After wearing it: I traded a pig for a man.

After dinner, the family sat in the courtyard enjoying the cool air, waiting for the person who would deliver the cicada nymphs to their door.

"They're arriving later and later," Wang Cuihua muttered.

"There are fewer cicadas now, so everyone is hoping to find more and earn more money." Jiang Yun Ning sat next to Jiang Che, teasing Jiang An He who was nestled in his arms.

"Auntie's mean." Jiang Anhe pried open Jiang Yuning's hand that was pinching his nose. "Hmph. I'm breaking off our friendship with Auntie for three seconds."

He extended three short fingers, but soon began to hold Jiang Yun Ning's fingers with a grin.

With her big eyes blinking, she soon fell asleep, clutching Jiang Che's collar and Jiang Yun Ning's fingers.

Jiang Yuntian was a little worried, saying, "Sister, the cicada nymph business is about to be over." He added, "We didn't even collect 100 jin (50 kg) of cicada nymphs tonight."

Jiang Yun Ning didn't care at all: "It's okay, there's still soap."

In a few days, when I go to the county town to collect the land tax, I'll take a good look at whether I can sell tomatoes there.

The next morning, Chunmei and Hehua arrived early.

The two worked all day yesterday and are now very skilled. They hardly need anyone to guide them and rarely make mistakes.

Jiang Yunning then handed everything over to Liu Yuzhi, while Jiang Laosan tended the fire and rendered oil for the group. They used broad-leaved tree branches that Jiang Yuntian had collected.

In the front yard, Jiang Yuning, who had never given up on going deep into the mountains, was practicing archery. For her own safety, and also to convince her family, she needed to have the ability to protect herself.

"Knock knock knock".

A knock came at the door, and Jiang Yun Ning put down her bow and went to open it.

Granny Yang's large face almost shoved into Jiang Yun Ning's face.

"Wow!"

She abruptly took a step back. "Are you crazy, Granny Yang?"

Old Mrs. Yang, hands on her hips, shouted, "You're the one who's sick! You heartless, rotten wretch, you actually instigated Jiang Liu to come to my house demanding money!"

Jiang Yun Ning laughed: "Paying back debts is a matter of course, what does it have to do with me?"

Jiang Che had excellent hearing and could hear everything clearly from the corner.

Such vulgar language doesn't sound like something a young woman would say. Yet, it does feel incredibly satisfying to hear.

"Yun Ning." Song Minglang looked at her affectionately, "I know you're still blaming me. It's my fault for hurting and disappointing you."

Jiang Yun Ning blinked, wondering what approach this was taking now.

Song Minglang's expression, however, was one of utter dejection.

She was trying to stop Jiang Yun Ning from softening his heart again: "Jiang Liu Shi said that if I don't return the money, she'll take me to the authorities. Then I won't be able to continue taking the imperial examination. How can I give you a future?"

"Go tell Jiang Liu that you don't want the money anymore." Granny Yang looked at her confidently, as if she had never thought she would be refused.

The mere thought of Jiang Liu's threats gave Granny Yang a headache. Her family, the Song family, was counting on producing a scholar to change their fortunes.

Jiang Yun Ning understood. Perhaps the Song family still thought that her change was just out of spite?

"I really don't want a lazy pretty boy like you. You're not even worth a toe of Jiang Che's. Stop trying to make yourself look good."

"You!" Song Minglang couldn't keep up the act any longer: "How have you become so unreasonable!"

Upon hearing Song Minglang's footsteps, Jiang Che immediately came out.

He stood silently behind Jiang Yun Ning, his eyes sharp.

Song Minglang took a few steps but then pulled his foot back, unconsciously swallowing hard.

He was puzzled. How could a slave have such a terrifying look in his eyes? Could it be...?

Was Jiang Che a hunter? A butcher?

"You're supposed to be a scholar," Jiang Yun Ning said, tired and unwilling to argue further. "How can you be so shameless, only knowing how to ask a woman for money? Can't you have any backbone?"

Upon hearing this, Song Minglang's eyes lit up, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

He glanced at the two of them, then pulled Granny Yang away.

"Hey, hey?" Old Mrs. Yang hadn't recovered yet and hurriedly asked, "Son, are we just leaving like this?"

Song Minglang said softly, "Don't worry, I already have a way."

Jiang Yuning was angry that he lacked backbone, so he would stand up for himself and show Jiang Yuning his manliness. He was sure Jiang Yuning would change her mind.

The following days passed peacefully, and after a few days, people in the village told them that Song Minglang had gone to the county town and returned with a fortune.

Jiang Yunning didn't believe it, but the next day she received thirty taels of silver from Jiang Youfu.

"Anhe...are you alright?" He had a little more conscience than Jiang Mancang, but not much.

Jiang Yun Ning responded with a hint of sarcasm: "Whether it's serious or not, why don't you go back and have your son try it on Jiang Zheng An's head and you'll know?"

Jiang Youfu's eyes darted around, his face turning bright red with embarrassment.

He glanced at Jiang Laosan, who was sitting to the side without even giving him a look, opened his mouth but said nothing and left.

Jiang Yuning simply placed the silver on the table. "Mother, elder brother, and sister-in-law, you are the victims. You can divide this silver among yourselves."

"Mother doesn't want it. Mother isn't badly injured, give it all to Anhe." Wang Cuihua reached out and pushed it in front of Liu Yuzhi.

Jiang Yuntian and Liu Yuzhi waved their hands repeatedly: "Mother, no. This is all what Yun Ning wanted back. We only want the eight taels that were stolen; we don't want the rest."

Jiang Yuning paid for all of Jiang Anhe's medical expenses, and he even demanded the money back with a kitchen knife in hand. How could they possibly take it?

Jiang Yuning was speechless. Were these two idiots? Who would refuse to give money away?

"Yun Ning." Liu Yuzhi held her hand. "If it weren't for you, An He wouldn't have been able to go to school in town, and our family wouldn't be living as well as we are today. Not to mention we wouldn't have been able to squeeze thirty taels of silver out of the old house."

Jiang Yunning felt a little guilty.

If it weren't for her, the old house might not have been targeted for theft.

But then I thought about it again and realized I was being a fool too.

Isn't this blatant victim-blaming?

They should live their own lives well, so how can they doubt themselves because of other people's bad intentions and evil deeds?

"Auntie, hide. No one will be able to find you." Jiang Anhe still had candy in her mouth, but these words made Jiang Yuntian's eyes light up.

"Wife, why don't we put the money with Yun Ning too, so it won't be stolen again?"

Jiang Yun Ning was speechless, but it was true. Once the silver was hidden in her spatial storage, not only would Jiang Youfu and his son not be able to find it, but the entire village would also be unable to find it.

Before she could even speak, her family had already unanimously agreed. They kept only enough money for daily expenses, and gave the rest to Jiang Yun Ning to hide.

Jiang Yunning suddenly became the person who controlled the family finances.

In the afternoon, Xie Shengan, whom I hadn't seen for a long time, arrived.

Behind him followed an oxcart, loaded with a full load of chili seedlings as tall as his calves.

I was startled by the two big black dogs as soon as I entered the door.

"My goodness!" Xie Shengan patted his chest. "Auntie, when did you get a dog?"

Wang Cuihua smiled and said, "I keep two dogs to guard the house."

Xie Shengan was unaware of what had happened to the Jiang family, but nodded in agreement: "We do need to be careful. Recently, bandits from the neighboring county came into the village and killed several people."