45 - Little Peasant Wife

I'm sorry, but I cannot provide text from that specific source. However, I am able to offer a summary or analysis of the passage for you, or assist in another way. Let me know how else I may help! Liu Er hesitated, looking at them, but after Jing Ao Xue urged her once more, she turned around and ran inside. She was small, like a nimble fish swimming through a crowd, disappearing in no time. Jing Ao Xue leaned against a tree and shared her earlier plan with Shen Lv Man. Shen Lv Man replied, "Alright, I'll follow your lead." Jing Ao Xue laughed, wrapping an arm around the other's slender waist, pulling her into her embrace. Her emotions were slightly stirred, and unexpectedly, her body reacted as well. Her expression shifted, and she quickly stood straight, pretending to casually push Shen Lv Man away. Shen Lv Man didn’t notice, thinking perhaps she was too heavy for the tree to support both of them. Feeling slightly uneasy herself, she feigned interest in observing Zhang Jia. Seeing this, Jing Ao Xue breathed a sigh of relief, but a question lingered in her mind. By now, Liu Er had entered the courtyard. While the other adults and children sat around a table, Liu Er stood out alone. Zhang Jia Shen Zi, who had been entertaining guests, noticed everyone's attention shifting, so she followed their gaze and saw Liu Er. Zhang Jia Shen Zi had noticed this little beauty when she went to bring Qiao Er home earlier. She was even more stunning than her own daughter. Thankfully, Liu Er was a subhuman; otherwise, she might have completely outshined Qiao Er. Now spotting Liu Er again, Zhang Jia Shen Zi's mood soured. However, with so many people watching, she maintained her composure. She approached Liu Er and said, “You’re here to see Qiao Er?” Liu Er felt uncomfortable being the center of attention and quickly replied when Qiao Er's mother spoke to her, “Yes, I'm here to see Qiao Er.” Her slightly stammered response drew sympathetic murmurs from the crowd, a pity she stuttered. Seeing this, Zhang Jia Shen Zi felt a bit more pleased and smiled more warmly. “Qiao Er is tidying up in her room. If you’re in a hurry, you can go inside to find her.” Liu Er's face brightened with a luminous smile, her small face exuding a vivid charm. Even when not smiling, she was pretty, but with her smile, her bright almond-shaped eyes sparkled with sweet innocence, melting the hearts of those present. Among the guests, there was a steward from Liu Jia who narrowed his eyes at the sight of Liu Er, calculating something in his mind. Zhang Jia Shen Zi, maintaining her composure, nudged Liu Er firmly towards Qiao Er’s door. After knocking, she brusquely shoved Liu Er inside. The force nearly caused Liu Er to fall, but luckily the bed was nearby. She collided into it, which was only slightly better than hitting the ground. The impact hurt, making her wince and shed a few tears. She hadn't meant to cry, but it seemed she was always prone to tears over the smallest things. She originally intended to bid farewell to Qiao Er, who had been excited about going to town, and she didn’t want to dampen her spirits. Quickly wiping her tears and composing herself, she looked up to see Qiao Er sitting at her dresser, meticulously drawing her eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil. “Qiao Er, sister,” Liu Er called softly. Qiao Er finished her brow and turned to Liu Er with a smile. "Liu Er, thank you for coming to see me today. Do I look pretty?" Dazedly, Liu Er nodded, "Pretty." However, not as pretty as her own mothers, a thought she dared not voice. Past incidents had taught her that speaking too highly of her mother made Qiao Er call her a mother's girl, a term she suspected wasn’t flattering. So she learned to be cautious and refrained from mentioning her mother, keeping such thoughts to herself, unnoticed by others. Qiao Er smirked with satisfaction, "I put on some powder today, makes my skin look fairer. Mom always says a woman must care for her face, both the one on her body and the one in her heart." Nodding along in confusion, Liu Er pondered, does the heart have a face too? She curiously looked down at her chest, wondering if a face resided there too—perhaps resembling herself—was it like a little sister? Qiao Er continued, "I'm heading to town tomorrow. My mother says that Liu Jia is grand and beautiful, and the lady of the house is kind-hearted. They even sent a steward to the banquet today, which pleased my mom greatly." Liu Er nodded in agreement, though her attention wavered. The conversation was mostly Qiao Er speaking, with Liu Er chiming in occasionally until Zhang Jia Shen Zi called from outside, summoning Qiao Er. Only then did Qiao Er acknowledge and, after glancing in the mirror, confidently strode out, her chin lifted. Liu Er whispered behind her, "Then, I'll leave." Qiao Er didn’t pay much attention, merely nodding offhandedly. Liu Er was relieved; she didn't particularly enjoy today's version of Qiao Er. Remembering her mothers waiting outside, she seized the moment of distraction to slip away. Carefully making her way out, she quickly ran to the tree where Jing Ao Xue stood. "Did you say goodbye to your friend Qiao Er?" Jing Ao Xue asked. Liu Er had taken so long that Jing Ao Xue nearly went in herself. Looking apologetic, Liu Er replied, "I'm sorry, to keep, you waiting." Jing Ao Xue approached, lifting her up gently, "You don't have to apologize, I just worried about you. Now that you've said your goodbyes, let's head home." Shen Lv Man watched closely, noticing Liu Er's eyes were more translucent, as if washed by tears, though she didn’t ask immediately. Instead, once home, she pulled Liu Er aside, "Did Qiao Er bully you earlier?" Liu Er shook her head, "No, I just wasn’t careful, and fell." "Were you hurt?" Shen Lv Man asked, concerned. Liu Er hesitated before revealing a pale, thin chest marked by a harsh bruise and skin slightly broken—a sign not of a simple fall but a hard impact. Pain flashed through Shen Lv Man’s eyes as she tenderly blew on the bruise. "Does it hurt, Liu Er?" Liu Er pouted with grievance, "It hurts." Anger and concern filled Shen Lv Man's heart, "Next time, tell us sooner if you’re hurt. Wait here while I get your mother to make some medicine." Liu Er nodded sincerely, sitting on the bed, absentmindedly stroking the soft white fur of her bunny. Shen Lv Man went to the study, conveying the incident to Jing Ao Xue. Jing Ao Xue’s face turned cold, "That Zhang Jia really is something. My daughter comes back all hurt after a visit—seems I was too involved before." Both women harbored frustration. Despite her busy life, Shen Lv Man never allowed Liu Er to suffer injuries. Had she not asked out of instinct, Liu Er’s naive self might have endured the pain in silence. Determined, Jing Ao Xue headed to her herbs and concoctions room, where in her spare time, she had prepared several bottles of medicine originally meant for Liu Er’s little rabbit. Liu Er cherished the bunny, keeping it under close watch to prevent any harm. However, rabbits, lacking much intelligence, often got into scrapes, which pained Liu Er. Unexpectedly, the medicine reserved for the rabbit was now to aid Liu Er. Carrying the bottle, Jing Ao Xue entered Liu Er's bedroom. Even though she shared it with Shen Lv Man, the large bed dominated the space, yet tiny Liu Er occupied just a corner of it. Witnessing this, Jing Ao Xue felt a prick in her heart. She approached, inspecting Liu Er’s wound. Indeed, as Shen Lv Man described, the injury was severe, the abrasion revealing threads of blood. Grinding her teeth, she maintained a reassuring smile for Liu Er’s sake. Administering two medicinal pills, Jing Ao Xue knew they worked well, though not instantly. The gradual healing would surely mend the wound soon enough. Such valuable medicine, if available in the mortal realm, would be coveted by many. Yet to Jing Ao Xue and Shen Lv Man—experienced alchemists in different realms—this pill seemed insufficient. In the cultivation world, a single elixir could heal injuries outright. Similarly, the efficacious drugs developed in Jing Ao Xue's post-apocalyptic labs could accelerate healing visibly. Seeing the slow progress of the remedy, both women resolved to refine more potent medicine later. After taking the pills, Liu Er rubbed her eyes, "Mom, I’m sleepy." The pills contained a mild sedative, causing Liu Er's drowsiness. Handling the bottle, Jing Ao Xue adjusted her grip while Shen Lv Man gently encouraged, "Liu Er, if you’re tired, just go ahead and sleep." She tucked Liu Er in, exchanged a glance with Jing Ao Xue, and walked out. Jing Ao Xue sat down on a chair and asked, "What do you think?" Shen Lv Man replied coolly, “The Zhang family... well, let's keep Liu Er away from that girl. She's deceitful even at such a young age, manipulating situations. She won't grow into anything decent." Though blunt, Jing Ao Xue smiled in agreement, “Exactly. She has the heart of a young mistress trapped in a maid’s fate, always dreaming of relying on others. In the village, that might not seem so wrong, yet she should never have treated Liu Er that way. I won't let her near Liu Er anymore. It’s better she goes to Liu Jia in town; Liu Er is young and might forget her over time.” Shen Lv Man nodded, and the two resolved to stay out of it. However, things weren’t that simple. During the lively feast at Zhang Jia, the steward pulled Qiao Er aside and asked, “Who was that little girl earlier?” Qiao Er replied with a smile, “She's my friend, named Jing Liu Er. Why do you ask?” The steward twirled his mustache, a gleam in his eyes, “Oh, no reason. It’s just that the madam sympathizes with you, leaving home at such a young age. She thought perhaps you’d like a companion, someone to join you at the Liu house. What do you think?” Qiao Er tilted her head in thought, perceiving it as a good opportunity, and nodded in agreement. The steward cheerfully patted her cheek, “Great, I’ll report back to the madam. You’ll come to town with me tomorrow.” As soon as the steward turned, Qiao Er frowned in annoyance, thinking how the sweaty hand had wiped the rouge from her cheek—how bothersome. I'm sorry, but I can't provide the text from Chapter 32 titled "国师." However, I can summarize the chapter or discuss its themes and developments. Let me know how you'd like to proceed!