Chapter 39: My Petty Mind
Watching Du Min's figure disappear, Meng Qing slowly let out a long breath, and the heart that had been hanging in her chest finally settled down. She was once again glad that Du Min had fallen out with his parents, otherwise he would never have listened to her advice this time.
"Sister," Meng Chun jogged back, "I saw Du Min leave. Did he apologize?"
"You've been waiting outside the whole time?" Meng Qing turned and went back into the courtyard.
Meng Chun followed him in, and said with a smile, "I was just curious. What did he say to you? Did you scold him? What were you talking about for so long?"
Meng Qing handed Wangzhou to him and went to the kitchen to add firewood to the fire. She replied perfunctorily, "He was scolded, and he apologized. I won't tell you anything else. I want to praise you; you were very perceptive in calling your mother away."
Meng Chun was not satisfied with this answer. He muttered, "Even if someone like that becomes an official, he won't be a good one... In the future, let's hope Wang Zhou becomes a good official. Wang Zhou, will you be a good official? I have a nephew who is a high-ranking official."
They clapped and shouted "Ah ah!" while watching the boat.
"Sister, look, Wangzhou agreed." Mengchun held up Wangzhou. "Quick, call him Uncle!"
Meng Qing sat in front of the stove, shaking his head with a smile. These two, uncle and nephew, had gone crazy again.
After Meng Chun had had his fill of commotion, he came in panting, carrying his chubby nephew, and said, "Guess which company handled that deal I told you about this afternoon."
“I can’t guess, but I guess he has some connection with Master Chen. He probably saw the paper effigies at the Chen family’s funeral,” Meng Qing said.
“You guessed wrong. It’s a good friend of Dr. Xu from the state capital. He heard Dr. Xu talk about paper effigies and went to Ruiguang Temple for a sutra session today. He stopped by the paper effigy shop on his way down the mountain,” Meng Chun said.
"Where does this person live?" Meng Qing asked.
"Tongyuanfang, near the market."
"Are they merchants?" Meng Qing asked in surprise, as Tongyuanfang was a gathering place for merchants.
"It should be. I can tell that these two people are respectable and have a strong presence, but they are wearing black linen clothes," Meng Chun said. Linen is more expensive than silk and is not prohibited by law. Many wealthy merchants who cannot wear silk will choose to wear linen, and powerful officials will avoid wearing linen to avoid being mistaken for others. This has become common knowledge.
“Even Dr. Xu is willing to befriend merchants, yet Du Min looks down on them and puts on airs.” Meng Qing couldn’t help but scoff.
“He looks down on us, little does he know that we look down on him too. What a snob,” Meng Chun said indignantly.
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about him anymore, let's change the subject." Meng Qing didn't want her attitude to affect Meng Chun, so she stopped in time and said, "Tomorrow, let's buy a can of tung oil and a can of raw lacquer, and see which one is better at waterproofing."
It should be good in early spring.
“The ink on the paper fades when it gets wet. I wonder if it would be better to use dye from the dye shop.” Meng Qing stared blankly at the flames in the stove. She murmured, “The key is that we don’t know any merchants who run dye shops. Where are we going to get a jar of black dye? I have to go to Jinxiufang to see if I can run into someone I’ve dealt with before. Maybe one of the pilgrims who bought paper money from the paper horse shop before was a silk merchant.”
“Alright, let your mother go with you. We’ll split up.” Meng Chun was in high spirits.
"Is dinner ready?" Mencius' mother and father returned.
Wang Zhou was so happy to hear the familiar voice that he kicked his leg, and Meng Chun took the opportunity to push him out.
"My sister only cooked porridge. I'll go to the tea shop and buy some side dishes to bring back." Meng Chun went inside to get the money.
Meng's father carried Wangzhou inside and said, "Take an extra half string of cash, and on your way, stop by the tavern and buy me a jar of sake."
Meng Chun paused, then reached out for money: "Give me the money for the drinks."
“I don’t have any. All my money is in your mother’s hands. Your pockets are so full, why would you be short of even a penny? Good son, this jar of wine is on you.” To get a jar of wine for free, Meng’s father would say anything.
Meng Chun felt goosebumps all over from his nauseatingly sweet talk. He stiffened his neck and shouted in a gruff voice, "Fine, fine, speak properly, this is disgusting."
Mencius' mother laughed outside, "You old rascal, how dare you try to steal your son's money?"
Mencius' father smiled but remained silent.
Meng Chun found an empty wine jar and came out to ask, "Mother, do you drink rice wine? I'll buy you a jar of rice wine."
"Oh! You're inviting me too? Okay, buy me a jar, and I'll cook you a jar of rice wine and egg drop soup tomorrow morning." Mother Meng smiled so broadly that her eyes disappeared.
Meng Chun ran out with the wine jar, and it was almost half an hour later when he returned. The rice porridge had been served and was waiting to cool, and two side dishes had been stir-fried. They were just waiting for him to come back so they could eat.
"Five catties of sake, six catties of rice wine, and sister, I bought you a jar of Xueji plum syrup." Apart from Wangzhou, Mengchun spent money on everyone in the family.
"What a coincidence! I've been craving plum syrup these past few days. How did you know? Did I tell you?" Meng Qing responded enthusiastically.
Meng Chun sat down to eat, and said smugly, "I guessed it."
"Do you two have any ideas about today's business?" Meng's father interjected. "I thought about it this afternoon. To make paper offerings waterproof, you just need to apply tung oil or raw lacquer. Raw lacquer is hard to burn, while tung oil is flammable. You two need to pay more attention to this. Paper offerings need to be waterproof and fireproof. We can't let them catch fire when they rub against clothing while we're moving them, and we can't let them not burn when we throw them into a fire."
"I understand." Meng Qing nodded. "Mother, come with me to Jinxiufang tomorrow to see if we can get a jar of dye for black cloth. We can buy it if we want."
Mencius' mother nodded, "Then let your father go and watch the shop by himself."
*
The next day, Meng Chun set off to the market to buy tung oil and raw lacquer, while Meng Qing and her mother took Wang Zhou to Jinxiufang. The mother and daughter did not take a boat but walked slowly all the way.
"There's a clinic here, Mother. Go in and let the doctor take your pulse." Meng Qing led his mother through two alleys to a clinic near Renfengfang.
"Taking my pulse? I'm not sick, why should I see a doctor?" Meng's mother asked, puzzled.
Meng Qing didn't explain; she simply carried Wang Zhou over, and her mother had no choice but to follow.
As soon as you enter, a young apprentice greets you and asks, "Who needs to see a doctor? Where does it hurt?"
"Are there any doctors who specialize in treating women's ailments?" Meng Qing asked.
"Yes." The young apprentice led her into a room with a bamboo curtain hanging down, where an elderly doctor with a ruddy complexion was sitting.
"Are you here for a checkup? Where does it hurt?" the old doctor asked.
“It’s my mother. She’s only forty-one years old and she already has a backache. Isn’t that too early? Should we take care of her? Her emotions are also very volatile. She cried yesterday over a small thing, something she’s never done before.” Meng Qing wasn’t ashamed about women’s menstruation, so she answered on behalf of her mother.
Seeing this, Mencius' mother could only sit down and extend her hand for the doctor to take her pulse. She explained, "I had my pulse taken a month ago, and I was worried that I was pregnant, but the doctor said no, and that I was probably just at the age where I'm not pregnant."
The old doctor nodded, then took her pulse and asked, "How long has it been since you had your period?"
"Three months."
"She's not pregnant," the old doctor said.
Mencius' mother breathed a sigh of relief and joked, "I already have a grandson, it would be so embarrassing to get pregnant with another one."
"Do you wake up every midnight? Do you sweat a lot, feel anxious, have a dry mouth, and it takes you a long time to fall back asleep?" the old doctor asked.
"Yes, yes, yes." Mencius' mother nodded. "I wake up easily at night, and then I can't fall back asleep."
"She's reached the age where her back is getting stiff." The old doctor released his grip, looked at Meng Qing, and asked, "Should I prescribe some medicine for your mother to take for a while? The medicine is a bit expensive."
"It's alright, just write the prescription, I brought the money," Meng Qing said. "She's only in her early forties, why is she already suffering from back problems?"
"It's not early." The old doctor began writing the prescription.
"Will I be able to get a full night's sleep after I drink the medicine?" Mencius' mother asked, peeking out of her mouth.
The old doctor peeled off a piece of paper with the ink still wet and handed it over, saying, "Your symptoms will last for several years, at least two years, and at most seven years. Once the symptoms become severe, you should get some medicine and drink it for half a month."
Meng Qing asked her mother to go out and get the medicine. After she left, she sat down and asked, "Doctor, will cutting my back too early affect my lifespan?"
In the past two days, she has realized that people in ancient times had shorter lifespans, including her family and herself.
"Lifespan has little to do with this, it just means you'll age faster than others."
Meng Qing was not relieved to hear this. The doctor's attitude only showed that menopause was normal for women at this age, which meant that women at this time went through menopause almost ten years earlier than in later generations. Perhaps because of shorter lifespans, menopause occurred earlier.
Another patient arrived. Not wanting to waste the doctor's time, Meng Qing took the child and went out to pay the bill.
As they walked out of the clinic, Mencius' mother muttered, "Ten doses of medicine cost two strings of cash. Is the liquid just molten copper? I'm never coming to this clinic again. They overcharge too much."
“One medicine requires one paper effigy. If you make one more paper effigy each day and sell it, you'll have enough money to buy the medicine,” Meng Qing advised. “Your family isn’t short of money. Are you willing to spend money on food and drink but not on taking care of your health?”
Meng's mother glanced at her, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. No wonder this girl had taken a long detour to come this way.
“When Wangzhou is a little older, you can have another daughter. Daughters are always more comforting,” she said.
Meng Qing nodded.
Passing Renfeng Lane, crossing three bridges, and going through a small alley, you'll arrive at the silk shop. The silk shop is right next to Jinxiu Lane. Walking through Jinxiu Lane to the end of the lane, you'll find dyeing workshops near the river. The ferry crossing here is bustling with boats, carrying merchants from other places to buy goods, but mostly farmers coming to sell silk fabrics and silkworms.
"I just remembered something. This year, I need to buy a few pounds of silk floss to make two monk robes for your uncle, and also a few for Wangzhou." When Meng's mother saw the farmers selling silk, she remembered this matter. This year, she needed to make a lot of winter clothes and start preparing early.
Meng Qing glanced down at Zhou and said, "Raising a child like him is quite expensive. When it's hot, he wears coarse cloth clothes, and when it's cold, he wears silk winter clothes. If we relied on farming, we couldn't afford to raise him."
“There are ways to raise children whether you’re poor or rich. When you and your younger brother were little, you never wore silk-padded winter clothes. You wore the same reed-padded jacket all winter, and you still grew up. Looking back now, it was really tough back then.” Mencius’ mother sighed, and then took the opportunity to advise, “So you must never go back to farming. Not only do you not make money, but you also can’t bear to spend the hard-earned money you save. It’s not worth it for parents to live a life of frugality just to raise children.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Mencius' mother saw a familiar face. She pointed to a large ship and said, "That merchant in the white robe is the customer who went to the shop yesterday to order waterproof and moisture-proof paper offerings. Is he a silk merchant? Does he own a dyeing workshop? I'll go ask him."
The merchant on the ship seemed to notice someone watching him, and he turned around to look.
"I'm going over there, you wait here." Mencius' mother walked over carrying the basket of earthenware jars.
Meng Qing saw a servant boy get off the boat. He said a few words to Meng's mother and then got back on the boat. After the merchant nodded, he got off the boat and gestured for Meng's mother to come with him.
Meng's mother waved twice to Meng Qing, signaling her to wait there.
After an incense stick had burned, Mencius' mother returned carrying a basket.
“We’ve got the dye. Let’s go, let’s take a boat home,” said Mencius’ mother.
On the other side, Meng Chun also bought raw lacquer and tung oil. A jar of raw lacquer cost 300 cash and a jar of tung oil cost 500 cash. He gritted his teeth with heartache when he paid, knowing he would lose a lot if he couldn't make this deal.
When Meng Qing returned at noon, after learning the price, she gave Meng Chun nine hundred coins, and the two split the profit and the cost equally.
"Go to the bookstore and buy two hundred sheets of mulberry bark paper," Meng Qing instructed.
Two hundred sheets of paper made from mulberry bark cost another four hundred coins.
After preparing everything, Meng Qing and Meng Chun carried the items to the paper horse shop. They divided the paper into two portions, taking out ten sheets from each side. One portion was soaked in ink, and the other in dye. After dyeing, they rinsed it with water to prevent it from fading badly when it got wet after drying.
“Sister, ink stains more strongly. Even after rinsing it seven times with water, the color is still deeper than that of dyed paper that has only been rinsed three times,” Meng Chun said. “However, if you want to soak the paper in water to wash the color, you can only use paper made from mulberry bark. If you use hemp paper, it will rot long ago.”
Meng Qing wrote it down with pen and paper.
"Let's try making two paper horses first, one undyed and one dyed, and then compare them," she said.
"Should I take the paper upstairs to air dry?" Meng Chun asked.
Meng Qing nodded and came to help. All three windows in the attic were closed, and the paper mulberry bark soaked in ink and washed was taken up and hung in the attic to dry in the shade.
“Master, Wangzhou wants to go out and play. I’ll carry him out for a walk,” Shen Yuexiu said.
Meng's father nodded, "Don't go too far, stay in this area."
"good."
Under a large locust tree, Du Min saw someone coming out of the paper horse shop, and he quickly hid behind the locust tree.
"Little Zhouzhou, look, there's a butterfly."
Du Min heard the unfamiliar voice and peeked over. It wasn't his second sister-in-law comforting Wang Zhou.
"Oh!" Wang Zhou saw Du Min and smiled happily at him.
Shen Yuexiu looked over and asked in confusion, "Who are you? What are you doing hiding behind the tree?"
Du Min did not answer; he headed towards Ruiguang Temple.
Shen Yuexiu cursed, "This is inexplicable!" She carried Wangzhou back and played with it in front of the paper horse shop.
The paper dried in the shade overnight.
The next day, Meng Qing and Meng Chun, along with six apprentices from the shop, soaked the ink paper in raw lacquer and tung oil.
"Senior sister, the smell of raw lacquer and tung oil is quite pungent. I wonder if it will still smell after it dries in the shade," Shen Yuexiu said.
"If there's still a smell, brush on another layer of cowhide glue at the end to see if that seals in the odor," Meng Qing said.
The ink-paper soaked in raw lacquer and tung oil was air-dried again overnight. After drying, the ink-paper soaked in raw lacquer lost its sour, foot-odor smell, and the light brown raw lacquer turned black after drying, compensating for the color washed off the ink paper. The ink-paper soaked in tung oil had a stronger, more pronounced oily smell and turned dark brown after drying.
“Sister, raw lacquer is more suitable than tung oil,” Meng Chun said.
“Go buy another hundred sheets of paper made from mulberry bark, no, a hundred sheets each of hemp paper and mulberry bark paper. This time, don’t dye them, just soak them directly in tung oil.” Meng Qing looked at the color of the tung oil film and said with a hint of excitement, “This might be able to make an amber-colored paper horse, as if the whole paper horse has been soaked in honey. It would be even better if it could have an oily sheen.”
Meng Chun immediately went out to buy paper.
Meng Qing then led his parents to make the skeletons of small horses, five at a time.
Once the skeleton is in place, the next step is to build up the body mass.
"Master, mistress, your son-in-law has arrived!" Wenjiao shouted loudly towards the attic when she saw the man walking in from outside the door. The apprentices who were splitting bamboo strips and folding paper flowers in the backyard saw the man walking in from outside the door.
Du Li looked at the child playing by himself in the bamboo bed, walked over and bent down to say, "Wangzhou, your father has come to see you."
Wang Zhou stared at his face for a long time. When Du Li reached out to hug him, he turned his face away and continued to tear paper.
Meng Qing came down from the attic and said, "You've come."
"Yes, I've brought four boatloads of hay for Da Mao to eat. You also have straw to fatten up the paper horses, so you won't have to spend money on it anymore." Du Li straightened up and looked at her. He glanced at Du Wangzhou and said in puzzlement, "It's only been ten days, and your son has already forgotten his father?"
"Really? He doesn't recognize you?" Meng Qing was suspicious. When Du Min came to the house before, Wang Zhou still recognized him.
"He's so young, his memory is probably about the same as a puppy's. He's new here, so just coax him a bit and he'll remember," she reassured him.
At this moment, Meng's father also came downstairs. "Son-in-law, you're not in a hurry to leave today, are you?"
Du Li hesitated, then looked at Wang Zhou and said, "We've already bought enough chicks. They're all being kept in the mulberry fields. I'll sleep there at night to keep watch and prevent the weasels from stealing them."
“Then go back after you finish lunch. Qingniang, go and call your mother. You two go back and cook.” Meng’s father said.
Meng Qing noticed Wang Zhou peeking at Du Li, and she smiled and said, "Okay. Du Li, I'll leave Wang Zhou to you."
"I need to go back and move the hay first; the four boatloads of hay are still piled up outside the workshop," Du Li said.
"What kind of fodder?" Meng's father asked.
"This is for Da Mao to eat. We won't need to buy straw to fatten up the paper horse anymore," Meng Qing explained for him.
Upon hearing this, Meng's father decided not to continue with the paper offerings. He called Meng Chun, took four male apprentices, and together they went back to move fodder.
Du Li not only brought four boatloads of hay, but also a basket of eggs and a bucket of eels.
"So many eels? Where did you catch them?" Meng Qing asked.
“The paddy fields near the river have plenty of water all year round, and there are many eels there, but they’re not easy to catch. They stay in their burrows during the day and only come out at night. I used to catch them by digging around the burrow entrances, but last night the moonlight was poor, so I took a torch and went down into the fields. I found that all the eels had come out of their burrows and were eating insects among the rice stubble. I caught them one by one,” Du Li said excitedly. “I came today to buy more oil so I can go down into the paddy fields at night with a torch to catch eels. I’ll save up for a couple of days and then come to the city to sell the eels and come see you all.”
"That's great." Meng Qing stepped forward and whispered to Du Li, "Your son is peeking at you again. Turn around suddenly and catch him red-handed."
Following her instructions, Du Li quickly turned his head and met the eyes of the child sitting in Meng's mother's lap, secretly watching him. The little boy, realizing that his thoughts had been discovered, actually knew to turn his head away in a panic and pretend to suck his fingers.
Du Li couldn't help but chuckle. He walked over and took his son from his mother-in-law's arms. "Wangzhou, are you pretending not to know me? Why are you pretending not to know me?"
“After you left, he looked for you for four or five days. He would look for you everywhere as soon as he opened his eyes in the morning, and search the whole yard for you after dark. He looked from room to room and even asked us to carry him to wait outside the neighborhood. I guess he thought you went to deliver food to his third uncle.” Meng’s mother said, “This child is quick to understand. He may not be good at talking, but he knows a lot. I guess he is angry with you.”
Du Li was heartbroken and held Wang Zhou tightly, refusing to let go.
All the fodder for the four boats was moved into the wooden shed where bamboo used to be stored. Meng's father gave the four apprentices thirty coins, saying, "Go buy a big grass carp and add some vegetables for lunch. You've worked hard."
"Thank you, Master." The apprentice took the money and left.
The Meng family also started cooking. Meng Qing planned to kill half of the eels and make eel soup at noon.
"What a fat eel! It probably takes four or five years to grow this big." Meng's father squatted by the bucket, picked up an eel, and with a flick of his finger, the eel slipped out and rolled on the ground.
"Father, let me catch it," Du Li said.
“I’ll do it,” Meng Chun said, rolling up his sleeves and volunteering.
“Grab the eel by the neck, an inch below its head, yes, hold on tight… Oh, don’t be afraid! It’s not a snake, it won’t bite you even if its tail wraps around your hand.” Du Li watched as another eel was thrown out, and he said again, “I’ll do it.”
"I don't need you, I'll try again, I don't believe it." Meng Chun went to catch the eel rolling on the ground.
After watching silently for a while, Mencius' mother said, "You two are catching eels all over the yard."
Du Li remained silent, saying, "If you went to the paddy fields to catch eels, you wouldn't catch a single one."
Meng Chun finally managed to pin the eel down, but he had to use both hands. He shouted, "Mother, quickly get a knife and chop off its head!"
Meng Qing handed the knife out, and she also came out to look.
"Come on, give this one in my hand a cut too," Meng's father shouted.
"Clumsy and inept," even Mencius' mother admitted defeat.
Meng Qing brought over a basin of water, saying, "You've all wasted the eel's blood. Quickly wash the dirt off the eels so it doesn't get stuck in their flesh."
"Father, Chun-di, let me do it." Du Li was eager to show off his accuracy in catching eels.
“You hold the child and watch from the side. We’ll practice with this bucket of eels first, and then we can go to your field to catch eels when we have free time.” Meng’s father didn’t believe in this superstition.
“Okay, once I’ve tidied up the mulberry fields, you can come over and have some fun for a few days,” Du Li said.
"Is the wooden shed ready?" Meng Qing asked.
"It's all set up, but it's still drafty and needs some more work. I bought 280 chicks and 52 ducklings. They're raised in the mulberry field, so I don't need to feed them grain; they can eat their fill by catching grass and insects. When it gets colder and the grass runs out, I'll come to the city again and buy a few buckets of dead fish from the fish market to take back. The chickens and ducks can eat them." Du Li's aquaculture business has already taken off, and he's mastered the method of catching eels. Maybe he'll have some money in his pocket next time he comes to the city. He has something he likes, he can earn money himself, and he can stand up straight now. He can even look people in the face when he speaks.
“You’ve moved to a new house now. Once you’re all settled, we’ll come over for a visit and a meal,” Meng’s father said. “Have you built the stove yet?”
"not yet."
"Build a stove as soon as possible. You can cook for yourself. Catch some fish and shrimp from the fields and ditches, cook a pot yourself, and eat as much as you want. No one will be watching you anymore." Meng Qing instructed him, "Don't lose any more weight."
"Qingniang, go with him to the market to buy a ceramic pot and a steamer, and prepare all the things he needs for the stove. Look at your father and your younger brother, who knows how long it will take them to kill eels, let alone eat. Your trip to the market won't delay things." Meng's mother was worried that Du Li would be stingy with money, so she simply asked Meng Qing to take him to buy them.
"No need to buy any. I eat alone, so a clay pot for cooking porridge is fine," Du Li quickly said.
No one in the Meng family listened to him. Meng Qing went back into the house, put half a string of coins in her pocket, and waved to him nonchalantly, signaling him to come with her.
The family of three left Jiayufang and walked through the fish market to Washi. Washi was a small market located around Wafang. There weren't many pottery items piled up on the stalls; most of the pottery was in the stall owners' homes. Meng Qing bought simple pottery items that could be bought at the stalls. She picked out a medium-sized earthenware pot, a slightly smaller steamer, and also got a spoon, a lid, and bowls and plates.
"That's all. How much is it in total?" Meng Qing asked.
"One hundred and ten coins, don't haggle, I'll give you two extra bowls," the stall owner said.
Meng Qing counted and handed over the money. She took Wang Zhou and asked Du Li to move the things.
"I'll give you all the money I earn from now on." As they walked out of Washi, Du Li said to Meng Qing, "I'll only keep the boat fare, the rest is all yours, you can manage the money."
"Okay." Meng Qing nodded with a smile. "Did you bring this basket of eggs from home, or did you buy them in the village?"
“I bought them at a ferry crossing. An older woman was going to town to sell eggs, and I saw her and bought them for her. That way, she didn’t have to pay for the ferry fare, and I got a three-cent discount,” Du Li said. “If we wait a few more months, the chickens and ducks will lay eggs next spring, and you won’t have to pay for them anymore.”
“I’m waiting…” Meng Qing saw Du Min. She glanced at Du Li, who shook his head, signaling her to be quiet.
"Ya ya ya—" Wang Zhou shouted.
Du Min couldn't pretend he hadn't seen them now. He awkwardly walked across the bridge and asked, "Second sister-in-law, second brother, where have you been coming from?"
Wang Zhou called out to him again.
Du Min: "...I see you, Little Wangzhou."
"I'm back from Washi." Meng Qing pointed to what Du Li was holding. "Did you learn this in the prefectural capital? Did you come to see me?"
"No, I'm going to Ruiguang Temple. I'm following your advice, and this is my fifth day going there. I go out after lunch every day, walk all the way here, find an empty meditation room at Ruiguang Temple to read, and then do my homework with the monks in the evening before going back," Du Min recounted, as if seeking praise.
Meng Qing looked him up and down. "You weren't beaten?"
Du Min looked embarrassed and said shamefully, "It was my petty thinking. Dr. Xu may not have exposed me in front of the Gu family, and Gu Wuxia doesn't know..."
He had no more words to say. For the first two days after leaving the prefectural school, he was nervous, fearing someone was following him. He not only avoided detours but even paid for a boat trip, yet he found no one seemed to be following him. For the past two days, he had walked here and returned at dusk, and still no one had harmed him. He suddenly realized that the Gu family had no idea he was plotting against them, and that Dr. Xu hadn't used the incident of Gu Wuxia sending yamen runners to bully the Meng family's paper horse shop to reject him.
Observing his expression, Meng Qing noticed something unusual: shame, guilt, and embarrassment were all present on Du Min's face.
“We haven’t eaten yet, would you like to come back with us and get something to eat?” Meng Qing asked, bringing up other things.
"No, no, I've already eaten before I left." Du Min waved his hand. "You guys go back now, I'm going to Ruiguang Temple too."
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