I'll Raise Pigs to Support You - Chapter 22
The two returned home, each lost in their own thoughts.
After a month, the chick was still tiny, strutting around the yard with its chest puffed out. Song Yugui, bored, went over to tease it with her fingers.
Shen Xizhi stacked the firewood under the eaves in the yard before heading inside to prepare dinner.
They had bought a little lamp oil, so lighting the oil lamp at night meant they wouldn’t be completely in the dark.
When Song Yugui came in, Shen Xizhi glanced up slightly and said, “Wife, wash your hands first. Dinner will be ready soon.”
The rice had been steaming since they left the house and was already done. All she needed to do was fry two egg pancakes, and they could eat.
Song Yugui had just been handling the chick and was also disgusted by her own hands. She acknowledged with a sound and went to wash them.
Thankfully, the original owner had left her a well. Otherwise, fetching water would have required a long trip, and she would have resented everyone.
Once her hands were clean, it was time to eat—two egg pancakes, a bowl of wild vegetable soup, and two bowls of rice.
As usual, the first thing Song Yugui did after sitting down was take the small bowl across from her and scoop some rice into it for Shen Xizhi. The latter flusteredly tried to stop her but failed.
“From now on, cook this amount of rice for yourself. No more reducing portions.”
Song Yugui was serious and stern.
Shen Xizhi shrank her slender neck and whispered, “But… but it’s too much. I don’t need to eat this much.”
“You can finish it.”
The two had been living together for over a month now. How could she not know her wife’s appetite? Shen Xizhi just wanted to save a little food!
But things weren’t as tight as before—what was there to save?
“But… I can get full without eating this much…”
The young girl was guilty. Under Song Yugui’s stare, she didn’t dare say more.
She poked the rice lightly with her chopsticks and mumbled, “Fine, fine, I’ll eat it.”
“Good.”
The previously stern woman’s expression softened. She placed an egg pancake in Shen Xizhi’s bowl.
There were two pancakes in total, one for each of them. They were made with water and wild vegetables and were quite large.
Shen Xizhi frowned when the pancake landed in her bowl. “This is for you.”
“One each.”
“I only need a little.”
As she spoke, she tried to split the pancake and give most of it back. Song Yugui unhappily set down her chopsticks. “One each. I don’t want more.”
“Stop dividing it, Shen Xizhi.”
She called her by her full name, almost like a warning. Shen Xizhi froze, realizing she was angry, and suddenly felt wronged.
A thought rose in her heart—I’m doing this for your own good, caring for you. If you won’t appreciate it, fine, but why scold me?
So the young girl pressed her lips together, her eyes reddening as she secretly glared at Song Yugui. She didn’t dare disobey, nor did she dare glare openly.
Song Yugui thought, What an ungrateful little thing. I’m just trying to make sure you eat well, and you’re still unhappy.
Then she thought—Just how badly was this kind, yielding woman, who couldn’t even get properly angry, bullied to develop the resolve to kill?
The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached. Her tone softened.
“It’s just an egg. When I get this month’s wages, I’ll buy you a whole basket of eggs. What’s there to save?”
Last month’s wages had already been collected. This month’s would be another three hundred coins. After this month, life would get easier.
Shen Xizhi buried her head in her meal, ignoring her. She took a fierce bite of the egg, as if it were some detestable person.
After a while, she mumbled with her head still lowered, “Buying a chicken is more practical.”
Song Yugui: “…”
“Alright, alright, whatever you say. If you want a chicken, we’ll get a chicken.”
She was utterly helpless and gave in.
Only then did Shen Xizhi brighten up a little. She obediently finished the rest of her rice with some vegetable soup and ate the entire egg pancake.
She hadn’t wanted to eat it, but if she didn’t, Song Yugui would get angry.
She had never met someone so unreasonable.
Shen Xizhi didn’t want to see her angry, didn’t want her to be cold and stern with her, so she had to obey.
After dinner, the two took their usual walk. In the distance, they saw a man coming down from the mountain, carrying two loads of something. As he got closer, they realized it was firewood.
Wow. She and Xizhi could barely manage one basket each, yet here he was carrying two full loads.
She was a little jealous.
“Cousin.”
Only when the man stopped in front of her and uttered that familiar address did Song Yugui realize—
Why is it the male lead again?
Instinctively, she grabbed Shen Xizhi’s wrist and pulled her behind her, as if trying to avoid something.
It took her a moment to remember that the male lead had greeted her. Given the original owner’s personality, she should at least respond.
Song Yugui straightened her back, her serious expression appearing somewhat cold. “Yeah, just came down from the mountain?”
“Mother said we were out of firewood at home, so I went to chop some.”
“Oh. Then since it’s already dark, hurry back after you’re done.”
Don’t linger outside.
You’re blocking my wife’s view!
Hmph.
Song Xingchuan gripped the carrying pole, hesitating for a moment before speaking. “Cousin, your household only has women. Tomorrow, I’ll bring a load of firewood for you.”
Oh? The male lead is quite kind.
Song Yugui hesitated. She didn’t want her villainess to interact too much with the male lead, but she also wanted to take advantage—those two bundles of firewood the male lead carried could last a long time!
“Then… alright. Thank you, cousin. But no one will be home tomorrow. Just leave it in the yard, and I’ll find a chance to thank you properly at your place later.”
If she didn’t want the villainess and the male lead to interact too much, she could just take the villainess out with her.
After the man left, Shen Xizhi tugged at Song Yugui in confusion. “I’ll be home tomorrow. I can receive him.”
Song Yugui pulled the villainess closer and whispered, “Didn’t I tell you to keep your distance from him? Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the tavern. You… can sit and wait for me, alright?”
Shen Xizhi lowered her eyes, her expression darkening for a moment. She felt Song Yugui’s words implied suspicion—that she doubted her chastity, that she thought she might have an affair with Song Xingchuan.
But she didn’t.
She didn’t like men at all.
The young girl’s eyes reddened halfway through the sentence. It wasn’t until Song Yugui said she would take her to the tavern that she perked up slightly.
Her long, thick lashes were still damp, clumped together in strands.
“T-Take me to the tavern? Is that allowed? Even though I’m a woman?”
Shen Xizhi hesitated. She was afraid people would find out about Song Yugui’s same-s3x preferences and mock her.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Our dynasty is open-minded. Same-s3x relationships aren’t uncommon. What’s there to worry about?”
Hearing her say it was fine, Shen Xizhi felt a little more at ease—and somewhat shy. This was the first time Song Yugui had offered to take her out.
Not just casually introducing her to someone, but openly bringing her along.
The young girl’s face flushed. Her earlier frustration was temporarily suppressed as she pressed her lips together and nodded. “Okay, I’ll go with you. I can help you with chores.”
She was very obedient. After hearing from Aunt Li that working as a tavern server was exhausting, she couldn’t help but want to share the burden.
But Song Yugui didn’t need her to work. “No need. You’re not employed by the tavern. Even if you work, no one will pay you. Just rest. When my shift ends, I’ll take you home.”
It seemed she just wanted to take her away but didn’t actually need her to do anything—just to keep her from being alone with that man earlier.
Last time, too, she had told her to stay away from him. Did Song Yugui really think she would have an affair with another man?
The woman’s eyes darkened. Her wrist was still being held as she followed quietly behind, head bowed.