Chapter 218 Suspicion Arises

After waiting for a while, Hongtao still hadn't returned, so Lin Yuesha had no choice but to stay under the same roof as the bearded man and try to find topics to chat about.

“Brother Bai, Sister Hongtao was very sad when you left without saying goodbye last time.”

Lin Yuesha glanced at the bearded man with the same look she would give a heartless man. If he wasn't interested in Hongtao, he shouldn't have offered her any unwanted attention. Hongtao had treasured that silk flower.

Bai Ying remained silent. He was already so wronged that he couldn't feel any more wronged. He approached Hong Tao, but wasn't it all for the little girl in front of him?

Now that things are reversed, and he's being scolded by the little girl, where does he put his face?

Alright, he can't afford to mess with either of them, brother and sister.

Lin Yuesha tried to find out Big Beard's feelings for Red Peach, but to no avail.

About half an hour later, Red Peach hurriedly returned.

"Sister Yue Sha, you probably don't know, but the troops from Sishui City have retreated!"

City Lord Yuwen Kun led his men back to Sishui City, so Lin Yuesha was safe.

Because of this, the Prince of Zhenbei ordered his troops to withdraw and prepare to return to his palace. As a result, Granny Xiao was too busy to get away.

"Granny Xiao arranged a carriage, which is located at the back corner gate."

Hongtao was holding a package prepared by Granny Xiao and Hongliu, which she was to take home.

"This is food I got from the main kitchen. It wasn't freshly made; it was leftovers from this morning."

Everyone in the household was busy tidying up, and there was only one little maid tending the fire in the main kitchen. Seeing that time was tight, Hongtao just packed some food.

Fortunately, the fried dough sticks and steamed buns were still hot, and there was also a large bowl of egg drop soup and a plate of cured meat, which was enough to tide us over for the time being.

"Granny Xiao has already told the driver to take you to town, not to your doorstep."

The household still needs a carriage, and the driver is in a hurry to get back, so the journey may be a bit rushed. If the carriage is bumpy, we can only bear with it.

"Sister Hongtao, I know everything. Please thank Granny Xiao and Sister Hongliu for me. I have received too much kindness from them, and words cannot express my gratitude."

Lin Yuesha wanted to chat with Hongtao a little longer, but Jiang Baozhu and Aunt Zhao were still outside freezing, so she could only leave, turning back every few steps.

After leaving the temporary residence of the Prince of Zhenbei, the coachman picked them up at a teahouse.

Zhao San Niang was surprised that Lin Yue Sha had such courage, actually letting the two of them get into the carriage.

"Sister Baozhu, Aunt Zhao, you've been hungry for so long, have something to eat first."

Lin Yuesha opened the food box and found that the contents were not as simple as Hongtao had described. There was also a plate of cakes, all of which were her favorite foods.

"Aunt Zhao, eat up."

Jiang Baozhu knew Lin Yuesha's abilities and wasn't surprised.

While waiting, the two chatted idly. Jiang Baozhu suggested that Zhao Sanniang stay at the Jiang residence for a few days to help take care of her mother, Xu Shi. If she had nowhere to go, she could stay as well.

Right now, she's extremely anxious and just wants to get home as soon as possible.

The horses pulling the carriage were the dwarf horses unique to Sishui City. They were very fast, and because the road was uneven, the carriage swayed back and forth. Lin Yuesha leaned against the carriage wall, trying hard to suppress her nausea.

To save time, we have no choice but to make do with this.

As the sun set, the three finally arrived in the town. The town had already returned to peace, and some shops had finally opened.

It was a false alarm, and the people walking on the street were still somewhat unsettled.

"Sister Yue Sha, Aunt Zhao and I will take you home first."

Jiang Baozhu endured the pain and took two steps forward. She felt as if her legs were made of lead, and every step she took brought out a cold sweat.

Thankfully, a carriage brought her back; otherwise, she would have had to crawl.

"Sister Baozhu, no need, you should go home and check on your aunt."

Lin Yuesha waved her hand. She didn't know what the pockmarked man had told his family. If Jiang Baozhu revealed the truth, her mother, Chen, would lose sleep again.

The two parted ways, and Lin Yuesha went straight to the courtyard.

As Chen was standing at the door looking around, she saw a small figure running towards her carrying a bundle, and her eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Little girl, my little girl!"

Chen staggered forward two steps, then stopped, turned around and called out into the yard, "Husband, Xiaoya is back!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Chenggui came out of the house, and the two of them stood together at the entrance of the courtyard to wait.

"Dad, Mom, I'm home."

After being separated for so many days, almost to the point of death, Lin Yuesha could hardly control her emotions upon seeing him again.

Where is my older brother?

There was no sign of Xiao Qi in the courtyard.

"Isn't your older brother with you?"

Chen became suspicious, feeling that the two were hiding something from her. She stared at her daughter's face for a while, then looked behind Lin Yuesha, but there was no one there.

Lin Yuesha: "..."

How exactly did the pockmarked woman manage to send the message to her stepbrother? She was about to be exposed as soon as she got home.

Therefore, Lin Yuesha had to cover it up by saying, "Mother, my eldest brother still has some things to do and hasn't come back yet. Look at me, I was so excited that I misspoke. I was asking where my eldest uncle went, and also where Sister Xiaohua is."

Oh, I see.

“Your maternal grandparents are still in Chenjia Village. Your eldest uncle was worried about you and was waiting for news of you here. But when he heard from Tingyun that you were living in the mountains, they went back.”

Just today, Chen Tieniu and his family returned to Chenjia Village to discuss building a house with the clan chief.

Chen originally thought that if she didn't have enough money, she would buy a courtyard in the prefectural city first. There was still one room left in the village, which she could make do with for now, and she would decide what to do when she had more money.

After experiencing the harassment from the barbarians, the Chen family found that Chenjia Village was safer. Moreover, they could build a hidden cellar to store cabbages and other items in winter. Most importantly, they could hide in it if there was any danger.

"Little girl, why are you only just getting back? Is it really that nice on the mountain?"

Ms. Chen held her daughter tightly, worried that the little girl might be taken advantage of. She knew that her own daughter and stepson should avoid any impropriety.

"It snowed heavily for the first few days, and I was trapped on the mountain. I also sprained my ankle, so it was difficult for me to get down the mountain."

Lin Yuesha blushed as she lied, and when faced with her mother Chen's gaze, she almost told the truth.

"Alright, our daughter has finally escaped danger and returned home, and you're still asking all sorts of questions."

Xiao Chenggui gave Lin Yuesha a wink, helping her out of the predicament.

Recently, the city has not fully recovered. Some families have experienced funerals, so people are not in the mood for eating, drinking, and having fun, and there is no business at home for the time being.

Lin Yuesha returned to her small apartment and first washed up with warm water. After taking off her shoes and socks, she found that the soles of her feet were not much better than Jiang Baozhu's, with more than a dozen blisters on them.

She sterilized the silver needles over a fire, then punctured the blood blisters and applied a layer of ointment.

The ointment felt cool and refreshing, and my feet didn't hurt as much anymore.

Lin Yuesha thought to herself with a self-deprecating smile, it wasn't that she wasn't delicate, but that when faced with a life-or-death situation, she had already given up on being pretentious.

As she took off her clothes, the magnolia blossoms on her chest became even more vibrant. They were beautiful, but seeing them reminded her of the unpleasant memories of the past.

"Little girl, Mother is coming in."

Chen was holding the new clothes in her hands. Lin Yuesha quickly covered her chest, afraid that her mother, Chen, would see them. She would be unable to explain herself.