Chapter 10: Design

Li Luo was still wondering in her heart why Auntie Wang hadn't come over at this time today. Although they had had a verbal spat yesterday, Auntie Wang was being paid a wage, so she should have been the one to prepare breakfast.

It seemed she would have to discuss this with Ling Zhuoqun. If Auntie Wang didn't want to work anymore, they wouldn't have to pay her wages, which would actually save the household an expense.

As for Auntie Wang, the more she thought about what happened yesterday after returning home, the angrier she became.

Some random girl had popped up out of nowhere, claiming to be Ling Zhuoqun's fiancée, and had even given her a show of dominance. Not only had her meat, eggs, and flour gone to waste, but she had also been scolded by her mother-in-law.

Previously, every time she brought meat or flour back, her mother-in-law would always be smiling and treating her like a precious treasure.

Furthermore, because she helped out at Ling Zhuoqun's house and could bring money home, her mother-in-law was even happier.

Yet, because she hadn't brought anything home just for today, her mother-in-law had started acting sour, looking at her with nothing but disdain.

"Sister-in-law, how did you upset Mom again?" Auntie Wang's sister-in-law, Li Ailian, asked with a look of someone eager to watch a spectacle while helping Auntie Wang sort vegetables.

"Don't even get me started! It's all because of that meddling vixen! Now she's even marched right up to the door and discovered the flour and meat I had hidden away. From now on, I'm afraid there won't be any scraps left for you to scavenge," Auntie Wang said irritably, tossing a rotten leaf onto the ground.

Li Ailian was completely bewildered. Wang Xiumei had her own grievances to deal with, so why was she taking them out on her? For a moment, Li Ailian lost her temper and shouted with her hands on her hips, "If someone gives you grief, give it right back to them! Why are you taking it out on me?"

"Aren't you eyeing that old bachelor from the Ling family? Well, he's already taken. Your wish has fallen through." Wang Xiumei shot a glance at her sister-in-law, who weighed nearly two hundred pounds and was covered in thick flesh, yet still dreamed of eating delicious food every day.

Most of the meat Wang Xiumei brought home had ended up in this sister-in-law's mouth.

"What!?" Li Ailian jumped up in an instant. "Didn't that woman break off the engagement? How is she coming here to marry him? Did Brother Ling just accept her like that?"

Wang Xiumei sneered inwardly. Now that her sister-in-law's interests were being touched, she was starting to get anxious?

"You don't know, but that daughter of the Lin family was swapped at birth. Now that the Lin family's real daughter has come to marry him, Ling Zhuoqun has acknowledged her. She is now the legitimate Mrs. Lin."

"Pah!" Li Ailian spat hard. "In such a short time, they definitely haven't registered the marriage yet. I bet she won't necessarily end up as a member of the Ling family."

"Sister-in-law, you have to help me!" Li Ailian grabbed Wang Xiumei's arms, swaying her back and forth in a spoiled manner.

Auntie Wang's small frame could hardly withstand Li Ailian's swaying; she felt as if her very bones were about to fall apart.

"You say the man already has a wife, so how on earth do you plan to snatch Ling Zhuoqun away from her?" Auntie Wang said irritably, pushing Li Ailian's hands away.

"That's because Brother Ling hasn't seen my beauty yet! If he saw how pretty I am, he would definitely be captivated by me, and that little girl would be nothing more than something I step on!"

"I'll make her crawl back to wherever she came from!" Li Ailian clenched her fists confidently, looking as if she were certain of her victory.

Wang Xiumei rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that Li Luo was likely many times more beautiful than her sister-in-law. She wondered where Li Ailian got the confidence to think Ling Zhuoqun would ever take an interest in her.

However, Wang Xiumei's eyes darted around as if she had thought of something, and her eyes narrowed into slits with a smile.

"Sister-in-law, what are you laughing at? Are you going to help me or not!" Seeing Wang Xiumei's expression, Li Ailian grew anxious.

"You are my sister-in-law, of course I'll help you! If you can marry into the Ling family, my status will rise along with yours, and the villagers will have to look up to our Li family even more!"

Li Ailian nodded in satisfaction, though she had no idea how Wang Xiumei intended to help her.

"That little girl is quite cunning. Tomorrow, I'll go on strike. She probably doesn't know that every day at noon, someone needs to deliver lunch to Ling Zhuoqun. Tomorrow, I'll cook a delicious meal, and you take it to him."

"When necessary, you can use... certain methods," Wang Xiumei gave Li Ailian a knowing look.

Li Ailian froze for a moment, then lowered her head as if she were shy, pushing Wang Xiumei lightly. "Sister-in-law, what are you saying? She's a girl from a respectable family!"

"But the man on the other side is Ling Zhuoqun..."

After a bout of self-persuasion, Li Ailian nodded as if she had made a firm decision. "For Brother Ling, I... I'll risk it all!"

Wang Xiumei immediately beamed with joy. "That's the spirit! As they say, you can't catch a wolf without risking the bait! Sister-in-law, the wealth and prosperity of our Li family rests entirely on your shoulders!"

In an instant, as if endowed with a glorious mission, Li Ailian nodded vigorously, her eyes gleaming with determination.

...

With no one else at home, Li Luo was quite bored. She decided to clear out the empty space in the yard so she could plant some vegetables to eat in the future, aiming for self-sufficiency.

She got straight to work!

Yaya sat obediently on the stone stool in front of the door. Li Luo stuffed two pieces of candy into Yaya's hands and then picked up a hoe to clear out the weeds first.

Although Li Luo had lofty ambitions, tilling the soil was truly hard physical labor. After working for a long time, she was drenched in sweat, and she had only managed to turn over a small square patch of earth.

Blood blisters had even formed on her hands.

Someone nearby heard the commotion and poked their head out to see what was happening.

"Auntie Wang, has the sun risen in the west today? You're actually tilling the ground at the Ling house?" Xu Mei teased, peeking out while holding her child.

Hearing someone speaking behind her, Li Luo looked up, wiped her sweat, and squinted at the person opposite her.

Seeing that it wasn't a familiar face, Xu Mei quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I thought you were Auntie Wang. I didn't realize..."

"Who are you? Why are you tilling the ground here?" Xu Mei asked, puzzled.

Li Luo walked to the wall and smiled. "Hello, sister. I am Ling Zhuoqun's wife. I just arrived yesterday and haven't had the chance to introduce myself."

As she spoke, Li Luo wiped her hands, pulled a piece of candy from her pocket, and handed it to Xu Mei's child. "May I ask how to address you, sister?"

"You can just call me Xu Mei. Quick, say thank you to sister," Xu Mei said, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She hadn't expected the new bride to give her son candy immediately upon arrival.

In the countryside, candy was a rare treat that not every family could afford to buy.

"Thank you, sister," Xu Mei's son said, pressing his hands together and bowing slightly, enunciating every word.

"Pfft, Sister Xu, everything is a mess now. I'm calling you sister, and the child is calling me sister. What is going on?" Li Luo laughed, her whole being brightening up.

Xu Mei also smiled sheepishly. "It's just that you don't look very old. I can't call you 'Auntie,' so calling you 'sister' is better."

"Has Auntie Wang gone to deliver lunch to Brother Ling?" Xu Mei looked toward the entrance, but still saw no sign of Auntie Wang.