Chapter 5

Yang Ruqing felt like laughing a little.

In Tan Shi's eyes, she could not sense any deep affection at all!

This woman, with her bun-like personality, would even think from the other person's perspective after being slapped!

"Mother, Grandma said that Qing'er is just a fool who can only eat. Is Qing'er really a fool?" Yang Ruqing suddenly asked again. From Tan Shi's words, she did not feel any malicious slander, but rather a factual accusation and disdain.

Sun Shi was slightly taken aback, looking at Qing'er's face, suddenly feeling a lump in her throat, almost about to shed tears.

She held back her tears, gently pulling Yang Ruqing into her arms, and lightly stroked her back, "Your grandma was just speaking in anger. My Qing'er is very smart, not a fool, not a bit of a fool..."

Is that really so?

Yang Ruqing had a doubt in her heart. Was the original owner really a fool?

However, she had taken over this body without obtaining the original owner's memories.

Yang Ruqing wanted to ask more, but a loud noise came from the doorway of the side room. It turned out that Tan Shi had slammed the laundry stick against the door: "Old Third's wife, are you dead? What are you chattering about with that foolish daughter of yours? Leaving a pile of work undone, are you trying to defy the heavens?"

Sun Shi hurriedly let go of Yang Ruqing, turned her head to the door, and replied, "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

She then turned around, helped Yang Ruqing lie down, and pulled the damp and musty quilt over her: "Qing'er, sleep a little more. Mother will come to see you after making lunch!"

Yang Ruqing nodded obediently, watching Sun Shi rush out of the west side room. In the dimly lit room, she was left alone again.

She lay quietly on the hard wooden bed, staring at the yellowed mosquito net above her head, lost in thought.

Forget it, even if the original owner was a fool, that was only in the past. From the moment she arrived, everything would be rewritten.

She didn't know how long she stared, until her head started spinning and aching. She raised her hand to wipe her forehead.

Damn, it was burning hot, she was running a fever again.

Her throat felt like it was on fire, as if a large flame was burning her throat and chest.

She struggled to open her mouth, emitting a few hoarse sounds, but they were extremely weak.

She felt so miserable, she really wanted a sip of cool tea, but this dark little room seemed isolated from the world.

In a daze, she seemed to hear footsteps and the loud voice of an unfamiliar woman coming from the courtyard outside, but no one noticed her weak calls from this small room.

Her body felt as if it was being roasted over a charcoal fire, or immersed in icy water. She curled up, the quilt having long slipped to the ground.

Suddenly, scenes and life fragments, like old film reels, flooded her mind, chaotic and unfamiliar, colliding with her original memories, making her head feel like it was about to explode. She hugged herself, her teeth chattering, rolling in pain on the bed, her consciousness gradually fading...

After an unknown amount of time, she heard someone gently pushing her, a familiar voice anxiously calling her: "Qing'er... Qing'er, why are you lying here? Wake up..."

Yang Ruqing slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying on the ground. Sun Shi was bending over, trying to lift her from the cold, damp floor, but her body was too heavy, and Sun Shi, malnourished, couldn't muster the strength. After several attempts, she couldn't lift her.

"Mother, I'll do it myself."

Yang Ruqing felt a bit embarrassed.

She gently pushed Sun Shi away, used her hands to prop herself up from the damp, cold earthen floor, and sat back on the bed.

This time, when she woke up, she clearly felt that her mind had many more unfamiliar memories.

They were very vague and chaotic, like the world seen through the eyes of a five or six-year-old child.

But who was Yang Ruqing? In her previous life as a top agent, even the most chaotic things could be unraveled and organized into a clear line.

This kind-hearted mother and the father who had gone to town to buy medicine had raised this mentally challenged daughter for thirteen years, enduring countless white eyes and hardships without a single complaint.

Just recently, the foolish self had jumped into a pond at the village entrance because of a word from the boy she was betrothed to. She was eventually rescued, but it almost cost the lives of her parents.

Yang Ruqing silently lowered her head, feeling a headache.

Although those embarrassing and ridiculous things were not done by her, from now on, this body would be under her control, and she would have to bear the consequences of the host's actions.

Sun Shi touched Yang Ruqing's forehead, which was icy cold, and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

She pulled the quilt over Yang Ruqing and couldn't help muttering, "I just made lunch, and you rolled onto the floor. I don't know how long you've been lying there. May the Buddha protect you from catching a cold again!"

She couldn't help but look at her daughter, who was hanging her head, not like the usual child who would cling to her when scolded.

A sense of loss swept through Sun Shi's heart. Suddenly, she thought of something, her heart tightening, and she quickly supported Yang Ruqing's body: "Why are you so listless? Daughter, what's wrong? Did you hit yourself somewhere? Quick, let Mother take a look."

Her eyes, while saying these words, had already thoroughly examined Yang Qiuyu from head to toe, front to back. Only after confirming that her daughter had no obvious bruises or injuries did she feel a bit relieved.

"Mother, I'm fine, don't worry. I'm just a bit hungry..."

Yang Ruqing suddenly lifted her head and said in a hoarse voice.

Sun Shi was slightly taken aback, looking at Yang Ruqing in surprise, almost not believing what she heard.

"Daughter, am I dreaming? You, you can speak clearly now?"

Yang Ruqing felt a headache. In the past, she was mentally challenged, her mind not working well, and her speech was unclear. She couldn't even say she needed to use the bathroom, only saying "shushu"...

She nodded lightly, wanting to make this kind-hearted mother happy.

She wanted to reach out and hold Sun Shi's hand, but as soon as she extended her hand, she saw her own dirty, blackened fingernails and felt ashamed, pulling her hand back.

"Mother, I feel like I was in a dream before. Now, the dream is over, and I'm awake." Yang Ruqing said.