“No.” Shen Yan’s tone was strangely heavy.

It was good for her to have a stronger personality. At the very least, she wouldn’t let others bully her. She was only protecting herself.

Seeing the surprise on her face, his eyes flickered slightly as he continued,

“We’re already engaged. Don’t say things that harm harmony like that again.”

Jiang Ling nodded in surprise. “Alright.”

Shen Yan was much easier to talk to than she had imagined… and not at all like the cold, emotionless block of wood Jiang Yujiao had described in her previous life.

“I’ll go back to work now.”

Shen Yan’s deep gaze lingered on Jiang Ling’s thoughtful face for several seconds before he tightened his grip on the farming tools in his hand and headed toward the fields.

Although he had returned home to recover from his injuries, a man couldn’t just idle around at home. He still had to work in the fields to earn work points.

Jiang Ling watched his departing figure and noticed that his left leg still moved somewhat unnaturally when he walked.

In her previous life, Shen Yan had been forced to leave the military because of that leg injury and limped for the rest of his life. Jiang Yujiao had despised it so much that she constantly came to complain about Shen Yan to Jiang Ling.

As a result, Jiang Ling’s impression of him had always been that he was crippled and impotent. But after interacting with him today, she realized he was actually quite a good person.

If his left leg could somehow be healed, perhaps the future might turn out differently too.

After returning Shen Yan’s jacket, Jiang Ling headed home.

On the way, she ran into Aunt Guifen, who had just come back from the clinic.

At that moment, Aunt Guifen was practically glowing with excitement, strolling along energetically without a trace of the weak appearance she had shown earlier.

Jiang Ling called out to her, “Aunt Guifen!”

The moment Wang Guifen saw Jiang Ling, she mysteriously leaned closer and whispered,

“Ling girl! Guess how much that old hag Jiang compensated me?”

“Five yuan?” Jiang Ling guessed.

Wang Guifen held up both hands and lowered her voice.

“Fifteen!”

She had deliberately complained that this hurt and that hurt, even claiming her heart hurt too. Her arm really did have scratches from Li Chunmei, and after deducting the twenty-cent medical fee…

She demanded fifteen yuan from the Jiang family. Otherwise, she threatened to spread rumors everywhere that Jiang Yujiao and Zhou Qianming were engaging in immoral relations.

The Jiang family’s faces had turned black with anger.

Wang Guifen’s six sons were all tall and strong. If the two families really fought, the Jiangs definitely wouldn’t win.

Left with no choice, the Jiang family paid the fifteen yuan.

They couldn’t just stand by and let Jiang Yujiao get labeled for immoral behavior and potentially be dragged away for punishment.

“Ling girl, you’re getting married soon. Auntie doesn’t have anything valuable to give you…”

As she spoke, Wang Guifen stuffed ten yuan into Jiang Ling’s hands.

“Take this money.”

How could Jiang Ling accept it? She quickly pushed the money back.

“Auntie, keep it! I don’t need it. The Jiang family already compensated me six hundred yuan—that’s enough.”

Besides, she still had piles of antiques in her space. Right now, she truly wasn’t lacking money.

Seeing her refuse, Wang Guifen could only say,

“Alright then. But if you ever run into difficulties in the future, remember to come to Auntie.”

Jiang Ling looked at Wang Guifen gratefully. In the entire village, Aunt Guifen treated her the best.

When Jiang Ling returned to the Jiang family home, there wasn’t a single person inside.

Those who worked had gone to work. Those who liked slacking off had gone to slack off.

Jiang Yujiao and the others were probably still sulking, so they likely wouldn’t return anytime soon.

Jiang Ling’s gaze drifted toward Old Madam Jiang’s room.

She still hadn’t forgotten how the old woman had secretly pocketed her father’s monthly military allowance and compensation money. That old hag definitely had more hidden away.

Jiang Ling locked the front gate. Just as she was about to search Old Madam Jiang’s room, voices suddenly came from outside.

It was Eldest Aunt and Eldest Cousin’s Wife returning.

The two women were discussing the six hundred yuan, still feeling unwilling to let Jiang Ling benefit so easily.

“Huh? Why’s the door locked in broad daylight…”

Eldest Aunt pushed the door open in confusion and immediately met Jiang Ling’s half-smiling expression.

That dead girl must’ve heard what they said just now, otherwise why would she look like that?

Eldest Cousin’s Wife said angrily,

“You little brat, why are you locking the door in broad daylight?! I’m hungry, hurry up and cook for us!”

In the past, all the household chores had been done by Jiang Ling—washing clothes, cooking, watering vegetables, sweeping the floor, everything. Everyone in the family had long grown used to ordering Jiang Ling around.

Even though Jiang Ling had signed the document severing family ties, as long as she stayed in the Jiang household for one more day, she was expected to work.

“I’m not cooking. Eat or don’t eat, your choice.”

After tossing out those words, Jiang Ling turned to leave, only for Eldest Aunt to block her path.

“You little brat, you’re still living in our Jiang family’s house. If you won’t cook, then get out!”

Did she really think that just because she was getting married, her wings had hardened?

“If I remember correctly, my father also paid a large amount toward building this house. If you want to kick me out, return that money first.”

Jiang Ling immediately began counting on her fingers exactly how much money her father had contributed toward building the brick-and-tile house.

Eldest Aunt and Eldest Cousin’s Wife both felt a headache coming on.

This dead girl had practically fallen into a money pit. Every sentence out of her mouth involved demanding money from them.

Only after the two women fell silent did Jiang Ling finally turn and return to her room.

Since Jiang Ling refused to cook, Eldest Aunt and Eldest Cousin’s Wife didn’t want to cook either. The two crafty women quickly found excuses and slipped away.

Jiang Ling locked her bedroom door before entering her space.

There was still plenty of instant food stocked in the villa kitchen cupboards. Happily, Jiang Ling cooked herself a bowl of potato noodles to fill her stomach first.

After eating and drinking her fill, she carefully checked the severance agreement and the bride price money again.

The Shen family was surprisingly generous—the bride price alone was one hundred and twenty yuan. She placed it together with the six hundred yuan compensation money.

Then she spent half the day planting crops in the spiritual farmland, planting every grain seed she had available in the space.

She just didn’t know whether living animals could survive inside the space. Next time, she planned to buy a few chicks and test it out.

…

After work ended, the Jiang family returned home from the fields.

“I’m starving. Is dinner ready yet?”

The men wiped away their sweat and pushed open the door, only to find the house completely silent without a single person in sight.

How strange.

Old Madam Jiang took a sip of water and subconsciously shouted toward the kitchen,

“Ling girl! Bring the food out already!”

Instead, Jiang Ling walked out from her room looking completely calm and composed.

“From now on, you can cook your own meals. I’m done serving you.”

Old Madam Jiang’s face darkened.

It seemed she had treated this wretched girl too kindly in the past. Now she wouldn’t even work anymore.

When Jiang Lao Da, Jiang Lao San, and several cousins heard that she still hadn’t cooked, they immediately grew angry.

“We worked hard in the fields all day, and we come home without even a hot meal to eat?!”

Jiang Ling shrugged.

“Then ask Eldest Aunt and Eldest Cousin’s Wife. They were home too when I came back. If they won’t cook, why should I be the only one expected to?”

“If you want to blame someone, blame those two. They’ve probably run off somewhere to slack off again.”

Old Madam Jiang slammed her enamel mug heavily onto the table to vent her anger.

“What are you all standing there for? Hurry and drag your wives back to cook!”

If she couldn’t order around Jiang Ling, that ungrateful brat, could she not still order around her other daughters-in-law?

The Jiang family glared at Jiang Ling with disgust.

She wasn’t even married yet, and she was already shirking work. Did she really think she was some rich young miss now?

At that moment, Li Chunmei hurriedly ran into the house and looked around frantically.

“Have any of you seen Jiaojiao?”

Jiang Yujiao had told her she was coming home to change clothes before returning to the fields to work, but until now, there was still no sign of her.