BXBX NOVEL Chapter 202 - 202: I’ll Cover for You
Qin Yide was worried. Ruyi didn’t want to return to her family or her in-laws. Even though she had maids and servants, Qin Yide was still concerned about her living alone.
So, Qiao Mai invited her to stay in her courtyard, making everyone feel more at ease.
Ruyi spent her days in the courtyard, enjoying the sunshine, doing embroidery, taking walks, tending to the vegetable garden, checking on the poultry, and sometimes visiting the playground to watch the children play.
Compared to her mother’s and in-laws’ homes, living in Qiao Mai’s place was more comfortable, and she had never faced any grievances in terms of food.
There was a variety of delicious and nutritious food served at every meal.
She hadn’t shared her pregnancy with Lu Sanniang or her in-laws.
She wanted to wait until a later stage of the pregnancy. She felt that living in Lucky Garden allowed her to maintain her peace and privacy without being disturbed by visitors.
When Qin Yide returned, her pregnancy would be more stable, and it would be easier for her mother and mother-in-law to visit her.
On the platform, Qiao Mai picked ten sets of cute baby clothes and bought small blankets and baby bedding, all made from pure cotton with adorable patterns.
She also purchased several packs of sanitary napkins, tissues, and pads, all in preparation for Ruyi’s childbirth.
She taught Ruyi how to use them, and Ruyi was delighted with these new and practical items.
Particularly the sanitary napkins, tissues, and pads, which Ruyi had never seen before and found much more convenient than her previous options.
This was also considered her gift as a teacher to her disciples and children.
Speaking of her experiences, Qiao Mai suddenly remembered that she hadn’t had her period since arriving here.
Her health was fine, and her meridians were open, so why hadn’t it occurred?
The host never had a period although she had given birth to Ling’er. It was a peculiar matter.
However, as long as her health was fine, she didn’t mind the absence of her period. Qiao Mai had no intention of having more children; she was content with her current ones.
Qiao Mai had turned twenty. In the modern world, she was still a young girl.
Yuan Jiaqi was three years older, reaching twenty-four after the New Year.
Feng’er and Yun’er, who had come to her at seven, were now eleven. They had grown to 1.6 meters each, thanks to good food and care provided by Qiaomai.
Chuan’er, eight years old, had reached 1.3 meters. Both Chuan’er and Ling’er were premature babies.
Ling’er was now five years old, having just celebrated her fourth birthday.
When these children grew up in a few years, Lucky Garden would likely attract matchmakers. Thinking about becoming a mother-in-law in her twenties, Qiao Mai couldn’t help but laugh.
But when she thought about the Tian family, her face clouded over.
Upon returning to the courtyard, she called for Yue Hong and Yue Xia.
“In the future, when Ling’er goes out, you must protect her. If you encounter anyone from the Tian family, show your strength, understand?” “The Tian family? You mean those people who argued with you today?”
“Yes, they think Ling’er is their granddaughter and want to take her.”
Yue Hong and Yue Xia felt displeased hearing this. They had raised Ling’er, and besides their mistress, no one else had the right to do this. The two stood tall and Droud.
“Don’t worry, Mistress. We’ll protect Little Miss with our lives. If the Tian family approaches, we’ll show our tiger-like strength.’
“Need me to teach you how to handle it?”
“We know. We’ll be like village shrews. If she dares to approach, one of us will protect Ling’er while the other fights, scratching her face and pulling her hair.
If we can’t beat her, we’ll call for backup.”
Qiao Mai couldn’t help but chuckle, “That’s right. As long as you don’t kill them, I’ll cover for you if something happens. If needed, I’ll have the guards intervene.”
“Alright, Mistress. We’ll take good care of Little Miss.”
In the blink of an eye, it was mid-April. Yuan Jiaqi and Qin Yide had been away for a month. Ruyi was still discussing things with Qiao Mai in the courtyard when footsteps approached the entrance.
They turned to see Yuan Jiaqi and Qin Yide walking in with cheerful expressions.
They simultaneously called out, “Wife!”
Qiao Mai and Ruyi got up. “From your looks, you’ve probably passed the imperial examination, right?”
“Haha, Mr. Yuan ranked first again, and it’s nationwide. I was far behind, coming in thirty-sixth.”
“Good. Yide, you haven’t gone home yet, have you?”
“No, I came here to pick up Ruyi first.”
“Well, quickly take Ruyi home to share the good news.”
“Alright.”
Once the young couple left, Yuan Jiaqi looked at Qiao Mai affectionately and said, “Wife, I passed again!”
“Good job. Keep striving. My goal is to have you achieve the Tribute Scholar.”
“I’ll work hard. And when I find the time, I’ll transfer the land into my name.
That way, we won’t have to pay taxes to the government.”
“I’ll give you the land deed. You can go to the county office to register it.”
“Great!”
Feeling that he had finally accomplished something, Yuan Jiaqi was in high spirits. He even wanted to jump with joy.
He didn’t mind the embarrassment, taking Qiao Mai’s hand. “Shall we celebrate with Old Master Wang?”
Qiao Mai glanced at his hand and nodded. “Sure.”
Old Master and Mistress Wang had already received the report from their servants about their son-in-law’s return and were waiting in the courtyard.
When the couple entered, Yuan Jiaqi hurried over and knelt before Old Master Wang.
“Jiaqi is honored to have fulfilled your orders and secured the top spot. Here is the official document from the government for your inspection.”
Old Master Wang happily nodded, took the official document, and carefully examined it.
“Don’t get too proud. Strive for the next year; let’s aim to bring home the top scholar position.”
“Yes, Teacher!”
“Haha. How did that young man from the Qin family do?”
“He did well and ranked thirty-sixth. We studied together and learned a lot from each other.’
“Indeed, everyone has a different perspective on things and unique insights. There are no absolute rights or wrongs. Rather, you should extract what is useful for you.”
“Understood!”
“Girl, your husband ranked first again. Do you want to celebrate?”
Qiao Mai smiled. “Let’s have a simple family gathering. This year’s crop harvest might not be great due to the drought. By saving money on a grand celebration, we can help those in need. That way, we’ll be accumulating merit for our family.”
“Good, well said! Let’s do as you wish!”
When the Qin family heard that Qin Yide had passed, they were delighted and wanted to celebrate with drums and gongs.
However, once they heard that Yuan Jiaqi was not celebrating ranking first, they dropped the idea.
However, the success of both men generated various reactions among the townsfolk.
The Yuan family’s relatives were happy and upset at the same time. Even though Yuan Jiaqi might not recognize them, they had a successful relative who could bring honor to the family.
The Qiao family had mixed feelings upon hearing the news. They regretted their previous attitude and wished they had been kinder to their daughter earlier.
The Tian family was infuriated upon hearing the news. They couldn’t understand why someone like Qiao, whom they considered beneath them, could accumulate wealth and even become the wife of a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. In their eyes, she should have spent her entire life serving them without aspirations.
“Why does it have to be this way? It’s so unfair,” They thought. Why should someone they consider lowly have a life like this? Why her?
The more Old Tian thought about it, the angrier he became, and he ended up spitting up blood. He was rushed to the doctor by his sons.
Mr. Lin’s health took a turn for the worse when he heard the news. He nearly choked on his breath.
Despite what others might think, Qiao Mai had been living a low-key life and continuing her usual routine.
After Qin Yide returned, he rested for two days and reopened the school.
As time passed, it entered May. Although there hadn’t been any rain, the drought wasn’t too severe. The wheat harvest was decent.
But as the weather grew hotter, and the sun scorched the earth, evaporation caused water sources to dry up. The drought had only just begun to reveal its true impact..