Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 133: It’s Done

Chapter 133: Chapter 133: It’s Done

What a cruel irony.

She deserved it.

Who would have thought Chen Erlang could be so selfish and indifferent? She had been blind as a bat, feeding her earnest heart to a dog. It was said that even a stone could be warmed by persistent effort, but Chen Erlang’s heart was harder than stone.

Gu Qingmei heaved a deep sigh and wiped away her tears. She then ate the meat and vegetable porridge. To her, it tasted more delicious than any fine feast; this was her first meal containing meat since she had married.

So delicious!

The onlookers felt a pang of sympathy watching her eat.

Only when Gu Qingmei finished eating did she feel somewhat revitalized. Her strength began to return, and her dizziness subsided.

Putting down her chopsticks, she got up from the table and walked over to Gu Qingli. She bowed deeply, but this time, she did not kneel.

Gu Qingli sighed and reached out to steady her. She had never imagined that she and Gu Qingmei would one day coexist peacefully, and in such a manner.

"Little sister Qingmei, I was ignorant and wronged you in the past. Please don’t hold it against me," Gu Qingmei said, her eyes downcast.

Seeing Gu Qingmei so submissive and filled with remorse, Gu Qingli felt a surge of grim satisfaction. This must be the residual sentiment of the Original Host remaining in this body. Presumably, the Original Host must be very happy to see Gu Qingmei in this state today.

Gu Qingli took a deep breath. She recalled the suffering the Original Host had endured in the old Gu Family, where Gu Qingmei had always been one to add fuel to the fire. Every time the Original Host was beaten or scolded, wasn’t it Gu Qingmei fanning the flames nearby?

She said indifferently, "What difference does it make whether I blame you or not?"

Hearing this, Gu Qingmei understood Gu Qingli’s meaning. So, Gu Qingli wouldn’t forgive her. She pursed her lips, not saying another word.

What could she say?She knew full well how she had treated Gu Qingli. Had their roles been reversed, she wouldn’t have been able to forgive such treatment either.

Gu Qingli looked at the silent Gu Qingmei and scoffed inwardly. She, Gu Qingli, was never one to repay injury with kindness. She could never forgive what Gu Qingmei had done to the Original Host. What she had done for Gu Qingmei now was merely out of pity; it had nothing to do with forgiveness.

She glanced at Xiao Yunjing, who handed over banknotes totaling ten taels of silver. Gu Qingli placed the banknotes into the hands of Gu Qingmei, who kept her head bowed.

Now that Gu Qingmei was in such dire straits, offering this help was a small effort for Gu Qingli, merely to silence public gossip. As for anything more, she couldn’t be bothered.

"Yunjing has written an IOU. Go and press your fingerprint on it."

Writing this IOU was to make it clear to everyone present that borrowing money and repaying it was a matter of course; debts must be repaid. With this IOU, if the money wasn’t returned, one could be sued at the magistrate’s office.

She wasn’t running a charity, after all. If anyone in the village had a problem in the future, would they all come crying and making a fuss, demanding she lend them money? Even if she were as rich as a nation, she couldn’t afford to raise a pack of ungrateful freeloaders. She remembered Ms. Jiang once said that gratitude for a small favor could easily turn into resentment if larger expectations weren’t met.

Gu Qingmei raised her head and looked at the banknotes in her hand, tears streaming down her face again. She nodded, accepting the IOU and ink pad that Yunjing had already prepared.

After pressing her fingerprint, she went to Ms. Jiang and bowed. Ms. Jiang merely snorted and turned her head away, ignoring her.

Gu Qingmei didn’t care about the Xiao Family’s attitude. She left after giving each of them a respectful bow.

The few women who had come to watch the spectacle, seeing there was no more excitement to be had, also took their leave, bidding them goodbye.

Some of them had indeed considered asking Gu Qingli for help if they couldn’t make ends meet in the future. But when they saw Gu Qingmei press her fingerprint on the IOU, they dismissed the thought. With an IOU, defaulting on the debt would be impossible. It would be better to find a decent way to earn money instead.

Once everyone had left, the two matrons went to the kitchen to cook.

Xiao Yunjing also left for the base.

Gu Qingli took a basket to the back mountain to pick chili peppers, with Ms. Yang and Ms. Wang following her.

"Little sister, how long will these chili plants keep producing?" Ms. Yang asked, looking at a chili plant that was, surprisingly, flowering again.

Gu Qingli shook her head, "I don’t know."

In her memory, chili plants usually began to wither in autumn, and the peppers they produced then were the misshapen, cracked ones typical of the late season. These chili plants, however, might continue to bear fruit because they had been watered with Spiritual Spring Water. Just like when they first bloomed and bore fruit, the entire chili plant was exceptionally healthy, and its leaves showed no signs of aging.

Gu Qingli thought, If we build a shed over them in winter, like a greenhouse, these chili plants will continue to bear fruit.

At this thought, Gu Qingli’s eyes lit up. Why not take this opportunity to build a shed? She would talk to Yunjing about it tonight.

"Little sister, what are you thinking about?" Ms. Yang asked, noticing her lost in thought.

Gu Qingli glanced back at Ms. Yang and smiled, "Sister-in-law, I was just thinking, if we build a shed over these, we could have chili peppers in winter too."

Ms. Yang’s eyes lit up. "Huh? Little sister, that’s a great idea! We can definitely do that. Let’s start tomorrow; we’re idle anyway." She recalled seeing heated greenhouses in the Capital City, where flowers vied with each other in fragrance and beauty even in winter. The same principle should apply to vegetable plots.

"Sure, I’ll talk to Yunjing about it tonight. The three of us alone won’t be enough," Gu Qingli laughed. This sister-in-law of hers was truly a woman of action, wanting to start immediately.

"What are you all talking about? It’s time to eat," Ms. Jiang called out as she approached.

"Alright," the three sisters-in-law replied, picking up their baskets and coming out from the mountain area.

"Mom, you could have just called for us from the back door. We would have heard you. You didn’t need to walk all this way," Ms. Yang said with a smile, taking Ms. Jiang’s arm.

Ms. Jiang rapped Ms. Yang on the forehead. "I’m not so old that I can’t even walk yet!"

"OUCH! Mom, that hurts!"

"Serves you right! Your son is already a teenager, yet you still act like a child."

"Well, in front of you, Mom, I am just a child, aren’t I?"

...

Gu Qingli and Ms. Wang listened to their banter from behind, a smile playing on their lips as they followed.

When they returned home, Xiao Yunjing was still not back. Knowing he hadn’t returned, Ms. Jiang and her three daughters-in-law didn’t wait and started eating.

After the meal, Gu Qingli called the two matrons over and said in front of everyone, "Mom, this is Aunt Zhang and Aunt Li. From now on, please assign them their tasks."

"So, you’re just leaving these people to me?" Ms. Jiang asked.

Gu Qingli nodded, "If you find you’re short-handed, just let me know."

"Alright." Ms. Jiang observed that the two women seemed diligent and readily agreed. After all, managing such things was a trivial matter for her.

"Then we’ll go up the mountain now," Gu Qingli said.

"Go ahead," Ms. Jiang waved her hand.

The three sisters-in-law, carrying their baskets and shouldering their hoes, headed up the mountain.

Around noon, Gu Qingli had noticed that many weeds had sprouted in the medicinal herb field; it would take several days to clear them.

Back at the house, Ms. Jiang carefully inquired about the two women’s capabilities and explained their daily tasks. Then, she had them clean up the room Wuqing used to sleep in, set up two beds, and settle in for the time being.

She then hurried off to Ms. Wu’s place for a chat.

Ms. Wu was already six or seven months pregnant and usually stayed at home. Ms. Jiang often visited her when she had free time, occasionally helping her with small chores.

"Sister-in-law, about that eldest daughter this morning...?" Ms. Wu asked hesitantly. She had wanted to go over and see what was happening, but Gu Dalin had told her the scene was too chaotic and she might get accidentally hurt if she went.