Chapter 6: Taking the Initiative

The uninvited guests from Nanyang had turned her once tranquil life, which only occasionally rippled, into a daily soap opera of chaotic domestic drama.

Then, Xie Wanniang, the pivotal figure standing at the very center of this storm, was the victim of an attempted murder just yesterday.

In that critical moment, she had leaped into the Tang River to escape. Her pursuers, however, were relentless; they were mounted, tracking her along the riverbank for so long that she had no choice but to keep drifting downstream.

Fortunately, horses do not have infinite stamina, and not every stretch of the riverbank was suitable for galloping or for those men to keep a watchful eye from above.

With the aid of the river currents, the knowledge and skills from her past life, and the complex terrain along the bank that helped her evade their line of sight and hinder their horses, Xie Wanniang relied on her cool head and ample stamina to ultimately survive the assassination attempt. To ensure she had completely shaken off the pursuit, she even gritted her teeth against the cold and intentionally drifted much further downstream.

She was safe now, but she faced other troubles.

In order to survive, the hairpin she used to tie her hair, the two pendants from her ears, and the pouch at her waist containing loose coins had all been washed away by the river. In an instant, she had gone from a sheltered daughter of a scholarly family to a destitute, wandering girl with nothing to her name.

Well, saying she had "nothing" wasn't entirely accurate; she actually still carried a debt.

Making a self-deprecating joke to keep her spirits up, Xie Wanniang stretched and took a deep breath, trying to stabilize her emotions in her usual way and reboot her rational mind.

It was just a matter of leaving a familiar environment and starting over; it wasn't the first time she had encountered such a situation. As the saying goes, "the first time is strange, the second is familiar." She didn't believe she couldn't take root in Mingfu Village and build a new life for herself.

What? Go back to the Xie family?

No, she wouldn't. Having narrowly escaped death, she would have to be a fool to hand herself over again and give others the chance to manipulate her life.

With her mind made up, Xie Wanniang began to calculate how to survive in Mingfu Village. First, she needed a household registration, and then she would have to rely on her own abilities to solve the practical problems of food, clothing, and shelter.

Hmm, she wondered if Jiang Yuan—that kind young man who had saved her and spared her from having to deal with scum like Wang Sanhu the moment she crawled ashore—would be willing to let her stay in his home after she recovered...

No, she had to take the initiative to build a good relationship with him while he was still keeping her.

Thinking it through, Xie Wanniang left the room and wandered over to the kitchen door to watch Jiang Yuan plucking a chicken.

Jiang Yuan worked with great dexterity; it was clear he was accustomed to such chores. His fingers were slender and his movements agile, revealing a glimpse of a smooth, firm forearm. As Xie Wanniang watched, her gaze drifted involuntarily from his hands to his arms, shoulders, and legs.

It wasn't that she had any improper thoughts; it was simply that... Jiang Yuan’s build looked so powerful, so well-suited for farming, and she, a fallen noblewoman in urgent need of re-employment, couldn't help but envy him!

Jiang Yuan felt very uncomfortable under her stare, and his once fluid movements gradually became mechanical and stiff.

Xie Wanniang quickly noticed his unease. While laughing to herself, she took the initiative to start a conversation.

"May I call you Ah Yuan, just like Sister Xiao Zhi does?"

Jiang Yuan looked up at her, his eyes filled with undisguised confusion and surprise.

Xie Wanniang tilted her head. "Is it not allowed?"

"It is allowed," Jiang Yuan replied, looking down and withdrawing his gaze.

Xie Wanniang pressed on. "I am sixteen this year. How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

This time, Jiang Yuan didn't even look up.

Xie Wanniang was astonished. "You're only fifteen? You've grown this tall at fifteen?"

By her estimation, Jiang Yuan was at least a head taller than her. In modern units, he was surely at least 1.8 meters tall. Even her uncles weren't quite that tall, and they had been sons of officials during their growth years, with the best diet this era could offer.

Although genetics were the most important factor in height, not diet, the problem was that Jiang Yuan was only fifteen. For a teenage boy living in a rural area during wartime, considering the environment, diet, exercise, and sleep, he shouldn't have shot up so quickly, even if his parents were tall.

Jiang Yuan was already used to people being surprised by his height. He gave a grunt and offered no explanation.

Xie Wanniang was not discouraged. Although the boy was a man of few words, he answered when asked, and in her view, he was quite easy to get along with.

She gathered her skirt and crouched down opposite him across the wooden tub. "Thank you for saving me and taking me in. The money spent on my food, clothing, and medicine—once I have recovered, I will find a way to repay you."

Jiang Yuan’s movements paused. A moment later, he looked up. "The village head says we can try to send a message to your family."

Xie Wanniang’s pretty face crumpled.

Oh, blast it. She had come to get close to Jiang Yuan so he would keep her longer, but she hadn't expected him to offer to help her contact her family.

Great, what was she supposed to do now?

Between pretending to have amnesia and telling the truth, Xie Wanniang ultimately chose the latter. "Let’s not. To be honest, I didn't fall into the Tang River by accident. I jumped in myself to escape disaster."

Jiang Yuan was shocked, but he quickly recalled some strange details he had previously overlooked. "You know how to swim?"

Otherwise, she couldn't have been conscious when he fished her out, nor could she have recovered enough strength and energy to wander around the courtyard so soon.

Xie Wanniang smiled and nodded. "That is a little secret of mine."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan immediately promised, "I won't tell anyone."

Xie Wanniang’s smile turned slightly mischievous. "Doctor Chen must have figured it out too. If the villagers who were there think about it carefully, they should be able to guess as much."

So, whether he kept her secret or not, her secret was destined to be exposed.

Jiang Yuan: ...

Xie Wanniang looked at him. "I mean to say, those who want to harm me don't know I can swim. They wouldn't imagine I could last so long in the river. So even if they look for me, they will only search the area not far from where I fell in. They won't come all the way to Mingfu Village."

The implication was: although I was nearly killed, I have already managed to shake off my pursuers through my own efforts, and I won't bring trouble to you or the villagers.

Jiang Yuan understood. He was silent for a moment. "Don't worry."

A question mark slowly appeared over Xie Wanniang’s head.

She stared at the enigmatic Jiang Yuan.

What exactly was she not supposed to worry about? Was it not to worry that he would kick her out? Or not to worry that she would continue to be hunted?