Chapter 27, Section 27: "Because of punishment."
The next day.
Before dawn, Jiang Ling'er was already dressed and ready, and had been chasing each other around the yard dozens of times with the puppet that Little Poison had repaired and improved.
Fearing that Aunt Yang would become suspicious, she waited until Aunt Yang was fast asleep before tiptoeing out of the little poisoner's room. During this time, the little poisoner only glanced at her coldly, chuckled, and then turned over and went back to sleep.
Jiang Ling'er breathed a sigh of relief.
Every day thereafter was the same. She would fall asleep hugging her knees against the door of the little poisonous creature, and get up before dawn to practice her skills, rain or shine. This would have been impossible before. If that girl Yuan Zao knew, she would definitely think she had been possessed.
Actually, calling it practicing martial arts... was just her being chased and beaten all over the courtyard by the puppets. It was because her fist skills were poor, and her foot skills were even worse. She was in a really sorry state. Her only gray clothes were quickly pierced by splinters and were unrecognizable. She could only tear off some old cloth from Aunt Yang, but Aunt Yang's clothes were too big for her, so she had to sew and mend them herself. She had never done such work before. Not only were her clothes pierced by splinters from the puppets' mouths and turned into a honeycomb, but her ten fingers were also pierced by rusty needles, with holes on the left and right sides. Fortunately, she managed to sew a decent-looking piece of clothing.
They sold the last of their valuables to buy some chicks and wheat seedlings. The chicks were given to Aunt Yang, and the farm work was naturally left to Jiang Ling'er; they wouldn't dare let that little poisonous creature do it. It's obvious—how could that be? Unless that creature had also been possessed. But…
She can't go to the fields alone; Little Poison must be there too.
Who told her that without him, she would be exhausted and her life would be over? She thought that now that she and Little Poison were both scorned by the martial arts world and had offended Di Qing, one of the seven great assassins of the Demonic Sect, they were finally in the same boat. In reality, she was the only grasshopper, and Little Poison was the only boat she had to hold on to tightly.
They both knew it perfectly well.
Therefore, when Jiang Ling'er appeared before him and begged him to help in the fields, the little poisoner, despite having a "I knew you couldn't live without me" look on his face, readily agreed.
This was unexpected for Jiang Ling'er.
The little poisoner nimbly got up from the couch, and seeing Jiang Ling'er staring at him with a probing look, he frowned and narrowed his eyes:
"What's wrong?"
"I feel like you've been so easy to talk to lately..." Jiang Ling'er muttered to herself, then quickly shook her head, gave a forced smile, and went out first. "It's nothing, let's hurry up and go before the sun comes up."
The little poisonous creature stared at Jiang Ling'er's back, which was patched and mended with scraps of cloth, and snorted softly before following her.
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Upon reaching the edge of the field, he saw Jiang Ling'er had rolled up her trouser legs, revealing two beautifully shaped, lotus-root-like ankles. He paused slightly, then quickly turned his head away to avert his gaze. Just as he was about to bend down to take off his shoes and socks, he was suddenly called back:
"Master..." Jiang Ling'er uttered only one word before quickly changing her address, "...My lord."
The little poisonous creature paused, raised its eyes, and stared intently at the woman dressed in plain clothes before it.
Grandma Yang's wide robe was tightly bound with a belt, outlining her slender waist, as delicate as the reeds behind her, exuding a stubborn resilience and vitality. Her long hair was tied up high, and she casually broke off a reed from beside her and inserted it into her hair like a hairpin, creating a woman's updo that revealed her smooth and slender neck. Perhaps... from hunger, her face, so thin it was no bigger than a palm, was equally smooth and unadorned, possessing a refined beauty and a striking air of strength. Her skin, which she had painstakingly cultivated to a fair complexion, had darkened somewhat again after being exposed to the sun. The morning light fell on her, highlighting her high, upturned nose, her beautifully shaped almond-shaped eyes, and the fine downy hairs on her delicate face.
Perhaps dazzled by the morning light, the little poisonous creature's long eyelashes trembled slightly, its eyelids drooped slightly, and it stared intently at the woman in front of it. It was not the first time it had heard her call him "My Lord" without any warning, but for some reason, it was a little nervous this time, its thin lips pressed tightly into a line.
They weren't the only ones getting up early to work in the fields. Jiang Ling'er glanced at the farmers peeking out from the corner of her eye. She was initially a little embarrassed and hesitant to speak, as she hadn't called Ji Yunshu "husband" more than a few times in the six years she had been married to him. But after calling him that once, everything else came so naturally and logically that it surprised even herself.
“My lord, you are not feeling well, so please rest over there. I will take care of you.”
Jiang Ling'er called out once, but the little poisonous creature didn't respond. It just stared at her quietly, seemingly lost in thought. Jiang Ling'er glanced around and saw the peasant women whispering amongst themselves. Jiang Ling'er frowned slightly and called out "My Lord" again. The little poisonous creature's long eyelashes trembled, and it finally responded.
Following Jiang Ling'er's gaze, one could see that a deck chair had already been prepared beside the field, even thoughtfully placed under the shade of trees, with a cool breeze blowing through the shady corner. It was indeed a thoughtful touch.
When the little poisoner turned around, he saw that Jiang Ling'er had already stepped barefoot into the field and was walking into the depths of the field without looking back.
She had absolutely no intention of going to the fields with him.
Little Poison: "..."
So she hadn't planned that at all. She did, however, know to prepare a recliner for him.
The flickering sunlight through the clouds fell on his handsome face, but it couldn't illuminate his dark eyes. He stared at Jiang Ling'er's back as she bent over to plant rice seedlings, his face dark. After a long while, he let out a cold snort, his expression sour. He hooked his legs and lay down on the deck chair, pulled up his straw hat to cover his head and face, and went to sleep.
--
It turns out that nothing is simple.
Whether it's learning martial arts, threading a needle, or even the seedlings you're currently working on, it's all a skill to be learned.
She was like a toddler learning to walk, curiously looking at this familiar yet unfamiliar world, starting from scratch, learning everything from basics like dressing, living, sewing, and planting rice.
Just as she was sweating profusely as she planted the rice seedlings into the soil, a voice came from beside her:
"It won't get cooked like this."
Jiang Ling'er was slightly taken aback. She saw the man straighten the crooked seedlings she had just planted. He had hands that clearly belonged to a seasoned farmer; his dark, strong hands moved incredibly fast. In no time, the seedlings she had spent so much time planting were pulled up and replanted, each seedling only half a thumb's width apart, their height as if measured with a standard, so precise it was breathtaking. As he continued working, he said:
"Transplanting rice seedlings isn't difficult, just remember four points: 'shallow, straight, even, and uniform.' 'Shallow' means the planting depth only needs to be one inch. 'Straight' means the seedlings must be upright; 'even' means the row spacing, hole spacing, and number of seedlings per hole must be uniform; 'uniform' means the roots of the seedlings must be aligned, and the planting depth must be consistent①..." She paused, then deftly pulled up the last two wilted seedlings. "These broken-headed seedlings won't do."
As the rice seedlings were thrown to the ground, the straw hat was lifted up, revealing a young, honest, and shy face.
Although his face was dark, one could tell that the boy in front of him was about the same age as Xiao Du. However, judging from his dark skin from years of sun exposure and the thick calluses on his hands, he was not young and had been farming for most of his life.
Jiang Ling'er paused for a moment, then nodded at him: "...Thank you."
The boy seemed even more shy, two red blushes rising on his dark face, making him appear even darker. He didn't dare to openly stare at the woman before him, only daring to glance at Jiang Ling'er's delicate chin through the cover of his bamboo hat. After hesitating for a moment, he finally said:
"Big sister, your accent doesn't sound like you're from around here?"
Jiang Ling'er gave a soft "hmm" and wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.
In fact, Jiang Ling'er's reputation for fiercely fighting her relatives with a wood-chopping knife yesterday had spread throughout the small village overnight. Everyone was watching her but dared not approach her. This young man, however, was not only bold but also offered to help. He glanced at Jiang Ling'er uncertainly, then again. Even though she was a bit tanned, she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in the surrounding area. Blushing, he couldn't help but mutter, "She's not as scary as the rumors say..."
"Then what?" Jiang Ling'er paused in wiping her sweat, her eyes sweeping over.
The boy choked on his words: "..."
The rumors do have some merit.
He dared not say anything more, but changed the subject, glancing at the little poisoner not far behind him: "That person, Yang Dalang... is he your husband?"
Seeing Jiang Ling'er staring straight at him, the young man paused, then hurriedly waved his hands, saying in a flustered manner, "I... I didn't mean anything by it! Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My surname is 'Yang,' and I'm the third child in my family, so everyone calls me 'Yang San'er'..."
Jiang Ling'er paused, then looked up and asked, "Your surname is also 'Yang'?"
The boy paused for a moment, then scratched his head: "Yeah... not only am I surnamed 'Yang,' but the whole village is surnamed 'Yang,' because we are Yangjia Village."
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er had completely lost interest and had rested enough. She had spent half a day planting only a small patch of rice seedlings in this entire acre of fertile land. Who knew when the whole field would be planted? There was absolutely no time to waste. Just as she picked up her basket, the young man snatched it away and carried it on his back, saying righteously, "How can you do all the work on such a large acre of land by yourself? Yang Dalang is really..."
Jiang Ling'er was unwilling and had no intention of asking for help from others, but the boy was too fast. It was her first time walking on this muddy ground, and she couldn't even walk properly. Yang San'er, on the other hand, was used to it and was like a fish in water. She couldn't get the basket back. Seeing that the surrounding peasant women and farmers were all peeking out to watch, Jiang Ling'er was even less able to fight him in public and could only let him go.
However, he was incredibly efficient, planting the rice seedlings with remarkable speed and precision. In no time, he returned an empty basket to her, and the young man smiled shyly.
"Here you go. I work fast, next time..."
"No need next time."
Jiang Ling'er interrupted him, frowned, and took the basket. She was a little annoyed that the boy had acted on his own initiative, but seeing his face, which was red from being exposed to the scorching sun, he was trying to help her after all. Jiang Ling'er didn't say anything more, put the basket on her back, and turned to leave.
However, having stood in the mud for too long, he couldn't pull his leg out and was forced to lean forward. He heard the boy behind him shouting, "Watch out!" He almost fell into the mud!
The boy quickly reached out and grabbed Jiang Ling'er. Just as his hand was about to grab her, she let out a low shout. Thanks to being chased all over the yard by the puppet these past few days, her balance had improved considerably. However, with a slight sway, like a breeze blowing through the reeds, she was about to fall when her slender waist gracefully swayed in the air, creating a beautiful curve before returning to stillness.
The boy's hand was still on her shoulder when his eyes lit up and he exclaimed, "Amazing!"
From a distance, the two appeared very close, as if the boy had embraced her.
Jiang Ling'er closed her eyes, slowly exhaled, and gripped the shoulder straps of the basket tightly, about to take a step forward, when she heard the boy's voice behind her:
"Big sister, please give my regards to Dalang. I'll go see him tomorrow."
Jiang Ling'er stopped abruptly and turned to look at him: "You know...my husband?"
The boy still smiled shyly, scratching the back of his neck with his withdrawn hand: "Did Dalang mention me to you?" He patted his chest as he spoke, "Before Dalang left the village, I was his best buddy! I still remember him! Who would have thought that he would bring back such a beautiful young lady as soon as he returned... Could it be that after all these years... Dalang has forgotten me?"
Jiang Ling'er stepped forward, wanting to ask more questions, but suddenly it was as if her soul had been pulled out, and she shuddered and knelt down in the mud!
The boy was shocked and quickly helped her up, only to find that the woman, who had been as strong as a willow just moments before, seemed to have lost all her strength. She was limp and her head was raised. Under the blazing sun, her whole body was soaked in cold sweat, her face was pale and bloodless, and her small, thin face was so pale that it was almost transparent, with faint blue veins visible.
The boy's pupils dilated in shock as he exclaimed, "You..."
The next second he was pushed aside and fell into the mud.
Jiang Ling'er gasped for breath like a fish out of water, the world turning upside down before her eyes... no, the world was still there, it was just that she began to feel dizzy and disoriented. The sun blazed brightly above her, but the three flames on her body vanished like candles in the wind!
She looked back in a panic, and the recliner seemed to have been kicked over. The person who should have been on the recliner... was gone.
Little Poison... She needs to find Little Poison right away!
She broke free of the basket on her back, and with steps as heavy as lead, staggered ashore. She walked barefoot on the sun-scorched mud and rocks, and then began to run!
Her bizarre behavior finally attracted the attention of the surrounding peasant women, and she pushed them aside one by one as she ran wildly!
Run into the depths of the forest!
She didn't know where she should go. All she knew was that she had to keep running and running. Lividity flared up on her neck like a tide. She didn't want to die. She had to find the little poisoner, find him!
She didn't want to die!
Suddenly an arm reached out from the side and scooped her up around the waist. The next second, the world spun around her, and a sharp pain shot through her back. She was slammed heavily against the tree trunk!
Before she could feel the person, she felt the powerful and forceful blue flames engulfing and surrounding her. She used all four limbs to hug the person tightly, greedily burying her face in his shoulder and neck, which were filled with a faint, cold fragrance, and took a deep breath. Her pale face finally regained its color, and then she bit hard on his left shoulder, on the word "slave" hidden under his thin clothes!
The force was so great that he could taste the rusty, metallic taste of blood. The newcomer groaned. Jiang Ling'er's eyes were red with boiling anger and overwhelming killing intent. She kept using her hands to strike the slightly thin and emaciated male body in front of her with each Thunder Palm strike!
The newcomer had no choice but to take several blows. His superior jaw was stretched to its limit. He gritted his teeth, one hand still holding her waist, while the other hand was in the small space between his chest and the tree trunk. In a short while, the two had exchanged dozens of blows. The newcomer knew her style of kung fu, but she did not know his. She only felt that the palm wind was ghostly and unpredictable. At first, she gained some advantage by virtue of her overwhelming anger. However, the next moment, a large hand grabbed her jaw and pressed her against the tree!
She gritted her teeth, about to kick him, but the next second her legs were also pinned down and restrained by the newcomer's legs, trapping her against the small tree trunk and his chest, unable to move. Looking up, she met a handsome face that was neither male nor female, and a pair of exquisitely beautiful, furious dark eyes.
Their eyes met; both were disheveled and in a sorry state, with injuries on their bodies to varying degrees. Because they were so close, their equally rapid breathing mingled together, sounding like two beasts locked in a life-or-death struggle.
Jiang Ling'er spat at that devilishly beautiful face, a drop of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth—it belonged to the little poisoner. Her eyes, burning with anger, glared at him venomously, and she growled like a trapped beast:
"You knew...you knew! You wanted me to die? Why? Why!"
"Why?" The little poisoner stared down at her, one hand still gripping her chin, the other expressionlessly wiping away the blood and spittle Jiang Ling'er had spat on his pale face—it was his.
That bite was really vicious.
"Because of punishment."
He stared intently into the pair of almond-shaped eyes before him, seemingly spitting fire, patiently wiping away the blood and foam from his face until his handsome features were completely smooth, except for the red mole at the corner of his eye, which remained as bright red as blood. His thin lips moved slightly, each word clear and distinct:
"I hate dirt, I hate unclean things. I especially hate unclean things touching my things, understand?"
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Author's note: ① This is from Baidu Encyclopedia.
P.S.: See you at 6 AM tomorrow!
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