Rebirth of the Villainous Female Boss

Chapter 597: Chapter 571: Struggles and Awakenings (Thank you Fish Swims Around for the Heshi Bi Reward + Update)

This was destined to be a sad night.

Yu Minglang was outside enjoying the breeze, while Xiao Qian sat on the warm heated bed, her body feeling warm yet cold.

The temperature difference in the mountains is significant between day and night, and even in summer, it gets chilly at night.

The owner of the farmhouse is a simple, honest lady. Knowing that they were coming, she prepared the heated bed early. By night, the temperature of the bed was just right, not too hot, making it comfortable to sit on.

If it weren’t for Yu Minglang making a scene, the two of them might have been wearing long sleeves looking at the stars instead. After admiring the stars, they could have rolled around on the warm bed. The owner was very hospitable and even prepared a plate of watermelon – chilled with well water – for them. Eating the watermelon while sitting on the warm bed was quite a unique experience.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

But now, seeing the watermelon, Xiao Qian’s heart felt complicated, even somewhat mocking.

Xiao Qian took out her notebook and scribbled randomly on it. Her mind was blank.

“I’m the owner of this place. Are you asleep, miss?”

“Not yet, please come in.” Xiao Qian closed her notebook.

Auntie came in, holding a plate of homegrown cucumbers and tomatoes.

“I didn’t disturb your rest, did I?” Auntie had the candor of a mountain woman, and she spoke loudly.

“No, please sit down.”

Auntie didn’t hesitate, sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed.

“Are you arguing with your husband?”

In this area, wives called their husbands outsiders, but husbands didn’t call their wives insiders. Instead, they referred to them as someone’s wife. Mountain people didn’t have complex rules and would just ask what came to mind. Although they did not respect others’ privacy, they were not malicious and even showed some concern.

“Yeah, he lied to me about some things.”

“Well, young people have their share of bumps and bruises. Arguing is normal, but couples always end up reconciling. People who eat from the same pot don’t have deep hatred. You see, I’ve lived with your uncle for half a lifetime, and we’ve put up with each other’s quirks. I’ve managed to endure it all.”

Xiao Qian didn’t really want to interact with people, but Auntie’s chatty demeanor reminded her of her mother. It seemed that once old ladies of her age opened their mouths, regardless of whether others could understand them, their mouths would gush like a faucet without a valve. “Blah, blah, blah, blah~”

Auntie didn’t treat herself as a stranger at all and chatted with Xiao Qian for quite a while. Initially, she advised Xiao Qian not to argue with Yu Minglang, but Xiao Qian’s professional instincts intervened. She slightly guided the conversation, and Auntie began to voluntarily spill her family’s situation.

From the time she met her spouse when they were young to the present, she shared her story. It turned out that the owner of the farmhouse had a father who was mentally ill and had killed someone during an episode. When Uncle reached the age to get married, no girls dared to marry him. Auntie had to endure many hardships, and nobody wanted to marry her because she had asthma. However, the two of them eventually got married through the introduction of a matchmaker, and they were able to enjoy a lifetime together.

Xiao Qian understood the basics of this family – they were people tormented by fate. Their eldest son had died of illness a few years ago, and the youngest son, Zhiming, had become rather strange after failing the College Entrance Exam. He spent his days without speaking a word. The third child was a girl studying at a school down the mountain.

The old couple never gave up, working hard to make money in the hope that their future would be better. However, Auntie’s poor health meant that she needed money for medicine and treatment. Even though their farmhouse business was struggling, the family managed to make ends meet by working tirelessly.

Yet, life’s frustrations did not erode their love for life.

“Oh right, miss! I’ve prepared some pickles for you to take back. Please give some to Professor Liu, as she enjoys my pickles!” Auntie said, her mouth almost foaming. She finally remembered the main point.

“Liu… Shoujiao?!” This homophonic pun sounded rather evil.

“When we first started, the government supported us by bringing in customers. Teachers from your school’s organization came here, and Professor Liu chatted with me. She is a nice person and bought a lot of pickles from us before leaving. She said she enjoyed eating them. This time she asked someone to send a message that you were coming, so I prepared everything in advance. The pickles are all made from wild vegetables we found in the mountains.”

“Oh, okay.” Xiao Qian thought in her heart that her teacher, a fastidious art and literature devotee, didn’t eat pickles at all. She probably bought them out of sympathy for the family’s difficult situation. Who knew who she would give them to in the end?

Would her teacher be frustrated because Auntie didn’t call her “Professor” but “Shoujiao” (which sounds like a lewd term)?

Auntie rubbed her hands, seeing that Xiao Qian wasn’t saying anything else. She finally shyly said,

“You don’t have to give me the money for the pickles… ”

“It’s okay! I’ll add the cost of the pickles to the final bill!”

Xiao Qian finished, and Auntie’s face beamed with light. The world seemed brighter, and she was all smiles.

“Oh my! Don’t be so polite. You really don’t have to pay – it’s just three jars, 20 yuan!”

“Alright, you can make extra for me to take back to my mom. I’ll give you 50 yuan.”

Auntie was satisfied, smiling as if she had won the whole world.

Before leaving, she advised Xiao Qian for a long time to make up with Yu Minglang quickly.

After sending Auntie away, Xiao Qian sat on the bed, feeling heavy-hearted.

She finally understood why Yu Minglang brought her to the mountain.

As long as Xiao Qian had a clue, she could piece the whole story together.

His actions today might have seemed absurd, but Xiao Qian understood that everything he did was for her pre-marriage phobia therapy.

The destination he chose was a rundown yet loving farmhouse, which held a subtle hint for her. The purpose was to make her feel through the hardships they faced that Yu Minglang was a reliable man, and at the same time, allow her to experience the everyday life of a couple, increasing her confidence in marriage.

Professor Liu believed that Xiao Qian’s pre-marriage phobia was related to her parents’ unsuccessful marriage, and her exposure to many clients who were troubled by marital issues since she started working. These experiences subconsciously influenced her, making her believe that no marriage could be happy.

So, they brought her here to witness the lives of ordinary people.

Take the shop owners’ husband and wife as an example. Although there were all kinds of problems in their lives, they were still committed to each other for a lifetime.

Many people’s marriages were like that – you can’t expect sweet words and luxurious wealth every day. However, these relationships occur through steady, enduring support through thick and thin.

Treating pre-marriage phobia isn’t really that complicated. For some people, just seeing a normal couple’s relationship is enough for a cure.

Professor Liu shared the same analysis, believing that her parents’ failed marriage was the likely trigger for her pre-marriage phobia.

In fact, this method would have worked for the Xiao Qian of her past life.

But for Xiao Qian in her current life, this method is no longer effective.

And now, Xiao Qian’s problem is no longer about pre-marriage phobia. If it weren’t for this incident, she would have just wanted to take revenge on this scoundrel and then possibly forgive him.

But when she realized that everything was her teacher’s arrangement for her therapy, when she knew that her teacher’s attempts to help had been ineffective, and when she saw that everything the scoundrel did was for her sake, Xiao Qian’s heart began to twist. What should she do now?