Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Han Yu had been incredibly busy these past few days, barely touching the ground with his feet. Not only did he have to arrange that matter, but he also worried about his Eldest Brother-in-law’s mishap. Barely resolving his current affairs, he spotted one of his household caretakers heading to the military camp and knew it must be to seek him. Something must have happened at home, and given the urgency in the man’s pace, Han Yu’s heart tightened, almost certain that his daughter-in-law must have found out about his Eldest Brother-in-law.

Just as expected, as soon as the caretaker approached, he said, “Master, Grandma Chen has sent me to ask you to return home immediately. Madam Yao revealed the Su Family’s situation to Madam, who now looks quite unsettled. Grandma Chen is worried something might happen and sent me to request your return.”

Upon hearing this, Han Yu’s face darkened. That Mrs. Yao Qin, a thoughtless fool, immediately he spurred his horse back. He had known how much his daughter-in-law valued her mother’s family and that she would insist on visiting if she learned about her Eldest Brother-in-law’s troubles. That was exactly why he had kept it from her—seeing her with such a large stomach, sometimes trembling as she walked, made his heart shiver; how could he allow her to undergo such turmoil.

If his daughter-in-law was affected by temper, it was certain that nobody at home could stop her. So Han Yu did not rush home but instead took a shortcut, hoping to intercept her on the way to the Su Family.

Su Wenyue boarded the horse carriage, with Grandma Chen following her. Though Su Wenyue felt displeased, she uttered no complaint, satisfied that anyone other than Aunt Li was accompanying her. The bumpy ride made her fear for the child’s well-being, and she needed someone to take care of her. Moreover, since Sikong Ling was the only person inside the carriage, Su Wenyue didn’t want to be alone with him.

“Look how tired you are, beads of sweat on your forehead, and with such a big stomach, it must be hard. Here, have a drink of water,” Sikong Ling said while handing Su Wenyue a cup of water.

At that moment, Su Wenyue was indeed thirsty and, thinking that Sikong Ling couldn’t possibly tamper with it, she took a few sips only to be surprised by a faint sweetness in the water: “Is this honey water?”

“I’ve been having some throat discomfort these past few days, feeling rather dry. I’ve had the servants prepare honey water. Don’t you like it? It’s all we have in the carriage, so please make do. Besides, drinking this is also beneficial for a pregnant woman.”

Su Wenyue nodded without speaking, but she felt it odd. Sikong Yu might look easygoing and approachable now, but actually, he’s incredibly fussy. Suffering from an illness, he disliked taking medicine, let alone for mere throat discomfort, drinking honey water—a favorite among women. It all seemed a bit laughable.

Seeing Su Wenyue’s reaction, a flicker of intrigue passed through Sikong Ling’s eyes. He then retrieved a plate of exquisite pastries from a hidden compartment in the carriage and coaxed Su Wenyue to eat a few pieces. Only upon realizing she truly had no appetite did he stop insisting.

“This carriage is quite comfortable. You should lean back and rest. Even if there’s an urgent matter to attend to, you must still consider the child within your womb. Don’t overexert yourself,” said Sikong Ling, who then diligently arranged the cushions for Su Wenyue. Grandma Chen frowned deeply at his attentiveness, and Su Wenyue also felt uncomfortable. In her previous life, she was always the one tending to this man—she had never received such treatment; clearly, flattery was not a successful negotiation.

Su Wenyue nodded, leaned against the cushions, and found a comfortable position before closing her eyes. Eating someone’s food made it hard to be dismissive, particularly when riding in Sikong Ling’s carriage, but she truly didn’t want to engage with him. Deciding to feign sleep instead, Grandma Chen, in her loyal service, couldn’t allow another man to get too close to her mistress, especially when this Sikong young master was indeed attractive. She intentionally and unintentionally kept Sikong Ling apart. Nonetheless, Sikong Ling was unbothered, sitting quietly, his gaze fixed on Su Wenyue without any attempt to conceal it.

Seeing Sikong Ling’s behavior, Grandma Chen felt even more uncomfortable and did her best to block his line of sight, which lowered her opinion of him. She had initially thought that such a celestial-like young master, with his refined manners, would be well versed in proper conduct and aware of the need for propriety, yet here he was, doting upon their lady and staring at her so intently.

Having taken the shortcut towards the Su Mansion, Han Yu had calculated that he should have caught up with Su Wenyue’s carriage quickly. Little did he expect to find the road blocked halfway there, with a wooden wheel cart carrying timber overturned, the logs strewn across the path, and other carriages impeding progress. The road was narrow to begin with, and now it was utterly impassable.

Usually, this route was so deserted that one might not encounter a soul half the day, but today, of all days, there seemed to be an intentional obstruction. Han Yu felt suspicious, yet he couldn’t be certain. Turning back would not only require a detour but also waste precious time, leaving him with no choice but to find a way to clear the road quickly.

Sikong Ling brought Su Wenyue to the front gate of the Su Mansion and watched her enter, yet he didn’t go far. Instead, he had the servant driving the carriage find a spot to wait.

These past few days, Madam Su had gone gray worrying about her Eldest Son’s troubles. It was only in the last few days, as his injuries finally showed signs of healing, that she allowed herself a breath of relief. With her daughter-in-law taking care, who would expect a servant suddenly reporting her Daughter’s return?

Madam Su was startled, “Why come back to her mother’s family instead of resting at home during pregnancy?”

Even as she said this, An Family’s Madam knew her daughter was concerned for her son. Despite their request for secrecy, it seemed there had been a slip. Considering the strong bond between her daughter and son, she was somewhat comforted and proud, yet also worried about her Daughter’s seven, almost eight months’ pregnancy—whether she could handle such strain.

Upon arrival at the Su Mansion, Su Wenyue proceeded towards Su Hengyi’s residence. News had already reached him, and Su Hengyi awaited her with brows deeply furrowed. What was wrong with his brother-in-law? Hadn’t they agreed not to worry his younger sister, yet she had found out somehow? His sister, nearly eight months pregnant, shouldn’t be undergoing such stress—it was too troubling.

With these thoughts, Su Hengyi immediately went out to welcome her at the entrance of the courtyard.

“Big brother, how are you? Are your injuries better?” Su Wenyue felt a huge relief upon seeing Su Hengyi, reassured that Aunt Li hadn’t lied to her. If her big brother really wasn’t badly hurt, he wouldn’t be out and about. Before, she was afraid Aunt Li might lie just to keep her from worrying, so she scrutinized Su Hengyi from head to toe.

“It seems big brother’s injuries aren’t serious. That’s good.” Su Wenyue spoke these words more to herself, not waiting for Su Hengyi to respond.

However, Su Hengyi read a lot into her statement and, noticing the meek Grandma Chen trailing behind Su Wenyue, unwilling to speak out, realized his little sister must be upset.

“Don’t worry. The injuries were not severe to begin with, just a little frightening because of the bleeding, but no vital parts were harmed. But why did you rush back like this? You’re practically a mother now; why so impulsive?” Su Hengyi couldn’t help but be scared when he saw his little sister so tremulously holding her large stomach and couldn’t contain his admonishment.

“Big brother, my stomach hurts.”