Xiao Yanci thought Su Yaoguang would help him fetch water, but in the end, she simply restored the previous situation without lending him any assistance.
His expression wasn't pleasant, and he took the bucket from her hand with a frosty look.
He struggled immensely to lift it, and just as he triumphantly looked at Su Yaoguang, his body tilted backward, causing the bucket of water to pour directly onto him.
He fell to the ground along with the bucket, which crashed with a loud bang and broke completely. Covered in water, he looked at everything before him with reddened eyes and a face full of despair.
Su Yaoguang let out a soft scoff, picked up the water, and taunted, "Good thing I didn't buy you; otherwise, that would have been a huge loss! You're as useless as a shrimp with limp legs, yet that human trafficker dares to ask for two taels of silver. He must be crazy for money."
"Don't push your luck," Xiao Yanci glared at her furiously.
"Can't I speak the truth?" Su Yaoguang curled her lips, "Such a temper. If Jiang Yihuan saw you like this, she'd regret the money spent on you! She intended to buy a servant to do the hard labor, but you seem no different from Jiang Yihuan physically. If they bought you, who would end up serving whom?"
After mocking Xiao Yanci for a while, Su Yaoguang felt a bit relieved and walked away with the water.
Not far ahead, she saw another village girl carrying water. The girl noticed Xiao Yanci's situation and asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"
Su Yaoguang glanced back and saw the girl diligently helping Xiao Yanci up, using a handkerchief to wipe off the water stains from his body. She then fetched another bucket of water for him.
"Tsk..." Su Yaoguang murmured, "That face sure comes in handy; silly girls fall for it every time."
After bringing back the water, Su Yaoguang went for a second round, without encountering Xiao Yanci this time. Once the water barrel was filled, she went to the mountains to gather firewood and dug up some wild vegetables along the way.
The wild vegetables on the mountain were scarce, but with the heavy chores lately, she grew stronger and bolder, starting to set traps on the mountain to catch prey.
The mountain was indeed teeming with wildlife—hares, wild chickens, bamboo rats—she could see them but couldn't catch them. She had no tools for hunting, so she could only watch them escape.
Fortunately, she collected quite a few wood ears and wild mushrooms. She bundled the firewood, then hid the wood ears and wild mushrooms in the back basket, placing the bundled firewood on top of it.
Zhang Zhaodi came out of the woodshed.
Seeing this, Su Yaoguang quickly put down the basket and walked briskly to Zhang Zhaodi, "Mom, Wang Shu is really well-behaved. He said that once his injuries heal, he'll start working."
"Why are you nervous? Do I look so fierce and vicious that I'd harm someone who's almost dead?" Zhang Zhaodi said, annoyed.
"No. You're the kindest mom ever."
"I just checked the kitchen earlier. Your courage has really grown; you even dared to buy so much flour and meat." Zhang Zhaodi said, twisting her ear. "We have so little money, and you don't even know how to save it."
"Mom, it hurts, hurts…"
Zhang Zhaodi released her ear.
"Mom, your illness isn't cured yet; you should rest well. I can handle the household matters. You work too hard; you should eat something nice to nourish yourself."
"I'm fine, not sick," Zhang Zhaodi said, "By the way, I just looked at his injuries, and they seem worse. What happened?"
"After you left yesterday, I went to the town again, and something happened at home," Su Yaoguang did not hide it and recounted what happened yesterday.
Zhang Zhaodi cursed, "Good stab; just one stab is too kind to him. What kind of schemes are they hatching, thinking I wouldn't know? Daughter, once that boy gets better, you two should write the marriage contract so you'll be an official couple. I want to see who dares to mess with you then."
"Mom, I'm your daughter. They couldn't possibly force us both to agree. As long as we don't agree, their little schemes won't work."
"You're right; I'm just worried they'll play dirty tricks. During this time, be very careful, try not to go too far from home, and don't go out alone."
From outside came the sound of two village girls talking. They chatted and laughed as their voices drifted in.
"That small servant from Jiang Yihuan's home went to fetch water and not only broke the bucket but also drenched himself. When passing by their door just now, I heard Aunt Zhong scolding him terribly, and Jiang Yihuan trying to mediate. Do you think Jiang Yihuan has taken a fancy to that small servant? Though he's good-looking, he's quite low-born!"
"Jiang Yihuan is truly blessed. Learning skills from her mother, she earns money without hardship, and now even has a servant to attend to her, like a young lady from a big family. We were born in the same year, yet she never does hard labor, her hands as tender as scallions. Each summer, she doesn't work, avoiding the sun, so her face is as white as a steamed bun. And look at us, our faces as dark as the soles of our feet."
"My mom says that I'm nearing marriageable age, so I shouldn't go out to work in the fields and should stay home instead."
Zhang Zhaodi looked at Su Yaoguang.
Her Yaoguang was also born the same year as Jiang Yihuan, but her hands were coarse, her skin dark, her hair thin and waxy yellow—truly just an average village girl.
If she hadn't been framed by Zhong Lanhua back then, her Yaoguang could have been a blessed girl too.
If her husband hadn't joined the army, leaving the household without a strong pillar and everything for her and her daughter to handle, her Yaoguang would be living better now.
Yaoguang's name was given by a traveling monk. At the time, she was still in swaddling clothes, very ill, and people said she wouldn't survive. Then a monk passed by, who read her birth chart, saying she had a disaster in her life, but if she overcame it, she'd live a life of wealth and prosperity. The monk also gave her the name Yaoguang.
"Mom… Mom…" Su Yaoguang waved her hand in front of Zhang Zhaodi. "What's the matter with you?"
"It's nothing. Bring out the dirty clothes and I'll wash them."
"I can wash them myself," Su Yaoguang said, "Mom, do we still have Dad's clothes? Wang Shu's clothes are in tatters; can we borrow Dad's for him to wear?"
"Since you've mentioned it, can I say no? That kid better behave as you say because otherwise, I'll sell him," Zhang Zhaodi scolded.
Su Yaoguang knew Zhang Zhaodi was all talk and actually very soft-hearted. She said a few kind words to coax Zhang Zhaodi into a better mood.
The next few days, Zhang Zhaodi didn't get any work, which made her increasingly anxious. The more anxious she was, the slower her illness subsided, even getting mouth ulcers from the anxiety.
To distract her, Su Yaoguang involved her in making rouge and powder.
Initially, Zhang Zhaodi didn't believe it.
In her view, how could Su Yaoguang, who never learned, manage to make rouge or powder? Until Su Yaoguang produced some top-quality lipstick, she was convinced.