The seedlings were almost fully planted, but the busy farming season wasn’t over yet.
There were still tasks like wheat planting and preparing to grow crops such as sweet potatoes, corn, and sorghum.
Two days before Qingming Festival, in addition to working in the fields, everyone at home also started making paper money.
Although superstition was discouraged, going to the graves of ancestors to sweep and burn paper offerings during Qingming Festival was a tradition that no one could stop.
Every household here made their own paper money by purchasing neat sheets of yellow paper and punching crescent-shaped holes into them using a sharp-tipped tool.
Incense, however, had to be bought.
On Qingming Day, Song Wei, Lin Zhen, and Heidan went to pay respects at the graves of Lin Zhen’s parents.
The three knelt before the graves.
Lin Zhen said, “Dad, Mom, I’ve found someone. We’re engaged now, and I’ll take good care of her. You don’t need to worry.”
Heidan said, “Dad, Mom, I’m doing great now. Since Big Brother came back and Sister Song is here, I’ve been so happy!”
Song Wei hesitated, unsure what to say. Under the brothers’ expectant gazes, she stammered, “Uncle, Auntie, I don’t know what to say to you. But don’t worry, I promise I’ll protect them!”
As for taking care of them, well… she didn’t know how to cook, and Lin Zhen was the one taking care of her. She chuckled sheepishly to herself.
After burning the incense and paper money, Lin Zhen began clearing the weeds that had grown tall around the graves.
Song Wei and Heidan also pitched in to help.
“Let’s bring some stones here another day to build a border around the graves,” Song Wei suggested. “We can level the ground with those river pebbles by the stream and scatter flower seeds. That’d look much better than weeds.”
Without a stone border, the soil on the graves would easily wash away when it rained.
Lin Zhen nodded. “Good idea. Once we’re less busy, I’ll figure it out.”
It was something he had been thinking about as well.
After paying their respects, the three headed down the mountain. But halfway down, they stumbled upon something juicy.
“Looks like Wang Shu and that widow Hu,” Song Wei whispered.
She pressed her index finger to her lips to shush the others. Then, all three—along with the wolf—crept quietly to hide nearby. They crouched low, resembling stealthy spiders, peering out cautiously.
Song Wei peeked her head out while Lin Zhen sighed but let her have her way.
“When are you going to marry me?” Widow Hu’s voice, tinged with sobs, reached them. “I can’t hide this belly much longer.”
Her words carried a hint of weeping complaint.
Wang Shu’s heart ached at the sound. “I’m working on divorcing that old shrew. But if she finds out about us, she might go crazy and report us, and we’ll both be done for.”
Widow Hu sniffled, “What do we do then? If you don’t marry me, I can’t keep this child.”
Wang Shu’s face turned pale. “No way! That’s my son!”
Widow Hu began to sob quietly. “I don’t want to either, but what choice do I have?”
“I’ll figure something out,” Wang Shu reassured her.
Widow Hu’s eyes glinted, and she casually mentioned, “Your wife’s been away from home for so long without coming back. Aren’t you worried she’s been up to something behind your back?”
Wang Shu instinctively snapped, “She wouldn’t dare!”
But he quickly realized the possibility. If Liu Guifen had done something to betray him, he could demand a divorce with moral high ground.
A spark of excitement lit in Wang Shu’s eyes. “I’ve got an idea. Just wait—I’ll make her willingly agree to the divorce.”
Widow Hu cried softly. “Are we being too cruel? I feel so guilty toward her.”
Wang Shu held her hand and said, “Don’t be scared. I never liked her anyway. She was someone my mom chose—big and rough and always acting like a shrew. You’re the one I truly love.”
Song Wei nearly gagged.
What a scumbag! If you didn’t like her, then why have so many kids with her?
She didn’t like Liu Guifen much either, but Wang Shu was even more disgusting. And that Widow Hu, knowingly being the other woman and still pretending to be innocent—revolting!
It was obvious Widow Hu had deliberately planted the idea in Wang Shu’s mind.
So conniving!
As the two got more intimate—kissing, with Wang Shu’s hands slipping under Widow Hu’s clothing—Song Wei strained her neck to keep watching.
But her vision was suddenly blocked by a large hand.
Behind her, a strong male presence pressed close. The calloused hand covered not just her eyes but almost her entire small face.
Song Wei mumbled, “Move your fingers so I can breathe through my nose.”
Lin Zhen leaned in to check. Her face wasn’t even as big as his hand. Obligingly, he moved his fingers to create an opening for her nose.
Song Wei added, “And you’re not allowed to look either.”
“I’ve got my eyes closed,” Lin Zhen replied.
However, they both overlooked one thing: while they weren’t watching, they could still hear everything.
This made the situation all the more awkward.
Song Wei internally screamed, Ahhh! Someone, please chase these shameless people away! This is so embarrassing! My ears feel dirty now!
Lin Zhen stayed silent, but Song Wei could hear his heart pounding rapidly.
Heidan, also restrained from looking, had his ears covered by Song Wei. The atmosphere became stiflingly awkward.
Fortunately, Qingming Festival brought others to the area for tomb sweeping. Hearing voices and footsteps approaching, Wang Shu and Widow Hu quickly stopped what they were doing, adjusted their clothes, and left in a hurry.
After a brief silence, Lin Zhen let go of Song Wei’s face, and she released Heidan’s ears.
Embarrassed, she crouched on the ground, not daring to look back.
Ugh… if only I were alone, I wouldn’t be this flustered. I could’ve calmly listened to everything. But with Lin Zhen here…
“We should get going,” Lin Zhen said, standing up first and pulling Song Wei to her feet.
As they walked, Song Wei finally recovered and asked, “What should we do about this? Pretend we don’t know?”
Lin Zhen replied, “Didn’t you dislike Liu Guifen?”
“I do,” Song Wei admitted, “but I have a feeling Wang Shu’s plan will be even more disgusting.”
Lin Zhen ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.”
“There’s no need,” Song Wei said. “They’re not related to us, so why bother?”
“It’s not meddling,” Lin Zhen insisted.
He found Wang Shu’s actions repugnant, but he wouldn’t help Liu Guifen either. Lin Zhen still harbored grudges against her and the Niu family for what they had done to him and his brother.
He just wanted to add fuel to the fire. Letting Wang Shu unilaterally crush Liu Guifen wasn’t satisfying enough.
Song Wei didn’t dwell on it further. She wasn’t a saint, and she still remembered how Liu Guifen used to target her. It was enough for her to sit back as a spectator.
But within a few days, the Wang household erupted into chaos.
It got so bad that Liu Guifen brought her family to storm Wang Shu’s home.
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