Tao Lengshuang sighed softly, trying to cheer herself up. "Tao Lengshuang, you can do it. It's just about winning over a man, much simpler than those medical puzzles."
"Believe in yourself, you'll definitely conquer him in the shortest possible time!"
To expand the area of her spatial medicinal garden, for the countless medicinal herbs within it, she was determined!
After a period of self-encouragement, she felt confident. Now, she needed to devise a comprehensive plan to win over Mo Lingxi as quickly as possible.
Men are generally attracted to beauty, wealth, and power...
She had NONE of the three!
Therefore, her top priority was to lose weight quickly, become a great beauty, and simultaneously use all sorts of delicious food to capture Mo Lingxi's stomach, gradually winning him over.
With an idea in mind, Tao Lengshuang decided to cook something delicious the next morning, letting Mo Lingxi experience what a gentle wife was like.
Afterward, she picked up a law book, focusing on the appointment and management of village chiefs, the migration of villagers, and other legal matters.
Upon reading the laws she wanted to know, she already had a plan to deal with the village chief's family. Her eyes gradually turned icy. She would go to the village chief's house tomorrow to settle the score.
...
The next day.
Tao Lengshuang got up early and was busy in the kitchen.
She sliced some of the lean meat she had marinated yesterday, and prepared some vegetables and wild herbs. She planned to make preserved eggs and pickles later, so she would always have something to eat.
While the porridge was simmering, she took two eggs and made scrambled eggs.
These were all purchased from the villagers.
Glancing at the empty courtyard, she considered raising some chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs, and planting some fruits and vegetables.
As for the fruits and vegetables originally planted in the house, she would pick them when they ripened. She doubted the Tao family could do anything to her.
When the aroma of porridge wafted from the kitchen, Mo Lingxi and Xiao Feng both woke up.
After washing up, the father and son practiced a set of boxing in the courtyard.
The powerful boxing moves sent shivers down Tao Lengshuang's neck, making her feel as if Mo Lingxi would kill her at any moment.
Winning over this man was truly not easy.
But for the sake of her spatial medicinal garden, she had to brace herself and go for it.
After the father and son had cleaned themselves up, Tao Lengshuang, smiling, brought out the simmered porridge and scrambled eggs. "Time to eat!"
She ladled out three bowls of porridge and handed them to Mo Lingxi with both hands, her smile deepening. "Try the meat porridge I simmered."
"Later, I'll make some preserved eggs and pickles. They're the best with meat porridge."
Mo Lingxi's brow furrowed slightly. He looked at her several times, suspecting she was up to some trick, but he said nothing and sat down to drink the porridge slowly.
After a mouthful of meat porridge, his dark eyes brightened.
"This is so delicious!"
Suddenly hearing his own thoughts aloud, Mo Lingxi's expression froze. Had he spoken?
"Mother's meat porridge is so delicious."
Hearing it again, Mo Lingxi realized it was his son speaking. He slowly relaxed, relieved. The meat porridge was indeed very delicious, fragrant and thick, with a faint aroma of rice. He wondered how Tao Lengshuang had simmered it.
"Is it delicious?"
Tao Lengshuang leaned in front of him, smiling and seeking praise.
Mo Lingxi didn't even give her a glance, but by finishing all three bowls of porridge, he showed his approval.
"...Mo Lingxi, is it that hard to say it's delicious?" Tao Lengshuang was exasperated.
Mo Lingxi still ignored her. He helped wash the bowls and chopsticks, then gave Xiao Feng some instructions before leaving the house.
Tao Lengshuang checked her spatial medicinal garden and found that its area had not expanded at all. She felt like crying. How could this dog of a man be so difficult to conquer?
No, no matter what, she had to conquer Mo Lingxi to get more medicinal herbs, so she could have money and live a good life with her son.
After a round of self-encouragement, she began her weight-loss exercises.
After finishing her exercises, she squatted down in front of Xiao Feng.
"Xiao Feng, Mother is going to the village chief's house. Will you stay home obediently, or come with Mother?" she asked Xiao Feng gently for his opinion.
Xiao Feng thought for a moment and decided to wait for Tao Lengshuang at home. He reminded her with concern, "Mother, be careful. Don't be bullied by the village chief's family."
Tao Lengshuang patted his head, gave him several packets of medicinal powder, explained their uses, and told him not to open the door for anyone, but to stay in his room and read.
She also instructed him not to come out of his room, no matter what sounds he heard.
Xiao Feng obediently agreed, saying he would stay in his room and wait for Tao Lengshuang to return.
Tao Lengshuang sent him back to his room, prepared a commode and other necessities for him, and then sprinkled medicinal powder outside the house.
She went out the main door, locked it, and quietly sprinkled several types of medicinal herbs around the door and the house before heading to the village chief's house.
As soon as she left, Tao Fangfang, who had been watching, ran home to report the matter. She then came to her original home with her family.
Tao Lao Er, carrying an axe, looked ready to chop open the door lock.
However, the moment the Tao family stepped into the range of the medicinal powder—
Everyone in the Tao family either rolled on the ground in pain, laughed foolishly, or tried to smash their heads against the wall.
"Ah! It hurts so much, my whole body hurts, like it's burning!"
"Heh heh, so much silver, it's all mine, all mine."
"I'll smash you to death, I'll smash you to death, and the whole house will be mine."
Xiao Feng, who was inside the house, heard these sounds and stayed in his room obediently, reading the Three Character Classic, with no intention of coming out. He was a good child who listened to his mother.
At the same time.
On the way to the village chief's house, Tao Lengshuang saw Mo Lingxi, who shouldn't have been in the village, standing with Luo Yang in an inconspicuous corner.
From her perspective, the two were standing very close, intimately like lovers.
She raised an eyebrow and sneered inwardly. Men!
If it weren't for expanding the area of her spatial medicinal garden, why would she care about this man?
Once the spatial medicinal garden's area was expanded, she would divorce this dog of a man, and he could find whoever he pleased.
Feeling rather displeased, Tao Lengshuang turned and continued towards the village chief's house, not noticing Mo Lingxi pulling away from Luo Yang.
"Brother Mo."
Luo Yang, looking like a wronged victim, cried with tears streaming down her face, "Could it be that Brother Mo also believes the village gossip?"
Mo Lingxi had originally been in the village investigating a man in green clothes, but he unexpectedly encountered Luo Yang, who was putting on this act.
Upon hearing her, he turned to leave, but was stopped by Luo Yang.
"Brother Mo, I just want to talk to you."
Luo Yang dabbed her eyes with her embroidered handkerchief, displaying her best side to him. "Brother Mo, how is your family?"
"Don't blame my father, my father had no choice."
She observed Mo Lingxi's expression. "Sister-in-law has gone too far this time. The village is full of complaints."