Chapter 058

Chapter 058

The rain from the past few days had made the newly sprouted seedlings in the fields grow faster, and the wild grass growing alongside them also benefited from the moisture.

The men of the Xiao family returned from the river after breakfast and set off to their fields to weed.

In the backyard vegetable plots, Tong Sui and her two sisters-in-law, along with Mother He and her daughter, divided their tasks and got busy.

Lin Ningfang was responsible for the eggplant plot next to Tong Sui's.

She rarely did kitchen work but would voluntarily cut grass for the mules. Today, she came on her own to help with weeding.

The sparse wild grass had shallow roots, so no hoe was needed; one could simply grasp near the base and gently pull it out.

When Tong Sui tossed the wild grass into the basket, she casually glanced over and noticed Lin Ningfang's fair and slender fingers first. Since Lin Ningfang decided to exercise more, her appetite had increased, and after about twenty days, although still slim, she was no longer gaunt. Her face and wrists had gained some flesh and a pearl-like luster.

Tong Sui found it hard to imagine how beautiful Lin Ningfang must have been when the Xiao brothers first rescued her, before she became haggard, as the daughter of a high-ranking official.

"Second Sister-in-Law?" Lin Ningfang looked over, puzzled.

Tong Sui's face flushed, and she quickly looked away. "Nothing, I was just thinking about something else."

From the cabbage patch opposite, Xiao Yuchan looked up and scoffed, "Thinking about Second Brother, aren't you? Your face is all red."

Tong Sui ignored her comment.

Xiao Yuchan saw her lower her head to pull weeds and glanced at Lin Ningfang, remembering how Third Brother looked this morning—refreshed like a man who had finally married after being single for decades. She teased, "Third Sister-in-Law, do you miss Third Brother?"

Lin Ningfang ignored her too.

Mother He chided her daughter, "You know no one likes you talking so much. You're just asking for trouble, aren't you?"

Xiao Yuchan: "..."

After pulling all the wild grass, they filled an entire basket.

Mother He casually instructed Liu Chu, "Take it to the mule shed."

Tong Sui intervened, "Hold on, I have a use for it. After I'm done, I'll feed it to the mules."

Mother He, already a few steps away, turned back, suspiciously eyeing her. "What use do you have for it?"

Tong Sui replied, "For archery practice."

Mother He: "What?"

Tong Sui smiled, went to the east wing to fetch her bow and arrows, then looked at Liu Chu and Lin Ningfang. She said to Lin Ningfang, "My sister-in-law needs more exercise than my elder sister-in-law. Could you please help me throw the grass?"

She took a piece of wild grass from the basket and threw it high into the air, instructing Lin Ningfang to do the same.

Lin Ningfang guessed her intention and waited until Tong Sui had an arrow ready before throwing the grass to the side where no one was standing.

Tong Sui aimed at the flying grass and shot an arrow.

Mother He instinctively held her breath, watching the arrow narrowly miss the edge of the grass. Her tension turned to mockery, "Is that all you've got? I thought you were really good. Why show off in front of us? It's better to shoot at targets like before. These flying grasses might hit someone!"

Tong Sui replied, "I'm afraid I might accidentally hurt you, Second Aunt. Please go back inside."

Mother He: "..."

She glared at the three young wives in turn and then walked away, humming.

Xiao Yuchan had nothing to do inside, so she sat on the threshold of the main room's back door, watching Lin Ningfang throw grass and Tong Sui shoot arrows.

Liu Chu wanted to help pick up the arrows, but it was dangerous. Tong Sui advised, "I'll collect them all at once. Elder Sister, why don't you go to Yuchan?"

Liu Chu smiled and stood under the eaves.

Xiao Yuchan patted the space beside her. "Come sit here. I won't eat you."

Liu Chu then sat next to her younger sister-in-law.

Tong Sui and Lin Ningfang worked well together, with Lin Ningfang tossing the grass almost every time Tong Sui readied an arrow.

Wild grass has thin stems and scattered leaves, making it easy for arrows to pass through the gaps between the leaves.

Tong Sui aimed at the half-inch-wide leaves.

Since the Xiao family went to propose marriage in February, Tong Sui hadn't hunted in the mountains anymore. Practicing with fixed targets was fine when there was no danger, but now that she knew the bandits from Imprisoned Dragon Ridge could come to Lingshui Village at any time, she needed to increase the difficulty of her practice to regain her hunting skills.

Lin Ningfang's throws varied slightly in height and force due to her stamina, which met Tong Sui's requirements perfectly.

She brought ten arrows to the Xiao family's house, and in the first round, she only hit two out of ten.

Despite this, when she hit the thin grass leaf for the first time, Liu Chu excitedly stood up, and Xiao Yuchan ran over to retrieve the arrow with the grass leaf attached, showing it to Mother He in the West Court.

Mother He: "...Just luck, right?"

Xiao Yuchan: "Show us your luck then?"

Mother He slapped her daughter's hand. "Brat, it wasn't you who shot it. What are you so proud of? They usually don't even play with you."

Xiao Yuchan: "They weren't playing either. One stays in her room doing who knows what, and the other teaches poems to Elder Sister-in-Law. I don't like listening, so I didn't join them."

Mother He, thinking of Lin Ningfang, winked at her daughter. "You noticed too, didn't you? Last night, Third Brother must have been a new groom again. Look at him, so smug. No ambition."

Xiao Yuchan observed her mother. "I think you're pretty smug too, hoping for a grandchild, aren't you?"

Mother He: "Not in a hurry. Who knows what next year will bring? If things get chaotic again, another child would be one more worry. I just hope they live harmoniously like a real couple."

Tong Sui is liked by everyone because of her pleasant personality. When she smiles, it feels like a warm breeze; even when she doesn't smile, she remains gentle and serene. Unlike Lin Ningfang, who can be cold, or Liu Chu, who always seems wary and cautious, Tong Sui's quiet demeanor brings a sense of calm to anyone who sees her working diligently with her serene face. Every time Lady He looks at her, her heart seems to settle, feeling inexplicably comfortable.

Of course, this is now. At the beginning, when Tong Sui repeatedly contradicted her, Lady He would get angry every time she saw the young wife.

For her daughter-in-law, Lady He doesn't expect Lin Ningfang to greet her with a smile; as long as she isn't cold anymore, that's enough.

Xiao Yuchan joked, "Being amiable isn't hard. If Third Brother could be more like Second Sister-in-Law, look how close Third Sister-in-Law is with Second Sister-in-Law. Good thing Second Sister-in-Law isn't a man, otherwise Third Brother wouldn't stand a chance in his life. Oh, and neither would Sun Dian."

Lady He: "...My yet-to-be-seen new son-in-law wouldn't stand a chance either, right?"

Xiao Yuchan burst out laughing.

What nonsense about a new son-in-law! So many girls would love to marry into our family. How foolish to still think about marrying her off?

---

It was almost noon when the men returned with donkey carts, carrying several baskets of wild grass, some for the donkeys and some for the pigs.

Xiao Yan patted his hands and was about to head to the West Court when he suddenly noticed ten arrows neatly lined up under the eaves of the central courtyard, each with a wilted piece of wild grass stuck to it.

Xiao Ye, knowing Second Sister-in-Law enjoys archery, exclaimed in surprise, "Second Sister-in-Law, you didn't practice archery with wild grass, did you?"

Tong Sui and Liu Chu were busy preparing lunch in the main hall and merely smiled upon hearing this.

Xiao Yuchan ran out, boasting, "Yes, yes, these are all the wild grasses Second Sister-in-Law hit. I arranged them here. What do you say, Third Brother? Dare you challenge Second Sister-in-Law?"

Xiao Yan was still pondering how one shoots wild grass when Xiao Yuchan took a piece of wild grass from the basket and tossed it aside. "Like this."

Xiao Yan: "..."

Xiao Ye egged him on, "You have to do it. Look how proud Yuchan is. Show them what you've got, Third Brother, and put those women in their place."

Xiao Yan glared at him and asked his sister, "Did Second Sister-in-Law really shoot like this? How far away was she?"

Xiao Yuchan immediately increased the distance between them.

Xiao She: "That close? I can do it too!"

Xiao Yan quickly said, "Let Fifth Brother try first."

The key was that he had never done this before and wasn't sure if he could hit the target. If Fifth Brother succeeded, he should be able to as well.

Xiao Shouyi, seeing the old man standing nearby waiting for a show, smiled and joined in the wait.

Xiao She ran to the West Court to fetch his bow.

Soon, except for Tong Sui, who was serving rice at the stove, everyone in the Xiao family gathered to watch. The men stood closer, while the women stayed under the eaves.

Xiao Yuchan threw the wild grass.

Xiao She shot an arrow, which made a "ding" sound as it embedded itself in the north wall of the Xiao residence, but missed the wild grass.

Xiao She: "Again!"

Xiao Yuchan tossed the wild grass ten times, and Xiao She missed every single one.

Xiao She: "..."

Xiao Ye picked up the scattered arrows and handed them to Xiao Yan. "Fifth Brother can't do it. It's your turn, Third Brother!"

Xiao Yan was backed into a corner. Taking the arrow, he looked at his sister for one last attempt. "Did you throw it wrong?"

Xiao Yuchan was about to get angry but then looked towards the main hall. "When Second Sister-in-Law practiced, it wasn't me throwing. Third Sister-in-Law, come over so Third Brother can't make excuses if he loses!"

Xiao Yan: "..."

Everyone turned to look at Lin Ningfang, who was standing next to Liu Chu.

Lin Ningfang lowered her eyes. Just as the old man was about to mediate, she stepped forward, picked some wild grass from the basket, and looked at Xiao Yan's bow and arrow. "I'll throw it."

Xiao Yan's palms were sweating, and he subconsciously reminded her, "Step back after you throw it. I'm afraid I might hit you."

Lin Ningfang: "..."

Xiao Yuchan: "Are you kidding? Third Brother, you're that inaccurate? Second Sister-in-Law never worried about that."

Xiao Ye: "Third Brother is just concerned. If Second Brother threw the grass, Second Sister-in-Law might also remind him."

Xiao Mu: "If you don't want to watch, go somewhere else."

Xiao Ye: "..."

After the old man scolded his grandson, the atmosphere became serious again. Lin Ningfang glanced at Xiao Yan and threw the wild grass.

Several arrows flew out, and Xiao Yan's face turned red. Not only did he miss, but he also lost face in front of his wife!

When he had three arrows left, Xiao Mu called a halt and asked Tong Sui to come out and shoot the final three.

Tong Sui hadn't thought of competing with Xiao Yan. Being called out by the old man, with everyone watching her, she felt her cheeks heat up.

Xiao Mu: "Don't think too much. After all, Third and Fifth didn't hit any. You won't do worse than them."

Some chuckled, and others laughed out loud.

Tong Sui saw Lin Ningfang encouraging her.

Recalling her morning practice, Tong Sui calmed down, took the bow and arrows, and shot three times, hitting the target each time.

The old man led the praise with a "Well done."

Xiao Yuchan deliberately imitated her brother's tone: "This isn't much to speak of; it only shows that Second Sister-in-Law has good aim, but women have less strength. Even if they hit their target, it would be hard to draw blood."

Xiao Yan indeed thought so. Although he now acknowledged Tong Sui's remarkable archery skills, they were still just superficial. If they couldn't be used in times of danger, shooting flowers out of weeds wouldn't matter.

Xiao Mu: "Xiaoman, come here and shoot an arrow at the wall."

"Xiaoman" was the nickname Xiao Zhen had given Tong Sui, and even the old man started using it.

Tong Sui understood the old man's intention. Confident in her strength, she felt more composed than when she shot at the weed.

After setting up the bowstring, she gradually increased the force to pull back Xiao She's bow.

Her competitive spirit made her want to fully draw the bow.

Xiao Zhen noticed this and said, "It's enough to break through the wall. Fifth Younger Brother's bow is one that even Third Younger Brother can't fully draw."

Hearing this, Tong Sui didn't need to prove anything further and used all her strength before releasing the arrow.

Shooting at weeds practiced accuracy; Tong Sui had only used three-tenths of her strength. This time, as the arrow left her hand, it pierced through the air, and the entire arrowhead embedded itself into the brick wall.

Even the toughest hide of a living creature couldn't be harder than brick and stone.

In that instant, Lady He was so shocked that her legs went weak.

Good heavens, thank goodness she wasn't too bad of an aunt. Otherwise, if she had truly offended Tong Sui earlier, the young wife might have shot her with a cold arrow from behind...