Meng Yao opened the bundle.
There were travel permits, household registration, silver notes, and some clothes.
"Mr. He said this is all his belongings. This time, it’s uncertain if he can return. If he doesn’t come back, these things should be handled by Madam," Wen Nuan said.
Meng Yao glanced at it, the silver notes amounted to two thousand taels.
This left Meng Yao confused. They were neither relatives nor friends, and so much silver placed with her, wasn’t he afraid she might have ill intentions?
That’s secondary; the main issue is that He Yan said if he didn’t come back, the silver should be handled by her.
If the person dies, these things become inheritance.
Is inheritance something anyone can handle?
But the person had already left, and she couldn’t catch up, so she had to tie the bundle again and place it with her own luggage.
Li Chang’an and Qin Zheng both had doubts but were smart enough not to ask anything.
First, this was a matter for the elders.
Second, who doesn’t have some personal matters?
But Ren Zi’an was different; although smart, he was still young, had seen little, and was very curious.
"Aunt, why does Uncle He want you to take care of his things?"
Why? She didn’t know why either.
Before Meng Yao could come up with a reasonable explanation, Ren Zi’an said to himself, "My dad said that when I grow up and get married, I can entrust important things to Madam for safekeeping."
Meng Yao: The County Magistrate really knows how to teach.
Meng Yao cleared her throat, "Your dad is right. However, your Uncle He asked me to help keep these things purely because he couldn’t conveniently carry them with him. He is now helping your dad with a very dangerous task, and carrying these things with him could bring danger. He has no friends here, so he entrusted your aunt to keep these things."
"Then is my dad not considered his friend?" Ren Zi’an asked.
"He is, but your dad’s status is there; he is the County Magistrate with an official position, and your Uncle He’s things, primarily silver, carrying it to your dad could imply bribery," Meng Yao said without changing her expression.
Ren Zi’an seemed to understand and nodded.
Meng Yao feared he would ask some more troublesome questions, so she quickly changed the topic, "You haven’t had lunch yet, and you all must be hungry, right? Wen Nuan, come with me to the backyard to cook. An Ge’er, you follow Chang’an and the others."
Wen Nuan was worried about Meng Yao’s injury, and Li Chang’an also expressed he could assist Wen Nuan, just to get by simply.
Ren Zi’an also said, "I could eat what Ah Pu cooked, even though it tasted terrible, so could Wen Nuan and Brother Chang’an’s cooking be worse than Ah Pu’s?"
Meng Yao couldn’t argue with them and had to let them go.
Ren Zi’an counted on his fingers, "In two more days, Brother Dahe will finish his exams."
"Yes, after the exams, we’ll wait for two days to see the rankings, and then we can go home after seeing the results," Meng Yao said, having been out for quite some days now, she started to miss Zhao Dajiang, his wife, and the siblings Zhao Xiaohua and Zhao Xiaoshu.
"I really hope time flies, I miss Sister Xiaohua," Ren Zi’an said.
During the time living with the Zhao Family, besides sticking to Meng Yao, Ren Zi’an stuck most to Zhao Xiaohua.
"Your Sister Xiaohua surely misses you too," Meng Yao said, tapping Ren Zi’an on the nose.
Zhao Xiaohua, who was mentioned, was at that moment looking helplessly at the young man in front of her, "Mr. Han, I’ve made myself very clear, don’t say you don’t understand."
"What’s wrong with me?"
Han Muchi’s cheeks were clearly flushed, and when he spoke, there was a nauseating smell of alcohol that made Zhao Xiaohua involuntarily take two steps back.
"When I was in the capital, I was a much sought-after prodigy, many ladies of the boudoir regarded me as a suitable husband, I didn’t even glance at them. Even in this backwater place, I still attract the attention of young girls. But why won’t you even spare me a single glance?" Han Muchi’s voice choked, as if there was infinite grievance.
Yes, he was indeed aggrieved, very aggrieved.
He had lowered himself this much, how could Zhao Xiaohua remain indifferent?
"Mr. Han, whether you’re good or not has nothing to do with me. No matter how glamorous you were in the past, that was your business. As for others valuing you, that’s between you and them. I’ve made it very clear that I have no interest in you," Zhao Xiaohua said emphatically, "So, please leave me alone, okay?"
It had been made very clear before.
Who would have thought, today, on a whim, she went to dig some shepherd’s purse to eat and bumped into him again?
So young, not studying well, yet drinking. After drinking, he didn’t stay home but came out acting drunk, such family teaching...
Still, a "prodigy" indeed, couldn’t compare to her second brother.
"How can it be unrelated? The two of us have already had physical contact," Han Muchi said excitedly.
"I’ve already explained this matter. It was a forced situation, to save you, there was no choice," Zhao Xiaohua said impatiently, "I also took the medical fee, it was agreed that this matter would be left in the past, why can’t you let it go?"
"Xiaohua, I know, you’re definitely feeling inferior, thinking your status is low and unworthy of me, so you keep rejecting me again and again. Don’t worry, I won’t despise you. My mother... she dotes on me, as long as I persist, she will surely relent," Han Muchi continued speaking to himself, "As long as you treat her well, she will definitely see the good in you."
Zhao Xiaohua laughed coldly. Didn’t she have a mother of her own? Why rush to dutifully serve someone else’s mother?
"Mr. Han, a person’s patience is limited," Zhao Xiaohua said coldly.
"As long as you follow my instructions..." Han Muchi continued to ramble.
Zhao Xiaohua, with no expression, stuffed Han Muchi’s gag into his mouth and then used the hemp rope she carried to tie him to a tree.
Then she calmly picked up her basket and walked home.
After arriving home, she sent Zhao Xiaoshu to the Han Family to deliver a message, saying Han Muchi had an abrupt episode, Zhao Xiaohua was passing by and offered simple treatment, but the condition was too severe, so he had to be temporarily tied to a tree, and the Han Family should take him quickly to the town medical center for treatment.
When Madam Han arrived with people, Han Muchi had already sobered up, but the smell of alcohol on him was overwhelming.
Han Muchi’s face was gloomy. He was drunk, but he hadn’t blacked out.
He remembered exactly what he said.
He also remembered Zhao Xiaohua’s reactions clearly.
What Zhao Xiaohua did to him later, he remembered that very well too.
"You, you, you, what can I say? A countryside wild girl, what spell did she cast on you? Making you so irrational?" Madam Han cried out.
"Enough, mother," Han Muchi said impatiently, "Are you insistent on crying about it for everyone to know?"
Madam Han immediately fell silent, directing the servants to drape a cloak over Han Muchi, and hurried back home.
Han Muchi was a frail scholar; he hadn’t fully recovered from falling into the water last time. The chill in the spring breeze made him feverish shortly after getting home.