Chapter 81: It's Nothing, I Won't Die

Bai Yan was familiar with fish and found them terribly fishy, so when Jiang Chengyan said those words, she remained with her back to him, clearly indifferent and perfunctory. She nodded just as indifferently, “Oh, alright.” As long as nothing interrupted her counting her money bags, she would agree to anything.

Jiang Chengyan let out a soft laugh, but beneath that laughter was not only helplessness, but also a deeper meaning that was impossible to discern.

He locked the door, then took the basket and went with Zhao Chujio toward the river.

When the sound of the closing door reached her ears, Bai Yan immediately pulled out a small notebook from her pillowcase.

As if she didn’t quite believe the door was truly shut, she turned back to check carefully. Only then did she break into a delighted grin and open her little notebook.

There was not a single word written inside; instead, it was filled with paw-shaped marks. She counted them diligently, going over the numbers in her notebook, then moved on to count the silver coins in her money bags.

She had sent some to Cheng An earlier—ugh, now there was less, how irritating!

She would have to recoup it from her husband.

…………

Before Bai Yan had time to hide her little ledger and money bags, urgent knocking sounded at the door.

“Bai Yan, my eldest brother was swept away by the river! Are you still at home? Hurry up and come out to see!” Along with the loud banging came Jiang Yuan’s irritable voice.

Bai Yan immediately recognized Jiang Yuan’s voice and couldn’t be bothered to respond. Only after the knocking stopped did she slowly put on her shoes and dash out the door.

As she reached the path outside the village, Bai Yan realized Jiang Yuan wasn’t entirely lying.

Many villagers were running toward the riverbank.

“Girl, why are you running out in this cold weather, with drizzle falling, and not even an umbrella?” Madam Zhao, who was walking ahead, spotted Bai Yan sprinting forward and quickly grabbed her.

“Jiang Yuan knocked on the door and said my husband was swept away,” Bai Yan replied matter-of-factly.

“It’s nothing serious; no one’s dying. I heard the dam upstream collapsed, so the water suddenly surged and swept people away. But they all know how to swim; they’ll be fine,” Madam Zhao reassured her, afraid Bai Yan might be frightened.

As the two spoke, they arrived at the river’s edge, which was now crowded with people. Madam Qian and Jiang Yuan stood to one side. When she saw Madam Zhao and Bai Yan arrive, Madam Qian couldn’t help but smile at Madam Zhao, her lips curling, “Sister-in-law, I heard both your husband and Ah Yan fell into the water; why are you only arriving now?”

“It’s my husband and my family’s little debt collector that got swept away—what business is it of yours?” Madam Zhao glared at Madam Qian.

Madam Qian was momentarily speechless, but Jiang Yuan, pointing at Bai Yan, snapped, “You shameless thing, are you hoping my brother dies?”

Bai Yan spotted something green nearby; she bent down, picked it up, and swung it at Jiang Yuan.

Halfway through the swing, she realized it wasn’t a stick at all, but a vegetable snake.

The snake landed on Jiang Yuan’s shoulder. Startled, Jiang Yuan lunged at Bai Yan in a frenzy. The more frightened she had been a moment ago, the more wildly she now attacked Bai Yan.

As the two struggled together, a thunderous crash sounded from the mountain nearby, followed by a terrifying rumbling. Then, before everyone’s eyes, the mountain’s edge collapsed toward the riverbank where the villagers stood...