The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 82

Tang Jing didn’t rest for long at the stopover before heading straight to the next world.

Blazing sunlight, scorching wind, the fresh scent of grass and trees, and the ceaseless chirping of cicadas.

Gazing at the blue sky and white clouds above, it felt as if her entire soul had been cleansed.

Tang Jing looked around and found herself lying on a pile of hay. Not far ahead was a small river, its surface shimmering under the sunlight.

Beside her stood a tiled house, with a fence made of tree branches leaning against the wall. Inside, a few chickens strutted proudly, occasionally pecking at the vegetable leaves scattered on the ground.

In the distance, brick-and-tile houses dotted the landscape, and the sound of barking dogs could be heard nearby.

Judging by the surroundings, this was likely a small village. The sun was directly overhead, indicating it was noon, most families were probably resting at home, which explained the quietness.

Seizing the opportunity, Tang Jing immediately asked the system to provide the background of this world.

Qin Nanshu, the female lead (top) of this world, was from Xiaohe Village. Her parents had passed away when she was very young, and she had lived with her grandmother ever since. She was now twenty years old.

Gu Sihuan, the female lead (bottom), was also from Xiaohe Village. She had both parents and two older brothers, but her status at home was low. Her parents favored sons over daughters, so she ended up doing most of the household chores.

She had known Qin Nanshu since childhood, they were childhood sweethearts, innocent and inseparable. Two years ago, romantic feelings had blossomed between them, but neither had ever voiced it.

It seemed they would stay in Xiaohe Village forever, but not long after, Gu Sihuan was sent to her uncle’s home in the city, where he found her a job. It was through this job that she met a man at her workplace, and the two quickly fell in love.

During the New Year, Gu Sihuan brought her boyfriend home. Qin Nanshu, who had been excited to see her, left heartbroken upon witnessing her intimacy with another man.

After the New Year, Gu Sihuan returned to the city with her boyfriend. Less than half a year later, rumors spread through the village that Gu Sihuan was pregnant and would return to the village to rest for her pregnancy.

On the day she returned, many villagers went to see her. They had expected her to be escorted back in grand fashion by her man, but instead, she returned alone, heavily pregnant and looking haggard.

Soon, the villagers whispered that Gu Sihuan had been abandoned by the man, and the child in her belly was now a bastard.

Qin Nanshu worked tirelessly while caring for her elderly grandmother. One day, Gu Sihuan came to her and asked if she still loved her. Qin Nanshu remained silent.

Gu Sihuan said she had a way to take Qin Nanshu to the city for work and could even bring her aging grandmother along. “Nanshu,” she pleaded, “let’s elope.”

Qin Nanshu refused.

Not long after, the Gu family arranged a marriage for Gu Sihuan, to a forty-year-old divorced man. The man claimed he didn’t mind that Gu Sihuan was divorced and had a child. The villagers said Gu Sihuan would live a comfortable life from then on, as the man was a butcher.

But no one expected that, on the eve of Gu Sihuan’s wedding, she would run to Qin Nanshu’s house, begging her to take her away.

Qin Nanshu, burdened with the care of her grandmother, refused. Yet, to her shock, Gu Sihuan shoved the child into her arms and ran off.

Qin Nanshu thought she had run off to the city, but to her surprise, the girl was found in the small river the next day. A shoe was discovered by the riverbank, it was Qin Nanshu’s.

The police arrived, arrested Qin Nanshu, and ultimately convicted her of murder, sentencing her to prison. Years later, it was discovered that she had been wrongfully accused, and she was released early. Upon her return to Xiaohe Village, she learned that the grandmother she had missed the most had passed away the same year she was taken away. Before falling ill, the old woman had kept murmuring about her granddaughter.

It could be said that all of this was because of Gu Sihuan.

After reading the plot of this world, Tang Jing fell silent for a long time, unsure whether to call Gu Sihuan a scumbag or Qin Nanshu unlucky.

Back then, the two of them had sat under the big tree at the village entrance, counting stars and confessing their feelings for each other. They never officially got together, it was more of an ambiguous state.

Yet Gu Sihuan treated Qin Nanshu as a backup. When she needed her, she would come begging, emotionally blackmailing her with love. When she didn’t need her, she ran off to the city and had a child with another man. After being dumped, she remembered Qin Nanshu her backup once again.

She played the role of a manipulative woman to perfection.

But Qin Nanshu, who had remained steadfast in their so-called loyal love from beginning to end, suffered greatly. Not only was she wrongfully imprisoned, but she also couldn’t be there for her beloved grandmother’s final moments. Worse still, her grandmother’s death was indirectly caused by her.

This chain of misfortunes crushed the girl’s spirit, leaving a shadow that followed her for the rest of her life. Even in old age, she never dared to speak of love again, convinced that she was cursed that she had brought misfortune to her parents and, ultimately, her grandmother.

“Xiao Nan, Xiao Nan.”

The slightly aged voice of her grandmother came from inside the house. Tang Jing rolled off the haystack and walked toward the tiled house, calling back as she went, “I’m here, Grandma.”

Entering the main room, she saw Granny Qin stepping out from the eastern room. A blue-and-white floral-patterned curtain hung on the door, it had been there for many years, faded but still clean.

The old woman walked out and asked, “Where have you been?”

“Taking a nap,” Tang Jing replied.

“I saw you coming in from outside. Where could you have been napping?” Granny Qin, growing older, was becoming more like a child. Convinced her granddaughter was lying, she let out a displeased hum.

Tang Jing laughed and wrapped her arms around her grandmother’s, acting coquettishly. “Grandma, I really was napping outside, on that haystack.”

Granny Qin shot her a sidelong glance and snorted, “You’ll bake yourself to death.” Though her words were sharp, a smile crept onto her face.

“Have you checked on Xiaoyu’s family to the east?” Granny Qin suddenly remembered something. “That child might not have had lunch. Go take her a bowl of food.” With that, she headed toward the kitchen on the west side.

“Okay.” Tang Jing followed her into the kitchen, where the most prominent feature was the large stove, common in every household in the village.

Next to the stove was a water vat and a small wooden table used for chopping vegetables.

Granny Qin lifted the wooden lid and took out a large bowl containing steamed buns and leftover rice from lunch.

After eating, Granny Qin had grown sleepy. Before returning to her room, she thought she had reminded her granddaughter to take food to Xiaoyu, but upon waking, she couldn’t remember whether she had actually said it.

Now, seeing the bowl still there, she realized she had indeed forgotten. “Oh dear, I’m getting old, my memory’s failing me.”

“Your memory is still sharp as ever,” Tang Jing coaxed her.

“You little rascal,” the old woman chided with a chuckle, giving her a light tap. “Go on now.”

“Alright, Grandma,” Tang Jing replied before heading out with the large bowl in hand.

It was past noon, and the village was beginning to stir. Some were heading to the fields with hoes to weed, and Tang Jing greeted them familiarly as she passed.

Along the way, she ran into several people, all of whom recognized the bowl in her hands and knew she was bringing food to the mute girl, Yu, in the eastern part of the village.

“Bringing food to Xiaoyu again?”

“Yes, Auntie,” Tang Jing replied cheerfully.

In the distance, she spotted the small, dilapidated house in the east. One wall of the kitchen had collapsed, so Chi Yu had set up a makeshift awning in front of the house, where she usually cooked.

“Xiaoyu!” Tang Jing called out from afar.

Chi Yu, who had been sitting on the doorstep hugging her knees in a daze, turned at the sound. Her eyes brightened when she saw who it was, and she sprang up, running over with excited hums.

Chi Yu’s family was poor even worse off than Qin Nanshu’s. Her parents had divorced when she was little, and neither wanted their mute daughter. At the time, her grandmother had taken her in, but two years later, the old woman slipped and fell to her death while picking wild herbs on a rainy hillside. Since then, Chi Yu had been left alone, an orphan in the village.

Pitying her, the villagers often brought her food and supplies. Over the years, the little girl had grown up.

But since no one had ever taught her sign language, she remained illiterate and could only communicate through hums and gestures. Fortunately, the villagers could usually understand her well enough.

“Good girl,” Tang Jing said, patting her braids before handing her the bowl. “You haven’t eaten lunch yet, have you? Grandma asked me to bring this for you. Go ahead and eat.”

Chi Yu nodded vigorously and let out a happy “Mm!”

“Come on, let’s go inside.” Tang Jing took her hand and led her into the main room.

The house was cramped and dim, but Chi Yu kept it spotless. Inside, there was a low wooden table propped up with rocks under one leg, flanked by two benches donated by neighbors. The two sat down, and Tang Jing watched as the girl ate earnestly.

Between bites, Chi Yu occasionally looked up and smiled at her.

Seeing those familiar eyes, Tang Jing’s heart stirred. She asked her system, “Is Chi Yu Senior Shi?”

[System: Yes.]

The confirmation thrilled her. She hadn’t expected to find Senior Shi so soon. But seeing her reincarnated as a mute orphan in such dire circumstances filled her with an indescribable ache.

Then again, when she thought about it, her own fate in this world wasn’t much better.

“Is it good?” Tang Jing asked softly.

Chi Yu grinned and gave a thumbs-up, a gesture she’d learned from the villagers.

As she raised her thumb, her sleeve slipped, revealing bruises on her arm. Tang Jing grabbed her wrist, her expression hardening. “Who did this to you?”

The grip was too tight, and Chi Yu whimpered in pain.

Realizing her mistake, Tang Jing loosened her hold but didn’t let go. “Tell me,” she pressed.

Chi Yu shook her head, refusing to say anything no matter what.

Tang Jing thought the girl might have been frightened by her, so she softened her voice and said, “Xiao Yu, if someone bullied you, we can ask Grandpa Village Chief to intervene. Our village can’t tolerate people like that.”

Chi Yu stubbornly pressed her lips together and shook her head again, though her eyes reddened. She knew Qin Nanshu genuinely wanted to help her seek justice, but she didn’t want to trouble everyone.

Seeing her still unwilling to speak, Tang Jing sighed and stopped pressing further, deciding to investigate privately instead.

Whoever dared to bully a mute orphan girl once would surely do it again. They’d better not let her catch them.

“Eat quickly now. I won’t ask anymore,” Tang Jing reassured her.

“Mm.” Chi Yu nodded, lowering her eyelids to hide the guilt in her eyes.

The other person only wanted the best for her, yet she was deceiving them. This weighed heavily on Chi Yu’s heart.

“Nanshu!”

Hearing someone call her from outside, Tang Jing stood up and said to Chi Yu, “Stay here and eat. I’ll go see who it is.”

Chi Yu nodded.

The visitor was Gu Sihuan. She had gone to Qin Nanshu’s home looking for her but was told she had come here instead, so she followed.

“Xiao Huan, what brings you here?” Seeing her, Tang Jing’s face lit up with a warm smile.

There was no helping it, she had to play the role of someone who liked Gu Sihuan. Naturally, she had to smile happily in front of her.

“I wanted to take a walk with you,” Gu Sihuan said, her eyes red and slightly swollen, clearly from crying.

Seeing her like this, Tang Jing knew she had been bullied again. Frowning, she said, “Should I talk to your parents about it?”

Gu Sihuan shook her head. “What could you even say? And my parents wouldn’t listen to you anyway.”

“But they can’t keep treating you like this,” Tang Jing insisted.

Gu Sihuan gave a bitter laugh, comforting herself, “It’s fine. Sooner or later, I’ll leave this place and go to a big city, far away from them.”

“You’re going to the city?” Tang Jing was shocked, even a little panicked.

“Of course. We can’t stay cooped up in this tiny village forever,” Gu Sihuan said, looking at her seriously. “Nanshu, you should go to the city too and make something of yourself. You’re already twenty, you can’t just stay here with your grandma forever.”

Tang Jing shook her head. “I’m fine where I am. Besides, Grandma is getting older and can’t travel much. It’s better for us here.”

Seeing her firm stance, Gu Sihuan huffed and said stubbornly, “Well, I don’t care. I’m leaving this place one day. I heard you can make a lot of money in Shenzhen and other big cities. Some people earn a month’s salary that’s more than what we live on for half a year.”

Tang Jing shook her head but said nothing more.

“Ah, ah.” Chi Yu emerged from the house, handing the empty bowl to Tang Jing before smiling at Gu Sihuan.

Gu Sihuan, however, didn’t seem to like her much and barely acknowledged her, pulling Tang Jing away.

“Xiao Yu, I’m going for a walk with Sister Si. Stay here and don’t wander off,” Tang Jing instructed.

Chi Yu obediently nodded, standing still as she watched the two walk away.

She could sense Gu Sihuan’s dislike for her, and truthfully, she didn’t like Gu Sihuan either. But because of Nanshu-jie, she didn’t want to cause any trouble. Watching their retreating figures walking side by side, Chi Yu furrowed her little brows and sat back down on the doorstep, lost in thought.

After walking a distance, Gu Sihuan asked, “Why are you so fond of that little mute? Could it be you like her?”

Tang Jing’s expression darkened. “Gu Sihuan.”

Realizing she had angered her, Gu Sihuan quickly tried to smooth things over. “Alright, alright, I was wrong. I won’t mention her again. Come on, let’s go check out what’s ahead.” She grabbed Tang Jing’s hand and pulled her forward, her face breaking into a cheerful smile.

Tang Jing had no choice but to follow, still holding an empty bowl in her hand.

The sun was scorching, making it hard to keep their eyes open, but once they entered the forest, the air turned pleasantly cool.

Gu Sihuan stretched out her arms, closed her eyes, and breathed in the moist air, her mood instantly lifting.

Tang Jing trailed behind her, occasionally spotting wild vegetables under the trees and crouching down to pick them.

When Gu Sihuan turned around and saw her holding a bunch of wild greens, all the romance of the moment vanished. Her eye twitched. “Qin Nanshu, what are you digging up these weeds for?”

Tang Jing answered honestly, “To eat.”

Gu Sihuan gritted her teeth. “I meant, why are you picking them?”

Tang Jing found the question baffling. “Naturally, to take home and eat.”

“Eat, eat, eat, that’s all you think about. You might as well starve to death!” Gu Sihuan rolled her eyes and stormed off.

Tang Jing stood there, clutching the wild vegetables, watching Gu Sihuan stride away on her own. She sighed, suddenly feeling awkward about the greens in her hand.

She retraced her steps and, passing by Chi Yu’s house, saw the little girl sitting on the doorstep, lost in thought. Smiling, she approached. “What’s on your mind?”

Hearing her voice, Chi Yu snapped out of her daze, her eyes lighting up as she looked at Tang Jing, then glanced behind her.

“She went back,” Tang Jing said, knowing what she was searching for. She handed over the extra wild vegetables she had gathered on the way. “Here, these are for you.”

Chi Yu’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, nodding happily.

Seeing how sweet she was, Tang Jing almost reached out to pat her head but stopped when she noticed the dirt on her hands. “I should head back. If I’m too late, your Grandma Qin will scold me.” She playfully mimicked a frightened expression at the end.

Chi Yu burst into laughter.

Tang Jing grinned too. “Alright, I really have to go now.”

Chi Yu watched her leave, but this time, she was alone. A small dimple appeared at the corner of Chi Yu’s mouth as she cradled the wild vegetables and went inside, her eyes sparkling.

Following the riverbank on her way home, Tang Jing spotted a few children crouched by the water, rummaging for something.

“Er Niu, Xiao Qiang, what are you doing?” she called out.

Hearing their names, Er Niu thought it was his parents and nearly jumped out of his skin, plopping onto the ground. When he saw it was her, he clutched his chest in relief. “Sister Nan, it’s just you! You scared me half to death!”

“What, afraid your parents will catch you playing by the river?” Tang Jing raised an eyebrow.

Though called “Little River,” it was anything but small, it wound around the entire village, supplying water for the fields. The riverbed was deep, and any child who fell in would surely drown.

When it rained, the currents grew fierce. Even Er Niu’s father, an excellent swimmer, would struggle to make it back.

“As long as you don’t tell, my dad won’t find out.”

“Then I’ll go tell him right now,” Tang Jing teased, pretending to walk away.

The children panicked and clung to her legs in a flurry. “Sister Nan, don’t go, don’t go! We won’t gather river snails anymore, okay?”

“You were gathering river snails?” Tang Jing eyed them skeptically.

“Of course! We got a whole bunch!” The kids immediately protested, pulling her toward the riverbank and proudly displaying their haul wrapped in lotus leaves.

Tang Jing was surprised to see the pile of snails. “Wow, that’s quite a lot!”

“See? We’re really good at this!”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re amazing,” Tang Jing said. “But this is enough for now. Hurry back home before your parents find out, or you’ll be in for a taste of ‘fried pork with rattan strips.'”

The kids instantly covered their bottoms in fear.

“Fried pork with rattan strips” wasn’t an actual dish, it was the village parents’ infamous method of disciplining their mischievous children with a good spanking.

“But… what about these snails?” Er Niu asked hesitantly.

Tang Jing thought for a moment. “If you trust Sister Nan, leave them with me. Come over to my place tonight, and I’ll cook them for you in the courtyard.”

The kids cheered excitedly. “Thank you, Sister Nan!” they shouted.

“Alright, now hurry home,” Tang Jing said, adding a warning before they left. “And don’t come back here again! If you want snails, ask the grown-ups to help you.”

“Got it, Sister Nan!” they chorused before scampering off happily.

Shaking her head with a smile, Tang Jing looked at the snails on the ground. She happened to have an empty bowl with her, so she scooped them up and carried them home.

When Granny Qin saw her return so late, she assumed Tang Jing had been keeping Xiao Yu company. But spotting the snails in the bowl, the old woman raised an eyebrow. “Did you go snail hunting?”

Seeing her expression, Tang Jing quickly clarified, “Not me, it was Er Niu and the others.”

“Those rascals went to the river?” Granny Qin’s voice rose sharply.

“Shh, shh! Granny, keep it down! I promised not to tell their parents,” Tang Jing said. “Besides, I already warned them not to go back.”

Granny Qin wagged a finger at her. “You…”

Then, eyeing the snails, she asked, “So what are you planning to do with these? Stealing from kids now?”

“Of course not!” Tang Jing laughed. “I told them to come over tonight, and I’ll cook these for them.”

“Fine,” Granny Qin said, clasping her hands behind her back. “You handle the cooking then. I’m going for a stroll.”

“Alright,” Tang Jing replied with a smile.

Once the old woman left, Tang Jing grabbed a pair of pliers and started snipping off the snails’ tails to make them easier to eat later.

That evening, as she was stir-frying the snails, a chorus of excited voices rang out from outside. “Sister Nan! Sister Nan!”

Tang Jing called back, “In here!”

The kids came rushing in.

The kitchen was too small to fit them all, so Tang Jing shooed them out. “Go play in the courtyard. It’ll be ready soon.”

The delicious aroma in the air had the little ones practically drooling, but they obediently trooped outside, dragging over small stools to sit on while stealing eager glances toward the kitchen.

Before long, Tang Jing emerged with a large bowl of steaming snails. The children swarmed around her eagerly.

Placing the bowl on the small stool, Tang Jing said, “Eat up.” Then she quickly called them back, “Come wash your hands first. You can only eat after washing your hands.”

“Okay,” the little ones obediently lined up to wash their hands. Only after they were clean did Tang Jing let them go eat.

Just then, Grandma Qin returned, with Chi Yu following behind her.

Tang Jing hadn’t expected her grandmother to have strolled all the way to the east end during her walk. She wondered if Grandma had intentionally brought Xiao Yu along to join them for dinner.

With a smile, she said, “Dinner’s ready. Come and eat.”

Chi Yu gave a shy nod in response.

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