Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Lu Wanxiao gave a light scoff and shook the bun in her hand. "Want some?"

Qian Shi already couldn't stand Lu Wanxiao's guts, and now seeing her grinning while waving the bun, asking if she wanted some, she felt humiliated.

Lu Wanxiao was definitely doing it on purpose—she was deliberately mocking her. Qian Shi seethed inwardly.

"Hmph, it's just a bun. Like I've never eaten a bun before." Qian Shi snorted and turned her head away.

Lu Wanxiao clicked her tongue. She thought to herself, *If I hadn't seen you swallowing your saliva and just now nearly boring a hole through my bun with your stare, I might have believed you.*

This woman really acted like Lu Wanxiao had stolen her husband. She jumped at every chance to needle her.

With that mouth and temper, if she didn't change, she was bound to become the next Gossip Liu.

Suddenly, her eyes sparkled with mischief. She let out a soft sigh. "Oh, what a shame. I was going to say, if you wanted some, I have a few more here. I wouldn't mind giving you one."

As she spoke, she lifted the cabbage leaf covering the basket of buns, letting the buns' aroma fill the air.

Seeing the fluffy, fragrant buns, Qian Shi, already starving, couldn't help but swallow repeatedly. If not for some dignity, she might have lunged at the buns.

Lu Wanxiao acted as if she didn't notice, keeping a straight face as she said in a regretful tone, "But since you've already eaten, forget it. That just means our Song Changting gets an extra one." With that, she picked one up, took a bite, then covered the remaining buns again. She went back to munching on her bun and playing with the chicks.

At this, Qian Shi realized Lu Wanxiao was deliberately toying with her. Her face turned green with anger, but there was nothing she could say to accuse Lu Wanxiao without embarrassing herself further.

After a long while, just as Lu Wanxiao was thinking that Qian Shi's bickering skills were nothing special, Qian Shi spoke again snidely, "Tch, talking about giving Song Changting an extra bun—sounds nice. But I wonder if Song Changting will even get a whiff of those buns. After all, some people gobble up the whole hen the village head brought for Song Changting's recovery."

The more Qian Shi spoke, the more indignant she became, as if she were fighting for Song Changting's cause.

Lu Wanxiao smiled wordlessly and looked up at her. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Huh?" Qian Shi had expected Lu Wanxiao to curse at her and had even stepped back to avoid spittle. But instead, Lu Wanxiao was asking her name!

The topic shift was so abrupt that Qian Shi was momentarily stunned.

"What 'huh'? I'm asking you what your name is?" Seeing Qian Shi frozen like a fool, Lu Wanxiao repeated.

"You're asking my name? You don't know my name?" Qian Shi had been married into Taoxi Village for three or four years, and had been bickering with Lu Wanxiao for the past two. She couldn't believe Lu Wanxiao still didn't know her name. Was she deliberately trying to annoy her?

Lu Wanxiao spread her hands. "If I knew, why would I ask? I'm not as bored as you!"

Seeing that most people had gathered, Lu Wanxiao tossed the twig aside and stood up.

Qian Shi, thinking Lu Wanxiao was about to jump her, blurted out her name without thinking: "Qian Meimei."

"Ha? No Money? Pfft—" Hearing the name, Lu Wanxiao couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Hahaha..."

Who the heck named her? If they couldn't think of a better one, why not something like "Money Many"?

Isn't that just cursing her to be broke?

"What are you laughing at?" Qian Shi was displeased that Lu Wanxiao was mocking her name.

Seeing that Qian Shi was getting annoyed, Lu Wanxiao composed herself, suppressed her laughter, and cleared her throat. "Sorry, I just find your name very... unique."

"Of course!" Qian Shi lifted her chin proudly at the compliment. "Our village schoolteacher said plum blossoms symbolize perseverance and nobility. And you married a scholar but don't even know that. How embarrassing!"

Plum blossoms, huh?

Ah, so it was Plum Blossom, not No Money.

But then, why not call her Plum Flower?

Plum Flower, no money spent—meaning you've still got cash, right?

The person who named her really screwed up.

Lu Wanxiao was about to suggest Qian Shi change her name to Plum Flower. Even if it didn't keep money in her pocket, at least it beat "No Money."

But before she could speak, she saw Qian Shi glance at her disdainfully. "No wonder you used to wander around outside all the time. Turns out you had nothing to say to Song Changting at home. Song Changting—"

Qian Shi was still chattering on, but Lu Wanxiao cut her off. "Hey, I say, that No Money, you can't go three sentences without mentioning Song Changting. You're so fixated on my Song Changting—does your husband know?"

"Who's fixated on Song Changting? Don't you talk nonsense! I'm just stating facts. What kind of person you are, everyone knows. Don't you go dumping on me!"

Seeing Qian Shi's flustered look, Lu Wanxiao shrugged innocently and said nothing more. No matter the time, middle-aged women loved to gossip and spread rumors.

Qian Shi's husband and mother-in-law already had issues with her, sometimes even beating and scolding her. If rumors spread that she had eyes for Song Changting, she might get another beating. Moreover, in these times, a woman with a ruined reputation had a hard life.

Qian Shi was a loose-tongued woman, but she only dared to talk big. She wouldn't actually try anything.

Seeing Lu Wanxiao silent, Qian Shi thought she had been rendered speechless. She wanted to say more, but then Old Man Yang called everyone to board the oxcart. With a humph, she shouldered her basket and brushed past Lu Wanxiao to climb onto the cart.

Lu Wanxiao shrugged, picked up her basket and the chick box, and also walked over. The first thing she did when boarding was pay the fare, then she closed her eyes to rest.

Maybe everyone was tired from the market trip, or maybe for some other reason, no one spoke on the way back. It was completely silent except for the sound of Old Man Yang driving the cart.

At the village entrance, Lu Wanxiao was the first to jump off. She said a quick "I'm off" and carried her things home.

Basket in her left hand, chick box in her right, she walked briskly, humming an unknown tune. She looked in such a good mood that several women behind her wondered if she had found money.

At the Song house, Song Changting was still sitting under the peach tree in the yard, reading a book. The peach blossoms were in full bloom, and a few petals had fallen on his shoulders. Everything was quiet and beautiful.

When Lu Wanxiao arrived home, she saw exactly this scene: a sickly yet handsome man sitting under a tree, with peach blossoms in full bloom above. Her eyes curved in a smile, and joy spread across her face.

Mm, coming home to find a good-looking husband waiting under the tree... it actually felt pretty nice.

Even if this husband was only in name, the feeling was really good.

"Song Changting, I'm back."

Song Changting looked up and saw her bright smile. Something seemed to stir in his heart.

Such a smile was something he had never found in either of his two lifetimes of memories.

It was like a beam of light, piercing through all the darkness, shining straight into his heart.

If, during his darkest times, such a light had appeared—even for just a moment—perhaps he wouldn't have...