Chapter 30
Lu Shang had never seen Jiang Wanning cry like this before, and he was immediately in a panic.
He didn't dare to ask any more questions. He tried to find a handkerchief but couldn't find one, so he wiped her tears with his sleeve: "Okay, okay, let's not cry anymore——"
Jiang Wanning didn't want to cry either, especially in front of Lu Shang. This would make her feel even more embarrassed. She didn't want to show any weakness in front of him.
Even not long ago, she was still thinking about coaxing Lu Shang into happiness so as to gain a foothold in the Lu family.
But now, her tears were like beads that had broken off the string, either soaking into Lu Shang's sleeves or falling onto the table. Her eyes felt hot and astringent.
But she cried silently, which made Lu Shang feel even more sympathetic towards her.
By the time Jiang Wanning finally recovered from this sudden surge of emotion, her eyes were completely swollen. She didn't know if it was because of the drastic change of emotions or because they were rubbed by the rough fabric on Lu Shang's sleeve.
Lu Shang was crying in his heart, but his words were even gentler: "But don't cry... What's wrong with Aning? Did I do something to make you sad?"
He reviewed it carefully. He had been talking to the two children since he entered the room. Jiang Wanning's mood suddenly changed, as if...
Lu Shang's eyes moved, and he asked hesitantly, "Is it that book?"
Jiang Wanning lowered her head, neither saying yes nor no.
Seeing her like this, Lu Shang couldn't ask any more questions and could only rely on wild guesses. He also suddenly realized that there were many inconveniences in being illiterate.
If he could recognize three or five characters, he wouldn't be so confused as he is now.
After a moment, Lu Shang tried again: "That book... is related to your parents?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his hands felt cold again, and the tears that had just stopped fell again.
Okay, no need to keep guessing.
Lu Shang sighed, held Jiang Wanning's face in his hands, and carefully wiped away her tears with his fingertips: "Can you tell me? Tell me about your family."
There were two children sleeping in the room. Lu Shang was afraid of waking them up and letting them hear something they shouldn't hear, so he had to take Jiang Wanning outside.
Grandma Lu was sewing shoe soles by the well. When she saw them come out, she was about to say hello, but when she saw Jiang Wanning, she stopped herself.
"Ah..." Grandma Lu hesitated for a while, picked up the small stool under her butt, and returned to her room quietly.
Now, only Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning were left in the yard.
The well where Grandma Lu had been sitting was cool and refreshing, with the shade cast by the big locust tree above her head. After she left, Lu Shang followed closely behind.
Jiang Wanning was probably still immersed in her own emotions. Although she didn't cry anymore, she looked listless, with the corners of her mouth turned down. The more she looked, the more pitiful she looked.
Lu Shang did not rush him. He picked up the peach hanging in the well, rubbed it with his clothes, and peeled it easily while the peach was softening.
"Aning, have a peach, take a bite, take a bite--" he teased in a low voice, and when he saw Jiang Wanning open her mouth, he quickly handed it to her mouth.
“…” Jiang Wanning was stunned for a long time, and finally took a small bite.
She felt embarrassed to be fed by Lu Shang all the time, so she whispered something and took the peach. However, she didn't eat it even though it was given to her, so she kept holding it in her hands. After a long time, the peach juice covered her hands, making them sticky.
Just when Lu Shang was struggling over whether to continue waiting or help her wipe her hands first, he heard Jiang Wanning suddenly speak. She whispered again: "Lu Shang, I miss my parents."
Lu Shang felt the situation was awkward when he heard this. Just as he was thinking about how to respond, he saw Jiang Wanning burst into tears again. She said in a sobbing voice, "I still don't know if my mother's illness has healed, and I don't know if my brother's leg has recovered..."
"Dad has been depressed ever since he was convicted. I'm afraid he's also sick. Who will take care of Mom, and who will take care of Mom and Dad?"
"Lu Shang, I miss them so much."
Jiang Wanning finally couldn't help crying out loud, and the peach she was holding in her palm fell to the ground. She didn't care about the stickiness on her hands and slowly wrapped herself in it.
After all, she was only a teenager, a young girl who had just come of age. Her family circumstances had changed drastically, and she was separated from her parents. She had managed to suppress her longing for her relatives, but she had never expected that she would get her father's most proud essay without noticing.
Being reminded of something by the sight of something is the most draining thing.
Lu Shang gently patted her back, waiting patiently for her to vent her emotions.
He didn't know much about Jiang Wanning. The few words he heard about her were all from others. He knew only that she was born in Beijing and was the daughter of a convicted official. If she hadn't been trying to save her mother, it would have been impossible for a sickly man from a mountain village to ask for her hand in marriage.
The only thing she never mentioned was Jiang Wanning's past and her family, and Lu Shang never asked. Even when he was planning for the future, he never took her family into consideration.
After a long time, Lu Shang asked, "Can I help you find them?"
Jiang Wanning shuddered, raised her head, and with a hint of distrust in her eyes, she said in a hoarse voice, "The emperor only said to exile him to the north. The north is vast, where are you going to find him?"
“As long as you put your mind to it, you will find it eventually.”
Although this was the case, Jiang Wanning did not hold out much hope.
The north is really too big, as big as twenty or thirty capital cities, and it is sparsely populated. The criminals who were exiled there often lost their way once they entered, and could not get out by themselves, and others could not find them either.
Lu Shang didn't argue with her, but just touched the top of her head: "Aning, believe me."
Jiang Wanning closed her eyes and let the last tear slide down: "I believe you."
The two sat quietly by the well for a long time.
Lu Shang went back to the house and got a handkerchief. He dipped it in water and wiped the peach juice off Jiang Wanning's hands. He then took off her outer shirt and finally picked up the dirty peach on the ground, rinsed it a little, and ate it in a few bites.
While he was doing this, Jiang Wanning remained silent.
It wasn't until Lu Shang sat down quietly that she spoke quietly: "My family... my father was originally a first-rank cabinet minister, and the book "On Current Affairs" was edited by him."
Lu Shang suddenly realized and finally understood the source of all her misconduct.
Jiang Wanning didn't talk much about the situation in the capital, and rarely mentioned the factions in the court. She just talked about her family.
It is said that her father was an upright official who had been loyal to the court and dedicated to the people for decades. No matter how busy he was at court, he would always have dinner with his family and carefully ask about her and her brother's studies. All her knowledge was taught by her father.
It is said that her mother came from a scholarly family and had a gentle temperament. Not only did she manage the Grand Secretary's Mansion in an orderly manner, she was also a loving mother to her children.
It is said that her brother was a man of both civil and military talents, and had once been a military scholar who wielded a spear with great power. However, during his exile, his legs were broken by soldiers while he was trying to protect her.
She lives in a warm and wealthy family, with loving parents and harmonious brothers and sisters. If it weren't for family changes, she should have married someone from a similar family background and lived a peaceful life.
Lu Shang listened carefully. With little experience, he had no idea what the scholar's residence was like. After all, it was not like this small mountain village where one had to go to a distant town to buy something.
He concealed the pity in his heart and said casually, "So, am I the least capable person you know?"
Jiang Wanning smiled and didn't bear the blow.
She probably said she was tired, or maybe she was hurt after crying. After she let out a long sigh, she stopped talking.
Lu Shang stopped asking questions and found a clean handkerchief. He soaked it in slightly cool well water, folded it into a small piece, and used it to apply to her eyes.
If it wasn't time for the family to get up and go out, they would have continued sitting there.
Jiang Wanning was the first to react. She glanced at the sky and whispered, "It's time to wake Dabao and Liangliang up. If they sleep any longer, they'll have a headache."
Her voice was still a little hoarse, but her spirit had mostly recovered.
Lu Shang looked her over carefully, then stood up and pulled her up.
As Lu Laoer and others left home, Jiang Wanning also woke up Dabao and Pang Liang, and asked each of them to eat a peach to wake up from their nap and prepare for the afternoon class.
Since they had agreed to paint in the morning and learn calligraphy in the afternoon, Jiang Wanning kept her promise, and the two children should also keep their promise. Whether they were willing or not, they finally sat down at the table obediently.
Lu Shang's desk can only accommodate one person, and it is too high and not suitable for children.
Jiang Wanning asked them to sit at the round table, facing each other, and she sat in the middle of them, so that it would be convenient for her to take care of both of them at the same time.
"Look, these papers belong to Uncle Lu Shang. He lent them to you. You must not waste them. Use them carefully." Jiang Wanning warned.
The brush she had soaked in warm water earlier had become soft again, and after she trimmed it again, it could still be used.
The two pens were given to Dabao and Pang Liang, and Jiang Wanning would only borrow one or two during demonstrations.
Facts have proved that people with beautiful handwriting will write beautiful words no matter what kind of paper and pen they use. Any slight difference is entirely due to the paper and pen, and you can't tell the difference unless you look closely.
Lu Shang did not go out this time. He sat at the table at first, but when he saw that both children had written decent big characters, he felt ashamed and left in disgrace.
He originally wanted to go back to bed and lie down, but after lying down for a while, the two children at the table looked back at him more than four or five times, and finally even Jiang Wanning looked over helplessly.
"...It's okay for me to come back, right?" Lu Shang smiled bitterly and had to continue accompanying her.
Seeing that he was really bored, Jiang Wanning placed two books in front of him.
Lu Shang flipped through two pages. The book was filled with densely packed small characters. Not to mention that he didn't recognize them, even if he could recognize them, he might not be able to continue reading.
If he wasn't afraid of distracting the two children, he would have fallen asleep on the table long ago.
Lu Shang never denied that he was a big college scumbag.
The kind that makes me sleepy when I see a book.
Finally, Grandpa Pang came to pick up his grandson. The two younger ones hadn't reacted yet. Lu Shang yawned first and said, "It's finally over."
He personally sent Pang Liang out and felt that Uncle Pang was so kind to him, which was rare.
Grandpa Pang called his little grandson to his side and asked, "How is Liangliang doing with his studies at Mr. Lu's house? Are you listening to Mr. Lu?"
Pang Liang blinked and replied slowly, "I listened to you. I learned to draw and write Chinese characters. I practiced my own name and learned to write my parents."
"Oh, that's amazing!" Uncle Pang praised highly.
After the grandfather and grandson finished speaking, Lu Shang interrupted and said, "Uncle Pang, wait a moment. I'll get the things you brought this morning. You can take them back first."
Uncle Pang agreed verbally, but when Lu Shang came out of the kitchen with the things in his hand, Uncle Pang was no longer in the yard, and the ox cart outside the door had been driven far away.
Lu Shang was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but hold his forehead.
Seeing Pang Liang being taken away, Dabao's heart also rose. When he twisted and turned on the stool for the third time, Jiang Wanning finally called for a stop.
The two children's levels are almost the same. Although Pang Liang can write two characters, they are only two, which are not empty words at all. Dabao can catch up with him if he tries a little.
Jiang Wanning could certainly teach them separately, but seeing that the two children were having fun, it would be better to ask Dabao to practice for two more days so that he could reach the same progress as Pang Liang.
But she overestimated the child's stability. He could be well-behaved when there were people around, but when his friends left, he couldn't sit still for a moment.
Jiang Wanning was helpless and had no other choice.
Finally, she had no choice but to put away Dabao's paper and pen, and grabbed his chubby little hand: "Dabao, tell me what you learned today? After you finish, I will send you home and let you go find other children to play, otherwise you will have to stay at my house."
Dabao was startled and tried hard to recall: "I learned flowers and words!"
"What word?"
"Dad, Mom, and my name!"
Jiang Wanning asked again: "Do you still remember how to write it?"
This time, Dabao was not so sure: "I, I remember... I don't think I remember it very clearly." He was worried that he would be left behind, and his little face wrinkled.
Jiang Wanning pinched his nose and said, "Then think about it carefully when you get home, and practice a few more times tomorrow, okay?"
"Can I go home now?" Dabao asked in surprise.
After receiving Jiang Wanning's affirmative answer, Dabao asked again: "Can I still see Liangliang tomorrow? I still want to play with him."
"Sure, you'll be classmates from now on."
"What is a classmate?"
"He's a study partner, someone who can make progress with you..." Jiang Wanning took Dabao out, said something to Lu Shang, and sent him home.
Fan Sanniang didn't know when they were ending, so she didn't dare to disturb them easily. She could only wait at the door. When she saw the two people, she hurriedly went to greet them.
She didn't ask Dabao what he had learned. Instead, she asked Jiang Wanning, "Did Dabao behave well today? Did he cause you any trouble?"
"Tell me when he gets out of school, and I'll pick him up myself from now on. I won't bother you. Or you can just ask him to come back by himself. He's in the village anyway, so he won't get lost!"
"Dabao is very well behaved. The time for him to finish school has not been decided yet. Let's talk about it in a few days. I don't have anything else to do, so I'll just send him off. It's true that we're in the village, but if something bad happens to him, that would be bad...Okay, Sanniang, go back quickly. I'm leaving too."
"Hey, don't go yet. I have stewed eggplant at home. I'll bring you a bowl!"
Having said that, Fan Sanniang walked towards home.
Jiang Wanning refused: "No need, next time!" As far as she could remember, every time she met Sanniang, she had to bring something with her, and she never came empty-handed.
Fan Sanniang didn't want to take advantage of her, and similarly, Jiang Wanning didn't want to get what she wanted every time.
Fan Sanniang couldn't stop her and had to send her away.
When Jiang Wanning sent Dabao back, smoke was already rising from every household.
Everyone in Lu Laoer's family came back. Wang Cuilian, as usual, made trouble for Jiang Wanning. After searching for a while, she couldn't find anyone. Before she could open her mouth, she was pushed back by Lu Shang.
"I asked Aning to help me take Dabao home. Does Erniang need her help? If it's about cooking, don't worry. I heated up the steamed buns in advance. I still have some leftover pork soup. I'll just make some noodles later."
He took on the cooking job, and Wang Cuilian had no excuse.
What upset her most was——
Lu Guangzong came back from playing outside covered in mud. Instead of asking his mother if she was tired or hot, he went to Lu Shang and asked, "Brother, do you need my help?
Lu Shang took a half step back in disgust: "Go wash it quickly, don't splash mud on the stove."
"Oh——" Lu Guangzong responded, and when he passed by Wang Cuilian, he didn't even say hello.
Wang Cuilian, who had been bullied repeatedly, could no longer bear it. She quickly caught up with him, grabbed Lu Guangzong's ear, and scolded him loudly, "Where have you been going crazy again, you little bastard? Look at all the mud you're covered in. Who are you expecting to wash your clothes for you? Do you think there's anyone at home who can wash your clothes?"
Lu Shang heard a few words from a distance and knew that she was making indirect accusations again.
But Jiang Wanning was not there, so she couldn’t hear it and who would care?
In the next two days, Lu Shang's daily routine was very regular. He got up early to do two sets of fitness exercises, went out to take a shower, and then went home to stay with Jiang Wanning and watch her teach the two children.
While the children were practicing calligraphy, Jiang Wanning also wrote calligraphy copies for the bookstore. Each copybook had 300 characters and could be completed in two days.
Her calligraphy was not destroyed. The handwriting on the two copies was different. If she took both copies with her, she would earn a considerable amount of money.
Thanks to Pang Liang and Dabao, after two days, Lu Shang could recognize four or five words.
He couldn't share the joy of his progress with Jiang Wanning, so he could only keep it in his heart and digest it himself. Finally, he couldn't bear it anymore and blocked the children at home at the door.
Lu Xiaoxiao, Lu Qiu, Lu Guangzong, Lu Yaozu, every one of them counts.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll teach you a few words. Dad and Mom, don't you know? Let's learn these two today!"
Lu Xiaoxiao and Lu Qiu are shy and just do whatever their eldest brother says.
Lu Guangzong and Lu Yaozu were unwilling to do so. They gestured with branches for a long time, and when Lu Shang was not paying attention, they slipped away.
Three days passed and everything was normal at home. Lu Shang finally put his mind at ease and began to think about his cooperation with Guanhe Tower.
He had been idle for a few days, but he had also given it some thought.
Whether it is finding suitable farmers or providing Guanhelou with a satisfactory source of supply, the most important thing is the issue of information collection.
As a newcomer, his weakest point is his understanding of the surrounding villages and towns.
According to his idea, no matter how many people he asked, it would not be as good as visiting the place in person. Perhaps he could discover other things during the visit.
He had plenty of time to visit and investigate. The only thing he was worried about was whether Jiang Wanning would be troubled by Wang Cuilin when he was not at home. If the fact that she taught the two children to read and write was leaked out, it would be difficult to deal with.
While he was thinking about how to be thorough, something big happened at home.
There's a thief in the house!
He and Jiang Wanning had previously discussed smoking and pickling the fish and pork, but as soon as they proposed it, Wang Cuilian intercepted it.
It happened to be the first time for the three-person elementary school to start, so they didn't pay much attention to it.
In the first two days, you could indeed see pork strips and fish jerky being pickled and hung to dry at home, but after the pork strips and jerky were made, you never saw them again.
Even the food on the dinner table had returned to its former blandness. Stir-fried vegetables with a little bit of oil would be snatched up by the children, but as for meat, you wouldn't see a single piece in a day.
Lu Lao Er expressed his dissatisfaction: "Where's the meat that Shang'er brought back a few days ago? Why didn't you put any meat in it? Steaming a fish will be fine without meat..."
"Meat, what meat? You're just thinking about it. If you can't eat it, will you die of greed?" Wang Cuilian cursed. "If you don't want to eat it, don't eat it. It's good enough that someone else makes it. You're so picky. If you have the ability, why don't you make it yourself?"
After being scolded by her, Lu Laoer felt a little embarrassed. He glared at her fiercely but said nothing more.
Lu Shang was too lazy to get involved in their affairs. Jiang Wanning looked up inadvertently and happened to see Wang Cuilian's eyes flickering.
She concentrated her mind and vaguely felt that something was wrong.
However, before she could tell Lu Shang about this guess, when she was cleaning up the dishes later, she turned around and found that the packages of various sizes piled in the corner of the kitchen were gone.
Those packages contained meat, eggs, vegetables and other things, all sent by Uncle Pang.
Since the meats were smoked and could be kept in a cool place for some time, the two of them didn't care and just waited for a suitable opportunity to return them.
I didn't expect that all my things were gone after I didn't pay attention for two days.
Jiang Wanning couldn't even remember when she last saw them.
When the whole family came over, Wang Cuilian, who was originally in the kitchen, was nowhere to be seen. Thinking back to her previous cowardice, everything came to a conclusion.
Lu Shang asked, "Where is Er Niang?"
Lu Yaozu raised his head and said, "Mom went out. She said she had something to do and will be back later."
"What happened to her? I think she just went out to avoid trouble!" Lu Lao Er shouted angrily and punched the door.
Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning didn't know much about the family affairs, but Lu Laoer and Grandma Lu, and even Lu Xian, who was married and had children and grew up, guessed who had "stole" the things as soon as they found out that they were missing.
Lu Lao Er's face turned pale. "Where did this thief come from? Nothing has been stolen in Lujia Village for many years. Besides, there's someone at home, how could he get in without anyone knowing?"
"It's obvious that Wang stole something back to her parents' home again. She's wanted to send something to her brother for a long time, but there's nothing good at home, and I've been holding her back, so she gave up."
"Now there are fish and meat, how can she not be tempted?"
Grandma Lu added, "This happened once a couple of years ago. She took more than half of the eggs I bought for Shang'er to nourish her body and sent them all back to her parents' home."
She considers herself not a mean mother-in-law, and she does not completely disagree with her daughter-in-law occasionally giving some things to her parents' home to support them. However, her own family is living such a difficult life, and she is still thinking about sending things to her parents' home. She has to think about her five biological children at home.
What's more, this touched upon Lu Shang's interests, and it was a big mistake for Grandma Lu.
Seeing that their father and grandmother were furious, the children were silent as a cicada, not daring to speak at all. Lu Xian wanted to say a few words to Wang Cuilian, but before he could open his mouth, he was interrupted by Lu Laoer: "Shut up, do you have the right to speak?"
Ma tugged at Lu Xian's sleeve, dragged him to the back, and whispered, "Don't say anything for now. Dad and grandma are furious. Be careful not to let them vent their anger on you..."
In the end, Lu Shang had to speak up again: "Let's wait for Second Mother to come back. With so many things, we can't wrongly accuse anyone, but we can't let it go easily either. Let's wait for Second Mother to come back and ask her clearly."
"Wait a minute!" Lu Lao Er was impatient. "I'll get her back right now!"
After saying that, he turned and went out.
Everyone in the family had seen him get furious and beat people, so even they were worried about Wang Cuilian, so they didn't dare to stop him.
After a moment, Grandma Lu sighed heavily: "What the hell is going on..."
Lu Shang looked around and said, "You all should go back and do what you need to do. Aning, too. You go back to your room first. I'll be back soon."
No one else responded, Jiang Wanning answered first.
As Jiang Wanning left, Lu Xiaoxiao and Lu Qiu also left quietly. Lu Guangzong's eyes turned, and he pulled Lu Yaozu next to him and quickly ran back to the room.
Ma went back to her room on the pretext of looking after her child, and dragged Lu Xian with her before leaving.
As for whether they were hiding in the room and listening to the noise, that was not something Lu Shang could control.
It must be said that Lu Laoer is quite good at finding people.
Lu Shang and Grandma Lu had only waited for half a minute when they heard the sound of pulling and arguing in the yard. When they went out to see, they saw that it was Wang Cuilian who was caught by Lu Laoer.
Wang Cuilian struggled desperately to get out, but she remained stubborn: "Why are you pulling me... You're just slandering me! I already said I was going to help someone light the fire, why are you messing with me!"
Lu Laoer didn't argue with her at all. He pinched her arm tightly and used a little strength, leaving her no room to fight back. She could only be dragged back.
After both of them entered the door, Lu Laoer closed the gate with one foot, swung his hand, and pushed Wang Cuilian to the ground.
"Hey, hey—" Wang Cuilian yelled, "Lu Laoer, you're going to kill someone!"
The houses in the village were not soundproof, and the walls inside and outside the courtyard blocked out any sound.
You don’t have to guess, when they quarrel in the yard, it will be very lively for the neighbors on both sides.
But who doesn’t have some fun at home?
Lu Lao Er didn't feel embarrassed at all and asked directly: "Tell me, did you steal something again?"
The word "steal" stung Wang Cuilian's heart. She stopped crying and wailing. She rolled over and got up from the ground, hands on her hips, and cursed: "Lu Laoer, what are you talking about! I took something from my own home, how can it be considered stealing? If you don't explain yourself clearly today, we'll say goodbye!"
Looking at her posture, it seemed as if it was Lu Lao Er who had made a mistake and was caught.
It wasn't until Lu Shang came out with Grandma Lu that the noise in the yard was stopped in an instant, even though his voice was not loud.
"Second Mother, have you seen the things that Grandpa Pang sent us? And the meat that was pickled a few days ago, take it out and show it to everyone."
Wang Cuilian put her hands down, and her expression suddenly changed: "I, I didn't see it... What are you looking at? The thing is right there, how could it be lost?"
The others didn't say anything and just waited for her to take out the things.
However, she had already sent those things back to her parents' home one by one, so how could she get them out? No matter how long the stalemate lasted, it would be exposed.
Wang Cuilian's parents' home is also in Lujia Village, on the same diagonal as Lu Laoer's home. The two homes are not too far apart, but it takes less than half an hour to walk there.
In the past few years, the two families had a closer relationship, but ever since her younger brother got married, Wang Cuilian went back every now and then to support him, which naturally caused dissatisfaction among Lu Laoer and others.
As a result, a rift developed between the two families. Apart from visiting each other during the holidays, they rarely interacted on weekdays.
The relationship between the two families was not very close, but it did not prevent Wang Cuilian from going to her parents' home to get things. The good ones included meat and eggs, and the bad ones included mushrooms she picked herself. In autumn, she also sent the soapberries she picked and asked her younger brother and sister-in-law to sell them for money.
To put it bluntly, she doesn't care about her own children as much as she cares about her brother.
While waiting for her, Grandma Lu told Lu Shang all these messy things.
Grandma Lu was quite angry: "If she hadn't given birth to several children for the Lu family, the second son would have divorced her long ago!"
Lu Shang found it difficult to comment on this.
But just because he doesn't interfere in the affairs between Lu Laoer and Wang Cuilian doesn't mean he can tolerate others touching his things.
It’s okay for the whole family to eat together, but after eating and drinking, do we have to take and give things to others?
That won't work.
Wang Cuilian remained vague, hesitating and unable to utter a single definite word: "Let's do it later. I'm busy right now... You just had lunch and you can't eat anymore, so don't bother."
Lu Shang said, "If I can't find Er Niang and I don't know where her things went, then there must be a thief in the house. The thief stole something, and I can't catch him. I'm afraid I can only report it to the authorities and ask them to help search for her."
"Call the police?!" Wang Cuilian's voice broke.
Lu Lao Er and Grandma Lu were startled, especially when they saw that Lu Shang's expression did not seem fake. Their hearts were slightly moved: "Shang'er, is it too much to report to the police..."
"Is it over?" Lu Shang lowered his eyes. "Let's not talk about the fish and meat for now. I didn't ask for the things that Uncle Pang sent me, so they still belong to Uncle Pang. They are just temporarily stored in our house. If the things are lost in our house, shouldn't I give him an explanation?"
"Anyway, if I can't find anyone today, I'll have no choice but to report it to the police. It's still early, so I can save myself the trouble."
Seeing that he was determined, Wang Cuilian finally couldn't bear it anymore. She screamed, "I just took some things, why are you so angry?"
"Took something?" Lu Shang laughed in anger. "Second Mother, don't you know how much that pork is worth? Or do you not know how much those things of Mr. Pang are worth?"
"If you really don't know, I'll help you calculate the total price and see if it's worth going to jail."
There was no need for Lu Shang to calculate, Wang Cuilian knew everything clearly.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have run more than ten times day and night, hiding and moving all the things back to her parents' home, leaving not even a scrap of meat.
And when she opened it, she saw that there was a box of exquisite snacks among the gifts given by Grandpa Pang, which were obviously valuable.
Lu Shang came down with an ultimatum: "I don't care what happened before. Anyway, this time, the food was bought by Aning and me. We can eat it together at home, but not for others."
"Either you take the things back exactly as they were, or you pay the full price. If you can't do either, I'm sorry, but I can only ask the county magistrate to make the decision."
Whether it is subsidizing his mother's family or helping his younger brother, this is something that Lu Laoer should worry about, and it is far from his business.
But again, don't touch his things.
Wang Cuilian was completely panicked.
The things were taken away a few days ago. The pork that was originally sent back to her mother's house had already been eaten up. Even the box of snacks was given away as a gift. She hasn't come back yet.
She looked at Lu Shang blankly, and suddenly rushed to Lu Laoer: "Boss, please help me, beg Shang'er for mercy, I won't dare to do it again next time..."
"I won't dare to do it again next time. Let it go this time. Just let me go this time—"
Lu Lao Er was annoyed when he saw her. He swung his arm and pushed her down. He turned his head away and said, "Just do as Shang'er said."
"If you're not thinking about your one-eyed blind brother, then go back home. Come back when you stop thinking about him."
This sentence touched Wang Cuilian's two sore spots, and she shuddered all over.
Only then did Lu Shang realize that Wang Cuilian's brother had an eye disease, but he only noticed it for a moment and then didn't care anymore.
His bottom line has been given, and how to deal with the rest is up to them to discuss among themselves.
Fortunately, the primary school was on vacation and Dabao and Pang Liang didn't come, so the family scandal didn't spread further.
When they returned to the room, Lu Shang briefly explained what had happened to Jiang Wanning. Jiang Wanning didn't comment on anyone, but felt a little regretful: "If I had known earlier, I would have put the fish and meat away earlier. So much money wasted in vain."
Lu Shang's mood improved because of her reaction. He couldn't help but smile: "Remember this time. Next time you and I buy something, we will bring it all back to the house."
Jiang Wanning had a conflicted expression. She knew it was not a good thing to do, but she was really tempted.
Finally she nodded: "Yeah!"
That night, there was no trace of Wang Cuilian at the dinner table.
After Lu Shang asked, he found out that she had returned to her parents' home. According to past practice, she would not come back for three to five days.
Grandma Lu slammed her chopsticks. "Last time she stole something and was sent back. It was Yaozu who cried and made a fuss asking for his mother, so I had no choice but to invite her back. But she never changed her ways. Don't even think about inviting me back this time!"
"Second brother, you better watch out for your honor this time. I wonder who else can tip her off!"
Lu Laoer stuffed his mouth with steamed buns and murmured in response, expressing his agreement with this.
Not to mention the things that Wang Cuilian took away, she has now returned to her parents' home, which has saved Lu Shang a lot of worry.
He had originally been concerned about Jiang Wanning's situation at home, but now that the most difficult person was gone, he could go out with peace of mind.
That night, after lights out, Lu Shang said to Jiang Wanning, "I'm going out tomorrow to explore the surrounding villages. You stay home and be careful. If there's anything you can't handle, put it aside until I get back."
"If Wang comes back, avoid her and don't confront her head-on."
It wasn't that Lu Shang looked down on her. Even if Jiang Wanning really mustered up the courage to confront Wang Cuilian head-on, with her thin arms and legs, she wouldn't be able to be taught a lesson.
The more Lu Shang thought about it, the more worried he became: "No, I'll tell grandma tomorrow and ask her to stay home with you."
Jiang Wanning felt a warm current flowing through her heart, and she couldn't help but comfort herself: "It's okay, I don't leave my room very often. Dabao and Liangliang are here in the morning and afternoon. My family thinks I'm helping you, and they're afraid of delaying your work, so they won't do anything to me."
Here we have to mention Lu Shang’s usefulness again.
With him standing in front of many things, it is like having a talisman that will not lose its effect easily.
She asked again: "Is it because of the business of Guanhe Tower?"
"Yes, after all, we've taken the money, so it's not good to delay it for too long."
Jiang Wanning didn't know much about business matters and didn't know what to ask. She was silent for a while and only said vaguely: "Then be careful on the road. I'll wait for you at home..."
"Um."
As the night deepened, the breathing sounds beside his ears became calmer, but Lu Shang could not fall asleep.
Thinking about what he was going to do tomorrow, he did not feel the slightest bit of anxiety or fear, but instead picked up the excitement he had felt many years ago.
Just this time—
Lu Shang turned his head and looked carefully at Jiang Wanning's sleeping face in the moonlight.
Besides being excited, he also felt for the first time the peace of mind of having someone waiting for him.
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