Farm Tough Girl

Chapter 139 - 139 140 Sisters Tear Each Other Apart_1

?Chapter 139: Chapter 140 Sisters Tear Each Other Apart_1 Chapter 139: Chapter 140 Sisters Tear Each Other Apart_1 Xia Bing had just arrived, holding the chicken soup her mother had made for Qiao Lianhua. Although she was extremely unwilling at heart, she still put on an eager smile, “Lianhua, are you feeling any better today?”

Little did she know that before her words could even settle, a bowl shattered at her feet. Xia Bing, startled, almost dropped the chicken soup and couldn’t help but get annoyed, “What’s the matter with you? Why take your anger out on me?”

Qiao Lianhua gritted her teeth, “Not take it out on you? Do you really think I’m deaf and didn’t hear what people are saying outside?”

Xia Bing was taken aback. Qiao Lianhua got up from the bed and slapped her across the face, “How capable you are, now everyone in the village says you have the good fortune of a great marriage prospect, and I deserve to be cast aside, saying that Tofu Zhang wanted to break off the engagement with me because he was smitten with you. Without me, you wouldn’t have even had a hint of this marriage prospect. Do you think Tofu Zhang would fancy you? Not even if you looked in the mirror to see how ugly you are!”

Xia Bing, having been slapped, was so angry she wanted to retaliate, but upon hearing Qiao Lianhua’s words about Tofu Zhang’s marriage, she forcefully held back. The engagement had just been set and as long as they weren’t married yet, a breakup was possible. She was smart enough to understand that all Qiao Lianhua had to do was complain to her aunt, and the aunt who had helped with the matchmaking could easily go to Tofu Zhang and spread some bad words about her, possibly blowing up the whole marriage.

How could she let such a good marriage prospect go to waste?

Xia Bing forcefully suppressed her anger, and with a forced smile, “How could that be? Without you, Lianhua, how could I possibly get such a good marriage prospect? It’s just some village girls gossiping without knowing the truth. Why should you care about it?”

Qiao Lianhua sneered, “Gossip spread by others? Then who started spreading these stories? Is it not you blabbing nonsense everywhere?”

No wonder Qiao Lianhua was suspicious; all the negative comments were about her, and the positives were all about Xia Bing. Who else, if not Xia Bing herself boasting outside, would go to such lengths to praise someone so highly?

Xia Bing quickly said, “Lianhua, do you see me as that kind of person? I treat you as a real sister, why would I say such things?”

Only then did Qiao Lianhua’s anger subside a bit, but she was still uneasy, and even more repulsed by Xia Bing internally. The fact was, Xia Bing, who was inferior to her in every way, why should she overshadow her?

“Xia Bing, you’d better recognize your own weight. Your family’s broken bricks and shambles wouldn’t have such a good marriage if it weren’t for my help. My uncle is Mr. Scholar, and our Qiao family is now the leading clan in the village, even the Village Head has to show us respect. Next year, if my uncle passes the Autumn Examination and becomes a Scholar, secures an official position, I’ll be a true Lady, and what are you? A simple country girl from a remote area, you think you can compare to me? Don’t assume just because I’ve given you some face that you can run a dye workshop; you really think too highly of yourself!”

Qiao Lianhua’s tone was full of contempt. In her eyes, Xia Bing didn’t even compare to her own fingertips, so why should she, Qiao Lianhua, play second fiddle to her?

Xia Bing, trembling with anger, thought of how Qiao Lianhua had hit her and was so degrading, it was as if she was crushing Xia Bing underfoot without any regard. But the words Qiao Lianhua uttered were all true, and if Xia Bing dared to retort even a word, she would lose everything. Seeing Qiao Lianhua’s provoking gaze, Xia Bing forcefully swallowed her pride and meekly said, “Of course, I, a country bumpkin, couldn’t compare to you. You are the one I envy the most, Lianhua.”

Only then did Qiao Lianhua feel satisfied, smirked arrogantly, raised her head, “Good that you know. Don’t get ahead of yourself. I am thirsty, fetch me a bowl of water.”

Fetch her water like a maid? Xia Bing gritted her teeth and turned around to go get the water.

Qiao Dalang, who was outside the door, obviously noticed the commotion in the room. After peeping for quite some time, he saw Xia Bing’s frustrated little expression and began to ponder, soon hanging a lascivious smile on his face.

“Lady, you should have seen Xia Bing when she came out from the Qiao family,” Qingya said with undisguised schadenfreude, “Her face, oh, it was so thrilling to watch, as if she were about to commit murder. She must have had enough of Qiao Lianhua’s aggravation.”

Muniang smiled, “She’s quite ruthless, actually able to bear it. But after this round of rumors, Qiao Lianhua will definitely not treat her like a close sister anymore. Although Tofu Zhang has given the betrothal gifts, it’ll still be three months before the wedding. She’ll have to endure for quite some time, I reckon.”

Qingya covered her mouth and laughed, “Lady, you really have a way, just spreading some rumors and you’ve turned the sisters against each other.”

“Didn’t Xia Bing begin by stirring up trouble between me and Qiao Lianhua?” Just thinking of the series of incidents that had arisen from this matter made Muniang feel tight-chested.

“Xia Bing certainly had it coming, but this incident has once again added insult to injury to Qiao Lianhua’s reputation. I doubt she’ll be able to marry out after this.”

“You sure have a lot of free time, worrying about whether or not others can get married,” Muniang teased, “Could it be that you’re thinking of marriage yourself?”

Qingya immediately flushed bright red, “Lady, please don’t make fun of your servant.”

Muniang was in high spirits. A few days earlier, when she went to the Dongxing Building to sell vegetables, she also took the opportunity to sell the new varieties of hybrid bamboo shoots, broccoli, and cauliflower from the Tianzhuang, starting the price at two hundred wen per jin. After all, they were vegetables and couldn’t be compared to watermelons.

Shopkeeper Zhang was forthright and bought them on the spot, another substantial income. With the eight thousand taels of silver earned from selling watermelons last time, the total earnings now exceeded ten thousand taels.

In just a month, what had once been a dire concern over ten thousand taels of silver had turned into an easy profit. It was fortunate that she hadn’t sold Tianzhuang and the hill behind it; otherwise, she would have suffered a great loss. The crops from Tianzhuang were harvested in stretches, and after a while, the watermelons would grow back, allowing for several more sales. Looking at it this way, there was a good income to earn in the future.

She thought she should thank Wu Haoli after all and said, “Qingya, go fetch the silver note of ten thousand taels. Let’s make a trip to Wu Mansion.”

“Yes.”

Muniang had miscalculated one step, however. Wu Haoli wasn’t someone content with staying at home; he might be away for ten days or half a month without touching base. Sure enough, an unscheduled visit meant missing him.

But Muniang didn’t mind much. Coming in person to repay the debt was already a show of sincerity after all. If she didn’t meet anyone, nobody could blame her, right?

The master of the house wasn’t home; it was the chief maid Liu’er who entertained them.

“Our lord isn’t here today. If you’re looking for him, please come back another day,” said Liu’er, her tone, Muniang wondered, laced with a hint of spite.