16 Do You Believe?

The five Jin brothers radiated anger as they listened to these women insulting their youngest brother and their wife.

Shufen was so mad he wanted to hit the old woman, consequences be damned.

Before he could move, Mei Li held his arms. They couldn't touch these women for now. As she was walking around the village, many plans emerged in her mind.

But she couldn't act on those yet until the Jin family regained their prestige in the village. So for now they shouldn't cause huge waves. But there will be a reckoning someday!

She looked at the quarrelsome women with a slight smile. Her gaze was as calm as a deep pool.

"Thank you for your concerns, aunties. I don't believe my fifth husband is a disaster star at all so you don't have to worry about me."

The brothers calmed down a bit. Longwei looked at her gratefully but there was also a complicated look in his eyes.

"Bah, don't say we didn't warn you. Don't blame us if you suffer later!"

"Don't worry Old Lady Yun. My mother told me that when I was born, a Taoist priest came to bless me and said I had a Wheel Fate." Mei Li still had her polite smile on and was completely making things up!

"Wheel Fate? What's that?" One of the village matrons asked.

"It means my fate is like a wheel turning around. Sometimes a part of it would be up and sometimes it would be down. But, always, I will keep moving forward."

Hmph, she read so many self help books and inspirational quotes in her previous life. Pulling out one or two of those at this moment was a simple matter.

"Whether my husbands have bad luck or not, as long as they come along with me, we can always go forward towards a better fate."

"Those who try to stop me or harm my journey in life, however, can only be left behind in the dust. Or…" Mei Li paused for dramatic effect.

These village women of the ancient times who were firm believers of gods and devils were on tenterhooks. "Or what? What will happen?"

Mei Li gave them the same look she used to give her team when they messed up in the laboratory - a piercing and commanding look that makes people draw back in fright.

"Or be run over and lose their lives."

Mei Li said this in a measured voice laced with coldness. Coupled with her piercing gaze, she presented a noble's superior air that commoners in this time often find hard to bear.

Hmph, dared to ridicule me for being a lady from the capital? Taste this sister's overbearing and haughty aura then!

True enough, Old Lady Yun and her cronies finally remembered that they were talking to a noble young lady who they cannot afford to offend. They, too, have heard of how those nobles from the capital can be so cruel to beat people with boards until they were crippled.

The village matrons hastily mumbled excuses, picked up their laundry baskets, and left the vicinity like their butts were on fire.

Mei Li relaxed and chuckled. She was quite pleased to swing her noble background in this lifetime like a thick cudgel!

She turned to her husbands who just stood there looking at her.

"Ahem, it's getting late. Let's go back home and I'll cook dinner for you guys." Mei Li then walked towards the Jin courtyard.

The men followed behind her, looking at her jaunty walk. Different thoughts raced through their minds.

"Wife, is it true what you said about your Wheel Fate?" Weimin finally couldn't hold back his curiosity. He was also excited.

It was true that their family suffered many losses in the past years. If the wife really had the ability to turn things around for the better, wouldn't that be great?

Mei Li stopped walking and turned back to face them. After a moment, she replied. "No, I made everything up. I just wanted to stop their annoying mouths."

Weimin was a bit deflated and the complicated look Longwei was giving her deepened. Meanwhile, Shufen's crafty smile was back on his handsome face. Haoran and Mingyu remained silent.

Fu Mei Li looked at her five husbands deeply. The setting sun casted a warm glow on their bodies that made them look more vivid and real to her.

"I believe that one's fate is part destiny, part hard work. Even if you are destined for great things, if you don't put in the effort, then nothing will happen, right?"

"The same is true for the reverse. Even if we are poor, in debt, and suffering now - as long as we work hard to change things, I believe life will be better."

Mei Li met their gaze one by one and asked them as seriously as she could, "If I tell you that I have ways to improve our lives, will you believe me? Will you support me?"

Weimin, this budding wife slave, was the first to reply. "I believe you. Whatever the wife says, I'll do it!" He said so in such a convincing manner that warmed Mei Li's heart.

She looked at her other husbands, especially Mingyu. As the eldest brother, he was now the head of the family. If he prohibits her from doing business outside, that will be so troublesome.

Fortunately, he did not disappoint her. Mingyu couldn't forget the conversation they had last night. Her words have been ringing in his ears all day.

"Let's give it a try." He didn't say outright that he believed her, but Mei Li was still happy that he won't hold her back.

Hearing what their first brother had to say, the other brothers had nothing to add.

Mei Li gave them a bright smile. This afternoon stroll around the village was truly eye-opening and pleasant. Apart from that small annoying interlude by the river, the beauty all around her really refreshed her and motivated her.

She could already imagine Shenghuo Village surrounded by rice terraces, mountain orchards, and tea plantations. Backbreaking effort will be needed but it was as if she could already see all the silver taels falling into her hands!

Just as she was turning her body to walk back to the Jin courtyard, a ray of sunlight obstructed her vision for a quick moment.

Then her sight fell onto a tree nearby. This didn't grow right by the main village road, so she didn't notice it earlier.

Mei Li's gaze bored into that tree. It's green ovate leaves looked refreshing. Some of the leaves appeared heart-shaped. But what was really eye-catching were the clumps of flowers growing on the stems.

The flower petals were as big as the leaves but were white with a yellow head at the center.

The more Mei Li looked at the tree, the more excited she became.

When she was eighty percent sure of what it was, she shrieked in excitement and bolted towards the tree!

The Jin brothers were dumbfounded. Has the wife gone crazy?