TFWYH – Chapter 53 Stepping on the Plum Blossom Stakes

After spending more time around Tang Wan, Li Dashan realized she wasn’t nearly as terrifying as the villagers made her out to be.

As long as you didn’t offend her or the people she cared about, she wouldn’t even bother with you—much less hit you.

When Tang Wan wasn’t angry, she was quiet, with a cool, aloof temperament, and sometimes even a little silly.

It felt like she understood everything… yet also like she understood nothing at all.

She was extremely sensitive to people’s emotions, and every now and then, she’d drop a remark that hit right on the mark.

What Li Dashan envied most was Ling Yu!

Because when someone as emotionally perceptive as Tang Wan cared for someone, it was thorough.

A single word from Ling Yu, and Tang Wan would happily run circles around him.

No—sometimes he didn’t even need to speak. Just one glance.

For example, if he was thirsty and glanced at a cup, Tang Wan would pour him water the next second, set it within easy reach, and it would be at the perfect temperature.

Or if Ling Yu furrowed his brows just a bit, Tang Wan would know he was hot and immediately start fanning him.

Whatever dish he left untouched when she brought him a meal, it would never appear in his bowl the next time.

Invisible dog food is the deadliest kind.

Li Dashan felt full every day for no reason.

And he desperately wanted a wife like Tang Wan!

Sure, she was a bit on the plump side, but how many women in the village could compare to her?

Aside from Tang Wan, everyone else in the Ling family was great too.

Ling Yue might be young, but she was an excellent worker—quick, efficient, and unlike most women, she had her own opinions!

Jiang shi was gentle and kind, and sometimes, just in the way she moved, she carried a grace reminiscent of official wives in the city.

The youngest, Ling Chen, was incredibly sensible. He practiced his horse stance for two hours every day, rain or shine.

Eventually, Li Dashan even started practicing horse stance alongside him.

At first, Tang Wan completely ignored him. Later, maybe because he was persistent enough, she began correcting his posture while instructing Ling Chen.

One day, after finishing his run, Li Dashan came by the Ling house as usual, only to see seven or eight wooden stakes, each about a meter high, erected in the courtyard.

And there was little Ling Chen, standing on top of the stakes, holding his horse stance.

Tang Wan stood below, hands clasped behind her back, lazily swaying a branch in one hand.

“Wan-niang, what’s this?” Li Dashan wiped his sweat and came over, staring curiously at the stakes.

“Plum Blossom Stakes,” Tang Wan replied casually. Then she tapped Ling Chen’s legs lightly with the branch. “Wider!”

“Mm!” Ling Chen responded, his little round face full of determination.

Li Dashan blinked in surprise, staring at the stakes in awe.

So this was the legendary Plum Blossom Stakes!

“Can I try?”

Tang Wan glanced at him and finally said, “Go ahead.”

Li Dashan happily climbed up, probably a little too full of himself, because his posture wasn’t quite right.

Tang Wan didn’t hesitate to snap the branch across him, and the sting nearly made him fall off.

Li Dashan was on the verge of tears. “Wan-niang, don’t hit so hard, it hurts!”

Tang Wan: “Endure it!”

After standing for a while longer, Li Dashan started howling again. “Wan-niang, can I rest a bit? My back’s sore and my legs are killing me!”

Standing on stakes was nothing like standing on flat ground. You couldn’t move at all or you’d fall, and after a while, your legs turned sore and numb.

The most depressing part was that he had sandbags strapped to his legs—unlike little Ling Chen!

Tang Wan couldn’t care less. She gave him a look full of disdain. “Are you a man or not?”