Chapter 10: Combining a Funeral and a Wedding Celebration

After the rain, the snow followed in a continuous downpour, and the temperature dropped another three degrees.

Yu Tingwan ran up the mountain every day.

However, she accidentally lost her footing and tumbled down, finally crashing heavily against a tree root.

The pain in her body kept her from getting up for a long while.

But it was also here that she dug up a piece of Chinese yam as thick as an arm.

"Remember, this is what the herb I want looks like. It can stop bleeding and reduce swelling; your A-Lang can use it."

Voices drifted from not far away.

Old Man Qian casually tossed the freshly picked herbs to Huiniang.

Huiniang hurriedly accepted them with both hands: "Alright."

She was terrified of offending Old Man Qian.

Ever since her husband demanded the money back, her mother-in-law had been causing trouble by day and by night, leaving Old Man Qian with no peace.

Old Lady Wei, being both elderly and shameless, would sit in front of Old Man Qian's door throwing tantrums and rolling on the ground, even claiming she didn't want to live anymore and throwing herself against the door. Even the village chief couldn't drive her away.

What could anyone do with her?

Seeing Old Man Qian's face grow increasingly dark, Huiniang feared he would refuse to treat A-Lang any longer.

Old Man Qian was a widower with no children. Without a woman to manage the household, his home was both filthy and messy.

Huiniang had cleaned the entire Qian household, prepared extra portions for Old Man Qian when cooking, and Wei Shouzhong helped fetch water and chop wood.

Old Man Qian had been living quite comfortably these past few days. To the point that every time he wanted to drive them out, he... couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Fine, let's look separately."

Though they were searching separately, the distance between the two was not too great.

Old Man Qian poked at the thick snow with a wooden stick, hands behind his back, suppressing his temper as he spoke loudly: "That mouth of your mother-in-law is filthy and stinking; just looking at her makes me sick!"

Huiniang's expression dimmed, and she bit her lip hard.

Old Man Qian continued: "It's one thing for her to curse you, but she actually dared to curse me!"

"Do you want Heartbreak Grass or not?"

Huiniang froze, hesitating: "Is it to use poison to fight poison for A-Lang?"

"To feed your mother-in-law."

He added with a smirk: "It won't kill her!"

Yu Tingwan:...

She really should have left.

But... it was very tempting.

Yu Tingwan cleared her throat and limped past from the side: "Can you give me one stalk?"

Old Man Qian:???

How was there someone else here!

The mountain was densely forested; if Yu Tingwan hadn't spoken up, it would have been difficult to distinguish her.

Yu Tingwan: "My aunt needs it quite urgently as well."

Huiniang:...What kind of person is this?

"You mustn't do that."

Seeing that she was a stranger, Huiniang still tried to persuade her: "That Heartbreak Grass will kill someone if eaten."

Yu Tingwan: "I'm just going to scare her."

After that night, Lady Wang became much more well-behaved.

But people like her never learned their lesson!

Yesterday, Yu Tingwan had gathered three bird eggs to boil. She ate two at night, and had one left for breakfast.

But Lady Wang had stolen it.

She looked expectantly at Old Man Qian: "But I have no money. Can I buy it on credit?"

Old Man Qian: "Do you even know my surname?"

In the end, Yu Tingwan didn't get the Heartbreak Grass. She picked up her large yam dejectedly, preparing to leave.

Yam could be used as medicine, and Old Man Qian had sharp eyes.

"Wait."

"Are you selling this yam?"

Yu Tingwan was very short on money.

She asked: "How much will you pay?"

Old Man Qian: "Ten wen."

Who was he trying to fool with that little amount? If she took it to town, she could sell it for at least twenty wen.

But the roads were still blocked... Yu Tingwan truly didn't have a single wen on her.

She was very poor.

The chilblains on her hands had been scratched raw, making them both itchy and painful. The daughter-in-law of Auntie Wu next door had applied some ointment for her once, and the effect was excellent.

A jar cost twelve wen.

It was bought in town, so she couldn't get it now.

But she could offer money to let the little Mrs. Wu share half a jar with her.

Otherwise, these hands would be ruined.

Having obtained the money, Yu Tingwan gave the yam to Old Man Qian and prepared to head down the mountain.

She walked slowly, fearing she might fall again.

Behind her came Huiniang's sighs: "That girl is truly beautiful."

"Once A-Lang's health improves, I'll find a beautiful wife for him. I just hope the young couple can live happily together."

It was just... she was worried.

With their poor circumstances and Old Lady Wei's constant harassment, she feared no one would be willing to become her in-laws.

Old Man Qian did not speak to mock her for thinking so far ahead.

But...

He frowned deeply.

"Better not."

"With a son like yours, he's more ruthless than a wolf cub... the bride might get stabbed the moment she enters the door."

"A funeral and a wedding could be held at the same time."

Yu Tingwan:???

Even the usually calm and composed Yu Tingwan was a bit stunned.

One truly had to be cautious about marriage!

Wasn't Wei Shen a soldier? Why did he seem like a savage bandit?

She valued her life immensely and felt fortunate that the Wei family lived at the end of the village while the Wang family lived at the entrance.

Once she eventually married Butcher Wu, there would be no more contact.

Yu Tingwan didn't take this little interlude to heart.

The little Mrs. Wu next door had initially been dissatisfied upon learning her purpose, but her expression changed to a smile once Yu Tingwan produced six wen.

She had bought that ointment before she married last year, and more than half was left.

Since becoming pregnant, it had been set aside.

Seeing that Yu Tingwan wanted to buy it, she was more than happy to oblige. She handed it over along with the small ceramic jar.

She even covered her mouth and whispered: "Your cousin's maternal relatives have come. You should sit at my house for a while and head back later."

Yu Tingwan wasn't surprised.

"She's about to give birth; it's not unusual for her family to come visit."

Though she said this, she knew better than anyone the reason the Xu family had come.

The wind and snow had been heavy these past few days, and the Xu family's house was crude, with the roof even blown off. How could they stay warm?

But you couldn't finish building a house in a single day, so the whole family had to thick-skinedly come to stay.

In her past life, they had brought grain and even painfully cut pieces of meat to give, but Lady Wang hadn't agreed and had chased them all away.

However, the Xu family had nowhere else to go, so they cried outside the Hu family's door.

The villagers all came to watch the spectacle.

To save face, Lady Wang had been forced to open the door.

But in this life... it would likely be different.

After all, the water vat in the house was shallow, and there was no one to fetch water. There was no one to chop firewood.

Lady Wang had no one to command anymore.

When the Xu family came, she probably wouldn't have the heart to drive them away.

Yu Tingwan's gaze slowly drifted down to Mrs. Wu's slightly protruding belly.

"Going back to your maternal home the day after tomorrow?"

Mrs. Wu was surprised: "Yes."

"My third brother is getting married soon, so I have to go back and help."

"It's best if you don't go out, Sister-in-law."

Mrs. Wu:???

Yu Tingwan knew her husband had injured his leg half a month ago and had to recuperate during this time. After a moment of thought, she said

"If you are truly in a hurry to go back, let Auntie Wu accompany you."

Mrs. Wu:...

She wouldn't dare.

Her mother-in-law had many complaints about her wanting to visit her maternal home, constantly nagging that she only cared about her own family.

Yu Tingwan: "Our houses are close, and the roads are slippery in the snow. I'm afraid you might get bumped or hurt, Sister-in-law."

So that was it.

Mrs. Wu waved it off dismissively: "You worry too much."

How could she be that unlucky? If she was careful on the way back, how could anything happen?

Yu Tingwan said bluntly: "And then, a miscarriage."

"I don't joke about such things."

Since it involved the fetus, Mrs. Wu's face darkened.

"Don't talk nonsense! Wan-niang, aren't you cursing me! Even the fortune tellers say this pregnancy is stable."

Yu Tingwan looked at her sincerely, staring straight at her, the mole at the corner of her eye appearing somewhat enchanting: "Then perhaps he isn't as gifted as I am."

She couldn't help but ask: "How much for one reading?"

"Thirty wen."

How much???

She had nearly risked half her life and only earned 12 wen, and that was under lucky circumstances.

Yu Tingwan fell silent.

Auntie Wu arrived at that moment. She looked at her daughter-in-law's grim expression, then at the spacey Yu Tingwan.

"What's wrong?"

"I was thinking..."

"Thinking about what?"

Yu Tingwan said gloomily: "I was thinking about whether I should set up a fortune-telling stall to make some money."