Chapter 4: Changing clothes and washing, the girl's feelings

Liu Mingan boiled a large pot of hot water, and then prepared cold water, and brought it out in a wooden basin.

"Third uncle, thank you for your help." Liu Mingan put the warm water on the bench beside the bed, and after saying this, he turned around and left.

Third uncle looked at Jiang Ning and said with a smile: "Girl, let me wipe your body first and change your clothes."

After saying that, Third uncle took a handkerchief and dipped it in warm water. First, she carefully avoided the scars on Jiang Ning's face, wiped her face and neck, and then avoided the whip marks on her body and wiped her body. The old woman's movements were delicate and gentle. After wiping Jiang Ning's body clean, she picked up the clothes she brought and helped her change the tattered and dirty bloody clothes.

"These are the old clothes my eldest daughter wore before she got married. There are only two sets left. Don't dislike them, girl." The old man said with a smile.

"No." Jiang Ning tried to soften her tone, although it still sounded cold. In her current situation, how could she be picky?

After changing her clothes, the third aunt took the wooden basin outside to dump it out, and then went to the kitchen to bring back a new basin.

"Wash your hair, and then comb it."

The third aunt said, moving Jiang Ning to her lap, letting her head hang above the wooden basin, pouring a bucket of warm water on her head to wet her hair, and then the third aunt took a soap bean and rubbed it on her hair. After washing her hair, Third Auntie took a dry towel, wiped her hair dry little by little, combed her long hair, and then braided her hair.

"Okay, now it's clean." The old woman smiled and stood up, patting her shoulders.

"Thank you, Third Auntie." Jiang Ning thanked her sincerely.

Third Auntie waved her hands: "Hey, it was Ming'an who asked me for help. Anyway, I'm free anyway, so it's good to have something to do. Why thank you?"

Jiang Ning watched the old woman pick up the wooden basin and walk out the door. After the sound of pouring water, she could hear her talking with Liu Ming'an.

"Ming'an, I've taken care of that girl. Oh, her wounds are so painful to look at..."

"Excuse me, Third Aunt. I'll ask Doctor Sun to take a look at her wounds later."

"Hey, let me ask you to heal her and marry her?"

Jiang Ning's eyes moved when she heard this question.

"I don't have such plans. I just felt sorry for her and felt kind for a moment."

"I guess so. I've watched you grow up and know that you have a kind heart, but I want to remind you that this girl doesn't look like an ordinary person. Maybe she's some young lady who's in trouble. You've spent a few taels of silver to buy her and take care of her, which is a very kind thing to do. There's no need to empty your family's savings for a stranger like her. You'll have to get married in the future, and maybe you'll have to go to Beijing to take the imperial examination, and all these will cost money!"

Liu Ming Liu Ming'an didn't say anything. Jiang Ning heard the third aunt's wife say, "How about this? When her injuries are healed, you can send her to the charity in the town. Now everyone in the village knows that you bought a woman. After a long time, rumors are inevitable. How can the matchmaker find a wife for you in the future..."

The footsteps faded away. Jiang Ning didn't know how Liu Ming'an answered, but what the third aunt said was indeed reasonable. She is now a burden.

Jiang Ning closed her eyes tiredly. Is it because she killed too many people in her previous life that she became a useless person who can only lie in bed and live in this new life? Is this retribution?

After a while, Liu Ming'an came back, looked at Jiang Ning who had changed her clothes and combed her hair, and smiled at her.

"What is a charity?" Jiang Ning asked, staring into his eyes.

Liu Ming'an's eyes flashed with surprise. She didn't expect that she heard it.

"The charity hall is a large courtyard built by the county government, in a corner of the town. It is dedicated to taking care of some childless elderly people who cannot take care of themselves, people who are seriously ill and have no relatives, and some abandoned babies. People are arranged to cook and wash clothes for them, as well as bury them after death." Liu Ming'an explained seriously.

Jiang Ning understood. It is similar to a modern shelter, which accommodates disadvantaged groups. But in today's technological network and information-developed modern times, many shelters have been exposed to caregivers beating people, leaders embezzling charity funds, and she even killed a shelter director who secretly sold organs. So in this era of scarce communication technology, how many shameful things are hidden in this charity hall?

Jiang Ning didn't want to take the risk. She couldn't go to the charity hall. She was too weak now. Any person with healthy hands and feet could kill her. Liu Ming'an was kind-hearted. Staying with him would guarantee her life. As long as she was alive, everything would turn around.

"Are you going to send me to the charity hall?" Jiang Ning asked again. If Liu Ming'an answered yes, she would have to think of a way to pretend to be pitiful and stay.

Fortunately, Liu Ming'an shook his head and said to her, "Miss Jiang Ning, just focus on recuperating. I'll go cook first and then go get a doctor for you in the afternoon." Jiang

Ning felt relieved and liked Liu Ming'an more and more. Even the bitter vegetable porridge he fed her didn't taste so bad anymore.

The Third Aunt left Liu Ming'an's house and walked towards her own home. As soon as she turned a corner, she saw He Yiyi standing under a tree, holding the corner of her clothes and walking back and forth.

"It's Yiyi, why are you here? Did you come here to wait for me?" The Third Aunt asked with a smile.

She has lived in Lotus Village all her life, and she knows a little about the people and things in the village. This He Yiyi has taken a fancy to Liu Ming'an, and now she is probably here to ask about the situation.

"Third Aunt!" He Yiyi shouted crisply when she heard the question. She had a round face, curved eyebrows, and was cute and lovely.

"Hey! Don't shout so loudly, I have sharp ears!" The Third Aunt joked and asked: "Do you want to ask about Ming'an?"

"Oh, Third Aunt!" The girl was a little shy and blushed slightly.

Seeing the shy look on the little girl's face, Third Aunt couldn't help laughing: "Hahaha, I won't tease you anymore, just ask whatever you want to ask."

He Yi leaned close to her, took her arm, and supported her towards home, while asking in a low voice: "Third Aunt, did Brother Ming An really buy a woman home?"

"It's true."

"Then...did that woman really lose her hands and feet and disfigure her?"

"Well, she was lying on the bed, unable to move. That face, ah!" Third Aunt thought of Jiang Ning's face and sighed heavily.

"Then why did he buy her?"

"Don't you know Ming An? He has a good heart. Seeing that woman is pitiful, he took her home and even spent money to find a doctor for her. He said he would let her go after she was cured. I don't know what he wants."

He Yiyi smiled happily: "Brother Ming An is such a person, he likes to do good things and is kind-hearted." But then he frowned again and asked worriedly: "Third aunt, they are a single man and a single woman who live together day and night. Do you think they will fall in love with each other after a long time?"

"I don't think so," Third Aunt thought of Jiang Ning's cold eyes and said to He Yiyi, "That girl is as cold as ice and her face is ruined. But you are a flower in our Lotus Village. Ming'an is not a fool. You can rest assured."

He Yiyi lowered her head embarrassedly and smiled secretly. Then she thought of another problem, "But my mother..."

Third Aunt said before she finished, "Hey, your mother looks down on Ming'an now because his parents are both dead and his family is poor. But I think Ming'an is a blessed child. He will definitely be able to pass the exam to become a scholar and then a judge. Then you two will be a perfect match. Will your mother still disagree?"

While talking, the two arrived at the door of Third Aunt's house. Third Aunt's words gave He Yiyi a reassurance. She said goodbye to her happily and went home.