I'll Raise Pigs to Support You - Chapter 38

The air was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Song Yugui’s expression was dark and gloomy.

Shen Xizhi also frowned slightly. “Village Chief, my wife has never truly done anything bad. How can you say she needs to ‘reform’?”

Village Chief: “…”

How can you say such a thing?

The kind of person Song Yugui used to be—we all saw it with our own eyes!

But it’s true that she hasn’t caused any trouble in the past few months. Compared to the other troublemakers in the village, she’s already much better.

The Village Chief sighed inwardly.

Song Yugui thought to herself, So this is the Village Chief.

“Forget it. If nothing unexpected happens, that father and daughter will either live next door to you or nearby. Just mind your manners.”

Most villagers were uneducated and didn’t understand etiquette, but Song Yugui’s past behavior had been beyond unacceptable. He was genuinely afraid she’d scare them away.

Song Yugui replied indifferently, “Oh…”

She didn’t feel like explaining. She hadn’t even harassed any women recently, yet they still talked about her like this. Explaining probably wouldn’t make a difference anyway.

So she responded expressionlessly, then wrapped her arms around her wife and sat back down to continue sunbathing, treating the visitors as if they were air.

Village Chief: “…”

So rude!

The Village Chief and his group had come to inspect the house. After looking around, they called some nearby villagers to help clean but didn’t ask Song Yugui to join.

Song Yugui was happy to stay idle. She wasn’t a people-pleaser—why should she clean the female lead’s house?

Even though the female lead and her family had no connection to them, and even though the female lead hadn’t done anything wrong in the novel… Shen Xizhi had died because of them.

She lowered her gaze and stared intently at her wife in her arms.

Shen Xizhi seemed to sense something and lifted her delicate little face to look back at her, her eyes soft and reassuring, as if she thought Song Yugui was upset because of those people and wanted to comfort her.

This only made Song Yugui’s heart ache even more.

Remembering her wife’s fate in the novel, she couldn’t help but feel distressed.

She gently stroked Shen Xizhi’s back. “Don’t be angry. I believe in you. I’ll treat you well.”

Her wife’s voice was soft and sweet, and her words were utterly endearing.

Song Yugui felt deeply comforted. She tightened her arms around that slender waist and replied warmly, “Mm. After that father and daughter move in, try not to talk to them much, okay?”

This wasn’t the first time her wife had told her to avoid speaking to certain people. Shen Xizhi didn’t find it strange and didn’t resist. Instead, she obediently agreed right away.

She loved listening to Song Yugui.

She loved being controlled by Song Yugui.

“Okay, I won’t talk to them. I’ll only talk to you.”

Her gaze was sticky and clingy.

Song Yugui fell silent for a moment. Well, that’s not necessary. I’m not that possessive. It’s fine to talk to others—just avoid the wrong people. If you only talk to me, what if I’m not around someday? Wouldn’t you be bored to death?

“You can talk to Auntie Li.”

“Mm. I’ll talk to whoever you say I can. I’ll listen to you in everything.”

So obedient.

“What do you want for dinner? I’ll help you cook.”

Her voice was gentle.

“Braised pork ribs and stewed pork knuckle. Didn’t Sister Yugui say you’d teach me how to make sweet and sour pork ribs? Let’s make them tonight, okay?”

Originally, she had planned to make scallion-flavored ribs, but since it was the New Year and her wife was in high spirits, she couldn’t resist making something her wife loved to make her even happier.

Her wife wanted sweet and sour pork ribs. Though she didn’t know what “sweet and sour” meant, she was willing to try.

Song Yugui had no objections. She also wanted Shen Xizhi to taste the food from her hometown.

It was delicious.

“Do we have sugar at home?” she asked.

Shen Xizhi looked surprised. “Do we need sugar?”

“Sweet and sour ribs—of course we need sugar. And vinegar too.”

“Oh, okay.”

The young girl responded and got up to look for sugar in the front room.

Song Yugui followed closely behind her.

“Is this enough? We still have a little sugar left—about two spoonfuls.”

Song Yugui thought for a moment and nodded. “That should be enough.”

“Mm. Then teach me how to make it.”

“Just mix a sweet and sour sauce and pour it into the ribs while stewing. That’s it.”

It sounded simple.

Shen Xizhi quietly watched her wife.

Song Yugui had only followed an online recipe a couple of times before. The result was neither delicious nor terrible—just average.

But she believed that with her wife’s cooking skills, even the same steps would yield a completely different flavor!

This was the perfect time to stew the meat so it would be ready by dinner, tender and fall-off-the-bone. Shen Xizhi first prepared the pork knuckle and set it to stew, then listened as her wife explained how to make the sweet and sour ribs.

All it required was sugar, wine, vinegar, and soy sauce—not too complicated.

“Sister Yugui, go play outside. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready?”

She wasn’t a child who needed to be called for meals. “No need. I’ll help you tend the fire.”

“No need for that. Just let it simmer. The longer it stews, the more tender it’ll be.”

“Then… should we go back out to sunbathe?”

With no work to do today, Song Yugui actually felt a little unaccustomed to it.

“Mm.”

The two sat outside with their arms around each other for a while longer. Passersby who saw them either greeted them or smirked knowingly.

In their hearts, they all thought, She really seems to have reformed.

When it was time, the pork knuckle was nearly done. Shen Xizhi got up to prepare the other dishes.

Following her wife’s instructions, she used another pot to stew the sweet and sour ribs. Then she washed the vegetables and prepared a few side dishes: stir-fried bok choy, shepherd’s purse and egg pancakes, and corn and pork rib soup.

These were the only dishes they could manage with what they had at home.

But compared to what she’d eaten when she first arrived in ancient times, this was a feast.

Song Yugui, still outside, had already caught the delicious aroma and was practically intoxicated.

A middle-aged man passing by—who’d been helping the Village Chief clean—smiled and called out, “What’s for dinner? You look so happy.”

From afar, he’d smelled the meat. After all, it was the New Year, and every household would prepare at least one meat dish. The air was filled with the scent of meat, but Song Yugui’s home had the richest aroma. Remembering that she’d just slaughtered a pig a few days ago, he thought, No wonder.

It really paid to have a skill.

Song Yugui recognized this man—they’d crossed paths before, and he’d said he was her cousin.

“Cousin, my wife is stewing meat. What are you up to?”

“The Village Chief asked me to clean your new neighbors’ house.”

Ah, for Chi Xiangyue. Her expression didn’t change, but her smile widened. “Then you’d better hurry, Cousin. Finish early so you can go home sooner. It’s freezing today.”

Her cousin tightened his coat and sighed. “Isn’t that the truth?”

Shen Xizhi, a seasoned cook, worked quickly. By the time the sky had barely darkened, dinner was ready.

Song Yugui pushed the door open and was greeted by the rich aroma of meat—the vinegar fragrance of the sweet and sour ribs the most prominent.

She glanced at the table and nearly gasped. Damn, this looks just like what I used to eat at restaurants.

Look at that glaze on the ribs—absolutely mouthwatering.

Hunger struck instantly. Before entering, Song Yugui hadn’t been particularly hungry, but now her stomach growled.

Shen Xizhi waved her over. “Sister Yugui, come taste it. See if it’s like what you remember.”

Song Yugui sat down, and a bowl of steaming white rice was placed in front of her.

“Next time, let me carry the dishes. They’re so hot—what if you burn your hands?”

She took Shen Xizhi’s hand and rubbed it. Sure enough, her fingers were warm from the heat of the dishes.

Shen Xizhi smiled gently, a little embarrassed, and shook her head. “It’s not that hot. It won’t blister.”

“You’re fearless when it comes to pain, but your skin is more delicate than you think.”

Her fingers were red. Song Yugui inspected them carefully, making sure there were no burns before relaxing her grip.

Shen Xizhi pulled her hand back, her cheeks pinkening—though the dim light hid most of it, leaving only a faint blush visible.

“Enough of that. Let’s eat.”

“Mm, you try it too.”

She picked up a piece of sweet and sour rib for Shen Xizhi.

Shen Xizhi returned the gesture but didn’t rush to eat herself. Instead, her bright eyes watched Song Yugui tenderly, as if waiting for feedback.

So Song Yugui took a bite under her gaze and immediately looked impressed.

“It’s just like what I used to eat.”

The flavor was perfect.

Hearing her say it was delicious, Shen Xizhi’s heart settled at once. She nodded slightly. “Mm, eat more if you like it.”

The sweet and sour ribs were perfectly balanced—tangy and sweet. The pork knuckle was rich but not greasy, the shepherd’s purse pancakes savory and flavorful, and the corn and pork rib soup light and refreshing. Every dish was crafted to perfection.

After several days of leftovers, they’d finally finished their New Year’s feast. Today, snow fell outside, blanketing the world in white.

Song Yugui leaned back in her chair, watching the snow peacefully.

In her past life, with a phone in hand, she’d never bothered to admire the snow—always glued to her screen. But now, she could finally appreciate the quiet moments.

After all, if she didn’t watch the snow, what else was there to do?

Suddenly, noise erupted again. Her eyelashes fluttered, a snowflake landing on their tips.

A group of people was approaching the small slope.

Leading them was the Village Chief, who’d visited a few days prior. Beside him walked a middle-aged man and a lively, beautiful young girl—undoubtedly the female lead.

So the novel’s plot was finally beginning.

Song Yugui stared deeply at them, unaware that a slender figure had silently appeared behind her.

“Enjoying the view?” a voice whispered darkly.

Song Yugui jumped, then relaxed when she saw it was her wife. “Why do you walk so quietly?” she complained.

Shen Xizhi’s eyes flashed with hurt. She pressed her lips together and looked down. “It’s not that I walk quietly. It’s that you were too entranced by another woman to notice me.”

Song Yugui: “…”

Well, she had a point. She’d been too focused on the female lead to notice her wife.

Embarrassed, she scratched the back of her head. “I was just wondering if she’s going to be our new neighbor.”

Shen Xizhi’s lips thinned into a straight line. Even more displeased, her voice turned icy. “So what if she is? What does it have to do with us?”

Why pay attention to her? Is she pretty? Prettier than me? Do you like her more?

“I was just looking,” Song Yugui muttered.

She sensed her wife’s anger but wasn’t sure how to soothe her. She didn’t even understand why Shen Xizhi was upset over her glancing at the female lead. A pang of grievance shot through her.

“Keep looking, then.”

Shen Xizhi gave her a long, cold stare before turning on her heel and walking inside, leaving only her slender back in view.

The young girl was so angry her heart ached.

“Wait—Xizhi, Zhizhi, I won’t look anymore, okay?”

Song Yugui hurried after her to appease her, oblivious to the Village Chief’s immense relief as he wiped his brow.

When Song Yugui had been staring at Chi Xiangyue, he’d been terrified she’d relapse into her old ways. Thankfully, she’d left moments later. Could she really have reformed?

Could a lustful woman truly change her ways?

The Village Chief was deeply astonished.

Song Yugui’s home was tiny, leaving Shen Xizhi no room to hide. After storming inside in a huff, she could only sit on the bed. When Song Yugui followed, she gave her a cold look.

“Zhizhi, you haven’t been angry in days. Why today?”

She sidled up to her.

Shen Xizhi scoffed. “You think I’m prone to anger?”

Song Yugui choked. “Of course not.”

“You’re beautiful even when angry.”

“Hmph. More beautiful than that woman earlier?”

Shen Xizhi loathed her fickleness—she’d always hated it, but now it hurt even more. Not just hate, but a deep, suffocating ache.

Song Yugui was baffled. How had this turned into a comparison with the female lead? And why even ask?

She looked incredulous. “Of course you’re prettier. Why even question it? Shouldn’t you know that already?”

Wasn’t it obvious? And how could she ever say someone else was prettier than her own wife? That was scum behavior!

Shen Xizhi froze, stunned by her immediate, unreserved answer—as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Song Yugui…”

Full name?

Song Yugui straightened instinctively. Being addressed by her full name carried an inexplicable weight.

“Wh-what? Saying you’re prettier isn’t enough?”

What else did she want her to say?!

Shen Xizhi’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, her gaze fixed on her. After a long pause, she shook her head. “No, it’s… it’s enough…”

She’d just been… worried, that was all.

But Song Yugui’s praise soothed her.

The young girl lowered her lashes, hiding her emotions. Even though she hadn’t yet spoken to the girl who’d soon be her neighbor, she already disliked her intensely.

“Can’t you just not look at others?”

But after a moment, her resentment bubbled up again, and she couldn’t help but pout.

Song Yugui, seeing her anger subside slightly, relaxed a little. She cautiously sat beside her, perching on the edge of the bed so she could leap up and apologize properly if Shen Xizhi got mad again.

Once seated, she pulled Shen Xizhi into her arms, thinking, Friends really do get jealous easily. Online, there’s always talk about “best friend hierarchy.” I never understood it before, but now I do.

Xizhi was young, with a childish temperament. She didn’t socialize much with girls her age, sticking solely to Song Yugui. It was natural for her to feel possessive.

“I only glanced at her. I didn’t mean anything by it,” she explained softly.

Shen Xizhi pressed her lips together. “You stared for a long time. I saw you.”

“…”

“That… that wasn’t long, was it? I stopped looking as soon as you spoke.”

“And if I hadn’t said anything, would you have kept staring?”

Shen Xizhi glared, her eyes screaming, If you dare say yes, I’ll ignore you.

Song Yugui wouldn’t dare. “Of course not. Why would I keep looking at her? Even if you hadn’t said anything, I’d have come inside to find you soon.”

She nuzzled against Shen Xizhi affectionately, their cheeks brushing until Shen Xizhi’s pale skin turned pink.

Shen Xizhi’s eyes softened with shyness. She squirmed, trying to break free. Who said we could cuddle?

Hmph. Every time I’m angry, you hug me and cling to me. You’ll do all that—why won’t you kiss me?

If you’d just go a little further, I wouldn’t feel so insecure…

Shen Xizhi lowered her gaze, masking her dark thoughts. In the end, she didn’t truly pick a fight, only giving Song Yugui a few half-hearted shoves before letting her capture her hands.

As noon approached, the two got up to prepare lunch when a young woman’s crisp voice called from outside, “Is anyone home?”

The freshly appeased Shen Xizhi fixed her wife with a stare.

Song Yugui stiffened. The male and female leads are nothing but trouble.

“I’ll… go see?”

Shen Xizhi turned away, straightening her slightly disheveled clothes. Her tone sounded indifferent, but her words said otherwise.

“Hmph. Go ahead if you want. Don’t mind me. After all, it’s the person you’ve been longing for—the one you couldn’t stop staring at earlier.”

Her eyes slanted downward, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

Song Yugui: Great. Just calmed her down, and now she’s upset again.

“I was not longing for her.”

“I was sitting there, and I looked for a bit. What, should I blindfold myself?”

Shen Xizhi turned her head further away, her voice cool. “I don’t care what you do.”

Song Yugui: “…”

Helpless, she said, “I’ll go see what’s up first.”

She stepped outside to find a young woman standing there—indeed, the female lead.

Song Yugui kept her expression neutral. “Can I help you?”

The girl, seeing her polite demeanor and seemingly approachable nature, brightened. “I’m Chi Xiangyue. My father and I just paid to move into the village today.”

Song Yugui nodded slightly. “Miss Chi.”

Chi Xiangyue’s expression turned troubled. “We’re new here and don’t have anything. Our house is still a bit dirty. Could you lend us a broom?”

Oh, just borrowing a broom? No big deal.

Though Song Yugui wanted to stay far away from the main plot, she also didn’t want to offend the female lead—that never ended well.

She nodded, fetched the broom from the doorway, and handed it over, barely exchanging words, making her seem like a woman of few words.

Chi Xiangyue beamed. “Thank you! I’ll return it once we’re done cleaning.”

“Mm.”

Song Yugui nodded again, then left as soon as the transaction was done.

Chi Xiangyue assumed she was just reserved and didn’t mind.

Meanwhile, Song Yugui, back inside, exhaled in relief, only to freeze when she saw Shen Xizhi standing there, her gaze frosty.

“Why’d you come back so soon? Shouldn’t you have chatted a bit longer?” she asked sarcastically.

“…”

Song Yugui walked up to Shen Xizhi, who scrutinized her from head to toe before huffing and looking away.

She couldn’t help but laugh. Her wife’s jealous antics were adorable.

“She just came to borrow a broom. What was there to say? I gave it to her, and that was it. Why overthink things?”

She reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Shen Xizhi’s ear.

Shen Xizhi melted at her touch but couldn’t help squirming, pouting as she lightly shoved her.

Song Yugui quickly caught her slender wrist, her voice warm and resigned. “Don’t fuss. I’m trying to comfort you.”

Comfort me?

Since when is this comforting?!

“You’re the one fussing! And turtles don’t even make noise!”

Shen Xizhi was deeply offended by the turtle comparison.

She wasn’t well-read, but she knew the villagers often cursed, “Turtle bastard!” Was Song Yugui secretly insulting her?

She eyed her wife suspiciously.

Song Yugui didn’t know why she’d thought of a turtle—it had just seemed fitting at the time.

“Ahem, that’s not the point. The point is, no one could ever be closer to me than you.”

The time she’d spent with Xizhi hadn’t been for nothing. She couldn’t help but grow fonder of her, wanting to protect her. No one would ever bully her again.

Hearing that they were the closest, Shen Xizhi’s anger eased slightly, but she was still sulking. She leaned into Song Yugui’s arms and muttered, “I don’t like that family.”

Song Yugui’s lips twitched. You haven’t even interacted with them yet. Is this the natural enmity between a villainess and the female lead?

“Mm, if you don’t like them, we’ll keep our distance.”

Shen Xizhi wrapped a strand of Song Yugui’s hair around her finger, winding it tightly. “You’d… really be okay with that?”

Song Yugui flicked her forehead.

“Ow!”

Shen Xizhi glared at her, tears welling.

But Song Yugui was stern. “No more sarcasm. No more nonsense.”

Her sternness made Shen Xizhi wilt. “Okay…”

She didn’t dare make any more jealous remarks, though her heart still felt heavy. And you call this comforting me… You didn’t even scold me properly.

Next door, the Chi family had no idea they’d already incurred their neighbors’ dislike. After using the broom, Mr. Chi returned it personally.

He was a refined, gentle-looking middle-aged man. In the novel, he’d once been a royal academy teacher.

“Thank you for your help today. If you ever need anything, just call for me or Yue’er.”

It’s just a broom. No need for thanks.

“Don’t mention it,” Song Yugui replied, maintaining her aloof, taciturn persona around the female lead and her family—not even cracking a smile.