Rebirth: My Dear Little Wife Is So Scheming

Chapter 105 - 105 105 Difficult Mountain Roads

?Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Difficult Mountain Roads Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Difficult Mountain Roads The car stopped by the side of the highway; there was a fork in the road ahead, marked by a sign pointing in the direction of the Liu Family Village, followed by a large arrow. At the end of the fork, one could see the distant mountain range, majestic and continuous.

An Zhiyuan frowned, “Are you sure the Liu Family Village is in that direction?”

He noticed it was a mountain road.

Bai Xiao nodded, opened the car door, and began pulling her bags and parcels from the back.

“I’m certain, Instructor An, thank you for driving me here. You should go back now,” she said.

To her surprise, An Zhiyuan got out of the car, locked the doors, and walked over to her. Without a word, he took the luggage from her hands. Dressed sharply, his imposing figure contrasted starkly with the lumpy bundles he now carried, creating a spectacle one could hardly bear to watch.

“What are you doing? I can make it on my own. I know you must have taken time off today just to drive me here; I can’t delay you any longer.” Bai Xiao hurriedly declined, thinking, what would it look like, a man showing up at her sister’s door? It was sure to give Bai Yue quite the shock.

Suddenly gaining a fiancé out of nowhere and none of her siblings being aware of it would indeed be strange.

She was there to visit her sister, not to frighten anyone. At the very least, people deserved a little mental preparation for such news.

An Zhiyuan glanced at Bai Xiao, “This morning, the drill instructor took over my training duties so I could take a leave. Since I’ve already taken the morning off, I might as well take you all the way before I leave; otherwise, it would be a waste of a leave. Let’s go. This mountain road doesn’t seem easy to trek, and you, a girl, lugging all these bags by yourself—how could that be reassuring? I’ll escort you up.” It was an offer that brooked no refusal.

Then he picked up the heavy luggage and started walking up the mountain with long strides, leaving Bai Xiao inwardly cursing. Was he mocking her shorter legs?

In fact, Bai Xiao’s legs weren’t short. She stood at 1.65 meters tall, which was quite tall for a woman in those days. But even so, she paled in comparison to An Zhiyuan’s 1.87 meters.

With only a bundle left in her hand, Bai Xiao had to admit that there was a part of her that was secretly thrilled. Being treated like his woman by An Zhiyuan—if that didn’t make her a bit smug, then surely something would be wrong with her mind.

She was still a normal woman after all, and being cherished like this set her heart aflutter. Bai Xiao made a face at herself. Women… women… You’ve been reborn, but did you leave your brain behind?

She quickened her pace to catch up. An Zhiyuan heard the light footsteps behind him, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. His mood unexpectedly brightened. Although he didn’t know what Bai Xiao was really thinking, the fact that she hadn’t vehemently opposed him or tried to set a clear boundary between them since he’d spoken was a huge leap forward. It seemed there was considerable room for Bai Xiao’s growth. He just didn’t know when she would alter this distant stance of hers.

Bai Xiao followed An Zhiyuan in silence on the mountain road. It was indeed difficult terrain. Nowadays, there weren’t many paved roads; this was a real mountain road, where the path was simply compacted soil and rocks. With the weather being clear, there was a downside to it too. Walking along, the air was filled with dust; a single step could raise a cloud of it. Soon both of them were covered head to toe in grime, practically eating dust as they went.

It was easy to imagine that in rain, the path would be completely impassable, a boggy quagmire that made it seem as though no one had ever traversed it before. The stones strewn about must have been used for footholds during the rains. Once dried, they just stayed there, as they would be needed again the next time it rained.

Bai Xiao couldn’t help but start to worry about her eldest sister Bai Yue’s life. How could such a village remain unseen? Compared to Bai Ju, Bai Yue must have married into a rather poor family. There’s a big difference between the villages in the mountains and those below; the land in each is distinct. What’s more, even the drinking water is problematic. In the face of illness or disaster, I’m afraid one can only wait to die, unable to get out.

She couldn’t understand why, back when the elder Bai was still around, he hadn’t found a better family for Bai Yue to marry into. Considering the conditions in Liupan Village, even if the Bai Family’s situation wasn’t great! But that didn’t mean her daughter had to be married off to such a distant place.

At the time, she was too young to remember. Her second sister Bai Ju was already in her thirties, let alone her eldest sister. It seemed Bai Yue was two years older than Bai Ju, which meant Bai Yue was also in her thirties. Over the years, it had only been Bai Song who would come back and visit his two sisters’ homes, bringing some things each time. This maternal side of the family had, in reality, become a thing in name only. She, the younger sister, had been taken care of by her brother and sisters, but she’d never had the chance to visit them. So she really didn’t know the reasons behind all this.

But looking at such mountain paths, she could imagine her sister’s life wasn’t easy.

The two of them walked in silence, and finally, after two hours of mountain trail, they saw the village on the mountain.

Bai Xiao was gasping for breath. She hadn’t been carrying anything, and even the bundle had been taken over by An Zhiyuan. Now, she suddenly felt that An Zhiyuan was truly considerate. Had he not insisted on accompanying her, she might have collapsed from exhaustion on the way up.

It was not as beautiful as she’d imagined, and she owed a lot to An Zhiyuan.

The shepherd, who was herding sheep, looked at the two of them with surprise, scanning them up and down, “Are you here to visit relatives? Who are you looking for?” It was clear that the two were from another village! Especially An Zhiyuan, who was dressed conspicuously. Anyone who saw him would find it hard to ignore, not to mention people still held great respect for the Zhongshan suit.

Bai Xiao caught her breath, “We’re here to find Bai Yue. I’m her younger sister.”

“Oh, you’re looking for Big Mountain’s wife, huh? Their home is right at the edge of the village, against the mountain, the one with three rooms showing, and there’s a grinding stone at the door. You’ll see it as soon as you enter the village. I can’t lead you there, still have to herd the sheep.” The man politely pointed out the way. An Zhiyuan thanked him, and they continued on their own.

The shepherd looked at the retreating figures of Bai Xiao and An Zhiyuan, shaking his head. Big Mountain’s wife still had family, huh? Whether or not her family could make a difference was another question. To him, a young girl like that didn’t seem much of a force. That family would likely swallow her up whole.

Alas, such a poor thing! To be stuck with that kind of mother-in-law and co-wives, truly unfortunate.

But that was someone else’s business! What can outsiders even say about it? Every household has its own difficult scriptures to chant. Unless the big mountain stands up for itself, even if Big Mountain’s wife is capable, it’s likely there’s nothing that can be done. What can a woman do, after all, with three kids at home? She couldn’t just abandon the children and get a divorce.

That sort of thing isn’t permitted in this village. Women just have to grit their teeth and bear it.

It’s just her bad luck to have landed such a mother-in-law and such a man.

The shepherd shook his head and moved on with his sheep, needing to let them graze before the sun went down, or they wouldn’t come back.