Chapter 435 Kneeling

Chen Zhancai suddenly panicked. If Dabao didn't care, he would be dead.

It is better to live a miserable life than to die. As long as there is green mountains, there will be no shortage of firewood. What's the big deal about owing some money? Even if you don't pay it back, what can he do to you?

"Okay, okay, I'll write it. I'll write the IOU and sign it."

The shop owner did not bother Chen Zhancai anymore. What he wanted was the store's money. As long as someone paid the bill, he would not lose money. He quickly asked the waiter to go back to the inn and get Chen Zhancai's package.

"You are lucky to have met your relatives, otherwise I would never forgive you."

Chen Zhancai glared at him and said, "You snob, you'd better pray that you don't fall into my hands in this life."

The shop owner looked at him with disdain, "Someone like you will never get that chance in your lifetime."

Chen Zhancai no longer paid any attention to the shop owner. He took out his pen and ink and quickly wrote the IOU, then bit his finger to sign it.

After Chen Dabao paid sixty taels of silver, he took Chen Zhancai into the carriage and hurried away.

Outside Ningjing City.

A horse-drawn carriage was galloping on the official road.

In the carriage, Chen Zhancai sat in the corner without saying a word.

It was so damn embarrassing that they actually saw this embarrassing thing. But it was a blessing in disguise. If they hadn't seen it, I would probably have to spend the rest of my life in prison.

Now that the danger has been resolved, what should we do next?

If they publicize my embarrassing incident when I return to the village, how will I be able to live in Nanshan Village with dignity?

The more Chen Zhancai thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. No, he couldn't let them tell anyone about his affairs. Now he had no choice but to lose face.

Chen Zhanshan is such a lacking moral integrity. Even when he was almost forced to death, he was so cold and heartless. He is truly unscrupulous and has no humanity at all.

Would such a heartless and ungrateful person agree to my request? Wouldn't it be even more embarrassing if he didn't agree?

Never mind. You won’t know unless you try.

Thinking of this, Chen Zhancai knelt down in front of the two of them.

"Brother, Dabao, I know I was wrong. If I hadn't met you today, I would have been dead. In my next life, I am willing to serve you like a slave.

I will never forget your kindness. Can you please be good people and never tell anyone about what happened today when you return to Nanshan Village?"

Chen Zhanshan was stunned at first, then he reacted and rolled his eyes in disdain, "Don't worry, I don't have the time to care about your shitty business."

Dabao also said, "Uncle San, you know how shameful it is now. Don't you feel ashamed when you kneel down and beg for mercy?"

"Dabao, Uncle San has something to hide. I was cheated, otherwise I wouldn't be out of money to pay the store."

Chen Zhancai looked aggrieved. He didn't dare to tell the truth and could only talk nonsense.

"You don't know, I came to Ningjing to take the Autumn Examination. I traveled all the way through mountains and rivers, lived frugally, and didn't want to spend a penny of the money outside the box.

After arriving in Ningjing, I originally planned to find a small inn to stay in, but as soon as I walked to the door of the store, the store owner and the waiter stopped me from leaving.

They said their store was cheap, provided three meals a day, and had first-class service. It was so good that I couldn't refuse.

Who knew that as soon as I checked in, they would treat me well with good food and drink. If that were the case, it wouldn't be a big deal, and I could still afford to pay the hotel fee.

But you may not know that after I finished my exams that day, I met a gorgeously dressed woman crying on the street. I was so soft-hearted that I went up to her and asked her why.

The woman said that her husband had died and she came to Ningjing to settle his estate. Because she was a widow and was afraid of being bullied, she asked me if I could pretend to be her brother-in-law and support him. After the task was completed, she was willing to give me fifty taels of silver as a reward.

When I heard this, I thought it was a rare and good job. Not only could I help someone solve their problem, but I could also make money. With the fifty taels, I could go back to Nanshan Village and buy back the land I had sold.

So I agreed. The woman was very generous. She took me to have a meal at the largest restaurant in Ningjing and bought me a jade pendant for one hundred taels of silver at a jewelry store. I was very happy to see that she was a rich person.

The next day I was waiting for her at the agreed place, planning to go with her to settle the estate, but she realized she had forgotten to bring her jewelry, and it would be too late to go back, so she decided to go to the jewelry store and buy another set.

When I arrived at the jewelry store, the woman asked me to wait in the lobby and said she would come find me after she picked out a few pieces of jewelry. But who knew she was a scammer and ran away with the jewelry.

Because I came with her the day before, the waiter thought I was her brother and asked me to pay no matter what.

I said I didn't know the woman, and the shop owner pointed at my jade pendant and said that this was bought for me by the woman, and if I dared to deny it, he would send me to see the authorities.

I was like a dumb person eating coptis chinensis, with no way to express my suffering. In order to get out of this situation, I gave them all the money I had…"

Chen Zhancai made up the story in a very convincing way, acting as if I was also a victim, completely forgetting that he asked for it.

Dabao shook his head and chuckled, "Uncle San, please get up quickly. I won't tell anyone in the village about what happened today."

"Thank you, big brother. Thank you, Dabao."

Chen Zhancai felt relieved and changed from kneeling to sitting. He was worried that he would not be able to go home because of lack of money, but now, not only could he go home, but someone would also take care of his meals along the way. It seemed that he was indeed a blessed man.

Apart from eating and staying in the hotel, the few of them didn't talk along the way...

Nanshan Village.

Life in the Chen family's old house was extremely difficult. The family had run out of food. Thanks to Ruhua who went to the mountains to dig wild vegetables every day to make ends meet, otherwise the old couple would have to beg for food.

The old lady Chen who ate too much wild vegetables looked pale and thin, and had no strength in her body.

She waited and looked forward to it day by day, and would wait under the big willow tree at the entrance of the village on time every day, just waiting for Chen Zhancai to return after passing the imperial examination.

At that time, we will no longer have to eat coarse food, and good days will come.

That day, Old Mrs. Chen dragged her limp body towards the village entrance.

A few women were sitting on the rocks under the willow tree. When they saw Old Lady Chen coming from afar, they all curled their lips.

"Hey, look at how the scholar's wife has become like that. She looks like she could be blown away by the wind."

"Farmers who are good at farming don't work hard, but instead put all their hopes on studying. How can they live like that?"

"Who says it's not true? The eldest branch of the family has severed ties, and the second branch has been separated. If the third son fails to pass the imperial examination, the Chen family will probably have a hard time this winter!"

"Serves them right! It's all their own fault. It's their fault for not treating everyone equally!"

"Okay, stop talking for now. Mrs. Chen is coming."

The women immediately shut up and went back to their work...