I'll Raise Pigs to Support You - Chapter 48
After cutting the pig grass, Song Yugui took her wife for a walk in the fields. The wind wasn’t too strong, and the breeze felt pleasant against their faces.
“Are you cold?” She was more concerned about her wife’s health and asked while glancing sideways.
Shen Xizhi tightly held her hand, not wanting to be taken back to the house and confined, so she quickly shook her head. “Not cold, not cold at all. The weather is just perfect right now.”
“It’s been so long since I’ve gone out for a walk.”
“Hmm, it’s because your health wasn’t good before. I wasn’t comfortable bringing you out.”
“No, no, it wasn’t that bad. I’m all better now~”
The little girl’s voice was soft and sweet, still holding onto the thought of going to town to set up a stall with her once she was fully recovered.
Song Yugui gently touched her face.
She wore the jade hairpin Song Yugui had bought for her, dressed in a brand-new light yellow dress, her eyes sparkling—so, so beautiful.
Pinching her plump earlobe, Song Yugui said, “Next time, I’ll buy you a pair of earrings.”
Her wife—she wanted to dress her up from head to toe!
Shen Xizhi’s face flushed slightly from the touch, and she squirmed shyly. “No need to buy them. What’s so special about earrings?”
“They’re pretty. I like them. I’ll also buy you bracelets and necklaces.”
With a little more effort, her wife would look no different from a young lady of a wealthy household—beautiful, with an exceptionally gentle temperament.
Her long, thick eyelashes fluttered slightly. Shen Xizhi went from holding her hand to tightly wrapping her arms around one of Song Yugui’s arms, resting her head on her shoulder. After a long while, she whispered softly,
“You’re so good to me.”
“What’s so special about that? You’re my wife. Dressing you up is what I should do.”
Xizhi had simply lacked love before. No one had ever treated her well, so even the slightest kindness from the male lead in the original story had moved her deeply, making her cling to it desperately—only to end up in such a tragic state.
Fool.
Thinking of the original plot, Song Yugui suddenly felt unhappy and lightly swatted Shen Xizhi’s head.
Shen Xizhi was stunned by the sudden pat, looking up dazedly with innocent eyes. “Wh-what was that for?”
Even her questioning voice was unbearably cute.
Song Yugui silently pulled her closer. “Nothing, just teasing you.”
Shen Xizhi: “……”
Though a bit helpless, she wasn’t angry. Pouting her rosy lips slightly, she continued leaning against Song Yugui.
They stood in the fields for a while, with several groups of people passing by. Suddenly, a pair of eyes stared at them intently, lingering nearby.
At first, Song Yugui didn’t pay it much mind, but when she noticed the person kept staring, she frowned and turned to look, locking eyes with an unfamiliar middle-aged woman.
The woman, caught off guard, awkwardly smiled.
But instead of leaving, she stepped forward and asked with a smile, “You’re Song Yugui from Song Village, right?”
Someone who knew the original host?
Song Yugui grew slightly wary but nodded. “Yes, that’s me.”
Unexpectedly, the woman then looked at Shen Xizhi, her face lighting up with recognition. “Ah, then this must be Xizhi! You look so different now—I saw you from behind earlier and didn’t dare recognize you. Life must be treating you well—you’ve gained some weight! Do you remember me? I’m your aunt.”
Shen Xizhi stared blankly. The moment she saw the woman, her mind went blank. It had been so, so long since she’d seen anyone from Shen Village.
Suddenly confronted with the past, she felt a pang of pain in her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Memories of those dark days flashed through her mind, and she couldn’t even force a polite smile.
Shen Yi, receiving no response, grew slightly awkward. “This child, don’t you even recognize your aunt?”
Song Yugui’s expression turned cold the moment she heard this was Shen Xizhi’s aunt. The Shen family had treated her wife poorly, so she naturally had no reason to be polite.
“Is there something you need?” she asked flatly.
Shen Yi’s face stiffened further, stammering, “I—I just saw Xizhi and wanted to say hello. It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. After all, she’s my niece—of course I miss her.”
Miss her?
“Really? If you miss Xizhi so much, why didn’t you visit during the New Year? Are Song Village and Shen Village really that far apart?”
Shen Yi’s expression froze, her lips twitching. This girl really doesn’t know how to save face!
Not far, of course not far. In fact, Song Village was right next to Shen Village—extremely close.
“Well… I’ve been busy with things. How would I have time to visit? I just happened to run into her and wanted to say hello. Alright, alright, now that I’ve seen her, I’ll be going.”
Humiliated, Shen Yi felt extremely awkward. She cursed inwardly, thinking Shen Xizhi is just like before—mute as a rock. Couldn’t even help me save face. Before leaving, her gaze lingered for a moment on the jade hairpin in Shen Xizhi’s hair, then she turned and walked away with a flick of her sleeve.
Once the woman was gone, Shen Xizhi stared at her retreating figure, biting her lip before burying her face in Song Yugui’s chest, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. Her dejection was palpable.
“Alright, I know you don’t get along with them. Let’s just ignore them, okay?”
Shen Xizhi’s eyes were red at the corners as she nodded obediently against Song Yugui’s chest.
Song Yugui knew Xizhi must be thinking of the past and feeling upset. Without pressing further, she simply comforted her by patting her shoulder.
After a while, she finally managed to coax her wife back to a better mood, and Shen Xizhi lifted her face again.
The little girl’s lashes were damp, her eyes clear and bright as if washed by tears—she had secretly cried earlier.
“They… they treated me badly…”
Shen Xizhi said hesitantly, afraid her wife would think her unfilial for not wanting anything to do with her birth family.
But Song Yugui knew. She knew everything.
“Mm.”
She responded softly, one hand resting on the back of Shen Xizhi’s head, gently stroking it.
Shen Xizhi’s eyes grew hot again.
“They often hit and scolded me… so I don’t like them.”
Buried in Song Yugui’s chest, Shen Xizhi spoke each word with grievance, her little mouth puckering.
When Song Yugui had read the novel, she hadn’t felt much about it. But now that she was personally involved, her heart ached terribly. She quickly caressed Shen Xizhi’s neck and took her cold hand in hers.
“It’s alright. From now on, as long as I’m here, no one will bully you.”
Shen Xizhi squirmed slightly in her arms, unable to hold back her complaints. “You used to hit and scold me too.”
Song Yugui: “……”
That wasn’t me! She opened her mouth, wanting to clarify, but ultimately held back. It wasn’t the right time.
The original host had treated Xizhi so poorly, yet Xizhi had remained obedient and always thought of her, showing she was inherently loyal and devoted—someone who would never betray her wife unless pushed to the absolute limit.
If she found out Song Yugui wasn’t her real wife…
Song Yugui wasn’t sure what would happen. She was actually a little afraid—afraid that if her wife knew she wasn’t the original, she’d stop being affectionate, stop acting spoiled with her.
Resting her cheek against the fluffy head nestled against her, she solemnly promised after a moment, “I’ll never hit or scold you again.”
Shen Xizhi’s heart warmed, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly without her realizing it. “Mm, I know. You… you’re different now. You wouldn’t hit me.”
She was different. The old Song Yugui had hit her without a second thought, but now, Shen Xizhi couldn’t even imagine how devastated she’d be if the current Song Yugui raised a hand against her.
Her arms tightened around Song Yugui, her nose filled with the familiar, refreshing scent.
The two stood in the fields for a while, enjoying the breeze, when suddenly—
“Ooooh~~~”
A strange, teasing voice rang out.
Song Yugui’s temple twitched violently. Looking up, she saw none other than Chi Xiangyue, accompanied by the somewhat awkward village beauty.
Chi Xiangyue raised an eyebrow, arms crossed as she sauntered over, her eyes darting between them like they were some kind of spectacle. “You two are hugging and clinging to each other even outside? How shameless.”
Song Yugui: “…”
Hugging her already-bashful wife closer, she gritted her teeth. “Shut up, or next time you come to our house, Xizhi won’t open the door for you!”
Tease me all you want, but how dare you embarrass Xizhi? Don’t you know my wife is thin-skinned? She’ll probably die of shame every time she remembers this later!
Chi Xiangyue chuckled and, mimicking Song Yugui’s usual manner, tried to coax Shen Xizhi. “My bad, my bad. Dear Xizhi, don’t take it to heart. Forgive me, alright?”
Song Yugui frowned. What’s up with this female lead? After parting ways with the male lead, she’s now sweet-talking my villainess?
She let go of her wife and pulled her behind her. “Enough joking. What are you doing here?”
“Oh, I just went to town with Xinyu. Bought some pastries. On the way back, I saw you two hugging like that.”
Shen Xizhi lowered her head. Even though Song Xinyu was present, she was too flustered to assert her dominance now. Her face was as red as a monkey’s bottom, and she kept trying to hide behind Song Yugui.
“Stop talking, or you really won’t be allowed in our house anymore.”
My wife isn’t exactly the forgiving type.
Chi Xiangyue shut her mouth, though her expression remained playfully exaggerated, waggling her eyebrows.
Song Yugui hadn’t expected the female lead to be like this. Rubbing her temples, she didn’t know what to say.
Shen Xizhi quietly pinched her fingers from behind.
Realizing her wife wanted to go home, Song Yugui said, “It’s getting late. You two have fun.”
“Leaving so soon? Xizhi, you’re not really mad at me, are you? Let me see.”
Chi Xiangyue craned her neck to peek at Shen Xizhi, who dodged left and right, growing increasingly frustrated before finally stomping her foot. “Wife, look at her!”
Song Yugui immediately straightened up, blocking Chi Xiangyue. “Miss Chi! Don’t bully her.”
Only then did Chi Xiangyue behave, not daring to actually upset Shen Xizhi. She stepped back. “Alright, alright. You two are a pair—I wouldn’t dare provoke you. Xinyu, let’s go. Didn’t you say your little brother caught two sparrows? Take me to see them.”
Sparrows at this time of year?
Song Xinyu, called by Chi Xiangyue, dazedly looked at the woman now being led away by Song Yugui. Shen Xizhi was completely different from a month or two ago—no longer wearing old, patched gray clothes but brand-new dresses in bright colors like other young girls. Her entire demeanor exuded sweetness, clearly doted on, and her hair was adorned with a jade hairpin.
Actual jade! She’d never seen anyone in the village wear jade before—only a tiny jade bead inlaid in a hairpin in her mother’s jewelry box. It must’ve been expensive, yet Song Yugui had bought one for her.
Song Xinyu’s emotions were complicated. Lowering her head silently, she followed Chi Xiangyue away.
Shen Xizhi was still pouting unhappily in front of Song Yugui. “You teamed up with her to bully me.”
Her voice was soft and sulky, melting Song Yugui’s heart.
“I didn’t bully you. Miss Chi was just being mean, laughing at us.”
Chi Xiangyue isn’t here anyway—I’ll just blame everything on her!
Shen Xizhi was amused by her feigned indignation, her eyes curving into sweet crescents.
Song Yugui, however, was momentarily stunned.
In the novel, the villainess was always described as having a gloomy aura. Even when smiling gently at the male lead, it sent chills down bystanders’ spines—utterly terrifying.
But the current villainess wasn’t like that at all. She’d been raised well: when angry, she’d purse her lips and stay silent; when shy, she’d hide behind Song Yugui; when she wanted to act spoiled, she’d cling sweetly; and when gentle, it was genuine—not the fake gentleness meant to seduce a man, as described in the novel.
So beautiful.
Radiant and beautiful.
Shen Xizhi noticed her wife staring dazedly at her, and her already rosy cheeks flushed even deeper. She lightly grasped Song Yugui’s pinky finger. “Sister Yugui…”
Her voice was so soft it was almost a murmur.
Song Yugui snapped out of it. “Hmm? What is it?”
Shen Xizhi knew exactly why she’d been staring. Her heart felt like a ripe berry bursting open, spilling sweet juice.
“N-nothing. Let’s go home.”
“Alright.”
Hand in hand, they headed home together.
Neither knew that someone was already in the village asking about them.
Their improved circumstances were only a recent development. While Song Village knew Song Yugui had changed, people from other villages still saw her as the old lecher.
Hearing she was doing well now, curiosity got the better of some, and they knocked on the doors of their friends in Song Village, sitting down to discuss the changes in Song Yugui’s household over the past few months.
The next day, after selling meat in town, Song Yugui carried two ribs she’d set aside and bought some dried fruit before heading back to the village. But as soon as she reached the village entrance, a villager urgently stopped her.
A dark-skinned man claiming to be her uncle blocked her path, looking anxious. “Good thing you’re back early—I happened to run into you. Something might’ve happened at your place!”
The rushed words left Song Yugui’s mind blank, her eyes widening slightly as if she couldn’t process what she’d just heard.
Xizhi is home alone. How could something have happened?
The uncle, just back from work, wiped sweat from his forehead and flicked it aside. “My wife told me she just saw your wife’s family bring a whole crowd to your house. I figured they weren’t just visiting for fun, right? I was about to check on you.”
Shen Xizhi hadn’t just married into Song Village—it’d been two years. News traveled fast between neighboring villages, and everyone knew how Shen Xizhi had been treated by her family before. This didn’t seem like a simple social call.
Though the villagers weren’t particularly close to Song Yugui, she was still one of their own—her parents had died young, and they couldn’t just let her be bullied in her own village.
Her wife, now married in, was also part of the village. They wouldn’t let outsiders harass her.
The moment Song Yugui heard it was the Shen family, her head buzzed. This is bad. She tossed aside the cart she usually used to transport meat and rushed home with the ribs and dried fruit.
Thinking of how the Shen family had mistreated Xizhi in the past and how she was now facing them alone, Song Yugui grew more frantic with every step, her face pale with fear.
By the time she reached the foot of the small slope leading to her house, she was panting heavily, sweat soaking her forehead. She braced her hands on her knees and looked up—a crowd had indeed gathered at her doorstep. Even from a distance, she could hear the female lead and Aunt Li’s loud voices.
“What kind of parents are you? Even parents can’t just barge into someone’s home!”
“What parents ignore their daughter completely after marrying her off, only to come crawling back when they hear she’s doing well? Here to freeload, aren’t you?”
Their words left the other side trembling with anger. “Y-you—how dare you slander us like this! I’m Shen Xizhi’s mother. What’s wrong with visiting my daughter?”
Shen Xizhi was shielded behind Aunt Li, her eyes red, her slender frame trembling slightly—whether from anger or fear was unclear.
Song Yugui, having sprinted all the way, took a deep breath at the foot of the slope and charged up, shouting furiously, “Which bastards are causing trouble at my house?!”
She didn’t have the breath to yell, but no one could ignore her voice.
Chi Xiangyue immediately called out, “Yugui! You’re finally back! They’ve been bullying your wife at your place—even broke your fence!”
How outrageous.
At the sound of Song Yugui’s name, everyone turned to look. The frail, pale-faced woman at the back also lifted her head, biting her lip as she gazed at her.
It was enough to break Song Yugui’s heart.
A man from the Shen family stepped forward with a smile. “You must be—”
He paused, unsure how to address her, until someone behind him nudged him. Then he quickly said, “You must be Sister Yugui, right? I’m Xizhi’s older brother. Mom and Dad came to visit Xizhi today. But Xizhi’s so stubborn—she must still hold a grudge because we haven’t visited in so long. She even locked the gate to keep us out. So childish.”
The ugly man spouted nonsense without pause, berating his own sister relentlessly.
Song Yugui stared at him in disbelief.
If the original host were here, hearing this, how could Xizhi possibly fare well?
Her own brother doesn’t spare a single thought for her!
Shen Da felt unnerved by Song Yugui’s stare but pressed on. Before he could say more, Song Yugui spat, “Shameless bastard!”
Now it was his turn to be stunned. How could she just start cursing like that?
Song Yugui pushed through the crowd, gasping for breath as she reached Shen Xizhi and pulled her into a tight embrace, patting her back soothingly. “I’m back. It’s okay. If you don’t want them inside, then they’re not coming in. I’ll listen to you. Don’t be afraid.”
Shen Xizhi wasn’t actually scared. She’d been ready to grab a stick and fight earlier. But the moment Song Yugui appeared, she couldn’t bring herself to act like a shrew in front of her. Now, wrapped in her arms, all her grievances poured out.
Her long lashes were damp with tears. Clutching Song Yugui’s clothes tightly enough to wrinkle them, she puffed her cheeks and looked up, complaining like a wronged child.
“They stormed into our house today, demanding to come in! I said there wasn’t enough space, but they wouldn’t listen. They even wanted me to kill our chickens to feed them!”
The little girl was clearly deeply aggrieved, her nose red, her lips pouting so much they could’ve held a bottle. All her grievances poured out to the person she trusted most.
Her words left the Shen family members awkward. Shen Da glanced at his mother, but his parents’ eyes were fixed on the ribs Song Yugui had brought back, gleaming with greed.
A dark-skinned, wrinkled woman stepped forward. “What kind of talk is that? We’re Xizhi’s family. It’s only right for her to host us properly when we visit. Since you married Xizhi, you’re also my daughter. A mother visiting her daughter is only natural.”
Her words sounded reasonable—if only she could tear her eyes away from the ribs.
Song Yugui gently rubbed Shen Xizhi’s back. By now, several tall men from Song Village had gathered around, seemingly just to watch. But if the Shen family tried anything, they wouldn’t stand by.
“Is this how you visit your daughter? Anyone would think you’re here to rob us!”
A whole group had come—not just Xizhi’s immediate family but also relatives. What, planning to bully them with numbers?
Shen’s mother, originally from the Wang family and surnamed Wang, scowled. “What nonsense! We really are here to visit our daughter. I’m Xizhi’s birth mother—how could I possibly mistreat her?”
She glanced around, growing flustered as the crowd grew. “Just let us in first. How can you keep elders standing outside? Such poor manners.”
Wang was used to sharp words and hadn’t thought much of her comment, but it only angered the other side further.
The entire group glared at them, and the girl who’d first scolded her looked ready to jump. “Poor manners? Who’s the one with poor manners here? A whole group barging in, eyeing their chickens and pigs, demanding food as if it’s theirs! If I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t believe you even tried to hit her!”
Chi Xiangyue was genuinely furious. In the capital, she’d dealt with noblewomen and ladies who maintained decorum in public. This was her first time encountering such shamelessness.
Song Yugui’s gaze turned icy. She looked down at the woman in her arms, tightening her hold. “Did they hit you?”
Her tone suggested that if the answer was yes, she’d be ambushing them with a sack later.
Shen Xizhi, afraid of worrying her, quickly shook her head. “Thanks to Miss Chi’s help.”
Song Yugui mentally noted her debt to Chi Xiangyue, but her expression darkened further. “People from Shen Village coming to Song Village to beat up Song Village’s daughter-in-law—who’s the one with poor manners here?”
The crowd erupted in agreement. “Exactly! Exactly!”
“A mother disciplining her daughter—why take it so seriously?” Wang retorted, displeased. This child really is the least likable—even her wife is annoying.
“Sister Yugui, I’m tired.”
Shen Xizhi lowered her eyes. Her parents were just as they’d always been—her father hiding behind her mother, letting her do the dirty work and take the blame, only stepping in later to play peacemaker when tensions rose.
Sure enough, her father spoke up, his voice low and aged. “Xizhi, your brother and mother were too hasty today. Let’s go inside to talk. It’s unsightly to have so many people gathered outside. We just came to see you.”
He sounded like he was considering everyone’s feelings.
But Shen Xizhi hated him the most.
From the moment this group arrived, their greedy eyes scanning her, she’d known why they’d come.
Her lowered eyes darkened. Stopping her nearly furious wife, she bit her lip and spoke softly but clearly.
“Oh? So Mom and Dad just came to see me… and not to borrow money?”
Aunt Li, who’d stepped back when Song Yugui arrived, widened her eyes. “Ha! So that’s why they never visited before but suddenly show up now—here to mooch! Back when Yugui married Xizhi, they spent a fortune. Don’t tell me they’ve already blown through it all?”