In the evening, Xiaoxiao lay on the kang bed, revisiting the words her father-in-law had said at dinner, "Third son's wife, since the third son has gone to the Academy and won't return until tomorrow, it'll have to be the fourth son accompanying you on your trip back home. Your mother has prepared everything for the return-home gifts!" Hehehe, to be accompanied by a young brother-in-law on a visit back to her parent's house, aside from the unfortunate her, she guessed there was no one else quite as peculiar. It was just a matter of facing whatever comes, she thought, and a good opportunity to see what sort of place her parental home was!
Xiaoxiao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Her mind raced through all the novels she had read like flipping off a light, considering how transmigration masters either had a "Golden Finger" or were just cheats in themselves, becoming omnipotent in ancient times, able to create anything. Thinking it over, she felt that being life-disabled as she was, it would be best to find a substantial golden thigh to latch onto—that was the real deal. In time, just like other transmigration masters, she would find a good husband, have a chubby baby, and live a happy, fulfilling life. Haha, after thirty years of being single, she finally fell asleep dreaming sweet dreams!
Yang Dong, the Yang Family's fourth son, was the same age as Xiaoxiao, fifteen years old, with an estimated height of around 1.63 meters, healthy wheat-colored skin, and a youthful face that promised to mature into that of a tough guy. He had borrowed an ox-cart early in the morning and left with his third sister-in-law.
As Xiaoxiao sat on the ox-cart, she checked the gifts for her return home: two chickens, a rabbit, twenty eggs, a jar of wine, and the pastries they had bought from the town yesterday. She wasn't sure if it was too much or too little! She was somewhat impatient to visit her parental home, and about halfway through the journey, Xiaoxiao just couldn't hold it in any longer!
"Fourth brother, let's chat for a bit, it's too boring to travel in silence!"
"Why don't you tell me about our household, um, like who's in the family, how much land we have, what we grow," she continued talking when she saw her fourth brother ignoring her.
"Counting you, there are twelve people in our family: father and mother, the eldest brother's family of four, the second brother's family of three, your family of two, and me."
"The land is allocated per person; right now, we have eleven acres, and yours hasn't been divided yet."
"We grow corn!"
"Is that it?" Xiaoxiao thought to herself that this really was a reticent fellow, answering only what was asked, succinctly at that, without a single superfluous word.
"Then tell me how our family earns money? Isn't the third brother studying? Those brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and books are so expensive, do we have the silver to support him?"
"The land is enough to feed us, and when we're not farming, we go out to work. The third brother also copies books for others!"
"That's it again! Can't you say a bit more? It's really boring when all you do is answer questions!"
The fourth brother fell silent once more, and Xiaoxiao felt like tearing her hair out in frustration. Fine, be silent!
Before they knew it, they had arrived at her parental home in Stone Village. The sight was quite a contrast; while the Yang Family's village had houses of earth, Stone Village was wealthier, with every house made of stone.
"Xiaoxiao's back, and is this your husband? He looks quite handsome," the villagers started to inquire as soon as they saw Xiaoxiao entering the village!
"Oh, no, this is my younger brother-in-law!"
"......" The villagers were immediately dumbfounded. What was this all about!
Fourth brother looked on in astonishment. He had only come to make up the numbers, and here his third sister-in-law had blown his cover. Was third sister-in-law really as naive as she seemed, or was it something else? He just couldn't figure it out.
At this moment, an elderly woman in her fifties approached. When Xiaoxiao spotted her, she couldn't help herself; she jumped down from the ox-cart and ran over, throwing her arms around the old woman, crying her heart out, all the pent-up grievances coming to the fore, as she blurted out words that no one else could understand.
"Mom! Mom..."