Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Without me, this family will fall apart

The dark underground corridor was filled with the smell of decay, dampness and mold. Xiaoman gently covered her mouth and nose, but still couldn't stop the smell from entering her nose.

Only Chen Lingan's silhouette could be seen in the blurry shadows.

In the end, he didn't have the courage to recognize his sister directly.

Zhao Zhen had impeached Chen Ling'an, which showed how deeply he hated him. How could the younger sister who grew up in the Zhao family have a good impression of Chen Ling'an after being influenced by him?

Xiaoman sighed softly. Hiding in the dark and eavesdropping like this, what she heard was probably not what Chen Lingan wanted to hear.

She understood, and he certainly understood too, that it was just a tiny glimmer of hope.

"Just go to the end." Along with the jailer's rough voice, a slender figure appeared at the end of the corridor.

The candlelight flickered, and her shadow trembled in the dim light.

She paused and looked into the cell. "Master?"

Amid the rattling of chains, Zhao Li rushed over, "Meixiang? Meixiang!"

Xiaoman heard Chen Ling'an's teeth chattering.

The candlelight revealed the face of a man, in his thirties, of medium build, with a slightly swollen face, dark circles under his eyes, and an untidy beard. Perhaps because of his time in prison, he looked very slovenly.

Meixiang, however, naturally revealed an expression of reverence and regret.

"Master, how are you? Were you tortured..." She sobbed and could hardly speak.

"Don't cry, don't cry. My heart breaks when you cry. How are my family? I was suddenly arrested. The old lady must be worried sick."

"The old lady was very ill. My wife went to the Chen family and came back with a sad face. She locked the door and talked with the old lady all night, and refused to let anyone serve her."

Zhao Zhen sighed dejectedly, "It's useless. The hateful traitor used the fake corpse case to frame me for corruption, angering the Emperor. Even the Minister of State couldn't speak up for me. I'm probably going to die in the Imperial Prison."

"No, no!"

"I'm not afraid of death. If my death can arouse the righteous indignation of the court and the people against the traitors, then my death will be well-deserved. I've deposited 1,000 taels of silver in your name at Dehe Bank. This is for your survival. No one will know about it. When I die, you... you just find a good family to marry."

"No, I won't leave. The old lady and the master have been very kind to me. I am a member of the Zhao family. If I die, I will be a ghost of the Zhao family!" Meixiang said in tears.

Zhao Li gently stroked her face and said, "Why bother? You are still young, there is no need to guard for me."

"Master, I have good news for you." Meixiang wiped her tears, took Zhao Li's hand and placed it on her belly, forcing a smile, "I'm pregnant."

Xiaoman's mind exploded and he immediately went to see Chen Lingan.

His whole body was trembling, and the condensed air became violent, roaring and howling, about to set off a big storm.

Zhao Li was so excited that he was speechless. He kept telling Meixiang to take good care of herself, not to put herself in a difficult position, and to tell his wife whatever she wanted to eat or use.

As she spoke, she burst into tears again, "It's a pity that I can't see this child being born. From now on... you can come to see me every year on my death anniversary. That will be enough."

Meixiang was also crying uncontrollably. "I've taken note of what the master said. I will definitely raise him well and tell him that his father was a loyal minister who was killed by bad people. He must remember the names of his enemies and avenge his father when he grows up!"

Chen Ling'an suddenly rushed out. Xiaoman was unable to stop him, but saw him kick the iron gate, which scared Zhao Meixiang so much that they trembled violently.

He grabbed Meixiang's arm and walked out. Suddenly, a girl's scream of fear was heard in the corridor.

Zhao Li was shocked and angry: "Chen Ling'an, come at me if you dare. What kind of man is it to attack a woman? Meixiang, Meixiang——"

Chen Ling'an stopped in his tracks, his voice as cold as water and as sharp as a knife, "Her name is Yan Ning, Chen, Yan, Ning!"

Xiaoman punched Zhao Li in the face through the cell door. "Fuck you! You let her get pregnant knowing she's still young. Your deep affection is disgusting!"

Chen Yanning was terrified. Even after being taken out of the dungeon and sitting in the small study, he couldn't stop shaking and didn't dare to look at Chen Ling'an.

As if afraid that his sister would disappear, Chen Ling'an held Yan Ning's wrist tightly, wanting to say something several times but still not knowing how to start.

The frustration mixed with expectation almost crushed him.

The sky outside the window was terribly gloomy. I could faintly hear thunder in the distance, and the wind blowing in my face was already filled with a strong smell of rain.

Xiaoman spread a piece of paper on the desk, then looked at Chen Lingan, "How do you write your sister's name?"

Chen Ling'an let go of his hand, walked to the table silently, picked up the pen and wrote the two words "Yan Ning".

"Yan Ning..." Xiaoman gently placed the paper in front of Chen Yan Ning, "It sounds really nice. You can tell at a glance that this name was carefully chosen."

Chen Yanning looked at her blankly, and subconsciously picked up the paper with his name on it - but he picked it upside down.

Illiterate?

Xiaoman and Chen Lingan were both stunned.

Xiaoman reacted quickly, holding down Chen Ling'an who was about to explode, and pinched his arm hard. "You can teach him slowly. There's a lot of time to come. Control your temper. Your sister can't stand being frightened again!"

Chen Ling'an exhaled heavily, turned his back, and rubbed his eyes fiercely.

Xiaoman casually took the paper from Chen Yanning's hand and straightened it out naturally. "Yan (Inkstone) and Ning (Anning)—what's the meaning of the name? Chen Ling'an, tell me about it."

Chen Ling'an was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, "My father's courtesy name was Mochi, and my mother's nickname was Wangshu. I took the meaning of each of their names: the inkstone reflecting the bright moon, and tranquility accompanying the years, so I got 'Yan Ning'."

"That's wonderful," Xiaoman exclaimed in admiration. "It carries the literary heritage of a scholarly family, and carries the parents' deepest blessings for their daughter. It's such a wonderful name, much better than the random name Meixiang that servants everywhere call you! Yanning, your parents love you so much!"

"My parents?" Chen Yanning murmured, his big eyes gradually covered with a layer of mist.

"Do you still remember your childhood?"

Chen Yanning shook his head.

Xiaoman tried to recall what the Chen residence looked like. "It was very big, with lots of trees. There was a large bamboo forest in front of the study, with a stream running through it. There was a stone table and stone bench by the water, and a chessboard carved on the table."

Chen Yanning looked a little dazed.

"Mom planted three trees in the main courtyard. The eldest brother is a pine tree, I am a sycamore, and you are a willow. You are the most attached to me, and you like it most when I carry you on my back and run in the shade of the trees. Once I threw you, and your right heart was cut by a gravel. It was a big gash. It was very deep and the blood kept flowing. I was frightened. Daddy wanted to beat me. You cried and stopped daddy from calling..."

Chen Ling'an was immersed in memories of the past, his tone was sad and heavy, like crying and laughing, which made people feel sad.

Chen Yanning looked at his right hand, his face pale.

Xiaoman held up her hand and saw a faint, thin white scar on her palm, which ran across the starting point of the Sky Line, just dividing the Sky Line into two parts.

"Yes, yes! You remember, you must remember!" Xiaoman held her hand tightly, "You are a child of the Chen family. You know Chen Jin, right? You are his biological daughter, and Chen Ling'an is your biological second brother!"

"No, no..." Chen Yanning trembled like a frightened bird. She pulled her hand back, but Xiaoman held on tightly and refused to let go.

"I know it's hard for you to accept it right now. I understand how you feel. I was kidnapped when I was little, just like you. No, even younger than you. You were five, and I was only two when I was lost."

Xiaoman glared at Chen Lingan as a warning: Rest aside, let me do it!

Chen Lingan, who was about to explode again, put on a stern face and sat back obediently.

Sure enough, when Chen Yanning heard that Xiaoman was also a trafficked child, he calmed down and sympathy and compassion appeared in his eyes.

Xiaoman's nose felt sore again. How could Zhao Li have the heart to harm such a good girl!

"When the Zhang family came looking for me, I was completely bewildered." Xiaoman stood up and slowly walked out with her. "I was too young when I was abducted. I don't remember anything. Even after returning to the Zhang family, I still don't have the slightest recollection."

Seeing Chen Ling'an still sitting there, Xiaoman glared at him again: Idiot, go prepare the car.

"You've probably heard of me, haha. I'm the unfilial daughter and evildoer Zhang Xiaoman who instigated my stepmother's divorce, sent my father to jail, and severed ties with the Zhang family."

She laughed and made her own jokes.

Chen Yanning was stunned for a moment, then said embarrassedly, "I haven't heard of it. My family basically doesn't tell me about what's going on outside. You finally found your family, why do you want to break off ties with them?"

"What do you usually do at home?" Xiaoman asked instead of answering.

"Work, wash clothes, cook, clean the yard and the house, serve the old lady and the mistress, and do needlework for the old lady, the mistress and the master."

"No free time at all?"

"After the old master passed away, our family's livelihood was not as good as before, and we lost a lot of maids and servants. And I should have worked more. The old lady said that it cost five hundred taels of silver to buy me, while the other maids only cost a few taels or more. If the old lady hadn't saved me with a large sum of money, I would have been sold to a dirty place."

A cold murderous aura rose from behind him. Xiaoman sighed inwardly and asked, "What do you like to eat and play? Let's go shopping later."

Chen Yanning: "There's nothing I like. I haven't left the house. The old lady and the wife are still waiting for me... I want to go back."

Xiaoman was surprised: "Never left the house? You haven't left the house since you came to the Zhao family?"

Chen Yanning shook her head slightly. "The old lady said that a proper woman should stay within the inner courtyard and out of the inner courtyard. This is my first time leaving the inner courtyard, my first time going out."

Xiao Man laughed angrily, "Nonsense, she has never left the house? Zhao Li's wife has never left the house?"

"How can I compare with the old lady and the mistress? They are the masters and I am the servant."

"You are not a slave, you are the apple of the Chen family's eye, Chen Ling'an's biological sister, a legitimate noble lady from a noble family. You cannot allow the Zhao family to treat you like this!"

Chen Yanning couldn't help but look back, but when he met Chen Ling'an's gaze, his whole body shuddered.

Xiaoman hurriedly said, "The rumors are all false. Don't listen to the Zhao family's nonsense. Don't be fooled by your brother's stern face. He's actually a very good person! Those who say bad things about him are evil people with ulterior motives - you just need to remember this."

Chen Yanning didn't say yes or no, he just lowered his head deeply.

Xiaoman helped her into the carriage.

She was not qualified to ride in the sedan chair at home, so the sedan chair she took when she came was hired. Because it was an imperial prison, the sedan bearer thought it was unlucky and came only for the sake of paying extra money, but he just put her down and left.

She was worried about how to get back.

Chen Yanning thanked him sincerely: "Thank you for taking me home."

"You're welcome!" Xiaoman smiled and winked at Chen Ling'an, "Why are you standing there? Didn't you hear your sister say she wanted to go home?"

Chen Ling'an immediately understood.

The wind started to blow, and the cool breeze brought fine raindrops, and the dampness like smoke and fog covered the streets.

Xiaoman softly recounted the story of the Chen family, from how her father committed suicide to prove his innocence, how her mother followed her husband, how her eldest brother tragically died, and how Chen Ling'an vowed to clear his father's name...

She only had a vague understanding of the specific situation, but from her first meeting today, she had already seen that Chen Yanning was a kind and soft-hearted girl who always put others first. She was so docile that she almost had no opinions of her own and would be easily led by others.

So she added many tragic stories to Chen Ling'an, such as how he struggled to survive, how he endured humiliation and silently investigated the truth of the year, and focused on describing how he helped Fang's mother clear her grievances.

Anyway, no matter how miserable it is, say it.

Xiaoman finished speaking and looked at Chen Yanning who lowered his eyes and remained silent. She did not speak again.

It was quiet everywhere, with only the tinkling of horse hooves hitting the stone slabs.

In the silence, Chen Yanning sobbed softly.

Xiaoman felt very relieved.

The carriage shook slightly and stopped.

Xiaoman jumped off the carriage first and said with a smile, "We're home!"

Chen Yanning said softly, "The old lady is ill, and Madam is also busy. I won't report my life story today. I'll do it another day, another day..."

She looked at the Chen residence in front of her and was startled, "This is not my home."

"This is your home." Xiaoman said with a smile, "Come down quickly, my arms are sore from holding up the curtain."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Chen Yanning jumped down in a hurry and didn't even notice the stool under his feet. If Chen Ling'an hadn't hugged him, he would have sprained his ankle.

Xiaoman now understood her temper and quickly used a lighthearted and cheerful tone to ease her resistance and embarrassment: "As expected of siblings, others wouldn't notice, and even if they did, they wouldn't be able to do anything."

He then poked Chen Yanning, "No one in the Zhao family cares about you this much."

Chen Yanning wanted to say yes. Although the old lady was strict and the mistress was cold, the master was still quite good to her.

Xiaoman seemed to see through what she was about to say. She smiled sarcastically and said nothing, but Chen Yanning's face turned red.

Thinking about it carefully, the master was only kind to her when they were alone, and he never showed any favoritism to her in front of others.

But she still didn't want them to say bad things about the master. "I am the master's maid, not even a concubine. If the master defends me, it will disrupt the moral order of hierarchy."

Chen Ling'an suppressed his anger and said coldly, "You haven't even reached marriage age yet. If he had any humanity, he wouldn't have taken you in as his concubine!"

Chen Yanning was afraid of him and dared not speak, so he quietly asked Xiaoman: "Can't I serve the master if I'm not yet a marriageable age?"

Xiaoman was still an unmarried girl, and her face flushed when she heard this. Then she said seriously, "The grandmother who adopted me said that girls shouldn't marry too early. Their bodies haven't grown yet. They should be at least sixteen years old. Let me ask you, how old was Mrs. Zhao Li when she married into the Zhao family?"

Chen Yanning was stunned again. It seemed to be... nineteen years old.

Xiaoman asked again, "Besides the wife, are you the only one Zhao Zhen has? Do you have any other concubines? How old are they?"

The master has one wife and four concubines. Besides her, there are two maids, and she is the youngest.

She moved her lower lip: "The old lady said that the master likes me too much, so..."

"Listen to her bullshit!" Xiaoman rolled her eyes. "If you really love someone, how could you bear to let her become your concubine or slave? Your father only has your mother, my uncle, the Prince of Pingyang, only has my aunt, and my teacher, Mr. Lin Ting, only has my aunt. They only have each other, and that's what true love means!"

This was the first time Chen Yanning heard such words and he was stunned.

There were gusts of cool wind and heavy rain, and the hair and clothes of the three people were damp.

Xiaoman quickly pulled Chen Yanning through the second gate and headed straight for the main courtyard. "Do you remember this place? This is the courtyard where your father and mother lived. Look, these are the three trees your brother mentioned."

Thanks to Mrs. Jiang, the main courtyard was kept clean and tidy, and the furnishings were still in their original arrangements and positions.

The moment he saw the three trees in front of the yard, Chen Yanning's body shook.

"One fell down." She stroked the fallen pine tree, her voice hoarse.

Xiaoman and Chen Ling'an stood in the corridor, neither of them spoke, silently looking at Chen Yanning who was wandering in the courtyard.

She looked at the tree, stood in front of the broken stone table under the tree for a while, pushed open the door of the east wing, sat on the small bed, picked up the rattan ball and shook it, and couldn't help laughing when she heard the crisp sound of the silver bell.

Then we went to the main room.

She sat on the bed by the window, dazed, not saying a word, tears streaming down her face. She covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking violently, and she couldn't cry out loud, only large tears falling continuously from between her fingers.

"She was playing beside my mother while she was sewing by the window. She remembered it, she hadn't forgotten..."

Chen Ling'an couldn't bear it any longer. He turned his back and leaned against the porch pillar, his whole body shaking violently. It was obvious that he was in extreme pain, but he just refused to express it.

At this moment, any words of comfort would be pale. Xiaoman quietly left the main courtyard, gave the coachman a few words of advice, and sent him back to find Mrs. Jiang.

The sky was low and the clouds were dark, and the rain was getting denser and denser. Xiaoman clasped his hands together, stood in the yard, looked up at the sky and prayed repeatedly: Let the wind and rain come more violently!

The kitchen was newly renovated and had rice, firewood, soy sauce, vinegar, and some fresh fruits and vegetables. Xiaoman boiled water, washed the fresh fruits, and found some snacks from the cupboard - this was Mrs. Jiang's attentiveness. Regardless of whether Chen Ling'an was in the mood to use them, she would deliver food every day.

After finishing her preparations, she carried the food box to the main room.

The brother and sister were just like when she left, one inside the room and the other outside, one looking down at the ground and the other looking up at the sky.

There is no progress at all!

Xiaoman secretly resented Chen Ling'an's disappointment. She hurried into the house and invited Chen Yanning to drink tea. "I don't know what kind of tea you like, so I brewed Mengshan Queshe and Guzhu Zisun. I'll give you a pot of each. Try them both."

Chen Yanning was shocked. Both of these were tribute teas and were expensive. The old lady would only take them out when entertaining distinguished guests.

It would be a waste to give it to her, so she waved her hand and said, "I'll just drink plain water."

Xiaoman leaned over to whisper in her ear, "It was so hard to get a taste of Chen Ling'an's tea before, but thanks to you today, please let me have a taste of what this tea tastes like."

So, if she doesn’t drink, Miss Xiaoman won’t be able to drink either.

Chen Yanning nodded obediently.

Then she looked at the table, which was spread out with four dried dishes, four fresh dishes, four dim sum dishes, and two salty and sour dishes. Some were familiar to her, some were unfamiliar to her. There were so many of them on the table that she couldn't help but be stunned.

Xiaoman is very good at persuading people to eat.

The cheese, red dates, and walnuts are so delicious! Cheese is so rare, I'd be missing out if I didn't try it. These are candied roses! I never knew flowers were edible, sweet and sour. Try them. Oh, those melon seeds taste different from the ones I buy on the street. What are they fried with? Hey, what kind of fruit is this? It's a carambola. I'm from the north and I've never seen one before. Don't laugh at me...

It kept chirping and chattering, and kept feeding Chen Yanning with its hands, making his little belly round and plump.

After eating, Chen Yanning started calling Xiaoman "sister" and a smile appeared on her face.

Xiaoman raised her chin proudly towards Chen Ling'an through the window: You should learn from me!

Chen Lingan couldn't help but smile.

The depressed mood of the past few days was finally relieved at this moment, as if a clear spring was flowing through a dry field, refreshing, comfortable and relaxing.

This made his smile particularly beautiful. With a slight smile, the dim world became a little brighter.

Xiaoman finally managed to tear her eyes away from his face. Seeing Chen Yanning also lost in thought, she chuckled, "Your brother is quite good-looking. He's the most handsome man I've ever seen."

Hurry up and open your eyes and look at your handsome brother. By comparison, you will find that Zhao Li is just a disgusting old man!

Chen Yanning smiled unnaturally, his eyes reddening again. He paused and whispered, "I need to go home. I can't delay any longer. The old lady doesn't know how anxious she is."

Xiaoman's heart skipped a beat: She wouldn't say something wrong...

Seeing her leaving, Chen Lingan's improved mood immediately turned extremely bad, "This is your home, why are you leaving!"

Chen Yanning still has to leave.

Chen Ling'an was so angry that he had no place to vent his anger, so he kicked the pillar next to him. With a crack, a hole was kicked out, revealing the white wood chips.

Chen Yanning was so scared that he gasped, his lips turned pale, and he subconsciously hid behind Xiaoman.

"What's wrong with you? You're capable of showing it to outsiders, but what's the point of losing your temper with your family?" Xiaoman put her hands on her hips and scolded him rudely, "You have nothing better to do than clean up the house. You say you want your sister to stay, but you don't know if the bed is made, the water is boiled, or if there's a bathtub or something, but you're just sitting there doing nothing. You don't care about anything."

Chen Yanning looked at her in astonishment and whispered, "Be careful or he might hit you."

Xiaoman looked at Chen Lingan coldly: "He dares!"

Chen Ling'an really didn't dare. He snorted coldly and turned away in anger.

Chen Yanning was stunned again.

Xiaoman: "Look, he's very well behaved, isn't he? So what the Zhao family said may not be entirely right."

Chen Yanning pursed his lips and secretly looked in the direction where Chen Lingan left.

The rain got heavier, thunder rolled in from time to time, and water rushed on the ground. Xiaoman looked at the sky and said, "Let's wait a while before going. The road is not easy to walk on. It will be hard for the driver and the horse."

He couldn't ask others to send him off in the rain, so Chen Yanning agreed.

But the weather was not good. Lightning flashed one after another, and rain poured down from the eaves. The water in the courtyard was an inch high.

It was already dark.

"Looks like we can't leave tonight." Xiaoman sighed. "Luckily, you're here with me. Otherwise, Chen Ling'an and I would be alone in a room, and we wouldn't be able to wash ourselves clean even if we jumped into the Yellow River."

Chen Yanning's face was full of embarrassment, and he stammered for a long time without being able to utter a complete sentence.

Xiaoman pretended to be angry. "You're not going to leave again, are you? Seriously, I've treated you so sincerely and treated you like my own sister, but you've disregarded my innocence. It's so heartbreaking."

Chen Yanning immediately felt guilty. "It's my fault. Don't be angry. I'll stay."

"That's better." Xiaoman smiled, but felt uncomfortable.

It was clearly not her fault, but she kept apologizing. How much discipline did she receive in the Zhao family to make such a good girl develop the habit of pleasing others!

Chen Lingan's cough was heard outside the window.

Xiaoman came out and saw that he looked uncomfortable. She laughed teasingly and asked, "Are you in trouble?"

“…There’s only one quilt at home.”

"I knew it. Don't worry, the driver has gone back to get it. It's almost here. You can go to the door to meet him."

Not long after, Chen Ling'an and seven or eight maids came back carrying several large boxes.

Jinxiu took off her straw raincoat and excitedly called to the girl, "The blankets, the clothes, the accessories, and the arrangements are all done as you ordered! Girl, please see where to arrange them."

Xiaoman looked at Chen Lingan and said, "Go ask your sister."

Chen Lingan: "She used to live in the east wing. The small bed was made ten years ago. She can't sleep on it anymore, so she can be placed in the warm room in the main room."

They got to work right away. The people Mrs. Jiang selected were all quick and efficient, and they started working as soon as they opened the box.

Jinxiu held down Chen Yanning who wanted to help, "Good girl, please talk to our girl and if you find anything that doesn't suit your taste, we can change it."

"Okay, everything is fine." Chen Yanning stood at a loss in the middle of the room. Xiaoman noticed her discomfort and asked Chen Lingan, "Have you boiled the water?"

Chen Ling'an nodded.

Xiaoman pulled Chen Yanning to the bathroom and said, "These are some clothes for changing. We didn't have time to make them, so we bought them from a clothing store. We'll ask the tailor to come home tomorrow and we'll make whatever you like."

Chen Yanning rubbed the corner of his clothes, "How can I feel embarrassed about this."

Xiaoman gently stroked her shoulders. "This is just the beginning. Your brother has been looking for you for nine years and he wants to give you all the good things in the world. Let me tell you, your brother is rich. From now on, you don't have to do anything. Just spend money! Spend money! Spend more!"

Chen Yanning couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"That's right, you should smile more, you look so beautiful when you smile." Xiaoman praised. What's more, the brother and sister look quite similar when they smile.

It rained heavily all night. The next day, the sun was shining brightly and the autumn air was crisp. The accumulated water in the courtyard sparkled like golden fragments, and the leaves washed by the rain were lovely green.

Xiaoman stayed in the side room all night. She walked to the corridor and stretched. She looked back at the warm room and quietly asked the little maid who was on guard the night before, "How did Miss Chen sleep last night?"

"She tossed and turned for the first half of the night, crying silently a few times. Alas, I felt so sorry for her when I heard her. She didn't sleep well until the second half of the night."

"Thank you for your hard work. Go get some sleep. Tell Jinxiu to stay with Miss Chen. Tell everyone to walk and talk quietly."

Xiaoman tiptoed to the front yard. Just as she passed the hall, she heard a sudden burst of shrill crying outside the door, like the wailing of evil spirits from the underworld. Xiaoman was so frightened that her hair stood on end.

The study door opened, and Chen Ling'an and Wu Yong walked out one after another.

Chen Lingan's face was frosted. "Zhao family?"

Wu Yong peeked through the crack in the door. "Yes, Zhao Li's mother and wife, and the Chief Censor of the Metropolitan Censorate."

Xiao Man was surprised: "Are they here to ask for someone? They wouldn't alarm the Censorate."

A strange smile flashed across Chen Ling'an's face, but he did not answer Xiaoman's doubts.

Wu Yong couldn't contain his pride and blurted out, "I cracked Zhao Li's eggs last night and sent them to Zhao's house. Hahahaha!"