Chapter 26 Daily Life: When Did He Offend Her?

The snow that had been falling for two days finally stopped early this morning.

In the dead of night, all was quiet. The sound of the heavy snow falling, as if trying to bury people, was so clear that it was as if you could count the sound of each snowflake falling.

Lin Wen'an did not sleep well.

Whenever it's a cold, snowy, or rainy day, his broken leg aches terribly, as if someone is slowly pulling at the bone with a dull knife, bit by bit, but he can still bear it.

He habitually endured the pain and didn't tell Uncle Cong, who had been cursing him all night.

It turned out that he couldn't deliver the medicine to the Yao family yesterday because after they parted, the mule cart was halfway there when the driver got distracted by the beautiful young nun selling incense cakes on the street. The cart veered off course, the wheels hit the stone pier where horses were tied up by the roadside, the cart overturned, and the luggage was scattered everywhere.

Fortunately, Uncle Cong had some martial arts skills and was not injured.

The driver saw the luggage scattered on the snow, some of the boxes were knocked open, and many of the valuable medicinal herbs inside were ruined. The wine jars were also broken all over the ground. He panicked, so he unbridled the mule, whistled, and ran off with the mule.

Uncle Cong was so angry he wanted to chase after them, but he couldn't just leave everything scattered on the ground. So he could only grumble and curse as he cleaned up the mess. He couldn't swallow his anger, so he later hired a laborer to hire a new cart, retrieved his belongings, and even towed back the wrecked mule cart.

Now, not only are there piles of muddy, unopened suitcases in the yard, but also a broken-down car with its wheels crooked and twisted lying across the road.

Cong Boshun cursed all night in the courtyard.

While packing his luggage, he muttered curses under his breath: "What a rotten, worm-ridden bastard! If I ever catch him, I'll punch him so hard he'll be begging for mercy..."

As she made the bed, she remembered something and grabbed her hair in regret: "Why didn't I grab him then! I should have dragged him to the authorities and made him pay until he was bankrupt! I should have hired someone to chase after him!"

As he slept through the night, from the room where Uncle Cong lived, came a loud, guttural muttering: "You brat, don't you dare run away! Take a punch from your grandpa..."

He finally drifted off to sleep, but just as dawn was breaking, he was suddenly awakened by the chirping of birds from the Yu family next door. For some reason, the bird's first words were "You little brat, you're a killer!" He thought Uncle Cong was talking in his sleep again, until he heard Yu Shouzhen's delighted praise coming from next door: "My good boy! He's already singing so early! What a good boy! Muah! Come on! Yes, just curse at Dad, curse louder..."

Lin Wen'an silently curled up in the quilt, turned over, and wanted to go back to sleep, but then he heard a sighing sound coming from somewhere... He subconsciously listened for a while and realized that the child hadn't memorized it well and couldn't continue. He mentally finished memorizing it for him.

It seemed to have finally quieted down outside. He closed his eyes, but opened them again after a short while. The drowsiness that had been difficult to bear was long gone, and he couldn't fall asleep at all.

Having not returned for many years, he had forgotten that the alleyways were more lively than other places. Now, most students were on holiday and had gone home. On regular school days, there were all sorts of noises outside, making a commotion like a boiling pot.

However... he felt a strange sense of joy, as if he had returned to the human world.

She struggled to sit up, stared blankly for a while, and then slowly got out of bed to get dressed and wash up.

The house was warm. When I returned yesterday, the fire pit had already been repaired, and there were even dozens of coal briquettes in the woodshed. Even the small courtyard connected to the Yao family's house showed signs of weeding and tile repair, and even a string of red flowers had been moved to the eaves where it wouldn't get wet in the snow.

Yesterday, after seeing off the waves of people who came to inquire about the news, he returned home with Uncle Cong and other servants, and immediately noticed that the house had been looked after and tidied up everywhere.

Even Uncle Cong sighed all the way, "Dr. Yao's family is small and lives a hard life. They can barely take care of themselves, yet they have tidied up our house so well, even replacing the window paper. We must find a good opportunity to thank them properly later."

Lin Wen'an knew, however, that it might not be his master's order. His master had been frail lately, his mind fluctuating. Yesterday at the Yao family's house, with so many people and the courtyard in such a chaotic state, he had watched as his master gradually went from lucid to confused. Although his master still recognized him, he was now muddled, and in the crowd, he tugged at his sleeve and whispered:

“Mingzhi, your mother is sick and needs to take medicine, your father is on duty and busy, and Uncle Cong is both a father and a mother to your sister, so no one can take care of you. You don’t need to be polite, just come to the teacher’s house to eat and stay. The teacher will take care of your three meals a day and make sure you don’t go to school on an empty stomach.”

Lin Wen'an was stunned. These words made him feel as if time had instantly flowed back to more than ten years ago, when he was still a child and studying at the Yao family.

Given your current condition and health, it seems that, as you said yesterday, the one who has been working so hard to take care of the Lin family's residence is not you, but Ruyi.

After everything was packed up, Cong Bo, who had been chasing the coachman all night in his dream, was still not awake. The sound of snoring could be heard from the side room. Thinking that Cong Bo was old and had accompanied him on the long journey, he should rest more. So he did not wake him up, but told the other two servants who had returned with the boat to have breakfast and then slowly pack up the room and luggage.

The servants had just agreed to go to the kitchen to start a fire and cook when they heard a knocking sound at the side gate. He went over, opened the door, and saw the girl's fair, oval face.

As soon as the door was halfway open, Yao Ruyi whispered to him, "Good morning, Second Uncle. Grandpa said you and Uncle Cong are coming to our house for breakfast."

Before he could answer, she quickly turned and ran away.

Watching her quick steps as she lifted her skirt, Lin Wen'an tilted his head.

For some reason, when she didn't know who he was, she was all smiles and laughter when she peeked out the window, but as soon as she learned that he was an old acquaintance, she immediately distanced herself from him and became much more distant.

Lin Wen'an also had something to say to his teacher, so he entered the Yao family's house through the familiar side gate. He had walked this narrow path behind the Yao family's house countless times before, but stepping into it again today felt somewhat unfamiliar and strange.

Previously, there was only a woodshed in the passageway of the Yao family. Now, in addition to the woodshed piled with coal briquettes, coal ash, and yellow mud, a small shed for snow and rain protection has been added next to the woodshed. Inside the shed, a row of dogs, one large and four small, are kept in a doghouse.

Upon closer inspection, it appears to be made by stuffing thick cotton into coarse cloth, forming an arch shape. It is wrapped on three sides, with only a round hole cut out on the front. Inside, there seems to be a small blanket sewn from scraps of cloth, which looks quite warm.

This was quite different from ordinary dog ​​kennels. At first, Lin Wen'an couldn't tell what it was until he stepped into the Yao family's house. Suddenly, a large, scarred yellow dog popped out of the largest dog kennel.

"Woof—" the dog growled softly, baring its white fangs at him.

Then, as if receiving some kind of message, round heads of different colors emerged from the four small holes behind the big dog, barking at him in a show of defiance.

Lin Wen'an silently stopped.

There was even a small white dog, which was very brave. It darted out like a rolling ball, howling softly yet powerfully, and nibbling at his trouser leg with its little canine teeth.

He bent down, grabbed the scruff of the little ball's neck, and lifted it up for a look. The white fluffy ball immediately lost its swagger, curled up its four paws, tucked its tail between its legs, and whimpered, its wet, black grape-like eyes looking at him pitifully.

Lin Wen'an thought to himself, "This dog is all bark and no bite."

Moreover, it was the first time in his life he had ever seen a dog with such short legs and such a fat body.

He put the dog down and stared at the smallest, yellowish-brown cat with great confusion. Was that a cat? But why was it barking like a dog?

Seemingly having heard the barking, Yao Ruyi, who had just fled, hurriedly returned. She was wearing an apron and carrying a gleaming kitchen knife. She poked her head out from the corner of the wall and scolded, "Stop barking! Second Uncle is a guest. This is very rude of you!"

The cats and dogs, who were asked to follow the rules, actually lowered their voices and meowed softly, tucking their furry heads into their beds, making the cotton dog beds sway back and forth.

Lin Wen'an was able to pass.

As he passed by, he couldn't help but turn his head for another look. The largest doghouse was made of dark blue cloth stuffed with thick cotton and embroidered with dogwood patterns. It looked strangely familiar. He felt as if this fabric for the doghouse had been worn by his master before...

Turning the corner, the old courtyard of the Yao family came into view again.

He had only glanced around yesterday, but quickly became dizzy from the crowds. Today was different; the snow had stopped and the clouds had dispersed, the snow in the courtyard had been swept to both sides, revealing the bluestone slabs. Smoke rose slowly, melting the snow piled around the chimneys and roof tiles, and the aroma of various foods filled the air.

After looking around, he saw the gentleman standing under the corridor, sometimes swinging his arms wildly, sometimes swaying from side to side in a horse stance, and sometimes clasping his hands together above his head while twisting his waist and swaying his hips... The movements made Lin Wen'an stand still, not knowing how to react.

Yao Qizhao turned his head and saw Lin Wen'an, beckoning to him: "Mingzhi, come, sit down first."

Lin sat down by the brazier in the corridor as instructed, watching the master finish his entire routine... let's call it boxing. After watching the figure twist and turn for about half an incense stick's time, he went back to his room to wipe his sweat and change his clothes.

Yao Ruyi also brought over thick and sticky rice porridge, crispy fried dough twists, braised chicken eggs, pickled peanuts, and pickled vegetable hearts.

"Second Uncle, please have some." She ladled out a bowl of hot porridge and handed it to him.

Lin Wen'an reached out and took it: "Thank you."

"Second Uncle, you don't need to be so polite." She said subconsciously, and habitually looked up to smile at him, but stopped herself abruptly, and finally showed a strange expression with a half-smile that froze.

Lin Wen'an: "..."

After the meal, Uncle Cong brought over the still-intact raw medicinal herbs. Although Uncle Cong was nominally a servant, he had been with the Lin family for decades and was like family to them. Uncle Cong was a talkative and worrier by nature. Before delivering the medicine, he scolded the coachman again, and then explained to Yao Ruyi and Yao Qizhao the effects of each herb and how to nourish them.

He was heartbroken with regret: "These were all collected by Erlang through various channels. I remembered that you, sir, love wine and enjoy a small cup every day. So I specially brewed a vat of fine wine with deer antler, astragalus, and ginseng, intending to bring it to you to nourish your body. It has already gone through so much trouble and traveled thousands of miles to Bianjing, only to have that damned bastard smash it in the snow. I am so angry!"

After a nap, Cong Bo was not only not calmed down, but became even angrier. He cursed, "Don't let me run into him again, I'll definitely take out his two restless eyes!"

Yao Qizhao sighed with regret: "Yes, what a pity to waste such good wine!"

Uncle Cong immediately waved his hand and said very generously, "It's alright, I'll go and buy two more jars of good wine later, and we'll brew a few more cups for you to drink!"

Yao Qizhao was overjoyed and was about to agree when Yao Ruyi glared at him.

He waved his hand reluctantly, saying against his conscience, "I'm not drinking anymore, I stopped a long time ago. This wine... it's no good, I stopped liking it a long time ago."

Only then did Yao Ruyi lower her head in satisfaction and continue helping Uncle Cong tidy up the medicinal herbs.

Lin Wen'an noticed this from the side and was somewhat surprised.

The gentleman has a fondness for fine wine, a habit he has maintained for decades. In his younger years, his spleen and stomach were damaged by drinking, and he often suffered from abdominal pain. It's not like many doctors have advised him to quit drinking, but the gentleman couldn't bear to give it up. He had been advised to do so many times, but the gentleman always ignored them.

Previously in Fuzhou, Cong Bo had prepared to make medicinal wine for the gentleman, but he said it was unnecessary. However, Cong Bo said, "This is medicinal wine, used to nourish the body. You don't need much each day, just a small sip. It will not only not harm your health, but it will also be beneficial!" The doctor in Fuzhou also said that the medicinal wine was effective. Thinking that it was Cong Bo's good intention, he brought it over.

Unexpectedly, the man, who wouldn't listen to anyone's advice, was subdued by his granddaughter's single glance.

After sorting and organizing all the medicinal herbs for the Yao family, Uncle Cong also brought over various local products he had brought from Fuzhou.

There were too many people yesterday, and Uncle Cong didn't come back, so it was only today that it was delivered.

Yao Ruyi was completely dumbfounded. Uncle Cong appeared in a disheveled state after most of the people had left yesterday. Although he was old, he was very strong. In the dead of winter, he was only wearing a cotton-padded short jacket and walked with a powerful stride.

The truck he hired at the time had about twenty boxes on it, which should have been all the luggage they brought, but today they brought more than ten of them over to Grandpa Yao in one go.

Fuzhou and Bianjing are far apart, with mountains and rivers to cross. Lin Wen'an traveled a long way back, and he and his servants, including Cong Bo, only brought a few boxes of clothes and luggage, but they brought more than a dozen boxes of things for the Yao family.

Besides tonics, there were also many fabrics and furs from the south, Magu rice noodles, candied orange crisps, Linchuan vegetable stalks, Magu tea... What surprised her the most was that there was also a box of women's clothing, hair ornaments and rouge, most of which were bright pinkish-white, scarlet, pale yellow and emerald green. There was also a piece of fully embroidered Shu brocade, many of which had patterns that were not commonly seen in Bianjing City and were only available in the south. The styles were very elegant and fashionable.

"I asked my sister Yueyue to help me pick them out. Girls are so particular about things, and I went shopping with her for a while, but I still couldn't understand anything. In the end, Yueyue sent me back, saying that men would only cause trouble if they came along." Lin Wen'an mentioned his sister with a hint of helplessness in his voice, and looked at her again, "I haven't seen you for many years, and I'm not sure what's fashionable among young girls these days, so I just bought them all."

Yao Ruyi looked at the box of things that had been specially reserved for the original owner of the body, and suddenly didn't know what to say. She stared blankly for a while, feeling a little sad. She lowered her head and murmured, "If only... it had been sooner."

Lin Wen'an didn't hear clearly: "What?"

Yao Ruyi, however, had already raised her head and shook it.

She analyzed the original owner's preferences from her memories. Although she was always alone, she was still an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl. She also liked bright colors, but she was not fond of attracting attention and was most afraid of people gossiping. In addition, her family was gradually becoming poor. Which pretty clothes were not expensive? So she always dressed plainly and simply.

"It's nothing." She looked up and smiled gently, mimicking the way the original owner of this body should have looked in her memory. "Thank you, Second Uncle. I like everything."

Lin Wen'an simply nodded and smiled. Although he was not very old, he was of a high generation in the Lin family and had been called "Little Uncle" by people a few years younger than him since he was a child. At first, he found it strange to hear Yao Ruyi calling him "Second Uncle" repeatedly, but after hearing it so many times today, he got used to it.

Yao Ruyi carefully placed these things in a dry place.

It's no wonder Lin Wen'an was blamed. Yesterday, his cousin Yao Ji came over, pitifully explaining how his grandfather had suffered a stroke, blaming it all on those good-for-nothing students and the Deng family who spread rumors. Only then did Yao Ruyi realize that every year Lin Wen'an would send a considerable amount of money to his cousin's family (initially, all the money sent directly to his grandfather was returned intact to Fuzhou by his grandfather at great expense to bodyguards), asking him, his closest relative, to take good care of the original owner of the body and his son, and even entrusting many things to the Lin Si Cao family.

He was just Grandpa Yao's student, and they weren't related by blood. He had also been injured back then, and he had done everything he could for Grandpa Yao.

It's just that travel was too slow back then, and letters were too slow. It's also the fault of those who always fawned over the powerful and opportunistically flattered the weak... The original owner would never receive these good intentions.

It took about half a cup of tea to put away the items sent by the Lin family. The Yao family's land was small, and there was really nowhere to put some of the items, so Yao Ruyi had to stuff them into the hanging cabinets in the store's inventory.

There were too many things, so Lin Wen'an and Uncle Cong helped carry them into the house.

Upon entering the small shop, Uncle Cong exclaimed in surprise, "Young lady, you've tidied up this shop so well! I've lived for so many years and this is the first time I've seen such a neat shop. There are quite a few items, yet it's not messy at all. It must be quite an achievement for one person to manage it all."

Lin Wen'an was also somewhat surprised. He hadn't come in yesterday, only glimpsed it from the window, and knew the shelves inside were neat, but stepping inside was even more astonishing. The two corridor rooms he remembered as being filled with clutter had been transformed into such a bright and tidy little shop.

Upon hearing this, Yao Ruyi quickly replied modestly, "It's not entirely my doing; I also owe it to hiring a good carpenter." She then went on to recommend some work to the carpenter: "Uncle Cong, that broken-down mule cart you brought back could be repaired by Zhou Jumu, and you could also buy a donkey; it would still be usable."

Uncle Cong also laughed and said, "I was just thinking that yesterday! The door hinges at home also need to be re-oiled. I was going to find a carpenter, but I haven't been back for many years and don't know any good craftsmen. Now that's perfect, I can ask Miss Yao to help me out and make the connection."

“His wife is coming to deliver the goods today. I’ll talk to Uncle Cong when she arrives.” Yao Ruyi smiled at Uncle Cong, her dimples appearing sweetly.

After putting her things away, she turned her head and saw Lin Wen'an. The bright smile on her face vanished instantly, and she reverted to her dull and shy demeanor. She glanced at him quickly and suggested in a low voice, "Second Uncle and Uncle Cong, why don't you come for dinner tonight? We can have hot pot with lamb spine tonight."

Lin Wen'an stood silently to the side, wondering, "Does she dislike me? Why? When...did he offend her?"

The thought had barely crossed his mind when guests arrived at the window. Two identical faces with moles peeked in and shouted urgently, "Miss Yao! Twelve roasted sausages, please!"

Yao Ruyi immediately abandoned him and hurried over to serve them. While heating the grill, she chatted with them familiarly: "Oh, the Imperial Academy has a seven-day winter break. Didn't you and your husband go home?"

"Oh, don't even mention it! The little darling is throwing a tantrum at the head of the household and refuses to come home. We've been holed up at the school for the past two days."

The two had identical faces, both with the same bitter expression.

Yao Ruyi's eyes lit up as she listened. While skillfully pouring the meat paste and placing the skewers, she whispered, "How can a father and son hold a grudge overnight? You should try to persuade them."

Ever since Grandpa Yao went missing last time, Yao Ruyi learned the identity of that young man with three white eyes. It turned out that he was the unjustly killed son of Geng Xiang, the Minister of the Three Departments, who was recently a prominent figure in the Imperial Academy.

The biggest topic of conversation in Bianjing City right now is Prime Minister Geng's marriage. It's like a grand opera, consistently ranking first on the city's trending topics.

Moreover, after opening the shop, the Geng family servants often came to patronize it, and she gradually became familiar with them.

A batch of seven roasted skewers was prepared and handed to the two of them. Geng Niu and Geng Ma immediately started eating, blowing on them as they ate, shaking their heads as they ate: "We can't persuade her. The young lady doesn't know Hao Ge'er's temper. Last time, Geng Ji said a few too many words and Hao Ge'er kicked him in the face. His nose still hurts."

Yao Ruyi couldn't help but burst out laughing when she heard the name "Geng Ji".

The names of the servants around Geng Hao were quite funny: some were responsible for serving Geng Hao personally, some were in charge of the carriages and horses, some were errand runners, and some were skilled in martial arts. In order to protect his safety, there were a total of twelve people.

According to these servants, Geng Hao didn't like studying when he was young (and it seems he still can't), his mind was blank, and he couldn't think of any good words. After racking his brains, he named the people around him according to the twelve zodiac animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, monkey, sheep, rooster, dog, and pig.

As he grew up, although he found the name funny, he had been called that for so many years that he was used to it and couldn't change it, so he continued to call him that.

So when Geng Niu and Geng Ma come to buy things, if they buy one or two items, it's for Geng Hao; if they buy twelve or twenty-four items at once, it's for the other zodiac brothers.

Two sausages costing ten coins each—Yao Ruyi didn't even need to calculate. She casually collected the money from Geng Niu, then easily counted the amount by flicking the coins in her palm. She smiled and saw the customer off, only to turn around and realize that Uncle Cong had already left, but Lin Wen'an was still standing in the shop, his gaze seemingly still lingering on her.

Ever since she learned that he was Lin Wen'an, and considering the way he looked at people yesterday, she had become somewhat intimidated by him. He was too intelligent and perceptive, and she always felt guilty in his presence, as if she couldn't hide anything from him.

Besides, neither of them is married, and they live close by. They call each other "Second Uncle" but are not from the same family. They should avoid suspicion and keep their distance.

Lin Wen'an had already witnessed Yao Ruyi's quick and efficient grilling of meat and her rapid calculation of money. The evaluations of Yao Ruyi that he had learned from other people's letters and words seemed to gradually melt away in the real Yao Ruyi he had seen with his own eyes.

Seeing that she had finished her work and was wiping her hands with a handkerchief, Lin Wen'an slowly came back to his senses and got down to business: "...While we are still on leave, I would like to ask Grand Chancellor Li from the palace to come and treat you these next few days. I wonder if that would be convenient?"

Yao Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "It's convenient. I'm free every day except tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm going to Xingguo Temple with my grandfather to buy some goods. Tomorrow is a holiday and also the third day of the lunar month. The temple is going to hold a 'Ten Thousand People's Trade Fair'. I want to go and find some good goods to sell."

Taking her husband out with her? Lin Wen'an was a little puzzled at first, but then she understood: Ruyi was all alone, and her husband was often delirious, so she couldn't leave him alone at home. That's why she always took her husband with her when she went out; perhaps that's how she had managed to get by before.

He pondered for a moment and said, "Why don't I go with you and Cong Bo?"

Yao Ruyi initially wanted to decline, but then she thought that she had other important business to attend to at Xingguo Temple besides purchasing goods!

With him and Uncle Cong here, they can also help take care of Grandpa, making it easier for her to do things.

She wanted to proactively pay off this month's mortgage payment, and the shop also needed to replenish some goods.

Since she opened the shop, she has calculated her daily turnover using her own scribbled accounting method. The average daily turnover is about 20 strings of cash. However, after deducting the cost of goods, working capital, and miscellaneous expenses such as lighting and charcoal, the current daily net profit is about 3 to 5 strings of cash, which is not much.

Because the goods in her shop are not actually very complete.

There are many snacks that she hasn't made yet! For example, the Little Raccoon Crispy Noodles with 108 Hero Cards that are very popular with students, spicy chips, canned peaches, taro strips, lard candy, fruit lollipops, and the like.

She knew how to make some of these things, but only had a vague understanding of others and needed to experiment. However, she was all alone, and making these snacks would be too time-consuming and laborious. If she just found a workshop to do it for her, she was afraid that the recipes would be stolen. So she thought about finding someone who wasn't primarily a snack maker but had the foundation to protect their business. They wouldn't bother to play tricks for such a small profit, but it wouldn't be without its benefits.

She planned to use this opportunity of repaying the loan to get closer to the young monk, and then have him take her to his master to discuss a cooperation with the longevity storehouse of Xingguo Temple, which was in charge of secular business. She didn't know if it would work out, but she had to give it a try.

So Yao Ruyi curtsied and thanked him, saying, "Then I'll have to trouble you tomorrow, Second Uncle."

“No need to be formal, I haven’t thanked you yet…” Lin Wen’an glanced at her, his gaze gentle, “Thank you for the coal briquettes, the window paper, and also for ‘Miaomiao’ and ‘Pingping’. They also received your care, and I would like to thank you on their behalf.”

Upon hearing the names of the two trees, Yao Ruyi almost laughed, and even wanted to ask him how he came up with the idea of ​​naming flowers, plants and trees, how funny it was, but she held back and politely said a few words of thanks, these were actually just polite words that her grandfather had instructed her to say.

Seeing that her eyes were clearly bright and cheerful, yet she was putting on an act, Lin Wen'an slowly realized the reason and shook his head inwardly. After thinking for a moment, he granted her wish and said in a casual tone, like a distant, unfamiliar relative, "Then it's settled. I'll go back and write the invitations, and then ask Uncle Cong to send them over."

Yao Ruyi nodded repeatedly.

The next day, before dawn, Cong Bo hired a large mule cart with cotton curtains and a canopy, and the four of them headed to Xingguo Temple.

But Yao Ruyi never expected that she would run into the Deng family, who were also there to shop at the Wanxing Trading Center, as soon as she entered the gate of Xingguo Temple.

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I'm away on a business trip right now, working Sundays and Saturdays. When I get back, I'll be all chubby and curvy again [sunglasses].

Wanxing Trading Area: A public area opened to the general public in large temples during the Song Dynasty for the exchange of goods.