Transmigrated as the Husband of a Vicious Villainess - Chapter 27

In these years, it was fashionable to buy the “Three Turns and One Shout” (bicycle, sewing machine, watch, and radio) for a wedding. But Yunshui Village was after all the countryside; it couldn’t compare to the city’s earning power, and there were no channels to exchange for coupons. These items were usually converted into cash and given to the bride.

In the entire village, only three households owned a sewing machine.

Wen Miao drew a simple design for Ji Baiqing’s dress on a piece of paper and prepared to start making the garment. Ji Baiqing looked at the sketch; the dress was simple yet had a sense of design that wouldn’t look out of place even in later generations. She was quite excited to see the finished product. However, looking at Wen Miao’s fair, tender hands, she asked hesitantly, “Do you know how to make clothes?”

Wen Miao could mend clothes, so making them shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Right?

Wen Miao rubbed her nose and grumbled, “I don’t, but I can have someone else do it.”

Well, Ji Baiqing had guessed as much. She thought for a moment and locked her sights on a household with a sewing machine.

“Let’s go find Sister Hehua. Her sewing skills are excellent.”

Hehua, a widow, had a sewing machine. Back when her husband was alive, their family conditions were quite good, and he had bought the machine for her as a wedding gift. Hehua’s skills were superb, and even now, she helped others make clothes in exchange for some money or goods to support herself and her daughter.

Wen Miao naturally didn’t know the villagers as well as Ji Baiqing did. Hearing this, she had no objections. Taking the drawing and the fabric, she also grabbed a few eggs and some money before heading toward Hehua’s house.

Hehua’s home was located in the furthest corner of Yunshui Village. From the outside, although the house looked dilapidated, the courtyard was kept very tidy, with various vegetables planted in neat rows.

Ji Baiqing knocked on the door and called out loudly, “Sister Hehua, it’s me, Baiqing!”

After a long while, the door finally opened. Through the crack, one could see the visitor’s eyeballs protruding from being overly thin, which was a bit startling at first glance. Seeing that it was indeed Ji Baiqing, Hehua took a step back and opened the door.

She asked softly, “Baiqing, is there something you need?”

Ji Baiqing smiled at her, moved to the side, and revealed Wen Miao behind her. She said, “Sister Hehua, we want to make a dress. We’ve drawn the design. Can you help us make it?”

Faced with a stranger, Hehua instinctively took a step back, her eyes filled with a trace of timid fear. Seeing this, Wen Miao felt a bit awkward and hid behind Ji Baiqing.

Ji Baiqing felt a bit helpless. “Sister Hehua, this is Youth Wen. She’s the one who drew the design.” She unfolded the sketch and asked Hehua, “Can you make this style?”

It didn’t actually look difficult, featuring a cinched waist and a mermaid tail design. The main issue was that such a style hadn’t really appeared on the market yet. Hehua took a look and finally nodded hesitantly.

“I’ll give it a try.” After taking the drawing, she signaled for them to enter.

Wen Miao stood outside the door with some hesitation before finally asking politely, “Sister Hehua, may I come in?”

Looking at Wen Miao, Hehua felt momentarily embarrassed and said quickly, “Youth Wen, please come, come in!”

Once both of them were inside, Hehua immediately closed the door tightly. She used the sewing machine often, so it was placed in the central room where the lighting was best. Beside the machine was a long bench with several large pieces of clothing on it.

Hehua took two chipped bowls and poured water for them. She wiped her hands somewhat restrainedly and said, “Sit for a while. I’ll figure out how to do this.”

Ji Baiqing and Wen Miao both nodded. Ji Baiqing glanced around the room and felt it was strange to see the house looking so destitute. Logically, villagers came to Hehua every month to have clothes made or mended; she and her daughter should have been able to save some money. Although Hehua and Xiaomi were physically weak, they still went to work every day.

Before she could think further, Ji Baiqing suddenly felt a gaze watching her from the shadows. She quickly found the source: a door to one of the rooms had opened a crack at some point, revealing a pair of dark eyes observing them. It was likely Hehua’s daughter, Xiaomi.

Realizing this, Ji Baiqing’s eyes filled with a bit of a smile as she met Xiaomi’s gaze. Xiaomi obviously knew her peeking had been discovered; her eyes blinked, and she instinctively panicked and shut the door with a loud thud.

Hearing the noise, Hehua immediately apologized, “Baiqing, my Xiaomi is being undisciplined.” After saying that, she raised her voice, “Xiaomi, stay in your room and don’t come out.”

Ji Baiqing waved her hand and naturally pulled a piece of candy from the pocket of Wen Miao’s black cotton skirt to coax the child. “Xiaomi, come out quickly. Auntie has candy for you.”

Hearing there was candy to eat, the room door creaked, and the crack reappeared. Hehua felt at a loss and said in a low voice, “Baiqing, no, this is not good.”

Ji Baiqing frowned and met Hehua’s gaze seriously. “Sister Hehua, Xiaomi is not some jinx. Those things were just coincidences. I don’t believe in that.” Turning her gaze back to the door, her voice became even gentler. “Does Xiaomi want some candy? It’s sweet and very delicious.”

Being a child after all, and seeing Hehua’s eyes welling with tears without further protest, Xiaomi hesitated for a moment before coming out. She walked to Ji Baiqing’s side, keeping an arm’s length between them. She didn’t get any closer, but her eyes were glued to the candy in Ji Baiqing’s palm, filled with longing.

Watching Xiaomi, who was as thin as a little monkey, Wen Miao’s eyes blinked with a trace of pity. How is she so thin? Both mother and daughter were identically gaunt, without a bit of fat on them. She glared at Ji Baiqing and said crossly, “Stop teasing the child, give it to her.”

Ji Baiqing reached out, opened Wen Miao’s hand, handed over the candy, and said warmly, “Alright, here, eat it, little one.”

Wen Miao looked at the girl, feeling an inexplicable heartache. She wanted to pat her, but the moment she reached out, Xiaomi’s eyes widened in terror. Clutching the candy, she turned and ran back into her room. Wen Miao’s hand was left hanging in the air, a bit awkwardly.

Ji Baiqing simply wrapped her hand around Wen Miao’s and brought it down. Hehua bit her lip. “The child is a bit shy. Youth Wen, please don’t take it to heart.”

Wen Miao nodded. Hehua took Ji Baiqing’s measurements and tried a few things with fabric scraps before finally saying, “I can make it.”

Hearing this, Wen Miao and Ji Baiqing exchanged a look. Ji Baiqing gave the basket of eggs she had brought to Hehua. “Sister Hehua, then I’ll leave my dress to you. We’ll come to pick it up in a few days.”

Seeing the eggs, Hehua was instantly alarmed. “This, this is too much!” She tried to push them back, but Ji Baiqing was strong, and she couldn’t move them at all. Finally, she was forced to accept the basket.

When Ji Baiqing left, Hehua took out the eggs and found a dollar and fifty cents at the very bottom. Instantly, tears flowed down her cheeks.

Back at the Ji house, Wen Miao felt a bit depressed. She pointed at her own face and asked Ji Baiqing, “Do I look very scary?”

Ji Baiqing blinked, looking at that flawless, beautiful face, and shook her head sincerely. “Of course not, you are so beautiful.”

Wen Miao grumbled, “Then why did Xiaomi run the moment she saw me?”

From childhood to adulthood, beautiful people were always surrounded by crowds. Wen Miao was an exception; it seemed everyone was naturally inclined to avoid her or harbor ill will. Now even a small child disliked her? Wen Miao felt a bit defeated.

Hearing this, Ji Baiqing was stunned but comforted her, “It’s normal for children to be shy, and Xiaomi’s situation is special.”

The day after Xiaomi was born, Hehua’s husband was struck by lightning and died. The villagers all said Xiaomi was a jinx, and Hehua’s reputation wasn’t good either. Both mother and daughter faced a lot of criticism in the village, making their lives difficult. Many villagers would pull their own children away the moment they saw Xiaomi, telling them not to play with her. As a result, the children also followed suit, running away whenever they saw her and calling her a jinx or a bringer of bad luck. Ji Baiqing had even encountered people bullying her several times.

After hearing Ji Baiqing’s explanation, Wen Miao felt somewhat relieved. “So that’s how it is.” However, she still found it strange. “Doesn’t Sister Hehua do mending for the villagers to supplement her income? Why does she still seem to be living so poorly?”

Ji Baiqing thought of the pile of clothes she had seen earlier that clearly didn’t belong to that house, and her gaze turned disgusted. “It must be that some people are bullies, seeing the mother and daughter as easy targets. They make them do the work but don’t pay them.”

Hehua was a defenseless widow who had to look out for herself and her child, so she could only grit her teeth and accept the oppression of others. Wen Miao felt bad in her heart. “A-Qing, let’s take more food with us next time we go to Sister Hehua’s house.”

Ji Baiqing looked at Wen Miao’s moist eyes and felt her heart soften. She had originally felt that if Hehua couldn’t stand up for herself, no one could truly help her. But seeing the hope in Wen Miao’s eyes, she couldn’t bear to make her sad. In the end, she simply closed her eyes and nodded haphazardly.

Wen Miao’s eyes instantly curved into crescents, and she gave a soft peck on Ji Baiqing’s cheek. Her A-Qing was truly the best!

The next day, Wen Miao watched Manman, Gou Dan, and the others come to her for their tasks. The little ones were already eager to go cut pig grass with their baskets to exchange for treats. Wen Miao stopped them in time and said, “I have a task for you today. Whoever is willing to ask Xiaomi from Auntie Hehua’s house to go cut pig grass with you, I will give an extra biscuit. But you must get along well with Xiaomi.”

After she finished speaking, the shouting little ones fell silent instantly. Manman frowned with some resistance. “But Xiaomi is a jinx! Mom said playing with her brings bad luck!”

Gou Dan chimed in, “Yeah, I’m not cutting pig grass with a jinx!”

Wen Miao said with regret, “Then I can only let Xiaomi help me cut pig grass today. All the candy and biscuits will be hers.”

Hearing this, Manman’s face crumpled, and she finally pinched her nose and said, “Sister, I’ll go call Xiaomi!”

When Manman hurriedly pulled Xiaomi over, seeing the tear marks on Xiaomi’s face, Wen Miao sighed. But as promised, she gave Manman the biscuit and said softly, “Xiaomi is not a jinx; she’s just an ordinary little girl. Manman, you’ll know once you get to know her.”

Hearing this, Xiaomi’s eyes slowly widened, and a bit of brilliance shone in her gaze as she looked at Wen Miao. Manman looked at Xiaomi with some disdain but finally conceded. “Fine, then I’ll believe Sister! Xiaomi, hurry up and come cut pig grass with me!”

Watching the two little ones leave, Wen Miao hoped her actions today could help Xiaomi—at least, let her break through the rumors surrounding her. It was just a matter of natural disasters and human misfortune; how could it have anything to do with a child?

There was nothing much to do today. Ji Baiqing remembered her promise to plant flowers and grapes for Wen Miao in the courtyard, so she took her to the neighboring village. The neighboring village was more prosperous than Yunshui Village. There was an old lady whose backyard was filled with all kinds of flowers and plants; perhaps they could exchange for some seeds.

He Xiangyue was not at home. Ji Baiqing boldly tucked the last few eggs from the house into her pocket and got on her bicycle, with Wen Miao carrying the basket of eggs on the back seat. Ji Baiqing pedaled the bike, feeling the warm wind blowing past her cheeks. Leaving the village, the ground gradually became uneven. She tensed her back and warned the person on the back seat, “Hold me tight, don’t let the bumps throw you off!”

Hearing this, Wen Miao held the basket in one hand and wrapped her other arm around Ji Baiqing’s waist, pressing her face against her back. The shadow cast provided good cover from the scorching sun. Arriving at the neighboring Xiaoshi Village, Ji Baiqing parked the bicycle in front of a thatched cottage.

Pulling Wen Miao to a shaded spot, Ji Baiqing knocked on the door, but no one answered for a long time. After exchanging a look with Wen Miao, she patted her head in frustration. “Oh, I forgot the old lady might be at work and might not return until noon.”

The two looked at each other for a while before Wen Miao said, “It’s almost noon anyway. Let’s wait here.” After cycling for half an hour, going back now only to return later would be exhausting.

Ji Baiqing squatted under the eaves, and Wen Miao followed suit, gathering her skirt and squatting down as well. Since they had time, Ji Baiqing suddenly felt curious about why Wen Miao wanted to help Xiaomi.

“Zhenzhen, do you like Xiaomi very much?”

After hearing her question, Wen Miao hesitated for a long while before finally speaking in a low voice.

“It’s not really that. I can’t say whether I like her or not. I just feel,” at this point, she bit her lip, unsure of how to continue.

Glancing sideways, she saw Ji Baiqing looking at her intently with those calm almond-shaped eyes, waiting for her to finish.

Wen Miao’s fingertips moved slightly, and she turned her face away again, her voice growing smaller as she continued, “I just feel she is a little bit like me.” She counted their similarities on her fingers. “We are both rejected by the crowd. It’s just that my family conditions are a bit better than Xiaomi’s. If it weren’t for the care from Grandmother and the others, I might be no different from Xiaomi now.”

Speaking of this, Wen Miao let out a light laugh. “Actually, I’m no different now. We’re both hated by others. It’s just that I’m an adult and can pretend to be indifferent.”

After hearing her words, Ji Baiqing’s breath hitched, and she instinctively grabbed Wen Miao’s hand. Her voice was a bit stuttered. “How, how can you think that? I don’t hate you.” As soon as she finished, she repeated it once more. “I don’t hate you, Zhenzhen.”

“My family and I both like you very much. The people who hate you only do so because they are jealous of you.”

Wen Miao gave her a shallow smile. “But how can people who have only met me once be jealous of me?”

Whether it was Shen Niannian, Lu Yan, or the other educated youths at the center, their attitudes toward her were all very strange. Wen Miao hadn’t even interacted with them at first, yet she was mysteriously isolated. Groundless accusations and petty suspicions were all pinned on her, even though Wen Miao had done nothing. She endured this malice but didn’t know how to understand it. If it was about outstanding looks, Shen Niannian was also very beautiful, just a different type. Why was Shen Niannian only met with kindness?

Looking at Wen Miao’s pale profile, even though she showed no expression, Ji Baiqing’s heart felt a sudden, piercing sting. Two different silhouettes overlapped before her eyes. Ji Baiqing’s breathing grew heavy; she shook her head, trying to see clearly who the thinner person was, but a sudden sharp pain shot through her brain just as she was about to make out the face.

“Ugh!” She clutched her head, suddenly half-kneeling on the ground, her expression turning somewhat contorted.

The sudden turn of events left Wen Miao stunned and utterly at a loss. She wanted to support her but was afraid of causing more pain, so she simply let Ji Baiqing’s weight lean against her. Feeling that furry head nuzzling restlessly against her shoulder, Wen Miao was worried. “A-Qing, what’s wrong? Are you sick? Should we go to the health clinic?”

Ji Baiqing used all her strength to inhale the scent from Wen Miao’s hair. The rich rose fragrance filled her nose, but she didn’t find it cloying; in fact, it wasn’t enough. She wanted to bury her entire self in the other’s embrace. Only the fragrance on Wen Miao could relieve the pain in her brain.

It was unknown how much time passed before she felt her breathing return to normal. Finally, she reluctantly raised her head from Wen Miao’s embrace. Meeting Wen Miao’s reddened eyes, her throat felt dry. “Were you scared?”

Wen Miao shook her head. “Are you still feeling uncomfortable now?”

Ji Baiqing squeezed out a smile, and her pale complexion improved slightly. “Maybe I didn’t sleep well last night and had a hallucination.” Ignoring Wen Miao’s concern, she simply held her hand tightly, saying firmly and sincerely, “Wen Miao, you are very good. If others hate you, that’s their reason, not yours.”

Her hand brushed against the corner of Wen Miao’s eye, which was a bit moist. She gave a gentle wipe, the moisture staining her fingertip, leaving a peach-pink trail where she touched. “I’m not lying to you, nor is this just comfort. I truly think you are exceptionally good.”

Wen Miao stood frozen and motionless. Ji Baiqing’s words seemed to carry an inherent power that compelled belief. All the self-doubt in her heart was overturned by that one sentence; her mind was filled only with what Ji Baiqing had said. She was exceptionally good. Since Ji Baiqing said so, then she must be truly good, right?

The two looked at each other, and before Wen Miao could say anything, they suddenly heard an elderly voice.

“What are you two girls doing in front of my door?”

Ji Baiqing turned her face to see an old lady with white hair that was neatly arranged, looking very spirited. This was the owner of the house. Ji Baiqing stood up, pulling Wen Miao up with her and brushing the dust off her trousers, explaining, “Grandmother, we wanted to come and exchange for some flower seeds.”

The old lady glanced at them and said, “If you’re exchanging seeds, then exchange seeds. Why are you crying?”

Ji Baiqing and Wen Miao: “”

They felt a bit embarrassed. The old lady slowly opened the door, found the seeds she had saved from last year, and spread them out before them. “They are all flower seeds, but my memory is bad and I’ve forgotten what kind of flowers they are. It’s useless for me to keep them, so take them.”

Ji Baiqing took the opportunity to point at the flourishing roses and lush grape trellis in the backyard. “Grandmother, can we also take a few rose cuttings and grape branches back?”

The old lady waved her hand. “Go ahead. Just don’t ruin my flowers and grapes.”

Ji Baiqing took out the scissors she had specifically brought and happily went to take cuttings with Wen Miao. After leaving the eggs for the old lady, they returned with a bag of seeds and the rose and grape cuttings.

Back home, there were four baskets of pig grass in the courtyard, neither more nor less. Ji Baiqing helped Wen Miao feed the pigs before starting to prepare lunch. Because of Ji Baiqing’s sudden episode earlier, Wen Miao took the initiative to do the cooking. After the meal was ready, she again asked Ji Baiqing:

“How are you feeling now? If you’re uncomfortable, you must say so, and we’ll go to the clinic.”

Ji Baiqing pinched her soft white cheek and gave a lazy smile. “Alright, Zhenzhen, I’m fine now. There’s no need to go to the clinic. You’ve already asked a dozen times.”

Wen Miao glared at her, swatted her hand away, and said in a low voice, “Well, I’m very worried. You scared me just now.”

Seeing her looking so dejected, Ji Baiqing felt a bit pained and rubbed her long hair. “Rest assured, I don’t joke about my health.”

Perhaps because she had been frightened in the morning, Wen Miao fell asleep quickly at noon after Ji Baiqing stayed by the bed for a while. While fanning Wen Miao, Ji Baiqing recalled the hallucination from the morning. One thing was certain: her body after transmigrating into the book was incredibly healthy, strong enough to knock down a bull with a few punches. She hadn’t stayed up late last night; in fact, she had slept dreamlessly due to the beauty’s fragrance.

How could she have a hallucination? The phantom overlapped with Wen Miao, yet they didn’t quite merge. Strange, who exactly was that phantom? After trying to remember until she had a splitting headache, she still had no clue. Finally, she gave up and thought about what Wen Miao had said that morning.

Wen Miao was right. How could people who had only met her once hate her? The group at the youth center seemed to harbor a natural malice toward her. The female lead, the male lead, the female supporting character, what was the connection? She thought about how He Xiangyue liked Wen Miao, and Hehua didn’t reject her either.

Suddenly thinking of something, she stood up abruptly and ran toward the village chief’s house. “Bang, bang, bang!” She knocked on the door and walked in before anyone could speak. Auntie Wang came out, looking a bit strange. “Baiqing, what is it?”

“Auntie, is the village chief here?”

“In the room,” Auntie Wang hadn’t finished yet, Ji Baiqing passed her like a gust of wind.

The village chief was sitting on the bed with a fan. Before he could speak, Ji Baiqing’s question hit him head-on. “Chief, what do you think of Youth Wen?”

Li Xiangdong looked at her somewhat inexplicably. “Why ask that?” He cleared his throat. “Baiqing, I know you like Youth Wen, but she’s always slacking off. You can’t follow her example, or you won’t find a good husband.”

The village chief hated Wen Miao. Having reached this conclusion, Ji Baiqing left the chief’s house without looking back, ignoring Auntie Wang’s calling behind her.

Returning home with heavy steps, she pulled a chair to the bedside and stared at that soft, beautiful face in a daze. The doubts in her heart were finally resolved at this moment. She knew it; Wen Miao wasn’t some vicious female supporting character at all. She was clearly soft-hearted and kind; how could she ever do anything harmful? Everyone hated her simply because the identity assigned to her in the book was that of the villainess.

The protagonists and major supporting characters hated her, but as a passerby A, Ji Baiqing’s view of Wen Miao was different from those with heavy roles in the book. Ji Baiqing reached out and gently tapped the tear mole under Wen Miao’s eye.

Perhaps she hadn’t been in a deep sleep, as the slight movement on her face woke Wen Miao. She opened her eyes somewhat blankly. Realizing the person before her was Ji Baiqing, she rubbed her eyes and naturally opened her arms toward her, acting spoiled in a delicate voice:

“A-Qing, kiss me.”

Ji Baiqing leaned over and gave two light pecks on her cheek. Wen Miao was a bit dissatisfied and pointed to her lips. “Kiss here.”

Ji Baiqing leaned down further, pressing against her lips and sucking on them, weaving all her heartache into that soft, lingering kiss. Since she was here, she would definitely help Wen Miao break free from her status as the vicious female supporting character.

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