The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 342 How Do You Know?

Chapter 342: Chapter 342 How Do You Know?

Early the next morning, the Wang Family all got up at the crack of dawn.

The first thing they did when they stepped out of the house was to look towards the tree in the yard.

Wang Yonggui had stood until midnight, but couldn’t stand any longer in the second half of the night. He sat down against the tree and fell asleep, still not awakened at this moment.

Lady Sun leaned against him, also dozing off. Last night was too tiring and exhausting; they shooed mosquitoes all night until they couldn’t hold out any longer. Regardless of whether the mosquitoes bit or not, they simply squinted their eyes shut and dozed off.

Upon seeing the faces of the two, Jinguan couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing, "Jinpan, come quickly and see, your dad and that concubine’s faces have swollen like pig heads!"

Jinguan’s shout not only alarmed Jinpan and the Wang Family members but also woke up the two in their slumber.

They opened their eyes and raised their heads to look at each other.

Both of them were stunned; whose pig head with puffy eyes and sausage lips were they seeing in each other’s faces?

It took them a while to recognize each other through their mosquito-bite swollen eyes.

Lady Lin loved to watch this kind of commotion and was the first to run out. Seeing their appearance, she couldn’t stop slapping her thigh with laughter, "Ah, Third Uncle, have you been beaten, or what happened? How come your face really has swollen into a pig head? I thought Jinguan was just bluffing... And you, this concubine, it seems not only do you fancy this concubine, but even our Wang Family’s mosquitoes like her too, as if she was crowned queen by mosquitoes in the middle of the night..."

Lady Sun felt a hot itch on her face and her mouth was also swollen. Hearing these words, she couldn’t help but run to the edge of the well. After looking at her reflection in the well water, she let out a sharp scream and, covering her face, dashed into the earliest awake hut.

Only then did Old Granny Zhang come out, "What’s all this ghostly screaming about so early in the morning?"

Wang Yonggui pleaded feebly, "Mother, I’ve been tied up all night. Father, you, and younger sister should have calmed down by now, right? Please untie me. Your son is about to starve to death, having been bitten by mosquitoes all night. If you don’t untie me soon, you’ll no longer have a son—"

"I’ve had plenty of sons, I don’t care whether you’re around or not!" Old Granny Zhang spat at Wang Yonggui and turned to instruct Lady Jiang to cook.

Then she arranged the household tasks. After finishing, she didn’t see Lady Sun and bellowed, "Where is that concubine we bought? Still lying dead in the room? Get out here now—"

Lady Sun had no choice but to come out, covering her face and trying to hide.

Old Granny Zhang pretended not to see Lady Sun’s pig-head face and instructed, "Our vegetable garden has been busy lately, and we forgot to fertilize it. After you’ve had breakfast, go and collect manure to fertilize the garden."

Lady Sun could hardly believe her ears. Go collect manure to fertilize the vegetable garden?

The thought alone made her feel nauseated and sick to her stomach.

She involuntarily looked towards Wang Yonggui for help.

Normally, Wang Yonggui might have been able to discern something from Lady Sun’s seductive fox-like eyes, but her eyes had been swollen by mosquito bites last night. Now narrowed to a mere slit, what could be discerned?

Additionally, Lady Sun’s mouth was also swollen, and her face was dotted with big and small mosquito bites, diminishing her usual great beauty to less than a third of its glory.

Suddenly, his urge to cherish and protect her diminished by half.

When he saw his sister, Wang Yongzhu, smirking at him, even that remaining half of his courage quickly dissipated.

Wang Yongzhu snorted and informed Old Granny Zhang, "Mother, I’ll go to town after breakfast to deliver the remaining dye."

She had it all planned out yesterday; she would first deliver the prepared dye to Shopkeeper Wu and kept the recipe secure for herself. Even if Lady Sun had the skills to steal from the heavens, she would find no opportunity under her watch.

As for the person behind Lady Sun pulling the strings, she had a plan in mind.

Indeed, the moment Lady Sun heard the words "dye materials," despite originally intending to say something else, she fell completely silent, pricking up her ears and listening intently.

Old Granny Zhang nodded repeatedly, "Alright, Madam understands."

She then helped Wang Yongzhu pack up the dried dye powder.

Lady Sun’s eyes darted around, and she stepped forward eagerly, "Old lady, let me help!"

Old Granny Zhang pushed her away, "Get out of here, you shameless, unlucky creature. Do you think you’re fit to touch my daughter’s things? Remember this: you are not allowed to enter my daughter’s room, you are not allowed to touch my daughter’s things, and you will do whatever my daughter asks. Did you hear me?"

Lady Sun stumbled from the push, barely managing to steady herself as the straw tied in her hair came loose and her hair fell, covering her face.

Flustered, she tried to catch her hair while absentmindedly responding, "I understand, old lady."

Her eyes couldn’t help but glance at the dye materials; when Wang Yongzhu looked over, she immediately lowered her head and retreated to Wang Yonggui’s side.

Wang Yongzhu paid her no mind, considering her a mere clown. It was also unclear whether the person behind her underestimated the Wang family too much, thinking that sending someone like Lady Sun as a spy would suffice. Even if Wang Yonggui didn’t mention it, in Wang Yongzhu’s eyes, Lady Sun was riddled with flaws, wasn’t she?

Lady Jiang had already prepared breakfast, and the family gathered around. Everyone had plain steamed buns except for one noticeable leavened bun in the middle.

Old Granny Zhang tossed the bun to Lady Sun, "This is your breakfast and lunch. Eat quickly and then get to work!"

Clutching the bun with both hands, Lady Sun didn’t quite know what to feel.

Wang Yongzhu planned to take advantage of the cool morning to travel, and Old Granny Zhang packed her four or five buns, thoughtfully filled with pickles, and filled a bamboo tube with cool tea to send her on her way before returning to distribute food to others.

Having walked a good distance away, Wang Yongzhu could still hear Old Granny Zhang’s robust scolding.

She couldn’t help but smile to herself and, looking up, saw Song Chongjin standing at the intersection.

At the sight of Wang Yongzhu, he walked forward quietly and took over the carrying basket from her shoulder.

Wang Yongzhu didn’t stand on ceremony with Song Chongjin, especially since the last time they had met by the river, following that mix-up with someone calling out "Dad," and after Lady Lin was injured and Song Chongjin followed her home to administer medicine, she hadn’t seen him for quite a while.

This very morning, as soon as she left the house, there he was waiting for her, which piqued Wang Yongzhu’s curiosity. She had only told Old Granny Zhang that she would be going out today; she hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else. How did Song Chongjin know?

"How did you know I was going out today?"

If you don’t know, ask.

"News about your Third Brother bringing home a concubine yesterday is all over the village. I guessed that ill-intentions were behind it and figured you would definitely go to town today to inquire about it..." Song Chongjin didn’t hide anything. Ever since he had asked Wang Yongzhu that question by the river, he had no intention of concealing anything from her, as long as she was the one asking.

Wang Yongzhu paused, "You also guessed that the newcomer meant trouble?" She asked while handing over one of her buns to Song Chongjin.

Song Chongjin took it without any pretense, munching on it while replying, "Your dyed cloth has been praised by the ladies in the palace, and the Auspicious Dye Workshop’s rise has been swift, taking business from many. Shopkeeper Wu is a smart man, and the one behind him is not to be taken lightly. Those competitors wouldn’t dare to start with Shopkeeper Wu, so isn’t your place the best target for them?"

Wang Yongzhu gave a wry smile; that was exactly why she had originally sought to partner with Shopkeeper Wu.

With such a thin foundation and no power of her own, if it weren’t for Shopkeeper Wu, she might have already been devoured by others.