Chapter 61
The originally planned return to Tang Town was forced to be postponed to the afternoon due to the unruly landing.
Lu Shang knew that he was going too far, so he ran to the kitchen early in the morning to show his courtesy.
The two maids hired by the family were also responsible for cooking. They used to be servants in wealthy families, but as they got older, they were replaced by newcomers. Then they were introduced to the Lu family. It was the first time for them to see the master of the house cooking in person.
And this is not the most surprising thing. What is even more rare is that a master who can study and do business has a cooking skill that is much better than theirs.
Considering that Jiang Wanning had a poor appetite after waking up late, Lu Shang first prepared a bowl of hawthorn drink for her and chilled it in the well in advance. When she woke up, the temperature was just right, not too cold to hurt her stomach, but also to relieve the summer heat.
Drinks are ready, and next comes the appetizers.
Jiang Wanning was eating this meal alone, but Lu Shang still prepared three cold dishes. Each dish was not large in portion and could be finished in seven or eight mouthfuls. The main thing was that the dishes were presented exquisitely, and even a radish could be carved into a flower. There were also a variety of flavors, such as the fragrant mixed shredded vegetables, radish fern root powder, and garlic mashed eggplant. There was always one that suited your taste.
The staple food is a bowl of steamed glutinous rice, served with two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. The meat dishes are fish maw chicken and pepper shrimp, and the vegetable dishes are fried tofu and stir-fried rapeseed. If you don’t like any of these, there is also a refreshing cold chicken noodle dish.
After eating these, there is also a fruit plate with seven or eight kinds of fruits. All the fruits are peeled and chopped, sprinkled with a little water, and then covered with another large bowl to prevent them from being oxidized by premature exposure to air.
Even though Lu Shang was a good cook, he couldn't handle the variety of dishes. It took him a whole morning to finish cooking a few dishes.
In the intervals between cooking, he often ran to the main courtyard and listened to the movements in the house through the window. Seeing that Jiang Wanning was still asleep, he ran back with peace of mind and continued to prepare his apology banquet.
Lu Shang timed it just right. He had just ordered the maids to place the dishes on the stone table in the main courtyard when he heard a noise from inside the house. He rushed in and saw that it was Jiang Wanning who had sat up and accidentally knocked over the small lamp on the bedside table.
"Be careful!" Lu Shang rushed over. "What do you want, Aning? Don't move. Let me do it."
Jiang Wanning stretched out her arms from under the thin blanket, and her arms were in a terrible state. From the wrists to the elbows, they were covered with red spots of various sizes. If she lifted her sleeves and looked up, the spots were no darker than this one.
She closed her eyes and opened her mouth in a hoarse voice: "Lu Shang, are you crazy?" She didn't dare to recall the absurdity of last night.
There was a time when she suspected that Lu Shang was unwilling to touch her, until her eighteenth birthday, when Grandma Lu and Aunt Jiang were sent out of the house, and she was taken to every corner of the bedroom, and she memorized the color and shape of the corners of the bedside table.
For three years, she had witnessed Lu Shang stripping off Wen Ya's coat, but she had never imagined that even the skin beneath the coat could be stripped off.
Lu Shang knew very well that at this time, he must not quibble and just admit his mistake!
He half-knelt beside the bed, massaging her calves carefully and touching her hands from time to time. Every move he made was full of flattery: "I'm sorry, Aning. I lost my mind last night. Don't be angry. I won't do it again next time."
"Next time—"
"...There can't be no next time." After a moment of silence, Lu Shang couldn't help but mutter.
Jiang Wanning: "...Don't stay here. It makes me uncomfortable just seeing you."
As she was about to push Lu Shang away, she accidentally pulled her waist and spine, and immediately let out a hiss, and her movement stopped in mid-air.
Lu Shang seized this opportunity and quickly took the clothes from the hanger next to him. He lifted Jiang Wanning's arm skillfully, put on her underwear first, quickly tied the belt, then the outer coat and skirt. The complicated and messy belts were gradually straightened out in his hands.
He said gently, "I cleaned you thoroughly last night, so you should be fresh... Or is there anything else that's bothering you, Aning?"
Of course Jiang Wanning remembered taking a shower last night, and she also remembered what ridiculous things happened in the bathtub.
As for where she was feeling uncomfortable—
Jiang Wanning tried her best to be patient: "It would be most comfortable if my husband left my sight."
"..." Lu Shang readily agreed, "I'm sorry, I might have to make you uncomfortable for a long time."
While Jiang Wanning was consoling herself, Lu Shang went to the door and fetched a wet towel. He washed her face and hands briefly, then half-helped and half-carried her out of bed. He squatted down to change her shoes and socks. After a moment's thought, he asked, "There shouldn't be anyone else in the yard. Can I carry An Ning out?"
In response, Jiang Wanning simply supported herself on the headboard and stood up, swaying her body back and forth for a long time before steadying herself, silently expressing her resistance.
Seeing this, Lu Shang no longer insisted and just stayed by her side and accompanied her out of the room.
The main courtyard is not too big, and you can see everything in the courtyard as soon as you go out, including the stone table and stone benches on the south side, and the food piled high on them.
Lu Shang flattered, "Aning must be hungry, right? The food has just been served, so it should still be hot. Come and eat something quickly."
When Jiang Wanning saw the food on the table, she knew who made it.
She was holding her breath as she picked up the chopsticks, then put them down again uncomfortably. She couldn't help but sneer, "You're thinking of apologizing now? Why did you pretend not to hear me when I told you to stop last night?"
It's more than just pretending not to hear.
At that time, she was crying with tears in her eyes. The broken words she shouted out not only failed to make Lu Shang realize his mistake, but made him even more bewitched. He blocked his eyes from the other person's red lips and only rubbed behind her ears.
After a night of passion, he had no choice but to humble himself and coax her into drinking two sips of hawthorn drink. When her appetite improved, he added another chopstick of chicken and another chopstick of shrimp. Without saying how it went, in the end, most of the food on the table was eaten.
After the meal, Jiang Wanning's anger had almost subsided.
She turned around and saw Lu Shang still squatting beside her. Because he had been squatting for too long, his right leg was shaking uncontrollably. However, this did not affect Lu Shang's hands as he picked up dishes and served rice. Even the smile on his face did not change at all.
Jiang Wanning lowered her eyes slightly, and finally sighed softly: "Husband, please eat something too."
As soon as she said this, Lu Shang immediately understood. He didn't hesitate and sat down on the stone bench next to her. "I ate while I was cooking, so I'm not hungry. Is Aning still feeling unwell? If you're really not feeling well, let's go to the clinic."
Jiang Wanning shook her head: "It's nothing serious, it will be fine in two days. Didn't my husband say he wanted to go back to Tang Town?"
"It's not urgent. A day or two won't make a difference. It's the season when berries and peaches are ripe. I wanted to take you to the countryside, but I got delayed... I'm not going to the academy tomorrow. How about Aning take an extra day off?"
Jiang Wanning raised her eyelids: "Are you skipping school again?"
"I'm not skipping school!" Lu Shang denied loudly. "I actually asked the teacher for leave this time. It's because I improved on the quiz and performed better in class, so I finally managed to get the teacher to give me leave."
"Aning, you should rest for one more day. We'll leave in the afternoon, stay in Tang Town for one night, and come back tomorrow afternoon, okay..."
"Aning, do you still remember Dabao's peach tree? This year, in addition to peaches, he also planted strawberries and loquats. We can pick them ourselves and eat them as we go. They must be the freshest. His fruits are all supplied exclusively to Guanhelou, and the quality is all top-notch... And the fish from Gejia Village. I heard that the fish farmers in the village have introduced a kind of small whitebait. It's only the size of a finger, but it's crisp and delicious, and tastes especially good when mixed with salad..."
Jiang Wanning was moved by what he said and nodded unconsciously. When she came to her senses, she was hugged by Lu Shang and a smile appeared on her brows.
Because she had a sudden decision before going out, Jiang Wanning did not have time to inform the students of the private school. She could only tell Pang Liang and assigned them homework, asking them to review it on their own tomorrow. She would make up for the missed classes the next afternoon.
Hearing that they were going back to Tang Town, Xiang Min thought: "Master, can I go home too?"
Her request also alerted the others. In addition to Pang Liang, Dabao and Lin Zhongwang also said that they missed home. Thinking about it, they last went home three months ago. The only time Lu Qi could see Dabao was when he occasionally came to the capital to report business to Lu Shang.
The carriage they were riding in was large enough to carry a few more children.
Jiang Wanning asked Pang Liang for his opinion again, but he still shook his head: "I won't go back. I'll go home after the provincial examination this autumn. Thank you, teacher, thank you, master."
Jiang Wanning looked at him, then glanced at Lu Shang silently——
I have to say, why are the differences between people so huge?
Lu Shang pretended not to understand her gaze and told the other three to pack up quickly. They would set off when the carriage arrived in half an hour.
Grandma Lu was busy taking care of her newly bought peonies, and she would be worried if she was away for an extra hour. Besides, there was nothing for her to worry about in the Lujia Village, so it didn't make much difference whether she went back or not.
In the end, only Jiang Wanning, her husband, and her three children got on the car.
Speaking of this trip to Tang Town, it was because the mountain that Lu Shangcha Yahang had helped to keep an eye on had been found. A family in Nanxing Village was in urgent need of money but was unwilling to sell their land. After hesitating for a long time, they decided to sell their ancestral mountain.
Speaking of Yeshan, this has something to do with the logistics team’s initial restaurant cooperation.
In recent years, the logistics team has been involved in more and more fields. Lu's Logistics often appears in common and uncommon businesses, but the purchase of food for the restaurants where Lu's Logistics made its fortune has never stopped. In addition to several restaurants in Tang Town, the neighboring town has also signed contracts with them.
As a result, it would be difficult for the villages under Tang Town alone to meet the demand for the quantity of goods.
Even though Lu Shang went to the surrounding areas for inspection every now and then and developed villages outside Tang Town, he still felt a little overwhelmed as the number of cooperating restaurants increased. If he wanted to develop further outward, vegetables and meat were no different from other things. If there was an extra day of delay, the loss would increase, and the amount of compensation required would also increase. The cost of transportation would rise to an unbearable level.
Lu Shang pondered for a long time before he realized that maybe he could raise pigs and ducks, grow vegetables and fruits, and solve the problem at the source.
The Lu family's dozen acres of land were not much to begin with, and now it was all managed by Lu Lao Er. Lu Shang didn't have the heart to compete with him, and the common people regarded land as important as their lifeblood. If one wanted to buy farmers' land, it would be difficult to purchase large tracts.
Jiang Wanning reminded him again, "I remember there are quite a few mountain villages around Tang Town. Some of the lower mountains are privately owned by ordinary people. If they are taken good care of, they might be able to be used as farmland."
Lu Shang inquired further and found out that the mountains near the people's homes were basically abandoned. Their greatest use was to plant some trees, which provided free firewood all year round.
When asked about the reason, it was because the mountain roads were bumpy and the mountains were ups and downs, making it difficult to grow crops and livestock easily running away. There was really no other way, so they had to leave them idle and abandoned.
Lu Shangdun was overjoyed. Ordinary people didn't know how to plant fruit trees and crops in the mountains, so how could he not know?
Terraced fields!
So, after he told Jiang Wanning about his idea, the two of them discussed it and felt that there was great potential in it. So they asked the tooth man to pay attention to it, preferably the mountains around Tang Town, and they would not consider areas outside Tang Town.
The roots of Lu's Logistics are all in Tang Town, and some of the managers who are capable of taking charge are also from Tang Town. If this mountain is bought around Tang Town, it will be convenient to transfer the managers, and secondly, the relatives and family members of the managers can be recruited, eliminating the need for further screening.
Logistics teams need strong men, but farming and raising livestock are not so picky.
On the contrary, some older people are more experienced in farming, and women are more attentive in feeding poultry.
On the way to Tang Town, Lu Shang told Jiang Wanning about the wild mountain. It had been more than a year since he first came up with the idea, so long that Jiang Wanning thought the matter would be abandoned. It turned out that he had only just found a suitable wild mountain.
Lu Shang said, "We're staying in Tang Town today so we can ask the dealer for details. Tomorrow when we go to see the mountains, we'll stop by Lujia Village and Gejia Village, have some fun and eat, and then we'll set off again."
Jiang Wanning nodded and said to the three children, "We might go pick fruits and catch fish tomorrow. Do you want to join us?"
After a few people thought about it, Xiang Min and Lin Zhongwang both refused.
Only Dabao remained carefree and playful, saying immediately, "I want to go! Teacher, are you coming to my house tomorrow? I'll help you pick peaches and berries, and will you take me fishing with you?"
Without waiting for Jiang Wanning to speak, Lu Shang responded first: "You don't need us. Your father will come with you tomorrow. Ask him to take you with him."
"good!"
At the end of the Shen period, the carriage arrived at Tang Town.
It happened that Uncle Pang's ox cart had not left the city gate yet, so Lu Shang quickly got off the cart and stopped him. After a brief greeting, he entrusted Dabao and Lin Zhongwang to him, and thanked Uncle Pang for taking the two children back.
They were going to Wuming Alley, so they sent Xiang Min back.
The house in Wuming Lane is now occupied by Lu Xian's family. They occupy Grandma Lu's original room, and the other three rooms are idle. Except for Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning's rooms, which are not allowed to be entered, the other two can also be used as guest rooms. Sometimes when Lu Guangzong and Lu Yaozu come to town, they stay here.
When the two arrived home, Lu Xian and his friends had just finished dinner. They were surprised to see them come back and hurriedly prepared some food for them.
Lu Shang waved his hand to stop him, and before it got completely dark, he went outside to find a little boy and asked him to go to the brokerage firm to invite the broker to Guanhe Tower for a chat. He and Jiang Wanning also had dinner together.
In the evening, Guanhe Tower is bustling with business.
But in recent years, Lu Shang often came to Guanhelou to discuss business, and because of his relationship with Feng He, the restaurant reserved a private room specifically for him.
Manager Fu welcomed them in and personally escorted them to the private room. Without asking what they needed, he had already arranged the dishes for them, as well as two glasses of fruit wine, one cold and one hot, along with the tea.
Not long after, the broker arrived.
Shopkeeper Fu tactfully said goodbye and left the space to the three of them.
The broker said, "The mountain I found for you is right next to Nanxing Village. There's a government road down the mountain, so it's very convenient to get there. The mountain isn't too high either, so it only takes an hour and a half to get from the foot of the mountain to the top. There's also a small path up the mountain. It's only muddy when it rains, but it's perfectly safe on normal days!"
"But the family selling the mountain is in urgent need of money, so they're asking a higher price. According to the previous price quoted by the brokerage, the mountain could be bought for a maximum of two hundred taels, but this family wants two hundred and twenty taels, and only in cash, payable in full at once."
A twenty-liang premium was still within Lu Shang's acceptable range. He was more concerned: "What about the vegetation on the mountain? Are there any streams or springs?"
"Don't worry, Boss Lu. I've personally visited this mountain! The vegetation on the mountain isn't as lush as other deep mountains, but normal plants do grow there. It's said that in autumn, sweet and sour fruits grow there, and common soapberries are also common."
"Although there's no mountain spring, there's a stream halfway up the mountain. The water is clear and sweet. It runs from halfway down to the foot of the mountain. There are even some fish downstream!"
There are plants and trees, there are mountain streams, and there are fish in the streams, which simply meet all of Lu Shang's requirements.
He controlled his expression, not showing any eagerness. After a long pause, he said, "Then let's go and have a look tomorrow. I originally wanted to go today, but I don't want to come back too late. I'm also worried about the safety of the road, so I decided to wait until tomorrow."
"Okay, okay, I'll come back tomorrow and take you to see it for yourself!"
"That's a good feeling."
After discussing the serious matters, the rest of the time was spent chatting about small things while eating.
The broker had dealt with Lu Shang many times. For example, all the long-term workers' dormitories in Lu's Logistics, whether renting or purchasing, were basically handled by him.
During the meal, the agent introduced several of his new houses. In addition to the one that could be used as a dormitory for long-term workers, there was another one outside Tang Town. "Boss Lu, you may not know that although this house is a bit remote, it is very large and the layout and decoration inside are also elegant. It was once the residence of a retired official. A few years ago, the official passed away, and his children didn't visit often, so they decided to put it up for sale."
"I know that Mr. Lu and his wife have moved to the capital city now. However, compared to Tang Town, every inch of land there is worth a lot of money. If they moved to the capital city, they would not be able to buy the same house without two thousand taels. Ours only costs one thousand four hundred taels! If you buy it and spruce it up, it would be a good place for his wife to escape the summer heat."
No matter how much he talked, this so-called mansion was of no use to Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning. Lu Shang might have been tempted for a moment, but when he saw Jiang Wanning's expression, he realized that the mansion was not as attractive to her as a piece of spicy stir-fried pork ribs, and his interest immediately disappeared.
He replied perfunctorily and calmly changed the subject: "By the way, does the brokerage have any land for sale?"
"But we don't have any land. Land sales must be registered with the government, so we dare not get involved. But if you need it, Boss Lu, I will keep an eye on it for you. If there is any news, I will let you know in the morning!"
Later, the dentist said he was tired. He had been hungry for most of the day and was busy eating to fill his stomach. Only then did he stop nagging.
By the time they had eaten and drunk their fill, the sun had completely set.
Over the years, vendors in the town still closed their stalls as soon as it got dark. Except for a few large restaurants and inns that would light up to welcome customers, the rest of the town was pitch black.
The waiter at Guanhe Tower prepared lanterns for lighting and gave them to Lu Shang and the brothel worker respectively. Shopkeeper Fu came out to see them off, and everyone said goodbye one by one.
After returning to the nameless alley, Ma and the child had already fallen asleep. Only Lu Xian was still waiting at the door. When he saw the light at the entrance of the alley, he hurried over with a lamp.
Lu Xian and Lu Shang have been working there for five years. They started out as laborers and gradually rose through the ranks to become small managers. Now they are in charge of delivering goods in Wuming Lane. They also have seven or eight orders under their command and are in charge of a dozen workers.
The wages of long-term workers in the logistics team are not bad, and the salary will increase if they become managers. In addition, there will be red envelopes as gifts during festivals and holidays, so they can save a lot of money in three to five years.
However, Lu Xian's family has a daughter who suffers from eye disease. Over the years, the money he spent on treating her eyes has been like a bottomless pit that can never be reached.
Lu Shang only asked about the recent business. He was relieved to hear that everything was normal and the permanent and temporary workers had not had any conflicts with the customers.
Then Jiang Wanning asked about his daughter. Lu Xian's daughter is six years old this year and her name is Lu Mingxia. Because of her eye disease, she seldom goes out. Even many of the neighbors in this alley don't know she exists.
Jiang Wanning was silent for a moment, then said, "If it still doesn't work, let's take Mingxia to the provincial capital. It's been several years now. If the doctors in town are effective, even if they can't cure him, there should at least be some hope."
Lu Xian didn't say anything for a long time before he grunted, "Wait a little longer, I'll save some more money..." His back was slightly hunched, and he was obviously a few years younger than Lu Shang, but his face looked more weathered than him, with thick calluses all over his big palms.
Soon they arrived home. Lu Xian had boiled some hot water in advance, brought the basin over, and then said goodbye and went back to his room.
Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning's rooms were not allowed to be entered by anyone, so they were inevitably covered in dust if not occupied for too long. Although Lu Shang often traveled between Tang Town and the provincial capital, he seldom came back here. Most of the time, he would find a nearby farmer's house and pay a little money to stay there for a night.
It was too late, so the two of them didn't tidy up carefully. They just changed the bed with new bedding, opened the window to ventilate, and went to bed hastily.
Jiang Wanning didn't get a good rest last night, and she spent the entire afternoon in the car. Not long after she lay down, her eyelids began to droop. While she was still conscious, she tugged at Lu Shang's sleeve and whispered, "Why don't we take Mingxia to the capital to have a look?"
Lu Shang turned his head and saw that her eyelids closed uncontrollably while she was still talking. He couldn't help laughing: "Let's talk about it tomorrow."
"Then remember this..."
"Okay, go to sleep." Lu Shang turned sideways, stretched out his long arm, and embraced Jiang Wanning in his arms. He also moved the thin quilt to prevent her from waking up due to the heat at night.
No words were spoken that night.
The people in the alley got up early in the morning, including Ma and Lu Xian. The rooster that had lived for several years behind the rockery also started crowing at dawn, making Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning unable to stay in bed and were forced to get out of bed.
Lu Shang first went out to fetch some water, then washed the towels that had not been used in the house for a long time, wrung them dry, and then brought them in.
After they washed up briefly, Jiang Wanning helped him fix his hair crown, tied up his hair with a plain hairpin, and made the bed before walking out.
Probably because they came back, Lu Xian bought two trays of steamed dumplings, one meat and one vegetarian, six sesame cakes and two bowls of soy milk for breakfast today.
There were only sesame cakes in front of him and Ma, and a bowl of porridge so thin that no rice grains could be seen. The remaining dumplings and soy milk were all pushed to Lu Shang and his wife.
Jiang Wanning sat down and asked curiously, "Is Mingxia still awake?"
Lu Xian didn't say anything, so Ma said stiffly, "Yes, she has. Mingxia has a bad temper and is always noisy at the dinner table. I was afraid she would delay Big Brother and Sister-in-law's meal, so I didn't call her out. You and Big Brother eat first, and I'll feed her later."
Jiang Wanning: "...Call them out to eat together, it's okay."
Lu Shang knew that she had softened her heart again, and that she wanted to take the child to the provincial capital last night, probably for the same reason.
Ma was still hesitant until Lu Xian said, "Shout it out." Then Ma moved and hurried back to the house.
However, not long after she entered, she heard a sharp cry from inside the house. The voice of a five or six-year-old girl is the shrillest, and when she screams at the top of her lungs, the sound can be heard from far away. Sure enough, not long after, she heard the neighbor's complaints from the top of the wall: "Is this the girl from the Lu family making trouble again? She makes trouble every few days. They are all surnamed Lu. Why are Mr. Lu and Master Jiang so nice, but his family is..."
There was nothing else to say. Ma just forcibly carried Lu Mingxia out. Jiang Wanning's attention was diverted, so she didn't listen any further.
Instead, Lu Shang glanced to the side and saw Lu Xian lowering his head even deeper, with his hands on his knees, unconsciously clenching into fists.
Lu Mingxia was held by Ma, but he kept struggling, kicking and hitting Ma with his hands and feet, and kept shouting "No, no".
Lu Xian and Ma both looked embarrassed. They only refrained from scolding her because they were concerned about Lu Shang and the other two. However, after putting the child down, Ma couldn't help but slapped her on the head, then said softly, "Stop arguing!"
“...Ahhhh!” The screaming stopped for a moment and then continued again.
Ma had never been able to stop her, so she could only stand aside, her eyes wandering around, her apron full of wrinkles.
At this moment, Jiang Wanning took action.
She ripped the silk flower off her shirt and carefully handed it to Lu Mingxia: "Mingxia, feel it, what is this?"
Something was suddenly stuffed into her hand, and Lu Mingxia's scream became a little weaker, and the next moment, another button was stuffed into her hand.
Just as she was carefully groping for the little thing in her hand, Jiang Wanning squatted beside her, carefully wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said softly, "I'm your aunt. Mingxia, do you still remember me? I brought a small gift for our Mingxia. Mingxia, would you like to come with me to get it?"
Lu Mingxia sat there blankly, her lifeless eyes showing no fluctuation at all. After waiting for who knows how long, she slowly nodded.
Jiang Wanning didn't hug her, but just took her hand and led her into the house little by little.
Ma watched them leave and wanted to follow them, but Jiang Wanning waved her hand to stop her. She could only wait there, looking at Lu Xian at a loss.
Jiang Wanning's behavior was so unexpected that the couple didn't know how to react.
It was Lu Shang who said, "Let's eat first." Only then did the two of them sit down.
Since Jiang Wanning and Lu Mingxia were not around, Lu Xian and Ma were distracted even while eating. Lu Shang pretended not to notice and casually asked, "Has Mingxia always been like this? I remember she loved crying when she was a child."
"No!" Ma denied frantically. After she had said that, she realized she had overreacted and bent down again. "Mingxia, Mingxia isn't always like this. It's just that I called her too quickly and she didn't react. She got scared and started yelling. She's not usually like this..."
Lu Shang didn't mention the complaints he had just heard from the neighbors next door. He just nodded calmly: "So he was scared. No wonder, children are easily frightened. Mingxia can't see, so it's better to be more patient."
"Okay, okay... I'll remember..."
After they finished their meal, Jiang Wanning also came out with Lu Mingxia. The little girl was wearing a patched dress, and a rare smile appeared on her timid face. She now had a pink flower on her head.
Lu Mingxia would stop after taking two steps, touch the flower on his hair, and tug at Jiang Wanning's dress: "Auntie...it looks good..."
"Yes, Mingxia is very beautiful."
Lu Mingxia's transformation shocked Lu Xian and his wife.
Until Jiang Wanning left, Lu Mingxia leaned on her, playing with the silk flowers and buttons in his hands, and then groping to hold Jiang Wanning's hand.
It wasn't until the agreed carriage arrived at the alley entrance and the two had to leave that Jiang Wanning led Lu Mingxia back to Ma's side. She squatted in front of her and explained softly, "Auntie has to go out to do something. Mingxia, is it okay for you to play by yourself?"
Lu Mingxia paused playing with the buttons, a look of confusion appeared on his withered little face, and his eyes were still dim.
Jiang Wanning couldn't bear to watch it, but there was nothing she could do. Finally, she touched her head, stood up and left with Lu Shang.
Lu Xian was responsible for sending them out, and Ma stayed at home because she had to take care of the children.
But as soon as they left, Ma's expression changed immediately.
With a cold expression, she slammed the door shut, then quickly walked back into the courtyard and roughly pulled Lu Mingxia over to her: "What did you do in my aunt's room just now? Did my aunt lift up your clothes to look?"
Lu Mingxia was still immersed in the confusion of his aunt's departure and only remembered the second half of the question: "No, I didn't see it... Auntie gave it to Huahua."
Hearing this, Ma's expression finally eased a bit.
But when she saw Lu Mingxia touching the pink flower on her head again, she somehow became angry and suddenly slapped her hand down and pulled the pink flower off again.
This wasn't enough. Ma snatched the silk flowers and buttons from her hands, threw them far away with all her might, and shouted again, "They're all worthless things! You can only use them to fool a girl like you!"
Lu Mingxia was stunned.
The next moment, a familiar tingling sensation came from her arm, and she opened her mouth to scream.
Ma covered her ears with one hand, and pinched her arm with the other, saying bitterly, "It's all because of you! If it weren't for you, my husband and I wouldn't have lived such a hard life. If it weren't for you..."
"Wa wa--" Lu Mingxia couldn't break free and could only cry even louder.
After an unknown amount of time, Ma's hands suddenly lost their strength. She looked at her crying daughter in panic. In the blink of an eye, she felt her face was wet. She raised her hand and touched it, and it was also covered with tears.
"Mingxia..." She wanted to touch her daughter, but as soon as her hand touched Lu Mingxia, she subconsciously dodged, accidentally tripped on the wooden bench, and fell to the ground.
Ma was startled and rushed over, holding her in her arms, resting her chin on the little girl's shoulder, her voice full of regret: "I'm sorry, Mingxia, I'm sorry... Mother didn't mean to be angry with you, I'm sorry, Mingxia, please don't be angry with me... My Mingxia, why do you have such a miserable life——"
Just as there was crying in the Lu family courtyard, Jiang Wanning and Lu Shang had already left Tang Town in a carriage.
Thinking of what had just happened in Wuming Lane, Jiang Wanning's face was filled with confusion. She couldn't help but express her confusion: "I always feel that there is something wrong with Mingxia..."
"After I brought her inside, I spoke to her, but Mingxia's reaction was very slow, as if she didn't understand. But it was just her poor eyesight that shouldn't happen."
"Some neighbors say she's noisy every now and then, but in the little time I spent with her, I actually thought she was very well-behaved, not like a child who gets easily upset. I accidentally pulled her hair when I was putting flowers on her, but she didn't seem to react. How could she hit and kick her mother just because Ma was yelling?"
There was nothing unusual in what Lu Xian and Ma said, but Jiang Wanning still felt something was wrong. When they left Wuming Lane, she vaguely heard Lu Mingxia crying again, but Lu Xian insisted that he had "heard it wrongly". The carriage was moving in a hurry, so she did not pursue the matter.
Until now, that strange feeling has come to mind again.
Lu Shang held her hand and soothed her, "Perhaps you're worrying too much. Lu Xian and Ma have devoted themselves to the child's eyesight over the years. They don't seem like harsh parents. Besides, if there really was something wrong, the neighbors would have noticed it. Since no one has said anything, it's probably nothing serious. Children are very sensitive, so it's normal for them to have mood swings."
"Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to take her to the capital to see an eye doctor?"
Jiang Wanning nodded and came out of her doubtful mood.
Unexpectedly, Lu Shang said, "Aning, it's not that I'm reluctant to spend the money, but it's too heavy to support a child's entire life. If I hadn't felt sorry for the child, I wouldn't have asked the Lu family to work with me. I can provide him with a way to make money, but if I say give them the money directly..." He shook his head slightly.
"But the money Lu Xian earns is not enough to pay for the child's medical treatment." Jiang Wanning could understand Lu Shang's concerns, but when she thought of Lu Mingxia, she really couldn't bear it.
Lu Shang said, "I'll try to adjust his work content and see how he performs. If he can handle it, a raise won't be a problem, and he'll naturally be able to save more money for the child's medical treatment."
"If you're worried about delaying the process too much, I'll tell Grandma when we get back and ask her to come forward and say she heard about Mingxia's condition and couldn't bear it, so she's willing to pay for the child's medical treatment. We'll diagnose the child first, and then slowly treat him. We'll pay for the diagnosis, but it's just in Grandma's name."
"As for you and me…this isn't appropriate."
If he and Lu Xian were brothers, Lu Shang would not be so roundabout.
But there is also Wang Cuilian between them. Wang Cuilian's miserable end was somewhat caused by him. This is why Lu Shang deliberately kept a distance from the Lu brothers and sisters over the years.
After hearing the explanation, Jiang Wanning expressed her understanding and stopped insisting on rescuing them.
After a moment, she sighed softly: "Listen to your husband. If it is really inconvenient, then forget it. Your side is more important." She knew clearly about the closeness and distance between them.
After talking about Lu Xian's family, Jiang Wanning felt a little heavy in her heart.
Lu Shang lifted the curtain of the carriage. April and May were the time when everything was in full bloom. The roadside was covered with flowers and plants, and there were some wild peaches hanging on the branches, about to fall.
Jiang Wanning hadn't been to the countryside of Tangzhen for a long time, and she felt very curious.
Lu Shang explained to her that these were actually no different from previous years, except that you could occasionally see small houses built on the roadside at the entrance of the village.
"That's Lu's Logistics' transit point. It's usually used for storage, and the farmhands also live there, separated by a wall..."
"See that river over there? That's the river in Gejia Village. But that's upstream, and the water isn't as clear as downstream. Villagers around here often wash their clothes in it."
As they were talking, the carriage soon arrived at Gejia Village.
Lu Qi got the news early and was waiting at the village entrance with Dabao. When he saw the carriage coming, he hurried to greet the two people with Dabao.
Lu Shang asked, "Is the village still delivering goods at this time?"
Lu Qi replied, "Exactly. These are the last few trucks. We were supposed to deliver ducks to Guanhe Tower today, so we were delayed. Ge Ge'er is here too, checking the ducks! Brother Lu, do you want to go in and take a look?"
Lu Shang turned around and asked Jiang Wanning for her opinion: "Do you want to go in and take a look?"
Although Jiang Wanning knew what Lu Logistics was doing, she had rarely seen it in person. "Will it be inconvenient?"
"It's convenient, it's nothing! Sister-in-law, please—" Before Lu Shang could say anything, Lu Xian had already made way and gave Dabao a push, "Hurry and take your teacher to the village to have a look. Be careful not to get bumped into by anyone!"
"Okay!" Dabao responded and ran to Jiang Wanning's side. He had grown very fast in recent years and in a blink of an eye he reached the level of Jiang Wanning's chest.
He couldn't hold Jiang Wanning's hand like he did when they were little, so he could only walk in front of her at a distance, introducing her as he walked: "Teacher, look at that black boy, that's Ge Ge'er! Ge Ge'er has become very famous in recent years. Everyone in the surrounding area knows that he is the full-time veterinarian of Lu Logistics!"
Jiang Wanning remembered Ge Haonan. Looking at him from a distance, he was indeed a tall, thin, black boy. He was holding a booklet in one hand and checking the ducks one by one in the other.
Lu Shang and Lu Qi followed behind them. They didn't say anything about business. Just looking at the two people in front of them, one was his wife and the other was his son, was enough to make them smile.
Lu Qi sighed: "In the blink of an eye, Dabao has grown up so much. If I hadn't asked my sister-in-law for enlightenment, I don't know where he would be now..."
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