Chapter 6 The Last Time I'll Help You
Ning Xiuwen's lips trembled: "Lu Qingqing, what are you doing in the county town?"
"What do you think?" Lu Qingqing grinned at him, revealing a few teeth.
"If you want to report a case, you must first report it to the village head, who will then report it to your superiors. If you go to report it without authorization, you will be given thirty strokes of the cane in full view of everyone..."
"Ning Xiuwen, have you forgotten what you told me before? If you slip some silver, the yamen runners will beat you less severely. Thank you. I'll be waiting for you outside the yamen early tomorrow!" Lu Qingqing smiled again.
Ning Xiuwen never imagined that his arrogant words to Lu Qingqing about his extensive knowledge and experience would now be used against him.
"Uncle Stone, let's go!"
Ning Xiuwen felt a wave of dizziness.
No, no, Lu Qingqing won't go to the police station. She only bullies the old, weak, sick, and disabled; in reality, she's very timid.
She'll come back sheepishly when she's sober tomorrow.
Lu Qingqing left, and the crowd dispersed in twos and threes, discussing the matter.
Granny Liu finally managed to squeeze in, her body trembling.
"What's wrong? What's wrong? Did the dog have puppies, or did you dig up some worms?" she asked, grabbing a woman and speaking in a lisp.
"It's not that they're giving birth, nor that they've gotten worms; it's that someone's face has been ripped off!"
The woman gave Ning Xiuwen a mocking look.
A pedantic scholar who can't even farm, who's never even worked as a tenant farmer, tries to become a landlord overnight using this method—how shameless!
The woman glared at Lin Zhuang, making him blush and turn pale with embarrassment.
Ning Xiuwen lowered his head, not daring to look at anyone, and hurriedly ran away.
No matter how bad Lu Qingqing's reputation gets in the future, from today onwards, he will be despised by everyone.
Lu Qingqing!!!
He wanted to see how long she could keep going crazy!
...
"San'er! Go to my house and tell my father that I have to go with Lu Qingqing!"
Lu Yun didn't have time to run home. He told his friend Li San what to do and then chased after Cui Shitou's donkey cart.
"Lu Qingqing, what are you going to the county town for?" Lu Yun asked, climbing onto the donkey cart.
"Do you know that what you said today will be known throughout the whole village tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, people from other villages will know too? You'll never be able to get married!"
"Why are you so troublesome? Your father will be worried sick and unable to sleep again..."
As he was talking, Lu Yun stopped.
Lu Qingqing smiled at him?
Shouldn't she have kicked him down?
It's strange, really.
Lu Qingqing used to always have a fierce look on her face, with a stern expression; he never thought she was pretty.
Now when you smile, it's like a flower blooming.
What mischief is she up to?
“If I can’t get married, I won’t get married. Do you think Father or you will kick me out?” Lu Qingqing said.
Lu Yun opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But in the end, it wasn't said.
He didn't want to provoke Lu Qingqing.
This was a rare occasion when she spoke to him so kindly.
Although she had just scolded Ning Xiuwen, he didn't believe that Lu Qingqing had suddenly changed her mind.
He might be thinking of going to the city to borrow money again.
He has to go with them.
"Lu Qingqing, where did you get thirty coins?"
"Uncle Stone, you can't have come all this way for nothing!"
Cui Shitou chuckled, about to say something, when Lu Qingqing spoke up:
“I plan to find you a wife in the city, my second brother, and get some dowry first. That way we'll have money to pay off our debts.”
Lu Yun was shocked: "You want to sell me!?"
Lu Qingqing laughed again, and Cui Shitou laughed too.
Lu Yun realized she was teasing him and blushed with anger.
But seeing Lu Qingqing's curved lips, he kept quiet.
It would be better if they sold it!
Unfortunately, even if he were sold, he wouldn't be worth thirty taels.
But what exactly is Lu Qingqing going to do in the city?
The donkey cart chugged along.
Lu Yun started counting on his fingers again.
"Second Brother, what are you calculating?" Lu Qingqing asked.
"I'm calculating how much cloth I need to sell to earn 720 coins!" Lu Yun said gruffly.
He had thought it over. Rather than spending all his time chasing after that scoundrel Ning Xiuwen, it would be better to let Lu Qingqing never get married.
If Lu Qingqing doesn't get married, she'll have to pay a "leftover woman tax," which is normally 120 coins per person, but if she becomes a leftover woman, she'll have to pay 720 coins.
The boy frowned.
He's been fired from the fabric shop and needs to find another job quickly.
As for the money laundering shop, Dad said he's come up with a solution, but he doesn't know if they can pay it back by tomorrow.
If you can't pay it back, you'll have to cut off your hand.
Lu Yun stared at his fingers, lost in thought.
Suddenly, a cool sensation came from my brow.
Lu Yun instinctively dodged.
"Second brother, your brow is bleeding, wipe it off."
Seeing that he was not feeling well, Lu Qingqing handed him a handkerchief that had been soaked in water.
She used the water from the gourd on Cui Shitou's cart, and even said thank you after she finished.
Cui Shitou secretly grimaced.
Why is this girl acting so strangely today?
The donkey cart hurried along, and entered the city before sunset.
The streets were lined with old cloth banners, and pedestrians hurried by in twos and threes.
The roadside vendors were packing up their goods, preparing to go home.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the bluestone path, imbuing it with an ancient and peaceful warmth.
Ming'an County is just one of hundreds of small towns in the Great Gan Kingdom; it is simple, remote, and insignificant.
Having traveled from a prosperous and bustling city to such a backward ancient time, Lu Qingqing thought she would find it very difficult to adapt.
However, she didn't; she felt that this was how it should be.
Just like when she first woke up and saw the simple, dimly lit room, she felt only confusion, not horror.
Perhaps it's because the original owner's memories are still in her mind that she feels less of a sense of loss.
"Uncle Shitou, go straight to Huilong Printing Shop and see if it's closed," Lu Qingqing said.
"Ah! What are you going to do?" Lu Yun asked, his face tense and wary.
She hasn't paid back the remaining thirty taels yet, and even if she were to borrow more, no one would lend her any.
Could it be that she's really going to sell him?
"Give me my money back."
"Where...where would we get the money?"
Lu Yun clenched his fist.
Why do my fingers start to hurt?
For some reason, Lu Qingqing always wanted to tease her seemingly smart but silly second brother.
“The shop owner who sold the money last time said he needed a little helper. I thought I’d ask my second brother to try and maybe we could get the thirty taels waived.”
Thirty taels will be waived.
Dream on!
She was only worth twenty taels of silver when she sold herself into servitude.
Lu Yun didn't speak, but he had a vague feeling that Lu Qingqing probably wanted him to be chopped in her place.
That's why I smiled at him, wiped his forehead, and held back my temper the whole way.
His falling out with Ning Xiuwen might also be an act.
After all, he knew Ning Xiuwen better than anyone else what she was like.
She once said: "If anyone dares to hurt Ning Xiuwen even a single finger, I will take the lives of his entire family!"
The imprint has been laid.
Thankfully, the door wasn't closed.
Lu Yun jumped out of the car first.
"Don't go in! Lu Qingqing, this is the last time I'll help you. From now on, we're severing all ties as siblings!"
Lu Qingqing: "..."
Oh no, my second brother actually took it seriously!
Lu Qingqing wanted to explain, but a wave of bitterness and sadness welled up in her heart.
Over the years, how many times have they cleaned up the messes for the original owner?
Even now, I'm still willing to sacrifice myself for her.
She was extremely angry and resentful towards the original owner of the body.
But more than anything, it was envy and jealousy.
She had never experienced such family affection before; it was so precious.
But that person treated it so badly.
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