Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 72

The moment she realized such a thought had crossed her mind, Li Yunyao couldn’t help but curl her lips in self-mockery. That crazy widow Cuihua must have truly angered her, for her to even think something so absurd!

In the entire Li family, which daughter could compare to her? Looking across Dongjun Village, which girl had grown up pampered like her, raised like a proper young lady?

Once she married, she would officially be a woman of Shili Town. No one would dare call her just another village girl again!

In town, Li Yunyao had always wanted to befriend the wealthy young ladies, but they all looked down on her humble origins and never gave her any respect. If not for her managing to cozy up to Miss Wu, and the others only tolerating her presence out of respect for Miss Wu, she would never have been able to enter their circle at all.

The thought made her furious. Shili Town might be rich and bustling, but go back two generations and they were all mud-legged peasants, hardly from ancient noble families. And yet, they acted so high and mighty in front of her, constantly gossiping about her lowly birth.

Li Yunyao had inherited all the best features from Feng Qiufang and Li Zhi, high nose bridge, large eyes, above-average looks. Because she had never worked under the sun or braved the wind, her skin was fair and delicate. And as the saying goes, “Fairness covers three flaws,” her beauty was well-acknowledged in the village, and even among the town’s young ladies, she ranked near the top.

With such looks, of course she had the confidence to be proud and ambitious.

Her desperate attempt to squeeze into the circle of town’s young ladies was only to meet men from even better families. Her maternal grandfather owned a general store in town, and business was good, but they had no ties with the truly wealthy. Li Yunyao’s sights were set high; the men she fancied were all from families of notable standing in Shili Town.

Her efforts had finally borne fruit. The engagement she now had was with the Cao family, who controlled the docks and water transport. They were wealthy and influential, connected with all walks of life. Cao Yu, their young master, had fallen for her at first sight, and they began a secret romance.

At first, his family disapproved of her lowly birth, but thanks to her persistence, Cao Yu’s heart became entirely hers. He quarreled with his family several times until they reluctantly gave their consent.

Even so, Li Yunyao still felt indignant. If she had been born into a wealthy family, would the Cao family have dared look down on her? Would those town girls still dare to act arrogant before her?

The more she thought, the angrier she grew. Her temper flared, and she shouted at the dazed Bai Lefu standing in the courtyard.

“Hey! You, come here!”

Bai Lefu was still sulking over her quarrel with Huzi, her little face puffed up in anger. Hearing someone call her, she turned her head. It was a stranger, why should she answer? She ignored Li Yunyao completely.

Seeing this, Li Yunyao’s anger spiked. It was one thing for the pampered young ladies of town to slight her, but for some nameless little brat to treat her with contempt? Unforgivable!

Bai Lefu was thinking about how she would complain bitterly to her father later when suddenly someone yanked her braids. Pain shot through her scalp, and she cried out, forced to look up at the one pulling her hair, Li Yunyao.

“Let go of me! You’re hurting me! You rude, ill-mannered girl, how dare you treat me this way?” Bai Lefu scolded, wincing.

Her pained expression brought Li Yunyao a twisted pleasure. She yanked harder and sneered, “Where did a little bastard like you crawl from? Daring to call me a girl? Watch how I’ll teach you a lesson!”

With a few sharp tugs, she tore Bai Lefu’s braids loose. Then, grabbing her delicate cheek, she pinched hard, snarling, “Do you even know whose house you’re in? And you dare look down on me? You’re the crude, lowly one…”

Terrified and in pain, Bai Lefu burst into tears.

Li Yunyao startled at the sound, glancing around. The men inside were still chatting, and no one from the smoky kitchen had come out. No one had heard. Emboldened, she leaned closer, threatening, “Cry again, and I’ll throw you out!”

But Bai Lefu’s sobs only grew louder. Quarreling with Huzi hadn’t made her cry earlier, but now she felt utterly wronged, afraid, and desperately missed her father. If he were here, these bullies wouldn’t dare treat her like this! She cried miserably.

Li Yunyao panicked, quickly moving to cover her mouth. That was when she noticed the jade pendant hanging from Bai Lefu’s neck.

The jade was crystal-clear, smooth and lustrous. It immediately caught her eye. Almost involuntarily, her hand reached for it.

Cao Yu had given her a jade pendant as a token of love. They had searched all over Shili Town and Fengyang City to choose it. Yet when the town ladies saw it, they had mocked her. One even showed her own jade ring, boasting about what true quality jade looked like.

But this pendant, this little girl’s pendant, was leagues better than that. Even better than the Zhang family’s! If she had such a piece, wouldn’t the town girls be green with envy? Li Yunyao clenched her hand, then loosened it.

How could such a fine piece of jade end up on a child like this? Suspicion rose in her heart. Her expression softened suddenly, and she coaxed gently, “Little one, could you let big sister take a look at your pendant?”

“Let go!” Bai Lefu snapped back without hesitation.

Li Yunyao’s brows arched, her eyes sweeping the courtyard. Malice stirred within her. She reached out, trying to rip the pendant from Bai Lefu’s neck.

Bai Lefu struggled, crying out loudly, “Help! Auntie, someone’s trying to steal my things! Auntie!”

“What are you doing? Let her go!”

Huzi suddenly appeared, shouting at Li Yunyao. He rushed to Bai Lefu’s side, then shot Dazhuang a meaningful glance, ‘Go get the adults.’

Huzi and Dazhuang had been playing outside the courtyard but had returned, worried Ying Su might be anxious if she couldn’t see him. Just then, they happened to witness Li Yunyao trying to seize Bai Lefu’s pendant.

Huzi was not yet five years old. Li Yunyao didn’t take him seriously at all. Her grip on the jade pendant tightened, and she gave a sharp tug. Instead of pulling the pendant free, she only jerked Bai Lefu forward, causing the girl to stumble and crash into her.

Huzi quickly caught Bai Lefu, then grabbed Li Yunyao’s hand. His dark eyes burned with a fierceness far beyond his years as he glared at her and shouted, “Let go!”