The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl

Wang Chunhua laughed with smile lines at the corners of her eyes. She took Li Mingwei's hand and stroked it over and over, even caressing her cheek.

"Oh, this little face is so soft!"

"With your petite figure, how could your husband bear to divorce you?"

Dong Shan was wondering the same thing. If he had a wife as pretty as her, even if she couldn't have children, having her at home to look at would be comforting. Why divorce?

"He has children with another woman out there, and plans to bring her into the household, so..."

"Disgusting! Men are all wretched creatures!" Wang Chunhua stomped on Dong Shan's foot and glared at him. Dong Shan was quite innocent, and hopped away while rubbing his foot. His wife had such strength!

After chatting briefly with Li Mingwei, Wang Chunhua felt some pity for her. She had Li Mingwei sit down, then went to the backyard to tidy up a room for her.

The room was small, with only a bed and some odds and ends piled around it. Wang Chunhua cleared away the dust and laid down some straw and clean sheets and blankets for her.

Gripping Li Mingwei's hand, she said, "This is the best our home can offer. Please bear with it."

Li Mingwei bowed deeply to her. "Thank you, sister. I'm already very grateful that you're willing to take me in."

Wang Chunhua helped Li Mingwei to her feet. "You're too polite, girl."

Having secured shelter, Li Mingwei also felt some relief. She took out her dirty clothes from her bundle, planning to wash them. She was currently wearing clothes Wang Chunhua had found for her that didn't fit very well.

There happened to be a well in the backyard, so she drew up some water. But the buckets were too heavy, and she could only manage to fill half a bucket at a time. She hadn't managed to fill up the whole washing basin even after all that effort.

Wang Chunhua brought her some soap and saw her struggling. Somewhat impatiently, she grabbed the bucket, tossed it into the well, and hauled up a whole bucketful of water for Li Mingwei.

"Seeing you now, I guess you haven't done much labor before?"

Li Mingwei was somewhat embarrassed and didn't dare meet her gaze. "My husband's family did some business, and we had a few servants at home."

Wang Chunhua nodded. Seeing the rope marks on Li Mingwei's hands from the bucket, she simply squatted down herself and started scrubbing the clothes while Li Mingwei hurried over.

"Sister, let me do it."

"Oh never mind, it's just two garments. I'll have them washed in a moment. Go check on my little daughter for me, I think I heard her crying just now."

Li Mingwei had never cared for a child before. Even the children of Li Mingwei's siblings had been looked after by their nursemaids. But she couldn't dissuade Wang Chunhua and reluctantly entered the house.

The toddler girl had climbed out of bed herself. Her tousled hair stuck out and she sat on the bed bawling, her nose and cheeks somewhat red. Seeing it wasn't her mother, she cried even harder.

"Wah!"

She couldn't speak words yet, only able to express her grief with cries.

Li Mingwei tremblingly approached her, smoothing the girl's hair and taking her into her arms to comfort her. "Don't cry, don't cry."

But the child only struggled harder against Li Mingwei, whose forehead was beaded with anxious sweat.

"Can you be good?"

"Wah!"

Hearing this from the yard, Wang Chunhua sighed. Indeed, she had never cared for a child before. Calling out, she said, "Carry her to the kitchen. I left some rice porridge for her."

"Alright."

Holding the child, Li Mingwei entered the kitchen and freed a hand to lift the lid of the big iron pot, taking out the still-warm porridge inside. She tested the temperature before bringing a small spoonful to the child's lips.

"No more tears now. We're going to eat."

The child's cries slowly subsided as she looked somewhat disdainfully at the tear tracks and snot on her face. Li Mingwei found a handkerchief to clean her up.

After washing the clothes, Wang Chunhua came to observe Li Mingwei feeding the child. Seeing her impatient expression, she worried what kind of work could possibly suit her.

Her family was not well-off either, and she was an adult who would need a supply of food. It would be difficult for Wang Chunhua to permanently house her like this.

"You said you can do embroidery, yes? Let me tidy up the child and I'll take you to the embroidery workshop."

"Alright."

In an astoundingly short time, Wang Chunhua had changed the child's clothes and strapped her to her back to head out.

In less than a few minutes, a group had gathered around them.

"Wang Chunhua, who's this?"

"Yes, haven't seen her before!"

Li Mingwei lowered her head while Wang Chunhua glanced at her before shielding Li Mingwei behind her. She said loudly, "What's there to stare at? Haven't seen a pretty girl before? This is my maternal cousin staying with me for a few days."

Li Mingwei was stunned. When had she become Wang Chunhua's cousin?

The townspeople were also confused. Wang Chunhua had married over here seven or eight years ago, and they had never seen this cousin of hers!

"Maternal cousin? We've met all your maternal uncles and brothers. Don't recall ever seeing this cousin though."

"You all wouldn't know her. She's a rather distant relative. I was still small back then. Her mother, my maternal aunt, eloped with a businessman and never came back after. My whole family thought she was dead!"

"This lass was divorced by her in-laws with nowhere to go, so she came looking for us herself. I didn't even recognize her at first until she gave her name. That's when I remembered."

"What about her parents then?"

Wang Chunhua shook her head regretfully. "Don't know. Her father's business failed back then and he married her off for some money before running away himself."

Li Mingwei had to admire Wang Chunhua's skill at spinning tales, although she still didn't understand why she lied like this.

A few elderly women came forward to inspect Li Mingwei, looking her up and down. "What'd you do wrong to get divorced?"

Wang Chunhua waved them off, saying it was nothing much and not to ask. But she bent down to whisper into one old woman's ear, "Infertile. Her husband already had children with another woman."

The old woman clucked her tongue sympathetically. What a pity for the lass. She released her grip on Li Mingwei.

Seeing the woman let go, Wang Chunhua hurriedly exchanged a few more words before leading Li Mingwei away. Once out of earshot, she explained:

"Folks in small towns like this are so distrustful of outsiders. If I didn't make up some connection between us, who knows what rumors they'd start spreading. From now on when people ask, just repeat what I said just now. No one from my maternal side knows them well anyway, so they won't find out I lied."

"That old biddy runs the matchmaking service in town. Gossips all day so I told her you were infertile. Then she won't come bother you about it."

Wang Chunhua herself had suffered much grievance upon marrying over from her village. But her temper ran hot, and she would curse right back and hit anyone who bullied her. With her husband Dong Shan's fighting skills protecting her as well, the harassment had eventually died down over time.

Li Mingwei nodded obediently. "I'll remember all that."

Seeing her complacent manner, Wang Chunhua sighed again. "Don't let people walk all over you just because you're soft-spoken. Some people only respond to curses and blows. If you can't out-curse or out-hit them, then come tell me. I'll retaliate on your behalf. Don't suffer in silence."

"Give them an inch, they'll trample all over you and shit on your head tomorrow."

Li Mingwei smiled. She understood the logic well enough, but had no idea how to actually curse at someone.