Ugly girl only wants to farm

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Meng Jiuhe remained expressionless throughout the entire temple fair, refusing to utter a sound no matter how much Xu Chaoyan tried to coax him.

Qin Zhenzhen kept chattering away nearby, and Meng Jiuhe only gave her a few perfunctory replies.

After seeing his expression, Zhang Xuyang pulled Shen Siheng aside and gave him a stern lecture.

Shen Siheng looked annoyed: "I really didn't mean to Zhang Xuyang today. Who knew I would run into this vicious woman? I tried to avoid her just now, but my sister-in-law wanted to keep her here. If they really do something, I'll be the one to blame."

Zhang Xuyang glanced at Xu Chaoyan and saw that her expression was normal. She was holding Yaya and chatting and laughing, and even bought candied hawthorns for the little girl.

He thought for a moment before speaking: "I guess she heard that she could help with getting into the county school, and she probably wanted to befriend her. Brother Meng's wife is very clever, she should be able to resolve this."

After accompanying his wife to the temple fair that day, Meng Jiu and Chu Yi did not leave the house for the next ten days, no matter what Xu Chaoyan said to him.

The streets were bustling during the Spring Festival. Xu Chaoyan and Meng Jiuxia made some tofu pudding and continued to carry it out to sell. During the festival, there were many people strolling around and having fun. They would eat some snacks to fill their stomachs. Throughout the year, everyone was willing to spend a few coins to buy a bowl.

In the past, when Meng Jiuhe went out with her, her business had obviously improved a lot. She thought she would take him out to relax during the New Year holidays so he wouldn't stay at home all day and become a bookworm. However, Meng Jiuhe just wouldn't take the bait and spoke to her very politely these past few days.

No matter how Xu Chaoyan tried to coax him, he just ignored her and stayed in his room studying every day. Ever since Shen Siheng went to the temple fair with them on the first day of junior high, Meng Jiuhe had chased him away several times when he came to visit, saying that he shouldn't come and disturb his studies.

Shen Siheng looked at Zhang Xuyang with a pitiful expression, while Zhang Xuyang shrugged, looking helpless.

When it was time to rest at night, Meng Jiuhe would still hold Xu Chaoyan in his arms as usual when it was cold, tucking her in with the blankets. But he didn't do anything else. No matter how Xu Chaoyan tried to move him, poking his waist again and again, he remained as virtuous as Liu Xiahui, unmoved by her advances.

Xu Chaoyan had done everything a woman should do, and she really couldn't bring herself to force herself on him. For ten days now, Meng Jiu had been treating her very politely.

She also held his hand, playing with it and saying sweet words to coax him. Meng Jiuhe just patted him gently and said, "Go to sleep. You've been working too hard on your studies these past few days. You'll have to put in a lot of effort for the entrance exam after the fifteenth."

After Meng Jiuhe fell asleep, Xu Chaoyan was so angry that she banged on the pillow on the bed several times, but she was still not satisfied.

Today, Xu Chaoyan carried her load on a shoulder pole and found an empty spot to put it down. Meng Jiuxia, still a child at heart, looked on with longing as she watched the bustling street.

Xu Chaoyan grabbed a handful of copper coins and stuffed them into her hand: "Here, go and browse around by yourself. Buy whatever you like. It's the New Year, so we won't restrict you."

Meng Jiuxia quickly refused: "Sister-in-law, I'd better stay here with you. I'm worried about you being alone here; there are people everywhere on the street."

Xu Chaoyan arranged the small table and stools, and urged again, "What are you doing here with me? I don't like crowds, go out and have a stroll by yourself."

Meng Jiuxia looked at her with a worried expression and a troubled look: "Sister-in-law, I have a few words to say. Please don't blame me for being nosy, but these days you and my brother seem to be acting strangely, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Did you two have a fight?"

Xu Chaoyan got angry at the mention of this, plopped down on the stool with a thud, and asked Meng Jiuxia a question.

“Sister-in-law, your brother has such a strange personality. How did you get along with him before? It’s been about ten days, and he’s still the same. Didn’t he invite that Miss Qin to go to the temple fair that day? Since then, he’s ignored me and made me feel like I owe him money.”

Meng Jiuxia knew what had happened that day. Qin Zhenzhen had been following her older brother closely, chattering incessantly. Several times, she had intentionally or unintentionally pushed Xu Chaoyan aside. If he hadn't caught her in time, she would have fallen several times.

On one occasion, when they arrived at the temple to offer incense, it was so crowded that many people rushed to do so. The woman took the opportunity to walk up to Meng Jiuhe and deliberately stumbled into his arms, pushing Xu Chaoyan far away. She saw her brother's face darken immediately and pushed him away without hesitation.

Even she could see it clearly, so why couldn't her sister-in-law? Her older brother didn't like such glamorous women. Besides, that woman had a pungent fragrance all over her body that even she, a woman, couldn't stand, let alone her older brother.

She thought that her sister-in-law had made up with him after she went back that day, and she didn't pay much attention. Who knew that so much time had passed and they still hadn't made up.

She shook her head helplessly before explaining, "Sister-in-law, my brother doesn't like that strong fragrance. Every spring, when the flowers are in full bloom everywhere, he can't help but sneeze and rub his nose until it's red. I guess he doesn't like the smell of that woman. Besides, who would push their husband away? Brother, is she angry with you? Is she upset with you?"

After hearing her explanation, Xu Chaoyan realized that this person not only had mysophobia but also pollen allergy. However, Qin Zhenzhen did have a strong fragrance that even she couldn't stand, let alone Meng Jiuhe. She had indeed overlooked his feelings.

After they returned from the temple fair, they bumped into the same scholar again. The scholar was still in a hurry, but this time he stopped and chatted with Meng Jiu for a few words. It turned out that he was also a student at the county school and made a living by copying books. He also had a widowed mother at home. Several times he had rushed to pick up his widowed mother to take her home. His widowed mother was old and still did laundry.

Xu Chaoyan looked in the direction he came from, and it seemed to be the same place as their courtyard. She casually asked, "Do you also live around here? That's really a coincidence. My husband and his friend both live over there. Since you're also studying at the county school, you can exchange ideas and help each other out. They're also planning to enroll."

Qi Yu only said a few words before rushing to pick up his mother, when he heard someone calling him from afar.

"Yu'er told you not to come pick me up, just stay home and study. I can come back on my own."

Qi Yu's mother, whose hair was already gray, was wearing a faded white dress and carrying a bundle in her hand. She greeted Xu Chaoyan and the others warmly.

"You must be the new residents who moved into the front yard. We live in the alley behind yours."

Xu Chaoyan looked surprised: "The old lady recognizes us."

Qi Yu took the large bag of clothes, and the old lady pointed at Ya Ya: "I've met Ya Ya's grandmother a few times before, and we've gone grocery shopping together."

Meng Jiuhe also looked incredulous that they lived so close. Then he looked at Qi Yu and said, "We've run into each other three times in a row. Last time you left a book in my room, and I'll get it for you when I have time."