The original owner of this body never returned to her parents' home. She was like merchandise bought by the Li family; once she entered the Li family, she never went back to her parents' home.
The Fan family never expected to associate with the Li family, since the Li family was genuinely poor and it was good that they didn't come to beg for money.
The original owner also harbored resentment towards her maternal family. After she got married, she no longer relied on her maternal family, so she jumped into the river as soon as she left the Li family's house.
Xiao Li wanted to go to the Fan family to at least get back the money she had been paid for selling herself into servitude.
"Oh, isn't this Er Ya? You've come back to your parents' home. Hurry up and go home, your parents are waiting for you."
"This is Aunt Gui from the village," Xiao Li greeted her with a smile.
"Hello, Aunt Gui, we're going home now."
Li Ke walked ahead without looking back, going straight to the Fan family's courtyard, waiting for Xiao Li to knock on the door.
The courtyard gate wasn't closed, and Xiao Li was about to go in when she almost bumped into a man carrying luggage who came out of the courtyard.
"Second Miss..."
This man is Tan Yong'an, a long-term worker in Fanjia Village. He is also from Fanjia Village, but he came here as a refugee from famine. His parents died, and he was the only one who survived.
He settled down in Fanjiacun, farming during busy seasons and working as a long-term laborer for the Fan family during his spare time.
Today he came to say goodbye to Village Chief Fan. He wanted to go out and try his luck, to leave this place of disappointment.
Unexpectedly, he ran into Xiaoli as soon as he stepped out, and then he saw Li Ke following behind him.
He felt a pang of shame; how could he possibly compare to the scholar?
He bowed and prepared to leave.
"Brother Yong'an, where are you going?"
Xiao Li had no intention of letting this person go. After he left, he disappeared without a trace. She didn't know if he had died out there or if he had become successful and never returned home.
However, the original owner really liked him, it's just that they weren't brave enough. But isn't there Xiao Li? She should give him a push, maybe things will be different?
Li Ke's eyes almost popped out.
Brother Yong'an? Who is this person?
Tan Yong'an's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't she afraid her husband would misunderstand if she addressed him like that?
"Second Miss, please don't call me that. That's what we used to call each other when we were little. Now that we're grown up, and you're a scholar's wife, I'm not worthy of being called that."
Li Ke felt a little better. So that was how she was called when they were kids. But Fan Shi was really too inconsiderate. Why was she still calling her that now?
He became alert again. Could it be that Madam Fan harbored some inappropriate thoughts about this man?
Xiao Li shook her head. "Didn't I call you that just last month? Have you forgotten?"
Tan Yong'an almost knelt down. If he still couldn't see that Xiao Li was doing it on purpose, then he was a complete idiot.
He looked Xiaoli over and, seeing that she was alright, felt relieved.
Now he just wanted to leave as soon as possible, lest the scholar misunderstand.
But Xiaoli still didn't want to let him go.
“Brother Yong’an, I can’t keep the purse I promised you last time. Just forget about me, find a good girl, and live a good life.”
Li Ke sneered. He knew it. Fan Shi was that kind of person. He was trying to curry favor with him while he was still eyeing someone else.
A strange pang of sadness welled up inside him. He wouldn't feel this way; besides the Fan family, he only had... Meng'er...
Li Ke was shocked. He was actually that kind of person too! His heart sank completely...
Tan Yong'an was so frightened that he calmed down. He stared at Xiao Li. Xiao Li was so brave, so why couldn't he be brave and just take her away?
Regret gripped his heart, and he closed his eyes in anguish, but it was too late for regrets.
"Xiaoxiao, if you're okay, I'm okay too."
Li Ke angrily grabbed Tan Yong'an by the collar.
"You dare to covet my woman? You're asking for death!"
Tan Yong'an was taller than Li Ke, and he had been doing manual labor for many years. With a simple push, Li Ke let go.
"I didn't, but you'd better treat Xiaoxiao better. If she's wronged, don't blame me for being rude."
Tan Yong'an clenched his fist and waved it in front of Li Ke in a show of defiance.
Li Ke's face flushed red, and he angrily walked towards the door. This Fan woman was unfaithful; he was going to go back and divorce her.
Tan Yong'an looked at Xiao Li with concern, "Why are you doing this? He's just a scholar. Don't you care about your reputation?"
Xiao Li shoved the meat into his arms and said, "You stay home and live a good life. If I get bullied, I won't live anymore."
After saying that, she followed Li Ke back to the Li family home.
Tan Yong'an watched Xiao Li's retreating figure with worry, feeling uneasy. He looked at the meat in his arms, turned around and put it on the stone table in the courtyard before returning home.
Leaving is out of the question. Xiaoxiao is so unreliable, how can he leave in peace?
Xiao Li caught up with Li Ke, "Why are you angry?"
Li Ke glared angrily at Xiao Li, "You unfaithful woman, I'm going to divorce you."
"Oh, but I didn't do anything unfaithful. I just told him not to like me anymore, and that I want to live a good life with you from now on."
Li Ke was trembling with anger. How dare he claim to be innocent after all this?
"That was still a private transaction, Fan family, you've gone too far."
Xiao Li replied slowly, "But you used to have someone you liked too. You even called out 'Meng'er' in your dreams. But who is Meng'er? Is she prettier than me?"
Li Ke was taken aback; she was indeed not as beautiful as Fan Shi.
"Don't talk nonsense, there was no dream at all."
He certainly couldn't admit it; he was a very moral person.
Xiao Li scoffed, "Who are you trying to fool? That night you kept saying, 'Meng'er, I love you!' You said those words, didn't you?"
Li Ke's face turned bright red. How could he say such a thing? It was too shameful.
But if he wasn't talking in his sleep, how did Fan know that?
Li Ke felt inexplicably guilty.
"I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm just going to divorce you."
Xiao Li shrugged, "Fine, then I'll tell everyone that you and Sui Meng'er are having an affair, and falsely accuse me of being unfaithful, and that you divorced me just to marry her."
I wonder if the county magistrate will still vouch for you; how are you going to take the imperial examinations then?
Li Ke was taken aback. He really wanted to, but how could he say it out loud?
His reputation must not be damaged; how can he take the imperial examination if he has a stain on it?
"You... truly are the most venomous woman!"
Xiao Li nodded, "Likewise!"
Li Ke was furious. He ignored Xiao Li all the way to his doorstep. He went straight into his study, picked up a pen, wrote several divorce papers, and then threw them all into the trash can.
Finally, he sighed and decided to forgive her one more time, but he would never think of Meng'er again.
Xiao Li stayed peacefully at the Li family's house, occasionally fiddling with the loom, weaving half a foot of cloth each day, which made Old Mrs. Li's eyes crinkle with laughter.
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