Chapter 52 – Reborn Girl’s Aunt

Wen Xin couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing. She patted Wei Xiuran’s shoulder and said: “Your son is so filial! Hahaha! You and your son should enjoy kneading dough together. I’m heading inside.”

Still laughing, Wen Xin went back into the house while Wei Xiuran gritted his teeth and went to reprimand his son. Wen Xin headed to the kitchen, where Mother Wen was indeed kneading dough. The dumpling filling was already prepared—a mix of crispy pork cracklings and pickled cabbage. Wen Xin washed her hands and joined in wrapping dumplings, laughing as she worked.

Mother Wen, rolling out dumpling wrappers, gave Wen Xin a sideways glance and asked: “What’s so funny? Are you having a fit?”

Wen Xin shook her head with a grin. “That little rascal outside is peeing in the dirt to knead dough and make dumplings for his dad.”

When Wen Xin finished speaking, Mother Wen couldn’t hold back her laughter either. The mother and daughter burst into giggles in the kitchen.

Outside, Wei Xiuran was in the middle of delivering a heartfelt lesson to Wei Rongrong. The boy was only a year and a half old. Although he could speak clearly and walk steadily, he still couldn’t comprehend grand principles. At the moment, Wei Rongrong had no idea what his father was trying to say.  

He had thought it was a kind gesture to make dumplings for his dad, so why was he being scolded instead of praised? Wei Rongrong couldn’t make sense of it, and tears welled up in his eyes. Just then, Old Man Wen returned, swaying as he walked. Seeing Wei Rongrong’s tear-streaked face, his heart ached, and he hurried over to pick up the boy.  

“What are you doing? Why are you scolding him? If you have something to say, say it nicely!” Old Man Wen glared at his son-in-law.  

Wei Xiuran looked helpless. “Dad, you don’t even know what your beloved grandson did.”  

Hearing this, Old Man Wen hesitated. “What did he do?”  

Wei Xiuran pointed to the corner of the yard. “He peed in the dirt to knead dough for making dumplings for me.”  

Old Man Wen choked on his own saliva and coughed several times. “I thought it was something serious. Isn’t Rongrong just being filial? He’s too young to understand. Alright, I’ll take him out for a walk. Call me when the food’s ready.”  

Carrying the sobbing, hiccupping Wei Rongrong, Old Man Wen left the house. At the door, while Wei Xiuran wasn’t paying attention, Old Man Wen slipped a candy into Wei Rongrong’s mouth. The sweetness quickly stopped his crying. Smacking his lips, Wei Rongrong started directing his grandfather, telling him where to go and what to play.  

Meanwhile, Wei Xiuran rubbed his temples, feeling an intense headache. Wei Rongrong was such a mischievous little rascal, and with the doting affection of the Wen grandparents, he was bound to grow into a little tyrant at this rate.  

In the kitchen, Wen Xin and Mother Wen finished cooking the dumplings and prepared a side dish of fresh, tender cabbage hearts. Soon, Old Man Wen returned, carrying a now cheerful Wei Rongrong.  

Everyone gathered around the table to eat.  

The pickled cabbage used for the dumplings had been made by Old Man Wen the previous winter using homegrown Chinese cabbage from their family plot. Properly stored in a cool cellar, the pickled cabbage could last an entire year.  

The dumplings, filled with pickled cabbage and pork cracklings, were tangy, fragrant, and not greasy at all. After finishing the dumplings, everyone drank a bowl of dumpling soup, the original broth to complement the meal. It left them feeling thoroughly satisfied. Even little Wei Rongrong managed to eat half a bowl, chewing and slurping with gusto.  

After finishing the meal, Wei Rongrong grew drowsy. Wen Xin carried him to bed and lay down beside him. Before long, she too drifted off to sleep.  

Wei Xiuran entered the room, first glancing at the peacefully sleeping Wei Rongrong, who looked especially endearing in his slumber. Then, he moved to Wen Xin’s side and bent down to kiss her gently on the forehead. He walked over to the desk, took out a pen and notebook, and began writing a letter.  

By the time the mother and son woke up, it was already past two in the afternoon. They washed their faces and went out together to find Mother Wen, who was sitting under a tree on the village’s threshing ground, twisting rope with her old friends.  

Wen Xin found a spot to sit down and listened to the women chatting. When the conversation turned to the county Public Security Bureau capturing a group of human traffickers the previous day, she froze in surprise. “Third Aunt, what did you say? Human traffickers were caught?”  

The woman Wen Xin called Third Aunt was also an elderly lady. In her younger days, she had been known as the village’s go-to source for news—there was no gossip she didn’t know about.  

Third Aunt gave a kind look at Wei Rongrong, who was sitting obediently on Wen Xin’s lap, and said: “That’s right. I heard they were caught near Niangzi Mountain, not far from here. Three of them—a woman as old as me and two people around the age of your eldest brother and sister-in-law. They pretended to be couples when they were outside.”  

“Things are so strict these days. Did they even have introduction letters?” someone asked, astonished.  

Third Aunt had already looked into this detail. “They did! I don’t know how they managed it, but they reportedly had over a dozen introduction letters. These three came well-prepared. If any family’s daughters or children had been taken by them, their lives would’ve been ruined forever.”  

Upon hearing this, Wen Xin became certain that these three traffickers were the same ones who, in her previous life, had knocked out the original owner of her body. Something had clearly gone differently in this life, as these traffickers had now been caught.  

The fact that they were captured wasn’t a problem—in fact, it was ideal, considering they were child and woman traffickers who deserved the harshest punishments. Wen Xin’s original plan had been to wait for them to sell Wen Yaya before reporting them to the authorities. While she couldn’t save all the victims they had taken in the past, she had planned to ensure that this particular operation failed and that Wen Yaya would be their last target.  

Now that the three traffickers had been arrested, Wen Xin would need to come up with a new plan.  

Third Aunt continued sharing this piece of gossip, full of vivid details, leaving the listeners stunned. After she finished, the conversation shifted to other topics.  

It was through these chats that Wen Xin learned something she hadn’t known before—that the brigade leader of a neighboring village, who always seemed so upright, had both he and his son involved with the same widow from their village.  

Father and son sharing a woman—now that was scandalous.  

Wen Xin couldn’t help but marvel at how daring people could be. As she thought more about it, she realized an interesting connection. The brigade leader’s son was none other than Wen Yaya’s husband in her previous life. He had ultimately died on his way to a secret rendezvous with the widow.  

Tsk.  

Sitting among the group of middle-aged and elderly women, Wen Xin soaked in all the gossip. Even though she had heard some of these stories more than once, she still found them endlessly entertaining.  

As dinnertime approached, Mother Wen had already twisted a long length of rope. Wen Xin and her mother each held one of Wei Rongrong’s tiny hands and walked home together.  

Wen Xin chatted with Mother Wen about the gossip she had just heard. “Mom, how did Third Aunt already know about the human traffickers caught yesterday by the county Public Security Bureau?”  

“Don’t you remember? Third Aunt’s second elder brother works in the county. Today’s the weekend, so he must’ve brought his kids home to visit and mentioned it.” Mother Wen explained.  

If Mother Wen hadn’t mentioned it, Wen Xin might have forgotten about that detail entirely. Being the youngest in her family, she had a generational gap with her older siblings and cousins. By the time she was born, they were already grown up, and by the time she grew up, they were full-fledged adults. There was little overlap in their lives, leaving them without much in common.  

“It’s a good thing those human traffickers were caught. If they hadn’t been, who knows how many girls and children would’ve suffered because of them? You’re too young to know, but there was a girl from our village who was taken by traffickers years ago. When she finally came back, she was almost forty, completely out of her mind. Her brothers and sisters-in-law despised her, and the idle men in the village kept trying to take advantage of her whenever they could. She couldn’t bear it anymore and ended up drowning herself.” Mother Wen’s voice grew heavy with sadness as she continued: “That girl used to be the prettiest in our village. She was only sixteen, and so many young men came to propose marriage to her. Her entire life was ruined. Those traffickers all deserve to die.”  

Wen Xin hummed in agreement, wholeheartedly sharing her mother’s sentiment. Their conversation then turned to the topic of the neighboring village’s brigade leader, Wei Deming.  

“Mom, earlier they mentioned that brigade leader Wei. Didn’t he come to our house a few years ago for a marriage proposal?” Wen Xin asked.  

Mother Wen scoffed: “It wasn’t him coming to us; it was your sister-in-law who sent someone to his house to propose the match. That Wei Deming’s son hadn’t even gotten married yet but was already fooling around with the young widow. Everyone in the nearby villages knows about it.”  

“Since Wei Deming couldn’t find a wife for his son, he offered a bride price of one hundred yuan. Your sister-in-law saw the money and tried to match Wen Yaya with him, so they sent someone to propose. But who would’ve thought that Wen Yaya had secretly found herself a boyfriend who worked in a factory?”  

“That match fell through, and your sister-in-law was humiliated by the Wei family. She tried to cover the embarrassment by pushing you into the fire pit instead, but I put an end to that right away.” Mother Wen said, her tone filled with anger.  

Li Cuihua didn’t value her own daughter, so she assumed others wouldn’t value theirs either. Tempted by the one hundred yuan bride price, she wanted to shove her daughter into a miserable marriage. When that failed, she turned her sights on her husband’s younger sister. How shameless could she be? If it weren’t for Wen Xin’s father, Mother Wen would’ve taken a knife and hacked Li Cuihua into pieces.  

This incident caused Mother Wen and Li Cuihua’s relationship to hit rock bottom. Even now, the two women didn’t speak to each other when they met. The rift between them remained as deep as ever.  

Wen Xin was aware of this matter. In fact, it was Wen Yaya who had initially suggested that the Original Owner marry into the Wei family.  

Wen Yaya was truly a foolish and malicious woman. When one scheme failed, she would come up with another. She wouldn’t be satisfied until she completely buried the Original Owner in the mud.  

Having lived through two worlds, Wen Xin had not only written novels herself but had also studied the popular novels loved by modern girls. She simply couldn’t understand how women like Luo Manzhen, Su Qiuhuo, and Wen Yaya could become protagonists.  

In Wen Xin’s opinion, a protagonist in a book didn’t necessarily need to have noble character, but at the very least, she should be kind and hopeful about life, right? Writing a protagonist as dark and twisted as Wen Yaya—wouldn’t that drive readers to curse the author into oblivion and sink the story entirely?  

“Two days ago, Hong Ming told me that my sister-in-law was arranging a match for him.” Wen Xin suddenly recalled. “He said she had her eye on the daughter of the Town Revolutionary Committee. But Hong Ming said he wasn’t interested.”  

Mother Wen sneered. “The daughter of the Town Revolutionary Committee Master, huh? She is tall, about the same height as you. But her face is covered in pockmarks, and her teeth stick out like a rabbit’s. She’s also older than Hong Ming. Your sister-in-law only has this one son, yet I have no idea what’s going through her head. She must be sick in the head.”  

The Wen family had good looks, even Wen Yaya had a delicate and attractive appearance. Wen Hongming, who was almost eighteen, was already tall—nearly 1.8 meters. It wasn’t surprising that the daughter of the Revolutionary Committee Master had her eyes on him.  

During the autumn harvest celebration a while back, the village had invited someone to show a movie to celebrate the bumper crop. At that time, quite a few girls from neighboring villages had stolen glances at Wen Hongming.  

To be honest, Wen Xin couldn’t make sense of her sister-in-law’s mindset. Most parents who favored sons over daughters would think their sons were the best and that no one was good enough for them. How did her sister-in-law manage to turn it into a situation where anyone with money or power, no matter how unattractive or unsuitable, could be thrown at her son?  

Wen Xin had been here for two years now and had witnessed many of Li Cuihua’s absurd antics. She often marveled at how her sister-in-law was a unique anomaly among parents who favored sons—truly an eccentric standout.  

Wen Xin had seen the Revolutionary Committee Master’s daughter before. Honestly, she didn’t suit Wen Hongming at all. But this was destined to be a minor episode. When it came to such major decisions, there was no way Li Cuihua could have the final say in her elder brother’s household. Her elder brother wasn’t dead yet, after all.  

For the sake of the next generation, even if her elder brother lost his mind, he wouldn’t allow Wen Hongming to marry such a woman.  

Wen Xin wasn’t worried in the slightest.  

Wei Rongrong, dragged along by his mother and grandmother for quite a while, had grown impatient. As they reached the entrance of their house, he broke free from their grasp and ran straight into the house, heading directly to the backyard. Before long, the distressed cries of a goose rang out from the yard.  

Wen Xin followed the sound and went in, only to find her unusually unruly son clutching a goose’s neck with one hand.  

The goose, typically the terror of the countryside, was now being strangled by fate—its cries were utterly pitiful. Even Wen Xin felt a pang of sympathy listening to it.  

“Wei Rongrong! Put that goose down right now! If you keep grabbing it, it’s going to die!”  

Wei Rongrong blinked and obediently let go of the goose. Just then, their old yellow dog waddled back into the yard. Wei Rongrong’s eyes lit up, and with his short legs moving at lightning speed, he dashed toward the dog, flipped himself over, and climbed onto its back.  

Wei Rongrong weighed at least twenty pounds, likely heavier than the old yellow dog itself. Yet the poor dog, trembling and staggering, carried him on its back. Wen Xin had tried to stop this behavior several times, but no matter what she did, Wei Rongrong always managed to climb back onto the dog the moment she looked away.  

Sitting on the dog’s back, Wei Rongrong laughed heartily, his excitement echoing through the yard.  

Wei Xiuran returned from outside just in time to see the scene. He quickly stepped in and lifted Wei Rongrong off the dog’s back.  

That afternoon, Wei Xiuran had gone to the county town to send a letter on behalf of the family and retrieve a package they had sent him. The package was quite large, and he handed it over to Wen Xin.  

Wen Xin opened it to take a look. Inside were items like powdered milk, malted milk powder, milk candies, and other rare goods that were hard to come by.  

She carried the items into the house and set aside the powdered milk, which was specifically meant for children—clearly intended for Wei Rongrong. The malted milk powder was for the whole family to enjoy, so she decided to take it to the living room later and leave it with the household’s matriarch, Mother Wen, for distribution.  

As for the milk candies, Wen Xin kept half for herself. The rest she handed over to Mother Wen as well. If she didn’t, the two elderly family members would probably sneak candies to Wei Rongrong every chance they got, and before long, their private stash of money would be completely drained by the mischievous boy.  

Wen Xin glanced at Wei Rongrong, who was still squirming in Wei Xiuran’s arms like a snake, struggling to get free so he could ride the dog again. Annoyed, she said to Wei Xiuran: “Was your son the reincarnation of Erlang Shen or something? The entire village is huge, and there are so many kids, yet he’s the only one who thinks riding a dog is a good idea.”  ^[1]Erlang Shen is a Chinese god of war, justice, and water in Chinese folk religion and Daoism. He is also known as the Lord of Sichuan.

Wei Xiuran chuckled, equal parts amused and exasperated. He had long noticed Wen Xin’s double standards. Whenever Wei Rongrong did something good, she would call him “my son.” but whenever he caused trouble or did something infuriating, he suddenly became “your son.”  

The more Wei Xiuran thought about it, the more he found it funny. Wen Xin hadn’t always been like this.  

Then again, children hadn’t always been this much of a handful.  

Wei Xiuran set Wei Rongrong down and leaned closer to Wen Xin, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Rongrong is too naughty. Let’s have another child—a daughter this time. She’d be soft, sweet, and definitely not as troublesome.”  

Wen Xin rolled her eyes. “Oh, really? You can guarantee that, can you? Rongrong alone is already more than I can handle. What if we have another one who’s just like him?”  

Wei Xiuran was left speechless—he truly couldn’t guarantee anything.  

Wen Xin gave him another eye roll, then grabbed the malted milk powder and milk candies to bring to Mother Wen.  

Left alone in the yard, Wei Xiuran watched his son, who was happily entertaining himself, and felt a deep sense of worry. Wei Rongrong, after playing for a while, finally noticed his father’s troubled expression. He walked over and crouched down beside Wei Xiuran, imitating him. “Daddy, why are you squatting here?”  

Wei Rongrong had inherited the best features of both Wen Xin and Wei Xiuran—his fair, chubby little face and tiger-like round head made him absolutely adorable. At times, Wei Xiuran loved this son of his dearly; at other times, he was so exasperated he wished he could send him back for a redo.  

“Nothing much.” Wei Xiuran replied. “Rongrong, do you want a little sister?” He looked at his son with hopeful anticipation.  

Wei Rongrong was momentarily puzzled. “What’s a little sister?”  

“It’s like what Wang Yaoxing has.” Wei Xiuran explained. Wang Yaoxing was the youngest son of the Wang family in the front yard. Two years older than Wei Rongrong, he willingly played the role of Rongrong’s sidekick, always sharing his toys and fun things. Recently, Wang Yaoxing’s family had welcomed a baby brother.  

Hearing this, Wei Rongrong understood. His face twisted into an expression of disdain as he loudly declared: “I don’t want a little sister! Little sisters can’t talk or move; all they do is eat, sleep, and poop!”  

That disgusted expression was too much. Wei Xiuran couldn’t help himself and gave Wei Rongrong a light smack on the back of his head. “You little rascal. When you were a baby, you were exactly the same—eating, sleeping, and pooping all day!”  

Wei Rongrong didn’t believe him. He was convinced Wei Xiuran was lying, so he jumped up. “No way! I’m going to ask Grandma!”  

With that, he stomped off to find Mother Wen to verify the claim.  

Wen Xin, who had been casually cracking sunflower seeds while watching the father-son conversation, walked over to Wei Xiuran. “Xiuran, don’t you think our Rongrong is a little too smart?”  

After all, he was only a year and a half old. In her three lifetimes, Wen Xin had never seen a child this clever at such a young age.  

Wei Xiuran’s gaze darkened as he looked at the oblivious Wen Xin. Why was this child so smart? Wasn’t it obvious? Wen Xin had been adding her Spiritual Water to the water tank as if it were free. Rongrong had been drinking it since he was in the womb—how could he not end up smarter than average? Even a fool would be transformed into a genius at that rate.  

Wei Xiuran sighed deeply in his heart. “It’s fine. A smart kid is better than a foolish one.”  

Wen Xin thought about it and agreed, falling silent.  

At five o’clock in the evening, the family gathered for dinner right on time. Tonight’s meal was steamed cornmeal buns made from a mix of soybean flour, millet flour, and cornmeal. The buns were a golden yellow color, and because their family ground the flour finely, the buns were soft and not rough at all. While kneading the dough, Mother Wen had added water infused with a melted milk candy, giving the buns a faint, pleasant milk aroma. Not only did Wei Rongrong love them, but even the adults like Wen Xin and Wei Xiuran found them delicious.  

The dishes for dinner included stir-fried snow mustard greens with chili peppers and eggplant stir-fried with chili peppers. In addition, there was a large pot of corn porridge.  

After everyone ate to their fill, night had fallen.  

At this time, Wen Yaya, who had been lying on a hillside all day, returned under the cover of darkness.  

When Li Cuihua saw Wen Yaya come back, she froze for a moment. “What were you up to? Why are you covered in grass?”  

Before Wen Yaya could answer, Li Cuihua’s expression suddenly changed as if she had thought of something. She grabbed Wen Yaya’s hand with a slight force and said in a low voice: “Yaya, it’s just that the timing isn’t right yet, or maybe the medicine isn’t working. You finally married into the city and are living a good life. Don’t get confused and do anything to let Hu Youbin down.”  

Wen Yaya’s face turned dark. She shook off Li Cuihua’s hand and snapped: “What nonsense are you spouting? How could I do such a thing? Is there anything to eat in this house? Hurry and get me something—I’m starving!”  

Wen Yaya had spent the entire day on the hillside without a single drop of water or bite of food. She was both exhausted and famished, too drained to argue with Li Cuihua.  

Her rude tone made Li Cuihua’s face fall. Just as she was about to lose her temper, she thought of the items Wen Yaya had brought back over the past two years. She forcefully swallowed her anger and headed to the kitchen to hastily prepare something.  

Li Cuihua was not one to prioritize flavor when cooking—edible was good enough. Wen Yaya, suppressing her distaste, ate a coarse, throat-scratching cornmeal bun and drank a bowl of millet porridge that was cooked with vegetables and looked more like pig feed, though it was so thin you could see your reflection in it. At least it eased her hunger somewhat.  

Li Cuihua continued her chatter in the background, and her words were full of implications urging Wen Yaya to have children. Wen Yaya grew increasingly irritable.  

She couldn’t understand it. In her past life, though her time with Wei Deming wasn’t long, she had still given birth to two sons. On the other hand, Hu Youbin and Wen Xin had one son and one daughter. So why couldn’t she conceive now?  

She had secretly gone to the hospital for a checkup and was told that her body was perfectly fine. Hu Youbin, with his strong and healthy appearance, didn’t seem like he had any issues either. So why couldn’t she get pregnant?  

Thinking of her mother-in-law’s increasingly impatient attitude toward her at home, Wen Yaya became even more frustrated.  

She interrupted Li Cuihua’s constant nagging: “Alright, enough already. Mom, is Wen Xin at home?”  

Li Cuihua’s expression darkened. “Where else would she be if not at home?”  

Wen Yaya’s eyebrows twitched, and she stood up, heading toward the next room. “Wen Xin! Wen Xin! Get out here!”  

Wen Xin was in her room, whispering with Wei Xiuran. Wen Yaya’s shouting in the yard was extremely irritating, so Wen Xin slipped on her slippers and went outside.  

“What’s all the shouting about at this time of night?” Wen Xin turned on the yard light.  

Wen Yaya took a deep breath. “What do you think I’m shouting about? Didn’t we agree to go catch fish at the pond at the foot of Niangzi Mountain together? I waited for you all day at the foot of Niangzi Mountain, but I didn’t see you anywhere.”  

Wen Xin gave Wen Yaya a once-over. “I should be asking you that. You invited me to Niangzi Mountain, but when I got there, you weren’t anywhere to be found.”  

Wen Yaya, frustrated, snapped: “That’s impossible. If you went to Niangzi Mountain, there’s no way I wouldn’t know.”  

Wen Xin rolled her eyes. “Then tell me, where exactly were you waiting for me at the foot of Niangzi Mountain? Everyone in the village saw me heading there, but did anyone see you there?”  

The road to Niangzi Mountain was never deserted, though it was rare to see solitary girls walking alone. Wen Xin wasn’t wrong; earlier in the afternoon, several men had been heading in that direction, and Wen Xin had even encountered them on her way back.  

Wen Yaya had seen those men too but dared not ask them to confront her, because the truth was, she hadn’t been waiting at the foot of Niangzi Mountain at all.  

Wen Xin laughed coldly. “I haven’t even confronted you yet, and you’re already coming here with all this nonsense. You say you were waiting for me at the foot of Niangzi Mountain, but look at you, covered in grass leaves. Who knows who you were really waiting for?”  

Wen Xin had seen two other female leads before—Luo Manzhen, who was vicious, and Su Qiuhé, who was even more treacherous. Both had their own tactics, but they were at least competent.  

If it had been Luo Manzhen or Su Qiuhé in Wen Yaya’s place today, they would never have shown up covered in grass leaves to confront Wen Xin.  

But then again, it made sense. Wen Yaya’s life hadn’t gone well before her rebirth because she lacked the means, the abilities, and even the brains to do anything about it.

If Wen Yaya had any real means or abilities, her marriage to Wei Deming wouldn’t have turned into a situation where her husband didn’t love her, her mother-in-law didn’t like her, and her children didn’t care about her. It was even more absurd that she was sent back by the Wei family after they kicked her out, especially considering that Wei Deming hadn’t died a normal death—he hadn’t even died because of her. So why was she sent back home?

The Wen family had fought for justice for Wen Yaya, and even Wen Dage had swallowed his pride to send her to the Original Owner’s house. The Original Owner had tried to help her by finding her a job, but how did Wen Yaya repay that? She seduced her brother-in-law! While Hu Youbin wasn’t exactly a good person either, Wen Yaya’s actions were even more despicable.

Even after her rebirth, Wen Yaya hadn’t improved much. She dared to make money on the black market, and she made quite a bit, but still couldn’t stand up to the Hu family. She kept groveling before them, while she had grown bolder with the Wen family, now daring to argue with Li Cuihua and scheme against this person and that.

Mother Wen, wielding a broom, stormed out of her room and headed straight for the “battlefield.” With a swish, she waved the broom as if trying to shoo away flies. “Didn’t you say you’d never set foot in my house again? What the hell are you doing here now? Get the hell out!”

Wen Yaya was still a little intimidated by the fierce Mother Wen. Afraid of being hit, she quickly stepped back. Mother Wen slammed the yard gate shut behind her.

Outside, a crowd of villagers had gathered, clearly enjoying the spectacle. When they saw Wen Yaya covered in grass leaves, they exchanged glances, their gossip-loving instincts igniting.

Wen Yaya quickly realized the significance of the grass leaves on her. In the village, about eighty percent of the people who were involved in affairs would go to the haystacks, or in the absence of hay, to dense grass fields.

Her face turned pale as she hurried back to her own house.

After she left, the village’s young masters gathered in small groups, discussing the drama. Despite the darkening sky and the cold, they couldn’t resist the urge to gossip.

With how quickly news spread in the village, it was likely that by tomorrow, the rumors would have reached other villages too.