The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 138 The Home I Can Never Return To

Jin Biao originally intended to kidnap her to be his wife, but his heart turned cold the moment she offered herself to him.

A woman with no moral compass like that is bound to cheat on her husband sooner or later, and she might even have a whole stack of them.

The moment she slumped to the ground, she didn't feel any protective instincts; instead, she found it quite boring.

All those years of secret joy were just a crush on her from her childhood; it was all wishful thinking on my part.

If she had been sensible, he might have continued to support her, but instead, she mentioned her mother.

This is a person without any moral compass; he would betray even his closest relatives just to save his own life.

Jin Biao forced her to take medicine, which rendered her mute.

Actually, she was also worried that her ability to write might betray her mother.

It seems that Mother can no longer work for the Xiao family.

But how could they get their mother to leave the Xiao family on her own initiative?
"Biaozi, what are you thinking about? Mom's calling you to eat, and you're just sitting there without moving?"

When Granny Chen returned, she wanted to ask about her son, but she was afraid that she was overthinking things. Her son was just a handyman in the Black Mountain Cave. He said that he was there wherever he was needed, and that sweeping, emptying chamber pots, and carrying water were all his jobs.

How could a handyman have the ability to get Black Mountain Cave to do things for him?

Therefore, it must not be the son.

"I wasn't thinking about anything, I wasn't thinking about anything." Jin Biao pretended to be indifferent, with a blush on his face, looking a little shy. This was Zhu Zi's idea.

"Not thinking about anything?" Granny Chen touched his forehead, then touched her own. "Not hot, not feverish. Why are you thinking about someone's daughter?"

"Mother, that's not true." Jin Biao quickly denied it.

The fact that they denied it so quickly means there must be something fishy going on.

Seeing the evasive look in her son's eyes, Granny Chen, an experienced woman, immediately understood.

He immediately stepped forward and asked expectantly.

"Which family's daughter is she? How old is she? When would be a good time for Mother to send a matchmaker to our house?"

"Mother, nothing of the sort."

"You brat, if nothing's wrong, you should work even harder. You're not getting any younger, it's time to get married." Granny Chen said, "Once you're married and have children, I'll ask the madam for a favor so you can be redeemed and come back to take care of the children. I'll also experience that kind of life of being surrounded by grandchildren, it'll be so wonderful."

"Mother, why don't you redeem yourself now?"

"Why redeem yourself now? To come back and take care of you? You're almost twenty years old, do you still need me to take care of you?"

"No, Mother, I..."

Jin Biao pretended to be in a difficult position.

"What's wrong with you again? What's the matter? Tell me, why are you hesitating?" Granny Chen was anxious to know news about her daughter-in-law: "Which family's daughter is she? Do you know her, Mother?"

“Mother, you don’t know her, but I haven’t explained it to her yet, mainly because…”

"What's the main thing?"

This son is driving her crazy! He only says half of what he means, spitting out only bits and pieces. Is he like a wooden fish, where each tap produces a single word?

“Mother, I’m embarrassed to say that you’re a servant in the Xiao family, it would be very embarrassing.”

“You brat, how could you be ashamed of being an old woman in the Xiao family? Your father died early, and if I didn’t work there, I wouldn’t have the money to support you. You would have to beg for food.”

“Mother, that was when I was a child. Now I’m all grown up and I can earn money to support my family.” Jin Biao quickly said, “Mother, please promise me that we can quit that job. I’ll find a way to earn the money needed to redeem myself.”

"Thank you so much, old lady!" Granny Chen said, "You only earned a pittance, and you were lucky to even marry a wife. It's as if your father is blessing you from the underworld. You still want to earn money to redeem me? You should wear shoes that fit your feet. Don't be all talk and no action. I don't need you to take care of me. You just need to take care of yourself."

"Mom, I know."

"By the way, if you're going to work at Black Mountain Cave, just do your job. Don't get involved in their looting or other such things, or you'll be punished."

"Mom, I understand."

If there's any retribution, let it all fall on me!

Jin Biao was actually afraid of retribution, so they only robbed wealthy and unscrupulous businessmen or corrupt officials. They never made things difficult for ordinary people and never committed murder.

Speaking of human lives, it's truly unfair that someone would blame themselves for the death of the Xiao family's old lady!
I had no involvement or knowledge of this matter from beginning to end. It was only later, when someone came to my door, that I learned that my men had done a losing business.

Helpless, he went out and found someone to release his brothers, but unexpectedly, they were arrested again after being released, and now their whereabouts and fate are unknown.

When someone came knocking on his door, he realized it was him who had made the move!
I owe him a favor and have done something wrong to him, so I can only let him have his way and let him do whatever he wants.

Capturing Xiao Chunlan back to Black Mountain Cave was a win-win situation, so he readily did it.

"Biaozi, I don't expect anything else from you. I just want you to be safe and sound. We can get another wife, have a few children, and live a peaceful and happy life as a family." Granny Chen said, "I have never expected anything like great wealth and success."

“Even wealthy families have their troubles. Look at the Xiao family, their young lady has been kidnapped… By the way, Biaozi, since you're working in the Black Mountain Cave, could you save the young lady’s life?”

“Mother, you really overestimate me. There are quite a few people in our village who work in the Black Mountain Cave, but only Uncle Zhang can actually get close to the entrance. The others work on the estates outside the cave. How can we save Miss?” Jin Biao asked deliberately, “What happened to Miss? Wasn’t she in the courtyard of the Xiao family? How did she end up in the Black Mountain Cave?”

"Alas, it's a long story..." Granny Chen recounted the whole story.

"Then she deserved to be kidnapped. If she didn't harm anyone, why would she be harmed?"

"That's true, but I watched her grow up. Seeing her reputation ruined and the master giving up on her directly still makes me very sad," said Granny Chen. "The master has already asked the eldest mistress to choose a well-behaved and sensible young lady from among the concubines and register her under her name. From now on, she will be the eldest young lady."

"What about Xiao Chunlan?"

She had expected Xiao Changfa to pull this stunt, but she hadn't anticipated it would come so suddenly, removing her directly from the Xiao family's list.

"Xiao Chunlan will pass away after the identity of the eldest legitimate daughter is confirmed."

"Died of illness?" Jin Biao was shocked. He had thought she would be sent to the family temple to cultivate, but he did not expect that she would be announced dead. This meant that from now on, the name Xiao Chunlan would no longer exist in the Xiao family!
Quick and accurate!
This is a characteristic of Xiao Changfa!
He certainly didn't have the abilities of Master Xiao San or Master Xiao Liu, but he possessed a ruthless and decisive nature, showing no affection whatsoever even for his own daughter.

"Is the First Madam willing?"

“If the First Madam is unwilling, she only has one path to take.” Having served in the Xiao family for many years, Granny Chen had seen through their outwardly respectable but inwardly despicable nature: “For the sake of a few young masters, the First Madam has no choice but to agree.”

Sacrificing a daughter to preserve her and her son's status might not be such a bad thing.

"The Xiao family's actions are truly eye-opening," Jin Biao said sarcastically. "Back then, Physician Xiao did so much for the Xiao family, yet his descendants couldn't even enter their ancestral home. They treated everyone equally, whether they were family members or relatives!"

"That's how it is in wealthy families, it's perfectly normal!" Granny Chen sighed. "Ah, the young lady was quite well-behaved when she was little, but she's become more and more scheming as she grows up. She lost her mind when it came to Zhao Minghua, which was a bit much!"

"Good people are rewarded, and bad people also get their own retribution. If you dare to do something, you have to bear the consequences."

Jin Biao couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart.

He made up his mind: he would release Xiao Chunlan once the Xiao family announced her death. He wanted to see just how ruthless the Xiao family could be.

News came from the Xiao family: their eldest daughter, Xiao Chunlan, had passed away due to an incurable illness.

Because she was unmarried and had no descendants, the funeral arrangements were kept simple.

The Xiao family has lost a young lady, but the position of the legitimate daughter has been taken.

"Are you satisfied with this result?" Zhao Minghua looked at the person in front of him who was focused on making medicine. He had been standing in front of her for a long time without even looking up at her. He felt very aggrieved and asked for praise directly.

"satisfy."

Xiao Chunnuan didn't lift a finger in the whole affair; it was all handled by Zhao Minghua. This shows that Zhao Minghua's abilities far exceeded her expectations.

Therefore, never underestimate anyone.

"But I haven't seen you happy."

Chun Nuanqi smiled and finally looked up at him. This person can be quite childish sometimes.

How can she be happy?

Celebrating with gongs and drums?

"Oh my god, you finally deigned to look at me."

Chunnuan rolled her eyes at him.

A child who hasn't grown up.

"The Xiao family is truly heartless. Knowing that she was in the Black Mountain Cave, they neither went to plead for her nor went to look for her; they simply announced that she was gone."

In fact, the truth will eventually come out. Everyone knew that Xiao Chunlan had gotten into trouble, and her death only evoked sighs of regret.

"Isn't this how it's done to protect the family's reputation?" Chunnuan showed no sympathy whatsoever: "She should have expected this outcome when she decided to attack me. Either I or she would suffer this kind of torment."

Even without Zhao Minghua's intervention, Chunnuan would definitely not have let her go.

However, her methods are no less effective than those of the people in Black Mountain Cave.

Yes, Xiao Chunnuan is definitely not as weak as she appears on the surface.

Over the past year, she has tried every means to gather some medicinal herbs, and some medicinal powder has been produced, which has given her the ability to protect herself.

Anyone who tries to harm her and her family will have to pay ten or a hundred times the price.

"Yes, that's how wealthy families are."

Zhao Minghua was also deeply moved.

"If something had happened to me that day..."

"No, I absolutely won't allow anything to happen to you." Zhao Minghua visibly panicked and grabbed Chun Nuan's hand: "Nuan Nuan, remember this, no matter what happens, you have to find a way to survive. As long as you're alive, there's hope, understand?"

Looking at the person in front of her, Chunnuan felt a warmth in her heart.

"Don't worry, I will protect you from now on."

"What, you want to be my bodyguard?"

“It’s not impossible,” Zhao Minghua said. “As long as you don’t mind, I’d be happy to spend twelve hours with you.” These words made Chunnuan’s face flush slightly.

Some people do things but don't want to talk about them, while others talk about things but don't want to do them. But Zhao Minghua is different. He does both talk and act, making Chunnuan feel his presence at all times.

Ever since sending her grandmother up the mountain, Chunnuan still spends her days processing medicinal herbs in her small courtyard in town and returns to the village in the evening. However, there is one more person accompanying her on the way back to the village: Zhao Minghua.

At times like this, she would quietly make medicine while Zhao Minghua sat beside her. If she needed help, he would happily run around doing whatever she needed. In that moment, Chunnuan felt that life was peaceful and warm.

Unlike Chunnuan, Xiao Chunlan, after going through eighty-one tribulations, appeared at the gate of the Xiao clan in tattered clothes, only to be driven away by the gatekeeper.

"Where did this beggar come from? Can't you even open your dog eyes and look around properly? Is this a place you can come to?"

Xiao Chunlan looked up at the familiar gate; it was her home. She had finally returned home.

God knows, taking advantage of the old woman's inattention, I knocked her unconscious with a stone, then changed out of her clothes and disguised myself as her to escape.

Fearing being caught during the day, she could only travel at night. But at night, she didn't know the way and took countless detours. When she was hungry, she ate fruit, weeds, and leaves by the roadside; when she was thirsty, she drank water from ditches. She suffered all kinds of hardships she had never experienced in her entire life.

All of this was caused by Xiao Chunnuan. Wait, when she gets back, she will definitely take revenge and find someone to kill her.

After five days of toil, my feet were blistered and I was in terrible shape. I was so hungry that I was seeing stars. I finally managed to walk to the gate of the Xiao family with a bamboo stick, only to be ruthlessly driven away.

"Ya ya wu wu..."

She tried desperately to tell the gatekeeper that she was Xiao Chunlan, pointing repeatedly at her face, but as usual, Uncle Chen at the gate simply pushed her out.

"This is really bad! You're a beggar woman, do you want to die or something?" Uncle Chen pushed and cursed at the same time. "Later, the eldest madam is going to take the eldest young lady back to her parents' home. If she sees you like this, she'll say I'm derelict in my duty and deduct my monthly allowance. If you don't leave, this old man will beat you up."

The first wife is my mother.

It's me, Miss!

How come there's a young lady in the manor?

Xiao Chunlan sat down on the ground in front of the gate in despair.

"Hey, I'm telling you, you can't sit here! Why can't you understand me? This isn't a place for you!" Uncle Chen said impatiently. "Get away from here! If you keep this up, I'll unleash the dogs on you again."

Xiao Chunlan was afraid of dogs, so she struggled to her feet. At this moment, her eyes were seeing stars, and she lost her balance and fell to the ground.

"Hey, don't try to extort money from me. If you want to, go somewhere else." Uncle Chen stepped forward and took her hand: "Hurry up, hurry up, the First Madam is coming out."

The First Madam came out, followed by Granny Chen and two maids. Beside her, a pretty young girl in a light green dress held her hand.

Xiao Chunlan recognized her; it was Xiao Chunqing, the daughter of her second aunt, who was half a year younger than her and had never really stood out. Now she was the eldest daughter? Had she filled the void in her life?

If she was kidnapped, was she also involved?
Xiao Chunlan never expected that one day she would replace her and take her place.

Furthermore, how could her mother, who had always been so loving and caring towards her, give that love to someone else?

Xiao Chunlan couldn't take it anymore; she wouldn't allow anyone to take what was hers.

Even if I can't have it myself, I will never let anyone else have it.

"Mother, please slow down."

"Okay, since it's your first time meeting your grandmother, you need to be a little sweet-talking..."

Xiao Chunlan opened her mouth wide, wanting to call out to her mother, but she couldn't utter a word.

As they were about to board the carriage, Xiao Chunlan decided to take one last gamble.

He lunged forward and crashed into Wen.

"what……"

Screams and cries of pain rang out instantly.

"Where did this beggar woman come from? She's a real piece of trash. Men, drag her away and throw her into the mass grave."

Xiao Chunqing has never competed or fought for anything because she knows that some things cannot be obtained simply by wanting to snatch them; it requires the right timing, location, and people.

After Xiao Chunlan's accident, Xiao Chunqing knew that her chance had come.

She recognized the beggar in front of her at a glance.

Not to mention, I would recognize the person in front of me even if they were reduced to ashes.

Although they are half-sisters, and I am only half a year younger than her, the hardships and suffering I endured in front of her are unforgettable.

His aunt wasn't very bright, and being old, she was never valued by his husband.

Unfortunately, she still harbored foolish dreams of vying for favor, was repeatedly used as a pawn, and never learned her lesson despite being punished repeatedly.

It is said that it is not the wolf-like opponent that is scary, but the pig-like teammate. With her own aunt being so stupid, Xiao Chunqing could not rely on her at all. So most of the time, she worked hard on her own, hoping to make a name for herself one day.

Of course, being as intelligent as she is, she has always been respectful and filial to her stepmother.

Finally, Xiao Chunlan successfully "courted death" by seizing the rare opportunity of her stepmother's request to register her son's name.

She just managed to latch onto her stepmother's leg, and this beggar woman wants to do the same? No way!
"Ah ah ah..."

Xiao Chunlan was thus dragged away by two rough-looking old women.

It wasn't that they dragged them to a mass grave; they just threw them into a faraway alleyway.

Just as Xiao Chunqing was about to get into the carriage, she suddenly stopped and turned around to whisper a few words to Granny Chen.

Granny Chen was greatly surprised when she heard this.

"Go ahead, don't worry, I'm here."

"Yes, Miss."

Indeed, Xiao Chunqing's rise to power was largely due to the help of Granny Chen.

The two were already in the same boat, and she was shocked to hear Xiao Chunqing's words.

After Wen's carriage left, Granny Chen quickly arrived at the entrance of the alley.

"Ah ah um um..." Upon seeing Granny Chen, Xiao Chunlan was extremely excited and kept trying to pounce on her.

Granny Chen could tell; she hated her, hated Granny Chen.

"You hate me?" Granny Chen laughed in anger: "As expected, you are the master and I am the servant. No matter how much I do for you, it is my duty. You will not remember the good things I did, but will only remember all the bad things I did."

"Ah ah, umm..."

"No matter how much trouble you cause, in the eyes of everyone in the Xiao family, you are already a dead man." Granny Chen calculated the time: "That's right, today is your seventh day after death. I didn't expect that you would actually come back to life."

No, that's not how it is. How could I be like this? It shouldn't be like this!
Xiao Chunlan screamed, unable to speak or prove her innocence. Now she couldn't even enter the Xiao family compound.

She now truly understands how disdainful the servants of the Xiao family can be.

What should she do?
"The Xiao family has no shortage of young ladies. Miss Chunqing is well-educated and polite, and everyone likes her." Granny Chen didn't forget to stab her in the back: "This is the demeanor that a young lady of the Xiao family should have. Madam brought her back to the Wen family this time, actually to meet the second young master of the Wen family. The second young master is already a scholar at a young age. Don't you think Miss Chunqing is a lucky person?"

Xiao Chunlan's mouth dropped open: Had her mother really forgotten her?
She thought of her second cousin from the Wen family, that gentle and refined young man. The way he looked at her was so tender. Was he really going to fall for Xiao Chunqing?
Could it be that all that tenderness in his eyes was just an act?

No, it can be like this: the status of the eldest daughter of the Xiao family and the second cousin of the Wen family are both hers, they are both hers, and no one can take them away from her.

Xiao Chunlan tried to stand up, but in the end she fell back down.

"Granny, it seems she has fainted again."

"Take it to the manor as Miss instructed."

Granny Chen sighed.

"Sometimes, you should be forgiving. If she hadn't had that idea back then, she wouldn't be in this situation today. She herself can't bear the consequences."

"Granny, what will Miss do with her?"

"I don't know, that's Miss's business."

Xiao Chunqing's heart was pounding in the carriage.

It wasn't because of the upcoming blind date, but because of Xiao Chunlan's sudden appearance.

Fortunately, the Wen family did not recognize him.

Otherwise, she would lose the position of the young lady she had worked so hard to obtain.

The stepmother was forced to compromise because of her son; if her biological daughter had appeared, she would definitely have acknowledged her.

That's not right either. In the eyes of the world, Xiao Chunlan is already dead. What is she afraid of?

She herself, as the eldest daughter, was also included in the family genealogy, recorded under the name of the Wen family.

The immediate priority is to keep Xiao Chunlan under control and prevent her from running around recklessly. We must also keep her out of sight of the Xiao clan, especially the Wen family. We need to be on guard.

After all, life is peaceful now, and everyone is living a good life. Let's hope that some people and some things don't happen again.

Xiao Chunlan was sent to a village outside Changzhou by someone arranged by Granny Chen.

That estate was secretly acquired by Xiao Chunqing.

Indeed, Xiao Chunqing, this illegitimate daughter, is quite shrewd. She managed to turn a loss-making shop in her aunt's hands into a profitable one. After obtaining enough money, she bought an estate in another county. Even her own aunt was unaware of the existence of this estate.

While Xiao Chunlan was causing all sorts of trouble, Xiao Chunqing was quietly working hard and making plans. It would be an injustice if someone like that didn't succeed.

Xiao Chunqing had no idea that everything she did was being watched by a pair of eyes.

"Was it sent to the village?"

"Yes, it was sent to the village. What is Xiao Chunqing planning to do?"

(End of this chapter)