Chapter 103 – The Widow’s Adopted Daughter (part 3)

The two of them took a shower, then sat in the yard to dry their hair. The scent of the honey locust1 was nice. Li Su smelled the faint fragrance of honey locust on her hair.

“Mother, come in first. I’ll apply some medicine!” second girl said softly.

“No need. It’s just a light graze. Second girl, now that your father is gone, your grandparents and uncles won’t care about us. From now on, we must rely on ourselves.” Li Su motioned for second girl to sit down in front of her. She didn’t have a towel, so she took a clean old dress and dried her hair.

Although the original owner was a bit weak and incompetent, she was still very diligent. The house was well cleaned. Though, Li Su thought there were many areas that needed improvement.

Second girl was silent for a long time. “Mother, don’t sell me to a prostitute. I will let mother live a good life in the future.”

Li Su was stunned. “Didn’t mother tell you already? Mother won’t sell you. Don’t worry!”

Second girl didn’t speak. She sniffed, likely crying again.

Li Su sighed, pulled second girl over, and looked at her seriously. “Mother will say it again. Mother promises to not sell you again. Not only will mother not sell you, but mother will also let you live without worrying about food and clothes every day. Do you believe your mother?”

Second girl shook her head honestly.

Li Su’s eyes widened. “You don’t believe I won’t sell you?”

Second girl shook her head. “No, I believe that mother won’t sell me, but I don’t believe that you can let me live a good life without worrying about food and clothes.” Dad couldn’t do it when he was alive, so how could her weak mother do it? “Mother, why don’t you sell me as a maid, but don’t sell me with a life contract, okay? When I save enough money, I will redeem myself. Mother, when you sell me, collect the money yourself. Don’t give it to my grandparents.”

Second girl was serious. Li Su’s nose burned and she pulled second girl into her arms. “You are a stupid child. Mother said that she wouldn’t sell you so mother won’t sell you. Your mother will let you eat your fill!”

Li Su couldn’t see that second girl had tears in her eyes, but her eyes were calm.

Li Su let go of second girl and handed her the old clothes. “Dry your hair. Mother will go and see what’s left at home. Then, we can clean up and head to the mountains.”

Second girl’s face remained as usual. “Mother, take the knife that dad left behind for self-defence!”

Li Su recalled the location of the knife and nodded. “Okay.”

They packed their things and brought a few pieces of clothing. They had no food in the house. They were really poor. Li Su was depressed thinking of this. The original owner was very good at sewing. The original owner never asked for how much her needlework sold for, just accepted whatever her mother-in-law gave her. Being filial to the point of foolishness was a rare trait in the world.

Now, Li Su had transmigrated in and had no plans to continue sewing to make money for those bastards. Needlework hurt the eye the most and many women who embroidered had bad eyesight when they got older. She wouldn’t take her health lightly. Additionally, her mother-in-law had all the materials for needlework. Wang Da Lang controlled the sales. She didn’t want to ask for them.

Li Su spent a long time searching the house. She only found a little salt in the earthen jar. Li Su thought for a bit, poured out the salt, then took it away.

“Let’s go!” Li Su was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something. She took some mud off the ground and wiped it on her and second girl’s faces. When she was washing up just now, she noticed that they were really beautiful. As she was a widow and her daughter had no father, it was better to be careful.

Then, she hesitated, trying to decide whether they should wear a few more clothes to look fatter. After she thought about it, she figured it wasn’t a fantasy martial arts world. There were no martial arts masters in Shang Lin Village, so she should be able to handle it. The original owner wore enough clothes.

Second girl obviously understood the reason behind Li Su’s actions. Dad had asked them to do such things before he left. She didn’t say anything since she wanted to see if mother had taken dad’s words to heart. Fortunately, mother still remembered.

“Second girl, daughter-in-law, where are you going?” people asked along the way.

“There is no food at home. We are going to the mountains to try our luck,” said Li Su as she lowered her head.

“Didn’t your mother-in-law give you food?” Wang Si Hai, a prestigious elder in the village, called out. Second girl called him fourth uncle. It was said that he had been in private school for a few years and had high seniority. He always disdained talking to women, but because of the event this morning, Wang Si Hai felt he should stand up for justice and not let orphans and widows be bullied. If this incident spread out, then people would laugh.

Li Su lowered her head. “Mother-in-law said that the harvest in our land is not good this year, so…”

“Go back and stay there. I’ll talk to your father-in-law later. You two are weak women. Won’t you just be eaten by beasts when you enter the mountain?” Wang Si Hai said majestically.

Li Su stood there and didn’t move. “Fourth uncle, they are Er Lang’s parents. They are heartless. I can’t tolerate injustice. Er Lang died early to show filial piety to his parents. Second girl and I will find a way to feed ourselves.”

“You are a weak girl. How can you support yourself?” Wang Si Hai said with disdain.

“My grandfather was a hunter. When I was a child, my grandfather taught me a few tricks. I can set traps. As for whether there is any benefit here… It is better to die by fate than starve to death at home,” said Li Su as she lowered her head.

After Wang Si Hai heard this, he said, “So it is like that. If that is so, then you should try your luck first. If you really find something, then you can give it to your uncle and let him take it to town to sell.”

“Thank you, uncle!” said Li Su hurriedly. They then walked quickly to the mountains.

When other people saw this, they gathered around. “Second uncle, you have to take care of this matter. Da Shan’s wife did too much. My mother’s family’s nephew works as an apprentice in town. He told me that the needlework that Er Lang’s wife makes every month can sell for three silver taels! Da Shan’s wife didn’t give them a single penny. She gave it all to Da Lang. Er Lang’s lands were leased to Old Zhang by Da Shan’s wife. The rent from that is two silver taels and that was all taken away by Da Shan’s wife. It is enough money to feed ten Er Lang families. Then, they also wanted to sell second girl. If this spreads, people will not only laugh at Da Shan’s family, but at our entire Shang Lin Village.”

Everyone was talking in a rush.

Wang Si Hai frowned. Everyone belonged to the same clan. His grandson would have his talents tested in the future. If Shang Lin Village had such a scandal, then his grandson’s reputation could be affected. It was time to take care of it.

“I know. You don’t need to say any more. I know it in my heart,” Wang Si Hai said in a deep voice.

Li Su and second girl didn’t care about what the people behind them were saying. The most important thing now was to support themselves.

The two entered the mountain. The path was rugged, and there were no roads in some parts. Li Su walked ahead and used a knife to cut through the branches and weeds. There were several cuts on her face and hands. Li Su didn’t care about these.

Second girl followed her, her eyes strange.

“Mother, come this way,” second girl said as she raised her head.

Li Su nodded. “Second girl, when you used to go up the mountain, was the road always like this?”

Second girl hummed in agreement.

“Next time, don’t go up the mountain alone. There could be poisonous snakes in the grass!” Li Su said, turning her head.

“Mother, there is a pheasant over there!” second girl whispered suddenly.

“Where is it?” Li Su became energetic.

“Over there!” Second girl pointed over there.

“You go there. I’ll go over there. We can flank it!” said Li Su excitedly.

Second girl nodded.

They walked in different directions.

Whether it was due to the stupidity of the pheasant or because of their good luck, they caught the pheasant after a while.

Second girl’s face flashed with excitement. “Mother! Pheasant! Let’s roast it!”

Li Su was a little tired. “How do you want to roast it?” She couldn’t do it!

Second girl was excited. “I can! Mother, come with me!” She brought Li Su to a stream.

“Mother, lend me the knife.” Second girl stretched out her hand.

Li Su handed her the knife. Second girl awkwardly killed the pheasant, skinned it, then cleaned it up. She picked up a pile of firewood, set a fire, then cut a branch and grilled the pheasant over the fire.

Although her series of movements were clumsy, they were very skilled. It seemed like she had done this a few times before.

Li Su looked stunned.

Second girl ignored the surprise in Li Su’s eyes. In her opinion, there was nothing more important than filling your own stomach.

Li Su watched for a long time and sighed. What kind of life did second girl have before this? She was only 5 years old and she was forced to grow up like this. The original owner, second girl’s mother, was really…

Li Su shook her head. “You stay watch here. I will go to the forest to see if there is any other prey!”

Then, without waiting for second girl to say anything, she left.

Second girl looked at the place where Li Su disappeared, and was silent for a long time.

Li Su walked aimlessly in the woods. When she was catching the pheasant, she realised that her ‘strength like a cow’ might not be useful here. Hunting wasn’t just about having strength. One also needed skill. Other hunters used weapons. She only had her strength and she couldn’t fight with her prey!

She should dig some traps, then wait and see. This was probably more suitable for her.

Li Su looked around. She picked up a thick branch, sharpened one end, and started digging traps.

She worked very hard, unaware of the time and pain it took to dig.

Second girl stood a distance away and watched for a long time. If it wasn’t for the birthmark on the back of her mother’s neck, or the fact that her mother remembered where her dad hid the knife, then she would have thought that the woman in front of her who looked exactly like her mother was not her mother.

She didn’t understand why her mother suddenly changed. Maybe it was a blessing from her deceased dad in heaven!

1.(皂角) Chinese honey locust and the seeds