Shen Er Shen, upon hearing this, was no longer afraid, her mind filled with the thought of digging up something useful.
Indeed, they were on the verge of starvation, so how could they still care about such things?
If they were truly unlucky enough to encounter a bear, that would be their fate, but it was better than starving to death.
The road became more secluded, the villagers fewer, the vegetation denser, and the light dimmer.
Tao Lengshuang tightly held Xiao Feng’s hand, remaining vigilant of their surroundings while searching for various medicinal herbs and useful items, and teaching those present to identify them.
“Shen Er Shen, medicinal herbs can be sold for some money, especially during chaotic times, when they are even more valuable.”
She did not hoard her knowledge, nor was she afraid of more people knowing. She did not rely on medicinal herbs for income, but she had to go to town again tomorrow to see if she could sell some medicinal cuisine.
Shen Er Shen and the other two were deeply grateful, treating Tao Lengshuang as a benefactor and vowing to seek her out if they ever needed help in the future.
Tao Lengshuang smiled, not taking their words to heart.
Everyone has difficult times, and besides, Shen Er Shen had helped her so many times; she owed her repayment both morally and logically.
The group moved like bandits passing through, not even sparing usable pig feed, which they cut and bundled, then dragged along as they continued forward.
While they were scavenging for useful items, a delicate female voice suddenly called out.
“Brother Mo, you’re so amazing, I really admire you!”
Recognizing Luo Yang’s voice, Shen Er Shen and her daughter-in-law looked at Tao Lengshuang with embarrassment and anxiety, their dislike for Luo Yang growing.
This Luo Yang was truly shameless to the extreme; a grown girl, constantly hovering around another man’s husband, was utterly shameless.
Tao Lengshuang showed no emotional change, pretending not to hear, and was about to continue searching for useful items when she saw Xiao Feng rush forward out of the corner of her eye.
“You’re shameless!”
Xiao Feng, hands on her hips, glared at Luo Yang furiously, “My daddy has my mommy, he won’t want a vixen like you!”
“Xiao Feng!” A double exclamation.
Tao Lengshuang was about to reprimand Xiao Feng when she heard Luo Yang’s wronged whimpering.
“I… Xiao Feng, you’ve misunderstood. I just happened to run into your father and saw how good he was at hunting, so I said a word of admiration. It’s not what you think.”
Seeing Luo Yang’s pitiful appearance as if she were being bullied, Tao Lengshuang shielded Xiao Feng in her arms and said with a hint of mockery, “Oh, I’ve finally opened my eyes.”
“Fortunately, it’s broad daylight. If it were late at night, and you, a young lady, were lingering around a man, who could clarify things if someone saw?
Furthermore, what did my son say wrong? You’re practically wearing your desire to undress Mo Lingxi right here on your face. Don’t you see that Uncle Shen Er and his son are keeping their distance from you to avoid suspicion? Yet you’re eagerly flocking to my husband.”
“Exactly,” Shen Er Shen spat with disgust, looking at Luo Yang as if she were a slut, “Everyone in the village knows your intentions towards Mo Lingxi. Please, retract that disgusting expression of yours.”
“Mom, that’s not how you put it,” Liu Shi said mockingly, “This is her specialty, after all.”
“Everyone in the village says she’s gentle and delicate, like a young lady from a noble family, not like us villagers at all.”
Shen Er Shen chuckled twice, “No matter how she pretends, she’s still from a peasant background. How much nobler can she be than us?
Someone like her, illiterate and ignorant of true etiquette and rules, which noble family would want her? It’s not like we haven’t seen beauties.”
Liu Shi sneered, “Mom, I heard some old men like this kind of woman.”
Shen Er Shen slapped her thigh and nodded repeatedly, “You’ve reminded me. Those old men with peculiar tastes love this kind of woman the most.”
The mother and daughter-in-law’s synchronized remarks turned Luo Yang’s face into a palette of colors.
She almost ground her teeth to dust and turned to cry to Mo Lingxi, “Brother Mo, why are they saying this to me? I truly have no intentions towards you.”
Shen Er Shen and her daughter-in-law were truly terrible!
When she returned, she would complain to her father and have him teach the Shen family a lesson.
Mo Ling’s gaze, as cold as ice, swept over her, “What did my son say wrong?”
Upon hearing this, Tao Lengshuang was surprised, Xiao Feng stood tall and proud, and Luo Yang’s face turned deathly pale.
“Brother Mo, you…”
Luo Yang looked at him as if he were a faithless man, crying heartbrokenly, “Brother Mo, I was just admiring you and thinking of helping your family. Why are you treating me like this?”
Mo Lingxi did not want to say more to her. After a few words of instruction to Xiao Feng, he took Uncle Shen Er and his son and walked deeper into the mountains.
“Oh, oh, oh, look who it is, this shameless girl?”
Shen Er Shen spat, saying sarcastically, “Mo Lingxi has a wife and children, and he’s a steady and capable man. Why would he want a seductive vixen like you?”
“Mom, don’t insult vixens,” Liu Shi scoffed, “Someone like her is just a peasant. She pretends to be a young lady from a noble family all day, does she really think she is?”
“You two, please don’t talk about Luo Yang like that.”
Tao Lengshuang spoke with the gentlest voice but the harshest words, “No matter what, Luo Yang, as the village chief’s only child, is doted upon in our village, comparable to a young lady from a noble family.”
“It’s not wrong for her to be so gentle and delicate.”
Luo Yang’s face turned red and her neck bulged with anger, hating Tao Lengshuang and Shen Er Shen’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to the bone. On the surface, however, she appeared fragile and helpless, “You, why are you saying this to me? I haven’t done anything.”
Tao Lengshuang nodded repeatedly with a smile, “Indeed, you haven’t done anything, you just failed to seduce Mo Lingxi.”
It was truly strange. Why wouldn’t Mo Lingxi help Luo Yang? Could it be that they had quarreled?
Upon hearing this, Luo Yang almost couldn’t catch her breath, her face turning purple, “Sister-in-law, I just wanted to help your family. Why are you targeting me?”
Tao Lengshuang crossed her arms and said coolly, “I can only say that you truly live up to being the village chief’s precious daughter. Your way of helping is so unique, disregarding the boundaries between men and women, constantly flocking to my husband’s side.”
‘Puchi.’
Shen Er Shen and her daughter-in-law burst into laughter, looking at Luo Yang with extreme disdain.
“Shame, shame, shame, so shameless!” Zhuzi looked at Luo Yang with a flushed face, “We children know not to steal other people’s husbands or do shameless things.”
“You, an adult, are still doing these shameless things. It’s too disgraceful.”
“You’re going too far!” Luo Yang covered her face, crying, and ran away.
Tao Lengshuang narrowed her eyes, squatted down, and gently said to Xiao Feng, “Xiao Feng, you shouldn’t talk about people like that. This is not what a good child should do.”
“Mommy knows you dislike Luo Yang, but you can’t say such things, understand?”
Xiao Feng nodded obediently, “Mommy, Xiao Feng understands.”
Tao Lengshuang stroked his head, “Also, you need to learn to discern what to listen to and what not to listen to in others’ words. Don’t believe everything, understand?”