This courtyard was considered a good place for a farmhouse, with earthen walls and a tiled roof. It had three upper rooms, three wing rooms on each side, and three rooms in the back. Xu Lanzhou and Xu Lanting lived in the north and east wing rooms, while the west wing was locked. The kitchen, woodshed, and storage were in the back wing. There was also a banyan tree in the courtyard. In the backyard, there was a latrine, a vegetable patch, and a chicken coop. There had been a few chickens there before, but the original owner had secretly given them to Gu Wangchen for nourishment.
Thinking of the foolish original owner, Xu Lanyin was also angry at her for not fighting for it. She gave this family away and left only this yard and two acres of land. Several people in the family were hungry and cold, Qin was bedridden, and Xu Lanzhou had dropped out of school. The original owner was also beaten severely, but she still had no regrets. On the other hand, the mother and son of the Gu family had food and clothing. Gu Wangchen had money to study, had several sets of silk gowns, and even money to go to the county town to participate in poetry competitions. When you have enough food and clothing, you think about sex. He dared to covet Su Qing, so he must have enough food, water and clothes to eat and warmly, and was planning for a better life in the future.
Eight days ago, Gu Wangchen had traveled to Jinzhou, the provincial capital. Jinzhou was only a little over 200 miles from here, less than two days' journey by oxcart, and the provincial examination wasn't until the eighth day of the following month. He'd gone so early to pay a visit to a renowned scholar at Shizhou Academy and to gather with other students. The visit required gifts, accommodation, and gatherings, all of which had been funded by the original owner.
If you think about it carefully, Gu Wangchen had less interactions with the original owner after he was fourteen years old. Perhaps he had some ideas at that time.
The original owner, naively believing they were grown up and expected to observe proper etiquette, paid no attention to the matter and took any money she saved to the Gu family. Gu Wangchen often excused himself by saying he was studying in his room and refused to see her, instead having his mother, Miao, receive them. The original owner, however, was delighted by Gu Wangchen's diligence...
Xu Lanyin felt that since she was born into this body, she should be nicer to Qin and the two brothers. This would not only atone for the original owner's sins, but also help her gain a better foothold in this world in the future.
In reality, the original owner wasn't vicious or uncaring about her family; she was simply naive, lacking much foresight. She loved Gu Wangchen too much and thought too highly of him. She always assumed he would marry her, that she and her family were temporarily impoverished, and that once she became a successful candidate, her family would be able to live a better life together.
The three people in the room had finished their meal, and they didn't know what stupid idea the silly girl who was working quietly was up to.
The three of them looked at each other for a few seconds. Xu Lanzhou helped Qin into the east room and made her lie down. He came out and put the dishes into the kitchen. Xu Lanting stood under the eaves and stared blankly at the busy silly sister.
After Xu Lanyin finished cleaning the yard, she smiled and called Xu Lanting, "Come here, little brother. I'll wash your face and feet."
Xu Lanting cooperated very well and walked into the yard with his short legs.
Xu Lanyin was delighted; she had finally won the little boy over. As she led him toward the kitchen door, she "heard" his inner voice again, "You silly girl, you thought that just by smiling at me, I'd forget about you secretly selling the land? You're dreaming! Your big snot bubble is so beautiful it's shining with gold..."
She also brought the ability of telepathy here.
Xu Lanyin twitched her lips. Such a young child was already so duplicitous and deep-minded. They were born from the same mother, so how could the original owner be so naive and easily deceived? She shifted her thoughts away; practicing telepathy was exhausting.
Xu Lanyin, using the starlight, filled a wooden basin with hot water and washed the little boy's face and feet. The child was incredibly thin, devoid of any body fat. His tiny paws were like matchsticks covered in skin, and he was severely anemic. The slightest disturbance in his tiny body could kill him. He frequently sought medical attention and took medication.
Xu Lan looked at him with heartache, not caring about his silent curses towards her. Her hands became gentler, and she spoke to her from time to time.
Xu Lanzhou, standing by, initially thought Xu Lanyin was acting strangely, but then suddenly thought of something. He hugged his brother and yelled, "You're not planning on selling me to support Gu Wangchen's studies, are you? If you dare, I'll kill you." He then said softly to his brother, "Remember, never go out alone with that silly girl."
After saying that, he picked up Xu Lanting and left.
When Xu Lanting heard that silly girl had that evil idea, he was so angry that his heart was pounding. He glared and yelled, "Silly girl, if you dare to sell me out, I will let grandma poke you with a needle, like poking the sole of a shoe, until you scream and wail..." He was still making faces when Xu Lanzhou carried him into the east wing.
Xu Lanyin rolled her eyes. Don't say she didn't have that idea. Even if she did, who would buy that little boy's body? Treating his illness would cost more than buying him.
Because of the land sale incident, the family and relatives felt that the original owner would do anything for Gu Wangchen. Now, no matter what the original owner did, they would immediately assume the worst.
Xu Lanyin did not defend herself. The more she spoke, the more mistakes she made. She just worked quietly, established a good image first, and then fought for her rights.
She poured another basin of warm water and wanted to take it to Qin to wash her face.
Xu Lanzhou came out and grabbed the basin and said, "Don't go around in front of mother. It will make her upset and worse." After saying that, he took the basin and went to the upper room.
While Xu Lanyin was washing up, Xu Lanzhou also came out to wash up.
Xu Lanyin remembers her family as being incredibly clean, unlike the villagers who were so slovenly. This was largely due to Qin's good upbringing. She taught them that poverty didn't matter, and patched clothes didn't matter, as long as the house was spotless, and both people and clothes had to be clean and pristine. The siblings would wash their hands immediately after finishing their work, even scrubbing between their fingernails.
They had just finished washing up when they heard the gate of the courtyard open. It was their eldest cousin Xu Dashi.
Xu Dashi is the eldest son of the original owner's great uncle Xu Qingming.
Old Man and Old Lady Xu had two sons and one daughter. Their eldest daughter married far away and might not return home once a year. Before their second son, Xu Qingyan, went out to make his own way, the family was extremely poor, with only two mu of land and a few thatched huts. Later, when their second son earned money, they built a tiled house and bought land, and their lives gradually improved.
Xu Qingming also has two sons and a daughter. His eldest son, Xu Dashi, is 20 years old and married with children. His second son, Xu Ershi, is 14 years old. His eldest daughter, Xu Daya, is 16 years old and got married earlier this year.
The second wife also has two sons and a daughter.
After Xu Qingyan's accident, the old couple and the eldest wife's family still provided a lot of help. Especially when the original owner secretly sold the land, Old Xu was so angry that he vomited blood and is still in poor health. Unwilling to rent out the remaining two acres of land to others, Xu Lanzhou dropped out of school to learn farming on his own, and Xu Qingming and Xu Dashi often went to help or give him advice.
Old Lady Xu would occasionally use her own savings to buy some meat and eggs for her two grandsons. If she were around, Xu Lanzhou and Xu Lanting would eat some, but once she was gone, the food would be saved for the seriously ill Qin. But regardless of whether Old Lady was around or not, the original owner would not get a share.
Xu Dashi didn't enter the house, but only spoke a few words to Xu Lanzhou outside the door. He was saying that Carpenter Tian was going to take his men into the mountains to cut wood tomorrow and had approached him, who in turn recommended Xu Lanzhou. Carpenter Tian agreed and told Xu Lanzhou to bring some dry food and thick clothes with him tomorrow...
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