After the arranged marriage, she farms and survives under the tutelage of the villainous boss.

“Our Liu family is determined to become a century-old family. The appearance of someone like Xie Shuheng will only lower our status.”

"It makes absolutely no sense to me!"

"I will condemn such a person my entire life. The general came here to discuss this matter with me."

Liu Jie held it in utter contempt.

I feel like everything I say is met with disdain.

"General Xiao Su, you seem to have plenty of time on your mind. Why don't you think about whether Xie Shuheng can replace you? In short, this kind of thing has nothing to do with us. We're just doing our job as officials, working for the benefit of the people, not competing with you for any war."

"Too rough, General Xiao Su!"

When he said this, Xiao Su was speechless.

I knew Liu Jieshi was a hypocrite before, and I always thought it was pointless to bother with him.

But now, the more I look at their faces, the less I can stand it.

Xiao Su grabbed him by the neck: "General Xiao Su, you still need to know your place."

"Don't think that just because you're standing here you're some kind of powerful person. Everything you've achieved is thanks to me. What I give you, you can take back."

"Understand?"

Liu Jie was clearly used to being threatened.

He then adopted a "I'm not afraid of boiling water" attitude, saying, "I've already washed your neck clean, just cut it off."

Xiao Su: “…”

"Lord Liu Jie, you certainly have a good mindset. Are you so sure I won't kill you?"

"Hmph, isn't that right? I'm an official appointed by the imperial court. If I die, how can you possibly survive here? The first person they'll investigate after I die is you. The emperor wants me dead, but he wants you dead even more. We're in the same boat; there's nothing to talk about."

"You have no choice but to trust me."

"General Xiao Su, threats are useless. This is who I am. A great master of a century must have the spirit of a great master of eight years, don't you agree?"

"Moreover, our family's resources are now sufficient for me to report your crimes after I die."

"If you want to become king, you will need my support."

When he said this, Xiao Su really had no way to refute it; that was just how it was.

But... why should we let someone like that control us?

He clenched his fists, his eyes filled with a fierce expression: "Fine."

"Then I'll try killing you, how about that?"

"Let me see if the Emperor intends for me to die with you."

He was about to make a move, but Liu Jie remained unafraid.

Even though Xiao Su's sword was already at his throat, and the skin was cut open, blood was flowing down.

Liu Jie remained defiant and fearless.

Xiao Su put down his sword: "Just kidding."

"Well, it's good that Lord Xiao Su is joking. But don't let things get out of hand and cause internal strife, allowing others to reap the benefits. That would be bad."

Liu Jie squinted; he wasn't someone who was easy to bother with.

Xiao Su looked at it like that, and then left Liu Jie's house.

After leaving Liu Jie's house, Xiao Su looked at Ding Ning and said, "Just now, did you think I was overshadowed by Liu Jie?"

"..." Ding Ning didn't dare to tell the truth anymore.

"No."

He said bravely.

"That Liu Jie was so scared that his legs went weak. He's no good at all. Clearly, he was intimidated by the general."

"General, you are truly remarkable. Sooner or later you will achieve great things and last for generations."

Xiao Su looked at Liu Ning and sneered: "Oh, so why aren't you excited at all?"

"..."

"Is this how you praise your general? Is it genuine empathy, or just the kind of flattery you'd expect?"

"It's natural to put yourself in someone else's shoes."

Ding Ning looked at Xiao Su, then almost imperceptibly pinched her waist.

A sharp, painful tearing sound rang out.

He felt that if he did this, he would succeed at anything.

Thinking about these things, Ding Ning felt incredibly proud of himself.

So the tears just fell: "I just don't know why I suddenly started crying. Actually, I'm a tough guy."

At this moment, Xiao Su nodded and said, "Not bad."

"You don't seem so stupid; you do have some ability."

Ding Ning felt at this moment that he had somehow gotten through another hurdle.

"I have no great ambitions, I only wish to retire from the military and return to my hometown to be with my wife one day."

It was said unintentionally.

At this moment, Xiao Su stared directly at him: "What, are country wives so great? Why don't you find one outside?"

"With so many beautiful women, why does Xie Shuheng also like country girls?"

"A wife is a wife, and other women are women. Life isn't about having a whole bunch of women around you. What's the big deal?"

"...Xiao Su didn't understand, and was even a little speechless:"

"That means you're too stupid."

"I'm stupid. But I heard that Xie Shuheng's wife is very beautiful, and she was also the one who helped him win that battle in the southwest. She's famous for being very capable."

"It might be different for adults. But this Lady Jiang is someone that all of us soldiers have definitely heard of."

"With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

Ding Ning started talking and then quickly covered her mouth when she realized she had said too much.

Xiao Su waved his hand: "It's nothing."

"Shall we go and meet them?"

"Xie Shuheng has never seen me before, so Jiang Niangzi certainly doesn't recognize me either. How about we travel with them for a while? It'll be quite interesting then."

Ding Ning naturally nodded.

He didn't want to go, but he didn't have the right to refuse!

Sighed.

Then he followed Xiao Su forward, and Xiao Su said one thing after another: "You seem like a very honest person, but you are quite interesting."

Ding Ning: "..."

Isn't this just a veiled way of saying I'm stupid?

Forget it, bear with it.

He nodded and grinned.

Xiao Su led the two of them to ambush Xie Shuheng and his group, ambushing a large number of bandits.

Xiao Su said, "We'll wait for them to arrive, then we'll go and help them."

"So, we're killing each other?" Ding Ning asked incredulously. "The lives of our brothers."

"Yeah, so what? Going to the battlefield means you're going to die, right?" Xiao Su said dismissively.

Whether you die early or late, you're going to die anyway. Dying at his hands sooner might mean you'll be reincarnated sooner.

Ding Ning seemed to see her own fate reflected in his mind: no chance to sympathize with others, only to numbly obey their opinions.

When the two appeared to fight the enemy, Xie Shuheng and Jiang Zhiyun were both sitting in the carriage. At this time, they were already very close to the county town.

They have at least reached the territory of Luxian County.

Xie Shuheng and Jiang Zhiyun both watched his actions and found them somewhat unbelievable.

"Is this scattered group deliberately messing with us?"

Xie Shuheng raised an eyebrow: "They were ready to kill and torture you before, and now they're putting on an act. My wife, do you think it's a whole group of people?"

Grandpa held his head in his hands and then sat down.

The more he wanted the garment to be larger, the more he wished it could cover his entire body.

Hiding under this big coat, you can't see anything.

This way, you can isolate yourself from the outside world and protect yourself from harm.

Tangtang was already weak, and with that push, the small bloodstain from the injection site was exposed.

She carefully cleaned it and then covered it with her own bandage. She knew her aunt would feel bad seeing her wound when she came back.

Then she walked step by step toward her grandfather.

She pushed them with her small, tender hands, saying, "Don't bully my grandpa."

"Do you know what your grandfather does? It's all shameful."

"That's right, they always take olive pits and carve things on them, but once they're done, they won't let us play with them."

“When I was a child, he was the kind of wild man in the mountains who would grab and eat children.”

"..."

Chen Tang spread her arms wide. The small, thin little girl stood there bravely, blocking her grandfather's way, just like a little hero.

“Olive pit carving is not a game; it’s art,” she said seriously.

Grandpa looked at her in surprise. How could she... know all this?

The children got bored, so they made faces and ran away.

Rain began to fall, the soft white clouds disappeared, and even the pale blue sky turned gloomy. Grandpa walked with heavy steps towards the little wooden house.

Chen Tang followed behind, her little fists clenched. The rain was so heavy, and the surrounding area was all mountains and rivers. Chen Tang slipped several times, but she bravely got up again.

After returning home, Grandpa handed the little guy a towel, and the two of them stood at the door wiping him down.

They looked at each other, and Tangtang revealed her adorable little teeth. Perhaps it was because of their blood relation, but just one glance was enough for them to open their hearts to each other.

Grandpa led her into the cramped little house for the first time, which was filled with olive pits of all sizes.

Many of the olive pits were half-carved, and some were even already carved.

Tangtang spotted a small boat. The boat had intricate patterns on it, and it was exceptionally beautiful and exquisite.

"Grandpa, I've thought of 'The Carved Olive-Pit Boat'."

"During the Ming Dynasty, there was a craftsman named Wang Shuyuan, who could carve palaces, utensils, figures, and even birds, beasts, trees, and rocks from a piece of wood only an inch in diameter. Each figure was shaped according to its natural form and possessed its own unique expression. He once gifted me a small boat carved from a pit, depicting Su Shi's excursion on the Red Cliff..."

She counted on her fingers, reciting words and phrases that were so complicated for a child like her.

Old Chen hadn't been this gentle in a long time. Looking at Fang Tang, he said, "You actually know so much."

"Because Grandpa was a skilled carpenter, just like Wang Shuyuan in the book. This text was recited by the girl in the next bed in the hospital. I heard it so many times that I can recite it too."

"After that girl left, I kept the textbook. I knew it was about my grandfather, so Tangtang memorized it every day."

Old Chen, his back hunched, shed tears: "But back then, you didn't know me."

Tangtang tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with anticipation: "But family members are family from birth. Even if I've never met Grandpa, I'm still Old Chen's granddaughter."

"Being sick is so painful. Whenever I feel unwell, I read this text. I think I also want to see what the real 'Carved Olive-Pit Boat' is like."

"Grandpa, you must keep going, okay?" the little guy said. "Maybe there are many other children like me who are also looking forward to seeing this."

"Yes." He nodded. He had persevered for so many years, and no matter how bitter or difficult it was, he had never thought of giving up.

"I'll make you a new boat made from a pit, just for you."

"it is good!"

Every day after that, Chen Tang would go out with her grandfather. Her grandfather would go out to collect all kinds of olive pits, some oval, some irregular, and some round... all sorts of things. Whenever Chen Tang saw one, she would follow her grandfather around asking him questions.

She seems to have a million questions, curious about everything.

When Grandpa went out, Chen Tang lay on the hillside and, along with his cattle-herding friends from the surrounding villages, plunged into the haystacks. The surrounding grass was so deep that they could easily disappear into it by lying down.

The grass is lush and green, and the flowers are fragrant and lush. She loves the green grass and she also loves the winter plum blossoms.

Tangtang goes out to see the tender buds of spring, the vigor of summer, the splendor of autumn, and the withered yellow of winter; every evening, she comes home to watch her grandfather carve a boat from a pit.

Grandpa skillfully used the clamps to hold the olive pit in place, then first carved out the outline. He carved it out piece by piece, alternating between the two, step by step, until the details were perfect…

Tangtang always falls asleep while watching, and her drool even drips onto the small table, leaving little circles.

Chen Tang brought many friends to see the nut carvings her grandfather made, like a child who loves to show off, demonstrating her grandfather's goodness to everyone. Gradually, her grandfather also started to interact and visit the villagers at the foot of the mountain.

Just when things were getting better and everyone thought things could continue like this, Chen Tang developed a fever.

Grandpa first took her to the county hospital, then the county hospital transferred her to the city hospital, and then Chen Tang's aunt took her to a large hospital for treatment.

Old Chen has difficulty walking and has never been to big places, so taking care of his granddaughter at this time would only cause trouble for his daughter.

After Chen Ling took Chen Tang away, he returned to the cabin and waited alone through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, even counting twenty solar terms, but Fang Tang still didn't come back.

Later he thought that this little girl was clever, and perhaps she came as soon as the walnut boat was finished.

The olive boat was ready, and two more seasons passed. Old Chen stood guard at the door day after day.

But Tangtang never came back to the cabin.

I only remember that a long, long time later, the intangible cultural heritage inheritor, Old Chen, was holding the oldest boat-shaped ornament.

Smiling, he explained to the younger generation around him, "This is my granddaughter Chen Tang's favorite piece, 'The Carved Olive-Pit Boat'."

-

On the day when Chen Tang's cancer cells spread to their most severe stage, she was no longer in much pain, perhaps because she had become numb.

I only remember hearing my aunt crying. I wanted to comfort her, but I was too weak to do so.

She couldn't bear to part with her aunt and grandfather; she longed to see them one last time.

Close your eyes and let the events of your life flash by; breathe like a fish, and enjoy the fresh air.

In that unexplored world, Tangtang was free from illness and pain. She shouted loudly to her grandfather, "Grandpa! Hurry up, let's go find olive pits and make a carving."

Grandpa smiled, holding the carving tool, and waved in response: "Coming."