TFRLTOP Chapter 40 Part 2

He let go of her and turned to leave. Mingming hurried after him, pressing, “So what about that half-finished bag?”

“I threw it out!”

Without another glance back, Junsheng walked away. Mingming clutched her stomach, laughing at his bristling figure.

Later, she stayed in the room, snacking on jelly beans while reading through those Self-Study Compendia of Math, Physics, and Chemistry. Every so often, she picked up a pen, working through a problem, refreshing old knowledge in her mind.

She didn’t have high hopes for taking the college entrance exam in this era—who knew if she’d even last until then? But if she did, and managed to sit for it, that might be a worthwhile experience.

For now, she was waiting for one result. If things went smoothly, she wanted to try living out a life with no entanglements with the male and female leads. If not… well, maybe she’d take the old route from her last world, branch off into some side story.

She realized that, with fewer worries weighing her down, she was actually enjoying herself. If only this weren’t the wrong decade, things would’ve been even better.

Once again, she silently wished: Next world, let me go back to modern society.

“System, what happens if the mission fails?”

The system made a thoughtful “hmm” before answering after a pause: “So far, no one has ever failed. So I don’t know what the consequences would be.”

Mingming was shocked. “You mean everyone before me just obediently let themselves be tortured?”

“Mhm. Spiky little rebels like you are rare.”

“Ugh.” Mingming curled her lip in disgust. “That’s so unscientific.”

“Hello? You’re talking science with me? My very existence can’t be explained by your Earth science!”

Outside, Junsheng was busy with something, his voice faintly drifting in as he greeted someone.

“Sister-in-law Huang, you’re back?” he called. Then Chunhua’s loud, hearty voice rang out, “Junsheng! Sweeping the yard? Why’s it you? Did that girl, Juan, sneak out again?”

Mingming perked up her ears. “…No, she’s inside…”

Chunhua’s voice shot up another octave. “Cui-ping, look at him—hasn’t Junsheng gotten even more handsome after just a few days? City folk really are different. My man’s dark as coal from the fields, and my daughter takes after her father, too. But you, always working outside, are still so pale. Cui-ping, come stand next to Junsheng, compare your skin tones, ha ha ha! But that’s fine—my girl’s darker, which means she’s healthy, good for childbearing!”

“Oh my, have you lost weight? Men usually get pampered after marriage, but you look like you’ve been suffering. Every household needs a capable woman. What kind of marriage has the man doing all the chores…”

From time to time, Huang Cuiping’s weak protests cut in: “Mom, please stop, let’s just go back…”

But her mother steamrolled right over her, going on and on about Junsheng.

Inside, Mingming nearly burst out laughing. As if she couldn’t tell who those words were aimed at.

She was bored anyway—time to join the fun.

Just as she stepped outside, she heard Junsheng say something, and the other woman’s tone instantly shifted: “Oh, listen to you. We country folk can’t speak as smoothly as you city people, so what if I’m a bit blunt? Don’t look down on me! If I had any bad intentions, may lightning strike me dead right this second!”

“Louder! Go on, shout louder so the whole village can hear how you’re spreading feudal superstitions at me, a knowledge worker! What good has all that collective study done you?” Mingming planted herself at Junsheng’s side, hands on her hips, voice sharp and fearless.

Junsheng glanced sideways at her, hiding his smile. Who was it that always skipped collective study? Who was it that was fortune-telling for villagers just the other day?

And now here she was, rattling away in dialect no less. He’d never heard her talk like that before—sharp-tongued and relentless: “Who even believes in oaths anymore? There are plenty of sinners walking around untouched. Why don’t you curse something useful, like your fields yielding nothing this year?”

“You—!”

That one hit hard. Junsheng discreetly tugged her sleeve to calm her down. Mingming only slightly lowered her volume, though her words still stung. “Here’s a knowledge worker talking science with you, and you’re still bringing up superstition? Honestly, you’ve got some nerve.”

“My Junsheng’s fair-skinned. Envious, huh? Of course, he’s fair, that’s why he suits me!” Mingming rolled up her sleeve, showing off her soft, pale arm. “See how white I am? And I don’t even tan!”

Her smug, provocative look made Chunhua furious. “You… you…”

But she couldn’t get a coherent word out before Mingming wrapped her arms around Junsheng, shaking her head in mock pride.

Huang Cuiping stood to the side, helpless to stop her mother and at a loss for words. She and her father were both quiet, reserved types, constantly scolded by Chunhua for being too meek.

When Mingming hugged Junsheng, Cuiping’s heart skipped,her  face heating. She tried to look away but couldn’t.

She noticed Junsheng seemed briefly startled, then lowered his head to gaze at Mingming, his eyes unconsciously softening. Mingming didn’t notice. Maybe even he didn’t realize just how gentle his expression had become.

For a moment, his hands hovered awkwardly, not knowing where to go. Then, carefully, he settled them at her waist. The way he held her, like she was something precious—where was the disharmony, the reluctance the villagers whispered about?

Cuiping ducked her head, glad her darker complexion hid any blush.

Meanwhile, Mingming was still chattering, “Uncle Erlü’s dark, and Auntie, you’re no better. They say couples look alike, and it’s true—sleep in the same bed long enough and you’ll turn into the same type. Look at me, I’m fair, and so’s my Junsheng. That’s why we share a bed. And he’s not just fair-skinned on his face, he’s fair all over—unlike some men, who’ve got different shades all over their bodies…”

“Mmph!”

Junsheng, who had been half-entranced by her fiery manner, suddenly realized she was running her mouth unchecked, spilling far too much. He quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. Mingming yanked it off, glaring at him. “I was talking about my dad! What are you getting nervous about?”

“Ancestor, have some mercy, leave Dad a little dignity, he’s not young anymore…”

Turning back to Chunhua, Junsheng said evenly, “Sister-in-law Huang, whatever the gossip, I’m a married man now. That means I’m no longer alone, and what goes on between husband and wife behind closed doors is ours to know, not for others to judge.

“Our Juan is clever and lively. She wasn’t born for hard labor, and her father spoiled her for eighteen years. There’s no reason she should suddenly live a bitter life just because she married me. It’s not about whether she’s willing to do chores—she could insist on it, and I still wouldn’t let her. I’ve got a bit more strength, so I’ll take on the heavy lifting. That’s what marriage is—complementing one another. There’s no need for others to speculate. At the end of the day, minding your own household will do more good than peeking at others’. Don’t you agree?”

That shut Chunhua up. She still looked dissatisfied, gave a cold snort, and shot them a few daggers with her eyes before finally dragging Cuiping away.

Cuiping gave them a quick apologetic nod. As they walked off, Mingming was still whispering to Junsheng, “See, I call her Aunt because I call Uncle Erlü ‘Uncle.’ But you call her Sister-in-law, which means you’re calling Erlü ‘Big Brother.’ We’re not even consistent—are we messing up the family tree?”

She turned back just in time to see Junsheng nodding solemnly in agreement. “True. And we already had a two-year generation gap between us. Now it’s even bigger.”

“Pfft. Believe it or not, the gap between us is more than just two years…”