Chapter 7: A Woman’s Tongue—A Master of Deception

The next morning.

Tang Banxia sat up, rubbing her aching waist, and looked at a certain someone's sweet, peaceful sleeping face, feeling deeply aggrieved. She was not one to swallow her grievances, so she kicked the sleeping person awake. “Get up and make breakfast.”

Wen Mubai muttered a few words, rolled over, and tried to go back to sleep.

“There are pork buns!”

“Where? Where?” The man sprang up, nose twitching, sniffing for the aroma.

Moments later, realizing there was no such thing, he flopped back down.

Tang Banxia couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation.

Heaven knew she used to be so calm and collected, but ever since she met Wen Mubai, she found herself losing composure again and again.

There was no other reason; this man was simply shameless beyond compare.

She reached out, pinched his high-bridged nose, and forced him to open his eyes. “Comrade Wen, get up. Time to go to work.”

Wen Mubai was stunned.

How ruthless this woman was! Last night she’d called him her sweet darling, and today he was just “Comrade Wen.”

“Banxia… do I really have to go to work?” He blinked his eyes, trying to charm her.

Tang Banxia was the perfect example of someone who puts on her pants and denies everything afterward. “If you don’t work, what will you eat?”

“Didn’t you say you’d support me?”

Tang Banxia tidied her hair. “Did I? I’ve changed my mind.”

After all, now that they had their marriage certificate and her political status was sorted out, what use was this pretty boy?

Wen Mubai looked at her, unable to believe she could say something so shameless.

Tang Banxia smiled gently, kindly reminding him, “Hurry up, or you’ll be late.”

In the end, Wen Mubai reluctantly followed Tang Banxia to work.

In the drying yard, the brigade leader led everyone in reciting the daily quotations, all the while studiously avoiding looking at that beautiful, stepmotherly face among the crowd.

Little Tang, the educated youth, really had a way! She’d managed to tame this incorrigible rascal.

After the quotations, the day’s farm work was assigned.

It was late May, and the wheat had ripened, just waiting to be harvested.

Both Tang Banxia and Wen Mubai were hopeless at farm work, so they were assigned the simplest job: weeding in the wheat fields.

The brigade leader, ever cunning, assigned them together. Both knew exactly what he was thinking.

Unfortunately for him, Tang Banxia had her own plans to slack off.

The May sun was merciless.

Tang Banxia wore long sleeves and trousers, a gauze scarf over her face, and a straw hat on her head—wrapped up tightly, only her eyes showing.

She and Wen Mubai weeded for half an hour, then rested for half an hour, making the corners of their neighbors’ mouths twitch in disbelief.

People thought marriage might have changed them, but clearly, nothing had changed at all.

By noon, even with all their breaks, Tang Banxia was exhausted and hot, floating as she walked home.

Suddenly, a scream: “Ah! There’s a snake!”

Tang Banxia’s eyes lit up instantly.

A snake? Where?

Her gaze was sharp, quickly locating her little love rival, Hu Chunhua.

She strode over, her small white hand quick and precise, grabbing the black snake right behind the head. With her left hand, she stroked the snake’s body, and with a flick, the snake went limp and stopped moving.

Under the blazing sun, she smiled radiantly, obviously in a great mood. She turned to Wen Mubai, who had come closer. “Wen Mubai, you’re in luck. I’ll make you snake soup tonight.”

Wen Mubai blushed, grinning shyly. “Banxia, you’re the best.”

Hu Chunhua glared at the pair, brimming with affection for each other. She wanted to say something, but seeing the snake in Tang Banxia’s hand—and remembering she’d just been saved—she stomped her foot and left in silence.

As for the others, they all swallowed nervously at the sight of the black snake in Tang Banxia’s hand.

Little Tang was fierce! Though snake was technically meat, few women dared to handle them.

This seemingly delicate girl had surprised everyone.

But Tang Banxia was delighted. The black snake was nonvenomous and, once properly prepared, could even be used as medicine.

With this snake, the morning’s efforts hadn’t been wasted.

Once home, Tang Banxia kept her promise. With a swift motion, the snake’s life was ended; she split it in two, half to be prepared as medicine, half for soup.

Tang Banxia wielded the knife with steady eyes, while Wen Mubai—reincarnated glutton though he was—shivered for once. “Sister, are we really going to eat this snake?”

Tang Banxia calmly peeled the skin. “You’re not eating? It’s delicious.”

“I… I’ll eat!” In the end, his stomach won over his nerves.

“Go see if there are any bitter melons in the village. Snake soup with bitter melon is the most nourishing,” Tang Banxia said, more to herself than to him.

Wen Mubai, carefree as ever, immediately went out to look for bitter melon.

Truly, they were a match; in some ways, remarkably alike.

The snake soup was delicious. At the first taste, Wen Mubai’s eyes lit up, and then he devoured it ravenously.

Afterward, he wiped his mouth. “Sister, you’re amazing.”

He’d eaten snake when he was starving as a child, but back then, it had tasted fishy and foul, nothing like today.

Tang Banxia ate until she was almost full, drew a basin of hot water to wash away the sweat, then lay on the bed, drowsy.

Afternoon work was another ordeal, leaving them both drained.

By the end of the day, their combined work points barely made up eight, not even as much as one diligent person.

Still, Tang Banxia was so tired her mind was foggy.

If not for her resilience, she’d have quit long ago.

That night, too exhausted to cook, she sliced some potatoes, cracked two eggs, and fried up a few potato pancakes.

She opened the cupboard and made two bowls of malted milk: “Let’s make do with this.”

Wen Mubai was so tired his face was pale, nodding weakly.

After a hasty meal and a quick wash, they collapsed into bed.

It was still early; unable to sleep, Tang Banxia pondered the future.

Things couldn’t go on like this.

She was not cut out for farm work, nor was Wen Mubai.

If they relied on work points, once their savings ran out, they’d starve.

It seemed she’d have to return to her old profession.

In her previous life, she’d studied traditional medicine with her grandmother from a young age, absorbing knowledge until she was thoroughly versed in it.

If life’s misfortunes hadn’t struck, she would have become a doctor.

But when her grandmother fell gravely ill, the cost of hospitalization and chemotherapy was more than she could afford. She dropped out of school and made short videos to earn money.

It became her lifelong regret.

Now, since life had given her another chance, perhaps she could make up for that regret.

Why not?

With that decision, her heart settled.

The lingering sense of uncertainty since she’d crossed over finally faded away.

With hope for the future, she drifted into sleep.

But the very next day, she suffered a crushing defeat.

Looking at the man sprawled in bed, refusing to move, she was thoroughly exasperated.

“Wen Mubai, are you sure you’re not getting up?”

Wen Mubai whimpered, making his resolve clear by his actions.

“Fine, fine, you’re really something.” Tang Banxia clenched her teeth and left the room.

On the bed, Wen Mubai peeked with one eye, relief flooding him as he watched her leave.

But before he could fully relax, the ruthless woman returned with a basin of water and dumped it over his head, leaving him drenched and stunned.

Dripping wet, he looked up at her, coughing violently.

“Are you awake now?”

Wen Mubai’s eyes blazed.

“Then get up. You’re going to be late.”

Left with no choice, Wen Mubai got up and followed her, grumbling all the way.

But where there’s a policy, there’s a countermeasure.

He spent the day slacking off, and by the end, had only earned two work points—out of pity.

Tang Banxia said nothing, simply halving his dinner.

Wen Mubai was on the verge of tears.

He thought she was a liar—all those sweet promises before marriage, swearing she’d take care of him.

And now, after just a few days, she was already tormenting him.

A woman’s words were nothing but lies!

So he became despondent, which made the village girls all the more sympathetic.

They slipped him extra food whenever they could, conspiring to keep it from Tang Banxia.

Until someone finally came to their door:

“Comrade Tang, can’t you keep Wen Mubai in check?”

Tang Banxia was baffled. She’d just finished work and barely sat down. “What’s wrong with Wen Mubai?”

Hadn’t he been working properly these past few days? He was always under her watch—when had he found time to cause trouble?

“Our family finally managed to cook some meat for the children, but your comrade Wen ate several pieces before the kids even got any. I really had no choice but to come to you.”

The man’s face was tanned with embarrassment.

Tang Banxia flushed with anger.

“Brother Hu, don’t worry. I’ll give you an explanation.”

She turned and shouted, “Wen Mubai! Get out here!”

Inside, all was silent.

Tang Banxia forced a smile, then strode into the house…

Moments later, she emerged with a reluctant Wen Mubai and a list of households, going door to door to apologize and make amends.

In times like these, no family was well-off. Every bite Wen Mubai took was one less for someone else.

He was sowing discord.

How could Tang Banxia let him get away with it?

Bringing him along was her way of subtly telling the village girls: Wen Mubai was spoken for—if they wanted to give him anything, they’d better ask his owner first.

That night, the villagers’ impression of Tang Banxia deepened.

This little educated youth was not to be trifled with!