Chapter 24

Shuiqing recalled her last days in China.

As a strong woman who fought her way to success, she had a thriving career but no children and was plagued by illness.

Before her death, she donated all her wealth to poor girls in mountainous areas, helping them complete their education and escape poverty.

She made a few wishes to the deities:

The top wish was, of course, to have a healthy body—only when tormented by illness did she realize that no amount of money could buy back health.

Second, she wanted to have her own biological child—regardless of gender, as long as the child shared her bloodline.

Finally, she wished for a second chance at life, preferably in a novel she had read!

…Back then, she did indeed make those wishes, and they came true, but were the results somewhat haphazard?

Her body was indeed healthy, but this place was impoverished, with food and safety being constant concerns.

She did have biological children, a son and a daughter, but there were quite a few of them…

She did reincarnate, and into a novel she had read—not just any novel, but one most people in China had read, “The Scholars” with Fan Jin passing the imperial exams.

Shuiqing, on the verge of tears, wanted to shout: She didn’t agree to this arrangement!

But there was nothing to be done; the wishes were hers, and after all, they did come true.

She could only blame herself for not being specific enough when making her wishes!

She would love to return to China, but the original owner of this body was gone, and her body in China was also deceased. What could she do? She had to make do and carry on…

“Sister, where’s brother-in-law?” A cheerful young voice called out, filled with joy.

A weary Shuiqing looked up at her clear-eyed younger brother, Hu Wenhua, who was fifteen years old.

The original parents had only two children. After she was born, Hu’s mother fell ill and only had Hu Wenhua years later, so there was a considerable age gap between the siblings.

Although Hu Wenhua’s name sounded scholarly, his robust build was identical to their father, Hu the butcher!

At just fifteen, he was already half a head taller than their father, as sturdy as a black bear.

And she took after their mother, with a slender frame.

Shuiqing was about to respond when she heard a booming voice beside her, “What else can your brother-in-law do besides copying books?

He’s useless at farm work, and he can’t pass the imperial exams. What a waste of my trust in him back then!”

Silently, Shuiqing added: …You’re just enjoying some verbal satisfaction now. Once your son-in-law passes the exams, you’ll be trailing behind him, pulling his coattails dozens of times.

Passing the provincial exams is a golden ticket, leading straight to the top educational official…

“Grandfather, father didn’t copy books today,” Fan He replied crisply.

“He didn’t even copy books? Then how will my daughter survive!” Hu the butcher’s thick brows knitted in anger.

“Father went to sell bamboo mushrooms and skirt mushrooms,” Fan He quickly added.

Hu the butcher was about to dismiss these worthless items when a nearby villager interrupted, “Butcher Hu, stop worrying.

Your son-in-law is a scholar who lowers himself to copy books and sell mushrooms. What more could you ask for?”

“Come, dear niece, don’t listen to your old father. Your husband might pass the exams next year!”

“Yes, yes.”

Shuiqing: …Pass the exams? Fan Jin might only get promoted when the flowers have wilted.

“I think your son-in-law is lucky and has the look of an official! He might become a high-ranking official in the future.”

“Yes, yes!”

From the bottom of her heart, Shuiqing admired the men Hu the butcher brought along; they were emotional boosters, offering praise and support—who wouldn’t be swayed?

Hu the butcher’s rugged face couldn’t hide his smile as he clasped his hands, “Thanks for your kind words.”

Silently following alongside, Shuiqing dared not speak much.

Her gaze fell on the patched hem of Hu the butcher’s clothes, listening to his incessant grumbling, “This morning, someone from your village came to my stall to buy pork, and I found out you divided the household yesterday.

You should’ve told me earlier so your father could come and support you, no, to uphold justice for you!”

Hearing his heartfelt concern, Shuiqing sincerely replied, “Thank you for worrying about us, father.”

“Raising a daughter is a lifetime of worry,” Hu the butcher complained before adding, “The villagers said you were left without a shelter after dividing the household. How is that fair? It’s more like you were kicked out!

I hurried your mother to buy supplies from the shops, sent your brother to inform the uncles and neighbors, and rushed over to build a thatched cottage today.”

Shuiqing’s eyes welled up, moving from the patches on Hu the butcher’s hem to the piled-up ox cart.

“A son-in-law getting wet is no big deal, but you and the girls can’t afford to get sick from the rain; it’ll cause trouble in old age!” Hu the butcher rambled on, driving the ox cart.

Feeling a wave of emotion, Shuiqing called out with a thick nasal tone, “Father.”

Hu the butcher thought his daughter was worried about food and whispered, “Don’t worry about food, daughter. I saved a piece of meat this morning, nice and fatty!

For lunch, add lots of vegetables and cook a pot of it, then make another pot of coarse rice porridge. With fatty meat, it’ll be decent.”

Helping hands were expected to be fed a decent meal, but since his daughter had just split from the family and lacked everything, coarse rice was fine. With the fatty meat, it would be enough.

Shuiqing knew that in this era, fatty meat was more precious than lean meat.

Though Hu the butcher grumbled and complained, looking down on everything, his actions were thorough and considerate!

The workers were invited by her father to help, and if she couldn’t feed them well, her parents would have to make up for it later.

Shuiqing immediately declared, “Father, we have enough food. We’ll have solid food for lunch!”

Hu the butcher looked at his daughter in surprise, not expecting her to be so generous.

He felt gratified; his daughter was more confident after the split.

“Grandfather, don’t worry. We just received a sack of rice, so we have food,” Xing Hui explained.

Hu the butcher and Hu Wenhua listened, their brows furrowing with anger, then relaxing when they heard the village elder upheld justice.

“Good, good, the elder is a reasonable man. We owe him a debt of gratitude!” he said.

If the elder came to buy meat, he’d make sure to give an extra large bone.

Shuiqing didn’t expect the elder to help her and her father to appreciate it. She quickly said, “Father, I’ve thought of a way to thank the elder. You’ve spent money and effort today; save some for my brother’s dowry.”

Men generally started looking for a match at sixteen, and if they found someone, they’d marry the next year. If not, they’d look until eighteen at the latest.

After eighteen, nearing twenty, it was harder to find a good match, as twenty was considered late.

Marriage was a big deal, requiring money everywhere.