Chapter 4

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Dong Nuan’s palm was too small, and the yellow apricots were too big. They almost fell from her palm.

Sensing the weight in her palm, Dong Nuan opened her eyes and looked at the two juicy spheres. She revealed her first sincere smile in a while. “Luckily, my special ability still works.”

Although its magic powers were gone and the spiritual qi in this world was so thin that it was almost nonexistent, the bamboo spirit’s special ability still worked.

The bamboo spirit’s special ability was a close relationship with plants. She could nourish all the plants within a hundred-mile radius with just the air. She only needed to consume a little physical strength to obtain two high-quality, tender, and sweet apricots. Dong Nuan felt that was worth it.

The two big apricots quickly entered her stomach. Then, she pricked up her ears to listen to the situation outside.

It was nothing more than noise and curses interspersed with the sound of the old lady picking up a stick and pounding it on the ground.

Dong Nuan could not be bothered with them. She lay on the broken bed and prepared to sleep.

Xiaowan Village was located in the north of the north-south border, so most of the families in the village had heated beds. This way, in the winter, they could conserve firewood to burn.

If they didn’t know how to build things and had a larger population, they would have to think of other ways to keep warm.

For example, in Dong Erzhuang’s house, almost every room had four or five children sleeping in it. Coupled with two adults, it was really impossible to squeeze everyone in comfortably.

Hence, there was a broken bed in each room.

The bed in Dong Nuan’s house was about 5 feet wide. Dong Nuan and her two sisters slept on it. It was summer now, so there was no blanket on it. There was just some hay.

Dong Nuan did not mind. She lay on it and closed her eyes to go to sleep.

When she woke up, the house was quiet. Seeing that the sun was not as bright, she guessed that they had all gone back to work in the fields.

Dong Nuan got up and brushed down her gray coat. After brushing off the hay on it, she opened the door.

After passing by Fourth Uncle Dong’s room next door, she arrived at the main room. Dong Nuan washed her face. She could not go out with blood all over her face, right? At the same time, she had to rewrap the tattered bandage on her head.

Dong Nuan did not have precious items like bronze mirrors, so she could only catch a brief reflection in the water.

The little girl was about 60% similar to the original Dong Nuan, but her figure was too small and her face was too burnt. Her hair was tied into two small buns, and the condition of her hair was not good. It was yellow and brittle, like withered grass.

Dong Nuan did not intend to take too good care of herself. In this era where imperial power reigned supreme, most of the young girls on the farms who could not protect themselves and were too good-looking would not have a happy ending.

After packing up, she clapped her hands and left.

After a good sleep, she was much more energetic, so she decided to go out and cause more trouble.

As soon as she left the fenced yard, he saw Scholar Liao next door.

Oh, right, he had a proper name. His name was Liao Mingkun.

In this village, compared to the other boys with big heads, big eyes, and iron pillars for arms, Liao Mingkun was obviously very impressive.

The host’s younger brother, Dong Yao, was being tutored by Liao Mingkun. Madam Dong Wu paid him.

“Lil Nuan, are you going out?” Liao Mingkun happened to be outside watering some plants. When he saw Dong Nuan, he smiled faintly.

Dong Nuan looked in the direction of the voice and met a pair of smiling and gentle eyes.

If it was another young lady, she would probably be unable to control her body and mind from fumbling upon meeting such deep and passionate eyes.

However, since it was Dong Nuan…

Sorry! Bamboo demons have no heart and cannot understand human love!

To be honest, Liao Mingkun was indeed good-looking. His eyes were clear, his nose was upturned, and his lips were thin. Because he studied at home all year round, his skin was especially fair. He looked like those beautiful and seductive male vixens that Dong Nuan had read about in the past.

He was also very tall, about seven to eight feet tall. Compared to Dong Nuan’s five-and-a-half feet tall and obviously malnourished figure, the other party was undoubtedly a giant.

Dong Nuan had to slightly look up at him.

“Yes.” Dong Nuan would not be charmed by a male vixen. Moreover, this was an enemy. The only reason she did not make his blood splatter on the spot was that she did not want to be caught right after doing it.

The Dayue Dynasty had its own laws, and the bamboo spirits were not willing to kill too many people.

There were many ways to take revenge. Dong Nuan felt that she could take it slow.

She wanted to force Dong Xing and Liao Mingkun together, forever. One way to defeat your enemies was to use them against each other.

Dong Nuan felt that Dong Xing and Liao Mingkun were very compatible. She just did not know if he would annoy her to death first, or vice versa.

This matter was not urgent. She had to plan slowly.

“Your head hasn’t recovered yet. It’s best if you don’t face the wind. What do you want to do? I happen to be free. I’ll help you.” Liao Mingkun prepared to step forward.

He usually studied in the county, but recently, because of Mother Liao’s serious illness, he had no choice but to skip his classes for a few days and come back to look after her.

Of course, Dong Nuan suspected that he was not only thinking about taking care of his mother but also plotting against her.

One who was unaccountably solicitous was usually hiding evil intentions.

Dong Nuan did not want to talk to him at first, but when she thought about how this guy had worked the original owner to death, the bamboo spirit felt a little uncomfortable.

Thinking of this, Dong Nuan pursed her lips and said with embarrassment, “How could I trouble Young Master Liao? Aunty Liao said that Young Master’s hands are the hands of a scholar. They can’t do rough farm work like ours do.”

Liao Mingkun did not expect Dong Nuan to say this. He almost could not maintain the fake smile on his face, but remembering his goal, he composed himself.

However, before he could speak, he heard Dong Nuan say again, “Moreover, Young Master Liao, although we’re neighbors and live in the same village, we’re not related. It won’t look good if you help me out, right? Those who know you will say that you’re kind-hearted, but those who don’t know might scold me and say that I’m trying to seduce you like a toad tempts a swan to swim near it so it can try for a bit.”

At this point, Dong Nuan seemed to frown in distress. She seemed to be muttering softly, but her voice was not soft at all as she said, “Although I don’t know what this swan tastes like, it’s probably similar to the goose at home. It’s old, stale, and has broken teeth. Even if I was a toad, I wouldn’t really want to eat this swam.”

The geese at home were raised until they could not lay eggs anymore. By that time, they were old and could not walk, so they were killed. They were basically senior citizens.

When Dong Nuan finished muttering to herself, she even raised her head and asked innocently, “Young Master Liao, you’ve read a lot. Do you know what swan meat tastes like?”

Although Dong Nuan looked innocent, Liao Mingkun felt that there was a hidden meaning behind her words.

Before he could speak, he heard Dong Nuan speak again. Seeing her small mouth move, he felt his scalp begin to tingle.

“Ah, right. Everyone in the village says that the young master of the Liao family is a swan. Why don’t you bite yourself and tell me what swan meat tastes like?” Dong Nuan’s expression was as innocent as it could be.

Liao Mingkun almost choked.

He never thought that Dong Nuan, a village girl who had never seen the world, could be so difficult to deal with.

He did not have much time off this time. After all, he did not want to neglect his homework.

He was prepared to use two days to get Dong Nuan to marry into the family willingly and help him manage the house so he could continue to study in the county with dignity.

At this moment, after being choked up by Dong Nuan a few times, Liao Mingkun could not help but feel suspicious. Could it be that this little village girl had become enlightened?

After a long time, he finally reacted in a daze. In the end, he realized that Dong Nuan was already gone.

Seeing this, his expression was gloomy, and his eyes were filled with hostility.