40 Obscure and Bright
◎The gurgling water and the skipping heart are in harmony◎
When the two men arrived at the county town, the night watchman had just sounded the gong to end the night watch. Hearing the "bang-dang" sound of the gong, Tian Nongxi became deflated.
The night view in the county town is different from that in Tianjia Village, it is very lively.
It was already the hour of Xu, and most of the farmers in Tianjia Village, who had worked hard all day, had already fallen asleep. However, the street vendors in the county town had just hung up their lights, and the night had just begun for them.
One street further ahead is the Zhuang Mansion, but Tian Nongxi's steps are getting slower and slower.
She looked at the noisy crowd unconsciously until a string of candied haws was handed to her.
Wen Tingluan stood at the end of the street where the lights were dim and said, "If you don't want to go, then don't go."
She didn't think Zhuang Xueling would help, but she didn't know her very well. She came here out of fear of delaying others because of her ideas.
If anything happens, she will be blamed for the loss of life.
This pot is too heavy.
After taking a bite of the sugar-coated hawthorn, Tian Nongxi took a firm step and said, "I must go." Even if it would disturb Zhuang Xueling, she had to go.
Standing at the gate of the Zhuang Mansion, Tian Nongxi put on a proper smile and tried to control her mood. When the guard at the gate heard her purpose, his face darkened and he made way for her in a cold and unpleasant manner.
Tian Nongxi smiled: "Thank you, big brother."
The guard curled his lips and mocked loudly with his companions, "Young lady is really a prophet. The Tian family really has the nerve to come here." Although he didn't know the reason for the divorce, he instinctively stood on the side of his young lady. The look in his eyes when he looked at the young girl in front of him did not hide his contempt.
Tian Nongxi still smiled: "Yes, yes."
As the saying goes, "Don't hit a smiling person." Tian Nongxi smiled like a flower, and the guard couldn't mock her anymore, so he opened the door with a cold face.
The girl smiled and thanked him and walked into the room. The man who followed her like a shadow glanced at him indifferently. When he came to his senses and wanted to stop him, the man had already walked away.
He and his companion looked at each other, and neither of them stepped forward to stop it.
The manor was wealthy and brightly lit, with candlesticks placed at regular intervals, making the house as bright as day.
The servants were all dressed in their respective regulations, and even bowed their heads at the same angle. No one paid any attention to the two intruders.
The two were taken to a reception room and waited for a long time but no one came. When Tian Nongxi was bored, a girl in a goose yellow skirt lowered her head and brought in a pot of tea.
While she was pouring tea, Tian Nongxi asked how long they would have to wait.
The girl timidly replied, "The young lady is entertaining guests. The steward will inform you when the reception is over. Don't worry, have a cup of tea and wait."
The reception room is here, where does she entertain guests?
Tian Nongxi nodded, seeming to understand, and smiled brightly, as befitted a guest. "Your house is quite big."
"I'm just working in the Zhuang Mansion..." She said as she bowed and quickly retreated.
Looking at the open door, Tian Nongxi turned to Wen Tingluan, who had been silent the whole time, and asked, "What if the Zhuang family doesn't want to see us?"
Wen Tingluan said as a matter of course, "Go back."
"It's so late." Tian Nongxi held up his chin to his hand and looked at the bright moon outside the door, sighing, "It will be midnight if we walk back. By then, there will be ghosts and wolves howling on the road. Don't scare yourself."
Wen Tingluan smiled brightly, "With a benefactor protecting me, I'm naturally not afraid."
While the two were chatting casually, a burst of applause loud enough to startle everyone in the manor attracted Tian Nongxi's attention.
She and Wen Tingluan looked at each other, then leaned forward to look outside.
On the corridor pavilion not far away, two people were walking side by side.
A woman in gorgeous clothes walked a little faster, her hair full of pearl hairpins sparkled in the moonlight, and the "ding-ling-ling" music echoed in the corridor.
It was Zhuang Xueling. The moonlight illuminated her anxious and angry face, which was very different from her usual appearance.
The man walking on her right followed her slowly. His figure was familiar but his face was unclear.
The man was still talking, his sharp voice carried by the rippling lake water to the living room, "Miss Zhuang's husband is dead. Well, he's not dead yet. Miss Zhuang's husband is dying. It's so sad to hear this and it makes anyone cry."
"If you have nothing else to do, get out of here."
"Something's wrong. Are you still in need of a husband?"
Before she could hear a reply, the two of them had already walked into the living room, and Zhuang Xueling walked in, lifting the layered hem of her skirt.
She first knelt and bowed, then stood aside after hearing Tingluan exempted her from the formalities, smiling and nodding at Tian Nongxi.
The flickering candlelight in the Zhuang Mansion finally illuminated the man who had just been blocked. Jing Wenshu appeared with a smile on his handsome face with five bright red fingerprints.
As an official of the current dynasty, he naturally had to kowtow when facing the prince, so he smoothed his clothes and was about to kneel. After being interrupted by a faint "No need", he clasped his hands together and bowed.
The slap mark on Jing Wenshu's face was swollen and abnormally purple-red, which was particularly obvious on his fair face. Tian Nongxi felt a dull pain on his face when he saw it.
Wen Tingluan acted as if he hadn't seen anything and asked them to sit down.
After some pushing and shoving, Zhuang Xueling and Jing Wenshu sat down in the guest seats opposite.
There were four people in the room, but the main seat was empty.
Zhuang Xueling dignifiedly invited Wen Tingluan to sit down. After being rejected, she stopped talking and the room fell silent for a short time.
Tian Nongxi and Jing Wenshu, who was sitting diagonally opposite them, accidentally looked at each other and both smiled awkwardly.
She didn't expect that Zhuang Xueling also knew Wen Tingluan's identity, and was shocked by the atmosphere between Zhuang Jing and the other two just now. Her eyes turned around several times, and she looked at the three people in the room with an incredible expression.
Just as she was racking her brains for words, Zhuang Xueling took the initiative to speak: "Since Second Mother has asked me to help you, my Zhuang family will definitely do our best."
Tian Nongxi looked at Zhuang Xueling sincerely and said, "Second... Miss Zhuang, I want to talk to you."
After she finished speaking, she glanced at Wen Tingluan beside her and nodded firmly.
Wen Tingluan stood up and left without saying a word, and Jing Wenshu followed him with his face covered.
After the two figures disappeared, Tian Nongxi stood up and sat on the chair next to Zhuang Xueling.
She took out Zhuang Xueling's golden lotus hairpin and property deed from her bosom and placed them on the pear blossom wood table between them.
"Ms. Zhuang, I came to you today to return the things you gave me."
"I accepted this priceless hairpin and land deed because my young ancestor was adopted. Now that you and my second uncle have divorced, and he is no longer a member of the Zhuang family, I naturally cannot accept these valuable items."
Zhuang Xueling's hands were still hidden in her long sleeves, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, "No need, this is just a drop in the ocean for my Zhuang family, it's no problem to give it to you."
Tian Nongxi shook his head. "If my second uncle hadn't been unfaithful and corrupt, I might have accepted these without any psychological burden. But now... even if this doesn't mean anything to the banker, I shouldn't take it."
Zhuang Xueling nodded, "I will help with your brother's matter."
She added, "I am only a few years older than you, so there is no need to address you."
"You can rest here today. Tomorrow, go to Li's Pharmacy and find the owner. Tell her about your brother's condition and she will treat him according to her method."
Tian Nongxi thanked him and said some words of gratitude for letting bygones be bygones.
She knew these words were useless, but what Tian Nong Le did to Zhuang Xueling was really too much. It was good enough to have a direction this time.
Zhuang Xueling replied listlessly, and Tian Nongxi felt that she had wasted too much of her time, so she wanted to leave.
As soon as she stood up, Zhuang Xueling suddenly spoke.
"Second Mother, your second uncle is dying. Do you hate me?"
"I am the one who caused you trouble. Of all the people in the Tian family, I feel guilty towards you alone."
Tian Nongxi turned her head to look at Zhuang Xueling who was sitting alone. She had delicate makeup on, and even though it was already night, the lip balm at the corners of her lips was still spotless. The stacked pearl hairpins seemed to be suffocating her, and her beautiful but haggard face looked lifeless.
After a slight sound of clothes rubbing against each other, Tian Nongxi sat back in his seat.
The quiet night was too gentle, and the raging emotions broke out.
Zhuang Xueling's hand, which had been hidden in her sleeve, finally emerged. She casually pulled off the complicated pearl hairpin on her head and pinched her nose bridge as if relieved of a burden.
"I'm sorry, I've been deliberately ignoring you."
"That evening, you came alone to tell me the truth. I'm actually very grateful. Even though I've known this for a long time, it's hard to have no one to tell. It's also hard to have your scars exposed. You probably haven't known about it for long, right? Why did you... come to tell me?"
She stopped talking there and abruptly changed the subject.
"Throw away all your grandma's medicine."
Tian Nongxi's pupils trembled slightly, and he pinched himself imperceptibly, trying to lock the doubts deep in his throat.
"……good."
The traceable details now formed a dense thread, leading her to the hidden truth.
Tian Nongxi suddenly began to thank Huang for his stubbornness.
At least this saved her own life, her precious grandson's arm, and the few ounces of silver that her insignificant granddaughter had earned with her sweat.
She raised her lips to say goodbye, and Zhuang Xueling chased her out and asked her to stay at the Zhuang Mansion for one night.
The two men sitting in the pavilion looked over, and one of them replied loudly, "Excellent."
Soon, Jing Wenshu discovered that the remaining three people had already left him behind.
The person in the center of sight is Tian Nongxi, and Tian Nongxi is looking at Wen Tingluan.
But after a moment, she turned to Zhuang Xueling and said with a smile, "Okay, thank you for your help."
Wen Tingluan didn't mind. She was exhausted both physically and mentally and also wanted to save money.
Zhuang Xueling personally led the way and took them to the water pavilion a few miles away.
The small bridge, flowing water and houses are like an ink painting.
She saw that Tian Nongxi was tired, so she left without disturbing him too much.
After washing up, Tian Nongxi followed the people back to the assigned room.
Too many things happened today. She was originally sore and weak all over and just wanted to fall asleep as soon as possible. However, after washing up, she suddenly had a "last breath of light". She felt relaxed and refreshed all over. Even the rockery in the pond looked more beautiful.
The inexplicable day was finally coming to an end. Tian Nongxi hummed a song and said goodbye to the maid, watching the girl in the ruqun walking away in small steps.
She waved goodbye and was about to close the door when a man approached from the winding corridor on the other side.
Tian Nongxi placed both his hands on the crack of the door and said, "Go to bed early."
She thought for a moment, then smiled slyly on the half of her face that was exposed. "I'm going to do something big tomorrow."
Wen Tingluan seemed to know what she was going to do, or rather, he nodded in agreement with whatever she wanted to do. He chuckled softly and said, "Okay."
A figure as tall as a pine tree stood at the door waiting for her to leave first. Tian Nongxi gently closed the door, and the gurgling water echoed with her skipping heart.
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