Chapter 45

Chapter 45

"Sister-in-law Qin Luoxia, off to work!"

"Yes, digging up some wild vegetables."

"Don't overdo it, the sun is rather fierce."

"I know, I'll be careful. Thank you, auntie."

......

Under the big tree at the village entrance, a group of people were chatting.

They would comment on every passerby.

Watching Qin Luoxia's figure disappear into the distance, they started talking: "Second Jiang has really hit the jackpot with his wife. She's so capable and hard-working."

"And her temper is so good, she never gets angry with anyone."

"Her personality is great too."

"If you ask me, her personality is a little too good, a bit of a pushover."

"Not a pushover, just naive. With that huge mansion in the county town, if it were me, I'd raise hell, cry and throw tantrums until I got something out of it."

"Tsk, you have no idea how deep the waters of the wealthy run."

"I heard that Second Jiang was kicked out of his family because he poisoned his own father to death~"

"What? No way, Second Jiang isn't that kind of person."

"Just hearsay, they say his father was gravely ill, and Second Jiang accidentally gave him the wrong medicine, switched it with something else, and his father died after drinking it."

"Ah~"

"Tsk~"

......

There were many versions of the story about Second Jiang circulating in the village, this was just one of them.

The main point was that Second Jiang used to be from a wealthy family, but now he was just as poor as them, if not poorer. After all, Second Jiang was inept at everything - farming, carrying manure, chopping wood - he would probably starve to death.

But Second Jiang had been educated, so the villagers still naturally respected him as a scholarly person.

And initially, they thought there was no long-standing grudge between father and son, so perhaps Second Jiang would return to the manor one day.

As for Qin Luoxia, an orphan girl from elsewhere, being able to marry Second Jiang, everyone was rather envious.

In a village, all sorts of talk happens.

But after so many years, with Second Jiang having children and finding work, living just like them, they got used to it. They would still tease Second Jiang, and say some sour grapes remarks behind his back, but they also accepted him and Qin Luoxia.

After all, the two of them were good people. Whenever anyone in the village needed help, they were always willing to lend a hand.

Second Jiang also had some medical knowledge, and villagers would often ask him for help with headaches and fevers.

Second Jiang never charged a fee, just telling them which herbs to gather.

The couple had a good reputation in the village.

Hearing this version of the story, the others were shocked, but not many believed it.

And someone even came out to refute it.

Yan Laosan, who was leaning against the tree trunk, drunk, cursed: "Nonsense, in those big manor houses, even the maids and servants don't know what's going on. The idea that a child could accidentally give the wrong medicine to a sick person and no one would stop them is clearly made up."

Everyone's gaze shifted to Laosan.

Laosan was also a famous figure in the village.

Even in broad daylight, the doors opened occasionally.

Disheveled young women opened and closed the doors mechanically.

Sounds of beatings and cries occasionally emerged from within.

"You mangy mutt, daring to steal food, if you eat even one more bite, I'll break your legs today."

"Even if you're dying, you still have to spread your legs. Did you think you were still a lady?"

Qin Luoxia just squatted in the corner, swallowing the bread one bite at a time.

No water to wash it down, the bread got stuck in her throat, making her eyes sting with pain.

Perhaps because Qin Luoxia had been squatting there for too long, a man eventually came out to chase her away.

"What kind of beggar wench are you? This is no place for you, scram."

The man raised his foot to kick her.

Before he could, Qin Luoxia scrambled away in disarray.

After leaving that place, Qin Luoxia found another alleyway, setting down her basket to appear as if she was selling herbs.

In the alley, a few children were playing.

One of them was a chubby, sturdy boy, with a plump face and meaty arms, but he seemed to be mentally disabled. The other children bullied him from time to time, quickly dirtying his new, finely made clothes.

The fat boy didn't seem to know how to avoid them, just laughing foolishly when hit.

His laugh was strikingly similar to Little Peddler's.

Little Peddler was a dwarf.

The fat boy wasn't, his body seemed healthy, just his mind was slow.

Qin Luoxia could imagine how overjoyed a dwarf couple would be to have a healthy son.

The children played and roughhoused, with adults chatting nearby, an ordinary scene.

The fat boy seemed unaware he was being bullied, always trying to join the other children's games.

At one point, a child lost control of his legs and kicked the fat boy hard in the back, sending him flying and crashing to the ground.

An old woman lounging against the wall and snacking on melon seeds shouted, "That's enough, hit him again and when his father returns, he'll catch you all and sell you off!"

This was a common threat used against the children in the alley. At first, the children were afraid, as dwarves could be quite frightening. But after being threatened so often, they no longer feared it, laughing and running off.

The old woman, who was hired to watch the fat boy, made no move to help him up, continuing to chat and fan herself.

A child getting bumped and bruised was normal, especially a slow-witted one.

The fat boy was indeed very plump, with chubby elbows and round fingers that had dimples. He was clearly well-fed, as no scrawny child could be that fat.

Qin Luoxia helped the fallen boy up, gently patting the dust off his clothes.

Qin Luoxia's grip was very gentle.

She saw him bump into something, causing a nosebleed.

She tenderly helped him wipe the blood off.

Perhaps because she was also well-built, resembling his mother a bit.

The chubby little boy grinned foolishly.

Drooling while smiling.

He looked at the woman before him and called out, "Mom, food, delicious food."