Chapter 89 Mianmian Calls for Mother "Maybe, they're just using..."

Luo Qinzhi was woken up early by his mother. Opening his eyes, he saw his mother's worried expression and quickly sat up: "Mother, what's wrong?"

But Aunt Luo just frowned and looked at her son: "Qinzhi, tell your mother the truth, did you bully Miss Lin?"

“Although our Luo family is not wealthy, you are still a scholar. If you really do something so rebellious, you will bring disaster upon yourself!”

Luo Qin was completely bewildered. She quickly put on her clothes and stood up: "Mother, please sit down and tell me properly. What happened? Why did you bring up Miss Lin?"

Aunt Luo pulled him by the arm and led him to the window. "Look at her, this little girl Lin has been cooking and boiling water for us since early this morning. I went out to stop her, but she wouldn't leave. She just had to do it."

"And she even sent a lot of nice things, but you can't be too polite if you've accepted gifts. If you don't have anything going on with her, why is she being so attentive?"

"My son, you're my only hope, you can't go down the wrong path!"

Seeing that light snow was still falling outside, but Lin Zhi's small and thin body was busy outside, Luo Qinzhi felt a tightness in his heart, hurriedly put on his winter clothes and ran out.

"Feiyi! What are you doing?"

The spatula in her hand was snatched away, and Lin Zhi unconsciously pulled her hand back, avoiding Luo Qinzhi's attempt to pull her.

"It's nothing, I just wanted to do something small to help you..."

But even though that's what she said, Luo Qinzhi could tell at a glance that she was hesitant to speak and understood that she wanted something from him.

His expression was somewhat gloomy, but he still sighed and invited the person inside.

"Feiyi, just say what you want to say. If I, Luo Qinzhi, can help you, I certainly won't refuse! But if you do this, you're making me feel terrible."

Looking at the simple and honest mother and son in front of her, Lin Zhi felt guilty. However, she knew that she had already made a boastful promise. If she didn't approach Luo Qinzhi, she was afraid that Pei Lang would not agree so easily.

"It's like this... I'd like to ask Brother Qin to pretend to be my fiancé..."

As soon as he said that, Lin Zhi saw Luo Qinzhi's face turn red all the way to his neck, and he became very shy.

Aunt Luo was somewhat puzzled: "Miss Lin, if such a thing were to happen to a good girl like you, wouldn't it cause you trouble in the future?"

“My son Qinzhi is a man, so he's naturally not afraid of these things, but you…”

Aunt Luo didn't finish her sentence, but Lin Zhi understood that in such a small village as Pingyi, no one would dare to approach her again after this incident.

But these were never things Lin Zhi cared about. She firmly shook her head: "I've never thought about these things myself. Now it's just a matter of whether Brother Qin is willing to agree. If he doesn't agree, I won't force him..."

"I do!"

Aunt Luo turned to look at her son with some surprise. Seeing the joy on his face, she had a vague premonition, but she said nothing.

"Ahem... What I mean is, Fei Yi, you've taken such good care of my mother, so of course I'm willing to help you now that you need me."

Seemingly realizing that his behavior was inappropriate, Luo Qinzhi quickly changed his story.

"But are you doing this because of that person? Didn't you say before that this was inappropriate? Have you come to your senses now?"

Lin Zhi lowered her eyes, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She had rejected him before only because she was afraid of implicating the Luo family.

She now understood Pei Lang's attitude: as long as he still cared about her, he wouldn't harm the Luo family; this was her bargaining chip.

She knew Pei Lang too well. He was a man who refused to back down. Even when facing Xiao Ting, he had never bowed his head to admit his mistakes, and he would never tolerate others disregarding his dignity.

If we can let him know that he is getting engaged and make him give up, we might be able to return to our peaceful life as before.

But... just thinking of Mianmian, her daughter, Lin Zhi's heart ached again. Her daughter was still so young and fragile, and needed her by her side at that time, but she could only hide in a corner where she couldn't see the light of day.

But such frustration was only temporary. As long as Lin Zhi thought about the cold looks she had suffered in the capital, she understood that for Mianmian, not having her identity as a mother was better than having it.

Without me, Mianmian would be the daughter of the Grand Secretary; but with me, she becomes the daughter of a lowly orphan.

Perhaps in the future Pei Lang will have a wife of even higher status, even if she is a stepmother, Mianmian's status will be very different...

Putting aside her reluctance and guilt, Lin Zhi gradually calmed down and waited for Aunt Luo's answer.

Luo Qinzhi's attitude was already very clear, but this matter was risky after all, and she would not insist on going her own way if Aunt Luo did not agree.

“Aunt Luo, I am grateful for your help all this time. My repayment to you is only a little bit. Today’s matter may be the last time I ask you for help.”

"But if you are unwilling, you are free to refuse me. I can think of other ways."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Luo glanced at her son again and couldn't help but sigh, "Miss Lin, I know you're a good girl. You must have no other choice in today's situation. I agree to this."

"But I hope you are all well. I am getting old and can't take any more setbacks. I just hope you can all be safe and sound."

As soon as Aunt Luo finished speaking, Luo Qinzhi hurriedly got up to go to town: "Since we're going to put on a show, we should go all the way. I'll go buy some wedding cakes and candies to distribute to the villagers so they can all know about this."

When Lin Zhi chased after him, she placed a bag of silver in Luo Qinzhi's hand. When he refused to accept it, she still forcefully stuffed it into his hand.

"If you don't accept what we said today, then it doesn't count. I've already put you in danger, and I can't let you spend any more money."

Luo Qinzhi clenched the silver in his hand, his expression somewhat complicated: "Feiyi, you know, I didn't want you to be so polite with me, it's all my own choice."

Lin Zhi slightly avoided his burning gaze. "I know you're willing, but I'll feel guilty. Please accept it and put my mind at ease."

Luo Qinzhi wanted to say something more, but he fell silent when he saw the frankness in her eyes. There was gratitude in her eyes, but no affection.

"...I understand. I will do as you say and will not act on my own."

Once Luo Qinzhi's figure was out of sight, Lin Zhi sighed and went to her brother and sister-in-law's house. These days, she was afraid of causing trouble for Pei Mingli, so she didn't dare to go there.

Now... I'm afraid there's no need to worry anymore.

"Ah Zhi, are you really sure?"

Upon hearing her words, Pei Mingli and Feng Yujiao's expressions were not good, and they looked at her with worry in their eyes: "Actually, Luo Qinzhi is not a bad person, and he is a good match for you. Moreover, he is so devoted to you. If it were someone else, I'm afraid they would not be able to accept this."

"Besides, his family consists of an orphan and a widow, so they're not afraid you'll be bullied if you marry into their family."

"If you explain this matter clearly, and they can accept you, then you can get married naturally, right?"

But Lin Zhi shook her head: "Sister-in-law, I don't want to be a burden to them."

“I can ask them for help for a while, but I cannot be a burden to them for a lifetime.”

“Now that Mianmian is here, I can’t let go of my worries. I’m also carrying a secret, and I don’t want to bring this pain to them who could have lived a peaceful life.”

"I've made up my mind. Once Pei Lang leaves, I'll leave Pingyi too. The world is vast; where can't I find a place to stay?"

Lin Zhi's tone was relaxed, but Pei Mingli frowned deeply: "Nonsense, where can a young lady like you go alone? You're carrying money with you, what if someone targets you?"

"How can we feel at ease? How can I explain this to my mother and uncle and aunt?"

Lin Zhi rarely showed her girlish side in front of the two of them, shaking her head playfully: "Never mind, things will work themselves out. There's no use thinking about it now."

Just then, Feng Yujiao experienced some abdominal cramps, and the matter was thus diverted.

Luo Qinzhi was extremely efficient. In just one day, the entire Pingyi Village knew that the Luo family was going to marry that sickly woman.

"This girl is beautiful, but how much will her medicine cost over the next year and a half? The Luo family has really lost their minds!"

"Indeed, she and her husband, a widow and orphan, have been supporting their son's education. Now that he's finally passed the imperial examination and become a scholar, this is the last thing they've done. Is Lin Feiyi some kind of fox spirit reincarnated...?"

Seemingly having heard Lin Zhi's name, the figure lying in the haystack suddenly stirred, making indistinct muffled noises that were impossible to understand.

Seeing the ragged blacksmith Wang, the crowd quickly moved away in disgust, carrying the wedding cakes given by the Luo family in their arms as they headed home: "That blacksmith Wang is really a sinner; he drank himself into a stupor."

"The blacksmith shop that used to be doing well is gone now."

"That's right. I heard he used to want to marry that Miss Lin, but now it's turned out like this... It's all fate."

"Young Master..."

When a teacup flew right in front of his face, Xingyun quickly reached out and grabbed it, then knelt down in fear and begged for forgiveness: "Please forgive me, young master!"

Pei Lang walked out of the room with a gloomy face, his eyes devoid of any warmth, so cold they seemed to freeze people to death: "Is this the foolproof method you spoke of?"

"Now the engagement cakes have even been delivered to my hands!"

The cheap but festive wedding cakes were thrown at him, and Xingyun shrank back, not daring to look up: "Young master, I was just thinking that if the madam pretended to have amnesia, she would definitely soften when she saw the young lady."

"But could it be that her current actions truly indicate she has lost her memories and forgotten you?"

Pei Lang was even more enraged upon hearing this, and he yanked the person up from the ground: "So what? Whether she remembers or not, she's now engaged to someone else!"

"He's just a greenhorn who's similar to me but inferior in every way. Are you really going to let me swallow this insult like this?"

Seeing Xingyun's pale face, Pei Lang's sinister eyes flashed with impatience, and he shoved the man aside, "Useless!"

Watching his master pace back and forth in the room, Xingyun gradually breathed a sigh of relief, cautiously thinking that at least now that he had found his wife, the young master's temper was much better than before.

"Young master, although Madam doesn't remember you now, the young lady is still her flesh and blood. If Madam and the young lady could spend more time together, perhaps she would remember something?"

Pei Lang paused slightly as he rubbed his throbbing temples, but if he invited her directly, he knew she wouldn't agree since he had frightened Lin Zhi earlier.

A dark glint flashed in his eyes, and Pei Lang tapped the table: "Spread the word that we're looking for someone to serve Mianmian personally, and it has to be a woman."

Xingyun's face lit up with joy. "Your subordinate understands! I will definitely ensure that Madam chooses him..."

But Pei Lang shook his head: "I won't choose her. Anyone but her is fine, just not her."

Although Xingyun was somewhat confused, he ultimately said nothing, and after bewildering himself, he went to spread the news.

Pingyi Village is small, and the arrival of a new family has already attracted much attention. Upon hearing that the reward offered is so high, everyone has come to join in the fun.

"What do these people do? I only see men and a baby in the house, but I don't see the woman of the house."

The wives and sisters-in-law, huddled together, craned their necks to look, chattering amongst themselves: "Maybe they're just using the excuse of choosing a personal servant for their child to actually choose their mistress!"

"With such generosity, even a lowly servant like him would be set for life!"

Hearing this, the crowd pushed forward even more noisily, but they were all filtered out by the rules.

"Isn't this the village chief's daughter? How can an unmarried girl take care of a child?"

Looking at the slender and pretty Tian Yun'er, everyone's eyes were filled with curiosity, but they dared not say anything out of respect for the village chief.

They all quietly stepped back a few paces.

"Young man, my mother is seriously ill and needs money for treatment. I've been taking care of my younger siblings since I was little. Do you think I can handle this?"

Xingyun crossed out the previous name and looked up. Before she could even see the person clearly, she was overwhelmed by the strong smell of perfume and wanted to sneeze.

But remembering the young master's instructions, he forced himself to hold back, rubbed his nose, and looked at her: "Miss, you look very young, can you endure hardship?"

“Our young lady cries incessantly in the middle of the night; she must be really bothering people.”

"Of course I can. I wasn't raised like a pampered young lady, so of course I can."

Xingyun stared at her for a while, and finally nodded: "Alright then, you can look after the child during the day for the first few days. If our young master thinks you are capable, you can also take care of the child at night."

After noting down Tian Yun'er's name, Xingyun asked the onlookers to disperse, which sparked a lot of discussion among them.

Lin Zhicai heard the commotion outside and pushed open the door, only to see a group of women leaving together, muttering some complaints.

"I think this family is clearly just putting on a show. They want a pretty woman, but they're using the excuse of needing someone to take care of their child?"

"Exactly! Bah! Tian Yun'er has been eating refined rice and flour since she was a child, what can she possibly take care of?"

"Dressed up in such a flamboyant way, it's obvious she's after that man!"

Listening to everyone's words, Lin Zhi pieced together the truth: Pei Lang wanted to find someone to take care of Mianmian personally.

Upon hearing Tian Yun'er's name, Lin Zhi unconsciously frowned. Although she hadn't interacted or met Tian Yun'er much, they had already formed a grudge.

When her handkerchiefs sold well, word spread throughout Pingyi Village, attracting many young women and wives to also sell their handkerchiefs.

Among them, Tian Yun'er had the best craftsmanship, but the young ladies and wives in the town, having seen her skills, naturally looked down on her.

But Tian Yun'er's price was cheaper than hers, which still attracted a large portion of the customers.

Lin Zhi naturally understood the rules of buying and selling, and let Feng Yujiao keep selling her handkerchiefs in the same place. However, Tian Yun'er was proud and felt that her handkerchiefs were selling well only because her sister-in-law had taken a good spot.

The two even argued in front of everyone in town.

Later, it alarmed the town's bigwigs. The lady of that house preferred Lin Zhi's handkerchief, so she forbade Tian Yun'er from coming again.

Lin Zhi was unaware of this matter at first, and only found out later after being targeted by Tian Yun'er in the village.

Watching Xingyun lead Tian Yun'er into the courtyard, Lin Zhi felt a little uneasy. Could this person take good care of Mianmian?

Even if she didn't know Mianmian was her daughter, Tian Yun'er was an outstanding and strong-willed person, and probably not the type to tolerate a child.

Lin Zhi was in a state of turmoil. She wanted to say something to remind him, but she stopped after taking a step. She had always wanted to escape Pei Lang, so what would it mean if she took the initiative to provoke him now?

Moreover, Pei Lang values ​​Mianmian so much, he will definitely protect her...

When Tian Yun'er was led into the courtyard, her phoenix eyes kept darting around. Just as she was looking her over, a tall figure suddenly appeared in her line of sight: "Young master, this is Miss Tian. She said she has taken care of her younger siblings since she was a child and is very familiar with children."

Following Xingyun's words, Tian Yun'er looked up and suddenly felt as if she had seen a celestial being. Otherwise, how could there be such a handsome man in the world?

I thought Luo Qinzhi was handsome enough, but compared to the person in front of me, he was like heaven and earth!

Pei Lang felt the familiar gaze, concealed the disgust in his eyes, and stepped aside to let her in: "My daughter is very delicate. You can't hold her too gently or too forcefully, or she will cry."

"The weather is cold now, so we can't take her outside beyond the yard. We can just take a short walk and come right back. She sometimes spits up when she's not feeling well, so we have to wipe it clean promptly, otherwise she'll get a rash on her face..."

Seeing Tian Yun'er's strange expression, Pei Lang clicked his tongue impatiently, "Did you remember clearly?"

Sensing that something was wrong with him, Tian Yun'er quickly nodded, "I understand! I'll take the little miss for a walk in the yard right now."

Watching the child, wrapped up like a cotton ball, struggle in the arms of a stranger, Pei Lang frowned slightly: "Don't risk Mianmian's life. Keep a close eye on this person at all times. If anything happens to her, you'll have to answer to me with your head."

Xingyun also looked serious. Over the past year, the young master had personally taken care of the child, and he and Jifeng had also lent a hand. Watching a kitten grow up to be so big naturally made him feel sorry for the child.

"Young master, rest assured, even if something happens to me, I will ensure that the young lady suffers no harm."

Tian Yun'er had originally thought that if the child was too fussy, she would not serve him even if she was offered more money, but as soon as she saw Pei Lang, she made up her mind that she must take good care of the child!

It would be best if she could call me "Mom"!

Lin Zhi was carrying eggs and was about to go see Feng Yujiao when she saw a group of people gathered around her from afar, with laughter and teasing sounds rising and falling.

She was curious and only took one look before she was unable to move. She saw Xiao Mianmian wearing a winter coat with a fleece trim, being held in Tian Yun'er's arms, waving her little arms and legs in front of everyone like a monkey.

"The children from wealthy families are so different from the children who grew up in our village. Even their little ones wear bibs made of the finest material! And the handkerchiefs they use to wipe their faces are incredibly smooth!"

Seeing everyone about to touch Lin Mianmian's little face, Lin Zhi couldn't help but squeeze into the crowd and glare at Tian Yun'er: "This child is so small, aren't you afraid she'll catch a cold after you've been holding her out for so long?"

As soon as Lin Mianmian saw Lin Zhi with her big, bright, grape-like eyes, she started babbling and reached out to hug her, but Tian Yun'er pulled her back and looked Lin Zhi up and down: "What do you think you are?"

"This isn't your child, why are you meddling in other people's business?"

But as soon as she grabbed Lin Mianmian's little hand to stop her from reaching Lin Zhi, Lin Mianmian pouted and burst into tears in her arms.

A child's cry is quite powerful, and Lin Mianmian's cry was particularly loud, driving away all the onlookers who had come to watch the spectacle.

Lin Zhi watched as large tears fell from her eyes, and her heart ached as if it were being squeezed. She quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, otherwise the cold wind might hurt her face.

But Tian Yun'er just wiped her face haphazardly with her hand, "Lin Feiyi, don't think you're so high and mighty just because you're good-looking. If my father finds out that you've angered me like this, he'll kick you out of Pingyi Village!"

"Mind your own business, pshaw!"

Seeing Lin Mianmian crying her heart out and reaching out to her, Lin Zhi could no longer bear it. She stepped forward and snatched the child away from Tian Yun'er when she wasn't paying attention. Tian Yun'er's holding posture was wrong, and the child easily ended up in Lin Zhi's hands.

I'm afraid that if she holds him for a little longer, he might slip out of her arms.

Lin Zhi changed to a more comfortable position for Mianmian and patted her back. She was relieved when she heard Mianmian's crying gradually subside.

Tian Yun'er behind her was furious and screamed that she had snatched the child, but Xingyun stopped her, saying, "Miss Tian, ​​it seems you are not suitable to serve my young lady. Your wages for the past two days have been settled, and you don't need to come again."

"you!"

Watching Xingyun turn and leave without any mercy, Tian Yun'er clenched the money pouch in her hand. She originally wanted to throw it on the ground viciously, but after thinking about it again, she still didn't do it.

Lin Zhi hurriedly took the child back, wiped away the tears on her face, fed her some warm water, touched her cold little hands, and quickly held her in her arms to warm them. Only after she calmed down did she realize that Mianmian had stopped crying sometime earlier.

He held her obediently in his arms, staring at her without even blinking.

Touched by this, Lin Zhi hugged her and shook her, then couldn't help but lean closer and press her little face against hers. To her surprise, the little one giggled.

Waving her little hands, she mumbled incoherently, "Pinch...Mommy..."

Tears welled up in Lin Zhi's eyes as she looked at the child in her arms in disbelief, as if she had misheard.

"mother......"