'What? Are you saying you can't live without my husband? Don't tell me you've fallen in love with him?' Yu Qingwu scoffed, her voice suddenly rising.

Immediately, several villagers passing by couldn't help but look over.

The story of the young widow wanting someone to provide property for her sons and forbidding them from having their own children had already spread throughout Peach Blossom Village. The villagers had a very bad impression of her, and upon hearing Yu Qingwu's words, they all showed disdain.

Some even started to discuss and ridicule her.

'Oh my, this Widow Liu is really something. She's even setting her sights on married men, daring to stop their carriages. It seems that she's really going all out to find a cheap father for her two sons.'

'Hmph, what good is going all out? A widow with two sons, who is usually lazy and gluttonous. If she didn't have some looks, would the Wang family even glance at her? But this young master looks extraordinary. Not to mention marrying her, he probably wouldn't even want her as a foot-washing maid.'

'That's right! With her lazy habits, she couldn't even be a foot-washing maid! It would be good if she didn't steal their money...'

The villagers had always looked down on Widow Liu because she was extremely lazy. She used to rely on her husband, and after he died, she relied on the little property he left behind.

But not working and just eating will eventually lead to emptiness.

In a few years, she had eaten it all up, and then she relied on seducing some men in the village to make a living.

The Wang family didn't know her true face. Plus, the eldest son of the Wang family was ugly and old, and a newcomer to the village. Widow Liu had some charm, and with the matchmaker's persuasion, they met.

They thought that this menace would finally be taken care of, but Widow Liu immediately made a bunch of unreasonable demands, wanting them to provide property for her and her sons, forbidding them from having their own children, unwilling to serve her in-laws, and demanding that all the family's money be handed over to her for management.

Although the eldest son of the Wang family was a nouveau riche, he was also a shrewd businessman. How could he not see her little thoughts? He immediately rebuked her and spread her bizarre remarks throughout the village, making Widow Liu's already terrible reputation even worse.

Widow Liu refused to accept it and went to the Wang family to make trouble, and was severely beaten by the Wang family.

They thought she would calm down for a while, but good heavens, it's only been a few days, and she's already set her sights on another man, a married man no less!

Several women who usually couldn't stand Widow Liu snorted in disdain at this moment.

Before Widow Liu could continue to play the victim, one of the women immediately shouted at Yu Qingwu, 'Young lady, you must be careful and not be deceived by this Widow Liu's false appearance. She is best at pretending to be pitiful, gaining the pity of other people's wives, and then taking the opportunity to seduce their men and swindle money to support her two children...'

'You... you gossiping women! Stop talking nonsense! It's clearly your men who have malicious intentions towards me!' Widow Liu didn't expect these people to suddenly come out and interfere, and she couldn't help but get angry.

But after refuting, she suddenly came back to her senses.

Wasn't she admitting to an improper relationship with their husbands by saying this?

So, after speaking, Widow Liu immediately changed her words and shouted at Xie Jin'an inside the carriage, 'Young Master Xie, they are all lying. Their men admire me, they are jealous of me, so they slander me. You... you must save me, ah. I really can't stay in this village anymore...'

'First there's the local bully, and now these gossiping women...'

'How annoying!' Xie Jin'an originally wanted Yu Qingwu to dismiss her with a few words, after all, it wasn't good to be too public about this trip. It would be even worse if he left a bad impression on the descendants of that farming family.

But at this moment, it seemed that if he continued to be polite, it would not only waste more time but also make the descendants of that farming family even more disgusted.

Xie Jin'an frowned and stepped out of the carriage.

Yu Qingwu was standing in front watching the show. Seeing Xie Jin'an come out, she snorted coldly and teased in a low voice, 'I say, husband, why are you out again? Did you hear that the young widow was being bullied and couldn't bear it?'

'What nonsense are you talking about?' Xie Jin'an said, somewhat helplessly, glancing at Widow Liu, 'You see, this is the consequence of you always making me sell my beauty. Now you know, right?'

'Just solve her with a few words, why make such a fuss?'

'Solve her with a few words? Isn't that just a temporary solution? Husband, you won't be coming to Apricot Blossom Village again?' Yu Qingwu glared at him and said, 'Seeing the way you came out just now, I knew that you probably haven't completely negotiated yet. Liu Bei even visited the thatched cottage three times, Your Highness, you will probably have to come two or three times as well. You don't plan on dealing with this Widow Liu every time, do you?'

'That's true...' Xie Jin'an was immediately speechless.

He turned his gaze and looked at the women who were speaking harshly to Widow Liu. He frowned and said, 'But Senior Sister, what's the use of these women? Why did you drag them in for no reason? If I come again next time, they will probably recognize me.'

'What if they recognize you? It's not like they can all take a fancy to you, can they?' Yu Qingwu snorted coldly, her eyes showing a hint of disdain as she looked at Xie Jin'an. 'You think you're silver, and everyone likes you?'

'It's not that, it's just that I'm afraid of being dragged into conversations by these women, wasting time...'

'These women are the informants. What a waste of time? When the time comes, these women will not only be able to help you by sending information and letting you avoid that Widow Liu, but they might even be able to tell us the interests and hobbies of the descendants of that farming family.' Yu Qingwu felt that Xie Jin'an was a man after all and didn't understand women's minds.

That's true...

Xie Jin'an was speechless again, but he also felt as if he had been enlightened.

During their conversation, Widow Liu had already staggered over.

Seeing Xie Jin'an come out of the carriage, she assumed that he couldn't bear to see her being bullied and had come out to protect her.

After all, she was charming and had always been gentle. Usually, many men in the village were very protective of her.

'Young Master Xie, I really don't have any thoughts about you. I'm just really being bullied and can't live anymore. I wanted you to save my life, but... but Madam misunderstood...'

She looked at Yu Qingwu innocently, pretending to be weak, wiping away tears, and said to Xie Jin'an, 'Young Master Xie, you've also seen, the women in this village, they all don't like me.'

'Uh, so, how do you want me to save you?' Xie Jin'an curled his lips, his expression amiable, but a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. He slowly took Yu Qingwu's hand, interlacing their fingers, which happened to fall into Widow Liu's eyes.