I'll Raise Pigs to Support You - Chapter 9

“Aren’t you taking off your clothes?”

The two were preparing to rest when Song Yugui noticed Shen Xizhi still wearing her snow-white undergarments. Recalling the definition she had assigned her the day before—likes to sleep naked—Song Yugui casually asked.

Shen Xizhi’s body stiffened slightly. Kneeling at the edge of the bed, her thick lashes fluttered as she replied in a soft, delicate voice, “Mm, I’ll take them off after I get in.”

Song Yugui likes it when I undress…

This thought also crossed Shen Xizhi’s mind.

She reminded herself that it was just taking off clothes—nothing to make a fuss about. At least it didn’t hurt. They were wives, after all, and seeing each other’s bodies was perfectly normal.

“Oh.”

Song Yugui obediently moved aside to make space for her. Shen Xizhi slowly crawled past her, settling on the inner side of the bed before beginning to undress.

Her pale hands grasped the fabric—first the undergarment pants, then the inner robe, until only a faded but still vibrant red bellyband remained, washed many times over.

One hand pressed against the bellyband, her cheeks flushed like spring peach blossoms, Shen Xizhi hesitated over whether to untie it.

Unaware of her internal struggle, Song Yugui had already stripped down to her underclothes and was lying down, watching her quietly.

The quilt was small and thin, far from comfortable. She was waiting for Shen Xizhi to lie down so they could huddle together for warmth.

Seeing Song Yugui’s unwavering gaze as she undressed, Shen Xizhi took it as a silent command.

She shut her eyes tightly, bit her lip, and finally steeled herself to untie the red knot of her bellyband.

The red fabric slid off her snow-white, smooth body, pooling between her legs and obscuring hints of darkness and allure. Even though she had seen it before, Song Yugui’s eyes still glazed over at the sight.

So perky, so round, so red.

To avoid the embarrassment of a nosebleed, she quickly averted her gaze and muttered hurriedly, “Just lie down already, I’m so sleepy.”

Hearing her impatience, Shen Xizhi’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she nodded timidly, offering no resistance.

She didn’t want to provoke any more dissatisfaction, so she curled up and lay down bit by bit.

Song Yugui shifted closer, wrapping an arm around her in one swift motion—chest to chest, her slender fingers encircling the girl’s slender waist. “Sleep!”

Having issued the command, she promptly closed her eyes.

But Shen Xizhi was left wide-eyed in shock. Nothing else?

Not doing anything tonight either?

Just… sleep?

The young woman was uneasy, half-expecting the other to be feigning sleep. She scrutinized Song Yugui’s face for any trace of pretense.

But there was none. Not a single hint. In fact, Song Yugui was already asleep—breathing evenly, her arm draped loosely over Shen Xizhi’s waist.

Having only recently transmigrated, Song Yugui’s original body was weak from idleness. Just cutting some pigweed had left her utterly exhausted. Despite her fatigue, she forced herself out of the uncozy bedding early the next morning, leaving Shen Xizhi behind as she headed to town to find work.

Her previous skills weren’t easily applicable in ancient times—at least not without significant time and capital. With both her and the original owner’s wife on the brink of starvation, those paths were unfeasible now.

After searching for half a day, she could only settle for a job as an inn waiter.

She had initially hoped to work as an abacus accountant but soon realized… she couldn’t even write in ancient script.

If youth only knew, and age only could. If she ever got back, she swore she’d study like her life depended on it!

Song Yugui, currently holding a tray, thought to herself.

This restaurant was one of the oldest and most reputable in Lin’an County’s small town.

With a steady flow of customers every day, the place was always bustling. After two waitresses had quit, the manager was in a hurry to hire new help to avoid delays in serving guests. Song Yugui didn’t even have to compete much with others to get the job. The monthly pay was three hundred wen—not too shabby, considering the price of rice yesterday. At the very least, they wouldn’t starve.

Being a waiter was even more exhausting than cutting pigweed. She was run ragged all day, and by the time the evening rush ended, the sky had already darkened. The manager, a plump and kindly woman, wasn’t too bad.

“You’ve worked hard today. I’ll definitely hire someone to help you tomorrow.”

With two waitresses having jumped ship to another restaurant, the manager had nearly panicked. Despite rushing, she had only managed to hire Song Yugui.

Song Yugui shook her head, looking embarrassed. “No, I should be thanking you, elder sister. If you hadn’t given me this job, I probably would’ve starved to death.”

“Nonsense! A young person with hands and feet like yours—how could you starve?”

Song Yugui scratched her head awkwardly, too ashamed to explain her messy situation.

The manager, Lan Xiang, saw her expression and guessed she truly had difficulties. Raising a delicate hand holding a feathered fan, she waved it lightly. “There’s some meat left in the back kitchen—from yesterday. It’s not spoiled, but we can’t serve it to guests tomorrow. Why don’t you take it home and make do with it?”

Meat?

Song Yugui’s eyes lit up.

“That would be wonderful! Thank you, Manager!”

“What’s there to thank? When I was your age, I struggled just as hard. Seeing you is like looking at my younger self.”

Lan Xiang lowered her gaze, as if reminiscing.

Song Yugui blinked, sensing it was better to say less. She stood quietly like a well-behaved chicken until Lan Xiang waved her fan and smiled gently. “Alright, go get it from the kitchen. I’ve already had it packed for you. And don’t worry—you’re not the only one. Everyone gets some.”

Shi Yue Lou was a prominent restaurant in Lin’an County, known for its high-quality ingredients. Anything less than fresh was never served to guests, so the kitchen staff and waiters usually divided the leftovers among themselves.

Song Yugui thanked her again and happily took the oil-paper-wrapped meat from the kitchen.

Since arriving in this world, she hadn’t eaten meat even once!

Living off wild vegetables for so long, she was starting to feel like one herself.

At noon, when she had started her shift, lunchtime was already over, so she had only managed to grab a quick bite. She’d heard that the restaurant usually served meat in the staff meals—she’d try that tomorrow. For tonight, she’d see what the big villain could cook.

The sky was dimming as she walked back from town on foot. Passing by a vegetable stall, she longed to buy some greens to stir-fry with the meat, but… she had no money.

Damn it all.

When would she ever have spare cash?

I swear, I want to wreck everyone.

Overcome with sorrow, Song Yugui stared a little too long at the vegetables. The stall owner, unable to take it anymore, stood up angrily, biting her lip.

“Song Yugui! Didn’t I warn you already? Stop following me around!”

Startled, Song Yugui blurted out, “Wait, who are you?”

The other girl fumed. “Don’t think playing hard to get will catch my attention! How many times do I have to say it? I don’t like women, and I especially don’t like troublemakers!”

It finally clicked—this was the village chief’s daughter, the one who had spat at her before and then appeared out of nowhere last time, spouting nonsense before running off. The one Shen Xizhi had mentioned.

The original owner had probably harassed her. Though she hadn’t done it, the girl didn’t know that. Damn it, another scapegoat moment.

Arguing wouldn’t solve anything, so Song Yugui lowered her head.

“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention earlier. I won’t come this way again.”

There were plenty of vegetable stalls—she could just buy from someone else.

“Hmph! You’ve said that hundreds of times already!”

Song Yugui: “…”

Give me a break, original owner. Don’t push me to my death.

With nothing else to say, she silently walked away with her meat.

At the small dirt slope of Song Village, Shen Xizhi and a neighbor, carrying a basin of laundry, ran into Song Yugui right outside their home.