Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

The Nangua hadn’t been trellised, so its vines spread out along the base of the wall. They were incredibly dense, covering a large patch of ground; you had to part the thick leaves to find any of the squash. The hyacinth beans, however, were quite flamboyant, crawling all over the eastern wall. The remaining water spinach, scallions, and chives were also a delightful, verdant green.

Juhua surveyed the garden, first picking a few eggplants, then a basketful of tender green chili peppers, along with some cowpeas and a small, young Nangua. Then, Huai Zi brought over a carrying pole with two buckets of diluted manure. He went down the line, watering each of the eggplant and pepper plants. He also splashed a ladleful onto the soil around the Nangua—watering too close to the roots could easily kill the plant.

Zhang Huai was busy at work. A faint, foul odor hung in the air. He looked up at Juhua and said, "Why don’t you go wash the vegetables? I’ll come as soon as I finish watering the rest."

Juhua was squatting by another row of chili peppers that hadn’t yet been fertilized, examining the hanging red peppers. Most were still a mix of green and red. Once they ripened completely, she could pick them to make chili paste. Hearing him, she smiled. "I’ll look a little longer. These peppers are doing well, not like last year when they got infested with bugs. A good watering in the morning and the pepper plants stay perky all day."

She knew Zhang Huai didn’t want her to smell the stench and was telling her to leave first, but she didn’t mind at all.

’The cycle of all things is truly marvelous. Ultimate waste contains the seeds of life. This is exactly what Zhuangzi meant by "The Dao is in shit and piss."’

’If they watered like this in the evening, in a few days the vegetables would burst forth, flourishing with vitality. When that crop came in, it would be far more than they could eat, so they would have to pickle or dry the rest for storage.’

’In truth, the manure from pigs fed on acorns, rice bran, and corn stalks smells much better than a city trash can. If you had to describe it, it would be "to become spring mud to better nourish the crops."’

’It’s the same for people. Some studies have shown that if you want your body to have a fresh, clean scent, regardless of gender, you shouldn’t eat too much junk. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are best, along with plenty of fresh water. But if you eat too much fat and meat, even your shit will be that much stinkier.’

Seeing that she wasn’t leaving, Huai Zi didn’t press her. After a moment, he asked again, "This Nangua is still small. Are you going to stir-fry it? When they get old, they become so soft and mealy. I love porridge made with that kind of Nangua."

Juhua said, "Don’t worry, there are plenty more. I’m picking some of the young ones to stir-fry so that the remaining ones get enough fertilizer to grow even bigger. When the time comes, I’ll make Nangua pancakes for you." Huai Zi smiled and nodded.

A little while later, Huai Zi would call out to her again and ask another question. Sometimes, he would just call out, "Juhua," and when she looked up at him, he would have nothing to say, simply flashing her a brilliant smile.

He didn’t have anything important to tell her; he just wanted to call her name. With the sight of her in his eyes and the sound of her clear voice in his ears, his heart felt incredibly grounded and at peace. Even watering the vegetables felt more invigorating, and the whole garden of fruits and vegetables seemed more vibrant and beautiful. Juhua, seeing he had nothing to say, wasn’t surprised. She returned his smile and bent down again to pull the weeds between the rows of peppers.

This back-and-forth of questions and answers, punctuated by shared smiles, filled the smelly vegetable garden with the sweet atmosphere of their life together, just as harmonious and natural as ever. After working for a while longer, Juhua finally picked up her basket and went to the river to wash the vegetables.

In the late evening, the riverside was a little cooler and damper than elsewhere. Green willows swayed, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of water plants. The residual heat had faded from the stone slab used for washing clothes. Squatting on it and looking at the clear, cold river water, with the cool, dark green of the damp water plants nearby, brought a refreshing coolness to the heart.

This was why Juhua loved coming to the river to wash vegetables and clothes in the summer—the moment she squatted by the water’s edge, the sweltering heat in her heart would dissipate. Splashing the clear water with her hands felt even more refreshing.

Huai Zi soon followed, hopping down from the riverbank and squatting beside Juhua. He let out a long sigh and said, "Just squatting here by the river makes me feel so much better." He was clutching a cloth towel in his hand but wasn’t in a hurry to wash it. He wanted to wait until Juhua was done with the vegetables before washing it himself—after all, he had just been handling manure.

Juhua glanced at him, her heart filled with warmth. She said softly, "Seeing this water makes any worries feel a little smaller." When she had first arrived in this time and place, it was while squatting by this very river, washing clothes, that she had let the water wash away the confusion and unease that filled her.

Huai Zi watched Juhua as she washed the vegetables and said to her earnestly, "Juhua, you just focus on living peacefully. It’s best if you carry on just like usual. I’ll handle the things outside. My father said that life was much harder when he was a child, and that was also because the County Magistrate of Qinghui back then was a corrupt official, so rotten he was oozing pus! Even if you become an official, you can’t escape troubles. The Master said that when officials encounter injustice, it’s not as simple as being extorted, assigned levies, or not having enough to eat—the slightest misstep can lead to the ruin of one’s family and one’s own death. So, no matter what kind of life you live, you can’t avoid hardship."

Seeing him trying to comfort her, Juhua smiled faintly. "Yes, I know. From now on, I’ll just stay home, grow vegetables, feed the chickens, and cook for you."

Huai Zi nodded with a smile and went on to explain in detail, "Actually, things aren’t that bad for us right now. I’ve already discussed it with your brother. We’ll only sell a little bit of grain this year and hide the rest in the underground storeroom. We should also dry and store more of the vegetables, hide the Silver, and prepare plenty of cured meat for the winter. That dog of an official will only be in his post for three years. We’ll just wear him down slowly. Hmph, if he pushes us too far..."

He didn’t finish his sentence, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)