Chapter 65: A Trip to the Hu Family Pigsty at Night

Hu Zhaodi took Ji Chunhua and her daughters to buy three bolts of fabric, followed by a large amount of pork. After their shopping, she brought them back to Fumanlou Restaurant.

Once there, she asked Han Dongsheng to look after Ji Chunhua and the children for a while as she left in the carriage. In a secluded area, Hu Zhaodi stopped, pulled out a prepared cloth bag, and transferred rice and flour from her space into it. With everything packed, she returned to Fumanlou Restaurant.

Arriving back, she thanked Han Dongsheng. “Brother Han, thank you and Brother Wu for all the help today. It’s getting late; we should head home.”

Han Dongsheng laughed, shaking his head. “No trouble at all. But don’t leave just yet. Wait a bit; Brother Wu should be here soon.”

“Brother Wu is coming too?”

“Didn’t you mention yesterday that you needed a cart for transporting goods? He went back to fetch one for you and will be here soon.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Yinghai arrived, driving a freight cart into the restaurant’s back courtyard.

“Sister Zhaodi, you can drive this cart home. The horse and cart are yours,” he said, smiling.

Hu Zhaodi shook her head. “Brother Wu, you keep the horse. I only need the cart. Caring for a horse is no small task; it would eat me into poverty.”

Wu Yinghai raised an eyebrow. “It’s true; horses aren’t easy to maintain. In fact, that’s why carts often cost more than the horses pulling them. So, you really don’t want the horse?”

“No, I’m fine with just one horse. They cost a lot and need a lot of attention. Plus, I don’t even have a place to keep it.”

“Alright then. I’ll tie the freight cart to your other cart so you can take it home.”

“Thank you, Brother Wu.”

After securing the carts together, Hu Zhaodi helped Ji Chunhua and the two girls onto the cart.

Ji Chunhua lifted her daughters into the cart first and then turned to Zhaodi. “Zhaodi, you sit inside; I’ll drive.”

Hu Zhaodi laughed, “Chunhua, you know how to drive a cart?”

“Well, no… But I watched Young Master Wu do it this morning, so I’d like to give it a try.”

If Hu Zhaodi hadn’t learned to care for and drive carriages with her family in her past life, she’d be just as unsure.

“Chunhua, driving a horse cart is more challenging than handling an ox cart. Why don’t you sit beside me and learn first?”

“Alright.”

The two children sat in the back with several bags of rice, flour, bolts of fabric, and some pork. The kids, curious, kept poking at the bags.

Ji Heruo asked, “Big Sister, what’s in these bags?”

Ji Heying replied, “I’m not sure. They’re probably things Sister Zhaodi bought.”

Overhearing them, Ji Chunhua lifted the curtain and reminded them, “Girls, you shouldn’t call her ‘Sister Zhaodi.’ By our family’s generational ranking, you should call her ‘AAuntie Ji.’”

The children nodded obediently, “Mother, we’ll remember.”

Hu Zhaodi chuckled, “Chunhua, now that they have their new names, let’s use them instead of Big Sister and Little Sister. Calling them Xiaoying and Xiaoruo sounds so much nicer.”

Ji Heying blinked, realizing belatedly that “Xiaoying” referred to her. She’d been called “Big Sister” for so long it took her a moment to adjust.

Ji Chunhua smiled, “Right, right. From now on, they’re Xiaoying and Xiaoruo.”

Ji Heying beamed. “It sounds so nice, Mother. Now, my sister and I both have real names.”

Hu Zhaodi nodded. “That’s right. Now you both have proper names. You’re Ji Heying, and your sister is Ji Heruo. Remember, if anyone asks, you know how to introduce yourselves, right?”

The two girls nodded excitedly. “Yes, AAuntie Ji, we remember!”

As they made their way back to the village, they happened to encounter Hu Dashan’s mother, Madam Yang. Seeing the carriage Hu Zhaodi was driving, Madam Yang’s gaze filled with envy and resentment. This girl had only been away from the Hu family for less than a month, yet she now owned a horse and carriage.

How much money had she made? In the nearby villages, hardly anyone could afford a carriage—not even the village head’s family. Only wealthy households had such luxuries. Just how had this girl made so much money?

As the carriage passed her, Madam Yang caught sight of the freight cart tied behind it, her eyes turning red with jealousy. Hu Zhaodi glanced back at her, immediately catching the bitterness in the old woman’s gaze.

So, the old lady could get out of bed now—Hu Dashan was likely recovering too. Perhaps it was time to stir up some trouble for them.

Madam Yang had raised a piglet, which Hu Zhaodi used to care for diligently. It was now probably around eighty or ninety pounds. That pig was as good as raised by her—how could she let the Hu family have it so easily?

No, she’d have to pay a visit to the Hu family’s pigsty tonight. If she didn’t outright kill it, she could at least find a way to make it lose a few pounds.

Thinking of this, Hu Zhaodi’s lips curved into a mischievous smile.

Ji Chunhua looked at her, puzzled. “Zhaodi, why are you smiling like that? You look a bit… strange.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Sister Chunhua. Do you know what my life was like in the Hu family before?”

“Of course. Even after I got married, my mother would still mention you whenever she visited me. Zhaodi, it’s good that you cut ties with them.”

“Heh, do you think it’s over just because we’re done? After all the years they mistreated me, I have to pay them back. They aren’t my real parents—I’m not gonna let them off that easily.”

“So, how do you plan to get revenge?”

Hu Zhaodi gave a mysterious smile. “You’ll see tomorrow.”

When they arrived at the Ji family home, Uncle Ji and Auntie Ji Ji hurried over to greet them.

Uncle Ji asked with concern, “So? Did you finalize the divorce?”

Ji Chunhua nodded with a smile. “Yes, Father, it’s done. And that Li woman and her son both received twenty lashes and were sentenced to eighteen years in prison!”

“Good! It’s a mercy they weren’t made to pay for the lives of the three children who died.”

Hu Zhaodi gave a faint smile. “It’s only a matter of time. If they died now, it’d be too easy on them. They won’t have it easy in prison. Surviving three years there would already be a miracle.”

Uncle Ji nodded in agreement. “Well said.”

Ji Heying ran up to Uncle Ji, excitedly saying, “Grandfather, my sister and I have new names!”

With a loving smile, he asked, “Oh? Tell Grandfather your names.”

“I’m Ji Heying, and my sister is Ji Heruo. The county magistrate gave us these names.”

“Wonderful, wonderful. From now on, you’re Ji family children, and Grandfather won’t let anyone mistreat you.”

Hu Zhaodi smiled and said, “Grandfather, let’s unload the goods from the carriage first.”

“Alright.”

When Uncle Ji lifted the carriage curtain and saw the haul, his eyes widened. “Zhaodi, why did you buy so much again?”