Chapter 4

Seeing how easily Mother had “soothed” Big Brother, Erya looked at Yun Shuang with wide-eyed admiration and bounced over. “Okay!”

After a full round of inventory, even Yun Shuang—who’d mentally prepared for the worst—fell silent. They’d searched the house top to bottom and found just ten copper coins.

In Da Qi, two copper coins could buy one steamed bun. That meant their entire fortune was worth only five buns. Had someone told the former Yun Shuang this, she’d probably think one of her enemies was playing a cruel joke.

“Mother hasn’t done anything lately. And you’ve been sick a lot.”

That mumbling voice came from Goudan, who walked in reluctantly, still wearing a dark expression. “If you don’t get better soon, those ten coins will probably be spent too.”

Yun Shuang glanced at him, quietly took a deep breath, and asked as if nothing were wrong, “Did you drink the soup?”

“Nope.” Goudan plopped down on a nearby chair and turned his head away.

So young—and yet such a temper.

Yun Shuang carefully stashed away the ten copper coins, then looked outside and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s get some rest early tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll take both of you out to search for food.”

Autumn had already passed its midpoint. The air was growing cooler, and daylight faded earlier. She had just arrived in this place—not wise to wander out so late.

Goudan froze, then couldn’t help but glance at the woman nearby.

She hadn’t changed. She was still saying she’d go look for food with them. But he mustn’t hope. He couldn’t.

The higher the hope, the harder the fall. And after all, he was still just a child. That face full of buried longing and hurt was practically spelling it out for the world to see.

Yun Shuang held back her laughter, picked up Erya in her arms, and said, “I’ll take you two to wash up and change into clean clothes first…”

Before her words were even finished, a woman’s voice suddenly called out from outside: “Shuangniang, how’s your health today? When I brought you that malt syrup two days ago, Erya was crying like a pitiful little thing, saying you were terribly ill this time…”

As soon as Yun Shuang heard the voice, a familiar face appeared in her mind—Sister Miao, the village chief’s wife. Her brows furrowed instinctively. But Goudan reacted faster and more fiercely. He shot to his feet, his tiny face filled with the fierce defensiveness of a little cub. Before Yun Shuang could stop him, he had already charged outside.

The next moment, his childish yet furious voice rang through the courtyard: “Go away! My mother doesn’t need your fake kindness! Leave!”

“Oh my, Goudan, you scared me! What’s gotten into you? I heard your mama wasn’t doing well, so we made some bone soup today—came to bring her some nourishment…”

“We don’t want it! Go away! Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning! My mother’s not marrying anyone! And I won’t accept that idiot as my dad!”

By the time Yun Shuang rushed outside, it was already too late.

Sister Miao looked utterly stunned and furious, as though her scheming had just been called out. She glared at Goudan and snapped: “You foul-mouthed little brat! Calling someone an idiot? Your mother dragging two kids along and still getting a chance to marry into our family—she should be laughing in her sleep!”

Just as Goudan was about to speak again, Yun Shuang quickly stepped forward, grabbed his arm, and said firmly, “Enough!”

She pulled the startled boy behind her, her gaze now cool as she looked at Sister Miao—whose usual gentleness had clearly vanished.

“Sister Miao, let me first apologize on Goudan’s behalf. He shouldn’t have spoken so rudely. But since things are already out in the open, I’ll be direct as well—I have no plans to remarry for the time being. So I’d appreciate it if you no longer wasted effort on me.”

Over the years, Sister Miao hadn’t been subtle about her intentions. At first, she hesitated, thinking her household was still respectable—despite her son’s condition, maybe he could still marry a decent young maiden. But as her son grew older and continued to face rejection, and seeing that the original Yun Shuang had a well-behaved son, her patience ran dry. On several occasions, she even came over to aggressively propose marriage.

Yet when the original Yun Shuang’s spirit completely collapsed and her health deteriorated, Sister Miao’s proposals became futile. Sometimes Yun Shuang was bedridden, sometimes sunk in sorrow—and the subject could never move forward.

Even so, Sister Miao hadn’t given up. Yun Shuang had to admire her persistence over all these years.

But upon hearing Yun Shuang’s words, Sister Miao’s expression twisted sharply. This was the first time Yun Shuang had ever rejected her so directly, and her face turned sour as she snapped: “Yun Shuang, do you even know what you’re saying? Don’t think just because you have a halfway decent face, you’ll marry into some good family! A woman with no background, dragging along two bastards—only our kind-hearted family doesn’t mind! And instead of being grateful, you’ve got the nerve to act so ungrateful!”

“If my husband hadn’t been so kind and let you stay in this village, you’d be who knows where by now!”

Faced with her verbal assault, Yun Shuang’s gaze cooled—but she didn’t rush or retaliate. Shielding her two children behind her, she replied calmly: “Sister Miao, if you choose to think so highly of me, I appreciate it.”

“But surely you know the real reason Village Chief Huang allowed me to stay.”

“At the time, military households in Xiazhou were fleeing in large numbers. The prefect sent people annually to audit and count household quotas, and keeping those numbers stable was part of Chief Huang’s duty. He let me settle in Changsheng Village because it made the village numbers look better.”

“So really, our relationship has always been a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Sister Miao’s face turned livid, looking utterly stunned at the woman before her. This woman—she truly had become someone else! No longer bedridden and crying, she was now daring to speak with such boldness?

Still, as the village chief’s wife, Sister Miao had influence. Yun Shuang didn’t intend to burn bridges—at least, not yet. She paused, then continued more gently: “But regardless of everything, I’ve always remembered the kindness Chief Huang and Sister Miao have shown me over the years. I’m not one to forget a favor, and if I ever have the chance, I’ll repay it tenfold.”

Sister Miao’s lips twitched for a moment before she finally retorted bitterly: “Hmph! Pretty words are easy to say! Yun Shuang, don’t blame me for being blunt. We’ve lived in this village together for so long—of course, there’s some history between us. You, a young woman raising two kids on your own—still safe and sound today, thanks first to the blessings of Heaven, and second to our village’s protection.”

“But do you really think life will always go so smoothly for you? Over the years, plenty of men in the village have had their eyes on you. You think they want to marry you properly? Keep dreaming! If my son Chengdong weren’t the way he is now, do you think I’d ever consider someone like you?”

“Don’t be blind to kindness. If you were that girl from the Liu family—Liu Pei’er—you’d have the looks, the figure, and you’d be a pure, untouched maiden with choices to make!”

“Ha! With the state you’re in now, and you still think you can pick and choose? Don’t make yourself a laughingstock. I’ve said everything I needed to—think it over.”

The girl she spoke of—Liu Pei’er from the Liu family—had just come of age this year. As Sister Miao claimed, Liu Pei’er had always been the prettiest girl in the village, born to a domineering father and raised in the lap of luxury and affection. In fact, the original Yun Shuang used to be very much like her—maybe even better.

After finishing her tirade, Sister Miao gave Goudan a glare filled with both resentment and possessiveness, like staring down a growling cub. Then, she cast a greedy glance at Yun Shuang—whose renewed vitality had made her beauty all the more radiant—and let out a cold “hmph” before turning on her heel and leaving.