CMWKSD -Chapter 55 Village Gossip

Jiu Yue’s mind went blank for a moment. She wanted to say “whatever”—she wasn’t thinking about food every single day. She wasn’t some glutton; she just occasionally craved certain things.

She didn’t say anything. Ji Youqin lowered her gaze, focused on her nose and heart, and nodded to herself. “I understand. I’ll take care of it.”

Jiu Yue nodded back.

During the busy farming season, people basically ate three meals a day, though some households only ate two. Normally, it was three meals.

But Jiu Yue had always eaten three meals without exception. Not to mention she got up early every morning to practice martial arts and such—if she only ate two meals, she might as well starve to death.

As evening approached, farmers in the fields began heading home in small groups. There were also those men who wanted to hurry and finish their own fields early so they could go out to do short-term labor for a few days; they were still working late into the night under the stars.

After dinner, everyone washed up. With no real mood to do anything else, they returned to their rooms one by one to rest.

Ji Youqin fetched warm water. Ji Chaomian could now basically take care of himself and no longer needed someone to wait on him—though even this small request hadn’t been possible at the very beginning.

After thanking his younger sister, he wiped his own face. Ji Youqin stood where she was, rubbing the hem of her clothes. When Ji Chaomian lowered the towel from his face, he saw that Ji Youqin was still standing there.

“I can pour the water myself,” he said.

Ji Youqin froze, then quickly waved her hands. “Big brother, I… I have something to say.”

Ji Chaomian placed the towel into the basin. “What is it?”

Ji Youqin sounded a little indignant. “What else could it be? It’s those busybodies in the village.”

Ji Chaomian immediately knew they were probably talking about Ji Yiqing and Jiu Yue.

Back when Ji Yiqing’s face hadn’t been ruined, quite a few people in the village had come to propose marriage.

But Hu Chunhua felt she needed to keep tight control over the family, so her demands were excessive—asking for this much dowry and that much dowry—dragging out the brothers’ marriages indefinitely.

Fortunately, neither Ji Chaomian nor Ji Yiqing had planned to marry that early anyway. At the latest, they wanted to pass the xiucai exam first; that way, they’d have more say in matters.

Just look at what kind of families were willing to offer huge dowries—bringing home such troublemakers would only make life more restless.

Later, one brother ruined his leg and the other ruined his face, and no one came proposing anymore.

That should have been a good thing. Who knew that now Ji Yiqing’s face had healed—not only healed, but he also intended to continue studying.

Those with scheming minds became lively again.

Seeing that Ji Yiqing had married, especially hearing that Jiu Yue was an orphan who “couldn’t carry loads or do heavy work,” they felt Ji Yiqing had suffered a huge loss.

Every single one of them wished Ji Yiqing would divorce Jiu Yue so he could marry their own daughters.

During the busy farming season, as long as someone in a household counted as a person and could work, they were out in the fields.

Jiu Yue didn’t even know where the family’s fields were—how could people’s words not become even uglier?

“Don’t worry,” Ji Chaomian said. “Your second brother will handle it.”

Ji Youqin clutched her clothes. “I just feel it’s so unfair to Second Sister-in-law. She cured you and Second Brother—she got you back on your feet and healed his face. Her medical skills are so good. How can these people keep staring at other people’s family matters like this?”

Ji Chaomian chuckled softly. What was there to say? It was because Ji Yiqing now had prospects again.

Especially since everyone was a mud-legged peasant—people believed that anyone who couldn’t go into the fields or do work was lazy and greedy. So they said all kinds of things about Jiu Yue being no good.

“I heard Second Brother quietly dealt with a few of the ones who talked too excessively.”

Thinking of his younger brother’s temperament—once he set his mind on something, nothing anyone said would change it—not fighting was impossible.

“Father and Mother are worried those people will gossip behind their backs and that Second Sister-in-law might hear it and lose her temper. So they’ve been saying her medical skills are excellent, that she’s treating your leg.”

Ji Chaomian narrowed his eyes. There was no problem with his parents building up Jiu Yue’s reputation—but he was afraid that once people caught a cold or got a minor illness, they’d come knocking on Jiu Yue’s door.

Jiu Yue wasn’t a savior. Whether she saved someone depended entirely on her mood.

If someone came begging and she got annoyed and kicked them out—or beat them up—it would only lead to losses outweighing gains.

“Got it. I’ll talk to Father and Mother.”

Ji Youqin nodded repeatedly. “Second Sister-in-law’s medical skills are that good—she’s not someone who treats every little headache or fever. If people come knocking and she refuses, they’ll go around talking nonsense again and ruin her reputation for nothing.”

Ji Chaomian lowered his eyes and looked at his little sister. After more than a month of good living, her originally sallow, thin face had gained some flesh, making Ji Youqin look even prettier.

All of this was brought by Jiu Yue. As the eldest brother, Ji Chaomian felt heartfelt gratitude toward her—even if some of the things Jiu Yue did were truly outrageous.

Ji Chaomian wasn’t like Ji Dahai and the others who feared Jiu Yue. Instead, he felt that for an orphan girl to have the ability to establish herself in this world…

She was a very capable person.

Seeing Ji Youqin’s eyes sparkle whenever she talked about Jiu Yue, he smiled. “You really like your second sister-in-law?”

Ji Youqin nodded like a pecking chick. “I like her—really, really like her! Ever since Second Sister-in-law came, Grandma and Grandpa can’t make faces at us anymore, and Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Third Uncle, and Third Aunt don’t dare bully Father and Mother.”

“We eat our fill, dress well, and even have little snacks. All of that only started after Second Sister-in-law came.”

“And she said your leg can be healed, and Second Brother’s face too—those are all her achievements.”

Ji Chaomian rubbed Ji Youqin’s slightly dry hair, which now felt much smoother. “Then make sure to thank your second sister-in-law properly. Don’t mind what people outside say.”

Ji Youqin nodded. She’d only heard those village old women and young wives badmouthing Jiu Yue while she was washing clothes.

What did they know? Was being able to farm, wash clothes, and cook really that impressive?

Her second sister-in-law knew astronomy above and geography below, and her medical skills were divine—those women couldn’t compare at all.

Ji Chaomian closed the door. He understood his parents’ good intentions—they were afraid that gossip would damage Jiu Yue’s reputation.

But praising Jiu Yue’s medical skills—especially now that the family’s clothing and food had improved so much…

All of it had come only after Jiu Yue arrived. He feared that someone with ulterior motives would think their family was well-off and attract village or county ruffians.

Jiu Yue wasn’t afraid, so she never bothered to hide anything. But having flies buzzing around nonstop was still annoying.

It seemed he needed to discuss with Ji Yiqing how to handle this matter.

Ji Village wasn’t a small village—over a thousand people lived there. If they were truly targeted, it would be extremely troublesome.

On the other side, Jiu Yue scraped the medicinal mask clean off Ji Yiqing’s face.

Ji Yiqing tilted his head back obediently, sitting on the edge of the bed. Because he was tall, even sitting down he was only a little shorter than Jiu Yue.

The oil lamp crackled loudly. Jiu Yue tossed the cloth into the basin and turned back around. Ji Yiqing was just about to stand when he saw Jiu Yue turn her head back again.

He immediately sat back down obediently.

By the light of the oil lamp, Jiu Yue gently pinched Ji Yiqing’s chin.

In an instant, Ji Yiqing’s breathing stopped. He held his breath, afraid that even the slightest movement might offend Jiu Yue.