Books and Fragrance at the Farmhouse

She was jilted, and everyone looked down on her. Her brothers didn’t mind, though, and promised to support her for the rest of her life. But the family was desperately poor, with no oil for cooking. All the boys were gaunt and dressed in rags, and couldn’t even afford to marry, so how could they support their little sister? After transmigrating into this family, Gu Xiaobei beat her chest in despair. They were truly poor! Determined to live better, she used the advanced knowledge she had learned in the twenty-first century in her previous life and led her brothers on the road to prosperity. They worked from dawn till dusk, and life finally began to flourish. Then her former fiancé suddenly showed up, shamelessly demanding to renew their engagement. Relatives who had never shown their faces before began turning up to sponge off them, greedier than ever. Their neighbors grew jealous and resorted to every kind of trick to frame and sabotage them. The mother who had run off after their father died suddenly reappeared, meddling in their lives and making unreasonable demands. If you’ve treated me unjustly, don’t blame me for showing no mercy! Gu Xiaobei kicked her former fiancé into a cesspit and sneered, “Gu Xiaobei doesn’t go back to old flames! You’re not worthy of me. You’re only fit for that pile of crap!” She threw meat to the dogs right in front of her greedy relatives and smiled faintly. “In my eyes, you’re worth less than dogs!” She had her brothers drag the troublemaking neighbors to the county office and sighed. “Neighbors, wealth should be earned honestly!” Facing the mother she had never met, Gu Xiaobei said expressionlessly, “We siblings were born by a mother, but never raised by one. You don’t deserve to hear us call you ‘Mother’!” Little Bei of the Gu family finally grew up, and matchmakers began flocking to the door with proposals. Gu Xiaobei rubbed her hands together. Which family should she choose? Before she could decide, a young tutor suddenly burst in from outside, grinding his teeth. “Gu Xiaobei, you took advantage of me and won’t take responsibility, and now you think you can marry someone else?” Gu Xiaobei looked up at the sky. This was so unfair! When had she taken advantage of him? She had only kindly given him artificial respiration once! And now this tutor wouldn’t let her go! [The Shameless Tutor] One day, a certain tutor happened to pass by the Gu family’s fields. He watched leisurely and pointed things out to Gu Xiaobei from time to time, claiming he was “offering guidance.” Gu Xiaobei tossed aside her hoe, put her hands on her hips, and glared at him. “You’re all talk, spouting theories from books. If you’ve got the guts, get down here and work the fields!” The tutor happily came down, grabbed a hoe, and started digging. After a while, he finally stopped and sighed, “Hoeing millet beneath the midday sun, sweat dripping onto the earth. Who knows that every grain in the bowl comes from hard work?” “Since you know how hard I work, keep going!” Gu Xiaobei tapped him on the head. “Working the fields today wore me out. You have to make me dinner tonight,” the tutor shamelessly demanded. “Didn’t you say my cooking was impossible to swallow?” “I can’t help it. I have to get used to it eventually!” “Did I ask you to get used to it?” Gu Xiaobei snapped. “I wouldn’t dare ask, but it’s exactly what I’ve been hoping for.” The tutor grinned, showing off his white teeth. “Stop reciting poetry and get back to work!” Gu Xiaobei laid down the law again. [Grow Up, Quickly] “Xiaobei, here.” Gu Datian ladled a bowl of thick porridge for her. Her brothers’ bowls held nothing but watery porridge, while hers was thick and hearty. Gu Xiaobei was touched. Smiling, she accepted the bowl from Gu Datian. “Thank you, Big Brother.” She knew that if she refused, her brothers would insist, and they would only waste time. “Mm. Eat more and grow up quickly.” Gu Datian stroked Gu Xiaobei’s head like a little father. Beside him, Gu Erye saw this and chuckled, reaching over to stroke his little sister’s head too. “Second Brother!” Gu Xiaobei glared at Gu Erye. He loved teasing her most of all. “Erye!” Gu Datian reached out with his chopsticks and smacked Gu Erye’s hand. Erye immediately stopped fooling around. “Little Sister, I cooked these vegetables. Try a bite and tell me if they’re good.” Gu Sanye politely picked up some wild greens and placed them in her bowl. She put them in her mouth and chewed. Her heart warmed as she said, “Brothers, this is the best porridge and wild greens I’ve ever tasted.” “If they’re good, eat more!” all three brothers said in unison. Gu Xiaobei froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.