161 Here to Apologize
Xie Yunjin gaped at Xie Erzhu. For a moment there, he decided that he wanted to get his second brother out of here. He wanted to buy his brother a little shop in the city and make him a businessman.
Now that his brother had stated his desire to stay in the village, he let go of that idea. Xie Yunjin had no intention of forcing anything onto his second brother. His brother was born and raised here and could barely read. Him leaving this place of comfort would cause him much anxiety. He would only remain peaceful if he stayed.
It was great that Lu Jiao was willing to teach Xie Erzhu leech keeping. Once Xie Yunjin could walk again, he will build a giant home with a big yard on this piece of land. Then, he will ask his second brother to keep an eye on this property. When he moves into the city, he will ask his second brother to move in. In the future, he'll find a way to buy some land for him. After all that, his second brother should have a less exhausting life.
As Xie Yunjin planned, Xie Erzhu had already emotionally thanked Lu Jiao.
"Thank you, sister-in-law. Thank you."
Xie Erzhu was very satisfied.
Lu Jiao continued, "I will teach you the life cycle of leech keeping, from reproduction to tending to them. You can then delegate tasks to the villagers. Remember, don't ever teach others what I teach you. That way, the villagers will always respect you. Years down the line, you can choose an apprentice to pass this down to. Pick someone who's nice to you."
Xie Erzhu continued to thank her, "Thank you, sister-in-law, thank you."
Lu Jiao chuckled, "It's no trouble."
This whole leech keeping business was going to benefit her anyway. To pass down this skill to Xie Erzhu was because she didn't want to see him so tired.
Xie Yunjin watched Lu Jiao and once again silently vowed to treat her well in the future.
Lu Jiao didn't think too much. She was happy that Xie Erzhu was here tonight because that meant she was off wiping duty.
"Second brother, stay and talk with Yunjin. I'm going to boil some water. Can you help wipe down Yunjin later?"
Xie Yunjin was both relieved and disappointed. In the end, he chose to say nothing.
After Xie Erzhu helped Yunjin clean, he left. Lu Jiao washed up the four little ones and told them a bedtime story before they slept.
The next day, while the family was still deep asleep, the dogs inside the yard started to bark aggressively.
After the previous period of feeding and adjusting, the puppies finally gained some useful skills – when strangers came, they knew to bark now.
Though their voices were still quiet, it was enough to alert the family.
Both Xie Yunjin from the east bedroom and Lu Jiao from the west bedroom jolted awake. They opened their eyes and looked outside.
Since Xie Yunjin couldn't move, Lu Jiao crawled out of bed to see what was going on.
Outside the trellis stood several men. When they saw Lu Jiao walk out, they awkwardly greeted her.
The Village and Clan Leaders smiled, "Yunjin's wife, you're up?"
Lu Jiao instantly yawned to show them that she wasn't up. She was woken up because of them.
The Clan Leader shamelessly said, "We were going to wait until you were awake but then your dogs started barking."
So it was the dogs' fault?
The Clan Leader, Xie Fugui, added, "Why don't you go inside and sleep longer? We can wait here."
Lu Jiao was speechless. They already woke her up, how was she going to go back to sleep now?
Since the leaders and the elders were behaving rather carefully, Lu Jiao decided to be nice, "What's the matter?"
The Village Leader glared at Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan, who stood on the side.
At this very moment, they wanted to die. They were so senior yet they had to come here to apologize to their daughter-in-law.
This will make them the joke of the village.
Xie Laogen stared down Lady Ruan. This was all because this old woman provoked this daughter-in-law. If she didn't do that, their family wouldn't be like this right now.
It was no wonder everyone says a wife needs to be virtuous. Plus, back when they were young, his parents objected to their marriage, telling him that Lady Ruan was not virtuous and may cause havoc at home. Back then, he didn't believe that saying. Now, he learned his lesson.
Lady Ruan was originally going to yell at Xie Laogen for glaring at her. However, the leaders were here and she didn't dare to make a scene. No matter how dumb she was, she knew the consequences of being kicked out of this village.
Lady Ruan looked towards Lu Jiao then lowered her head, "Lu Jiao, I was wrong before. However, you're my daughter-in-law and you shouldn't blame your mother-in-law."
Even now, Lady Ruan was still trying to get away with it. Terrified that another fight will break out, the leaders howled, "So you really do want to leave our village."
Lady Ruan's face froze. Xie Laogen then announced at the top of his lungs, "Third daughter-in-law, we were wrong before and we shouldn't have caused you trouble. We won't do that anymore. Can you forgive us?"
If Lu Jiao still fought back, she would appear unreasonable. After all, they were her seniors.
Lu Jiao instantly grinned, "You're my parents, you deserve everything. As long as you stop causing us trouble, we will treat you well."
The leaders started chuckling, "I knew Yunjin's wife had a big heart."
"Yeah, this child has helped our village so much. She's our savior."
Lu Jiao's mood was better now, "Then, let's flip the page on this matter.
She remembered to remind Lady Ruan and Xie Laogen, "Mom, dad, stop being so strict with the second brother. He's such an honest and nice man."
The Village Leader answered on their behalf, "They won't be. They promised us that they will stop giving Erzhu a hard time."
"That's great."
Lu Jiao was satisfied and asked the leaders to go inside and chat.
The leaders shook their heads, "That's okay. We will get back now."
Then, they carefully peeked at Lu Jiao, "Then, Yunjin's wife… about leech keeping…"
"We can talk about the details later."
This meant she was willing to teach the villagers leech keeping. This time, the leaders and elders finally laughed out of happiness.
The Village Leader went up to Lu Jiao and gave her the contract Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan signed with their thumbprints.
"Your in-laws stamped this with their thumbprints. This means they are no longer allowed to cause your family trouble. If they do, we have the right to kick them out of this village. They agreed to this."
Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan kept their eyes on Lu Jiao, hoping that Lu Jiao was generous enough to give the contract back to them.
Pity, Lu Jiao pretended she didn't notice the attention on her and immediately put the contract away.
162 Coincidental or Intentional?
Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan's expressions appeared extremely ugly. They didn't dare to breathe another word as they turned around to leave. Behind them, the leaders and elders also left while laughing and chatting.
Lu Jiao went into the east bedroom with the contract. Xie Yunjin had leaned himself against the edge of the bed and asked Lu Jiao about what happened the moment she walked in.
"The leaders want something?"
Since the event took place outside the trellis, Xie Yunjin couldn't hear anything.
Lu Jiao happily gave the contract to Xie Yunjin to look over.
"Last night, the leaders made your parents sign this. They won't dare to cause us trouble again."
Xie Yunjin read the contract. It was merely two sentences and the writing was all twisted. Some villager must've written this.
It basically said that Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan were not allowed to cause Xie Yunjin any trouble. If they do, they will be kicked out of the Xie Village. Below, Xie Laogen and Lady Ruan left their thumbprints.
Xie Yunjin coldly hissed and asked Lu Jiao to put it away. Lu Jiao didn't move.
"Take it."
Why should she? She was going to move out soon.
Xie Yunjin found her lack of action strange, "Take it."
Lu Jiao was about to speak when the four little ones rushed inside, "Mommy, why are you up already?"
The children rubbed their eyes and found their dad to be awake too. They quickly greeted, "Daddy, you're awake too?"
Xie Yunjin nodded and warmly asked the four little ones, "Do you want to sleep longer?"
The Second Born shook his head instantly, "We want to box."
Ever since Lu Jiao told the children to do some boxing in the morning, the children had been strictly following it. Though sometimes, they wake up a little later, they still insist on boxing before eating.
Today, they were up early and they still wanted to box first.
Xie Yunjin smiled and told them to go ahead.
After the children left, Lu Jiao decided she was too lazy to argue about who should keep the contract. Since he wanted her to have it, she'll keep it temporarily.
"I'll make breakfast then. You can sleep longer."
Xie Yunjin was satisfied that Lu Jiao took the contract, "Sure, go on with your business."
He suddenly remembered the wheelchair, "After breakfast, ask Uncle Youcai if the wheelchair is ready to go."
Lu Jiao agreed, "Okay."
She went to cook breakfast and prepared herself for a busy morning. Other than breakfast, she had to milk the sheep and boil its milk. Then, she had to water all her planted veggies.
The four little ones boxed under the tree out front. After they were done, they had their sheep milk followed by breakfast.
After breakfast, Lu Jiao took the children to visit Uncle Youcai. When they got out of the gate, they saw a horse carriage parked in front.
Lu Jiao recognized the cart driver right away. It was Classmate Han's family carriage.
Lu Jiao was confused. Xie Yunjin had asked Classmate Han to focus on studying in order to take the September district exam. Why was he here now?
Before Lu Jiao could say anything, Classmate Han got out of the cart with boxes of gifts. He smiled at Lu Jiao, "Yunjin's wife, you're going out?"
Lu Jiao nodded and the four little ones grinned at Classmate Han, "Uncle Han, hello."
"Have you eaten breakfast?"
"We still have lots of food at home."
Classmate Han patted each one of them on the head, "I've eaten. You're going out to play with your mommy?"
The four little ones nodded. Lu Jiao looked at Classmate Han, then at the three men who consecutively got out of the horse carriage.
They were the other classmates who once visited Xie Yunjin.
Lu Jiao couldn't help but check out the classmates. All three of them were dressed simply and all three of them appeared studious and graceful. Out of the group, one of them had a face that stood out. However, the way he looked at Lu Jiao made her uncomfortable.
Though this man was handsome, he carried with him an air of arrogance. The way he looked at Lu Jiao was like he was looking down at her.
Lu Jiao wanted to roll her eyes at him. If he thought poorly of her, why was he here?
Since he didn't explicitly say it, she didn't mention anything.
Classmate Han introduced the others to Lu Jiao, "Yunjin's wife, these are the classmates who visited last time. This is Zheng Zhixing, this is Duyi, and this is Li Wenwu.
Zheng Zhixing was the handsome but arrogant one.
Lu Jiao ignored him and looked toward the other two. Both of them were very warm and kind looking. Li Wenwu in particular seemed to be very sincere and honest. When he saw Lu Jiao, he paid his respect right away, "I heard Yunjin's legs are well now. All of us are very happy for him, therefore, we asked Classmate Han to bring us over for a visit."
Lu Jiao nodded and then led the group to the living room.
On the way there, she remembered her suspicion from last time.
Four years ago, Xie Yunjin was drugged. Four years later, he was hit by a horse carriage. Weren't all those incidents far too coincidental? Could it be that someone was jealous and intentionally harmed him?
Though Lu Jiao had those thoughts, she didn't express them. She led Classmate Han, Zheng Zhixing, and the others to the east bedroom.
When Xie Yunjin saw everyone, he happily gestured for them to sit.
Lu Jiao went to make tea.
The four little ones saw the guests and asked Lu Jiao in a quiet voice, "Mommy, are we not going to Mutou's place anymore?"
Lu Jiao nodded and patted their heads, "We'll go in the afternoon. I have to cook lunch later and don't have time to go."
The four little ones didn't say much else, "We got it. Then we will get ready for our reading lessons."
"Sounds good, go ahead."
Lu Jiao then brought some tea into the east bedroom.
There, Zheng Zhixing and Xie Yunjin chatted.
"Yunjin, you sure are lucky to remain unscathed after such serious injuries. As the saying goes, one who survives a great disaster is destined for good fortune after. I am certain you will experience great fortune."
Lu Jiao felt like that guy's tone was a little bitter.
The other two classmates warmly smiled. Li Wenbin grinned sincerely, "I am glad you are okay. Now, you can attend next year's exam. Given your intelligence, I am certain you will place first in our prefecture."
Those words made Zheng Zhixing's face drop. His lips also tightened.
Xie Yunjin smiled in response, "I'm happy to just pass. In our Ning Prefecture, there are many hidden talents and lowkey geniuses who are waiting to pounce on the opportunity to show off their skills."
Because of those words, Zheng Zhixing's expression lightened up.
Calmly, Lu Jiao placed the tea and the cups before everyone, "Have some tea, everyone."
She handed the cups of tea to each guest. Afterward, she politely walked up to Xie Yunjin and asked, "Should I cook some food and have everyone stay for dinner?"
163 Not Born a Princess, Acts like a Princess
She then went to get the wood.
Lu Jiao, however, didn't walk away and started to point fingers as Xie Lan worked, "Raise your arm higher, that will give you more strength. The way your arm is raised cannot break any wood. What is it? Did you not eat? Raise your arm! Yes, that's right. Aim well, and cut decisively.
Sister-in-law, I'm not trying to give you a hard time. But what will you do once you marry? You were not born a princess yet you have all the problems a princess has. Are you really planning on buying a servant who can take care of you? No family can afford that."
Lu Jiao spoke with a smile on her face while Xie Lan wanted to curse. Every time she saw Lu Jiao's face, however, she was scared off. That woman handled her parents, let alone her.
Xie Lan started to cry. She cried while she chopped wood.
After a few more minutes of instructions, Lu Jiao went to prepare lunch.
Since there were four guests, she ended up taking out all the food she bought in town last time.
There was chicken, duck, fish, and pork. There were also gifts from the villagers. All that was enough to fill a table.
Spicy chicken, long beans with duck, braised fish, jalapeno with pork stir fry, shrimp with vegetables, steamed egg with green onion, smashed cucumber, chive pockets, and yam with mushroom ears.
Mushroom ears were given by the villagers and the yams were found by Lu Jiao when she went up in the mountains.
At this time, yam was still mostly used for medicine and most people didn't know it could be used to make food with. Lu Jiao took the chance and made it into a dish.
At the dining table, Zheng Zhixing and the others now believed what Classmate Han said. The food was insanely visually pleasing and they just knew they would taste delicious.
Zheng Zhixing saw the food and couldn't help but check out Lu Jiao for a few seconds. He realized that this woman had lost a considerable amount of weight since he saw her last. As it turned out, she was pretty. Her skin, in particular, was pale like jade. She didn't look at all like a countryside housewife.
Xie Yunjin noticed the look in Zheng Zhixing's eyes and quickly turned unpleasant. With his face droopy, he said, "Okay, let's sit and eat."
There were lots of people today so the table couldn't fit everyone. Lu Jiao brought inside the old broken table and placed it before Xie Yunjin.
She said to the four little ones, "There are lots of guests here today. How about you sit here and eat with daddy?"
The four little ones glanced at everyone and agreed. Daddy had taught them once that visitors are respectable guests. They were the hosts and should accommodate.
"Okay, mommy."
Lu Jiao smiled in satisfaction. She got a portion of all the dishes into their bowls and placed them on the small table. She also filled a bowl for Xie Yunjin. Only then did she ask the guests to come and eat.
"My home is old and dirty. Please don't mind."
Zheng Zhixing responded in a nice tone this time, "We are the ones interrupting your day."
Li Wenbin smiled, "Lady Lu, you are such a good cook, not like my wife, whose cooking is barely edible."
Countryside women normally make sure the food is cooked through. They don't care about the taste because they didn't have the conditions to.
Zheng Zhixing responded quickly, "Your wife needs to cook herself? Don't you have servants?"
Li Wenbin quickly became uncomfortable. Lu Jiao knew right away there was a story there and tried to change the subject.
"Okay, let's eat. The food is getting cold."
Everyone sat down to eat.
Since Xie Yunjin was injured and had to eat in bed, Lu Jiao had to eat with everyone as the host.
However, sitting at their table was also Xie Lan.
164 The Importance of having an Intelligent and Virtuous Wife
Xie Lan's eyes were glued on Zheng Zhixing. She stared at him and felt attracted to his body language. As she watched him, she started to blush.
Zheng Zhixing didn't even notice her. Everyone sat down and Xie Lan picked up food and put it into his bowl. Only then, did he look at her.
The young woman beside him stared at him hotly. Her naked gaze made her intentions clear.
Zheng Zhixing knew Xie Lan and knew she was Xie Yunjin's sister.
However, wasn't she being far too obvious? Not only did she have the guts to bluntly stare, but she also went ahead and put food in his bowl.
Zheng Zhixing glanced at Xie Lan and then at his bowl.
Xie Lan didn't know he minded her action. Now that he had lowered his head to look at the food, she quickly used her chopsticks to pick up more food for him.
"Young master Zheng, try this. It's tasty."
She then got some for herself and ate it. It really was tasty. Her sister-in-law was not likable but her food was delicious.
Xie Lan's action made everyone at the table uncomfortable. To give Zheng Zhixing food and then eat the food right after felt a little awkward.
Zheng Zhixing didn't know what to do and froze.
Xie Yunjin's face was extremely gloomy as he gaped at Xie Lan. If it weren't for the guests, he would've asked her to get the f*ck out of here. How dare she embarrass him like this?
Lu Jiao got up and handed her bowl of untouched rice to Zheng Zhixing. She took his bowl.
"Young master Zheng, please eat."
Lu Jiao didn't plan on wiping Xie Lan's butt for her. However, there were so many guests and she had to step in.
Sadly, Xie Lan had no self-awareness. When she saw Lu Jiao take over Zheng Zhixing's food, she grew unhappy and lifted her head, "Sister-in-law, why did you take away young master Zheng's food?"
Lu Jiao wanted to slap her. However, because of what she said, she couldn't eat her food now.
It now felt weird for her to eat young master Zheng's food.
Lu Jiao's tone was hostile, "Shut up and eat your food."
Zheng Zhixing and the others looked at Xie Lan strangely. Was she really Xie Yunjin's sister? Why was she so stupid? Her sister-in-law was helping her out and she had no idea.
Lu Jiao once again invited everyone to eat. Then, she checked in on her children, "The boys are running out of food. I'll give them a bit more."
She took her bowl and very naturally went to the four little ones and gave what was in the bowl to the boys.
Xie Yunjin's face calmed down as gentle soft light shot out of his eyes. Now, he realized the importance of having an intelligent and virtuous wife. A stupid woman like Xie Lan would've made him want to kill.
Xie Yunjin said to Lu Jiao, "You should eat as well."
"Okay."
Lu Jiao went to get fresh rice from the kitchen.
Who knew that Xie Lan would soon cause trouble again? She once again used her chopstick to try and get food for Zheng Zhixing.
Luckily, Lu Jiao came back in time and stopped Xie Lan. With a warning look on her face, she said, "young master Zheng knows what he wants. There's no need for you to help him."
Zheng Zhixing nodded quickly. He was truly afraid of this woman.
If he came here alone, he wouldn't have spared Xie Lan's feelings. However, since she was Xie Yunjin's sister and he was a guest, he had to be considerate. Sadly, this meal truly was uncomfortable.
Xie Lan remained clueless and was angered by Lu Jiao.
She decided to focus on Zheng Zhixing and shyly stared at him, "Young master Zheng, are you classmates with my brother?"
Zheng Zhixing wanted to ignore her but that would be too rude, "Yes, we are very close."
"How come you never came over to hang out before?"
Zheng Zhixing smiled, "We need to focus on studying. We rarely have any free time."
Xie Lan wanted to talk more but Lu Jiao beat her to it, "Young master Zheng, the next time you come visit, you should bring your wife. You are close with Yunjin, therefore, I should get to know her."
Lu Jiao's words made everyone admire her intelligence and quickness.
Zheng Zhixing naturally got the hint and smiled, "Okay, I will bring my wife next time. You two can get to know each other."
Zheng Zhixing's words made Xie Lan feel thunderstruck.
She acted like someone had died as she silently cried, "Young master Zheng, you… you have a wife?"
Her expression was truly unappetizing. He gave up and sought help from the others, "I'm done eating. We should head back to school and make sure Classmate Han has enough time to study."
Classmate Han instantly answered, "Alright."
Classmate Han was unspeakably annoyed. He barely ate. Xie Yunjin's sister was truly a troublemaker. No, a moron.
Du Yi and Li Wenbin naturally also failed to eat in peace. In the end, everyone got up and bid farewell to Xie Yunjin.
"Yunjin, we will see each other soon at school. Today, we shall head back first. Classmate Han wants to take the exam in September and we don't want to drag him down."
"Yeah, and next year, we'll be doing the district exam. We need to work hard."
"Yunjin, make sure your legs heal soon. We'll wait for you at school."
Everyone then bid their farewells. Xie Yunjin said bye to everyone and his gaze turned cold as soon as they left.
"Xie Lan, have you never met a man before? Every man you see you stick yourself onto them."
Xie Lan started to cry instantly.
"I am 17 and I have no prospects. As my brother, you never planned anything for me so I have to fend for myself."
Xie Yunjin refused to talk to her. She couldn't understand the logic.
Before, she had talked to his mother and Xie Lan about this. Since Xie Lan never studied, she didn't have great looks nor a super attractive personality, she was most suited to marry an average countryside farmer. However, Xie Lan thought of herself as a beauty and felt that she deserved to marry into town and enjoy wealth. She was picky with everyone who showed interest and in the end, ended up alone.
Who was to blame but her own pride?
Xie Yunjin did not expect her to be tempted by his classmates. All his classmates were older and were all married with children. She sure dared to dream.
"Get the hell out of my home. Do not ever step foot inside again."
Xie Yunjin forcibly told Xie Lan to get out.
165 Who Wants to Hurt him?
Xie Lan cried louder, "Are you even my brother? I got hurt and instead of comforting me, you treat me like this."
Lu Jiao returned in time to hear that and started to pull Xie Lan out, "You need to leave before you anger your brother to death."
Xie Lan wanted to argue but she was scared that Lu Jiao would hit her. So, she left while weeping.
Once she was outside, she remembered something – she hadn't eaten lunch. All that good food just now, she didn't get to eat any of it. Xie Lan cried harder and left.
Back in the east bedroom, Lu Jiao glanced at the furious Xie Yunjin and said, "It's okay. Why be so angry at someone like that? It's not necessary. Hurry up and eat. You shouldn't treat yourself poorly."
Lu Jiao then called the four little ones to eat.
"Babies, they're gone. Let's eat."
The four little ones happily responded, "Yes, let's eat together."
"There's so much food. If we can't finish, we can eat more tonight."
"Mommy's cooking is the best. They didn't even get to try!"
"Daddy, eat, have a drumstick."
The Fourth Born placed a drumstick into a bowl and brought it to Xie Yunjin.
Xie Yunjin watched the five people in the room and his furious heart cooled down by what felt like a spring breeze. With the rage gone, he smiled at the people in the room, "They don't get to eat. We eat."
"Exactly."
The family happily had lunch.
Afterward, Lu Jiao got the four little ones to feed the dogs while she cleaned up.
While she cleaned, she suddenly remembered the matter of Xie Yunjin's accident. She abruptly stopped and went to Xie Yunjin.
Xie Yunjin knew right away that she had something to say, "What is it?"
Lu Jiao's voice was low, "Xie Yunjin, you were drugged four years ago and were struck by a horse carriage four years later. Don't you find that strange? Do things happen that coincidentally?"
Xie Yunjin's gaze darkened. Honestly, he's been thinking about this too.
Before, he was paralyzed and felt worse than death so he didn't have the energy to think about it. These days, he's had the time to find the accident strange.
He said to Lu Jiao, "I investigated the drug accident from four years ago. It was my roommate at the time, Liu Shiren, who did it. Because we had a disagreement, he got angry and drugged me. He wanted to ruin my reputation."
Xie Yunjin paused, "Liu Shiren ended up dropping out."
He thought that matter was over until he was hit by a horse carriage.
Lu Jiao said calmly, "I looked into it. Your legs were crushed by the horse carriage's wheels. It didn't look like your injuries were caused unintentionally. Unintentional trauma is normally messy but your injuries were very standard. The horse first wounded your body so you would collapse, then the carriage ran over your legs."
Lu Jiao decided further, "The horse carriage driver is an experienced one. He knew at what angle he would be able to break someone's legs."
The atmosphere turned cold.
Xie Yunjin's face was extremely dark. Though he was cold and didn't enjoy striking up conversations, he's never done anyone harm. Why would someone want him hurt?
Xie Yunjin thought of Liu Shiren. Did he really drug him or was he covering up for the real culprit?
Xie Yunjin thought about it, "Once I heal, I will get to the bottom of this. If I can find the person who hurt me, I will never forgive him."
If it weren't for Lu Jiao, he would've had to live his life in hell. Just why did that person hold so much grudge against him? Why did he want to hurt him?
Lu Jiao nodded, "I have to warn you – if that person is okay with hurting you once, then twice, he would be okay with hurting you for a third time. Don't forget about the provincial exam next year."
Xie Yunjin responded, "I will not let him get what he wants."
Lu Jiao reminded him, "I think the culprit is someone from your school. I also think you have a close relationship with him. How else would he know you were going back to Qili that night?"
Xie Yunjin searched through his brain to remember what happened that night.
That night, his decision to go home was spontaneous. He only told a few of his good friends and a few of his teachers. Which meant, the person who wanted to hurt him was within the group of people he told.
Xie Yunjin frowned deeply as coldness seeped through him. He definitely will find the person who did this and figure out just why he set him up.
Lu Jiao took the dirty bowls and left.
After doing the dishes, she gathered the four little ones to go to Uncle Youcai's place. Sadly, before she could fetch the boys, a group of people came to visit.
It was the leaders and some villagers.
They greeted Lu Jiao, "Yunjin's wife, have you eaten?"
"How are Yunjin's legs? Is he improving?"
Lu Jiao knew right away that they were here about leech keeping. She led everyone into the east bedroom.
The Village and Clan Leaders first asked about Xie Yunjin's legs. After they found out that he was doing well, they got excited.
No matter what, Xie Yunjin was the Xie Village's hope. If he could get out, the children would be able to get out in the future as well.
Lu Jiao got them some sugar water. The leaders asked her to sit.
"Yunjin's wife, sit down. Don't worry about us. We are here to talk about leech keeping. Everyone wants to learn more."
The Village and Clan Leaders may hold lots of power, but they've never experienced much in life. When something big happens, they don't know how to handle it properly.
Lu Jiao sat down on the bed beside Xie Yunjin.
The leaders explained, "Yesterday, we held a meeting and decided that leech keeping is a go. However, we don't know how to operate it. I wonder if you can advise us.
Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao suggested this idea and he wasn't too aware of how it all worked. Therefore, Lu Jiao should figure out this matter.
Lu Jiao said, "The first thing to decide is how much land you want to use for leech keeping."
The leaders exchanged glances, "We want to hear your opinion. How many acres of land do you think makes sense?"
If they use too much land, the villagers would get worried. If they don't keep enough leeches, the villagers will think they are losing money. It was a lose-lose situation.
166 A Male Chauvinist
Lu Jiao didn't want to convince them to go all in. Though leech keeping was profitable, there were lots of risks. She didn't want to be responsible if they lost money.
Lu Jiao said to the leaders, "For the first year, keep it small. Other than risks, there's the question of where to get the leeches. You can focus on leech reproduction in the first year."
The leaders nodded and agreed, "Okay, then, Yunjin's wife, how much land do you think we should clear for this?"
"Try 2 acres first."
Two acres was an acceptable figure to the villagers and everyone nodded.
Lu Jiao continued, "Before we start this, I have a few things to say. First of all, I am going to be teaching my second brother-in-law the techniques of leech-keeping. He'll be responsible for the leeches."
The leaders didn't object, "Okay, but isn't it too much work for him?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "He can delegate different tasks to different people. However, he gets to choose who he delegates to. Since he'll be managing this, he can be held accountable. I want to teach it to him because the teaching phase will take some time. As someone's wife, people would start rumors if I started meeting up with men every day."
The leaders thought that was a good point.
Lu Jiao then continued, "Leech keeping is also a long process. There will be times when questions come up. If my second brother-in-law comes to find me with questions, there won't be any rumors since we are family. It'd feel inappropriate if it was anyone else."
The leaders all nodded. They didn't want Lu Jiao to be a victim after teaching them leech-keeping. After all, they know just how stanky the women's mouths could get.
"Okay. Will Erzhu be able to learn everything?"
The Village Leader was worried he wouldn't.
Lu Jiao smiled, "Leech keeping isn't hard. He's already a great farmer so he will for sure be able to learn. You don't have to worry about that."
The leaders all nodded.
Lu Jiao continued, "Also, leaders, I've already asked my second brother-in-law to keep the techniques within the clan. When the day comes where he no longer wants to do this, or when he's too old, he can pass down the techniques to someone within the clan. This can be a generational skill."
The leaders smiled. They were happy to get Lu Jiao's words for it.
"Yunjin's wife, you mentioned that Baohe Tang would purchase leeches. Should we go talk to their owner and get them to sign a contract? That way, the villagers would feel more at ease."
Lu Jiao nodded, "Sure, leaders, please go talk to Owner Zhao. I'm sure you will have a nice chat."
As long as Zhao Lingfeng isn't dumb, he would know this was a good deal.
A pharmacy requires a large number of medicinal ingredients. He should be encouraging the villagers to plant those.
After Lu Jiao spoke, however, the leaders smiled at her, "Yunjin's wife, how about you take us to talk to the owners of Baohe Tang?"
"Yeah, we get scared seeing those kinds of people and forget how to talk. How about you take us?"
Before Lu Jiao could speak, Xie Yunjin frowned. He wanted to offer himself to the conversation but due to his legs, he stopped himself. Right now, he couldn't even walk.
Lu Jiao didn't decline. Tomorrow, she planned on going into town and was okay with making a trip to Baohe Tang with the leaders.
"Okay. I was going to go into town anyway. You can come with me then."
The leaders grinned and nodded, "Then, we shall go tomorrow."
Lu Jiao said, "If we strike a deal tomorrow, you can start gathering people to catch leeches. You can also carve out an area to temporarily keep the leeches."
"Deal." The Village Leader concluded this and then left excitedly.
Lu Jiao got up to leave but Xie Yunjin suddenly grabbed her hand.
Lu Jiao froze and turned her head to find him staring at her appreciatively, "Thank you for saving this opportunity for my second brother."
Lu Jiao could've picked a few other villagers to learn with his second brother. If she did that, then people would've had to respect Lu Jiao rather than his second brother.
However, Lu Jiao made it so that people would respect and be thankful for his second brother. By doing so, his second brother's position in the village will never be low again.
Others may not understand this, but Xie Yunjin understood. Because he understood, he was so grateful to Lu Jiao.
The more he discovered her caringness, the more he vowed to treat her well.
Lu Jiao appreciated Xie Erzhu. She also thought of him as a loyal, kind, and genuine person. That was why she chose him.
Xie Yunjin's gaze, however, made him appear far too touched. Was that necessary?
Lu Jiao grinned, "It's okay. Second brother is a good person and deserves the best."
Xie Yunjin's eyes darkened a little and his lips curled up. Inside, he was happy.
She obviously did this because of him, yet she made it sound like it was something more.
Xie Yunjin thought this as he held onto Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao stared at him strangely. She remembers clearly that it wasn't long ago when he acted like she constantly took advantage of him. Was what he's doing now taking advantage of her?
She was about to pull away her hand when Xie Yunjin spoke again, "Once my legs heal, you can leave some tasks to me. You don't have to do everything."
Lu Jiao knew he was referring to the discussion they wanted to have tomorrow with Baohe Tang.
Lu Jiao didn't care. After interacting with him for so long, he knew Xie Yunjin was somewhat of a male chauvinist. These men didn't like it when women were seen in public with other men. That was the normal way of thinking for most men in this day and age.
Lu Jiao didn't want to discuss this with him. After all, they will soon have nothing to do with each other. What was the point of talking more?
"We can talk about it later."
Xie Yunjin looked up at her. He knew very well how straightforward and kind this woman was. Given her incredible medical knowledge, there was no way she would stay home all day. He didn't plan on stopping her from doing what she wanted, but once his legs heal, he was willing to go out with her.
Xie Yunjin was in a great mood as he planned his future.
Lu Jiao found it strange that he still hasn't let go of her hand. If she didn't know the kind of person he was, she would've thought of him as a pervert.
But she knew who he was and decided he was doing it subconsciously.
Lu Jiao pulled away her hand and left. Behind her, Xie Yunjin smiled while he watched her leave. The look on his face was indescribably happy.
Outside, the four little ones were teaching the village children The Three Character Classic. Lu Jiao saw how charismatic the First Born was as he taught and her face blossomed into a beam. These well-behaved and cute boys never failed to put her in a good mood.
167 Parasite
Lu Jiao smiled and headed outside.
Before she got out of the room, she heard chaotic footsteps coming from outside the trellis. Amongst the messiness were words of comfort.
Lu Jiao went out and found a group of people headed her way. The one leading the group was the third grandma. Beside her was a lady who was rather short.
The lady was around 30 years old and had a face similar to the third grandma. She was fragile and small and appeared exhausted. Her eyes were swollen red, which made it obvious that she's been crying for a while.
Lots of people followed them. Lu Jiao thought they must be from the same family. Of course, a few elders from the Xie Village tagged along as well.
The moment the third grandma saw Lu Jiao, she grabbed her hand, "Jiaojiao, come and tell me what's wrong with Xiaoyu."
Lu Jiao knew right away the kid, Xiaoyu, was sick. She gestured for the person with the child to come forward.
The third grandma followed closely. As she walked, she comforted the slim lady, "Dahong, do not worry. Jiaojiao is a great doctor. She managed to bring Widow Li's daughter-in-law back to life. I'm sure she's able to cure Xiaoyu. Do not worry."
Xie Dahong started to cry, "Mom, there's so much you don't know. We first sought treatment in town, then went to the county. Nobody there could help Xiaoyu. Look at how much weight my grandchild has lost."
Lu Jiao finally figured out their relationship. The lady was the eldest daughter of the third grandma – her name was Xie Dahong.
The boy named Xiaoyu should be Xie Dahong's grandson.
"Put the child on my bed."
The village kids saw the group of people and stopped studying. They all gathered before the west bedroom door to be nosy. Even the four little ones curiously watched.
Lu Jiao saw them but didn't say anything. With something like this happening, they likely can't focus on studying.
Lu Jiao again gestured for Xie Dahong to put Xiaoyu onto the bed. Xiaoyu mumbled in pain with a frown. His voice was so thin it mimicked a cat.
Lu Jiao ached for him. He appeared similar in age to the four little ones. Not only was he skinny without any ounce of fat, but he was also shorter than the four little ones and was jaundiced.
When Lu Jiao checked out Xiaoyu, she soothed, "Don't be scared. I'll examine you and you'll get well soon. Once you're well, you can eat good food. Don't be scared."
Lu Jiao asked Xie Dahong as she examined, "He has a stomachache?"
Xie Dahong nodded, "Yes, we went into town to see a doctor a while back and the doctor prescribed him some medicine. He got better after but the pain returned after a few days.
He would take more medicine and get better, but the symptoms always came back. Out of options, we went into the county twice but the result was the same."
Because of this child, the entire family's been acting like ants on a hot pan. However, this was her eldest grandson and she had to save him.
She heard from the villagers that there was a doctor who worked magic here, someone who revived a person. This was why she rushed over today.
When she asked her mother, her mother brought her to Yunjin's wife.
This was Xie Dahong's last ray of hope. She stared at Lu Jiao and prayed that she could save her grandson's life.
Lu Jiao pressed against Xiaoyu's stomach. Xiaoyu shrieked in pain and she stopped. She then examined other critical spots before she felt his pulse. His pulse was weak and barely existent.
"He's been having a poor appetite? Gets cold at night and has very poor sleep quality?"
Xie Dahong nodded quickly. Behind her, a young woman cried, "He's easily furious and would lash out constantly. We do what we can to get him to eat but he would smash things when he gets annoyed. He wasn't always like this."
Lu Jiao looked at the young woman. She should be Xie Dahong's daughter-in-law, Xiaoyu's mother.
Lu Jiao calmed her down, "He's sick. Once we treat him, he'll be fine."
Lu Jiao switched hands and continued to feel his pulse. She had made her diagnosis.
Lu Jiao glanced around at the room of children. Children from the countryside had poor hygiene and were at high risk of getting infected with parasites. This was why she's been wanting to deworm her four little ones.
Lu Jiao said to Xie Dahong, "He has a worm in his stomach. We have to deworm him."
Everyone in the room jumped, especially the children, "Worm? There's a worm inside him?"
"That's terrifying."
Xie Dahong's expression changed, "How could there be a worm in his stomach? That's impossible. Why would there be a worm inside a healthy child?"
Lu Jiao explained, "Poor hygiene practices cause parasites to latch on. Xiaoyu isn't the only victim. I'm sure all the children here have worms inside their bellies."
All the children were shocked. The older ones handled it okay but the younger ones started to cry.
"There's a worm inside my belly! There's a worm!"
The four little ones raced to Lu Jiao, "Mommy, we have worms inside too?"
Lu Jiao nodded. The four little ones got scared and their faces paled.
Lu Jiao patted their heads, "Don't fear. I will deworm you. But you need to remember to practice good hygiene. You need to wash your hands before and after each meal. You also need to wash your hands after playing. Before you eat anything, you have to make sure your hands are clean and do not eat any food that is not cooked."
Lu Jiao said all this to ensure all the children became aware.
The children were stunned. They rarely washed their hands.
The third grandma glanced at Lu Jiao, "Xiaoyu is like this because of the worm?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "Because of the parasite inside him, he became malnourished. He has low energy, his face is yellowing, his limbs are cold and his nails are pale. Malnutrition is an illness that slowly reveals all its effects. It also takes some time to treat. Before treatment, he has to be dewormed. Or else all treatment will be futile."
Lu Jiao said to Xie Dahong, "Before, you got some prescribed medicine for Xiaoyu. Those medicines cause the worms inside him to become dormant, which shows improvement in his health. However, the worms inside him were never gone. The moment you stop taking the medicine, the worms would become active again. This is why his symptoms keep on coming back."
Xie Dahong cried out loud at this point. Thinking about the pain Xiaoyu went through hurt her.
She said to Lu Jiao, "Yunjin's wife, please save my Xiaoyu."
"It's okay. It's not a serious illness. I'll write him a prescription and you can brew it for him. Tonight, we can do our first round of deworming. We'll do two more days of deworming after that. As for the malnutrition, we'll have to treat it with another prescription after the deworming."
Xie Dahong honestly still didn't believe that her grandson had a worm inside him. However, she was out of options and could only ask for those prescriptions.
Lu Jiao went to the kitchen and took the chance to take out some of her herbs from her space. Rhubarb, scutellaria, araceae, pinellia, and sperantoides.
"Take these and brew them together. Give him two bowls tonight. Tomorrow and the day after, give him one bowl per night."
The third grandma came forward and thanked Lu Jiao.
"Thank you, Jiaojiao."
"It's no problem."
168 Mommy, Let me Feed you Dinner
The third grandma and her family left in a hurry. Back at the third grandma's house, they immediately brewed medicine for Tong Xiaoyu.
Back at the Xie house, all the children were crying and running around. As they ran home, they muttered about the worms in their stomach.
Lu Jiao prepared to go into the mountains to get more herbs to deworm the four little ones. She planned on getting a lot and making a whole pot of medicine so all the children in the village could get a bowl.
The healthy children only needed to take the medicine for two days to deworm.
Inside the east bedroom, the four little ones were pitifully telling Xie Yunjin about the worms in their stomach.
"Mommy said we have worms inside us."
"Daddy, I'm scared."
"Mommy said she'll get some herbs for us and make us medicine."
"After taking medicine, the worms would get out. Mommy said we need to wash hands before we eat. We also need to wash food before we make anything. We need to ensure food is cooked through, or else we'd get more worms."
Xie Yunjin was aware of what happened just now and he too, was a little stunned, "There really are worms inside the stomach?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "It's true. Poor hygiene results in parasites growing."
"How come we were okay before?"
Xie Yunjin asked curiously. He's never heard about worms inside the stomach. That was rather terrifying. However, Xie Yunjin didn't suspect Lu Jiao. After all, that woman's medical skills were out of the world. So then… there truly were worms inside the children's stomachs?
Xie Yunjin couldn't help but worry. Looking at the four little ones' smooth faces, however, he stopped worrying.
Lu Jiao liked the children so much and she wasn't panicking. That means the worms couldn't hurt people too much.
"There's no obvious symptoms for those who don't deworm. Maybe the occasional stomach ache or a messy intestine. However, those with bad worms would be unable to absorb nutrients and lose weight. Young children like Xiaoyu, they are likely to become malnourished. They lose weight and appetite, which eventually trigger more symptoms."
Xie Yunjin became worried and rushed Lu Jiao, "Then, hurry and get some herbs so the four little ones can be dewormed."
"Sure."
Lu Jiao smiled and left. The four little ones followed.
Once they left the yard, Xie Xiaobao, Mutou, and Gousheng found them.
They each wore a wooden bow today and walked alongside them almost heroically.
This time, they were mostly curious about the worms and asked Lu Jiao repetitively.
"Third aunt, do we really have worms?"
Lu Jiao nodded, "Yes, you do."
"Will the worms eat us?"
Gousheng was in shock.
Lu Jiao shook her head, "No way. It likes to eat the nutrition inside us, not us. As long as we deworm once a year, there won't be any worms anymore. Most importantly, we need to be clean."
Xie Xiaobao, Mutou, and Gousheng quickly vowed, "We will be clean. We'll wash hands, wash the food we eat, and refuse to eat anything raw."
The four little ones quickly added, "You need to wash your hands after using the potty."
Xie Xiaobao, Mutou, and Gousheng nodded.
The children chatted about other things and soon forgot their fear of worms. Happily, they went up the mountain and started to practice shooting.
This time, Lu Jiao didn't watch them. She collected herbs around the mountain. Given the large number of children in the village, she only stopped once she got two giant bundles of herbs.
"Boys, let's go home. We need to deworm tonight. We can come back tomorrow."
The four little ones agreed. After all, they were worried about the worms.
By the time they got home, lots of people had crowded their yard. They were villagers of all ages and gender and they surrounded Lu Jiao to ask about the worms.
Lu Jiao repeated herself and finally said, "I harvested some herbs and I will make a giant pot of medicine. Every child here gets a bowl."
Though the villagers said "okay", they were still anxious.
They've never heard about worms growing inside the stomach. Was that true?
Some people here were completely devoted to Lu Jiao and jumped up, "Jiaojiao is a miracle doctor. If she says there was a worm inside that child, then there was."
Aung Guihua volunteered, "Jiaojiao, I'll help you brew the medicine. I will take a bow for Tiedan later."
"Okay."
Other than Aunt Guihua, a few other housewives offered to help. Everyone chaotically cleaned the herbs Lu Jiao harvested and placed them into a pot. In the end, one pot wasn't enough and they had to make two pots to share among the children.
Because of this, Lu Jiao's family didn't get to eat until it was already dark outside.
Xie Yunjin felt bad seeing how absolutely exhausted Lu Jiao was at the end of the day.
"You don't have to do so well. You could've made the medicine tomorrow. All these years, they were oblivious to this and they were fine."
The four little ones also noticed how tired their mother was and circled her, "Mommy, let me massage your hands for you."
"I'll give you a back rub."
"Mommy, let me get you some sugar water."
The Fourth Born asked with anticipation, "Mommy, let me feed you dinner."
Lu Jiao giggled and patted his head, "I'm not so old that I cannot eat myself. Why would I need you to feed me?"
She then gestured for the children to eat, "Okay, it's late. Eat, clean up, bathe, and sleep."
Since the children knew their mother was tired and didn't want to annoy her, they crawled up their chairs and ate peacefully.
Right after, Xie Erzhu arrived.
Nobody from the Xie family came to get deworming medicine earlier.
Lady Ruan and Chen Liu didn't believe anything Lu Jiao said and were laughing at her in their own home.
Miracle doctor? She was a scam. Just because others complimented her a few times, she really thought of herself as a miracle doctor? How could worms grow inside people's stomachs? If that was true, everyone would be dead.
Since nobody from the Xie family came, Xie Erzhu's two daughters also didn't get any medicine.
Knowing what happened today, Xie Erzhu couldn't help but ask Lu Jiao, "Sister-in-law, is it true that there are worms inside children's stomachs?"
"Yes."
Xie Erzhu trusted Lu Jiao – her medical knowledge was profound. If she said they existed, then they must exist.
Xie Erzhu then said, "Then, sister-in-law, do you have more of that medicine?"
Lu Jiao saved a big bowl for each of Xie Erzhu's daughters. She wasn't going to give it to him if he doubted her. However, if he believed her, then she would give it to him.
Lu Jiao smiled, "I saved them a big bowl each. Go home and give it to them."
Xie Erzhu thanked Lu Jiao profusely, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
Just then, noises of excited chatter were heard outside, along with clamorous babbles.
169 Who Raised Them? They were too Cute
Everyone inside the room looked out the window and watched as the group of people walked into the yard. Once they got inside, they called out loudly, "Yunjin's wife, are you around?"
Lu Jiao went to greet them. It was the third grandma, her eldest daughter Xie Dahong, and the Tong family. Of course, lots of villagers were there with them.
The third grandma took Lu Jiao's hand and thanked her, "Jiaojiao, there really were worms inside Xiaoyu's stomach. We saw. There were so many."
The villagers all gasped, "Oh my god, really? That's terrifying."
"Yes, luckily, Yunjin's wife found out about it. Or else my children would've gotten as sick as Xiaoyu."
"Did you see how skinny that kid got? It was all because of the worms. How could the doctors in town and the county not know about it?"
"This means Yunjin's wife knows more than those doctors."
"I am now certain that she is the most knowledgeable person around here. She's truly a miracle doctor."
"Yes, Yunjin's wife truly is."
There were mutters of all sorts of rumors. Xie Dahong stared at Lu Jiao appreciatively, "Thank you for saving Xiaoyu's life. If it weren't for you, nobody would've known why he was sick."
If they waited longer, Xiaoyu would've lost his life. How fortunate they are to have found Yunjin's wife.
Xie Dahong was unspeakably thankful. Lu Jiao smiled, "We are all neighbors. You don't need to be so courteous to me. Xiaoyu will be fine after two more days of deworming."
The family and the villagers all thanked Lu Jiao more before they left.
Since it was so late, Lu Jiao headed back to check if Xie Erzhu was done helping Xie Yunjin. She wanted to give Xie Erzhu some hot water to wipe down Xie Yunjin with.
Inside the east bedroom, Xie Erzhu was done helping Xie Yunjin. He brought with him the portable potty to dump it outside.
Lu Jiao turned to get the hot water. Xie Yunjin called out to her.
"Lu Jiao."
Lu Jiao thought he needed something and went up to him, "What is it?"
Under the dim light, the man leaned on the edge of the bed with his hair draped down. His skin was jade smooth as usual and his dark and deep gaze pulsated with sparks. He looked like a painting.
Lu Jiao couldn't help but compliment him. He truly had a beautiful exterior.
However, more and more she felt like he's been looking at her differently. She couldn't exactly pinpoint what was different, it just was.
Oh well, maybe he was just appreciative of her care lately and started to treat her kinder.
Since Xie Yunjin didn't say anything, she asked again, "What is it?"
Xie Yunjin's lips curled, "Your medical knowledge seems to be truly amazing."
It wasn't just the villagers who were oblivious, he was also unaware of stomach worms. Therefore, this woman was a great doctor.
Lu Jiao's heart skipped a beat and she smiled, "I may know stuff others don't but others also know stuff I don't. We all have our strengths."
She didn't let Xie Yunjin answer and yawned, "I'm going to get some hot water and ask the second brother to wipe you down."
She left in a hurry, which made Xie Yunjin grin deeper and wonder if she was being shy.
Just now, he didn't need anything. He just wanted to talk to her. He always felt like talking to her put him in a good mood.
Outside, Lu Jiao didn't know what Xie Yunjin was thinking. She got hot water for Xie Yunjin and went to wash up the children.
Afterward, she cleaned herself and went to tell the four little ones a bedtime story.
The four little ones declined.
The First Born said to the other three in a serious tone, "Mom is very tired tonight. We will skip out on tonight's story and continue tomorrow night."
The other three agreed, "Okay."
They then came up to Lu Jiao and each kissed her once.
The First Born also kissed Lu Jiao, waved his hand, then took the Second Born to sleep with their dad.
Lu Jiao smiled as she watched the children. They were so aware and sweet, how obedient.
Who raised them? They were just too cute.
Lu Jiao made herself laugh and she giggled while she lay down. The Third and Fourth Born didn't know why she was so happy but knew to laugh alongside her. In the end, the three of them fell asleep giggling.
The next day, the family was having breakfast when the Clan and Village Leader arrived.
Lu Jiao was speechless. Wasn't this far too early? Was this necessary?
"Have you eaten? Do you want some?"
Breakfast this morning was simple. Rice porridge, boiled eggs, and two vegetable dishes.
Lu Jiao's vegetables, however, were extremely fresh. Therefore, despite the dishes being vegetarian, the children loved them.
Xie Yunjin was also eating happily.
The leaders waved around their hands, "You eat. We already ate."
Lu Jiao brought them chairs so they could sit. She also poured them some sugar water.
The villagers enjoyed sugar water more than tea, so Lu Jiao tend to serve her guests with sugar water.
The leaders chatted with Xie Yunjin, mainly about his school and studies.
With his injuries and his long break, will his teachers still admit him back to school?
Xie Yunjin explained calmly, "Do not worry. My teachers have been worried about me. They even asked Classmate Han to deliver the message that I should take my time resting."
The leaders smiled and stopped worrying. The Village Leader remembered that there was an exam next year in the province and asked caringly, "Next August is the triennial examination held in each province?"
Xie Yunjin nodded. He was very confident about the exam. Honestly, he could've taken the exam three years ago. However, Lu Jiao had just given birth to the children – four of them at once, and he was far too worried to take the exam.
This time, he wasn't at all worried about the upcoming exam.
The Village Leader carefully asked, "Yunjin, are you confident about the exam?"
Xie Yunjin raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "If it all goes according to the plan, I should place high on the exam."
He was humble. He will likely place first in the exam.
The leaders didn't even know he was being humble and started to laugh, "Great! You're amazing. It's no surprise that you are from the Xie Village!"
Lu Jiao listened with a speechless look on her face. If the Xie Village was so great, why weren't there more accomplished people here?
In the end, she didn't say anything. The two seniors were good people and she shouldn't hurt their feelings.
170 A Woman with Eyes only for Money
Lu Jiao quickly finished breakfast and cleaned up the dirty dishes.
"You boys stay and listen to your dad. Don't make him mad, got it?"
The four little ones nodded and indicated that they will be good.
"Mommy, come home early."
"We will wait for you."
The four little ones stared after Lu Jiao. Lu Jiao patted their heads, "I will come home early and bring you peaches and grapes."
Xie Yunjin's face dropped when he heard that. Peaches and grapes were brought here by Baohe Tang.
Lu Jiao spoke about those fruits like she owned them. That meant she had a great relationship with Baohe Tang.
Xie Yunjin thought of Dr. Qi and that owner whom he's never met.
The more Xie Yunjin thought about it, the more depressed he got. His face turned a bit cold.
Lu Jiao ignored him and asked him, "Keep an eye on the four little ones. Don't let them run around too much. I should be back by noon."
Before Xie Yunjin could respond, Lu Jiao left with the leaders.
Xie Yunjin watched them leave in a bad mood. From inside to outside, he seeped with negativity.
The four little ones noticed and quickly went to show their concern.
"Daddy, how come you are not happy? Your legs hurt?"
"If your legs hurt, I can massage them. When I massaged mom's legs, she smiled."
"I can blow on your legs. Blowing helps with the pain."
The First Born raised an eyebrow and glanced between his father and the door. He felt his dad's unhappiness was related to his mom.
The First Born's brain flashed. His dad must be worried like him – worried that his mom wouldn't return home. That must be it.
The First Born grabbed Xie Yunjin's hand and said, "Daddy, don't worry. Mommy will come back."
Xie Yunjin denied immediately, "What are you talking about? I'm not worried about that. Why would she not come back?"
Where would she go? She was his wife and she liked him so much.
He was simply in a bad mood knowing how close she was with other people.
Xie Yunjin thought of his legs. He will be able to walk soon. Once he could, he could accompany her on these trips.
Xie Yunjin's mood improved.
Lu Jiao had no idea what was going on inside his head and rode into town in the oxcart.
When Qi Lei saw her, he happily went to greet her, "Lady Lu, how come you're here?"
Lu Jiao pointed at the Village and Clan Leaders, "Where's your owner? I brought the leaders here to chat."
This time, Qi Lei didn't bring the group to the backyard. Lu Jiao knew right away that the wounded guy they saved last time still rested there. Therefore, they had to avoid the area.
Qi Lei smiled, "Wait here for a minute. I will ask the owner to come here."
"Okay."
Zhao Lingfeng arrived shortly after and everyone went to chat in a private room.
Lu Jiao introduced the leaders to Zhao Lingfeng and said, "I heard that you were planning on opening a pharmacy. My village wants to start leech keeping. I wonder if you would be willing to purchase leeches from us?"
Zhao Lingfeng raised an eyebrow at Lu Jiao, appearing graceful and high-class.
To the leaders, they felt like that man was a buddha sitting in a very tall chair. They didn't even dare to look straight at him.
Lu Jiao didn't feel anything. That man was simply born into a good family. In her opinion, this Zhao Lingfeng likely had a harder life than a commoner.
Zhao Lingfeng wasn't thinking that much. He simply felt that it was weird for Lu Jiao to bring these men here. The pharmacy was a business they mutually agreed upon and she could make that decision. Why would she bring them over here?
He thought that it meant Lu Jiao didn't want anyone to know about her involvement in the pharmacy. If that is the case, then Zhao Lingfeng will cooperate.
He turned to the leaders and said calmly, "You want to keep leeches?"
"Yes, yes. I wonder if you are willing to buy them off of us?"
Zhao Lingfeng didn't give the leaders a hard time, "We will. How many acres of land are you planning on dedicating to this?"
The leaders were ecstatic. As long as Baohe Tang decides to be a buyer, their options would open up and they wouldn't need to fear.
"We are thinking of starting with two acres of land to start the reproduction process."
The Village Leader explained carefully then shot Lu Jiao a look to confirm he said it right.
Lu Jiao nodded, a little impatient. She said to Zhao Lingfeng, "We are here to sign a contract and get some deposit from you. What do you say?"
Zhao Lingfeng knew right away that Lu Jiao was impatient. Though he hasn't known her for too long, he knew she was not the patient kind.
Zhao Lingfeng didn't want to wrong this money-maker and agreed right away, "Sure. I will give you 20 taels of silver as a deposit. How's that?"
Though he was talking to the leaders, he was looking at Lu Jiao.
Lu Jiao agreed right away and stood up, "Then, you guys can sort out the details. I have to go buy some stuff around town."
She's eaten all the meat from before. Today, other than sorting out the contract, she had to buy food for the family.
After she stood up, someone pushed the door open and walked in. It was the guy Lu Jiao's met before – Mo Bei.
When he saw Lu Jiao, coldness rushed up his cheeks and fury shot out of his eyes. This woman truly only lights up when she sees money. Before, removing one arrow from his master cost them 5,000 taels of silver.
Zhao Lingfeng saw the look on Mo Bei's face and almost begged him to not provoke Lady Lu.
Zhao Lingfeng peeked at Lu Jiao, who remained unmoving and expressionless as if she didn't notice Mo Bei.
She tried to leave the room but Mo Bei blocked her way.
"My master wants to see you."
Lu Jiao was blunt, "No."
Though these people were obviously rich, as long as she didn't do anything illegal, she had no reason to fear them. Plus, she saved their lives, which meant they shouldn't give her a hard time. Lu Jiao had the right to not be scared.
She tried to push away Mo Bei's arm but she failed.
Mo Bei opened his mouth again, "My master wants to see you."
Lu Jiao didn't speak. Zhao Lingfeng stood up and walked over, "His master's the person you saved last time. He likely wants to thank you."
Lu Jiao truly didn't want to go see that "master". She didn't want to get involved with all these people. The way Mo Bei was behaving, however, made it clear that if she refused today, he would make sure she didn't get to leave this place.
Lu Jiao was in a rush to buy groceries and didn't want to waste time there. In an exasperated tone, she blurted out, "Lead the way."