Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Juhua laughed. "Don’t be so formal, talking about in-laws and my own family. I just enjoy shucking sunflower seeds. I love the feeling of the kernels flowing through my hands with a WHOOSH. Just like Dad, it makes me happy just watching them."

Liu Yunlan smiled. "Juhua, is there anything you *don’t* enjoy? You like picking vegetables, digging up Shanyu, picking water bamboo shoots, and gathering mushrooms. Now you like shucking sunflower seeds, too. I don’t even have to ask—I’m sure you like shelling chestnuts as well."

Juhua couldn’t help but laugh at that. "Well, that’s not entirely true. I don’t like harvesting rice and wheat—it gets you all itchy and grimy."

Yang Family smiled. "But we farmers can’t do without those two, and here you are disliking them."

Qingmu glanced at his sister, a knowing look on his face as if he could see right through her. "It’s not that Juhua dislikes rice and wheat," he said. "It’s just that they’re too much trouble to process. If rice and wheat grew on trees and you could just reach out and pick them without all the effort of threshing, then I’m sure our Juhua would like them just fine."

Liu Yunlan found Qingmu’s teasing so amusing that she let out a "PFFT" of laughter.

Surprised by Qingmu’s sudden humor, Juhua rolled her eyes at him. She picked up a sunflower seed and flicked it at him. Qingmu didn’t dodge, simply accepting it with a smile as it hit him square on the cheek.

Two days later, the Zhang family harvested their sunflowers, and Juhua got to shuck seeds to her heart’s content. When the seeds were almost dry, she’d scoop up a handful, spread her fingers, and let them cascade through the gaps. The smooth, flowing sensation was wonderful.

At this time of year, there was hardly a moment’s rest. Loads of Shanyu and corn were carried home on shoulder poles, filling the courtyard with things to be sun-dried. The oak leaves all over the mountain were beginning to change color, which meant it was time to start gathering acorns again.

One evening, Juhua was washing a large batch of Shanyu, preparing to grind them and extract the starch to make noodles. Huai Zi came home early to help.

He held up a huge Shanyu, winked at Juhua, and whispered, "Look at this Shanyu, how sturdy it is. Let’s have a son just like this in the future—tough and sturdy!"

Juhua was chopping the Shanyu into smaller pieces for the stone mill. Hearing his words, she pressed her lips together to hide a smile and glanced over at He, who was sorting corn. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her mother-in-law hadn’t heard. She had been terrified by her in-laws’ enthusiasm—they had already come up with so many pet names for their future grandchildren that it made Juhua’s head spin. ’If we have to use all of those names,’ she thought, ’I’ll need to have at least eight or ten kids!’

’Hmph, I’ll just leave that heavy responsibility to Yangzi’s wife!’

But to be honest, now that even Liu Xiaomei was pregnant, she was starting to feel a bit expectant herself.

Why? Because life was just too peaceful! If she had a few chattering little ones running around, asking her silly, off-the-wall questions all day, life would surely be much more interesting.

As she pictured a son as sturdy as a Shanyu, an image of a tan, quiet, and robust little boy appeared in her mind. A small smile touched her lips, and she quietly urged Huai Zi, "Is the mill set up yet? Go get it ready. I want to eat Shanyu noodles, and lots of other things—I have to eat a lot to get strong, so I can have a baby in the future."

It was rare for Huai Zi to hear such a cheeky comment from her. He was both amused and filled with a tender affection. He couldn’t help but pull her close, touching his forehead to hers, and whisper, "Don’t be in such a hurry!"

Juhua rolled her eyes at him. "Who’s in a hurry? You’re the one in a hurry."

Huai Zi simply smiled without answering and went to the kitchen to prepare the stone mill.

Grinding the Shanyu, washing the starch, and filtering the pulp, the family bustled about their work.

He suddenly said to Zhang Huai, "I don’t know if Yangzi will be able to pass the exam next year. I feel so uneasy about it. If County Magistrate Hu were still here, I wouldn’t worry at all. But this new County Magistrate Li... he likes to make trouble for no reason. He didn’t get his way when he came to our village last time, so will he take it out on Yangzi? And what’s more, when Yangzi goes to study at Qinghui, won’t he be bullied by him?"

She had overheard Zhang Yang talking about the examinations with his brother and sister-in-law yesterday, and although she hadn’t understood much, she couldn’t help but worry.

Zhang Huai comforted her, "Mom, I’ll go with him when the time comes. Besides, the Academy Examination is presided over by the Education Commissioner from the capital—who is also Changfeng’s esteemed teacher. Changyu said that with him there, our Yangzi won’t be at a disadvantage."

He exchanged a look with Juhua and sighed inwardly. This matter was their greatest weakness right now. Even with his senior, Li Changfeng, vouching for him, Zhang Yang’s three-part licentiate examination next year was still a nerve-wracking affair. The first stage, the county examination, was the biggest headache, as it was presided over by the County Magistrate and the county school teacher. If he could pass the county examination, they wouldn’t have to worry about the subsequent Prefecture and Academy Examinations.