Chapter 101:
Pulling Miaomiao along, Luo Zhi’er entered an alley and bumped straight into a person!
That person saw Luo Zhi’er and was also shocked!
“Third… Sister-in-law?”
He turned back nervously and glanced at the courtyard house behind him. The voice of that woman who had sent him off earlier was still lingering in his ears…
“Master, shall I leave the door open for you tonight?”
“Mm.”
“Take care!”
The door creaked shut!
Li Gui’s face turned from shocked to pale and flustered, then immediately became ferocious as he threatened in a menacing tone: “Luo Zhi’er, you’d better forget everything you saw today. Go back and keep your mouth shut!”
Luo Zhi’er sneered: “Oh? What is it that Fifth Brother wants me to forget?”
“Be smart about this. You know exactly what I’m talking about. When I rise in rank and get rich later, I naturally won’t forget you!”
Seeing Luo Zhi’er’s expressionless face, not knowing what she was thinking or how much she had heard and understood about what just happened, but such places could be found out with a little inquiring.
He changed his tone to coax her:
“Third Sister-in-law, this isn’t some place you can’t come to. Many men from our school come here. Which normal man doesn’t have some colorful affairs?”
“Don’t worry, when I soar to success later, I absolutely won’t forget you!”
Luo Zhi’er said indifferently: “Li Gui, what you do is your freedom. I can’t control what others give up.”
“But since you took the silver your Third Brother gave you for schooling, isn’t this supposed to be your school time right now?”
“I… I just…”
Li Gui hesitated and swallowed his saliva. He really couldn’t endure that bone-melting ecstasy, so he had come again…
“Do you think if they knew you’d done such a scandalous thing, they’d continue to support you?”
A flicker in Li Gui’s eyes. He hadn’t expected her to suddenly be so tough-spined. Before, she was just a soft bun who got bullied and would behave after a scare!
Suddenly, Li Gui tumbled to his knees before her, hugging her legs and sobbing: “Third Sister-in-law, I know I was wrong. Give me another chance! From now on, I’ll study hard and not disappoint everyone!”
Luo Zhi’er was greatly alarmed and retreated a few steps. “What are you doing? A man’s knees are worth gold. Crying and sniveling like what?”
Miaomiao was also frightened and clutched her clothing hem, at a loss!
“If you don’t agree, I won’t get up. I’m begging you. I was just temporarily deceived and lost control by mistake. Give me this last chance. I’ll definitely change. If my dad knew, he’d be so angry he’d die. My mom would be the same…”
Seeing him crying without any backbone and even kowtowing, Luo Zhi’er knew it was bad inside. She blustered fiercely:
“Sigh, if you knew it would come to this, why do it in the first place! Forget it. Third Brother, you were also deceived. Don’t do it again next time. Hurry to school. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything today. Our Miaomiao is still young and clueless and didn’t see!”
“Yes, yes! Thank you, Third Sister-in-law!”
Li Gui’s eyes full of excitement and gratitude, he stood up and ran toward the school!
Luo Zhi’er quietly watched his receding back, knowing inside it was bad. She had been too angry earlier and had revealed her hand from the start!
This Li Gui wasn’t as good as he appeared on the surface. He knew how to pretend to repent!
She looked at this courtyard. In broad daylight, the vermilion-lacquered door was tightly shut. It must be a workshop for secretly doing unspeakable things.
Was this Li Gui a man who hated evil like a foe, or a petty villain?
As the saying goes, better to offend a gentleman than a petty villain!
Earlier it was a moment of panic. Once he thought it over, he might come up with all sorts of ways to harm her to keep her quiet, especially since Miaomiao had seen it too.
Even if she kept her mouth shut forever, if he really became an official someday, would he spare her?
With such a filthy, sordid handle in her hands, wouldn’t he feel humiliated thinking about it at night?
Today he had even knelt down. How much he must hate her!
If because of her report back today he couldn’t continue studying, he’d vent his resentment on her head. Open arrows are easy to dodge, hidden ones hard to guard against, especially from that kind of petty villain!
Depressed. How had she run into this? Earlier she had no choice but to play dumb and get past it. She hoped he believed her and they could have some peaceful time!
They hadn’t even stood there long when another sleazy middle-aged man came by, passed her, and knocked on the door!
A young woman inside opened the door, calling him “Master Ning!” over and over!
Luo Zhi’er quickly pulled Miaomiao out of the alley. Her heart couldn’t calm down because of these one-after-another incidents.
She repeatedly warned Miaomiao to forget what happened today, and Miaomiao nodded solemnly!
Miaomiao didn’t understand the matter anyway. She just saw her usually cold Fifth Uncle kneeling and sobbing. Anyway, she’d do whatever her mom said!
Luo Zhi’er was absent-minded. On the way, she bought Miaomiao a few undergarments. To avoid suspicion from Zhou Shi and the others, she had her change into them in the shop.
Then put on a jacket.
Seeing someone selling osmanthus cake, she took out silver and bought two boxes!
Now that she had earned silver, she still had pocket money for these snacks. But the things she bought weren’t easy to take home, so mother and daughter found a place to eat them all!
They wandered around to digest. She had wanted to buy some small vegetables, scallion seedlings, seasonings and such to take back, but thought better of it. They hadn’t divided the family yet, and spending so much silver would make the family say she was hiding money!
She took Miaomiao wandering casually in the market and saw some fruits on the street.
In ancient times, fruits were just what grew in one’s own yard or fields: plums, peaches, jujubes, longans, pomegranates, apples, grapes…
To be honest, they didn’t look great!
Apples were oddly shaped and greenish, probably picked from their own trees to sell. Grapes were a rarity, quite expensive, and very popular with rich wives!
From her observations and inquiries, there weren’t many specialized orchards…
She thought of her Mahuang Gully, wondering if she could set up some kind of orchard or something!
They wandered until around three or four in the afternoon, and their stomachs had settled.
Passing a wonton shop, she took Miaomiao in again. They ate a bowl of wontons, rubbed their round bellies, and leisurely headed home!
Because she was bringing Miaomiao and walking, she took Miaomiao back early.
When they exited the city gate, the sun hadn’t set behind the western mountain yet!
Halfway there, as dusk fell, Zhao Maogen’s ox cart was also heading to the village!
The cart was full of villagers!
Seeing Luo Zhi’er carrying a bamboo basket, Zhao Maogen greeted her.
Li Ergou’s Wife craned her neck: “Yo! It’s Third Mao’s wife again. Why are you coming to town for market day again?”
“You’ve been coming quite frequently these days!”
Li Ergou was also sitting nearby, silently watching her every move, not knowing what he was thinking!
“Hehe! Not bad! Not like Ju Hua Shen and Er Gouzi Uncle!”
Meaningful!
“Exactly, Ju Hua, you two have kept your home door tightly shut these past few days, out in town every day. What are you up to?”
Zheng Da Niang said.
Ju Hua Shen felt guilty. Luo Zhi’er’s words and expression made her extremely uneasy!
This Zheng Da Niang was also a busybody. She tugged Li Ergou, but he was lost in thought…
“Hehe! Nothing much. Anyway, no work at home these days. Cough… just wandering!” And that was that!
“Your family can afford it. Round trip on the ox cart is four coppers, just to wander around. The cart fees alone these days must add up!”
“Tell us what livelihood you’re doing? Let us get in on it too!”
Zheng Da Niang teased!
Knowing those two liked stealing and trickery, not knowing whose family had suffered!
“Hmph! None of your business!”
Ju Hua Shen’s expression slightly panicked!
Cart fare was nothing! Those two had been eating and drinking lavishly lately. Today they couldn’t resist and went to the restaurant for a big meal!
Zhao Er’s Wife couldn’t hold back anymore and started cursing, pointing at mulberry trees but cursing locust trees: “Speaking of which, I don’t know which shameless thief kid snapped off several rows of corn from our field side!”
“If I find out who it is, this old lady will have the men in my family catch him and break his dog legs!”
