“Zhang Qiao’er, I warned you last time—if you dare to spread nonsense again, I won’t let you off. Did you really think I was just bluffing?”

As Shen Qingwan spoke, she reached out, grabbed Zhang Qiao’er’s neck, lifted her up, and threw her directly into the lake. “Since you want to wash, then wash properly.”

“Madam Eldest!”

Li Zheng (the village head) hadn’t expected Shen Qingwan to act so decisively, throwing Zhang Qiao’er into the water without hesitation.

Wu Erniang, who had just arrived, saw Shen Qingwan tossing Zhang Qiao’er into the lake and screamed in shock as she rushed to save her.

“Shen, are you trying to kill someone? Hurry and save her! My daughter can’t swim!”

Wu Erniang was both panicked and furious, stomping her feet while accusing Shen Qingwan.

But Shen Qingwan simply folded her arms and stood there, watching Zhang Qiao’er struggle for a moment before sinking.

Li Zheng, fearing someone might drown—especially since Zhang Qiao’er was pregnant—used a stick to fish her out.

Cough, cough… Zhang Qiao’er choked and sputtered before glaring at Shen Qingwan. “Shen Qingwan, you venomous woman!”

One had to admit, Zhang Qiao’er was tough.

Just moments ago, she seemed on the verge of drowning, but after coughing up some water, she immediately started cursing again.

Wu Erniang hugged her daughter and wailed, pointing at Shen Qingwan. “Are you trying to destroy our family? What did my daughter ever do to you for you to be so heartless?”

“Madam Wu, don’t think crying will make you right. You should ask why my daughter-in-law threw her into the lake in the first place! Your daughter is truly wicked—everyone in the village uses the lake water for cooking and drinking, yet she washed her feet and her filthy socks in it.

The villagers simply pointed it out to her, but she retaliated by insulting my daughter-in-law. Everyone, tell me—was my daughter-in-law in the wrong here? Why should she be cursed at?

Zhang Qiao’er ruined her own reputation, lost her innocence, and is now pregnant with a bastard child—yet she wants to drag my daughter-in-law down with her? Throwing her in the lake was already too lenient!”

“That’s right! She only has herself to blame!”

“Your daughter dirtied the water we all drink from. Are we supposed to drink her foot-washing water now?”

The villagers chimed in one after another, leaving Wu Erniang speechless.

She had arrived late and didn’t know what had happened, assuming that Shen Qingwan had bullied her daughter.

But now she realized it was because of the lake incident.

“Li Zheng never said we couldn’t use the lake for washing! It’s such a big lake—who knows how many people have bathed in it before? Even if my daughter washed her feet, you have no right to bully her like this!”

Wu Erniang was indignant, but with her husband not present, she lacked confidence.

She also didn’t dare refute the claim that her daughter was pregnant with a bastard child.

“Maybe in the past, people didn’t know any better.

But since we moved here, everyone has been careful to protect the water source. Is your daughter so special that she can just pollute it?”

Now that the truth was out, the villagers were disgusted. It was one thing if they hadn’t known, but now every time they drank porridge, they’d picture Zhang Qiao’er’s dirty feet in the water.

Wu Erniang had no response.

When Zhang Hong returned, he saw a crowd gathered, his wife hugging their daughter as people pointed and whispered.

Li Zheng(Village Head) explained what had happened, and upon hearing his daughter’s actions, Zhang Hong felt ashamed.

But when he learned that Zhang Qiao’er was pregnant, his shame turned into fury.

“Li Zheng, my daughter was wrong today, and I sincerely apologize. Ever since that incident, her temperament has changed drastically. Now that she’s pregnant, it hasn’t been easy for her. I ask everyone to be understanding. Shen Qingwan, please don’t hold this against her. I will arrange a marriage for her soon so she won’t trouble the village anymore.”

Zhang Hong knew they were in the wrong and maintained a respectful attitude.

Although Shen Qingwan wanted to get rid of Zhang Qiao’er for good, she reconsidered.

Since Zhang Qiao’er was pregnant and her father planned to marry her off, she would suffer plenty in the future.

No need to dirty her own hands.

Li Zheng, satisfied with Zhang Hong’s response, didn’t pursue the matter further and dispersed the crowd.

The news of Zhang Qiao’er’s pregnancy spread like wildfire. Since the villagers’ homes were still being built, people lived close together, and gossip spread easily.

Zhang Hong, now the subject of constant ridicule, couldn’t take it anymore.

He decided to have Zhang Qiao’er abort the child—it was the offspring of bandits, after all.

He didn’t want her to keep it.

Though Zhang Qiao’er didn’t want the child, she was too scared to abort it, fearing she might die in the process.

“Father, please, don’t make me get rid of this baby. I will find a husband for myself. Please, just give me a little more time.”

In the end, Zhang Hong couldn’t bring himself to force an abortion.

Instead, he had Wu Erniang start searching for a marriage match for Zhang Qiao’er.

When Zhang Qiao’er learned of her parents’ plan to marry her off, she panicked.

Given her current situation, she could never marry into a good family. It would be better to find a husband herself.

Determined, she stole two taels of silver from home and ran away to Suzhou City, hoping to find a man who would take her in.

Zhang Hong and Wu Erniang were shocked to discover she had stolen their entire savings and run away. Without that money, their family would struggle to survive.

Meanwhile, on the fifth day after settling in, Shen Qingwan’s wooden house was finally completed.

It had four rooms—one for Old Master and Old Madam Lu, one for the second son and his wife, one for Lu Jiaojiao, and one for Shen Qingwan and her two children.

Now that they had their own space, mealtimes became more comfortable. Others lived off coarse grain pancakes and corn buns, while Shen Qingwan and her children ate a variety of delicious meals daily. The children became noticeably healthier, and even Shen Qingwan’s own body grew more delicate and radiant.

It wasn’t that she was unwilling to share; rather, she had a secret—her personal space (possibly a magical dimension or storage ability). If people discovered it, they might treat her as a monster.

Moreover, she couldn’t completely trust others.

The old couple treated her well, but some things were best kept hidden.

She warned the children not to talk about their food. Though young, they understood the importance of secrecy.

Unlike the others who were busy farming, Shen Qingwan had other priorities. She went to Suzhou City and bought the lake for a thousand taels of silver, making it her private property.