The Wife of a Loyal Servant - Chapter 6

Her expression, fierce enough to rival the bandits he’d encountered on escort missions, sat oddly on such a lovely lotus-like face, rosy and delicate. Even her eyes appeared brighter and more moist from anger.

Cheng Shaotang nearly burst into laughter, but fearing she’d explode at him, he swallowed it down and dutifully offered up his money pouch.

Ling Yu snatched it from his hands, shot him another glare, and pried the pouch open for inspection—

Good heavens! A piece of silver and several copper coins are still inside. Clearly this man had lent out quite a bit of ‘wine money’ to others before today.

Tucking the pouch away, she eyed the few packets in the ‘spendthrift’s’ hands and muttered, “Our family may not be starving, but we’re hardly rolling in riches. Candies and tea? Those are toys for the wealthy. We don’t need to follow their lead.”

“Besides, Second Brother’s getting to the age where we can’t put off his marriage any longer, and you know perfectly well how much a wedding will cost.”

“Mother’s getting older, and Xiao Shitou is still growing. We have to look after them, and we need to save some money in case anything happens.”

“You’re out there in the wind and rain all year round; earning a few coins is no easy thing. You’re staking your life for it! Why can’t you learn to be more frugal?”

“I know you all value brotherhood, and a few men gathering to drink and chat isn’t a big deal. But alcohol does no good. Drink too much and it wears you down, and it causes trouble too. Look at Old Zhang from the next village. Wasn’t he drinking happily one moment and gone the next?”

“That’s a lesson learned the hard way! Don’t you think about what would happen if something happened to you, leaving us, a widow and her child, to live like this?”

At this point, she couldn’t help thinking of the bitter struggle she’d lived through as a widowed mother in her previous life and, inevitably, of how her mother-in-law and son had survived after ‘the her of that lifetime’ died.

Cheng Shaotang was stunned by her heartfelt lecture, suddenly struck by the absurd feeling of a mother scolding her ignorant son. He wanted to tell her he wasn’t a heavy drinker at all, just a few cups when the brothers gathered. He had seen many examples of people getting into trouble for drinking too much. How could he let himself fall into that?

But the words caught in his throat as he looked at her heartbroken expression, and he swallowed them back.

A little later, noticing how her expression dimmed, he felt his chest tighten. He stopped walking, looked at her with utmost sincerity, and said, “I won’t abandon you.”

Ling Yu forced a smile and thought silently, Of course I know you’d never want to leave your wife and child… I’m just afraid of the moments when fate gives you no choice.

……

Thinking back on how she had been nagging and how he hadn’t argued back even once, her irritation eased a great deal. Then she remembered all the things he had bought. Not only were there gifts for his mother, their son, and herself, but even her own parents had been included. Judging by the amount, her father’s tea probably took up half the expense. That thought made her deflate again, just a little.

“Let’s go,” she said, clearing her throat. “Let’s finish buying what we need and head home early.”

Of course, Cheng Shaotang heard the shift in her tone. The corner of his mouth curved almost imperceptibly as he nodded. “Alright.”

By the time they finished gathering everything for the baby’s first birthday celebration, it was nearly noon. They took out the dry rations and water they’d prepared and shared a simple lunch.

“Where are we going?” Ling Yu had assumed they were heading home, but instead, Cheng Shaotang led her across the street.

“To Huichuntang,” he said. “I want the doctor to check your pulse.”

“A pulse check? I’m really fine. Look at me, I’m perfectly alright. Why spend the extra money?” Ling Yu had thought he’d already forgotten about this, and she hadn’t expected him to still remember.

“Since we’re already here, it won’t hurt to let the doctor take a look before we head back. If there’s nothing wrong, at least we’ll have peace of mind.” This time, Cheng Shaotang wouldn’t budge; he was firm.

After years of marriage, Ling Yu understood him well enough. Once he set his mind on something, no amount of talking would change it. So she didn’t argue any further. She was healthy anyway, so let him have the checkup.

“This young lady has slightly deficient qi and blood, but it’s nothing serious. A few doses of medicine and some proper rest will suffice.” The doctor was a middle-aged man surnamed Li, not the Dr. Yang she remembered.

She didn’t particularly mind, though she did feel Dr. Li was a bit slick, not as honest as Dr. Yang had been.

‘Slightly lacking by a few degrees’ was practically nothing. With both ‘slightly’ and ‘a few,’ it essentially meant she was perfectly healthy, not a trace of illness on her.

“What a damn ‘qi and blood deficiency’!”

Cheng Shaotang, however, carefully took the prescription and waited for the apprentice to prepare the medicine. Ling Yu had no patience for standing around, so she stepped outside to get some air.

“…Miss, trust me, this Jade Complexion Cream works wonders. Use it consistently for a month and half your pockmarks will be gone.”

“You’re the one with pockmarks! Your whole family has pockmarks!”

“Hey, why are you insulting me? You do have pockmarks! You’re just covering them with powder; that doesn’t mean they’re not there!” The girl in blue blinked in surprise.

The voices ahead drew Ling Yu’s attention. Looking over, she saw a young woman in blue clutching a small round jar, ‘diligently’ trying to sell it to a woman in green passing by.

Unfortunately, the poor girl was clearly inexperienced in this area and offended the other woman within a few words. 

“Are you crazy? Get lost! What kind of nonsense is this?!” The woman in green shot her a vicious glare and gave her a hard shove. Caught off guard, the girl in blue staggered back several steps before finally steadying herself. She muttered at the woman’s retreating figure, thoroughly annoyed:

“Honestly, if you don’t want to buy it, then don’t. Why push people like that? No wonder your face is covered in pockmarks!”

Jade Complexion Cream… could it really just be the same name? Ling Yu frowned, thinking to herself.

Just then, the girl in blue spotted her. She hurried over, clutching her little round jar, her expression earnest. “Sister, buy a box of Jade Complexion Cream! I make it myself and test it myself. It works way better than Fragrance Dew. It clears spots, acne, and scars, and even helps regenerate and beautify the skin. Really, I’m not lying!”

“Did you really make this yourself?” A familiar, refreshing fragrance drifted over. Ling Yu accepted the small jar, sniffing the soul-clearing scent with care before opening the box for a closer look.

The fragrance, color, and texture were exactly the same as the Jade Complexion Cream that had taken the capital by storm in her previous life.

She recognized it because back then, she had once worked short-term at the Liang family estate, the very creators of the cream, and had been fortunate enough to witness it firsthand.

The Liang family had originally been in the cosmetics trade, but their business had once declined so sharply that it nearly collapsed. Fortunately, the family head, Liang Fang, created the Jade Complexion Cream, reviving the household’s fortunes and turning the Liang family into one of the wealthiest in Yongzhou City. Rumor even had it they stood a strong chance of becoming imperial merchants.

“Of course, I made it myself. It took nearly two years to perfect it. Go on—have a look…”

“Oh? And here I was wondering who it might be. Turns out it’s Miss Yang. What? Are you coming to inspect your shop?”

A man dressed as a medicine boy strolled out of the pharmacy, his voice dripping with mockery the moment he spotted the girl in blue.

The girl in blue’s expression changed slightly. She spat at him and said resentfully, “Just you wait. One day I’ll buy Huichuntang back!” 

With that, she spun around and bolted, vanishing like a gust of wind.

“Hey! Your jar—” Ling Yu didn’t even have time to return the ‘Jade Complexion Cream’ before the girl disappeared entirely.

“It’s nothing valuable,” the medicine boy scoffed. “Probably another worthless trinket Miss Yang whipped up. If you don’t want to dirty your hands, just toss it.”

Ling Yu frowned as a thought clicked into place. “That girl… is she the daughter of Doctor Yang from before?”

“That’s her,” the apprentice replied offhandedly as he stepped back inside.

Just then, Cheng Shaotang came out from within, “Xiao Yu, give me the money for the medicine.”

“How much?” Ling Yu asked.

“Thirty coins.”

“Thirty? That’s daylight robbery! I’m not even sick, but now I have to spend thirty coins on medicine and suffer for it…” Ling Yu grumbled, counting out the money with great reluctance.

Cheng Shaotang pretended not to hear a single word, took the coins, and went to fetch the medicine.

“You really reap what you sow… wasting thirty coins like that. That could buy thirty steamed buns…” she muttered again as she watched him tuck the medicine packet into their bundle.

In her previous life, when every coin had to be carefully counted, thirty coins would have been enough for her, her mother-in-law, and her son for several days.

Yet she didn’t notice that this little trip to the county town had quietly worn down the initial sense of estrangement and distance from her ‘deceased husband.’

That night, after bathing, she looked at the rings of postpartum marks on her lower belly and remembered the Jade Complexion Cream Miss Yang had forgotten. She simply scooped up a lump and spread it over her stomach. Since it’s free, might as well use it. Even if it didn’t work and her belly turned into a watermelon rind, only she would see it.

Once she was dressed, she turned to find Xiao Shitou sitting on the bed, munching on his tiny fist and staring at her with big, clear eyes.

She laughed, scooped him up, squeezed his chubby cheeks left and right, then kissed him hard a few times as if taking revenge. The little guy blinked, bewildered.

Ling Yu burst into laughter.

She was used to the grown son who would run around helping her with chores and caring for his grandmother. Looking down at this pudgy baby gnawing his fist and grinning up at her, she felt nostalgic—and also a strange pang of sorrow, as if thinking, All ten years of your mother’s hard work, wasted.

She’d raised her son through sweat and hardship, and in a few more years, he would’ve married and given her a plump grandchild, and she could finally enjoy the sweet days of doting on grandkids. But in the blink of an eye, it all vanished like bubbles. It’s truly heartbreaking to hear and see!

However, looking at the adorable little one, completely oblivious to worries, a wave of tenderness welled up inside her, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

She planted a loud kiss on his soft cheek. “How is my Xiao Shitou so adorable and lovable?”

“Come, let Mother teach you to count money. When you grow up, remember to be thrifty. Don’t be like your father, spending money like water without a shred of restraint.” She poured the day’s leftover coins into a box and counted them one by one, tapping them lightly. The crisp clink of copper coins made her spirits soar.

The Xiao Shitou was also attracted by the sounds and giggled.

When Cheng Shaotang walked in, he saw the two happily counting coins together. He caught his wife coaxing the baby—

“Once upon a time, there was a boy named Xiao Shitou. He grew up, and then he earned lots and lots of money to support his mother…”

“What about his father?”

“Gone,” she answered casually, but immediately realized her mistake. She glanced guiltily at Xiao Shitou’s very-much-alive father leaning against the door, with an inscrutable expression on his face. She snapped the money box shut, hugged her son, and forced a smile. “Y-you’re done washing!”

Cheng Shaotang stared at her long enough to make her squirm. Finally, he asked, slowly, “Tonight this little brat sleeps with us?”

“Y-yes! Mother has been exhausted these days. I want her to get a good night’s rest,” she said, pulling her son’s little hand to stop him from grabbing things.

The real reason, however, lay in her inability to overcome the trauma of her past life. But she couldn’t tell anyone. 

Could she tell anyone that she had almost been defiled by a strange man in her past life?