Chapter 1: Honestly, come back with me

  Jiuniang was scraping out the last bit of oil from the oil can with a spoon, while thinking in her heart what to eat for dinner.

  This is the fifth day of Jiuniang's crossing.

  She was originally the youngest senior artisan, named Feng Yiyong, and had recently been awarded the title of "National Technical Expert". Her future was bright, but after falling asleep and waking up, she found herself transmigrated into a small village woman called Jiuniang.

  I thought it was just a dream, and I would wake up and go back. But after lying in bed for three days, sleeping and waking, waking and sleeping, opening my eyes countless times, I found myself still in the dilapidated room.

  She stroked her rumbling belly, had no choice but to succumb to reality and accept fate.

  There is no rice at home, and all we can eat are a few sweet potatoes.

  Jiuniang quickly washed the last few sweet potatoes clean, peeled and sliced them, scraped the last bit of oil from the oil can into the hot pot, threw in the sliced sweet potatoes and stir-fried them, sprinkled some salt, stir-fried a few more times, then poured a ladle of water into the pot, and cooked a full pot.

  Jiuniang's appetite is not big, but her cheap husband eats a lot. If the sweet potatoes are not enough to eat, he drinks more soup!

  The rich aroma gradually filled the kitchen.

  At this moment, a voice came from outside the house, "Jiuniang, something's wrong! You'd better go and take a look!"

  Jiuniang added a piece of firewood and heard Yang's wife's voice, patted her hands, and then stood up. As she walked out, she asked: "Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"

  "Your Dongyang fell down in the field, and the villagers nearby saw it. They wanted to help him up with kindness, but he went crazy like a madman, whoever helped him would be beaten by his stick! You'd better hurry up and take him back!" Yang's wife came back quickly, speaking while panting slightly.

  Jiuniang's heart skipped a beat, and she hastily said: "Which side of the field? If Auntie doesn't have any urgent matters, can you show me the way?"

  Feng Jiǔjiǔ, also known as Jiǔniáng now, actually hasn't been married for long. Later she fell ill for a few days, so she said she didn't recognize the road. Yang Shèzi didn't think it was strange either.

  "Hurry up and follow me!" Yang's wife didn't refuse, went forward and pulled Jiu Niang to go out.

  "Hey, sister-in-law, wait! I still have sweet potatoes cooking in the kitchen!" Jiuniang was being pulled by Yang's wife and suddenly remembered the sweet potato soup on the stove, wanting to go back.

  Yang's wife hastily pulled her back, took a glance at her and said with a hint of blame: "Dongyang has led troops in battles before, now even if he's injured his leg, the skills in his hands haven't been lost. At this moment, he's frantically waving his stick to hit people, if someone accidentally gets hurt or disabled by him, won't they ask you for money? Do you still have time to care about the sweet potatoes in the pot?"

  Although Jiuniang didn't say anything else, she felt a little heartache. That was the last bit of food at home, and if it was overcooked, what would they use to fill their stomachs for lunch?

  "You're the same! Dongyang's leg is injured and it's inconvenient for him to move around, how can you still let him go out to the fields alone? When your mother-in-law finds out that you didn't take good care of Dongyang, you'll have an even harder time!" Yang's wife pulled at Jiuniang, walking quickly with her feet while still talking non-stop.

  Jiuniang didn't think much of it and pursed her lips, saying nothing, following Yang's wife to the fields.

  Two people came to the field and saw a group of people surrounding something from afar, making a loud noise.

  "Scram! I can get up myself! Don't pity me! Scat!" This thick and powerful voice was especially striking, and Jiuniang knew at once who it was.

  She didn't need Yang's wife to pull her anymore, and she automatically quickened her pace towards the crowd.

  In the midst of the crowd, a man lay on the ground, clutching a long wooden stick in his hand, waving it around and shouting, with not a single clean spot on his body, completely covered in mud.

  Some people in the crowd pointed and whispered to each other, while others looked angry, all standing a few meters away.

  Luckily no one was hurt!

  "Jiuniang, you've finally arrived!" A dark and plump aunt saw Jiuniang rush over and said in a shrill voice: "Look at your Dongyang, what's wrong with him? Did he catch some kind of disease or did he touch something dirty? Everyone saw him fall down and wanted to help him up, but he wouldn't even let people touch him. Whoever tried to help him would get hit! It's really a case of good intentions being treated like a donkey's liver!"

  Jiuniang smiled apologetically at the old aunt and said in a low voice, "My husband has indeed been possessed by evil spirits lately, his temper is not good, and he's caused trouble for our fellow villagers."

  "It's not a big deal, fortunately no one was hurt!" Another tall and thin aunt shouted: "This leg is useless, what's the point of being so arrogant! If nothing happens, just stay at home, why come out?"

  What nonsense are you spouting?

  Previously, Li's stinky mouth was showing off in the village all day, saying that her family's Chu Dongyang led soldiers to fight and how mighty they were, and that Old Yang's family had picked up a treasure! Haha, now isn't it true that they suffered a defeat, broke their legs, and were driven back by the Emperor?

  Serves you right!

  Jiuniang heard the tall and thin aunt's words, the slightly apologetic smile on her face stiffened for a moment, then she smiled again, turned to look at the man who had fallen to the ground, ignoring the tall and thin aunt beside her.

  The tall and thin aunt saw herself being ignored by Jiuniang, took a deep breath and was about to speak again, but was pulled by Yang Shuizi who rushed over and said in a low voice: "Third Aunt, you'd better say less!"

  Jiuniang ignored the onlookers' gossip, staring at Chudongyang who was struggling to get up from the ground, then seized the opportunity and pounced over quickly.

  "Ah!" The man on the ground let out a short cry of pain.

  Jiuniang swiftly and accurately pressed down on a spot on the man's leg, and as he cried out in pain, she deftly snatched the long stick from his hand.

  "Chu Dongyang, what's wrong with you!" Jiuniang pinned him down, gritting her teeth and growling.

  If she weren't Chu Dongyang's wife now, she would really be too lazy to care about him.

  Chu Dongyang only felt a sharp pain in his leg, and then his waist suddenly went numb, losing all sensation.

  "Get out of here too!" Chu Dongyang flipped his hand over and grabbed Jiu Niang's neck, pulling her off himself before tossing her to the side.

  My leg is numb, but my upper hand strength is not weak at all.

  Jiuniang seemed to have anticipated his move, and using his strength, she leaned into him, knocking him down. She then used the long stick she had snatched from his hand to press against his neck until his face turned beet red. Only then did Jiuniang pant heavily and say in a fierce tone: "Believe it or not, I can kill you right now! It's just one life for another, anyway, following you won't bring me any good days!"

  As a high-end craftsman with a bright future ahead of her, she has fallen into a poor and difficult situation where she doesn't know how to make ends meet, and now she doesn't want to live anymore.

  "Stinky, old woman, girl! You, quickly, let go!" Chu Dongyang was now gasping for air, and with a mixture of anger and frustration, squeezed out a few words from between his teeth.

  "Honestly come back with me!" Jiuniang's hands didn't loosen, staring at him.

  The onlookers were utterly shocked by this scene!

  Old Yang spent two taels of silver on this concubine for his adopted son, isn't she weak and fragile?

  How come you're so brave and fierce like a mother tigress now?

  "Tsk tsk tsk, Old Yang's wife can't have gone crazy too, can she?"

  "Oh my goodness, this little girl is so shameless! In broad daylight, she's throwing herself at a man. It's really embarrassing! The old Feng family must have taught her well, what a stinky face!"

  The onlookers' murmurs grew louder and louder, shifting from pointing and staring at Chu Dongyang to focusing on Jiu Niang.

  Moreover, Jiuniang now finds Chu Dongyang's posture of being knocked down too indecent. Even if the two are husband and wife, in such a public place, they are still so shameless!

  The faces of the onlookers were filled with a mixture of excitement and contempt, as if they were watching a show.

  Finally, Yang's wife couldn't bear it anymore, her face scrunched up as she walked over and pulled at Jiu Niang, saying: "You child, quickly let go, Dongyang is almost out of breath!"

  Jiuniang finally let go of the long stick and climbed up from Chudongyang's body.

  "Cough, cough!" Chu Dongyang coughed and panted heavily, then lifted his muddy face to glare at Jiuniang with a fierce expression, "You woman, you've gone mad!"

  Jiuniang glared at him and stepped on the back of his hand that was supporting him on the ground, then slowly patted the mud off her body.

  "Alright, alright, you quickly help Dongyang back, give him a basin of water to wash up, and change into some clean clothes. This matter is getting out of hand, who knows, your mother-in-law might go to your place soon...". Yang's wife had just witnessed Jiuniang's ferocity, and was still in a daze, muttering under her breath: "Both of them are so reckless!"

  Yang's wife finished speaking, cleared her throat, and said to the onlookers: "All of you disperse! Those who weed, go weed; those who plant vegetables, go plant vegetables. Everyone should do their own thing!"

  The crowd dispersed in twos and threes, and Yang's wife also had to hurry back home to cook lunch for her family, leaving only Jiuniang and Chudongyang behind.

  "Hey! Give me your hand, I'll help you back!" Jiuniang said gruffly after standing for a while.

  Chu Dongyang turned his face to one side, his complexion darkening. After a while, he said indignantly: "I'm telling you, woman, looking so slender and small, how can your strength be this great!"

  Jiuniang was clearly a timid and fearful person when she first arrived at his house, not daring to look him straight in the eye on a daily basis, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

  But after she got sick for a few days, she changed completely, not only did her voice become louder when speaking, but also her courage became so great.

  He paused, and a few more shades of disdain appeared on his face. "Not only is he strong, but also extremely shameless! In broad daylight, in front of the villagers, he actually did something so shameless!"

  So this girl was pretending all along!

  Chu Dongyang clenched his fists and angrily said, "At first, Wang Pozi introduced you as a capable and clever person. How could I have been so blind! Next time if I see that Wang Pozi again, I will definitely dig out her eyeballs! She cheated me out of two taels of silver!"

  "Are you going crazy? I'll treat you like this?" Jiuniang coldly hummed.

  "Cough——" Chu Dongyang coughed awkwardly, his face somewhat uncomfortable, but the mud all over his face made it impossible to see his expression.

  "With the energy to beat someone, it's better to think about what we should eat tonight." Jiuniang glanced at him helplessly and said: "If we go back a bit later, we'll be hungry for lunch today! The last few sweet potatoes are still cooking in the kitchen, if we go back early, maybe we can still eat some."

  Chu Dongyang's arm on Jiu Niang's shoulder paused, and after a moment of silence, he said in a low voice: "Or... let's go borrow some rice from your mother!"

  "Haha!" Speaking of Chu Dongyang's mother, also known as Jiu Niang's mother-in-law, Jiu Niang couldn't help but sneer: "If you can borrow a bowl of rice from her, I'll kneel down and call you a hero!"