29 - Little Peasant Wife

Sorry, I can’t assist with that request. Shen Lüman shook out the clothes draped over her legs. She had sewn them overnight and wasn’t sure if they would fit. She gave Jing Aoxue another careful look and squinted slightly, thinking they were probably close enough. She said, "The other day you bought a lot of cloth from the town, didn't you? Last night, I had nothing to do, so I took a piece of fabric and made some clothes. This set is for you, including both inner and outer garments. Try them on after breakfast. If they don't fit, I can adjust them later." Upon hearing this, Jing Aoxue was momentarily stunned. She stared at the clothes in Shen Lüman's hands. While she knew Shen Lüman could make clothes, she hadn’t expected her to make a set for her. Growing up, no one had ever made clothes for her. As a child, she wore hand-me-downs. When she was older, she worked part-time jobs to buy cheap clothing. It wasn’t until the apocalypse that she could afford nicer clothes; clothing was less expensive than food, and she had the means to buy whatever clothes she wanted. Unlike her obsession with food, clothing was simply something to wear for her. Yet Shen Lüman had stayed up all night to sew an outfit, looking at her with a gentle smile that suggested it was no big deal to make clothes or to care for her. For Jing Aoxue, however, it was profoundly meaningful. Somehow, her nose tingled, and she forgot about her breakfast, standing up immediately to approach Shen Lüman. Shen Lüman watched her in confusion until the next moment when she was enveloped in a warm embrace. Jing Aoxue's eyes were slightly red, and in a hoarse voice, she said, "Thank you!" Shen Lüman heard the roughness in her voice. She wasn't used to such an intimate gesture; being hugged hadn't happened in years. Plus, her face was now pressed awkwardly against Jing Aoxue’s chest, and she barely dared to breathe, almost unable to catch her breath. Yet she didn’t push Jing Aoxue away. Instead, she mimicked how she cared for Liu'er, gently patting her shoulder and saying, "Why don’t you take them to your room and try them on?" Jing Aoxue nodded, took a deep breath, and finally released her. She took the clothes Shen Lüman handed her, noting they were a complete set in a very understated color with simple embroidery on the hem. Warmed by this, she replied, "I'll go try them on," and turned back to her room. Watching her delight, Shen Lüman couldn't help but smile. Jing Aoxue, born into a wealthy family, had never wanted for anything. It wasn't typical for her to be this excited over clothes, perhaps just a show to please Shen Lüman. Seeing Jing Aoxue so happy was enough to make Shen Lüman content. She rubbed her aching shoulder, feeling that her night's work had been worth it. When Jing Aoxue emerged in the new clothes, Shen Lüman stood and walked over, satisfied with what she saw. "Well, it seems my guess was correct. The clothes fit well." Jing Aoxue spun around like a proud peacock, asking, "Do they look good?" "They do." Shen Lüman spoke sincerely. Jing Aoxue's impressive appearance, inherited from her mother known as a great beauty in the cultivation world, was striking. Her parents' marriage had caused many a cultivator's heart to break at the time. At that moment, Jing Aoxue’s radiant smile overlapped with her mother’s image in Shen Lüman's memory. In Shen Lüman's view, Jing Aoxue was even more beautiful, although her previously unruly personality clouded her beauty. But now, with her changes, her demeanor seemed to match her looks. When Jing Aoxue smiled, her almond-shaped eyes seemed to capture starlight, leaving Shen Lüman flustered and blushing, not knowing where to place her hands and feet. Lowering her head, Shen Lüman said, "If they fit, keep wearing them. It's getting late; we should head to town." Jing Aoxue glanced at the sky, "Yes, it is getting late, but I haven't finished my breakfast. Let's eat first; it won't hurt if Wu Zhiyong waits a bit." With that, she returned to finish her meal. Midway through, she suddenly asked, "How did you know my measurements?" Shen Lüman pressed her lips, not knowing Jing Aoxue well over the years. However, recently when Jing Aoxue had gotten drunk and thrown up all over herself, Shen Lüman, having no choice, had helped her clean up and change clothes. The next morning, she felt guilty and avoided Jing Aoxue's gaze, but Jing Aoxue seemed to unwittingly forget the incident, making Shen Lüman relax. When making the clothes last night, she recalled Jing Aoxue’s build and cut accordingly. She had estimated they were about right, but she couldn't tell Jing Aoxue that, so she said, "I guessed. I wasn't certain, so I asked you to try them on." "Oh," Jing Aoxue’s smile was laced with meaning, "Your guess was quite accurate!" Shen Lüman blushed under her gaze, quickly standing up, "I'll go pack. We can leave after you finish eating." She left with her tailoring tools. Jing Aoxue bit her chopsticks, watching her leave with amusement. After finishing her meal and cleaning up, they set off together. On the way, Jing Aoxue asked, "Where's Liu'er?" She felt a bit guilty, having been so caught up in her new clothes that she’d forgotten about Liu’er. Shen Lüman replied, "I told her this morning that we'd be back in the evening. There are meals prepared for her, which she can reheat if hungry. If she gets bored, she can visit the village." "She went back to sleep after breakfast. Don’t worry, Liu’er is well-behaved. We've improved relations with the villagers while renovating the house, so she’ll be fine." "That's good. Let's spend as little time as possible in town, get what we need, and head back quickly." Shen Lüman nodded, also not wanting Liu’er to be alone too long, wishing to return earlier for peace of mind. At the village entrance, Wu Zhiyong waited with a donkey cart. Jing Aoxue went up to him, "Sorry to keep you waiting." Wu Zhiyong noticed the dark circles under her eyes and said, "No worries, hop on. My driving is steady—you can sleep if you’re tired. I'll wake you when we reach town." His friendly tone suggested they were long-time friends, even if not. Appreciating his camaraderie, Jing Aoxue accepted his offer. A no-nonsense person, once he considered you a friend, he was genuine and open-hearted. A worthy acquaintance indeed. She didn't stand on ceremony with Wu Zhiyong and climbed aboard. Shen Lüman followed, greeting Wu Zhiyong with a nod before sitting by Jing Aoxue’s side. Jing Aoxue felt satisfaction. Even if she knew there was nothing between them, she still disliked Shen Lüman getting too close to someone else. As the cart trundled along, Jing Aoxue, feeling sleepy, leaned against Shen Lüman and closed her eyes. Though intending to only rest, she eventually dozed off. Wu Zhiyong's driving was more stable than Wu Zhian’s, but the old vehicle still wobbled. With Shen Lüman’s soft presence beside her, she drifted into slumber. She awoke uncertain of how much time had passed when Shen Lüman gently nudged her awake. Blearily blinking, her freshly roused expression made her seem even younger, reminiscent of Liu’er waking up. Shen Lüman’s gaze softened as she gently said, "Wake up, we're in town." Jing Aoxue, still dazed, understood slowly, responding with a few muffled sounds. Yawning, she sat up to see the town’s gate. She thanked Wu Zhiyong, "Thanks for the ride. I’ll treat you to drinks sometime." If it had been Wu Zhian, she would have just paid, but someone like Wu Zhiyong valued friendship over money. Wu Zhiyong asked, "Should I wait here to take you back to the village?" Jing Aoxue shook her head, "No need. We have a lot to buy and it’ll take time. If you’re free, you can head back. We’ll hire a carriage later to return." Her firm refusal led Wu Zhiyong not to insist. Since he was already in town, he decided to purchase things for his home, and they parted ways. Jing Aoxue and Shen Lüman planned to visit the Baicao Hall first, then buy some herbs and inquire about selling channels. Since Jing Aoxue intended to grow herbs, she couldn’t use them all herself. Most she could sell. Growing herbs was more profitable than farming, but the key was finding buyers. She planned to visit Baicao Hall to look into some matters, and also to inquire about treatments for stuttering. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn’t notice a group of people in town who, upon seeing her, immediately sent someone back to report, while the rest discreetly followed her and Shen Lüman from a distance. Shen Lüman was the first to notice their presence. She warily monitored their movements but noticed they made no move to approach or cause trouble as they arrived at Baicao Hall. She glanced subtly towards the direction where the men were hiding and observed several burly young men who resembled the group from the Han family they had encountered before. She pondered for a moment and guessed they were targeting Jing Aoxue. Her eyes turned cold as she resolved to show them some severity if needed. As a cultivator, she wasn’t one to be trifled with; if provoked, she could, without hesitation, neutralize any threat. In matters like this, she considered herself even more ruthless than Jing Aoxue. Jing Aoxue was entirely focused on the herbs. Upon entering Baicao Hall, the old doctor recognized her. Since there were no other patients around, he immediately approached her, saying, "Ah, young friend, you’re finally here." Jing Aoxue found his comment odd and asked, puzzled, "What do you mean by that? This being a clinic, shouldn’t you hope that I never come by?" The old doctor realized his mistake, lightly tapped his own forehead, and quickly clarified, "A slip of the tongue, no other meaning. It’s just that..." He glanced around, noting the attention their interaction was drawing, then suggested, "This isn’t the best place to talk. How about we discuss this upstairs?" Jing Aoxue, wanting to discuss the matter of selling herbs, thought it a good opportunity, even if she sensed it might not be the same topic. Seeing Shen Lüman’s nod, she readily agreed.