Chapter 61

Chapter 60: The Ox Cart

Tianshui Village, with its many slopes and ridges, had houses scattered rather than clustered. Thus, though small, the distance from one end of the village to the other was quite considerable.

Lin Shu had previously only frequented the far end of the village. This was her first time walking towards the front, and following Zhou Ye, she encountered many unfamiliar faces along the way.

She could feel numerous eyes on her as they walked, some gazes filled with a strong sense of curiosity and gossip.

Though the villagers said nothing to her face, they might well turn around later and whisper about her, the imposter who had usurped the Marquis’s Daughter’s place.

Lin Shu was neither afraid of being looked at nor of being talked about. She had a thick skin, and besides, she was so good-looking.

Finally, the two reached the front of the village. Zhou Ye suddenly turned to look at her. "A Shu, come with me."

Lin Shu was puzzled but obediently followed.

After crossing a large slope, Lin Shu saw an ox cart.

The driver, a man in his forties or fifties, was Old Man Liao from the village. Two middle-aged women were already seated in the cart. One had a broad face and a slightly plumper figure, a rare sight in a poor place like Tianshui Village. The other was as slender as He Guixiang, though unlike He Guixiang, who exuded gentleness, this woman’s thinness gave her a rather formidable air. When she glanced in Lin Shu’s direction, it almost seemed like a glare.

Though the ox cart was not large, and the cart bed was already partly occupied by baskets and other items, there was plenty of room for three people, and it could even squeeze in a fourth if needed.

After a moment of surprise, Lin Shu turned to look at Zhou Ye.

Zhou Ye, with a neutral expression, gestured for her to go forward. "A Shu, get in the cart."

Realizing that the cart was indeed waiting for her and Zhou Ye, Lin Shu felt a wave of happiness.

Their family could afford the few coppers for the ox cart ride, and He Guixiang had also wanted her to take Old Man Liao’s cart. However, the cart was small, and the villagers planning to take it to the market had long since reserved their spots. By the time they tried to book, it was too late.

Lin Shu looked at Zhou Ye delightedly and asked quietly, "How did you manage it?"

Though she felt confident she could walk the dozen or so li without issue, who would turn down a ride if it was offered?

"I’ll explain later. Get in the cart first."

The ox cart had no canopy, only low wooden boards on three sides. Lin Shu held onto the wooden railing, stepped onto the cart, and then looked back at Zhou Ye.

By then, Zhou Ye had already counted out five coppers for Old Man Liao and added, "Old Man Liao, please drive steadily on the road."

Old Man Liao laughed, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening. "A Ye, you can trust my driving. Steady as can be."

The broad-faced woman in the cart chuckled along. "Lin Shu, this is your first time on this ox cart, right? Old Man Liao is an old hand at driving. Don’t you worry."

Seeing her easygoing manner, Lin Shu responded with a smile, "Alright, auntie, I’m not afraid."

The other woman pursed her lips slightly but said nothing.

After Zhou Ye paid Old Man Liao, he stood firmly by the cart. Lin Shu realized a moment later he did not intend to board.

She couldn’t help widening her eyes. "A Ye, you’re making me ride alone?"

The cart could fit four people if they squeezed, though… it would indeed be pretty awkward for a man like Zhou Ye to cram in.

Zhou Ye didn’t respond to that, only saying, "Wait for me at the city gate of Jingxi Town. I’ll catch up soon."

After a pause, he added, "Don’t wander off."

With that, he stepped aside from the cart and continued forward alone.

Lin Shu quickly called out to him, "A Ye, well, at least put your basket on the cart then! It’ll make the journey easier for you!"

Zhou Ye waved her off to indicate it wasn’t necessary.

It wasn’t just that the basket of dried shiitakes he carried was light; even if it were heavy, he wouldn’t have put it on the cart.

An extra item would make the cart more crowded. Looking at Lin Shu’s delicate and pretty appearance, he felt she was being put out even by riding the ox cart.

Old Man Liao flicked his whip, gave a shout, and soon the ox cart overtook the sturdy young man ahead.

Lin Shu, holding onto the cart railing, watched him and hmphed softly to herself.

Was Zhou Ye afraid she’d really ask him to carry her halfway, so he found a way to get her a "ticket" for the cart?

Next time, she’d walk to the market herself, just to show this guy she wasn’t some delicate young lady.

But then she started thinking about something else and fell into contemplation.

Zhou Ye’s strides were two or three times longer than hers. Asking him to accommodate her pace for the entire sixteen li would be like someone telling her to take tiny, mincing steps the whole way. Just thinking about it made her uncomfortable.

Forget it. Her walking speed was far inferior to Zhou Ye’s; better not to force it. She’d rather find a girl or a young wife around her age to go to the market with. That way, she wouldn’t hold anyone back or make others accommodate her.

Lin Shu glanced at the two wheel tracks behind the cart, then turned away and didn’t look back at Zhou Ye.

Zhou Ye, however, kept his eyes on the ox cart as it moved farther away.

The woman on the cart sat cross-legged, her posture relaxed, her back not even straight as she leaned lazily against the cart’s railing. Her dark, long hair was tied with a begonia-colored ribbon at the small of her back. Perhaps the ribbon had been tied in a hurry, for a strand of hair had gotten tangled in it…

The ox cart moved farther away, and Lin Shu’s figure grew smaller and smaller.

Zhou Ye glanced at the fish-belly white sky at the horizon and instinctively quickened his pace.

On the ox cart, Lin Shu did not initiate conversation. Propping her chin in her hand, she gazed at the lush green rice fields lining the narrow path, uncharacteristically lost in thought.

It was the broad-faced woman who struck up a conversation with her.

Through their chat, Lin Shu learned that this woman was the eldest daughter-in-law of the village chief’s family.

Lin Shu knew how to keep a conversation going. Even if she wasn’t particularly interested, her occasional responses were enough to make the other person feel at ease.

However, whether it was her imagination or not, this Aunt Zhang occasionally looked at her with a strange glint in her eyes, as if seeing someone else in her, followed by a faint hint of pity and a sigh.

Her mannerisms and speech were more poised and generous compared to other village women. In theory, Lin Shu should have liked this kind of temperament, but those unintentional looks made her uncomfortable.

She keenly sensed that Aunt Zhang might be comparing her to Lin Yao, though she didn’t understand what there was to pity.

"Auntie, I’m really sorry. It’s my first time on an ox cart, and I’m feeling a bit queasy. Let’s chat another time." Lin Shu didn’t mind building good relations with the villagers, but if something made her uncomfortable, she wouldn’t force herself.

Her excuse was perfectly tactful, and Zhang immediately stopped talking, even asking with concern if she was alright.

The other woman nearby rolled her eyes skyward and said sharply, "Oh, so this young lady from the capital is delicate. Though compared to the carriages you’re used to, this ox cart is indeed rather crude. It must be quite the hardship for a young lady like you."

Lin Shu found her voice grating. Unfortunately, with three people sharing the small ox cart, no matter how much she shifted to the side, she couldn’t escape the sound.

She pretended to be unwell, letting the spiteful woman’s words go in one ear and out the other.

Seeing her silent, the woman pushed her luck even further. "I really don’t know how you have the face to come back. You took Lin Yao’s place as the Marquis's Daughter for over ten years, leaving her to be a village girl all that time. If I were Lin Yao, I’d hate you to death. Tsk, shameless, and you can still smile? Smiling at Zhou Ye earlier like you’ve never seen a man before!"

Lin Shu had originally intended to ignore this person, but since she was being so openly provocative, she wouldn’t feel right without retaliating.

She immediately let out a cold laugh. "Auntie, who are you again? Oh, I’ve lived a life of luxury in the capital for sixteen years—has that made you bitter? Why wasn’t it you who was taken to the marquis’ estate to enjoy that life? Too bad, Auntie, you just weren’t born with that kind of luck. And don’t mind me being blunt, but with looks like yours, even if you had that kind of fortune, people would’ve spotted something off right away. After all, you simply don’t have the face of a lady from a noble household."

"You! You—you—" The woman was so enraged by Lin Shu’s words that if they hadn’t been on an oxcart, she might’ve jumped up in anger.

Lin Shu pretended to be frightened, hiding behind Zhang Shi and letting out two feigned sobs. "Auntie, I’m so scared. Is this auntie so angry she’s going to hit me? I was wrong. I shouldn’t have thought she was broad-minded and spoken such unpleasant truths. I should’ve praised her for being as beautiful as a celestial being, unlike me, just humble and unassuming. Auntie, please don’t be mad. You’re the most beautiful woman in the entire area. If you’d been swapped and taken to a marquis’ or prince’s estate, no one would’ve doubted you because of your looks!"

Lin Shu spoke with feigned sincerity, but the woman was so furious she nearly fainted. If Zhang Shi hadn’t been blocking the way, she might’ve lunged forward to scratch Lin Shu’s face.

"Sister Zhang, you heard it too! This little brat called me 'auntie,' making me sound ten years older, and on top of that, she insulted my looks!"

Zhang Shi tried to mediate. "Alright, alright, Sister Gao, we’re both elders. Why make a scene with a young girl? Isn’t it embarrassing? Lin Shu, you should say less too. Look how angry you’ve made Sister Gao."

Lin Shu timidly replied, "Okay, I’ll listen to you, Auntie. But I really didn’t mean it. How was I to know that this Sister Gao—oh, I mean, Auntie Gao—would be so narrow-minded that she can’t even handle the truth?"

Gao Shi: …

She was so angry she nearly fainted! If Zhang Shi hadn’t been there, she would’ve loved to tear that little brat’s mouth apart!

Thanks to Zhang Shi’s mediation, an ugly scene was avoided. But for the rest of the journey, Gao Shi deliberately cut her out, chatting nonstop with Zhang Shi without letting Lin Shu get a word in.

Lin Shu was more than happy with this. And thanks to Gao Shi’s endless chatter, she actually picked up quite a bit of information.

Gao Shi’s tone toward Zhang Shi was fawning and ingratiating. She repeatedly praised Zhang Shi’s eldest son in every way possible.

Though there was some exaggeration, Lin Shu learned that Zhang Shi’s eldest son was an exceptionally clever scholar, the only one of his kind in Tianshui Village. His talent was so remarkable that he was highly likely to earn the title of *Xiucai* for Tianshui Village. The village hadn’t produced a *Xiucai* in decades, so if Zhang Shi’s son really succeeded, it would indeed be quite an accomplishment.

Lin Shu’s thoughts began to drift.

She hadn’t forgotten that she’d transmigrated into a book.

Originally, she’d been puzzled. Tianshui Village was, after all, the female lead’s initial setting. As a strong female lead, how could she not have a few admirers? Especially someone as outstanding as Zhou Ye—how could he not have romantic feelings for Lin Yao?

But after hearing Gao Shi praise this future *Xiucai* so effusively, it suddenly made sense. Perhaps it wasn’t that there were no admirers, but that Zhou Ye didn’t even qualify for the role of "admirer" in people’s eyes. After all, in the eyes of society, there were more accomplished scholars, like the eldest grandson of the village chief’s family, Zhang Zongyao?

All occupations are lowly; only scholarship is exalted. Compared to a true scholar, Zhou Ye was just a rough, unrefined man with some extra strength.

Lin Shu had been sitting for a while and was starting to feel bored. Gao Shi’s deliberate exclusion was really grating.

She turned her gaze to Old Man Liao, who was dutifully driving the cart, and called out to him, "Old Man Liao, do you go to town every day?"

Old Man Liao shouted back, "What? What did you say, girl?"

The sounds of the cart and the wheels drowned out Lin Shu’s voice.

Lin Shu repeated her question, and Old Man Liao cheerfully replied, "I’m old now, can’t handle heavy farm work anymore. So I saved up and bought this oxcart. Since I’ve got nothing to do all day, I go to town every now and then, and help folks bring back some daily necessities like firewood, rice, oil, and salt. It’s even better if I can pick up a passenger or two along the way."

"Do you charge folks a few copper coins for bringing things back?"

Old Man Liao said, "Among villagers, if it’s just small things that don’t take up space, I don’t charge. But if it’s something big or heavy, they can give a little something. Girl, if you ever need anything brought back, you can let me know, but you’ll have to tell me the night before. If you want to ride the oxcart to town, just give me a day’s notice. But on market days, you’ll need to reserve several days in advance—three to five days at least. Any later, and there might not be any spots left."

Lin Shu hesitantly asked, "Old Man Liao, when did A Ye tell you about this?"

"Young A Ye went to Miao’s family first. Miao’s wife had reserved a spot early on, but last night she suddenly came to me and said to give the spot to young A Ye instead, as she wouldn’t be going today. I was wondering—young A Ye is so tall and strong, why would he need to ride an oxcart? But when I saw him bring you along earlier, I realized the spot was reserved for you."

Old Man Liao laughed. "Young A Ye really cares for you. You’ll be fortunate to marry him someday, girl."

Hearing this, Lin Shu’s smile grew wider and wider.

So he’d reserved the oxcart spot last night, yet Zhou Ye had kept quiet about it the entire time.

Hmm, a silent and secretly affectionate man.

Quite likable.

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Author’s Note: My dear readers are just like the male lead—they read without saying a word. Smile.jpg.