Jin Biao initially wanted to take her as a wife to calm the village, but from the moment she willingly offered herself, his heart turned ice cold.
A woman without boundaries like her is bound to cuckold him sooner or later, and it might even be quite a hefty stack.
The moment she collapsed on the ground, it didn’t stir any protective instincts in him; rather, he found it quite boring.
Years of secret affection was nothing more than a liking for the her from childhood, it was just one-sided infatuation.
If she was a bit smarter, he might have considered keeping her, but she mentioned his mother.
She is someone without limits, willing to betray even her closest ones just to survive.
Jin Biao fed her medicine, rendering her mute.
Actually, he was still worried, given that she could write, would she betray his mother?
It seems that Mother can’t continue working with the Xiao family.
But in what way should he make Mother leave the Xiao family of her own accord?
"Biaozi, what are you thinking about? Your mother is calling you to eat, and you’re just sitting there without moving?"
Nanny Chen came back wanting to ask her son but was afraid she was overthinking, as her son was just a handyman in Black Mountain Cave, saying he was needed everywhere, doing jobs like sweeping, cleaning toilets, and carrying water.
How could a handyman have the means to involve Black Mountain Cave in matters?
So, it definitely wasn’t her son.
"Nothing, nothing," Jin Biao intentionally feigned indifference, his face flushing slightly, showing a bit of shy demeanor, which was an idea given by Zhuzi.
"Nothing?" Nanny Chen touched his forehead, then touched her own: "Not feverish, not delusional, who are you thinking about?"
"Mom, it’s nothing," Jin Biao quickly denied.
Denying so quickly means there is surely something suspicious.
Seeing his evasive gaze, Nanny Chen, having been through this herself, immediately understood.
She eagerly moved closer to inquire.
"Which family’s girl, how old is she, when should I invite a matchmaker to the door?"
"Mom, it’s nothing like that."
"You rascal, if there’s nothing like that you should try harder, you’re not young anymore and should take a wife," Nanny Chen said, "Once you marry and have kids, I’ll request a favor from the lady, redeem myself to care for the children, and live a life with grandchildren, it would be wonderful."
"Mom, why not redeem yourself now?"
"Redeem myself for what? To keep an eye on you? You’re almost twenty, do I still need to take care of you?"
"No, mom, I..."
Jin Biao pretended to be in a difficult situation.
"What’s wrong now, what’s the matter? Speak up, why speak in half-sentences?" Nanny Chen was eager to know news of a daughter-in-law: "Which family’s girl, do I know her?"
"Mom, you don’t know her, but, I haven’t told her yet, mainly because..."
"Mainly what?"
The son was really making her anxious, speaking only half sentences, like a wooden fish, knocking out just a word at a time?
"Mom, I’m embarrassed that you’re a servant in the Xiao family, it would be disgraceful."
"You brat, why would being a servant in the Xiao family be disgraceful? Your father died early; if I didn’t work there, where would the money come from to feed you? You would’ve had to be a beggar."
"Mom, that was when I was a kid, now I’ve grown up, I can earn Silver to support the family," Jin Biao hastily replied, "Mom, please agree, we’ll quit that job, redeem you, whatever Silver it takes, I’ll find a way to earn it."
"Many thanks to you, son!" Nanny Chen said: "The few small earnings you make, to marry a wife is already your father’s blessing from below, and you still want to earn Silver to redeem me? Understand your limits, don’t have eyes bigger than your stomach. Mother doesn’t need you to manage, just manage yourself."
"Mom, I understand."
"By the way, when you work at Black Mountain Cave, just work, do not get involved in their thefts, there will be retribution."
"Mom, I understand."
If there’s retribution, let it befall me entirely!
Jin Biao indeed feared retribution, so they only robbed unscrupulous merchants or greedy officials, never troubling common people and never taking a life.
Speaking of life, someone blamed the death of the Xiao family matriarch on him; it was such an injustice!
From start to finish, he wasn’t involved, nor did he know about it; it was only when someone confronted him that he found out his brothers had done a foolish deal.