Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Jiang Chun, clutching the reclaimed silver pieces, returned home in high spirits and strutted over to Song Shian, showing off, "Look, this is the compensation for your medicine."

After saying that, he went to fetch the small scale at home, placed the silver piece on it, and weighed it.

Then he let out a sigh of disappointment: "Only four qian nine fen. I knew that old hag wouldn't take a loss, just as expected."

Song Shian: "..."

For her to manage to swindle nearly half a tael of silver from Li Shi, who was so stingy that she would never allow anyone to take advantage of her, was indeed rare.

At least the Jiang Chun from his previous life couldn't have done that.

What was this? The wicked shall be punished by the more wicked?

Seeing that Song Shian remained silent, Jiang Chun grumbled unhappily, "Hey, I went through great trouble to get back the money for your medicine, and you won't even praise me?"

Song Shian fell silent for a moment, knowing that if he didn't satisfy her, she wouldn't let it go and might cause a fuss.

He reluctantly praised her, "To get silver from that miserly Li Shi, you're quite capable."

Jiang Chun immediately beamed with joy, "modestly" saying, "Just average, third in the Great Zhou."

Song Shian: "..."

Although somewhat speechless, his curiosity was piqued by her words, and he couldn't help but ask, "Who are the first and second then?"

Jiang Chun rolled her eyes and huffed, "I don't know, but I gave up the top two spots to avoid my husband thinking I'm not modest enough."

Song Shian: "..."

You're really "modest"!

He realized that this person's face was as thick as a city wall.

After boasting for a while, Jiang Chun, in front of Song Shian, pulled out a brick from the kang (a traditional heated bed), and hid the silver piece in the money jar inside the kang.

Seeing this, Song Shian casually asked, "You hide money in front of me, aren't you afraid that one day I'll take all your savings and run away?"

Jiang Chun pouted.

If the monk runs away, the temple doesn't. If he dared to take her savings and run, she would dare to go to the capital to find him and make him pay back everything with interest.

However, the probability of such a thing happening was almost zero. After all, in the original story, the original owner treated him so poorly, and he didn't even take her savings and run.

Now that she treated him so well, he certainly wouldn't repay kindness with ingratitude.

Of course, she didn't say it like that: "If you dare to do that, I'll catch you, break both your legs, and leave you paralyzed on the kang, unable to go anywhere."

Song Shian pressed his lips together; this answer was exactly what he expected.

Jiang Chun put away the money, tied her sleeves with a belt, and went to the yard. She sat on a stool by the well and began to wash Song Shian's clothes with a grunt.

Song Shian pulled up the cotton paper curtain on the window used for ventilation and looked out through the small opening, his gaze falling on Jiang Chun's back.

She scrubbed the clothes vigorously, her upper body moving back and forth rhythmically.

The sky was clear blue, with only a few wispy clouds floating by. The warm autumn sun shone on her coiled black hair, giving her hair a golden glow.

In this quiet, focused moment of washing clothes, she seemed softer than usual.

Especially since she was washing his clothes from yesterday, including his outer robe, inner robe, underpants, and even his underwear...

Song Shian's face couldn't help but turn red, and his fingers, as if scalded, quickly dropped the cotton paper curtain.

He rubbed his chest, breathing a bit faster.

Once he recovered from his illness, he would have to explain to her that in the future, he would wash his own underwear himself and wouldn't need her help.

*

Half a month later, Jiang Chun, holding a pair of underwear with two large holes in the seat, thrust it into Song Shian's face as he was copying books.

She huffed angrily, "You insisted on washing your own underwear. Look at this! What's the difference between wearing this and going naked?"

Song Shian glanced at the underwear and was struck as if by lightning.

After a long pause, he blushed and stammered, "I, I just pounded it with a mallet for a while and rubbed it on the stone board..."

She always washed clothes this way, and he had simply followed her example.

Jiang Chun rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky, and said irritably, "My lord, underwear is made of fine cotton. Just add some soap nut water and rub it with your hands. No wonder it tore when you pounded it with a mallet and rubbed it on the stone board!"

Song Shian thought about it carefully; she only used a mallet and stone board for washing coarse fabric clothes...

Since it was his mistake, he admitted it, "I'm sorry, I made a mistake. Next time I'll just use my hands to wash them."

"Do you want there to be a next time?" Jiang Chun waved the underwear, coldly snorted, "Do you know how much a pair of fine cotton underwear costs? We can't afford to waste so much money!"

"I'll wash the underwear myself," Song Shian quickly refused, "I definitely won't tear them again."

Jiang Chun's gaze swept across his face, and she suddenly said, "Not even letting me wash your underwear, husband, are you trying to draw a line between us?"

Something was amiss. In the original story, after being sold to the Jiang family as a赘婿 (a man who marries into his wife’s family), he had decided to live a fulfilling life with his new family and even proposed to consummate their marriage.

But now, facing her, who treated him much better than the original owner, he wanted to keep his distance and avoid too much involvement.

This was clearly unreasonable.

Song Shian's brow twitched. Jiang Chun’s intuition was too sharp; he had immediately seen through his intentions.

He definitely couldn’t admit it, or she might get angry and force him, and in his current state, he wouldn’t be able to resist.

Song Shian's mind raced as he struggled to find a reason to deceive her.

But Jiang Chun didn’t give him the time, pressing on aggressively, “Husband, your silence is an admission. Are you feeling guilty because I hit the nail on the head?”

Song Shian: “...”

Panicking inside, he blurted out, “No, I’m not, I don’t have any such thoughts. I just don’t want to see you work so hard and wanted to help with what I can manage.”

Jiang Chun wasn’t fooled by his lies. Not only was she unimpressed, but she seized the opportunity to push further, “If washing undergarments is something you can manage, then from now on, you’ll wash mine as well.”

It was either he helped her wash her undergarments or she helped him wash his. He had to choose one.

She wanted to see which one he would pick!

Song Shian: “...”

He knew Jiang Chun had a thick skin, but he never expected her to be this thick-skinned, actually suggesting that he wash her undergarments!

She was forcing him to choose between having her wash his undergarments or him washing hers...

Could he just close his eyes and sleep, then wake up back in his previous life? Even though he wouldn’t be young again, at least he wouldn’t have to wash women’s undergarments!

But Jiang Chun was still urging him, “Husband, make your choice quickly. This decides whether I will sew you a new pair of undergarments or let you wear this one with two big holes showing your buttocks.”

Song Shian: “...”

Was she threatening him?

If he dared not choose, she would make him wear the undergarments with two large holes.

He closed his eyes and said resolutely, “I’ll wash them for you.”

If he let her wash his, she would surely use this favor to demand something in return, and if he refused, she would certainly spread the word. How could he keep his dignity then?

Better to endure the hardship himself.

“Ah?” Jiang Chun was taken aback by his answer.

Wait, he actually chose to wash her undergarments?

The esteemed Prime Minister washing her undergarments?

This was too good to be true!

Afraid he might change his mind, Jiang Chun immediately said, “Alright, it’s settled. From now on, my undergarments will be your responsibility, Husband.”