Chapter 18 The Moon of Yesteryear
"Even if a wealthier family were to take a liking to you, would you still only want him?"
Ruan Yuan didn't understand why her father asked that question. Did they secretly arrange a marriage for her? Although it was a matter of parental consent and matchmaker's words, she only had one person in her heart now, so naturally she was unwilling.
"Father, this is the only one I'll ever have in my life." It's not a compromise.
Mr. Ruan remained silent, but when Mrs. Ruan brought up the marriage proposal again, he decisively refused. Mrs. Ruan exclaimed in disbelief, "Her father! This is the Qin family's youngest son! If they didn't think he and Xiaoyuan were a good match, why would they even consider him..."
Seeing Mr. Ruan's dark expression, Mrs. Ruan stopped talking and advised, "The Qin family is willing to offer eight hundred silver dollars. You know that Xiaoxue is dating the young master of the Zhang family. She can't be too shabby, or people will look down on her."
"If Xiaoyuan marries into the Qin family, with that eight hundred silver dollars as a guarantee, Xiaoxue won't be looked down upon. Then both sisters will marry into wealthy families, and even when we're old, we'll be able to enjoy a comfortable life."
Mr. Ruan was slightly moved by what he was saying, but when he thought of Ruan Yuan's bright face, he immediately became more determined. "Stop talking. This matter will not work out. Xiao Yuan has suffered enough. We should follow her wishes when it comes to marriage."
Back then, Xiaoxue was still in school, and tuition was expensive. You were also sick, so Xiaoyuan risked everything to earn money. Now she has this reputation. Outsiders look down on Xiaoyuan, but we can't look down on her..."
Ruan's mother smiled and agreed, but in her heart she sneered. If Ruan Yuan didn't go out to sell herself, how could Xiao Xue go to middle school, how could she climb up to the current noble people? How could the old man earn the few coins he could?
That's eight hundred silver dollars!
Although Mr. Ruan told Mrs. Ruan to refuse the marriage proposal, Mrs. Ruan, who never listened to her father, still pretended to comply but disobeyed him this time. After all, she was just a little girl. Since she was able to scheme to send that little girl out to sell herself in the past, she could also coax that girl into going to the Qin family.
Then her Xiaoxue will be able to marry into the Zhang family with a generous dowry.
——
"Bang--"
"Eight rings. Changning's marksmanship is getting better and better."
Zhang Mingyuan clapped his hands. This was a small shooting range, usually used by wealthy young men to practice shooting. Of course, it wasn't just a matter of money; you needed an insider to lead you in.
Because he had invested in the shooting range, Zhang Mingyuan was also one of the unsung owners, so he could naturally bring Xie Ning in.
Seeing Xie Ning skillfully disassemble and reassemble the gun, Zhang Mingyuan wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Xie Ning's method and order of assembly were different, and that his technique was too skilled.
The two were no longer as strangers as they had been at the beginning, so Zhang Mingyuan asked the question that had been bothering him.
Xie Ning rubbed his sore shoulders and said nonchalantly, "Well, you know I studied mechanical engineering, so of course I'm familiar with firearms, it's just that I rarely use them myself."
Then Zhang Mingyuan casually asked a few questions about firearms, and Xie Ning answered them all offhand, appearing very relaxed. But this only made Zhang Mingyuan take it more seriously.
Therefore, their gazes toward Xie Ning were extremely intense. "Are your uncle and aunt really at ease leaving you alone in China?" Such a precious child, yet he was left wandering around outside without even realizing it.
That day, Zhang Mingyuan didn't press for more information, but instead sent his driver to take Xie Ning home.
Fu Zisi looked at the jeep that had brought Xie Ning back and sighed inwardly. It seemed it was time for him to leave, otherwise he would cause Xie Ning a lot of trouble.
"Brother Zisi's injuries haven't fully healed yet, why are you leaving now?" Xie Ning asked, feigning confusion. Of course, she knew why Fu Zisi would choose to leave; she had anticipated this when she gradually revealed her expertise to Zhang Mingyuan.
"I've already caused you too much trouble these past few days," Fu Zisi said after a pause.
"Mr. Xie, please allow me to say one more thing. It is a good thing that the National Army has discovered your expertise in firearms. They will protect you. However, you must not let your guard down. The National Party is deeply entrenched and complex. You are simple-minded, so it is best to be cautious."
If you encounter any problems, please remember to contact us.
Although Mr. and Mrs. Li are honest and cautious, they are ultimately not experienced enough. Should I request the organization to send someone else instead?
Xie Ning's value warrants that they send even better comrades to protect him.
Xie Ning nodded: A simple wolf in sheep's clothing? Or a black sesame dumpling?
"Don't worry, I'll be careful."
He sighed softly as he spoke.
"After today's parting, I don't know when we will meet again. I have nothing to offer you but these words."
If there are kindred spirits who appreciate my talent, I will gladly sing my praises throughout the spring.
We await good news.
The war horn is about to sound, and domestic conflicts will be unified and turned to external forces. It is this that gives Fu Zisi and his team a chance to catch their breath.
Even if the timing is not right, the spark may still ignite, and a single spark can start a prairie fire.
Fu Zisi understood Xie Ning's meaning and became even more determined in his heart.
Not long after Fu Zisi left, a woman named Aunt Liu came to Xie Ning's small building to take care of Xie Ning's daily life, and Xie Ning also received Zhang Mingyuan's invitation as scheduled.
This time, Xie Ning didn't wear his usual long robe. Instead, he wore a well-tailored suit with a white pointed-collar shirt underneath, a tie, and the top two or three buttons were fastened tightly, so as not to appear frivolous.
Wearing black suit trousers that accentuated her straight and long legs, her jet-black hair was tied back with a small black elastic band, with a few wisps of hair peeking out from her forehead, giving her an air of noble elegance.
No one could see even a trace of the little beggar Xie Ning from his past.
Looking at his male reflection in the mirror, Xie Ning sighed softly. Although disguising himself as a man was a bit troublesome, this identity was indeed useful.
It's nothing more than making sure to put on makeup every time I go out, making my soft features more angular, and darkening my skin tone by two shades.
Xie Ning never expected to be able to get so fair-skinned. Even when she deliberately went out in the sun, she couldn't get tanned. In the end, she had to use cosmetics to cover up her original skin tone.
She didn't even overlook the most important Adam's apple. She used silicone that she specially bought from abroad to glue it little by little to her neck, shaping it into the form of an Adam's apple. Then she used makeup to fill in any unnatural parts.
Xie Ning, who wasn't particularly good at makeup to begin with, has transformed into a makeup master through long-term practice. With a little more effort, she could probably earn the title of a disguise artist.
As soon as Xie Ning stepped out, a driver sent by Zhang Mingyuan picked her up and took her directly to the restaurant. Xie Ning thought Zhang Mingyuan would choose a Western restaurant, but she didn't expect it to be a Chinese restaurant.
While it was bustling and noisy outside, the private room was quite quiet.
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