The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 461 - 459: Reluctant Heart

Chapter 461: Chapter 459: Reluctant Heart

The sister-in-law of the Song family’s eyes flickered before she slapped her thigh, "Good heavens, such a calamity! Today is supposed to be my sister-in-law’s big day, and now she’s beaten up like this. How on earth is she going to face anyone later? Isn’t this going to ruin our family’s fine match?"

"Shut your damn mouth! Song Chunhua’s gone completely mad, chopping at anyone she sees. If it wasn’t for my daughter’s quick reaction to stop her, do you think your sister-in-law would even be getting married today? She’d be thrown straight into jail! Trying to frame the Old Wang Family? Don’t get ahead of yourself! A family of useless men and shameless women, mouth off one more time, and I’ll rip your mouth to shreds!" Old Granny Zhang was initially startled when Song Chunhua charged at her with a knife.

Upon hearing the words of the Song Family’s sister-in-law, Old Granny Zhang immediately cast aside her fear from earlier, planting her hands on her hips and starting to argue with her.

The eldest of the Song family finally grasped the gravity of the situation. Today was the day Old Master Zhao was coming to fetch the bride. What if he arrived to find everything in disarray and got angry, putting the rest of the silver in jeopardy?

The Wang Family was not to be trifled with these days. They were involved in the mountain goods trade, and no one in the village dared to offend them lightly, let alone Old Granny Zhang, who was not someone to cross. If, in her fury, she exposed all their family secrets in front of Old Master Zhao, there would be trouble.

They had just managed to sell their sister Song Chunhua—what if the deal fell through? Where else would they find a fool as big as Old Master Zhao?

He glared at his wife, "What day is it today? Why are you still here gossiping? Haven’t you brought her inside to change and dress up? They will be here soon to fetch her..."

Hearing her husband say this, the Song Family’s sister-in-law, though reluctant, huffed and, together with the second sister-in-law of the Song family, approached Song Chunhua. Pretending to help her up, she viciously pinched Song Chunhua’s armpits forcefully.

With her wrists already throbbing with pain, Song Chunhua trembled all over from the pinch under her arms and gazed up at her sisters-in-law through teary eyes—one impatient and the other with ill intent.

She saw them dragging her towards the house, and once she entered, she would be bound to marry Old Master Zhao against her will.

In utter despair, as she was pulled past Wang Yongzhu, Song Chunhua couldn’t hold back any longer, "Wang Family Young Lady, I beg you, have pity on me. I don’t want to be an old man’s concubine! Please, for the sake of how I’ve raised Chongjin, even if I haven’t done much, I’ve suffered a lot! Could you please call Chongjin over for me? Just ask Chongjin to help me one last time, the last time ever. I won’t trouble him again after this..."

Her words were soaked with tears.

Many of the village girls and young women listened, their eyes welling up with tears. Even though Song Chunhua had a difficult personality and wasn’t well-liked, watching her being sold off as a concubine to an old man by her family stirred empathy, and their hearts ached for her.

The Song Family’s sister-in-law and her second sister-in-law couldn’t help but exchange glances at this.

If they could coax Song Chongjin to come back, they wouldn’t have to sell their sister-in-law. With Song Chongjin, life would be easier for the Song family.

Not to mention that Song Chongjin was now the Wang Family’s son-in-law. Having a connection with the Wang Family in the future would bring even more benefits.

Greed flickered in the eyes of the two sisters-in-law as they stopped in their tracks, both turning to look at Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang.

Old Granny Zhang could plainly see the character of the Song family and was about to burst into curses.

She was halted by Wang Yongzhu holding her back.

Wang Yongzhu stared at Song Chunhua for a full half-minute, sending a chill down Song Chunhua’s back, "Wang Family... Wang Family Young Lady, what are you staring at me for?"

Wang Yongzhu laughed, her smile brimming with irony and mockery, "Do you not know yet? Because of you, Song Chongjin was forced by your noble patron’s men to take poison, and now his eyes are damaged..."

"What?" Not only was Song Chunhua stunned, but so were the people of the Song Family.

A stir went through the crowd; just yesterday, Wang Yongzhu had led Song Chongjin into the mountains with a cloth bound over his eyes—everyone had seen it, and some had even asked Old Granny Zhang, who had also spoken of it tearfully.

After the news spread, let alone all the unmarried girls and young wives who secretly pined for Song Chongjin—grieving deeply for him—if he hadn’t been in the mountains for his eyes, they would have already rushed to the Wang Family to offer their sympathies.

Even the men who ran the households felt pity for Song Chongjin after hearing the news: such a promising young man, hardworking and not prone to chattering, who was just about to begin a good life, now with damaged eyes, what would his future hold?

If the Wang Family were kind and still agreed to the marriage, then life could still go on, but if the Wang Family decided to break off the engagement, one could only lament Song Chongjin’s misfortune.

Only the people of the Song Family had been so preoccupied these days with how to sell Song Chunhua off that they truly knew nothing.

Now, hearing this, they were all dumbfounded.

"You... what did you say? Song Chongjin’s eyes are damaged? Don’t tell me you’re just trying to keep Song Chongjin from showing up and deceiving us, right?" the Sister-in-law of the Song Family couldn’t believe her own ears.

Someone nearby sneered, "Yesterday, the Wang Family Girl carried Song Chongjin off to the mountains. We all saw it; now, who in the village doesn’t know, who isn’t aware? Everyone feels sorry for Song Chongjin; only the Song Family is unaware of such a big event. It really isn’t the same when it’s not your own blood. If it were your own child, even a cracked finger would be a huge concern, but when it’s a foundling, even if the eyes are gone, they pretend to know nothing..."

"Indeed, still has the cheek to ask Song Chongjin to pull her out of trouble one more time, what thick skin!"

"Could she have climbed into the master’s bed as a maid and done those disgusting things with a thin skin?"

...

Those who spoke these words were the wives who had married many years ago. A woman like Song Chunhua might only be favored by men; which of the women would like her?

Song Chunhua turned a deaf ear to these words, but when she heard the word ’noble patron,’ nothing else mattered to her.

"Noble Patron? He knows? Then why hasn’t he come to see me? Why hasn’t he taken me back? I bore him a son! He promised me that as long as I gave him a son, he would take me as his concubine! Where is my noble patron? I want to ask him why he didn’t take me with him, leaving me alone for more than twenty years, every day longing, waiting..." Overwhelmed, Song Chunhua broke free from the two Song Family sister-in-laws whose grip had relaxed in shock.

She rushed over to Wang Yongzhu and asked earnestly.

Wang Yongzhu scoffed, "Because your ’noble patron’ never intended to take you back, don’t you understand? He had long known you bore a child, yet he never thought of coming to get you. Later, out of regard for Song Chongjin, he sent someone to teach him hunting. Unfortunately, when he found out Song Chongjin wasn’t his son but an orphan you picked up, he then forced Song Chongjin to swallow poison, which ruined his eyes and made him unfit for hunting ever again!"

"Are you satisfied now? I’ll tell you, Song Chongjin won’t be coming. Yesterday, I sent him to the mountains for someone to treat his eyes, but it’s unknown whether he can be cured. It seems he won’t have the time, nor the capacity, to save you!"

Having said that and looking at the still dazed Song Chunhua who hadn’t snapped back to reality, Wang Yongzhu sneered, took Old Granny Zhang by the hand, and said, "Mother, let’s go. We mustn’t delay other people’s good fortune."