The Useless Alpha’s Yandere Wife - Chapter 27

Did I make her cry?

After some effort, Jiang Yan managed to get Tan Qianyue to swallow the medicine. Turning around, she discovered the Eldest Miss was shedding tears of bitterness.

“…Uh, taking medicine will help you recover faster!” Jiang Yan reached out to pat her head.

Tan Qianyue glared at Jiang Yan with her watery eyes, not truly disliking her, but feeling miserable from being sick, the bitter medicine, and the exhaustion of their relentless journey.

She knew she was fortunate to have Jiang Yan by her side; otherwise, some heartless villain might have dragged her away by now.

But the sudden upheaval had finally broken her composure. “Golden beans” rolled down her cheeks, making her look utterly pitiful.

Jiang Yan felt overwhelmed, thinking she had made the girl cry with a kiss. Panic began to set in.

“What do you want? Tell me, and maybe I can conjure it up for you like magic!” Jiang Yan leaned closer, coaxing her like a child.

Tan Qianyue wiped away her tears. She had just needed to vent her emotions, but Jiang Yan was going too far. Does she think I’m a child who’d believe that?

Tan Qianyue remained silent, shaking her head. Her fragile appearance stirred a hint of tenderness in Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan reached into her robes and pulled out a small apple, offering it to Tan Qianyue.

“Where did you get this?” Tan Qianyue asked softly.

“I picked it outside,” Jiang Yan replied, her voice steady and her cheeks unflushed. “It was the only one left on the tree.”

As a pampered young lady, Tan Qianyue had no idea what wild apples looked like. Finding fruit in the mountains was hardly unusual. Apples, pears, hawthorns, jujubes—these were all plausible finds in the wilderness. Even wild chickens and rabbits were common.

“Then you eat first!” Tan Qianyue’s condition had improved significantly; the bitter medicinal powder had clearly worked.

“I already ate while you were sleeping. You eat it yourself!”

“Then take a bite first, and I’ll eat it after!” Tan Qianyue stubbornly pressed the apple to Jiang Yan’s lips. Jiang Yan took her hand and bit into the fruit.

Even this haughty little kitten knows to think of me, Jiang Yan thought with satisfaction. She’s worth keeping around.

Outside, darkness had fallen. The heavy rain gradually softened to a drizzle, but it continued to fall without pause.

Ying Hong found a rock and curled up to sleep on it.

Tan Qianyue’s “stone bed” was concave in the middle, resembling an open clamshell.

By the dim firelight, Jiang Yan prepared to do some sewing. After this heavy rain, the temperature was expected to drop sharply, so she needed to put on her padded jacket.

She decided to organize the layers of clothing she was wearing.

She stored the gauze skirt directly into her “Storage.” She shortened the gray robe by cutting off the hem, but it still looked ill-fitting and uncomfortable.

Planning to browse the livestream for supplies, she quickly extinguished the fire.

In the darkness, Jiang Yan opened the large screen. Her previous 400 gold coins had increased slightly to 450.

She decided to use 50 of these coins to purchase winter clothing.

After carefully examining the nine “Storage” doors, she chose a plain wooden one with a rustic, 1970s-80s aesthetic, feeling it was closest to what she needed.

She threw all 50 gold coins into the random selection process and waited quietly for the blind box to open.

The contents of this door were truly simple and unadorned.

Two pheasants × 10 gold coins, 200 pounds of corn kernels × 5 gold coins, 20 eggs × 10 gold coins, and 10 heads of Chinese cabbage × 5 gold coins.

Jiang Yan liked these items, but her winter warmth problem remained unsolved, and she had only 15 gold coins left.

Soon, four pairs of wool socks appeared × 4. What are these? Jiang Yan had never seen them before.

Shaped like small boats, they seemed designed to slip over the feet. If they were lined with wool, they would serve as a perfect substitute for cotton shoes, while being less conspicuous.

Hmm, these 4 gold coins were well spent.

One cotton-padded vest × 5 gold coins, one wool vest × 6 gold coins.

Finally, a piece of winter gear appeared. Jiang Yan contentedly stored all the items in her storage.

She didn’t throw away the cut-off portion of her long robe either. After stuffing it with a pound of cotton, she hastily stitched it into a small vest for the unfortunate child huddled in the corner.

It was crude, but practical.

In the pitch-black cave, illuminated only by the screen’s glow, Jiang Yan moved quickly and quietly, fearing discovery. The wool socks, vest, and padded vest could all be explained as items she had brought in her luggage, as they took up little space when rolled up.

The cotton vest could be said to have been altered at night. Jiang Yan had indeed been doing needlework before they went to sleep.

Tan Qianyue waited for a while, but when she realized Jiang Yan still had many tasks to complete, her eyelids gradually grew heavy. Ying Hong, exhausted from the day’s labor, had already gone to sleep early. Though the large rock was hard and cold, it was still far better than the muddy pit outside.

Jiang Yan estimated the time to be around 9:10 PM. After tidying up, she should go to sleep as well.

It was then she remembered that the Eldest Miss hadn’t changed her clothes yet.

“Time to get up and change?” she whispered tentatively.

When Tan Qianyue merely rolled over without acknowledging her, Jiang Yan unbuttoned the cotton-padded jacket and slipped the white camisole with blue orchid patterns over her. In the blue glow of the screen, Tan Qianyue’s pearl-like, delicate skin radiated a cold, pale luminescence, strikingly beautiful.

Jiang Yan suddenly recalled that the Eldest Miss had made her eat vegetarian for two months, with the duration now extended indefinitely…!

The “Old Woman’s camisole” somehow exuded a seductive allure on Tan Qianyue, its perfect waistline practically begging to be touched.

Jiang Yan shook her head. Forget it, forget it. Vegetarian it is, then. I’m not an animal.

She quickly slipped the wool vest onto Tan Qianyue, added a shortened gray robe, and finally the prison uniform.

The underpants had dried, but when paired with the outer trousers, the lower half felt a bit thin compared to the upper body. Still, it should last another half-month.

For herself, one padded jacket would suffice. If the weather suddenly turned cold tomorrow, she could simply wear it under the loose prison uniform. It might look a bit pathetic, but in their current situation, it was the best option.

With everything taken care of, she could finally go to sleep. The rain continued to patter outside, and the cold wind whistling through the cave entrance made a whooshing sound.

Whether the others had found shelter was none of her concern, nor could she do anything about it. Her sole focus was getting Tan Qianyue safely to the Northlands.

Noticing Ying Hong huddled in a ball, she tossed the modified cotton vest over to her. Even just covering her stomach was better than nothing.

She lay down opposite Tan Qianyue, shielding her from the cold wind blowing in from the cave entrance. The mountain winds were fierce, especially in a cave halfway up the slope.

Tan Qianyue seemed to sense her presence and snuggled closer into her arms.

Jiang Yan’s fingers brushed against the small hook on the knife, and in the darkness, she unlocked her own iron handcuffs before pulling Tan Qianyue into her arms.

It’s cold. What’s wrong with a hug…?

Before finally settling down to sleep, Jiang Yan checked Tan Qianyue’s forehead. Thankfully, her temperature was normal.

Tan Qianyue remained drowsy for most of the day, and that night, she began to dream again, her mind lost in a hazy fog.

“Don’t bite… don’t bite!” she murmured, her voice barely audible as she pushed against Jiang Yan, her dreams unknown.

One of her hands struck Jiang Yan’s face, causing her to frown and open her eyes. She heard Tan Qianyue muttering something unintelligible.

Leaning closer, Jiang Yan could hear Tan Qianyue’s ragged breathing.

Jiang Yan glanced warily behind her. The outside remained pitch-black, revealing nothing.

“You… get away!” Tan Qianyue whispered urgently, her voice both delicate and frantic.

Jiang Yan quickly covered Tan Qianyue’s mouth. How could she possibly be accusing her after all this? Besides, with so many people around, it would be disastrous if the others misunderstood.

She turned Tan Qianyue over so her back faced her, and, fearing she might cry out, Jiang Yan pressed her hand over that “nonsense-talking” little mouth.

The unique scent of mountain flora mingled with the damp, chilly air, making each breath feel cool.

Remembering that striking, slender waist, Jiang Yan’s hand rested restlessly there, her long fingers dancing as they slipped beneath the fabric.

Though the Eldest Miss’s fever had subsided, her skin still retained a lingering warmth.

“I’m just warming my hands,” Jiang Yan murmured, her palm caressing Tan Qianyue’s waist. “Who told you to wrongly accuse me earlier?”

Tan Qianyue stirred sensitively, her voice barely audible.

Emboldened, Jiang Yan’s hand ventured upward, her eyes closing as she focused all her senses on her fingertips.

After a moment, unsatisfied with mere touching, she kneaded firmly twice…

So what if I’m a beast? Jiang Yan thought, her guilty conscience trying to justify her actions.

Tan Qianyue had woken up while Jiang Yan was still fussing over her, but her body felt weak and her mind remained hazy.

When she realized what Jiang Yan was doing, her limbs grew even heavier. Helpless, she could only rest her head on Jiang Yan’s arm and bite down on the hand that had reached across her waist.

Seeing that she had roused Tan Qianyue, Jiang Yan pretended nothing had happened. She quietly straightened the hem of her clothes and returned her hand to her waist.

Tan Qianyue, caught in this awkward position, regretted not biting harder. She should have sunk her teeth in deep to vent her anger.

Who was that? Stirring up trouble and then running away…?!

Though… she hadn’t intended to do anything, it was still infuriating.

The next day, as dawn broke, the group in the cave awoke. The rain had finally stopped, leaving behind a muddy mess.

“What’s this?” Ying Hong excitedly picked up the cotton vest lying beside her.

“That’s extra fabric cut from your Miss’s long robe,” Jiang Yan explained. “I took some of the cotton padding and made a small vest for you.”

“Thank you, Miss! Thank you, Miss!” Ying Hong was deeply moved, knowing that without warm clothing, her life could be in danger.

“Hurry, put it on!” Tan Qianyue urged. With her and Jiang Yan already having padded coats, all three of them would now be protected from the cold.

“What did you put on me?” Tan Qianyue asked, noticing the unfamiliar weight on her shoulders.

“Winter clothes that came with the padded coats. After that heavy rain, the weather outside must have changed. We should all put them on!” Jiang Yan replied. Since they had set out, Jiang Yan had been carrying the bundle, so Tan Qianyue had no idea what was inside.

Seeing the wool socks and the small vest she was wearing, which took up little space, she didn’t find anything amiss.

The only thing that puzzled her was the material of the vest. It felt slightly fuzzy and radiated warmth from the inside out—a fabric she had never seen before.

When she asked Jiang Yan, she was surprised to learn it was wool. Still, it was remarkably warm.

At the other end of the stone cave:

“You’re just leaving the child with someone else? Can we really trust them?” Concubine Sun asked anxiously.

“What choice do we have? It’s better than keeping her with us. I can’t imagine the Imperial Commissioner would abandon a three- or four-year-old child,” Su He replied, her voice tinged with resignation. They were struggling to survive themselves, and entrusting the child to Lord Miao was a risky gamble.

“Sigh, since she agreed, she’ll probably take care of her!” Concubine Sun sighed.

Su Jing glanced at his concubine, then at his younger sister, but remained silent.

Jiang Yan began packing, washing and wrapping the small pot they had used the previous day. She put on her cotton-padded coat, leaving the bundle nearly empty. They needed to fill it with something to disguise its emptiness—not too much to draw attention, but enough to plausibly explain their food supply.

“Won’t you get too hot?” Tan Qianyue suggested wearing the padded coat under her loose prison robes.

“Don’t let the late September weather fool you. This is a vast plain with no shelter from the wind and rain, and after the heavy downpour, you’ll catch a chill easily. You’re not strong, so put this on!” Since her exile, Jiang Yan had noticed she’d become much more talkative. She suspected she was aging prematurely; worrying about others tends to do that.

Sure enough, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Soon, the sounds of guards stirred outside, signaling it was time to depart.

The muddy, slippery road made travel exceptionally difficult.

“Are you here?” Two figures entered the cave: Lord Miao and the popular female soldier.

“Lord, is something wrong?” Su He asked, fearing something had happened to her Little Sister.

“Ahem… The Mess Cooks can’t find dry firewood, so we can’t cook for everyone today. Yesterday’s heavy rain caused flash floods that have flooded the roads; the mud is ankle-deep in places. We’ll likely have to wait until tomorrow to resume our journey!” Lord Miao explained the situation, and they agreed to postpone their departure until the roads were passable.

“Hmm, thank you for the warning, Lord. I’m deeply grateful,” Su He replied, though her tone lacked warmth, as if she were reluctant to acknowledge Lord Miao’s kindness despite having asked him to look after her sister.

“I’ve brought you some food!” Miao Fengqing said, clearly embarrassed by her intrusion.

Miss Su’s attitude toward her was markedly different from before, leaving Miao Fengqing somewhat uneasy. She surmised it must be due to the sudden and drastic changes in their circumstances.

“Thank you, Lord. Why haven’t you seen Afei?” Su He asked, her voice tinged with concern.

“She’s in the rear carriage. She’s already eaten. Rest assured, Miss Su,” Miao Fengqing replied truthfully.

“We’re truly causing you so much trouble, Lord!” Su He offered a slight bow.

“It’s nothing. There’s no need to be so formal with me, Miss Su,” Miao Fengqing said, her expression remaining cold and unreadable.

Jiang Yan hadn’t expected Miss Su to know the Imperial Commissioner. She kept a close watch on the movements in the neighboring carriage.

After leaving a bag of peach pastries, Miao Fengqing approached Tan Qianyue, instantly putting Jiang Yan on high alert. Her gaze sharpened as she watched Miao Fengqing approach them.

“You must be the young lady of Tan Manor?” Miao Fengqing confirmed, maintaining a distance of two or three meters.

“Indeed, I am. May I ask what you require, Lord?” Tan Qianyue replied, equally puzzled by the Imperial Commissioner’s interest in her.

“My younger sister mentioned that Miss Tan is her friend and asked me to look after you on this journey. Please accept these pastries for now. We’ll discuss future arrangements later,” Miao Fengqing said, leaving a bag of peach pastries beside Tan Qianyue as well.

Of the five carriages carrying the exiles, three had been brought by Tan Qianyue herself, ensuring they were well-prepared.

Tan Qianyue suddenly recalled that the woman Lu Yin had brought along was actually the Imperial Commissioner’s sister. While calling her a “friend” was a bit of a stretch, revealing the truth in this situation would be foolish.

“Please thank your sister for remembering my daughter,” Tan Qianyue said with a slight bow, offering polite words that held no genuine intention of a future visit. “If the opportunity arises, we will certainly call upon her to express our gratitude.”

“Miss Tan, you needn’t be so formal,” Lord Miao replied. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.” With that, he turned and departed.

Su He watched Miao Fengqing interact with the woman nearby. Though she didn’t look up, her heart stirred with unease.

“Do you know her sister? Which family does she belong to?” Jiang Yan asked, his curiosity piqued.

“I don’t know her personally,” Tan Qianyue whispered, glancing sideways. “Lu Yin does.”

“Oh!” Jiang Yan relaxed slightly.

“Then it seems we can rest again today!” Jiang Yan set down his bundle.

“Yes!” Tan Qianyue nodded, relieved at the prospect of not having to travel further.

“Put this away,” Tan Qianyue said, handing Jiang Yan the peach cakes Miao Fengqing had given her.

Jiang Yan carefully opened his bundle and placed the cakes inside. He then added ten steamed buns, half a kilogram of beef, over twenty candies, and a kilogram of rice, instantly bulking up the bundle again.

She tucked the bundle beneath the tree branches, waiting for the steamed buns to cool before anyone else discovered them.

“I’ll go scout around for anything edible. Ying Hong will stay here and rest with you,” Jiang Yan said, preparing to leave.

“Miss, may I accompany you?” the Su Family’s Male Kunze immediately stood up.

Jiang Yan considered for a moment and agreed. Self-sufficiency was preferable; otherwise, they’d have to share with the Su Family tonight, and eating alone would be awkward—assuming they could find anything to eat, of course.

Jiang Yan had already reattached her iron manacles. They would need to adapt to circumstances along the way. If they truly reached a dead end, she’d simply disappear and live off the grid.

The day remained overcast, but at least it wasn’t raining.

A biting wind pierced through her thin lower layers, but thankfully, her padded jacket offered warmth and protection. The heat from the new cotton padding was undeniable.

In late autumn, surely the wilderness would offer some natural bounty?

Jiang Yan and Su Jing descended from the mountainside to find the other soldiers clustered in small groups. Some, already disregarding discipline, were eyeing the prisoners’ bundles.

Jiang Yan frowned inwardly, steering clear of the crowds as she headed toward a green ravine. She even smeared some damp mud on her face as she walked.

Su Jing followed behind, mimicking her every move.

The Eldest Young Master, who usually only studied music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, had surprisingly become practical. Knowing his limitations, he was even learning from Jiang Yan.

The heavy rain last night had left some prisoners without shelter, and several weakened individuals collapsed today.

Watching others die before her eyes, knowing she had medicine but being forced to stand by helplessly, was a severe test for Jiang Yan. If she tried to help, her limited supply wouldn’t be enough and might attract unwanted attention. If she didn’t, her conscience would be deeply troubled.

Gritting her teeth, she turned away from the wailing crowd. She couldn’t save them all!

Some were searching the mountains for dry firewood, but finding any in this damp environment was impossible. Even the fruit trees had already been stripped bare.

Jiang Yan quietly circled the base of the mountain, Su Jing following silently without asking questions.

The slopes here were gentle, the forest sparse, the soil fertile, and rainfall abundant. Finding root vegetables shouldn’t be too difficult.

After walking halfway around, Jiang Yan’s eyes suddenly lit up. A vast patch of green plants, each leaf about the size of a thumb with slightly yellowed edges, stood no higher than her calf.

Jiang Yan recognized the plant vaguely but couldn’t quite place it.

She stepped forward through the muddy ground, relieved she hadn’t worn her wool socks; one wrong step would have ruined them.

With nimble hands, she effortlessly tugged the small green plant free from the earth.

Clumps of peanuts, still covered in soil, hung from the roots. So it’s peanuts!

Jiang Yan’s face lit up with delight. She called out to Su Jing to hurry over and help harvest the peanuts.

Nearing October, the wild peanuts in this area were fully ripe. Each one was about the size of a thumb, plump and well-formed, with a slightly yellowish skin that hinted at their weight.

After glancing around to ensure no one else was nearby, Jiang Yan quickly began uprooting the peanuts, concealing most of her harvest as she worked. By the time she had gathered what looked like an equal share with Su Jing, she had already hidden two-thirds of her haul.

Meanwhile, Tan Qianyue and the others dared not leave their cave. Gradually, a commotion arose outside—official guards were checking the prisoner count and herding everyone to the open ground at the foot of the mountain.

Tan Qianyue cautiously peeked out of the cave entrance, only to be immediately spotted by Xiao Concubine below.

“Qianyue! So you were hiding here? You had us worried sick!” Xiao Concubine’s voice, as harsh as a cracked gong, made Tan Qianyue flinch.

The commotion also drew the attention of everyone nearby.