A Good Country Wife

Zhao Lingxiang spoke with some regret, wishing she could have heard a bit more. She even sent out a maid to keep watch, clearly, they were discussing even more secretive matters. How could she have failed to eavesdrop! However, Li Xiaomei didn’t remain dejected for long, as she soon remembered there was important news she hadn’t yet shared.

"Oh right, I still have something to tell you. The method for sprouting beans was actually revealed to Zhao Lingxiang by Chunxi. I heard it all from outside the window. Those two women are simply too despicable, coming up with such tactics, especially that ungrateful Chunxi. Erniang, I’m telling you, you must think of a way to properly teach her a lesson, otherwise I just can’t get rid of this lump of anger in my heart," Li Xiaomei said, fuming.

Lin Yue found it somewhat amusing. Li Xiaomei, although sharp-tongued and avid for petty advantages, with no shortage of faults, was straightforward and endearing. Just listen to her talking—Even she herself, the person involved, hadn’t gotten that angry yet, but here was Li Xiaomei, puffing up with rage on her behalf. Nonetheless, this also showed that Li Xiaomei regarded her as a sincere friend, going to such lengths to help her out.

Reflecting on it, Lin Yue felt she wasn’t as sincere as Li Xiaomei, at least not initially. She wasn’t genuinely trying to be good to Li Xiaomei, but rather intended to use her for her own purposes. Even now, she still harbored caution towards Li Xiaomei, believing only half of what she said. After all, Zhao Cheng was ultimately a blood son of the Wei Family. What if she inadvertently fell into Wei’s trap? It’s better to be safe than sorry. As for Li Xiaomei, if she continued to behave this way, Lin Yue wouldn’t mind giving their family a hand now and then, as a way of repaying her.

"Don’t worry, people like Chunxi will get their comeuppance. Her days are already hard enough as it is. It’s not worth it for us to kick her while she’s down; we just need to be more wary of her," Lin Yue assured with apparent kindness, but anyone familiar with her would notice a calculating and fierce light flickering in her eyes.

"Very well, Chunxi, I’ve tolerated you for a long time. You’ve crossed my line again and again. I, Lin Yue, am certainly not someone who can be easily manipulated. You’ll have to pay the price for what you’ve done," Lin Yue thought to herself.

"Erniang, Erniang, what’s the matter, what are you thinking? Are you sad because that woman Chunxi betrayed you? Please don’t be. She’s not worth it, don’t be too kind. Someone like Chunxi, in my opinion, deserves to be sent to kneel at the village temple," Li Xiaomei said, not noticing the evil glint in Lin Yue’s eyes, but rather mistook Lin Yue’s slight daze and the absence of her usual smile for sorrow over Chunxi’s betrayal. In her view, Lin Yue truly regarded Chunxi as a friend, otherwise, how could Chunxi have learned such secret matters? To be betrayed by someone you trust was indeed heartbreaking.

Upon hearing Li Xiaomei’s words, the corners of Lin Yue’s mouth twitched. She, kind? That was quite the joke. She’d forgotten how to write the word ’kindness’ ages ago—the only principle she lived by was, "If others do not offend me, I do not offend others, but if others offend me, I dig up their ancestors’ graves" (an exaggeration, but it captures the attitude).