I Transmigrated and Already Had a Wife - Chapter 72

Lin Muwan felt utterly exhausted, lacking even the strength to open her eyes. She slumped softly onto the bed, mumbled a confused reply, and drifted off to sleep.

Jiang Zhou looked at the woman on the bed, pursed her lips, wondering why she wasn’t worried at all.

She sighed, bent down, and pressed a kiss on Lin Muwan’s smooth forehead. Only then did she reluctantly turn and leave, heading toward the front hall.

Lin Muwan lifted her eyelids slightly, but didn’t open her eyes, eventually giving up and falling completely asleep.

In the front hall, Minister Lin paced back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back. Seeing Jiang Zhou arrive alone, his eyebrows knitted together. He glanced behind her but saw no one. However, he didn’t dwell on it for long and spoke frankly, “Quickly tell this old man, what exactly is going on with your title as the Martial Arts Scholar?”

Jiang Zhou looked bewildered, but one thing was certain: her father-in-law had not come to kill her. As long as it wasn’t about that, everything else was manageable.

But why would her father-in-law suddenly ask about this?

Seeing Minister Lin’s anxious expression, she didn’t dare to conceal anything and recounted the full story from beginning to end.

After listening, Minister Lin sighed and shoved a cloth-wrapped bundle into her hand. “Take Wanwan and leave the capital immediately. Go now. Come back when the storm has passed.”

Jiang Zhou: “…”

What was happening?

“Why are you standing there stunned?”

Jiang Zhou looked completely lost. This was perhaps even more surprising than her father-in-law wanting to kill her.

Minister Lin immediately looked frustrated. “Was your Martial Arts Scholar exam recommended by Zhao Mao?”

Jiang Zhou nodded.

“Someone in the court has submitted a memorial to His Majesty impeaching you, hoping to use this matter to suppress the Seventh Prince. However, you have already resigned from office, so His Majesty shouldn’t pursue it much. But to avoid further complications, the two of you should go hide outside for a while.” Then, as if remembering something, he muttered softly, “You were planning to leave the capital anyway.”

Jiang Zhou: “…”

It was the first time she had seen her father-in-law, who usually only puffed up his beard and glared, look so endearing. She fought hard not to laugh out loud.

“Inside the bundle are the bank notes I prepared for you. If you don’t take good care of Wanwan, just wait and see how I deal with you later,” Minister Lin warned fiercely.

Jiang Zhou promised, “Father-in-law, don’t worry. I will absolutely treat my wife well.”

With Jiang Zhou’s assurance, Minister Lin’s heart finally eased a little. His eyes were slightly red, and unwilling to cry in front of a younger person, he waved his sleeve and turned his back. “That’s enough. You don’t need to worry about the affairs in the capital. I must leave now, and you should also hurry and depart.”

His daughter, whom he had raised for twenty years, was just given away so easily to this brat.

His goatee trembled. He awkwardly added, “When the child is born, find time to bring them back for your mother-in-law and me to see.”

With that, without waiting for Jiang Zhou’s reply, he quickly left.

Jiang Zhou watched his retreating figure, her own eyes feeling a little sore. She looked down at the bundle in her hand and opened it, stunned. The thick stack of bank notes totaled at least ten thousand liang (taels).

He did this?

In the novel, Minister Lin was an honest official. Suddenly producing this much money—could it be that he had sold everything valuable in the mansion to give to them?

Jiang Zhou’s sore eyes immediately turned red.

In a matter of life and death, Jiang Zhou didn’t overthink things for too long. She put away the bank notes, told the others what Minister Lin had said, and everyone wordlessly went back to their rooms to pack. In a short while, the four of them regrouped in the front hall.

Jiang Zhou then dismissed the servants at home, left a letter for Ming Zhiqin, and they set off, leaving the capital by carriage.

The carriage traveled south, the scenery along the way a vibrant display of flowers and beauty.

One month later, at the Jiang Family Village.

“Uncle Jiang, my dad asked me to come and borrow the cart,” Zhang Xiaoniu said breathlessly to the young person sitting by the river, fishing.

The young person yawned lazily and playfully scolded with a smile, “Look, you scared away my fish! Do you know that this fish is for your Aunt Wanwan to nourish her body?”

Zhang Xiaoniu was simple and honest, with a dark, tanned face, looking very much like Zhang Tieniu. He scratched his head. “I’m sorry, Uncle Jiang, I was in too much of a hurry and didn’t notice. I won’t do it next time.”

Jiang Zhou put away her fishing rod, stretched her sore neck, retrieved the fishing basket from the water, and held it. “Why didn’t you go directly to borrow one from your Grandma Miao?”

“Afu is sitting by the door. I’m scared.”

Since he was just a child, Jiang Zhou chuckled. “Afu doesn’t bite. What are you scared of?”

“I don’t know, I just am.”

As the two chatted, they were nearing the front door. Seeing her owner return, Afu got up from the ground, wagging its tail, and ran toward Jiang Zhou. Zhang Xiaoniu hid behind Jiang Zhou. Jiang Zhou sighed, and just as she was about to reach out and pat Afu’s head, she felt a tug on her skirt, and a small grey fox appeared in her arms.

Jiang Zhou smiled, changing the direction of her hand to stroke the fox in her embrace.

“Woof… woof…”

Afu lay on the ground, rubbing its head against her lower leg, letting out sounds of dissatisfaction.

Jiang Zhou chuckled, placing the fox, Zhouzhou, on the ground. “Go play.”

The fox and the dog reluctantly left together.

Jiang Zhou led Xiaoniu into the yard, pushed out the cart, and handed it to him.

“You go back first. Tell your dad that I’ll come help him harvest the wheat after noon.”

“Okay!” Zhang Xiaoniu happily pushed the cart and scurried away.

“You’re going to help?”

“Yes.” Jiang Zhou turned around, put the fish basket in the kitchen, washed up, and then embraced Lin Muwan, kissing her on the lips. “Brother Zhang helped us a lot, so it’s only right that I return the favor by helping him.”

Saying that, she bent down and gently touched Lin Muwan’s round belly. “You’re due soon. We need to find a midwife early. Let Mother go inquire over the next few days to see which midwife is good. The baby’s things are almost ready. See if there’s anything else missing, and I’ll go buy it in the county town another day.”

Lin Muwan shook her head. “Everything that needs to be bought is pretty much bought.”

Since returning to the Jiang Family Village, although they had fewer maids to serve them, their lives had become much more relaxed, especially with this person constantly finding new ways to spoil her. All three meals every day were prepared by her, which she called “nutritious meals.”

Although Lin Muwan didn’t know what she meant by “nutritious meals,” she gradually understood that they were for nourishing the body.

“Wife.”

“Hmm?” Lin Muwan snapped out of her thoughts and smiled softly. “Does Husband want to eat fish today?”

“Yes, I caught two crucian carp in the river today. They don’t have much meat, but they’ll be perfect for soup,” Jiang Zhou replied.

She brought a lounge chair for Lin Muwan and squatted by the side herself, starting to clean the fish’s entrails. In a little while, the fish was cleaned and ready.

Jiang Zhou fried both sides of the fish until golden, added water to simmer, and cooked two more vegetable dishes, placing them on the dining table.

There were only the two of them at home right now. Jiang’s mother and Butcher Miao had gone to the county town to handle some things at the shop and wouldn’t be back for lunch.

So, Jiang Zhou didn’t prepare much, just enough for the two of them.

After lunch, Jiang Zhou tidied up and was ready to go help Zhang Tieniu harvest wheat.

“Husband.” Lin Muwan put down the book in her hand, pursed her lips, and looked as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.

Seeing her expression, Jiang Zhou stepped forward, took her hand, and frowned. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?”

Lin Muwan shook her head. She looked Jiang Zhou up and down. This person, dressed in a grey short coat, still couldn’t conceal her delicate features. She spent the entire day outside in the sun, yet showed no sign of being tanned, which made Lin Muwan secretly marvel at how good her skin was.

After some thought, she asked, “Husband, can I come with you?”

Jiang Zhou hesitated, a hint of worry hidden in her eyes. Logically, taking her along wasn’t impossible, but it was currently noon, the hottest time of the day. She was quite unsure.

“Husband, I’ll just watch you from the side.”

Jiang Zhou thought for a moment. “Wife, you sleep at home for a bit first. I’ll come back to pick you up to go together later.”

Lin Muwan pursed her lips and remained silent.

Jiang Zhou immediately found herself at a loss with her. She grit her teeth. “Alright then, if you want to follow, then follow. I’ll go fetch the carriage. The road near Brother Zhang’s wheat field is quite wide. You can rest in the carriage for a while, and come out when the sun isn’t so harsh.”

With that, she didn’t give Lin Muwan a chance to refuse, turned around, fetched the horse, harnessed it to the carriage, and placed the water bag and pastries inside the carriage. Only then did she help Lin Muwan get into the carriage.

The carriage moved slowly. After the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the carriage stopped at the edge of the field. Jiang Zhou opened the carriage door and instructed, “You rest first. Call me if you need anything.”

Lin Muwan pursed her lips and nodded. She watched the thin figure jump down the ridge and blend in with Zhang Tieniu’s family, feeling inexplicably a little sad.

Her lips tightened further. Finally, she turned her head away, her gaze falling on the setting sun in the sky, lost in thought.

A little later, she stepped down from the carriage and walked slowly along the field ridge.

Jiang Zhou, who was constantly monitoring the carriage, was alarmed.

She quickly put down the sickle. Oh, my little ancestor, why did you come out in such strong sunlight? The mountain roads were rugged, and Lin Muwan, a pampered young lady since childhood, had never been to a place like this before, and she was heavily pregnant.

Jiang Zhou didn’t have time to think and rushed over anxiously. “Wife, why did you come out? Didn’t I tell you to rest for a while?”

Lin Muwan glanced at her faintly. “Can’t sleep.”

How could she not sleep? Lin Muwan usually could sleep for the entire afternoon. What was wrong today?

“Don’t worry about me. Go back to your work.”

“How can I not worry about you? I can’t neglect you for anyone!”

“Hmph.” Lin Muwan let out a nasal sound, lowered her head, and intended to ignore her.

Jiang Zhou leaned closer and whispered, “Do you want me to hold you while you sleep?”

What?

Lin Muwan abruptly looked up at her, her face expressing a sense of shame at being seen through. This feeling of shame spread throughout her body. Not only her cheeks and ears, but Lin Muwan felt hot all over.

This pervert.

Always so inappropriate, no matter the time.

She didn’t want to stay here for another moment. She turned and returned to the carriage, closed the door, lay down in a huff, and even covered her ears, refusing to answer even when Jiang Zhou called her name a few times outside.

Jiang Zhou felt both amused and helpless. She was genuinely angry. If she didn’t apologize properly, not only would Jiang Zhou be distracted from work, but this ancestor of hers would probably be angry for the whole afternoon.

Of course, she wouldn’t tell anyone that even when her wife was angry, it wouldn’t last until night, because her wife couldn’t sleep at all without her arms around her.

Hmm, it’s not that I can’t leave her, it’s that my wife can’t leave me.

As she thought about it, she accidentally laughed out loud.

Jiang Zhou: “…”

How could she have laughed out loud so carelessly?

She carefully looked toward Lin Muwan, and after a moment, she sighed in relief. Fortunately, my wife didn’t hear.

“Wife, I was just worried about you.”

Lin Muwan kept her eyes closed, her lips pressed tight, her long eyelashes gently trembling.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhou’s heart softened. She bent down, embraced the person, kissed her on the forehead, and coaxed her with soft words. The person who had been tense moments before, unknowingly curled her lips into a smile. Surrounded by the familiar scent, and already sleepy, she fell asleep in an instant.

When she woke up again, it was already time for sunset. Zhang Tieniu’s family had finished harvesting the wheat and were using carts to transport it home.

Jiang Zhou smiled as she watched her.

They harnessed the carriage, and the two chatted all the way home. The sun was setting, the rosy glow staining half the sky. In the afterglow, the carriage’s shadow was cast long and long, and the two voices were intimately intertwined.

All that filled the air was the tender affection of lovers, a love enduring through every dawn and dusk.