The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Ms. Hu mentioned the matters of the Xiao family next door to her husband, Sun Ling, in the evening.

She smiled and said, ”No wonder people often say that the behavior of girls from prestigious families is different. Today, I went to the Xiao family and saw the character and demeanor of Mrs. Xiao, and I was really impressed.”

Sun Ling, thinking of coaxing some money from Ms. Hu to enjoy himself at the tavern again, immediately perked up to accompany her: ”You don’t know, that Mrs. Xiao is actually the Second Miss of the Luo Xiang family and a granddaughter of the Yao family. Naturally, her upbringing is exceptional.”

Ms. Hu nodded, ”What’s rare is that she is extremely approachable. I didn’t know her before, but somehow I felt very close upon meeting her, wishing to spend more time with her.”

Sun Ling then asked about Anning’s appearance, and Ms. Hu said with a smile, ”Of course she’s good-looking, but I can’t explain it in detail to you.”

Ms. Hu made the bed and then helped Sun Ling wash his face.

Sun Ling leaned over and asked Ms. Hu for money with a smile, ”Dear wife, could you spare me some silver? I promised a few friends to drink together the other day, and if I show up empty-handed, should I let others pay? It’s fine once or twice, but if it happens too often, who would still want to hang out with me?”

Ms. Hu, being simple and kind-hearted, never thought ill of others and turned around to get some silver for Sun Ling, ”We just moved to Yang City, husband, make sure to be cautious in making friends, choose those of good character, and remember to pay for drinks yourself, don’t let people look down on you.”

”I know, I know,” Sun Ling hastily promised after getting the silver.

He had just laid down, intending to get intimate with Ms. Hu, when Mrs. Sun called out from outside, ”Oh my, my waist hurts, daughter-in-law, come and help me!”

Ms. Hu hurried to check on Mrs. Sun.

Frustrated, Sun Ling cursed several times under his breath, but had no choice against his mother, and could only blame Ms. Hu.

Ms. Hu entered Mrs. Sun’s room and saw her glaring at her with a sullen face.

”Mother, where are you uncomfortable?”

Ms. Hu asked Mrs. Sun concernedly.

Mrs. Sun raised her hand to hit Ms. Hu.

Ms. Hu quickly dodged away.

Mrs. Sun scolded, ”Ungrateful, shameless thing, it’s so early, and you’re already fooling around with your husband. Are all the house chores done? Is the courtyard cleaned? You just want to sleep now, why don’t you just be lazy to death.”

Ms. Hu felt somewhat wronged, ”Mother, the house is all tidied up. If mother thinks I’ve not done well, I can buy a few servants tomorrow. Mother, there’s no need to be angry.”

”Buy servants?”

Mrs. Sun suddenly jumped up, ”Do we have too much money to spare? Still thinking of buying servants, why did we marry you into our family then? You lazy woman, always thinking of taking it easy; how unlucky I am to have a daughter-in-law like you.”

Ms. Hu lowered her head, concealing the embarrassment and some annoyance in her eyes, ”Mother, the other day I saw a particularly beautiful hairpin in the Silver Tower, I think it would suit you very well. Shall I buy it tomorrow for you?”

With this one remark, Mrs. Sun immediately stopped scolding, ”Fine, I will force myself to see what kind of good hairpin it is.”

Mrs. Sun nagged at Ms. Hu for quite a while before Ms. Hu could return to her room to rest.

When Ms. Hu returned, Sun Ling was already asleep. She looked at Sun Ling’s sleeping face, recalling Mrs. Sun’s outburst, feeling a bit disappointed and resentful that Sun Ling neither said a word for her nor went up to ask.

But thinking after all Sun Ling was her husband and her savior, she quelled that bit of dissatisfaction, sat by the bedside for quite some time before lying down fully clothed.

The next morning, Ms. Hu rose early, needing to sweep the courtyard and prepare breakfast for the Sun family mother and son.

After getting everything in order, Ms. Hu hurriedly ate some food, changed her clothes, and went out to buy the hairpin for Mrs. Sun.

She had just left when she saw Anning getting into a carriage, seemingly on her way out.

Seeing Ms. Hu, Anning greeted her with a smile, ”Sister, are you going out?”

Ms. Hu smiled, ”Yes, to visit the Silver Tower.”

Anning, holding onto Yue Niang’s hand, stepped onto the carriage, ”What a coincidence, I’m also heading to the Silver Tower. If sister doesn’t mind, why not go with me?”

Ms. Hu had something she wanted to ask Anning, so she nodded, ”It’s you who shouldn’t mind.”

She walked over, and Yue Niang helped her onto the carriage too.

Sitting inside the carriage, Ms. Hu took a few deep breaths before summoning the courage to ask Anning.

”Sister, I went to your house yesterday and met your Old Madam. I truly envy you, since your Old Madam is really approachable. I wanted to ask how you usually get along with the Old Madam. I’m... I’m not adept at dealing with people, my relationship with my husband isn’t great, and my mother-in-law doesn’t like me very much either.”

Anning glanced at Ms. Hu, noticing the dark circles under her eyes, realizing she hadn’t slept well the night before.

Remembering the little maid saying how there seemed to have been yelling from the Sun’s household last night, likely scolding Ms. Hu, Anning thought for a moment and asked Ms. Hu: ”Sister, actually, I’m quite curious. With your good character and appearance, it’s not just palace concubines, countless young and talented men in Yang City would have been suited to you, why did you choose to marry into the Sun family? Not that the Sun family is bad, just seems a bit unworthy of you.”

Ms. Hu looked down, twisting a handkerchief in her hands back and forth, ”It’s because my husband once did me a favor, I could only repay him by offering myself in gratitude.”

Anning furrowed her brow, ”Did him a favor? This... I’m even more puzzled, who told you that repaying kindness must be with yourself? There are countless ways to repay kindness. If he is poor, you can give him gold and silver to assist him in achieving success, allowing him to live a prosperous life. If he’s not lacking money, you can find ways to save him, as there are numerous moments in life of danger, always will have opportunities. If he cannot find a wife, you can arrange a beautiful marriage for him, why must you sacrifice yourself?”

Anning’s words left Ms. Hu stunned.

She stared at Anning dumbfounded for quite a while, ”So, so one can repay kindness in this way? I never knew, in our clan, repaying a favor has always been by offering oneself, it’s a tradition passed down from our ancestors, and we’ve always followed it. No one ever told us it’s unnecessary, honestly, I didn’t want to marry, but had no other choice...”

Anning laughed lightly and held Ms. Hu’s hand, gently saying, ”Sister, your entire clan is really too foolish, not knowing who held a grudge against you, deceiving you like this. Imagine how many girls in your clan got trapped into repaying kindness by offering themselves, probably not ending well in the end.”

Ms. Hu thought of the fox fairies in her clan who had lost their cultivation due to repaying kindness over the ages and fell silent.