Hearing this, Zhou Jing'an's face grew even darker: "So the person who poisoned me wanted me to die quietly?"
Ning Huan didn't know what to say for a moment, and shook her head, saying, "I'm not really sure about that either. I originally wanted to wait until you've recovered before telling you. But after hearing what you and Tao Fuyuan said today, I think it's better to tell you."
Zhou Jing'an thought for a moment, then said, "You suspect that someone in the academy poisoned me?"
She neither nodded in agreement nor refuted it: "It's not that I doubt it, it's just that the timing and motives match up."
"for example?"
Zhou Jing'an wasn't unaware of what Ning Huan meant, but he just wanted to hear what Ning Huan had to say.
Ning Huan said, "For example, if you suddenly become weak, it would be some time before the exam. And since you didn't go home during that period, the villagers can naturally rule you out."
"And what you said to Tao Fuyuan today makes me think that someone in the academy may have poisoned you."
Zhou Jing'an frowned, because both the timing and the motive made it seem as if someone in the academy had poisoned him.
As for who it is, he doesn't know yet.
However, considering what Chen Tuo said today, that Guo Hongwen won first place and became a Juren, does that mean that he secretly tampered with his own article?
Could he also be involved in the poisoning incident?
Seeing Zhou Jing'an deep in thought, Ning Huan knew he must be wondering who had poisoned him, so she advised him:
"Although we don't know who poisoned us, no matter what, this person is no longer hiding in the shadows. As long as we are careful and vigilant, no matter how well they hide, they will eventually slip up."
Hearing Ning Huan's words of comfort, Zhou Jing'an nodded and replied, "You're right. I should thank you for telling me these things today."
If Ning Huan hadn't told him he was poisoned, he probably would still be in the dark.
Ning Huan was surprised that Zhou Jing'an thanked her, since the two of them couldn't even speak calmly before, but now they were being exceptionally polite to each other.
She waved her hand and said, "It's nothing. I already promised to cure your body. Your poisoning means there are dangerous people around you, so of course I had to tell you."
Just as Zhou Jing'an was about to say something, Da Bao walked in from the door, holding the pastries Ning Huan had bought for him that afternoon.
He glanced at Ning Huan beside him, hesitated for a moment, and then handed the pastries in his hand to Zhou Jing'an: "Father, these are the pastries I left for you."
Then Da Bao said to Ning Huan, "I didn't take any extra. The pastries for Daddy were all for my own share. I left the ones I didn't eat for Daddy."
Ning Huan then realized that Da Bao had only taken one pastry when he was eating. She had thought that Da Bao didn't like pastries, but she didn't expect that he wanted to save it for Zhou Jing'an.
Zhou Jing'an gently patted Da Bao's head and said softly, "If Dad doesn't want to eat, you don't need to save it for me. You can eat it yourself."
Da Bao stubbornly handed the pastry to Zhou Jing'an, and Zhou Jing'an, unable to resist Da Bao's insistence, had no choice but to take a piece of pastry and eat it.
Seeing how sensible Da Bao was, Ning Huan stepped forward and said, "Didn't I just say that these snacks were bought for you? Of course you can eat them however you want."
"You don't need to save any for your dad. I bought so many pastries, you can have whichever one you want."
Hearing Ning Huan say this, he asked with some skepticism, "Really?"
Ning Huan nodded, then picked up a piece of pastry and handed it to Da Bao: "Really, you haven't tried this pastry yet, have you? Take a bite and have a taste."
Seeing the pastry in the bad woman's hand, Da Bao gently stepped forward and took a bite.
The soft and fragrant pastries instantly cheered Da Bao up. He said to Zhou Jing'an, "Dad, these pastries are so sweet!"
Zhou Jing'an nodded: "It is very sweet. If you like it, have a couple more pieces."
Ning Huan gently stepped forward and touched Da Bao's little face, saying to him, "You can eat these snacks however you like, but you can't eat too many, otherwise you won't be able to eat when it's time for a proper meal."
Da Bao nodded slightly. He had always heard Xiao Er Bao and the others say that the bad woman had changed, but he had never felt that the bad woman had changed for the better. But now, he seemed to feel it.
That evening, Ning Huan tidied up the house in the backyard. She laid out thick straw and quilts on the bed and let Ning Liang make do with sleeping in the straw house.
Ning Liang said with some disdain, "This is just a shabby house. You expect me to sleep in a place like this when I come to stay at your house?"
Ning Huan didn't like her pampered younger brother. Putting aside everything else, according to the original owner's memories, she had always treated her younger brother very well, but Ning Liang always looked down on her and was always sarcastic.
He has no real skills and even complains about his older sister. Naturally, Ning Huan can't say he likes his younger brother that much.
She said coldly, "There are no rooms left in the house that you can stay in. Otherwise, you can walk around and see which room you like and sleep in it."
Ning Liang had already looked around inside and out and knew that apart from the straw hut that Ning Huan had tidied up, there was no better place to sleep now.
He complained, "This place is so awful, coming here is like torture. Do you think I like it? If my mother hadn't insisted on coming to see you and staying with her, I would never have come here in my life!"
Ning Huan wasn't angry. She stopped what she was doing and said, "Since you don't like it, then go home now. I didn't say you were welcome to come."
As she turned to leave, Ning Liang saw her about to go and quickly called out to her, "Wait!"
Ning Huan stopped, thinking that Ning Liang realized he had said something wrong and wanted to apologize, so she turned around and asked, "What is it now?"
To everyone's surprise, Ning Liang said irritably, "You're just leaving like this? Who's going to clean this house? It's in such a mess, how am I supposed to sleep tonight!"
Hearing this, Ning Huan sneered and said, "Since you're going to sleep here, then clean up your own mess. You're such a grown man, can't you even tidy up your own room?"
Then she got up and left. Actually, Ning Huan had already tidied up the room, except for making the bed.
Ning Liang is a grown man, after all. If he can't even make a bed properly, then she really has to give this man a good look of contempt.
Ning Huan turned around and went back to her room, where she spread another quilt on the floor.
Although her room was large, with four little ones sleeping on the bed, the large bed, which was barely big enough for everyone, became too small for Pang Shi to sleep in.
So she decided to let the four little ones and Mr. Pang sleep in the bed, while she would sleep on the floor.
As long as you lay thick blankets on the ground, it's not particularly cold.
Upon seeing this, Pang hesitated for a moment before asking, "Huanhuan, will you sleep in this room with us?"
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