I was sold when I opened my eyes! My sick and disabled husband comforts me every night after he wake

"All you ever think about is betrothal gifts. I'm a person, not an object. Ever since I can remember, you've been telling me all the time that I should marry into a rich family and receive a large betrothal gift, enough for my retirement. You only think about yourself, when have you ever thought about me?"

"Snapped!"

Xiangxiu's slap landed on Xiangxiu's face again. Wu Erniang, standing to the side, not only didn't stop her, but also fanned the flames.

"Xiangxiu, what does a woman want in her life? Isn't it to marry into a good family? You're a young lady, and you didn't come home all night. This is bad for your reputation! Stop arguing with your mother and admit your mistake!"

"I'm not wrong, why should I admit my mistake?"

Xiangxiu seemed to have made up her mind, her voice filled with determination.

“Mother, just tell me how much silver you want. I’ll go earn it now. I don’t need to get married to earn enough silver for you.”

Xiangxiuniang snorted disdainfully.

"You're going to earn it? How will you earn it?"

"Don't worry about how I earn it, just tell me, how much silver will it take to stop you from forcing me to get married?"

"One hundred taels. According to the current market, you need at least one hundred taels of silver as a betrothal gift when you get married."

Xiangxiu bit her lip tightly and nodded heavily.

"Okay, I'll go earn it now and bring you back one hundred taels of silver in two years. But during this time, you don't need to worry about what I do or where I go. After I give you one hundred taels of silver, you don't need to worry about me anymore."

After leaving those words, she resolutely turned around and left without looking back.

Xiangxiuniang froze on the spot.

She looked at Wu Erniang and asked quietly.

Was that my Xiangxiu who just spoke to me?

Wu Erniang nodded.

"It's her, but this child seems a bit strange; she wasn't like this before."

“Yes, she has never raised her voice to me before, but now she dares to yell at me. I have to go and see her.”

After saying that, she rushed out the door, and Wu Erniang curiously followed her out.

They followed Xiangxiu until she entered Lanzhi's house, at which point Wu Erniang said as if suddenly realizing something:

"No wonder this girl suddenly changed. It turns out she was corrupted by Mo Ning's wife. Xiangxiu's mother, let me tell you, maybe she was the one who hid Xiangxiu last night, and then pretended to help look for her everywhere. Who knows what kind of bad idea this woman is up to."

After hearing Wu Erniang's words, Xiangxiuniang immediately gritted her teeth in anger.

“You’re right, no, I have to go find her.”

"Yes, go find her."

Wu Erniang followed Xiangxiuniang and headed straight for Lanzhi's house.

When Xiangxiu arrived at Lanzhi's house, she was a little nervous seeing the yard full of patients. Lanzhi invited her in to help tidy up the house and warmly told her...

"Xiangxiu, is your mother feeling better? Have you told her that starting today, you'll be my little assistant, and your wages will start from today as well, so she doesn't have to worry about it?"

Although Xiangxiu had just argued with her mother, she still pretended that nothing had happened in front of Lanzhi.

“I told her, and she was quite happy.”

She had barely finished speaking when Xiangxiuniang's voice came from outside.

"You, surnamed Ling, come out here."

Xiangxiu was startled and paused for a moment, then looked at Lanzhi.

“My mother came, and I told her to leave.”

Lan Zhi hurriedly explained to the patient in front of her:

"Wait for me a moment, I have something to take care of, I'll come back and examine you."

The patient, being understanding, agreed, and Lan Zhi hurriedly followed Xiang Xiu out the door.

Upon seeing Xiangxiu and Lanzhi come out, Xiangxiu's mother immediately began to curse.

"Ling Lanzhi, tell me, where did you hide Xiangxiu last night? What did you make her do?"

Xiangxiu quickly stepped forward to stop her.

"Mother, what happened last night has nothing to do with Lan Zhi. Didn't I tell you? I was in a bad mood and went into the woods outside the village, and I got lost. You should go back now!"

Xiangxiuniang forcefully shook off her hand, pointed at Lanzhi,

"You shameless woman, you want to corrupt Xiangxiu? Let me tell you, my Xiangxiu is a respectable girl, she can't compare to you, a girl who was born of a mother but raised by no father."

"Aunt Liu..."

Lan Zhi's face darkened instantly. She stared at her intently, slowly approaching her and sharply reminding her...

"If you, as an elder, do not act like one and continue to say such insulting things, don't blame me for being rude as a junior."

"Hmph! Insulting people? Every word I said was the truth."

At this point, she raised her hand and shouted to the crowd:

"Listen up, everyone. This woman is inherently bad. If she can cure diseases, then pigs will fly."

As soon as she said this, two older women in the crowd stood up to defend Lan Zhi.

"How can you talk like that? Doctor Lan is known as a goddess doctor. How dare you say her medical skills are bad? We have all seen her medical skills with our own eyes. She has cured many people. You say she is bad by nature? I think you are the bad one. You have the face of a shrew."

Another woman chimed in,

"Exactly, just look at your aggressive demeanor. I've heard that there are no good people in Kangzhuang Village, and it seems that's really true."

At this point, she seemed to realize she had made a mistake and quickly looked at Lan Zhi awkwardly to explain.

"Dr. Lan, I didn't mean anything by it, I wasn't talking about you!"

Lan Zhi gave a helpless bitter smile. She wanted to say that she also thought there were no good people in Kangzhuang Village, but since she lived in Kangzhuang Village, she couldn't say it out loud even if she had this thought.

Xiangxiuniang was already seething with anger and had nowhere to vent it. When she heard these two women speaking to her like that, she immediately turned on them.

"You dare to insult me? I'll tear your mouths apart today."

Just as she was about to rush forward, four or five servants blocked her way.

"How dare you be so disrespectful to my two ladies!"

Xiangxiuniang softened upon seeing the four fierce-looking servants in front of her.

She quickly stepped back a few paces and then stepped forward to pull Xiangxiu away.

"Stay away from people like that in the future, and come home with me."

Xiangxiu shook her head and refused.

“Mother, starting today, I will work for Doctor Lan. I will earn enough money to give to you as soon as possible.”

"What? You want to work for her? You think you can learn anything good from her? Come back with me right now."

"Aunt Liu..."

Seeing that Xiangxiu's mother was trying to forcibly drag Xiangxiu away, she raised her voice and said:

"As far as I know, the maids working in wealthy families in the city only earn two taels of silver a month. Xiangxiu works for me, and I provide her with three meals a day. If she is willing, I can also provide her with lodging and give her five taels of silver a month. If you don't agree to such a good deal, then I will have to find someone else."

"How many?"

Wu Erniang stared at her in astonishment, then held up five fingers.

"Five taels of silver a month?"

Lan Zhi nodded.

"Yes, five taels of silver a month, and the work isn't tiring."

Wu Erniang clicked her tongue, and suddenly had an idea.

She tugged at Xiangxiuniang and whispered something.

"You can't let Xiangxiu stay here. There are all sorts of people in this place. What if someone bullies Xiangxiu? Besides, who knows what kind of bad things that Lanzhi is up to? Don't be silly!"

Xiangxiuniang hesitated for a moment,

“But five taels of silver a month, that’s sixty taels a year. If Xiangxiu works here for two years, I’ll have enough for my retirement.”