CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 18: FAKING ILLNESS

After breakfast, Song Yuanbao went to the village school.

Wen Wan helped Song Fang return the pots, bowls, tables, chairs, and stools borrowed for yesterday’s feast, and tidied up the courtyard a bit.

They would soon be heading to the county town.

According to Song Wei’s suggestion, it was to buy return gifts for the Yue Family.

Song Fang volunteered to hitch up the ox cart, saying she wanted to go along to buy embroidery thread.

Song Wei didn’t refuse, and Wen Wan naturally had no objections either.

But just as they were about to set off in the ox cart, they saw the Second Lang’s wife coming out with Sanyang in her arms, smiling at them, "Oh, Third Son is planning to take his sister and young wife to the county town?"

Song Wei responded blandly.

Second Lang’s wife seized the opportunity, "That’s perfect, I also need to go to the county town today. Since it’s on the way, could you give me a lift?"

Even if there were disagreements with the second family, Song Wei wouldn’t argue over such matters with a woman. After a brief silence, he said, "Second sister-in-law, come on up."

Song Fang shifted and sat over next to Wen Wan.

From Song Fang’s unpleasant expression, Wen Wan could guess that the young sister-in-law wasn’t fond of this sister-in-law.

Wen Wan had never interacted with Second Lang’s wife but had heard she was like a mouse drilling into an oil pot, taking without giving, taking from others and never losing a drop herself.

Regardless of that, Wen Wan wasn’t concerned. What she was worried about at the moment was the bad feeling she got upon seeing Second sister-in-law — that Song Wei would encounter trouble because of Song Fang.

With Song Wei there, Wen Wan saw everything clearly:

To put it bluntly, today’s unlucky incident was originally caused by Second Lang’s wife.

Since the death of the Da Lang couple, there hadn’t been a day where she didn’t speak ill of Song Wei as a curse to his relatives, and back at her family’s side, no one restrained their tongues, blabbering relentlessly, ruining Song Wei’s reputation entirely.

Over time, as the gossip spread farther, Song Wei not only struggled to find a wife, but even Song Fang, his sister, found it hard to secure a suitor.

There were a few ruffians in the town from Second Lang’s wife’s family village who had heard of an unmarried sister of the Song Family who had a pretty face, and today they coincidentally ran into her on the road.

The group didn’t recognize Song Fang initially, but with Second Lang’s wife on the ox cart, her loose tongue spread the word far and wide.

The gang didn’t care for reasoning, jumping in to abduct them, and when they saw that Wen Wan was even more delicate and beautiful than Song Fang and silent besides, they shifted their target to her.

From the perspective of a husband and a big brother, Song Wei naturally wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen. However, his resistance enraged the ruffians completely, leading one to pull out a sharp dagger, stabbing Song Wei in the waist and abdomen, causing a lot of bleeding.

...

Wen Wan came to her senses, her back already drenched in cold sweat, her face pale beyond recognition.

"Third sister-in-law, what’s wrong, are you feeling unwell?" Seeing Wen Wan looking a bit off, Song Fang asked hastily.

Wen Wan glanced around; the ox cart was already moving out of the village.

Hearing the inquiry, Song Wei looked back, his eyes filled with indescribable urgency. "What’s wrong?"

Wen Wan didn’t bother with anything else, promptly bent over clutching her belly, pretending to be in pain.

Song Fang was frightened, "Third brother, stop the cart, sister-in-law can’t continue!"

As Song Wei carried Wen Wan down, she vaguely heard Second Lang’s wife mumble "attention seeker," causing Wen Wan to turn her head and stare straight at Second Lang’s wife, a gaze that made Second Lang’s wife’s heart quiver.

Song Wei swiftly carried Wen Wan back home, laying her on the bed and ready to call a doctor, but Wen Wan grabbed his hand and shook her head.

Song Wei simply assumed his delicate wife feared he’d leave her alone, and softened his tone, "Don’t worry, I’ll get a doctor to check on you."

Wen Wan knew he understood, so she used sign language to indicate she was alright now and asked him to fetch a cup of hot water.