After Zhao Xiaohua left, Zhao Nanying did not go to boil medicine. Instead, he looked at Jun Jiuling with suspicion.
"Why did you suddenly fall so ill?"
"If you had to get up before dawn like me, and take care of the fields and then come back to take care of the household, I'm sure that within a year, you'd be sicker than me."
"You... how can you curse me like that."
"You're thinking too much. I'm just using an analogy. Now that my health is failing, the family will have to trouble you more in the future."
He held his head high and said in a condescending tone, "Don't worry, Ling Ge is my child. If you're sensible, I definitely won't treat him unfairly."
"I'm not dead yet. I just want you to go feed the pigs and chickens. It was troublesome for little Xiaohua at noon, and they must be hungry now."
"You want me to feed pigs! Isn't that overkilling it? Starving for a meal or two won't hurt. If you still can't get up tomorrow, just sell them all."
With that, he flicked his sleeve and left the room. His study was separated, containing a bed and bedding. After the original host gave birth to the child, he had barely shared a room with her.
As soon as he stepped out of the room, Zhao Nanying's stomach growled ungratefully. He looked for something in the kitchen and picked up the flatbread Zhao Xiaohua had brought and started eating.
Back in his study and just as he sat down, he felt an discomfort in his abdomen. Grabbing toilet paper, he dashed to the outhouse.
After squatting until his legs were numb, he returned to the room and not long after, felt unwell again. He made over ten trips back and forth like this, leaving Zhao Nanying completely exhausted.
He recalled his meals for the day. It must have been the flatbread. He cast a sinister gaze towards Jun Jiuling's room.
His own predicament would not benefit the Zhao clan elder. The only one who could have tampered with it was Jun Jiuling. She must have sensed something.
This place was remote. When he married the original host, he had only hired a matchmaker for the betrothal gifts and treated the village to a meal, without registering at the yamen for household registration.
Marriages in the village had been conducted this way for generations, and no one found it problematic. He had also been stalling the clan elder, preventing the original host from being listed in the Zhao family genealogy.
The villagers would not be foolish enough to bring up the existence of the original host, which was why he had been able to get away with it so easily in his past life.
Zhao Nanying clenched his fist, deciding to make Jun Jiuling die of illness sooner rather than later, to avoid any further complications.
His stomach felt uncomfortable again, and Zhao Nanying came out in anger. As he was returning after taking care of himself, he heard a thumping sound from the pigsty.
He hurried to the enclosure gate and used a stick placed nearby to vigorously poke the pig's head.
"Are you trying to die? Making a racket in the middle of the night. What are you bumping into? Tomorrow I'll find someone to sell you and chop you into pieces."
The pig let out a pained squeal, which was extremely piercing. Zhao Nanying took his anger out on it, his movements quick and fierce.
The pig bit the stick and kept pulling it inward. Zhao Nanying lost his temper, opened the enclosure gate, went inside, and started kicking the pig.
"What a useless pig, just as unlikable as your owner."
Shui Wa: "What kind of scumbag is this? He's even picking on a pig. Host, hurry up."
The pig suddenly raised its head, its eyes glowing frighteningly. Its speed was several times faster than before, and Zhao Nanying couldn't react at all.
The pig's front hooves stepped on his feet, and its head rammed into Zhao Nanying's leg. Zhao Nanying let out a scream and fell into the pigsty.
At that time, the pigsty was not concrete. Inside was mud, dry grass, and the pigs' excrement.
The close contact made Zhao Nanying's stomach churn. Before he could even vomit, the pig, weighing around 200 pounds, pressed down on him.
Zhao Nanying could clearly hear the sound of his bones breaking. The pig was restless, rolling around on him. Before long, Zhao Nanying fainted.
As dawn broke, several aunts arrived at the Zhao family's courtyard gate. After calling out for a while, Jun Jiuling weakly came out to open the door.
"Oh my, sister-in-law, why are you up already? Where is my brother Nanying? Is he busy studying in the study and didn't hear us?"
Zhao Xiaohua said, coming over to help Jun Jiuling, while the aunts praised Zhao Nanying's diligence in his studies.
It was normal that he hadn't heard them knocking. The group crowded around Jun Jiuling and headed towards the bedroom.
"My husband is indeed diligent in his studies. For the past few months, he has been sleeping in the study. Cough, cough, aunts and sisters, may I invite you to sit in the main hall?"
"Look at your pale face. You're so seriously ill. How could we possibly let you host us? You just rest assured and lie back on your bed. We are all relatives and neighbors, and there are no outsiders here. It's not a problem."
"Cough, cough, cough, thank you all for your concern and understanding. Cough, cough, cough, then I will respectfully accept your kindness."
After speaking, Jun Jiuling turned her gaze to Zhao Xiaohua, "Xiaohua, go to the study and call your elder cousin. Cough, cough, cough, ask him to come out and greet everyone. My body is truly useless. Cough, cough, cough..."
"Sister-in-law, I understand. You don't need to worry about such a small matter. Just lie down quickly. My brother might be busy right now, I'll be here."
"Yes, yes, Xiaohua is right. We just came to see you. There's no need to trouble Nanying to come over."
Jun Jiuling said a few words of thanks and then lay motionless on the bed. The others moved their own stools to sit, while Zhao Xiaohua went out to get some tea to entertain them.
"Why isn't Xiaohua coming yet? It's just a matter of heating some water."
"She only left a moment ago. Are you thirsty? I'll go ask."
"I am a bit thirsty. I left in a hurry this morning and didn't even drink a sip of water."
The aunt quickly walked to the kitchen and saw Zhao Xiaohua tending the fire.
"Oh dear, why isn't the fire lit yet? It's getting late, and Nanying probably hasn't woken up yet."
"Alas, my sister-in-law is ill. My brother is a scholar, so it's normal that he doesn't know how to tend a fire."
"Mm-hmm, I'll help you."
Xiaohua brought the tea over. Everyone poured their own to drink. She poured a cup of warm tea and handed it to Jun Jiuling.
"Sister-in-law, drink some warm tea quickly."
"Alas, you are so thoughtful. Thank you so much. If you hadn't come, I wouldn't know what to do. I'm so impolite today."
"Nanying's wife, don't take it to heart. No one wants to get sick. Besides, we are all farmers and not so particular. Who would care about being polite or not?"
"Yes, yes."
"Alas, I'm just afraid of embarrassing Nanying. After all, he's not the same as he was before."
"You're thinking too much. The most important thing for you now is to take good care of your health."
Jun Jiuling lowered her head sadly, "Cough, cough, cough, no matter what, my body is useless. It would be better to save the money and use it for my husband's travel expenses to the imperial examination."
"Sister-in-law, what nonsense are you talking about? You're so young, and there are many days ahead of you. Where are the medicines the doctor prescribed? I didn't find any in the kitchen earlier and thought I could heat them for you."
Jun Jiuling felt around the head of the bed and took out a packet of medicine. Everyone present was a bit surprised. It had been all night, and the medicine hadn't been prepared yet?
"I was in so much pain last night that I had no strength at all. I haven't boiled this medicine yet. Please, little sister Xiaohua."
After speaking, Jun Jiuling slipped two copper coins into Zhao Xiaohua's hand. "Sister, please don't think it's too little. This is all I have."
Everyone looked at Jun Jiuling's patched cloth pouch and felt disdain for Zhao Nanying's character. He was too stingy.
Zhao Xiaohua quickly refused, pushing the copper coins back into the pouch. "This is what I should do. How can I accept money from sister-in-law? I'll go boil the medicine for sister-in-law now." With that, she hurried out of the room.
"Cough... alas, this child is truly diligent. I don't know how to thank her."
"Yes, yes, Xiaohua is known in the village for her kindness and capability. I wonder which lucky young man will marry her in the future."