In the dim room, a family of three ate dinner in silence. The man, Zhao Nanying, was the first to put down his chopsticks, his gaze falling on Jun Jiuli with a hint of disdain.
"I'm under a lot of pressure with my studies lately, so you and Zong Ling should rest early and not worry about me."
"Mhm, mhm."
"Don't disturb me."
After saying this, he left the room without looking back. Jun Jiuli quickly cleared the table and returned to the bedroom.
On the bed lay a five-month-old infant. The baby was well-behaved, not moving or crying.
Fortunately, she had raised a baby before and had milk powder and bottles in her spatial storage. Otherwise, the baby would have starved.
After settling the little one, Jun Jiuli ate a pile of snacks. She couldn't let herself suffer.
The original host was named Yang Liu, an ordinary child from a farming family. She had two younger sisters and a younger brother, and their life was very difficult.
She married her current husband, Zhao Nanying, at thirteen and gave birth to their son, Zhao Zongling, at fifteen.
Zhao Nanying was a year older than the original host, and his family had some assets. However, his father had poor health and passed away when he was ten.
Living with a young son and a widow, life was naturally not easy. Some of Zhao's relatives were unreasonable and harbored ill intentions when they saw the widowed mother and young son.
After years of scheming, the Zhao family's property was reduced to only six mu of land. Zhao's mother suffered losses but dared not speak out, and the young Zhao Nanying remembered all these matters.
He studied frantically, wanting to make a name for himself in the future, so that those people would no longer look down on his mother and would return his family's property.
His mother's health was also not good. Her dying wish was to see him get married, and the original host was someone his mother had carefully chosen and was very satisfied with.
She thought that her son's studies would cost money, and the family's land could not be sold. The original host was a capable worker and honest. Marrying her would allow her to manage the household, farm, and support the family, while her son could focus solely on his studies.
The original host's parents were naturally willing, thinking their daughter had married well. The original host's mother often taught her to be virtuous and to obey her mother-in-law and husband in all things after marrying into the Zhao family.
After the original host married, Zhao's mother no longer paid attention to the crops in the fields, leaving all household matters to the original host to handle upon her return.
The original host was obedient and capable, which satisfied her greatly. When the original host became pregnant, she was even more delighted. Her illness worsened, and she passed away only after learning that the original host had given birth to a boy.
Zhao Nanying considered himself a scholar, but instead of the humility of a scholar, he was proud and arrogant.
He never treated the original host as his wife. In his heart, she was merely a foolish tool.
He felt that everything the original host did for him was deserved, and that her marrying him was a great fortune, taking advantage of him.
Now, he had passed the provincial examination and become a *juren*. Those who sought to curry favor with him were all dismissed with disdain, and he accepted none of their gifts.
He always looked down on such things and dared not let anyone find fault with him or ruin his reputation.
The clan members who had once bullied his family were severely punished by the clan elder after his provincial examination.
To have others act on his behalf without lifting a finger gave him a sense of power that gradually made him obsessed, and his ambitions grew.
He was not content to be just a minor *juren*. Even if he could become an official, he would only be confined to this rural area.
At this point, without him needing to say anything, patrons would send him books and materials. Zhao Nanying studied like a madman, preparing for the imperial examinations in mid-February of the following year.
Zhao Nanying was naturally gifted, diligent, and hardworking. After the imperial examinations, he passed with flying colors. He did not send a single letter to the original host back home, remaining in the capital to prepare for the palace examination in March.
Ultimately, Zhao Nanying was personally appointed as the top scholar by the current emperor, instantly becoming the talk of the town among scholars.
Xu Huayue, the daughter of a general, had intended to choose him as her son-in-law when the imperial examinations results were posted. As Zhao Nanying paraded through the streets on his horse, she found him more pleasing to the eye.
Zhao Nanying always claimed to be unmarried, and through a matchmaker, the two became engaged. With his father-in-law's help, Zhao Nanying's career advanced smoothly.
In their hometown, the original host was caught in an adulterous affair with a man, and the Zhao family elder directly ordered her to be drowned. The original host's parents' pleas were all in vain once she married into the Zhao family.
The original host was, of course, framed. All of this was orchestrated by Zhao Nanying. When he embarked on his journey to the capital, he never intended for the original host to live.
The original host's existence constantly reminded him of the days he had to rely on women. That scoundrel was bribed by him, and he was instructed to act after Zhao Nanying's successful provincial examination.
The scoundrel knocked the original host unconscious and dragged her to a small river to assault her. Several women washing clothes nearby witnessed the entire event, and the scoundrel fled immediately.
The Zhao clan elder rushed over upon hearing the news. He knew the original host was innocent. However, with a little thought, he knew who was behind this.
Zhao Nanying was now successful and brought honor to the clan. In the future, he might need to seek his favor.
Therefore, the clan elder directly drowned the original host. Only after learning that Zhao Nanying had married the Great General's daughter did he deal with Zhao Zongling.
The original host had never done anything wrong in her life. She believed she had been fair to everyone in the Zhao family and did not know why she had met such an end.
Her wish was to raise Zhao Zongling well, be filial to her parents, and punish those who had hurt her.
Shui Wa: "She didn't even say how she wanted them punished? She was too soft-hearted after all."
Jun Jiuli: "Her life was simple. It's possible she didn't know how to punish people."
"Alright."
Shui Wa took care of the baby while Jun Jiuli slept until late morning. Zhao Nanying, in his study, had long been impatient. He had been waiting for Jun Jiuli to call him for dinner.
Jun Jiuli enjoyed delicacies and fruits in her spatial storage. After eating her fill and playing with the baby, Zhao Nanying angrily pushed open the door.
"Why are you so lazy today? You haven't even started a fire in the stove. Are you planning to starve me like this?"
Jun Jiuli reached out. Zhao Nanying looked at her in confusion. With his hands behind his back, he said displeasedly, "What do you mean by this?"
"Don't you have hands? Why should I cook for you? I also have to watch Zong Ling. He's at that age where he's quite fussy. How could I have time to cook for you?"
The little baby cooed twice in a show of cooperation. Zhao Nanying looked at the baby in Jun Jiuli's arms with extreme disgust. It was as expected of a peasant woman's child; it was wholeheartedly loyal to her and looked displeasing in every way.
"I can't cook. Put the child on the bed, and I'll watch him. Hurry and make me some food. How can I study with an empty stomach? Don't delay my important matters."
"If my husband cannot even cook a simple meal, how can he achieve great things in the future and bring blessings to the people?"
"I told you to go, so go. Why are you so talkative today? Don't tell me you think you're a *juren*'s wife now and don't want to touch pots and pans anymore?"
Seeing that Jun Jiuli was unmoved, he continued to lecture, "One must not forget their roots. Although I have passed the imperial examinations, I cannot be extravagant. Your every word and action represents me. Don't embarrass me."
Shui Wa: "Good heavens, he has no shame. He is the one who has most forgotten his roots."
Jun Jiuli hugged the baby and lay down on the bed. "My head is pounding terribly. Cough, cough, cough. From the looks of it, I can't get out of bed to do anything. You'll have to make do with cooking something yourself."
Zhao Nanying, seeing her terrible acting, was so enraged that he couldn't speak for a while. He turned to leave, forgetting to close the door.
Shui Wa closed the door and slyly approached her.
"Host, how should we deal with him? This person is too disgusting. Why are you pretending to be sick? You should have shown him some color right away."
"Being sick and unable to move is a good excuse. Otherwise, wouldn't the original host's persona of being diligent and honest be ruined? She still needs to return and live a good life in the future. I can't leave her a mess."
"That's true. We can't let anyone except the scum know your true identity."
"If you can't speak properly, then shut up."