Chapter 59: Anti-Heat Medicine

Clan Head Jiang didn't live far, and it took half a quarter of an hour to walk there.

The family was preparing to eat, and seeing Jiang Li and Du Ruo coming, they hurriedly added two seats.

The couple happened to be hungry, so they didn't be polite.

After the meal, Clan Head Jiang called the young couple to the courtyard and talked about the business, "I heard that the Li family boy was locked up by the county magistrate?"

Jiang Li nodded, "Yes, sentenced to three years."

Clan Head Jiang snorted coldly, "Only three years, it's cheap for him."

If he had to say it, such a disaster should stay in prison for a lifetime, so as not to come out and harm people.

Du Ruo burst into laughter, "Grandpa Clan Head, it's only three years, and Aunt Zhu hates me to death. If it were a lifetime, she would have eaten me."

"She dares!" The old man was full of domineering, his cane almost poking a hole in the ground, "Does she really think my Jiang family has no one? Being biased herself, raising her son not like a thing, and now that he has committed a crime, she blames others, without thinking about what wicked things her son has done."

Saying this, he comforted Du Ruo, "You don't have to be afraid of her. If she dares to come and find trouble with you, you come and tell me, I'll find trouble with the Li family clan head!"

He, Jiang Baolin, had no other advantages, just being protective.

Du Ruo felt warm in her heart and said repeatedly, "Anyway, my husband and I will hold your thigh tightly in the future."

Jiang Li lowered his head and held back his laughter.

His wife is really smart, knowing how to climb up the pole, not only coaxing the old man to be happy but also finding a justified umbrella for her family.

That umbrella opened again and asked: "The courtyard is gone, do you have any plans?"

Jiang Li said: "There must be plans, but it depends on Grandpa Clan Head's meaning. I don't know if you are willing or not."

Oh? Clan Head Jiang looked at Jiang Li inquiringly.

Jiang Li's gaze crossed the courtyard wall and looked outside.

Following his gaze, Clan Head Jiang was stunned for a moment, and then instantly understood.

"You kid, you're quite refined." He pointed at Jiang Li and scolded with a smile, "So you've had your eye on my old house for a long time."

In fact, he called Jiang Li over, and it was exactly this meaning. There were several idle houses in the village, but this was the only one that could be lived in.

Clan Head Jiang stood up, led the young couple to the old house next door.

While walking, he said: "Although this house is a bit old, it can still be cleaned up, at least it's much stronger than your previous broken courtyard."

The old Jiang family had a prosperous population. Clan Head Jiang had three sons and six grandsons, plus several great-grandsons and great-granddaughters, and a bunch of daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law, totaling dozens of people.

The brothers and sisters-in-law also got along quite harmoniously, so they hadn't separated the family.

Later, they couldn't live in it anymore, so they built a big house, and the old house was left empty, usually putting some firewood and sundries.

Now it's just right to lend it to Jiang Li and the others.

Du Ruo walked around the front and back of this house.

The place was quite large. In addition to the main house, there were side rooms, and the kitchen and vegetable plot were all included.

The few osmanthus trees planted in the courtyard were her favorite.

Seeing Du Ruo's eyes shining, Jiang Li's mouth curved, "Then I'll trouble Grandpa Clan Head to rent this house to us."

Clan Head Jiang waved his hand, "What rent or not, if you want it, just live in it with peace of mind. You can live for a year or a half, anyway, we are not in a hurry to use it."

"That won't do."

Du Ruo smiled, "Living in such a good house for nothing, but not paying a cent, my husband and I don't have such thick faces. This rent, some must be paid, so as not to be discussed by the clan behind our backs, saying that you, the clan head, are biased, don't you think?"

Especially the people on the eldest branch's side, I don't know how they will add oil and vinegar.

She didn't care, but she couldn't let the old man be criticized by others.

Clan Head Jiang couldn't beat Du Ruo, so he had to agree. Finally, it was decided that a few copper coins would be paid every month.

Calculated this way, of course, Du Ruo's side

After reaching an agreement, the Jiang Clan Head called all his daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law over to help clean the house.

Du Ruo and Jiang Li, the two people directly involved, were instead pushed out the door by Yao Yulan, who told them to hurry and buy bedsheets, quilts, pots, bowls, and ladles before dark.

Otherwise, were they supposed to sleep on the floor at night?

The two drove a carriage to Xiushan Zhen. After shopping around, they spent over three taels of silver and filled the carriage to the brim.

Except for a bed, all other urgently needed items were more or less gathered.

The women busied themselves again, making beds, folding quilts, washing bowls, and scrubbing pots. By nightfall, they had finally organized everything.

The house finally looked like a home.

After seeing them out, Du Ruo checked each room and couldn't help but beam with joy.

This is great! With so many rooms, there's no need to worry about not having enough space in the future!

Jiang Li lit an oil lamp. The light shone on his handsome face, gentle and serene, so beautiful he didn't seem like a real person.

Du Ruo was a bit dazed.

Perhaps living a plain and peaceful life like this for a lifetime wouldn't be so bad...

"Wife?"

Du Ruo came back to her senses. "Ah? Husband, what did you say just now?"

Jiang Li walked over and looked at her expression. "Wife, are you tired? Would you like to rest early?"

Rest early? Du Ruo would like to, but they hadn't eaten dinner yet.

Besides, she couldn't sleep without taking a bath.

Jiang Youyi had been waiting impatiently for a long time, but she still suppressed her young lady temper, "Brother Xiao, can we go pray for blessings now?"

Xiao Liangchen was silent for a moment, then bowed deeply to her.

"Miss Jiang, I appreciate your deep affection, but our families are not well-matched in status, so it really isn't appropriate. Let's just forget about the marriage proposal."

Jiang Youyi froze, "Why?"

Although Xiao Liangchen's attitude hadn't been very enthusiastic before, he had never shut the door completely. If it were because of their mismatched status, he should have refused from the beginning, not waited until now to say it.

So that wasn't the reason at all, was it?

Liu Shi was also stunned by this sudden change and hurriedly glared at her son, "You child, what are you saying? How could Miss Jiang mind our family's status? She..."

"Enough, Mother!" Xiao Liangchen interrupted Madam Liu, his expression firmer than it had ever been, "I have already decided."

He apologized to Jiang Youyi and left without looking back.

"Chen'er! Chen'er!"

Liu Shi called out a few times, but seeing her son had no intention of stopping, she had to force a smile at Jiang Youyi, "Miss Jiang, don't worry. Marriage has always been a matter of parents' orders and matchmakers' words. His father and I have both agreed to this, so he has to agree whether he wants to or not! Don't be anxious, just wait at home for my good news."

After saying this, Liu Shi chased after him in a panic.

Leaving the mistress and her maid standing there, unable to recover for a long time.

"Miss, he, he just left like that?" The maid pointed in the direction where the two had disappeared, stomping her feet in anger.

Jiang Youyi's face was extremely gloomy. Where exactly did things go wrong? Everything was fine when they arrived, so why did he suddenly say he wouldn't marry?

What happened in between? Could it be...

That's it, it must be!

That little bitch Du Ruo, she must have said something to Xiao Liangchen just now, making him mistakenly believe that she was a vicious woman, which was why he was in such a hurry to get rid of her.

Bitch, she can't stand others doing well just because she married poorly!

Trying to take revenge on her, right? Fine, let's see whose revenge is more powerful!

A cruel smile curled the corners of Jiang Youyi's mouth, "Let's go. It's been a while since I've been to the Du residence. Let's go see Sister Mingzhu today."

Du Mingzhu had always been a useful knife. ===== CHAPTER 50 =====

Jiang Li sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her in confusion. "If I don't come in, how am I supposed to sleep?"

Du Ruo stammered, "But didn't you always sleep on the..."

Outside before...

"Are you tired silly?" Jiang Li ruffled the top of her hair and laughed. "Before, it was because the bed was small, and I was afraid of crowding you, so I made a floor bed outside. Now that we have such a big bed, do you still have the heart to let me go out and feed the mosquitoes?"

Jiang Li said so much, but all Du Ruo could hear was the word "bed" filling her mind.

She felt very guilty at the moment and couldn't bear to hear that word.

Seeing his wife blushing and not speaking, Jiang Li raised his sword-like brows and suddenly placed his hand on her forehead.

"Wife, why is your face so hot? You aren't running a fever, are you?"

"No!" Du Ruo hurriedly denied. "I'm not horny!"

As the words left her mouth, she nearly bit her tongue and hurriedly tried to save face. "I mean, I don't have a fever."

To prove that it was just a slip of the tongue, she deliberately emphasized the word "fever."

Jiang Li looked at her with a strange expression, feeling that his wife was acting a bit odd tonight and kept avoiding his gaze.

He thought for a moment and suddenly understood.

His wife must be shy. After all, since they married, this was the first time they were sharing a bed.

Jiang Li suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable himself. He cleared his throat and said, "It's getting late. Shall we go to sleep?"

Du Ruo said "oh," and obediently lay on the inside of the bed, with her back to him.

Beauty is right in front of her, but she can't eat it.

Sigh, there's still more than half a year until she turns eighteen...

While she was tangled in her thoughts, Jiang Li was also tossing and turning.

Judging by his wife's attitude, she didn't seem to want to consummate the marriage yet. He didn't know if she was shy, afraid, or just too tired.

He could endure it, but they were husband and wife; this was something they would have to do sooner or later.

If he didn't take the initiative, would his wife think he was disgusted by her?

Thinking of this, Jiang Li slowly leaned over and tried to wrap his arm around Du Ruo's sturdy shoulders.

Du Ruo's body suddenly stiffened.

No way, Jiang Li really isn't picky? She's so ugly, and he can actually bring himself to do it?

Seeing that Du Ruo didn't resist, Jiang Li gritted his teeth and leaned in directly.

This time, Du Ruo resisted.

Her two little chubby hands pressed against Jiang Li's chest, and her squinty eyes had never been opened so wide. "Jiang Li, are you blind?"

Jiang Li: "..."

Du Ruo pushed him away with force, then sat up and said huffily, "Don't think I don't know. You're only doing this now to fulfill your duties as a husband. It's not because you like me that you want to be intimate, right?"

Jiang Li: "I..."

Du Ruo covered his mouth directly. "Alright, you don't need to explain. I know I'm ugly, and it's normal for you not to like me. You don't have to force yourself."

Jiang Li pulled her hand down. "I don't think you're ugly."

"A man's mouth is a lying ghost." Du Ruo snorted coldly, her face full of disbelief. "Do you dare swear to the heavens? Say you have never once been disgusted by my ugliness?"

At this, Jiang Li fell silent.

He had indeed been disgusted. When he first saw Du Ruo, he had been somewhat resistant in his heart.

But slowly, he discovered many of Du Ruo's good qualities. She was sometimes smart and sometimes silly, sometimes kind and sometimes very ruthless. She had many sides that attracted him to get closer and explore.

He didn't know when it started, but Du Ruo's appearance had already changed in his eyes. Others said she was ugly, but he felt that the more he looked at her, the more pleasing she became...

"Don't dare to swear, right?"

Du Ruo became even more righteous. "Alright, I don't blame you. Who told me to be ugly? So let's wait a bit longer for the consummation. When you truly like me, or after I become beautiful... how about we wait half a year? You don't have any objections, do you?"

Even if he had objections, it wouldn't matter; she had to wait until she was eighteen anyway.

Jiang Li stared into her eyes for a long while and smiled. "Fine, I'll listen to my wife."

He paused and added, "But sleeping in separate rooms won't do. If someone finds out and it spreads, others might gossip about you."

They would say Du Ruo was incompetent, which is why she was being neglected by him.

Du Ruo certainly wouldn't object to this. Just covering themselves with a quilt and chatting, what could it matter?

Besides, Jiang Li spent most of his time at the Ya Men and wouldn't be home many days anyway.

The two went to sleep back-to-back.

However, the next morning, Du Ruo woke up in Jiang Li's arms.

She was stunned, suspecting that she had been the one to make the first move. After all, she was still very covetous of Jiang Li's beauty; perhaps she had snuggled into his arms while half-asleep in the middle of the night.

While Jiang Li was still asleep, Du Ruo hurriedly climbed out of bed.

After washing up, Jiang Li came out too.

Du Ruo pretended to be nonchalant. "Husband, are we going to Xinglin Village today to bring back the third brother and Wan'er?"

Jiang Li hummed. "I should have gone to see my mother-in-law long ago."

And take the opportunity to bring the gifts for the three-day return visit.

After eating breakfast, the two drove to town, bought a few pounds of meat, twenty eggs, a few feet of cloth, and two taels of salt, then headed straight for Xinglin Village.

Several children were playing with mud by the side of the road with their bottoms in the air. When they saw the carriage coming, they all chased after it.

Among them was Zheng Qingbai's son, Shitou. Shitou saw Du Ruo through a gap in the cloth curtain and immediately took off running toward his own courtyard, shouting as he ran: "Cousin is back! Cousin is back!"

The courtyard was instantly in an uproar.

Du Ruo broke into a sweat. She was just coming back; this display made it look like the invaders had entered the village.

Soon, several people ran out of the house. The woman in the lead was in her thirties or forties, with a haggard face and a thin appearance; it was Du Ruo's mother, Zheng Shi.

"A'Man, are you alright?"

Zheng Shi hugged her daughter and looked her up and down, wanting to cry again. "Did Du Mingzhu hurt you? Are you injured?"

Du Ruo shook her head. "No, I'm fine, Mother. I'm not hurt anywhere."

After comforting Zheng Shi, she suddenly remembered something and hurriedly pulled the man behind her over.

"Mother, this is Jiang Li."

Jiang Li stepped forward and performed a deep bow. "Greetings, Mother-in-law."

"Good, good..." Madam Zheng's eyes were almost fixed on Jiang Li, looking him up and down from head to toe, liking him more the more she looked. "I said it before, Jiang Mo Nian's son wouldn't be wrong. Look, my son-in-law is so handsome, not a bit worse than that Xiao Liangchen!"