Chapter 38: She’s a Professional at Clapping Back

“I’d say it’s not easy at all! You’ve been going up the mountain earlier and earlier each day. But maybe that’s for the best—in less than a month, it’ll start snowing. By then, even if there were things on the mountain, you wouldn’t be able to go up and get them anyway.

This year’s rainfall has been scarce. I heard the harvests of the big landowners have been hit hard, let alone us poor folks. Is your husband still studying at the Academy? If you ask me, what’s the use of studying? It doesn’t earn you any silver!” Aunt Wang curled her lips, her tone dripping with disdain.

When your family can’t even afford to eat, how can you spare money for studying?

Who are you trying to fool!

We’re all families who scrape a living from the soil, yet you still dream of leaping over the dragon gate and becoming a high-ranking official.

Even if it’s just wishful thinking, you should know your own worth. Do they think becoming an official in Jingcheng is that easy?

Wen Nuan Nuan thought to herself, this is a classic case of someone promoting the “uselessness of studying” mindset!

If your family doesn’t want to study, then don’t. No one’s forcing you, but you shouldn’t meddle in other people’s decisions to study either!

Besides, does studying have to be about earning money?

Making money isn’t the only measure of whether studying is useful or not!

She held back the three little ones who were itching to step forward. Seriously, after reading all those palace and household intrigue novels, how could she not understand Aunt Wang’s meaning?

How could she not see through her thoughts?

If Wen Nuan Nuan could lose an argument against such low-level sarcasm, she’d be letting down all the palace and household intrigue novels she’d ever read!

Wen Nuan Nuan replied pointedly, “Studying is about learning to read and understand reason, not just about earning silver. It seems now that learning to read and write is quite necessary.”

At least those who understand reason wouldn’t be here being sour.

Aunt Li caught the underlying meaning in Wen Nuan Nuan’s words and quickly tugged at Aunt Wang to remind her.

Aunt Wang remained unmoved and continued to ramble on, “Tsk, if it doesn’t earn you silver, it’s useless no matter how you spin it. It won’t put food on the table.

Your family has a lot of mouths to feed, and they’re all growing boys who eat like wolves. I can barely handle feeding just myself, but your family has several—it’s terrifying to think about. I can’t even imagine how you’ll get through the winter.

Your husband must eat a lot too, right? With such a big family of hearty appetites, you won’t even have a place to cry when winter comes. No wonder you have to go up the mountain every day. It’s not like my family, where we just need to gather enough food for winter. After all, the mountain will still be there next year.”

Over the past few days, while spending time with the three little ones, Wen Nuan Nuan had already learned all about the situations of each household in the village.

She knew all the gossip, which families had conflicts, and what was happening in each household.

Don’t be fooled by Aunt Wang’s complaints about her family having too many mouths to feed, all of them boys who eat a lot. Aunt Wang herself had given birth to four daughters in a row, and because of that, she was looked down upon by her in-laws, oppressed by her husband, and despised by her own family. In the end, she actually threw her fourth daughter into the mountains herself!

When Leng Yun told her this story, he was so angry he gritted his teeth, saying the Wang family was inhumane and warning her to stay away from them.

Aunt Wang was a victim of the preference for sons over daughters, but instead of trying to change or protect her own daughters, she became an executioner.

And now she’s here being sour? Truly, the pitiable have their own hateful sides!

Wen Nuan Nuan put on a sweet smile, but her words were anything but sweet—they were sharp as knives: “My husband and his brothers do eat a lot, but what can I do? They’re all boys. My mother-in-law is truly blessed. But she’s kind-hearted—even if they were daughters, I’m sure she’d treasure them just as much.”

Aunt Wang’s face immediately darkened, looking extremely unpleasant: “Hmph, it’s not like you gave birth to her, what’s there to be proud of?”

Seeing Aunt Wang unhappy, Wen Nuan Nuan became even happier, “Of course I’m proud! In the future, if I have a daughter, not only will her father and I dote on her, but so many others will too! Most importantly, no one puts pressure on me. Aunt Wang, don’t you agree?”

To defeat a snake, strike its vital spot—these two remarks hit Aunt Wang right where it hurt!

Thinking of how she had given birth to four daughters in a row, the disgusted expressions of her in-laws, and her own husband’s cold indifference, she couldn’t bear it and ended up carrying her youngest daughter to the back mountain and abandoning her.

Later, she finally managed to have a son. Although this allowed her to stand firm and straighten her back at home, the abandoned daughter always reminded her of the sin she had committed.

It wasn’t that she regretted it—she was just afraid that after a hundred years, when she reached the underworld and the King of Hell tallied her sins, they would still be attributed to her, forcing her to atone for them in the afterlife…

“Besides, although my husband and brother-in-law can eat a lot, they can also earn money. Look at our three-room brick-and-tile house, the spacious yard, and the piles of firewood.

Not long ago, my husband even sent money to repay our debts and buy food. We’re hardworking too, so we won’t have any problem staying well-fed and warm this winter.” Wen Nuan Nuan smiled as happily as could be.

“Hmph.” Aunt Wang clearly didn’t believe it, but she was too afraid of Wen Nuan Nuan’s cutting remarks to continue mocking her. Instead, she turned to Aunt Li and struck up a conversation: “Why haven’t the Zhu and Jiang families come? I haven’t seen them for days.”

“Haven’t you heard? The Leng Family brought several bolts of cloth to have clothes made, and three or four of them were cotton!

Just the tailoring fees alone cost several taels of silver. Of course, they won’t come out these days to gather wild vegetables or fruits—their families have enough to eat anyway.

These wild fruits and vegetables are fine when eaten with rice or flour, but without them, they’re too harsh on the stomach.

Their families will probably save quite a bit of money this winter, and they might even make new clothes for the New Year! They won’t have to worry about food and clothing, but it’s nothing to envy.” Aunt Li’s words were brimming with envy, and she deliberately said them for Aunt Wang to hear.

Her eyes were sharp. Even though the three half-grown children of the Leng Family were still thin, they were by no means ‘weak’! Their cheeks had noticeably filled out, and their steps were no longer as unsteady and feeble as before.

Their spirits were completely different from what she had seen earlier—all three of them were energetic and full of drive.

How could they possibly look like a family struggling to eat or stay warm?

Only Aunt Wang couldn’t see through this, still making sarcastic remarks about how pitiful they were. She should think about her own position in her family first—pitying herself would be more appropriate.

At first, she had felt sorry for Aunt Wang, but now she realized that a large part of her misery was caused by herself!

Aunt Li quietly distanced herself from Aunt Wang.

After hearing this, Aunt Wang looked embarrassed and left quickly without another word.

Aunt Li nodded and smiled at Wen Nuan Nuan and the others in farewell before heading off in another direction.

After the two left, Wen Nuan Nuan was in high spirits again, her steps light and cheerful.

“Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard,” Leng Chen said softly after a moment of silence.

Wen Nuan Nuan didn’t understand and looked at him in confusion: “I haven’t worked hard at all.”

What was so hard about it?

Every day, she only walked to the foot of the mountain, at most reaching halfway up the hillside. The three little ones said that going further up would risk encountering wild beasts, so her foraging area wasn’t very extensive, and she didn’t have to walk much either.

Chopping firewood, carrying logs onto the flatbed cart to haul back, splitting wood, cleaning the yard and the house, washing clothes and dishes—all of these tasks were handled by the three of them.

All she did each day was cook meals.

Upon hearing this, the three little ones felt something surge into their eyes and quickly fought back the tears.

Sister-in-law had suffered hardships and exhaustion because of them, and she even endured Aunt Wang’s mocking words.

Yet, not only did Sister-in-law not blame them, she also shielded them, preventing them from arguing and taking on Aunt Wang alone…

Right then, the three little ones secretly resolved that no matter what, they would protect Sister-in-law and never let anyone bully her!

Wen Nuan Nuan had no idea that her image in the hearts of the three little ones had grown even more elevated. Her mind was solely focused on the food on the mountain, beckoning to her.