Chapter 9: Having Unseemly Thoughts

And at less than five feet tall (1.6 meters), she was still too short.

Fang Youyou had previously been over five feet nine inches tall (1.75 meters).

She had finished growing; it would be hard to grow any taller now.

"I brought my nephews into the mountains to hunt it together. I can't hog it all for myself. Besides, my brothers sent over quite a lot of food yesterday."

Fang Youyou didn't care much about food; as long as it filled her stomach, it was fine. Her mother's cooking could only be considered passable.

"It’s only right that your brothers dote on you; you are the youngest, after all. Your youngest uncle sent back a bolt of floral fabric last time. In a few days, I’ll make you an outfit."

Fang Youyou immediately stopped her, "Wait until I lose weight before making new clothes."

She remembered the new clothes her mother had made for her by hand at the Zhenguo Mansion; it felt as if it were only yesterday.

"Are you really going to lose weight? You really aren't fat. If you don't believe me, you can wait until your father comes back and ask him."

How could she not be fat?

"I'm fat. I get winded when I walk, and I get sick easily." In her spare time, she used to flip through medical books and discuss medicine with the military doctors. As a woman, in order not to expose her identity, she not only had to avoid getting injured as much as possible but also had to dress her own wounds.

Was that really the case?

Mother Fang had only attended literacy classes and knew very little.

"Fine, then."

"Take a bowl over to your grandparents at noon. They dote on you, too. If it weren't for your grandmother feeling unwell, she would have come to see you long ago."

At first, when she and her sister-in-law gave birth to sons one after another, her mother-in-law had been beaming with joy. But after a long string of grandsons, she couldn't laugh anymore. Fortunately, she had given birth to a daughter when she was nearly forty.

"Alright."

Fang Youyou returned to her room and took out some books. Since waking up early this morning wasn't a dream, she had to live on; she could not die young again.

There were some parts she couldn't understand and some characters she didn't recognize, but she read them over several times, guessing the meaning of the characters based on the context.

When Captain Fang returned from work, he smelled a fragrance coming from the kitchen, but he didn't see that gluttonous girl hovering around.

"Youyou."

"Dad."

Fang Youyou came out of her room and answered.

Why did it feel like his daughter had lost some weight? Her energy seemed better, and even her aura had changed somewhat.

He heard that Youyou hadn't gone to find that educated youth, Zhao, today?

Did that educated youth Zhao say something to her?

Why had his daughter, who used to be so carefree and childish, suddenly matured and grown up?

"Dad, is there something on my face? Why do you keep staring at me? If you have something to ask, just ask."

Captain Fang gave a light cough, "You didn't go to find educated youth Zhao?"

"Why would I go find him? I went to find him before because I wanted him to tell me more about things in the capital. I won't go find him again in the future; he’s ugly."

Captain Fang thought he had misheard.

It was true that the place his daughter went to most often was her youngest uncle's place in the county seat, so it was inevitable that she would be curious about the big city and ask educated youth Zhao; that didn't seem wrong.

But for his daughter to say educated youth Zhao was ugly—that wasn't right.

He had only been here for a few short months, and how many young girls had been secretly watching him, wanting to express their feelings?

How could he be ugly?

"Isn't he ugly?"

Captain Fang didn't dare let his daughter develop any improper thoughts about educated youth Zhao, so he could only agree, "Ugly, he is ugly."

Hearing this, Fang Youyou suddenly smiled.

She had calmly learned from the younger ones that the original owner often went to find educated youth Zhao and brought him food.

She feared that the original owner falling into the river this time might also have something to do with this educated youth Zhao.

If so, did the original owner's early death have something to do with him as well?

Then she really would have to meet him.