Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family-Chapter 24: The Xiao Family Members

After finishing her drink and placing the cup down, she only began to clearly recall the events of the previous night once her head had cleared.

Her eyes darkened. Xiao Yunjing was indeed that dog man. Glancing ominously towards the door, she thought, Just you wait, dog man.

Hehe, I have the "Never-fail Golden Gun" medicine and the "Golden Gun Will Never Rise Again" medicine in my Space.

Gu Qingli rose and found a new set of sky-blue padded cotton clothes in the cabinet, along with a set of green cotton undergarments.

Gu Qingli pursed her lips. This dog man really did prepare thoroughly, huh.

She dressed quickly. After dressing, she casually twisted her hair into a bun, secured it with a wooden hairpin, put on her cotton shoes, and went out.

Wasn’t I supposed to serve tea to my parents-in-law this morning? Where did that damned dog man disappear to?

"You’re up?" Xiao Yunjing materialized as if from nowhere, popping up behind her.

Gu Qingli reflexively took a few steps forward, then turned, glared at him, and patted her chest. "Don’t you know scaring people can kill them!"

"Ah? I was just in the storeroom and heard you come out. I didn’t think much about it. I won’t do it next time. Let’s go eat; everyone is waiting." As he spoke, Xiao Yunjing reached for her hand.

Gu Qingli subtly evaded his touch and headed towards the main hall.

Xiao Yunjing’s hand grasped at empty air, but he didn’t mind. He was just immensely grateful she hadn’t castrated him when she woke up that morning.

Two tables were set in the main hall, one for men and one for women. Indeed, everyone was waiting for her. Gu Qingli’s face flushed as she greeted everyone and sat down for breakfast. Most of the breakfast consisted of leftovers from the previous night. Gu Qingli took a few bites and then stopped eating.

Seeing her meager appetite, Ms. Jiang frowned slightly and asked with a hint of displeasure, "Daughter-in-law, is the food not to your liking, or do you simply have a small appetite?"

Gu Qingli smiled. "Mother, it’s not that. I had a little too much to drink last night, so I don’t have much of an appetite right now."

"Oh." Ms. Jiang replied indifferently and said no more, though she did notice her third son looking in their direction.

After breakfast, Xiao Yunjing and Gu Qingli served tea to his parents, as well as his two older brothers and their wives. Only after they had drunk the tea was she formally acknowledged as a daughter-in-law of the Xiao Family.

Gu Qingli sensed that apart from Ms. Jiang’s apparent coolness towards her, the others seemed quite amiable. At least they weren’t like that awful Gu Family bunch. This thought made her feel a bit more at ease. If the Xiao Family had been like the Gu Family, she would have insisted on a divorce, no matter what. Divorced women were eligible to be registered as independent female households. She could live as she pleased, without so many encumbrances dragging her down. She really couldn’t handle dealing with so many people.

In her modern life, aside from her besties, she had few people around. She rarely saw her parents and was pretty much a loner. Thinking of her besties, Gu Qingli felt a familiar pang in her heart. It’s often the people closest to you who hurt you the most. Besties? Never again.

After the tea ceremony, Mr. Xiao immediately instructed Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao to go help with repairing the house. Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao left without a word. Gu Qingli then realized they had also helped with the house repairs the day before. She couldn’t help but cast another glance at the serious Mr. Xiao.

Mr. Xiao was in his forties. The harshness of time had carved deep lines onto his face, his hair was streaked with white, and his somewhat stern face held an air of authority that one couldn’t easily dismiss. Thinking of that chest of martial arts manuals, she figured, Mr. Xiao must know a move or two himself. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

She then looked at Ms. Jiang, who wore a neutral expression. Ms. Jiang appeared to be around the same age as Mr. Xiao, equally serious, with regular features. At that moment, she was pursing her lips, seemingly lost in thought.

Then there were Ms. Yang and Ms. Wang, washing and tidying up. These two women seemed no different from the ordinary village wives. From their appearance, they seemed easy to get along with, but who knows if they truly are, Gu Qingli mused.

There were also five lads getting ready to go up the mountain. Of these, one carried a back-basket taller than himself, and another carried a hoe. As for the other three, the eldest, a tall boy of about twelve, carried both a back-basket and a hoe; he was directing the remaining two smaller ones to hurry up.

Gu Qingli glanced at the somewhat overcast sky. I’m afraid it will snow in the next few days.

Considering Mr. Xiao’s conduct and his fairness towards her and Yunjing, Gu Qingli felt a sense of obligation to reciprocate—the principle of returning a plum for a peach. So, she went to Ms. Jiang and said, "Mother, how about I take Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law up the mountain to dig for medicinal herbs? We can probably dig for a few more days."

Ms. Jiang looked up at Gu Qingli. She knew that her new daughter-in-law had already taken the Village Chief’s four daughters-in-law up the mountain to dig herbs the previous day. Truthfully, she had been wanting to discuss this very matter with her. Their family wasn’t wealthy; how much income could they make relying solely on their three sons’ hunting?

Her husband’s health... SIGH! He looks fine on the surface, but I know the truth of his condition. But life here is so hard now, and there’s no money for treatment. If we could just save some silver, whether for the grandchildren’s schooling or our family’s expenses, at least it would be some income.

Last night, her eldest and second sons had come home and given her the money the three young lads had earned from digging herbs—a good sum of over two hundred coins. This was far more profitable than her sons hunting in the mountains. Although a single hunt could yield a lot of game, they were risking their lives for it.

She hadn’t expected her third daughter-in-law to bring it up herself. It seems she genuinely cares about this family. Ms. Jiang’s dislike for her new daughter-in-law lessened a bit. She nodded with a slight smile. "Alright, you all can go up the mountain. Your father and I will be here at home."

Xiao Yunjing, having prepared his hunting gear, came out just in time to hear this. His heart swelled with joy. I really thought Gu Qingli wouldn’t consider this place her home!

When Ms. Yang and Ms. Wang heard this, they immediately put down their tasks and gathered their things. Then, the group of nine set off for the mountain in a spirited procession. There was a path leading up the mountain right behind the Xiao family’s house, and the nine of them headed straight up.

「On the other side」

Ms. Qiao and her three sisters-in-law had gone to town early in the morning, carrying the herbs on their backs. They found Doctor Shen at Serenity Hall, sold their herbs, quickly checked on Gu Dalin, and then hurried back. They were strong and reluctant to rest. Each had carried nearly fifty pounds of herbs and sold them for almost three hundred coins. They were overjoyed and deeply grateful to Gu Qingli. Who would have thought the weeds we feed to cows and pigs in the village could actually sell for so much money!

The four sisters-in-law, thrilled with their earnings, hurried back. Upon returning, they took their children and headed up the mountain, also bringing along some idle villagers. Suddenly, more than twenty additional people went up the mountain to dig for herbs.

The men helping Gu Qingli repair her house heard the news and sped up their work, finishing it that very night. The next day, they too joined the ranks of the herb diggers.

「The next day」

Half the people in the village went up the mountain.

「On the third day」

Even Master Gu and Ms. Hua herded Ms. Yun and Gu Qingmei up the mountain to dig for herbs. When Master Gu and Ms. Hua found out how valuable the herbs were, Ms. Hua nearly choked with rage and regret. If Gu Qingli hadn’t married out, I would have forced her to hand over every last coin! she fumed internally.

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