8. The Bustling Village

She wasn't a bad person, at least not one prone to twisting the truth; otherwise, Jiang Ruo wouldn't have bothered with her.

"Auntie, who did you hear that from?" Jiang Ruo wasn't angry. She raised her brows slightly, gazing at Auntie Liu with curious, wide eyes.

"It wasn't... I heard Jian..." Auntie Liu almost let it slip, but caught herself at the last second. She shut her mouth and offered an awkward laugh. "Well, I just happened to overhear it. I'm just concerned about you, you know? So, were you really bullied by someone?"

"Auntie, do you honestly think that's possible?" Jiang Ruo didn't care about politeness anymore and rolled her eyes.

"Hahaha, I didn't believe it either, that's why I came to ask you!"

Looking at Jiang Ruo, whose skin was delicate and fair, her eyes bright, and her spirit full of vigor, how could she possibly have been bullied? Auntie Liu’s gaze flickered, and she felt even more awkward.

Jiang Ruo’s lips curled into a smile. "Auntie, why don't you go ask my grandma? She knows everything about my affairs."

Auntie Liu’s awkward smile froze. She looked up at the sky and said, "Oh my, look how time flies! My family is waiting for me to cook. I must be going, I must be going. Ruo-ruo, I'll come visit you another day."

Seeming genuinely hurried, she didn't wait for a reply. Her legs began to move with impressive speed, and she vanished quickly, basket in hand.

Trying to gossip about Liu Erxiu’s precious granddaughter? If she hadn't held back, Liu Erxiu would have cursed her ancestors back eight generations.

"She’s in great shape for her age..." Jiang Ruo marveled. She was forty or fifty years old, yet she had disappeared in a flash.

Grandma’s reputation really was useful!

Sure enough, on the way back, she encountered a few more aunties and young wives with eyes full of gossip. But the moment she mentioned her grandma, they either suddenly remembered chores or had to rush home to fetch water and cook. They all ran faster than rabbits.

Jiang Ruo’s already good mood improved further, and her admiration for her grandma soared. The people in their village were truly simple and honest!

After circling the village, the rumors from yesterday afternoon had collapsed on their own. No girl who had been wronged could be in such high spirits, strolling leisurely through the village.

"Oh, looks like you're just fine, still able to wander about!"

Here we go again, though this one sounded a bit more sour and sarcastic.

It had been quite an eventful morning. Jiang Ruo turned around helplessly to see a fairly pretty face, though the girl’s eyes were rolled so far back they looked like they might pop out.

Seeing such a vivid, expressive face so early in the morning made Jiang Ruo’s brows lift. Her slightly piqued mood instantly brightened.

Feeling a playful urge, she said, "Oh, it's you! Coming over so early—it turns out you're actually quite concerned about me!"

The mocking expression froze; Zhao Xiaoqin almost lost her composure. She exclaimed, "Who—who's worried about you? Don't be so conceited!"

"Oh..." Jiang Ruo had only meant to tease, but seeing the young girl so agitated, as if her secret thoughts had been laid bare, she looked closely and actually sensed a hint of genuine concern. Jiang Ruo smiled knowingly, her expression softening as she watched the girl quietly, like an adult observing a tantrum-throwing child.

This made Zhao Xiaoqin’s already flushed face turn even redder. She stiffened her neck and retorted, "I... I just came to see you make a fool of yourself! I told you before that Da-ni didn't have good intentions. Now you know, don't you?"

She looked at Jiang Ruo triumphantly, as if proud of her own foresight, or perhaps pleased to have prodded a sore spot.

"So you really were concerned about me after all!"

Zhao Xiaoqin’s face burned even brighter. She stomped her foot and shouted, "I am not! Hmph, you big idiot..."

As if she had been stepped on, she turned and ran. Before she disappeared, she didn't forget to cast a glare back. The awkward sight made Jiang Ruo laugh out loud.

"Zhao Xiaoqin, feel free to come find me when you're free!"

Zhao Xiaoqin stumbled, then walked even faster.

In the memories of "Jiang Ruo," her relationship with Zhao Xiaoqin had always been quite good. When did it change?

Ah, it seemed that years ago, when she lost five yuan, Da-ni had hinted that Zhao Xiaoqin might have taken it. Although Jiang Ruo hadn't taken it to heart or truly suspected her at the time, the words somehow reached Zhao Xiaoqin’s ears, and their relationship had never been the same.

After that, if they didn't happen to cross paths, it was fine, but every time they met, it was either sarcasm or insults about her being a fool or blind.

Still, her cousin Da-ni definitely had issues; "she" had been far too naive.

Staring at Zhao Xiaoqin’s retreating back, Jiang Ruo looked around the village. Most of the houses were earth-walled structures. With nearly a hundred households from one end of the village to the other, it was one of the larger villages in the commune. She could imagine life here would be quite lively.

Having previously been consumed by hatred, she found herself strangely looking forward to these mundane, domestic days!

She wandered all the way home. As she reached the gate, she heard her grandma calling for her eldest brother in a booming, energetic voice. The familiarity of that sound made her eyes suddenly grow warm.

"Grandma, I'm back!" Sniffling, she called out to the yard with equal vigor, her eyes crinkling into smiles.

She heard her grandma’s joyful reply.

"My precious baby is back! Good, good. Quickly go wash your hands; we're eating right away."

Seeing his grandma’s swift change in demeanor as she walked out, Da-jun rubbed his nose and winked at his sister with a grin.

"Grandma, what good things did you make? I’m starving!" Jiang Ruo returned her brother’s smile and, as she spoke, seemed to lose all her bones, draping herself over Old Mrs. Liu and acting spoiled.

"Grandma boiled two eggs for you and made some thick millet porridge. Go on, hurry and wash your hands." Old Mrs. Liu enjoyed having her granddaughter cling to her like a child, but fearing the girl was hungry, she urged her along.

"Grandma is the best! When I grow up, I’ll definitely be filial to you and Grandpa..." Even in the future, eggs and millet porridge were considered healthy food, and Jiang Ruo loved them.

Her small face was sweet and soft as she petted her grandma, sweet-talking her effortlessly. It made Old Mrs. Liu beam, and she gave her granddaughter’s bottom a light tap. "Stop acting spoiled and get moving!"

"Grandma..."

This scene played out almost every day in the Jiang household. Everyone was used to it and found it heartwarming.

Breakfast was the usual: cornmeal pancakes with coarse grain porridge, thickened with a little more cornmeal, served with a side of homemade pickled mustard greens drizzled with a drop of sesame oil. A simple breakfast.

Of course, there were exceptions. The younger ones in the family were served millet porridge and one egg, while Jiang Ruo got two.

It was fortunate they kept a few old hens that laid eggs every day; otherwise, the consumption of eggs alone would be quite an expense.

This level of food was good, not just for the countryside, but even by city standards—few families in the city could guarantee an egg every day.