Chapter 16: Routine

Translated by Sakura Time

When they returned to their house, Xiao Xiao dragged the broken table with the limp kerosene lamp over and handed the chopsticks to Wang Wei: “Eat. You can quarrel if you like, but don’t be stupid enough to starve yourself.”

Quarrel? How can that be a quarrel? He was thinking of killing someone!

“Aren’t you afraid? I even want to kill that woman.” Wang Wei said, his chopsticks still for a moment before glancing at Xiao Xiao with a complicated expression: “Even though people in the village say that lady is my mother, to me she is worse than a beast…”

“It’s precisely because she is your mother that you despise her so much.” Xiao Xiao sat next to Wang Wei, propped up his chin, and added, “She’s someone that’s supposed to be on your side, but instead, she did you wrong and treated you so badly. Your hatred for her is reasonable.”

The voice of Xiao Xiao was neither hurried nor slow. She simply spoke gently, which quickly reassured Wang Wei, allowing him to relax and listen to her. Xiao Xiao rested her head on Wang Wei: “I don’t care about your attitude toward others; I only care about you. If you think hating her will make your heart feel better, then go on and hate her. That’s totally fine. But you have to remember, don’t devote yourself to it. I am still here, and I need your care. If you only have your mother in your heart, I will be very sad, so you have to look at me occasionally.”

Wang Wei’s eyes suddenly reddened. He quickly pressed Xiao Xiao’s head down to prevent her from looking, and rubbed his face carelessly: “Silly, how can it be the same?” Yes, now that he has to nurture this delicate wife of his, how can he still have time to detest that woman!?

So, when he saw Wang Mu the next day, he really didn’t have such a strong hatred. Wang Wei didn’t even bother to look at her and simply walked right past her.

A sense of psychological superiority arose spontaneously in him: I don’t have time to mess with you in the future. I have a wife to take care of!

From then on, Wang Wei acted as if Wang Mu didn’t exist. Everyone in the Wang family couldn’t believe it and silently wondered how Wang Wei could just let go of what had transpired.

Amid the suspicions of the Wang family, Wang Wei and Xiao Xiao continued to fiddle with the nutrient solution. Finally, Xiao Xiao logged the final set of data in the afternoon a few days later, softly knocked on one of the transparent bottles, and said calmly, “It’s done.”

She had to find an alternative with the same composition due to the variation in raw ingredients. Because the equipment they used was so primitive, the solution’s effect may not be as precise as it was in the interstellar. Only through experimentation will they be able to find out.

“It’s done? So what now?” Wang Wei pondered as he examined a row of different colored juices, concerned that if it didn’t work, Xiao Xiao would suffer a blow.

“Now we just need some seeds and a piece of land for the experiment,” Xiao Xiao stated softly as she crossed her arms.

At this time, although she was still thin and small, her voice was extremely calm. She had this sense of charm that made people unconsciously want to listen to her.

It was only after the words left her mouth that she remembered that this was no longer her lab at Interstellar, and Wang Wei was not one of those assistants who worshiped her like a god.

Her solemn and composed demeanor vanished in an instant. “Since we don’t know its effect yet,” she said with a smile, grabbing Wang Wei’s arm, “We need to find a quiet area where no one else will be, lest the effect be amazing and it will be bad for people to see.”

Wang Wei smirked quietly, “Now this little girl is boasting.” “Let’s go to the mountain; I know a cave with a huge open space in front of it and water beside it; it should be alright there,” he said sincerely.

Although Wang Wei didn’t believe Xiao Xiao’s words and thought she was bragging, he still did what Xiao Xiao said seriously. He began carefully collecting seeds, and because it was springtime, he had little trouble finding them.

Wang Wei soon got staple food seeds such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, wheat, some rice, melons, and vegetables.

Once the seeds were collected, the two of them carried the seeds and nutrient solution on their backs and took the hoes to the mountains.

Xiao Xiao was so weak from hunger that Wang Wei had to carry her pretty much the entire way to their destination.

The cave mentioned by Wang Wei is on the back of the mountain. You’d have to cross a thorny forest full of twists and turns, then turn a corner, and finally emerge into a wide expanse of open space. Just ahead of it, a large cliff could be seen, with a small stream running alongside it, gurgling with mountain springs.

“It’s so wonderful!” Xiao Xiao said as she glanced down at the vast expanse.

Wang Wei pulled her back: “Don’t stand on the edge of the cliff.” He was fine standing by himself, but when Xiao Xiao stood there, he felt frightened.

Xiao Xiao silently looked at how far away she was from the cliff, pouted, and obediently followed him into the cave.

After entering, she found that the cave was dry and tidy, and there was also a bed made of straw mats.

“Do you come here often?” Xiao Xiao instantly thought

Wang Wei nodded. “I often come here when I don’t want to stay in the village.” He said, looking at a mound at the entrance of the cave.

Xiao Xiao followed his line of sight.

“There’s a tiger that fed me when I was a child,” Wang Wei said softly. “I’m sure you know how my grandpa died at that time. When I first arrived at the Wangs’ house, there was a famine, and everyone went to the mountains to find something to eat. Even the bark of the trees was chewed up. I climbed here alone in order to dig a wild vegetable and almost fell off a cliff, but that time a tiger suddenly jumped out and saved me.”

How ironic that the woman who actually gave birth to him treated him like a beast, while a tiger saved his life twice. In the end, who is human and who is the beast?

Xiao Xiao didn’t speak, just silently held him back.

Wang Wei sat in front of the mound for a while, and Xiao Xiao quietly accompanied him. When his mood eased up, the two began to plant the seeds.

Wang Wei was so powerful that he turned the ground over in three or two strokes. Xiao Xiao asked Wang Wei to mix several juices together according to the ratio, she said, pour them into the ground evenly, and then let him plant the seeds at will.

Wang Wei felt more and more unreliable, and his brow wrinkled so much that it could kill a mosquito. “Can this really work?” The ground is not even fertilized and not turned through. Can the seeds really grow?

Xiao Xiao shrugged: “We’ll see. Let’s come back tomorrow to pour the solution again.”

On the way back, the two of them dug up a basket of raw ingredients for the nutrient solution. Once back, Wang Wei consciously picked up the mallet and rammed the ingredients into juice.

Xiao Xiao covered her mouth and looked at Wang Wei, who was working hard. Her eyes smiled into a pair of crescent moons: an awkward man who is unforgiving but moves faster than anyone!

Because she was thinking about the effect of the solution, Xiao Xiao was a little distracted the next day when she was pulling weeds. When she was concentrating, her performance was not satisfactory. Now that she is distracted, it is even worse.

Xiao Simei and Xiao Wumei trailed behind Xiao Xiao, who only pulled out the big grass every time. Since the small ones were ignored, the two had to clean up Xiao Xiao’s mess.

It’s even worse today. She directly pulled up half and left the grass roots in the ground.

Xiao Simei angrily came forward and pushed Xiao Xiao: “Second sister, can you stop slacking off? Look at the grass roots you pulled out. Even if we wanted to help you with the remaining grass roots, I and Wumei couldn’t do it all, so you might as well not do it!”

Xiao Xiao looked back and saw that there were only bare roots left where she had plucked.

Xiao Xiao apologized, “Sorry, I promise to pull it out carefully later.”

Xiao Simei snorted, “Hmmp… you better be.”

Seeing the small girl’s frustration, Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but touch a handful of her yellowing hair. She discovered throughout the course of the last few days of interaction that, while these little girls’ mouths aren’t always forgiving, they are all sweet and adorable.

“You’re getting my hair dirty!” Xiao Simei is furious. She left the house this morning with her hair carefully combed and neatly braided. Now it’s all messed up by Xiao Xiao.

“Xiao Xiao, you looked busy.” Xiao Xiao was about to tease her fourth and fifth sisters when Jiang Wenwen suddenly walked over.

Xiao Xiao gave her a bland glance and nodded her head.

“I’m a bit unwell today, so I also asked permission from the captain to pull weeds for the day. Xiao Xiao, will you join me?”

“Sure.” Xiao Xiao’s mouth curved. She also wanted to know what Jiang Wenwen really wanted.

Jiang Wenwen initially only said a few simple words. She led Xiao Xiao to a place with few people, intentionally or not. Xiao Xiao also pretended not to notice and answered casually.

“How are you now, Xiao Xiao?” Finally, Jiang Wenwen began to lead the topic in the direction she wanted.

Xiao Xiao fell silent and stopped responding all of a sudden.

Seeing this, Jiang Wenwen suppressed the joy in her heart. She then sighed: “Since you were married, Zhixin’s mood has been very low, and the entire person is quite haggard.”

“Sister Wenwen, I’m having a good life; what does it matter to me how Li Zhixin is? Don’t say this in the future.” Xiao Xiao said, her lips pursed.

From how Jiang Wenwen sees it, Xiao Xiao was only trying to be brave. She smiled and said, “I don’t mean anything else. I just can’t bear to see Li Zhixin like that.”

Xiao Xiao raised her head, “Do you care about Li Zhixin?”

Jiang Wenwen thought Xiao Xiao was jealous. “We came to Xiaoqian village together. We are comrades in arms and friends. Of course, I care about him when he is sad. He is really a good person.” Good enough to make people vomit! Jiang Wenwen forced down her nausea for Li Zhixin and continued to bait Xiao Xiao.

She doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with doing this. On the contrary, she is fulfilling Xiao Xiao’s infatuation.

In the future, Wang Wei will be the center of everyone’s attention. How can Xiao Xiao, an illiterate village girl, be worthy of the famous Lord Wei? Besides, Xiao Xiao doesn’t really like Wang Wei! This is an outright insult to Wang Wei and her.

Even if Xiao Xiao didn’t die, she still doesn’t deserve to occupy the position of Wang Wei’s wife. I, on the other hand, am well aware of Wang Wei’s sufferings. I also know how the world will change in the future, so I will help Wang Wei avoid all difficulties and achieve better success.

She is the most qualified person among all the women in this world to be with Wang Wei.

Although Li Zhixin will probably cheat on their marriage in the future, he is still a college student. He is a talented person with a gentle personality. He’s more than enough to match a village girl like Xiao Xiao.

Thinking so, Jiang Wenwen let go of the last burden in her heart.

“I’m already married to Wang Wei. My mother said that Li Zhixin has no roots in the village and is weak. There’s nothing good about him except for his appearance, so please don’t have those unreasonable thoughts.” Xiao Xiao said, looking downcast.

“How could it be!” Jiang Wenwen became anxious, her voice rose unconsciously, but she quickly lowered her voice in response: “We came from the city, and my relatives brought some inside information. They told me that the college entrance examination would be resumed in 1975 at the latest. Li Zhixin usually has good grades, so he will definitely be admitted to the university by then. If you marry him, you can go to the city with him and enjoy a blissful life.”

Seeing Xiao Xiao seemed a little moved, Jiang Wenwen continued: “I know what you think about Li Zhixin. People who are in love with each other should be together. Our country is changing, and the foolish practice of parents arranging marriages is wrong! You should boldly pursue the love and life you want.” Jiang Wenwen looked at Xiao Xiao with encouragement in her eyes, like a caring sister.

It turned out that the college entrance examination would resume in 1975!

After getting the information she wanted, the corners of Xiao Xiao’s mouth curved.

“But Li Zhixin doesn’t like me…” Xiao Xiao bit her lip.

Jiang Wenwen thought she had persuaded her, and said hurriedly, “How can it be? People only know how to cherish someone after they have lost them. Li Zhixin himself didn’t realize that he had fallen in love with you. But bystanders knew best! I could see that the person in his heart is yours. Think about it for yourself and see if what I’m saying makes sense. There’s not much time! If you want to fight, you must hurry up! Anyway, I’ll be going now.”