Ji Huan thought about cleaning out Ji Qiao's old room. She took down the bedding Zhang Liangcai had slept on the previous night and washed it, replacing the duvet covers and sheets.

Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai washed the duvet covers and sheets in the yard while Ji Huan cleaned the house. She even went to Zhou Xiaochun to get some discarded rice paper, then made some paste and helped Ji Qiao re-paste the windows.

Once she finished, Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai hung the washed sheets and bed covers out in the backyard.

Just when Ji Huan was about to go back to sleep for a while, someone else came to the yard. This time it was Zhang Liangcai and his parents. In addition to the three of them, there were five young and strong male Qianyuan following behind.

Zhang Liangcai's father Zhang Fugui saw Ji Qiao at a glance and pointed at Ji Qiao, "You are so good, Ji Qiao. Liangcai's mother and I treated you as our own daughter. Not only did you force our Liangcai to divorce you, but you also had people beat Liangcai like this. You must give us an explanation today, otherwise we will not leave."

Ji Huan glanced at Zhang Fugui, and then looked at Zhang Liangcai. She smiled at Zhang Liangcai and said, "It seems that I was not too lenient just now. You dare to go back for help? Didn't you drink enough water in the water tank?"

"Dad, look at Ji Huan, she is scaring me again." Zhang Liangcai said and hid behind Zhang Fugui.

"Ji Huan, what did you do to my son? If you don't give me an explanation today, you'll have a miserable life." Zhang Fugui, accompanied by several Qianyuans, spoke in a loud voice, not taking Ji Huan seriously at all.

Ji Huan was not in a hurry. He casually brought over a worn wooden chair from the yard and sat down on it calmly. Zhang Fugui was stunned. Wasn't his tone fierce enough just now? Why didn't Ji Huan seem afraid at all?

"Ji Huan, what do you mean? You don't take me seriously, right? Where are your parents? Why don't you call them out? They took fifty taels of silver from me. Divorce is fine, but make them pay back!" Zhang Fugui shouted fiercely.

"Yes, make them pay back," Zhang Liangcai said timidly, hiding behind Zhang Fugui, fearing that Ji Huan would catch him again.

Ji Huan nodded at Zhang Fugui, thought for a long moment, and then spoke: "You have a point."

Then, Ji Huan turned and looked towards Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei's room. "Dad, Mom, give me back the money!"

Now it was Zhang Fugui's turn to be dumbfounded. He pointed at Ji Huan and said, "You, you, you..."

"Are you a stutterer?" Seeing that he was at a loss for words, Ji Huan took the initiative to take over the conversation and asked curiously.

"What are you talking about? I stutter? Why don't you go call your parents?" Zhang Fugui said angrily.

"I say, Zhang Liangcai's father, can you please use your brain to think about it? We have been talking so loudly in the yard for most of the day, my parents should have heard it a long time ago. Now they don't come out, which only means that they are pretending not to know in the house. They want to push all this to me, but what's the point of pushing it to me? I am penniless and don't have a tael of silver anyway. Why don't you quickly ask these younger brothers behind you to go and invite people? It's on the left side of the dining room, the room with two strings of corn hanging at the door. Go over there quickly."

Ji Huan took the initiative to say, Seeing that the people behind Zhang Fugui didn't move, Ji Huan frowned and said, "What are you still standing there for? The Zhang family certainly didn't hire you for nothing. Are you just standing back there, ready to act like door gods? Why don't you go over and call for help? Do you need me to teach you this? I'm really impressed."

Ji Huan looked at Zhang Fugui with a look of disappointment. "Look at you, what kind of helpers are you calling for? You don't know how to handle things at all."

Zhang Fugui had been so aggressive before he arrived. He had thought of a thousand possibilities, but none of them were like this. Was Ji Huan crazy? Why was he speaking to them?

Zhang Fugui's fierce expression was about to crack. He winked at the people behind him, "Go over and call for help, but remember not to use force."

"Okay, Uncle Zhang." The leader then led two people over and knocked on the door.

Ji Huan sat in the chair, the smile on her lips widening. Are you kidding me? Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei are playing tricks on her? Don't you see where she came from? She knows all the routines of palace fighting dramas by heart. How can such a small trick stump her? You want to put all the blame on her? No way.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun were almost pissed off.

"Why is Ji Huan still giving advice to outsiders? This disaster was caused by her, so she should be held responsible." Ji Mantun frowned when he heard the knock on the door outside.

"Who said it wasn't? She was so mean to us, why wasn't she mean to the Zhang family?" Liu Fengmei said dissatisfiedly.

However, as the knock on the door outside became louder and louder, Ji Mantun had no choice but to open the door.

He saw three young and strong Qianyuans outside the door, and hurriedly put on a smile on his face, "Oh, I'm old and my ears are not good. I'm sorry for the hard work, guys. Let's go, let's go."

Because of Zhang Fugui's instructions, the three did not make things difficult for Ji Mantun and let Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei go by themselves.

Liu Fengmei yelled at the top of her voice: "Eldest son, fourth son, we have guests at home. If you want to stay at the Ji family in the future, please come out to greet the guests."

Seeing that there were many people on the other side, Liu Fengmei wanted to call her sons to help, but she didn't call Ji Yuan. After all,

Ji Yuan was her dearest son, and she was afraid that these people would hurt Ji Yuan. The eldest son of Ji Ming and his wife and Ji Sen and his wife were not happy. If they hadn't thought about the future, the two families would not want to get involved in the mess.

Ji Huan saw that most people had come out, except Ji Yuan. The corners of her lips raised even more, and she looked at Zhang Fugui with a smile, "Zhang Liangcai's father, do you know what my parents' life gate is?"

Zhang Fugui was stunned. Was Ji Huan scared? Why did she take the initiative to tell him about her parents' shortcomings? However, he still followed Ji Huan's words and asked, "What is it?"

Ji Huan's face was full of smiles. At this time, Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun also came over. Ji Huan moved the stool to the side and said slowly, "Of course it's Ji Yuan. Look, my parents called us brothers and sisters out, but they couldn't bear to leave their precious third son Ji Yuan. Hey, if you don't believe me, you can ask Zhang Liangcai if I'm right."

Chapter Text

Zhang Fugui hurriedly looked at his son. "Is what Ji Huan said true?"

Zhang Liangcai nodded, but he was also puzzled as to why Ji Huan was supporting them. However, he said, "It's true. Ji Yuan is studying in the county town and is the hope of their Ji family."

Hearing Zhang Liangcai's words, Ji Huan burst into laughter from his wooden chair. Compared to the tense expressions of the Ji family, Ji Huan's laughter was too abrupt. Angered, Zhang Fugui pointed at Ji Huan and asked, "What are you laughing at?" "

Sorry, I laughed at your son's words. If the Ji family really relies on Ji Yuan, they might as well rely on the pigs in the backyard."

Zhang Fugui looked as if he had seen a ghost. Wasn't it said that their second son was a hardworking old ox? Why didn't it seem like what he had heard? This Ji Huan looked quite dangerous. He dared to say anything.

Zhang Fugui said to the three people who had just returned, "Go over there again and invite the third son of the Ji family over here too. I want to see what your Ji family treasure looks like."

Ji Huan, smiling broadly, sat on a stool, looking like he was watching a play, watching the others knock on Ji Yuan's door.

Liu Fengmei, however, was furious. She pointed at Ji Huan, "What are you doing? Ji Yuan has nothing to do with this matter to begin with. Why are you dragging him into this?"

"How can it be irrelevant? You gave Ji Yuan a lot of that fifty taels of silver, didn't you? He's a vested interest. Now that this has come to you, it's only natural that he should be counted. There's no such thing as taking advantage without giving back." Ji Huan said lazily, leaning back in his wooden chair.

"That's right," Zhang Fugui thought Ji Huan had a point and couldn't help but reply, which immediately infuriated Liu Fengmei even more.

Ji Huan shook his head with a smile. No matter how reluctant Ji Yuan was, he didn't have the courage to resist when he saw the other party got three Qian Yuans to call him. But when he walked in front of Ji Huan, Ji Yuan glared at Ji Huan fiercely. No one had noticed him in the first place, it was all Ji Huan's fault for being too talkative.

Ji Huan looked calm. Seeing Ji Yuan approach, he glanced at the crowd. "Okay, everyone's here now."

Then, he looked at Zhang Fugui. "Since everyone's here, it's time for our two families to settle accounts. Your son beat my sister black and blue. Did you know about this?"

Zhang Liangcai's mother, Zhao Guiqiu, had a flickering expression. "It's normal for couples to have minor fights."

Ji Huan stood up with a solemn expression. "How dare you call this a minor fight? Ji Qiao's body is practically covered in wounds, new wounds covering old ones. Not a single spot is in good condition. And you still have the nerve to bring people here to demand money?"

Zhang Fugui's veins bulged with anger, but he also knew that Ji Huan was telling the truth. Ji Qiao had been beaten many times in their family. He had tried to persuade Zhang Liangcai, but Zhang Liangcai wouldn't listen.

"Well, Liangcai was wrong to hit Ji Qiao. But what about you, Ji Huan? You almost drowned my son this morning. How are we going to settle this account?" Zhang Fugui felt confident as soon as he mentioned this.

Ji Huan's lips curled up slightly, and he looked at Zhang Liangcai, "What else can I do? He deserves to die. He beat my sister like that. I was too lenient this morning. Zhang Liangcai, remember this well. Don't be alone when you go out in the future, otherwise you might get into an accident. Our two villages are next to the river. Be careful not to fall into the river and drown."

Zhang Liangcai's only remaining leg was so scared that it went limp. He quickly looked at his father and was about to cry when he spoke: "Dad, Ji Huan, she, Ji Huan, she still wants to harm me."

"Shut up, you good-for-nothing." Zhang Fugui cursed Zhang Liangcai and looked at Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, don't think that I dare not let anyone do something to you. You are not done bullying my son."

Ji Huan's face turned cold, "Really? In that case, then let your son come over. When I beat him until his skin and flesh are torn, this matter will be over. Don't you want fairness? Then your son must suffer the same pain that my sister has suffered. As for the fifty taels of silver, just ask whoever you gave it to."

"Ji Huan, aren't you a scoundrel?"

"I'm a scoundrel? Your son is the real scoundrel, right?

Ji Huan didn't bother to pay attention to Zhang Fugui after he finished speaking.

"What do you want, Ji Huan, I'm asking you a question?" Zhang Fugui felt furious when he saw Ji Huan sitting there calmly.

"It's you who brought people here to make trouble. Why are you asking me? Don't you have a brain? "After Ji Huan finished speaking, he gathered his sleeves and stopped answering.

Zhang Fugui saw that he could not argue with Ji Huan at all. In the short confrontation just now, he was speechless because of Ji Huan. Seeing this, Zhang Fugui simply shifted his target and said to Ji Mantun, "Ji Mantun, now the divorce of the two children is a foregone conclusion. I don't intend to say anything more, but you have to return the fifty taels of silver to me quickly."

Seeing Ji Huan silent, Ji Mantun had to do it himself. He imitated Ji Huan's behavior, grabbed the injuries on Ji Qiao's body and started to play the victim: "You can't say that. It's true that you gave us fifty taels of silver as a betrothal gift, but it's also true that my daughter was beaten all over by you. You can want the fifty taels, but let your son stand here honestly and let our family beat him up until he vents his anger. I will immediately return the fifty taels to you, otherwise, don't even think about it. "

Hearing this, Zhang Fugui became furious. Originally, he didn't dare to cause trouble when he brought people to Dongniu Village, but the attitudes of the Ji family were worse than each other, and he really couldn't bear it.

"What are you still standing there for? Today I have finally seen clearly that your family is stubborn and you just want to shirk your debts, right? Show them some color." Zhang Fugui shouted.

Ji Huan hurriedly stood up and protected Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao behind him, but at this time, Erzhuzi brought seven or eight young and middle-aged men from the village and rushed in, and many villagers came with them.

"I noticed you when you entered the village. How dare you run to Dongniu Village to make trouble? We haven't gone to find you yet."

Erzhuzi asked several Qianyuan to protect Ji Huan and the others. After all, in his opinion, Ji Huan was honest and filial, and he might suffer.

"What do you mean, do you want to protect the Ji family? "Zhang Fugui was a little flustered when he saw so many people coming.

"Your son bullied Ji Qiao, and now you dare to come to Dongniu Village to make trouble. You think there is no one in our village, right? I tell you, get out of here quickly, or I will ask someone to ask you to leave." Er Zhuzi was also very angry. If he hadn't called people in time, Zhang Fugui and his men would have been ready to take action.

As he said that, Er Zhuzi hurried to see Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, are you okay?"

Everyone's eyes fell on Ji Huan again. Ji Huan no longer had the arrogant look she had just had. She only saw red eyes and a lonely figure, "Zhang Liangcai not only beat my sister, but also brought people to our house to make trouble. Fortunately, you came in time, otherwise we might have been beaten up by the Zhang family. "

Zhang Fugui opened his mouth wide when he saw Ji Huan crying. Compared with the Zhang family's surprise, the Ji family was much calmer. They often saw Ji Huan's expression change quickly, so they didn't find it strange.

"Ji Huan, are you still pretending? You just threatened my son? Now you are pretending to be weak." Zhang Fugui was so angry that his veins popped out, and he looked obviously furious.

Ji Huan was about to cry: "Uncle, you can't slander me just because you failed to vent your personal anger. Everyone knows what kind of person I am. How could I do something threatening? "

"That's right, Ji Huan is the most honest person in our village. You Zhang family are so bad. You beat Ji Qiao and now you want to slander Ji Huan." Aunt Yuan shouted in a loud voice.

"Yeah, everyone knows who Ji Huan is. You troublemakers, get out of Dongniu Village!"

"Get out of Dongniu Village!"

Someone in the crowd started shouting, and everyone was furious. Zhang Fugui was terrified. Although he seemed to have a large group, they were far fewer than the people in Dongniu Village. Seeing the villagers' excitement, Zhang Fugui didn't dare to retort.

"Just wait, I'll settle this score with you sooner or later." Zhang Fugui pointed at Ji Huan, but Er Zhuzi glared at him, and he backed off again.

The villagers shoved and shoved Zhang Fugui and his group out.

Er Zhuzi and his men watched until they reached the intersection of the two villages. He pointed at Zhang Fugui and said, "Listen, Dongniu Village doesn't welcome people like you. Every time you come here from now on, I'll kick you out. Ji Huan is my friend. If you want to bully her, you'll have to get past me first."

Zhang Fugui looked utterly pissed. He was bullying Ji Huan? It's obvious that Ji Huan is bullying him, okay? Are the people in Dongniu Village sick? How can someone as arrogant and domineering as Ji Huan be bullied by others? This is too outrageous.

"Okay, just wait and see, I will teach you a lesson sooner or later." Not only did Zhang Fugui not get his money back, but he also got a cold shoulder. He felt so ashamed that he could only speak harshly to save face.

Erzhuzi drove the man out of the village and didn't bother to care about him anymore. He was still worried about what the head of the village had told him, so he went to see Li Cunfu, the head of Xiniu Village.

Erzhuzi told Li Cunfu everything about Ji Huan and Zhang Liangcai, and Li Cunfu roughly understood it.

The Ji family did accept the Zhang family's fifty taels of silver as a betrothal gift, but Ji Qiao was nearly tortured to death by the Zhang family. Li Cunfu sighed and said, "What's all this about? Since the Zhang family owes the Ji family, they don't have to pay back the silver. Don't worry, the Zhang family, I'll have people keep an eye on them and make sure they don't cause any more trouble. Let's just leave it at that."

"Thank you, village head. I'll go back and tell our village head."

"Well, go ahead, go ahead," Li Cunfu sighed. He then instructed his young men to keep an eye on Zhang Fugui's family.

Meanwhile, Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were beaming because the Zhang family didn't take the fifty taels of silver.

Liu Fengmei even found Ji Huan pleasing to the eye. She approached Ji Huan and said, "Ji Huan, today's matter is thanks to you. Our family has secured the fifty taels of silver. That's great."

By this time, the people in the courtyard had long since dispersed, and Ji Huan couldn't stop smiling. "Yes, since the fifty taels of silver are secured, then we should also discuss how to divide the money. What do you think?"

Liu Fengmei's smile froze. She looked at Ji Huan and took a step back. "Ji Huan, what do you mean?"

The smile on Ji Huan's lips widened. "Literally, the fifty taels of silver were the money you got from selling your daughter. Ji Qiao suffered so much, so the money should naturally belong to Ji Qiao."

Ji Qiao was shocked to hear Ji Huan say this. She felt very lucky to be able to divorce, but she didn't dare to think about the silver anymore. Even now, she felt that her parents still didn't want her.

"Sister." The little girl timidly tugged at Ji Huan's sleeve.

Ji Huan winked at her, signaling her to be good and not interrupt.

Seeing that her sister didn't let her interrupt, Ji Qiao stood obediently behind Ji Huan.

"Are you crazy, Ji Huan? That's fifty taels of silver, you're asking for too much?" Liu Fengmei changed her attitude towards Ji Huan as soon as she heard that he wanted money.

"I'm not asking for too much. I'm just telling the truth. The fifty taels originally belonged to Ji Qiao. It was you and my father who used the money on Ji Yuan and your two precious grandsons."

However, Ji Huan was not in a hurry. He looked at Liu Fengmei with a smile on his face, which made Liu Fengmei feel uneasy.

Ji Yuan felt guilty when he heard his name, and whispered: "Ji Huan, what do you want to do?"

"Nothing, isn't it just to help my sister get the money back?"

"The betrothal money should have been given to my parents since ancient times, Ji Huan, I advise you to stop. Now my parents have tacitly agreed to let Ji Qiao come back to live, which is already very good to Ji Qiao. You still want money?" Ji Yuan hurriedly said. After all, he could spend some of the fifty taels if it was with Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun, but if the money went to Ji Qiao, he would not get any benefit at all.

Ji Huan nodded, and ignored Ji Yuan, and took out a bowl from the kitchen. The bowl was good. Ji Huan looked at it carefully, then broke the bowl a little, and then nodded.

Ji Yuan's forehead veins were exposed, and at the same time he was very scared: "Ji Huan, you, what do you want to do?" "

Nothing, take Yubai and Ji Qiao out to beg for food."

As he said that, Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao towards the courtyard gate, muttering to himself as he walked: "Alas, the world is going downhill, people's hearts are not as they used to be. The Ji family sold their daughter to earn fifty taels of blood-stained silver, and all of it was spent on Ji Yuan, Ji Dong and Ji Xi. I, Ji Huan, am incompetent. I can't even protect my sister. My parents eat my flesh and drink my blood, but I can't do anything. I'm not a good sister, I'm incompetent."

Ji Mantun's face turned blue and purple. If Ji Huan was allowed to go out and beg for food while saying these words, their family would be driven out of Donniu Village. Thinking of this, Ji Mantun hurriedly said: "What are you all standing there for? Why don't you go and stop them?"

Ji Yuan's reaction this time was bigger than Ji Ming and Ji Sen. He was a scholar. If people knew that he had taken advantage of his sister's blood, let alone pass the imperial examination, it would be difficult for him to even go to school.

He rushed to the front of the courtyard gate, closed it, and said with a smile: "Second sister, we are all family, we won't do that, really not." "

Not that? It's not you who is being eaten and blood is being drunk, so of course you think it's not that bad. Why? Are you afraid that your classmates will hear about you eating human blood buns? Don't say it, don't say it, I was planning to do that."

Ji Huan smiled at Ji Yuan, then turned to look at Ji Mantun and the others, "I was planning to hold the bowl and repeat what I just said a hundred times around the main road in the village. Then, I plan to go to the county town. The open space in front of Zhibo Bookstore is a good place. I will repeat what I just said nearby. A hundred times, I think I will always run into a few people who are familiar with Ji Yuan, right? "

Ji Huan glanced at Ji Yuan, and seeing that Ji Yuan's face turned pale and blue, Ji Huan continued: "When the time comes, if people ask about it, I will explain to them in detail how I was treated like a workhorse in the Ji family, and how you took advantage of me. It doesn't matter if they don't understand, I can repeat it over and over again. "

Ji Mantun was about to faint when he heard what Ji Huan said. Liu Fengmei rushed over, and she and Ji Ming supported Ji Mantun on the left and right.

Ji Huan looked over with a sneer and said sarcastically, "Dad, if you want to faint, just faint. I won't fall for that. Just go out and beg for my food."

Ji Mantun sighed heavily when he heard her say that, "You can't do that, Ji Huan. We all have the surname Ji. If we are really driven out by the villagers, the whole family will be driven out, including the three of you." "

Really? I don't think so. I think the villagers still like us very much. Otherwise, let's give it a try. It's okay. Practice is the only criterion for testing truth①. Dad, we've been talking here for a long time and it's no use. Let me verify it. By then, will our whole family be driven out of Donniu Village, or will only you be driven out? I'm looking forward to it. Okay, I'm too lazy to talk nonsense. Let's go and beg for food."

Ji Huan's tone was full of joy when she said this. The Ji family was almost pissed off at her.

Ji Ming couldn't help but interrupt, "Dad, why don't we give it to them? Our family has been in this village for decades. If we are really kicked out, where will we go? And if Ji Huan said those words, not only Ji Yuan would be affected, but Ji Dong and Ji Xi are still so young. They will be ostracized by the children in the same village in the future."

"How could I not know?" Ji Mantun shook the pipe he had just repaired. He was just gambling now, betting that Ji Huan had enough dignity to beg for food.

Ji Mantun was feeling very nervous, while Ji Huan had already taken Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao out of the yard. Ji Qiao had just returned for one day and was still confused about Ji Huan's actions. With red eyes, she advised, "Sister, why don't we go back? You and Sister Yubai have already helped me a lot. How can I let you go out to beg for food?"

Ji Qiao's eyes were red. Ji Huan leaned over and whispered, "Don't worry, I'm pretending. You just need to follow behind me and watch with your Sister Yubai."

As he spoke, Ji Huan did not forget to wink at his little rabbit. Jiang Yubai had been through so many times and had some experience with Ji Huan's operations, so he held Ji Qiao with confidence and said, "Don't worry, she has many ways to deal with the Ji family. We just need to cooperate with her."

Ji Qiao looked at Ji Huan and then at Jiang Yubai, not knowing what her two sisters were up to.

In the yard, Ji Yuan listened to the silence outside for a long time, and the big stone in his chest immediately relaxed a little, "Dad, the old ones are still the wisest, you guessed it right, Ji Huan still has some dignity after all."

Ji Mantun snorted, and was praised by the most knowledgeable third son in the family. He straightened his back, "That's right, your father has not lived in vain for decades."

Just when the father and son wanted to continue bragging, Ji Huan's crying voice came from outside: "Look, look, the fifty taels of blood-stained silver that the Ji family earned from selling their daughters were all used on Ji Yuan, Ji Dong and Ji Xi. I, Ji Huan, am incompetent. Even my sister "I can't even protect my sister. My parents and brothers eat my flesh and drink my blood, and I can't do

anything. I'm not a good sister." After taking a breath, Ji Huan didn't forget to get to the point. After all, she was out begging. "Uncle, Auntie, please give me something to eat. My parents and brothers are eating my blood, but I, Ji Huan, can't do that. I simply can't do such a thing, even worse than pigs and dogs. Parents, please forgive me for being unfilial. I simply can't do such a thing."

Ji Huan cried out as she walked away, but her expression was calm. After all, the village roads were deserted, and no one would notice

her even if she acted. Ji Mantun's composure was gone. His face flushed with anxiety. "What are you all standing there for? Go get the person back for me. Tell Ji Huan that the money can be discussed. Tell her to bring the person back quickly."

Ji Mantun spoke, stroking his chest. He hadn't expected Ji Huan to lose even her dignity and actually resort to begging.

Ji Yuan, Ji Ming, and Ji Sen hurried out, even Liu Fengmei following suit.

"Ji Huan, wait a minute! Dad said we can discuss the money," Ji Yuan shouted into the distance.

"Second sister, come back! Dad has given in. Come back soon," Ji Ming also shouted.

Only Ji Sen remained calm. After all, Ji Huan hadn't called him by name, so he could remain somewhat composed.

"Second sister, please come back soon! Mom was wrong. Ji Qiao deserves a share of the money. Just listen and don't take them with you. It's freezing cold, and Ji Qiao's illness hasn't healed yet," Liu Fengmei urged, chasing after her. Only then did

Ji Huan stop begging. She had just shouted twice with her broken bowl, and it really did feel like she was begging. But thinking about Ji Qiao's health, Ji Huan quickly gave up. She had only wanted to get some of the money back for Ji Qiao, and now that her goal had been achieved, she naturally didn't need to beg anymore.

Ji Huan turned his head to look at Liu Fengmei, Ji Yuan and the others, a smile appeared on his lips, "Okay, then, I'll go back with you and have a look. If we can't reach an agreement, I'll take Yubai and the others out to beg for food."

Liu Fengmei was about to cry, and hurriedly continued to persuade: "Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao are both Kunze. They are weak in this winter. How can you really take them to beg for food? Right? Let's go back and have a good talk. We are all family."

"Just beg for food, there's nothing wrong with it. Begging is also physical labor. I have to move my mouth and legs. It's better than you eating human blood buns." Ji Huan said indifferently.

"Second sister, I beg you, please keep your voice down." Ji Yuan was almost scared to death. At this moment, someone on the village road had noticed them and was looking over here.

"What's there to be quiet about? As long as I have nothing to hide, I will go out to beg for food with dignity." Ji Huan said seriously.

Chapter Text

Ji Yuan broke out in a cold sweat. Wasn't Ji Huan an upright person? The problem was, they had something to hide! He had spent Ji Qiao's money.

"Yes, second brother, our dirty laundry shouldn't be aired in public. Let's leave quickly. Your father is waiting for you. Everything can be negotiated." Liu Fengmei smiled, fearing that Ji Huan would be angered and lose his temper.

Ji Qiao followed behind, and when she heard Liu Fengmei and Ji Yuan trying to persuade Ji Huan, her eyes widened. She thought her sister would really be begging because of her.

Ji Qiao glanced at Jiang Yubai beside her and saw that Jiang Yubai was as calm as her sister. As if sensing her uneasiness, Jiang Yubai smiled at Ji Qiao in a comforting gesture. Ji Qiao's mind was in a tangle, and she couldn't figure it out.

Soon, Ji Huan returned to the courtyard, surrounded by the Ji family.

Ji Yuan was afraid that Ji Huan would go out to beg for food again, and his eyes fell on the broken bowl in Ji Huan's hand, "Second sister, it's dangerous for you to hold this broken bowl, let me help you throw it away."

Liu Fengmei rolled her eyes and quickly agreed, "That's right, Ji Huan, be careful not to hurt yourself again."

Ji Huan pulled the broken bowl back and said with a smile, "No need, mother. If we can't reach an agreement on the money later, I will have to use this broken bowl to beg for food. I went out and shouted a few times just now. You know what, I really got the hang of it."

Hearing Ji Huan say this, Ji Yuan was like an ant on a hot pan, his heart was in turmoil, and cold sweats were all over his body. Why did he feel that Ji Huan really wanted to go begging for food?

Ji Yuan was almost crying and hurried over to beg Ji Mantun, "Dad, we are all family. How can we really let our second sister go begging? She is my biological sister, and Ji Qiao is my biological sister. Dad, return the silver to Ji Qiao."

Ji Mantun was also afraid that Ji Huan would go out and go crazy. He sighed deeply and was a little short of breath. "Hey, it's not that I don't want to, it's just that the family urgently needed money and used up some of it. Ji Huan, how about this? I'll give Ji Qiao twenty taels of silver, and this matter will be settled, okay?"

Ji Qiao's mouth opened wide. She really didn't expect that she could actually get the money back. After all, with her parents' temper, asking them for money was almost the same as asking them for their lives.

Ji Huan looked at the bowl in his hand and muttered to himself, "It's a good thing I didn't throw it away just now. Some people have no sincerity at all. I'd better go begging."

"Dad, you can't let her go. She really can do it." Ji Yuan pinched Ji Mantun's arm and shook it hard.

Seeing Ji Huan turning away, Ji Mantun managed a few words through gritted teeth: "Thirty taels, I really can't give you more. We've almost spent the rest. Ji Qiao, I beg you, please persuade your second sister."

Ji Qiao hadn't expected to get thirty taels of silver from her father, and she was speechless for a long time.

Ji Huan estimated that Ji Mantun must have some money, but getting back the twenty taels would be difficult. Besides, Ji Qiao really needed to rest and recuperate, so she couldn't really take them out to beg. So Ji Huan decided to go along with it.

She turned to Ji Mantun and said, "Okay, reluctantly, I'll ask Ji Qiao if thirty taels is okay."

Ji Huan said, walking up to the little girl and saying softly, "As long as you return thirty taels, is that okay?"

The little girl looked at Ji Huan with bright eyes and nodded hurriedly, "I'll listen to you, sister."

After all, in her opinion, it was hard to get even one tael of silver from her parents, let alone thirty taels? She didn't even dare to think about it.

Ji Huan nodded and looked at Ji Mantun, "Okay, Ji Qiao has agreed reluctantly. Dad, take the money. Words alone are not enough. Money only counts when it's in your hands."

Ji Mantun felt dizzy. This really hit him in the heart. "His mother, go get the silver and give it to them."

Ji Mantun gritted his teeth when he spoke, as if someone wanted to kill him.

Ji Huan was very leisurely. She handed the broken bowl in her hand to the little rabbit and said softly, "Please keep it for me. Maybe we can really use it in the future."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai nodded obediently.

Ji Mantun listened to Ji Huan's words, his heart pounding. Does Ji Huan want to beg for food in the future?

Liu Fengmei came back quickly, "Boss, here's the silver."

Liu Fengmei handed the thirty taels of silver in her arms to Ji Mantun. Ji Mantun looked at the silver in his hand, his heart aching, "Here are thirty taels of silver, for you."

Ji Mantun said this, but he didn't show any intention of extending his hand, obviously not wanting to hand over the money.

Ji Huan smiled and took all the silver from Ji Mantun's hand, "Okay, everyone go back. Now that we have the silver, we three naturally don't have to go out begging."

Ji Mantun's chest rose and fell, and he snorted coldly at Ji Huan, then turned and went back to the house.

Ji Ming and Ji Yuan also breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the house, but Ji Sen's eyes were always on the thirty taels of silver in Ji Huan's hand.

Ji Huan glared at Ji Sen coldly, "Don't think about the thirty taels of silver, otherwise, you know the consequences."

Ji Sen was frightened by Ji Huan's cold eyes and quickly denied it, "No, second sister, I dare not, I really dare not, then let's go back first."

As Ji Sen said this, he quickly pulled Wang Xiuxiu back to the room.

After everyone left, Ji Huan and the others went to Ji Qiao's room. Ji Huan put all the silver in her hand on the table. She looked at Ji Qiao and said, "Keep this money. It was originally yours."

Ji Qiao hurriedly shook her head and pushed the silver in front of Ji Huan, "Sister, you should take this money. If it weren't for you, let alone this money, even a divorce would be difficult. Thanks to you for helping me this time."

Ji Huan shook her head, "It was originally your money. You have suffered so much in the Zhang family. It is only right that you keep this money. There are many days to come. Be obedient and keep it well."

"Sister, I'd better give it to you. I can't use this money..." The little girl was still chattering.

Ji Huan shook his head with a laugh, saying softly, "If I ever need it, I'll tell you. Just keep it safe. I'm a little sleepy after all this morning's arguing. I'll go back and catch up on some sleep. Just call us if you need anything."

"Okay, I'll keep the silver then." Ji Qiao was truly grateful for Ji Huan and the others' help, but her sister refused to accept the money, so she had no choice but to keep it for herself and give it back to her sister later if she needed it.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai left Ji Qiao's room. Ji Huan stretched. The constant emotional shifts this early in the morning had really tested her acting skills, and she was truly exhausted.

Jiang Yubai watched from the side, puzzled. After she and Ji Huan returned to their room, the little rabbit approached Ji Huan with a mysterious look and whispered, "Sister, do ghosts get sleepy and tired?"

Ji Huan was left in a state of confusion. Okay, the little rabbit still remembered being a ghost.

"Of course. Think about it, even a ghost possessing a person needs to spend a lot of energy. It can't be for nothing, right?"

Ji Huan made up a story, and then saw the little rabbit nodded with bright eyes. Did the little white rabbit believe it again? Ji Huan shook her head helplessly, not knowing whether to be happy or not. The little white rabbit was too easy to fool, wasn't it?

"Sister, then you should rest up. You must be exhausted after so much trouble these days." Jiang Yubai was so distressed that she went over to help Ji Huan take off her outer dress.

Ji Huan instinctively wanted to hide. After all, modern people dress themselves, and they'd definitely be unaccustomed to having help. But she forced herself to hold back. Little Rabbit was sensitive because of the rumors about her being a jinx, and if

she rashly avoided her, it would make her think too much. She simply stood there, letting Jiang Yubai help her untie her belt. Jiang Yubai didn't show it on her face, but a blush spread across the tips of her ears. Untying Ji Huan's belt wasn't very skillful, and after a while, Little Rabbit's face flushed. Then, she realized the belt seemed to be tightening even tighter.

Ji Huan couldn't help but chuckle in laughter. Jiang Yubai's cheeks flushed, and not only did her movements become more chaotic, but her legs felt weak.

She glanced up at Ji Huan, only to see him looking at her with a smile. Embarrassed, Jiang Yubai didn't know what to do, so she simply buried herself in Ji Huan's arms.

Ji Huan reached out and gently stroked the little rabbit's back, and said softly, "Why are you shy again suddenly?"

The little rabbit subconsciously rubbed against Ji Huan's arms, buried its face in Ji Huan's arms and did not dare to look up, and its voice was very soft, "The belt is too tight, I can't untie it."

Seeing that the little rabbit in his arms was shy again, Ji Huan's eyebrows slightly curved, and he echoed the little rabbit softly: "Really? Maybe I tied it too hard this morning, and the little rabbit is still too weak."

When Jiang Yubai heard Ji Huan call her a little rabbit, the tips of his ears turned even redder.

Ji Huan patted Jiang Yubai's back soothingly, softly saying, "Well, how about I untie it myself, okay?"

The little rabbit nuzzled into Ji Huan's shoulder, humming a few times, stealing a glance up at him before quickly lowering her head and mumbling, "No, I'll do it."

Ji Huan's lips curved slightly, but the little rabbit remained persistent. "Okay, you do it."

Ji Huan's gentle tone made Jiang Yubai's legs weaken even further. She leaned against Ji Huan for a long moment, then pulled away slightly from his embrace and reached out to continue untying her belt.

Fortunately, after a few tries, Ji Huan's belt finally came free. The little rabbit looked up at Ji Huan, a smile spreading across her lips.

While washing clothes by the river, she'd often heard Kunze from the village talk about how untying Qianyuan's belt was a very intimate act. Thinking of her sister not rejecting her, Jiang Yubai's face flushed even more.

Ji Huan had no idea that the little rabbit had imagined so much. He just thought she was cheeky and cute, so he reached out and rubbed the top of the little rabbit's head.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan shyly, then took two stealthy steps forward and reached out to untie Ji Huan's belt. This time, with the experience she had just had, the little rabbit was much more adept, and soon she helped Ji Huan take off her outer dress.

Jiang Yubai hung the dress on a simple wooden rack beside the bed, and saw that Ji Huan did not get into bed, but was still standing there.

Jiang Yubai asked in confusion, "Sister, aren't you going to rest?"

"I'll wait for you to come with me, aren't you going to accompany me?" Ji Huan asked softly.

Jiang Yubai had originally thought of taking out all of Ji Huan's worn-out clothes to dry in the sun, but after hearing what Ji Huan said, Jiang Yubai also wanted Ji Huan to hold her to sleep.

The little rabbit nodded, her ears slightly red as she replied, "You go to bed first, I'll be right there."

Ji Huan smiled as she lay down on the inside of the bed, leaving the outer blanket to the little rabbit. Last night, she had slept alone in the dining room, and she always felt like something was missing in her arms.

Jiang Yubai's ears were red as she took off her outer dress and then went to bed with a blushing face. As soon as she got into bed, the little rabbit buried most of her face in the blanket. Daytime was different from nighttime, and she still felt shy lying in bed with Ji Huan.

As if she had thought of something, Jiang Yubai's eyes rolled around, and the fingertips that were pulling the blanket exerted a little pressure, causing the tips of her ears and the sides of her face to turn red. She secretly glanced at Ji Huan, and seeing that Ji Huan was looking at her from the side, the little rabbit's ears turned even redder.

Finally, as if mustering courage, Jiang Yubai moved closer to Ji Huan. Ji Huan took the opportunity to scoop up the little rabbit and held it in his arms. Ji Huan was delighted by the little rabbit's initiative and reached out to rub the top of the little rabbit's head. "Good girl."

Jiang Yubai buried her face in Ji Huan's arms for a long moment, waiting for the blush on her cheeks to fade. The little rabbit looked up at Ji Huan, wanting to speak but hesitant.

"What's wrong? You want to tell me something?" Ji Huan asked softly.

The little rabbit nodded, pursed her lips, and finally said, "Sister, if you need to absorb yang energy, then absorb mine. I have more. Don't all ghosts need yang energy?"

Jiang Yubai had heard Kunze from the village tell ghost stories while washing clothes by the river. Many of them were quite embarrassing. In some stories, ghosts could only absorb human yang energy through sexual intercourse.

Thinking of this, the little rabbit's ears blushed. She felt a little scared, but also inexplicably excited.

Ji Huan looked at the little rabbit in her arms, waiting obediently for her to absorb her yang energy. She wasn't a ghost, so why would she need to absorb any yang energy?

Ji Huan smiled helplessly at the little rabbit and reached out to poke the side of Jiang Yubai's face. "I was just teasing you. I'm really not a ghost, and I don't need to absorb your yang energy. Where did you hear that, little bad rabbit? Don't let me have such nonsense in

the future." Jiang Yubai obviously didn't believe her and stared at Ji Huan. After a while, the little rabbit's eyes reddened again. She knew that her sister was reluctant to absorb her yang energy. The little rabbit was deeply touched, but at the same time, she was worried that Ji Huan would feel unwell without yang energy replenishment for a long time.

"Sister, I'm very healthy. You don't have to force yourself to endure it. I'm letting you absorb it voluntarily," the little rabbit continued to persuade with red eyes.

Ji Huan pursed his lips. Well, what he'd said so casually before, the little rabbit now believed it. Ji Huan continued to explain, "I'm really not a ghost. I still have a shadow, I get hungry, and I feel pain."

"That's because you're possessing Ji Huan," the little rabbit explained seriously.

Okay, the matter was back again. The little rabbit was now convinced that she was possessing Ji Huan. She sighed and said softly, "Okay, since you don't believe me, anyway, I don't need to absorb human energy. I'm just like a normal person. I can eat and sleep normally and rest well. Don't worry about me."

Jiang Yubai nodded at Ji Huan's words, but a hint of disappointment lingered in her heart. If her sister didn't need to absorb energy, then he wouldn't have to consummate their marriage.

Ji Huan breathed a sigh of relief when the little rabbit in his arms finally stopped talking about absorbing energy. After a long morning, Ji Huan fell into a deep sleep, holding the little rabbit in his arms.

When she woke up again, Ji Huan vaguely felt someone touching the side of her face. But when she opened her eyes, she saw Little Bunny, still tucked in her arms, still asleep. The tips of her ears were red, but Ji Huan thought it might be too hot and stuffy from being cuddled up with her, so she didn't pay much attention.

Seeing that Little Bunny wasn't awake, and finding the tips of her ears so adorable and pink, she couldn't help but reach out and gently pinch them. The little bunny's ears twitched.

"Sister~" Jiang Yubai's voice was incredibly soft.

Ji Huan hadn't expected her touch to wake her up, so she quickly soothed, "Did I wake you?"

Jiang Yubai shook her head, burying her face in Ji Huan's shoulder. She had been awake long ago, and she hadn't been able to resist touching her sister's face, only to have her sister wake up. Luckily, she was quick to react and immediately feigned sleep, so her sister didn't notice.

Still, the thought of her sister pinching her ears made Little Bunny limp.

"Are you still sleepy? Do you want to sleep a little longer?" Ji Huan reached out and gently touched the top of the little rabbit's head, and asked softly.

The little rabbit shook its head, looked at Ji Huan with a red face, and rubbed against Ji Huan's arms, not wanting to get up.

Ji Huan looked at the soft, cherubic little white rabbit, her eyes curved slightly. "Okay, then, lie down a little longer."

The room was chilly and gloomy, and only the warmth of the blankets had finally gathered. Clutching the small stove in her arms, Ji Huan didn't want to get up.

Right now, she had to care for more than just the little rabbit. If the family split up, it would be best if Ji Qiao stayed with her and Jiang Yubai. Otherwise, given the Ji family's temperament, they would bully Ji Qiao in the future.

The village's public opinion had been almost fully developed, and the split was just waiting for the right opportunity. Comparatively speaking, her biggest need right now was money. However, until the family split up, Ji Huan didn't dare to start making Jianzhan teapots rashly, lest she be pestered by the Ji family.

As she thought, she reached out and gently poked the little rabbit's cheek. Seeing Ji Huan poking her face, Jiang Yubai nuzzled against Ji Huan's fingertips, becoming even more like a soft, cherubic little white rabbit.

Perhaps after the day's turmoil, Liu Fengmei and the others didn't cause any trouble in the afternoon. Instead, they arranged for Ji Sen and Wang Xiuxiu to prepare dinner.

Ji Huan and the other two brought the food to Ji Huan's table to eat, while Ji Mantun and the others were in the dining room.

Ji Mantun glanced at the people at the table and sighed deeply. This second son didn't even take him, his father, seriously. Even Ji Qiao hadn't come over. But remembering Ji Huan's afternoon clamor to beg for food, Ji Mantun didn't dare to provoke Ji Huan.

He sighed and said listlessly, "Alright, let's eat."

Everyone picked up their chopsticks and began to eat. The dining room was silent, with only the clinking of chopsticks on bowls. No one spoke for a while.

Ji Sen ate for a while, and the steamed buns in his bowl were empty. "I'll get some more. Anyone else want one?"

"Get me one too," Ji Ming said as he ate from his bowl.

"Okay, I'll bring the rest over," Ji Sen said, leaving the dining room.

Ji Huan and her friends were much more lively. Dinner was still cabbage stewed with potatoes and multi-grain steamed buns. Ji Huan had been eating this almost every day since she came here, and she really couldn't stand it anymore. This meal really had no oil or water at all.

Jiang Yubai saw that Ji Huan was not in a good mood and asked hurriedly, "Sister, what's wrong with you? Is the food not to your taste?"

Ji Huan shook her head. Now was not the time to be picky about food. Just enough to fill her stomach was enough. "No, maybe I haven't woken up

yet. I'm not very hungry. You two should eat more." Jiang Yubai nodded and buried his head in the food with Ji Qiao.

After dinner, Jiang Yubai accompanied Ji Qiao to her room to apply medicine, while Ji Huan stayed in the room to rest.

Ji Qiao had no new injuries since the divorce, and the previous injuries were beginning to heal.

Jiang Yubai finished applying the medicine to Ji Qiao and was about to go back. Ji Qiao stopped him, saying, "Sister Yubai, I won't take the thirty taels of silver. Please take it back for me. It's really useless to keep it here." "

Since Ji Huan told you to keep it, just keep it," Jiang Yubai replied.

Ji Qiao, however, began to search under the bed. She had hidden the silver in a small bag under the bed since her return. However, the more she searched, the paler Ji Qiao's face grew.

Jiang Yubai noticed Ji Qiao's dismal expression and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I clearly left the silver here. How come I can't find it?" Ji Qiao's eyes flushed with anxiety. She had intended to use the thirty taels of silver to repay her sisters, and now it was gone in a flash.

"Maybe you misremembered it and left it under the bed?" Jiang Yubai asked, hurrying to help Ji Qiao search.

"Well, I just put it in a cloth bag over here, how could it be gone?" That money was the one her sister had worked so hard to get back for her, and Ji Qiao was already crying in panic.

Jiang Yubai quickly ran back to the room to find Ji Huan, "Sister, Ji Qiao's thirty taels of silver are gone."

Ji Huan's face turned cold. The silver he had just got back, and someone was already thinking about it?

"Let's go, I'll go and take a look." Ji Huan said, and hurriedly went to Ji Qiao's room with Jiang Yubai.

When Ji Qiao saw Ji Huan coming, she sniffed and whispered, "Sister, I clearly put the silver under the bed, and I didn't go out all afternoon. I just went to your place to have dinner, and when I came back, the money was gone."

"Don't worry, think about it again, has anyone entered the house, or has any villagers come to our yard?" Ji Huan asked.

"No, the yard door has been closed the whole time, and I was only away for dinner just now." Ji Qiao said, wiping her tears.

Ji Huan nodded, and probably had a guess in his mind. After such a short time, it is highly likely that it was not done by outsiders, and it is difficult to guard against thieves in the house.

"I see, let's go to the dining room." Ji Huan said and walked quickly to the dining room.

In the dining room, all the Ji family members were still there. Ji Mantun was used to having everyone eat together before letting the children go, in order to show his majesty as the head of

the family. Seeing Ji Huan and others coming over, Ji Mantun frowned unhappily and asked, "Why are you here?"

Ji Huan glanced at everyone and fixed his gaze on Ji Sen. Although Ji Sen was afraid of him on weekdays, he would not dare to even raise his head.

Chapter Text

"The thirty taels of silver you gave Ji Qiao this afternoon are missing. Ji Qiao hasn't left her room all afternoon. She just ate some food in my room, and in less than half an hour, the silver is gone. And the gate is locked. So I suspect there's a thief in our house,"

Ji Huan said coldly. As she spoke, she could clearly feel Ji Sen's body trembling slightly.

"Ji Huan, are you suspecting me and your mother?" Ji Mantun's veins popped out with anger. Although they had tried to trick Ji Huan out of the four taels of silver last time, this time it wasn't them, and Ji Mantun felt confident.

"That's not what I said. I've never seen anyone rush to take the blame. I'm saying everyone here is a suspect, not any of you specifically," Ji Huan said calmly.

"That's impossible. You were eating, and we were eating in the dining room. No one would have the time to steal Ji Qiao's things," Ji Ming said after a moment's thought.

"Really? Don't you need to think about it again? For example, did anyone go to get more food or use the restroom?" Ji Huan continued.

"Hey, didn't the fourth brother just go to the kitchen? And he was gone for quite a while," Li Yulan said, enjoying the fun.

Liu Fengmei glared at Li Yulan, wishing she could tear her apart.

Ji Sen's face flushed red, and his body trembled. "It wasn't me. I just went to get some food. What evidence do you have to prove it was me?"

Ji Huan raised his lips slightly. "Okay, since it wasn't you, I can only report to the police. Thirty taels of silver is not a small amount. Ji Yuan, do you still remember the laws of Daliang? "

Ji Yuan was named by Ji Huan. Although he was reluctant, he was afraid of angering Ji Huan and replied: "Of course I remember. Anyone who steals more than ten taels but less than fifty taels of silver must serve three years in prison. Those arrested will also be punished with caning according to the severity of the circumstances. "

Ji Huan nodded calmly and looked at Ji Mantun: "Dad, the house is handed over to you. Before I report to the police and come back, no one can leave the house. Otherwise, it will be considered absconding from the crime, and you and mother will also be... You can't escape the charge of harboring someone."

Ji Mantun's eyes nearly popped out of his head with rage. "Ji Huan, you, you're really capable now, even threatening your own parents."

Ji Huan scoffed. "Not bad, then? We'll leave now. Everyone just wait at home for me to bring the officers back to investigate."

As Ji Huan spoke, Ji Sen's expression grew increasingly grim, even his back drenched in cold sweat. He saw that Ji Huan had no intention of staying to see what was happening, and he knew that Ji Huan was a man of swift and decisive character, even capable of begging for food, let alone reporting to the police. Just

as Ji Huan was about to step out of the dining room, Ji Sen hurriedly said, "Wait."

Ji Huan raised an eyebrow, glanced at him, and continued to walk out.

"Second sister, I was wrong. Don't leave yet. Please don't go." Ji Sen cried as he ran towards the door, stopped in front of Ji Huan, and knelt down, weeping bitterly.

"I really didn't mean it. I was forced into no choice. I owed money outside. If I can't pay it back tomorrow, that person will cut my tendons. That's why I had such evil thoughts. Second sister, I was really wrong, but I really need the money."

Ji Sen cried and told his story. Seeing Ji Huan's cold expression, he threw himself at Ji Qiao's feet again and stretched out his hand to grab the hem of Ji Qiao's cotton skirt. "Fifth sister, you are usually the best person. I beg you to help me, please help me. Do you really want to watch your own brother's tendons being cut?"

Liu Fengmei felt a headache when she saw Ji Sen like this. Ji Sen owed gambling debts outside more than once or twice. She had secretly helped Ji Sen pay them off several times. Ji Sen always said that he would never dare to do it again, but he would go gambling again not long after.

Ji Qiao looked at Ji Sen kneeling at her feet and didn't know what to do for a moment.

Ji Huan glanced at Ji Sen indifferently, raised her leg and kicked Ji Sen to the ground. She stood in front of Ji Qiao and said coldly: "We haven't investigated the matter of you stealing the silver yet. You still have the nerve to ask Ji Qiao to use the money to save you? Don't even think about it. Just take out the money now, otherwise we can just go to see the officials directly."

"I don't want to see the officials, I don't want to go, second sister, it will be embarrassing for you if I go to jail. Think about it, you won't be able to hold your heads up in the village. You can't send me to see the officials, you can't send me." Ji Sen cried and muttered.

Ji Huan sneered, "You are the one who stole other people's money, so you should be the one to be embarrassed. We are all upright, what is there to be embarrassed about? It's only Wang Xiuxiu who is unlucky to have to deal with a gambler like you, Qianyuan." Ji

Sen looked at Wang Xiuxiu, then at Ji Huan, and began to talk incoherently, "Second sister, I know, are you interested in Wang Xiuxiu? I should have guessed it a long time ago. You let me go to jail just to seduce my wife when I was away, right? No wonder you were so calm when talking to her, it turns out you had thought about it a long time ago, right?"

Ji Huan was so angry that she laughed. After she came through, she had not said more than ten sentences to Wang Xiuxiu, and they were in a state of unfamiliarity. She could talk to Wang Xiuxiu calmly because the other party was at least a normal person, anyway, she looked more normal than most people in the Ji family. She didn't expect that Ji Sen could turn the tables. What kind of rubbish is he.

Wang Xiuxiu burst into tears, "Ji Sen, what nonsense are you talking about? My second sister and I have never said a few words to each other? How can you say that?"

"I think you are not thinking clearly, let me wake you up." Ji Huan said, and filled a basin with water from the water tank in the yard, and poured it on Ji Sen's head.

Ji Sen was shivering with cold, and knelt on the ground crying, "Second sister, Ji Qiao, I beg you, I really need that money to pay off my debts."

"I think you are still not sober." Ji Huan said, not caring that the Ji family members were watching, and started punching and kicking Ji Sen. After a while, Ji Sen's screams were heard in the yard.

"Second sister, I really don't dare to do it anymore, please let me go, don't hit me, it will really kill someone if you hit me again." There was blood on the corner of Ji Sen's lips.

Ji Huan ignored him and continued to punch him in the face, "People like you are only here to hurt others, you deserve a beating."

Seeing that Ji Sen's face was bleeding, Ji Mantun hurriedly advised: "Second brother, stop hitting him, just ask for the money back. He is your brother after all, don't hurt him."

Ji Huan glared back at him coldly, and his words were colder than the surrounding cold air, "I would rather not have such a brother." Ji

Huan felt unsatisfied, and kicked him twice, then stood there and looked at Ji Sen coldly, "Give me the money back now. If you say another word, I will take you to see the officials immediately."

Ji Sen was in pain all over his body after being beaten, and this time he really didn't dare to say anything mean. Ji Huan was more fierce than those gangsters who asked for money, and the gangsters had never beaten him like this.

He staggered to his feet. Even Wang Xiuxiu didn't help him. It was Liu Fengmei who lent a hand and pulled Ji Sen up. "Hurry up and take out the money. Your second sister is different from before. She really wants to take you to see the official."

Ji Sen knew it well, but this time he didn't get the money. He was also beaten up by Ji Huan. "I know, mother. I'll get it right away."

Ji Sen said and walked towards the backyard. He was smart enough. After stealing the money, he didn't hide it in the room, but in the chicken coop in the backyard.

Ji Sen took out the money and handed it to Ji Huan reluctantly. "Second sister, it's all here. Count it."

Ji Huan nodded. He didn't need Ji Sen to tell him to count it. After all, this kind of gambler was not trustworthy at all.

She counted the silver and confirmed that it was thirty taels, then nodded, "Go away, and don't blame me for being ruthless if you have any thoughts that you shouldn't have in the future."

"I won't dare anymore, I really won't dare anymore." Ji Sen covered the half of his face that was beaten, and looked at Liu Fengmei crying, "Mom, I owe two taels of silver outside. Someone is coming to collect the debt tomorrow. Please help me again, please help me again, otherwise I will really be killed."

Liu Fengmei looked at Ji Mantun in embarrassment, feeling sorry for the silver and her son.

Ji Mantun sighed heavily, "What do you want me to say to you? You can't change your gambling habit. It's like a dog can't change its eating habits. Even if someone cuts your tendons, it will teach you a lesson."

"Dad, I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. I can't be without hands. I have to go to the fields to work in the future, and I have to take care of you and mom in your old age. Dad, you and mom save me again, save me again." Ji Sen was still crying.

Ji Huan was too lazy to listen. This kind of person wouldn't necessarily change even if his hands were chopped off. And judging by the personalities of Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, they would probably just curse at Ji Sen and wouldn't really leave him alone.

"Let's go. Now that we've found the silver, let's go back to our rooms and rest." Ji Huan said, handing the silver to Ji Qiao.

Ji Qiao quickly shook her head and pushed the silver back to Ji Huan. "Sister, can you keep this silver for me?"

Ji Huan thought for a moment and nodded. Now that she was living in the Ji family, there was no guarantee that the thirty taels would be in Ji Qiao's care. It would be better for her to put the money in the space first and return it to Ji Qiao when they were safe after the family split up.

"Okay, I'll take it first and give it to you later." Ji Huan patted Ji Qiao's shoulder gently and said softly, "Are you scared this night? Go back and rest."

Seeing Ji Huan accept the silver, Ji Qiao smiled and nodded, "Sister, then you and Sister Yubai should rest early too."

"Okay." Ji Huan nodded, took the silver and went back to the room with Jiang Yubai.

After returning to the room, Ji Huan had an idea and put the silver in her hand into the space. This time, no matter who wanted the silver, as long as it was in the space, no one could get it except her.

The noise outside gradually became smaller. It seemed that Liu Fengmei had compromised and gave Ji Sen two taels of silver, telling him not to gamble anymore.

Wang Xiuxiu, however, was reluctant to go back to the room with him. Her husband just made up rumors about her for the sake of his eloquence. Wang Xiuxiu felt heartbroken. Moreover, Ji Sen was in a bad mood tonight and might hit her again.

As expected, after everyone left, Ji Sen glared at Wang Xiuxiu, "What are you still standing there for? Come back with me and apply the medicine."

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" Wang Xiuxiu looked at Ji Sen, tears still welling in her eyes.

Ji Sen said perfunctorily, "I just yelled at Ji Huan in a rage. I know you and her are not friends. I'm sorry. Oh, my lady, please go back to your room and apply the medicine for me. We won't lose out this time. At least we got two taels of silver, which will pay off all my debts. I promise you, I won't gamble anymore. Let's go."

Wang Xiuxiu wiped her tears and followed Ji Sen back to his room. Sometimes she thought that if her family would support her, she would also like to divorce Ji Sen as Ji Qiao did, but unfortunately, that was impossible. The next morning was New Year's Eve

.

The village was filled with the sound of roosters crowing and the crackling sound of firecrackers.

Ji Huan was too sleepy to open his eyes. He reached out and stroked the warm, soft little rabbit in his arms with discontent.

The little rabbit had been awake long ago, nestling in Ji Huan's arms, staring at his face. Suddenly, Ji Huan rubbed her lower back a few times, and the little rabbit's ears immediately flushed red as she sank limply into Ji Huan's arms, murmured softly like a cat, "Sister~"

But Ji Huan was too sleepy and fell back asleep, not noticing the red-eared little white rabbit in his arms, calling him "Sister."

Seeing that Ji Huan hadn't woken, the little rabbit hummed for a moment, but then she was reluctant to wake him. Sister had been tired all day, and she wanted him to rest.

Jiang Yubai carefully extended her fingertips and gently rubbed Ji Huan's neck. She loved cuddling with her sister. As the little rabbit watched, her eyes fell on the gland on Ji Huan's right neck. There was a flesh-colored ointment applied to it, and beneath the ointment was the site of the release of the incense. Usually, when Qian Yuan and Kun Ze formed a bond, Qian Yuan would bite Kun Ze's right neck.

The little rabbit glanced furtively at Ji Huan, making sure he wasn't awake. Then, red-eared, she carefully placed her nose close to him. She sniffed gently, but the scent-suppressing ointment obscured the scent. She

lay listlessly in Ji Huan's arms, staring at the back of his neck with amusement. Her sister was her Qian Yuan, yet she didn't even know what her sister's fragrance smelled like. The little rabbit felt inexplicably unhappy.

She hadn't understood her mother's words about wanting to be close to her beloved Qian Yuan when she grew up. Now, she understood. She nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms again, her eyes fixed on his glands, covered in the ointment.

Outside, the clatter of firecrackers rang out again. Ji Huan rolled over, bringing the little rabbit with him. The little rabbit jumped, but seeing Ji Huan still awake, she complied, though the more she stared at Ji Huan's neck, the more it ached.

Finally, after hearing two more rounds of cannon fire, Ji Huan couldn't sleep any longer. She forced her eyes open and saw the little rabbit in her arms looking at her obediently.

Ji Huan sighed, "It's still dark outside, why are you setting off cannons?"

"Isn't this how it's usually on New Year's Eve? Should we get up?" the little rabbit asked obediently.

Ji Huan nodded. Unable to fall asleep again, she simply got up and washed up with the little rabbit. Before she knew it, she had been in this world for quite some time, and the little rabbit beside her was no longer afraid of her.

Ji Huan was relieved. She and Jiang Yubai went to the kitchen early. It was New Year's Day, and she didn't want to argue with the Ji family. They started making breakfast early.

They sautéed the onions and garlic in lard, added half a pot of water, and the little rabbit kneaded the dough, rolled it into small lumps, and sprinkled them into the pot. Ji Huan seemed to remember something and went to the backyard to find three eggs. She cracked them all into the pot, and soon the fragrance filled the air.

Ji Ming woke up early in the morning and came over after smelling the food. He thought that the fourth child had learned it, but it turned out to be Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai who were busy. Ji Ming felt embarrassed, and Ji Huan didn't even look at him, so Ji Ming had to go back to his room.

Ji Huan prepared the meal and filled the biggest bowl of noodle soup for the little rabbit. She also filled a bowl for Ji Qiao and then filled a bowl for herself. As for the rest of the Ji family, it was up to her to eat or not. She didn't care.

Ji Qiao also went to Ji Huan's room. The three of them ate the warm noodle soup, talking and laughing.

Liu Fengmei also woke up. She went to the kitchen early in the morning. When she saw the rice in the pot, her eyes lit up immediately. However, when she saw the eggs in the pot, her face changed, "Which bastard put three eggs in the noodles? Those are three eggs."

Ji Ming had been hungry for a long time, but Ji Huan was there just now. He was a little afraid of Ji Huan since he was beaten last time, so he didn't dare to go over. When he heard Liu Fengmei's voice, Ji Ming immediately walked in, "Mom, don't shout, it was Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai who did it."

"Ji Huan and the others did it? Don't they want to work?" Liu Fengmei's face changed again and again, and then she was happy again, "Boss, do you think Ji Huan has changed for the better? Is he willing to work like before?"

Ji Ming hesitated to speak, and finally began to say, "It's unbelievable, Mom. They must have gotten up early and were hungry today, so they did it."

"It's okay to wake up early and be hungry. From now on, our family can eat later and wait for Ji Huan and the others to cook, right?" Liu Fengmei had lost thirty taels of silver yesterday, and now she wished Ji Huan would be killed by Jiang Yubai.

"Anyway, I don't think Ji Huan and the others will be the same again. Mother, it's New Year's Eve, so you'd better not mess with Ji Huan, or you'll have a bad New Year." Basically, ever since Ji Huan woke up from the water, his family had been treating him with disdain.

"Do I need your advice? I just can't get over it," Liu Fengmei sighed heavily. That was thirty taels of silver, and her family couldn't even earn thirty taels a year even farming.

After breakfast, Ji Huan took the dishes back to the kitchen to wash them, only to find a few sets of dishes and chopsticks placed in the empty pot, and the pot hadn't been washed.

Washing the pot was a simple task, but these Ji family members were really pushing him. He just made breakfast, and they misunderstood him as a workhorse again?

"Sister, let me wash it." Jiang Yubai hurriedly said, noticing Ji Huan's unhappy face.

"No need, let's just wash our own. I really underestimated the Ji family's shamelessness." Ji Huan then washed only the three of them.

On their way back, Jiang Yubai carefully tugged at Ji Huan's sleeve, "Sister, what about lunch?"

"Don't worry, the Ji family are always going to do it. If no one else does it, someone else will. Let's just ignore them," Ji Huan said, hugging the little rabbit and returning to the room.

Liu Fengmei had been peeking through the crack in the door to see what was going on. Seeing Ji Huan and the others emerge from the kitchen, she quickly asked, "Dad, did Ji Huan wash all the rest of our dishes?"

Ji Mantun took a puff of his cigarette and shook his head. "I don't know."

He truly had no idea. It seemed normal for Ji Huan to do anything these days. "Mom, I think we should just forget it. It's New Year's Eve, let's not make any more trouble. Let's just have a good New Year's Eve dinner."

Liu Fengmei nodded in dissatisfaction. She went into the kitchen, even more furious. Ji Huan had only washed their own dishes, leaving the rest untouched.

Liu Fengmei stood at the kitchen door, cursing, "Whose dishes are in this pot? You're all starving like ghosts. You're more anxious than anyone else when it's your turn to wash the dishes. No one washes them when it's our turn, and I only wash ours and your dad's. If you don't wash the rest, you won't have any for lunch."

As Liu Fengmei spoke, she began to wash the dishes in the kitchen, cursing.

Because Ji Huan and the others made breakfast, the Ji family seemed to have a tacit understanding and waited at noon, as if they were still delusionally hoping that Ji Huan could take care of all the work. But unfortunately, Ji Sen and Ji Yuan were too hungry to wait for Ji Huan and the others to make lunch.

Ji Qiao had originally wanted to do it herself, after all, she had married out and then divorced, and she didn't feel like belonging in this family, and her parents didn't like her, but Ji Huan stopped her.

"If you start this, the whole family will rely on you like they're still nursing. I know that I shouldn't have been so kind this morning and cooked for the whole family. You just stay here and don't go anywhere." Ji Huan said slowly, pouring a glass of water.

"Okay, I'll listen to you, sister." Ji Qiao replied obediently.

After a while, Ji Ming and the others finally couldn't bear it any longer and started to cook in the kitchen.

"Let's go, someone's cooking, let's go chop some firewood to avoid giving people a chance to talk." Ji Huan said, and went to the yard to find a hatchet, and took Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to the back mountain not far from home.

There were a lot of dead branches in winter, and Ji Huan had chopped a lot in a short time. Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao helped Ji Huan to tie them up. Ji Qiao was injured, and Ji Huan refused to let her carry the bundle. She was strong, so she carried a large bundle and asked the two girls to follow her.

On the way, she met many villagers who greeted her.

"Ji Huan, so hardworking, working again?"

"Since the firewood at home is almost used up, I came out to chop some more." Ji Huan replied with a smile.

"You're so filial. Okay, let's go chop wood too."

After chatting for a while, Ji Huan and the others continued their journey back. By the time they reached the courtyard, the meal was almost ready. Liu Fengmei saw Ji Huan and the others return and was about to taunt them about not doing anything, but then she saw the firewood behind Ji Huan, taller than the people, and her sarcasm faltered.

She continued to mutter, "Kunze won't work? You're all so spoiled, sooner or later you'll spoil them."

After saying this, Liu Fengmei glared at Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai.

Ji Huan was so angry that he almost laughed. One was her wife, the other her sister. Wasn't it her duty to protect them? Were they all like the rest of the Ji family, scheming and calculating?

"Don't mind her. She's such a foul-mouthed person. Let's put the food down and eat."

"Okay." Ji Qiao held the dagger, while Jiang Yubai helped Ji Huan untie the firewood tied to his back.

The next few days passed peacefully. Early in the morning on the third day of the Lunar New Year, Ji Wen arrived.

Ji Huan was a bit surprised when she opened the door. "Why are you here? Come in and sit down, have some hot water."

Ji Huan and her family didn't have tea leaves in their room, so they could barely get hot water to serve others.

"No need. I came to call you two and Ji Qiao over for dinner. Let's have it at our house today," Ji Wen said with a smile. He usually spent the first and second days of the Lunar New Year with his parents and siblings, so he only came to call Ji Huan and her family on the third day.

Ji Huan nodded and smiled, "Okay, I'll go get Ji Qiao right away."

"Sister, I'll go," Jiang Yubai said, glancing at Ji Huan. She had been helping Ji Qiao apply her medicine every night these past few days, and they had become quite familiar with each other.

"Okay, go ahead." Although she didn't interact much with her second uncle's family, they were normal people after all. Who wouldn't love being around normal people?

Ji Qiao was soon called out by Jiang Yubai, along with Ji Yuan, Ji Sen, and the others. Seeing Ji Wen, Ji Yuan assumed he was here to invite them to dinner.

"Sister Ji Wen, are Second Uncle and the others asking us over?" Ji Yuan asked with a smile. In previous years, the two families would sometimes get together, and it was usually Ji Mancang who invited them over, since his family was better off than his.

Ji Wen hadn't expected Ji Yuan to come, considering his usual arrogant demeanor, looking down on his fellow villagers. Ji

Wen shook his head, "My mother told me to ask Ji Huan and the other three to come over."

His family had finally come to understand that, aside from Ji Huan, the others in the old family were all just taking advantage of others; there was no point in interacting with them.

Ji Yuan's smile faded when he heard this, and he could only nod slightly, snorting coldly as he returned to his room.

Seeing Ji Yuan's frustration, Ji Ming chuckled for a moment. It was a good thing he'd arrived late, otherwise he'd be the one to be embarrassed.

Ji Huan, the other two, and Ji Wen went to Ji Mancang's house. Ji Fu, Wang Xiaoyue, and Ji Mancang were already busy in the kitchen.

As soon as Ji Huan entered the yard, he smelled the fragrance, "Is it fish? It smells so good."

"You have a very sensitive nose. The crucian carp and cabbage soup my father made has a very strong aroma." Ji Wen said with a smile.

"Okay, we will go and help too." Ji Huan said and was about to go into the kitchen, but was stopped by Ji Wen.

"No need, just go to the dining room to rest. There are peanuts, melon seeds and other things prepared there. You can eat some first."

"That's embarrassing, let's go over and help," Ji Huan said, about to go. Then he saw Ji Mancang, Feng Mei, and Ji Fu and his wife all in the kitchen, leaving practically no room for anyone else.

Ji Huan and the others hurriedly greeted them, "Uncle, Aunt, Brother Fu, and Sister-in-law, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year, Happy New Year," everyone responded in unison.

"Ji Wen, take Ji Huan and the others to the dining room. It'll take a while here," Feng Mei instructed with a smile.

"Aunt, you and Uncle go rest. We'll come over to help."

"No, no, we're almost done. You go rest and just wait," Feng Mei said with a smile.

Seeing that they really didn't need their help, Ji Huan and Ji Wen went to the dining room.

The table in the dining room was already set with several plates filled with peanuts, sunflower seeds, and scattered candies. In the middle, there was a pot of hot tea. It felt much more festive than at Ji Mantun.

"My eldest brother and I bought this tea. It's all new and tastes great. Come try it," Ji Wen said, pouring tea for Ji Huan and the other two.

"Thank you. We'll just do it ourselves." Ji Huan took the cup and saw it was a common porcelain cup you'd find on the market. She took a sip of the tea, which tasted somewhat similar to the black tea she often drank in later life.

Seeing Ji Huan examining the cup, Ji Wen explained, "We country folk can't afford the celadon from the county town."

Ji Huan nodded. Those who could afford tea in the village were considered well-off. "Hmm, it's delicious. This tea has a strong flavor." "

If it's delicious, drink more, but save some for the fish soup later," Ji Wen reminded with a smile.

"Ji Qiao, are you feeling better?" Ji Wen couldn't help but express his concern for Ji Qiao.

"Much better, thank you Sister Wen. This time, thanks to my sisters, I don't know what my future will be like."

"It's good that you're divorced. If you have time in the future, you can come over often. My mother has been thinking about you these days. It's the third day of the junior high school today, so we have to have a meal together no matter what." Ji Wen said with a smile.

Ji Huan took a few sips of tea and started eating peanuts again. It's true that she hadn't touched such a small snack since she came to this world. After a few bites, she found it delicious.

Seeing that Xiaotuzi and Ji Qiao were a little embarrassed, Ji Huan rubbed the skins off the peanuts and handed a handful to Xiaotuzi and Ji Qiao respectively. Second Uncle's family is so kind, and when she has the ability in the future, she will definitely reciprocate.

Jiang Yubai looked at the peanuts in her hand and her eyes lit up. She had a big appetite and loved delicious food, but she felt a little embarrassed when she came to someone else's house.

Ji Huan and Ji Wen chatted for a while longer while dishes began to pour out of the kitchen. There was fish soup, but also chicken stewed with mushrooms, braised pork, scrambled eggs with cabbage, and several other dishes. The main course was rice.

"Hurry up, Ji Qiao, eat more. You don't want to stay home anymore, and it's the same when you come to live with us,"

Feng Mei said, putting a generous amount of meat into Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai's bowls.

Ji Huan's bowl was also overflowing, but she wasn't a big eater. After just a few bites, she couldn't stop. She quickly said with a smile, "I really can't eat any more. Don't waste it."

"Okay, then, help yourself. Don't be polite," Feng Mei said with a smile.

Of the three of Ji Huan and the others, Little Rabbit was the most engrossed in his eating. Having previously spent time with his second uncle's family, Jiang Yubai knew they were very kind people, so this time he wasn't as shy as before.

Seeing how quickly she ate, Feng Mei couldn't help but smile. "Eat more! I'll serve you some more rice."

"Aunt, I'll go." Little Rabbit wasn't full yet, but she felt embarrassed to ask Aunt to serve her.

"No, just sit still. I'll do it," Feng Mei said, taking Ji Wen's bowl as well. Ji Wen, a big eater in their family, had already finished his bowl of rice.

Feng Mei quickly brought the rice back, and Little Rabbit obediently took it. "Thank you, Aunt."

"No, good girl, eat more. Ji Qiao, you should eat more too."

"Thank you, Aunt, I'm almost full." Ji Qiao wasn't a big eater either, but she was almost full by now.

Ji Huan only took a few bites mid-conversation, barely finishing the rice and meat in her bowl. Looking at Little Rabbit beside her, she had already finished her second bowl of rice. Feng Mei had already served her crucian carp soup, which Little Rabbit was sipping on with relish.

Seeing the little rabbit happily eating, Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly. She knew she would raise the little white rabbit until it was plump and white after the family split up and made some money.

After lunch, Ji Huan and the others helped wash the pot. Ji Huan had originally planned to chop some firewood for her second uncle's family to help digest the food, but the family was industrious. Not only was the water tank full, but the firewood was also piled high, so it wouldn't be used up in days.

Feng Mei invited them to the dining room to play dominoes. Ji Huan was curious about the dominoes of this world. She picked up the cards on the table and examined them. They were rectangular blocks made of animal bones, painted with patterns, similar to modern mahjong.

Ji Huan didn't know how to play, so she let the little rabbit and Ji Qiao play. She sat behind the little rabbit and watched them play.

Wang Xiaoyue, Ji Wen, Jiang Yubai, and Ji Qiao all joined in the fun. Ji Huan had almost figured it out, and seeing the little rabbits having fun, she too smiled.

"Sister, look, I won again." The little rabbit said and asked Ji Huan to look at the small round beads in her hand.

The family played dominoes for entertainment and no one played with money, so they used the small wooden beads they had made as stakes. Whoever won the most small wooden beads in the end would be the winner.

"Well, my wife is the best." Ji Huan praised Jiang Yubai softly. She originally wanted to say that the little rabbit was amazing, but with so many people here, Ji Huan still used the most common name and called her wife.

Jiang Yubai's ears immediately turned red when she heard Ji Huan call her that. Her sister would never call her wife when she was with her.

Ji Huan also saw that her little rabbit was really cute, with a soft body and ears that would turn red and bleed if she teased it a little.

Wang Xiaoyue, sitting across from Jiang Yubai, naturally saw everything clearly. She jokingly said, "Is our Yubai so shy? Your Ji Huan blushed when he called her 'wife'?"

The little rabbit rubbed the side of her face shyly, begging Wang Xiaoyue to stop teasing her, "Sister-in-law Xiaoyue."

"Okay, okay, I know you two have a good relationship. Come on, let's keep playing."

Seeing Wang Xiaoyue stop, the little rabbit finally breathed a sigh of relief

and continued playing. Even Ji Qiao, sitting to Jiang Yubai's right, was having a great time. Since they were all familiar with each other, the atmosphere quickly became lively. Ji Huan was responsible for refilling tea and water for the card players.

In contrast to the lively atmosphere here, during lunchtime, the Ji Ming and Ji Sen families continued to push each other around. As for Ji Yuan, he still followed his old rules: scholars were not allowed in the kitchen. In the end, the Ji Ming and Ji Sen families cooked together.

While the New Year's meal should have been a joyous occasion, the Ji family's table was unusually quiet.

Ji Mantun looked at the dishes in front of him. Among them was the pork that Zhang Liangcai and his men had brought over. Obviously, his family didn't eat meat often, so seeing the pork should have been very delicious. But when he thought about the thirty taels of silver he had lost and Ji Qiao who had returned from divorce and was now eating plain rice, Ji Mantun couldn't be happy at all

Chapter Text

"Alright, let's eat. After the fifth day, we'll stick to our previous agreement: one family working a day. Spring plowing will begin soon after the Lunar New Year. Don't slack off this year. Our family isn't what it used to be. Ji Huan won't take on all the farm work anymore. Eldest and Fourth, both families must prepare to plow the fields." Ji Mantun sighed.

"Why? Ji Yuan alone doesn't have to work?" Ji Sen muttered in dissatisfaction. The swelling on his right cheek had just subsided, but he was still dissatisfied with his father's arrangement.

"What? I just paid off your gambling debt, and you're so unhappy? Ji Yuan still has to go to the academy after the New Year, and the Spring Examination is coming up soon."

Ji Mantun said, looking at Ji Yuan again. "Third brother, this is your fifth year. Your mother and I are waiting for you to pass the imperial examination and come back. That way, we can be proud of ourselves in the village."

Ji Yuan paused with his chopsticks and forced a smile at Ji Mantun. "Don't worry, Dad. I'll be there as soon as the academy opens. I'll study hard every day and hope for good results this year."

Ji Sen rolled his eyes, unconvinced, but didn't dare say a word.

Liu Fengmei, with a smile on her face, scooped two large chunks of pork into Ji Yuan's bowl. "Third brother, eat more! Using your brain is really stressful. Eat more."

Li Yulan put a piece of pork into each of her two sons' bowls, her eyes almost rolling up.

Ji Ming was afraid of a quarrel during the Lunar New Year, so he tugged on Li Yulan's sleeve to get her to calm down. He then said, "Dad, if the family is one day old, then Ji Qiao is one more person. Logically, she's the fifth child, and now she's divorced and moved back to her parents' home, so she should be included, right?"

Ji Mantun nodded. "Of course, even Ji Yuan is included. She's Kunze, who was sent back, so she naturally has to work. We don't keep idle people in the Ji family. Isn't the second child close to her? So when Ji Qiao works, the second child will naturally help her."

Ji Ming's mood immediately brightened when he heard Ji Mantun say this. When Ji Qiao returned, there was one more person to eat, but also one more person to work.

In the afternoon, Ji Huan and the others started making dumplings together in the dining room. The dumplings were stuffed with pork and cabbage. Although dumplings are a common meal in modern society, in a village like this, dumplings are generally only eaten during festivals.

Ji Huan and Ji Wen were in charge of rolling the dumpling wrappers, while Jiang Yubai and the others were wrapping them. Although there were many people eating, there were also many people working. Everyone was chatting and laughing, and the dumplings were being made quickly.

Ji Huan even cleaned a copper coin and put it in the dumplings. Little Rabbit asked curiously, "Sister, why do you put that in there?"

"To see who's the luckiest among us. Eating the dumpling with the copper coin will bring you good luck for the whole year," Ji Huan explained with a smile.

"Really?" Little Rabbit's eyes widened. She hadn't heard of this even when her mother was around.

Ji Huan nodded. "Yeah, it's for good luck."

"That's a good idea, Ji Huan. Let's see who's the luckiest," Feng Mei said with a smile.

In the kitchen, Ji Fu had already started cooking dumplings. Ji Mancang watched over one of the two large pots, and soon, plate after plate of dumplings came out of the pot. Even Ji Huan couldn't help swallowing. She had never thought she would find dumplings so delicious.

Ji Huan glanced sideways at the little rabbit beside him, and saw its eyes widen. Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly, and he thought about how he would make delicious food for the little rabbit in the future.

"Come on, it's out of the pot. Let's see who can eat the copper coin first." Wang Xiaoyue smiled and picked up a dumpling.

Ji Huan let the little rabbit eat first, and then took her bowl to the kitchen. She had a habit of eating dumplings. She liked to first fill a bowl with dumpling soup, add a little vinegar to the soup, and then dunk the dumplings in the soup.

Jiang Yubai was surprised to see Ji Huan eating dumplings this way. "Won't it be tasteless?"

"It's okay. I've been doing it this way since I was a kid. I'm used to it," Ji Huan said with a smile.

The little rabbit made a mental note that when they started their own family, she would remember to fill the soup for her sister when she cooked dumplings.

Although it looked delicious, Ji Huan's appetite was limited. She couldn't finish more than fifteen dumplings. Compared to her, the little rabbit was much more capable and had already eaten thirty.

Just as Jiang Yubai was about to take a bite, she poked the dumpling in the bowl with her chopsticks and felt it was hard inside. Little Rabbit simply picked up the dumpling, took a careful bite, and then saw the copper coin inside.

"Sister, I tasted it," Jiang Yubai said, taking the copper coin out.

"Our Yubai is so lucky. Good luck will definitely come this year. Maybe even give Ji Huan a cute baby," Feng Mei joked with a smile.

Little Rabbit's cheeks quickly turned red. Second Aunt was talking nonsense. She and her sister hadn't even consummated their marriage yet, so how could there be a baby?

Ji Huan noticed that Little Rabbit was shy and reached out to gently ruffle the top of her head. "You're so lucky today. Do you want to make a wish?"

"A wish?" Little Rabbit looked at Ji Huan in surprise, the blush still lingering on her face.

"Well, just keep your wish in mind. It will definitely come true," Ji Huan said softly, his eyes full of tenderness.

Jiang Yubai hurriedly thought, afraid that if she thought too slowly, her wish wouldn't come true.

She clasped her hands together, glanced at Ji Huan, then closed her eyes and made three wishes. She'd originally intended just one, but as she continued, she'd made more. The little rabbit just hoped the gods wouldn't blame her for being greedy and that every one of them would come true.

Jiang Yubai didn't have time to continue eating. Instead, she went to the kitchen to find some water, washed the coin clean, and kept it close to her. After doing this, she returned to the dining room.

Feng Mei, noticing her return, continued to call, "Yubai, eat more! These dumplings won't be tasty if they're left out for a day."

"Thank you, Second Aunt." Jiang Yubai knew it was Second Aunt's good intention. In the village, there wasn't much need for such elaborate preparations. Dumplings this delicious could still be delicious even if left out for a few days in winter.

After dinner, Ji Huan and the others stayed with Ji Mancang for a while before returning home.

No one at Ji Mantun's place felt like cooking, so dinner was only just being prepared.

Li Yulan was carrying food to the dining room when she saw Ji Huan and the others return. She couldn't help but ask, "Hey, you're back? What did you eat at Second Uncle's?"

Ji Huan glanced up at her. "Dumplings? What's wrong? Something wrong?"

Li Yulan was terrified by her icy gaze and hurried back to the dining room.

The Ji family's afternoon meal consisted of white rice with stewed cabbage, potatoes, and pork. Stewed dishes were the easiest to make, so Ji Sen's improvised stew was the dinner.

Seeing the food arrive, Ji Mantun suddenly remembered something and asked, "Are Ji Huan and the others back?"

"Yes, they said they went to Second Uncle's house for dumplings. Second Uncle is so partial; he didn't invite my parents, only Ji Huan and the others." Li Yulan rolled her eyes, missing out on a good meal.

"Alright, even having food can't stop you from talking. Let's eat," Ji Mantun said, knocking on the table.

The Ji family quickly started eating. After a while, Ji Mantun said to Ji Ming, "Boss, after dinner, go talk to Ji Huan and Ji Qiao and explain to them that the family will take turns doing the work."

Ji Ming instinctively covered his right cheek, where he'd been hit, and said indignantly, "Dad, I'll go talk to Ji Qiao. You can talk to Ji Huan yourself."

Ji Mantun slammed his chopsticks on the table. "Look at you, you're the eldest, and you're not even willing to shoulder this little burden."

"You should let the third son go. Isn't he the smartest one in the family?" Ji Ming muttered after taking two bites of his rice.

"Brother, why are you pushing it on me if you don't want to go yourself?" Ji Yuan was also dissatisfied. Everyone knew that Ji Huan was a hot potato, and no one wanted to cause trouble.

Ji Mantun glanced at his sons, but his eyes only flicked to Ji Sen, who quickly shook his head. "Dad, I still want to live a few more years. Please don't make me go."

Finally, Ji Mantun could only sigh heavily. "Okay, one or two people are all unreliable. Can't I go alone?"

After he finished speaking, no one responded, and everyone returned to their meals.

Finally, it was Ji Ming who went to talk to Ji Qiao, while it was Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun who went to talk to Ji Huan.

Ji Mantun knocked on Ji Huan's door and saw Ji Huan leaning on the door frame looking at them. Ji Mantun immediately felt guilty.

He cleared his throat and coughed before speaking: "Ji Huan, your mother and I came here to talk to you about work. The New Year is almost over, and spring plowing is about to start. Your mother and I decided that it would be better for the whole family to do the housework on one day."

Ji Huan showed an understanding smile on his face, "So Ji Qiao can be considered a family too?"

Ji Mantun didn't dare to look up because of Ji Huan's teasing look, and then he heard Ji Huan continue: "Dad and mom can help Ji Yuan with the work, I wonder if we can help Ji Qiao too?"

Liu Fengmei hurriedly forced out a wry smile, "Ji Huan, it's not that your father and I don't want to, it's just that we are old, and we really can't do some work. You should understand us."

"Okay, is there anything else? If there's nothing else, we'll go to bed." Ji Huan said without looking at Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei's expressions, and closed the door directly. Ji

Mantun pointed at Ji Huan's door angrily for a long time, "Look at her, what does she look like? What does she look like?" "

Don't be angry, mistress. Don't get sick from being angry later." Liu Fengmei hurriedly helped Ji Mantun back to the room.

In Ji Huan's room, the little rabbit looked at Ji Huan and asked, "Sister, when Ji Qiao is working, can't we go help her?"

Ji Huan walked over and stretched out her hand to rub the top of the little rabbit's head, "Yes, my little white rabbit is really smart, I think so too."

The little rabbit felt comfortable being touched by Ji Huan, and even subconsciously rubbed its head gently against Ji Huan's palm. Ji Huan's eyebrows were curved with smiles, her little white rabbit was really too cute.

Seeing the little rabbit seemingly weaving something with red string, Ji Huan approached curiously and asked softly, "What are you weaving?"

The little rabbit's ears flushed, and her braiding became a little flustered, but she still replied obediently, "I'm weaving a string to string this through."

As she spoke, the little rabbit, with red ears, took out the copper coin she had just eaten while eating dumplings, "I want to keep this copper coin close to me."

Ji Huan nodded. She simply stood up and sat next to Jiang Yubai, asking curiously, "What did you wish for? You treasure this copper coin so much?"

When Ji Huan asked, the little rabbit quickly looked away, her eyes evasive, not daring to look at Ji Huan again, but her cheeks and ears were red.

Ji Huan had been planning to ask, but seeing the little rabbit's shyness, curiosity still caught up with her. The little rabbit's hands were shaking, and she took three attempts at threading the red string through the hole in the copper coin before it finally fit through.

Ji Huan amused himself by pulling the little rabbit into his arms and asked, "Why are you so nervous all of a sudden?"

The little rabbit's ears burned from Ji Huan's breath as he spoke, turning even redder. She twisted and turned, trying to get out of Ji Huan's arms, but Ji Huan's hold on her waist prevented her from moving.

"Sister, please stop! I can't even get dressed properly." The little rabbit raised her eyes and glared at Ji Huan, like a spoiled kitten.

Ji Huan held her even tighter. The little white rabbit was now insolent, even blaming others.

Ji Huan reached out and pinched the tip of Jiang Yubai's ear, and the little rabbit's ears trembled, and her entire body began to visibly redden.

The little rabbit hadn't expected Ji Huan to touch her there, and she softly buried herself in his arms, her heart beating faster and faster.

She clutched the copper coin tightly in her hand, her heart brimming with sweetness. Could wishes made with copper coins really be so effective? Could sister really want to have sex with her tonight?

Thinking about this, the little rabbit felt so weak that it couldn't even stand up straight. It was only by leaning on Ji Huan's arms

that it could barely hold on. Ji Huan didn't expect that the little rabbit would become so weak just by touching its ears. It was really shy. She quickly supported the little rabbit in her arms and said softly, "Are your ears so sensitive? You lost your strength after just one pinch?"

"Sister~" A soft and coquettish voice came from the little rabbit buried in her arms.

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly, and she reached out to stroke the little rabbit's back, hoping to make Jiang Yubai relax as soon as possible. The little rabbit in her arms hummed and rubbed against her arms. Ji Huan's eyes fell on the little rabbit's crimson ears. Thinking of the touch just now, Ji Huan couldn't suppress a smile on the corner of her lips. She just felt an itch on her hands, and she wanted to touch the little rabbit's ears.

Seeing Jiang Yubai's shyness, Ji Huan gave up on teasing her. He quietly held the little rabbit in his arms, gently stroking its back. "Okay, I won't tease you anymore. Take a moment to get back to your copper coin. Aren't you still finished?"

The little rabbit nodded softly, burying herself in Ji Huan's arms, unwilling to get up. Her nose gently nuzzled the right side of Ji Huan's neck, where the glandular plaster was applied.

Jiang Yubai's gaze fell on it, and the feeling of being scratched by a kitten intensified. She longed to smell her sister's scent. The mere thought of it made the little rabbit feel weak and powerless. She finally recovered after a long moment in Ji Huan's arms.

Ji Huan let Jiang Yubai lean against her and continued working on the copper coin necklace.

Jiang Yubai braided the red string into several strands and wrapped them around the copper coin, creating a beautiful pattern with fine lines.

Ji Huan took the copper coin from Little Rabbit's hand, examined it, and softly said, "Let me put it on for you."

Jiang Yubai nodded quickly. She gathered her hair at the back of her neck so Ji Huan could help her put the red string on.

Ji Huan reached out and looped the two red strings around Jiang Yubai's neck, tying a knot at the back. Then, he released Little Rabbit from his arms.

Jiang Yubai glanced at the copper coin on her chest, her eyes narrowing involuntarily.

At night, Little Rabbit buried herself in Ji Huan's arms, one hand resting on the copper coin, her heart pounding. What

Little Rabbit didn't tell Ji Huan was that all three of her wishes today were related to Ji Huan: the first was for Ji Huan's health and safety, the second was for him to never leave her, and the third was for them to consummate their marriage within the year.

The first two were fine, but the third made Little Rabbit feel the copper coin on her neck grow hot just thinking about it. Her sister had even touched her ear today, so she didn't want to consummate their marriage?

However, the little rabbit was shy and naturally embarrassed to ask Ji Huan directly. Her sister had said that people who eat copper coins will have good luck for the whole year. The little rabbit felt that the three wishes she made should all come true this year, right?

Thinking about it, the little rabbit secretly glanced at Ji Huan, and then was caught by Ji Huan.

Ji Huan hugged the little rabbit up again and reached out to poke the side of the little rabbit's face.

Jiang Yubai rubbed Ji Huan's neck with the tip of her ear, "Sister, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, just playing with my little white rabbit for a while." The little rabbit's face was soft and it felt very nice to poke it.

The little white rabbit rubbed against Ji Huan's arms in dissatisfaction, whining, but still obediently let Ji Huan poke and play.

As if remembering something, the little rabbit asked softly, "Sister, when are we leaving the Ji family?"

Ji Huan pinched the little rabbit's face and smiled, "No rush, it should be soon."

The bad things that happened before were not enough to justify the separation of the family. The ancients valued filial piety and brotherhood. What Ji Huan wanted was for the Ji family to do things more thoroughly, so that when the family was separated in the future, these dog-skin plasters would not be able to take advantage of him. Otherwise, if the family was separated like this, with the Ji family's shamelessness, they would still rush to stick to him.

The little rabbit nodded, looking forward to the future. When they have their own little family, will the elder sister be able to consummate the marriage with him?

Ji Huan lowered his eyes to look at the little rabbit in his arms. For some reason, the little rabbit in his arms was shy and only had two ears left exposed.

Holding the warm and soft little rabbit in his arms, Ji Huan fell asleep without knowing when.

~~

The next few days were relatively peaceful. Ji Huan and the other two still took the meal back to the room to eat. Until the day when it was Ji Yuan's turn to work, Liu Fengmei's nagging voice was heard in the yard again.

Ji Huan had just finished washing up and was still a little sleepy when he was awakened by Liu Fengmei's voice.

There was a knock on the door, but not at Ji Huan's room. Soon, Liu Fengmei's voice could be heard from the courtyard: "Your third brother still has to study, and you don't have anything to do anyway, so go help fetch a cart of water from the river."

Liu Fengmei, fearing she'd be rejected, continued: "After your divorce, you've returned to your parents' home, and you don't want to do anything? We in the Ji family don't keep idle people."

"Mom, I know. I'll be right there."

Ji Huan had already reached the door and pushed it open.

Liu Fengmei's arrogant expression froze when she saw it was Ji Huan. She forced a smile at Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, why did you get up?"

"If I hadn't gotten up, I wouldn't have known Mom would come and ask Ji Qiao to work," Ji Huan said sarcastically.

"Well, your father and I aren't feeling well, so we just asked her to help fetch water. We didn't plan on using her for anything else," Liu Fengmei forced a smile.

"Really? Where's Ji Yuan? Is he dead? Or is he missing arms and legs? Can't he go?" Ji Huan asked with a smile.

This time it was Liu Fengmei's turn to be displeased. "Pfft, pfft, if you don't want to go, then don't go. How dare you curse your own brother like that?"

As Liu Fengmei began to leave, Ji Huan rolled his eyes and smiled, "Who said we're not going?"

"Come on, Ji Qiao. Yubai and I are free, so we'll go with you." Ji Huan said, and went to the backyard to pull the cart.

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan's back, feeling something was off. Would a sister be so kind as to help Ji Yuan with his work? And she seemed to be in a good mood.

Ji Qiao rushed to pull the cart, but Ji Huan stopped her. "You two can just follow me. We'll go for a walk. Oh, I'm going to see Doctor Yu."

Jiang Yubai immediately grew nervous. "Sister, are you feeling unwell?"

Then she felt something was wrong. Could ghosts feel unwell?

"Not really. Anyway, you'll find out later," Ji Huan said with a smile, keeping it a secret. She then pulled the cart and took a detour to Doctor Yu's place.

Doctor Yu saw that it was Ji Huan who came and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong with the family? Do they need me to see them or prescribe medicine?"

Ji Huan smiled and said, "Uncle Yu, I might not have eaten much food lately, and I'm always having trouble going to the bathroom. I wonder if you have any medicine like senna leaves?" "

Senna leaves, I have plenty here. I'll just give you some. It's very effective. Remember to use a small amount when soaking it in water, otherwise your body won't be able to handle it," Doctor Yu instructed.

"Don't worry, I'll buy a packet," Ji Huan said with a smile.

"A packet? That's a lot. You can't use that much yourself."

"It's okay, Uncle Yu. Isn't it Chinese New Year? My family has been eating a lot these days. I'm not the only one eating. Just give me a packet. How much is it?" Ji Huan said with a smile.

Doctor Yu nodded. He'd been buying this a lot lately, as the New Year's meal was greasy and many people were experiencing stomach issues. "Five cents a packet. Remember not to put too much, or

you'll be unable to stop the symptoms." "Don't worry," Ji Huan smiled, paying the bill and placing the packet of medicine in his arms.

Seeing Ji Huan emerge, Jiang Yubai asked curiously, "Sister, what did you buy?"

Ji Huan winked at the little rabbit and smiled, "Everyone ate too much greasy food during the New Year, so I bought some medicine to clear everyone's stomachs."

The little rabbit suddenly understood. No wonder her sister had been so happy when she came out; it was for this.

Ji Qiao was confused, assuming Ji Huan had been having a stomach issue for the past few days and needed some relief, so she didn't pay much attention.

Ji Huan resumed the cart, a smile still on his face. "Let's go, let's get the water back quickly."

"Okay," Jiang Yubaiye nodded happily.

Arriving at the river, Ji Huan made two trips himself, filling four buckets of water. The two girls each drew a bucket, and the three of them tied the buckets to a wooden cart. Ji Huan pulled the cart and hurried back.

Back in the yard, as he poured water into the jar, he winked at Little Rabbit, "Go get some clean pots and pans."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai, having known Ji Huan for so long, probably guessed what he meant and ran to the kitchen.

Ji Qiao, a little confused, followed Jiang Yubai to the kitchen to get something.

Ji Huan estimated the water to be enough for the three of them, then went to the kitchen to find a piece of gauze, tied the senna leaves with it, and threw the package into the jar to soak. To make the senna take effect quickly, Ji Huan thoughtfully stirred it with a spoon.

Only then did Ji Huan close the lid on the water tank and return to her room. After about half an hour, Ji Huan estimated it was almost time, so she went to the water tank, fished out the senna leaves, and discarded them. After doing this, she also boiled some water with the clean water in her own room. She left a pot in her room and poured one for Ji Qiao as well.

In Liu Fengmei's room, she was whispering to Ji Mantun, "Boss, when Ji Huan saw me asking Ji Qiao to work today, she didn't make trouble. She even went with Ji Qiao calmly. Do you think we can use Ji Qiao for work in the future?"

Ji Mantun took a puff of his cigarette, his eyes full of disbelief. "Would Ji Huan be so honest?"

"Maybe she's calmed down? No matter how much support she gets from outsiders, they're still outsiders. After all, they still have to live under our roof," Liu Fengmei said with a smile.

"I hope so. I'm a little thirsty. I'll go boil some water." Ji Mantun was about to get up when Liu Fengmei stopped him.

"Why are you going? I asked Ji Qiao to burn it. Do you really think Ji Huan has the final say in this family?" Liu Fengmei said angrily.

This also pierced Ji Mantun's heart. He nodded and said, "Okay."

Liu Fengmei said this as she walked out the door with her head held high, heading towards Ji Qiao's room in a domineering manner.

"Ji Qiao, your father wants some hot water, go and boil it." Liu Fengmei's sarcastic voice echoed again in the yard.

Ji Huan was drinking hot water in the room when he heard Liu Fengmei's mischief outside and sneered, "She's really good at climbing up the ladder. You can't even be nice to people like her. Let's go out and take a look."

Jiang Yubai nodded and hurriedly followed Ji Huan out the door.

"What? Is Ji Yuan dead? If I remember correctly, shouldn't Ji Yuan be working today?" Ji Huan looked at Liu Fengmei coldly. On the other side, the door to Ji Yuan's room was tightly shut, and the person inside showed no intention of coming out.

"What are you talking about? I already said that Ji Yuan's health is precious, and Ji Qiao has nothing to do at home all day. What's wrong with me asking her to boil a pot of water for her father? Ji Huan, don't think we're all afraid of you." Liu Fengmei frowned and looked at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan smiled. "Mother, you're being taunting. It's me who's being narrow-minded."

Liu Fengmei's smile widened when she heard Ji Huan relent. "Wouldn't you have done this earlier? Mother is doing this for your own good. Ji Qiao will have to marry again sooner or later, but she's already betrothed to Qian Yuan, so I don't think any good family would want her. After the New Year, when the village matchmakers are less busy, I'll help her find a marriage."

Ji Qiao's face paled with fear when she heard this. "Mother, I don't want to marry. I'll do anything you ask me to do. I don't want to marry again."

"Kunze, there's no reason not to marry. It's not up to you to decide." Liu Fengmei's shrill voice rose even higher when Ji Huan remained silent.

Ji Ming and the others, who were staying inside, heard it all. "Why didn't Ji Huan fight back today?"

Ji Ming whispered to Li Yulan, listening to the noise outside.

"Something's wrong. Ji Huan would be so obedient?" Li Yulan was also puzzled. Their eyes met, neither believing Ji Huan would accept a scolding.

Elsewhere, Liu Fengmei continued to ramble, "You said you've already made a pact with Zhang Liangcai. If a matchmaker goes and talks, I'm afraid the only ones who'll want you are the old bachelors in the village."

"No, I don't want to get married." Ji Qiao's eyes welled up, and she quickly tugged on Ji Huan's sleeve.

Ji Huan stepped in front of Ji Qiao, "Mom, didn't Dad say he needed some water? Let's not get carried away, shall we? We're fulfilling our filial duties today. We'll take care of the cooking and boiling the water."

"That's more than enough. Ji Huan, if you behave yourself, your dad and I can talk about letting Ji Qiao stay home longer." Liu Fengmei's tail was almost cocky.

Ji Huan smiled at her, "Yes, Mom is right. Experience is always better. I still have to listen to you and Dad."

Liu Fengmei, feeling very happy, walked to the room, ready to share Ji Huan's changes with Ji Mantun. This guy was indeed one person's strength while the other was weak. They should have been more assertive with Ji Huan a long time ago.

After hearing what Ji Huan said, Ji Qiao grabbed Ji Huan's sleeve in a panic, "Sister, I don't want to get married. I don't want to marry an old bachelor."

Ji Huan patted Ji Qiao's shoulder gently and comforted her softly, "Don't worry about her. Just treat their words as bullshit from now on. Don't pay attention to them. I want to see how tough they are. Let's go and cook."

Ji Qiao didn't understand what Ji Huan meant, but nodded obediently. Her sister was her backbone. In the Ji family, she only trusted her sister and Sister Yu Bai.

Ji Qiao entered the kitchen and really wanted to go to cook, but Ji Huan grabbed her wrist, "Don't worry. It's New Year's Day and we are so stingy that we don't want to set off firecrackers. It's the eighth day of the New Year and we should hear something."

Ji Huan said, picked up a plate and threw it out the door. The crisp sound of porcelain exploded in the yard.

After Ji Huan threw one, he brought another stack of bowls over. The "clap, clap, clap" sound of porcelain hitting each other echoed one after another

. Ji Huan was in a good mood while throwing the bowls, muttering to himself: "May everything be fine, and may you have good luck in the coming year and make more money." As he spoke, he continued to throw the bowls.

Ji Mantun in the room pulled Liu Fengmei, "Damn, what's that noise outside? It doesn't sound like cooking, something's wrong?"

Liu Fengmei's face, which had just been smiling, could no longer hold on. She exchanged a glance with Ji Mantun and quickly ran to the yard.

"Ji Huan, what are you doing? How can you live like this after you smashed all these?" Ji Mantun was almost out of breath and almost fainted from anger.

"That's enough. Some people are unworthy of being scholars. They talk about benevolence, righteousness and morality, but in the end they are lazy and don't know the difference between grains. Every day they suck the blood of their family members under the banner of studying."

Ji Huan said, and threw two more bowls. "Some people are not worthy of being parents. They actually want to force their daughters to marry old bachelors. I'm afraid you yourself want your husband to die early so that you can marry an old bachelor again?"

"Ji Huan, what are you talking about? I can't live like this. His father, Ji Huan slandered me. What old bachelor?" Liu Fengmei said, and she started crying, making a fuss, and threatening to commit suicide again.

Ji Huan sneered: "Can you talk properly? If you can talk human language, maybe I can keep one or two of the bowls in there."

Ji Huan felt unsatisfied and simply ate a whole pile of bowls and dishes. With a few crisp "cracks", the pile of bowls and dishes was broken into pieces, and Liu Fengmei's heart was bleeding.

Ji Huan looked at her coldly, then fetched a fire knife and flint from the kitchen. "Do you dare to ask my sister to marry? If you do, I'll just burn this shabby house down. At worst, we can all go out and beg together. It

's easier said than done. I'm quite experienced at begging." Seeing Ji Huan's expression, Liu Fengmei immediately flinched. Ever since she woke up from the water, this man had always kept his word. If they dared to cross her again, she would really set the house on fire.

The few people who had been playing coward in the room couldn't stay any longer. Ji Yuan was the first to run out. He hurriedly said, "Mom, it's my turn to work today. How could I trouble my second and fifth sisters?"

Ji Yuan smiled apologetically and looked at Ji Huan. "Second sister, I'm so sorry. I just fell asleep and didn't know anything was going on. You and fifth sister should go back and rest. I'll take care of any work you need."

Working a little is better than having your house burned down by Ji Huan, the living devil.

Liu Fengmei was still feeling sorry for her son and wanted to say something, but Ji Yuan frowned and shook his head desperately at Liu Fengmei. Liu Fengmei had no choice but to hold back her words, which were stuck in her throat, making her feel uncomfortable.

"Are you deaf? You can't hear the loud noise in the yard, right?" Ji Huan looked over coldly and questioned.

"Maybe you didn't sleep well last night. Don't be angry, second sister. I promise you that when it's my turn to work in the future, I will do my best." The reason why Ji Yuan dared to say this was because the school in the county town would start in a few days, and he would no longer have to look after these peasants in the Ji family.

Ji Huan sneered and threw away the last few bowls in his hand, "Isn't it? You should go to the school right away. You only remember to work when you are about to leave. How hypocritical."

Ji Yuan's face turned red and white after being scolded by Ji Huan, but he didn't dare to talk back in the end.

Ji Huan's eyes swept over and finally stopped at Liu Fengmei. "Don't think about Ji Qiao. If you dare to think about it, I will give you to the old bachelor in the village first."

After saying that, Ji Huan ignored Liu Fengmei's crying and took Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao back to the room.

With Ji Huan's support, Ji Qiao felt a little more at ease and whispered, "Sister, is Mom okay?"

"Don't worry about her. She's crying herself to death, and she's dying." A mother like that would be better off dead, and Liu Fengmei was just pretending. Seeing Ji Huan and the others return to their rooms, and the floor feeling cold, Liu Fengmei scrambled back to her feet.

"Boss, what are we going to do? Ji Huan has smashed all the dishes in this house to pieces. How are we going to eat?" Liu Fengmei raged.

Ji Mantun was also furious. Ji Huan had even threatened to burn the house down. If that really happened, they'd really be begging for food.

He sighed heavily and said, "Boss, come with me to get some money later, and you can buy some more bowls and plates."

As he spoke, Ji Mantun looked at the people in the yard again, sighed, and said, "Don't mess with Ji Huan or Lao Wu in the future. Ji Huan is getting more and more difficult to control."

Liu Fengmei was still unwilling to give up, and said, "His father, are you just going to watch Ji Huan like this?"

"Then what can you do with her?" Ji Mantun squeezed his pipe, his teeth clenched. Now he was hoping that Jiang Yubai would kill Ji Huan as soon as possible, so that he could control the remaining Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao at will.

Ji Ming followed Ji Mantun into the house to get the money, and then hurried to the small shop in the village to buy bowls and plates. Seeing that he was from the Ji family, the bowl seller was in no mood to pay attention to Ji Ming and just went to find the bowls and plates according to Ji Ming's instructions.

Ji Ming thought for a while and said deliberately: "Hey, our Ji Huan is getting more and more unreasonable. Today she had an argument with my parents and smashed all the usable bowls and plates at home. What do you think of this?"

The salesman did not respond, but took the copper coins from Ji Ming, counted the copper coins to make sure the number was correct, and then pushed the bowls and plates into Ji Ming's arms.

Seeing that the other party ignored him, Ji Ming had to turn around angrily.

When he stepped out of the store, he heard the shopkeeper curse in a low voice: "You are sick."

Ji Ming wanted to go back to argue with him, but when he thought about the situation at home, he had to endure it. There was only one grocery store in the village. If he had a quarrel with the store, his family would have to go to the county town to buy things in the future.

Chapter Text

Ji Ming finally returned home feeling frustrated.

Ji Huan, of course, hadn't planned to eat lunch with the Ji family. After all, there were senna leaves in the water tank. She and Jiang Yubai had already prepared a small pot and used it to cook multi-grain porridge and steam eight potatoes.

When the potatoes were cooked, Ji Huan found a large, newly purchased porcelain bowl, peeled the potatoes, and placed them in the bowl. Then, using a wooden pestle used for garlic crushing, he mashed the potatoes until they were completely broken. He seasoned the bowl with soy sauce and other condiments, then sprinkled them with chopped green onions. The aroma of the mashed potatoes quickly wafted far and wide.

The Ji family was curious why Ji Huan had gone back to the kitchen to cook after arguing with them, but after what had just happened, no one dared to come out and cause trouble. After

Ji Huan and the others finished cooking, they returned to their rooms with the porridge and mashed potatoes.

Liu Fengmei finally ventured out after Ji Huan and the others had been gone for a while. She saw the kitchen was completely empty; even the pot had been cleaned by Ji Huan; there was practically nothing left.

Liu Fengmei gasped in anger, but ultimately, reluctant to let her son work, she resorted to fetching water from a bucket outside and cooking herself.

In Ji Huan's room, Ji Qiao sipped a few mouthfuls of porridge and cautiously asked, "Sister, did you see Mom was angry, so you cooked your own meal?"

Ji Huan sat there amused for a moment, then looked up at Ji Qiao. "You'll know in a moment. Eat quickly."

Ji Qiao nodded, completely unaware of Ji Huan's joy.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yubai ate with relish. The mashed potatoes mixed this way had a unique flavor, and paired with the multi-grain porridge, it was truly delightful.

After dinner, Ji Qiao took care of the dishes, while Ji Huan lay down on the bed, cuddling their little rabbit.

The little rabbit nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms, nuzzling comfortably. She was full and feeling a bit sleepy.

Ji Huan cuddled the little rabbit for a while before falling asleep. About an hour later, noises began to emanate from outside.

"Ji Yuan, why are you standing in the toilet and not taking a shit? Come out quickly, I can't hold it anymore." Ji Sen was knocking on the door outside the toilet.

"Do you think I don't want to get up? I just came out of the toilet and I want to go again. No, it comes again. I have to squat for a while." Ji Yuan's slightly weak voice came from inside.

Ji Ming and Li Yulan came out with the two kids. Seeing that they still had to queue at the toilet, the four of them decisively went to the grove to find a place to relieve themselves. Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei did the same. They had gone there twice in a short while.

Ji Mantun lay on the bed, feeling that he was about to pass out.

By the afternoon, the Ji family members were getting weaker and weaker, and in the end, dinner was also cancelled.

Ji Huan was in a very good mood and used the water that had been reserved before to make noodles. Of course, it was only for the three of them. Since the others were full of bad stomachs, she would help them clear their stomachs.

When going to bed at night, Ji Mantun lay weakly on the bed and asked: "Mom, did you mix some unclean things when you were cooking? Look, Ji Huan and the others cooked their own meals today, so it's okay." "

Who knows? Ji Huan was so angry today that I didn't know if I put something in the wrong place. Oh, I can't do it again. I have to go again." Liu Fengmei said, picking up a wooden pole in the room as a crutch. Her legs were so weak that she couldn't walk.

The next morning it was Ji Sen and the others' turn to work. They had been pulling water for most of the day yesterday. Ji Sen was so hungry early in the morning. The water at home was almost used up. He had to go to fetch water early with Wang Xiuxiu, and then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Seeing that the water they had stored in the room had all run out, Jiang Yubai whispered, "Sister, are we going to the river to fetch water today?" "

No, there was only about half a tank of water left in the water tank yesterday. With what we added today, it's already diluted. It won't have much of an impact on our stomachs. We'll just drink from the tank."

After hearing Ji Huan's words, the little rabbit nodded.

When Ji Huan went to the kitchen to get breakfast, he saw that the Ji family members looked pale and thin. It was obvious that they had successfully expelled the fat yesterday. Ji Huan had a smile on his face all morning.

The next few days passed peacefully, except that Ji Yuan went to the county town to study. Before leaving, Ji Mantun slipped Ji Yuan another three taels of silver, holding Ji Yuan's hand and repeatedly admonishing him, "Third brother, the Spring Examination is getting closer and closer. Your mother and I are counting on you."

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll definitely work hard this time." While he said that, Ji Yuan was thinking about how quickly he had to get close to Qian Kunze. If he didn't make a move now, he might never have another chance.

Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were deeply reluctant to see Ji Yuan go, and they accompanied him all the way to the village entrance before returning.

When Ji Yuan returned to the study, he saw his roommates, Sun Tiansheng and Wang Lu, already back. Since their previous encounter in the county town, Sun Tiansheng's attitude towards Ji Yuan had become less enthusiastic.

Seeing Ji Yuan arrive, he simply said hello, "Brother Ji Yuan, you're here?"

"Yes, you all came back early too," Ji Yuan feigned, acting like a gentleman. Sun Tiansheng didn't want to pay much attention to him.

While they were talking, another person arrived. It was Ji Yuan's roommate, Li Renjie. He ran in excitedly, "You're back? Yu Bin just asked me. He's treating everyone to a drink and dinner at Qingfeng Tower tonight. Do you all have time?" "

Since it's Brother Yu's invitation, I must go." Ji Yuan was eager to go. He needed this kind of crowded social gathering right now, so he could hook up with a rich woman.

"Okay, I'll go and reply. Remember to come over tonight. I heard from Yu Bin that his sister is going too." Li Renjie winked at his roommates.

Ji Yuan almost couldn't hold back his smile, and the rest of the roommates did the same.

Wang Lu closed the bedroom door and whispered, "Yu Bin's family only has him and his sister. His parents would love to pluck all the stars in the sky and give them to this little girl. I heard that his family doesn't plan to marry his sister off, but is looking for a live-in son-in-law."

Sun Tiansheng nodded, glanced at Ji Yuan, and said, "I heard that too, but I heard his sister has very high standards. The wealthy families in our county don't want their children to be live-in sons-in-law, and as for lesser families, the Yu family doesn't look down on them either."

The three of them were calculating in their minds, and Ji Yuan's heart was beating faster than usual. The Yu family was one of the richest families in Qingyuan County. If he could win the hand of the Yu family's daughter, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life.

Thinking of this, Ji Yuan hurried back to his bed to pack his things, and even found his best white cotton robe.

Sun Tiansheng glanced at Ji Yuan and sneered. After all, his family ran a small business in the county town, while Ji Yuan's family was barely making ends meet. And it seemed like Ji Yuan was still trying to flirt with Miss Yu?

Sun Tiansheng curled his lips in disdain, but he didn't say anything. After all, they all looked similar, and Ji Yuan was only Zhou Zheng, not a very good-looking Qian Yuan.

In the evening, as if they had heard the news, the Qian Yuans who were invited were all dressed up in fancy clothes, like peacocks with their tails spread out, leaving Yu Bin a little overwhelmed.

Her sister had recently read a lot of bookstores by scholars and young ladies, and she insisted that he call all the students with whom he had good relationships in the library over so she could take a look.

Of course, Yu Bin wouldn't let his sister accompany such a large table of Qian Yuan. Instead, he seated his sister, Yu Ting, in a private room nearby. Through the window, she could see them all and hear their conversation clearly. Someone

at the table couldn't contain their excitement. "Brother Yu, didn't you say your sister was coming?"

"Oh, she doesn't like crowds; it's noisy. Let's just eat our own food and ignore her," Yu Bin said, picking up his chopsticks, and everyone followed suit.

However, scholars have always looked down on each other, and even without Yu Ting, after three rounds of drinks, some at the table had already begun to slander each other.

"Brother Sun, is your family's stall business going well? If it's really not going well, a few of us can go over there tomorrow to buy some things and take care of your family's business."

Sun Tiansheng forced a smile and quickly changed the subject. "That's not necessary. No matter how difficult my family is, it's not as difficult as Ji Yuan's. Don't you know? Before the New Year, I met Ji Yuan and his family in the county town to buy New Year's goods."

Ji Yuan's face was already a little panicked when he heard this, but there was someone between him and Sun

Tiansheng, so he couldn't stop them even if he wanted to. "Ji Yuan's sister and brother are all covered in patches, especially her sister. I took a quick glance and saw more than a dozen patches on her sister, right, Ji Yuan?" Sun Tiansheng said, deliberately smiling at Ji Yuan.

The woman in the private room not far away seemed to be interested after hearing this and looked at Ji Yuan frequently.

Ji Yuan forced himself to swallow his anger. Thanks to Ji Huan's presence at home, he was now more and more adept at forbearance. "Brother Sun, you're joking. My second sister has always been frugal. It's not that farmers don't have clothes to wear, they just can't afford to spend money on weekdays." "

Really? I see you're well dressed, and I thought your family must be considered landlords in the village." Wang Lu, not expecting Ji Yuan's family to be so poor, said with a hint of sarcasm.

For students like them, achieving academic success is one thing, but those who fail need to make use of their time to build connections. Since Ji Yuan was useless, there was no need to get along well with him.

"Yes, Brother Ji, you don't seem to be poor in the library. We really didn't expect that. How about when we get back, I'll ask my family and we'll buy our food from you from now on, hahaha."

"Me too, me too," Li Renjie joined in the fun.

Ji Yuan was about to say something when Yu Ting came out of the compartment. "I think he's diligent and hardworking. Even though he comes from a poor family, he never gives up trying. He's much better than those people who like to mock others." "

Why did you come out?" Yu Bin saw his sister come out and waved to Yu Ting with a smile. He said a few words to everyone. Yu Ting smiled at Ji Yuan and then went back to the compartment.

Sun Tiansheng and the others were almost jealous to death. Could it be that Ji Yuan, a toad, would really get to eat swan meat?

From then on, Yu Ting would often ask Yu Bin to ask Ji Yuan out for a date. Ji Yuan was also a good actor. He played the role of a hardworking student who came from a poor family perfectly. He fooled Yu Ting so much that she really believed Ji Yuan was a hardworking and upright scholar from a poor family.

Like her brother, Miss Yu has been pampered since childhood and has experienced few setbacks in life. Besides hanging out with the other wealthy Kunzes in the county, she prefers to stay in her room reading books about impoverished students and talented scholars and beautiful women. That's why she became so captivated by Ji Yuan.

One day, Yu Ting invited Ji Yuan out for a fishing trip and introduced him to her friends. Ji Yuan arrived early, deliberately choosing clothes that weren't particularly new to establish his image.

Yu Ting invited a few friends along, including Ji Yuan. Song Xue also arrived early, but she felt Ji Yuan was a bit fake and didn't want to talk to him.

To maintain his image, Ji Yuan also distanced himself from the other Kunzes, which Yu Ting perceived as a sign of his loyalty.

When several people were fishing on the cruise ship, Yu Ting suddenly had an idea and looked at Ji Yuan beside her with a smile, "By the way, aren't you still resting in the academy tomorrow? I want to go to your Donniu Village to take a look."

The eldest lady was naive and curious about everything. She had never been to the village to play in her life, so she seemed particularly excited.

Ji Yuan's pretended calmness almost broke. He pinched his palms hard with his hands hanging at his sides, and then he forced a smile, "There's nothing in the village, what's there to see? How about we go to the newly opened bookstore in the city tomorrow to read books and drink tea?"

Yu Ting shook her head, "Just let me go. I haven't been to the village since I was a child, and I've known you for almost a month. I want to bring some things to visit your home."

"How can that be?" Ji Yuan blurted out almost subconsciously, and when he found that his words were inappropriate, he hurried to make amends, "My idea is that you come from a noble family, and the people in the village are all uneducated. I'm afraid you will be offended, and I'm from a poor family, and I'm afraid I will disappoint you."

As he spoke, Ji Yuan sighed with a lonely expression, which was seen as pretentious in the eyes of Yu Ting's good friend Song Xue. Song Xue curled her lips and muttered in a voice that everyone could hear, "I'm afraid they have some secrets they don't want you to know? Why are you making so many excuses?"

"Miss Song, that's not what I meant. It's just that the environment in Dongniu Village is very simple, and I'm afraid Tingting won't be able to adapt." Ji Yuan explained hurriedly.

Miss Yu, who was in love, also nodded and said, "Oh, don't say that, Ji Yuan. If you continue like this, I'll be really angry."

Song Xue looked at her friend, sighed and said, "Forget it, you'll cry when the time comes. You guys go fishing by yourselves. I'm leaving first."

With that, Song Xue asked the boatman to send her and a few servants to the shore.

Yu Ting looked at Ji Yuan, then at Song Xue, feeling torn.

Ji Yuan was eager to change the topic, and hurriedly pretended to be magnanimous and advised, "Miss Song is your good friend. You go and coax her. I don't want to cause any rift between you two because of me."

Yu Ting looked at Ji Yuan with bright eyes, "You're such a nice person."

Ji Yuan smiled politely at Yu Ting, looking like a gentleman.

Yu Ting hurried over to comfort her good friend, "Xuexue, don't be angry. Ji Yuan is a really nice guy. Although he comes from a poor family, he's very hardworking and doesn't let his family background look down on him. He's usually very diligent, just like the scholars described in those storybooks."

Song Xue was almost pissed off by her friend. "Storybooks, storybooks, you'll be harmed by those storybooks sooner or later. Read less about talented scholars and beautiful women."

"Oh, Xuexue, don't be angry. I know you're doing this for my own good, but Ji Yuan is a really nice guy. I give him things, but he never accepts them. Last time he got angry with me. He really doesn't want my family to be rich." Yu Ting said, an unstoppable smile on her face.

Song Xue rolled her eyes and looked at Gu Yingying beside her. "See, you don't believe me at all. Okay, okay, Ji Yuan is the best, the best scholar in Qingyuan County. Is that okay?" "That

's right," Yu Ting replied with a smile, then received a roll of the eyes from both Gu Yingying and Song Xue.

Shi Yan, standing nearby, was also trying to smooth things over. He was a man named Kunze, and while he wasn't exactly close to Yu Ting and the others, his family had business dealings, Yu Ting and the others would sometimes invite Shi Yan along when they went out.

"I actually think Young Master Ji is quite a nice guy," Shi Yan said with a smile.

"See, Shi Yan has good taste. Ji Yuan will definitely pass the imperial examination this spring, and he'll definitely be able to become a scholar." Yu Ting smiled sweetly. When the time came, she would ask her father to get them engaged.

Song Xue no longer wanted to talk. Her best friend was truly in love, and no amount of persuasion could stop her. She was completely captivated by Ji Yuan.

She and Gu Yingying couldn't stand Yu Ting any more, so after asking the boatman to dock, they went ashore with their servants.

Song Xue tugged at Gu Yingying, "Yingying, are you sure I was mistaken? Is Ji Yuan as good as Tingting said?"

"I don't think so. Ji Yuan seems very polite and noble, but there's something awkward about him. I always feel like he's pretending." Gu Yingying expressed her feelings.

"Me too. I always feel like he's not a real person." Song Xue quickly replied.

"I don't know if Tingting has really been deceived by him. I always feel like he's after Tingting's family's money. He's a hard worker, isn't he? The Spring Examination is coming up, and he's always out playing with Tingting. I don't think he'll pass the exam," Gu Yingying said. After all, if he really took the Spring Examination seriously, he should have stayed in the study to study hard even on weekdays, unless Ji Yuan was extremely confident in himself and believed he would definitely pass.

"I think so too. Even though she won't listen, we two should still try to persuade her more in the future."

Only Yu Ting and the other two were left on the boat, along with a few servants.

Yu Ting returned to Ji Yuan and continued the previous conversation. "Just take me with you. We'll take a carriage and be back this afternoon. It won't interfere with your studies. If you don't take me with you, then I'll go by myself."

Ji Yuan was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat. Given their family's reputation, if Yu Ting went by herself, how could he carry out his plan to hook up with a rich woman? Rather than letting her go alone, it would be better for him to accompany her. That way, he could easily prevent any problems. However, he had to go home today to give her all the necessary instructions, especially since he had to make sure Ji Huan was well-restored if Yu Ting really went to his house.

Thinking of this, Ji Yuan smiled and replied, "Okay, then I'll go back with you tomorrow morning. We have a river there too, so we can go fishing together."

"Sure, that's nice of you," Yu Ting said, smiling at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan wanted to reach out and hug Yu Ting, but thinking of his cool, scholarly persona, he forced himself to hold back. Yu Ting had a pure face, and her eyes shone like crescents when she smiled. She was the kind of girl you'd instantly fall in love with. Ji Yuan had been attracted to her for a long time, but he had held back to avoid any misunderstandings. After all, if they were married, not only would Yu Ting be his, but the family's money would be his too. Just thinking about it made Ji Yuan feel that all his previous patience and hard work were worth it.

After fishing for a while, Yu Ting sent Ji Yuan back to Zhibo Bookstore in a carriage. As soon as Ji Yuan got off the carriage, he ran into several people from his dormitory.

Sun Tiansheng was furious. If he had known that Miss Yu liked poor people, he would have pretended to be poor himself. He had originally wanted to take the opportunity to ridicule Ji Yuan, but ended up helping him.

"Hey, Brother Ji, are you accompanying Miss Yu again? That's great. You have the rich Kunze around, you can eat and play for free, and you can even ride in a carriage for free. It's like living in heaven," Sun Tiansheng taunted.

Ji Yuan retorted with a cheerful air, "I have to thank you all very much. If you hadn't told me about my family background, Miss Yu wouldn't have noticed me. When we get married, I'll definitely treat you all to a few nice meals. I have things to do, so I'll excuse myself for now."

With that, Ji Yuan ignored their reactions and swaggered through the academy. Once he became the son-in-law of the Yu family, he'd be a king, so why would he care about these little idiots? Then, they'd be the only ones begging for his share. Or was he just being clever? Isn't marrying off to a wealthy Kunze easier than taking the imperial examination? He wouldn't even need to take the imperial examination. If he could get Yu Ting, he'd be set for the rest of his life.

"What are you so arrogant about? You're just a toad dreaming of a swan. Miss Yu is the same way. She's blind at such a young age, otherwise she wouldn't fall for someone like him?" Sun Tiansheng angrily cursed.

"Brother Sun, forget it. If he really becomes the son-in-law of the Yu family, we might have to beg him for favors in the future. Let's not make things too awkward between us classmates," Wang Lu advised.

"Tsk, if you want to curry favor with this son-in-law, go ahead and do it yourself. I'm not going anyway. A pheasant expects to become a phoenix? I think he'll be exposed sooner or

later," Sun Tiansheng cursed as he walked. Ji Yuan returned without stopping. First, he took the silver and went to the south market to buy snacks and candy, as well as two pounds of fat pork. Then he bought hairpins for Liu Fengmei and fine tobacco for Ji Mantun. With all his belongings, Ji Yuan hired a donkey cart to take him back to the village.

As soon as Ji Yuan entered the yard, he shouted, "Dad, Mom, I'm back to see you."

Because he had hooked up with Yu Ting, Ji Yuan felt his back straightened this time.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun hadn't expected Ji Yuan to return at this time. After all, it was almost April, and the Tongshi exam was scheduled for the end of April.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun hurried out to meet Ji Yuan. Seeing that Ji Yuan brought back so many things, Liu Fengmei hurriedly asked, "Third brother, you are back at this time? And you bought so many things?"

"Dad, Mom, I have great news to tell you." Ji Yuan could hardly control the smile on his face, and he continued, "Brother, second sister, fourth brother, and fifth brother, I have brought things back for you. Let's go to the dining room to share them."

Ji Huan rubbed his ears and looked at Jiang Yubai who was pouring water beside him, "Did I hear it right? Ji Yuan called me second sister?"

Jiang Yubai nodded, "Yes, I heard it right, I heard it too. He also said that he bought things for everyone to share."

Ji Huan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, "Something is wrong, very wrong. Can a person like Ji Yuan take the initiative to plunder? He should hate to come back. There must be something fishy about this. Let's go, let's go and join in the fun."

"Okay." Jiang Yubai followed Ji Huan to the dining room.

The dining room was already filled with joy. Ji Huan was distributing the things he bought to everyone, "Brother, these are snacks for your family. I bought two bags specially for you since there are so many people in your family."

No one should hit a smiling person. No matter where Ji Yuan got the money from, Li Yulan still said with a smile, "It seems that the third brother has become very capable. Ji Dong, Ji Xi, your third uncle bought these for you. Come and eat them."

"Thank you, third uncle." The older Ji Dong said thank you and pulled Ji Xi back to the room to eat snacks.

Ji Yuan looked at Ji Huan and forced a smile on his face, "Second sister, this is for you. I just bought some snacks this afternoon. They are still a little warm."

Ji Huan looked at Ji Yuan with a smile on her lips, but she didn't mean to reach out to take it. "No reward without merit. We'd better not take it. You can keep it for yourself."

The smile on Ji Yuan's face almost couldn't be suppressed, but he still forced himself to hold it back. Ji Huan was the most difficult person in their family. Seeing that Ji Huan didn't take it, he pushed the package of snacks in front of Ji Huan again.

Ji Huan pretended not to see it, tapped the table with her fingertips, and looked at Ji Yuan with a smile.

Seeing that Ji Huan didn't take it, Ji Yuan had to continue distributing it, "Fourth brother, this is for you."

Ji Sen coughed lightly. Although he didn't like Ji Yuan, it was better to take the food first.

"Ji Qiao, this is yours." Ji Yuan said and handed it to Ji Qiao.

Ji Qiao secretly glanced at Ji Huan. Seeing that Ji Huan didn't touch the snack, she didn't take it herself. Instead, she ran to sit next to Ji Huan and said, "Third brother, that's quite expensive. You should keep it for yourself. I don't really need it."

Ji Yuan gritted his teeth and endured it. Liu Fengmei was dissatisfied when she saw Ji Qiao like this. "Ji Huan, Ji Qiao, why are you two pretending? The third brother bought things for everyone out of kindness. It's okay if you don't thank him, but you are also sulking and refusing to take them. Ji Huan, what do you mean by this?"

Ji Huan's smile widened. "It's nothing serious. We just feel obligated to listen to what he has to say. Otherwise, we'll feel uneasy."

"Second sister is so thoughtful. I immediately said, 'Dad, these two packets of snacks are for you and Mom. Oh, and here's the tobacco I bought you.'"

"Oh, you've really grown up, kid. You don't have to worry about home. Just study hard." Ji Mantun was almost moved to tears. "

Thank you, Dad," Ji Yuan said, looking at Liu Fengmei again. "Mom, this is a sandalwood hairpin I picked out just for you. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I like anything you buy." Liu Fengmei's eyes welled up.

Ji Huan gritted his teeth as he watched them act so affectionately. He reached out and took Jiang Yubai's fingertips, pinching them, pouting at the little rabbit. Jiang Yubai almost laughed at her and imitated Ji Huan, squeezing his palm.

Ji Qiao, sitting nearby, couldn't help but notice; she was being fed a mouthful of dog food for no reason.

The affectionate scene finally ended, and Ji Yuan finally looked at everyone and said, "This is really great news. I met a girl at a friend's party a month ago. Her family is one of the largest merchants in Qingyuan City. They have all kinds of businesses and more money than they can spend in several lifetimes. We've been together for a while now, and she's very satisfied with me. Maybe we can get engaged soon."

In Ji Yuan's opinion, Yu Ting was now completely swayed by his tricks. Even if he didn't pass the imperial examination this year, Yu Ting would definitely comfort and encourage him. Then he could pretend to be disappointed, and Yu Ting would have to find ways to coax him. Who knows, they might get married directly then.

Ji Huan snorted, wondering who could be interested in Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan looked at everyone's expressions and continued, "She doesn't mind that our family is poor. I will bring her over to see us tomorrow. Dad and Mom, I'll trouble you to entertain me then. Also, try to say nice things about her. If I can marry her, our family will have endless money."

When he heard about money, Ji Sen's eyes lit up. He had also been to the casino in the county town, so he had heard of the Yu family. "Third brother, are you serious? Is it really the Yu family in the county town?"

Ji Yuan nodded proudly, "Of course. If you can really marry into the Yu family in the future, when you have children, I will naturally sponsor them to study, and I will also build a blue brick courtyard for our family in the village, the same as the one in the headman's house."

Li Yulan's eyes also lit up. After all, if Ji Yuan was married into the family, the most favored person in the family would be their Ji Ming. He could also live in a new blue brick house, and someone would pay for his son to go to private school in the future, and there would be someone to take care of him in the county town. This was simply a win-win situation.

"Ji Ming, the third son of our family is really righteous. Sister-in-law would like to thank you on behalf of Ji Dong and Ji Xi." Li Yulan's face was full of smiles.

"You're welcome. What are you talking about? It's what I should do." Ji Yuan replied with a smile.

Ji Sen also hurriedly expressed his determination, "Third brother, you can't just ignore me. The Yu family is big and prosperous. Can you give me some leisurely job?"

Ji Yuan glared at him, "You are my younger brother after all. Can you have some prospects? The Yu family's business is so big. When the previous generation is gone, how can Yu Ting's brother Yu Bin manage such a big family business alone? I will have to help him by then. Not to mention giving you a job? Even if I let you be the shopkeeper directly, it is not a problem."

Ji Sen's eyes were shining, as if he would be the shopkeeper soon, "Thank you, third brother, thank you, third brother, I I just said it, my third brother is the most loyal in the family."

Ji Yuan was praised by everyone like a star, and he was about to fly to the sky. Seeing Ji Yuan opposite him, he shuddered suddenly, "Second sister, is there anything you want? When Yu Ting and I get married, I will definitely help you get it as soon as possible."

Ji Huan smiled kindly at Ji Yuan, "You are making big promises here, right? What you said are all unrealistic things. I don't want anything, and I have a stubborn temper. I will get what I want through my own efforts, not by relying on others' charity. Ji Yuan, your tricks don't work on me. "

"Second sister, just for one day tomorrow, everyone take good care of Yu Ting and don't say anything you shouldn't say, so that we can settle the marriage soon. When I have money, can I still ignore you?" Ji Yuan said anxiously.

Ji Huan tapped the table lazily with his fingertips. "It's hard to say, your character is not very good?"

"Ji Huan, why are you so stubborn? It's a pity that Ji Yuan still cares about you, his sister. Didn't you hear that he wants to build a blue brick house for us?" Liu Fengmei complained.

"Where is the blue brick house? He is just making empty promises here? He is just trying to fool people like you who are greedy for short-term gains. Is Ji Yuan usually such a warm person? To put it bluntly, isn't it because he is afraid of being exposed tomorrow?"

"Second sister, we are family. If I live well, you will all benefit." Ji Yuan said.

Ji Yuan glanced around the dining room. It seemed that all his family members had turned to Ji Yuan's side. Ji Huan thought for a while and said, "Oh, by the way, what about your Tongshi exam? Are you going to get married directly?"

Ji Mantun also remembered after being reminded by Ji Huan, "Yes, Ji Yuan, how are your Tongshi preparations going?"

At first, Ji Mantun was very happy to hear this, but he was not happy anymore after hearing that he was going to marry into the family. Ji Yuan was the most promising child in his opinion, and he would set up a household to take care of him in his old age. If he married into the family, he would become someone else's son, and even if he had children in the future, they might not have the surname Ji. Besides, he always felt that Ji Yuan could become a high-ranking official, and he didn't want to hand his son over to someone else for nothing.

The smile on Ji Yuan's face froze. He glanced at Ji Mantun, not understanding why Ji Mantun stopped speaking for him. "Dad, be honest, what's the point of me passing the imperial examination? Even if I pass the imperial examination and become an official, I'll only start as a minor official with a meager monthly salary. It would be better for me to marry into the Yu family." "

Then all those books you studied would be in vain. You'd have to look after the Yu family in the future. You'd become a son-in-law."

"Dad, why are you talking so harshly? Do you know how many people in our library are vying to be Miss Yu's son-in-law? Men and women, as long as they are from the Qianyuan family, want to be associated with them, but Miss Yu only loves me. Dad, such an opportunity to rise to prominence will only come once in a lifetime. It's finally my turn, and I must seize the opportunity to make a name for myself." Ji Yuan said passionately.

"That's right, I think what Third Brother said is right." Ji Sen also chimed in.

"That's right, Dad. It's time to change your old mindset. Besides, even though he's marrying into the family, Third Brother is still Qianyuan. Won't he be the head of the Yu Family from now on? Then, the Yu Family will naturally become our Ji Family, Third Brother, isn't that right?" Li Yulan addressed Ji Yuan warmly, as if the two families had a close relationship.

"Sister-in-law is absolutely right. Yu Ting only has one brother, and he doesn't like to manage the family business. If I marry into the Yu Family, the power of management will naturally fall to me in time. Dad, you mustn't be foolish at this point," Ji Yuan advised.

"Yes, Master. It would be great if Ji Yuan found a wealthy wife. She could even take us to live in the county town in the future."

Ji Huan was amused by the Ji family's calculations. They hadn't even started yet, and already the whole family was thinking of taking advantage of someone else? This Miss Yu was truly unlucky. Finding someone like Ji Yuan or falling into this cesspool? Ji Huan didn't know which was more disgusting.

"Alright, let them continue their discussion. Let's go back and rest." Ji Huan looked at the two girls beside him and said. Seeing

Ji Huan was about to leave, Ji Yuan hurriedly persuaded her, "Second sister, tomorrow's matter is really of great importance. I don't ask you for anything else, I just ask you not to say anything nonsense."

Ji Huan stood up straight and glared back, "Then you are wrong. I only tell the truth. I always say what I think and never say anything nonsense. You can rest assured about this."

Ji Yuan's teeth were almost broken. This was what he was worried about!

Seeing Ji Huan taking Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao away, Ji Yuan hurriedly said: "I'll leave tomorrow's matters to you all. If Ji Huan says anything nonsense, you must stand on my side."

Chapter Text

"Needless to say? We'll naturally help you. Ji Huan's interference is simply jealousy," Li Yulan said after a

moment's thought. "Sister-in-law is still very decisive. When I get married, I'll definitely send Jidong and Jixi to the best private schools, so they both have great futures." Ji Yuan continued to make promises. He hadn't realized his sister-in-law was so tactful before. Whether or not she could keep her promise was another matter; he had to get through tomorrow first.

"Well, let me thank our third child on behalf of Jidong and Jixi," Li Yulan said with a smile.

The whole family was in a state of joy, and even Ji Mantun was persuaded, as if Ji Yuan had already been married.

"Mom, then we should prepare in advance, right? This is the first time the county's eldest daughter is visiting. What kind of food should we prepare for her?" Li Yulan, even more concerned than Liu Fengmei, hurriedly asked.

"We'll have to cut up some fresh pork, buy a fish, and scramble some eggs and some vegetables," Liu Fengmei said after a moment's thought.

"Mom, there's no need to spend so much. She knows my family is poor, and it wouldn't be good if we prepared too much. Just have one more dish of pork and one more egg than usual. And it would be best if Ji Huan and the others could join us in the dining room," Ji Yuan said after a moment's thought.

"Okay, we'll take care of Ji Huan. You just take care of Miss Yu," Liu Fengmei said with a smile.

"Okay, Mom, I have to go back. Tingting wants me to come with her tomorrow morning," Ji Yuan said, straightening his back, as if Yu Ting couldn't live without him.

"Third brother, then go quickly. Don't delay important matters. Your eldest brother and I are at home. I'll cook tomorrow and let your sister-in-law taste my cooking." Li Yulan's face was filled with an unstoppable smile.

Seeing the eldest brother's family showing their courtesy, Ji Sen quickly interjected, "Don't worry, third brother. Xiuxiu and I will take care of the firewood and water tomorrow. We'll definitely help you get it done."

"Okay, thank you, eldest sister-in-law and fourth brother. I'm still worried about Ji Huan. Can you help me persuade her, even if it's just to keep her quiet tomorrow," Ji Yuan continued.

"Third brother, don't worry. This is a family matter. Ji Huan can't afford to act recklessly. Dad will go talk to Ji Huan himself later," Ji Mantun said after a moment's thought.

"Okay, then I'm relieved." After a few more moments of flattery, Ji Yuan hurried back to the academy.

Ji Huan glanced at Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao in the room and sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with that Miss Yu's brain. She jumped right into the wolf's den. I'm really impressed."

"Sister, what should we do tomorrow?" Ji Qiao looked at Ji Huan with an obedient look. She always listened to her sister.

Ji Huan smiled and said, "Of course I told the truth. Otherwise, Miss Yu would have been unlucky for eight lifetimes and been targeted by Ji Yuan and his gang."

Ji Qiao also nodded. Although she didn't say it, she also knew what kind of person Ji Yuan was.

At dinner time, Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun came together to bring food to Ji Huan and the others. Ji Huan took the wooden tray and was about to close the door, but was stopped by Ji Mantun. "Ji Huan, wait, Dad has something to say to you from the heart."

Ji Huan blocked the door and handed the food in, then gave Ji Mantun a big smile. "Really?"

Ji Mantun smiled and nodded quickly.

"But I don't want to hear it." With that, Ji Huan exerted force and forced the door shut.

Ji Mantun was so angry that his blood pressure suddenly rose, and he couldn't even breathe. He wanted to curse, but for tomorrow's matter, he gritted his teeth and held it back. After taking a few deep breaths, Ji Mantun stood at Ji Huan's door and said earnestly: "Ji Huan, tomorrow's matter is related to whether our Ji family can prosper. You must speak nicely. If you really can't, just don't speak. The three of you just need to eat at noon tomorrow. You don't have to do any work. Just go back after eating. Do you think this is okay?"

Ji Huan was annoyed by his nagging, and said coldly to the outside of the door: "I hate being disturbed when I'm eating. Dad, if you want the house to be in chaos from today, just keep talking."

Ji Mantun was almost mad to death, but he had to grit his teeth and go along with Ji Huan, so that Ji Huan wouldn't start to go crazy now. "Okay, Dad just wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with you. Then you guys eat. Your mother and I will go back first."

Ji Huan didn't bother to pay attention and continued to eat.

On the way back, Liu Fengmei tugged on Ji Mantun's arm and whispered, "Why do I feel so uneasy? Will Ji Huan listen?"

"We'll take it one step at a time. If things don't work out, if Ji Huan wants to speak tomorrow, interrupt her. Don't ruin the Third Brother's plans," Ji Mantun instructed.

"Got it. I'll talk to Yulan and Ji Sen later. I think Li Yulan seems quite attentive this time."

"Isn't that right? Didn't Ji Yuan say he wanted to find the best private tutors for the two children from the eldest family?" Ji Mantun looked forward to the future, but his heart was also in turmoil over Ji Huan's presence. For a moment, he was extremely conflicted.

At

first light in the morning, Ji Huan heard the sound of roosters crowing outside. That was the bad thing about being in the village: practically every household had chickens. Even if you didn't want to get out of bed, the chickens would wake you up anyway.

Ji Huan sighed heavily, pulled the little rabbit in his arms closer, and rubbed his forehead against Jiang Yubai's shoulder, his face grimacing.

Jiang Yubai knew Ji Huan wasn't awake yet, so she softly said, "Sister, get some sleep."

Ji Huan sighed, "No, I can't sleep anymore. The chickens in the backyard are crowing too loudly."

She hugged the little rabbit in her arms and lost herself in thought for a moment before reluctantly getting out of bed.

In the courtyard, everyone in the Ji family was up incredibly early, each one as if they'd been given a shot of chicken blood. Without Liu Fengmei's urging, some went to fetch water, others volunteered to chop wood, and even Li Yulan took on all the kitchen chores.

Ji Huan scoffed and shook her head. These people were truly profit-driven.

She ignored the Ji family's excited demeanor and washed up with Jiang Yubai before taking them on a morning walk around the village.

When they returned, Li Yulan's breakfast was already ready, and Liu Fengmei personally brought it to Ji Huan and the others.

She knocked on the door a few times, her tone revealing an unconcealed joy: "Second brother, your meal is here."

Ji Huan opened the door and saw Liu Fengmei looking at him with a look of joy on her face. Liu Fengmei had even changed her clothes.

When Liu Fengmei saw Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai's clothes, she was stunned. How could she have forgotten about this!

The clothes Jiang Yubai was wearing were brought from her parents' home when she got married. They looked decent, but Ji Huan's clothes were not so good. At first glance, there were more than a dozen patches on them. If Miss Yu saw them, wouldn't she be left with the impression of being poor?

Thinking of this, Liu Fengmei handed over the breakfast and asked: "Didn't I give you cloth before? Where are the new clothes?"

In fact, Jiang Yubai had made clothes for her and Ji Huan with that piece of cloth in her spare time, but Ji Huan still wore the patched old clothes.

"Oh, mother, don't worry about it. Just take care of Ji Yuan." Ji Huan said and closed the door.

Liu Fengmei wanted to curse a few words, but she was afraid that cursing would anger Ji Huan and ruin her son's plans, so she had to hold back.

Another half hour passed before Ji Huan heard a commotion outside.

Although there were a few families in the village with a lot of land, and they were considered wealthy, most people had only seen such luxurious carriages in the county town, and none of them had ever entered their village. Therefore, the children in the village and some adults with nothing to do followed the carriage, wanting to see where it would go.

After a while, the carriage stopped, and six martial artists dressed in short clothes followed behind it, apparently to protect the people in the carriage.

Soon, two maids got out of the carriage first and placed wooden benches to make it easier for the people in the carriage to get out.

Ji Yuan walked out of the carriage and got off quickly, followed by Yu Ting.

Looking at the eyes of the villagers looking at him, Ji Yuan felt his back straighten. Weren't they all looking down on him? Now that he was with the rich Kunze, he was not something these peasants in the village could compare to.

Aunt Yuan couldn't help but ask, "Ji Yuan, what are you doing?"

"Oh, this is Miss Yu, my friend. She's coming back to the village with me today. Excuse me, everyone," Ji Yuan said, gesturing to Yu Ting.

Yu Ting was curious about the village and found the villagers' attire intriguing.

Yu Ting, accompanied by two maids, entered the courtyard with Ji Yuan. Several guards and the coachman remained at the gate of the Ji family's courtyard, watching the carriages.

A flurry of discussion erupted in the crowd.

"Hey, did Ji Yuan find the wealthy Kunze in the county town?"

"Looks like he did. With such a beautiful carriage, Kunze's family must be very wealthy, right?"

"Yes, Ji Yuan is truly blessed."

Inside the Ji family's courtyard, Ji Ming and the others were already waiting. They warmly welcomed Yu Ting and Ji Yuan into the dining room. Even Ji Huan, who was staying in his room, could hear the joyful voices of the Ji family outside.

Around noon, Ji Ming came over to invite Ji Huan and the other two to the dining room for lunch. Ji Huan didn't refuse and followed them. Seeing

Ji Huan and the others approach, Ji Yuan quickly stood up and introduced them warmly: "This is my second sister, Ji Huan. The one next to her is her wife, and the one on the right is my fifth sister."

"Hello, second sister, fifth sister, sister-in-law," Yu Ting greeted them with a smile.

Ji Huan nodded calmly and sat down at the table. Li Yulan and Liu Fengmei soon began chatting animatedly with Yu Ting again .

Ji Huan, watching the Ji family's performance, boredly ate peanuts on the table. Ji Yuan and the others seemed afraid that Yu Ting would notice them, so they kept talking to her, their enthusiasm almost overwhelming her.

Finally, when it was time for dinner, Yu Ting finally had a chance to breathe. The Ji family's hospitality towards her was strange, like those who came to their house to ask for favors from their parents. They treated her less like family or friends, and more like flattery.

Finally, Yu Ting didn't have to respond to Liu Fengmei and Li Yulan's enthusiasm while eating. She looked at Ji Huan and Ji Qiao with some curiosity, "Second sister and fifth sister don't seem to like to talk much?"

Before Ji Huan opened his mouth, Ji Yuan spoke first, "Oh, my second sister and the others are shy and not good at speaking. Don't be surprised."

"How could that be?" Yu Ting smiled at Ji Huan and said.

Ji Huan looked at Ji Yuan and sneered, "Ji Yuan, people are asking us, why are you in such a hurry? Don't you want me to speak?"

Ji Yuan forced a smile, "Second sister, stop joking. How could I not want you to speak."

Ji Huan snorted, "That's good. Some people still have to keep their eyes open. Getting married is not a trivial matter. You need to get to know each other slowly, instead of just looking at the appearance. After all, some people are all show and no substance."

Ji Yuan was almost sweating. He hurriedly picked up an egg with chopsticks and interrupted Ji Huan, "Second sister, you've been too tired lately. Eat more."

Ji Huan looked at Yu Ting for a moment, and quickly looked away. Anyone normal could understand what he had just said. If this girl was really devoted to Ji Yuan, then Ji Huan could only respect and bless her.

After lunch, Li Yulan and Liu Fengmei's enthusiasm gave Yu Ting a headache. Seeing Yu Ting's slightly unhappy expression, Ji Yuan quickly said, "Mom, sister-in-law, Tingting must be tired. You guys go ahead and do your work. I'll just stay with her."

Liu Fengmei smiled broadly, "Okay, you guys chat, chat."

The dining room quieted down, and Yu Ting finally felt a little better. Her mind had been frantic, and she even regretted coming to Ji Yuan's village.

Ji Yuan glanced at Yu Ting's face, feeling a little uneasy. He explained, "Don't mind. Villagers are just so hospitable. My mom and sister-in-law mean well."

Yu Ting nodded and replied calmly, "I understand."

But the whole morning's socializing had drained most of Yu Ting's energy, and she just wanted to go for a walk around the village to get some fresh air.

"I want to go out for a walk and get some fresh air. You don't have to accompany me," Yu Ting said, getting up.

Ji Yuan quickly stood up as well. "How can that be?"

He realized something was wrong with his words and tried to make amends, "What I mean is, country people are reckless. I'm afraid they might bump into you. Why don't I go for a walk with you?"

"No, I'm not a clay doll. I'm just going out for a walk and will be back soon."

"Tingting, are you mad at me? My mother and the others really mean no harm. If you don't like it, we can just come back less often in the future," Ji Yuan continued.

Yu Ting shook her head. "You're overthinking it. I'm really not mad. I was just going out for a walk. I brought my maid with me, so you don't have to follow."

With that, Yu Ting left with her maid, leaving Ji Yuan alone with a gloomy expression.

He hurried to the kitchen. "Mom, sister-in-law, you guys went too far just now. You scared Yu Ting."

"Huh? We were just happy and wanted to talk to her more. How did we scare her?" Liu Fengmei asked nervously.

She was very pleased with Yu Ting. The gold hairpin on her head looked priceless, and her silk dress was even more gorgeous. Just the sight of Yu Ting made Liu Fengmei feel as if she were glimpsing the wealth of Yu Ting's family.

"Yes, didn't you tell us to spend more time talking to Miss Yu and to stop Ji Huan from interrupting?" Li Yulan said innocently.

"Maybe your over-enthusiasm made her uncomfortable. She took her maids for a walk in the village and told me not to follow." Ji Yuan looked anxiously toward the gate.

"Then what are you waiting for? Go out and look for her. Because of what happened before, our family has a bad reputation in the village. Be careful of gossip," Liu Fengmei said anxiously.

"Okay, but don't push us too hard. I'll go look for her now. You just wait at home." Ji Yuan said, and then he left the village.

Elsewhere, Yu Ting recalled her experience in the dining room. Her head ached. The Ji family's constant chatter was exhausting. She walked towards the village river with two maids and happened to run into Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai.

Yu Ting had originally wanted to be quiet, but since they were Ji Yuan's family, it was inappropriate not to greet them. Furthermore, what Ji Yuan's second sister had just said in the dining room seemed to have a deeper meaning.

"Second sister, Sister Yubai, are you guys out for a walk too?" Yu Ting asked with a smile.

Ji Huan nodded. "Those people are too noisy, and I can't sleep anyway, so I might as well go out for a walk."

Yu Ting hadn't expected Ji Huan to be so direct. Thinking about what Ji Huan had said in the dining room, she asked, "Second sister, what you just said seemed to have a deeper meaning."

Ji Huan chuckled and looked at Yu Ting. "What you see with your own eyes may not always be true, and what you hear from others may not always be false. Miss Yu, do you really think Ji Yuan is someone you can entrust your life to?"

Yu Ting frowned slightly. Although she didn't like the Ji family's noisy nature, she was still familiar with Ji Yuan, and hearing Ji Huan's words still made her feel unhappy.

"Why not? If you have something to say, just say it directly," Yu Ting said, looking at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan's lips curled up into a smile, and he spoke slowly, "Time reveals a person's true character. No matter how much I say, you may not believe it. If you really want to understand Ji Yuan and the people in the Ji family, you can ask more villagers."

Ji Huan reached out and took Jiang Yubai's hand, saying with a smile, "We won't disturb Miss Yu from enjoying the scenery. We'll take our leave first."

Yu Ting frowned slightly. Ji Yuan's second sister also gave people a strange feeling. It seemed that she didn't seem to have a good relationship with Ji Yuan. While

she was staring at the lake in a daze, another female Qianyuan came over not far away. She was holding a fishing rod and a fish basket, and it seemed that she was going to fish by the river. Yu Ting also liked to play on weekdays, so she simply walked over.

Ji Wen was just getting his bait ready to go fishing when he saw Kunze, dressed elegantly, approaching him from a distance. "Miss, what's up?" "

No, I just saw you preparing your bait, so I came over to check on you. I like fishing, too," Yu Ting said with a smile. She and her friends usually fished in the lake from a boat in the county town.

Ji Wen took in Yu Ting's attire and couldn't believe she was a big fisher. "Then, Miss, you'd better watch from a distance, or you'll get splashed."

"How dare you talk like that?" Before Yu Ting could reply, the maidservant beside her started to growl indignant.

"Oh, if you don't mind, you can watch," he said. Ji Wen baited his hook and cast his line far out. Then, he sat down on a wooden stool he had brought with him, waiting for a bite from the river.

Yu Ting watched for a moment, impressed by Qianyuan's deft movements. Compared to hers, her own fishing skills seemed like mere play.

Seeing that Qian Yuan had made a small stool and ignored her, she sat down on a nearby stone and watched. The maidservant beside Yu Ting rolled her eyes. Her daughter was so rich, how could this country boy Qian Yuan not show any tenderness to women?

"Miss, look at her."

"Xiao Lu," Yu Ting called out, silencing her. The maidservant shut up unconvinced. Their daughter was someone many wanted to marry, unlike this Qian Yuan, who was so dull and incompetent.

"Are you from Dongniu Village?"

Ji Wen nodded when he heard someone ask. "Of course I am. I grew up here."

"There's something I want to ask you about," Yu Ting continued.

"What is it? Ask." Ji Wen, fishing rod in hand, looked at Yu Ting.

"Do you know Ji Yuan? I want to know how he behaves in the village?" Yu Ting asked, thinking about Ji Huan's words.

"Ji Yuan? You're the young lady from the wealthy family who returned to the village with her this morning, right?" Ji Wen asked, as if remembering something. Yu Ting

nodded. "Well, are you familiar with Ji Yuan?"

"Not really. After all, he's a scholar, pretentious, and looks down on the likes of us." Ji Wen glanced at Yu Ting, feeling she didn't seem like a bad person. He said, "I advise you to get to know Ji Yuan better before making a decision. It's not nice to say bad things about people behind their backs, but I still want to remind you that Ji Yuan isn't as kind as you think, and neither are the Ji family. Previously, they exploited Ji Yuan's second sister, Ji Huan. Ji Huan did all the housework, and Ji Yuan didn't do any work at home, using studying as an excuse for everything. Anyway, aside from Ji Huan, Ji Qiao, and Jiang Yubai, the rest of the family..."

Ji Wen said nothing, simply shaking his head.

"But he told me that he not only works at home, but also studies hard at night. In the month I've been with him, Ji Yuan has been very sensible and an upright person," Yu Ting frowned.

"He worked hard? He worked hard for four years and couldn't even pass the exam to become a scholar? All his efforts were in vain?" Seeing that she didn't believe him, Ji Wen didn't bother to say anything more to her. "You judge for yourself. Just don't regret it."

After that, Ji Wen waited quietly for the fish to take the bait. Seeing that Ji Wen didn't speak anymore, Yu Ting took a few maids and walked back along the road. They met several groups of villagers along the way. When they asked about Ji Yuan's character, everyone seemed to be hesitant to speak. They wanted to say something but felt it was not good to say bad things about people behind their backs.

Finally, Aunt Yuan spoke directly, "Young lady, you're from a wealthy family. I don't mean to gossip, but aside from Ji Huan, Ji Qiao, and Jiang Yubai, the rest of the Ji family is hard to say. Ji Huan's window paper was full of holes. She asked Ji Yuan to borrow some rice paper, but he refused, ultimately resorting to borrowing from other villagers. And there are countless other ways their family has exploited Ji Huan. If you're truly attracted to Ji Yuan, I can only tell you to reconsider."

Yu Ting's heart grew colder as she walked. The people of Dongniu Village had similar opinions of Ji Yuan. When they heard about the Ji family, they all hesitated to speak. Although she was naive, she understood the Ji family's reputation within the village.

But then she felt a pang of resignation. Could those stories about talented men and beautiful women be lies?

Yu Ting walked back to the stream and saw Ji Wen reeling in his line. A small, palm-sized fish had been caught, now splashing vigorously in the water.

Ji Wen hurriedly grabbed the lively little fish. When Yu Ting saw the little fish, she trotted to Ji Wen's side, "You caught it so quickly?"

Ji Wen held the little fish steadily in his right hand and took it off the hook. She smiled at Yu Ting and said, "This is the third one, look in the fish basket."

Yu Ting went to the side of the fish basket and took a look. She saw that this one was indeed the third one. This was much better than the level of her and her friends. She and Song Xue went fishing on the lake, but often caught nothing. In the end, they had to buy fish from the boatman and take them home to pass them off as their own.

Seeing Ji Wen so skilled, Yu Ting's eyes lit up, "Can I learn how to fish from you?"

Ji Wen looked at Yu Ting's clothes, "Your clothes are not suitable for fishing, are they?"

Yu Ting looked at her own clothes, and was a little annoyed. She was wearing a silk dress today and a gold hairpin on her head, which was not suitable for going out to play at all, "Then can I come to play with you next time? Can you teach me how to fish?"

Ji Wen looked at Yu Ting, and thought that Yu Ting was Kunze, who was in love with Ji Yuan, and hurriedly shook his head, "Your family is so rich, you can just find a fishing master in the county to teach you in two days, why bother coming to our village? Not to mention the long way, you, a young lady, won't be used to it."

Yu Ting didn't expect Ji Wen to refuse her. After all, on weekdays in Qingyuan City, those Qian Yuans were all around her.

She looked at Ji Wen with some resentment, and had forgotten about Ji Yuan at the moment. She and Ji Yuan were only in the stage of getting along, and neither side had broken the window paper. Her trip to Donniu Village was not in vain, and she had a new understanding of Ji Yuan. Yu Ting decided to make things clear with Ji Yuan after returning, and then no longer have any contact with Ji Yuan.

Thinking of this, Yu Ting felt an unexpected sense of relief. The Ji family had really made her feel uncomfortable just now, and coupled with the words of the villagers, she had a general understanding of the Ji family. She was afraid that the Ji family was only trying to curry favor with her because her family was rich. Thinking of this, Yu Ting felt even more bored.

However, seeing Ji Wen, Yu Ting's eyes lit up again. "I've been talking to you for so long, and I still don't know your name? My name is Yu Ting, what's yours?"

"My name is Ji Wen. Let's go back to the county town early after watching for a while. If it's too late, the road back to the county town at night will be difficult to walk." Ji Wen said, reaching out to grab the hook and hanging a small piece of bait on it.

Yu Ting's gaze fell on Ji Wen's hands. He had long, slender knuckles and a fair complexion, though a few calluses marked his fingertips. She raised her gaze to Ji Wen's face. His features were delicate, with a hint of aloofness between his brows. But when he smiled, his lips curved slyly. Even in the county, she'd be considered a very attractive female Qianyuan.

Influenced by the storybooks, she had previously had a filter around Ji Yuan. But now, after hearing the villagers' stories, that filter shattered. Yu Ting realized that Dongniu Village truly was a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery! Besides Ji Wen, Ji Yuan's second sister, Ji Huan, and the female Qianyuan who had just been with Aunt Yuan were all surprisingly good-looking. A female Qianyuan of this appearance would surely be highly sought after in the county.

Yu Ting's ears turned slightly red. She looked at Ji Wen's expression and explained, "Ji Yuan and I have only known each other for a month. We only go out to play together sometimes on weekdays. We haven't done anything inappropriate. Since he is not that good, I will not associate with him after I go back."

Ji Wen had just thrown the fishing line into the river when she heard Yu Ting's words. She looked at Yu Ting with some confusion, "Miss Yu, whatever you do is fine, but this is none of my business. You don't have to explain to me."

Yu Ting stamped her feet anxiously, "Is that all you want to say to me?"

Ji Wen nodded in confusion. Of course, she and Yu Ting didn't know each other, so why would Yu Ting explain to him?

Yu Ting glared at Ji Wen with red ears and ran away quickly.

Ji Wen looked puzzled. This young lady in the county town was really strange. Why was she so angry when he didn't say anything?

The maid named Xiaolu glared at Ji Wen and said, "You don't know what's good for you. Even the Qianyuan in the city wouldn't be as arrogant as you when they see my young lady."

With that, the little maid ran after Yu Ting.

Yu Ting was in a good mood when she returned, but she didn't want to stay at the Ji family anymore. She thought about dressing smartly and coming to see Ji Wen in a few days to ask him to teach her how to fish. Thinking of this, Yu Ting's ears turned red again. She wondered if there were any storybooks about the village female Qianyuan and the rich young ladies. She didn't seem to like the storybooks about talented men and beautiful women that much anymore.

Before they even reached the Ji residence, Ji Yuan came running over. "Tingting, where have you been? I was so hard to find you."

"Oh, I was just taking a walk. I'm a little tired and want to go back." Then, as if remembering something, Yu Ting spoke again, "By the way, please call me by my full name from now on. We're just ordinary friends. Calling me Tingting isn't nice."

This time it was Ji Yuan's turn to be shocked. "What? Ordinary friends?"

Yu Ting saw the expression on Ji Yuan's face lose control and took a step back in fear. "Yeah, aren't we just friends who are closer?"

"No, Tingting, did my mother and the others make you angry? I'll go back and tell them. Don't alienate me because of this." Ji Yuan said, and even tried to reach out to grab Yu Ting, but was stopped by Xiaolu.

"Master Ji, what are you doing?" Xiaolu glared at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan gritted his teeth and endured it, thinking that when he entered the Yu residence, he would sell off these two annoying maids.

"I'm sorry, Tingting, I lost my composure. Did someone in the village tell you something? Don't listen to them. They're just jealous that I can study in the county town," Ji Yuan hurriedly explained.

"Don't call me Tingting. Also, Master Ji and I probably won't see each other much anymore." She had been completely deceived by the storybooks. The stories about talented men and beautiful women in those stories all ended happily with the man passing the imperial examination, but what about Ji Yuan? He hadn't even passed the imperial examination for four years. What had gotten into her mind? She actually thought Ji Yuan could win the top spot?

"No!" The veins on Ji Yuan's forehead bulged. Realizing he had lost his composure, he quickly put on a gentlemanly air. "No, listen to my explanation. It's really that the people in this village can't stand seeing others do well. You've been with me for a month, don't you know my character?"

Yu Ting really began to think about it seriously. To be honest, Ji Yuan had done almost nothing wrong in the past month, but even so, without the filter of the storybook, Yu Ting still felt something was wrong. Ji Yuan was just too flawless, like a fake person. No wonder Gu Yingying and Song Xue thought Ji Yuan was pretending. She felt the same way now. She really had to listen to her bestie's advice.

"How can a person's character be seen so clearly in such a short time? Besides, we are just ordinary friends. I hope Mr. Ji will remember this in the future. I'm a little tired today, so I'll take everyone back home first." Yu Ting said and was about to leave.

Ji Yuan hurried to catch up, "Okay, I'll take you back."

"No need, you and I are Qianyuan and Kunze, it's inconvenient to ride together, Master Ji should spend more time with your family and reminisce about the past." Yu Ting was about to leave again.

Ji Yuan became a little reckless and stretched out his hand to grab Yu Ting's wrist, "No, you can't just leave like this, we obviously got along well before, and we both know our relationship tacitly, don't you like me? Tingting, if you don't like it here, you can never come back after we get married, okay? I'll do whatever you say."

Yu Ting struggled hard, she didn't expect Ji Yuan to take action directly, "No, who wants to marry you, let go."

"No, I won't let go, I'm determined, you are my wife, you are my Kunze." If he had known this would happen, he should have forced Yu Ting to form a covenant when they were alone before, and the rice would have been cooked, and he would have naturally eaten the bowl of soft rice.

"Let go! Help!" Yu Ting, alone with Kunze, was no match for Qianyuan. Even with the two maids beside her, they couldn't hold Ji Yuan back. Ji Yuan must have released his Xinxiang, sending a strong, sea-smelling aroma wafting through the air, nearly making Yu Ting crumble.

"Ji Yuan, you're crazy! Releasing Xinxiang on Kunze in public is a felony! What the hell are you trying to do?" Beads of sweat streamed down Yu Ting's forehead, the stench of the seawater nearly making her gag.

"I'm crazy! As long as I form a bond with you now, you'll naturally be mine." As he spoke, the fierceness in Ji Yuan's eyes deepened.

Ji Wen, who was at the riverbank, had just packed up and was leaving when she saw Ji Yuan and Yu Ting tangled up. She'd considered taking a detour, after all, it was inappropriate for her to meddle in their private affairs, when she heard a distant cry for help.

"Sister, please help me! Ji Yuan is trying to force a bond on me. Sister..." The voice broke, as if she was straining to endure something.

Ji Wen quickly dropped what he was holding and ran over. As she got a little closer, she could smell the rich fragrance of Qianyuan's scent. Ji Wen's face darkened immediately. "Ji Yuan, you're crazy."

As she spoke, she released her fragrance to suppress Ji Yuan's fragrance while using her own fragrance to protect Yu Ting. Ji Yuan was a weak scholar, and his physical fitness was no match for Ji Wen. Ji Wen punched Ji Yuan in the shoulder, and the pain made Ji Yuan let go.

Yu Ting's body went limp, and Ji Wen hurriedly caught her. "Are you okay?"

Yu Ting shook her head at Ji Wen, holding back a cold sweat. It was a close call just now. The riverside was remote to begin with, and she was almost dragged into the woods by Ji Yuan.

Ji Wen handed Yu Ting, who was leaning against her, to two maids. He glared at Ji Yuan and cursed, "I think you're hopeless. You released Xinxiang on Kunze in the street. At the very least,

you'll get a dozen lashes of the cane, and at the worst, three years in prison." When Ji Wen stopped him, Ji Yuan remembered how crazy he'd just been about to do. He collapsed to the ground and pleaded with Yu Ting, "I really didn't mean it. I just care about you too much, Tingting. Please, don't tell anyone about this, okay? I'll definitely treat you well in the future."

"Don't you understand me, Ji Yuan? I have nothing to do with you anymore." Yu Ting felt nauseous. The scent of white peaches had just suppressed Ji Yuan's sea-smelling smell. Now that the white peach scent was lighter, she only felt the overwhelming fishy smell of himself.

"No, Tingting, listen to my explanation, listen to my explanation." Ji Yuan even tried to get up and reach Yu Ting, but Ji Wen pushed him hard and pushed him to the ground again.

He looked at Ji Wen crazily, pointed his finger at Ji Wen and cursed: "Are you jealous of me? Jealous that I climbed up to the Yu family in the county town. You all are jealous of me, I don't care, Tingting is my Kunze, she is my Kunze..."

Chapter Text

"I think you've truly gone mad. Okay, you guys hurry up and leave. I'll watch over Ji Yuan," Ji Wen said, blocking Ji Yuan's path.

Xiaolu and another young maid, Zhu'er, hurriedly supported Yu Ting as they returned to their guards. Seeing this, Ji Yuan tried to rush forward, but Ji Wen grabbed him and, with a flick of his wrist, threw him out.

"Ji Wen, are you jealous of me? Are you jealous of me? You're actually stopping me. Do you know that this will ruin all my efforts?"

Ji Yuan cried and screamed at Ji Wen. He tried to get up and intercept Yu Ting from the opposite direction, but Ji Wen stopped him again. "I was helping you. Do you know what you just did? It's against the law."

"I don't care. She's my Kunze. If it weren't for you, I might have already formed a bond with her. I'd be the Yu family's son-in-law, don't you understand? Ji Wen, I'm going to settle this account with you sooner or later. Just wait!" Ji Yuan cursed as he struggled with Ji Wen.

Yu Ting, without the oppressive influence of Ji Yuanxin's fragrance, felt a little better, though she still smelled the unpleasant smell of the sea.

"Miss, I didn't expect him to be this kind of person. I must ask the master to deal with him properly when we get back." Xiaolu was in tears. Their young lady had been pampered and had never suffered such a hardship before.

"Hurry back to the carriage and leave first." Yu Ting was still a little frightened. She had never expected Ji Yuan to dare to treat her like this.

Soon, the three of them returned to the Ji family's courtyard. Ji Ming and Li Yulan were still waiting outside. Seeing Yu Ting return, their faces were filled with smiles.

"Miss Yu, you're back. Come in and have some tea and sit down," Li Yulan said, trying to help Yu Ting.

Yu Ting stepped back and dodged, saying to the guards at the door, "Let's go. We're going back to the county town right now."

Hearing Yu Ting's order, the maids and guards got busy, and two maids helped Yu Ting into the carriage.

Li Yulan saw something was amiss and tried to intervene. Yu Ting called out to the guards around her, "Why are you just standing there? Pull them apart."

The guards, initially concerned that the two men were Ji Yuan's relatives, sprang into action when they heard the young lady seemed angry.

The coachman began to drive the carriage away, and the guards hurried to follow.

Li Yulan's voice echoed from behind, "Miss Yu, what's going on? Did something in our family displease you?"

No one responded. The carriage was moving so fast that the guards had to walk quickly to keep up. Soon, the carriage disappeared, leaving only scattered clouds of dust on the dirt road.

"What the hell is going on?" Li Yulan asked anxiously, grabbing Ji Ming's hand.

Ji Ming was also confused. "I don't know. They were fine just now at dinner. How did they suddenly become like this?"

"Quick, I'll go tell my parents," Li Yulan said, hurrying out to the courtyard. If this thing fell through, Ji Yuan's promises would be broken.

"Dad, Mom, Miss Yu has left with someone." Li Yulan shouted as she trotted into the yard.

"Ah? Why did they suddenly leave? Where's Ji Yuan?" Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun also hurried out of the yard.

"I don't know. Miss Yu's attitude is much colder than during dinner. Did she have a fight with my third brother?" Li Yulan asked anxiously.

Little Rabbit was sitting at the table mending clothes. Hearing the noise outside, she looked at Ji Huan and whispered, "Sister, does Miss Yu know something?" "

Probably. If anyone has a mouth and is willing to ask around in the village, it wouldn't be difficult to find out who Ji Yuan is. It's a good thing that Miss Yu didn't just stick to Ji Yuan." Ji Huan said with a smile, then continued to support his chin and watched Little Rabbit mending things obediently.

After about an incense stick of time, Ji Yuan returned to the Ji family yard in a daze.

Ji Ming hurried over and asked, "Ji Yuan, what's going on? Why did Miss Yu leave so suddenly without even saying goodbye? Did you have a fight?"

As he spoke, Ji Ming smelled the unmistakable smell of the sea on Ji Yuan, "No, why do you still smell like your own Xinxiang?"

Ji Yuan's clothes were disheveled, and he no longer had the smug look on his face when he came back in the morning. He swept his eyes around everyone and cursed, "I told you a long time ago to behave yourself, but you scared Yu Ting and made her hide away. Now, there's no way we can be together forever."

"No, third brother, it's her first time here, so we should be more enthusiastic. You can't blame us for this." Li Yulan retorted in a low voice, but seeing Ji Yuan's look, she quickly took a few steps back.

Ji Yuan stared at the Ji family members, and finally his eyes fell on Ji Huan's door. He laughed "hahahaha" like a madman a few times, and then kicked Ji Huan's door like crazy.

Ji Huan had already heard the noise outside. With a cold expression, she stood up, opened the door, and then kicked outside. Ji Yuan was kicked far away and rolled on the open ground in the yard.

"This is not a place for a loser like you to act like a spoiled child. You have bad behavior. Miss Yu only needs to ask around in the village to know what kind of person you are. You think you can climb up the social ladder? You'd better go back to your room and dream on." Ji Huan looked at Ji Yuan, who was still rolling on the ground, with a cold expression.

Ji Yuan felt pain in his chest and buttocks. He regained some consciousness now and pointed at Ji Huan, cursing, "Ji Huan, don't forget we're family. What good will it do you if I can't marry into the Yu family?"

Ji Huan glared at Ji Yuan coldly. "Whether you love or die is none of my business. A girl from a respectable family is damned if she's deceived by a jerk like you. I advise you to be quiet. I just smelled a fishy smell on you. That must be your incense? Openly releasing incense on Kunze is against the law. Instead of lashing out at me, you should think about what to take to jail."

Ji Yuan's face paled. He had stopped Yu Ting just now with the intention of taking her to the grove and forcing her into a marriage, but he hadn't considered the consequences. Ji Yuan was frightened to tears by Ji Huan's words.

"Mom, Dad, please find a way to save me. I don't want to go to jail. I still have exams to take," Ji Yuan cried.

Ji Mantun was completely stunned. "You, you mean you really did that? What should I do, God?"

The yard was filled with sobbing and wailing, as well as Ji Yuan's sobbing and defensive voice: "I just thought that since the matter was done, the Yu family couldn't go back on their word. I did it in the heat of the moment. Dad, please save me. I don't want to go to jail. Please save me."

Outside, there was a chorus of crying and shouting. Ji Huan was overwhelmed by the noise and closed the door.

Jiang Yubai whispered, "Sister, do you think Miss Yu will really report this to the police?"

Ji Huan sat back on the stool and shook her head. "Probably not. I just said that to scare Ji Yuan. After all, Miss Yu's family is one of the wealthiest in Qingyuan City. Reporting this to the police directly would probably affect Miss Yu and the Yu family's reputation." "

That's such a shame," Jiang Yubai muttered.

Ji Huan also nodded, but not reporting to the police did not mean that the Yu family could not deal with Ji Yuan. They were a wealthy family in Qingyuan City, and it was too easy for them to deal with Ji Yuan, who had no money and power.

The crying and shouting outside gradually weakened, and Ji Yuan gradually calmed down. Thinking that the Yu family would not report this matter to the police, he felt a little relieved. After tidying himself up, he prepared to rush back to the study in a daze.

The Ji family members were no longer as cheerful as they were in the morning. They were all wilted like eggplants hit by frost.

Ji Yuan had just left Dongniu Village and was walking on the dirt road back to the county town when a group of people with wooden sticks suddenly appeared on the road.

Ji Yuan's heart sank, thinking that he had been robbed. "Please be kind, my dear friends. I am just a scholar. Please let me go."

"Ji Yuan." The leading man called out.

Ji Yuan subconsciously replied, "How do you know my name?"

The next moment, he was surrounded by people and beaten up.

The tree-lined road was filled with Ji Yuan's screams. "Ah, good man, spare my life! I'm engaged to the eldest daughter of the Yu family. You can't hit me. If you hit me, you'll offend the Yu family."

"How dare you talk nonsense? Come on, hit him in the mouth and see how long he can keep up the stubbornness ."

Following the order of the leader, several people rushed up and slapped Ji Yuan in the face, one after another, the sound was extremely crisp.

In a short while, Ji Yuan was beaten like a pig's head.

"Alright, go easy. The master said, don't kill anyone." The leader warned, kicking Ji Yuan several times and cursing, "You toad want to eat swan meat? You're dreaming."

By the time the five or six strong Qian Yuans had finished beating him, Ji Yuan's face was swollen like a pig's head, and his body was covered with bruises.

He pointed at them, "You, aren't you afraid I'll report you to the authorities?"

"Go ahead, and see if the officials believe us, the Yu family, or you. If you dare, we'll send you to jail for a few years. If you don't believe me, you can try."

With that, the men left Ji Yuan, a dead dog, alone, gasping for breath on the dirt road.

He finally limped back to the village, encountering a number of onlookers along the way.

"Hey, isn't that Ji Yuan? He came back this morning so cocky, how come he's like this now?"

"Who beat him up? If it weren't for his clothes, I almost wouldn't have recognized him. He's swollen like a pig."

"Haha, who says it wouldn't be? With his character, he wants to marry a girl from the county town. How interesting."

"With his bruised face, he's not even going to pass the exam this year, is he?"

Ji Yuan covered his face with his wounds and, ignoring the others' comments, stumbled back to the Ji family's home.

"Dad, Mom, save me." Ji Yuan cried out as he entered the courtyard.

Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun hurried out to see Ji Yuan. Seeing Ji Yuan's state, Liu Fengmei burst into tears, "My son, who beat you like this?"

"Why is your face swollen?" Ji Mantun's eyes were red.

Ji Yuan threw himself on Ji Mantun and started crying, "It was the Yu family. It was that bitch Yu Ting who hired someone to beat me up."

"Then what should we do? Shall we go to the county town to report to the police?" Ji Mantun said, wanting Ji Ming to borrow a donkey cart to take Ji Yuan to the police.

Ji Yuan shook his head quickly, "I can't go, Dad. The Yu family has already informed the county government. If I go, I will be caught in a trap. Now I can only suffer in silence."

"Hey, that bitch Yu Ting really doesn't know what's good for her. You will definitely pass the Tongshi exam this year. When you become a scholar, make that bitch regret it." Ji Mantun said angrily. He thought his son was awesome and could pass the exam to become a scholar.

But Ji Yuan was directly deflated, "Dad, please help me find a doctor first. I'm in this state. Please ask my eldest brother or fourth brother to help me ask for leave from the library."

"Okay, I'll tell them later." Ji Mantun replied.

"It's all Ji Wen's fault. If she hadn't stopped me, I would have already gotten married to Yu Ting. I won't let that bitch go. And Ji Huan, it's all Ji Huan's fault." Ji Yuan was furious, but he didn't mention his shameless attempt to force Yu Ting. In the end, when he said it, it all became someone else's fault.

"Okay, okay, it's all their fault. Don't get yourself sick from anger. Daddy's here to help you apply the medicine," Ji Mantun said distressedly.

After sending Ji Yuan back to his room, Ji Mantun went to find Ji Ming. "Big brother, your fourth brother was beaten like that. Go to the library and ask for leave for him. By the way, bring back all the books he uses." Seeing

that Ji Yuan's dream of hooking up with a rich woman was shattered, Ji Ming felt that his family would not be able to benefit from it either. So he didn't want to go. After all, it would take half a day to go there and back, which was actually quite far.

"Dad, Jidong and Jixi still need someone to look after them. Why don't you let Jisen go? Jisen has nothing to do anyway." Ji Ming evaded the question. Ji

Mantun pointed at Ji Ming angrily and said, "Okay, you're not going, right? Wait until your brother passes the Tongshi exam at the end of the month and becomes a scholar. Don't try to curry favor with him." Ji

Ming thought about it and realized that Ji Yuan had failed the exam for four years. He shook his head decisively and

said, "I definitely won't curry favor with him." He muttered softly, "Besides, it's unlikely he'll pass."

"You, you're trying to piss me off to death! Okay, you're not going, right? When Ji Yuan becomes successful in the future, don't let him take advantage of you." Ji Mantun said and went to find Jisen again.

Guessing that Ji Sen and Ji Ming would likely give the same answer, he simply took out fifty coins. "Ji Sen, take these fifty coins for your trouble. Your second brother is injured and needs to rest at home for at least a few days. Ask for leave from the academy for him, and bring him his books." "

Only fifty coins?" Ji Sen grumbled slightly. This little money was barely enough for a gamble.

"Take it or leave it." Ji Mantun, also furious today, was about to take the fifty coins back.

Seeing this, Ji Sen quickly grabbed Ji Mantun's hand. "Dad, don't worry. Okay, I have nothing else to do, so I'll go."

At

the Yu family residence in Qingyuan County, Yu Bin paced back and forth in frustration. "I thought Ji Yuan was a good person, but he turned out to be such a jerk. Don't worry, Tingting, I'll make sure he has a hard time at the academy."

Yu Ting leaned back on the bed, inhaling Ji Yuan's scent that morning. She felt a little nauseous, but after taking some medicine to recuperate, she felt a little better.

"Anyway, I never want to see this guy again. He's disgusting," Yu Ting thought, adding, "This time, thanks to Ji Wen. If she hadn't helped me, I might have been bullied by Ji Yuan."

"Okay, I'll personally take the gift to Ji Wen tomorrow."

"And Ji Yuan's sister, Ji Huan, was the one who reminded me to ask more people in the village. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known Ji Yuan's true face," Yu Ting said, leaning back against the soft blanket.

"Did the Ji family remind you?" This surprised Yu Bin. They say bad people are always bad, so how could there be good people in the Ji family?

"Well, his second sister is a little different from the rest of the family. She mentioned this vaguely at the dinner table, but was interrupted by the others. Later, I went out for some fresh air and ran into Ji Huan. She told me to ask more people in the village, and I finally understood who Ji Yuan really was," Yu Ting continued. "

So, I have to prepare a thank-you gift for Ji Huan, too?" Yu Bin felt something was amiss.

"No, I heard from the villagers that the Ji family is exploiting Ji Huan. Even if you send something, it probably won't reach Ji Huan. Just remember this favor and repay it later." Yu Ting thought for a while and said.

"Okay, I'll do as you say. You should stay at home and recuperate in the next few days. I'll ask someone to prepare some things for Ji Wen to send over." Yu Bin gave Yu Ting some instructions before leaving.

Lying in bed, Yu Ting recalled the smell of Ji Wen's fragrance in the morning. Ji Wen put out the fragrance to suppress Ji Yuan's fragrance. Yu Ting buried most of her face in the quilt, as if she had smelled the serene white peach fragrance again.

Sure enough, fragrance is very close to people. Ji Wen looked clean and kind-hearted, and the fragrance on his body was so pleasant.

Thinking of this, Yu Ting felt inexplicably shy. She curled up in bed and thought about Qian Yuan's fragrance, which made her look like a girl in love in a storybook.

After staying for a while, Yu Ting called Xiaolu in and whispered a few words in her ear.

Xiaolu looked embarrassed, but finally couldn't help but say: "Miss, the storybooks of female Qianyuan and rich girls in the village are not very popular, right? I don't think I have ever seen this type. Where can I buy them?"

Yu Ting saw that her maid looked embarrassed and said: "What's so difficult about this? You can find a few authors of the storybooks I have read before and ask them to write according to my requirements. Give them more money and naturally someone will be willing to write. But you have to tell them to hurry up, I want to see it as soon as possible."

"Okay, Miss, you are thoughtful. I will find someone to write it for you right away." Xiaolu said, and hurriedly trotted out.

On the other side, Ji Sen had already arrived at Ji Yuan's study. Yu Bin had already called the study early, so someone came to get Ji Yuan's things, and none of his roommates paid any attention to Ji Sen.

"Hello everyone, may I ask where Ji Yuan's books are?" Ji Sen asked, glancing at the others.

Sun Tiansheng pointed impatiently, "Isn't that where they are? Why are you asking? You're interrupting our studies."

"Hey, can you please speak properly?" Ji Sen was also anxious. He couldn't beat Ji Huan at home, so how could he beat these students?

Wang Lu looked at Ji Sen with disdain. "Do you know who Ji Yuan offended? I advise you to grab your things and leave quickly, otherwise you won't even know how you died."

Ji Sen hadn't expected Ji Yuan's story to reach the library at this time. He thought carefully: Ji Yuan had been beaten like that, so the Yu family must have contacted the library. If he continued to make trouble, he would be the only one who would suffer.

Ji Sen said nothing more. He took Ji Yuan's books and put them in a package. He hurried away, fearing that he would also be targeted by the Yu family.

After returning home, Ji Sen stopped by the village casino for a few rounds of gambling. Not only did he lose all the fifty coins Ji Mantun gave him, but he also owed dozens more coins.

After losing the money, Ji Sen relented and handed the package containing the books to Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan had just finished taking his medicine, and when Ji Sen brought him the books, he felt extremely annoyed. He was not cut out for studying, and his free time was spent on making friends and hanging out with the wealthy Kunze. He had no confidence in this exam at all.

Ji Yuan fretted as he took out the books, only to see them covered in tortoise patterns.

Ji Yuan was anxious and asked in a stern voice, "What's wrong with my book?"

Ji Sen was already exhausted from the trip to the county town, and he was also ridiculed by Sun Tiansheng and his friends. He was already in a bad mood. Hearing Ji Yuan's question, he replied angrily, "Don't you have any idea? The Yu family has already informed your bookstore. You should be careful when you go back. Don't blame me for not warning you."

Tears welled up on Ji Yuan's swollen face. He looked at the cover of his book, which was covered with turtles. He seemed to have seen how he would be ostracized by his classmates in the bookstore in the future.

Ji Yuan's teeth creaked, which scared Ji Sen. Fearing that Ji Yuan would go crazy, Ji Sen quickly slipped out.

Ji Yuan stared at the books with red eyes, roaring fiercely, "Ji Huan, Ji Wen, don't even think about getting off easy. Don't even think about getting off easy. Just wait!"

The next morning, another group arrived from Dongniu Village. Leading the group was Yu Bin on horseback, followed by eight guards from the mansion. A carriage behind them was also loaded with supplies.

Yu Bin dismounted at the village entrance. Seeing someone heading back, he asked, "Excuse me, where is Ji Wen's home?"

"You're looking for Ji Wen?" The man was clearly curious, especially considering the loaded carriage behind Yu Bin.

"Okay, sir, you're from the city, right? Ji Wen's home isn't far away. I'll show you the way." Ji Wen was popular in the village, so the villager was happy to lead the way.

Yu Bin naturally didn't want to be led for nothing. He had his attendant bring over a hundred coins, "Brother, this is for you. Thank you for leading the way."

"No, that's too polite. I'm just taking you a few steps."

"That won't do. I'm wasting your time. Take it." Yu Bin persuaded the man a few more times before he accepted the money and showed him the way with even more enthusiasm.

"Sir, are you and the girl who came to our village yesterday related?" the villager asked.

"Yes, she's my sister." Yu Bin handed the reins to his attendant and started chatting with the villager.

"Although people say bad things about you behind your back, sir, I think you're a good person. I can't help but advise you that besides Ji Huan and the others, there aren't many good people in the Ji family. If your sister really wants to marry Ji Yuan, she'd better think about it."

"Okay, thanks for the reminder. My sister and Ji Yuan are no longer related." Yu Bin chatted with the man for a few more words.

From the villagers' words, Yu Bin gained a new understanding of the Ji family and Ji Yuan, and also learned what kind of person Ji Huan was. Soon he arrived at the door of Ji Wen's house.

"Excuse me, is Ji Wen here?" Yu Bin knocked on the gate outside.

Soon footsteps were heard from inside, and after a while, the gate was opened, and it was Ji Wen who came to open the door.

"Who are you?" Ji Wen looked at Yu Bin with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't know such a rich young man.

"I'm Yu Bin, Yu Ting's brother. Thank you for saving my sister yesterday. I brought a thank-you gift." Yu Bin didn't expect Ji Wen to be so handsome.

"Since I saw it, it's my duty to help. There's no need for a thank-you gift. People in our village don't care about so many things." Ji Wen quickly refused. In the situation yesterday, she would help anyone who was bullied.

"I know you are a good person. What happened yesterday may not mean much to you, but it is indeed a great favor to the Yu family. If you don't accept it, our entire Yu family will feel bad. Miss, you'd better accept it, just to make my sister feel at ease."

Seeing that Ji Wen didn't say anything, Yu Bin was afraid that Ji Wen would not accept it, so he hurriedly said to the servant behind him: "Come and help, and send all these things to the yard."

"Okay, sir."

The servants hurriedly began to unload the goods, and boxes of unknown things were moved into Ji Wen's yard.

Ji Wen didn't want to let people stand outside, so he welcomed them in: "If you don't mind, Mr. Yu, come in and have a cup of tea before leaving." "

Of course I don't mind. You are my sister's benefactor. If my father hadn't been busy today, he would have come with me."

"You're so polite! How could you trouble Mr. Yu to come here in person? Have some tea, though the tea in the village certainly can't compare to the quality in the county. I wonder if you're used to it?" Ji Wen poured Yu Bin some tea, a simple scented tea.

Although Yu Bin had ridden all the way here, he was genuinely thirsty. He picked up the teacup and began to drink. It was the cheap scented tea sold in the county, but it came from his sister's benefactor's family, and since he was truly thirsty, Yu Bin even drank two cups in a row.

Ji Mancang and Feng Mei emerged from their room and saw several large boxes in the courtyard. They hurried to the dining room.

"Who is this?" Feng Mei asked, seeing a handsome young man standing next to her daughter.

"This is Miss Yu's brother. I helped Miss Yu yesterday, and Mr. Yu came here to give him a thank-you gift," Ji Wen explained.

"Then we can't accept it, Mr. Yu. You've brought too much stuff. We can't take it. You should have someone take it back," Feng Mei advised.

"Auntie, that won't work. Ji Wen really did help my sister, so it's only natural for us to send some gifts. Don't worry, it's not worth much, just a token of our appreciation. Please accept it, or my sister won't be able to sleep."

He tried to decline again, but Yu Bin was adamant, so Ji Wen and the others had no choice but to leave.

Yu Bin sat for a moment longer, then got up to say goodbye. "By the way, do you know how to get to Ji Huan's house? It was thanks to her outspoken advice yesterday that my sister wouldn't have known what kind of person Ji Yuan was. I'd like to go over and thank you."

"I know. Ji Huan and we're related. Her family's affairs are hard to describe, but Ji Huan is a very good person. You'll understand once you meet her. Let Ji Wen take you there," Feng Mei said with a smile.

Ji Wen quickly led Yu Bin to the Ji family's door. Ji Wen went inside, and Ji Huan called out.

Seeing that it was a young man he didn't recognize, Ji Huan asked directly, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Thank you for helping my sister yesterday," Yu Bin said quickly.

"No need. I can't bear to see someone jump into the fire pit. It's just a small matter." Ji Huan smiled nonchalantly. She was actually quite happy to have humiliated that hypocrite Ji Yuan.

Yu Bin took out a dark green jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to Ji Huan. "This is the jade pendant I always carry with me. I'm giving it to you as a thank you gift. If you need anything in the future, you can always come to my house with the jade pendant. As long as it is something that our Yu family can do, we will do our best."

Ji Huan reached out and took the jade pendant. The jade pendant was ink-colored and the size of a palm. The front was engraved with the word "Bin" and the back was decorated with two lifelike dragons. Ji Huan did not refuse, but accepted it with a smile. "So, I thank you for your kindness, Brother Yu. I accept this jade."

Yu Bin was relieved to see that she did not refuse. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Ji Huan, several more people emerged from the yard.

Seeing Yu Bin dressed in fancy clothes, comparable to Yu Ting from yesterday, Ji Mantun asked, "What's your relationship with Yu Ting?"

"I'm his brother. What's going on?" Yu Bin was accompanied by the palace's guards, so he wasn't afraid of Ji Mantun. He wished he could personally drag Ji Yuan out and give him a beating.

"You, you're the ones who beat my son like that. I'll fight you." Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were about to pounce on Yu Bin to settle the score, but were stopped by Yu Bin's guards.

Seeing that Ji Huan had no intention of helping, Liu Fengmei yelled at Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, what are you still standing there for? Why don't you come help me and your father?"

Ji Huan chuckled and took a step back. "I'm not crazy. What do you want? You want me to go crazy with you?"

"Ji Huan, you're such a ungrateful and unfilial daughter. You just watched your parents and your brother being bullied." Liu Fengmei burst into tears again.

"Don't you deserve to be bullied? You deserve it. Wasn't it Ji Yuan who was the first to do it? And if you really want to consider Ji Yuan, you should just let go." Ji Huan didn't say the rest of the sentence, but he only grew increasingly disgusted with the Ji family.

Ji Yuan, who was in the room, might have heard the commotion and ran out. "Dad, Mom, let go now. If you don't want to ruin me, let go now."

After hearing Ji Yuan's words, Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei

finally let go and retreated to their son's side. Ji Yuan, with a swollen face, knelt down directly in front of Yu Bin with a plop. Even Yu Bin was stunned.

"A man's knees are made of gold. Why are you kneeling to me? Get up." Yu Bin was almost mad.

"Brother Yu, please help me. I know I was wrong. I want to see Tingting again. Can you ask her to forgive me this time? When I marry into the Yu family, I will definitely treat her well. Ask her to give me another chance, just one more chance." Ji Yuan spoke in a hurried tone, his eyes full of paranoia.

When Yu Bin heard that he still wanted to see his sister, he kicked Ji Yuan out, knocking him to the ground. "You still have the nerve to mention my sister? Let me tell you, if you dare to think about my sister again, you piece of shit, I won't let you get beaten up so easily like I did this time. If we don't make you a cripple, it's all our fault."

Ji Yuan clutched his chest and lay on his back. Everything was fine before, so how did it turn out like this? It's all Ji Huan's fault, all Ji Huan's fault!

This was the only voice in his mind. He wanted revenge on the Yu family, but he couldn't afford to offend them. Ji Wen had the support of his second uncle and the Ji Mancang family. The only person he could take revenge on now was Ji Huan.

"Ji Huan, it's all your fault. It's all your fault. I'm not done with you." Ji Yuan lay in the yard, laughing maniacally.

Yu Bin's brows furrowed. He was worried about Ji Huan's safety. After all, he had saved his sister's life.

"Ji Huan, would you and your wife like to come back to the county town with me for a short stay? If you don't mind, my family can arrange accommodation for you. There's also work for you, and the monthly salary is definitely not bad."

Ji Huan knew Yu Bin meant well, and was worried that Ji Yuan would do something desperate. But Ji Huan was just waiting for someone to do something desperate. Ji Qiao's problem was solved, and she and Little Bunny had become familiar with each other. There was nothing worth staying at the Ji family anymore, Ji Huan thought, and had already made his own plans.

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Yu, but I don't want to go to the county town for the time being. If there is a chance in the future, I will definitely visit you." Ji Huan politely declined.

Yu Bin nodded without forcing it, "Okay, when you come to the county town someday, you must come find me. My sister and I will definitely host a banquet to treat you well."

"Of course." Ji Huan sent the people away. Ji Yuan was still lying on the ground half dead. Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei were still beside Ji Yuan, asking about his well-being. Ji Huan just felt bored and went straight back to the room. Ji Ming's family and Ji Sen's family never came out from beginning to end.

These two families knew that Ji Yuan was of no use to them, so naturally they didn't want to get involved in the mess.

After Ji Huan returned to the room, she thought about it for a while and came up with a solution. She got up and went to the closet to look for clothes. She found the wedding dress she wore when she got married. Although it was a wedding dress, it still had a lot of patches on it. Ji Huan was also convinced. The original owner really had no status in the family. The wedding dress was so tattered.

Seeing Ji Huan had found the wedding dress, Jiang Yubai was a little confused and asked, "Sister, what did you find this for?"

Ji Huan smiled and walked over with the wedding dress. She put her long arm around the little rabbit and pulled it into her arms. Then she whispered a few words into the little rabbit's ear.

"Sister, aren't you a ghost? Aren't you afraid of red?" The little rabbit asked with some confusion.

Ji Huan pinched the side of the little rabbit's face and sighed, "I've told you many times that I'm not a ghost, but you little bad rabbit just doesn't believe me."

"It's impossible not to be! Sister, you are obviously one~" Jiang Yubai hummed and rubbed Ji Huan and

acted coquettishly, as if she would not give up until Ji Huan admitted that she was a ghost. Looking at the little rabbit in her arms looking at her with starry eyes, Ji Huan sighed and compromised, "Okay, okay, I am a ghost, are you satisfied, little bad bunny?" "

Yeah." Jiang Yubai nodded happily.

"Don't forget what I just told you." Ji Huan poked the side of Jiang Yubai's face again and reminded her.

"Don't worry, sister!"

Chapter Text

Later that evening, Jiang Yubai heard someone moving around in the yard. He grabbed the red dress Ji Huan had found and left the room.

Li Yulan, realizing it was Jiang Yubai, ignored him. Curious, she followed him as he sneaked out of the yard. Hiding behind a tree by the roadside, she saw Jiang Yubai throw something out before hurriedly returning to the yard.

Only after Jiang Yubai returned did Li Yulan walk over to where he had thrown the item. She saw a piece of red cloth. Although it was patched, it looked brand new. Li Yulan didn't understand why Jiang Yubai had done this, but she was wary nonetheless.

The next day, at lunchtime, the family sat in the dining room. Ji Yuan's face had slightly lessened in size, but the bruises hadn't faded, and he still felt aches and pains.

Li Yulan, remembering last night's events, couldn't help but ask, "Guess what I saw last night?"

Everyone at the table was in low spirits. Ji Sen snorted and challenged, "What? Did he find some money?"

"Money, money, money? You only care about money. I saw Jiang Yubai sneaking out last night," Li Yulan said, her voice deliberately lowered.

"He's out, so what? What's the big deal?" Ji Sen shrugged. He always went out when he went gambling at night.

"Is she like you? Let me tell you, Jiang Yubai went out last night with a big red robe and threw it far away on the side of the road where trash is thrown away. Isn't that strange?" "

That's a little strange," Ji Ming nodded.

Ji Yuan had been shoveling his food into his mouth like a zombie, but upon hearing this, he seemed to wake up and hurriedly asked, "Anything else, sister-in-law?" "

Nothing else. They rarely leave the house except for a walk after dinner. I don't know anything else," Li Yulan said after a moment's thought.

Ji Yuan clutched his swollen right cheek and said, "Could it be that Ji Huan is afraid of the color red, so she threw away the red cloth?"

His eyes lit up as he muttered to himself, "I know! No wonder Ji Huan's behavior has been so erratic since she fell into the water last time. It's like she's become a completely different person. So this is why."

"Why, tell me, Third Brother," Liu Fengmei demanded.

"Because Ji Huan is possessed by a ghost now. Think about her behavior these days. There's nothing like the Ji Huan of the past. It can't be explained by a drastic change in personality. Ji Huan now isn't human at all." Ji Yuan finished speaking, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Liu Fengmei was even more frightened. No wonder she was afraid when Ji Huan smiled. "Then, what should we do? Will this ghost Ji Huan harm us? What about Ji Yuan?"

Ji Mantun was also scared. He quickly got up and closed the door of the dining room. Then he asked, "Yes, third brother, Dad knows you are about to take the exam, but now the problems at home are more difficult. Ji Huan's problem must be solved quickly, otherwise how can we live with a ghost living in the house?" "

Don't worry, don't we have a witch in our village? Dad, let the eldest brother and the fourth brother take money to invite the witch. Sister-in-law, wait until Ji Huan or Jiang Yubai comes out again, and then you can test Ji Huan a little bit."

"Ah? I'm scared, I dare not." Li Yulan hurriedly declined. Usually, she couldn't get any good from Ji Huan. Now that Ji Huan has become a ghost, she can't afford to offend him.

"Don't be afraid. This ghost Ji Huan is clearly trying to stay in our house. She hasn't really harmed us in all this time, and she's just testing the waters. You'll be fine if you stay with mother," Ji Yuan continued to persuade.

Liu Fengmei's hands were shaking. "Third brother, I'm a little scared too."

"Mom, don't be afraid. Red cloth is used to ward off evil spirits. You and your sister-in-law should tie red strips on your arms and see how Ji Huan and the others react. Only then can we be sure whether she is the real one or not. Otherwise, it will be a waste of time."

"Okay, for you, your sister-in-law and I will risk it all," Liu Fengmei said through gritted teeth. Seeing that Li Yulan still didn't want to go, she simply said, "You come with me. Next year, your father and I will send Ji Dong to the village private school."

"Really, mother? Okay, I'll go," Li Yulan said through gritted teeth.

The two of them waited for a noise outside the door, as if Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had gone to the kitchen to wash dishes. Liu Fengmei gritted her teeth and pulled Li Yulan out of the house, both of them with red strips wrapped around their arms.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai emerged quickly. Seeing the red bands on their arms, Ji Huan had a flash of inspiration and quickly hid behind Jiang Yubai. "Mom, why are you wearing red bands?"

Liu Fengmei's legs buckled at Ji Huan's question, but she gritted her teeth and replied, "Hasn't it been so much trouble at home lately? Your father and I want everyone in the family to share in the good cheer, so we've all tied red bands on. I'll give them to you

two later." Ji Huan quickly stepped back in panic. "No, don't give them to me, Mom. I don't like red. You don't have to come give me red bands. I don't like red bands."

With that, Ji Huan, as if frightened, quickly dragged Jiang Yubai back to his room.

Liu Fengmei and Li Yulan were also terrified, their legs trembling as they returned to the dining room.

In the dining room, the rest of the group had been hiding behind the door, having overheard their conversation.

"It looks like this time it's a sure thing. Ji Huan is so afraid of the color red. It was the same thing during Chinese New Year. When we put a red blessing character in the dining room, she wouldn't dare come to eat. The reason we didn't notice is because not many people in our family like red things. Otherwise, the ghost would have revealed itself long ago

," Ji Yuan analyzed. "Yeah, you didn't see Ji Huan's expression just now. She was so frightened by the red ribbon that she took several steps back and hid behind Jiang Yubai, as if she couldn't bear to look at the red ribbon." Liu Fengmei still spoke with a hint of fear.

"That's good. Our village fortune teller is very effective. She'll definitely find a way to deal with Ji Huan. Dad, this time we have to gather the whole village and show them the real Ji Huan they believe in. We'll prevent them from being deceived by ghost Ji Huan." Ji Yuan gritted his teeth. Since ghost Ji Huan dared to harm him, he had to kill him too.

"Alright, let's get the village head to be a witness. Let him see if those people are wronging us," Ji Mantun said indignantly.

Ji

Huan returned to his room, feeling quite pleased to see the Ji family's reaction. Having been dealt with so many times, they had a handle on him and were sure to want to punish him to death.

Jiang Yubai, however, asked with some concern, "Sister, are you really okay with seeing the red cloth and all? What if they call a fortune-teller or a Taoist priest? Will they hurt you?"

Ji Huan stood up and pulled Jiang Yubai to him, then hugged the little rabbit and smiled, "It's really okay. After this, we'll have our own little family. And I've told you many times, I'm not a ghost."

"I knew it. You're probably saying this because you're afraid I'll worry. I will protect you." The little rabbit looked at Ji Huan with a firm expression.

Okay, little rabbit, you don't believe it at all.

Ji Huan hugged Jiang Yubai and sighed helplessly.

Ji Mantun had invested heavily in defeating the ghost Ji Huan this time, having Ji Ming pay a fortune-teller a tael of silver.

The witch, a woman in her sixties, beamed at the sight of the silver. She then instructed Ji Ming and Ji Sen to buy a live black male dog and a large rooster. After preparing these, the witch gathered her usual ritual supplies and went to the Ji residence with Ji Yuan and the others.

"Dad, the witch is here," Ji Ming said, ushering her into the dining room.

"Witch Liu is here. You absolutely must help us this time. My second daughter is possessed by a demon. Her personality has changed drastically, and she's causing unrest in our family," Ji Mantun said hurriedly.

The witch patted her chest. "Don't worry, I've had your two sons make all the necessary preparations. Kill the black dog and bleed it. The blood will be very useful later." "

Okay," Ji Ming said, and he and Ji Sen went to bleed it.

"Alright, go to the village and tell them that the Ji family is going to capture a demon," Ji Mantun instructed them.

Li Yulan, Liu Fengmei, and a few others hurried to the village to call for help. However, it was spring plowing season, and every household was busy, unlike the winter months when there wasn't much time for gossip. Therefore, not many people came, though some who enjoyed the excitement still joined them.

The village head, fearing something might happen to Ji Huan, took Er Zhuzi, Zhou Xiaochun, and the others to the Ji family's courtyard.

Ji Mancang, who was working in the fields, noticed some people leaving and asked, "Why are you all back? When did you stop working?"

"Hey, Uncle Ji, something's going on at your old house again. They said they wanted everyone to watch a monster hunt. I'm just curious, so I'll go home early today," the man said, quickly grabbing his things and heading back to the Ji family's house.

Ji Mancang, Ji Fu, and Ji Wen glanced at each other and said, "Let's go and take a look too. Don't let Big Brother and the others try to embarrass Ji Huan again."

Without even bothering to wash their hands, they hurried to the Ji family's house, their hands covered in mud.

In the Ji family's courtyard, a table was already set up, with offerings placed on it. The witch had also placed the incense burner and peach wood sword.

"When do we begin?" The witch, seeing the steady stream of people arriving, felt a little uneasy. She was well aware of the Ji family's troubles. If Ji Huan wasn't completely fine, she would be humiliated. However, thinking of the one or two taels of silver, the witch gritted her teeth and stood still.

The small courtyard was gathering more and more people. Soon, the village head arrived, and everyone made room for him.

Seeing the witch preparing to perform her ritual, the village head looked at Ji Mantun and his wife, "What are you trying to do today?" "

Village head, it's not us. We've all been deceived by Ji Huan. She's become a different person since she fell into the water. She's been possessed by a ghost. This person now isn't Ji Huan at all. You've all been deceived by the ghost," Ji Mantun said solemnly.

A burst of discussion rose from the crowd.

"That shouldn't be the case. I think Ji Huan's brain has been cleared up a lot after he fell into the water."

"I also think that Ji Huan before was the one who was possessed by a ghost."

"The Ji family saw that no one in the village paid attention to them, so they threw dirty water on Ji Huan."

"That's right, they definitely want to harm Ji Huan."

Listening to the discussions in the crowd, Liu the witch regretted taking this job. Wouldn't she arouse public anger?

"Fellow villagers, you are really deceived by the ghost. I'll go call Ji Huan out. You will know if she is afraid of the ritual."

Ji Yuan had a ferocious smile on his swollen face. If Ji Huan didn't let him have an easy time, he wouldn't let Ji Huan have an easy time either. He wanted to make all the villagers despise Ji Huan.

As he said that, Ji Yuan went to Ji Huan's door and knocked. Because the witch was there, Ji Yuan was bolder. "Ji Huan, open the door. How dare you, a wandering soul, occupy someone else's body? You are basically a ghost. Today I will let everyone see your true face."

Ji Huan opened the door from the inside without any warning. Because Ji Yuan pushed the door too hard, he dodged and fell to the ground.

"Ji Huan, are you kidding me?" Ji Yuan was so angry that he wanted to get up and argue with Ji Huan, but was stopped by Er Zhuzi who had caught up and dragged Ji Yuan out of Ji Huan's room.

"If you have something to say, just say it. What? Do you still want to attack Ji Huan?" Er Zhuzi glared at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan's hands were swollen with anger, and his already swollen face now looked even more like a pig's head from the rush of blood. "Okay, you're still protecting Ji Huan, right? She's not even human. Don't you understand?" "

Stop your nonsense! Everyone knows what kind of person Ji Huan is. But you're a hypocrite." Er Zhuzi looked at Ji Yuan with disdain.

Listening to Er Zhuzi's ridicule and the surrounding villagers pointing and talking at him, Ji Yuan looked at the witch Liu in panic. "Witch, the ghost is right there! Quickly subdue her! Show everyone and make the ghost reveal its true form."

The witch felt like she was in a difficult situation. Her tricks relied entirely on luck. Sometimes a magic trick would work, but most of the time it didn't. The people who came to her were seeking psychological comfort, but it seemed the Ji family took the magic tricks seriously.

The head of the village looked at Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun with a sullen face and asked, "Is this what you meant? Have you ever thought about how much harm your actions would cause to Ji Huan if Ji Huan is not a ghost? Would Ji Huan still recognize you as his parents?"

Ji Mantun gritted his teeth and looked at Ji Huan, "If she doesn't recognize you, then don't. She is an unfilial daughter anyway. If she can't stand it, she can just leave our Ji family." "

That's right, she has made our family a mess at home and hurt Ji Yuan like this. Ji Huan, you evil spirit should have gotten out of the Ji family long ago." Liu Fengmei pointed at Ji Huan and cursed.

Seeing that the Ji family members were unmoved, the head of the village sighed helplessly, "Do you have to do this today?"

"I have to, head of the village, are you trying to protect Ji Huan?" Ji Yuan bit everyone he saw like a mad dog.

Zhou Xiaochun said angrily, "Do you know how to respect my father? He's the village head after all. How can you speak?"

"What's wrong with me? You guys are all bewitched by Ji Huan, understand? I'm a scholar, why don't you trust me and instead trust Ji Huan? She's not even human." Ji Yuan's roar echoed throughout the Ji family's courtyard.

Jiang Yubai's face was pale as she held Ji Huan's hand. She hadn't worried about the previous incidents, but this time, her sister really wasn't Ji Huan. Jiang Yubai looked at the basin of black dog blood next to the fortune teller and felt a wave of fear for no reason.

Ji Huan herself came through this time with her own body, but she looked the same as the original body, so she was not worried about these things at all. Ji Huan did not show it on her face, but looked at Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun with a sad expression, "Dad, Mom, do you really want to do this?"

"Yes, and Ji Huan, don't act like we all bullied you. You are better than anyone else." Liu Fengmei looked at Ji Huan with a very vicious expression. Ji Yuan became like this because of Ji Huan.

Ji Huan nodded calmly. She closed her eyes slightly and shed two lines of tears. "Okay, then I have nothing to say. It's just that things have come to this point. I think the Ji family really can't tolerate us anymore. They even made up a story like I'm a ghost. It's impossible for us to have any kinship in the future. Village head, I'd like you to be a witness. I'll sign it in writing later. From now on, I, Ji Huan, have no connection with the Ji family."

The village head nodded with great satisfaction. "Okay, you will separate and set up your own households later. Don't worry, I will be fair."

"Who's afraid of who, Ji Huan, you should have gotten out of the Ji family a long time ago. Look at what you've done to me?" Ji Yuan yelled frantically at Ji Sen.

Ji Huan looked at Ji Yuan and shook his head in disappointment. "You've ruined yourself. It was you who wanted to do something improper to Miss Yu. It was also you who was lazy and cunning all day long. Ji Yuan, have you ever thought about whether you haven't done anything wrong?"

"No matter, I don't care. It's your fault, it's your fault." Ji Yuan roared like crazy. He rushed over and grabbed the witch's wrist and shouted, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and perform a ritual to make that thing reveal its true form. Do you hear me? Do it now."

The witch Liu regretted it to death. She did this dance just to make a living. She never thought that she would encounter such bad luck and alarm the head of the village. And now it seems that the head of the village and the villagers are all on Ji Huan's side.

Seeing that the witch Liu was in a dilemma, Ji Huan said, "You dance. The innocent are innocent. I have no problem to begin with."

As Ji Huan said this, he was about to walk forward. Jiang Yubai beside him held Ji Huan's hand tightly.

Ji Huan squeezed Jiang Yubai's palm and comforted her, "Don't worry, it's okay."

Jiang Yubai shook her head, "Sister, I stand with you."

Seeing that the little rabbit insisted, Ji Huan didn't say anything else, just nodded gently.

Seeing that Ji Huan had no objection, the witch took out a drum with an unknown object inside and started dancing. She sang and danced for about an incense stick of time, and Ji Huan was still standing there.

"Is the ceremony over?" Ji Huan asked.

The fortune-teller gave an awkward smile and returned the one or two taels of silver she had collected to Liu Fengmei. "Ji Huan is fine. You're worrying too much. I don't want the money."

Ji Yuan, however, frantically stopped the fortune-teller. "How is it over? Didn't you use the basin of blood? Ji Huan is afraid of the color red, didn't you?"

Seeing her son's expression, Liu Fengmei burst into tears. "You're afraid of offending Ji Huan, or Li Zheng, right? I'm not afraid. Ji Huan isn't normal to begin with. If you don't dare come, I'll do it."

As Liu Fengmei spoke, she picked up the basin from the ground and threw it at Ji Huan. Her suddenness prevented anyone from stopping her.

Jiang Yubai's heart ached. If her sister were gone, she truly didn't know what to do. Almost instinctively, Jiang Yubai stepped in front of Ji Huan.

Ji Huan hadn't anticipated the little rabbit's sudden intervention, and it was too late to push it away.

The overflowing basin of dog and chicken blood instantly doused the two men.

Ji Huan had expected this, but she hadn't anticipated the little rabbit's charge. Seeing the blood-spattered little rabbit standing in front of her, Ji Huan's blood boiled, her fists clenching. She felt like rushing over and crushing Liu Fengmei.

She reached out to wipe the blood off Jiang Yubai's face while looking at Liu Fengmei. "Have you had enough? How could I, Ji Huan, have relatives like you? How much do you hate me? You've slandered me, hurled insults at me. Do you still consider me a human being?" "

That's right, you're going too far." Feng Mei and the others rushed into the house to find towels for Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai, causing a moment of chaos.

"Impossible, impossible. Ji Huan is a ghost. How could she be okay? How could she be okay?" Ji Yuan, exhausted, sat in the open space in the yard, muttering to himself.

Ji Mantun hurried over to support Ji Yuan, "Third brother, don't scare Dad. Our family is counting on you. Don't scare Dad. Wake up." The head of

the village looked at Liu Fengmei coldly and asked in a cold voice, "What? What do you have to say now?"

"Head of the village..." Liu Fengmei wanted to cry again but was drowned out by the villagers' scolding.

"I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen such shameless people. What kind of

people are the Ji family?" "That's right, is someone like Liu Fengmei worthy of being Ji Huan's mother? What kind of people are they?"

"When will their family leave our Donniu Village? Their family is really the biggest scourge in our village."

"Yeah, and they like to bite back. We must all stay away from such vicious people in the future."

"Bah, a family of garbage."

"What a bunch of bastards, people like this deserve to be poor all their lives. Ji Yuan looks like a pig, and he still wants to take the exam for a scholar? Go home and make pancakes."

"Then you really overestimate him. He can't even make pancakes. Maybe he still needs his parents to feed him. Hahahaha."

The villagers' insults were endless. Ji Ming's family and Ji Sen's family couldn't help but retreat. Fortunately, they didn't say anything just now, otherwise the firepower would be aimed at them now.

Seeing everyone pointing at him, Ji Yuan saw that he waved away Ji Mantun's hand, muttering to himself: "No, no, no..."

"Okay, everyone be quiet. Mancang, find someone to boil water so that Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai can wash up and change into clean clothes. The rest of you wait here. Xiaochun, go back and get paper, pen and seal. I'll help Ji Huan and the others divide the family property in front of everyone." The head of the village said, glaring at Ji Mantun.

Ji Huan, unconcerned with the unpleasant smell of blood, held Jiang Yubai tightly in his arms. "Are you scared? It's okay, it's okay. Let's split up and leave."

Jiang Yubai, however, seemed oblivious to the blood soaking her body, clinging to Ji Huan tightly. "Sister, I was so scared! I thought something might happen to you."

Ji Huan soothed, "I've told you so many times I'm not a ghost. You little bad bunny didn't believe me. Do you believe me now?"

Jiang Yubai nodded, but a sense of sadness welled up inside. If sister wasn't a ghost, would his actions recently bring bad luck to her? The thought of this overwhelmed Jiang Yubai, and he struggled to get out of Ji Huan's arms.

Ji Huan, unaware of the little bunny's thoughts, simply assumed she was uncomfortable hugging each other, soaking wet, and released her.

Thinking about the split, Ji Huan and Jiang Yu hurried back to the house without delay.

In the kitchen, Ji Wen and Ji Qiao were helping to boil water. They mixed the hot water with cold water and then carried two large basins of warm water to Ji Huan and the others.

Ji Huan locked the door. With everyone waiting for them, she couldn't wash too thoroughly. She simply undressed and quickly rinsed the blood off her body with warm water.

The stench of blood was still quite pungent. Ji Huan rinsed her face and hair several times until the obvious bloodstains disappeared. However, there was no mirror in the room, so she could only look at herself in the water as she scrubbed.

Jiang Yubai was also scrubbing quickly, but her eyes looked at Ji Huan, as if she was about to speak. With many villagers outside, Jiang Yubai knew this was not the right time to speak, so she simply kept silent.

Ji Huan reluctantly found some clothes to put on and checked on Little Rabbit. She saw that she had also changed, though she seemed a little distracted.

Ji Huan leaned over and asked softly, "Are you scared? Why did you suddenly come over to block for me just now?"

The little rabbit shook her head. Seeing that Ji Huan wanted to hug her, the little rabbit subconsciously took a step back. If her sister wasn't a ghost, she couldn't be as close to her as before, otherwise it would bring bad luck to her.

"I'm fine, the villagers are still waiting outside, sister, let's get out quickly," Jiang Yubai reminded her.

Ji Huan nodded. He felt a little empty inside that he didn't get to hold the little rabbit, but now was definitely not the time to talk.

Ji Huan hurried out of the room with Jiang Yubai. In the yard, Zhou Xiaochun had just brought back some writing materials like pens and ink.

"Alright, now that the supplies and people are here, Xiaochun, you can write. We'll have both parties put their fingerprints on it later," the village head said after looking at Zhou Xiaochun.

"Okay."

Er Zhuzi and another Qian Yuan helped move the table out, and Zhou Xiaochun began to write on it.

Because he had witnessed what had just happened, Zhou Xiaochun's writing was quite decisive, essentially meaning that the two parties would have nothing to do with each other in life and death from now on.

Zhou Xiaochun handed the page to Ji Huan, "Take a look, is there anything I've missed?"

Ji Huan took the paper, glanced at it, and said, "I don't quite understand this, can you read it for me?" Zhou

Xiaochun nodded and began to read. The paper roughly read: Ji Huan and the Ji family have separated, and from now on, life and death are determined by fate. Everything that happens to the Ji family in the future has nothing to do with Ji Huan. Similarly, anything that happens to Ji Huan has nothing to do with the Ji family. Neither party is allowed to cling to the other in the future, and if something happens, they are not allowed to ask the other for help. From now on, they are like strangers, no longer related.

Ji Huan listened to what Zhou Xiaochun wrote and wanted to give him a thumbs up. This was exactly what she wanted. She simply didn't want to have anything to do with the Ji family anymore, and she didn't want to have any contact with them until she died.

"Add Ji Qiao. If we split up, Ji Qiao will go with us." Ji Huan said, looking at the villagers again. "After all, if my sister doesn't go with us, my parents will probably sell her off cheap in the future." "

Okay, then I'll add this," Zhou Xiaochun said, and began writing again.

"Ji Huan, how can you say that?" Liu Fengmei couldn't help but yell at Ji Huan's sarcasm, but then, frightened by the look in the village head's eyes, she dared not say a word.

While everyone was arguing, Zhou Xiaochun finished writing the supplementary clause. The gist was that Ji Qiao and Ji Huan would split up with the Ji family and would have no further connection with them. After Zhou Xiaochun finished writing, he read the added content about Ji Qiao to Ji Huan again.

Ji Huan nodded, "Let's do it this way."

"Okay." Zhou Xiaochun said, and handed the paper to Ji Yuan again, "See if there is anything else you want to add."

Ji Yuan stared at the page of paper and gritted his teeth. What Zhou Xiaochun wrote was already cruel enough, "Ji Huan, Ji Qiao, don't come back to beg for food if you starve to death outside. It's clearly written here. You are no longer related, and your life and death have nothing to do with the Ji family."

Ji Huan nodded and looked at Ji Yuan in grief and anger, "Don't worry, there is no need for us to stay in such a home, but I really didn't expect that you could come up with such a method to drive us away?"

Ji Huan looked at Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei, "Mom and Dad, this is the last time I will call you like this. Today you have deliberately tried to slander me as a ghost. I have completely given up on you. When we meet again in the future, you will no longer be my parents, and the Ji family will no longer have anything to do with me. I hope everyone can testify for me."

"Don't worry. After writing this separation agreement, I'll have someone give you three separate households in the village. From now on, you'll have no connection to the Ji family. I'll make three copies of this separation agreement, and the village will keep one copy as proof. Even if the Ji family grows old, gets sick, or dies, they'll have no connection to you three. Similarly, whether you three are rich or poor, you'll have no connection to the Ji family," said the village head.

"Okay," Ji Huan nodded solemnly. She clasped her fists and bowed to the villagers on one side. "I'm sorry for worrying you all about my situation. I'm here to thank you all."

"No need. Seeing that you've finally made up your mind, we're all happy for you," Aunt Yuan replied with a smile.

"That's right. It's time to separate from them. Not a single good person in that family is good. Ji Huan, congratulations on escaping this misery."

"Congratulations,"

the villagers' chatter gradually rose again.

Ji Mantun took in the villagers' attitudes and sighed deeply. "Ji Huan, you said that just now. Don't regret it. If Ji Yuan becomes a high-ranking official someday, don't rush over to claim kinship with him." "

Don't worry, we'll starve to death and won't come back to you," Ji Huan said, looking at Ji Mantun.

The village head nodded and said, "Okay, Ji Mantun, then tell me about your family fortune. Now that everyone is here, let's figure out how to divide it more fairly."

"What? Ji Huan wants a share of our things?" Liu Fengmei was furious.

The village head glared at her and asked, "What? You still want Ji Huan and the others to leave the Ji family empty-handed?"

"That money was all earned by his father and I through hard work. How can I give it to Ji Huan and the others?" Liu Fengmei said, about to wipe away tears again.

"Stop crying, Liu Fengmei, and put away your crying, fussing, and threatening face. It won't work on me," the village head snorted, leaning back in his chair.

"Ji Mantun, tell me, what are you going to give to Ji Huan and the others?" The village head looked at Ji Mantun and asked.

The villagers were also chattering non-stop.

"This Ji family is so shameless. They want to give nothing to Ji Huan and the others. It was clearly Ji Huan who did all the work before."

"That's right, how many acres of land did the Ji family cultivate? Why are they nowhere to be seen when they are working?"

"It's really disgusting. They even want to monopolize everything. If you ask me, people like this should get out of our village."

"Get out of Dongniu Village, get out of Dongniu Village..."

No one knew who started it, but the villagers were very excited and started shouting. Ji Mantun was also panicked. They had really gone too far in throwing blood on Ji Huan today. Afraid of being kicked out, Ji Mantun said quickly: "To be honest, Ji Yuan has spent a lot of money on studying in recent years. The family really doesn't have much property. There are only ten taels of silver left."

Ji Huan heard Ji Mantun's pity and reminded him: "Dad, didn't you have twenty taels left after selling your daughter? How come there are only ten taels left now? And every year Those fields also have income coming in, where did the money go, was it stolen? "

Ji Mantun's face was full of blue veins, and he pointed at Ji Huan, "Okay, you can't pretend anymore, right? Look at Ji Huan's face, isn't it still thinking about our pension money? Ji Huan, you want to take away your mother's and my coffin money."

Ji Huan looked at Ji Mantun coldly, and his tone was flat. "You are no longer my parents, and I can't count the things I have done for the Ji family. It's not something you can easily wipe out by crying like this. I'm just asking for what belongs to me." " That's right, do you still have any shame? You cried, made a fuss , and even threatened

to hang yourself."

"Shame on you, get out of Dongniu Village..." "You are a family of scum. How shameless of you to threaten Ji Huan at every turn. Do you hear me? Ji Huan has nothing to do with you anymore." Ji Mantun looked at the villagers' teasing and insulting faces and sighed heavily. "There are only fifty taels of silver left in the family. Believe it or not, there are only fifty taels. I will give ten taels of silver to Ji Huan and the others. Is that okay?" Ji Huan shook his head and walked up to Ji Mantun: "You miscalculated. You have five children in total. With the two of you, there are six households in total. Ji Qiao and I occupy two of them. Now that the family is divided, you should give us two of the six."

Erzhuzi smiled with satisfaction when he heard Ji Huan say that. Ji Huan was finally not like before and finally stood up for once.

"That's right, Ji Huan and the others should get two shares." Erzhuzi also agreed.

When Liu Fengmei heard this, she immediately became anxious: "Kunze is married off and like spilled water, Ji Qiao is no longer a member of the Ji family, why should she still have a share?"

Ji Huan nodded when he heard her say that. Erzhuzi behind him was almost mad. Just when he wanted to persuade Ji Huan, he heard Ji Huan speak again.

"Since Ji Qiao is no longer a member of the Ji family, then it's time to return the twenty taels of silver dowry that you withheld?" Ji Huan looked at Liu Fengmei and said.

Liu Fengmei panicked and looked at Ji Mantun, "Master, please say something."

Ji Mantun glared at Liu Fengmei and said, "I told you before that the twenty taels have already been spent on the whole family. Since you said you want two, then give me two. Mom, go get the silver." "

Hey." Liu Fengmei hurriedly got up and went back to get the silver. After all, an extra eight taels is much more cost-effective than an extra twenty.

Soon, Liu Fengmei took out sixteen taels of silver and handed it to Ji Huan distressedly.

When Ji Huan reached out to take it, Liu Fengmei refused to let go. Finally, the head of the village spoke: "Liu Fengmei?"

Liu Fengmei reluctantly let go and glared at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan handed the silver in his hand to Jiang Yubai and said, "As for the thirty acres of land at home, if it is divided according to households, each household will get five acres. Then Ji Qiao and I will take two shares, which is ten acres."

"Ji Huan, you also want to divide the land? You unfilial daughter, unfilial daughter!" Ji Mantun shouted at Ji Huan angrily. Ji Ming and Ji Sen behind him were also sweating. The family's main source of income is farming. If ten acres are divided away at once, the family's life will definitely be greatly reduced.

"Ji Huan, you have taken all the silver, so leave some for your parents. Don't go too far. The land is the foundation of the villagers. If you also want to divide the land, aren't you leaving us with no way to live?" Ji Ming stood up and said in a low voice.

"I went too far? Who was it that just slandered and hurled insults at me? They've long since stopped considering me family. And now that the family has split up, I, Ji Huan, will have no parents or brothers, and therefore no filial piety. Who do you think you are? What right do you have to advise me to be generous?" Ji Huan looked at Ji Ming coldly.

"Well, Ji Huan, you've finally let go of your cunning ways, haven't you? Look, everyone, look carefully. This is Ji Huan's true face. You've all been deceived by her." Liu Fengmei pointed at Ji Huan and cursed.

Feng Mei's voice echoed from the crowd, "You deserve it. Ji Huan was always too kind. I'd say she should have done this to you long ago."

"That's right, hurry up and bring over the land deeds, and stop trying to change the subject."

"Giving the land to Ji Huan and the others, you Ji family members are really good at making excuses. You're so shameless and yet you feel so comfortable saying it."

As the villagers roared with laughter, Ji Ming covered his face with his hands, wishing he could just find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The village head looked at Ji Mantun and said, "Go get it, so we don't waste everyone's time."

Ji Mantun glanced at the villagers around him. Surprisingly, not a single household sided with the Ji family. He gritted his teeth and looked at Liu Fengmei and said, "Go get it."

"Boss, that's our family fortune. Are we really going to give it to them?" Liu Fengmei felt like she was starving. Giving Ji Huan sixteen taels of silver was already painful enough, and now losing ten acres of land was like having flesh ripped out of her heart.

"Go quickly!" Ji Mantun's veins bulged with anger, his eyes fixed on Ji Huan. "Ji Huan, don't be so complacent. There will be a time when the three of you will be begging everywhere."

"Really? I'm afraid that won't go as you wish." Ji Huan looked back coldly.

Liu Fengmei returned extremely slowly this time. She stared at the land deed in her hand and was even more reluctant to hand it over.

The village head snatched the deed from Liu Fengmei and handed it to Ji Huan. "Here are the deed for the ten acres of land. Is there anything else you need to take?"

Ji Huan reached out to take the deed and said, "We don't want the broken furniture in the house anymore, but we'll take some of the pots and bowls."

Ji Mantun looked at the people in the yard watching the fun and nodded with gritted teeth. His family had completely lost face today. The pots and bowls were not worth much. It didn't matter if Ji Huan and the others took some. The important thing was to get rid of the people in the yard as soon as possible. He felt embarrassed.

Seeing Ji Mantun nod, Ji Huan took Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai into the kitchen. They picked out a large iron wok for cooking, a steamer, and then some plates and bowls. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough for the three of them.

"Village head, I have taken everything that should be taken. What's left are the clothes for the three of us. We will go back and pack them up later."

The village head nodded. "Okay, come here and put your fingerprints on these three family division letters, and you two will no longer have any relationship."

"Okay." Ji Huan said, and dipped his right index finger in the ink and pressed his fingerprints on the three pieces of paper.

Seeing Ji Huan pressing so happily, Ji Mantun was so angry that his veins popped out. He also walked quickly to the table and pressed his handprints. After he finished, he deliberately looked at Ji Huan, "Remember, you have nothing to do with the Ji family anymore. Even if you starve to death outside my door, you deserve it."

Ji Huan nodded, "Of course, I say the same thing to you."

Seeing that Ji Mantun was still making a fuss, the head of the village hurriedly stopped him and said, "Enough, Ji Mantun, you and your family should take care of yourselves."

After saying that, the head of the village looked at Ji Huan again, "There is a dilapidated courtyard in the north of the village. The previous family moved away a long time ago and they don't want the house anymore. The place has been empty, but it's a bit shabby. If you three are willing, why not renovate the courtyard and move in?"

Ji Huan hurriedly thanked him, "Thank you for thinking about us. We will move there temporarily. As for the house, I still want to build a new one."

"Okay, there are a lot of vacant land in our village. There is room wherever you want to build. Just find me to register it when the time comes." The head of the village instructed.

"Thank you, Li Zheng. I'm sorry for causing you trouble with my affairs. And to all the villagers, thank you all so much. If you were not here, I don't know how much I would have suffered when the family split up today." Ji Huan said, and then extended his hands and clasped his fists to salute the villagers.

"You're welcome. As long as you can escape from the suffering in the future, that's enough."

"That's right, you finally don't have to stay in the Ji family anymore. Congratulations, Ji Huan."

"By the way, if you need help building a new house, just let me know. I'll help you build the house after I finish my work in the fields."

"Yes, yes, count me in, I'll help you build the house too."

Chapter Text

Looking at the villagers before him, Ji Huan's heart warmed again. The Ji family was cold and indifferent, but the villagers were so warm and welcoming. Ji Huan smiled and thanked them one by one, "Thank you all. If I need anything, I'll definitely be there for you."

"Okay, Ji Huan, don't forget me when you build the house. I'm a skilled hand," Er Zhuzi said, patting Ji Huan on the shoulder.

"And the two of us." Ji Wen and Ji Fu also wanted to come over to help.

"Okay, when the house is finished, I'll definitely treat everyone to a good meal," Ji Huan said with a smile.

The Ji family watched the villagers chatting enthusiastically with Ji Huan and his family, their teeth almost breaking.

Because it was the busy farming season, after Ji Huan's separation was confirmed, most of the villagers had left, and the village head had gone back to deal with other matters. A few moments later, Zhou Xiaochun arrived with a donkey cart.

Ji Huan and his companions were moving their belongings onto a table in the courtyard, preparing to make do with the dilapidated house to the north that the village chief had mentioned. The Ji family members watched from afar, as if afraid that Ji Huan would take anything else from the family.

Zhou Xiaochun, noticing Ji Huan and the others' busyness, smiled and said, "I've brought the donkey cart over to facilitate your move."

"Okay, thank you, Xiaochun. I'll definitely treat you and Erzhuzi to a good meal later." Ji Huan truly needed the cart, so he didn't refuse.

"Okay, if you have anything else to take, I'll help you move," Zhou Xiaochun said, helping Ji Huan and the others load their luggage onto the cart.

Although they didn't have much, they still had to take their tattered clothes and worn-out bedding. After all, they were just making do with the dilapidated house to the north. Ji Huan planned to replace everything with new items once they moved into their new home.

They quickly finished packing. Ji Huan carried the fragile items like dishes, which he carried, and the donkey cart was just enough to carry everything else.

After Ji Huan and the others left, Ji Mantun snorted coldly, looked out the courtyard, and locked the gate. "Remember, these three are no longer part of our Ji family. Even if they starve to death on our doorstep, we will not do anything about it."

After saying this, Ji Mantun stormed back into the house, and Liu Fengmei hurried to follow.

Ji Ming and Ji Sen exchanged a glance and also returned to their rooms. As for Ji Yuan, he had just been helped inside by Liu Fengmei.

The donkey cart soon arrived at the abandoned house in the north of the village. The house was surrounded by a circle of half-human-high branches, allowing a glimpse into the interior from the outside.

The ground in the yard was covered with dry yellow weeds, giving the whole yard a run-down feel. However, Ji Huan felt relieved. Living here was much more comfortable than living in the Ji family's house. She now had something that proved that they had separated from the Ji family. Once the house was built, she could start her business.

Thinking this over, Ji Huan moved the fence at the courtyard gate and said with a smile, "I'll clear the path first."

"Then we two will go get some water," Ji Qiao said, tugging on Jiang Yubai's sleeve.

After all, it looked like the place wouldn't be clean, so they should go get some water first so they could clean it up when they came back.

"Okay," Ji Huan replied with a smile.

"I'll help you," Zhou Xiaochun said impatiently.

"No need, just put our things at the door. We've been so troublesome today, go home and get some rest." Zhou Xiaochun had already been a big help; those three pages were written by Zhou Xiaochun, so why would he want more help now?

"No problem. I don't have much to do at home today anyway, so I'll help you."

In the end, Ji Huan couldn't persuade Zhou Xiaochun, and the two of them managed to clear a path through the weed-covered yard.

There were four rooms in the yard, but Ji Huan and her friends didn't plan to live there permanently, so they only cleaned the two sunny-facing rooms.

Ji Huan pushed open one of the doors, and dust rushed in through the gap. The room was dusty and there was even a hole in the roof.

Ji Huan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the hole was not big. The bed in the room was made of stones and looked quite sturdy. It was covered with an old straw mat, which looked a bit dirty. In the middle of the room stood a wooden table and two long benches, all covered with dust. A wardrobe without doors was leaning against one wall.

Seeing how dilapidated the place was, Zhou Xiaochun hurriedly said, "Ji Huan, you guys shouldn't live here anymore. I didn't expect it to be so rundown. My dad just specifically told us to move you in with us if this place gets too rundown. We have a few spare rooms at home, so it's not too late to move in once your new house is built. The roof here has holes in it, how are you going to live here?"

Ji Huan smiled at Zhou Xiaochun and said, "I think this place is pretty good. We have tables, chairs, and beds ready to go. It's just a little rundown, but we'll be able to move in after we clean it up. There's really no need to bother you again. Please thank the village head for his kindness."

"Oh, Ji Huan, don't be so stubborn. This place really isn't good. Come out with me." Zhou Xiaochun, after seeing the surroundings, still didn't want Ji Huan and the others to live here.

"No need, this is fine. We just need a place to shelter from the wind and rain. And I just saw that there's a lot of open space here. I want to build my new house nearby, so it'll be convenient for living here and building the new house," Ji Huan explained.

"You really won't go with me?" Zhou Xiaochun asked again.

"No need, I'm not being polite, I really plan to build a house nearby, can you lend me a ladder? I'll go up and cover the roof with weeds to block the wind."

Zhou Xiaochun looked at Ji Huan with a smile on his face, and then looked at the dilapidated house. He didn't understand why Ji Huan could smile, but seeing that Ji Huan was so determined, Zhou Xiaochun had no choice but to stop persuading him and went out to help Ji Huan borrow a ladder.

Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai walked together to the river. Ji Qiao saw that Jiang Yubai was absent-minded all the way and asked, "Sister Yubai, what's wrong with you today? Are you scared by what happened just now?"

Jiang Yubai held the basin in her arms and shook her head, "Nothing?"

Seeing that she didn't want to say anything, Ji Qiao also quieted down obediently. She was so happy to be able to leave the Ji family. No matter how hard the days to come would be, Ji Qiao felt that she finally had hope.

The two of them each carried a basin of water back to their new home in the north of the village. Ji Huan was climbing a ladder, patching the hole in the roof with weeds, while Zhou Xiaochun stood below, holding the ladder for her.

Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao carried the basins into the house, found some old clothes, cut them up, and began scrubbing.

The house had been uninhabited for years and was covered in dust. After a while, the clear water in the basins had turned black.

Er Zhuzi, having heard that Ji Huan and the others were there, brought a few friends to help. Some brought buckets to the river for water, while others helped clear the weeds in the yard. Everyone was busy and happy.

Ji Huan managed to patch all the cracks in the roof with weeds, then came down the ladder to help scrub.

Zhou Xiaochun spread water around the house to make it less choking, then helped sweep the dust away with a broom.

Because so many people helped, the originally messy yard was now much cleaner, especially the furniture in the house, which had been scrubbed several times and was now very clean. It should be no problem to live here for the time being.

Zhou Xiaochun and the others went back early after helping out, and for a while, only Ji Huan and the other two were left in the small yard.

"I'll borrow a donkey cart tomorrow to bring back some bricks and wood, and then find some workers to help us build a new house." After all, it would take a lot of work to renovate this courtyard, and the things inside are still old. Instead of that, it would be better to just build a new one.

Ji Qiao was very happy to leave the Ji family. After a long time, there was finally a smile on her face.

Ji Huan seemed to remember something, and she got up and went into the house. She took out Ji Qiao's thirty taels of silver, plus the eight taels of silver she got this time, and the deed to the five acres of land from the space, and then she went out again.

"Ji Qiao, these are all yours. Now we have moved out to live here, so you can keep them safe." Ji Huan said as he handed over the things in his hand.

Ji Qiao quickly took a step back, waving her hands. "I don't want any of this, sister. I'm already so happy to be able to leave the Ji family. We need a lot of money right now, so just use it. Don't give me this." Ji Huan

thought about it and agreed. They needed money to build a house and a yard, but they wouldn't need so much. It would be best for Ji Qiao to keep the rest for now.

"Okay, then, leave it all with me. As for the land we're divided up, I plan to sell it all," Ji Huan said after a moment's thought.

"Sister, what will we eat and drink after we sell the land?" Ji Qiao couldn't help but worry about their future.

"I've found a way to make money, but it's not convenient right now. We can start after our new home is built. The land won't make much money, and it's right next to the Ji family's land, so we can't expect them to cause trouble in the future. It's better to sell it as soon as possible," Ji Huan said after a moment's thought.

Ji Qiao nodded, her tone bright and cheerful, "I'll listen to you, sister!"

She had a sister now, no longer helpless, so she'd obey whatever her sister said or did.

"Okay, I'll make the decision then. I'll sell the land tomorrow," Ji Huan said with a smile. Compared to Ji Huan and Ji Qiao's relaxed demeanor, Jiang Yubai looked preoccupied, standing to the side, lost in thought.

Ji Huan asked Ji Qiao to go back to the room and make the bed. She walked up to Jiang Yubai and asked softly, "What's wrong? Didn't you always want to leave the Ji family? Why are you so depressed now that you've left?"

Jiang Yubai looked up at Ji Huan, pursed his lips and thought for a while, then asked, "Sister, so you're really not a ghost?"

Ji Huan nodded, organizing her words in her mind, thinking about explaining it to the little rabbit, "How should I put it, I'm not actually from this world. I came from another parallel world. My current body is not the previous Ji Huan, but my original body. Look, I had an injury on my wrist before, so I got a rose tattooed on it. You haven't heard of people here tattooing these, right?"

Ji Huan pulled up the sleeve of his right wrist and showed the rose on the inside of his wrist to Jiang Yubai. The bright red rose was wrapped in the winding green branches and leaves, and it looked lifelike at a glance.

Jiang Yubai was completely bewildered by Ji Huan's words. "Another world?"

Ji Huan nodded. "Yes, a world completely different from this one. But I am indeed human, there's no doubt about that. Look, I have my shadow, my temperature is there. I'm not a ghost, and I'm not the Ji Huan of the past."

"Then will you go back?" Jiang Yubai asked hurriedly, her voice frantic, her eyes already red.

"No, I don't exist in that world anymore. I'll be here with you from now on. I'm no different from you guys." Ji Huan couldn't explain the details clearly. If he said he was dead in that world, the little rabbit would mistake him for a ghost again.

Jiang Yubai nodded, relieved but also feeling uneasy. If his sister was human, then he must have been too close to her recently. Jiang Yubai was worried that it would harm Ji Huan, and he was extremely nervous.

Once a thorn is planted in one's heart, it's extremely difficult to pull it out. Jiang Yubai is in that situation now. Even though she once didn't believe she could bring bad luck to others, her mother's death, Zhang Tiehu's death, and the constant gossip about her by her family and villagers have made her take it seriously over time. Moreover, Ji Huan is someone she cares about, and she doesn't want anything to happen to him.

Seeing that the little rabbit was still unhappy after she explained everything clearly, Ji Huan walked over to Jiang Yubai. She wanted to hug the little rabbit to cheer it up, but she saw the little rabbit silently take two steps back.

Ji Huan froze in place, trying to speak more slowly as he asked, "Are you scared by my origins? Don't worry, no matter where I come from, I'll just stay here with you. Don't be afraid."

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan, clasping her hands tightly together. "I'm not scared."

Jiang Yubai didn't say the rest, but changed the subject. "Sister, we don't have rice or flour or anything like that. Let's go buy some before it gets dark. I'll go get Ji Qiao."

Without waiting for Ji Huan to reply, Jiang Yubai trotted off to Ji Qiao's room.

Ji Huan stood there, staring at the fleeing little rabbit, baffled. It had been fine before, so why had the little rabbit suddenly changed its attitude towards him?

Ji Huan sighed as he stood in the yard, waiting for Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to go shopping.

The three of them went to the village grocery store and bought food like rice and flour, as well as seasonings and some vegetables. Since they were in the village, the vegetables were fresh and affordable, and Ji Huan was quite satisfied.

The owner of the grocery store, aware of Ji Huan and her friends' plight, saw that they had so much to buy and had his son help pull a donkey cart to deliver the goods, saving them a lot of trouble.

Back in the yard, Ji Huan saw that the stove in the yard was still usable and decided to use it for now. After all, they were building a new house and didn't need to build another stove here.

"Let's clean up the stove in the yard so we can cook there from now on."

"Okay, I'll do it, sister. You and Sister Yubai should go and clean up everything first. It's getting dark soon," Ji Qiao said, already going to the stove to clean it up.

The stove was covered in dust, and even weeds had grown inside from being unused for so long. Ji Qiao cleaned the stove with great motivation. After leaving the Ji family, she felt like she had come back to life.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai exchanged a glance. Just as she was about to speak to him, he scurried back to his room and began packing.

Ji Huan sighed. The little rabbit was quite quick. Seeing that Jiang Yubai didn't seem to want to talk, she simply moved all the groceries back into the room. She placed the rice, noodles, and other items on the table. The yard was run-down and likely infested with rats, so it was best to keep them as far away from the ground as possible.

Seeing the little rabbit folding clothes, she said, "It's getting dark soon. I'll go get some firewood nearby."

Jiang Yubai continued folding clothes, his hands moving non-stop. "Okay."

Ji Huan felt a little disappointed when the little rabbit didn't want to join her. After all, when they were at Ji's house, the little rabbit had been very clingy, even joining her when she went to the yard to fetch water. Why was he so cold now?

Ji Huan sighed, went out, grabbed her hatchet, and headed towards the woods behind.

After Ji Huan left, Jiang Yubai straightened up and took a few deep breaths. Her eyes were slightly red and her lips were tightly pursed together. She kept telling herself in her heart that she could not pester her sister like before. Her sister had been pestered by her for so long, and she might get into trouble because of her.

Just thinking about it brought tears to her eyes. Jiang Yubai quickly sniffed and wiped them away. She couldn't let her sister find out she'd been crying.

She spent a few moments calming herself down, trying to calm herself. She also reflected on recent events. Not only had she slept with her sister, but she'd also sometimes cuddled with her during the day. Her sister loved to hold her close and rub her head. In short, they'd been very intimate.

Jiang Yubai closed her eyes, telling herself she couldn't do this again. Perhaps Ji Huan was fine recently, she was just lucky, but what about afterward? Who could guarantee she wouldn't be able to defeat Ji Huan? She couldn't gamble with Ji Huan's life; he was the most important person to her in the world.

Despite the pain in her heart, Jiang Yubai decided she needed to stay away from Ji Huan.

Elsewhere, Ji Huan quickly chopped a bundle of firewood before it got dark, tied it up with hemp rope, and carried it back. By the time she returned to the yard, Ji Qiao had already cleaned the stove and even scrubbed the outside with her rag.

Seeing Ji Huan back, Ji Qiao happily trotted over to help Ji Huan take the firewood off his back. "Sister, can we have vegetable porridge tonight? I'll go prepare it."

Ji Huan smiled at Ji Qiao and nodded. "Okay, it's up to you. I'll go with you."

Ji Qiao nudged Ji Huan and pointed at Ji Huan and their room. "No need. Just stay with Sister Yubai."

Ji Huan sighed. She figured that since the little rabbit was avoiding her, she should stay here to help.

"No problem. I'll start the fire first," Ji Huan said, placing the firewood on the stove and striking sparks against the flint and fire knife, quickly lighting the fire.

Ji Qiao had already washed the pot and put the rice in to simmer. As for the vegetable leaves, they could be added last, after the porridge was done.

Ji Qiao glanced at her sister, then towards her sister's room. Carefully, she leaned over to Ji Huan's ear and whispered, "Sister, did you have a fight with Sister Yubai?"

Ji Huan turned to look at Ji Qiao and sighed. "Really? I don't know what happened. Why is it so obvious?"

"Yeah, it seems like Sister Yubai has been distracted all afternoon. Go comfort her. She's so kind. She even took the blame for you just now," Ji Qiao advised. She hoped the two sisters could stay together.

"I do. Okay, then, I'll go back to the room and check on her." Ji Huan was also a little worried about the little rabbit.

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll just watch the fire myself." Ji Qiao pushed Ji Huan back to her room.

It was already dark, and Jiang Yubai had already lit the oil lamp on the table.

Ji Huan coughed softly before slowly returning to her room. "Ji Qiao made some porridge. Let's just have a simple meal today. You can buy whatever you want tomorrow."

"Well, I'm almost done here. Let's go out and look for Ji Qiao." Jiang Yubai stared at the hem of Ji Huan's clothes, not daring to meet her eyes. Then she noticed that the hem of Ji Huan's clothes seemed to be getting closer to her.

Seeing the little white rabbit like this, Ji Huan sighed and said softly, "Why are you hiding from me again? You're being naughty again, little rabbit."

Jiang Yubai was afraid Ji Huan would overthink things, so she quickly looked up at him. "I'm not hiding from you. I might just be too tired today, so I don't have much energy."

"Really?" Ji Huan looked at the little rabbit in confusion.

"Really? Sister, let's go out. It's not good for Ji Qiao to be out here alone." Jiang Yubai's voice softened. Sounding no different from usual, Ji Huan felt a little relieved.

"Okay, then. If you have something to say, just tell me directly. Don't keep it to yourself, okay?"

"Yeah, I know." Jiang Yubai nodded, looking at Ji Huan, motioning for her to go first.

Ji Huan gave the little rabbit a puzzled look, and the two of them left the yard one after the other.

Seeing the two of them leave together, Ji Qiao assumed the two sisters had reconciled and was overjoyed.

"Sister, are you okay?" Ji Qiao looked at Ji Huan and asked with a smile.

"I'm fine, it's almost time to put the vegetables in." Ji Huan sniffed the fragrant aroma from the iron pot and felt her stomach growl. She had been tired all afternoon, and just the smell made her hungry.

Ji Qiao lifted the wooden lid, and the sweet aroma of rice porridge wafted out. Ji Huan added a little salt, then tossed in some vegetable leaves and stirred gently, making the aroma intensify.

Jiang Yubai swallowed several times as she stood there. She was hungry too.

Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai each received a large bowl, and Ji Huan also filled a large bowl for himself. To avoid burning the pot, Ji Huan lowered the stove and returned to his room with the bowl.

Ji Qiao, thinking about building the house, asked, "Sister, what do we need to do tomorrow?"

"I'll go find Er Zhuzi tomorrow and see if he knows where to buy bricks and lumber. Once we have the lumber, bricks, lime, sand, and clay, we can hire workers to start laying the foundation and building the house," Ji Huan said after a moment's thought.

"Okay, I'll help too," Ji Qiao said enthusiastically.

"Okay, I'll see how things go tomorrow," Ji Huan said as he began to eat.

Jiang Yubai ate silently. Though preoccupied, Little Rabbit still ate at a steady clip. Ji Huan had only finished half of her porridge when Little Rabbit had already devoured her entire bowl. She stood up and went out to get another.

After dinner, Ji Huan asked Ji Qiao to go back and rest early, while he and Jiang Yubai washed all the pots and pans and boiled another pot of water for washing up later.

Night had already fallen completely. From a distance, only a few courtyards in the distance had lights. The north of the village was relatively remote, but quiet.

Ji Huan saw that the water in the pot was almost boiled, so he got up and asked Ji Qiao to come out to get some water. Jiang Yubai also filled a wooden basin with water and went back to wash.

When Ji Huan returned to the room, she saw Jiang Yubai washing her face. Seeing that the little rabbit ignored her, she had no choice but to go aside and start washing up. Even when she got into bed, the atmosphere between her and Jiang Yubai was still weird.

Ji Huan lay on the bed, waiting for the little rabbit to crawl into her arms, but after waiting for a long time, she saw that the little rabbit had already laid flat with its eyes closed.

Ji Huan pushed himself up, wanting to say something, but fearing the little rabbit was too tired today, he didn't bother her. He simply stared at it with a

hint of resentment for a moment before Ji Huan lay down and closed his eyes. Jiang Yubai breathed a sigh of relief when she could no longer feel her surroundings. She quickly rolled over and laid back down with her back to Ji Huan, hoping that this way they wouldn't end up cuddling again.

The black figure inside her advised, "You've been cuddling for so long, it's okay. Maybe Ji Huan isn't afraid of you being unlucky?"

The white figure jumped up and retorted, "No, we can't gamble with Ji Huan's life. What if he does get unlucky?"

"I told you I won't!"

"I will! I will!"

Finally, the two figures, one black and one white, engaged in a fierce fight. Jiang Yubai, irritated, covered half of her face with the quilt, deciding it would be best to avoid too much contact with Ji Huan on a daily basis.

However, after months of sleeping in each other's arms, Little Rabbit's mind was able to control itself, and her body had already memorized it. Unbeknownst

to her, she had drifted off to sleep in Ji Huan's arms again. The next morning, Little Rabbit woke early. She subconsciously nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms, then groggily opened her eyes to find herself sleeping in his arms again.

Jiang Yubai closed her eyes resignedly, believing she was unavoidable to sleep in each other's arms at night. Fortunately, her previous experience had taught her that simply sleeping in each other's arms wouldn't harm Ji Huan. However, since they had already been sleeping in each other's arms at night, she would try to avoid him during the day.

With that thought in mind, Little Rabbit quietly broke free from Ji Huan's arms and trotted out to make breakfast.

It was already April, and the sun was rising earlier than usual, with the faint light of dawn already growing outside.

As if sensing something missing from her arms, Ji Huan fumbled around disgruntled, finally hugging the blanket and continuing to sleep. She'd been truly exhausted the previous night, and when she woke, she heard someone talking beside her bed.

"Sister, breakfast is almost ready. Get up and eat."

Ji Huan rubbed her eyes and saw the already dressed little rabbit. She sat up. "So early?"

"It's not early anymore. It's already daybreak outside. Don't we still have a lot to do today?" Jiang Yubai kept her tone as usual, trying not to let Ji Huan notice he was avoiding her.

"Indeed, I'll get up quickly then," Ji Huan said, quickly getting dressed and washing up. After a quick breakfast with Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, Ji Huan and Ji Mancang began to get busy. At

Ji

Mancang's house, they hadn't been able to process the things Yu Bin had sent them because of Ji Huan's concerns. Not to mention the food, cloth, and tea, but there was a wooden box inside that contained a full three hundred taels of silver—no small fortune for a villager.

Ji Mancang was almost worried to death looking at the box of silver. Finally, he sighed and said, "Ji Wen, it's our duty to help others. It doesn't matter if we accept some gifts, but this silver is too much. We save people for the sake of saving them, not for their money. I think we should send the money back to them."

Ji Wen nodded, "I think so too. Okay, Dad, I'll borrow a donkey cart to take the silver back to them."

Ji Mancang nodded, but he felt worried, "Ji Fu, you two should go together. I'm not at ease if she goes alone with so much silver."

"Okay, Ji Wen and I will definitely return the silver properly."

The brother and sister didn't waste any time. Ji Fu went out to borrow a donkey cart, while Ji Wen figured he couldn't go empty-handed. He happened to still have some sweet potatoes, potatoes, and cabbage from their family, so he took some. While the Yu family might not appreciate these things given their wealth, it was a gesture of kindness from their family. These were the only things the villagers could afford.

Ji Fu quickly pulled the donkey cart back. He sat in the front, driving, while Ji Wen sat in the back, examining the boxes and vegetables they had brought. There was three hundred taels of silver in there, a sum their family didn't even have.

The cart wasn't moving fast, but since it wasn't carrying much, it took Ji Wen and his companions just over an hour to reach the county town. After another incense stick's worth of walking, they finally arrived at the Yu family's gate.

As Ji Wen disembarked, he saw two majestic lions outside the Yu family's gate. The gate was red, and the adjacent wall was clad in green brick and red tile, giving the impression of a wealthy family.

Ji Wen recalled how Yu Ting and Yu Bin were dressed, each more elaborately than the other, worthy of being the wealthiest merchants in the county.

She stepped forward, ready to ask the doorman to announce something, while Ji Fu stood by the car, examining its contents.

"Hey, young man, I need to speak to Master Yu Bin about something. Could you please let him know?" Ji Wen asked one of the four doormen at the door.

The servant took a look at Ji Wen's attire. Seeing Ji Wen getting off the cart loaded with vegetables, he said with disdain, "We have farmers delivering fresh vegetables to our mansion every day. You don't have a chance, and you still want to see my young master? He's so busy, can't someone like you just see him whenever you want?"

Ji Wen didn't expect to be met with such a wall the moment he arrived, but he patiently explained, "Yu Bin and I are friends. I really have something important to see him about. Can you please be flexible and help pass the message on?"

"That's ridiculous! There are so many people pretending to be my young master's friends every day. Do we all have to go in and report? I advise you to leave quickly." The servant's face was full of sarcasm, and the others also joined in mocking Ji Wen.

Ji Wen frowned slightly. She had only come to repay the money, not to curry favor with the Yu family. Besides, why would a farmer like her curry favor with the Yu family?

Just as Ji Wen was about to return to the donkey cart to wait, someone called him.

Ji Wen looked back and saw that the person seemed to be Yu Ting's maid.

"Why are you here?"

Ji Wen saw an acquaintance and hurriedly said, "I have something to ask Yu Bin or your young lady. Can you help pass it on?"

Xiao Lu smiled at Ji Wen and said, "No need to pass it on. Our young lady has been thinking about you these days. Come in."

Ji Wen hurriedly called Xiao Lu and said, "That's my brother. We brought some vegetables grown at home. They are not worth much."

"You brought things to see our young lady. She will definitely be very happy." Xiao Lu said and looked at the servants at the door.

"What are you doing? Why don't you go over and help move the things in?" Xiao Lu was Yu Ting's maid. Her status was much higher than that of the ordinary servants and maids in the mansion. After hearing the order, the servants guarding the door rushed to help Ji Wen and his men unload all the things from the car.

"Let's go," Xiaolu's face was filled with smiles. Ever since that day, their young lady had often thought of Ji Wen and had even commissioned a book of stories for the village's female Qianyuan and the daughter of a wealthy family. It wasn't finished yet, so she'd gone out today to help the young lady urge the author to finish faster. Unexpectedly, she'd run into Ji Wen upon her return.

Ji Wen followed Xiaolu into the Yu Mansion, with Ji Fu following behind, carrying the box of silver. As for the vegetables, Xiaolu had the servants take them to the kitchen.

The pavilions and towers within the Yu Mansion dazzled Ji Wen. He walked through a series of corridors, then more corridors and courtyards. Without someone to guide him, he would have been lost.

"Just follow me this way. Our young lady's courtyard is through this corridor," Xiaolu said, pointing to the road ahead.

"Okay," Ji Wen nodded. Even with directions, she wouldn't have been able to figure it out; the Yu Mansion was so vast and winding.

When they arrived at the place, Xiaolu took the two of them to the front hall of the courtyard, "Please sit here for a while, I will go find the young lady right away."

As she said that, Xiaolu called two maids over and served tea and snacks to Ji Wen and Ji Fu.

Ji Wen had never experienced this before, and hurriedly thanked them, "Thank you, we can do it ourselves." When

she said this, the maids around her were amused again. Seeing that Ji Wen had a handsome appearance, the maids came over and whispered to each other.

Ji Wen didn't know what they were laughing at. He just wanted to return the silver and leave quickly. This was not the place for them to stay. Looking at the mahogany chair next to him, Ji Wen was afraid that his clothes would dirty the chair.

Chapter Text

Yu Ting thought she'd misheard. Confirming Ji Wen was indeed here, her eyes lit up, and she hurriedly stood up, heading for the front hall. Before leaving, she took a moment to check in the mirror, making sure her clothes and hair were appropriate.

Soon, Yu Ting arrived at the front hall and saw Ji Wen standing there. A smile spread across her eyes. "Have a seat! Have some tea and rest. Who's that?" "

Oh, that's my brother. No need to sit down. We're here to deliver that box," Ji Wen said, walking over and opening the wooden box. Inside was three hundred taels of silver.

"This is the thank-you gift you sent me earlier. We'll accept the rest, but this amount of silver is simply too much. And I didn't help you for the money back then. I'll feel at ease only after I return it to you."

"You saved me, and this amount of silver isn't much."

"Forget it. We farmers wouldn't feel comfortable with all this extra money all of a sudden. Let's just leave it here. My brother and I need to get back to the village, so we'll be leaving now." Ji

Wen said, and was about to leave. She and Yu Ting weren't familiar with each other, having only met once before. Now that the money had been returned, Ji Wen felt they wouldn't see each other again.

"Wait," Yu Ting said hurriedly, seeing her leave. Then she glanced at Ji Fu behind him, her gaze finally landing on Ji Wen's face. "I have a few words to say to you privately. Can you come with me to the backyard?"

Ji Wen nodded. "Okay."

Ji Wen looked at Ji Fu. "Brother, wait a moment. I'll be right there."

After speaking to Ji Fu, she followed Yu Ting to the backyard.

Yu Ting pursed her lips and didn't know what to say to Ji Wen for a moment. She just saw Ji Wen was about to leave, and she felt reluctant to let him go, so she called him to stop. In the past few days, she always dreamed of Ji Wen, and also dreamed of the sweet white peach fragrance on Ji Wen's body. Thinking of this, Yu Ting's ears felt slightly hot.

Arriving at the backyard, Ji Wen looked at Yu Ting in confusion. Seeing that she didn't speak for a long time, he asked, "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Yu Ting quickly raised her eyes to look at Ji Wen. She rolled her eyes and then said, "Yes, there is something. Can I come to your place to find you in the future? I want to learn fishing with you."

Ji Wen smiled at Yu Ting. She thought it was something else, but it turned out to be just for fun. "If you want to learn fishing, there are good anglers in the county. Why bother running so far to find me? Besides, it's the busy farming season now, and I have to help in the fields. Even if you come to find me, I may not be able to accompany you fishing."

Yu Ting didn't care much. "It's okay. I haven't seen farming yet. How about I go over and watch you farming?"

"What's so good about it? It's so rustic and not suitable for a young lady like you. There's really nothing fun to watch." Ji Wen was telling the truth. Why would a young lady go to the village to find him? If it was for fun, there should be more fun places in the county.

Listening to Ji Wen's repeated rejections, Yu Ting's mood plummeted. Normally, those Qian Yuan would beg her to do them a favor and meet them, but Ji Wen had rejected her several times. Still, Yu Ting refused to give up. Her rejection of him was what made her different from the other Qian Yuan.

Seeing Ji Wen remain silent, Yu Ting let her emotions brew for a moment, her eyes reddening with grievance. "Do you hate me and don't want me to come find you?"

Seeing she was on the verge of tears, Ji Wen frantically explained, "I really didn't mean that. I just think the journey is far, and there's nothing in the village that would pique your interest. It's not that I don't want you to come find me."

Yu Ting sniffed, her eyes still red as she asked, "So you want me to come find you?"

Ji Wen swallowed nervously, afraid that if she said "no," Yu Ting would burst into tears. So she nodded and compromised, "If you want to, it's fine."

"I knew you were good to me." Yu Ting's eyes lit up, a smile returning to her red eyes.

Ji Wen scratched the back of his neck feeling uncomfortable because of what she said. Are Kunze's mood swings always so big? He was about to cry one second, and he could smile the next second?

Single dog Ji Wen was very confused. Kunze was too hard to understand, right?

"If there is nothing else, my brother and I will go back first. By the way, we can bring some vegetables grown at home. They are not worth much, but they are fresh to taste."

"Okay, I'll ask the kitchen to cook them in a while. But, are you leaving now?" Yu Ting said reluctantly, staring at Ji Wen without blinking. She hadn't spent enough time with Ji Wen.

"Well, it's getting late. There is still work waiting for us at home. We won't disturb you." Ji Wen said a few more words, then went back to the front hall and left with Ji Fu.

Yu Ting stared longingly at the door and sighed deeply. "Zhu'er, go tell the kitchen that I want the food Ji Wen and the others sent for lunch."

"Okay, miss. I'll go tell them right away."

Seeing Zhu'er gone, Yu Ting thought of the storybook and asked, "How's the storybook coming along?"

"The writer is still working on it. He said it's a long novel, but it might take a few days," Xiaolu replied quickly.

"Yeah," Yu Ting replied calmly, rolling around in bed. Ji Wen had just left, so why was she missing him again?

At lunch, Yu Ting even ate more than usual. She thought the food Ji Wen brought was delicious, and the sweet potatoes were delicious too. There was nothing she didn't like.

~~

Ji Huan, after breakfast, went to see Er Zhuzi. After explaining his purpose, Er Zhuzi called a few of his close friends to come and help. The wood and yellow clay were already available in the village, so there was no need to spend money on them. As for the blue bricks, lime, and sand, they would have to go to the county town.

Erzhuzi borrowed a few donkey carts and brought a few of his friends to help cut wood nearby, hauling the timber back home. Zhou Xiaochun accompanied Ji Huan to the county town. Near the county town, there were shops selling bricks, lime, and sand, offering door-to-door delivery for a small fee.

After ordering the necessary goods, Ji Huan and Zhou Xiaochun hurried back to the village. It was already noon.

Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had already prepared a meal for the villagers who had helped. Seeing Ji Huan and the others return, Jiang Yubai hurriedly served them.

"Sister, how's your shopping going?" Jiang Yubai asked, handing over a bowl.

"It's all ordered. It should be delivered around this afternoon. You two must be busy, right? Are you tired?" Ji Huan asked softly. If she hadn't been around, she would have wanted to hug the little rabbit.

"Not tired, Ji Qiao and I are just cooking." Jiang Yubai said obediently. Although it was cooking, it was not easy. First, they had to go to the river to fetch water. They also had to prepare staple food and vegetables, and they had to prepare so many portions. Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao were busy all morning.

Ji Huan and Zhou Xiaochun hurried to eat. In the afternoon, they had to take people to transport loess from the foot of the mountain.

The whole afternoon was busy. The blue bricks, lime, and sand ordered from the county were also transported in several trucks.

In the evening, Ji Huan took the money and went over. Although they were just helping out, they still had to pay. On weekdays, the village had to pay fifteen cents per person for hiring helpers per day. According to the usual practice, Ji Huan prepared fifteen cents for each person who helped.

"Everyone, take the money. You've all worked hard today, and it's getting dark soon. After dinner, go back and rest. We'll work again tomorrow."

Er Zhuzi refused to take any money from Ji Huan, pushing his share back to him. "If you do that again, I'll be mad at you. I'm doing a favor for a friend. It's not like I should charge for help."

Seeing that he really wouldn't take it, Ji Huan decided to remember the favor and looked at Zhou Xiaochun again.

Zhou Xiaochun waved his hands repeatedly, "If you dare give it to me, I'll be mad at you too."

Ji Huan smiled and agreed, thinking that when he made money, he would definitely bring them in.

"Okay, even if you two don't take it, the others still have to be paid. We can't expect them to help out for free during the busy farming season, and this won't be done in a day or two."

"Okay, then give it to everyone." Er Zhuzi felt that Ji Huan was right. Of course, he had agreed for his friend's sake, but the villagers he had called over had no obligation to help him for free.

Ji Huan distributed wages to everyone. At first, several people refused, but in the end, they all accepted it.

Usually, when villagers hired helpers, they only provided lunch, but Ji Huan and his team also provided dinner, just to encourage everyone to work harder and build the new house as soon as possible. After

everyone had dinner, the construction site, which was bustling just now, suddenly became quiet. Only Ji Huan and his team were left.

Ji Huan picked up the used pots and bowls and prepared to go to the river to wash the dishes and pots. They didn't have a wooden cart, so it was not convenient to go to the river to fetch water.

Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan going to wash the pots and wanted to go with him, but when he thought about sleeping with Ji Huan in his arms at night, Jiang Yubai was afraid that too much contact with Ji Huan would be bad for Ji Huan, so he didn't get up to follow. But Ji Qiao saw her sister going to the river and simply followed her.

As Ji Huan and Ji Qiao walked towards the river, they asked the little girl beside them, "How is Yubai feeling today?" "She

's fine. We were so busy that we didn't do anything else. Sister, are you and Sister Yubai okay?" Ji Qiao asked with some concern. It was already dark, and she held an oil lamp in her hand to illuminate the way.

"It's okay. Maybe I'm too tired recently and I've been thinking too much." Ji Huan said, and continued to walk forward.

The two of them soon reached the river, and then the faint oil lamp lit up. Ji Huan and Ji Qiao washed the pots and pans clean, and then returned to the yard where they lived.

Ji Huan put down the pots and pans, and then went back to the room. When she entered the room, she saw Little Rabbit mending a pile of clothes, looking very busy.

Ji Huan sat down next to Jiang Yubai and carefully leaned over. "Stop sewing! It's too dim, and it's bad for your eyes. We won't need these after we move into our new house. We'll just get new ones."

"It's okay. Go to sleep first. I'll sew for a while and then stop." Jiang Yubai continued to stare at the clothes in her hands, not even looking away.

Ji Huan pouted. The little naughty rabbit didn't even look at her. Seeing the little rabbit constantly threading its needle, Ji Huan had no choice but to get into bed herself, leaning over to watch the little rabbit dawdling at the table.

Jiang Yubai mended for a while, then realized there were no more holes left to mend. Then she slowly began to wash up. After a long while, she figured Ji Huan was asleep, so she walked over to the bed, took off her outer clothes, and quickly lay down under the covers.

Ji Huan had thought about closing her eyes and lying down for a while, waiting for the little rabbit to fall asleep, but she was so exhausted from the day that she fell asleep immediately after closing her eyes.

Jiang Yubai listened to Ji Huan's steady breathing before turning to look at him. She felt a pang of pain. She had clearly been the one to distance herself from Ji Huan, yet her heart felt like needles stabbing. Was this the only way they were going to get along from now on?

Jiang Yubai's mind was in turmoil. She wanted to lean into Ji Huan's arms and act coquettishly, but she knew she couldn't.

She forced herself to close her eyes and clear her mind. Her mind was a mess, a tangled mess that no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't make sense. Amidst the constant turmoil and sadness, Jiang Yubai fell asleep without realizing it.

When Ji Huan woke up the next day, the bed beside her was completely cold. Little Bunny had gotten up again without her knowing. Suddenly, Ji Huan felt a little aggrieved. She reached out and rubbed the quilt, her fingertips gently tapping Jiang Yubai's pillow. "Little naughty bunny, you've been avoiding me since early morning."

Ji Huan rolled over in bed twice before quickly sitting up. The foundation for the new house was being laid today, and she had to hurry over to help.

Ji Huan hurriedly picked up her dress. It had been torn by a branch when she returned yesterday, but now it was patched up neatly. A slight smile rose from her lips. The little rabbit still cared about her. Even though she didn't know why she'd started avoiding him again, she still cared.

Ji Huan consoled herself for a moment before getting dressed and going out to wash up.

Outside, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had already finished breakfast and had left some sweet potato porridge in the pot for Ji Huan. The two girls were washing cabbage in the yard, preparing to make cabbage and noodle soup for lunch.

Seeing Ji Huan emerge, Jiang Yubai smiled at her casually and stood up to serve her the sweet potato porridge. "Sister, eat more for breakfast,"

she said, her little rabbit looking at her with bright eyes. Ji Huan curled her lips and reached out to take the porridge from the little rabbit. The little naughty rabbit only dared to be so warm to her because she knew someone else was around. If Ji Qiao hadn't been there, Ji Huan would have wanted to pull the little rabbit into his arms and ask her some questions.

She glanced at Jiang Yubai and started drinking from her bowl of porridge.

Ji Huan didn't have time to feel resentful. After finishing her porridge, she hurried to the construction site. Because Ji Huan had provided two meals yesterday and was very generous when paying the workers, the eight villagers who came to help also arrived early. In addition to these eight people, Er Zhuzi and Zhou Xiaochun also came to help.

Seeing Ji Huan coming, Erzhuzi asked hurriedly: "Ji Huan, everything is here, how many rooms do you want to build? How should the rooms be arranged? After it is decided, we will start laying the foundation." "

Okay, thank you all for your help." Ji Huan thought for a while and said: "Let's build three main rooms. The two rooms on the left and right are bedrooms, and the middle room will be used as a dining room. The bedrooms and dining rooms will be slightly larger. Two rooms will be built on the left side of the three main rooms, one for storage and one for kitchen. Two rooms will also be built on the right side, one for guest rooms and one for bathroom. As for the toilet? Just put it in the backyard..."

Ji Huan simply expressed her ideas. She also reserved two yards in the front and back. There could be some space in the front yard for growing vegetables and flowers. Ji Huan planned to use the backyard to build a kiln. She would leave a one-person-wide path on the sides of the two rooms on the left leading to the backyard. In this way, a door could be built to block it, and then a wall could be built to make the yard safer.

Ji Huan, fearing he hadn't explained clearly enough, even drew a blueprint on the ground with branches. The villagers who came to help were all veterans, especially Zhou Xiaochun, whose own courtyard was also built of blue bricks, so he was familiar with the process. The workers first laid the foundation, then used wood to build the framework of the three main rooms.

Ji Huan set up a large iron pot outside the construction site to boil water, then waited for it to cool, occasionally delivering water to the villagers inside.

A man in his forties smiled at Ji Huan, "Don't be so busy! You pay us fifteen cents a day and provide us with two meals, and now you're still running back and forth to deliver water. We're almost embarrassed." "

What's the big deal? We're all here to help me, so I have to take care of everyone," Ji Huan replied with a smile.

Seeing that someone nearby had run out of water, Ji Huan hurried over to get more.

With so many people working, the work progressed quickly, and in just two days, all the framework was completed, even the pit for the backyard toilet had been dug and the beam framework had been built.

On the third day, Ji Huan and Zhou Xiaochun were tasked with mixing lime, sand, and yellow clay with water. Cement didn't exist in ancient times, so clay alone wasn't enough to make the bricks stick together. These three ingredients, combined with water, produced a similar effect to modern cement.

After setting a level, everyone began laying the bricks. Thanks to the large number of people, they finished the bricks for all seven rooms, plus a toilet in the backyard, in two days.

By the fifth day, it was time to add tiles to the roof. Ji Huan and Zhou Xiaochun were again in charge of mixing the ancient cement, while the others added the tiles.

To protect against rain and snow, Ji Huan had the villagers apply more ancient cement to the timbers of the roof. Afterward, the tiles were added, making the roof remarkably solid.

Adding the roof took another two days, and then everyone spent another day smoothing the interior of the house with the ancient cement. Many people advised Ji Huan against smoothing the interior, saying it would waste too much lime, sand, and yellow clay, and would require an extra day's pay.

However, Ji Huan thought that since she had already built the house, she should make it look the most comfortable. If she hadn't been short of money, she would have had a layer of ancient cement applied to the blue bricks outside, smoothing out the several sides of the house. But now was not the time.

By the eighth day, all the houses were built, and everyone began to build a wall around the courtyard as Ji Huan had instructed.

During this time, Ji Huan and the place where he had bought materials earlier ordered more blue bricks, lime, sand, and yellow clay, and these materials were brought to the village in truckloads as if they were free.

The villagers were also talking about this matter. After all, only a few wealthy families and the head of the village could afford blue brick walls. Now Ji Huan had started building one too, and the news quickly reached the Ji family.

"Mom, have you heard? Ji Huan is building a new house, it's a grand affair, all made of the best materials, and she's even going to imitate the main family and build a blue brick wall. The money from the family division is not enough for her to spend so much, I'm afraid she has already spent it, and it's hard to even keep the ten acres of land." Ji Ming said what he heard from outside while eating.

"They are no longer members of the Ji family. They have nothing to do with our family no matter how they live or die. Just eat your food." Liu Fengmei was still upset when she thought of Ji Huan. Not only did he take away so much money from the family, but he also took away ten acres of land. The family was now in a tight spot.

"Isn't this just a joke for everyone? If you don't want to hear it, I won't say it again in the future." Ji Ming picked up his chopsticks and hurried to eat.

Li Yulan thought for a moment and continued, "Dad, it's not like we don't have the money. We should actually renovate this house. Houses made of loess aren't as sturdy as houses made of blue bricks."

Ji Mantun glared at Li Yulan. "How could I not know that blue bricks are sturdier? The problem is, we don't have the money. Ji Yuan just recovered from his injury, and didn't he just return to the academy a few days ago? If he passes the imperial examination and becomes a scholar, it would

be another fortune to thank his teacher. If he does, our family will have hope." Ji Sen rolled his eyes. Their family had a total of thirty acres of land, and giving away ten acres would only make life even more difficult. As for Ji Yuan passing the imperial examination, Ji Sen thought it was impossible.

Ji Yuan's life after returning to Zhibo Academy was not easy either. Because of Yu Bin's private instructions, his roommates basically stopped talking to him and often spoke to him in a sarcastic manner.

"Hey, isn't that our Master Ji? I thought the pheasant was finally going to fly up to the tree and become a phoenix, but it turns out he's still a pheasant." Sun Tiansheng glanced at Ji Yuan who came in from outside

and taunted him. "Hahahaha, he wants to marry Miss Yu too! He didn't even take a piss and look in the mirror. He's so unlucky to be sharing a bed with such a person." Li Renjie, not even looking at Ji Yuan's expression, joined in the taunting.

"Forget about him. Yu Bin is hosting a banquet at Qingfeng Tower tonight and asked us all to come. Of course, except for that toad Ji Yuan, hahaha." Wang Lu laughed so hard that he almost died.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about him anymore. He's unlucky. Let's get back to studying." The students in the library also had their own cliques. Before, Ji Yuan had been marrying up to a high-ranking member of the Yu family, and the library had been so attentive to him. But after the tide turned, not only did everyone isolate him, but they even made jokes about Ji Yuan from time to time.

Ji Yuan sat at his desk, gritting his teeth, but he managed to hold it in. If he got into a fight with anyone at this moment, he would definitely be expelled from the academy.

The bruises on Ji Yuan's face had almost healed by now. He clenched his fists tightly, thinking about his future path. He had not focused on his books at all during this period. The Tongshi exam would be coming up in a few days, and he would not be able to pass it at all.

Ji Yuan thought about finding a new home for himself as soon as possible. He didn't dare to try to get close to the Yu family anymore. The beating he received last time almost cost him half his life. He had no choice but to try a different target.

Qingfeng Tower in the county town was bustling with singing and dancing almost every night. People in the tower would not leave until curfew. Of course, some people did not leave and simply stayed overnight in Qingfeng Tower. Ji Yuan thought about trying his luck more often, and maybe he could catch the rich Kunze. On

Ji

Huan's side, it took her another four days to build the entire courtyard wall. The sixteen taels of silver she'd received from the family division were almost all gone, and the remaining amount was only enough to buy bricks, lime, and sand. She hadn't even built the kiln for firing Jianzhan yet.

Ji Huan took the deed to ten acres of land to the county town and sold it in half a day. Since their area was vast and sparsely populated, the land couldn't fetch a very good price. The usual market price was six taels of silver per acre. She sold all ten acres and received sixty taels of silver.

After that, Ji Huan had someone build a cave for firing Jianzhan in the backyard, spending another day there. Although the villagers were puzzled by this strange house, they didn't ask any more questions after receiving the wages from Ji Huan.

Erzhuzi, on the other hand, was very puzzled when he looked at the long cave he had built. "Ji Huan, I know you got some silver when the family was divided, but to be honest, you can't spend money like this. It doesn't matter if you build a house and a yard, after all, you will live there for the rest of your life, but what is this thing used for?"

Zhou Xiaochun beside him also nodded. "Yes, it will cost several taels of silver just to build this cave."

Ji Huan knew that they were worried about him, so he pulled the two of them away and whispered, "I've thought of a way to make money. The thing we built is a cave for firing tea cups. It's not something I did casually, but don't tell anyone about this in advance."

"Fire tea cups? You can do that?" Erzhuzi was stunned. After all, almost every family in their Daliang country loves to drink tea, and the business of growing tea leaves and firing tea cups is very popular, especially firing tea cups. If they are well fired, one cup can sell for hundreds to thousands of taels.

"Well, the teacups I make are a little different from the ones you have here, but if they are made successfully, it shouldn't be difficult to sell them for a good price." Ji Huan explained with a smile.

Zhou Xiaochun nodded, but she was still worried about Ji Huan. She had never heard that Ji Huan could make teacups before, and she had spent so much money to build this cave this time. What if she lost money? Ji Huan had sold all the land.

Seeing that the two still didn't believe it, Ji Huan didn't explain any more. Once he could really make teacups, Zhou Xiaochun and the others wouldn't have to worry so much.

Ji Qiao was in a particularly good mood during lunch. She could finally live with her sister in the future. Her sister wouldn't force her to get married, and her future life would be settled.

Jiang Yubai, however, was a little worried. She'd been so busy building the house these past few days that she and Ji Huan had barely slept together at night. She'd been up early in the morning, creating a time difference. Furthermore, they'd been so busy during the day, sometimes barely speaking to each other all day. At night, Ji Huan would fall asleep early, exhausted. But the entire courtyard was finished. Since the bedroom had been built first, it was already dry inside. The wooden furniture Ji Huan had ordered from the village carpenter had been delivered, and they were set to move in that afternoon.

Once they moved into their new home, they wouldn't be as busy as they had been these past few days. How would she hide from Ji Huan then?

"Sister Yubai, I just went to see the cabinets you ordered. They're beautiful, and the bed, too. It looks so comfortable," Ji Qiao said happily to Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai smiled at Ji Qiao, but his thoughts were still on himself and Ji Huan.

In the afternoon, Ji Huan borrowed a donkey cart from the village to move. He also bought a lot of daily necessities and a wooden cart and a few wooden barrels from a carpenter, so that it would be more convenient to go to the river to fetch water.

All the things were moved to the new house, but Jiang Yubai was still in low spirits. Ji

Huan made noodles for dinner. The three of them were exhausted in the past few days. After eating a simple meal, they all went back to their rooms early.

When Ji Huan returned to the room, Jiang Yubai also started to get busy. She didn't know where she found some old clothes, but she took them and said she wanted to go out to wash them.

Ji Huan stood at the door, blocking Jiang Yubai's way. Although she was busy these days, she could see that the little rabbit was avoiding her.

"Tell me? What happened these days? The little bad rabbit always avoids me, thinking that I can't see it?" Ji Huan blocked the door tightly. It was okay that there were a lot of things going on at home in the past few days, but today, she must get to the bottom of everything.

After hearing what Ji Huan said, Jiang Yubai had no choice but to look at Ji Huan. She put aside the old clothes in her hands, hesitating, not knowing how to get away with it.

Seeing that the little rabbit didn't say anything, Ji Huan walked a few steps to the little rabbit, slightly tilted his head to look at Jiang Yubai, as if he had to ask clearly.

Jiang Yubai knew that she couldn't avoid it, so she smiled at Ji Huan, softened her tone and said coquettishly: "Sister, I really didn't avoid you, I'm just too busy these days. Aren't you always at the new house? Ji Qiao and I still have to cook, so we really don't have time to talk to you."

"Really?" Ji Huan still didn't believe the little bad rabbit.

"Yeah." Jiang Yubai nodded.

Ji Huan simply pulled the person in her arms. She wanted to hug the little rabbit tightly, but she didn't know that the person in her arms pushed her away, as if she was very resistant to her hugging her like this.

Ji Huan felt a little sad, but seeing that Jiang Yubai was unwilling, she was reluctant to force Jiang Yubai to do anything, so she had to let go and said softly: "If I did something to make you angry, you can tell me directly. Are you deliberately distancing yourself from me these days because of the rumors before? Don't worry, haven't we always been close before? Am I not standing in front of you well? Little bad bunny, don't think too much, okay?"

Jiang Yubai stepped back, not daring to look at Ji Huan, but kept retorting: "It's not because of the rumors, it's just that I don't like hugging each other, it feels weird."

Ji Huan's eyes deepened slightly, and he lowered his eyes and asked: "Really?"

Jiang Yubai bit his lip and nodded, looking at Ji Huan, "Really, I don't like to be too close to others."

Ji Huan was shocked by Jiang Ji Huan was annoyed by Jiang Yubai's word "others". Even though she knew that Jiang Yubai said that on purpose and the little rabbit was probably still afraid that it would bring bad luck to her, Ji Huan couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable in her heart, "I'm just someone else to you?"

Jiang Yubai felt uncomfortable seeing Ji Huan like this. Her eyes were red, but she forced herself to hold it back, nodded at Ji Huan, and looked directly into Ji Huan's eyes, "Yes."

Ji Huan was also annoyed by the little rabbit, and nodded at Jiang Yubai, "Okay, you don't like getting close, right? I'll sleep in the guest room, right?"

With that, Ji Huan hugged two quilts and walked towards the door. She was waiting for the little rabbit to keep her so that she could go down the ladder, but the person behind her didn't have any intention of stopping her. Ji Huan had no choice but to hold the quilts and go out the door to the guest room on the side.

The tables, chairs, and cabinets in the guest room were all new. Ji Huan threw the quilt onto the bed and lit the oil lamp. Suddenly, he felt a surge of irritation, and a wave of regret for having gotten so angry. Given the little white rabbit's temper, it was probably crying right now.

Just the thought of Jiang Yubai crying was unbearable. But then he thought, if he went back like this, Jiang Yubai would just avoid him and hide. It would be better to live apart for a while. Maybe after a while, the little rabbit would figure it out.

With this thought, Ji Huan sighed and resignedly began to make the bed. He had his own sweet, soft little rabbit, but he wouldn't even let him hold it.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yubai, seeing Ji Huan gone, couldn't hold back her tears, sobbing softly, afraid to be heard.

His sister was truly pissed off. She'd been so kind to him, and now he was irritating her and talking back at her. She must be disgusted with him, right? Life was clearly getting better day by day, and they had their own little family, so why did things turn out like this?

When Jiang Yubai's mother died, she hated her unlucky physique. Later, when she got married, the man vomited blood and died during the wedding ceremony. After that, all kinds of rumors surrounded her, the most common of which was that she was a jinx, and those who were close to her would sooner or later be unlucky.

Almost everyone said so, and Jiang Yubai herself believed it, especially after her mother's death, and Zhang Tiehu died directly during the wedding ceremony. One thing after another seemed to prove that she was unlucky. She couldn't be so selfish. Just because she liked Ji Huan, she harmed Ji Huan. The closeness before was because she really thought Ji Huan was a ghost, otherwise, she wouldn't stick to Ji Huan like that.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai wiped her tears and forced herself not to cry. Isn't the result now what she wanted? Now it's good, she doesn't have to worry about Ji Huan being suppressed because of spending too much time with her, but Jiang Yubai's heart feels like it's being grasped by her. She pushed away the person who cares about her and protects her the most in this world.

Jiang Yubai couldn't control her tears until she lay on the bed, so that when Jiang Yubai woke up the next morning, her eyes were swollen.

Fortunately, she was used to getting up early. While there was no one in the yard, she quickly got some cold water from outside, wet a towel and applied it to her eyes to reduce the swelling.

Ji Huan didn't sleep well this time. Without the warm and soft little rabbit in her arms, Ji Huan felt uncomfortable no matter how she slept. She sat up and sighed softly. The thoughts of the ancients can't be changed in a few seconds. She can only let the little rabbit air out for the next few days. If it really doesn't work, she can only comfort the little rabbit slowly.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan got up and went to wash up when he saw smoke rising from the kitchen. Ji Qiao was carrying a bowl of food. Seeing Ji Huan, she smiled and called out, "Sister, Sister Yubai made breakfast. Come over and eat."

Ji Huan nodded. Fortunately, Ji Qiao had become more lively since leaving the Ji family. Ji Huan walked towards the kitchen and saw Little Rabbit already busying around. Seeing Ji Huan approach, Jiang Yubai poured out the sweet potato porridge from the pot and handed it to Ji Huan, not even speaking to him the entire time.

Ji Huan stared at Little Rabbit with a hint of grievance. Since Ji Qiao was there, she couldn't say anything. She simply took the porridge to the dining room and ate it by herself.

"Sister, the sweet potatoes are so sweet today, and the porridge is so thick. Sister Yubai must have gotten up early to make it, right?" Ji Qiao said happily. Since leaving the Ji family, even food had become more fragrant to her.

Ji Huan hummed faintly. How could she know when the little rabbit would wake up? Last night, she'd been driven to the guest room by the little rabbit, and this morning, the naughty little rabbit ignored her.

Ji Huan took two fierce bites of the sweet potato on her spoon, as if the little naughty rabbit were inside.

After breakfast, Ji Huan had to go into the mountains to collect yellow mud, clay, red soil, glaze stone, plant ash, and pinewood. These auxiliary materials were essential. Not only was the climb long, but even if he found them, it would be difficult to bring them back alone. Ji Huan thought about going to a nearby village and buying a mule.

Mules were much cheaper than horses, taller than donkeys, and could pull more things, making them the most cost-effective transport animals. Buying a mule would also make it much easier to fetch water from the river. He could just harness a wooden cart to the mule and let it pull.

Having made up his mind, Ji Huan hurried out of the yard. The donkeys and mules in their village were all raised by each family, and no one wanted to sell them. So Ji Huan simply went to the nearest village, Xiniu Village.

As soon as Ji Huan reached the fork in the road, he saw that the entire village of Xiniu Village was in a festive mood, as if some big event had happened.

Ji Huan walked to the entrance of the village and randomly found a female Qianyuan and asked, "Sister, is there anyone selling mules in your village? I want to buy a mule, and why is it so lively here? Is there any happy event?"

The female Qianyuan also came out to watch the fun. When she heard Ji Huan asking about the mules, she hurriedly said, "Well, I have two mules and a donkey at home, and I just want to sell one. If you want to buy one, just come back with me later. The price is absolutely fair. You can buy it if it suits you."

The elder sister pointed to several servants in red clothes and said, "Look, those are servants who came here to bring good news. Li Yunzheng from our village has made great progress this time. He passed the child examination this year. In the future, he will be a scholar with a good reputation. It has been several years since our village has produced a scholar. Look, even the head of the village is very happy."

"Li Yunzheng?" Ji Huan muttered to herself. She felt like she had seen the name somewhere before, but she didn't think much of it. Right now, the most important thing was to buy the mule.

"Big sister, can we go now? I have things to do later," Ji Huan said, seeing that the big sister still wanted to watch the fun.

"Okay, okay, sorry, I couldn't resist the chance to see something exciting." The big sister chatted and led Ji Huan to the village.

Ji Huan saw a courtyard door not far away, now filled with firecrackers. It seemed that the family was the scholar's. A crowd gathered in front of the door, and the family was handing out wedding candy to the children who came to congratulate them. Soon, the sound of firecrackers crackled and the whole village was bustling.

Ji Huan followed the big sister and unexpectedly ran into Zhang Liangcai and his parents along the way.

Zhang Liangcai, seeing that it was Ji Huan, felt a sudden wave of fear and hid behind his father.

Zhang Fugui also saw Ji Huan, and thought that Ji Huan was here to cause trouble. He pointed at Ji Huan, "You, what do you want to do? Hasn't my son divorced your sister? What do you want?"

Ji Huan shook his head with a smile, "Are you okay? I came here to buy a mule from this elder sister. What's it to you? Stop flattering yourself, okay? Why don't you take a piss and take a good look at yourself?"

As he said that, Ji Huan glanced at Zhang Liangcai who was hiding behind his father, and continued to follow the elder sister.

Seeing Ji Huan looking at him like that, Zhang Liangcai was furious. However, having seen Ji Huan's strength, he didn't dare to provoke him. However, he still interrupted with a sly, "Ji Huan, what's so great about you? Your wife's ex-lover passed the imperial examination and might even cheat on you someday. And

you're still pretending to be so?" Ji Huan's face turned cold, and he looked at Zhang Liangcai, "Just say that again, and I'll tell you."

Zhang Liangcai was so scared that he ran away on crutches, calling out to his father, "Dad, please help me block Ji Huan! Don't let her come over! I'm scared."

Zhang Liangcai's parents quickly left the area with him. Ji Huan then said to the eldest sister who was leading the way, "Let's go."

She also wanted to teach Zhang Liangcai a lesson, but they were on Xiniu Village's territory, and Ji Huan was afraid that if a fight really came, she would be the one to suffer.

After Zhang Liangcai's snarky reminder, Ji Huan remembered Li Yunzheng.

This person seems to have been mentioned in the original book. This person and Jiang Yubai both grew up in Xiniu Village. They were childhood playmates with a good relationship. Li Yunzheng had always had a good impression of Jiang Yubai. At that time, Jiang Yubai was still young and didn't understand the things about love and affection, so Li Yunzheng made an agreement with her to marry her in the future. However, Jiang Yubai's mother died soon after, and rumors that Jiang Yubai was a jinx spread. Li Yunzheng's family said they would never agree to Li Yunzheng's proposal to the Jiang family.

Later, Jiang Yubai was forced by her family to marry Zhang Tiehu, but Zhang Tiehu died during the wedding ceremony. After that, Jiang Yubai's family was afraid that she would bring bad luck to her relatives, so they paid money to marry her to the Ji family. Then Ji Huan came through.

After figuring out who Li Yunzheng was, Ji Huan felt even more upset. This man had no sense of responsibility. He loved Jiang Yubai but was afraid of the gossip and family pressure. He was no match for her little rabbit. It was better for Li Yunzheng and others to stay away from her little rabbit. She didn't want her little rabbit to be with such a weakling.

Ji Huan absentmindedly followed her elder sister to the yard to choose a mule. Not one to be careless, Ji Huan compared and inspected the two mules. Finally, he settled on one, paid the price, and then led the mule towards Dongniu Village.

A young scholar trotted into the village excitedly. He had asked someone about Jiang Yubai's current residence and was eagerly knocking on the door.

"Yubai, Yubai, I'm here to see you. Open the door!" the man rapped repeatedly on the wooden door.

Hearing the sound, someone quickly opened the door. It was Jiang Yubai. She was visibly stunned when she saw Li Yunzheng, then puzzled. After all, they hadn't seen each other for a long time, and Jiang Yubai didn't know what he was up to this time.

After her mother's death, when her family pressured her to marry Zhang Tiehu, Jiang Yubai had harbored illusions about Li Yunzheng. After all, he had promised to marry her. She had thought he could pull her out of the quagmire, but those illusions had long been shattered. He had never stood up for her, not even a word. Jiang Yubai had long been disappointed in Li Yunzheng, and now she saw him as someone she had no connection with.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Jiang Yubai's voice was calm, her expression devoid of joy. She was as calm as a lake without ripples.

Li Yunzheng was stunned by Jiang Yubai's coldness towards him, and the smile on his face faded. He even hesitated to meet Jiang Yubai's eyes. He was the one who hadn't kept the promises they had made before, but he was simply too happy today to wait and tell Jiang Yubai about his success.

"Well, it's not convenient to talk here. Let's go outside." Li Yunzheng secretly studied Jiang Yubai's face. It was still as cool and handsome as he remembered.

Jiang Yubai didn't know what he was going to say, but nodded anyway. The two of them went to an open space next to the house.

Li Yunzheng could no longer suppress the joy in his heart, "Yubai, do you know? I passed the Tongshi and now I am a scholar with an official title."

Jiang Yubai nodded calmly and congratulated politely, "Congratulations."

Seeing that there was no joy on Jiang Yubai's face, Li Yunzheng's complacency quickly dissipated, "Yubai, are you still blaming me? I really had no choice about what happened before. My parents didn't agree with me going to your house to propose marriage. It wasn't my intention to break the contract." Jiang

Yubai glanced at Li Yunzheng indifferently, "It's all in the past. It doesn't matter anymore."

Hearing Jiang Yubai say this, Li Yunzheng felt even more uncomfortable. Obviously, Jiang Yubai was not like this when they were together before. She would talk and laugh, and would never look at him expressionlessly like now. It must be that Ji Huan was not good enough to her. Li Yunzheng immediately put the blame on Ji Huan.

"Did Ji Huan bully you? Didn't she treat you well? I know, I know, Yubai, don't worry, I passed the imperial examination this time, and I have bargaining chips with my family. I will come to marry you soon, very soon." Li Yunzheng spoke in a hurried tone, and his gaze at Jiang Yubai was even more fiery.

Jiang Yubai frowned, not understanding why Li Yunzheng was talking to himself. "No, Ji Huan treats me very well. We have our own little family now. I won't leave Ji Huan. Those things in the past are long gone, and I don't care anymore. Don't come to me in the future."

"No, you are lying to me, right? I heard that you are not living well in the Ji family. And Ji Huan, what good life can an honest and foolish daughter give you? She treated you harshly, didn't she? It's all my fault. If I had been able to convince my family earlier, I could have married you sooner and saved you from so much suffering." Li Yunzheng didn't listen to what Jiang Yubai said at all, and spoke to himself.

Jiang Yubai silently took a step back, frowning as she looked at Li Yunzheng before her. If it were in the past, she would have felt somewhat resentful towards him, but those things had already happened. Now that she had Ji Huan, Li Yunzheng was just an insignificant stranger to her. Jiang Yubai didn't understand why Li Yunzheng suddenly came to her with such irrelevant words.

"I've already told you that Ji Huan and I have a good relationship, and she treats me well. We won't be apart. Young Master Li, please go back. I'm Ji Huan's wife now, so don't come looking for me anymore. It's inconvenient."

Jiang Yubai said, ignoring Li Yunzheng and heading straight for her own front door.

Li Yunzheng anxiously called out from behind, "Yubai, you're still blaming me, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll make my family relent this time. Can you trust me again and give me another chance?"

Jiang Yubai ignored Li Yunzheng, who hurriedly caught up to her. She simply felt that Li Yunzheng was troublesome and wanted to get home quickly.

Not far away, Ji Huan was leading a mule back. From a distance, he saw a male Qian Yuan following behind Jiang Yubai and muttering something. It was a bit far away, so Ji Huan couldn't see Jiang Yubai's expression clearly.

Fearing that the little white rabbit would suffer, she quickly quickened her pace and shouted from afar, "Yubai."

Jiang Yubai saw that Ji Huan was not far away and was walking towards this side. Jiang Yubai was delighted. She had long been annoyed by Li Yunzheng's repetitive words, but then she thought that her relationship with Ji Huan had finally cooled down since last night. If she suddenly ran over to hug Ji Huan at this time, all her previous efforts would be in vain. Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai just glanced at Ji Huan indifferently and replied, "Well, I'll go back now."

Li Yunzheng saw that Jiang Yubai was so cold when speaking to Ji Huan, and his heart immediately balanced a lot. After all the fuss, Ji Huan still couldn't get any good from Jiang Yubai. And look at what tattered clothes Ji Huan was wearing, and he was pulling a mule behind him. What's the use of having a good face? Isn't he still a mud-legged peasant who has stayed in the village all his life? How can he compare to himself? After all, he is now considered to have a reputation and is a thousand times better than Ji Huan.

The more Li Yunzheng thought about it, the more disdain filled his gaze towards Ji Huan. As he approached, he deliberately asked, "Yubai, who is this person?"

"It's my wife, Ji Huan." Jiang Yubai simply glanced at Ji Huan and quickly looked away.

Seeing that the kitten didn't look at him or come to him,

Ji Huan felt a pang of pain in her heart, and her dislike for Li Yunzheng grew even stronger. Li Yunzheng was even more delighted to see that Jiang Yubai didn't go to Ji Huan just because she came over. He knew Jiang Yubai wouldn't have a good life with a foolish and filial daughter like Ji Huan, and it seemed that Jiang Yubai didn't even like her. Just thinking about it made Li Yunzheng's smile grow.

"So you're Ji Huan? I've heard a lot about you." Li Yunzheng's tone was clearly mocking.

"If it's all right, we'll go back first." Ji Huan had just reached the gate, and she didn't want to pay any attention to Li Yunzheng.

Li Yunzheng didn't expect Ji Huan to leave without saying anything. Wouldn't that mean he couldn't show off his success in the exam?

Thinking of this, Li Yunzheng straightened his clothes, looked up at Ji Huan and said, "I came here this time to share the good news of my success in the exam with Yubai. I passed the Tongshi exam this year."

"Congratulations, I'll go back first if there's nothing else." Ji Huan didn't care about the expression on Li Yunzheng's face, and walked straight into the yard with the mule.

Li Yunzheng didn't expect Ji Huan to have no reaction when he heard that he had passed the exam. He thought Ji Huan would be jealous to death, but he just left with such a light sentence and left.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan's back as he entered the yard, and wanted to catch up, but was stopped by Li Yunzheng.

Jiang Yubai's brows furrowed. "Anything else?"

Li Yunzheng noticed Jiang Yubai seemed unhappy, assuming it was because he'd seen Ji Huan. Without trying to lower his voice, he addressed Jiang Yubai directly, "Yubai, don't worry. I'll keep my word this time. I'll convince my family to take you away. Just wait for me."

Ji Huan, who was pulling the mule up ahead, also heard Li Yunzheng's words and turned to look at him. Li Yunzheng, already renowned for his achievements, stared back at Ji Huan without fear.

Ji Huan glanced at Jiang Yubai, who was still standing beside him, and felt strangely irritated. Could Jiang Yubai really still have hope in him? If this Li Yunzheng was truly responsible, he wouldn't have watched Jiang Yubai marry twice. Could Jiang Yubai not even understand this?

Seeing Jiang Yubai still standing there, Ji Huan felt an inexplicable sullenness rising in her heart. She ignored Li Yunzheng and instead fixed her gaze on Jiang Yubai. "Why don't you come in? Do you really want to go with him?"

After saying that, Ji Huan led the mule to the backyard, ignoring the two people behind her. She had been busy almost every day recently. First, she helped Ji Qiao with her divorce, then she was busy with the various matters of the family separation. These past few days, she had been busy every day for her new home and her future livelihood. Ji Huan was indeed a little tired. There were some things she didn't want to guess about anymore, so she just let things take their course.

Seeing that Ji Huan didn't wait for her, Jiang Yubai felt a dull pain in her heart, as if being pricked by needles. Her eyes turned red, and she stared blankly at Ji Huan's back as she left. Was her sister angry with her?

Seeing Jiang Yubai's red eyes, Li Yunzheng suddenly became even more angry, "Is this how she treats you every day? Yubai, don't worry, I will go back and tell my family about our marriage now, and I will definitely not let you down again..."

Li Yunzheng was still talking to himself when Jiang Yubai had already entered the gate and reached out to close the wooden door.

Li Yunzheng was busy pushing the door from the outside, "Yubai, listen to me, Ji Huan is not treating you well again, you'd better not follow her, and you must wait for me to come."

Ji Qiao also heard the movement outside the courtyard gate at this time, and came out of the house to help Jiang Yubai close the courtyard gate.

Li Yunzheng knocked on the door for a while, but when no one paid any attention to him, he left. He was thinking that Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai had been married for so long and still alive, which proved that the rumors were not true. If he married Jiang Yubai again, he wouldn't be at risk of being cursed to death. Thinking of this, Li Yunzheng smiled even more. Ji Huan was just a stepping stone for him to try and make mistakes. If Ji Huan died, it would mean that Jiang Yubai really couldn't be married. If Ji Huan didn't die, he would naturally be able to take over Jiang Yubai with his status as a scholar.

After all, that foolish filial daughter was just a useless village girl, and judging by the way they had just acted, Jiang Yubai didn't have much affection for Ji Huan. As long as he showed more courtesy, wouldn't Jiang Yubai be easily won over?

Thinking of this, Li Yunzheng even took longer strides, eager to confront his family. Now that he had achieved fame, even if he didn't pass the provincial examination, his status as a scholar alone would secure him a job in the county. His family would still rely on him and wouldn't object to his marrying Jiang Yubai. After closing the gate,

Jiang Yubai stood at the doorway, somewhat bewildered. She wanted to explain to Ji Huan, but from his expression, it was clear that Ji Huan was already angry with her.

Her heart ached, and she didn't know how to approach Ji Huan. What if she explained? She would still have to stay away from Ji Huan, which would still anger him. So why bother getting close to him? Wouldn't that only make him angrier?

Jiang Yubai's face paled, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed. Perhaps it would be a good thing if his sister stopped hating him. That way, she wouldn't get too close to him, and wouldn't be so overwhelmed by him.

Jiang Yubai smiled sadly, but her face was already covered with tear marks. She wiped them away with her sleeve and hurried back to her room.

Ji Huan was also feeling bad in the backyard. It had been so long, and the little rabbit hadn't shown any intention of coming over to explain. Was this going to be a stranger to her from now on?

Ji Huan straightened up and took a few deep breaths. Although life was getting better day by day, her relationship with Jiang Yubai was getting worse. Ji Huan shook her head and didn't want to think about it anymore. Building a new home and a cave house cost a lot of money. Now she only had the money left from selling the land and Ji Qiao's thirty taels of silver. Ji Qiao's money couldn't be touched. Although the money from selling the land was not small, they couldn't just sit there and eat up all the money.

Ji Huan thought that she had to make Jianzhan tea as soon as possible. As for her and Little Rabbit, she should let Little Rabbit calm down for a few days. What if Little Rabbit really had someone else in her heart? Ji Huan's fists creaked at the mere thought of it. She seemed a little unbearable that Little Rabbit had someone else in her heart?

Ji Huan hurriedly shook her head and forced herself to stop thinking about it. She harnessed the mule to the wooden cart and pulled the mule cart out of the back door of the backyard. The most indispensable thing for firing Jianzhan tea is firewood. Modern Jianzhan craftsmanship can be achieved through electric firing, but in ancient times, Ji Huan could only use wood-fired technology, and the most important auxiliary material for wood-fired firing is firewood.

Fortunately, Dongniu Village was abundant with trees. Ji Huan pulled her mule cart to a clearing in the woods and began chopping wood. Each firing took about 30 hours. She needed to raise the temperature inside the kiln to 1300 degrees Celsius and then slowly cool it down. From initial preparation to final firing, it took about seven days. During this time, she needed to constantly add firewood to heat the cave, and the fire must not go out mid-fire, otherwise all the work would be in vain.

The wood-fired Jianzhan process was incredibly complex and time-consuming, which contributed to its high price. However, due to the limited space in her backyard, Ji Huan had the villagers help build a cave, a scaled-down version of a dragon kiln. Even so, a considerable amount of firewood was still required.

As Ji Huan chopped at the tree with her axe, she thought of Li Yunzheng's abominable face. Even if her little rabbit fell in love with someone else, that person couldn't be Li Yunzheng. He was simply not worthy of her.

The more Ji Huan chopped wood, the angrier she became. She started chopping the tree as if it were Li Yunzheng. Then she found that she was chopping wood much faster. After a while, the wooden cart behind her was full of wood.

Ji Huan jumped onto the mule cart behind her and drove the mule back to her own courtyard.

Ji Huan piled all the firewood in the courtyard and unloaded the wooden cart behind the mule. The road up the mountain was narrow, so she could only put four wooden baskets on the mule's back to hold the adobe and glaze.

Ji Qiao looked for people in the front yard but couldn't find Ji Huan. When she went to the backyard, she saw Ji Huan about to take the mule up the mountain. "Sister, where are you going? I'll go with you."

Ji Huan nodded. "Okay, take the shovel. We have to move quickly."

"Okay, then where is Sister Yubai?" Ji Qiao asked hurriedly. She and her sister were both out. Would it be bad to leave Sister Yubai alone?

"Let her rest, we two will go first." Ji Huan said as he pulled the mule out of the backyard door. Ji Qiao looked at Ji Huan and hurried to follow. She always felt that the two sisters seemed to have quarreled.

However, Ji Qiao did not dare to ask too much, and just followed Ji Huan up the mountain obediently.

Relying on his memory from last time, Ji Huan quickly found the place where he and Jiang Yubai came last time. The glaze and body here have a very high iron content, which is one of the most important raw materials used in firing Jianzhan. Ji Huan tied the mule to a tree nearby and said to Ji Qiao beside him: "Do you see the soil here? Shovel this soil into the basket. Just shovel two baskets first."

"Okay." Ji Qiao obediently went to the side to shovel the soil.

Ji Huan approached several large rocks. They were enormous, but she had already bought a pickaxe, and with her current strength, she used it to pound the rocks. Soon, the rocks shattered into tiny pieces, which she moved into the two remaining baskets. Soon, she had two full baskets of rocks.

Ji Qiao had also finished collecting the dirt. The two of them drove their mules back to the yard, where they piled the rocks and dirt separately. Then they continued up the mountain and repeated the process. After five trips, Ji Huan and Ji Qiao finally returned to the courtyard.

They were both exhausted and dusty, but thankfully, Jiang Yubai had already cooked dinner and was waiting for them.

Seeing Ji Huan and Ji Qiao return, Jiang Yubai said calmly, "Go wash your hands first. The food will be ready soon."

"Okay, Sister Yubai, you're so kind. I'm just hungry!" Ji Qiao happily went to wash her hands.

Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai who was still busy in the kitchen. Seeing that Jiang Yubai was still busy with his own things and had no intention of paying attention to him, Ji Huan sighed silently and went to the water tank in the yard to get water to wash his hands.

After Ji Huan left, Jiang Yubai dared to look at Ji Huan from a distance in the kitchen. When Ji Huan looked over, she hurriedly hammered her head and busy herself with the things in her hands.

Ji Huan sighed and walked towards the kitchen. Seeing that Jiang Yubai didn't look at her, she had to speak to herself: "Which ones are ready? I'll take them to the dining room."

Jiang Yubai's ears twitched, and she handed the big pot of food in her hand to Ji Huan, "This is ready. I'll take the steamed buns over later."

Ji Huan took the bowl and glanced at the little rabbit before him. Seeing that the little rabbit didn't want to interact with him, and being truly exhausted after a busy afternoon, Ji Huan simply glanced at Jiang Yubai once more before carrying the bowl to the dining room.

Jiang Yubai waited for Ji Huan to leave, her eyes slightly reddened. She had angered her both last night and today, yet she still spoke so softly to him. Jiang Yubai couldn't help but want to be closer to Ji Huan.

She bit her lip, forcing herself back down. She took a few deep breaths, and once her composure had returned to normal, she carried the bowl to the dining room. The

atmosphere at the table was strangely eerie. Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai didn't speak much, and the occasional words were spoken by Ji Qiao, who ate her steamed bun, glancing from Ji Huan to Jiang Yubai before docilely falling silent.

Although Ji Huan was still eating his own meal, when he glanced across at Jiang Yubai, he noticed that the little rabbit across from him was also distracted, eating only half as much as usual.

Ji Huan pursed his lips, pondering for a long moment, but ultimately remained silent. Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, he said, "I'll go wash the pots. You two can go rest."

With that, he stood up and began to clean up. Jiang Yubai also stood up. "No need. I'll do it. You and Qiaoqiao have worked so hard. I'll do it."

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan, took the dishes from Ji Huan's hand, and began to clean up.

Ji Huan was truly exhausted. Her body was tired, her mind was fuzzy, and she really didn't want to try to guess what Little Rabbit was thinking. She simply nodded and went out to boil some water. She and Ji Qiao were covered in dirt and needed to scrub off before going to bed.

Ji Qiao returned with a basin. Looking at her two sisters, who hadn't spoken to each other the entire time, she was also trembling with fear, not daring to speak.

Ji Huan saw that the water was almost done, so she filled some for Ji Qiao and filled a basin for herself, leaving the rest for Little Rabbit, who was still washing dishes. She didn't say much to Jiang Yubai, but simply turned down the kitchen fire to keep the water from getting too cold.

After completing these tasks, Ji Huan returned to the guest room with the basin.

Ji Qiao noticed her sister was going in the wrong direction, confirming that the two sisters were arguing. She glanced around anxiously, unsure of what to do, so she returned to her room with the basin.

Elsewhere, the Ji family's atmosphere was even more gloomy. In the dining room, Ji Mantun puffed on his pipe. His gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on Ji Yuan.

"Ji Yuan, I heard someone in Xiniu Village passed the exam this year and someone went home to announce the good news. I've been waiting since daytime, but no one has come to announce the good news. Does that mean you didn't pass again?" Ji Mantun asked coldly.

Ji Yuan was also a little panicked. He knew he had failed. The questions looked familiar to him, but he couldn't answer them at all. At best, he could fill the paper. Whether he got them right or not was beyond his control.

"Dad, I've been frightened too much these days. The Yu family has let my classmates in the library isolate me. I'm really mentally unstable. Please give me another chance. Next year, wait for next year, I will work hard and strive to pass the exam to become a scholar. Dad, Mom, please trust me again." Ji Yuan said hurriedly. He hasn't caught the rich Kunze yet.

Ji Mantun blew out a smoke ring and sighed heavily. "Third brother, you also know the current situation of our family. Ten acres of land were divided to Ji Huan and others. There are only twenty acres left at home. Ji Huan is gone, and there is one less person to farm at home. Our family no longer has the money to support you to study in the county. What's more, you have failed the exam every time for five years. I think it's better to forget it."

"Dad, then all my previous studies would be in vain? And the money the family spent on me before would also be in vain. Dad, give me another chance. Mom, please persuade Dad for me." Ji Yuan said in a panic.

"Come on, you've been taking exams for five years and you can't even get a scholar. Dad and Mom won't be able to see you pass the imperial examination in their lifetime. You should spend less money and come back to farm." Ji Sen rolled his eyes at Ji Yuan.

Ji Ming quickly agreed, "That's right. Your studies cost money, and the family is missing a laborer. We didn't mind it before when we had Ji Huan, the old ox, but now Ji Huan is gone. Old Four and I have so much land that we can't even farm it all. You should come back to farm."

Ji Yuan looked at Ji Ming, then at Ji Sen. "You, you are all jealous of me. Ji Ming, Ji Sen, listen carefully. If I become successful in the county, you can't even think of taking advantage of me."

After saying that, Ji Yuan left the dining room. He hadn't used up the room and board fees he paid for the study this semester, so he could stay there for at least another month. Thinking of this, Ji Yuan packed up his things and left the Ji family.

By the time he arrived at the academy, his classmates were drunk and staggering. Many had passed the imperial examination and were returning from celebrating at Qingfeng Tower.

Ji Yuan frowned at the sight of the drunken Sun Tiansheng and the others. Then, thinking of Qingfeng Tower, he headed there.

Because the results had just been announced, the building was particularly bustling, with students from many of the county's academies celebrating. Ji Yuan didn't have much money on him, but he had often come there with Yu Bin and the others, so he was familiar with them. The waiters didn't bother to stop him. Ji

Yuan looked up at the second floor and saw several other Kunzes also dining there, some from merchant families also looking for a husband.

He was overjoyed, and just as he was about to go up, he saw a familiar figure.

Yu Bin and his friends were coming down from a private room upstairs, and they bumped into Ji Yuan.

Yu Bin was furious when he saw Ji Yuan and taunted him, "Hey, isn't this Ji Yuan who's always dreaming of climbing up the social ladder? This is your fifth year taking the Tongshi exam, right? And you failed again? What a pity, why don't you let me help you?" Yu

Bin shouted in the lobby on the first floor, "Come and see, are there any families with Kunzes who are looking for a son-in-law? My classmate Ji Yuan is a perfect fit. He doesn't ask for anything else, just one of you Kunzes to give him a gigolo."

"Hahaha, a gigolo."

"Yes, Ji Yuan can't handle hardship. If anyone has gigolos and doesn't know where to give them, they must think of me, your classmate, hahaha."

"This is the great talent in our library. Ji Yuan, who hasn't passed the exam for a scholar in five years, is truly a talented person."

As soon as Yu Bin spoke, the lackeys around him began to mock Ji Yuan. For a while, the Qingfeng Building was filled with laughter. Ji

Yuan looked at everything in front of him, his face pale. In a trance, he seemed to be unable to hear the voices of the people around him.

Later, two servants took Ji Yuan away. Yu Bin recognized the servants and couldn't stop smiling.

Ji Yuan was taken to a room on the third floor by the two men, his mind still dazed. The man inside was someone Ji Yuan had met before. He was Liu Shaonan, the second son of the wealthy Liu family in the county. He wasn't familiar with Liu Shaonan, but he had heard a lot of rumors about him. He was a well-known playboy in the county, who loved to have affairs with men.

Ji Yuan was immediately awakened by the shock of his sudden departure from the stool. He wanted to leave, but was stopped by the servants blocking the door.

Liu Shaonan smiled at Ji Yuan and said very comfortably: "Your reputation is like that. It's impossible for you to cling to the rich Kunze in the city. You might as well follow me. I can give you no less than them. Ji Yuan, I heard that you are a smart person. You offended the Yu family and failed the imperial examination. Your current situation is terrible. Only I can help you. Think about it carefully."

Ji Yuan swallowed his saliva, his legs were a little weak with fear, "Thank you very much for your kindness, Mr. Liu. I have something to do at home, so I'd better go back first."

Ji Yuan stood up after saying that and wanted to leave, but the two servants at Liu Shaonan's door had no intention of opening the door.

Liu Shaonan was not in a hurry, just sitting there in a leisurely manner, "Ji Yuan, think about it carefully, you will never have another chance after you leave this door, I am not the kind of person who forces people, since you are unwilling, then go, but don't regret it later."

Liu Shaonan said, and asked the servants to open the door, but Ji Yuan stood there for a long time without moving. What happened in the past few days kept playing in his mind. His family no longer approved of his studies, and today Yu Bin ruined his reputation. I am afraid that tomorrow this matter will be known to everyone. What will he do after he goes out? Go back to Dongniu Village to farm?

For some unknown reason, Ji Yuan returned to Liu Shaonan's presence, until noon the next day, when Ji Yuan came out of Qingfeng Tower and could hardly walk.

Chapter Text

Ever since leaving Ji Huan and the others' compound, Li Yunzheng has been entertaining guests in Xiniu Village. Congratulations are pouring in. This is the first time in Li Yunzheng's life that he's experienced such a prestigious event. He's completely flattered, as if he'd passed the imperial examination instead of just being a scholar.

Later that evening, as the talented people in Li Yunzheng's household gradually dispersed, his parents felt prouder than ever before.

"Yunzheng, you've truly brought honor to our Li family. Your mother and I have paid for your education, and now you've achieved honor and recognition." Li Yunzheng's father's smile remained constant throughout the day.

"Yes, Yunzheng, now that you've achieved honor and recognition, it's time for you to find a marriage. I'll have the matchmaker find you a good match. Ideally, it's Kunze from the county seat. A country girl like Kunze isn't good enough for you," Li Yunzheng's mother quickly chimed in.

Li Yunzheng's smile faded. He looked at his parents and said sternly, "Mom, Dad, I went to look for Yubai today. She's not doing well in Dongniu Village, and Ji Huan hasn't been kind to her either. I promised to marry her before."

"Yunzheng, you can't be foolish. Have you forgotten what happened back then? Jiang Yubai is a jinx, always unlucky for those close to her. You can't marry her," Li Yunzheng's mother urged, fearing that Li Yunzheng would actually marry Jiang Yubai.

"But I really can't forget her. Besides, Mom, she's been married to Ji Huan for a year now, and isn't Ji Huan still alive and well? That proves those rumors are false. Jiang Yubai isn't anything like what they say."

"Then you can't risk your life. Besides, Jiang Yubai has been married twice, and the first time she killed Zhang Tiehu during their wedding ceremony. How can someone like her be worthy of you? I won't even agree to her being your concubine," Li Yunzheng's mother continued.

Li Yunzheng thought about his mother's words and surprisingly found some truth in them. He was now a scholar, after all. If he married Jiang Yubai, she wouldn't be worthy of him, but she could be his concubine. He could persuade his parents more these days, and maybe they would agree.

The

next morning, Ji Huan also woke up early. They wanted to make Jianzhan teapots, and they still had a lot to prepare.

When she woke up, Jiang Yubai was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.

Ji Huan walked to the kitchen door and thought for a long time before retracting her hand from the doorknob. Jiang Yubai was avoiding her, and she didn't know what to say to him if she went in. Ji Huan felt a headache and turned to the backyard to pull the mule cart and go out to fetch water.

Few families in the village had wells, so Ji Huan and her family bought three large water tanks. One was used in the kitchen for cooking, and the other two were kept in the yard for daily use. A daily trip to the river was enough for daily use.

As the footsteps faded outside, Jiang Yubai's grip on the dough tightened slightly. Could it be her sister? Yes, she'd been avoiding her these past few days, and after what happened with Li Yunzheng yesterday, her sister shouldn't want to talk to her anymore. But just thinking about it made Jiang Yubai's heart ache. She'd clearly been the one to do this, yet she couldn't bear it.

She quickly wiped her hands away from her tears, reassuring herself that while her sister had been cold, she was also completely safe now. Finally, she didn't have to worry about bringing bad luck to her.

Ji Qiao's voice soon echoed from outside. She pushed the door open and said, "Sister Yubai, I'm here to help you."

Jiang Yubai quickly turned away and wiped the tears from her cheek.

Ji Qiao was naturally sensitive, and living in the Zhang family meant she had to constantly watch everyone's faces, so she quickly noticed something was wrong with Jiang Yubai.

The little girl, unable to advance or retreat, could only softly ask, "Sister Yubai, why are you crying? Did you have a fight with my sister?"

Jiang Yubai turned around, her eyes still red. "No, we're fine. Qiaoqiao, don't tell Ji Huan I cried. She's been very busy these days, and I don't want to worry her." "

But you..."

"I'm really fine. I just keep dreaming about my mom lately. I miss her a little. Ji Huan has been busy lately, so don't let my problems distract her. Don't worry, I'm really fine." Jiang Yubai forced a smile at Ji Qiao.

Ji Qiao had a feeling Jiang Yubai didn't look like he was fine, but since Sister Yubai had said so, it was difficult for her to interfere in the affairs of her two sisters. She nodded and agreed. "Okay, if you don't want to tell your sister, tell me. It's better than keeping it bottled up."

"I'm really fine, Qiaoqiao. Come help me make the porridge." Jiang Yubai was shaping the dough into buns of similar size and preparing to steam them in a large pot. Ji Qiao quickly interrupted him, trying to change the subject.

Ji Qiao had some work to do, and seeing that Jiang Yubai was really fine, she felt a little relieved.

When Ji Huan returned with the mule cart carrying water, breakfast was brought to the dining room by Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao.

Ji Huan returned and filled the three water jars, then washed his hands and went to the dining room.

Ji Qiao's eyes lit up when she saw Ji Huan coming back, but thinking that her two sisters seemed to have quarreled, the little girl held back all the words in her heart, and looked at Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai in silence.

Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai who was silent opposite him, then looked at Ji Qiao who was beside him, chuckled helplessly and shook his head, "What are you looking at? Let's eat first, there are still a lot of work waiting for us today. Once we start to light the lamps, it will only make us more tired. The fire in the cave needs to keep the temperature all the time, so in two days, it will only make us more tired." "

Sister, what about Sister Yubai? Is she going with us?" Ji Qiao wanted to create an opportunity for the two sisters to reconcile quickly, otherwise the atmosphere at home was too scary. The two sisters quarreled, and she didn't dare to breathe.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan, and Ji Huan also looked at Jiang Yubai. She felt a little aggrieved. The little bad rabbit didn't look at her or pay attention to her when they were alone together. It was because Ji Qiao was there that the little bad rabbit looked at her a few times.

But she really couldn't handle it all by herself. "Well, come with us,"

Ji Huan asked Jiang Yubai, "Is that okay?" Jiang

Yubai nodded, "Sure."

Acknowledging Ji Huan's words, Jiang Yubai quickly lowered her head and began to sip from her bowl of porridge. Her eyes were slightly red again, and Jiang Yubai didn't want Ji Huan and the others to notice, so she quickly ate to mask it. Had she and her sister become so distant that they only spoke a few words?

Ji Huan, still preoccupied with collecting clay, didn't notice Jiang Yubai's anomaly. It was Ji Qiao who noticed, and she reached out to touch Ji Huan. Only

then did Ji Huan come to her senses and look at her. "What's wrong?"

Ji Qiao, remembering Jiang Yubai's instructions, felt a little bewildered, and shook her head. "No problem, sister, what are we going to do first?"

"First, we'll go to the nearby area to collect a cartload of clay, then buy a large stone mill and some large wooden basins, and finally chop two cartloads of firewood. That should be enough for the initial preparations," Ji Huan said after a moment's thought.

When Ji Huan was talking, Jiang Yubai was listening attentively. She had not expected that firing tea cups would require so much preparation, and she also did not know what the finished product would look like. Jiang Yubai was a little worried about Ji Huan.

After breakfast, the three of them packed up and set off. They first went to the foot of a nearby mountain to collect some clay. Dongniu Village had plenty of clay, and it was right at the foot of the mountain not far from Ji Huan's house. They pulled a mule cart over. Ji Huan used his pickaxe to dig the ground, while Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao shoveled the clay onto the cart. The three of them worked quickly, and soon the cart was full.

After bringing the clay back to the backyard, Ji Huan and the others went to the village's stone mill seller and bought the largest one. It was Ji Huan's strength that would otherwise have required three or four people to lift it. Fortunately, they now had a mule cart, and they used it to pull the large millstone back to the backyard.

Ji Huan and his friends had been coming and going in the village these days, causing quite a bit of discussion. When the neighbors saw Ji Huan's purchase of a large stone mill, they couldn't help but chatter.

"What do you think is wrong with Ji Huan? She must have spent all the money she got from the family division in the past few days, right?"

"Yeah, has the Ji family driven her crazy? She bought so many things and I heard she even built a kiln in the backyard. I don't know what she's going to do with it." "

She's such a poor kid."

Ji Huan ignored the others' comments. After returning the millstone, Jiang Yubai stayed home to prepare lunch while Ji Huan and Ji Qiao went to the nearby woods to chop wood.

Although Ji Qiao wasn't as strong as Ji Huan, she was also very efficient. With Ji Qiao's help, the two of them quickly chopped a full cart of firewood. After returning once, they returned to chop another cart, working until noon before returning.

However, when they returned, Jiang Yubai had already prepared lunch for them. "Sister, Qiaoqiao, go wash your hands! You must be hungry,"

Jiang Yubai urged them to do as he brought the food to them.

Ji Huan looked at Jiang Yubai who was busy serving food, her eyes slightly deep. She hadn't hugged Jiang Yubai for several days, and the little bad bunny hadn't called her sister for several days. Ji Huan just felt itchy in her palms. She wanted to go over and hug Jiang Yubai in her arms and get close to her, but she also had to respect Jiang Yubai's wishes. Jiang Yubai didn't want to get close to her right now.

Ji Huan sighed and rubbed her itchy hands. If Jiang Yubai didn't want to, what else could she do? She had to endure the itch.

Ji Huan pouted and went to the yard to get some water to wash her hands. When she came back, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao were already sitting in the dining room.

The three of them had a simple lunch, and Ji Huan was ready to get to work. However, looking at the things piled up in the backyard, Ji Huan felt a little overwhelmed.

Ji Qiao glanced at the items piled in the backyard, swallowed subconsciously, and whispered, "Sister, what are we going to do with all this?" "

No rush, let's do it one by one." Ji Huan took a deep breath, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to get to work!

The first step in making Jianzhan teapots is to grind the clay and glaze materials brought down from the mountains into a fine powder. This step is very simple in modern times, just placing the corresponding materials in a mechanical or water-powered pestle and pulverizing them. But in ancient times, it was different. Ji Huan only had the stone mill to rely on. Fortunately, she had bought a mule beforehand; pulling the stone mill by hand would have been extremely tiring.

"Come on, let's set it up first." The items piled on the ground had been haphazardly placed when they were brought in, with no time to sort them out.

Ji Huan said as she reached under the stone mill, intending to upright the base, which was still lying on the ground. Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai also came to help.

The three of them painstakingly assembled the millstone. Ji Huan found a long piece of wood and nailed it to the hollow center of the millstone. She then fashioned a triangular pull mechanism to ensure the mule moved the millstone in a circular motion. Of course, the mule's eyes had to be covered with a cloth to prevent dizziness.

While Ji Huan worked on the millstone, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao were also busy. Ji Huan had them hammer the large rock glaze into smaller pieces, making it easier to grind on the millstone. Fortunately, the glaze wasn't very hard, otherwise it would have been difficult to grind on the millstone. Once

Ji Huan finished the millstone, she joined Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, and soon the three of them had broken the large rock into smaller pieces.

Ji Huan led the mule out and tied it to the triangular mechanism that pushed the millstone. Then, she covered the mule's eyes with a black cloth, and the preparations were complete.

The three of them then took turns adding crushed stones to the millstone, having the mule pull the large millstone to crush the small stones. The resulting powder was then collected in a large wooden basin.

The process was dusty and tedious, but making Jianzhan teapots is a complex process that requires a calm and steady approach.

Fortunately, after starting, Ji Huan had gradually regained the feeling he had when making teapots in his previous life. However, in ancient times, there were no masks, and the resulting dust often made people dirty. Fearing the potential harm to their health from inhaling too much, Ji Huan thought of getting a few masks, which the three of them should all wear while working.

"Yubai, this is too tacky. We're all going to breathe too much dust, and I'm worried it might be bad for us. I'll draw something and you can see if you can sew it. It'll keep out some of the dust," Ji Huan said, looking at Jiang Yubai. Now, if he wanted to talk to Jiang Yubai, he needed a legitimate reason.

Jiang Yubai's fingertips trembled slightly when she heard Ji Huan talking to her, and a faint blush spread along her ears. She and Ji Huan hadn't spoken properly in days. She longed to be free to lean into his arms and act coquettishly like they used to, but she couldn't do that now. It would hurt her sister.

Jiang Yubai clenched her hands tightly, suppressing the throbbing in her heart. She replied calmly, "Okay, I'll do my best."

Ji Qiao was adding stones to the millstone. Finally realizing her two sisters had taken the initiative, she quickly said politely, "Sister, I'll watch over here. You and Sister Yubai, go back to your rooms and do it. The dirt is really choking."

Ji Huan thought it made sense and nodded, rising. But why did Qiaoqiao's words sound strange?

She didn't think much about it, but glanced at Jiang Yubai, who was still sitting there. Since

Ji Qiao had said that, Jiang Yubai had no choice but to stand up and head to the front yard.

As she walked, her heartbeat began to accelerate, as if it was out of her control. She and Ji Huan hadn't been alone together for a few days, and Jiang Yubai was a little unsure how to face Ji Huan. Ji

Huan, who was following behind, looked at Jiang Yubai in front and sighed softly. The little rabbit still didn't seem to want to get close to her. Ji Huan reached out and wiped the sweat from her forehead, then followed Jiang Yubai back to the room.

She'd bought pens and ink ahead of time, fearing she'd need to write something. Ji Huan took out the pens and ink, then, somewhat awkwardly, picked up the brush and drew something resembling a mask on the paper. She explained, "This is it. It's best to sew two or three layers, so it's easier to block dust. Then leave four straps on each side for tying behind your head."

Jiang Yubai nodded. "Okay, that shouldn't be difficult to make."

With that, Jiang Yubai turned and went to look for fabric in the closet. Ji Huan felt a pang of pain watching Jiang Yubai, who had only exchanged a few words with her. The little bunny hadn't said as much to her as to Li Yunzheng. Just thinking about Li Yunzheng infuriated Ji Huan. What an irresponsible man! He just passed the imperial examination and got a lousy score, and he dared to show off in front of her.

Jiang Yubai took the fabric and turned around. Seeing Ji Huan still there, she pursed her lips and said, "Sister, go ahead and do your work. I'll find you guys when I'm done."

"Oh," Ji Huan replied reluctantly, but the little bunny was trying to shoo her out again.

Ji Huan, preoccupied with the Jianzhan teapot, obediently left. Only after Ji Huan left did Jiang Yubai secretly breathe a sigh of relief; her palms had been sweating.

Jiang Yubai pursed her lips and began sewing a mask according to Ji Huan's pattern. She had been a skilled needleworker since childhood, and in no time, the mask Ji Huan had requested was ready.

Jiang Yubai carried the supplies to the backyard, and the three of them donned their masks. By then, the glaze had been nearly ground, filling two large wooden basins. Ji Huan

had the mule pull the stone mill to grind the clay. While the clay looked soft, it contained many hard lumps and impurities, which needed to be ground into a fine powder.

With their experience, the three of them moved much more quickly, and in no time, the grinding was complete.

Ji Qiao led the mule back to the shed and filled its trough with hay. The mule had been a great help to them today.

The next step was filtering. Ji Huan prepared a large sieve and placed an empty wooden basin in the open space.

Ji Huan held the sieve while Ji Qiao placed the freshly ground clay onto it. Ji Huan shook the sieve to pass the clay through it, resulting in a finer and smoother texture. The glaze was sieved in the same way.

This process was time-consuming and laborious, so Ji Huan and the others divided the work. Jiang Yubai prepared dinner while Ji Huan and Ji Qiao sifted the clay and glaze. By dinner time, one and a half basins of clay and one and a half basins of glaze had been sieved, respectively.

After a quick meal, Ji Huan moved four large wooden basins into the storage room and filled each of the four basins containing clay and glaze with clean water.

This step, called aging, involves soaking the clay and glaze in water to allow impurities to rise to the surface. The next day, the water in the basins is discarded, and the soft clay and glaze are ready for use. They

worked until dark, then the three of them boiled some water and went back to rest.

Ji Huan fell asleep almost as soon as she hit the bed. Although the system had given her a boost of strength, surviving the day was still physically demanding, and this hardship was only just beginning.

The next day, the three of them woke up early, had a simple breakfast, and then continued working.

Two basins of glaze were placed in the storage room for later use. Ji Huan began kneading the clay in the wooden basin. This process required even more patience, as she had to repeatedly knead the large lump of clay in the basin. The purpose of kneading the clay was to further remove air and impurities from the clay, making it dense and uniform in moisture, which would facilitate shaping and prevent drying and cracking during later production.

"Qiaoqiao, you and Yubai, take a small wooden basin and collect some dry grass. Remember to bring back plenty," Ji Huan instructed, kneading the clay in the basin.

"Sister, what do you need the dry grass for?" Ji Qiao asked curiously.

"When I get it back later, you two should burn all the dry grass into ash. Use a sieve to sift out the finest ash and set it aside. I'll need it when I mix the glaze." After a moment's thought, Ji Huan added, "Don't tell anyone else about the steps for making Jianzhan." "

Don't worry, sister. We've memorized them," Ji Qiao said, before taking the basin and heading out with Jiang Yubai.

Ji Huan wiped the sweat from her forehead, her hands still working. Without the assistance of modern machinery, everything was truly physically demanding. She raised her wooden stick and pounded the clay in the basin, then kneaded it repeatedly with her hands. This process lasted for nearly an hour.

Only after Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had sifted out all the ash did Ji Huan stop pounding the clay. Her clothes were now soaked, and her face and forehead were covered in sweat.

Jiang Yubai stared at it for a long moment, but couldn't help herself. She took the handkerchief from her arms and walked over to Ji Huan. She glanced to the side and held the handkerchief out to Ji Huan. "Sister, wipe your sweat off. You'll catch a cold easily."

Ji Huan reached out to take the handkerchief, looking a little aggrieved at Jiang Yubai, who didn't dare look at her. In the past, Jiang Yubai would have definitely taken the initiative to wipe her sweat off. How could she be like this now, handing her a handkerchief but not daring to look at her?

Ji Huan wiped the sweat off her face, and saw that Jiang Yubai had slipped away.

Ji Qiao saw that there was still half a basin of clay in the other basin, so she volunteered to help Ji Huan knead and pound it, while Jiang Yubai went to make lunch.

Ji Huan thought for a moment, then found a wooden board and shaved it into a round shape. She then found a wooden block as a base. She cut a hole in the center of the round board and nailed a wooden stick to the block below. She then passed the board through the stick and placed it on the block, then cut the stick off at the bottom, creating a simple potter's wheel tool.

Ji Huan spun the disc, but found the feel a little awkward. She whittled and honed it with a knife for a while, adjusting it until she felt it was working properly.

After this, Ji Huan took over Ji Qiao's work, letting her help Jiang Yubai while she continued to pound the remaining half-basin of clay.

After lunch, Ji Huan asked Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to go back and rest. She would handle the next stage of the potter's wheel throwing herself. Ji Huan was eager to create a few quality cups and bowls this time, as a starting point for her career.

"Yubai, you and Qiaoqiao should go back and rest. I'll handle the afternoon myself," Ji Huan said after a moment's thought.

"Let me help you." Jiang Yubai felt sorry for Ji Huan, looking at his dusty face. She hadn't expected teacups to be so complex.

"No need. I'm the only one who can do the next steps right now. I'll teach you how to throw the clay pot after you wake up. This is a skill that takes years to master, not just a quick one. And we'll need your help tonight. The three of us need to rest in shifts, balancing work and rest," Ji Huan explained softly.

"Okay, I'll get some sleep and then I'll come find you," Jiang Yubai said quickly. Although she and Ji Huan felt awkward being alone together now, she couldn't bear to see him work alone.

"Well, you two go get some rest," Ji Huan urged them to do.

She herself went to the backyard. After hammering and kneading the clay, which had become more pliable, Ji Huan divided the large pieces into smaller balls and kneaded them. Then, using the wheel he had just made, he threw the clay pot. With the rotation of the round bowl, a small teacup was quickly formed in Ji Huan's hands.

A smile finally appeared on Ji Huan's face. In modern times, many of the previous steps in wood-fired Jianzhan teapots could be done by machines, so it wasn't as tiring as it is now. But he had finally completed the wheel throwing step.

Ji Huan made a long wooden stick to use as a tool to trim the teacup. The prototype of a teacup was formed. Ji Huan carefully picked it up, placed it on the open space to the side, and continued to wheel the next one.

About an hour later, more than a dozen teacup blanks were neatly arranged in the yard. Jiang Yubai looked at the teacups in front of her with curiosity, her eyes widening.

"Sister, can these be put into that cave and fired?" Jiang Yubai asked curiously.

Ji Huan shook her head, her hands still moving. "It's not that easy. All of these teacups need to be fired a second time. The first firing will eliminate a number that don't meet the standards. By the time the kiln is turned on again, there won't be many high-quality teacups left. That's why wood-

fired Jianzhan teacups are so precious." Even in modern times, with all the advanced technology available to teacup craftsmen, there's no guarantee of a perfect match. The firing process is full of uncontrollable factors, which can only be determined through the craftsman's experience. The most important of these is controlling the temperature inside the kiln. In this world, there are no tools to measure temperature, which is a real challenge for Ji Huan.

Ji Huan pulled a few more blanks. Sitting here required her to bend over for long periods of time, so she could only work for a while, then stand up and walk around a few times to stretch her body.

Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao were curious about the disc. Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai and said, "Why don't you try with some clay? It's not as easy as you think."

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan and nodded. If she could learn, her sister wouldn't have to work so hard.

Jiang Yubai took a palm-sized piece of clay and, imitating Ji Huan's technique, placed it on the center column of the disc. Then, she quickly rotated the disc while gathering the clay with both hands. She tried to mold it into the shape of a teacup, just like Ji Huan did. However, the mouth of her creation was sometimes large, sometimes small, resembling an irregular, narrow-necked bottle.

Jiang Yubai looked at her creation and looked at Ji Huan with a wronged look, "Sister."

Ji Huan's lips curled up slightly at the sound of the little naughty rabbit calling her "sister." She softly soothed, "This is difficult to learn. This is your first time, so making a bottle is impressive. I'll teach you later when I have time. Okay, I'll finish the rest first. You two can go back and rest for a while."

"Sister, I'm not tired. I want to learn too." Ji Qiao was also curious about how Ji Huan managed to make each blank of the same size. She and Jiang Yubai each brought a small wooden stool and sat obediently beside Ji Huan, watching him throw the pottery.

Ji Huan's hands kept moving, and seeing that the two girls were reluctant to return to their rooms, he simply explained to them: "Look, when throwing pottery, the most important thing to pay attention to is the position and strength of your hands. You can't use too much force, otherwise the blank will easily deform. You can't use too little force, otherwise the cup wall will be too thick and it will easily crack when it is fired in the cave. The hand must be steady and light, like this..."

Ji Huan said as he demonstrated. However, she knew that it would not be learned in a day or two. After all, unlike modern times, cups and bowls could be fired electrically and temperature control could be achieved during firing. Unlike today, it is completely based on personal experience.

Fortunately, Ji Huan had practiced blind firing like this before in modern times. Although the results from those times were not very good, at least he had gained experience.

As the sky gradually darkened, Ji Huan finally finished shaping the entire basin of clay into blanks. He planned to keep the remaining half for now, hoping to use it to fix any problems with the nearly one hundred teacups.

"Let's eat first." Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had already prepared dinner. Ji Huan simply washed her hands. She didn't smell good, but she had to continue working, so she didn't go back to change.

"Sister, you've been tired all day. Why don't you take a break before continuing?" Ji Qiao hurriedly said, fearing that her sister was exhausted.

Ji Huan was indeed tired, but time waited for no one. They had spent a lot of money recently. Although they had money, they couldn't just sit there and wait. The clay needed to be put into the kiln for bisque firing after it had cooled down a bit. Otherwise, if the interval was too long, the blank would easily crack.

Ji Huan shook her head. "No, I have to do the first bisque firing soon. I'll sleep after it's done." "

Sister, I'll help you with the firing. You've been tired all day. How can you handle this?" Jiang Yubai felt sorry for Ji Huan. Qian Yuan, such a beautiful woman, was now covered in dust. She was worried that Ji Huan was exhausted.

"It's not that easy. Bisque firing has a temperature rise curve. This is my first time using this new kiln, and I'm not sure how to control the temperature," Ji Huan explained softly.

Of course, she knew she couldn't work at such high intensity for long periods of time; after all, she had lost her life that way in her previous life, but there was no other way. She had to accumulate the initial capital first, and then she could rest easy.

Furthermore, after firing the Jianzhan, finding a partner was crucial. Otherwise, she would be guilty of possessing a treasure even though she was innocent. If not handled properly, this skill could get her into big trouble.

But Ji Huan was too exhausted to care about anything else. She'd been busy all day, her mind barely spinning. Only after drinking half a bowl of sweet potato porridge did she feel better. After a brief rest in the dining room, she headed back to the backyard.

She brought out the oil lamp from the house to illuminate the space, placed all the rough pieces on a yellow clay tray, and placed the ninety-odd pieces into the kiln. She sealed the door and began adding wood to the fire.

Ji Huan estimated the time while constantly increasing the temperature inside the cave. Unglazed firing requires constant heating until it reaches 750°C. Then, she had to wait for the cave to cool naturally. Once the temperature had dropped enough, she could open the door and remove the rough pieces.

Ji Huan kept adding wood, sweating profusely. Her clothes kept getting wet and then dry, then wet again. It wasn't until one in the morning that she felt the kiln was warm enough.

She urged Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to rest early, but the two girls insisted on staying with her. Ji Huan had no choice but to add more firewood from time to time while explaining the principle to them. "Preheating the unglazed clay at a lower temperature increases its mechanical strength and also removes some of the cracked and brittle pieces. The temperature should be about right now. We can remove the surrounding firewood and let the cave cool naturally."

Ji Huan shoved the firewood aside and extinguished it. Only then did she finally have time to rest.

Jiang Yubai had already prepared hot water and told Ji Huan to scrub herself thoroughly, change into clean clothes, and get a good night's sleep.

Ji Huan was truly exhausted. After scrubbing herself, she washed all her smelly clothes and hung them out in the yard before retiring to bed. It was almost three in the morning.

When Ji Huan woke up, it was already bright daylight. She felt aches all over her body as she got up. This intense labor was truly exhausting.

Ji Huan went to the yard to wash up, and saw that Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had already gotten up. They seemed to have had breakfast and had just come back from fetching water from the river.

"Why don't you wait for me?" Ji Huan said while washing his face.

"No need, sister. You were busy so late last night, and sister Yubai and I had nothing to do when we got up, so we went to fetch water. Anyway, we have a mule now, so we won't be tired." Ji Qiao said as she carried the bucket down.

Ji Huan wiped her face and went to help. She carried a wooden bucket in each hand and filled the three water tanks in a short while.

Jiang Yubai felt sorry for her because she was too tired, and hurriedly urged: "Sister, I left some rice for you in the pot, eat first and then get busy."

"Okay." Ji Huan nodded and followed Jiang Yubai to the kitchen to get food.

Jiang Yubai glanced at Ji Huan, a look of worry on her face. "Are you going to be busy late today?"

Ji Huan nodded. "I probably won't be able to sleep tonight. The second firing is crucial. We can't be careless for a moment, otherwise all our efforts these days will be in vain."

"How can I help you?" Jiang Yubai asked anxiously.

Ji Huan smiled at her and said softly, "Just take good care of yourself. Don't wait for me today. You and Qiaoqiao should go to bed early tonight. We can't have all three of us up all night. Be obedient, okay?"

Listening to Ji Huan's soft voice, Jiang Yubai felt sweet inside. She was the one who distanced herself from her sister first and got angry with her, but her sister still coaxed her so gently and thought about her.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan and gently bit her lower lip. How could there be such a good Qian Yuan in the world?

Seeing that the little bad rabbit didn't say anything, Ji Huan chuckled and continued to persuade: "You two be good, so that if I don't feel well, you can still take care of me. Otherwise, what should we do if the three of us don't sleep and get sick?" "

Okay, I got it." Jiang Yubai nodded obediently. Although she couldn't get close to her sister, she would still try her best to listen to her sister.

Ji Huan ate breakfast, stretched her muscles for a while, and then prepared to go to the backyard to work. She got up late today, and it was almost noon after she had breakfast, so she planned to work until the evening.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, not far from Ji Huan's home, several villagers sat outside chatting, their conversation turning to Ji Huan.

"Hey, do you know? Ji Huan's family was doing something yesterday. The smoke didn't stop until midnight. I don't know what they were doing."

"Yeah, yeah. I saw it when I got up at night. It was burning even more vigorously than in winter."

"Has the kid been provoked by the Ji family? What's he been doing these days?"

"I don't know. I asked Erzhuzi yesterday, and he said he didn't know." Ji

Huan, preparing to start work in the backyard, was unaware of the discussion. The temperature in the cave had completely cooled. Ji Huan opened the door and took out several yellow clay trays.

A quick glance revealed that at least five or six lamps were cracked on the first tray, and the same was true on the second, third, and so on.

Ji Huan had put in about ninety-five unfinished teacups last night, and now only seventy-three remained intact.

Ji Qiao's eyes lit up as she looked at the teacups. "Sister, this looks a bit like those expensive purple clay teacups you buy outside."

Ji Huan chuckled and shook her head. "This is just a semi-finished product. The most crucial step hasn't been done yet."

"What's the most crucial step?" Ji Qiao continued.

"Glaze the teacups, and then fire the unfinished teacups a second time." Ji Huan said, tossing the broken teacups aside.

"Sister, how can we help?" Jiang Yubai asked. She and Ji Qiao were just getting started with this and had no idea how to help Ji Huan.

Ji Huan nodded. This time, they could actually help her. "First, help me break up the yellow clay into smaller pieces and mix it with water. It'll be very useful later."

"Okay," Ji Huan said, and Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao hurried to help mix the clay.

Seeing the clay was almost ready, Ji Huan began to demonstrate how to make the kiln for the teacups. "Look, the base and walls should be about the same thickness. Shape them into cylinders like this. Don't cap them. Just follow my standard. Give it a try." "

Okay," Jiang Yubai nodded and began kneading them as Ji Huan instructed. Ji Qiao did the same. Fortunately, they were both skilled and meticulous. While they were a little unskilled the first time, their kiln skills improved over time.

Ji Huan began by watering each of the bisque-fired blanks one by one. This made it easier to apply the glaze later and ensured a tight bond between the glaze and the blank.

Ji Huan then reached the crucial step: mixing the glaze. She poured a portion of the glaze into a large wooden basin, slowly added clean water, and quickly stirred it with a wooden stick until it formed a thin paste.

Ji Huan reached out and picked up a little glaze, feeling it carefully. With a rough estimate, she poured the prepared wood ash into the pot in small amounts, repeatedly adding it. She didn't stop until she felt the consistency was just right. Then, a pot of red clay glaze was ready. She cleaned off any impurities on the surface, and the glaze was ready to use.

Ji Huan put the wood ash aside, leaving only the glaze and the unfinished teacup. "Yubai, how many saggers have you made? Bring me a few so I can see if they're usable."

"Okay," Jiang Yubai replied, placing the saggers she and Ji Qiao had made next to Ji Huan.

Ji Huan checked them, confirming they were usable, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan curiously, wanting to see what he was going to do next.

Ji Huan picked up a teacup blank and, gripping the base of the blank with one hand, dipped it into the glaze. She gently swirled the cup, spreading it evenly. Then, with her backhand, she poured the excess glaze into the basin. She then turned the cup upside down and dipped it again. Just before the bottom, she paused, leaving a stop line. The section below the stop line remained untouched, a custom dating back to the Song Dynasty.

She paused for a moment, ensuring the glaze had stopped flowing. Only then was she finished glazing the first blank. She repeated the process again, one after another. Ji Huan could barely hear the noises outside, completely absorbed in the work. By the time all the cups were glazed, the sun was almost setting. She

then needed to air dry the cups and remove any excess glaze from the blanks, ensuring the finished Jian teacups would look their best.

After dinner, Ji Huan rested for a while. The cups and bowls were almost dry. Next came the crucial second firing, the crucial step in making Jianzhan teapots.

Ji Huan asked Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai to help him apply a thick layer of wood ash powder to the bottom of the sagger to prevent the cups and bowls from sticking to the sagger during firing. Then, he carefully placed the cups and bowls inside, one on top of the other, until they were half a person's height.

Ji Huan carried the stacks of saggers into the cave. Fortunately, she wasn't firing many cups and bowls at the moment, otherwise this small cave wouldn't have been able to meet her needs.

After all seventy-three saggers were inside, Ji Huan took a deep breath and closed the cave door. What followed would rely on both her experience and luck.

"Sister, are we still going to burn until midnight today?" Ji Qiao asked curiously. She was intrigued by her sister's work. Normally, she saw only farm work and household chores at home, and she had never imagined herself participating in cup and bowl making.

Ji Huan looked at the little girl and smiled, "It's not that easy. It will take a whole day and night plus three hours of uninterrupted firing. The temperature must be controlled just right and you can't be careless at all, otherwise all your efforts will be wasted."

A normal second firing takes a full thirty hours. Then the firewood must be removed and the temperature in the kiln must be slowly lowered to below 100 degrees before the kiln door can be opened. Of course, if it were in modern times, electric firing could save a lot of time, but now it was in ancient times, and Ji Huan was the only one with experience in firing teapots.

"A whole day and a night? Wouldn't you be exhausted?" Jiang Yubai's eyes turned red when he heard this, and he continued hurriedly: "Can't Qiaoqiao and I help you?" "

Really, I can't. I don't know how confident I am in firing the finished product this time. You two go and rest first. After this batch of tea cups are fired, I will have a good sleep. Don't worry, we don't fire these every day. We need to rest for at least six or seven days after firing each time. I'm not alone. You and Qiaoqiao need my care. I will take care of myself."

Seeing that Jiang Yubai was not only not comforted but was about to cry, Ji Huan hurriedly continued: "I want to eat meat tomorrow. Buy me some meat to supplement it, okay?"

As he said that, Ji Huan took out a hundred coins and put it in Jiang Yubai's hand, "Be obedient. The things at home still depend on you and Qiaoqiao."

Jiang Yubai sniffed and held back his tears, but still said: "Then I will stay with you for a while before going to sleep."

"Sister, I will stay with you for a while too. It's too early now and I can't sleep." Ji Qiao was unwilling to go back either.

Ji Huan looked at the two of them and nodded helplessly, "Okay, stay with me for a while and then go back to rest early."

"Yeah." Ji Qiao quickly responded obediently.

Ji Huan began adding firewood, gradually raising the temperature inside the kiln. Maintaining a high temperature and a favorable reducing atmosphere during firing is crucial. Jianzhan firing is a skill that relies heavily on the kiln itself; if the timing, degree, and frequency of reducing heat aren't mastered, the desired glaze color won't be achieved.

Once the teacups were in the kiln, Ji Huan had to focus on controlling the temperature; otherwise, he'd likely produce only defective cups. As

the firewood slowly increased and the sky darkened, Ji Huan urged the two girls to bed while he watched over the kiln in the backyard.

The first half of the night was fine, but by the second, Ji Huan was feeling sleepy. To stay awake, he would stand up and pace back and forth to mitigate the effects of sleepiness.

However, the night was exhausting, and at daybreak, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao arrived to bring him food.

"Sister, can't you rest for a while? Can't we help watch the fire?" Jiang Yubai asked hurriedly.

"It'll only take a short while. A cup of tea is the limit. I'll finish my meal and go to the restroom. You guys keep an eye on me for a while. No need to add more firewood. Just wait until I come back," Ji Huan said, quickly eating breakfast.

When she returned from the restroom, she began adding firewood again, relying on her experience. She herself was sweating profusely from the heat. By noon, Ji Huan had almost completely worn out from sleepiness and was unusually alert. She used her experience to judge the temperature inside the kiln and continued adding firewood. Noon was the time when the sun was out, and the temperature inside the cave was even higher. Ji Huan's clothes were almost never dry.

During this period, they even ran out of firewood. Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had to pull a mule cart and chop another load of firewood to barely meet the demand.

Time slipped by, and soon it was night again. Ji Huan continued to urge Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to rest, while she continued to add firewood. The kiln had to reach a maximum temperature of around 1300 degrees before it could be stopped. A few hours should be enough.

Ji Huan waited until three in the morning. She was completely sleepy, relying solely on willpower to keep her going until she felt the kiln was warm enough, then she removed the firewood.

Ji Huan sniffed her clothes, feeling almost breathless. She took the oil lamp and went to the kitchen, ready to boil some water to wash up before going to sleep. Then she heard a noise at the door.

"Sister, I'll boil some water for you. You should go back and rest." Jiang Yubai came into the kitchen, carrying the oil lamp.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Ji Huan forced her eyes open, trying to appear alert and not worry Jiang Yubai.

"You woke up after sleeping for a while. Let me do it. You should rest for a while," Jiang Yubai said, grabbing Ji Huan's wrist and pulling her aside from the stove.

Jiang Yubai quickly started boiling water. Ji Huan leaned against the wall, watching Jiang Yubai. She could barely keep her eyes open. She was tired, her head ached, and she longed to hold her little bunny for a good night's sleep.

But the little naughty rabbit wouldn't let her touch it, and Ji Huan pouted in grievance.

Seeing Ji Huan leaning against the wall, nearly asleep, Jiang Yubai felt even more distressed.

She hurriedly said, "Sister, after you're done scrubbing yourself, go to bed. I'll help you wash your clothes." "No, I'll wash them myself tomorrow morning." She couldn't bear to ask Jiang Yubai to wash her clothes.

Seeing her almost asleep, Jiang Yubai hurriedly said, "Sister, the hot water is ready."

"Okay, I'll get the basin." Ji Huan's mind felt like it was rusted, unable to function without prompting. She was so exhausted, and the intense work made her feel like her head was about to explode.

Bringing the wooden basin over, Jiang Yubai insisted that Ji Huan not carry it anymore. She filled it with hot water, then added cold water, and carried it back to Ji Huan's room.

After Jiang Yubai left, Ji Huan changed out of her smelly clothes, scrubbed herself thoroughly, changed into clean clothes, and finally fell asleep on the bed.

Jiang Yubai had been standing in the yard, listening to the silence in Ji Huan's room, but the oil lamp was still on. She went to Ji Huan's door and pushed it open a crack. Seeing that Ji Huan was already asleep, Jiang Yubai carefully pushed the door open and went in.

She tiptoed to the bedside and helped Ji Huan pull up the quilt. Then she carefully cleaned up the room.

She took the waste water out of the wooden basin and poured it out. After that, Jiang Yubai put all the clothes that Ji Huan had changed into the basin, carried the basin out of Ji Huan's room, and put the basin in the storage room.

Jiang Yubai planned to get up early tomorrow morning to help Ji Huan wash all the clothes. She had not slept well at night, always thinking about Ji Huan. Now that Ji Huan was asleep, Jiang Yubai could go back to sleep with peace of mind.

However, Jiang Yubai woke up early the next morning. When she got up, Ji Qiao was already in the kitchen cooking.

Seeing Jiang Yubai emerge, Ji Qiao greeted her with a smile, "Sister Yubai, I made some porridge. Come over and have some."

Jiang Yubai nodded. "Okay, Ji Huan is still asleep. Leave some for her to warm up in the pot."

"Well, I don't know when my sister went to bed last night." Ji Qiao felt sorry for her sister. She had never felt any family affection in the Ji family before, and now that she finally had her sister to protect her, she didn't want anything to happen to Ji Huan.

"She was busy until three in the morning last night and didn't go to bed. Let her sleep a little longer. Let's not disturb her," Jiang Yubai said, taking a few sips of the rice porridge.

It was just her and Ji Qiao, so they simply ate breakfast in the kitchen.

After breakfast, Jiang Yubai took out all the clothes that Ji Huan had changed out of the previous night and fetched two large wooden basins. She soaked Ji Huan's clothes in them and washed them. As she washed, the tips of Jiang Yubai's ears turned red.

Ji Huan's underwear was also inside. But Jiang Yubai, thinking that as Ji Huan's wife, washing Ji Huan's underwear shouldn't be a big deal, swallowed her shyness and continued scrubbing diligently.

Seeing Jiang Yubai washing clothes so early in the morning, and judging by the style and color, the clothes clearly belonged to her sister, the girl couldn't help but lean over and ask, "Sister Yubai, are these my sister's clothes?"

Jiang Yubai's ears flushed, but her hands continued to scrub. "Well, she was too tired last night, and I had nothing else to do, so I washed them for her."

Then, Jiang Yubai quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Qiaoqiao, didn't your sister say she wanted some meat? Can you buy some?"

Jiang Yubai handed over the copper coins. The girl nodded and hurried out to buy the meat.

However, lunch was still shared between Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao. Ji Huan was sound asleep, never waking up.

Jiang Yubai, feeling a little worried, went into the room to check on Ji Huan, making sure he was alright before leaving.

When the sun was setting, Ji Huan finally woke up. She rubbed her eyes and looked outside. She saw that the sunlight had turned orange. She quickly got up, put on her clothes, and took a basin to go out to wash.

When Ji Huan walked into the yard, she saw that the clothes she had changed last night had been hung out to dry in the yard. Just as Ji Huan was about to go to the water tank to fill it with water, she saw Jiang Yubai coming out of the kitchen.

Ji Huan looked at the clothes hanging in the yard, and she had some idea in her mind. It must be Jiang Yubai who washed them for her.

But when she saw that there were also her underwear in it, Ji Huan felt a little embarrassed.

Seeing Ji Huan staring at the clothes, Jiang Yubai's ears turned slightly red, and he hurriedly said, "We both left some food for you. Come and eat it later."

"Okay." Ji Huan nodded, but still couldn't help but said, "Yubai, did you wash my clothes for me?"

Jiang Yubai nodded obediently, her eyes fixed on Ji Huan's legs, not daring to meet her gaze. "Sister, go wash your face! I'll get you some food. I've even prepared the braised pork you requested yesterday." Jiang Yubai

finished her words and immediately ran off, no longer discussing laundry with Ji Huan.

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly. She missed the rabbit meat more than the braised pork. If she could just hold the little rabbit in her arms and have a good sleep, that would be much more helpful than the braised pork. Unfortunately, the little naughty rabbit was always avoiding her. Still, the little rabbit cared about her. He'd stayed up so late last night and even boiled water for her. The little rabbit just said one thing and meant another.

"Sister, I'll take it all to the dining room for you," Jiang Yubai said, carrying the wooden tray in her hand. Ji Huan followed behind her, a smile on her face.

Ji Qiao was overjoyed to see Ji Huan awake, and immediately came over. "Sister, are you still tired? Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Rest today. We'll start the kiln tomorrow morning, and then we'll know if all our hard work these past few days has been in vain," Ji Huan said as he entered the dining room.

Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had already eaten, and now Ji Huan was just accompanying him. Ji Huan was really hungry. She had slept through both morning and lunch, so the food tasted delicious, especially the braised pork. Meat wasn't something Ji Huan really liked in modern times, but after such a long period of no oil in ancient times, he actually started to enjoy it. After

eating for a while, Ji Huan noticed the two girls across from him staring at him, and felt embarrassed. "Would you two like to eat more?"

"We've already eaten. Come on." Jiang Yubai was relieved to see Ji Huan's healthy appetite. It was really worrying that he hadn't rested for so long.

"Okay." Ji Huan continued to eat hard. When he was almost done, Ji Qiao poured him some hot water.

Looking at Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao in front of him, Ji Huan felt warm in his heart. This is what a family should be like. How could they be considered a family before in the Ji family?

On the other hand, the Ji family had been under a cloud of gloom these past few days. At the dinner table, Ji Sen started to complain again, "Dad, there are so many jobs in the fields. When can we finish them? When will Ji Yuan come back? Why is he still staying in someone else's study when he can't even pass the exam? He used to use studying as an excuse, but now he doesn't come back to work. I won't work tomorrow."

"Yes, Dad, even Yulan and the fourth son's wife have gone to the fields to work together. It's unacceptable for the third son, Qianyuan, to do nothing." Ji Ming was also very tired.

Ji Mantun, not caring about eating, took two puffs from his pipe and sighed heavily. "Alas, five years, and all that money has gone to waste. How about this, Ji Ming, Ji Sen, you two go to the county town tomorrow morning and bring Ji Yuan back. He's not meant to be an official." "

That's better," Ji Sen muttered. Otherwise, he'd feel unbalanced if Ji Yuan didn't work.

The next morning, Ji Ming and Ji Sen set out. When they arrived at the study, they went straight in to look for Ji Yuan.

However, Ji Yuan wasn't there at all. Seeing someone in Ji Yuan's bedroom, Ji Ming asked, "Isn't Ji Yuan at the academy?"

Wang Lu glanced at Ji Ming with disdain in his eyes, but still said, "Ji Yuan has married into a wealthy family. How could he live in a place like the study?"

Ji Ming was delighted to hear this. The third brother had no other abilities. First, he hooked up with the young lady of the Yu family, and now, in such a short time, he'd hooked up with someone else?

"Then may I ask where should we go to find Ji Yuan?" Ji Ming asked hurriedly. If Ji Yuan really hooked up with a rich man, then they could also benefit from it.

"Where else can we go? Qingfeng Tower." Wang Lu said with a pout.

Ever since Ji Yuan hooked up with Liu Shaonan, they no longer dared to mock Ji Yuan openly. After all, the Liu family was still quite wealthy, even not inferior to the Yu family. However, privately they still looked down on Ji Yuan. After all, it was simply immoral for one Qian Yuan to be a plaything for another Qian Yuan.

Ji Ming and Wang Lu thanked them and hurried to Qingfeng Tower to find Ji Yuan. However, their clothes were really tacky. As soon as they entered Qingfeng Tower, they were stopped by the servants inside. The cost of living here was very high. Just by looking at their clothes, the servants knew that Ji Ming and Ji Sen had no money.

"Why are you stopping us? I'm here to find my brother Ji Yuan." After Ji Ming finished speaking, he wanted to rush in, but was stopped by the servants.

"What Ji Yuan? I've never heard of him. If you're here to cause trouble, get out of here right away. This isn't a place where just any Tom,

Dick, or Harry can act like a spoiled child." Tianxianglou has a strong backing, and the servants are quite domineering. "How dare you talk like that? My brother has someone behind him." Seeing the large number of servants, Ji Ming panicked, but he remained firm.

The leading servant waved his hand, "Alright, stop talking nonsense with them. Just throw them out first."

As the servants were about to throw them out, Ji Sen saw Ji Yuan, dressed in gorgeous clothes, in the lobby on the first floor. He shouted, "Ji Yuan, Third Brother, come over and help us! These people are blocking us from entering."

Ji Yuan vaguely heard someone calling him, and when he turned around, he saw Ji Ming and Ji Sen being blocked at the door.

Ji Yuan hurriedly smiled apologetically at Liu Shaonan and said a few words before walking to the door. "What's going on?" "

Oh, it's Master Ji. These two people are causing trouble, and we were just about to kick them out. We're sorry to bother you and Master Liu." The servants were very respectful to Ji Yuan because of Liu Shaonan.

Ji Yuan put away his folding fan and waved to the servants. "I know these two people. I'll go out and talk to them. Let them go." "

I'm so sorry, Master Ji. We really didn't know they were here to see you. Please don't take it personally." The leader hurriedly smiled apologetically. Ji Yuan and the others didn't take them seriously, but they couldn't afford to offend Liu Shaonan and the others.

Ji Yuan nodded and waved his hand nonchalantly for them to move aside.

Ji Sen was staring at Ji Yuan's clothes with his eyes wide open. Ji Yuan was wearing a yellow and white silk gown. The clothes were obviously made of high-quality materials. Looking at the hair crown on Ji Yuan's head, it looked like a hair crown made of pure gold. Ji Yuan was now dressed like a nobleman. Ji Sen almost couldn't recognize him.

Seeing the two people staring at him in a daze, Ji Yuan immediately became impatient and pointed to the door. "Alright, if you have anything to say, go out and tell me. I'm still busy here."

With that, Ji Yuan ignored the two people and walked out of Qingfeng Tower. Ji Sen and Ji Ming quickly followed Ji Yuan.

After walking a distance, Ji Yuan said, "Okay, let's talk here if you have anything to say."

Ji Ming looked at Ji Yuan's clothes, rubbed his hands and said, "Dad asked us to come and tell you to go back to farm. He said that you failed the child exam this time, and there is nothing to do in the county."

Ji Yuan frowned and said impatiently, "What do you mean by nothing to do? Don't you see that I have important things to talk about every day? You go back and tell my parents that I will not go there in the future. As for the money for my studies, I will find a way myself, so they don't have to worry about it. In the future, they can just treat me as if they don't have a son."

Ji Ming became anxious when he heard this, and hurriedly said, "Third brother, what do you mean by this? Now that you are successful, you want to sever ties with us, right? That won't do. My parents spent a lot of money on your studies before. You can't be so heartless." "

That's right, third brother, I'm still waiting for your support. I am your brother after all, you can't ignore me." Ji Sen also hurriedly said.

Ji Huan impatiently took out a palm-sized cloth bag from his arms and threw it to Ji Ming, "There are dozens of taels of silver in it. Take it back to your parents and tell them that my fate with the Ji family ends here. Don't come to me again in the future, otherwise I won't be so polite to you like today."

After saying that, Ji Yuan ignored Ji Ming and Ji Sen and walked straight to Chunfeng Tower. He is not short of money now, but it is only superficial. Liu Shaonan looks handsome, but he plays big and extravagantly in private. His body can hardly bear it, but Ji Yuan enjoys the treatment of being the center of attention. If he leaves Liu Shaonan, he will become a real peasant like Ji Ming and Ji Sen. Ji Yuan would rather be slept with by Liu Shaonan than go back to the village to be a peasant.

Ji Ming looked at the exquisite purse in his hand and asked, "What should we do? Ji Yuan won't listen to us."

"Brother, you are stupid. Ji Yuan said so. Since we can find him, it's okay. Anyway, if we get the money, we can go back and explain to our parents. We can come to Ji Yuan to ask for money again after some time." Ji Sen looked at the purse in Ji Ming's hand, his eyes shining.

Ji Ming was afraid that Ji Sen would use it for gambling, so he quickly put the money away, "This is for my parents, don't even think about it."

"Who cares." Although he said so, Ji Sen's eyes never left the purse.

The two took the money back to Ji's house. Ji Ming repeated everything Ji Yuan had just said and handed the purse to Ji Mantun.

Ji Mantun's hands were shaking with anger. "Did he really say that? Should we pretend he's not our son? How could he be so heartless? Your mother and I treat him the best in this family. How could he do this?"

"Dad, it's okay. If he doesn't come back, then he doesn't. Just give us money regularly. Look at that purse. There should be quite a bit of money in there." Ji Sen's eyes lit up as he looked at the purse.

"You only care about money. He's your own brother." Ji Mantun cursed Ji Sen, but honestly opened the purse and poured out the money. It

was all silver. There were five ingots of ten taels each, and the small change should have added up to over ten taels. Ji Mantun's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Ji Yuan to give them so much.

"So much? Does that mean Ji Yuan has really made it?" Ji Mantun's face was filled with uncontrollable joy.

"Of course, Dad. My third brother is so impressive. Even the servants in Qingfeng Tower have to call him Master Ji. He's a big shot now," Ji Sen began to brag.

"But he doesn't recognize me as his father anymore." Ji Mantun's joy at the sight of the silver was tempered by this thought.

"What's the big deal? If he doesn't recognize us, we can all go look for him together. Once we find his door, why worry he won't let us in?" Ji Sen had already made up his mind. It was so hard to find a wealthy family member, so he had to seize the opportunity. He was itching to get his hands on it.

"Ji Sen has a point," Liu Fengmei nodded, and the family began to plan how to ask Ji Yuan for money.

Meanwhile, Ji Huan, who had slept almost all day yesterday, woke up early, ate breakfast, and immediately went to the backyard. Now that the temperature in the cave had almost dropped, Ji Huan rubbed her hands and prepared to start the kiln.

She had put all her effort into firing the teacups this time, a total of seven or eight days. The final result lay in the kiln. Whether these eight days of hard work would pay off depended entirely on the teacups inside.

Ji Huan took a few deep breaths before opening the kiln door and pulling out the stacks of kiln pots.

Removing the teacup from the sagger is actually quite easy. Just tap the two saggers gently with a knife where they meet, and the saggers will separate without much force.

Many modern short video platforms, seeking to attract traffic, display kiln openings, are in fact completely fake.

Ji Huan retrieved a sickle from the pile of firewood and gently tapped the saggers. Sure enough, the saggers quickly separated. Ji Huan slowly opened the first sagger, revealing a teacup with a black glaze on the outside. Inside, tiny silver specks shimmered, like countless tiny silver needles woven together in a pattern of irregular yet remarkably harmonious colors.

"It really worked!" Ji Qiao's eyes lit up, and she hurried over to take a closer look.

Ji Huan examined the teacup. Tiny crystal bubbles formed within the body, while the glaze had overflowed from the sides during firing, staining some of the area below the seal with black glaze. To Ji Huan, this teacup was a complete defective product. In the past, he would have simply smashed it.

Ji Huan sighed, lifted the first teacup, and examined it carefully. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad. Wood-fired teacups are difficult to control the temperature at every point in the kiln, so the color of each teacup from the same kiln might vary.

Jiang Yubai noticed Ji Huan sighing and asked, "Sister, isn't this one quite good? Why are you sighing?"

"Look, there's some glaze leaking below the seal, and there are a lot of small bubbles at the bottom of the cup. The overall color is okay. It's just a defective piece, but let's put it aside for now." Ji Huan said, handing the cup to Jiang Yubai.

It was the first time Jiang Yubai had seen such a complex pattern on a teacup. Especially since the background color behind the countless tiny silver needles inside the cup was black glaze—a style she had never seen before.

Ji Huan continued hammering on the second kiln's sagger. This one was even worse. The glaze inside hadn't completely melted, and the glaze on the cup's walls had adhered directly to the kiln, completely sticking to it.

"This one has a bigger problem." Ji Huan, undeterred, continued to hammer away with the hatchet, and soon the third teacup came into view.

Compared to the previous two, this one was quite complete. Ji Huan carefully examined the inside of the teacup. It was stained with golden oil droplets, and the blue-black background of the cup gave it a dignified and elegant feel.

Ji Huan picked up the teacup and examined its walls. The color of the teacup's walls was similar to the inside of the cup, both with golden oil droplets and a blue-black background. The glaze at the seal was also relatively smooth, and there were no noticeable small bubbles inside or outside the cup, making it a qualified product.

Ji Huan carefully picked up the teacup and wiped it thoroughly with a cloth beside him. The golden oil droplets on it shone even brighter. "Look at this teacup! This is the finished product."

Ji Huan smiled as he handed it to Jiang Yubai. Jiang Yubai examined it, astonished. She had watched Ji Huan glaze the teacups. Each one was clearly glazed with the same red clay, so how could the colors be so different after firing?

"Sister, how do you achieve these different colors?" Jiang Yubai compared the two teacups, astonished.

Ji Huan smiled and explained softly, "The clay and glaze used in these teacups contain high concentrations of iron. Iron and several other minerals react with high temperatures. I constantly add firewood during the firing process, causing the temperature inside the kiln to fluctuate. This changes the temperature accordingly, which is why Jian teacups are said to have a single color when they enter the kiln, but a myriad of colors when they come out."

Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao were confused, but they still thought Ji Huan was quite impressive.

Ji Huan then began to slowly open the kiln, a process similar to opening a blind box. She had no idea whether the teacups inside the next kiln would be good or bad.

However, her luck was quite good this time. She opened eight finished teacups, and nineteen with minor flaws. As for the remaining forty-six teacups, all had either sticking to the bottom or the glaze hadn't melted. These were all major flaws, so Ji Huan smashed them directly.

Ji Huan breathed a sigh of relief as she gazed at the teacups before her. She was already quite satisfied with having produced eight finished cups under such simple conditions, and she wasn't about to sell them all. She planned to test the waters with the nineteen, which had minor flaws.

She didn't have many acquaintances in the county town, and she had no idea of ​​the realities of Daliang. If she rashly created a brand new teacup without backing, she would soon become a target, and she might not know how she died. She needed a backer. The Yu family

wasn't enough; she needed someone with more influence to collaborate with. As for where to find such a backer, Ji Huan figured she might have to ask Yu Bin for help. Thinking of this, she said to Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, "I'll go to the county town this afternoon. I need to think carefully about how to sell these teacups."

"Okay, I'll go get the food ready. Sister, can these teacups sell for a lot of money?" Ji Qiao looked at Ji Huan with bright eyes.

Ji Huan nodded, "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be."

If a partner is found, the scale of the kiln firing can be expanded. They can build a dragon kiln on a nearby mountain, just like the dragon kilns built on the mountains during the Northern Song Dynasty. The early stages of preparing the ingredients can also be handed over to the people below. This way, they can save a lot of trouble and produce more tea cups in one firing. But the prerequisite is to find a reliable partner.

Ji Huan was thinking about selling Jianzhan while eating. After lunch, she hurried to the town. Ji Huan had just left for less than an hour when Li Yunzheng, who had not been seen for several days, came to Dongniu Village again, ready to look for Jiang Yubai.

He had been drinking with his classmates in the county town almost every day these days. With the status of a scholar, even if he failed to pass the imperial examination in the future, he could still get a job in the county town with his status as a scholar. Therefore, Li Yunzheng had been very proud of himself these days.

Chapter Text

Li Yunzheng quickly arrived outside the courtyard where Jiang Yubai and the others lived. Li Yunzheng had been delighted the last time he visited, but this time, he discovered that Jiang Yubai's house was a newly built brick structure. Even the walls were made of blue bricks. It looked even better than his own.

Li Yunzheng's brows furrowed, and he cursed in a low voice, "Ji Huan, you poor bastard, why are you pretending to be so powerful? You've built your house in this state. Do you think you'll ever live to do that?" After

scolding him several times, Li Yunzheng straightened his clothes and knocked on Ji Huan's door.

Someone soon opened the door. Jiang Yubai saw the person outside frowning slightly. He had already made everything clear to Li Yunzheng last time, so why was he still here?

"What's the matter?" Jiang Yubai said coldly, his hands holding the wooden doors on both sides without any intention of retracting, as if ready to close them at any moment.

"Is Ji Huan here? Let's talk standing by the door, okay?" Li Yunzheng saw Jiang Yubai, his face full of smiles.

"Just say whatever you want to say. You're Qianyuan, so I can't let you in," Jiang Yubai said without letting go.

Li Yunzheng saw her guarded look and immediately became unhappy. He had been flattered to the skies by his fellow villagers and family members these days, and he couldn't stand Jiang Yubai's attitude. He immediately said in dissatisfaction, "Yubai, I'm afraid this isn't appropriate. We're old acquaintances after all. You don't have to be so defensive with me, right?"

Jiang Yubai glanced at Li Yunzheng and said calmly, "If you have something to say, please speak up. If not, I'll close the door."

Seeing that Jiang Yubai was really about to close the door, Li Yunzheng immediately became anxious. Holding the door on one side, "Wait, I have something important to tell you. I've had a lot of social engagements in the county these days, so I didn't have time to come to see you, Yubai, I've discussed it with my family. Although it's a little different from what we agreed on before, we can be together after all. You know I'm a scholar now. As for Qianyuan, there are plenty of Kunzes. My mother means that you come to our house and be my concubine first."

Li Yunzheng looked at Jiang Yubai's face as he spoke. Seeing that Jiang Yubai didn't react, he continued, "Don't worry, based on our relationship, I will definitely not treat you badly. If I marry a wife in the future, I will definitely let her treat you well. If you think it's okay..."

The more Jiang Yubai listened, the more disgusted she felt. Was she crazy at the time? She actually pinned her hopes on such a person. Jiang Yubai didn't want to listen anymore. She immediately pushed the door hard, trying to close it, but the power gap between Qianyuan and Kunze was huge. Jiang Yubai couldn't close the door even with all his strength.

Fortunately, Ji Qiao saw it and hurried over to help, "Sister Yubai, let me help you."

As she said that, the little girl glared at Li Yunzheng again, "Do you still have any shame? Didn't you hear that my sister doesn't want to talk to you?"

Li Yunzheng looked at Ji Qiao for a few times, but smiled, "Are you the Ji Qiao who divorced Zhang Liangcai? What a pity."

Ji Qiao saw his eyes sweeping towards her, and she became even more angry, "You scoundrel, why don't you get out of here quickly? If my sister finds out, she will definitely not forgive you."

Li Yunzheng laughed loudly when he heard Ji Qiao say that, "Ji Qiao, your sister is just a mud leg with no fame, what can she do to me? Let me tell you, I am now She is a scholar, but even I don't have to kneel when I see the county magistrate. Do you think I'm afraid of her? "

Li Yunzheng continued gritting his teeth and said, "When your sister comes back, remember to tell her that I want to marry her wife as a concubine. If you know what's good for you, let her divorce Jiang Yubai quickly. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."

As he said that, he looked at Jiang Yubai again and advised, "Yubai, just listen to me. Don't think that you will be a concubine if you follow me. I am a man of honor and fame. Maybe I will be an official in the future. Ji Huan is not worthy of me. You'd better not be stubborn. My patience is limited. If you miss this time, it will be difficult for you to be my concubine in the future."

"Are you crazy, Li Yunzheng? I said I will not leave Ji Huan. Since you don't listen, there is nothing more to say. Qiaoqiao, close the door hard." As he said that, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao worked together to push the gate of the yard.

Li Yunzheng was just an ordinary Qianyuan, and since he only studied on weekdays, he wasn't very strong. Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao exerted all their might, and the door was instantly shut.

Jiang Yubai quickly locked the wooden door. Outside, Li Yunzheng continued to ramble, "Jiang Yubai, don't be so ungrateful. If you don't agree to my request, I'll go find your family. Your father and brother would be overjoyed if they knew I wanted you as a concubine. Don't be silly. Ji Huan is just a worthless peasant. What's the point of following her? Will you live a life of poverty?"

Ji Qiao was nearly in tears, but the little girl didn't know how to argue. For a long time, she rushed to her sister's defense. "That's not right. My sister is the best Qianyuan in the world. You can't compare to her. Sister Yubai won't go with you."

The little girl tugged at Jiang Yubai's sleeve, looking at him aggrievedly, fearing that he would be snatched away.

Jiang Yubai's face was grim. She reached out and gently patted Ji Qiao's hand. "Let's go back. There are still a lot of things in the backyard that haven't been cleaned up. Let's go and clean them up. Ignore him. This kind of person, the more you talk to him, the more excited he becomes."

"Okay." Seeing that Jiang Yubai was unwilling to pay attention to Li Yunzheng, Ji Qiao breathed a sigh of relief. The little girl secretly looked at Jiang Yubai and spoke softly on Ji Huan's behalf: "Sister Yubai, my sister is a very good person, not like what that person just said. She can also make tea cups. She will definitely lead us to a good life in the future. Please don't go with others, okay?"

Jiang Yubai nodded and patted the back of Ji Qiao's hand soothingly. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. But let's not tell Ji Huan about what happened today. She has been working so hard on the tea cups these days, and I don't want her to worry about these trivial matters at home."

Ji Qiao thought about it and it was true. Her sister had been working almost non-stop during the days when she was making tea cups. As soon as she had some free time today, she went to the county town to run business. Ji Qiao also felt sorry for her sister and didn't want her to worry.

"But what if he comes again?" Ji Qiao asked worriedly.

"I won't go out alone these few days. If necessary, you can go out with me. With the two of us together, even if we run into Li Yunzheng, he won't dare to do anything." Jiang Yubai thought for

a moment and said. Ji Qiao nodded, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

After Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao finished talking, they began to get busy. Ji Huan had told them not to throw away the broken porcelain pieces, so Jiang Yubai simply swept the broken porcelain aside and cleaned the backyard again.

Ji Qiao was not idle either. She first fed the mule with hay, and then cleaned the shed where the mule was kept.

Ji Huan on the other side had just arrived in the county town. She hurried to the Yu family with four teacups in her arms. When she arrived at the door of the Yu family, Ji Huan took out the black jade sign that Yu Bin had left for her.

"Everyone, I'm a friend of Yu Bin. I came to see him about something. This is the jade token he left for me."

Several gatekeepers stepped forward to take a look at the waist token. Seeing that it was real, the leading servant immediately sent someone in to report and returned the jade token in his hand to Ji Huan.

Not long after, the servant came out trotting and invited Ji Huan into the house for a detailed discussion.

Ji Huan followed the servant who led the way and soon arrived at a pavilion. Yu Bin was reciting poems and drinking with several friends there. Seeing Ji Huan coming, he hurriedly stood up to greet him.

"I was talking about you to my sister yesterday. I didn't expect you to come today. It's perfect. Come sit down and have a few drinks with us." Yu Bin didn't mind Ji Huan's tattered clothes at all, and warmly invited Ji Huan to have a drink with them.

Ji Huan glanced at the other dandies, then returned his gaze to Yu Bin. "Brother Yu, I called you here today because I have something serious to discuss. Could you please..."

Yu Bin immediately understood that Ji Huan had something to discuss privately, so he called out to his friends, "You guys drink first. I'll have a few words with my friend and be back."

With that, Yu Bin led Ji Huan up to the third floor of the pavilion, where he found a quiet study.

Yu Bin had two cups of tea served, using the same celadon porcelain utensils Ji Huan had seen at Qingya Teaware Shop last time.

"You must be exhausted from all this travel. Have some tea and rest." Yu Bin also took a sip of tea. Fortunately, he hadn't drunk much alcohol recently, otherwise he wouldn't be able to entertain Ji Huan right now.

"Okay." Ji Huan picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea before speaking, brewing his words. "Brother Yu, I really did come here to ask for your help. We're quite familiar with each other, so I won't keep you in suspense. I wonder if your family sells teacups."

Yu Bin nodded. "Of course we do. My family has several teacup shops in the county."

Ji Huan nodded and took out the package. As he unwrapped it, he said, "I've made a few teacups lately, and I'd like to ask Brother Yu to taste them for me."

"You can make teacups?" Yu Bin's eyes lit up. In Daliang, skilled teacup burners were highly regarded. After all, the people of Daliang loved drinking tea, and there were many wealthy nobles who enjoyed collecting teacups.

"Of course I can, but my teacups are completely different from the existing ones in Daliang. They're called Jianzhan teacups," Ji Huan said, taking out the four teacups from the package one by one.

As soon as he saw the first teacup, Yu Bin's eyes widened. This first teacup was covered with golden oil droplets. The wall of the teacup was blue-black glaze, and it was covered with golden oil droplets, which looked luxurious and noble.

Yu Bin couldn't help but pick up the teacup and looked at it carefully.

He swallowed several times in his throat and looked at the other teacups. The colors of the teacups were different, and they were all styles he had never seen before.

Yu Bin shouted to the outside, and soon, the two little maids who were waiting at the door pushed the door open and came in.

"Tell the people drinking downstairs to disperse. I have important things to discuss with my friends today and I don't have time to take care of them." Yu Bin hurriedly ordered, and he was sober from the drunkenness just now.

"Yes." The maids hurriedly left as ordered.

Yu Bin fondly examined several teacups, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Ji Huan. "I've seen teacups crafted by many renowned artists since I was a child, but I've never seen anything like yours. Ji Huan, if you were to sell these teacups to affluent individuals, they could fetch a fortune each. How about this: you bring your teacups to our shop, and we'll split the proceeds three-quarters and you seven-quarters."

Ji Huan smiled and shook her head. Yu Bin's thinking was too simplistic. If that were the case, she wouldn't have to worry so much these past few days.

"Why? You don't want to? You can split eight and I'll split two," Yu Bin continued.

Ji Huan sighed, looked Yu Bin in the eye and said, "Brother Yu, it's not a matter of money. It's just that an innocent man is guilty of possessing a treasure. Your Yu family has certain strength in Qingyuan City, but what if we compare it with all the powerful people in Jiangbei Road? What if we compare it with the powerful people in the whole Daliang?"

Seeing that Yu Bin was thoughtful, Ji Huan continued, "My Jianzhan is unique in the whole Daliang. Once this thing enters the market, it will quickly be sold at a high price. But I will also soon become a target and be targeted by many people. If I am not careful, I will be shattered to pieces. So I came here this time to ask Brother Yu for advice on the current situation. I want to see if I can find a backer."

Ji Huan spoke directly to Yu Bin, wanting to see if Yu Bin could help her. She was only in a small county now, and she couldn't contact big people. She knew nothing about the overall situation in Daliang. The only person she could ask was the Yu family. After all, the Yu family was one of the best merchants in Qingyuan City. They had trade relations with all over the place. To be the richest man in the county must be no simple matter.

Yu Bin also nodded. "I thought too simply, Ji Huan. You are really not an ordinary person. You can trust me so much and show me this Jianzhan directly. Then I will tell you the truth. Our Yu family can gain a foothold in Qingyuan County. In fact, it is not just relying on ourselves. It's just that the people behind our family are quite powerful. It is not convenient for me to tell you in detail. If you trust me, I will take your teacup to explore the way for you."

Ji Huan pursed his lips and thought for a while, his fingertips tapping on the table.

Yu Bin noticed Ji Huan's concerns and said, "Don't worry. You saved my sister's life. I, Yu Bin, will never harm you. You just mentioned Jiangbei Road. No one in the entire Jiangbei Road dares to mess with the people behind my family. You know how turbulent the current situation is. Daliang may appear prosperous, but it's rotten inside. The old emperor is obsessed with cultivating immortals, and the two princes in the court have formed their own factions. There are also many places where uprisings have already occurred. It may not be long before Daliang is in chaos."

Ji Huan was surprised to hear Yu Bin say this. After all, their small county seemed peaceful and stable, not at all like it was about to cause trouble.

"Brother Yu, can you tell me more about Daliang? You know I'm in the village all day, so I'm really not familiar with these facts," Ji Huan asked hurriedly.

"Okay, I'll tell you if you don't mind."

Yu Bin took a sip of tea and then spoke, "The current old emperor is called Sheng Yuan. He has believed in Taoism since he was a child. He has been seeking immortality and taking elixirs every day since he got on the plane. His body has long been broken. Therefore, he has a total of five children. One of them, Kunze, died, and the remaining four are all Qianyuan, two boys and two girls. However, the two princesses were not favored by the emperor, and they were sent to their respective fiefdoms early. Now only the crown prince Sheng Jun and the second prince Sheng Teng are left in the capital. The next emperor is likely to be one of these two."

Ji Huan nodded, but she didn't think so. Maybe the two princes would fight to the death, and in the end, the two princesses outside might take advantage of the opportunity.

After listening to Yu Bin's explanation, Ji Huan considered it for a moment before nodding his head. "Then I'll trouble you, Brother Yu,

with the Jianzhan teacups." After all, Ji Huan had no connections at the moment, and it would be a waste of time to go around surrendering with the teacups. It would be better to trust Yu Bin this time. After all, he had helped his sister before, so he shouldn't be the one to harm him.

Seeing that Ji Huan was still worried, Yu Bin patted Ji Huan on the shoulder. "Don't worry, even though I seem to be eating and drinking all the time, I'm not careless when it comes to serious matters. I'll give you an answer in half a month at most."

"Thank you, Brother Yu. I'll go back and wait for news." Ji Huan stood up and was about to leave.

"Okay, but remember, don't sell this thing for the time being," Yu Bin reminded him.

Ji Huan smiled wryly and nodded. "Jianzhan is no different from other teapots. It's very difficult to fire, and the yield is extremely low. I only managed to make a dozen this time, and even if I wanted to sell them, I couldn't bear to."

"Well, I'll come straight to your village when I get any news."

The two exchanged a few more polite words before Ji Huan prepared to head back. Even after leaving the Yu Mansion, Ji Huan was still thinking about what Yu Bin had just said. She simply wanted to earn enough money to support the two young women, not get caught up in any disputes.

On the way back, Ji Huan bought some fresh peach blossom pastries for the two young women. As they passed Qingfeng Tower, they happened to see Ji Yuan and a male Qian Yuan cuddling and cuddling. Ji Yuan was wearing a light pink robe today, and Ji Huan's lips twitched. When did Ji Yuan start liking pink?

Looking at the male Qian Yuan beside him, he was constantly touching and nudging Ji Yuan, making small gestures. Ji Huan's lips curled slightly. Did Ji Yuan seem to have changed his target and was seducing the male Qian Yuan?

Ji Huan thought they were being cheesy, so he ignored them and continued on his way. After another hour, he could finally see the village in the distance.

A little further on, he saw three black dogs sprawled by the roadside. The larger, seemingly a female, stared at him warily. The smaller puppies, barely the size of his hands, were cuddling and playing.

Unable to resist, Ji Huan opened a bag of pastries and gave each of the three black dogs a piece of peach blossom pastry. The

larger black dog sniffed, seemingly reluctant to part with it, and passed the piece in front of him to the two puppies.

The two puppies ate with innocent meows. One of them, seeing Ji Huan feeding them, trotted over on its short legs. Seeing Ji Huan looking at it, it rubbed against his trouser leg and acted coquettishly.

Another puppy then blocked Ji Huan's path, showing off its belly and twisting its body in a coquettish manner.

Seeing the two puppies liked Ji Huan, the big black dog followed them, their eyes fixed on Ji Huan.

So when Ji Huan returned to the village, he was accompanied not only by the big black dog but also by two smaller black dogs that looked like coal balls.

Ji Huan sighed. It was her fault for being soft-hearted. She'd actually been scammed by three puppies. They'd fed her once and now they were blaming her. But there was nothing wrong with having a few dogs at home. Whenever she had to go out, she always worried about the two little girls. Having these dogs was an extra layer of security. After all, the family had a large enough yard to accommodate all three.

The two smaller black dogs ran around in front, looking back at Ji Huan every now and then, afraid he'd lost him.

Ji Huan shook his head with a laugh and led the three puppies back to their yard. "Come on, go inside. I'll boil some water for you guys to wash up. Look how dirty you are, with mud on your paws."

The three puppies didn't understand what Ji Huan was saying, but they were happy nonetheless.

"Sister, where did you get those puppies?" Ji Qiao's eyes lit up when she saw the two puppies.

The two little black coal balls barked a few times in childish voices when they saw Ji Qiao coming over. It was Ji Huan who rubbed their heads to get them to recognize her. "Erhei, Sanhei, you're all family from now on. You can't be mean to those two sisters, okay?"

The two black coal balls immediately started barking softly and coquettishly. Seeing that the puppies had stopped barking, Ji Qiao came over to play with the two little ones.

As for the big black dog, he was much more well-behaved, nestling next to Ji Huan and watching the two puppies play with Ji Qiao.

"Okay, let's go boil some water for them first. After all, we picked them up from outside. I need to wash them clean before I play with them."

"Okay, I'll go boil some water." Ji Qiao was overjoyed.

Seeing how adorable the puppies were, Jiang Yubai played with them for a while, but then, as if remembering something, he quickly moved away from the puppies and silently returned to the kitchen to boil water for the puppies.

Soon, two large basins of bath water were ready. Ji Huan placed the large wooden basin in the front yard. She gave Dahei a bath, while Erhei and Sanhei were given to Ji Qiao.

Dahei was very docile and obediently let Ji Huan wash his fur. He looked so well-behaved that he looked like a fake dog.

Compared to Dahei, the two little coal balls were much more lively. They played in the water. In the end, Jiang Yubai came to help, and Erhei and Sanhei finally took a bath smoothly.

As soon as they were put into the ground, the two little coal balls ran and played in the yard.

Ji Huan prepared basins for the three dogs to put food and water in, and built a wooden shed for the three dogs with wooden boards, and spread some hay inside.

After taking care of the dogs, Ji Huan and the other two had dinner.

Over the next few days, Ji Huan was busy, spending almost every day in the mountains behind her, sometimes skipping lunch. If she found a partner, the small kiln at home wouldn't be enough to produce many cups and saucers. A larger cave would undoubtedly be needed, and the demand for raw materials would be enormous. The small amount she had found so far wouldn't be enough. Ji Huan was determined to find more.

She had been preoccupied with glaze and clay materials, leaving early and returning late every day. Naturally, she hadn't noticed Jiang Yubai's recent discomfort.

When they returned home that evening, the three of them sat in the dining room for dinner. Ji Huan noticed that Jiang Yubai looked pale, so she asked, "Why do you look so pale? Are you feeling unwell? I'll take you to see Doctor Yu later."

"No need, I just didn't sleep well last night. I'll be fine after I get some rest," Jiang Yubai said, suppressing her discomfort. Afraid Ji Huan wouldn't believe her, she emphasized, "I'm really fine. I'll be fine by tomorrow morning."

Seeing her persistence, Ji Huan said nothing. After dinner, he let her go back to bed early.

Jiang Yubai returned to her room, enduring the discomfort, and retrieved a pill from her closet. She'd bought this pill from Doctor Yu three days prior. It was supposed to suppress the discomfort associated with the rainy season.

While the pills were cheap, they also had significant side effects. Long-term use could be harmful, and the longer they were taken, the less effective they became.

Kunze in the village married young, so few people needed these pills. Kunze in the city, on the other hand, had better options and didn't need these cheap, damaging pills.

Jiang Yubai wiped the sweat from her brow, reluctantly opened the bottle, and poured a few pills into her mouth. She'd previously taken just one pill, but now, even after so many, she still felt the discomfort, which had been building up for days before the rainy season.

Jiang Yubai stumbled to the bed, finally removing her shoes and climbing into bed. She huddled under the covers, looking at the pill bottle in bewilderment, her forehead covered in sweat.

Her eyes were slightly red, and her hand holding the medicine bottle trembled slightly. She wasn't sure if her body could make it this time. Doctor Yu had said she'd taken too many of those cheap pills, and her Xinxiang was already unstable. Without Qianyuan's help, she could be in danger.

Jiang Yubai sniffed, biting her lower lip in unbearable pain. Even if her life was truly in danger, she wouldn't let Ji Huan help her.

Her sister's plan was just beginning to take shape, and she didn't want to harm Ji Huan because of her. But the waves of hot and cold in her body were almost tormenting Jiang Yubai. She sobbed softly and muttered to herself, "Why do I have to be so unlucky to others? Why do I have to be so..."

Jiang Yubai fainted from the pain at some point. When she woke up, she felt as limp as noodles, but thankfully, the alternating hot and cold had subsided somewhat.

She struggled to get up. Afraid that her pale complexion would frighten Ji Huan and the others, Jiang Yubai applied some rouge to the sides of her face to brighten her complexion.

She went out to cook. Seeing that she was not feeling well, Ji Qiao brought the meal to her, "Sister Yubai, how are you? If you are not feeling well, I will go and call Doctor Yu to you. Sister told me that before she left."

"Where did she go?" Jiang Yubai's head was dizzy, and her voice was trembling.

"At dawn, someone in the city came to look for me. Then she left with that person in a hurry. She said that she had something important to discuss in the county town, and she asked me to take good care of you at home." Ji Qiao explained hurriedly.

However, she saw that Jiang Yubai's spirit seemed to be even worse, and she couldn't help but feel a little worried: "Sister Yubai, I'd better go and call a doctor for you. You look very bad."

Jiang Yubai shook his head hurriedly, "Don't go, really, there's no need. I'm just a little tired these days. I'll go back and sleep for a while. Don't go and call a doctor."

Jiang Yubai spoke, enduring the discomfort as she closed the door. Seeing that Ji Qiao insisted on not calling a doctor, she gave up.

Jiang Yubai collapsed on the bed and fished out the small bottle of pills. Her head was groggy, her hands limp, and she had no strength left. She didn't realize how many pills she had poured out, simply shoving them into her mouth, hoping to ease the nausea.

After a long while, whether it was the effect of the medicine or she fainted from the pain, the nausea did ease slightly.

Meanwhile, Ji Huan had been picked up by the Yu family early in the morning. She was now in a private room in Qingfeng Tower. Yu Bin had prepared food and drinks and was waiting there long beforehand. Seeing Ji Huan arrive, he beamed with joy.

"Sit down! We've finally made progress on what we discussed last time. I just got back yesterday, and I sent someone to pick you up this morning," Yu Bin said, gesturing for Ji Huan to take a seat.

Ji Huan glanced around and saw that besides the two of them, there were two other Kunzes in the room, one playing the qin and the other the pipa.

Ji Huan pointed at them, "Brother Yu, isn't it inconvenient to have someone here

with you?" "It's okay. I'm just playing the qin to liven things up. Besides, I can't say much today. The person I told you about last time will be coming to Qingyuan County soon. She'll meet you in person and discuss the teacup details with you. Congratulations." "

Thank you, Brother Yu, for your help. I've been thinking about this for the past few days, and now I finally have hope." Ji Huan felt a little relieved, but she was even more curious about the person Yu Bin was talking about. Who was it that required Yu Bin to keep it so secret?

"Well, you'll be able to meet them in a few days. I invited you here early this morning. Come eat something first."

Ji Huan wasn't shy. She hadn't eaten much that morning and was hungry. The food at Qingfeng Tower was indeed excellent; it had been a long time since Ji Huan had enjoyed such a sumptuous meal. For the rest of the day, she chatted with Yu Bin while they ate.

With the Jianzhan issue finally coming to a head, Ji Huan felt a bit relieved. It was already noon when she emerged from the private room, but as soon as she did, she saw Li Yunzheng.

Li Yunzheng, who had come out with a few friends, happened to see Ji Huan as well. Seeing that Ji Huan and Yu Bin were accompanied by Kunze, who was playing the qin to entertain them, Li Yunzheng couldn't help but taunt him, "Ji Huan? I didn't expect you had the money to hire a musician? I really underestimated you."

Ji Huan gave him a cold glance, not wanting to respond. "Brother Yu, I'll be leaving now. You should get some rest as well."

"Okay, I'll see you in a few days,"

they exchanged a few more pleasantries before Ji Huan left. By the time she left, Li Yunzheng had vanished.

Since she'd already eaten, Ji Huan decided to stroll through the county market and buy two tender, glutinous pig's trotters to bring back for the two girls.

Afterward, Ji Huan made her leisurely way back from the county.

Li Yunzheng arrived at Dongniu Village an incense stick's worth of time earlier than Ji Huan. Ever since his last disagreement with Jiang Yubai, Li Yunzheng had been planning to use Jiang Yubai's father and brother to force a divorce between Jiang Yubai and Ji Huan. However, he had been in the county town these past few days, attending numerous reunions with his classmates. As a result, he had been staying at the academy and hadn't had time to return to Xiniu Village to address this matter.

He finally had some free time today, and unexpectedly ran into Ji Huan at Qingfeng Tower. He also noticed that Ji Huan and his friends had invited Le Ji to accompany them. Li Yunzheng decided to head straight to Dongniu Village, intending to exaggerate his situation in front of Jiang Yubai. Later that afternoon, he would return to the Jiang residence to persuade Jiang Yubai's father and brother to agree to a divorce, allowing Jiang Yubai to become his concubine.

Li Yunzheng arrived at the Ji residence's gate, and it was Jiang Yubai who opened it.

She had slept all morning and now felt a little better, but she was still hot and cold, and her hands and feet were weak and she had no strength. However, she was much better than in the morning and could at least get out of bed.

Ji Qiao was cooking in the kitchen at this moment. When Jiang Yubai heard the knock on the door, she thought it was Ji Huan who had returned. She went to open the door with joy, but she didn't expect that the person outside was Li Yunzheng.

Jiang Yubai was about to close the door when Li Yunzheng forcefully pushed it open from the outside. "Why are you in such a hurry to close it? Think again about what I told you last time. Ji Huan isn't a good person. I saw her at Qingyuan Tower today. She was with a male Qianyuan and had several Le Ji (music girls) with her, all of whom were beautiful women. Yubai, don't be foolish. Ji Huan isn't a good person either. I advise you to divorce her immediately."

Jiang Yubai's face was already pale and her mind was confused. Li Yunzheng's words made her face even paler. Her already unclear mind felt like it was filled with a mess, and all she could think about was Ji Huan finding another Kun Ze at Qingfeng Tower.

Jiang Yubai stumbled a few steps. If she hadn't been clinging to the doorframe, her legs would have collapsed long ago.

Her hands and feet were weak, and cold sweat dripped down her forehead. Tears had already welled up on her face, and they mixed with the sweat and dripped down her cheeks.

"No, no, Sister isn't that kind of person. She won't look for another Kunze." Jiang Yubai's consciousness gradually blurred, and the intertwined sensations of hot and cold intensified, nearly causing him to collapse.

Ji Qiao, who was still cooking in the kitchen, heard the commotion outside and rushed out, supporting Jiang Yubai from behind.

Seeing Jiang Yubai's body trembling, Ji Qiao immediately glared at Li Yunzheng. "Why are you here again? Sister Yubai doesn't want to see you. Do you not understand what I'm saying, or what's wrong?"

Ji Qiao was naturally gentle and never cursed, but this was the harshest thing the young girl could say.

She hurriedly supported Jiang Yubai and anxiously asked, "Sister Yubai, how are you? Don't be afraid, I'll take you to see a doctor. I'll take you to see a doctor right now."

Ji Qiao was about the same height as Jiang Yubai, and her eyes were red with anxiety, but she could barely support Jiang Yubai and could barely take a few steps.

Ji Qiao was also worried that if she left Jiang Yubai at home alone, Li Yunzheng would harm her, and the little girl was almost crying.

Li Yunzheng saw Jiang Yubai's state and said, "Look at her, she's like this, where is Ji Huan? If you don't want Jiang Yubai to die, leave her to me. I'll take her to see a doctor."

As he spoke, Li Yunzheng tried to grab her.

Ji Qiao supported Jiang Yubai while reaching out to push Li Yunzheng, "Go away. Sister Yubai won't go with you. How can you be so shameless?"

"Shameless? I'm a gentleman enough. People should follow the first come first served principle. I knew Jiang Yubai before Ji Huan. We were childhood sweethearts. I'm the one who should marry her. Do you understand? It's your sister who is shameless. You don't understand anything!" Li Yunzheng also became anxious. He reached out and grabbed Jiang Yubai's left wrist, trying to pull her into his arms.

Ji Qiao used all her might, but Kunze was naturally weak and was no match for Li Yunzheng. She had no choice but to cling to Jiang Yubai's waist tightly and refused to let go.

Just then, three black dogs rushed out of the yard. Two small and one large started barking wildly at Li Yunzheng. The big black dog even bit Li Yunzheng's trouser leg and pulled him back. The two little coal balls followed suit, pretending to be fierce and barking at Li Yunzheng while holding his trouser leg and pulling him back.

Li Yunzheng was not afraid of the two puppies, but after meeting the big black dog's eyes, Li Yunzheng immediately became intimidated. After all, the big black dog was quite big. Li Yunzheng loosened his grip on Jiang Yubai's wrist and took a few steps back.

He also kicked Erhei, sending him flying. Erhei barked in frustration, but thankfully, he wasn't hurt.

Li Yunzheng pointed at the three dogs. "Okay, Ji Huan's puppies, huh? They're just as mean as their owners! Sooner or later, I'll have you all caught and stewed."

"Woof woof woof..." Dahei barked wildly at Li Yunzheng, as if afraid Jiang Yubai and the others would get bullied. The three dogs quickly returned to Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, protecting their owner. Ji Huan

was almost home by then. From a distance, she could hear bursts of barking. It sounded like her own pets, the coal balls. Ji Huan's heart immediately lifted. The dogs were a little darker, but they were usually very obedient. They definitely wouldn't make that kind of noise when they were playing in the yard.

Thinking of this, Ji Huan immediately ran towards the house. Sure enough, she spotted the uninvited guest at the door from a distance.

When Ji Qiao saw Ji Huan coming back, she couldn't control her tears anymore, "Sister, please go check on Sister Yubai, she's not feeling well."

Ji Huan glared at Li Yunzheng coldly, and hurriedly took Jiang Yubai from Ji Qiao's arms. Jiang Yubai had his eyes closed at this moment, and his body was shaking unconsciously.

Li Yunzheng was afraid that Dahei would bite him, so he stood far away. However, when he saw Ji Huan holding Jiang Yubai's slender waist, he couldn't help but scold: "Ji Huan, why are you pretending to be so arrogant? You just ordered Kunze to accompany you at the restaurant in the county town, and now you want to be attentive to Yubai when you come back. You don't waste time on either."

Ji Huan was worried about Jiang Yubai's health, so he looked at Li Yunzheng coldly, "Get out, I don't have time to take care of you now, Li Yunzheng. If there is a next time, don't blame me for being rude to you."

As she said that, Ji Huan picked up Jiang Yubai in her arms and carried her sideways, preparing to carry Jiang Yubai back to the room. As she walked, she instructed Ji Qiao beside her: "Qiaoqiao, bring more money to invite Doctor Yu over. Remember, be quick."

Ji Qiao nodded quickly, took the silver and ran to Doctor Yu's house.

Li Yunzheng saw that no one paid any attention to him. The three black dogs were still squatting outside Ji Huan's courtyard, staring at him fiercely. Li Yunzheng was afraid of being bitten, so he cursed in a low voice: "Ji Huan, just wait for me, I won't let you have your way." After that, he walked forward while cursing, looking back every few steps to glare at the three black dogs.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan carried Jiang Yubai back to her room. Just as she was about to lay her on the bed, Jiang Yubai drowsily opened her eyes. Her face was covered in cold sweat, and she felt completely powerless. She couldn't even tell if she was dreaming or in reality.

Jiang Yubai could barely see Ji Huan in front of her. Her eyes were red as she looked at her, sniffing with grievance. "Sister, you won't have another Kunze, right? I don't want you to have another Kunze. No way."

Ji Huan was about to explain when she heard Jiang Yubai continue to mutter, "But I'll bring bad luck to you, and I won't be able to be with you through the good times. Sooner or later, you'll end up with another Kunze, right?" Jiang Yubai sobbed

into Ji Huan's arms.

Ji Huan felt a mixture of heartache and helplessness as she watched Jiang Yubai in her arms. She was so sick, and yet she was still thinking about him.

Ji Huan hugged Jiang Yubai tighter, soothing her softly, "Don't worry, I don't have another Kunze, not now, not in the future. You're all I need."

"But it'll be unlucky for you, no." Jiang Yubai felt limp, and even after hearing Ji Huan's words, he subconsciously tried to push Ji Huan away, only to be held tighter.

"Why not? You're sick and still not listening? Be good, and I'll let Doctor Yu see what's going on." Ji Huan spoke, looking at Jiang Yubai in his arms with heartache, carefully wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. Ji Qiao

left quickly, and since Jiang Yubai had previously gone to buy medicine from him, Doctor Yu probably guessed what was wrong and followed Ji Qiao to their courtyard.

The two arrived quickly. Ji Huan, cradling Jiang Yubai in her arms, couldn't get up. She hurriedly called, "Doctor Yu, please help! What's wrong with Yubai?"

Doctor Yu found a bench and sat down beside the bed. He reached out and felt Jiang Yubai's pulse, then sighed and said, "I've told her before that long-term use of this medicine will gradually diminish its effectiveness and isn't good for her health."

"What medicine?" Ji Huan demanded.

"What else could it be? Pills to help with the rainy and dewy period. They're very effective at first, but the effects diminish with use, and they can also destabilize the internal energy. Jiang Yubai is in that state right now. She's seriously depleted. She absolutely can't take these cheap pills anymore, or else she'll be in serious trouble." Doctor Yu sighed, looking at Ji Huan with a look of hesitation.

"Then what should we do? Is there any good medicine we can afford?" Ji Huan asked hurriedly, Jiang Yubai still trembling in her arms.

Doctor Yu looked at Ji Huan and said, "There's no need to use good medicine. All medicine is poisonous. No matter how good the medicine is, it can't compare to the relief you can provide her. You are Qianyuan, and your Xinxiang can help her regulate her body. Normally, the rain and dew period is two or three days, but her body has been depleted for too long. I'm afraid it won't take seven or eight days this time."

Ji Huan was stunned by Doctor Yu's words. So, was the little rabbit secretly taking the medicine and holding it in because she was afraid of harming herself?

Thinking of this, Ji Huan felt even more distressed and reached out to gently stroke Jiang Yubai's back.

Doctor Yu took a look at Ji Huan's figure and took out a few pills from the box he brought with him and placed them on the table. "These are some tonics. If you really can't bear it, take one. Don't take too much of this."

Ji Huan almost understood what Doctor Yu meant. His face flushed slightly and he defended himself, "I'm in good health and shouldn't need that."

Doctor Yu sighed and laughed. "Ji Huan, don't be so sure. Anyway, I have collected your consultation fee. I'll put these pills here for you. It's up to you whether you use them or not. Just take good care of your wife. I won't bother you anymore."

"Okay, Qiaoqiao, please help me see Doctor Yu off." Ji Huan said, pursing his lips.

Ji Qiao obediently sent Doctor Yu out. When there was no one in the room, Ji Huan's eyes fell on Jiang Yubai in his arms again. Jiang Yubai in his arms looked miserable and his body was shaking. Ji Huan leaned over and kissed Jiang Yubai gently on the forehead.

She'd almost completed the tasks assigned by the system. As for Jiang Yubai's continued happiness, Ji Huan felt it was more reliable to rely on herself. That Li Yunzheng was a complete piece of shit; she wouldn't let her little bunny be with someone like that.

"Yubai, I'm going to feed you some incense. Be good, okay?" Ji Huan said, her gaze fixed on Jiang Yubai's tender lips. She carefully leaned in and gently pressed her lips against hers.

Ji Huan had been wanting to do this during those days of their cold war: pull Jiang Yubai into her arms and give him a good kiss, just to see if he'd keep his composure. Ji Huan's

kiss was gentle. Pulling back slightly, she nuzzled the corners of Jiang Yubai's lips, his eyebrows, and finally the tip of his nose.

"You little liar! You lied to me last night and said you were fine, but you ended up getting yourself into this mess." Ji Huan chided him, but her tone was surprisingly gentle. It had been ages since she'd held Jiang Yubai like this.

With one hand wrapped around Jiang Yubai's slender waist, Ji Huan's other hand gently nudged the tip of Jiang Yubai's nose. Then, reaching out, he slowly peeled back the plaster on the right side of Jiang Yubai's neck. Just beneath it lay the spot where Kunze's spiritual fragrance was released.

Just peeling back a corner, a rich milky aroma mingled with the scent of condensed milk washed over him, like the sweet smell of toffee.

Ji Huan's hair stood on end. Her body, altered by the system, had a strong sensitivity to Kunze's spiritual fragrance, just like Qian Yuan in this world. Especially since the person before her was someone she'd been yearning for, the toffee aroma threatened to overwhelm her sanity.

She pinched her thigh hard, her mind finally clearing slightly.

Ji Huan sensed the ripples of Jiang Yubai's spiritual fragrance, knowing she was in great pain. She quickly peeled back the plaster on the right side of her neck, letting the fragrance of roses pour out.

Ji Huan feared Jiang Yubai wouldn't be able to handle the overwhelming fragrance, so she slowly guided it down. But it was clear that it wasn't enough. Her eyes remained closed, but her body subconsciously leaned into Ji Huan's arms, whimpering, trying to absorb more of the fragrance.

"Oh, sister, I'm so uncomfortable. It's not enough, not enough..."

Ji Huan lowered her eyes to look at the unconscious little rabbit in her arms, coaxing softly, "Let's take it slow. I'm afraid it's too much, you can't handle it, sweetheart."

Ji Huan tried her best to coax her, but the little rabbit in her arms couldn't contain herself any longer. She was preoccupied with only one thing: the scent of roses. These superficial aromas weren't enough.

Jiang Yubai's warm breath brushed against Ji Huan's ear, and as if she had found the source of the fragrance, she closed her eyes and leaned in.

Ji Huan shuddered at the slight sting in her neck. She'd been holding it in for fear of hurting Jiang Yubai, but now, sucked on like that, she couldn't bear it any longer.

The tingling in her neck, mixed with the excitement, drove her almost insane. The rich scent of roses and toffee filled the room. Before her mind snapped, Ji Huan managed to say to the little rabbit in her arms, "Be good, I'll give it to you right now."

The

sun was about to set. Ji Qiao paced back and forth in the yard. Dahei rested in the kennel by himself. Erhei and Sanhei, the two little brittle creatures, ran around and played with Ji Qiao, completely unaware of her distress.

Ji Qiao's face flushed with anxiety. Dinner was ready, and she was just about to take it to her two sisters. Before she even reached the door, she caught a whiff of the rich aroma of food emanating from the room, accompanied by a low moan, followed by Jiang Yubai's intermittent sobs.

"Sister, I can't do this. It'll kill you. Stop..."

"Why not? I've been feeding you all afternoon, haven't I? You little bad bunny still got the energy to argue with me? I guess I'm not trying hard enough."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Yubai's lips seemed to be blocked by something, leaving only intermittent gasps.

Ji Qiao understood what was going on inside almost immediately and ran with the plate, fearing she might hear something even more alarming if she was too slow.

It had already been all afternoon, and the noise in the room hadn't stopped. Ji Qiao was worried about her two sisters' health, but since it hadn't stopped, she couldn't rush in to deliver the food.

Ji Qiao sighed, squatted down, took Erhei into her arms, and rubbed Erhei's little black face.

Erhei thought that Ji Qiao wanted to play with him, and his happy tail wagged like a propeller.

Ji Qiao sighed helplessly, and simply started playing with the two puppies.

After playing with the puppies for a while, the little girl was too embarrassed to go to her two sisters' room again, so she had to eat by herself, leaving a small fire in the stove to warm the food and water at the same time.

Ji Qiao moved a small stool and sat in the yard, eagerly waiting for her two sisters to come out. Fortunately, there were two puppies to play with her, so she could divert her attention. After all, sometimes Sister Yubai's barking was quite loud, and she could faintly hear it while sitting in the yard, making her little face turn yellow.

Around eight or nine in the evening, the noise in the room gradually died down. Ji Huan felt completely exhausted. She had used up a lot of Xinxiang in the past half day and was exhausted. She was sweating profusely. But thankfully, she had finally corrected her stubbornness today.

Whenever Jiang Yubai dared to say the word "ke", Ji Huan would scold her. Eventually, Jiang Yubai's legs and mouth softened, and after being scolded so much, she no longer dared to mention the word "ke" (to suppress her). Ji Huan lowered

her eyes to look at the little rabbit in her arms and breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was because of the long-term medication she had taken to suppress the rain and dew period, but once Qian Yuan soothed her, Jiang Yubai became extra clingy, unable to leave her side for a moment. They had spent most of the day in bed together.

It was so hard to endure, and his body was in so much pain, but Jiang Yubai had been enduring it for her. Thinking of this, Ji Huan couldn't help but feel even more distressed for the little rabbit. If Jiang Yubai hadn't fainted today, she would still be kept in the dark.

Ji Huan kissed Jiang Yubai on the forehead and whispered, "Little bad rabbit, you won't dare to be stubborn this time, right?"

Ji Huan kissed the corner of Jiang Yubai's lips again, got up and covered Jiang Yubai with the quilt. Ji Huan lit the oil lamp in the room, and then started to pick up the clothes scattered on the ground. She picked up Jiang Yubai's clothes and hung them up. She put on her clothes and prepared to go out to find something to eat. By the way, she helped Jiang Yubai clean up.

Ji Huan's gaze fell on the pills on the table. After a moment's thought, she found a piece of clean rice paper and wrapped them up. Doctor Yu said this condition might last seven or eight days. Ji Huan pursed her lips nervously. If the little rabbit kept pestering her like this, she might not be able to bear it. She had to put the medicine away quickly, as she might need it later.

Thinking this over, Ji Huan put the pills into her space. She turned around and tucked Jiang Yubai in again before leaving the room.

Ji Qiao watched the fire at the kitchen door, moving the fur of two black coal balls. Seeing someone finally emerge from her sister's room, Ji Qiao breathed a sigh of relief and ran towards Ji Huan, though she didn't dare get too close.

Her sister's scent was still strong. "Sister, how's Sister Yubai?"

"Much better. She's already asleep. Do you have hot water?"

"Yes, I prepared it a long time ago. I've kept the food warm," Ji Qiao said hurriedly.

"Okay, I'll get some water and go back to scrub it, and then I'll come out to get food later." Ji Huan said as he took the large wooden basin he usually used for scrubbing, filled it halfway with water, and returned to his room.

Ji Huan first cleared the wooden table, wrapped Jiang Yubai in a blanket, and carried Jiang Yubai to the table, setting him down. Then Ji Huan began to wash the sheets and mattress. The little rabbit was indeed made of water, and if he didn't change them, Ji Huan was afraid Jiang Yubai wouldn't sleep well at night.

Fortunately, Ji Huan had someone make a few extra blankets when they moved to their new home. After making the bed, she took Jiang Yubai back home and scrubbed the little rabbit. Ji Huan also scrubbed herself and changed into new clothes. She placed everything that needed washing in a large basin and took it to the yard to wash together.

Ji Qiao offered to help several times, but Ji Huan refused. It took about an hour for Ji Huan to wash all the sheets, mattress, and clothes.

After finishing all these, Ji Huan went to the kitchen to eat. She was really hungry at this moment. She picked up the food in the bowl and started to gobble it up. After a while, the whole bowl of rice was eaten by Ji Huan. She also drank a bowl of porridge.

After eating her fill, Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai's portion back to the room.

Ji Huan wanted Jiang Yubai to sleep a little longer, but she was afraid that Jiang Yubai would not be able to bear a day without eating. So she had to carefully help Jiang Yubai up, let Jiang Yubai lean on her arms, and gently rocked him awake, "Yubai, get up and eat something before going to sleep. Be good and open your eyes, okay?"

Jiang Yubai was very reluctant. He closed his eyes and hummed, rubbing against Ji Huan's arms, looking like he didn't want to listen.

Ji Huan was amused by Jiang Yubai in his arms. He reached out and gently rubbed the top of Jiang Yubai's head, continuing to coax her, "Sleep after you finish eating. Your body can't stand not eating all the time. Little bunny, be obedient, okay?"

Jiang Yubai opened his sleepy eyes, sniffed aggrievedly, and leaned against Ji Huan's right neck, coquettishly, "Sister, there's no smell. It's uncomfortable."

Ji Huan had just been out for over an hour, and the fragrance of roses in the room had faded a little. However, Ji Huan hadn't expected Kunze's passion during the Rain and Dew period to be so intense that she almost needed her to provide constant incense. Ji Huan

was afraid that Jiang Yubai was uncomfortable, so she quickly released some incense to comfort him. After inhaling the scent he wanted to smell, the little bunny finally leaned softly into Ji Huan's arms and closed his eyes to rest.

Ji Huan kissed the side of Jiang Yubai's face and coaxed him softly, "You haven't eaten for a whole day. I'll feed you something before you go to sleep. Dinner is the braised pork and cabbage made by Qiaoqiao. It tastes very good. Can I bring it to you to try?"

Ji Huan was about to let go of Jiang Yubai, and then Jiang Yubai hugged him tightly around the waist, "No, where are you going?"

Seeing the little rabbit looking like he was about to be abandoned, Ji Huan felt so soft in his heart that he hurriedly coaxed, "I'm not going anywhere. The food is on the table. I'll get it and then come back to hug you, okay?"

Jiang Yubai buried his face in Ji Huan's arms and shook his head aggrievedly, "No."

"Be obedient, I'll go over for a while." Ji Huan said as he leaned over and kissed Jiang Yubai's lips. Jiang Yubai habitually put his hand around the back of Ji Huan's neck, tilted his face up to deepen the kiss, and after a long while, he leaned into Ji Huan's arms as if he couldn't bear it anymore.

Ji Huan reached out and rubbed the top of Jiang Yubai's head. "Be good, I'll be back soon."

Ji Huan supported Jiang Yubai and let him lean on the bed behind him. Then he quickly went to the table and brought the food to Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai was about to sniff and act coquettishly when he saw Ji Huan had returned, so he continued to lean on Ji Huan's arms obediently.

Afraid that Jiang Yubai would get tired, Ji Huan directly took a spoon and fed Jiang Yubai. The little rabbit was really hungry, and he finished the whole bowl of food in no time, even feeling a little reluctant to finish it.

"Sister, is there anything left on the table?" Jiang Yubai licked his lips, his eyes falling on the table.

Ji Huan probably guessed that Jiang Yubai was not full, so he reached out and rubbed the top of Jiang Yubai's head, saying softly, "Qiaoqiao also made some white porridge. Can I feed you some more?"

Jiang Yubai buried his face in Ji Huan's shoulder and rubbed it, then nodded softly.

Ji Huan then got up to serve the porridge, feeding it to Jiang Yubai bit by bit.

After finishing her porridge, Jiang Yubai started to get a little naughty again. She reached out from under the covers, hooked her hand around Ji Huan's belt, and began to untie it. With red eyes, she looked at Ji Huan and pleaded, "Sister, I'm hungry again. Please feed me more~"

Her voice was soft and delicate, and Ji Huan immediately understood what Jiang Yubai meant by "hungry." However, she hadn't expected Kunze's rainy period to be so difficult. He was coming back just moments after she'd rested.

While Ji Huan was lost in thought, the eager little rabbit had nearly untied her belt. Seeing the little rabbit in her arms aroused once more, Ji Huan resignedly returned to bed and fed it well.

The next few days were similar. The first few days were fine; Ji Huan could still come out for meals, wash the bedding, and so on. But the next few days, things got worse. Ji Huan couldn't even leave the house. Ji Qiao had to bring their meals to the door each day.

By the sixth day, the medicine Doctor Yu had left for Ji Huan finally came in handy. Ji Huan finally understood the severity of Kunze's rainy and dewy period. He couldn't handle it, absolutely couldn't. Without the tonic, Ji Huan wouldn't have been able to handle the little rabbit.

Finally, on the eighth day, Jiang Yubai's rainy and dewy period finally passed. After these days of Ji Huan's care, Jiang Yubai's health improved significantly, and her disturbed sense of smell had mostly subsided. She felt refreshed. However, Ji Huan was so exhausted that his whole body ached, especially his wrists. Ji Huan felt like he wasn't himself anymore.

Jiang Yubai removed and washed the used bedding and sheets, and replaced the bed with new ones. Ji Huan, exhausted, collapsed into bed to catch up on some sleep.

Seeing Ji Huan so exhausted, Jiang Yubai's ears immediately turned red. She had been a bit unrestrained these past few days, but she had been sticking with her sister every day, and her sister was fine. It seemed that the saying that she was unlucky was indeed wrong. She could now be with her sister peacefully.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan who was already asleep in bed, helped Ji Huan pull up the quilt, and then carried the wooden basin out of the room.

Ji Qiao had been very worried these past few days, afraid that her two sisters would not be able to bear it, especially in the last two days. The two sisters had been making too much noise. Except for cooking, Ji Qiao was embarrassed to stay in the yard. Seeing Jiang Yubai coming out of the room refreshed, Ji Qiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Qiao hurried over and asked, "Sister Yubai, are you okay?"

Then she glanced behind Jiang Yubai. "Where's my sister?"

Jiang Yubai's face flushed slightly at the question. "She's asleep in her room."

Jiang Yubai quickly changed the subject, "Qiaoqiao, you've been working hard these past few days. I'll make dinner."

"No, no, Sister Yubai, you can wash the bedding and other things. I'll make dinner," Ji Qiao said quickly. The girl finally breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her sister was okay.

As Jiang Yubai washed the bedding, her face flushed more and more. At first, she had clearly refused to let her sister touch her, but why had she become so clingy in the last few days?

Jiang Yubai didn't dare to think about it; the mere thought made her mortified.

Ji Huan was woken by Jiang Yubai during dinner. Compared to Jiang Yubai's energetic appearance, Ji Huan looked rather listless, almost exhausted, her eyes barely open. She managed a bite of her meal, though, and then fell back to sleep.

The next morning, Jiang Yubai's body clock returned to normal, waking at dawn. She glanced at Ji Huan, who was fast asleep.

She quietly rose from her bed and went to the courtyard to make breakfast. Ji Qiao had been taking care of them for so many days, and she couldn't keep her busy any longer.

However, Ji Huan remained fast asleep even as daylight deepened. Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao ate breakfast and then took the mule cart out, first chopping a load of firewood and then fetching a load of water from the river.

They ran into someone they knew at the riverbank. From a distance, Ji Qiao spotted Ji Wen and several other well-dressed men fishing by the river.

"Sister Yubai, look over there, isn't that Sister Ji Wen?" the girl pointed.

Jiang Yubai looked over and nodded. "It's Ji Wen indeed."

There was some distance between Jiang Yubai and Ji Wen, and since he was with a friend, they didn't bother him. After fetching water, they drove the mule cart home.

Ji Wen was fishing with Yu Ting by the river. Yu Ting had come to see her three times this month. Ji Wen couldn't understand why Yu Ting, a nice young lady, didn't stay in the county town and instead came to a village like theirs all day. What was so fun about that?

Soon there was movement in the river. It seemed that Yu Ting's fishing rod had caught a fish. She excitedly reeled in the rod quickly. What was caught was a crucian carp the size of a palm, which was now jumping around in the water. Yu Ting dodged the splashes of water made by the small fish and asked Ji Wen for help with a smile, "Sister, look at it, it made me all wet, help me."

Ji Wen hurriedly put down his fishing rod, reached out and grabbed the small fish the size of a palm, took the small fish off the hook, and put it in Yu Ting's fish basket, "Okay." "

Sister, you are so awesome."

Ji Wen straightened up and met Yu Ting's bright eyes. Her ears trembled, and she quickly looked away, picked up the fishing rod she had just thrown on the ground, and continued fishing, but the blush on her ears betrayed Ji Wen.

Yu Ting naturally noticed it too. She came up to Ji Wen with her own fishing rod, looking at him with a smile in her eyes. "Sister, we've known each other for quite some time. Would you like to invite me to your house?"

Ji Wen hadn't expected her to say that. "Forget it. My house is very simple and there's nothing much to do. Besides, you don't need to come over so often in the future. The county town is not close to us. It takes half a day to go back and forth. You've learned how to fish, so you should come over less often in the future."

Yu Ting hadn't expected Ji Wen to say that. The little bit of romance that had just arisen in her heart was immediately extinguished by Ji Wen's straightforward remarks. Her eyes immediately reddened, and she stared at Ji Wen and took a deep breath.

Ji Wen felt something was wrong and immediately went to look at Yu Ting. She saw Yu Ting crying softly. She immediately panicked. She had said everything, why did she cry all of a sudden? She immediately ignored her fishing rod and threw it down and hurried over to Yu Ting.

"What's wrong with you? Did I say something wrong just now?" Seeing the young lady crying, Ji Wen wanted to wipe Yu Ting's tears with his sleeves, but he was afraid that Yu Ting would dislike him, so Ji Wen stretched out his hand, but finally retracted it.

Seeing that Ji Wen finally tried to coax her, but failed, Yu Ting cried even more sadly, "Sister, do you hate me and find me annoying? If you really think so, then I won't bother you in the future."

"I never thought about it that way. I'm just afraid that you're too tired. Otherwise, I can go to the county town to find you next time." Ji Wen has been honest since he was a child. He has never made anyone cry since he was a child. For a while, he didn't know how to coax her.

"That's what you said. Then why don't you coax me when you see me crying?" Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen resentfully while crying.

Ji Wen was so flustered when she saw that she had made someone cry. She had never coaxed anyone before. After thinking for a while, she used her sleeve to carefully wipe Yu Ting's tears. Her voice was also a little gentler than before, "I'm not very good at talking, and I've never coaxed anyone before. Please don't be angry, okay? I apologize to you. I'm sorry, please don't be angry."

Seeing Ji Wen wiping her tears, and Ji Wen just saying that he had never coaxed anyone before, Yu Ting's mood improved a little, but she still felt it was not enough. She leaned forward, slipped, and fell directly into Ji Wen's arms.

Afraid that Ji Wen would find out that she did it on purpose, Yu Ting grabbed the hem of Ji Wen's waist with both hands, "Sister, my feet are numb, can you help me?"

Yu Ting looked up at Ji Wen with wet eyes. Ji Wen just glanced at her, and the tips of her ears unconsciously turned red. She put her arms around Yu Ting's lower back so that Yu Ting could lean on her.

"Are you feeling better? Let me help you up." Ji Wen felt that it was not good to hold someone like this, so he wanted to help Yu Ting up first, and then he felt Yu Ting buried herself in his arms.

"Sister, my legs are weak, let me lean on you to relax for a while." Yu Ting's voice was a little coquettish, and she rubbed Ji Wen's arms lightly with grievance. Her whole weight was placed on Ji Wen, so that Ji Wen had to hold her tighter.

She buried her face in Ji Wen's arms and found that it was just as she thought. Ji Wen had a faint white peach fragrance on him. She took a few breaths and didn't want to get up even more.

And judging from Ji Wen's reaction of red ears just now, he must have been shy because of her teasing. Yu Ting really didn't expect that she could meet such a pure-hearted female Qianyuan. For a moment, her heart was even happier. Her sister Wen had never coaxed others, but only coaxed herself. When she thought of this, Yu Ting didn't want to get up from Ji Wen's arms even more.

Ji Wen was having a hard time. On the one hand, she was thinking about not taking advantage of others, but on the other hand, she couldn't let Yu Ting fall. She had to hold Yu Ting's lower back tightly with both arms to prevent her from falling. In just a moment, Ji Wen's face flushed red. She had never hugged Kunze like this before.

"Are you feeling better? Let me help you sit up." Ji Wen felt that her hands around Yu Ting's lower back were getting a little hot. The person in her arms was fragrant and soft, and Ji Wen's face flushed.

"No, I don't have the strength anymore, sister, please hold me for a while." Yu Ting's voice was even more delicate than before. She buried her face in Ji Wen's arms and rubbed it. Ji Wen's body was fragrant and had the white peach scent that she liked. Yu Ting didn't want to get up at all.

How could Ji Wen withstand this? She had almost no experience with Kunze. She felt like she was about to burn. But the person in her arms kept rubbing her shoulders from time to time.

Ji Wen didn't even dare to look at Yu Ting in his arms, "Well, is that still not enough? Well, why don't you call your two maids over to help."

Xiaolu and Zhu'er were both sent outside by Yu Ting. If he wanted to call the two maids over now, they should be able to hear him if he called from here.

Ji Wen could hold her, but she was almost cooked, and her heartbeat was accelerating. This situation had never happened before, and she herself didn't know what was wrong.

"No, isn't sister Qianyuan? Hmm~ Why do you get tired after holding me for a while? Could it be that sister is not capable?" Yu Ting opened her eyes and blinked at Ji Wen obediently.

Ji Wen hurriedly explained, "It's not that I can't. I'm famous in our village for being quick at work. I'm in good health, and there's no way I can't hold you."

Hearing what Ji Wen said, Yu Ting hurriedly buried her face in Ji Wen's arms again, her eyes full of cunning. She knew Qian Yuan cared about this, so she deliberately said this, "Since sister is so capable, then it should be okay to hold me for a while longer, right? My legs are still so sore."

"No, no problem." Ji Wen replied, suppressing his blush. Yu Ting buried herself in her arms. When she spoke, the warm air flow hit her neck from time to time, making her face even redder.

After holding Yu Ting for a while, Ji Wen was sweating all over, and the person in his arms was willing to speak, "Sister, help me, I seem to be feeling much better now. Let me try to stand up."

Ji Wen's ears twitched. She kind of liked Yu Ting calling her sister. This was different from the feeling of the children in the village calling her sister. Anyway, when Yu Ting called her sister, her heart and ears were itchy.

"Okay, be careful, get up slowly, and don't sprain your ankle again." Ji Wen tried his best to lift her up, holding Yu Ting's lower back to help her stand.

Yu Ting finally stood up, and she felt Ji Wen's right hand still protecting her waist, so her legs softened and she fell into Ji Wen's arms again, but this time Yu Ting's arms were just hooked on the back of Ji Wen's neck. She stared at Ji Wen with bright eyes, "Sister, my legs are still weak, hold me like this for a while."

She wrapped her arms around Ji Wen's neck, and the distance between them suddenly became closer.

Ji Wen's face looked as if it was burned, and it was crimson. He didn't dare to look down at Yu Ting's eyes, and his eyes only dared to look around.

Yu Ting, on the other hand, raised her eyes and stared at Ji Wen's face with bright eyes. Her sister was really shy, and her face and ears turned red just by hugging herself.

Yu Ting's gaze continued downwards, landing on Ji Wen's lips. Ji Wen usually worked in the village, farming and doing housework, so she didn't have the habit of wearing rouge. However, her skin was very good, and the color of her lips was pink and light, which was very beautiful.

Yu Ting pursed her lips, and her gaze finally fell on the right side of Ji Wen's neck, where a small piece of flesh-colored ointment was applied to prevent the leakage of her fragrance. Yu Ting felt an itch in her heart. It was obviously past the season for eating peaches, so why did she suddenly want to eat peaches now?

Seeing that Ji Wen didn't dare to look at her, Yu Ting leaned on Ji Wen's shoulder, and glanced at Ji Wen's face and ear from time to time. She was happier when her sister was so shy, "Sister, have you ever liked Kunze before?"

Ji Wen felt the soft body in his arms sliding down, and hurriedly reached out to hug Yu Ting's slender waist, pulling her towards him again, and answered in a panic: "No, I haven't thought about those."

Hearing Ji Wen say this, the smile on Yu Ting's face became even more sad and bright. She rubbed Ji Wen's arms happily, and then looked at Ji Wen and acted coquettishly, "You made me cry just now, why don't you invite me to your house for a visit?"

Ji Wen always felt that this sounded weird, but he did make Yu Ting cry just now. It took a lot of effort for the eldest lady to come from the county to play with him, and it was really hard. What's more important is that she couldn't stand Yu Ting acting coquettishly in her arms like this.

"If you want to go, then go ahead. What do you want to eat for lunch? I'll make it for you as an apology. Don't be angry." Ji Wen said to Yu Ting, but she didn't dare to look at the person in her arms.

"Well, I'm not angry anymore. Just do whatever you want at noon. As long as it's made by you, I like it."

Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen with bright eyes. Seeing that Ji Wen's eyes were wandering and he didn't dare to look at her, she rubbed against Ji Wen's arms again and said coquettishly, "Sister, why don't you look at me when you talk? Am I not pretty?"

Ji Wen glanced at Yu Ting reluctantly and then quickly looked away. Yu Ting's eyes were bright. After looking at her, she felt her heart pounding. She could only reply casually, "Pretty."

"Pretty, why don't you look at me more? I think sister is pretty too." Not only is her face pretty, her hands are pretty too, Xinxiang smells nice, and she has a good heart. Moreover, she has never liked any other Kunze before. Just thinking about this, she wanted to thank Ji Yuan. If it weren't for that troublesome Ji Yuan, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet Qian Yuan who was so to her taste.

Ji Wen was already a little at a loss, and after being praised by Yu Ting, his face turned even redder, "You, don't talk nonsense."

"I'm not talking nonsense. Sister is pretty, much prettier than the other girls in the county." Yu Ting chattered as she leaned comfortably in Ji Wen's arms. She almost forgot about it. When she got home in the evening, she had to urge Xiaolu to bring the customized book back to the house. She wanted to read it so badly.

Chapter Text

After holding Yu Ting for a while longer, Ji Wen couldn't bear it any longer and urged, "Are your legs still sore? They shouldn't be, it's been so long."

"Yeah, a little better than before, but still a little numb. Sister, can you hold me for a while longer?" Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen with bright eyes, acting coquettishly.

Ji Wen could only purse his lips and glance around, but his arms held Yu Ting tightly, fearing that the young lady would fall.

Yu Ting leaned against Ji Wen for a while longer, feeling that if she continued like this, she would be exposed. She stood up slightly, looked up at Ji Wen and blinked, "Sister, I'm much better."

"Oh," Ji Wen replied twice, but his hand on Yu Ting's lower back did not loosen.

Yu Ting chuckled in amusement. "Want to hold me a little longer?"

Ji Wen hurriedly let go. She subconsciously rubbed her reddened ears and stammered, "Well, let's go. It'll be almost time for dinner soon." "

Okay, I'll do as you say." Yu Ting was overjoyed. Not only did she hold Ji Wen today, but she also had the chance to visit Ji Wen's house. Seeing Ji Wen almost gone, Yu Ting quickly followed him, begging him to "Sister, walk slower and wait for me."

Ji Wen, hearing Yu Ting's call, obediently stood there, waiting for her to come.

Yu Ting's eyes filled with smiles. She felt that her sister Wen was very similar to a well-behaved, obedient, and loyal dog: sweet, obedient, and devoted.

When they emerged from the grove near the river, Xiaolu, Zhu'er, and six other Yu family guards were waiting by the roadside. Seeing Yu Ting emerge, Xiaolu hurried to meet her.

"Miss, are we going back to the mansion?" Xiaolu asked hurriedly, having someone take the fishing rod and basket from Yu Ting's hands.

"No, we're going to Sister Wen's house. Sister Wen said she'd cook for me. We'll go back to the mansion this afternoon. There's no rush anyway."

"Oh." Xiaolu looked at her mistress, then at Yu Ting. Thinking about the notebook she'd ordered, Xiaolu was basically certain that her mistress had gotten carried away again, though this time her judgment was a little better. Ji Wen was a little dull, but his face was much more handsome than Ji Yuan's.

Yu Ting followed Ji Wen, her eyes never leaving him. Ji Wen felt embarrassed by her stares. "Watch the road, be careful not to fall." "

I'm not afraid. You're here anyway. You won't let me fall." Yu Ting continued to stare at Ji Wen. She had also guessed something from Ji Wen's reaction. At least Ji Wen had a crush on her, otherwise he wouldn't have coaxed her for so long. Just thinking about it made Yu Ting extremely happy.

When she arrived at Ji Wen's house, she was still smiling, but Feng Mei and Ji Mancang were a little at a loss.

Yu Ting reached out and tugged at Ji Wen's sleeve, looking at Ji Wen with bright eyes, "Sister, won't you introduce them to me?"

"Oh, this is my father and mother, the two over there are my brother Ji Fu, and my sister-in-law Wang Xiaoyue." Ji Wen touched the back of his neck and said a little unnaturally.

"Hello, uncle and aunt, hello, brother and sister-in-law." Yu Ting recognized everyone very familiarly, then looked at Ji Wen with bright eyes, waiting for Ji Wen to introduce herself.

Ji Wen swallowed twice before speaking: "She is my friend Yu Ting. The few times I went out, I went fishing with her."

Ji Wen went out these few times, saying that she went fishing with friends. The family thought she was fishing with Zhou Xiaochun and the others, but they didn't expect that she was going out with Yu Ting.

Feng Mei's face was immediately filled with smiles. Ji Wen and Ji Huan were the same age and were already eighteen this year, but they had never met a suitable family. In addition, her daughter had no interest in this aspect, so she had been dragging it on until now. Unexpectedly, her daughter suddenly came to her senses!

"Come in and sit down, Tingting, right? What do you want to eat for lunch? I'll ask them to buy it quickly." Feng Mei said with a smile. Seeing that Yu Ting's clothes were not cheap and that she had a little maid with her, she knew that Yu Ting's family background must be very good, and she was afraid that she would not be able to entertain her well.

"No need to prepare it specially, auntie. I like everything made by my sister." Yu Ting said, looking at Ji Wen and smiling.

Ji Wen's ears trembled slightly, and became even redder. "Mom, I'll go buy some meat first. Wait for me for a while."

With that, Ji Wen hurried away. Yu Ting called her sister in front of her family, and she seemed even more shy.

Rubbing her red ears, Ji Wen hurried to buy fresh pork. Besides fresh pork, she also bought peanuts and melon seeds, small snacks like them. These were all she had in the village, and she was worried the young lady wouldn't be used to them. Thinking of this, Ji Wen's heart sank, and the thought that had been buried in her heart was about to be extinguished.

How could the young lady possibly like her? She had nothing and only farmed in the village. Although her family was considered well-off in the village, compared to the Yu family, there was really no comparison. She had been to the Yu family once, and their house was decorated with carved beams and painted rafters. She thought the palace was just like that. The young lady had only come to see her because she had recently taken a liking to fishing. Ji Wen told herself not to think too much.

She then quickly took the things and went back. When she got home, Yu Ting was already chatting enthusiastically with her mother.

Seeing her coming back, Feng Mei hurriedly said, "Go and make some more delicious food. This is Tingting's first time here, so we have to treat her well."

"I know." Ji Wen picked up the things in his hand and hurried to the kitchen.

Yu Ting's eyes have been on Ji Wen since he came in. Feng Mei looked at Yu Ting beside her and roughly guessed it. The smile on her face became even bigger. She was not happy because the girl's family was rich, but mainly because her own Ji Wen had finally found his passion and knew how to get along with Kunze.

"Aunt, let me help my sister." Yu Ting wanted to go to the kitchen to watch Ji Wen cook.

Feng Mei hurriedly said, "The kitchen is full of smoke. Let them cook. We can have a good talk here."

"Okay." Yu Ting nodded. If she wanted to win over Ji Wen, she had to get along well with Ji Wen's family.

In the kitchen, Ji Wen came back and started cutting meat. Ji Fu came over and asked, "How did you get to know that girl? You're so good, you brought the girl back without saying a word."

Ji Wen was teased so much that he couldn't even hold the knife. "Brother, don't talk nonsense. She's a young lady, there's no way she would like me. She just came here to learn fishing from me."

After hearing what Ji Wen said, Wang Xiaoyue keenly guessed that Ji Wen might have a good impression of Yu Ting, and smiled, "Who would run so far to learn fishing? Besides, there are places to fish in the county. I think she wants to catch you."

Ji Wen's ears turned red again, and he quickly defended himself with a red face, "Sister-in-law, don't talk nonsense, how could she be catching me."

"Oh, you're shy, and you said you don't like it?" Wang Xiaoyue covered her mouth and laughed for a while. Knowing that Ji Wen was thin-skinned, she didn't dare to tease him too much, and hurriedly helped wash and cut vegetables. Ji Wen finally fell in love with Kunze, and they had to help Ji Wen quickly.

Soon, Ji Wen's dishes were served. There was clear fish soup, stir-fried pork with chili peppers, braised pork head with cabbage and potatoes, scrambled eggs with chives, and so on. Ji Wen made all of these stir-fries herself, with Ji Fu and Wang Xiaoyue helping her.

"Smells so good, sister! Did you make all of this? You're amazing!"

Since everyone was at home, Yu Ting called her sister again. Ji Wen's ears immediately turned red. "These are nothing special. I make them all the time."

"That's amazing, let me try it first." Yu Ting picked up the rice bowl and took a chopstick of stir-fried pork. It was just a very ordinary home-cooked taste, but because it was made by Ji Wen, Yu Ting thought it was very delicious.

"Yeah, delicious." Yu Ting happily ate.

Seeing that she liked it, Ji Wen was slightly relieved. She was worried that the young lady would not be able to get used to it.

"Eat more, don't be polite." Feng Mei was slightly relieved to see that Yu Ting was eating happily.

After lunch, Yu Ting reluctantly left Ji Wen's house, and Ji Wen followed her to see her off.

Before getting on the carriage, Yu Ting gently tugged at Ji Wen's sleeve and looked up at him. "Sister, when will you come to the county town to see me? You just promised me."

Ji Wen nodded. "The morning after tomorrow, then. I'll leave early and come to your house to see you. What do you want to play?"

"Anything is fine, as long as you accompany me." Yu Ting gently tugged at Ji Wen's skirt with her fingertips and winked at him. "Then I'll wait for you at the house the day after tomorrow. You must remember to come."

Ji Wen nodded. "Don't worry."

After giving Ji Wen her instructions, Yu Ting reluctantly got on the carriage. If she hadn't been afraid of scaring Ji Wen, she would have refused to leave.

After seeing the eldest lady off, Ji Wen touched her ears, which had reddened countless times throughout the morning, and then returned to the dining room to clean up. As soon as she entered the dining room, she was surrounded by her family.

"Ji Wen, when did you and that girl start?" Feng Mei asked with a smile.

"What do you mean by 'start'? Mom, stop talking nonsense. She and I are friends. Everyone, get out of the way. I'm going to clear the table." Ji Wen said, and began to shuffle the dishes on the table, ignoring the gossiping others.

"You still say 'friends'? Tingting's eyes haven't left you. I'm not blind, how can I not see that?" Feng Mei continued to laugh. Her daughter knew it well. Tingting had only called her 'sister' a few times, and her daughter's ears were reddened.

"Mom, don't talk nonsense. Her family is so rich, how could she possibly be interested in me? She just thinks I'm something new," Ji Wen mumbled as he cleared the table.

"Ji Wen, you've finally met a girl you like, and you should get along with her. Even if our family can't compare to hers, you shouldn't be discouraged. Just try to get along with her first. Don't be so hasty to push her away," Feng Mei said hurriedly, fearing her daughter would get too hung up on herself.

Ji Wen pursed his lips and nodded, hurriedly carrying a pile of dishes into the kitchen.

Yu Ting slept in the carriage for nearly an hour before reaching the Yu residence. When she returned, her mother was sipping tea in the front hall. Seeing her return, she asked, "Where have you been these past few days? You're not even home at lunch. Did you go to see Ji Yuan again? I heard that Ji Yuan isn't a good guy. After being tricked by your brother, he started hanging out with Liu Shaonan."

Yu Ting frowned slightly, wondering how poor her judgment had been. Liu Shaonan was a well-known playboy in the county, and he only liked to play with male Qianyuan. Many people in his circle sneered at him. She had never expected Ji Yuan to be so shameless.

"I wasn't going to see him. I was blind to fall for him before. But it's all thanks to Ji Yuan. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met Ji Wen." Yu Ting couldn't help but smile as she mentioned Ji Wen.

Yu Ting's mother, Cao Yun, felt a pang of fear. Ji Yuan had just left, so where did this Ji Wen her daughter was talking about come from?

"Who is Ji Wen? Tingting, have you been deceived again?" Cao Yun looked heartbroken. Her son and daughter had been protected so well since childhood that they had no idea how treacherous people could be.

"Of course not, Ji Wen, have you forgotten? It's the woman Qian Yuan I mentioned last time who saved me. She's a very nice person." Yu Ting's eyes lit up when she mentioned Ji Wen.

Seeing her daughter like this, Cao Yun became even more worried. She carefully advised, "Tingting, our family is not short of money. There are many ways to repay a favor. You don't have to sacrifice yourself. Don't you think what mother said is right?" "

Oh, mother, I would love to sacrifice myself. You haven't seen her. She is very thin and has a pretty face. If you had seen her, you would definitely agree that I would be with her." Yu Ting enumerated Ji Wen's advantages, but she didn't dare to mention the two that her fragrance was nice and her hands were beautiful.

Cao Yun's headache intensified after hearing this. Her daughter had started this again. She would have to find Yu Bin and ask him about it. Yu Bin had met Ji Wen before, so she couldn't just take his daughter's one-sided story at face value. Their families were wealthy, so they didn't care if the other family was wealthy. But she still had to find someone reliable, or else she wouldn't feel reassured.

"Well, forget it. I'm too lazy to talk to you anymore. Xiaolu, help your young lady back to her room to rest." Cao Yun rubbed her forehead. Neither her son nor her daughter was easy to worry about.

After leaving the front hall, Yu Ting urged Xiaolu to get the storybook. It should have been submitted a long time ago, but the writer got so carried away that he wrote a long story and kept delaying it until yesterday. It was finally finished yesterday, and Yu Ting hurriedly urged Xiaolu to go get it.

She returned to her bedroom for a good bath and a good night's sleep. Xiaolu had already retrieved the storybook.

As soon as Yu Ting woke up, she looked for her storybook. "Xiao Lu, where's the new storybook?"

"Miss, I knew you wanted to read it, so I put it by your bed," Xiao Lu said with a smile.

Yu Ting sat up, leaning against the cushions behind her, and quickly picked up the storybook. She flipped through it briefly and found it was indeed thicker than the short stories she had read before, enough for her to read for several days.

"Xiao Lu, please go and throw away all my storybooks about scholars. I don't like them anymore." Not only did she not like them, but she even felt nauseous when she thought about them. Why had she been so obsessed with them before?

"Miss, it would be a shame to throw them away. Why don't you give them to us to read?" Xiao Lu hurriedly said. These storybooks were not cheap, and it would cost a lot of money to read them.

"Okay, take them and read them." Yu Ting waved her hand nonchalantly, asking Xiao Lu to bring her some snacks and tea. She ate while she read.

She only requested the subject matter for the storybook; the rest of the content was added by the writer. Yu Ting patiently began to read.

The story began with a young lady, a rich family member, returning from a temple prayer encountering bandits. Her guards and maids were killed or injured, and in a panic, she fell into a ravine to escape the bandits.

When she regained consciousness, she was in a dilapidated earthen house, unconscious in the valley, having broken her leg and been drenched in rain for the better part of an hour. When she was rescued by her daughter, Qianyuan, she had been running a fever. Fortunately, she was patient and went out to find herbs to apply to her legs and then boiled a fever-reducing decoction for her.

The constant stimulation brought the young lady's fertility on early. The next few days were filled with intense sexual activity between the young lady and the female concubine. Yu Ting blushed at the sight. The descriptions of the female concubine in the book, particularly the strong woman from her constant farm work, made the young lady's body restless and vulnerable, making them incredibly stimulating.

After reading for a while, Yu Ting couldn't help but bury her face in the quilt. This book was incredibly stimulating, exactly her style! Yu Ting planned to have Xiaolu order a few more copies from the author.

~~

Ji Huan slept until the afternoon, then slowly awoke. Her strength had returned somewhat, though her arms and wrists were still aching. She rolled around in bed twice and saw Jiang Yubai sitting obediently at the table, sewing sheets. The fertility period had been intense, and the sheets sometimes ripped without her noticing.

Seeing Ji Huan lying on the bed, watching her, Jiang Yubai's face immediately flushed. She put down her needlework, stood up, poured Ji Huan a cup of hot water, and brought it over. Blushing, she whispered, "Are you feeling better? Drink some water to calm down. I'm warming your meal in the kitchen."

"I'm so sleepy. Feed me," Ji Huan's voice purred softly, all the strength drained from her by the little naughty rabbit.

"Okay, sister, sit up." Jiang Yubai, her ears red, helped Ji Huan up and carefully held the cup to feed her water.

Ji Huan drank the water Jiang Yubai offered with great satisfaction. The little rabbit was kind enough to show her that she had been exhausted for seven or eight days and would have needed tonics later.

"Sister, do you want to get up? If you're still tired, I'll bring you the meal, okay?" Jiang Yubai asked patiently. His sister had been truly exhausted these past few days, especially the last few, when he had been inseparable from her almost every moment.

"Well, then you feed me." Ji Huan leaned comfortably in Jiang Yubai's arms, looking at Jiang Yubai and said.

"Okay, I'll get it right away." Jiang Yubai said, and helped Ji Huan to lean back, then left the room to bring the food. Ji

Huan waited anxiously for Jiang Yubai to feed her. This rainy season had finally corrected Jiang Yubai's mindset. At least he no longer thought about self-control. After all, practice is the only criterion for testing truth. They had been together for seven or eight days without any problem, which could be considered to have resolved Jiang Yubai's worries.

When Jiang Yubai came in with the wooden tray, she saw Ji Huan staring at the door eagerly. She smiled at Ji Huan, "Are you hungry? Wait a moment, it will be ready soon."

Jiang Yubai asked Ji Huan to lean against her, mixed the vegetables and rice together, asked Ji Huan to sit against her, and then began to feed Ji Huan with a spoon.

Ji Huan ate with great satisfaction. The food his wife fed him was simply delicious. "Delicious,"

Ji Huan said, having been hungry all day. Now everything tasted delicious.

"If it's delicious, eat more. There's more in the pot," Jiang Yubai said softly, scooping another spoonful of rice and feeding it to Ji Huan.

"No, that's enough. But no matter how delicious the food is, it can't be as delicious as rabbit meat." Ji Huan said this, glancing at Jiang Yubai, who blushed immediately.

"Don't talk nonsense. Eat quickly." Jiang Yubai, clearly feeling shy, fed Ji Huan even faster.

No sooner had Ji Huan swallowed a mouthful than the next one came in. Ji Huan had no choice but to focus on eating, not teasing Jiang Yubai anymore.

After dinner, Ji Huan lay down again. She hadn't just been teasing Jiang Yubai; she genuinely felt a little weak and out of energy, so she simply went back to sleep.

Jiang Yubai tucked her under the covers before returning to the table to clean up.

Ji Huan slept through another night, feeling slightly better. She was finally able to get up and go out for breakfast.

Seeing her sister come out, Ji Qiao hurried over. "Sister, are you okay?"

"What could be wrong with me? I'm just a little tired. I've been working hard these past few days."

"It's not hard, it's just cooking. Sister Yubai left breakfast for you. Go eat it quickly," Ji Qiao urged with a smile.

"Okay, I'll be there right away." Ji Huan went to the kitchen to get breakfast and sat in the yard to eat. Erhei and Sanhei, who hadn't seen Ji Huan for several days, rolled around him, and Ji Huan occasionally fed the two little black coal balls some food.

After breakfast, Ji Huan pulled the mule cart out. She had been in the bedroom for the past few days, so the work of chopping wood fell to Ji Qiao. Ji Huan planned to chop more wood today and then go to the river to fetch water.

Not long after Ji Huan left, another uninvited guest arrived. Jiang Yubai opened the gate and froze in his tracks, his face pale.

"Yubai, why didn't you call for help? Your two brothers and I came to see you," Jiang Fengshou glared at Jiang Yubai with disapproval.

Jiang Yubai instinctively took a step back, glancing at Jiang Fengshou, then at his two brothers. "Dad, are you here for something?"

"Why? If nothing's wrong, you can't come? Hurry up and invite us in. I'm dying of thirst. Go get us some hot water." Without paying any attention to Jiang Yubai's expression, Jiang Fengshou led his two sons straight into the yard.

Ji Qiao also noticed someone approaching and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"I'm Jiang Yubai's biological father. Who do you think I'm looking for?" Jiang Fengshou, a man with a swarthy complexion and about the same age as Ji Mantun, said to Ji Qiao with an impatient look.

"That's right. What? Are you trying to stop us from coming in? I'm her biological brother," Jiang Hongli said impatiently.

The three of them walked into the yard as if no one was around, looking around as they walked.

"Dad, the yard that Ji Huan and the others built is quite large, and the walls are actually made of blue bricks." Jiang Yubai's second brother Jiang Honglu whispered from behind.

"What do you know? I've already found out everything. Ji Huan is not welcome at home and was kicked out by the Ji family. The money for building the house was given when the family was divided, but Ji Huan just spent all the money on building the house. What will they eat and drink in the future?" The eldest brother Jiang Hongli said dissatisfiedly.

"Why do you care what they eat and drink? It will have nothing to do with us soon anyway. Don't forget why you came here this time." Jiang Fengshou said dissatisfiedly.

"Dad is right. What does Ji Huan's situation have to do with us? The main reason we came here today is to bring Jiang Yubai back." Jiang Hongli said hurriedly.

While the three of them were talking, they arrived at the dining room. Jiang Fengshou sat down in the dining room like a master, looking around and realizing that the house was even better than they'd imagined. While ordinary village houses were built of yellow clay, Ji Huan's was different. Not only was it made of blue bricks, but the interior was also plastered smooth. The tables and chairs were all new, too. He was completely captivated.

"You're right, Ji Huan's new house is really nice," Jiang Fengshou observed. If his land wasn't all in Xiniu Village, he'd have wanted to claim the entire yard for himself.

Ji Qiao was helping in the kitchen. Seeing Jiang Yubai's pale face, she hurriedly asked, "Sister Yubai, did your father and the others come to see you about something?"

Jiang Yubai's face was still pale. She shook her head, "I don't know, but I don't think it's anything good."

After her mother's death, her father and two brothers had disliked her. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so eager to marry her off to Zhang Tiehu, and then, even paying her to marry Ji Huan.

"Wait a moment, I'll go call my sister." Ji Qiao was afraid that Jiang Yubai's family would harm Jiang Yubai, so she ran out in a hurry. She knew the place where Ji Huan often went to chop wood, so she ran over there.

Jiang Yubai's face was pale. She carried the pot and two bowls to the dining room. When they arrived at the dining room, Jiang Fengshou was already impatient.

"What took you so long? Hurry up, come and pour us some tea."

Jiang Yubai looked at the three of them, picked up the teapot on the table and poured water for them.

Jiang Fengshou drank a glass of water and then looked at his daughter. Jiang Yubai was still wearing the same clothes she brought from home to the Ji family. Her appearance was still as outstanding as before. No wonder Li Yunzheng was obsessed with her.

Jiang Fengshou glanced at Jiang Yubai and then said, "I came here this time to bring you great news, Yubai, look at how you've been living. This dress you're wearing is the one you brought to the Ji family when you got married, right?"

Jiang Fengshou impatiently drank another sip of water and said, "Look at what your life has become with Ji Huan. It's been so long, and she hasn't even let you wear new clothes. Besides, this house is such a waste of money. Did you spend all the money you got from the separation of the Ji family? You are so confused. You should keep that money for Ji Huan. You have been married for a year, and you haven't even said you would come to honor your father."

He glared at Jiang Yubai fiercely before continuing, "But now I won't care so much. Li Yunzheng brought a lot of gifts to visit me at our house. He just passed the Tongshi this year and is now a scholar. His future is limitless. Although I want you to divorce Ji Huan and then go over to be a concubine, it's better than you following Ji Huan. Ji Huan is a peasant. How can you make a living if you leave the Ji family?" "

Yes, little sister, Li Yunzheng has always been obsessed with you. Don't let him down. I've heard it takes so many years for our village to produce a scholar. Even if he doesn't pass the imperial examination, the status of a scholar alone will allow Li Yunzheng to secure a good job in the county. He's much more promising than Ji Huan. And more importantly, he doesn't despise you, after all, you've been married twice." Jiang Hongli quickly chimed in.

"Did Li Yunzheng come to you?" Jiang Yubai asked, frowning.

"Yeah, I'm saying you're really stubborn. Li Yunzheng came to you, and you turned him down? Are you crazy? Between Ji Huan and Li Yunzheng, even a fool would have chosen Li Yunzheng. What can you do with Ji Huan? Farm for the rest of your life? Oh, by the way, I heard she sold all her land to build a house. You wouldn't even have any land to farm if you followed her." Jiang Yubai's second brother, Jiang Honglu, couldn't help but remark.

"I won't divorce Ji Huan. I'm doing fine here. Dad, please go back." Jiang Yubai's face turned cold, her clenched hands shaking as she spoke.

Jiang Fengshou had clearly not expected Jiang Yubai to say this, and he immediately flew into a rage. "You're my son and daughter, so you must obey me. I won't tolerate you disobeying me. Hongli, take your sister away."

Jiang Hongli stood up, ready to grab Jiang Yubai's wrist, but Jiang Yubai ran away.

"Hey? Why are you doing this? We're doing this for your own good. If you follow Li Yunzheng, you'll have a good life in the future, and Dad will benefit from following you. Don't hide, come with us." Jiang Hongli, growing impatient, and he and Jiang Honglu prepared to grab Jiang Yubai.

Just then, Ji Huan entered through the gate. Seeing Ji Huan, Jiang Yubai hurried to his side.

Ji Huan protected Jiang Yubai behind him and frowned at the three people from the Jiang family, "Who wants to take my wife away?" "

Ji Huan? You've come at the right time. Hurry up and sign the divorce papers with my sister." As he spoke, Jiang Hongli took out two written divorce papers from his pocket. He even brought the ink pad.

Ji Huan was almost laughing with anger. What a shameless thing! Didn't he want to stay away from Jiang Yubai before? Why is he so eager to take Jiang Yubai away now?

"If you are sick, go see a doctor sooner, otherwise it will be too late and you won't be able to get treated. If you want to go crazy, go back to your own home in Xiniu Village. This is not the place for you to go crazy." Ji Huan glanced at the three people coldly, making them very angry.

"Ji Huan, I'm your father-in-law, and you're talking to me like that?" Jiang Fengshou was nearly exasperated. He also felt that Ji Huan had changed drastically. Back when he and Jiang Yubai were married, Ji Huan had been a quiet, honest man. He hadn't expected Ji Huan to say such harsh words to them.

"I spoke to Ji Mantun and Liu Fengmei like that, so what about you? You're nothing but idiots! Get out of here! You're not welcome in my house!" Ji Huan said coldly. This family had no affection for Jiang Yubai, so he didn't need to be polite to them.

"Ji Huan, how can you talk like that? Okay, I'll teach you a lesson today. See if you sign the divorce papers." Jiang Hongli immediately charged at Ji Huan. Ji Huan pushed Jiang Yubai back, dodged, and kicked Jiang Hongli in the chest, sending him back several steps and landing on his butt.

Seeing his elder brother being beaten by Ji Huan, Jiang Honglu also became anxious and swung his fist directly at Ji Huan, but Ji Huan grabbed his wrist. Ji Huan punched Jiang Honglu back with a punch, followed by a kick, directly kicking Jiang Honglu to the ground.

She looked at Jiang Fengshou coldly, "Take your two sons and get out of here, or I will take care of you too."

"Ji Huan, don't you dare! I'm telling you, it was Li Yunzheng who asked us to come here. He's a scholar, someone you can't afford to offend. If you dare to touch us, I'll send Yunzheng to deal with you in a moment." Jiang Fengshou didn't expect Ji Huan to dare to attack directly. He pointed at Ji Huan and cursed.

"Just let him come, I'll wait for him here. Ask that coward if he dares to come over. Get out of here," Ji Huan shouted harshly.

Jiang Hongli and Jiang Honglu were kicked by Ji Huan for a long time before they recovered their breath. After they got up, they didn't dare to confront Ji Huan, "Okay, Ji Huan, wait, we'll let Li Yunzheng come over."

"I don't care who you let come. Daliang has its own laws. Yubai and I are already married, so no one can interfere, otherwise it will be against the law."

"You peasant know nothing about the law, and you dare to scare us? Wait for me, we'll go now."

The three of them left the Ji family yard full of instigation. Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with some worry, "Sister, what should we do? Should we go to the county town to avoid the limelight."

Ji Huan shook his head, "What limelight? It's not our fault, and since we have been targeted, we can't hide. Let them come if they want, but your father and your brother..."

Ji Huan was still a little hesitant. After all, Jiang Yubai's situation was different from his own. Liu Fengmei and Ji Mantun had nothing to do with him, but Jiang Fengshou was indeed Jiang Yubai's biological father.

"Sister, they treated me badly and forced me to marry twice. Do whatever you want, don't worry about me," Jiang Yubai said hurriedly.

Ji Huan nodded and pulled Jiang Yubai into his arms. They were having a hard time. Jiang Yubai had finally figured it out, but the Jiang family was causing trouble again.

At the door, Ji Qiao had just arrived with her mule cart outside the yard. Ji Huan had left in a hurry and handed the cart to her.

"Sister, are you all okay?" Ji Qiao asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, they can't do anything bad," Ji Huan reassured softly. It was thanks to Ji Qiao just now that Jiang Yubai was taken away, otherwise she wouldn't even know.

The little girl breathed a sigh of relief when she saw they were both safe. She pulled the cart to the backyard and prepared to unload the firewood.

Meanwhile, Jiang Fengshou was furious. He hadn't expected his trip to the house to be met with such resistance. His daughter, who had previously been so timid in his presence, had actually rejected him. And that Ji Huan was even more despicable, having the audacity to attack them.

"This Ji Huan is really lawless. I don't believe it. She dares to be so arrogant when the scholar is in front of her." Jiang Fengshou said angrily.

"That's right. Let Li Yunzheng go to her in person. I don't believe she dares not to sign the divorce agreement." Jiang Hongli hurriedly replied. His chest still hurts.

Soon the three of them arrived at Li Yunzheng's house. Li Yunzheng has been idle these days. After much effort, he got a temporary clerk job in the county government. On weekdays, he studies in the academy and helps copy documents and files in the government office in his spare time.

He was happy about this when he saw the Jiang family coming.

Li Yunzheng immediately put on airs, "Uncle Jiang, is everything done?"

"Well, it's not that easy. That Ji Huan is completely unyielding. Yun Zheng, why don't you go? Ji Huan has no manners at all and even laid hands on my two sons. We're going to be a family from now on, you can't just ignore her," Jiang Fengshou complained, as if he and Li Yunzheng were already family.

Li Yunzheng had long been unhappy with Ji Huan. He used to be a little apprehensive, but now he had a job in the government and was on good terms with Constable Zhang, so he was considered a trusted figure. He also had the title of scholar. If Ji Huan dared to lay hands on him, she would go to jail. Thinking of this,

Li Yunzheng smiled. He would go there later. If Ji Huan agreed to a divorce, it would be fine. But if she didn't agree and laid hands on him, Ji Huan would go to jail. No matter how he looked at it, it was a good outcome for him.

Li Yunzheng nodded and said confidently, "Okay, Uncle Jiang, let's go over there again. I want to see how long Ji Huan can hold out."

Chapter Text

The group immediately headed towards Dongniu Village. On the way, Li Yunzheng deliberately said, "I've been busy with government affairs these days. When I'm not studying at the academy, I'll be working as a clerk there."

Li Yunzheng deliberately omitted the word "temporary," making it seem as if he already held an official position. However, Jiang Fengshou and the other roughnecks were unaware of

this and were immediately fooled. "Yunzheng, you're truly promising! You've even managed to work for the government! This is unique not only in our village, but also in the surrounding villages," Jiang Fengshou flattered.

"This is just the beginning. Once I pass the imperial examination, I won't be doing this clerk job anymore."

Li Yunzheng was practically flattered. "Yes, Yunzheng, Yubai is your concubine. We're family now. You have to support our Jiang family," Jiang Hongli said flatteringly.

"Of course. I'm sincere to Yubai. If she hadn't already been married twice, I would have married her off formally. What a pity!" Li Yunzheng feigned a shake of his head.

"Oh, it's not a pity, it's not a pity. We're family now, and it's her blessing to be your concubine," Jiang Honglu said hurriedly.

The three of them flattered Li Yunzheng all the way, and by the time they reached Ji Huan's gate, Li Yunzheng felt like he was floating in the air.

He straightened his sleeves and looked at Jiang Hongli, standing nearby. "Go knock on the door." Jiang Hongli

was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly obeyed, banging hard on the gate.

Jiang Yubai's face paled instantly, and Ji Qiao was also extremely anxious.

"Sister, what should we do?" Ji Qiao asked hurriedly. "It's okay. They

're just a bunch of losers. They can't cause any trouble. You two should stand back for a while. I'm afraid they'll get desperate and do something." Ji Huan said, then slowly walked into the yard.

The banging on the door outside grew louder, accompanied by a noisy shout: "Ji Huan, you coward! Weren't you so tough just now? Why aren't you so tough now? Open the door! Don't hide in there anymore."

Ji Huan suddenly opened the door, sending Jiang Hongli sprawling. Ji Huan smiled as he looked at the crouching Jiang Hongli. "Hey, it's not even New Year's yet, why are you giving me such a big gift?" "

Ji Huan, just wait for me!" Jiang Hongli was nearly pissed off, but thinking back to the beating he'd just received, he didn't dare to rashly look for another opportunity to cause trouble.

"Get out of here! If you have something to say, just say it now. Don't waste my time." Ji Huan glanced at Li Yunzheng and smiled contemptuously.

Li Yunzheng's head nearly exploded at her smile. "Ji Huan! You're just a country girl, you know nothing about etiquette. Uncle Jiang is your father-in-law, after all. And Jiang Hongli and Jiang Honglu are Yubai's brothers. You're so rude to them, it shows you don't care about Yubai either." "

Really? It's none of your business as an outsider to tell me what I do with my wife. If that's all you want to say, then you've said it now and can get out of here," Ji Huan said impatiently.

"Ji Huan! How dare you talk to a scholar like that? Li Yunzheng is a scholar and even has a job in the government. Don't be so shameless!" Jiang Honglu pointed at Ji Huan and cursed.

"I don't care who he is. This is my house, and I have the final say. You're breaking in like this, and it's illegal," Ji Huan replied calmly.

"Law? You, an illiterate peasant, don't know shit about law. Sign the divorce agreement now, or we won't be polite," Jiang Honglu urged.

"I told you, forget it." Ji Huan glanced over coldly.

Seeing the two sides deadlocked, Li Yunzheng straightened his clothes and stepped forward. "Ji Huan, I advise you to sign it soon. To be honest, I already have a job at the county government, and Captain Zhang there and I are good friends. I advise you not to refuse a toast. I have a lot of things to do at the government office, and I don't have time to waste with you here. Do you understand?"

Jiang Yubai's face paled when she heard that Li Yunzheng had connections to the government. She looked at Ji Huan with concern. They were just ordinary villagers. How could they possibly stand up to someone from the government?

"Sister." Jiang Yubai tugged at Ji Huan's sleeve.

Ji Huan shook his head at Jiang Yubai, signaling her not to be afraid. "I understand. So when are you going to leave? Or do you need my help?"

Li Yunzheng didn't expect that even after saying so much, Ji Huan still wouldn't budge. "Don't you understand what I'm saying? I have connections in the government office. You can just divorce Yubai today, but otherwise, I'll show you how I'll deal with you."

Ji Huan looked at Li Yunzheng with a half-smile, feeling that there was no way to end this matter peacefully. "Then how are you going to deal with me? I'm standing right here, waiting to see."

Li Yunzheng pointed at Ji Huan in anger, but he didn't dare to make a move. He was in a dilemma for a while.

Ji Huan smiled at him sarcastically and continued, "What's wrong? Don't you dare? You're just a softie who only dares to talk?"

"Ji Huan, I'm going to fight you." Li Yunzheng was so angry that he swung his fist at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan reached out and caught Li Yunzheng's fist. With a tug, he dragged Li Yunzheng far away, causing him to fall flat on his face. Unsatisfied, Ji Huan stretched out his legs and repeatedly kicked Li Yunzheng, causing him to wail uncontrollably.

"Ah, Ji Huan, I'm a scholar, and you dare to hit me? Just wait! Ouch, it hurts so much! What are you all just standing there for? Why don't you stop them?" Li Yunzheng felt a searing pain in his back.

Jiang Hongli and Jiang Honglu rushed to help, but were kicked out by Ji Huan. She coldly looked at the three people lying on the ground, "Get away from me! If you dare to come here and mess with

me again, I don't know if I'll be so lenient next time." Li Yunzheng, helped to his feet by Jiang Fengshou, pointed at Ji Huan in frustration, "Okay, Ji Huan, you just wait for jail time. And you, Jiang Yubai, you're just a twice-married bitch. Why are you pretending to be so noble with me? I'll definitely get you to be my concubine. I want to see how you'll cry and beg me when Ji Huan is in jail."

With that, Li Yunzheng, holding his waist, left with the Jiang family.

Ji Huan coldly looked at the four people as they left. She had only wanted to live peacefully here with Jiang Yubai and her sister, but why did she always encounter such disgusting things?

It seemed that here, without power and influence, people really did get bullied.

"Sister, what should we do? Do you think Li Yunzheng will report him to the police?" Ji Qiao asked anxiously.

"Let him do whatever he wants." Ji Huan took out a jade token from his arms, "If I am really arrested, you two must not worry. Take this jade token and go to the Yu family in the county to ask Yu Bin for help. He has a way to help me."

Jiang Yubai hurriedly put away the token, but his eyes were red, "How could this happen? I obviously didn't do anything. I also clearly rejected Li Yunzheng a few times before. Why can't he let me go."

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai in his arms and said softly, "Some bad people are like this. It's not our fault. We don't need to fall into any self-proving trap. Don't worry about me. When have I ever suffered a loss?" "

But this time is different. He knows people in the yamen." Jiang Yubai's eyes were red.

"He knows him, and I know him too. The Yu family is so big in the county, how could they not have connections with the people in the government office? Besides, the Yu family is so rich because they have backers. These connections are layered one after another. As for Li Yunzheng's connections, they are at the very bottom of the list. No one takes him seriously. He is just a clown. Just remember what I just told you."

Jiang Yubai touched the jade token in his arms and nodded heavily. "I've written it all down."

Li Yunzheng on the other side was also furious. After returning to the village, he directly paid Qian Yuan, a horse-riding man, to take him to the county government office to report the case. The distance was long, and riding a carriage was slow. It would be faster to ride a horse.

Soon, Li Yunzheng arrived at the county government office. He went straight to find Zhang Chao, a good brother he had just met recently. Zhang Chao had helped introduce Li Yunzheng to this temporary clerk job. For this matter, he often treated Zhang Chao to dinner and drinks.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you in such a hurry to come here?"

"Brother Zhang, I was beaten by some troublemakers in the village. Look at what I'm wearing." Li Yunzheng's hands were scratched and his clothes were a little dirty.

Zhang Chao immediately frowned and asked, "What's going on? Someone dared to touch my brother? Who is that person?"

"Well, that Ji Huan is of no background. He is just an ordinary peasant in the village. His wife Jiang Yubai and I were childhood sweethearts, but a lot of things happened at that time, and we missed each other. Now, I finally passed the exam and became a scholar. I can't let Yubai down anymore, so I suggested that they get a divorce. But Ji Huan was so angry that she beat me up." Li Yunzheng said angrily.

Now Zhang Chao was stunned. Li Yunzheng was asking for a divorce just because he liked someone's wife. It sounded like Li Yunzheng was wrong, but he still asked, "So, is Jiang Yubai, the one you mentioned, willing to divorce Ji Huan?" "

Of course she does. She's been bullied by Ji Huan, so naturally she doesn't dare tell me the truth. But Yubai's father and brother both agree to her divorce and becoming my concubine instead," Li Yunzheng said, straightening his back. In his opinion, Jiang Yubai must have been forced by Ji Huan, otherwise she would have gone with him long ago.

"Then this makes it easier. Besides, you're a scholar. Ji Huan beating you is against the law. And I'm not a constable for nothing. If my brother gets beaten, wouldn't I have to send her to jail for a few days?" Zhang Chao smiled at Li Yunzheng and said,

"Thank you very much, Brother Zhang. When the matter is settled, I'll definitely treat you to a good meal at Qingfeng Tower," Li Yunzheng said hurriedly.

"Well, we're brothers, why are you being so polite? Just wait for me at the county government office, you little bastard! I'll take the men and bring Ji Huan back."

"Brother Zhang, I want to go with you. I want to see if Ji Huan still acts so arrogantly when he sees the officers." Li Yunzheng was furious after being beaten, and he wanted to see Ji Huan burst into tears and beg him.

"Okay, if you want to go, then let's go together. I'll call a few brothers to go with us and help you get revenge," Zhang Chao said, patting Li Yunzheng on the shoulder. It was a good opportunity for him to show off in front of Li Yunzheng.

"Okay, thank you so much, Brother Zhang." Li Yunzheng couldn't hide his smile. The thought of Ji Huan being punished filled him with joy.

Zhang Chao quickly selected four more detectives to accompany him to Dongniu Village, including Li Yunzheng. Due to the long journey, the four detectives at the back were clearly getting impatient. If it weren't for Zhang Chao's calm, they might not have followed.

The group hurried towards Dongniu Village, quickly attracting the attention of the villagers, who were all talking about it.

"Why are the officials here all of a sudden? What happened in our village?"

"I don't know. I haven't heard of anyone getting into trouble. Let's go and see what's going on."

"This is really strange,"

the villagers said, following the officials into the village.

Li Yunzheng spotted Ji Huan's courtyard from a distance and extended his hand to Zhang Chao, pointing the way. "Brother Zhang, that's it! That's Ji Huan's house."

Zhang Chao looked towards Ji Huan's courtyard. "Wow, they're a wealthy family. Blue brick houses are rare in this village."

"What money? She got that money from the family division, and she spent it all on building that courtyard. What a pauper," Li Yunzheng said sarcastically.

"Really? All right, let's go." With that, Zhang Chao led his men on to Ji Huan's courtyard.

Zhang Chao waved to the constable behind him, who immediately understood and went over to knock on the door.

Bang after bang followed, accompanied by the constable's ferocious voice: "Open the door! The yamen is investigating a case! Open the door quickly!"

Jiang Yubai's eyes welled up at the banging. "Sister."

Ji Huan gently patted Jiang Yubai's shoulder and soothed her: "Don't worry, just do as I said, and nothing will happen."

She had underestimated Li Yunzheng. Ji Huan had thought he was just talking big again, but she hadn't expected him to be so tough. But it was all good. By quickly getting rid of Li Yunzheng, she also got rid of the annoying flies around her.

Ji Huan quickly went out to open the door, but as soon as she did, she was captured by two constables.

Ji Huan glanced at Li Yunzheng outside, chuckled, and said, "You all are here to arrest me. I wonder if you have an official document from the county government? According to Daliang law, constables need a document from the government to arrest someone. Can anyone tell me where it is?"

Villagers had already gathered around, and seeing that it was Ji Huan who was being arrested, many of them grew anxious.

"Yes, constable, arrests require a document. Ji Huan is a good person. What has she done wrong? Why are you arresting her?"

"Yes, Ji Huan is a well-known honest person in our village. How could she have done anything wrong? Did you make a mistake?"

"Don't be afraid, Ji Huan. We're all here. We can all testify that you're a good person."

"Yes, we can all testify for you."

Zhang Chao felt a bit caught off guard after hearing what the villagers said. Ji Huan sounded quite popular in the village, and this was essentially Li Yunzheng trying to get them to divorce. Was he going to backfire?

But if he backed down, how would he ever be able to face his brothers? He immediately shouted, "Be quiet! Anyone who dares to stop the authorities from handling a case will be arrested."

"Yes." The four constables drew their swords a little, and the surroundings immediately quieted down.

Zhang Chao, as if to regain his position, said, "Ji Huan, come with us now."

"It seems that you constables don't have the official documents? You want to take me away by force, right? If I end up in court, I hope the villagers can testify on my behalf." As Ji Huan spoke, his hands were tightly bound with thick hemp rope by two constables. "Stop talking

nonsense! We can arrest you with or without the documents. Be honest." The constable tugged at the hemp rope in his hand.

"Captain, it's all tied up, and it's tied up very securely," the constable said to Zhang Chao.

Zhang Chao nodded and glared at Ji Huan. "Alright, you're done being stubborn now, right? You're still telling me about the law? I'm just a constable from the government office, how could I possibly not understand the law?"

Jiang Yubai saw that Ji Huan's wrists were red from being tied up, and his eyes immediately turned red. "Li Yunzheng, what on earth do you want to do? You're actually using public power to take revenge on someone personally. Ji Huan hasn't broken any law, so what right do you have to arrest him?"

"Why? Yubai, we'll know whether she's guilty or not only after she's taken back for trial. Once she's tortured, Ji Huan will confess. Why are you so anxious?" Li Yunzheng smiled at Jiang Yubai, a look of smugness on his face.

Jiang Fengshou and his two sons heard that the constables had come to Dongniu Village, so they came over too. Seeing Jiang Yubai still speaking for Ji Huan, Jiang Fengshou was almost mad. He pointed at Jiang Yubai and said, "Jiang Yubai, are you still my daughter? Ji Huan is a prisoner and will be in jail soon, don't you understand? Why don't you divorce her?"

Jiang Yubai shook her head, tears falling. She simply reached out and wiped her tears with her sleeve, then stared at Jiang Fengshou, Jiang Hongli, and Jiang Honglu. She should have known that her so-called family members now would not care about her life or death. This incident had completely destroyed the little affection she had left for the Jiang family.

Seeing Jiang Yubai still standing by Ji Huan's side, Li Yunzheng warned, "Yubai, what are you still standing there for? Ji Huan hit me and is going to jail soon. Don't be so stubborn. Besides, your father and brother have already promised me, so don't be foolish."

Jiang Fengshou was furious. He pointed at Jiang Yubai and ordered his two sons, "What are you two still standing there for? Go and drag her over here."

"Okay, Dad," Jiang Hongli and Jiang Honglu said, and were about to go and get her.

Just then, several more people arrived at Ji Huan's door. "Let's see who dares to touch her,"

said Erzhuzi. He, Zhou Xiaochun, Ji Wen, and Ji Fu all arrived.

They all gathered around Ji Huan, protecting Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao behind them.

"What? Jiang Yubai hasn't done anything wrong. Brother, you can't arrest Jiang Yubai too, right?" Erzhuzi, a tall and muscular man standing there, towering over the other detectives, asked in an oppressive tone.

"That's right. I think they're just being unreasonable. That Li Yunzheng isn't a good person either."

"Yeah, officials protect each other. It's the same with all kinds of people."

"Ji Huan is really pitiful. He always runs into people like this."

The discussion in the crowd gradually grew louder. Zhang Chao had come here to arrest someone. He didn't have any official documents in his hand, and he was already unsure at the moment. But since it had come to this, he had to arrest Ji Huan. However, he didn't intend to get involved in other troubles.

"Jiang Yubai didn't hit anyone, so we naturally won't touch her. Aren't the ones who want to touch Jiang Yubai her family? It has nothing to do with us. Okay, stop talking nonsense and take Ji Huan away." Zhang Chao said, and was about to take his men away.

Li Yunzheng, still fuming, was reluctant to give up. "Brother Zhang, are we just leaving like this? What about Yubai?"

Zhang Chao winked at him. "It's not appropriate for us to meddle in the Jiang family's affairs. Let them resolve it on their own."

Li Yunzheng suddenly realized something and looked at Jiang Fengshou. "Uncle Jiang, I'll leave Yubai's matter to you. I have to hurry back to the yamen."

"Don't worry, Yunzheng. We'll definitely persuade Yubai well. When you get back, we'll bring him to you." Jiang Fengshou's words were extremely flattering. Seeing that Li Yunzheng was now on friendly terms with the head constable, he felt that Li Yunzheng was a truly remarkable figure in the village. The village head and the like were no match for Li Yunzheng, and he was eager to establish a relationship with him.

Li Yunzheng nodded at Jiang Fengshou and left with several constables.

One of the constables, holding a thick hemp rope, pulled Ji Huan forward.

Seeing Ji Huan's hands bound with thick hemp rope, Li Yunzheng taunted him as he walked, "Ji Huan, weren't you so arrogant before? Why are you so timid now? Being dragged around like a dog is truly humiliating. If I were you, I'd just run into a wall and die in jail."

Ji Huan simply glanced at him without saying anything.

Seeing Ji Huan ignore him,

Li Yunzheng grew even more furious. "Ji Huan, do you think I dare not teach you a lesson?" He was about to kick Ji Huan when Zhang Chao stopped him.

"Brother Zhang, what do you mean?"

"It's broad daylight, and we're on the road. If someone sees us, it'll be trouble. Once we get to the county government, it'll be our own territory. You can beat her up if you want to." These people often tortured prisoners in private, sometimes even beating them to make money, forcing their families to pay for their redemption.

"Okay, thank you, Brother Zhang," Li Yunzheng said, glaring at Ji Huan fiercely. "Ji Huan, I'll make things difficult for you for a while. Once we get to the county government office, I'm going to teach you a lesson. You only have this pretty face, but in a prison like that, bumps and bruises are inevitable. I'll scratch this face, which is prettier than Kunze's, and see if Jiang Yubai still follows you."

Ji Huan cast a cold look at Li Yunzheng, having never expected him to be so vicious.

"What are you looking at? Who provoked me? But if you kneel on the ground and bark like a dog, I might spare you and save you a few cuts on your face." Li Yunzheng laughed again.

Elsewhere, Jiang Fengshou and his two sons tried to take Jiang Yubai back to the Ji family, but were stopped by Erzhuzi and a group of villagers.

"I'm bringing my own daughter home. What does your sister have to do with it? Get out of my way!" Jiang Fengshou, enraged, reached out to grab Jiang Yubai, but Erzhuzi grabbed his wrist.

"This is Dongniu Village. Jiang Yubai is my friend. Our village does not welcome people like you. Brothers, come and help us get these three out of Dongniu Village." Erzhuzi said, and took a few strong Qianyuans to carry the three people and throw them out of Dongniu Village.

Jiang Fengshou and the others were dealt with by Erzhuzi and others. Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao hurriedly pulled out the mule cart at home. The mule cart was always faster than the two of them walking on foot.

Ji Wen and Ji Fu knew that the two were going to Yu's house, so they followed them.

There was only one main road to the county town. Jiang Yubai and the other two sat on the mule cart, and Ji Fu borrowed a mule from the village and rode the mule in front to lead the way.

Jiang Yubai and his friends didn't go far before they met Li Yunzheng and others who were also heading to the county town.

Li Yunzheng didn't expect Jiang Yubai to go to the county town, and hurriedly asked: "Yubai? Why didn't you go home with your father and your brother?"

Jiang Yubai didn't even look at Li Yunzheng, her eyes were always on Ji Huan, "Sister, don't worry, I remember everything you said to me, we will go to rescue you soon."

Ji Huan saw Jiang Yubai's anxiety and nodded at her with a smile.

Jiang Yubai's eyes fell on Ji Huan's wrists tied with hemp rope, and her lips were tightly pursed together. She didn't delay any longer, and regardless of Li Yunzheng's nagging, she hit the mule's butt, and the mule's speed immediately increased.

"Hey, Yubai, are you really going to the county town with them to rescue Ji Huan?" Li Yunzheng was still shouting from behind, and Jiang Yubai and the others' mule cart had already gone far away.

This made Zhang Chao feel a little uneasy. "Brother, Ji Huan doesn't have anyone in the county, right? I'm here to help you, so you can't hurt me."

"Don't worry, brother Zhang, a country girl, who can she know? At most, she will just go to the government office." Li Yunzheng comforted Zhang Chao. In his opinion, Ji Huan was no different from an ant. If she went to the county, she would only be controlled by them.

Zhang Chao nodded. "That's good. Anyway, she beat you, and we have legitimate reasons to put her in jail. Even if her family members beat the drum to complain, it is a fact that she beat you. She will definitely be imprisoned."

Li Yunzheng smiled grimly at Ji Huan. "Did you hear that, Ji Huan? Don't think you can get away with it."

Ji Huan didn't answer, simply walking onward. The constable ahead of her wasn't happy about the trip to begin with, considering it took half a day to get there and back, and now his tugs on the ropes were becoming increasingly frantic.

Ji Huan didn't want to cause any trouble, so she patiently played it safe. After all, the road was remote, and only a few people passed through daily.

If these people got desperate, she'd be in real danger. Zhang Chao and his companions, however, had walked all the way back, and were inevitably a bit exhausted. They were walking slowly. They'd only covered half the distance when Jiang Yubai and the others reached the gates of the Yu Mansion.

Jiang Yubai showed the inky jade plaque to the servants at the gate. The servants were familiar with Ji Wen and Ji Fu, so this time they were more discerning and went in to report. A moment later, someone led Jiang Yubai and the others to the front hall.

The academy was on holiday these days, and Yu Bin happened to be at home. When he heard someone coming with a jade token, he thought it was Ji Huan who came to see him, but he didn't expect that the two people who came were Kunze, whom he didn't know well. However, he knew Ji Wen and Ji Fu.

"Why did you think of coming to see me today? Is there something?" Yu Bin asked with a smile.

"Mr. Yu, Ji Huan was framed and arrested by the constables in the yamen." Jiang Yubai said hurriedly.

"What's going on?" Yu Bin asked hurriedly. The big shot behind him would be here in a few days. He asked to see Ji Huan specifically. At this time, Ji Huan couldn't do anything wrong. Besides, Ji Huan was her friend, and he would never let his friend suffer.

Jiang Yubai told Yu Bin the whole story of how Ji Huan was taken away by the constables, and Yu Bin was stunned.

"Are you saying that Li Yunzheng coveted you and wanted you and Ji Huan to divorce and become his concubine? When you and Ji Huan refused, Ji Huan attacked him, and he brought the constables to arrest Ji Huan?" Even Yu Bin, a man of great experience, was stunned. Could someone so shameless as to set his eyes on someone else's wife, then be beaten and still have the nerve to lead the police to arrest someone?

Jiang Yubai nodded and said, "That Li Yunzheng passed the imperial examination this year and has a reputation for success."

Yu Bin nodded. "Okay, I'll go to the county government office right away. Don't worry, it's nothing serious. He's just a clown. I want to see who dares to touch the people we protect."

"Let's go too," Ji Qiao said, worried about her sister.

"Then let's all go together, but you'll have to wait outside the county government office." It would be inconvenient for him to bring so many people with him to discuss matters inside the government office.

"Okay, thank you, Master Yu," Jiang Yubai said hurriedly.

"We are all friends. There is no need to waste time on whether we are young masters or not. Let's go." Yu Bin said as he asked someone to prepare a carriage.

Several people got on the carriage and went to the yamen, followed by six guards from the Yu Mansion.

At the same time, Li Yunzheng and others also arrived at the yamen. Several constables took the people to the prison, and Zhang Chao asked Li Yunzheng to fill out a case filing document himself.

Li Yunzheng finished writing it quickly. He couldn't wait to follow them to the prison.

When they arrived at the door of Ji Huan's cell, Li Yunzheng laughed loudly at the inside, "Ji Huan, you have come to this day. You, a useless thing, are worthy of being with Yu Bai? I tell you, you will never get out of prison until you are skinned alive."

"What? Do you still want to use lynching?" Ji Huan looked directly at Li Yunzheng, without much emotion in his eyes.

"Even if I abused my power, what can you do? You are still so stubborn even though you are in jail. I want to see how long you can be stubborn." Li Yunzheng shouted outside the iron railings.

The jailer pulled Zhang Chao aside and asked, "What's going on?" "

Well, it's nothing. That female Qianyuan has a grudge against my brother. I'll just give her a simple lesson. Don't worry, no one will be killed."

Zhang Chao spoke to the jailer for a few more words before asking someone to open the cell. He handed the whip in his hand to Li Yunzheng, "Brother, be gentle with the beatings, but don't kill anyone, otherwise I can't cover it up." "

Don't worry, I know my limits." Li Yunzheng reached out to take the whip, grinning and asking someone to open the cell door where Ji Huan was. He stared at Ji Huan, "Ji Huan, I want to see who is harder, your words or my whip. I advise you to sign the divorce book honestly, and then kneel down and beg me. Maybe I can go easy on you."

Ji Huan just looked at Li Yunzheng indifferently, "Even if I beat you, you have no right to use private means against me."

"Stop pretending you know it all. You're just a country girl. I'm going to skin you alive today." Li Yunzheng ordered the jailer to open Ji Huan's cell door. He entered with his whip in hand, raising his hand to lash out at Ji Huan. Just then, a commotion erupted outside the cell, and Li Yunzheng's whip was unable to fall. He turned and looked outside to see the county magistrate and a group of men approaching the prison.

Li Yunzheng panicked and dropped his whip.

County Magistrate Feng Shuyang hadn't expected his men to be so audacious, arresting someone without even reporting the case to him.

He frowned at Zhang Chao and the others and demanded, "Why is the prison so bustling today?"

Zhang Chao and the others broke into a cold sweat. They'd done this several times before, always keeping it a secret from the county magistrate. They hadn't expected the magistrate to find out about it this time.

Zhang Chao lowered his head and dared not speak. Li Yunzheng was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat.

Feng Shuyang glanced at the people in the cell and scolded them coldly, "You guys are all bypassing me, Zhang Chao. You are so bold that you can issue arrest warrants without going through me, the county magistrate, right? You don't even take me seriously, right?"

"Master Feng, please calm down. I was just going to bring the person back and report to you later. And Li Yunzheng was in a hurry, so I followed him to arrest him first." Seeing that the situation was not good, Zhang Chao quickly put the blame on Li Yunzheng.

Li Yunzheng hurriedly saluted Feng Shuyang, without any trace of his previous arrogance, "Master Feng, please understand. I have made great achievements after all, but Ji Huan beat me for no reason, so I rushed to the yamen to report it. The incident happened suddenly, so Captain Zhang and I went to Dongniu Village to arrest him. But it is a fact that Ji Huan beat me, and many people saw it."

Yu Bin looked at Li Yunzheng with contempt beside Feng Shuyang, "Didn't you come here to provoke first? Ji Huan and his wife obviously have a good relationship, but you insisted on forcing them to divorce, so you were beaten. Don't you deserve it?"

"You are talking nonsense. Jiang Yubai obviously likes me, and Jiang Yubai's father and two brothers also agree that Jiang Yubai and Ji Huan should divorce." Li Yunzheng was still stubborn.

Yu Bin smiled and said, "Sir Feng, Jiang Yubai is outside. If you don't believe me, you can naturally call him in for verification."

"Mr. Yu, you're joking. How could I not believe you?" As he spoke, Feng Shuyang glared at Li Yunzheng again, "Li Yunzheng, you are just a small temporary clerk in the yamen. You don't take me seriously now. What will happen in the future? You dare to arrest people privately without even filing a case. You are so audacious. Come on, take them both to the jail. I will interrogate you slowly." "

Sir, Li Yunzheng asked me to do this. If you want to arrest someone, arrest Li Yunzheng." Zhang Chao immediately became anxious when he heard this. Although he was just a constable, he could receive a lot of benefits on weekdays. He didn't expect that he would be involved in this mess. Now he hated Li Yunzheng.

"He told you to do this? Are you brainless? Someone like you is no longer fit to be a captain of police. From today on, all your positions will be stripped away and you will be sent to a cell." Feng Shuyang waved his hand and several jailers immediately took away Zhang Chao's sword and took him to a cell.

Zhang Chao entered the cell and continued to scream: "Master Feng, Master Feng, please be clear-headed. It was that beast Li Yunzheng who ordered me to do this. This was not my intention. Please have mercy on me, Master. Please have mercy on me."

Feng Shuyang ignored Zhang Chao and looked at the other four constables. The remaining four were almost scared to death and quickly knelt down to beg for mercy.

"Sir Feng, the four of us brothers have no idea who we are going to arrest. Captain Zhang is our superior. He asked us to go over, and we couldn't disobey, sir."

"Yes, yes."

Several constables immediately began to distance themselves from the matter. Feng Shuyang looked at them and nodded slightly, "There must not be a next time."

"Yes, yes, thank you, Sir Feng."

"Thank you, Sir Feng."

After dealing with these people, Feng Shuyang looked at Li Yunzheng who had been arrested by the jailer, "Li Yunzheng, people like you have very bad morals. Our county government can't tolerate a big Buddha like you. From today on, you are no longer a temporary clerk of the county government. Oh, by the way, people like you are not worthy of taking the imperial examinations. I will notify them and spare you the reputation of a scholar."

"No, no, sir, please check clearly. Jiang Yubai and I are in love with each other, and Ji Huan hit me first. You can't take away my reputation, you can't!" Li Yunzheng burst into tears and said while crying.

"What's wrong with that? A person with bad morals like you is naturally unfit to be a scholar, and Ji Huan is a good friend of Master Yu. The people Master Yu knows are all outstanding people. How can someone like you slander them? What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and put him in jail." Feng Shuyang said sternly.

Several jailers ignored Li Yunzheng's crying and directly put him in jail.

Feng Shuyang hurriedly ordered the jailer, "Go and release Ji Huan."

After saying that, Feng Shuyang smiled apologetically at Yu Bin again, "Master Yu, I'm really sorry. I didn't expect that such a thing would happen in the county government. I neglected to discipline him and almost hurt your friend."

"Sir Feng, that's serious. This county is so big, and you have to take care of everything. How can you take care of these small things? Thanks to your help today. I will definitely come to thank you another day." Yu Bin hurriedly replied.

"No, no," Feng Shuyang smiled and waved his hand. Yu Bin's words were a generous gesture. After all, Feng Shuyang knew the Yu family had a more powerful backer, though he wasn't sure who it was. Besides, he didn't want to offend the county's God of Wealth for these people. The Yu family was generous and had given him many gifts during festivals.

"Master Feng, I'll take Ji Huan with me." Yu Bin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Ji Huan was fine.

Feng Shuyang glanced at Ji Huan and said politely, "Don't worry, young lady. You're Mr. Yu's friend, and you're my friend. I'll punish Zhang Chao and Li Yunzheng severely. Your suffering won't be in vain."

Ji Huan bowed to Feng Shuyang and said, "Thank you, Lord Feng."

As Ji Huan spoke, Feng Shuyang observed her. He saw that Ji Huan spoke with neither servility nor arrogance. Although his clothes were a little worn, he still had a great demeanor. "Of course not. This prison is not a place for conversation. Please excuse me."

Yu Bin exchanged a few more polite words with Feng Shuyang before leaving the prison with Ji Huan.

"Are you okay?" Although Ji Huan looked fine, Yu Bin couldn't help but ask.

"No, you came just in time. Li Yunzheng was about to whip me to vent his anger," Ji Huan replied, rubbing her sore wrist. She was fine elsewhere, but her wrist was reddened by the rough hemp rope.

"Your wrist is all red, how can you say it's okay? Come back with me to the mansion and let the doctor take a look. Your wife and the others are here too, and it's already past noon. You can have dinner at my mansion before you leave." Yu Bin said hurriedly.

Ji Huan looked at her wrist and nodded. Her hands were very important to her, and she relied on these hands to make a living.

"Okay, thank you so much for this time. If it weren't for you, I would have been punished by Li Yunzheng this time."

"Well, why are you being polite? If your Jianzhan business can be successful, we will be family in the future." Yu Bin smiled and patted Ji Huan on the shoulder and said.

"By the way, when will the person you mentioned last time come?" Ji Huan asked.

"It should be in the next few days, soon. Let's go. Your wife and the others are still waiting outside."

Chapter Text

Ji Huan nodded, and the two quickened their pace. Once outside the county government office, they saw Jiang Yubai and the others waiting outside.

Jiang Yubai threw herself into Ji Huan's arms, "Sister, did they give you any trouble? Did they hurt you?"

Ji Huan pulled Jiang Yubai into her arms, softly saying, "Don't worry, I'm fine. You arrived just in time. Li Yunzheng didn't even touch my hair."

Hearing Ji Huan's words, Jiang Yubai felt slightly relieved and tightened her grip around Ji Huan's waist.

Ji Huan glanced up at the people around him; they all tacitly looked away, leaving him and Jiang Yubai some space.

Ji Huan gently patted Jiang Yubai's back and said softly, "Everyone's still waiting for us. We'll hug you back when we get back."

Jiang Yubai's face flushed at Ji Huan's reminder, and he quickly rose from Ji Huan's embrace.

Seeing the two of them had finished their whispers, Yu Bin smiled and said, "Alright, come back with me. We've all been tired for most of the day. Let's go to the mansion for a quick meal. We're all acquaintances, so don't refuse."

Ji Huan nodded. "Brother Yu, it's so kind. Let's go and have a meal."

Yu Bin chuckled and shook his head. He quite admired Ji Huan for that. He was open and honest, and being friends with such a person was refreshing.

The carriage was too small, so Yu Bin simply sent someone back first, telling the kitchen to prepare the meal. He and Ji Huan and the others then headed to the Yu Mansion. They

soon arrived at the mansion. Yu Bin led the others to the dining room, where they sat down to talk while waiting for their food.

From Yu Ting's courtyard, Xiao Lu hurried in. "Miss, guess who I saw?"

"Why are you so nervous? Who did you see?" Yu Ting was reading a storybook, and suddenly interrupted, her boss was very unhappy.

"Miss, I just passed by the dining room and saw the young master bringing Ji Wen and the others in," Xiao Lu said hurriedly.

At the mention of Ji Wen, Yu Ting immediately jumped out of bed, throwing her notebook aside. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Get someone to help me change my clothes,"

she urged anxiously. Several maids immediately began helping her wash and dress. Soon, Yu Ting was as radiant and charming as ever. She had applied the most popular rouge in the county these days, her lips looking as vibrant as peach blossoms.

Yu Ting glanced in the mirror, ensuring her clothes and makeup were perfect, then hurried to the dining room.

As expected, Ji Wen was there. They had agreed that Ji Wen would come to see her the next day, and now she didn't have to wait until tomorrow to see the man she had been longing for. Yu Ting's eyes lit up.

"Sister, why didn't you come to see me when you came?" Yu Ting glanced at Ji Wen, her tone a touch of coquettishness.

Originally, Ji Qiao sat to one side of Ji Wen, and Ji Fu to the other. Seeing Yu Ting arrive, Ji Fu consciously moved to another spot, leaving the stool next to Ji Wen empty.

Seeing Ji Fu help her move, Yu Ting quickly smiled at him and sat down next to Ji Wen quite naturally.

With Yu Ting's arrival, everyone's eyes flickered between her and Yu Ting, making Ji Wen a little embarrassed.

Seeing his sister also arrive, Yu Bin smiled at Ji Huan and the others and said, "This is my sister Yu Ting. You should have all met her." Ji Huan nodded

. She had met her before, but why did she feel like there was something going on between Yu Ting and Ji Wen?

And she wasn't the only one who felt this way. Jiang Yubai was also secretly observing Yu Ting, noticing that her eyes sparkled when she looked at Ji Wen, much like the way she looked at her sister. However, she couldn't bear to stare any longer, and quickly averted her gaze.

"Sister, what's the matter with you guys coming here today?" Yu Ting asked, looking at Ji Wen.

"Well, Ji Huan was framed and thrown into prison. We came here to ask Master Yu for help. Fortunately, Ji Huan is fine now," Ji Wen explained simply.

"That's good." Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen again. "Sister, if I don't come to see you today, will you leave soon?"

Ji Wen looked at her and replied with a guilty conscience, "Didn't we agree to come to see you tomorrow?"

"Then I want you to accompany me today too. If you're not busy later, can you stay with me for a while before leaving?" Yu Ting's voice was softer than before, clearly trying to act coquettishly with Ji Wen.

Ji Wen couldn't stand being flirted with, especially with so many people around. Her face flushed, and she leaned over to remind Yu Ting, "Okay, there are so many people watching, keep your voice down."

Yu Ting glanced up at the others, chuckled, and whispered, "Are you shy?"

"How could that be? I'm Qian Yuan." Ji Wen's hands, already clenched in her lap, and her ears blushed. Fortunately, the maids had already begun serving the dishes, and Ji Wen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon, a variety of dishes were placed on the table. Yu Bin hurriedly said, "Everyone, eat first. Just treat it like you're at home. Don't be polite."

"Thank you, Brother Yu and Miss Yu, for hosting us," Ji Huan said hurriedly.

"It's just a small matter. If you're polite again, I'll be angry. Eat quickly, eat quickly," Yu Bin said with a smile.

After all this time, Ji Huan was truly hungry, and he immediately began to devour the food. As expected, the food at the Yu Mansion was prepared by a professional chef; it was perfectly suited to Ji Huan's taste.

Beside her, Jiang Yubai did the same thing, finishing his bowl of rice quickly. Yu Bin quickly sent for more.

Yu Ting, who had already eaten, came here solely to keep Ji Wen company. Sitting beside Ji Wen, she simply used her serving chopsticks to help him pick up some food.

"Sister, try this! These shrimp were just caught today, so fresh." Yu Ting said, placing a generous portion of shrimp on Ji Wen's small plate.

Ji Wen rarely received such attention, and Yu Ting's "sister" call made her ears blush. She had no choice but to bite the bullet and reply, "Thank you, I'll do it myself." "

It's okay, I already had lunch. I'll get you some soup." Yu Ting stood up and served Ji Wen the soup, bringing it to him.

"Sister, this soup is delicious too. It's made with a chicken we just killed this morning and simmered with several Chinese herbs. It doesn't taste fishy at all, it's delicious. Try it." Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen with bright eyes.

Ji Wen couldn't stand Yu Ting's blunt gaze and quickly picked up the bowl to take a sip. The soup was indeed rich in flavor, and it was obvious that it had been simmered in a clay pot for a long time. The aroma of the herbs in it neutralized the aroma of the chicken, making it very delicious.

Seeing that Yu Ting was still looking at him, Ji Wen could only reply dryly, "Yeah, it's delicious."

"Do you like it? Then I'll ask them to make it for you more often in the future." Yu Ting was very happy to see that Ji Wen liked it.

"Okay." With so many people around, Ji Wen only replied indifferently.

Yu Bin looked at his sister and felt a little uncomfortable. He also knew that his sister had been close to Ji Wen recently. Although Ji Wen's family conditions were not very good, he was trustworthy and his family was not short of money. Therefore, if his sister really wanted to be with Ji Wen, it would be fine. However, he couldn't stand his sister's behavior. She hadn't taken her eyes off Ji Wen since she came in.

Yu Bin coughed twice, "Tingting, let Ji Wen eat well and stop disturbing him."

"How am I disturbing her? I'm taking care of her. Oh, brother, don't worry about it." Yu Ting completely ignored Yu Bin's words and continued to help Ji Wen pick up the dishes.

"Sister, you should try this too. This is the pork of suckling pig. It's very tender and tastes very good with this sauce."

Ji Fu sat aside and looked at Ji Wen, then at Yu Ting. He felt that maybe his sister and Yu Ting could really work out. His sister was not very open-minded about love and was relatively ignorant, but if Yu Ting could take the initiative, the two of them would be a good match.

Jiang Yubai and Ji Huan sat on Ji Qiao's left, and Ji Wen and Yu Ting sat on her right. The little girl had eaten her fill, but she had eaten even more dog food. Her sister was a little more reserved, while her cousin and Miss Yu were much bolder. She almost blushed when she heard this.

After dinner, Yu Bin asked the doctor in the mansion to check the marks on Ji Huan's wrists. They weren't serious, just a red spot. The doctor gave Ji Huan a bottle of medicated oil and told her to rub it on her wrists. The redness would go away in a day or two.

Ji Huan and the others took the medicine and prepared to go back, but Yu Ting reached out and tugged at Ji Wen's skirt, whispering, "Sister, you just promised to stay with me."

Ji Wen nodded, then looked at Ji Huan and the others, "I have something to do later. You guys go back first. I'll leave later."

Ji Huan winked and smiled at Ji Wen, then exchanged a few polite words with Yu Bin before they left the Yu residence.

Ji Fu was still riding the mule, while Ji Huan was driving the mule cart in front. The two girls were sitting on the cart. Everyone had been so anxious when they came to the county town, but now that they were back, they were no longer in a hurry. They chatted as they slowly headed towards the village.

It took the group about an hour to get back to the village. Upon entering, they encountered several familiar faces. Seeing that Ji Huan was alright, they happily struck up a conversation.

"Ji Huan, are you okay? Did those guys do anything to you?"

"Yes, yes. That captain was a real jerk just now. I was about to speak up for you, but I was frightened by the sight of him drawing his sword."

"It's okay. I didn't do anything. I'm back naturally. Thank you all," Ji Huan said with a smile.

"Well, it's okay. We're neighbors, so any help is appreciated. Go back and rest."

"Okay, we'll go back first." Ji Huan leisurely drove the mule cart back to his yard, while Ji Fu rode his mule home.

When Ji Huan and the others arrived, Er Zhuzi, Zhou Xiaochun, and several other Qian Yuans were already there. Ji Huan and the others had left in a hurry, so Er Zhuzi, after chasing Jiang Fengshou and the others out of the village, simply came over to watch over the yard for Ji Huan and the others.

Seeing that Ji Huan was alright, Erzhuzi and Zhou Xiaochun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright? That Li Yunzheng is such a jerk, and so are those people from the Jiang family." Erzhuzi glanced at Jiang Yubai,

but didn't say the harsh words that followed. Jiang Yubai nodded. "Indeed, from today on, apart from Ji Huan and Qiaoqiao, I have no other relatives. They only care about their own lives and never consider me. I don't need family like that anymore."

Ji Huan reached out and took Jiang Yubai's hand, squeezing it gently. "That's right, you still have me, Qiaoqiao, and friends like Xiaochun and Erzhuzi. They're all very reliable."

Jiang Yubai's eyes were red, but she smiled with tears in her eyes. Indeed, her current situation was much better than it was a year ago. With Ji Huan and Qiaoqiao by her side, and reliable friends like Zhou Xiaochun, they treated her much better than her own family.

"Well, sister, let's have everyone stay for dinner," Jiang Yubai said, shaking Ji Huan's hand.

"Okay, everyone has worked hard for me today, let's stay for dinner together." Ji Huan said hurriedly.

"Let's not go today. You just came back from the county government office, so you should clean up first. It won't be too late to invite us over for dinner when your teacups start to make money."

"That will be soon. Okay, then I'll invite you over for dinner in a few days." Ji Huan smiled and said. After a day of hard work, she was indeed a little tired.

After seeing Erzhuzi and the others off, Ji Huan closed the door, and the yard suddenly became quiet.

Seeing that her two sisters seemed to have something to say, Ji Qiao hurried back to her room.

Ji Huan pulled Jiang Yubai into her arms and kissed the side of Jiang Yubai's face.

Jiang Yubai buried the side of her face in Ji Huan's arms. As if she had thought of something, she took out the jade token from her arms and handed it to Ji Huan. "Sister, this is for you. I was really scared today. Thanks to Yu Bin's help, otherwise I really don't know what to do." Ji

Huan reached out and patted Jiang Yubai's back gently to comfort her. "Don't worry, I told you it will be okay. Did you scare my little rabbit?"

Ji Huan asked softly as she took Jiang Yubai back to the room. After closing the door, Ji Huan held Jiang Yubai back in her arms.

Jiang Yubai reached out and pushed Ji Huan, softly and coquettishly saying, "Sister, your wrist is still injured. I'll help you rub the medicinal wine."

Ji Huan leaned over and kissed Jiang Yubai on the lips. Seeing Jiang Yubai shyly burying his face in her arms, she was satisfied and carried Jiang Yubai to the bed and laid him on the bed.

Ji Huan pulled up her sleeves and waited obediently for Jiang Yubai to help her rub the medicinal wine. In fact, after an hour, the marks on her wrists were no longer as obvious as before, but Ji Huan was still happy to have Jiang Yubai help her apply the medicine.

Seeing that she was ready, Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with a smile in his eyes, then took out the medicinal wine. Following the doctor's instructions, he poured some of the medicinal wine into his hands and rubbed it, then rubbed the red marks on Ji Huan's wrists with both hands.

Ji Huan stared at Jiang Yubai with uneasy eyes, which made Jiang Yubai feel embarrassed. She glared at Ji Huan with a red face, "Sister, why are you always looking at me?"

"Can't you look at my own wife? Hiss, be gentle." Ji Huan pretended to be weak and rubbed against Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with amusement. "Sister, be good and don't move."

"No."

Jiang Yubai rubbed Ji Huan's wrist a couple more times, making sure the medicinal wine had spread, and then she let go. Her own hands were covered in the smell of the medicinal wine. She was about to get up to wash her hands, but Ji Huan grabbed her waist and stopped her.

Jiang Yubai was about to speak when Ji Huan kissed her. The tips of her ears flushed slightly. It was daytime, and it wasn't rainy season, but she still loved being close to her sister.

Ji Huan held Jiang Yubai and kissed her for a while before letting her go to wash her hands. The little rabbit was so sweet and soft, it just deserved to be held in her arms and kissed.

~~

Ji Wen, on the other hand, was led by Yu Ting to the back garden of the Yu Mansion. At this time of year, the trees in the mansion were sprouting new buds, making the scenery quite beautiful.

Yu Ting asked Xiaolu to bring the fish food and then took Ji Wen with her to feed the red and yellow koi in the pond.

"Sister, come and feed them together. Look, they are such big eaters. That one is so big." Yu Ting moved closer to Ji Wen, looking very weak, and quietly rested her head on Ji Wen's shoulder.

Ji Wen certainly felt it, but she didn't dare to move. She just looked around and saw that all the maids and servants in the back garden had been sent away by Yu Ting. Now there were only the two of them in the back garden. Ji Wen

's ears blushed. He looked at Yu Ting who was leaning on his shoulder to feed the fish, cleared his throat and asked, "Why did you suddenly come over here?" "

Can't you even lean over for a bit? Are you so stingy, sister?" Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen a little aggrieved, as if Ji Wen was a scumbag who had abandoned her.

Ji Wen compromised immediately, "I didn't say you can't lean on me. If you're tired, just lean on me."

"I knew you were the best to me!" Yu Ting said nice things with her little mouth, while she leaned on Ji Wen's shoulder and fed the fish leisurely with a clear conscience. The only flaw was that the ointment on Ji Wen's neck was too tightly applied, and she couldn't smell the fragrance of white peaches

at all. Ji Wen's face turned red. Yu Ting was a little different today than that day. She was wearing bright and colorful clothes, and she had a gold hairpin on her hair. Even her lips were much more colorful than that day.

Realizing that Ji Wen was looking at her, Yu Ting quickly raised her eyes and met Ji Wen's eyes. Ji Wen subconsciously avoided his sight, blushing, and grabbed the fish food and threw it into the lake.

Yu Ting smiled with her eyes curved. The place where her sister's eyes fell just now seemed to be her lips?

Just thinking about it, Yu Ting couldn't stop smiling. She deliberately leaned on Ji Wen's shoulder and asked in a soft voice, "Sister, where were you looking at me just now?"

Ji Wen's body froze. She didn't expect Yu Ting to ask directly, so she could only stammer and reply, "I didn't look anywhere. I just glanced at it casually."

"Oh~ Just glanced at it casually? Is it pretty?" Yu Ting moved closer, and the warm air she exhaled could hit Ji Wen's ears.

Ji Wen's ears twitched, his eyes fixed on the koi fish fighting for food on the lake surface. With a blush on his face, he replied, "They look good."

Yu Ting's lips curled up, and she leaned softly against Ji Wen's shoulder, continuing, "This is the new rouge I put on today, just for you to see. I hope you like it."

Hearing Yu Ting say this, Ji Wen felt like his body was about to burn, and he quickly denied it, "I, I didn't say I was looking at you there."

"Where? Your lips? But you were staring at them for a long time just now." Yu Ting leaned against Ji Wen's shoulder, but she wasn't being honest. She hugged Ji Wen's arm and shook it, leaning against her in a soft voice and acting coquettishly.

Ji Wen couldn't bear it at all. The sides of his face and the tips of his ears were all red. If she hadn't been wearing clothes, she would have felt that her skin was burning red underneath her clothes.

Seeing Ji Huan's shyness, Yu Ting's eyes brightened. "Sister, are you shy? Why are your ears red? So cute."

Hearing Yu Ting's soft, coquettish voice against his shoulder, Ji Wen felt even more overwhelmed and quickly suggested, "Let's take a walk around here."

Yu Ting leaned softly against Ji Wen's shoulder, showing no sign of getting up. "No, I want you to accompany me to feed the fish."

Ji Wen kept scattering fish food on the water to distract himself from Yu Ting. "Okay, let's feed the fish."

The problem was that he was the only one feeding the fish, and Yu Ting seemed to be staring at him the whole time.

"Sister, it's a bit cold," Yu Ting said coquettishly, nudging Ji Wen's shoulder.

"So are we going home?" Feeling the weight off his shoulder, Ji Wen breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to look at Yu Ting, and the next moment, there was someone else in his arms.

Yu Ting naturally leaned into her arms, and Ji Wen froze in his tracks.

Seeing that Ji Wen didn't reach out to hug her, Yu Ting looked up at him with a look of grievance. "Sister, don't you like me anymore? You won't even hug me."

"No, I don't." Ji Wen hesitated for a few seconds before finally hugging the person in his arms.

"So, sister, do you like me? I like you too," Yu Ting said, her eyes brightening. "It's not just a friendship, but I want you to be my Qianyuan."

Ji Wen met Yu Ting's eyes. Yu Ting's eyes were full of clarity, and she no longer had any intention of joking. Ji Wen froze in his place. So, does the young lady really like him?

Seeing Ji Wen didn't answer, Yu Ting felt a little shy. However, Ji Wen's tight embrace reassured her. Her sister's behavior at least showed that she had feelings for him.

This reminded her of the storybooks she'd read. Her sister was nothing like the female Qianyuan in those stories. If she waited for her sister to confess her feelings, she didn't know how long she would have to wait before she could smell the fragrance of white peaches.

Yu Ting blinked her long, curled eyelashes, as if she had made up her mind. She raised her head slightly, looked into Ji Wen's eyes, and pressed her lips to the corner of his lips. It was a light touch, and she quickly pulled away.

Yu Ting buried herself in Ji Wen's arms again, and said in a soft and coquettish voice, "I've already given you my stamp of approval. You can't like anyone else, okay?"

Her voice was so soft and coquettish that Ji Wen felt like he was being roasted. He was still stunned, savoring the brief but thrilling touch of his lips, his mind filled with the thought of how soft her lips were.

Seeing Ji Wen didn't answer, Yu Ting became anxious and looked at Ji Wen with grievance. "Sister~"

Ji Wen quickly came back to his senses, and his tone was much softer than usual: "What's wrong?"

"You don't listen to me, I'm angry." After saying this, she leaned on Ji Wen's arms and didn't say anything. But after saying this, Yu Ting regretted it again. Ji Wen didn't seem to be very good at coaxing people, so wouldn't her temper make the atmosphere awkward?

Who knew that the next moment she heard Ji Wen's voice.

"No, I was just thinking about you. No, I mean, I've never been kissed by anyone, and I was just thinking about that kiss." Ji Wen blushed after saying this. What was he talking about? He was talking nonsense. Why couldn't he speak at all when he met Yu Ting?

Yu Ting's eyes lit up. Her sister was thinking about the kiss just now, and she was blushing. She must like her too!

"Sister, can you please take the initiative with me? I'm Kunze. I just took the initiative. Now it's your turn." Yu Ting said, closing her eyes and waiting nervously for Ji Wen.

Ji Wen looked around again, finally his gaze landing on Yu Ting's lips. From the light touch, she felt only softness on them, and her fragrant breath made her heartbeat go haywire. Ji

Wen stared at her lips and slowly approached her. He was always shy around her, and his heartbeat would occasionally speed up. She also had feelings for her, and Ji Wen didn't want to keep her waiting too long. Since he was sure he liked her, he had to give her enough security, even though she was still a little shy. Ji

Wen had never kissed a girl before, so he simply pressed his lips lightly against hers. Yu Ting, however, felt Ji Wen leaning in towards her and gradually took the initiative. She pestered Ji Wen and kissed him for a long time before they separated. After all, her reading of the storybooks was not in vain!

Yu Ting glanced at Ji Wen's lips and chuckled.

Ji Wen looked at Yu Ting, who was laughing non-stop in his arms, with some surprise, and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, the rouge on my lips rubbed against your face." Yu Ting reached out to help Ji Wen wipe the rouge from his lips. As she did so, her fingertips gently touched Ji Wen's lower lip and began to caress it. Why hadn't she noticed the beauty of a female Qianyuan before? Fortunately, it wasn't too late now.

After another kiss, Yu Ting leaned in contentedly, looking at Ji Wen lazily, reminding him, "Sister, remember to come and stay with me tomorrow too. You promised."

"Okay, I'll remember that." Ji Wen was still secretly savoring that kiss, soft and sweet, just like the person in his arms.

The two of them clung to each other for a while longer. If Yu Ting hadn't worried that Ji Wen would be late and the journey home would be unsafe, she would have wanted to stay with him a little longer.

Not long after Ji Wen left, Yu Ting was already looking forward to tomorrow. She lost interest in strolling around the garden and went back to her room, limply pulling out the storybook.

In the storybook, the young lady's passion wore off and she began to turn her back on him. Then, she was forced to make love to the female Qianyuan for a while. The erotic scenes in the storybook were very erotic, and Yu Ting couldn't take her eyes off them, especially the description of the calluses on the female Qianyuan's hands. The young lady was delicate and tender, crying and acting coquettishly when being bullied. She had

only read it for excitement before, but just now in the back garden, she and Ji Wen had made some progress, and she couldn't help but think of the kiss they had just had. She also wanted her sister to be a little more assertive towards her. Her sister was much gentler than the female Qianyuan in the storybook. However, Yu Ting thought that after they got married, she would have her sister pretend to be the female Qianyuan in the storybook and force love on her.

Just thinking about it made Yu Ting feel happy. She couldn't help but roll around in the quilt twice. Ji Wen was the only thing on her mind. If only she and her sister were married now, it would be great. Her sister was shy, and she wanted to lie in her sister's arms and read her storybook. Just thinking about it, she could imagine Ji Wen's shy reaction.

On the other side, when Ji Wen returned to Dongniu Village, the sun was about to set. She walked home happily, but she would blush from time to time.

When she entered the yard, Ji Fu was filling water in the yard. Seeing Ji Wen coming back, Ji Fu joked, "What were you talking about with Miss Yu? You came back so late." "

Nothing, just walking around casually." Ji Wen said and trotted back to the room.

Ji Fu shook his head with a laugh, muttering, "Still shy?"

Feng Mei left the yard and saw her daughter was gone. She asked, "Where's your sister?"

"I teased her a little, then went back to my room to be shy."

"Oh, I didn't expect our Ji Wen to have a chance. Yu Ting seems nice and pretty. If it works out, Ji Wen must treat her well." Feng Mei felt happy just thinking about it.

"Mom, are you still worried about my sister? She's so stubborn. Once she sets her mind on someone, she'll be hers. How could she possibly treat a girl badly?" Ji Fu smiled as he worked.

"That's right." Feng Mei couldn't stop smiling.

Elsewhere, Li Yunzheng's parents had waited all day for their son to return. Knowing that Li Yunzheng had gone out to deal with Jiang Yubai's matter, they went to look for Jiang Fengshou.

"Isn't my son busy with your daughter's matter? Why hasn't he come back yet so late?" Li Yunzheng's mother asked hurriedly.

Jiang Fengshou thought for a moment and then said, "Yun Zheng had the constable arrest Ji Huan, and then he went to the county government office with him. I guess he's still in the county town. In-laws, have you eaten? Come and sit down."

"No, we just came to ask why Yun Zheng hasn't come back yet. Also, even if your daughter is divorced and is with us Yun Zheng, she'll be a concubine. We're not your in-laws." Li Yunzheng's mother glared at Jiang Fengshou before leaving.

However, the two waited until the next morning but their son didn't return. Worried about him, they went to the county government office to look for him. They were told that Li Yunzheng was being held in the county jail and his academic title had been revoked. Li Yunzheng's mother fainted in the street, and his father was overwhelmed with work.

Elsewhere, Ji Huan slept until dawn. When he woke up, Jiang Yubai was no longer in the room. Ji Huan changed and went outside, where he found Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao playing with two little black rabbits in the yard. The two little black rabbits seemed a bit bigger than when Ji Huan first brought them home. Now, they were lazily lying in the open space, waiting for Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to rub their fur.

Ji Huan walked over, gently poked the two little black rabbits' heads, and said with a smile, "You two little ones really know how to enjoy yourself. So comfortable so early in the morning."

Seeing Ji Huan playing with them, Erhei rubbed his head against the back of Ji Huan's hand, acting coquettishly.

Jiang Yubai's eyes fell on Ji Huan's wrist, where the red mark had faded considerably. "Sister, after you have breakfast, I'll rub the medicinal wine on you again. It should be enough."

"Okay." Ji Huan quickly got up to wash up. Her wrist wasn't seriously injured, but since the little rabbits wanted to help her rub the medicinal wine, she was happy to do it.

After so many busy days, Ji Huan finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was noon, and the temperature in the yard was just right. Ji Huan sat on a low stool, obediently letting Jiang Yubai rub her wrists. Erhei and Sanhei would occasionally rub against Jiang Yubai and Ji Huan, acting coquettishly.

"Woof woof~" The two little guys played with each other while running around Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai.

"Sister, one more rub should be enough for today," Jiang Yubai said as she held Ji Huan's wrist and rubbed it gently. As she rubbed, her eyes involuntarily fell on Ji Huan's fingers. Ji Huan's fingers were slender and long, and perhaps because of years of making lamps, they were very strong. Jiang Yubai's ears blushed as she watched.

Ji Huan noticed Jiang Yubai blushing across from her. Following Jiang Yubai's gaze, her eyes landed on her fingertips. Seeing Qiaoqiao cooking in the kitchen, with only three dogs left in the yard, she leaned over and kissed Jiang Yubai on the lips.

Jiang Yubai was startled and quickly looked towards the kitchen. If Qiaoqiao saw him, wouldn't he be mortified?

"What are you doing? Qiaoqiao's still here." Jiang Yubai quickly reached out and nudged Ji Huan, asking him to sit down.

Ji Huan felt that the brief touch wasn't enough. Furthermore, she had been busy since Jiang Yubai's rainy season ended, and hadn't touched the little rabbit in days. Now she was really itching to touch it.

"Nothing, I just missed you." Ji Huan blinked at Jiang Yubai and continued, "What were you staring at my fingers for?"

Jiang Yubai stood up with red ears and retorted, "I wasn't looking at it, you saw it wrong, I won't talk to you anymore, I'm going to help Qiaoqiao."

With that, Jiang Yubai trotted to the kitchen. His wife didn't want to accompany him anymore, so Ji Huan had to reach out and pick up Erhei, rubbed the black face of the little black coal ball, and reached out to touch Erhei's nose. "Come on, you two little black faces, I'll play with you two."

Ji Huan picked up some hay from the haystack in the backyard and made a grass ball for the two little black coal balls. Ji Huan threw the grass ball far away, and the two little coal balls ran to pick it up with their four short legs. When they brought it back to Ji Huan, they blinked their big eyes and looked at Ji Huan, waiting for Ji Huan to throw the ball again so that he could play with them.

Ji Huan continued to pick up the grass ball and play with the two puppies. Dahei just lay in the sun from a distance, basking in the sun, watching Ji Huan and the others play.

It was during lunch time that Ji Huan finally got away. The two little coal balls loved to play so much that they pestered Ji Huan to play for a long time. When they saw Ji Huan was about to go into the dining room, they returned to Dahei to play with him.

Lunch was fish stewed by Ji Qiao. Thinking that Ji Huan was frightened by being arrested and imprisoned yesterday, the little girl went to the village early in the morning to find someone to buy fish and cooked fish and rice.

Ji Huan poured the soup from the fish on the rice and ate it together with great relish. Jiang Yubai also returned to his usual appetite and had already eaten his second bowl.

"Sister, when are we going to sell tea cups?" Ji Qiao asked hurriedly.

"It should be soon. I asked Yu Bin for help. It should be in the next few days." Ji Huan responded while eating. She could only rest for one or two days. When the mysterious man arrived, she would definitely start to be busy again.

Chapter Text

Ji Wen, on her part, left home early in the morning, washing and changing into new clothes. By the time she arrived at the Yu residence, it was only the morning hour.

The servant at the Yu residence's gate seemed to have known she was coming. Upon seeing her, someone immediately led the way, taking her directly to Yu Ting's small courtyard.

The courtyard contained not only a small garden, but also a pavilion and a swing—it was practically everything you need.

Yu Ting had also risen early today. She had waited there long after the servant announced Ji Wen's arrival. "Sister,"

Ji Wen turned around and saw Yu Ting standing outside the door, smiling at him.

Ji Wen nodded and replied calmly, but his ears were already red. "Yeah."

Yu Ting asked all the maids to leave, then she quickly walked up to Ji Wen and buried herself in his arms. "Sister, I missed you all night last night. Look, I have black eyes. How are you going to compensate me?"

Faced with the sudden direct ball, Ji Wen blushed immediately and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense. How could you miss me all night?"

Yu Ting immediately looked at Ji Wen aggrievedly, "Really? "You don't believe me, sister. You haven't missed me. You have to make it up to me."

Looking at Yu Ting, who was leaning on his chest and acting coquettishly, Ji Wen hurriedly asked, "Then how do you want me to make it up to you?"

Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen with bright eyes, then pointed to her lips, emphasizing, "Sister, kiss me harder. I've been thinking about you all night."

Ji Wen's face flushed red, and so did the tips of her ears. "I thought about you all night," she said, "is that really something you can say?" She quickly avoided Yu Ting's gaze and replied in a panic, "Okay, I'll try my best.

" Yu Ting was amused, her eyes blinking slightly, staring at Ji Wen and urging him, "Hurry up, sister."

"Okay." Ji Wen cleared his throat a few times before looking at Yu Ting. He saw that her lips were still smeared with rouge, and her face was freshly combed. She swallowed unconsciously, then slowly leaned over with a blushing face and gently kissed Yu Ting on the lips.

Thinking about Yu Ting's instructions, Ji Wen obediently held Yu Ting's lower back tightly, gradually increasing the intensity of the kiss, and the two separated after a while.

Yu Ting looked at Ji Wen's lips, her eyes full of smiles. Sure enough, the rouge she had just applied in the morning was ruined by her sister's kiss.

Yu Ting hurriedly helped Ji Wen wipe the rouge from the corners of her lips, and then said, "Sister, let's go back to the room and talk."

Ji Wen stood there holding Yu Ting without moving, and asked with red ears, "Isn't this not good? There are only two of us in your boudoir." "

What? Are you afraid that I will eat you? You are the Qianyuan." Yu Ting leaned on Ji Wen's arms and rubbed against him, holding Ji Wen's hand and humming for a long time. Ji Wen couldn't stand it at all, so he nodded and agreed, and was led into the room by Yu Ting.

There were many exquisite cakes and fruit drinks on the table in the room. As soon as they entered the room, Yu Ting asked Ji Wen to sit down and rest. She moved a stool and sat next to Ji Wen. "Sister, try this. This is a dessert made with preserved fruits. I'll feed you."

As she spoke, Yu Ting carefully wiped her fingers with a handkerchief, and then took a piece of dessert and fed it to Ji Wen's lips.

Ji Wen's face had been flushed since she saw Yu Ting. She was born in a village. When she was a child, even her mother rarely fed her. Now that she was so old, she was still not used to being fed.

"Sister, eat quickly." Yu Ting pulled Ji Wen's sleeve with her other hand and acted coquettishly. Ji Wen immediately compromised and obediently leaned over to take a bite.

But the dim sum at the Yu Mansion was truly delicious, fresh and rich in the aroma of preserved fruit. "How was it?"

Ji Wen nodded quickly, replying, "Yeah, delicious."

"If you like it, eat more. I'll have the kitchen make some more later so you can take some back for your uncle and aunt to try." Seeing that she liked it, Yu Ting was even happier.

"No need to bother." Ji Wen felt embarrassed to eat it himself and then have to take it back later.

"No need to bother. Your parents will be my parents from now on. It's no different." But at the end of the sentence, Yu Ting buried herself in Ji Wen's arms, nuzzling against him softly, her fingertips tugging at the hem of his clothes.

"Sister, when are you going to tell my parents about us? I want to be with you right now. You didn't even know you left yesterday. I didn't sleep much the whole night." She thought Ji Wen was serious, but the main reason she couldn't sleep was that she read too many storybooks before bed. It was too exciting, and she couldn't help but think about herself and Ji Wen. Her mind was full of pornographic garbage at night, so she didn't sleep well.

"Then I have to prepare something, and I can't be too abrupt." Ji Wen thought for a while and said, after all, he and Yu Ting had kissed several times, and she was determined to be with Yu Ting, so she had to prepare well.

Yu Ting buried her face in Ji Wen's neck and rubbed it. She didn't smell the white peach scent she liked, and leaned against Ji Wen's arms a little unhappy, "Sister, my parents have loved me since I was a child. If we get married, you may need to marry into my family. Is that okay?"

Yu Ting was very careful when asking this question. She was a little afraid that Ji Wen would not agree to marry into my family.

Ji Wen nodded, "Of course I can. With my family's conditions, I certainly can't take good care of you, but I will try my best to take good care of you in the future."

"Of course I believe you." Hearing Ji Wen say this, Yu Ting felt as if her heart was filled with honey, and she felt sweet.

She raised her eyes to look at Ji Wen, leaned over, and kissed Ji Wen's lips again. She felt as if she couldn't leave Ji Wen for a moment.

Thinking of this, Yu Ting thought about Ji Wen's fragrance again. She rubbed Ji Wen with a red face, raised her eyes and said coquettishly: "Sister, did you use the fragrance to save me last time?"

Ji Wen didn't know why Yu Ting suddenly asked this, and nodded with red ears, "Well, I didn't mean to. I was really afraid that Ji Yuan's fragrance would hurt you, so I put it in."

"I know, I meant to say that your fragrance smells good. I dreamed about it last night." When Yu Ting spoke, the warm air flow hit Ji Wen's neck, making Ji Wen's ears tremble slightly. Does his own fragrance smell good?

Seeing Ji Wen blushing and not responding, Yu Ting nudged herself against him again. "Sister, can I smell it again?"

Hearing the woman's coquettish words in his arms, Ji Wen felt a tingling itch inside him, but he suppressed the throbbing in his heart and refused, "No, that's not right. We're not married yet."

"Isn't it almost time? And I've already decided on you, are you still looking for someone else?"

"Of course not. I, I've decided on you too," Ji Wen said hurriedly.

"That's great, isn't it? Smelling it in advance is no big deal. Just think of it as an advance payment with you, okay, sister?" Yu Ting leaned into Ji Wen's arms, whining and coquettishly, as if she wouldn't stop unless Ji Wen agreed.

Ji Wen held Yu Ting's waist firmly to prevent her from falling if she didn't sit properly. After a long moment of thought, he finally nodded slightly. If Tingting wanted to smell it, it was okay, and if he refused again, she would definitely be hurt.

"Okay, but it's a deal. Just a little bit, not for too long," Ji Wen said, fearing something might go wrong.

"Okay, I'll listen to you!" Yu Ting's eyes lit up immediately, "Sister, can I help you tear off the ointment?"

Ji Wen nodded with a red face. She tilted her head to reveal the ointment on the right side of her neck, making it easier for Yu Ting to tear it off.

Seeing Ji Wen so obedient, Yu Ting's smile widened. She gently pulled at a corner of the ointment and slowly tore it off. In an instant, the fragrance of white peaches poured out. Yu Ting leaned against Ji Wen's shoulder like a kitten that had inhaled too much catnip, breathing in the endless stream of white peach scent.

"Sister, you smell so good," she murmured, unconsciously nuzzling in and nuzzling Ji Wen's neck.

Ji Wen, already shy, blushed at her touch. Ticklish, he shrank back a bit, but Yu Ting held him tight, preventing him from dodging. "Sister, don't move. I haven't smelled enough yet."

Ji Wen had no choice but to endure the itch and hold the person close in his arms. Looking at Yu Ting, who leaned against him with her eyes closed, he asked, "Is this all right?"

It wasn't that she didn't want Yu Ting to smell more, but rather that Qian Yuan's fragrance would affect Kun Ze. If she inhaled too much, Ji Wen was afraid something might happen.

"No, smell it a few more times, sister is so stingy." Yu Ting said, and even rubbed the tip of her nose on Ji Wen's nipples twice, and her whole body softened in Ji Wen's arms. When she just touched the nipples, too much white peach fragrance rushed into her nose, and she was really a little intoxicated.

Seeing that she had no strength left, Ji Wen hurriedly picked up the ointment from the table, re-applied it to the nipples, and held Yu Ting in his arms, letting her take a rest.

"How is it? Are you feeling better?" Ji Wen lowered his eyes and looked at the person in his arms, and asked softly.

"Well, just hold me for a while longer." Yu Ting's voice was softer than before, and the arm around Ji Wen's neck was also held tighter.

Ji Wen held her for a long time before Yu Ting regained her strength, but even after she had the strength, Yu Ting still leaned in Ji Wen's arms and was unwilling to get up.

Yu Ting's mother, Cao Yun, had long heard that Ji Wen was coming to visit her daughter. She had also heard her son mention Ji Wen, and he spoke highly of him. Therefore, Cao Yun wanted to meet Ji Wen and arrange the marriage sooner rather than later. Otherwise, her daughter would have to travel to Dongniu Village, a long journey that would have worried her, fearing something might happen to her along the way.

Cao Yun led several maids toward her daughter's courtyard. Before entering, she saw several of the maids there chatting.

Xiaolu and the others hurriedly bowed upon seeing Cao Yun. Cao Yun looked at them puzzled and asked, "Doesn't your young lady have a guest? Why aren't you all going in to serve them?"

"Madam, she told us to go down and not disturb them," Xiaolu quickly replied. Seeing that Cao Yun seemed to be heading to find Yu Ting, she quickly said, "Madam, are you looking for the young lady? I'll go and let them know."

Cao Yun glared at Xiaolu, but ultimately said nothing, following her into Yu Ting's courtyard.

Xiaolu knocked on the door a few times, warning, "Miss, the Madam is here."

Yu Ting, upon hearing her mother, quickly rose from Ji Wen's arms, straightening both her and Ji Wen's clothes before rising to open the door.

"Mom, why are you here?" Yu Ting hurried over to her mother, coquettishly saying, "Look, that's Ji Wen."

"Hello, Auntie," Ji Wen greeted Cao Yun with a reserved expression. She was completely unprepared to meet Yu Ting's parents, especially after letting Yu Ting smell the incense. This made her even more nervous.

Cao Yun looked Ji Wen over. Her family was in business, and she had met all kinds of people. From a glance, she felt that Ji Wen was an honest boy. He wasn't particularly tall for a Qianyuan family, but he was slightly taller than her daughter, which made him a good match. Ji Wen was indeed handsome, so it was no wonder her daughter kept thinking about him.

"Okay, let's go inside and talk," Cao Yun said, smiling kindly at Ji Wen. She then stepped inside.

Yu Ting reached out and tugged at Ji Wen's sleeve, and followed Cao Yun into the room.

Although it had been a while since then, the scent of Ji Wen's incense in the room was not very obvious, but Cao Yun still smelled some of it. After all, as a mother, she knew the smell of her daughter's incense.

She looked at the two of them, and finally her eyes fell on her daughter. Seeing her mother staring at her, Yu Ting immediately felt a little guilty. There was still a faint smell of white peach in the room.

She smiled at her mother, went over and put her arm around Cao Yun's arm and said coquettishly, "Mom, please sit down."

Cao Yun glared at her, and seeing Ji Wen standing there stiffly, she said, "Okay, sit down."

She dismissed all the servants on the left and right, and for a while, only the three of them were left in the room.

Cao Yun glanced at the two of them and said, "It's no use trying to get her and her trying to get you. Ji Wen, have you ever thought about getting married?"

Cao Yun got straight to the point. After all, her daughter had already heard of the man, so she should have decided on him. Now that they had chosen the right person, it would be better to start planning the wedding. It would be better than having a child before the wedding.

"I've thought about it, but I haven't had time to prepare yet, and my family hasn't even visited yet," Ji Wen said honestly.

"There's no rush, and there's no need for you to prepare anything. Even though you're marrying into the family, our family has no special expectations of you. You should take care of your parents, and that's fine. Or you can have them move to the county town. There's a vacant courtyard not far from our Yu Mansion, and we could bring your family there." "

You're welcome, Auntie, but my parents are used to village life, and even moving to the county town wouldn't be easy," Ji Wen quickly declined. Given his parents' personalities, they definitely wouldn't come.

"That doesn't matter. The county town is not far from your Dongniu Village anyway. After you get married, you can go back whenever you want. If you think it's okay, I will discuss with Yu Ting's father and start preparing. It will take a month to prepare. Later, I will find a fortune teller to look at your birth dates and horoscopes. We will choose a good day and do this quickly to save Tingting from being absent-minded all day long." Cao Yun said, smiling and glaring at her daughter.

Yu Ting was shy because of her mother's teasing. She reached out and tugged at Cao Yun's sleeve, "Oh, mother, don't talk nonsense."

"I'm not talking nonsense. After meeting Ji Wen, how many days have you been at home?" Cao Yun complained to her daughter, then looked at Ji Wen again, "What do you think?" "

Okay, auntie is the boss." Ji Wen said with a slight blush on his ears.

"Okay, then, when you bring your family over one day, we'll have a meal together, set a date, and we'll take care of the rest." Cao Yun couldn't stop smiling. Her daughter finally had a place to stay.

"Thank you, auntie." Ji Wen also wanted to help, but she knew her family's financial situation well. If she made the arrangements herself, it would definitely put Tingting at a disadvantage. Besides, she didn't care whether she was marrying into the family or not, so it would be better to let the Yu family make the arrangements.

"Okay, good boy, you still call me auntie?" Cao Yun looked at Ji Wen and teased.

Yu Ting pulled Ji Wen's sleeve and reminded her in a low voice, "Sister, we are all getting married, so just call me mother."

"Mother." Ji Wen called out shyly.

"Hey, it's my first time meeting you, so consider this as a meeting gift from me." Cao Yun took out a brocade box from her sleeve and pushed it in front of Ji Wen, "Don't refuse, we'll be a family from now on."

Yu Ting was very curious, and pulled Ji Wen's sleeve and urged, "Sister, open it and take a look."

"Okay." Ji Wen carefully took the brocade box and opened it. Inside was a 1.2 cm old-style gold bead bracelet, and the bracelet was also matched with an old-style emerald green bead, which was slightly larger than the gold bead, making the whole bracelet more eye-catching.

"Mom, this bracelet is so beautiful, especially the jade on it. It goes so well with it. Sister, try it on and see for yourself," Yu Ting urged hurriedly. Ji

Wen had a fair complexion to begin with, and when she put the bracelet on, the gold bracelet complemented her slender white wrist, and with the jade embellishment, it didn't look tacky at all.

"It's so beautiful, Mom, you're such a good picker. It suits me so well." Yu Ting smiled and flattered her mother.

"Thank you, Mom." Ji Wen felt that the bracelet was too expensive. The gold beads alone were worth a lot of money, and the emerald jade should be no cheaper than gold. However, she didn't refuse it, fearing that it would alienate her from Yu Ting's mother.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it. We don't lack anything at home. We have everything you want." Cao Yun was even more pleased with Ji Wen when she saw that he didn't act like those unworldly people.

Her son Yu Bin rarely cares about business matters and likes to play with his friends all day long. Her daughter is also not interested in business matters. She thinks Ji Wen has a calm personality. After he comes home, she can let Ji Wen help Yu Ting's father manage the family business. She has to find a reliable one among the children.

Cao Yun chatted with the two for a few more words before leaving. After Cao Yun left, Yu Ting slouched into Ji Wen's arms again, just as she had just before. "Sister, you still have to wait another month. I want you to stay with me every day."

But she was also worried about Ji Wen's health. If he came from the village every day to see her, it would be too tiring. Yu Ting reached out and touched the side of Ji Wen's face. "But let's see each other every few days. It's too tiring for you to come all the time. I can't bear it."

Ji Wen's heart softened, and he held her tighter in his arms. "It's okay. I usually walk around the village. I'm used to it."

"By the way, sister, can you ride a horse? I have a horse at home. You can ride one back home. It will be convenient for you to come over later." Yu Ting said with bright eyes.

"Yes, I can, but I rarely ride a horse in the village. I usually ride a mule." Ji Wen thought for a moment and said,

"If you can, then ride one back home. This is your home from now on. Don't be so distant with me, okay?" Yu Ting nudged Ji Wen and acted coquettishly for a while.

Seeing her adorable side, Ji Wen couldn't help himself. He leaned forward and gently kissed Yu Ting's forehead, then quickly pulled away.

Yu Ting was stunned for a moment, realizing it was Ji Wen who had initiated the kiss. Her eyes lit up, and she looked up at Ji Wen. "Sister, did you just kiss me?"

"Yes," Ji Wen nodded, then gently kissed the tip of Yu Ting's nose.

Yu Ting didn't want to get out of Ji Wen's arms anymore. She loved how he treated her. "Give me a few more kisses, sister. We're getting married anyway."

After spending most of the day with the eldest lady, Yu Ting took Ji Wen to the stables in the backyard that afternoon. She had the servant help Ji Wen choose a docile horse. Ji Wen took a test ride, and once he was sure it was okay, he rode back to the village.

On his way back, Ji Wen ran into Ji Ming. However, since his family no longer had much contact with Ji Mantun, Ji Wen didn't greet him, but simply told his horse to go slower to avoid bumping into pedestrians.

When they got home, Ji Fu was stunned for a moment when he saw Ji Wen coming back on a horse, but after thinking about it, he knew that it must be Yu's horse.

"Brother, I'm back." Ji Wen's face was full of smiles. She had been with Yu Ting all day, and she felt happy for no reason.

"Quickly lead the horse in, wash your hands, there is hot tea in the dining room, go and drink some if you are thirsty." Ji Fu said with a smile.

"Okay." Ji Wen tied the horse to the stable. The family has always had a stable. Originally, they were planning to buy a mule, but recently there were too many things to do, so they put it on hold. Now it's just right to raise this horse.

Ji Wen told his family about the marriage, and Ji Mancang felt a little sorry for Yu Ting.

"That's good, but our family can't help, and I always feel sorry for Tingting." Ji Mancang sighed and said.

"Yeah, but didn't they say how our family can help?" Feng Mei also said.

"Mom, the Yu family is one of the most prestigious merchants in the county. Tingting and I'm getting married, and her family will definitely be celebrating grandly. They'll likely invite many wealthy and powerful people. We can't be of much help, so let's go visit them in a few days, bring some gifts, and set a wedding date. The Yu family will take care of everything else."

Ji Wen thought for a moment and continued, "I met Tingting's mother today. She was very kind. She told me that marrying into the family is just a formality, and I can come back anytime I want."

"That's good, that's good." Feng Mei was happy for her daughter's wedding, but also a little reluctant to leave.

~~

Ji Huan, on the other hand, finally had a lazy day. She cuddled Jiang Yubai for a long nap at noon before waking up. After waking, she and Jiang Yubai took their three black dogs for a walk nearby.

The black dogs were usually very well-behaved and didn't poop or pee in the yard. They only found a place to relieve themselves in the woods when someone took them out.

Jiang Yubai leaned against Ji Huan's chest, thinking about how nice it would be if their lives could always be like this.

Ji Huan reached out and poked the side of Jiang Yubai's face, and smiled, "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking that it would be nice if every day in the future could be like today. Qiaoqiao and I would be safe and sound, and after finishing work, we could sleep until we wake up naturally. After getting up, we could take the dogs out for a walk. I really like this kind of ordinary life." Jiang Yubai said, burying her face in Ji Huan's shoulder.

"I like it too, but I have to make enough money, and at least I have to know some powerful people, otherwise we can't protect ourselves. Li Yunzheng is an example. He is just a small scholar, and he dared to let the constable arrest me just because he has a little connection with the yamen. If we didn't have this relationship with Yu Bin, I would have been bullied by them last time."

Ji Huan sighed and continued: "The strong prey on the weak, this is the case everywhere, especially I heard Yu Bin say that the situation in Daliang is unstable, I really don't know what the future will be like."

"Sister, will it affect us? We live in the village. Even if there is a rebellion outside, don't the villagers still work from sunrise to sunset?" Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan and asked. She seldom even went to the county town, and her activities were basically in Dongniu Village and Xiniu Village.

Ji Huan kissed Jiang Yubai on the forehead and explained softly, "Of course there's a connection. If chaos really breaks out, there's a good chance there'll be war. Those soldiers or bandits could massacre the entire village."

"Then what should we do, sister?" Jiang Yubai felt a little uneasy at Ji Huan's words.

Ji Huan reached out and gently patted Jiang Yubai on the back, soothing her softly, "It's okay. I was just saying that. If the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up. It's none of our business to worry about the affairs of those powerful people. We just need to run the Jianzhan business well. When we make money, the first thing we'll do is have Qiaoqiao cleanse the incense."

Ji Qiao and Zhang Liangcai had been in a pact, and even though they were divorced now, she still carried some of Zhang Liangcai's scent on her body. Although Ji Qiao didn't usually talk about it, Ji Huan kept thinking about it. How disgusting it would be to have the incense of someone you dislike lingering on your body. However, the herbs required to cleanse the incense were expensive, costing three hundred taels of silver. Therefore, even if divorced, ordinary people couldn't afford to have it cleaned.

Jiang Yubai also nodded, "Well, we have to make Qiaoqiao happy."

Ji Huan leaned over and kissed Jiang Yubai's lips. Her little rabbit was always so understanding.

Jiang Yubai felt a little shy after being kissed by Ji Huan. She buried her face in Ji Huan's arms and whispered, "Sister, the dogs are still here."

Ji Huan was amused. He put his arm around Jiang Yubai's slender waist and coaxed her softly, "The dogs don't understand, so what are you afraid of?"

As if they heard Ji Huan calling them, Erhei and Sanhei jumped up and ran towards Ji Huan and the others, clinging to Ji Huan's trouser legs and waving their tails.

Ji Huan sighed. She hadn't hugged her wife enough when the dogs came.

Jiang Yubai felt a little embarrassed when he saw the dogs coming. He got up from Ji Huan's arms, squatted down, and played with Erhei and Sanhei.

After taking the dogs out for a walk, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai returned home with the three black coal balls.

When the two returned, Ji Qiao was hanging out clothes in the yard. Seeing Ji Huan and the others return, she asked, "Sister, what do you want to eat tonight?"

Ji Huan thought for a moment and said, "Why don't we have a barbecue in the yard? Ji Wen, Er Zhuzi, and Zhou Xiaochun have all been very helpful. Now that we're finally settled, why don't we invite them over for dinner?"

"Okay, sister, I'll go get the main thing we're grilling," Ji Qiao said quickly.

"Prepare plenty of vegetables and meat, and steamed buns, too. We'll go buy some later." With that, the three of them set out. For convenience, Ji Huan simply pulled out a mule cart and loaded the vegetables and meat onto it.

As for the barbecue tools, Ji Huan went straight to the village's only blacksmith shop. She explained her needs to the blacksmith, and in case she hadn't explained them clearly, she even drew a simple diagram with a tree branch: the kind with a grid pattern. The blacksmith

had never made anything like that before, so it took some time to create the desired effect.

While Ji Huan was waiting for the grill to be set up, Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai had already told Ji Wen, Er Zhuzi and the other three about their afternoon meal. By the time Ji Huan had brought everything back, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had also arrived home.

Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai were preparing in the kitchen while Ji Huan found two large, flat rocks, about the same height, so they could simply place the grill on top.

As for the pork and mutton, they could simply skewer them and grill them. Ji Huan prepared enough firewood, went out to chop bamboo, and sat on a stool in the yard to sharpen the skewers.

Not long after, Ji Wen and the others arrived. Ji Wen and Ji Fu brought some vegetables they had grown themselves, while Er Zhuzi brought some fish he had caught. Zhou Xiaochun was different; she simply brought over a large jar of rice wine.

Ji Huan was sitting in the yard, sharpening bamboo skewers. Seeing a few people arrive, all carrying things, he hurriedly said, "I told you, you don't need to bring anything. Why are you being so polite to me?" "

It's not really about bringing anything. Aren't we grilling something to eat? What we brought is just what we can eat today," Ji Fu said with a smile.

Ji Huan nodded. They hadn't really bought any fish yet. "Okay, we'll grill them together later."

Then, Ji Huan looked at Zhou Xiaochun. "Xiaochun, why did you bring such a large jar of wine?"

"It's just rice wine, not very intoxicating. It's rare for us to get together, so let's have some rice wine to cheer us up." Zhou Xiaochun actually brought a large jar over.

Erzhuzi and the others joined in the work. Erzhuzi processed the fish he had brought in the yard. Ji Wen and Ji Fu helped Jiang Yubai and the others wash vegetables and cut meat. Zhou Xiaochun sat next to Ji Huan, helping them sharpen bamboo skewers. Because there were so many people, the work was done in no time.

Ji Huan threw the firewood between two large rocks and lit a fire. He placed a wire mesh rack on top, greased it with oil, and then placed the vegetables and skewers on top to grill. As they grilled, Ji Huan greased the ingredients with oil, and soon the aroma of the meat and vegetables blended together.

Er Zhuzi looked at Ji Huan's wire mesh rack and said, "Ji Huan, that rack is really useful. Where did you get it?"

"I asked Blacksmith Wang to make it for me at the blacksmith shop in our village. It's easier to grill this way than holding it myself, and I don't have to touch an open flame, so the meat and vegetables don't have a burnt smell," Ji Huan explained with a smile.

"Okay, I'll go over and order one from Blacksmith Wang tomorrow. It looks pretty useful." Er Zhuzi and his friends often fished and grilled fish, so this thing was quite useful to him.

Ji Huan stood up and brushed his secret sauce over the vegetables and meat, then turned them over and continued to brush with it. The rich aroma of the sauce blended with the aroma of the food, filling the entire courtyard with a fragrant aroma.

Three black coal balls clung limply to Ji Huan and the others, as if trying to get more food by being cute.

The eggplant was the first to cook. Seeing that it was almost done, Ji Huan hurriedly urged, "The eggplant and potato chips are almost done. Everyone, take them first. I'll put the rest on."

They were all old acquaintances, so there was no need for formalities. They each picked up some vegetables and began to eat.

Jiang Yubai also helped Ji Huan with some, and Ji Huan continued to oil the iron rack, then added the eggplant, sweet potato, and other vegetables to grill.

"Sister, try it. It's delicious." Jiang Yubai saw Ji Huan sitting down and handed her the bowl.

Ji Huan took a bite with her chopsticks. The eggplant's juices blended with the sauce she'd prepared, creating a sweet and savory flavor with a hint of spiciness. It was a perfect match for rice, but Ji Huan hadn't prepared any rice, preferring instead to toast some steamed bread.

"Hmm, delicious! Wait a little longer, the meat will be almost done." Ji Huan took a few bites and then sampled the rice wine Zhou Xiaochun had brought.

It wasn't strong, but rather sweet, yet it was incredibly delicious. "This rice wine is delicious too, perfect with the barbecue."

"If you like it, I'll make more next time I brew it at home," Zhou Xiaochun said with a smile.

"Okay, I won't be shy with you."

Ji Fu finished his bowl of eggplant and then said, "Let's all celebrate today. Let's have a drink together to celebrate Ji Huan and her family's move to a new home and their happy ending after all the hardships they've endured."

Everyone raised their bowls, and Ji Huan gulped down the rice wine in one gulp. She also hoped that her future life would be as sweet and fulfilling as this bowl of rice wine.

"Thank you so much for all this time. If it weren't for your help, I'd have been in dire straits so many times. Wasn't I always working on the Jianzhan project? If there's any progress, would you be willing to join me?" Friends are good to you, so naturally, when you find a way out, you should think of them.

"No problem, just ask us whenever you need us," Erzhuzi replied directly.

Zhou Xiaochun was the same. "Me too, I'm just getting by in the village year after year. If there's a new way out, I'm naturally willing to work with you."

"Okay, just a few words from you will do it," Ji Huan said with a smile.

"Sister, the mutton looks ready, everyone, hurry up and eat," Jiang Yubai reminded.

Everyone started picking up the meat. Needless to say, the delicious flavor of the meat, combined with the aroma of the sauce, made Ji Huan lose his temper.

After grilling three rounds of meat, Ji Huan put the fish on the grill and grilled some steamed buns and leeks on the other side.

Everyone had seen grilled meat, but this was new to grilling steamed buns.

Ji Huan brushed the steamed buns with sauce on both sides, and soon they were grilled to a crispy golden brown. Ji Huan called everyone to eat quickly.

She herself hadn't eaten steamed buns in a long time. The crispy steamed buns paired with the juicy lamb skewers made Ji Huan feel that all the hard work of the recent days was made up for with this barbecue. She felt like she was resurrected.

Everyone enjoyed the food and drinks. Ji Huan was a decent drinker, but Ji Qiao wasn't. She'd never drunk anything before and only found rice wine sweet and delicious. While Ji Huan and the others were chatting, Ji Qiao had already downed four or five bowls. Her face flushed red, and she leaned on Jiang Yubai's arm, her eyes barely open.

Jiang Yubai tugged at Ji Huan's sleeve, "I'll take Qiaoqiao back home to rest. She looks tipsy."

"She's drunk on the rice wine. Qiaoqiao can't handle it," Ji Huan said, smiling and nodding.

Jiang Yubai supported the limp Ji Qiao towards her room, listening to her mumbling, "It's so good, so good, it's so good right now."

As the girl smiled, tears welled up in her eyes, a mixture of laughter and tears.

Jiang Yubai didn't know what to do. He wiped Ji Qiao's tears, then helped the drunken girl to bed and tucked her in.

Jiang Yubai looked at the little girl with a smile, "I won't let you drink so much next time."

Chapter Text

Ji Huan and the others ate and chatted, finishing a whole jar of rice wine. It wasn't until around eight or nine in the evening that everyone dispersed.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai cleaned up the yard before washing up and returning to their rooms.

Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai went to bed early. Jiang Yubai was feeling sleepy, so he nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms and quickly fell asleep.

Ji Huan glanced at the docile little rabbit in her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. Jiang Yubai had eaten a good dinner, and Ji Huan thought, "I must take Jiang Yubai out for more delicious meals in the future."

The next day, before dawn, Ji Huan was awakened by a rapid knock on the front door. Jiang Yubai, who was in her arms, also woke up and rubbed his eyes. Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with some concern, "Sister, who would knock on the door so early in the morning?"

"Maybe someone from the Yu family? I'll go out and take a look. You get some sleep," Ji Huan said, quickly getting dressed and heading outside.

Seeing Ji Huan leave, Jiang Yubai couldn't sleep any more and immediately got dressed. He was afraid the person knocking on the door so early might be a bad guy.

Ji Huan went out with an oil lamp in hand. When he opened the outer gate, he saw several Yu family guards. The leader dismounted and hurriedly said to Ji Huan, "Miss Ji, our master has asked us to take you to the county town. He told me to tell you that the person you're waiting for arrived in Qingyuan County last night."

"Okay, then I'll go wash up."

As Ji Huan finished speaking, the guard hurriedly said, "Miss Ji, you should come with us first. Our master seems very anxious. It won't be too late for you to wash up after you're there with us."

Ji Huan nodded. "Alright then."

Seeing Jiang Yubai also come out, Ji Huan hurriedly said, "I'll go to the county town. You and Qiaoqiao can have lunch. You don't have to wait for me to come back."

"Sister, are you leaving so early?" Jiang Yubai asked with some concern.

"Well, don't worry. They're from the Yu Mansion. You and Qiaoqiao should eat well and wait for me to come back." Ji Huan gave a few gentle instructions and hurriedly followed the Yu Mansion's men.

Since Ji Huan couldn't ride a horse, he had to ask one of the female guards to lead him, and the group quickly hurried to the county town.

However, this time, the Yu Mansion's guards didn't take Ji Huan to the Yu Mansion. Instead, they went to a new house in the north of the county town. This place was relatively remote and there were not many residents nearby.

Ji Huan asked in confusion, "Why not to the Yu Mansion?"

Seeing that Ji Huan seemed to be hesitant, the female guard who was leading Ji Huan quickly explained, "Don't worry, young lady. Our young master is waiting for you here."

Ji Huan still had doubts in her heart, but the female guard was very tight-lipped. Ji Huan's further questions were in vain. They reached the front gate of the house, and Ji Huan dismounted from the horse.

Her waist was a little sore. Being led on horseback was not comfortable. Ji Huan thought that she should find time to learn how to ride.

Ji Huan glanced up at the courtyard's signboard, only to find it was blank.

As Ji Huan stared blankly at the signboard, the female Qianyuan who had led her on a horse gestured for her to come in. "Young lady, please come in with us. My young master has been waiting for you at the mansion for a long time."

Ji Huan nodded. It was still dark when the guards came to call her, so she hadn't noticed their demeanor at the time. Now, it struck her that they didn't look like the Yu family's guards.

Without saying anything, she walked towards the mansion. The further she walked, the more alarmed she felt. The rooms in this mansion were even more elaborate than those in the Yu residence, and the entire property was significantly larger.

"Please come this way. Young Master Yu is waiting for you inside." The female Qianyuan in the lead gestured for her to come in. Ji Huan walked inside and soon spotted Yu Bin pacing back and forth.

"Brother Yu, what's the rush? I haven't even washed yet." Ji Huan was tired and sleepy.

"Well, who cares about that? The master doesn't like to be kept waiting. He's been waiting for you for half an hour. Come with me now," Yu Bin said, a cold sweat running down his forehead.

Ji Huan had never seen Yu Bin like this before. It was as if the master he was talking about was some kind of monster. "Brother Yu, who is the master you are talking about?" "

It's too late. Come with me now. We can talk as we walk." Yu Bin said, leading Ji Huan out through a small door nearby and walking along the corridor.

As they walked, Yu Bin quickly explained to Ji Huan, "It's not that I wanted to hide this from you, but the master's status is special. I couldn't reveal it until I was sure I'd meet you. The master is the Fourth Princess Sheng Jue I mentioned earlier. Be very careful with your words and be absolutely truthful. The master doesn't like people who try to be clever."

"Okay, I'll make a note of that." Ji Huan nodded. She had guessed the person behind the Yu family was someone special, but she hadn't guessed she was actually a princess. A slight frown formed between her brows as she followed Yu Bin to a courtyard deep within the mansion, marked with the words Feiyu Pavilion.

"We're here. Just do the same as I do," Yu Bin whispered.

"Okay." Ji Huan saw the sweat on Yu Bin's face and felt a little nervous himself. Who on earth could this Fourth Princess be to scare Yu Bin so much?

Soon, the two entered the antechamber of Feiyu Pavilion. Inside, a young woman sat at a desk, writing something.

Yu Bin carefully knelt before the woman not far away. Ji Huan followed Yu Bin's example and knelt beside her. Although it was a little awkward, ancient times were like that. Sometimes, not kneeling meant death.

"My Lord, I've brought Ji Huan with me," Yu Bin said nervously, cautiously checking the woman's expression.

The woman didn't even look up. She frowned and waved her hand, silencing Yu Bin's words, and continued to review the items on the desk.

Yu Bin quickly knelt, not daring to breathe.

Ji Huan also looked at the pattern on the carpet. She didn't want to be punished for looking at the Fourth Princess any more than a few times.

Ji Huan estimated that a few breaths had passed before she heard Sheng Jue's voice, "Everyone, get up and talk."

At Sheng Jue's words, Ji Huan and Yu Bin hurried to their feet.

Ji Huan raised his gaze, looking at the person behind the table. Even though he had seen many beautiful women in this world, he was still slightly taken aback. The Fourth Princess was incredibly beautiful, her skin whiter than snow, her eyes brimming with charm

. She was even more charming than many other female Kunzes. However, her skin was a little too pale; if she stood in a snowdrift, she would probably blend in with the snow. Sheng Jue, noticing Ji Huan's gaze, frowned slightly, already displeased . "What? Do you have a problem with my appearance?"

"I dare not," Ji Huan quickly admitted. Sheng Jue gave her the impression of a moody personality, and Ji Huan began to understand why Yu Bin was so nervous.

"Oh, well, I heard you made these teacups?" Sheng Jue's gaze swept over Ji Huan. Her gaze was so oppressive, it erased any trace of her allure.

"I made them a while ago," Ji Huan replied cautiously.

"The most popular tea sets in our Daliang Kingdom are celadon and purple clay. How did you come up with the Jianzhan tea set?" Sheng Jue said, staring at Ji Huan.

Ji Huan naturally knew that Sheng Jue was looking at her. She took a deep breath and said, "Your Highness may not believe this, but this method of firing Jianzhan is something I dreamed of. I have never been loved by my parents since I was a child, and I have been ostracized by my family. A while ago, I was forced to separate from my family. Before the separation, I had that dream more than once, and several more times since then. They were all the same dreams, all related to firing Jianzhan. So I tried my best and built a cave house in my new yard according to the method in the dream. It took me a lot of effort to fire the same Jianzhan as in the dream."

Sheng Jue, who was sitting behind the desk, sneered and glanced at Ji Huan, "Really?"

"Of course I take it seriously. Otherwise, how could I, someone who has never fired tea cups before, suddenly master the technique? You know, firing tea cups is a very popular job in our Daliang Kingdom. If you want to learn how to fire tea cups, it's difficult to just become a disciple, let alone fire finished tea cups yourself."

Ji Huan had just thought a lot. She knew that her statement was not credible, but it was much better than saying that she was a modern person who traveled to their world of books. Besides, if she made up an experience that she had learned to fire tea cups for many years, as long as Sheng Jue had someone investigate, it would be immediately exposed. It would be better to just say that she dreamed it. The ancients were quite superstitious to a certain extent. Ji Huan could only explain it this way.

"I will believe you for the time being. How many tea cups do you have? I want you to sell these tea cups for a good price in a short time and make a name for yourself. Don't worry about the rest. I will have people protect you and your family." Sheng Jue said.

"The yield rate of Jianzhan is much lower than that of celadon and purple clay, and the firing of Jianzhan has very high requirements for raw materials. The clay and glaze must contain iron. It is not easy to produce 10 to 20 complete Jianzhan from 100 blanks put into the kiln. However, Jianzhan with minor defects can also be sold." Ji Huan hurriedly explained.

Sheng Jue lifted the cup before him and examined it briefly. "Scarcity makes things valuable, which is quite fitting for this Jianzhan teapot. What if I need hundreds of full-quality Jianzhan teapots?"

Ji Huan quickly bowed and said, "That would require a dragon kiln built high up on the mountain. My humble kiln can only produce a few at a time, and I'm afraid it won't meet your needs."

Sheng Jue nodded. "Alright, I'll provide you with sufficient manpower and financial resources. Starting tomorrow, we'll begin preparations for the dragon kiln you mentioned."

Sheng Jue studied Ji Huan again. Judging from her composure and ability to answer questions, Ji Huan far surpassed Yu Bin. Furthermore, this was Ji Huan's first time meeting her. If ordinary people had met someone of her status, they would have been sweating profusely, at a loss for words, some even unable to utter a complete sentence.

Ji Huan, however, was not the ordinary person she had imagined, which surprised her. After all, it was much easier to talk to someone capable and intelligent. Regardless of the truth behind Ji Huan's previous words, it now seemed as if he was a genius.

"Ji Huan, now that these Jian ware are fired and sold, how are you going to divide the money with me?" Sheng Jue raised his lips into a smile and looked at Ji Huan.

Yu Bin's back was wet from listening to this. He had heard everything about the two people's conversation just now. Yu Bin's face was covered in sweat. He was really worried about Ji Huan.

Ji Huan met Sheng Jue's eyes and said calmly, "Your Highness will take 90%, and I only want 10%. Your Highness is a man who wants to do great things. I am just a country girl who doesn't understand the affairs of the world. I just want to save some money to let my wife and sister live a good life. I don't have any big ambitions. I just want to be a rich and idle person."

Sheng Jue's expression relaxed a little for some reason, and he nodded at Ji Huan, "You are quite frank. A rich and idle person does sound good, but are you really willing to let me take 90% for myself?"

Ji Huan He hurriedly bowed and looked at Sheng Jue, "Of course I am willing to do this. When I came here today, Your Highness was already my master. Although I have the ability to make tea, if it weren't for Your Highness's protection, I would probably be skinned alive in no time. Although I am short-sighted, I still understand the principle that an innocent man is guilty of possessing a treasure."

Sheng Jue nodded and waved to Yu Bin, who was still sweating beside him, "You can go down first. I have something to discuss with Ji Huan alone."

Yu Bin hurriedly bowed and agreed, but still glanced at Ji Huan worriedly.

Ji Huan stood there, waiting for Sheng Jue's next words.

Yu Bin left, and the door to the house closed again. Sheng Jue then raised his eyes and said slowly, "Ji Huan, I have to stay here for the next few months to handle some matters, but there are still many inconveniences. To conceal my identity, you will be the official owner of this house from today on. You are a smart person and should understand what I mean."

Ji Huan frowned slightly, with many doubts in his heart. When he met Sheng Jue's gaze, he did not dare to ask.

Sheng Jue saw that Ji Huan was hesitant to speak, and chuckled softly and said, "You want to know why I don't live in the Yu Mansion, but instead use you, who just became my owner, right?"

"I am ashamed," Ji Huan said hurriedly.

"The Yu family is merely collecting money from this area for me. There are many things they're not comfortable knowing, nor do they need to know. As for you? This prince has high hopes for you. The Crown Prince has the support of the Liu family's teaware business in Pingzhou, so this prince is anxious for you to make this Jianzhan tea famous."

Teaware may seem like just small items in people's daily lives, but for the people of Daliang, it's a symbol of status. The richer the person, the more willing they are to spend lavishly on teaware, while even many ordinary people are willing to save money to buy a teacup.

"I will do my best." Ji Huan felt a little unsure when she heard the words "high hopes." Sheng Jue was a shrewd person, and she couldn't see through him at all. But now that she was on the pirate ship, it was impossible to think further.

"Alright, no need to be so humble. Since you're mine now, just be my vassal from now on. Also, I'll take the people from the mansion with you back to pick up the others. Bring your wife and sister over to live with us. From now on, this mansion will belong to the Ji family." Sheng Jue said, a smile on his lips.

Ji Huan felt a chill run down her spine. She just wanted to make some money and become a wealthy woman. She never thought of getting involved in the disputes between these bigwigs. The more Sheng Jue treated her well, the more uneasy she felt.

Seeing Ji Huan remain silent, Sheng Jue glanced at Ji Huan: "What? Are you dissatisfied with my arrangement?"

"I dare not. Everything is up to my lord." Sheng Jue's voice was soft, but Ji Huan felt like he was treading on thin ice.

Sheng Jue sat upright behind the desk, covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and began to cough. It took him a while to catch his breath. He drank a few sips of tea, barely suppressing his cough.

"I won't interfere too much in the affairs of this mansion and Jianzhan in the future. You can make your own decisions." Sheng Jue continued.

"Is the master okay? Do you want me to call a doctor?" Ji Huan asked hurriedly.

Sheng Jue coughed a few more times, waved his hand and said, "It's an old illness. She won't die. Cough cough cough. Baichuan, let Lin Feng and He Qing meet Ji Huan later. The safety of Ji Huan and her family will be left to them in the future."

"Yes, master."

Just when Ji Huan was wondering who Sheng Jue was talking to, he heard a reply from above his head, and then a figure floated down from the beam, landing as light as a swallow not far in front of Ji Huan.

"Take her to change her clothes. She's wearing such simple clothes. Others will probably think that I have treated you unfairly." Sheng Jue coughed for a long time after speaking.

Bai Chuan hurriedly said, "Master, you have been dealing with things all morning. You should go back to your bedroom and rest."

Sheng Jue coughed for a while before saying, "It's okay. You can go down first."

Bai Chuan saw Sheng Jue looking at the documents on the table again. She turned around and walked a few steps, then made a gesture of invitation to Ji Huan.

Ji Huan didn't dare say a word, following Bai Chuan out of the house. Her eyes fell on Bai Chuan in front of her. If he hadn't spoken, Ji Huan wouldn't have noticed there was a third person in the house. It was clear how skilled this person leading the way must be, especially since she was a female Kunze.

"Master Ji, the master likes peace and quiet. After you and your family move in, please do not disturb Feiyu Pavilion unless you have something to report," Bai Chuan reminded her.

Ji Huan hurriedly said, "Of course."

Bai Chuan nodded and continued, "Further ahead is the main residence of this mansion. Master Ji and your family will live in the central main residence. All the necessary daily necessities for the room and clothes are ready. I'll take you there to see it."

"Okay," Ji Huan replied dryly. The constant address of "adult" made her feel awkward.

It took them an incense stick of time to reach the courtyard in the middle of the mansion. "Sir, we've arrived,"

Bai Chuan said, asking all the maids and servants in the courtyard to come out and recognize them. "From now on, this Master Ji beside me will be your master. If you have any business in the future, you will be under the command of Master Ji. As for Steward, come here and report the affairs of the mansion to Master Ji, and then take Master Ji to wash up."

"Master, I'm Guan Kecheng, the steward of this mansion. I have all the accounts of this mansion, and a list of all the servants and maids. Why don't you go wash up first? I'll wait for you here, and then take you to see the mansion's cash flow accounts." Guan Kecheng said with an apologetic smile.

"Okay." Ji Huan nodded in response. Suddenly, with such a large mansion, Ji Huan felt overwhelmed.

"Master, I'm Dong'er, the head maid in the mansion. If you need anything, just tell me. Bath water and clothes are already prepared in your room."

Ji Huan looked at the woman who had spoken. His daughter seemed calm and clever, a man of mean character.

"Okay, I'll go wash up first," Ji Huan said, entering the room. Several maids wanted to follow, but Ji Huan smiled and declined, "I can wash myself. You all go do your own things."

With that, Ji Huan closed the door and saw the bathtub in the room. Tears welled up in her eyes. Boiling water for a bath in the village was a hassle, so they usually just boiled water and scrubbed themselves, rarely having the chance to soak in a tub.

Ji Huan hurried over and began to bathe comfortably. However, as he continued, he began to wilte away again. The better Sheng Jue treated him, the greater the price he would have to pay. But now the matter was settled, and there was nothing he could do to change it. Besides, in this cannibalistic feudal society, if he didn't have connections and backers, even someone like Li Yunzheng could easily manipulate him.

Thinking of this, Ji Huan felt relieved. After all, he was useful to Sheng Jue, so for now, he could only take things one step at a time. As

Ji Huan soaked in the bath comfortably, Li Yunzheng's parents, meanwhile, had spent days searching the county town for connections to no avail. Li Yunzheng remained imprisoned in the county government office. Feng Shuyang, knowing that Yu Bin cherished Ji Huan as his friend, had Li Yunzheng severely flogged for abuse of public office and forcing Kunze to divorce. Then, according to the law, he sentenced him to three years in prison.

Upon hearing this news, Li Yunzheng's parents nearly died. They went to the yamen gate to make a scene, but were kicked out and told that if they did it again, they would be arrested for disturbing public order. Only then did they calm down.

However, they remembered that their son was arrested and had lost his official title because of Jiang Yubai's incident, so they rushed to Jiang Fengshou to fight him.

"Jiang Fengshou, my son had passed the imperial examination and was working as a clerk in the yamen. His bright future was ruined by your jinxed daughter. I will fight you to the death."

"Huh? Wasn't Yunzheng fine just a few days ago? How could he be ruined?" Jiang Fengshou had no idea that Li Yunzheng was already in jail.

"How dare you say that? It's all your jinxed daughter's fault. My son has been arrested by the yamen and is in jail for a year. He's lost his official title. I will fight you to the death," Li Yunzheng's mother said, ready to attack Jiang Fengshou.

Jiang Fengshou quickly dodged, saying as he dodged, "I really don't know about this, and it's not my fault. I had already agreed to my daughter's divorce from Ji Huan and then to give her to Yun Zheng as a concubine. It was Ji Huan who got in the way. If you want to hate someone, then hate Ji Huan. It really has nothing to do with me."

"Ji Huan, all right, you lead the way. Today I'm either going to fight you or I'm going to fight Ji Huan. It's your choice." Li Yunzheng's parents and family members said. There were five or six of them in total, all planning to take advantage of Li Yunzheng, but Li Yunzheng went in directly.

"Okay, okay, let's talk it over. Let's go, I'll take you to find Ji Huan." Jiang Fengshou said with a smile. Anyway, he had long disliked Ji Huan, that peasant. Last time, Ji Huan dared to beat up his two sons, and he felt relieved when these people beat Ji Huan up. And Jiang Yubai didn't give him, a father, any face at all, and he didn't want that jinx daughter either.

Li Yunzheng's parents felt a slight relief after hearing Jiang Fengshou's words, and the group headed towards Dongniu Village in a rage.

Meanwhile, Ji Huan was already boarding the carriage heading back to Dongniu Village. She wore a light blue dress, cinched at the waist with a jade-encrusted belt, and her hair held together with a simple golden hairpin. Her already beautiful face gave her an air of undeniable elegance.

Besides the driver, the carriage was accompanied by eight mounted guards, and the group was heading towards Dongniu Village.

Jiang Fengshou and his two sons led the way, and thinking back to the last time they were thrown out by the Dongniu villagers, they couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. "We were kicked out by the Dongniu villagers last time, and everyone in the village knows us now. Why don't you go ahead?"

"Hmph, Jiang Fengshou, look at your lack of ambition," Li Yunzheng's father scolded. Since his son was already in jail, he had to avenge him, no matter what.

Because they were so numerous, and the Jiang family totaled nine people, it wasn't long before a commotion erupted in Dongniu Village.

Some idle folks quietly followed, eventually arriving at Ji Huan's doorstep. Over the past year, Ji Huan's family had seen the most trouble and the most change in the village.

Jiang Fengshou pointed to a nearby wooden door: "Right there! That's Ji Huan's house."

"Mother, let's go and demand an explanation from our son," Li Yunzheng's father declared, angrily pounding on the door.

Ji Qiao, hearing the rapid pounding, trotted over to open it, saying, "I'm coming."

By the time she saw Jiang Fengshou among the group, it was too late to close the door.

Li Yunzheng's mother, like a shrew, pointed at Ji Qiao and demanded, "Who are you? Where are Ji Huan's people?"

"What do you want with my sister?" The girl, seeing the large group, felt unsure. With only her and Sister Yubai, the two Kunzes, they were no match for these people.

Jiang Yubai heard the commotion outside and hurried out. Seeing that there were many people coming, she protected Ji Qiao behind her and asked, "What are you doing?" "

What are you doing? Jiang Yubai, you vixen, you have ruined my son's reputation and now he has to spend a year in jail. We will fight you." Li Yunzheng's mother cried and shouted like a shrew.

"If you touch us today, you will also break the law. You will end up in jail with Li Yunzheng in the county government." Jiang Yubai said coldly, staring at Li Yunzheng's mother.

Li Yunzheng's mother was indeed a little scared and pulled his father's sleeve, "Dad, what should we do?"

"What do you mean? Listen to this vixen threatening you. Today, I'm going to tear your face apart for my son. See if you dare to seduce me again." Li Yunzheng's father was about to attack Jiang Yubai.

However, his slap didn't hit Jiang Yubai at all. Instead, a female Qianyuan descended from the sky and grabbed his wrist. With a crisp snap, the female Qianyuan tore it off, causing Li Yunzheng's father to scream in pain.

"Oh, it hurts so much! Someone's murdered me! Is there anyone here? My arm is broken!" Li Yunzheng's father cried out in tears.

His mother supported him and called out to the Li family members behind him, "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up!"

The remaining four rushed forward. The thin female Qianyuan didn't use much strength. With a push and a pull, two Li family members were thrown far away. Another was kicked to the ground, and the remaining one was knocked to the ground with a light kick from the female Qianyuan.

Seeing how powerful this man was, Li Yunzheng's mother simply sat there and cried, "Someone, come here, is there no law? Murder, murder."

The villagers were amazed at the female Qianyuan's skills. Ji Huan and her companions' carriage had also turned onto this road. Seeing so many horsemen, and a carriage even more luxurious than the Yu Mansion's, people made way.

Li Yunzheng's mother looked at these people and for a moment forgot about the scam.

When the carriage stopped, Ji Huan lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage. The guards behind her also dismounted to protect Ji Huan.

At this moment, not to mention Jiang Yubai, even everyone present was stunned. After a long time, a villager spoke weakly: "Ji Huan?"

Ji Huan smiled at the man and said, "It's me."

Then she led people to Jiang Yubai. The female Qianyuan standing next to Jiang Yubai bowed to Ji Huan and said, "Master, I have done everything you asked me to do."

Ji Huan nodded. She was a little uncomfortable with this title, but still replied, "Thank you for your hard work."

Then she hurriedly looked at Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, and asked softly, "Are you all okay?"

Jiang Yubai shook his head and looked at Ji Huan's clothes, wanting to say something but stopping himself. At first glance, you can tell that her sister's clothes are made of very precious materials. There is also a jade belt around her waist and a gold hairpin on her head. Each one is more beautiful than the other. Moreover, her sister also put on rouge, which makes her look even better with this outfit. Jiang Yubai couldn't take his eyes away for a while.

Seeing Jiang Yubai staring at her, Ji Huan reached out and gently held Jiang Yubai's fingertips and squeezed them, then turned to look at Jiang Fengshou and the others. She had never seen the Li family before, so she looked directly at Jiang Fengshou and asked coldly, "What's going on?"

Jiang Fengshou looked at Ji Huan's dress and the people around him, pointed at Ji Huan, and stammered, "Ji Huan, you you you..."

"When did you start stuttering? You can't even speak after not seeing you for a few days. You're so useless." Ji Huan raised his eyebrows and said sarcastically.

"How dare you talk to me like that!" Jiang Fengshou said angrily when he saw so many people watching the fun around him. However, when he looked at the guards around Ji Huan, Jiang Fengshou lost his temper and said, "This matter has nothing to do with me. It's Li Yunzheng's family who wants to seek revenge on you. They say that Li Yunzheng will have to spend three years in jail and his reputation will be lost. They say it's all your fault and they want to fight you."

Ji Huan chuckled. Jiang Fengshou is really a fence-sitter. Today's incident is inseparable from Jiang Fengshou, but Jiang Fengshou has cleared himself of all blame.

Ji Huan glanced coldly at the people of the Li family, "Li Yunzheng was sentenced to three years by the government and he deserved it. If you are not satisfied, you can go to the government to seek justice instead of getting angry at us victims. My wife and I have always had a good relationship, but your son wants to force us to divorce. This alone violates the laws of Daliang. What? You came here to make trouble today. Do you want to go to jail and eat with your son?"

Li Yunzheng's mother was a little scared, but she still said unforgivingly: "Ji Huan, don't think you can scare us by saying this. It was your people who hit us first. My husband "My arm was broken by that woman. You have to compensate me for my husband's arm."

Ji Huan gave her a cold smile. "Really? I think the beating was too light. Scum like you deserve to die sooner rather than later. You were the ones who started the trouble, and now you're putting yourself in the victim's shoes and crying. I'm ashamed for you. And your son has lost his reputation and is in jail. He won't have the chance to take the imperial examinations again. You should think carefully about how to teach your son to farm."

As Ji Huan finished speaking, Li Yunzheng's mother hugged Li Yunzheng's father and cried again, but no one paid any attention.

Ji Huan said softly to Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, "You two go back and pack your things. See if there's anything important you need. Don't leave your bedding and clothes behind. We have new ones in the mansion."

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan in confusion. "Sister, what mansion do you mean? Are we moving to the Yu family?"

Ji Qiao nodded, looking at her sister in confusion.

Seeing Jiang Yubai looking so cute, Ji Huan felt like doing something. However, thinking of so many outsiders present, he resisted the urge and explained with a smile, "Why go to the Yu Mansion? It's our own mansion. Someone wanted all my Jianzhan lamps and paid me a very high price, so I bought a house in the county town. These guards will be our people in the future."

Jiang Yubai was still confused, and Ji Qiao couldn't believe it at all. Ji Huan reached out and pushed the two girls, saying with a smile, "Go back and pack up quickly. Why are you two still daydreaming? Remember, just take the most important things. The daily necessities have been prepared in the mansion. We just need to go there."

"Oh, oh." Although Jiang Yubai was confused, he still obeyed obediently. Ji Qiao was the same. Although she didn't understand what was going on, she just listened to her sister.

Seeing the two girls return to their rooms to clean up, Ji Huan addressed the female Qian Yuan who had just attacked, "Lin Feng, please take your men and get all of the Li family members out of Dongniu Village. They're such dirty people, it's easy to get sick of them. Also, help him get his arm back, to prevent us from getting blackmailed." "

Yes," Lin Feng replied, his head bowed slightly. Then, like a gust of wind, he arrived in front of Li Yunzheng's father. Lin Feng grabbed his arm and lifted it up. With another crisp snap, Li Yunzheng's father nearly fainted, gnashing in pain, but his arm was able to move again.

Lin Feng coldly regarded the six Li family members. His sword remained unsheathed, he simply formed a beautiful sword flower and said coldly, "Please."

Having witnessed Lin Feng's skills, the other guards didn't bother to attack. The Li family members dejectedly retreated out of the village. Lin Feng followed from a distance, without resorting to any coercion, but the others didn't dare to attack again.

Erzhuzi and his companions rushed over upon hearing the news, but were stunned by Ji Huan's attire.

Erzhuzi even pointed at Ji Huan, seeming to hesitate before finally saying, "Ji Huan, what's going on?" "

That deal I told you about last time is starting to pan out, and I was just about to come find you. Come on, let's go inside and talk," Ji Huan said with a smile as he glanced at the four of them.

Jiang Fengshou had also been listening there for a while, and probably heard some of it, so he quickly apologized with a smile, "Ji Huan, it was my father-in-law who was wrong before, but I've always said you were a promising person, otherwise I wouldn't have married my daughter to you. Look, didn't I come true?"

"Yes, Ji Huan, Dad values ​​you, so he married my sister to you. It was Li Yunzheng who was causing all the trouble before. He's just jealous of your talent," Jiang Yubai's eldest brother, Jiang Hongli, immediately chimed in.

"That's right, we are all family. If there are misunderstandings, we can just talk it out. My father only has my sister as his daughter. Before she got married, my family treated her like a treasure. Now that you are rich, you must not forget the kindness of our Jiang family." Jiang Honglu also hurriedly responded, fearing that if he spoke too slowly, the benefits would be lost.

Chapter Text

Ji Huan was so angry at the others that he laughed. How thick-skinned must one be to say such things?

"Help me get these three Jiangs out of Dongniu Village. Don't you think I don't know how you treated Yu Bai before? Don't show up in front of me again and get in my way."

As soon as Ji Huan finished speaking, the other guards immediately carried Jiang Fengshou and the other two away.

Ji Huan then entered the courtyard with Er Zhuzi and the others. She glanced at them and smiled, "I've finally made progress on the Jianzhan project I mentioned earlier. We're in need of a few trustworthy people right now. If you're willing to work with me, why not come with me to the county town? The house there is big and can accommodate everyone." "

Sure, no problem," Er Zhuzi said with a smile. He had an older sister and a younger brother, both of whom were Qianyuan, so he would have someone to help with the housework while he was gone.

Zhou Xiaochun also nodded. Although she was the only child in her family, all the fields at home had been rented out, and her parents were in good health, so she didn't need to worry too much. Now that she had such an opportunity and Ji Huan was still thinking about them, she would of course give it a try. "I'll go too."

Ji Fu looked at his sister and then at Ji Huan, and said, "Let Ji Wen go. I won't go. My parents are not young anymore, and there is such a large piece of land left vacant. It would be a pity not to farm it. Besides, Ji Wen will have to go to the county town sooner or later when he gets married."

Ji Huan nodded. "Okay, Brother Fu, we will definitely come back to visit you and your second uncle and second aunt often in the future."

"Okay." Ji Fu said with a smile. Everyone had their own considerations, and whether to start a business with her was entirely up to everyone's voluntariness.

Ji Huan thought for a moment and continued, "We'll go there first today. Once we've sorted things out, I'll have someone come pick you up tomorrow morning. You should go back and pack your things today. There's no shortage of bedding and other things in the house. Just take what you need for daily use."

"Okay, you guys get busy first, and we'll go back first," Er Zhuzi said with a smile.

After the others left, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao had almost finished packing. Ji Huan saw that Jiang Yubai didn't pack much, just two new sets of clothes they had made, plus some of her daily necessities. Ji Qiao also only brought a small bag.

"Is everything packed?" Ji Huan asked softly.

"Yes, it's packed, sister. But what about our yard? It's all new now?" Jiang Yubai looked at her and Ji Huan's first little home and said reluctantly.

"Let's have Brother Fu keep an eye on it later. You reminded me."

Ji Huan looked at Lin Feng and said, "Lin Feng, take the clay and glaze materials from the backyard and take them to the back hill or the woods. Find a place to dispose of them." "

Yes," Lin Feng replied with a bow. He led six guards to the backyard, leaving He Qing alone with Ji Huan.

He Qing and Lin Feng were both secret guards under Sheng Jue, both highly skilled. It's no exaggeration to say they could defeat a hundred people alone.

"Sister, why did you throw them away?" Jiang Yubai asked, glancing in the direction of the backyard.

"If these teacups become popular in Daliang, they'll definitely attract a lot of attention. The raw materials and firing methods must not be known to others," Ji Huan said softly, taking Jiang Yubai's hand and squeezing it.

Ji Qiao also listened in on what was going on. Then, seeing her two sisters chatting obliviously, she clutched the small bundle tightly in her arms.

Jiang Yubai remembered the three dogs at home and asked, "Sister, what about the dogs? How miserable will they be if we leave?"

"Take all the dogs with you. Our new home is big enough for them to run wild and have fun," Ji Huan said softly.

They waited in the yard for a while before Lin Feng returned with his guards. "Master, everything you asked us to do has been done." "

Okay, then let's go back to the county town." Ji Huan then called out to the two black coal balls still playing in the yard, "Let's go, Dahei, Erhei, Sanhei. We're moving."

The three dogs heard Ji Huan calling them and quickly ran to his side. The two little ones even rolled over on their bellies to act cute.

Ji Huan squatted down and rubbed Erhei and Sanhei's bellies, saying with a smile, "Let's go. We'll play with you two when we get to our new home first." With that, Ji Huan picked up one of the little coal balls and walked towards the gate, with Dahei following obediently behind.

However, after leaving the yard, Ji Huan frowned slightly. The Ji family members who had not been seen for a long time were waiting by the carriage, and they looked at Ji Huan's carriage from time to time.

Seeing Ji Huan and the others coming out, Liu Fengmei hurried over and smiled flatteringly at Ji Huan: "Ji Huan, mother heard that you have made great progress and are going to move to the county town to live?"

Ji Huan glanced at her coldly, "I'm sorry, I don't have a mother, who are you?"

It's been a while since the separation of the family. Liu Fengmei almost forgot Ji Huan's ability to irritate people. She was almost out of breath by her words, but in order to take advantage of Ji Huan, Liu Fengmei still endured it and smiled apologetically: "Look at what you are saying. Mother knows you are still angry, but we are all members of the Ji family. You have moved out for a while, and your anger should have subsided. How can a daughter ignore her parents, don't you think?"

Liu Fengmei waited for Ji Huan to speak, and then saw Ji Huan shook his head very frankly, "No, you and I have already separated, and we have no relationship. It is clearly written in the separation book, and the village head has also registered it. Don't try to deny it."

"No, Ji Huan, your father and mother were deceived by that witch back then. They didn't really want to drive you away. What do you want us to do to forgive us?" Ji Mantun said pitifully.

Ji Huan smiled at him, "No need. What you do has nothing to do with me. Why should I forgive you when you have nothing to do with me? Get out of the way." Ji

Huan said as he asked Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao to get in the carriage first, then handed the two puppies in, and then asked Dahei to get in as well.

Seeing that Ji Huan had taken the dogs but not them, Liu Fengmei raged, "Ji Huan, you're taking these three beasts with you, but not your parents and blood brothers? In your heart, are we worse than those three dogs?"

A smile played at the corner of Ji Huan's lips, and he turned to look at Liu Fengmei. "Don't be ridiculous, I think you're even worse than those three dogs. Even dogs know how to protect their masters in times of danger, but you all just bite back. Aren't you worse than dogs?"

Ji Huan sneered as he boarded the carriage. He said to Lin Feng outside, "Lin Feng, He Qing, get these people out of the way. Don't let them block the road."

"Yes," two voices answered from outside, followed by the voices of the Ji family.

"Ji Huan, you can't be so ungrateful. Your parents raised you. You can't forget them just because you've made it." Ji Ming's voice also rang out, followed by Ji Sen's.

"Second sister, please take me away too. I am willing to be your servant, second sister. I am your biological brother, you can't ignore me."

"Ji Huan, you bastard, you unfilial daughter, I won't live anymore, I won't live anymore." Liu Fengmei's voice of throwing a tantrum sounded, and soon turned into a scream, "Ouch, it hurts so much, Ji Huan, you dare to let someone abandon me, you just wait for me."

"Ji Huan, you are so heartless, I am your eldest brother, and the money for your two nephews to go to private school is still not settled. You are rich now, and this is nothing to you, give me some money for your two nephews to go to school, Ouch, lady, spare me, don't do it, don't do it."

The carriage quickly turned around and drove out of the village. The cries of the Ji family gradually faded away. She

came back in a hurry this time, and after she returned, she would have to start preparing for the Jianlong Kiln from tomorrow. She didn't have much time to greet her second uncle's family and the head of the village. She could only wait until she was free next time. She must go back to the village. In the past year, everyone in the village helped her a lot.

Jiang Yubai leaned on the carriage window and looked at the village that was gradually disappearing from her sight. She felt a little reluctant to leave for some reason, and was inexplicably uneasy about life in the county town.

Ji Huan reached out and squeezed Jiang Yubai's hand, and asked softly, "Are you reluctant to leave?"

Jiang Yubai nodded, "A little bit. The house is still newly built, and we haven't lived in it for long."

"We can come back when we are free in the future." Ji Huan comforted softly.

"Yes," Jiang Yubai nodded, lowering the curtain and smiling at Ji Huan. She had always thought life was a dreary experience, never having imagined that a year later, she would not only be living a good life, but even leaving the village to live in the county town.

The two black coal balls on the ground had become much more docile, perhaps frightened by the constant movement of the carriage. They huddled obediently beside Dahei.

It took about an hour and a half for Ji Huan and the others to arrive. Ji Huan got off the carriage first, then carried the two little black coal balls down. Dahei followed obediently.

Ji Huan then helped Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao off the carriage one after another. The servants at the mansion were incredibly efficient. By then, a golden plaque had been hung outside the gate, inscribed with the words "Ji Mansion."

Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao exchanged a glance, feeling that everything they saw was too much. This mansion's gate was even more imposing than the Yu Mansion's. Were they really going to live here?

"Sister, are we on the right path?" Jiang Yubai asked, pulling Ji Huan's sleeve carefully.

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai's hand and said softly, "No, this will be our home from now on. Let's go in and take a look."

As he spoke, Ji Huan did not forget to call the two black coal balls that were rolling around together, "Let's go, Dahei, Erhei, Sanhei."

Hearing the names of the three dogs, the calm expression on Lin Feng's face cracked. Is it so casual to name the owner that the master arranged for her to protect?

The three dogs immediately followed Ji Huan obediently when they heard her call them.

At the door, the housekeeper Guan Kecheng was waiting there, "Boss, you are back. Are you satisfied with this plaque that was just delivered? If you think it is not appropriate, I will ask someone to change it."

"No need, this is good enough." It's just a plaque, it's already very good. Ji Huan is not so particular.

"That's good. Is this the Madam? Greetings, Madam. My name is Guan Kecheng, and I'm the steward of the mansion. If you have any instructions from now on, feel free to ask me to do it." Guan Kecheng smiled and bowed to Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai was a little uncomfortable with this, but he hurriedly said, "Thank you for troubling me, Steward." "

Madam, you're not right. You're the master, and it's our duty to obey your orders." He glanced at Ji Qiao and bowed again. "Is this the Young Lady? Young Lady, if you have any instructions from now on, please send for me. I'll be there at your beck and call."

"Oh, thank you." Ji Qiao, still unused to being addressed like that, looked at Guan Kecheng, a little bewildered.

"Let's go, let's talk as we go. Steward, I want to keep these three dogs in our yard. Find someone to build a big kennel just for them," Ji Huan said to Guan Kecheng.

"Okay, Master, I'll send someone to do it right away. I guarantee it'll be done before dark." Guan Kecheng gave a few instructions to the servant beside him, who quickly went to call for help.

Jiang Yubai felt a little dizzy as they walked through tree-lined paths and long corridors. The mansion was so huge that she would get lost in no time if she walked on her own. Could her sister's lamps really fetch so much?

Ji Qiao was the same. She looked around with wide eyes. She wanted to speak, but she was afraid of appearing timid, so she kept it to herself.

Soon, the group arrived in front of the central courtyard of the mansion. Dong'er was already waiting there with a dozen maids. Seeing Ji Huan and the others approach, she hurriedly led the maids to bow to Ji Huan.

"Master, are you back?" She glanced at Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, then asked with a smile, "Which one is the Madam?"

Ji Huan took Jiang Yubai's hand and said, "This is my wife, and this is my sister."

"Madam, you're all well, and Miss, you're all well." Dong'er and the maids bowed to Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao again.

"No need to be so polite. We've just moved in, and there's a lot to sort out. Prepare baths for Madam and Miss, and then get your clothes ready, and then get to work." Ji Huan thought for a moment before giving the instructions.

Not only were Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao unsure, but Ji Huan was even more uncertain. She knew that for a princess, these were simple tasks, but there was no such thing as a free lunch, and there were certainly significant risks involved.

Seeing Ji Qiao's bewilderment, Ji Huan asked Dong'er, "Is there someone specifically to take care of Qiaoqiao?" "

Master, don't worry. The Misses have already been assigned. Yingge will take the other two maids to serve her," Dong'er said, waving Yingge and the other two maids out.

Ji Huan nodded and said softly to Ji Qiao, "Qiaoqiao, let them take you back for a bath first. We'll talk later if you have anything to say."

"Okay." Although Ji Qiao was a little confused, she still obeyed her sister.

"Please, young lady. From now on, the three of us will serve you exclusively. If you need anything, just tell us to do it." Yingge said with a smile as she followed Ji Qiao with two maids.

"I don't have much to do on weekdays, so there's no need to bother," Ji Qiao said politely, not quite used to it.

"Young lady, you're joking. We're here to serve you. It's not a big deal. I've had someone heat up the water. I'll have them bring it over so you can wash up." Yingge said, and asked the maid next to her to call for help.

After the water was drawn, Yingge and the others wanted to help Ji Qiao bathe, but Ji Qiao flatly refused, closing the door and soaking in the tub. She was still dazed, having absorbed so much information in the past day. Just a moment ago, she was just an ordinary village girl, and now someone was calling her "Miss." She felt a bit uncomfortable, but the tub was truly comfortable; bathing in it was much more refreshing than scrubbing in a wooden tub.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yubai was also impressed. After putting down her bag, she surveyed the room. "This is wonderful!"

She had never lived in such a beautiful house in her life. Not only was the exterior beautiful, but the interior was also filled with beautiful furnishings. Jiang Yubai happily trotted over to Ji Huan and buried herself in his embrace.

"Do you like it?" Ji Huan reached out and rubbed the top of Jiang Yubai's head, asking softly.

Jiang Yubai nodded, but her eyes fell on Ji Huan's lips. She had been secretly staring at Ji Huan's lips from time to time in the carriage. Her sister's lips were beautiful to begin with, and after applying rouge, it was even more eye-catching.

Jiang Yubai's ears felt slightly hot, but she couldn't help but leaned over and kissed her. After the kiss, she shyly buried herself in Ji Huan's arms again.

Ji Huan put her arm around Jiang Yubai's lower back, and gently rubbed her waist with her other hand. She smiled and asked, "Little bad bunny, have you been wanting to kiss me for a long time? You must have secretly looked at me many times along the way. I found out. Little bad bunny is still a lecherous bunny."

"No, I'm pretty, sister." Jiang Yubai blushed as she whined coquettishly. She looked up at Ji Huan again. Ji Huan was pretty on weekdays, but she was always bare-faced like herself. Today, she had dressed up, and Jiang Yubai thought it was fresh and pretty. As they watched, he kissed her again.

Ji Huan hadn't expected Jiang Yubai to kiss her again. After a moment's pause, he quickly took the initiative. The little bad bunny was usually serious and shy, and it was rare for her to kiss him in broad daylight. Ji Huan certainly couldn't miss it.

Until Jiang Yubai was almost out of breath and reached out to push Ji Huan's shoulders, Ji Huan loosened his arms a little. Ji Huan leaned over and kissed the red tip of Jiang Yubai's ear, and smiled and joked: "Tell me, how long have you been coveting me, little bad rabbit?" "

No, my sister is my wife, I can kiss you as I please." Jiang Yubai hummed and rubbed Ji Huan. Seeing that the rouge on Ji Huan's lips was rubbed, he reached out to help Ji Huan wipe off the rouge.

Ji Huan hadn't expected Jiang Yubai to say that. Amused, he hugged her tighter. "You said it, too. You're my wife, so I can do whatever I want, right?"

Jiang Yubai's neck flushed red with shame. What had happened to him? He was so mesmerized by his sister that he said such things in broad daylight. Jiang Yubai nudged Ji Huan again and whispered back, "Sister, don't you always do whatever you want in bed?"

Sometimes he'd be shy and refuse, but his sister would coax him and bully him at the same time. He always had no choice but to obey.

Ji Huan's eyes softened as he listened to Jiang Yubai's rebuttal. It was true, his wife was delicate. If she was too gentle, she wouldn't tolerate it, but if she was too heavy, she couldn't handle it. So he could only coax her and lie to her. In short, she ate every bite of the rabbit meat she was supposed to eat.

Ji Huan smiled and kissed the tip of Jiang Yubai's ear. "My wife is so kind."

Jiang Yubai leaned softly into Ji Huan's arms. She couldn't bear her sister's coaxing. Moreover, her legs had gone limp from her sister's kiss just now. Jiang Yubai was afraid that if Ji Huan let go, she wouldn't even be able to stand.

There were several knocks on the door. "Master, the bath water you requested has been brought in. Can you guys come in and fill it?"

It was the voices of several servants. Ji Huan put his arm around Jiang Yubai's slender waist, helped her sit on a stool, and then said, "Come in."

With Ji Huan's approval, the servants came in bucket after bucket of water. Jiang Yubai simply poured herself a cup of hot tea and drank it, hoping to ease her blush. But as soon as she took a sip, Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. This tea was obviously different from the foamy tea leaves she had drunk in the village. It was very fragrant at first, with a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste.

"Sister, this tea tastes good," Jiang Yubai said, her eyes sparkling.

Ji Huan poured herself a cup, having teased Jiang Yubai herself. After a sip, Ji Huan realized the tea was black tea, though she didn't know where it was produced in this world. She glanced at the cup and saw it was made of the more expensive celadon.

Ji Huan's tea suddenly lost its sweetness. Even the utensils she used were so fine, Ji Huan felt a chill on her neck. What surprises did the Fourth Princess have in store for her? It wasn't that she was delusional, but rather that good things didn't come easy, and Sheng Jue looked incredibly cunning; he wasn't the type to be easily persuaded.

But these were her own concerns; there was no need to make Jiang Yubai and Qiaoqiao worry with her. As long as they were fine, she would be at ease.

"It's quite delicious," Ji Huan smiled at Jiang Yubai and dismissed the maids who had been waiting to serve him.

She reached out and poked the side of Jiang Yubai's face, smiling, "She's my own wife, I can take care of her myself. I don't need them."

Jiang Yubai's face flushed at Ji Huan's words, and he whispered, "I can do it myself. I don't need you."

"How can that be? I finally get a good bath. I need to wash my back and my hair. I'll help you later."

Seeing Ji Huan's sincere face as she spoke, Jiang Yubai nodded slightly. She really couldn't reach her back, and her sister was quite respectable right now, so she wouldn't do anything rash.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai went over the screen to undress. She stepped onto the wooden steps to the side and entered the tub. Just a dip in, and she felt most of her fatigue dissipate. Bathing was truly relaxing.

Ji Huan also came over to help Jiang Yubai scrub. At first, Ji Huan was serious, but then Jiang Yubai noticed something was wrong. She felt like her sister's hands were always touching places they shouldn't be.

She raised her eyes and glared at Ji Huan, blushing as she whispered, "Sister, aren't you scrubbing my back? Don't move."

"I didn't move, but it's inevitable that I might accidentally bump into her once or twice." Ji Huan said this sincerely. Jiang Yubai was skeptical, but only later did she realize Ji Huan's true nature as a big bad wolf.

After taking a bath, Jiang Yubai was exhausted and her face was flushed. Ji Huan's dress was also soaked with water, so she needed to change again.

Ji Huan changed into a water-green dress, while Jiang Yubai changed into a white dress. Ji Huan tied her hair into a bun with a golden hairpin.

After having her little rabbit clean up, Ji Huan called the servants and maids over to get water and clean up.

Ji Huan still had things to do. Worried that Ji Qiao might get bored alone, she asked Jiang Yubai to accompany her while she went to the study. These benefits weren't going to come easily. She had to draw a simple blueprint and estimate the number of people needed to build the dragon kiln. Site selection was also a problem. Privately building a kiln in the mountains would have to be approved by the relevant authorities, and the dragon kiln couldn't be too far from the mountains near Dongniu Village, as transporting clay and glaze would increase labor costs.

Ji Huan wrote a simple plan for the site, but in simplified Chinese so she could understand it. She then used a brush to outline the details of the dragon kiln, including some key points for its construction. After considering all this, Ji Huan realized she needed quite a bit of money. She hadn't even earned any money yet, and she already had to spend Sheng Jue's money.

As for Sheng Jue's suggestion of making Jianzhan tea famous, Ji Huan already had a plan. The most famous local restaurant was Qingfenglou. As long as the reputation of Jianzhan was spread, raising people's expectations for it, and then finding a few people to help, they could hold an auction in Qingfenglou to auction Jianzhan tea. The highest bidder would win, and Jianzhan's reputation would naturally rise. However, this also required trustworthy people to do it. It would be best to spread some children's songs among the people to make people curious about Jianzhan. Once curiosity was aroused, there would naturally be fish to take the bait.

Ji Huan sat at her desk and immediately started thinking of children's songs. If you want to make something famous quickly, the fastest way is to touch porcelain and drag down things that are more famous than it. This is also a skill she learned in modern society. Fan circle fights have always been like this. Although it is easy to attract hatred, it is definitely effective in the short term.

Ji Huan thought for a moment and wrote down a nursery rhyme on paper. It wasn't exactly rhyming, but it flowed smoothly enough: Pingzhou has celadon, Jiangbei has Jianzhan. Celadon is mass-produced, while Jianzhan is produced in smaller quantities but with exquisite quality. When it comes to porcelain, Jianzhan reigns supreme.

Ji Huan reviewed her rhyme. It was a direct attack on celadon. She wondered who was behind the Pingzhou Liu family, and whether Sheng Jue could handle it. She had to report this to Sheng Jue. She couldn't make a decision on her own, or else, if the song got out, there would be no turning back.

The mere thought of Sheng Jue's face frightened her. They'd only met once, and yet Sheng Jue had left a lasting impression on her.

On the other side, Sheng Jue was leaning on the couch in the room with her eyes closed and resting. It was already May, and there was no need to burn charcoal fire anymore, but there were two pots of charcoal fire lit in Sheng Jue's room. She was leaning on the couch to bask in the sun, covered with a thick quilt.

In front of her soft couch, Bai Chuan was bowing and reporting to Sheng Jue, "My Lord, Ji Huan and her family have all arrived at the mansion. I've also had the plaque 'Ji Mansion' hung at the door as you wished." "

How did Ji Huan and the others behave? Did they make any unreasonable demands the moment they arrived?" Sheng Jue asked lazily, eyes closed. His tone, though clearly lazy, still gave people a sense of pressure.

"My Lord, that's not the case. After they moved in, they simply took a bath. Ji Huan then went to the study, and her wife stayed with her sister. There was nothing unusual. Oh, by the way, Ji Huan and the others brought three black dogs with them." Bai Chuan respectfully reported everything to Sheng Jue.

Sheng Jue's brows furrowed when she heard about the black dog. She hated all kinds of animals. "Tell Ji Huan not to let those three beasts she raised run into Feiyu Pavilion. She knows the consequences."

"Yes, my lord, I'll pass on the message right away."

"Wait, you just said Ji Huan was in the study? What was she doing there?" Sheng Jue's eyes opened slightly, and his gaze swept towards Bai Chuan.

"I don't know. How about I go and take another look and report back to you, my lord?" Bai Chuan knelt down quickly, sweat running down his forehead.

Sheng Jue chuckled softly and raised his hand to motion her to stand up. "I was just asking casually. I hope she doesn't forget her duty."

With that, Sheng Jue stopped talking and closed his eyes to rest.

Bai Chuan didn't dare interrupt and hurriedly and carefully retreated out the door. Their master had a bad temper, and only after leaving did Bai Chuan breathe a sigh of relief and prepare to deliver a message to Ji Huan. As she left Feiyu Pavilion, she saw Ji Huan approaching, holding a piece of rice paper.

"Master Ji, I have something to ask you," Bai Chuan said hurriedly.

"Please speak."

"The master said not to let your three black dogs run loose. If they get to Feiyu Pavilion, you will be responsible for the consequences." Bai Chuan told Ji Huan what Sheng Jue had said.

Ji Huan's heart skipped a beat. This palace was truly filled with Sheng Jue's spies. In a matter of seconds, everything she brought in and what happened had already reached Sheng Jue's ears.

"My lord is right. I will pay attention and will not let them disturb my lord's peace." Ji Huan continued, "But I have something to report to my lord. I wonder if it is convenient?"

Bai Chuan swallowed, then said, "My lord is resting. Please come in with me."

Ji Huan followed Bai Chuan into Feiyu Pavilion, but she waited outside the door. Bai Chuan walked into the house carefully, bowed tremblingly and whispered, "My lord, Ji Huan is here."

Sheng Jue opened his eyes slightly, and the corners of his lips curled up. "She came quickly. Let her come in."

"Yes." After getting Sheng Jue's approval, Bai Chuan opened the door and asked Ji Huan to come in.

After entering the room, Ji Huan saluted Sheng Jue, then said, "My lord, I didn't mean to come here to disturb you. It's just that there are a few things that require your consent before I dare to do them."

"Tell me." Sheng Jue looked at Ji Huan, still lazy.

"If we want to quickly make Jianzhan famous, we can only take a shortcut and raise its value by devaluing celadon. Of course, this will also make enemies with the Liu family of Pingzhou. I come from the countryside and don't know the people behind the Liu family of Pingzhou, so I'm not sure if this method will work."

"What do you want to do?" Sheng Jue became more interested and leaned forward slightly on the couch.

The Liu family of Pingzhou was backed by the Crown Prince, but the situation in the capital was dire. The old emperor was getting worse by the day, relying entirely on ginseng soup to survive. It was unclear whether he would pass away in three to five months, or one or two years. In short, the capital was in chaos. Her eldest and second brothers were fighting each other fiercely, and in some places, due to the lack of relief for natural disasters, several peasant uprisings had already begun, and some of the rebellions had not yet subsided.

Her two brothers were fighting fiercely, and the government was in chaos. No matter how important teacups were, they were now unimportant. This was a good opportunity for her to strengthen her own power. After all, in the eyes of her two brothers, she was just a weak and useless person who coughed up blood every day.

Teacups had a high status in Daliang, and teacup craftsmen also had a high status in Daliang. Having a reputable teacup craftsman around could even shake the hearts of the people.

"I have written a nursery rhyme and want people to spread it among the people. Children like these catchy things. A handful of candy will be enough as a reward. Besides, children are talkative and can't stop once they start chattering. I believe this song will become popular in Jiangbei soon. If it spreads far, it will also become popular in the whole Daliang. It's just that it may offend some people."

Sheng Jue looked at Ji Huan. She thought Ji Huan was smart, but she didn't expect Ji Huan to have such a scheme. "Show me the nursery rhyme you wrote."

Ji Huan took the piece of rice paper in his hand and handed it to Sheng Jue. Just one look at Sheng Jue made her brows furrowed. It was not that there was a problem with the content of the song, but that she disliked Ji Huan's handwriting was too ugly.

Sheng Jue could barely understand what Ji Huan wrote. She raised her eyebrows and glared at Ji Huan, saying with disgust: "Your handwriting?"

Ji Huan hurriedly gave Sheng Jue an awkward laugh, bowed and said: "I have never been to school since I was a child. I know some common characters, but when I write them, it's just like this."

Sheng Jue's face became even colder. She sent people to check on Ji Huan and knew that Ji Huan came from a poor family. Her parents and brothers all treated her like a workhorse. But Sheng Jue felt that the more people were looked down upon and the more they should work hard. Wasn't she also an unappreciated princess in the cold palace?

She was bullied and she endured it submissively on the surface, but she worked hard in private. She was no worse than her two useless royal brothers in classics, history and policy essays, but Ji Huan obviously did not work hard to improve himself. The handwriting was too ugly and crooked. Ji Huan would be considered one of his own in the future. Sheng Jue frowned and said, "Your handwriting is too ugly. How dare you bring it in front of me? Ask someone to invite a private school teacher over later. Ask someone to teach you calligraphy when you are free every day to avoid embarrassing yourself in public." "

Okay, then I'll ask someone to find a reliable teacher later. My lord, my wife and sister are illiterate. Can they learn together?" Ji Huan asked with a smile.

Sheng Jue's expression softened slightly when Ji Huan mentioned his wife and sister. He nodded and said, "As I've said, you're in charge of matters within the mansion, of course. Your idea is a good one, and I'll send someone to do it shortly."

"Your Highness, besides that, after these nursery rhymes have been circulating for a while, I'm thinking of holding a Jianzhan teapot sale at Qingfeng Tower in a month. Everyone present can bid, and the highest bidder wins. This will drive up the price of Jianzhan teapots, but we need support from our own people." Ji Huan said with a smile.

"You mean?" Sheng Jue guessed what Ji Huan was up to, and the corners of her lips curled slightly. She had indeed underestimated Ji Huan.

"That's right. I want our own people to drive up the price. A rising tide lifts all boats. Only when the price goes up can our reputation rise."

"Okay. I'll have someone from Qingfeng Tower come to you and assist you in this matter. The Yu family can also help. I'll call Yu Bin over, and you can tell him what to do," Sheng Jue instructed.

"Okay, as for the dragon kiln, I've asked a few trusted friends in the village to come with me tomorrow. We're going to choose a site not too far from the mountains near Dongniu Village. Jianzhan uses special clay and glaze materials, and building a dragon kiln too far away will increase labor costs." Ji Huan simply brought up the dragon kiln issue; she didn't want to come to Sheng Jue every day.

Sheng Jue frowned slightly and said, "Don't worry about the cost. I've already had someone choose the site for the dragon kiln. Xin Nan, who's by my side, will discuss the site selection with you tomorrow, and then we'll start building the dragon kiln according to your wishes."

Ji Huan didn't expect Sheng Jue to refuse to choose a location closer to Dongniu Village, but since it was Sheng Jue who paid, Ji Huan quickly bowed and said yes.

After talking to Ji Huan, Sheng Jue seemed a little tired, and waved to Ji Huan, signaling Ji Huan to go out.

Ji Huan didn't breathe a sigh of relief until she left Feiyu Pavilion. Now she had to be busy again, and she had to find time to practice calligraphy. However, this also stabilized the original owner's personality. How could a villager who had never been to school write beautiful calligraphy?

Chapter Text

Ji Huan didn't rush back, but instead wandered around the mansion. She had just arrived, so it was helpful to familiarize herself with the surroundings to avoid getting lost in her own mansion, even if it was only in name only.

After walking for a while, she began to see people coming and going towards Feiyu Pavilion, seemingly delivering messages. Ji Huan didn't want to bother, nor did she dare to. She simply ignored them and quickly walked towards her own courtyard.

The central courtyard where Ji Huan and her friends lived was large, divided into three sections, front and back, with three entrances and exits. With only the three of them living there, most of the remaining rooms were empty. The outermost wing was occupied by maids and servants.

When she returned, Jiang Yubai hadn't returned yet. Ji Huan thought for a moment and asked the servant at the door to fetch the housekeeper.

Guan Kecheng, still sporting his signature smile, bowed to Ji Huan before speaking, "Master, do you have anything for me? Please tell me."

"My sister's divorced, and I'd like to have the contract removed. I wonder if our doctor knows how to do it?" Ji Huan stated bluntly. Since he'd already begun working for Sheng Jue, the key was to advance some money to help Qiaoqiao resolve her issues.

"Of course I will. I'll have her prepare. Master, wait a moment. I'll bring her over shortly." Guan Kecheng smiled and bowed to Ji Huan before leaving the room.

Guan Kecheng quickly whispered a few words to the servant beside him, who then hurried off to Feiyu Pavilion. The servant wasn't authorized to see Sheng Jue, so he simply informed Baichuan of the matter.

Bai Chuan was a little unsure about Sheng Jue's attitude towards Ji Huan. He said he didn't trust Ji Huan, but he let Ji Huan be the master of this mansion. He was afraid that many secrets would be known to Ji Huan in the future. He said he trusted Ji Huan, but

he also wanted people to report everything Ji Huan did. After thinking about it, she decided to go to Sheng Jue.

At this moment, Sheng Jue was reviewing documents in the study. Two pots of burning charcoal were still placed next to the desk. Seeing Bai Chuan coming, Sheng Jue didn't look up, but just said lightly: "Speak."

"My lord, Ji Huan asked the housekeeper to find the court doctor, saying that he wanted to dissolve the contract that was previously signed on her sister." Bai Chuan replied respectfully.

Sheng Jue's hand paused as he was writing, and he looked up at Bai Chuan and said: "Don't find the ordinary court doctor in the mansion, ask Huai Niang to go there."

"Yes, my lord." Bai Chuan suppressed his surprise and responded quickly.

Just as she was about to leave, Sheng Jue stopped her again, "Tell Guan Kecheng that in the future, you don't have to report everything about Ji Huan and the others to me. Just report to me if you feel something is wrong."

Bai Chuan didn't understand why Sheng Jue changed his mind again, but still said yes respectfully.

Bai Chuan was very efficient, and she was good at Qinggong, so she conveyed the message to Huai Niang in a short while.

Huai Niang was a doctor who specialized in treating Sheng Jue. She was only responsible for Sheng Jue's condition on weekdays. When she heard Bai Chuan say that Sheng Jue asked her to treat other people, Huai Niang was surprised for a long time, "What happened to the master? When did he have a compassionate heart for others? It's really strange." "

The master's thoughts are not something we can guess, Huai Niang, you'd better get ready to go early." Bai Chuan hurriedly said. Even if she gave her a hundred courage, she would not dare to talk about Sheng Jue behind his back.

"Okay, okay, I'll go right away. Look at your courage. If I say it here, how can the master know?" Huai Niang rolled her eyes, stood up, took her own medicine box, and took a small bottle from the shelf, put it into the medicine box, and then slowly left the room.

Bai Chuan looked at Huai Niang and sighed helplessly. Among the people around their master, only Huai Niang dared to act recklessly.

It was very troublesome for an ordinary doctor to help Kunze break the contract with Qianyuan. Not to mention the many steps, Kunze had to endure a lot of pain. But Huai Niang disdained to use such low-level means to break the contract.

It took about an incense stick of time for Huai Niang to slowly arrive at the place where Ji Huan and the others lived. Guan Kecheng had been waiting at the door. He originally thought that Xu Nan would come, but he didn't expect Huai Niang to come.

Seeing Guan Kecheng frozen in thought, Huai Niang glared at him unhappily. "Who wants to break the contract? Where is he? I'm very busy and don't have time to waste here."

"Don't worry, I'll take you there right away." Guan Kecheng knew Huai Niang was Sheng Jue's physician, so he didn't dare neglect her and hurriedly led her inside.

"That's Miss Ji Qiao's room over there. I'll go tell the boss," Guan Kecheng said, and went to find Ji Huan.

"Wait, you can tell her, but when I break Kunze's contract, Qian Yuan can't be around. Don't let her come over," Huai Niang warned, then ignored Guan Kecheng and hurried to Ji Qiao's room.

She knocked twice on the door and pushed it open.

Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao were talking in the room. Just as Ji Qiao was about to get up to open the door, it was pushed open.

Huai Niang looked at the two of them and asked, "Who of you wants to break the contract with Qian Yuan?"

Ji Qiao was a little confused by the question, but she pointed at herself.

"Okay, eat this first, then take off your top and sit on the bed." Huai Niang glanced at Ji Qiao and saw that the girl was quite pretty.

She casually placed the medicine box on the table, reached out and took out a green medicine bottle, poured a pill into her hand, and handed it to Ji Qiao. "Here, take it."

Ji Qiao looked at the pill in her palm, then looked at the woman in front of her. No matter how she looked at her, she didn't think she looked like a doctor.

"What are you looking at? Eat it quickly. I have other things to do later. Don't worry, this is just a small matter. It won't take long." Mei Niang urged.

Ji Qiao had thought about breaking the contract before. Most doctors would boil a decoction from a medicine bag, pour it into the bath water, and then the person would soak in the tub for most of the day, enduring a lot of pain. Why was this doctor's method different from others?

"Don't you need to take a bath?" Ji Qiao finally asked what was in her heart.

Huai Niang was so angry that she laughed, "Are you doubting my medical skills? Little sister, even a dying person can live for another three to five years in my hands. The method you mentioned is the dumbest method. Okay, eat it quickly. You are not afraid of the bitterness and want to eat some more candy, right?"

Ji Qiao was stunned by what Huai Niang said. She saw that Huai Niang was very confident, and the smell on her body was really strong. She didn't want to recall the past anymore, but the unpleasant smell on the inscription reminded her of what happened in the past all the time.

Ji Qiao steeled herself and swallowed the pill Huai Niang had given her, which actually made her laugh. "It's not poison, don't be nervous. Go over and take off your clothes."

Ji Qiao blushed. "Take off your clothes?"

"You're still shy, little sister. It's Kunze, what's there to be afraid of? Besides, I'm going to give you acupuncture, and if I don't take off my clothes, the effect won't be as good."

Ji Qiao was a little scared. She looked at Jiang Yubai and whispered, "Sister Yubai, then you stay with me. I'm a little scared."

"Okay, I'll stay here. I won't leave." Jiang Yubai patted Ji Qiao's hand in a soothing tone.

Ji Qiao then began to take off her clothes. She sat on the bed shyly, but when she saw the row of silver needles Huai Niang brought over, Ji Qiao was so scared that she lost all her shyness.

Huai Niang saw her fear and chuckled, "Close your eyes if you're scared."

Then she looked at Jiang Yubai again, "If you have nothing else to do, hold her up and don't let her move. It's no joke if the silver needles are inserted into the wrong acupoint."

"Okay," Jiang Yubai replied, sitting down behind Ji Qiao and grabbing her wrist to prevent her from moving.

Huai Niang then disinfected the silver needles in her hand. Quickly, one after another, she plunged into Ji Qiao's body. Huai Niang's acupuncture was so rapid that Ji Qiao barely felt any pain before the needles were already pierced. As the last needle pierced the wound near the incision, thick, black blood trickled down the needles, accompanied by a faint, unpleasant aroma of Qian Yuan Xin.

Huai Niang handed Jiang Yubai the handkerchief holding the black blood and instructed, "Wait until it turns red before calling me."

She sat down at the table and leisurely sipped a cup of tea.

The black blood continued to drip, until half the handkerchief was nearly soaked with it. Only then did the drops of blood on the silver needles gradually return to their normal red.

"Doctor, it's changing color," Jiang Yubai said hurriedly.

Huai Niang walked over slowly, examined the bloodstains on the silver needles, and then removed the needles from the wound. Then, one by one, she removed the needles from Ji Qiao's body.

"That's enough. The Qian Yuan Xin Xiang on you has been completely removed," Huai Niang said as she gathered her things.

Ji Qiao had clearly lost a lot of blood, but she felt much more relaxed. The nauseating smell from the wound was gone. "It's really gone. Thank you, doctor." "

Thank you, doctor. Qiaoqiao, is there anything else I need to pay attention to these days?" Jiang Yubai asked hurriedly.

Huai Niang chuckled and said, "Do you think I'm one of those stubborn old men? Forbidding me to eat this and drink that? You don't need to pay attention to anything. Eat and drink as you please. Just don't bathe today. Wait until tomorrow to bathe. Okay, I'm leaving now."

With that, Huai Niang left the room without paying any attention to Ji Qiao and Jiang Yubai.

Ji Qiao stared at the closed door and whispered to Jiang Yubai, "This sister is really impulsive, but she's amazing! I didn't have to soak in the medicine for half a day, and it didn't hurt at all. I'll go tell her."

Ji Huan was still in the room, a little worried about Ji Qiao. But since the doctor had forbidden Qian Yuan from going, she couldn't go either. Fortunately, Jiang Yubai was with Ji Qiao.

A moment later, she heard a young woman knock on the door. "Sister, my contract is lifted. The doctor you found is amazing."

The young woman smiled, as if a seal had been lifted.

Ji Huan was also a little surprised. She had previously heard that the process of lifting the contract was complicated and could take a day, but now only half an hour had passed. "It was done so quickly?"

Ji Qiao nodded. "Yeah, and it didn't hurt at all. That female doctor is amazing."

"Okay, as long as it's lifted." A heavy weight lifted from her heart, and Ji Huan felt relieved.

After these matters were resolved, she had to work hard for Sheng Jue. After all, she was now using Sheng Jue's resources.

After finishing these things, Ji Huan thought of Sheng Jue's instructions again. It was obvious that the Fourth Prince really felt that his handwriting was too ugly.

Ji Huan called Guan Kecheng in and asked him to find a reliable teacher in the county to teach them how to write.

Guan Kecheng quickly took the order and left. Bai Chuan had also told him before that there was no need to report these trivial matters to Sheng Jue.

Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan and asked, "Sister, why did you hire a teacher?"

"Someone disliked my ugly handwriting and asked me to find a teacher to teach me how to write. It's a good opportunity for you two to learn. Starting tomorrow, we will start building the dragon kiln. I may be very busy, and the affairs of the mansion will depend on you two. Learning to read is still very beneficial. At least those servants won't dare to fool you easily." Ji Huan said with a smile.

"Hmm!" Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. She had actually wanted to learn calligraphy, but she'd previously struggled to find anyone to teach her.

It was already past lunchtime, and Ji Huan was feeling a bit hungry. She quickly ordered the maids in the courtyard to prepare the meal. Dong'er had already started preparing in the kitchen, and soon the food was all brought to Ji Huan and her friends' room.

The kitchen dishes included chicken and fish soup, along with six or seven other small stir-fries. Seeing the food arrive, Ji Huan sent the maids downstairs. After all, it was still a bit strange to have someone watching over her while she ate.

"Sister, isn't this a bit too much? It's just the three of us," Ji Qiao whispered.

Ji Huan smiled at her sister. It was a lot, but it cost her her life. "Not bad. We haven't eaten all day. Let's eat."

"Okay." Just now, she hadn't felt hungry, but now Jiang Yubai felt ravenous, her stomach rumbling softly.

The three of them took their meals and began to eat. The cooking skills of the chef in this mansion were very good. Ji Huan was amazed after only two bites.

After she finished a bowl of rice, she slowed down and served herself and the two little girls some fish and fish soup. Ji Huan drank slowly.

The fish soup had a little Chinese medicine to remove the fishy smell, which actually added a bit of fragrance. The soup tasted rich and juicy. Ji Huan couldn't help but drink another bowl. When she couldn't eat anymore, she looked at Jiang Yubai and saw that he had already finished his third bowl of rice.

The bowls in the mansion were not even the size of a palm. Jiang Yubai had a hard time eating and soon had to get more rice. Ji Qiao couldn't eat anymore and started drinking the fish soup.

When the three of them finished their meal, most of the food on the table had been eaten. The waste mentioned earlier was not there at all.

After the meal, Guan Kecheng came and said that the teacher had been invited and would be able to come to the mansion to teach the next morning.

Ji Huan nodded and sent them down. Ji Qiao also went back to her room to rest early. After a long day of hard work, everyone was really tired.

After a quick wash, Ji Huan and Jiang Yubai went to bed early. The bed in their new home was very soft and comfortable to lie on. The bedding was also all new. Jiang Yubai rolled around in the quilt happily, and Ji Huan held her tightly in his arms.

"Sister~" Jiang Yubai hummed and rubbed against Ji Huan's neck. She had never dreamed that she would one day live in such a big house.

"Are you happy?" Ji Huan kissed the tip of Jiang Yubai's ear and asked softly.

Jiang Yubai nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms again, making herself more comfortable. With her eyes closed, she replied, "Happy."

Seeing Jiang Yubai's eyes closed, ready to sleep, Ji Huan reached out and poked the side of Jiang Yubai's face. "Little bad bunny, you took advantage of me and now you want to sleep?"

Jiang Yubai nuzzled into Ji Huan's arms again, whining and acting like a spoiled child. She'd already been bullied by her sister in the shower, so how could her sister have the nerve to say she took advantage of her? "I didn't take advantage of you."

"Even if I didn't, you can't go to bed so early. We're moving to a new house, so we have to celebrate, right?" Ji Huan said, and then he kissed her.

Jiang Yubai was no match for Ji Huan. Soon, he softened under the kiss, letting Ji Huan devour the rabbit meat.

"If we have a baby, can I have a taste of this?"

"Sister! Don't talk nonsense. I won't let you taste it!" Jiang Yubai was almost mortified. She didn't want her sister to taste it.

Later, Jiang Yubai fell asleep. Ji Huan helped her clean up and then they both fell asleep. Because she was worried about the dragon kiln, Ji Huan woke up early in the morning.

Jiang Yubai was still sleeping in her arms. Ji Huan carefully put him on the bed and then got up to get dressed.

After washing up, Ji Wen and the other two arrived early. They were all amazed at the grandeur of Ji Huan's mansion.

"Ji Huan, your new home is so huge. It feels like it's half the size of our village." Er Zhuzi was still looking at the tables and chairs in the front hall while he was talking.

"Well, it's hard to explain it all at once. Everyone, please sit down. I'll have someone bring some snacks and tea, and we'll talk while we eat." Ji Huan said and asked Dong'er to send someone to prepare them.

Ji Wen had been to Yu Mansion several times, so he was not too uncomfortable with it. Zhou Xiaochun and Er Zhuzi looked a little embarrassed, and they sat there more formally than the other.

"Why are you two so nervous? This is our own home. Just relax. There aren't so many rules." Ji Huan said with a smile.

"It's inevitable to be nervous when you're in a place like this for the first time." Er Zhuzi said with some nervousness.

"Okay, then we can talk about what we need to do next, so we won't be nervous."

Ji Huan held up the simple dragon kiln design he had drawn on rice paper. "This is the dragon kiln we need to build. It's actually similar to the one I have back home in Dongniu Village, but it's too small. Right now, we need two larger dragon kilns, built to follow the terrain. Besides the kiln body, the interior must be cemented with the finest mortar. Because placing teacups inside requires people to enter the cave, the interior must be sturdy. A collapse could be fatal."

Ji Huan continued, "If you're willing, you can help oversee the construction of the dragon kiln this time, and then learn to make teacups with me."

"Really?" Erzhuzi's eyes lit up. In Daliang, teacup craftsmen held a high status.

"Well, when you're almost done, you can try making your own teacups in the small kiln in Dongniu Village. But it won't be learned in a day or two; it'll take a long time." Ji Huan smiled and said,

"Sure, we're willing to learn." Erzhuzi was almost overjoyed.

While they were talking, Xin Nan, Sheng Jue's guard, came over with a male Qian Yuan.

"Master Ji, this is Zhou Yang. You can ask him directly about the site selection." Xin Nan nodded to Ji Huan and quickly left.

"Boss, the specific site for the dragon kiln is on Siyu Mountain. We have selected two locations for the kiln and have already contacted the court." Zhou Yang bowed to Ji Huan.

Ji Huan frowned slightly. Siyu Mountain was surrounded by barren hills and it would take at least half a day to get to the county town. But since this was Sheng Jue's idea, Ji Huan didn't dare to refute it.

"That's fine, but transporting the materials will take a lot of manpower in the future."

"Don't worry, Boss, I have the people who can transport the materials here. They are at your command," Zhou Yang hurriedly said.

"Okay, then. In an hour, take the craftsmen responsible for building the dragon kiln, and bring some others with you to Siyu Mountain. We won't be able to learn anything here alone. We'll go and take a look around and select two suitable locations for the dragon kiln."

Ji Huan thought for a moment and continued, "Oh, and there's also accommodations for the craftsmen. Constantly traveling back and forth between the county town and Siyu Mountain takes too much time. Have them prepare tents and daily meals. Once work begins, try to minimize the need to travel back and forth." "

Boss, that's right. I'll arrange it right away." Zhou Yang said, and walked out.

Ji Huan simply had food prepared. Since they wouldn't be back until sometime, they might as well eat before leaving.

"Let's go, let's go to the dining room to eat. We'll probably be back in the evening by then."

"Okay." Erzhuzi and the others also stood up and headed for the dining room.

After they sat down for a while, the food arrived quickly. Ji Huan didn't ask for anything, so the kitchen prepared it themselves. The dishes were plentiful, with both fish and meat.

Er Zhuzi was stunned. "Ji Huan, you're amazing! You can even eat all this now?"

"You guys make tea well, and you won't be worse off than me in the future," Ji Huan said, then looked at Zhou Xiaochun. "Xiaochun, please bring paper and pen later. I can't read very well, so if there's anything I need to write down, just come. I have a lot of people around me, but you three are the only ones I can trust."

"No way? Aren't you surrounded by people?" Er Zhuzi's eyes widened. Ji

Huan gave a wry smile. "Never mind. Let's eat quickly. There's no food in the mountains this afternoon."

The group ate a large meal and rested for a while before preparing to set off. Zhou Yang brought the six main craftsmen and two carriages, while Ji Huan's group consisted of the four of them, plus six guards from the mansion, Lin Feng, and He Qing.

Ji Huan thought for a moment before speaking, "He Qing, don't come with us. Stay at the mansion to protect my wife and Qiaoqiao."

"Yes, master," He Qing replied, quickly returning to the mansion.

Ji Huan then ordered everyone to set off. Fortunately, Sheng Jue was wealthy and had his own stables at home. Otherwise, if so many people had walked, it would have taken at least a day to reach their destination.

Along the way, Ji Huan explained the key points of the dragon kiln to Zhou Xiaochun and the others, and then he lectured them on the knowledge of Jianzhan. By the time they reached Siyu Mountain, it was already past noon.

The narrow mountain path made it difficult for the carriage and horses to ascend. Ji Huan had the groom watch the horses at the foot of the mountain while he looked around. All around him were endless peaks.

"We can't see anything here. Let's go and find a mountain and climb it first. The view here is poor, and it's hard to tell where to choose a site."

With these words, Ji Huan began to climb again. As they neared the top, Ji Huan took in the entire terrain: it was surrounded by mountains on all sides, with a large open space in the middle, like a large face.

The hillside for the dragon kiln shouldn't be too steep. Ji Huan surveyed the slope of the mountain and said, "The dragon kiln should be built halfway up here. It won't be too steep, and it will facilitate heat transfer. The two dragon kilns should be at least twenty meters apart, otherwise they'll affect each other's temperatures. Let's go to the halfway point and decide on a location today."

Ji Huan spoke, and then he and the others descended again. When they reached the halfway point, the craftsmen had ropes to estimate the distance, and Ji Huan had them mark the chosen location.

He then explained his requirements for the dragon kiln to the craftsmen, including its length, height, width, and the thickness of the walls. Zhou Xiaochun wrote them down with a brush.

With Ji Huan's detailed instructions, the craftsmen estimated all the necessary raw materials, including wood, mortar, bricks, and so on. These, too, would require time and manpower to gather.

Before leaving, Ji Huan glanced at the large open space again. He felt that building a dragon kiln there was too far away for the sake of proximity. He wondered what Sheng Jue was thinking.

The sun had already set by the time they descended the mountain, and it was already midnight when they returned. If Ji Huan and his companions hadn't informed the gatekeepers beforehand, they wouldn't have been able to even enter the county town.

Soon, carriages drove off to the north of the county town. The craftsmen went home to rest, and Ji Huan and her companions hurried back to the mansion to rest. Ji Huan had Guan Kecheng put the three of them up in a courtyard next to her own, and had food delivered to them. She herself, exhausted, returned to her room.

Jiang Yubai was leaning on the small couch inside the room, waiting for her. Seeing Ji Huan return, Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up. "Sister, why are you back so late? I've been so worried."

Ji Huan leaned over and kissed Jiang Yubai on the lips, saying softly, "The Jianlong Kiln is quite far from here. A carriage takes half a day's journey. This is considered a quick return. I'm starving."

Hearing that Ji Huan was hungry, Jiang Yubai quickly had food brought to her.

Ji Huan washed his face before sitting down to eat. A bowl of pigeon soup finally brought him back to his senses. "Delicious! I've been walking all day. I need a shower before bed. I smell."

"Okay, I'll have someone prepare some for you." Jiang Yubai quickly had water boiled while he sat at the table with Ji Huan to eat. Jiang Yubai was feeling a bit hungry, so he ate some more along with Ji Huan.

Ji Huan took a bath and then lay down to rest. The next few days would involve transporting materials to Siyu Mountain for the dragon kiln. Fearing the supplies might be stolen, Ji Huan had Zhou Yang arrange for six men to set up camp at the foot of the mountain, taking turns to keep watch at night to ensure they were safe. Bricks and mortar were quite expensive, especially mortar, which was the equivalent of modern organic cement.

The mortar required many steps to make, and the ingredients were quite complex. After the glutinous rice is cooked until soft, the resulting slurry is poured into a mixture of lime, clay, and sand to create a mortar. The glutinous rice slurry serves as a binder for the other three materials.

Ji Huan had been busy these days, summoning the key craftsmen to the mansion and explaining in detail her requirements for the dragon kiln's construction, emphasizing the importance of ensuring its safety. She then spent the rest of her time practicing calligraphy with Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao.

The teacher Guan Kecheng had hired was Chu Han, a woman of ordinary appearance. Because she frequently visited the mansion, Guan Kecheng had someone investigate Chu Han's background and confirmed she was an ordinary person. Only then did he feel comfortable letting her take over as Jiang Yubai and her friends' teacher.

The two girls had no basic skills; on their first day of class, they didn't even know how to hold a brush. Jiang Yubai had seen Ji Huan use a brush twice, but her grip wasn't perfect, so she couldn't imitate him. Chu Han spent a considerable amount of time simply teaching them how to hold the brush.

She was a very patient person. She originally taught elementary things to children in a private school. Unfortunately, the money given by the Ji Mansion was more than that of the private school, and she herself was short of money, so she simply came to the Ji Mansion to be a teacher.

She taught the simplest strokes in the first few days, and then taught two people to write their names.

Later, she began to teach some common characters. Ji Huan came here purely for the purpose of practicing calligraphy. Her own handwriting was actually quite good. The reason why her handwriting was so ugly before was also because she wanted to fit in with the original character. If she changed too quickly, it would make Sheng Jue suspicious. It would be better to get a teacher to teach her, and then she could learn from him and slowly write more beautiful characters.

"Look, sister, I can write." Jiang Yubai looked at Ji Huan with bright eyes. On the rice paper was not only Jiang Yubai's own name, but also Ji Huan's name.

Ji Huan's eyes curved slightly as he softly said, "Okay, my wife is the best."

Jiang Yubai's ears blushed slightly. Luckily, Chu Han and Qiaoqiao were gone, otherwise Ji Huan's teasing would have made her shy again. "Sister~"

Ji Huan simply moved a stool to sit next to Jiang Yubai, leaning in and kissing her on the lips.

Jiang Yubai glared at Ji Huan in embarrassment, more like a coquettish gesture, "Sister, you're interrupting my studies."

"Okay, my bad, I won't do it again." Ji Huan said she wouldn't dare, but she didn't touch or harass Jiang Yubai again. However, her eyes kept on Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai was almost unable to write under her gaze. She was just learning to write anyway, and with Ji Huan still looking at her like that, she simply put down her pen and stood up to act coquettishly with Ji Huan.

Ji Huan's eyes lit up when she saw that the little bunny was finally paying attention to her. She reached out and put her arm around Jiang Yubai's slender waist, letting her sit on his lap.

Jiang Yubai's cheeks flushed, and she muttered softly, "Sister, it's still daytime."

"Can't I hold you during the day? The Jianlong Kiln supplies are being delivered tomorrow, and I'll be busy again. Don't you miss me?" Ji Huan said, feigning pity as she nuzzled into Jiang Yubai's arms and sniffed. Her little bunny always smelled delicious.

Jiang Yubai was naturally soft-hearted, and hearing Ji Huan's words made her reluctant to leave. She sometimes handled minor chores at the mansion, but Guan Kecheng and Dong'er handled most of it, leaving her with little to worry about. Her only pastime was learning to recognize and practice calligraphy every day, or chatting with Qiaoqiao to pass the time.

"I missed you," Jiang Yubai said, rubbing her arm around the back of Ji Huan's neck.

Ji Huan then raised her head slightly, seeing the little bunny had taken the bait, and immediately kissed her.

Jiang Yubai had never been kissed like this while sitting on Ji Huan's lap. Her cheeks were already flushed, and with her slender waist held in Ji Huan's embrace,

she couldn't escape even if she wanted to. Ji Huan kissed her for a long time until Jiang Yubai was exhausted. She finally let him go, saying that she had to go out tomorrow and wouldn't be able to eat rabbit meat, so she had to eat more today.

Jiang Yubai leaned in her arms and muttered softly, "You're right."

Ji Huan didn't hear what Jiang Yubai said, so he leaned over and asked, "Did you, little bad rabbit, say something bad about me?"

"No," Jiang Yubai quickly denied. "I'm not talking to you anymore. I still have to go find Qiaoqiao."

Even with that, Jiang Yubai's legs were so weak that she couldn't get up. She had to lean back in Ji Huan's arms for a while before she could finally get up. Ji Huan

was woken up by the maid before dawn the next morning. They had to leave early that morning because construction on the dragon kiln was about to begin.

Ji Huan pulled the blanket over Jiang Yubai and tiptoed down. Worried about the inconvenience of wearing silk, she had someone prepare a long, turquoise cloth dress for her. She simply pinned her hair with two jade hairpins.

She ate some breakfast and left the room. The dogs were already awake. Erhei and Sanhei, upon seeing Ji Huan, pounced on her, tails wagging.

Ji Huan knelt down and petted each of the dogs' faces. He then picked up Erhei and rocked him around. Ji Huan noticed that the little fellows seemed to have grown a bit bigger and fatter, with some weight starting to form on their bellies.

Ji Huan reached out and tapped Erhei's nose. "Good food, you guys! Look at your belly! You've gained weight!"

Sanhei, noticing that Ji Huan had hugged Erhei for a moment and not him, immediately grew anxious and whimpered in frustration. Ji Huan had no choice but to hug him again.

"You two, have fun by yourselves. I have things to do and need to go." Ji Huan tapped the heads of the two black coal balls before leaving the courtyard. The two little black dogs resumed their playful activity.

This time, even more people were heading to Siyu Mountain. The Jianlong Kiln craftsmen alone numbered nearly forty. Only the imperial family could afford such a large presence.

Ji Huan had already given instructions; the rest depended on the craftsmen's skill and his supervision.

The carriage was swaying, and Ji Huan and the other three felt drowsy. Finally, Ji Huan fell asleep in a corner. With the craftsmen, it was impossible for everyone to ride in the carriage, so the journey was even slower. They reached Siyu Mountain in less than half a day.

At noon, Ji Huan and his companions stopped to eat some of their rations and rest the horses and men before continuing their journey.

It was already afternoon when they arrived. Ji Huan had tents set up at the foot of the mountain. Since forty craftsmen couldn't travel back and forth, they simply settled there. Ji Huan and his companions had no plans to leave that day.

After setting up the tents, Ji Huan instructed the craftsmen to clear the two selected locations, preventing weeds and other debris from interfering with the kiln construction process.

The workers, armed with hoes and other tools, set to work. It

wasn't long before it was dark. Ji Huan called it a day and ordered everyone to eat. Dinner was a simple vegetable porridge with steamed buns. While it wasn't particularly tasty, it was filling.

The next few days were dedicated to the construction of the dragon kiln. Ji Wen, with the exception of Ji Huan, who returned to Qingyuan County early to prepare for his wedding, remained at Siyu Mountain. Although Ji Huan had clearly outlined the construction plans with the craftsmen, many errors persisted. Ji Huan and his team could barely leave, lest someone, seeking to save time, deviate from his instructions.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yubai and Ji Qiao, studying Chinese calligraphy with Chu Han, had learned a great deal, especially their brush calligraphy. While still not beautiful, it was at least square and no longer crooked.

Furthermore, the housekeeper and Dong'er would periodically visit Jiang Yubai to report on various matters at the mansion, such as food purchases and expenses. This left Ji Qiao with some free time.

Now she is no longer required to do heavy work, and the little girl plays with the three puppies every day. Dahei is very well-behaved and doesn’t like to go out to play on weekdays, but Erhei and Sanhei can’t sit still. The yard they live in has three entrances, which is actually quite large, but the two black coal balls still feel that they have not played enough, and often pester Ji Qiao to take them out to play.

Ji Qiao took the two little guys out of the yard, but she remembered that her sister had specifically reminded her that a friend of her sister lived in the backyard of the mansion. Her sister’s friend liked quietness and didn’t like to be disturbed. Therefore, Ji Qiao always walked the dogs near the yard where they lived, and she herself had never been to the backyard.

Chapter Text

While Ji Qiao was distracted, Erhei, who was standing by her side, scurried off towards the backyard. Soon, the dog disappeared. Seeing Sanhei also trying to run, Ji Qiao scooped him up and gently tapped his head. "You want to run too, don't you? Just be good and follow me home."

Ji Qiao carried Sanhei back to the courtyard, instructing Yingge to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't escape. She herself hurried to the backyard.

The size of the mansion gave Ji Qiao a headache. She wasn't sure if she could find the dog in such a large area. However, due to her sister's instructions, she couldn't ask the servants to help her search the backyard, so she had to try her luck on her own.

It was mid-May, and the weather was warm at noon. Sheng Jue was strolling alone in the backyard. She hadn't asked any guards or maids to accompany her, but she did bring along two secret guards, Baichuan and Xinnan, though they remained hidden.

Sheng Jue squinted her eyes and looked at the sun in the distance, then paced slowly in the garden. Just as she was basking in the sun and looking at the flowers and plants in the garden, a black figure rushed towards her. It was a small black dog. Because it was too dark, Sheng Jue couldn't even see what the dog's face looked like.

Her brows furrowed slightly, frightening Bai Chuan, who was protecting her, so much that he broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly flew out of the bushes, bowed and apologized to Sheng Jue, "My lord, please forgive me. I clearly checked before. The dog must have just suddenly run in."

Sheng Jue's face turned even colder, "What if it wasn't a dog but an assassin? Has my life been taken by the assassin?"

Sheng Jue's tone was still the same as usual, neither hurried nor slow, but Bai Chuan was frightened and broke out in a cold sweat. He knelt on the ground with a thud, "My lord, please forgive me. It was my fault. I ask for your punishment."

Sheng Jue's expression did not ease much, and his eyes swept over Bai Chuan, "Don't let it happen again."

"Yes, I promise it won't happen again."

Sheng Jue saw that her face and forehead were sweating, and finally couldn't bear it anymore, so he said, "Get up and talk."

"Thank you, my lord." Bai Chuan finally breathed a sigh of relief, then continued, "That dog should be Ji Huan's. Shall I take care of it?"

Sheng Jue was about to nod when another person arrived from a distance. However, Xin Nan followed not far behind, looking undecided about whether to take action.

Sheng Jue felt strangely irritated, her hard-earned peace being repeatedly interrupted. Her brows furrowed in thought, and just as she was about to give an order, she heard the person's soft voice not far away.

"Sister, have you seen a little black dog? It's only about the size of your forearm. It's lost, and this mansion is so big, I'm a little unsure where to look."

Sheng Jue's frown relaxed slightly, and she looked up at the woman. A young girl with bright eyes and white teeth appeared across from her, seemingly even younger than herself. She looked at her with a hint of trepidation, like a timid kitten.

"I saw it. It should have gone to the bushes over there." Sheng Jue was rarely friendly, and there seemed to be a smile in his eyes when he looked at Ji Qiao.

Bai Chuan looked at his master's unusual behavior and didn't dare to say a word, and Xin Nan did the same.

When Ji Qiao heard that the person in front of her had seen the dog, she hurriedly thanked him: "Thank you, sister. Then I will go to find it quickly. It ran too fast. I don't know if I can find it."

Ji Qiao was about to go to the woods to look for Erhei, but Sheng Jue said: "This backyard is very big, and there are hills behind it. It will be difficult for you to find it alone. I will ask my guards to help you look for it."

"That's too much trouble for you." Ji Qiao was embarrassed to ask others for help. After all, she didn't know them.

"It's okay. I'm Ji Huan's friend." Sheng Jue continued when he saw Ji Qiao didn't say anything.

"Are you friends with my sister?" Ji Qiao's eyes lit up, and then she remembered Ji Huan's instructions and quickly apologized: "Sister, my sister told me before that you like quietness. I'm sorry, I didn't know my dog ​​would run here. I really disturbed you."

Sheng Jue smiled at her, "It's okay, Baichuan, Xinnan, you go help this girl find the dog. Girl, I have nothing to do, so I'll accompany you to look for the dog."

Ji Qiao felt a little sorry, but she was really worried that she wouldn't be able to find Erhei. After all, they had raised the dogs for a while. If they were really lost, she would be very sad. "Then I'll trouble you, sister."

"No trouble, let's go." Sheng Jue smiled at her and pointed to the road in the woods.

Ji Qiao nodded and followed Sheng Jue. After all, her sister's friend must be a good person.

Seeing the girl beside him fall silent, Sheng Jue spoke up, "Do you like dogs?"

"Yes, we have three dogs in total, and they're all very well behaved. I was almost bullied by a bad guy in the village before, but the dogs protected me, chasing him and barking." "That

's great, we've got to find one soon," Sheng Jue replied.

Ji Qiao chatted with Sheng Jue for a while, and seeing him both asking guards to help him find dogs and accompanying him on his search, she had a good impression of him and started talking. "Sister, I heard from my sister that you're not feeling well, so you're resting. Have you seen a doctor?" "

Yes, they're just old ailments, nothing serious. I need to rest, but I also need to go out for a walk and get some sun," Sheng Jue explained softly.

"That's good," Ji Qiao nodded.

"What do you do at home?" Sheng Jue continued.

"In the morning, a teacher will come to teach Sister Yubai and me how to read and practice calligraphy. After noon, there's nothing to do. I'll play with the dogs or just rest in my room. My sister's been busy these days and hasn't been home for a few days." Ji Qiao said, looking around.

"Are you worried about her? She's got experts around to protect her, so she'll be fine."

"Yeah, but I still miss her a little." Ever since her divorce, her sister has been her spiritual support. Without her, she feels like nothing is interesting.

Sheng Jue nodded gently and continued, "If you feel down, come find me. I'll be taking a walk in the backyard every afternoon these days. You can bring your dog along; it's spacious here, they'll definitely love it."

Ji Qiao's eyes lit up. Dogs really do like spacious areas to play, and she was definitely bored staying home alone. "Is that okay?"

"Of course," Sheng Jue replied with a smile.

"Sister, you're so kind," Ji Qiao praised sweetly.

On Xinnan and Baichuan's side, Xinnan had already found Erhei. Erhei saw that they were strangers and barked at Xinnan and Baichuan to pretend to be fierce, but then he found that it was useless. In addition, the two had weapons in their hands, so Erhei was very scared and lay on the ground obediently and dared not say a word.

Xinnan picked up Erhei and was about to send the dog to Sheng Jue, but was stopped by Baichuan, "You just sent the dog over like this?" "

What else? Didn't the master ask us to help find the dog quickly?" Xinnan looked at Baichuan and said with certainty.

Baichuan supported his forehead and said, "Didn't you see that the master was chatting happily with that girl just now? The master will definitely be unhappy if you send the dog over now."

Xinnan handed Erhei to Baichuan and flew up a tree. They were all very skilled in Qinggong, so they made almost no noise. Xinnan quickly found his master, who was chatting and laughing with the girl. Xinnan then returned the way he had come, looked at Baichuan, and said, "What should we do? Send him back later?"

Baichuan nodded and reached out to touch Erhei in his arms. Erhei felt comfortable with the touch and was no longer as afraid of Baichuan as before. He rubbed his head against Baichuan's wrist and looked at Baichuan with his eyes shining in a cute way.

Xinnan was afraid that Shengjue would be in danger, so he flew into the woods and protected Shengjue from the shadows. Baichuan had no choice but to hold Erhei in his arms and play with him.

At the back, Erhei simply spread his belly out and waited for someone to stroke his fur.

Ji Qiao was so anxious looking for the puppy that Bai Chuan finally carried Er Hei out and said, "Master, we have found the puppy."

Ji Qiao looked at Er Hei and her eyes were red with joy. She was really afraid that she would not be able to find the puppy.

Ji Qiao hurriedly took Er Hei from Bai Chuan. When Er Hei saw that it was Ji Qiao, his tail started wagging wildly and he kept rubbing his little black face against Ji Qiao's wrist to act coquettishly.

Ji Qiao thanked Bai Chuan and hurriedly carried Xiao Hei to Sheng Jue and said, "Sister, thank you so much for today. This little guy is so naughty, otherwise I don't know when I would find him."

"You're welcome. We are familiar with each other. Your sister has been busy these days. If you need help with anything, you can come to me." Sheng Jue said with a smile.

"Okay, thank you sister. I have been out for a while and I have to go back." Ji Qiao said while holding Er Hei in her arms.

Sheng Jue's eyes flickered with sadness, and he nodded at Ji Qiao. "That's fine. Don't worry your family. Will you come over tomorrow?"

Ji Qiao met Sheng Jue's gaze and was about to say no, but seeing how pale he looked, as if he had no friends to talk to, she couldn't bear it anymore and nodded. "Come over. There's plenty of space here, and the dogs will definitely like it."

"That's great."

Sheng Jue and Ji Qiao left the garden together, and even after Ji Qiao left, Sheng Jue didn't take his eyes off her.

After a long while, Sheng Jue finally looked away and said, "If she comes over here in the future, don't stop her. Don't stop the three dogs either."

With that, Sheng Jue hurried towards Feiyu Pavilion, seemingly in a better mood than usual.

Bai Chuan and Xin Nan quickly agreed, exchanged a glance, and didn't dare to say anything more.

When Sheng Jue returned to the study, the maid had already lit a charcoal fire in the study. Although summer was about to arrive, Sheng Jue was afraid of the cold, so she kept the charcoal fire lit.

Sheng Jue washed her hands and leaned back on the couch to rest. She asked everyone in the room to leave, even the secret guards, and asked them to guard outside.

Sheng Jue leaned back on the couch and thought about the past. Her mother was the daughter of a general. The emperor married her mother in order to stabilize the situation and keep a hostage in the palace.

At first, her father, the emperor, could still pretend to be considerate to her mother for a few years, and he also pretended to be nice to her for a few years. Later, the war between Daliang and other countries stabilized, and her mother's family was no longer useful. She began to be targeted and suspected by the emperor. First, he seized the military power, and then he had someone frame her mother's family for treason. Her mother's family was killed, and her mother, herself, and her sister were also banished to the cold palace.

From that moment on, Sheng Jue had an inexplicable dislike for Qian Yuan. Even after becoming Qian Yuan herself, Sheng Jue began to loathe herself.

Life in the cold palace was difficult, filled with insane women, whose lives were ignored because she was Qian Yuan and the emperor had few children. Sheng Jue had been victimized many times, and her current coughing up blood stemmed from that time. Someone even put a chronic poison in her food, completely damaging her qikou. Even now, she couldn't smell any Xinxiang or Kunze.

Even Huai Niang's medical skills were exceptional, but they could only save her life and help her heal with medicine and stones. The irreversible damage to her qikou was beyond the reach of even the most powerful gods.

This, however, was a good thing for Sheng Jue. She was deeply disappointed with her father and resented the heartless Qian Yuan. Or rather, she simply couldn't muster any affection for any Qian Yuan. This was why Kunze was her two personal bodyguards and her physician. However, because many matters still needed to be handled by Qian Yuan, Sheng Jue thoroughly investigated the backgrounds of those she hired. She would never employ someone who was disloyal.

Sheng Jue's current status was Qian Yuan, but in reality, he was more like a mediocre person.

The sunlight shone on Sheng Jue's eyes, which narrowed slightly. Ji Huan's sister reminded her of her own sister, Sheng Yao. If her sister were still alive, she would be around the same age as Ji Huan's sister, but sadly, she would never see that day.

Sheng Jue remembered clearly that when he was ten years old, his maternal grandfather's entire family was executed, and he, his mother, and his sister were banished to the cold palace. The next day, his mother received poisoned wine from the eunuchs who served with the old emperor.

She and her sister were forced to kneel on the ground by a group of young eunuchs, watching helplessly as their mother was forced to drink poisoned wine. They were not released until her mother vomited blood and died.

Sheng Jue's frantic cries could not bring her mother back to life. From then on, she was left with only her sister. Sheng Jue was very protective of her sister, always putting her first in everything. At the same time, she was secretly reading. There was a mad concubine in the cold palace. The house she lived in was full of books. Sheng Jue would often secretly take the books back to read. At the age of ten, she was the most talented among the princes and princesses. The classics, history, and collections of literature were no problem for Sheng Jue.

However, many things are hard to guard against. No matter how careful she and her sister were, there were still people who wanted to harm them. The meals sent to them every day were all laced with chronic poison. In addition, her sister's health had been poor since she was a child, and she soon couldn't hold on.

Sheng Jue remembered it clearly. It was the Lantern Festival that day. Even from the cold palace, one could faintly hear the hustle and bustle of the harem and the fireworks blooming in the palace. His sister had been running a fever since the afternoon. Sheng Jue cried and begged the eunuchs at the door of the cold palace, and even gave away her jade pendant, and only then was someone willing to report it.

However, the eunuch did not bring the imperial physician with him. Sheng Jue still can't forget the scene of that day. It is also a nightmare she often has.

"Sheng Jue, do you know that you almost killed me? His Majesty was furious and said that your sister was unlucky. Moreover, the imperial physicians are in the Ningfei Palace taking care of the Second Prince. The Second Prince is so rich and precious, how can a cheap bastard like you compare to him?" The old lady scolded Sheng Jue impatiently, with tears on her face.

Sheng Jue cast aside all her pride, and with tears in her eyes, she prostrated herself on the ground and kowtowed to the old eunuch, "Eunuch, my sister is still running a high fever. Without the imperial physician's help, she will die."

"There are so many dead people in the cold palace. Everyone was rich and powerful in their lifetime, but after death, they are just a straw mat. If you have time to kowtow, you might as well spend time with your sister and make sure she doesn't get reborn as a princess in the next life." After saying this, the eunuch left. No one responded to Sheng Jue's cries and pleas.

It snowed heavily that night, and there was no charcoal basin in the cold palace. Because the previous dynasty was holding a banquet, the eunuchs who delivered food to the cold palace were temporarily transferred to other jobs.

Sheng Jue had no choice but to wrap the cup tightly around her sister and hug her tightly. She couldn't even get a sip of warm soup. She could only watch her sister close her eyes in her arms. No matter how she cried and shouted for her sister to wake up, Sheng Yao would never wake up again.

From that day on, Sheng Jue became even more silent and taciturn, living a sickly life in the cold palace. When she was thirteen, the old emperor, driven by excessive play, finally remembered his daughter, Qian Yuan, who had been abandoned in the cold palace.

With few children and the entire family of Sheng Jue's mother executed, Sheng Jue had no power to rely on. The old emperor then felt safe pulling Sheng Jue out of the cold palace to make up the number, at least four Qian Yuans were candidates for the succession. However, Sheng Jue and the third daughter, Sheng Lie, were merely fillers.

From then on, even though she hated her father, she was forced to express her gratitude to the old emperor daily. Her sickly appearance, combined with the old emperor's relaxed vigilance, helped him relax.

Unwilling to accept a Qian Yuan as a successor, the old emperor simply crowned Sheng Lie and himself kings, expelling himself and the third daughter from the capital. This was the catalyst for Sheng Jue's subsequent actions.

Her maternal grandfather's family was executed, but there were still many generals who were loyal to her maternal grandfather. Sheng Jue slowly established contact with them and asked them to hold their troops at the border while cultivating her own power in Jiangbei.

Although the old emperor had driven them out of the capital, his suspicions did not diminish. He kept sending people to keep an eye on her. Sheng Jue simply played along with them. She pretended to be sick and bedridden on weekdays, but in fact she built a secret passage in her room that led to a house outside. She often held meetings there with her confidants, and the person who stayed in her bedroom at the Prince of Duan's mansion was just her stand-in.

This time, Sheng Jue left a stand-in and several confidants at the Prince of Duan's mansion. The old emperor didn't have much time left, so she had to hurry up and make preparations. After all, it would be difficult to let go of her hands and feet if she stayed at the Prince of Duan's mansion.

Sheng Jue sometimes envied Ji Huan. At least Ji Huan had saved her sister and pulled Ji Qiao out of the mire, whereas she had been so weak and powerless back then. She sighed deeply. The deaths of her mother and sister had been a nightmare she hadn't forgotten for years. She had been striving to become strong enough to protect herself and those around her, but the people she cared about were no longer around.

Every time she thought about it, Sheng Jue felt a splitting headache. At some point, Sheng Jue passed out.