Chapter 18: Soup
Ji Zhao thought for a moment and divided the seven taels of silver on the table into three portions.
She handed five taels of silver to Zhao Lanhua and one tael of silver to Eldest Sister-in-law Shen. She only kept one tael of silver for herself.
"Mother, you already spent a tael of silver to bring me to see a doctor just now. Moreover, you and Eldest Sister-in-law helped to deal with these wild chickens. In the end, it was Eldest Sister-in-law who helped to sell it, so we'll split the silver like this." Ji Zhao smiled and said firmly.
Previously, the Host had stolen the Shen family's silver. However, when the Host unfortunately rolled down the hill, the silver was gone.
Ji Zhao felt that she owed the Shen family a lot.
"I don't want it." Eldest Sister-in-law Shen hurriedly put the tael of silver back. "I didn't put in much effort. Besides, I only helped because of Mother."
"Eldest wife, since Ah Tao gave it to you, you can keep it." At this moment, Zhao Lanhua suddenly said, "It's getting late. Ah Tao and I will go back first. You guys don't have to send us off."
In the end, Shen Dalang and his wife still sent them out of the city.
When Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao back to the Shen family's courtyard in Shanghe Village, the sky was about to turn dark.
Ji Zhao stood outside the courtyard with a hesitant expression, and her footsteps were uncertain.
"What's wrong?"
"Mother, why don't I return to the Earth Temple first?" Ji Zhao smiled lightly.
"What time is it? Don't just stand there!" Zhao Lanhua looked at her indifferently.
Ji Zhao hurriedly chased after her.
Now that her relationship with her mother-in-law had finally eased a little, it would not be worth it if there was another misunderstanding!
Ji Zhao obediently followed Zhao Lanhua into the kitchen.
At that moment, Second Sister-in-law Shen was washing the dishes. When she heard footsteps, she hurriedly wiped her hands and called out with a smile, "Mother, you're back? I saved a bowl of rice for you in the pot."
"Thank you for your hard work." Zhao Lanhua smiled, her eyes filled with warmth.
Although her second daughter-in-law was usually a little greedy, she was not vague when it came to important matters.
She came back late today. Her second daughter-in-law was very obedient to be willing to cook with a big belly.
"Leave the kitchen to me. Go back to your room and rest," Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. "By the way, I brought some snacks. Bring a bag back to your room later."
"Thank you, Mother!" Second Sister-in-law Shen narrowed her eyes and replied happily.
She knew it!
As long as she performed well tonight, with her mother-in-law's personality, she would definitely not mistreat her!
She loved pastries the most!
"Ah Tao, help me add some firewood." Zhao Lanhua glanced at Ji Zhao and chuckled.
"Okay."
Zhao Lanhua immediately put on her apron, rolled up her sleeves, and lifted the lid of the pot.
There was only one bowl of rice left in the pot. It was definitely not enough for two people.
"Mother? Why don't I go back first?" Ji Zhao whispered when she saw her thoughtful expression.
"Add firewood!" Zhao Lanhua said without looking up. Then, she turned around and scooped a small bowl of flour from the cabinet.
She quickly added water and noodles and extravagantly added two eggs.
Fifteen minutes later, Ji Zhao couldn't help but gulp when she smelled the fragrance. "Mother? What are you making? Why is it so fragrant?"
"Dough drop soup." Zhao Lanhua kept stirring the pot with a big spoon. Finally, she added a pinch of white sugar to the soup.
In the end, she filled a bowl with the soup and handed it to Ji Zhao. "Be careful of the heat. Blow on it before you eat it!"
"Thank you, Mother!" Ji Zhao held the bowl of soup and smiled brightly.
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Chapter 19: What Do You Want to Do?
The dough drops in the soup were very chewy, and the taste was sweet and soft.
After a while, Ji Zhao finished the bowl of dough drop soup.
"Mother, this dough drop soup is really delicious." Ji Zhao smiled and showed her the empty bowl in his hand. "Mother, look, I've finished it!"
Shen Yao happened to walk into the kitchen and saw the bright smile on Ji Zhao's face.
He held his fist to his lips and coughed twice.
"Sanlang, why are you in the kitchen so late at night?" Zhao Lanhua asked with concern. "Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Mother will make it for you."
"Mother, I'm not hungry." Shen Yao shook his head gently. "Mother, I have something to say to Ji Ah Tao alone."
Zhao Lanhua subconsciously looked back at the nervous Ji Zhao and explained softly, "Mother brought her back. She injured her head and can't starve. She..."
"Mother," Shen Yao called her softly.
Zhao Lanhua nodded helplessly. In the end, she turned around and walked out of the kitchen.
Ji Zhao was so nervous that she did not dare to meet his gaze. She could only look down at her toes.
"I... I'll leave now... Don't be angry, okay?"
"What exactly do you want to do?" Shen Yao suddenly approached and stopped one step away from her. "Lift your head and answer my question."
"I really don't want to do anything." Ji Zhao looked up. The smile on her face was pale and powerless. "Mother is kind. She's afraid that I won't have anything to eat when I return to the Earth Temple, so she cooked dough drop soup for me. I really don't have any ill intentions."
"That's not your mother." Shen Yao interrupted her expressionlessly. "Also, don't come to my house again."
Ji Zhao suddenly felt a dullness in her heart. She was so sad that she could not speak.
She answered sullenly, "Got it."
Ji Zhao turned around and left the Shen residence. The hazy moonlight made her back look very lonely.
In the Shen family's house, Zhao Lanhua sighed sadly. "Sanlang, Ah Tao seems to have really repented..."
"It's late. Mother, rest early." Shen Yao forcefully interrupted her words of pleading. He turned around and limped back to his room.
Ji Zhao, who had returned to the Earth Temple, silently leaned against the reed mat in the corner. She rested her chin on her hands, her gaze empty.
It was not easy to untie the knot in Shen Yao's heart!
The road ahead was long!
Ji Zhao thought about it for a while and felt sleepy. After a while, she fell asleep.
The next morning, Zhao Lanhua was worried about Ji Zhao's head injury and went to the kitchen early in the morning to make a big bowl of steamed egg.
Ji Zhao was awakened by her craving.
She smelled a strong fragrance and could not help but swallow. Then, she slowly opened her eyes.
"You're awake?" Zhao Lanhua, who was packing the firewood, heard the commotion and turned around with a smile. "I made steamed egg. Eat it while it's hot."
"Mother, how can I accept this?" Ji Zhao hurriedly waved her hand to decline. "I can't eat it."
Gulp-
Hearing her stomach growl, Zhao Lanhua stuffed the bowl of steamed egg into her hand. "Don't dawdle. Eat it while it's hot. Come with me to dig wild vegetables later."
"... Okay."
Ji Zhao had no choice but to finish the bowl of steamed egg. The steamed egg with sesame oil tasted even more fragrant.
After a while, the two of them went up the mountain together.
"It's the drought year now, and everything edible on the mountain has been dug up. It's rare for you to encounter a wild chicken fight yesterday." Zhao Lanhua chose a low hill and slowly squatted down, preparing to dig up wild vegetables.
"Mother! Don't move!" Ji Zhao frowned and shouted!
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Chapter 20: Sorry, I Misunderstood You
"What? What's wrong?" Zhao Lanhua, who was frightened by Ji Zhao, looked up and asked nervously.
"Snake..."
Ji Zhao swallowed nervously and stared at the dark red poisonous snake that was hanging upside down in the bushes an inch away from Zhao Lanhua. She said softly, "Mother, don't move!"
Zhao Lanhua was so nervous that she forgot to breathe. Beads of sweat suddenly appeared on her smooth forehead.
Ji Zhao took a deep breath. After adjusting her emotions, she picked up the scythe in Zhao Lanhua's hand at lightning speed and slashed at the poisonous snake!
"Ji Ah Tao! What are you doing?"
A hoarse shout suddenly sounded from behind her. Ji Zhao's hand trembled, and the scythe in her hand turned around. It failed to hit the snake's weak spot, and instead, the snake bit her wrist!
Hiss-
The sudden pain on her wrist made Ji Zhao gasp.
She tried her best to shake off the venomous snake on her wrist!
When Shen Yao, who had rushed over, saw this scene, his heart sank. He quickly seized the opportunity and grabbed the snake's weak spot!
"I..." Ji Zhao was about to explain when she suddenly felt her vision go dark. In the end, she fell to the ground and lost consciousness.
It was not until dark that Ji Zhao slowly opened her eyes.
What greeted her eyes was a plain greenish-gray tent. She blinked blankly, her gaze empty and powerless.
"Are you... alright?" Shen Yao walked to the bed and asked softly, "Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"I..." Ji Zhao turned her head to look at him. The moment she wanted to explain, she suddenly felt very wronged. Her tears kept falling like pearls.
"I'm sorry. I misunderstood you." Seeing her cry, Shen Yao felt even more guilty.
"From afar, I thought you wanted to harm my mother, so I stopped you... I didn't expect you to raise the sickle to hit that poisonous snake," Shen Yao explained frankly. "The doctor has already come to take a look. Your life is no longer in danger, but you still have to drink medicine just in case."
"Mm." Ji Zhao wanted to sit down herself, but there was a sudden pain on her right wrist. It was so painful that she gasped.
Shen Yao thought for a moment and went forward to help her arrange the pillow. He then held her shoulder and helped her sit up.
"Thank you," Ji Zhao said softly.
"Drink the medicine first." Shen Yao let go of her uncomfortably and turned to leave.
Ji Zhao picked up the bowl of black medicine, wrinkled her nose, and drank it in one gulp.
To her surprise, the medicine actually had a hint of sweetness.
In the central room of the Shen family.
Zhao Lanhua looked at the silent Shen Yao and advised softly, "Sanlang, I know that you still have a knot in your heart with Ah Tao. However, if Ah Tao hadn't helped me today, I'm afraid I would have been bitten to death by that poisonous snake. Also, Ah Tao gave me the money from selling the wild chickens yesterday. I think she has really repented. Moreover, she hasn't signed the divorce letter until now. I think she has really thought it through."
Shen Yao did not say anything. He just lowered his head and gripped the big tea bowl in his hand tightly.
Knock knock-
Ji Zhao, who was standing outside the door, raised her hand and knocked on the wooden door. Then, she smiled faintly. "Mother, it's getting late. I'll go back to the Earth Temple first."
Without waiting for Zhao Lanhua's reply, Ji Zhao turned around and left.
"Ah Tao, wait!" Zhao Lanhua anxiously shot her son a look. "The doctor said that the venomous snake is very poisonous. Ah Tao has to rest more! Third son, don't forget that if you hadn't suddenly appeared and frightened Ah Tao, she wouldn't have been bitten by the poisonous snake!"
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Chapter 21: It Feels So Good to Sleep Under a Blanket~
Shen Yao pursed his lips tightly. In the end, he did not go out to chase after Ji Zhao.
Zhao Lanhua stomped her feet anxiously. She puffed up her cheeks and said angrily, "Ah Tao's head injury hasn't healed yet! And she hasn't eaten yet!"
On the other side.
Ji Zhao returned to the Earth Temple with heavy steps.
She leaned against the reed mat in the corner with difficulty and hugged her knees. Her eyes were filled with grievance and sadness.
The moment she was bitten by the poisonous snake, she thought that she could return to her original world.
In the end, it turned out that it was all wishful thinking.
Ji Zhao, who had been letting her imagination run wild for a while, was finally pulled back from her thoughts by hunger.
There was also a small bowl of cherries on the shrine to the Earth God.
She knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God piously and said guiltily, "Please forgive me, Earth God. I was bitten by a snake today and really don't have the strength to go out and search for food. I'll go out to find food tomorrow morning!"
Just as Ji Zhao was about to take the cherries, she heard heavy footsteps.
Shen Yao, who was carrying a wicker basket, bent over and walked into the Earth Temple.
"Why are you here?" Ji Zhao frowned in confusion.
Shen Yao did not answer her. Instead, he put down the basket on his back and took out a thin blanket. He placed it on the reed mat in the corner and added another layer of bedsheets.
After doing this, he untied the water bag tied to his waist and took out an oil paper bag.
"My mother made sesame pastries tonight." Shen Yao sat cross-legged on an edge of the reed mat. He looked up at Ji Zhao and said calmly and gently, "If you hadn't saved my mother today, I'm afraid the consequences would have been unimaginable. Logically speaking, I should thank you."
"Mother treated me very well. She even ignored the past and brought me to the county city to treat my illness. It's only right that I treat her well," Ji Zhao said sincerely.
"Mm," Shen Yao replied.
The two of them sat opposite each other in silence.
Ji Zhao felt that the atmosphere was a little awkward until her stomach growled again.
"You have to eat the sesame pastry while it's hot. It won't taste good when it's cold," Shen Yao suddenly reminded.
"Oh, okay."
Ji Zhao subconsciously nodded in response. She opened the oil paper bag and gently took a bite of the sesame pastry that was still warm.
It was salty, crispy, and delicious.
Shen Yao thought for a moment and said again, "We've already divorced. If we live together again, it will affect your future greatly."
"Huh?"
"You..." Shen Yao looked away awkwardly. "You're still a virgin. When you repay the Shen family's money in the future, you can marry another good man. If you and I live together, it will definitely affect your reputation. That's why I don't want you to return to the Shen family."
Ji Zhao was very surprised.
She did not expect Shen Yao to be so considerate for her.
"Oh," Ji Zhao replied silently and lowered her head to continue eating the pastry.
Shen Yao touched his nose uncomfortably. "It's getting late. You should rest early too."
However, he seemed to have forgotten how short the Earth Temple was, so the moment he suddenly stood up, his head inevitably hit the eaves.
"Are you alright?" Ji Zhao quickly asked.
"I-I'm fine." Shen Yao covered his head and quickly left the Earth Temple.
Ji Zhao looked at his hasty back and fell into deep thought.
Would Shen Yao, who looked a little silly, really become a high-ranking Grand Secretary in the future?
After filling her stomach, Ji Zhao lay flat and rested.
It felt so good to sleep under the blanket~
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Chapter 22: Mother? Where Are We Going?
The next day, Ji Zhao, who had slept soundly, felt refreshed.
After packing up the bedding, she prepared to go out to hunt.
She carried the basket on her back and went up the mountain. In less than an hour, she had dug up half a basket of wild yams.
Then, she went to the river and luckily picked up six wild duck eggs again.
At that time, in the Shen family's courtyard.
Zhao Lanhua was busy preparing breakfast for the family in the kitchen. She was worried about Ji Zhao's injury and specially cooked noodles for her.
"Mother, what are you doing? It smells so good." Second Sister-in-law Shen lifted the curtain and entered the kitchen with a smile.
"Earlier, your eldest brother asked someone to bring back two pig bones, so I made bone soup," Zhao Lanhua replied straightforwardly. "Second Wife, quickly set up the bowls!"
"Okay!" Second Sister-in-law Shen's eyes lit up when she heard that there was bone soup to drink!
"Mother, are you at home?" Ji Zhao, who was standing by the door, raised her hand and knocked on the unlocked door of the Shen residence.
"I'm in the kitchen! Ah Tao, come over directly!" Zhao Lanhua quickly responded and said to Second Sister-in-law Shen, "Second Wife, set up an extra bowl."
"Oh." Second Sister-in-law Shen reluctantly took another bowl and muttered softly.
This Ji Zhao was really lucky!
Zhao Lanhua ignored her and continued to pull noodles.
Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen with a basket on her back. "Mother, I dug up a lot of yams and picked up a few wild duck eggs."
"Really?" Second Sister-in-law Shen's eyes widened in surprise. She quickly walked to Ji Zhao's side and looked around curiously.
"Yes." Ji Zhao smiled happily. "I didn't expect my luck to be so good today."
"Don't worry about that for now. Go wash your hands and eat together later!" Zhao Lanhua quickly said.
"... Okay, thank you, Mother!"
After dawn, in the Shen family's central room, everyone sat around the square table.
Shen Dashan looked at Ji Zhao, who was sitting at the corner, with a complicated gaze. In the end, he did not say anything.
"If Ah Tao hadn't saved me yesterday, I'm afraid I would have died." Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "Let's not talk about the past. In the future, Ah Tao will eat with our family. If anyone has any objections, feel free to mention it to me."
Everyone tacitly kept quiet. After all, Zhao Lanhua had the final say in the Shen family.
"Since no one has any objections to this matter, don't just stand there, eat!"
After stewing the bone soup for the entire night, the fragrance was very strong.
The chewy noodles were soaked in bone broth, followed by delicious sour bamboo shoots and delicious fried eggs. The three different textures formed a rich layer, making one intoxicated. After eating all the noodles and taking a sip of the broth, the taste was so beautiful that it made one speechless.
"Looking at the sun outside, I'm afraid it's going to be another dry day today." Shen Dashan was the first to put down his bowl and chopsticks. He said worriedly, "Third son, go out with me later. The two of us will strive to water more land."
"Okay!"
"Second wife, help me pack lunch, peel some yams, and wash some dried mushrooms." Before leaving, Zhao Lanhua instructed Second Sister-in-law Shen before turning to look at Ji Zhao. "Let's go."
"Mother? Where are we going?" Ji Zhao was very puzzled.
"Let's go back to your family," Zhao Lanhua said firmly. "Don't stand there foolishly. Let's go and come back quickly. We should be able to make it back in time for lunch."
Ji Zhao nodded obediently and followed behind her.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had just walked 1 kilometer when they were stopped.
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Chapter 23: Ah Tao, You Hit Me?
The man in front of her was wearing a green long robe that looked wrinkled.
The man had a pair of peach blossom eyes, but his nose was a little sunken and looked very out of place.
More importantly, Ji Zhao was a little apprehensive under his resentful gaze.
Ji Zhao silently shrunk her head and subconsciously glanced at Zhao Lanhua beside him. She asked curiously, "Mother, who is he?"
Hearing this, Zhao Xian revealed a pained expression. "Tao'er, what's wrong?"
That word Tao'er almost made Ji Zhao spit out her breakfast!
She suppressed the discomfort in her heart and tried her best to say calmly, "I really don't know you. Can you please move aside? You're blocking the way."
Zhao Lanhua glanced at Ji Zhao. Seeing that her eyes were clear, she knew what was going on.
It seemed that Ah Tao really did not remember.
"I'm your Brother Xian~ How can you forget me?" Zhao Xian pretended to hold his chest in pain and sobbed sadly. "Ah Tao, it's all my fault. If it weren't for my sudden abdominal pain that day, I think we would definitely have become a godly couple. It's all my fault..."
How could Ji Zhao not understand?
The pretentious man in front of her was probably Scholar Zhao, whom the original host had admired.
Ji Zhao remembered that the original owner of the body was devoted to Scholar Zhao. She listened to his sweet words and did not hesitate to steal and rob just to let him live freely. However, this Zhao Xian was not a good person. He used the original owner to obtain money. In the end, he felt bored and sold the original owner. When the original owner appeared again, she was already crazy and stupid.
Although the host had brought this upon herself, Zhao Xian was too much!
The more she thought about it, the angrier Ji Zhao became. She suddenly walked forward, rolled up her sleeves, and attacked his face from both sides!
Zhao Xian, who had been slapped twice, was dumbfounded.
"Ah Tao? You hit me?"
"Cut the crap and return the money!" Ji Zhao glared at him and shouted aggressively, "A year ago, you cheated me of my personal jade pendant for six taels of silver. Half a year ago, you took away two taels of silver that I earned from embroidery. Three months ago, you went to my house and took away a pair of silver earrings that were worth one tael of silver! Also, the silver you asked me to steal from the Shen family a few days ago added up to a total of twenty-one taels of silver and six taels of silver and five cents! Quickly return it to me!"
"You... Ah Tao... How did you become like this?" Zhao Xian widened his eyes in disbelief. His tone was filled with pain. "Have you forgotten the oath we promised each other? How can you treat me like this..."
"Return the money!" Ji Zhao's face was tense as she said expressionlessly, "If you don't return the money, let's go to the county office to argue right and wrong!"
"You're spouting nonsense..." Zhao Xian, whose face had turned red from anger, gritted his teeth and said, "You willingly gave those to me!"
"Pfft!" Ji Zhao placed his hands on his hips and angrily spat on his face. "Even if I was blind in the past, as an Scholar, you actually urged an ignorant village woman like me to steal the Shen family's money! You're the mastermind! If you're unwilling to return the money, I'll go to the county office and beat the drum of injustice. At that time, I'll let the county magistrate carefully distinguish who's right and who's wrong!"
Zhao Xian did not expect Ji Ah Tao, who had always been humble and gentle in front of him, to become so domineering. He took two steps back in a panic and finally fled like a frightened rabbit...
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Chapter 24: The Ji Family
"Mother?" Ji Zhao turned around slightly and lowered her head in shame.
The Host was really too stupid. That was why she was deceived by Zhao Xian.
Thinking about how the original owner had given all the money she had stolen from the Shen family to Zhao Xian, Ji Zhao's heart ached!
She strongly suspected that the Host had Stockholm Syndrome!
Zhao Lanhua suddenly held her right hand and took a closer look.
"In the future, when you hit someone, you have to use your skill. Look, your hand is swollen," Zhao Lanhua said earnestly.
"I understand, Mother." Ji Zhao smiled faintly, feeling much more relaxed.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sped up and finally arrived at Pomegranate Village at midnight.
The location of Pomegranate Village was a little remote compared to Shanghe Village. More importantly, Pomegranate Village was built against a mountain. There was no water source nearby, and cracks appeared in the fields of every family.
Everything edible in the village had been dug up.
The Ji Family's house was located at the end of the village. It was a short three-door loess house surrounded by a fence.
There were two pomegranate trees planted in front of the door.
The pomegranate tree, which should have been full of branches and leaves, was too dry. It was bare and listless, looking very desolate.
Cough cough-
A thick and heavy cough came from the room on the left, interrupting Ji Zhao's thoughts.
"Looks like your grandfather's illness hasn't fully recovered." Zhao Lanhua frowned and sighed.
"Mm." Ji Zhao pushed open the fence door and called out with a smile, "Grandpa, Grandma, are you at home?"
"Yes, yes!" Madam Xie, who was tidying up the firewood in the kitchen, hurriedly walked out. "Ah Tao, is that you?"
"Yes, Grandma, I'm back." Ji Zhao smiled politely and asked softly, "Grandma, my mother-in-law is also here. Can I trouble you to help entertain her? Leave the kitchen work to me."
"Oh, in-laws are here too?" Madam Xie saw Zhao Lanhua holding some pastries in her hand and smiled widely. "Quick, quick, come in and sit!"
Madam Xie warmly welcomed Zhao Lanhua into the inner room.
The Ji family's inner room was very simple. There were only two faded red benches and a square table with a sprained corner.
"In-law, there's nothing good at home. There's only a small handful of white sugar left. Can you make do with it?" Madam Xie quickly poured a cup of sugar water for Zhao Lanhua.
Even the big porcelain bowl that was filled with sugar water was missing a corner.
The Ji family was really poor.
"You're too kind." Zhao Lanhua sat down with a smile and placed the two packets of pastries on the table. "I don't know what flavors you like, so I took two packets of sesame pastries. Try them!"
"Oh my, in-law, you're too polite..." Madam Xie said with a smile. "We're already very grateful that you brought Ah Tao back to us... If the old man hadn't been so sick back then, I wouldn't have let Ah Tao marry someone so early..."
Madam Xie suddenly began to wipe her tears and sobbed sadly. "Yesterday, I heard that Ah Tao did something to let the third son of the Shen family down. It's all because we didn't teach her well... But in order to treat the old man, we've already spent the two taels of betrothal gifts..."
Zhao Lanhua's eyes twitched.
It seemed that the old lady had misunderstood.
"You've misunderstood. I'm not here to ask for money." Zhao Lanhua quickly comforted her. "Ah Tao is quite good. She didn't do anything to let my third son down. Those gossipy women are deliberately stirring up trouble. Don't listen to their nonsense."
"Really? Really?" Madam Xie stopped crying and looked very surprised.