Chapter 11: You… Poked a Chicken Coop?
“Alright, stop joking around,” Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. “I learned how to make noodles from your great grandfather. Back then, your great grandfather was an apprentice of the county chef!”
“It’s a pity that my grandfather hurt his hand. Otherwise…” Zhao Lanhua suddenly felt a little sad. “Alright, let’s not talk about this. Eldest wife, go get three eggs!”
An hour later, Zhao Lanhua scooped up the cooked noodles.
“You have to eat the noodles while they’re hot. It won’t taste good if they turn into lumps.”
“Thank you, Mother!” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen and Second Sister-in-law Shen said in unison.
The sharp-eyed Second Sister-in-law Shen glanced at the bowl of noodles with a fried egg on the stove and asked with a smile, “Mother, is the other bowl for Third Brother? Should I send it to Third Brother?”
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“No need.” Zhao Lanhua shook her head. Then, she took a pair of chopsticks and left with the bowl of noodles.
Eldest Sister-in-law Shen and Second Sister-in-law Shen looked at each other and saw deep confusion in each other’s eyes.
When Zhao Lanhua arrived at the Earth Temple, Ji Zhao had just returned.
However, she looked very disheveled and covered in blood. It was a shocking sight.
“You? Are you okay?”
“Mother?” Ji Zhao, who had just leaned against the wall to rest, called out with a smile, “Why are you here?”
“What happened to you? Did you roll down the hill again? And the blood on you?”
“Mother, don’t worry. This isn’t my blood.” Ji Zhao quickly explained, “This is their blood.”
Following the direction of Ji Zhao’s finger, Zhao Lanhua leaned against the wild chickens piled up beside her and instantly widened her eyes.
“You… poked a chicken coop?”
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“Mother, it’s a long story…” Just as Ji Zhao was about to speak, an earth-shattering sound came from her internal organs.
Zhao Lanhua quickly handed the bowl of noodles to her.
“This is?”
“Eat it while it’s hot.”
“Thank you, Mother!”
Ji Zhao’s eyes reddened with gratitude. She took the bowl of noodles and savored it carefully.
As she ate, she cried-
She had only written a book review. How did she end up in such a situation?
The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Zhao Lanhua could not bear to see her like this.
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“You… don’t cry…”
“Mm…” Ji Zhao quickly wiped her tears and quickly finished the bowl of noodles.
“Thank you, Mother. The noodles are really delicious!”
Faced with her bright smile, Zhao Lanhua could not bear to refute her.
“How did you find so many wild chickens?”
“Mother, you don’t know how ferocious the scene of wild chickens fighting is!” Ji Zhao, who had recovered some of her energy, said excitedly, “I originally wanted to go to the mountain to see if I could find some food, but not long after I walked, I found seven or eight wild chickens fighting in a bush! I secretly squatted at the side. When they were tired from fighting, I rushed up and grabbed them. In the end, I grabbed all of them!”
Zhao Lanhua was dumbfounded.
She and Sister Guihua were also on the mountain today. Why didn’t they encounter such a good thing?
“Mother, I’ve counted. There are a total of seven wild chickens. Please bring six back. I want to keep one and make beggar’s chicken for dinner.” Ji Zhao scratched her head and smiled foolishly.
“Stop scratching your head!” Zhao Lanhua hurriedly stopped her. “The bandage on your head is oozing blood. You can’t scratch it anymore!”
Ji Zhao obediently lowered her hand.
Looking at her obedient expression, Zhao Lanhua felt even more complicated.
“Forget it. Wait for me for a while.”
Zhao Lanhua left in a hurry. After a while, she returned with a basket on her back.
As she picked up the wild chickens and placed them in the basket on her back, she explained softly, “The wound on your head hasn’t healed yet. You still have to see a doctor to take your medicine. As for these wild chickens, I’ll think of a way to help you sell them. The money I get will be used to treat your illness and buy your medicine.”
“Mother, thank you.” Ji Zhao felt even more grateful. “You’re the best.”
Chapter 12: Too Evil!
For the characters in the original work, Ji Zhao liked Zhao Lanhua the most.
She was magnanimous, benevolent, and opinionated. Moreover, when the original owner of the body returned to Shanghe Village, it was Zhao Lanhua, this ex-mother-in-law who had been taking care of her secretly…
Eldest Sister-in-law Shen and Second Sister-in-law Shen were stunned when they saw their mother-in-law bringing Ji Ah Tao back.
Until Zhao Lanhua closed the courtyard door and took out seven wild chickens from the basket on her back.
“So many wild chickens?” Second Sister-in-law Shen’s eyes almost popped out!
“Ah Tao caught these on the mountain.” Zhao Lanhua pointed at Ji Zhao, who was standing beside her, and said softly, “Eldest son’s wife, come with me to the county city later and ask my eldest son to help sell these wild chickens.”
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“Sell them all?” Second Sister-in-law Shen asked regretfully, “Aren’t you going to leave some for us to eat? Even one is fine…”
Zhao Lanhua narrowed her eyes and glanced at her. “Haven’t you eaten enough this morning and noon?”
“Mother, who would complain about having too much chicken!” Second Sister-in-law Shen smiled awkwardly and did not dare to say anything else.
“The wound on Ah Tao’s head hasn’t healed yet. She needs to take medicine,” Zhao Lanhua said forcefully. “Besides, she caught these wild chickens. If anyone wants to eat chicken, go up the mountain and catch them yourself. I won’t stop you!”
No matter how much she pretended to be stupid, Second Sister-in-law Shen could hear the displeasure in her mother-in-law’s tone. She silently shrank her head and did not dare to speak again.
“Eldest wife, go boil some hot water.”
“Okay.” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen nodded and turned to go to the kitchen.
“Ah Tao, come with me.” Zhao Lanhua waved at Ji Zhao and brought her to a short room beside the main house.
After Ji Zhao walked in, she realized that this was actually an ear room. There was a thick grayish-brown curtain hanging at the entrance.
She lifted the curtain and walked in. What greeted her eyes was a large bathtub about half the height of a person.
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“Ah Tao, this towel is clean. There’s a piece of acacia on the shelf over there. After the eldest wife boils the water, you should freshen up. By the way, there’s still a wound on your head. Don’t get it wet for the time being,” Zhao Lanhua pointed at the thing on the wooden triangular shelf near the bathtub and reminded her gently.
At this moment, Ji Zhao’s eyes were already red. She choked and said, “Mother…”
Zhao Lanhua waved her hand and walked out of the ear room.
In the kitchen.
Second Sister-in-law Shen looked at Eldest Sister-in-law Shen, who was stuffing firewood into the stove expressionlessly, and could not help but mutter, “Eldest Sister-in-law, what do you think Mother means? Didn’t we agree to chase her away previously? Why is Mother bringing her back now?”
“Mother must have her reasons for doing this.” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen stared at the flames on the stove and said calmly.
“In my opinion, this Ji Ah Tao is too evil!” Second Sister-in-law Shen could not help but ponder. “She even apologized to me yesterday! This matter is too strange. Could it be that her damaged head was possessed by something unclean?”
“Otherwise, how could she catch so many wild chickens? This is definitely not ordinary!”
“Alright, stop thinking about it.” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen rolled her eyes at her.
Second Sister-in-law Shen pulled a long face and made up her mind.
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If Ji Ah Tao was really possessed, would she know if the child in her womb was male or female?
“Eldest wife, come here.” Zhao Lanhua, who had been standing at the door for a while, suddenly pushed open the wooden door and shouted.
Eldest Sister-in-law Shen quickly responded.
Chapter 13: Secret Recipe for Giving Birth!
After a while, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law found a large wooden basin and dealt with the wild chickens.
“Let’s take advantage of the fact that the sun hasn’t set yet. We should be able to reach home before curfew.” Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and glanced at Eldest Sister-in-law Shen. “Go back to your room and pack your clothes. We can go back to the shop to help today.”
When she heard that she could return to the shop, Eldest Sister-in-law Shen’s eyes immediately lit up. In the end, she shook her head. “No, Second Sister-in-law’s body is getting heavier. If I go back to the shop, won’t you have to do a lot of work? If Dalang finds out, he will definitely blame me.”
“The second wife is only six months pregnant. There are still a few more months before she gives birth! Besides, I can do the work at home.” Zhao Lanhua smiled brightly. “Eldest wife, I’m happy that you care about me. However, Mother is not the kind of old fool who insists on keeping her daughter-in-law at home to do housework. Besides, if you don’t live with my eldest son, when will I be able to carry my grandson?”
“Mother…” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen called out in a choked voice.
It had been three years since Eldest Sister-in-law Shen entered the Shen family, but she was still not pregnant.
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This matter was a thorn in Eldest Sister-in-law Shen’s heart.
Zhao Lanhua inadvertently caught a glimpse of Eldest Sister-in-law Shen’s reddened eyes and advised gently, “Don’t be too stressed. You and my eldest son are still young. The matters of pregnancy have to be determined by fate. Perhaps it’s not fate yet!”
“Mother… I… I understand.” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen quickly raised her sleeve to wipe her tears and forced a smile.
At that moment, Ji Zhao, who had just walked out of the ear room, felt a little upset.
No wonder Sister-in-law Shen hated her so much.
Cursing a woman who had been married for three years and unable to get pregnant as a hen who cannot lay eggs was too vicious.
Ji Zhao remembered that there was also a record in the book that Eldest Sister-in-law Shen did not get pregnant in the end and died of depression before she was thirty years old.
“Mother, Sister-in-law, shall I help you clean up?” After adjusting her emotions, Ji Zhao smiled and walked to the two of them. She rolled up her sleeves and prepared to help clean up the wild chickens.
“You’ve just washed yourself clean. Don’t do it anymore,” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen declined without looking up. “There’s not much work left.”
Zhao Lanhua slowly stood up and carefully sized up Ji Zhao.
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Ji Zhao blinked blankly. “Mother?”
“I think the injury on your head is a little serious.” Zhao Lanhua frowned and thought for a while. “How about this? In fifteen minutes, we’ll go to the county city together and take you to see a doctor first.”
“Thank you, Mother!” Ji Zhao smiled gratefully.
After Zhao Lanhua turned around and went to the main house, Ji Zhao slowly squatted beside Eldest Sister-in-law Shen, who was plucking chicken feathers.
Eldest Sister-in-law Shen took a step back subconsciously.
“Sister-in-law, don’t be nervous. I don’t mean any harm.”
“Who knows?” Eldest Sister-in-law Shen replied indifferently.
Ji Zhao smiled awkwardly and said softly, “Eldest Sister-in-law, I want to apologize to you. I was too much of a bastard before.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Sister-in-law, actually… actually, I have a secret recipe for giving birth!” After hesitating for a while, Ji Zhao finally said this.
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A glint flashed across Sister-in-law Shen’s eyes, and in the end, there was only sadness.
“How could you possibly have a secret recipe for childbirth? I heard that Third Brother and you didn’t consummate your marriage.”
Ji Zhao was speechless.
“Actually, to be precise, it’s not that I have a secret recipe for giving birth, but I’ve heard it before.” Ji Zhao thought for a moment and whispered into Eldest Sister-in-law Shen’s ear with a red face.
Chapter 14: I’m Too Stupid!
Eldest Sister-in-law Shen’s pupils dilated bit by bit, and her eyes flickered with disbelief.
“You…”
“Eldest Sister-in-law, there’s no harm in trying. You can try.”
Eldest Sister-in-law Shen was silent for a long time. In the end, she looked at her with a complicated expression and carried the prepared wild chickens into the kitchen.
Ji Zhao exhaled weakly. As soon as she turned around, she met Shen Yao’s dark and calm eyes.
Ji Zhao, who was shocked, subconsciously grabbed Shen Yao’s sleeve when she staggered back.
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Shen Yao, who could not react in time, was thrown to the ground by her. His lips accidentally brushed past her cheek.
Ji Zhao’s mind went blank.
“You guys? What are you doing?” Zhao Lanhua, who had just walked out of the house, happened to see this scene.
Ji Zhao pushed Shen Yao’s chest in a panic. She rolled over and hurriedly stood up.
“Mother, this is a misunderstanding! I, I, I…”
“It’s fine if you can’t stand steadily, but why do you have to implicate me?” Shen Yao suddenly asked.
Ji Zhao felt wronged!
It was clearly because Shen Yao suddenly appeared behind her that she accidentally fell!
Moreover, Shen Yao seemed to have kissed her face just now!
No matter what, she was at a disadvantage!
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But Shen Yao actually took the initiative to question her?
“I… I didn’t do it on purpose.” Ji Zhao lowered her head and said weakly, “I was too stupid. I lost my balance. I’m sorry!”
However, when she looked up, Shen Yao had already disappeared.
Zhao Lanhua retracted her gaze and smiled faintly. “Everything is packed. Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
The Shen family’s courtyard was not far from the entrance of Shanghe Village. It was only about 1 kilometer away.
The village entrance is marked by two hundred-year-old pagoda trees that hug each other.
It was early summer, so the pagoda trees were very dense. They were green and pleasing to the eye.
Under the pagoda trees, there were several women in rough clothes of various colors holding baskets and fiddling with needles and threads. From time to time, they would converse with one another.
“Aunt Chunhua, have you heard? The third daughter-in-law of the Shen family made a fool of herself yesterday!”
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“What? What flowers?” The old woman sitting in the middle of the crowd had her silver hair combed meticulously. There was a pair of shrewd eyes on her weathered face, but her ears were not good and she could not hear what the woman beside her said.
“Tsk! You know your great-grandson, Shen Yao, right? He’s married!”
“Oh, you mean Little Three?”
“Exactly!”
“It’s good to get married. My Little Three has grown up and is getting married!” The old lady said happily.
“But his wife isn’t a good person! She stole money and is preparing to elope!”
“In my opinion, Sister Lanhua’s temper is too good. If it were anyone else, they might have sent that restless wife to the pond long ago!”
“Isn’t it because she has high standards? She thinks that she’s born seductive, so the wives she chooses are each more seductive than the other. It’s obvious that she’s restless!”
When Ji Zhao followed Zhao Lanhua to the village entrance, she happened to hear those gossipy women gossiping about the Shen family.
The depressed Ji Zhao was about to step forward to refute when Zhao Lanhua shook her head at her.
“Stand here for a while.” Zhao Lanhua glanced at Eldest Sister-in-law Shen. “Come with me.”
Zhao Lanhua walked to the middle of the crowd. She first took out two pieces of candy from her pocket and handed them to the old lady with bad ears. “Fifth Grandmother, you just ate my Sanlang’s wedding candy the other day. Have you forgotten?”
Chapter 15: Entering the City
“I didn’t forget! The candy is delicious!”
“Alright, try it again if it’s delicious!”
Zhao Lanhua laughed heartily and finally glanced at the two people who were making fun of her behind her back. “Sister Yunzhi and Aunt Suqiu, to be honest, I, Zhao Lanhua, only have one criterion for finding a wife. She has to be good-looking! My three daughters-in-law are all good-looking. There’s nothing I can do about it! After all, when the daughter-in-laws are good-looking, all the men in the family can eat two more bowls of rice, right? Unlike some people who can’t be in-laws with me and are making fun of me behind my back? Aren’t they worried that they’ll bite their tongues?
“You…” The two women were so angry that their faces turned red!
“Lanhua, your third daughter-in-law is already like that. Do you still want her?”
“My third daughter-in-law was muddle-headed before, but she didn’t go to meet a man in private. Besides, which of you saw my third daughter-in-law cheat on a man? I heard from my eldest son that people who frames innocent people will be taken to the county office to be beaten!”
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After Zhao Lanhua said this, she brought Eldest Sister-in-law Shen and Ji Zhao to the ox cart at the village entrance.
The ox cart swayed along the way. The farmland on both sides had dried up.
There was only a bright green spot near the foot of the mountain not far away.
“Mother, thank you.” Ji Zhao really did not expect Zhao Lanhua to defend her in front of outsiders.
Zhao Lanhua waved her hand dismissively.
Ji Zhao smiled sweetly at her, then leaned against her side and sat down obediently.
The ox cart was slow and bumpy. By the time they arrived at the city gate, it was getting late.
“Let’s split up. Eldest wife, carry the basket to the eldest’s shop. I’ll take Ah Tao to the pharmacy in West City to see a doctor. When we’re done, we’ll return to the pastry shop and gather,” Zhao Lanhua said as she helped Eldest Sister-in-law Shen put on the basket.
“Got it, Mother!”
The three of them lined up outside the city gate.
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Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at the city gate in front of her. The greenish-gray city wall was very tall, and there were many soldiers wearing red tassels helmets and holding sabers standing on it.
After waiting outside the city gate for almost an hour, Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao and Eldest Sister-in-law Shen into the city.
The moment she entered the city, Ji Zhao’s eyes were filled with shock.
The difference between inside and outside the city was too great.
The road was wide enough for four carriages to pass through side by side. It was endless.
The vendors on both sides were shouting enthusiastically. There were all kinds of shops in all walks of life, and it was dazzling.
“Mother, the county town is so lively!” Ji Zhao held Zhao Lanhua’s arm and said with a smile.
“Ding Yuan County is located at the intersection between Yunchuan Prefecture and Guichuan Prefecture. It’s famous for its wealth.” Zhao Lanhua patted her hand and said gently, “Remember, you have to follow me at all times. It’ll be troublesome if we get separated, understand?”
“Mother, don’t worry. I’ll remember everything!”
“Alright.” Zhao Lanhua nodded and introduced, “This street is called Qinghe Street. The river in Shanghe Village is separated from the Qinghe River in the county. The east is filled with influential families, and the west is filled with ordinary people. Do you see that three-hole bridge?”
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Following Zhao Lanhua’s finger, Ji Zhao saw a grayish-white three-hole bridge not far away. It was very lively and crowded.
“Yes!”
“After crossing the bridge and walking another 1.5 to 2.5 kilometers, we will reach the county office of Dingyuan County.” Zhao Lanhua pointed in another direction. “Do you see the fork in the road to the west? There is a wonton stall at the entrance of that street. The chicken soup wontons there are top-notch. If you walk 3.5 to 4 kilometers to the left, you will find our family’s pastry shop! Eldest wife, quickly go find my eldest son. Ah Tao, let’s walk to the right for a while and we will find a medicine shop.”
“Okay!”