Hu Weiming found an eloquent caretaker to try and persuade Lin Xian’er. If she married, she’d be the second lady of the main family, she’d have servants at her beck and call, and wouldn’t have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of her life. Even when Hu Weiming passed away, they could get one-third of the family property. The second young master can’t manage it, so it’ll all be hers in all but name.

Lin Xian’er had lost her husband when she was young and became a prostitute. Later, she became Mo Zenian’s, but life still wasn’t easy. She dreamed of living rich. She heard from Mo Zenian the Hu family had three commercial firms in Yi City only, not to mention their businesses in other locations. If she became the owner of a commercial firm, then she would really have no worries for the rest of her life.

She looked at the idiot next to her. He looked really disgusting, at least he was younger than her previous customers.

Mo Zenian was a bastard who was even willing to sell his own daughter, and wasn’t someone she could trust the rest of her life to. She was slightly reluctant to let go of her child, he was also Mo Zenian’s son. He had always liked him very much, and said he was smarter than his eldest son, so he definitely wouldn’t mistreat her son.

Besides, she and Mo Zenian had just been living together, and she wasn’t even his concubine. They could separate without even needing divorce documents.

After thinking it over, she agreed to stay in the Hu residence and marry the fool. The Hu family held a proper wedding, even having lucky red talismans on the gate, and a wedding orchestra was even brought in.

Mo Zenian staggered away with the child in his arms. Mo Yan said, “Lu Junming, let’s go!”

“Alright!”

The two of them got on Lu Junming’s horse. They didn’t have to rush this time, so rode slowly and arrived at noon. As soon as she entered, she saw Mo Ling sitting in the kitchen and lighting a fire, with Zhong Cheng watching over her.

Ms. Liang pulled Mo Yan over to ask about her sister, and she told her about what happened last night. Ms. Liang was livid when she heard it. Finally, when she heard that Mo Zenian’s mistress had married the fool, she even said, “That’s what he deserves.”

“Who of you rascals thought of this idea?”

Lu Junming said, “Mo Yan did.”

“Mother, I just wanted to help you vent your anger. Now he has no woman and no job, do you feel better?”

“Yes, you did well. I’ll make some good food for you.”

Ms. Liang went into the kitchen to prepare lunch. Mo Yan and Lu Junming stood in the yard, thinking on their own.

Mo Yan was thinking about what would happen to Mo Zenian and his child, and if they would return to the village. Turning around, she saw Lu Junming laughing to himself, “What are you laughing for?”

“I was just thinking about last night…”

Mu Yan pinched his arm again, but this time pinched a larger area so it didn’t hurt as much, “Dirty-minded!”

After being scolded, Lu Junming not only didn’t get angry, but continued to laugh to himself. Mo Yan punched him hard on the arm.

In the kitchen, Ms. Liang was scolding Mo Zenian again, “Mo Zenian, you were even willing to sacrifice your own daughter? If you were hurt, I’d fight him to the death!”

Zhong Cheng said, “Auntie, it’s all over and done with, don’t mention it anymore. I want to marry Ling’er as soon as possible, what do you think?”

Ms. Liang fully agreed, but Mo Ling objected, “Why are you in such a hurry? You’ll make others think something actually happened to me and we’re hurriedly covering it up!”

“It’s our marriage, why should we listen to other people’s nonsense?”

“Around here, marriage proposals have always been made in the first month of the year, and they get married at the end of the year. Let’s wait until then!”

Zhong Cheng looked at Ms. Liang, and she said helplessly, “Then, let’s wait for now!”

After eating lunch, he went back home. Mo Yan asked Mo Ling why she didn’t want to marry Zhong Cheng, and she replied, “Didn’t I agree? We’re getting married at the end of the year.”

She always said she wanted to leave this place, but she hesitated at the final step.

In the evening, Mo Ling went out to fetch water, and the neighbour Mrs. Liu had gone out to fetch firewood at the same time. Mo Ling ignored her, but the woman had the gall to accost her, “I heard you were going to marry and go to Yi City ?”

Mo Ling didn’t even look at her, “When did you hear that? When you were eavesdropping? It seems like your hearing is failing, because I’m marrying to Xiahe Village.”

Since Zhong Cheng often entered and exited the Mo family, she was probably used to seeing him, but never expected him to propose marriage.

After entering her house, Mrs. Liu said to herself, “That Zhong Cheng must’ve been bewitched. Her parents are divorced, and Mo Ling has ruined her reputation, but he’s still devoted to her.”

When Dagan had just come back from outside, when he heard his mother talking to herself. He replied, “That’s because Ling’er is a good woman, she’s worth it!”

“What’s so good about her? She’s as stubborn as a bull.”

“If she wasn’t good, why would you want me to be close to her before? You’re saying the grapes are sour because you can’t eat them.”

“I just wanted a bargain! If our family was rich, why would we want her? I’d be ashamed!”

Dagan turned around and entered the house, slamming the door forcefully.

Mo Ling habitually carried the first load of water to the backyard before remembering she no longer had to do that. She was about to turn back when she saw her second grandma coming out of the house with a clay pot, to fetch water from the well.

“Second grandma, you don’t need to carry water, here’s the water for you.”

Not allowing her to object, Mo Ling took the bucket into her room to refill her water reservoir.

The old woman in the north room heard them, came out of the house and stood at the door. Seeing Mo Ling pick up the empty bucket to leave, she opened her mouth a few times but didn’t make a sound.

The three children in the front yard had grown up so much, she hadn’t called them properly before. sShe just spoke to them directly without being nice in the slightest.

Mo Ling hasn’t fetched water for her in three days. Her water reservoir had bottomed out, and she didn’t dare wash her face in the morning. She wanted to save the water for washing her hands a few more times.

Not long after Mo Ling went back, Mo Zenian entered with Mo Zheng in her arms. When the old woman saw him, it was like seeing her saviour, “You’re back, go and help me carry water. My water tank has bottomed out, and I can’t even cook anything.”

Mu Zenian put Mo Zheng down, and said tiredly, “Mother, I’ve spent half a day coming here and I’m exhausted, can you let me rest?”

After that, he dragged Mo Zheng into the house.

The old woman looked at Mo Zheng and asked, “Whose child is this?”

Mo Zenian replied sullenly, “My son, your grandson, Mo Zheng.”

After entering the house, Mo Zheng said timidly, “Father, I’m hungry, I want to eat a bun.”

Mu Zenian rummaged through the basket hanging on the rafters. There were only two loaves of bread in it, so he gave half of one to Mo Zheng, “I don’t have any buns right now, eat this first.” Then, he said to the old woman, “Hurry up and cook! The child is hungry!”

Mo Zenian went into the back room and laid down on the kang, while Mo Zheng sat on a chair in the main room and ate the bread.

The old woman couldn’t react and said while her hands shook, “This, this is…”

She lifted the lid of her wok and wanted to cook, but there was no water in the water reservoir, and there was even a layer of sediment at its bottom. She sighed, and walked towards Mo Yan’s second grandma’s room with a bucket in hand.

Mo Yan’s second grandma didn’t make things difficult for her. Before she could say anything, she took the bucket from her hand and scooped up a bucket of water for her.

Post-translation notes: Well, everyone gets what they deserve, and we hope the old woman gets a redemption arc. As always, thank you for reading!