Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 567: Chapter 295: Yan’s Choice

Juhua didn’t panic or demand to know what he was planning. A wave of ferocity washed over her too. ’When you can’t even survive, who gives a damn about the law?’ All they wanted was a simple, peaceful life. But when even that basic existence was threatened, they would be like grass sprouting from a crack in a stone, brandishing its tenacious life force to declare that so-called ’rights’ were nothing but a joke.

The two chatted and laughed intimately, splashing each other playfully as they washed in the river. Whenever their eyes met, their hearts connected and their feelings intertwined, and they couldn’t help but want to move closer for a kiss. Still, they managed to remember they were outdoors—if anyone saw, there would be gossip, even though they were now married.

As the sun set, the chickens swirled around the people in the courtyard. He scooped out some feed for them, saying to Juhua as she returned from washing vegetables by the river, ”Wash and steam a few duck eggs. We don’t quite have enough dishes for tonight.”

Juhua agreed and entered the kitchen. She set down her vegetable basket and sieve, then expertly crouched and pulled a jar out from under the shelf of the cutting board. After removing the wooden lid, she took out five duck eggs caked in yellow mud—exactly one for each person—placed them in a large bowl, and turned to go wash them by the river.

While mother and daughter-in-law cooked, Zhang Huai grabbed a bamboo broom and swept the courtyard spotless. He herded the chickens and ducks into their pen, and once everything was tidy, he brought a small square table out into the courtyard for them to eat dinner in the open air.

”Yangzi, go take your bath first! Your brother and father still need to wash up after you. Don’t all try to go at once; we won’t have time to heat enough water!” He called out loudly to Zhang Yang, who was busy studying.

After tidying up, they bathed, then ate and chatted in the courtyard. The cool evening breeze swept away the day’s fatigue and sweltering heat as they listened to the clamor of summer insects and the croaking of frogs, inhaling the scent of flowers and grass drifting on the wind. After dinner, they would take a leisurely stroll by the bamboo grove and past the mujin bushes along the wall, their gazes sweeping over the distant fields and lingering on the nearby green willows and peach trees. As night fell, soft moonlight spilled over the treetops and through the bamboo, casting dappled spots of light that danced whenever the breeze stirred.

This simple life, devoid of lofty ambitions, represented the pinnacle of human existence—the dwelling place of the Dao, its most fundamental manifestation. If even such a life could not be sustained, then no matter how sophisticated the structure of a society, it would inevitably collapse. History has always proven this to be true.

Huai Zi and Juhua wandered hand in hand until their legs grew sore, only then returning to the courtyard. They drew some water from the well to wash up before heading back to their room to sleep, their eyes heavy and half-closed.

A little over ten days later, Li Changyu returned to the village, but he did not bring Yan back with him.

When Yan’s mother heard that Changfeng’s respected teacher had already secured Yan’s release, but that Yan herself was unwilling to return to the village, she was utterly stunned.

’Does my daughter look down on this poor country life?’

’It must be. Ever since she was a child, Yan loved beautiful things and was always so particular. But how could she bear to abandon her own parents?’

This news was somehow even harder for her to bear than when Yan had first been taken away by County Magistrate Li. Back then, she had believed that a mother and daughter’s hearts were connected, but now, it felt as though her daughter had abandoned her.

Yan’s mother fell ill.

Even more furious was Shorty Zhou’s family. It was one thing for their new daughter-in-law to be snatched away, but now she had the chance to return and was refusing to do so. It was an enormous loss of face!

Shorty Zhou was filled with regret. He never should have accepted Li Laoer’s marriage proposal. Other families had all married good daughters-in-law and were living pleasant lives, but his son, Xiaoman, had become the village laughingstock.

But when he remembered how miserable Yan had looked when she was taken away, Shorty Zhou suppressed the urge to go raise a ruckus at the Li Family’s home. ’Does this even count as some unforeseen disaster?’ he wondered gloomily.

But regardless of what anyone else said, Juhua had her own thoughts on the matter.

That evening, Li Changyu came over to speak with Qingmu and Zhang Huai. The men sat under Qingmu’s peach tree discussing the matter, and Juhua, who had been listening quietly to the side, suddenly asked, ”Is it that Yan is just too resentful? Does she want to make a name for herself, just to ensure that County Magistrate Li dies a miserable death?”

Li Changyu was already agonizing over his cousin but couldn’t explain the real reason to anyone—they would all just assume she was greedy for wealth and status. Hearing Juhua’s words, he asked in astonishment, ”How did you know? Yan is just too stubborn. I couldn’t persuade her to come back.”

Juhua didn’t reply. Although she hadn’t interacted much with Yan, she never felt that the beauty-loving young woman was someone who was vain or yearned for a life of splendor. After all, what young woman doesn’t like beautiful things? It was just that her demeanor stood out a bit more in a rural village like theirs.