Chapter 13

The gossiping aunties who had arrived later all started talking at once.

“Yo, even an educated youth is rushing to be a mistress, huh? These days, homewreckers ought to be sent to a labor camp.”

“Exactly, just the other day that Educated Youth Jiang egged on Third Xie’s second sister-in-law to ask for money. Now she still has the face to live in someone else’s home, what a thick skin.”

“I don’t even know what’s so great about Third Xie that she’s so eager to ‘help’ the Jiang family.”

“It’s not about Third Xie being great. I’d guess she’s using the excuse of taking care of her husband to drain the Jiangs. Ginseng isn’t cheap, you know. Tsk, tsk.”

“Aren’t educated youths supposed to have money anyway?”

While everyone was gossiping, Jiang Ying couldn’t hold her expression anymore and, on the verge of tears, turned to Jiang Tian.

“Tian Tian, I really just wanted to help you.”

Jiang Tian replied, “Mm, I understand your good intentions, but I still don’t agree. I can’t put you in an improper situation either. You’re an unmarried girl — it’s definitely not right for you to live with a newly married couple.

How about this: since everyone’s here, you can ask which of the villagers is willing to rent you a place. Didn’t you say the rent was forty jin of coarse grain?”

Aunt Liu rolled her eyes, then offered, “Educated Youth Jiang, why don’t you live at my house? We have lots of people, lots of hands to work.”

Aunt Liu’s family had three sons and two daughters. The daughters were already married off, the eldest son Liu Hongqiang and second son Liu Hongsheng were both married, but the youngest son, Liu Hongli, was still single — and he was notorious in the village as a good-for-nothing loafer.

Everyone knew, if Educated Youth Jiang went to live with the Lius, it would mean she was basically going to be a wife for the youngest son.

But because of what just happened, no one reminded her. After all, a woman so eager to throw herself at someone else’s husband wouldn’t be honest no matter where she went.

Still, a few other aunties stood up to offer.

One was from the poor Guo family.

Old Guo’s household was always a mess, with too many children.

The mother had brought five kids with her when she remarried Old Man Guo, and in her first year of remarriage she gave birth to the youngest son — making six children in total, three boys and three girls, all in their early teens. The work points they earned weren’t nearly enough to feed them. On top of that, Old Man Guo had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The doctor said there was no cure; he could only wait to die at home.

Another option was an old widow who lived at the edge of the village.

Her household was small, but she had a mentally impaired son — if Jiang Ying went there, it clearly wouldn’t work.

Jiang Ying looked down on all of them and kept trying to push her case.

“Tian Tian, if I live alone I’ll be scared. Why don’t I just stay at your house?”

Jiang Tian had already been outside too long, and Xie Chen couldn’t hold back anymore. He came out from the house.

Seeing the crowd, he quietly asked Jiang Tian what was going on.

The moment Jiang Ying saw him, her eyes lit up. “Brother Xie Chen, the educated youth dorm is too crowded, there aren’t enough beds. I was hoping to stay at your place for a while.”

Xie Chen answered with a flat, “Oh.”

Since his wife disliked this person, he naturally didn’t bother with her either.

The village chief noticed Xie Chen had come out, sized him up, and saw his complexion looked much better. With a smile he said, “Xie family boy, your energy and spirit have improved a lot.”

Back when he’d helped Xie Chen sever ties with his family, the village chief had done quite a bit. Xie Chen smiled back. “Mm, thanks to my wife and brother-in-law’s care, I’m doing a bit better than before.”

The aunties widened their eyes at this and whispered among themselves:

“That’s more than just ‘a bit’ better. He looks completely healthy now!”

“And look, Third Xie is actually quite handsome.”

“Ha~ without the Jiang family’s ginseng, would he be like this now?”

Listening to them, Jiang Tian could fully relate to how female leads in those “rebirth” novels felt.

Jiang Ying, seeing Xie Chen’s color improve and him looking more handsome, couldn’t help but think back to her past life when he used to run around doing things for her.

“Brother Xie Chen…”

Jiang Tian frowned and looked at her coldly. “Educated Youth Jiang, I’ve already told you clearly — I don’t agree. Go find somewhere else.”

“Brother Xie Chen, I brought forty jin of coarse grain with me. Can’t you let me stay?”

Jiang Tian laughed in exasperation. “Educated Youth Jiang, it’s my home, I make the decisions. You don’t need to ask him.”

She really had underestimated this woman’s shamelessness. Now that she had been reborn, she didn’t care about anything anymore. Broad daylight, and she dared to cling to another woman’s husband like this.

Truly outrageous.

Jiang Ying frowned, putting on a scolding tone. “Tian Tian, how can you treat Brother Xie Chen like that? A man should be the head of the household.”

Jiang Tian leisurely looked at her and shot back:

“Educated Youth Jiang, our family’s internal affairs don’t need you, an outsider, to manage. And don’t claim you’re my sister and doing this for my sake.

As far as I know, I’m the only daughter in my family, and later I took in my little brother. So there’s only the two of us — I don’t have any sisters.

You don’t need to call me sister and play at being close. As for this lodging matter, I’ve already refused. No need to bring it up again.

You also said a man should be the head of the household — but that’s not something I forced. It’s because they themselves wanted me to be in charge. In our home, I have the final say. Outsiders have no right to comment on our family matters.

And one more thing, Educated Youth Jiang: you’d better keep your eyes to yourself. Stop staring at a married man. My Chen-ge has a weak constitution — if your constant staring gives him a psychological shadow, then what?”

Once she finished, Jiang Ying’s face turned beet red. Humiliated, she covered her face and ran off.

The onlookers gradually dispersed, leaving only the village chief and the women’s director. They nodded at Jiang Tian approvingly. “Jiang girl, you did right. You should stand firm.”

Jiang Tian smiled and saw the two elders off. After closing the door, she went straight back inside.

In the kitchen, Jiang Er had just boiled hot water to pluck the chicken. Jiang Tian came in. “Little Ears, go back to your room. From now on, let your brother-in-law handle this kind of work.”

Jiang Er saw her expression didn’t look good, shot a glare at Xie Chen who had followed behind, and went back to his own room.

Without sparing Xie Chen a glance, Jiang Tian went straight into the east room, leaving him standing in the kitchen.

Xie Chen didn’t rush to deal with the chicken. He quickly followed her inside and went up to apologize.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, why are you apologizing to me?”

Jiang Tian wasn’t an unreasonable person. If the female lead had truly been reborn, she’d know better than to stick with the lovesick second male lead.

But the problem was, she had transmigrated here and already married Xie Chen. There was no reason to yield.

It was just that Jiang Ying’s clingy, shameless behavior was grating. The way she looked at Xie Chen made her eyes light up — if she really let her stay, she might one day pounce on him while she wasn’t home.

Xie Chen gently wrapped his arms around her waist and said softly, “I’ll go out less from now on. I’ll stay obediently at home.”

Jiang Tian turned her head to him. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just annoyed.”

“Annoyed at that woman?”

“Mm.”