I'll Raise Pigs to Support You - Chapter 26
The quarrel that day seemed like just a small hiccup, easily forgotten once it passed, and neither of them dwelled on it.
Shen Xizhi remained as clingy and charming as ever, utterly endearing. Song Yugui couldn’t help but want to treat her better, to spoil her a little more. By mid-month, realizing her next paycheck wasn’t far off, she took the girl out to buy her a new set of clothes.
The young girl was naturally beautiful, with snow-white, translucent skin and large, deer-like eyes that shimmered with a perpetual misty softness.
Such a beauty made Song Yugui want to spend money on her at first glance. If only her pockets weren’t so tight…
Shen Xizhi was dragged to the street, never expecting they’d be shopping for something so expensive. Biting her pink lips, she refused to enter the clothing shop, her face flushed. “I have enough clothes. I don’t… don’t need to buy more.”
Having worked as a shop assistant for a while, Song Yugui’s strength had noticeably increased. She easily pulled the girl inside, ignoring her protests as she began picking out clothes.
Shen Xizhi fluttered around her anxiously. “I don’t need them, really! I have enough clothes!”
“Wife! Wife!”
“Song Yugui!”
That day, she’d told Shen Xizhi to call her by her name. The girl had hesitated for a long time, still addressing her as usual, but when angry or under pressure, she’d occasionally blurt out her name.
Today, she was angry.
“Do you prefer white or green?”
As she spoke, Song Yugui picked out two winter dresses. The styles were lovely, with collars lined in snowy white fur, looking warm and cozy. The weather had turned bitterly cold, and she’d once noticed Shen Xizhi’s little hands turning red while cooking.
It was time to buy her something warm.
Shen Xizhi stomped her foot in frustration. “I don’t want it! Not white, not green! I have enough clothes. Why waste money like this?”
They’d only just started earning a little. Why, why spend like this? She wouldn’t freeze to death—she’d endured many winters and was quite resilient to the cold.
But Song Yugui ignored her protests, making the decision herself. “Then white it is. It suits your complexion. Shopkeeper, how much for this one?”
The shopkeeper, a woman with a silver bracelet, approached with a smile. Despite the couple’s rough hemp clothing, she showed no disdain, leaning on the counter. “Young lady, your sister treats you so well. Why refuse her kindness?”
Shen Xizhi, seeing the shopkeeper, instinctively withdrew the hand she’d been using to tug at Song Yugui, letting it hang at her side, fingers curling slightly. She ignored the comment, puffing her cheeks in displeasure. Sister? She’s not my sister.
Song Yugui also corrected softly, “This is my wife.”
“Wife?”
The shopkeeper blinked in surprise but quickly recovered, her smile warm. “Ah, Madam! Does the young lady like this one?”
“Yes. How much for this dress?”
She was serious about buying it, her tone earnest. The young girl panicked, glancing between the snow-white dress and her wife, who was haggling with the shopkeeper. Gritting her teeth, she tugged at Song Yugui again. “No, not this one. I don’t like white.”
Even if they were going to buy something, why white?
White stained easily, making it impractical for daily chores. She’d have to be extra careful wearing it.
“Then what color do you like?”
Hearing her reject white, Song Yugui finally stopped ignoring her, bending down to ask gently.
Shen Xizhi knew she’d been ignored on purpose and shot her a reproachful glare. After hesitantly scanning the shop, she reluctantly pointed to a dress inside. “That blue is prettier than white.”
Blue?
Song Yugui followed her gaze to a deep blue gown hanging on the wall. The style was elegant, with pink flowers embroidered at the cuffs. She reached out to touch it—it was thick and well-made. Beautiful.
She understood the girl’s reasoning. White was hard to keep clean, and forcing her to wear it would only make her anxious. Blue was a fine choice. Later, when she had more money, she’d buy her a white dress.
“Alright, the blue one then. How much for that?”
The shopkeeper glanced over and smiled. “Originally priced at a hundred coins, but since you seem like good people, I’ll knock off ten. Ninety coins, how’s that?”
Shen Xizhi inhaled sharply, covering her mouth with her hand. Her watery eyes brimmed with even more reluctance.
Ninety coins!
If Song Yugui dared to buy it, she wasn’t coming home tonight!
The girl glared fiercely at her wife.
Song Yugui also frowned and shook her head. “No. Fifty coins.”
She knew shops often inflated prices, so she slashed it by nearly half.
Both the shopkeeper and Shen Xizhi were stunned. “Ah, young lady, this…”
The shopkeeper’s eyes widened, realizing this customer wasn’t easily fooled. She straightened slightly, her expression turning serious. “Fifty coins wouldn’t even cover the seamstress’s labor. You must be joking.”
“Does a seamstress earn fifty coins for one dress? If so, where do I sign up? To be honest, my wife is an excellent embroiderer. You see…”
The shopkeeper: “…”
“But fifty coins is truly impossible.”
“Then fifty-five? Sister, we’re orphans, just the two of us relying on each other. We really don’t have much money.”
Shen Xizhi: “…”
She guiltily lowered her head. My parents aren’t dead… but if my wife says they are, then they are!
The shopkeeper hesitated, looking between them and the dress. Finally, she sighed. “The lowest I can go is seventy coins. Any less, and I can’t explain it to my superiors.”
Seventy coins—twenty less than ninety. Seeing the shopkeeper’s genuine reluctance, Song Yugui knew she’d haggled to the limit. She now had a rough idea of clothing prices in this era and nodded with a smile. “Seventy it is. Thank you, sister. We’ll be back.”
“Consider it an investment for future customers.”
After having Shen Xizhi try on a fitting set, Song Yugui paid and left with the clothes and her wife in tow. Shen Xizhi fidgeted, torn between joy and worry.
She’s the first person to ever buy me new clothes. Growing up, I wore hand-me-downs from my mother or others. This is my very first new dress…
But… seventy coins! How much money does my wife even have? Seventy coins gone in an instant. It hurts.
Noticing the girl lagging behind, lost in thought, Song Yugui pulled her close and pinched her soft cheeks. “What’s there to worry about? I’ve got everything under control. Trust me, okay?”
The pig is fattened and ready for slaughter.
The villagers would likely buy their home-raised pigs. Her knife skills might not be the best, but she could sell them cheaper than the market.
That would recoup the costs. Life would only get better. Look how worried this little wife was.
Shen Xizhi’s cheeks turned red from the pinching, her face scrunched up in exaggerated distress. But beneath it, an irrepressible sweetness bubbled up.
She spent almost all her money to buy me a new dress.
If only she could always be this good to me…
One day, returning from the tavern, Song Yugui was stopped by a man in coarse clothing as soon as she entered the village. He chewed on a blade of grass and clapped her shoulder. “Song Yugui, heard you found work in town? No wonder you’ve stopped hanging out with us.”
Song Yugui frowned, sidestepping his hand. Who is this? So touchy. No manners. Don’t men and women have to maintain distance? Shouldn’t he know that as an ancient person?
The man, seeing her evade him, scowled. “What’s with the dodging? If you like women, you’re just like us men! Men don’t shy away from casual contact!”
Song Yugui: What kind of logic is that?
She instantly disliked him. But since he seemed familiar with the original owner, she didn’t want to reveal too much.
Gritting her teeth, she managed, “Men and women are different. Women are women. Even if I like… women, I shouldn’t get too close to men.”
She took another subtle step back.
The man studied her, baffled. “What’s wrong with you today? You’re acting weird.”
Song Yugui’s heart skipped a beat, but she kept her expression neutral. “Am I?”
The man insisted, “Yeah! Why’d you get a job in town? Weren’t you going to haunt the village belle like a ghost until she agreed to marry you?”
Song Yugui: What? Who’s haunting whom?
She’d guessed the original owner might have had a crush, but not on the village belle—talk about high standards. Who even was the village belle?
She hadn’t seen anyone prettier than Shen Xizhi.
Lowering her head to hide her confusion, she cursed the original owner. If you liked the village belle, why not marry her? Why drag someone else into this?
Absolute lunatic.
“I don’t like the village belle anymore.”
She didn’t know when—or if—she’d return to her original world, so she had to clear things up.
The original owner’s crush had nothing to do with her.
“What? Just like that? Weren’t you the one who swore you’d never touch another woman if you couldn’t marry her?”
Song Yugui: “…”
Piece of trash.
Thinking of the mess the original owner left behind, she grew impatient. “I said I don’t like her anymore. My wife’s waiting at home. I’m heading back.”
At the mention of her wife, the man’s eyes gleamed. He blocked her again, grinning. “Wait, I’m coming with you. I’ve got big news.”
Song Yugui paused. “What news?”
“About your family. Let’s go. I’ll tell you when we get there. It’s good news, I promise.”
Her heart clenched. Family? As far as I know, the original owner’s only family is Shen Xizhi.
Whether true or not, anything involving the antagonist sharpened her focus.
Shen Xizhi sat in the yard, mending clothes while waiting for her wife. When she finally heard Song Yugui’s voice, she looked up—only to see her bringing home a man!
Frowning, she started forward, but the moment she recognized the man’s sly, rat-like face, her complexion drained of color.
In that instant, she understood what it meant to be drenched in icy terror.
Why has Song Yugui been so nice to me lately? Buying me new clothes, even reminding me to wear them today…
I thought she wanted to see me in them. But no—she wanted to sell me!
To fetch a better price!
Shen Xizhi shot to her feet, her budding affection shattering into pieces. Tears welled up as she glared at the two, then turned and fled into the house, sobbing uncontrollably.
Song Yugui, baffled by her wife’s reaction, scratched her head. Does she not like visitors? Fine, I should’ve asked first. My bad.
She’s really mad. I’ll have to coax her tonight.
The thought made her want to pull her hair out.
Meanwhile, the man sidled up to her, whispering, “You’re really playing house with her? Didn’t you marry her just to spite the village belle?”
Song Yugui’s eyes widened.
Mystery solved. So that’s why the original owner married Shen Xizhi—to provoke some village belle.
Ugh. Dragging an innocent girl into this? Disgusting.
Suppressing her anger, she drummed her fingers on the table, her voice low. “You said you had big news. What is it?”
She’d tried asking on the way, but he’d refused to speak until they arrived. Since neighbors were nearby and she wanted to know what other messes the original owner had left, she’d let him come.
The man glanced toward the inner room, a lecherous grin spreading across his face. He leaned in. “Don’t you think Shen Xizhi’s gotten prettier? I know someone looking for a beauty to have some fun with. He’s offering this much—more than your dowry. You said you’d give me a cut if I found a buyer.”
Song Yugui: !
Her self-control snapped.