Ugly girl only wants to farm

After walking a long way, Meng Jiu noticed that the two hadn't followed, so he turned around and asked, "What are you two doing? Why don't you hurry up and catch up? It's so impolite to leave Uncle Er waiting for us all over the house."

The two women looked at each other, then quickly jogged after him.

Xu Chaoyan smiled and said, "Hey, I'm here."

Meng Jiuhe felt a little embarrassed during dinner. Everyone in the room looked him over as if he were some kind of peculiar spectacle, asking him all sorts of questions.

His second great-uncle insisted on having a few drinks with him, saying that it was rare to have a scholar like him and that he might be able to guide his grandsons when he had some free time. He said that his family consisted of laborers with no scholars and that he wanted his descendants to be more sensible.

Meng Jiuhe smiled and agreed. Xu Chaoyan enjoyed the meal immensely, having not had such delicious food in a long time.

She went to help her uncle's wife cook a big pot of taro, and the aroma wafted for miles. Meng Jiuxia ate two bowls of taro.

Life went on at a leisurely pace, and it was already August, with the weather getting hotter and hotter.

Since Xu Chaoyan built the wall for her second uncle's family, many people have been able to find her because her fees are reasonable. Usually, those who do long and short-term jobs find the summer heat very difficult, but the craftsmen who work with her are quite comfortable.

Every day, she had chilled mung bean soup, and in the afternoon, they would have a light snack. She was also very generous with her wages; as soon as she finished a job for one family, she would get paid immediately. Gradually, her makeshift troupe gained a reputation. Although she only took on relatively simple jobs, she wasn't yet involved in building entire houses or other complex tasks. For her, she was already quite content.

As she watched the copper coins in the earthenware jar grow larger and larger, she wore a smile on her face all day long. Every time she went to buy meat, the butcher would see her smile and would often give her some pig's blood and lungs as gifts.

Since the last time the matter of the county school was mentioned, Meng Jiuhe hadn't taken it to heart at all.

Xu Chaoyan seemed to be taking this matter more and more seriously. Every time she got paid, she would hold the jar and count it over and over again.

She also had a notebook, in which she often wrote and drew. Meng Jiu was initially puzzled, wondering what she was writing about. She always saw her holding a piece of charcoal and writing and drawing on it.

He had previously suggested going to his desk, where all the writing implements were readily available, but Xu Chaoyan refused, saying that his handwriting was too ugly, like scribbles, and that he could understand these things himself.

Meng Jiuhe then stopped dwelling on the matter.

Since moving here, Xu Chaoyan has become familiar not only with Zhang Xuyang's family but also with her neighbors. She usually cooks meals at home and delivers them to the craftsmen. When she's bored, she chats with the women to learn more about the town.

As dusk approached, Meng Jiuhe had not yet finished school. The weather was very hot, and people were becoming increasingly lazy. When she saw an old woman calling her from not far away, she quickly grabbed a palm-leaf fan and went over.

"Madam Meng, my old eyes are failing and I can't thread the needle. Can you lend me a hand?"

Xu Chaoyan took the embroidery needle, put the silk thread in her mouth and licked it, then quickly threaded it through the needle.

"Auntie, what are you doing?"

The old woman took the needle that had been tied into a knot, swished it twice on her hair, and then began to slowly sew it up.

"It's all because of Xuyang. His clothes are quite worn out from washing, and there's even a hole in them. He didn't say anything. His father and I have been busy making and selling tofu, so we didn't notice anything. We only found out when we were washing the clothes, so we quickly mended them for him. Otherwise, I'm afraid he'll lose face if others laugh at him at school."

Xu Chaoyan then remembered that she should also prepare some autumn clothes for Meng Jiuhe. These clothes should be prepared in advance, but her needlework skills were indescribable.

She thought about picking out some fabric to take back and ask her sister-in-law to help her make something, but the thought of Meng Jiuxia's disdainful look made her a little timid.

Meng Jiuxia always mocked her husband's personal clothing, saying, "You have to sew it, right? How can you expect me, your sister-in-law, to do it for you?" But unfortunately, her needlework was really no good.

Seeing her thoughtful expression, the old woman asked, "What are you thinking about? Have things not been going well at work lately?"

Xu Chaoyan shook her head: "It's not that I'm waiting for the autumn heat to pass and the weather to gradually cool down. I plan to make some clothes for my husband, but unfortunately, my needlework is really terrible."

After saying that, he looked ashamed.

The old woman smiled and comforted her, "It's no big deal that your husband has it. Just try making it. If you really don't understand, bring it over and I'll teach you."

The two of them started chatting casually, discussing things like making clothes.

Just then, a woman carrying a basket walked forward with her head held high outside the courtyard. She glanced at Xu Chaoyan and the others along the fence, her eyes filled with undisguised sarcasm.

The old woman put down her embroidery needle and glanced at it, looking at it with disdain: "I wonder which family's wife is going to fawn over again. Let me tell you, Meng family's wife, that Zhu woman has offended everyone in this area, except for those two families in front. You're new here and haven't had much dealings with her. It's best to avoid her, or you might fall into her trap."

Xu Chaoyan nodded in agreement. Although she was somewhat familiar with the women and young ladies in the area, she had only exchanged nods with this Zhu family woman.

After the old woman walked away, the old woman moved closer to her and muttered, "That woman, don't be fooled by her sly appearance, she's actually very dark inside, just like a black sesame dumpling."

Xu Chaoyan looked surprised: "Auntie, how come you suffered a loss at her hands?"

The old woman shook her head: "I wouldn't stoop to arguing with her. We had a pretty good relationship a few years ago, but who knew she liked to gossip behind people's backs, saying one thing to their face and another behind their back."

Xu Chaoyan nodded. That's just how women in the countryside are. That's why people say there are a lot of shrewish women in the countryside.

The old woman continued, "It's about your sister-in-law, isn't it?"

Xu Chaoyan looked puzzled: "What's wrong with my sister-in-law? She works by my side all day long and hasn't said anything to those women. Did I offend her for that?"

The old woman simply put down her clothes and waved her hand: "No, that's not it. Before, that woman from the Zhang family wanted me to find a husband for your sister-in-law. I thought your sister-in-law was still young and probably not in a hurry, so I said I would think about it for a few more days and then talk to you about it."

Xu Chaoyan never expected that they had only been here for a short time, and someone would already be thinking about her sister-in-law's marriage. Thinking about it, it makes sense. It's normal for a sister-in-law of this age to be looking for a husband. Usually, after the marriage is arranged, they can date for a year or two and then get married in another two years.

Xu Chaoyan: "Why didn't that aunt tell me later? I'll discuss it with my husband. If she's a good person, we can consider it."

The old woman sighed twice before saying, "Fortunately, I didn't bring this matter to your attention. It would have been quite embarrassing if I had. I originally said I would think about it for a few days and then reply to that woman, but someone told her that your family has connections, so the matter was dropped."

Xu Chaoyan was taken aback: "My family has connections, how come I didn't know about this?" She looked puzzled.

The old woman then explained, "Someone was gossiping in front of the Zhang family women. Oh, I'll just say what I have to say, don't take it to heart, just listen for a bit. They said your sister-in-law smells like a fox."

Xu Chaoyan stared blankly for a long time, looking surprised: "What does it taste like? I don't know, we're together every day."

Seeing her shocked expression, the old woman bluntly told her, "It's what they call body odor, a really unpleasant smell. That's why the Zhang family woman gave up the idea. The next day, she came to tell me not to go and inquire about it. But a few days later, I heard that a niece from the Zhu family's side of the family was starting to look at Zhang's son. Don't you think that's deliberately trying to annoy people? It's so unfair."

Xu Chaoyan angrily spat a few times in the direction the woman had walked: "Insidious and cunning, we haven't offended her."