Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s
Chapter 80 - 078 Rose

Chapter 80: 078 Rose

Tian Sangsang picked up the phone on the table. A notification popped up: her delivery had arrived. She retrieved the package from Plane Time and moved the distillation machine into her own space.

The rose petals were all ready. She glanced at the user manual, cleaned the machine, and connected it to the power supply. The indicator light lit up. Tian Sangsang poured nearly half a bamboo basket of rose petals into the metal funnel, pressed the start button, and then heard the "thump thump thump" sound of the machine operating. About five minutes later, with a loud metallic thunk, the machine stopped vibrating and went silent.

Tian Sangsang went back to Plane Time to purchase twenty large glass bottles, twenty medium-sized ones, and twenty small ones. The large glass bottles stood about twenty centimeters high and ten centimeters wide, cylindrical in shape. The medium-sized ones were around ten centimeters tall and five centimeters wide, with a narrow top and a wider bottom, resembling a cone. The small bottles were miniature and cute, about five centimeters tall and two centimeters wide, also cylindrical. All the bottles were stoppered with wooden caps. Tian Sangsang couldn’t help but think how much better they’d look if they were made of porcelain, ideally blue-and-white porcelain painted with vibrant traditional designs, giving off a historic vibe. Large bottles could hold oil for bath soaks, medium-sized ones could store oil for post-bath use, and small ones were portable for daily skin care.

Fixing her eyes on the faucet-like spout, crimson hues flowing out, Tian Sangsang held a bottle to catch the oil. That’s right—the machine wasn’t particularly high-end, unlike the factory-made machines with conveyor belts to automate the collection. But Tian Sangsang didn’t mind; she’d rather get more hands-on.

The oil was exceptionally thick—every drop was essence itself. She sniffed lightly. Ah, the fragrance was exquisite, an intense rose aroma, alluring and intoxicating.

Once the rose oil was finished, Tian Sangsang began extracting jasmine essential oil. Both flowers contained ingredients beneficial for whitening the skin. She planned to alternate weekly—one week using rose oil, the next jasmine essential oil. Every night, she would soak in a bath in her space, apply a facial mask, and put on sunscreen whenever she went out during the day. She figured that in less than a year, her skin could become as smooth and flawless as a peeled egg.

Now equipped with oil in hand, Tian Sangsang couldn’t wait to try it. Her courtyard house had a ready-made wooden tub, and all the water used there came from the Spiritual Spring. She simply filled the tub with boiling spring water and slowly poured in the rose essential oil. The lustrous oil swirled on the steaming water’s surface, quickly dispersing and blending with the bathwater. The soft rose fragrance filled the entire bathroom. Tian Sangsang undressed, immersing her darkened skin into the warm water.

She rubbed her skin slowly, feeling as though every pore on her body had opened up, giving her a light and airy sensation. Of course, time was precious, and it would be too wasteful to spend all of her moments just bathing. As she soaked, she began contemplating what varieties of goods she should prepare to sell at the town market the next day. Her homemade braised food had completely sold out, and she decided to make more—it was a business that wouldn’t wane with the changing seasons. As for pastries, a single variety of mung bean cakes surely wasn’t enough. She could add some sweet osmanthus cakes, hibiscus cakes, and jade-green pea cakes. True sweet osmanthus cakes required fresh osmanthus as an ingredient, but homemade versions were less particular—supermarket-bought osmanthus would suffice. Sometimes, Tian Sangsang considered whether she should follow Tian Yi’s lead and seek opportunities in Dongzhen City. The market there was vast; even running a random food stall or opening a small snack shop near a construction site could rake in considerable profits. Why busy herself struggling in this small town?

However,

a handsome face suddenly flashed in her mind. He was refined and gentle...

This place isn’t so bad; there’s no need to go so far away.

Sigh... Tian Sangsang looked at her skin and sighed. When would she finally become fair-skinned? After soaking for a while, she stood up, wrapped herself in a pure white towel, and under the bright light, her skin still appeared as dark as ink. Yet she thought it seemed just a tiny bit lighter, perhaps as a result of wishful thinking. Even so, it filled her with delight.

She took out a medium-sized glass bottle, pulled out the wooden stopper, and a delightful fragrance filled the air, lingering by her nose for a long time. She poured a bit of oil into her hand, gently rubbed it, and applied it all over her body. After applying, her skin felt smooth to the touch, though still unquestionably dark.

Applying a face mask afterward, Tian Sangsang felt utterly refreshed. Exiting her space, she cradled her small son’s body, and together, they drifted into a sweet dream.

...

"Brother Li, we’re off now. Take care!" Tian Sangsang carried Meng Shuyan out of the cart and waved at him. It was just past two in the afternoon. Those working in the fields remained in the fields, while those at home stayed indoors. The sun blazed fiercely, and people were scarce. Before long, Li Zhengxiong’s ox cart disappeared from sight, and Tian Sangsang walked hand in hand with Meng Shuyan toward the village entrance.

"Stop right there!" Suddenly, a cold snort rang out from the small grove nearby, and three men emerged. The leader wore the same outfit as two days ago, his long eyebrows raised arrogantly as he held a wooden stick. The two young men flanking him rested their sticks on their shoulders, sneering lazily at Tian Sangsang and her son.

Aren’t these the same three rogues from the village entrance?

Meng Shuyan looked up at Tian Sangsang with some worry. She placed a reassuring hand on his head, signaling him not to be afraid, then stared coldly at the group, asking, "Who are you people? What do you want?" Judging by their demeanor, they’d clearly come to cause trouble.

"You must be Tian Sangsang." Zhao Chun gave her a casual glance, squinting his single-lidded eyes as he smiled, "Here’s the thing, we’ve come to discuss a little business with you."

"Relax, we’re not thugs out to make trouble. Just strictly business, so don’t get too nervous," he added.

Damn. Tian Sangsang let out a short "Oh," then said, "I’ve yet to see anyone conduct business while carrying wooden sticks. This must be some kind of out-of-the-ordinary deal, huh?"

"The sticks? Just tools for assistance. If the deal goes smoothly, they won’t be used," Zhao Chun replied nonchalantly.

Zhao Chun was a new face in the village and only knew of Tian Sangsang through reputation. To him, money was omnipotent, especially with someone like her—a crude village woman without any worldly experience. Give her some money, and she’d surely be overjoyed. People here tended to have shallow desires. However, based on what he witnessed this morning, she seemed to care a lot about her son. But so what? If money couldn’t sway her, they’d just resort to force. Once they got ahold of her son, she’d have no choice but to obey. It didn’t matter that she was a chubby woman; with a few grown men wielding weapons, they could easily overpower her.

Hmph, provoking her—really provoking her. "Spit it out. What kind of business?" Tian Sangsang spoke coolly.

"Our boss, Brother Biao, has taken a liking to your son. Name your price, starting at a baseline of one hundred bucks," Zhao Chun said as he locked eyes on Meng Shuyan. "No jokes—your boy is really good-looking. Looks just like I did when I was a kid... Wait, he looks familiar somehow. Seems like I’ve seen that face before..."

He slowly extended his hand to touch Meng Shuyan’s curly hair. Damn, he really wanted to feel those adorable curls!

Meng Shuyan widened his eyes. With an "Ahh!" he opened his mouth, startling Zhao Chun into quickly withdrawing his hand. Alright, this brat wasn’t as cute as he’d been back in the day.

"Don’t flatter yourself. My son has double eyelids and eyes far bigger than yours," Tian Sangsang remarked with an edge of indifference. "I’m not selling him—my son is not for sale." Though Zhao Chun’s earlier comment about the boy resembling him as a child had briefly alarmed her, upon closer inspection, he clearly wasn’t Meng Shuyan’s father.

Playing hard to get to drive up the price? Zhao Chun raised two fingers. "I’m telling you, don’t be ungrateful. Giving a hundred bucks is already generous enough for your son. Fine, I’ll offer two hundred—but not a penny more."

"For any amount, I’m not selling," Tian Sangsang said calmly.

"Tian Sangsang, are you forcing us to get rough?" A flash of cruelty gleamed in Zhao Chun’s eyes. "You can go against anything in life, but don’t go against money. I’ll give you more time to think it over. Following Brother Biao is such a good deal, after all."

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