I'll Raise Pigs to Support You - Chapter 5

The night grew deeper, and Shen Xizhi lay stiffly on the bed, her eyelashes trembling faintly like a little rabbit desperately trying to hide its fear—terrified yet unwilling to face it.

She regarded Song Yugui’s touch as an insult. She didn’t love her, even hated her. How could she tolerate her wantonly defiling her body?

Yet those slender fingers disregarded her wishes and landed on her waist. Her heart had already leapt into her throat, but the other woman seemed to have only brushed against her unintentionally before quickly withdrawing, leaving her even more anxious. It was like an axe dangling over a rabbit’s head, refusing to fall, tormenting the poor creature both physically and mentally.

This was Song Yugui’s first time sharing a bed with someone who wasn’t wearing clothes—and on such a small bed at that. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own, occasionally grazing the nearly bare body beside her. She couldn’t understand. Wasn’t Shen Xizhi supposed to hate her? Who would strip naked and sleep with someone they loathed? This was just too…

Could it be that sleeping naked was Shen Xizhi’s preference?

Song Yugui, lying just as stiffly, quietly opened her eyes and glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. Seeing the unnamed blush on her cheeks, she assumed she looked quite comfortable and thus confirmed her guess.

Her heart softened a little. If her preference was sleeping naked, then lying on the cold ground every night must have been even more miserable. How pitiful.

Shen Xizhi had been tense the entire time, expecting to be violated immediately, yet nothing happened. Finally, she cautiously opened her eyes and shifted slightly, as if wanting to turn and see the expression on the other woman’s face.

Song Yugui moved with her, but the woman in the bed was like a startled bird—the moment she shifted, Shen Xizhi instinctively shrank back, letting a draft seep under the covers.

The cold air made Song Yugui curl her long legs up to her chest, her voice turning stern. “Don’t lift the blankets!”

No matter how thin the quilt was, it still trapped some warmth. Lifting it would let all the heat escape.

Shen Xizhi was startled by her sudden loudness, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She obediently stilled, then slowly inched her way back, letting the quilt cover her bottom again, hoping not to anger her. Her dark pupils trembled uneasily in their sockets, misted with moisture.

Unfortunately, Song Yugui couldn’t see any of this.

All she did was carefully tuck the quilt around her, though no matter how cautious she was, her arm still accidentally brushed against two soft, cherry-like peaks.

Shen Xizhi’s heartbeat roared in her ears, the mist in her eyes condensing into teardrops that rolled down her cheeks. Is it finally starting? she thought.

Just as she expected, the hand that had tucked her in didn’t withdraw but instead settled cautiously on her slender waist.

Shen Xizhi closed her eyes in despair, but then she heard the other woman’s slightly awkward voice: “I don’t know where to put my hand, and the blanket is too small. Is it okay if we sleep like this?”

They were both women, so it should be fine…

Shen Xizhi’s lips twitched. Since when do I have a say in what’s “okay”?

She didn’t answer.

Song Yugui, receiving no response and unable to see her expression, took her silence as consent. The hand on the woman’s waist gradually tightened, pulling her into an embrace. The shared warmth between them finally drove away the cold completely. It was so comfortable that her mind, exhausted from the day’s shocks, relaxed entirely.

No longer cold, drowsiness quickly overtook her. She patted the smooth, snow-white waist absentmindedly, murmuring, “Sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll go to town early.”

Shen Xizhi had braced herself for a storm of pain, never expecting this. She froze, half her face buried in the quilt, cautiously and confusedly asking, “S-Sleep?”

It’s the middle of the night. What else would we do if not sleep? It’s not like there are phones to play with.

Song Yugui hummed in agreement.

Pressed tightly against her, her chest flush against the other woman’s body, Shen Xizhi’s eyes suddenly brightened. She was terrified of that kind of thing. If they could avoid it, nothing could be better.

Her voice instantly became much more sincere—soft, timid, and sweet.

“Okay. I’ll listen to my wife.”

Song Yugui’s heart softened at her tone. At this point, the future villainess hadn’t yet turned dark—she was just a pitiful, bullied girl with no one to rely on.

Her hand soothingly stroked the smooth, jade-like skin of Shen Xizhi’s back, as if comforting her.

We’re both women. What’s the big deal about touching?

Thinking like this made her feel less awkward.

Of course, Shen Xizhi wasn’t used to being held while sleeping, but the warmth of the bed melted away all her reluctance. It had been so long since she’d felt this warm. The nights were cold, and she always slept on the floor with nothing but a tattered cloth to cover her. How could she not freeze?

It was so comfortable that her eyes closed on their own, and she could no longer think of anything else—like why Song Yugui had suddenly softened toward her, neither hitting nor scolding her, just being a little stern…

Lulled by the warmth, she even had her first peaceful, pleasant dream since marrying into the Song family.

By the time dawn broke and light streamed through the window, it was bright enough to force her awake.

The moment she opened her eyes, an irresistible force pulled her into a soft embrace.

Shen Xizhi hazily remembered—Oh, I’m in Song Yugui’s arms. She held me all night.

She actually held me all night.

No teasing, no bullying, no midnight horrors. It was… nice.

She didn’t know what Song Yugui was planning, but if it meant a few days of peace, she’d take it.

When Song Yugui woke up, the woman in her arms was squirming, trying to escape. She held on tightly, and the other woman, not daring to disturb her, could only wriggle cautiously.

But every time she managed to squirm a little farther, she was promptly pulled back in.

In the end, her movements fully roused Song Yugui.

Daylight was different from nighttime. Now, she could clearly see the woman’s snow-soft body, and the moment she opened her eyes, her gaze stuck.

Apart from a few bruises, her skin was translucent white, smooth and tender.

Beautiful. Even as a woman herself, Song Yugui had to admit—the villainess’s body was stunning. Her face was pretty too, though a bit too thin. The only place with any flesh was her chest. If she gained a little weight, filled out a bit, she’d be even more breathtaking.

Hmm. Operation: Fatten Up the Villainess—commence.

While her mind wandered, Shen Xizhi’s brain had short-circuited. She stared blankly at Song Yugui, not expecting her to wake up now.

And certainly not expecting her to keep staring like this.

She had never bared her body in front of anyone before—not even her wife.

Shen Xizhi really wanted to yell “Pervert!” and shove Song Yugui away to stop her from looking, but she was afraid of angering her.

In the end, she could only lower her head, pout her rosy lips, and timidly tug the quilt up to cover her chest, her eyes reddening as if she’d been wronged for no reason.

Heaven knew Song Yugui hadn’t mistreated her.

We’re both women. What’s the harm in looking? If she wants, I can show her too!

But considering their marital relationship, Song Yugui silently averted her gaze, yawning sleepily. “Didn’t you say we were going to town to buy rice? Get dressed. I’ll go with you.”

She actually wanted to ask if there was any breakfast, but judging by the sky outside… it was probably closer to lunchtime.

Only when the intense staring stopped did Shen Xizhi’s stiffness ease slightly. She softened bit by bit, crawling out of Song Yugui’s arms to get dressed.

Song Yugui peeked at her. A red mark marred the woman’s slender waist—likely from being held too tightly.

She was used to hugging something while sleeping. In the past, it had been a body pillow. Now, without one, she had to make do with a person.

But next time, she’d be gentler.

Shen Xizhi dressed quickly. The coarse linen clothes hid at least half of her beauty, which pained Song Yugui. How did they raise her? Such a pretty girl turned into a dull, gray mouse.

Once dressed, Shen Xizhi turned to her, her expression still timid. “Wife, I’m going to town to buy rice.”

She was exactly as she’d been when they first met yesterday—fearful, never daring to look her in the eye.

Take it slow. You can’t become a master in a day. Today, they’d go to town and see if they could find work to earn some silver.

“Wait, I’m coming with you.”

She’d mentioned going to town together yesterday, so Shen Xizhi wasn’t surprised. She just stood silently to the side, waiting, though she was a little worried. Is she really going to buy lamp oil?

Lamp oil was cheap, but no matter how cheap, they had no money left at home.

Today, she’d have to wash some clothes for others. Otherwise, in a few days, they might not even have rice porridge to eat.

A faint worry clouded Shen Xizhi’s delicate brows.

Song Yugui didn’t notice. Once dressed, they set off together.

Along the way, the village women avoided them like the plague. One particularly pretty girl even spat in their direction.

Song Yugui was baffled. Her impression of the girl instantly plummeted from very beautiful to utterly plain compared to Shen Xizhi.

The countryside was quite far from town. Song Yugui was exhausted, but when she looked up, the dirt and gravel road still stretched endlessly ahead.

“How much farther?” she couldn’t help asking.

Shen Xizhi didn’t understand how someone who frequented town could be so impatient, but she softly reassured her, “We’re almost there. Just a little farther, Wife.”

This was the third time she’d heard that.

Song Yugui fell silent, but when she glanced to the side, she saw several girls sitting on an oxcart, fanning themselves with handkerchiefs, completely at ease.

She recalled the rural life novels she’d read before. Country folk could pay to hitch a ride on someone else’s oxcart to town.

Damn that cannon fodder! Didn’t leave me a single coin, forcing me to walk all the way. I hate everyone!

The two walked in silence. Just as they were about to reach town, Song Yugui suddenly spoke:

“When I woke up yesterday, my head hurt badly.”

“Huh?”

Shen Xizhi was puzzled at first but quickly realized she hadn’t sounded concerned enough. Afraid of displeasing her, she hurriedly added, “Is Wife unwell? Should we call the village healer to take a look?”

The village healer was a local with some medical knowledge who could treat minor ailments. They charged far less than proper town doctors, so villagers with minor illnesses usually turned to them to save money.

But their remaining funds were so meager they couldn’t even afford the village healer.

Shen Xizhi fretted silently but didn’t dare say it aloud, only worrying over their nearly empty purse.

“No need.”

Fortunately, Song Yugui refused.

“I just wanted to say… well, after the headache, it’s like I had an epiphany.”

The moment the words left her mouth, a wave of embarrassment crashed over her. Song Yugui flushed from head to toe, mortified.

The excuse was full of holes, but she had no better way to explain her sudden change in behavior.

Shen Xizhi abruptly stopped walking. Though she didn’t look at Song Yugui, her eyes widened slightly, as if she’d heard something utterly bizarre. Epiphany? Those words coming from her?

But the moment passed quickly. The girl lowered her head again, her expression hidden behind her smooth, dark hair.

“Mhm, that’s good.”

She didn’t believe someone could change overnight. If they seemed to, it was most likely an act.

Song Yugui knew she didn’t believe her, but there was nothing more she could say. For now… she’d just give her a heads-up. Shen Xizhi would see the truth in time.

Once the villainess’s injuries healed and they’d saved up some money, she’d divorce her and give her all the money. That should make up for the original host’s abuse and let her live a slightly better life.

The two arrived in town together. Shen Xizhi went to buy rice. Four copper coins couldn’t even buy a pound of coarse rice—it would only last them a few more days. Worried about their future, she didn’t even notice when Song Yugui disappeared.

Only after queuing to buy the rice and stepping out of the shop did she realize she was alone.

The girl’s face instantly paled, her slender frame swaying unsteadily. Song Yugui must be off flirting with some girl again, she thought. When she gets rejected, she’ll come back and take it out on me.

How can there be such a shameless woman in this world? It’s disgusting.

By the time Song Yugui returned from wandering around town, Shen Xizhi was standing alone outside the grain shop, her back turned, seemingly waiting for her.

She hurried over, calling out before she even reached her, “Xizhi, I went for a walk earlier. Did you buy the rice? If so, let’s head back.”

She’d been scouting for jobs to earn some silver. In this dynasty, women could work openly, which was very convenient for her.

If she’d transmigrated into an extremely feudal era, no joke—she’d have killed herself on the spot.

Hearing her voice—unlike the usual harsh, unreasonable tone she returned with after fooling around—Shen Xizhi’s expression softened slightly.

“Where did you go earlier?”

Perhaps sensing her good mood, Shen Xizhi couldn’t help asking.

Her voice was carefully controlled, devoid of any resentment—just a simple question.

Song Yugui answered honestly, “I went to see if I could find work. It’s too cold at night—I want to buy another blanket.”

Cold?

A flicker of doubt passed through Shen Xizhi’s pretty, doe-like eyes. She hadn’t felt cold, but if the other woman wanted to buy one, she wouldn’t stop her. Not that she believed Song Yugui was serious about finding work anyway. Just a passing whim. There was no way she could endure such hardship.

The two walked back in silence.

After a while, a question suddenly broke the quiet: “By the way, was I originally a butcher?”

Song Yugui asked.

Earlier, someone had called her “Butcher Song” and struck up a conversation.

Shen Xizhi paused. She doesn’t even remember that?

Clearly, her mind was always filled with debauchery, pushing all serious matters out long ago!

Lowering her eyes, she muttered, “Mhm. Your family has been butchers for generations.”

Song Yugui: “…”

Damn my ancestors. My family used to be butchers too.

Her father and grandfather had always wanted her to carry on the family trade, saying their ancestors had built their wealth by slaughtering and selling pigs. They refused to let the skill die with her. She’d resisted tooth and nail and finally won—only to be sent back to butchering now.

Damn it all. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have fought so hard. At least if I’d been butchering daily, I could’ve picked up where I left off. Now? After so long without touching a cleaver, I don’t even know how to use one properly anymore.

She was fuming.

Song Yugui rubbed her nose, planning to find a temporary job first. But she still explained to Shen Xizhi, “Is that so? No wonder my hands itch when I see people butchering pigs. But it’s been a while—I’m out of practice. I’m afraid I won’t do it well. I’ll practice for a bit and go back to butchering for money later.”

Shen Xizhi found it strange. Why are you telling me whether you butcher pigs or not? The money you earn will just end up in some other woman’s hands anyway. I don’t care if you butcher or not.

But she couldn’t say that out loud—otherwise, she’d get beaten again.

Outwardly, Shen Xizhi was the picture of obedience—her oval face, round deer eyes, and softly pursed lips nodding slightly. “Mhm. Whatever you say.”

Her docility was utterly disarming.

Song Yugui had no idea she was being silently judged. She just found the villainess’s demeanor somewhat adorable and couldn’t resist ruffling her hair—soft and comforting.