Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Seeing her languid state, her eyes barely open, Huai Zi’s heart softened. He held her close, refusing to let go, and nestled into the crook of her neck to kiss her earlobe.

A shiver ran through Juhua, waking her completely. She quickly asked, "When do you think that County Magistrate Li will come?"

Her words successfully halted Huai Zi’s advances. His expression immediately clouded over. He pressed Juhua tightly to his chest, gently stroking her back with one hand. After a long silence, he said, "We’ve already discussed it and made a plan. For the time being, Li Changliang will lead some men to guard the village entrance. If any strangers appear, they’ll alert the village immediately. We’ve also posted people on this side of the mountain, and all the young women are forbidden from wandering outside."

Feeling apologetic for ruining his mood, Juhua said softly, "Let’s get up. Your mother is probably busy already. Weren’t there still a few relatives here last night who hadn’t left?"

Huai Zi nodded. As he got out of bed and started dressing, he glanced back at her. "You should sleep a little longer! It’s your first day here, so you’re surely not used to it yet. There’s nothing you need to do, so you might as well get more rest. When you get up later, remember to tie your face veil on properly."

Juhua shook her head, smiling with pursed lips. "I hate waking up the most, but if I don’t get up when I should, I just feel awful lying there." ’Besides,’ she thought, ’I wonder who it was that asked me to take off my veil last night.’

Seeing her beaming smile, Huai Zi seemed to understand what she meant. He didn’t try to defend himself. Once dressed, he sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her tenderly. After a moment’s thought, he leaned close and whispered something in her ear.

Juhua shot him an embarrassed glare, then nodded, then shook her head, leaving him utterly baffled. She finished dressing, braided her hair, and then personally helped Zhang Huai tie up his, before the two of them left the room together.

The morning air was crisp and refreshing. Juhua stepped out the main door and first made a trip to the outhouse. Afterward, she felt a bit lost. This was the Zhang family’s home. Even though she had visited many times before, as a new member of the household, she felt somewhat out of place.

Back at her parents’ home, she was always active in the mornings, but here, she didn’t know what she was supposed to do.

The chickens weren’t hers, the dog wasn’t very familiar with her, and the ducks wouldn’t come near her. She wandered around for a while. The flowers and plants in the courtyard weren’t unfamiliar—all vegetation was just as lush—but she couldn’t just reach out with her eyes closed and find her little hoe and sickle like she used to, then head to the vegetable garden to weed and prune branches. She had no idea where those things were even kept. The kitchen felt even more alien, and she had no desire to set foot in it.

She gazed toward the neighboring Zheng Family’s home. ’I wonder what Mother is doing right now?’ she thought. Before she knew it, she had wandered to the courtyard gate, intending to leave and head next door.

He came out of the kitchen and, seeing Juhua heading for the gate, hurried over to take her by the arm. "Juhua, you can’t go back home today. Please just bear with it. How about you wait until tomorrow to go back? Come, wash your face. We’ll be eating soon. I’ve stewed an old hen for you, and it smells delicious."

Huai Zi came out after washing his face and saw Juhua’s expression. He rushed over, took her hand, and said, "Let’s get you washed up first, and then we’ll go take a look at our vegetable garden."

He had been worried she wouldn’t feel at home and had intended to stay by her side. When Juhua went to the outhouse, he had gone to the kitchen to wash up first, not expecting that in the blink of an eye she would be trying to go back to her parents’ house. He knew she loved vegetable gardens; maybe seeing it would make her feel better.

Huai Zi’s maternal aunt stood at the kitchen doorway, her face wreathed in smiles. "She’s just not used to it yet! It’s the same for all newlyweds. Juhua’s family is right next door, so of course she wants to go home. The ones who marry far away are the ones who have it rough. On their first day, they’re so awkward they don’t know where to put themselves."

He quickly said, "Keep your voice down. If Juhua’s mother hears you, she’ll be worried all day. Everything will be fine by tomorrow morning. After that, she can go visit her family whenever she likes."

Juhua gave He an embarrassed smile and said, "Auntie—" The word was barely out of her mouth before she realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself. "No, I mean, Mother! I wasn’t really trying to go home. I was just wandering around. I just... don’t know what I should be doing."

He beamed and said, "Don’t you worry about doing anything for the next couple of days. We don’t have that much work in the mornings anyway. Just take it easy for two days and rest up. Once you’re more settled in, everything will be fine, won’t it?"

As they spoke, the group entered the kitchen. He handed a white cloth towel to Juhua. "This is new, just for you," she said. "Use that basin to wash. This other one is Huai Zi’s."

She was close to the Zheng Family, so she knew a bit about her new daughter-in-law’s habits. Juhua always used her own towel, washbasin, and foot basin. Later, when their circumstances improved, they even had separate wooden tubs for bathing in the winter—one for men, one for women. ’It must be because of the scaly rash Juhua used to have on her face,’ He figured. ’That’s why she got used to keeping her things separate.’