Chapter 23 (Three-in-One)
Song Luoning frowned slightly: "Husband, what are you doing?"
A familiar voice came from behind. Xiao Yu turned his head and saw that the person was bright-eyed. He blinked and quickly put down the blue bricks and walked to the low wall: "Wife, why did you come out? It's windy outside today. Are you dressed warmly? I put breakfast on the table. Did you see it?"
Song Luoning smiled and asked, "I saw it. Did something happen outside?"
Xiao Yu nodded, but not wanting her to worry, she downplayed the matter, saying, "Actually, it's nothing serious, just a few bricks were lost. Don't worry, I've already sent Ziyi to report it to the authorities. You should go back inside quickly, it's windy outside, don't catch a cold. Also, you might have to take your medicine a little later this morning."
Seeing her concern, Song Luoning was taken aback. She looked up, her beautiful eyebrows furrowing slightly before lowering them again. A feeling she couldn't quite describe welled up inside her, as if a jumble of emotions had been stirred up, a mixture of flavors that she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Even at this moment, she still had the mind to worry about whether she had taken her medicine.
After a while, Song Luoning snapped out of her jumbled thoughts and looked up at her.
His eyes were clear, and the worry in them was genuine.
Song Luoning hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's alright if I miss one dose of medicine. Husband, you can go about your business first."
Even though she takes medicine every day, her illness hasn't improved. What would happen if she skipped a meal?
A sense of melancholy washed over me.
Springtime is windy, and when a gust of wind came, her thin body looked even more frail. Seeing this, Xiao Yu's heart tightened. Forget about the blue bricks, he used one hand to push himself up and jumped over the low wall back into the courtyard.
He stepped forward, took Song Luoning's wrist, and said as he walked into the house, "Have you not eaten yet? Eat first. I'll take care of things here for a while and ask Chen Yu to keep an eye on things. I'll go to the county town to get medicine and I'll be back soon."
Completely ignored, Chen Yu was almost speechless with shock: "..."
She awkwardly touched her nose, then suddenly remembered herself. Just now, seeing her like that, she thought she had forgotten about her, especially in front of a young, unmarried woman like herself. Was it really appropriate for her to be so affectionate with him?
Chen Yu blushed, pouted, and glanced to the side, preferring to ignore it.
"Mmm." Song Luoning pursed her lips. The burning heat of the person in front of her seemed to penetrate the thick cotton padding and scorch her wrist. She resisted the urge to pull away and let her help her into the house, where she sat down at the round table.
His gaze followed her the whole time.
Xiao Yu picked up the wooden basin from the washstand, went out to fetch a basin of clean water, soaked and wrung out a towel, and prepared to wipe Song Luoning's face.
Song Luoning stiffened, dodged her hand, and looked at her with a slight frown.
Does she even know what she's doing? How can she be allowed to act so recklessly in such an intimate situation?
Song Luoning blushed, her expression hardening. Her blushing cheeks showed no trace of dignity, but rather a coquettish reproach.
“Husband, Luo Ning can do it herself.” Taking the handkerchief from Xiao Yu’s hand, Song Luo Ning lowered her eyes, avoiding Xiao Yu’s gaze, and continued, “Luo Ning can do these things herself, there’s no need to trouble you, husband.”
How can it be considered a hassle?
Xiao Yu pursed her lips, ultimately not daring to argue, a slight pity crossing her heart.
After Song Luoning finished wiping her face, Xiao Yu skillfully took the towel and draped it over the wooden basin, then turned around and handed her mouthwash.
Just as Song Luoning was about to reach out to take it, Xiao Yu dodged her.
"......"
Xiao Yu's eyes lit up: "Don't move, I'll do it."
Xiao Yu held the cup to Song Luoning's lips with expectant eyes. Seeing that she didn't move, he couldn't help but urge her, "Wife, don't just stand there. My arm will get sore from holding it up for a while."
Song Luoning was so angry she wanted to laugh. The blush on her face was indistinguishable between anger and embarrassment. She closed her eyes and held back, too lazy to continue arguing with her about this issue. After hesitating for a moment, she lowered her head slightly, took a sip of water, rinsed her mouth, spat it back into the cup, and when she looked up again, her expression had returned to normal.
Her eyes sparkled: "Thank you, my lord. Actually, I can handle these little things myself. You don't need to do this."
Xiao Yu raised her eyebrows slightly, in a very pleasant mood. She put down the cup in her hand and lifted the ceramic bowl covering the food. There was a cold bamboo shoot salad, half a bowl of white porridge and a boiled egg.
"I'll have something light for breakfast, and I'll make you something else for lunch," Xiao Yu said with a smile, skillfully handing over chopsticks.
Song Luoning pursed her lips without speaking, took the chopsticks, afraid that she would have to be fed again if she was late. Her fingertips holding the chopsticks turned slightly white. She paused, picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and put it in the corner of her mouth, chewing it carefully.
This lecher is truly shameless.
Seeing her pick up her chopsticks, Xiao Yu simply stopped doing anything and sat there gazing at her intently.
Song Luoning's breath hitched, as if burned by her gaze. She then lowered her eyes, her eyes shimmering, her face flushing red, before slowly turning into embarrassment and annoyance.
This lecher is not only shameless, but also has no sense of propriety.
Song Luo Ning pondered how to get rid of the person; if this continued, she feared she would become a slut.
"What are you doing? It'll get cold soon," Xiao Yu urged, her eyes bright and blinking.
Song Luoning gripped her chopsticks tightly, bit her lip, responded softly, and put a bite of food into her mouth.
"My lord, you may go and attend to your business."
"Hmm, no rush."
Unfortunately, the person in front of me had no sense of self-awareness at all. Not only did they not leave, but their gaze became even more intense, their peach blossom eyes burning as if they were about to set me on fire.
But there was nothing they could do.
Song Luoning subconsciously clenched her palms, closed her eyes, and forced herself to finish eating.
Seeing that she had finished eating, Xiao Yu pursed his lips and finally looked away. Only then did he remember that there were still things waiting for him to deal with outside. He couldn't stay with the young lady any longer, and he felt a little disappointed. He looked at Song Luoning with reluctance in his eyes and said, "Wife, I'll go out and take a look first. You should rest well. Call me if you need anything."
After saying that, he got up and started clearing the dishes.
Song Luoning turned her face away, hearing the sound of a door opening and then footsteps fading into the distance. Her beautiful eyes were lowered, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
Xiao Yu put the dishes and chopsticks into the kitchen, then went to the open space. "Did you find a problem?" Xiao Yu asked.
Chen Yu pouted, used a twig to pick at the trampled dry grass on the ground, and looked up, speechless.
The problem has been discovered, and it's significant!
I always thought Xiao Yu was a spendthrift, maybe because she didn't have a wife before, so I didn't realize it. But now I see that she is actually a womanizer who values men over women.
Seeing his appearance just now, she almost thought her brother had been bewitched, but thankfully he returned safely.
Xiao Yu approached, examining the withered grass she was stirring, but couldn't discern anything. He asked in confusion, "You've been staring at this place, did you discover something?"
"Just looking around." Chen Yu straightened up, tossed aside the branch in her hand, and said irritably, "Didn't find anything, but you..."
Chen Yu chuckled inwardly.
? !
What's the meaning?
Xiao Yu was bewildered.
Chen Yu was speechless again, staring at her for a long time before saying in a low voice, "You care a lot about your wife." If only you cared more about your mother and sister.
"Hmm?" Upon hearing her mention it, Xiao Yu instantly remembered something important, and her brows furrowed slightly: "I almost forgot about it if you hadn't mentioned it."
Chen Yu thought she had remembered some clue, so he leaned closer and asked anxiously, "Did you remember something?"
"Hmm, the medicine for my wife hasn't been brought over yet. I should have known better than to let Ziyi go to the county town. I could have gone to Mingshantang first and then reported to the authorities. It wouldn't have taken up much time."
Sending Chen Ziyi was a mistake.
Xiao Yu looked annoyed.
When he comes back, I'll have to make another trip to the county town.
"..." Look what she said! Chen Yu's expression changed, and she glared at Xiao Yu with a look that was hard to describe. She wanted to laugh, but she couldn't.
"Hmm?" Xiao Yu blinked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"..." Chen Yu rubbed her forehead, mimicking Jiang Wanrou's habit, to hide her expression. She couldn't very well explain that she felt both gratified and a little jealous.
Well, she's learned something new today. Chen Yu wisely shut her mouth and shook her head.
Then I thought again, oh well, as long as she's not out fooling around, I'll let her be.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Xiao Yu ignored her and bent down to continue observing the withered grass on the ground. This open space had been neglected for many years, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of withered grass. If it hadn't been cleaned up yesterday when they were hauling bricks, no one would have come here. This time, apart from the tire tracks, there were no footprints at all.
It seems that trying to determine the thief's height by looking at footprints won't work. Oh well.
Since no clues could be found, Xiao Yu simply started counting the number of blue bricks so that there wouldn't be any panic when the government officials came. Chen Yu saw her counting and stood quietly to the side.
At this moment, Song Luoning also came out of the house. Chen Yu glanced at Xiao Yu and, seeing that she hadn't noticed them, walked over with a smile and took Song Luoning's arm: "Are you feeling better, sister-in-law?"
"Hmm, it's nothing serious." Song Luoning chuckled and stopped behind Xiao Yu with Chen Yu.
Xiao Yu heard the sound, turned around, and saw Song Luoning, his eyes lighting up.
Chen Yu wanted to say a few more words, but Xiao Yu interrupted her, "Wife, why don't you rest for a while?" So she had to shut up reluctantly.
The neglected Chen Yu: "..."
Song Luo Ning's eyebrows curved slightly as she approached: "Luo Ning is fine. Lying down for so long is actually making me uncomfortable. What are you doing, husband?"
“Let me count the remaining bricks so we know how many are missing. That way, the officials can investigate more quickly when they arrive.” Xiao Yu stepped forward, subtly took Song Luo Ning’s hand, ignored Chen Yu, and pulled Song Luo Ning to the other side.
Chen Yu: "......" What did she do to deserve this dog food?
Song Luoning nodded, withdrew her hand, and asked again, "Any clues?"
Xiao Yu sighed with a bitter face: "Not yet, but we have suspects. We have to wait for the officials to arrive before we can search."
Song Luoning glanced around and her gaze landed on the thorns beside the blue bricks: "Husband."
"Hmm?" Xiao Yu followed her gaze and saw a gray thread hanging from the thorns.
"Did any of the people who helped yesterday have their clothes torn?" Song Luoning asked.
Xiao Yu's eyes lit up, and she walked over to remove the loose thread: "This loose thread looks very new. It must have been left yesterday. If not, it must have been left by the thieves."
Song Luoning nodded: "Did you notice their clothing yesterday, my lord?"
Xiao Yu was taken aback. Many people wore clothes of this color. Except for rich people who wore brightly colored clothes, most people in the village wore drab gray clothes. Who would notice what color clothes someone wore? Besides, she wasn't familiar with those people.
Xiao Yu frowned deeply, and after a long while lowered her head: "I don't quite remember."
Song Luo Ning understood immediately: "Husband, do you remember the color of the clothes the suspect was wearing?"
Xiao Yu thought for a moment and said, "He is definitely wearing this color of clothes!" His bright eyes flickered slightly, and he praised her without reservation, "My wife is so smart. I searched here for a long time without any clue, but as soon as my wife came, she found the clue immediately."
Chen Yu: "..."
I couldn't help but twitch the corner of my mouth. Were they serious?
I feel like an outsider, someone who shouldn't be here.
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar, growing louder as they approached.
The three of them looked over at the same time. A pretty and flamboyant young girl jumped off her horse and turned around to help another woman with a cool and aloof look down from her horse. The two of them walked over together.
"Xiao Yu, can't you pay a little more attention to your own affairs? I have to come all the way here to find you myself," the girl complained as she approached.
The young girl's eyes were bright and lively. Her gaze fell on the woman beside Xiao Yu, and she was secretly surprised: "Xiao Yu, is this your wife?"
She's quite good-looking. I originally thought that someone who would be interested in Xiao Yu probably wouldn't be that good-looking, but I was wrong...
The girl clicked her tongue and opened her mouth as if to continue, but the woman with a cold expression squeezed the girl's wrist slightly.
"Why are you pinching me?" Jiang Xiaolin frowned. "I'm just curious. Is there something wrong with his wife's eyes? Since you're here, you can take a look."
Chen Yu: "???"
Song Luoning chuckled softly.
Xiao Yu: "..."
She was really rude!
What kind of manners could she expect from a little tyrant? Xiao Yu ignored her and greeted Jiang Zijin: "Dr. Jiang, have you figured it out yet?"
Jiang Zijin nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Xiaolin interrupted her, "Xiao Yu, didn't you hear me talking to you?"
That spendthrift Xiao Yu actually dared to ignore her!
Is it because she's been away from the village for too long that she's forgotten her own name?
Jiang Xiaolin was about to continue speaking when a faint female voice suddenly came from beside him: "If you still want to come to the county town with me, you'd better shut up."
His words were full of threats.
Jiang Xiaolin was unconvinced. She pouted, glanced at the aloof woman, and obediently shrank back.
Seeing that she had finally calmed down, Jiang Zijin smiled and said calmly, "To be honest, my father has already examined that pill. It does indeed have the effect of invigorating qi and nourishing blood. Young lady, you can take it."
It's safe to take!
Xiao Yu's eyes lit up, and she asked, "Does taking this pill mean I don't need to get any other medicine?"
This is something you absolutely must ask about. Ideally, it shouldn't be necessary, as this would save you a lot of money. Besides, you might trigger other quests during this time...
etc!
The system rewards seem to be related to medicine for every task.
Xiao Yu felt something was off, lingering in her mind. She looked at Song Luoning, and the strange feeling intensified, but she couldn't figure out what was wrong. She didn't have time to think about it now, so she looked at Jiang Zijin.
Jiang Zijin nodded.
On the other side, Chen Ziyi rode quickly to the county town. As soon as he entered the county government office, he met a yamen runner and explained the whole story to him.
The constable yawned and said impatiently, "Wait outside for a moment. Officer Liang is here today. I'll go and call her for you."
Chen Ziyi rubbed his hands and thanked them repeatedly. The yamen runners were used to this kind of thing. They waved and went into the inner hall. After a short while, a woman dressed in a tight-fitting outfit with her hair tied up high came out, followed by two yamen runners.
The woman looked him over and asked, "Did you report the incident?"
Chen Ziyi bowed and said, "Yes, may I ask who you are...?"
The woman nodded, signaling him to continue.
Chen Ziyi was unaware of the woman's identity and hesitated.
At this moment, the constable behind the woman stepped forward: "This is our constable Liang. Hurry up and tell us the whole story again in detail."
Chen Ziyi dared not hide anything and told them everything he knew.
He also mentioned the suspect again.
After a moment of contemplation, Liang Chengqiu said to Chen Ziyi, "Suspicion alone is useless; we need to provide evidence."
"This..." Chen Ziyi was speechless. On the one hand, he really couldn't produce any evidence and was only guessing. On the other hand, he rarely came into contact with these officials and was somewhat nervous. When questioned like this, he simply couldn't give a coherent answer.
Liang Chengqiu glanced at him, then turned and gave a few instructions to the yamen runners. One of them hurriedly ran into the county yamen and soon returned to report: "Boss, I've spoken to the clerk."
Liang Chengqiu nodded and said to Chen Ziyi, "Lead the way."
Without waiting for Chen Ziyi to speak, he jumped onto his horse first, and the others followed suit. Chen Ziyi walked in front, and they arrived at Chenjia Village together.
From afar, they could see several people standing in an open space. Liang Chengqiu jumped off his horse, handed the reins to the constable behind him, and said to Chen Ziyi, "Is this the place?"
Chen Ziyi quickly agreed, leading his horse and following closely behind Liang Chengqiu. Even looking up at Liang Chengqiu, he felt a sense of pressure.
Despite being a woman, Liang Chengqiu's slightly somber expression suggested she was not someone to be trifled with. Chen Ziyi avoided her altogether, given her status.
Liang Chengqiu approached and glanced at the group without making a sound.
Clearing his throat, the group looked over at the same time. Jiang Xiaolin paused, then was the first to react, instinctively tugging at the corner of his mouth: "You even reported it to the authorities?"
She naturally recognized Liang Chengqiu; they had dealt with each other frequently. He was ruthless and cold-blooded, and she had been the one to intervene in several fights.
He was one of the people she didn't want to see.
It wasn't appropriate to pretend not to know her right now, so Jiang Xiaolin chuckled awkwardly. Jiang Zijin pulled her back, shook her head at her, and Jiang Xiaolin obediently shut her mouth, turning her pretty face away with a haughty expression.
Liang Chengqiu's gaze swept past her and landed precisely on Xiao Yu: "Are these blue bricks yours?"
"Yes, I was short 132 yuan this morning," Xiao Yu said truthfully.
Liang Chengqiu didn't speak again, but looked around with a sullen face. After a long while, he straightened up and asked, "How did you and Chen Ergou get into a fight?"
How did the argument start?
Naturally, it was because the original owner had given those fair-weather friends too much face before, and when she suddenly stopped indulging them, she felt a sense of loss and threatened herself a few times.
She couldn't talk about her past with the original owner of the body. After thinking it over, Xiao Yu said, "I used to play with Chen Ergou a lot, but later I reformed and didn't want to play with him anymore. He came to me, and I didn't agree, so we argued for a bit."
"that's all?"
"Hmm." What else?
"A few words of argument alone cannot be used as evidence."
“We also found this here.” Xiao Yu handed the silk thread from the thorns to Liang Chengqiu.
Liang Chengqiu pondered for a moment: "Has anyone else been here before?"
Xiao Yu recounted the names of everyone who had been there: "Chen Ergou should have been among the people wearing this color yesterday."
Liang Chengyu remained silent for a moment, then said to the constable behind him, "Go and inquire about Chen Ergou."
The constable received his orders and hurriedly left. He returned shortly afterward, panting, followed by several burly men.
One of them was an old acquaintance, and Liang Chengqiu frowned as he stared at the group.
The constable explained, "Boss, I ran into a few people as soon as I got to the village entrance. When I asked them, I found out they were looking for Chen Ergou to collect a debt. Chen Ergou owes gambling debts and said they were sent to Xiao Yu, who is his brother."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu was shocked. This Chen Ergou actually wanted her to pay off his debts. If she hadn't reported it to the authorities today, wouldn't these people have come looking for trouble for her?
They really thought the original owner was a sucker.
"Officer Liang, I've already made myself clear to you. I haven't had any dealings with Chen Ergou for a long time. You have to stand up for me!" Xiao Yu said with a bitter face.
The gambling den leader protested again: "He said you would pay his debts for him, and today's money..."
Liang Chengqiu was displeased. He raised his hand and used his long sword to block the group of people, looking at them coldly.
They had all witnessed Liang Chengqiu's skills and dared not mess with him. Moreover, he was a government official, so they awkwardly took a step back: "Officer Liang, what do you think we should do about this?"
"Go find whoever owes you money. Why are you trying to get it from Chen Ergou now?" Jiang Xiaolin couldn't stand it anymore and snorted coldly.
The gambling den leader choked. Although their business wasn't doing very well, they knew that every wrong had its perpetrator and every debt its debtor. Naturally, they had to find the creditor in this matter. Since they were in the wrong and there were officials present, they reluctantly shut their mouths.
Jiang Xiaolin was about to say something more, but Jiang Zijing glared at him and he shut his mouth. "Why are you taking so long to handle a case? We'll know once you arrest him and put him in the interrogation."
I'm so angry!
She wouldn't have tolerated her if it weren't for the fact that the two families had a relationship.
The others didn't have time to notice the two people's subtle actions.
Liang Chengqiu paused for a moment. If what Xiao Yu said was true, then Chen Ergou was the most suspicious.
He led the people from the gambling den to Xiao Yu's place. Was he planning to run away? Liang Chengqiu was startled and hurriedly said, "Lead the way to Chen Ergou's house."
The group headed straight for Chen Ergou's house.
The yamen runners knocked on the door for a long time, but no one came out to open it.
Liang Chengqiu reacted quickly, kicking the door open, and saw Chen Ergou carrying a bundle on his back with one leg already out of the back window.
"Well, you Chen Ergou, you actually dared to cheat us." The people from the gambling den were the first to step forward and pull the man down.
Seeing that he couldn't escape, Chen Ergou was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground, crying and wailing pitifully.
This whole scene stunned the debt collectors. Even they, seasoned by experience, were taken aback by seeing a grown man crying like that...
How so?
Many people cry because they can't pay off their gambling debts, but this is the only one who hasn't.
Everyone present stared at him blankly. Perhaps exhausted from crying, Chen Ergou's voice grew softer and softer. He looked up and saw Xiao Yu in the crowd, then turned his attention to Xiao Yu: "Brother Xiao, you must save me. I know you have money now, but you can't just abandon me. I'm your best brother. If you don't help me, they'll beat me to death."
"......"
Good grief! He actually dared to try and morally blackmail her.
Why should she pay back the money for him when she has the money herself? She's even hoping Chen Ergou gets arrested, so why would she pay back the money for him?
Xiao Yu: "Chen Ergou, don't talk nonsense. Even if I had money now, why should I help you pay it back? Don't talk about brothers." She pointed to a corner of the yard: "If we were really brothers, we wouldn't have stolen my bricks."
After saying that, he turned around and bowed to Liang Chengqiu: "Officer Liang, now that the person has been caught red-handed, you must do justice for me."
Chen Ergou: "......"
“Who said those were your bricks? Those were…” he retorted, “I bought them myself.”
Xiao Yu didn't waste any more words with him and said calmly, "Officer Liang, I threw away a total of 132 bricks. If there are exactly 132 of those blue bricks, it can prove that those bricks are mine."
Chen Ergou was stunned. Who could count bricks so clearly? He didn't even count how many bricks he had moved. He only knew that he was covered in sweat from exhaustion.
On second thought, perhaps she was trying to trick him? He couldn't fall for it: "Why should she assume I stole it just because she said a number?"
Liang Chengqiu stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve, saying in a deep voice, "Plus this tear in your clothes, you must have torn it while stealing bricks last night. Someone, take him away."
Chen Ergou was completely stunned. When he came to his senses, he rushed to Xiao Yu's side, hugged Xiao Yu's leg, and cried loudly, "Brother Xiao, I know I was wrong. Please save me. I don't want to go to jail. Please save me. If you're willing to save me, I promise I'll take you with me every time I go out to play."
Xiao Yu: "..."
"To hell with him, who wants to play with him? She's not the original owner of this body." Xiao Yu kicked Chen Ergou away and subconsciously looked at Song Luoning.
Song Luoning's expression was indifferent as she glanced at her legs, feeling a chill run down her spine.
Fearing she might misunderstand, Xiao Yu quickly explained, "My wife, I may have been playful before, but I've truly reformed now. You have to believe me, I really don't want to play with him anymore."
Song Luoning nodded lightly and hummed in agreement.
Xiao Yu wasn't sure if Song Luoning believed her, but since she wasn't saying anything at the moment, she turned around and thanked Liang Chengqiu.
Liang Chengqiu frowned slightly: "The person has been caught, but as the plaintiff, Young Master Xiao still needs to come with me to the yamen to settle the case."
Is it that complicated?
Xiao Yu, not wanting to cause trouble, nodded: "Officer Liang, could you let me make some arrangements first?"
"Okay, see you at the village entrance in a bit." After saying that, Liang Chengqiu had his men grab Chen Ergou and walk towards the village entrance.
Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief and held Song Luo Ning's wrist: "Wife, I'll take you home first, and I'll explain to you when we get back."
Song Luoning didn't say anything, and with her support, Jiang Zijin took Jiang Xiaolin and left first. The remaining task was to retrieve the blue bricks that Chen Ergou had stolen. Xiao Yu originally wanted to wait for her to come back before retrieving them, but Chen Ziyi took the initiative to do so.
Xiao Yu thought about it and decided that this was a good idea. It wouldn't be right to leave the blue bricks with Chen Ergou, and she would have to pay Chen Ziyi for building the new house. She would definitely write it down in the ledger today, as she didn't like owing favors.
After seeing everyone off, Xiao Yu took out a Qi-replenishing pill from his pocket and handed it to Song Luoning.
"One pill a day, just delivered by Dr. Jiang."
It's not that she doesn't want to tell the truth, but if the young lady asks, what should she say? Tell the truth? She'll probably be seen as either crazy or a monster. To be on the safe side, it's better not to say anything.
Song Luoning frowned, staring at Xiao Yu, thinking to herself: This scoundrel, he just changed his opinion of her and now he's trying to fool me again. Does he think I'm deaf or blind? I heard everything she said to Doctor Jiang clearly.
It's clearly this lecherous man's medicine.
Song Luoning's expression changed several times, her fingertips turning white as she held the medicine in her hand, and she chuckled softly, "Thank you, husband."
He was definitely laughing out of anger.
This lecherous man is taking advantage of her.
Song Luo Ning closed her eyes. Now she was indebted to the lecherous man. She was certain that she had overthought things before. Although he was lustful, at least he didn't have any bad intentions.
Giving a little money is acceptable.
Seeing that Song Luoning wasn't angry, Xiao Yu prepared to go to the county government office to close the case.
"Wait a minute," Song Luoning called out to her.
Why did the young lady suddenly call him? Xiao Yu turned his head in confusion: "Wife, is there anything else?"
"..." Song Luoning pursed her lips into a straight line, paused for a long time, and then said, "Husband, you should change your clothes before you go."
Xiao Yu was puzzled.
Song Luo Ning closed her eyes, her mind filled with the image of Chen Er Gou hugging Xiao Yu's leg, and she said unhappily, "Husband's clothes are dirty. You should dress cleaner when you go to the county government."
It seemed to make sense. Xiao Yu nodded as if she understood, turned back into the house, picked out one of the two new outfits, and stared at Song Luoning.
Seeing that she was staring at her without making a move, Song Luoning urged, "Husband, you'd better hurry up."
"Ahem..." Xiao Yu scratched her head, her face slightly red, feeling a little awkward. Although she had feelings for her, being stared at while she changed clothes made her feel shy, even though she was a girl.
He hesitated for a moment: "Wife, could you turn around?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Song Luoning's face flushed red, and she turned her back. Who wanted to see this lecherous man changing his clothes!
She was embarrassed and annoyed. She heard a rustling sound in her ear. After a while, the sound stopped. Song Luoning didn't dare to turn around until she heard footsteps. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and turn around.
"Husband, be careful on the road." Song Luoning's expression returned to normal, and she smiled softly, helping her straighten her clothes.
The woman's skin was as white as snow, and her eyes were brimming with laughter, like spring snow melting away, surpassing all other colors in the world.
Xiao Yu stared intently, nodding blankly.
"Then my lord, you should go quickly."
"Um."
Xiao Yu walked out of the house in a daze, only then did she come back to her senses. She turned her head back to look at the closed door with reluctance, pouted, and although nothing had happened, she felt unusually satisfied when she thought of Song Luo Ning's smile.
Forget it, I'd better go and come back as soon as possible.
Xiao Yu raised the corners of her mouth, led her horse around, and left the courtyard.
Upon arriving at the village entrance, they saw Dao Liangchengqiu waiting there with two constables. The people from the gambling den were nowhere to be seen, presumably having already left.
Xiao Yu followed Liang Chengqiu to the county government office and signed the case closure document, thus concluding the case. Chen Ergou was sentenced to three months in prison for theft, but because he was afraid of the debt collectors, he confessed to all the petty thefts he had committed over the years, and his sentence was eventually increased from three months to three years.
I've seen people eager to get out of prison, but I've never seen anyone so eager to get themselves back in.
The case was closed, and because she had to rush back to work on building the house, Xiao Yu didn't linger. Based on her experience over the past few times, the system would issue a random reward for each completed task, and perhaps there would be a reward after the house was built.
With his mind on something, the person had already arrived at Chenjia Village.
Xiao Yu dismounted, and Chen Ziyi walked towards her: "Ayu, the blue bricks have been brought back. As for Chen Ergou..."
“He was sentenced to three years,” Xiao Yu said.
"What? Three years? That can't be right. At most, Bai Sheng Law Firm would steal for a year or two. How could he..." Chen Ziyi said in surprise.
Xiao Yu chuckled and recounted the whole story to him. Chen Ziyi sighed, unsure how to comment: "Fortunately, this matter didn't involve you."
Xiao Yu knew what he was referring to. It was nothing more than the original owner having fooled around with Chen Ergou. However, the original owner was timid. She was fine with spending money to enjoy herself, but she really didn't participate in any illegal or disorderly activities.
"Ziyi, there's something else I'd like to discuss with you. Didn't we agree before that we'd provide lunch for those who come to help? How about we change it to paying them wages, twenty coins per person per day?"
Pay wages?
Chen Ziyi was stunned. The villagers were poor, and they would just provide lunch for building houses. This was the first time he had ever heard of paying wages. Paying wages was something that only wealthy families would do when building houses.
Before, the Xiao family was considered wealthy, but now...
After a moment of contemplation, Chen Ziyi voiced his concerns: "It will take at least a month to build the house, and twenty coins per person per day is a considerable expense."
Xiao Yu naturally understood his concerns, but it was difficult to repay such a favor. Besides, she planned to travel around in the future and wouldn't stay in the Chen family forever, so it was better not to owe anyone a favor.
Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to live with myself.
"Don't worry about that, I have some money on hand, enough to pay the wages."
Seeing her insistence, Chen Ziyi didn't say anything more: "Okay, if you've made up your mind, I'll talk to them and tell them to work hard and finish as soon as possible."
Xiao Yu agreed, "Then I'll trouble you."
Chen Ziyi smiled and said, "From now on, we're all family."
Xiao Yu knew what he meant by "family." The two families were discussing marriage, and Chen Yu had not objected. At present, Chen Ziyi was considered the most capable man in the village, and many women had their eyes on him. Fortunately, Chen Ziyi was honest and upright, and he was devoted to Chen Yu.
If Chen Yu is willing, Xiao Yu will also be happy to see it happen.
Chen Ziyi chatted with Xiao Yu for a few more minutes before leaving. He had originally planned to start work today, but because of Chen Ergou's incident, he decided to postpone it to tomorrow.
Xiao Yu returned to the courtyard and washed his hands. He had been busy since morning, and it was now noon. He hurriedly went into the house to take a look at the young lady. Song Luoning was lying on her side by the bed, facing inwards, before going to the kitchen.
Thinking that there was still a piece of meat at home, even though the weather was cool, it was still not advisable to store it for too long in ancient times without refrigerators.
Xiao Yu then made a stir-fried bamboo shoot with pork, and a stir-fried dried vegetable with pork, using plenty of oil, the aroma wafting far and wide. Finally, he made a flatbread.
I was originally planning to steam rice, but we've already finished the rice we washed last time. Given the young lady's health, she definitely can't eat brown rice, so I'll wait until I wash it again before eating it.
If we had the right tools, we wouldn't need to go through all this trouble.
Xiao Yu brought the prepared food back to the room, and Song Luoning also woke up. Unlike usual, Xiao Yu busied herself serving Song Luoning food, and her attitude was very attentive.
"Thank you, my lord. I've already used it." Song Luo Ning shook her head. "By the way, has the case been closed?"
This lecherous man's sudden enthusiasm for her caught Song Luoning off guard, yet she couldn't simply refuse him.
This is really frustrating.
Xiao Yu nodded, and seeing that she had finished eating, he began to shovel rice into his mouth, saying indistinctly, "Is it not to your liking? There are no mushrooms left at home. I happen to have nothing this afternoon, so I'll go ask Chen Yu if she has time and ask her to take me up the mountain to see if we can pick some more."
"No need to trouble yourself, Luo Ning, this is fine. Husband, you should also get some rest."
Song Luoning's words almost moved Xiao Yu to tears.
Even though the young lady is sick, she's still thinking of me. Looking back at my past behavior, how could I have been so inconsiderate, always making things difficult for the young lady? How heartbroken she must be.
I really went too far.
Xiao Yu was filled with remorse, which only strengthened her resolve to take good care of the young lady.
“I’m not tired. My wife needs to nourish her body right now. These dried vegetables aren’t very nutritious, and the bok choy we planted has only just sprouted. It will be a while before we can eat it. Anyway, we have nothing to do this afternoon, so we’ll go up the mountain and try our luck,” Xiao Yu explained softly.
Song Luoning wasn't stupid. Considering Xiao Yu's behavior over the past two days and the way he looked at her, her eyes darkened.
It's good to let her go out and get some exercise, to let her cool off, so she won't keep staring at me with those eyes, as if she's about to pounce on me like a hungry wolf.
Song Luoning curved her lips into a smile: "Then I'll have to trouble you, my husband. Please be careful on your way up the mountain and come back soon."
The young lady is such a kind person.
Xiao Yu felt even more guilty. After cleaning up the dishes, she carried a bamboo basket to find Chen Yu. She also wanted to tell her adoptive mother about building the house, even though she knew that Chen Yu must have already told her. After all, it was a big deal, and she should tell her herself, since she was currently occupying the original owner's body.
When Xiao Yu arrived at the Xiao family, he told Jiang Wanrou about his plans.
Jiang Wanrou was very happy and expressed her support.
Logically speaking, the Xiao family should have a place for the two of them to live. Jiang Wanrou felt that she should test her daughter again. If she could really turn back from the wrong path, that would be a good thing. Building another house wouldn't hurt.
He immediately gave her another five taels of silver.
Xiao Yu couldn't refuse, so she had to accept it. Chen Yu also carried a bamboo basket, and the two of them went up the mountain together. This time they went a bit deeper into the mountains, where the trees were lush. The two of them each took a stick and dug through the grass. It had rained a few days ago, and some of the early-growing mushrooms had already started to rot. They only picked the small ones.
After a while, I picked up quite a lot.
It was already dark when we got back.
The young lady stood in the courtyard, her slender figure appearing as delicate as a willow branch in the night, as if it could be broken with a gentle touch.
Xiao Yu saw her through the low wall and quickened his pace to walk into the yard. He said with some concern, "It's cold at night, why did you come out?" He put down the bamboo basket, walked to the washbasin to wash his hands, and held her wrist.
Song Luoning blushed, realizing she was becoming increasingly out of line.
Xiao Yu said, "Let's go inside first. We were lucky today and picked a lot of mushrooms. Xiao Yu said that once the ground dries out, we won't be able to pick any more."
Song Luoning gave a weak "hmm," her heart filled with unspeakable emotions.
Isn't the amount of activity enough?
How can this lecher have so much energy?
She had just been worried that this lecherous man might be in danger, but now it seemed that her worries were unnecessary. She hoped that he could move around for a while longer before coming back.
Ideally, it should be the kind of exhaustion that makes you too tired to walk.
Xiao Yu, of course, had no idea what Song Luoning was thinking at the moment, and kept chattering: "I looked carefully when I went there. There aren't many people going into the mountains. If we have time, we can set a trap and maybe even get some wild game."
At this moment, Song Luoning's mind was not on the food at all. Even though she was back, that lecherous man was still holding her wrist. Song Luoning tried to pull away without making a sound, but couldn't.
Looking at Xiao Yu, he was all smiles and moved naturally, not taking her seriously at all.
Finally, I had to interrupt her and remind her, "It's all because Luo Ning is unwell and can't help her husband. Even though her husband comes home so late, Luo Ning can't cook a meal for him and has to trouble him to cook."
Hearing the young lady's self-reproach, Xiao Yu's heart tightened, as if countless tiny claws were scratching at his chest, and he wanted to hold her tightly.
She held back.
Xiao Yu felt extremely distressed that the young lady would cook for him.
"Don't blame yourself. Taking good care of your health is the most important thing. Leave this little thing to me. Wait a minute, shall we have mushroom porridge again today?" Xiao Yu softened and asked gently.
Song Luoning nodded: "Husband, go quickly."
Xiao Yu pursed her lips, looking at Song Luoning with lingering reluctance. She still had so much to say to the young lady, but she couldn't be willful right now, as the young lady was still hungry.
Xiao Yu released Song Luoning's wrist and stood up, saying, "I'll be right back." His tone was full of reluctance.
As she loosened her wrist, the burning heat gradually returned to normal. Song Luoning looked at her wrist, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. She should be happy, so why was there a sense of loss in her heart?
Mushroom porridge requires rice, so Xiao Yu had to wash another half basin of it. This time, she mixed a tiny bit of brown rice into the porridge she cooked. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice, and eating a small amount can supplement the body's need for B vitamins.
It's good for the young lady's health, but she shouldn't eat too much.
The porridge was served, and Song Luoning ate a bowl. She wanted to eat more, but Xiao Yu refused, gently coaxing her, "Don't eat too much at night. If you want more, I'll make it for you tomorrow morning."
Song Luoning had no choice but to give up.
After dinner, Song Luoning wanted to take a bath, but thinking that Xiao Yu was tired after a long day, she didn't say anything in the end. She simply washed up and went back to bed.
Through a thin bed curtain, Song Luoning curled up under the covers, a small bulge, her back to the outside.
Xiao Yu stared at it for a while, bit her lip, and despite being tired all day, she was not sleepy. Some romantic thoughts kept popping into her mind.
I can't think about it anymore.
Xiao Yu sighed, pulled out a piece of paper, but without a pen, he found a piece of charcoal under the stove and drew out the steps for making the earthen huller. As for the wood, the trees on the mountain he went to today were just the right size. If he cut one down and used it sparingly, it should be enough to make the fan.
Xiao Yu went to bed late, but because the house was to be built the next day, he got up at dawn. He was still feeling groggy. After making breakfast, Chen Ziyi arrived with his men. There were eleven people in total, including Chen Ziyi.
Xiao Yu greeted them, went back to drink a bowl of porridge, covered Song Luoning's porridge with a ceramic bowl, and then hurriedly went out again.
Villagers usually build houses using loess and some wheat straw, then pile up stones. The resulting houses are only slightly sturdier than the adobe houses Xiao Yu lives in now, but they can still be washed away if there is heavy rain. Xiao Yu bought blue bricks and lime, and since it is close to the river, it is more convenient to dig sand.
They chose fine sand and lime, which were more solid than loess.
The eleven people were divided into two teams, one team was responsible for digging sand and the other team was responsible for digging the foundation. Because Xiao Yu paid them wages, even more than what wealthy families paid, everyone worked very hard. During the lunch break, no one went home. They all brought their own food and gathered together to eat and chat.
Seeing that everyone was just eating dry cornbread, Xiao Yu couldn't bear it, so he made a large bowl of cold bamboo shoot salad with extra salt. Otherwise, it wouldn't be enough for eleven people, especially since they were all farmers.
In no time, the large basin of bamboo shoots was empty. Fortunately, they were lucky to have some pickled vegetables to eat with it, and no one complained.
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