Lu Jiao didn’t care for any of this and left with the quadruplets. On her way back, all the villagers tried to talk to her and tell her to not get angry at Xie Laogen’s family. Nobody from that family was reasonable.

Lu Jiao chatted with everyone as she walked home. At first, a whole group of villagers followed her, but near the end, only a few remained. Before Lu Jiao got home, she passed by the Shen family home. There was much noise coming from their home including someone crying.

Lu Jiao saw how big the crowd was and remembered that before, she had convinced Luo Wangcai to marry Shen Xiu.

She was intrigued and dragged the Third and Fourth Born to watch the show.

Behind her, Lady Tian dragged the other two children along and followed. A lot of other villagers noticed the noise as well and went up to see what happened.

Inside the Shen yard, Shen Xiu collapsed on the ground, crying. Beside her was a young girl around three or four and she was crying as well.

The mother and daughter duo appeared very pitiful. The villagers outside the gate were pointing and discussing.

“I heard Luo Wangcai gave Widow Li 10 taels of silver and asked to marry Shen Xiu.”

“Shen Xiu rejected him and now they are fighting.”

“Where did Luo Wangcai get all that silver? He doesn’t even know where his next meal is coming from. He normally steals or tricks others just to get food.”

“Who knows? Maybe he’s been saving.”

In front of the Shen family home, Shen Xiu cried heartbreakingly. As she cried, she desperately yelled, “I’m not marrying him. There is no way. Don’t you even think about it.

If you don’t want me to stay here, I will leave. I’ll leave right now.”

This scene made the villagers pity Shen Xiu.

“Widow Li is over the line. For that much silver, she’s willing to marry off her daughter. Luo Wangcai is such a poor fella. If Shen Xiu marries him, there’s no way her life will be easy. There’s no way Luo Wangcai can take care of both her and her daughter.”

“Widow Li only ever sees money. She simply does not care. For 10 taels of silver, she’s more than willing to marry off her daughter. This daughter of hers earned her big chunks of silver twice.”

Behind the crowd, Lu Jiao peered into the yard with a cold grin on her face.

This woman ordered Luo Wangcai to seduce Lu Jiao. Now that the same trick was being played on her, she sure was making a big fuss out of it.

However, this woman was no easy target. She chose to publicly make a scene in order to give her mother a hard time so she would refuse this marriage proposal.

Sadly, she had underestimated her mother’s shamelessness.

Lu Jiao turned to leave. She’d seen enough of this show. Her family hadn’t even had dinner, she had to get back and eat.

Who knew that the moment she turned around, Shen Xiu caught sight of her.

She stood up, ran out the gate, and then knelt in front of Lu Jiao.

“Lu Jiao, please save me. You have to save me, or else I have no reason to live.”

The villagers had no idea what Shen Xiu was intending to do here.

Why would she kneel in front of Lu Jiao?

Lu Jiao’s gaze was cold as she stared at Shen Xiu. Then, she mockingly beamed.

“What can I do to help?”

“Allow me to be Third Brother Xie’s concubine.”

Shen Xiu’s words made everyone gawk at her in disbelief.

They weren’t shocked that she was willing to be a concubine – they were astounded that she was willing to announce that out loud.

Even if Yunjin did want a concubine, he would only marry a young woman. Why would he ever take in a widow who’s already had a child? Was she in her right mind to think she deserved to be his concubine?

Shen Xiu didn’t care about what others were thinking and continued to beg.

“Lu Jiao, I don’t want to take what’s yours. I just want a concubine title. Please, let me live.”

Lu Jiao found this hilarious. She looked down at her and said, “As the saying goes, a man marries the most virtuous woman to be his wife, the most good-looking to be his concubine. Tell me, where do you get the confidence to think that my Yunjin would take you in as a concubine? A once married woman with a child.”

Lu Jiao shook her head, “You sure have a wild imagination.”

Hatred flooded Shen Xiu’s eyes. However, she didn’t express it. She cried and continuously kowtowed, “Please, let me live.”

Lu Jiao sympathetically looked at her, “I sure want to help you. But I cannot allow my Yunjin to take a widow as a concubine. Yunjin is going to take exams and get a government job. To have a widow as a concubine would make him the laughing stock. Forgive me for being powerless.”

Many people agreed with Lu Jiao’s statement and nodded.

Anyone with an above-average living situation in a rural area would refuse a widow as a concubine. Yunjin in particular was someone who had big plans ahead of him. If he has a widow as a concubine, he truly would be the joke of the town.

This woman sure dared to dream big. She’s always been like this.

Everyone pointed fingers and talked about Shen Xiu.

“Is there something wrong with her brain?”

“I heard she always goes to Yunjin’s home and gives him food.”

“She’s wanted to marry Yunjin even before she got married herself. She’s someone else’s wife now and she still hasn’t given up. How shameless.”

Shen Xiu heard everyone’s comments and felt like they were stomping on her face. Her heart bled.

But if she could not manage to successfully marry Yunjin as she wished today, her mother was going to make her marry Luo Wangcai. She’d rather die than marry Luo Wangcai.

Shen Xiu suddenly jolted off the ground and ran out.

Everyone trembled in shock. Someone screamed, “Is she going to hurt herself?”

Lu Jiao didn’t think so. That woman had many ideas in her head and there was no way she would go seek death.

Quickly, however, her face dropped and she mumbled, “Is she going to my place to beg Yunjin? Yunjin’s still wounded.”

The villagers gasped at that idea.

Lu Jiao pulled on her son and headed home. Lady Tian followed and the villagers followed as well.

Everyone rushed to Lu Jiao’s place and what do you know? The moment they stepped into Lu Jiao’s yard, cries from the east bedroom could be heard.

“Third brother Xie, please, save me.”

The look of awe was found on most villagers’ faces. Lu Jiao took the quadruplets and headed into the east bedroom. The villagers followed to watch the show.

Inside the east bedroom, Xie Yunjin watched the crying woman with a raised eyebrow.

“Look at my situation. How do I save you?”

Shen Xiu’s voice was now scratchy, “Third brother Xie, my mom wants to sell me to Luo Wangcai for 10 taels of silver. I don’t want to marry him. I want to marry you, third brother Xie. I’m okay with being a concubine.”

Third brother Xie’s legs were likely going to heal now. Even if she becomes a concubine, she will end up doing better than others in the future.

Plus, if she could successfully marry third brother Xie as she hoped, she would be able to think of a way to get rid of Lu Jiao in the future. Then, she could step up and become the official wife.

Shen Xiu was excited at all the possibilities. On the bed, Xie Yunjin’s eyes sparkled with unspeakable disgust. He gaped at Shen Xiu, who was still on the ground and asked coldly.

“Do you hate me?”

Shen Xiu was flustered and looked up with her eyes red, “Third brother Xie, why would I hate you? You are the man I like.”

Xie Yunjin didn’t appear to have heard that last phrase as he continued to speak, “If you don’t hate me, then why do you keep on trying to harm me? Four years ago, you told everyone we grew up together and were emotionally involved when we barely talked.

Today, you’re someone else’s widow. Yet you run over here and ask me to take you in as a concubine. Do you really think I am a junk collector?

My legs now have a chance of making a full recovery. Even if I do not recover, I would detest you. There’s no way I am going to have a widow as a concubine. I do not like how tainted your heart is!”