After the Scholar Rejected Me, I Married the Rogue and Got Rich - Chapter 66

The reasons given were high-sounding but were nothing more than “having no children” and “disrespecting her parents-in-law.” Xing’er’s parents were so angry that they fell ill, but there was nothing they could do. This world was harsh on women, and being divorced and sent home was almost equivalent to cutting off their future.

I heard that Xing’er fainted several times from crying, and in the end she could only accept her fate and stay at her parents’ home to help her brother and sister-in-law with the housework. The future looks bleak and difficult.

When the news reached the Lin family, the family was sitting around the fire in the main room doing chores. After hearing the news, Madam Wang sighed deeply and put down her needlework: “Alas, Xing’er is such a poor child… She’s been married into such a family, her life is ruined.”

Lin Laoda puffed on his pipe, his brow furrowed: “Her husband and in-laws are utter scoundrels! They show no mercy whatsoever!”

Lin Sang listened in silence, her hands unconsciously making the stitches on the shoe sole she was sewing denser.

She thought of Xing’er’s desperate eyes, and her heart clenched with a mixture of sympathy and a sense of sorrow for those who share her plight.

Lin Bai raised his head, his tone filled with youthful indignation: “Sister Xing’er is such a good person, why should she suffer such injustice!”

Even the young Lin Miao, seemingly understanding, said, “Sister Xing’er is so pitiful…”

Wang looked at Lin Sang, who hadn’t spoken, and softened her tone: “Sang Sang, don’t overthink it. Everyone has their own destiny. Xing’er was unlucky and met the wrong person. Our family has finally made it through. You should also marry a good man. Look forward and live your life well.”

Lin Sang raised her head, met her mother’s concerned gaze, nodded, and said softly, “Mother, I understand, but it still doesn’t feel right to hear this.”

She felt more and more how lucky she was to have met Zhou Han, and she was determined to hold on tightly to this sense of security and sincerity.

———

The weather has been clearing up for the past few days, and most of the snow has melted. Zhou Han came to visit and said to Lin Sang, “The snow has melted, and the roads are easier to travel on. I’m planning to go to town tomorrow to process the game I’ve been hunting recently. Would you like to come along for a stroll? We can also check out the situation at the docks.”

Lin Sang’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t been to town for quite some time, so she nodded in agreement: “Okay, I was just thinking of buying some silk thread and odds and ends.”

Hearing this from the side, Madam Wang laughed and said, “Go on, go on! It’s good for young people to go out for a walk together! Han’er, take good care of Sangsang.”

Early the next morning, Zhou Han arrived at the Lin family’s house and set up the oxcart. The old yellow ox was snorting white breath, and the cart was loaded with tied-up game, mainly several rabbit and badger pelts, but the most valuable item was a shiny red fox pelt.

Lin Sang came out after getting ready. Today she was wearing a brand new lotus-colored cotton-padded jacket, her hair was neatly combed, and she wore the pearl earring that Zhou Han had given her, which shone with a warm luster in the morning light.

She walked to the side of the cart, but instead of crawling into the shed as usual, she paused, turned sideways, and gently sat down on the cart shaft, close to Zhou Han.

Zhou Han was adjusting the reins when he sensed the movement beside him and smelled the faint scent of soapberry. He paused slightly, turned his head to look at her, and looked at her with a question in his eyes.

Lin Sang tilted her head slightly to look at him, a faint smile on her lips, her voice soft: “The weather is nice today, I want to sit outside, enjoy the view, and… see how you drive.”

A cold wind blew a faint blush across her cheeks, whether from the cold or from embarrassment, it was hard to tell.

Looking at her profile so close to his and her shy expression, Zhou Han’s heart stirred, and his cold, hard lips softened almost imperceptibly.

He didn’t say anything, but silently took a large part of the thick blanket that was covering his knees and carefully draped it over Lin Sang’s legs, wrapping her up from the knees to block out the morning chill.

“Hmm,” he responded softly, which was taken as agreement.

Just as Lin Sang settled into his seat on the cart and was about to set off, the courtyard gate creaked open, and Lin Song and Lin Miao flew out like two little swallows, followed by Lin Bai, who appeared somewhat composed but also had expectant eyes.

“Sister! Brother Zhou! Wait a minute!” Lin Songren’s clear voice arrived before he even got close.

He ran to the oxcart, looked up at Lin Sang and Zhou Han with his little face, and tugged at Lin Sang’s clothes with his little hand. “Sister, when you go to town, could you… could you bring back a candied hawthorn for me and Miao Miao? Just one! We’ll share it!”

Lin Miao squeezed to the front, timidly tugging at Lin Sang’s other sleeve, and whispered in agreement, “Sister…”

Even Lin Bai couldn’t help but speak up. Although he tried to appear mature, the longing in his eyes was unmistakable: “Sister, Brother Zhou, if it’s convenient… could you bring me a string of them too?”

After he finished speaking, he seemed a little embarrassed and blushed slightly.

Wang followed behind and, seeing the scene, scolded them with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, “You little gluttons! All you do is pester your sister and Brother Zhou! Those candied hawthorns are neither food nor drink, just a waste of money!”

Looking at her younger siblings’ longing faces, Lin Sang’s heart softened. She smiled and patted Lin Miao’s head, then looked at Lin Song and Lin Bai: “Okay, okay, I’ll remember. I’ll bring you some, one skewer each, so you don’t have to share.”

The children cheered immediately upon hearing this.

Lin Song jumped up happily: “Thank you, sister! Thank you, brother Zhou!”

Lin Miao smiled sweetly, and although Lin Bai didn’t cheer, his mouth was wide open and he nodded vigorously.

Looking at the lively scene before him, Zhou Han’s cold and hard features softened unconsciously. He looked at the cheering Lin Song and Lin Miao, and then at Lin Bai, who was trying to act like a little adult but couldn’t hide his happiness. He said in a deep voice, “Yes, I will definitely bring it back.”

With assurances from both his sister and Brother Zhou, the three children finally made way, and Zhou Han gently flicked the reins, “Giddy up!”

The old ox strode forward with steady steps, the cart wheels rolling over the damp dirt road with a rhythmic sound. Lin Sang sat beside Zhou Han, feeling the solid warmth emanating from her side and the comfort of the blanket draped over her legs, her heart feeling as if it were filled with something.

The fields on both sides of the road were covered with patches of snow, which shimmered with tiny golden light in the sunlight.

The bare branches pointed towards the blue sky, and occasionally sparrows, unafraid of the cold, chirped and flew by. The air was crisp and fresh, carrying the unique clean scent of snow.

“The snow is melting so fast,” Lin Sang said softly, gazing at the fields.

“Hmm,” Zhou Han replied, his eyes fixed on the road ahead and focused on driving. “The temperature will rise after the New Year, and the docks should get busy again.”

“We’ll have to get our stall up and running again then,” Lin Sang thought to himself. “Lamb spine hot pot is a good choice when it’s cold, but we might have to think of something else after the New Year.”

“No rush, think it over slowly,” Zhou Han’s voice was steady. “I’m here.”

Those three simple words completely calmed Lin Sang’s heart.

She quietly turned her head to look at Zhou Han’s profile as he focused on driving. His jawline was hard and cold, and the scar on his brow bone was clearly visible in the sunlight. But his eyes, which always seemed too sharp, now exuded a reassuring calmness as he looked ahead.

The cold wind continued to blow, but the two people sitting side by side on the carriage shaft, relying on each other’s body heat and their unspoken understanding, did not feel cold at all.

The oxcart traveled slowly along the country road, creating a tranquil and warm scene in winter.