CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 099: BROKEN WITHOUT A FIGHT [380+ VOTES]

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Wang Xiuzhen couldn’t believe it; such a thing never happened in her dreams!

Because of this incident, Wang Xiuzhen also became skeptical about the things she dreamed of while having a fever!

However, her own plans were unexpectedly shattered without a fight by Zhang Shan Ni, which made her hatred towards Zhang Shan Ni grow even stronger.

Her feelings towards Xie Jingchen grew even more bizarre.

In her dream, he was just an ordinary Rong Wei officer with some minor abilities, and his ultimate fate was a woman’s nightmare, so why did it turn out this way?

Normally, when people know that someone is formidable, they tend to avoid danger instinctively: If you can’t beat them, then tuck your tail and behave!

But Wang Xiuzhen refused to do so!

After this, her disgust towards Zhang Shan Ni, intensified by jealousy and a covert sense of satisfaction, became so great that she committed herself to tarnishing Zhang Shan Ni’s reputation as a lifelong mission, stirring up trouble for herself.

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Zhang Shan Ni was unaware that someone was scheming against her secretly. Since she had no close friends in Qingfeng Village, besides following her father-in-law to work in the fields these past few days, she just stayed at home. The only special thing she did was writing a letter to each of the original host’s three paternal cousins.

Knowing that the original host had never written to them and they were unaware of her handwriting, Zhang Shan Ni fearlessly wrote the letters herself and mailed them.

Of course, her handwriting was very bold, without a trace of aesthetic beauty, as she feared that others might notice something inappropriate, so she kept her handwriting neat and square.

The purpose of the letters was to inform the three close cousins about the helpless incidents happening in her family, as well as the shocking fact of her marriage. On the other hand, she asked the eldest cousin to find some medical and herbal books for her as she planned to self-study a craft.

Meanwhile, Zhang Shan Ni also inquired about the village situation with her mother-in-law.

"Mom, besides Aunt Chun, are there any other doctors in our village?" Zhang Shan Ni had just come back from the field, placed the farming tools, and while heading to the kitchen where her mother-in-law and Xiao San were cooking, she washed her face and casually asked.

She didn’t stop her movements, helping her mother-in-law to wash the old rice.

"Doctors? Our Qingshan Team is too remote to have any real doctors, just a barefoot doctor. Your Aunt Chun specializes in women’s issues, primarily pregnancy and childbirth. At the back of Zhou land in our village, there’s a Wang family with Wang Guicai; he is our village’s barefoot doctor, though he doesn’t have a medical license. But his family has been living here for decades, and his medical skills are okay. If someone has a minor ailment like headache or fever, people usually go to your Aunt Chun first, and if it doesn’t work out, then they go to Dr. Wang."

"I know, I know!" Xiao Liu suddenly interjected.

Zhang Shan Ni paused, lowered her head to look at the little boy beside her leg, and asked with a smile, "What does Xiao Liu know?"

"Second Aunt, of course, I know! Everyone knows Dr. Wang is stingy, charges twenty eggs for treating a minor illness, and doesn’t even provide medication!" Xiao Liu said, biting his small hand, heartbroken at the thought of twenty eggs.

It would be so much better to keep them for himself to eat; then he wouldn’t get sick!

"Pfft, you boy, it’s been so long, and you still remember?" Zhou Xiuhua laughed, turning her head and scolding her grandson teasingly.

"What’s going on?" Zhang Shan Ni was confused, but seeing Xiao Liu’s small action, she pulled his small hand and shook her head, signaling him not to bite his fingertips.

Xiao Liu hurriedly tucked his small hands behind his back, looking pitifully at Second Aunt.

Zhang Shan Ni saw her mother-in-law turn her head back and made a shushing gesture. She took a small oil paper bag out of her pant pocket, revealing a few sugar cubes the size of fingernails inside, and spread them in front of Xiao Liu, signaling him to take one.

With a joyful face, Xiao Liu, seeing there were three or four pieces in the bag, thought for a moment. He chose neither the largest nor smallest but just the right size that fit perfectly in his mouth. He glanced at grandma and quickly stuffed it into his mouth.

Zhang Shan Ni laughed, wrapped up the oil paper bag, and continued with her chores.

The sound of the oil paper bag—how could the mother-in-law not hear it? She just chose not to expose it. Yet, she amusingly explained:

"Two months ago, Xiao Liu played with water because of the hot weather. He filled a bucket in the yard and played until he fell asleep. By the time we came back, he was called awake, caught the chill from the mountain breeze, and came down with a cold. Aunt Chun isn’t very good at treating colds, but we all know that you should drink more ginger soup when you catch a chill. However, Xiao Liu drank it for three days with no effect. Eventually, he developed a fever, and we had to call Dr. Wang to take a look. Just the consultation fee cost twenty chicken eggs, and Xiao Liu kept thinking about those eggs afterward!"

"Then that really is Xiao Liu being naughty!" Zhang Shan Ni laughed and stared sternly at Xiao Liu’er sitting beside her, "Without an adult watching, you’re not allowed to play with water anymore, understand?"

Xiao Liu pointed to his mouth and nodded in response.

"And you’re not allowed to go near the river, wells, or ponds to play! Water is merciless, if you accidentally fall in, it would be tragic!" Zhang Shan Ni suddenly remembered something and crouched down to earnestly caution Xiao Liu.

This was a sudden thought by Zhang Shan Ni, as in the future, there were many mischievous children who would play by the water despite warnings, and a single slip could lead to a life-threatening accident, and such drowning incidents have shattered many families in the future!

"Mhm!" Seeing Second Aunt’s sudden change of expression, Xiao Liu obediently nodded again.

"Right, listen to what Second Aunt says, don’t secretly play with water in the future!" Zhou Xiuhua then eagerly joined in agreement.

Although there weren’t many cases of children drowning in the village, it wasn’t unheard of. Now that Xiao Liu was the only child playing at home, it was certainly something to be cautious about.

"Eh, little girl, why did you ask about the doctor? Is it because you are feeling unwell?" Zhou Xiuhua had just scolded her grandson when she suddenly remembered that San’er’s wife asked about a doctor for no reason, worrying if she might be feeling unwell.

"No, Mom, I’m fine. I just feel that as the country’s situation improves, I’m thinking of learning more skills at home. Here, being a doctor is the most sought after profession. After all, people eat grains, and getting sick is inevitable."

"Do you know how to read?" Zhou Xiuhua asked excitedly, suddenly slapping her forehead, "Oh, how foolish of me, you can read letters clearly, how could you not know how to read!"

What Zhou Xiuhua referred to as ’letters’ were her recordings of the family’s body measurements in a small notebook. Zhang Shan Ni had seen it when making clothes for the elders.

"Hey, Mom, why are you hitting yourself!" Zhang Shan Ni looked at her mother-in-law, bewildered but seeing her pleased expression, gently explained: "My uncles taught me to read. Although I didn’t go to school, whatever they learned at school, they would come back and teach me."

"Ah, did they mention how well you’ve been doing?"

"I can handle a second-year middle school test paper, and I’m okay with the first-year high school..."

"Already at first-year high school level? Then you’re not far behind Daisy!" Xie Jingzi, who started school early, is now a second-year high school student. Due to Xie Jingchen’s marriage, she came back from the town earlier than usual and usually returns home every two weeks.

"There’s still a gap; my little aunt is already in second year." Zhang Shan Ni shook her head, referring to the original host’s three cousins: one in university, one a second-year, and one a first-year. The eldest cousin is at the Industrial and Agricultural University in the county town, and also attends the same school as Fifth. The second and third cousins studied in the same school as their little aunt at Qingfeng Team, and were all acquaintances.

"Alright, when Daisy comes back, let her test you, and maybe teach you as well. Don’t waste this knowledge; it can help you be a good wife for San’er later!" Zhou Xiuhua summarized with a beaming smile.