The Farm Girl and the Executioner (Rebirth) 21

Chapter 21: Paying Back the Village Chief

Of the twenty-odd buns, Old Madam Jiang, breaking her usual habit, ate two. Jiang Huaizhen ate five, and Lin Shuang ate three and a half, stuffing the remaining half into Jiang Huaizhen’s mouth.

Jiang Huaizhen didn’t show any disgust and silently finished the half she had left.

The buns were large, and she felt a bit stuffed. Instead of sitting, she stood up and walked around.

Seeing this, Lin Shuang smiled. “It’s a good time to go to the village chief’s house. By the time we walk there and back, the food will have settled.”

Hearing this, Jiang Huaizhen went into the room to get the silver. After telling Old Madam Jiang, the two of them left.

It was evening, and the heat of the day had subsided. The wind whistled, carrying a slight chill.

Lin Shuang looked at the tall figure in front of her and the fiery red sky in the distance, a wave of mixed emotions washing over her. In her pitiful past life, she had never had enough to eat and had lived in constant fear, with no time or mood to experience anything beyond hunger, cold, and the threat of death.

Although she and Jiang Huaizhen still faced many difficulties, such as Old Madam Jiang’s illness, the pressure from Jiang Huaizhen’s profession, and money…

Fortunately, all these difficulties were external.

The harm she had suffered in her past life, on the surface, also seemed to come mainly from the outside.

But in fact, to have reached that point was also inseparable from her own choices. She had chosen the wrong path, chosen to compromise, chosen to endure rather than resist, chosen to stay at the Qin residence rather than flee… which had ultimately led to her being crippled and buried alive.

Outsiders were despicable and vicious, but she hadn’t protected herself well, giving them the opportunity to harm her.

And the Lin family, which should have been her solid support, had become the beginning of her tragedy, and had repeatedly kicked her when she was down, destroying her from the inside out.

But now, things were different. The information advantage from her rebirth allowed her to find the best solutions to her difficulties more easily than others. And having experienced the Jiang Huaizhen from her past life, who had brought her home without hesitation, gave her a solid backing and confidence. Now, she felt indestructible.

Therefore, even if a storm came, she believed she could find a way to overcome it and stand firm against the wind.

She quickened her pace and caught up, linking her arm with Jiang Huaizhen’s.

Jiang Huaizhen’s elbow brushed against the soft, large bun in her sleeve. “Who is this for?”

Lin Shuang had no intention of hiding it from her and smiled. “There’s a pitiful little girl from my old neighborhood. We might run into her later.”

Jiang Huaizhen asked, “Is one enough for her to eat?”

“She’s not even four years old. A bun this big will be enough to fill her up.”

Jiang Huaizhen grunted in agreement and said no more, letting her link her arm as they walked toward the village chief’s house.

Before long, they arrived.

The wooden door of the village chief’s house swayed slightly in the wind, looking a bit dilapidated. From inside came the sharp, piercing voice of the village chief’s wife, Matron Yan.

“You’re so generous, with so much money you don’t know where to spend it, lending it to just anyone! Others avoid her like the plague, but you, you go and stick to her.”

“She said she’d pay it back as soon as she had the money. The execution was yesterday afternoon, and the reward money has already been received. She should have paid it back last night when she returned to the village.”

“Busy? Can she be busy for a whole day? It’s almost dark, and there’s no sign of her! I’m telling you, that silver is probably gone for good!”

“You, you, I should have never let you manage the money—”

The voice was just loud enough for the two of them at the door to hear.

Lin Shuang turned to look at Jiang Huaizhen. The other’s face was expressionless. Just as she was about to knock, a clear call came from the other end of the road, “Sister Huaizhen—”

The argument inside the house stopped abruptly.

Then, the wooden door creaked open, and Matron Yan poked her head out, her face instantly wreathed in smiles.

“Oh, it’s Zhen’er. You’re looking for the old man. I’ll go and get him.”

She didn’t invite them in, but instead closed the door as she turned.

Jiang Huaizhen was used to this and took a few steps back, standing on the small path in front of the door.

Just then, the little girl who had called out to her had already skipped over to them, her eyes shining with excitement. “Sister Huaizhen, I haven’t seen you in so long!”

The newcomer was the village chief’s eight-year-old granddaughter, Dongzhi. The child was lively and had taken a particular liking to the good-looking Jiang Huaizhen. She had wanted to go to the valley to play every day, but had only given up after being beaten black and blue by Matron Yan.

These past few days, she had heard that Jiang Huaizhen had become an executioner and had been clamoring to go to the city to watch her “chop heads,” which had infuriated Matron Yan.

Seeing Dongzhi pounce, Jiang Huaizhen subtly sidestepped.

Lin Shuang looked at the little girl and reminded her, “Dongzhi, your grand-aunt is calling you.”

Dongzhi pouted and reluctantly looked back. The wooden door was pushed open again, and Matron Yan stood there, her face full of impatience, shouting at Dongzhi, “You run around like a mad thing all day, and you only come back now! Get in here, what are you doing standing outside?”

Dongzhi didn’t dare to talk back to Matron Yan. She gave Jiang Huaizhen a reluctant look and then slowly shuffled toward the door, muttering, “I just wanted to talk to Sister Huaizhen for a bit…”

The village chief also came out at this time, his old face showing a hint of embarrassment.

Jiang Huaizhen handed him the two taels of silver she had prepared. “Things have been tight lately. Thank you, Seventh Grand-uncle.”

If his wife hadn’t been there, the village chief would have said a few polite words. But with her standing behind him, glaring, he had no choice but to take it, saying sheepishly, “You’re welcome, you’re welcome…”

Jiang Huaizhen didn’t stay long and promptly took her leave.

The village chief seemed to want to say something but in the end only managed to squeeze out, “It’s getting dark. Be careful on the road, don’t fall.”

Matron Yan snorted behind him and muttered under her breath, “Does she need you to tell her that? She’s not even afraid of killing people, why would she be afraid of walking at night…”

Lin Shuang heard this, took Jiang Huaizhen’s hand, and quickly left the village chief’s house, heading for the large tree near the Lin residence.

That was the tree where Ping’er usually waited for her mother.

But she wasn’t there today.

Lin Shuang guessed that the little girl had probably gone home for dinner. She sighed in disappointment and was about to go back with Jiang Huaizhen.

But after just a few steps, she heard a “Aunt Shuang” from behind.

She quickly turned and saw a timid little girl emerge from behind a large tree in the distance, her hair messy.

Seeing this, Jiang Huaizhen said, “You talk to her. I’ll wait for you up ahead.”

Lin Shuang grunted in agreement, let go of her hand, and ran to Lin Ping’er, pulling her behind the large tree.

“It’s almost dark. What are you doing here?”

Lin Ping’er looked up at her. “Third Egg said he’d bring me to catch crickets, but I came and didn’t see any…”

Lin Shuang patted her messy hair. “Third Egg is not a good person. Why do you still believe him?”

“But he’s the only one who’s willing to play with me…” the little girl said cautiously.

“You—” Lin Shuang was helpless. Third Egg was a rascal from the house next to Ping’er’s, and he loved to bully children smaller than him.

“Do you have to have someone to play with?”

Lin Ping’er fell silent.

Lin Shuang sighed again and took out the still-warm large bun from her sleeve. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Eat this before you go back.”

Lin Ping’er’s stomach was already rumbling. Seeing such a white and plump large bun, her eyes lit up.

“Eat it here. Don’t take it to anyone else.”

Seeing through her little scheme, Lin Ping’er pursed her lips and smiled. She took the large bun and sat down under the tree to eat obediently.

She had never eaten such a white flour bun at home. Her meals were usually bland and without oil. But after all, she was her own granddaughter, and no matter how much Lin Danian’s wife disliked her, she couldn’t let her starve to death. So she was raised with a meal here and there.

Now, eating this large bun, she found it extremely delicious. On top of that, she was hungry, so she finished it in no time.

Lin Shuang patted her flat little stomach. “It’ll be dark soon. Don’t mind Third Egg. Go home, okay?”

The greatest kindness Lin Ping’er had ever received was from Lin Shuang, so she naturally listened to her.

She obediently stood up, ready to go home.

Lin Shuang added, “Don’t tell anyone you saw me.”

“Okay,” Lin Ping nodded.

“And, if you’re ever so hungry you can’t stand it, or if you’re being bullied by others and your grandparents don’t care, you can go to the West Mountain Valley to find me, you know?”

“I know,” Lin Ping’er looked up, her small brow furrowed in a frown, and said with a hint of grievance, “Aunt Shuang, can’t you take me with you…”

Lin Shuang took a deep breath and shook her head. “I can’t.”

She was not related to her. On what grounds could she take her away?

“Auntie is just in the West Mountain Valley, not far from you. We’ll see each other often in the future. We don’t have to live together, okay?”

Lin Ping’er nodded obediently.

Lin Shuang patted her little head. “Don’t talk back to your grandmother. Be a little sweeter, and eat as much as you can. If you’re strong, you won’t get sick easily.”

“I know.”

“Go on back.”

Only then did Lin Ping’er, under her watchful gaze, walk toward the Lin residence, looking back every few steps.

Lin Shuang stood under the tree, a large lump in her throat.

In her past life, a few years before she died, she had unintentionally heard about Ping’er. She only knew that she had gotten married, to an old widower, and that her life was very difficult.

Unfortunately, she had been unable to take care of herself at the time and was powerless to help.

Now that she was back, she would not sit by and do nothing.

Just as she was thinking, someone appeared beside her.

“Do you like children?”

Of course not. Ping’er was a special case. Thinking of the two little ingrates she had raised in her past life, a deep disgust filled Lin Shuang’s eyes. “No.”

But then she smiled. “If it were your child, I might consider doting on her a little.”

Jiang Huaizhen crossed her arms. “I’m not having children.”

Lin Shuang remembered the household register and giggled. “That’s right. I’m the wife. If anyone is going to have a child, it’ll be me. And how could I not love our child?”

Jiang Huaizhen’s expression stiffened, then she said blankly, “You’re very good at joking. Let’s go back.”