I Transmigrated and Already Had a Wife - Chapter 30

When Jiang Zhou finished packing up her stall, she saw Lin Muwan sitting under the shade of a nearby tree. The beauty was like a poem and a painting, her side profile exquisite, with dappled shadows scattered on the ground.

Putting away her tools, Jiang Zhou led her carriage and stopped on the street side near the large tree. The corner of her mouth curved into an arc as she called out, “Wife (Niangzi).”

Lin Muwan’s expression froze slightly. She turned her head to look in the direction of the voice, seeing the person standing in the sunlight. She pursed her lips, suppressing the turbulent emotions, and stood up to walk out of the shade. She took the hand Jiang Zhou offered, climbed into the carriage, and sat down on the soft cushion.

Her heart was in turmoil. Her gaze fell on Jiang Zhou’s back. The person cracked the whip with a ‘snap,’ and the carriage jolted forward.

Jiang Zhou turned her head. “Wife, what else does the house need? We can go buy it together now.”

Lin Muwan replied, “You can decide.”

“Oh,” Jiang Zhou turned back, silent for a moment, then continued, “Then let’s buy some more daily necessities.”

Lin Muwan lowered her head, not responding.

I’ll decide on these things.

Jiang Zhou waited a while, glanced back, and saw Lin Muwan with her head down, lost in thought. She gave a self-deprecating smile. Now she truly believed it. It had always been herself planning their future; Lin Muwan never participated.

It probably wasn’t that she didn’t want to say anything; it was that she simply hadn’t considered a future with her.

Jiang Zhou closed her eyes, unwilling to continue deceiving herself.

She remained silent, driving the carriage along the street, buying everything she could think of that Lin Muwan might need after she left.

A whole carriage-load.

Lin Muwan looked at the carriage full of goods, her delicate eyebrows tightly knit. She seemed about to speak but ultimately said nothing.

They were both very quiet along the way. Lin Muwan stared at Jiang Zhou’s slender back, feeling an inexplicable panic in her heart.

Suddenly, she really wanted Jiang Zhou to talk to her, but the person’s gaze was fixed forward, not sparing her a single moment of attention.

Lin Muwan instantly felt wronged.

She vaguely wanted Jiang Zhou to care about her, to feel sorry for her, and to have Jiang Zhou’s eyes full of only her.

Lin Muwan lowered her head, suppressing the strange emotions in her heart. She pinched her fingertips, her lips pressed into a straight line.

When did I become so pampered?

Since the Lin family fell, she had even forgotten what being pampered meant.

Even from a young age, her mother taught her to always pay attention to her poise and be dignified and generous, no matter the occasion—that was the demeanor of a true lady from a prominent family.

She had followed that advice, and so had the other young ladies around her.

Everyone was like that.

But ever since this person arrived, she had changed. She became envious, narrow-minded, and now she had this new bad habit of being spoiled.

She had gotten used to Jiang Zhou’s care.

Back home, Jiang Zhou drove the carriage straight into the courtyard, where Mother Jiang and Mother Lin were chatting. Jiang Zhou handed them the gifts and the winter cotton clothes she had bought for them.

The remaining items, apart from the clothes bought for Lin Muwan, were mostly grain and some daily necessities.

Jiang Zhou separated Lin Muwan’s things. The rest were all to be moved into the kitchen.

She rummaged through the pile and pulled out two bolts of soft white cloth. “Wife, this cloth is soft. You can use it to make some inner garments for yourselves. However, I can’t make these, so Mother can help. Also…” Jiang Zhou paused, “I won’t be setting up the stall starting tomorrow.”

Lin Muwan looked up at her.

Jiang Zhou smiled. “It’s almost winter. There are many things we need to prepare at home. I also need to chop a few more carriage-loads of firewood on the mountain. And those rabbits, let’s sell them. I’ll take the accumulated furs to the county town these two days to sell them. That’ll save up some more money. You need to keep the money safe.”

“These things can be prepared slowly,” Lin Muwan said, frowning.

“Mhm, no rush. I’m just afraid we won’t prepare enough.”

Lin Muwan gripped her hands tightly.

Jiang Zhou said, “Alright, I’m going to take out the takeaway dishes. Are you hungry?”

Lin Muwan looked into her eyes for a long moment, then nodded.

Jiang Zhou smiled, plated the food she had packed from the restaurant, and called them to eat.

During the meal, Jiang Zhou looked at Mother Jiang and said, “Mother, the Mid-Autumn Festival is in two days. Why don’t you invite Butcher Miao over, and we can all have a meal together? It’s a major holiday, and she’s alone anyway. It’ll be livelier with a crowd.”

Mother Jiang glanced over, uncertain. “Let’s ask her. She’s probably busy collecting pigs around the holidays.”

“Mhm.”

Jiang Zhou nodded, lowered her head, and a flicker of sadness crossed her eyes.

After she leaves, Lin Muwan will probably depart from Jiang Family Village once Mother Lin’s leg heals. At that time, Mother Jiang will be left alone. Although she wasn’t her birth mother, they had developed feelings over the time they spent together, especially since her cheap mother treated her sincerely.

She wanted to secure a path for her before she left, using this opportunity to see if this Butcher Miao was worthy of her cheap mother’s trust.

The next day, Jiang Zhou stopped going to the stall. Instead, she found the village carpenter, gave him two taels of silver, and asked him to build a carriage. She, herself, went into the mountains to cut firewood. On the way back, she saw a family’s dog had given birth to a litter of puppies, so she asked the family for one and brought it home.

“You brat, why did you bring another dog back?” Mother Jiang saw the puppy Jiang Zhou was holding immediately. It looked even smaller than Zhou Zhou and she looked displeased.

Jiang Zhou: “…”

Jiang Zhou sighed. “Having a dog at home can help guard the house. If I’m not here, it can be quite helpful.”

Lin Muwan, who was playing with Zhou Zhou, felt her heart suddenly tighten when she heard this. She looked up at Jiang Zhou, then lowered her head again, pinching her fingertips.

“Where are you going?” Mother Jiang put down her needlework, staring at her, afraid she would go out and cause trouble again. She warned, “I’m telling you, you brat, if you dare act recklessly, I won’t spare you.”

Jiang Zhou laughed it off and moved closer. “How dare I? Is this the clothing you’re making for Wanwan?” She picked up the clothes and praised, “It’s really beautiful. Mother’s craftsmanship is the best.”

As she spoke, her gaze drifted to Lin Muwan. In a water-green dress, her skin was like snow, and her cherry lips were naturally red.

She laughed softly. Water-green truly suited her. She was even more beautiful than a celestial fairy.

She watched for a long time before reluctantly shifting her gaze. Although Lin Muwan’s face held no expression, Jiang Zhou found it more beautiful than any scenery.

In the afternoon, everyone went for a nap. Jiang Zhou moved a chair and lay down in the sun, squinting her eyes, bathing in the warmth.

A few more days passed, and Jiang Zhou’s carriage was finished. The carriage compartment was built according to her specifications, covered with a layer of soft padding, making it extremely comfortable. Even if the carriage rattled, lying inside wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.

She called out to the house, “Wife.”

A moment later, Lin Muwan emerged from the room. Jiang Zhou stood in the sunlight; her whole body seemingly edged in gold. Lin Muwan walked over. Jiang Zhou took her hand. “I’ll take you out for a ride in a bit to try the carriage.”

Lin Muwan lowered her head, her entire attention focused on the hand Jiang Zhou was holding. She pursed her lips, a faint blush rising on her face, and responded with a soft, “Okay.”

Jiang Zhou smiled and helped her onto the carriage. “See if it’s comfortable. I’ll teach you how to drive the carriage later. That way, you can travel by yourself later.”

Lin Muwan frowned, turned to look at her, and asked softly, “What about you? Are you not coming with me?”

Jiang Zhou smiled. “It’s always more convenient to learn to do things yourself.” After all, I can’t always be by your side to take care of you.

“Let’s go. Hold on tight.”

Jiang Zhou shouted, the sound of ‘clip-clop’ hooves began, and the carriage slowly drove onto the village road, gradually leaving the village and entering the flat official road.

The carriage was indeed as comfortable as Jiang Zhou had described. Lin Muwan lowered her eyes, and that feeling of distress welled up in her heart again.

She opened the carriage door and called out, “Jiang Zhou.”

Jiang Zhou was puzzled. She turned around, looking into her eyes. The black-obsidian-like eyes were full of shimmering moisture, instantly making her heart clench, a rush of mixed emotions. She desperately wanted to step forward and hug her.

She turned back, suppressing the surging emotions, her gaze fixed on the front. She blinked, her eyes feeling slightly sore.

She calmed herself and said, “Wife, we’ll go to the county yamen in a bit. I asked a friend to help Mother-in-Law process a new household registration at the yamen. With a new identity document, you won’t be afraid of being checked wherever you go in the future.”

“Jiang Zhou,” Lin Muwan called her again.

Jiang Zhou bit her lip and replied, “What is it?”

“You’re going to leave.”

Jiang Zhou: “…”

“Are you going to leave?” Lin Muwan pressed.

“No,” Jiang Zhou lied.

“Why are you taking me on the official road? Why are you teaching me to drive the carriage? Why did you suddenly process a household registration for Mother?” Lin Muwan questioned.

Jiang Zhou was silent for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth. “I just did it when I thought of it.”

“Stop the carriage.”

“We haven’t arrived yet…”

“I told you to stop the carriage.”

Jiang Zhou pulled back on the reins, and the carriage slowly stopped by the side of the road.

She pretended to be casual, turned around to face Lin Muwan, and smiled. “What’s wrong?”

Her peach-blossom eyes were filled with helplessness at this moment.

Lin Muwan pursed her lips, her gaze fixed intently on Jiang Zhou’s eyes, not saying a word.

Jiang Zhou chuckled softly. “If you don’t speak, I’m going to continue the journey. If we don’t go now, the county yamen might close, and we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to get the document.”

“Hold on.”

Just as Jiang Zhou was about to sit back, Lin Muwan grabbed her sleeve. “I have something to tell you. Come inside.”

“Huh?” Jiang Zhou didn’t really want to sit too close to her, but seeing her firm attitude, she obediently sat inside the carriage, closed the door, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lin Muwan looked into her eyes, tightening her hands. “I’m pregnant.”

“What?” Jiang Zhou’s eyes widened. She stared at her unblinkingly, thinking she had misheard. Although she was a modern person, having watched too many TV shows and novels, she naturally knew what being pregnant meant.

She stared at her without moving, completely stunned and unable to recover for a long time.

After a moment, she couldn’t suppress the anger in her eyes. Just as she was about to ask whose it was, she heard a pleasant voice say, “It’s yours.”

Jiang Zhou was stunned.

What did she say?

Jiang Zhou clenched her hands. How could it be hers? She couldn’t describe her current mood. The child absolutely could not be hers. She was a woman, and Lin Muwan also knew she was a woman.

She had been with Lin Muwan every day during this period. She still trusted Lin Muwan’s character. The heroine of the novel had very sound moral principles.

Whose child was it?

Could someone have taken advantage of Lin Muwan while she was out setting up her stall during the day?

Jiang Zhou clenched her fist, opened her mouth, and looked at Lin Muwan’s moist, glistening eyes. Her heart softened, and she closed her eyes, ultimately not asking a single question.

Since Lin Muwan said it was hers, she certainly didn’t want to reopen old wounds. Jiang Zhou remained silent, secretly vowing that if she found out who it was, she would definitely kill that person.

Facing Lin Muwan at this moment, she didn’t know how to respond to her. Should she accept the child?

She was going to leave sooner or later, and Lin Muwan had her destined love interest. She would be with her true love in the future.

What would it mean if she accepted the child? But if she didn’t accept it now, how would others view Lin Muwan?

Jiang Zhou was in a dilemma.

“You don’t want to take responsibility?” Lin Muwan asked.

Jiang Zhou stared at her.

What did she mean, she didn’t want to take responsibility?

She did want to take responsibility, but what about the future? According to the novel’s plot, Lin Muwan and her true love would cripple her.

Love might be precious, but she hadn’t planned to throw away her life for love—no, that was just one-sided love on her part.

Jiang Zhou sighed slightly, thinking she should first placate Lin Muwan. She needed time to think about how to resolve this matter, but Lin Muwan didn’t give her a chance to consider. She grabbed her hand and urgently said, “I only had that kind of thing with you.”

How could it be hers?

Jiang Zhou was starting to panic a little now, and she countered, “We are both women. How can it be mine?”

“So, you never intended to take responsibility, is that it?”

Jiang Zhou was speechless. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to take responsibility. She was willing to be the child’s cheap father, but was that the main issue?

The main issue was that she would be tortured to death by Lin Muwan later, wasn’t it?

But once she looked into Lin Muwan’s reddened eyes, Jiang Zhou’s heart instantly softened. She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, but Lin Muwan dodged her.

Jiang Zhou sighed helplessly. “Alright, don’t cry. It’s all my fault. I want to take responsibility. I just wasn’t mentally prepared.”

“You still think the child is someone else’s, not yours?”

Jiang Zhou: “…”

She admitted that two women having a child was too absurd, but what could she do? She was facing Lin Muwan.

Jiang Zhou raised her right hand, curved two fingers, and pointed to the sky. “I swear, I truly don’t disbelieve you. I will take responsibility.”

To hell with her true love! The child and the wife are mine! She was willing to gamble once, even if the ending was tragic, betting on whether Lin Muwan would fall in love with her.

Heh heh~

She hadn’t expected to turn out to be a love-struck fool.

Lin Muwan stared into her eyes for a long time, then withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyes, and whispered, “I don’t know if you truly believe me, but I have indeed only been with you in that way. I also didn’t believe two women could have a child. I checked at several medical halls, and the results were all the same.”

Jiang Zhou frowned, feeling stunned.

Could this child really be hers?

She began to waver herself. She put her hand to her mouth, biting her fingertip. Did she have some hidden special ability after transmigrating?

Was her cheat ability the power to make people pregnant?

Although it sounded a bit incredible, she was still willing to believe it.

Jiang Zhou had calmed down and, instead, felt nervous—the nervousness of a first-time parent. Her hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly. She said, “A pregnant person shouldn’t cry. I’m sorry, I made you unhappy. It won’t happen again. When we get to the county town, we’ll find another medical hall to see if we need to get some prenatal medicine.”

She spoke with increasing excitement, paused, and felt a bit flustered. Taking a deep breath, she continued, “A pregnant person needs to nourish her body well. Is there anything you want to eat? You’ve been eating too little lately; you’ve gotten thin.”

“No, you’re pregnant. I can’t let you continue living in the kitchen with me.”

Lin Muwan looked up and pursed her lips.

“Tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll find someone to build another courtyard. We can move there then. You’ll have to put up with it for a few more days.”

Lin Muwan’s tightly pursed lips curved into a smile.

“It’s still a distance to the county town. Lie down in the carriage and rest for a bit.” Jiang Zhou patted the carriage, secretly feeling grateful that the carriage was thickly padded.