Chapter 855: 855 Third Brother’s Childhood 1
Watching Second Brother’s face grow a bit more somber, he added, “If Li Rong’er tells you that she admires you greatly, then, once she bestows a favor upon you, how could you not soften your heart? How could she fail to leave a favorable impression in your mind? Her purpose is very simple; if I’m not mistaken, she planned from the beginning to follow you back to the Xiao Family, sparing no expense.”
Xiao Yishan’s resolute features stiffened, “Impossible…”
“What’s impossible?” he said, without a ripple of excitement, “It’s quite possible that even the matter of her being sold to the kiln was orchestrated by her.”
“Rong’er is so kind…”
“You’ve said it yourself, she is literate and beautiful. Having served as the head maid in the Fang Mansion for years, she must have saved up some taels. Why, of all people, should she be so fond of Second Brother? You call her our maid; has she mentioned signing a deed of sale to you?” After changing his bandages, Xiao Yuchuan stood up, “Third Brother has said all there is to say. This woman is after nothing more than those acres of land you hold. Even if the wife’s dowry is returned, you personally own over thirty acres, a fortune ordinary people couldn’t amass in a lifetime. Whether you keep her or not, Second Brother, it’s up to you to decide.”
Li Rong’er, who was eavesdropping outside the door, was so shocked that she turned pale.
She had not expected that a village man like Xiao Yuchuan would have such meticulous thoughts and see through her intentions so thoroughly, causing her to break out in a cold sweat.
Seeing that the people inside were about to come out, she hurriedly made her way to the kitchen first.
Xiao Yuchuan exited Xiao Yishan’s room to see Li Rong’er’s retreating figure, feigning composure towards the kitchen, her panic reinforcing his suspicions.
This woman was actually eavesdropping just now.
He sneered and slanted the corner of his mouth.
He had said everything there was to say to Second Brother.
It didn’t concern him any further, so it was up to Second Brother to deal with Li Rong’er as he saw fit.
He too made his way towards the kitchen.
Li Rong’er, seeing him enter, was so frightened her voice stammered, “Third… Third Young Master…”
He saw a hint of guilt in her dodging eyes but said nothing. He simply prepared two bowls of food on a tray and headed for Xiao Qinghe’s room.
He knocked on the door with measured force.
From inside, Xiao Qinghe’s voice inquired, “Who is it?”
“Fourth Brother, it’s me,” Xiao Yuchuan called out.
“Third Brother, is that you? The door’s not bolted, come in.”
Xiao Yuchuan pushed the door open and entered, “It’s pitch-black in here, why haven’t you lit the lamp?”
Xiao Qinghe’s voice calmly replied, “I was getting ready to sleep, so I didn’t bother lighting the lamp.”
Xiao Yuchuan placed the tray on the table and struck the fire strikers, igniting the oil lamp and brightening the room.
He saw Qinghe seated in the wheelchair in the corner, his face unable to conceal a lonely desolation.
Xiao Yuchuan felt a twinge of pain in his heart, “Sitting in the wheelchair in the corner, yet you say you were getting ready to sleep? I remember when you were little, whenever you were unhappy, you would also squat alone in the corner.”
Regrettably, this time, he could not alleviate his Fourth Brother’s worries.
Because he knew, Fourth Brother fancied his wife.
And he could not possibly be magnanimous enough to yield the woman he loved.
He owed Fourth Brother too much in this lifetime.
Xiao Qinghe twisted the corner of his mouth into a bitter smile, “Third Brother still remembers things from when we were kids?”
“I remember,” he said with a smile, “When I was mischievous and made mistakes, you often helped cover for me in front of Father and Mother.”
Xiao Qinghe also smiled, “I recall when we were young, Mom would chase after you with a rattan cane, and you would hop and skip, frustrating her to no end.”