Chapter 6: The Cold-Faced but Warm-Hearted Mother-in-Law

  Another update, usually around 8 pm, because I don't have any drafts, so I'll try my best to update continuously. If there's an extra update, I'll mention it in advance the day before. For double updates, there will be a chapter around 12 pm, you can rest assured and wait for the update, thank you.

  "It's come to this and there's nothing that can be done about it, I'll go out and take a look at how much rent I can collect back. If anything happens, just call Qiao Ge, the doctor said you're very weak and need to rest in bed for a few days before you have the energy to get out of bed."

  How much money can be recovered?

  Shen Han drank the soup fed to her by Mrs. Li while secretly ridiculing her in her heart, knowing that Mrs. Li was always tough on the outside but soft on the inside, and they were all struggling to make ends meet, so if she said a few difficult words, Mrs. Li would definitely just symbolically take some money back first to relieve her urgent needs, and wouldn't force her to pay the rent.

  "Alright, you lie down for a while, I'll be back to cook dinner."

  The bowl of soup finally reached the bottom, Shen Han still wanted to ask some follow-up questions about this accident, but unexpectedly Li took the initiative and stood up with the bowl in hand, moved the stool away with his foot and said these words.

  Just as Li was about to turn and leave, Shen Han couldn't help but call out: "Mother..."

  The weak cry, weakened by physical frailty, made Li stop in her tracks and turn around. In Shen Huan's eyes, which were covered with crow's feet, she saw a thread of hidden worry. After this incident, Shen Huan could no longer consider herself a guest in this home. What was originally thought to be a peaceful day suddenly lost its support, and she was more anxious than anyone else.

  It was almost as if Shen Huan had used up all her strength to nurse, and she could only muster up a bit of energy to move her body forward. Li saw the situation and immediately returned to the bedside, stretched out her hand to gently support Shen Huan, and scolded in a reproachful tone: "I just told you that the doctor ordered you not to get out of bed, what are you struggling for?"

  Upon hearing this, Shen Huan obediently allowed Li to help her sit up and lean against the pillow that Li had considerately placed behind her back. Feeling a surge of emotion, she instinctively grasped Li's aged hands. Given their current difficult situation at home, Shen Huan was deeply moved by Li's kindness in calling for a doctor despite it not being a significant gesture. With a smile, she said, "I just wanted to talk to Mother for a bit; I'm not getting out of bed."

  Mrs. Li's eyes also flashed with surprise at Shen Huan's actions, as the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had never been so close before. Mrs. Li, who was always a bit cold, simply patted Shen Huan's hand lightly and said, "I know you're worried about this silver matter, just leave it to me, don't bother with it."

  "Well, young lady, what's your solution?"

  Li himself was already at a loss, but he still wanted to go alone, Shen Han couldn't help but feel anxious.

  This family's daily expenses are usually supported by those few tenants, and sometimes they even need to rely on Li doing some embroidery to sell and make ends meet. If they can save a few copper coins, that would be great, which is equivalent to twenty taels of silver! Shen Huan doesn't believe that Li can think of a way, even if it's borrowing from someone, others will also see if you are a reliable person or not?

  "A few days ago, didn't that Liu Pangzi say he wanted to buy our land? I was thinking of negotiating a good price..."

  "Didn't mother say that those pieces of land cannot be sold no matter what? All the people from the Liu family who came before were chased away by you, now you're sending yourself to them, isn't it..."

  "I also know, but at this moment, apart from this method, there is no other way. It's better to shut the mouth of the Yuan family first, otherwise things will get out of hand and it won't be good for Qiao Ge in the future."

  It's clear now that Li was unwilling to sell the land previously and is now willing to take the risk of being cheated, all for Zhao Xiqiao, the young scholar who will be taking the imperial examination this year.

  In the past, not selling land was out of fear of losing a source of livelihood. Now, selling land is to avoid making things bigger and affecting Zhao Xiuzhuo's future prospects. After all, having a mother involved in a homicide case is indeed a stain for someone who wants to take an official path in the future.

  "But..."

  "I know that life will be even more difficult in the future. If you don't want to... when your body is a bit better, go back to your parents' side!"

  Shen Huan was suddenly startled by Li's words, thinking back to before she woke up today, Li had always been a standard mother-in-law, not stingy but also not close to her daughter-in-law. After the incident, she could feel Li's concern for her, but what Shen Huan didn't expect was that Li would take the initiative to speak and let her return to her natal home.

  "Mom, I didn't mean it like that..."

  "I've been watching you these days, and although I don't know what's going on that made you suddenly change like a different person, accepting the fact of becoming my wife, but I can see that you're really treating yourself as a member of this family. So I also can't delay you, previously when our family could barely make ends meet, it was fine if we didn't mention it, but now things are different, how can we let you suffer such great hardship and still follow us in poverty?"

  "Mother..."

  After listening to Mrs. Li's words, Shen Han's nose gradually became slightly sour, and she didn't know what to say for a while except for shouting out that one word. After all, she had never thought that her mother-in-law, who usually looked very serious and wouldn't chat with her unless necessary, would actually care about her from the bottom of her heart. This was undoubtedly the first warmth and moving experience Shen Han had since arriving in this strange world.

  "Take a good rest, we'll talk about everything when you're feeling better."

  Li said as she had already covered Shen with a thin quilt, and when she finished speaking, she picked up the empty bowl and was about to go out.

  "Mom, can't you put off talking to Liu Baozi about selling the land for now?"

  "What's wrong?"

  "I just think that when all is said and done, being able to think of a way out in any situation is the last resort!"

  Shen Huan's words didn't cause much fluctuation in Li Shi, even though she had personally witnessed the scene of her taking the pulse through the dead man's abdomen and finding out that the fetus was still alive, and then collaborating with the midwife to perform a cesarean section. At this moment, hearing such words from her mouth, Li Shi actually felt somewhat calm. If it were before, she might have found it strange - what kind of situation and thoughts would lead a widow who had been guarding her chastity to be so devoted to her family?

  So Li simply asked in return: "But what about the Yuan family..."

  "Twenty taels is a life-and-death amount of money for us, but it's nothing to the Yuan family, right? Is she really so ruthless as to force us to pay compensation?"

  "Calm down first, it's none of your business, raising money is just a matter of time, might as well solve it early and save the trouble."

  Shen Han's anger dissipated, and she looked at Li with an extremely serious expression: "Mother, listen to me, don't go find Liu Baozi to discuss selling the land for now. Twenty taels of silver are absolutely not something you can come up with just by selling the land. Can we all think of a solution together?"

  After getting to know Li, Shen Huan no longer had the initial dislike for her. Since she couldn't stay here, she had to rely on her own efforts. A slightly bolder idea gradually emerged in her mind, but all of this was based on the premise that she had the energy to move around.

  Having been here for some time, Shen Han had already learned that these pieces of land were not worth much money to Li's family, but how important they were to this family. So, taking advantage of the hesitation on Li's face, Shen Han continued: "Mother, didn't you say that the price of rice is going up? You can go buy rice and flour with peace of mind, and let me think of a way to raise money, okay?"

  "Do you have a way?"

  "Don't worry about that, I've even... saved the child in Yuan's wife's belly, what can't I do?"

  To temporarily put Li at ease, Shen Han said this big lie with a straight face and finally managed to persuade Li to back down for the time being, only agreeing to wait until she recovered from her illness before thinking of a solution together. In fact, Shen Han also knew that Li actually had no solution at all.

  As Li left the house, the door curtain also changed from stillness to movement and then back to stillness. It wasn't until a faint sound came from the courtyard that Shen Huan snapped out of her trance, and immediately heard Zhao Xi's gentle and clear voice outside the window: "Don't worry, ma'am, I'll be sitting at the door reading, if sister needs anything, I'll know right away, you have a safe trip."

  With another creaking sound, Shen Huan knew that it was the sound of the courtyard gate shaking and also understood that her mother-in-law had gone out. She made an effort to shift her position, letting her entire body weight lean against the headboard, turning her head to look at the half-open window, and her mind was racing with thoughts.

  At first, Shen Huan was stunned by the twenty taels of silver and couldn't think of a way to solve her immediate problem. It was Li Shi who suggested that she return to her parents' home. Previously, Shen Huan had not thought about returning to her parents' home. In this world, the only people she knew were her mother-in-law Li Shi and her younger brother-in-law Zhao Xi Qiao. Her parents' home was a strange and unfamiliar place for her, with a hint of rejection.

  But now she's taken an interest in her natal family, not for any other reason, but because since they run a medical clinic in town, their days should be going well, can't this money matter be settled with them?

  Although it was said that they only thought of them after the event, which is not very kind, at this moment, where can they still care about so much? If you have to choose between face and hunger, Shen Han naturally knows how to adapt to the situation. Now the only thing he can do is hope that his weak body will recover soon, and then find an excuse to go home.

  With a decision made, Shen Huan felt her whole body relax, despite not having the slightest bit of sleepiness. She closed her eyes and let her entire body unwind, replenishing her spirit. It had to be said that this first use of her ability had almost drained her entire spiritual energy, which was why she got up to mess around for a bit, only to feel exhausted.

  She was about to lie down on the soft body when she heard a rustling sound at the door. Shen Huan turned her head towards the room door, but there was no movement. She couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "Is it Little Uncle?"