Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

’How strange.’ Her mother had always bustled about for her sake. To be fair, she hadn’t been counting on her daughter to make her rich—when Liu’er was with the Tang family, her mother didn’t often come by to sponge off them. And now, she was arguing with people over the congee Liu’er was eating.

’But why had she never felt her mother was truly close to her heart?’ Every single argument plunged her into despair: the time she argued with Qingmu’s mother, the time she was married off to the Tang family, the time she was sent home after being divorced, and today’s quarrel... Just thinking about it felt like a knife to the heart.

Meizi was furious, listening to Liu’er’s mother go on and on about how they were mistreating Liu’er. She used a large wooden ladle to scoop a bowl of congee for Liu’er, grumbling to herself, ’What’s so bad about this congee? We put meat in it, or fish, or even pork liver. When we add fish or liver, we even put in ginger to get rid of the gamey taste. We can’t overcook it, either. Then we have to add some chopped greens and a bit of salt. How is that treating Liu’er badly?’

She had specifically followed Juhua’s instructions, mincing the meat until her hand ached. And yet that woman had the nerve to say the meat was smaller than eye gunk. It was infuriating! Juhua was so unlucky, getting an earful just for a bowl of loaches. And it wasn’t as if Juhua was getting a free meal, either. All the fish fillets their family had eaten lately were sent over by Juhua, since fillets from large fish are better than small, bony fish.

Meizi couldn’t keep things to herself and really wanted to talk about it with Liu’er. But seeing how upset she looked, she swallowed her words. She brought the congee over for her to drink and advised, "Your mother is just too difficult. If you ask me, you should just ignore her from now on. Let Changliang deal with her. Changliang knows how."

Liu’er nodded and smiled. "Yes, that’s what I should do. I’m a married woman now; she has no business meddling in my husband’s family’s affairs. If this keeps up, life will be impossible."

Meizi nodded repeatedly. "Exactly. After I got married, my mom would often help out and give me advice on raising chickens and ducks or what to plant for the first couple of years. But later, she stopped and just told me to discuss things with Brother Changming. She used to hate my mother-in-law, but she doesn’t even talk about her anymore. Your mother can clearly see you’re doing so much better, yet she still picks a fight over congee. She’s just making a scene without knowing right from wrong."

The two of them chatted for a little while longer. By the time Li Changliang came in, Meizi had already tidied up and left.

Li Changliang sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Liu’er uneasily. "I yelled at your mother. You’re... not angry, are you? I just don’t want her to bother you. If you really miss them, I’ll take you back to your family’s home to visit once you’re feeling better."

Seeing his cautious expression, so different from the imposing figure he’d cut just a moment ago, Liu’er couldn’t help but let out a "pfft" of laughter. She pursed her lips and said, "Why would I be angry? I’m glad you scared her off. It’ll give me some peace and quiet for a few days. She gets on my nerves, too. I don’t miss her at all."

Li Changliang breathed a sigh of relief at her words and chuckled. "I won’t yell at her anymore then. Your father told me just now that he’ll keep a tighter leash on her from now on and not let her come bother you."

At the mention of Sun Jinshan, Liu’er paused. Her feelings about her father were also complicated.

When Li Changliang saw her smile fade, he quickly said, "The house is almost ready. I even got a bunch of peach saplings from Juhua to plant there. Her family has a lot of peach trees, and they plant more every year. Her family’s home is a beautiful sight, even nicer than my brother’s. Later on, whatever you want to plant, I’ll plant it. We’ll make our home just as beautiful. Just relax, don’t think about anything, and focus on getting better. I’m really strong, so you won’t need to help me in the fields. And don’t think about the past anymore. If anyone dares to mention you being divorced, I’ll smash their teeth in."

Liu’er watched him go from gently comforting her with talk of their future life to suddenly boasting and threatening. She couldn’t help but press her lips together to hide a smile. "Alright, alright! I won’t think about it. I barely escaped with my life, and now I feel completely free. Of course I’m going to live a good life and make something of myself. It’ll prove that I was right to ask him to divorce me."

As she spoke, tears began to fall again.

Li Changliang panicked. He clumsily reached out to wipe away her tears, but the moment he felt the slick smoothness of her skin, he quickly pulled his hand back. ’My hands are like old tree bark; I might scratch her face.’ He looked all around, but couldn’t find anything to wipe her tears with.

Seeing the rough man’s nervous state, Liu’er found it a little funny. She raised her own hand to wipe her tears away and told him, "Don’t worry, these are happy tears. I’m going to rest for a bit. You should go eat—they’re serving the food outside."

Li Changliang comforted her with a few more words of advice before getting up and leaving.

**********

After that, Juhua really did stop going to the Li Family’s home as often. She felt her body getting heavier and she tired easily. Fortunately, the scenery was beautiful everywhere this season, and just looking at it was enough to lift one’s spirits.

Some peach trees were covered in brilliant blossoms, while others already bore green, finger-sized fruits. The willow trees grew taller, their branches becoming denser. The ground was covered in lush green grass and wild chrysanthemums—an intoxicating green. Through the gaps in the trees, the distant village was also a verdant expanse, with corners of walls and eaves peeking through the foliage.

Zhao Qing didn’t come around to visit much anymore, either. Shi Tou’s mother had given birth to another big, healthy boy, so she was busy running around at home doing chores.

Every morning and evening, Juhua would go out for a stroll. Huai Zi usually accompanied her, taking the opportunity to gather some wild vegetables or pick up ground fungus. This evening, Huai Zi had gone up the mountain to check on the wood ear mushrooms. Although they hadn’t figured out a faster way to cultivate them, they had become much more skilled with the original method. They could still harvest a good amount every spring and autumn, which at least added to their income. So, Juhua was strolling alone by her gate, her two dogs following beside her.

Dressed in simple cloth robes and covered in the dust of his travels, Qin Feng stood at the edge of the village, looking toward Little Qing Mountain. All he could see was a forest of intermingled peach and willow trees. He couldn’t find the familiar thatched-roof, earthen-walled house anywhere.

He followed the village path, shaded by willows, and could occasionally glimpse stone walls and green tiles by the mountain through gaps in the trees. It wasn’t just one house—quite a few families had moved to the mountainside.

When he saw the young wife strolling leisurely on the pebble-strewn path ahead, her face covered with a veil, he knew without guessing that it was Juhua. His heart leaped with joy, and he quickened his pace. Then his gaze shifted downward, landing on her slightly protruding belly, and he froze on the spot, stunned. ’So, she’s pregnant after all.’

He had been hoping that with the blemishes on Juhua’s face, no one would be willing to marry her. Then she wouldn’t get pregnant, and there would still be time for everything. But who would have thought she was already married, and, what a coincidence, pregnant too. ’What am I supposed to do now?’

Hearing her dogs bark, Juhua turned her head and saw the young traveling doctor, as free and untethered as a wandering cloud or a wild crane. For a moment, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Overcome with ecstatic joy, a thought took root in her mind: ’No matter what, I have to make him stay this time. I have to convince him to settle down in Qingnan Village.’