After Transmigrating Into An Idiot - Chapter 2

Besides, there were still two strings of cash as a betrothal gift, and the family would have one less mouth to feed. It was killing two birds with one stone.

There was no reason not to agree.

Qiu Ming hurriedly said, “Master said that after he sees Third Sister in two days, he’ll give us two strings of cash. In the future, he’ll also start paying me wages, so I’ll be able to show more filial piety to you two elders.”

Madam Bai was instantly delighted. “Second Son, are you telling the truth?”

A smile also appeared in Qiu the Lame’s eyes. Two strings of cash were equal to two taels of silver. If they spent it sparingly, it would be enough for the Qiu family to use for half a year. From then on, his younger son would also be able to receive wages and save up for his own marriage.

This was killing three birds with one stone.

Qiu Ming nodded, then lowered his voice further. “I’ll go back right away and give Master a definite answer. In two days, I’ll come back and quietly take Third Sister to the county town.”

Carpenter Zhao had said that once the matter was done, the silver they earned in the future would be split half and half with him.

The moment he thought of that business that could bring in money quickly, Qiu Ming’s heart grew hot. Being an apprentice was too bitter. If he had silver in his hands, what kind of livelihood could he not take up in the future?

Especially since the gambling house was pressing him urgently. He could not wait any longer. This matter had to be done quickly.

Qiu the Lame frowned. “What do you mean, quietly take her there? You won’t hold a wedding?”

“Marrying a fool is embarrassing enough. What wedding is there to hold? Do you still expect them to carry her back in an eight-bearer bridal sedan?” Madam Bai glared at Qiu the Lame, her voice unconsciously rising.

She was afraid this matter would fall through and that the two taels of silver almost in her hands would fly away again.

Qiu the Lame fell silent. He looked at Qiu Liang, who was sitting blankly by the doorway, and did not even notice when his younger son left.

Madam Bai was not used to seeing him deep in thought and silent like this. She glared at him. “We agreed on eighteen years. What are you still worried about? Qiu the Lame, listen well. This matter must happen. How old is Second Son already? If we don’t arrange a wife for him soon, people will laugh themselves to death. Will you still have the face to go outside?”

Qiu the Lame got up and limped over to the bed, then lay down sideways and closed his eyes.

Eighteen years had already passed. Qiu Liang would soon be nineteen. There was indeed nothing to worry about anymore.

At the doorway, Qiu Liang waited until there was no more sound from inside the room before she got up with a vacant expression and went to the riverside.

The Qiu family was very poor. Qiu the Lame was the type who did not manage much. Madam Bai was fierce and unreasonable. The eldest son, Qiu Guang, and his wife were both simple and honest people with no opinions of their own. But the second son, Qiu Ming, was unreadable.

Just like at this moment, she could not understand this secretive marriage arrangement either.

But she could see the scheming and gloom in Qiu Ming’s eyes.

Qiu Liang did not care what kind of person Carpenter Zhao was. She only cared about when she could leave Song Family Village and rely on herself to venture into the wider world outside.

But while all of this sounded simple, actually doing it was far too difficult.

It came down to one word: poor.

She did not have a single coin on her. If she rashly ran away, never mind whether she encountered danger on the road—even if everything went smoothly, she still had to eat.

Qiu Liang sighed inwardly. In an extremely short amount of time, she had accepted her new identity. After all, she had no other choice.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind her.

Qiu Liang pretended not to notice. She reached out, scooped up a handful of mud, and began casually playing with it.

“Miss Qiu.” Song Jianshuang held a bamboo basket in her hands and walked over to the stone slab nearby. From the looks of it, she had come to the river to wash clothes.

Qiu Liang continued playing with the mud, pretending she had not heard. She was a fool, after all.

It saved her a lot of trouble.

Seeing that Qiu Liang ignored her, Song Jianshuang did not probe any further. In all things, going too far was as bad as not going far enough.

The two seemed to have reached a tacit understanding. One focused on washing clothes, while the other kept her head down and played with mud.

But this quiet did not last long.

“Miss Song, are you washing clothes?”

The one who came was a sturdy young man. In one hand, he held a knife. In the other, he carried a half-dead rabbit.

Song Jianshuang did not know who the young man was. She had only just moved to Song Family Village and was not yet familiar with the villagers.

So she merely nodded and did not respond.

Seeing that she did not speak, the young man’s face reddened, and he walked to a spot downstream not far away.

Before long, he came back carrying the already cleaned rabbit.

“Miss Song, this rabbit will be very fragrant if you stew it. If you like it, I’ll bring you one every day from now on.”

Song Jianshuang raised her head and looked at the young man, scrutiny showing in her eyes.

The young man’s face reddened again. He stammered, “My name is Song Jian. My older brother, Song Dao, is the best hunter in the village. I… I wanted to ask whether you already have a marriage arrangement.”

Song Jian gritted his teeth and stated his purpose. Then he looked anxiously at this bright and captivating woman.

A beauty had suddenly moved into the village, and she was even living alone. It was said she came from the capital and looked like a celestial fairy.

The marriageable young men of Song Family Village immediately could no longer sit still. Every day, they intentionally or unintentionally passed by, all just to catch a glimpse of the beauty.

Song Jian was one of them. He did not know what love at first sight felt like, but he knew that if he could marry such a beautiful woman and bring her home, even hunting would no longer feel bitter.

The children they had in the future would definitely be unbelievably good-looking.

Song Jianshuang lightly glanced at the young man, seeming to see through his thoughts.

She did not take the cleaned rabbit. Instead, she said warmly, “Many thanks for your kind intentions, Young Master Song, but I already have a marriage contract.”

Song Jian’s heart first panicked, then felt somewhat blocked and stifled. He could not clearly describe what he felt, but in any case, it did not feel good. He immediately fled in a fluster, carrying the rabbit.

He did not even manage to say a proper farewell.

From the corner of her eye, Qiu Liang saw the rabbit in the young man’s hand swaying back and forth, and the corner of her mouth could not help twitching slightly.

Song Family Village was too poor. The hunter’s family had a relatively better life. At the very least, they could eat meat from time to time. Otherwise, Song Jian would not have grown so sturdy.

Unfortunately, this Miss Song from the capital was different from the girls born and raised in Song Family Village. One look at her bearing and anyone could tell she came from an extraordinary background. How could she be moved by a single rabbit?

If it were her, that might be a different story.

Qiu Liang’s mouth stiffened, and her heart gave a startled jump. She had only eaten one coarse bran wotou since transmigrating here, and she was already this greedy?

How could she be moved by a plump, delicious rabbit?

But that rabbit really did look plump and delicious. It would definitely be fragrant if roasted, and stewing it would not be bad either…

“Is Miss Qiu hungry?”

Suddenly, a pleasant voice sounded above her head, carrying a slight hint of laughter.

Qiu Liang froze, then continued playing with the mud. This disappointing physical reaction of hers—no matter how plump and delicious the rabbit meat was, it was not hers. Why was she even swallowing saliva? Did she not need dignity?

Fortunately, she was a fool. Even if she embarrassed herself, she could pretend she did not know.

“I’m going to the county town later. Would Miss Qiu like to go?” Song Jianshuang looked at Qiu Liang.

Seeing that Qiu Liang still did not make a sound, she put the washed clothes into the bamboo basket. As she walked back, she murmured to herself, “I’ve only just arrived here, so it isn’t safe for me to go out alone. It would be nice if someone came with me.”

As soon as the words fell, she heard footsteps following behind her. Her lips curved silently.

Sure enough…

Qiu Liang followed behind Song Jianshuang, hesitant and uncertain. She was confident that she had concealed herself very well, but at this moment, she had no choice but to admit that an outsider had seen through her.

This woman’s words seemed to carry an implied meaning…

Although Qiu Liang was a modern person, she had never dared to look down on the wisdom of ancient people.

She had once seen a sentence online: if transmigrators wanted to live long, they had to survive by keeping a low profile—being cautious and hiding the fact that they came from another world.

Qiu Liang deeply agreed.

But at this moment, she could no longer sit by and wait for death. Staying trapped in Song Family Village and pretending to be stupid was not particularly dangerous, and she could survive, but she would have no choice in what kind of life she survived into.

And she wanted to choose.

If she really could go to the county town, perhaps she could find a turning point. Once she discovered some way to make money, she would no longer have to worry about the problem of survival. She might even be able to leave directly.

Instead of being muddleheadedly sent to become the second wife of a widower whose background she did not know.

Given the Qiu family’s current situation, Qiu Liang dared to say that the moment she returned to normal, Madam Bai would start thinking about how to sell her for a good price.

Unless she could create even greater profit.

Of course, Qiu Liang did not think that greater profit would make the Qiu family value her. It would only make them wait for the highest bidder. She still would not have much room to choose.

Qiu Liang thought of what Qiu the Lame and Madam Bai had said, then found some clues in the original owner’s memories. There was an eighty to ninety percent chance that the original owner was not the Qiu family’s biological child.

She could see it clearly. The Qiu family only saw her as a useless freeloader. Because of some unavoidable reason, they had raised her to adulthood. Now, they probably no longer wanted to raise her.

Eighteen years had passed. That unavoidable reason could no longer restrain the Qiu family.

Then there was only one end for her: being exchanged for silver.

After all, the original owner looked exactly the same as her. Although she was foolish, her appearance was still pretty good.

On the road, Song Jianshuang heard Qiu Liang following and deliberately slowed her steps. “Miss Qiu is pretending to be stupid, isn’t she? Let me guess why Miss Qiu is pretending. Perhaps you aren’t Uncle Qiu and Aunt Bai’s biological daughter?”

Qiu Liang’s face showed astonishment. For a moment, she did not react. This woman knew far too much, didn’t she? She herself had only just formed some guesses, yet this woman already knew everything?

Admitting it was impossible. She had also only just arrived here, and she could not easily trust anyone.

Qiu Liang gave a foolish smile. Go on, then. Keep guessing. Let’s see what else you can guess.

Song Jianshuang really did guess more.

“Miss Qiu had always pretended to be stupid in the past, but today, because of a moment of carelessness, I saw through you. I imagine something must have happened in the Qiu family, and that matter has something to do with Miss Qiu, right?”

Qiu Liang continued smiling foolishly, but stormy waves had already risen in her heart. This woman had only just moved in next door, right? She lived alone, right? Could she possibly have ears that heard with the wind and could listen in on the Qiu family’s conversations?

Song Jianshuang continued speaking.

“I guess the matter related to Miss Qiu is a marriage arrangement, and this marriage arrangement is…” Song Jianshuang deliberately dragged out her tone. After successfully stirring up Qiu Liang’s curiosity, she unhurriedly said four words: “a sign of great misfortune.”

The woman’s brows and eyes were calm. She was bright and captivating, like a green lotus in summer. With every glance and movement, her beauty seemed naturally formed.

But Qiu Liang was in no mood to admire Song Jianshuang’s beauty. She stiffly pulled at the corners of her mouth, struggling to maintain the foolish smile on her face.

What the hell!

This woman really did have wind-hearing ears!

And she could predict the future!

A sign of great misfortune—she really would believe that.

Seeing Qiu Liang freeze, Song Jianshuang moved closer. With one hand, she held the bamboo basket. With the other, she gripped Qiu Liang’s wrist and said in a low voice, “If Miss Qiu does not believe me, how about making a bet with me?”

Qiu Liang stared at the woman close before her eyes, her expression becoming dazed for a moment. Then she suddenly shook off her hand as if she had been bitten by something and ran away without looking back.

This time, it was Song Jianshuang’s turn to be stunned. This was different from what she had expected. Could the Qiu family’s Third Miss really have something wrong with her mind?

When ordinary people heard that their marriage arrangement was a sign of great misfortune, would they react like this?

Why did she just run away?

It was as if Song Jianshuang were a venomous snake or scorpion, making her avoid her at all costs.

On the other side, Qiu Liang ran straight into the little woodshed in one breath. She took several deep breaths and quickly calmed down, but lingering fear still remained in her heart.

She believed it. She really believed it!