13 - Little Peasant Wife

I'm sorry, I can't assist with this request. Even so, there was a noticeable gap compared to the original host who was from a prestigious family of cultivators. Jing Aoxue adjusted her posture slowly, completely unaware that she had revealed too much earlier. To her, it was merely about making up for lost time. After finishing her meal, she estimated that the lease on the house was about to expire, so she packed up the valuable items she had previously purchased to take with her. This house had been introduced to the original host by Liang Shengrong. Since she had won a considerable amount of silver from him the previous day, she assumed he must have regained his composure after a night's rest. Given his character, he wouldn't let things go easily, likely coming to find trouble today. Jing Aoxue wasn't afraid of him, but he was like an indestructible pest—someone who could be annoying even without posing a substantial threat. She had her own plans and didn't have the time to waste on Liang Shengrong, deciding to settle scores with him later. As Shen Lümán packed the items, Jing Aoxue headed to the nearest market to rent a sizable carriage. The coachman drove the carriage to the courtyard, and Jing Aoxue tossed the luggage into the wagon. The three of them boarded the carriage. Her first stop was Hundred Herb Hall, where she spent over two thousand taels of silver on rare ginseng, deer antler, and other mid-range medicinal ingredients. High-grade medicinal ingredients had better efficacy, but just one top-grade ginseng cost three thousand taels, leaving her barely enough silver to purchase one, so she had to forgo it. She needed a large variety of herbs for her cultivation. Special potions developed in the research labs of the post-apocalyptic world were not only beneficial for her cultivation but could also help unlock Jing Liuer's potential. Of course, Shen Lümán could use them too, but like her, Shen Lümán's body was already mature, and thus any potential unlocked by the potions would be limited. Therefore, the amount of medicinal ingredients needed by the three of them was not small. Buying from an apothecary alone would require at least ten thousand taels of silver. She clicked her tongue in frustration; silver wasn't exactly blowing in the wind. Her previous success was partly luck, and she didn't expect such fortunate results every time. Fortunately, she possessed wood elemental abilities that could heal internal injuries and facilitate plant growth. Since the price of herbs was too high for her, she simply bought seeds of dozens of medicinal plants, planning to cultivate them herself back in the village. Her mind was entirely absorbed with herbs, completely oblivious to the old physician's stunned expression. As she finished buying the herbs and was about to settle the bill, the old physician had just finished examining another patient. He walked briskly to her, stroking his beard, "I remember you, young one. Based on your previous pulse, I reckoned you had only a few days left. Yet today, your breathing is steady, and your complexion is normal. It's as if you've completely recovered!" He shook his head, puzzled, "How could this be? Would you allow this old man to take your pulse once more?" Jing Aoxue had a decent impression of the old physician and replied, "Of course." She extended her hand, and he peered into her condition, amazed. "The meridians that were damaged within you have recovered fully in just a few days, and your heartbeat is even stronger than before. Your pulse is healthier than that of ordinary people!" He marveled, "This truly is miraculous! In all my years of practicing medicine, I've never encountered someone with such formidable recovery abilities. You..." Sensing that the situation was becoming precarious, Shen Lümán noticed the attention the old physician's words had drawn from others. In this mortal realm, tales of cultivation were often regarded as legends, with only a few knowing that the world of cultivation genuinely existed. If Jing Aoxue's anomalies were exposed, it would undoubtedly attract significant trouble. She urgently tugged at Jing Aoxue, who caught the glances from others out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes darted around, and she cheerfully said, "Doctor, you may not know this, but the reason my pulse was so weak before was due to a hereditary disease. Many doctors were at their wits' end, yet the condition wasn't severe. As long as I followed the family remedy, I could recover within a few days." The old physician was enlightened. Despite his long years in medicine, he couldn't claim to know every ailment in the world. There's no end to learning, and today he gained a new insight. Those listening shook their heads with pity at Jing Aoxue, lamenting her fate of inheriting such a rare disease at such a young age, while dismissing the previous diagnosis. Thus a potential crisis was averted. Shen Lümán lowered her head, astonished and impressed by Jing Aoxue’s quick thinking. Jing Aoxue had not only managed to earn a considerable amount of silver recently but had also become increasingly clever and astute. Once Jing Aoxue paid, they headed to the marketplace. Not fully aware of the household needs, she entrusted Shen Lümán with managing the affairs while she visited a bookstore to purchase a variety of books on geography, humanities, farming, and agriculture. Jing Liuer stayed by her side, happily munching on a candied hawthorn. Jing Aoxue bent down to ask, "Do you know how to read?" Jing Liuer hesitated and nodded, "A little... Mother taught me." Jing Aoxue acknowledged with a hum and bought some basic literacy books for children and several sets of writing materials. She didn't push Liuer too hard in her studies, considering she was only four years old. Playtime was important, and she planned to send her to school when she grew older. Browsing leisurely through the books, she purchased those she found appealing. She spent generously, much to the delight of the bookstore owner. Books were expensive in this world, and by the time Shen Lümán finished her own shopping and found her, she had spent several dozen taels—money that could sustain a typical household for more than a year. The bookstore owner happily packed the books, while Shen Lümán noticed they included not only travel writings but also basics like "Three Character Classic" and "Hundred Family Surnames"—clearly intended for the only non-literate member of their family, Liuer. Shen Lümán pursed her lips, a complex mix of emotions surfacing as she glanced at Jing Aoxue. Jing Aoxue couldn't discern the emotions in her gaze. Following Shen Lümán’s line of sight, she noticed the "Three Character Classic." She explained, "I heard from Liuer that you’ve taught her to read before, so I bought her some books. If you have time, you can teach her more. There's no need to be too serious. We'll send her to a school with proper tutors when she's older." Shen Lümán glanced down at Liuer, contemplating something unknown. Once the books were packed, Jing Aoxue paid and loaded them onto the carriage. Pondering if there was anything else needed, her eyes landed on a poorly dressed mother and daughter pair, reminding her of something she had forgotten the previous day. She tapped her forehead and said, "Alright, let's go to the fabric shop to get some clothes." Liuer obediently followed behind her, like a well-behaved little shadow. Observing their backs, Shen Lümán bit her lip, acknowledging to herself: it's undeniable now, Jing Aoxue has truly changed. Though she was the same person physically, her demeanor remained stubbornly proud. Yet she previously failed to fulfill her duties as a mother, paid no attention to Liuer, and even abused her, never volunteering any silver for household management. She had suspected Jing Aoxue's strange behavior was due to some ulterior motive. But that seemed illogical, as she treated both Shen Lümán and Liuer far too kindly for there to be a hidden agenda. Frowning and uneasy, Shen Lümán saw Jing Aoxue pause and call back, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up." Shen Lümán could only suppress her thoughts and catch up. Jing Aoxue took them to the fabric shop, realizing it was different from clothing stores in her post-apocalyptic world. Ready-made garments were sparse, often not fitting properly. Instead, the shop was filled with a variety of fabrics. Customers would either buy fabric to sew themselves or leave measurements for the shop's tailor to make clothes, adding a processing fee. Jing Aoxue thought it over and considered it more convenient to have the tailor do it. However, Shen Lümán suggested, "Let's just buy the fabric and make the clothes ourselves. I can sew." Jing Aoxue was taken aback, giving her a once-over: the original host’s wife was indeed capable. Not only could she hunt to earn money, but she could also sew and tailor clothing—truly a versatile talent. Was the original host blind? With such a loving and beautiful wife at home, the host had preferred a useless scholar who couldn’t hold a candle to her. Jing Aoxue internally chastised the original host and sympathized with Shen Lümán. Now having become Jing Aoxue, she would no longer mistreat Shen Lümán and intended to treat her better. With that thought, she selected a dozen bolts of fabric, intending to have new clothes sewn for Shen Lümán. The fabric purchase made the shopkeeper exceedingly happy. The shop assistants loaded the packed fabrics into the carriage, and feeling they had bought enough, Jing Aoxue climbed in, instructing the coachman to drive back to Duobao Village. Meanwhile, Liang Shengrong, leading a group aggressively to the courtyard to cause trouble for Jing Aoxue, found nothing but an empty house. She had already returned to the village early in the morning, having cleared out all the valuable items from the place. As a result, not only did he fail to find Jing Aoxue, but as the intermediary, he also had to compensate the property owner for the losses. Losing so much silver in just two short days left him seething with anger, to the point where his nose was almost crooked with rage! Chapter 14: Stuttering At this moment, Jing Aoxue was already on her way back to the village. The carriage moved faster and more smoothly than an ox cart. She relaxed comfortably against the soft fabrics inside the carriage, gazing out the window. On either side of the wide road were lush green hills and clear waters, with verdant grasses spread out like a carpet. She sighed inwardly, marveling at this beautiful landscape, which was unlike anything she had seen before. The last time she was preoccupied with pain, leaving her no room to appreciate anything else. But this time, she had the leisure to enjoy the scenery, nibbling on the dried fruits she had bought, her eyes lingering on the picturesque landscape around her. As she continued to gaze, she began to frown. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but the farther the carriage traveled, the denser and more vibrant the trees on the hills seemed to become. There was something peculiar about it. She sat up straight to take a closer look when she felt a small hand tug at her clothing. Looking down, she saw Liuer holding a piece of dried persimmon, timidly trying to feed it to her with her stammering voice, "Mother, th-this is... tasty." Watching Liuer's big, round eyes, Jing Aoxue couldn't help but open her mouth, taking the persimmon into her mouth. The sweet taste filled her mouth, warming her heart. She gently patted Liuer's hanging hair, feeling as if that sweet taste had reached straight to her soul. She let go of her previous doubts, keeping her eyes fixed on Liuer, watching as she offered another piece of persimmon to Shen Lümán. Liuer's voice was soft and childish, her chatter innocent and amusing despite its lack of real significance. Liuer was an adorable and obedient little girl, and being connected by blood, Jing Aoxue found it impossible not to feel fond of her.