Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Upon arriving at the field’s edge, Su Wenyue saw Jiang Chunlan in such a sorry state, sitting collapsed in the field, filthy and crying with snot and tears. It was indeed a surprise, and she couldn’t help but let a hint of laughter bubble up in her eyes. After all, seeing someone she disliked in misfortune inevitably brightened her mood a bit.

But this seemed too tragic, almost beyond the realm of play-acting. Jiang Chunlan’s acting skills weren’t this advanced, capable of making the fake look real; otherwise, it might have stirred some fighting spirit in her. She had scorned Jiang Chunlan lately, mostly because Jiang Chunlan’s level was too low; such people simply weren’t worthy adversaries.

“Oh my, what has happened here? Chunlan, how did you end up like this?”

This was the terrace field by the mountain; the ridges were a bit high. Seeing her daughter in such a state, Mrs. Yang was heartbroken and hurried to help her down, almost stumbling into the field herself.

“Aunt, please be careful.” Han Hu, standing next to Mrs. Yang, quickly steadied her. If anything happened to both mother and daughter here, his mother would surely feel uncomfortable.

Although Han Hu didn’t much like Yang Juxiang and her daughter either, out of filial respect for Mrs. Yang, he was relatively kind to them. He would reach out a helping hand when necessary, which was different from Han Yu’s approach.

Han Yu stood next to Su Wenyue, close to Mrs. Yang, but upon seeing Mrs. Yang nearly fall into the field, he remained still, not moving an inch to help. Instead, like Su Wenyue, a glimmer of amusement sparkled in his eyes. Compared to Su Wenyue’s schadenfreude, Han Yu was more than willing to cater to his daughter-in-law, keeping her happy, and concerns like Yang Juxiang and her daughter were beyond his consideration.

Seeing all this made Mrs. Yang’s heart skip a beat. “Juxiang, you be careful, too. At your age, a fall is not something you can afford.”

Despite not being fond of Jiang Chunlan’s behavior and considering her niece a worry, Mrs. Yang went along with Mrs. Yang to help Jiang Chunlan, who was sitting in the field. The sight of Jiang Chunlan’s tragic state dispelled any previous grievances.

“Chunlan, are you alright? Stop crying; let’s help you back. After all, you’re a young lady, and it wouldn’t be good for others to see you like this.”

“Wuu Mother, Aunt, my foot is sprained, I can’t move it. It hurts terribly whenever I try to move it. Wuu~ could you ask Fourth Cousin to carry me back, please? Wuu~” At that moment, Jiang Chunlan truly felt wronged, and without thinking, she raised her request, setting aside all other concerns.

“That… Chunlan, it’s not proper for men and women to have such contact, and besides, it’s best for Yuer to keep his distance from you to avoid gossip.”

Mrs. Yang hadn’t expected her niece to be thinking of her son at this time and was both amused and resigned at her niece’s anger. What kind of fate was this? Her niece had been fond of following her son since childhood, yet her son had never shown any affection towards this cousin, always wearing a stern face. Later, when the two families considered a marriage between them, the old master stepped in and arranged for her son’s marriage with the Su Family. Some things are just meant to be and shouldn’t be forced.

“Then, can Fourth Cousin’s wife help me back? That should be acceptable!” Knowing her wish was impossible, Jiang Chunlan took a step back, hoping to annoy Su Wenyue enough to soothe her own vexation.

“Cousin, let me and Second Sister-in-law help you back. We’re accustomed to farm work and have the strength. If you feel you can’t lean on us, we can carry you back just as well,” Mrs. Liu said with a smile, obviously pleased to see Jiang Chunlan in such a state. Her face was lit with unconcealed joy, and she didn’t care about Mrs. Yang’s disapproving glare.

Back at the Han Family home, they called the village doctor to examine Jiang Chunlan’s foot. It was indeed sprained and would need some time to heal. However, Mrs. Yang had already made arrangements, and the ox cart was waiting. Moreover, she had been staying at the Han home for quite some time, and it was time for her to return. Any further stay wouldn’t bring any benefits. It’d be better to return early; without her, the two troublesome daughters-in-law back home might turn the place upside down.

So Mrs. Yang advised Jiang Chunlan thoroughly and went back to the Jiang Family alone, leaving Jiang Chunlan to recuperate at the Han home until she recovered.

Upon hearing this arrangement, Jiang Chunlan felt a sense of relief. Although the price she had paid was hefty, at least she could stay, so it was worth it. Additionally, with her injury, the Han Family would have to take good care of her. She wouldn’t settle for less, as the injury had occurred while she was with them.

“Aunt, you go and rest. I cannot trouble you as your junior to care for me. Since Fourth Cousin’s wife is not busy, it’s better for her to stay here. I just can’t move around well, and I don’t need Fourth Cousin’s wife to help with anything else. Just bring me tea when I need it; it’s not too taxing. Fourth Cousin’s wife surely won’t refuse, right?” Jiang Chunlan finished speaking and fixed her gaze on Su Wenyue.

“I’ve heard that Fourth Cousin’s wife is the most filial. Surely she wouldn’t rest while the mother-in-law does the work—that would ruin her reputation if it got out, wouldn’t it?”

Jiang Chunlan’s words were quite sharp, aggressive enough that Su Wenyue had to respond. It didn’t seem consistent with Jiang Chunlan’s usual demeanor, but considering that Mrs. Wang had just visited Jiang Chunlan, her behavior made sense.

Mrs. Yang was at a loss for words. Naturally, it would be reasonable for a cousin-in-law to take care of her injured relative. However, Mrs. Yang was aware of the discord between her niece and her daughter-in-law; it was plain to see. Her sister and niece had targeted her daughter-in-law more than once or twice, and it seemed likely they had no good intentions this time, unable to let go of past issues.

“Mother, it’s fine. I was just worried I might not take good care of my cousin due to my clumsiness. But since my cousin insists, how could I possibly refuse? You go and rest, mother. Leave it to me. I’ll take good care of my cousin,” Su Wenyue said, her eyes flashing coldly. She had thought that Jiang Chunlan, a fool, wasn’t worthy of being an adversary, and it was beneath her to engage with her, so she didn’t bother. But Jiang Chunlan, that fool, was like a pesky fly, ever-present around her, especially since she was being manipulated by Mrs. Wang. It was better to settle this sooner rather than later.

“Are you sure, Daughter-in-law? Don’t force yourself. There are others in the family, too. Otherwise, I can ask your Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law to come over and take care of things just as well.” Though Su Wenyue had agreed, Mrs. Yang was still worried that a conflict might arise between her and Jiang Chunlan.

“Alright then, you two take good care,” Mrs. Yang said and then whispered to Su Wenyue, “Daughter-in-law, if Chunlan does anything untoward, please bear with her in consideration of her injury, as if doing me a favor.”