Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The next day, as dawn broke, Lu Yuan woke up.

Perhaps because she had enjoyed a good meal the day before, she felt invigorated.

After leaving her room and washing up, she began preparing breakfast.

Lu Yuan had always assumed that ancient farming families ate only two meals a day.

But after experiencing it herself, she realized that skipping breakfast meant no energy for morning chores.

Skipping lunch meant no energy for the afternoon, and skipping dinner left her too hungry to sleep.

Three meals a day—none could be missed.

After breakfast, she went to the river to do laundry.

Huang Lan followed closely, squatting beside Lu Yuan to wash clothes.

"Sister Su."

The shift in address from "widow" to "Sister Su" caught Lu Yuan off guard.

Had their relationship really improved so much just from a trip to the market?

Thinking back, they had chatted all the way there and back, which indeed could foster closeness.

Huang Lan was a chatterbox, sharing everything. During their market trip, Lu Yuan had learned about half the happenings in Weishan Village.

She also heard some gossip that would shock any modern person.

For instance, after a father died, his son and stepmother ended up living together and even had a child. The twist was that the stepmother had also borne a son with the deceased father.

With such tangled family dynamics, it was hard to know how to address everyone.

There were even cases in other villages where brothers shared a wife.

Hearing these stories made Lu Yuan’s scalp crawl.

Transformed into a widow destined to marry a comatose man, she didn’t know whether to feel unlucky or fortunate.

Fortunate to be a widow, meaning she wouldn’t have to live with a stranger.

Also fortunate not to have been reborn as a stepmother or a shared wife.

Though her current situation wasn’t ideal, at least a comatose man couldn’t harm her.

Huang Lan: "Sister, after I got back yesterday, my mother-in-law told me that your Old Lady He is asking around about who has an uncastrated rooster, and it has to be one with a beautiful comb."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan nearly dropped the laundry stick in her hand.

Huang Lan pressed further: "What does your Old Lady He need a rooster for?"

Of course, it was to stand in for Qi Cheng during the wedding ceremony!

Old Lady He had only mentioned the rooster the day before yesterday, and she was already searching for one yesterday—the old lady was certainly efficient.

"I’m not sure; she didn’t tell me." If she told Huang Lan, the whole village would probably know by afternoon.

Just then, a voice came from behind the rocks: "Isn’t it to have the rooster stand in for Qi Cheng in your wedding?"

Huang Lan froze, instantly realizing the rooster’s purpose.

Both of them peeked out from behind the large rock and looked toward the other side.

On the other side was a young woman with her hair styled in a married woman’s bun. She had a wheat-colored complexion and delicate features.

Noticing their gaze, she took a careful look at Lu Yuan and then let out a soft laugh.

Lu Yuan: ...

She didn't need to speak for Lu Yuan to see that the smile was clearly smug, as if she'd won on looks.

Huang Lan pulled Lu Yuan back and whispered in her ear: "That’s Xing Niang. She married into our village from the neighboring one. She had a crush on Qi Cheng before, but the Qi family didn’t approve of her."

"What are you two whispering about? Are you talking behind my back?!"

The two turned around and met Xing Niang’s gaze, startled.

Xing Niang had somehow climbed onto the rock and was squinting at them.

Huang Lan: "Who’s talking about you? We’re keeping our voices down so others won’t overhear. You’re just paranoid, always thinking people are gossiping about you."

Xing Niang let out a scornful laugh, as if she’d heard something ridiculous: "Everyone knows you, Huang Lan, can’t keep your mouth shut. You blab everything. Since when do you have secrets you don’t want others to know?"

Huang Lan, not one to back down, glared at her: "Yeah, I’m a blabbermouth. You think I won’t go tell everyone you’re still hung up on Qi Cheng and are deliberately targeting Sister Su?"

Xing Niang, now a married woman, panicked: "You—you dare spread rumors, and I’ll tear your mouth off! What’s there to miss about a comatose man?!"

Huang Lan chuckled: "Then I don’t know. If you keep picking fights, that’s what I’ll assume."

Xing Niang wanted to say more but, afraid of Huang Lan’s loose tongue, reluctantly backed off.

Huang Lan whispered to Lu Yuan: "I wouldn’t dare spread that rumor. If it caused trouble between her and her husband, my mother-in-law would beat me with a stick."

Then, suddenly changing the subject: "Wait, we got sidetracked. Is your Old Lady He really planning to have you marry a rooster?!"

Lu Yuan: ...

It wasn’t like she was the one marrying the rooster—why was Huang Lan so worked up?

"I’m not sure; the old lady didn’t tell me."

Huang Lan ignored her and mused aloud: "I think so. Otherwise, why would she need an uncastrated rooster with a bright red comb? It’s definitely to stand in for the groom during your wedding!"

Unable to continue the conversation, Lu Yuan hurried through washing the clothes to head back earlier.

Back home, she let out a sigh of relief and glanced at Old Lady He, who was embroidering again.

It seemed she might really have to go through with a rooster ceremony first to appease the old lady.

Lu Yuan averted her gaze, hung the clothes to dry, and laid out the bamboo shoots she had soaked the day before on a winnowing basket, placing it on the kitchen roof.

The kitchen was relatively low, so she could reach the roof by stepping on a stool.

After setting the bamboo shoots out to dry, she put on the straw hat Huang Lan had tossed together the day before, shouldered a hoe, and headed to the back hill to till the land.

Chun Hua and Qiu Hua both wanted to follow her. She turned and asked, "Why do you want to come with me?"

Chun Hua said with great enthusiasm, "I'll pull the weeds for Mother!"

Lu Yuan glanced at her thin little arms, thinking she might hurt herself before she could even pull any weeds.

"No need for that. You go back and help Grandma He feed the chickens."

The sun wasn't too strong, but you could still get heatstroke.

Chun Hua wasn't happy about it, but after Lu Yuan's face turned stern, she reluctantly went back with Qiu Hua.

After she saw the two children were on their way back, Lu Yuan turned and headed for the vegetable patch.

She'd never tilled soil before in her life—all her knowledge came from the memories of her original self and watching her grandmother grow vegetables.

After pulling weeds and then tilling the soil for half an hour, Lu Yuan was so exhausted she could barely straighten her back. Her temper flared, and she flung the hoe down onto the ground in frustration.

There was no end to the work—so annoying!

She really didn't feel like doing it anymore, but she was sick of eating wild vegetables day in and day out. She wanted ordinary fruits and vegetables, so she had to grow them herself.

Lu Yuan consoled herself: Just endure the hardship now. Once she had some money saved up, life would be easier.

Having talked herself into it, Lu Yuan picked the hoe back up and went back to work.

When the sun got hotter, she headed back, planning to come back at dusk to sow the seeds.

Before she even got home, she saw an old man with a gray beard, dressed in a cross-collared mid-length robe, entering the Qi family’s courtyard.

Behind him was a teenager, carrying a medical case over his shoulder.

This must be Doctor Wu from Wu's Clinic.

Lu Yuan hurried home.

Old Lady He was just leading the two men inside. Lu Yuan washed her hands, wiped her face, and quickly followed them in.

Inside, the old doctor was checking Qi Cheng’s eyelids before taking his pulse.

Everyone held their breath, waiting anxiously.

After what felt like a long time, the doctor took his hand away. Old Lady He immediately asked, "Doctor Wu, is there any chance my grandson will wake up?"

The doctor asked, "In recent days, has there been any reaction from his private parts?"

...

The moment Lu Yuan walked in, she heard this question.

Old Lady He shifted uncomfortably. "I’m an old woman—how could I observe such things?"

Lu Yuan stepped forward and replied, "You’d have to ask the person taking care of him, but I’ve seen him blush twice."

Hearing this, Doctor Wu looked at her, puzzled.

Old Lady He explained, "This is the wife we found for Sheng Geer."

Doctor Wu understood—Old Lady He had actually taken his advice and found a wife for her grandson, hoping for a great-grandchild.

Doctor Wu looked at Lu Yuan and asked, "Under what circumstances did he blush?"

Lu Yuan said, "Once when he wet himself, and I was changing his pants and bedding for the first time. Another time was similar, but that time I wasn’t the one cleaning him."

Hearing this, Doctor Wu turned to the man on the bed in surprise.

The fact that he blushed in those specific situations, and not normally, suggested there might be hope for him to wake up, whether it was a coincidence or not.

Lu Yuan pressed on, guiding the conversation, "Doctor, if he retains consciousness, does that mean he can hear everything we say?"

Doctor Wu nodded. "It's possible."

Lu Yuan asked, "If we talk to him often, could that possibly wake him up?"

Doctor Wu hesitated before replying, "I can’t guarantee that, but it’s true that talking to him more could stimulate his will to live."

Hearing this, a glimmer of hope appeared in Old Lady He’s eyes.

Lu Yuan asked again, "Doctor, I’m worried that if Qi Cheng lies in bed for too long, the muscles in his arms and legs will atrophy. Is there any way to slow that down?"

Doctor Wu said, "Massage his arms and legs every day, and apply hot towels every few days."

With Doctor Wu’s advice, Lu Yuan now had a legitimate reason to enter and leave Qi Cheng’s room.

This way, when alone with him, she could improvise ways to stimulate him.

After examining the patient, Doctor Wu didn’t prescribe any medicine. Instead, he told Old Lady He to boil up a little ginseng soup for Qi Cheng, using some ginseng root.

They still needed to use ginseng—no wonder Old Lady He had sold all her family’s possessions.

When Doctor Wu left, Lu Yuan saw Old Lady He give two small strings of copper coins to the medical apprentice.

Those coins were likely the ones she had strung together yesterday.

Two strings of coins amounted to twenty wen—the consultation fee was really not cheap.

After seeing them off, Old Lady He went into the room to talk to her grandson and didn’t come out for a long time.

When she finally emerged, Lu Yuan said, "From now on, I’ll massage Qi Cheng every day."

Old Lady He, in low spirits, merely nodded and turned back to her room.

During the midday meal, Lu Yuan said to Old Lady He, "It’s so hot—should we cut Qi Cheng’s hair short?"

Old Lady He immediately scowled. "How can we cut our hair so casually? It’s part of our body!"

Old Lady He’s dark expression frightened the two children, who shrank back nervously.

But Lu Yuan wasn’t afraid and continued, "But it’s so hot, and if his head is always covered, Qi Cheng will feel hot too. Besides, his hair takes too long to dry and could easily get lice over time."

"Hair can grow back. It’s better than letting the person lying there suffer."

Old Lady He seemed slightly moved. Lu Yuan added, "Given the situation, we should prioritize his comfort. With shorter hair, I can wash it every couple of days. It will dry faster, reducing the risk of catching a cold, and he’ll feel fresher."

Old Lady He pondered Lu Yuan’s words carefully.

After hesitating for a long time, she gritted her teeth and said, "Well, he’s not going out anyway. Go ahead and cut it."

Lu Yuan smiled and replied, "I’ll go get the scissors in a moment."

The ancients valued their hair highly and usually only trimmed it slightly. She planned to give Qi Cheng a crew cut—she wondered if that would stimulate him.

Lu Yuan finished eating and immediately went to grab the scissors from the small basket before heading into the room.

Old Lady He warned, "Be careful not to cut his skin."

It made her uncomfortable to watch, so she decided not to follow Lu Yuan inside, preferring to stay out of sight.

Lu Yuan entered the room, placed the scissors right near Qi Cheng's ear, and deliberately made a crisp snipping sound by opening and closing them.

Then, leaning close to his ear, she said in a creepy voice on purpose, "I'm going to cut your hair into a monk style. What do you think?"

Wide awake, Qi Cheng heard the sound of the scissors and her intentionally sinister voice.

Though he didn’t understand why she was making noise or speaking to him in such a strange tone, he didn’t mind it.

In his condition, and the fact that she, a woman, had already seen every detail of his body, why would he care about his hair?

Besides, getting it cut was exactly what he needed—his scalp had been itching unbearably, likely from infrequent hair washing.

At times, the itch was so intense he wondered if he had lice.

Now, if she shaved his head bald, that would actually work out perfectly for him.