Volume 1, Chapter 6: It is only proper to keep one's distance from a sister-in-law.

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“Yuan, what are you thinking about? Last time I told you there might be ginseng in the mountains, and you immediately wanted to go. It was already dark then, and I warned you there were wolves, suggesting we wait until daylight to go together to collect the nets. But you wouldn’t wait, as if afraid someone else would dig up your ginseng first. Didn’t you say you were worried about not having money for Chu Yuning’s tuition? Why aren’t you anxious today?” Zhao Dayong teased.

Hearing this, Shen Yuan’s expression instantly stiffened.

She remembered that event clearly. It was Zhao Dayong who had informed her about the possible ginseng in the mountains. Though uncertain, she defied Granny Liu’s warnings and carried her medicine basket into the mountains, determined to dig up the ginseng root.

But she fell into a cave and landed in a snake’s nest, getting bitten several times by venomous snakes on her leg.

If she hadn’t struggled desperately to crawl out of the snake pit and luckily found antidote herbs nearby, she would have died in that valley.

Later, limping, she brought the ginseng to town and sold it for ten taels of silver before rushing it to the Ziyun Academy.

All she got in return was a simple, “Yuan, you’ve worked hard.”

Chu Yuning didn’t even spare her enough silver to stay overnight at an inn in the city.

She foolishly slept alone beneath the city wall, shivering through the night air. At dawn, she limped back to the village and soon developed a high fever.

Recalling all this, Shen Yuan almost wanted to slap herself.

“Yuan, what are you thinking? Are you going or not? It’ll be better if we go together, so we have company!” Zhao Dayong patted her again.

Shen Yuan pushed his hand away, about to refuse, but suddenly thought of something. She quickly slung her medicine basket on her back. “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

“Great! Let’s set out quickly!” Zhao Dayong happily helped open the courtyard gate.

They left the fenced yard and followed the country path toward the mountain. Near the village’s west end, Shen Yuan suddenly stopped.

She smacked her forehead and said in frustration, “Ah, I forgot my shovel. Without tools, I can’t dig. Brother Zhao, wait here for me. I’ll go back and get it.”

Zhao Dayong looked a little annoyed but waved her off. “Hurry and come back soon!”

Shen Yuan nodded and ran back.

As the sun set and darkness fell, Shen Yuan didn’t return home. Instead, she slipped quietly to the Chu residence.

Zhao Dayong had been overly eager today, as if determined to lure her into the mountains tonight. Moreover, the herbs he gave her didn’t look freshly picked, so there was surely more to the story.

And since Zhao Dayong was a cousin from the Zhao family’s own household, Shen Yuan had to be cautious.

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After all, she had just caused a commotion at the Chu residence during the day. The Zhao family wouldn’t let that go easily.

Peering over the courtyard wall, Shen Yuan intended to sneak inside under cover of night, but unexpectedly saw the village head.

It was already late, and a man like him shouldn’t be at the Zhao residence, especially since the family had lost their husband. As the younger brother-in-law, he should avoid contact with his sister-in-law.

Yet he not only stayed but was overly intimate with Mrs. Zhao.

Shen Yuan quickly withdrew and settled behind the wall, watching quietly.

“Are you sure? That brat really went into the mountain with Dayong?”

“Don’t worry! I’ve taken care of it. Once she’s in the mountain, she won’t come back. After this is done, that old woman’s fields will all be his!”

Mrs. Zhao laughed and threw herself into the village head’s arms.

“Alright, you’d better head back. Chunhua and Qiuyue will be home soon; I need to prepare their dinner. Once it’s done, I’ll have Yueyue bring a bowl to you.”

They spoke briefly before leaving the courtyard.

Shen Yuan didn’t linger either and returned home under the cover of darkness.

Granny Liu was puzzled by her sudden return but Shen Yuan gave a casual excuse.

Sitting in the yard, she recalled how the village head had indeed been helpful to Mrs. Zhao before. The Chu family had only one male heir, Chu Yuning, who was educated but physically weak and unable to handle farm work. The ten acres of land were all planted with help the village head had arranged.

Moreover, he had exempted Mrs. Zhao from land taxes.

She had thought he was simply caring for his late brother’s widow, but now suspected he had long had designs on her.

No wonder the village head had consistently spoken in Mrs. Zhao’s favor, even going so far as to draft the letter of disengagement with her approval.

Her gaze fell on the drying rack of herbs in the yard. Suddenly, she remembered that during the same period last life, the village head had asked her to gather a lot of potent yang tonic herbs.

At the time, she thought it was because he was old and had kidney deficiencies, but now she realized—Mrs. Zhao’s mother had been ill for months, and Mrs. Zhao often went back to her maternal home for ten days or more at a stretch.

Why did the village head gather so many herbs?

They were for Mrs. Zhao!

An idea took root in Shen Yuan’s mind.

The next morning, Zhao Dayong arrived at Shen Yuan’s home early. He pushed open the gate and shouted, “Yuan, didn’t we agree to go into the mountains last night to dig ginseng? Why didn’t you come? I waited at the village entrance till midnight.”

Shen Yuan, who was sorting herbs in the yard, turned around and looked coolly at Zhao Dayong’s aggrieved expression.

“I sprained my ankle and can’t go into the mountains.”

“What? A sprained ankle?” Zhao Dayong eyed her leg skeptically, hesitated, then said, “Then let’s go in a couple of days. Though I’m not sure if Yuning’s living expenses for next month can be gathered in time!”

His face twisted like a bitter melon, genuinely worried about Chu Yuning.

Shen Yuan smiled. “If you’re so concerned, why don’t you gather some silver for your nephew?”

Zhao Dayong’s expression changed. “I... I haven’t even saved enough to marry yet. Where would I have extra money to pay for his schooling?”

With that, he fled Shen Yuan’s house like a culprit.

Watching him leave, Shen Yuan’s smile faded. People die for money, birds perish for food—she could understand that. But she could not accept someone plotting against her just because they coveted her family’s land.

Shen Yuan stayed home for two days. On the third day, the village head came personally.

He paced around the yard with his hands behind his back, then spoke earnestly to Granny Liu, “Back then, when you came to our village with Yuan and your old mother, I felt sorry for you. So I had my father register you here.”

“Yuan is a child I’ve watched grow up. I was the one who pushed for the match between her and Chu Yuning. They were such a perfect pair! How could you just call off the engagement like that? I don’t even know how to explain this to my late brother!”

Shen Yuan rolled her eyes.

The village head had taken them in because his wife nearly died in childbirth, and Granny Liu had helped deliver the baby by adjusting the fetus’s position, saving both mother and child.

Only then had he let them stay.

And after all, he had ended up with his late brother’s widow—how could he not explain that?

“Those two kids aren’t even a match! That Chu brat is pale and pasty like he’s covered in a hundred pounds of flour. He can’t carry a thing or do any work. Even a girl like Yuan is stronger than him. What else does he know besides writing a few characters? He’s not worthy of Yuan at all! The engagement shouldn’t have been arranged in the first place. Now that it’s called off, it’s for the best!”

Granny Liu was so angered by the village head’s words she snapped back at him.

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