The Story of a Spoiled Daughter Raising a Husband

“Don’t be afraid of her, tell me with confidence, I’ll stand up for you,” Aunt Wang interrupted hastily after hearing this.

Tong Qian glanced at Aunt Wang, searching her memory for anything about her. Aunt Wang was known as a gossip in the village; whatever she heard would become common knowledge in no time.

During the busy farming season, you could still hear her loud voice from several field ridges away, wielding her hoe. One minute she'd be telling you how many chickens had gone missing from one neighbor's farm, the next how many geese had escaped from another. In her spare time, she'd sit on a small stool at the village entrance, chattering away and exaggerating, always adding her own embellishments.

People would come to her door every few days to argue and fight, offending almost everyone in the village. The original owner of the body became someone else's child bride, had such parents, and was timid by nature, so she was often gossiped about.

Ruyan looked distressed, biting her lip in distress. "Just now, I saw her with Li Shuigen from the east end..." She paused here, glancing timidly at Tong Qian, her face showing fear.

Tong Qian looked at her coldly.

Ruyan gritted her teeth secretly, thinking to herself: Just you wait and see!

Although she only got started with her words and didn't say anything no matter how much Aunt Wang asked, it was enough to make people's imaginations run wild.

"This is incredible!" Aunt Wang slapped her knees with both hands, but she couldn't hide the joy in her eyes.

She picked up the basket, slung it over her arm, and was about to leave when she said, "I think it's getting late. I need to go back and cook for the old man. Ruyan, wait here for a moment. I'll go find someone to come and check on things."

After saying that, he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Seeing that she had achieved her goal, Ru Yan looked around to make sure no one was passing by, stood up, dusted herself off, and looked at Tong Qian with a smug expression, practically raising her chin to the sky.

"How about that? Scared now!" Her faded clothes were covered in grass clippings, and Ruyan, with red eyes, couldn't resist showing off.

How childish!

Tong Qian glanced at her coldly, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips.

As the sun rose directly in front of her, Tong Qian squinted slightly. With this delay, they probably wouldn't reach the town until noon.

This damn bastard suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and Tong Qian didn't want to deal with him, but Ru Yan kept challenging her bottom line.

Tong Qian is no pushover either!

When she blocked her way for the second time, Tong Qian stopped, a smile spreading across her face. She secretly exerted force with her foot and suddenly kicked out.

"what!"

That scream was absolutely exhilarating!

Tong Qian coldly looked at Ru Yan lying on the ground, bent down, met her gaze, and said in a light tone, "It's not that I'm bullying you, I'm just going to let you have your way."

Her voice was very soft, almost inaudible, but Ruyan heard every word clearly.

The woman before her was filled with a fierce aura, and seemed no longer the soft-hearted pushover she used to be who would allow herself to be humiliated.

Now, even a casual glance from him makes Ruyan feel a pang of guilt.

But how could someone like her be allowed to marry a handsome young man like Ji Xiuping?

Ruyan was indignant. She was not bad-looking and was also clever, but Ji Xiuping just couldn't stand her!

No matter how hard she tried, she never even received a glance from him.

"We'll see!" Ruyan shouted, clutching her swollen ankle.

Tong Qian seemed not to hear and continued walking towards the village entrance, her mind preoccupied only with finding the teacher.

The journey from the village to the town was about twenty miles, and Ji Xiuping had always taken her there, while Tong Qian was only responsible for sitting still.

The sun was getting hotter and hotter, so she took out a handkerchief and fanned herself in front of her, trying to get some coolness.

The handkerchief was embroidered with butterflies; the workmanship wasn't very good, but it was still quite exquisite.

Occasionally, there would be peddlers in the village. Tong Qian was afraid of the heat, and Ji Xiuping saw that she would sweat a lot when the weather was hot, so he bought her a handkerchief.

The oxcart moved slowly along the dirt road, approaching from afar.

"arrive."

Tong Qian counted out two copper coins and handed them over, then jumped down with her hands supporting her weight.

The town market was still open, bustling with people and filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares.

Tong Qian walked through several alleys, turning east and west, almost getting lost, before stopping in front of a house.

A thatched roof hangs above, and a wooden plaque is inscribed with the words "Schoolhouse." Tong Qian pulls up an iron ring and fastens it to the door panel.

After knocking about two or three times, footsteps came from inside.

"Who are you?" The person who opened the door was a middle-aged woman. Her coarse cloth clothes had obviously been washed many times and had several patches.

The woman looked Tong Qian up and down, noticing that she was quite young and stood calmly at her door, which puzzled her.

Tong Qian said, "I'm here to see Master Qiu."

The woman looked her up and down, and seeing her shabby clothes, she looked disdainful and said, "She's not here."

After saying that, he was about to close the door.

"Who's outside?" A coughing sound came from the courtyard.

Tong Qian glanced at the woman, who showed no shame at being exposed. She turned back to the courtyard and said, "I don't know her, I'm just asking for directions."

"What a blatant lie," Tong Qian thought with a cold laugh, raising her voice, "Master Qiu!"

"What are you doing?"

The woman stepped forward to stop her, pushing and shoving her.

Footsteps approached, and Master Qiu, with his goatee, appeared behind the woman, a look of doubt in his eyes. "Who are you?"

"May we go inside to talk?"

People could pass by in the narrow alley at any time, so this wasn't a place to talk. Master Qiu nodded and let her in, and the old woman followed closely behind.

The thatched hut didn't even have a proper stove. The simple shed was supported by a few wooden pillars. The yard was uneven, and after walking for a short while, my shoes were covered in mud.

Tong Qian withdrew her gaze, having roughly grasped the situation here.

Ignoring the woman's intense gaze, Tong Qian slowly asked, "How has the teacher been feeling lately?"

Proper greetings are still necessary.

Moreover, Tong Qian noticed that he didn't look well, and given the family's situation, she was afraid they didn't have enough money for medical treatment and medicine.

She wouldn't have bothered with anyone else, but this Master Qiu was indeed looking for a good teacher for Ji Xiuping.

Before coming, she had inquired about Master Qiu. He was originally a scholar with a bright future, but because he was upright and unwilling to flatter, he had no opportunity to use his knowledge despite his vast learning.

Tong Qian thought about this for a long time and finally chose him.

“My husband is Ji Xiuping,” Tong Qian explained her purpose. “As you probably know, he had to return home due to a family crisis and had to give up his studies. He is well-read, yet he is willing to give up his promising future for me. I feel sorry for him both personally and professionally. There are a few schools in town, but in terms of talent, the teacher is the best. So I would like to ask the teacher to be Xiuping’s tutor.”

It wouldn't seem too abrupt to elevate Master Qiu to such a high position with just a few words.

It sounds very pleasant.

Master Qiu stroked his goatee, and upon hearing this, he squinted his eyes, seemingly deep in thought.

The brief silence was broken by his cough, and Tong Qian said, "It would be best if the teacher saw a doctor as soon as possible."

The woman standing nearby couldn't help but say, "What's it to you!"