Li Min’s eyes darted around. "Big brother, take me with you?"
Li Zhengguo glanced at her. "Doesn't mother need looking after here?"
"Sister Fangcao will come," Li Min said dismissively. "She brings Big Girl every day to chat with mother..."
Li Zhengguo slammed his chopsticks onto the kang table. "Did everything I said yesterday go in one ear and out the other?"
"What did I do? You didn't say anything when Sister Fangcao used to come before, why did you change yesterday?" Li Min said, glaring at Tian Jing.
Tian Jing shook her head and grinned at her. "Ignorant and foolish."
"You?" Li Min was angered again, but then she thought about it and smiled. "It's no use trying to provoke me. Before Sister Fangcao got married, she and my big brother had such a good relationship. If it wasn't for my big brother's leg..."
Li Min realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly stopped speaking, picking up a pancake to eat.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Tian Jing clucked, shaking her head. "I called you ignorant and foolish, and you thought I was provoking you? You overestimate yourself. If it weren't for your big brother's crippled leg, that Zhang Fangcao wouldn't have remarried, would she?"
"Heh, it's simply the biggest joke in the world. It's not her fault, Zhang Fangcao, that she turned around and remarried, is it your big brother's fault? Is it your big brother's fault for being useless and crippling his own leg? So she didn't want to either, who told your big brother to be lame? Is that it?"
"She didn't want to either, her family forced her to remarry, didn't they? She still had feelings for your big brother, but she couldn't disobey orders, right?"
"Since she had so many unavoidable reasons, why is she so free after marrying into her husband's family? Not only can she come and go from your house freely, but she doesn't worry about her in-laws or husband suspecting her. Is that normal?"
"Have you ever seen a woman who, after marrying into her husband's family, is freer than she was at her maiden home? Have you ever seen a man who would be willing to let his wife visit her former fiancé's house every day? Even if the relationship between the two families is very close, that's not an excuse. There's only one possibility."
Li Zhengguo's face had already darkened. As a man, he could naturally guess this only possibility.
Mother Li, as someone with experience, could also guess.
Only Li Min stared at Tian Jing. "Don't keep me in suspense, tell me, what is the only possibility?"
Tian Jing took a bite of the pancake and chewed it slowly. "Only that the former fiancé is a man who cannot engage in intercourse, someone like a eunuch."
Li Min was stunned for a long time before she understood what Tian Jing meant. "You're talking nonsense. Don't try to ruin my big brother's reputation, you wicked woman."
"Hahahaha." Tian Jing let out three fake laughs. "Li Min, Li Min, I don't know what kind of love potion that Zhang Fangcao gave you. I've said it all, and you still don't understand?"
"Alright, I'll be blunt. The reason that Zhang Fangcao can come to your house every day is definitely because she told her husband and in-laws that your big brother cannot engage in intercourse. This way, her in-laws will be reassured. Coupled with your mother's condition, it leads your cousin-uncle to have double pity for your family, which is why she can come and go from your house so freely. Fool!"
"Impossible, impossible," Li Min said, disbelieving. "Sister Fangcao would never do that. And there are no such rumors about my big brother outside."
"Sigh, my heart is so tired," Tian Jing sighed, shaking her head. "I said, your cousin-uncle has double pity for your family. A man who cannot engage in intercourse, that's practically asking for the man's life. Your cousin-uncle's family must have kept it strictly confidential, how could they possibly spread it outside? Wouldn't that be asking for your big brother's life? Would your mother be able to live?"
"I think that Zhang Fangcao would also say that this news was secretly told to her by you. Otherwise, how would she, a former fiancée, know such life-threatening news? It's not like she slept with your big brother before, is it? Of course, only you, the fool, would take the blame!"
"No wonder Zhang Fangcao is so close to you. With a fool like you as a pawn, she can achieve the results she wants by just moving her lips behind the scenes, without damaging her image. Tsk, tsk, tsk, if I had a sister who screwed me over like you, I'd be as good as dead."
Tian Jing continued to eat with a cheerful mood.
Li Min looked at her big brother, then at her mother beside her. "Big brother, mother, do you both believe her words?"
Mother Li sighed and put down the pancake in her hand. "You all eat. I have no appetite. I raised a daughter stupider than a pig. I've failed the Li family."
As Mother Li spoke, tears began to stream down her face.
Li Zhengguo was also helpless about his sister's foolishness. "Li Min, when you join the Tian family, you'll understand. Today, what your sister-in-law said, keep it in your heart and reflect on it. You'll understand better after you're married. Right now, no matter what we say, you won't get it. Mother and I are tired."
"These next few days are your last days at home. Stay honest and don't cause trouble. Leave me and mother with some peace of mind, and stop telling Zhang Fangcao everything that happens at home."
Li Min finally felt a pang of fear. Her mother's tears and her big brother's words made her feel as if she was in a terrible state.
The dining table fell silent.
Tian Jing ate her meal, unfazed. She looked at the worried Mother Li and sighed. Such heavy worries could be cured if she were in the apocalypse. Every day, busy avoiding zombies and searching for food, who would have the leisure to be melancholic? It was all because she was pampered. Only pampered women liked to be melancholic.
The kang table was cleared, and Mother Li lay back in bed to rest.
Tian Jing followed Li Zhengguo out of the house. They walked around the back of the house and saw the majestic mountain range not far away, layered and shrouded in mist. The farther peaks were vaguely hidden where the sky and mist met.
The two walked past the large tract of land belonging to the production team. A few hundred meters further north, they would reach the foot of the mountain.
Tian Jing reached out to take the carrying basket from Li Zhengguo's hand. Li Zhengguo dodged and handed her a bamboo slice. "Together."
Tian Jing refused. She didn't want to interact with this man too much.
"Have you ever seen a grown man digging for wild vegetables? How about we walk further towards the foot of the mountain? You can chop wood, and I'll dig for wild vegetables."
"Okay," Li Zhengguo agreed. He had planned to chop some firewood anyway. He had brought his chopping knife and rope.
At the foot of the mountain, a few young children were digging for wild vegetables. In winter, wild vegetables were scarce, requiring sharp eyes and quick movements.
As long as there were some, it was fine. Tian Jing began to urge him, "Go chop wood. I'll dig for wild vegetables in this area. If you can't see me, call out."
"Mm," Li Zhengguo put down the carrying basket and took the rope and chopping knife from it. "Don't go too far."
After Li Zhengguo left, Tian Jing walked in the opposite direction of the children digging for vegetables.
She soon found two small shepherd's purse seedlings. She used her special ability to stimulate the seeds, then planted the seeds and stimulated them again. Within a few minutes, she had dozens of shepherd's purse plants.
Carrying her basket, she changed locations and found a few withered sow thistles. She used her special ability. After obtaining half a basket of sow thistles, Tian Jing stopped.
The wild vegetables at this time were still very small. Her basket was full of large plants, which was quite conspicuous, especially in this barren mountain village.