WN:TRMSHADSW 06

The new bride who had just come through the door was certainly delicate.

Jiang Heng appraised her subtly. Her skin was flawless and pale, her lips pink and soft, and her jet-black hair fell freely over her shoulders. His deep eyes softened involuntarily. If he hadn’t rescued her from the river, he wouldn’t even have a wife now.

Su Jin brushed her teeth, murmuring to herself, “Why has the water become so clear?”

After finishing, she passed by the stove outside and saw scattered pieces of firewood in a pile and an iron pot set aside, filled with boiling water.

“So that’s how it is!”

Su Jin held the enamel cup, her heart softening, a smile appearing on her face. This “cheap husband” didn’t seem too bad after all.

But she still hadn’t figured out how she had ended up marrying Jiang Heng. And since she had transmigrated to this unfamiliar world, maybe she wasn’t even officially registered here? How would the Matchmaker God arrange her household registration?

Su Jin closed her eyes, recalling her usual worries about what to wear each day from among rows of handbags and racks of clothes. Lifting her left eyelid, her gaze drifted downward to the coarse, floral-patterned cloth of her outfit and the gray, dull trousers.

Sigh. How utterly rustic!

Back home, she wore a new, stylish outfit every day. Coming here, did anyone think she, Su Jin, would give up so easily? No—this strong woman had never bowed her head in defeat.

She obediently reported to Jiang Heng, “I’ve finished brushing my teeth.”

“Good, then let’s have breakfast.”

Su Jin felt puzzled. She had married him, but why hadn’t she seen his parents yet?

On the table, in an iron tray, were plump, white steamed buns. Su Jin’s eyes widened in shock. In 1975, white flour even made it to the table? And an entire tray of large buns?

Each of them also had a bowl of rice porridge.

Su Jin had grown up hearing from her nanny, Aunt Liu, about how hard life had been back then. One bowl of rice or a pot of water was considered a luxury. Sometimes, just a few grains of rice were boiled in several pots of water.

But now, the porridge was full of rice, fragrant and steaming. Seeing this, she realized the water from this morning, once dirty, had been prepared carefully for any potential shortage.

Jiang Heng’s lips curved slightly in a rare, pleased smile.

This wife of his, so dramatic—frowning at water one moment, staring at steamed buns the next.

Even with a fleeting smile, he sat upright, composed, and spoke clearly, “Eat quickly. After breakfast, we still have to earn work points. Today we’ll plant wheat, and the work isn’t light. Eat enough now so you won’t starve later.”

“Work points?”

Su Jin shivered. Could it really be the kind of back-breaking labor under the scorching sun?

Then she realized it made sense. At this time, adults in every household had to register for work points at the commune.

Seeing her face change as she chewed the bun, Jiang Heng smiled subtly while lifting his bowl to drink the porridge. It was amusing to scare his wife a little.

Being in an unfamiliar world, Su Jin had no choice but to rely on Jiang Heng for now.

Jiang Heng brought Su Jin to the village committee office of the commune. On the way, many familiar faces greeted them.

A few women, unafraid, pointed at Su Jin and whispered amongst themselves. Sensing his wife’s discomfort, Jiang Heng deliberately moved to her side to shield her.

Su Jin surveyed her surroundings: crumbling mud walls, roofs patched with tiles, or at worst, layers of straw. On rainy days, water would certainly leak through.

An elderly man approached and greeted Jiang Heng. “Jiang boy, you’re lucky to have married such a beautiful wife!”

Jiang Heng replied with a neutral “Mm,” giving nothing away. Su Jin couldn’t gauge his mood.

The old man had a kind face, so Su Jin responded politely, “Uncle, you’re joking!”

The three of them were in a pleasant mood when suddenly a sharp, sarcastic voice rang out.

“Uncle’s joking? You marrying Jiang Heng wasn’t all your own scheming?”

Su Jin turned to see a girl with yellowish-black skin, flat features, and eyes narrowed in jealousy. Her thin lips were pursed, radiating malice.

Jiang Heng didn’t even glance at her and said coldly, in an unmistakably commanding tone, “Shut up. I married her willingly. You have no right to interfere.”

Feng Baoru, startled by Jiang Heng’s voice, shrank back. Even outsiders could feel the force in his anger.

Curious, Su Jin asked, “Then tell me, how did I marry him?”

Though afraid, Feng Baoru’s jealousy burned. “You deliberately fell into the river, and Jiang Heng saved you. Because of that… you got close, and that’s how you made him responsible for you!”

She added scornfully, “Shameless!”

Jiang Heng’s dark eyes fixed on Feng Baoru, causing her to shiver.

Su Jin knew that in this era, reputation mattered greatly. Any mistake could be gossiped about by the village women. She wasn’t a shrew to just yell recklessly, but she also wasn’t a pushover.

“Alright then. You go fall in the river and see if someone from the next village rescues you,” she said, dragging her chin, staring at the nearby river. “The current’s fast and deep. Try it if you dare!”

Jiang Heng couldn’t help but smile. This wife he married wouldn’t be bullied.

Feng Baoru’s mind raced, stammering as she tried to come up with a response, but she dared not answer. Su Jin continued, counting off on her delicate fingers, “If someone falls in, how do you think they die? Hit their head on a rock and bleed out? Drown until the face and body swell? Choke on water and have the fish eat their insides?”

Feng Baoru trembled, nauseated just imagining it.

Su Jin asked bluntly, “You go in. How do you think you’ll die?”

Covering her ears, Feng Baoru screamed, “Stop talking!” and ran off in a hurry.

Uncle Ma laughed, “Feng Baoru just has a sharp tongue!”

Jiang Heng’s eyes glinted. He gained a new impression of his wife. At home, she was obedient; outside, she wouldn’t let anyone take advantage of her. He felt reassured.

…

At the village committee office, Jiang Heng registered Su Jin’s information.

As he filled out the forms, he felt a sense of déjà vu. That day, he had been at the river washing clothes. A man who had grown up raised by his grandfather, not knowing his parents. When his grandfather passed, he was left alone, managing the household chores himself.

The villagers thought it remarkable that this rugged, solitary man managed to live decently. Even though he was handsome, many families with daughters looked down on him.

Until one event changed everything…