The Farm Girl and the Executioner (Rebirth) 80

Chapter 80: Reclaiming Wasteland

The next day, the two of them got up and went down to the fields to reclaim the wasteland.

The matter of the Everlasting Peace Apothecary was stuck there. Lin Shuang had already told Doctor Xue yesterday about the places to pay special attention to. She was not a member of the apothecary, and it was already her duty to give him a reminder. It was not good for her to make her own decisions and interfere in everything.

Life still had to go on.

Lin Shuang planned to lead the villagers to plant medicinal herbs together, but she had to achieve some results first.

The paddy field would be used to plant rice again next year, and the surrounding dry land could be reclaimed into a medicine field. They had reclaimed two mu at the beginning of the year, and they planned to reclaim another two during this period. Plus the original one mu, they would have five mu of dry land.

This land was enough to plant the first batch of medicinal herbs.

After a busy morning, the sun was getting stronger.

Old Madam Jiang sent Ping’er to call them home, saying that someone had come to find Lin Shuang.

Lin Shuang wiped her sweat, thinking that it was Doctor Xue visiting, and packed up her farm tools to go back. She turned her head and saw that Jiang Huaizhen was still bent over, continuing to reclaim the land. “Aren’t you coming back with me?”

Jiang Huaizhen didn’t look up. “The guest is here specifically for you. I can’t help if I go. This piece of land is almost done…”

Lin Shuang glared at her. “Is this family surnamed Jiang or Lin?”

Jiang Huaizhen pursed her lips and finally straightened up.

The two of them walked home, one after the other. From a distance, they saw a carriage parked in front of the door.

Seeing that it didn’t look like the Xue family’s, Lin Shuang’s footsteps paused slightly, and she exchanged a questioning look with Jiang Huaizhen.

The two of them got some water to wash their hands and entered the house from the back door.

When they reached the main hall, a figure in a water-blue dress suddenly stood up and came to greet them with a look of surprise and joy. “Lin Shuang—”

Lin Shuang blinked. “Chun’er?”

Wang Chun’er affectionately took her hand. “Good. You haven’t forgotten me.”

“What wind has blown you here?” Lin Shuang smiled and sized her up.

Unlike the haggard look she had imagined, the Wang Chun’er before her was dressed in a water-blue silk dress and wore a lot of accessories. Although her makeup was not exquisite, she was a world apart from the poor young girl she had met in the city a year ago.

She remembered that she had told Wang Chun’er that if she encountered any difficulties in the future, she could come to Whitewater Village to find her. Now that she was here, and she looked so much better than she had back then.

At this time back then, she had already become a medicine slave, and during that period of taking medicine, her body had begun to swell.

The Wang Chun’er before her was young and beautiful and had definitely not taken any strange medicine.

Then why was she here to find her?

She suddenly remembered that she had overlooked something and quickly asked, “How is the Qin family’s young master now?”

Hearing her ask about Qin Chuan, Wang Chun’er’s face flushed red, and she took her hand. “It was the young master who asked me to come and find you.”

Lin Shuang’s fingertips trembled.

Qin Chuan was not dead??

Since the new year, she had been busy with Jiang Huaizhen, plowing and planting the fields. Later, she had to make sauce flatbreads, and then mohele. Her life was so full that the matter of the Qin family seemed to be getting further and further away from her.

It wasn’t until last month, because of the flood, that this Qin family had returned to her sight.

At that time, she had also asked someone to inquire about the Qin family, but for a wealthy family, the master of the house had deliberately kept it a secret, and the people outside could not find out anything. Besides, at that time, she had just casually asked someone and had not specifically hired someone to investigate, so in the end, she had not gotten any news.

These few days, she had just confessed her feelings to Jiang Huaizhen and was in a sweet mood. How could she have the time to care about those things?

And according to the trajectory of her past life, Qin Chuan should have died on the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month last year. How could he be alive now?

Could it be that in her past life, she was really a baleful star and had jinxed him to death?

Lin Shuang suppressed the unease in her heart and asked, “Wasn’t the Qin family’s young master seriously ill before? Is he all better now?”

Wang Chun’er shook her head. “He’s not fully recovered yet. He’s still recuperating.”

“Then who is in charge of the Qin family now?”

“The old madam is in charge now.”

Lin Shuang frowned. “You said your young master asked you to come and find me? I don’t know him. Why is he looking for me?”

Wang Chun’er said, “I don’t know either. But he asked me to bring you a message, saying, ‘Since we are both returnees, why don’t we meet?'”

As soon as these words fell, Lin Shuang’s heart instantly pounded like a drum.

What did this Young Master Qin mean by “returnees”?

Jiang Huaizhen, who was next to her, saw her face suddenly turn pale and took two steps forward. She said to Wang Chun’er, “Lin Shuang promised before that if you encountered any difficulties, she would extend a helping hand. Since you’re fine, and she doesn’t know the Qin family’s young master, there’s no need to meet.”

Only then did Wang Chun’er notice Jiang Huaizhen. She saw that she was dressed as a woman. Although she was wearing coarse linen clothes, her skin was fair and her spirits were high. She looked even more beautiful, a world apart from the gloomy and taciturn person she had seen before.

She opened her mouth and said, “Even if there are no difficulties… we can still interact, can’t we?”

Jiang Huaizhen said, “You can. Your young master can’t.”

Hearing Jiang Huaizhen’s voice, Lin Shuang’s emotions calmed down a little. She forced a smile. “I don’t know what Young Master Qin means, and I don’t know him. There’s no need to meet.”

Wang Chun’er’s face was full of disappointment, and she pleaded in a low voice, “Lin Shuang, the young master is a very good person. Why don’t you go and see him…”

Lin Shuang was now sure that Qin Chuan, like her, was a reborn person.

And the other should already know that she was also reborn.

How did he know? It was actually not difficult to guess.

Lin Shuang had not married into the Qin family for the chongxi marriage as she had in her past life. Then she had predicted the rain and the flood, and later, the matter of Qin Sheng’s poisoning had been exposed, and she was the first to discover it.

Looking at Wang Chun’er’s appearance, she had probably already told him what she had said to her back then.

As long as Qin Chuan was not stupid, he would have noticed that something was wrong.

Even if he was not yet sure, having Wang Chun’er come this time was also a test.

This made Lin Shuang feel very insecure.

She was a little anxious in her heart and just wanted Wang Chun’er to leave as soon as possible so she could sort out her thoughts. So she shook her head and said, “Chun’er, you’re doing well now, and I’m also very relieved. From now on, you can just live your life well. As for Young Master Qin, I didn’t know him before, and I don’t want to know him in the future. You can go back.”

Wang Chun’er was extremely disappointed.

But since Lin Shuang didn’t agree, she couldn’t just tie her up and take her away. She had no choice but to leave, looking back every few steps.

After Wang Chun’er left, Lin Shuang’s head was still buzzing, and her thoughts were in a mess. When she turned around, she found that Jiang Huaizhen was looking at her with concern.

Her heart softened, and she took her hand. “It’s alright. I don’t know if this one surnamed Qin has taken the wrong medicine. Let’s just ignore him.”

Jiang Huaizhen’s eyelashes lowered slightly, and she hummed in agreement. “The sun is strong now. You shouldn’t go down to the fields. You can rest at home. I’ll make you some mung beans. You can watch the fire, and I’ll go down to the fields to finish that small piece of land.”

Lin Shuang just happened to need a quiet space to sort out her thoughts and nodded.

Jiang Huaizhen then went to the kitchen, washed a bowl of mung beans, and lit a fire.

She was a little worried about Lin Shuang and went to the east room to take a look at her.

Lin Shuang smiled at her. “I’m fine. Go on. Come home quickly when you’re done.”

Jiang Huaizhen agreed and then went down to the fields.

It was not yet noon. The old woman had taken Ping’er to cut pig grass near the house. The house was quiet, and only Lin Shuang was there.

She sat at the back door and carefully went over what Wang Chun’er had just said.

Qin Chuan was not dead. Wang Chun’er had said that he was “not yet fully recovered and was still recuperating,” and the power in the Qin family was in Old Madam Qin’s hands. Seeing Wang Chun’er’s protective appearance just now, it seemed that this Young Master Qin’s situation was not very good.

Lin Shuang had always known that Qin Chuan was not Old Madam Qin’s biological son. She could not have children, and Qin Chuan had been brought back by Old Master Qin from outside.

Therefore, there were also rumors that Young Master Qin had been killed by Old Madam Qin.

But there was no evidence for this, and no one knew if it was true or not.

In her past life, after she had entered the Qin family, she had not been close to Qin Chuan and had no idea what his situation was. She only knew that he was seriously ill.

If Old Madam Qin did not like Qin Chuan, then Qin Chuan’s situation should not be good at this time.

If he pulled her over, it must be to join forces against Old Madam Qin.

Lin Shuang couldn’t help but shiver when she thought of Old Madam Qin’s gloomy face.

She was unwilling to deal with that old woman.

She was also unwilling to see Qin Chuan’s two children. One of them had personally smashed her knees, and the other had covered her mouth to stop her from making a sound. Since she had been saved by Jiang Huaizhen in her past life, she had never intended to forgive these two children.

Now she had a home, a sweetheart, and although the money she earned was not much, it was enough for the family to live on. She didn’t want to get involved in the grudges of a wealthy family.

The only thing to do now was to not have any contact with that one surnamed Qin.

Having made up her mind, Lin Shuang was no longer flustered.

She stood up and went to the stove to watch the fire.

When Jiang Huaizhen came back, she was stir-frying vegetables. Ping’er was playing at the door, and the two of them were talking idly, separated by a door.

Hearing the footsteps, Lin Shuang turned her head and, seeing the newcomer, smiled. “Big sister is back.”

Ping’er also said, “Big sister is back—”

“Go and wash your hands. Get ready for dinner.”

Ping’er said, “Big sister, come on. I’ll get you some water.”

Seeing her smiling eyes, Jiang Huaizhen was relieved. She said “alright” to Ping’er outside and went out.

After washing her hands, she came over to help with the dishes. Ping’er helped to get the chopsticks and set the bowls.

The weather in September was still very hot. Lunch was still porridge. Lin Shuang was afraid that Jiang Huaizhen would not be full, so she made her an extra flatbread.

Old Madam Jiang said, “It’s too sunny in the daytime. Get up early in the morning to work, rest at noon, and then go again when the sun sets. Don’t get sick from the sun.”

Lin Shuang said, “I know.”

After they finished eating, the old woman walked around the door for a while to aid her digestion, then went to bed for a nap.

Ping’er had gotten up early. Jiang Huaizhen fanned her for a while, and the little girl fell asleep on her lap.

After she had carried her to the bed, Lin Shuang had also finished cleaning up and had fed the pigs.

She was standing by the water vat, waving at her.

Jiang Huaizhen walked over, fanning her cattail fan. Lin Shuang wrung out a wet towel and said to her, “Lower your head.”

Jiang Huaizhen obediently lowered her head.

Her long hair was tied up, and there were still some stray hairs.

Lin Shuang pulled her collar back, smoothed her stray hair up, and then applied the wet towel to the back of her neck.

Jiang Huaizhen had been bending over and lowering her head to work all morning. She found the towel to be a nuisance and didn’t cover the back of her neck. After being in the sun all morning, that area was red.

“Does it sting?” Lin Shuang asked.

Jiang Huaizhen hummed in agreement. “A little.”

“You were willing to wear a hat. Why couldn’t you have put on a towel?”

Jiang Huaizhen didn’t say anything.

Seeing that the towel had been heated by her body temperature, Lin Shuang took it off and washed it again.

Jiang Huaizhen looked at the towel in her hand, thinking of the sticky threads on it last night. She raised her eyes and subconsciously glanced at her.

Lin Shuang almost instantly realized the meaning in her look, and her ears also turned red.

But she said nothing, and after washing it, she folded the towel again and placed it on the back of Jiang Huaizhen’s neck.

Jiang Huaizhen lowered her head slightly and looked at the flushed face of the woman before her. She reached out and wrapped her arm around her slender waist, then lowered her head to kiss her.

Lin Shuang’s peripheral vision glanced at the door. The room was quiet. She looked up and wrapped her arms around Jiang Huaizhen’s neck, holding her lips.